The Last of Us (feat. Writer & Creative Director Neil Druckmann) |

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  • Опубліковано 3 гру 2019
  • In this video we chat with writer and creative director Neil Druckmann to learn about some of the techniques game designers use to tell their stories.
    Check out our new channel about storytelling in video games, ‪@StoryModeOn‬!
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    Many people might not associate video games with "storytelling," but video games can tell deeply emotional stories with rich character arcs that you don’t simply watch unfold, you participate in. The 2013 game "The Last of Us" from developer Naughty Dog is one of the very best examples of how to tell a story through the medium of a video game.
    Produced by: Michael Tucker ( / michaeltuckerla )
    Written by: Brian Bitner ( / brianbitner ) & Michael Tucker
    Edited by: Michael Tucker & Alex Calleros ( / alex_calleros )
    Become a channel member here on UA-cam: / @lessonsfromthescreenplay
    Check out my kit, from screenwriting books to gear: kit.co/LFTS/screenwriting-books
    LFTS Recommended Reading List: www.lessonsfromthescreenplay....
    Translate this video: ua-cam.com/users/timedtext_vide...
    Thanks to Diego Rojas for composing original music for this video and this channel! Check out more of his work: / diegorojasguitar
    TwinSmart's Marxist Arrow is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
    Artist: www.twinmusicom.org/
    With the company Twin musicom licensed under the Creative Commons license Attribution (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
    Artist: www.twinmusicom.org/
    #TheLastofUs
  • Ігри

КОМЕНТАРІ • 2,3 тис.

  • @gijsklaassen8851
    @gijsklaassen8851 4 роки тому +3490

    "Your watch is broken." Such a powerful sentence, it showsJoel is still mourning.

    • @adityanathan7059
      @adityanathan7059 4 роки тому +161

      Gijs Klaassen and very subtle scoff that Joel responded with.. it has so many emotions into it.

    • @coll912
      @coll912 4 роки тому +241

      Troy Baker stated during his play through with Nolan North that the watch is stuck on the time and exact moment of Sarah's death.

    • @adityanathan7059
      @adityanathan7059 4 роки тому +72

      coll912 Well, there’s the bullet hole from the gun that killed Sarah on it ):

    • @shrikedoa
      @shrikedoa 4 роки тому +167

      In the final scene he says "I struggled a long time with surviving" and then subconsciously touches the watch.

    • @crossbow170
      @crossbow170 4 роки тому +139

      Its also symbolic of him refusing to move on, time has "stopped".

  • @akidra0519
    @akidra0519 4 роки тому +2545

    Damn, just flex on us like that, it's fine

    • @dancorwin9232
      @dancorwin9232 4 роки тому +319

      I think that he means we were expecting a video essay and then no its actually an interview with the director of the game. Like, thats pretty cool

    • @SkyreeXScalabar
      @SkyreeXScalabar 4 роки тому +41

      @@thomassowellaudiobooks6441 flex just means show-off, his comment was just a joke like saying "Why you gotta show off?"

    • @IvanMosquito
      @IvanMosquito 4 роки тому +122

      The Flex on Us

    • @HxH2011DRA
      @HxH2011DRA 4 роки тому +3

      @@IvanMosquito LMFAOOOOO

    • @kyleisbart197
      @kyleisbart197 4 роки тому +1

      Guy Mor flex is good

  • @__dane__
    @__dane__ 4 роки тому +329

    One thing I love is that you can stay at the ledge with Ellie shown at 19:43 for as long as you want. You can stay there until the giraffes all walk off into the brush. You won’t progress until you as the player move Joel, he will stay leaning on the edge enjoying the view with Ellie

    • @jstarwars360
      @jstarwars360 3 роки тому +21

      A nice eye of the storm moment. It reminds me of the train scene in Spirited Away.

    • @ThatOneDude521
      @ThatOneDude521 3 роки тому +10

      @Stopped In Time a moment of calmness and peace in a world of chaos and madness

    • @Miyakolover
      @Miyakolover Рік тому

      Yeah, great game design to just waste your time watching giraffes instead of questioning how they're still alive and not attacked by the infected or hungry hunters.

  • @Nick-kb2jc
    @Nick-kb2jc 4 роки тому +979

    I laughed during the Last of Us, I cried during the Last of Us, I was terrified during the Last of Us, I got angry during the Last of Us, I was grossed out during the Last of Us. I experienced every human emotion possible during this game. I've always loved video games, but because of the Last of Us, they are now my passion. Naughty Dog made me realize the potential of video games as a storytelling medium, and I hope to get the opportunity to work in the industry some day.

    • @Nick-kb2jc
      @Nick-kb2jc 4 роки тому +29

      @@tempsitch5632 I did!

    • @H.E.M.
      @H.E.M. 4 роки тому +6

      Right now with leaks out everyone is angry and grossed out. Hopefully when the full game is out we’ll laugh and cry and also say “it wasn’t as bad as the leaks made it out to be”

    • @ac14cmpunk25
      @ac14cmpunk25 4 роки тому

      @@H.E.M. nobody should buy the game with this fanfiction storyline beeing out now

    • @farrow9340
      @farrow9340 4 роки тому

      Neil Brown how was he a dork ?

    • @Champion-1209
      @Champion-1209 4 роки тому +4

      and now youll experience all those emotions again except it wont get better

  • @aaaaaaaddss914
    @aaaaaaaddss914 4 роки тому +2035

    How can a game I've played 6 times already still make me emotional

    • @LessonsfromtheScreenplay
      @LessonsfromtheScreenplay  4 роки тому +284

      Really great storytelling.

    • @warrenwb8349
      @warrenwb8349 4 роки тому +50

      I know right i get excited every time i see them damn Giraffes.

