Tezos Commons :: Seeking The North Star: The Fascinating Web 3.0 Journey of Retro Manni

#1 · April 25, 2024, 4:59 pm

Quote from Guest on April 25, 2024, 4:59 pm

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Artist, filmmaker, and storyteller Retro Manni reflects on his journey into Web 3.0 and finding a home in the Tezos ecosystem.

Tezos’ exciting digital art and NFT ecosystem serve as an important entry point into the Tezos ecosystem. The Tezos art scene, initially driven by low gas/minting prices and bolstered by intuitive user interfaces and ease of use, has become one of the most active and engaged blockchain art communities in the Web 3.0 world. It has gone on to birth a thriving ecosystem of marketplaces, collectors, artists, and art appreciators from all across the globe, and represents an important case study in organic Web 3.0 community growth.

In its short time in existence, the Tezos art ecosystem has attracted countless talented artists to its cause. They’ve come from every corner of the globe and brought along with them talents spanning multiple disciplines, subject matters, and mediums. Every single one of them has a story that led them to develop and mint their work right here in the Tezos ecosystem.

Enter: artist, filmmaker, and storyteller Retro Manni. He, like so many others, comes from a background steeped in creativity and chose to embark on a new journey into the exciting Web 3.0 space, eventually finding a home in the Tezos art community. Presented with the chance to chat with Manni about his work and his journey into the Tezos ecosystem, I jumped at it.

Here’s what Retro Manni had to say…

“Since 2004 I’ve been working as a filmmaker, but I was also a teacher. I kind of got fed up with being a teacher. I’d kind of had it with that industry, to be honest. I decided that I wanted to pursue filmmaking full-time — leading into more painting and digital work and animation, so I set up my own company and left teaching. About a month after that I had a heart attack. It completely hit me out of the blue. I had an operation and I was on lots of meds, and I went into a good few months of depression.I knew about NFTs at this time, but I wasn’t embedded in that community or anything like that, I just knew about them from the media. Then a friend of mine called me and said “Why are you not in NFTs? You need to be in there.” He’d seen some of my work online and couldn’t fathom how I wasn’t involved already. I was very resistant, but luckily after I got that call I sat with it for a while and next thing you know, I’m 2–3 years on now and knee-deep into it!”

As an artist familiar with working with digital canvases to produce his work, NFTs were a natural fit for Manni. His work, richly laced with cyberpunk and 80s retrowave iconography seemed, in many ways, custom-suited to the medium. And, quickly after dipping his toes into blockchain-powered art, the amazing possibilities for sharing his work with the world and developing his talents became clear.

The realization led Manni to the genesis of “Retro Man”, an ambitious and fascinating storytelling project he is currently working to realize here in the Tezos ecosystem…

“Retro Man is a concept that came out of being in NFTs and being on Tezos. I initially came in with some digital artworks that I’d created — very Cyberpunk. A throwback to the retro wave 80s culture. I was just finding myself. I was meeting new people and trying new things out and I was doing a lot of digital paintings. The problem I was seeing as AI was growing at the time and becoming more popular is that it was looking a lot like the digital paintings that I was doing. It threw a lot of things up in the air for me and made me question the value of what I was doing and whether I belonged in that future.Then I realized: I’m a filmmaker. I don’t really see myself as an artist if I’m honest with myself. I’m a storyteller. I started to really hone in on that idea. I thought ‘I need to take some of those stories that I’ve got and bring them to the blockchain because they’re going to outlast any style or medium of art. Retro Man came out of that.”

With this blueprint in place, Manni stepped forth to bring his storytelling concept to fruition. While the Retro Man Universe currently exists as an ongoing animated series in the style of old SNES games and an audiobook, Manni’s larger vision for this project includes a film and a video game as well.

