Making videogames out of movies ain’t as easy as you might think. Sure, the film is already made so you have a general direction as to where to take the plot and characters, but because the game is based on an already established creative entity with a fan-base (or fan-base to be, in many cases), a visual look, and established characters, there are expectations. Fans want the game to be true to the film, yet you can’t reveal too much or people complain the film gets ruined by the game. But you can’t reveal too little or people feel the producers just used the brand name to sell games without really committing to pleasing the fans and delivering the goods. Ideally, a movie-based game should both extend the experience of the film and serve as a companion, riffing on the plot and characters without spoiling the plot for folks that haven’t been to the theater yet.

It’s especially hard to strike a proper balance with kiddie movies, because you are trying to nab both the children and their parents. You want your game to appeal to the tykes by following the themes and characters of the film, yet it can’t be too easy or too basic or you lose the adults.

G4 had a chance to discuss this challenge with Activision Associate Producer Lalie Fisher, who worked on Over the Hedge (released this week) and the upcoming Shrek the Third (out next year), both of which were on display at E3. Over The Hedge is a new animated film voiced by heavyweights like Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Steve Carell and rocker Avril Lavigne about a mischievous raccoon and turtle who try to resist the temptations of encroaching suburbia. It opens Friday and while it remains to be seen whether it’s a smash hit, kids movies are pretty much shoe-ins for making big money these days and the buzz on it is strong. And Shrek…well, we all know what that Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz juggernaut did at the box office. I think the profits are somewhere in the quintrillions at this point, no? So the pressue to deliver the game good is high, baby...

These games based on children's films have a built in audience or both kids and their parents. How much does that help build anticipation for the game?

We design our games much the way the movies are created these days, to kind of appeal to everyone. Especially with a kids' title you hope it’s something that families will sit down and play together and that even older audience will play. I just talked to two guys who are playing that are well into their thirties. They thought it was very fun. It’s pretty straight forward and might be deemed a little bit easy, but it's definitely enjoyable for all.

Who are you trying to sell to the hardest, the kids or the adults?

They are games for everyone. Obviously you want to hit your target demographic, ‘cause that’s your main game players. You’ve seen Shrek, there’s a lot of pop culture references.

How much are games like Shrek the Third and Over The Hedge trying to tie into the plot aspects of the films versus just featuring the characters in all new set-ups?

It depends on the title. With console titles like Over the Hedge, you try to follow the story of the movie a little bit and relive it, and you also to go above and beyond. The first couple levels are done at the training course and retell the story of the film to re-familiarize yourself, and then the rest of the game was a new experience. It’s kind of “what happened after the movie left off.”  The Game Boy Advance title follows exactly the story of the film. But it’s fine to give them something a little different. The DS title told a totally different story and picks up where the movie left off. If you love Over the Hedge, which is geared to kids but can appeal to everyone, we want to give you a little more variety. So if a kid goes out and gets DS and GBA, they get a little variety, and it’s not the exact same game.

So ideally the game serves as a companion piece to the film?

Yeah, you wanna see what other kind of trouble and new adventures the characters will get into.

Damn straight ya do!