Interview:IStory - Revision history

imported>Ryangibsonstewart: follow up

2009-05-23T17:53:21Z

follow up

← Older revision	Revision as of 17:53, 23 May 2009
(No difference)

imported>Ryangibsonstewart: follow up

2009-05-23T17:53:21Z

follow up

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:53, 23 May 2009
Line 2:		Line 2:


	On March 26, 2009, [[User:Ryangibsonstewart\|Ryan Gibson Stewart]] conducted an email '''interview''' with [[Tom Inkel]], the writer of the [[iStory]].		On March 26, 2009, [[User:Ryangibsonstewart\|Ryan Gibson Stewart]] conducted an email '''interview''' with [[Tom Inkel]], the writer of the [[iStory]]. Follow up questions were answered in a [[Interview:iStory follow up\|subsequent interview]].


Line 191:		Line 191:

	It's great to take a peek out from behind the curtain! It's been a privilege to work again with the ''Heroes'' team and our great group of fans. I encourage everyone to give feedback on the various forums and say what you liked. We can't respond to specific suggestions but we do like to hear what people think.		It's great to take a peek out from behind the curtain! It's been a privilege to work again with the ''Heroes'' team and our great group of fans. I encourage everyone to give feedback on the various forums and say what you liked. We can't respond to specific suggestions but we do like to hear what people think.


			<center>'''''For follow up questions and responses to this interview, see [[Interview:iStory follow up]].'''''</center>

imported>Ryangibsonstewart: links

2009-04-09T04:51:36Z

links

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:51, 9 April 2009
Line 14:		Line 14:
	'''Are there any other "choose your own adventure" type stories you have written that we might be able to read? What are some of your other works? Do you also work on designing the iStory and [[Heroes Evolutions]] [[Portal:Evolutions Sites\|websites]]? Have you done any other work for ''[[Heroes]]''?		'''Are there any other "choose your own adventure" type stories you have written that we might be able to read? What are some of your other works? Do you also work on designing the iStory and [[Heroes Evolutions]] [[Portal:Evolutions Sites\|websites]]? Have you done any other work for ''[[Heroes]]''?

	Writing for new media is like being a sidewalk artist: the next rainstorm wipes you out of existence. But you might have seen me more than you know. ''Heroes''-wise, I created copy for the [[Linderman]] Election Hack story in [[Season One]], such as the [[brianundaunted\|Brian Dante websites]] and puzzles. (I think my baby pictures are still up on his Flickr account.) I rejoined the ''Heroes'' team after the writers' strike last year to help write [[Evs Dropper]] communications and puzzles, [[Assignment Tracker]] profiles, etc.		Writing for new media is like being a sidewalk artist: the next rainstorm wipes you out of existence. But you might have seen me more than you know. ''Heroes''-wise, I created copy for the [[Linderman]] Election Hack story in [[Season One]], such as the [[brianundaunted\|Brian Dante websites]] and puzzles. (I think [[Tom Inkel#Gallery\|my baby pictures]] are still up on [http://flickr.com/photos/31131216 his Flickr account].) I rejoined the ''Heroes'' team after the writers' strike last year to help write [[Evs Dropper]] communications and puzzles, [[Assignment Tracker]] profiles, etc.

	Outside of ''Heroes'', some of the copy and webisodes that I did for ''[[Superman\|Smallville]]'' may still be around on the Season Five and Six DVD sets. I wrote a webisode series for ''Smallville'' called ''The Lex Files'', which were a lot like video Assignment Tracker profiles. I've written short stories and articles for [[DC Comics]] and ''Smallville Magazine''. I do have a few personal sites with interactive story-games like the ''Heroes'' iStory, but they're ancient now; we'll keep those our little secret.		Outside of ''Heroes'', some of the copy and webisodes that I did for ''[[Superman\|Smallville]]'' may still be around on the Season Five and Six DVD sets. I wrote a webisode series for ''Smallville'' called ''The Lex Files'', which were a lot like video Assignment Tracker profiles. I've written short stories and articles for [[DC Comics]] and ''Smallville Magazine''. I do have a few personal sites with interactive story-games like the ''Heroes'' iStory, but they're ancient now; we'll keep those our little secret.

imported>Ryangibsonstewart: digg

2009-04-09T04:26:23Z

digg

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:26, 9 April 2009
Line 1:		Line 1:
			{{lowercase}}{{digg\|http://digg.com/television/Exclusive_Heroes_Wiki_interview_with_Heroes_iStory_writer}}
⚫	~~{{lowercase}}~~On March 26, 2009, [[User:Ryangibsonstewart\|Ryan Gibson Stewart]] conducted an email '''interview''' with [[Tom Inkel]], the writer of the [[iStory]].


