{"id":220893,"date":"2021-03-21T21:33:28","date_gmt":"2021-03-21T21:33:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gamerant.com\/ascender-video-game-adaptations-stephen-ford-interview\/"},"modified":"2021-03-21T21:33:28","modified_gmt":"2021-03-21T21:33:28","slug":"interview-filmmaker-and-ascender-founder-stephen-ford-discusses-video-game-adaptation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/2021\/03\/21\/interview-filmmaker-and-ascender-founder-stephen-ford-discusses-video-game-adaptation\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview: Filmmaker and Ascender Founder Stephen Ford Discusses Video Game Adaptation"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

Game Rant recently caught up with Stephen Ford, the founder and lead creative of Ascender Productions. Ford is an entertainment industry veteran with\u00a0a wide range of experience in both traditional televised shows and online content. Now, Ford has brought Ascender to Kickstarter with hopes of funding a new generation of video game serial and short film adaptations.<\/p>\n

We spoke with Ford about his history with\u00a0filmmaking, his aspirations for Ascender, and the key to successfully\u00a0capturing what makes games great on film. The following interview transcript has been edited for clarity and brevity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

RELATED: Assassin’s Creed Sisterhood Interview: Founder Talks Marketing, Representation, and Moving Forward<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

GR: Can you tell us a little bit about your journey in entertainment and content creation? You have an extremely varied background having worked as an actor, writer, producer, editor, host\u2026 how did you break into these industries?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SF: Honestly, it\u2019s kind of all over the place. The short story is that I got into acting as a kid, working on commercials in Florida for Disneyworld and Universal. Fun little side bar, I was that kid who was in the pre-boarding videos in the line of Jurassic Park: The Ride<\/em>\u2026 which they had running for like 20 years, haha.<\/p>\n

But all that lead to me coming to LA, doing the whole kid actor thing but it was never really fulfilling because your fate is completely out of your hands.<\/p>\n

So I basically started making shorts and sketches with my friends, but because I didn\u2019t have a budget or crew I had to learn how to do everything from scratch; from learning to DP to creating costumes to production management all while usually acting, directing and doing all of the post work. If I hadn\u2019t educated myself on all of those things, nothing would have been made so really it was just out of necessity.<\/p>\n

Which has it\u2019s perks because if something goes wrong or something isn\u2019t great, I can learn from it; but the downside to wearing so many hats is that you often feel like Frodo at the end of\u00a0The\u00a0Lord of The Rings<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

After Teen Wolf<\/em> I got involved heavily in directing and producing, in which I\u2019m just using every little project I do as a chance to become a better storyteller, all while in the frying pan.<\/p>\n

GR: You have acted in shows on the CW and ABC and also produced online content for Machinima and Funny or Die. Can you share some favorite stories from the sets?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

SF: Dude,\u00a0I have way way too many weird stories from over the years both good and bad.<\/p>\n

When filming Private Practice<\/em>, we were\u00a0shooting on the same lot as Castle<\/em>. So being the massive Firefly<\/em> fan that I am, I walked right over in the middle of our lunch break and had the chance to meet my lord and savior, Nathan Fillion, who offered me donuts and was probably like,\u00a0\u2018Why is this kid on my set?\u2019<\/p>\n

While filming Teen Wolf<\/em> in Atlanta for like 6 months, I took my PS3 back and\u00a0forth between LA and Atlanta almost every week and trying to hook up a console to a hotel TV is the worst experience to relive every week. But it kept me company. Filming on location can be super lonely.<\/p>\n

But probably my favorite moment in Hollywood was when I snuck into the premiere of\u00a0Iron Man<\/em>. Bratz<\/em>\u00a0had just come out and the producer of that\u00a0film also produced\u00a0Iron Man<\/em>, he saw me on the carpet and what\u00a0commenced was the coolest night of my life. I hung out with RDJ and the cast of Tropic Thunder<\/em> for like a hot second and\u00a0I was just known as\u00a0\u201cthe Disney kid\u201d which was ironic\u00a0because I hadn\u2019t really been on any Disney shows, haha. But yeah, that was weird.<\/p>\n

