To all you dio-makers out there

[DaveCW2]

What prompted you to get started creating them? And, as a follow-up, how time-consuming is it: How long to write, photograph, set build, photoshop, etc.?

I'm thinking about trying it out, but I'm not sure if I have the time to do it. Also, I have a pretty short attention span for this kind of thing; I may get bored half-way through :eek:

Thanks again, everybody!

[lehsreh]

[COLOR=Red]i got into dios after reading general hawks' dios. i came in after they had been going for over a year, so between him and other dio authors i had about a month of reading. i saw it as a way to still play with my joes and a reason to relive my childhood.

as for time consuming, it may just be me, but it can be very time consuming. the scripting is the easiest for me, taking anywhere between 30 to 1:30 mins.
actually taking the pictures can take me anywhere from 2 hours inside to around 6 outside. thew winter dio i did was longer then six because i had to keep coming inside.
set building isnt my strong point as im mainly an outside person. the few i have built are easy and fast to build. i use stuff like computer sides as walls and whatever.
as for photoshop, you cant really put a time on it as the more you do it, you get faster and faster. i probably do this in a 4th of what is use to take me.

i really wish more and more people would get into doing dios. at least try it once with a one shot, which is what you should try first if your worrying about your attention span. my first try was a one shot so i would not have to worry about a follow up if i did not want to. you, and a guy who use to be here(blowtorch) are two i would like to see do dios as i love both of your photo colors. by this i mean how you get such rich color into them. i dont know how you both do it, but i have yet to see yours and his equaled.

as a side note about time consuming and your attention span. look at violentfix, he took almost a whole year off from doing his dio once and came back to it.[/COLOR]

[Sonneilon]

I think I got into dios from viewing Luke Ellison's work. I know that I got into pictures from him.

I thought it was total fun and I could do stories that I knew I'd ever see from anyone else. That's a lot of the fun, to do stuff that isn't of the norm. I started as normal military stuff but I've found that doing more sci-fi/horror is more fun. I've always like the movies where a normal crew goes in and has to fight weird funky stuff that's outside the box. The key is to create a situation where it looks remotely plausible. It also helps the viewer understand stuff IF they have a broad knowledge of movies and books. I totally used a lil concept by Stephen King and back when I did the Transformations dio, THE MIST hadn't come out yet and MOST people didn't know about it. ;)

But anyway... how long does it take? It depends on every factor out there! Money, resources, building sets, whether the figures are available or coming out soon, etc. I don't actually WRITE it all out. I have a ton of ideas and usually bounce them off a few people here to see if it'll float.

[Sonneilon]

I don't actually know how to do a SHORT dio. Short for me still ends up being 20-30 frames! Which means, I took 60-90 shots for it!

I just shot Part2 and Part3 of HUNT FOR SONNEILON. Both parts average out to 90s shots each. But just how many will I actually use? It's NOT like all the shots are perfect. Change in shutter speed and frame rate; same shot, many takes. You know how it is!

I plan on working on that tonite, if I can get my butt in gear...

[lehsreh]

[COLOR=Red]oh, one thing everyone who writes dios should know, do not get upset, but expect that you dios will not get a lot of feedback. i post mine on 5 different sites, i may get 180 views, but lucky to get 25 or 30 replies. i dont know why people do this, maybe because someone already said what they thought, maybe they dont have a thought, or maybe they saw something they didnt like but just didnt want to let you know.

i think if we read someone's dio, we should acknowledge it by replying, even if we only say nice. i know it has gotten to me after seeing so many views but only a few replies. it gets you thinking if you should keep going, but when you see your story come together, it can be a great feeling.[/COLOR]

[snakeeater]

I thought I had some pretty good story ideas and initially started writing it as fan fiction, but it was hard to get motivated to write. Then I read Violentfix's Operation Rapier, and saw a cool way to tell the stories I had. And it is a good feeling to see a story that's been in my head come to life on a computer screen.

It's a fun way to combine 4 hobbies 1) writing, 2) toy collecting, 3) photography, and 4) web site design.

I don't really pay attention to how long it takes to work on them, it's fun to do so I don't really notice. I usually work on them a little here and there as I have time, and for outdoor shots, good weather.

Your single shots have been really good so far, hope to see something from you soon.

[Sonneilon]

I still haven't gotten Outrider to do a dio either! and his shots are wonderful too! Say, where's a ToneGuns dio???