		⚫	On March 26, 2009, [[User:Ryangibsonstewart\|Ryan Gibson Stewart]] conducted an email '''interview''' with [[Tom Inkel]], the writer of the [[iStory]].


Line 189:		Line 192:
	It's great to take a peek out from behind the curtain! It's been a privilege to work again with the ''Heroes'' team and our great group of fans. I encourage everyone to give feedback on the various forums and say what you liked. We can't respond to specific suggestions but we do like to hear what people think.		It's great to take a peek out from behind the curtain! It's been a privilege to work again with the ''Heroes'' team and our great group of fans. I encourage everyone to give feedback on the various forums and say what you liked. We can't respond to specific suggestions but we do like to hear what people think.


			{{digg\|http://digg.com/television/Exclusive_Heroes_Wiki_interview_with_Heroes_iStory_writer}}
	{{interview}}		{{interview}}
	[[Category:interviews\|Istory]]		[[Category:interviews\|Istory]]

imported>Ryangibsonstewart: add images

2009-04-09T04:20:58Z

add images

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:20, 9 April 2009
Line 3:		Line 3:

	==Questions about Tom and the Writing Process==		==Questions about Tom and the Writing Process==
			[[Image:IStoryBadBloodC4-Eclipse.jpg\|thumb\|right]]

	'''''Ryan Stewart'': Can you tell us about where you were born and grew up, and how you got interested in writing?		'''''Ryan Stewart'': Can you tell us about where you were born and grew up, and how you got interested in writing?

Line 18:		Line 18:
	'''Can you describe your writing process for making the iStory? Do you draft it by yourself? Is it difficult to think up so many "what-ifs" for ending the story? To what extent did [[Harrison Wilcox]] and other writers help with writing the "[[Friend or Foe]]" volume? Is there a separate production company/producer for the iStory like there is for the graphic novels?		'''Can you describe your writing process for making the iStory? Do you draft it by yourself? Is it difficult to think up so many "what-ifs" for ending the story? To what extent did [[Harrison Wilcox]] and other writers help with writing the "[[Friend or Foe]]" volume? Is there a separate production company/producer for the iStory like there is for the graphic novels?

			[[Image:The Agent ch6 hunting cabin.jpg\|thumb\|left]]
	[[John O'Hara]] and I developed the "Friend or Foe" story concept, with [[Jesse Alexander]] providing show input. For "[[The Private]]" story concept, I worked with [[Timm Keppler]] and [[Jim Martin]], the writers of ''[[The Recruit]]'' webisodes. For "[[The Agent]]," I meet weekly with Harrison, [[Joe Pokaski]] and/or [[Aron Coleite]] for show notes. The very hardworking [[Joe Tolerico]] and the [[NBC.com]] team do all the production. As for the actual copy, [[J.T. Krul]] and I co-wrote three or four of the "Friend or Foe" chapters, and I did the rest, mostly from my lucky chair at the Trancas Starbucks in Malibu. (Wow, I wish I did have a lucky chair.)		[[John O'Hara]] and I developed the "Friend or Foe" story concept, with [[Jesse Alexander]] providing show input. For "[[The Private]]" story concept, I worked with [[Timm Keppler]] and [[Jim Martin]], the writers of ''[[The Recruit]]'' webisodes. For "[[The Agent]]," I meet weekly with Harrison, [[Joe Pokaski]] and/or [[Aron Coleite]] for show notes. The very hardworking [[Joe Tolerico]] and the [[NBC.com]] team do all the production. As for the actual copy, [[J.T. Krul]] and I co-wrote three or four of the "Friend or Foe" chapters, and I did the rest, mostly from my lucky chair at the Trancas Starbucks in Malibu. (Wow, I wish I did have a lucky chair.)

Line 43:		Line 44:
	One of our missions with the iStory was to enhance the on-air story as directly as possible, so I meet with Harrison, Joe, and/or Aron at least once a week. For graphic novels, we meet with [[Oliver Grigsby]], Lead Show Team Comic Book Writer and Writers Assistant, to coordinate cross-over graphic novels and collaborate on new storylines. I spend a lot of time on the phone and email when a comic book writer is doing an iStory cross-over.		One of our missions with the iStory was to enhance the on-air story as directly as possible, so I meet with Harrison, Joe, and/or Aron at least once a week. For graphic novels, we meet with [[Oliver Grigsby]], Lead Show Team Comic Book Writer and Writers Assistant, to coordinate cross-over graphic novels and collaborate on new storylines. I spend a lot of time on the phone and email when a comic book writer is doing an iStory cross-over.

