Brook Interviews Forum Members: The Series

[PonyEcho 1,610]

Well, I guess you haven't read what I posted in the queue thread now did you? I pick at random my man

 

Hey wait a second, are you doing anything right now?

lol, didn't notice that guess i should look at the details more 

 

well i'm busy atm so you can do a few other interviews (i was just kinda being observant... plus queuing is fun )

i'm fine with waiting anyway so maybe later today or tomorow

Edited February 4, 2013 by PonyEcho

[~Lawful Sturdy Wing~ 522]

I didn't know all that much about Sturdy Wing before, in fact, I'd even go as far as to say I knew nothing about Sturdy wing before reading this.

 

On the other hand...

 

 

Rainbow Dash!? Rainbow DAAAAASSSSHHH?

 

 

You don't know me? But we have chatted in the past and I voted for you as next forum moderator -goes to cry- oh well, you know me slightly better now!

[An Old Head 4,816]

Phwoar, I'll tell you something... Urdingtons here will not rest until he's sure he loves Pinkie Pie more than anyone else does  I might have to challenge you to a love-off Urdie! n.n

 

Really did enjoy - stuff from fellow Pinkie Pie fans always makes a great read. Thanks Brook

[Brook 663]

Phwoar, I'll tell you something... Urdingtons here will not rest until he's sure he loves Pinkie Pie more than anyone else does  I might have to challenge you to a love-off Urdie! n.n

 

Really did enjoy - stuff from fellow Pinkie Pie fans always makes a great read. Thanks Brook

What are you thanking me for? Thank Urdie, he's the one who did all the work, I just sat there and played with myself did nothing until *pop* an interview came out.

Edited February 4, 2013 by Brook

[An Old Head 4,816]

What are you thanking me for? Thank Urdie, he's the one who did all the work, I just sat there and played with myself did nothing until *pop* an interview came out.

 

But of course, I'm equally thankful to both of ye. Urdie is by default, of course, because he and I both know who the best pony is. But we'd never have heard him say anything (well, for a while anyhoo) if you didn't pop the Urdmeister an interview, so you're to thank as well.

[Harmonic Revelations 8,835]

You don't know me? But we have chatted in the past and I voted for you as next forum moderator -goes to cry- oh well, you know me slightly better now!

I do know you. I was actually being sarcastic. In any case, i did learn quite a bit about you from this interview. You're quite an interesting person.

[~Lawful Sturdy Wing~ 522]

I do know you. I was actually being sarcastic. In any case, i did learn quite a bit about you from this interview. You're quite an interesting person.

Oh... well much of the impact of sarcasm is lost through the medium of text... my bad -cough- anyway thank you kindly, was just glad to get to explain my love of the show and of Dashie :3

[khaine21x3 789]

I guess we all know now why he's named Sturdy Wing after he managed to convert a few people into clopping and even a clopper hater and I mean that in a positive way.

[~Lawful Sturdy Wing~ 522]

I guess we all know now why he's named Sturdy Wing after he managed to convert a few people into clopping and even a clopper hater and I mean that in a positive way.

 

Oh Celestia I never thought of the implications XD why in the wide wide world of Equestria didn't I pick a better name O.O -cries- I am normal... I promise

[Brook 663]

An interview with some random dude I found lying on the forums, Mike a.k.a Parsleyshy.

 

If you wish to be interviewed, reply to this topic.

 

Questions are in underline, answers are in bold-italic.

