Paul W.S. Anderson, director, producer and writer of such films as Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil, Alien vs. Predator and the upcoming Castlevania, knows a few things about bringing video games to the big screen. The multi-hyphenate will share some secrets of his success as he delivers the keynote address for tthe first annual Hollywood and Games Summit, a collaboration between the Game Developers Conference (GDC) and The Hollywood Reporter.
Titled “Pressing the Right Buttons: How to Successfully Blend Game and Film,” Anderson’s address will shed some light on how he managed to spin No. 1 box-office hits from popular interactive franchises, a feat that has proven more difficult than it would seem. While Sony Pictures’ adaptation of Konami’s Silent Hill recently led weekend receipts, films based on video games have been more miss than hit. Remember 1993’s Super Mario Bros.?
“Anderson’s uncanny ability to translate the fun factor of a game into the x-factor of a film underscores the fact that modern games can be deeply entertaining and involving source material for film, as novels and comics were in the previous century,” says Jamil Moledina, executive director of the Game Developers Conference. “Anderson’s repeated success at game adaptations illustrates how a creative vision can make the difference between a hit and a flop’making him the perfect guru for the creative and business leaders of both entertainment industries.”
In addition to tackling Konami’s classic PC shooter, Castelvania, Anderson will adapt Tecmo’s popular DOA: Dead or Alive, which was recently made into a film by Hong Kong action director Corey Yuen and the Weinstein Co. That version is scheduled to hit theaters this August.
The inaugural Hollywood and Games Summit will allow top executives to address the increasing collaboration between film and interactive entertainment and the resulting opportunity to improve production methods and business models. The event will take place on June 27, 2006, at the Beverly Hills Hotel. More information about the keynote and other sessions featured, go to www.hollywoodandgames.com.
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