Solid amounts of time spent navigating Super Mario in the '90s did not make me a huge fan of video games. This mustachioed plumber was both - a great entertainer and timewaster. Co-directors of documentary Indie Game: The Movie (2012) Lisanne Pajot and James Swirsky do not try to advocate possible benefits of video games either. They let us witness final stages of few independent games development, giving thorough insight of what it feels like to be on the outskirts of the ever growing 10-digit revenue industry.
Indie Game: The Movie was not made for game professionals, it was made for average person who tried to play at least once. Where you hooked? Where you excited? Well, you were expected to, as apparently, it might take up to several years of daily overtimes to create even a simple game. Now, compare large production company with unlimited budget and army of developers versus team of two or even one working on an indie game. It's hit or miss and either way – very personal. "Meat Boy is a boy made of meat. He is a boy without a skin, so he is exposed to the elements. Maybe he is always in pain, but he just deals with it..." tells developer of Super Meat Boy, calling this game the best form of communication. As a book for the writer, as a painting for the painter, this film proves – a game is someone's whole life.
Co-directors did a brilliant job editing this picture. Indie Game: The Movie, unlikely for descriptive documentary, is stunningly picturesque. Long, almost landscape and urban photo-like frames changing extreme close-ups, which makes spectators go through full scope of emotions. Clever editing (awarded at Sundance) and soundtrack made same scenes very symbolic and engaging, so that I've found myself almost jumpy about the success of these games. "If you don't see a vulnerability in somebody, you're probably not relating with them on a very personal level." says another successful indie game developer.
Strong parallels can be made between indie games and indie films. High level of freedom and control on one side of the scales, immeasurable amounts of efforts and emotional attachment, preventing from critical view on the other.
Peace, Popcorn
www.popcornbanned.com
Indie Game: The Movie was not made for game professionals, it was made for average person who tried to play at least once. Where you hooked? Where you excited? Well, you were expected to, as apparently, it might take up to several years of daily overtimes to create even a simple game. Now, compare large production company with unlimited budget and army of developers versus team of two or even one working on an indie game. It's hit or miss and either way – very personal. "Meat Boy is a boy made of meat. He is a boy without a skin, so he is exposed to the elements. Maybe he is always in pain, but he just deals with it..." tells developer of Super Meat Boy, calling this game the best form of communication. As a book for the writer, as a painting for the painter, this film proves – a game is someone's whole life.
Co-directors did a brilliant job editing this picture. Indie Game: The Movie, unlikely for descriptive documentary, is stunningly picturesque. Long, almost landscape and urban photo-like frames changing extreme close-ups, which makes spectators go through full scope of emotions. Clever editing (awarded at Sundance) and soundtrack made same scenes very symbolic and engaging, so that I've found myself almost jumpy about the success of these games. "If you don't see a vulnerability in somebody, you're probably not relating with them on a very personal level." says another successful indie game developer.
Strong parallels can be made between indie games and indie films. High level of freedom and control on one side of the scales, immeasurable amounts of efforts and emotional attachment, preventing from critical view on the other.
Peace, Popcorn
www.popcornbanned.com