Director
Michael Bay is preparing to
transform Digital Domain, his Hollywood special-effects house, into a full-scale, game-churning production studio, reports
Los Angeles Times. Bay (
Bad Boys,
Armageddon) will channel the convergence between film and games through his very own first-person shooter, perhaps taking a cue from fellow cross-over director
Steven Spielberg. Bay's project will be followed by as many as four additional games over the next two years, as Digital Domain's new owner, Florida investment group Wyndcrest Holdings, begins to pump nearly $100 million into the studio; in part, to purchase the equipment and bring on the talent necessary to compete in the games industry -- including chairs, hundreds of ergonomic chairs. Look for Digital Domain to also acquire several game firms later this year.
As foreshadowed by the studio's "Mad World"
Gears of War TV spot, Digital Domain won't be using game engines for just games. Also on the agenda will be a series of teen-targeted animated features, which will utilize
machinima er, a "new" cost-effective animation method. Does Hollywood actually have anything to offer the games industry? Or are Bay & co. just hopping over the fence 'cause the grass smells
greener? "I make world-class images," says Bay. "Why not put those images into a game?"
{ May 15th 2007 at 1:23PM } 
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
bgdc @ May 15th 2007 1:38PM
Don't get the hate. I despised the man's earlier films - especially The Rock, Bad Boys, Bad Boys II and Armageddon. Pearl Harbor was bad but not wretchedly so like his other flicks. The Island was maligned for no apparent reason as far as I can tell. Many of my friends and family - all Bay haters - reluctantly agreed The Island was a decent flick - not nearly as insipid and bland as all of his other films.
Nekretaal @ May 15th 2007 1:52PM
Bay's just lending his name to these guys so that they can raise money. I highly doubt that he has further involvement in the venture, especially if his films keep grossing big money.
haywood jablomey @ May 15th 2007 1:55PM
He looks like a 'Fabio' wanna-be.
He can't believe it's not buttah!
Striderhayasa @ May 15th 2007 2:09PM
After seeing the shit that is the "new" Transformers designs I could care less about what Michael "hack" Bay is doing.
CapAmerica @ May 15th 2007 2:16PM
Maybe Michael Bay should make a "decent" film before thinking about jumping into the video game world. He hasn't made a decent movie since 'The Rock'. This is one reason I hold little hope for Transformers.
I hope this isn't going to be a new trend where has been/out of their prime Directors start wanting to make video games.
megaStryke @ May 15th 2007 2:20PM
"I miss you more than Michael Bay missed the mark
When he made Pearl Harbor.
I miss you more than that movie missed the point,
And that's an awful lot, girl.
And now... now you've gone away,
And all I'm trying to say
Is Pearl Harbor sucked...
And I miss you."
KilgoreTrout XL @ May 15th 2007 2:24PM
If you think Michael Bay films are terrible, then you'll probably find "Hot Fuzz" completely fucking hilarious. 10/10 for a comedy film.
Oh, right, M. Bay video games. Hmm. Yeah, they'll probably suck too.
KilgoreTrout XL @ May 15th 2007 2:22PM
If you think Michael Bay films are terrible, then you'll probably find "Hot Fuzz" completely fucking hilarious. 10/10 for a comedy film.
Oh, right, M. Bay video games. Hmm. Yeah, they'll probably suck too.
AoE @ May 15th 2007 2:34PM
Hah, clearly he just wants a piece of the pie. Hasn't anyone told him the industry already churns out enough crappy games each year? We REALLY don't need him adding to that pile.
He's done nothing good for film making, I expect similar results when his games start to see the light of day.
samfish @ May 15th 2007 2:36PM
That's what Michael Bay looks like?
I feel like juvenile for saying it, but...he really looks like a complete tool.
refinedsugar @ May 15th 2007 2:37PM
Ion Storm ...
Shagittarius @ May 15th 2007 2:47PM
Michael,
If you want true ground breaking blockbuster money making game designs, shoot me an email. I'm ready to make visionary games for a visionary guy.
Look for talent like me, independents, if you really want to make great games. The big studios are too set in their ways and nothing original ever comes outta them...thats why I appeal to the non gamers getting into games...perhaps they are the only ones left that actually believe good ideas will sell better than bad one...the games companies dont anymore.
edog lost @ May 15th 2007 3:20PM
I think that one of the big points of this article that isn't being talked about is the use of game engines to make low cost animated movies. (machinima) I got into a huge heated debate about this yesterday with a friend who thinks that Machinima is only good for short internet films, that gamers get a kick out of. I think it can be more then that.