And, while the journey to realizing his vision for the Retro Man Universe has only just begun, Manni’s journey into the Tezos art space is emblematic of the things that have made Tezos’ art scene so successful, something we explored together during his recent appearance on TezTalks Live…

“The more I learned about it — and I did try minting on Polygon, and no shade to Polygon, but it was a horrible experience. Jumping into the communities on ETH, at least from what I first discovered, I just wasn’t getting a good feeling of ‘this is where I fit’. I was actually very close to giving up until one day I woke up and randomly got a notification that objkt and Teia were running a space on Twitter. I didn’t know much about Tezos at the time, but I jumped in. Immediately, compared to what I’d seen and heard in all those other spaces, the vibe was completely different. It was way more chill. It wasn’t about trying to pump anything or exclusivity or anything like that. It was just people talking about how they can use these platforms to sell their art. They were all really super nice! I thought ‘This is where I see myself’.”

As a newcomer to the Web 3.0 art and NFT space, the elements that attracted Manni to the Tezos ecosystem were, in large measure, the same ones that have always appealed to artists who’ve found their way here: ease of use, low fees for minting and selling works, etc. But it wasn’t just Tezos’ second-to-none technology and marketplaces that made Manni’s foray into Tezos such a positive one. A newer element has emerged within Tezos’ thriving art scene that has both made this ecosystem appealing to new artists and made it a place they want to stay once they’ve arrived: a sense of community…

“The technology is awesome. I struggle to go anywhere else. I’m not really interested in doing anything elsewhere. I’m quite resistant to change, and I’ve gotten so used to using my Temple wallet, I’ve gotten so used to using objkt and Teia to collect, everything connects so well, I’ve had no issues, and I trust it. I feel comfortable using it.The community’s been brilliant, and there have been some absolutely wonderful people who have welcomed me since the moment I got here. I came in completely fresh — not knowing anyone, and I’ve met some really nice people. The experience has been brilliant.”

Today, with his works minted and listed on multiple Tezos NFT marketplaces, Manni has become fully ensconced in the Tezos ecosystem. And that, for anyone interested in bringing new users to Tezos, is a very good thing. It’s why blockchain art continues to be a key pillar of Tezos’ success and ongoing growth.

With all of that in mind, I wanted to know more about Retro Manni’s experience here in the Tezos ecosystem…

Who are the people who have given you such a positive perception of the Tezos art ecosystem?

There are so many, that I couldn’t possibly name them all. From a community-building perspective, 3 people who massively helped me integrate were @NftyTrap, @NftPeperoncino and @rblbab. I wouldn’t have been as consistent without their Twitter spaces and also their support and encouragement in those early days. As of right now, this scene just wouldn’t be the same without @pocobelli — I actually think his Artist Journal series has kept the Tezos scene alive and kicking during the darkest periods.

Which Tezos platforms, tools, and marketplaces do you use the most today?

I am using Teia and objkt. Objkt primarily for my collection drops and Teia for stand-alone, more unique pieces — those are the ones I really treasure and kind of don’t want to let go of. But I’m extremely excited about DNS’s new platform because of its integration with social media and the Tezos blockchain — it’s shaping up to be a much-needed, rock-solid addition to the ecosystem. I have a special drop planned for that when it launches.

What would you say to an artist considering the Tezos ecosystem as a home for their work?

As with anything, I would encourage them to do their research and decide whether the blockchain in general will support their overall direction and vision. Times have changed since I came in — it’s no longer the unsustainable gold rush of the last bull run. But, I do believe the accessibility of Tezos, and more importantly, the community around it is one of the most supportive, period. And with that said, I would ask them to think big, and not be held back by some of the barriers and limiting beliefs the trad/irl art world has instilled in them. The sky’s the limit if you have a long-term outlook and a vision you believe in. It’s why I am still here. The full potential hasn’t been realized yet, but I think it’s going to turn the creative industry on its head. This is something I strongly believe.

As a case study in the onboarding of a talented artist with an ambitious Web 3.0 vision, Retro Manni’s journey into the Tezos ecosystem can’t be considered anything less than an unmitigated success. From his initial entry point at the hands of a community-organized online event to his current status as a Tezos artist and active community participant (and everything in between), Manni’s journey into this bustling space — marked by the welcoming individuals he encountered every step along the way — stands as a testament to the power of the Tezos community, its generous spirit, and the smooth user experience that brings it all together.

I’ll be watching as Manni continues his quest to bring the Retro Man Universe to life, and I hope you all will too!

