Dreamwave Productions
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| Cooperative federation (SA) | |
| Industry |
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| Founded | 1995 |
| Founder | Saira Telyn |
| Headquarters | Deðras, Ḑarna , |
Area served | |
| Subsidiaries |
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The Dreamwave Productions Group SA, commonly known as Dreamwave Productions, is a Gylian group of entertainment companies, active in production and distribution.
Established by Saira Telyn in 1995, Dreamwave is one of the largest groups in the Gylian cultural industries, and the biggest producer of Gylian blockbusters and media franchises. Their releases have also achieved notable success abroad, playing a role in the renewed Gylian Invasion.
History
Dreamwave was established by Saira Telyn in 1995. It was initially a single company, but steady success allowed it to grow into a cooperative federation of production and distribution companies, active in various fields of popular culture. She joked that it was envisioned from the start as "being to entertainment what Miyashita Industries is to industry."
Activity
Dreamwave is active in multiple artistic media, including film, television, video games, and comics. It produces and releases its own works, as well as partnering with other companies for co-productions. As part of the NCC, it is part of a national network of distribution and publishing with other companies.
It is known for distinctive working practices. It collaborates with some of the biggest names in Gylian entertainment — whether in writing, directing, acting, or soundtracking — and has helped bring new stars to national popularity. It has a stable of regular collaborators, including actors Louise Bourgoin, Élise Dubois, and Ceit Bhoid.
Pre-production is extensive: production does not begin until a script has been completed, and special effects and music are not added until the final edit is assembled. While productions are extensively scripted, the crew and actors are encouraged to improvise and experiment with changes that might improve the work.
Common traits of Dreamwave releases include polished production values, scripts that emphasise character development and witty banter, steady-to-fast pacing, and elaborate action sequences with stunts and special effects. Dreamwave works are diverse and eclectic, using a wide variety of genres and styles, unified by a consistent sensibility.
Humour is an important element of Dreamwave productions, with recurring elements including self-referential jokes and humorous subversion or deconstruction of pop culture tropes to fit a more realistic setting.
Dreamwave was a pioneer in Gylian media franchises, and is known for using its franchises for worldbuilding purposes. Several of its works are set in shared universes, nicknamed the "Psylias" and "Sexlias" universes. Each work is primarily designed to be entertaining on its own, with subtle references, cameos, crossovers, and hidden messages linking them together.
Shared universes share generally realistic settings with alternate history-like elements (such as Gylias including the region of Molise and fictional brands), and use real time rather than floating timelines. Additional releases in a franchise serve to develop characters or setting further, show previous events from a different viewpoint, and tell more everyday, slice of life stories.
Dreamwave is one of the most critically and commercially successful Gylian production companies. It generally alternates releasing big-budget blockbusters with more low-key works, and has a more sporadic release schedule due to its working practices.
Commentators have also noted subtle political themes in its works: Radix writes that Dreamwave's best-known heroines are "classic women's power fantasy — smart, successful, intelligent, highly-respected and well-dressed professional women, confident in their ability and intellect even before gaining powers", while their antagonists are either "harmlessly respectable adversaries proving an equal match for the heroes" or "villainous enemies out to harm humanity — bigots, sociopaths, and capitalists".
Organisation
Dreamwave is a group of companies, registered as a SA.
It is organised by workers' self-management. Management is carried out by the 10-member Management Board, supervised by the 15-member Supervisory Board. Both boards are elected annually. Each member company in turn is self-managed, and elects a Management Board and Supervisory Board.
Founder Saira Telyn is the CEO, winning repeated re-election since the company's establishment. She and spouse Anise Lyð jointly serve as "creative editors-in-chief" for Dreamwave's productions.
Dreamwave's headquarters are in Deðras, Ḑarna.
Releases
Franchises
Psylias universe
- Le recueil des faits improbables de Ryōko Yakushiji (1 series, 1 film, 1 game)
- Les Enfants Terrificques (1 series, 1 film, 2 games, 1 comic)
- Psychic Squad (1 series, 2 films, 1 game, 1 comic)
Sexlias universe
- The Amazing Inflatable Girl (2 series, 1 film, 2 games)
- Liquid Woman (2 series, 1 game)
- Family Reunion (1 series, 1 comic)
- Agent Aika (1 series, 1 film, 1 game, 1 comic)
Other franchises
- Taxi (3 films)
- Wonder Momo (1 series, 1 film, 1 game)
- Bodacious Space Pirates (1 series, 1 film, 1 game, 2 comics)
- Les aventures extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec (3 films, 1 game)
Standalone
Films
- Water by the Sea (1998)
Television series
- Valérian et Laureline (2007–2008, GTV4)
Video games
- Skyeward (1997)
- Rayman 2: The Great Escape (1999)
Comics
- Althaia's World (2004–2014)