Experience

Centre for Entertainment Arts
• Canada
• Entertainment
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Co-Founder and co-CEO

  • Aug 2018 - Present


Gnomon School of Visual Effects, Games + Animation

• United States
• Higher Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Head of New Product Development

  • Jun 2018 - Dec 2018

  Working on an exciting new confidential industry project from conception through to launch, including industry research, financial planning, staffing, and project management. The project will benefit the entertainment industry in the Los Angeles and California region. Working on an exciting new confidential industry project from conception through to launch, including industry research, financial planning, staffing, and project management. The project will benefit the entertainment industry in the Los Angeles and California region.



Vancouver Film School

• Canada
• Higher Education
• 300 - 400 Employee

• Head of the School of Creative Technologies

  • Oct 2017 - Aug 2018

  Leading VFS's award winning Game Design, Digital Design, and Programming School.

• Head of Department

  • Aug 2015 - Oct 2017

  Heading VFS's award winning Game Design and Programming for Games, Web, and Mobile departments.- Launched Canada's first industry sponsored VR Lab in partnership with VR First.

• Senior Instructor

  • Mar 2011 - Aug 2015

  After over a decade in industry I thought it might be time to give something back. I relocated from Scotland to beautiful British Columbia to join Vancouver Film School as a senior instructor. I was blown away by what was achieved in the game design program in only one year – vastly out performing anything I had seen before, including 4-year programs. At VFS I added a large amount of technical curriculum and later proposed a new diploma for Programming for Games, Web, and Mobile, which was approved and I project managed it to launch. Hugely successful, this program achieved 100% hire rates within three months for its first three graduations. I took over the management of both programming and games in August 2015. They are now some of the most awarded programs in the world, regularly achieving top 10 placement in international rankings. Show less



Whitebox Games

• Board Of Directors

  • Mar 2014 - Aug 2016

  I am on the board of directors for WhiteBox games - helping this exciting new games studio in Canada through their rapid expansion to bring their amazing new products to market. I am on the board of directors for WhiteBox games - helping this exciting new games studio in Canada through their rapid expansion to bring their amazing new products to market.



Cohort Studios Limited

• United Kingdom
• Computer Games
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Technical Director

  • Nov 2008 - Feb 2011

  I joined Cohort Studios as a Lead Programmer and quickly progressed to Technical Director, working closely as a first party developer for Sony. I worked on highly complex rendering and engine code for proprietary engines supporting numerous IPs. I rewrote the entire engine to support Sony GCM instead of OpenGL for huge performance improvements. I also helped develop a lot of the technology for the first Sony Move controller products, prototyped 3D TV technology, and worked on the Unreal Engine game Ride to Hell. I developed the online ecommerce integration and related gameplay for Lemmings PS3. Show less



Multiple Publishers

• Poland
• Software Development

• Book Author - Video Game Technology

  • Jun 2000 - Dec 2009

  I authored many books on game engine technology, rendering, systems, AI, and development which were published in the US, and translated for China and the Middle East I authored many books on game engine technology, rendering, systems, AI, and development which were published in the US, and translated for China and the Middle East



Sports Interactive

• Sporting Goods Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Consulting Engineer

  • Nov 2007 - Sep 2008

  I worked for a short period as a consultant on 3D rendering for SEGA Sports Interactive on Football Manager, specialising in inverse kinematic animation rendering and physics, as the product transitioned to 3D, and then later worked with Hounddog Technologies as a Technical Marketing Manager to launch their SaaS support software internationally. Hounddog experienced huge growth and was subsequently sold to GFI. Football Manager 2009 (PC) /Sega Sports Interactive (London) -BAFTA nominated for "Best Strategy" and "Best Sports Game" Show less



Real Time Worlds

• Appliances, Electrical, and Electronics Manufacturing

• System/Engines/Rendering Software Engineer

  • Dec 2004 - Nov 2007

  Working for Microsoft Game Studios was incredibly exciting on the engine and render team. We created ground breaking advancements in draw-distance, rendering, crowd and AI, organics rendering, sound reflection, and much more. All while trying to work around constantly changing and evolving beta hardware for the Xbox 360. I also worked on Tools, Technology, and Audio for the MMO All Point Bulletin, where I developed Noodle Graph style editing and playback technologies for the audio engine. Crackdown (Xbox 360) Microsoft Game Studios -Winner, Develop Awards 2006, “Best New Console Game and IP for 2006,” “Best Visual Arts,” and “Best Audio Accomplishment.” -Nominated for three 2007 Golden Joysticks including “Most Innovative,” “Choice Award,” and “Game of the year” -Fastest selling video game on launch. Fastest selling game in all markets in Q1 2007. -BAFTA nominated for “Best Action and Adventure Game,” “Best Game Play,” “Best Multiplayer,” “Best Technical Achievement” and “Best Audio Accomplishment.” Crackdown DLC (Xbox 360) Microsoft Game Studios -Most popular Xbox 360 DLC, highest DLC download rate, highest DLC sales for 2007. APB (All Points Bulletin) MMO (PC) Webzen/EA Show less



Nicely Crafted Entertainment

• Senior Software Engineer

  • Dec 2003 - Nov 2004

  I worked as a senior software engineer for Nicely Crafted, specializing in rendering and engine technologies for the game Time of Defiance. Nicely Crafted used proprietary engines implementing biologically inspired code for the artificial intelligence. I specifically developed user input, particle systems, physics integration, and visual effects. Time of Defiance (PC) /Oxygen Interactive -Winner of Gamers Pulse magazine “Editor’s Choice" award Tronji (PC) / BBC Ragdoll Productions Show less



Activision

• United States
• Entertainment Providers
• 700 & Above Employee

• Software Engineer

  • Jul 2003 - Nov 2003

  I worked on the prototyping of a major new franchise for Disney by Activision called Action Figure Faceoff. Working in engines, rendering, and physics I developed much of the early framework for the project. Unfortunately cancelled by Disney - this project went on to inspire the Infinity series later. Action Figure Face-off (PS2, PC) Disney I worked on the prototyping of a major new franchise for Disney by Activision called Action Figure Faceoff. Working in engines, rendering, and physics I developed much of the early framework for the project. Unfortunately cancelled by Disney - this project went on to inspire the Infinity series later. Action Figure Face-off (PS2, PC) Disney



Visual Sciences / EA

• Software Engineer

  • May 2002 - Jun 2003

  Working for EA Visual Sciences I developed much of the engine code for F1 Career Challenge. Specifically, much of the server interaction code had been lost from earlier iteration of the game, so I helped to reconstruct data flows, and implement a new 3D animation and rigging system. I worked on the multiplayer technology behind Medal of Honor, and the gameplay coding of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I worked between Scotland and EA London on these projects. F1 Career Challenge (PS2, Gamecube, Xbox) Electronic Arts -Winner of “Best Driving Game” at the 2003 Spike TV Video Game Awards Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (PS2, Xbox, PC) EA / Warner Bros -Winner of a 2004 BAFTA for “Best Score” Medal of Honor: Rising Sun (PS2, XBox) EA LA -Winner of Academy of Interactive Arts “Outstanding Achievement" award Show less


Abertay University
• United Kingdom
• Higher Education
• 400 - 500 Employee
• Software Researcher - International Centre for Computer Game and Virtual Entertainment

  • Sep 2000 - Sep 2001