[Urban Saboteur]

How long?
Geeez.. how long do you have? :o
J/k.
Actually the best advice I can give is not to over commit yourself with something, otherwise when you come to do the dio.. do the work for it.. it becomes more like work and less enjoyable.. always stay in focus of the story you want to tell.
It's best to start with something real simple say 5-10 shots, think of a very brief scene and explain what happened before and after..
If you enjoyed doing that short scenario, chances are you'll get a liking for telling longer stories with more intensity and focus on each character.

Bottom line, make sure you enjoy doing your stories.. the comments, feedback etc are good to get, but as long as you enjoyed creating the storyline initially you'll find it very rewarding to do.

The scenery thing can be a problem sometimes for me, so i tend to shoot natural photographs outdoors and use photoplus to put in the gunshots/fx later. :cool:

[lehsreh]

[QUOTE=Urban Saboteur]
Actually the best advice I can give is not to over commit yourself with something, otherwise when you come to do the dio.. do the work for it.. it becomes more like work and less enjoyable.[/QUOTE]

[COLOR=Red]perfect point, and one that should not be forgotten. this has happened to me on many things. even some of my dios are cut short because i feel that i am once again trying to fall into the perfectionist mindset that i once had when i use to draw comics. man, i would take 8 hours on a single picture and still would be disappointed.

on a side note, although you may be tempted to do a dio that you know others will love with the characters you think they want, your first one should be with characters you love following a storyline you enjoy reading and writing.[/COLOR]

[Rambo]

[COLOR=DarkSlateBlue]Well... I admire Tim's Frankovich dios. His dios were the first ones I read and I admit, I got Pathfinder because of him.

I have a lazy brain that only let me do 1 shot dios. I like to make funny ones and I like to photoshoot hated figures just to spice the site.

Sets are my weak side. I wish I have some playset or a garden. It is a little, just a little, embarassing to shoot outside, alone in a park... with dogs and people nearby looking at you wondering what da F'N is he doing.

When an idea enters my mind, it doesn't stop bugging me until I got post it. And yes, I like to play with Photoshop filters and fonts and effects. I am still learning. That's why I ask for How-To in some pics.

Time? My last two pics took 3 hours to get done. [/COLOR]

[Rambo]

[COLOR=DarkSlateBlue]BTW... it is nicer to get replys and ratings in your dios or photos. I promised to reply everytime I read a dio.[/COLOR]

[ender098]

I agree with what SnakeEater said. It combines some of my interests. I was collecting for years, but the last time I actually set my stuff up and had a war was about 1985, and we strung stuff all over the upstairs of my Parents house. We played for 5 hours with the stuff and I didn't have 1/100th the stuff I have now. It would take weeks to set up an all out war.

I was kind depressed I had nothing to do with my figures but collect them and put them on shelves, and I saw some of General Hawks Dios and some guy named "Tim" had a cool site. I showed it to my wife and mentioned how cool I thought it was and she said "why don't you do that? I mean, its not like they're (the figures) are doing anything but collecting dust". At first I thought, No! I wouldn't be any good at that. Then I found JoeDios and I read forums, asked advice and I started....the rest is history.

For me, it's Very time consuming. filming one scene can take 2 weeks. I build the set, photograph it with figures, post a few of the best and ask advice on how it looks or what I can do to improve it. Sometimes, it's just a matter of a few minor changes (like in my museum) other times, I throw the whole thing out and start again (like with my throne room). Then I decide what the dialog in the scene will be, place the figures and take pictures. this usually takes 2-3 days. I take probably 5 pictures for every 1 I publish. I check them on the PC, see how they look in CBC (comic book creator) and then if I like them and I'm satisfied, I tear down the set and build the set for the next scene. (nothing is worse than realizing one of your KEY shots is blurry AFTER you tore down your set!!!) .

I have the Story line and the scenes plotted out in my head BEFORE I begin. And I don't make a complete Story wth one Dio.I just tell part of a bigger story. I try to use at least 3-5 different scenes (sets) in each chapter so you don't get bored with the scenery. How many complete stories can you tell with 10 pages and one to three different locations?

My dio keeps telling the same epic tale (I've done 6 dios and they are in a sequence). I want you guessing what's gonna happen....where am I going. It's hard sometimes. you get lost halfway through and want to quit. Right now I have my 7th installment 95% done and because I'm in Iraq, I can't finish the last scene (which is about 2-3 frames/pictures) It's frustrating!

