#Marketing and Advertising Scripts

[dailyfont-com]

Bardens is a retro font duo combining flowing script with bold slab serif, offering nostalgic aesthetic and versatile contrast for branding, packaging, and print materials.

Link: https://l.dailyfont.com/Sp9Dq

[playfulsparksp]

Seven Ultimate Guides to Selling Your Art Online: Tips and Strategies

In today’s digital age, artists have unprecedented opportunities to showcase and sell their art online. With the rise of e-commerce platforms, social media, and digital marketing tools, artists can now reach a global audience and turn their passion into a profitable online business. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore various strategies and platforms to help you make money selling your…

[transmutationisms]

ok off the last ask are there any tv shows you Do think are good or does the position of tv is bad kind of hold universally?

imo the reasons tv is on average bad are largely to do with production and not actually just coincidental

-because a tv show generates more profit the longer it runs, networks & showrunners are perversely incentivised to Make Stuff Happen & also to fail to deal with the narrative consequences of that stuff (nobody wants to watch 10 seasons of a show where the personal dysfunctions that the story is premised on are overcome and dealt with and the characters just calm down by season 3)

-advertisers have typically/traditionally gotten a large degree of control over the actual content onscreen (this is a pressure in any creative work made for profit -- but, eg, it's not unusual for tv advertisers and esp product-placers to get final review of actual scripts, to threaten to pull ads if a show discusses xyz or gets 'too political', &c)

-for numerous contingent reasons including some reaction to the above, tv has not typically been seen as a prestigious creative industry (even in the 'golden age', compare the reputation of tv to that of the cinéma or stage theatre), leading to a lot of writers and directors who don't really want to be there, are embarrassed, view their tv work as the pitch to launch their film or novelist career, &c &c

-all of this exerts downward pressure on the compensation rates for pretty much everyone who works on tv, from actors to crew members, which makes the industry less appealing and less prestigious and is used to justify even worse and cheaper labour practices &c &c -- meaning a lot of tv work goes to people who don't want to be there, couldn't qualify for better compensated roles, are mainly cast for being conventionally attractive, &c

i've watched and enjoyed plenty of tv and it's not like it's impossible to execute something well artistically even in these circumstances. for example, i think succession has some really stellar character writing, & that this is directly connected to the fact it had hbo money & a showrunner who always planned for it to have an endpoint & a limited number of seasons—but it's also connected to the fact that the story is framed around characters being constitutionally incapable of major change. for similar reasons, a miniseries or anthology series is imo usually a better format for a drama than the conventional constantly-renewed network series. alternatively you can go the seinfeld route and have your show genuinely be about trivia, with a hard reset every episode (like, compare how long seinfeld could keep beating the same three dead horses versus eg the immediate problems faced by a show like the good place where characters were supposed to be enduring meaningful personal growth incompatible with their roles in the actual narrative).

but imo very few people who work on tv are interested in thinking about what the medium can do well, because again they view themselves more as temporarily embarrassed artistes, and even those who do view television as its own medium with its own constraints and strengths are often kneecapped by the actual circumstances of production (like, a mini-room may well be full of really talented writers who want to do fascinating things with the medium -- i wouldn't know, because they get approximately 30 seconds per episode to throw shit at the wall that some exec can market to a cereal company).

i've liked plenty of shows enough to watch more than 5 minutes of them (succession, lots of medical soaps, the first 2 seasons of misfits, doctor who, thw twilight zone, parts of mad men, the thick of it, mr robot, community, i may destroy you, pushing daisies...) & i think it's fair to say if i liked something i probably thought some aspect of it was good, meaning, well executed in some way. but i would also say pretty much all of those are dogshit in other respects, are overall susceptible to the same problems tv in general is, &c.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Types of Writers

Generally, writers fit into one of 2 categories: fiction and nonfiction. Within those two categories, there are many different writing styles.

From fiction writers who create works of imagination to business journalists who report on breaking news, writers use different types of writing to achieve specific goals.

Novelist: A novel is a long piece of fiction, typically more than 40,000 words. Novels often include complex story arcs with multiple characters and span genres such as romance, science fiction, and historical fiction. Novelists are people who write novels; You can be a career novelist or write novels outside of your day job. Novelists generally fall into two categories: plotters—who meticulously plan the elements of their storyline and characters before starting; and pantsters—who are more spontaneous and “fly by the seat of their pants.”

Poet: Poets are writers of poems— a form of literature that conveys a thought, describes a scene, or tells a story in a concentrated, lyrical arrangement of words. Poetry can be structured, with rhyming lines and meter, or freeform (which follows no formal structure).

Songwriter: Songwriters craft lyrics that are set to music. A songwriter may be employed by a musician to provide lyrical accompaniment to a song, or they may write both the lyrics and musical notation.

Playwright: Playwrights craft stories that performers act out on a theater stage. The market for aspiring playwrights is competitive, but for those wishing to see their stories come to life, playwriting can be a gratifying experience.

Short story writer: Short stories are concise pieces of writing that tell a story in less time than a novel. Short stories are often published in magazines or compiled together in anthologies. The average short story runs anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 words but can be anything above 1,000 words. Flash fiction is a short story that is 500 words or less.

Screenwriter: Screenwriters write original scripts for TV shows and movies. They may also write an adapted screenplay based on a book, story, article, or some other source material. Screenplays follow a specific format, and they tend to adhere to three-act structure.

Blogger: Bloggers self-publish content online. Though not exclusive to non-fiction writing, blogs tend to provide curious readers with fact-based knowledge on various topics, including food, travel, entertainment, and technology. Whether you’re a creative writer looking for an easy way to publish stories online or an entrepreneur looking for a way to promote your business, learning how to craft a blog post to reach your target audience successfully is a valuable skill.

Business writer: Most business writers work for newspapers or magazines that publish content for specific industries. Business writing can be a profitable form of writing if you’ve got a knack for networking and in-depth knowledge of industry-related terminology and concepts.

Copywriter: Copywriting involves writing copy for marketing and advertising purposes. Copywriters can be in-house employees at a company or advertising firm, or freelancers contracted to create copy.

Ghostwriter: Ghostwriters specialize in writing for other people. This requires the unique ability to be able to write convincingly in another person's tone of voice. Ghostwriters work with their clients— such as high-ranking government officials and media personalities—to craft a narrative and tell their story in the first person.

Journalist: Journalists write everything from op-eds to news stories. There are many kinds of journalistic writing; for example, a reporter uses an expository style to report facts on a news story. On the other hand, a features writer or editorial writer may use more a persuasive tone and share their point of view to influence an audience on a particular issue or topic.

Nonfiction book writers: Nonfiction is a popular writing form that combines in-depth research with compelling writing prowess. Common nonfiction formats include autobiographies, biographies, scientific writing, and more.

Technical writer: Technical writers are often in-house employees for businesses and corporations. Technical writing involves producing copy for instructional manuals and system documentation. This kind of work often requires the writer to have hyper-specific knowledge of a given field or industry.

Translator: To be a translator, you must speak two or more languages fluently and be able to accurately translate one to another. Translators work across numerous fields and have different specialties—you can be a translator for a technical manual, a novel, or even poetry.

Source ⚜ More: Writing Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[dreamauri]

♪ — 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗧𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗘 - chapter three fernando alonso x fem! driver! reader ( fluff -> angst ) series summary . . . a mortal who dared to defy the impossible. Of grit forged in fire, and dreams that refused to yield. In a world where heroes are born, and few rise to become legends. You are a force to be reckoned with. Unshakable. Unstoppable. Indomitable. (4.5k words)

( fic master list | general master list ) ( requests ) ( previous | next )

III, PAPER SOLDIER . . . ( Your fourth to seventh years in Formula One, 2015 -> 2018 ) // content warning . . . ( contains non-descriptive smut, Yn is 23 years in the beginning of the chapter and 25 by the end, really fucking long ass chapter )

★ ☆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

When the 2015 season began, you couldn’t help but feel the absence of Jenson Button. Walking into the McLaren garage without him felt wrong—like something essential had been ripped away. Jenson had been more than a teammate; he was your anchor in a sport that constantly threatened to drown you.