Seeking The North Star: The Fascinating Web 3.0 Journey of Retro Manni was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Artist, filmmaker, and storyteller Retro Manni reflects on his journey into Web 3.0 and finding a home in the Tezos ecosystem.

Tezos’ exciting digital art and NFT ecosystem serve as an important entry point into the Tezos ecosystem. The Tezos art scene, initially driven by low gas/minting prices and bolstered by intuitive user interfaces and ease of use, has become one of the most active and engaged blockchain art communities in the Web 3.0 world. It has gone on to birth a thriving ecosystem of marketplaces, collectors, artists, and art appreciators from all across the globe, and represents an important case study in organic Web 3.0 community growth.

In its short time in existence, the Tezos art ecosystem has attracted countless talented artists to its cause. They’ve come from every corner of the globe and brought along with them talents spanning multiple disciplines, subject matters, and mediums. Every single one of them has a story that led them to develop and mint their work right here in the Tezos ecosystem.

Enter: artist, filmmaker, and storyteller Retro Manni. He, like so many others, comes from a background steeped in creativity and chose to embark on a new journey into the exciting Web 3.0 space, eventually finding a home in the Tezos art community. Presented with the chance to chat with Manni about his work and his journey into the Tezos ecosystem, I jumped at it.

Here’s what Retro Manni had to say…

“Since 2004 I’ve been working as a filmmaker, but I was also a teacher. I kind of got fed up with being a teacher. I’d kind of had it with that industry, to be honest. I decided that I wanted to pursue filmmaking full-time — leading into more painting and digital work and animation, so I set up my own company and left teaching. About a month after that I had a heart attack. It completely hit me out of the blue. I had an operation and I was on lots of meds, and I went into a good few months of depression.I knew about NFTs at this time, but I wasn’t embedded in that community or anything like that, I just knew about them from the media. Then a friend of mine called me and said “Why are you not in NFTs? You need to be in there.” He’d seen some of my work online and couldn’t fathom how I wasn’t involved already. I was very resistant, but luckily after I got that call I sat with it for a while and next thing you know, I’m 2–3 years on now and knee-deep into it!”

As an artist familiar with working with digital canvases to produce his work, NFTs were a natural fit for Manni. His work, richly laced with cyberpunk and 80s retrowave iconography seemed, in many ways, custom-suited to the medium. And, quickly after dipping his toes into blockchain-powered art, the amazing possibilities for sharing his work with the world and developing his talents became clear.

The realization led Manni to the genesis of “Retro Man”, an ambitious and fascinating storytelling project he is currently working to realize here in the Tezos ecosystem…

“Retro Man is a concept that came out of being in NFTs and being on Tezos. I initially came in with some digital artworks that I’d created — very Cyberpunk. A throwback to the retro wave 80s culture. I was just finding myself. I was meeting new people and trying new things out and I was doing a lot of digital paintings. The problem I was seeing as AI was growing at the time and becoming more popular is that it was looking a lot like the digital paintings that I was doing. It threw a lot of things up in the air for me and made me question the value of what I was doing and whether I belonged in that future.Then I realized: I’m a filmmaker. I don’t really see myself as an artist if I’m honest with myself. I’m a storyteller. I started to really hone in on that idea. I thought ‘I need to take some of those stories that I’ve got and bring them to the blockchain because they’re going to outlast any style or medium of art. Retro Man came out of that.”

With this blueprint in place, Manni stepped forth to bring his storytelling concept to fruition. While the Retro Man Universe currently exists as an ongoing animated series in the style of old SNES games and an audiobook, Manni’s larger vision for this project includes a film and a video game as well.

And, while the journey to realizing his vision for the Retro Man Universe has only just begun, Manni’s journey into the Tezos art space is emblematic of the things that have made Tezos’ art scene so successful, something we explored together during his recent appearance on TezTalks Live…

“The more I learned about it — and I did try minting on Polygon, and no shade to Polygon, but it was a horrible experience. Jumping into the communities on ETH, at least from what I first discovered, I just wasn’t getting a good feeling of ‘this is where I fit’. I was actually very close to giving up until one day I woke up and randomly got a notification that objkt and Teia were running a space on Twitter. I didn’t know much about Tezos at the time, but I jumped in. Immediately, compared to what I’d seen and heard in all those other spaces, the vibe was completely different. It was way more chill. It wasn’t about trying to pump anything or exclusivity or anything like that. It was just people talking about how they can use these platforms to sell their art. They were all really super nice! I thought ‘This is where I see myself’.”

