The Long Lens
The Long Lens
EDITORIAL
Welcome to issue 11, our gaming themed issue in anticipation for the new Games Development course.
We have a diverse collection of articles with a variety of references to games that we hope you enjoy. Alongside our usual fayre of reviews and some alternative media pieces too including a very personal remembrance piece by second year student. We are still keen to expand our content so anyone who has photography, media, music, graphic design as
Huge thanks to Shannon Johnston Howes, our wonderful technician for using her superb design skills in putting together this issue.
After Christmas we will be recruiting for a new editorial and design team so if you think you would like to get involved in putting together this little publication then keep an eye on your college emails for details on how to apply.
Andrea, Sam, and The Long Lens Team
FEATURED ARTICLES
Jumanji 1995 VS 2017 By Andrea
Joyce
Fallout: Game VS TV Show by Dominic Ramshaw
43rd Annual Cambridge Film Festival by Victoria Vireikyte
Arcane: League of Legends by Susannah Tankard
BFi Film Academy Course by Charlotte Davey How Horror Movies Influence Games by Lilliana Sparkes
JUMANJI - COMPARING HOW GAMING IS REPRESENTED ACROSS THE DECADES FROM 1995 TO 2017 JUMANJI - COMPARING HOW GAMING IS REPRESENTED ACROSS THE DECADES FROM 1995 TO 2017.
BY ANDREA JOYCE
Jumanji - You would be forgiven for immediately thinking of the Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson series of films as soon as you read the word Jumanji. But the original film was a 1995 classic starring the late, great Robin Williams.
The original Jumanji film was directed by Joe Johnston who is not necessarily a name you would recognise, he is probably better known for directing Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). But he also had a background in visual effects including being Art Director for George Lucas’ Industrial Light and Magic during which time he worked on Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. Industrial Light and Magic did the visual effects for Jumanji and there is a strong visual correlation between the animatronics in this film and those seen many years later in Night at the Museum, also starring Robin Williams.
This is hardly surprising as Night at the Museum is a Disney production and Disney acquired Industrial Light and Magic in 2012 as part of its $4 billion deal to buy LucasFilm. From the perspective of genre the original Jumanji film felt more like a family adventure film than an action film, in a similar vein to the Indiana Jones films. The inclusion of children as the primary characters, including adults playing ‘childlike’ characters in the case of Robin Williams who plays Alan Parrish, the little boy who disappears into the game for decades. There is an echo of Home Alone to this film as all the ‘kids’ including Alan and Sarah (played by Bonnie Hunt) need to come up with a plan to finish the game and get rid of Van Pelt, the Hunter/exterminator character. This gives the film a strong feel of the family adventure genre. Whereas the reboot of Jumanji is arguably a more obvious action film with numerous chase scenes and fight sequences. This, alongside the ‘kids’ turning into adult avatars once they enter the game, make it less child friendly.
the biggest star in the film when looking at it retrospectively. Dunst had been in hit films Interview with a Vampire and Little Women, she had been working for about 6 years when she got this role. She did a lot of TV after and it probably wasn't until 2002 when she was in Spiderman that her career really took off.
Speaking of stars, the original Jumanji film features a very young Kirsten Dunst, as an actress who is still working in the industry today Kirsten Dunst is arguably
However, her on screen brother Peterplayed by Bradley Pierce never really did better than voicing the cute teacup ‘Chip’ in Disney's Beauty and the Beast in 1991. He shared an early start in acting with Dunst as his first role was aged 6. It's interesting to consider why some
child stars have long and successful acting careers and some just don't.
Robin Williams gives a nuanced performance in Jumanji, only 2 years after his most famous role in Mrs Doubtfire and returns to the more introspective characters such as his role in Dead Poets Society (1989), and hints at the subtleties he is capable of that are seen in all their glory in later films such as Good Will Hunting (1997) for which he won his only Oscar for best actor in a supporting role.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle could be termed ensemble piece in terms of comedy with Jack Black and Kevin Hart starring alongside Dwayne Johnson and Karen Gillan, who deliver the heavy blows in terms of stunts. Nick Jonas offers
the stereotypical eye candy to tick even more audience appeal boxes. A real star turn powerhouse in terms of casting.
What is probably most interesting is looking at how the notion of gaming is represented differently in these two films and what that tells us about society as a whole in terms of cultural and technological change. The original Jumanji is based around a physical board game with magical properties, emphasizing the traditional and physical nature of games.
On the other hand Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, reimagines the game asa digital video game, showing how play shifted to the virtual world and its immersive experiences. The original Jumanji sees the game world come out into the real world whereas the reboot sees the characters brought into the game world. The experience of the magical creatures and challenges like natural disasters means they must work together to overcome them and win the game.
This emphasises the communal, teamwork and familial link to board games as well as the social and physical aspect of play in general in
JUMANJI - 1995 VS 2017
the 20th century. The shared experience of Jumanji being in their world is what binds the characters together in the way that time spent playing board games brought families together.
There is an element of risk involved in the game in both films and there are rules that must not be broken. When Peter attempts to bend the rules to finish the game quicker, in the original film, there are consequences dished out, he morphs into part monkey. Welcome to the Jungle offers a more extreme sense of risk as each character in the game only has 3 lives and the fear of how realistic the game might become adds a new layer of risk to the way in which they play the game, with Nick Jonas’ character being possibly the most risk averse having been stuck alone in the game for decades.
The 2017 film’s representation of Jumanji as a retro video game cartridge reflects the influence of digital technology on contemporary gaming culture. By transforming the players into avatars it introduces themes of identity and selfdiscovery, as characters must navigate the game world with skills and traits different from their own.
