How is >play
different than other digital media conferences?
>play
is going to standout not
just as being a different and innovative business school conference,
but also as being an exceptional industry conference. >play
will focus on the creative side of the digital media industry in
addition to business models. It will bring together creative
professionals (artists, developers, and producers), industry leaders,
and students to provide multiple perspectives on industry trends and
challenges. For a glance into last year's conference, click here.
Why is Berkeley an emerging center
of digital media technology?
The University of California at Berkeley has a legacy of creativity and
progressive thought. From the Free Speech Movement to the Berkeley
Business Plan Competition,
students and faculty at Berkeley are constantly on the leading edge of
social, intellectual, and technological progress. Most recently, Yahoo!
established a research
lab
focusing on new technologies for search, social, and mobile media with
collaboration from UC-Berkeley professors and the co-founder of the Berkeley
Center for New Media.
BCNM's mission is to understand new media from cross-disciplinary and
global perspectives and brings together faculty, advisors, and scholars
from over 30 UC-Berkeley departments.
UC-Berkeley also possesses the interdisciplinary capabilities to be a
thought leader in the digital media world. Several key industry
programs are world-renowned and ranked among the best in the U.S.,
including:
- Computer Science (#1)
- Computer Engineering
(#2)
- Engineering (#3)
- Business (#6)
- Law (#11)
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Where did the title
“>play” come from?
“Play” encapsulates everything that this conference
is all
about. You press play on your mp3 player, you play your video games,
and the latest movies are playing at the theater. Digital media is
about bringing entertainment to people in new ways so they can play.
Most important, play represents the fun everyone is going to have at
the conference.
Who are the >play organizers?
>play
is organized by a team
of MBA students,
faculty, and administration from the Haas School of Business. The
organizers have strong ties to the Berkeley Digital Media &
Entertainment Club. The >play
team is extremely passionate about digital media and has experience
across different industry segments including games, music and film.
Who attends >play?
>play
will be attended by both
students interested in digital media and industry players involved in
the business and creative aspects of digital media. We expect roughly
half the attendees to come from Berkeley as well as other schools and
the other half to be creative professionals and business executives.
Students
For students, the conference offers an opportunity to learn about the
industry from the top businesspeople and media creators in the space.
It also will allow students to interact with potential employers and
future business partners in an academic setting.
Industry
For members of industry, the conference is an excellent way to network
with others in the industry and witness the freshest thinking in the
digital media space. It also offers the opportunity to speak with
students about their work and research in new methods of creating,
distributing, and consuming media and form recruiting relationships for
the future.
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Berkeley accommodations:
where to stay when you're in town
Bancroft Hotel (see map)
2680 Bancroft Way, Berkeley
510/549-1000, 800/549-1002
www.bancrofthotel.com
Claremont Resort & Spa (see map)
41 Tunnel Road, Berkeley
510/843-3000
800/551-7266
www.claremontresort.com
Courtyard Marriott (see map)
5555 Shellmound Street, Emeryville
510/652-8777
800/321-2211
www.marriott.com/oakmv
Doubletree Berkeley Marina (see map)
200 Marina Boulevard, Berkeley
510/548-7920
800/222-8733
www.berkeleymarina.doubletree.com
Hotel Durant (see map)
2600 Durant Avenue, Berkeley
510/845-8981
800/2-DURANT (800/238-7268)
www.hoteldurant.com
Woodfin Suite Hotel (see map)
5800 Shellmound Street, Emeryville
510/601-5880 888/433-9042
www.woodfinsuitehotels.com
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Parking, transportation and
driving directions
Parking
Complimentary parking is available when you register for tickets.
There will be signs directing you to the conference parking lots when
you arrive at the Haas area of campus. Due to limited parking on the
UC-Berkeley campus, parking will not be available in the immediate
viscinity of Haas.
Driving directions
http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/haas/maps.html
Or, use Dial Directions from your cell
phone: Dial "DIR-ECT-IONS" (347-328-4667)
Select event "Berkeley Digital Media Conference"
Say your starting location (any address or
intersection)
Receive instant driving directions via SMS/text
message
Public Transportation
BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit)
From either airport, San Francisco or other points west or south of
Berkeley, take a Richmond-bound BART train to the Downtown Berkeley
station. Visit the BART website or call (510)
465-2278 for more information.
From the BART station, it's a 15-minute (uphill) walk to Haas; you can
also take the campus shuttle bus (closest stop is at Scandinavian
Designs, at Shattuck and Addison). Ask to be dropped off at the Haas
School of Business. Fare is 50 cents. Visit the campus shuttle website or call
(510) 642-5149 for more information.
AC Transit Bus Service
AC Transit bus service provides transportation for commuters to and
from San Francisco and throughout Alameda and western Contra Costa
County. There are several AC bus lines that come near the campus area.
Visit www.511.org
or call 511 for information.
Shuttles/taxis from
the San Francisco Airport (SFO) or the Oakland Airport
Airport Shuttles
Travelers to the San Francisco Bay Area may fly into either Oakland or
San Francisco. The Oakland International Airport is smaller and closer
to Berkeley. Expect to pay about $20 for a shuttle from the Oakland
Airport to the Haas School and from $25 to $40 for a shuttle from San
Francisco Airport (SFO). For airport shuttles from either airport, you
generally need to call 24 hours in advance and again upon your arrival
at the airport.
- Bayporter: (510)
864-4000 or (415) 467-1800
- Bridge Airporter
Express: (800) 300-1661
- City Express Shuttle
& Limo: (888) 874-8885
- South & East
Bay Connection: (800) 548-4664
Taxi Companies
Expect to pay about $35 for a taxi from the Oakland Airport to the Haas
School and about $50 for a taxi from San Francisco's airport.
- American Yellow Cab:
(510) 655-2233
- Berkeley Yellow Cab:
(510) 528-9999
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Related Resources
Berkeley Center for New Media http://bcnm.berkeley.edu
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