Steven Spielberg’s 1997 video game Director’s Chair has been revived and adapted, and is now available to be played online.
The game, which starred Quentin Tarantino, allowed users to choose their favourite parts of Spielberg-shot footage and create their own version of the film as a director.
Now, game creator and Carnegie University lecturer Paolo Pedercini has launched Director’s Choices, a new reboot of the game which can be played in a web browser.
Pedercini describes the game as “an interactive movie made with bootlegged footage from a terrible ’90s CD-ROM,” and it allows the user to work through on-set problems with Spielberg as he helps you direct the film.
?️New(ish) Release
Steven Spielberg’s Director’s ChoicesAn interactive movie made with bootlegged footage from a terrible ’90s CD-ROM.
Starring Quentin Tarantino, Jennifer Aniston, Penn and Teller.https://t.co/Q0453nXD2O pic.twitter.com/pVYROFpaMO
— Paolo Pedercini (@molleindustria) August 8, 2020
Expanding on the new project in a series of tweets, Pedercini said: “The original game, Steven Spielberg’s Director’s Chair, was an awkward but ambitious film-making simulation, in which Spielberg coached you from pre-production to premiere. It was meant to inspire a new generation of directors…
“…unfortunately it tried to be a bit too realistic when simulating all the logistical challenges of movie production and left very little room for creativity. The player had very limited agency when writing and shooting the film.”
He added: “All these limited choices had film coverage to support them, so buried in the CD-ROM there was enough footage to make a Bandersnatch-style Choose Your Own Movie.
“By the way the footage was totally raw, I had to edit all the clips, add sounds and music. I also upscaled the ultra low res videos with an AI-tool. Very stupid project, I don’t recommend.”
Earlier this year, Steven Spielberg pulled out of directing the upcoming Indiana Jones 5 film. He has, though, rebooted his 1985 TV series Amazing Stories for five new episodes on Apple TV+, which began streaming back in March.
