Interview with 720 and Bluecow

This is an interview with the makers of "Paradise", the animation which came 2nd at Assembly '99.

Introduce yourselves to the Hugi readers.

720: I am 720, a soon to be 18-year-old viking, my blood is a mix between American urban and Norwegian farmer so I guess I am expected to be both. Beer is my favorite beverage, as a lot of other people, I love beer, I drink beer on every occasion I get. Besides drinking beer, I go to school, next year I will either be in college or in the army if the stupid Norwegian state forces me to do that. Well I guess that is what you might need to know about me. On to the interview.

Bluecow: Hello, I'm BLUECOW as how I'm known on the net, well basically I'm a Malaysian born Chinese and I've just graduated from university with a degree in Visual Communications. At the moment I'm in the UK and I do hope to stay on to work.

What do you do in the scene?

720: Originally I started as a pixel gfxer, which I still am, but I found my talent within 3d and somewhat within design.

Bluecow: I'm involved in the Animation and that's all I do. *smile*

When and how did you first get in contact with the demoscene?

720: A few years ago my friend and I were playing around with 3ds3 and Fast Tracker just making stuff for fun, but I guess my first real contact was in '96 when I got my own computer with a modem and started to play around with BBS and stuff like that where I got in contact with the Norwegian scene. The rest is history.

What's your biggest success in the scene?

Answer from both of them: Well, since Penguin Paradise is the second serious product we have been a part of and the only good one, it must be Penguin Paradise.

You attended to Assembly '99 right? What was your impression of the party?

720: Actually I was not there, I sat at home in my boxer shorts watching the compos on asmtv using Realplayer. The impression that I got of the party watching it on asmtv was that the compos where mostly on time.

Bluecow: Cool. *grin*

Where do you get your inspiration?

720: I don't really know. I just start working on a project then after a while an idea pops into my head, and I develop the idea. But the times I work with others I just make what they tell me to.

Bluecow: Ermm... while in the shower? ;P

Any other hobbies except computers?

720: I play around with my turntable, and I skate and snowboard.

Bluecow: Yeah, computers computers computers *grin*. Nah, I enjoy a nice walk in parks, travelling and some occasion of swimming.

What are your plans for the future?

720: I'm not sure what will happen yet, I am on the verge of starting my final year in the IB course at the cathedral school of Trondheim. I have always had plans of attending some art and design school somewhere but I am not sure, right now I am trying to figure out what I can do well.

Bluecow: At the moment I'm trying to get a job here in the UK. I'll think about the future when I get a secure job first. *smile*

OK, some stuff about the Assembly '99 animation "Paradise". First, what program did you guys use for modelling and rendering it?

Bluecow: Well the animation was modelled and animated with Softimage3|D and rendered with MentalRay. The texture maps were either hand drawn or scan from actual materials but mostly were done in Photoshop. At lot of study went into colour and lighting to get the right 'feel'.

How did you come up with this story?

Bluecow: I've had this idea of the penguin toy in me some time ago and it kinda popped up while having coffee with a friend in the cafe. We weren't too sure about how I would end it but I figured out that I had to have some sort of conceptual background to it. It is just not another quirky animation but this is animation is based on human greed showed in a less subtle way.

When did you start working on the animation (doesn't look like a last minute production exactly)?

Bluecow: It took us about three weeks for the story board and concepts, about six weeks to finish the modelling, animation and rendering. Seemed pretty short huh? Well, I spent about my entire day just doing it for six weeks. To be truthful, I wake up and start working on it till I go to bed. I haven't been going out for a long time. Hehe...

Can we expect a sequel to Paradise?

Bluecow: I guess not, and I hope not... I wouldn't want to see another penguin again.

Do you guys hate penguins? Why was the end so sad?

Bluecow: We don't hate penguins although now we do after working on it for such a long period of time. Well, basically this story is about greed leading to nowhere. That's how the penguins just lay there and stare at their dreams. As the saying goes 'the grass is not always greenier on the other side'.

Any question you would like to answer, that I haven't asked?

Bluecow: I couldn't think of one either...

Any last words to the Hugi readers? Greetings, webpage or something?

Bluecow: I would like to thank all that supported us and I do hope that everyone enjoyed themselves at the end of it. *smile* Party on! *smile* Do feel free to pop by my temporary website at:

http://www.3dnation.com/users/spacewarp_bluecow

v0id / Alpha Millennium