Do you like cheesy ensemble sitcoms focused on people in their mid to late twenties trying to figure life out? Do you like animation? Do you need a little bit of hope in these trying times???
Well, I've totally 100% got you covered!!!
Welcome to WORK, SLEEP, PRAY: REPEAT - a project created by yours truly. This post will include the plot synopsis, settings, and character designs, which you can read and look at below!
CAST INTROS:
Core Four --- The Office --- The Mall --- The College
More info coming soon (character profiles, animations, comics... what have you)!
Have you ever been to college? I sure have. This is exactly all the types of people that you'll see there (<--- goes to college online)
Transcripts beneath the cut:
KARL ÅSLUND: 22 years old, bisexual + transgender, he/him, 5'4".
LIKES: Chilling out, smoking, Bill and Ted, Metallica
DISLIKES: Stressing out, the man, education institutions
FAVORITE ALBUMS: Master of Puppets, Metallica. Absolution, Muse. Different Class, Pulp. Head, The Monkees.
DESCRIPTION:
Karl Åslund is a Swedish stoner going to college in LA, majoring in Environmental Science. He works part-time as a bartender.
Most people would not consider Karl the brightest bulb in the box. In reality, it’s not that he isn’t smart… he’s just high most of the time.
It’s a wonder his grades are between As and Bs.
Despite his drug habits, Karl is loyal friend and devoted student. He always tries to look on the bright side of life and wants to do something important with his life, hence his major.
He’s rooming with his fellow stoner buddy Wyatt, and is currently dating Natalia.
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WYATT STRONG: 22 years old, pansexual, he/him, 5'11".
LIKES: Skateboarding, Dude, Where's My Car?, Karl
DISLIKES: Being spooked, selfishness, liars, smoothies
FAVORITE ALBUMS: Charge!!, The Aquabats. The Color and the Shape, Foo Fighters. Sublime, Sublime. Third Eye Blind, Third Eye Blind.
DESCRIPTION:
Wyatt Strong is an American stoner going to college in LA, majoring in Paleontology. He works part-time as a barista.
Wyatt likes lots of things. Shitty movies, skating, getting stoned, spending time with his roomie Karl, dinosaurs… what was he talking about again?
Oh well, if he can’t remember it, it probably wasn’t important.
Wyatt is a carefree guy. Clever, even. Smart. The allegations of his skull being full of rocks are untrue! He’s just had a concussion or two, that’s all.
…Wanna see him do a sick kickflip?
Wyatt is rooming with Karl, and dating Kaspar.
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HAO "MINNIE" MIN: 21 years old, unlabeled, she/her, 5'1".
LIKES: Reading, dry wit, collecting old vinyls
DISLIKES: Frat boys, chatty people, car exhaust, capitalism
FAVORITE ALBUMS: Our Love to Admire, Interpol. Debut, Björk. When The Pawn..., Fiona Apple. Twilight, Bôa.
DESCRIPTION:
Hao Min is a Chinese-American going to college in LA, majoring in Music. She works part-time at a record store.
People tend to underestimate Min. Maybe it’s her height. Maybe it’s the fact that she’s always been the quiet one. Either way, it’s endlessly frustrating to be patronized at every damn second.
That being said, it’s also endlessly satisfying to prove people wrong. Maybe that’s why she hasn’t done much to change her demeanor.
Min is friends with Karl and Wyatt. Or, rather, she’s been adopted into their friend group because she’s weak-willed.
And they’re a little fun to be around.
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KASPAR RÄTSEP: 22 years old, queer, he/him, 5'3".
LIKES: Gothic lit, poetry, his sister, Wyatt
DISLIKES: Similes, fruity drinks, public speaking, smug people
FAVORITE ALBUMS: Songs of Faith and Devotion, Depeche Mode. The Sky's Gone Out, Bauhaus. Floodland, The Sisters of Mercy. In The Shadow of an Angel, Ikon.
DESCRIPTION:
Kaspar Rätsep is an Estonian man going to college in LA, majoring in English. He is the twin brother of Natalia.
The amount of times in Kaspar’s life where he’s been mistaken for a woman, only for him to speak and have people gawk at him due to his voice is unquantifiable. It’s not his fault he’s short and likes having long, luscious locks.
Regardless, he usually takes it in stride. After all, an occurance like that led to him meeting his now boyfriend, Wyatt.
Overall, Kaspar is a quiet, yet polite young man. He values the arts just as much as his sister does, but in a literary sense as opposed to a visual sense. Gothic literature is a favorite.
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NATALIA RÄTSEP: 22 years old, queer + transgender, she/her, 5'4".
LIKES: Socializing, her brother, lace, sewing
DISLIKES: Insincerity, rude people, conformity, conservatism
FAVORITE ALBUMS: First Dinner, Eat Your Make Up. Evidence Of Heaven, Faith and the Muse. The Scream, Siouxsie and the Banshees. Feather and Fate, Mors Syphilitica.