	The ARG and the graphic novels have often functioned as independent "branches" off the main "trunk" of the ''Heroes'' on-air show. But one thing about the iStory that I'm proud of is how it has "layered" the ''Heroes'' experience. For example, look at the [[Rachel Mills]] character from the point of view of interactive and non-interactive fans:		The ARG and the graphic novels have often functioned as independent "branches" off the main "trunk" of the ''Heroes'' on-air show. But one thing about the iStory that I'm proud of is how it has "layered" the ''Heroes'' experience. [[Image:Priscilla Van Cleef's London office.jpg\|thumb\|right]] For example, look at the [[Rachel Mills]] character from the point of view of interactive and non-interactive fans. If you watch:

	If you watch:
	* TV only: Rachel Mills is one of [[Danko]]'s agents.		* TV only: Rachel Mills is one of [[Danko]]'s agents.
	* TV + webisodes: Rachel Mills is one of Danko's agents ... but she secretly has [[teleportation\|powers]]!		* TV + webisodes: Rachel Mills is one of Danko's agents ... but she secretly has [[teleportation\|powers]]!
Line 76:		Line 75:
	The movie ''Jacob's Ladder''. The opening dream sequence of the video game ''Max Payne''. [[Angela Petrelli]]'s other [[Angela's dreams\|dream sequences]].		The movie ''Jacob's Ladder''. The opening dream sequence of the video game ''Max Payne''. [[Angela Petrelli]]'s other [[Angela's dreams\|dream sequences]].

			[[Image:IStory caravan.jpg\|thumb\|left]]
	Also, the main "hook" of the iStories, I feel, is the room that it gives us to foreshadow future events in the ''Heroes'' universe. [[The Agent chapter summaries#Chapter 405\|iStory 3.5]] (the dream sequence) was an obvious example of that, but we've also teased [[Rebel]]'s on-air clash with Building 26 in [[320]]; Rachel's rescue of [[Eric Doyle\|Doyle]] from the puppet theater (you can find a story/dialogue overlap between [[The Agent chapter summaries#Chapter 403\|iStory 3.3]] and [[Puppet with No Strings\|GN128]], which aired two weeks later); Rachel's on-air clashes with [[Claire]] and Doyle; the on-air chase of [[Alex]] in [[Costa Verde]]; etc. The show has been great about encouraging this. One time, for [[The Agent chapter summaries#Chapter 402\|iStory 3.2]] (when Rachel was hunting for fugitives online), Joe and Aron wanted us to have Rachel stumble on a [Building] 26 surveillance recording of [[Danko]] telling [[HRG]] how dangerous [[evolved humans\|specials]] are. That "surveillance recording" was an actual excerpt of a scene that was to appear on-air the next week ([[317]]). Unfortunately, we weren't able to get approval in time, but a lot of similar teasers make their way into the iStory on a weekly basis.		Also, the main "hook" of the iStories, I feel, is the room that it gives us to foreshadow future events in the ''Heroes'' universe. [[The Agent chapter summaries#Chapter 405\|iStory 3.5]] (the dream sequence) was an obvious example of that, but we've also teased [[Rebel]]'s on-air clash with Building 26 in [[320]]; Rachel's rescue of [[Eric Doyle\|Doyle]] from the puppet theater (you can find a story/dialogue overlap between [[The Agent chapter summaries#Chapter 403\|iStory 3.3]] and [[Puppet with No Strings\|GN128]], which aired two weeks later); Rachel's on-air clashes with [[Claire]] and Doyle; the on-air chase of [[Alex]] in [[Costa Verde]]; etc. The show has been great about encouraging this. One time, for [[The Agent chapter summaries#Chapter 402\|iStory 3.2]] (when Rachel was hunting for fugitives online), Joe and Aron wanted us to have Rachel stumble on a [Building] 26 surveillance recording of [[Danko]] telling [[HRG]] how dangerous [[evolved humans\|specials]] are. That "surveillance recording" was an actual excerpt of a scene that was to appear on-air the next week ([[317]]). Unfortunately, we weren't able to get approval in time, but a lot of similar teasers make their way into the iStory on a weekly basis.

Line 94:		Line 94:
	Sometimes an Evolutions character grows too deep of a backstory to move easily into the on-air story. To give Rachel Mills maximum crossover potential, we did a few things.		Sometimes an Evolutions character grows too deep of a backstory to move easily into the on-air story. To give Rachel Mills maximum crossover potential, we did a few things.

