By John Wildman
AFI FEST Daily News Staff

Danny Ledonne (PLAYING COLUMBINE)

The story of how someone anonymously made a video game representing the Columbine shootings and the reaction it garnered from game players versus people who had been touched by that tragedy would make a compelling film. Now, if that same video game was cited by media pundits as an influence in another school shooting even though it had all the realism of a game of Pong and they had never actually seen it—well, there’s another fascinating case study of press posturing gone self-righteously over the top.

But then, what if that same game were entered into Slamdance’s heralded video game competition only to be pulled by festival organizers who suddenly realized they might have a hot topic potato on their hands—and then a major sponsor and several other entrants withdraw in support? Well, Danny Ledonne’s PLAYING COLUMBINE hits every one of those scenarios and more. Like a ginzu knife of intriguing and inflammatory ideas, Ledonne leads us through his personal experiences while allowing people on each side of the spectrum weigh in along the way. What is ultimately winning about his film is that even though Ledonne went through these harsh experiences, his enthusiasm for the discussion he purposely set in motion when he created “Super Columbine Massacre RPG!” never seems to wane.

1 When did you decide to document your experiences with “Super Columbine Massacre RPG!” and what was it that tipped the scales as you made that decision?

PLAYING COLUMBINE
7:10 p.m. Friday, November 7 @ ArcLight 8
3:15 p.m. Saturday, November 8 @ ArcLight 14
Danny Ledonne will attend both screenings and participate in a Q&A afterward.

During the six months after the game was receiving criticism and praise in 2006, I was considering how a documentary could be made that would highlight the issues being raised by the game. After the game was pulled from Slamdance in 2007, it was clear to me that there was a full story to be told here and set about filming in Park City, Utah where the festival was held.

2 How did the documentary change (in your eyes) from inception to completion?

I had some profoundly good luck with interviewing people who really knew the subjects of games, art, and free speech. I learned so much from them that now I find myself quoting them in most of the press I do. In terms of “change,” I would say that I was fortunate enough to get interviews with several prominent opponents of video games like mine and that added a level of credibility to the arguments the film was designed to make. As I edited the film, I realized that the best approach was a multimedia mosaic that highlights not only video games but press, film, and television media connecting to this issue.

3 What is the best thing about having your film at AFI FEST?

AFI fest was the “long shot” of my initial festival submissions. I kept my selection modest with the exception of AFI, and when I learned that it would be screening there I knew that the chances of PLAYING COLUMBINE receiving widespread attention was much more likely. In a way, it also validated the struggle I’ve been engaged in since having released “Super Columbine Massacre RPG!” in 2005.

4 Does Slamdance completely suck or is it kinda OK because of the snowboarding?

Slamdance and other festivals like it are important environments for experimentation. To the extent they are willing to stand behind their programming choices, they are doing artists, the medium, and the public at large a great service. However, when a festival like Slamdance contributes to a chilling effect—essentially the OPPOSITE of its stated mission—it does tend to, in your words, “completely suck.” Then again, SCMRPG was never supposed to be an easy choice for anyone to program… so perhaps the game being pulled from a “guerrilla” game-maker competition is the highest praise it could have received.

5 Who surprised you with their views during the interviews you conducted for the film?

While most interviewees delivered “the goods” as I imagined they would during the interview, there were some surprises along the way. On a good day, for example, anti-game activist Jack Thompson is surprisingly pleasant to interview (just don’t challenge him too overtly or he’ll call you a “shill for the video game industry” or issue baseless legal threats against you). Another surprise was a panel discussion at USC in which the creator of “9/11 Survivor” debated another game developer who was in NYC on 9/11. The debate became about not subject matter in games so much as how one represents a tragic event. This can be seen in the film.

6 What were the biggest challenges with making a documentary in which you, yourself are a central focus and subject?

Despite having made the game itself, I consider myself (and everyone else) as supporting characters. SCMRPG IS the main character. If I may analogize, the game is Frankenstein’s monster and I am merely the doctor. Having said that, basically I saw my challenge as one of steering this film away from a personal doc narrated, hosted, and starring me. I knew that the interesting story here was not about myself as creator but the broader implications and movements represented by my creation. Striking a balance of my own on-camera presence without omitting or inflating my importance was a difficult editorial challenge but I think I (mostly) succeeded after eight drafts screened to audiences.

7 What documentaries influenced you in making PLAYING COLUMBINE?

I’ve been watching a lot of documentaries since shooting my own—mostly having the effect of pushing me to consider how I could have made it differently. I can tell you that SICK: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF BOB FLANAGAN, SUPERMASOCHIST, BARAKA, or FAST, CHEAP AND OUT OF CONTROL are my favorite documentaries, but I don’t think they had particular influence in creating this film. I suppose I must recognize Spencer Halpin’s MORAL KOMBAT as a primary influence because it deals with the same subject in a different way. We shared some interview subjects, notes, and became buddies in the process of making our respective films.

8 You aspire to be the world’s first Atheist Bodhisattva. How’s that working out for you?

Ask me again in 50 years. I follow most of the eightfold path most of the time. And I voted for Obama. I suppose that helps, too. Mostly I try to be a good listener and expand my sense of empathy while riding my bike.

9 Tetris or Super Mario Brothers?

Have you ever gone done the mountain slide or played with the monkey who steals Mario’s hat? I think that pretty much answers the question.

10 Popcorn or candy?

Whose MySpace survey are you pulling these questions from? I’m going to go with Raisinettes. They’re the candy of substance.