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Escape Studios partners with Epic Games and leading European animation schools to deliver world’s largest training programme in Unreal Engine

Published

4 years ago

July 23, 2021

Mark Flanagan, Education Partner Manager, Epic Games said: “The Summer of Unreal is an incredible opportunity that is open to professionals in animation and VFX all across Europe, and we couldn’t be happier to invite the industry to participate. Escape Studios is a wonderful partner who, along with a number of Europe’s best animation schools, are running this programme, which is set to be the biggest Unreal Engine training that we’ve undertaken to date. We’re excited to help all learners find new ways to tell awesome stories and express their creativity using Unreal Engine.”

Saint Walker, Deputy Dean of Escape Studios, said: “The Summer of Unreal is a fantastic opportunity for animation and 3D CGI professionals across Europe to discover more about the cutting-edge technology on offer with Unreal Engine.

“We’ve worked with top animation companies to create a novel animation-centric way of teaching Unreal Engine, in one of the most ambitious training programmes that Escape Studios has been involved with – our vision of a pan-European festival of learning in Unreal Engine has gained us amazing academic partners in the form of some of the best animation schools in the world. We invite learners across Europe to join us. Make your summer staycation Unreal!”

The Summer of Unreal will be taught online in English and is free-of-charge to professionals working in the animation, motion graphics and VFX industry who want an informal group experience of learning Unreal Engine over the holiday period. The course will feature daily workshops covering all the major aspects of using Unreal Engine interspersed with practice time, teamwork, as well as demonstrations and masterclasses from some of Europe’s premiere companies and artists showing how they use the platform in their work.

Mark Spevick, Escape Studios’ Head of 3D VFX will be the main ‘showrunner’ for the Summer of Unreal. The unique role used in Escapes’ larger courses ensures that tutors get to hear and address the most important questions from the online shop floor through Mark’s advocacy. Mark combines teaching and programme design with senior industry experience, having worked at Peerless Camera, the production house co-owned by Terry Gilliam.

Partner quotes

Timothy Leborgne, Head of Talent & Skills Development, The Animation Workshop/VIA University College
“A course such as Summer of Unreal is very welcome. Whether you look at film, animated series, or games we can all see a growing demand for rapid development and competent animators. And Unreal Engine is one particularly advanced tool and software we can’t avoid as professionals in the future. So, I am excited and happy we bring such a valuable course to professionals in our industry. By partnering with such competent institutions and studios across Europe, we have ensured that the course will deliver the best training.”

Gilbert Kiner, President, ARTFX
“Since its creation in 2004, ARTFX has been dedicated to training students using the latest technology and software. Beyond using this engine for our Games courses, Unreal has also been integrated into the previz pipeline for our VFX programs. We are very happy and proud to have been chosen as the exclusive French partner for this collaborative initiative.”

Felix Balbás, Area Director of Animation & VFX at La Salle-URL
“Unreal Engine is a reality we can’t ignore. No longer only in videogames and recently virtual production, now more than ever the future of any visual content creation and in particular animation and VFX, must take this evolution into account. Not only in previs stage, but also in full production. This is why La Salle-URL’s commitment towards promoting state-of-the-art training along with leader institutions at a European level is reflected in the Summer of Unreal.”

Miljana Jovović, Executive Director, Crater Training Center
“We are happy to join the Summer of Unreal as partners for Southeastern Europe, as we see this project as a great chance to upskill and connect professionals across the continent. We have spent the first part of 2021 educating university professors in Serbia in Unreal Engine so they could implement the newly-gained knowledge to their study programs and introduce the software to their students.”

Katja Schmid, Visual Effects and Post Production Professor, Hochschule der Medien
“Many artists in the industry have been waiting for this course. Now the time has come. At the moment, Unreal is one of the most in-demand tools in the industry. The response to the course announcement has been fantastic. It’s just an amazing opportunity not only to get trained for free but also to be part of a most inspiring community! We are very impressed by this large-scale project and excited to be contributing.”

Gareth Lee, Screen Skills Ireland Manager
“Screen Skills Ireland is hugely excited to be part of the Summer of Unreal. This is a unique opportunity for Irish screen sector professionals to learn about the powerful capabilities of Unreal Engine from industry experts, as well as connect with their peers across Europe.”

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777.es

Thunderkick signals Spanish growth ambitions through 777.es deal

Published

33 minutes ago

December 10, 2025

George Miller

thunderkick-signals-spanish-growth-ambitions-through-777.es-deal

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Independent slots studio Thunderkick has deepened its existing collaboration with prominent European operator 777, extending the agreement into Spain.

The initial partnership in Belgium proved a success, with Casino777.es set to build on that momentum by integrating a range of products from Thunderkick’s diverse portfolio, including the full Midas Golden Touch franchise and its popular Día de Muertos-inspired series, Esqueleto Explosivo.

The expansion of the agreement marks another step in amplifying Thunderkick’s position in a competitive market, with its Spanish commercial network now spanning numerous European heavyweights and rising regional operators.

