Showing posts with label industry professional. Show all posts
Showing posts with label industry professional. Show all posts

Monday, May 18, 2015

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 10

IPI #10 - Richard Van Camp

Welcome to Indigenous Peeps in the Industry or 'IPI' - my blog series that celebrates Indigenous artists, writers, and other creatives working in the comic book and/or video game industry. In this edition, I talk to super-author, Richard Van Camp.

I first met Richard in 2008 at the Eiteljorg Museum, as we were both panelist on Native Americans in Comics panel (thanks for initially getting us all together, Pete Brown!).

You can visit Richard on FacebookTwitter or at his website: www.richardvancamp.com.


Michael Sheyahshe (MS): Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

Richard Van Camp (RVC): I'm a member of the Dogrib (Tlicho) Nation from Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. I am the author of two children’s books with the Cree artist George Littlechild: "A Man Called Raven" and "What's the Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses?" I've published a novel, The Lesser Blessed, which is now a feature film with First Generation Films; my collections of short fiction include Angel Wing Splash Pattern, The Moon of Letting Go and Other Stories, and Godless but Loyal to Heaven. I've authored three baby books: Welcome Song for BabyA Lullaby for Newborns; Nighty Night; A Bedtime Song for Babies and Little You (now translated into Cree, Dene and South Slavey!), and I have two comic books out with the Healthy Aboriginal Network: Kiss Me Deadly and Path of the Warrior.

My graphic novel, Three Feathers, Whistle, is about mental health and asking for forgiveness. The latest cinematic adaptation of my work is "Mohawk Midnight Runners", which is a short movie by Zoe Hopkins based on my short story, "Dogrib Midnight Runners" from The Moon of Letting Go.
is about restorative justice; my new novel,

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

RVC: Yes! Lots of storytelling and family gatherings. Best friends in the world and Fort Smith was an incredible town to be born into. It was a great time to grow up in the 80's, as well.

MS: When did you first get into comics?

RVC: My appendix blew up inside of me when I was in grade 2. As luck would have it, my neighbors brought me all of their comics to keep me company. Mike Grell’s "The Warlord" (issue 13) saved me because I made a deal with myself that when I got out of there, I’d get every single issue. I did. I have the entire series and followed it for years. I’m grateful to Epic Magazine, Savage Tales and Heavy Metal magazine--The Savage Sword of Conan, too!--because they lit imagination on fire.

MS: What is your favorite comic book of all time…something that turns FRI-SUN into a 'lost weekend'?

RVC: The Walking Dead. I've been following it for years and it’s only getting better. Rachel Rising is incredible, too. I love the graphic novels. I also laugh out loud any time I reread “Injury” comic
books.

MS: What is your specialty in the "biz" (comics/gaming industry)?

RVC: I write comics and graphic novels. I have two comics out with the Healthy Aboriginal Network: Kiss Me Deadly, on sexual health, and Path of the Warrior, on gang violence prevention. I also have a graphic novel out on restorative justice with Portage and Main: Three Feathers, and I have a graphic novel out on mental health titled "The Blue Raven." I have a new graphic novel coming out next year titled "A Blanket of Butterflies" on how storytelling and cultural protocol can be a peacemaking tool to stop escalating violence.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for this?

RVC: I started editing for The Healthy Aboriginal Network and learned the tools of the trade from there.

MS: Do any of your comic books feature Native American or Indigenous characters in them?

RVC: All of them feature Dene people and northerners. I’m proud of that.

MS: Do you have an opinion about Indigenous characters in comics, video games, and/or pop culture?

RVC: I'm always happy to see my cousins in anything pop culturish :)

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the biz?

RVC: I'm blessed to work with Cree artist Steve Sanderson and Chris Auchter who is Haida on our comics.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

RVC: Read as many comics and graphic novels as you can and work with a great team: editors, layout artist, publishers and artists who love the genre and are wanting to create works of forever.

MS: Thanks, Richard...you rock!  :) 

Friday, March 27, 2015

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 09

IPI #9 - Kristina BadHand

Kristina and Lee Francis IV at the INC booth
Oh, hello, there.  I didn't see you, there. ;)  Welcome to another iteration of Indigenous Peeps in the Industry or 'IPI' - my on-going blog series that celebrates Indigenous artists, writers, and other creatives working in the comic book and/or video game industry. In this edition, we get into the head of the ever-talented Kristina BadHand.

