We’d like to extend a massive thanks all of our Search For A Star Assessment Team! It’s always a huge task to get so many student projects marked with actionable feedback, and every year we’re humbled to see the industry step up to the challenge! Search for a Star and Rising Star literally couldn’t happen without their help! 

Our partner studios this year have been invaluable here in providing judges, assessors, and additional project reviews, so special thanks go to: Yahaha, d3t, Cloud Imperium, 10:10 Games, Red Kite Games, Furious Bee and our prize partners at Escape Technology!

We’d also like to give a special thanks for the additional work taken on by our programming project developer, Lizi Attwood, Technical Director at Furious Bee, our Vehicle Art project developers Cloud Imperium, and our Design project developers 10:10 Games.

Now, it’s time for us to honour the work of the industry professionals who’ve volunteered their time to ensure that the next generation of game developers have the best possible chance of bridging the gap between education and employment. 

Search For A Star & Rising Star 2023
Project Assessors

Art, Animation, VFX

Adam Fautley, XR Games, Environment Artist
Alexandre Quintin, Raynault VFX, Senior hard surface artist
Beccy Collins, Sumo Digital, Artist
Caleb O’Brien, Firesprite, Character Artist
Dan McCabe, Cloud Imperium Games, Vehicle Artist
Jessie Chan, Character Artist / CX Designer
Jordan Smee, Silver Rain Games, Technical Artist
Kieran Goodson, The Chinese Room, Senior Environment Artist
Koycho Karaivanov, Creative Assembly Sofia, 3D Environment Artist
Leslie Stowe, ZA/UM, Shader Artist
Liam Cullen, Perchang, Art Director
Lloyd James, Cloud Imperium Games, Vehicle Artist
Matt Palmer, d3t Ltd, Lead Animator
Phil Hanks, nDreams Orbital, Principal Animator
Said Zamzad, Art Director
Sam Voller, Auroch Digital, Associate 3D Environment Artist
Thomas Clayton, Sumo Digital, Environment Artist
Tristan McGuire, Airship Interactive, Character Artist
Tyler Oliver, Airship Interactive, Junior Environment Artist

Design

The team at 10:10 Games

Search For A Star & Rising Star 2023
Judge Teams

Character Art

Christoffer Stai, Bulkhead, Senior Character Artist
Glen Fox, Free Radical Designs, Art Director
Louis Clegg, XR Games, Senior 3D Artist
Matthew Aitchison, Airship Interactive, Technical Art Supervisor

Joe Sutcliffe, Aardvark Swift
Margaret Smith, Aardvark Swift

Environment & Vehicle Art

Craig Fowler, Dovetail Games, Senior Artist
Dan McCabe, Cloud Imperium Games, Vehicle Artist
Emily Dervey, XR Games, Junior 3D Artist
Lloyd James, Cloud Imperium Games, Vehicle Artist
Max Spurlock, XR Games, Senior Technical Environment Artist

Simon Hope, Aardvark Swift
Connor Green, Aardvark Swift

Animation & VFX

Alex Korakitis, Bulkhead, Lead Artist
Mark Pinney, Bulkhead, Creative Director

Jordan Langley, Aardvark Swift

Design

Arthur Parsons, 10:10 Games, Design Director
Wil Evans, 10:10 Games, Senior Designer

Lawrie Brennan, Aardvark Swift

Programming

Chris Eaves, Bulkhead, Technical Director
Ethan Phipps, Free Radical Designs, Senior Programmer
Jamie Prosser, Free Radical Designs, Senior Programmer
John Green, Codemasters, Graphics Programmer
Lizi Attwood, Furious Bee, Technical Director
Toby Rock, XR Games, Programmer
Yann Richeux, Red Kite Games, Senior Programmer

Paul Walker, Aardvark Swift
Shani Owen, Aardvark Swift

A huge thanks to all of our judges and assessors for their work this year, and for the feedback, advice and support they have provided to participants.