@dungster - @Aalasteir (Q) - Index

Q: What is your perspective on art?

My perspective of art has always been one of necessity. Whatever emotions I'm dealing with, the physical process of drawing helps me internalise them. Happy, sad, angry, confused, etc all go through that process. I think the last couple of years as a whole have been extremely volatile and I’ve definitely felt that impact on my work, but without the meditation found in sitting down at a desk and working on art and animation, I think the world would be a much more overwhelming force for me to navigate. That’s why art is necessary, for me at least.

Q: Where does your interest in animation come from?

I had no friends and watched a LOT of cartoons when I was a kid, that definitely influenced my interests. I think it was either become an animator or flip burgers for a living, I suck at most things.

Q: Do you feel you take inspiration from metal music, and are you also a fan of old horror and sci-fi B-movies? Why do you think those resonate with you, and what are your recommendations?

Absolutely. I think that metal has certain stigma, I think people confuse emotional intensity for anger, but metal explores a ton of different emotions to the absolute extreme. The happy stuff is super happy, the sad stuff is super sad, the angry stuff is super angry. As for old horror and sci-fi, its really more of the sleazy charm that draws me to them. I’m a sucker for good practical effects and puppets. For recommendations, Devin Townsend’s albums Ocean Machine, Ki, City, and Alien are amazing front to back. Everyone should check out GWAR and Acid Bath too. For movies, I’d recommend Tremors, Halloween (1978), Killer Klowns for Outer Space, The Evil Dead Trilogy, The Thing, Dark Star, The Toxic Avenger, Nuke Em’ High, Starship Troopers, Robocop, Terminator 2, and The Twilight Zone.

Q: Would you say you're a fan of Smiling Friends, and the overall silly shenanigans by Psychicpebbles and OneyNG? Do you like SleepyCabin?

Absolutely. I’ve been a fan of those guy’s work for a very long time at this point, definite inspirations for me getting into animation. I’ll still listen to the old SleepyCabin episodes when I work from time to time.

Q: How would you describe the process of creating your cartoon GOBLIN!?

What were the challenges and obstacles, and what have you learned from the experience?

The entire thing was a massive challenge to make. I started physically working on it around September 2024 and had until May this year to finish it. The idea originally came from me and my friends just shooting the shit, the idea ended up sticking and was the basis for what GOBLIN! is now. The process of making it was a huge learning experience. I was maybe qualified to do about half of the work I had set myself. I’d say half my time was spent doing actual work and the other half was spent looking at spreadsheets figuring out what I had to do next. It was an incredibly busy time for me, but very rewarding.

Q: What is it like being an animation student? What should people know before going into Art School, and who is Art School for?

I’ve enjoyed my time as an animation student. Academia definitely isn’t for everyone, but for me it was the right choice. I grew up in the middle of bum-fuck nowhere with about 5Mbps download speed, so getting out of house and home to learn definitely helped me. Art School isn’t a magic place where you’ll instantly become amazing just by going, but it will give you the opportunity to dedicate yourself to your work get better. Some people don’t need school for that, but I did.

Q: What do you personally enjoy in animation? And what do you not?

I enjoy character animation, especially when it comes to exaggerating the performance, it’s a really fun process to participate in as well. Old Looney Tunes shorts and shows like Ren and Stimpy are a big inspiration for me choosing to do that. I would gladly never willingly choose to mix and master sound ever again.

Q: What’s your advice for making and finishing a cartoon?

I’d recommend working in a separate place to where you sleep, I’ve switched to doing that a few years ago and my productivity has gone through the roof now the temptation to roll back into back into bed and masturbate like a psychologically deranged chimp is gone.

Q: What do you think about life in England?

OI I THINK LIFE IN INGURLAND IS PRETTY SICK INNIT! LOVE ME SOME SATURDAY FOOTY AFTER A LONG SHIFT DOWN IN THE COAL MINE, I HOPE MY WIFE SUSAN MADE MY FAVORITE SUNBLEACHED MAGGOT STEW FOR DINNA!

Q: What do you think about video games? Is the video game industry heading in a good direction?

I adore video games; it is a genuinely magical medium. As for where the industry is headed, I’m not too sure. I’m really bad when it comes to keeping up with new stuff, there’s so many new releases I just haven’t played. Support small studios and creators, give them love so you they make the games you want to see made!

Q: Food and drinks that you like?

I’m eating a giant bowl of chilli as I’m typing this so probably that. Pepsi Max Cherry is good too.

Q: You almost got hit by a bus two weeks ago, how did that happen? And has the experience changed the way you think about drivers?

I had headphones in and wasn’t looking where I was going, entirely my fault. Engines are a scary concept everyone should punch holes in their car floors and run around like Fred Flintstone instead. 

Q: How did you get interested in Newgrounds? And what's the story behind your username: dungster?

I’ve always been interested in Newgrounds, I’ve just never really participated in it fully until now. This film has been my first foray into the website as a whole and it’s been a very positive experience for me, everyone’s been really nice so far. As for my username, it’s a poop joke. It’s meant to be a combination of the word dung and dumpster. I have clearly always been very highbrow in my humour.

Q: Describe your experiences with being online, in what ways would you say it had an impact on you? And is the web experience getting worse or better in your opinion?

The internet has had an undeniably positive impact on myself as a person; it definitely shaped a lot of who I am as a person today. I do think however the web experience is getting a lot worse. Online discourse nowadays isn’t a nuanced as it once was. I think generative AI is a fucking travesty and I cringe anytime I see it. It’s defiantly more taxing mentally to be part social media, for the most part it just isn’t fun anymore.

- Scar

I smashed my forehead onto a boulder when I was 17 and now have a scar directly between my eyes. 

Q: Ouch, I'm so sorry. How do you feel about your scar?

It’s ugly, but I lost enough brain cells in the fall to not feel too bad about it :)

- Unfortunate Hamster Death

I know a guy who killed his hamster whilst playing Minecraft Bedwars because he was raging so hard, he smashed down on his desk loud enough to give the thing a heart attack. What a guy.

Q: Oh no! I hope the guy stopped having any hamsters after that Minecraft incident. What do you think about anger?

That guy went on to brutally maim and or slash / maim about 36 separate hamsters after that incident, I heard one time that he threw one so hard against a wall it carved a silhouette into the brick. Bedwars brings out the worst of mankind.

Q: Your advice for life?

Never fear love and keep on rockin’ in the free worm 🪱🤘