Not really interested in interviewing myself, I answered the standard questions that I’ve been asking my cast and crew for the past many weeks and answered
some questions they had for me as well.
What is the first video game you played and how old were you?
The first one I remember must of been on the Atari 2600. Did I just say that? *cries*. It’s true though, I went over my Grandma’s house for our weekly
ping pong game and she said “do you want to play Pong?” I replied "yes" as I always did, but this time she directed me not to the basement but to the living room. I was
perplexed until I saw that beautiful fake wood lined system! I was about seven years old and playing Pong for the first time was like discovering the lost ark.
Tell us a bit about yourself and describe what contribution you make to THE WIND.
I am the writer, director, producer, concept artist and occasional texture artist for The Wind. I manage a small but amazing team of
international designers and actors doing everything from holding weekly meetings, pulling references for models and maps and going through voice rehearsals with my
actors. In the expanse of this project I have also worked as the photographer for our 3D character actors, website designer (thewind.tv) and real world networker.
In my other life I live in NYC and work in Brooklyn as an artist. Having graduated from SVA in the fine arts department and having gotten my Masters from NYU’s Interactive
Telelcommunications Program (ITP), I have a background in making things, including some paintings below.
Kombucha asks: How do you deal with people misunderstanding your art? If you have a vision, and someone interprets it very differently,
how do you react?
This is the toughest thing for any artist and I’ve had some crazy, even opposite interpretations. “Good manners” aside,
I think the smartest thing to do is to weigh your options. What I mean by that is that sometimes a person’s oddball interpretation can be incredibly insightful.
Some of my favorite film directors Like John Cassavettes and John Lassiter, would ask people’s opinions from all different areas, just in the hopes of getting that
really off the wall and often very honest input. However, sadly, most interpretations are less than creative and usually cliché knee jerk responses. For these, I
respond by saying “thank you”.
A good director can start to sense the difference and be open to change his own ideas for the better ones that come down the pike or understand that they may
learn more by sticking to their original vision – that’s where it gets tough! Ideally an artist will look for the most honest opinions, even if they are critical
and personally hurtful.
If you can do that, you’ll be a better artist in the end.
Silverfish asks: Where do you get your inspiration from? What games do you like and why?
Inspiration comes from everywhere. I like to say that each artwork I make, whether it be a panting, screenplay or film is a culmination of everything in my
entire life. Everything I’ve learned, seen and experienced.
One of my early concept boards.
For The Wind, I felt like there needed to be something said about video game culture and video game players that I hadn’t seen in films of television before. There seems to be a link in
some people’s minds between video game violence and real world violence. Unfortunately, this unsubstantiated mainstream bias results in a form of discrimination against those who
play games and the industry. Tragic events like Columbine and Virginia Tech, brings the world’s attention to these issues. I wanted to make a film that was inspired by this
discussion but approached it from an average video gamers perspective (who are non-violent, 30 somethings and who make up a majority of the people in the US). Having been a gamer for 20 years,
I felt like I had enough perspective to do that with sensitivity and thoughtfulness. I also wanted to show gamers as how I know them – fun lovers who appreciate creativity,
challenges, community and technology.
The games I like most are the ones that have online interaction between humans through the interface of action packed fun. The one that first did this for me was Doom.
It was an amazing breakthrough in interactivity, even with only four players on a LAN. It also allowed for abstract relationships to the space and the oddity of human
behavior to shine. The first game where I realized games could be cinematic was Quake. The first one where I realized I could make art was Tribes (see my landscapes
at www.robotbigfoot.com). The most important game since then has been more centralized around an engine – the HL2 Source engine. Now as the Orange Box, this is an amazingly
dynamic engine which has presented some really well created and detail-oriented games. Valve’s dedication to constantly updating it is both smart and inspirational to me as a
modder and film maker.
A texturing job I did.
RUFKE asks: Since I know your not here for the money or fame, could you tell us what are your motivations for your hard work on the Wind?
Woah!!! Not here for the money or fame??? R U kidding? Well, I am kidding as RUFKE hit it right on the nose. For me this is a
combination of needing to address some important issues like the ones I mentioned above, but also wanting to tackle machinima from the perspective of a feature,
something that is rarely done in the medium which is driven by short, episodic works. I think this means I like a challenge, one that scares me deep down. That sense of "fear"
is a good sign that you're experiencing something new.