 

1. When did you first become a fan of the show, and what made you want to join the fandom?

It was back in November of 2012, was just playing xbox as per usual with my friend, Cider Barrel, on his laptop. He was watching random videos, and suddenly I hear this weird noise. Wondering what it was, I asked, and saw glimpses of the .mov series. Started watching some of those episodes and thought they were hilarious. He went home and then I was thinking to myself...meh I may watch the first episode...started watching on youtube on xbox. Suddenly I'm on episode 5 and Cider messages me saying "lol episode 5 i see"

 

yeah...got hooked on first couple episodes lol

 

2. Why do you like Fluttershy so much?

She's shy, she's sensitive and she's...well I wouldn't say they loyalest as that goes to Rainbow Dash, but she is pretty damn loyal. In the episode...err Dragonshy I believe...she is so scared but when she sees her friends in danger, she springs into action and faces down the dragon. Also in stare master, she talks down a cockatrice while in the process of being turned to stone for bucks sake. So yeah, Fluttershy, "you rock..woohoo"

 

She's alot like me in a way, shy and timid but once you get to know me, I'm shy but get things done when I put my mind to it. Fluttershy in a nutshell.

 

3. Is bronydom big where you live? Not just in England, specifically where you live.

Not really, I seem to be the only brony...that I know of...in my specific location. I'm usually seen, when I'm outside, singing brony songs like 20% cooler, loyalty or any MLP song, so any bronies would see me coming. I've tried to sway my friends into joining the fandom but to no avail, I even showed one the documentary, however he remains neutral.

 

4. Is there anything happening in the fandom that you think shouldn't be?

Not really. Every fandom has its weird and wonderful things about them, which makes each stand out from each other. If what you're getting at is clopping and such, then I have noting against them, you do what you do, its none of my business.

 

5. Would you like to be a famous brony, one that the fandom really follows? And why/why not?

Who wouldn't want to be famous? But not really because people would expect too much from me. Don't get me wrong, I am not a sheep who mindlessly follows the herd. I just love to build pixel art, mind ones other people have made, and write fanfiction.

 

Follow-up question: Would you rather be recognized for your fanfiction or your artwork?

Well seeing as I pretty much copy other peoples pixel art... and just re-do it in my world then I would say fan fiction.

 

6. If you could change one thing in the show, what would it be?

Nothing. It is perfect the way it is. However the slow progression of taking out Derpy, would be the thing I'd change. Derpy <3.

 

I trust the animators and writers of the show.

 

7. T or A?

A

 

Not going to explain the last one.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Brook

[~Lawful Sturdy Wing~ 522]

A very well done interview again Brook! Nice to see random forumgoers getting a chance to make themselves known, had no idea who this dude was till this. So good job again!

[Brook 663]

This here is an interview with a very interesting individual, Dark Qiviut.

 

If you wish to be interviewed, reply to this thread.

 

Questions are underlined, answers are in bold-italic.

 

1. When did you first discover you like the show, and what drew you into the fandom itself?

I first discovered the show around April or May of 2011 at the Sonic Stadium Message Board, one of the now three forums I participate in (the others being the MLP Forums and NYC Transit Forums). I didn't see any videos, but I noticed so many avatars related to the show, such as Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and one Angel Bunny (at the time, I thought it was someone from a new Alice in Wonderland cartoon  ).

 

A month or two later, I discovered the main thread, and I explored the first few pages. There was a bunch of praise for the show due to its atmosphere, witty writing, great Flash-based animation, and treating the audience intelligently. I wondered if I should begin watching it or not, so I gave it a shot, starting with the two-part premiere and progressing through the first season. Needless to say, I got hook, and I've been a brony ever since.

 

As for the fandom, despite being a brony, I wasn't all that involved or interested in it when I first watched the show. There were some things that caught my eye, however, such as the great art and this hilarious video:

 

 

It's very difficult to have the censors fit in, but this YouTuber did it brilliantly.

 

What really drew me into the fandom actively was the Derpy drama. I noticed a bunch of people who really adored this wall-eyed pegasus and were really angry at how a very well-done scene was altered so carelessly and lazily. Not just Derpy's name being dropped and her wall eyes being all but "normal," but two more things: Rainbow Dash AND Derpy areextremely out of character in the altered scene, and the voice acting's quality can be compared to one from a 4Kids dub. It was the first time in a while that I saw a community get collectively disappointed and upset, and I couldn't blame them. Since then, I've been extremely active in this fandom and will participate in brony discussions if I desire.

