We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mars Marshall. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mars below.

Mars, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

My short film, “A Priceless Proposal”, is the project that has impacted me the most by far. “A Priceless Proposal” was my love letter to the romance tropes we don’t often see portrayed for queer couples. It features two masked rival thieves who fight to steal a prized diamond ring for their partner. Once unmasked, they realize they had been meaning to steal it for each other the entire time. Creating this concept made me realize fun, non-traumatic queer representation is just as important as seeing gut-wrenching, dramatic representation. Developed during the height of the ‘Bury Your Gays’ trope and produced during the pandemic, the film was a reprieve for many in the queer community. Being able to help people breathe that sigh of relief meant a lot to me.

“A Priceless Proposal” was also my first foray into representing myself on a screen. I’d say it was a turning point for me creatively. Developing this concept with a mostly queer crew helped me realize many of us want to see the same thing on the screen. That experience showed me how much representation really matters. Since creating the film, most of my works have been about the struggles of being queer in modern society, no matter how big or small. The more queer stories that get told the better, so I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Inspired by extraordinary characters in ordinary settings and dynamic environments, I am a storyteller who wants to bring more of these things to the animation industry. With a B.F.A from the Savannah College of Art and Design, I have used my major in Animation and minor in Game Development to work on projects in both disciplines. I have been working in the indie animation scene for 2 years now as an Animator and Storyboard Artist. I am looking to transition into working on mainstream animation projects next. Currently, I am co-showrunner for an upcoming animated series “PSA from the GSA” about middle schoolers trying (and failing) to start a Gay Straight Alliance at their school, and my short film “A Priceless Proposal” will be released publicly in 2023. I love creating and am always looking for new projects to start or join!

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

For us artists in the animation field, we’re facing turbulent times! Mainstream shows are getting axed left and right, never to be seen again. The rise of AI art is leaving artists wondering if they’ll be needed at all soon. Overall, creatives are feeling uneasy about the future.

I feel the best thing animation lovers can do is directly support artists. Their personal projects, shops, Patreons, Kickstarters, even just buying them a Ko-fi. There are so many amazing projects out there yet to be discovered! If you care about animation even a little bit, please support your favorite creators.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Growing up in a small town as a closeted teen with no queer role models around made my life unbearably lonely. It felt like I was the only kid in the world whose identity was wrong, and it was unsafe for me to talk about it. The only place I had to tell me I was normal was TV and the internet. Since then, I’ve dedicated my work to making sure no one feels lonely in that way again. Even if what’s represented on the screen seems trivial to some, it will always mean something to someone somewhere. Everyone just wants to be seen, and I want to recognize everyone feeling invisible by sharing my experiences in my work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://marso.city/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/marsocity
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mars-marshall