Happy Monday! Here are the new pages.
So, I know you must be wondering why I chose to make three full pages with the same camera angle. Was I being lazy? Was I inspired? To tell you the truth, I’ve always enjoyed coming across scenes in a comic similar to this where you can just absorb the characters acting a bit more than normal. When I started this scene I though it would be easier to do than the other pages, but I soon found out that I was mistaken. It’s way harder to draw your characters over and over in the same scene from the same angle going through a series of emotions without making them look like they are morphing into obscurity. It’s easy to draw a character from one angle once because you have nothing to compare it to. But here, every frame can be compared to the surrounding frames so you have to get ‘em right.
I’m not sure what Sonja and Lizzlie are thinking when they look at each other but that’s why I love it. I have my opinion, but I’m not gonna share it because for me, having these kinds of moments really allows the reader to put their spin on things. It may not be storytelling 101 but I’m not trying to be normal here.
Which brings me to another subject. I’ve been told that my story or character names are too weird. At times it bothers me that I can’t please everyone but I have to keep reminding myself that this is my story and this is what I wanted it to be. Not everyone is going to agree with me or understand my ideas. I’m sure some people will hate it when it’s all said and done and that’s okay too. Some people don’t like strange things that force your imagination to bridge the gaps to make sense of it all, but I do. I love experiencing unique worlds where you can never tell what’s going to happen next because it’s unrestricted by our laws or physics. Isn’t that what sci-fi and fantasy is all about?
One of the most rewarding parts about making your own graphic novel is the ability to make a story unaffected by studio opinions, market statistics or investor money. I didn’t start this to write the same old story I’ve seen a million times or because talking cats are the popular thing right now, or even because my boss told me to. I’m making reMIND because I love it. This is what I wish I could find whenever I go to a comic book convention.
Oh yeah, next week is a biggie! We finally get to see what Sonja was hiding in her workshop. Plus, this Thursday will be Part 3 of my How To Color a Graphic Novel series.
_______________________________________________
Vote now to see one of the frames of next weeks pages.
When you have complete creative control, there's the risk of losing all perspective with your story and alienating your audience (as some recent filmmakers have been guilty of). However, there's also the opposite problem of taking everyone's advice to heart and never trusting your gut. I'm sure you already know all of this…just stating the obvious.
Just do your thing and the audience will follow. You're right, you're not writing the same old story we've seen a million times. That's part of what makes reMIND so cool. You're doing something new. It's the kind of story that I wish there were more of in comics…weird names and all!
Thanks Brian! Glad you are into it. Taking everyone's advice to heart and not trusting your gut is probably more of my challenge here. Luckily I've written the whole story and drawn most of it before sharing any of it online.
It would be too hard to change direction now so I just have to trust my original gut instincts. It's probably a blessing in disguise.
Who cares if they have weird names. It's YOUR story. I think reMIND wouldn't be unique if the lizard man's name was John, and the cat's name was something just as generic. Names like Victuals stick – it may not be easy to say, but you remember it from its uniqueness.
I also enjoy the multiple dialogue frames like you've done over the last 3 pages. Not every page has to have a jump in the visual action. Sometimes it's good to pause for a moment at a specific time, and let the dialogue do the work. You can't rely on visuals to do all the work all of the time. This shows great balance in your story, and that you're aware of the need for slower pacing at times.
I say it every week – it's looking good, and I'm really looking forward to the printing of this book.
Thanks Drezz, I'm glad you like these slower moments too. Another reason for scenes like this is trying to achieve some of the amazing moods of Miyazaki films. He has tons of slow moments that really reel the audience in before taking them on a crazy journey. I love it.
i dig the way you're doing these frames. its very cinematic -like. Its basically a stationary camera shot where you let the action move into the frame instead of chasing it around. its great for a scene like this.
interesting tidbit…Ferris Bueller's Day off is almost all stationary camera shots through the first part of the film. Once they get the car and go out for the adventure the camera starts moving.
stick to your gut. You have the rest of your career to work for other people and execute their ideas. Since you're paying the bills you're the creative director/executive producer etc.
Don't change your cat's name to "Joe" or something sell-out-y like that. =)
Hahah! Definitely not Joe, or Fluffy or Whishers. Ha.
I agree, you should go for what is fun and exciting for you. If your own creation becomes a chore, it will show and everyone will lose.
Yeah, that totally makes sense. It would be such a waste of time if your free time was spent laboring over something that you didn’t enjoy.
the whole point of comics is to have weird stuff that isn't normal!!! lol. some of the greatest comic characters are completely absurd. An alien who looks human who wears powder blue underoos with a red cape and boots and has a pair of glasses as a disguise…..thats weird. We'd all point and laugh if we saw good ol Clark walking down the street.
after you're done with the book, you can revisit the whole thing in an "elseworlds" style book, where you give them all normal names like "whiskers" and "jane" and give them everyday normal things to do. =p
That always chaps my nether regions when people nitpick someone's creative efforts like that. It's like somebody telling you your kid is ugly. True, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but too many people forget that it is just that — an opinion. To me, the whole deal about the creative media like films, print, graphics, etc., is that it allows you to get into somebody else's head and see their own unique creative vision. It's their story, and part of the deal is that in return for them telling you their story, you do them the courtesy (does anybody know what that word means any more?) of agreeing to listen to ihem tell it their way. That's the whole point, isn't it? If they tell the story your way, then it wouldn't be their story — DUH! There's constructive/valid criticism (like pointing out a misspelled word, or an inconsistency, or where something is not clear or difficult to "get.") and there's plain old "nitpicky" criticism. You just have to realize that there are some people in this world who will find fault with anything and everything. Don't let those kind of people play mind games with you. I think these are good words for an artist to live by: "You're entitled to your opinion, and I'm entitled to disagree with it." That said, I love your color palette. That's one of the things I find interesting about "graphic novels" is how the artists use color, and how their palette relates to the story. So interesting!
By the way, in reference to your remarks above – stick to your guns. It's your project, and people can, untimately, take it or leave it. Art is what you do for yourself, and work is what you do for others. This is clearly art. So who cares if not everyone likes the names? Hell even I have my opinions, but in the end, you make the call that satisfies your artistic vision and that is the one that will be right.
–M
Thanks for all your support in this everyone. You've all made great points and really helped me to just keep going and ignore the overly critical voices. Ahhh, the joy and pain of putting your work out there for the world to see.
Honestly, I've had 99% positive feedback but that 1% negative can really be draining to deal with for some stupid reason if you let it.
you should turn the cat into a dog.
kidding. haha