This is about MASSPRODUCTIONS and what it stands for, and also myself, under the alias of MassUnknown.
Why create this website?
In the most recent years, I had been in a dormant fugue state as to where I could really put my image out there, as a creator and as an artist. However, I came across the issue of how to do it best.
First, social media was the option, and seemed the easiest, however, in the contempoarary sense, most of the modern methods of social media foster a very negative culmination to creativity. That, and the asinine reality of what social media is to the person - where one has to fidget with the constant tussle of engagement, likes, retweets, and adopt a whirlwind of other factors that are designed to make you keep yourself plugged onto a site, for the ads to be seen. The lecherous desire for attention and views and exposure, constantly shoving what you make into mouth agape of an apathetic public, constantly tricked into getting angry at the smallest infraction to their rules. It really makes someone feel insignificant in the whole world that is on there. A meld of belonging that if you aren't 100% patient enough to roll with each punch, you will never truly belong. If that is Twitter, what is Snapchat? Instagram? Tik Tok? They are all avenues for portraying ones creativity, sure, I will not deny value of these sites, however, at a personal level I could never see myself flourishing under these circumstances.
Second, Newgrounds was another option. It was one of my most closest next steps in where I could go - especially after hearing the mythic prominence of what this site was as at its hayday, as a bastion of unbridled creativity, hosting a closely-knit tied of creators who were able to create truly unique and inspiring creations, while also providing access to the Joe Average who wanted to be a part of that movement. However, I was never around during its glory days, and unfortunately there is the notion that I have "missed the party", where the current reflection of modern Newgrounds has been infested with apathy, and has fallen prey to most of the similar pitfalls of social media, heartbrokenly so.
My third, and final option, was to do nothing. Really! At this point of time, I was at the end of my rope as a creative, finding solace in one or two Discord servers that held my niche liking of storytelling that I enjoyed, with characters that I really connected with. With my millions respects to these people, my long lasting friends of the internet, they had moved onto greener pastures and better source material that fostered their bustling creativity, however, to one that I never really found connection with. In limbo, I found myself in the precipice of what comes next. One of my next moves was to join other Discord servers that had this niche appreciation - however, it was quickly apparent to me that my appreciation was niche, and no longer readily desirable. Those who did exist were of questionable quality, and shared by people who do not share the same level of appreciation or comprehension as I do. None truly matched. I ended up looking to join others, to broaden my options even I had to sacrifice my flavor of story, to find like-minded people. To no avail.
Disheartened, I had little to no motivation to continue most of my personal projects. I had reserved the thought that my desire for creativity would not make it anywhere in the modern internet without settling for the colorless and excrutiating social carousel of metaphorically getting kicked in the behind just to have my work misinterpreted and watered down by apathy. To be part of the humiliating status quo that I loathed. But if I didn't, I would be creating for no one but myself, selfishly. Meaninglessly. It felt like it was a no-win situation, and I nearly left my creative aspirations to die, because I didn't see any other way to continue.
Until I was recommended to this little site, here.
Neocities provides a window to the past, at a time where unbridled creativity was squarely in the hands of the individual. Where they can create, edit, and arrange a website completely from their own hands. Imbue meaning that matters to the person and make it wholly their own. Simplicity in creation, with no added cost. Though, incredibly simple, this was the answer I had been looking for. What better way could I represent myself than a website where I can do just that? Be able to project my ideas and flourish them to the average visitor of the site? To provide an avenue of my perspective and stories to people who are willing to come along and read it for themselves?
So, my reason for creating this website? It's my one true avenue of showing my content in the way I like it, where I have full control over what I can create. Where I know that the people who visit this site have come through their own volition, and are willing to enjoy the stories I tell.
[MINI FAQ, to be expanded]
Why adopt Sonic the Hedgehog as a medium?
In a vaccum, the franchise and characters are relatively simple. Having this simplicity lets you dive into core character concepts, and presents a challenge in how you can make this variably meaningful to people willing to suspend their belief. Like many artists before me, I really like to complicate things and breathe new meaning to the idea of a colorful bunch of animal characters fighting an egg-shaped man. If it's good enough for Aesop, it's good enough for me.
[That, and I find them fun to draw.]
