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[Amir0x]

Psh to this entire thread.

We all know that - Studio Ghibli > *

Heck, even the guys at Pixar are fans of their work

Studio Ghibli does, indeed, own.

 

[radioheadrule83]

Says the man with a Zelda avatar. Seriously, you're looking at this from a foggy viewpoint. Using the current Zelda universe as a guide, it would make for a very shitty movie. They would need to change many fundamental things about the story in order for it to be interesting. I'm happy that there's ALWAYS a Nintendo fan waiting around the wings to think Nintendo can do no wrong, but it just isn't true. These stories aren't compelling, especially when the focus is just story and no interactivity, and they're simply not suited for movies as they are. So much would have to change to make them suited for the cinema that it would be better off not calling it Zelda. At least this way we won't have to read thirty threads from fanboys who know shit about movies crying about how Link's shield isn't supposed to be that particular shade of grey.

Normally it's a simpsons avatar, but my photobucket account's bandwidth has been exceeded.

I don't actually think I'm looking at this from a foggy viewpoint, and I think you'd be wrong to pidgeon-hole me as the Nintendo fan waiting around the corner or someone who knows shit about movies. I'm on a year out at the moment in Media & Communication; I've done so much semiotic, text analysis and research of Frankfurt School, Foucault, Butler, Giddens and more contemporary thinkers that it hurts my brain now just thinking about it. In fact, one of the things I like about Pixar movies is the sheer simplicity in executing such unsurpassable entertainment for all the family. You don't have to be some pedantic film student to appreciate them, even if they are works of art. The practical side of things is not lost on me either, although (of course) I've not had any hands on experience to speak of or anything. But I am probably above the norm in terms of what I know.

Granted, Nintendo franchises are perhaps even simpler than these. I can see how it could conceivably be detrimental to the brands and the essence of what these things are to bring them over to film, but I'm not of the opinion this is impossible or even unlikely. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying Nintendo can waltz right in and compete with Pixar... but what I'm saying is - with the right writers, they could create a great animation house. Kensuke Tanebe is a talented script writer in the video game world, he would make an excellent advisor on film versions of titles like Metroid or Legend of Zelda. Those two franchises imparticular I feel, are entirely suitable for conversion to film. With a Mario movie, as has already been exemplified by the live-action movie, it's hard to realise a celluloid mushroom kingdom and carve out a story, which will in turn create the same kind of broad appeal the video games can. Most Nintendo games at their heart are all about the gameplay experience, and story is superfluous. However, with the Metroid and Zelda franchises - there are distinct timelines emerging - a history. These are the franchises that Nintendo has already started to go cinematic with. I think that now, the tools are pretty much in place to make a screenplay for either without completely eviscerating what the series' are about. Take Zelda: the constant return of Ganon and Link is not too dissimilar from the idea put forth in Ridley Scott's Legend. When Darkness talks to Jack he tells him there cannot be light without darkness - as long as there is good, there will always be evil. A Zelda movie, in homage to one of it's main inspirations, could heavily play on this idea. There is the whole notion of a kingdom of Hyrule, in the shadows of Death Mountain, with it's plains, deserts and settlers of the ever recurring Kakariko Village. For exposition purposes, there is the bloodline of the Hyrulian Knights to investigate, the creation of the world and the triforce (essentially a Holy Grail like artifact) by the Goddesses, the prophesies of a hero, sages, Hyrule's various indiginous races. And Gannondorf! Nintendo has only just started playing with this guy's potential as a reluctant madman and supervillain. There is SO much to play with, its rediculous. So we definately disagree on this. I think there's probably just as much content that you get creative with in the Metroid universe too.

All you have to do to avoid them being shit, is give them a good budget, get your most talented people on it, hire other talented people - and keep it the fuck away from Paul Thomas Anderson.

 

[Amir0x]

Normally it's a simpsons avatar, but my photobucket account's bandwidth has been exceeded.

I don't actually think I'm looking at this from a foggy viewpoint, and I think you'd be wrong to pidgeon-hole me as the Nintendo fan waiting around the corner or someone who knows shit about movies. I'm on a year out at the moment in Media & Communication; I've done so much semiotic, text analysis and research of Frankfurt School, Foucault, Butler, Giddens and more contemporary thinkers that it hurts my brain. In fact, one of the things I like about Pixar movies is the sheer simplicity in executing such unsurpassable entertainment for all the family. You don't have to be some pedantic film studo to appreciate them, even if they are works of art.

