TMM 009: Behind Hello Kitty & Cardboard

I just published my video and diorama, sorry not sorry. I wanted to make a piece that could be enjoyed at face value and have a narrative but also be a bit of an exploration in my relationship with the hobby and art as well. I've struggled with my identity as a creative person this year and I've struggled with my identity being wrapped up in a company (Games Workshop, makers of Warhammer). The piece I made started as my prediction for the future of Games Workshop. Hello Kitty is the second most grossing media franchise and that's where I see Warhammer headed for better or for worse. My diorama depicts bootleg space marines reverse engineering/idolizing a Hello Kitty. The tarot card Death I chose to represent my increase in self awareness and letting go to move onto new things. I don't want to be associated with a particular company I have no control over, but I understand now that I can take what I love about that company and its products and make it my own.

The reveal shot at the end of sorry not sorry with all the flashing lights was shot in slow motion and I used a powerboard with switches that I would manually turn on and off as fast as I could. This effect makes me want to experiment with lighting in my next project and see if I can automate them turning on and off randomly.

I've taken up skating when I need a break from sitting down too long and need to clear my head to work out what's important. It’s helped a lot with motivation and sleeping better and it's what inspired the first shot of this video. I wanted to do something a bit surreal and silly like Napoleon Dynamite or a Wes Anderson movie.

CARDBOARD.

My previous diorama short film was inspired by an email from a young maker who asked what they can make out of just cardboard and glue. I shot that video the night of receiving that email at 1am and worked till sunrise. My music friend Bengfang did the music which was two short tracks that I mixed and edited together using a set of DJ decks (because I didn't know how to do it digitally). It took me a few tries to get it good enough.

If you watched my Goals for 2022 video, you would’ve seen that I’m hoping to release Arcane Ugly as a physical book this year.

Luke is working on some tarot cards for the group narrative tools.

And I'm currently working on ways to augment and upgrade Adventures Abilities as suggested in the Arcane Ugly Discord.

So far the methods are through shaman, tattoos and mutations. But I think I might include some sort of school option as well.

Arcane Ugly will be a focus this week now I've cleaned my plate of unfinished videos. Next video will be the Arcane Ugly Q&A to share the next update and also what the amazing Discord is up to.

Will McDaniel

Will is a film maker and creator of weird, hilarious and unsettling things… as well as a friend of mine. Will has inspired me so much this last year and been my biggest motivation to make bigger scale stuff.

Will contributed cards to Monster Bash III but was unable to finish his monster after falling ill. I'd hate for you to not be exposed to his mad genius so that's why Will is today's creator!

__

The January Q&A is coming right up so please ask away about anything Trent, Miscast, Arcane Ugly, creative or totally unrelated.

—-

The Miscast Minute - brought to you by Trent and Rachel. Have suggestions for what you’d like to see? Let us know!

We also love featuring your work in the Miscast Minute. You can email a photo of your project to miscastminute@gmail.com for consideration.