Realize I'm obsessive and a perfectionist. I put WAY too much nitpicky work into my dios(even though I still need MORE...there I go again!!), but I hope it shows! If you look at it and get into it and forget for a moment you're looking at small action figures placed on a set I built on a desktop in my garage and lose yourself in the story I've told for a moment, it was worth it to me.....but at least let me know!

I know what lehsreh is talking about. I have about 30 people I sent my last dio to and I think I got what? 10 responses? I don't care if you don't like it, just tell me....you know? It's kind of a thankless job. I'm hoping when I return to make a Dios Vault site where we can download dios from authors here and elsewhere!

My advice, try it! If you don't wanna get too involved, start the first scene of a story as a teaser and see what kind of feedback you get. You can learn a lot if you don't take critism personal! Have fun and enjoy it. I do!

[silentdusty]

I wish I had the time to shoot dio shots, probably when my kids get a little older, and the renos in the house come to an end I will find the time, lately I can barely find the time to come here or do any photos at all.

I've got to say though, even though I may not comment on all the pics and dios I try to look at all of them, what fantastic work is done here, we've got some top notch talent, and some people with fantastic imaginations. I think Hasbro & IDW would do good to look at some of the dio sites for ideas, cause they could get some great stories from here and from other dios.

[zedhatch]

Hi been gone away from this site for far too long.

Anyway back to subject. For a dio it depends on what I am trying to do. Some can take an hour to shoot and another hour to photoshop, however something else for whatever reason can take a month. There is no clear line to say what it is, sometimes though I can get delayed when something just isn't working and I am trying a new angle to make something else work in its place. What is frustrating is shooting a whole sequence and being down to the photoediting process and realize it just doesn't fit. That delays me the worst cause I ahve to start from scratch.

Another big delay is sitting down shooting or editing and coming up with a whole new idea that is perfect, its easier when shooting since you can just shoot the sequence for later, tougher in editing since you might have to go back and reshoot, but that happens to me alot (more often than not in fact).

[troopsofdoom]

I started doing dios because I’m lazy.

I always wanted to do a comic for a long time. Following the advice of “write what you know” I dug my old GI Joes out of my parent’s attic. I thought action figures would make things easy with all the characters already created and I thought taking pictures would be faster than drawing.

I couldn’t have been more wrong. Turns out dios are a whole lot harder to do. I never though about all the limitations like facial expressions, poseability, props, sets, the domino effect, etc. Photography isn’t easier than drawing either. There’s lighting, focus, perspectives, flow from shot to shot, etc. (I’m sure everyone here knows what I mean.)

Another reason I started doing dios was that I thought it would be unique. I was under the impression I was doing something innovative. About two months after starting Troops of Doom (http://troopsofdoomcomic.com) I found JoeDios. I had no idea there were so many people doing dios and at much higher quality than I was. I almost quit TOD right then. But I decided I was having too much fun and became a member instead.

Writing is the easy part, the ideas just pop in my head. Most of the time anyway. When they don’t I stand a bunch of figures on the computer while I’m working. Having them in view all day will often spark an idea. Photographing I take 10-20 shots per frame, up to 140 per episode, to get the best possible photo. More options the better.

Dios take a lot longer than I expected, and TOD is always done in frantic last minute panic. An episode takes me a half hour to five hours to do. I’ve found good ideas take less time than bad ones.

Looking back this post seems negative but it’s not. I’m having a lot of fun with TOD and JoeDios. As I build some more sets, get some props and buy some proper lighting the limitations will lessen and the enjoyment will increase. It’s like being a kid again.

[DaveCW2]

Man, you guys have me pretty jazzed to get to work on one. Truth be told, I've got a story in my head; the beginning of one anyway, and I'm just worried I wouldn't allow myself the time to finish it. Though if I get really excited about the story... who knows what'll happen?

Thanks all for sharin' your thoughts. It really does seem to be a labor of love.

[Self-Modifier]

Sorry I'm late, but even though you've already apparently made up your mind to do one, I'll share my story anyway:

I'd read a few dios here and there, but I wasn't really that into them. I used to post on JoeCustoms occasionally, and while I was there, Hammerfel offered to host my G.I. Joe music files on this site. So I signed up for JoeDios, and I looked at pictures here, and after a while the bug sort of bit me. I started with a one-off, two- or three-page meeting between some Joes (Barrage, Bombstrike, and Hard-Drive) and the Autobots Hound, Wheeljack, and Optimus Prime. Then I started gradually adding bits to the story, jumping around, just doing it for fun. After a while, I got carried away and turned it into a full-fledged dio-story! I went back eventually and filled in some of the blanks from the earlier, unplanned segments, but that first story is still kind of a disjointed read for about the first half.

