We hear it often said that directors’ should always be in their teens, due to the fact that most films are driven by today’s youth culture. However, the fact is that many successful directors began their careers well before the digital age. Michael Pattinson’s remarkable career proves that age is certainly no obstacle – maybe even an advantage, given the opportunities that he’s been able to explore and the freedom that he’s been able to exercise.
An Early Career
Pattinson certainly didn’t follow the crowd – in fact, he was one of the first people to recognize the potential of video games to tell stories. After several years of working with games, he turned his attention to feature films, and his first short film, Nightfall, was an indie hit, earning him critical acclaim and leading to an offer to direct the movie Silent Souls for Triotech. According to Pattinson, the game’s creators, he was the first person to understand their vision and help shape their film.
An Expanded Toolbox
While Silent Souls wasn’t the first film that he directed, it was the one that put him on the map. What’s more is that it introduced him to a wider audience, earning over 70 million viewers on Netflix. He followed this up with another acclaimed movie, God’s Pocket, which he wrote and directed, based on a short story by J. R. R. Tolkein.
Pattinson’s versatility is further demonstrated by the fact that he’s directed not only films, but also music videos, interviews, and VR experiences. He’s also directed episodes of several TV shows, including American Gods, The Handmaid’s Tale, and The Game Changers. On the VR side, he’s directed several short films, including Sins, as well as the Immersive Storytelling trilogy, which explores the medium’s potential in greater depth. Finally, he also directed a six-part VR series, The Surreal Tourist, for Google Cardboard, earning him a place on our 2020 list of the most influential people in VR.
A Director To Watch
Pattinson is certainly someone to watch in the coming years. Not only does he have a promising future as a director, but he’s also become a brand himself. Notable projects on the horizon include the Godzilla: King of the Mountain remake, Logan, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. We’d also like to see more from Pattinson in the future as a writer, due to his immense talent in that area as well.
The Industry Is Changing
While we often focus on the big Hollywood tent-poles when it comes to comparing the film industry to other mediums, video games have quietly been making advances towards entering the arena. The industry now realizes the importance of story in games, and developers are no longer satisfied with simply providing a gameplay experience. Thanks to advances in technology, we’re seeing more and more interesting stories being told through gameplay, whether it’s through an integrated cut-scene or an interactive narrative.
Thanks to platforms like Nintendo Switch, which allows for versatile gaming experiences, as well as PlayStations, which bring games to the living room, it’s never been easier for gamers to get their fix whether at home or on the go. This is leading to a gradual shift in focus for game developers, as they strive to provide deeper storylines for their players, while also incorporating various elements that can only come from a traditional game.
Focus On Entertainment
While we don’t always have the choice as to what kind of content we watch or listen to, it’s still within our control to find something that resonates with us. The same goes for films – we have the power to choose our entertainment, and, as such, it’s important to find something that will make us engaged with the film, or musical performance, or game.
Often, the most powerful stories are the ones that entertain us the most. Whether we’re aware of it or not, we all have a story – one that we’re passionate about, one that we find intriguing, or one that we relate to on some level. Video games, films, and live theater can all be used to tell stories, and it’s important to find something that will make us engage with the content, whatever form it may take. At the end of the day, we’re all human, and a good story can connect with anyone.
Additionally, the film and gaming industries, and the world in general, are still figuring out how to effectively deal with the pandemic. While much of the creative community has been forced to take a back seat, we’re finally seeing a trickle of new content emerge from nooks and crannies, offering us a glimpse of our favorite shows and movies through alternate media.
The story of Michael Pattinson is a testament to the power of storytelling in all its forms. Over the past few years, he’s been quietly making his way from a position of little recognition to a position of immense influence in the film and gaming industries. We’re excited to see what the future has in store for this talented filmmaker.