Bruce Moyle can be called many things, but in reality he is a puzzle stuck together with gaffer tape; a media junkie of the first order. Bruce is a graduate of the University of Tasmania, a web designer, podcaster, new media producer, sound engineer and on occasion cosplay herder. When he isn’t enriching his brain with a direct connection to the internet, you can find him in a cinema or with his face stuck in a book. Director of Joffre Street Productions, Bruce has created one of the longest running indy pop culture podcasts in Australia, (Cool) Shite on the Tube. He is also the technical director for the biggest pop culture event in Australia, Supanova. Between these fun gigs, he will be coding, advising and learning new and interesting things for his clients.
PS. He has a great love of wrangling 50 foot robots!
1. What was your initial aim was with the Cool Site on the Tube podcast, and
has it changed direction at all since it began?
There really wasn’t a plan when we first started except have fun and talk about the films and tv shows we love. Over the last 5 plus
years we have always wanted to look at it as a way to make a living, but alas that hasn’t happened. Now it more about building relationships with the readers/listeners and companies to expand our network to benefit our day to day business, and still have fun.
2. Joffre St Productions is a new media company. What kind of projects are you involved in?
We have done lots of different things. The main bread and butter is still simple web development and consulting, but I have also lectured on new media and created podcast series for a varity of different clients, both live and studio. Our consulting has been to different businesses from small to government and even the big hollywood studios. The variety keeps our work interesting. We even did a book trailer for this little author called Marianne de Pierres and her Dark Space novel, back in the day.
3. What do you see for the future of New Media? What kind of hybrid entertainment will it spawn?
Lots of people are now calling it Trans-media now. It doesn’t matter what the name is, as much as what you are doing with it. The basic functions will always be eyes and ears, and more so with the advent of gaming, movement. Then it comes down to how you package the information and how people will consume it. So in regards to the advent of hybrid entertainment, we are already seeing it and have been for years. A story from a film being continued in a comic series or tie-in computer games. These things are not new, but with the digital lifestyles people now live, it is easier and cheaper for the consumer to be brought into these extended worlds. The coolest (and could also be the most annoying aspect) is that we can participate in the experience as it is happening, eg. A TV show can have a poll happening for the first half of the screening that changes the outcome at the end. Now that people are paying for there own technology, the expense of empowering the consumer is reduced on the creators end and therefore more time and money can be used to push the products out. It also means that the little man can get on the same playing field as the big companies, making the whole thing much more interesting and diverse.
4. Can you explain your involvement with the Supanova Pop Expos.
I am the technical director for the expo. in 2005, I emailed Daniel Zachariou out of the blue, asking for interviews with the guests. Being one of the first podcast outfits in Australia, Daniel took the strategic position to get us to record the whole expo. From there, the relationship has grown and with the help of David Quinn, Dion Brooks and Chris Rattray, we run ourselves ragged each Expo to help bring the best fan experience we can. This ranges from managing the website and other behind the scene bit and pieces, to MC-ing on the day, recording all the panels for podcasting, helping guests out with their technical requirements, and occasionally setting up video conferencing with famous directors, stars and creators from around the globe.
5. If you could interview any entertainer alive who would it be? And why?
I have three answers to this question.
Technical/Professional Interview:
For me personally it would be Ben Burt, the sound designer. The man has been at the forefront of sound design for film since the 1970’s.
Entertainer:
For an actual entertainer, I have always wanted to have a chat with Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead films, Burn Notice), while the man has
never been an A list celebrity, his body of work ranges from Z grade films to A list blockbusters. Plus I grew up on Evil Dead films and still love them today.
Creator:
William Gibson would be a creator I would love to chat too. I have loved his books since I was a teenager. Neuromancer solidified my love of science-fiction and his latest Bigend trilogy of books have gotten my brain working on current day projects and ideas.
6. Which has been your favorite interview to date?
Tough one, umm, interviewing Neil Gaiman was our first big interview and one of our most exciting, being new to all this talking to stars thing. The biggest highlight personally was JJ Abrams at the world premiere of Star Trek. I was one of only two new media people to get to do a video one-on-one interview and I was really nervous. He was really great to chat to and thanked me at the end for asking intellegent questions and not going down the standard magazine route. As you can imagine I was over the moon and I think the interview came out ok too.
I’ve had some lovely reviews this week that are really worth linking to. The first is a Nylon Angel review from Book Chick City, in tandem with my post on my researching confessions.
contract, I’ve been a bit unhappy and unsure as to how to go forward. Winning the award has given me a bit of confidence to pursue making the series more widely available. Currently you can only buy it in Commonwealth countries, and I would really like North American readers to be able to purchase it. If you have an comments or thoughts or advice on this, I would welcome them.
