The Happy Duckling is a zany animated adventure set in a pop-up book world, accompanied by a whimsical original score from composer Mick Cooke of Belle and Sebastian.

Writer/director Gili Dolev put together a team of students from Dundee Scotland who produced this short film.

The film follows the antics of a young boy in his struggles against a STALKING DUCK!!

Visit www.happyduckling.co.uk for more.

After a lot of hype and promotion and a lot of excitement over announced speakers NEoN fest finally got underway today. The festival is taking part over various venues in Dundee but the main talks are based at the new Dalhousie building at the University of Dundee. This was the first time I’d visited the building.

Chris van der Kuyl got the ball rolling and introduced the speakers throughout the day as well as delivering the Welcome introduction. It was the first time I’ve seen Chris talk, indeed today was the first time I’ve had the opportunity to meet him.

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Video Games Live is a multimedia concert experience featuring the best music and exclusive synchronized video clips from the most popular games from the beginning of video gaming to the present. Performed by top orchestras and choirs, the show combines exclusive video footage and music arrangements with synchronized lighting, solo performers, stage show production, special FX, electronic percussionists and unique interactive segments. Whether it’s the power and passion of the more recent blockbusters or the excitement of remembering the sentimental classics you played growing up, it will truly be a special night to remember for the entire family. The show has a segment dedicated to the old retro arcade classics – but there is also modern music and older, more memorable pieces that no one has ever heard played live.

It’s their only Scottish date so get in quick.

Buy tickets.

More information

www.northeastofnorth.com
northeastofnorth.ning.com

Tickets for the 2010 Hogmanay street party in Edinburgh are now on sale and the lineup for the 5 day event has just been announced.

The event headliners Madness joined by Noisettes and Codeine Velvet Club at the Concert in the Gardens. The world famous Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party welcomes headliners The Enemy, MYLO, Frightened Rabbit, The Cuban Brothers, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Stanley Odd plus DJs sets from Gary & Tom (Snow Patrol) and Richard Colburn (Belle & Sebastian) plus loads more…

Also featuring will be some of Scotland’s best new bands. The Waverley Stage will be hosted by BBC Radio Scotland’s Vic Galloway.

“We’re delighted to announce such strong line-ups for the Street Party – great indie music at The Waverley Stage, great party music on The Party Stage at the top of The Mound and fantastic DJs at the West End DJ Stage.”

“Together with one of the UK’s biggest firework display, lasers and the atmosphere and friendliness that you simply don’t get anywhere else, this years Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is shaping up to be the city’s strongest line-up for years.” — Pete Irvine, creative director Edinburgh’s Hogmanay.

More information at www.edinburghshogmanay.com.

SuperFly have announced their call for entries for their 2010 SuperFly on the Wall initiative.

‘SuperFly on the Wall’ is an opportunity for ‘us’, the world, to see what you good creative folks are up to, as if we were a fly on your wall. We want to see your workspace, what you do, what drives you, inspires you; also where we can see more of you work, in cyberspace, exhibition space and beyond.

Taking part neither excludes you from future SuperFly exhibitions nor guarantees you a space, and when we do call for 2010 exhibition entries you WILL need to re-submit – whether it’s something we’ve already seen or not would be entirely up to you.

More information at superfly.org.uk

The site is now back up and running smoothly after extensive software updates. But more importantly we’ve moved the site to a new web server, a faster meaner one so the site will be performing much better now, much like back in the old days. Thanks for your patience during the down time.

The 2009 Dundee Jazz Festival programme is announced today and features concerts in the Caird Hall, Apex Hotel, Discovery Point and the launch of a new, intimate basement jazz club venue in Drouthy Neebors on Perth Road.

The Festival takes place over a ten day period from November 13-22, and coincides with three great jazz events in Perth, being promoted under the Tay Jazz title.

The Dundee Jazz Festival programme features concerts by international guitar superstar, Martin Taylor, playing in duo with the classic jazz vocalist, Alison Burns; the globe-trotting Salsa Celtica, bringing their unique blend of salsa dancing, latin jazz, and wild Scottish folk melody; Phil Mason’s New Orleans All Stars, one of the most popular traditional jazz groups in Europe; and a special concert of Duke Ellington’s Music, presented by The Classic Jazz Orchestra.

