DICE 08: Pirates director urges creativity in keynote
by Christopher Grant 
{ Feb 7th 2008 at 9:31AM }
While we're often quite protective of our medium – what does some big-shot Hollywood cat know anyways? – Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski delivered a heartfelt keynote speech at this year's D.I.C.E. Summit, asking game designers to "embrace madness" and "to make the suits sh*t themselves." Now, before you lash out and remind us all that this is the same guy who made not one, not two, but three blockbuster movies based on a theme-park ride about pirates, Verbinski was quite candid about his distaste for the conventions of Hollywood ("he noted that some of his Pirates movies actually had release dates before they got scripts"). Indeed, his speech seemed to be more of the "save yourself" variety, encouraging game designers to "pick up the baton" the film industry dropped some time ago.
GameDaily relays: "He feels that games are an art form and have far more depth than cinema potentially." That we're in total agreement with. It's when he says "Games will eventually elicit emotional and visceral reactions" that we scratch our heads. Alright, unless you cried during Final Fantasy VII you may not have the traditional "emotional" reaction we presume he's imagining but what about fear? Or excitement? Certainly those are emotional reactions games excel at delivering. And "visceral reactions"? Has he ever played a "video game"?
We know he's busy, and maybe that's why he specifically mentioned the first-person genre when bemoaning studios that "phone it in" in a year when first-person shooters excelled – but overall we can't help but get caught up in the excitement and trust that Verbinski has the right message. Now how about some game work, Verbinski? Those Spielberg and Lucas guys are all over it.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Eric @ Feb 7th 2008 9:54AM
How about creativity in your films? Would that be too much to ask?
ThornedVenom @ Feb 7th 2008 10:02AM
Could you please detail in what Pirates wasn't creative?
THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ Feb 7th 2008 10:07AM
pirates writting was far from creative. Errol Flynn. The movies weak stories and writting were carried on the dandy shoulders of hollywood fop Johnny Depp. Who delivered a good performance, the same performance for three films. Its like Lucas bitching about creativity after ripping off so many others. He made the movie equivelent of a game.
Ben @ Feb 7th 2008 10:11AM
Agreed @ ThornedVenom
The Pirates movies were creative... the last two were a bit lacking in comparison to the first, but more in terms of quality than creativity. I would say that he has a good excuse for the sequels not matching the original (other than the fact that they were sequels)... I'd say "some of his Pirates movies actually had release dates before they got scripts" has something to do with it. Rushing movies to meet the "suit's" deadlines are part of what creates crap movies... the same goes for game developers. As anyone who's ever worked on anything knows, cramming two or three years of work into one year, just to get that May 25th, 2007 release date means a lot is going to feel rushed or be missing all together.
FidliousWong @ Feb 7th 2008 10:59AM
Ben, filming two movies at once CAN work. It just takes dedication and a little more creative spark than "Half man, half shark, half pirate" level of retardedness that the second and third Pirate movies were riddled with. Granted, can't say from personal experience since, just like Matrix 2 and it's "Neo Jesus" complex, I couldn't stand POTC 2 longer than 30 minutes before walking out.
Meanwhile, Back to the Future trilogy laughs at both of those series while saying "We had a fucking flying time machine locomotive... and our shit made more sense than yours!"
ThornedVenom @ Feb 7th 2008 12:00PM
Manbearpig owns mansharkpirate.
THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ Feb 7th 2008 10:07AM
That being said it doesnt mean they arent fun.
THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ Feb 7th 2008 12:19PM
Ben you awful shell of a man...JK. I was trying to suggest that Depp's performance was the only creative part of the first film(well that and Knightly's push up bra...). The sequels are offered nothing new by his performance. Dont be a jackass, of course I dont expect him to have a new character for each film. Now that you mention it though it would be awesome if was a manic depressive who was infatuated with Mansharkpirate. Nothing like a little unrequited love and inter interspecies erotica to carry 2 more films. Furthermore the last great "pirate" movie I choose to recognize as such is the Goonies. I still love you very much though (in a mansharkpirate loves mancephlapodpiratecaptain sort of way ;)
Eric @ Feb 7th 2008 10:07AM
reusing the same tired gags for each film. Plus i'm sorry but those film are really not that great. The First one was really not good, Depp saved it. The second and third where boring to convoluted. I know alot of people like these films and thats fine. I just think there silly and kinda over rated.
Ben @ Feb 7th 2008 10:16AM
Just like the way you think gramm0r is over rated... Anyway, I value your opinion, but I happen to think the opposite.
And @ Wicker Man's comment about Depp delivering the same performance in all three films... uhh, duh. You think he should have played the character totally different in each film?
Eric @ Feb 7th 2008 10:19AM
Sorry about the "gramm0r". But I am at work and only had about 2 mins to respond.
Ben @ Feb 7th 2008 10:24AM
As am I... but it's no problem, friend. Just tryin' to pass the time. No hard feelings :)
Ibere @ Feb 7th 2008 10:52AM
You guys forget Verbinski also directed the excelent The Weather Man, it's not as if his only movie is Pirates. Ok... he's not the most original director out there, being the guy behind a movie (and its sequels) based on a theme-park ride and a remake (The Ring), but it doesn't mean he's not right.