Project: Flash Narrative Interviews
The following interviews were conducted in 2003, and I think they're still interesting today so I decided to post them again. I asked the same 8 questions to 5 different artists -- Jay Lee (Swordsmen), Brooke Burgess and Ian Kirby (Broken Saints), Marc Keelan-Bishop (tvo-kids), Marcus J. Dickinson (diaries of war) -- who primarily use Flash as their media of choise to broadcast their message.
8 Questions by Brandon Flowers
www.headwinds.net
1. How has actionscripting affected your work? Can your audience select different paths or interact with your Flash narrative?
2. what other media do you use in your narrative projects
3. Is communication between you and your audience important or do you let your work speak for itself?
4 . Does your narrative flash work have a life outside of flash?
5. Would you consider your narrative work to be personal? Objective or Subjective?
6. Does your work identify with your current geographical location? Would you consider your work to be local, national or international?
7. Is your work political? What risks have you taken in your work?
8. If you had 2 years and the financial freedom to pursue one flash narrative project as an individual or within a team, could you briefly describe what you might do?
8 Answers by Jay Lee
www.sunscript.tv
1. Since our animations are mainly made frame by frame, we have no need for any intense action scripting in the files. We do have areas and secret codes that are hidden in our episodes. By clicking on certain things or hitting certain keys at certain times in an episode, people can unlock a secret area that holds some extra treats, but still this is done with very little action script.
2. We use Adobe Photoshop, Painter, Sound Forge, 3D studio max, Swift 3D, as well as Illustrate and Adobe Premiere
3. I think that the series is straight forward, and can speak for itself. However, we do take any opportunity we can to talk to our audience.
4. Yes, our company focus is on both Comic Books and Flash Animation, so naturally we do traditional comic books to further expand the story.
5. Personal, we don't charge our viewers anything to watch the series. We do it for free. Without having a personal attachment to the storyline, the project would have never started.
6. I think our work is international. It's free on the Web so people can tune in to what we do from all over the world. Japanese Anime and Asian cinema inspire the series. Fans of such, wherever they may be in the world, are our target market.
7. The series deals with politics to some degree, but more so it is just an entertaining story.
8. I would art direct a team of flash animators on a 90 min. Anime movie of my own creation for the big screen or a DVD. I would incorporate a high level of 3D and try to push flash to its maximum potential as an animation tool.
Brooke Burgess and Ian Kirby
www.brokensaints.com
1. Actionscript has allowed us to create a smooth and organic interface for the website as well as allowing quick upates to the site such as new chapter postings. The narrative itself may be a linear experience, but the space within which it is 'housed' is dynamic, compelling, and brimming with interactive content.
2. We use a mix of Wacom tablets, Painter 7, Photoshop 7, Toon Boom, and Flash to put Broken Saints togeter.
3. We originally stuck to merely posting new chapters and site content, but soon found that interaction with our rabidly supportive 'community' was a fun and essential component of the work. It adds yet another 'interactive' layer to the project, and makes the fans feel more involved and immersed in what's happening. E-mails, guestbook posts, forums, and pledge drives/benefit concerts have all contributed to mystique and 'cult' nature or Broken Saints.
4. We certainly hope it will ;) The goal has always been to take the property to other mediums once the flash series was completed. Currently, an upgraded DVD box set of the series and a traditional comic series are in the works. We've also been entertaining offers to develop animated and/or live action versions of the series...but only if the subject matter can remain relatively unscathed.
5. Definitely personal...Broken Saints is infused with a social, political, and spiritual slant - that type of energy can't help but be at least a little subjective ;)
6. The tagline of our series is, "In the Quiet Corners of the Globe, Four Strangers Receive a Message..." - the series is about people from different cultures and faiths overlapping on a doomsday vector. The very nature of this narrative makes the piece international in scope.
7. We've gone to great lengths to ensure that the characters and situations in Broken Saints shine a very harsh light on what we feel to be the tragedies and inequities of modern living. From poking holes in current political and religious dogma, to questioning the commercial nature of the technology we depend upon so desperately, we had no illusions about the risks we were taking. In fact, one of our protagonists (the Iraqi mercenary Oran) was originally conceived as a direct protest of the continued bombing/sanctions campaign against Iraq in the 90's...and it almost seems prophetic now.