But Fernando Alonso didn’t try to replace Jenson, and somehow, that made things easier. Instead of trying to mimic the camaraderie you’d had with Jenson, Fernando brought his own brand of companionship. He didn’t hover or press; he simply existed, radiating his unique mix of confidence and charisma, until you realized how much you enjoyed having him around.

By the second race of the season, you were surprised to find yourself laughing more than you had in months. Whether it was during strategy meetings or post-race celebrations, Fernando had a way of lightening the mood with his dry humour and his sly, knowing glances.

“You don’t always have to overtake on the outside, you know,” he teased one afternoon, smirking over his coffee. “But I suppose drama is part of your brand.”

“And I suppose being smug is part of yours,” you shot back, grinning.

It didn’t take long for the two of you to hit your stride. On track, you were ruthless and synchronised. “Chaotic villains,” the press called you, and you secretly loved it. You weren’t just teammates; you were a nightmare for the rest of the grid. Fernando’s ability to anticipate your moves was uncanny, and together, you executed overtakes that left even seasoned commentators stunned.

Off the track, things were somehow even better. McLaren’s marketing team, notorious for shoving drivers into cringeworthy advertisements, suddenly had gold on their hands. You and Fernando—two drivers who hated scripted lines and staged smiles—were unexpectedly brilliant together.

The first time they made you film a commercial, you groaned audibly when the director explained the concept. Something about racing through a supermarket with shopping carts full of McLaren-branded products.

“I hate this already,” you muttered under your breath.

Fernando, standing beside you, gave you a sidelong glance. “Tranquila, we’ll make it good.”

And somehow, he did. By the third take, the two of you were hamming it up, racing down aisles, tossing products back and forth, and laughing so hard you almost forgot the cameras were there.

“Did you see her face when I threw the cereal?” Fernando joked afterward, his eyes glinting with mischief.

“I saw your face when it hit the floor and exploded everywhere,” you retorted. “Pure panic.”

From then on, every commercial and promotional shoot turned into a competition to see who could make the other laugh first. Whether it was fake arguments over who got to drive a McLaren P1 in an ad or Fernando trying to convince the camera crew to let him wear sunglasses indoors, you found yourself looking forward to those dreaded filming days.

“Por favor, it’s not about the lighting,” Fernando argued one day, slipping on his sunglasses mid-shoot. “It’s about the vibe.”

“The vibe is you looking like a smug Bond villain,” you quipped, trying to suppress a giggle.

“And yet,” he said, gesturing dramatically, “the director hasn’t stopped me.”

The chemistry between you was undeniable, and it extended beyond work. Post-race dinners, gym sessions, and late-night debriefs all became opportunities for the two of you to poke fun at each other, share stories, and build a bond that felt effortless. You had been so sure that McLaren would feel hollow without Jenson, but with Fernando, it felt alive—different, but in the best way.

“Why do you even put up with me?” you asked him one night after a particularly gruelling race.

Fernando leaned back in his chair, his smirk softening into something more sincere. “Because you make everything more fun,” he said simply. “And because I know, no matter what, you’ve got my back.”

His words lingered, making your chest feel tight in a way you couldn’t quite name. You didn’t know it yet, but Fernando had already carved out a place for himself in your life—one that no one else could fill.

★ ☆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

The first time with Fernando, everything felt different—electric and uncharted. It wasn’t just the post-race champagne that made your head spin; it was him. His presence was commanding yet soft, every movement deliberate, every touch reverent. It wasn’t just the circumstances—a blur of adrenaline and post-race champagne after a double podium—it was him.

It started simply. His hand lingered on your lower back as you laughed about your overtakes, his eyes soft yet unreadable in a way that made your pulse quicken. When you turned toward him, it felt natural, as if every unsaid word between you had been leading to this.

His hands started at your waist, fingers splaying as if he needed to ground himself before pulling you closer. Your breath hitched when his lips found yours—warm, firm, and unyielding yet unhurried. With Jenson, it was always rushed, a blur of need fueled by adrenaline or alcohol. But Fernando . . . Fernando took his time.

When his hand brushed against yours that night, there wasn’t hesitation. His fingers closed around yours, a silent question, and you answered by lacing your own through his. You followed him to his hotel room, and the atmosphere shifted the moment the door clicked shut.

When his hands slipped beneath your shirt, his fingers brushing against your bare skin, you shivered. He didn’t tear your clothes off in a frenzy like Jenson often did. Instead, Fernando paused, peeling your top away like unwrapping something fragile. His dark eyes studied you, lingering in a way that made your cheeks burn and your heart race.

"Beautiful," he murmured, the word barely audible, like it was meant for him more than you.

Your breaths mingled as he lowered you onto the bed, his weight settling over you. He kissed you again, slower this time, the stubble on his jaw grazing your skin as his lips travelled to your neck, then your collarbone. Each kiss was deliberate, a silent declaration that this wasn’t just about the act—it was about you.

With Jenson, it was playful, almost careless, both of you seeking a quick fix for the emptiness racing couldn’t fill. But Fernando didn’t let you hide behind that. He demanded you be present, dragging you into the moment with the sheer intensity of his focus.

When his lips found your stomach, you felt your breath catch. He'd knelt before you, his hands steady on your hips, his touch grounding yet reverent. Then he paused, looking up at you, his voice low and steady. 

“¿Puedo?” he asked. can i

The question caught you off guard. Permission. Fernando was asking for permission. He asked for it like it mattered, like you mattered. No one had ever done that before. Jenson never stopped to ask; he assumed, and you never thought to mind. But Fernando’s request made your cheeks flush, a heat spreading across your skin that had nothing to do with desire and everything to do with how he treated you. Like you mattered.

You hesitated for a moment, flustered by the simplicity of his question. You nodded, then realized he probably couldn’t see in the dark. “Yes,” you whispered. “Yes, Fernando.”

His lips quirked into a soft smile, a barely-there acknowledgment, before he leaned forward again. His touch was featherlight, a stark contrast to Jenson’s rough, teasing movements. Fernando didn’t just touch; he felt—explored, cherished.

When he finally joined you fully, his body pressed flush against yours, it felt like he was pouring himself into every movement. His hips met yours in a rhythm that wasn’t rushed but deliberate, a steady, consuming pace that left you breathless. He intertwined his fingers with yours, pinning them above your head as he leaned down to kiss you, the connection sparking something deep in your chest.

It wasn’t the hurried, animalistic need you’d come to expect with Jenson. Jenson was fun, a rush, a release—but Fernando? Fernando was something entirely different. His touch carried weight, his movements spoke volumes, and his whispered praises in Spanish felt like poetry meant just for you.

When the pleasure crested, it was overwhelming, almost too much. Tears pricked at your eyes as you clung to him, your breaths shaky as he slowed his movements, his forehead pressing against yours. every sensation was heightened. His fingers brushed against yours again, and before you knew it, he was threading them together, holding your hand like it was second nature. You squeezed his hand back, unsure why the simple touch sent a pang through your chest and left you breathless.

It wasn’t just his touch—it was the way he looked at you. His eyes held something you couldn’t quite name, something you don't quite recognizing. It made you feel exposed, stripped down to your core. And when the emotions started to bubble up, you bit your lip to keep them at bay.

But it didn’t work. As his hands soothed over you and his words melted into your skin, you felt a tear slip down your cheek. It wasn’t from sadness or even overwhelm—it was the feelings, the emotions he poured into you, the way he made you feel like the only person in the world in that moment. It consumed you, swallowed you whole, and left you small, tiny.

"Estás llorando," he murmured softly, his voice laced with concern. “Cariño,” His thumbs brushed your cheeks, wiping away the tears as they fell. you're crying

“I . . .” You swallowed hard, trying to find the words. “It’s just . . . It’s a lot. I'm fine.”

His lips quirked into a gentle smile, his hand trailing to your hair, brushing it back tenderly. “It’s supposed to be,” he whispered. “It’s okay to not be okay. I'll be here anyway.”

