We at Darned Sock Productions love stories. We grew up reading comics with flashlights under our bed covers after we were told to go to sleep. We spent our recesses spinning elaborate adventure tales, always starring our friends, and always making everything up as we went along. We still, even as grown adults, sometimes see two movies at the theatre on the same night. When we play a new video game, it’s not so much to win, but to discover its universe, touch its characters, and feel its physics.
But we especially love books. All kinds of books—illustrated books, comic books, and wordy books. Books where the text is as colourful as any illustration. Books with intricate plots, intriguing characters and exciting new worlds.
We founded Darned Sock Productions Inc in 2012 to make fun, interactive apps that try to reimagine the types of stories that can be told. These aren’t just books with some added sound effects and animation—they’re stories that couldn’t be told in any other format, but with an emphasis—always—on fun.
Markian (who often goes by Mark, out of sheer laziness) has spent his entire professional career confused as to whether he’s a writer/editor or coder. He’s worked as a web developer on various projects for the CBC (CBC Music’s mobile site, the 2012 Massey Lectures), as a developer and producer for Sharp magazine (Gold medal winner for its responsive design at the Canadian Online Publishing Awards) and as online editor for the now-defunct Shift magazine (nominated for a Webby Award while he was editor). He’s been freelance writing the whole time. He’s also been co-nominated for a National Magazine Award.
Since hustling loose leaf drawings for pudding at recess in grade school, Jeff has known his destiny as an illustrator and designer. While growing up Markian would tell Jeff, his cousin, his own twisted versions of classic children’s bedtime stories. Jeff has worked as a designer and illustrator for a children’s toy company The Orb Factory and has also worked as a freelance illustrator and designer.
We work with lots of people for each project—animators, musicians, editors, coders, project managers, and more. We love working with talented people. If you’ve got skills you want to contribute, please get in touch.