Transcript
Speaker: Hello, Sisters of the Force listeners. It is I, Sia, just dropping in to let you know that, due to some software issues that we were having, this episode hasn't quite got the crisp, clear audio that you have come to expect from us. But the content is still top-notch, so see you on the other side.
Speaker: Music
Speaker: Psyche! You thought you were getting a Clone Wars episode. Well, ah you are not. You are listening to Citizens Force, however. And but I am Bramwen. And I'm Sia.
Speaker: But instead of continuing with our Clone Wars rewatch. We've gone off-piste a little bit. Yeah, we're making it up as we go along. We are. It's our podcast. We'll do what we like.
Speaker: I think that's going to be one of our catchphrases. It already is. But before we tell you about the exciting episode we do have for you today, don't forget to follow us on all of the places. Yes.
Speaker: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, if you are TikTok inclined. Is that a thing? I've decided it is. It turns out i'm a little bit TikTok inclined. You're TikTok inclined. Oh, I'm not TikTok inclined yet. I could be pers persuaded.
Speaker: Also, Blue Sky. And Blue Sky, yeah, which I have to say I've been very bad at keeping up to date. So apologies you. And yeah, spread the word, Sisters of the Force. Maybe you could give us a cheeky little five-star review. That would be great. That would be awesome.
Speaker: But today, we do have a very exciting episode lined up for you. We do. At Force Fest in Cheltenham a few weeks ago, cia and I met an absolutely inspirational creator yes who went through a massively life-changing event back in 2004 and came out with new perspective, new direction, and mind-bogglingly new skills. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker: And just a sunshine a human. What a human. We stood in the corridor at Force First chatting to him for quite a long time and admiring his incredible work, which you can hear all about.
Speaker: And yeah, he was just so interesting and so kind. And yeah, we knew we needed to get him on the pod. Chazza, if you've been to any cons or Star Wars events in the UK recently, you might have stumbled across some of his work and you might have even had the lucky opportunity to chat with him. But we really wanted to get him on the pod so that we could introduce him to all of you who don't know about him.
Speaker: So without further ado, let's get into it. Here is Maker.
Speaker: Mo, welcome to Sisters of the Force. We're so excited to have you here Thank you very much. oh Thank you. I'm extremely excited. Yay! Our first question is, we met you at Force Fest, which was a very Star Wars-y event. So we wanted to know, what's your like Star Wars origin point? Where did you first sort of get into Star Wars? Oh...
Speaker: Absolutely brilliant question. Yeah, Force Fest was really, really cool. And was great meeting you two both. But my Star Wars story starts, I was born in the year of the Jedi, 1983.
Speaker: I remember i was sitting down in my living room once on BBC One. It was Christmas. and i remember A New Hope was on the TV. And I was just sitting there like, what is this? I remember seeing Vader coming in. And I've seen the White Holes. I've seen him go up to Princess Leia. And I'm just like...
Speaker: And then hearing James L Jones voice. That was the first time I saw Star Wars. And my mum was like, yeah, this is Star Wars. And I was like, oh, I remember falling in love. I just, the Vader helmet, the big black eyes. And and i remember my sisters used to be afraid of Darth Vader. So every time they used to be on TV, because as you know, VHS were were new then. They were like, what, £800 for a VHS player. we yeah We didn't have one. So it was like, please, Star Wars, come on. Please, Star Wars, come on.
Speaker: And... I remember, obviously, by that time, Return of the Jedi was still in the cinemas and stuff. So... um I didn't watch that then. I remember I watched The Empire Strikes Back.
Speaker: Then I watched Return of the Jedi when it finally came. think I watched it in 1990 on TV, but it was obviously by that time. And then I recorded it on VHS at the time. And I was just like, yeah, I Return of the Jedi over and over again. i was obsessed with the speed of seeing it on Endor. I got obsessed with it with the... the Ewoks and stuff. And at that time, I was just explaining to my nephew, was like, we weren't spoiled for Star Wars. Visually, we weren't spoiled. You had yeah the original trilogy and there was a few books and stuff around and that's all you had and the toys.
Speaker: So I'm like, you guys are spoiled. We had to wait. had to sit there waiting for him, reading, reading Radio Times and twisting us like, is Star Wars going to be on? Is Star Wars going to be on? Totally, I remember doing that.
Speaker: That's my story. It's true. We do need to keep reminding ourselves how lucky we are. I find that. People online complaining about Disney and what have you, you don't know how lucky It's I said that exact same thing. I said, you have got you've got Star Wars vision, you've got the whole original trilogy, the sequel trilogy, the prequel trilogy. You've got everything right there. You've got Santa Cruz. You've got just amazing. And he's like, oh, yeah, I didn't think about that. was like yeah, man, going back to the 80s movie. But I was sitting there like, this time was going to be our life. This is why our VHS tapes were just like worn out from being a relief.