The 777 brand is well-established across the continent, where it continues to broaden its online reach in addition to consolidating its retail footing through a partnership with Casino de Spa, one of the world’s oldest land-based facilities.

The onboarding of Thunderkick’s content will further elevate 777.es’ online casino offering, giving players access to distinctive, engaging content, while also strengthening the Swedish studio’s visibility in a jurisdiction earmarked as a priority within its wider European growth strategy.

Mariam Dodosh, Key Account Manager at Thunderkick, said: “The ongoing relationship between 777 and Thunderkick in Belgium is a fruitful one, and the expansion into Spain marked the natural next step of this collaboration.

“Our content continues to drive results with operators in the market, and we look forward to seeing our fan-favourite titles resonate with a new audience at 777.es.”

César Paredes, Country Manager at 777.es, added: “We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Thunderkick, and its commitment to creativity shines through in its games.

“We have no doubt Casino777.es players will enjoy the brand-new additions to our online casino as we continue to deliver fresh, dynamic content to the Spanish market. The integration of Thunderkick into our portfolio is another step in our commitment to providing our players with the best possible gaming experience.”

The post Thunderkick signals Spanish growth ambitions through 777.es deal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

ClearStake

Paul Myatt joins ClearStake as investor and commercial advisor

Published

33 minutes ago

December 10, 2025

George Miller

paul-myatt-joins-clearstake-as-investor-and-commercial-advisor

Reading Time: < 1 minute

ClearStake, the platform transforming player verification in UK iGaming, has joined forces with Paul Myatt to support their sales and marketing efforts.

Myatt will help drive sales of ClearStake products, including ID by Bank, a new solution that enables operators to verify player identity instantly through banking apps. The product is designed to improve FTD conversion, reduce fraud and cut the volume of manual reviews.

Over a 15-year career in gaming, Myatt has previously held senior commercial and business development roles at NetEnt, QuickSpin and Aspire Global.

ClearStake CEO Martin Burt said: “Paul has a proven track record of helping major iGaming businesses commercially scale. His experience across both supplier and operator landscapes makes him the ideal partner to support sales and help us drive further revenue. This engagement strengthens our ability to scale ClearStake and support more operators with innovative verification solutions.”

ClearStake advisor Paul Myatt added: “I have followed ClearStake’s progress closely and it is clear the company is solving a real problem for operators. ID by Bank is a product with huge potential to improve onboarding and reduce cost, and I am excited to support the team as ClearStake moves into its next phase of growth.”

Last month, ClearStake completed a GBP 1.5 million funding round backed by leading names across the iGaming industry. The investment will accelerate growth and support the rollout of ID by Bank, already being used by several major UK operators including MrQ.

The post Paul Myatt joins ClearStake as investor and commercial advisor appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Imagine Live

Vindral and Imagine Live announce strategic partnership to elevate next-generation Live Casino experiences

Published

33 minutes ago

December 10, 2025

George Miller

vindral-and-imagine-live-announce-strategic-partnership-to-elevate-next-generation-live-casino-experiences

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Vindral and Imagine Live have entered into a strategic collaboration aimed at advancing the quality, performance and innovation of Live Casino content. The partnership combines Imagine Live’s growing portfolio of live dealer games with Vindral’s advanced real-time streaming and green-screen technologies to deliver more immersive and cinematic player experiences.

This collaboration comes at a moment of rapid growth for Imagine Live, whose offering includes classic games such as Blackjack, Roulette, Poker, Baccarat and Dragon Tiger, along with a range of high-quality game shows. The company is also investing in new cinematic tools like its Robot Arm camera, designed to create smooth, dynamic movements that bring players closer to the action and enhance the sense of being at a real table.

Vindral, founded by a team of Swedish technologists with deep expertise in video, audio, real-time streaming, object tracking, computer vision and AI, provides a high-performance live video platform built for modern live game studios. Vindral’s technology stack includes advanced green-screen solutions and features such as V-Track Roulette, V-Track Money Wheel and Crystal Speech. Vindral also offers a world-class CDN solution, Vindral Live, delivering ultra-low latency and consistent streaming quality—powered by MOQ (Media Over QUIC), a next-generation protocol the company has helped develop over the past decade.

By bringing the strengths of both companies together, the partnership delivers a powerful set of capabilities for operators looking to offer richer, faster and more engaging live gaming experiences to players worldwide.

Niclas Åström, CPO & Founder at Vindral, commented: “We’re absolutely thrilled to collaborate with Imagine Live. This partnership allows us to bring our most innovative solutions to one of the most dynamic live casino providers in the market. We’re proud to support new innovation in iGaming through our AI-driven technology.”

Mikayel Aznauryan, CPO at Imagine Live, said: “Vindral’s technology perfectly complements Imagine Live’s vision to redefine the live casino experience. We are excited to deliver our next-generation content to partners and players worldwide through this collaboration.”

The post Vindral and Imagine Live announce strategic partnership to elevate next-generation Live Casino experiences appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.