EDITION #02

07.26.2023

THE
ART  OF
MADNESS

WITH VP OF GAMES, MICK MORRIS

I’VE BECOME INCREASINGLY FASCINATED WITH GEORGE LOIS, OFTEN HAILED AS THE ‘ORIGINAL ADVERTISING MADMAN’. BORN ON 26TH JUNE 1931, HE PASSED AWAY LAST YEAR AT THE GRAND AGE OF 91.

LOIS STANDS AS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL FIGURES IN THE HISTORY OF ADVERTISING. WITH HIS LARGER-THAN-LIFE PERSONALITY AND GROUNDBREAKING CAMPAIGNS, HE REDEFINED THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT ADVERTISING COULD ACHIEVE.

FROM ‘62 TO ‘72, HE CHANGED THE FACE OF MAGAZINE DESIGN WITH HIS NINETY COVERS FOR ESQUIRE MAGAZINE. INITIALLY INTERPRETED AS LOUD AND PERCEPTIVE STATEMENTS OF THAT TIME, THE COVERS HAVE SINCE BECOME ESSENTIAL ICONOGRAPHY OF AMERICAN CULTURE.

HE LATER CREATED MANY SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGNS FOR PEPSI, VOLKSWAGEN, ESPN AND TOMMY HILFIGER AND WAS CREDITED FOR LAUNCHING THE ICONIC MTV WITH THE UNFORGETTABLE TAGLINE “I WANT MY MTV” UTTERED BY THE LIKES OF MICK JAGGER AND DAVID BOWIE. DURING THE PITCH LOIS SUPPOSEDLY SAID: “NOW, ALL YOU SONS OF BITCHES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE GOING TO BE SAYING, ‘I WANT MY MTV ‘ ".

SO WHAT DOES ANY OF THIS HAVE TO DO WITH PSYOP? IRONICALLY, HAD THE CAMPAIGN FAILED THEN PSYOP WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN BORN. ALL FIVE FOUNDERS LEFT MTV IN 1999 TO FORM PSYOP, IN A CONVERTED BAR IN THE EAST VILLAGE NYC. 24 YEARS LATER, ALL FIVE ARE STILL DIRECTING WORK AND REMAIN RESOLUTE IN PSYOP'S MISSION TO PERSUADE, CHANGE AND INFLUENCE GLOBAL AUDIENCES.

THROUGHOUT HIS REMARKABLE CAREER, LOIS CHALLENGED CONVENTIONAL WISDOM, PUSHED BOUNDARIES AND AIMED TO BREAK NEW GROUND WITH EVERY CAMPAIGN. HE BELIEVED THAT MARKETING SHOULD NEVER BE MEDIOCRE OR FORGETTABLE; INSTEAD, WORK SHOULD EVOKE EMOTION, PROVOKE DISCUSSION, AND CREATE A LASTING IMPRESSION.

LOIS FAMOUSLY DECLARED, ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS SHOULD BE POISON GAS: “…BRING TEARS TO YOUR EYES, UNHINGE YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM, AND KNOCK YOU OUT!’. HE WAS A FIRM BELIEVER THAT GREAT WORK REQUIRED A RELENTLESS DEDICATION TO THE CRAFT AND A REFUSAL TO SETTLE FOR ANYTHING LESS THAN EXTRAORDINARY.

KEEP IT COMIN'

OUR LATEST
(ICYMI);

It’s all here for your viewing pleasure, our latest, our greatest, our off the scale creative. Did that rhyme? No? Ok let’s go…

OUR LATEST (ICYMI)  ;

It’s all here for your viewing pleasure, our latest, our greatest, our off the scale creative. Did that rhyme? No? Ok let’s go…

OUR WILDEST DREAMS ARE

DIRECTOR CHRISTIAN BEVILACQUA'S

LATEST SCHEMES...

WHEN WE, THE SURREPTITIOUS KEEPER OF THE PSYOP DROP’S DIGITAL KEYS, NEARED THE END OF OUR PLANNING SESSION FOR THE GAMES EDITION, ONE THING BECAME EXCRUCIATINGLY AND NAIL BITINGLY CLEAR…WE WERE SET WITH OUR ENGAGING FEATURES AND OTHER VISUAL GOODS BUT NO GOD DAMN GAME...! NOTHING FOR OUR FERVENT GAMING AUDIENCE TO CRACK THEIR ARTHRITIC KNUCKLES AND PLOUGH INTO, HEADSET FIRST. ENTER CHRISTIAN BEVILACQUA, ESTEEMED DIRECTOR, GAMES CONNOISSEUR, INTUITIVE STORYTELLER AND ALL ROUND SWELL GUY. A QUICK JAM (JAM = NEW LINGO FOR A NON-DRUDGINGLY BORING ZOOM) LATER AND HE WAS COOKING ON GAS… FOR SOMEONE WHOSE UNITY SKILLS WERE SELF-DESCRIBED AS DISTANT MEMORY COMPOUNDED WITH NO TIME, BUDGET OR TEAM.. WE’D SAY CBEV HAS PULLED OFF NOTHING SHORT OF A BRILLIANT AND COMICALLY INFUSED MIRACLE WEB GAME.

