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Christian Cantamessa

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Christian Cantamessa
Born (1976-10-04) October 4, 1976 (age 48)
Savona, Italy
Occupation(s)Video game writer, designer, screenwriter
Notable workManhunt series
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Red Dead Redemption
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

Christian Cantamessa (born October 4, 1976) is an Italian-American writer, director, and video game creator best known as lead designer and co-writer of Red Dead Redemption and the Manhunt series,[1] level designer on Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas,[2] and writer of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor.[3]

He is also the founder and CEO of Sleep Deprivation Lab, which is a production company and video game consulting firm known for work on Rise of the Tomb Raider, The Crew, Forza Horizon, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, and Middle-earth: Shadow of War.[3]

He also was the director and writer of Air, a feature film released in 2015 starring Norman Reedus, Djimon Hounsou, and Sandrine Holt.[4]

In December 2020, it was revealed that Cantamessa was working on story, world-building and cinematic direction for the reboot of Perfect Dark with Xbox's The Initiative studio.[5]. He has since left the project.

In October 2024, Cantamessa announced that he had founded a new game development company called Day 4 Night Studios, in collaboration with longtime friend Davide Soliani (creator of Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle and its sequel). Cantamessa is currently the co-Game Director on a new original game IP. [6]

Works

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Video games

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Year Game title Role Notes
2000 Disney's Donald Duck: Goin' Quackers Game design (Game Boy Color version)
2001 The Watchmaker Game design, original story, quality assurance
2001 Rayman M Game design (battle)
2003 Manhunt Lead level designer and writer
2004 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Level designer
2007 Manhunt 2 Designer and writer
2010 Red Dead Redemption Lead designer and writer[7][8] Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction at 14th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards[9]
2012 Forza Horizon Additional writing[10]
2014 Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Cinematics director, story[11][12] Outstanding Achievement in Story at the 18th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards[13]
Nominated for Direction in a Game, Cinema at the NAVGTR Awards[14]
2014 Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric Additional story
2014 The Crew Story[15]
2015 Rise of the Tomb Raider Story consultant[16]
2017 Dead Alliance Creative director
2017 Middle-earth: Shadow of War Story
TBD Perfect Dark (upcoming video game) Creative Consultant & Cinematics Director

Film

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Year Film title Role Notes
2015 Air[17] Writer and director[18][19] Directorial feature film debut[20]
2018 Awake[21] Writer[22] Premiered at South by Southwest 2018[23]

Comics

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Year Series title Role Notes
2017 Kill the Minotaur[24] Writer Published by Image Comics[25]

References

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  1. ^ Pometsey, Olive (April 13, 2019). "Red Dead Redemption game designer Christian Cantamessa on his career in gaming". British GQ. Archived from the original on April 14, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
  2. ^ Parkin, Simon (August 26, 2013). "The Hunt for One of Gaming's Most Mythical Creatures". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on October 31, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  3. ^ a b Parkin, Simon (August 26, 2015). "Here's the secret to making a truly cinematic video game". Business Insider. Archived from the original on February 26, 2018. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
  4. ^ Jaworowski, Ken (August 13, 2015). "Review: In 'Air,' Norman Reedus and Djimon Hounsou Keep Hope, and Themselves, Alive". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on March 4, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  5. ^ Robinson, Andy (December 12, 2020). "Analysis: Who's working on the new Perfect Dark?". Video Games Chronicle. Archived from the original on December 12, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  6. ^ Dring, Christpher (October 3, 2024). "Mario + Rabbids and Red Dead Redemption creators form new studio: Day 4 Night". Retrieved October 3, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ Jagneux, David (November 27, 2016). "How Red Dead Redemption's writer wants Start VR to change storytelling". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on March 3, 2018. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
  8. ^ Pieraz, Ana Maria Luide (November 30, 2016). "'Red Dead Redemption' writer Christian Cantamessa is thrilled at the opportunities that VR will present". International Business Times AU. Archived from the original on March 4, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  9. ^ Graft, Kris (February 11, 2011). "BioWare's Mass Effect 2 Wins Game Of The Year At Interactive Achievement Awards". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on March 17, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  10. ^ Purdy, Shawn (April 18, 2014). "When Worlds Collide: hands-on with The Crew". Team VVV. Archived from the original on March 4, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  11. ^ Cruz, Eileen (July 28, 2014). "SDCC2014: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor – Christian Cantamessa Roundtable Interview". ToonZone News. Archived from the original on March 4, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  12. ^ "'Shadow of Mordor': Behind the scenes". Los Angeles Times. August 5, 2014. Archived from the original on March 4, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  13. ^ Nutt, Christian (February 6, 2015). "Shadow of Mordor cleans up at the AIAS awards". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on March 17, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  14. ^ "Nominations by Year". National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Corporation. Archived from the original on March 4, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  15. ^ Bigg, Martin (April 18, 2014). "The Crew was written by former writers of Red Dead Redemption and GTA Vice City". Team VVV. Archived from the original on March 4, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  16. ^ Boccher, Mike (February 4, 2016). "New Moving Hazard trailer shows weaponized zombies in action". GameZone. Archived from the original on March 4, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  17. ^ Davis, Brandon (August 15, 2015). "Exclusive Interview: "Air" Director Christian Cantamessa". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on March 17, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  18. ^ Kit, Borys (February 18, 2014). "'Walking Dead's' Norman Reedus to Star In, Robert Kirkman to Produce Sci Fi Thriller 'Air' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 4, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  19. ^ Couto, Anthony (February 19, 2014). "The Walking Dead's Robert Kirkman and Norman Reedus to Team for Sci-Fi Thriller Air". IGN. Archived from the original on April 20, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  20. ^ LaPorte, Nicole (August 21, 2015). ""Walking Dead" Creator Robert Kirkman's Quest To Create The Anti-Marvel". Fast Company. Archived from the original on March 17, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  21. ^ McNary, Dave (December 4, 2017). "Jake McDorman, Analeigh Tipton to Star in VR Film 'Awake'". Variety. Archived from the original on March 17, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  22. ^ McLevy, Alex (March 16, 2018). "VR is getting very, very good". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  23. ^ Aldrich, Ryland (March 14, 2018). "SXSW 2018: Exclusive Trailer for VR Original Series AWAKE". Screen Anarchy. Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  24. ^ Johnston, Rich (March 20, 2017). "Skybound Launches New Comic, Kill The Minotaur – Take A Peek!". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on March 17, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  25. ^ Kit, Borys (September 21, 2017). "Robert Kirkman's Skybound Teams With Universal to Adapt 'Kill the Minotaur' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 4, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
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