Today we will look at what games have done to enhance the power of their stories. We will then investigate what films can take from video game storytelling to improve in the future.

Game Storytelling

Over the past few decades, gaming has greatly expanded what it is capable of, both technologically and narratively. Take cutscenes for example. Often the default method of gaming story delivery, cutscenes are essentially movie clips rendered in the game’s engine. However, even this crude form of game storytelling has improved thanks to the more serious treatment of plots and characters. Games like the Red Dead Redemption and The Last of Us series have placed great importance on creating well-developed primary and secondary characters to involve us in the story. As well as building plots that are emotionally and viscerally engaging.

Beyond writing better narratives and characters, using background environmental details to tell stories has proven hugely successful. Think of the Dark Souls series. Aside from a handful of cutscenes, these games’ stories are primarily told through background details that you can see and interact with. This allows players to investigate the story at their own pace. Making them feel instrumental in the storytelling process. It also gives the impression of a bigger world existing outside of the narrative.

Of course one of the best ways video games handle story is by linking it to the game’s mechanics. Think of Bioshock and Spec Ops: The Line‘s stories. Which use game objectives and the gamification of war to make searing statements about the gaming industry and medium. Making the medium crucial rather than incidental to the narrative experience.

Films Meet Games

So, is there anything films can learn from video game storytelling? Some short films have already taken inspiration from gaming, using the Unreal Engine (Bioshock and Spec Ops: The Line) to generate their visuals. Additionally, while some debate surrounds it, the use of VR to enhance an artistic experience is something both mediums are exploring. But what can a non-interactive medium take from interactive storytelling beyond CG and viewing peripherals?

Firstly, games prove that films shouldn’t fear using major and minor background elements to tell stories. Usually, films heavily emphasise background story elements to indicate their significance. But video games have shown people are willing to pore over every detail of a story’s world to be immersed. They just need the opportunity to do so. Something that’s very hard with constant cutting, dialogue and directorial decisions that foreground only “crucial” things at the expense of everything else.

Also, there is often debate surrounding movie length, however, games show if you are invested in the world because of good characters and worldbuilding, length won’t matter. David Lean’s epics are great filmic proof of this point.

Finally, films must centre the medium’s possibilities again. Games and TV shows are currently experiencing a golden age because high-profile creations are using each medium’s uniqueness to their advantage. Games have been experimenting with how to engage audiences in interactive stories. TV shows have pushed the possibilities of pictorial long-form bitesize storytelling. Meanwhile, with higher profile movies, examples that focus on the medium’s creative presentation of images and which are unique, complete experiences are shrinking. Many popular recent films are franchise properties that adhere to strict presentation parameters. Experimentation and completeness should be encouraged in all aspects of the film industry.

Conclusion 

We have seen a huge rise in the immersive storytelling possibilities of video games over the last few decades. As technology improves we will likely see more films utilising technology associated with games to create and deliver their stories. However, the biggest thing the film industry should learn from gaming’s story-driven success is that there is no substitute for engaging character-driven stories, detailed worlds that enliven the story and its universe and creative decisions that remind audiences of the medium’s importance.

Also Read: Five Video Games That Need To Be Made Into Films

Also Read: Adam Sipione Unravels the Inspiring Story of Shenmue In His New Documentary

The post The Rise of Video Game Story Telling appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

VR in Games

VR currently has a 90% public awareness, according to YouGov. Further indicators of early mass adoption of VR can be seen in the gaming industry. VR Systems saw a 23.5% year-on-year rise in 2017, cracking the £100m barrier for the first time. Currently, 6% of the British population owns virtual reality headwear; At the equivalent time, after widespread release, wearables had 4% penetration, and tablets had 3%. The gaming industry has led the charge in this area with PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift & HTC Vive making up the vast majority of sales and with more game developers working on games specifically for VR, growth in VR games looks to be strong moving forward.

The major film studios have been a lot slower to adopt VR as a way to exhibit films. However, VR  is used as a medium to create immersive experiences based on a film title, rather than actually making a movie to be watched via VR. In this instance, particularly with horror films like The Conjuring 2, a VR-based experience acts as a great promotional tool to complement a wider marketing rollout.

Should We Expect a Breakout of VR Films?

A current problem is that there simply aren’t that many platforms designed for VR films – particularly feature-length ones. Currently, Video-on-Demand powerhouses Netflix & Amazon Prime do not support VR, tech giants Facebook & YouTube have enabled 360 VR videos to be uploaded onto their platforms. This makes the two social media platforms a key testing ground for the wider adoption of films in VR.

Many more experimental independent filmmakers have begun to explore VR as a method of producing short films. The Invisible Man (shown below) is an example of how the medium can be utilised to produce a compelling film.

 Moving Forward

Since its inception over 100 years ago, how we experience film has remained largely unchanged; however, what we have seen through television/VoD services, as well as 3D cinema, is complementary user experiences running parallel to traditional cinema. At least in the immediate future, what seems most probable is that VR will add another dimension to the ways we can experience the “moving picture”. With new technology, new ways to creatively exhibit films will surely soon follow.

The post Will Virtual Reality (VR) Films Ever Takeoff? appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.