As a newcomer to the Web 3.0 art and NFT space, the elements that attracted Manni to the Tezos ecosystem were, in large measure, the same ones that have always appealed to artists who’ve found their way here: ease of use, low fees for minting and selling works, etc. But it wasn’t just Tezos’ second-to-none technology and marketplaces that made Manni’s foray into Tezos such a positive one. A newer element has emerged within Tezos’ thriving art scene that has both made this ecosystem appealing to new artists and made it a place they want to stay once they’ve arrived: a sense of community…

“The technology is awesome. I struggle to go anywhere else. I’m not really interested in doing anything elsewhere. I’m quite resistant to change, and I’ve gotten so used to using my Temple wallet, I’ve gotten so used to using objkt and Teia to collect, everything connects so well, I’ve had no issues, and I trust it. I feel comfortable using it.The community’s been brilliant, and there have been some absolutely wonderful people who have welcomed me since the moment I got here. I came in completely fresh — not knowing anyone, and I’ve met some really nice people. The experience has been brilliant.”

Today, with his works minted and listed on multiple Tezos NFT marketplaces, Manni has become fully ensconced in the Tezos ecosystem. And that, for anyone interested in bringing new users to Tezos, is a very good thing. It’s why blockchain art continues to be a key pillar of Tezos’ success and ongoing growth.

With all of that in mind, I wanted to know more about Retro Manni’s experience here in the Tezos ecosystem…

Who are the people who have given you such a positive perception of the Tezos art ecosystem?

There are so many, that I couldn’t possibly name them all. From a community-building perspective, 3 people who massively helped me integrate were @NftyTrap, @NftPeperoncino and @rblbab. I wouldn’t have been as consistent without their Twitter spaces and also their support and encouragement in those early days. As of right now, this scene just wouldn’t be the same without @pocobelli — I actually think his Artist Journal series has kept the Tezos scene alive and kicking during the darkest periods.

Which Tezos platforms, tools, and marketplaces do you use the most today?

I am using Teia and objkt. Objkt primarily for my collection drops and Teia for stand-alone, more unique pieces — those are the ones I really treasure and kind of don’t want to let go of. But I’m extremely excited about DNS’s new platform because of its integration with social media and the Tezos blockchain — it’s shaping up to be a much-needed, rock-solid addition to the ecosystem. I have a special drop planned for that when it launches.

What would you say to an artist considering the Tezos ecosystem as a home for their work?

As with anything, I would encourage them to do their research and decide whether the blockchain in general will support their overall direction and vision. Times have changed since I came in — it’s no longer the unsustainable gold rush of the last bull run. But, I do believe the accessibility of Tezos, and more importantly, the community around it is one of the most supportive, period. And with that said, I would ask them to think big, and not be held back by some of the barriers and limiting beliefs the trad/irl art world has instilled in them. The sky’s the limit if you have a long-term outlook and a vision you believe in. It’s why I am still here. The full potential hasn’t been realized yet, but I think it’s going to turn the creative industry on its head. This is something I strongly believe.

As a case study in the onboarding of a talented artist with an ambitious Web 3.0 vision, Retro Manni’s journey into the Tezos ecosystem can’t be considered anything less than an unmitigated success. From his initial entry point at the hands of a community-organized online event to his current status as a Tezos artist and active community participant (and everything in between), Manni’s journey into this bustling space — marked by the welcoming individuals he encountered every step along the way — stands as a testament to the power of the Tezos community, its generous spirit, and the smooth user experience that brings it all together.

I’ll be watching as Manni continues his quest to bring the Retro Man Universe to life, and I hope you all will too!

Seeking The North Star: The Fascinating Web 3.0 Journey of Retro Manni was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

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