Warren Spector giving keynote address at media convergence conference

Deus Ex and Epic Mickey designer Warren Spector will deliver the keynote address at the first Captivate Conference and Expo in Austin, Texas this October, organizers announced today.

Spector's address on "leadership in the arts" will kick off the event, scheduled to take place October 6-8, 2013 at the Palmer Events Center in Austin.

Captivate is focused on bringing game, film, and music professionals together to discuss how their various industries affect one another.

"It's vital that game developers, writers, musicians, mobile developers, creators of television, and film productions talk about how their media are alike and different and how practitioners can work together to benefit the broader art scene," Spector said in a statement.

Spector's keynote address will touch on what it means to be a leader in a creative medium. He explained that his talk will draw from personal experience, historical perspective, and recent events to offer insight and practical advice.

Tickets are available now for Captivate at the event's website beginning at $50 for a "Minion" package and scaling to $425 for a "Noble" bundle.

Spector found himself out of a job when Disney closed Epic Mickey outfit Junction Point Studios in January.

Earlier this month, the University of Texas at Austin announced that Spector, along with Blizzard Entertainment president Paul Sams, would head up a new game design program at the school. Spector will serve as the co-chair of the program's advisory board and part-time instructor.