Marcus Peblo - 04/23/2004 Author: fourchinnigan | Interviewee: ericblak Many NG Users have enjoyed the dream world of the nude infant gladiator, Marcus Peblo. This world, populated by beasts and heroes is the creation of Eric Black. He agreed to share some of the magic of his worlds with us here at NG. You are best known as the creator of the Marcus Peblo saga, quite possibly the most surreal Flash series on the internet. When did the premise for the series first come to you and how has it shaped your development as a visual storyteller? How difficult is it to successfully convey the stories without dialogue and narration? Man, I gotta go back to when I was a kid for this question. While lying in bed at night I would see images, my mind was already creating these weird stories. In 3rd grade, I would create little comics and make copies to distribute to students. Soon, I was designing little transforming figures out of cardboard and plastic straws. These were 3-dimensional action figures in custom packages that I sold to the kids in my class for pocket change. I still have some of these artifacts laying around my house today. I knew where this was all headed. When I think back, I recall that ideas for Marcus P, as well as my entrepreneurial spirit were taking shape. I was creating characters 90% of the time, and bits and pieces of stories were crystal clear in my head. I marveled at the Disney stuff, the grand scale of his work. Jump forward. Many years later, my dreams of making cartoons became a reality once Flash came out. Before Flash, I was using high-end programs and hardware that cost tens and thousands of dollars at my job. Stuff like Discreet Logic’s Flame and Avid’s Softimage. Luckily, one day I was surfing the web and found Hot Wired Animation Express. I watched a cartoon called Giant Cow. I got Flash 4 the next week and made my first cartoon. It didn't see the light of day till now, on my DVD. Marcus Peblo, my second cartoon, was really my #1 baby. Later, the idea for a "saga" just popped into my head after I had looked through a bunch of my sketches. I said, "Yes!" The little guy was likable, innocent, cute, and a character everyone could love. At least I thought so. Many fans were saying my work was eye-catching, and like "a studio's" submission. A lot of people asked that I put the songs I composed for the cartoon online for download. From that point on, I could see a plan and an epic ahead. Oh, there's a lot more to say. Maybe I'll clarify a lot when I answer your other questions. Oh, and the completed Peblo DVD does have some dialogue. What would you like the viewers of Marcus Peblo to take from the series? Well, if anyone figures out that this effort is "an epic" story with puzzles, hidden meanings, and intended to challenge the mind and your senses, that would make me happy. I didn't intend to spoon-feed anyone. There are many episodes, bits and pieces designed to connect along the way. How can the battle of "good and evil" be simple? I wanted the viewer to get involved with the story, the cast of characters, and be driven by my original soundtracks. Sadly, even when I tipped Newgrounders that Peblo episodes were part of a larger epic, some couldn't accept that. It was as if they weren't reading my footnotes and just didn't give a damn. Oh well. Those who got it often gave me high praise---for the originality, the music, and the unfolding story. Often, I got very high votes, and tons of email and support. Later, if I get some free time, I might just put the director’s commentary from the DVD on some of the episodes to get people up to speed and give them some answers. For many creators, their characters become an odd form of surrogate children. Writers often reach a point where they know their characters so well it no longer seems they are authors, but instead viewers watching their characters interact. You have been telling the stories of Marcus Peblo for so long I would imagine this is the case for you. How do you go about writing the installments and how has that process changed since you first began the series? I love my characters. Of course, as the story evolved, I became each and every one. I could hear their voices, knew their motives, and see their weaknesses. And the music, had me at my ARS10 keyboard, creating anthems, I thought. When MP3.com was up, I got over 17,000+ downloads from fans. To me the project was ALIVE. When I work, I don't feel any retrains. I actually use storyboards, drawing and reworking concepts while adding notes. You recently released all episodes of Marcus Peblo on DVD with tons of bonus material. There is 90 minutes of material including commentary, animatics, a documentary, and other features. How difficult and exciting was the process? How did it feel to see your characters on a television for the first time? Man, at my website, I actually spell out what happened from beginning to end, from concept to the creative process to the making of the DVDs. It was like running a marathon. My friends often ask, "When do you sleep?" Sleep, ha. I am relentless. With MP, there were times when I felt like I was on the edge of madness. But that always happens. You can't B.S. You have to move forward and do it. At the site, you'll see that my personal story is a good how-to-do-it course for any animator who wants to complete a project like mine. A tutorial, if you will. I wish I'd had one to follow. When the DVD was at the review stage, watching it was like an entirely new experience for me. I marveled at the show on a huge television screen. I got a visual high. For the first time I didn't think about playback rate issues or low audio compression. At least for a while... Within hours, I was looking at each sequence and fixing spotted “mistakes” and improving