Glint of hope
By Hervé St.Louis
July 7, 2006 - 09:39
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My first question is, how far back have you guys been comic book fans?
Mike - I started collecting a little late. I was always into comics but the first one I ever bought and started reading on a regular basis was Transfomers #21. I was 12 or so at the time. After that it was all downhill. Silver Surfer was my first real superhero book, followed by X-Men and the New Mutants.
Keith - I started reading comics through the Transformers also. My first real comic was Moon Knight #5, I remember buying it because I was so into Ninjas and Moon Knight was fighting some on the cover. After that was an issue of Spider-man and the rest is history.
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Mike - I met John (J.D. in the series) over an argument about the Hulk being stronger than Superman. Comic shops are meant to have this type of banter, you really can't find it anywhere else. It's what Hero Envy is based on...
Keith - I always thought of the comic store as a meeting place of sorts, where geeks can find solace in what they love to read and meet like minded people. Conversations would go for hours and I would love every minute of it.
It seems like anyone who reads comic books, even for a short while, becomes an expert on the field. Why is that?
Mike - Comic fans (myself included) are the most passionate and fickle fans in the world. When you become attached to a character you think you know what's best for said character.
Keith - I think that's true not only with comics but also with film or TV, something that a person can identify with, the characters or just a storyline in general.
What was the original idea for Glint of Hope?
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Keith. After a few years we finally were able to produce the web series "Hero Envy" with characters we created for the original screenplay.
Keith - Not much to add here, Mike pretty much summed it up. I will add that we took everything good from the original screenplay and added new ideas and concepts. The result is what you see in the web series
Has the Internet helped you find an audience that would have been more difficult to find otherwise?
Mike - The internet has been insane for us. Since our stuff is web based entertainment it's been crucial for us in regard to getting Hero Envy out there. So far the response has been great!
Keith - The internet has brought us incredible amounts of fans. Its like we are creating an online comic meeting place of sorts for people to go. Also the few conventions we've attended has really helped give us some credibility amongst the comic/gaming community.
There are a lot of fan films on the Internet. Have you guys dabbled in that before Glint of Hope?
Mike - Hero Envy is our first web based production. I could see a future were we produced different types of entertainment on the web.
Keith - Like Mike said, This is our first foray into the online experience. Its definitely a great place to find fans for what we are doing.
How do you script a normal episode?
***image7:rightMike - Originally I or Keith would write the basic plot. Then we would send it to each other to "spice it up". Both of us drive the plot, but generally I write the "skeleton" of the episode. Keith is great when it comes to dialogue and one liners, so he adds the "meat" to our scripts. Recently the both of us started writing together, this allows us to bounce the ideas off each other and produce a more cohesive script to work with.
Keith - Not to mention, we will get some lines here and there from our whole crew.
How much improvisation is there?
Mike - There's a good amount. John (J.D. in the series) adds a lot of flavor when it comes to his character. We do our best to script everything, but sometimes you can't script him. A lot of great ideas have actually been improvised.
Keith - Some of best stuff comes from acting a scene out and then a new idea will hit and we just go with it. Sometimes this happens in the editing also.
Do you consider yourselves in the same vein as Kevin Smith?
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Keith - Kevin Smith has definitely paved the way for the comic geeks in movies but our series takes what he started and goes to the next level. Hero Envy features 30 year old comic geeks still trying to live the same way they did when they we're 10. Our characters are more extreme and we cover all the different areas of fandom. Besides comics, we also hit upon horror, wrestling, video games, movies, Science Fiction, etc. There is something here for everyone. We also pay particular attention to the storylines so that an average viewer who knows nothing about the geek lifestyle can still watch an episode and get a few laughs.
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Mike & Keith - Hero Envy goes all over the place. We try to limit each episode to deal with a different theme, be it comics, movies, sitcoms, etc...
Do you mock / cover current comic book events?
Mike - We mocked the Catwoman movie in our episode titled: "Catwoman Sucked!". My character Wally is an avid Green Lantern fan, so we have a lot of GL stuff in there.
Keith - We also explored the movie "Serenity" and we do make a bunch of references to current events in and out of comics.
What is the acting experience of the cast?
Mike & Keith - You could call us "independents". Kurt (Orson on the Series) and Mike acted in high school, but that's the extent of our experience other than the series itself.
Have any of you ever been to film school?
Mike & Keith - Mike hasn't, but I went to a few workshops. I've also read a few books about filmmaking and they all say the same thing. Just watch movies and study them.
