Jeannie Novak
@indiejeannie.com
170 followers 17 following 120 posts
singer-songwriter/musician/composer, game series author/publisher, podcaster, photographer – and horror/sci-fi fan!
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From battling Monster Energy over a trademark and selling in excess of 6.5 million units to getting a feature film option, Glowstick’s story is a huge win for indie devs everywhere – and a great case study for indie IP growth. Looking forward to seeing Dark Deception come to life on the big screen.
@glowstickent.bsky.social's @darkdeceptiongame.bsky.social – which has sold 6.5M+ copies – has been optioned for a feature film. The #indiedev is known for defeating Monster Energy’s aggressive TM challenge over using “Monsters” in a spinoff title. – @pcgamer.com

#indie #indiegame #game #videogame
The indie horror game that fought back against Monster Energy trademark trolling (and won) is now being made into a movie
That's some real monster energy.
www.pcgamer.com
This is concerning news for the indie dev scene. Granting patents on basic game mechanics feels like corporate overreach – threatening small teams and stifling innovation. The potential for frivolous litigation, especially against smaller competitors, could result in a chilling effect on game dev.
“Pokémon Patents” granted to Nintendo for certain in-game mechanics have triggered major concern from indie developers, who fear they're overly broad and will create legal uncertainty.

– Joe Foley on Creative Bloq

#gamenews #gameindustry #games #videogames #game #videogame #indiedev #indiedevs
Are Nintendo's controversial new patents a disaster for game design?
There are fears sweeping patents will limit indie developers' creative freedom.
www.creativebloq.com
A24's move is unique because A24 Music is an extension of its brand aesthetic. The first artist, Mark William Lewis, is a singer-songwriter rather than an OST composer. As a singer-songwriter (and composer) myself – who also worked at a major record label – I find this intriguing and unprecedented.
Diane Keaton’s legacy reminds us to live life on our own terms. It's fitting that she played roles like the free spirit Annie Hall, playwright Erica Barry, moral outsider Kay Adams-Corleone, & real-life journalist Louise Bryant. She chose the path of self-determination – personally & professionally.
Diane Keaton refused to play conventional roles and epitomized independent, forward-thinking characters such as Annie Hall. In her personal life, she forged her own path by never marrying and choosing to become a mother later in life. – @cnn.com

#womeninfilm #dianekeaton #anniehall #modernwoman
Diane Keaton was a pioneer for modern women, both on and off the screen | CNN
When Diane Keaton first appeared on screen in “Annie Hall,” the moment was revolutionary.
www.cnn.com
Reposted by Jeannie Novak
Honoring Ada Lovelace, a true visionary who is widely regarded as the world’s first computer programmer for her work on Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine.

#AdaLovelace #AdaLovelaceDay #technology #tech #TechTuesday #WomenInTech #WomenInTechnology #womeninhistory #womeninscience
Event Horizon: Dark Descent is exactly why comics are perfect for horror – allowing talented artists and writers to depict scenes that would be considered “too extreme” for a major studio film. Respect to Christian Ward and Tristan Jones for using this format to explore and expand on a cult classic.
The brilliance of @undertale.com lies in the core gameplay loop, which is built around sparing enemies. It’s an innovative twist on the RPG tradition. Solo developer @tobyfox.undertale.com courageously chose to reject established gameplay elements in favor of a unique vision.
Steve Mann is a true pioneer of wearable tech and XR – laying the foundation for AR hardware and even modern VR principles. His concept of “sousveillance” has been put into practice in the form of bodycams and dashcams – along with whistleblowing recordings and journalistic “sting” operations.
John Waters and Pier Paolo Pasolini both prove that true art often requires pushing every boundary. Waters’ deep appreciation for Saló is a reminder that freedom of expression must be defended. I might take a deeper dive into Pasolini's unsolved murder – starting with the Abel Ferrara film 🤔
Thanks for taking the time to watch and listen 🎵 I'm a sci-fi fan – and I dabble in sci-fi/horror short story writing – so I need to check out your book 📗
New #musicvideo for #WorldSpaceWeek 🛰️

“Nearest Neighbor” – written from the perspective of a friendly extraterrestrial who’s a big fan of humanity. Their civilization could be closer than you think!