THANK YOU, CBEV. ENJOY, DROPPERS.

CATCH HIS LATEST

HERE, YOU'RE A HIGH-FLYING, DEATH-DEFYING STUNT DOUBLE ON A FILM SET, WHERE EACH OUTRAGEOUS FEAT TESTS YOUR SURVIVAL INSTINCTS AND THE DIRECTOR'S FONDNESS FOR RISK.OUR PROTOTYPE LEVEL HITS YOU WITH A WILD WHIRLWIND OF FEAR AND FUN. YOU'LL TACKLE STUNTS THAT'D MAKE EVEN HARDENED INSURANCE AGENTS QUAKE IN THEIR BOOTS. PICTURE THIS: CAREENING OVER A SHARK-INFESTED RIVER IN YOUR NO-FRILLS SPORTS CAR OR HURTLING THROUGH A GAUNTLET OF EXPLOSIVE CRATES. THE CLOSER YOU FLIRT WITH DISASTER, THE BRIGHTER YOUR DIRECTOR'S SMILE. FOR NOW, "OOPS! STUNTMAN" IS A SINGLE-LEVEL SPECTACLE WHIPPED UP IN A WEEK FOR THE PSYOP DROP.BUT DON'T BE FOOLED BY ITS SIMPLICITY - IT PACKS A PUNCH OF ADRENALINE-FUELED EXCITEMENT. SO GET READY, THRILL-SEEKERS! STRAP ON YOUR VIRTUAL SPANDEX, STEP INTO THE WEB-BASED CHAOS,AND GIVE IT YOUR ALL. REMEMBER, IN "OOPS! STUNTMAN", IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT STAYING ALIVE - IT'S ABOUT DOING IT WITH STYLE!

THIS MONTH MARKS THE RELEASE OF AN EXCITING NEW PROJECT WE’VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR APEX LEGENDS IN CONJUNCTION WITH EA AND RESPAWN. IN THE WORLD OF ADVERTISING, SO MANY PROJECTS ARE ONE OFFS THAT COME AND GO. IT’S ALWAYS WISTFUL TO SEE ALL THE LABOR OF CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT BECOME SO FLEETING. ONE OF THE BEST PARTS ABOUT GAMING WORK IS THAT WE GET TO REVISIT THE SAME WORLD OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND STRIVE TO MAKE IT MORE DEVELOPED EACH TIME. IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE FOR LIAM (CO-DIRECTOR) AND I TO WORK ON THIS LONGER FORM APEX PROJECT AND IT HAS LED ME TO REFLECT ON WHAT IT IS THAT MAKES US LOVE GAMING WORK. 

FOR US, CINEMATICS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT THE CHARACTERS. ALTHOUGH GAMES USUALLY TAKE PLACE IN FANTASTICAL WORLDS WITH A STRONG AND HEROIC CAST, OUR GOAL IS FOR EACH CHARACTER TO HAVE A GENUINE SENSE OF HUMANITY. IT’S NOT ABOUT WHO HAS THE COOLEST MOVES, OR WHO SAVES THE DAY.

IT’S ABOUT THE AUDIENCE SEEING A PART OF THEMSELVES IN A CHARACTER, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE. 

WE HAVE BEEN SO LUCKY TO PARTNER OVER THE YEARS WITH TEAMS SUCH AS SUPERCELL WITH THEIR WILDLY ENTERTAINING CHARACTERS, OR THE APEX TEAM WHO HAVE SO THOUGHTFULLY CREATED DENSE CHARACTER LORE TO ELEVATE THEIR AMAZING CAST OF DESIGNS. THE COMMON THROUGHLINE WITH SUCCESSFUL GAMES LIKE THESE IS THAT THEIR DEVELOPERS ARE DRIVEN BY WANTING THEIR PLAYERS TO CARE ABOUT THE CHARACTERS. AND THAT PAYS OFF. UNIQUE AND CAREFULLY THOUGHT OUT CHARACTERS DRIVE CONVERSATION AND FANDOM.

NATURALLY, OUR CINEMATICS ARE IN SUPPORT OF SOME KIND OF LAUNCH OR BIG FEATURE UPDATE. HOWEVER, ONCE PROJECTS ARE RELEASED TO THE WORLD, I’M ALWAYS ASTOUNDED THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE AUDIENCE CONVERSATION ACTUALLY REVOLVES AROUND INTERESTING CHARACTER MOMENTS. THIS HAS LED OUR TEAMS TO A NEAR OBSESSION TO PACK OUR PROJECTS WITH INTERACTIONS AND DETAILS FOR FANS TO FEAST ON. A SINGLE GLANCE BETWEEN TWO CHARACTERS CAN SEMI-ADVERTENTLY EXPLODE INTO RAMPANT SPECULATION OF ROMANCE. A SUPPORTING CHARACTER HAVING A MOMENT OF HIJINX IN THE BLURRY BACKGROUND WILL GET TURNED INTO FAN ART WITHIN HOURS OF A VIDEO’S RELEASE. WHEN IT COMES TO PROJECTS WITH A BIG FANBASE, NO SMALL DETAIL GOES UNNOTICED, AND SQUEEZING IN A TINY MOMENT OR AN EASTER EGG WILL GUARANTEE TO END UP SPARKING FAN ENGAGEMENT. AND THAT MAKES THE EXTRA TIME AND CARE SPENT, SO WORTH IT. 