			[[Image:IStory The Agent chapter 404.jpg\|thumb\|right]]
	First, we started with a character who had a lot of name recognition with fans and the show. Rachel Mills began life as just a throwaway character for ''[[The Recruit]]'', with a few promotional teasers in "Friend or Foe." But [[Taylor Cole]] blew everyone away at ''The Recruit'' shoot. I have some "B side" video from the shoot that I've been hunting for ways to use: close-ups of Taylor crying, extended shots of [[Cristine Rose\|Cristine]] as she lays down the law to Rachel, etc. Taylor and Christine Rose had enough chemistry to start their own industrial lab. I mean, they spent hours doing that interrogation scene, and there wasn't a take that they did that you could look away from. Anyway, as a result, Taylor got several on-air scenes in [[Volume Four]], and the iStory got a character whom the fans and the show recognized.		First, we started with a character who had a lot of name recognition with fans and the show. Rachel Mills began life as just a throwaway character for ''[[The Recruit]]'', with a few promotional teasers in "Friend or Foe." But [[Taylor Cole]] blew everyone away at ''The Recruit'' shoot. I have some "B side" video from the shoot that I've been hunting for ways to use: close-ups of Taylor crying, extended shots of [[Cristine Rose\|Cristine]] as she lays down the law to Rachel, etc. Taylor and Christine Rose had enough chemistry to start their own industrial lab. I mean, they spent hours doing that interrogation scene, and there wasn't a take that they did that you could look away from. Anyway, as a result, Taylor got several on-air scenes in [[Volume Four]], and the iStory got a character whom the fans and the show recognized.

Line 115:		Line 116:
	'''Tell us about Anna's power. Is it the same as [[the Haitian]]'s, or something different?		'''Tell us about Anna's power. Is it the same as [[the Haitian]]'s, or something different?

	Anna actually started life in our docs as "The Bomb." "She" wasn't a person at all, but a piece of Cold War technology stolen by Red Eye to reduce people's ability to resist his power. During the 1960s, the Soviets experimented with non-ionizing radiation as a way of overloading brain circuits (like an EMP bomb does to electronics); the bomb could be used to disable armies or even fry a city so that the nation would be crippled financially by the cost of caring for hundreds of thousands of brain-damaged citizens. It was [[Jesse Alexander]]'s idea to instead make The Bomb be a person, and from there we created Anna Korolenko, our little Russian teenager with the scarred soul.		Anna actually started life in our docs as "The Bomb." "She" wasn't a person at all, but a piece of Cold War technology stolen by Red Eye to reduce people's ability to resist his power. During the 1960s, the Soviets experimented with non-ionizing radiation as a way of overloading brain circuits (like an EMP bomb does to electronics); [[Image:IStory The Private chapter 303.jpg\|thumb\|left]] the bomb could be used to disable armies or even fry a city so that the nation would be crippled financially by the cost of caring for hundreds of thousands of brain-damaged citizens. It was [[Jesse Alexander]]'s idea to instead make The Bomb be a person, and from there we created Anna Korolenko, our little Russian teenager with the scarred soul.

	Comparing Anna's power to the Haitian's. That can't be answered yet, "canonically." [[mental manipulation\|The Haitian's power]] hasn't been defined specifically; in fact, as the show writers have mentioned in other interviews, you've seen his ability fluctuate a bit as they have explored it. Another complicating factor: Anna is still young, and her first experiences with her power have been so deeply scarring (zapping her family, for example) that her power's development may have been badly stunted.		Comparing Anna's power to the Haitian's. That can't be answered yet, "canonically." [[mental manipulation\|The Haitian's power]] hasn't been defined specifically; in fact, as the show writers have mentioned in other interviews, you've seen his ability fluctuate a bit as they have explored it. Another complicating factor: Anna is still young, and her first experiences with her power have been so deeply scarring (zapping her family, for example) that her power's development may have been badly stunted.
Line 138:		Line 139:


			[[Image:Interviewer's office iStory ch4.jpg\|thumb\|right]]
	'''In "The Private", the story started having polling for participants to decide how the story moves forward. Would Rachel's story in "The Agent" be different if the audience had voted a different way in "The Private"? If yes, how so?		'''In "The Private", the story started having polling for participants to decide how the story moves forward. Would Rachel's story in "The Agent" be different if the audience had voted a different way in "The Private"? If yes, how so?

Line 160:		Line 162:
	'''This interview will be read by thousands of nerdy fanboys (and girls) who love minute details and trivia. Are there any interesting pieces of trivia that you’d like to add?		'''This interview will be read by thousands of nerdy fanboys (and girls) who love minute details and trivia. Are there any interesting pieces of trivia that you’d like to add?