#musicvideo #indie #piano #vocals #singersongwriter #ufo #scifi #earth #space
"Nearest Neighbor" | #MusicVideo #WorldSpaceWeek #Space #Piano #Song
New music video for World Space Week 🛰️ “Nearest Neighbor” – written from the perspective of a friendly extra-terrestrial who's a big fan of humanity. Their civilization could be closer than you think! //For eons, we’ve been watching you Keeping track of all you do Wondering at the view Of our nearest neighbor// (The song is also available on Spotify, YouTube Music, iTunes, Apple Music, Google Play, Amazon Music, and more.) Music & Lyrics © ℗ 2020, 2021 Jeannie Novak Engineered by Sejo Navajas (4th Street Recording Studio, Santa Monica, CA) and JC LaResche (Village Studios, Los Angeles, CA) Mixing by Bobby Vickery & Matt Bishop // NEAREST NEIGHBOR © 2020 Jeannie Novak For eons, we've been watching you Keeping track of all you do Wondering at the view Of our nearest neighbor Your home is a nice shade of blue Unlike our chartreuse hue We find ourselves envying you Our nearest neighbor Someday we might get the nerve To visit and try to serve But we might be misheard Someday we might try to fly Through deep space, across the sky We'd just be stopping by To see our nearest neighbor In the meantime, we'll just wait Until we can communicate It will never be too late To see our nearest neighbor When we zoom in really close We see why we love you most Your sense of humor, silly jokes Even when things seem morose One day, we might be your friend Until then, we'll play pretend We wouldn't want to offend Our nearest neighbor Someday we might get the nerve To visit and try to serve But we might be misheard Someday we might try to fly Through deep space, across the sky We'd just be stopping by To see our nearest neighbor In the meantime, we'll just wait Until we can communicate It will never be too late To see our nearest neighbor To see our nearest neighbor Neighbor Our nearest neighbor
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This new misstep is a big prob for Microsoft's base; hence the mass exodus (@atmanrising.bsky.social and I included). The decrease in subscribers also threatens exposure for indie titles. The math doesn’t add up – except for MS if it's moving in a new direction without any concern for consequences.
Huge support for @lynseyaddario.bsky.social and the National Geographic doc Love+War, which highlights her personal struggle balancing a photojournalism career in war zones with domestic life. @atmanrising.bsky.social and I are looking forward to streaming this next month on “Documentary Saturday.”
Nobuo Uematsu is spot on. As a composer myself, I feel that we need to support artistic freedom and vision. I know from first-hand experience that studios can go for safe options at the expense of innovation – leading to "samey"-sounding OSTs. Studios who back their composers can reap the benefits.
@atmanrising.bsky.social & I have been following @markduplass.bsky.social & @jayduplass.bsky.social since The Puffy Chair, their 2005 debut feature – a mumblecore road film that was nominated for 2 Spirit Awards. (I voted for it!) Bravo to them for empowering trans indie filmmakers with this grant!
Squirrel lovers: It's World #AnimalDay!

A #squirrel fell from a tree and was rescued by humans who fed & played music for her. She recovered and roamed free – living happily ever after. Based on @atmanrising.bsky.social's poem, "Outerworld" is written from her POV 🐿️

#animals #music #indie #song
Jeannie Novak | "Outerworld" #MusicVideo #WorldAnimalDay #Squirrel #Wildlife #Song
For all you squirrel lovers out there, we’re celebrating World Animal Day 🐿️ Once upon a time, an injured squirrel fell out of a tree. Rescued by her human neighbors, she was fed and serenaded with music and the buzz of Formula 1. After being transported to a Malibu rehab facility, she was able to roam free with other squirrels like her and was eventually nursed back to health – living happily ever after ☀️ “Outerworld” – based on a poem written by @atmanrising – tells the story from the squirrel's point of view. Song recorded on piano and voice for the SHELTER collection 🎹 Music © 2020 Jeannie Novak Lyrics © 2020 Luis Levy Recording ℗ 2021 Jeannie Novak Engineered by Sejo Navajas at 4th Street Recording Studio (Santa Monica, CA) Preliminary mix by Bobby Vickery Acoustic remix by Matt Bishop // OUTERWORLD © 2020 Luis Levy Out of the darkness, into the light Can’t find my way out, can’t think or fight Noises and smells, danger abounds Help me, I’m alone, I’ve lost my home No way to leave this place But there’s food to eat What is this strange, weird sound That makes me sleep I’m shaken yet warm With waves of sound, eerily calm I wait as time runs out, away from waking eyes I’m feeling stronger now, my fear slowly dies You let me out, into the air There are others like me, no longer scared Now I can leave this place I have strength to feed That strange and soothing sound Helped me to sleep I was shaken yet warm With waves of sound, eerily calm There’s sun and wind And others like me I sleep without fear You set me free
bit.ly
Not only are @atmanrising.bsky.social and I big fans of Adam Scott, but we loved Damien McCarthy’s Oddity – so we can’t wait to see Hokum! Spooky Pictures’ involvement (Late Night with the Devil production co) also bodes well. And you can’t beat the “remote Irish inn haunted by a witch” premise 👻
Jane Goodall is a true hero who proved that women could work outside the lab through immersive field research. Not long ago, @atmanrising.bsky.social and I saw *Jane* – a stunning documentary featuring vintage 16mm footage shot by Hugo van Lawick, who became Jane’s husband. Highly recommended!
Mourning the loss of Jane Goodall – known for her field research living among chimpanzees in Africa, including the discovery that chimps use tools, which reshaped our understanding of animal intelligence.

