Video Game Design Influencing Art
In the beginning, there was Pong's black screen and white cube. But times have changed. Today, video games are not only works of art themselves; they are influencing other art forms. Game plots are now showing on big screens at movie theatres and being recognized at film festivals. Acclaimed film and television directors are also entering the world of video game design, recognizing the synergy that exists between the media.
Additionally, the artwork that makes computer and video games so compelling is also becoming a respected artistic genre of its own. Gaming artwork is now exhibited at galleries and serving as a new medium for emerging artists.
Cultural Art: Education and Design
Educational institutions across the nation provide young people with advanced artistic training in computer and video game design. More than 200 American colleges, universities and technical schools, including New York University, the Art Institute of Seattle and Marist College currently offer programs and courses in video game design and development. Carnegie Mellon University and the Georgia Institute of Technology offer master's degrees in game development. And the University of Southern California offers a graduate degree in interactive media and an undergraduate degree in video game development.
As these programs produce new video game designers, their work is recognized by the video game industry for its entertainment value and by the art community for its cultural value. Video game graphics and designs are widely displayed, publicized and featured in art exhibits across the country. For example, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston's Economic Adventure Gallery hosted an interactive exhibit on the video game industry's roots and artistic value. In addition, the “Into the Pixel” art exhibit, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2007, showcases a series of conceptual and production work from current and future video games.
Popular Art: Cinematography and Video Games
The entertainment software and movie industries have influenced each other's storylines for several years. But now, increased demand for video games has provided Hollywood producers, directors and actors with additional ways of forming partnerships.
Movies and video games routinely borrow characters and subjects from each other to produce hits and unique roles for actors. “Beowulf,” produced by video game publisher Ubisoft, reprised the role of Academy Award-winner Anthony Hopkins virtually through innovative digital technology. Eidos Interactive's “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Resident Evil,” inspired the movie “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” with Angelina Jolie. And Pierce Brosnan and Shannon Elizabeth provided likeness and voice work for Electronic Arts' “James Bond: Everything or Nothing,” reprising their work on the movie screen.
Now, the relationship between games and film may be expanding. The 2008 Sundance Film Festival featured a panel discussion on how technology, including gaming, has changed our society. In addition, in 2007, MTV Games announced a partnership with "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "CSI" producer Jerry Bruckheimer. In a multi-year relationship, a Jerry Bruckheimer Games team will work with MTV to create games based on original ideas.
Additionally, popular author James Patterson's entertainment company announced that it will produce video games as well as books, television shows, and movies. Patterson's “Women's Murder Club” originated as a murder mystery book series that was adapted for television and will soon become a video game. The game will feature hunt-and-seek play and provide clues for players to solve the mystery.
Popular Art: Music and Video Games
Video games encourage creativity not only in the visual arts, but in music as well. Popular video games provide both aspiring and established musical artists access to a broader audience, with pop and punk music enjoying the most success.
Blink 182's hit “Action” was featured in the video game “Madden NFL” in 2004. Other Electronic Arts sports games have been credited with helping to launch musical artists Avril Lavigne and Good Charlotte. In addition to contributing tracks for the soundtrack to “Malice,” the musical group No Doubt provided vocals for the game's characters.
And the influence is going in both directions. Harmonix's “Rock Band” and Activision's “Guitar Hero III” are two recent video game hits based on popular music. Harmonix and MTV Games also developed “Phase,” a new interactive music title that provides a compelling rhythm-action game for iPod owners who want to play with their existing music collections in a fun, arcade-like way.
The scores in popular video games are now providing the music for “Video Games Live,” a concert tour of top orchestras and choirs that include the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The concerts include video footage and musical arrangements, synchronized lighting, solo performers, electronic percussionists and interactive segments – put together to create a unique experience for gamers and music lovers.
Go Figure
- 512 — As of January 2008, the number of educational institutions worldwide listed on www.gamecareerguide.com for having video game design and development courses available.
- 5 — The number of panelists on the "Independent Video Gaming: A New Medium for Filmmakers" panel at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. They included Eric Zimmerman, founder of Gamelab; Connie Yowell, Director of Education Grantmaking for the MacArthur Foundation; Suzanne Seggerman from Games for Change; and game artists Eddo Stern and Asi Burak, who helped create the game “Peacemaker.”
- 11,000 — The number of people who attended the first “Video Games Live” performance, which took place on July 6, 2005, at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles with the L.A. Philharmonic.
- 26 — Number of months it took Activision's “Guitar Hero” franchise to generate over $1 billion in North American retail sales.
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