For example, the high school students in the film confront their insecurities and stereotypes, leveraging the game ’ s design as a tool for personal transformation. The typical age of the characters being high school students elevates the age range for audience appeal above that of the original film too. In terms of how games are represented in these films both demonstrate the enduring cultural significance of games as metaphors for life’s challenges, yet they adapt their medium to resonate with their respective audiences. Therefore the Jumanji films all remain a mirror to shifting gaming paradigms and cultural values.
THE FALLOUT PRIME SERIES VS THE FALLOUT GAMES THE FALLOUT PRIME SERIES VS THE FALLOUT GAMES
By Dominic Ramshaw
Fallout, a post-apocalyptic franchise that has captivated gamers since the late 1990s, has recently expanded beyond video games into a live-action series that premiered on Amazon Prime Video. Sometimes this can be horrifying to gamers due to the hit or miss nature by directors such as the uncharted movie or halo movie or even the resident evil movie. However sometimes it has a positive nature such as the Last of Us series. Watching the series brings a nerdy nostalgia to some viewers and others a new experience from the dark humour to the violent tendencies. The transition from interactive gameplay to set storytelling brought differences and similarities with deviations and innovations from regular fallout.
One of the most significant differences between the Fallout show and the games is the approach to setting and tone. The games are known for their open-world exploration, allowing players to roam the vast, ruined landscapes of America, filled with quirky characters and dark humour. In contrast, the show opts for a more condensed narrative structure, focusing on character development and storytelling while still capturing the
essence of the desolate wasteland. The Fallout games are rich with diverse characters that players can recruit or interact with and sometimes more, but many of these characters may not have deep backstories or arcs given the vastness of the game ’ s world unless a companion or key character. The series, however, introduces new characters and reimagines familiar faces, providing them with more depth and backstory.
FALLOUT: GAMES VS TV SERIES
Moreover, the show tends to streamline certain aspects of the narrative. While the games often feature multiple storylines and side quests that allow players to shape their own experiences, the show follows a specific storyline with clear arcs. This narrative focus enables the writers to build emotional stakes and thematic depth, which can be challenging to achieve in a nonlinear game format. The game also brings back certain beloved characters to develop them, such as (but not limited to) Dogmeat, Mr House and, everyone ' s favourite, Mr Handy.
Veteran fans and new viewers experience one major thing differently; alignment. Veteran fans would be worried about what type of approach the Brotherhood of Steel is taking, either being a Maxims (Tyrannical machiavellian approach) or Lyons approach (helping the wasteland as much as possible). Players would have also been scared at the viewing of the enclave from the wretched things they have done in other games, and their goals of purification of the wasteland, possibly giving flashbacks to 12ft tall Frank Horrigan. Seeing Mr House though may lead some fans to hope for the NCR
to appear. However newer fans would have no knowledge of this being slowly fed the evils of Vault Tec and horrors of the wasteland instead of it being common knowledge.
Visually, the Fallout show capitalises on advancements in film and television technology, enabling it to depict the wasteland in breathtaking detail. The game series, particularly in its earlier installments, relied on stylized graphics that, while iconic, do not compare to the realism achievable in live-action. The show can offer a new perspective on familiar locations such as Vaults and ruined cities bringing them to life with a fresh look that immerses viewers in the gritty atmosphere of the franchise. Every prop meticulously crafted adhered to the fandom from the games, every small prop a subtle reference.
FALLOUT: GAMES VS TV SERIES
Fans also usually recognise the game by the old fashioned music choice throughout the show, creating radio stations from 40s - 60s classics. The show retains this music choice, mixing the loved songs from the games into the show.
The last point I’ll touch on is the hallmark of the Fallout franchise: its unique blend of dark humour and social satire, often delivered through environmental storytelling and dialogue options, such as Fallout 4’s sarcastic options or Fallout New Vegas’s ‘sub-brick intelligence’ playthrough. While the show retains some of this humour, it does so through a more curated lens that may feel different to fans of the games.
As the Fallout series aims to please the fandoms within the broader narrative of the franchise, it honours the core elements that have made the games beloved while also exploring new ground. Both the series and the games offer unique experiences that reflect different aspects of storytelling such as interactivity versus linear narrative. As the series progresses, it will be interesting to see how it continues to balance loyalty to the franchise with its unique narrative ambitions, potentially bringing in new fans while satisfying longtime fans of the iconic game series.
THE 43RD ANNUAL CAMBRIDGE FILM FESTIVAL: MY EXPERIENCE THE 43RD ANNUAL CAMBRIDGE FILM FESTIVAL: MY EXPERIENCE
By Victoria Vireikyte
This year, I was once again super excited and honoured to volunteer at the 43rd edition of the Cambridge Film Festival, tucked right into the heart of the bustling city centre. The festival (which is the second-longest running film festival in the country) lasts for seven days, offering a wide variety of different and interesting worldwide films to indulge in.
Over my six shifts helping out at the festival, I was assigned to different roles –handing out special tickets at the ‘Delegates Desk’, doing ushering outside the screens, and helping out at the ‘Kids’ Craft Table’. Having volunteered a grand total of 2 times at the festival (’23 & ’24), I’ve had such a wonderful time helping out this year again, meeting new and interesting fellow volunteers, and of course widening my love for cinema. Additionally, I was lucky enough to see 9 feature films and 1 short-film collection. In this article, I’ll be reviewing some of my favourite films that I’ve seen during the festival.
