Cross-Pollinated Pixels

As a celluloid-based experimental filmmaker, I stumbled into the independent games community by accident, at a time when I needed it most. New to games, I found a kinship among a new community and was struck by the deep similarities that exist between artists’ moving image and independent games. I’d like to explore how experimental film and dating sims/indie games are very similar in terms of art practice, narrative exploration, information delivery, and expression and essay techniques by looking at dating sims, VR essays, and interactive diaries through a queer experimental filmmaker’s perspective (and maybe a little plant metaphor). My goal is to discuss examples from both film and game industries and discuss the natural crossover / cross-pollination that exists already, and make a case for deeper collaboration between the two. I’d also like to discuss that the way we exhibit these works should also not be binary - instead, I argue that we should invite both communities to view works in each other’s methods of exhibition, and expand the way we approach each critically.