    • @KyroEmeraldblade
      @KyroEmeraldblade 4 роки тому +36

      This video made me cry when neil started taking about Ellie’s innocence and the giraffe scene. It’s amazing how games are able to connect you to the characters so much more than film. I don’t think video games work for every story and film is better for most, but the last of us just has such a perfect story for the gaming medium. I think the blockbuster elements with an emphasis on a journey/exploration really work in favor of games. And it’s so easy to develop characters over a long journey or adventure, especially with writing as good as the last of us. It really all depends on the story you want to tell, I couldn’t imagine anything by tarkovsky as a game and something like god of war would not work as a film at all.

    • @AprilToprak
      @AprilToprak 4 роки тому

      I know right

    • @JaziB
      @JaziB 4 роки тому +32

      "Baby girl" gets me every time.

  • @spartymatt9627
    @spartymatt9627 4 роки тому +1510

    Thank you so much for the respect you showed the medium- especially its uniqueness in the audience's interaction/agency. Hopefully this can be one more small step to the public understanding video games as a form of art!

    • @TT-wx4tg
      @TT-wx4tg 4 роки тому +1

      Well said.
      With the advent of VR, it will easily surpass the failing art of film and Hollywood will look like the set of The Last Of Us

    • @madeofcastiron
      @madeofcastiron 4 роки тому +23

      i'm as casual of a gamer as it can get, but it makes me so frustrated how some people still don't think that video games can be a form of art. if anything, video games are every form of art there is because every game has all different aspects of art put into making them, like artists draw and model the characters, actors/voice actors act as the characters, writers write the stories and dialogues, sound engineers make the music and sound effects, and even more. you're right that video games should be a medium taken seriously more.

    • @princessthyemis
      @princessthyemis 4 роки тому

      couldn't have said it better myself! I mean that!

    • @Luclv
      @Luclv 4 роки тому +2

      The last of us really isnt the best exemple of a game with a lot of agency. TLOUs gameplay is one corridor after another, yeah sure you can do different things each playtrought, but its pretty straightforward, not even near mass effect level of agency, for exemple.
      On the envoriment aspect FROM SOFTWARE blows Naughtydog out of the water.

    • @spartymatt9627
      @spartymatt9627 4 роки тому +12

      @@Luclv I'd agree that it isn't a lot of agency compared to other video games, but I it's more agency compared to film. I think the important part is that video games give the player a chance to be more immersed in the story by being a part of the mechanics. I think of God of War when Atreus starts being a little shit and doesn't listen to your button commands anymore... That shit got me just as furious as Kratos must have been in that very moment!

  • @arditlika9388
    @arditlika9388 4 роки тому +130

    During the giraffe scene, I waited a bit before opening the door. I wanted to give Ellie a couple of more minutes before moving on

    • @abblegabble477
      @abblegabble477 4 роки тому +33

      I like how even when you do press the button to open the door, Joel reaches for the door handle but stops and reminds Ellie she doesn't have to go through with it. They can still turn around and live in the settlement. This was Joel recognizing, in that moment with the giraffes, that the innocence in Ellie is still very much alive. She's not lost yet. Gah, this game is so special.

  • @shawnbeak6048
    @shawnbeak6048 4 роки тому +209

    Sarah's death still destroys me, each and every time. Naughty Dog are masters of their craft.

  • @karib3909
    @karib3909 4 роки тому +448

    Of course you had to show the "oh baby girl" scene and now I'm sobbing, thanks.

    • @HeySorz
      @HeySorz 4 роки тому +26

      Kari B Haven’t played the game in years and I cried when that scene was showed. God, it still gets us!

  • @Hentaicho
    @Hentaicho 4 роки тому +595

    To any who enjoyed this and the game; I highly recommend watching Grounded: The Making of The Last of Us

    • @josefacundo6140
      @josefacundo6140 4 роки тому +8

      Will do, thanks 👍

    • @emareoh_aviation
      @emareoh_aviation 4 роки тому +7

      Mads Arvidsson and also watch The Last of Us: one night live

    • @Isaacreeper
      @Isaacreeper 4 роки тому +6

      Yeet, that was one of the best things I have ever seen

    • @0biRonKenobi
      @0biRonKenobi 4 роки тому +5

      Just watched it a couple days ago. Probably one of the better documentaries I've watched.

    • @bartolomeumalfeitor965
      @bartolomeumalfeitor965 4 роки тому +4

      i can't see it any more times, I've exhausted almost every bit of content relating to the last of us, i just need the part II, IT'S BEEN SO FUCKING LONG

  • @pearlmcj
    @pearlmcj 4 роки тому +518

    Druckmann: hi, I’m Neil Druckmann...
    me: huh, I don’t think I’ve seen the interview this clip is from
    Druckmann: and this is Lessons from the Screenplay
    me: ...holy SHIT
    Seriously, congrats on this incredible opportunity and amazing video! I’ve been watching your videos for over two years now, and your growth has been such a joy to watch. You did a wonderful job with this interview, and I can’t wait to see what your next incredible opportunity will be!

    • @chimedemon
      @chimedemon 2 роки тому +2

      I had the exact same reaction

    • @Insidious_Rage
      @Insidious_Rage 11 місяців тому

      Neil is a tool and part of the elites dirty secrets hidden in their closets

  • @baldingsan457
    @baldingsan457 3 роки тому +116

    I’d love seeing one of these kind of videos from Part II. Specially after hearing what Neil says at the beginning of this video about the concept of “being” a character that Part II takes to exponential levels

    • @connerdearing
      @connerdearing 3 роки тому +7

      I think him saying here he wants you to be the character and not yourself is very crucial. People complain so much about not liking what Ellie is doing during part 2 as if it’s not a linear story game just like the first lol. You don’t get to make a choice if you did everyone would go for the same choices and the story would suck ass

    • @mrbigglezworth42
      @mrbigglezworth42 2 роки тому +8

      @@connerdearing It already does suck ass, what people didn't like was that the story makes some....questionable choices with the characters people love (Ellie and Joel) for characters, well really just one, that hardly anyone found endearing. If the game genuinely wanted to tell a story with dark themes and a protagonist doing morally repugnant things, then Druckman should've taken a look at Spec Ops: The Line which does damn near everything he tries to do....except, you know, competently. Hell, Spec Ops even plays with gaming conventions to further mess with the player and by extension Cpt. Walker as he slowly loses his mind and is desperate to cope with the horrors he continues to see and commit. The Last of Us is probably one of the best narratively focused games that's been made, it just has a pretty horrible follow up to a story that felt pretty complete by the end even if some threads are left up to interpretation.

