On the Model-Making Community: my goals for TF8
When I opened my first Instagram account in 2016 under the name “TheFamousEight”, I never once expected that it would grow to where it is today. What started as editing screenshots from the Thomas the Tank Engine television series has sprouted into a huge ongoing project, not just replicating the beloved franchise but instead creating my own take. With every set, every prop and every story, I strive to create an immersive experience that evokes emotion, thought and the magic of the original television show.
Since eighth grade I have taught myself to use CAD design programming, which through years of improvement has given me the skills necessary to design and actualize detailed props for the productions I make. While a majority of my work is replicating props from the official Thomas the Tank Engine show, I have found intense joy in freelance designs, creating my own custom scenic locations and other railway iconography that, while still fitting in the Thomas universe, are fruits of my own vision. There are infinite possibilities for locations, buildings and scenery. An entire world at my fingertips!
Due to the popularity of my CAD designs and prop replications, several other artists interested in Thomas the Tank Engine have commissioned my bespoke models, tailored to their specific needs and requirements. These projects allow me to give back and help other content creators in the Thomas the Tank Engine community.
I am exceptionally grateful for the wonderful online Thomas the Tank Engine community I’ve found myself in, and I greatly appreciate the support I’ve received while refining my skills over time. Bonding with so many unique, passionate individuals over a common interest has been eye-opening, and I’m so proud of what my community has been able to create in collaboration. Creating high-quality Thomas-style content for an audience always requires a team in some form. This truly makes every artistic expression in the fanbase so much more meaningful.
While I rarely watch my own videos after making them public — I tend to be pretty self-critical — I will always love the art that I have created and cherish even more the memories I have of making it. The first episode in my fan-series, for example, was an adaptation of a ghost story I had loved at the time, and while it has visually aged the poorest, it reminds me so acutely of the time period in which I filmed it, with all its coinciding feelings: the freedom of summer after eighth grade, and the cool of those summer nights; the joy of visiting my aunt in Georgia, and the excitement of infinite futures ahead. There are so many feelings to be found and relived in my previous work, each having made a significant impact on who I am.
As I continue producing more videos, I look forward to further encapsulating my memories and emotions through meaningful storytelling!
