From Screen to Tabletop 3
This blog post is part of an ongoing series where I explore the techniques TV and film makers use to produce stories and how we can translate and apply some of these techniques to create and GM satisfying RPG stories.
Film and TV “Trademarks”
Trademark above is in quotes because I’m not referring to actual, registered trademarks. Rather, I’m referring to recurring, cinematic features of movies and TV series.
Example: Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
A black screen, with the words, “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…” Then, the music starts and Star Wars appears on the screen, big and bold, then fades into the distance. As the music swells, text crawls up the screen:
It is a period of civil war.
Rebel spaceships, striking
from a hidden base, have won
their first victory against
the evil Galactic Empire.
And so on. Then the text fades out, leaving only a vast star field. The camera pans down to a planet and its two moons. A spaceship flies into the frame…
On the Screen
If you’ve seen any Star Wars movies, the example above is very familiar. This opening has become a tried-and-true trademark of those films. The opening crawl text varies. The planet we pan to changes. But it’s all there. George Lucas says he was inspired by the opening crawls at the beginning of episodes of the Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers film serials. Exactly where the technique came from is immaterial. What’s important is that it is recognizable. It instills in the audience a specific feeling. It opens the movie in a way that everyone in the audience recognizes. It’s a shared understanding that this is a Star Wars film and we’re all here together to experience it.
These types of trademark filming techniques and stylistic choices are present in a great many film and TV intellectual properties. A beloved opening theme song. A well-known and often repeated special effect. A repeated method of cutting from one scene or location to the next. A sound effect unique to that particular movie series or TV show.
Such trademarks are also common to certain filmmakers. They employ the same techniques over and over, giving their films an unmistakable feel and tying you into a greater “universe” of stories by the same director.
As a GM, you can emulate such things to create specific effects.
At the Table
If you’re GMing a game that is built from an IP, give some thought to the techniques used by the filmmakers or TV producers and see what you can translate into your game to help establish the IP more firmly in your players’ minds. Here are a few thoughts.
If you’re running a Star Wars game, you could start each adventure off with the opening theme and a reading of a prepared introductory crawl to set the stage. Then describe the star field and the pan down to the planet that kicks off the story. When you cut to the next big scene or location, consider describing a screen wipe or iris shot, maybe even pantomiming the effect for the players.
If you’re GMing Dr. Who, get hold of an audio file of TARDIS sounds that you can play during the game.
If you’re running a TV show with a memorable theme song, play it at the start of each session and read, “<player name> as <character name>” for each player. Maybe even give the character who’s getting some extra love in this session the final credit with a “and featuring <player name> as <character name>.”
If you’re GMing a Star Trek game set in the TOS era, encourage the players to do the Star Trek “lean and lurch” where characters get thrown around whenever the ship takes phaser fire. And make sure you do it, too.
If you’re running a game that isn’t tied to a particular intellectual property, you can still imbue your GMing with stylistic choices based on a favorite film director. Here are some ideas.
Running an over-the-top crime drama? Borrow Quentin Tarantino’s trunk shot, his use of dance scenes, and soundtrack featuring music from the 1960s and 1970s. If it’s your thing, throw in a half dozen closeups of feet, ideally bare.
GMing a thoughtful, low-key character-focused game? Why not invoke Greta Gerwig’s love of slower, deliberate pacing. And encourage “mumblecore” dialogue that embraces pauses, stumbling over words, and quiet wit—all hallmarks of “naturalistic speech.” Encourage the players to do the same, and avoid saying anything that sounds scripted or like a prepared speech.
Running a snappy zombie game? You can look to Edgar Wright and his fast cuts to transition to the next important location. If a character needs to change out of their bloody clothes before heading out, describe, “Quick cuts of a door opening, a hand rustling through hanging clothes, a zipper being pulled up, and a door closing. Then off to kill more zombies.”
GMing a serious, dramatic game crime drama? You can look to Martin Scorsese. Describe freeze frames and use voiceover narration. Introduce a long “tracking shot” when the characters arrive at someplace important by taking your time noting the distance they travel, everything they see, and everyone they pass by.
A little time spent making decisions about how you’ll present the story can go a long way toward providing a consistent feel that evokes the familiarity of an IP or a directorial style.
This IGDN blog article is brought to you by Craig Campbell of NerdBurger Games. If you want to get in touch with the contributor they can be reached at NerdBurgerGames@gmail.com or visit their website at NerdBurgerGames.com.