After that first story, I was getting some really nice feedback from everyone here (though many who used to comment on my stuff are gone now), so I decided to turn the story into a three-part epic. I actually planned out the second and third parts (albeit loosely), and set to work photographing. Now here we are three years (!) after I posted that first page (Barrage was brand-new when I shot it!), and I'm nearly done posting the final segment of the trilogy.

I'll admit, there were times when it got to be a bit much, and I started losing interest. But I always see things through to the end-- And whenever I convinced myself to dive back in and keep working, it would immediately become fun again. I love the characters I'm working with, so that makes a huge difference. Plus, after I finished the first story, I took about four months off, and after I finished the second one I took about five (I think) months off there. It always helps to refresh yourself!

I think that about covers it. I've talked about my process many times on this site, but in a nutshell-- I come up with a plot, I shoot pictures that tell the story I've written down, I choose the best shots and write the script for them, then I throw it all together in Photoshop and eventually post it here!

Anyway Dave, I look forward to seeing whatever you produce! And for some reason I have a feeling Flint is going to be a main character...

[DaveCW2]

[QUOTE=Self-Modifier]Anyway Dave, I look forward to seeing whatever you produce! And for some reason I have a feeling Flint is going to be a main character...[/QUOTE] Ha ha... he's gonna' be one of 'em, and no worries; Duke'll be pretty prevalent, too. I'm REALLY gonna' try not to focus too much on one character, but who knows what'll happen.

Thanks for your thoughts about dios. I really should leave comments for ya', but I suck at it. I'm always amazed at how well you can adjust the scale of the TFs in your shots, and how different figures represent the same character. I can tell you have fun shootin' the thing, which is nice, too.

Anyway all, I've already got a panel done, but it's WAY too early to show anything yet. I'll keep ya' posted on the progress.

Have fun!!!

[lehsreh]

[COLOR=Red]1 question Self-Modifier, since your story is about done. do you plan on doing any more dios? it would bad if you stopped all together as not many people make dios anymore. [/COLOR]

[Self-Modifier]

[QUOTE=lehsreh][COLOR=Red]1 question Self-Modifier, since your story is about done. do you plan on doing any more dios? it would bad if you stopped all together as not many people make dios anymore. [/COLOR][/QUOTE]

I'd like to do more eventually... Definitely some less-epic stuff, though. I mean, I feel that any time the Transformers and Joes meet it should be kind of a big deal, but it doesn't have to be as big as I've been making it.

I have two ideas for future stories-- One would be the Joes vs. the Insecticons (probably with no Autobots or Decepticons involved, but there would be other top-secret guest-stars), and the other would be a time-travel story where Flint and Lady Jaye meet Marissa, their daughter from the future (and along the way, Optimus might meet Rodimus, and Megatron might meet Galvatron). But we'll see how things go.

I also have ideas for just Transformers stories and just Joe stories, but I'm having so much fun with the crossovers that those are all I want to work on right now!

[lehsreh]

[QUOTE=Self-Modifier]
I have two ideas for future stories-- One would be the Joes vs. the Insecticons (probably with no Autobots or Decepticons involved, but there would be other top-secret guest-stars),
[/QUOTE]
[COLOR=Red]
i could really dig one where its just the joes against the insecticons. i watched episode where they first came to the cartoon the other day, i always loved how tough those little suckers were.[/COLOR]

[Sonneilon]

Dave, I know that I always have music going when I'm shooting. It often puts me in the mood/mode and gets things moving. ANd when working on the computer afterwards (be it hours, days, weeks or months later), I have so much stuff going into my head (be it music or a violent movie), it totally gets me going and keeps me going.

Transformations... That took a radical change from what I was originally going to do. I don't even remember the original plan. But I bought Doom when it was released and I was floored. I loved every aspect of it. To me, that seemed MORE humanistic than, ahem, Aliens. I mean that in, I didn't see Apone's platoon as GI Joe. But the Rock's RRTS, that screamed GI Joe to me. Change the names around and BAM, there you go! It was right then that I scrapped my plans and decided to make it more eerie and more sci-fi. It was all about a rapid response action squad going into the unknown.

You got the sequence of them going in (just like Aliens/Doom). You get to know the characters. You have a hell of a lot of corridors to deal with. MINE may have not been as black as the sewer sequence from Doom (wish I could do that), but I tried red lighting (ie; Aliens) to see if that would work as well. And when you have genetically engineered monsters coming out of the woodwork but can never quite see them, you never know what will really happen!

