Alanah Pearce has a plan to stop Hollywood gatekeeping game adaptations

In this episode of Lightmap, host Chris Button interviews Alana Pearce, a multi-hyphenate Australian creative known for her work as a video game writer, actor, producer, and advocate for indie game development. Pearce discusses her journey from games media to acting and production, emphasizing her passion for learning and collaboration. She highlights the importance of grassroots events like Alt Games in fostering community and innovation within the indie scene. Central to the conversation is her new production company, Charred Pictures, which aims to empower indie game developers to create their own film and TV adaptations without Hollywood gatekeeping. Pearce argues that video games already possess the cinematic skill sets—such as lighting, color grading, and storyboarding in-engine—making Hollywood unnecessary. She stresses that game developers should leverage their unique strengths and wait for partners who truly value their vision. The episode also touches on funding challenges in the creative industry and the need for indie devs to build audiences early through social media and community engagement. Pearce concludes with reflections on the complexity of video game storytelling and the often-overlooked challenges of narrative design in interactive media.