Now that I've had some sleep (the last post was fuelled by a and extra long black Tim Horton's brew specifically imported by Canadian friends) and a little time to really mull this thing over two things are happening.
1) The gears are churning; ideas are becoming plans, thoughts becoming actions.
I am already liaising with a lot of people. Nothing gets done without the support of those more experienced and wise than yourself.
Great chunks of dialogue are writing themselves. After 6 odd years at University and a lifetime of loving and discussing games I already have enough topics and interesting content to kill a mini-boss.
Travel plans are becoming clearer. I'm starting in LA, dipping down to San Diego for Comic Con then couch surfing my way north with a friend in San Jose and Sacramento for support. Depending on time I'll then attend PAX in Seattle or overshoot to some contacts in Vancouver then back to PAX with time left over to re-visit any new friends or do whatever I have left to do.
Documentary will focus on the almighty Electronic Game against the backdrop of post-economic-slump America. I want to make 3 episodes/films, one about the industry and my efforts to become a part of it, one about the state of games today and why they even exist as a form of art/entertainment and, most importantly, one about Gamers [real gamers!] and the duality of their identity as an isolated player and participant in a cultural phenomenon.
2) Hesitation sets in: as good a proposal as this is there are about a thousand difficult questions or problems that need very solid answers/solutions.
Funding? I have some savings but this whole thing is going to succeed or fail on the good will of strangers: awesome, videogame loving, friends I haven't met. Both to help me with accommodation and share their experiences and to help drum up interest and publicity for this gaming adventure.
How do I get the attention of the internet? I've drafted a shortlist of sites I'm going to contact about help finding willing participants for the project:
gamesindustry.biz
gamasutra.com
kotaku.com
1up.com
ign.com
n4g.com
gamesradar.com
gamespot.com
penny-arcade.com
Once I've got the webpage up I'll send them some mail. I really hope they take enough interest to make a post about it as this is my best chance to get in contact with enough people interested in helping me to make it work. Who knows? Perhaps they'll help personally! Ideally I'd like to stay with some people who are gamers, some people who work making games and some people who are involved in games journalism (like the people who run these sites). Also Mike and Jerry from Penny Arcade are my heroes. Hence ending the documentary shoot at PAX. Ideally presenting a panel about the experience at PAX!
I went and organised flights this morning (and something else which I will mention in the future) and travel insurance has crit me for an additional $1000 out of my budget. Ouch. But obviously crashing my way from Tijuana to Vancouver I'm definitely going to need it. There's a strange uneasiness in knowing that any drama I face will be a mixed blessing; good for the documentary, bad for my health. I should look at it as a win win situation I guess, just gotta make sure the camera is on.
Shooting the documentary! I have experience with cameras and I'm going to get some crash-training from an award winning Doco crew (thank you Anne!) and do a practice run in Australia before I head off but I am going Solo which can make filming more than difficult. I am going to buy a camera specifically for it (another necessary ouch to the budget). At least I'll have nothing left to get stolen I guess.
I have in the past had some issues with allergies and anxiety attacks. While I'm all good now and have medication to make sure I don't get teary eyed and short of breath (NERD!) I've made another appointment with my doctor to ensure I'm ready for the rigours of a truly epic gaming adventure.
If I do get interest from people, I hope I do, I need to make sure that I can stay with them on very specific dates to ensure that I am slowly making my way up the north coast of America. How fast/far will I have to travel to make it to Seattle in a month? How far can I travel? Can I make it inland at all? How far inland should I go? I definitely can't afford any additional flights particularly in USA's busiest and therefore most expensive period. How much will trains and busses cost me. I may have to enlist the help of a native and thorough google mapping to make it work. I may also have to book the occasional night in a hotel for a break/downtime or if there is a gap I can't find anyone to host me.
That's enough for now. Gotta get this website happening and hone my artistic skills; that's what weekends are for. Oh and playing Dragon Age whilst eating a pizza and drinking beer!
