Recently I spoke with Robin Block; CEO fo CreatorVC who are currently working on a new gaming documentary called “FPS” which examines the rise of the popular gaming format and interviews key people associated with the genre.
How did the idea for the Documentary come about?
After the success of our genre-film documentaries (“In Search of the Last Action Heroes” & “In Search of Darkness Part 1&2”),I wanted to move into games, as it’s a fascinating, creative and diverse subject to explore. There is a significant correlation between how film fans feel about their favorite movies and how gamers feel about their favorite games. We saw an opportunity to create a genre-defining documentary that gamers will love. We want to make our audience feel the way they did back when they first played these games. Nostalgia is a huge part of the experience we’re creating.
What is your background in the industry?
I’ve been producing factual entertainment for my entire career and have delivered 3 feature-length critically acclaimed documentaries in the last 3 years. As far as games goes, my producer, David L. Craddock, is a respected games journalist and has literally written the book on FPS.
How long did it take to create a list of who you wanted to take part in the project?
We began working on the project in January 2021 and had created our ultimate contributor wish list by the end of May. The team is delighted with the world-class lineup of game icons we’ve brought together and the support they’ve lent to promoting the project. It’s the greatest lineup of game icons ever assembled on screen. We are making history and backers get the opportunity to join us for the journey.
What was the initial reaction when you approached people in terms of how hard did you have to sell it?
Due to the success of our groundbreaking mega-documentaries (4+ hour runtimes), it wasn’t a difficult process to sell. Our mission is to celebrate the FPS genre and create an amazing and memorable experience for our audience of FPS superfans. Our contributors recognized the authenticity and sincerity behind what we’re aiming to achieve.
With the project on Kickstarter; how much were you able to do up to this point and has the scope expanded based on support?
For us, Kickstarter is not just about raising money but it’s more about validating a project and building an audience of super-fans. Crowdfunding is an essential part of our DNA as our work is entirely audience-driven. I don’t think of us as being in the film or TV industry, I believe we are pioneering a new medium of community-powered entertainment. It’s a difficult question to quantify but our mission is to build a tribe of FPS superfans who we can create for. The scope of all our projects is ambitious and that hasn’t changed regardless of the fundraising outcome.
What sets this Documentary apart from other game Documentaries?
I believe there’s a vacuum at the top of the game documentary food chain and that’s where we’re aiming to land. I’ve never watched a game documentary that made me fall in love with video games all over again and that’s our mission. We want to create an unrivalled entertainment experience for FPS superfans. We have no need to water this down for a mainstream audience such as you would find on Netflix/Amazon Prime. We’re niche by design.
What are some of your favorite FPS games and what are you looking forward to?
For me, DOOM and Halo 2. Halo 2 changed my life. It was like being able to see for the first time. The world-building, the characters and most importantly the immersive gameplay. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before. I’m looking forward to feeling that way again.
In regard to filming; how much travel was involved, how much of it was remote, and how bad did Covid impact the project?
Production doesn’t begin until September (after we close the crowdfunding campaign). We expect minimal disruption from COVID and have been powering through interviews for our Sci-Fi documentary In Search of Tomorrow (which gets released in December).
When do you plan to have the project completed?
Q4 2022
Do you have a release platform in place?
No, we don’t. Our primary focus is delivering for our backers. We turn down 99% of distribution offers, as we are a direct-to-consumer company and are always building a direct relationship with our audience.