Tell us a type of game or film you would like to see made in the future.
I want to see a MMOFPS done well. Charging the beach at Normandy with 2,000 other players, or beaming over to the Borg ship with 500
cadets or playing in a perpetual world that has been over run by the infected, taking back one city at a time, sounds pretty good to me. Bring it on!
Share a recent piece of music, film, artwork or book that's inspired you creatively. What was the end result?
Music: Composers like Sam Spence and Max Steiner lately. Film: I know I’m going to take heat for this, but Speed Racer was a
visual masterpiece. Artwork: I like Murakami and the Otaku culture he was inspired by. Book: I read The Outsiders and Lord of the Flies for The Wind. But I would
urge all video gamers to check out a pop philosophy book called Finite and Infinite Games by James Carse. Even though it’s not about video games per se, some people
might find it interesting as it's about gaming as a philosophical approach to life.
Where will you be in 5 years?
A brighter tomorrow, working on the best games/films/artworks ever!
4.28.2009 MEET THE CAST - SPOTLIGHT ON SHEA PRUEGER
Allow me to introduce Shea Prueger. Shea will be playing Marci Mester, a young rebelious teenager in THE WIND. Born in Iowa, Shea made a bolt for
NYC when she was still a teen to model and act. One to watch for, Shea was recently featured on the cover of Blink Magazine and is appearing in her first commercial at a TV near
you, she's determined and strong minded. Check out her feedback below!
What is the first video game you played and how old were you?
I think it must have been that Sonic the Hedgehog game on the Sega system. I was young - must have been ten or so? Really can't remember -
my uncle had it around and I got obsessed.
Tell us a bit about yourself and describe what contribution you make to THE WIND.
I'm a cannot replace Wind character! Ha! I live in Brooklyn and spend most of my time wishing I was in Asia.
How do you feel about women and gaming? Is this a medium that's ignored you, just hasn't figured it out yet or is something else...?
It's a medium where women are played by characters dressed to reveal or just some damsel in distress...right? That might be why gamers are
typically men. Seems a little old fashioned.
Share a recent piece of music, film, artwork or book that's inspired you creatively. What was the end result?
Let the Right One In - mad visuals - Swedish, 12 year old vampire film, been reading a lot of Tao Lin lately, listening to whatever my
friends throw at me. Been writing shorter stories. Kind of want to start a band.
Where will you be in 5 years?
That is a good question my parents would love to know the answer to. I'm just taking it one day at a time. I'll hopefully still be here
along with the rest of the world.
Bonus question: Would you rather jump a giant mushroom, battle an evil wizard, search for hidden treasure, pilot a starship or
do online strip poker?
I always win at strip poker because I wear so many layers. But I guess hidden treasure sounds kind of fun?
Rad - ROBOTBIGFOOT
4.19.2009 MEET THE CREW - SPOTLIGHT ON KOMBUCHA aka ELI SHELDON
This week we're spotlighting our kick ass modeler, Kombucha. Going to school for engineering, he also has multiple
skills in the arenas of film making and even a little mathematical hip hopping. Look out for this one, but first, check out his styling below!
What is the first video game you played and how old were you?
The first game I truly remember was called "Scarab of Ra". It was a 2D, black-and-white point-and-click
adventure game where you explored an Egyptian pyramid searching for treasure. It's silly now, because it's very slow-paced and nothing really moves,
but I still remember my friend and I were quite scared when we ran into lions or mummies. I was probably about four years old at the time, playing on my old-school Apple.
Tell us a bit about yourself and describe what contribution you make to THE WIND.
What is the thing that helped you the most in becoming a modeler?
I'm a disorganized medley of interests - my passions have always been in computers and filmmaking, and yet here I am at an
eight-year-old engineering school, most likely due to relative academic success in math and science throughout my life. For THE WIND, I'm primarily a 3D modeler,
working on many of the props and scene decorations. I also help edit promotional releases and other relevant material, which is another seemingly random hobby of mine.