 

2. Who is your favorite character from the show, and why?

My most favorite character is Fluttershy. She's a very relatable character to me in some ways, particularly her love and care-taking for animals. She's also kind, intelligent, will help out if her will is able to, assertive when she can, and occasionally shy.

 

3. Is bronydom known where you live? Not just country or state, specifically where you live.

I live in New York City, so you tend to have interests, cultures, beliefs, and cuisine blend or share with others. I've only come across a few bronies who actually live in or near the city (maybe a dozen or so, one of them being a very close friend of mine), but New York City is the one of the largest in the world, so I know there are a lot more bronies out there.

 

4. Would you like to be a famous brony, one that really leads the fandom? And why/why not?

It depends on what kind of "famous."

 

If it's "famous" for reasons that help contribute to the fandom positively, then perhaps.

 

If it's "famous" as if you're infamous or notorious for saying or doing something, then I wouldn't.

 

One thing about fame is that you receive more recognition from the media — for the brony fandom, it's DeviantArt, the fanfic Websites (Fanfiction.net, FIMFiction, Mediaminer, etc.), Tumblr, YouTube, and maybe even an interview from a news site such as CNN if you're lucky. When you get famous, you have to be way more careful with what you say or do in comparison to someone who isn't famous. If you say something daft, and you're not famous, then perhaps you can get away with it, and your history will bury itself in the background. But if you do something stupid, and you're famous, then the people who follow you and see you as inspiration latch onto it more. Chances are, the people who follow you will feel betrayed or extremely disappointed in your actions. Even if it's one person, that response will sting, especially if the disappointment is justified. Actions have consequences, so whether you're famous or not, think before you submit.

 

Another issue with fame or infamy is the ego. The more famous you become, the bigger your ego can be, and the more invincible you tend to feel. If I ever do become famous in the brony fandom for the right reasons, then keeping my ego in check is one of my biggest responsibilities.

 

5. If there was one thing in the show that you could change, what would it be?

There are a few things, actually. But to name one, I'd go with taking the entire episode of The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well and rewrite it from the ground up. There were many problems with the way the episode was handled, such as the poorly thought-out aesop, poor world-building, and poor characterization of the Mane Six (Rainbow Dash being a jerk and her friends being extremely passive aggressive towards her). This well-known comic exemplifies one of the episode's biggest issues.

 

Just for kicks, I'll give out others that I'd change (open the "spoilers" to see them):

 

1. Rewrite Spike at Your Service to improve Spike's characterization and give his clumsiness some continuity.
2. Rewrite Just for Sidekicks to improve Spike's characterization and give the moral of "you can't have your cake and eat it, too" make in-character sense for Spike.
3. Expand Keep Calm and Flutter On to a two-parter. The big issue in that episode was the extremely fast pace from the beginning of the episode to the end. It crammed way too much information at once, and the episode never got the chance to vary its pace and further expand Discord's growth.

 

6. Will you ever leave the fandom if the show went downhill?

No. Even if the show does regress in quality, the community is extremely strong-willed. As a strong-willed and stubborn individual myself, I can't see myself leaving, either. We as a community have such dedication for the show, and the show has ebbed onto us as a whole. Even if the series eventually stops production, this pop culture phenomenon is extremely talented and can fill in the gaps and keep us as a community together. During the break between season two and season three, fandom-related art helped keep us and myself busy while season three was still in production. The fandom has the ability to produce their own well-done Flash and Flash-based episodes.

 

7. What in the world is your avatar?

That's actually my ponysona.   It's a musk ox named Wise Ox, and I wrote a bit of storytelling background on my DeviantArt account. I chose an musk ox as my ponysona instead of a pony to reference my main fandom handle: "qiviut" is an Inuit term for the underfur of a musk ox, and it's shedded to make some high-quality clothing like hats and coats.

 

His story and full vector illustration are located here.

 

Eeyup, I thought it was a buffalo too.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Brook

[H.P. Lance 138]

Haha, brilliant last question! I've got to honest, I'm going to have to disagree with Parsleyshy here...I just about prefer T. But I understand why you chose A...they're both very appealing, after all.

