By Melissa Jones McGinnis
Tell us a little about your work. What do you create? Hi there. I’m Daniel Jackson, owner of Level 28 Toys. I make custom action figures and Funko Pops of everything from sci-fi and video game characters, to musicians, to superheroes, even real people. Over the years, I’ve made hundreds of figures for clients in countries all over the world, including a few pieces for some of my favorite sci-fi actors and actresses. How long have you been doing what you do and how did you get into it? I’ve been customizing figures as a hobby all my life, and it’s been my full-time job for just over two years now. I’ve always loved action figures. I’ve collected them since I was a child. To me, they’re like these amazing little statues of the people and characters we love; only better because they’re also articulated and come with cool accessories. I am a massive fan of the shows Stargate SG1 and Stargate Atlantis. They had these super-detailed, realistic figures based on those shows and I collected all of them. But, some of the characters I loved from the shows never got a figure, so my first real customs were making those characters to expand my collection. I started sharing my work online and other fans began to commission me to make custom figures for them. Eventually, I was able to quit my job and make toys full-time. What has the response been from family and friends? It’s been great. My friends and family have always supported my artistic endeavors and they’ve seen me struggle a few times trying to get projects in different mediums off the ground over the years. So, finding success in toy making has been a dream come true for me and they’ve really supported me along the way. It’s also really cool because now I get to make action figures of my family members/friends for birthday/ Christmas presents. Those are always a big hit. Just something different and unique, you know? How did you get into the nerdy realms? I’ve been into sci-fi/fantasy as far back as I can remember, from collecting X-men comics as a kid, to playing tabletop games, to cosplaying and attending cons. Star Wars was my first love though. Like so many others, that was what really what set my life down a path of nerdiness. What were some of your earliest nerdy memories? Some that stand out to me are my friends and I making our own comic books, running around dressed as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and definitely making my first custom action figure by turning Batman into Space Ghost. I’m not sure what happened to that figure, but I would give anything to have it now. Are you also a cosplayer? If so, what did you get into first, cosplay or creating/ vending? Yes, I am a cosplayer. I’ve always enjoyed the challenge of making my own costumes versus buying them. I’ve made several costumes over the years for myself as well as for my family and friends, including a Boba Fett, Brienne of Tarth, Richard from Legend of the Seeker, and Deadpool, among others. My favorite is definitely my Stargate SG1 Jaffa armor and staff weapon. I’ve won a few contests with that one and even fooled some of the actors who’ve worn the real thing on-screen. What are some of the different bits of satisfaction you get from each of these? I love the challenge of building a costume from scratch and learning new techniques and methods along the way. It’s a huge sense of accomplishment when you make a costume that not only shows off your love for a character and dedication to the craft, but is well-received by other fans. If you had unlimited time and budget, what would your dream art/craft creation be? A real, working lightsaber. What is your favorite con/event story, as an attendee, volunteer, vendor, etc.? I got married onstage at a Stargate convention in Chicago in 2016. Erick Avari walked onstage, totally out of the blue, and reprised his role as Kasuf and blessed my wedding in the alien language from the show. I made a lighted Stargate that was used as an archway that all of the actors in attendance autographed for me after the ceremony. This was even cooler when the promoters asked me to leave the gate up as an entrance/exit for the actors for their panels all weekend. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to top that one... What are some of your favorite events? I love all comic, sci-fi, and pop culture conventions. ’m always encouraging my family and friends to come to cons with me. There really is something for everybody at these events and they’re just a place I can go and be surrounded by the things I love, make new friends, and really just be myself. Tell us where we can see more of your creations! Any last thoughts? I have a website, lvl28.com, with photos of all the figures I’ve made, as well as a FAQ section with info on my customizing process, and a contact page for those who want to order their own figures. I’m also on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @lvl28toys, and feel free to email me at [email protected]. |
AuthorNorth Texas Nerd is a site for news, reviews, interviews, and opinions about all pop culture and geeky things happening and being made in North Texas. Archives
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