#I prefer the movie's acting and storytelling choices

[obsessivelollipoplalala]

I’ve always hated when Broadway purists disparage the film adaptation of Sweeney Todd for not being like the stage show because, well, it’s a film adaptation and not a filmed version of the stage show. Film and stage are very different art forms, and successful film adaptations of Broadway musicals must make changes (Sondheim actually typically disliked movie musicals, but not this one). I can talk for a very long time about why the changes in the film version work so well, but I was pleasantly surprised to see this video did a great job explaining a lot of them in under 10 minutes:

And this comment stood out to me, too:

Just, yes. Yes, yes, yes. I could go on for much longer than this, but I’ll leave it here lol.

The film version and stage version of Sweeney Todd are very different in a lot of respects, but those differences boil down to the differences between the art forms. Burton knew he had to make a good movie. If anyone is going to watch Sweeney for the first time, I recommend the movie first because it’s more accessible to a wider, non-theater audience, but I do think both versions are worth watching, if nothing else, to see how the same story can play out similarly and differently in two separate art forms.

[tossawary]

I'm letting the 1984 "Dune" film play in the background and there's a LOT to say about this beautifully campy ridiculousness, but the part that's really getting me is the "inner voices". The audience at times hears the internal thoughts of various characters, presumably taken largely from the book, in a whispery voice. And it's not even just from Paul! It's from his mother and father and other characters as well, each making various observations and sometimes delivering exposition via their thoughts shared in voiceover narration.

Character A: "Greetings, Character B."

Character B: "A pleasure, Character A."

Character A: (inner voice) "That special outfit indicates that this person is secretly working for our enemies."

I made this exchange up, but that's the vibe here and it's wild. It's shockingly frequent too! Directly sharing character thoughts like this is something I'm used to seeing only in older novels, comics, and anime, due to the strengths and limits of their mediums. Like, the last thing that I was watching with any "tell, don't show" device similar to this was probably "Jojo's Bizarre Adventure"! It's striking (not a compliment) when other live action film (including the most recent "Dune" films) tends to prefer using actors' expressions and body language to communicate certain "unspoken" ideas like suspicion or affection or awe, and to let other sweeping visuals and musical cues speak for themselves as well.

You can also just have the lights go out, zoom in on a character's face, and have them whisper aloud, "Sabotage!" if you need to be that blunt about it, rather than have us hear the character's thoughts directly. You can insert a conversation of "as you know" technobabble between characters if you really have to do hasty exposition.

I don't want to call this film style "bad" exactly, inherently. But it's more than a little confusing when some characters are a little telepathic(?) and lighting is dim, so I'm briefly unsure which characters actually heard certain lines.

And I do personally think this kind of heavy-handed bluntness generally undermines what can be achieved with acting, sound design, music, set design, prop design, costume design, and so on. And I also think that a degree of uncertainty for the audience can be good for tension anyway. These inner thoughts being shared in this film are generally not ideas that couldn't be communicated through acting, visuals, or direct dialogue between characters, so this choice by the film often feels redundant and clumsy to me. Let the actors do what they're good at! Good actors can often communicate their emotions and thoughts to us without words! Or they can at least stand there while a majestic musical score communicates to us the depths of the character's grief and determination.

Like, not every use of voiceover narration in film is a bad thing. It's a choice. Sometimes it works really well and sometimes it doesn't. Voiceover narration often gets used at the beginning of films because it's an efficient way to quickly convey a lot of exposition and set the tone of the story!

But this film seems like it has a bad case of "science fiction is obviously too confusing for movie audiences to follow just by watching the characters move through the world and interact with each other, so we had better hold their hand every step of the way via voiceover narration constantly overshadowing the acting and musical score". It's not really helping the story, in my opinion. It's not letting the film breathe. Though "showing" in storytelling is often preferable, "telling" in a story is not always bad, but damn, this is a LOT of "telling" for an audio-visual medium.

[caesariawritesstuff]

I think the detective and Ed should have a movie night and she should force him to watch Barbie (followed up by Oppenheimer to make him feel better)

Movie Night

Summary: You finally talk Edward into having a movie night.

Word Count: 1.4k

Content Warning: Tooth-rotting fluff?

A/N: Fic is not canon to the official Cat&Mouse!Verse, but I think the idea of them having a normal movie night routine is cute.

You’d begged. You’d pleaded. You’d even bartered. But getting Edward Nigma to agree to a movie night with you had felt like pulling teeth. He certainly was not the kind of man to sit and watch a movie, and he’d made that quite clear, no matter how many times you asked. He claimed movies were “dull” and “intellectually stifling” and “full of shiny distractions to dull the mind”. Frankly, you couldn’t care less about how mind numbing a movie would be, because that was sort of the point? To lose yourself into the storytelling and effects and brilliant acting? Why Edward didn’t see that, you weren’t sure, but you’d almost given up asking, deciding instead that you would invite Dawn over for a movie night instead, when Edward strolled over to your desk, arms crossed, a grumpy look on his face.

You’d gazed up at him, brows raised. “Can I help you, Mr. Nigma?” you asked.

A muscle feathered in his jaw, and he shifted back and forth on his feet. You recognized the uncomfortable look in his eyes, like he was going to say something he didn’t want to. Clearing his throat, he straightened his shoulders back and said, “I’ve given your request for a “movie night” a fair amount of thought, and after careful consideration, I’ve decided to agree to your silly little request. We shall have what the simpletons call a “movie night”, and we shall do it tonight.”

You almost squealed in delight, but it took all of your restraint to keep your face a calm, cooled mask. To appear as though him giving in wasn’t causing your heart to swell and almost burst out of your chest. Instead, you laced your fingers together and rested your chin atop your hand, staring up at him with forced indifference.

“Can we have popcorn?” you asked.

“Yes, yes,” he said with a wave of his hand.

“Candy?”

“Yes, that too,” Edward said, but you saw another muscle feather in his jaw.

“All right then,” you said. “I’ll see you at my place. Tonight at seven?”

He smirked, that arrogant smile spreading across his face. “I’ll be there. Don’t disappoint me with your movie choice now, detective,” he said, before turning on his heels and heading back to his office, shutting the door behind him.

You couldn’t help the smile that spread across your face the rest of the day. After your shift, you quickly hurried to the drugstore and picked up some popcorn and candy – probably way too much, but you didn’t know what Edward preferred – but anything was cheaper than going to the actual movie theatre, anyways. When you had all the goods in hand, you returned home, quickly setting everything up in your living room, creating a nice spread of candy and chocolate for you and him to snack on. Heart thundering against your ribcage, you took a long look at your movie-night feast and checked the time. It was just approaching seven o’clock, and knowing Edward, he would be here right on time. Next, you pulled up your local streaming service and picked out the movie – a movie which you’d been dying to see for months now, but hadn’t had a chance to watch yet. A pink and blue glow filled your apartment as you rented the movie, and it immediately began to play. You paused it, turning back to the door, waiting for Edward’s arrival. And just as you thought – there was a knock on the door right at seven.

Smiling, and heart pounding furiously, you hurried to the door and opened it, to find Edward standing there with his hands in his pockets. An arrogant smile spread across his face as you opened the door further and let him inside.

“Well,” he said with a heavy sigh, his gaze sliding to the living room. “I see you’ve made yourself quite busy, detective.”

