Interview withXalavier Nelson Jr., exploring his creative process and ethics as a visionary filmmaker
In a recent podcast, Xalavier Nelson Jr., the creative director of Strange Scaffold, discussed the challenges faced by developers in the game industry, particularly in terms of career longevity and the quality of experiences.
Nelson, who heads a game development label known for narrative-driven indie games, has been recognised for his awareness of narrative depth, a hallmark of quality experiences common to both games and films. This crossover suggests a value for quality narrative experiences comparable to that of film directors.
The indie game sector, where Nelson works, is acknowledged as both creatively rewarding and extremely difficult for longevity, with small teams facing fierce market challenges. Although Nelson hasn't been quoted directly about career longevity, the industry's environment he works in is known for high barriers to sustained commercial success and a need for constant adaptation, unlike the relatively more established pathways for film directors.
Nelson's latest endeavour, Strange Scaffold's largest game to date, El Paso, Elsewhere, received significant critical acclaim. He also emphasised the importance of passing on information and learnings to newer individuals in the industry.
Nelson compared the workload of a film director in their first ten years to that of a creative director in games, highlighting the disparity. He suggested that this disparity leads to a lack of clearer voices producing consistently and gathering an audience.
The podcast, produced by Jordan Mallory and featuring music composed by Mike Meehan, was available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify. During the discussion, Nelson also touched upon broader problems in game production, such as career longevity.
In addition to his work in games, Nelson works across media, including writing for games and comics, and acting, as demonstrated by his role as the voice of El Paso, Elsewhere's protagonist. His engagement with new technologies like AI for game localization also shows an openness to evolving workflows in games, paralleling innovation pressures seen in film production.
Nelson's full chat, including advice for aspiring indie developers and leaders, is available in the embedded podcast above. As the game industry continues to evolve, Nelson's insights offer valuable perspectives on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
[1] Strange Scaffold's focus on storytelling complexity akin to film direction: https://www.strangescaffold.com/ [2] Challenges faced by indie game developers: https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/MikeOConnell/20190610/311565/The_Challenges_Indie_Game_Developers_Face.php [3] Use of AI in game localization: https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/MatthewWelsh/20200228/346016/The_Use_of_AI_in_Game_Localization.php [4] Market saturation and commercial pressures in indie game development: https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/SimonCarless/20190528/311750/The_State_of_Indie_Game_Development_2019.php
The focus of Strange Scaffold, where Nelson works, lies in crafting narratives similar to those seen in movies and TV shows, demonstrating a shared value for quality storytelling in both the entertainment industries. The indie game sector, a creatively rewarding but challenging environment, is recognized for resembling the demands faced by film directors in terms of career longevity and the need for constant adaptation.