My number one favourite film that had graced this edition of the festival was “The Teacher Who Promised the Sea.” Directed by Patricia Font, this Spanish masterpiece centres around Ariadna, a woman living in 2010, whose grandfather is desperately scouting for any remains of his father, who vanished during the Spanish Civil War. She agrees to help him, and travels to Burgos – where a large grave is being excavated, and might have the body of her greatgrandfather. There, she learns about the history and life of young Antoni Benaiges, who was the teacher who taught her great-grandfather when he was a child.
CAMBRIDGE
Antoni’s main wish for his junior students? To take on a journey to see the sea. This film really touched me, as I’ve always had - and still do - a massive adoration and respect for teachers. They are the ‘building blocks’ for education, and are the pillars of our society. Without teachers, cities (not to mention, the whole of humanity in this world) would crumble and cease to exist. Antoni Benaiges (played by the impeccable Enric Auquer) was a beacon of joy, wisdom and above all else hope to his beloved little students, and tried so desperately to get his mini scholars to feel the sand between their toes as they soak in the views of the endless sea.
Unfortunately, Benaiges was ahead of his time, and clashed with the then ideals of mid 1930s Spain. His lessons flourished with creativity, positivity, and a warm never-before-seen environment - perfect for his petite students to learn, have fun and discover the wonders of the world around them. His legacy will live on forever not only in Spain, but for all countries and their teachers worldwide. In all, such a phenomenal film - tears, laughter, smiles and grimaces bewitch you as you wander through the cobbled streets of antique Spain and its educational history.
Another spectacular film I saw was “Grand Theft Hamlet,” directed by Sam Crane and Pinny Grylls. This film is exactly as crazy and hilarious as the title. In the film, we meet two ‘40something’ nerds Sam and Mark muck about on GTA (during the depressingly boring COVID-19 lockdown) while randomly deciding to do the impossible and stage AND perform one of Shakespeare’s most profound plays: Hamlet. They call out to people online, inspiring many around the globe to audition in the game for various roles. Multiple obstacles came in the way of our beloved misfits (being killed by
other players, audience members falling off airships, NPCs getting in the way or the police being hot on their tail), but nonetheless Sam and Mark still managed to push through with their unbelievably zany goal. This film is not only a comment on how many of us during lockdown were yo-yo-ing back and forth between our video game controller and our bed, to escape the disastrous world outside our bedroom - but also a reflection on how lockdown has affected us all in ways we ’ re still recovering from, and our slow crawl back to normality. Sam and Mark face the harsh reality while trying to complete this impossible quest - what’s the point of this? What’s the point, if this is all for nothing, but a few laughs and live stream views? But this film, I think, was created to offer a sense of joy and pure fun to its audience, as we feel sortof connected to the personal-like filming
style of this film and the gameplay of Sam and Mark, as though we are online with them in this violent gun-filled world. More than that, “Grand Theft Hamlet” shows how we all love to escape into a virtual reality without the issues of COVID or other things, and just live in a moment of fun and happiness. The guys tried (and succeeded!) to pull off a hilariously incredible and captivating performance with the help of like-minded gamers and theatre nerds all around the world. Additionally, I’ve never heard an audience laugh harder while watching a film. Massive well done to Sam, Pinny, Mark, Jen and all the other outstanding actors and helpers of this never-seenbefore film! Shakespeare would certainly be proud.
Lastly, my Gabrielle Blackwood’s and Charles Warburton’s captivating documentary, “Norman/Norman.” The film follows Norman Davy, a beloved father of four daughters and husband, living with his family in New Jersey. But, deep inside, his family’s traumatic past and his won overwhelming grief brews inside of him, as the film explores themes of gun and domestic violence and Norman’s complicated life growing
CAMBRIDGE FILM FESTIVAL 2024
up after witnessing the horrific murder of his mother as a child. We meet Norman 30 years later, and he has one goal in mind: to travel to Jamaica to finally face his mother’s murderer: his very own father. For me, this documentary was immensely moving and raw, as through his journey to find the truth, Norman blooms with sorrow, pain, peace and acceptance. This film reflected both the relationship between father and son, but also the wider picture of brutal domestic violence against women.
In all, this festival was certainly one to remember. Massive thank-yous to Cristina, Hannah, Espe and Abby for being such marvelous leaders of the festival and for persevering through the whole week. I can’t recommend attending the festival enough, and can’t wait to hopefully volunteer again next autumn!
ARCANE: LEAGUE OF LEGENDS ARCANE: LEAGUE OF LEGENDS
By Susannah Tankard
With the release of Riot Games’ second, and final season of ‘Arcane: League of Legends’ having just happened (9th, 16th and 23rd November), I thought it would be fun to pay homage to the game, but to focus more heavily on the film and TV aspect. Riot Games has been more well known for their cinematics as of recent years, primarily leaning on Fortiche Productions to help elevate their work to a whole new level. With the first season of the series having been released, the small studio became more recognised for their work and collaborations with Riot for the past decade and for going against the grain of the Disney-Pixar animation style that was dominating the animation space at the time.
First thing’s first, some basic information; Riot Games, the company behind League of Legends and subsequently Arcane, was founded in 2006 by Brandon Beck and Marc Merill in Los Angeles, California. Beck and Merill created the studio so they could finally develop their game, League of Legends which was published in 2008. The game focuses on the different perspectives of the political differences between Piltover and Zaun.
Piltover, more commonly referred to as the City of Progress, is a thriving, progressive city whose power and influence is constantly on the rise. Zaun, on the flip side, is a large, undercity district which lies in deep canyons and valleys, its populace is numerous and boarders on Piltover. The tension between the two cities is strong, and is portrayed through the game, and in a near pin-focus with the TV series.