GR: What do you think the biggest distinction is between traditional Hollywood production formats and television acting versus generating online content?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SF: It depends.<\/p>\n

Sure, you could say big sets, crew, budgets, casting, blah blah blah. But in terms of creativity and effort? There\u2019s virtually no difference. And as someone who\u2019s been one foot in both worlds for a while I think you\u2019re only limited by your creativity. At the end of the day you\u2019re just trying to create stories that people can relate to and for me creating a little escape from the world.<\/p>\n

Channels like Corridor, Anna Akana, Viva La Dirt League are all creating content that is top tier \u201cHollywood-level\u201d quality but just on a smaller scale. Ultimately it comes down to your limitations on budget, because with enough perseverance to learn abilities, you can create nearly everything.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not the most talented person out there but I care, just like all these other content creators, and I think that forces me to gain new abilities or makes up for any lack of resources that might be the biggest difference between digital content and Hollywood content.<\/p>\n

GR: Tell us about yourself as a gamer. What are your favorite titles, franchises, and genres? Ascender has done\u00a0Hitman<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Call of Duty<\/em>\u00a0series, and you expressed interest in\u00a0Halo: ODST<\/em>,\u00a0Ghost of Tsushima<\/em>, and\u00a0Death Stranding<\/em>, but what other games are you currently enjoying?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SF: My two babysitters growing up were video games and movies, so they molded me into the very odd person I am today.<\/p>\n

My first game was Metal Gear Solid<\/em> on the PS1, which I was way too young to play, but that series (as well as Kojima\u2019s style) has stuck with me ever since. They need to remake that game but we probably won\u2019t get that lucky.<\/p>\n

And while it might be basic, I\u2019m a big Uncharted<\/em> fanboy. Like, I had his\u00a0Sic Parvis Magna\u00a0ring forged in silver and I\u2019ve worn it around my neck for almost ten years, it\u2019s definitely my good luck charm. I\u2019m really interested to see what they\u2019ll do with the Tom Holland movie.<\/p>\n

Right now, I\u2019m playing through Skyrim<\/em> for like the fifth time as I impatiently wait for the next Elder Scrolls<\/em><\/a>. C\u2019mon, Todd. We\u2019re waiting.<\/p>\n

RELATED: G4TV Interview: Returning Hosts Sessler and Pereira Discuss Gen Z Appeal, ‘Shoes,’ and More<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

GR: What do you think makes a good video game narrative, both in the context of gameplay, and in terms of adaptations for different media? How do they differ?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SF: I think it comes down to three things: plot, power and pacing. Plot: An engaging world, interesting characters, art design, etc. Power: The agency a player is given in the plot and how it grows over time in gameplay. Pacing: The marriage of the two in which they compliment, or hinder, each other. They\u2019re like the three pillars that hold up a game\u2019s narrative. For instance, games like Half-Life<\/em>, Doom,<\/em> or Halo<\/em>, you have \u201csilent” protagonists<\/a>. However, your connection to the game stays consistent because the three pillars are complimenting each other to give you an immersive experience.<\/p>\n

This is something I feel is lost on a lot of AAA games now, especially live-service games, beyond any anti-consumer tactics, there is a disconnect between the player and the experience found in older iconic games supported by those three pillars.<\/p>\n

Which is why I think there\u2019s been such a shift of adoration from AAA tentpole games towards indie titles and why single player experiences with rich narratives will continue to do well in the industry.<\/p>\n

GR: Do you think there is a root cause as to why most video game adaptations fall flat?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SF: If we\u2019re being completely honest, it\u2019s likely due to studios and producers meddling in a medium they don\u2019t understand nor are they passionate about.<\/p>\n