Afterward, he didn’t pull away. He stayed close, his body pressed to yours, his hands never leaving your skin. He whispered softly in Spanish, words you couldn’t fully understand but felt in your chest. His touch was tender, reverent, as he cleaned you up, smoothing your hair and holding you close.

Jenson never stayed like this. He’d always drift away, detached even in the quiet moments. But Fernando? He stayed. He always stayed. And that, you realized, was what made him different.

“Estás bien?” he asked after a while, his voice soft against your hair.

You nodded against his chest. “I’m fine,” you murmured, even as your voice wavered.

His fingers stilled, and he tilted your chin up gently so he could see your face. “¿Segura? You don’t have to be fine.”

His words unravelled you. For once, you didn’t feel the need to pretend. Tucking your face into the crook of his neck, you let yourself feel small. Let yourself feel cared for. Let yourself feel.

★ ☆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

It was well past midnight, and the McLaren motorhome was almost eerily quiet. You were sprawled out on one of the sofas, still in your team polo, watching Fernando pace back and forth in front of the whiteboard. He was ranting about tyre degradation, gesturing wildly as if the problem could be solved with enough hand movements.

“You know,” you interrupted, stretching your legs out, “normal people sleep at this hour.”

“Normal people don’t win races,” he shot back without missing a beat, his accent thick and his tone just a little exasperated.

You propped yourself up on one elbow, grinning. “You really think the medium stint was the problem?”

“I know it was,” he said, turning to face you. His expression softened slightly when he saw your teasing smile. “What? You don’t agree?”

“Oh, I agree,” you said, sitting up fully. “I just think it’s cute how worked up you get over it.”

Fernando groaned, but there was no real annoyance behind it. He sat down beside you, pulling the marker cap off with his teeth and twirling the pen between his fingers. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re obsessed,” you countered, leaning your head on the back of the sofa. “But fine. What’s your genius solution?”

For the next hour, he explained his strategy tweaks with the same passion he reserved for the track. And even though you didn’t need convincing, you let him go on, chiming in with questions just to see that fire in his eyes. By the time he was finished, you were half-asleep, but you’d never felt more at ease.

★ ☆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

The garage was buzzing with energy after another podium. Mechanics cheered, the smell of champagne hung in the air, and you were positively glowing. Fernando was beside you, leaning against a stack of tires with his arms crossed, watching you with that familiar amused smirk.

“You really had to squeeze me on Turn 4?” you teased, nudging his shoulder. “I thought we were supposed to be teammates.”

Fernando raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. “Teammates, yes. Babysitters, no.”

“Oh, come on!” You laughed, swiping at the water bottle he was holding. “I gave you all the space in the world.”

“All the space?” he repeated, tilting his head dramatically. “You practically left me in the gravel.”

Your grin widened. “And yet, here you are. P2. You’re welcome.”

He chuckled, shaking his head, and for a moment, the world seemed to narrow to just the two of you. “One day,” he said softly, his voice dipping just enough to make you pause, “you’ll regret not letting me win.”

You leaned in, your smile turning mischievous. “Doubt it.”

And just like that, the moment was gone, replaced by laughter and playful jabs. But later, when you replayed the race in your head, you’d think about the way Fernando’s eyes had softened, just for a second, like he was seeing something in you that you weren’t quite ready to see yourself.

★ ☆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

“Okay, but why am I the one wearing the ridiculous hat?” you asked, glaring at the oversized cowboy hat the wardrobe team had handed you.

Fernando was already laughing, holding a matching hat in his hands. “Because you lost the coin toss.”

“You cheated,” you accused, crossing your arms.

He held up his hands in mock surrender. “How can I cheat at a coin toss?”

“Don’t know, but you did.”

The director waved you both onto set before you could argue further, and the next thing you knew, you were filming an ad for some sponsor neither of you cared about, wearing cowboy hats and pretending to “race” toy cars on a fake racetrack.

Halfway through, Fernando purposely crashed his car into yours, sending it flying off the track. “Oops,” he said innocently, his smirk betraying him.

You burst out laughing, breaking character completely. “Oops? You did that on purpose!”

The director groaned, calling for another take, but neither of you could stop laughing. When the shoot finally wrapped, Fernando walked over, placing his ridiculous hat on your head. “You wore it better,” he said with a grin.

You rolled your eyes but didn’t take it off. “You’re insufferable.”

“And yet,” he replied, leaning in slightly, “you keep me around.”

★ ☆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

The race in Canada had been cancelled due to an unexpected snowstorm, and the team was stuck in the hotel for the weekend. You and Fernando were in the lobby, staring out at the swirling snow through the massive glass windows.

“Well, this is boring,” you said, pulling your jacket tighter around you.

Fernando smirked, his hands tucked into his pockets. “Only because you have no imagination.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really? And what’s your brilliant plan, Mr. Imagination?”

Five minutes later, the two of you were outside, bundled up and attempting to build the world’s worst snowman. Fernando had decided it needed to wear a McLaren cap, and you were busy shoving chunks of snow at him every time he turned his back.

“You’re terrible at this,” he said, laughing as he dodged another snowball.

“Better than you!” you shot back, lobbing another one straight at his chest.

The next thing you knew, he was tackling you into a snowbank, both of you laughing so hard you could barely breathe. When you finally got back inside, shivering and soaked, the warmth of his hand on your arm lingered longer than it should have.

“Come to my room tonight, hmm,” He whispers in your ear with his sweet sweet and loving smile. You could only smack his chest, flustered out of your body.

“Why should I wait till tonight when I can take you right now?” He countered himself, throwing you over his shoulder and walking to the elevator.

★ ☆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

The next four years were a golden era for you and Fernando. While the big teams—Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull—scrambled to one-up each other with upgrades and strategy, the two of you were a well-oiled machine. Every weekend was a masterclass in teamwork. You took turns holding off competitors, crafting daring overtakes, and, more often than not, splitting the podium between the two of you.

Fernando was always just behind you—or sometimes ahead—playing the perfect wingman when needed and pushing you to your limits when it mattered most. Together, you broke records. Four Constructors’ Championships in a row. Dozens of wins. But 2017 was different.

That was your year.

The sunset painted the Yas Marina Circuit in hues of orange and pink as you sat in your car, the weight of the championship within reach. Fernando had radioed you a few laps earlier.

“Message from Fernando, Yn; You’ve got this,” Your race engineer tells you, his voice steady, but there was an edge of emotion there, one he couldn’t quite hide. “Just bring it home.”

When you crossed the finish line, the sound of the crowd was deafening, but all you could hear was your own breathing. Heavy. Disbelieving.

“World Champion!” Your race engineer’s voice crackled through the radio. “You’ve done it, Yn! You’re the World Champion! For the second time!”

You let out a sob, laughing through the tears as you brought the car to a stop on the start-finish straight. The adrenaline coursed through you, but it wasn’t until Fernando’s car pulled up beside yours that it really hit you when you both did donuts togther.

He climbed out first, crossing the short distance between your cars with purpose. When you stepped out, he was there, arms wide, pulling you into a hug so tight it knocked the breath out of you.

“Campeona del mundo,” he whispered, his voice thick, breaking with emotion. His helmet was off, and when you pulled back to look at him, you saw tears glistening in his eyes.

“You helped me get here,” you said, clutching his shoulders, your voice trembling with gratitude. “Don’t forget that.”

His smile was small but genuine, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’ll never forget it,” he said softly. “Not a second of it.”

The crowd roared, the flashes of cameras creating a dizzying strobe effect as the two of you stood there, sharing a moment that belonged to no one else. It was Fernando who finally pulled back, resting a hand on your cheek for a fleeting second before stepping aside to let the rest of the team swarm you, lifting you on their shoulders.

The team party that night was a blur of champagne, confetti, and endless congratulations. Fernando stuck close, a steady presence in the chaos. Every time someone pulled you away to talk or toast, he was there in the corner of your eye, watching with a quiet pride.

At one point, hours into the celebration, you found him sitting on the terrace, a glass of wine in hand, staring out at the skyline.

“Not enjoying the party?” you asked, sliding into the chair beside him.

He chuckled softly, shaking his head. “It’s your night, Yn. I just wanted to take it all in.”