ARCANE: LEAGUE OF LEGENDS
The creators wanted the players to understand that due to the environments, people are easily swayed in influence by the perspectives that are held, and thus, lack the understanding on what it’s like to be on the other side. Through this, we understand that there is no defined evil or good, and that everything is much more complicated that initially perceived. It’s up to the viewers to decide. A moment that springs to mind regarding the lack of understanding, is a short scene in the TV series, where Viktor, a research assistant for Hextech in Piltover, has just come from the Undercity after consulting with a friend about a problem he is facing with the technology. There is rioting on the bridge with Enforcers attempting to keep the people of Zauns behind the blockade while Jayce, a council member of Piltover and founder of Hextech chews Viktor out for going through the blockade he put up. During the conversation with Viktor, Jayce orders his friend to stay away from the Undercity because “they’re dangerous”, with Viktor replying in an angry and betrayed tone “I’m from the undercity.” Jayce’s expression clearly conveys his
immediate regret and quickly attempts to rectify the situation, only to have Viktor batting him away. When originally creating the game, it was always in the heads of Beck and Merill to have cinematic moments; a chance for the viewer to get close to the characters and understand them on a more personal level. Unfortunately, that’s relatively hard to do when you ’ ve made a game which runs in a top-down asymmetric camera system.
ARCANE: LEAGUE OF LEGENDS
So, come 2013, the cinematic ‘Twist of Fate’ was released, with the animation provided by Blur Studios. This short was a huge turn for Riot Games, and allowed them the freedom to do environmental storytelling in a highly cinematic and dynamic way. However, they didn’t have any dialogue or story to flesh out their characters, so it predominantly relied on spectacle and environmental storytelling to push the vague narrative. A small, French animation studio, Fortiche Productions, discovered by
Christian Linke, was partnered up with to do the animation for ‘Get Jinxed’. The studio was brought on due to their unique and wildly different style to anything that was in the mainstream media at the time. Fortiche was also responsible in helping to elevate ‘Arcane:LoL’ to another level by focusing on the details and capturing the environment and storytelling in the art design in the 2021 release. They had an unusual approach to their camera work; making it feel like there was another person in the scene filming, emulating the imperfection of following things while mirroring the effect of a hand-held camera and making the scene feel authentic and not like something which is artificial or static. The camera is always moving since they wanted the shots to always feel ‘alive’ and a part of the action.
ARCANE: LEAGUE OF LEGENDS
After a steady 10 years working relationship, and the following success of ‘Get Jinxed’, the studio was brought on by Linke to help with the TV show; their style having solidified and progressed to an even higher level of quality. The production team wanted nuance, dramatic acting and visible character arcs, all of which are captured spectacularly through the unique animation style that is ubiquitously Fortiche.
Aside from ‘Get Jinxed’, Fortiche was also responsible for many of Riot’s most popular music videos. Two of which include; ‘Rise’- ft. The Glitch Mob, Mako, and The Word Alive (2018), and ‘POP/STARS’ by League of Legends’ own K-Pop group, K/DA. A virtual music group created in 2018 consisting of various artists, two of which are members from the K-Pop Girl Group, G-Idle (Jeon So Yeon and Cho Mi-yeon) with Jaira Burns and Madison Beer who vocalise the various members.
At the very beginning of the production of ‘Arcane: League of Legends’, the cofounders of Riot Games weren’t wholly on board since the idea of a TV series is rather daunting, a mammoth undertaking, and could go wrong in so many different ways. Besides, the only thing that they’ve ever really done as a studio, were short animatics and music videos. Additionally, the budget would be huge, so if the show ended up being a flop, the company would lose a huge investment (season 1 cost over $90 Million averaging at $10 Million per episode). However, when Linke showed the initial drawings, the storyboards, pre viz, and some of the final product, it exceeded their expectations, with Brandon Beck stating that he “found it emotional and mind-blowing”.
ARCANE: LEAGUE OF LEGENDS
In an interview, Linke and Yee stated that the TV mini series was a love letter to the players/ fans who “have been there over the years, and helped to make League of Legends what it is today. When creating arcane, we wanted to make something that felt like an authentic representation of your favourite champions, you’ll get to see some of their origin stories, and the present day, as they push the world forward.”
As briefly touched upon earlier, Arcane is set in Piltover and Zaun, allowing the viewer to get the chance to connect and experience the lives of Jinx and Vi in particular, two of League’s favourite and best champions. When creating the idea of who the writers should focus on and pick as the main characters, they chose Jinx and Vi. This was because they were fan favourites and incredibly popular to play as in the game, they
have an incredibly large following, and even at the beginning of their creation, the developers knew that there was something special about them. Now, originally, Jinx and Vi were never really written as sisters in the source material, but it was hinted at, so, the TV show made it into reality. This allowed the audience to feel more empathetic towards the sisters, as we see their struggles and what breaks them apart. For the game ’ s fans, the show takes a deep-dive into what their childhoods looked like, and how that made them into who they are today. For people who aren’t familiar with the games, Riot wanted to show why they stuck with the characters for over a decade and why they were so beloved. It allows everyone to connect and empathise with the characters and their choices – good and bad.
BFI FILM ACADEMY COURSE BFI FILM ACADEMY COURSE
By Charlotte Davey
Many times, during college/sixth form a teacher will inform you about a ‘not to be missed’ ‘amazing’ opportunity that will give you handy experience as well as fill out your CV. CV fillers they certainly are, but ‘amazing’ sometimes not so much. Sometimes good and valuable opportunities come at the expense of your sanity. This course I just completed however was different and possibly the most fun I've had whilst ‘working’.