“Do you have a problem with that, Mr. Nigma?” you asked, raising a brow.

“Not at all,” he replied. “I’m curious to see which intellectually stifling movie you’ve chosen to torture me with.”

A sound of amusement left your lips, and you smacked at his shoulders playfully. “Stop that. I don’t want to hear you complain during this movie, okay? No comments, no shitting on it. Just enjoy the movie and have a good time.”

He shot you a look like he had no idea what you were even asking him to do. When was the last time Edward had sat back and done something fun like enjoying a movie? The question hung on your tongue, but you decided not to ask. The look he gave you was answer enough.

“And since you’re asking,” you continued. “We’re watching Barbie.”

“Barbie.” He repeated it, but it wasn’t a question, it was a clear statement, as if he couldn’t register what you were saying. His brows furrowed and a look of confusion crossed his face. “You…want me to watch a movie about dolls?”

“Yes, and you’re going enjoy it,” you said. “Now come sit down.”

A heavy sigh escaped his lips, but you ignored him and settled onto the couch, tucking your knees up. He sat down beside you, inches away, but you could tell by the look on his expression that he was trying very hard not to let out some little arrogant quip, which must be taking all of his self-control. Smirking, you gestured for him to help himself to the array of snacks, and turned on the movie – which soon filled your apartment with bright colors, party music, and a story which brought tears to your eyes at the very end. You found yourself completely drawn into the story and what it represented for women everywhere, unable to peel your eyes away. Edward said nothing the entire time, though he did reach for a few pieces of chocolate, the only movement that made you know he was still even awake.

And as the credits began to roll, you went back to the main menu and turned to gauge his reaction, wondering if he was going to smother you for making him watch something so…well, you liked it. But you certainly didn’t think he would. Though, you couldn’t help but feeling a small sense of satisfaction at knowing you’d managed to make him give in.

“What’d you think?” you asked.

His gaze slid to you, and you could tell by the look in his eyes that he wanted to say something arrogant and asshole-ish, but he must’ve been keeping it to himself because instead he said, “Well…it’s not the movie I would have chosen. It certainly was an…interesting choice.”

“You don’t have to love it,” you said. “I’m just happy you watched it with me.”

That seemed to make his eyes sparkle for a moment. “I only aim to please, detective.”

You smiled, trying to ignore the thunderous beating of your heart. Well, you’d have to give him some credit for putting up with your movie requests. And that’s why you’d decided to appease him in another way.

“Now that we’ve watched what I wanted to watch,” you said. “We can watch what you want to watch. I caught you looking at the Oppenheimer trailer.”

A look of surprise passed along his face. “I’m certain my movie choice will be much more educational than yours.”

You barked out a laugh. “But didn’t you love learning about the history of Barbie?”

He shot you a look, but the edges of his lips turned upward. “For you, detective? I suppose I shall submit myself to whatever intellectually stifling entertainment that manages to get the wheels in your brain moving.”

“Edward!” you cried, laughing. As annoying and insulting as he could be, it only served to stir to life the desires and excitement in your heart.

He laughed lightly, but you reached for the remote and quickly rented Oppenheimer next, a movie which you had no interest in watching, but for him…you would do it for him. Just like he’d done for you. Smiling, you scooted a little closer to him and rested your head against his shoulder. You felt him stiffen beside you, as if uncertain about your movement, but after a moment, his hand wrapped around your waist, settling there, his fingers tracing circles against your skin. And as the movie began to play, you couldn’t help but hope movie night would become a regular thing.

[escapedaudios]

Hello! My name is Grim, and I fancy myself a bit of a researcher. Now, this is not for anything important or extremely serious. Instead, this is mostly for my own pure enjoyment and something I have in the works that is to be posted on Tumblr. You are not obligated to answer any or all of these questions I have posed. I know it’s a bit much. Feel free to add any additional input! Thanks for your consideration!

1. How different do you think your work would be, in terms of getting across a point, in a different medium thats not Audio RP?

2. How do you think your work would be different if it more reflected main stream industry forms of storytelling where you as a creator would be more separate? (ex. movies, tv shows, games, etc.)

3. How important do you find the voice acting in your work?

4. If you had the choice, would you stop voice acting in your work and take a step back to focus on narrative work?

5. Do you believe your ability to voice characters enhances the story overall?

6. Do you enjoy the idea of a “Listener character” or would you better prefer to not have one?

7. As a writer, how does the writing of the Listener take you out of your comfort zone? (ie their effect in relationships, plot movements, etc.)

8. Is Audio RP your favored form of art?

9. How do you believe Audio RP differs from main stream forms of art/entertainment?

How different do you think your work would be, in terms of getting across a point, in a different medium thats not Audio RP? I've toyed around with re-writing some scenes of my work in screenplay or novel format as a creative exercise. I love the immersive nature of audio roleplay, but there are some limitations. I do wish I could reveal things through visuals that are too quiet or subtle to work in audio roleplay. For example, in the alternate version of Matador Gothic, Scythus reveals himself by puppeteering a dead body under the last street light that he left functional, then stepping into the light and revealing his monstrous and blood-soaked face.

How do you think your work would be different if it more reflected main stream industry forms of storytelling where you as a creator would be more separate? (ex. movies, tv shows, games, etc.) I would make longer, more complex projects with longer periods of time between release. If I was working in legacy media for a mainstream studio, and had the backing of traditional advertisement and distribution I wouldn't be dependent on being recommended by an algorithm or on remaining relevant to inherently fickle online audiences. I would love to have the freedom to be able to work on a project for months or years without losing my ability to reach people. I would also indulge far more in controversial and uncomfortable topics. As a content creator you are extremely vulnerable and extremely dependent on the good will of the social media climate in a way that producers of legacy media are not. As a YouTuber I am also subject to the content restrictions of the platform. If I were making movies or shows, I'd be writing scripts for much more R-rated media.

How important do you find the voice acting in your work? Voice acting quality is important, but not the most important thing. I think the acting quality is roughly as important as the production quality, but nothing is more important than the script. A good script can greatly elevate a mediocre performance, but a good performance can't elevate a mediocre script.

If you had the choice, would you stop voice acting in your work and take a step back to focus on narrative work? I technically do have a choice because I can quit whenever I want and focus on something else, so I guess the answer is no. The only thing that would make me take that switch is if I was offered some massive opportunity as part of a professional studio.

Do you believe your ability to voice characters enhances the story overall? You mean me personally, or in general? Because the answer is yes to both.

Do you enjoy the idea of a “Listener character” or would you better prefer to not have one? I love the idea of a Listener character! It's what makes audio roleplay unique and what separates it from audio plays. Besides the element of immersion, I'm always happy to see the different ways that members of the audience interpret the way their listener's speak, look, act, react, and feel throughout the story. It is at times frustrating to write given things like the limitations of implied dialogue, but I have a net positive view on them.

As a writer, how does the writing of the Listener take you out of your comfort zone? (ie their effect in relationships, plot movements, etc.) It's a real challenge to write implied dialogue and make it feel authentic, that's for sure! When revising my scripts, the majority of my edits are changes to make the implied dialogue more fluid, reactive, and less repetitive (ex: removing crutch phrases like "what do you mean by..." or "so you're saying..."). Writing it to convey information while also leaving room for the audience to roleplay and freely interpret the scene is difficult but rewarding!