DESCRIPTION:
Natalia Rätsep is an Estonian woman going to college in LA, majoring in Fine Arts. She is the twin sister of Kaspar.
While considered strange and unusual, Natalia is the sociable counterpart to her brother. She’s pretty much the exact opposite of the stereotypical “broody goth” - this girl is all sunshine.
When not working on elaborate projects for her Fine Arts degree, she spends a lot of time meeting new people and enjoying the company of her closest friends.
She also loves to dance her life away in the dark environment of her favorite club, and going out thrifting for fabric and retro pieces for her closet.
She thinks life is fun! Enjoy it while you can!
Lots of people work at the mall. Here's just a handful of them, of varying importance within the story :)
Transcripts beneath the cut:
LAYLA BECK: 27 years old, lesbian, she/her, 5'3".
LIKES: Mojitos, pop music, dancing, her job
DISLIKES: Scaredy cats, her parents, hipsters, coffee
FAVORITE ALBUMS: Good Girl Gone Bad, Rihanna. Insomniatic, Aly & AJ. Viva La Cobra, Cobra Starship. Version 2.0, Garbage.
DESCRIPTION:
Layla Beck is an American who works at the local mall, specifically at Victoria’s Secret.
If there’s one thing that’s consistent about Layla, it’s her passion for parties and being just a little trashy. Originating from New Jersey, Layla moved to Cali when she was 10 and has called it her home ever since.
When she’s not busy at her job, you can usually find her at the club or in the midst of a bar crawl. While some people consider her to be a bit ditzy, she’s very clever and takes many an opportunity to prove people wrong.
She loves to socialize and meet new people! She is close friends with Adrik, Lukas, Spit, and Robbie.
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OLEANA LINDQVIST: 29 years old, lesbian, she/her, 6'0".
LIKES: Gothic lit, her brother, solitude, moonlight
DISLIKES: Loud sounds, talking too much, embarrassment, sunlight
FAVORITE ALBUMS: Burning From The Inside, Bauhaus. Juju, Siouxsie and the Banshees. Ocean Rain, Echo and the Bunnymen. Eat To The Beat, Blondie.
DESCRIPTION:
Oleana Lindqvist is a Swede who works at the local mall, specifically at Hot Topic (cliche, I know). She is the older sister of Joen Lindqvist.
Frankly, Oleana is a trendsetter. She moved to the States before her brother, back in 2000. It may seem abnormal that she moved to a place where the citizens are loudly independent and mildly obnoxious, considering her demeanor…
…but the difference between her and Americans is exactly why she wanted to move to California. She’s happy to stay quiet and observe the lives of others. It’s intriguing.
She spends her free time creating music, posting it online, and flirting with Betty from Bath and Bodyworks.
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THING: 27 years old, gay and enby, any pronouns, 5'10".
LIKES: Leather, Pierrot, slashers, poetry
DISLIKES: Prudes, floral scents, pastels, meat
FAVORITE ALBUMS: Symbols, KMFDM. Pretty Hate Machine, Nine Inch Nails. Psycho Magnet, London After Midnight. Flesh Is The Law, Genitorturers.
DESCRIPTION:
Thing is a French clown goth person who works at the local mall, specifically at Hot Topic (cliche, I know).
Nobody really understands Thing. Don’t get me wrong, they’re very friendly but also wildly offputting to most.
I mean, nobody even knows their “real” name. Thing is who they are and who they have been for, say… a decade, now.
She doesn’t really mind not being understood, though. There are people who get him and people who don’t - that’s life!
They will continue to persist through life regardless of social norms and expectations put upon them. It’s been relatively easy, anyways.
Thing is good friends with Oleana.
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BETTY CHURCHILL: 29 years old, pansexual, she/her, 5'0".
LIKES: Los Angeles, home design, baking, her job
DISLIKES: Ignorance, wasting time, fast food, grapes
FAVORITE ALBUMS: Jolene, Dolly Parton. Whiplash Smile, Billy Idol. Voulez-Vous, ABBA. Destroyer, KISS.
DESCRIPTION:
Betty Churchill is an American woman who works at the local mall, specifically at Bath and Bodyworks. She is the older sister of Mason Churchill.
If there’s one thing that’s true about Betty, it’s that she is possibly the most reliable human being you’ll ever meet.
Need a ride? Call Betty. Need a car keyed? Call Betty. Need baked goods? Call Betty. Need a place to crash? Call Betty!
Hospitality and kindness is her life. Except for when people deserve a good whooping, which is more often than you’d think.
Betty spends most of her time flirting with Oleana and watching soap operas.
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BECKY "SPIT" DOYLE: 26 years old, lesbian, she/he, 5'6".
