I know, I know niche and artsy games are not synonymous. There are games that are artsy such as Okami that play toward the mainstream. Yes, Okami is one the most artsy action adventure games of all-time. Even with critical acclaim, it did not penetrate homes like God of War. It is arguably a better game, but the art got in the way of the game. Your average action adventure game player did not know how Okami. Not all masterpieces fall short of reaching their audience. For example, Bioshock dominates the game scene. It is a first-person shooter that doesn’t introduce a new over-the-top saleable game mechanic. But, this game is graphically an uber masterpiece. It abandons the clichéd military, standard horror, space alien, and urban environments for a more industrial, dark, 1940’s deco gothic environment. The game’s artsy visuals paint a world that is eerie and frightening. The world of Rapture makes the gamer want to explore it, but more importantly want to escape it. Don’t get me wrong making wonderful art to raise the art intellect of the masses does not trump making money off the masses. Yes, I’m thinking like a suit.
Honestly, what businessperson wants to sacrifice time and money for an endeavor that has no tangible returns? Businesses measure success by profits like athletics measure success by championships. No one praises the team that played well together and never received a championship. When we do talk about such teams, we immortalize their stories as tragedies. The story usually starts with this line, “Do you remember the such-and-such team that played well together, but didn’t pull it together in the final hours?”However, we do praise the team that hates one another and plays in an unorthodox manner, but pulls off the unthinkable, nearly impossible clench of the championship. With that said, let me lunge into another example of “suits” versus “artists.”
My favorite television show, Entourage has an enraged movie director under the moniker of Billy Walsh. Billy is one of those arthouse geniuses that create so-called arthouse films that are mainstream accessible. He is what we call true genius in the entertainment industry. The Industry crowns people, who have the ability to maintain their creative integrity and slightly push the bar while making the masses easily relate to final product, as geniuses. What this scenario usually creates in the minds of our pious artist that is counterculture for counterculture sake think that artistic identity prevails over product understanding. They believe Billy is an artist that sticks to his guns and always comes out on top. They don’t realize that Billy sacrifices artistic identity while holding onto his artistic integrity to produce critically acclaimed work that would sell to the masses. For example, Billy created a film called “Queens Boulevard.,” which was a black and white film that maintained the authenticity of Queens, was colorized by an overzealous studio. The studio ruined the film’s emotion, which made the film authentic. “Queens Boulevard.” was colorized, thus distracting the viewer from the real focus of the movie. The studio thought it brightened a movie that was meant to be gritty and dark. Billy stuck by his creative integrity and not the artistic look of the movie and had the movie sanctioned. Billy mentions in the episode, “If the movie would have been better in color, then I would have made it in color. *Stupid* suits.” Your savvy artist would have understood the power of Billy’s statement. Billy chose to shoot the movie in black and white because it gave him a better chance to win the coveted Sundance Award. The general public could digest the film. Critics and judges could rave about how different it is to other films. On the other hand, the studio believed people like color, so they want to give people only color films. Billy would have been willing to compromise if it would have made the film better, but it didn’t. High-strung artist interpret Billy’s line as suits are vile people that are money grubbing and willing to destroy great art for the sake of profit. That is a slanted perspective of Billy Walsh’s statement and Billy. In the series, Billy loves money, he wants his art digested and he is willing to compromise for acceptance as long as it doesn’t destroy his artistic vision. Billy detests and opposes suits because they want to denounce his understanding of high concept art that is easy to relate to by the general public and dumb it down based on their statistical marketing research that does not explore people's acceptance of art. See, Billy’s integrity is based on knowing how to produce high concept films that the general public will love.
Most pious artists believe the general public doesn’t understand their “great” art because they are dumb individuals waiting to be led like sheep. These artists never reflect on themselves. Most never realize that the reason the public doesn’t like your art is because it just sucks. Many artists believe the starving artist should martyr himself for the sake of art. I believe if an artist loves his craft, then he should create it in a manner that the general public can relate to the conveyed emotion. I’m not saying suits know what’s best, but good suits know business. And, business has one purpose and that is to make money. Artists believe suits don’t have an artistic bone in their body, but they do. Suits know the art of making money. Now, that is something everyone can relate to. Word to the wise: Artists learn how to sell your art to the masses. If you don’t some suit will. Now, where is my tie that matches my new hipster t-shirt?
Peace Good People,
Peace Evil People,
Tragedy seems to hover over the heads of my loved ones. This year, I've had friends lose their parents, significant others, grandparents, and children. To think, I have the audacity to complain about not making an "A!" How superficial and shallow have I become this year? Real tragedy is happening around me, yet I worry about school. How dare I complain about my lavish grad school life, while death lurks in the lives of my loved ones? How dare I spew words of dissatisfaction about people in my cohort when my family and friends are facing hardships- financially, socially, physically, mentally, and spiritually. While two-double-oh-seven is a good year for me, it has been an awful year for others. Well, I got into grad school to study a desired career wet dream. I'm surrounded by creative people. (Day 2 writing) Every day, I wake up ecstatic about my daily grind. I am also developing Underground Live with my PNC (partner-in-creativity), Bobby Craft. I'm learning what it really takes to be a successful producer by using my business prowess and creative juices in a single concerto. Moreover, I'm in grad school soaking up raw uncut game in a booming entertainment industry, video games. Both, Underground Live and FIEA, run hand and hand in learning business vernacular. Yet, I have the nerve to complain about not having enough time or energy to dedicate to both ventures. However, I have the time to write these words on paper. Isn't life crazy.
