Source Engine Being Used To Create Animated Film
"9" director Shane Acker is using the Source engine and tools to create his next movie, "Deep."
Here's an interesting turn for Valve Software: Not only is the Source engine being used to create an animated movie, the film itself may be partially distributed on Steam. What's more, virtual production sets will be converted into playable levels for a videogame version.
Variety reports that Shane Acker, the director responsible for "9" (2009), which was produced by Tim Burton, has teamed up with Ireland's Brown Bag Films to create the post-apocalyptic film "Deep." The team is using Valve's Source engine to cut production costs and to "amp up" the project's overall flexibility.
"Deep" was written by Jack Barton Mitchell and takes place after World War III. The main protagonist, a man named Sullivan who captains a nuclear sub, makes contact with a group of superior scientific intelligence called the Wayfarers. They have the power to save the earth, but it may come with a high price.
The Source-powered movie will be produced by Brown Bag's Darragh O'Connell and Gregory R. Little, who heads Brown Bag's L.A. production office. According to O'Connell, Valve's tools and technologies will provide Acker and Brown Bag real-time rendering and editing, simplified character animation and economical lighting,
Currently the movie is in its pre-production stage, and Mitchell is working on the screenplay. The working budget is a mere €15 million ($18.7 million) which is high-end for Europe but low for the U.S. Brown Bag has begun talks with potential distributors and sales agents, O'Connell said.
Brown Bag's previous work includes Academy Award nominated toon shorts "Give Up Yer Aul Sins" (2002) and "Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty" (2010). Its most recent project is the TV series "Doc MacStuffins" seen on Disney Junior.
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Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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The_Trutherizer Well I like it. If they can introduce cinematic libraries steered by actual directors to a 3D game engine then it may be a win for games.Reply -
joytech22 Source isn't so bad, it's definitely one of the longer lasting engines out there.Reply
It also runs well on virtually any modern system.
Making a movie out of it will be interesting to say the least.
I'm going to see the movie when it comes out, just out of curiosity anyway.. :) -
elcentral roffle it stays the same but the world upgrade the graphics , valve get me HL3. pcs cry engine looks good but is far from excellent, they need to optimize it allot. i am keeping my money on the next unreal engine, they are the only one good enough to compete vs the valve engine. (graphics/performance) anyone can make a insane graphical capable engine few can make it run on low specs and still make it look amazing.Reply -
darkchazz jalekSource? CryEngine would seem a much better choice.true dat.Reply
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wM4k06rZeY
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jalekSource? CryEngine would seem a much better choice.Reply
Now see...that's exactly the kind of thing for which the CryEngine should be used. Not for games, of which they have had only mediocre entries.
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Lord Captivus WOW! If you can watch a movie and the play a game in the exact same area, that would be amazing.Reply
In fact, companies can make twice the profit, because the game "map" is already made.
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unionoob Well, Idea is cool, but I think move with source engine is going to look very dated... =/Reply