This Month we talk to Christina:), creator of Crinsim Warriors and Keeper of
Nature:
- Post: What the hardest part (for you) about making a Kamishibai story?
- Christina:): A few things, but the images mostly. Sometimes I try to draw the
pic
like I have in mind, but most of the time it doesn't work out. ^_^* As
they say, try, try, try again. One time I took 2 hours to make one pic.
The other things are music and sounds. I would love to make sounds and
have voice actors, but I don't have a mic. ^_^* As the music goes, I
wish I could make my own, but I don't know how. Sometimes it takes ages
to find the right music for the mood. (i hope this doesn't sound like
i'm being a wimp;_;)
- Post: What do you think about when making a Kamishibai story?
- Christina:): I try took think about how I would feel if I was in their
place. I basic
have an outline for the kami as a whole, but I don't know what the
people will do or say until I start typing. So I try to make their
feelings as believable as possible, so the reader can feel what they
feel.
- Post: So when planning a Kamishibai how do you get your imagination flowing?
- Christina:): Amazingly, I get some of my ideas in school. (and i thought a
school's
only purpose was to bore us and give us so much work, that we can't have
fun:) I'll get bored in clase, which easy since I have an hour and a
half block schedule, and start to draw. I might make a character that I
like, and my imagination will start up and keep going until I find a
story behind the person that I drew. I might read a book or Kami that
will get me inspired. Sometimes, please don't think that I'm weird, I
get them in my sleep. Really! I'll get a weird dream, then when I wake
up, I might say to myself,"You know, that might be good as a kami"
- Post: You mention what influnced Crinsim Warriors in your thank yous, but is
what influnced Keeper of Nature?
- Christina:): Okay, this is a long one.(not that the others are short^_^*)
When I was
little, still playing with Barbies, I would play with them, and the
story was basicly the same. Barbie would be lonely, and get in trouble,
then Ken would show up and save her. They would get married, and for
some reason Ken would have to leave.(the reasons vairied) She would wait
patiently for his return, and sometimes have a baby. Then she would get
in trouble again, and then a stranger would save her(and in some cases,
save her and her daughter)then he would be un-masked, and lo and behold,
it was Ken! Then they would live happily ever after. I got my
inspiration from that, although a bit different, and added my love of
nature to it. "The Keeper of Nature" was, and still is, my first kami. I
had high exspectations for it, I wanted it to have romance, excitment,
action, tradegy, and twists at the same time. Back then, I thought it
would only be 4 parts, now it looks like it might be any where from 7 to
10 parts.
- Post: What was the hardest part about making kamishibai stories?
- Christina:): Finding the time to do them. Between school, chores, afterschool
activities, and babysitting, time is limited. I've tried to be promt, I
know what's like to wait forever for your fav kami to bring out a new
part, but it's not that simple. ^_^*
- Post: What are your plains for your Stories in the future?
- Christina:): I guess I'm hooked with magical girl stories.(too much sailor moon) I've
tried, and tried, and tried to make a kami with ordinary people, an
ordinary setting, with no special powers, bad guys, or anything magical.
For me, that seems just impossible!
- Post:Other than yourself who are some of your favorite Kamishibai artist?
- Christina:): There are so many! ^o^ In no specific order, ChibiAlex, Firefly, Rebo,
Kodachi Batchix, Toni, Kusukusu, Hoshi, Jason A.M., Neko-Hime, Lianu,
Princess Quova/Tenchi,(they made dragon slayer alpha together) Amy,
Ribby, Mary Ellen/Megan,(they made high city together)Meagen, TENIME Art
Studios, Bonnie Simons, and Jennifer Diane Reitz.(i love unicorn jelly,
'specially uni, he's adorable!^O^)
- Post:If you could change one think about Kamishibai what would it be, and
why?
- Christina:): I'm pretty pleased with it all, the only thing I would like to change is
the speeds. In one scene, I might like the action to go fast, then do
slow-mo on a part, then fast again. You know, to add more effect. I know
that's impossible, but it's the only that I would change.
- Post: What's your favorite part of making a Kamishibai story?
- Christina:): Making the animations. It takes a while to make them, and it's hard
work, but I love seeing when it's done! It makes me feel like a cartoon
animator for TV. I also love something more that animations, it doesn't
officially go towards making a kami, but it keeps me running. It's...
FAN MAIL!!! I love it when some one takes the time to e-mail me to say
that they like me. If I feel like quitting, I go read them again, and
they give me a new inspirations to keep on going!
- Post:So what are some of the Kamishibai your considering for the future?
- Christina:): I'm really big on magical girl stories, and I have 2 in mind. One will
be slightly based on me and my brothers, and how we fight all them time.
Then we get thrown into a demintion, and have to find a way to work
together.(with the help of some powers) The other one set in a small
farm-type county (like mine! ^-^) and a girl finds out that her birth
mark isn't just for looks, when one of her old friends return and tells
her so. She finds the courage within herself to save her family,
friends, and the whole world from the Calamities. One I'm working on in
my spare time, which isn't a magical girl story(well, not really^_^*)
called "Tatiana's Diary" I got the inspirations from a book, Tatiana is
in another demintion froms ours, where magic is as ordinary as chese.
She's very different from her family, she doesn't have magic! When her
brother is in danger, she goes off on a quest to help him. this one will
come out in a lllooonnngggg while, 'cuz my other kamis come first, but
I'll try to get the first part out as soon as possible. ^-^
- Post: So do you have any additional comments, concerns, or thoughts for
us?
- Christina:): I would have to thank ChibiAlex again. With out her, I have never made
my kamis. I'm now helping another person do her kami. I also want to say
that I LOVE getting e-mails! So please send me some! :)
- Thanks for your time Christina.
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