Synopsis
"Press Start" tells the story of a suburban youth in a videogame world who discovers his adventurous, if berserk, destiny when he's recruited by an ill-tempered ninja and a tough-as-nails space soldier to save the world from a tyrannical, but comically insecure, sorcerer.
"Press Start" is written by Kevin Folliard and produced and directed by Ed Glaser.
Director Ed Glaser answers some frequently asked questions about "Press Start":
Q: Is this a Hollywood movie?
A: Oh my, no. “Press Start” is an independent, very low budget film.
Q: When you say “very low budget”…?
A: Where some independent producers have investors, and others have credit cards they can max out, we have an empty mayo jar we dump our spare change into.
Q: Why make a videogame comedy?
A: We've been batting the concept around for a while now. The idea was to create a light-hearted tribute to the sort of games we grew up with, particularly the 8- and 16-bit ones. We wanted to make a movie that, rather than being an adaptation of a particular game, was based in the entire world of videogames. A place where randomly-placed spinning blades are a common hazard, ninja-related crimes are rampant, and turkey legs are miracle cures that naturally occur on floors.
Q: Where are you filming it?
A: Mostly in Champaign, IL, with a few sequences in Chicago.
Q: Is this a Mortal Kombat movie?
A: Nope.
Q: Is this a Mortal Kombat spoof?
A: Not really. We're spoofing a wide range of games, not one exclusively. However, we do poke a little fun at my favorite fighting game franchise, as well as others.
Q: How did those Mortal Kombat actors get involved?
A: The short version is that we sent them the script, and they liked it. The long version is much the same, but involves a lot more hoping and finger-crossing.
Q: Aren't you worried about lawsuits?
A: No. Parody is protected and considered fair use under § 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976. Also, "Press Start" does not actually feature any copyrighted characters - only spoofs of them. Remember, if parody wasn't protected, there would be no MAD Magazine or Mel Brooks movies...
Q: What's the deal with the cartoons?
A: Press Start: Bonus Levels is a monthly series of short online cartoons that introduce you to the world of “Press Start”. They're a bit like animated sketch comedy… but with videogame characters. New episodes premiere on the last Friday of each month.
Q: When will it be released?
A: We're shooting for late 2006 or early 2007.
Q: Will it be released in theaters?
A: We wish! But unfortunately, it's just not possible. However, we hope to have screenings at gaming conventions and other venues. And of course, it will ultimately be available on DVD.
Q: Are you a bad enough dude to rescue the president?
A: Absolutely.
Q: Where is the laser?
A: Ask the police.
Here are some pics:
Lin-Ku
Green Fungus?
Paperboy
A Very Nervous Plumber
Captain Psychodrive
Sam
Daniel Pesina as Sasori and Carlos Pesina as Lei Gong (In Mortal Kombat 1, Daniel was the 'actor' for Johnny Cage, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Reptile. Carlos was the 'actor' for Raiden)
Sam, Jack and Lin-Ku
Count Nefarious Vile
There are even some little flash based cartoons called Bonus Levels HERE