Seeking artist(s) for Gothic Mystery Epic 'Jason vs. All', an Audio-Graphic Novel alt. Beat-'em-up Game
Hey guys and gals! Writer and semi-artist here, seeking artist(s). I originally posted this on a forum for indie/hobby game developers, but I figure I'd seek artists here as well, seeing as there's so much talent on these forums! The story was originally worked out for a game, which is what I'm driving to realize it as, but turning it into a graphic novel is also an option. Actually, I had an audio-graphic novel in mind - a bit of an interactive comic, with music, sounds and voices accompanying the panels.
Project name:
Jason vs. All (tentative title – more of an eye-catcher than an appropriate title; this is not a mere "versus feature")
Brief description:
The mythos of a multitude of horror film franchises have coalesced into a gothic mystery epic to be presented in the form of a "stalk-'n-slash-'em-up" sidescroller. Assume control of Jason Voorhees, undead avenger of Friday the 13th infamy, and wade knee-deep through a supernatural intrigue that spans the dimensions. Face off against a cast of illustrious screen villains from 80's-90's horror lore, balancing stealth and superhuman force to overcome
your adversaries.
The gameplay would be akin to that of the beat-'em-ups of the past (such as the 'Splatterhouse' series of games), with some more modern elements, like stealth through the use of shadows and cover. The protagonist being a slasher, "graphic violence" is bound to become a descriptor for the game, but more interesting are the rollercoaster-ride-paced gameplay scenarios that propel the player through the plot – not to mention the plot itself.
If this was to become an audio-graphic novel there would be less focus on Jason's killing sprees, in exchange for a wider perspective provided by the experiences of the entire cast. Situations would be accompanied by thematic music, important events would emit sound, characters would be given voice (a good deal of the appeal of the characters involved in the story comes from the way they speak, so this is of big importance).
(Part of my philosophy for games is that consistency is good for immersion, which is why a game would stick to Jason's perspective and perception. For protagonist-driven interactive media I prefer this way of creating an immersive experience, but when it comes to novels of various kinds, you're not in control at all (unless it's some kind of a "choose-your-adventure" books) and thus immersion is to be achieved in other ways.)
Target aim:
Free, episodic releases to be available at highly-frequented web outlets and future project website. That, or a graphic novel, perhaps also made available as episodic releases.
Compensation:
Alas, I have no funding or fortune, and the nature of project doesn't lend itself to commercial enterprising. However, I'm quite certain that the finished product would gain fairly wide recognition, not just because there are already fan-bases for the source works, but also because I believe the story really could be the quintessential piece of fan-fiction - one that stands on its own, and stands out.
Technology:
The target system is the PC. Working in the environment offered by Macromedia Flash CS3, my former partner (a now-professional game programmer who left the project due to differing priorities and whose return seems unlikely) laid out a technical foundation. He developed a game engine for side-scrollers, which I have the permission to use. If a case can be made for abandoning the platform, a new technical direction could be worked out. Or, as mentioned, it could be turned into an interactive graphic novel, in which case ActionScript could be used for some scripting.
Talent needed:
Bring me everyone. Seriously though:
Graphics artist(s) needed for animation, scenery, and art direction. Experience with Macromedia Flash/vector graphics (or other, the technical direction and or presentation pending). Many styles are appreciated, but nothing too "cartoony". Experience with dark fantasy is appreciated.
Being a horror movie buff would certainly be a great asset. If you dislike the canon, it'll be harder for you to enjoy the gospel I composed for it.
Team structure:
Nicolas Dubray (story, design, direction, concept art, additional art, sound editing).
Contacts:
beelze_nd@hotmail.com
Tell me if you’re interested in the idea of a game or a graphic novel, or both. You could send me some art samples right away if you wish. If you're simply curious about the story, you may send me some questions.
Additional Info:
"Gothic mystery epic" is not merely a fancy, buzz-worded phrase I flaunt around with to hype the project. I think the term encompasses the nature of the game quite well, in that it describes in part a major theme connected to the tone and the atmosphere, as well as the structure of the narration, and the magnitude of the gameplay.