Recently I participated in a week-long course run by the BFI, where I helped to plan and make a short film. An experience now I can say (or write) for certain was the one of the best experiences of my life. I did not go into it thinking it would turn out to be as much fun as it was. In truth I had completely forgotten I had even applied for the course until the acceptance letter appeared in my inbox. The application process was one slightly stressful evening answering several questions on a form – apart from
the expected name, age and address questions, the BFI also wanted to know you, or particularly your passion for filmmaking and why. A question that was easy until I had to answer it. How to put down your passion into writing was not something I’d ever considered; ‘because I want to’ was not enough. You needed to show solid evidence of why you deserved to have a place on the course, whether that be passed similar experiences, short films you’d already made or the fact you were seriously contemplating a career
in the film industry. Most of the work to get onto the course I had already unconsciously done – I’d applied to do Film A-level and spoke about my career aspirations; proof I was taking this seriously as a future avenue for careers. The course itself was split into 3 parts: Prep, Remote and Filming.
The prep part of the course was over Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Here was when we had to plan everything –coming up with a story to shoot was the least difficult part of the process but had the potential to go badly if we hadn’t worked together successfully to come up with a story everyone had contributed a bit to and was happy with. There is a lot you need to plan even if the film (like ours) was only 10 minutes long. This is where we assigned roles to each person to split the workload. It's all well and good collaborating and discussing but eventually you need to just get on with something. We had several roles between us that ensured everything had a designated person to it
The roles were as follows:
Director; Producer; Editor; Scriptwriter; Art department; Director of photography; Sound; Cast; Hair, costume and makeup.
In our group of 10 people some had many jobs, and some only one as each section had different amounts of workload assigned to it. I, for example, was part of the cast and art department as each of these were not major roles and allowed me to take on other responsibilities. Having something entirely dependent on you meant people had to step up and become more confident; they had to make executive decisions on creative aspects, such as what song we were using when, and what the costumes should look like. This helped everyone ' s confidence to expand as we all had to step up and say, ‘Yes I'll handle that’.
The most difficult part of stepping up was on Wednesday when we were working remotely (before all the sessions were in classrooms at ARU university) to prepare for the shoot. Here was when the writers wrote the full script, the director and Director of Photography drew the shotlist and props, costumes and any makeup were gathered. Without anyone to push you on it was easy to avoid the tasks and just sit at home on your phone but you had to take responsibility and get the work done.
I definitely found the course to be 10 times better than I expected. I was so nervous getting on the train to Cambridge that first day, especially as I knew my friends would all be on their half-term break. But when I stepped into the classroom, and I got put into my group I was shocked at how quickly we all clicked. It was like we had worked together for years, and we were all united by a common goal – to make a really good short film.
As well as the filmmaking course, during the week we also got introduced to a few industry professionals who ran a few Q and A’s and short courses on their jobs in the film industry and how to use equipment such as professional
grade editing software. Alongside the BFIs course you also could choose to do an Arts Award – either bronze or silver. This is a chance to acquire a 2nd qualification to put on your CV, and very helpful to get a slight leg up into the industry.
When filming one of the most valuable lessons I learnt, especially as we shot around Cambridge, is to wear comfortable shoes you can walk in all day. Most of our time filming on Thursday and Friday was just walking from one location to another, not to mention all the time standing around whilst the camera and sound got set up.
There is a crossover between things we learnt at college and the practical skills used in filmmaking. It's very important to be aware of all of the roles assigned during the course and what they entail. When making a film you put a lot of thought into camera angles and shot types, which greatly helps when creating a storyboard. This is all learnt in college, but the hands-on experience cannot be replicated inside of a classroom so it's valuable to go even if you just want to learn.
HORROR MOVIES AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON GAMES HORROR MOVIES AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON GAMES
By Lilliana Sparkes
There are various horror movies over the past few decades that have influenced video games. Dead by daylight is one of the games that takes inspiration from many horror films. It uses characters from popular horror movies such as SAW, Scream, Child’s Play, Friday 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street and more. These characters are playable and one of the Games most successful elements.
Dead by daylight is an online multiplayer survival video game. It is a one versus four game in which there is one killer among the other survivors. The killer's aim is to hunt and impale each survivor on a sacrificial hook to please a malevolent force known as the entity. Meanwhile the survivors have to work together to power up five generators while avoiding this killer to escape. Dead by Daylight has over 60 million players. The plot consists of “The Entity”, an eldritch horror who is attracted to actions of great violence or malice.
This eldritch horror needs sacrifices to survive, in order to achieve this, it snatches these “killers” out of reality to corrupt them into slaughtering the survivors. It survives by feeding off their souls. Each original survivor and killer has their own backstory which explains their personality and unique abilities, along with how they end up in the realm of The Entity.
There are also various playable characters from horror movies such as Amanda Young (from the Saw
franchise) Pinhead, Pyramid Head, Michael Myers, Bubba Sawyer and Ghostface. There are other characters from horror movies, usually the protagonists or heroes you can play as if you are a survivor. Some examples of these characters include: Ada Wong, nd Jill Valentine vil games) Ash d Laurie Strode.
ad By Daylight is e is because of horror media. of horror movies fluence on us to own, and vice ead By Daylight Stranger Things, fans being kids, such as Scream med at an older nges associated a clever way to through discreet marketing.
Horror as a genre has had a large influence on pop culture. It often reflects society's fears over events happening in life through a fictional lens. I find that in horror movies or games the main influence is the feeling of being chased or watched.
HOW HORROR MOVIES INLFUENCE GAMES
This reflects the horror movies featured in DBD as a large majority of them come from slasher movies; by involving these characters we can add nostalgia to the game by keeping the same conventions of horror.
