To be written by: Penny Shaw pennyshaw@live.co.uk

1. Watching Games and Completing FilmsIn what ways are Videogames and Films Compatible and what are the implications of this? To be written by: Penny Shaw pennyshaw@live.co.uk

2. In what ways are Videogames and Films Compatible and what are the implications of this? The two industries competing and supporting? A lot of research material Technologies are similar Could potentially be a big change in the way we watch movies and play games Merging costs of production and larger profit in joint sales Games are using actors, movies are using more visual effects

3. In what ways are Videogames and Films Compatible and what are the implications of this? -Approach • Books • Articles • Forums • Playing relevant games/movies: i.e ‘L.A. Noir’, ‘Run Lola Run’ • Semi-Structured reflective interview E-library Internet library

4. In what ways are Videogames and Films Compatible and what are the implications of this? -Research Points • Technology -Past limitations, how they have been overcome • How are they similar in terms of production, budgets, characters, narratives and form • What are main elements in games and films which set apart the divide • Do the two industries compete or support each other • Will actors etc have more of a financial career in games as movies are more susceptible to piracy and illegal downloading- same as music industry, actors themselves will make more money on tv appearances etc promoting the movie then the sales? • Are/can the two converge and what are the surrounding beneficial and non beneficial implications of this • Consumer Demand • Economics in production – keeping them separate and the same • Currant Restraints

5. In what ways are Videogames and Films Compatible and what are the implications of this? Structure • Intro & Hypothisis • Define Narratology & ludology • Similarities in game and film • Differences in game and film • The difference/similarities in production and companies • Convergence – beneficial /non beneficial Consumer demand, economics & supporting factors • Conclusions

6. In what ways are Videogames and Films Compatible and what are the implications of this? Research “Now audiences are able to watch movies on the same machines they use to play games, making further crossover inevitable. Before long we may see something of a reversal: Just as designer use cinematic conventions to enhance their games, so directors may soon borrow game conventions to add new layers to their films.” Popcorn and joysticks -The economist “this new generation of games machines can create and display fully three-dimensional images on the fly and mix them with pre-recorded video, making it hard to tell where the film clip ends and the game begins. At the same time the film industry has itself adopted more digital effects, making the production of blockbusters such as “Jurassic Park” and “Titanic” increasingly an exercise in the same computer modelling and graphics techniques that are used in modern 3-D videogames.” “So far, the technology extends only to the heads of actors, but given time, full-body capture using MotionScan will further evolve the possibilities for both games and film.” Facial Animation -David Crookes Rules of the Game -Jamie Russell “production budgets for A-list games are also rising: the Grand Theft Auto IV game cost around $100 million to make (and has grossed about $750 million to date). Compare that to the $30 million budget for District 9, Blomkamp and Jackson's rebound feature after the Halo movie stalled. Clearly, game-makers could afford to self-finance their own movie productions, keeping creative control over their IP as it heads to the screen.”