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2K Announces 'The Art of the Game' Documentary Film

TTWO | May 6, 2014

2K, in partnership with the breakout filmmakers at Story Developing, today announced The Art of the Game, a new feature-length documentary film from the co-producer of Muscle Shoals – a 2013 Sundance Film Festival selection. The Art of the Game documents a cultural shift in the entertainment people enjoy by following a group of students at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, as they compete for a job in the increasingly influential video game industry. Through a series of interwoven stories, the film explores the passion, creativity, and change taking place in interactive entertainment, and its often misunderstood artistic culture.

Brad cleans up a scene in his storyboard, 'Loose Cannon Claptrap,' as part of the Academy of Art University's 'Borderlands Cooperative' animation project. Through this project Brad has a chance to intern at 2K and find a job in the interactive entertainment industry. (photo: Business Wire)

“The financial success of interactive entertainment in recent years has propelled the medium past film in the eyes of Wall Street, yet too often games are still treated as time-wasting toys,” said Matthew Davis Walker, director of The Art of the Game. “People overlook that games have tremendous impact on how we learn, communicate ideas, and convey empathy, and they do it in ways we’ve previously never imagined possible.”

“Today, interactive entertainment is the most compelling and dynamic medium to enable expressive creativity and artistic vision as has been recognized by The Smithsonian and The Museum of The Moving Image,” said Michael D. Gallagher, president and CEO of ESA, the trade association that represents the U.S. video game industry. “This film provides remarkable insight into the innovation and passion that is driving the continued evolution of our industry. Companies such as 2K, as well as almost 400 universities around our nation that are currently offering courses and degrees in game design, are nurturing our future creative leaders by providing a strong foundation and the opportunity to enjoy a career of captivating audiences throughout the world with their art.”

“The interactive entertainment industry is full of creative and passionate people whose work touches millions of people worldwide,” added Matt Gorman, vice president of marketing at 2K. “When 2K partnered with the Academy of Art University last year we saw just how much talent the students have, and it inspired us to share their passion and creativity with the world through this documentary.”

The Art of the Game will be available for free on Machinima’s Main YouTube Channel, and the film’s official Facebook page starting May 12, 2014. Prior to that, the film can be seen in the following ways:

May 8 – Premieres live on Machinima’s Twitch Channel (twitch.tv/machinima) at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. PDT;
May 9-11 – Xbox Live via Machinima’s app on Xbox One and Xbox 360 dashboards.

The Art of the Game was executively produced by 2K, and directed by Matthew Davis Walker of Story Developing who co-produced Muscle Shoals, a 2013 Sundance Film Festival selection. Watch the official trailer for the film at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLOM1bZrrdw, and visit the official Facebook page, facebook.com/artofthegamefilm for more information, behind-the-scenes looks at the film, and direct access to the filmmakers and Academy of Art University students featured in the film.

About Story Developing

Story Developing was born in 2011 by advertising Account Planner Ryan Lynch and Filmmaker Matthew Davis Walker who joined forces because of their belief in the power of a great story. The company is dedicated to helping “interesting brands tell interesting stories,” and has worked with lifestyle and technology brands including Lytro, the revolutionary camera company, Thuuz Sports, and 2K. Story Developing is based in San Francisco, California and Brooklyn, New York. For press inquiries, please contact ryan@storydeveloping.com. Business inquiries can be directed to ally@storydeveloping.com. For more information, please visit storydeveloping.com.

About Academy of Art University

Academy of Art University, the largest private university of art and design in the United States, is educating students for the art and design jobs of the 21^st Century. Established in 1929, the Academy is an output-based higher education model that provides open admissions to all students, but imposes a rigorous curriculum that requires the students to produce a portfolio of work that demonstrates a mastery of their field in order to graduate. Students are taught by a faculty of professionals from the existing marketplace, both online and on campus in San Francisco, who provide them with an understanding of what it takes to succeed in today’s business environment. The Academy’s hands-on curriculum produces graduates that possess great artistic and design skills – and equally as important, the ability to put those talents to work immediately after graduation. As a result, Academy graduates are ready to compete for and win the jobs of the 21^st Century in the fields of Acting, Advertising, Animation & Visual Effects, Architecture, Art Education, Art History, Fashion, Fashion Journalism, Fashion Styling, Fine Art, Game Design, Graphic Design, Illustration, Industrial Design, Interior Architecture & Design, Jewelry & Metal Arts, Landscape Architecture, Motion Pictures & Television, Multimedia Communications, Music Production & Sound Design for Visual Media, Photography, Visual Development, Web Design & New Media and Art Teaching Credential. Academy of Art University is accredited by WASC, NASAD, Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) (BFA/MFA-IAD), and NAAB (B-ARCH*, M-ARCH), California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). *B-ARCH program in candidacy status. Visit www.academyart.edu for more information.

About 2K

Founded in 2005, 2K develops and publishes interactive entertainment globally for console systems, handheld gaming systems and personal computers, including smartphones and tablets, which are delivered through physical retail, digital download, online platforms and cloud streaming services. 2K publishes titles in today’s most popular gaming genres, including shooters, action, role-playing, strategy, sports, casual, and family entertainment. The 2K label has some of the most talented development studios in the world today, including Firaxis Games, Visual Concepts, 2K Marin, 2K Czech, 2K Australia, Cat Daddy Games and 2K China. 2K’s stable of high quality titles includes the critically acclaimed BioShock®, Borderlands™ and XCOM® franchises, the beloved Sid Meier’s Civilization series, the popular WWE 2K franchise and NBA 2K, the #1 rated and #1 selling basketball franchise*. 2K is headquartered in Novato, California and is a wholly owned label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO). For more information, please visit www.2K.com.

*According to 2008 - 2014 Metacritic.com and The NPD Group estimates of U.S. retail video game sales through March 2014.

About Take-Two Interactive Software

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a leading developer, marketer and publisher of interactive entertainment for consumers around the globe. The Company develops and publishes products through its two wholly-owned labels Rockstar Games and 2K. Our products are designed for console systems, handheld gaming systems and personal computers, including smartphones and tablets, and are delivered through physical retail, digital download, online platforms and cloud streaming services. The Company’s common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at http://www.take2games.com.

About Machinima

Machinima is the leading video entertainment network for young males and video gamers around the world. One of the top entertainment networks on YouTube, Machinima delivers more than 2 billion video views per month and reaches more than 170 million viewers monthly. The network features scripted series, original content, weekly and daily shows, official publisher content, and gameplay videos, all aimed at the coveted 18-34 year-old male demographic. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, California and backed by MK Capital, Redpoint Ventures, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and Google Capital.

For more information, please visit www.Machinima.com and YouTube.com/Machinima.

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