I had the pleasure to first meet and hang out with Kristina at the Denver Comic Convention 2014, as we both 'worked' the INC booth together. She's a fan-freaking-tastic artist and has a great sense of humor, too boot.

You can follow Kristina on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kristina.badhand or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BadHandIllust. Be sure to check out her homepage at http://www.badhandillustrations.com/.

Michael Sheyahshe: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

Kristina BadHand: I am Sicangu Lakota and Cherokee, but I was born and raised in Taos, NM.

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?) 

KB: I was raised attending, dancing and singing at powwows and sundances; My father is a well-known singer, song writer, and spiritual leader.

MS: When did you first get into comics/art?

KB: I have been drawing ever since I could hold a pencil, my older siblings used to give me pointers on how to draw Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball Z until one day I could draw the characters better than they could!

MS: Do you have a favorite comic; title or type?
poster for TMCT

KB: I am a huge X-Men fan girl, and grew up reading Elf Quest and Japanese Manga. I am also a very big fan of Scary Godmother.

MS: Tell us more about the comic you've been working on; how did it all start / come about?

KB: I am working on a Hawaiian [version] "Beauty and the Beast" called, Kaui. It will be the first installment of a series of Native American Fairy Tales, including an Inuit "Little Mermaid". The stories are a combination of tribal legends and traditional fairy tales.

MS: When can we expect it and where can we buy it? (…and will there be an 'NDN discount'?...AAYY!)

KB: Kaui, part 1 will be available for purchase at the INC booth during Denver Comic Con 2015.

MS: Keeping in mind your other talents, what is your specialty?

KB: I really love drawing people, but I'd have to say my specialty is coloration.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for the comic book work?

KB: I started drawing comics back in middle school on my own. However during my time at the Art Institute of Colorado I had one graphic novel class with my favorite teacher, Don Long, and from then on my comic skills improved substantially.

MS: Have you worked on any other comics? 

KB: I have illustrated for Tales of the Mighty Code Talkers, Texas Indians Project, Dino Apocalypse and a few other small projects.

MS: What are some comics with Native American characters in them that stand out to you?

KB: As previously mentioned, X-Men has always been a favorite of mine. I love that there is a mutant in every race of person and for most part the cultures are represented in a good light. With characters like Dani Moonstar, Silverfox, Warpath, Thunderbird and the fact that Wolverine speaks fluent Lakota.

MS: What is your opinion about Indigenous characters in comics? Do you feel we portrayed properly?

KB: I love to see strong, confident and inspirational indigenous characters, this is what I have always loved about Dani Moonstar, she is a warrior, a strong female lead, and very brilliant. There are a few characters I feel are ridiculous in X-Men also. There is a trend of making indigenous characters often barely clothed, extremely sexualized and flat. Not having much personality behind their spirituality and appearance.

One of the best things about indigenous peoples is our sense of humor, our resilience and ability to laugh and love family even through disagreement and addiction. I feel a lot of "indigenous superheroes" lack this quality and support the stereotype of the stoic tobacco store Indian.

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (comic industry and/or video game industry)?

KB: I know quite a few talented individuals up and coming in the comic, media, movie and music industries. It's truly and inspiration to see native peoples making an impact, using their talents and changing the way the world views us.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

KB: If something means a lot to you, whether it's writing or illustrating, telling a story or teaching a lesson, there will be hardships. There will be blocks in the road, mishaps and someone will always have an opinion about what you should be doing differently. Best thing to do is keep that goal in your heart and in you sight, lock it there and never give up. No matter how frustrating and hard things may get, if you really want it, you can get there. Speak life. Put that positive energy into the universe and keep building your dreams.

MS: Anything I've missed here? Anything you’d like to 'plug' (upcoming shows, etc.)?

KB: Nope! :)

Monday, March 09, 2009

aNm Listing at OFC Production Guide

A quick look at some recent activity at the Oklahoma Film Commission, suggests there are many big things on Oklahoma's film-industry horizon.

(See the link here for more info.)

