Real stories from the world of tattooing

Life Beyond Ink is an independent documentary series dedicated to capturing the stories, culture, and artistry of tattooing around the world.
Each film takes you inside the lives of tattoo artists — where they came from, what shaped them, and what drives their creative process. These are not surface-level shop features; they are intimate portraits of people whose work defines an art form.

The Project

What began as a small idea has grown into a global journey. Since filming started, the response has been overwhelming — messages, shares, and stories from people who care deeply about authentic tattoo culture.

Every documentary we release helps sustain this work. Each film directly supports:

• The Life Beyond Ink documentary series

• The artists who share their stories

• And The Halls of Ink, our long-term museum and archival project preserving tattoo history

We produce everything independently — no sponsors, no production house — just two filmmakers committed to honoring tattoo culture with honesty and respect.

The Team

Dakota Weik is a tattoo ethnographer and filmmaker exploring the art and anthropology of tattooing through film and travel. His work documents artists, cultures, and histories across the globe under the banner Inked Abroad.

Michael Corman is a filmmaker and editor who has spent years in the tattoo industry, creating cinematic visuals for artists and studios worldwide.

The two met by chance in 2023 while filming in Germany. A shared vision for storytelling and preservation turned that meeting into a long-term partnership — the foundation of Life Beyond Ink and The Halls of Ink.

The Halls of Ink

The Halls of Ink is a museum-in-progress and digital archive dedicated to preserving modern tattooing.

We are building a foundation for a future physical space that will hold:

• Original flash, prints, and artist archives

• Tattoo machines and historical tools

• Artist-made books, zines, and merchandise

• A growing digital collection of stories, images, and documentation of tattoo culture

This project is built entirely from the ground up — an independent effort to ensure tattoo history is recorded and remembered.

Why It Matters

Filming, editing, and traveling to capture these stories takes time, dedication, and personal investment. We don’t charge the artists we feature — every episode is made to give their stories the care they deserve.

Your viewership, engagement, and support make it possible for us to:

• Continue producing Life Beyond Ink

• Travel to document new artists worldwide

• Expand The Halls of Ink archive

• And eventually, open a physical museum dedicated to tattoo culture

Join Us

Whether you’ve followed us from the beginning or are discovering our work now — thank you.
Every watch, share, and word of encouragement helps keep this project alive.

This is only the beginning.
We’re building something that will preserve tattooing for generations to come.

— Dakota & Mike