Caught on Film

I mentioned this briefly a few days ago on the main updates feed, but this project needs its own page.

I’m calling this Operation Markova. Why? It (currently) reflects the process of creating a vtuber persona called Catherine Leigh Markova. In fact, this page will serve as a practical reference for any artists who may be interested in working with me. I am quite keen to commission a fully-rigged half-body Live2D model, after all.

It will also hopefully be interesting for anyone curious who has arrived here via Discord servers, vtubing communities, or general wandering across the internet. This page is meant to be an easy reference. Below, you can quickly follow the progress of my transhumanist vtuber transformation, in reverse chronological order! Check that out, or jump to the details of why, how, what...

Why VTube Suddenly?

I began writing publicly about artificial intelligence on this site in August of 2025. Since then, I’ve just kept circling around identity mediation. Artificial intelligence may be my primary focus here, but I keep returning to tools that extend the self. I like to observe how technology changes the way we shares ourselves with others.

Vtubing really gets into the middle of all this! It has me all melty over this idea of mediated embodiment. The visible body gives way to a constructed interface that reacts semi-autonomously. That strikes me as downright transhumanist, or at very least raising questions best answered by that direction of philosophy. Transhumanism itself might not always have positive outcomes, however; we’ll see! I want to experience vtubing one way or another.

I know comparatively little about vtubing culture. Can’t say I’ve experienced its internal norms. I also know I’ve got my work cut out for me when it comes to learning about the technical stack involved in vtubing. I’ll be sharing what I learn as I go, because I want to understand how this technology has manifested by experiencing it myself, even if I become someone else.

Vtubers are expected to have lore. It seems normal within the culture. I guess I should have lore, too. Creating an on-screen persona that is explicitly not “me” serves several purposes. It provides a layer of privacy and safety. It allows for narrative structure. It creates aesthetic cohesion.

More importantly, it allows me to construct and maintain an identity, rather than just assuming one. It’s easy to be yourself, but much more difficult to be someone else. The discomfort I feel here is part of the point. I’m writing about artificial intelligence, transhumanism, and the tension of mediated selves, after all. I’m kind of excited to explore how much of “me” survives translation through this glowing technological proxy. I want to see what is lost, and even what gets amplified in the process, and figure out why.

Seeking real art...

I definitely want my Live2D Model for this to be designed by a human artist. That’s a firm decision!

I have written previously about my complicated emotions surrounding machine-generated images, including in this note. While I find AI-generated images visually interesting and sometimes useful, they’re not art in the way I typically use the term. That’s just how I currently see things. Artificial intelligence isn’t capable of being an artist despite what it can do.

I naturally, do want my vtuber model to be a work of art. That means it must be made by a human, with intent and hopefully a strong sense of authorship. I’ll commission with compensation, following terms and conditions as stipulated.

I’m not going to reject artificial intelligence wholesale, obviously. Why be a transhumanist otherwise. I already use AI-generated images on this site, clearly labeled. I may use AI-assisted tools for editing, especially sound processing, or other technical tasks related to vtubing. Voice alteration is likely. If AI is involved, that use will be labeled as transparently as possible. I will not not not knowingly feed anyone’s work into an AI systems without consent. That includes commissioned art.

I haven’t yet picked the artist for my Live2D character model. To be more specific? What I’m seeking is a half-body, fully rigged Live2D Cubism 3+ model, exported and tested in VTube Studio. This includes proper face tracking parameters, physics, expressions, and complete model files suitable for recording video content.

I already have visual references depicting the character, as well as a general conceptual plan. I can also provide a detailed two-page PDF, or plain text document if preferred, describing physical appearance, expression range, posture, and mannerisms. As you might expect, her general appearance mirrors some of the images depicting “me” as Cathy here on this site.

Cathy Markova’s aesthetic is restrained and vintage. She is not chibi or childlike. I’m currently deep hunting for artists with a style that will captivate, and have much more to say privately, if you'd like to inquire. I have already spoken with a few artists via Discord and Etsy. You may be reading this page because of that contact. If so, I hope this gives you a clear understanding of what I am aiming for. If you are an artist interested in discussing this further, you can contact me here. I don’t consider artists outside of established platforms (Etsy primarily) and need to see prior work, of course...

Vtubers reading this...

You may have arrived here via Discord, Reddit, or some other vtubing-adjacent space. If so, hello. I’m stepping into vtubing from outside, curiously and cautiously. My videos will document an ongoing attempt to understand transhumanism and mediated identity through direct participation.

Vtubing itself is so creepy, but in a wonderful way. I don’t know how heavily I will end up interacting with that community, but I love what I am seeing.

I do try to maintain a polite and mature tone, because I'm an adult discussing mature, contentious topics. If you would like to see some things I’ve written, the Notes area is perhaps the best place to look first. The subject matter, when it comes to chatbots and stuff, might be considered controversial.

I’ve always been a transhumanist. My videos will focus heavily on artificial intelligence, physical autonomy, and the search for meaning in a digital world. If you have advice, technical warnings, cultural context, or simple commentary, you are welcome to contact me.

If any of this feels distasteful to you, there are no hard feelings. This site is very clear about its interests; just browse elsewhere if they unsettle you.

I exist, and am not a bot. I do let Anna proofread, or at least I did in the past, and I vibe code like crazy, but I'm a real person genuinely engaged in this research quest of sorts. I'm adopting a persona as a vtuber for the usual reasons. My persona isn't a robot-inspired character, either.