TAKE OUR MASS EFFECT TEASER THAT’S SO EPIC IN SCOPE AND LITERALLY SHOWS GALAXIES WORTH OF VISUAL EYE CANDY. NONETHELESS, THE MOST TALKED ABOUT MOMENT IS A SIMPLE MOTION OF A CHARACTER LOOKING UP AND REVEALING HERSELF TO CAMERA. THERE’S A NUANCED SENSE OF WISTFULNESS IN HER EYES, YET HOPE IN HER SMILE THAT HAS LEFT FANS IN DEEP ANALYSIS. OR IN APEX’S SAVIOR LAUNCH TRAILER, WHEN REVENANT, A BLOODTHIRSTY ROBOT, POIGNANTLY POPS A BALLOON WHILE EVERYONE ELSE PARTIES. HE COULD HAVE JUST AS EASILY BEEN NURSING A DRINK AT THE BAR, BUT THIS TINY LITTLE DETAIL BROUGHT DEEPER MEANING TO HIS ISOLATED PERSONALITY AND WAS WIDELY REPOSTED BY FANS. GIVING AN OLD MAN THE SLIIIIIGHTEST SMILE AS HE LANDS INTO BATTLE - HIS HAPPY PLACE, SPEAKS VOLUMES TO ME. A SCENE LIKE THIS WOULD WORK JUST FINE IF HE JUST PLOWED IN AND STARTED SHOOTING, BUT THOSE SUBTLE UNDERTONES ARE, FOR ME AT LEAST, WHAT PUSHES A PERFORMANCE FROM “COOL ACTION SEQUENCE” TO SOMETHING THAT CAN REALLY HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE AUDIENCE; MAYBE YOU’RE NOT A FAR FUTURE RENEGADE, BUT YOU SURE KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO BE DOING SOMETHING YOU LOVE.

OF COURSE, ALL OF THIS STARTS OUT WITH US HAVING A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF WHO THESE CHARACTERS ARE AND WHAT MAKES THEM TICK. OFTEN THIS HAS BEEN PART OF THE GAME DEVELOPMENT ALREADY, BUT IF IT ISN’T WE WILL CREATE OUR OWN CHARACTER BIOS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT MAKES PEOPLE UNIQUE, WHAT ARE THEIR HABITS, AND WHAT THEIR RELATIONSHIPS ARE WITH OTHER CHARACTERS. DEPENDING ON THE CONCEPT, IT CAN AT FIRST SEEM OVERKILL TO PUT IN ALL THIS BACKSTORY DEVELOPMENT, BUT ONCE YOU DO, GAGS START WRITING THEMSELVES NATURALLY. ANOTHER THING WE LOVE TO DO IS ASSIGN MANNERISMS TO EACH CHARACTER. ARE THEY FIDGETY? DOES THAT RARELY CRACK A SMILE? DO THEY TALK OUT OF THE SIDE OF THEIR MOUTH? ALL OF THESE DETAILS ADD PERSONALITY AND INSPIRE ENDLESS PERFORMANCE IDEAS. 

DON'T LET IT BE OVER!

Vulnerable Heroes

WITH DIRECTORS JACK ANDERSON
+ LIAM GRIFFIN

THIS MONTH MARKS THE RELEASE OF AN EXCITING NEW PROJECT WE’VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR APEX LEGENDS IN CONJUNCTION WITH EA AND RESPAWN. IN THE WORLD OF ADVERTISING, SO MANY PROJECTS ARE ONE OFFS THAT COME AND GO. IT’S ALWAYS WISTFUL TO SEE ALL THE LABOR OF CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT BECOME SO FLEETING. ONE OF THE BEST PARTS ABOUT GAMING WORK IS THAT WE GET TO REVISIT THE SAME WORLD OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND STRIVE TO MAKE IT MORE DEVELOPED EACH TIME. IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE FOR LIAM (CO-DIRECTOR) AND I TO WORK ON THIS LONGER FORM APEX PROJECT AND IT HAS LED ME TO REFLECT ON WHAT IT IS THAT MAKES US LOVE GAMING WORK. 

FOR US, CINEMATICS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT THE CHARACTERS. ALTHOUGH GAMES USUALLY TAKE PLACE IN FANTASTICAL WORLDS WITH A STRONG AND HEROIC CAST, OUR GOAL IS FOR EACH CHARACTER TO HAVE A GENUINE SENSE OF HUMANITY. IT’S NOT ABOUT WHO HAS THE COOLEST MOVES, OR WHO SAVES THE DAY.

