WarGames (interactive media)

#WarGames is an interactive media production based on the 1983 movie, WarGames. The series was produced by Eko with Sam Barlow as creative lead. The production was released in six episodes starting on March 14, 2018 through Eko's website, mobile app, Nerdist.com, Steam and Vudu.

#WarGames
Manufacturer(s)Eko
Designer(s)Sam Barlow
Actor(s)Maba Ba, Teodora Cristea, Jess Nurse, Nolan Lyons and Rasha Zamamiri.
Publisher(s)Eko
Publication date2018 (2018)
Websiteeko.com/wargames-xboxcopy

Narratively, the show follows a young group of people that are involved in the hacker culture, attempting to use their skills to create societal change. Interactively, the viewer is presented with several video feeds, representing what each of the characters is watching or doing, and can choose which one to focus on; this will affect how the work is presented to the viewer later, though will otherwise not change the narrative.

Development

MGM's 1983 film WarGames was both a critical and financial success for the distributor. While the studio attempted a sequel, WarGames: The Dead Code in 2008, the work ended up going direct-to-video. In June 2011, MGM announced plans to remake WarGames. At the time, this move was seen as a way by MGM to capitalize on its highly-successful library of films from the 1980s.[1] Seth Gordon was originally slated to direct with Noah Oppenheim to write the script.[2] In June 2014, Dean Israelite had been hired to produce the work, and with potentially Arash Amel slated to write the screenplay.[3] As late as February 2015, Israelite was still working on the project which was still in its scripting phase,[4] but by April 2015, Israelite had been picked up for producer of Power Rangers, lead to concern for his participation for WarGames.[5]

By October 2015, the project had shifted to become an interactive media work, co-produced by MGM and Interlude (the former name of Eko), with plans to release by early 2016. The move was seen as experimental by MGM, as the work would forgo any theatrical release or revenues, though could still be monetized depending on how the interactive work was presented to viewers. They saw an "audience-driven interactive story experience" as a perfect fit for the WarGames property.[6] Shortly after this announcement, MGM invested heavily into Interlude, which had raised US$18.2 million from investors including MGM, Warner Music Group, Samsung, Sequoia Capital and Intel Capital.[7]

Around March 2016, Interlude hired Sam Barlow as executive creative director and creative lead for the WarGames project. Barlow had gained attention in 2015 for his video game Her Story, which required players to piece together a narrative by assembling segments of video footage in the right order. Her Story received critical acclaim on its release. Barlow said of the opportunity with Interlude to work alongside people that wanted to make "personalized, reactive stories with a heightened emotional impact".[8]

By December 2017, MGM announced that the interactive media series would be called "#WarGames" with an anticipated start in early 2018.[9] By February, Eko confirmed that the series would be six episodes long, and would be broadcast with interactivity on its own website, mobile app, Nerdist.com,[10] Steam[11] and on Vudu.[12]

Story

According to Barlow, their original idea for the narrative was to be similar to the film, in which hackers would stumble upon something that appeared to be a game, but proved to have more a more "nefarious purpose".[13] However, they recognized there would be too much jarring between the live-action and in-game segments, and instead took a different route, by envisioning how a member of the hacker culture would interact. The viewer of the work would be put in place of a hacker, looking at the hacker's computer monitor, showing various streams from cameras, video calls, and other audiovisual elements that they could bring anyone to the forefront at any time. Rather than having the viewer make any explicit decision, the work would instead track what video element had the user's attention, and decide which way the story would go from there.[13] Barlow likened this to trying to listen into conversations at a party: one can hear the conversations as they go on, but to really understand them one must focus on a specific conversation.[14]

With further development of the story, Barlow created a narrative around the character of Kelly, played by Jess Nurse, who is meant to represent "the breadth of modern hacker culture and its humanity".[15] Barlow was able to "take the questions raised by the original movie and ask them again in a world where technology has fundamentally changed our lives" with his script.[15] During development, the show Mr. Robot came out, which also focused on the hacker culture, leading Barlow to make sure that they presented accurate scenarios related to hacking within #WarGames; they hired security consultants to make sure their hacking scenarios were potentially doable. Further, to distinguish themselves from the more serious tone taken by Mr. Robot, Barlow aimed his script to be light-hearted and with an optimistic outlook.[14]

References
  1. McNary, Dave (June 23, 2011). "MGM would like to play another 'WarGames'". Variety. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  2. Fleming Jr., Mike (August 19, 2011). "MGM Hires Scribe For 'War Games' Reboot". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  3. Fleming Jr., Mike (June 24, 2014). "MGM's 'WarGames' Reboot Lands Helmer Dean Israelite, Scribe Arash Amel". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  4. Lamble, Ryan (February 10, 2015). "Dean Israelite interview: Project Almanac, WarGames". Den of Geek. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  5. Sneider, Jeff (April 10, 2015). "Dean Israelite in Negotiations to Direct 'Power Rangers' Movie for Lionsgate". The Wrap. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  6. Spangler, Todd (February 12, 2018). "MGM Rebooting 'WarGames' as Interactive Video Experience". Variety. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  7. Lieberman, David (December 8, 2015). "MGM Leads $18.2M Funding Round For Interactive Content Producer Interlude". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  8. Spangler, Todd (March 15, 2016). "Interlude Hires Video-Game Director Sam Barlow as Creative Director". Variety. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  9. Spangler, Todd (December 6, 2017). "'WarGames' Interactive Series From Sam Barlow Sets Early 2018 Release Date". Variety. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  10. https://nerdist.com/watch-and-be-watched-by-wargames-a-new-interactive-series/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. https://www.engadget.com/2018/03/16/wargames-sam-barlow-her-story-interactive-film-tv-video-games/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. Hayner, Chris (February 28, 2018). "Her Story Director Tackles Hacktivism And Spies With #WarGames Interactive Series Trailer". GameSpot. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  13. Khatchadourian, Raffi (January 30, 2017). "THE MOVIE WITH A THOUSAND PLOTLINES". The New Yorker. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  14. Webster, Andrew (February 9, 2018). "WarGames gets rebooted as an interactive hacking TV show". The Verge. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  15. McWhertor, Michael (October 6, 2017). "First look at Her Story creator's WarGames reimagining". Polygon. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
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