Xing Xin has an amazing style and is in the middle of some seriously groundbreaking things and I’m honored he took the time to talk to me about some of it.
Ian: I know that you have been busy getting Broken Heart Productions off the ground, can you tell us a little bit about Broken Heart Productions and some of what it took to get it off the ground?
Xing: Hello Ian, Thank you so much for this interview opportunity. Its been busy that much is for certain lol. Broken Heart Productions is a studio that i recently formed and we are now in a amazing partnership with INSANE COMICS! When you’re trying to brand yourself with a name and company image it takes time to create something that has meaning. The studio sigi is really symbolic. It represents that from “Darkness or Death” by means of failure or the many submission rejections, that something beautiful can be born and start a new. It’s a representation of “HOPE” and the idea of “Remembering To Dream.” We Want Readers to have fun and enjoy the amazing things we will show them.
Ian: What were some of the biggest obstacles you faced with forming Broken Heart Production?
Xing: Getting support from a publisher, or backer. So many people only see things one way. And they all keep going about things the same way, so when something new comes by they are not as quick to support it.
Ian: Was there a part of the process that was easier than you expected?
Xing: LOL nothing is easy, the small aspects have many details just like the larger aspects. The key I believe is to just keep moving forward with your plan.
Ian: I understand that Broken Heart Productions is doing open submissions, will that be for creator owned?
Xing: Yes all creator owned series, but the submissions are now closed. And at some point I will re open them.
Ian: Do you plan on adding other talented people to Broken Heart Productions? If so who and what sort of positions will they bill filling?
Xing: We have a very talented team of people, Sonia Park is one of our PR managers. And Sabre Tyln is not only working close with me on the business side but she is also the studio Prima donna. And does the voice of XV female lead character.
Ian: What are your overall goals for Broken Heart Productions?
Xing: My main goal is to ensure we are producing series that will change how people see stories and art for this medium and to see our publisher INSANE COMICS grow more and more. James from INSANE believed in my vision when no one else would. So my job is to make sure that we deliver on such a scale that no one can say “It’s not good enough.”
Ian: Broken Heart Productions will be accepting submission sometime in 2016, is there anything in particular you are looking for?
Xing: I love original, creative and well drawn series. And I believe i’ve found those series already. And i’m looking forward to sharing them with everyone.
Ian: I understand that you plan on bringing a unique style to comic books, can you tell us a little bit about your style and what you expect it to be like in comic form?
Xing: My personal vision has been to set a new standard for myself and our fans. And to make something that although not real, can be viewed as something believable by those who see it. So many comic books are praised for the art they do, and yet they truly lack emotional design and detail. We want to change that, some of my heros are Tolkien, Nomura, Kojima, Seto, Hyung and many more. Im looking to bring that kind of experience to our readers and to ensure they are given the highest quality possible.
Ian: Can you tell us a little bit about your comic Ximphonic Versus?
Xing: XV is an opera. I spent 20 years creating, writing and developing that world. It’s a fantasy also, dark yet beautiful in its strong emotional underlinings. This tale is also about love, hope, redemption and the choices we make or don’t make, and how we can learn from our mistakes. Also what has further helped me to bring the series to life has been the amazing Michael Roberts! He is an amazing composer whose works include two award winning films, and arrangements for Castlevania Lords Of Shadow: Mirror OF Fate for Nintendo 3DS. He composes the soundtrack for XV, and part one is done with part two now in production. Sabre Tyln, who is the prima donna of our studio and the voice of Lunafryst. She is extremely talented and has a stunning voice, I’m very happy she is part of our team.
Ian: Where do you find inspiration for Ximphonic Versus?
Xing: The inspiration comes much from life experience, but also the need to dream and be somewhere else.
Ian: are there any other artists that work with you on this comic? If so then who are they and what do they do?
Xing: When i was ready to start really putting the series in motion, I knew I would need help to bring this creation to life. This project is much closer to current gen video game development than just a “Comic book.” So i set out to find people with extraordinary talents lol. And just like a video game or film it takes all of us to bring about the finished work. My two lead colorist are Endro Yuwono who is beyond talented, next is Kevin Combs who is also a master of his craft and has skills for days. Dennis Mundt does our logo, his creative talents are truly amazing! Then we have Nicko Zuriaga, who works with me on our 3D Backgrounds. I do the designs and he brings them to life in a truly amazing manner. Last but certainly not least is Taylor Esposito who is an amazing letterer who has worked for all the big players in the industry.
Ian: Do you write as well as create? If so then how do you balance the two?
Xing: Yes, I created and wrote the book. It’s a daunting task to say the least. I do all the character design, color direction, world settings, architectural design concepts. It’s a very big task, but trying to balance it out is the key I think.
Ian: Do you find it more important to tell a story visually or with dialog?
Xing: Both are very important, your art must be the visual for your words, but the words are the lifeblood. Both must be done in a very special way I believe. And they must be real emotions not just flat words or pictures. That way the end result is very humanlike, in its presentation.
Ian: What can we expect to see from you in the future?
Xing: Well the plan is to bring about new series to readers and then to move into other forms of media.
Ian: Where can people find your products?
Xing: Right now nothing has been released, however the release date for Ximphonic Versus will announced in March! At a special event and look for more updates from our publisher INSANE COMICS as well.
Ian: Where can people find Broken Heart Productions?
Xing: We have our official FB pages, for both the studio and the book itself. The following link is where we can be reached:
Broken Heart Productions FB Page
Our Publisher: INSANE Comics
Ian: Where can people get a hold of you?
Xing: At The official XV page
