Marty Stoltz, cinematics director at Big Huge Games, is a well-known face in the games industry, having directed cinematics for games at companies such as DreamForge Entertainment, Midway Games, and Lucas Arts since 1996. Last October, Marty attended the Game Developers Conference in Shanghai to discuss cinematic game design. As a follow-up to his presentation in China, Marty recently stopped by the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) to talk in more depth with students and faculty about cinematic development and how scenes can evolve because of marketing, technology, and game design.

Marty used examples from three of his titles — Mortal Kombat, Stranglehold, and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed — to discuss staging fights and large scale action, how to develop stories, and how to create technology through the use of cinematics. Marty had a wonderful time connecting with the students and sharing his experiences in the games industry. He also enjoyed watching a live audience view his cinematics on a theatre screen. Marty noted, "In game development, we never get to see how the audience reacts to our work because consumers buy the games and play them at home — any feedback provided is through reviews and word-of-mouth."

Thanks to everyone at SCAD who came out to listen to Marty and get inspired by his discussion of game cinematics.