IT’S ABOUT THE AUDIENCE SEEING A PART OF THEMSELVES IN A CHARACTER, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE. 

WE HAVE BEEN SO LUCKY TO PARTNER OVER THE YEARS WITH TEAMS SUCH AS SUPERCELL WITH THEIR WILDLY ENTERTAINING CHARACTERS, OR THE APEX TEAM WHO HAVE SO THOUGHTFULLY CREATED DENSE CHARACTER LORE TO ELEVATE THEIR AMAZING CAST OF DESIGNS. THE COMMON THROUGHLINE WITH SUCCESSFUL GAMES LIKE THESE IS THAT THEIR DEVELOPERS ARE DRIVEN BY WANTING THEIR PLAYERS TO CARE ABOUT THE CHARACTERS. AND THAT PAYS OFF. UNIQUE AND CAREFULLY THOUGHT OUT CHARACTERS DRIVE CONVERSATION AND FANDOM.

NATURALLY, OUR CINEMATICS ARE IN SUPPORT OF SOME KIND OF LAUNCH OR BIG FEATURE UPDATE. HOWEVER, ONCE PROJECTS ARE RELEASED TO THE WORLD, I’M ALWAYS ASTOUNDED THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE AUDIENCE CONVERSATION ACTUALLY REVOLVES AROUND INTERESTING CHARACTER MOMENTS. THIS HAS LED OUR TEAMS TO A NEAR OBSESSION TO PACK OUR PROJECTS WITH INTERACTIONS AND DETAILS FOR FANS TO FEAST ON. A SINGLE GLANCE BETWEEN TWO CHARACTERS CAN SEMI-ADVERTENTLY EXPLODE INTO RAMPANT SPECULATION OF ROMANCE. A SUPPORTING CHARACTER HAVING A MOMENT OF HIJINX IN THE BLURRY BACKGROUND WILL GET TURNED INTO FAN ART WITHIN HOURS OF A VIDEO’S RELEASE. WHEN IT COMES TO PROJECTS WITH A BIG FANBASE, NO SMALL DETAIL GOES UNNOTICED, AND SQUEEZING IN A TINY MOMENT OR AN EASTER EGG WILL GUARANTEE TO END UP SPARKING FAN ENGAGEMENT. AND THAT MAKES THE EXTRA TIME AND CARE SPENT, SO WORTH IT. 

TAKE OUR MASS EFFECT TEASER THAT’S SO EPIC IN SCOPE AND LITERALLY SHOWS GALAXIES WORTH OF VISUAL EYE CANDY. NONETHELESS, THE MOST TALKED ABOUT MOMENT IS A SIMPLE MOTION OF A CHARACTER LOOKING UP AND REVEALING HERSELF TO CAMERA. THERE’S A NUANCED SENSE OF WISTFULNESS IN HER EYES, YET HOPE IN HER SMILE THAT HAS LEFT FANS IN DEEP ANALYSIS. OR IN APEX’S SAVIOR LAUNCH TRAILER, WHEN REVENANT, A BLOODTHIRSTY ROBOT, POIGNANTLY POPS A BALLOON WHILE EVERYONE ELSE PARTIES. HE COULD HAVE JUST AS EASILY BEEN NURSING A DRINK AT THE BAR, BUT THIS TINY LITTLE DETAIL BROUGHT DEEPER MEANING TO HIS ISOLATED PERSONALITY AND WAS WIDELY REPOSTED BY FANS. GIVING AN OLD MAN THE SLIIIIIGHTEST SMILE AS HE LANDS INTO BATTLE - HIS HAPPY PLACE, SPEAKS VOLUMES TO ME. A SCENE LIKE THIS WOULD WORK JUST FINE IF HE JUST PLOWED IN AND STARTED SHOOTING, BUT THOSE SUBTLE UNDERTONES ARE, FOR ME AT LEAST, WHAT PUSHES A PERFORMANCE FROM “COOL ACTION SEQUENCE” TO SOMETHING THAT CAN REALLY HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE AUDIENCE; MAYBE YOU’RE NOT A FAR FUTURE RENEGADE, BUT YOU SURE KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO BE DOING SOMETHING YOU LOVE.

OF COURSE, ALL OF THIS STARTS OUT WITH US HAVING A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF WHO THESE CHARACTERS ARE AND WHAT MAKES THEM TICK. OFTEN THIS HAS BEEN PART OF THE GAME DEVELOPMENT ALREADY, BUT IF IT ISN’T WE WILL CREATE OUR OWN CHARACTER BIOS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT MAKES PEOPLE UNIQUE, WHAT ARE THEIR HABITS, AND WHAT THEIR RELATIONSHIPS ARE WITH OTHER CHARACTERS. DEPENDING ON THE CONCEPT, IT CAN AT FIRST SEEM OVERKILL TO PUT IN ALL THIS BACKSTORY DEVELOPMENT, BUT ONCE YOU DO, GAGS START WRITING THEMSELVES NATURALLY. ANOTHER THING WE LOVE TO DO IS ASSIGN MANNERISMS TO EACH CHARACTER. ARE THEY FIDGETY? DOES THAT RARELY CRACK A SMILE? DO THEY TALK OUT OF THE SIDE OF THEIR MOUTH? ALL OF THESE DETAILS ADD PERSONALITY AND INSPIRE ENDLESS PERFORMANCE IDEAS. 

