Who Will Fill The Slamdance Void?
Since it seems like as of today, Slamdance has no plans to reinstate Super Columbine Massacre RPG, what game festival will take its place? What festival wants to be known as a top promoter of 'alternative/independent games'? Slamdance Film Festival was literally designed as the alternative to Sundance, and now some other festival is going to jump on this new opportunity to take the same position on Slamdance, for better or for worse.
Slamdance is not the only such festival out there, and certainly not the first, but I always liked that it was an extension of a well-known film festival. The world of film festivals is made up of thousands of festivals that come in all shapes and sizes. Tons of people are involved and many more pay attention and of course attend them. The Slamdance game festival benefits from riding along side a huge train with strong momentum. It draws in people who think GDC is a vitamin supplement.
When we competed with Waco Resurrection two years ago, I didn't agree with many peoples' perspectives on what constitutes an alternative game, but they sure were trying to figure it out. And sure, every venue that promotes the alternative and then becomes popular finds itself in a state of conflict.
I'm sure most people involved in Slamdance are finding this to be a depressing week, and I feel bad for them. For that reason, I still have respect for the festival, but really hope they put SCMRPG back in.
Comments
It's been a few years since I was at Sundance, but at the time, there were numerous alternatives to the (even then increasingly mainstream) Slamdance. As I recall they had names like Slumdance, Scumdance, Scamdance, Slamdunk, NoDance, Tromadance and my personal favorite, Lapdance (which held a retrospective of the films of Stan Brakhage that year). Most of these are probably dead by now, and others are unlikely to be set up for a game competition, but these alternatives-to-the-alternative festivals might welcome the publicity of hosting refugees from Slamdance.
Posted by: ironman28![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://interactive.usc.edu/members/pbrinson/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 10, 2007 9:13 AM
This is very true with many things and the fact that alternative festivals do become popular will no doubt upset many people, you cannot make something work and then find it a walk in the park, you always upset someone along the way and that is why it finds itself in a state of conflict.
Posted by: Daniel of PR![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://interactive.usc.edu/members/pbrinson/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 12, 2007 6:16 AM