Platform: Macintosh

Illinois, USA

[.MOV] [35.7 MB]

Sleights is the interactive story of Harry Houdini trying to find a way out of Heaven. Picking up just after his death, the user must decide whether to bring Houdini back from the dead by exploring a unique and familiar gateway between Heaven and Hell.

Jim Ferolo, Director, Writer, Producer, Creative Director
Jim Ferolo is an independent developer currently finishing an MFA degree in interactive design from the department of Radio/Television/Film at Northwestern University. His interest in the interactive genre has lead him to investigate the connections between early cinema and the development of the new computer gaming experiences. His work has spanned a wide variety of artistic mediums and applications developed for the internet and educational based distance intranet projects as a senior developer at the Northwestern University Multimedia Learning Center Lab in Evanston, Illinois.

Hallie Blanchard, Programmer
Hallie is a computer-graphics designer and technology trainer at Northwestern University.Her background includes building hardware, most notably at MIT's Media Lab in the 1970's, designing instructional software, and designing and building interactive web sites and CD-ROMs. Hallie's educational background includes photography and architecture at MIT, choreography and performance at the University of Michigan, and computer animation and programming at Northwestern.

Matt Henkelmann, Compositing
Matt did his undergrad stint at Northwestern University, and in his bold pursuit of cool things, he is blessed to have the support of his parents, sisters, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and friends with Sleights being no exception. He (and he's unanimous) is highly happy to work in coordination with all the others included in the bios held herein. His credo stands: "No job is too big, no fee is too big."

Don Kenyon, Sound Designer
Don Kenyon brings a wealth of analog sound mixing experience to Sleights as a 10 year veteran of professional audio engineering. Don graduated from the State University College at Fredonia in with a degree in Sound Recording. Don earned a Masters from Northwestern's Dept. of TV, Radio, and Film in 1997, and a Masters in Theology in 1998. His DogEars Productions is in Evanston, IL, where he lives, writes, and listens, with his two girls. He hopes to continue developing his understanding of digital technology in the realm of film soundtrack production.

John Loesel , Composer
John Loesel is an accomplished composer with the ability to capture the power of the moving and still image using his unique creative skills. An accomplished percussionist with a B.A. in computer science and M.A. in music performance, John has been developing a career in the arena of commercial music production. One of the original collaborators on Sleights, his ideas and input have added immeasurable creativity to this dynamic project. His skills and perseverance have been an incredible asset. John hopes to continue composing and exploring the uses of all types of music as an creative force.

Reid Perkins Buzo, Programmer
Reid Perkins-Buzo, O.P. is currently studying for the Masters of Fine Arts in Radio/TV/Film at Northwestern University. He has been adjunct Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at Loyola University, DePaul University, and Oakland University. He holds degrees in Applied Mathematics/Computer Science (MS, Oakland University), Biblical Theology (MA, Aquinas Institute of Theology) and Pastoral Counseling (M.Div., Aquinas Institute of Theology). He has worked extensively on computer animation, multimedia presentations for videotape, database applications, and Java programming for the Internet.

Anna Marie Panlilio, Artist
Anna Marie Panlilio is a graphic artist for a small advertising company in Chicago. Her contributions to the Sleights project include QTVR authoring and graphic design. She holds a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern.