Blend - film & games conference, Zagreb

Speakers

Daniele Barone

Founder and CEO of Biunivoca

Elodie Moog

Company manager at Praxinos

Marco Ponte

CEO and Creative Director of Nacon Studio, Milan

Maria Glowacka

Senior Franchise Manager at CD PROJEKT RED

Matteo Lana

CEO and Co-Founder of Tiny Bull Studios

Pierre Puget

Screenwriter and Director

Silke Hassreiter

Researcher - Academy for AI, Games & Media

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Thomas Golubich

Film and Television music supervisor

Željko Barčan

FX Supervisor at Wētā FX

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Program

23.10.2026

REGISTRATION / COFFEE BREAK

06:30 - 07:00

WELCOMING SPEACHES

07:00 - 07:15

PANEL: THE FUTURE OF FILM, SERIES AND VIDEO GAMES IN EUROPE

SPEAKERS: Christopher Peter Marcich (Director of HAVC), Krešimir Partl, State Secretary (Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia), Marco Ponte, Nacon Studios Milan (IT), Silke Hassreiter, (BuAS, NL) and Katarina Leskovar (CGDA)
Moderator: Marin Pavelić, journalist (Netokracija)

07:20 - 08:15

COFFEE BREAK

08:15 - 08:30

PANEL: AI WITH AN AUTHOR’S SIGNATURE

SPEAKERS: Dalibor Barić, (multimedia artist); Filip Filković, (CEO of More-Magnets), Ivan Murat, (Director at Nanobit)
Moderator: Predrag Šuka, Head of the University Department of Multimedia (Algebra Bernays University)

08:30 - 09:15

COFFEE BREAK

09:15 - 09:30

PANEL: THE WEDDING PHENOMENON AND WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE WEDDING 2!

SPEAKERS: Igor Šeregi, (director, screenwriter), Ivan Kelava, (producer)
Moderator: Mia Pećina Drašković, (ZFU)

09:30 - 10:30

COFFEE BREAK

10:30 - 10:45

PRESENTATION: THE TRANSMEDIA EVOLUTION OF TINTIN ACROSS COMICS, FILM, VIDEO GAMES, AND BEYOND

SPEAKER: Yves Février, (BELG)
Moderator: Boško Picula; Film Critic and Political Scientist

10:45 - 11:15

LUNCH BREAK ''FILM & GAMES QUIZ POWERED BY VGHM & QUAHWA''

11:15 - 12:15

PANEL: CROATIA’S CANDIDATE FOR THE GOYA AWARDS AND THE OSCARS: GOD WILL NOT HELP

SPEAKERS: Hana Jušić (screenwriter and director), Ankica J. Tilić (producer)
Moderator: Boško Picula, Film Critic and Political Scientist

12:15 - 13:15

COFFEE BREAK

13:15 - 13:30

KEYNOTE: BEHIND THE IMPOSSIBLE

From Interstellar and Minecraft to Avatar: Fire and Ash – 25 Years at the Cutting Edge of Visual Effects
SPEAKER: Željko Barčan, Visual Effects (VFX) Supervisor at Wētā FX (New Zealand/Croatia)
Moderator: Boško Picula, Film Critic and Political Scientist

13:30 - 14:15

COFFEE BREAK

14:15 - 14:30

ADU PRESENTATION – VIDEO GAMES AT THE ACADEMY OF DRAMATIC ART

Speaker: Andrej Kovačević, Vice-Dean for Business Affairs (ADU)
Moderator: Mia Pećina Drašković, (ZFU)

14:30 - 15:30

SCREENING

GOYA & OSCAR CONTENDER: GOD WILL NOT HELP

16:00 - 18:00

PRESENTATION: OCTOPOCALYPSE: ALIENS & UFOS

Generative AI and the Future of Filmmaking
Speaker : Max Sacker; Filmmaker, Immersive Director, AI Filmmaking Consultant (Luma Octo, Germany)
Moderator: Dominik Čičak, Actor, Director and Producer

08:30 - 09:15

COFFEE BREAK

09:15 - 09:30

FIRESIDE CHAT: STORIES WITHOUT BORDERS: FILM, GAMES AND A NEW VISUAL REALITY

Speaker: Bobby Boško Grubić, Multimedia Director, Producer and Media Strategist
Moderator: Laura Prpić, Film and Television Producer and AI Specialist

09:30 - 10:30

COFFEE BREAK

10:30 - 10:45

ALGEBRA BERNAYS UNIVERSITY: BEYOND THE PROMPT

From AI-Generated Assets to Intelligent Multimedia Production
SPEAKER: Predrag Šuka, Head of the University Department of Multimedia (Algebra Bernays University)
Moderator: Dominik Čičak, Actor, Director and Producer

10:45 - 11:10

LUNCH BREAK + ''FILM & GAMES QUIZ POWERED BY VGHM & QUAHWA''

11:15 - 12:15

PRESENTATION: DRESSED FOR THE PART!

Costume & Character Across Film, TV
Speaker: Bojana Nikitović costume designer(Serbia)
Moderator: Željka Franulović, professor ADU

12:15 - 13:15

COFFEE BREAK

13:15 - 13:30

DEVELOPMENT OF THE GAMING ECOSYSTEM THROUGH THE PISMO INCUBATOR

SPEAKER: Domagoj Crnković, Senior Education Associate
Moderator: Dominik Čičak, Actor, Director and Producer

13:30 - 14:15

COFFEE BREAK

14:15 - 14:30

KEYNOTE: ONE ACTOR, MANY WORLDS: FROM THEATER, GAMES, FILM, TV AND BEYOND

SPEAKERS: Jan Kovačić (VALORANT voice actor), Iva Šimić Šakoranja (Iva & Glorija), Zoran Pribičević; Actor, director, and producer Fabijan Pavao Medvešek; actor and singer, Janko Popović Volarić; Actor, television host, Sanja Vejnović; Actress, Casting Director, Producer
Moderator: Dominik Čičak, actor, director and producer

14:30 - 15:30

24.10.2026

CASE STUDY: THINK BIG, STAY INDIE

Building Games, Growing a Studio and Finding the Right Partners
GOST: Matteo Lana (Italija)
Moderator: Antonija Mandić, Journalist and presenter

07:00 - 07:45

COFFEE BREAK

07:45 - 08:00

KEYNOTE: WHY WOULD I USE A GAME ENGINE TO MAKE FILMS?

Benefits and Misconceptions of Using Unreal Engine in Film and Television Production
Govornica: Elodie Moog
Moderator: Antonija Mandić, Journalist and presenter

08:00 - 09:00

COFFEE BREAK

09:00 - 09:15

CASE STUDY: THE SOUND OF STORY

Music Storytelling in Television: From Breaking Bad to Pluribus
Speaker: Thomas Golubich, Music Supervisor (L.A., USA)
Moderator: Damjan Mravunac, music supervisor

09:15 - 10:00

COFFEE BREAK

10:00 - 10:15

KEYNOTE: SAME STORY, DIFFERENT RULES: HOW FILMS BECOME GOOD GAMES, AND HOW GAMES BECOME GOOD FILMS

Guest: Dora Vrhoci (Croatia / Netherlands)
Moderator: Olga Moskvina – narrative designer and writer of the award-winning game Disco Elysium (Algebra Bernays University)

10:15 - 11:15

LUNCH BREAK+ ''FILM & GAMES QUIZ POWERED BY VGHM & QUAHWA''

11:15 - 12:30

CASE STUDY: FROM GAME TO GLOBAL FRANCHISE

Growing The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 Beyond the Game
Guest: Maria Malgorzata Glowacka (Poljska)
Moderator: Igor Margan Head of the University Department of Computer Games( Algebra Bernays University.)

12:30 - 13:15

COFFEE BREAK

13:15 - 13:30

PANEL: GAME ON, ITALY!

An Inside Look at Italy’s Growing Video Game Industry
Guests: Matteo Lana, CEO and Co-Founder of Tiny Bull Studios; Daniele Barone, Founder and CEO of Biunivoca; Marco Mazzaglia, Video Game Evangelist, Producer and IT Manager

Moderator: Marco Ponte, Managing and Creative Director of Nacon Studio Milan (ITA)

13:30 - 14:15

COFFEE BREAK

14:15 - 14:30

PRESENTATION: THE SMURFS UNIVERSE: CONNECTING FILM, TELEVISION AND INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT

Speaker: Jean Gréban, Licensed Agent for The Smurfs in the Gaming Sector (BEL)
Moderator: Antonija Mandić, Journalist and Presenter

14:30 - 15:30

KEYNOTE: PROJECT SCOPE – THE KEY TO SUCCESS

Speaker: Tomislav Gojević, Head of Studio (Fury Studios)
Moderator: Domagoj Krpan, Production (Algebra Bernays University)

07:00 - 07:45

COFFEE BREAK

07:45 - 08:00

PRESENTATION : NACON STUDIO MILAN: FROM INDIE STARTUP TO AA STUDIO

The Evolution of Nacon Studio Milan: From Independent Startup to AA Game Development Studio
An overview of Nacon Studio Milan’s journey, focusing on team growth, new productions, organizational challenges, and projects.

Speaker: Marco Ponte (Italy)
Moderator: Dominik Čičak, Actor, Director and Producer

08:00 - 09:00

COFFEE BREAK

09:00 - 09:15

VERN’ UNIVERSITY: FILM VS. ALGORITHM

Who Decides What We Watch Today – and What Kind of Creators Are We Shaping?
Educating Tomorrow’s Creators: What Should We Teach Young Directors Today When No One Knows What the Audiovisual Landscape Will Look Like in Ten Years?
Speakers: Nebojša Slijepčević; Director, Screenwriter and Producer, Višnja Skorin; Director, Screenwriter and Film Editor
Moderator and Participant: Robert Zuber, Journalist, Documentary Filmmaker and Producer

09:15 - 10:00

COFFEE BREAK

10:00 - 10:15

PANEL: EUROPEAN ICONS ACROSS MEDIA: THE ENDURING APPEAL OF THE SMURFS, TINTIN AND PROFESSOR BALTHAZAR

Speakers: Jean Gréban, Štrumpfovi (BEL), Yves Février, Tintin (BEL) i Sanja Borčić, Balthazar, Zagreb film (CRO)
Moderator: Igor Margan, Head of the University Department of Computer Games (Algebra Bernays University)

10:15 - 11:15

LUNCH BREAK + ''FILM & GAMES QUIZ POWERED BY VGHM & QUAHWA''

11:15 - 12:30

LIMITS OF LIMITLESS CREATIVITY: HOW TECHNOLOGY SHAPES CINEMATOGRAPHY FROM FILM STOCK TO VIRTUAL PRODUCTION, AI AND BEYOND

How Unreal Engine and Virtual Production Are Changing Filmmaking!
Guest: Andrei Goaga, Director of Photography (DP) and Virtual Production Supervisor (ROU)
Moderator: Dominik Čičak, Actor, Director and Producer

12:30 - 13:15

COFFEE BREAK

13:15 - 13:30

PRESENTATION: “AND THEY’RE NOT EVEN 30 YET!”

SPEAKERS:
Film Directing: Sara Grgurić (ADU); Dominik Čičak (Acting, Production; VERN University of Applied Sciences graduate); Antonio David Perina (Music, Production; VERN University of Applied Sciences graduate)
Production: Dora Baotić (VERN University of Applied Sciences graduate); Leon Belovarić (Algebra Bernays University student); David Uranjek (Academy of Dramatic Art, University of Zagreb – ADU)
Editing: Marta Bregeš (Academy of Dramatic Art, University of Zagreb – ADU)
Game Developers: Ana Sundji; Astrid Vujnović
Moderator: Benjamin Noah Maričak, (Games Croatia / HAVC)

13:30 - 14:15

COFFEE BREAK

14:15 - 14:30

PRESENTATION: AVENUE PROJECT (Breda University)

From Classroom to Camera: What Two Years of European Research Reveals About Hiring, Skills, and the Future of Virtual Production, VFX, Games, Animation, XR and Visual Storytelling
Speaker: prof. Silke Hassreiter
Moderator: Dominik Čičak, Actor, Director and Producer

14:30 - 15:30

Workshops

UNREAL ENGINE – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN AUDIOVISUAL PROJECT

WORKSHOP LEADER: Ivan Glavinović, Lecturer at Algebra Bernays University
DATE & TIME: October 23, 2026 (Friday), from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
REGISTRATION: To register for this free workshop, please send your first and last name to info@blendzagreb.eu no later than October 22, 2026, at 4:00 PM. Please indicate that you are registering for the Unreal Engine workshop.
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION:
How can you quickly turn an idea for a video game or audiovisual project into a functional prototype? What possibilities does Unreal Engine offer, and how can you use them effectively throughout the creative and production process?
This workshop provides a practical introduction to Unreal Engine, one of the leading tools for developing video games and interactive audiovisual content, with a particular focus on rapid prototyping.
Participants will explore project organization using Blueprint, Unreal Engine's visual scripting system, and learn the fundamental principles of project architecture, programming best practices, and the use of the engine's built-in systems.
Through hands-on activities, participants will discover how to develop a prototype of a simple project that can be further developed by game designers and other members of a development team. Special attention will be given to creating a clear, well-structured, and accessible project that supports efficient collaboration and future development.
The workshop is designed for beginners and anyone interested in exploring Unreal Engine for the first time, discovering its potential for video game development and audiovisual production.

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VIRTUAL VOICES: CREATING MEMORABLE DIALOGUE

WORKSHOP LEADER: Olga Moskvina, Lecturer at Algebra Bernays University, Writer and Game Designer of Disco Elysium, one of the most critically acclaimed narrative video games of all time.
DATE & TIME: October 24, 2026 (Saturday), from 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM.
REGISTRATION: To register for this free workshop, please send your first and last name to info@blendzagreb.eu no later than October 22, 2026, at 4:00 PM. Please indicate that you are registering for the Virtual Voices: Creating Memorable Dialogue workshop.
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION:
How do you create dialogue that gives characters personality, builds emotion, and stays with players long after the game ends? How can conversations shape a game's world and create characters that players genuinely connect with?
In Virtual Voices: Creating Memorable Dialogue, Olga Moskvina will explore the key principles of writing compelling, natural, and memorable dialogue for video games.
Drawing on her experience working on the critically acclaimed Disco Elysium, renowned for its exceptionally rich narrative, complex characters, and innovative approach to dialogue, participants will discover how words shape game worlds, influence player experiences, and transform virtual characters into unforgettable personalities.
The workshop aims to highlight the importance of well-crafted dialogue in narrative game development, offering participants insights into creative approaches to character development, emotional storytelling, and interactive narrative design.

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THINKING IN GAMES: HOW FILMMAKERS CAN PRESS PLAY

WORKSHOP LEADER: Pierre Puget, Co-Founder of BRAINS Narrative Studio UG, Screenwriter and Director
DATE & TIME: October 24, 2026 (Saturday), from 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM.
PARTICIPANTS: This workshop is designed for film and television professionals applying in pairs – a producer and a screenwriter, or a producer and a director.
REGISTRATION: To register for this free workshop, please send the full names of both participants to info@blendzagreb.eu no later than October 22, 2026, at 4:00 PM. Please indicate that you are registering for the Thinking in Games workshop.
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION:
What happens when filmmakers start thinking like game creators? How does storytelling change when the audience becomes an active participant in the narrative?
Thinking in Games: How Filmmakers Can Press Play is designed for film and television professionals interested in exploring opportunities to develop their projects within the world of video games and interactive media.
Led by Pierre Puget, a screenwriter and director with 15 years of experience in the European audiovisual industry, the workshop explores how existing skills in storytelling, character development, and production can be transferred into interactive environments.
A distinctive feature of the workshop is its collaborative format, bringing together producer–screenwriter or producer–director pairs to explore both the creative and production opportunities of developing projects beyond traditional film and television formats.
Through hands-on exercises and interactive discussions, participants will discover the fundamental differences between linear and interactive storytelling, exploring how to approach narrative, characters, and world-building from the player's perspective.
The workshop aims to introduce film and television professionals to new ways of developing their ideas and projects within the video game industry, without requiring any previous experience in game development.