			[[Image:IStoryBadBloodC3-Ricardo.jpg\|thumb\|left]]
	After it became a stand-alone project, the iStory was first pitched with a bunch of game-style features. For example, fans were to have a profile with "attributes" such as Strength, Intelligence, etc. (The personality test at the beginning of "The Agent" was originally part of this.) Then, in the iStory, players could be given options like "Throw a punch at the agent's face (Strength)" OR "Outrun the agent (Speed)"; when they selected a choice, the iStory would make a check to see if you "succeeded." Things like successful roles and discovering clues would add to your "score".		After it became a stand-alone project, the iStory was first pitched with a bunch of game-style features. For example, fans were to have a profile with "attributes" such as Strength, Intelligence, etc. (The personality test at the beginning of "The Agent" was originally part of this.) Then, in the iStory, players could be given options like "Throw a punch at the agent's face (Strength)" OR "Outrun the agent (Speed)"; when they selected a choice, the iStory would make a check to see if you "succeeded." Things like successful roles and discovering clues would add to your "score".

imported>Ryangibsonstewart: fix other image

2009-04-09T03:46:04Z

fix other image

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:46, 9 April 2009
Line 28:		Line 28:
	A week before airing, I flowchart the upcoming chapter to find weak paths and logic errors. My typical rule of thumb is three plot developments (of two to three scenes each), each with two or three options, plus introduction scenes.		A week before airing, I flowchart the upcoming chapter to find weak paths and logic errors. My typical rule of thumb is three plot developments (of two to three scenes each), each with two or three options, plus introduction scenes.

			{\|align=center
	[[Image:iStory flowchart.jpg\|center]]		\|[[Image:iStory flowchart.jpg\|center\|600px]]
			\|-
			\| align=center \| ''click to enlarge''
			\|}

	Then I write the copy, which has ranged from six to forty pages per week. (At the time that I write this--the eighteenth week of iStory--the master copy doc is 321 single-spaced, 10-point-font pages: about 86,000 words.)		Then I write the copy, which has ranged from six to forty pages per week. (At the time that I write this--the eighteenth week of iStory--the master copy doc is 321 single-spaced, 10-point-font pages: about 86,000 words.)

imported>Admin: fixing misspelled name

2009-04-09T03:45:53Z

fixing misspelled name

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:45, 9 April 2009
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{lowercase}}On March 26, 2009, [[User:Ryangibsonstewart\|Ryan Gibson Stewart]] conducted an email '''interview''' with [[Tom ~~Inkle~~]], the writer of the [[iStory]].		{{lowercase}}On March 26, 2009, [[User:Ryangibsonstewart\|Ryan Gibson Stewart]] conducted an email '''interview''' with [[Tom Inkel]], the writer of the [[iStory]].


Line 6:		Line 6:
	'''''Ryan Stewart'': Can you tell us about where you were born and grew up, and how you got interested in writing?		'''''Ryan Stewart'': Can you tell us about where you were born and grew up, and how you got interested in writing?

	'''''Tom ~~Inkle~~''''': I was born in Santa Barbara, California, and grew up in rural New Hampshire. I have five sisters, so I spent a lot of time doing my own thing as a kid. I read about 3,000 pages a week. I was also a gamemaster for a couple of pen-and-paper roleplaying games, which got me into interactive storytelling. I went to law school planning to become a literary agent, but after I graduated, I had a chance to work with a television show that had this strange new thing called an "ARG", and I was hooked. It's a wild time for television and interactive entertainment. Scripted shows are still experimenting with how to extend their stories onto the Internet--"how do you preserve the story thread?" "How do you turn a linear story into a dynamic social experience?"--but the potential is amazing.		'''''Tom Inkel''''': I was born in Santa Barbara, California, and grew up in rural New Hampshire. I have five sisters, so I spent a lot of time doing my own thing as a kid. I read about 3,000 pages a week. I was also a gamemaster for a couple of pen-and-paper roleplaying games, which got me into interactive storytelling. I went to law school planning to become a literary agent, but after I graduated, I had a chance to work with a television show that had this strange new thing called an "ARG", and I was hooked. It's a wild time for television and interactive entertainment. Scripted shows are still experimenting with how to extend their stories onto the Internet--"how do you preserve the story thread?" "How do you turn a linear story into a dynamic social experience?"--but the potential is amazing.

imported>Ryangibsonstewart: Undo revision 307789 by Ryangibsonstewart (Talk): don't know how i erased everything...oops. anyway, just adding the diagram

2009-04-09T03:43:15Z

Undo revision 307789 by Ryangibsonstewart (Talk): don't know how i erased everything...oops. anyway, just adding the diagram

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:43, 9 April 2009
Line 1:		Line 1:
			{{lowercase}}On March 26, 2009, [[User:Ryangibsonstewart\|Ryan Gibson Stewart]] conducted an email '''interview''' with [[Tom Inkle]], the writer of the [[iStory]].