[hawkflame 3,310]

Good to see another Brony  from the tri state area, Dark Quivut.  I'm from the 'burbs in new Jersey, but I like to go into the city every now and again.  Did you go to Bronycon? 

 

You bring up some good pointsabout fame.  I think that a lot of people who actually seek fame do it really to feel special and feed their ego.  Which is not necessarily a bad thing, everyone longs for recognition every so often, but the prolem is when it gets to the point where you think you're better than everyone else because of it. 

[Brook 663]

An interview I had with the oldest forum member I know that act nothing like his age, hawkflame.

 

If you wish to be interviewed, reply to this thread.

 

Questions are underlined, answers in bold-italic.

 

1. When did you first become a fan of the show, and what drew you into the fandom?

Bit of a long story, that.  Back around early 2011, I was on an anime forum, where a lot of the regulars really started talking more and more about this new version of My Little Pony.  Keep in mind, these guys weren't kids, these were educated 20+ year old adults whose judgment was pretty sound.  And they loved the show. Then I found out that this was made by Lauren Faust, who had worked on the Powerpuff Girls, which I thought was great.  I figured (correctly) that it would have the same kind of broad appeal.

 

So I gave the 2 part premiere a shot. I liked it a lot, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to invest more of my time in the show at that point, (and I knew I probably would if I kept going) so I kept on putting it off for months.  Then, January 2012, I started watching the rest of the first season, and that was that.  I was a brony.

 

Now I kind of regret having waited.  It would have been nice to have been part of the fandom from its early stages.

 

2. Who is your favorite character from the show, and why?

I'm rather split between two of them, and they happen to be sisters:  Rarity and Sweetie Belle.  For Sweeite Belle, it's very simple:  *Everything* she says makes me smile or laugh.  And it's not just that she gets good lines, too- Claire Corlett's delivery is perfect.  Plus being the younger brother of two well established older brothers, I related to her place in her relationship with Rarity.

 

For Rarity, I love the fact that she is a pony who is simultaneously vain and generous.  You really don't think that these two personality aspects would work together, but they do.  She wants the best things in life, but rather than have it all to herself, she wants to share it with her friends.  She prefers to be ladylike and not fight or dirty herself, but she will do both for the sake of her friends.  She's a self made mare with a real passion for what she does, and that's something I like to see in my characters.

 

3. Do you ever feel like a father to other bronies who are half your age? (a.k.a. me lol)

No way!  I'm 34, but I look and act like I'm 20.  Maybe a big brother, but that's it  :PSeriously, for a long time my coworkers thought I was 20-21, or even high school.  Okay, maybe I *should* act my own age more often, but... nah. 

 

4. Will you leave the fandom when the show ends?

I doubt it, though it might be less of a part of my life.  I'm an anime fan, and I'm still interested in some of the shows I was a fan of in the 90s back in high school.

 

5. Is there anything that you can't stand about our fandom?

For me, it's the fandom's tendency to overreact to things, and that's totally myself included.  Yes, I'm talking about Alicorn Twilight and the whole Derpy saga, both the initial incident and the ongoing effects now.  You can think that a story idea or editorial decision is terrible, but at the same time it's unhealthy to be constantly worried or pissed off about a decision you can't control.  And I really need to listen to my own advice about this.

 

6. Has being a brony changed you in any way?

I think that it's made me more interested in pursuing creative endeavors.  For instance, I'm building my own MLP website on my college's server (Not ready to go live yet) and am constantly trying to come up with other ideas on how to use my talents to give back to the community.  I've been in other fandoms, and have never been inspired to do anything like that before MLP.

 

7. Does water taste like water, or does it taste like nothing?

Water does have a flavor just like any other substance. If it didn't it would taste like air.

Edited February 7, 2013 by Brook

[~Cider Barrel~ 125]

Well that was different, not that i didn't already know it all but it was different.