You frowned, studying him. “Fernando, this isn’t just my night. We did this together. Four Constructors’. Four years of podiums. Four years of wins. You’re as much a part of this as I am.”

He turned to you, his expression unreadable in the dim light. “It was always going to be you,” he said quietly. “I knew it from the start. You deserved this.”

“Don’t do that,” you said, leaning forward. “Don’t downplay your part in this. I wouldn’t be here without you.”

He smiled again, but there was something bittersweet about it. “Maybe not. But it was worth it, wasn’t it?”

You didn’t know how to respond to that. All you could do was reach out and take his hand, squeezing it tightly. He didn’t let go.

The rest of the off-season blurred into a whirlwind of press conferences, celebrations, and award ceremonies. Fernando was always by your side, your biggest supporter, but there were moments when his presence felt heavier, like he was carrying a weight he wouldn’t share with you.

“You’re quiet,” you said one evening, after a gala dinner where the two of you had been paraded around like royalty.

He shrugged, swirling the whiskey in his glass. “Just thinking.”

“About what?”

He hesitated, then smiled. “The next race.”

You didn’t believe him, not entirely, but you let it slide. Fernando was like that—guarded, careful. But every so often, you’d catch glimpses of something deeper. The way his hand lingered on your back when he guided you through a crowd. The way his eyes softened when you laughed. The way he’d quietly check in on you after every race, no matter the outcome.

When the official trophy ceremony took place at the FIA Gala, Fernando insisted on standing beside you on the stage.

“You carried me through the season,” you joked as the cameras clicked and the lights flashed.

“Carried you?” he repeated, feigning offense. “You’re lucky I didn’t let you drown in the midfield.”

The banter was easy, the chemistry undeniable, and as the two of you raised the trophy together, it was clear to everyone watching that this partnership wasn’t just about racing. It was something rare, something that went beyond the track. Something neither of you could quite name.

But things don’t last forever. And getting attached is the worst part.

"I'm leaving Formula One by the end of the season," 

You froze. Time seemed to stretch, the words reverberating in your mind like an echo you couldn’t escape. You’d just arrived at the hotel room you were sharing for the week after deciding to spend the summer break together in the Caribbean. The laughter you were sharing died down in seconds and the room fell quiet.

“What?” Your voice was barely a whisper, the question hanging in the air. It didn’t make sense, didn’t feel real. You and Fernando were a team, more than that—he was your teammate, your confidant, your partner in all things chaotic, your body, your soul. To think of him leaving the sport, of him leaving you . . . it felt like the world was crumbling beneath your feet.

“I’ve decided,” he continued, his gaze dropping to your hands that were now clutching the edge of the coffee table, as if you needed something solid to hold onto. “The time has come. I’m moving on.”

The room around you felt like it was closing in. The summer air, fresh through the open window just moments ago, now felt thick, suffocating. You couldn’t breathe.

“No,” you said, shaking your head as tears welled up in your eyes. “No, you can’t leave me. Not now. Not like this.”

Before you could even think, you were up, stepping forward, hands reaching for him, desperate. You grasped at his arms, pulling him close, burying your face in his chest as you started to sob, the tears coming faster than you could control.

"Please don't go," you whispered, your voice trembling, cracking with the weight of your emotions. “Please. I can’t . . . I can’t do this without you.”

Fernando didn’t move at first, frozen by the force of your plea. He had always been the one with the calm, collected demeanour, the one who could hide his emotions behind that steely exterior. But now, you felt him soften in your arms. He let you pull him closer, his hands coming up to your back, rubbing circles that were meant to comfort but only made the ache in your chest worse.

“I didn’t want to hurt you, Yn,” he said, his voice low, almost apologetic. “I didn’t want to leave you like this. But I have to do it. It’s time.”

“No,” you repeated, your hands clutching at his shirt, your fingers digging into the fabric as if you could somehow stop him from leaving. “I won’t let you. I can’t . . . You don’t get to walk away like that. Not after everything we’ve been through.”

Fernando’s fingers gently cupped your face, lifting it so he could look into your eyes. His touch was soft, tender, but there was something in his gaze—something that told you he’d already made up his mind. “I know this isn’t easy,” he said softly, his thumb brushing away a tear that had slipped down your cheek. “But sometimes we have to let go, Yn. It doesn’t mean I’m leaving you . . . It just means I’m moving forward.”

You shook your head, unable to form a coherent thought through the rush of emotions. “I don’t know how to do this without you. You’re everything to me, Fernando. I—I don’t want you to go.”

He swallowed hard, his jaw tightening as if the words pained him. “I know. I don’t want to go either. But you have to understand, Yn . . . There’s more to life than this. More than F1 . . .. I Signed for a seat in WEC.”

“But I need you,” you choked out. “We’re a team. You can’t just leave.”

Fernando sighed, pulling you into his arms once more, holding you tight against him. “You’ve always been my team, Yn,” he said quietly, the emotion thick in his voice. “You always will be. But it’s time for me to find my own path. It’s time for you to find yours, too. You can’t hold on to me forever.”

The reality of his words hit you like a punch to the gut. You wanted to fight, to scream, to tell him he was wrong, but deep down, you knew he was right. But that didn’t stop the ache in your chest, the fear of losing him, the terror of facing a future without him in it.

You pulled away just enough to look up at him, your tears still streaming down your face. “What am I supposed to do without you?” you whispered, voice thick with emotion.

Fernando’s hand gently brushed your hair out of your face, his touch tender. “You’ll be okay,” he said, his voice soft but resolute. “You’re strong, Yn. You always have been. I’ll always be here, even if I’m not on the grid. But you need to let me go.”

You wanted to argue. You wanted to tell him that you couldn’t live without him, that you didn’t know how to do this without the constant presence of his strength beside you. But the truth was, you could feel his resolve, his certainty, and you knew this was a battle you couldn’t win.

For a long moment, neither of you said anything. The only sound in the room was the soft, steady rhythm of your breathing. And then, Fernando’s hand cupped your face again, this time with more finality, and he whispered the words that made your heart ache even more.

“I’m sorry, Yn. But it’s my time.”

[janedoeremi]

Fever dream of an idea I need to share

if/when a Metroid movie gets announced, the marketing team has the oppertunity to do the funniest thing and recreate the original marketing for Metroid 1. They hide Samus's actor the whole time and make all the advertisements, official summaries, and interviews with cast and crew seem as though Samus was changed to be a male lead. Fake "leaks" where parts of the script show Samus being referred to as he or him, Make fake interviews with an A-list male celebrity and play it completely straight, for an extra twist of the knife make it Chris Pratt or Chris Evans. if real leaks occur, pretend that they were early versions of the script that were scrapped before rewrites occured.

Only for the movie to be released and we see regular Samus Aran played by an unknown/semi-known actress

Please Nintendo you have the perfect oppertunity to screw with everyone, it'd be so fucking funny

[this-game-has-themes]

misc vykker headcanons

vykker written language looks like doctor's handwriting: fast, loose, and incomprehensible to others to preserve their secrets. they use different, more legible script when it is meant to be read by interns/glukkons/ect.

while the magog cartel have imposed gender binary as a tool of control, it is mostly the conglomerate that has established its conventions. this has allowed them to market progressively extreme, borderline and genuinely sadistic products and modifications in the pursuit of gender performance and 'beauty'. it is mostly mudokons that catch the worst of this marketing, of course, but increasingly more glukkons fall prey to it too.

