Iz and The Demon

Series of short animations for social media with original characters

It all started very quietly, with one silly little TikTok I posted just for fun, not really expecting anything. Somehow, that tiny moment grew into something much bigger.

Iz is, in many ways, my alter ego. She does things I’d probably be too shy or self-conscious to do. She’s impulsive, curious, and a bit unhinged. She follows her instict, feels everything deeply, and doesn’t over-filter herself the way I sometimes do.

The Sleep Paralysis Demon, on the other hand, is a product of her imagination, something that isn’t quite an enemy, more like a constant presence. He’s her grumbling and pompous companion, slightly condescending toward humanity. At first, he’s mildly annoyed by her, but over time, he grows attached in his own quiet way.

Together, they have this “grumpy and sunshine” dynamic. She pulls him into the chaos of emotions and curiosity, while he grounds everything with dry commentary and reluctant care. They don’t fight each other, they learn how to exist together, somewhere between comfort and discomfort.

As I kept sharing more, people began to resonate with them in the most beautiful way. What started as something personal and a bit secret slowly turned into a small universe that others could see themselves in.

Now, across my Instagram and TikTok, over 120,000 people follow the ongoing moments of Iz, the Demon, and the three tiny chaotic demonic helpers. I still feels a little unreal, considering it all began with one impulsive, slightly ridiculous video. It’s hard to express how grateful and lucky I feel to have this sweet community around my animations.