The Festival breaks new ground this year by setting up – in the basement of Drouthy Neebors – a jazz club to rival the best in Paris, Prague or New York. With top quality sound and presentation, and a programme packed with international talent, the tiny basement club will be buzzing with excitement and atmosphere. Amongst the artists will be the first UK appearance of the new Scandinavian star singer, Josefine Lindstrand; the debut of a new band formed by trumpeter Colin Steele and saxophonist, Martin Kershaw, to play the funky jazz music of The Adderley Brothers; the return, direct from a season at the London Jazz Festival, of the acapella horns, Brass Jaw; and a first Scottish show by new female Norwegian saxophone star, Froy Aagre.

Dundee favourites, The Sellars Brothers. Dundee University Big Band and East Coast Jazzmen are all featured.

Up the river, in a new venture in Perth, the promoters of Dundee Jazz Festival, Assembly Direct are partnering Horsecross in an exclusive UK performance by The Manhattan Transfer. The vocal ensemble have had the same personnel for thirty five years and are without equals as a harmony group: swing, jazz, pop, ballads, even hip-hop, they cover a huge range with the classiest, hippest, smartest delivery this side of Broadway. This is the highlight of a season of jazz in Perth called Tay Jazz, together with concerts by the young London bop band, Empirical, and the celebrated play about Chet Baker, A Funny Valentine,

The full listings for both events follow.

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Scottish Developer to Showcase 2010 Sequel to Attendees

Dundee – Friday 6th November 2009: Ruffian Games, Scotland’s newest game development studio has today announced that it will give attendees at NEoN Digital Arts Festival a glimpse of its debut title, the highly-anticipated sandbox epic Crackdown 2. Recently showcased at Tokyo Game Show and published by Microsoft Game Studios, Crackdown 2 is set for release next year and will continue the sense of scale and unrelenting mayhem that made the original such a blast.

The sequel is set some ten years after the first instalment, placing the player as another genetically-modified agent sent out onto the streets of Pacific City. The once-bustling metropolis has been ravaged by infection and the ongoing struggle for power over the city’s inhabitants. The player returns to fight off hordes of Freaks following their accidental release into the populace and regain control of the City from the hands of The Cell – a powerful terrorist organisation fighting to overthrow the Agency.

Crackdown 2 features over-the-top action that exemplifies truly freeform gameplay and lets gamers explore and play however they choose. Players return to Pacific City with new abilities, combat capabilities, weaponry and vehicles that all have the unique Crackdown touch that fans have come to love. With four-player cooperative play and multiplayer modes for up to 16 players over Xbox LIVE, you can take the fight to the streets and rooftops with your friends in explosive style.

”We’re all really proud of Dundee’s place within the games industry and it’s great to be able to support an event on our doorstep by showing a glimpse into the development of Crackdown 2 at the NEoN festival. Not only is it a chance for us to contribute locally but it’s exciting to have our fans experience a small taste of how the game is shaping up to be more than a sequel.” – James Cope, Producer, Ruffian Games.

Attendees will get a rare chance to see the game in action before launch on Saturday 14th November as part of NEoN Digital Arts Festival, a celebration of digital media taking place across the city of Dundee from Friday 13th to Sunday 15th of November.

Ticket information, event programmes and news feeds can be found at the official event website: www.northeastofnorth.com – In addition, follow the festival on Twitter for up-to-date information: weareneon.

-About Ruffian Games-

Ruffian Games is a game development studio based in Dundee. Formed in 2009, the incorporation brings together a wealth of industry experience and talent that all share a passion to create hit titles for leading worldwide publishers.

Among other major franchises, Ruffian staff have previously worked on games such as Crackdown, Fable 2, Project Gotham Racing, Grand Theft Auto, Mortal Kombat and has close ties to many other gaming legends. Ruffian Games is led through unwavering belief in games as the pinnacle of modern creativity and entertainment.