Is Audio RP your favored form of art? I've never thought about what my favored artistic medium is, but it might just be. I've consumed more audio roleplays in the past three years than movies, books, comics, and tv shows combined. Hard to say! I'm still a big movie buff, and I have an especially strong fascination with movies made by writer-directors.

How do you believe Audio RP differs from main stream forms of art/entertainment? Before I answer this, I'll need to give the caveat that I think the potential of audio roleplay has barely even been scratched at this point. It's such a new medium that it has a ton of room to grow. That said, I feel like audio roleplay is naturally the most effective form of immersive storytelling. Using sound to allow for interpretive, imaginative, and partly interactive storytelling just works. There's a natural fluidity there that doesn't exist in literature written in the second person point of view, and a range of imaginative freedom that can't fit into immersive video games, and a perspective that simply can't exist in visual media like movies, comics, or television. It's also an art form that is entirely amateur-driven and friendly to remote collaboration and low-budget projects. This environment of collaborative, low-overhead, amateur-driven story production opens the path for a lot of unique and fresh plot concepts, new perspectives on old tropes, and new ways of conveying narrative that have never been seen before.

[aangarchy]

Is it safe to say the netflix avatar looks better than whatever the heck that shyamalan guy made in 2010 or is that pushing it lol

I mean, it's not hard to be better than the 2010 version let's be honest here lmao

When it comes to acting, it seems already that we're gonna get much better performances, and the bending cgi does look better than shyamalan's, albeit still goofy looking. Storytelling is also gonna be closer to the cartoon bc they have more time to include things now.

Costumes i'm still not 100% convinced. They made some of the delicate pieces (sokka's necklace, katara's hairloopy pins) look very chunky, and the colors still seem way too artificial for me for it to be natural dye, as well as some of the fabric choices (some of it very clearly looks like polyester). Also this may be controversial but i prefer Aang's arrow design from the shyamalan version.

That being said, yea it's probably gonna be better than the 2010 movie. But again, that didn't set a very high bar to jump lol

[suzannahnatters]

Trope Talk #1: Enemies to Lovers: A Deeper Dive

Reports of my death have been exaggerated, but not greatly. While I was in bed for a week lately, roleplaying a Victorian invalid, I watched a YouTube doing a deep dive on the enemies to lovers trope. While it was really fun seeing her break down subtropes (hate to love, rivals to lovers, reluctant allies, villain romance, and more - all of which I adore), I found myself somewhat disappointed by her attempt to discuss the deeper issues surrounding the trope. Like, yes: a lot of people enjoy things in fiction that they would not enjoy IRL and mature readers CAN distinguish between fantasy and reality...but also the media we consume DOES shape us, not all readers ARE as mature as we'd like to think, and while this trope can be executed in a way that's not problematic, it can also be executed in a way that is. Even if we wouldn't all personally draw the line between toxic and healthy in precisely the same place, I think that line does objectively exist. So, here are some of the ways I've subjectively drawn that line in my personal writing and reading when it comes to this trope...

SOME WAYS OF DOING ETL RIGHT

1. Not everyone is going to agree as to what's healthy and what's not, and it's important to listen to others.

Some are going to be mad at me for loving this trope at all, and some are going to be mad at me for thinking that one still needs to exercise judgement and that not everything goes, but hear me out. As a writer, the harder you go with this trope, the more divided your audience will be. Given that we all tend to draw the lines in different places, I think that listening to each other and discussing the reasons behind our own preferences and choices is going to help all of us understand the stakes, avoid hurting or triggering readers who have trauma from toxic relationships, and extend grace to storytellers who don't make the same decisions we would. And we shouldn't be defensive that this is necessary. ETL is actually a fairly new and under-explored trope, which I think is part of why it can be so divisive, especially in a post-#MeToo landscape where a lot of us are starting to rethink the controlling men and helpless women in pairings we've been conditioned to see as romantic. Meanwhile, as an author with a deep love for this trope, I hope that posts like this will help more cautious readers to understand that writing about dark and spiky relationships doesn't necessarily mean romanticising abusive behaviour. Either way, I've benefited from listening in humility and I truly think my stories are better for it.

2. Remember that evil is not misunderstood.

If you'll be writing ETL, then you need to decide early on if the love interest is evil or just misunderstood, and be careful to write him accordingly and be honest about it. If the love interest literally goes around killing innocent people, deal with that. That's evil, that's not (just) a traumatic childhood. On the other hand, if the love interest is antagonistic because of a misunderstanding, but is a fundamentally decent person deep down, he probably wouldn't casually slap the heroine around or otherwise act like a jerk. One mistake I used to see a lot of writers making (less often these days) is trying to convince me that some loathsome jerk is just misunderstood. No, if he's been doing bad things, don't try to explain his guilt away. Confront it head on.

THE LAST JEDI was my gateway drug to ETL precisely because I'd never seen this trope done so beautifully and so uncompromisingly: when Rey is forced to face the fact that the boy she likes is unrepentantly evil, she refuses to join him, explodes him and gets out of there. Ben isn't ready to seek repentance yet; he's a proud, if wavering, villain. Because the movie was absolutely honest about the evil within Ben, I was able to genuinely hope Rey might confront that evil and exorcise it, instead of being gaslit into thinking it was all right.

By contrast, in the very Bluebeard-vibes kdrama MASK, the love interest believes he's responsible for the death of his late fiancee and is being manipulated by the villain into thinking he's criminally insane. As a result, he believes that he's going to kill the heroine, his new wife. Physical touch and dirt are both triggers for him, too, and what the audience sees as a trauma response comes across to the heroine as strong hostility. He tells the heroine he is going to kill her, and she believes him, but the truth is that he dreads it as much as she does. This is a really beautifully done form of misunderstanding. Just remember that to be believable, misunderstandings need to be resolved fairly quickly.

3. Enemies doesn't need to mean hatred or toxicity.

While hate to love is a valid subtrope - especially in contexts where the characters aren't literally trying to kill each other, like in a contemporary romcom - ETL does NOT need to involve toxicity. There's a difference between ordering the assassination of an enemy, versus strangling your wife to terrorise her into obedience; both are bad, but only the latter is classic domestic violence, which casts doubt on any "HEA". Enemies need not hate or even abuse each other to be at odds; they may feel deep personal respect for a worthy opponent, who just happens to be ideologically committed to an opposing cause and therefore duty bound to antagonise the other. Personally, these characters may like, respect, or even passionately love each other - but thanks to duty, they're obliged to thwart each other.

A favourite example of this is Nikita and Michael from the spy show NIKITA. The pair started out as master and pupil before becoming coworkers for a rogue government agency, Division. Now Nikita has gone rogue herself and is working to bring down Division. She knows that Michael is still hanging in there for several reasons - he still believes Division serves his country, he's been skilfully manipulated by the head of the agency, and above all he feels the need to protect Division's young agents who are increasingly exploited by them. Nikita still has respect for Michael because of all these things and because he's the man who trained her to be as awesome as she is - and because she's his best student, Michael returns the sentiment and still goes out of his way to protect her, even as he's trying to hunt her down. Midway through the season, Nikita tries to protect Michael by preventing him from taking out the man who once killed his family - at which point Michael's view of Nikita sours. But she never stops respecting him and he's still willing to work with her when necessary to protect his agents. Throw in some mad chemistry and you've got the ingredients for a perfect ETL situation - although it has some hostility from Michael's side, it's never without that solid core of care and respect for each other. This is what makes the romance work, of course; all romances need a good reason for the character to care about each other. 