The Island was to take that to the outdoors. There was a lil bit of Predator in there you know. And it was VERY heavy on genetic manipulation. I'm a big fan of that, as you can tell. Monsters don't just come from nowhere. They are created by Cobra Commander cuz the guy is a nutter. Always looking for the next best weapon! Uh, I think I'm babbling!


But I'd love to see a good old Joe vs Cobra battle too. In your style, it'd prolly make me cry!

[DaveCW2]

G, I honestly can't wait to see the next one from ya'.

Self-Modifier, likewise.

Hershel, it'd better not take TOO long to see the Hidden Agenda one-shot photos start showin' up :D

TOD, great stuff! "I'm confused. Which one's the master?"

zedhatch, I'm just now checking out your stuff. I didn't know where it was until Hershel put it up a few days ago.

Now for a bit of an update, and a question: First off, I have Chapter. 1 written, but I don't think I'll start shooting until I'm almost done with the story. I'd like to do something insanely epic, but who knows whether or not my ideas will take me that far.

Thus far, it's a reboot using the 25th Anniversary figures (duh ;) ) The original 13 are still the original 13, with Hawk as a colonel. They'll already be in place, as I'm going to use the dio to introduce other characters (I'll give ya' a hint as to one of 'em: he has a shotgun named Lucy). No worries, though; the Original 13 will definitely be prominent.

It will be mainly military with some sci-fi thrown in.

I'm hoping to make Cobra Commander FAR more evil than he's been portrayed in any media, though I'm not sure that's possible.

Anyway, thus far that's about it for the story.

Now, the question: How do you guys keep your interest going in writing these things?

Have fun!!!

[lehsreh]

[COLOR=Red]honestly, its hard to keep an interest when you script the whole story as i do part of the time. sometimes its nice to know the direction and some of the words, but take the pictures you know you will need for the scene and then add the words. if you get bored writing the whole thing out, try that. every part of the process gets tedious sometimes, but when your finished its feels great to see it all together and know that your story is apart of the joe world. i also like to think that it will be around somewhere in 20 years so i can look back on it.

as for your dio being epic, i dont know how your can tell a story, but you will have some of the best photos bar none.

oh, had to edit this to add something. one thing i have done with the last 2 chapters that i wish i hadnt was that i have had the pictures for the last 2 chapters done for almost 3 months. this sux because you see new figures coming out that you wanted to use and when they lay around that long, you kind of lose interest. once you get the pictures taken, start with the photoshop or whatever, with the script written, it will go faster anyway. [/COLOR]

[Self-Modifier]

[QUOTE=DaveCW2]Now, the question: How do you guys keep your interest going in writing these things?[/QUOTE]

For me, I just love writing, period. I have so many ideas for stories floating around in my head (not just for Joes and Transformers-- for everything!)... I'll never get them all out. It's finding motivation to photograph all the stuff I think of that's sometimes hard... But the writing just sort of flows out whether I want it to or not!

[Sonneilon]

What keeps ME writing???

Just stuff that pops up in my mind. Sometimes, I mean to go out and do just single shots (for Photos) and a story comes out of it that I decide to run with.

Yesterday, I went out to shoot Part4 of Hunt For Sonneilon but instead of running with that storyline, I found myself doing something very different. It's still Sonneilon kicking butt but I wanted to convey in Part3 that Sonneilon actually had a real Cobra mission. I'll be wrapping up Part4 and it'll go directly into the NEW dio I'm starting to work on.

As for the 1st episode of Archives, I still have to wrap that up. I have a lot of the next part already shot, but there's gonna be a lot of fotoshopping involved which is why I'm procrastinating. Give or take that I still need to finish a set. Trust me, start small. Just do something that are a few shots long. (Short for me is 30-some frames).

I had a couple of short dios that may have been 20 shots or less. Fans here MIGHT remember a lil dio where Scrap Iron captures a RHINO (DTC RHINO) and fires his big gun into the personnel pit! It was gruesome and violent cuz you KNOW all the Greenshirts inside died. I did another that created... Uh... It was a red ninja story because I had all those multi-colored ninja hanging around.

But yeah. I usually have a small idea or just scenes I want to do and then I just try and fill in the gaps. I'm trying to cut down my dios so they aren't so overwhelming but it's hard. Now that I'm not using CBC, 90 shots are a lot longer than 90 shots in the CBC.