DON'T LET IT BE OVER!

Vulnerable Heroes

WITH DIRECTORS JACK ANDERSON
+ LIAM GRIFFIN

FEAR   AND LOADING IN VR

WITH DIRECTOR, CHRISTIAN BEVILACQUA

BUCKLE UP, FOLKS. WE'RE DIVING HEADFIRST INTO THE TWISTED, PULSATING HEART OF THE BEAST, INTO THE LSD-LACED DREAM THAT IS THE CROSSOVER OF FILM, GAMING, AND VR. THIS ISN'T SOME BENIGN TECH REVOLUTION. OH NO, THIS IS A FULL-BLOWN, MIND-BENDING METAMORPHOSIS. A TWISTED FUNHOUSE MIRROR REFLECTING BOTH THE DARKEST NIGHTMARES AND WILDEST FANTASIES OF OUR COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUS.

WHAT WE HAVE ON OUR HANDS IS A WILD STALLION OF TECHNOLOGY, UNTAMED AND UNPREDICTABLE. THE REALM OF CINEMA, ONCE A PASSIVE, POPCORN-SCENTED AFFAIR, HAS MERGED WITH THE FRENZIED BEAST OF GAMING, AND GIVEN BIRTH TO THE UNHOLY SPAWN OF VR.

"RESIDENT EVIL: BIOHAZARD"? THAT'S NOT A GAME, IT'S A TRIP TO THE HEART OF DARKNESS, A HELLISH WALTZ WITH DIGITAL DEMONS. AND YOU DON’T JUST PLAY IT, YOU LIVE IT. IT'S A SURREAL PLUNGE INTO A WORLD THAT DANTE WOULD'VE WRITTEN ABOUT IF HE'D HAD AN OCULUS RIFT.
‍
THIS ISN'T SOME HALLUCINATION WHERE YOU CAN CLOSE YOUR EYES AND HOPE TO GOD THE CRAWLING WALLS AND MELTING FACES GO AWAY. THIS IS REALITY—VIRTUAL, SURE, BUT REALITY NONETHELESS. BUT HERE'S THE KICKER: IT'S ALSO AN ABSOLUTE BLOODY RIOT.

AS FILMMAKERS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS PHANTASMAGORICAL SHIFT, WE'RE THE ONES GRIPPING THE REINS OF THIS BUCKING BRONCO OF TECHNOLOGY. AND WHAT A TIME IT IS TO BE ALIVE. BECAUSE, FOR ALL ITS MIND-WARPING INTENSITY, THE FUSION OF FILM AND GAMING THROUGH VR OFFERS THE PURE, UNCUT OPPORTUNITY TO REDEFINE STORYTELLING.

NO LONGER ARE WE JUST GUIDING OUR AUDIENCES THROUGH CAREFULLY CONSTRUCTED NARRATIVES. NOW, WE'RE INVITING THEM INTO THE NARRATIVE, ALLOWING THEM TO TOUCH IT, FEEL IT, LIVE IT. WE'RE NOT JUST PLAYING WITH EMOTIONS; WE'RE REWIRING THE HUMAN PSYCHE, DARING OUR AUDIENCES TO DIVE DEEP INTO THE DARK WATERS OF THE VIRTUAL.

IS IT DISCONCERTING? HELL YEAH, IT IS. IT'S ALSO THRILLING, INTOXICATING, AND DOWNRIGHT ELECTRIFYING. THERE'S A CERTAIN SENSE OF MADNESS IN BEING ABLE TO BLUR THE LINES OF REALITY, TO FLIRT WITH THE EDGES OF THE HUMAN MIND, TO REDEFINE THE REALM OF THE POSSIBLE.

I CAN'T TAKE THE SUSPENSE

- QUESTION ONE -
‍

HEY PABLO! CAN YOU GIVE US A LIL' OVERVIEW OF YOUR PROJECT?
THE THEME OF THE CHALLENGE IS ‘FURIOUS ELEGANCE’, WHICH I THINK IS QUITE AN INTERESTING COMBINATION OF WORDS. I DIDN'T ORIGINALLY HAVE THIS PIECE IN MIND FOR THE CHALLENGE AND IT WAS ONLY WHEN I WAS ALMOST FINISHED THAT THE IDEA OF HAVING A "GHOST" IN THE ROOM WHERE THE FABRIC WAS MOVING IN SLOW MOTION CAME UP. I FELT THAT THIS ELEMENT ADDED TO THE ABANDONED SPACE THAT THE CAMERA MOVEMENT AT THE BEGINNING AND THE LIGHTING I HAD ALREADY SET AND THAT TOGETHER THEY COULD BE A GOOD COMBINATION.