You know how movie video game tie-ins were really popular for a long time, but very few of them were actually decent? Most of them felt like off brand versions of pre-existing video games, for instance, Batman Begins<\/em> was literally a\u00a0Splinter Cell<\/em><\/a> re-skin. Obviously this was to save on time and budget, however these games never felt like the movies they were emulating because they felt like other games.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s been the issue with video game movies, but it\u2019s the opposite.<\/p>\n

A studio will get the license to a video game from the publisher and go, \u201cOkay, let\u2019s make a movie based on this popular IP, but let\u2019s play it as safe as possible to we maximize our potential profits.\u201d So they hire a team of people who will execute a by-the-books film that feels like whatever is popular at the time, which is why the Resident Evil<\/em> and Tomb Raider<\/em> films of the early 2000\u2019s feel like 2000\u2019s films. It\u2019s also why they are so incredibly far removed from the source material that they lose both the fans of the IP and a new audience because it was a passionless endeavor that felt like a copy of other films.<\/p>\n

It absolutely stifles creativity, so you\u2019re left with this disappointing hybrid of a film that no one enjoys. There is a certain lack of self-awareness with these adaptations and when they\u2019re being handled by people who don\u2019t even play video games or understand why people connect with gaming experiences, you\u2019ll end up with half-baked \u201ctie-ins\u201d that are made solely to keep the license of a gaming IP and make money.<\/p>\n

GR: Are there any gaming adaptations that you have enjoyed or thought were particularly well-done?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SF: It\u2019s a shame, video game \u201cadaptations\u201d really haven\u2019t had their version of The Dark Knight<\/em>, which fundamentally shifts how people view video game adaptations like The Dark Knight<\/em> did with comic book movies. You\u2019ve had a few that have come close, like Need For Speed<\/em> or the most recent Tomb Raider<\/em>, but they feel like copies of other films that are popular.<\/p>\n

Technically, The Witcher<\/em> has probably been the best adoption so far, but only it\u2019s tone and style seem to be lifted from the game while the books do a heavy lifting but even it too feels like other shows like Game of Thrones.<\/p>\n

I really feel that video game films are the next \u201ccomic book\u201d films; you\u2019ve got Uncharted<\/em>, Halo<\/em>, Mortal Kombat<\/em>, Borderlands<\/em><\/a>, etc. So hopefully they\u2019ve cracked the code and this discourse will be outdated very soon. Let\u2019s hope.<\/p>\n

GR: For those who are unfamiliar, can you give us a brief overview of Ascender and tell us about what kind of content you are looking to create there?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SF: Ascender is basically just me with a camera and a laptop dragging my friends around to make some fun digital content. My eventual goal is to turn it into a small version of Bad Robot where we\u2019re creating TV shows, movies and some small video games; all while continuing to create original content for our YouTube channel.<\/p>\n

It was all born as a Frankenstein\u2019s monster of combing my own production company and the cinematic video game content that I was attempting to create at Machinima, that for a lot of reasons, never got off the ground. But as Machinima began to morph into what it is today, my boss at the time, Jason Dimberg, encouraged me to create.<\/p>\n

GR: Ascender currently has a live Kickstarter campaign that has reached its goal. What is priority one for the funds you have raised?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SF: We\u2019re just pumped to have any kind of budget to create these video game short films that we just would not be able to make without the Kickstarter. Right now I\u2019m sitting with dyes on my hands and paint on my clothes as I attempt to create authentic looking samurai armor for our Ghost of Tsushima<\/em><\/a> short all while spending hour researching locations, tracking down VFX artists and trying to find deals on some camera gear we need to create some shots.<\/p>\n

Thankfully because I\u2019ve been wearing so many hats for so long there are lot of production and post production roles I can fill myself so we can save on budget and pour every cent into what the audience sees on screen from the talent to the wardrobe.<\/p>\n

RELATED: Interview: Actress Anna Rust Talks Industry Trends, Working on Cyberpunk 2077, and More<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