'conventional beauty' holds zero meaning to them other than as a tool to interact with the cartel; you dont try to look 'pretty' unless you want a glukkon to buy something or agree to go under the knife for you, and even then its considered a cheap way to do so. younger generations of vykkers have more lax, individualistic outlooks on personal appearance and tend to perform beautifying modifications on themselves.

occasionally, vykkers dedicated to representing the cartel beauty industry will undergo extreme corsetage and posture correction to straighten out their spine and necks. this is more detrimental to their health than merely allowing the genetic scoliosis to take the wheel, because they have to practically break their bones to do so. furthermore, it atrophies their muscles and makes it impossible to hold their heads up without supports. ironically, some of the cartel find vykkers more palatable with straightened posture.

surgical staples and skin grafts are straight up considered fashionable and attractive amongst vykkers, as it implies masochistic tendencies. skin grafts are used not to give the impression of a youthful appearance, but as an advertisement of one's capacity for sadism - another attractive vykker trait, of course. the fresher it all looks, the better, leading to vykker socialites going under the knife immediately before attending social events.

the natural, pre-conglomerate vykker has three nimble feet used for climbing. foot docking began as an imposed public health measure when the eugenics guild failed to erase that from their genome entirely, hoping to make future vykkers more comfortable in an exclusively indoors lifestyle. keeping your feet instead of docking is still very unusual, but practiced in certain circles; especially as the marketing of shoes for mudokons that require toe docking/stitching seeps into vykker beauty culture

the closest thing to a standard of beauty unique to vykker culture and outside of cartel convention is probably signs of aging, since the older a vykker is, the more knowledge they hold and the more accomplishments they've made. younger vykkers with straighter posture and less wrinkles get markedly less job opportunities in certain areas, save for jobs that have them working closely with the cartel. the deeper you delve into vykker society; the older and more decrepit everyone gets to the point of being on permanent life support, which is considered, in itself, a sort of body modification with its own convention of attractiveness.

the Vykker Genome Patent is the closely guarded genetic mapping of the contemporary vykker species, used in modifying the next generations of vykkers into increasingly more modernized versions. since vykkers are not yet sterile, it is still legally required by the eugenics guild to have your future child/ward undergo gene therapy before it emerges from its biomass sac to 'purify' its physiology and any potential 'flaws', such as retention of fur-bearing genes.

the vykker eugenics guild traditionally oversees all modifications to the VGP, but has since splintered into schisms of vykkers who hold strong opinions on things like self-modification and which aspects of their 'primitive' selves should be kept or not. this also extends to vykkers who wish to modify the genome patent of other species, preferably to their own end. the cartel has made it illegal to perform such experiments on glukkons and their peers, but has of course made an exception for mudokons.

no contemporary vykker can survive in the wild whatsoever, due to the modifications every vykker receives before birth and onward. however, if one were to preserve a gestating vykker fetus to term they would see the truth behind the conglomerate's obsession over distancing themselves from nature. the pre-industrial vykker is a mammalian, tree-dwelling prey animal whose intelligence formed out of a need to stay ahead of its many predators. they are athletic but not strong, nimble but not fast, and were destined to lose the evolutionary arms race. but, since they were intelligent and most notably social animals, the earliest iterations of glukkonkind befriended them and they uplifted each other. this version of vykker history is only kept around so the glukkons can gloat.

[waitmyturtles]

hiiii turtles 👋 i love reading all your critical posts about gmmtv and their business models. just wanna share one interesting information about the recent lineup. maker y - a popular production company that usually only makes series for CH3 (like parbdee for gmmtv) is announced to be the production company behind My Magic Prophecy (JimmySea medical drama). Unlike GMMTV which has no trouble finding sponsors, CH3 has too much trouble finding sponsors and their stuff hitting low ratings these days -> so many of their filmed lakorns are just shelved and I think it's leading to this state where CH3's usual go-to production company branches out to find more works/projects. i just thought it's interesting to share since you mentioned CH3 in one of your answers 😅

HI @clairedaring! Wow, thanks for dropping this in my inbox! (Hey @flowerbeasblog, this might be something you're interested in!)

Okay, so this is interesting. Channel 3's stuff (mostly het, mostly mainstream) isn't rating well these days... but I always have to remind myself that comparing those ratings to GMMTV's shows' ratings isn't fair, because GMMTV is so niche and small-market. (I use @flowerbeasblog excellent ratings guides to understand this context!)

But still, Channel 3 is shelving shows.... and that's interesting, I wish we knew why. I can't imagine GMMTV being the channel that's gaining market share against them, since GMMTV is so small. Competition with One31, maybe? And intense streaming competition, as well. I'd love to know more behind this, I should research it.

So what you're positing, @clairedaring, is really the continued growth of the soft power of QL in the Thai production market place. If QL is a genre that continues to grow, and production companies are losing business with major mainstream channels, to the smaller channels they'll go, and that includes GMMTV/GMM25. Super fascinating. We are seeing that power emanate in real time!

Re: the sponsorships -- I read in Dr. Thomas Baudinette's "Boys Love Media in Thailand" that early Thai BLs, while not modeled on the lakorn scripting structure, were indeed intended to be modeled on the in-show sponsorships that many lakorns featured. So I wonder if the huge growth of QLs in Thailand has also affected the advertising market place, leaving mainstream channels struggling more than they used to.

I love talking about this business stuff! Thanks so much, @clairedaring, for letting me know about this piece of news!

[carrrrino]

HELLO I am very excited for this project! I wanted to express a concern though…it’s rather hard to find the any info on the project aside from what’s on the blog (which isn’t…very much information wise) I’m not sure if that’s an intentional decision…

I know when I first found the info I….kind of didn’t believe this?? That sounds odd. I suppose what I mean is, it didn’t seem the most legit. I did digging through the blog, read all the links, searched for a Twitter and YouTube accounts and had a hard time doing that as well…Simply because there is very little information on it. Which there’s nothing wrong with…I was wanting to suggest (as an outsider) that you and your team put more announcements/ marketing into this…?

I REALLY hope to see this project grow, it’s absolutely deserved, and very few people seem to know about it. I’d hate that to be something people miss out on. I don’t really expect an answer on this but I thought I should share the concern as an outside perspective. 💛

I really hope this project is going well for you and that it gets the deserved recognition as it’s coming out!!! So excited!!!

I'm so happy that people share the same excitement and concern for the series. Also, the fact that you guys think it's worthy of success Is truly inspiring! I think it's time I SAY something though about my current situation.

TL;DR - Our team basically went inactive after the summer; everyone returned to their lives and I'm the only one who can keep up with the project unconditionally. I didn't mean to dishearten you guys! It's a pain in the ass to work alone - excluding voice actors and SFX producers. The OUTBREAK blog will change entirely, it will be used for info and marketing. This blog will just be general art created by me (&no-namestuff). I will continue to work on the series independently, but I'll definitely give out more info as requested and make things more legit whenever I can!

Over the summer, a group of us began working on the project together, but as most of my friends returned to school and their regular lives, it became almost impossible to keep going. Currently, only a few are available to help, but they're too busy.

I didn't want to worry anyone by saying that it's basically just me working on the project; it's tough to balance animating, scripting, marketing, planning, publishing, AND funding by myself. Over time it (advertising and insightful communication) just became indifferent to me, I even considered going silent for a while until I had a mother-load of progress, but that's really not fair.

The project was a bit of a mess when we started. We didn't plan on making it a big deal, my animations were half-assed and incomprehensible; I barely knew how to work Adobe and could barely even pay it off, the sound was going to be recorded via iPhone, the script wasn't even halfway done, and voice actors weren't thought of until the Prologue. After more than six months of work, Verse 1-4 (or 6?) was deleted because of issues with the file.. this really drew the line for everyone.

So here I am, despite everything; I revised the script, which is barely halfway done, redesigned the characters, read more into the multiversal conundrums of AUs and UNDERTALE, built a portfolio, studied poses for the action scenes — and there’s still a lot that I have to learn. I'm working on Q&As, asks, and the teaser / test / project animations. I don't want people to be confused or hesitant, so I appreciate you a lot for reminding me of this. As requested, I will provide additional details about the project too :) !

No-Name's theme is in progress (thanks to Synth Mints), I've invested heavily in software for good quality animations, talented voice actors from this fandom (some you might even know) have agreed to voice for me - I'm extremely grateful for their help. Even if it takes years to release an episode or pilot, I'm still excited about the outcome. Who knows, I might even have a genuine team by then! :D

aw geez sorry for the whole bit-life story, I'm just trying to shed some light on the situation for you all. I do care, I want everyone to know that, it's just hard work.

Until the next teaser animation, please have these lil' pieces of teasers / lore as an apology!

