Written Analysis of Found Footage

           Video games are still defining themselves in the world of media, and it is our group’s intention to show their merits, intricacies, and uniqueness. More specifically, we will be analyzing video games that are based off of movies, and conversely movies based off of video games. Our video hopes to demonstrate the elements that video games and films have in common, while the other aspects of the presentation will elaborate on how video games are an independent medium from their cinematic counterparts. We would like to show that they can stand alone, rather than being simplistic paratexts.

            The greatest challenge in constructing our video was showing the connections between the video game/film pairs clearly and in a way that complimented each equally. We settled upon a strategy of selecting scenes that each had in common, and re-editing them so that the view would switch back and forth from film to game. Because the distinctive element of video games is interactivity, (and thus a personalization of the event sequence by the gamer), it was challenging to compare movie scenes with actual gameplay, but we found that the in-game cutscenes often matched perfectly with the film. The next challenge we faced was synchronizing audio between each jump from movie to video game, but this was solved by either maintaining the audio of one if they were very similar, or by replacing the entire audio with a musical overture. The latter method brings in a montage style of production to certain parts of our film.

            As Jonathan Blow discusses, video games will be the new art form and will change the way the world thinks. It was first the book which made tremendous cultural changes by not only recording knowledge and folklore, but by spreading stories en masse. Then the radio, which changed the people’s method of receiving information to a more audio-centered one, followed by film which moved society back to visual from auditory interpretations that are reminiscent of theater. Finally, with video games, the experience of narrative is a more interactive one. This feat of transition and media evolution is no small one, and marks a new chapter for mankind.