About 2D

The concept:

 

In a not too distant past, there were video games in which environments existed only in 2 dimensions. Within these 2D worlds, the player would lead his playable character onto fantastic adventures, making him overcome dangerous hurdles and fight powerful enemies in order to complete the levels of the game. Video games of that time all shared a similar format: the sidescroll, in which the character moves from one side of the screen to the other in order to progress in the game. Many iconic heroes were born in that era, and youngsters all across Planet Earth found themselves drawn into those pixelated worlds.

 

2D is a short film which pays homage to the 3rd and 4th generations of video games. Set in a live-action 2-dimensional universe, it follows the adventures of a young man on a mission to get to a job interview in time, overcoming many obstacles along the way.    

 

2D was made for the people who grew up playing those games for hours and hours (or even days!), and who over the years have developed a special fondness for them. The chiptune music, the sound effects, the speech bubbles, the character actions…Gaming enthusiasts will recognise in 2D all the hallmarks of this bygone virtual dimension. In fact, the most hardcore of retro video game fans will be quick to spot the many nods to classic games of yore, such as Super Mario Bros, Sonic the Hedghehog, Prince of Persia or Street Fighter.

 

 

The story:

 

Meet Simon, a young twenty-something living in London. Today is an important day for him. He has an interview for a job at Robot Nick Entertainment, a major video game development company – it’s a huge opportunity for him! Simon is feeling confident about the interview, however the company calls him at very short notice, and says that his interview has had to be brought forward! Worried that someone else might get the job if he says he can’t make it, Simon confirms that he will be there. Thus begins a race against time, as he overcomes many obstacles and dangers on the way to the company HQ.

 

 

The production:

 

2D was made by the filmmaking group known as Point'n'Shoot.