In the final article showcasing the remarkable women who elevated Fort Solis we are happy to introduce Julia Brown our amazing star actress who jumped into motion capture for the game. Julia answered some questions about her first video game-related project and her experience of gaming in everyday life. Also we would like to share the key art above, which features her character in Fort Solis - Jessica Appleton. Let's dive in!
Julia Brown is a Scottish actress and singer. She stars as Lois Bennett in the BBC series World on Fire (2019). She also appeared in the CBBC series M.I. High (2014) and the crime drama Shetland (2018–2021). Fort Solis is her first (but surely not last) forey into video games acting.
Q: This is your first video game-related project. How does appearing in front of a film or television camera differ from working with a motion capture camera? What does such a set look like? What was the atmosphere like, and were you able to count on support from colleagues who had previous experience with video games like Troy Baker and Roger Clark?
A: Motion capture is a whole new ball game! Having acted primarily in film and television, I am used to turning up to work and the world around me has already been created with the help of set builds, props, costume and make-up. In the volume there is nothing but your imagination. It is a tennis court sized sound stage with lots of motion capture cameras and nothing much else! Luckily our fantastically talented game designers were there to aid us in imagining that world, showing us drawings and maps of each environment and offering psychical aids in the place of items, doors, steps and so on. Having two pros acting alongside me helped massively with being able to dive straight into the shoot, knowing I could follow their lead. I had worked with motion capture before but never at this pace and detail. Roger and Troy, and the rest of the team, were incredibly generous with their advice and support. They all made what could have been a very nerve-wracking shoot, an upbeat and exhilarating experience.
Q : How do you like to spend your free time? Do you play video games yourself? If so, what are your favorite titles? In your opinion, can a game be just as effective at telling an engaging story as a movie or TV series? Are you planning to play "Fort Solis"?
A: I had a lot more time for gaming when I was younger, my brother is a big gamer, and we used to play together at home in Scotland and still occasionally do when I go home to visit. Growing up, I played a lot of Nintendo Wii and DS. I loved active games on the Wii, my dance matt and Singstar - can you guess I am a performer? Animal Crossing was one of my childhood addictions…and I hope my Nintendogs are still alive somewhere. On PlayStation, Heavy Rain was one of my absolute favourite titles because I loved the filmic experience of it and the consequences being driven completely by your choices as a player. Fort Solis’ similar cinematic experience is what really drew me to being a part of it. In some ways, I believe a game can be more effective at telling an engaging story because you have to be totally engaged as a player. The narrative is driven by your play and without you, the story stops. Whereas, when you are just watching something, you can be distracted and miss the action as it continues without you. I cannot wait to play Fort Solis - I will just have to get my hands on a PS5 before then!
Thank you for reading and this is the last article on this topic! I hope you enjoyed it and see you tomorrow at 20:00 CEST for the release!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1931730/Fort_Solis/