    • @berlinstoli6326
      @berlinstoli6326 2 роки тому +1

      @@mrbigglezworth42 complete clown

    • @FERKILL377
      @FERKILL377 Рік тому

      @@berlinstoli6326 you are

  • @Blossom1232
    @Blossom1232 4 роки тому +1342

    Dang, now your grabbing the actual creators of the story to explain! Now that's EXTRA quality content! lol

    • @LessonsfromtheScreenplay
      @LessonsfromtheScreenplay  4 роки тому +188

      Hoping to do more of it! Big thanks to Neil for being on board with it!

    • @j.a.weishaupt1748
      @j.a.weishaupt1748 4 роки тому

      Tavi Your Neighborhood Artist *you’re

    • @siahhumphrey8493
      @siahhumphrey8493 4 роки тому +20

      Lessons from the Screenplay if you guys could get Cory Barlog from Sony Santa Monica to talk about God of War 2018, that would be epic!

    • @CelestialDraconis
      @CelestialDraconis 4 роки тому

      @@siahhumphrey8493 I second this!

    • @luk11c4
      @luk11c4 4 роки тому

      Why this "lol" is at end of sentence?

  • @madphantom92
    @madphantom92 4 роки тому +639

    After playing The Last of Us storytelling became my number one interest instead of gameplay. A good story will never leave your mind that's why The Last of Us is still talked about to this day.

    • @Cody27
      @Cody27 4 роки тому +27

      isnt the point of this video that story and gameplay are inherently intertwined and to tell a truly good story in games you need it to work with the gameplay.

    • @madphantom92
      @madphantom92 4 роки тому +1

      @@Cody27 Yes that's the point of the video.

    • @Cody27
      @Cody27 4 роки тому +6

      @@madphantom92 if storytelling is your #1 then so is gameplay.

    • @FlesHBoX
      @FlesHBoX 4 роки тому +10

      I'm the same way. It has actually almost ruined gaming for me, since so few studios seem to be putting any real effort into it.

    • @Cody27
      @Cody27 4 роки тому +2

      @@FlesHBoX I agree. I feel like its one of those things that once you notice its missing it becomes glaring. The new SW Jedi game comes to mind.

  • @swoozie
    @swoozie 4 роки тому +231

    great vid- great editing- great game choice

  • @BikramAgarwal
    @BikramAgarwal 3 роки тому +35

    Finished playing this game today.
    Another thing I noticed about the Joel and Ellie fight -
    While they were angry with each other, Joel wasn't calling out to Ellie whenever he found a new comic book. I thought that was really cool that the programmers thought of that too.

  • @Zelein
    @Zelein 4 роки тому +373

    I honestly believe the opening to The Last of Us is the best opener there has ever been in a video gamer. It's just a work of art, nothing less

    • @ohauss
      @ohauss 4 роки тому +2

      Too bad that after they made such a marketing campaign about the scientifically plausible background of the story, the ending is a completely constructed, pseudoscientific FU to anyone with a pertinent science background.

    • @danieljones6957
      @danieljones6957 4 роки тому +41

      @@ohauss Umm its a post apocalyptic video game... it not being real is what makes it fun and exciting

    • @patch1968
      @patch1968 4 роки тому +10

      Oliver H
      May you elaborate on that?

    • @ravleenliu4946
      @ravleenliu4946 4 роки тому +7

      Have you seen the opening to uncharted 2?

    • @93Dieselguy
      @93Dieselguy 4 роки тому +4

      I think Bioshock's opening is just a touch more atmospheric, but TLOU is a masterpiece, no doubt.

  • @The_RedVIII
    @The_RedVIII 4 роки тому +245

    You got Neil for this video? That's awesome! The Last of Us is a masterpiece.

    • @LessonsfromtheScreenplay
      @LessonsfromtheScreenplay  4 роки тому +47

      It was really fun getting chatting with him!

    • @rrrrnk9685
      @rrrrnk9685 4 роки тому +2

      Hmmm.......i have to say is the best game ever made for me

  • @carlos7mh
    @carlos7mh 4 роки тому +32

    Video game as a medium for story telling is so young that it’s exciting to think that most of the masters are just about to arise

  • @prateekarora4880
    @prateekarora4880 4 роки тому +55

    New life goal: make something so good that LFTS wants to do a video on it.

  • @LikeStoriesofOld
    @LikeStoriesofOld 4 роки тому +382

    This was fantastic! So cool to (finally) see you cover a videogame, and how amazing is it that you got Neil on the show, how did that happen?

    • @LessonsfromtheScreenplay
      @LessonsfromtheScreenplay  4 роки тому +188

      Lucked out and was able to get in touch with someone at Naughty Dog who knew the channel. We’ve literally been trying to make it happen for years.

    • @raymk
      @raymk 4 роки тому +17

      Alright, guys, let's make a collab to talk about impactful video games

    • @ac14cmpunk25
      @ac14cmpunk25 4 роки тому +1

      he ruin things

  • @tannerrobb8379
    @tannerrobb8379 4 роки тому +382

    There’s a common comment on many UA-cam videos saying “Never clicked on a video so fast”.
    But today I did that. I made a giant gasp and started the video instantly.
    And then I gasped again when Neil Freaking Druckmann shows up!

  • @annaluisacruz1296
    @annaluisacruz1296 10 місяців тому +2

    love how he talks about what makes the storytelling so great always with a proud grin on his face, like, he knows he made something amazing

  • @Screened
    @Screened 4 роки тому +125

    Great appreciation of video game writing!

