Chronist-Interview mit Ryder Windham

[Nuhrii the Metruan]

Wir müssen die Fragen dann halt ordentlich zusammenkürzen/auswählen. Wir können ihm keine drei Dutzend Fragen oder so stellen...

[Kopeke 490]

Da ist man mal einen Tag nicht da...

Hier also meine Fragen:
1. Wie groß ist die Insel Okoto? Zu Mata Nui u. Ä. gab es in der G1 ja immer Schätzungen.
2. Wie viele Einwohner hat die Insel Okoto? Wenn es mehrere Dörfer gibt, könnten das ja auch ein paar mehr sein

Warum ist der Hüter der Erde, Korgot, weiblich? In G1 waren es schließlich immer die Wasser-Charaktere, die weiblich waren.

Und: War es einfach, Korgot zu verweiblichen? Wie eng musste das mit dem Storyteam abgesprochen werden?

[Helios]

Meine Fragen wären:
Sind Sie sich der Tatsache bewusst, dass das BIONICLE Franchise mit der ersten Generation ein enormes Erbe und eingeschworene Fans besitzt, und bauen Sie deshalb manche Referenzen zu dieser ersten Generation mit ein, oder wurden ihnen diese genau so vorgegeben? (Anmerkung: So oder so, die Referenzen haben uns sehr gefreut!)
Und:
Können wir darauf hoffen, dass Sie der neuen BIONICLE-Story mit kleineren, fantasievollen Details, die nicht die Komplexität der Handlung maßgeblich beeinflussen, noch mehr Tiefe und Atmosphäre verleihen werden, sofern Ihnen dies gestattet ist? Die alteingesessene Fangemeinde von BIONICLE freut sich immer über kleine Details, wie die Erwähnung eines neuartigen Tiers, einer bestimmten Eigenschaft/ eines Ticks eines Nebencharakters, oder Beschreibungen von Dingen, die nicht zwingend mehr Tiefe erfordern würden, wie Details über die Kultur der Bewohner von Okoto, ob sie vielleicht besondere Werkzeuge, Gewohnheiten oder Zeremonien haben. Gewiss könnten diese Dinge bei einem vorgegebenen Umfang der Geschichte nur als Bemerkungen am Rande eingebaut werden, doch wir sind immer sehr glücklich darüber!

[Lord Kopaka]

Meine weiteren Fragen nach Lesen des Buches:

Spoiler: zeigen

1. Warum wird Kopakas Maske nicht von den Bösen abgenommen und die Elementarenergie ausgesaugt, obwohl es Set-wise extra die Maske gibt?
2. Wer kontrolliert die Skelettarmee? Der Totenkopf- Brecher oder der Herr der Totenkopfspinnen?
3. Warum gibt es die goldene Totenkopfspinnenmaske, die ja auch angeblich dafür gut ist die Totenkopfspinnen zu kontrollieren, im Buch kommt sie aber auch nicht vor, lediglich bei dem Podest beim Hert der Totenkopfspinnen wird erwähnt, dass dort etwas gewesen sein muss?

[Toa-Nuva]

Ich hab deinen Beitrag editiert, aber beachtet bei allen zukünftigen Beiträge bitte: Wenn ihr irgendwelche Inhalte des Buches erwähnt, benutzt bitte

Spoiler: zeigen

-Tags!

Mal eine Metafrage (die auch schon mal von Kopeke in der CB gestellt wurde), wann soll das Interview denn stattfinden? Gibt es eine Deadline zum Fragenstellen?

[Nuhrii the Metruan]

Bisher ist es noch nicht mal fest vereinbart. Ryder meinte, er wäre gerne bereit, das nach Release zu machen, muss das evtl. aber mit LEGO absprechen.

Ich glaube nicht, dass er viele von den Behind the Scenes Fragen beantworten kann, sofern sie nicht direkt mit seinem Schreibprozess zu tun haben. Anders als Greg arbeitet er nicht bei LEGO (der hat damals schon fest für LEGO gearbeitet und mehr Zugriff zu Dingen gehabt), sondern nur als Freiberufler für sie.

Was das Datum angeht... irgendjemand müsste hier jetzt mal einen vernünftigen Fragenkatalog zusammenstellen mit den interessantesten Fragen und dann leiere ich das über meinen niederländischen Kumpel Eddie von starwarstimeline.com an, der den Chatkontakt zu Ryder hat.

[Ryder Windham]

Hi, fellow fans of LEGO BIONICLE, specifically Nuhrill the Metruan, Lesovikk520, Takua Nuva, Toa Nuva, and others who contributed questions,

I’m Ryder Windham. I hope you won’t mind if I answer some of your questions in English. I promise in advance: No spoilers.

About 15 years ago, a Scholastic editor (I forget her name) asked if I would be interested in working on BIONICLE stories. Although I was interested, and the editor sent me a Story Bible, she subsequently informed Greg Farshtey would write all the BIONICLE books, which meant I never worked on any G1 books. But I still thought the toys were terrific, and my friend Henry Gilroy wrote the screenplays for the BIONICLE movies, which I also enjoyed very much.

I was very surprised when last year, another Scholastic editor, who liked my work on Star Wars books, offered me an assignment to write BIONICLE chapter books. The editor explained that LEGO was “rebooting” BIONICLE, and that LEGO would provide a new Story Bible and scripts for animated cartoons. The assignment did not require me to read previously published BIONICLE books, but I was required to adapt various sequences from the cartoons (including dialogue) into prose fiction stories.

As for the differences between working on Star Wars and BIONICLE, all I can really say is that I approached BIONICLE as an entirely different property. Yes, both feature forces of good vs. evil, but I was never tempted to “bring” my experience on Star Wars to the world of Bionicle. I wouldn’t say one is easier to write than the other. Both properties present unique challenges for writers.

