I’d kill for a Team Fortress 2 animated movie.
If you’ve seen the Team Fortress 2 “Meet the Spy” video that I posted a while back or if you’ve been lucky enough to stumble upon any of the other “Meet the Team” videos that developer Valve has released in the last couple years (and if you haven’t, there’s a nice little YouTube playlist at the end of this post with all of them) then you know that these are high quality bits of entertainment. Ultimately though, they are nothing but short pieces of advertisement for a video game in a genre (team-based multiplayer) that doesn’t really lend itself to storytelling. I’ve watched these videos over and over and enjoy every single aspect of them and I would just absolutely love it if these guys could work this franchise into a feature film.
More, as usual, after the break.
I mean, for starters, these clips have some of the best 3D character animation I’ve seen outside of Pixar in a while and they easily hold their own against a huge number of CG animated films out there. The cartoony style that the game employs is said by Valve to be gameplay driven (the different silhouettes makes it easier to spot classes at a glance, the Medi Gun is too cartoony an idea to work in a realistic setting, etc.) but it just lends itself beautifully to animation regardless. Give these guys the proper resources and take them out of the constraints of having to program everything to run in real-time and we could have an amazing looking film in our hands.
Personally, I would just love to see more of these characters. A Russian gun-obsessed sociopath? A self-described “black Scottish cyclops”? A hired assassin with disapproving parents? How could anyone not want to know more about these guys? What’s really interesting though, is how much of these characters’ personality is portrayed in what are just one and a half minute shorts. It just boggles my mind to think of how much we could get out of these guys within a larger storytelling medium. The “Meet the Spy” video is most interesting because it’s well over 3 minutes and it’s the only one so far to have actual, on-screen interaction between characters. It just works so well that you can almost see it as a movie.
As far as actual filmmaking goes, well, you can’t argue that these guys have an amazing grasp of comedic timing. These shorts are just plain hilarious. They know about setting atmosphere, about lighting, about sound, etc. The big question mark is how they would handle this stuff over a much larger project. After all, what goes into an animated short is not the same that goes into an animated film. Still, what we have in these trailers is nothing short of brilliant and I wouldn’t doubt these guys’ talent for a minute.
To be honest, I just can’t stand most of the animated films that are being released today. The fact of the matter is, if you look outside of Pixar, you have to be ready to settle for averageness and mediocrity. I mean, how many more movies with talking animals do we need? Seriously. The animation industry has found what works for it and what creates profit and it seems to me like it has a grown a little too comfortable to worry about creativity. A Team Fortress 2 movie (and, if it ever happens, it should be called Team Fortress “2″ just to throw people off) in the spirit of these shorts would immediately set itself apart from everything else out there with its comic violence and dark humor. If successful, it could even pave the way for other movies like it.
It’s hard to see which market a movie like this could sell to and I have no idea why your average Hollywood producer would want to invest in something like it. Ideally, Valve itself would develop and produce it and Valve head Gabe Newell has expressed interest in doing something along those lines but it’s all too vague to seem like nothing more than a pipe dream at this point.
I’m just going to sit tight for now and wait for the next and perhaps last two videos in the series: Meet the Medic and Meet the Pyro. Whatever comes after that would just be icing on what is an amazing series of shorts.
PS: The game itself is absolutely amazing also.
“Meet the Team” YouTube playlist.
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Posted in Animation, Video Games |
[...] a tremendous amount of life to the game (and that I believe could carry over flawlessly into an animated movie). Unfortunately, the fact that it’s multiplayer only also means it inherently lacks a lot of [...]
If they make one… I’ll be the first to Warch it!
I NEED IT!!
They already have…….been out in japan for a while now……
I’ve seen screens of Team Fortress 2 in an anime style but I don’t think those come from an actual animated show.
Besides, I’d much prefer something in the real Team Fortress 2 style, like the “Meet the Team” videos.
I agree with you, and quite enjoyed reading your salient point of view on the subject–particularly because I thought the exact same thing when I first saw the Meet the Team videos.
Unfortunately, for all that they show a maddening genius for storytelling, Valve has also shown a trend for not using it to significant extent. (play Left 4 Dead, you’ll know what I’m talking about) It makes one sad.
So, whether they’re going to ever do it or not, I’m an impatient anklebiter, so I’m writing my own script for an animated series at least.
You know, I considered writing some sort of treatment for a TF2 film at some point (I have a couple of ideas on how it could work) but I’ve always been one for fostering my artwork over my writing.
PS: I’m adding you to my deviantWATCH. :)
@sebastian
Yeah, it seems to be something everyone has an idea or two on. (which is why I’m surprised no one I know has really demanded I write something particular)
My writing and artwork tend to take turns, probably because my art isn’t very good. ^^; But I’d love to know what you think of what I’ve written for the TF2 animated series idea.
P.S. Added you as well. :D
magari ci fosse anche un film animato di left 4 dead 2 :)
maybe there was an animated film of 4 dead left 2