FOCUS: A Documentary - Review

If you've never heard of Mike Ross, EVO or the idea of competitive gaming, you don't need to worry. You don't need to switch off your set or ignore this DVD; FOCUS caters for you. Then again, if you do have an interest in the above, FOCUS is right up your alley.

FOCUS is a documentary about competitive gaming, Street Fighter, and in particular, Mike Ross. Mike is a 26 year old from California who likes playing guitar, hanging out with friends at comedy clubs and making videos. Now that the online dating-esque profile is out of the way, he also plays Street Fighter professionally and has established himself as one of the best players in the United States.

The adventure begins in May, 2010 and traces Mike's preparation leading up to the biggest tournament of his life, EVO 2010. Viewers are given a 360 degree look at what makes Mike Ross, well, Mike Ross. His family provide a background to Mike including how he started gaming, and when his competitive nature kicked off. Viewers are treated to candid interviews with Mike, his father, his brother and his friends throughout the documentary.

These break up the competitive footage nicely and complement the pace of the documentary. His family, as he puts it himself, are "here to look out for me". Mike's mother passed away tragically but still represents a pillar of support, inspiration and influence. These interviews are endearing and build a relationship with Mike that goes beyond the professional gamer image. From the outset, Steve Hwang tries to establish a connection between the viewer and Mike. 

This early glimpse at Mike's competitive nature establishes something that competitive gaming needs. When he was eight, he entered a tournament at a local arcade in a basketball game. He was beating players in their teens and this brought a crowd. There was a hook; spectators got invested. From this simple example, and primitive home video footage, Steve Hwang illustrates that the general masses need to see more than just a competitive video game. Spectators have to get emotionally invested, or be backing a particular competitor.

Mike is portrayed honestly. Fans of his various webseries (Cross Counter, The Excellent Adventures of Gootecks and Mike Ross, and The Marvellous Adventures of Gootecks and Mike Ross) will have some idea of what to expect. Most of the time, he doesn't take himself seriously; he will joke around and even when he is relatively confident, there is a modesty about him. He comes across as a likeable guy and is willing to interact with fans. However, he does not take losing well and will readily admit to being salty.

If you are a newcomer to fighting games or the competitive circuit, that one word could raise an eyebrow. "Salty"; almost single handedly highlighting one aspect that the entire documentary could fall down on. Games have a terminology and it is quite easy to get lost or caught up if you didn't quite understand it. However, Steve Hwang, Mike Ross and a variety of interviewees steer the viewer calmly through this potential minefield without ever seeming patronising. The interviewees know what they are talking about, and how to break it down in a viewer friendly manner. That is the simplistic beauty of FOCUS. It is casual enough for anyone to watch as an underdog story, without taking too much time out so that more veteran members of the fighting game brethren feel like it's a waste of time or detracting too much from the movie.

The documentary draws from a number of different elements of footage. Viewers are given a brief overview of the Street Fighter series, there are interviews and of course, there is in-game footage. This is used initially to showcase Mike's abilities and skills matched with a chorus of "oohs" from commentators and spectators. This enables the director to quickly arm viewers with knowledge that will come in handy later on in the documentary. Viewers are rapidly taught why Mike plays as E.Honda, how this character is typically played...and then how Mike plays.

For those who thought that playing video games as a living would be easy are quickly educated as Mike travels to a small 2v2 tournament to compete with "ShadyK". For a $5 entry fee, first place will earn $70, while 3rd place will win a handshake from the organiser. After the tournament, Mike says that winnings aren't his only source of income. He also produces videos on the side. While some payouts may be relatively small, Mike looks on the positive by saying that it's a good meal. Despite the difficulties that professional gamers may face, Mike says that if he were given the choice, he would want to be paid for video games over videography.

With that brief introduction to the pitfalls of competitive gaming, the documentary heads to Arizona for Devastation. The pressure, passion, highs and lows of competitive gaming are laid bare. It is here that the documentary title takes on a meaning. Competitive gaming is often as much about mental ability as it is about game skills. Mike highlights that newcomers will feel nervous because of the pressure, while more experienced players will feel a more positive sort of energy. It is important to manage these feelings and stay FOCUSed.

Tournament footage is broken up between in-game coverage and shots of Mike, the crowd and the other player. Again, this serves the purpose of making Mike a person that the viewer should be rooting for. Every reaction is captured from a raised eyebrow to a shake of the head. The commentary overture mixed with crowd reactions heightens the drama for the viewer. If you know the result, the action is still exciting; if you don't, you will be on the edge of your seat.

After matches, the audience is given a glimpse of Mike's reactions through a series of shots of him contemplating his last game to interviews regarding his thoughts on the game. Without giving too much away, he does say that after losing a match at Devastation, he just wanted to leave because he knew he would lose the next one if he was thinking too hard about the loss. Once again, viewers are shown that it is a mental game. This is reinforced time and time again throughout the documentary.

EVO 10 represents the biggest tournament of Mike's career. After the passing of his mother in 2008, he had a horrible tournament in 2009. This was his chance to prove himself, his chance for redemption. To add that extra element of pressure, he would have to move through a bracket featuring 2,000 players with an impressive prize pot on offer, and thousands of spectators online and in person.

It is at this point that the difficulties of professional gaming are put on the table. While Mike likes the idea of getting some payouts for smaller tournaments, he realises that it's not enough in the long run. He speaks candidly and says that things have to get serious or he would have to walk away. He "doesn't want to be wasting his time". This is another reason why EVO is so important, and why it weighs more heavily on his mind.

EVO is completely different to most tournaments. It is possibly the biggest in the world and draws thousands of players from around the world. Fans seek photographs and autographs, and Cosplayers roam the halls. But Mike is focused on making top eight. If he can do that, he establishes himself as a great player.

The crowd react to every combo and every missed opportunity. Shots of the crowd show how much this tournament means to some, even if they are not involved directly. Photographers stand by, posed with cameras to take reactionary shots. With this amount of nervous excitement buzzing around the crowd and commentators, one can only assume what the players themselves are feeling.

Those who followed EVO will know how it panned out. Otherwise it's like watching Titanic and hoping it doesn't hit the iceberg. But sometimes, it is not about the destination. What is important, is the journey to get there.

Mike says that Street Fighter could replicate skateboarding's success where it starts small and grows. It certainly could, and just like skateboarding it needs ambassadors. After watching this documentary, it is clear that he is someone that you would want representing a scene.

As stated, spectators need a hook to watch something that they may not have had an interest in. Steve Hwang captures it in FOCUS by portraying one man's journey and using more than just in-game footage. FOCUS is a documentary that will keep all entertained and interested, from the casual to the competitive. If you want your granny to understand competitive gaming, show her this. By the end, viewers will be hoping that Mike triumphs. They will, "believe in Mike Ross."

FOCUS is the debut documentary feature of Director Steve Hwang, an Asian-American filmmaker and graduate of Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. It currently has no set release date beyond "Spring, 2011". For more information, visit the website, Twitter and Facebook.