4. Remember that ETL is a fundamentally transformative relationship.

This builds on my first point. In ETL, unless there's a valid misunderstanding at play, there are probably moral/ethical differences between the characters. Thus, a huge part of your romance needs to be about resolving those differences, usually for the better. In other words (unless you're really into a corruption arc for the protagonist), the villainous/antagonistic character needs to genuinely repent and change, and we need that change to be demonstrated convincingly in story. At this stage, then, a good ETL story becomes about character growth, which means that it cannot be rushed. If the love interest has genuinely been evil, then he needs to change and prove it.

LOVE BETWEEN FAIRY AND DEVIL is a great example of a transformative ETL story. At the beginning of the drama, Dongfang Qingcang is a terrifying evil overlord who has frozen his emotions, killed his own father to rise to power, mastered hellfire magic and terrorised the three realms. As the story unfolds we do learn that there are some misunderstandings: Dongfang's father is the one who destroyed his emotions and forced him as a child to kill him, as well as instilling in him the fear that his people will be destroyed unless he conquers their enemies. But, this doesn't make Dongfang's villainy okay. Even after his emotions have been reawoken by our adorable heroine he still needs to realise that invading her homeland is not the right way to say thank you. By the end of the story we see that Dongfang is indeed a changed overlord. It takes a while, but it is believable.

5. Related, the characters should be a match for each other, especially when it comes to power and to morals.

I think a lot of the objections to ETL and villain romance pairings come from a perceived mismatch between the two characters: a weak person with a stronger person, or a pure and good person with a despicable manipulative blackguard. I think that it's always a good idea to balance this out. If your story begins with the love interest kidnapping your heroine to be his queen, why not let your heroine run a coup and replace him on the throne - right when he least expects it? The fact that your heroine is willing to get her hands dirty when it comes to this antagonist is not just delicious drama - it's also evidence that the two of them have more in common than they might think, and that in a longterm relationship she won't have any problems standing up to him. Alternately, if your heroine is going to remain pure and good throughout, she should probably be a match for the villain in terms of power, however that is measured in your story (and it can be a totally different sort of power than the villain wields). One of the most delicious things when watching any villain fall in love is finding the one woman whom he's absolutely helpless before.

I think Holly Black did this really well in the FOLK OF THE AIR trilogy. At first, Jude is a powerless mortal in the deadly fae court, and Cardan is the fae prince who delights in tormenting her. Jude proves herself far more cunning and ruthless than Cardan as she maneuvers the two of them into power as reluctant allies. It's clear that what Jude lacks in magic she makes up for in sharp intelligence and will to survive, and her ability to find a happy ending hinges on her ability to let down her guard and be vulnerable to Cardan. On the other end of the scale, Beauty and the Beast in most of its incarnations is about two kind people who want different things for sympathetic reasons, so that even though Beauty is held captive by the Beast we can understand the Beast's desperation to break his curse (and the Disney animated classic makes his motivations even more sympathetic by imposing a rapidly narrowing window of opportunity in which to do so). The Beast is truly gentle, and Belle is just spirited enough to snap back at him when he snaps at her. Both these stories work because the lovers are fundamentally a match.

6. Be creative.

There are all sorts of ways to create that delicious see-saw between "I adore you" and "I am going to kill you". The kdrama THE MASK, as mentioned above, uses the hero's mental health in an incredibly respectful way to create a sense of antagonism. The kdrama FLOWER OF EVIL does something similar. In Megan Spooner's absolutely incendiary SHERWOOD, there's a scene where the love interest goes from nearly killing the protagonist to tenderly embracing and caring for her within the very same chapter. Normally this would be the red flag to end all red flags, but it doesn't work that way here. How did Spooner manage it? Simple. The love interest doesn't know that the outlaw Robin Hood, whom he's trying to capture, is actually the same person as Maid Marian, the fair lady he's in love with - and when a quick costume change takes our heroine from one persona to another, the love interest's behaviour changes too. The emotional rollercoaster is real - but only for her.

7. There doesn't need to be a HEA.

I know, a lot of you are going to be up in arms about this, but it's true. Sometimes, especially in a straight up villain romance, the villain shouldn't get the girl. Maybe that's because she wants someone else, maybe it's because he's too manipulative and evil to be convincing as a long term relationship. But, let me frame it like this: why limit yourself just to writing the viable romances? There's a lot of good fun that can be got out of unviable romances too. You may not feel comfortable settling down with the villain, but that doesn't mean he can't be kissed :3

For example, in THE RINGS OF POWER the showrunners did something I never expected and gave Sauron himself a little crush on his greatest nemesis, Galadriel. The final episode, as he revealed his true identity and did his level best to manipulate her into joining him to rule Middle Earth, put joy into the souls of fangirls everywhere. It also caused a whole lot of people to clutch their pearls for some reason which remains opaque to me. After all, Tolkien was the man who wrote Eol, Maeglin, Wormtongue, and that moment when Morgoth himself was perving on Luthien Tinuviel. That aside, this is never going to be a viable match. Galadriel is married and hates Sauron's guts and Sauron is still a manipulative snake whose plans for healing Middle Earth involve him ruling as its lord and master, hopefully with Galadriel at his side. Galadriel doesn't fall for it for a second, which is one of the very things that makes this kind of story so incredibly satisfying to me. The fact that she won't succumb to his manipulation and temptation is incredibly empowering. As in THE LAST JEDI, the ball is in Sauron's court as to whether he changes to deserve her. And of course he won't - not just because he goes on to become the Lord of the Rings of Barad-dûr but more importantly because he never loved Galadriel for who she is but because of the way she made him feel, powerful and purposeful.

Not all villain romances need to end this way, of course, because some villains are capable of change. I think this is what makes Reylo viable where Haladriel is not. While Sauron and Galadriel each appeal to the EVIL in each other, Rey appeals to the good in Ben; he meanwhile desires the Light in her. This is why her refusal does ultimately prompt him to change, although of course the story's resolution was massively bungled in THE RISE OF SKYWALKER.

8. Love should be what the villain needs - but not what he wants.

It's hard to make absolute rules when it comes to any artistic choice, but this is probably the closest I come when dealing with this trope: because there should be consequences for the love interest's misdeeds, especially when it comes to the heroine. I call this the POTO rule: if the love interest wants the heroine romantically or sexually abuses her, he should not be rewarded by getting her. Enemies to lovers may fight over anything by any means, but not over romantic or sexual possession of each other. If the villain becomes a villain in order to possess the heroine, then a HEA for them involves giving him exactly what he wanted and thereby justifying his bad behaviour. Mind you, this doesn't mean the love interest can never want the heroine on some level; if he did not then this would not be a romance. We're talking about his most fundamental motivation and his most important story goal. She should not be either of them; she should be a distraction, an impediment to them.