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FROM PLAYER TO CHARACTER

WORKSHOP LEADERS:
Laura Bošnjak, Professional Actress and Member of the D&D Association ARMOR CAST
Jan Kovačić, Professional Actor, Singer, and Member of the D&D Association ARMOR CAST
ORGANIZER: ARMOR CAST Association
DATE & TIME: October 24, 2026 (Saturday), from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
REGISTRATION: To register for this free workshop, please send your first and last name to info@blendzagreb.eu no later than October 22, 2026, at 4:00 PM.

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CINEMA, TELEVISION AND VIDEO GAMES: DISCOVERING A NEW REALM OF OPPORTUNITIES

WORKSHOP LEADERS:
Daniele Barone, Founder and CEO of Biunivoca
Marco Mazzaglia, Video Game Evangelist, Producer, and IT Manager
DATE & TIME: October 24, 2026 (Saturday), from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
REGISTRATION: To register for this free workshop, please send your first and last name to info@blendzagreb.eu no later than October 22, 2026, at 4:00 PM.
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION:
There is a space where video games, television, and cinema have long intersected and influenced one another, yet its full potential remains largely unexplored. Within this space lie new creative and business opportunities, sometimes emerging in entirely unexpected forms.
This workshop explores the relationship between film, television, and video games from different perspectives – from using existing audiovisual content and television archives in gaming to developing new cross-media experiences based on intellectual property (IP) originating from the film, television, or gaming industries.
How can a film or television story find new life through an interactive experience? How can existing IP expand from one medium into another? And what new opportunities emerge when film, television, and gaming professionals begin thinking beyond the boundaries of their own industries?
Alongside theoretical insights, the workshop includes interactive sessions where participants will have the opportunity to explore real-world examples of how these industries have come together – from well-known projects to lesser-known but innovative experiments that have pushed boundaries and helped shape the evolution of cross-media storytelling.
The workshop aims to offer a fresh perspective on the relationship between film, television, and video games, encouraging participants to identify new opportunities within their own projects for developing content, expanding intellectual property, and creating experiences that can thrive across multiple media platforms.

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ACTING IN RPG

WORKSHOP LEADERS:
Laura Bošnjak, Professional Actress and Member of the D&D Association ARMOR CAST
Jan Kovačić, Professional Actor, Singer, and Member of the D&D Association ARMOR CAST
ORGANIZER: ARMOR CAST Association
DATE & TIME: October 23, 2026 (Friday), from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
REGISTRATION: To register for this free workshop, please send your first and last name to info@blendzagreb.eu no later than October 22, 2026, at 4:00 PM.

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From Concept to Market – Tips for Game Development

WORKSHOP LEADER: Hrvoje Mitić, Game Scout, Producer, and Secretary of the Croatian Game Developers Association (CGDA).
DATE & TIME: October 23, 2026 (Friday), from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
REGISTRATION: To register for this free workshop, please send your first and last name to info@blendzagreb.eu no later than October 22, 2026, at 4:00 PM.
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION:
The workshop provides a practical overview of the entire video game development journey from a business and publishing perspective, from choosing a concept and preparing a business case to production, budgeting, pitching, working with publishers and platforms, and launching the game on the market. Through practical advice, participants will gain a better understanding of how to approach game development as a business project, how to organize their work, and what to expect from the industry. The workshop is primarily aimed at indie developers and teams working on their first commercial game.

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Video Lectures

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Organizers

Academic Partner

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