Late this summer, I had the opportunity to write for a local gaming site, Gaming4Respect. One of the editors, Keith DePalma, found some of my writing and immediately asked me to join and write for their site. Though school and a new job were on the horizon, I, of course, signed up. The same night I joined, the admins and I were discussing an IGN article (link below) posted that night about the forthcoming Uncharted film-adaptation, and it got me in a rant. Thus, here is my first article for the site, an analysis on film adaptations and how to do it right (finally uploaded for my Blogspot & MyIGN viewers).
Just recently this week, Keith DePalma and I were explaining to Mary Cosgrove the impact of the Uncharted franchise for PlayStation 3. Whatever preferences we gamers pick, there is no denying Uncharted has
set a generation-defining benchmark as both an excellence in cinematic
story-telling and a craftsmanship in production value. While we talked
about this, I pulled up an article uploaded from IGN that same night.
Once again, an Uncharted film-adaptation is put in production hell. Having been in production hell since the acclaim of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves,
directors, writers, and actors have continued to drop in and out of the
adaptation. This is all-and-good, but there was a bigger problem I
found when I read this: It is an adaptation of the established Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune from 2007.
The choice of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune startled me more
than these movie articles usually do, and it brought to mind the
relationship between gamers and their games; and filmmakers and these
games: there isn’t one. The Uncharted franchise, as I
mentioned, has already established itself as a cinematic gaming
experience. From its character development, plot directions, and overall
pacing lends itself as a movie experience the likes of which we compare
Spielberg’s Indiana Jones franchise.
The article got me to rant with Keith & Mary about this problem, because it is a
problem. Hollywood is planning to copy/paste the story the three of us
already know, into a movie we will have already seen and experienced,
and give little incentive for the experienced gamer to see what we
already know. What I am saying is, do we really want to see a shorter,
two-hour version of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, when we can instead experience it ourselves for well over 8-hours?
Of course, this is not the first time we have had this dance with our beloved video games. Ubisoft has been working towards an Assassin’s Creed adaptation; CBS Films has been in-discussion of a Deus Ex adaptation after last year’s hit, Deus Ex: Human Revolution; and just recently, Paul W.S. Anderson announced his scriptwriting for a Castlevania
adaptation. Normally if you are a gaming enthusiast, seeing your
favorite video game on the silver screen would be a joy. But time and
time again, we have not only been given more immersive games, but also
given more mediocre adaptations. Doom, Max Payne, Prince of Persia, Resident Evil, and the always-reliable Uwe Boll
are a testament of the disappointment we’ve come to expect from these
adaptations, and create an understandable worry of disappointment from
film-adaptations.
The key difference between film and game is experience. What
Hollywood is missing from our world is that the craft, and really the
heart and glory of video games, is the sensation to not see a
character-driven narrative, but to virtually experience the
narrative. We are not being given 90 minute-to-two hour stories in video
games (unless you’re playing COD), we are being given some 10-20 hour
experiences with us, the player, driving the main character forward and
creating our own fun in this story.
Examples from the PS3 console alone can come from Naughty Dog & the Uncharted franchise (and their upcoming survival-thriller, The Last of Us), Guerilla Games & the Killzone series, Sucker Punch & inFAMOUS, and Santa Monica & God of War saga. For Microsoft, Halo is an obvious choice, as are Fable, Gears of War, and Alan Wake.
The possibilities can be endless. So what can be done to balance the
forces between filmmakers and game developers? As an aspiring filmmaker,
here are a few tips I feel will give some justice to our pride and
glory:
1) TELL A DIFFERENT STORY
I have had my own challenges making my parents sit down and watch a few cutscenes from Uncharted.
It is people like these that are missing out on a great gaming
experience, but there can be a generational gap. While newcomers will
enjoy our games more from the movie theater, however, it will leave
gamers watching something they have already experienced. For example,
many of us already know the story of Ezio Auditore in Assassin’s Creed, and after three games, I am kind of tired of playing more of it (Assassin’s Creed: Revelations basically concluded his quests, all-together).
Instead of ripping from the stories we already know, why not tell a
different story? Creating a completely different tale from the same
universe would be a new experience for both the movie-goer and the
gamer. Assassin’s Creed? Instead of Altair or Ezio, maybe a different Assassin from a different universe and objective. Uncharted? Maybe delve more into the origins of the Nate/Sully characters, or a prelude adventure film before the games?
2) CREATE AN ACCURATE CHARACTER
Max Payne from Rockstar Games was a gruff, worn-out addict with a
thirst for revenge and desperation for justice. Max from the movie
adaptation, was not. Not only was he not Max Payne, but even as a
stand-alone character he was not interesting. As with both films and
games, a compelling and fresh character matters just as much as the
narrative and atmosphere.
Finding the right actor for the role may be tough, but someone to perform the solid-straight enigma of Master Chief in Halo, the quick & charming Nathan Drake in Uncharted, or heck, the kick-ass-chew-bubblegum attitude of Duke in a Duke Nukem adaptation, would make all the difference in an adaptation.
3) USE THE ORIGINAL TEAM
The character analysis above brings to mind another suggestion. If
you are going to make a game-adaptation, who knows how to make it better
than the original game developers themselves? After all, much of the
mistakes from prior adaptations come from a lack of similarities between
the film and game, as well as a lack of input from the gods of the
game. For example, the Uncharted adaptation earlier is being written by somebody who is not Amy
Henning. The creative directors and concept artists for the game worlds
would also be as crucial to giving an authentic adaptation. Or the
music? An Assassin’s Creed movie would not be the same without the score of Jesper Kyd, as would a Halo adaptation without Marty O’Donnell.
4) REMEMBER THE FANS
Above all else, remember why this movie is being made. This is not a
quick-profit production; this is an art, with an opportunity to be
appreciated by the mainstream. Past attempts have failed to give
results, instead only distancing gamers from believing, and providing
more nails to the coffin of possibilities. Focusing less on the flash
and more on the story, character, and understanding of our world
will make all the difference in bringing together two of the most
immersive and atmospheric industries in entertainment, into one
oh-so-sweet adaptation.
- Ant
- edited by Keith DePalma, Gaming4Respect
