By intern Natasia Gascon

The IndieCade International Festival of Independent Games concluded its second year in Culver City this past weekend. Game developers from all over the world set up shop in various venues in downtown Culver City and transformed it into a vibrant village dedicated to celebrating independent games and the people who create them. 

Fire Station #1 and the WWA Gallery were used as presentation rooms for games, while the Ivy Substation was used for talks and panels. The parking lot of Culver Studios was also transformed into a “gaming village” using artistic structures from the Gregg Fleishman Art Gallery.

“It’s so much fun and exciting that IndieCade is happening in Culver City,” said John Derevlany, creator of CulverLand, a temporary artwork and functioning game outside of the Culver Hotel.  “It’s stimulating, it’s exciting and it’s family-friendly.”

Derevlany says that a lot of the mainstream games available are the same, but at IndieCade “you are seeing new and interesting things.”

“People say games are going to be the media of the 21st century the same way film was in the 20th century,” said Derevlany. “I think [Culver City] has a great start in bringing in creative people that are going to power the media of the future.”

The festival’s distinction as the only stand-alone festival for independent games open to the public made it a rare opportunity for indie gamers to meet with each other, share ideas and showcase their games to possible financial supporters.

“I heard about IndieCade through some other independent game-developer friends, and it seemed like a really cool gathering,” said Dustin Quasar of Vancouver, Canada, whose game Castle Vox was nominated as an IndieCade festival finalist.

“It’s a real challenge as an independent game maker to get the word out [about our games],” said Quasar. “IndieCade was awesome not just for the press, but for the friendly people who come in and look at the different games.”

Brooklyn-based Jim Babb of Socks, Inc., whose role-playing game using sock puppets was also a finalist, praised IndieCade for allowing unconventional games like his to gain recognition.

“What we would like to get out of this is possibly partnerships to help promote our game, to help make it bigger and better and to reach a greater audience,” said Babb. “IndieCade is opening doors to all of these game designers that have crazy game ideas, giving us a voice to show our games.”

The festival moved to Culver City in 2009 with a chance encounter between IndieCade CEO Stephanie Barish and former Mayor Scott Malsin at a children’s birthday party.

When Malsin questioned her about the T-shirt she was wearing, Barish explained that it was for a new organization called IndieCade, which was holding its event in Bellevue, Wash. Fascinated, Malsin suggested Barish move the fledgling festival to Culver City. Barish was “very excited” about the suggestion and before long, “The Heart of Screenland” became IndieCade’s new home.

Malsin called IndieCade a “great match for Culver City,” saying the values that are intrinsic to IndieCade fit perfectly with the city’s goals to perpetuate art, culture and business.

“I’d love to see the event continue here and I’d love to see the gaming business grow in Culver City as well,” said Malsin. “It’s a terrific industry and again I think it is a very good match for what Culver City is all about.”