Dead By Daylight, in a theoretical sense can encompass the throes of religion. From the killer's perspective in the game, they are either brainwashed by this godlike figure or are forced to kill for it, to feed it and keep it alive. This cult style horror game has symbolism which could reflect modern society and how we feel as if we are being “controlled” by some higher power, and we have no influence in how it controls us to fit into a norm. If you look deeper into the metaphorical sense of the game, there are many reflections within society and how we are being conformed by the government and religion to act a certain way and to fit into a box.
Dead By Daylight also draws in the player through visuals and aesthetics. The art style and graphics focus a lot on creating an atmosphere of distorted realism. Artists pay close attention to the details of characters and setting, making them look as realistic as possible.
My personal opinion is that DBD is designed to look like you are watching through a dirty lens. The rustic feel to the game involves us in it and this added touch of realism makes the horror effects seem more realistic. If this game was set in another art style, for example a more cartoon like style, the player wouldn’t involve themself in the game as much, meaning the element of fear created is less intense.
The way Dead By Daylight has established itself and the ties it has to the wider horror genre makes it a stand-out horror game, considering its careful planning and clever marketing techniques it is easily one of the most popular video games among horror fans.
REVIEWS
That Christmas
By Andrea Joyce
By Sam Gamble
Short Film Reviews
By Emma Brennand
THAT CHRISTMAS THAT CHRISTMAS
When talking about this film with a friend of mine, we both shared that by the end we had definitely shed a tear. This film, in my opinion, is an instant festive classic. It is Richard Curtis’ first foray into animation and the medium may have changed but it was the same classically British Film fayre you would expect from Richard Curtis. Full of complex relationships, unexpected heroes, misunderstood mischief makers, an ensemble cast and an abundance of love in all its many guises. Speaking of love, the cameo of a clip of Love Actually didn't feel self indulgent, just a reminder that this film is from the same genius brain that brought us that Christmas classic that endures 21 years after its release.
Set in a fictional Suffolk village of Wellington on Sea, the film follows three very different families as well as a grumpy headteacher, a misfit farmer,
by Andrea Joyce
a mysterious lighthouse keeper and not forgetting Father Christmas who interestingly is very much a supporting character in this story. Although he is called Santa in the film which doesn't sit well with the very British aesthetic. The soundtrack is a who's who of British music icons with Ed Sheeran, Coldplay and a rendition of a Spice Girls classic all adding to the Britishness Of the film.
The narrative is mostly comprised of an extended flashback into why this Christmas will always be known as ‘That Christmas’ which implies that a lot of people's Christmases have not gone to plan. This is true for nearly all the characters we meet in varying degrees and is a huge understatement for some other characters.
Danny Williams with his permanent disappointment of an absent Father is only surpassed on the heartbreaking
stakes by his Mum who is doing her best to make up for the rubbish Dad, whilst working as a nurse. But what really stands out is the coming together of people when danger threatens the most vulnerable of their number in the form of a snowstorm on a dark night.
The cast who voiced the characters are another example of a powerhouse of the best of British with Brian Cox voicing Father Christmas and the Richard Curtis film regular, Bill Nighy, voicing Lighthouse Bill. Jodie Whittaker, Fiona Shaw and Katherine Parkinson also bring oh so familiar voices to this gem of a film.
It has all the hallmarks of a classic Richard Curtis film; bumbling British boys, quaint English setting, not your traditional nativity, and hopeless romantics
If you ' re looking for something heartwarming, with a strong storyline and a festive feel that will appeal to everyone in the family then you really can't go wrong with ‘That Christmas’.
THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF IBELIN THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF IBELIN
by Sam Gamble
Video games are a powerful art form. And yes, I am going to say Art form. Over the years, the industry has evolved from electronic toy maker, to the largest industry on the planet. The latest video game releases are akin to, and sometimes outshining, the latest box office draws at the cinema. Just like film, they can have an emotional impact. I’ve cried at video games, I’ve made friends through talking about games. Games can be a force for change, good, and community in the ever-connected digital world. And nothing typifies this more than The Remarkable Life of Ibelin, released on Netflix in November.
This documentary tells the story of Mats, a teenage boy with the condition, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. As he gets older, his body loses its motor functions, until he eventually passed away at the age of 24. After his death,
his family uncovered his World of Warcraft account, where he had made friends and had profound impacts on the people around him, and the members of his guild which he interacted with.
The film opens in fairly conventional Netflix style. Swooping violins, archival home video, and interviews with family members that build up what they saw of Mats in the later stages of his life. They watch him as he becomes obsessed with gaming, and starts to remove himself from his family a little bit.
The form, and the story, flip on their head with the discovery of his account. The documentary morphs into animated form, using models from World of Warcraft to recreate moments from Mat’s time in the game. The filmmakers gained access to over 42,000 pages of PDF Transcripts of conversations that Mats had via text chat in the game, choosing not to use any voice chat feature to hide his condition.
Through the game, he made lifelong friends, brought a mother and their child closer together, and even fell in love.
It’s a testament to the power of video games, not just as an art form for being able to create a world for Mats to escape to, but as a means to heal. Mats escaped into this world where he could be a charming private detective for hire, meet people, explore a world, and connect with people in a way that he never could in his physical body.
The others that he interacted with had their own personal demons. Battles with depression, anxiety, connection, all healed through interacting with the game. I never did get the argument of video games just being toys. Maybe it’s because I’ve grown up in a world where I’ve seen first-hand what they can do, the effect they can have on people.
