Inside the FoxHole: Featured Author Webmarbles

Despite only signing-up to FlashDen less than 9 months ago, Webmarbles has amassed over 1100 sales from only 6 files. His Designer’s Portfolio file alone is quickly approaching 500 sales. So who is the man behind the pink-branded files? What is he currently working on right now? Only one way to find out…

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from, what do you do for a living?

Hi all, my name is Simon Hattinga Verschure, I’m 25 years old and I live in the Netherlands. I started using Flash in secondary school after seeing some brilliant websites like nrg.be, eye4u.com and of course rayoflight.net (no longer online).

I was 15 years old at that time. On the day I turned 16 I started a multimedia ‘company’ with 2 friends called Impressive Design. During our last year in secondary school, that extracurricular activity caused many headaches for the teachers in school since it took up most of our time.

After secondary school the 3 of us decided to start studying Industrial Design at the University of Technology in Eindhoven. In that time I also started to work more and more with ActionScript, giving me much freedom in my Flash projects. After just 1 year the other 2 guys decided to start another study in another city while I decided to stay and get my bachelor degree first. I also started doing more Flash freelance work and at the end of 2003 at the age of 19 I won my first FWA with my personal portfolio website (seraph.nl – winning version not online at the moment). That opened up many possibilities for me and Impressive Design slowly became Seraph Flash Media doing mainly Flash freelance work.

After finishing Industrial Design I felt like I needed a better foundation in business administration. I decided to do a master degree in management which I completed in 2008 on Nyenrode Business Universiteit. Hungry for some work experience I worked as a management consultant from March 2008 until March 2009. However, I decided that it wasn’t too late for an old dream of mine: studying Medicine. So in March I decided to quit my job as a management consultant and currently I’m in the process of being admitted to studying medicine starting in September.

During all my studies Flash served as a great job on the side to finance the studies and I hope I can continue to do so while studying Medicine. Flash probably is my only addiction and I love how I can express my creativity with it.

2. How long have you been using Flash and what made you start selling items on FlashDen?

I’m approaching my 10th year anniversary using Flash. I started with Flash by only using the interface options followed by using ActionScript 2 some years later. I came across FlashDen when I was doing my management study in the beginning of 2007, however, time didn’t permit me to start contributing. When I started as a management consultant I thought creating stock Flash would be a flexible way of still doing Flash work but not having client deadlines alongside a 60 hour week job. I started contributing to a large photo stock website that also sells stock Flash but was very disappointed about their way of communication with the author, their pricing system, the preview options…. well pretty much everything. Looking at FlashDen I only saw advantages and didn’t understand why I didn’t start at FlashDen right away. I opened up an account in August 2008 and posted my first file in November. Since I quit my job back in March I have been working fulltime as a Flash freelancer and am planning to come up with many more files for FlashDen!

3. Do you create files from scratch for FlashDen, or do you re-use work that you’ve created for a client?

I always start from scratch. I want clean files without any lines of code or objects that do not contribute to the final result. Furthermore, the approach is totally different: in client work I want the final result to be as good as possible but focused on completing the project on time. For my FlashDen files I’m constantly thinking about the usability for future buyers, commenting my code, using clear method names and variables and having a perfectly structured library.

4. Where do you get your inspiration from for your FlashDen work?

I’m thinking of many cliché answers but in conclusion I think it’s quite difficult to pinpoint a specific thing. I get direct inspiration from things like magazines, other websites on the internet, Web sites I see (since I’m an FWA judge nowadays) and of course while looking at other files on FlashDen. However, I always feel like the best ideas come to mind when doing something completely different: while out running, laying in the bathtub, driving my car or the worst moment: when it’s not possible to work on something for a few days or weeks.

5. 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?

When I decide to start a new file I never do any research whether that file already exists or whether I feel there will be a market for it. I think that since I make the files from scratch it will never be exactly the same like other files and even if the exact same file exists I try to make it a bit different, smoother and with my own twist. A good example is my last file: Random Characters. It’s a well known effect but I just felt like making my own version and I loved building it.