Technically, I suppose I’m an “external contractor” (Toa Nuva, I believe that’s the term you used?), but LEGO has encouraged me to be creative too. I do cooperate with the BIONICLE story team, and must adhere to their Story Bible, but I do have some leeway in developing stories, situations, and introducing secondary characters.

I proposed and invented the names of the Protectors because I thought names were necessary to distinguish the characters. The BIONICLE team agreed, and asked me to submit lists of possible names. I scavenged fragments of words from over a dozen foreign language dictionaries to combine the fragments into “names,” but some names I simply made up. The BIONICLE team made the final selection.

Lord Kopaka, I’ll answer your translated questions.

1. Are the books and graphic novels also appear in German?
RW: Sorry, I don’t know.

2. Shall the books graphic novel or the animation to be the main medium of the story?
RW: I can only answer that from my perspective, which is that I try to write the comics and chapter books as if they’re unique reading experiences. Obviously, I must maintain continuity with the Story Bible and animation, but I also understand that fans want more than strict adaptations.

3. Who is the signatory of the graphic novel? What it is going in this? Additional Story or from the book?
RW: I’m scripting the graphic novels too. I can’t say much about the stories, but I think it’s okay if I say that they’re more than adaptations, that we’re using them as opportunities to expand on the characters, locations and history.

4. How well he knows the old Bionicle and it's part of the new story teams?
RW: I realize I may outrage G1 fans, but I read only two BIONICLE chapter books fifteen years ago, and I can’t recall the titles. However, I never read every Star Wars book or comic either. I don’t mean that as insult to other writers, and certainly not to the fans either. The fact is that I’m paid to write books, not read them, and publishers typically provide me with synopses of previously published books to help me work faster. The BIONICLE story team has been very helpful and supportive with providing information and answering my questions.

Walter 44, I regret I can’t answer all your questions, but I’ll try…

Why is the guardian of the earth, Korgot, female? Finally In G1 it was always the water characters were female.
RW: After reviewing the Story Bible and the BIONICLE cartoon scripts, I encouraged the idea that at least one Protector should be female, and proposed Korgot. My reasoning: I know girls love BIONICLE too, and the Protectors offered an opportunity to introduce a new female hero. Because Toa Gali is female, I dismissed giving her a female “sidekick” (the Protector of Water) because I thought that was an obvious choice. So I proposed Korgot as a female Protector, and I was delighted that LEGO approved.

How it came to naming the Protectors?
RW: I already answered that one. Good for me! Ha ha.

Why do all the same mask Protectors (Story Declaration)?
RW: I don’t think that’s been explored in any stories so far. Perhaps it should be!

Are the residents Okotos machines? Creatures? Biomechanically?
RW: Like the Toa, the islanders are bio-mechanical life forms.

How far the story is planned so far?
RW: I can’t say.

Are there any other mask makers? Less known?
RW: I can’t say.

Are there any plans in addition to the Toa also other names from G1 to use?
RW: I can’t say.

Are the Skulls (Warrior, Basher, slicer) the same species as the residents Okotos (perhaps mutated or so) or if they are their own species?
RW: Forgive me sounding like a vinyl record that keeps skipping over the same lyrics, but… I can’t say.

Kopeck 490, you asked:

1. How big is the island Okoto? For Mata Nui u. Ä. there were in the G1 always estimates.
RW: It’s BIG! For the average islander, a journey across the island could take weeks.

2. How many people live in the island Okoto? If there are several villages, which could indeed be a few more
RW: I can’t say a specific number for Okoto’s population. The island has several major villages, and also various smaller villages.

3. Was it easy to feminize Korgot? How close had to be discussed with the Story Team?
RW: I couldn’t find anything in the Story Bible or cartoons that contradicted the idea that the Protector of Earth could be female, so it was easy for me to propose the idea. Again, I’m glad LEGO approved and supported the idea.

Helios, your translated questions:

Are you aware of the fact that the BIONICLE franchise with the first generation has a tremendous heritage and sworn fans, and therefore build some references for this first generation with a, or were you given this exactly?
RW: Yes, I’m aware of BIONICLE’s heritage, the fans, their devotion to the story and characters, also their expectations for the new books and comics. Maybe it’s because of my experience with Star Wars, but I don’t feel daunted by the challenges or expectations. I’m honored that I landed the BIONICLE writing assignments, and I hope to please many fans. I also know from experience that I can’t please everyone, but that doesn’t stop me from trying.

Can we hope that you will give the new BIONICLE story with smaller, imaginative details that do not affect the complexity of the act decisively, even more depth and atmosphere as long as this is permitted?
RW: Yes.

Okay, NOW I have to get back to work. But in case you were wondering whether I care about BIONICLE fans, and that I appreciate your criticism as well as your support, I hope you know the answer now. Thanks for reading!

Best regards,

—Ryder Windham

[Nuhrii the Metruan]

Thanks, Ryder! A lot of awesome information that you provided us and we are grateful that you took the time to get involved.

(And thanks to our mutual friend Eddie for facilitating this.)

(Und ja, Leute, das ist der echte Ryder. )

[Takua Nuva]

(ah gut zu wissen das es tatsächlich der echte ist. kann ich mich endlich bedanken) I realy want to thank you too for sacrificing so much of your time to give us such extensive answers to our questions.

(btw wenn jemand nich versteht was windham geschrieben hat kann ichs ihm gerne übersetzen.)

[Lesovikk520]

Thanks a lot for your time and effort to answer all our questions Mr. Wyndham. I think that the fact that you suggested the names and the Earth Protector being female is really awesome!