Oscar and BAFTA-winning creative studio Framestore has promoted Stephen Goalby to head of design, U.K. Based at the company’s headquarters in London, he will lead the design team as the studio continues to expand the division.
Since joining Framestore in 2016, Goalby has played a key role across film, episodic and immersive projects, working with brands and IP such as Coca-Cola, Google, and UEFA. Most recently, he worked on the title sequence for the James Bond film, No Time to Die, and with both Universal Creative and Walt Disney Imagineering on attractions and experiences based in Beijing, Hollywood and Orlando.
“Stephen’s exciting unannounced projects will deliver everything from intricate hand-drawn 2D animation to futuristic technical UI sequences,” said Lottie Cooper, Framestore’s managing director, advertising, TV & immersive. “With his dedication and ability to lead the team both technically and creatively he’s opened us up to new and groundbreaking opportunities and the team continues to go from strength to strength under his leadership.”
“It’s an honour to be working at a studio that is positioned at the forefront of design and I’m excited to be at the helm as we grow as a department,” added Goalby. “It’s been incredible to work with so many brilliant clients and partners and I’m looking forward to continuing to expand our capabilities in this space.”
Goalby has over 16 years’ experience in the industry, and built an impressive portfolio with his work at several leading agencies before joining Framestore.
More Than A Game: Bringing Sincere Representation Of The Shawnee Tribe To Civilization 7
Shawnee Tribe Chief Ben Barnes grew up playing video games, including "probably hundreds of hours" colonizing a distant planet in the 1999 title Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri.
So when that same game studio, Firaxis, approached the tribal nation a quarter-century later with a proposal to make a playable character out of their famous leader Tecumseh in the upcoming game Civilization 7, Barnes felt a rush of excitement.
"I was like, 'This can't be true,'" Barnes said. "Do they want us to participate in the next version of Civilization?"
Beloved by tens of millions of gamers since its 1991 debut, Meier's Civilization series sparked a new genre of empire-building games that simulated the real world while also diverging into imaginary twists. It has captivated nerdy fans like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and a young Barnes with its intricate and addictive gameplay and rich historical context.
Choosing among leaders that can range from Cleopatra to Mahatma Gandhi, players build a civilization from its first settlement to a sprawling network of cities, negotiate with or conquer neighbors, and develop trade, science, religion and the arts. Circana, which tracks U.S. game sales, says it's the bestselling strategy video game franchise of all time.
But things have changed since the early days of Civilization. Of course, video game technology has advanced, but so too has society's understanding of cultural appropriation and the importance of accurate historical framing.
Firaxis dropped plans to add a historical Pueblo leader in 2010 after tribal leaders objected. The game incorporated a Cree leader in 2018 but faced public criticism in Canada after its release.
Developers knew that to properly represent the Shawnee leader, they would... Read More