Draft:Nina Kristensen

PLEASE NOTE: This page is a draft. It is thus in an unfinished state and may feature broken and/or incorrect formatting.

Nina Kristensen
Credits
MediEvil (1998)	Level Modelling Additional Character Animation
MediEvil 2	Art Management

Interviews

MediEvil EU site

1998

• Education: Industrial Design at Australian University specialised in International Multimedia
• Joined Millennium/Sony: 1996
• Nationality: Australian
• Previous Jobs: Technical Drawing, Contracting

INVOLVEMENT

What did you actually do on MediEvil?
I worked primarily on constructing the maps, the levels, the environments that the guy runs around in. I worked with Mike Philbin on that. Between us we pretty much did the whole lot. What I did as well was animate some of the characters, the ants and the witches and the little hands, rats. . . little bits and pieces. . . Mr Organ is a strange little character that appears only once in the game and he's sort of a little secret. . . He just sits there and plays an organ, a bit ghostly and crazy-looking. . .

Is he on a particular level?
Yeah. He's in the desacrated church. . .

So he's got a secret?
Yeah, there's a little puzzle involving him.

Do you have to do it to get through the game?
No, it's a little option on the side.

Is that the part of the game you look at and think that's your part and you're really pleased with it.
Yeah, that's one of my favourite parts.

GRAVEYARD HASSLE

What's the bit you sweated most over - the bit you went over again and again. . . The most hassle?
The very first level I think has caused the entire team the most hassle. . . The graveyard.

Is that because it was the first level and you wanted it to be right?
It was the first level we made and it's gone through so many changes. You know, it was a sort of practice first time round so that one has evolved immensely. I hate it now! I'll be very happy if I never have to touch that level again.

But you're working on another project now so you're away from it.
Yeah, I'm working on a new project.

So in a few months you'll go back to it and look at it and it'll be alright.
Oh yeah, I enjoy playing it, I just don't want to have to alter it ever again.

WORKING DAY

What's your working day like when you are here? What do you actually do?
Come in. Usually I'd know what I'd be working on. Constructing a map or a character. Sometimes animation which is a really nice change. In the later stages of the project, the last few months, it's been a lot of time fixing so it's been quite monotonous and no longer exciting like the first few days by the fact that I've no artistic input any more. But at the start it was very exciting because you have a new map to build or a new character. . .

So you come in in the morning at about what kind of time - 9 o'clock or 10?
I'm at 10 o'clock. . .

Are you around till 6?
Yeah. Half six. . . unless something went wrong.

Late nights?
Very, very few. The art team is pretty sorted. Pretty under control.

You seem to be a normal person. . . ? 
We work very well together, actually.

. . . ! 
Well, when it comes to work, yes. I am not an early bird.

NICE IS THE OPERATIVE WORD

Do you work here?
Well, in Cambridge.

So you drive down?
Yeah, I drive.

How do you find it?
Cambridge is a nice place to live. Nice is the operative word. It's not a very exciting place to work, but it's nice.

Is it the students?
No, it's not really the students. There's no nightlife beyond 11 o'clock, generally speaking.

Would you like to come down to London?
I really like London but obviously my job's here. . . This new project's very exciting for me. I've got a new job - lead artist on the project.

Lots of responsibility doing that?
Yeah, lots of responsibilities but a lot of fun too.

SOMETHING LIKE THAT

If you could do any job what would it be?
I'd probably have to be a sculptor, I think. Or something like that.

Do you like that?
Yeah, quite a lot.

Do you do it in your spare time as well?
I haven't done any for a very long time but I can see that I'm very lucky actually. I get to be very creative at work, which is nice.

So if you did not have your work here, would you probably be a sculptor?
Yes. Yes. I have to be creative. Luckily, I'm getting paid for it!

So this is the right job for you?
Yes, I like it here.

One thing about games is that most people seem quite happy about the job that they're doing. They might whinge about the company or something but the actual fact that they're being creative. . . Coming back to this now. . . What do you drink?
Is this about Colin?! . . . Poison, absolute poison. Vodka would be my spirit. Vodka lemon soda or something.