@arstechnica.com's @jenlucpiquant.bsky.social

#anthropology #janegoodall #science
World-famous primatologist Jane Goodall dead at 91
Goodall’s immersive studies of chimpanzees in Africa redefined what it means to be human.
arstechnica.com
Finding an area called “Embracer’s Bluff” with a killer vending machine and an evil AI toilet? That’s quintessential Borderlands humor and a genius way for @gearboxofficial.bsky.social to vent 😆
Punctum is an incredibly powerful space object that was recently found in a nearby galaxy. It’s totally different from known stars or pulsars – forcing scientists to rethink what’s possible out there. Amazing discovery by Elena Shablovinskaia and her team at the Universidad Diego Portales in Chile.
A team of astronomers at the Universidad Diego Portales in Chile has discovered a mystery object in a nearby galaxy. "Punctum" is visible only in millimeter radio wavelengths and "doesn’t fit comfortably into any known category."
@space.com

#science #space #astronomy #astrophysics #scitech
Scientists may have found a powerful new space object: 'It doesn't fit comfortably into any known category'
"When you put it into context, Punctum is astonishingly bright."
www.space.com
Season 1 of @evilasterisk.com is a "wrap"!

@atmanrising.bsky.social and I are excited to share our final episode of the season: The Animal Kingdom – a clever father-son tale set in the near future with an eco-thriller dystopian twist 🦎
Celebrating #InternationalPodcastDay with the final episode of Season 1:

Episode 12 of EVIL*ASTERISK #podcast – hosted by @indiejeannie.com and @atmanrising.bsky.social – features The Animal Kingdom (2023), Thomas Cailley's coming-of-age #horror adventure 🦎

#indiefilm #indie #horrorfilm
S1 E12: The Animal Kingdom
open.spotify.com
Checked out the Beyond the Doors demo and see why it's called “automation horror.” It mixes a repetitive gameplay loop with the unsettling feeling of invading others’ privacy – featuring muffled conversations, crackling lights, creaking floorboards, ominous footsteps, and unnerving liminal spaces.
Incredible news for the serious games sector. This trial, which uses custom games to track and improve vision, validates the game industry’s massive potential for medical assessment.
A 5 year-old girl with a rare eye condition called nystagmus is participating in a pioneering clinical trial that uses games developed by @unisouthampton.bsky.social to improve #vision by tracking eye movements and assessing how quickly a child can see. – BBC #game #games #videogames #videogame
'Eyesight video game offers my daughter genuine hope'
Five-year-old Nevaeh has a rare condition that makes her eyes move uncontrollably .
www.bbc.com
Fascinating case study on corporate politics in game development. The Dead Space team’s bathroom poster campaign perfectly illustrates the tension between creative vision and corporate resource allocation. A brilliant (and somewhat unorthodox) example of guerrilla marketing!
Tennis pro Jessica Pegula is also a business owner – co-founding a non-profit w/her husband. @atmanrising.bsky.social & I launched @novyunlimited.com almost 15 yrs ago, so I know a bit about running a biz w/a life partner! Jessica's org A Lending Paw supports service dogs & allows her to give back.
Pro #tennis player #JessicaPegula has developed a mental game to stay focused while competing in front of large crowds. Off the court, she co-founded non-profit service dog org #ALendingPaw with her husband.

– Women's Health's Amanda Lucci

#womeninsports #womeninbusiness #mentalhealth #selfcare
Tennis Star Jessica Pegula’s Relatable Pre-Match Routine Actually Isn’t A Routine At All
Adaptability is key before a major match, she tells WH.
www.womenshealthmag.com