As a gentle reminder - especially to all of you about to undertake a film or production project here in Oklahoma - aNm has many artistic and technical services to offer filmmakers and TV production studios, including (but never limited to):

  • Traditional illustration / concept art
  • 2D animation
  • 3D models, animation, & simulation
...and many more.

alterNative Media is listed under "Animation - Computer" at the Oklahoma Film Commission's online Production Guide database at http://www.oklahomaproductionguide.com/listDisplay.php?id=10575. Of course, you can always see examples our work at aNm's online Gallery or with the slideshows here at the aNm blog.

Keep alterNative Media in mind as you begin production and put our creativity to work for you (remember: work smarter, not harder). Contact us today for initial consultation, quote, and milestone schedule.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 06


Shoot-outs! Deadlines! Ash-can comics! Priests with hidden torture chambers! Mounties! Bush! McCain! Hitler! Eight-year-olds 'packing'! Bold & Indented Text with Exclamation Points!! Algonquin comic creator, Joy Odjick, shares these elements and other stories with Michael Sheyahshe in this episode of IPI.

Jay and I first met when we were both interviewed for an article at Comic Book Resources, dealing with Indigenous characters in comic books. I feel a certain affinity to Jay as we are close in age and he seems just about as busy as me (WAAAY too many projects on the 'burners'). Jay was also gracious enough to allow me to interview him for my book, Native Americans in Comic Books - to be able to include the viewpoint from a Native creative source in comics (of which, there were too few) really rocked(!). Since then, Jay and I have kept in contact and updated each other on our busy lives.

Jay sits down and hammers out some thoughtful responses to my irritating questions and, somehow, makes them exciting (no help from me!). Of course, just to tease Jay mercilessly, making the interview this spicey took him quite some time. Heh.

Additionally, please see Jay's important notice at the bottom of the interview about some missing kids. Please spread the word and help in any way you can.


MS: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

JO: I am a status Algonquin from the Kitigan Zibi community (band) in Quebec, Canada. I was born in the States, because my father was working there at the time, but he was born and raised in Kitigan Zibi (KZ).

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

JO: We moved back to KZ when I was a kid, and I lived on the reservation till I was about 16, when I left to go to college.

MS: When did you first get into comics?

JO: I got into comics while we were still living in the states. We lived in an Italian neighborhood in Rochester, New York that had a comic shop down the street from where we lived. We didn’t have a lot of money, but this was one of those shops where they took the books that didn’t sell, and ripped the covers off and sold ‘em for a dime or whatever, so we were way into that.

My mother also had a good friend who had a ton of comics and wanted to get rid of them, so he gave them to me and my brother...and, I mean, that was incredible. We had, like, Marvel comics from the 60s in that collection.

MS: Do you have a favorite comic; title or type?

JO: I don't know that I have a favorite all time comic (The Watchmen and Preacher are close to that though) but I suppose my favorite comics character of all time is the Punisher. I got bit by that particular bug when I was really, really young; in that stack of comics I [mentioned], we had the second appearance of the character, and it was just really cool and different from other comic book characters; the black suit, the skull on the shirt...and, y'know, he killed people.

I wasn't home at the time, but once, my brother was playing in front of the window of our apartment in Rochester, and this guy comes hauling ass down the street. This other dude is chasing him, yelling and whatnot, with a pistol. He opens fire, and literally, just takes this guy out, right in front of where we lived; my brother watching this whole scene. I get home later with my mother to a literal homicide scene; blood splatter dude, chalk outline, yellow tape, all that fun stuff.

So I think that's why that character appealed to us both; we didn't live in a world where a dude in spandex swung in and saved your ass, but people got shot. I think we could identify with a more edgy hero.

MS: Tell us more about the comic you've been working on; how did it all start / come about?

JO: Right now, I’m working on a comic for Bluewater Productions called The Odyssey Presents: Judo Girl / Venus. And I mean, not literally right now, but when I finish typing, I'm going right back to the drawing board; so it's pretty close.

MS: When can we expect it and where can we buy it? (...and will there be an NDN discount?)

JO: The book I'm working on now is slated for early '09. I can't say an exact date for sure, because of the way distribution works, but I think February is the month Bluewater is looking at. This will be the first comic I've had published by Diamond, so it’ll be available at basically ANY comics shop; and I’m going to talk specifics here, to make sure that anyone interested in getting a-hold of one of these (or ten. Buy like, ten, and I'll give Michael a big discount on his copy.).

