Finally getting back on the ball with production with EF.

Felt a bit demotivated so I tried hooking up with some old mates.
As I feel more inspired when I got friends in continuous contact.
Guess it kind of gives me some inner motivation or feeling the need to impress them.

However none are presently available at this time.
So! It looks like the only motivation comes from the inside.

As not much as it is, it's a hell of alot better than it could be.
Regardless, I can't say too much for 2012 seeing as it's coming to an end.

Elsewise 2011 and 2012 were complete rubbish.
Except for beating Iron Mike.

I am afraid to announce that my work PC has died.
Though worry not (not that there is any) for I am simply going to relocate my hard drive onto my gaming pc.
So development has been on a mandatory vacation until later this week.

Though my word of advice.
Downloading videos of cursed video game footage can cause your PC to get possessed by satan.
Speaking of which I wonder if relocating the HD would be such a good idea...
Maybe I should get the Presario from out the closet.
Always rathered doing flash on that thing anyway.

Aside from supserstitions and demon possessed computers, I have not much else to report.
Though creatively speaking.

Does one think our interactions in rl experiences be it positive or negative.
Does such have impacts upon our work?

Regardless, I got the touch...

Been a while since I did an update, so I figured it was time.

It's been such a long time since I finally released any lengthy movie.
So naturally, I want to bring out some in the near future.

However I forgot just how much dedication these things take.
Fortunately, I won't let that get me down as I simply want to create entertainment.

Or at least some thingy with some sort of meaning.

Been dealing with some sort of morale issues lately.
As I think it's more fun to work with people.

Yet as of late those very peoples have gotten themselves all busy.
So I guess this truly is another solo project.

At least I am finally laying off the MMO games.
And back to retro!

I've been asking myself.
When will I know when this movie is truly done?

Surely theres a limit to even so much I can do with flash.
Yet is the problem the incapability to tween the way I want?

Or is it a lack of resources?
Fortunately I don't think these will be the cases.

As I think it all boils down to motivation if anything.
One can sit for hours upon end just trying to make one little thing look right.

Yet , to obtain that very mindset to work in can be hard to come by.
Especially with other complications.

Thats the worst really.
In any case, i'm still learning new tricks every corner.

And I am quite happy with the turnout on some of the things.
So heres to hoping I can complete EF in 2013!

This is a bit off topic here.
But i'd like to announce that after a quarter of a century later.

Tonight I finally beat Mike Tyson in Mike Tyson's Punchout.

Just got back from vacation.
Oi, this month's been screwing with my flash time.

Had several games release all at once.
And naturally I had to play a good few of them.

Yet here I am back settling in to resume development.
And yet.
I am stuck with the same situation that generally prevents most of my projects from seeing daylight.

A simple lack of graphics!
No it's not only sprite graphics I need.

No I need actual graphics.
Preferably plane seating graphics or theatre seat graphics.

Yet I am certainly no artist so I must scavenge them from foreign sources.
Arr! Like a pirate be searchin for his pirate booty.

Yeah enough of that shtick.
Can't imagine how many voice actors are going to stick with me through this thing.
But boy I have alot to learn about how to properly produce.

Funny i've been at it for 11 years and the number one problem is simply motivation.
Motivation AND graphic finding.

Regardless, there are 3 flash projects I have had burning inside that I want to bring out.
And i'll ensure I see them through before I pass on.

Ultimately, i've also been poking my nose into other mediums for unrelated projects.
Since I am not the kind of guy who can only focus on one project at a time I figure it's best to switch them out from time to time depending on interest and love.

Fortunately, this won't damage the film's integrity.
As if anyone has ever seen some of my unreleased-on-ng works.

Really do ANY of my films have integrity?
Oi, well I am just doing shtick for fun these days anyway.

Sure would be nice to have a comrade as I did back in the old days.
Yet partnerships generally turn sour at some point or another.

Maybe solo is the best thing.
Just I wish I had someone to bounce ideas with.

Has it been 3 months already?
Jesus time goes a little too quickly these days.

Anyway I am sure many think that I forgot about the movie.
No actually I was just making some more input here and there.

So where have I been lately if not for working on this flash?

Well i'll tell you.
In June I finally got around to a project I put off since December 2010.
And that was putting together a long needed new PC to replace my 2005 Presario.

(the same Presario I got to play GTA San Andreas with)

For the longest time that was my project PC.
Not that i'd rather use anything for the rest of the world, but it was aging.

Like milk.

Worry not though i'm still going to be using the same software by choice.
(Flash 5, Fireworks MX 6.0, Photoshop CS2, Goldwave, roms, etc)

Well, after much chaos and even a little period of grief, I got my PC up and working in mid July.
(no thanks to a faulty processor which took a very long process of trial and error)

And then I got lazy for about a month and did nothing but game on my new toy.

Fortunately, that time is over and now I am back and ready for the project.
Also I have been trying harder to pick out my direct vision for scenes in this project.
So taking scenes can take a bit longer.

Especially since I like doing artsy shit.
Love artsy shit.

1980s was arsty shit.
Especially the music videos and they generally were artsy shit.

Though thats not to say all shit is artsy.
but hell it's been a while since I released anything upon NG, so lets hope its not shit.

Course given the circumstances of things, Its just fun to try different stuff.

So i'll get in touch with my voice actors soon to record some new dialogue and maybe even add a little myself.
Because you all so love my singing voice apparently.

pff, I don't think i'll be singing unless it's to give a voice actor the idea and emotions I want out on a scene or so.
So no the public won't hear me singing.