  • @JoeBrando_
    @JoeBrando_ 4 роки тому +120

    Soon as I saw the title I knew it was gonna be a ride.

  • @razbuten
    @razbuten 4 роки тому +613

    Welcome to the dark side. You're a gamer now.
    On the real, The Last of Us does a lot of cool things in regards to connecting the player to Joel (and Ellie). The events in the beginning explain his actions at the end, and even though as a player I was like, "yeah, this seems like the wrong thing to do," because I was playing as Joel, I knew that he would do anything to not let the past repeat itself. It gets you to understand a guy who is willing to become a monster instead of losing someone he cares about, which is a pretty wild accomplishment. Good game. Good video. God of War 2018 is calling your name now.

    • @pedrohpf1990
      @pedrohpf1990 4 роки тому +5

      What's the next game your wife is playing? i loved those two first episodes :)

    • @razbuten
      @razbuten 4 роки тому +28

      @@pedrohpf1990 Minecraft.

    • @ohauss
      @ohauss 4 роки тому +1

      The problem with that ending was that it was complete BS in terms of the need to save Ellie. The rationale was utter nonsense.

    • @adityanathan7059
      @adityanathan7059 4 роки тому +12

      Oliver H care to elaborate on that?

    • @warrenwb8349
      @warrenwb8349 4 роки тому +5

      @@ohauss How so? How is saving someone you love not rationale?

  • @northuniverse
    @northuniverse 4 роки тому +44

    Game has jump button 10/10 masterpiece

  • @StrongMed
    @StrongMed 4 роки тому +48

    Seeing this topic for your latest video just made my day. Thanks!

  • @Krispiiee
    @Krispiiee 4 роки тому +42

    that flex at the beginning got me im so proud of you

  • @LessonsfromtheScreenplay
    @LessonsfromtheScreenplay  4 роки тому +293

    Check out our new video on The Witcher 3 over on our new gaming-focused channel, Story Mode: ua-cam.com/video/5gvVp9cP8xc/v-deo.html
    LFTS patrons can now watch extra clips from my interview with Neil Druckmann. Here's 22 minutes of Neil talking about the storytelling of The Last of Us: www.patreon.com/posts/32102950
    What are some of your favorite video game storylines? And who's excited for The Last of Us Part 2?

    • @Bryan-T
      @Bryan-T 4 роки тому +2

      final fantasy 6

    • @IlSH2
      @IlSH2 4 роки тому +2

      something with an actual gameplay, wether it has a story or not.

    • @someguy4096
      @someguy4096 4 роки тому +11

      Lessons from the Screenplay Undertale

    • @stickwoodthebrand
      @stickwoodthebrand 4 роки тому +12

      Lessons from the Screenplay I love uncharted 4 so much

    • @rodrrrgo
      @rodrrrgo 4 роки тому +19

      God of War!!!!

  • @LiliRoche
    @LiliRoche 4 роки тому +83

    can't wait to discuss part 2 now that the game is out.

    • @fuziontonygaming
      @fuziontonygaming 4 роки тому +11

      Here we go

    • @maxk4471
      @maxk4471 4 роки тому +41

      there is nothing to discuss. The script and narrative are complete trash.

    • @rudfilmsstudios
      @rudfilmsstudios 4 роки тому +45

      @@maxk4471 Dont just jump onto the bandwagon and go on mob mentality and cancel culture. You dont know what you're saying

    • @leakedtrailersinc.6734
      @leakedtrailersinc.6734 4 роки тому +35

      @@rudfilmsstudios I've played the game and it was quite bad

    • @tr1f0rc33
      @tr1f0rc33 4 роки тому +56

      @@leakedtrailersinc.6734 I've played the game and it was quite good.

  • @Claraxesx
    @Claraxesx 4 роки тому +38

    I'm currently writing my thesis on how the last of us tells an effective story and what it means for games as a narrative medium. This video came out just at the right time :) it's great to hear this from a developers perspective

  • @colinjensen8303
    @colinjensen8303 4 роки тому +57

    AHHHH FAVORITE CHANNEL DOING A GAME FOR THE FIRST TIME AND ITS MY FAVORITE OF ALL TIME AHHHH

  • @shamusquinn3891
    @shamusquinn3891 4 роки тому +418

    Lesson 1: At least one of your central characters shouldn’t be able to swim.

    • @samwallaceart288
      @samwallaceart288 4 роки тому +10

      Shamus Quinn - Watched enough game essays to know this refers to more than one property. I feel smart.

    • @Skitz0frenix
      @Skitz0frenix 4 роки тому +30

      Ellie grew up inside a camp without any pools/lakes or anything to learn where to swim. Great writing

    • @shamusquinn3891
      @shamusquinn3891 4 роки тому +3

      Such attention to detail. It’s expertly crafted.

    • @Jakeyisdead
      @Jakeyisdead 4 роки тому +6

      Works for red dead redemption 1 and 2

    • @Gameboi834
      @Gameboi834 4 роки тому +7

      Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, too.

  • @WhiteWaterAlchemist
    @WhiteWaterAlchemist 4 роки тому +23

    Imagine LFTS flexing even more with an interview with Hideo Kojima

  • @RustleXer
    @RustleXer 4 роки тому +6

    This is my favourite video game of all time. The story is so rich with backstories an lore that it’s a life of its own. When you posted this, I was beyond excited to watch.

  • @lhawes
    @lhawes 4 роки тому +80

    So cool that you got Neil to come on the show. He's a storytelling genius

    • @samwallaceart288
      @samwallaceart288 4 роки тому

      Levi Hawes - Yeah he’s got his stuff together. ... I still think the final chapter is really rushed tho.