Speaker: I didn't have TV as So we used to rent a TV sometimes from the library. oh yeah, yeah, yeah. You could, yeah. Yeah. And my dad used to work at a university. So sometimes he would borrow the TV over the holidays. Oh, amazing. He was borrowing the TV and putting VHSs in. Yeah, that's what I don't understand, man. That is the hard thing, man.
Speaker: The hard times. were quite hard times, it's true. It was, it was. And then I i remember during the 90s when i the, is it the Tazos in the Walker's Game? Yes! Star Wars ones.
Speaker: I was like, oh, I don't want to say that. This is your vindication moments here. This is incredible. We talked about them. We talked about these on the first episode. Wow. ah Wow.
Speaker: ah i was ah And then again, because it was was so limited how much you could get. And then I remember getting my N64 and playing Shadows of the Empire and I was like, yes.
Speaker: I'm fighting Brother Fett. Oh, wow. And the Battle of Castle. It was just like... Incredible. Incredible. So good. Good times. Oh, my gosh. Great times. So we've only heard a small part of your story, really, but we are actually dying to know more about you. ah Could you tell us about the big turning point moment you experienced in 2004?
Speaker: oh Yes, I will. So in 2004, I was 20 years old. I'll have to go back a little bit. So the year 2000, I left school. And um I remember that school telling my mom, like, you know, your son hasn't made his way to do any GCSE.
Speaker: He's been having a difficult time in school and stuff. And my mom was like, so what's the option? And they were like, let him just finish school. Let him at least go past the line and then and We'll see what happens there. So I went to Burger King on the day I left school and I went down to Burger King I said to the manager, look, I've left school, I've got no GCSEs, but I'm hardworking.
Speaker: I'm willing to work. And he says, all right, I'll give you a chance. Come in on Monday day and we'll see how it goes. i was working at Burger King for three years, to 2003. And then I started some like temporary work and stuff. yeah So yeah, 2003, the end of 2003, the last thing I remember was going to the cinema to watch Lord of the Rings, Return of the King.
Speaker: yeah that was it. That's the last thing I remember. okay And then in October, round about the 14th, 2004, I remember waking up And I was in the QE in Birmingham, the in the head trauma unit.
Speaker: And my mum and a load of doctors and my family that I haven't seen for years was around me. were all like, oh, you know, he's awake, he's awake. And like, what? What's going on? I remember the first thing I said to them was like, where's my chocolates? And they were like, what?
Speaker: What chocolates? And was like, I had some chocolates and then the doctor was like, look, Mo, we need to have a word and we need to sit down and talk to you, but we won't talk to you yet. We're going to move you back to the city hospital. We need to just monitor you for a few more weeks here. sure At that point, I was confused. that Like, what's going on? My mum was like, you had tuberculosis and a rare bacterial meningitis in your brain. And I was just like, oh, wow. Okay, what what's that? And they were like,
Speaker: it's dead liver. You should not be here. So I'm just like, what I'm hearing you know what I mean? So I didn't realise why I was so, um I was very, I don't know, I wasn't very nice, but my brain was all over the place. I went to the city and the doctors came and sat down with me and went, look, you had a rare bacterial meningitis with tuberculosis running right in your brain.
Speaker: And we gave you a 50-50 chance. We said to your mum, tell your family, you're go to it's either death or brain damage. That's what they said. And I was like, well, I've got brain damage. He was like, yeah, that all the right frontal lobe is grayed out, which means the brain's dead on that side.
Speaker: And we've inserted a VP shunting to your brain. And he says, When we put the VP shunt in, it caused even more damage. Wow. Down the the side. So he said, but we had it was either that or death. So we just had to take the choice. And then I said, all right. He said, we're going to let you go home in about three weeks and we'll see how it goes.
Speaker: I went back in March 2005 and I walked in and the doctor looked at me like this. And he was like, are you all right, man? like, yeah, yeah, yeah. And he was like, he said, you're a walking miracle. He said, the last person that had that.
Speaker: They've got no limbs. And he's like, yeah, it's serious. So then he said, are you going to what going with your life now if I want to go back to work? And like, no, you're not. And I said, I'm to drive. was like, no, you're not. And I was like, why? He was like, you've got...
Speaker: a scarring on your brain. It's going to take about 10 years for the scarring to basically go into what they call encephalomanacea, which is official brain damage. and So I've got cases, so we don't know what's going to happen to you in the next 10 years.
Speaker: So I'm going to do a little time jump now. So that was 2005 and 2006, 2007. six seven I went to the doctor, said, doctor, I can't smell and can't taste. He was like, oh, yeah, that's normal. i was like, what?
Speaker: He's like, yeah, you you're lucky. That's very minor. Some people go blind, loads of things. So he said, I'll just learn to work with that. And I said, OK, cool. And now a little bit more of a time jump, I started, and I kind of started looking for work, even though the doctor said not to work.