LIKES: Graffiti work, hot days, graphic novels, loud music
DISLIKES: Meek people, the mall, winter, pointlessness
FAVORITE ALBUMS: Come Clean, Puddle of Mudd. Follow The Leader, Korn. Toxicity, System of a Down. Stankonia, Outkast.
DESCRIPTION:
Becky Doyle, also known as Spit, is an American who works at the local mall, specifically at Spencer’s.
Spit doesn’t love working at a mall, of all places. She’d much rather be spending her time freeloading, downing 3 Budweisers in 30 seconds, or being commissioned to paint murals with full creative freedom.
Yes, he has his passions. Working at Spencer’s is not one of them.
But it’s fine. She’ll chew bubblegum and smoke on her breaks. She’ll chat up Layla on her days off. They’re good friends, despite their personality differences.
Despite his bitter demeanor, Spit is a decent friend who’ll make you laugh when it counts.
Meet Marius' coworkers! Some of which he is happy to call his friends, others... not so much.
Transcripts beneath the cut:
MELISSA PERLMAN: 34 years old, straight, she/her, 5'0".
LIKES: Arts and crafts, sunny days, the east coast, pie
DISLIKES: Pessimists, crabby callers, solitude, math
FAVORITE ALBUMS: Funhouse, P!nk. The Fame, Lady Gaga. Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette. She's So Unusual, Cyndi Lauper.
DESCRIPTION:
Melissa Perlman is a Jewish-American who works at a call center with Marius.
She’s very dedicated, having been with the company for nearly 10 years. She works to support two children at home: a boy and a girl aged 10 and 7, respectively.
She is also very sweet, goofy, and generally makes the energy in the office a little less drab than usual.
While her and Marius are in pretty different stages of life, they are close, with Melissa serving as an older sister figure.
Her favorite thing about life is seeing her kids’ faces at the end of the day and being able to kiss them goodnight.
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MASON CHURCHILL: 27 years old, bisexual, he/him, 5'7"*.
LIKES: Babes, Arizona, the beach, a good beer
DISLIKES: Marius(?), softies, his height, sunburns
FAVORITE ALBUMS: ...And Justice For All, Metallica. Paranoid, Black Sabbath. Sports, Huey Lewis & The News. The Number of the Beast, Iron Maiden.
DESCRIPTION:
Mason Churchill is an American who works at a call center with Marius. He’s the younger brother of Betty Churchill.
Make no mistake, Mason is probably the most annoying person you could possibly work with. He thinks he’s holding this company up with one fingernail, but really, he’s lazing off all day and flirting with the women in the office.
He’s stuck up, smug, immature, and wildly insecure. He also has an odd obsession with one-upping Marius any chance he gets…
One could even say it’s a little queer. But that’s just a theory! No need to look into his motivations for anything ever!
*He’s actually 5’3”…
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FINN BARKER: 24 years old, gay, he/him, 5'10".
LIKES: Javascript, iced coffee, socializing, The Big Bang Theory
DISLIKES: Loud people, horror movies, the radio, pineapple
FAVORITE ALBUMS: View-Monster, Lemon Demon. The Sonic the Hedgehog 3 soundtrack. Human After All, Daft Punk. Business As Usual, Men At Work.
DESCRIPTION:
Finn Barker is an American who works at a call center with Marius.
He’s the tech wiz of the office. He actually has a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Computer Programming, it’s just… well, the job market is really bad right now and, yknow, some money is better than no money.
While he would love to not be working at this call center, he’ll take what he can get. He makes sure his software skills don’t get too rusty by working on a social media project at home.
He’ll be one of the greats, surely.
Finn is pretty nice, if a bit excitable when discussing the right subjects. He and Marius get along fine.
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AMBIKA SINHA: 30 years old, pansexual and genderqueer, she/they, 6'0".
LIKES: Fashion, graphic design, helping others, independence
DISLIKES: Pushovers, stagnancy, pears, bugs
FAVORITE ALBUMS: Hot Fuss, The Killers. Speak For Yourself, Imogen Heap. All That You Can't Leave Behind, U2. Lionheart, Kate Bush
DESCRIPTION:
Ambika Sinha is an Indian-American who works at a call center with Marius.
No one really knows what her role is in the office??? One day she’ll be the receptionist, the next she’ll be taking calls like anyone else, and she’s HR only on Thursdays. Oh, she’s also a beautician on the weekends!
She calls herself the jack of all trades.
She does not have any training outside of customer support, though. Marius suspects what she does might not be legal???
Their manager doesn’t seem to mind, though, as long as corporate doesn’t find out!
Ambika is a go-getter, very charismatic, and well-liked. Marius is wildly intimidated by her.
The main characters, that's who. Look at them with your eyes. Read... also with your eyes.