I taught myself 3D modeling in eighth grade on a whim, and have been playing with it ever since. I'm finally taking a legitimate college course in Maya this semester,
which is easily tripling my knowledge of the art. Other than that, I have no traditional art training, making my work very right-brain centric, which frequently acts
as both a blessing and a curse.
You seem to have multiple creative interests: math, 3D modeling, hip hop, film making – where do your creative impulses
come from and what kind of places do you go to or look at for inspiration?
I've always tried to inject creativity into just about everything I do. It's a way to take an otherwise boring school assignment
and make it something I want to do, versus something I have to do. Much of my inspiration comes from my fairly severe addiction to watching films - if I see it, I usually
want to try it out myself, if not improve upon it somehow.
How do you build 3D models? Is about making simple geometric shapes and putting them together, or “carving” the model out of one larger
shape? Is there another method you implore?
At the moment, it usually is about decomposing complicated objects into basic shapes, but that is likely due to my lack of abstract
artistic ability. I find the easiest way for me to model something is to really understand what each component does, why it is there - that's the engineer in me. I need to
hold it, to use it, to figure out why it was made to look that way.
Give us a few examples of intelligent games - ones that made you think creatively and strategically.
I'm actually not much of a gamer any more, due in part to the fact that my laptop wasn't really built for game performance. The games
I love best are those that are story-centric, the ones that seem like they could just as easily be a film. Half-Life2, Homeworld, KOTOR - cliche answers, I'm sure, but they
all gripped me emotionally, and the gameplay acted to enhance that feeling instead of substituting for it.
Share a recent piece of music, film, artwork or book that's inspired you creatively. What was the end result?
Gah, I can't possibly choose one. How about two? The first is easy - WALL-E. Watching that movie as an animator was fantastic, for all
the reasons everyone always talks about. Pixar wrote the book on unconventional character animation, and WALL-E is the quintessential case study of their art. The second is likely
less well known - Waltz with Bashir. Again, a film proving how mature animation can be, how well it can portray heavy issues. And the end - I mean, I don't want to ruin it, but I
think it says a lot about the art.
Where will you be in 5 years?
No clue. For serious. I see myself going into two very different directions. One puts my engineering degree to good use, landing me in grad
school or at some sweet engineering firm. The other turns it on its side and says "Hey, I know how to think like an engineer, so now let's make movies".
Bonus question: Would you rather jump a giant mushroom, battle an evil wizard, search for hidden treasure, pilot a starship or
do online strip poker?
I've gotta stick with my answer to Question 5. I feel like most of the options above are representative of fun gameplay mechanics that
often substitute for a compelling story. The only one that really stands out as cinematic is online strip poker - I want to know all about the other characters, their motivations,
their relationships. I want to know where they come from, where they're going. I want to analyze the lighting, the costumes, the script... and, you know, there are certain other
aspects that might be enjoyable ;)
Way to bury the lead on that bonus question Kom!! - ROBOTBIGFOOT
4.12.2009 MEET THE CAST - SPOTLIGHT ON TRAY EPPS
This week we're introducing our actor Tray Epps, who will be playing Michael Wade. An emerging actor and writer, Tray has already
published his first book at 20! Entitled The Ledge, it can be found at www.barnesandnobles.com.
When I met Tray I was impressed by his intelligence and individuality, two perfect
qualities for his character, Michael Wade. Michael, a high school student who longs to be a aeronautical engineer, is the brains of the outfit. I asked Tray some of my standards and
some new questions too. Enjoy!
What is the first video game you played and how old were you? What has gaming meant to you in your life? Has there been a moment when it's
been more than just entertainment?
I was young! I remember my brother and I getting a Nintendo and playing Mario all night! Gaming, I think, is very important. It's entertainment
but also a way to process things in life.
Tell us a bit about yourself and describe what contribution you make to THE WIND.
I am just aspiring to be a great entertainer. I guess entertainment has always guided me in some way in my life and I want to be a part of that
for someone else's life. In The Wind I play Michael who is filled with a lot of depth and emotion. I guess we are alike!
Since you are a writer, tell us what kind of stories you would like to see turned into games. Is there a game that had a particularly strong narrative that
caught your attention? Should games even have narratives?