Speaker: I kind of like brushed the DWP off. I said, I don't want no disabilities. I want to go work. And were like, you shouldn't. And was like, going to work. I didn't tell my family and I went I got a job and I was working and my mum was like look just take it easy started working but then as I was working standing on my feet for more than like Two hours just killed me.
Speaker: I left, I went to the job centre and I said, look, what can I do? And I said, oh, you shouldn't be working anyway, but try and find something that fits around your disabilities and stuff. And as I said to you at the school with Nozzy City, and I wasn't creative. i didn't, you know, my drawings were a joke. I got kicked out of my art class one of the nights. Seems wild now, doesn't it? Yeah, yeah, it seems so. Yeah. Yeah, so i was I'm a massive gamer, so i'm one of my favourite gaming franchises is Legend of Zelda.
Speaker: Yes. So the Majora's Mask, you know, I was quality hat and stuff. I was sitting there in my room and me and my brother, we both played that in the year 2000 when it came out and he saw me messing around with piece of MDF wood. My mum's actually a carpenter, she had loads of wood and stuff around. so I was throwing to him. My brother was laughing at me, was like, what are doing? was like, don't know, I'm just messing around.
Speaker: And he was like, wait he said, oh oh, that kind of looks, oh, what are you trying to draw Majora's mask? And was like, trying. And he was like, ha, ha, ha. Good luck with that. Now, I've got sink up it, so I have blackouts. yeah Sometimes they're about one second, sometimes they're going be five seconds, but it's long enough to cause major damage if you're doing something. Yeah, of course.
Speaker: So I blacked out, and I sort of remember just sitting in there drawing brother laughing. I woke up the next morning, my brother's rocking my legs at the bottom of the bed, and I'm like, what? And he's like...
Speaker: Wow Did you do that? And was like What? And he's like The drawing I looked at the drawing It was like Nothing I've ever done before yeah I keep telling people but this And people are like Really? I'm like I've got all the pictures I've everything to prove It's real surreal And then he was like Oh said Alright If that was you Then you have to paint it And was like no I said that looks so good Because the drawing Was like nothing I've ever done before And he was like Just paint it man You've got nothing to lose A few nights later, yeah, again, because I was suffering these black ass, but I didn't know why I was suffering them at the time. Yeah. And my brother came in the room again. He's like, let me see. And I was like, oh my God, dude, that's weird.
Speaker: And I was like... i' what Yeah, is he? And he's like, yeah, you know, you should do you should do something with it. So then I decided to make a massive storage box with that on the front. Wow. And he was like, what are you going to do with that? you're going to paint it. And I decided I'm going to do more characters. So I done the Skorki from the Madora's Mask on the moon, which is coming down. yeah And I done Link on the side.
Speaker: Excellent. And then I put it online and Zelda Informer, Zelda Universe, and I had over 85,000 impressions of people messaging me. How much you send that back to? I'm that's amazing.
Speaker: And then literally of my spin tree from there, it was like, I kind of see it like, a tumbling. I just started doing loads of people's like, can you do Toy Story? Can you do this? Can that? I was like, I'll try. hey I'll try. And then obviously I'm a huge Neil Blancamp fan, you know, District 9, Chappie.
Speaker: I was at my exes at the time and was messing around with something and it kind of looked like Chappie's head. was like, I'm just like, I'm bored, but Chappie? And I made the head and then a I just was going to make a bust.
Speaker: And I was like, well, she's so wicked. And remember it was that It was on my AT-ST. It was on there. And then I was like, I was looking at it in the shed and i was like, why have I made the whole robot?
Speaker: Why have made the full robot? I'm going to do it. And obviously my ex at the time was like, you can't make a full robot. was like, I'm going to do it. And I remember for the sixth day straight, was in the shed just cutting, doing things. and And I called her out, called my daughter out and my steps at the time. And I i said, guys, um I want to introduce you to somebody. And they were like, somebody. I was like...
Speaker: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I give you chappy. And we're all like, whoa. Because he was all stood up. It was the first time I stood him up. And then I put it on Twitter and I added Neil Blomkamp and Wetter Workshop, Wetter Workshop.
Speaker: And Wetter Workshop replied. And I was like, oh my God. And they were like, we love this, Mo. And then I got a message from Neil Blomkamp and he was like, dude, he said, did you say, he said, oh, you know,
Speaker: get in touch and sort something out here. was like, what do you mean? Sort a cap? And then we made me and Neil Blanc have started like messaging each other. Really lovely guy. Such a legend. And then a few weeks later, I got a van coming to my house from FedEx and it was props from the movie and stuff. i was just like, wow. Wow! But the HST and Chappie took me six years to make because I just had my daughter. She was really young. yeah And I was going back and forth and stuff. But once they were erected in in the way I started adding bits, like I started adding a motor and electronics to Chappie so he could move and talk and stuff. Wow. I've got some features to add to the HST, but not doing that yet. And then i made a pit droid. I made Anakin Skywalker's pod racer. Wow.