Oh yeah the AC started leaking again so I can't turn it on.
And with temperatures of 110 daily, it's quite unpleasant in my office.

Anyway , yeah,

And here we are with a first production blogging rant thing.
Not sure exactly how often i'm going to be updating this, maybe weekly?

If that.
Anyway I understand voice talent needs update for relations to the project.

So in this of which I am going to be discussing.
Fortunately, I never particularly follow a script of any sort, so theres always chance and room for change.

See last time I was trying to start the entry, I got caught up ranting about Xombie and it's supposed cancellation.
While time has yet to prove how much of this is true, the fortunate thing is the rights are once again in their rightful owner's hands.

So let's hope for the best and leave it at that.

In regarding to the next project.
It's been a while since I really sat down and finished a sprite movie.

At least, an actual movie.
I mean, sure there are mish mashes every here and there.
Or random scenes being made with no true background.

I excercised this alot with Acient 5 back in 03.
(and no it's not Ancient 5, it's called 'Acient 5')

For the life of me i've been dying to make a true sequel to that movie.
Though movies were so much easier to make ten years ago, their quality and artistic value left much to be desired.

Yet ultimately they were actually made and saw the light of day.
And since it's been a while since I made a true project worthy of release.

I figure it's best to go back to what I started with.
RPG sprites.

Particularly Final Fantasy.
(Un)fortunately I am working on this project solo.
So really I have to do almost everything aside from some of the sprites thanks to many websites.

Yet lately i've taken a liking to working with custom sprites.
As I feel they give our main leads a significantly more interesting feel and look.

It just takes me forever to create those to the specifications I feel and want.
Seriously it kills me sometimes.

As far as the plot goes, I am somewhat iffy on it to an extension.
Whatever the hell i'd have fun telling a story about.

That's really what it boils down to is just me putting sprites in more odd situations.
(So don't worry Kefka isn't going to somehow rise from the dead and our heroes won't need to beat him again or whatever)

Tired of that bullshit.
We need fresh meat.

Actually I intended to discuss things a bit further last time.
But I didn't have much to say when it all came down to it.

Thankfully, I intend to keep a little production journal as the film progresses.
As well as I feel the need to say a few more things.

Last year, I made an entry discussing the now defunct Xombie movie.
http://valfire.newgrounds.com/news/post/574227

It recently came to my attention James Farr finally stepped out of the shadows in a few weeks ago and gave the low down.
Dreamworks just sat on the Xombie rights for four years.

So now that the deal is more or less expired, the rights are now once again with James Farr.
Rightfully so as I didn't trust at all what Dreamworks had planned for it.

But it's what happened following this.
He went and announced 'Xombie: Death Warmed Over" which from what was said to be 'Season 2' of Xombie.

I was excited for all of ten seconds until I saw it was already canceled the moment I found out about it.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/epiclevel/xo mbie-death-warmed-over

Ok so... they open the funding for it.
And in less than a few short weeks the funding was already closed, and the project was canceled.
At least from what I can gather.

All this flew right under my radar as I didn't even know this funding was taking place.
Where was the info??

I mean sure it was on the Xombified page, but seriously you think something like this would have gotten more publicity.
(Seriously with the lack of updates since 2008 who checked it often?)

And this was an open and shut deal in all of less than three weeks.

Honestly, I would have gladly donated money had I even KNOWN this was going on.
But now since that's an impossibility.

All I can really do is gripe about it.
No while I am not upset with James Farr.
(Dreamworks a bit rather)

It's just I for one want to see the rest of the story that James Farr has to tell.

Well I had to take a small haitus from development due to a career change.
Though since everything went smoothly, as well as some other vacation time.
Naturally development is once again underway!

As it's important for one to charge batteries during development cycles.
Yet, it's been so long since I told a story naturally I only feel it's right I finally get around to it.

As it is i've been tryin to get the old bones back flashing.
Or rather, trying to COMPLETE something for a change.

So heres the drill.

Obviously I need to round up some actors.

So heres what I am looking for as of present.

1 Actor, and 1 Actress.
Unless you happen to be some Actor that can voice both gender roles then that's fine too.

Not expecting any results but eh might as well.

What can I say?
I love this series.

All though I think it's a bit hard to keep up with the news of it.
Last thing I heard was that Dreamworks wanted to make a live action movie out of it.

And...
Well really I just can't see it as being a live action film.

Hell, I remember still the night when chapter 2 was showcased on the front page.
And simply say it was totally awesome back then and ever more so now.

This fan, is not in particular agreement with the thought of the live action movie..

We know producers.
Ralph Bakshi knew producers all too well.
And they fucked him over timelessly.

They want to recreate it, among the lines of him being a zombie cop or some shit.
And I am like , 'WTF?'

Hes not supposed to remember who or what he was!
Thats only the dawn of the descriminations I know they have in store for this project.

And its not that I don't want to see a Xombie movie.
Its just i don't want to see a 'live action' Xombie movie.

It just can't be done justice the thought of actual actors and whatnot.
No, Xombie is a cartoon to me.

As the Mario Bros is a video game. (Remember THAT movie?)
Yeah if anything, the only thing I want to see Dreamworks do with Xombie, is ANYTHING but a live action movie.

Hell wasn't the original movie idea supposed to be animated?
Course, even though the flash series is great I am a major animation enthusiast.

Really i'd love to see James Farr up with a team of animators re-imagine the series.

Just... anything but a live action mish-mash for the love of god..