"Commercial Breaks" Documentary (1984-Paul Anderson): The rise and fall of Imagine Software (720p)
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- Опубликовано: 9 ноя 2011
- Fly on the wall Documentary made in 1984 by the BBC's Paul Anderson (also worked on Tomorrow's World).
The Documentary chronicles the fast rise and even faster fall of Imagine Software-developers of many huge selling ZX Spectrum titles and once one of the biggest software companies in the UK, alongside the more long-term success of Ocean Software around the same time.
This documentary acts as a supplimentary piece to a @RetrocastUK vidcast that features a talk by Bruce Everiss - director at Imagine Software, who stars in the Documentary and who in the talk recorded at the 2011 Replay Expo in Blackpool, discusses the triumphs and tragedy of Imagine's heady days back in the 1980s.
The talk also features guest Paul Andersen, producer/director of the 1984 BBC TV documentary Commercial Breaks, which famously chronicled the company's very public meltdown alongside the meteroric rise of rival software house, Ocean Software.
Click the screen at the indicated points to be taken to the talk, which will in turn bring you back to this video at the correct point to give you the full experience.
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What happened here was the difference between a company that was set on creating the next big thing versus one that was entirely focussed on staying in business. Ocean succeeded by following the tried and trusted "Entertainment House" model as used by the big companies like Atari, and those of the film and music industries: Making sure there's a profitable product by cherry-picking the best options available. Imagine fell apart because they were more interested in the product than keeping afloat. While the money was coming in, they squandered it on huge salaries and lavish offices and frivolous pet projects that would never have made back their development budget.
As soon as I saw Bandesnatch on Netflix it made me think of Imagine - clearly inspired by this story. It was good to see all the real kit floating around the show (like the Spectrum with DKTroniks keyboard in the flat) etc. and it was really odd seeing an 80's WH Smith. Great job Netflix and Charlie Brooker.
Black mirror anyone?
The difference between Ocean and Imagine is so stark in this programme. A realistic, level headed business versus a bunch of egotistical charlatans.
Boomers. Boomers everywhere.
Kim Justice pointed me here :)
The ZX spectrum and Harry Potter are the finest things the UK has ever produced. Except for The United States of America of course.
Bounced here from kims imagine retrospective myself x
was it one of oceans loaders ?
Pleased to hear the Joe Walsh tune in situ as it has been muted due to copyright on the other uploads of this.
Thanks for uploading this interesting documentary.
That sound from Pogo at
It’s obvious why Imagine conceived the ‘Mega game’: An increasingly competitive and subsequently stagnating games market was placing a quickly acquired lifestyle of luxury cars, high living and penury-inducing expenditure in jeopardy.
Wow, I have never seen such sophisticated pirate copies.
02:44
I wonder if the guy ever got his bag back out of the office?
A lovely blast from the past!
The interactive stuff doesn't seem to work, how can i see this talk with Paul Andersen?
For anyone interested in more info about the making of this documentary and the company itself, check out this page for the full story:
Hey all! :) I wonder if any fellow Retro fans will pick up the subtle irony of the music I use for the interactive bit at the beginning an end of the video...? ;D