Narratives bring a player into the game that the world is trying to create. Even if the narrative is simple it can do a lot more then a random pointless
game. I think if they made a badass Call of Duty film that would be pretty dope or maybe like a Halo movie BUT only if it is done REALLY well.
Share a recent piece of music, film, artwork or book that's inspired you creatively. What was the end result?
Music and film inspire me everyday. I can't remember the last film that I've seen that just inspired me but I do remember going to see a singer/songwriter,
Kate Voegele perform a few months back and leaving the Roxy in awe by her career and how it took off.
Where will you be in 5 years?
I would be 25 so I will be working on some film or television show. I want to discover all sides of entertaining so I could very well be in front or
behind the camera but if one thing is for certain it is that I will be successful! :D
Bonus question: Would you rather jump a giant mushroom, battle an evil wizard, search for hidden treasure, pilot a starship or
do online strip poker?
What's the point of online strip poker? Are there webcams involved? If so then maybe I'd do that for fun! Lol if there aren't any cameras then I'd
say.......battle an evil wizard!....come on that was a tough question! lol
HA! - ROBOTBIGFOOT
4.5.2009 MEET THE CREW - INTERVIEW WITH SILVERFISH aka LUCAS ORSVÄRN
This week we're featuring our die-hard mapper, Silverfish aka Lucas Orsvärn! He has been making maps (or "sets" as we call them) for us for a while
now and even though he is a young gun, he has proven that age doesn't matter when it comes to professionalism and perseverance. Like many of our designers, he is from Europe. He also brings a unique perspective to
our production. See his answers to our questions below!
What is the first video game you played and how old were you?
I was too young to remember, but it was probably The Legend of Zelda or Super Mario Bros 3. My mom had a Nintendo Entertainment System
(NES) since before I was born, so I might have been two or three years old the first time I played it.
Fun fact: My mom beat The Legend of Zelda.
Tell us a bit about yourself and describe what contribution you make to THE WIND. What is the thing that helped you the most in becoming a Mapper?
I'm a 17 year old swede, I'm doing my last year at an IT school where I learn programming and general computer stuff. I've been making sets
for The Wind in the program Hammer as well as contributing with my opinion on different matters for more than one and a half years now! The thing that helped me most in becoming a mapper was my determination, my will to become a game developer have always been very strong ever since I discovered my first map editor
(Heroes of Might and Magic 3), it was so much fun just creating your own stuff so I decided this was what I wanted to do for a living. I haven't really had anyone telling me I was
good or commenting on my work at all until the last year or so, so my motivation was that it's so much fun I guess.
This is the set Silverfish got the job with. My original concept art is in the bottom righthand corner. It was very impressive to me that I didn't have to
ask for it, he just made it and sent it in!
Being a young designer, how do you feel personally about age restrictions and gaming? Should they be strictly enforced?
My parents didn't stop me from playing any violent games and I'm glad they didn't since those games where so much fun. The thing is that some
kids do get affected by games and some don't, in my opinion the parents should know their kid well enough to know whether he'll get affected by a certain game or not. They should
also play the game themselves so they know what their kid is doing. Basically, if the parents really don't want their kid playing a violent game, the kid won't be able to, if they
don't mind the kid playing it, they shouldn't have to pay a fine if someone tells the police about it.
Tell us a type of game or film you would like to see made in the future.
I would like to see a realistic, huge, medieval fantasy world MMO game with graphics so amazing and an atmosphere so heavy just walking
alone through the forests admiring the beauty of the game is enough entertainment to get people to pay a monthly fee for it.
Two works in progress of our "Forest Map". Look for it as a finished set soon!
Share a recent piece of music, film, artwork or book that's inspired you creatively. What was the end result?
I draw most of my inspiration from real life by looking at both advanced architectural buildings as well as normal buildings.
Me and my friend are making a Half-Life 2 mod as a school project, we got the inspiration for the setting from the buildings in the city we live in. Of course I'm
also influenced by books, music and so on but most often real life architecture is the main source so I'm afraid I can't give you a good answer on that question.
Where will you be in 5 years?
I will be working for a small indie game company making content for an awesome game without the time constraints and pressure put by some
big publisher. That's my dream right now.