8. Well...we'll have spent 3 years and thousands of dollars once Broken Saints is completed this June - I can't imagine wanting to try something like this anytime in the forseeable future (at least without a viable revenue model ;) ), but it was definitely worth every second. This was a dream project, so we can't even fathom another narrative that could rival Broken Saints at this time. But in a few years...who knows?
8 answers by Marc Keelan-Bishop
www.tvokids.com
1. When actionscripting first popped up on our radar at TVOKids.com it revolutionized the way we worked. Up to that point, we\'d always worked in html and some Director, which drastically limited the amount we could produce. The biggest effect actionscript had on our content was the ability to produce more quicker.
Because we started TVOKids.com in the late nineties, there were very few interactive, educational products for kids on the web. Most content for children was still in CD-Roms (and still is unfortunately). At TVO, we used our experience in telling stories and understanding kids to create dynamic games that kids could play for hours. Our goals in the early days were to create educational games that kids could play over and over again, primarily because we could only produce a few games a year. As actionscripting has sped up our process, we\'ve had the luxury to create products that respond to a more niche educational need, with more complex story lines and less repetitive actions.
2. TVOKids.com decided to focus it\'s energy in creating Flash products once the Flash plug-in reached about 90% saturation. So far, we\'ve never felt the need to produce any products in any other medium. Actionscript seems to have kept up with our imaginations, and our hotshot actionscripters are always finding new ways to make it do what it was never meant to do. They\'re one of the big reasons we keep winning so many awards.
3. Both. Because our audience is so young, they really can\'t communicate their needs or problems effectively. This has affected the way we work in many ways. First, our products have evolved over the years to no longer include a \"help\" section whenever possible. After many trials and errors, we\'ve managed to produce products that don\'t need explanation for most kids (although a lot of parents still need help!). We\'ve also begun analysing the way kids play our games to make them even more effective. TVO also has a pretty trusted position in Ontario schools, which allows us to test our products with kids and teachers in a classroom setting, which is invaluable.
The other side to communicating with our audience is making sure that parents are constantly aware of the educational foundation in all of our products. Very often our games look like they are only fun. But every single one is based on solid links to the Ontario curriculum. We\'ve made it a priority to communicate that to parents.
4. Not sure what that question means!
5. I think it is personal in that our entire team is small, responsive, creative and excited, and all of that translates into the narrative. From the project manager who infuses her own ideas into the project, to the writers, illustrators, animators, and programmers who give the content it\'s spark, TVOKids.com encourages each member to be creative. By definition, that makes it personal. That being said, every single product on TVOKids.com is the result of extensive testing. Unlike private companies, our testing is not geared towards proving a products attractiveness to the largest audience possible, but rather to fulfilling an educational objective as effectively as possible.
6. Absolutely. Every product on TVOKids.com is geared towards Ontario kids because of it\'s link to the Ontario curriculum. That being said, most curriculum is the same around the world. 4+4 equals 8 everywhere, and we get a lot of feedback from families using our site around the world. TVOKids.com has also been very successful in winning awards all over the planet, so it obviously translates pretty well.
Another unique ability that actionscripting has given TVOntario is the ability to create multi-lingual products that work for Ontario\'s english and french communities. Because all of our content is drawn from databases, and controlled by actionscript, we\'ve created multi-lingual versions of all of our products virtually cost-free.
7. TVOKids.com was more political in the beginning, not because of our content, but because of our medium. It took years of working with a team of 2 or 3 people before the powers in Television realised the potential of the web, not only to promote our tv products, but to further the educational mandate of TVOKids. In the end, it was a good thing, as it allowed us time to develop our production processes before the glare of government funders were shined upon us.
The other way that our work could be controversial is in our belief in the educational possibilities of the web.
8. I think that I would continue along the lines that TVOKids.com has been going, but on a much larger scale. So far we\'ve had the ability to tackle individual curriculum needs one by one. With an unlimited budget, I would love to apply the creative and educational expertise to an entire curriculum section, like music.