visual effects. I redid all of the sound, and put three different soundtracks on each episode. Fanatical? Maybe. The commentaries were fun to do because I never really explained to the people what all this stuff really meant as a whole and to me as an individual. I talk about the process, the problems, scenes, plot, and what I was trying to do from an animation and audio standpoint. The tech part? The process was exciting and scary at the same time. It’s almost overwhelming. I had to compress and format Fla renders to DVD spec and that was difficult. Finding the settings that would yield the best results took a lot of trial and error. But I had to go there. The DVD market is one of the fastest growing consumer markets ever, surpassing even the CD player and VCR. If you are a content maker, then DVD is the way to go. The frightening thing is beta testing the DVD for errors. The replication plants burn your master, as is, so in theory you could end up having thousands of bad disks. What sort of response have you gotten from the DVDs? How do people react when they learn you not only created all the content, but are also self-publishing and distributing the discs? People are amazed. The DVD package is an eye catcher: professionally done, shrink-wrapped, like anything you would see in a store. But I think the mindblower is what fans find when they view the DVD and see and hear what's inside. It's an entertaining adventure, I think. The Marcus Peblo saga and episodes are all enhanced, improved, and gives you more than you saw at Newgrounds. The extras are abundant, including "The Race," a 2001 adaptation of the ‘Tortoise and the Hare’ story that is featured on Hotwire.com and Newgrounds. You can actually stay entertained for well over an hour. Yes, I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback and consistent sales for the DVD. The saga premiered at the Cinema Paradise Independent Film Festival in Hawaii and was also shown at the Rockon Festival in Texas. At conventions in Atlanta and New York, I sold hundreds of copies, and this April it was made available via Paypal at my site. We'll see. Overall, I think people are astounded that I am a one-man studio and am doing all this independently. A great sign is that a number of people feel that it's destined to become a "cult classic." That's an encouraging sign. I’ve been at screenings at artsy showcases and have had some people literally in tears from the cartoon. I’ve had people from the urban market swear that this cartoon is “the truth." At one notable screening at a preschool, some of the children were hiding behind there chairs scared to death. Imagine that. Honestly, I think I've built a loyal fan base that is touched by the original imagery and music. I'd say that the movie appeals to children for its bright vivid depiction of an imaginary world. Adults that like it talk about its layered new age themes and hidden puzzles. I'm presently in talks with a few distribution companies and investors. We'll see. A lot of people ask the question, "How did you do it?" I tell them what I feel. You gotta have the talent, first and foremost. I try to articulate a formula, it’s: persistence + believing + hard work + investment = luck. You recently quit your job to devote your full energy to Marcus Peblo and your other works. Are you eating Ramen every night? Selling your body for sandwiches? How are you making ends meet? Well, I had opened an office in Manhattan with a partner. People were surprised by my daring. It was a risk, to be sure. I figured, “hey, I have paid some dues and have a little ‘rep.’ A 9 to 5, doesn't appeal to me. Controlling my own product and shaping my own destiny does.” I am practical, but daring. I graduated from SUNY Purchase with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Right off, I got an internship at a New York City film company, where I learned digital imaging and video editing techniques. Soon, I was doing major work on TV commercials for companies like McDonald's, Bally's Total Fitness, and Bud Light. If any of you remember the Bud Light commercial with the chicken playing pool that'll give you an idea about the stuff I was doing. I did all of the Digital Effects for that spot. The money? I lay a lot aside, as always. I walked away, with a plan. I had figured one thing out. The owner's make the millions. Control and create your product. If you can, try and go it alone, independently. Is there danger? Sure. Are there rewards? Maybe. At my office, I got accounts. Then the World Trade Center knocked the design industry out. I could barely pay rent. I had to walk. So my actual income over the last dozen years looks like a lie-detector chart: Up, down, zero. Gigantic zigzags. I don't mind. I have my reels, my rep. Your website is named Robot Pegasys. Why this name and not Marcus Peblo? Who or what is Robot Pegasys? You can also access the site via ropega.com, is this because people were unable to spell Pegasys? Well, Robotpegasys is the brand name of the stuff that comes out of my crazy head. It’s a form of evolved creativity, a chaotic montage of ideas, images, sounds and possibilities. In a nutshell, it's the name of my company. The reason I didn’t name my site Marcus Peblo was because “MP” is only one of the many ideas and projects that I have underway. It’s just that I spend a lot of time on Marcus because it was the cartoon that first got me noticed. Marcus Peblo is my “Mickey Mouse”. Is the Robotpegasys.com name too hard to remember or spell? I hope not, but several people have told me that. Maybe. I have to think about that. When I do conventions, I do need something that people can remember or write down quickly without making a mistake. That's why I now have Ropega.com to get to my site. It's the abbreviation