As a child in Boise Idaho, Melanie Mandl created her own miniature worlds from found objects. These early projects and watching her father edit 8mm films at the kitchen table shaped her work and practice.

 Melanie received a BFA in Sculpture and Kinetic Imagery from Virginia Commonwealth University where she experimented with video. She was a member of the costume-clad heavy metal band GWAR and directed their 35mm film skulhedface as well as several music videos.

 Since living in Los Angeles she has worked as a specialty prop maker for The Man Show, Crank Yankers, and Robot Chicken and as a puppeteer on shows including Union Jack (starring Jack Osbourne), MADtv and Eminem’s “Ass Like That” music video. She most recently worked as Production designer for Lisa Loeb’s latest video as well as the feature “Stay”, directed by Bobcat Goldthwait.

 Melanie’s most current endeavor forays into the miniature world. Using stop motion animation and puppets, she confronts her innermost fears, the spider and space travel.