Plasticine Fever Dreams
Corey Nikolaus, a filmmaker and the creator of the EraserDread YouTube channel, sat down with Haus of Fog to talk about his wonderfully bizarre creations. For anyone who is a fan of weird and creepy things, like Salad Fingers or David Cronenberg films, EraserDread is exactly what has been missing from your life! Before reading this interview, check out Corey’s The Simpsons/Eraserhead parody, here.
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A few basic questions: Who is on the EraserDread team? What is your “origin story?” And does it involve bath salts?
EraserDread is currently just something I’ve been working on and trying to build. My girlfriend, her mom, and my brother have helped with making puppets/sets and my friends liked what I was doing and volunteered to do the voices. Then I do all the animation.
The origin of EraserDread came about recently. I’ve done small animations in 2D but I can’t draw very well and I love stop motion. I tried it out [a few years ago] and spent lots of time making something that looked terrible. [That attempt also] killed my already shitty back! But I did enjoy making the models from clay. So, now I [think I have finally created] this perfect little Hybrid of Claymation look, [which combines stop motion and digital animation.]
[A few years ago], my friend showed me a video on 3D scanning (photogrammetry) so I started playing around with that. I thought it was a cool technology, but it still took me a year or so to really get into it and try to actually make something. [That lead to me] starting with an old idea I wrote for a Simpsons/Eraserhead mashup. I really liked the end result, and thus EraserDread was born! I had no idea what I was doing [and watched] lots and lots of tutorials along the way. Now I’m starting to gain a better understanding, but I still have a lot to learn.
No bath salts were involved unfortunately… but there was plenty of beers and wine in the mix.
So, no bath salts… What really inspired you to make this channel?
EraserDread was conceived similarly to Haus Of Fog, in the sense that the world is becoming so sensitive and everyone [seems to be] looking for reasons to be offended. Shows, movies, and TV, even comedians, all seem to be walking on egg shells. So I made an outlet (EraserDread) that really doesn’t subscribe to that mentality. There isn’t really any structure to it. My first video was a Simpsons parody, and my second video was a Taylor Swift satire. Last week, I released a video on Ryan Gosling winning an Oscar, and next up is a “Bluey”-horror mashup, more similar to The Simpsons video. So yeah, there is no structure really, but if I see a headline or something that sparks commentary, I can voice that through these animations. I find it somewhat therapeutic, and it’s the perfect medium for that kind of stuff since there [isn’t much] limitation of what you can do and how over the top you want to be with it. I try to make stuff I would like to [watch].
Our generation can be divided into two groups: Those that watched and were permanently shaped by The Simpsons, and those with lame parents who wouldn't let them watch it. Is it safe to assume you were in the first group?
I guess I was in a third category! My mom wasn’t big on it when we were young. I think we watched Arthur when it was on... That didn’t last very long though. South Park, on the other hand, took a little more convincing. I used to have to sneak to watch episodes at night and it would always be in French cause it would air on a French channel so I didn’t even understand the jokes. But I still loved what I was seeing.
While TV shows obviously don't list the influences of their writers in the credits, there is a certain cadance to certain scenes and joke structures that screams "influenced by The Simpsons!" (Some examples are the brilliant AP BIO, and season two of AVENUE 5). Do you know have any other examples?
I actually haven’t seen those shows. I will have to check them out. But I think everything is a little influenced by the Simpsons. They’ve done it all. SIMPSONS DID IT!
How would you define the genre of the work you do?
I think it’s mostly horror comedy. There is a sense of dread in the stuff that I’ve made so far, but I find it funny. I don’t think it lands for everyone though, which I’m okay with. My mom is one of those people that watches and supports my stuff, but she has no clue what she just watched.
What sort of plasticine did you use? Do you use any sort of frame inside of the clay?
I use cheap non-hardening clay from Des Serres for the colours, and I ordered some really nice coloured clay from a brand called Van Aken - Claytoon. I use Super Sculpey for skin, which is more expensive. And then I create an armature from aluminum foil and have at it. My girlfriend is definitely the better modeller; she made Taylor Swift and Ryan Gosling. I prefer making more cartoony and horror style stuff. Once [you] add digital eyes and teeth, [the figures will] always look creepy, no matter how good they look.
Is there anything else that you would like to add or any social media accounts or YouTube channels that you would like to give a shout out to?
I also make live action films as one third of a trio of filmmakers called Monster Circus. They’re really talented guys and we make a great team. We released a music video a few months ago called Bleeding Red by Two Bad Bricks. It’s on YouTube. We have quite a few projects in the pipeline for 2024 that I’m quite excited about as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DefFatV6zvk
You can follow our journey on Instagram: @monstercircusvideo and @eraserdread
Or subscribe to EraserDread YouTube channel!
Some animation YouTube channels that are huge inspirations for me are MeatCanyon, Lee Hardcastle, and David Firth. Also Robert Morgan who just released his first feature film “Stopmotion” which I’m dying to see.
Final thought… to anyone reading this, don’t be a dick, support ED… Get it?