One area where TVOKids has been working is arts teaching on the web, in direct response to schools need to cut budgets in that area. It would be amazing to develop a fun space where kids could play at being creative, as well as learn real skills. The dream project would be to create an entire music course on the web where kids could come out playing an instrument. That sort of skill is invaluable and isn\'t being offered in our schools.
8 answers by Marcus J. Dickinson
www.diariesofwar.com
1. My particular narrative is the actual Diaries of War game, moreso than the site. The site is a basic promotion of what the game will be.
The game itself is multiplayer, and completely immersive. Actionscript has given me the freedom to construct completely interactive environments for my clients that function in a non-linear fashion.
2. I am a big fan of dynamic content, and tend to pay attention to all the small details that often get overlooked for user experience. I use Flash Remoting, FlashCom Server, and CFMX in most of my work, in addition to Flash. I have found a niche I am comfortable with, and don\'t stray from it too often.
3. Myself, I tend to be involved in the Flash Community here in Toronto. I enjoy the small recognition I have, and just being a part of something greater than myself. My work is what gets me the job usually, and I am hoping its quality speaks for me and for itself.
4. Yes, the Diaries of War game started as a bunch of short stories I wrote at the age of 14 - 17. At 21, I redid it all as one long novel. Since then, it has been rewritten as a screenplay, and a game script, and I am hoping it will take off in every iteration.
5. Diaries of War is extremely personal and completely subjective. I am blunt in my opinions, yet present intelligent arguments throughout the narrative. It is my hope that this work will challenge people to think. I believe that is the greatest thing any one person can do for another.
6. This narrative is global, as the story deals with all mankind. The physical location is unknown, in happens in a city, which hopefully the user and/or reader will relate to the current state of their own city.
7. My work has become political. It is called Diaries of War, but it is not about War. It was to be originally released on March 20th, 2003, which turned out to be the first full day of the US led war on Iraq. I had promotional TShirts that said \"Believe in War\", which I have still decided to distribute, knowing full well what the majority of people will think of them. So yes, it is political.
8. My goodness. This game has been 17 years in the making. I think if I have the money and team for two years, I would bring my dream to life and get this done.
8 Questions by Brandon Flowers
www.headwinds.net
1. How has actionscripting affected your work? Can your audience select different paths or interact with your Flash narrative?
2. what other media do you use in your narrative projects
3. Is communication between you and your audience important or do you let your work speak for itself?
4 . Does your narrative flash work have a life outside of flash?
5. Would you consider your narrative work to be personal? Objective or Subjective?
6. Does your work identify with your current geographical location? Would you consider your work to be local, national or international?
7. Is your work political? What risks have you taken in your work?
8. If you had 2 years and the financial freedom to pursue one flash narrative project as an individual or within a team, could you briefly describe what you might do?
8 Answers by Jay Lee
www.sunscript.tv
1. Since our animations are mainly made frame by frame, we have no need for any intense action scripting in the files. We do have areas and secret codes that are hidden in our episodes. By clicking on certain things or hitting certain keys at certain times in an episode, people can unlock a secret area that holds some extra treats, but still this is done with very little action script.
2. We use Adobe Photoshop, Painter, Sound Forge, 3D studio max, Swift 3D, as well as Illustrate and Adobe Premiere
3. I think that the series is straight forward, and can speak for itself. However, we do take any opportunity we can to talk to our audience.
4. Yes, our company focus is on both Comic Books and Flash Animation, so naturally we do traditional comic books to further expand the story.
5. Personal, we don't charge our viewers anything to watch the series. We do it for free. Without having a personal attachment to the storyline, the project would have never started.
6. I think our work is international. It's free on the Web so people can tune in to what we do from all over the world. Japanese Anime and Asian cinema inspire the series. Fans of such, wherever they may be in the world, are our target market.
7. The series deals with politics to some degree, but more so it is just an entertaining story.
8. I would art direct a team of flash animators on a 90 min. Anime movie of my own creation for the big screen or a DVD. I would incorporate a high level of 3D and try to push flash to its maximum potential as an animation tool.