An epic is a long poetic composition chronicling a journey in which the protagonist must perform a series of great feats in order to overcome fantastic foes and monumental obstacles. I use the term in reference to the propellant gameplay scenarios that string the story together. A variety of variables (timers, enemy advancement, etc.) serve to set a dramatic pace. In total, there are nine gameplay scenarios with varying lengths/durations.
A denominator for gothic fiction is the monster that, while occasionally reveling in its beastliness, is morosely aware of its vile nature, often viewing it as a curse, and sometimes engaging in self-destructive behavior (a couple of examples would be Shelley’s "Frankenstein", and Cronenberg's remake of "The Fly"). The motives of the anti-heroes in the story, who all seek redemption, stem from this perception of the gothic villain, while the villains, being beyond redemption, oppose it.
I'll leave the mystery a mystery for now, but here follows some general information about the story:
Thematically, the story deals with ideas of restraint, desire, fear, guilt, fate – ideas represented and exemplified by the cast of characters and their actions. Additionally, there is some meta-fictional commentary regarding violence and horror as a form of entertainment – on this level, the tale is, ironically, an anti-violence manifest. Because of this and other layers of the story, I like to think of it as a parable. A media/film arts student I know went as far as to call it "biblical". You certainly wouldn’t expect to find any such depth in a work featuring these characters.
Another buddy remarked that several events in the story had a bit of a "Monkey Island" touch to them. He was referring to the combination and manipulation of various occult artifacts belonging to the involved franchises – item interaction constituting a common gameplay element in adventure games. Indeed, if the story had been told from the perspective of a crucial "mystery character", whose identity I will withhold for the time being, it would’ve been more of an adventure/puzzle game (and if the audio-graphic novel approach is chosen, the story would be told from several angles). This should give you a glimpse of the complex mechanism that makes the plot thicken. My former partner called me an "insane genius" for working it all out (and I'll consider that a compliment).
To give you an idea of just how colorful the cast is, these are most of the horror series whose villains and mythos figure in the plot: 'A Nightmare on Elm Street', 'Child’s Play', 'Friday the 13th', 'Halloween', 'Hellraiser', 'The Omen', 'Phantasm', 'Pumpkinhead', 'Prophecy' (recommended for Christopher Walken's entertaining antics), and 'Wishmaster'. This enumeration may make my story come off as a fan-boy melting-pot (and me as being crazy). However, none are superfluous in any aspect. Had I really wanted an intangible mess, these are some of the series I could've thrown into the mix just-because: 'Alien', 'Alligator', 'Anaconda', 'Mimic', 'Predator', 'Species', 'The Blob', 'The Thing', 'Xtro'…
FAQ:
Why would anyone want to base a story on a heap of trashy horror film franchises? These films are a guilty pleasure of mine, and the story came to me as I watched these films out of interest, and as time passed I came to see the potential and set out to practice dramaturgy, with really good results. In fact, I'd like to claim that I turned lead into gold; because of mediocrity of most of these films, people will be pleasantly surprised to see how much there is to this story. As fan-fiction can surpass its source material, and as sequels could technically be called fan-fiction, think of it as the rare sequel that surpasses the original.
Who cares about these characters, and aren't their franchises dead? Familiarity with the material doesn't necessarily have to factor into one’s enjoyment of a work of fiction, as long as one exposes oneself to the work with an open mind, one may come to empathize with the characters and experience settings. And no, the franchises aren’t quite dead. 'Halloween' recently got a remake, and 'Child’s Play', 'Hellraiser', 'Friday the 13th', and 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' are lined up for the same treatment. 'Phantasm' has another sequel in the works. I doubt they’re done milking the majority of these franchises. As the Wishmaster Djinn would claim, "Evil never dies."
NOTE
I have in mind to amend this post by including a more extensive story overview, along with script excerpts, concept art, storyboards, gameplay documentation, etc. I also intend to deal with some copyright jargon. First, however, I'd like to get some initial reactions to the general idea (i.e. if you think I'm crazy or not).
So, until later, though I'm not that good of an artist, here's a concept for some promo art:
