Age/Gender: 19, Male
Location: Roslyn, NY
Job: College Kid
Current Projects: LOZ: Link's Slingshot (25%), Funky Turtles (15%)
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Entry #8
Hello fellows. I was surprised this morning upon discovering that my newest flash Hammer Bro Mario got a spot on the Frontpage. I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank the Newgrounds staff, and to express some of my thoughts concerning the movie.
Production on "Hammer Bro Mario" began a few weeks after I completed my first year in college (as marked in the Author's Comments and my previous news post). I finished with fantastic grades, and I had the utmost sense of accomplishment. In high school, my work ethic was almost non-existent. Instead, particularly in 2005 and 2006, I focused on my Flashwork as opposed to my schoolwork. While I found much success on Newgrounds, there was always this nagging within my conscience ... barking at me to "do my homework" and "study for that physics test." More often than not, I disregarded the whims of my conscience. I was in a bit of a pickle: was it worth it to excel in Macromedia/Adobe Flash if my grades were bound for mediocrity? Even to this day, I feel that I should have practiced Flash in moderation, but I can't help but feel incredibly proud of myself every time I watch the ending of Super Mario Land IV.
However, something happened in college. I became fervently motivated to do my absolute best in academia. It became a job - something I needed to do in order to survive. Other freshman around me floundered miserably because of poor decisions and a lack of foresight. Yet, instead of letting the failure of others affect my performance, I thrived because I simply did not want to end up like them (with Sharpie cocks all over their faces).
When I finally finished in mid-May, I was extremely excited about returning to Flashworld and Newgrounds. I had this new work ethic and loads of inspiration ... a more worldy outlook on life as well. But to my chagrin, "Hammer Bro Mario" grew into an arduous project; prime evidence of which can be found in its length (a mere 55 seconds). At first, I thought, "Mario's throwing around a whole bunch of freakin' hammers! How could I possibly screw this up?" Yet, it became quite clear that smashing Toad or Luigi in the face with a giant mallet is only funny a few times over. So, by the 5th skit, I transitioned to concepts that did not involve Mario beating someone's face in. Once again, I found myself struggling to come up with fresh ideas, and by the 10th skit, I knew I had to wrap things up.
Although I certainly believe that the animation in "Hammer Bro Mario" was up to my standards, I can't help but feel that I fell short in the end. Those who have followed my flashes from the early days know that I have published 15 some odd Mario movies in my day, but never have I experienced such writer's block. This dilema has spurred me on to contemplate different projects, more specifically, non-Mario and 100% drawn projects. I figured that I will continue to move forward with "Link's Slingshot" - my first LOZ flash, as a method to ween myself off of Mario sprite flashes. I am still putting the plot together, but I am very excited about its progression. After that is completed, I will embark on an original clip of some sort, which should entail a refreshing and envigorating experience. Wish me luck!
Till next time!
- Jeremy AKA "Bigfoot"
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