Growing up in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Luis Levy was an extremely bright child but he had trouble with his fine motor skills. His mother, a progressive psychologist, saw playing video games as the perfect remedy. She knew from early studies that games could help him fine-tune his movements in a fun and effective way - and that's precisely what she did. On Luis' ninth birthday, he received a Sega Master System as a gift from his parents. The console's pioneering 3D graphics with special LCD glasses took Luis' imagination and dexterity to a whole new level. Games like "Phantasy Star" and "Space Harrier" also taught him his first words in English. As he grew up, Luis began creating batch programs in DOS for an old PC XT and even played "Prince of Persia" on the computer's rusty green screen monitor. He also took a major interest in all kinds of films, becoming a film buff and a member of a very exclusive film club at age 16. By that time, he had become the main "movie critic" for friends and family and also an expert in both hardware and software. Luis wrote intricate short stories and shot award-winning documentaries at Brazil's renowned private film school, FAAP receiving a B.A. in Film and Television. He also made a daring trip to Brasilia, the country's capital, in a bus filled with homeless children and adults.
Jeannie Novak is the lead author and series editor of the widely acclaimed GAME DEVELOPMENT ESSENTIALS series (with over 15 published titles), co-author of PLAY THE GAME: THE PARENT'S GUIDE TO VIDEO GAMES, and co-author of three pioneering books on the interactive entertainment industry--including CREATING INTERNET ENTERTAINMENT. She is also co-founder of Novy Unlimited and CEO of Kaleidospace, LLC (dbaIndiespace), providing curriculum development and consulting services for corporations, educators, and creative professionals in games, music, film, education, and technology.Novak served as director of the Game Art & Design and Media Arts & Animation programs at the Art Institute Online and has taught game courses at UCLA, Art Center College of Design, DeVry University, Westwood College, ITT Technical Institute, and the Academy of Entertainment & Technology at Santa Monica College. She holds a B.A. in mass communication/business administration from UCLA and an M.A. in communication management from the Annenberg School at USC. She also serves on the Online Gameplay Committee for the Academy of Interactive Arts &Sciences and has served on the executive boards of the International Game Developers Association (Los Angeles) and Women in Games International. An accomplished composer and performer, Novak was chosen as one of the 100 most influential people in technology by MicroTimesmagazine and has been profiled by CNN, Billboard Magazine, the Sundance Channel, Daily Variety, and the Los Angeles Times.