It’s more than just owning the latest release to be able to talk about it with your friends. Like movies, books, and any story or world that can be visited, be it digital or imaginary, can be a force for change; a force for healing.
So yes, go and watch the documentary. Hopefully you’ll be as blown away as I was.
SHORT FILM REVIEWS SHORT FILM REVIEWS
Influenced
Influenced is a short, animated film that commentates on the role of social media in teenagers and young adults' lives. How it encourages young people to become influencers and to do so through being trendy (many people use fast fashion to stay on trend). The short film’s use of sound and dialogue is also amazing considering the protagonist never speaks like she's lost her voice in the whirlwind that is being an influencer. I think this short film is a warning about not being ‘influenced ‘by everything you see and not believing everything you see is real.
by Emma Brennand
Girls In Real Life Situations
Although I've never had an American teen school experience this film still gives me a sense of nostalgia. This is an animated short film about three teenage girls trying to get the ‘right’ lunch table. I wish I could go into more detail, but I do not want to spoil this gold mine of a short film for you. I honestly think I could watch these girls for hours and this was a fresh comedic perspective that I've had to re-watch several times out of enjoyment. Everything in this film is amazing and it's clear the director has a lot of talent. From the random dropping of swearing to the comments of mango vapes is hilarious, the details are amazing!
Inner Workings
This is one out of many Disney shorts that I particularly love. I feel like even though it is only a short it has a clear message about finding a balance of doing what is right and following your heart. Although some may think it is cheesy, the way it is conveyed through the heart, lungs, brain etc. all having different characters is genius. The use of having one protagonist but having all his internal organs also being characters conveys the simple message in an entertaining and fresh way. I feel like this film is a good reminder that you only live once and do what you love, not what is necessarily right.
PRESTO
This is another animated Disney short that hits me with a sense of nostalgia. I find although it is a classic tale it is told hilariously. Although it has a dark message about animal cruelty it is nice to see the bunny get revenge on the stern magician who has just finished indulging himself in a feast. I love how the bunny is animated in this short with big ears and long legs, making him more entertaining to watch. Although a magician never reveals all his secrets it is hilarious that the rabbit doesn't expose the secrets and tricks but uses them to its advantage and finally gets its way.
THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT
The House That Jack Built (2018) - Jack, a psychopath and a serial killer, recounts a series of murders he committed over a period of 12 years, which he considers to be a work of art.
The most prominent leitmotif in the film is the recurring use of Glenn Gould's performance of Bach’s ‘The Well Tempered Clavier’. This piece is repeatedly heard throughout the film, often accompanying Jack's murders or philosophical rousings. The precise and neat structure of Bach’s music reflect Jacks methodical and obsessive nature and the music aids Jacks attempts at intellectualising his killings as works of art, along with the cognitive dissonance that goes along with the emotionless brutality of his actions and the beauty of the music. This repetition also functions as a window into Jack’s mind. Jack considers himself not a killer but an artist often comparing his murders to great works of
art. The recurring Bach motif reinforces his self delusion, serving as a musical representation of Jack’s belief in his intellectual superiority and artistic vision, hence his alias ‘Mr Sophistication’. Each time the motif recurs, it signals Jack's internal world, his cold detachment and growing madness.
THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT
Philosophical undertones
The leitmotif is not only tied to Jack’s killings but also the film's broader philosophical themes, most expressed in his conversations with Verge (a figure resembling the Roman poet, Virgil). These dialogues go into existentialism and ethics with the music acting as a counterpart to these reflections. The classical genre of the Bach piece evokes a sense of tradition and order, a feeling that there is some order to be restored within Jack’s mind that he will have a mental reawakening in a sense, but we are only thrown deeper into Jack’s inhuman psychology. Bach’s music also serves as a layer of irony to an otherwise horrific movie, the repetition in addition to the extreme violence and philosophical dialogues Von Trier creates an immense feeling of detachment. This ironic distance is a staple within Von Trier's style, encouraging the audience to question Jack’s narrative and resist sympathy towards his point of view.
Final Confrontation/Resolution
In the film's last moments as Jack descends into the metaphorical Hell, the leitmotif takes on a more significance.
The use of Bach at the final act becomes less about Jack's identity but more so the stripping away of his delusions as he faces final judgement. The use of this song ' s continuing presence may have been foreshadowing the inescapability of Jack's fate as this is the final appearance of Jack and the motif.
Due to Remembrance Day recently, I thought Ted's story would be way too fitting for an article. Ted's story is way too long to fit into a singular page. So why don't I summarise his time in the army and let you decide if you want to read more?
Ted was a LRDG marksman, a recon sniper to help forces move up into occupied areas however this did mean in some cases going on missions and eliminating camps alone with a platoon of specially trained forces. An elite force unstoppable and feared by Nazi Germany. A highly trained sniper scores high on accuracy for deadly precision. During the action of the Long Range Desert Group, they were a reconnaissance and raiding unit starting in North Africa pushing into Italy and Germany, famous for daring exploits of desert warfare and dangerous missions.
They played a crucial role in gathering intelligence, disrupting enemy supply lines, and conducting sabotage missions against Axis forces.
REMEMBRANCE PIECE
Their exploits included a series of daring raids against enemy airfields, supply depots, and troop concentrations. Known for their ability to execute their missions with precision and exfiltrate before the enemy realized they had been attacked. The Long Range Desert Group was a branch of the early SAS now being one of Britain's most highly trained soldiers.
The unit made notable contributions during key operations, such as Operation Crusader in late 1941, which aimed to relieve Tobruk and push back Axis forces.