Tell me about each characters in Glint of Hope.
Mike & Keith - Wally: The level-headed, kind, yet sometimes gullible guy who looks for the best in everyone and in any situation. Think Charlie Brown trying to "right the wrong" like his hero Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) while maintaining his sanity in a world lost. Wally tries to live as normal of a life as possible by balancing a riled up J.D. and trying to "get it right" with his on and off again girlfriend Brooke. Known for his high-speed-joystick-trigger-fingers and an almost uncanny dedication to his comicbook heroes.
J.D.: The rambunctious and raging hormone who sometimes doesn't know if he's 3 or 30 (and this usually happens at the expense of others)! Cares little for time, law and order, for those things mean nothing in "J.D. World." Even though he's loath to admit it, J.D. needs his best friend Wally and this sometimes comes at a HUGE price. An incorrigible rebel that lives for babes, beers, cartoons, and chaos, and not necessarily in that order!
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Orson: The lovable robotic (part C-3PO and part Data) science fiction companion to Wally. Orson still lives at home with his mother (but he would contend it's the bridge of the USS Enterprise). Wally and Orson met in line waiting for "Return of the Jedi" tickets 20 years ago (oddly enough he still hasn't stopped complaining about the Ewoks). His extensive robotic Sci-fi techno babble can drive even the most balanced jedi to the Dark Side. Orson's relationship with J.D. is a bit shaky due to the fact that J.D. is very territorial when it comes to all things Wally. Orson also is a bit of a conspiracy nut.
Are they specific comic book fan stereotypes?
Mike - Wally is your average comic geek. J.D. shuns the geekness but loves old school cartoons and the Hulk. Dekker owns a comic shop and is our resident horror fan-boy. Orson personifies science fiction.
Keith - I don't think of our characters necessarily as stereotypes, I think of them more as characters with some stereotypical behavior. We definitely go to the extreme with our cast but we've also given them some depth too.
How much laughter is there on a stage when you shoot Webisode?
Mike - If you check out our blooper reels you'll see that there is never a dull moment.
Keith - Our shoots are definitely fun and because we are all geeks ourself, we sometimes stop and discuss the latest issues of "Civil War" or "52". We all have a great time making this series happen.
What is the technical process and equipment required to create a Webisode?
Mike & Keith - We use a digital camera (Panasonic GS-250). All of the footage is downloaded to a computer where we edit the footage with Sony Vegas Movie Studio.
Do you have bloopers viewers can see on the site?
Mike & Keith - Blooper reels are released two weeks after we premier each episode. My personal favorites are the Catwoman Sucked! and Internet Fad blooper reels. Keith enjoys "Catwoman Sucked" & the "Geek Games" blooper reel.
How often are new Webisodes posted?
Mike & Keith - The first Wednesday of every month. Just like a comic book!
What has been the reaction of viewers thus far?
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Keith - We have been getting a lot of positive response for our series and it makes us feel good about what we're trying to accomplish.
As there ever been anything similar to Glint of Hope?
Mike - Tough to say. I think we have a unique perspective on what it is to be a geek. Hero Envy is based on all of us in real life and the conversations we have about all the good stuff in life (comics, video games, movies, etc...).
Keith - If there is something similar out there to us, I haven't seen it. I think what we are doing is very unique and ahead of the curve. With super hero movies being all he rage in hollywood at the moment, I think this is the perfect time for the "Envy" to strike.
Have you thought of doing Glint of Hope as a comic book?
Mike - Funny that you mention this. Wally (my character) and J.D. (John) are going to be appearing in the first 4 issues of "The Incredible Cockatoo". It's an indie comic written by Jason Becker (Hero Corps: The Rookie) and drawn by Tom Rebello. As a matter of fact, Tom created our DVD cover:
Keith - In addition to "The Incredible Cockatoo" we have discussed the possibilities of bringing the series to the comic pages. I think it would fit right in with stuff like "PVP, Dork Tower, & the 3 Geeks".
Can you provide a pitch in a few lines for people who still don't know what Glint of Hope is and where to watch it?
Mike - Glint of Hope Productions: A web series for fans of Comic Books, Science Fiction, "Old-School" Cartoons, Toys, Video Games, & Movies, "You know, the stuff that matters in life..." Check out "Hero Envy" at http://www.glintofhope.com/
Keith - This is a series about geeks still living the comic dream. Webisodes made by fanboys for fanboys. Check us out!!!