			==Questions about Tom and the Writing Process==

			'''''Ryan Stewart'': Can you tell us about where you were born and grew up, and how you got interested in writing?

			'''''Tom Inkle''''': I was born in Santa Barbara, California, and grew up in rural New Hampshire. I have five sisters, so I spent a lot of time doing my own thing as a kid. I read about 3,000 pages a week. I was also a gamemaster for a couple of pen-and-paper roleplaying games, which got me into interactive storytelling. I went to law school planning to become a literary agent, but after I graduated, I had a chance to work with a television show that had this strange new thing called an "ARG", and I was hooked. It's a wild time for television and interactive entertainment. Scripted shows are still experimenting with how to extend their stories onto the Internet--"how do you preserve the story thread?" "How do you turn a linear story into a dynamic social experience?"--but the potential is amazing.


			'''Are there any other "choose your own adventure" type stories you have written that we might be able to read? What are some of your other works? Do you also work on designing the iStory and [[Heroes Evolutions]] [[Portal:Evolutions Sites\|websites]]? Have you done any other work for ''[[Heroes]]''?

			Writing for new media is like being a sidewalk artist: the next rainstorm wipes you out of existence. But you might have seen me more than you know. ''Heroes''-wise, I created copy for the [[Linderman]] Election Hack story in [[Season One]], such as the [[brianundaunted\|Brian Dante websites]] and puzzles. (I think my baby pictures are still up on his Flickr account.) I rejoined the ''Heroes'' team after the writers' strike last year to help write [[Evs Dropper]] communications and puzzles, [[Assignment Tracker]] profiles, etc.

			Outside of ''Heroes'', some of the copy and webisodes that I did for ''[[Superman\|Smallville]]'' may still be around on the Season Five and Six DVD sets. I wrote a webisode series for ''Smallville'' called ''The Lex Files'', which were a lot like video Assignment Tracker profiles. I've written short stories and articles for [[DC Comics]] and ''Smallville Magazine''. I do have a few personal sites with interactive story-games like the ''Heroes'' iStory, but they're ancient now; we'll keep those our little secret.


			'''Can you describe your writing process for making the iStory? Do you draft it by yourself? Is it difficult to think up so many "what-ifs" for ending the story? To what extent did [[Harrison Wilcox]] and other writers help with writing the "[[Friend or Foe]]" volume? Is there a separate production company/producer for the iStory like there is for the graphic novels?

			[[John O'Hara]] and I developed the "Friend or Foe" story concept, with [[Jesse Alexander]] providing show input. For "[[The Private]]" story concept, I worked with [[Timm Keppler]] and [[Jim Martin]], the writers of ''[[The Recruit]]'' webisodes. For "[[The Agent]]," I meet weekly with Harrison, [[Joe Pokaski]] and/or [[Aron Coleite]] for show notes. The very hardworking [[Joe Tolerico]] and the [[NBC.com]] team do all the production. As for the actual copy, [[J.T. Krul]] and I co-wrote three or four of the "Friend or Foe" chapters, and I did the rest, mostly from my lucky chair at the Trancas Starbucks in Malibu. (Wow, I wish I did have a lucky chair.)

			I start by pitching the arc for the new "book" (as we call them informally; e.g., "The Agent" is Book 3) to the show. The show responds with creative suggestions (such as Jesse's idea to make [[Anna]] a person rather than a device) and with ideas for tie-ins (e.g., Joe and Aron gave us background for an upcoming crossover character named "[[Rebel]]"). These suggestions keep the iStories in the same "mind space" as the on-air story.

			Two weeks before an iStory chapter airs, I make an outline of the story "beats." Writing an iStory is a lot like that scene from ''Apollo 13'' where they throw all the spacecraft odds-and-ends on the table and say, "This is what we've got to work with, build us a happy ending out of it." I start by rereading the latest episode/comic script drafts and talking to Harrison/Joe/Aron for possible tie-ins and crossovers. I also look for scenes cut due to time constraints; we can sometimes rescue those for the iStory. And I look for future plots/events that the iStory can tease or explain. For example, [[Eric Doyle]] had a number of lines and scenes that didn't show up in the latter half of [[Volume Four]]; we've worked with Harrison/Joe/Aron and Timm/Jim to flesh that storyline out in an iStory in anticipation of [[Nowhere Man\|an important upcoming story]] about Doyle. Finally, I talk to friends and read forums to get reader reactions to the direction of the stories.

