One of the avenues of media we are considering to venture down is promotional content for games and game software. This is because it is a subject we are close with and have a familiarity with. Due to limitations of our software knowledge (generally speaking, our inability to actually develop a game), we will be making live action trailers for a game. This practice is not uncommon in the industry and this post will contain examples of such trailers.
Inspirational text 1 - The Skyrim live action trailer
Possibly the most anticipated release of 2011, 'The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim', was a great success both commercially and otherwise, Bethesda (the company behind developing Skyrim) released two trailers. The one which most people remember is the gameplay trailer, however there was also a live action trailer (see above).
As hard as we tried (so much google searching and blog lurking), we couldn't find out any background information for the trailer, who filmed/acted in/edited the video etc. So we'll just have to make do with our thoughts on the trailer.
Set entirely in-universe, a medieval-fantasy themed warrior (Dovahkiin to fans of the game/franchise) walks into a panicked medieval-fantasy village. All those around him are fleeing in terror, although the viewer is not yet shown what they are fleeing from; the warrior remains calm and collected. It's a short trailer, we see villagers and town guards alike running down streets in a very haphazard way. Then we have a few establishing shots of the 'Dovahkiin', he walks foward, and then a dragon lands in front of him and roars. It's well made, dramatic and there isn't an overuse of special effects, being such a short video works in it's favour. If we were to see mages summoning fireballs to hurl at the dragon (which is what happens in the opening sequence of the game (which is very similar to the trailer)), the Dovahkiin's entrance would be much less grand and intense. His necessity in the battle with the dragon could be questioned when all he appears to have is a sword, in contrast to the other's magic. The lack of special effects up to the dragon's entrance also intensifies the dragon's appearance, it's something that's grand and mythical, a stark contrast to the simple everyday humans that feature in the video.
Which brings us to the limitations that the live action nature has brought to the trailer. Everyone featured in the video is human, when in the game's established universe, there are multiple races/species of people, from your classic Tolkienien elves and orcs (albeit different in small and large ways), to your straight-up cat people and lizard people. Even within the standard human and elven races, there are subraces and differences. All who feature in the video can only pass for any three of the human races (there are four). Presumably the special effects budget was all blown on the dragon, so making the actors look like elves or orcs or lizards or cats was out of the question.
However as previously stated, that may have detracted somewhat from the dramatic effect of the dragon's entrace. Either way, it's a fine trailer.
Inspirational text 2 - The Total War: Rome 2 trailer
Our next trailer comes from a game which is yet to be released (probably yet to be fully developed too), Total War: Rome 2. Creative Assembly (developing company for the Total War series), have been making Total War games for a fair while, with much success. Knowing that Rome 2 will no doubt be a great game and a commercial success, the live action trailer does not deter my enthuasiasm for it's eventual release.
Again, our information is limited and sketchy on the background for this trailer. However it should be noted that this is a prime example of game marketing technique; before you have enough of the game developed to make a gameplay trailer, you can release a live-action trailer, which will keep fans loyal and interested, and also announce your commitment to the development of the game.
The trailer is at least twice the length of the Skyrim trailer, and has a much slower pace because of this. We're shown three narratives, which are constantly cross-cut to throughout the video. The first is between a young man in important-looking robes (knowing Rome and Roman things, this man is no doubt an influential member of the senate (this is also hinted at by the banners with 'SPQR' written on them)), and an older man in similar robes, who looks quite a bit like Alan Sugar. The second narrative is between two soldiers in a burning city, with subordinate soldiers around them. The remaining narrative is between an aging man and a redheaded woman, who are busy enjoying some sex when we're introduced to them.
Throughout the video, one of the two characters we're shown in each narrative betrays the other, the younger man has Lord Sugar Buns arrested and thrown in shackles, one of the soldiers slits the other's throat with his gladius, and the redheaded woman stabs her apparent lover to death with a hairpin. This implies a lot about the gameplay of Rome 2, in Rome 1, you command a powerful family in the Roman empire, which eventually attempts to seize power. From everything we're told in the trailer for Rome 2, the successor will be much the same.
With it's slow pacing, clever lack of dialogue and well-executed theme of betrayal, it's gripping and memorable, and is also a fine trailer.
That's all for the proto-inspirational texts, stay loyal!
An excellent post that details both the conventions and micro elements of the game trailers discussed and that also considers the impact on audience. I like that you have also included personal response in your animation - Well Done!!!
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