1) The gears are churning; ideas are becoming plans, thoughts becoming actions.
I am already liaising with a lot of people. Nothing gets done without the support of those more experienced and wise than yourself.
Great chunks of dialogue are writing themselves. After 6 odd years at University and a lifetime of loving and discussing games I already have enough topics and interesting content to kill a mini-boss.
Travel plans are becoming clearer. I'm starting in LA, dipping down to San Diego for Comic Con then couch surfing my way north with a friend in San Jose and Sacramento for support. Depending on time I'll then attend PAX in Seattle or overshoot to some contacts in Vancouver then back to PAX with time left over to re-visit any new friends or do whatever I have left to do.
Documentary will focus on the almighty Electronic Game against the backdrop of post-economic-slump America. I want to make 3 episodes/films, one about the industry and my efforts to become a part of it, one about the state of games today and why they even exist as a form of art/entertainment and, most importantly, one about Gamers [real gamers!] and the duality of their identity as an isolated player and participant in a cultural phenomenon.
2) Hesitation sets in: as good a proposal as this is there are about a thousand difficult questions or problems that need very solid answers/solutions.
Funding? I have some savings but this whole thing is going to succeed or fail on the good will of strangers: awesome, videogame loving, friends I haven't met. Both to help me with accommodation and share their experiences and to help drum up interest and publicity for this gaming adventure.
How do I get the attention of the internet? I've drafted a shortlist of sites I'm going to contact about help finding willing participants for the project:
gamesindustry.biz
gamasutra.com
kotaku.com
1up.com
ign.com
n4g.com
gamesradar.com
gamespot.com
penny-arcade.com
Once I've got the webpage up I'll send them some mail. I really hope they take enough interest to make a post about it as this is my best chance to get in contact with enough people interested in helping me to make it work. Who knows? Perhaps they'll help personally! Ideally I'd like to stay with some people who are gamers, some people who work making games and some people who are involved in games journalism (like the people who run these sites). Also Mike and Jerry from Penny Arcade are my heroes. Hence ending the documentary shoot at PAX. Ideally presenting a panel about the experience at PAX!
I went and organised flights this morning (and something else which I will mention in the future) and travel insurance has crit me for an additional $1000 out of my budget. Ouch. But obviously crashing my way from Tijuana to Vancouver I'm definitely going to need it. There's a strange uneasiness in knowing that any drama I face will be a mixed blessing; good for the documentary, bad for my health. I should look at it as a win win situation I guess, just gotta make sure the camera is on.
Shooting the documentary! I have experience with cameras and I'm going to get some crash-training from an award winning Doco crew (thank you Anne!) and do a practice run in Australia before I head off but I am going Solo which can make filming more than difficult. I am going to buy a camera specifically for it (another necessary ouch to the budget). At least I'll have nothing left to get stolen I guess.
I have in the past had some issues with allergies and anxiety attacks. While I'm all good now and have medication to make sure I don't get teary eyed and short of breath (NERD!) I've made another appointment with my doctor to ensure I'm ready for the rigours of a truly epic gaming adventure.
If I do get interest from people, I hope I do, I need to make sure that I can stay with them on very specific dates to ensure that I am slowly making my way up the north coast of America. How fast/far will I have to travel to make it to Seattle in a month? How far can I travel? Can I make it inland at all? How far inland should I go? I definitely can't afford any additional flights particularly in USA's busiest and therefore most expensive period. How much will trains and busses cost me. I may have to enlist the help of a native and thorough google mapping to make it work. I may also have to book the occasional night in a hotel for a break/downtime or if there is a gap I can't find anyone to host me.
That's enough for now. Gotta get this website happening and hone my artistic skills; that's what weekends are for. Oh and playing Dragon Age whilst eating a pizza and drinking beer!
That awesome Altered Beast fan art is by a wicked guy named Flavio Hoffe who is an amazing artist and makes me want to just give up and work in a factory biting the heads off chickens. That's what they do in factories right?
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