I whole mention of the Zelda avatar and such was me just...teasing. I guess I should have put a lol smilie or something to indicate that, but in retrospect I didn't come off clear.

Granted, Nintendo franchises are perhaps even simpler than these. Perhaps to their detriment when you try and bring them into film form. And I'm not saying Nintendo can waltz right in and compete with Pixar... but what I'm saying is - with the right writers, they could create a great animation house. Kensuke Tanebe is a talented script writer in the video game world, he would make an excellent advisor on film versions of titles like Metroid or Legend of Zelda. Those two franchises imparticular I feel, are entirely suitable for conversion to film. With a Mario movie, as has already been exemplified by the life-action movie, it's hard to realise a mushroom kingdom and carve out a story with the kind of broad appeal the video games have. However, with the Metroid and Zelda franchises - there are distinct timelines emerging - a history. I think that now, the tools are pretty much in place to make a screenplay for either without completely eviscerating what the series' are about.

Take Zelda: the constant return of Ganon and Link is not too dissimilar from the idea put forth in Ridley Scott's Legend. When Darkness talks to Jack he tells him there cannot be light without darkness - as long as there is good, there will always be evil. A Zelda movie, in homage to one of it's main inspirations, could heavily play on this idea. There is the whole notion of a kingdom of Hyrule, in the shadows of Death Mountain, with it's plains, deserts and settlers of the ever recurring Kakariko Village. For exposition purposes, there is the bloodline of the Hyrulian Knights to investigate, the creation of the world and the triforce (essentially a Holy Grail like artifact) by the Goddesses, the prophesies of a hero, sages, Hyrule's various indiginous races. There is SO much to play with, its rediculous. So we definately disagree on this. I think there's probably just as much content that you get creative with in the Metroid universe too.

Jesus, you've put a ton of thought into this I see. You make a lot of decent points, even though I hate Legend a whole lot.

All you have to do to avoid them being shit, is give them a good budget, get your most talented people on it, hire other talented people - and keep it the fuck away from Paul Thomas Anderson.

I think they'd need to hire talent independently of the videogame world. I honestly don't think their is much talent from the storytelling perspective within the videogame world, which is surprising considering the vast possibilities presented by genres such as RPGs. When you compare stories in games to stories in books or movies, the difference is vast. I think if they DID make a Zelda movie, it'd be best to hand it over to someone independent of the gaming world. At most, they could have an advisor there to make sure they stay true to the basic style of characters, etc... Although, they'd have to revise the Link outfit a lot. A fairy looking Robin Hood with green tights just ain't going to fly in this day and age. :lol

And there's still no way I can see any good coming out of Mario franchise, so I disagree still 100% with that.

Anyway, I'd rather them just create an entirely new movie and not go with any established game franchises. It's just an excersize in futility.

 

[soundwave05]

Nintendo seems serious about the animation division, and I think it could be a part of seeing the company evolve and change in the next five years.

I think they'll be more like a Studio Ghibli type studio though (hand drawn anime with possible CGI backgrounds) than a Pixar type studio.

It's possible that they may sign a deal with Dreamworks or even Disney to distribute their films outside of Japan.

I would not expect a Zelda/Mario type thing though. Their first feature is based off of mideval Japanese poetry, I think they're serious about making real animated movies (something like Spirited Away which won an Oscar), not just cheap cartoons.

 

[radioheadrule83]

I whole mention of the Zelda avatar and such was me just...teasing. I guess I should have put a lol smilie or something to indicate that, but in retrospect I didn't come off clear.

Nah I know, it's cool

Jesus, you've put a ton of thought into this I see. You make a lot of decent points, even though I hate Legend a whole lot.

I think it's a visual treat. All soundstage work. The outdoor areas still look beautiful. Not the best fairy tale in the world, but not bad... provided you watch the European transfer with superior soundtrack and mostly uncut. I'm still looking foreward to Scott's uncut DVD. If it ever comes.

