L.A. Noire First Game To Be Honored At Tribeca Film Festival

Have we finally made it? Are these the grown up pants we've been looking for? Can we finally come out of the basement and declare to the world, "I am Gamer, hear me roar!"

I hope so. I'll be honest, since roughly seventh grade, I have put up with derisive looks and harumphing every time my passion for gaming is exposed. This from the very same people who will think nothing of spending eight hours watching football or auto racing.

Frankly, I'm a bit tired of it. Maybe, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!" is a more representative quote. ( See "Network")

Now there are millions of us supporting a multi billion dollar industry which, in terms of revenue, can completely pwn film, recorded music and television.

Checkpoint reached. Next level, obtain social, artistic and critical respect.

Not so fast.

"It's a game son. It's all flash and no substance. It's just not Art."


Merriam-Webster defines Art as:
Merriam-Webster 4 a:  "the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects; also :works so produced"


I believe these gentlemen, Chief Creative Officer of the Tribeca Film Festival, Geoffrey Gilmore, Production Designer at Team Bondi, Simon Wood and Art Director at Rockstar Games, Rob Nelson, are discussing how they conciously used skill and creative imagination in the production of L.A. Noire.

And so why do the nay sayers persist! Famously, Roger Ebert claims that games can never be art. He makes some seemingly solid points, but they are based on his limited experience with the form.

By way of example, he contends that games have point's and can be won, and as such, are endeavors, not art.Yes some do, most don't. The games I played in 1984 were point based.

The games I play now cannot be won. Mass Effect is a great example. It is a story, which can only be finished, like a film. Or a book.

As I don't enjoy being crushed by towering intellects, I would not presume to match wits with Mr. Ebert. I'm a car salesman with a chip on his shoulder, not an academic.

Instead, I'll let you read his argument, watch the argument upon which his retort is based, and draw your own conclusions.

Do this now...Hurry, it's getting late.

Conclusions drawn? Great. Let me make my point because I'm getting tired.

My point is this. I believe deeply that I have seen games which have transcended the bonds of mediocrity and have risen to the level of art. Just as I have experienced film, sculpture and painting that has also risen to my expectations of what is art.

I have also seen games, film, sculpture, etc. which plummet to the circle of hell reserved for deeply offensive, lubberly produced, commercialized crap not worthy of wrapping fish.

The art debate is irrelevant to me. I want respect. I want peace. I want to be able to talk about games and gaming around the water cooler without jeopardizing my credibility as a professional worthy of trust. I want to be able to share the joy I receive from well composed interactive digital media without immediately forefeiting my hard won adulthood.

This is not a challenge movie goers, Basketball, Football, Chess or Mah Jong players face when describing their latest match or viewing.

Not anymore anyway.

I have so much more on this topic. But I'm sleepy and I need some help here. If you are reading this, leave a note and lets discuss. That's what people do about art isn't it?

ET