12/3/2007
spencer halpin to screen moral kombat at flashpoint
What: Screening of documentary film Spencer Halpin's Moral Kombat
When: December 18, 2007
Time: 10am & 1 pm
Where: Flashpoint Screening Room
I knew that I wanted my first feature film to be a documentary and was hoping that it would be both topical and hopefully shine a light on a subject that needed it. The more I learned about violence in video games, the more compelled I was to tackle the subject matter. It’s so visceral… The interviewees are really intelligent, interesting folks who all care very passionately about the issue, which makes the story that much better in my opinion.
-Spencer Halpin
Overview from Wikipedia.com
Shot entirely in high-definition video, the full-length feature documentary studies the controversial, polarizing subject of the video game controversy through a series of interviews with experts on both sides of the matter – some believing that violent games should be banned, others supporting their protection under the First Amendment.
The film makes extensive use of green screen technology to blend the subject matter being discussed (games, characters, archival news footage) in the background, while keeping the interviewee actively in the shot.
The trailer was uploaded to YouTube on December 27, 2006 and was met with overwhelming concern and dismay from gamers around the globe who felt it sensationalized the topic and serves as a rhetoric piece for anti-games and anti-gamer activists and political figures. The trailer was viewed over 100,000 times in the coming weekend and spurred debate on scores of websites.
Interviewed in the film are leading politicians, journalists, academics, consumer advocates and special interest group executives, game developers, retailers, trade associations and publishers. The interviewees among others, include: Dr. David Walsh, Jack Thompson, Dr. Michael Rich, Lorne Lanning, Greg Fischbach, Dean Takahashi, Jeff Griffiths, John Marmaduke, Pamela Eakes, Andy McNamara, Greg Ballard, Bob McKenzie, American McGee, Hal Halpin (Spencer Halpin's brother), Lt. Col Grossman, Phil O'Neil, Marie Sylla, Ed Williams, Richard Ow, Dr. Henry Jenkins, and Jason Della Rocca.
More Information
"Moral Kombat": Documenting the Game Industry by Bija Gutoff
GamePolitics.com: "Moral Kombat Movie Trailer Released - Film Explores Game Violence Controversy"
"Why You Should See Spencer Halpin's Moral Kombat (Parts One & Two)" by Henry Jenkins, Director of the MIT Comparative Media Studies Program and the Peter de Florez Professor of Humanities