of Robotpegasys. You can also get to my site by using MarcusPeblo.com. Stay tuned. We'll see what happens next. A common element in all of your works is odd creatures and alien entities. Why are you so fascinated with otherworldly beasts and naked babies? When we are born, we are naked, pure, and innocent. The Peblo epic tries to hint at that in the beginning. Think of Adam, Eve, how we start off. But evil is lurking. Ready? When I was younger, I had a UFO sighting over my house. That opened the door to a whole new level of possibilities in my mind. I started to wonder about the nature of the universe and started doing a lot of research into metaphysics and UFO’s. Watching the DVD, you will get the idea that I am dealing with the endless boundaries of time, and how that impacts on us. Marcus Peblo deals with emotional and spiritual themes alongside its elements of adventure and oddity. What are your personal beliefs and are they reflected in your work? That's not a simple question, and I have no simple answer. I am always buying books. At many of the "underground" bookstores in New York, they know me. I order books from around the world. From Japan to Germany to Italy and elsewhere. Especially if they are on animators and art. I also study books on controversial ideas: UFOs, metaphysical stuff, God. I do not follow any organized religion, if that's your question. I see forces, checks and balances in the universe. My work echoes themes that make you think. If you told me you saw a ghost I would ask you "how" and "when." I am a free spirit. Me? I believe you have to keep pushing the boundaries of science and the imagination. The key? Be true to yourself. What influence has Newgrounds had on your work and the ventures you have undertaken over the last few years? Newgrounds is a site that is dynamic. It has given me inspiration and exposure. I get a lot of emails and traffic from Newgrounds and have won many new fans and supporters from those posting at the site. Newgrounds is second to none. Of course, this year I've had the opportunity to do a few Newgrounds collaborations, and consequently, am also working with artists from around the world! Great contacts have been Jose Ortiz and Stamper from Newgrounds, to just name two guys. Jose worked with me on the pilot at MTV. He's one helluva talent. With Stamper and I, we will put out a DVD later this year! Be on the look out. Which emails or reviews of your works have most affected you, be it in a positive or negative manner? I am inspired by all the emails that are sincere and seem to be honest, while touching on the dynamics and scope of my work. I see them at Newgrounds. A viewer might catch my drift, see something that's relevant because he or she has taken the time "to see." I've gotten hundreds of wonderful reviews, sometimes with deep analysis and helpful commentary. Those mails inspire me and give me insights. For example, a fan might notice the use of colors, note why I used a specific background, put two-and-two together because of a scene or the introduction of a character. Those who care, always hear the music. You don't have to agree with me to win my respect, or make me listen. I think I get the greatest emails from those who respect Flash and understand how hard it is to create a portal entry. As we know, there are Newgrounders (a few) who arrive to vote on work in a negative way. The truth is that these people really don't have any impact on me. Some will give you a "0," say, "This is crap" as if they have credibility. These voters don't comment on the music (which is original). That certainly warrants a few points, I would think. If they were sincere. These voters also ignore the artistry and grace of the graphics, the plot, the creativity of the plot and characters. I am like, “duh.” Honest and helpful criticism, on the other hand, is another matter. The great artist listens, evolves, and uses whatever is constructive. What animations, books, movies, and other entertainment have most influenced your work? Lately, I've been watching a lot of stop-motion stuff and old black-and-white cartoon reels. One of my favorite movies of all times is the Wizard of Oz. My influences include Walt Disney, the work of Jim Henson, the paintings and illustrations of H.R.Giger and Katsuya Terada. I also like the photography of Serge Lutens and Nick Knight. James Cameron is one of my favorite directors. What do you see in the future for yourself, Marcus, and your business? What is next on your agenda? Recently, I just finished an animation pilot for MTV. I was called in to be the Assistant Director on the project, and helped coordinate all aspects of the visual production--the creation and drawing of characters, the specs, movement, background, and the "look" of the final product. It's a cutting edge urban comedy called "the Big Head People." Hopefully it will get picked up. Luckily, I have worked with a few important names in the industry. Of course, prior experience and my portfolio and reels tell folks what I can do. My goal is to create my own DVDs, create my own product in other entertainment areas, and even feature and produce the work of other artists. If I can be independent and be my own boss, who knows? On a very personal level, I would like to put out four new DVDs a year, and be into licensing my merchandise if it all clicks. In my spare time, I’m looking into video game development. I also have some options open in regard to pitching shows to major networks. Thanks for the glimpse into the land of Robotpegasys. Best of luck. Check out these Portal submissions by ericblak: --select-- Website: RobotPegasys Age: 35 Gender: Male Habitat: New York City Job: Ropega! Favorite Films: Transformers the movie The Wizard of Oz Marcus Peblo Mystery Gift