I just open Flash and create a quick design. I have to admit that this is a point on which many ideas seem to end: not getting the expected result when translating the idea in my head to something visual on screen. However, when I get past this point I just keep building until the file is finished.

When the files are finished we get to the user manual part: I think no one enjoys writing a user manual about a file that he or she has just spent days and days of building, testing and debugging. However, I already experienced that a good user manual is key and I also try to go the extra mile writing it to get the same quality as the Flash files I produce. The idea of finishing my work and being able to upload the file to FlashDen motivates me a lot!

6. What do you do to market and brand your files?

I post links to my files on some sites like Adobe Exchange and Hotscripts and furthermore I try to use a consistent style in my profile on FlashDen. I have more ideas on marketing my files but don’t have the time yet to work on that yet (e.g. creating a cool website on webmarbles.com).

However, the most important thing is that I just try to create high quality files paying attention along the way to all the little details.

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

Don’t rush your files! The moment I start a file I can’t wait to see it online on FlashDen. Building the Designer’s Portfolio template took me two-and-a-half weeks to build, so for two-and-a-half weeks I couldn’t wait to see the file appear online. Despite my impatience, I made sure every little detail was covered. My other advice would be to make sure that every little detail in the file is working correctly, I think there is nothing more destructive for your sales than when obvious bugs in your preview file exist.

One more thing: give support! Besides giving confidence to potential buyers to see that the author gives good support you will learn a lot from it, such as, things to cover in your next file, user manual or just information for good updates of the file itself.

Last but not least: try to come up with different files. Don’t kill sales on a V1 with a V2 that is released too soon or don’t create templates that target the exact same audience as the previous template.

8. Besides yourself, who is your favorite FlashDen author and why do you like them?

I see much that I like (however, probably even more that I dislike). A few of my current favorites:

VectorFlower – For the perfect example of the concept “Keep It Simple Stupid”, having great sales with files without unnecessary complexity. Also, he’s a role model for me the way he provides support on his files.

oOtoke – For great animations with attention for detail. I love his work and hope he produces many more Flash files!

ParkerAndKent – Impossible to miss if you have been around on FlashDen throughout 2009. High quality files with the attention for detail that I love to see.

jurgenv – for having great and solid files and being an example for me by also studying Medicine and being successful on FlashDen!

9. Which file do you think is your best file so far?

Of course I have to say Designer’s Portfolio, it’s my first template and therefore I like it best. However, I’m sure that the answer on this question will be different in 2 months time!

10. What one thing would you like to change about FlashDen if you could?

Haha, why is the word ‘one’ used in this question? Let me start by saying that there are no big dislikes about FlashDen. There are things I love very much: the interaction with other people on FlashDen, the freedom in which an author is able to promote him- or herself and the way in which people communicate with each other without flaming or useless comments.

If I have to choose one thing: I would like to see an even better promotion of authors. I think the ‘Featured’ tab is a bit difficult to find currently and could have more potential. I would love to see a ‘file of the month’ and ‘author of the month’ being awarded by FlashDen, clearly visible when entering the Web site and published each 1st day of the month. The authors could profit the extra promotion and even better, a reward from FlashDen itself (e.g. by getting the complete amount of earnings with that file for that month). Also, I would like to see more public choice results: the top 40 files is a great idea but on what input is it based? Plain Flash file contests with various prizes, preferably chosen by public choice. In conclusion: more activities for authors to participate in.

On a more serious note: I’m curious what Envato’s strategy will be if the US Dollar currency depreciates much. I see many other authors from the Europe and can imagine that they are, just like me, not happy when the dollar depreciates a few cents. The day that the Euro becomes the main currency used by Envato would be a day to celebrate!

11. When you aren’t developing cool Flash files, what do you do for fun?

Developing stock Flash isn’t a very social activity so when I’m not working I love to spend time with friends, family and my girlfriend. Also, I love sports: running, horseback riding, boxing, rock climbing and much more.

12. Would you like to give a sneak peek of the latest file you are currently working on to our readers?

There is much more coming, although I’m not sure yet what will be my first upcoming file. Here are some close-up details of possible upcoming files! Thanks for reading everyone!

View Webmarbles’ portfolio.

Read more interviews with FlashDen authors.