DotaMe Feng Wan: I love Dota, I love comedy and I love filmmaking

Hello Feng. Thank you for having a chat with us.

Hi. First off, I want to thank GosuGamers for having me here. And I want to thank all the Dota fans that have being supporting DotaMe.

Ok let's start from the beginning. How were you introduced to Dota and how long have you been playing?

Well, I believe it was in 2006 when, “The aegis could be bought with three charges ;p”. I still remember it was an inhouse game and the first hero I played was Tiny. Since then, Dota became the only game that I play.

Please tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from and how did you get into directing and making web content?

I’m from China. I moved to Stockholm, Sweden when I was 10 years old. When my girlfriend broke up with me two years ago, I stopped playing Dota2 for a while, because Dota2 reminds me of her, so I started to spend time going to the gym and playing the piano. Now, one year later, I possess muscles and piano skills, but still don’t have a girlfriend – Haha, I’m joking, only half of what I said is true. Well, to answer your question, in high school, I grew fond of acting. Occasionally I got jobs as an extra or other smaller roles. Before I knew it, I started to write manuscripts and make short films with friends. DotaMe is the first project that I act as both writer and director.

For those that don't already know, can you tell us what your show is about?

DotaMe is the first comedy show in the world that is based on Dota. It’s about three friends: Brad, Karen and Gao, who are different in all possible ways except one, which is the passion to Dota. Through the three characters, we tell the story about the laughter and tears, friendship and love that Dota brings.

What was the initial idea that inspired you to create a new comedy web series?

One day when I was fishing (yes I like to fish when I’m not playing Dota), I asked myself: “I love Dota, I love comedy and I love filmmaking, what should I do?” Several hours later the idea hit me - make a comedy show about Dota!

Where do you get your ideas from? Are they from your own personal Dota experiences?

Yes, the ideas came from the personal experience. If you watch DotaMe Episode 01 and 02, I believe most people have had similar experiences (or at least similar thoughts).

How did you find your cast and crew? Did you guys go to school together or did you meet through some networking?

I’m glad that we can finally talk about the film crew of DotaMe because they are the most brilliant and talented people I know. Some of them answered my ad, some were introduced by friends. I feel honored to have them.

Which country do you shoot in? How many cast and crew does it take to make an episode of DotaMe?

We shoot in Stockholm, Sweden. Usually it takes 8-9 people for the shooting. But many of the crew have more than one job to do on set. For example, the actor Stefan Lundaahl, who plays Brad, also takes care of the post-production of sound. Director of Photography Eric Hasso also works with the visual effects.

Please explain the process of finding the leading actress Angelica Davis, who plays Karen, and co-star Stefan Lundaahl, who plays Brad.

When I announced that DotaMe was looking for actor/actresses, 70 ladies and 40 men answered. Of those I selected 30 for the casting, and they were all professionals with fierce acting skills. But it wasn’t difficult to decide, because Angelica Davis and Stefan Lundaahl really shined on the stage. They were so funny that I could not stop laughing, despite having seen the play many times already. The role of Karen and Brad went to them without a doubt.

Many viewers have been wondering: "Is Brad's eyes really that blue or are they special effects"?

Yes, Brad(Stefan Lundaahl)’s eyes are appealing, and they are naturally blue, but we had put an effect to enhance the “blueness”.

Which character do you identify yourself with the most: Karen (the intense mid player), Brad (the self-righteous carry) or Gao (the aloof jungler)?

When I play with friends I’m like Gao, because they never let me play the carry or go mid. But when I play alone, I feel more relaxed and always fight for the mid.

How do you juggle between being the creator, writer, director, actor, editor and producer of the show?

Yes, it have been really tough, both to the mind and body. But DotaMe is growing and I have recruited new talented crew members to help or take over some positions. For the next episode, I’m writing the manuscipt with a writer and there will be an assistant director at the shooting. I already feel 100kg lighter.

The first episode was posted on Youtube on January 17, 2014 and the second was posted on April 4, 2014. Can you walk us through why there was such a long gap between episodes?

The main reason for the long gap is that we spent a lot of time in post-production with editing, visual effects and sound. As I already explained to the fans, DotaMe is not a daily playthrough show or a weekly top 10 series. To make one episode requires a tremendous amount of work. I hope for the understanding and patience from the fans, because I will guarantee it will be worth the wait.

Like most web series, the format for DotaMe is quite short. Episodes are just minutes long. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this compared to a real TV show?

If we are going to compare the web series to the TV show, I really can’t see any advantages with the web series, at least not at such an early stage. But I think the main disadvantage is “time”. For example, the first episode of DotaMe, during the 5 minutes, we needed to introduce the characters, tell the story, send out the message, and at the same time make it interesting for the audience. That’s why for every episode of DotaMe, at least 10 drafts of the manuscript is needed before we can put it into production.

After the first week of release, your show received over one hundred thousand views worldwide as well as thousands of subscribers. What has the reaction from the global audience been like?

Yes, this kind of reception was not expected and we were totally unprepared. In addition to the praise from the fans, there were also a lot of complaints about us not updating the DotaMe series quick enough, which we will improve on.

Is the show available in any languages other than English?

Yes, DotaMe is a show made of Dota players from around world. We are lucky to have fans who help with the translations. There are now 12 different languages available for every episode. Please remember to select the language of your choice when you are watching DotaMe on Youtube. That’s the best way to honor the translator’s work.

What can we look forward to in episode 03?

It’s not my style to reveal anything before the release. But what I can say is that we will take the DotaMe Episode 03 to a new level(not necessarily higher ;p). It’ll be the episode that we’ve put most effort in.

Will we be seeing cameos on the show? Perhaps some players or personalities from the Dota community?

To have known Dota players or personalities as cameo would be the most exciting idea, both for the Dota community and DotaMe. I have many great and funny ideas written for the script already. As soon as the opportunity arises, we’ll send out the invitation.

Will we see more characters in the future? What is your plan for the series?

Many new supporting characters will introduced throughout the first season of DotaMe. But Dota is a five player game after all, so at some point I’m going to need two more main characters.

Many web series often release behind-the-scenes material. Will we be able to see any hilarious outtakes or blooper videos?

Of course! By the end of the season, we will release an episode of bloopers.

What is your biggest highlight of this crazy experience so far?

The mail we received from the fans. By now we have received hundreds of mails worldwide. I have read and answered all of them.

How can fans of the show further support your work and DotaMe?

Easiest way to help DotaMe is of course to watch it, share it with friends, and subscribe at Youtube. But feedbacks are most desired. DotaMe is a show made for the fans after all, so please leave a comment at our Youtube channel or Facebook page. We’ll read all the comments.

Thanks for your time Feng. Would you like to give any shoutouts?

I like to thank all my friends who have been supporting me. Even a pat on the back has made an unimaginable impact on me. Then I want to thank the Dota communities who have been supporting DotaMe. And last but not least, to the Dota players around world, without you DotaMe won’t be possible, I love you guys!

DotaMe Episode 01: United We Stand