Being Hands (stylized by the creator as "being Hands") is a short film created by Lilith. It premiered in 2023; Lilith uploaded the video to TikTok.
The film chronicles a gradual progression from a character taking books from shelves to a revelation that the film is an extended example of a single-player and verbal Role-Playing Game. Throughout, Lilith addresses the camera, the audience, a fictional audience within the film, and other entities. The only named character is Hands, via the title of the film. Other characters include a GM (Game Maker) and an unnamed party member.
Being Hands contains examples of:
- Genre Savvy: Both Hands and Lilith constantly reference the universe they're within. In one existence, both the GM character and Hands realize the same thing.Hands: [while giggling] ...Expeditious retreat. Can I do that?
GM: [deadpan] It seems like you set this whole thing up just so you could brag about your D&D character. - Kudzu Plot: Partially through, Lilith (as herself) addresses the audience and explains that she's lost the plot herself.
- Mouthing the Profanity: The GM character drops the "o" when pronouncing Goblin Slayer.
- Saying Sound Effects Out Loud: Lilith says "Rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb" as Audience Murmurs.
- Minimalist Cast: Lilith appears in the film; others don't.
- No Fourth Wall: Lilith, in and out of character, frequently addresses the camera directly, conversationally.
- Off-the-Shelf FX: Lilith finds a jar and uses it as stand-in for a glass of ale. Both the GM character and Hands use the glass.
- Out of Focus: An unnamed character has one line, which draws notice from the other characters, and is a fellow party member to Hands. After their line, they never appear again.GM: Hey... uh. Adventurers!
Hands: Yes?
Unnamed character: [forcefully] Yes? - Poirot Speak: Hands often dips into "real world" language, which they Handwave immediately as "wizard speak."
- Shout-Out:
- Hands mentions James Acaster repeatedly.
- Kung Pow!:Hands: [emphatic] "I'm a great and powerful wizard! Your clothes are red!"
- Show Within a Show:
- Hey, Let's Put on a Show The plot of being Hands (where Lilith conducts a Role-Playing Game) kicks in once Lilith acknowledges the camera recording her; her character Hands then emerges and most of the film occurs through their performances.
- Proscenium Reveal: Lilith addresses the audience directly and reveals the film is another in "the temporal series."
- Practical Effects: In an attempt to maintain continuity and maintain a random factor for a chance encounter, Lilith finds a sleeve of coins. She pours a single coin into her hand, flips it, and it goes off camera. The film is unscripted, so Lilith keeps filming despite having no way to generate truly random events.
- The Oner: The film presents unedited video.
