#Webmaster of cotres furtifs (Furtive Cutter Ships), a website that tells stories in 3D
The cotres furtifs was launched on October 20, 1998, after they had become a group. Following a break to show solidarity with the Altern web server (which fell foul of the inadequate French laws about the Internet), they are now offering two parts and preparing a third. The aim is to tell stories in 3D and explore how a 'link' opens the way for 'hyperwriting,' which is a set of characters, sounds and animations. It gives priority to words.
Jean-Paul is a writer and a musician. In June 1998, he wrote: "The Internet allows me to do without intermediaries, such as record companies, publishers and distributors. Most of all, it allows me to crystallize what I have in my head (and elsewhere): the print medium (desktop-publishing, in fact) only allows me to partly do that. Then the intermediaries will take over and I'll have to look somewhere else, a place where the grass is greener…"
[Interview 05/08/1999 // Interview 25/06/2000]
*Interview of August 5, 1999 (original interview in French)
= How do you see the future of cyber-literature?
The future of cyber-literature, techno-literature or whatever you want to call it, is set by the technology itself. It's now impossible for an author to handle all by himself the words and their movement and sound. A decade ago, you could know well each of Director, Photoshop or Cubase (to cite just the better-known software), using the first version of each. That's not possible any more. Now we have to know how to delegate, find more solid financial partners than Gallimard, and look in the direction of Hachette-Matra, Warner, the Pentagon and Hollywood.
At best, the status of the, what… hack? multimedia director? will be the one of video director, film director, the manager of the product. He or she's the one who receives the golden palms at Cannes, but who would never have been able to earn them just on their own. As twin sister (not a clone) of the cinematograph, cyber-literature (video + the link) will be an industry, with a few isolated craftsmen on the outer edge (and therefore with below-zero copyright).
= What exactly is a cutter?
It is called that because it seems to cut through the water. It's sturdy little naval vessel with a single mast. Cutters were an important part of naval fleets because they were quick and easy to operate. They were the favourite boats of pirates, smugglers and… maritime postal workers.