- QUESTION TWO -

MAINTAINING MOMENTUM AFTER A DAY OF WORKING IN UNREAL JUST TO DIVE RIGHT BACK INTO UNREAL ON YOUR OFF-HOURS IS NO SMALL FEAT, WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO KEEP GOING BACK FOR MORE?

BECAUSE I BELIEVE UNREAL IS AMAZING. I THINK IT REALLY GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO UNLEASH BOTH YOUR TECHNICAL AND CREATIVE SIDE AND SINCE YOU RECEIVE SUCH IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK FROM THE SOFTWARE, IT BECOMES A  FAST PROCESS.

- QUESTION THREE -

WORD ON THE STREET IS YOU’VE DEVELOPED A CUSTOM SHADER FOR THIS PROJECT THAT’S SET TO PROCEDURALLY ANIMATE CERTAIN ELEMENTS WITHIN THE SCENE. HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO GET THIS TO WORK + WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF USING THIS METHOD?

WORD ON THE STREET IS RIGHT. ORIGINALLY MY INTENTION WAS FOR THE CABLES HANGING AROUND TO JUST BE STATIC MESHES, BUT A FRIEND OF MINE SUGGESTED THAT IT WOULD BE COOL IF THE CABLES WERE MOVING A LITTLE BIT. I REALLY LIKED THE IDEA BUT I DIDN’T WANT TO DIG INTO ANY SIMULATION BESIDES THE CURTAINS..SINCE I’VE BEEN STUDYING SOME MORE TECH ART RECENTLY FOCUSED ESPECIALLY ON SHADER CREATION, I OPTED TO BUILD MY OWN. THE WAY IT WORKS, IN SIMPLE TERMS, IS BY ADDING A BUNCH OF MATH AND A VERY SPECIFIC WIND NODE INTO THE WORLD POSITION OFFSET INPUT OF THE MATERIAL AND CONTROLLING IT WITH A CUSTOM MASK. THAT WAY I CAN SPECIFY THE STARTING POINT OF THE EFFECT. PROS; I THINK IT IS A REALLY FAST APPROACH TO MAKING SMALL OBJECTS HAVE A LITTLE MOVEMENT WITHOUT SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME SIMULATING AND IMPORTING A BUNCH OF ALEMBICS. CONS; FOR SOME REASON, ANIMATING THIS WAY ADDS A LOT OF NOISE TO THE SCENE, BUT FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO FIX IT.

- QUESTION FOUR -

AS A GAMER AND A LIGHTING / LOOK DEV ARTIST, WHAT’S A VIDEO GAME THAT YOU BELIEVE COMPLETELY NAILS THE CINEMATIC LOOK WITHOUT COMPROMISING GAMEPLAY OR STORY?

OH WOW, THERE ARE MANY! BUT THE MOST RECENT ONE I’VE JUST FINISHED PLAYING IS ‘JEDI SURVIVOR’. THE TEAM AT RESPAWN REALLY DID A GREAT JOB ON THAT ONE, ALL THE ENVIRONMENTS LOOK BEAUTIFUL AS WELL AS THE CINEMATICS. I MUST HAVE TAKEN OVER 200 PICTURES IN PHOTO MODE, JUST STUNNED AT EVERY LITTLE DETAIL I FOUND.

DREAMING OF THE UNDERWORLD

WITH MARKETING MANAGER, EMILY NEWMAN

IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2023, IT SEEMS THAT THE MAJORITY OF FOLKS AGREE THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY IS PLAGUED WITH PREQUELS, SEQUELS, AND THE DREADED REMAKE. IT’S PRETTY EASY TO GET SWOOPED UP IN THE BITTER SWIRL OF DEPRESSING THOUGHTS THAT CONVINCE YOU 'ORIGINAL IDEAS' ARE OF A BYGONE ERA. PRETTY EASY, INDEED, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU’RE DRIVING INTO MANHATTAN AND CLOCK, ONE AFTER THE OTHER MIND YOU, A BILLBOARD OF TOM CRUISE’S LATEST REPRISAL OF A ROLE HE BROUGHT TO SCREENS THREE DECADES AGO, ANOTHER OF A GERIATRIC HARRISON FORD EXHIBITING THE LATEST IN DE-AGING TECHNOLOGY, AND ANOTHER LOOKING AT A DISNEY RENAISSANCE LEGEND THROUGH LIVE-ACTION GOGGLES… AGAIN. BUT, DEAR READER, BEFORE WE WEEP FOR THE BLEEDING HEARTS OF STORYTELLERS EVERYWHERE, ALLOW ME TO POINT TO THE WORDS OF COSTELLO AND SAY THAT WE ALWAYS TAKE “THE BROKEN PIECES OF ANOTHER THRILL AND MAKE A BRAND NEW TOY” AND ALWAYS HAVE.