Transcripts beneath the cut:
MARIUS ULLAND: 27 years old, bisexual, he/him, 6'1".
LIKES: Music, staying home, playing guitar, horror movies
DISLIKES: People, work, life, his parents
FAVORITE ALBUMS: So Far So Noir, Subvision. Prolonging The Magic, Cake. Songs For The Deaf, Queens of the Stone Age. Figure 8, Elliott Smith.
DESCRIPTION:
Marius Ulland is a Norwegian man who moved to the states three years ago in 2005. Raised in a strict Catholic household, Marius has always known his place in life. And that is beneath a steel-toed boot.
Yes, it’s true - Marius doesn’t have much of a spine when it comes to pushing past societal expectations. But even devotion to Catholicism was a little too oppressive for him.
So he packed up, moved to the States with his best friend, and now he’s working a dead-end job while teaching guitar on the weekends.
And nobody knows how miserable he really is! And that’s exactly how it should be. Sometimes dishonesty is okay, right?
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JOEN LINDQVIST: 25 years old, gay, he/him, 5'10".
LIKES: Music, his friends, theater, science fiction
DISLIKES: Condescension, dishonesty, bananas, dogs
FAVORITE ALBUMS: The Sensual World, Kate Bush. Three Cheers for the Newlydeads, Ashbury Heights. The Stranger, Billy Joel. The Visitors, ABBA.
DESCRIPTION:
Joen Lindqvist is a Swedish man who moved to the states three years ago in 2005. He was lucky to have been raised in a relatively progressive household - one that prioritized love and self-expression.
That being said, Joen was very much an outcast in his hometown. He was a loner in school, until he met Marius at 15. They’ve been inseparable ever since.
Hence why when Marius said he wanted to move to the States in ‘05, Joen was 100% on board. Now he’s thriving in California, finding community in his theater troupe, and blossoming despite his rusty social skills.
Now he just has to figure out how to get Marius out of his shell without it backfiring on him…
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ADRIK ANTONOV: 26 years old, bisexual, he/she, 6'5".
LIKES: Socializing, karaoke, California, margaritas
DISLIKES: Vomit, conflict, being angry, rainy days
FAVORITE ALBUMS: Angst In My Pants, Sparks. Actually, Pet Shop Boys. Ta-Dah, Scissor Sisters. Life In Cartoon Motion, MIKA.
DESCRIPTION:
Adrik Antonov is a Russian person who moved to the States when he was 6 years old. While he grew up in a difficult financial situation, he was always taught to appreciate what he had.
Her dad was never in the picture, but she did have a very devoted (if somewhat anxious) mother. She taught him to be himself entirely, which he’ll always be grateful for.
Forever a source of joy for those around him, Adrik is pretty darn satisfied with his life. She works as a bartender at her local queer bar, always happy to make customers smile.
If you ever need to make connections with certain people, Adrik is the one to talk to. Somehow, he knows everyone, ever.
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LUKAS HART: 26 years old, gay???, he/him, 5'11".
LIKES: Musical theatre, watching movies, 80s pop, photography
DISLIKES: Needles, talking about his family, failure
FAVORITE ALBUMS: Rio, Duran Duran. Cloud Nine, George Harrison. Hello Nasty, Beastie Boys. The Cars, The Cars
DESCRIPTION:
Lukas Hart is a Dutch-American who has his whole life planned out for him. No, really.
His family has been guiding him his entire life to achieve success. He was popular in high school, he excelled in sports, his grades were… well, good enough. It’s not like his parents couldn’t fix that, anyway.
Now he’s an adult. He works at a movie theater and swims competitively as much as possible. And he’s good. That’s what matters, right?
He’s also made a new friend online. He doesn’t know him outside of his username (which is defenestrateguitars), but he’s a nice guy. Lukas hopes they can meet in person sometime soon.
looking for a new theme for this blog... come to find that the tumblr theme tag (meaning the html-based theme for your blog) is now full of rentry "tumblr theme" posts ............ sighs hard /lh
For those of you who follow me on here and somehow don't know already, I'm rebranding/reworking/redoing pretty much everything about this story.
During my hiatus, I did some deliberating and realized Nekroligion wasn't bringing me joy (actually, it was actively stressing me out).
Feel free to watch this video for more information (bear in mind the speedpaints are outdated). I suggest reading the description as well, as I elaborate and answer some questions you may have upon watching. I also have a new pinned with information about where I'm taking the story, as well as new character designs.
I can't get it out of my head that he's perfect for trad goth makeup
I couldn't tell if I wanted to go all the way or to just make it vague, like he's dipping his feet into wearing makeup or something, hence why the opacity is lightened in one of them
In my head Layla and Lukas are best friends because they understand each other, they both are entangled with Marius and Adrik but are both being played. Layla in the sense that she's being cheated on, and Lukas in the sense that he's being messed with.
