Week 4 Guest Speaker: Ian Verchere of Roadhouse Interactive

Ian Verchere who is co-founder and the Chief Creative of Roadhouse Interactive, a 50-person production and development company shaping the future of mobile, tablet and online games will be our guest next class.  Ian will share his views of  ongoing dialectic between creating and the law.Ian has been a great friend of the course, providing challenging insights from the creators’ perspective each of the last three years. Ian’s particular gift is for illuminating the  paradox of legal structures which constrain creativity while seemingly seeking to protect creative enterprises.

From Ian’s LinkedIn profile:

“Verchere is a creative producer, writer and visual artist. Since graduating with honors from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design (ECIAD) in 1989, he has been involved in the creation and production of over 30 video and computer games, including creative producer on the million-plus selling SSX Tricky and NBA Street V.2 for Electronic Arts, and designing and producing the classic, best-selling Sega Genesis title Beavis and Butt-head for MTV.

Verchere was one of the founders of Radical Entertainment, and was instrumental in growing the company into one of the world’s largest independent game developers. After serving as Studio Creative Director, he left in 1998 to join Electronic Arts (Canada) as a Producer.

In 1994, he wrote and directed The Divide: Enemies Within for Sony PlayStation. This award-winning title was recognized for its original story, and for the innovative CG short film that opened the game. In 1998, he brought the greatest action star in the world to the video game world, signing Jackie Chan to an exclusive worldwide deal.

He co-wrote Mom’s Cookies, a screenplay with Douglas Coupland that was bought by Disney, and is a member of the WGAw. As Executive Creative Director for Millions of Us, he helped MoU secure an exclusive agreement with Sony to create and develop virtual worlds and lobbies for PlayStation Home, including Sony’s own Home Lobby and Orientation Experience.

Verchere founded Roadhouse Interactive with James Hursthouse and Tarrnie Williams , and leads creative there.”

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