WHILE I AM CERTAINLY NOT THE RIGHT CHOICE TO COMB THROUGH ANTHROPOLOGICAL HISTORY TO UNCOVER THE ORIGINAL 'ORIGINAL IDEAS', I FEEL CONFIDENT SAYING GREEK AND ROMAN MYTHOLOGY WALKED SO THAT STORIES TODAY COULD RUN. THESE ARE STORIES THAT HAVE TRANSCENDED TIME FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS- DO I DARE POSE AS A TEENYBOPPER HERE AND CALL IT 'THE BLUEPRINT'?  IF I DID, I'D WAGER GAME DEVELOPERS WOULD SIDE WITH ME AS THEY'VE EXHIBITED BELIEF IN THE CREATIVE HOTBED TIME AND TIME AGAIN. SOME OF THE INDUSTRY'S GREATEST HITS THESE DAYS FLEX STORYLINES WITH SOLID FOOTING IN MYTHOLOGY ALONGSIDE PHOTO-REAL GRAPHICS THAT MAKE MY PLAYSTATION 4 SOUND LIKE IT'S A 747 PREPARING FOR LANDING AND TRIGGERS EFFECTS ARTISTS THE WORLD OVER TO EXCLAIM "AWOOGA" AS THEIR EYEBALLS POP OUT OF THEIR HEADS LOONEY TUNES-STYLE. BUT THIS IS MY DREAM BRIEF AND MY ONE SHOT AT CASHING OUT MY TWO CENTS SO IF YOU ASK ME, NO GAME DOES IT QUITE LIKE SUPERGIANT'S 'HADES' WHICH HAS A SEQUEL DROPPING LATER THIS YEAR.

WITHOUT GUSHING TOO MUCH AND TURNING THIS 'PSYOP DROP: GAMES EDITION' INTO MORE OF A 'PSYOP DROP: HADES EDITION', THE THESIS OF MY ADULATION IS THAT IT WOULD BE A HEARTBREAKING WASTE TO NOT FULLY DELVE INTO THE LUSH POTENTIAL OF THE LORE, ERGO, IT WOULD BE THE DREAMIEST OF DREAMS TO COLLABORATE WITH SUPERGIANT ON A STACK OF CINEMATICS FOR THE SERIES. DIRECTOR SPENCER WAN AND HIS CAST OF MASTERS AT STUDIO GRACKLE HAVE THE TRAILERS COVERED, BUT THE CINEMATICS WOULD BE EQUALLY RIFE WITH SUBTERRANEAN ANTICS AND THE CHTHONIC CITIZENS' PERSONAL STRIFE.

HADES REWARDS PLAYERS WITH MANY STORYLINE CONCLUSIONS IF THEY CONTINUE TO PUT HOURS INTO THE GAME, BUT INTEREST STILL LIES IN HOW CHARACTERS LANDED MILES BELOW THE WAKING WORLD IN THE FIRST PLACE. MANY KNOW THE DISMAL OUTCOME OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ORPHEUS + EURYDICE ( …YOU’RE IN A SPOILER SAFE ZONE HERE! ), BUT THAT LOVE STORY IS ALL YOU EVER HEAR ABOUT EURYDICE AND SHE EXPRESSES RESENTMENT IN THE GAME FOR BEING REGARDED SIMPLY AS A MUSE. HOW ABOUT A LOOK INTO HER MUSIC CAREER FOR ONCE? DO WE EVEN GET INTO THE WILL-THEY WON'T-THEY BETWEEN PRINCE OF THE UNDERWORLD, ZAGREUS, AND ONE THIRD OF THE FURY SISTERS, MEGAERA? HOW ABOUT THEIR POLYAMOROUS LOVE WITH TAG-A-LONG HEART THROB THANATOS, THE PERSONIFICATION OF DEATH? WHAT ABOUT THE TWO WARRIORS THAT CARRY UNDYING ( LITERALLY! ) ADMIRATION FOR EACH OTHER, PATROCLUS AND ACHILLES, BRUSHING SHOULDERS IN THE BLOOD SOAKED HALLS? SPEAKING OF- DO WE DESERVE A LOOK AT ACHILLES BATTLE TRAINING ZAGREUS THAT PLAYS LIKE A SHAMELESSLY ‘ROCKY’-ESQUE MONTAGE? I THINK SO! AND THIS IS ALL ONLY THE TIP OF THE ATHENIAN MARBLE.

CLEARLY WE'VE GOT THE WILL, WE’VE CERTAINLY GOT THE WAY, ALL THAT'S LEFT IS THE OFFICIAL BLESSING AND WE'LL ALL BE WELL ON OUR WAY DOWN THE RIVER STYX TO SINK DEEPER INTO THE DARK RECESSES OF HADES' UNDERWORLD.

SEE WHAT ALL THE HULLABALOO IS ABOUT

WIZZ IS HOME TO DIRECTORS SUCH AS CRCR,
MILLI, ILLOGIC, GARY BISHOP & MORE…
ALL WHO HAVE THAT CERTAIN “JE NE SAIS
QUOI” WHEN IT COMES TO GAMING WORK.

GAMING IS BIG.