Bonus question: Would you rather jump a giant mushroom, battle an evil wizard, search for hidden treasure, pilot a starship or
do online strip poker?
I would want to search for hidden treasure because I like adventure - that satisfying feeling you get when finding the next
clue. And of course I love treasure also, who doesn't?
Hell, I do! - ROBOTBIGFOOT
3.29.2009 MEET THE CAST - SPOTLIGHT ON LOLA ALBRIGHT
This week we're featuring the magical Lola Albright. Lola will be playing Dani Watts, a young high school student. Lola, like all of our actors,
was found on MySpace. The goal was to find real people who befit our imagination exactly and ask them to model the characters. If she looks familiar, it might be because she has appeared in
various television commercials and magazine editorials. Recently she appeared during the Superbowl and the Oscars in a Mastercard commercial! Look for her this month in Jalousse magazine.
Below I asked her some questions to get a quick peek into this fantastic cameleon-like actress!
What is the first video game you played and how old were you?
Gosh... good question. Ha... I believe it was my eldest brother's Zelda. Which naturally also meant Dunk Hunt & the Mario Brothers? You know, blowing on
the cartridge to make it work, butting the plastic gun up against the screen until it'd clink, & lusting for the Queen I believe is how it went (winks) I was roughly 9 or 10 or so.
Tell us a bit about yourself and describe what contribution you make to THE WIND.
I feel a lot like the wind... & have such reminiscent remindings of what my small town childhood/adolescence was like...through this project, The Wind.
It's haunting, & uncomfortable, yet absolutely bound in hope & a newly discovered fearless passion. I was blessed to be asked to take on the role of Dani Watts. To my surprise, we are one
in the same person. I pray I am able to give her what she needs most from me. And that is honesty.
Women in games are usually sexy and fierce, what other types of characters would you like to see portrayed? Is there one female character from history
or fiction you would like to see turned into a video game?
I'd love to see an electronic techy portrayed as sexy. To me, the older I get & the more I come in contact with & am influenced by, the more aroused
I am by those that are good with their hearts... & seeing it shoot sparks through their heads & hands. Wires, & output/input, coding, connecting... problem solving is the SEXIEST. And I mean
that. Have you ever watched someone fix your computer you're almost certain has died & taken everything with it? Or made you dance till the soles of your feet were on fire & your lungs
nearly collapsed? And that is on a VERY small level. Producing & conducting & electrifying... bringing more life...to life. I think it'd be pretty fresh to see my friends who embody this,
turned into a video game.
Share a recent piece of music, film, artwork or book that's inspired you creatively. What was the end result?
I was recently given a Leonard Cohen book, The Book of Longing... & its brought me back to the intense realization of soul speak & vulnerability.
And also, just finished seeing Man on Wire & think it to be one of the most transcending experiences as a viewer when realizing our boundaries are imaginary lines WE place infront of
ourselves. At any given point, just blow, & they disappear. End result is my current frame of mind? YOU JUST GOING TO ***STAND*** THERE??.
Where will you be in 5 years?
In 5 yrs I will have made a sort of film I can say & actually believe I am proud of. Be studied. I will be much more traveled, have started or
finished (writing) a novella or book of some sort of length, will have written songs that I can recite & play with the instrument i will have learned, I will still be in love, & will
not have stopped scavenging beauty & bizarre bits to place as feathers among these wings. RISK.
Bonus question: Would you rather jump a giant mushroom, battle an evil wizard, search for hidden treasure, pilot a starship or do online strip poker?
Search for hidden treasure! I think that probably entails jumping a giant mushroom, battling an evil wizard AND piloting a starship! Woohoo!
Thanks pal! - ROBOTBIGFOOT
3.17.2009 MEET THE CREW - SPOTLIGHT ON RUFKE aka CHRISTIAN DUBE
This week we're featuring RUFKE who is the Lead Texture Artist at THE WIND. He came aboard at the beginning and
has been a troublemaker ever since! Aside from creating amazing skins and textures for various models on THE WIND, he works a kick-butt job at Beenox,
a studio for Activision. Check out his answers to some in-depth questions below!
What is the first video game you played? What was the first video game you played where you realized that this could be a
medium for something more than just pure entertainment?