This is simply good writing sense. Enemies to lovers normally implies a positive change arc for the love interest. Every good positive change arc involves a character who Wants one thing, say, to rule the world; but Needs something totally different - the capacity to make peace through compassion, say.  Such characters may or may not get what they Want, depending on how good it is for them and the people around them, but they'll always get what they Need. This is why I think ETL works best when the heroine herself is the thing the antagonist doesn't know he Needs. As an enemy, and even more so if he's a villain, he's likely to be unscrupulous in getting what he Wants, and he shouldn't get her for the same reasons that characters often don't get what they Want. Think about it: the villain probably needs some hard consequences for what he's done. He can get them, *and also get the girl*, but only as long as the girl isn't the motivation for his crimes.

{How does this fit with the "stolen bride" genre of story, usually a fairytale? Do I disapprove of those on principle? Mm, no. If the bride was stolen primarily because the kidnapper claimed to have a romantic or sexual attraction to her, I might object. But there's usually some other motivation. He wants to break a curse; he wants to annex her kingdom; he wants to keep her out of his enemies' hands; he might have been ordered to marry her by someone he dares not cross, or bound by an ancient custom; in any case he ought not to be personally motivated to control or possess her. This is one of those grey areas where lines blur and it's wise to listen and be careful because so many real women have been trapped in marriages to real live villains; but the thing is very doable under the right circumstances.} 

I call this the POTO rule because it was inspired by THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. In this story, Erik is obsessed with Christine to the point where romantic and sexual possession of her drives everything he does. He kills, manipulates, and gaslights everyone at the Paris Opera in an attempt to win Christine's heart, and ultimately he's willing to threaten to kill the man Christine truly loves in order to get the thing he Wants: Christine's hand in marriage. Now, I know a lot of you ship this pairing and I'm not going to scold you for it; maybe you ship them the way I ship Haladriel, loving the relationship without thinking it should end in a HEA, or perhaps you think Christine can fix Erik through some genuinely transformative plotline, or maybe you just want Erik to get what he wants even though it's messed up, and whatever it is I hope you have fun with it. But personally, from the perspective of a published author with a sense of responsibility to my readers, I really think the story ended in the best possible way. Erik doesn't get what he Wants (Christine) but he does get what he Needs (a transformative moment of transcendent compassion that enables him to act in a truly loving manner, by letting Christine go).

So, most of the time, I think it's wisest if the heroine is what the love interest doesn't know he Needs. Again, LOVE BETWEEN FAIRY AND DEVIL does this SO well. Dongfang Qingcang doesn't have time for love - emotionless and too busy Evil Overlording, he's never been in love before. So, when he's saddled with an adorable, dimwitted flower fairy, he can't wait to break the spell that links them together so that he can kill her and get on with his villainous plans. When her emotions begin to infect him, he can't help falling in love with her, even though he fights it every single step of the way. She's absolutely not what he Wants, but she is everything he Needs to thaw his frozen heart and teach him to act with compassion and empathy. Even though he spends much of the series planning to kill her, the HEA doesn't strike me as being Problematique the way that an Erik/Christine HEA would be - because a HEA with Orchid represents the moral growth that Dongfang needs, rather than the selfish desire he wants.

9. Maybe the villain's HEA is with someone else.

This doesn't mean a villain is irredeemable or shouldn't get a HEA. It just might mean that his HEA is with someone else. (Unless he's actually a rapist. Then just light the man on fire.) Erik shouldn't get Christine because he's done so much evil in order to possess her. But, once she's broken through to him to show him compassion, he might be ready to learn to love and to make amends for his past crimes...perhaps with someone else.

This was a huge part of the inspiration for the character of Vasily in my Bête Epoque stories. He does something which traumatises the heroine so much, there's no realistic HEA for them. Like Christine, she forgives him anyway, even in the midst of betrayal. And like Erik, he finds he's unable to go through with his villainous plans. She gets her HEA with somebody else, but I found myself with this incredibly compelling character whom a lot of people were pulling for. Vasily has already learned a huge lesson through having loved and lost my first heroine - so when he meets my second heroine, even though in a lot of ways he's still a treacherous monster, he's able to start afresh, and do better, with someone far more resilient who holds far greater power over him.

10. Individual characters will need individual things.

Finally, I think it's necessary to use judgement based on the individual characters and what they need. This is another reason why it's so difficult to make hard and fast rules here. For instance, I said that if the enemy sexually assaults the heroine he should forgo any hope of a HEA with her. But I think we've all seen romances that involve, say, some dubiously consensual kissing, which we can understand the kissee forgiving. By the same token, the act which disqualifies my character Vasily from his first HEA is not sexual assault but something which is coded that way within the story world, and experienced that way by the heroine (vampire bite). The fact that it's not literally sexual assault is what makes it possible for Vasily to get a romantic second chance, but the fact that it is figurative sexual assault is one of the main things that decided me against a HEA the first time. So, I think that whether you're a writer or reader, it's important to exercise judgement based not just on the things that are obvious, but also on less obvious things like the characters' specific needs, the thematic symbolism of the story world, and more.

--

So those are my best ETL writing guidelines - and again, this is only what works for me! I think it's really hard to make hard and fast rules for any artistic work, but from thinking about what works for me and what doesn't, these are some of the lines I've drawn for myself. If you're reading this, I hope it provokes some helpful thoughts :-)

[telelsie]

GAY SPOCK REAL OR FAKE PLEASE READ

i haven’t been an active tumblr user in about 3 years but SNW and the whole gay spock debate has been occupying enough space in my mind that i felt the need to inflict my opinion onto you all.

as a spirker myself, i’m not at all denying that the het romance arcs SNW is pushing for jim and spock are by no means my favorite. i dearly dearly wish that we would’ve gotten at least SOME queercoding from SNW this season, but i’m also not as disappointed as some of you are with the choices the SNW team has made for spock’s character. i’ve seen quite a few people begging for gay spock (bless u all) and canon spirk from SNW, which is unquestionably the ideal outcome for the series — and given the way both the writers and actors have reacted to and welcomed fan opinions and questions about where the jim/spock dynamic is heading, i don’t think it’s unreasonable at all for us to be optimistic about the show’s direction. if sybok can be in a queer relationship, then we’ve already gone miles past existing TOS canon in terms of queer rep.

admittedly, SNW has issues (ortegas show us ur girlfriend and the lesbian flag hanging in ur quarters!!! we all know it’s there!!), but i struggle to believe that the het romance arcs for jim and spock were written with the intention of convincing fans to ~let go of spirk~ or anything along those lines. in fact, i think the biggest issue that trek fans are having with SNW is wanting it to deliver on all the subtext and queercoding that existed in TOS on an implicit level explicitly and immediately. SNW is a prequel. it’s whole job is to set up and develop the relationships that appear in TOS; and it does an amazing job of this for the most part, especially in giving the female characters like una, christine, and t’pring traits other than crippling gene roddenberry syndrome. what i’m trying to say is that the SNW writers are doing a good job. yes, even (ESPECIALLY) with spock.

i get why people are protective of his character, i am too, but i don’t understand the lack of faith and, honestly, lack of viewing comprehension, that i’m seeing from self proclaimed spock fans. if you were expecting SNW to give us fully formed Nimoy-Spock within the first two seasons, then i’m sorry, but you’re a little bit of an idiot. a lot of you both don’t understand the purpose of the show (in general and in relation to spock’s development) and don’t value the importance of long form storytelling. in fact, in my ideal world, spirk wouldn’t even be together by the end of SNW. part of the value of the k/s dynamic in TOS was spock’s internal struggle with his feelings for jim, a struggle that defines his character, actions, and life throughout TOS and the movies. this is a struggle that isn’t resolved until midway through the movies, and it wouldn’t be doing justice to the canon that created spirk to have their relationship evolve into romance before the events of TOS.

spirk is, and always will be a long form story which derives its value from the fact that it is a Very Very slow burn. for the relationship to retain its value without being watered down by reinterpretation, it needs to have all the turns, pitfalls, and pining that it did in the original canon. although it’s entirely possible that the SNW writers have no plans of canonizing spirk, it’s also entirely possible that their plans are just a little more long term than what most of the community wants right now. i would far prefer a spirk that begins in 3 seasons of steadily evolving homoerotic friendship than one that jumps the gun and results in an unsatisfying and underbaked depiction of a relationship that deserves to be done justice.