			From the story "beats", I draft the art requirements and send them to Joe Tolerico and [[Alexis Brandow]], our Senior Web Designer.

			A week before airing, I flowchart the upcoming chapter to find weak paths and logic errors. My typical rule of thumb is three plot developments (of two to three scenes each), each with two or three options, plus introduction scenes.

			[[Image:iStory flowchart.jpg\|center]]

			Then I write the copy, which has ranged from six to forty pages per week. (At the time that I write this--the eighteenth week of iStory--the master copy doc is 321 single-spaced, 10-point-font pages: about 86,000 words.)

			I do a final continuity check against the latest cut of the upcoming episode, obtain copy approval from the show, and then turn the copy over to Joe for his final approval. After that, Matt <!--MATT WHO? MATTHEW JACOBS? --> codes the iStory. Joe, Matt, Alexis, and the rest of the ''Heroes'' team do an incredible job turning the copy into the iStory in the time span that they have each week.


			'''How much interaction do you have with the show's producers and the [[Portal:Graphic Novel Writers\|graphic novel writers]]? To what extent do the three ''Heroes'' media mesh together and collaborate, and to what extent do they exist separately?

			One of our missions with the iStory was to enhance the on-air story as directly as possible, so I meet with Harrison, Joe, and/or Aron at least once a week. For graphic novels, we meet with [[Oliver Grigsby]], Lead Show Team Comic Book Writer and Writers Assistant, to coordinate cross-over graphic novels and collaborate on new storylines. I spend a lot of time on the phone and email when a comic book writer is doing an iStory cross-over.

			The ARG and the graphic novels have often functioned as independent "branches" off the main "trunk" of the ''Heroes'' on-air show. But one thing about the iStory that I'm proud of is how it has "layered" the ''Heroes'' experience. For example, look at the [[Rachel Mills]] character from the point of view of interactive and non-interactive fans:

			If you watch:
			* TV only: Rachel Mills is one of [[Danko]]'s agents.
			* TV + webisodes: Rachel Mills is one of Danko's agents ... but she secretly has [[teleportation\|powers]]!
			* TV + webisodes + graphic novels: Rachel Mills is one of Danko's agents, but she secretly has powers ... and she is using them to help Rebel!
			* TV + webisodes + graphic novels + iStory: Rachel Mills is one of Danko's agents, but she secretly has powers ... and Rebel is using her secret to blackmail her!

			So no fan is left out of a complete story, but those who delve into more outlets are rewarded with a deeper story about a troubled, heroic young woman. I think it demonstrates what television and the Internet are capable of doing together, and ''Heroes'' and NBC should get kudos for experiments like this.


			'''Who does the art for the iStory? Especially the character portraits…

			Alexis Brandow, the Senior Web Designer.

			The iStory concept was originally part of another, broader proposal, and the transition into a stand-alone project happened very quickly. Alexis and Joe and the rest of the ''Heroes'' team have done a great job keeping the art and production flowing.


	==Questions about the iStory==		==Questions about the iStory==

imported>Ryangibsonstewart: add diagrams

2009-04-09T03:41:38Z

add diagrams

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ==Questions about the iStory==
@@ Line 168: / Line 110: @@
 In the original version, "Friend or Foe" had four storylines, two each for Primatech and Pinehearst. Readers could choose to go after the [[Kill Squad]], [[Red Eye]], the missing bomb, or undercover as Kill Squad members. Each of the stories stood alone with only occasional crossovers until the last chapters. Here are the very first diagrams of the story:
 There's a pitch floating around out there for a graphic-novelized version of the iStory, with interactive images and pages.

imported>Ryangibsonstewart: double pipe

2009-04-09T03:12:16Z

double pipe

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:12, 9 April 2009
Line 79:		Line 79:
	We don't mark a "correct" path through the stories because a) I often spread helpful/fun info in all the paths to reward repeated readings, and b) I do retool the "official" storyline occasionally based on which outcomes were most popular.		We don't mark a "correct" path through the stories because a) I often spread helpful/fun info in all the paths to reward repeated readings, and b) I do retool the "official" storyline occasionally based on which outcomes were most popular.