Speaker: They had a small attack, which is a DVD story with a light and an alarm as well. So when people come back there, it goes, do but oh yeah, it just literally went crazy. And then obviously my story kind of like got out to the Hereford Times and I didn't realise, I'm a very humble person. I didn't look at it like that. And people are like, hold on, you woke up a coma? And I was like, yeah? And they were like, dude, that's like, what?
Speaker: And then... Yeah, so I got a message from a lovely guy, and and he was like, I run the media company, i think it's SWNS, and he was like, we just want to put your story out there, and think it's fantastic, and we really think people, it's an inspiring story, it's really great. was like, yeah, yeah, cool, whatever. And then on the November the 5th, 2022, the Friday, the next morning I had my phone, was ringing in, good morning, Britain, Daily Mail. was like, what's going on? my story And then I got an email,
Speaker: You know, you get loads of spam emails all the time. And it was a guy, can't remember his name, but he said, I'm a producer. I thought, oh, where from? And he's like, I'm a producer on the Drew Barrymore show. was like, no, you're not. And he's like, yeah, yeah. He's like, I said, look, leave me an alarm. And I'm sick and tired of you scammers. And he's like, no, seriously, go and check me out. He said, I've been trying to contact you on your Facebook, on your Instagram, and I've just managed to get it for you. was like, okay, cool. He said, I need you to sign something so Drew Barrymore can do a feature on you.
Speaker: I was like, okay, cool. didn't hear enough of that for a time. And then Christmas Eve, he was like, oh, here's a link. And I was like, what is it? Is that just Drew Barrymore talking about you? I was like, oh, okay.
Speaker: Yeah, so it's been it's been a rollercoaster. Obviously, we started doing my documentary. We are very close to the end. Very, very close to the end. We're hopefully... Yeah, yeah, very close. So it's it's called Roller Maker from Comet to Creative. And we've done my interview, my mum's interview.
Speaker: I met a lot since 2016, doing the comic cards and stuff. And hopefully, I've got really like Charles with a lot of really lovely people. Hopefully, they're going to do a little segment on the documentary. Hopefully. We'll see. We'll see. Yeah, so that's right. And then he and I meet you, you wonderful ladies at the Fullsweb. And now we're all here having a Star Wars party. Exactly. This is what this podcast is. It's just concert Star Wars party. I will talk for eternity. Seriously. This is why you're here. We loved meeting you at Force Fest and we got to see some of your work and it literally blew our minds. Like Sia came running up to and said, you've got to come down this corridor. There's a General Grievous and it's like life size. We're like, what? So we immediately fell in love with the work and I loved your BD unit. You've got like a little BD droid. Yeah, yeah, yeah. From playing Fallen Order, it was like, oh my God, that speaks to me so. How do you make these things? Like what what materials do you use? And you've mentioned electronics. do you Did you know electronics before the coma or is that something you've kind of got into as well? Yeah, it's an interesting question because a lot of people obviously you know the sweetie printing massive right now. It's massive. So I don't use sweetie printing. i
Speaker: But before I started drawing stuff, when I used to make things and I used to put stickers on them. So I used to make little keepsake boxes when, because my mum's a carpenter, she was helping. She was like, you know, let's do some boxes together. I used to just put stickers on there. i used to, you know, Disney stickers, Star Wars. That's all I used do.
Speaker: When I started drawing and and just got to the point where I'm, I don't know, I'm I'm allergic to things like that. I see 3D printing, like printing a picture. I don't. Yeah. I don't know. I respect people because know a lot of wet goals into Sweden. People take Sweden pins in, oh, you're printing, it's done. No, there's lot of wet that goes into it. So I respect them, but I can't do it. I can't do it. look at something and I don't even measure. I just look and I judge by, so when I read Chappie, looked at his visor And I dodged how far the eye visor is from his ear and the the circular. I don't measure like that. I just like to draw quickly it and then i cut out. I don't do none of that. So all my stuff's made from MDF, redwood pine, a bit of foam for certain little little bits but bit and clay. So general grievous.
Speaker: Very, very interesting. As we know, in the prequel trilogy, everything seems futuristic. It just seems curved and General Groobis' face is very curved and smooth.
Speaker: When I tell people that's made from wood, they're like, huh? I'm like, yeah, so what I've done is have a flat piece of MDF board. I drew General Grievous' face on the wood, but I drew it bigger than it would be in ah on a normal drawing. yeah And my mum was like, what are you doing? And I was like, I'm making General Grievous. And my mum was like, you're making that? And I was like, yes.
Speaker: And then she was like, all all right we'll see. Let's see where you're going with this. And started drawing it. And then I started doing those of lines down the face. Lines, lines, lines, lines. I was like, what are you doing?
