This Deserves Success

Summary

In 2024, two indie gems – the game *Nine Souls* and the animated film *Flo* – stand out for their creativity and emotional impact. Despite being overlooked, *Nine Souls* should have earned a Game of the Year nomination, offering a unique, deeply engaging experience. Meanwhile, *Flo*, created on a modest $4 million budget, shines with its stunning animation and storytelling, relying solely on visuals and animal characters to convey its powerful narrative. Both works represent the future of creative industries, emphasizing passion and originality over big budgets, and deserve far more recognition for their artistry.

Takeaways

• 😀 2024 has been a great year for indie games and low-budget films, with indie games being some of the best of the year.
• 😀 Nine Souls, despite being one of the best indie games, was overlooked by the Game Awards and deserved a Game of the Year nomination.
• 😀 The speaker passionately recommends Nine Souls, comparing their excitement to SpongeBob eating a Krabby Patty with jellyfish jelly.
• 😀 Flo, an animated film made on a $4 million budget, is praised for its breathtaking visuals and unique storytelling.
• 😀 Flo stands out in a market dominated by sequels, remakes, and formulaic films, offering a refreshing experience.
• 😀 Flo doesn't use any dialogue, relying instead on visuals and emotions to tell a compelling story in a post-apocalyptic world.
• 😀 The speaker compares the experience of watching Flo to playing the game Journey for the first time, evoking similar feelings of awe.
• 😀 The film’s protagonist, a cat, embarks on a magical adventure with other animals after a flood sweeps through their environment.
• 😀 Despite introducing magical elements, the animals in Flo remain grounded and realistic, maintaining their natural behaviors throughout.
• 😀 Flo’s success is attributed to passionate, lower-budget filmmaking, with the speaker advocating for more unique, passionate productions in both film and video games.
• 😀 The speaker emphasizes the importance of lower-budget, creative projects in both the film and gaming industries over large, expensive productions that often flop.
• 😀 Despite being an indie film, Flo is highly recommended by the speaker and is praised for its unique premise, outstanding execution, and emotional depth.

Q & A

What is the main indie game being discussed in the script?

The main indie game being discussed is 'Nine Souls', which the speaker believes should have been nominated for Game of the Year at the Game Awards.

Why does the speaker believe 'Nine Souls' deserves more attention?

The speaker believes 'Nine Souls' is an exceptional game that has been overlooked, and they emphasize how much they enjoy the game, constantly praising its quality for the past three months.

What is the animated film the speaker is discussing?

The animated film being discussed is 'Flo', which is a low-budget animated movie created on a $4 million budget.

What makes 'Flo' stand out from other animated films?

'Flo' is unique because it doesn't have any dialogue but still manages to convey a compelling and emotional story. The speaker also appreciates its originality in a film industry that tends to focus on sequels and remakes.

How does the speaker feel about the budget of 'Flo'?

The speaker is impressed by the quality of 'Flo' given its $4 million budget, calling it a remarkable achievement in animation, especially considering that animated films typically have much higher budgets.

What kind of animals are featured in 'Flo'?

The movie features a cat as the main character along with other animals, including a capybara and a bird, in a post-apocalyptic setting. The animals are portrayed realistically and not as highly intelligent beings.

How does 'Flo' evolve as the story progresses?

As the story develops, the animals on the boat gradually become more adapted to their environment, learning to cooperate and take on roles like steering the boat, introducing more magical elements as the adventure unfolds.

What is the significance of the animals in the movie?

The animals in 'Flo' are grounded in reality, behaving like typical animals, but their experiences and the development of their relationships with one another create a sense of growth and magic as the adventure progresses.

What is the general tone of the speaker's review of 'Flo'?

The speaker is overwhelmingly positive about 'Flo', expressing admiration for its animation, music, visuals, and the depth of its storytelling despite the lack of dialogue. They also appreciate the film's unique approach to storytelling and how it encourages viewers to interpret its meaning.

What is the speaker's broader opinion on the future of indie games and films?

The speaker believes that the future of both indie games and films lies in lower-budget productions that prioritize passion, creativity, and uniqueness, rather than large-budget, formulaic projects. They feel that smaller, more passionate projects like 'Nine Souls' and 'Flo' represent the future of the industry.