GR: How do you see Ascender fitting into our current ecosystem of gaming entertainment? There\u2019s only so many hours in the day, and there are games themselves, streamers, let\u2019s plays, machinima, cosplayers, fan films\/fiction\/art, and a whole slate of big budget film and show adaptations coming our way\u2026 where do you see Ascender in that landscape, and where do you hope to take it in the future?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SF: This question has left me utterly sad, haha.<\/p>\n

Eventually we want to create highly entertaining escapism with small budgets but high concept, like Blumhouse<\/a> but for action, sci-fi and gaming adaptions.<\/p>\n

But honestly for now, we just want to make some fun content while honing our skills as creators. It\u2019s not about views or making a viral hit, it\u2019s about creating high quality cinematic content for people who will enjoy it, if only to prove that we can be just as awesome as the big guys.<\/p>\n

GR: What is your dream project? If you had creative carte blanche and a blank check to fund a specific film or series, which gaming property would you want to work with?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SF: It feels like all the awesome ones are taken, haha. But I made a promise to the Doom<\/em> community that I will create a good film adaptation within the next five years, so that\u2019s priority number one. Beyond that I think there is a lot of potential in games like Titanfall<\/em><\/a>, Max Payne<\/em> and even Among Us<\/em> to create interesting adaptions. However, when it comes to just a blank check and can do anything, I have a really interesting concept for a Predator<\/em> reboot that I will move heaven and earth to get on the screen.<\/p>\n

GR: If you could hit a button, and immediately bring on any fellow creative to collaborate with you at Ascender, who would be first on the list? Are there any contemporary content creators who routinely inspire you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SF: In the digital scene, I\u2019m a big fan of Corridor Digital and Viva La Dirt League; but I long for the day when I can work with Weta, Amy Hennig and the team at Legendary.<\/p>\n

GR: Do you have any advice for aspiring actors or young creatives who are just starting out?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SF: Don\u2019t wait for other people to give you opportunities that you won\u2019t work for yourself.<\/p>\n

There a lot of actors and creatives who seem to wait for someone to hand them things on a silver platter. There is a sense of \u201cI\u2019m owed this\u201d is a huge problem in this industry. You have to get up every single day and work harder than you worked the day before and even then there is no guarantee that you\u2019ll find success, much less be able to keep a roof over your head while you\u2019re trying to create something from nothing.<\/p>\n

The beauty of being a creative in this time, with YouTube\/Twitch and access to gear that can produce Hollywood-level images, is that you\u2019re truly only limited by your own creativity and the work you\u2019re willing to do.<\/p>\n

[End.]<\/p>\n

MORE: The Witcher’s Roach Gives a Rare Interview for Witchmas<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n\n

\\\"IT\u96fb\u8166\u88dc\u7fd2
\u7acb\u523b\u8a3b\u518a\u53ca\u5831\u540d\u96fb\u8166\u88dc\u7fd2\u8ab2\u7a0b\u5427!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<\/br>Find A Teacher Form:\r\n<\/br>https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/1vREBnX5n262umf4wU5U2pyTwvk9O-JrAgblA-wH9GFQ\/viewform?edit_requested=true#responses\r\n<\/br><\/br>Email:\r\n<\/br>public1989two@gmail.com






\r\nwww.itsec.hk<\/a>
\r\nwww.itsec.vip<\/a>
\r\nwww.itseceu.uk<\/a>
<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Game Rant speaks with actor, writer, and producer Stephen Ford about Ascender, content creation, video game adaptation, and more.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":667,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"Interview: Filmmaker and Ascender Founder Stephen Ford Discusses Video Game Adaptation - ITTeacherITFreelance.hk","description":"Game Rant speaks with actor, writer, and producer Stephen Ford about Ascender, content creation, video game adaptation, and more."},"footnotes":""},"categories":[607],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220893"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/667"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=220893"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220893\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":220894,"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220893\/revisions\/220894"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=220893"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=220893"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=220893"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}