TLDR: be patient!!! stop acting like SNW is actively taking spirk out behind the shed and shooting it!! SNW is already the best new trek to come out of the revival — give it a little more time and slack to build momentum and solidify its position within paramount and the fan community and you’ll be happy you waited.

[discluded]

Are you feeling hyped for ManSuang? ☺️

I AM!

First of all, I adore both of them and their acting. Of course I can always see it by rewatching KPTS, it's going to be so cool to see their different choices in portraying a different set of characters. Great art takes time so I was fine waiting for them instead of spitting out content like GM/MTV which results in a lot of um. Subpar acting choices and sequences.

Second of all, I loooovveeee mystery genre, so I'm hyped for the premise alongside it being historical and dance and historical gaysss

Third of all, I have friends that I talk to about KinnPorsche and MileApo and some of them just can't commit for 14 hours of series, but would be able to watch a movie. Many of them are SOOOO hyped for this movie just because it gives them a chance to learn more about Thai culture and history as well. It will also bring a new audience to them who prefer film or also are interested in historical / mystery as a genre.

I don't necessarily think film is necessarily more high art than series, but it does bring a different audience just because it's a bracketed form of storytelling you're meant to watch all at once.

I'm not particularly a fan who likes to follow the movie in development just cause I don't want to get my expectations all warped (I didn't even watch the Barbie trailer for example but I knew I was going to see it), but I'm just so feral about MileApo. Either way, I'm leaving my expectations at the door so they can have the opportunity to surprise me.

THAT SURPRISE BETTER NOT INVOLVE NONG CHAM GETTING HURT THOUGH >:E

in conclusion ✨MILEAPO CINEMATIC UNIVERSE😭✨

[2n2n]

I feel so suddenly validated by the world at large for once wtf.... well I've gone off about the distinction between a franchise name & actual creatives making something, which Little Nightmares really puts a pin in, but it shouldn't be the first time in anyone's life they're having to decide how they feel about. It happens in all kinds of media.

but honestly LN fandom as far as I saw anywhere was BLISSFULLY completely without scruples about any of this, I only ever saw people EATING UP everything LN3, the podcast, the comics, the app games... nobody ever seemed to even stop and say "hey, this lore contradicts this game's timeline" or delineate a preference for one writing team over another,, or art style, or frankly even address the concept of different creative teams. Occasionally someone would kind of go, "is this game/comic still canon?" and maybe quibble in confusion about it, but I never really saw anyone resolutely rejecting any of it!!!

BUT SUDDENLY it's like REANIMAL did FORCE people to actually PERCEIVE the gap between LN3 and the previous two games??? So is it a matter of people being.... unable to really put a pin in stylistic & storytelling gap without direct contrast? But honestly I would think the gap in quality between the writing/presentation of things would be apparent... even within what was already LN. Did it really all feel so equivalent?

But wtf suddenly so validated by so many people suddenly able to say "the designs of LN3 don't fit the world & feel clumsily put together" ... like yeah man!!!!!! What, so many people at once suddenly chiming in to ARGUE that DEVELOPERS MATTER and give Tarsier their due credit for making something with integrity & impression.... like whoa!! Yeah it matters a lot....!!!! There's a kind of pride in the work isn't there!!!

Kind of a little ? sorry.. mean but, amused by all this "two cakes" stuff; how do I say, the two cakes here are more like a Walmart sheet cake some employees at a bakery have to put together for a quota, VS a handmade & homemade wholly original creation. I feel like everyone talks about "evils of capitalism" but we don't often bring the creation of art into that... almost too respectful of the act of any kind of creativity? While I can say when it comes to some things like most book packaging or franchises like Star Wars or ,, idk Disney's Frozen, I definitely hit a point I wouldn't call it a 'cake'. But in this world, I also do think that kind of call is one's own to make ... at what point something feels disconnected from passionate creativity, and travels from art to commodity. Of course the separation isn't so clear and sometimes things you like even by 1 consistent author make that journey [as a creative becomes dispassionate or forced to continue to make something which originally WAS personal, suchas Tove with Moomins] <- much attentiveness required towards 'voice' to really track something like that, and up to you to decide how to engage with.

But ah, I'm honestly just happy when anyone discusses this kind of stuff at all. I'd like people to think about the source of any art they enjoy, and not just a franchise name.

To me it can be as egregious as discussing a movie adaptation's choices as synonymous with a book author's choices. Different creatives making something different.

[kaidraws69]

Aight so I just spent three hours studying contortion arts so I pulled an oc out of my ass and wrote her bio and I’m sharing it with you (I’m not the best at drawing I spent an extra two hours on this chick pls like it)

**Name:** Evelyn "Eve" Merrick

**Age:** 29

**Occupation:** Professional Contortionist and Horror Movie Performer

**Background:**

Eve Merrick grew up in a small town, where she discovered her extraordinary flexibility at a young age. Encouraged by her parents, she joined a local circus and honed her skills. As she matured, Eve's talent for contortionism caught the eye of a talent scout from Hollywood, leading her to a career in horror films.

**Appearance:**

Eve has a striking presence with pale skin, raven-black hair that falls in loose waves, and piercing green eyes that seem to see into your soul. Her lithe, sinewy frame allows her to perform seemingly impossible feats of flexibility, making her a captivating and eerie figure on screen.

**Personality:**

Eve is a complex individual. Off-camera, she's quiet and introspective, preferring the company of a few close friends and her pet snake, Sable. She has a dark sense of humor and a fascination with the macabre, which perfectly complements her work in horror movies. Despite her eerie performances, Eve is kind-hearted and empathetic, often volunteering at animal shelters and working with children to teach them the art of contortion.

**Skills:**

- Extreme flexibility and strength

- Exceptional physical control and balance

- Ability to perform contortion acts that evoke horror and discomfort

- Knowledge of special effects makeup and costume design

**Signature Roles:**

Eve has become famous in the horror genre for her ability to transform into grotesque and unsettling characters. Her most notable roles include:

- A demon-possessed victim whose body twists and contorts in unnatural ways.

- A malevolent spirit who stalks her prey by crawling through impossibly tight spaces.

- An ancient witch who can bend her limbs backward and move with inhuman grace.

**Motivation:**

Eve is driven by a love for storytelling and a desire to push the boundaries of her art. She finds joy in bringing nightmares to life on the big screen, believing that horror films provide a cathartic experience for audiences.