Comics shops and retailers have to buy the books they stock their shelves with outright, from the distributor, in this case, a company called Diamond. Diamond receives the comics from publishers, then takes orders from retailers from their catalog, called Previews. Why am I boring you with this crap?

It's because odds are, if you walk into a shop when the book comes out, they may not have it; what you would need to do is ask the retailer, or a super helpful comic shop employee to order the book for you, and they will set it aside for ya when it comes in. You may need a Diamond order code, which is basically like a serial number that the retailer can use to order the book; I'll make that available at http://www.jayodjick.deviantart.com/, and my myspace page: www.myspace.com/jayodjick.

I will maybe even put together a nifty little graphic or banner that you can print out and just hand to the retailer with the order code right on it.

If you don't have a comics shop near you, hit me up at myspace, or email me at Jayodjick@yahoo.com, and I'll try to hook you up. Remember, if you buy a bunch of these, I will give Michael an awesome deal on his copy, and then I will, in turn, get a discount on his book he wrote. Ha!

(By the time the interview got done, we're now IN the month of February, and as far as I know, the book is shipping next week. Not Michael’s fault whatsoever, I just got very swamped. Check out Bluewaterprod.com tho!)

MS: Keeping in mind your other talents, what is your specialty?

JO: I don't know that I have a real specialty, art wise, but I think my favorite things to draw are superheroes and horror based stuff. It's funny, because although I've worked on about a half dozen small press books, this will be the first work for hire gig I’ve done for an actual publisher, and it’s a book with two female leads; I would’ve said before that drawing women wasn’t one of my specialties, or that I never thought I’d be doing this kind of book, but it just goes to show; you never know.

JO: I just try to create exciting pages, to do things that will catch a reader’s eye, or capture the imagination, and to be as dynamic as possible. That’s what I appreciate about comics – bold layouts, exciting composition – the energy of art.

So that’s what I try to get across in my own work. Whether or not I am successful, I leave up to everyone else to decide – but I’ve never done any less than my absolute best.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for the comic book work?

JO: I started reading comics when I was like, four, and my mother says I was writing original stories when I was around five. Now, notice I didn’t say she said I was writing GOOD stories, but I was writing.

Other than that, special training or education...just a lifetime of reading comics, and being kind of obsessed with the idea of telling stories, verbally, visually, thru dirty jokes, all the classy stuff.

But if that answer doesn't work...yes, watching horror movies, wrestling, crappy sci-fi; very serious training, for hours and hours!

MS: Have you worked on any other comics?

JO: I've worked on my own self published series "The Raven"; I self published three issues and was working on the fourth when I met Arcana Studio honcho Sean O'Reilly at a convention; my company and Arcana had booths next to each other, the year Arcana won the Shuster for best Canadian publisher.

We talked about bringing the Raven to Arcana that weekend, and I mean...you've got to try to picture this: This was my FIRST ever con, my first booth at a con, and I had a chance to bring my own series to the company that won the award for best comic book publisher on the country.

I signed on; and from there we kicked around ideas for how to continue that series, and went kind of back and forth as to the nature of the Raven comic there; I changed the title to Kagagi, the Algonquin word for Raven, and decided to revamp the series in a double sized one shot.

So there’s that, which was one of my two babies; the other actually reached a much, much larger audience than the Raven did - and I actually sold over 2000 copies of the first issue of the Raven!

I created, wrote, and penciled a comic for Kevin Smith’s MoviePoopShoot.com website called Power Hour, which was a kind of parody about a team of superpowered people; not so much HEROES, maybe, but people who wanted to be, or wanted to be perceived as such.

I really, really have a soft spot for that comic; we did some really strong numbers on it, because of Kevin, and the fact he has an awesome fanbase. Overall, it was an awesome experience, working on the comic was great, Chris Ryall who runs IDW now was the webmaster, EIC there, so I got to hang my hat at a great site and work with some great people.

After Poop Shoot closed down, I had talked with a few print magazines about picking up the strip, but nothing ever came of it for a variety of reasons.

Other than that, some work for a few other small press books and some contract work my company had taken on.

MS: What are some comics with Native American characters in them that stand out to you?

JO: This is a tough question to answer, not for political reasons, just because I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but there haven’t really been as many as you might hope.

