Interview With Devilish Designs

Asking the questions is Sam Webb, answering them is Jeff Ranasinghe from Devilish Designs.

Describe exactly what Devilish Designs does. What services does it provide, and who to?
Devilish Designs is a group of freelance artists completing work for independent clients of any description, in the fields of CGI, website design, audio and video production.

How did it all start?
I started whilst at school, then under a different name creating objects for Imagine v3.0. I was about 15 or 16 then; things kind of went from there. Devilish, on the other hand, is of indeterminate origin, being a small wooden character purchased from a jumble sale some 20 years ago.

What problems, if any, have you encountered in setting up Devilish Designs?
Making people aware of us and the quality of work that we offer was probably the most difficult aspect. Lack of capital to get all the right gear, and the legal side of things, were also stumbling blocks.

Is Devilish Designs a full time project or do you do it in your spare time?
It is part-time, but we devote as much time to it as possible. However, we pride ourselves on being able to accomplish quality and quantity in a relatively short space of time.

What are you mainly working on at the moment with Devilish Designs?
We have been converting character models to CGI for a stop-motion animation company in Wales. We are also revamping our web site as it is in dire need of a face-lift.

Can you explain what Planet Devilish: Capital City, as mentioned on your web site, is all about?
You'll see!

What are your plans for Devilish Designs in the future?
Our long term goal is a television series/movie of our own design, without abandoning the work we currently do.

Would this be a fully computer generated project such as Reboot?
I am considering this rather than the favourite possibility of a combination of 3D and cel animation.

It wouldn't happen to be anything to do with SF, fantasy or horror would it?
Strangely, it would in fact be mostly fantasy, with some SF and horror! Prior to this project in question, though, we do have our designs (no pun) on a few animation shorts for terrestrial television, as one offs.

At one point you did some of your own designs for the BBC2 logo. Can you explain what happened with this?
I was wondering what would happen if I presented the BBC with some semi-completed ideas for idents. It turned out that they loved it but regrettably couldn't use them as the copyright of the conceptual design could not be transferred to them without some outlandish legal work. They requested further examples, i.e. a showreel so that they may consider us for working on their ideas, but we had already moved on to other projects.

What hardware and software do you use, and do you plan any upgrades in the future?
Amiga A4000/060 50mHz 48Mb RAM - Soon to become PPC based
Amiga A4000/040 25mHz 18Mb RAM
Personal Animation Recorder + Capture Card
Cybervision 64
Studio 16 v3.01a = Sunrize AD516 soundcard
Artec A6000C Flatbed Scanner
266MHz Intel based render engine

Photogenics 2.1a, Personal Paint v7, Lightwave.

We plan to get the Siamese RTG system soon...

What would you like out of future Amigas and what do you think Amiga Inc. need to do to help the Amiga get back on track?
I would like to see PPC LightWave and PPC Photogenics. I think Amiga Inc. should create a 680x0 emulator to run in PPC to gain a little speed and increase PPC user base. They should also yell at NewTek Inc. as loud as possible.

Why should they yell at NewTek Inc?
NewTek became quite stand-offish about the Amiga after the Video Toaster 4000, a rebadged A4000, was released, and have since been less and less helpful to their Amiga customers (of which there are a great many). As Amiga Inc. seem to endorse the actions of phase 5, NewTek should be made to listen to the possiblities offered, i.e. the multiple PowerPC cards, together with CyberGL, as this would wipe the floor with the Intel equivalent. NewTek, are fully aware that a large proportion of the video market use the Amiga, but do not acknowledge it - this irritates me intensly. Hence, I constantly recommend Amigans make themselves heard to the likes of NewTek.

Thankyou for taking part in the interview. Do you have any final words of advice to budding CGI artists wanting to set up their own company?
Attention to detail can make or break deals. Make sure what you show is the best of your work. Showreels are good ideas, and it is prudent to put your best work at the beginning. Finally, be proud that you use Amigas, people in the know still respect them.

You can contact Devilish Designs by the following means:
Web: www.devilish-designs.demon.co.uk
e-mail: jeff at devilish-designs.demon.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 7050 076050

«««

Contents

»»»