Inide Game the movie review

"Indie Game the movie" is a documentary film that focuses on independent video game development.  Audiences get a glimpse into the would of indie video game development. After raising funds with two successful kickstarter campaigns directors James Swirsky and Lisanne Pajot utilized dslr cameras to create a modern look for the documentary.

Heart break and faith seem so to be the through line of this this documentary.  It opens with a developer anxiously awaiting the release of his game on Xbox Live only to be disappointed.  We follow the developers as they create Super Meat Boy  for its 2011 as well as Fez a game struggling in development hell for the past seven years.  Without getting too much of the mundane we get an intriguing look into the process of video game level creation and witness it's emergence as a new art form.

Every artist faces doubt both external and internal.  This film is really good at showing the risk of being an artist.  The people in this documentary risk wasting years of their lives toiling away on a project that may never be published.  Everyone wants to be that one in a million but the important message of the film is never give up.  My only issues with this film is that its a bit long in the middle but rewards those who watch the credits with a look at various games indie developers are working on.  I learned about a unique world and will be downloading steam (indie game site) to stay up to date with what out there.

Whats unique about this film is that it is part of a trend of bypassing studio distribution and marketing itself exclusively through the internet and limited theatrical exhibition.  Released on iTunes July 1st this film is firmly in the control of its creators.  It seems to be making a statement that the independent world is here and it's possible to earn a living as a independent content maker.

The film won the World Cinema Documentary Editing Award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. and has gone onto critical acclaim. 

Movie Grade A