I really enjoyed David Mack’s Echo character in Daredevil, and when I met him, we talked about the character, and his own Native blood – he said he tried to do something non-stereotypical with the character, and the fact that she now plays a bigger role in the Marvel Universe can be a pretty good thing – depending on where they go with it. David is a great and sincere guy, and I really thought that was a solid take on a Native character in a non-token role.

I also enjoyed the portrayal of several of the Natives in Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Grey’s Hex – in any Western, you never know what youre going to get, but Jimmy is a great guy too, and I thought the portrayal of Native people in the Hex comics I’ve read was respectful and well handled.

MS: What is your opinion about Indigenous characters in comics? Do you feel we portrayed properly?

JO: I don't want to single-out comics, but I feel that Native people tend to be portrayed stereotypically in the media more often than not. That's not to say it's always like that, but more often than we should be, definitely.

I don't want to rehash things I've said in the past for fear of lapsing into broken record syndrome – but here’s some food for thought.

In addition to Native people being portrayed inaccurately or unfairly in entertainment, we also, all too infrequently, see inaccurate or untruthful portrayals of our mistreatment at the hands of government.

If you're doing a comic involving the reservation system, for example, take the time to read up on the history of reservations, the residential school system, the failed genocide attempted by governments and churches. I say "failed genocide," because that’s exactly what it is.

Did you know that there were "schools" in Canada that had medieval style torture racks in their basements? That some priests threw babies, newborns into ovens, and that even Adolf Hitler himself admired America's treatment of Native peoples?

Look into George H.W. Bush's sterilization of Native women, John McCain's history as the Chairman of Indian Affairs Committee and the eugenics programs that have been thrust upon us. All too often, writers tend to examine the effect but not the cause, and I think if they're going to try to use reservations as settings for fiction, they need to look at a lot of the reasons things may be the way they are.

I'm going to tell a story about an act of what I consider heroism now, that I think was kind of lost over the years. When the Indian Agent, the Priest and the RCMP came to my grandfather's house to collect my father, who was about 8 at the time, and his siblings, my grandfather boarded up his home, the windows and doors. He told them to get off his land, and there was a bit of what you would call a standoff.

My father, unbeknownst to the government agents, was actually a few metres away, in the bush laying down with a rifle trained on the men who had been sent. He said if they had tried to take his father away, he was going to open up on them.

Can you imagine that, just for a moment - being ready to take a man’s life, at that age? Our people have a history of standing up to oppression, standing up for one another, and even, in large numbers, standing up for the countries who have oppressed and tried to eradicate us in various wars, even in the present day.

It's time those stories came to be told as well.

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (comic industry and/or video game industry)?

JO: Not as many as I'd like to, but I’m hoping that in the years to come we'll start seeing more and more of our people not only in comics, but in all forms of media. Or, if you are a Native person in the comics business and I’ve never heard of you, give me a shout! Let me know that it's my fault I haven't yet.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

JO: Run. Screaming.

Seriously, if you really, really are serious about doing it, and want to do it, you should neither care what I say, or really even listen to it; you should already BE doing it. Screw the hacks and bitter losers who anoint themselves critics and whatnot, if you want to create comics, just create them. Whether that be online, self published, or even Xeroxed ashcan type comics, if it’s a passion, start creating some comics. The industry can be tough, but if you like the act of creating comics, just go for it! I’d love to have more to read.

Speaking directly to Native aspiring comics creators for a moment - don't be put off by the fact that there haven't been many of us in prominent roles in the industry as of yet. Our generation has opportunities that the ones before us did not and we can do anything we put our minds to.

Often, the toughest criticism of our work will come from other Native people, or those calling themselves that. I've had people harshly criticize my artwork, often on a personal level, and some of them have even worked for the Canadian government or organizations funded by the government.

Always take a moment to consider the motivation of those who would seek to belittle or demean you or your work, and concentrate on pleasing the person who should be your toughest critic by far - yourself.

MS: Anything I've missed here? Anything you'd like to 'plug'?

JO: It's way too early to plug, but here is a big part of the reason I haven’t been doing more comics stuff of late - I'm working on a TV show for APTN up here in Canada. It's a show called Pirouette, aimed at children aged, I believe 4-6, and will feature animated segments titled "Anoki."

I'm doing character designs and providing artwork for the Anoki segments, which will help kids learn some words in three separate languages, including Algonquin. I’m excited to be involved in the project, because it is a dynamic, engaging way of reaching kids, and also falls in line with something I believe very strongly in; using media to help our kids learn some words in their Native languages.

