Grand Theft Hamlet

At the start of 2021 the theatres in Britain are closed and two out-of-work actors, Sam and Mark, spend their days in Grand Theft Auto Online. They find an amphitheatre inside the game and an idea that started as a joke turns serious: stage Hamlet inside the game, with game characters. They hold auditions, they rehearse, and at every rehearsal somebody shoots them. Sam Crane and Pinny Grylls shot the whole film inside the game, as screen capture. It is not a technology showcase; it is a story about work, friendship and the search for meaning during the pandemic, with the strain on Sam's marriage inside it. It won the grand documentary prize at SXSW. Who it is for: viewers who like unconventional documentary form and game culture. Who it is not for: anyone expecting conventional photography.