Books, films and games have formed a stable, increasingly intensive and, above all, reciprocal relationship in recent years. The days when a literary source invariably marked the beginning of the value chain are over: films adapted from games are produced alongside books based on films and games based on books.
To coincide with the Frankfurt Book Fair, GAMEplaces on 16 October is therefore devoted to marketing and networking content across books, films and games. Following the discussion and with the support of 20th Century Fox of Germany, GAMEplaces will present the cinema production Hitman as an example. According to Box Office Mojo in the United States, the film ranks tenth among the most successful game adaptations since 1980.
While a game based on a film usually aims to make the source film’s story playable, the reverse adaptation focuses on developing a plausible variant based on an open-ended game plot. Unlike a traditional book source, the interactive medium of games does not provide the screenwriter with a clearly defined linear story. It is also beyond question that books, films and games do not necessarily target the same audiences: gamers may or may not be film fans or avid readers, while enthusiastic cinema-goers may discover a particular computer game only through its film adaptation. Successful adaptations can therefore reach a broader audience. But what does successful project development at the intersection of books, films and games look like? Which cross-media marketing and distribution strategies offer the greatest promise? These are the questions GAMEplaces aims to ask, discuss and answer.
Guests at GAMEplaces on 16 October:
Frieder Bartussek, Product Manager, Atari Germany, whose titles include The Witcher, Asterix and Arthur and the Invisibles
Christoph Weidner, Managing Director, MultiMediaManufaktur, whose titles include The Wild Soccer Bunch and Laura’s Star
Lars Fanter, Online and Mobile Marketing Manager, Anti-Piracy Solutions, Constantin Film, whose titles include Resident Evil
Andreas Balfanz, Product Manager Marketing & PR, RTL Games, whose titles include Alarm for Cobra 11
Moderator: Götz Klingelhöfer, Krawall Gaming Network
GAMEplaces is an initiative of Frankfurt Economic Development GmbH, the German Interactive Entertainment Software Association (BIU), and Weber Networking GmbH. Initiative partners are Hessen-IT and Red Carpet Event. Through the event series launched in April 2006, the organisers aim to raise awareness of games and gaming.
The initiative seeks to encourage and strengthen networks both within the industry and across different sectors. GAMEplaces is aimed primarily at decision-makers from the games and media industries, politicians, journalists and the interested public, and takes place four times a year. Each event examines a particular aspect of the broader subject, critically exploring its potential from different perspectives. More information about GAMEplaces is available at http://www.gameplaces.de, where visitors can also register for the upcoming event.