I think they'd need to hire talent independently of the videogame world. I honestly don't think their is much talent from the storytelling perspective within the videogame world, which is surprising considering the vast possibilities presented by genres such as RPGs. When you compare stories in games to stories in books or movies, the difference is vast. I think if they DID make a Zelda movie, it'd be best to hand it over to someone independent of the gaming world. At most, they could have an advisor there to make sure they stay true to the basic style of characters, etc... Although, they'd have to revise the Link outfit a lot. A fairy looking Robin Hood with green tights just ain't going to fly in this day and age. :lol

And there's still no way I can see any good coming out of Mario franchise, so I disagree still 100% with that.

Anyway, I'd rather them just create an entirely new movie and not go with any established game franchises. It's just an excersize in futility.

Yeah that's pretty much what I meant by someone like Tenabe being an advisor or something. He's penned the best scripts (more like skeleton scripts relatively speaking) for the Zelda games IMO, so he'd be a good consultant on story. As for style... well, personally I'd like to see a flambouyant CG movie, with a more detailed take on Wind Wakers style. But that probably wouldn't go down well here :lol

I would not expect a Zelda/Mario type thing though. Their first feature is based off of mideval Japanese poetry, I think they're serious about making real animated movies (something like Spirited Away which won an Oscar), not just cheap cartoons.

I personally wouldn't have a problem with that. Nintendo may be a brand of integrity in the video game world, but they'd have to build a whole new reputation in animation. Starting with "another one of them video game movies" probably wouldn't be all that hot. I'd love to see an inventive take on an existing fable. Something more pensive and artistic would be more likely to win them critical acclaim and attention anyway.

I wish em all the best, as you might have guessed

 

[soundwave05]

While I would expect some of their animation staff to be former artists from the game division, I think most of Nintendo Animation's staff will come from other anime studios in Japan.

Nintendo entering anime is a bit like Sony entering video games ... they are a very large corporate entity in regards to most anime outfits and there's probably going to be a lot of people in the anime industry that want to work for them.

I think eventually you will see feature film animation become more and more of a staple of Nintendo's business.

BTW: If you're wondering why Nintendo might be so interested in the animated movie business, in Japan Miyazaki's new film just opened and is shattering box office records and it could end up with almost $500 million in box office in Japan alone.

http://forums.gaming-age.com/showthread.php?t=24516

To put that in perspective that's more than Spider-Man, The Passion, Shrek 2, Finding Nemo, or Star Wars Episode I made in North America. In fact it's more than any movie has made in North America (since the early 80s) save for Titanic.

That is *unbelievable* also considering Miyazaki's movies have a modest budget of $20-$30 million.

 

[maharg]

If there's one thing this thread demonstrates, it's that Nintendo fanboys ain't got nothing on Pixar fanboys.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Says the man with a Zelda avatar. Seriously, you're looking at this from a foggy viewpoint. Using the current Zelda universe as a guide, it would make for a very shitty movie. They would need to change many fundamental things about the story in order for it to be interesting. I'm happy that there's ALWAYS a Nintendo fan waiting around the wings to think Nintendo can do no wrong, but it just isn't true. These stories aren't compelling, especially when the focus is just story and no interactivity, and they're simply not suited for movies as they are. So much would have to change to make them suited for the cinema that it would be better off not calling it Zelda. At least this way we won't have to read thirty threads from fanboys who know shit about movies crying about how Link's shield isn't supposed to be that particular shade of grey.

and what the hell is so "compelling" about a group of toys that have to go on a journey to save another toy, or fish that has to save another fish, yet those made for fairly entertaining movies.

 

[Idiot Member]

I can tell you with the emerging studios of Sony Pictures Animation and LucasFilm Animation, Nintendo has no chance of emerging in the industry. Especially not if SPA, Fox, or Time Warner buy pixar or get a distribution deal with them.

 

[soundwave05]

I think you're taking a far too American approach to the issue.

Nintendo doesn't give a rats ass about Pixar or Dreamworks Animation.

They're looking at Studio Ghibli at Mr. Miyazaki, who's latest film in Japan alone is on pace to make more money than Finding Nemo, Shrek 2, The Passion, and Spider-Man did here in North America. That is *unbelievable*.

The only motion picture in the "home video era" (post 1983 or so) that has ever made more than $450 million in a single market is Titanic, Mr. Miyazaki's modestly budgeted hand drawn anime film in Japan may become the second to do so.

Anime is still a monsterous market in Japan alone and Nintendo could become a major player there, and then use that to build in overseas markets (this is the exact same pattern they've followed with their success in the game business via the Famicom and also with the Pokemon craze -- start in Japan, popularize there, then expand outwards).