	Instead, we've used several strategies. In "[[Friend or Foe]]," the reader basically found the right path or dead-ended. The "official" path at the end of "Friend or Foe" did not segue into the ''Red Eye'' graphic novels as clearly as we wanted, but we were still fine-tuning the graphic novel/iStory communication process at that point. (Keep in mind that the iStory itself was still brand-new--never mind [[Red Eye]] and [[Anna]]--when those graphic novels were written, so the comic writers couldn't just read [[Operation Splinter#Chapter 106\|\|1.6]] and write from that.) In "[[The Private]]," the fans voted for the official path through the polls. And in the first half of "[[The Agent]]," we started using the "Previously on iStory" page to provide a segue from the correct path.		Instead, we've used several strategies. In "[[Friend or Foe]]," the reader basically found the right path or dead-ended. The "official" path at the end of "Friend or Foe" did not segue into the ''Red Eye'' graphic novels as clearly as we wanted, but we were still fine-tuning the graphic novel/iStory communication process at that point. (Keep in mind that the iStory itself was still brand-new--never mind [[Red Eye]] and [[Anna]]--when those graphic novels were written, so the comic writers couldn't just read [[Operation Splinter#Chapter 106\|1.6]] and write from that.) In "[[The Private]]," the fans voted for the official path through the polls. And in the first half of "[[The Agent]]," we started using the "Previously on iStory" page to provide a segue from the correct path.

	I've personally been happiest with the method you described from ''Exposed''--i.e., "alternate" paths ending with a return to the "[[canon]]" path. We're also working on some new technology to allow fans to have more direct input on the story direction. In that case you might see fewer in-story "options", and instead have features like the ability to request new options on iStory pages, shaping the direction in which the iStory grows. That would make the iStory less of a "choose your own adventure" model and more of an organically growing "world".		I've personally been happiest with the method you described from ''Exposed''--i.e., "alternate" paths ending with a return to the "[[canon]]" path. We're also working on some new technology to allow fans to have more direct input on the story direction. In that case you might see fewer in-story "options", and instead have features like the ability to request new options on iStory pages, shaping the direction in which the iStory grows. That would make the iStory less of a "choose your own adventure" model and more of an organically growing "world".

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:51, 9 April 2009
Line 14:		Line 14:
	'''Are there any other "choose your own adventure" type stories you have written that we might be able to read? What are some of your other works? Do you also work on designing the iStory and [[Heroes Evolutions]] [[Portal:Evolutions Sites\|websites]]? Have you done any other work for ''[[Heroes]]''?		'''Are there any other "choose your own adventure" type stories you have written that we might be able to read? What are some of your other works? Do you also work on designing the iStory and [[Heroes Evolutions]] [[Portal:Evolutions Sites\|websites]]? Have you done any other work for ''[[Heroes]]''?

	Writing for new media is like being a sidewalk artist: the next rainstorm wipes you out of existence. But you might have seen me more than you know. ''Heroes''-wise, I created copy for the [[Linderman]] Election Hack story in [[Season One]], such as the [[brianundaunted\|Brian Dante websites]] and puzzles. (I think my baby pictures are still up on his Flickr account.) I rejoined the ''Heroes'' team after the writers' strike last year to help write [[Evs Dropper]] communications and puzzles, [[Assignment Tracker]] profiles, etc.		Writing for new media is like being a sidewalk artist: the next rainstorm wipes you out of existence. But you might have seen me more than you know. ''Heroes''-wise, I created copy for the [[Linderman]] Election Hack story in [[Season One]], such as the [[brianundaunted\|Brian Dante websites]] and puzzles. (I think [[Tom Inkel#Gallery\|my baby pictures]] are still up on [http://flickr.com/photos/31131216 his Flickr account].) I rejoined the ''Heroes'' team after the writers' strike last year to help write [[Evs Dropper]] communications and puzzles, [[Assignment Tracker]] profiles, etc.

	Outside of ''Heroes'', some of the copy and webisodes that I did for ''[[Superman\|Smallville]]'' may still be around on the Season Five and Six DVD sets. I wrote a webisode series for ''Smallville'' called ''The Lex Files'', which were a lot like video Assignment Tracker profiles. I've written short stories and articles for [[DC Comics]] and ''Smallville Magazine''. I do have a few personal sites with interactive story-games like the ''Heroes'' iStory, but they're ancient now; we'll keep those our little secret.		Outside of ''Heroes'', some of the copy and webisodes that I did for ''[[Superman\|Smallville]]'' may still be around on the Season Five and Six DVD sets. I wrote a webisode series for ''Smallville'' called ''The Lex Files'', which were a lot like video Assignment Tracker profiles. I've written short stories and articles for [[DC Comics]] and ''Smallville Magazine''. I do have a few personal sites with interactive story-games like the ''Heroes'' iStory, but they're ancient now; we'll keep those our little secret.