(Day 3 writing)
I have the ability to write in a world where the poor majority cannot read or write. Now, that is tragic! I can openly express my distress about my homeland and my life in a world where the poor majority cannot openly express themselves. Now, that's tragic! I woke up this morning to a nutritious breakfast. I allow food spoil in my refrigerator. Yet, the world's majority does not wake up to a breakfast and plush living. Tragedy surrounds me in micro and macro proportions, yet I complain about my plush lifestyle. For my complaints, I have committed the great sin of taking what I have for granted. I should know better because I grew up in a household that provided everything by the skin on their teeth. I didn't have much growing up, yet my parents made sure my brother and I had everything that a child and teenager needed and wanted. It was more than love. It was more than discipline. It was more than life lessons. It was more than sacrifice. My parents gave themselves to me and my brother. They committed to our growth more than their own growth. I received more from my family than ninety percent of the world's population receives from life. Beyond family life, I've experienced things that the world's majority have not or cannot dream. I'm always surrounded by beautiful people. I'm supported on all sides by the people in my life. As my time passes like Joe Montana, I'm able to receive more great experiences than Jerry Rice and score big on all my receptions. Yet, I complain while real tragedy plagues the world like a dark fog looming overhead. On that note, I apologize to you the reader, the have-nots, the appreciative haves, the gods and goddess, and most of all the ones that are suffering in tragedy. I'm sorry for not respecting your tragedy more than my pseudo-tragic life of luxury. Life has a way of humbling people. Life has humbled me in my good year by causing tragedy in the lives of my loved ones. For each of them, I shed a tear of sorrow. For their tragedy, this year has not been good to me.
Love and Peace Good People
I know this blog is somewhat tardy. But, it is better late than never. I've been celebrating the completion of my first video game. Yes, I broke my video game production hymen, and look forward to continue to supply the world with great interactive entertainment. The first round opened us up to a world filled with interactivity. Some developers really pulled through on their creations. "I Herd Ya," an awesome game, felt like a great classic arcade game with smooth animation. It would be the equivalent of watching Billy Dee Williams sponsor Cristal. "Air Assault" left droppings on everyone's head with its cartoony animation and feel. Now, we are back to the grind for some round deux action. With the bar slightly raised, all the artists, programmers, and producers are diligently focused on making emergent games better than the next team and the previous cohort. You could hear a pin drop in FIEA's work zones due to all the intense silence and concentration. Occasionally, we hear an outburst of uncontrollable laughter and the whispers from team huddles. It is like every team is down by four points, 4th and goal with nine seconds left on the clock and no time outs. Everyone is working hard to succeed, especially the programmers. I do not envy their job. The programmers are here when I leave at the end of the day. They are here when I arrive in the morning. I leave pretty late, and arrive fairly early to school every day. So, I can only imagine their hours! They take the vision of us whacked out producers and make it a reality. Even the artists have the blues when they translate the producer's dreams into reality. It is funny watching things go crazy in the teams. Things go crazy when you mix an overzealous producer with no guidance skills with an overworked programmer and an anal retentive artist. Thank the heavens that I have great team players that don't suffer from these ills. Matter of fact, my development teams has been completely solid in communication, interpretation, and execution. Enough about "my" teams, you are reading this to find out the inside scoop on FIEA and the industry as a whole.
Well, in this edition of Games, Lames, and Dames, I really don't have much to report on. Yeah, I remember I am supposed to talk about dames this time around. The only good news on that is my apartment complex is filled with professional dancers. No, not the kind that stare into mirrors and slide down gold poles, but the kind that stares into mirrors and dance on their toes. Yes, it is filled with a Ballet Troupe. I discovered this at a pool party at my apartment complex last weekend. Now, nothing is better than Italian Ice mixed with tequila, rum, and vodka, two kegs of beer, free food, and a good reggae band. Yes, the Park Place is a sweet place to live. As I was talking with one of the ballet dancers (we shall call her "Ms. Ballerina"). Our conversation started with cordial introductions, then it slipped into the "what do you do" realm. I said, "Grad student." Then, Ms. Ballerina asked the only follow-up question possible. "What are you studying?" in a very interested and amused voice. With my chest poked out, I replied, "Video Game Production." She grinned and said, "I love video games. I own a Nintendo DS." What I have gathered from careful and thorough observation (past and present) is that more and more young ladies are appreciating the Dark Arts of Video Gaming. Not only that, gaming girls are hot! Yes, I said it. They are smoking hot. I know many young ladies that enjoy playing with my Wii. You know the Nintendo Wii. They own a DS, PS2, or Xbox 360. They play Halo, Madden, and Katamari Damacy. They play games like Okami and Grand Theft Auto. What makes them even hotter is that they talk junk as they beat you down in your favorite game. Let me pause for the cause--- I like to give a shout out to Aktrez and the Girls Gaming Network for gathering hot girls that love games just as much as I do! If you are a girl that loves video games, then join this network of like-minded beauties: http://www.myspace.com/girlgamingnetwork. Furthermore, girls that are into gaming are very approachable and usually have a higher IQ than Einstein. So, the conversations seem to be exciting, educational, entertaining, and endless. They are not the awkward girls portrayed in the movies. They are more like Rachael Leigh Cook, Meagan Good, and Jessica Alba than Calista Flockhart. Fellas stop being lames, get up off your tails and go find you a gaming dame. There goes my plug about dames.
Well, I'm off to make another flash game. Until next week, you will have to nibble on this until I write another tidbit of gaming knowledge.