**Personal Struggles:**

Eve's career choice and her fascination with horror have sometimes isolated her from those who don't understand her passion. She grapples with loneliness and the physical toll that her demanding profession takes on her body, but she remains dedicated to her craft.

[darthkvznblogs]

What are your thoughts on the new Spiderverse film?

Absolutely loved it! I think I might've enjoyed the first one just a tad more (I'm a sucker for an origin story), but the absolute artistry on display, the powerful emotional beats, top notch voice acting, and just...oozing creativity in every damn frame. Amazing movie, easily my favorite in recent memory (not that I've watched many, but still).

If I have any real issues with it, without getting into spoilers...

Pretty sure it's just me getting older and my vision struggling a bit but there were certain scenes I had a lot of trouble parsing (in the chase from the trailer, you know the one).

There's a big character choice that I would've definitely handled a bit differently because it borders on disbelief that X and Y characters would've allowed things to happen without some heavy pushback. Not quite OOC behavior, but some logical leaps were made that could've been tweaked.

In that same vein, I would've kept "this rather specific thing always happens (and must always happen) to Spider-people" a bit more vague and not as well-defined. From experience, the Multiverse doesn't lend itself super well to strict rules - it rather prefers guidelines.

That being said, hot damn, these movies (this series!) are almost...laser-targeted towards me. Not to imply the Kverse is like, comparable to these movies (I'm very proud of what I write, but not nearly that arrogant lol), but I think you can see the DNA of what I'm going for in there, what I really love about having endless universes to play with, both in terms of sheer fanservice and more serious storytelling. I can't believe how fortunate I am to see that sort of dream realized in such spectacular fashion! Can't wait for part 3!

[myfrenzi]

The Role of Big Data in Personalizing OTT Content

The Role of Big Data in Crafting Personalized OTT Content — What to Watch on OTT

In the era of information, data reigns supreme, and Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms are no exception. Big Data, with its transformative potential, has emerged as the guiding star in the realm of personalized OTT content. Join us on a data-driven journey to understand how it shapes your entertainment experience and helps you discover “what to watch on OTT.”

Act I: The OTT Revolution

OTT platforms have revolutionized how we consume content, offering an immense variety of movies and series at our fingertips.

Unlimited Choices: OTT platforms present viewers with an unprecedented array of content, catering to diverse tastes.

Act II: The Power of Personalization

The ability to tailor content recommendations to individual preferences has become a defining feature of the OTT experience.

The Customized Experience: Personalization ensures that viewers receive content that resonates with their unique interests.

Act III: The Heart of Personalization — Big Data

Big Data plays a pivotal role in personalization, relying on the analysis of user behaviors, preferences, and viewing history.

Big Data Defined: Big Data refers to vast and complex datasets that, when analyzed, yield valuable insights and trends.

Act IV: The Data-Content Connection

Big Data, enriched with machine learning and AI algorithms, sculpts content recommendations that captivate viewers.

Tailored Suggestions: Recommendations are generated based on user data, considering factors like genre preferences, viewing history, and even time of day.

Act V: The User Profile

Each viewer’s profile is a treasure trove of insights, encompassing viewing habits, likes, dislikes, and more.

Your Digital Reflection: Your user profile is a dynamic representation of your entertainment preferences and habits.

Act VI: The “What to Watch on OTT” Magic

When you wonder “what to watch on OTT,” Big Data responds with curated recommendations that fit your mood and interests.

The Recommendation Engine: Recommendation algorithms use your data to suggest content that matches your taste.

Act VII: The User Experience

A personalized user experience, driven by Big Data, ensures that viewers stay engaged and find content they love.

Staying Engaged: Personalization keeps viewers coming back for more, creating a loyal user base.

Act VIII: The Evolution of Content Creation

Content creators leverage data-driven insights to produce content that resonates with their target audience.

Data-Informed Storytelling: Data analytics informs creative decisions, from character development to plot twists.

Act IX: FAQs on Personalized OTT Content

Q1: How is user data collected and used for personalization? User data is gathered through user interactions on the platform and is used to refine content recommendations.

Q2: Is there a risk to user privacy with personalized content recommendations? OTT platforms take user privacy seriously and employ strict measures to protect personal information.

Q3: How does personalization benefit content creators? Personalization allows creators to produce content that better resonates with their target audience, increasing the chances of success.

Curtain Call: The Personalized Future of Entertainment

In conclusion, Big Data is the compass that guides your OTT journey, revealing “what to watch on OTT” and enhancing your entertainment experience.

As you navigate the world of personalized content, remember that your viewing habits and feedback continually shape the recommendations you receive. Embrace the data-driven adventure and enjoy the content tailored just for you.

[krem-aclassi]

long rant ahead abt people's ideas abt "AI written" media

so depressing lately when i hear ppl around me talk abt how exciting it's going to be when "ai will write" custom tv shows and movies based on prompts just for them like..... if u have to outline the stuff you want to see in a show, where is any of the suspense or surprise

not to mention the fact that i can't at all relate to the idea of enjoying media that is intended to be emotionally compelling without it being written by an actual person/writers.

how do i convince people that what they enjoy about media comes from human beings trying to convey ideas and feelings and experiences.

I want to connect to the people that touched a project through the writing choices, the visual choices, the acting choices, the directorial decisions, the sound design!!! there's so much intent filtered through personal experience and aesthetic preference and unique interpretation of storytelling devices in all their forms!!!!! a computer spitting out data-soup cannot make meaningful art ever and it is scary to hear people close to me that believe it can

🫠🫠🫠🫠

[absolutebl]

hi! i graduated from film school this year & i've been reading thru ur blog for weeks now. u've talked abt cinematography before & it's a subject i'd love to hear more of ur thoughts abt. which shows do u believe use cinematic storytelling (framing, staging, symbolic parallels, lighting, color coding) to their advantage the most? shows which benefit from a rewatch/slower watch in order to notice visual details & which can be analyzed in terms of visual language. which would be ur top picks? ty!!

OOO, what a good question.

10 Best Uses of Cinematic Storytelling in BL 

Okay, I should say up front that this is not BL's strength.

Second, I work tangential to ET but my degrees are not in film studies. So, much of what I know has been gleaned from coworkers and just floating constantly in and out of the industry, I may not always use the right terms. 

The post where I get the most weedy about filming technique is actually the one where I talk about different directors in BL (their styles, camera preferences and camera angle choices, that kind of thing). 

BL Directors - Overview

Finally, for each pick, I’m going to talk first about what I liked about the story, and then how the filming technique is used to serve that. 

1. Restart After Come Back Home AKA Risutato wa tadaima no ato de

Atmospheric study in rural Japan meets complex family dynamics built on a romance framework of city boy meets country boy. It’s beautiful and icy sweet. Slow moving in places but ultimately worth your patience. Full review here.