Speaker: and when I went in the garden. I remember it was maybe early spring, so the sun was still setting quite early. And I cut the face out, and then I cut all the little blocks out.
Speaker: So by the end, the general view of his face was loads little blocks that went there. And my mom was like, what are you doing, son? I said, just give me a second. Just one second. So what I've done, I stapled the back of them so that they could move.
Speaker: Yeah. So yeah, and then I glued it with hot glue and then as the glue was stinking, I bent it into place. You can curve it. Yeah, and then it dried and then the face was there and my mum was like, yeah, but that looks really rough. And I said, just wait. And then I put some filler in it and then put clay on top of it.
Speaker: Yeah. And then smoothed out, done all the features and stuff. And my mum was like... It's so mind boggling. It's so like magic the original group, like ah the detail. it It sounds like you're really intuitive with it. Do you like start a model and think, oh, this is how I'm going to do this? Or do you just figure things out as you go along? It sounds like you're quite intuitive. Yeah, with Trappy and the HST, the HST when I was doing it, I think it was meant to be about this big.
Speaker: It's definitely bigger than that. yeah With the walkers, I always start with the legs. yeah And I was doing the leg and I was, my daughter was running past, back and forth and my son was playing Wii U at the time. And I was like, I'm trying to do something. And and then I realised I'd done the top bit and the leg's really big. And I was like, I can let me just carry on. Even if it's just a model of the leg. drops there was like, I'll see. And then I remember I'd done it and then I got into the shed cut it out and it was there. It was like that high up to ground. I was like Oh, damn. And then I was just like, you know what, let me finish it. And I actually done the whole AT-ST in two hours in terms of all the cutting and stuff. one of All the little features, like the guns and stuff that came later, but I just done it. And my ex-wife was like, what the hell is that monster? I said, that's an AT-ST.
Speaker: that her a es t up there I was blown away. Because obviously we tell the Jedi Endor scene when Chewie comes out in there. I love the AT-ST machine. I love the at attacks as well. book But the AT-ST, I just fell in love with R2-D2, fell in love with the AT-ST, fell in love with the X-Wing. So good. So I was like blown away with that. I just keep posting pictures like guys, I've got an HST. I've got an HST. So yeah, I love my models.
Speaker: I start and the ideas just trickle things just come in. And and yeah, with with Grievous, it took me two months to make him. He's big. That's a short time. Yeah, yeah, yeah, but I did it all in little pieces. So people like, how do you pack this the way I'm like, his legs come off, his arms come off, his lightsabers come off, his head comes down And they're like, oh oh yeah, I get it. His stand comes down. And when Grievous is packed down, he's about two foot by three foot square.
Speaker: But the people are like, he's massive when he's up. I'm like, yeah, man, like, engineering. That's perfect for doing cons and stuff and taking it around the place. Yeah, yeah, yeah. like carrying a suitcase kind of thing.
Speaker: Where if you taken these things? like We saw you at Force Fest. We know you've been to other cons. like Have you been anywhere like unusual or have that have you taken them outside the country? or No, not out of the country yet. and I was told by the doctors that I might have issues flying far. yeah because i'm must on but They've said to me now, they've said because it's been...
Speaker: It's going to be 23 years this year. Wow. They said, we haven't had, you've had no issues with your shunt. There should be no issues now. And I had one of the latest designs. So they were like, you should be all right. But they said, for my first holiday, I should go to that Malta or somewhere in Turkey, which is not far from the UK. yeah So I'm going to try and book something like that. Then they said, the shunt also gets used to different altitudes over time.
Speaker: So I said, okay, cool. I was driving through the Welsh mountains and oh my God, my head went... Oh no. Yeah. And I was like, I wanted to vomit. I wanted to go toilet. And my mum are you all right? was like, I don't feel right. But as we started driving more, it got used to it. It sort of evened itself out. Yeah. Yeah. Obviously it can kill you, you know, if the pressure's wrong. But I have a...
Speaker: This isn't a programmable one. This this is auto. Yeah. yeah oh That's why I haven't traveled anyway. But I just recently started doing sketch cards and stuff. My friend, Carl Jones, is a really good, so talented artist. He's done a lot of kinds of stuff. He does the sketch cards. So he's kind of like, he's told me, oh, you should do some sketch cards.
Speaker: I'll have to show you like some, I'll send something that you did to the WhatsApp group because it's it's top secret right now, but i'll show you. what Exclusively. yeah. Yeah, so what I've done, and I've done the the the famous Liverpool coming time.
Speaker: Yeah, yeah. and Monopoly events, I've done Monopoly events, Midlands Comic Con the other day and yeah, people were absolutely like, people were blown away. But my nephew was like, oh my God, look, everyone's going over to Grimace, but then everybody went over to BD1 and everybody went over to Chappie and everybody was like, oh my God, Chappie, Chappie. So it was it was fantastic. I've done the Stars of Time, which obviously is the same people who do the Force Fest.
