Grand Theft Eco develops three 30-minute animated “machinima” videos about environmental change and its consequences for a major metropolis. The animation is being developed on the basis of “modding” the storyworld of the video game Grand Theft Auto V to produce a new vision of ecological futures in Los Angeles.
The films offer an alternative to dominant dystopian narratives about climate change futures by developing nuanced storyworlds in which crucial environmental problems have been addressed, but issues of social inequality continue to trouble how the solutions are experienced. The machinima videos translate research about climate change, urban ecology, urban biodiversity, migration, and infrastructure into a popular storytelling format to inspire visions of environmental solutions and improved urban futures without naïve optimism: instead, they show how the entanglement of ecological with social problems will require continued thought and activism.
Institute of the Environment and Sustainability | UCLA
Grand Theft Eco:The iBear in the River
Directed by
Ursula K. Heise and Danny Snelson
Cinematography
Chase Niesner
Jake O’Hare
Alex Shassetz
Virtual Worldbuilding and Digital Asset Creation
Brenna Connell
Danny Snelson
Angel Tolentino
Aaron Winslow
Elliot Yu
Written by
Emma Barnosky
Ursula K. Heise
Reuben Martens
Spencer Robins
Samantha Solís
Shouhei Tanaka
Clara Wilch
Sound Design
Adam Wand
Music
Brenna Connell
Machinima Direction and Editing
Chase Niesner
Alex Shassetz
Danny Snelson
Angel Tolentino
Voice Direction
Ursula K. Heise
Chase Niesner
Danny Snelson
Clara Wilch
Voice Cast
Yolanda Arellanos…..Emilia Vial
Kerstin Connor…..Izzy Roth
Oscar Arellanos…..Matthew Beymer
Ron Connor…..Spencer Robins
Karen Connor…..Ursula K. Heise
Andrea…..Al Hiciano De Góngora
TV News Reporter…..Al Hiciano De Góngora
Labor Organizer…..Luca Filiz
Alf…..Al Hiciano De Góngora
César…..Chase Niesner
Woman in Teal Shirt…..Ursula K. Heise
Security Guard…..Al Hiciano De Góngora
Store Vendor……Al Hiciano De Góngora
E-Waste Drone…..Matthew Beymer
Glass Waste Drone…..Al Hiciano De Góngora
Drone Announcer…..Angel Tolentino
Bus Hologram…..Danny Snelson
Gehry Park Hologram…..Danny Snelson
Rescue Helicopter Hologram…..Al Hiciano De Góngora
Ricky…..Luca Filiz
Yolanda’s Mother…..Angel Tolentino