 

Nice to see i played a part in Parsley's life.

 

- CB

Edited February 6, 2013 by ~Cider Barrel~

[Scootalove 10,689]

Well these interviews are really interesting. I can't wait to see more interviews.

Then when I get interviewed, all will be revealed.

[hawkflame 3,310]

Thanks for the interview! I think that this whole idea is great, by the way. There are so many users here it's hard to keep track of them all. Hopefully more interviews like these will add a little more individual personality to each avatar and username.

[Fridge 382]

It's quite inspiring reading these interviews you really can get a feel for the person behind the answers. Can't wait to read more and see the diverse backgrounds we have gathered here.

[Brook 663]

I interviewed an extremely creative and talented brony, Reversalx. He is both an animator and a musician, that's a rare combination of awesomeness.

 

If you wish to be interviewed, reply to this thread.

 

Questions in underline, answers are in bold-italic.

 

 

1. When did you first discover the show, and what pulled you into the fandom?

Personally, I find my story to be quite boring, so I’ll keep it short.

 

Back in mid 2011, I was babysitting my little sister, and she happened to be watching My Little Pony; she seemed very passionate about the show, so I tuned in. To my surprise, it was quite enthralling; I even tried to ignore it by staying attentive to my phone only to come out in failure. That was my first experience with the show. Although, it wasn’t something I was ready to embrace; it is a show about pastel-coloured horses, mind you. It wasn’t until later, during January 2012 specifically, that I searched up the show, just to watch it all in approximately one day and finally be informed of the brony phenomenon. My sister and I now watch it every Saturday, when an episode comes out.

 

The main thing that pulled me into the community was the constanly well made creative works (like with lot of others, I’m sure), and because of how friendly and accepting everyone seemed to be. The people made works in dedication to the show, and was thoroughly supported, even though it was challenging the male stereotypes. It was just the motivation I needed, as I was experiencing a drought of inspiration; I wasn’t interested in anything at the time, halting any of my creative works. The show sparked my interest again and got me off my lazy flank to start a couple new projects, hoping to give back to the community someday.
 

2. Who is your favorite character in the show, and why is that character your favorite?

Pinkamena. Diane. Pie. (art by Karl97885)

Shes playful, funny, and loves to party, but shows fervor affection when it comes to her friends. It's hard not to love her- and did I mention she’s also the strongest pony in all if Equestria? I mean, who else can defy the laws of physics and break the fourth wall as efficiently, and be as fast as Dashie.

 

3. If you had to pick one specific region in which you'll get famous in, would it be in music or in animation?

Haha, I’ve never thought about that to be honest. Music and animation interests me both to the same degree, as I think they are both exemplary ways of expression, whether it is through visible or audible representation, respectively.  If had to choose, id go with animation, as I took interest in it much earlier than music production,and you can say I’m rooted to visual appeal.

Of course, if I do become renown somewhat, I will be doing works in both fields 

 

4. Would you leave the fandom if the show went downhill?

Nope. Sure, I wouldn’t show off my love for the show as much, but I’d still be a brony at heart. There’ll still be plenty of fans left, and therefore,plenty of creative works to look forward to. This community is incredible in all aspects; expression, interaction, and “Love and Tolerance” (actually, maybe a bit too much of that XD). I couldn’t see us falter, not in a thousand years.

 

5. Is there anything in the fandom that you strongly disapprove of?

In terms of the fans? No. There are different types of people out there, complete with different interests, opinions, and beliefs.  Who am I to challenge that?

 

In terms of what the bronys do, I do disapprove of how over-expressive some of us are. Such case would be the branding of everyone who doesn’t like the show, a “hater”, or the guys who have the need to express their favourite ponies to clop to.

 

I remember watching this video a while back- pissed me off, not at just hosts, but at the guys who straight up told em they clop XD I mean, keep your sexual fantasies to yourself!

