Why Get Voice Actors?

For Slice of Life, our multi-media fairy tale, we decided to pursue an audio director in order to get voice actors to act out several key scenes.

So why do it? It isn't needed for the story--reading the text can get viewers a clear picture of the scene and characters. And there's some risk to it--because what if the voice actors don't sound like what the viewer was expecting and it distracts from the story?

But the answer is quite simple. We wanted it because something happens when you hear someone's voice. It's one thing to read an email from a stranger--it's another to talk to them on the phone. You get connected with them, can understand them better, and it can even re-define a relationship.

So we're hoping the audio will make the characters more flesh-and-blood to the viewers. That it will make the characters go from words on the page to living, breathing people. And that will immerse the viewer even deeper.

Our audio director, Theo Love, finished his recordings last weekend. And we're thrilled with the product he gave us. We're looking forward to showing it off come May.

Theo Love, Audio Director

Want a good example of interactive storytelling? Check out DRIFT: A Transmedia Prototype. They have a kickstarter campaign going on right now.

What is DRIFT? In their own words:

Basically our idea is this:  the audience will be able to choose which character's perspective they experience the story from. There will be three main characters, each the protagonist of their own story, that all contribute to a larger story and a larger mystery.

As you watch the show, you will unlock the other POVs, and unlock clues that allow you to dig into the bigger mystery. The more you dig below the story's surface, the bigger your reward.

Our prototype will consist of the first chapter of the first point of view, and the interactive experience that supports that first pilot episode.

We love that idea, and we're thrilled about this project and really hope these creative, good-quality artists get ALL the support they need. Check them out on Kickstarter and back their project.

Cities in the Sky: Science Fiction's Forgotten Visionaries

A Kickstarter campaign that's generated a lot of buzz, and has captured our interest, is Cities in the Sky: Science Fiction's Forgotten Visionaries by Issac (producer) and Marisa (director).

This film brings to light some ideas and visionaries that have been lost in history books, and covered by time. It will give you another perspective of history and maybe a deeper level of understanding about how much ideas shape the world we live in--including the hidden ones.

They're also printing a companion graphic novel (yay! transmedia!) and have developed excellent artwork for the documentary.

What they say:

"We Need to Get These Overlooked Visionaries Some Attention!

Writers like Verne and Wells get a lot of attention and they were no doubt great minds and visionaries, but a shocking number of other creative men and women stand largely unknown or forgotten; we deeply hope that we can help play a role in changing this situation!  Without your help, these men and women could easily be waiting another hundred years to get noticed.  After all, if they don’t get their due in the Internet Era, then when is it going to happen?"

Cities in the Sky Kickstarter Page

Phenomenal New Interactive Comic: Sundown-White Birch

 

  Sundown--White Birch is an incredible mix of fantastic writing, flawless illustrations, beautiful music, and easy to follow animation. Synopsis:

America 1870. A Gothic western set in the Post-Civil War chaos and at the height of the Indian Wars, a trio of unlikely characters (and a talking horse) band together in an epic journey across America's Badlands in search of answers for the misery they have lived through. Love, romance, misguided philosophy, and violence on a Greek-like scale… this is the world at SUNDOWN. Available on iPad. Soon on iPhone and Android.

The story is deep, dark, and engaging. I was hooked from the very first panel. As an interactive app producer and author myself, I'm amazed and excited about what Motionworks Entertainment has done here. They've given the viewer an immersive experience, which is what I want in an interactive story. I was so intrigued I didn't even think about the interactivity as I was viewing it. The music blends in with each scene, creating a tense ambience. The comic panels and dialogue were engaging and easy to follow. And the animation was present but not overpowering. Each art form enhanced the story, not detracted from it. I'm really looking forward to Part 2. I highly recommend it.

Buy Sundown: White Birch on iTunes.

Check out Motionworks Entertainment's website. And keep up to date on their projects through twitter and Facebook.  

By Ellie Ann

Sundown and Octane, by Motionworks Entertainment

We here at Noble Beast are big fans of transmedia and mixed media. It's still a pretty small genre, and we support any good mixed media we see.  Which is why we have to tell you about Motionworks Entertainment and their upcoming projects, Sundown, and Octane.

