Inside the FoxHole: Featured Author Bobocel

This is the third interview in our “Inside the Foxhole” series. You can read all other interviews here.

Today’s featured author is bobocel.

1. Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from, where did you get your start with Flash and FlashDen?

Hello Denners and Happy New Year!

As most of you know, I go by the name bobocel, but my real name is Andrei Potorac and I live in the Country of Dracula {editor: Transylvania / Romania?}. I’m a 23 years old creative, following my dream of becoming successful online. I like to say that the question to ask is when not if.

I started with Flash five years ago, trying to get my arse out of trouble with a chemistry class. There were some friends of mine doing a software called ChemX, and I remember even today that the teacher I used to have rewarded them with an A for the entire year. I never been good at chemistry so I knew it was the only way for me to finish that class successfully.

Later on I found out that the name of that cool thing they were using to show off 3D like molecules was called Flash. We were in the high school at Computer Science, but we were using Pascal and C++ on a daily basis. The blue screen Pascal had made me view the swf files like out of this world. I was blown away by the use of 3D videos combined with interactive navigation.

What’s funny is that in the end I had to learn chemistry and never used Flash for passing that class.

In 2006, three years later, I was frequenting theFWA on a daily basis, so that’s where I found out about FlashDen. I thought it is a brilliant idea, so I jumped in.

2. What is your work flow like when starting a new file? Could you walk us through the steps you take when getting ready to create a new file?

For me the creation of a new file starts weeks before, when an idea comes and I put it down on paper. I have so many ideas written down, I should be working the entire year to create those files, without any upfront planning.

I don’t use Photoshop, but pen and paper, and then Flash. I have a ton of paper sitting around my desk, and most of it is filled with all kind of sketches. ( the top sellers of tomorrow )

I always envision what the final product will look like in the finest details, and then I start recreating pieces one by one, until I get to the final product. What follows is couple of hours of testing, and testing never ends. I like to keep things simple, so that it is easier for people to customize them and add new things, and for me to get in touch with those people.

3. What do you do to market and brand your files? What percentage of your time is spent doing this?

I don’t do anything. I think the quality speaks, and in my case the only thing I did which you could call marketing is uploading content to the Adobe Exchange website (which I’ve been told about by a buyer in an email).

When the subject was brought in the forums, I decided to share with the community: “let them market their files, and FlashDen will grow, and the new buyers will definitely buy from me too, because I have some quality files up” is what I thought. I was wrong, FlashDen needs to do something about the amount of files they host and market, we can’t do much.

4. What advice can you give to authors that might help them increase their overall sales?

Create original files. Market your files

5. Is there a certain area, website, or media you look to for creativity and ideas?

Yep.

• Creative images: http://szymon.tumblr.com/
• Creative offices: http://www.aintnodisco.com/
• Fashion websites (blame my gf for that)
• Creative websites: theFWA (weekly now)
• Portfolio websites of creative agencies, the work section mostly.

6. Besides yourself, who is your favorite FlashDen author?

Definitely barisintepe. I’ve been blown away couple of times by different files he uploaded to FlashDen. I’m all about originality, and he is one of the few guys on FlashDen who keeps the creativity flow high.

7. Which file do you think is your best file?

The one I’m working on right now. It’s a fullscreen template. I’ve been amazed that templates sell so well on FlashDen, since there are some huge companies out there doing the same thing – selling flash templates. I kind of missed this train and thought I had to put some time down to work on something new. It has been more than five months now.

My second best file is my Dynamic Flash Player 14. When you think about the fact it has been bought by only 1.5% of the FlashDen buyers (close to 1500 that is), it looks like there is still room for growth.

8. What are your plans for becoming No.1 on FlashDen?

I don’t plan that, as I’ve been there and chose to take a break and focus on Vuzum, my own interactive company. I plan to stay in the top sellers list though, and I’ll make sure that will happen by uploading better thought of files.

9. Who do you count as your mentors in life?

When I was a child I was a swordsman, practicing a sport of body elegance and mind agility. The teacher I had is one of my mentors in life, as he helped me learn that age isn’t part of any equation.

Flash related, I grew up with the work of mjau-mjau.com – but they don’t have the website up anymore. It’s in my memory now. It was the kind of content that most companies don’t do even today, and this was happening four years ago. Imagine that!

10. When you aren’t building building flash files, what do you do for fun?

I travel a lot and speak about the online world and startups whenever I get a chance. I like visiting the most known cities of the world, and made a pact with myself that I visit every Capital of each new country I step into. There have been some so far, and I plan to conquer new territories each year!

It has been a pleasure spending an entire hour with you guys! Thank you very much for having me, and good luck in all your future endeavors!

Portfolio of FlashDen author bobocel.