 

6. Has being a brony changed your life in any way?

I’d like to think so. It’s definitely inspired me; after all, motivation is the ultimate force in this world. It has also brightened my views of this place, what the bronies do, donating to charity and whatnot, it made me really think of how long of a way our world is from Equestria (Dat reference, LOL), we can still become the good we’ve so often dreamed of.

 

7. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck would chuck wood?

200 quintillion tons of wood, from the species Malus Domestica.

 

This guy, this guy right here, he's the best.

Edited February 7, 2013 by Brook

[~Lawful Sturdy Wing~ 522]

Well apparently he is the best! lol

Good interview, always glad to meet other creative bronies and those who contribute to the art base. Well done once more! I had never heard of Reversalx prior to this, but now I am glad I have.

[Brook 663]

Well apparently he is the best! lol

Good interview, always glad to meet other creative bronies and those who contribute to the art base. Well done once more! I had never heard of Reversalx prior to this, but now I am glad I have.

Well, he's the only brony I know who is an animator AND a musician, usually it's one or the other, my god that is an amazing combination of talent. Kinda like you, with being both an Olympian and having Age of Equestria, but totally different.

[Reversalx 129]

Well, he's the only brony I know who is an animator AND a musician, usually it's one or the other, my god that is an amazing combination of talent. Kinda like you, with being both an Olympian and having Age of Equestria, but totally different.

Oh brook, you flatterer you. im only adequate in both fields.

Olympian? as in participant of the Olympic Games? dayuuum. imma check out your profile, Sturdywing XD

[Brook 663]

I interviewed this one guy called Betez, he's pretty gay awesome.

 

If you wish to be interviewed, reply to this thread.

 

Questions are underlined, answers in bold-italic.

 

1. When did you first discover the show, and when did you come to the realization that, you're a brony?

I discovered the show around mid July of this year, while being on a forum that shall go unnamed. Anyway, there was this gigantic thread on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I had seen mlp memes before, but had no idea what they were from. I took a look at the thread, and saw that everyone was saying it was the best show ever and all that. I thought it was a joke at first, almost like the whole delete system32 thing. Anyway, I went on Hub.com to watch a clip of a random episode. It didn't look that bad, so I decided to start watching the show for myself. I had gotten the free trial of Netflix that same week, so I could easily watch them all. I watched the first 2 episodes, and the same thing that's happened to so many others happened to me. I went online, learned about the growing Brony community, and I've been a Brony since.

 

2. Who is your favorite character from the show, and why is that character your favorite?

My favorite character is Rarity. I love her accent, she takes others' advice, she can be greedy, but her element is generosity; she has some great faces and lines, and she's a Unicorn, which is my favorite kind of pony.

 

3. Has your opinion of the fandom in general changed since you first joined it?

Yes, but only a little bit. It's certainly grown from "Love and Tolerate the shit out of you". The original novelty has worn off, but I still love the show and the characters to death.

 

4. Is there any brony in specific that you aspire from?

Probably the ones that make fan music, art, etc. I'm not an artist by any means, but I do love to write songs and make music. I just wish I could make a fan song, like the people from LivingTombstone.

 

5. Do you feel like a child sometimes around the fandom? as there are many other bronies nearly double our age, do you feel like a child next to them?

A little, but not much. It was awkward at first talking to people who are old enough to be my parents, but now that I know them better, I enjoy talking to them.

 

6. If the show went downhill, would you leave the fandom?

This is a tough one. If it were to go totally downhill (Like if the whole mane 6 were turned to Alicorns and moved to Canterlot.) I'd still give it a chance. I'd try to continue watching until the end of whatever season it was. If, by the end, it was still going downhill, it's hard for me to say it, but I could see myself not watching the show, at least until I heard it got better. But no, I would not leave the fandom. I've met too many people I like.

 

7. If a pony falls in the woods, and there's no one around to hear it, how high does it go on the gay scale?

Uh...Maybe.

[Harmonic Revelations 8,835]

Betez is so awesome and amazing. I'm not just saying that because he often agrees with me, or anything like that. It's nice to know a bit more about him, for sure.