Ninja turtles on Nintendo!!! This is the first flirt that I had with video games, I've spent countless hours playing that
ultra cool side schroller! The first time I realized that video games had something more to offer was when I played Final Fantasy X. It was the first time that
I was emotionally involved in a video game. I found myself really caring about the characters and it made the experience much more compelling, it felt like playing a movie!
Tell us a bit about yourself and describe what contribution you make to THE WIND.
I've been working for more than two years on THE WIND as a texture artist. My tasks include unwrapping, texturing and compiling models for the
SOURCE engine. I’m also asked to make some textures to dress the environments. Outside THE WIND I’m working as a FX artist in the Activision's studio in Québec city. I’m convinced
that all the knowledge I’ve gotten from working on THE WIND is what have lead to the job I have today in the industry! I still cant believe that I’m paid to make games!
Do you feel that there are any misunderstandings or stereotypes about video game culture or the people who play games?
I’m feeling that these stereotypes are growing thinner! There is now so many people and especially adults playing video games that the population
came to understand why we may like to kill zombies in our spare time and that it doesn’t necessarily turn us into hungry brain eater!
Share a recent piece of music, film, artwork or book that's inspired you creatively. What was the end result?
300!!! Its not so recent anymore but its still one of the most beautiful movie I have ever seen! Each frames of this movie is good enough to be a
desktop wallpaper! This movie inspired me mostly in terms of coloration. That unique golden and contrasted look opened me a wide range of new possibilities.
Where will you be in 5 years?
I wish to work in the video game industry for many years to come! It's fun to have a job where you can be creative and make something new every single day!
Bonus question: Would you rather jump a giant mushroom, battle an evil wizard, search for hidden treasure, pilot a starship or do online strip poker?
Since im a FPS type of person I would go with the evil zombie wizard! God I LOVE zombies!
Thanks man! - ROBOTBIGFOOT
2.14.2009 THE WIND MENTIONED IN DAZED AND CONFUSED MAGAZINE!
THE WIND is featured in the February issue of the British style magazine
Dazed and Confused. The article features projects from the mod making website www.moddb.com.
Not only did we get a quote, they used two pieces of our artwork! Here is what they said: "The Wind is a stunning machinima - a long-form animated movie based on Half Life's game
engine. A reaction to the way that first-person shooters were blamed for the Columbine High School massacre, according
to creator Oliver Warden it's an attempt to "redirect attention to other types of high school violence. The most
violent punks in my high school carried footballs not joysticks." Make sure you look for it at a newstand near you!
12.21.2008 THE NEW WEBSITE HAS LAUNCHED! - Obviously...
After a lot of work we have launched our new website. We'd like to thank
Wicksell Metellus and Thomas Kellerer for their help in pulling it together. Also, the director, ROBOTBIGFOOT
has mentioned THE WIND in an interview about his artwork. Check out www.stone-thrower.com for more information!
10.16.2008 WELCOME TO THE WIND!
Firstly, to those of you who aren’t familiar with THE WIND, let me catch you up to what we’re about.
Our team is attempting to make a dramatic, feature length Machinima (video game driven animation).
We have chosen the Half Life 2 engine because of its dynamic versatility and its huge user and
information base. Building a Machinima is a lot like making a Mod. It requires all the same skills and
has many of the same goals.
Secondly, let me share with you our FILM GOAL: In order to capture the hearts of the audience, THE WIND's goal is to move them emotionally through
thoughtful storytelling and detailed characters. More important than any special effect is the
connection between the audience and the film's real substance. This means that there will be a
constant attention towards the authentic lives and emotional key points of each character.
Having said that, we know that all of this is possible by innovative technicians and artists who push
technology forward every day: Let me share with you my perspective on our FILM VISION:
Occasionally in film history, there are rare opportunities to push the medium forward by the advent of
new technology. Many films, like Citizen Kane, seize upon this moment by showing us a new way to
see. With the proliferation of critically important video games (Doom, Half Life, Everquest), and the
dynamic side of the Internet (MySpace, YouTube, Google Earth) we literally see the world in a new
way and this new vision informs on our collective narratives. THE WIND will be the embodiment of this new vision.
