Revealed exclusively on Entertainment Weekly, Neil Newbon has shared the first details of a brand new collaborative project; a campaign which aims to change how video games are viewed in the entertainment industry.
The Pixel Pack, comprised of actors and developers, targets itself to educate and change the conversation when it comes to the potential of video games and the growingly complex role of acting within them.
Joining the incentive are two familiar names to Remedy fans, Sam Lake (the actor for Alex Casey and Remedy's Creative Designer) and Melanie Liburd (the wonderful Saga Anderson).
While the reveal was made today, it's been something that's been brewing in the background for a while. Four months ago, the Pixel Pack gathered in person on December 11th, ahead of The Game Awards, as preparations for the announcement took place. The photoshoot that came from the gathering was one of three celebrating international talent, with each group added to a fantastic overall shot.
For the big reveal, the article would be paired with a glossy photoshoot by Ivan Weiss. Each shot with a noticeable elegance and gravity; a style very intentional to the cause. To take on how different acting viewed compared to other mediums, the goal was to create a shoot mirroring the type of photographs seen of television and movie stars in magazines; something much rarer for games. Alongside the group photographs, there's also individual photographs of a number of the actors.
To add extra weight, Entertainment Weekly sat down with a number of individuals taking part. Some recalled stories from their earlier performances in games, and how sometimes acting can be overlooked in the industry as a craft of its own. Each talked about what drew them to the project, and how in recent years there's been a gradual shift into the workload that goes on in games.
Talking to EW on the business side of the art form, Sam reflects "I was frustrated along the way, that it felt like the business side of it and the commercial side of it, which is part of any entertainment product — and underlining the word 'product' — was very much dominant. Yes, there were reviews, but mostly all the articles being written were from the perspective of 'How big of a budget?' or 'How big of a commercial success?' But that has changed project by project. With Alan Wake II now, I felt very proud. Looking at reactions, I felt that now we have arrived, and we are on equal footing.”
You can read the full exclusive article, along with who's involved, at Entertainment Weekly, HERE! (Archived)
