Roch Stuart

My Matrix Experience: 

My Matrix Experience A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Stuart Roch Executive Producer Shiny Entertainment

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Hello, my name is ... Stuart Roch Executive Producer Virgin Interactive – Quality Assurance & Assistant Designer Freakboy (N64) Shiny Entertainment - Designer, Producer, Executive Producer Wild 9 (PlayStation) Stunt Copter (PlayStation) Messiah (PC) Sacrifice (PC) Enter the Matrix (PS2, Xbox, GameCube, PC) My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Past experience provided a useful groundwork for Enter the Matrix … … but this film license led the team into uncharted territory.

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Let’s get right to the point Everyone’s going to do it this way. The development model used for The Matrix license is the future for games based on movies and other licensed properties. Learn to do it the Hollywood way! My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses

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Overview Welcome to Hollywood And now for something completely different… What is the Matrix? Who, What, Where, When, Why & How is the Matrix The Movie Lifespan How movies are made; establishing the point-of-contact Making the Game in Relation to the Film Doing the deal; establishing the point-of-contact Production Learning to do things the Hollywood way Action! Gathering assets on location without getting crushed Working on the Set Swimming with sharks; choosing the right chair It’s a Wrap! Post-production headaches and other last minute landmines to avoid My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses

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Hollywood is Different Effectively bringing a Hollywood franchise to the gaming market takes special considerations. Different mind set Different perspective Different goals My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Going From Film to Game >> The Landscape of Hollywood

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Relationships, Relationships, Relationships. Pay attention! You’ll see this point several times… No job security in Hollywood Competition can breed friction More politics than you’re used to Relationships are what careers are built upon Be aware of this dynamic Different teams = different players My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Going From Film to Game >> Egos and Relationships

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You’ll Need a New Approach Face it – this isn’t a normal project Learn to make compromises early and often Less control over creative and deliverables “But they just don’t get it!” My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Going From Film to Game >> Different Perspectives

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Planning, Planning, Planning When it comes to project management and planning, the movie industry is miles ahead of the gaming industry. Proper planning means: Predicting and avoiding the roadblocks Getting everything you need before it’s gone Making the licensor happy Making yourself happy My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Going From Film to Game >> A Well Developed Plan

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Flexible, Flexible, Flexible You are not in the driver’s seat. Making a game for yourself… vs. Making a game for a third-party licensor… My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Going From Film to Game >> Mind Like Water

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Ingredients of a Great Game This film just had to be made into a game! Great support from our publisher and license partners The Brothers are avid gamers Shiny had an “all-access” pass My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses What is the Matrix? >> The Unique Opportunity

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Larry and Andy Wachowski The keys to the success The creative inspiration The shield in times of trouble The best critics Always pushing to next level My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses What is the Matrix? >> The Brothers Game developers are part of the project, not just another company making lunchboxes.

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The Players Eon Entertainment Interactive Department Crew members in U.S. and Australia Oscar-winners on the roster Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment A new license paradigm Shiny Entertainment David Perry, President Infogrames Leaving Interplay My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses What is the Matrix? >> The Players

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The Game Developers Enter the Matrix is Shiny’s largest, most complex project ever. XX Designers, XX Programmers, XX Artists, XX Producers, XX Animators, XX Sound Designers, XX Facial Capture Animators, XX Cut-Scene Artists and Editors, XX IT Department, XX Admin Team, XX Contractors Total: XX By contrast, Sacrifice, winner of 40+ industry and press awards, had just 20 team members. My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses What is the Matrix? >> The Game Developers

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The Movie Lifespan This is the simple version, from an outsider’s perspective. The actual lifespan is more complex. My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses The Movie Lifespan >> Making the Movie Pre- Production Principal photography Post- Production

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Pre-Production Skeleton crew ramping up for production. Continual script-polishing. Most talent is on board, but may not yet be signed to contracts. Pre-visualization of key scenes underway. This is the quiet before the storm. My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses The Movie Lifespan >> Pre-Production