 

[Idiot Member]

I hadn't heard that howl did THAT good...

 

[ge-man]

:lol
I think you're having a hard time seperating premise from depth. Having a premise that has been used before or a simplistic premise doesn't make something lack depth.

I'm not even going to bother with your self-fellating part of this post.

Okay then--please tell me where the depth is in a Pixar film. What exactly are talking about when you say depth, because it isn't clear to me.

 

[Tellaerin]

I don't think you realize just how lame a movie that would make. My love of Zelda aside, a good story needs to have quite a bit more depth than "I NEED TRIFORCE OF POWAR NO GANONDORF DONT HATE ON ZELDA I WILL SAVE TEH DAY."

Like, 'OH TEH NOES!!! EVERYBODY WANTS TEH RING OF POWER BUT IT WILL TURN YUO EVIL SO WE MUST THROW IT IN TEH GIANT VOLCANO INSTEAD!!!11!', perhaps? Seriously, it wouldn't be difficult to build an epic fantasy film around characters and themes introduced in the Zelda franchise--there's a lot of potential there for a good scriptwriter to harness.

 

[Drek]

I think you're taking a far too American approach to the issue.

Nintendo doesn't give a rats ass about Pixar or Dreamworks Animation.

They're looking at Studio Ghibli at Mr. Miyazaki, who's latest film in Japan alone is on pace to make more money than Finding Nemo, Shrek 2, The Passion, and Spider-Man did here in North America. That is *unbelievable*.

Nintendo has a better shot of being the next Pixar or Disney than they do the next Studio Ghibli. Not only is there just no one else like Miyazaki to make movies for them, you need to keep in mind that Ghibli isn't even grouped with other anime for the most part anymore.

Nice story for you. I work for my university's multicultural programs department, helping various groups design, plan, and run activities for all of campus or just themselves. I've had a lot of experience with our asian students association, about 50% japanese. Having talked to all of them pretty extensively maybe five out of all 70 asian students at this university are even remotely interested in anime. However, when Spirited Away came out every damn one of them saw it the first chance they could when they went home. Most paying well over $20 U.S. for their movie tickets. Getting a following like that isn't something a company can set out to do, its something they earn through years of dedication to delivering an amazing product every time out.

Ghibli is the worst example of an anime company making huge money, thats like using Conagra foods as an example towards how farming is big money.

 

[soundwave05]

Yeah, that's where Nintendo wants to be eventually though I think.

They have long admired Mr. Miyazaki.

Of course it takes a while to establish yourself in a new business, Nintendo was in the game business a good six or seven years in a serious manner before the Famicom would launch them to the position of video game royality, and even then it would be a few more years before the Famicom (NES) had any impact beyond just Japan.

What I'm saying though is Nintendo is a Japanese company and thus looks at things from a Japanese perspective. I don't think they're looking at what Pixar is doing (and I would be surprised if they do all-CGI work, it'll probably be hand drawn art work with some CGI backgrounds as is common in Japan).

Nintendo Animation I have little doubt will be a long term investment for the company.

Here in the West all we think about is CGI animation with bugs or toys or other themes, whereas in Japan animation is thought of in much broader strokes and can encompass much darker themes.

That's the difference, when people here think Nintendo + animation, they automatically think "oh Pixar!", but I don't think that's the case. Pixar is not making movies about a mideval Japanese poet ... that's something more akin to what Studio Ghibli would tackle.

 

[Drek]

Like, 'OH TEH NOES!!! EVERYBODY WANTS TEH RING OF POWER BUT IT WILL TURN YUO EVIL SO WE MUST THROW IT IN TEH GIANT VOLCANO INSTEAD!!!11!', perhaps? Seriously, it wouldn't be difficult to build an epic fantasy film around characters and themes introduced in the Zelda franchise--there's a lot of potential there for a good scriptwriter to harness.

I know on the surface to many people now the LoTR series seems very trite and generic, but keep in mind that they were released in the late 50's/early 60's and written well before that. Unless you were a huge european folklore buff to the extent that you translated the Kalevala, or tracked down stray scraps of old english myth, (both of which Tolkien did when writting his books) the content in the series was largely new content at the time. Even still, Tolkien's ability as a writter to capture his audiance's imagination is so far into the realms of the elite that it borders on unsurpassed. Read his translations of ancient english poetry, such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight or The Pearl and see how effortlessly he transformed old english tales into enjoyable reads for even today's borderline illiterate masses. The movie script writters had no real work to do except translating and removing a few parts that would cause the movie to run long. What actual content changes they made did nothing but hinder the overall story.

