View source for Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair

{{Short description|1996 video game}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2016}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair
| image = Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair cover.jpg
| developer = [[Knowledge Adventure]]
| publisher = Knowledge Adventure
| director = [[Steven Spielberg]] (live action)
| producer = {{ubl|Roger Holzberg (game)|[[Bruce Cohen]] (live action)}}
| designer = {{ubl|Roger Holzberg|[[Rick Carter]]}}
| programmer = Roanna Doty
| artist = {{ubl|David Lowery|Lee Doran Crim}}
| writer = {{ubl|Martin Casella|[[Ted Elliott (screenwriter)|Ted Elliott]]|[[Terry Rossio]]}}
| composer = 
| released = {{vgrelease|NA|1996}}
| genre = [[Simulation video game|Simulation]]
| modes = [[Single-player]]
| platforms = [[Windows]], [[Macintosh]]
}}
'''''Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair''''' is a 1996 [[simulation video game]] by [[Knowledge Adventure]] for [[Windows]] and [[Macintosh]]. In the game, the player is guided by film director [[Steven Spielberg]] through the process of moviemaking, including scriptwriting, filming, and editing, using pre-generated film clips featuring [[Jennifer Aniston]], [[Quentin Tarantino]], [[Katherine Helmond]], and [[Penn & Teller]], among others. The game features advice from Hollywood professionals such as editor [[Michael Kahn (film editor)|Michael Kahn]], special effects supervisor [[Michael Lantieri]], and cinematographer [[Dean Cundey]]. The game was produced by [[Roger Holzberg]], who directed bluescreen scenes in which Spielberg, Kahn, Lantieri and Cundey themselves appeared.<ref>Joseph McBride, ''Steven Spielberg: A Biography'' Second Edition (2012), p. 431.</ref> Spielberg served as executive producer and live-action director.

== Plot ==
The player begins with a small budget and a personal assistant who provides guidance. Spielberg gives a pep talk to the player before the first feature can be made. [[Ted Elliott (screenwriter)|Ted]] and [[Terry Rossio|Terry]] (or Terry and Ted) offer the player useful suggestions on changing the film's script. Delays can occur during the filmmaking process. Ultimately, the player works with actor [[Quentin Tarantino]] and actress [[Jennifer Aniston]], as well as [[Penn & Teller]]. Cinematographer Dean Cundey also works on the player's film to keep it within budget.

The film is then edited by the player, who can choose which angles to use, and can add sound effects and a soundtrack. Spielberg then presents the film at its premiere. The studio sometimes offers the player a chance to make the film again with a larger budget. Script and shot options increase as the player advances in experience.

The short film within the game concerns a prisoner on death row (Tarantino) sentenced to death for the killing of an old lady ([[Katherine Helmond]]). His partner (Aniston) sets out to clear his name by investigating a pair of sinister magicians (Penn & Teller).<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-11|title='Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair', '90s Computer Game Where You Make a Movie Starring Quentin Tarantino, is Now Available Online|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/steven-spielbergs-directors-chair/|access-date=2020-08-19|website=/Film|language=en-US}}</ref> The virtual budget of the game is $40 million.<ref>{{cite web|first=Andy|last=Grieser|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99387890/fort-worth-star-telegram/|title=The reel thing|newspaper=[[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]]|page=69|date=November 9, 1996|accessdate=April 9, 2022|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

== Reception ==
{{Video game reviews
| Allgame = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name=AG/>
| CGW = {{Rating|2.5|5}}<ref name=CGW/>
}}
''[[Computer Gaming World]]'' rated the game two and a half stars out of five.<ref name=CGW>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_159.pdf|title=A Splice of Life|date=October 1997|magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]]|access-date=June 1, 2016|pages=282{{ndash}}283}}</ref> [[AllGame]] rated the game three stars out of five.<ref name=AG>{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=13423|title=Steven Spielberg's Director Chair - Overview|website=[[AllGame]]|access-date=June 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114154701/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=13423|archive-date=November 14, 2014}}</ref>

In 2020, [[Molleindustria]] released a free browser version of the short film within the game, presented as a simplified interactive movie similar to ''[[Black Mirror: Bandersnatch]]'', or ''[[Mosaic (murder mystery)|Mosaic]]''.

{{Clear}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|0124142}}
* {{moby game|id=/517/steven-spielbergs-directors-chair}}

{{Steven Spielberg}}

[[Category:1996 video games]]
[[Category:Classic Mac OS games]]
[[Category:DreamWorks Interactive games]]
[[Category:Filmmaking video games]]
[[Category:North America-exclusive video games]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]
[[Category:Steven Spielberg]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Windows games]]