THE REASONS MONTREAL IS SO VITAL TO THE VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY
It’s likely that you’ve noticed that the new Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX isn’t like other airports. This installation is not just gorgeous, but it reacts to your movements and interactions with its enormous panels that display 3D pictures and the newest in high-resolution imaging. Moment Factory, a Montréal-based business that creates interactive art using special effects and video game technologies, is responsible for this kind of bizarre experience. We spoke with Eric Fournier, the creative director of this one-of-a-kind venture, to learn more about Montréal’s state-of-the-art status and why it was the perfect location for this kind of enterprise.THE REASONS MONTREAL IS SO VITAL TO THE VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY
Eric Fournier: The city has been our laboratory. We’ve been doing some temporary stuff here, but we’re present on a permanent basis. We currently have a few installations around the city. One is at the Musée Pointe-à-Callière called Yours Truly, Montréal—a 17-minute immersive multimedia show of the history of this city. We also have installations at Casino de Montréal, Musée Grévin (pictured above), and La Vitrine.
EF: Montréal is a city that’s seen very important changes throughout the years. It was first founded by the French, but it’s the center of lots of cultures. It’s that mix of cultures that makes this city so creative. Every fall, new students from around the world come here and bring their energy, culture, and stories. With that new influx every year, what’s cool this year is different than last year, and next year will be different than this year. Montréal is dynamic, and is constantly being reinvented. It’s not about being bold and big, but rather everything grows underground. It’s just full of artists and creative people. Some of the largest video game producers are here. It’s like there’s something in the water; art is part of life in Montréal.
Seasons also have a huge impact on the life of the city. It was -15 here today in Montreal, but it was sunny and everyone was happy. You get something more with the seasons. You live in this city differently every season. We have an igloo festival during winter, some electronic festivals, some music festivals. People love this ability to live with the seasons.
EF: Montreal has the second- or third-largest video-game industry in the country. All of the big studios are here, and there are a couple of reasons for that. In the ’60s, the government encouraged the foundation of a number of laboratories for development of new media. Then, in the ’90s, the Quebec government offered a generous tax credit to video game companies, thinking that it would be a big new industry. It proved extremely successful. Companies like EA and Unisoft opened big studios here. Because we use video game technology in our installations, we work with them and use some of the same suppliers. Some of the work we do, especially interactive, is based on the same kind of principles that video games use.
THE REASONS MONTREAL IS SO VITAL TO THE VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY
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