SD by @/galacii ERROR by @/loverofpiggies / CrayonQueen

LASTLY today is my birthday yayyy 🥳🎂

[thefugitivesaint]

'The Stuff', ''Starburst Magazine'', #83, 1985 Source When I was 10 at the time this B-movie emerged from the ground, I had no idea that it was intended as a criticism of Reagan era American consumerism and, more specifically, the failure of federal regulatory organizations like the US Food and Drug Administration due to regulatory capture by the very industries the FDA was charged to oversee (also due to the hostility towards such agencies held by the Reagan administration*) it's a cheap amalgamation of films like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Blob and various 50s scifi films. Sure, the acting is both undercooked and, paradoxically, overly exaggerated and the script is less than robust but it's still worth a watch as a satire. The ads for 'The Stuff' within the film are presented straight and are hardly different from advertisements for actual products. In a way, 'The Stuff' is a prime example of iconoclastic, low-budget filmmaking with a message. It would be a great pairing with John Carpenter's 'They Live' given their shared anti-capitalist sentiment (although, to be fair, Carpenter has been open about being perfectly happy to make money). I was recently reading about the director of 'The Stuff', Larry Cohen and came across the following in 'Larry Cohen : the radical allegories of an independent filmmaker', from 1997: "Robin Wood hails Cohen’s work for suggesting potentials for an alternative society devoid of all the oppressive social and gender boundaries affecting human beings today. Larry Cohen’s film and television works are critical of the oppressive nature of human relationships....The Stuff represents an ironic elaboration of the old saying “You are what you eat.” However, the film’s absurd premises really reveal the dangers of American consumerism. Business interests and the Food and Drug Administration collaborate in merchandising a dangerous substance on the market to make a profit. The killer yogurt from outer space destroys people from within. Its victims become mere shells housing a killer substance. Cohen’s message can be read literally as well as metaphorically. The Stuff is an attack upon a corrupt society that often deliberately disseminates food or drugs without even testing them properly." (pgs 29-30)

In summary, the execution of the premise is lacking but still fun. I must rather enjoy 'The Stuff' given how I periodically post about it. *fuck Ronald Reagan. Forever.

[dailyfont-com]

Astrite Linery is an elegant serif and handwritten script font duo adding elegance and style to designs, perfect for various uses including social media and marketing materials.

Link: https://l.dailyfont.com/NsVkn

[millionmaggots]

RGG Show was Mid, + a Tangent About Goro Majima

Ok, yeah, I'm glad I didnt get my hopes up, bc WOWIE the amazon prime RGG show is Not Good.

I wanted to like it, but in 100% full sincerity, i would recommend that you watch the unhinged 2005 movie over this.

The games beautifully mix genuinely serious story beats / subject matter with completely absurd moments of levity. This contrast allows you to see the silly and charming sides of the characters, making the story especially engaging precisely because those moments of happiness contrast so sharply with the characters' hard lives. Seeing what they could have makes it hit so much harder when they're put through the wringer.

Kiryu will go through the most gut-wrenching tragedy, then immediately after, you'll do a side quest about helping people find their lost items or something. Ultimately, the series is about humanity, and flawed people in horrible situations doing what little good they can.

The 2005 movie is ridiculous and borderline incomprehensible, but it still captures that mix of tragedy and farce. It's weird, it's campy, it's horny, and it makes little to no sense - It's fun.

I can't say the same about the new Prime series. It lacks the charm and silly antics that separate RGG from any other crime drama, and that self-serious nature just sucks all the appeal out of it.

I'm not upset that it isn't totally loyal to game canon - in fact, one of my main hopes was that it would reconcile Majima's super inconsistent characterization in Kiwami 1.

Him kidnapping Haruka just to get to Kiryu, holding a woman at knifepoint, etc., was all written for the original game in 2005 when he was meant to be a wildcard minor antagonist/villain.

The Majima Everywhere mechanic was added in the remake in 2016 after gradually becoming a much more complex and likeable character in 11 years worth of subsequent games after the original game's release.

However, the added content more in line with his later characterization was tacked on to the original iteration of him with little consideration for consistency, making him feel like one of two different people, depending on the scene.

With the show having the benefit of hindsight, I really hoped they would do something interesting with him, and balance out the genuinely detestable things he does with the silly amicable rivalry he has with Kiryu.

The story of the first game is mostly about Kiryu, Nishiki, and Yumi, but the marketing made a point to say it was (however loosely) adapting Kiwami 1. While I understand not wanting to advertise a brand new show with 2005 PS2 era graphics, I feel like that implied that it would reflect the minor narrative/framing changes and increased prominence of Majima, just as it does with Nishiki from the original game to Kiwami.

Essentially, I wasn't too excited about this series, but I had some hope because they had an opportunity to clean up the story and retell it without the limitations of being a remaster of an old game and following an eleven year old script almost word for word.

Instead, they told a gritty and joyless version of the same story without taking advantage of the freedom to rework a flawed but enjoyable story/script, and in doing so, lost its grip on the central theme of the series.

[sgiandubh]

It's all fake, anyway

Oh, my. The last two or three video snippets in Marina del Rey. The revolt. The pearl-clutching. The hate.

Again, you know nothing, Jon Snow. It's all about the medium being the message, again: carefully calibrated snippets of information, destined to a captive, deeply divided and (how can I put that without sounding offending, I wonder) unexperimented (yes, that's decent enough) audience.

During the last 24 hours, we've got the Marina del Rey gin promo & MPC teambuilding (hardly an orgy, btw) and C's MUA (or is it hairdresser? irrelevant) hinting on Instagram about a photoshoot at a gin distillery in a #beautifullocation, somewhere on Earth, presumably in Scotland - given her last IG follow. No further details, of course. Very probably a (late-) latergram, too, when she finally got the green light to publish it. Implying nothing, but leaving a boulevard bandwidth for people to infer whatever suits their own narrative. Expect FMN news soon? I highly doubt that and stand corrected: the last photoshoot (with McSideburns, in London) was on May 3rd, when she needed to somehow show the world the Two of Them were continents apart. Identical modus operandi. And always, always via tertiary players.

As for the Marina del Rey teambuilding, if you think that is 'S living his life' you are: a) living in a remote mountain/island area or under a rock; b) an impenitent Mordorian with an agenda to boot or c) incredibly incompetent with the way of the world (or at least, that world). Allow me to translate?

It is alcohol promo, duckies, disguised as teambuilding. The intended message is aimed at a younger, non-OL related audience (as I already warned you) and it roughly goes like this:

'we are a fun loving, no nonsense, start-up business in the spirits industry. Because we don't have a huge advertising budget, we're testing the waters with a cheap, reality-TV snippet to better evaluate the number of social media clicks and new followers and help gauge & calibrate the next step'.

Was it poorly executed? Yeah, you could say that, but then what to do, in a very restrictive, highly regulated tobacco & spirits advertising market, hum? Is it my cup of tea? I don't drink, therefore this type of message touches one ball without really moving the other.

Yes. Start-up business: if we take into account the COVID logistic delay, I believe we're still in that three-years frame. And this detail is essential in order to put context around a very forgettable snippet. Selling a brand-new, more democratic product. Selling it clumsily, in an effort to build relevance, because even bad advertising is, ultimately, good advertising. But make no mistake: it's nothing more than that and it is all they can do, in the current context.

This brings to mind another aspect of the charade, namely the fact that after the Remarkable Week-end (and with the exception of some carefully scripted 'slips'), released and available information progressively became (at least) two-tiered.

First tier: information carefully calibrated for immediate release and general consumption, primarily but not exclusively by the fandom. This includes: spirits shilling, innuendos galore, look-here-not-there latergrams. It also entails less direct interaction with the fans on socials and delegating the media management to secondary players (often called to the rescue, too).

Second tier: public information with a limited availability (you have to take the plunge and pay), for sleuths able and willing to go the extra mile. They paint a very different landscape. And draw two copycat timelines of people who are investing, buying and selling property and overall branching out of their primary source of income with a plan.

I am not a photo sleuth. But with a little bit of time on my hands, I am a decent paperwork analyst. Accounting is not my forte, but legal and business is. I saw what I needed to see and it holds.