I am doing a set of three children's books with the Algonquin Anishinabeg National Tribal Council that we will be distributing to every Algonquin community in Quebec, absolutely free of charge that will also help kids to learn words. Each book has a simple theme, Animals and Places, for example, so on each page, the kids learn two new words.

Pirouette is underway now, unfortunately, I have no launch date for the series; but if you like my art, check out the Anoki segments - for more on the show, or to learn when it will be on television, check out the studio, Nish Media's website at http://www.nishmedia.tv/, or drop by my gallery, which I update with info at http://www.jayodjick.deviantart.com/. Also, look for me at any of the usual social networking sites!

There is one thing I'd like to take a moment to talk about before we wrap this up, and this is more important than me and my opinions. Two Native Youths, girls from my reserve, one of whom is a cousin of mine, Maisy Odjick and Shannon Alexander went missing this past September 5th, 2008.

Please visit the website http://www.findmaisyandshannon.com/and help spread the word across Indian Country, which knows no borders.

Migwetch! Thank you!

Monday, June 16, 2008

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 02

In this piece, we support and showcase Native American professionals working in creative aspects inside the video game industry. Winnie (Oglala Lakota/Eastern Shawnee), a.k.a., "ix", is a former Associate Producer with some big name games, such as the Call of Duty franchise. As a Indigenous person working in the game industry, ix was nice enough to share some insight with Michael Sheyahshe (Caddo).


MS: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

ix: I'm an Oglala Lakota/Eastern Shawnee; I grew up in Wanblee, SD on the Pine Ridge Rez.

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

ix: Yeah, all of my mom's family were in a fancydance troupe based out of New York, so they were constantly traveling around dancing. My mom's family all speak Lakota, which is kind of not common for younger people these days. They still follow many of the old ways. I also went to an Indian-only boarding high school. If any young Indians have a chance to go to one (think there are only 3 left in the US), do it! I made many friends from other tribes that I still talk to today.

MS: When did you first get into games?

ix: I liked those text games from the 80s (hitchhiker's guide, etc) and the Nintendo dragon-and-swordsy kind of RPG games. Also in high school we had a couple of old computers, so I played a lot of Doom and Quake.

MS: What is your favorite game of all time…something that turns FRI-SUN into a 'lost weekend'?

ix: I was hopelessly addicted to Baldur's Gate 2, Deus Ex, Planescape, and Counterstrike. These days I play a lot of Team Fortress 2. MS: You just finished work on COD4: MW, right? What was your role there?

ix: I was an Associate Producer.

MS: What is your specialty?

ix: Getting things done! Haha. I got stuck on accounting/finances and mostly working PR events last round. It changes from project to project. The one before that mostly what I did was travel, travel, travel, and give press demos/fix scripting. I do 3d modeling as a hobby also.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for this?

ix: No, most producers started as QA testers. I started at a game developer, and moved up from QA. I think I've only met two producers that have any sort of degree in my time in the industry. That's starting to change, though. A lot more straight business degree people now. You do a ton of random things, so you really need to be awesome at something to stand out at all in Production and also be a jack of all trades at the same time.

MS: What other games have you worked on?

ix: Oh, all of the Call of Duty games except for COD1. I also worked on DS, cell phone and PSP games in the past, and wasn't really that fond of working on mobile platforms so much; mostly for the limitations of the hardware.

MS: Have you played video games with Native American characters in them?

ix: There aren't many; Prey and Gun are the ones that come to mind. Prey was interesting in that you could go upside down in multiplayer which is a neat idea, but they do the magical Indian stereotype heavily. Gun I felt kind of bothered by how they portray the Apaches. Eventually, I think AIM protested it.

MS: Do you have any opinion about Indigenous characters in video games?

ix: I think there needs to be more of them. I also think that I'm getting really sick of the 'magical Cherokee' stereotype that Hollywood and most media likes to hammer onto us. It's really still racism but in a different way. I wish that there was an Indian character in Gears of War, COD, etc. that's a contributing part of the squad/one of the main characters and not some mystical BS schtick!

