LIMERICK, Maine — When death hits the eternal circus, what will you choose to do? That's a question posed throughout Shawn French's interactive game for your phone. French is a video game designer and lead writer for Hyperkinetic Studios in Los Angeles. His new game, "Murder On The Midway" is a solo project that players can find within the Tales app on their phones.
French created the fantasy game from a real life chapter in his own story. Growing up in a small town in Maine, French just wanted to get out and see the world. He responded to an ad in a newspaper to join the circus. He got the job and started planning out his future traveling the country and learning more about performance art; but three days later, when the circus was packing up and leaving town, French's job had been given to someone else over a misunderstanding.
"It was 30 years ago and even now, imagine a hollow hole," says French. "It felt like, and it still feels like I was robbed of this essential chapter in my backstory." French has lived out a great career though, as a comic book writer; a film producer; and video game writer and designer. All things he's been able to do from his home state of Maine. We sat down with French to talk about the new app and how his Maine roots play into his career.
