This interview was conducted by moderator Mitch Xander.
Mitch: Before I get to the questions, I just wanted to say thanks so much for your entry, and we hope you had a great experience with us! We hope you'll join us again for future ceremonies!
Mitch: How did you first discover Sims Machinima?
Purpura Sims (Mal): Ufff I don’t want to extend too much, but I discovered machinima in 2011 with a series in Spanish called "Enterrando la verdad" made with TS3 (Translation: Burying the Truth). At that time, I was still playing TS1 and I didn't know much about the other sagas, but when I saw that I was fascinated - and as I have always liked creating stories, it was like: why not?
I created a channel that lasted until 2013, but I had to delete it because my PC wasn’t running TS3 very well and I got frustrated. I came back in 2014 with a new PC and under the name "Purpura Sims," and here I am xD Mitch: What’s your process for creating a Machinima? Purpura Sims (Mal): Well, first I make sure I have the script(s) and all the story clearly prepared. Then as I reread the script over and over again, I create the animations I need (which may take 1-2 months). Then I create and prepare the sets for all the scenes and the costumes for the sims. And if everything goes well, I start filming and then edit after (I edit scene by scene). I often meet people who prepare along the way while filming, but I like to have everything ready so that I don't have to exit the game all the time or lose inspiration halfway. Mitch: What made you choose this episode to enter into PA? Purpura Sims (Mal): That episode of Life Plans explains all the behavior of one of the main characters and basically, it's the "deep and dark side" of the series. It shows that the series goes beyond a simple romantic story. It may be quite cliche, but it’s based on a real experience which many other people also live today. I felt that it was the episode with the most feeling and realism from the series, and I think I also improved in quality and fluency (since the previous episodes are worse xD). Mitch: Do you have any favorite moments or scenes from your entry? Purpura Sims (Mal): Yes, the scene of Christian and Alyssa talking in the backyard of the school. It seemed to me the most tender and least malicious moment of the episode, and the characters say and feel things which I identified with strongly. Mitch: Do you have a favorite character from your entry? And if so, feel free to let us know why they are your favorite! Purpura Sims (Mal): Well, my favorite character doesn't appear in the episode I submitted, but if I had to choose... I'd choose Alyssa, because she looks like the typical bad girl, but she also has internal conflicts as the main character and she’s surrounded by the wrong people (I don't want to give too many spoilers xD). Mitch: Were you happy with the scoring/feedback from our judges? Purpura Sims (Mal): Oh yesss, I think you were the first people to kindly give me constructive criticism and things to improve. That doesn't happen often, so I appreciate the immense work of the whole team! <3 Mitch: What would you say you’re most proud of when it comes to your machinima? Purpura Sims (Mal): That’s a very difficult question for me because I’m too picky about what I do. But leaving aside for a moment that part of my personality, I think my strength lies in creating interactions between characters, whether through dialogue or animation. I know I have a lot of room to grow and improve in an audiovisual way, but I feel that thanks to the dialogues and animations I create for each project I do, I achieve a certain sense of realism and convey emotion to the viewers. Mitch: What would you say you like/dislike the most when it comes to making machinima? Purpura Sims (Mal): Before, I used to be a person who disliked filming and loved to edit. But now I’m the opposite; I really like filming, especially if I already have everything prepared and I don't have to leave the game constantly. The tedious part is editing, especially when I have to find music and make it fit the scene... That’s very difficult for me. Mitch: Do you have any current goals or plans in the future with Sims Machinima? Purpura Sims (Mal): I'm currently working (coof slowly coof) on a machinima movie in TS3 with voice actors called Ghost Town, a story with a mixture of fantasy, horror, and drama. And although I have 354654 projects in mind and in progress, I want to concentrate as best as possible on this project which promises to be very long! So I can't say if I plan to make something else in the future. Mitch: Thank you again for submitting to the Plumbbob Awards and for joining me for this interview! If you'd like to make a closing statement, you're more than welcome to! Purpura Sims (Mal): Thanks to you for this interview! <3
