By: Nicole D'Andria
On the first
“Kickstart the Week(end)” I’m showcasing a comic book project trying to get its
funding through Indiegogo rather than Kickstarter. SAMSARA SAGA is a science-fiction graphic novel and the first comic
book project from Xenobrane Studios.
“Samsara” is the repeating cycle of birth, life and death. In a way, SAMSARA SAGA marks the birth of Xenobrane Studios into the comic book world. It is the first comic book publication of the studio. The creators are Ruel De Guzman and Christopher Harris. This project is the first step in a new career for them.
Ruel and Chris don’t plan on
stopping with just comics. They want to explore multiple mediums including
video games, interactive web content, motion graphics, educational apps, 3D
printing, toys, collectibles and more.
The donation received on Indiegogo
will go towards the time used to create SAMSARA
SAGA. The current amount of money will keep the two creators running for
about three to four months, the amount of time they believe it will take them
to finish the first ‘Phase’ of the comic called BIRTH. They also requiring software licenses for programs such as Manga
Studio EX, Photoshop, Z-Brush and Keyshot. If the funding goal is surpassed the
creators plan on updating their workstations and Harris’ laptop.
The creators are offering the following materials that you
can own:
- SAMSARA SAGA: Birth (digitial comic) complete or in parts.
- High Resolution Digital Promo Poster(s).
- Desktop Wallpaper(s)
- High Resolution Story cards: get to know the story behind the story & enjoy additional art in hi-def
- Bonus
Behind the Scenes Content - we'll gradually compile elements of the production
process and give you access.
The Kickstarter is trying to receive
the grand sum of $8,080. The creators are trying to raise this amount by May
24, 2015 on 11:59 pm PT. The project has
flexible funding, meaning that even if it is not fully funded, the creative
team will still receive all the funds pledged to it. You can help fund the
studio’s first project, SAMSARA SAGA,
on Indiegogo.
I interviewed both Ruel
De Guzman and Christopher Harris.
Me: What is the tone of the series?
Harris: I would say there is no one tone in the series.
Overall, SAMSARA SAGA is the
combination of science-fiction and fantasy elements, so the tones that are
generally associated with these genres will be intertwined and ever-changing.
This is especially true when dealing with certain characters and settings. But
in depth, I want to compare and contrast the relationship between tone and
genre. My goal for the series is to play with the readers' expectations for
these genres, continuously coming up with ways to surprise them.
Me: What is your role in SAMSARA
SAGA?
 |
| Christopher Harris |
Christopher Harris: I'm the Head Writer in this endeavor. I make sure all of our info
flows smoothly in cohesively.
To tell you a little
about my process, I create the story outline(s) and the situation concepts
for our characters. After Ruel contributes his style in the pre-production
of the outline, I incorporate his ideas into my own. I then come up with the
basic script and panel format. I'll make drafts of the scripts until we
come out with something we're both proud of. This goes for the creation of
characters and settings as well.
Ruel De Guzman: My main role in SAMSARA SAGA is artist. I like to mix traditional illustration
methods with 3d modeling. As far as story, Chris & I both pitch in. We both
create characters, their personalities & determine major events. As a team we try jointly to develop the most
vivid & varied world(s) we can.
I'm kind of geek out
when it comes to world building, so bringing creatures, environments,
characters, vehicles, etc. makes me especially giddy; I do a lot of that.
Chris is great with how
he's open to truly collaborating, he does an amazing job of tying it all
together. We try to play to our strengths while at the same time trying to
individually grow as storytellers.
Me: How would you describe your writing style?
De Guzman:
I think we both have a way of adding
depth to what the other creates. Chris excels at making it all more accessible
& relatable. While I tend zero in on really big picture stuff &
microscopic details, he’s stronger at creating the core narrative that ties it
all together. Once he does his thing I try to build off & strengthen his
already solid concepts. We both create characters & factions to populate
story & they all sort of come alive organically. In the end we both
effect the whole.
Harris: I'm always trying new ways to develop my style
to fit a specific story. If I'm writing a script for myself I tend to be more
colorful and way more descriptive, so the artist knows just how to convey my
attitude through their illustration. I also tend to rely heavily on draft
storyboards I draw for myself as I write page for page. This can help the
artist better envision what my script looks like. At the moment, I'm allowed to
be a bit more casual in SAMSARA SAGA
because Ruel and I communicate what we ultimately want the pages to look like.
