The Glasgow Film Festival has been exploring the intersection between games and film (and comics) for a few years now.
The festival has featured panels, screenings and special events which have celebrated gaming and embraced it as an interesting, innovative and FUN addition to the programme. In fact they treat games like they actually matter.
The festival has even appointed Scotland’s own video games icon, Mr Robert Florence as the curator of Game Cats Go Miaow, a whole strand of odd, clever and wonderful gaming stuff.
This year’s event kicks off on 20th February and 2014 looks like it will be another awesome year for games and film.
Here are your highlights…
48 Hour Games (Sunday 23rd February, 16:00, Tickets: £8.50 full price)
48 Hour Games is a unique live cinema event, blending elements of film and videogames for a novel experience where you, the audience, get to choose which direction the story takes. Set over the course of one weekend at the Nordic Game Jam, where more than 300 game developers come together, it explores the intense productive and artistic process behind independent game development. Functioning on little sleep and a lot of caffeine, the interactive documentary charts several creative minds, as they work together to overcome time pressures and creative differences, towards the weekend’s grand finale. This unique live cinema event is fully interactive and asks the audience to choose the direction the story takes. The event will be hosted by Brian Baglow – Director of Scottish Games Network.
Rab’s Videogames Empty (Sunday 23rd February, 20:30, Tickets: SOLD OUT)
Another year, another Empty. Since you all behaved yourselves last time, Robert Florence is inviting you back round to his place for another night of gaming and audience participation. Special guests, live music and videogames – what’s not to like? If you were there last time, you know what to expect. If you weren’t there last time, don’t miss out on this one!
Story Writing For Games (Monday 24th February, 18:00, Tickets: FREE)
What is it like to write for videogames? How do we make best use of the videogame medium to tell our stories? And how do we do it well?
Rab Florence speaks to some of the best in the field about their experiences with their own brilliant games, and where we can expect videogame storytelling to go in the future. Ragnar Tørnquist (The Longest Journey, Dreamfall), Rhianna Pratchett (Tomb Raider, Mirror’s Edge) and Sam Barlow (Silent Hill: Shattered Memories) join us for a discussion that every gamer will want to hear. This is a free event in CCA Theatre, as part of Glasgow Film Festival’s Festival Club. Admission will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Geeks V Gamers Superquiz (Monday 24th February, 20:00, Tickets £5)
The ultimate battle for Geekdom is here: the Geeks vs Gamers Super Quiz! Host of the Stan Lee Awards and comic Billy Kirkwood pits two teams of visiting professionals, celebs and comedians against each other in a panel show smack-down of genre knowledge. The mighty Geek team, lead by genre kingpin Mark Millar, takes on a team of thumb-blistered gaming boffins, lead by our resident gamer Robert Florence, as they face-off in a battle of aficionado Armageddon where anything can happen. Come down, join in the show and test your own know-how against our geek and gaming gods, and see who will walk away with this year’s cup! Comedians Susan Calman, Greg Hemphill and Frank Quitely join comic book kingpins Mark Millar, Andy Diggle and Mark (Jock) Simpson, and games writer Rhianna Pratchett for this lively battle of the aficionados.
Tron: Off The Grid (Tuesday 25th February, 19:30, Tickets: SOLD OUT)
Celebrate the best in 1980s arcade culture with this special pop-up screening of Tron, introduced by Robert Florence. Expect a cash bar and 1980s arcade games in the lo-fi surroundings of the Glue Factory, so bring plenty of change and enter the game! This 1982 classic captured the first wave of videogame mania and its iconic computer generated visuals have influenced a generation of filmmakers and game designers. Computer genius Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) takes on the corporation who stole his videogame ideas by hacking in to their system. When Flynn is sucked into the grid itself, he finds that the ultimate tool becomes the ultimate enemy…
That’s a HUGE amount of stuff for gamers – and some seriously good speakers, presenters and participants. It’s another impressive line-up from Glasgow’s Film Festival and they deserve your support if it’s to remain a part of the programme. Hopefully, we’ll see you there!
(Also, if you’re quick and looking for a perfect last minute valentine’s day gift, the GFT has a late night screening of Scott Pilgrim vs The World tonight (tickets, £8) You can even use your ticket for free entry to Nice N Sleazy’s afterwards).
