Here at One Of Us, we are all about supporting independent artists. We have a lot of love and respect for the creators out there who making their own way. Take a look at our recent piece on Jordan Cobb as an example of how excited we are to see what talented people can do outside the traditional systems.
It takes untold amounts of passion and heart to be an independent artist and these the attributes that draw us to them. Which brings us to one Christopher Niosi. Perhaps you know him better as Kirbopher.
Niosi, like many young animators, cut his teeth animating on Newgrounds. He teamed up with some fellow animators and friends and created the series TV TOME Adventures. The series followed a group of players of a super immersive MMO in the near future called TOME (Terrain Of Magical Expertise) and the trials and tribulations they faced trying to protect the virtual world they loved. Some threats were so big they started to bleed over into the real world. TTA amassed a cult following and its success allowed Niosi to move on to bigger and better projects. Even after becoming one of the most well known independent animators on the internet, Niosi and his fans always had a little space in their heart for TOME.
Fast forward to 2011, when Niosi decided that the time was right to revisit TOME. Aside from the animation upgrade, one of the biggest additions to this version would come in the voice cast. After years of working and making connections with many popular creators and actors, this incarnation of TOME became a star studded collection of the internet’s best and brightest. Contributors to the new TOME include Martin Billany (LittleKuriboh) and Lawrence Simpson (MasakoX), internet personalities like Jon Jafari (JonTron), and a few mainstream professional voice actors including Deven Mack and Kyle Hebert.
While the first four episodes of the new TOME were backed by Newgrounds, Niosi quickly learned that he would have to go the rest of the way on his own. He pulled in what revenue he could on TOME and used other means to complete the project. For example, Niosi offered some of his fans speaking parts and chances to have characters representing them inserted into the background of the show. Such ingenuity allowed Niosi was to finish all ten episodes and seven shorts of season by the end of 2013.
Not satisfied with this rest on his laurels, Niosi set out not only to get season two made, but to upgrade and overhaul most everything to make the next season of TOME an improvement in every way. To do this properly, he knew he have to reach out to his fans more than ever before, so he set up a fundraiser, offering many of the same incentives and more. The goal was to raise fifteen thousand dollars to make the six episodes he had planned for season two. Within a month, his fans hit that target and went on to added just shy of an additional two grand at time of this publication. As a matter of fact, I am one of those many contributors. My character will look like noted Victorian author and illustrator, William Makepeace Thackeray (and if you know me from the old Spill days, you’ll probably know why).
There has never been a better time to get into TOME. You can watch the mostly all re-released episodes on Niosi’s YouTube channel, which is also where he post his audio blog and Did You Know Voice Acting series. You can also head on over to TOME‘s official site, which has all the episodes in HD and has commentaries for the episodes as well. So kick back, relax, and check out TOME. You’ll be glad you did.