Brooke Burgess and Ian Kirby
www.brokensaints.com
1. Actionscript has allowed us to create a smooth and organic interface for the website as well as allowing quick upates to the site such as new chapter postings. The narrative itself may be a linear experience, but the space within which it is 'housed' is dynamic, compelling, and brimming with interactive content.
2. We use a mix of Wacom tablets, Painter 7, Photoshop 7, Toon Boom, and Flash to put Broken Saints togeter.
3. We originally stuck to merely posting new chapters and site content, but soon found that interaction with our rabidly supportive 'community' was a fun and essential component of the work. It adds yet another 'interactive' layer to the project, and makes the fans feel more involved and immersed in what's happening. E-mails, guestbook posts, forums, and pledge drives/benefit concerts have all contributed to mystique and 'cult' nature or Broken Saints.
4. We certainly hope it will ;) The goal has always been to take the property to other mediums once the flash series was completed. Currently, an upgraded DVD box set of the series and a traditional comic series are in the works. We've also been entertaining offers to develop animated and/or live action versions of the series...but only if the subject matter can remain relatively unscathed.
5. Definitely personal...Broken Saints is infused with a social, political, and spiritual slant - that type of energy can't help but be at least a little subjective ;)
6. The tagline of our series is, "In the Quiet Corners of the Globe, Four Strangers Receive a Message..." - the series is about people from different cultures and faiths overlapping on a doomsday vector. The very nature of this narrative makes the piece international in scope.
7. We've gone to great lengths to ensure that the characters and situations in Broken Saints shine a very harsh light on what we feel to be the tragedies and inequities of modern living. From poking holes in current political and religious dogma, to questioning the commercial nature of the technology we depend upon so desperately, we had no illusions about the risks we were taking. In fact, one of our protagonists (the Iraqi mercenary Oran) was originally conceived as a direct protest of the continued bombing/sanctions campaign against Iraq in the 90's...and it almost seems prophetic now.
8. Well...we'll have spent 3 years and thousands of dollars once Broken Saints is completed this June - I can't imagine wanting to try something like this anytime in the forseeable future (at least without a viable revenue model ;) ), but it was definitely worth every second. This was a dream project, so we can't even fathom another narrative that could rival Broken Saints at this time. But in a few years...who knows?
8 answers by Marc Keelan-Bishop
www.tvokids.com
1. When actionscripting first popped up on our radar at TVOKids.com it revolutionized the way we worked. Up to that point, we\'d always worked in html and some Director, which drastically limited the amount we could produce. The biggest effect actionscript had on our content was the ability to produce more quicker.
Because we started TVOKids.com in the late nineties, there were very few interactive, educational products for kids on the web. Most content for children was still in CD-Roms (and still is unfortunately). At TVO, we used our experience in telling stories and understanding kids to create dynamic games that kids could play for hours. Our goals in the early days were to create educational games that kids could play over and over again, primarily because we could only produce a few games a year. As actionscripting has sped up our process, we\'ve had the luxury to create products that respond to a more niche educational need, with more complex story lines and less repetitive actions.
2. TVOKids.com decided to focus it\'s energy in creating Flash products once the Flash plug-in reached about 90% saturation. So far, we\'ve never felt the need to produce any products in any other medium. Actionscript seems to have kept up with our imaginations, and our hotshot actionscripters are always finding new ways to make it do what it was never meant to do. They\'re one of the big reasons we keep winning so many awards.
3. Both. Because our audience is so young, they really can\'t communicate their needs or problems effectively. This has affected the way we work in many ways. First, our products have evolved over the years to no longer include a \"help\" section whenever possible. After many trials and errors, we\'ve managed to produce products that don\'t need explanation for most kids (although a lot of parents still need help!). We\'ve also begun analysing the way kids play our games to make them even more effective. TVO also has a pretty trusted position in Ontario schools, which allows us to test our products with kids and teachers in a classroom setting, which is invaluable.
