Lionhead’s Adrian Moore calls ‘action’ on the making of The Movies
By Michael Lafferty

“It’s fascinating to see the illusion of the movies”

Imagine a world in which you are the head of a major motion picture studio, making the decisions that will affect your financial success – from which actors to hire, to what scripts stand the best chance of box office success.

You wear many hats – grip to producer, director to composer and even doctor (in case that certain star is starting to look his or her age, or needs a little cosmetic enhancement to create that ‘star’ quality).

If this is the life you have longed for, then get ready for one of the most innovative sims to come down the road in a while. The Movies, from Lionhead Studios and published by Activision, enables players to not only manage a motion picture studio, but puts tools in their hands so that they can actually create mini-movies, complete with dialog, music, environments and the like.

The game is slated to release on the PC in early November and is scheduled to follow on home console platforms later. The game has an easy-to-use interface and full online support will give players the opportunity to display the movies they make. Of course, the game is not without challenges. Players must track the motion picture technology curve, gauge star power and box office trends, and generally take care of some of the minutia of daily studio life.

Adrian Moore, the game’s lead designer, took time to chat with GameZone.com about this remarkable title.

Question: This seems like such an interesting concept that continually evolves each time I read more about it. Tell us a little bit about how this will differ from sim games such as The Sims or Sim City?

Adrian: “The Movies has a lot more to it and is significantly broader than other simulation type games. The Movies is about stars, building and looking after your own studio, and of course making movies. The most important things which make this game stand out from the rest are the simplicity of the interface, which as been designed so that anyone can play, and the immense depth of the game’s key gameplay features.”

Q: With the progression of the game along the timeline mirroring the discovery and application of movie-making techniques, will the stars progress and finish out "off-screen" or are they merely used and forgotten. How will the plastic surgery players can have them undergo affect them as they age? How much drama will there be off the movie set in the lives of these characters?

Adrian: “The real drama of the movie stars takes place outside or away from the movie making. They have relationships with one another off screen; some become addicted to food and drink and some can have monstrous egos.

“The plastic surgery the stars undergo causes them to look younger, therefore more attractive! This game is a cynical take on Hollywood, as you can probably tell!

“It’s up to the player to keep the stars happy.”

"You WILL accept your multi-picture contract, and you WILL like it."

Q: Tell us a little bit about the control scheme of this game. It seems that you have taken some attributes we all knew from previous games, threw them out and reinvented how players will control a game like this (not that there really is a game like this).

Adrian: “Our biggest change has been to try and keep the player in the game at all times. Initial interfaces were standard straight forward menu-based systems, which although functional were not very satisfying. One of the ways we changed this, for example, is when the player hires someone; all they have to do is pick up the characters and place them down within a building. Within each building there are a number of different rooms and each room has a different function, effectively like menus, but within the game. Another change is that the stat screens, which would typically be outside the game in 2D menus, are available in the game by dragging the mouse over a character where bubbles will pop up containing the information needed. This allows the player to get the stats more quickly and seamlessly.”

Q: When creating that initial studio, will players have a choice of locations? And will the areas they choose hinder, or in any way hamper, the growth of the studio?

Adrian: “There are two ways to play the game. There’s the simulation where you need to run your whole studio as well as make movies, or a ‘Sandbox’ mode where you can just concentrate on making the movies of your dreams. In simulation mode you can get as involved in the moving-making process as you like, from directing your people in the choices you want, to selecting the content of every single scene.

Q: How much control will players have over the creation of their own movies? Will they be able to import voice and music? If they can use their own voices in the movies, what kind of sound card will be needed?

Adrian: “The player has complete control if they want it, but they don’t have to create their own movie to play the game.

“However, should the player want to make their own movie, control camera angles, lighting, weather, costumes, sets and scenes, then they can and once it’s in the can, they can then open up a whole new wealth of features in post-production where they can cut scenes, add their music, add sound effects and subtitles. They can also then record their own voice using any sound card and make their actors lip-synch.”

Forget make-up, TUMMY TUCK!

Q: It is understood that this game will have rather deep online support. In keeping in the system requirements mode, what software will players need to have (like Quicktime or Real Player) in order to view other people's movies and submit movies themselves?

Adrian: “No specific software is needed. The player simply visits the Web site and selects a movie to watch. Movies can be submitted online very easily via the menu selection within the game itself.”

Q: Will there be any standards set in terms of content for movies made and displayed on the Web site? Will there be awards given out? 

Adrian: “Yes awards will be given out. On a regular basis, the best movie will be selected and the player will receive online credits which can be spent on downloadable content for the game.

“Occasionally, famous movie directors will be judging the movies submitted and special prizes will be awarded.

“The standards set are those as found within the game-playing community.”

Q: What do you find is the most fascinating element of this game?

Adrian: “I think it’s the movie making. Cast and crews run to set and act out the scenes in front of the cameras. It’s fascinating to see the illusion of the movies – how these little fake locations look like the real thing once the movie is finished. 

“Aside from the movie making, my favorite part of the game is probably the atmosphere. The music, radio and sound effects make you feel great when you play and they really entertain!

Q: If you could be the head of a studio, or its star, during any era, what would it be?

Adrian: “If I had the talent I would have loved to have played Mohandas Gandhi in the film Gandhi. India has a special place in my heart; Richard Attenborough’s a legendary director and the man himself; Gandhi, was an unbelievable human being. Also, that film was made during the end of an era before computer graphics became commonplace. The crowd scenes were real!

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