Daniel
Murillo
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Re-launching soon!
Tired of all the AI slop and an animation industry that keeps sidelining real artists?
So are we.
That’s why we’re building Phantom Fun Arcade - an indie animated series made by humans, for humans.
Sign up to unlock early-bird rewards, exclusive merch, behind-the-scenes access, and a 50% discount when our Kickstarter goes live!
Storyline:
Phantom Fun Arcade is a pilot for a full 3-season series featuring Max and his friends who've gained internet fame through fabricated ghost encounter videos.
One day, they've decided to film a milestone video at an abandoned arcade without realizing they've stumbled upon a real-life ghost hotspot. Having zero experience with the paranormal, these wannabes are stuck, surviving a haunted arcade with killer ghosts.
Here's a brief animated sequence of what the final version could look like (Disclaimer: teaser features outdated designs):
Characters:
Built by students at Cal State Fullerton, we're making this series because it's our way of supporting artists due to the challenges in the animation industry.
Behind closed doors, companies quietly began investing in tools aimed not just at us artists, but replacing the very people who built their company (And yes, even non-artists). Major players like Disney, Amazon, or Warner Bros. (to name a few) have pushed these technologies forward despite mounting backlash, often clashing with their own audiences and the creative workers they depend on.
In response, unions across the industry including TAG (The Animation Guild), WAG (Writers Guild of America), even SAG-AFTRA (The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists), have drawn a line in the sand, organizing and striking as studio prioritize automation over the people who made animation possible in the first place. Millions of artists began to feel hopeless on whether or not there was even a future at this point.
We wouldn't stand watching companies do this, so we've built an indie studio made by artists, for artists - proving to big studios that indie animation is the future.
Phantom Fun Arcade matters right now, because now is the moment to push back.
This project was born out of a refusal to let creativity be treated like trash. It's our response to a time when artists are being told that they're replaceable. We won't stand watching so many passionate creators struggling, discouraged, or giving up on the dreams they once loved.
And we're not the only ones.
Many YouTubers point out that indie animation is built by people who are brave enough to take a stand. Indie Animation is becoming the new king of animation - giving creators freedom, encouraging bold storytelling, and prioritizing craft over bureaucracy where many studios are failing.
Here are a few videos that discuss this:
Phantom Fun Arcade is being created by a studio run by artists, for artists. We're not just making an animated series, we're building a creator-first model that values fair collaboration, transparency, and sustainable production.
Our goal goes beyond a single pilot. We want to pave a better way forward for animation, where artists aren't disposable, creativity isn't buried under bureaucracy, and independent studios can thrive without waiting for industry permission. By supporting this project, you're backing a blueprint for how indie animation can grow!
The Story of You:
Even if you're not an artist, you've felt the impact of stories - the movies that shaped your childhood, the shows that helped you escape reality, the characters that stuck with you after the credits rolled. But what happens when the people behind the stories can't afford to create anymore? It takes real people, time, and passion to create something meaningful.
That's where you come in.
By backing Phantom Fun Arcade, you're not just supporting indie animation. You're helping to keep creativity alive, not just for artists, but for everyone who loves great stories. Because if the only people left making entertainment are corporations cutting corners, we all lose.
Perks:
We can't run a Kickstarter without perks!
All of our perks are shipped globally! Here's a preview of what our perks look like!
(Disclaimer, some designs are outdated, and some perks; VIP Twitch premiere, Behind-the-Scenes, and the Art book will NOT arrive until after the pilot's release)
Ever perk above $125 is eligible for Kickstarter's financial plan known as "Pledge Over Time"! This means that you can split your payments into 3 different payments per month
Team:
We've built a team of passionate creators! Some just starting out, some experience, who are pouring their hearts into this series. Each of us are hard working artists, doing what we can to make a difference in the art community.
To learn more about Pledge Over Time, click here!
Daniel Murillo - CREATOR
Daniel is a senior at Cal State University, Fullerton, majoring in Entertainment Art/ Animation. As the creator of Phantom Fun Arcade, he's passionate about creating unique, character-driven stories that resonate with audiences and push the boundaries of indie animation.
Amina Pérez - Producer
Amina is a 3D Animation Producer and Production Coordinator, with experience on international projects such as LEGO x NIKE “Clicked In”, the animated biopic film Piece by Piece telling the story of Pharrell Williams, and other unannounced projects. She's led teams of up to 40 artists, coordinating full production pipelines and ensuring clear, organized deliveries aligned with the project’s creative vision!
Nick Mahoney - Producer
Nick is a producer and technical artist with experience in 2D, 3D, and games pipelines. He got his undergrad in technical animation serving as a Lead Rigging Artist on several projects before landing into production level roles on countless projects. At DALLC, Nick handles duties such as communication with external partners, crowdfunding, marketing objectives, and line producing.
Voice actors:
Mauricio R. Borrell - Max
Mauricio is a voice actor who's worked on several projects, including Paw Patrol to the Rescue, Mextron, and Day of the Dead: Pancho's Awakening
Robb Moreira - Santi
Robb is a successful and currently working voice talent coach who specializes in both Spanish and English commercial work. Robb voiced Mika on Genshin Impact, and Bronk Stone on Yi-Gi-Oh! Duel Links, and is currently the voice of "Pushy the Push Pop".
Claudy Vecchi - Cagney
With over 10 years of voice acting and coaching theatre experience/ film experience, Claudy has worked on several indie animated projects and podcasts.
Katie Jostock - Daisy
Katie is a voice actor specializing in animation, commercials, corporate narration, and dubbing. Since booking her first gig with KFC in 2009, she’s voiced projects from Chevrolet, Shell Oil, Kay Jewelers, and more. After a detour into higher education, she returned to voice acting in 2020 and hasn’t looked back. As a Door Builder in the Building Doors VO campaign, Katie is passionate about championing diversity and creating space for marginalized voices in the industry. When she’s not in the both, she’s proving you can build a thriving VO business while being a stay-at-home parent.
Jayden Libran - Xe Muerte
Jayden Libran is a voice actor and puppeteer, best known for his roles on the popular YouTube series, Helluva Boss, and TV's Beavis and Butt-Head. Jayden first got his start puppeteering in the Jim Henson Company film, The Happytime Murders, before delving into the world of voice acting shortly after.
Chris McCullough
Christopher McCullough is a versatile entertainer, currently honing his craft in the world of voice acting. He is currently known for voicing The Fixer and Winston in the VR Videogame, Fixer Undercover, as well as Mr. Katz in Class of '09, and as the original voice of Foxy the Pirate in the video-game series Five Nights at Freddy's.
We can't forget our awesome team of artists!
All of our artists have worked for the following:
Animation isn’t cheap, and so far we’ve put about $6,000 of our own money into getting a solid team together. Here’s an estimate of where our budget is going as we move forward:
Right now, original ideas often get pushed aside for sequels, and a lot of talented artists aren’t getting paid or supported the way they should be. We want to do things differently. Your support helps us finish the series, pay our team fairly, and build an artist-run studio. Every dollar goes straight into production and brings us closer to making this project real
We need as much help as possible! Sign up today to follow our campaign, and to get a 50% discount on a select perk!