The other side to communicating with our audience is making sure that parents are constantly aware of the educational foundation in all of our products. Very often our games look like they are only fun. But every single one is based on solid links to the Ontario curriculum. We\'ve made it a priority to communicate that to parents.
4. Not sure what that question means!
5. I think it is personal in that our entire team is small, responsive, creative and excited, and all of that translates into the narrative. From the project manager who infuses her own ideas into the project, to the writers, illustrators, animators, and programmers who give the content it\'s spark, TVOKids.com encourages each member to be creative. By definition, that makes it personal. That being said, every single product on TVOKids.com is the result of extensive testing. Unlike private companies, our testing is not geared towards proving a products attractiveness to the largest audience possible, but rather to fulfilling an educational objective as effectively as possible.
6. Absolutely. Every product on TVOKids.com is geared towards Ontario kids because of it\'s link to the Ontario curriculum. That being said, most curriculum is the same around the world. 4+4 equals 8 everywhere, and we get a lot of feedback from families using our site around the world. TVOKids.com has also been very successful in winning awards all over the planet, so it obviously translates pretty well.
Another unique ability that actionscripting has given TVOntario is the ability to create multi-lingual products that work for Ontario\'s english and french communities. Because all of our content is drawn from databases, and controlled by actionscript, we\'ve created multi-lingual versions of all of our products virtually cost-free.
7. TVOKids.com was more political in the beginning, not because of our content, but because of our medium. It took years of working with a team of 2 or 3 people before the powers in Television realised the potential of the web, not only to promote our tv products, but to further the educational mandate of TVOKids. In the end, it was a good thing, as it allowed us time to develop our production processes before the glare of government funders were shined upon us.
The other way that our work could be controversial is in our belief in the educational possibilities of the web.
8. I think that I would continue along the lines that TVOKids.com has been going, but on a much larger scale. So far we\'ve had the ability to tackle individual curriculum needs one by one. With an unlimited budget, I would love to apply the creative and educational expertise to an entire curriculum section, like music.
One area where TVOKids has been working is arts teaching on the web, in direct response to schools need to cut budgets in that area. It would be amazing to develop a fun space where kids could play at being creative, as well as learn real skills. The dream project would be to create an entire music course on the web where kids could come out playing an instrument. That sort of skill is invaluable and isn\'t being offered in our schools.
8 answers by Marcus J. Dickinson
www.diariesofwar.com
1. My particular narrative is the actual Diaries of War game, moreso than the site. The site is a basic promotion of what the game will be.
The game itself is multiplayer, and completely immersive. Actionscript has given me the freedom to construct completely interactive environments for my clients that function in a non-linear fashion.
2. I am a big fan of dynamic content, and tend to pay attention to all the small details that often get overlooked for user experience. I use Flash Remoting, FlashCom Server, and CFMX in most of my work, in addition to Flash. I have found a niche I am comfortable with, and don\'t stray from it too often.
3. Myself, I tend to be involved in the Flash Community here in Toronto. I enjoy the small recognition I have, and just being a part of something greater than myself. My work is what gets me the job usually, and I am hoping its quality speaks for me and for itself.
4. Yes, the Diaries of War game started as a bunch of short stories I wrote at the age of 14 - 17. At 21, I redid it all as one long novel. Since then, it has been rewritten as a screenplay, and a game script, and I am hoping it will take off in every iteration.
5. Diaries of War is extremely personal and completely subjective. I am blunt in my opinions, yet present intelligent arguments throughout the narrative. It is my hope that this work will challenge people to think. I believe that is the greatest thing any one person can do for another.
6. This narrative is global, as the story deals with all mankind. The physical location is unknown, in happens in a city, which hopefully the user and/or reader will relate to the current state of their own city.
7. My work has become political. It is called Diaries of War, but it is not about War. It was to be originally released on March 20th, 2003, which turned out to be the first full day of the US led war on Iraq. I had promotional TShirts that said \"Believe in War\", which I have still decided to distribute, knowing full well what the majority of people will think of them. So yes, it is political.
8. My goodness. This game has been 17 years in the making. I think if I have the money and team for two years, I would bring my dream to life and get this done.
posted by brandon at
1:52 PM