So before you start screeching (bad idea, right?), remember this (credit given to @dillon7fan, thanks):

Not really: it is doctored make believe. Bless your heart, honest guy.

Next stop, Tehran. Yes, you read that correctly.

This evening or tomorrow, at the latest. Because context is everything and this fandom severely fails at this.

[ghostinglia]

OC INTRODUCTION: WELCOME HOME OC!! ☆⌒(≧▽​° )

🌈 Meet Maxy Milkweed! A friendly, clumsy, Milkweed Beetle neighbor who is typically found in their record and book shop! (more info below)

A more proper introduction! Maxy uses they/them pronouns, is gay, asexual, and on the aromantic spectrum, and is also on the autistic spectrum— however, in the show, this was simply a theory and never truly said. They avoid making eye contact with the audience, normally found standing close by one of their neighbors in the background of show segments. They have four eyes and antennae that all moved in the show, however, they only have four limbs as the experimental design of them with more was deemed too eerie and similar to Howdy. They have a very colorful color pallet consisting of blues, yellows, reds, and greens to contrast their dark eyes. Maxy can be seen fidgeting with the spinning star buckle on their jeans at times during the show when they are in stressful situations or are simply bored.

Their antenna help them have a stronger sense of smell, which either results in them covering their nose around scents they do not like in an attempt to censor them (ex. when it’s raining and Barbary’s fur gets wet) or their antennas will move around more when it’s a more positive smell (ex. Poppy’s baking). Somewhat matching the spinning-star-buckle, the buttons located on the sleeve cuffs of their shirt and on the top of their collared shirt are small golden ovals with smiling faces engraved in them. They get them from Howdy’s shop, sew them on and engrave the faces into the buttons themself so they can be unique! Their sewing skills are not extraordinary, but they are enough to fix the buttons. (It is also hinted that there is a golden star located on the soles of their shoes but that is never truly confirmed since the bottoms of their shoes are never fully revealed on screen.) While not being the most social at the beginning of their introduction, they still try to get out with the other neighbors. Maxy cannot dance for the life of them so at neighborhood gatherings or parties they normally spend their time away from the dance floor to avoid any embarrassment. Not a ton is fully known about Maxy’s character, but much is assumed from what was found in scripts and restored merch and segments of the show. While they enjoy any food or snack they are given, Maxy definitely has a sweet tooth and adore baked goods and treats! While working at their shop or sitting on the steps of their house, in the back of scenes they can sometimes be seen eating a baked good or treat while chatting with another neighbor.

They’re social and bubbly but also fairly shy and paranoid, especially around certain neighbors, one being Howdy due to their admiration for him. Maxy was assumed to be friends with most of the neighbors. Despite seeming to be close friends with Wally, they tend to avoid going into Home too much since it gives them a strange feeling, nearing the end of the show’s time on air they are normally looking back at home while the others are on screen chatting. Like stated before, Maxy avoids making eye contact the majority of the time during the show, only looking at the viewers on very few occasions; they are the opposite of Wally in that sense which is a smaller running joke with their character on how Maxy has “never seen the viewers” while Wally is always looking at them. They spend a lot of time at Howdy’s market either chatting with him when needing to check out or admiring him from an aisle. They enjoy Howdy’s personality and friendliness to other neighbors, making them fairly close.

During promotional or merchandise ads Maxy’s character is used to advertise the music and picture books— mainly the music vinyls of Wally’s songs performed during the show. They don’t have a lot of merchandise focused solely on their character, but there are a few pieces of them and other characters they are close to. They can be seen on the backs of certain vinyls and picture books displaying the writer credits or list of music found on the disc. They are commonly illustrated with some sort of small smile or dimple when their mouth is opened up, this is exclusive to just picture books and merchandise items!

Test production items were later uncovered that pointed to Maxy eventually having their own picture book that was never finished.

It is hinted that they have somewhere between one and two siblings, but it is never confirmed. Names are dropped casually a few times throughout the shows run but nothing is ever fully confirmed and it is theorized that they are not fond of and or not close to their siblings, pushing them into moving into the neighborhood.

another doodle of them

“Maxy Milkweed grew up deep within the forest surrounding the neighborhood with their mother and, who is assumed to be, their siblings. All information of Maxy's father has been scraped or scribbled from found scripts, however, the clips that have been able to be salvaged point to him being vacant and them having a sour relationship. The set number of siblings Maxy has is also lost to time, it's assumed to be 2 due to the random names they would drop in the show, but they never elaborated much about them so it is theorized they had no relationship. It is unknown what Maxy's exact age is, however, it is assumed that they are a young adult during the show's run (~ 20s). In their youth, Maxy developed a love for music and reading where they were always found in their room listening to music or captivated by a book. Growing up, Maxy used to sneak to the edges of the forest and peek over the bushes to try and catch a glimpse of the neighborhood that their mother told them stories about. After years of hearing about the wonders of the neighborhood beyond the forest, Maxy decided to set out on their own and claim their spot in the neighborhood. They said their goodbyes to their mother and set off on their own. Maxy Milkweed's first introduction into the show was through background placements: carrying a box with Howdy into his store, setting up props for a drama show with Sunny, or talking with Eddie and Frank in the early mornings. Maxy's first real segment that introduced them as a character with personality was an episode discussing different types of music and the wonders of vinyl. Maxy's signature bit within episodes involved music or reading a book to the audience. Segments involving a physical puppet came much, much later than the other characters’ puppets due to the fact Maxy's test run puppet was deemed too scary for young children with realistic looking antennae and several limbs, so their puppet and design overall remained watered down to 4 eyes and the cartoony antennas. Maxy’s features were portrayed differently from how Howdy’s were, despite them both being bugs. Maxy’s antennas heightened their sense of smell, causing them to be seen covering their nose when an overwhelming smell is around, like Barnaby’s fur after rain, or they can be seen looking around constantly where there is a lovely smell in the air, like Poppy’s baking. Their puppet and animated character also had more “interactive” pieces, such as the star buckle of their belt spinning and being used as a distraction when they are found in overwhelming situations. During early episodes aired of the show, Maxy is around if not right beside Wally. For a while, they were paired during more and more segments due to the amusement of Wally always making direct eye contact with the camera while Maxy never looked directly into the camera at the audience. As the show continued to run, Maxy seemed to drift farther and farther from Wally’s side, always fidgeting with their buckle more or their blinking pattern becoming unusual. Throughout the show’s uncovered episodes, Maxy cannot be found in any scenes near or inside Home– some scripts were scribbled out and altered specifically to have Maxy away from the house. Some uncovered episodes revealed obvious clipping where Maxy appeared to be moved closer to Wally and their blinking and behavior becomes unusual again while House is looking directly at the camera with Wally. Despite this– Maxy remained close with the rest of the neighbors. In several restored episodes, Maxy is found in Howdy’s store or in the background chatting with him. In picture book segments, Maxy is commonly drawn with dimples and a glowing smile beside one of their buddies. Howdy and Maxy slowly became paired together in occasional marketing due to them both being bugs, however, it was slowly switched to just Maxy due to their bright colors, overall appearance, and bubbly personality. Maxy did not have much merchandise, however, they're found on tons of packaging.

The merchandise that Maxy did have involved them in picture books where their character truly came out more and was better developed alongside their bits in the show. Maxy was portrayed as a crafty, fun-loving, hardworking, shy individual who was always willing to lend a hand to their fellow neighbors and participate in neighborhood activities– unless they involved dancing, which they’re AWFUL at! Maxy's personality came out more after they were slowly distanced from Wally– instead of seeming on edge all the time, they instead appeared more nervous about interacting with their other neighbors due to shyness. Maxy’s clumsiness was also brought to attention when they started getting more screen time during neighborhood activities. Dropping books, tripping over stairs, inability to dance, and several other instances were shown to add to their character. Maxy’s character development seemed to blossom when they were solo, away from Wally, or paired with other neighbors in episodes. A few later episode scripts were uncovered where it seemed Maxy was planned to go back to being close friends with Wally due to their differing personalities, however, those scripts never made it to the show’s actual aired episodes. Old fans of the show theorized that something happened behind the scenes between Wally and Maxy, but it wouldn’t explain the transfer to Maxy’s discomfort within the actual show. Others speculated something was going to happen with Maxy visiting Home that went the wrong direction, however, too many scripts and tapes were scraped clean to determine if this was correct either. Due to the amount of scraped or ruined scripts, tapes, and overall blueprints revolving around Maxy’s character, not much is confirmed about them or their story– only tid bits of personality, backstory, and relationships they had are mostly assumed. Limited confirmed information about Maxy is available, but there are some facts that have been confirmed because of salvaged scripts and documents.”