Speaker: and I've done Creed conventions. I've done Creed conventions doing three or four weeks ago. But cool I i was ah know the guy, George, and I said, George, look, I got General Grievous. No one has got General Grievous.
Speaker: And he was like, I know. I said, nobody's got it. I said, let me bring my General Grievous. But he was so late that I wasn't on the list. When I got there, they were like, oh, you're not on the list. And I said, i said you guys, you're going to want me on this list. And they were We'll see. So when they put me in a little corner near the Jabba the Hot Trap, which again is owned by a guy who works in Monopoly events, Mike is absolutely legendary guy. Really, really cool with him. And he was like oh no, you're here. And I was like, yeah, yeah, yeah. And he's like, you book agree with yourself? I'm like, yeah. So everybody's looking at me, putting his shoes on. But everybody's like, what's he doing? And I'm like, and as they start seeing the the red, grey cloak, they're like,
Speaker: General Grieber's?
Speaker: But the only issue was I ah stuck it came out of the electronics and his head wasn't turning that day. But I couldn't see it because I had set it up already and I was like, they were like, look, you can't mess with me now. We're opening the doors. of that but Yeah, there was a queue of about 172 people trying to get pictures with General Grieber's.
Speaker: I was hoping to do more, like, all the cons out there. I'm available, man. Yeah, yeah. It's such a beautiful added part to the cons. It's, like, so interesting. Like, your personal story is interesting, but, like, the actual work itself is, like, unique. Like, you said, nobody else has done a grievous. And even if they had, it wouldn't be the same. Like, there's something about the organicness of the way that you do it. The wood and the clay and stuff. It just makes it really beautiful. Yeah. It's like really Star Wars-y. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What makes Star Wars unique is the sort of lifting, hands-on, like, organicness of everything. That's they're always striving to do. Yeah, absolutely. The props and the designs and everything. I'm going to admit something now. I'm actually terrified of life-size models of things quite often, but... You were so lovely and the way you interacted with me and then there were some little kids around as well that were getting a bit scared of Grievous and I was having a conversation with them about not being scared of him and he's okay. I'm cured, basically. Oh, thank you. That's good. That's a win, that's a win. I love like the AT-ST I could that was fine I can get close to that was grievous because moves I think that's what frees me out but love it I love it so much someone said to me about the eyes his eyes oh yeah now I know a prop maker and was doing a film for Netflix last year and I showed him the picture and he was like how did you get his eyes like that and was like
Speaker: all right, I've got a piece of cardboard and put glue gun glue on it to give it all the crispy, as you know, green-riched skins are horrible. And I just, I'm very good with paint blending. I'm very good. I don't know how, I just, I just look at, and I've done it and he was like, no way, that looks exactly like his eyes. I was like, yeah, it took me like three hours to get all the paint blends. And then, and he was like,
Speaker: wow that's awesome so even with his eyes it's scary my mom was like oh my god he's type of scary little yeah have you had any interaction with lucasfilm at all have they do they know of you no i say i so probably do know but because my general grievance was in they've done an article on my general grievance in february february 26th and it went all over the world i mean i had some reporters from Memphis, Tennessee.
Speaker: Yeah, some places in the deep south of America. Like, we've just put your robot, your Star Wars robot on our side. I'm like, okay, thank you. So, yeah, I think people know about it. It's going out there. It's rippling out. Yeah, it's out there. So, like, I didn't know my story was in the New York Post and somebody messaged me on Instagram. I'm like, oh, I don't know you put your things in the New York Post. I'm like, is it? And they're like, yeah. And then my sister lives in Canada and she was like, oh, just saw you in the newspaper. I was like, oh, that's Some people know. Yeah, some people know.
Speaker: <unk>s So good. What's been your most challenging thing that you've made so far? Good question. I've got a Mandalorian N1 Starfighter.
Speaker: I saw that yesterday. I was looking up here. you yeah Oh my God. I need to see this N1. Yeah, like I ah thought, because of I've got Anakin Skywalker's Podrace, which is big. Not full-size, but it's big. I just wanted to make a statement. um I love the Podrace scene. I love ah love the Podrace scene.
Speaker: So I was like, I need to make Anakin's Podrace. So I'm going to do a little Anakin as well to go inside a bit more. Right now, it's just that. And I thought after that, what am I going to do? I thought, when episode one, The Phantom Menace came out and George Lucas was promoting it and I saw all the art and I saw them doing it the Naboo stuff like that. just loved the curviness. I loved the writing. It's just like, wow. Because yeah as you know, the old the original trilogy of the Empire was...
