The information on this page reflects GDC 2021 programs. Please check back soon for 2022 updates!
Submission Guidelines
If you would like to submit, please take note of the following:
Diversity and Representation
GDC aims to achieve diversity of voice, experience, and perspective. Please take this goal into consideration when considering who would be best to speak on behalf of your company or department and/or when submitting panelists.
Vendor-Specific Proposals
GDC does not accept product or vendor-related submissions. If your course is a thinly veiled advertisement for a new product, technology or service your company is offering, please do not submit.
Original Authors
GDC only accepts submissions by original authors of the course. PR firms, speaking relation firms, and all other parties who are not direct authors of submitted courses are discouraged from submitting a proposal on behalf of their clients/speakers. GDC requires direct contact with instructors to expedite questions during the submission review process.
Instructor Fees
The instructor fee for teaching a course is negotiated directly with each instructor and payment of instructor fees will be issued net 60 days from the end of the event. Payment is based on the number of paid students in our database, not the number of students online. GDC may cancel the instructor's course if it fails to meet the GDC Masterclass financial minimum of 6 students.
Prepare & Submit Course Your Proposal
- Instructor Contact Information
- Course Title: Provide a course title in fewer than 10 words. Please try to include keywords, topics, and skills covered by your course.
- Topic: Audio, Business & Marketing, Design, Production & Team Management, Programming, Visual Arts or “Other” (write in)
- Format: One full day course or two half day course. One full day course will be scheduled on one day and is approximately 8 hours. A two half day course is one course that takes place over two half days, approximately 4 hours each day.
- Student Experience: How many years of practical experience would the ideal student need in order to get the most out of your course? Select the range of years that applies most to your course material: 1-5 years, 5-10 years, 10+ years.
- Course Syllabus and Outline: You have approximately 500 words to share your course syllabus and outline the topics that will be covered throughout the course. Your syllabus and outline should reflect your course format (one full day course or splitting your one course into a two half day course), include a general agenda (e.g. 8-10am: lecture, 10am-12pm: group exercise, 12-1pm: lunch, etc.) and give GDC organizers a clear idea of how the course will unfold throughout the day or days it takes place. If needed or preferred, you can upload your syllabus and/or outline to your submission (.doc, .pdf, .txt). Please note if you uploaded a file/files in lieu of filling out this section.
- Why Should People Attend Your Course? You have approximately 500 words to describe your course, and why it will be interesting or beneficial to GDC Masterclass students. This is NOT the abstract for your talk for the website. It is for you to describe concretely and succinctly what is compelling about your course and share supporting data. If you need more than 500 words to describe your course in this way, you can upload supplemental materials (.doc, .pdf, .txt) to your submission. *Should your submission be accepted, this section will not be published.
- Pre-Course Work or Homework? Will you assign pre-course work, a student questionnaire or homework? If yes, explain what will be assigned, when it will be assigned, all materials students need, and the assignment's impact on the course agenda. Assigning homework is best suited for courses that are split into two half days, as homework can be assigned on Day 1 and submitted/reviewed on Day 2. For questionnaires, GDC organizers will send it to your registered students so you can better customize the course to their needs. If you would like to send your students a questionnaire, create one and share the URL here. Instructions for creating a pre-course student questionnaire and an example can be found here.
- Post-Course Materials or Certification? Are you able to provide any materials or formal certification to your students upon completion of your course? Post-course materials include presentation slides, notes, a complimentary book, etc.
- Instructor Thank You Note: GDC will send your students a “thank you” email upon registering for your Masterclass. This message is meant to be a simple introduction and thank you from you, the instructor and should include: A brief personal thank you for registering for the course. A sentence or two about why you are passionate about game development, specifically in your area of expertise. A note about the lessons you are excited for them to take away from the course. *Should your submission be accepted, this text will be published.
- Course Description, Student Takeaways and Intended Audience
- Supporting material: It is optional to submit supplemental information that supports your course proposal. Additional materials may include white papers, code, demos, videos, images, proof of concept, etc.
- Speaker Biography, Game Credits, Speaker History and Twitter handle.
Selection Criteria
The GDC Organizers will review and rate submissions based on the following criteria:
- Concept: This is the basic idea of your submission. Is it interesting? Is it relevant? Will it be beneficial for game developers to hear? There is plenty of room for innovative ideas and also the tried and true.
- Depth: Is the basic idea well considered and thought out? To what extent will the audience gain insight? The more in-depth, the better.
- Organization: Are your ideas conducive to present in front of an audience? Will the GDC Organizers understand what you are trying to say? Organization helps.
- Credentials: How do your credentials qualify you to speak on the topic you have proposed?
- Takeaway: Is the student going to leave this Masterclass knowing a process, system or tool they didn't know when before it began? Are they learning or being inspired? This is the most important aspect of every Masterclass.
Instructor Expectations
GDC attendees are very intelligent. They are looking for material that is not obvious and expect excellence from GDC Masterclass Instructors. After your presentation, they will evaluate it based on delivery, knowledge of the topic and the visuals presented.
Preparation is one of the most important factors in delivering a successful GDC Masterclass. Please keep the following in mind when you propose to speak:
- The proposed course description, outline, and materials you submit now must match the course you lecture on during GDC Masterclass.
- Plan to commit AT LEAST 25 HOURS to prepare for your course.
- Rehearse the delivery of your course to be more effective; preferably in front of your peers and/or record yourself speaking then review it. Both are great ways to practice pacing and timing.
- Please note the Content Team is here to help. If you have ANY additional questions you’d like GDC to cover, please email [email protected]
In addition, please review the detailed information for instructors on the GDC Masterclass Call for Submissions home page for further expectations of instructors, course material and GDC.