If Nintendo can somehow dig up the next Tolkien to write the script to a Zelda movie I'm sure it'd be great, but best of luck with that. Video game movies are hindered by two things, rigidity of the series' already existing storyline by how generic they tend to be and a lack of much depth outside of that generic foundation. A scriptwritter needs to be very, very good to fill in on top of that generic foundation an enjoyable script that can simultaneously distract the audiance form just how vanilla the basic plot is while still making them very attentative to all the other, more unique or interesting parts. Something along the lines of how 28 Days Later was written where they do a very admirable job hiding the fact that its yet another zombie movie by having all of the other aspects of it be a change from that generic plot.

How could this be done with Zelda I don't know, but then I'm not even a bad screen writter, let alone the elite scribe that would actually be required for such a movie to break from the beaten path of shit video game movies and be noteworthy.

 

[soundwave05]

I think Nintendo Animation should stay away from using Nintendo characters at first.

And it looks like that's what they're doing for now.

I also think Miyamoto has said he would not want a Zelda movie/anime made because it may force the game designers to work within a certain context.

 

[Dan]

The only motion picture in the "home video era" (post 1983 or so) that has ever made more than $450 million in a single market is Titanic, Mr. Miyazaki's modestly budgeted hand drawn anime film in Japan may become the second to do so.

How many times does it have to be said on these boards that you cannot ignore inflation when comparing dollar values from different years? If you're looking at $450 million in today's money, SW: The Phantom Menace, The Lion King, Forest Gump and Jurassic Park all passed that mark by wide margins in the US.

 

[Sho Nuff]

Waste that cash, Nintendo!

 

[capslock]

No surprise, but thats why there are mulitple computers working on the same project. Its called a Render Farm by most. I'm not sure how many computers they have, but it can be virtually unlimited. Computers also work 24/7 unlike humans. But, it still takes forever, but its not as bad when you have 60+ computers working on a project. One minute of film every 4 hours is not as bad.

That's not one minute of film every four hours with 60 computers, since we are talking frames here, and it's 24 frames per second. So it comes to about 2.5 seconds of film every four hours.

 

[Gaia Theory]

One thing is for sure, Nintendo would be much wiser to partner with Pixar and/or Studio Ghibli than to try and upstage either of them.

If Nintendo goes completely on their own in the movie business, I hope that they go the CG route, as the thought of more live action Nintendo movies starring Dennis Hopper REALLY scares me!

That said, Nintendo will NEVER be Pixar in the movie business, but they'd be clever to try and aim for quality at least half as good.

 

[Jak140]

"Nintendo is in the business of making games, no DVD playback for you!"

 

[FoneBone]

All you have to do to avoid them being shit, is give them a good budget, get your most talented people on it, hire other talented people - and keep it the fuck away from Paul Thomas Anderson.

I think you're geting the Paul Andersons confused -- Paul Thomas Anderson is the guy who directed Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and Punch-Drunk Love.

 

[radioheadrule83]

I think you're geting the Paul Andersons confused -- Paul Thomas Anderson is the guy who directed Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and Punch-Drunk Love.

Eek! Quite right! Well spotted. That was the weakest part of my post in general already. AH well. The latter two films are awesome as well IIRC :lol

Way to kill my own points

Carry on!

 

[xsarien]

I'm sorry, do you know just what it would take to "upstage" the creative geniuses at Pixar. Let's put aside Nintendo's other horrific film ventures not in the animation field for a moment. Let's put aside the garbage Pokemon films. Let's put that all aside. Do you realize what it would take? The sheer writing talent they would have to gather to "upstage" John Lasseter or Brad Bird?

OK, just real quick here?
Those horrific Nintendo movies - from The Wizard to SMB - weren't produced by Nintendo. They just whored out the licenses/rights to people who had money in mind, not quality film making. The best comparison you can make here is Pixar and Square.

(Wait, I take half of that back. The folks who made the SMB movie created Max Headroom, and Max Headroom RULES.)