Speaker: patty and stuff andev wasrostty was a very angular yeah pre-emppire It was all fresh and new and it was so i was with that. So when I saw to mandalo we get n one i was like that
Speaker: That's so cool. I love that shit. I was like, I'm going to make that. My wife at the time was like, you're not. was like, I'm going to make that. And I started. And I remember the day I started, I cut my thumb right open, cut the top of my finger. Yeah. I cut another finger. I was like, oh, I can't do it. Went to the hospital. They were like, Mo, you've got diabetes. You need to, the moment you cut yourself, you need to come straight to us. And I like, I'll be all right. And she was like, no, no, no, no. You really, you need to. So I took a big break about a month.
Speaker: And I keep going in the shed and seeing the little shape that I had done already. And I like, I finished it. I've got to finish it. And then I got the shape. Because as I said, it's really curved. It's really hard. This is all wood. So I done it. And then one of my stepson's friends came and he was like, oh my God, that looks amazing. And was like,
Speaker: all right, that's enough for me to finish this off now. I remember getting it and then putting the turbines on. And i was like, oh, point yeah, I've got to finish this. It's 88% finished. I've got to do the cockpit.
Speaker: And at the back of the turbines, it has these pointy bits. I did make them. But when I moved out my um old house, one of them snapped. Okay. So um I thought, no, i I'll do another one. But yeah, it's it's massive. it's It wouldn't have fit into that little area where I was. It's massive. Where you were at Force Fest, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No way, no way. Obviously, I'm working on now ATRT.
Speaker: Oh, Lush, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, so I'm doing the one from the Mandalorian and Grogu, so yeah, that's going to be. Oh, no. Can't wait to see that. That's going be sad. Yeah, there's something the end one. I think because in that Mando episode, where it's in the Book of Boba Fett, where we see him yeah yeah yeah rebuilding it, and like because we see the making of it, I think we talked about the pod episode about it, it's one of the few times where you see something stripped back to its bent and then built on top of it. I can imagine that being really inspiring to someone you.
Speaker: Oh, boy. I saw it, I was like, I didn't really, really do it. So I was like, somebody said to me, somebody was like, oh, the Mandalorian and Grogu movie, they were like, oh, he hasn't got that anymore. But he has, he has, you know, he's got it. Obviously he uses the Razor Crest to do his job, but he's still got his M1. was like, yeah, he's got it.
Speaker: i said No, and also it's part of the law now. So, you know what mean? Yeah. It's all good. You mentioned the documentary From Coma to Creative earlier on. Tell us more about that. So is that being made at the moment or are you, because i think you've got, have you got a fundraiser for it that people can donate Yes, we yeah we've got a gold fund me for it. But as you know, projects go through different changes. They hundred they go through different yeah groups. stuff So why when i my story came out, I know a lot filmmakers,
Speaker: One being Daniel Alexander from Birmingham, who's done the Gale, the Wizard of Oz horror. Brilliant film. he said to me, he was like, Mo, you need to make a documentary about your story. But at the time, I was just living. I was I take every day as it comes out. was like, why? And like, your story is, I don't think you understand. I was like, what do you mean? So I think that was 2022, 2023. I was looking around and everybody.
Speaker: and and as you know, if you do not know, the music industry and the movie industry, people are knuckleheads. Oh my God. ah They just don't want to help. It's like, whoa. And it's like, yeah isn't this what you do?
Speaker: It's like me opening a shop and a customer's coming at me going, no, I don't want your money. He's like, hold on. This is what you Why are you so stupid? Like, what's wrong with you? So, as you know i know, I know a lot of TV producers because obviously i was on the TV show with Keith Levin Lee Francis. Absolutely legendary guy. I love that guy. And i know a lot of TV producers and a lot of them have given me some good tips. A lot of them have said, do this, do that, don't do this, speak to this person. don So, absolutely legendary. I even spoke to, obviously, the director of Chappie Neil Bluntkamp, he was very, very helpful. Like I said, one of the greatest people I've, I know, just legendary guy. But he's just like, yeah, try that, try that, don't do this. and Just give me little tips and stuff.
Speaker: But it took until Christmas 2024, but at the time it was... I've got nothing to hide. I was homeless. not me and I was was sleeping on my mom's chair. And it was rough. I've got sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, so I have a machine and stuff. So it was rough, man. Rough I was going through it.
Speaker: And I got contacted by a guy. I'm not going to say his name, but he was like, you know, I can help you do your documentary. And ah long story short, he turned out to be a dud.
Speaker: But in the time of me having conversations with him, he introduced me to certain people in the industry that turned out to really good. So it was a gift curse, you know what saying? And then we started talking. My director now, William Osborne, is a prop maker and so he's done some big props and stuff.
Speaker: He was like, no, we can do this documentary. We can do it. So he said, I'm going to get the team. I'm going to get some really good guys on it. And I said, okay, cool. I put some money away. You know, we opened up the GoFundMe because, you know, it's not all about like we want to put money in ourselves as well. It's not. I believe in this story. So we've done it. And the people that did donate so far were fantastic. and that Family, friends, unknown people. And we got the first chapter on that. Obviously, my story is wonderful.