    • @Am-zf3gq
      @Am-zf3gq 4 роки тому +4

      @@samwallaceart288 ohhh shut up

    • @linkinlinkinlinkin654
      @linkinlinkinlinkin654 4 роки тому +5

      @@samwallaceart288 that's the point I think. Everything gets a fast pacing at the end. To make us feel the stress Joel is feeling

    • @samwallaceart288
      @samwallaceart288 4 роки тому +2

      As in, Marlene says “we’re gonna’ kill Ellie for dubious reasons.” And Joel, rather than asking reasonable questions about such drastic measures; rather than hunting down a doctor to get a second opinion, rather than finding out if Ellie is even aware of the situation, he just immediately jumps to “kill everyone” as his first option. That scene could have better confirmed and justified the situation beyond just taking Marlene at her word that it is indeed an all-or-nothing situation. It’s a contrivance that Joel makes that jump in the span of 5 minutes. I get why it happened like that for game pacing, but I don’t buy it unfolding and escalating that fast from a story and character pov. All they needed was just one extra scene where Joel corners an actual doctor and gets more concrete facts about Ellie’s situation from someone who knows what they’re talking about. Just to help clarify the absurdity of the situation.

    • @Am-zf3gq
      @Am-zf3gq 4 роки тому +11

      @@samwallaceart288 ohh you didnt play the game properly..there were tapes mentioning how they found similarly people like Ellie in the hospital..abd guess what they didnt survive the test and secondly a father knowing his daughter is on the verge of death! And according to you he should have called 'The Manager' and should have a civil talk😂

  • @oskar2930
    @oskar2930 4 роки тому +234

    Rated M for Masterpiece

  • @RAGERPLAYS
    @RAGERPLAYS 3 роки тому +8

    I can’t wait for last of us 2 vid. I really feel that game shook me emotionally more than any piece of media

  • @davidsmith8279
    @davidsmith8279 4 роки тому +4

    I'm a parent...and the opening sequence of TLOU could not have been more impactful for me. I was utterly hooked and in almost 40 years of playing video games I've never experienced anything like TLOU before or after. A true masterpiece of the medium.

  • @shrikedoa
    @shrikedoa 4 роки тому +86

    I'd be interested in your take on Journey. There's no explicit story, but there is a definite overwhelming effect that is built over the experience.
    At the end I had an extremely emotional reaction (joyful tears, more or less) but to this day I can't really explain why. Maybe you can!

    • @semanticsamuel936
      @semanticsamuel936 4 роки тому +7

      Journey is the purest type of game in that it's all game. The Last of Us relies pretty heavily on cutscenes and reading to deliver its story. Journey has none of that. Everything is told through the gameplay, fully embracing the medium. It's extremely powerful. I'd love to see a breakdown on how it actually achieves that.

    • @Space_Ache
      @Space_Ache 4 роки тому +2

      Cried uncontrollably at the end of Journey. Didn't know why. Still dont really know why. I just know it changed me. It helped me move forward and let go of a lot I had been holding on to. Journey cannot be explained. It must be experienced.

  • @bryal7811
    @bryal7811 4 роки тому +47

    I love Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons take on storytelling through game play. Using a side of the controller for each brother was really clever. There's a part in the story where the older brother (left side of the controller) is gone and the younger brother (right side of the controller) must perform a task the older brother normally did. It's a great moment of character development that's felt in both the narrative and is reinforced by the control scheme.

    • @domantasl
      @domantasl 4 роки тому +5

      That moment is the absolute pinnacle of meaningful gameplay in my eyes. I was looking for how to get through that area and even when I understood that I had to swim, I did not expect it to happen the way it did. I had to put down the controller for a minute and take in what just happened.
      Many games strive to achieve meaningful gameplay moments, but few get there.
      The ladder moment in TLoU is as close as their mechanics allowed and it's one of the best moments of the game.
      These games are prime examples of when you can proudly say that games can be art. No buts or ifs.
      Not all games are (just as not all movies) and not all games have to be, but there are plenty that proudly stand in that category.

    • @internisus
      @internisus 4 роки тому +4

      No exaggeration: One of the greatest moments in videogames. A condensed thesis statement for its power as a medium.

  • @arnavrajadhyax2580
    @arnavrajadhyax2580 9 місяців тому +2

    Druckmann is a storytelling genius

  • @camrobbo47
    @camrobbo47 4 роки тому +36

    The game aged like fine wine...
    This video aged like a fine apple

    • @beegmo9666
      @beegmo9666 4 роки тому

      They're not taking about part II

  • @AngryTothGaming
    @AngryTothGaming 4 роки тому +15

    12:45 is probably my favourite part of the game in a story perspective.
    "can't deny that view"
    Joel smiles for the first time and looks down at his watch.
    He's thinking about Sarah after spending little time with Ellie.
    It breaks me every time.

    • @Rikku147
      @Rikku147 4 роки тому +3

      I remember in the behind the scenes they mentioned this was something that was added during the rendering of the scene. Him looking at his watch wasn't in the script or performed by the actor. It really shows how much the medium of video games can give artists the chance to play fully with their stories.

  • @Vince009
    @Vince009 4 роки тому +81

    Would you kindly do a video on BioShock?

  • @manumitir
    @manumitir 4 роки тому +2

    Dude, honestly, there is something very beautiful in your videos. I really, really enjoy how the focus of what you analyze never looses touch with artistic expression in favor of over-technicalities. it is just the right and sober amount of dissection in order to reveal the techniques behind these amazing scripts and how they accomplish what they do. Again, thanks so much for your videos!