This is the synopsis of Sundown:

A Gothic western set in the Post-Civil War chaos and at the height of the Indian Wars, a trio of unlikely characters (and a talking horse) band together in an epic journey across America’s Badlands in search of answers for the misery they have lived through.

Love, romance, misguided philosophy, and violence on a Greek-like scale… this is the world at SUNDOWN. 

The app is absolutely awesome and we encourage you to buy, download, and experience SUNDOWN for yourself!

And they've put together an awesome trailer for it:

Next is Octane, a high-concept, post-apocalyptic dark tale of revenge. It's synopsis:

Four hundred years from now, the survivors of a global disaster that brought on eternal night have been corralled into a new civilization called the Seven Cities. The Seven Cities are a kingdom, located in what used to be the Northeast United States, and its citizens are oppressed by a vile, all-powerful ruler. Our story begins with five men who live outside of the strictures of this society, coming and going as they please, bowing a knee to no one and doing whatever they like, wherever they like. They’re motivated by greed and an appreciation for anarchy. When one of their number is betrayed by the other four, he sets out in search of them on a quest for bloody vengeance that will take him to every one of the Seven Cities. But the journey he thinks he’s on may not be the journey he ends up on.

The author, Robin Parrish, wrote a great introduction to it on his blog

Both of these projects look very intriguing and we'll be first in line to get them.

Check out Motionwork's Entertainment's blog, and follow them on twitter (@motionworksent) and Facebook.

Slice of Life Intro

Slice of Life is a new multi-media adventure story Noble Beast has acquired. It's a gritty, tongue-in-cheek fairy tale about a princess who must team up with her unfaithful lover in order to stop the evil Queen from destroying the earth's life force. It has quirky characters, last-minute escapes, epic battles, and many losses of limbs. But best of all, the story isn't told with just words. A troupe of digital artists have teamed up to create an immersive experience for the viewer.

The Troupe of Digital Artists:

<  Ellie Ann, Writer

  <Gary Morgan, comic artist

                                                                   Princess Aura, by Gary

 <Raphael Cutrufello with Hezekiah Jones – composer

  

< Lancelot Schaubert – Poet 

 <  Emma Lang – Illustrator (side note: she is 13 years old and so talented.)

  

<  Biaka Zaidarhzauva, Graphic Artist

Pirate’s Symbol, by Biaka

<Josh Randall, Audio Director

Please stay tuned for more information about Slice of Life, coming out May 1st!

Ellie Soderstrom Joins Noble Beast!

2012 was an exciting year for Noble Beast.  We started with a very successful kickstarter project to raise funds for the first book in the series Steampunk Holmes: Legacy of the Nautilus and out did our wildest expectations. We then went on to launch a very successful eBook, audiobook, and soon an iPad and Web book.  It was an excellent year!

The best thing to happen to Noble Beast occurred just this past week when Ellie Soderstrom joined the Noble Beast as a writer, producer, equity-owner, and fantastic representative.  You have probably heard of Ellie before: She is a wonderful blogger and fan of YA and speculative fiction.  Her opinion and reviews of titles are respected and sought out and she is an incredibly creative human being.

We came to know Ellie as fan and booster of Steampunk Holmes. After watching her interact with our community, we brought her on part time to help with marketing. She is so good at connecting with our fans that last week we offered her (she accepted!) an equity stake in Noble Beast.  She is now our Chief Marketing Officer.  But that's not all!

Ellie had been producing her own Book App, Slice of Life, for months before we met her. Slice of Life is this wonderful modern fairy tail with beautiful writing, wonderful graphic-novel style panels, music, and even audio dialog.  Her artistic vision for the project is fresh and new and we are excited to be chosen by Ellie as her digital publisher.  We will be releasing Slice of Life as a Book App for the iPad within a couple months along with Steampunk Holmes: Legacy of the Nautilus.

Ellie is a creative force and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. You'll be hearing a lot more from her as she begins blogging here and on Steampunk Holmes and soon the blog for Slice of Life.  Welcome, Ellie!