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (gaming industry)?

ix: I know one female animator, but she doesn't know much about her tribe or is really all that involved with it. It's kind of hard finding other Indians in the industry. Most of us stay back on the home reservations, maybe. I wish we had better computer programs and equipment on reservations. That would open up more tech jobs for us. I can't imagine what advantages I would have had if the schools where I grew up had computers, the internet, or access to some of the software other public schools do.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

ix: I wouldn't recommend going the QA route if you want to be a producer. Some people really do tend to treat testers like scum, until they've moved up enough to be not be in QA anymore. Go to business school, you'll make more money right off the bat and skip all the crappy things QA has to do. Also, be aware that Producers tend to crunch year round and most that I worked with over the years don't date or have any time to do much else than work!

If you want to be a modeler or artist, there are a lot of online resources to help. Online tutorials, Maya Personal Learning Edition has movies, and cg forums. Don't be afraid to ask other artists for opinions in forums, they're a great resource.Anything I've missed here? Modding is also another way for aspiring level designers to get into the industry. Devs do watch modding forums, and many that are talented get job offers from studios.

Don't go to Video Game schools/degree farms. They have no respect in the industry, cost way too much, and do not teach you anything that you will actually use in most cases. I never cared what someone's degree was in or even if they had a degree to be honest. What matters is your portfolio/reel! If it's awesome, you're set. (Except programmers: go to a real university and get a programming degree if you want to be a game coder.) Above all, don't give up if you really want to make games.

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 01


To celebrate Native American professionals working within the industry, Michael Sheyahshe (Caddo) sits down with comic book artist / illustrator, Weshoyot Alvitre (Tongva / Gaelic / Scotish), who is gracious enough to share her story and experiences working in comics. To combat (at worst) stereotypes and (at best) poorly-created Indigenous characters, we Native Americans must tell our stories. Thus we showcase Indigenous people in the creative seat.

MS: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

WA: My dad is Tongva (the pre-missionized tribe of Gabrielino's from southern California), and my mom is Gaelic and Scotish, so I'm half and half. I was born right here in California too.

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

WA: We used to live on a piece of land where my dad ran a cultural center and gave lectures on the weekends. I remember we had a few large get-togethers when I was a kid, with a lot of Native people. My dad was very active in Native American affairs up until I was about 5 years old. I remember him telling me and my brother a lot of stories and teaching us a lot about the land we lived on, which was pretty much out in the boonies.

It was a little different than the way other native kids grow up, I assume, because we never lived on a reservation and were rarely around other Native kids. I think my parents tried their best to keep my life fairly integrated into the 'normal' school system and whatnot. I went to a public school and growing up; I was usually the only Native American kid in the class. I wouldn't say I had a ton of cultural interaction, because our tribe is really a lot smaller than most peoples tribes, but I was definitely aware of who I was and things pertaining to my culture.

MS: When did you first get into comics?

WA: I think the very first comic I ever got was a two pack of The Little Mermaid and Beauty & The Beast graphic novels that I ordered from one of those book-order things kids get from school. They were adaptations of the films, which I was a huge fan of, but in comic book form, which I had never seen before. Growing up, because we lived out on a large piece of land and because I was somewhat secluded from other kids my own age, I watched A LOT of cartoons. I became a fan of animation early on and really wanted to be an animator. I wanted to make ARIEL come to life....it just amazed me so much to see a moving drawing on a screen. After I got those book orders, I was introduced to a whole new medium.

My mom used to read a lot of children’s books to me. She worked as a librarian for a time when I was a young kid, and I remember going with her to the library and just devouring books and playing with the puppets and things they had in the kids section. So I was used to the standard medium of a children’s book, where you read some sentences, and they'd choose one idea to illustrate per page. I always had this desire to turn to the next page, because there was more art...and then another book, because I just wanted more. The thing that really struck me with the Disney comic book things were that they had multiple shots from the film all on one page and that it still told a story but had a ton more art. It had more movement than a standard illustrated book and that fascinated me. But my one criticism and confusion as a child was that ARIEL didn't always look like she did in the movie...you know, the same syndrome in those coloring books...because I didn't realize they had tons of different people doing the drawings. I was a very critical lil kid, I’m afraid.

MS: What is your favorite comic?

