Today we’d like to introduce you to Dorian Moore.
Hi Dorian, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
“I actually got my start in stop-motion back in 2017. At first, I was working strictly with clay — just experimenting, learning timing, and figuring out how to bring characters to life frame by frame. I stayed in that phase for about a year before I leveled up to liquid latex and started building my own wire armatures. That was a whole different world, and it taught me how important structure and durability are for a puppet.
After that, I wanted even more control over my designs, so I started teaching myself 3D modeling. It took me about six months to really get a solid grasp on it, but once I did, I invested in my first 3D printer in 2019 — and I’ve never looked back.
Today, every puppet I make is 3D-printed from my own models, and I hand-paint all the pieces myself. It gave me full creative freedom: I can bring any idea from my head straight into the real world, perfectly customized for animation.”
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
“It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road getting into stop-motion. A lot of people see the finished animations and don’t realize how much patience, discipline, and trial-and-error it takes. When I started in 2017 with clay, I was learning everything the hard way — pieces falling apart, frames not matching, lighting issues, camera problems… you name it, I went through it. Then moving to liquid latex, building armatures, and eventually learning 3D modeling — each phase came with its own frustrations. But that struggle shaped me. It made me resourceful. It taught me to fix things myself and keep going even when it wasn’t pretty.
And honestly, part of that grind comes from where I’m from — Toledo, Ohio. Growing up here, especially in our community, you see a lot. The opportunities aren’t handed to you. You see violence, you see people struggling, you see people trying to survive more than trying to dream. Society right now is heavy, too — everybody’s dealing with stress, social media pressure, negativity, and all the chaos in the world. Sometimes it feels like art is the only escape.
So for me, stop-motion became more than just a craft. It became a way to rise above everything around me and prove that where you start doesn’t limit where you can go. I want people from my city — especially kids — to see that you can come from Toledo, go through the same hardships, and still build something creative, something original, something positive. My journey wasn’t smooth, but it was real. And every obstacle just made me sharper.”
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
“My latest short film is called Planet Ill Bars. It’s a deep, controversial anime-style musical with a heavy storyline and some of the best production I’ve ever done. It mixes hip-hop, sci-fi, and spiritual symbolism into one world. The film deals with music as a weapon, society collapsing, and artists fighting back against forces trying to silence creativity. It’s bold, emotional, and visually different from anything being made right now — and the score, the songs, the characters, all of it is created by me from scratch. People tell me it feels like an anime, a musical, and a prophecy all in one.”
“I also just released a new project under my MuddiSlimm name called D.A.D — Destruction Against Demons. That one is raw, aggressive, and spiritual at the same time. It’s me talking about the battles we face — mentally, emotionally, and in the world around us. The production is gritty and cinematic, but with that soul and storytelling I’m known for. It’s a whole movement, not just a song.”
“And coming soon I’ve got a new Western release called Bih I Aint(From No Boat) — it’s a Tarantino-style Western anthem about a gunslinger with a shotgun strapped to his horse. It’s high-energy, rugged, and full of that outlaw MuddiSlimm personality. It ties into my larger worldbuilding too, blending music, film, and character-driven stories into one universe.”
“All these projects show the range of what I do — anime, stop-motion, Westerns, musical scoring, cinematic storytelling. Every release expands the world I’m building and pushes my creativity even further.”
“My work sits at the intersection of filmmaking, music, and storytelling. I create my own short films — everything from the stop-motion to the writing, directing, and visual worldbuilding — and I also compose the full score for every project. I produce all the music myself, with help from a good friend Derrick who’s a producer and artist as well. I write the songs, and perform them, And with help with ideas from my cousin Ismail.So the world you see on screen and the world you hear in the audio are both coming from the same creative mind. That’s something I really take pride in.
A lot of my voice comes from how I was raised. I grew up around musicians, teachers, hustlers, pimps, and gangstas. It might sound wild, but that blend of people gave me a wide emotional vocabulary. It taught me humor, pain, beauty, survival, creativity, and raw honesty — and all of that shows up in my art. I also went to a high school known for music, surrounded by incredible teachers who shaped how I view rhythm, storytelling, and performance. That foundation stays with me.
As a filmmaker, I’m heavily inspired by legends like Spike Lee, Robert Townsend, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Mel Brooks, and even Adam Sandler — creators who built worlds, took risks, and stamped their voice onto every frame. As a writer and performer, I’m influenced by comedians who mix truth with humor — Eddie Griffin, George Carlin, Bill Burr, Redd Foxx, Richard Pryor, Dave Chappelle. They taught me how to tell the truth with style, how to make people laugh while I make them think.
What sets me apart is that I’m a one-man production house. I design the puppets, build the sets, animate the scenes, score the music, produce the sound, write the scripts, and perform the characters. Everything is handcrafted — from the 3D-printed puppets to the melodies in the soundtrack. My art is personal because it’s literally built by my hands from the ground up.
What I’m most proud of is staying true to my voice — representing Toledo, representing where I come from, and turning my upbringing into something creative, cinematic, and meaningful. My work is my fingerprint. There’s nobody else making the exact blend of animation, music, comedy, culture, and storytelling that I create — and that’s what makes it mine.” Grandfather
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I’m on instagram and Youtube @lavarrvisionsfilms or hit my email lavarrvisionsllc@gmail.com
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lavarrvisons.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lavarrvisionfilms/
- Youtube: @lavarrvisionstv9697