I have always been a huge fan of anime and more adult tuned animated movies. The problem is that in the US they ain't going to get made. They cost way too much to make and just don't have the audience to pay off the bill. Working for a Studio I have seen big movies come through and die because they just cost too damn much to make.
I think that it's a great idea to use game engines to make lower cost animated movies. Granted that the Epic 3 engine and the Crygen engine might not be on par with Pixar. I still think this is a great jumping off point for film companies to make animated movies that I would want to see. Is this just stupid? I don't know. The LA Time article talks about the Gears trailer as an example of what movies like these would look like. Do you think you could watch a two hours of something like that? I think I could and want to see more of this Hollywood money poured into game engines.
Micheal Bay @ May 16th 2007 4:53PM
Shagittarius where's the email....
dumbass.
he can't make a decent movie, without a cheesy sweeping shot, so maybe he can make a cheesy game with nice sweeping shots.
Digial domain is a top notch studio so i would like to see what they can turn out, these guys are pro's, all they need is experience game dev managers and they shouldnt have a problem.
IMO i think micheal bay directoring style is better suited for the video games which are usual completly factional rather then him trying to make pearl habor the game or something. I mean his movies suck but maybe thats becasue im grading them agianst other movies, micheal bay agianst david jaffe....
ill take Bay any day over Jaffe.
Please no movie to game cross overs you will be a obvious going for the money grab and people won't buy it, Micheal I'll tell you this little gaming industry nugget, original IP sell, Gears of War, Halo, Doom, Wolfenstein 3d, Quake, their all original IPs, don't cheese out and rehash a bunch of crappy scripts that wouldnt make good movies, becasue i doubt they make good games either, they need a developed thought out universe to exist in, not just a script.
Zsavior @ May 15th 2007 3:42PM
Really I am not going to lie I probably wouldn't support a hollywood surrounded by a videogame engine. I want my movies to be movie and my games to be games, it may just be me though. At first I thought it would be a great idea but as time goes on and I see how Hollywood vies gamers, they won't try to innovate it at all. It will just be a machine to make a buck off of, never mind there is no substance to it.
greatn @ May 15th 2007 3:52PM
I can't wait for MICHAEL BAY presents MICHAEL BAY'S Explodination, a MICHAEL BAY video game production by MICHAEL BAY
AoE @ May 15th 2007 4:28PM
@Shagittarius, look at his resume. Bay wants to make money, not great movies, and I assure you not great games either; he just knows which pie is bigger these days, and wants to get his slice.
And there are plenty of game companies out there that still believe in good ideas... they're just not called EA, Activision, THQ, etc. Take a look at the indie scene (I assume you're not familiar, your comments would have been extremely insulting and dismissive if you are familiar), and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the level of creativity and innovation that still exists.
Aberu @ May 15th 2007 5:36PM
No, Michael Bay. No. Just... how can I put it softly...
No.
dsub @ May 15th 2007 6:03PM
he should stick to animation. from what I've seen of the cgi effects in Transformers, they do a decent job. Video Games are a whole nother ball game though.
Shagittarius @ May 15th 2007 6:44PM
Of course I havent had time to see the work of all the independent developers but most of the stuff i see at GDC and what not is still derivative crap.
Problem with being an indie developer is you still gotta sell your game which means you still gotta convince the big corps that your game will sell. Which means you gotta do what they are forced to do and keep putting out the same old crap.
There are many original game ideas out there but until people realize that the designers we all praise are really only slightly more than marketing puppets, a glorified cinematographer, and stop buying all the crap true gaming is the unachievable pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Gaming needs to die before its born again.
(01) @ May 15th 2007 8:40PM
Isn't this just removing the movie from the "terrible movie --->terrible game" formula? I mean, "The Island" was fun to watch with herbal aid, but I can't imagine I'd want to play a game of it.
wrc3 @ May 16th 2007 12:45PM
Pearl Harbor
by Team America
album:
I miss you more then Michael Bay missed the mark
When he made Pearl Harbor
I miss you more than that movie missed the point
And that’s an awful lot girl
And now, now you’ve gone away
And all I’m trying to say is
Pearl Harbor sucked, and I miss you
I need u like Ben Affleck needs acting school
He was terrible in that film
I need u like Cuba Gooding needed a bigger part
He’s way better than Ben Affleck
And now all I can think about is your smile
and that shitty movie too
Pearl Harbor sucked and I miss you
Why does Michael Bay get to keep on making movies?
I guess Pearl Harbor sucked
Just a little bit more than I miss you