NEW YORK (AP)—As the film industry grapples with unpredictable weather, overtime costs, and fading daylight, filmmakers are now facing a new challenge: the potential of their cast slipping off a blimp. This quirky scenario emerges from the making of Grand Theft Hamlet, a documentary that captures British actors Sam Crane and Mark Oosterveen as they adapt Shakespeare’s Hamlet within the chaotic, virtual world of Grand Theft Auto.
A Unique Stage for Shakespeare
In Grand Theft Hamlet, the actors’ avatars navigate the game’s violent landscape while delivering classic lines. The film, which Mubi will release in January, showcases the juxtaposition of Shakespearean drama and the absurdity of the gaming environment. As Crane recalls, performing in such a space felt reminiscent of the Globe Theatre, where audience members might throw fruit at a poor performance.
The creativity doesn’t stop there. Filmmakers are increasingly drawn to virtual environments as storytelling platforms. The Remarkable Life of Ibelin, released on Netflix, explores the life of Mats Steen, a Norwegian gamer who found solace and community in World of Warcraft before his death from muscular dystrophy.
The New Frontier of Documentaries
Filmmakers are venturing into these digital realms with curiosity and exploration. Knit’s Island, streaming on Metrograph at Home, is another example of this trend. It is primarily set within the survival game DayZ. Filmmakers don the avatars of documentarians, seeking interviews from high-kill players in a world where survival is essential.
Pinny Grylls, who co-directed Grand Theft Hamlet, emphasizes that filmmakers simply reflect the changing landscape of human interaction. “More and more people are living in these virtual gaming spaces online,” she notes, underscoring the relevance of these projects in today’s digital culture.
Bridging the Gap Between Worlds
The surge in interest comes as the gaming industry solidifies its status as a dominant entertainment medium. The lines between film and video games are blurring, with increasing examples of machinima—films created using game engines. Grand Theft Hamlet, Ibelin, and Knit’s Island are pioneering projects that embrace this hybrid approach.
In The Remarkable Life of Ibelin, director Benjamin Ree aimed to tell Steen’s story through the vibrant virtual life he led as Ibelin in World of Warcraft. Ree’s team meticulously animated Steen’s experiences, crafting a narrative honouring his real life and gaming legacy. The film’s emotional weight resonates deeply with Steen’s family and friends, providing them a means to heal and remember.
Innovation and Challenges in Virtual Filmmaking
For Grand Theft Hamlet, Crane and Grylls had to innovate continuously, learning to capture footage and edit it within a game world. With nearly every rehearsal leading to chaos, they realized they had the freedom to create a Shakespearean production on a “billion-dollar budget,” complete with unexpected elements like the DeLorean from Back to the Future.
As these filmmakers push the boundaries of traditional storytelling, they also cultivate communities around their work. Grand Theft Hamlet has garnered acclaim at film festivals, proving that projects created in isolation can resonate widely.
Conclusion
The emergence of films like Grand Theft Hamlet and The Remarkable Life of Ibelin represents a significant evolution in cinematic storytelling that recognizes and embraces the cultural significance of virtual spaces. As audiences continue to engage with these digital worlds, filmmakers are likely to explore even more innovative ways to connect and tell stories that matter.