  • @coll912
    @coll912 4 роки тому +57

    15:30 "She grabs this Machete and she kills David in the most brutal of ways; just hacks him. And even past the point where he's dead and you're seeing this affect now, this- her being on her own. Fighting all of these people, killing, murdering - it's having a toll on her. // And we leave them just as Joel comes in and pulls her off of David and holds her and embraces her like his own daughter and calls her *Baby, Girl* - same phrase he used for his daughter."
    16:01 [The game cuts to a few months later, but the weight of Ellie's experience remains]
    "Where Ellie the whole game has been the optimistic one, the peppy one - she tells jokes, she's the one who calls Joel on his bullshit. She's just got all of this energy and you're coming in and she's quiet. And she's distant. She doesn't respond, you get this interactive prompt over the head you've had the the whole game where you can talk to her and you hit it again: "Ellie?" and hit it again "Ellie?" But you can tell something is really off with her. And that was important for us to show that Ellie has an arc. That Ellie starts as this very innocent, naive person, (16:51) *and you can't survive in this world without it corrupting you in some way - without it having some toll on your personality.* "
    [Here, the behavior of the NPC you're paired with is once again revealing character]

    • @MM-hi
      @MM-hi 3 роки тому

      @Reconsider your position who hurt you

  • @AndreyKurenkov
    @AndreyKurenkov 4 роки тому +16

    Love that you point out the ladder moment at 17:30 , so understated yet powerful.

  • @ktran137
    @ktran137 4 роки тому +32

    The collab i never knew I needed

  • @Beautifulcoil
    @Beautifulcoil 3 роки тому +29

    Man, TLOU (I + II) were just mind blowing. I felt things I've never felt before or after playing it. It was an experience I'll remember for my entire life.

  • @Raymando
    @Raymando 4 роки тому +5

    The timing of this video was insane. I have watched and admired all of your stuff since years and always have wanted to make video essays of my own. And I finaly made one on this very topic less than a week back. This is such a compelling thing to talk about since the storytelling of videogames and cinema is so different yet derivative in a way that we can't ignore. Just like theatre and cinema have grown into separate mediums.

  • @HQH420
    @HQH420 4 роки тому +37

    Thank you for putting into words what I could never explain to everyone whose ever asked me why I love video games

  • @GrayFlare
    @GrayFlare 4 роки тому +53

    Man who's cutting onions up in here?? 😭😭😭

  • @brandonholtz5309
    @brandonholtz5309 4 роки тому +2

    I’m so glad they went over the cannibal sequence. That was one of my favorite parts of the game bc it changed the story so much.

  • @nataliecordero9518
    @nataliecordero9518 4 роки тому +7

    I finished the last of us this week and have been watching every interview and video I can on it, and this has been my favorite one. thank you for laying out why this video game is so incredible, i tried to explain it to a friend yesterday and now I'm going to send them this because it does a perfect job of explaining :]

  • @HxH2011DRA
    @HxH2011DRA 4 роки тому +21

    When Ellie didn't immediately go for the later, I felt that

  • @SuperSaiyan3985
    @SuperSaiyan3985 4 роки тому +87

    The Last of Us is, to this day, the greatest story I've ever experienced.

    • @Pablo-xp5je
      @Pablo-xp5je 4 роки тому

      +supersaiyan3985 Yeah me too. It's true that a game CAN immerse you in some ways a movie can't. Even if the opposite is also true, The Last of Us is just pure emotion. That even when the story itself is not that original breakthrough it does move you like anything else. The way I cared for these characters, for their journey and their destination is just unbelievable. If something happened to them it would break my heart more than any movie or series twist ever has. I'm waiting on The Last of Us Part II so much I just had to watch this video.

    • @Aiman-yu6qg
      @Aiman-yu6qg 4 роки тому +1

      To me this is the game that truly showed that video game are art and that it showed people who though video games were nothing more then just button mashing can actually show and tell deep and interesting stories

    • @thieutran2694
      @thieutran2694 4 роки тому +1

      Neil Druckmann: Nope!

    • @user-bh1mi3qc4p
      @user-bh1mi3qc4p 4 роки тому +1

      This didn't age well

    • @SuperSaiyan3985
      @SuperSaiyan3985 4 роки тому

      @@thieutran2694 LOL

  • @alexandramontero2780
    @alexandramontero2780 4 роки тому +5

    I hope you do a video for part 2, this was very well done✊🏼

  • @SatansBestBuddy1
    @SatansBestBuddy1 4 роки тому +37

    In my humble opinion, the best story telling game I've ever played is Papers, Please.
    There's a short film based on the game. It has the music, the tone, the atmosphere of the game, but utterly fails to tell the story of the game at all. Comparing the game versus the short film is a stark reminder of exactly how games tell stories differently. There is no montage in the game, for example, as the short film runs through a number of people passing through very quickly, which you can never do in the game. There are also no decisions to be made while watching. You see the nameless main character presented with a choice that he needs to dwell on for a moment, but what's going through his head cannot compared to what's going through your head when presented with the same choice in the game. And the dozens of interwoven narratives in the game are only hinted at in the short film, since they are so complicated and take so long to get through.
    Ultimately the feel of the short and the feel of playing the game are vastly different because Papers, Please relies on you, the player, to tell the story. It is a story telling tool. Which is something even the greatest of movies cannot emulate.

    • @kattankarl
      @kattankarl 2 роки тому

      Great explanation, hope people read this. Whatever you think of last of us, the story could've been told the exact same way with a movie. It barely uses the medium games provide which makes it a pretty bland example of storytelling through games I think.

  • @palebluenarratives
    @palebluenarratives 4 роки тому +33

    Marvel: The Most Ambitious Crossover Event in History.
    LFTS: Hold my beer.

  • @muffy6519
    @muffy6519 4 роки тому +38

    It's so rare that people appreciate games on the same narrative level as movies! Love it!

    • @rk_092neo
      @rk_092neo 4 роки тому

      Video games have surpassed Hollywood already as a medium. People are just too ignorant.

    • @muffy6519
      @muffy6519 4 роки тому +2

      @@rk_092neo I wouldn't say "surpass", more like "found a unique type of narrative that takes full advantage of the inherent advantages to the medium"
      I believe it's impossible for one artistic medium to surpass another as art is subjective.
      Also people aren't ignorant, they're just happy with what they have. If they insult video games then they're prejudiced.