Me: What about your art style Ruel?
De Guzman:
I just know that I strive to bring a
mix of subtle expressiveness and kinetic tension to the sequential art. I enjoy
penciling, inking, digital painting & 3d modeling equally, I'm
working towards blending it all into a delicious visual jambalaya. I love
creating elements that make world come alive, so expect a steady barrage of fun
settings, creatures, vehicles etc.
As far as software, I gravitate
towards Zbrush & Manga Studio; both are centered on the tendencies of
illustrators & designers. I'm looking forward to incorporating After
Effects for motion graphics as well. We're trying to blend techniques used in
visual effects & game development to make gripping stories. Madefire,
Narr8, Construct2 & Unreal Engine are platforms we look to progress
towards.
Me: Who is your favorite character in the saga?
Harris: That's tough to answer.
If I did have to pick a
favorite right now then it would be Haru Wer, mentor and friend to our
main protagonist, Roen. There's are some elements that surround Haru that
I can't mention, but overall he's just a fun character to write. I
can make him stand out in almost any situation. He's an exceptional
fighter so he will be linked to some of the most dynamic action scenes, but he
also has this... quirky side that we're going to develop. We really wanted to
shake up the whole mentor trope you see in a lot of other stories. In SAMSARA
SAGA, Haru's character is essentially the bridge between understanding 2
completely different species, one being the Splicers and the other, the
Dylaed. Honestly, I can't wait for the day Ruel gives me the green-light
to do some amazing things with Haru's story.
De Guzman: I actually have several characters I'm excited
about, but for now I'll try to focus on just a few.
 |
| Roen |
Let's start with Roen.
He comes from a long lineage of warriors. He's a Commander within the Dylaedian
military & a member of the Vanguard. The Vanguard are perhaps fiercest of
fighters among all Dylaeds.
Roen's prime ability as
a wielder is something we call shifting; essentially teleporting relatively
short distances very quickly. Though he's able to wield forces such as
electromagnetism, shifting is something of a strength within his family. When
combined with his close quarters fighting skills, Roen can be very dynamic in
battle. Through Roen we get into themes of expectations, resolve & change.
Another character I'm
excited about is Pele. We named her after the Hawaiian deity to hint at her
temperament. She comes from a culture & a people constantly at war, so
she's conditioned to feel at home even in the grimmest of circumstances. Pele's
often found on bounty collecting ventures with her closest ally & friend, a
shape-shifting alien we call Erebus. I imagine Pele as a particularly
resourceful character with many layers of depth.
Me: What are the factions in the series?
Harris: At the moment we're heavily focused on
introducing the Dylaed |die-layd|, our predominantly magic wielding race in the
series.
In their quadrant of
the galaxy, there are several factions that operate independently from each
other. There's the Vanguard, a special band of warriors that have mastered
their spiritual sub-conscious through the use of combat. If you can imagine
battle-mages forming a fighters guild, then you've imagined the Vanguard.
Next we have the
Colonial Marines. They act as the main military force for all Dylae space.
Controlled by the Royal Court, the Marines are split between the home-world and
off-world branches. Like the name suggests, they travel to uninhabited planets,
setting up basics facilities for its eventual colonization.
Last, but certainly not
least, we have the Foundation of àse |ah-say|. Every Dylaed can channel àse to
harness magic. Attending the Foundation enables the wielder to define and
develop their talents, should they choose to pursue that path. Once there, that
Dylaed is free to learn as much about the world of àse as they possibly can.
With proper motivation, this can lead to some exciting adventures in the
history of Dylae. There are 6 sub-foundations representing the different
classes of magic. Healing and Summoning are just a few classes that make up the
Foundation.
Me: Who are some of your inspirations as a writer Chris?
Harris: Bruce Timm/Paul Dini (BATMAN: TAS): Batman: TAS
was the first cartoon I watched that got me interested in the pre-production
process of animation.
Michael DiMartino/Bryan
Konietzko (Avatar: TLAB/The Legend of
Korra): I was filled with so much inspiration at the end of Korra: Book 2 I had to direct my
enthusiasm onto paper. The end result was me realizing I wanted to write comics
for a living.
Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead) - If there was ever a
comic creator I felt I could relate to, it's Kirkman.
Me:
Who inspires you as an
artist Ruel?
De Guzman: I was inspired by many. Like for many others, it started with the Image Comics founders like Mark Silvestri, Whilce Portacio & Jim Lee. Over time I discovered Frank Frazetta, Drew Struzan & Norman Rockwell. These days Vance Kovacs, Sparth, Manapul, Capullo, Moebius, Charest & AH. They all excel at different facets of the whole. The level of creativity & draftsmanship is mind blowing. We're experiencing something of an illustration Renaissance.
Me: Why did you decide to use Indiegogo versus going to a publisher
or using another service such as Kickstarter?
Harris: We thought about both services and how each one
fit into our plans. Things like how to attract readers and followers or
developing methods of productivity, in the event we don't hit our goal. In the
end, Indiegogo was better suited for supporting those plans as well as what
comes after our campaign.
Me: SAMSARA SAGA is part of Xenobrane
Studios. What is your relationship to this publisher?
De Guzman: Xenobrane Studios is the studio I'd been itching to create, so Chris Harris & I decided to co-found it this year. The name roughly translates to 'strange membrane/outer dimension'.
Me: What is the mission statement of Xenobrane Studios? Has the
studio produced any other publications?
De Guzman: We haven't made an official mission statement word for word, but have given thought to the idea.
Xenobrane's goal is to entertain &
simultaneously encourage the pursuit of knowledge. For myself, the genres of
fiction we focus on (scifi, fantasy & genres within the same realm) ignited
into an interest in technology, myth, cosmology, physics and more. I think many
others share a similar view. We're going to use adventure & story to do our
small part in shaping the future.
Over time we'll take something of a
transmedia approach to making stories & worlds increasingly immersive.
Motion Graphics, VR, Games etc.. It's all happening now, we just want to
participate & contribute in our own way.
SAMSARA
SAGA is our first
official release. Baby steps.
Me: What other comic book projects have you worked on?
De Guzman: This is the first time I'm publishing a comic. Way back when, I was offered a chance to work for one of the top comic book publishers as a penciler. I wasn't ready for it then & ever since I've been practicing & learning.
Before Chris & I decided to work
together I was in the process of writing, designing characters, modeling 3d
assets for my sci-fi graphic novel. When we got together we decided to create
something entirely new & here we are.
Me: What advice would you give to aspiring comic book writers?
If you're an aspiring writer, the first thing
they say is just to write. Try creating and writing something you'd want to
read first, maybe something that you haven't seen before. Polish those initial
ideas and create characters and settings that fit into your world. With
patience and hard-work, things tend to fall into place after that.
In terms of breaking into the business, you're
not going to be able to do it all by yourself, so don't be afraid to ask for
help. Talking to other writers and illustrators is key. You'll be more-or-less
a ghost unless you get out there and make people see you. Observe how other
writers/artists are getting exposure and try to mimic that - to some degree!!!
Me: What advice would you give to aspiring comic book artists?
De Guzman: For aspiring comic artists there are lot of
areas to cover. It's best to focus on substance before flash.
The crucial skills
include figure drawing, body language, facial expressions, human musculature,
perspective, storytelling, scene composition & panel to panel transitions.
I highly suggest the DC series of books on how to make comics & the Scott
McCloud books on sequential art. I feel like those books, among others, gave me
a strong foundation to build upon.
Once you have a strong
enough core skill-set, style will come with time. I think the tendency is to
absorb & emulate particular aspects of the styles from your favorite
artists. Those individual elements will eventually evolve into your own thing.
Barry Windsor Smith for example does incredible linework & Drew Struzan has
a way with creating compositions that express the heart of the characters very
well. Learning from the strengths of masters like Frank Frazetta goes a long
way once you have strong enough fundamentals. Fundamentals are the keys to
excellence.
Me: Thanks for your time Chris and Ruel! Best of luck with
Xenobrane Studios.
You can find out more
information about the comic book and the studio at Xenobrane.com.
Do you have an Indiegogo or Kickstarter? Want to be
interviewed about it and have it showcased on “Kickstart the Week?” Let me know
in the comments below or message me on www.comicmaven.com.
Other “Kickstart the Week” features:
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