'Dystopian Dark Comedy' Not For Broadcast Uses Theatrical Experience to Advance FMV
Full-motion video (FMV) games are an interesting breed, displaying action with pre-recorded footage. The genre dates back to arcade titles like Dragon's Lair in 1983, known for its traditional hand-drawn animation by Don Bluth. However, more people likely associate the term «FMV» with games utilizing live-action footage, such as Night Trap (1992) and Critical Path (1993); or others that mix gameplay with live cutscenes like Command & Conquer (1995). Though FMV has fallen off in popularity, games like Not For Broadcast keep the spirit alive.
NotGames co-creator and director Jason «Jay» Orbaum said FMV often works against a game because it «plunges sets into the uncanny valley,» particularly in titles where players are meant to be in the world like Command & Conquer. He feels Night Trap set a better standard by supplementing its limited capabilities with camp, but said the best way to attempt this format is not pretending footage is something it's not. Game Rant spoke to Orbaum and CEO Andrew «Andy» Murray about NotGames' approach to FMV, and how it was informed by the team's wider experience in entertainment.
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The unapologetically British NotGames is «far from your traditional dev company» according to Murray, as its core creative team — Orbaum, Murray, Alex Paterson, and Denis Sewell — have roots in television, film, and theater. They met through Orbaum's production company doing work for a youth theater charity, around when Murray attended classes at Nottingham Trent University in the early 2010s. According to Murray's LinkedIn, NotGames was founded to save their charity, with eight or nine people working out of Orbaum's lounge to
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