    • @rk_092neo
      @rk_092neo 4 роки тому +1

      @@muffy6519 you bring up true points, but the quality of content in Hollywood movies have declined in the last several years whilst video games have produced stunning and memorable stories like RDR2 and The Last of Us for example.
      Why do you think Hollywood are Keen to make movie adaptations of popular video games? Because they don't want to admit that they have nearly run out of original ideas and they want to cash in on what has already been established with the audience.

    • @muffy6519
      @muffy6519 4 роки тому +3

      @@rk_092neo Let me just start off by saying I overall prefer video games for storytelling as I find I'm able to immerse myself in the story better.
      Now, let me also say that "Hollywood is running out of ideas" is ridiculous. There are infinitely more ideas then there ever will be reality. The correct statement is "Hollywood is running out of PROFITABLE ideas." Hollywood is first and foremost a business and a business's first priority is always to make money. That's the nature of businesses in a capitalist economy. Minimize costs, Maximize profit. Why bother spending resources coming up with an original movie idea when you can recycle the plot of a critically claimed move from 2 decades ago and simply pressing "RTX on" and have it be one of the highest earning movies ever. Occasionally you'll get a passion project through once you've earned enough trust (money) for the business, but that's rare.
      But let me tell you a secret, video games are also made by businesses. Haven't you noticed the recent resurgence of remasters/remake/rerelease? Money. I'm not complaining, I'm glad some of these games got updated for the newest platform, but the truth is that money is the primary motivation for making it.
      For every Last of Us, there's 3 FPSs with shiny new guns, every RDR2 10 new EA sports games that somehow get worse over time. The same is true for movies.
      The culmination of 11 years of hard work was paid off amazingly in Endgame and it did a way better job at finishing a story told over multiple entries and setting up the next generation then Kingdom Hearts III did for sure. But, by the same token, Alien: Isolation remains the most horrifying piece of media I've ever consumed. There's pros and cons on both sides.

  • @mychannel-lp9iq
    @mychannel-lp9iq 4 роки тому

    Every scene.. every guitar strum.. every word.. is an emotional memory .. I literally cried

  • @mariomazzarella3879
    @mariomazzarella3879 4 роки тому +1

    I’ve just done another play through of this game in anticipation of part 2 coming out soon. And I was able to really appreciate even more of the story details. One thing that struck me was that Joel was unable to talk about his former life, and quickly dismissed any conversation about his daughter. But by the end he opens up more and accepts with appreciation the picture Elle gives him of them, one that he didn’t want even from his brother earlier. But also, by the last scene he’s so comfortable to say Elle and her was alike, and probably could have been friends. Now that’s a journey!

  • @paulkou93
    @paulkou93 4 роки тому +6

    I truly believe LFTS is one of the most inspirational UA-camrs. Thank you for the work that you put into these videos.

  • @warrenwb8349
    @warrenwb8349 4 роки тому +4

    This is my absolute favorite episode of Lessons from the screenplay. Last of us is an amazing experience so it was awesome to see you sit down with Neil and breakdown what made it so great. Bro that Giraffe scene has to be my favorite moment in any video game ever.

  • @MyMerp86
    @MyMerp86 4 роки тому +1

    A video from you on “The Last of Us” was the last thing I would have expected today. I had just finished playing TLOU last week, my first video game in years, and I have been in love with Druckmann’s masterpiece ever since. Thank you for treating the medium with as much respect as you do for films and for using TLOU as the titular example.

  • @howtonotbasic1383
    @howtonotbasic1383 4 роки тому +12

    Now I can't look at Neil dickman the same way or give him the same respect as a game developer.

    • @KingRey.
      @KingRey. 3 роки тому

      Did you even play the game?

  • @PajamaZam
    @PajamaZam 4 роки тому +7

    If you havent played the last of us, you are honestly doing yourself a disservice. One of the best stories and some of the best emotional storytelling ive ever seen or played

  • @HiatusFilm
    @HiatusFilm 4 роки тому +18

    God, this channel is perfect. Thank you so much for this.

  • @mySDK3333
    @mySDK3333 4 роки тому

    Amazingly done!
    Thanks for making it!

  • @VKDante
    @VKDante 4 роки тому +1

    I'm saving this so I can watch it in peace. Never have I even been so excited to watch a UA-cam video. Thanks for the quality content and appreciating the potential of story telling through videogames. I haven't watch the video yet, but I can already tell it's gonna be great.

  • @yahboiiarnold1270
    @yahboiiarnold1270 4 роки тому +5

    I've played this game six times and I've watched damn near all your videos twice. I saw the thumbnail and i swear I've never clicked on a video faster

  • @patrickmyers2888
    @patrickmyers2888 4 роки тому +7

    So cool to see you branch out!

    • @LessonsfromtheScreenplay
      @LessonsfromtheScreenplay  4 роки тому +3

      Thanks Pat! I've wanted to talk about video game writing for awhile. This felt like the absolute perfect place to start.

  • @YoonHan35
    @YoonHan35 4 роки тому

    god the music that accompanies the interview is spot on. props to you not only for the content of the dialogue but also for all the environmental mood setting you do.

  • @jazzbycat
    @jazzbycat 4 роки тому +3

    Guys, you don't know how important this video is for me. My thesis is to make a script of a videogame, and the main question was always about the story in the videogame, how to incorporate elements from the literature, how to make a good story in videogames. I'm so happy, thank you so much!

  • @JakeBirkelGooglePlus
    @JakeBirkelGooglePlus 4 роки тому +5

    I've got to say, I try to watch every movie before you upload a video essay on it and I've been meaning to get this game for a while. This video might have put me over the top so I'm sure I'll view it in a few weeks once I've finished the game!

  • @Nikkiflausch
    @Nikkiflausch 4 роки тому +19

    You, making a video about The Last of Us? Christmas comes early this year!

