Polydina Flynt
Author / Digital Artist / Comic Writer / Game Writer / Radio & Mecha Writer
Wellington, NZ
www.plyflynt.com
instagram @polyflynt
reddit polyflynt
Q What do you do?
“Author of Cultural Non-fiction, YA grimdark novelist – with b-movie homage, Comic + Animation Writer, RPG Writer, Mecha Writer, Video Game Artist/Art Director/Producer, Digital Edutainment dev + journey writer.”
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
In 1995, I wrote my first 500 page manuscript, but it was not at a publishable standard. I was thirteen and inspired by Stephen King's It (still my favourite novel) as well as Magic: the Gathering and Paul Bonner's Nepharite Warlords in the game Warzone: Mutant Chronicles (which was resurrected in 2013 by Prodos Games using a successful Kickstarter. And then again recently as Warzone Eternal, by ResNova and Bryan Steele, whom I had a conversation with for my book about nerd culture business.) In 2003 I wrote a TV Pilot script which caught the attention of TVNZ but was deemed too expensive to produce.
I wrote three feature film screenplays under the mentorship of the late and supremely generous Graham Tetley, while studying for my degree. After earning my degree, I moved away from screenwriting and wrote another draft of my novel - which, in 2012 the New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA) liked enough to prescribe me a mentor which they paid for 10hrs with - Barbara Else was a huge help in getting me to rethink and fine tune, and to motivate me to work harder and faster on my novel.
I also got 98% in high school algebra in my senior year, then dropped out due to depression two years from graduating. I did finish after a year break, at a new high school down south, one more year, to get entry to uni.
I have a degree in writing for film, a degree-level (2.5yrs) honours diploma in digital art and a national certificate (1yr) in television, theatre and radio - my major was television, mostly learning TV station equipment and making short movies on video. My minor was theatre - co-writing, crewing and co-starring as a wise half naked (Native American) Indian in a children's play that toured local primary schools.
Q What are you working on right now?
Q What’s your style?
I am a multi-potentialite which just means that I have aptitude, passion and expertise in multiple specialisations. I’m also someone who has struggled with mental illness for since 2002. And I achieved a creative writing degree merit in short fiction in 2011 while unwell.
My main niche is writing… I would relish the opportunity to play and experiment, to immerse myself in the process to try new combinations of form/format. And to collaborate and learn from others. Digital theatre is something I’m excited about for Virtual Reality (vr); as well as animation, based on my own writing.
My style is: The quirky New Zealander specialist vibe - and the gothic horror intellectual experimental vibe. As a self-taught professor of the fantastic, my style is either about deep thought, or something well thought through. Deep and abstract BUT specificity in the action/setting.
I have learned to write three kinds of narratives: 1. The magical and scientific, because I’m very passionate about believing in the supposedly impossible. 2. Minimalist indie intellectual action/drama – because I’ve always been super-fixated on dismantling and the function and functioning of various processes – especially mental and creative. 3. When I am challenged to write with certain limitations – budget, number of locations, characters, etc. I am seriously fascinated by the development of digital works. “Digital products” encompasses software, hardware, consumer electronics, digital toys and mechatronics.
Mechatronics is a combination of mechanical output and electronic parts (usually the brain and power source and control system are electronic.) This includes but is not limited to animatronics. You can have mechatronic spaces, toys, art installations, etc. I am working on writing a web series to pitch to producers about hardware construction.
I also do digital cartoons.
My sense of humour is similar to a blend of Stephen Sinclair, Steve Wrigley, David Firth, Rik Mayall, Matt Lucas + David Walliams, Lloyd Kaufman, Bill Bailey, Don Hertzfeldt, and Chris O’Neill (Oney).
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
Digital product/environment design - digital product/space edutainment dev journey writing.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
Trying to focus on my work when there are so many distractions - mental stutters. Trying to make sure that I exercise daily when I just want to lie on my bed and get work done. Trying to socialize, I’m a friendly person but I too often have difficulty with anxiety in open groups. Also being impatient and getting depressed - but I have found the solution can be taking breaks and using those breaks to be with good people.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
Art for my game, but they wouldn’t do it for that, I’d be happy to pay them $60/hr if I get a full-time writing gig. Technically US$20/hr would be 30mins/wk (NZ$60/hr).
I write 11 feature manuscripts yearly (20 in 2yrs), my web design prices are extremely affordable - and directed towards supporting indie game devs, and I have been writing, and designing games and toys since I was eleven, as an amateur. I have 6.5 years of university study to sculpt and polish my process, my craft, and my technical ability. My voice is unique, it doesn’t get much darker, while still optimistic and quirky. It doesn’t get much more self-investigative and intellectual, while sparing time for sentiment and romanticism; and effective emotional expression - I’m a born poet. But there is always substance and meaning amongst the magic and chaos. I never do the same thing twice and I am always looking to explore; to create something that didn’t exist before.