WA: That's really, really hard for me to say indefinitely, because I draw a lot of inspiration from others’ work, and because my style can be pretty varied as well. I read a lot of Hellboy, B.P.R.D., The Goon, Umbrella Academy, Conan....a lot of Darkhorse stuff, and then I also have a lot of books I just picked up because of the art on them: Steampunks, Darkminds (the original series), stuff by Leinil Yu, David Mack, Bill Sienkiewicz, J. Scott Campbell....and then there's a whole list of fine artists I am utterly obsessed with as well. A lot of Victorian illustrators, art noveau and deco.What is the recent comic that you've been working on and where can we buy it?

I recently did 3 issues of a book called Archaic by Fenickx Productions. I know there some on eBay, and I think you can get them from online dealers backstock. Also, I'm pretty sure you can get more info @ http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3Lm15c3BhY2UuY29tL2Zlbmlja3g=. They have previews on there as well as ordering info as well.

I also had a 8 page short in their Volume 2 Graphic Novel, as well. Besides that, I managed to get a full page illustration published in the last issue (issue 6) of Darkhorse comic's Umbrella Academy.

MS: What is your specialty?

WA: Um...that could be answered in many, many ways. Pertaining to comics, I consider myself a penciler and inker and would like to add colorist to my repertoire before I die.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for this?

WA: I do have a BA in illustration, but I find my own work I did and sort of managed to incorporate despite my instructors’ disapprovals, were more beneficial to my education than drawing boxes and mixing primary colors. I would have liked to have gone to a proper art school, but I just couldn't afford it. I just tried to push myself whenever I could, investigate anyone and everything that inspired me, and just drew all the time. I still do, I keep many sketchbooks. I always try to find new sources of inspiration, and since having work published, I've bee able to meet so many people I revere as comic gods.

WA: I think some of the best things you can do for yourself if you want to be an artist is to have an insatiable desire to always have your hand moving and always have drawing tools by your side.

MS: What other comics have you worked on?

WA: Um, Tenth Muse. I inked a lot of issues and penciled and inked #11, Archaic #10-12, Archaic short story in Volume 2 of their graphic novel, I did a back cover for The Misadventures of Clark and Jefferson, a pin-up in issue 6 of Umbrella Academy...um....I think there's a wiki page or something that has it all listed...

MS: What are some comics with Native American characters in them that stand out to you?

WA: I have to say I really enjoyed David Mack's ECHO character that he created. I think it had a great deal to do with how he created a solid character with emotions and reactions to situation and the fact she was Native was secondary. It wasn't forced down your throat in an insincere way. He did research what he did and I feel he made a very genuine effort to do justice to her character. I borrowed Commanche Moon from a friend recently but haven't had time to read it yet...I'd really be interested if someone did a book based on mythos and creation stories and somehow modernized it to make something new, that's not been introduced to the market yet.

MS: What is your opinion about Indigenous characters in comics? Do you feel we portrayed properly?

WA: I feel like there are not a lot of Native characters or creators I am familiar with, in dealing with Native people in comics. But with anything that is associated with Native people, I think there's still that stereotype in a lot of the work that does come out, and I think it's partially to blame because history books and the American history curriculum treats Native people as either a mythical creature that is extinct...like unicorns or the Tasmanian tiger...or dives right into the auto response people now seem to have in regards to the casino bands of Native people, and the resentment that seems to accompany that.

It's kinda 'you're damned if you do, you're damned if you don’t,' mentality. I find it a very interesting social response. When there's so much more to the lives and history of Native peoples, and they choose to focus on the misrepresentations of hippie aesthetics or reservations or casinos. I mean, one thing that always amazes me is how the massacres of Native peoples is always sort of ignored and tiptoed around when it happened so recently…yet, the Holocaust is always talked about.

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (comic industry)?

WA: I have met one, he's an editor. More often than not, the subject doesn't come up, because I don’t look physically Native American straight off the bat. Usually the thing that starts that conversation is my name, and with almost all Native people I have met, it has started that way. I think if I had a common name, no one would suspect. Although I’ve been mistaken for Russian and Japanese before because of my name as well.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

WA: I always tell people who ask me this to do what they are passionate about. Do it stubbornly, and with open ears. In that, I mean fight like hell to get where you want to be, but still be open to new understanding, experiences and knowledge because that's the quickest way to grow and become better at what you do.

MS: Anything I've missed here?

WA: Nothing I can think of, one hell of a thorough interview. It was great to be able to sit down and spend some time thinking about these questions and putting them out there. So thanks!!