Speaker: 100% me and my mum, really and truly. Because, like I said, she was the one dealing with the hospital and they're having to go back to my family and saying, he's going to die or he's going this. And so the documentary is based on our book, which is out on Amazon. It's called A Numb Conversation and A Place Between Two Sides. It's actually...
Speaker: me and my mum were having a conversation about what happened. Yeah. And the beginning is her, literally, truly it's tearjerker. Like, even when I'm reading it, I forget that it's my mum talking. And then it's me telling her everything that I went to. Like, believe it or not, I had the most craziest dreams of stuff in that coma. I didn't know what was going on, so I was sleeping.
Speaker: And then, so, this is what's called a numb conversation, a place between two sides. Because I thought I dead. I just, I'm gone. So the documentary is my mum, talking about me being young, everything. And, you know, then it kind of slides into the role the maker.
Speaker: Yeah. Yeah. So my interview's done, my interview's done, we've just got to get my sister in. And like I said, some of the people that I've met over the the years and stuff, hopefully get them to do a little segment and that. But yes, it is nearly done.
Speaker: It's nearly finished. I've seen clips I've watched, 30, 40 minutes of it so far. And I have today my director here, William Osborne, is doing an amazing job. And the whole documentary team are absolutely legendary. And I can't wait for everybody to watch it. can't wait. It's going to be... It'll be awesome. We can't wait to see it. We're going to put links to the fundraiser and everything in the show notes. Thank you. Thank you. Because people need to find out about you. Yeah, definitely. Definitely, definitely.
Speaker: Last sort of main question. What things have you learned in this sort of post-coma era of your life? I saw a brilliant quote, by the way, on your Instagram where you said, this world, this life will throw absolutely everything it can at you like a game of Mario Kart, which made me laugh a lot. You must fight the onslaught with much more than brute strength, intelligence, skills, talents, endurance, patience, all of it, but you must never give in ever. I i mean, I'm just taking that away with me for the rest of my life. But what what what things have you learned? What what is it sort of what's changed? Yeah, definitely. Like before the comic, I'm 20 years old. I mean, I'm listening to,
Speaker: Link and Park I'm my Gamecube I'm chilling I'm not ah you don't think about the darkness of this world which is there you just think oh my god fun happiness money girls chilling and then you get hit with reality and I see the coma, the the illness, if it was a blessing because it's made me look at life and everything. And even like my daughter, like she's, oh, she's my world. So appreciation, patience, gratitude, love, family, friends, connections, all of those things are so important to me now. I have learned a
Speaker: a multitude of things. i I could go on all day and index in each of the things. But yeah, definitely gratitude and just just learn to smile and learn to be just be happy. Even when it's raining, just be happy. Everything's a blessing. that The good, the bad and the ugly because when it's dark, you know, it's going to be like when it rains, the rain's going to make the seeds grow. I always look at it like that.
Speaker: And yeah, I just just love life no matter what. My mom said to me once, like, I had a cousin who died really young. He was 23. He had his whole life ahead of him. He was doing great things. And he just randomly died. It was 2001 he died.
Speaker: And my mom was like, your cousin or some of the other people, if they could come back, just for one second, the wood, you're still here. Grab that moment. This is why when I do things, I put everything up, or all my energy into it, all my energy into it. I also want leave legacy for my daughter and my nieces and nephews and stuff. It's like I took my nephew to the Comic Con because he's never been to a Comic Con like that with me and he obviously he's into celebrities and he's been into all those things and obviously Steve Ugg from TTA was there and he was like, oh my God!
Speaker: I think seeing the people come up to me and talk about my story with Grievous and stuff because that was the first time he saw General Grievous up he's always He's only seen it in pictures so when he saw it he was like no. They're controlling his head and making him talk. And he's like, and then he said to me, oh he said, uncle, you're fact, that was the best time I've ever had in my life. said, this is what it's all about, legacy. You know what mean? Yeah. You're the coolest uncle. You are the coolest uncle. are the coolest uncle, for sure. You're in front. I try to be, I try to be. But yes, I've learned so much, ladies, like so much. And I'm grateful, absolutely grateful. I'm also more grateful to be with you two today and talking Star Wars stories. So grateful to have you. It was so lovely. Even just when we met you, your energy was just amazing. Where can people find you, Mo? Where can we find you online? oh Well, you can find me on Instagram. It's at MoTheMaker. It's just all in one, MoTheMaker. And on YouTube, the same, at MoTheMaker. And on Facebook, at MoTheMaker. Excellent. It's all whole words. Yeah.
Speaker: We will link to all of your stuff. But thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you for coming on You have a lovely day. See you later.
