Reformat the Planet
Reformat the Planet, the documentary film examining both the annual Blip Festival and the community that it celebrates, has just been released as a 2 DVD set. With improved audio, supplementary footage and a brand new short, it’s a more intricate examination of the chiptune scene than even its original critically acclaimed form.
REFORMAT THE PLANET (RTP) is a feature-length documentary that delves into the movement known as chip music, a vibrant underground scene based around creating new, original music using obsolete video game hardware. Familiar devices such as the Nintendo Game Boy and Nintendo Entertainment System are pushed in new directions with startling results.
Using New York as a microcosm for a larger global movement, RTP maps out the genesis of the first annual Blip Festival, a four-day celebration of over 30 international artists exploring the untapped potential of low-bit video game consoles. With floor-stomping rhythms and fist-pumping melodies, trailblazers of the chip music idiom descended upon Manhattan to pen a new chapter in the history of electronic music. Since its debut at the 2008 South by Southwest Film Festival, RTP has played to audiences around the world, continuing to expose new fans to the chip music movement.
For this ultimate home release, Portland’s 2 Player Productions, the same team behind “Penny Arcade: The Series,” joined forces with online specialty retailer Fangamer to ensure that the design and packaging properly reflected the passion and creativity of the film itself. This double DVD is available now – though the site itself still lists it as a pre-order – for a scant $15 American, and Fangamer also provides a number of interesting value-added bundles. (I mean, who doesn’t love Game Boy papercraft?!)
Whether you’re a die-hard chiptune fan or a new listener just discovering the scene, Reformat the Planet is all but required watching. Snag your copy today. For a better tomorrow.
REFORMAT THE PLANET trailer from 2 Player Productions on Vimeo.
