First post of the month, scary as we're half way through it but I've been busy trying to get work almost anywhere and everywhere. Media jobs have gone on hold whilst I try and obtain that which makes the world go round.
Back to the nature of my blog, convergence! Webisodes! Heroes! How the hell didn't I find out about this till today??? I realize I've barely done research recently but come on a Heroes Webisode Series?
So anyways seen it yet? What did you think? I kinda liked it personally, short but sweet, just enough to build up my appetite for Heroes Volume 3: Villains. Sadly its official viewing is restricted to the US via nbc.com's Heroes Webisode section however you tube is your friend and I'm including the same source that 9th Wonders UK is using.
What I like about it is that it feels very much like the Heroes web-comic, in the sense that it works outside of the main narrative enough to be new and fresh whilst retaining the ability to cross over to the main narrative should it be desired. Anyways enough talk as it would spoil the next three minutes. Enjoy =]
Something I've been interested in during my time as a gamer is the story within a game. Years back playing on my Sega Megadrive (Genesis for any in the US) I used to love reading the tiny blurb in the game manual describing what Dr Robotnic had done this time for Sonic to go after him.
One of the strongest stories I ever found was whilst playing Turok 2: Seeds of Evil for the N64, there was something about the world, the characters...its was somewhat immersible, so I researched it and discovered the wonder that was Turok. The concept's first inception was in comic format back in 1956. Numerous reimaginings of the story that sometimes crossed over from one generation to the next, sometimes put a spin on things led to the creation of a computer game we came to know as 'Turok: Dinosaur Hunter'.
Accomanying the games manual was a short comic featuring the character Joshua Fireseed (main character from the second game), and although short showed a connection to Turoks roots in comic-book format. The numerous sequels to follow (Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion being my personal faveourite) went on to carry somewhat of a story in game enhancing the gameplay in my opinion as I was no longer shooting mindless baddies in a bid to save the world but act out a character in a story. Even the multiplayer based Turok: Rage Wars carried somewhat of a connection to the Turok universe.
Present day. Transmedia/Cross Platform galore! Heroes is still strong, Buffy season 8's in print and we're talking convergence of media platforms. A new Turok game emerges from the shadows, an Animated 70 min feature retelling the original comic book story too! But whats this...the game's not really connected to the Turok universe. They've gone for graphics, gore and a title that's been selling for the past 60 years.
This could have been a great Transmedia springboard, instead its Buena Vista's rape child. As a fan of the Turok universe I feel let down somewhat that the story's been killed and I can hear a Native American in my head shouting "I am Turok!...No More".
OK kids today's post is going to be quite different, its going to be personal, reflective and a bid to save whatever sanity I have left!
Just finished the first year of a post-graduate in 'Transmedia Storytelling', "Ooooh" I hear you say...well I'm now faced with being back at my parents house and looking for work whilst finishing of the previously mentioned post-grad during my next two years of write-up. To say the least I’m a little bit confuzzled.
Where am I going, what am I doing, what am I eating...OK the last bits hardly relevant but seeing as I posted that I'm considering cooking enchilada's tonight for myself and bros (2). I'm trying to get into video editing, contacting various post-production companies here in sweet old Cardiff and seeing if they'll take me in on a paid work placement so I can beef up my CV, gain some contacts instead of ending up in McDonald's serving chips. My bait is that Go Wales will offer the company a £90 contribution to my wage per week giving them cheap labor on a short-term contract.
Siiiiiimultaneously wanting to explore script writing which I'm more passionate about than editing but have a bit less practical experience with. I'm at a bit of a loss however as I'm not sure where I'm supposed to be going and every time I ask for directions I find myself a little further out at sea with no land in sight.
So what do I know so far?
Post-Production/Editing companies don't seem to want to reply to me - I'll bug them on the phone next week!
'Script Reading' sounds like an avenue if I could only find something more local than London's Script Factory courses and perhaps some way to afford the fee!
Script Writing is going to require me to actually write something and then find somebody who wants it. (Just found UK On Screen's Writing Forum that's listing requests for scripts)
I guess for now I'll keep up with the applications, keep on researching and try to remember I'm still doing a postgraduate. TTFN
Feel free to add me to Windows Live Messenger (skyblack@hotmail.co.uk) saying how you found me. It's a non-primary account I use so don't be offended if you don't get attention right away!
