'Bioshock' : Architecture as cinema.
I've written
many times about the re-thinking of cinematic composition being
pressed upon us from a range of techno-aesthetic shifts: 3D graphics,
the virtual camera, surround sound and of course gaming. After a
spate of intensely mediocre game experiences of late the world is
once again set to rights with Bioshock. Of course I could wax lyrical
for days about the glorious textures and tones, exquisite sound
design, great voice acting and indeed a great and superbly written
story (not to mention perfectly envisioned blood splatters). But what
really has me singing from the rooftops in this game is the
superlative use of spatial composition, landscape architecture as a
macro-mise en scene (or as I have termed in other essays and posts,
the mise-en-space). Bioshock is a game as cinematic if not more so
than any exulted in the world of movies rivalling for style, form and
visual autuership Blade Runner, Apocalypse now and Metropolis. And
yet it constructs this cinematic experience through the composition
of architectural space above and beyond the singular frame. As with
any great work of architecture the freedom to look anywhere is
curtailed by a finely and carefully crafted set of vistas where the
designer continually prompts the viewer/player to be positioned and
to gaze at features, views and 'frames' specifically arranged for
specific visual impact and narrative engagement. Inserted below is
the first 5 minutes of the game and whilst as a player I am in
control of my views and actions I am none the less compelled into
engaging the composition of the space itself.