  • @zazomy8629
    @zazomy8629 4 роки тому +21

    I bet you Neil wasn't the only one who wrote TLOU

    • @blabla1624
      @blabla1624 4 роки тому +4

      en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_of_Us he was actually

    • @Olimar530
      @Olimar530 4 роки тому +9

      Bruce Stanley and other veteran developers helped him and kept a leash on him. the old guard is gone now and he is really all that remains, hence the horrendous self parody that is The last of us 2.

    • @scorniro8182
      @scorniro8182 4 роки тому +4

      ​@@Olimar530 Where is your source? You are literally just a guy making assumptions that are most likely false. So stop talking crap.

    • @nicolasmorales5955
      @nicolasmorales5955 4 роки тому +4

      @@scorniro8182 the last of us 2 Is your source lol.

    • @darthslinger1129
      @darthslinger1129 3 роки тому +2

      @@nicolasmorales5955 your stupidity and lack of research is your real source.LOL

  • @spencerboone10
    @spencerboone10 2 роки тому +11

    The Last of Us is my favorite game of all time. Shame they never made a sequel.

  • @vickhs
    @vickhs 4 роки тому +14

    Dude, thank you for that little parallel with Children of Men. That was wonderful. Your videos only get better and better.

  • @TheSuperNats
    @TheSuperNats 4 роки тому +17

    My baby loves your voice! I love your content! This is perfect for feeding time.

  • @zachary4670
    @zachary4670 3 роки тому +2

    I’m in my late 20s and played this game after my daughter was born. The scene with Sarah just broke me. I’ve never cried playing a video game before that.
    Did anyone else notice that the scene where Sarah dies and the scene where you learn Ellie is immune mirror each other? In both cases the camera is low, looking up to a soldier who is about to execute someone, and then the soldier is killed by a last-second headshot from the left.

  • @centuriomacro9787
    @centuriomacro9787 4 роки тому

    This episode was greater than I could have imagined. Great stuff, especially the interview with Neil Druckmann

  • @matthewlin4053
    @matthewlin4053 4 роки тому +17

    Wow, this channel keeps going on up. This is amazing

  • @Storyograph
    @Storyograph 4 роки тому +3

    This is exactly the channel I wanted to see do video game storytelling! Awesome!

  • @GabrielRicardoFreeman-Gabe
    @GabrielRicardoFreeman-Gabe 4 роки тому +1

    Fantastic, thank you Michael. I would love to see more about storytelling in games on your channel!

  • @kamilas7737
    @kamilas7737 7 місяців тому +2

    I am surprised this video doesn’t have more views. It surely deserves them 🌟

  • @BackfallGenius
    @BackfallGenius 4 роки тому +13

    This got me so hyped for The Last of Us: Part II next year

    • @alexman378
      @alexman378 4 роки тому +8

      I’m sorry bro...

    • @slickspidey
      @slickspidey 3 роки тому

      @@alexman378 over 300 awards

    • @alexman378
      @alexman378 3 роки тому

      @@slickspidey So? Do you even know how that process works? You think you put a game out and it randomly gets awards if it’s good enough? 😂

  • @ericaskari
    @ericaskari 4 роки тому +5

    "Your watch is broken" was good but nightmare in the nap after that was Awesome .
    I bet Sarah was in it and died again in front of Joel

  • @LiquidreamUK
    @LiquidreamUK 4 роки тому

    OMG, I can't believe you did a LFTS on my *FAVOURITE* game of all-time. 😊
    This was a wonderful episode, full of great insight - thank you Michael!
    (Even highlighted a couple of side-story beats I'd missed in during my play-through!)
    So great that you were able to get Neil in on this too.
    Really great work - thanks again! 🙌

  • @MikeRoberts1964
    @MikeRoberts1964 4 роки тому

    One of the great things about this game is the amount of care that went into the choices of set pieces and the 1000s of little details that go into making the world seem so relatable to us and therefore so interesting to play; you go through an office building and there's a sign asking people to wash their dishes, just like we have at my office, there's photos of the family and kids, there's bongs and high school athletic medals hanging in the college dorms... You really get a sense of a well thought-out, populated world that was interrupted by this virus.

  • @nextmessi4249
    @nextmessi4249 2 роки тому +4

    It's the Littlefinger of gaming writers

  • @sandupdorje
    @sandupdorje 4 роки тому +8

    So happy when I saw this, For me the last of us is the best game ever played and to have it analysed is even better.

  • @Pancakes1121
    @Pancakes1121 4 роки тому

    One of my favorites of all time. I can't wait for part 2.

  • @designbyhowell
    @designbyhowell 4 роки тому

    Michael, I am so glad you've done this. I hope you get to do more Video game related work. The Last of Us is a fascinating game and story and I love how you got to dive into it with Neil himself. So awesome! Thanks!

  • @dillydally7327
    @dillydally7327 4 роки тому +16

    NEIL, YOU GONE FUCKED IT UP.

  • @dannybrenes
    @dannybrenes 4 роки тому +3

    TLOU is one of the most meaningful narrative experiences of my life, and Neil Druckmann is a personal hero of mine. He’s the antithesis of most video game creators out there. While others focus on convoluted storytelling, numbing action and sexualization of female characters, with Neil (and Naughty Dog overall) you get tight narrative structures, emotional investment and characters you actually care about. I’ve been feeling pretty depressed over the last few weeks with Death Stranding’s awful story. This video is like a breath of fresh air in comparison. Thank you, Michael. I’ve been meaning to subscribe to your Patreon. This time I’m doing it for sure.

  • @calebhorton6117
    @calebhorton6117 4 роки тому

    Absolutely love your channel found it last night and binged everything you had love your delivery very well put together videos

  • @ameya193
    @ameya193 4 роки тому +3

    Absolutely fantastic video, so glad this was made. I've always been so interested in telling stories through videogames, and sadly, storytelling through games isn't that aware or known about to a lot of people. Thank you for spreading this with your video and answering a lot of questions I've had with videogame storytelling. Hopefully this leads to more people in the industry telling us about their journey when it comes to crafting a game. :)