My son and I made the following video. Here’s how it all came together.
I was re-organizing our garage a few weeks ago and came across my old box of childhood memorabilia. I pulled two binders full of my baseball cards and my 1992 Marvel Universe Series 3 card set.
Firstly, as a kid, I thought my Steve Avery and Mo Vaughn rookie cards would be worth millions and I’d be set for life (I was wrong). Second, I remember studying the marvel cards in awe. The art is breathtaking, especially the Joe Jusko background paintings. I still get the same feeling of wonder every time I come across them, so I shared the binder with my son, who was instantly intrigued too.
He started studying the characters and their power rankings. This opened the door for a lot of questions about my childhood, where I further introduced him to the video game that shaped my youth: Super Mario Brothers on Nintendo.
I went on YouTube and showed him a full gameplay video. He started giggling at how silly the “olden days” were.
And in that moment, it clicked. I have a mini me. If this little guy ate a mushroom 1-UP, he’d basically be me. The idea sparked pretty quickly: I bought matching overalls on Amazon. I moved the dining table and set my iPhone up against the white wall of the kitchen. Then, I shaved a glorious mustache on my face.
Here is a quick BTS video of us doing our best Mario impression. It’s harder than it looks!
Closing thoughts? You can do wonders with a mustache.
Yes, my mustache in this pic is real. You’re welcome.
Lastly, credit goes to my dear friend and collaborator Esteban Palladino who keeps dealing with the weird stuff swirling around in my brain. If you need graphics work, reach out to him immediately. He’s the best in the game.