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Principal Photography Sole focus is photography – shooting the scenes. Film crew and talent are fully staffed and working. Three or more units working simultaneously on a large scale production. The shoot is nearly a 24-hour operation. Department heads working insane hours. My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses The Movie Lifespan >> Principal Photography

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Post-Production Production is winding down, but it’s far from over. Editing is primary focus. Ongoing work in areas of visual and sound effects; music and orchestration; marketing; public relations. Size of film crew is reduced significantly. My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses The Movie Lifespan >> Post-Production

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The Game in Relation to the Film Doing the Deal Establishing the Primary Point of Contact Key Traits of the PPOC Establishing the Game Design The Importance of a Preliminary Budget These are the early keys to your success with the license. My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Making the Game >> Early Keys to Success

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Get It in Writing The right deal protects the team. … locks the developer into the license. … gives you access to the film and assets. Hollywood: Intent vs. Contract No contract = no assets = no game. My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Making the Game >> Doing the Deal

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The Primary Point of Contact Single resource to talk to the film production staff Key Executive -- Mover, Shaker, Decision-Maker Tasks Overall project-leader. Champions the developer to the film. Educates the film about the game. Key asset-gatherer. Professionalism smoothes the relationship My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Making the Game >> Establishing the Primary Point of Contact

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PPOC, Must-Have Traits Listens twice as much as he/she talks. Patience is more than just a virtue. World-class problem-solver. Thick skin … more like rhino hide, actually. Able to be on the road for long periods. My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Making the Game >> Key Traits of the Primary Point of Contact

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Getting the Design Down Timing is everything. Lock down the script, but be prepared for changes at any time. Writing dialogue is an art. Dialogue and characterizations change. Version control is crucial! My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Making the Game >> Establishing the Game Design

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Money Matters Building a game/film budget. Right down to the staplers and folding tables… Hollywood budgets can be inflexible… … except when they aren’t. The budget-flexibility double-standard. Don’t go over budget! Overages may come out of the developer’s pocket. The moral of the story – plan, plan, plan. My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Making the Game >> The Importance of a Preliminary Budget

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Production Be Open to Change The Hollywood Way Unique Team Management Remember! You’ll need a different approach. My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Production >> Going in with the Right Attitude

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Be Open to Change You are not in control any more, remember? You’re a hired gun. You’re implementing someone else’s vision. The film isn’t interested in your problems. Directors want to see it done their way. Take it as a challenge, not a frustration. The film will request changes right up until the game ships. They expect the ability to make changes at the last minute Plan for change and avoid the headaches. My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Production >> Be Open to Change

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The Hollywood Way The film is less flexible than you are. Service the film, implement the vision Don’t try to muscle anyone – you’ll lose. The film expects things to be done their way. Again, you’re role is to implement their vision. Expect to be looked down upon. It’s not personal. The film business is much older than games. Forward-thinking is crucial. Hollywood is proactive, games are reactive. The pipeline is flawed, so think ahead. My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Production >> The Hollywood Way

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Unique Team Management Manage the “Us vs. Them” mentality. Can’t eradicate it, just manage it. Champion the film to the game crew Deal with the loss of creative freedom. But rubbing shoulders with film is a good thing! Learn the ropes of a new approval process. Work with the pipeline, not against it. Teach the team to trust the film. Recognize and promote the positives – you’re far more likely to sell more games! My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Production >> Unique Team Management

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Getting the Materials You Need Asset Acquisition and Control Common Types of Assets Digital Photography Cyber-Scanning Motion Capture Facial Capture ADR – Voice Recording My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Action! >> Gathering Assets on Location

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Asset Acquisition and Control Planning, planning, planning. Coordinate with the film’s shooting schedule. You can never go back and get more. Sets are torn down, talent goes to next project. Plan everything fully and carefully. Make friends with your design document. Don’t just take the get-it-all blanket approach. Asset control is important. Don’t. Mess. With. The. Relationship. My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Action! >> Asset Acquisition and Control

