S4 Webisodes promote PS2 - Post News - Twisted Metal:Black product release - Brief Article

Post, Feb, 2002

VAN NUYS, Calif. -- S4 Studios (www.S4studios.com), a producer of 3D and Flash animation has created a series of six original Flash "Websiodes" to promote the recent release of the PlayStation 2 game Twisted Metal:Black. A new episode will debut each week on a limited basis on select game fan sites as well at www.twistedmetalblack-webisodescom.

Directed by S4's Geoffrey Kater and written by Seth and Adam Gross, each Webisode delves into the individual psyches of the dark characters that inhabit Twisted Metal:Black. Each week, characters -- beginning with No-Face, and including Billy Ray Stillwell, Doll Face, Bloody Mary and Mr. Grimm -- wreak horror on some unfortunate person unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

S4 producer/director Geoff Kater, set out to duplicate the game's dark feel and moody lighting.

"We were given character designs and very basic histories of how each character became part of the Twisted Metal:Black oeuvre and just took it from there," says Kater. "We went about the creation of these cartoons in a completely cinematic noir fashion, with long, continuous shots, subjective camera views, blurred rack focus shots and great artwork with strong, dynamic character poses.

For extra aesthetics, S4 put in rough edges around individual frames, dust particles and film scratches, and they kept the colors muted, with a lot of sepia tones.

Andrew Brandou served as art director/lead animator on the Web project. Sound supervisor David B. Baron teamed with composer Micha Leiberman to create a feature film-styled soundtrack evocative of the game's mood. In addition to S4, post facilities Light Post and Transparent Sound contributed to the project.