Q What are you working on right now?
My latest two novels are due October and December 2024. I’m also working on an illustrated novel, several indie video games including two with my own indie nz studio and two open-source via my patreon, a 100-page graphic novel, a pen-and-paper rpg, a radio series, three non-fiction books, a theatre script, a machinima and some tv series and motion design/virtual reality artworks.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
Don’t worry so much, live a little, laugh a little, do the work, and you can do 7 things, do them well and don’t worry about naysayers.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
Neri Oxman.
Emerging social problems and the latest emerging technologies.
Bob Russell - software designer for the C64 - I’d just like to pick his brain. The C64 was a monumental success, a game changer - and my real introduction to video games.
Tom Kalinske, I almost spoke to him for an interview as part of when I was going to do documentary movies, but I’d like to have weeks of long chats so I can really get a handle on
business and marketing strategy. How to ask for more from my connections without making it awkward. Dean Kamen, Matt Dalio, Jay Silver, Eric Chahi, Richard Garfield, Bill Gaines…
I know the business side of fiction writing, blogging, and web development. But I’d like to get more insight into the business side of game development, hardware product development, toy development, comic publishing and installation art.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
Creative side-project collab with interesting people with strong voices.
Projects where I can lean on my strongest skills: design mechanics, theoretical design, narrative writing, scriptwriting, interaction design, interactive narrative design, character design, web series writing, toy design, critical analysis and art direction. I’m still new at software, but I can do enough that people often ask me for help and become my clients - I am starting to find national and international clients as well as clients for game writing and design documentation feedback, and also I have done about 9 manuscript assessments and an amusement design gig with 100% satisfied clients.
I’d love to do an interactive space - made with a hybrid of woodcraft and another material.
Woodworking is the only physically crafty thing I’m good at. But I’m writing a web series about hardware construction.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
Where I have creative control/freedom of the written part. Art direction for animation. Narrative design for live puppetry and interactive art spaces. A mix of mediums (like comics and toys) or something completely out of the box - with a focus on story, world, design, sophisticated silliness, craft and intellect. Horror or gothic intellectual experimental. A mix of software and hardware. I could really get into projects that can span 1-5 years - as long as I feel like both parties are contributing the same amount of work. Made with environmentally sustainable materials and/or a small footprint. Ideally with funding.
I’d love to work with a talented animator who has a unique vision. I would love to work with Ant Timpson (48hrs filmmaking competition and The ABCs of Death) and Stephen Hall-Jones (Mothras Dunedin.) and Cas Holman.
Q: What is your rate?
I usually do animation, game, digital product projects with a budget of NZ$5-8k for R&D and first versions to raise NZ$300-700k for the bigger versions. I can make a video project for NZ$15-55k, My rate as a freelancer is about NZ$75-100/hr, but I have some options for NZ$40 for a 1pager or a short read and review.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Message me via my website ideally - or socials
Q Who is a creative you admire?
Lynda Chan-wai Earle NZ, poet, and playwright - she is really understanding and I love her brain and she’s funny and cool, too - she totally got what I was getting at with my graduating manuscript. That critique really pushed me to keep going, but go deeper and get better and follow through.
Cartoons by Chris Hallbeck and Dogmo Dog, Don Hertzfeldt, Ken Reid, Ronald Searle, Jack Cole, Jhonen Vasquez, Sam Kieth and Pancake Wendy.
And reading Terry Pratchett, Greg Egan, and Stephen King I learn so much from the way they tell stories. Reading about Jane Hamsher, Peter Jackson’s early work and David Cronenberg was really meaningful.
Tom Holland, Director of Child’s Play 1, The Temp, Fright Night, and The Langoliers. I wrote to him a few times on Twitter and once by email and he actually wrote back: It was really in-depth, generous, kind, and full of good advice. Matt Forbeck and Peter Tamte have been really supportive on socials. Both of them and Tom Kalinske are very humble and generous with their time. And they’re awesome talents. Adrian Chappell, Sarah Pou, Graphicurry, Pancake Wendy, Jorsh Pena, Paul Bonner, Robert Bauder, Shane Carruth, Brendon Small, and Anna Mantzaris - you should totally check out their work, they’re amazing!
Music-wise - Zakk Wylde, Dez Fafara, Neil Young, Fly My Pretties, Citizen Cope/Santana, Rage Against the Machine/One Day As A Lion, Steppenwolf, Sepultura, ghost, Nada Surf, idles, Five Finger Death Punch, Scorpions, Dimebag.
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
I write every day - or try to: 2k words on major projects including rewrites + pencilling, digital pencil/colour/layout, training myself with a digital tool, video editing and a bit of reading. I try to take the day off on Mondays to do my shopping/sculpting creatures - hobby.
This member profile was originally published in January 2022, Updated July 2024.