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.