Some of the world’s leading digital entertainment experts are on the hunt for innovative UK digital projects over the next few weeks, to take part in this year’s X Media Lab event to be held at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios on March 17th and 18th.

For anyone interested in hearing the experts speak, there is also a conference the day before on March 16th offering a rare insight into the types of technologies and ideas currently exciting the digital entertainment industry (tickets can be booked online at http://www.xmedialab.com/events/2012/xml-bath-2012-digital-entertainment/

This is a great opportunity for any UK start-up or digital team to submit their idea and get millions of pounds worth of free business and technology tips from the brains behind digital scenes in movies such as Minority Report, Inception, Avatar and Pirates of the Caribbean. The mentors also have years of experience in interactive advertising for major brands, mobile applications and music tracks and websites.

Jeff Gomez, father of transmedia, Ralph Simon, founder of mobile entertainment and Dale Herigstad, winner of four Emmy Awards are just some of the star-studded list of names speaking at the conference and looking for UK digital projects to mentor.

“If you are a start-up or an established business looking to launch a project in gaming, music, transmedia, film, TV, social media, location-based services, mobile apps, virtual worlds or online learning then this is a great opportunity to work one-on-one for two days with some of the best in the business,” said Brendan Harkin, Director, X Media Lab.

Harkin added that previous events have seen projects develop into award-winning businesses.

“Previous project teams have ranged from independent start-ups which have gone on to win awards at MIPCOM in Cannes, UNESCO in New York and AIMIA in Australia; to Lonely Planet; Disney Internet Group from Tokyo; Zuji.com and India’s biggest games and animation company. This is about good ideas getting valuable advice and sound business thinking. It’s a unique opportunity and we hope Bath will enjoy playing host to this fantastic event.”

X Media Lab – March 16-18, 2012

Under the theme of music, media and mobility, the event begins with a Conference Day on Friday 16 March where each of the mentors will give a keynote presentation to 250 UK entrepreneurs and creative workers and thinkers.

The Conference day is followed by the weekend “Lab” where carefully selected companies and project teams will be mentored one-on-one at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios.

Entrepreneurs and creative businesses can submit their project ideas via an online form http://www.xmedialab.com/project-application/

X Media Lab precedes Bath’s inaugural Digital Festival which runs from Monday 19th March through to Saturday 24th.

The international mentors and keynote speakers include:

Ralph Simon – Founder of the modern mobile entertainment industry (London). Mobile strategist for Lady Gaga, Madonna, U2 and the World Cup

• Dale Herigstad – Chief Interaction Officer, Possible Worldwide (Los Angeles, London). Winner of 4 Emmy Awards, Dale is one of the world’s most influential thinkers on interactive television, convergence and emerging media

• Jeff Gomez – President & Chief Creative Officer, Starlight Runner Entertainment (New York). One of the world’s leading transmedia producers (Avatar, Tron, Transformers, Pirates of the Caribbean).

• Julian Treasure – Chairman of the Sound Agency, Author of Sound Business (Surrey). One of the world’s leading experts on the effects of sound and the effective use of sound for business benefit.

• Chris Deering – Former President of Sony Computer Entertainment – Europe (London). A world-leading executive in multicultural motion picture video and computer game publishing for nearly 3 decades

• Martyn Ware – Founding Member, the Human League, Heaven 17 and The Illustrious Company (London). Martyn is one of the leading figures in electronic music and as a record producer and artist has featured on recordings totalling over 100 million sales.

• Steve Machin – Founder, Stormcrowd (London). Pioneer of the European live entertainment space and the application of new technologies in the development of the artist/fan relationships.

• Dr. Joann Kuchera-Morin – Director of the AlloSphere Research Facility, California Nanosystems Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara). Composer, Professor of Media Arts and Technology and Music.

• Dr. Vesna Petresin – Robert – Co-founder Rubedo (London). Academic, artist, theorist, performer and designer, Vesna and Rubedo contribute to patents, performances and and projects involving CERN, Serpentine Gallery Pavillions, Ebbsfleet Landmark, AV midi devices and internationally regarded publications and installations.

• Laurent-Paul Robert – Co-founder Rubedo (London). Artist, film director, photographer and musician, Laurent-Paul and Rubedo collaborate with Double Negative on VFX for Christopher Nolan and Terence Mallick.

• Martha Ladly – Professor of Design & Senior Researcher, OCAD University (Toronto) – Faculty member, CFC Media Lab, & Mentor with the Canadian Film Centre’s Interactive Project Lab; Former Director, HorizonZero Digital Arts + Culture; Former Head of Design with the Real World MultiMedia Team (Bath); Member of 80s new wave bands Martha and the Muffins and The Associates.

• Leah Hoyer – Creative Producer at Levity Entertainment group (Los Angeles). Formerly Director of Development, Walt Disney Company where Leah worked on global hits Phineas & Ferb, Recess and Kim Possible.

• Poonacha Machaiah – CEO of Qyuki (Bangalore). ‘Qyuki’ is the new multimedia company from the Oscar award winning director Shekhar Kapur and composer AR Rahman.