[mlleclaudine]

Meagan Good Reunites With ‘D.E.B.S.’ Co-Star Sara Foster & Director Angela Robinson For 20th Anniversary, Jordana Brewster Calls For Sequel

by Glenn Garner - Deadline, June 23, 2024

After 20 years MIA, the D.E.B.S. (Discipline, Energy, Beauty, Strength) are back together again and teasing a potential (not-so-secret) mission.

Meagan Good and Sara Foster, who starred together in 2004’s D.E.B.S., reunited Saturday night with writer and director Angela Robinson to celebrate the sapphic cult classic’s 20th anniversary with a Cinespia screening at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, in partnership with LA Pride.

“This film, for me, was an opportunity to do something different,” said Good as they introduced the film. “And then it became something where, now when people come up to me and they say, ‘Oh, I loved this movie’ or ‘this movie really inspired me’ or ‘made me feel seen,’ it wasn’t just an opportunity to do something different. It was an opportunity to be a part of something that’s important and fantastic.”

Foster echoed her co-star’s sentiments. “I will say that in 20 years, a lot of good things have happened to me in my life,” she said. “And to this day, one of the best things is people coming up to me and saying, ‘D.E.B.S. made me feel comfortable being who I am. D.E.B.S. made me realize who I am, who I want to be.’

“And it’s happened consistently for 20 years. So, I’ve done a lot of really shitty movies and a lot of shitty TV shows, but this is a movie that made a difference, probably the only thing I ever did that made a difference, at least in the movie business,” added Foster.

Foster starred in the action comedy — based on Robinson’s 2003 short of the same name — as Amy Bradshaw, a gifted recruit at a top-secret women’s paramilitary academy. During a mission to take down the illusive super criminal Lucy Diamond (Jordana Brewster), Amy develops an attraction to the enemy and finds her loyalties tested.

Although the movie’s marketing watered down its LGBTQ themes and it ultimately grossed less than $100,000 at the box office, D.E.B.S. has gone on to cult status among its intended fanbase.

“We made this so long ago, and my goal, our goal collectively was, I just wanted to see a teen movie that I wish I had when I was a teenager,” recalled Robinson. “And we had such a blast making the movie, and we had a great premiere at Sundance. And then the movie came out and totally flopped.

“But here’s the thing, I was so bummed out because I was like, ‘It’s not gonna get to the audience that I wanted to see this movie.’ And then you guys went and found it. Then somebody would tell me ‘yeah, I rented it in the video store.’ And I was all mad at the time … that they weren’t advertising it as a gay movie. But then it became this kind of underground thing where people would tell me they rented it at the video store or passed it or watched it on TV or something like that. And then it’s grown into this today. So, I want to say thank you so much.”

Robinson also thanked her wife of 25 years, Alexandra Kondracke, “who told me not to take the script and stick it in the drawer like I was going to,” as well Sony Screen Gems’ Clint Culpepper and Stacy Kramer, “because I can’t believe anyone gave us money to make this, but you did, and it’s amazing.”

“But mostly, I want to thank all of you for coming and being here and supporting D.E.B.S. because a bunch of people have come up to us collectively, and they said, ‘D.E.B.S. changed our lives,'” added Robinson. “And that’s incredibly gratifying to see all these years later.”

Although Brewster was in New Zealand and unable to attend the reunion, she graced her friends and fans with a video message, in which she imagined an “older, wiser Lucy Diamond. Has she learned her lesson? I don’t know… Probably not.”

“Have fun. I love you guys. I’m with you in spirit,” added Brewster. “And bug Angela about making a sequel, please.”

[theropoda]

SO. The Question. david 8 or 1? i think, in short, Our David(TM)(the custody battle was long and fierce but he belongs to all of us now. fuck weyland) WAS a david 8 in prometheus but this was retconned into him being the First in covenant. in long, uhhhh. it's complicated. let's get to the meat (or...cadmium alloy?) of the matter. apologies in advance if this is like incomprehensible, i'm awful with words LOL

so first of all let's go through the prometheus marketing materials: they all seem to point to david being an 8.

now i don't necessarily believe the david being interviewed in this video is Our David (yeah i'm gonna be calling him that for the rest of this post) but the fact is that this video's purpose was to give us an insight into the david that would star in prometheus, so i assume it implies strongly that the david in prometheus is also an 8

the old promotional website straight up calls him an 8

but now let's look at covenant, where he is retconned to be The First david to be made and activated. covenant opens with our david's activation: notice how old weyland is in this? he's pretty young looking compared to fuckin' methuselah we see in prometheus LOL.

BUT! how can this be? if our david is a david 8 he could have only been activated after 2068, 2068 being the year david 7 was released according to the timeline, by which time weyland, born in 1990, must've been 77.

so weyland must've been over 77 years old by our david's activation IF he is an 8. but as we see he is nowhere near that old in covenant's opening scene. if we're to assume he is activating david 1 here, he would be 34, which looks about right!

(david 8's release isn't even mentioned in the timeline page, which is something which, paired with the aforementioned "happy birthday david" video advertising david 8 models, plus the news page featuring an article dated 2072 that mentions david 8 pre-orders (imagine if they had stupid pre-order bonuses like video games have now lol? pre-order david 8 NOW and he comes with a FREE maid costume!!!!), must mean that the 8th model is NEW by the time prometheus happens. fresh out of the oven, just now available for purchase)

there's also the scene in covenant where walter tells daniels that our david is the first ever david model that weyland made that was "thought lost" in the prometheus mission. unfortunately i don't have a clip on hand of this scene, neither can i find the final movie's script which would have it written out, but i'm sure if you have quick access to the movie like on a streaming service you can find what i'm talking about :P it's sometime after david guides the covenant crew to the destroyed engineer city.

but an outright, blatant confirmation of the idea that our david is the first david lies in an early script of covenant that i DO have access to. behold:

david.....NUMBER ONE!

well i think i've made my case clear....but john, you ask, this has quite the implications about our david's quality and ability! david is so intelligent and emotional, yet this idea would imply he's an inferior model capable of such things. and you're right to wonder that, even the weyland website's investor page seems to say as much

and the answer to that question is.......... ummmm ridley didley didnt think this one thru :) i do think it's an oversight from the writers LOL so it's up to the fans to think about it and explain it.

me personally, i think the difference between a commercial david, be it a david 1, or david 8, is different from our david. our david, the first, wasn't made to be a commercial product, it was to test weyland's abilities and see just how close he could get to creating an artificial person. so he went all out, no punches held back, so we get our david being super intelligent and emotional and human and with a sense of independence. this is not a product: this is weyland seeing how far he can go. so in may ways he is the best, really.

the other davids following him though, including the commercial mass produced david 1's (which i believe the chart shows), up to david 8, these are products meant to be bought and sold. an android that is TOO human is, as walter says in covenant, quite disturbing for people, so these commercial davids actually are a little reigned in and "dumbed down" lest they get TOO smart. like yeah, in terms of materials/resources and technology and stuff, these are the superior ones, but in terms of the ability to think, to feel, to philosiphize and of course create, our david is king. the commercial davids are the better machine, our david is the better human. so that's my take.

of course everyone's free to make up their own minds since the actual films fumbled this a little. @muscari-midala had the idea that our david is a david 8 prototype specifically, or that weyland put our david's memory in newer models as they got released, which is very interesting! there's a lot of ways to go about it in my opinion.

anyways if you made it all the way here CONGRATS!!! you get a david as a prize. check your mail tomorrow.