Throughout this campaign, the LRDG proved essential in gathering vital intelligence on enemy positions and movements, which was instrumental for the success of the larger Allied strategy in North Africa. As the war progressed and with the shifting tides of battle, the LRDG's role evolved beyond just reconnaissance. They were involved in direct combat missions, ambushing enemy convoys, and providing vital support to ground forces during significant engagements. Their involvement extended beyond the North African front, participating in campaigns in the Mediterranean and later in Europe, consistently demonstrating adaptability and resilience.
By the end of the war, the Long Range Desert Group had earned a distinguished reputation, recognized for their bravery, ingenuity, and significant contributions to the Allied war effort. Their legacy remains prominent in military history, as they pioneered tactics that would influence future generations of special operations forces.
This group later influenced many shows and films including SAS: Rogue Heroes, The Rat Patrol and Sea Of Sand.
REMEMBRANCE PIECE
Ted lived a long life until 2023, aged 107, gaining multiple scars including a knife slash on his right cheek, a knife slash going up from his neck to the top of his head near his ear, a bullet hole under his eye, and multiple gun wounds over his chest.
If your interested for the full unedited story, follow this link and follow the story of a WWII hero
In the middle of June, on a hot summers day I saw a post on Instagram asking people to share their stories of what the Wham! song, Last Christmas, means to them. As the sun glared across my screen I reminisced about a much forgotten Long Road tradition of the film and media teachers all working together to make a mock music video for our students. The aim was always to show the students that we were prepared to lip synch, dance and generally have a laugh on camera too.
The A Level media studies coursework has always been to make a music video so we would make one every year too. Back in 2009 our staff music video was to the song Last Christmas, by Wham. We took the recreation of the aesthetic very seriously, the dinner party scene in the video was recreated by all congregating at our then head of departments house.
She lit the fire, we decorated the tree, we shared food, played charades, exchanged gifts and we danced and sang our hearts out.
It is one of my favourite videos we did, not least because it featured our much loved and much missed colleague, Barney, who passed away at a young age from Cancer. Every christmas I watch that video and remember the wonderful human he was.
So, when I saw the instagram post asking for people to share their Last Christmas stories I dug out the YouTube link to our video and sent it in along with the story of our video, and our dear friend.
Then I promptly forgot all about it!
WHAM! - LAST CHRISTMAS UNWRAPPED
Summer faded away and the autumn leaves began to fall. In early October my inbox pinged with the sound of an email arriving letting me know that my video had been provisionally selected to have a clip of it featured in a documentary for the BBC, that would be aired in December to mark the 40th anniversary of Last Christmas being released. I was also told that this information was confidential and not to share it with anyone else at this time. If I gave my permission for it to be included in the documentary I needed to reply and then sign a release form. I was so excited!
But this also brought with it some major issues, I didn’t think I was in a position to sign a release form for a video we made whilst employed by Long Road and that starred around 10 people, none of whom were still working at Long Road and one of which had passed away. This set off a chain of events that took a number of weeks to sort out. Who actually owned the copyright to this video?!
Luckily, the production company were really helpful and patient. I had a number of conversations with the production assistant and was eventually referred to the Line Producer from Blink Film. A screenshot of the clip they were using made it easy to narrow down the people I needed to speak to. She also helpfully let me know that it would actually be the cinematographer who owned the copyright so that made seeking permission a lot more straightforward. Luckily one of the people in the clip was me - although it is only the back of my head! The other was our dear friend Barney and the conversation with his family made it clear they were delighted that he was going to feature in the documentary.
WHAM! - LAST CHRISTMAS UNWRAPPED
Steve Dann, our Long Road Principal was also thrilled to hear our hard work was going to be immortalised on screen and even laid down the challenge for the staff music videos to return after around an 8 year hiatus - watch this space for more news on that challenge. None of us were exactly sure where or when we would appear in the documentary or how long we would be on screen for.
Excitement began to build as major media outlets began talking about the documentary. My usual radio station accompaniment to my morning drive to work talked about the documentary in the week leading up to its broadcast which sent my phone buzzing with whatsapp messages from friends checking if that was the Wham! documentary I had been going on about.
Saturday 14th December at 8.35pm and I switched my iplayer stream to BBC2. I watched and I waited.
The documentary itself started off with some basic Wham! history, as well an insight into the Sunday afternoon when George Michael had the melody of Last Christmas pop into his head and while Andrew Ridgeley watched the football match, George laid down the basic drum beat, chorus and piano track for
the now famous song. There was a mixture of archive footage of behind the scenes of the music video recording, interviews with everyone involved and some footage of the whole group being reunited in Saas Fee, the ski resort in Switzerland where the video was filmed.
Pretty much everyone in the video were friends of the band and that warmth and friendship is one of the enduring qualities of the music video.
I watched and I waited, and waited, and waited some more. With around 10 minutes of the running time left the documentary started to talk about the enduring appeal of the song, and its accompanying video.
WHAM! - LAST CHRISTMAS UNWRAPPED
Other people’s versions began to be shown on screen and at 50 minutes and 24 seconds in there we were - I shrieked as I spotted Barney’s face on screen. And as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone again. That was it, around 2 seconds worth of footage.
It was only when I rewound it and hit pause I could make out myself and Nick in the frame. All that time, all that anticipation and our 5 minutes of fame was more like a blink and you miss it 2 seconds. I mused on how much time and effort had been put into securing the correct permissions for just that 2 second clip and wondered about the painstaking process that the documentary makers go through when putting together a montage of that nature. But we are there, our Last Christmas moment and our dear friend are captured forever, that moment in time when we came together to laugh and show our students we were prepared to put ourselves out there too.