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Common Types of Assets Storyboards Pre-visualization illustrations Construction plans Script revisions Costume sketches Fabric samples Digital photos Conceptual illustrations Set blueprints Overall set photos Detailed set photos My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Action! >> Common Types of Assets Prop photos Vehicle photos Vehicle cyber-scans Character reference photos Costume concept artwork Character cyber-scans ADR recording Motion capture assets Facial capture assets Rough cut clips

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Digital Photography Invaluable asset for set, prop, vehicle and character modeling. Cameras Lenses Cable releases and remotes Tripods Batteries Backdrops Video cameras Light packages My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Action! >> Digital Photography

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Digital Photography, cont. Set lighting vs. house lighting Set lighting is always best. Consistency is key. Texture photos Talent positioning Quick and efficient Sample photo checklist Refer to hand out My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Action! >> Digital Photography, cont.

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Cyber-Scanning Good scans vs. bad scans. Mobile scanning vs. location scanning. Head Body Hands My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Action! >> Cyber-Scanning

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Motion Capture Motion capture is a topic in itself. Take the time to choose the right technology. The tech used for this game is likely already obsolete. Plan your costs, use your budget. You’ll need plenty of extra space. Be aware of special prop needs. Special construction needs. Entirely separate asset pipeline. My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Action! >> Motion Capture

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Facial Capture Again, take the time to choose the right technology. Vicon system used for Enter the Matrix Custom rig Standard cameras vs. IR cameras Plan your costs accordingly. Space considerations Can use a standard ADR studio, with equipment outside. My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Action! >> Facial Capture

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ADR – Voice Recording Special timing considerations Perform this task after the cinematic scenes are shot. Plan your video assembly carefully. Special editing considerations You’ll need more “A” takes than you think. You’ve got only one shot to cover all the bases! Generic lines and cineractive lines Fight efforts and facial expressions, & phoneme list Promotional lines My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Action! >> ADR – Voice Recording

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Working on the Set Choosing the Right People for the Job Working with the Talent Set Etiquette Hollywood Relationship Management My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Working on the Set >> Swimming with sharks; choosing the right chair

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Choosing the Right People for the Job Not everyone is able to work effectively in a Hollywood environment. Relationships are everything! Carefully choose who interacts with the film. Can they get the job done? Can they do it in a professional manner? My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Working on the Set >> Choosing the Right People for the Job

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Working with the Talent Philosophy of relationship-building on the set They’re just normal people, right? Yes, but normal people don’t have bodyguards. Let the talent come to you. Look at the situation from their perspective. Be professional at all times. One point-of-contact working with talent. Actors are self-conscious. Get in and get out. Respect their time. My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Working on the Set >> Working with the Talent

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Set Etiquette Be very quiet and very still! Stay out of the way. Don’t ever sit down unless invited to do so. Don’t wander around sets. No cell phones. Don’t touch any set components. Respect the on-set hierarchy. Let your film rep speak for you. My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Working on the Set >> Set Etiquette

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Hollywood Relationship Management Hollywood is built on relationships and egos. Never make someone on the film look bad. Don’t get into a pissing match. You’ll lose. You’ll never force the film into doing something it doesn’t want to do. You are a small fish in a very big pond. Any film producer can politically outplay the best game producer. Prepare to be challenged, prepare to learn, and prepare to learn some from the school of hard knocks. My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses Working on the Set >> Hollywood Relationship Management

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Parting Shots Hollywood is built on relationships and egos. Relationships are the key to acceptance and effectiveness in Hollywood. Embrace different perspectives on traditional game development. Movies are a very mature industry. The gaming industry has a lot to learn. Working with Hollywood requires meticulous planning. Every bolt and nail is accounted for. Prepare for unusual levels of flexibility. Check your pride at the door. Ultimately, you’re making a game for someone else. My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses It’s a Wrap!

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Roll Credits... Just learn your lines and don't bump into the furniture. ~ Spencer Tracy My Matrix Experience: A Survival Guide to Working with Movie Licenses It’s a Wrap

Thank you: 

Thank you Stuart Roch Executive Producer Shiny Entertainment