HOW Magazine Interview - Aug 2003
From Homestar Runner Wiki
- Reprinted with permission from the author and HOW magazine, August 2003; www.howdesign.com.
A brief interview of The Brothers Chaps conducted by Megan Lane Patrick appeared in HOW magazine in August of 2003. Below is the article in full.
[edit] Transcript
The Brothers Chaps: Web Designers
Mike and Matt Chapman, The Brothers Chaps, are the mad geniuses behind Homestar Runner (www.homestarrunner.com), which features animations and games based on a crew of unusual characters. Mike, 29, studied photography in college, and Matt, 26, went to film school. After college, they didn't get jobs in those fields so Matt worked in customer service and supported Mike, who stayed home and learned Macromedia Flash. When Matt came home at night, Mike taught him what he'd learned. Homestar Runner debuted on the Web in January 2000. Since then, it's developed a cult following. The guys do the site "pretty much full time," working out of their apartment in Atlanta and paying bills through T-shirt sales and freelance Flash projects.
What's currently in your CD/MP3 player?
MATT: Our upstairs neighbor's been cranking the latest Flaming Lips record, so we've just been listening to that through the ceiling.
MIKE: I just dusted off Built To Spill's first record, "Ultimate Alternative Wavers."
Where do you look for creative inspiration?
MATT: All over. Elementary School. Stuff you overhear at gas stations when you stop on the road. Bad video games.
MIKE: Grocery stores have so much to look at it's hard to not be inspired when I go to one.
Do you have a grand plan for Homestar Runner?
MATT: Just keep on keeping on. Expanding enough so we can keep making a living doing it, but not to the point where you groan when you see Homestar branded on everything.
Do you have any non-Homestar related projects in the works?
MATT: We just did a Flash music video for The Folk Implosion.
MIKE: We're trying to finish the new Zelda game.
What kinds of things make you laugh?
MATT: "Match Game." Hilarious signage and packaging. Pretend stuff.
MIKE: Tony Little. Ron Popeil. I also really like fake fire of any kind.