THE INDUSTRY BOASTS OVER 3 BILLION PLAYERS GLOBALLY, LEAVING MUSIC AND CINEMA IN THE DUST (A LONG TIME AGO). AND NOT ONLY THAT, IT CONTINUES TO GROW. MASSIVE MULTIPLAYER FORMATS ARE DOMINATING THE SCENE, GAMES THAT ARE NURTURED BY PUBLISHERS OVER LONG PERIODS OF TIME, WITH VAST RESPONSIVE COMMUNITIES. SURE, THIS DIDN’T ALL HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, BUT IT’S DEFINITELY GAINED MOMENTUM DURING AND AFTER THE PANDEMIC.

BRANDS WANT - AND NEED - TO BE PART OF THIS.

GAMES LIKE MINECRAFT, ROBLOX AND FORTNITE ARE ACTUALLY EXTENSIVE VIRTUAL WORLDS. I’D SAY, THEY ARE THE BEST VERSION OF ‘THE METAVERSE’ WE HAVE TO DATE. AND SO, THERE IS A GROWING SOCIAL ASPECT TO GAMING, ADDING THE ABILITY OF GENUINE ENGAGEMENT, CUSTOMISATION AND BECOMING AN ACTIVE PART IN WHAT I’D LIKE TO CALL RESPONSIVE COMMUNITIES.

BRANDS NEED TO PUT THEMSELVES IN THE GAMES SPACE, IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.
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BRANDS HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT GAMERS ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS SPACE. STUDIES SHOW THAT GAMING ALLOWS THEM TO SELF-EXPLORE, GAIN MORE SELF-CONFIDENCE AND EVEN BE MORE AUTHENTIC, IN-GAME, THAN IN REAL LIFE. AND IT’S NOT JUST GEN-Z WE’RE TALKING ABOUT. THESE AUDIENCES DEFINE THEMSELVES LESS BY STATUS AND BRANDS AND MORE BY THE COMMUNITIES THEY GRAVITATE TOWARDS AND ARE A PART OF.

BRANDING INSIDE GAME WORLDS NEEDS TO BE SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATED. IT’S NOT ENOUGH FOR A BRAND OR PRODUCT TO JUST BE ON DISPLAY. THIS CAN EVEN BE HARMFUL AS IT MIGHT FEEL LIKE A GLITCH IN THE IMMERSION. THE ENGAGEMENT WITH A BRAND INSIDE A GAME MUST HAVE A PURPOSE AND FEEL AUTHENTIC TO THE PARTICULAR COMMUNITY. I BELIEVE THE FUTURE OF MEDIA AND ADVERTISING IS ALL ABOUT BUILDING 360 WORLDS AND TELLING STORIES WITHIN THEM - HOLISTIC EXPERIENCES THAT ALLOW PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN A WAY THAT IS PERSONAL TO THEM.

THERE ARE MANY GREAT EXAMPLES ALREADY, BIG AND SMALL, THOUGH CAR AND LUXURY BRAND COLLABORATIONS DEFINITELY SEEM TO BE LEADING THE WAY HERE. THE GUCCI GARDEN IN ROBLOX FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE THEY SOLD A VIRTUAL HANDBAG FOR MORE THAN THE PRICE OF THE PHYSICAL PIECE. THERE’S FORNITE AND FERRARI’S LINK UP AND MERCEDES-BENZ’ EXCLUSIVE CONCEPT CAR RELEASE INSIDE OF LEAGUE OF LEGENDS.

MOST RECENTLY, THE NIKE AIRPHORIA TEAM-UP WITH FORTNITE WAS AN EXPERIENCE THAT, FOR ME, ENCOMPASSED THE KEY ELEMENTS OF BRANDS INFILTRATING THIS SPACE. ORIGINALITY, PERSONALISATION AND INCENTIVE.

ORIGINALITY BEATS REALISM.

GAMERS LOVE TO BE IMMERSED IN PARALLEL UNIVERSES. OF COURSE I’M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF HERE TOO. I’D JUST LOVE TO SEE MORE BRANDS TRULY UNDERSTAND CROSS-MEDIA STORYTELLING AND PARTNER WITH GAMING IPS IN A CREATIVE, YET MEANINGFUL WAY. CREATE SURPRISING AND THRILLING STORIES AROUND THEIR PRODUCTS IN THE VIRTUAL SPACE. SOME OF THESE PRODUCTS COULD THEN BE RELEASED IN REAL LIFE, BUT OTHERS CAN ALSO JUST REMAIN IN VIRTUAL REALMS, ACKNOWLEDGING THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS SPACE FOR GAMERS.

THOUGHTS ON....

BRANDS  IN THE GAMING SPACE

WITH DIRECTOR, HANZO HANZO

SHALL WE MAKE THIS A REGULAR THING?
WE'LL HIT YOU UP AGAIN FOR ROUND THREE WHEN
THE TREES ARE DROPPING THEIR DEAD BODY PARTS ALL
OVER THE FLOOR, THE AIR IS CRISPER THAN MARTY MCFLY'S
FATHER AND PUMPKIN IS KING.

IN THE MEANTIME, HIT UP OUR VP OF GAMES, MICK MORRIS:
mmorris@psyop.tv