General

I don't make games, I just play them. Is the Hand Eye Society for me?

The Society was formed to be a hub for people with a passion for game culture to meet each other and collaborate. You might find you have a role in the community as an organizer of events, a promoter of new talent, a game educator -- game making is only one way to express your love. Or you might just be game-curious -- come out and find out more about what's possible in the medium at a Social or another event. It's not just for the hardcore, that's boring.

I wanna do stuff! How do I get involved?

Sign up for the email updates. Every so often there'll be a call out for volunteers. If it sounds interesting, get in touch. If you're useful and reliable, people will be glad to collaborate with you. You might end up joining one of the working groups and coming up with new projects for us to do together.

What is a videogame arts organization?

In other media such as film and music there is an understanding that artists work in these mediums for diverse reasons beyond commercial interest, and this cause has been helped by film arts organizations and the like. There are lots of people making games that are artistically motivated, and we are interested in spreading awareness about this and nurturing it.

What else is going on in Toronto, game wise?

A metric ton, my friend. Check out the sidebar for a list of some of our favourite game projects in the city.

Can you help me find game making collaborators?

Check out our messageboard -- if you post something, make sure you leave a contact. Coming out to the events, either our Socials or other in person stuff, is a good way to meet some folks. You've already signed up for the updates, right?

Are you pro-indie?

Yes, because we believe that an auteur solo gamemaker -- or a small team -- can take artistic risks in content and approach that larger risk-averse entities can't. But we're not knee-jerk anti-corporate: we won't be excited about a crappy clone just because it's indie or deny the transcendental whimsy of the brilliant Katamari Damacy just because it's a Namco product. In the end, we see a symbiotic relationship between the two approaches as ideal and celebrate games that we find interesting regardless of who publishes it. The corporate/indie divide is lame: a win for one is a win for all!

Are you looking for sponsorship or partnerships?

Definitely -- it helps us expand what we can do and puts us into cultural spaces we wouldn't otherwise reach solo. So far we've been lucky enough to partner with film festivals, schools, arts councils, galleries, and other community-based organizations. Drop a line!

Can you spread the word about my/our project/product to your members?

Games: Generally, if there's no in-person launch or cultural event associated with it, no. For instance, we didn't promote advisory board member Craig D. Adams' game when it came out, but when he had a rockshowcase event for it we did. We want to keep post frequency to a gentle flow of goodness not found elsewhere on the internet. Otherwise: A good rule of thumb is if there is an in-person component, send it over. If it's more commercial than arts, we will probably pass on it as IGDA Toronto is already doing a good job getting that info out to industry-minded folks.

Membership

How many members do you have?

We have a volunteer pool of over 500 people, and approximately 50 voting members.

How do I become a full member?

By doing 10 hours of volunteering for a videogame culture project in the previous year and filling out a form saying so at the Annual General Meeting. Note that it doesn't have to be an official Hand Eye Society project.

What are the benefits of membership?

Members are entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting and run for board positions. Plus an awesome membership card with a Superbrothers design on it. As well, Bento Miso collaborative workspace is offering a  20% discount for three months for full-time members as well as 20% discount permanent discount to 3x and 1x week members for as long as they're card carrying HES members. If you'd like to offer our membership a discount, please get in touch.

How does someone get to speak at a Social?

Previously the Socials were hosted by board members, but we're opening that up to the general membership. We are open to suggestions/proposals but be forewarned that we're pretty particular. Let us know what game(s) you'd like to showcase, what the talk would be about, and a blood oath that each presentation be no more than 10 minutes in length. Doing something different in presentation is definitely a plus.

Governance

Who runs the Hand Eye Society?

Decisions are made by the Board of Directors (Jim Munroe, Mare Sheppard, Miguel Sternberg) with the advice of the Advisory Board (Raigan Burns, Alex Jansen, Jon Mak, Mark Rabo). On a day-to-day level Jim Munroe (as executive director) executes these decision with the volunteer power provided by the membership.

Can I run for board membership?

If you're a member and follow the procedure outlined in the bylaws, yes. There will be at least one board member vacancy in the 2013 Annual General Meeting. Naturally the membership will be most amenable to candidates who have proven they will bring a lot of energy to the position by active participation in the organization. You should also be aware that there are some legal liabilities that impact directors of not-for-profit corporations.