'I I hope people empathize with Senua,” says actor Melina Juergens, who plays the protagonist in British developer Ninja Theory's latest game Senua's Saga: Hellblade II. She said: “I want people to play this game and get a feel for what people who suffer from mental health issues, especially psychosis, experience on a daily basis. [They] Once you understand that, you will be able to empathize with people more. ”
Jurgens did not expect to play this role for the second time. In fact, she never expected to play it in the first place. When her first Hellblade game, Senua's Sacrifice, was being produced in 2012, she was working as a video editor at an independent game studio. She said, “They were looking for an actress and asked me to help them in the meantime.” [performance capture] It’s an experiment in technology,” she told me. “At one point they asked me to do a scene. The director liked it so much that he offered me the role.”
She didn't accept right away. Apart from other things, she didn't really like performing at first. “It took me a few days to think about it. I really didn't want to be in front of the camera because I was always in the background,” she added. “I thought it was a great opportunity and I shouldn’t miss it.” [out on] Because I was scared. So I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and did it. I faced my fear. ”
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice was released in 2017 to critical acclaim, selling one million copies in its first 10 months, and the following year, the debutant actor won a BAFTA for his performance. . I can see why. The game was defined by her unforgettable performance. The main character, Senua, suffers from mental illness. It is reported that this is a disease that affects approximately 3 out of 100 people. Addiction and Mental Health Center He also has to deal with constant voices in his head and accompanying hallucinations. As players, we see all of this from her perspective. The sequel, released this week, is set in 10th century Iceland and follows a Celtic warrior seeking revenge on the northern raiders who killed his lover.
Developer Ninja Theory was acquired by Microsoft in 2018 for $117 million, and its new studio is located in Cambridge city centre. Designed by the boutique hotel specialist, the office has its own motion-capture stage in the basement and an adjoining pub called 'The Bird or Worm?' – A reference to Heavenly Sword, one of his from the early games. This represents a major change from how the first game was created, said studio head Dominic Matthews.
“It didn't look like a game studio. It looked like a call center,” he says. “We had an old conference room right next to the kitchen where we had the coffee machine and we did all the motion capture as well. We had to keep people from getting in there. [while we were recording]” Twenty people worked on the original Hellblade. This time it was four times that amount. Expectations are understandably high, but the studio is still functioning as it always has.
“Hellblade is not a Hollywood blockbuster,” Matthews says. “This game is a quality independent film.” Screenwriter Lara Durham echoed this sentiment. We are smaller than most triple-A games. I think that independent spirit runs through us. ”
Ninja Theory spent 70 days motion-capturing Hellblade II's combat, compared to two days for the first film. During one of his days, professional stunt team Lucky 13 Action was drafted in for some set pieces. “They hung a huge boat from the ceiling of the motion capture stage, and I ended up performing on top of the boat as people pushed it back and forth and rocked,” Jurgens says. “One scene where he used a gyroscope and the motion he was able to do was hang from the ceiling of the cap and spin and swim. It's a lot harder than you'd expect. is.”
After newsletter promotion
As Hellblade II moves up the scale, the raw emotion of its lead performance and its handling of Senua's mental health are sure to be the most talked about. “[Senua] You become less afraid of voices and visions. She didn't overcome them and cure them, she just became more in control,” Jurgens says of the character's evolution. “She meets new people on her journey. Some appreciate her unique perspective, while others reject it. There may be some contradictions there.”
And what will become of Jurgens? Is there still a conflict there? “I still get performance anxiety,” she admits. “But I think I'm more confident now because I've been able to handle it a little bit better.
“It's not about overcoming fear. I still feel fear. It's about dealing with fear and becoming more in control like Senua.”
Source: www.theguardian.com