This was the first BL that came to mind when asked this question. This movie highlights Japan’s sweeping atmospheric style (learned at the feet of Kurosawa) applied to a very simple little BL story about coming home. Like with HIs the move, the Japanese countryside itself is a major player and character, but unlike His this movie really makes use of its beauty as a metaphor for possibilities and acceptance. Some of the establishing shots are truly breathtaking. The use of color and shadow is also tailored without being brazen. The film uses it to contrast the the two leads, one of whom is closed off from his family and his home and, to a certain extent, life but open to love, and the other who is open to all sensation and the outside world, but closed off to love. How these two men are filmed, framed, and lit is interwoven with these traits - dependent on their internal emotional states and whether they are together or alone. Cold lighting, sometimes too direct, when they are feeling exposed or challenged, darker cool hues when they are internally reflective, warmer even angry reds and golds when they are coping with emotions around connection and intimacy with each other. And finally the closing shot of bright full day, revolving sparkles and lens flairs that’s implying a forthright acceptance and unity, not just of each other, but of themselves. 

It is, simply put, a really beautiful movie to just watch as a visual piece of art, we are so lucky it also happens to be BL. 

2. I Want to See Only You AKA Kimi no Koto Dake Mite Itai

This is a beautiful piece of cinema well acted, about two boys who are opposite personalities and grew up together. It is very pretty and this is the kind of atmospheric elegantly performed BL that only really comes from Japan (complete with dead fish kisses - what you thought Korea invented them? oh no). I felt like I was “supposed to like it” more than I did. Ultimately I was left feeling as if I had seen it all before. So for me this was lovely but slightly unmemorable. 

Another show that is VERY similar is His the series (I Didn't Think I Would Fall In Love AKA His - Koisuru Tsumori Nante Nakatta). Only it has a beach setting. 

I mention these two in this post and at this juncture, because they are very stylistically Japanese but lack intentionality to their filming. So they feel workmanlike in a way that I often accuse Thai BL of.. It’s almost as if in coming from Japan they can’t NOT be pretty about it. Like good filming technique is so expected, it’s part of the DNA. In actually, both these stories might have been served better if the filming were more gritty and raw, sticky, like BLs from Taiwan or the Philippines, but Japan (like Korea) doesn’t do that. 

3. Seven Days

Never doubt my ability to recommend this show. One of the best live action yaois ever made, with perfectly structured angst, fantastic characters and acting, and no problematic tropes (rare in Japanese BL). The leads have excellent chemistry although it’s low heat there’s still some cute mutual kisses.

Seven Days pretty much used the original manga as a storyboard with just a few exceptions. And yet because it takes itself and it’s characters seriously (this in not a slapstick JBL) it’s softer and less cartoony than most Japanese live action yaoi. The color pallet is muted, and staging and farming is almsot too simplistic but somehow smooth and organic, rather than choppy or stilted. It looks genuine, not fantastical (see Korea coming up). The cuts are gentle with us, it never feels hurried or rushed, even though this is not a very long piece. It’s classy without being in your face about it.

This is spot on cinematography entirely subsumed by a story. It’s point (if ti can be said to have one) is that it doesn’t have a point of view, and therefore the story just shines. Never once will you feel thrown out by a perfect shot, and yet, every shot is perfect. This is cinema FOR story. This director trusted the script and the actors implicitly and did not feel the need to do anything fancy, which is, in and of itself, remarkable. This is like a perfectly executed piece of sushi. It doesn’t need anything, no sauce, no seasoning. The filming itself relishes its own simplistically.   

I actually picked these first 3 BLs intentionally, and all from Japan. Because I feel like they kind of show the range of Japanese cinema has when it is being subtle. By which I mean less derivative of manga and owing much less slapstick. (See something like My Love Mix Up.) 

So now let’s move into the relm of manga filming styles. 

4. Minato’s Laundromat AKA Minato Shouji Koin Randorii 

As of writing this post this show hasn’t ended yet, so not review, you can read my watch along here. But I am still picking it on the basis of the way they use doorways and transitional spaces to represent where the characters are in their different life stages and emotional development (and how they flipped that at the end). 

Also this BL is cribbed directly from the manga, shot for shot in places.

This show is an exploration of how maturity is defined under the contest of an age gap romance, roles in society, and liminality - crossing the threshold form child to adult, from fear of love to acceptance, from immaturity to maturity. The series uses characters in doorway, reaching through them, crossing them, and notions of inside spaces versus outside spaces to represent this. I talk about it a lot in my watch along so I won’t rehash here but it is actually BRILLIANT. 

5. Old Fashion Cupcake

This show had me from the moment they broke the egg yolk with the chopsticks in the opening credits. It’s about a younger man with a long cherished crush on his boss (who is ten years older and going through a midlife crisis) who decides to save and seduce said boss with pancakes. It’s wholesome, comforting, sexy, and a very necessary narrative about still having hope, interests, and openness to affection at any age. It’s coming of age/queerness packaged in a subtle critique of expectations around masculinity and love and loneliness... and it’s beautiful. Full review here.

The filming style is very much Japan’s close camera work, super tunneled into spaces, confined and almost, but not quite, claustrophobic. It’s using that to highlight how trapped by inertia Nozue feels, and how trapped by his feelings Togawa feels. Nozue in particular is filmed at home hidden, hiding, in the dark, shadowed, and withdrawn - as tidy as his place is, it (and how he occupies it) is an extension of his loneliness and self isolation. 

The cinematographer is using that in contrast to the moments of pull back and central framing when the couple is shown sitting and eating together, usually brightly lit, showing them both opening up to each other and, in Nozue’s case, to sensation. 

The very final shot of the series, with the big cheerful window, and Togawa feeding Nozue across the table is a representation of how freed they both are by their acceptance of each other. 

Not to mention the way the food is shot in this show, and how food and openness to new sensation are used (and filmed) as an allegory for sexual awakening (lust in terms of indulgence - I will never get over those hamster cheeks) and consequently (ultimately) fulfillment. 

More on Japan’s cinematic style here. 

6. Cherry Blossoms After Winter 

Korea took on early Japanese sweet yaoi but gave it their signature softness and precise production style with a STUNNING color palette (beautiful pastels and sun-saturated over-exposure), manga framing style, some traditional BL character archetypes, that tiny edge of bullying roughness and out-of-control seme, plus FINALLY a palatable take on the stepbrothers trope and it was, in a word, classic. Sophisticated and understated CBAW is not slow, it’s just subtle. 

This show is dream-like, as if the whole thing took place under cold water on a warm spring day, dappled sunlight slanting through trees above. Is there plot or peril? Not really. Do we care? Also, not really. Look, I can’t help it, I’m old school and so is this show. I grew up reading sweet yaoi, and this was THAT YAOI just on my screen. There’s no objectivity with me and CBAW. It’s a beautiful pastiche and I loved it for how it made me feel and what it reminded me of. It’s not flawless, but it is a wonderful experience. It’s like a Maxfield Parrish BL. Is the filming style serving story, I’m not sure, but it is serving nostalgia. 

7. Color Rush

A unique paranormal twist elevates this classic high school drama into a pitch-perfect allegory for the queer coming out experience and one of the best BLs of all time (I will fight you on this). 

It’s no accident that I chose so much Color Rush for my screen caps in the post on yaoi framing styles. It is SUCH a manga (yes I know, it’s Korean). The cuts from one shot to the next could actually just have stepped off the page. If  Wes Anderson did BL it’s be something like this. 

Of course the use of color is just phenomenal - the range of hoodies, and the different backgrounds. The marriage of simplistic wardrobe with simplistic setting is about precision not the mundane. How Yoo Han is using color to seduce AT ALL TIMES is intentional brutal as we are never to forget the threat this entails (our POV and this movie’s is entirely Yeon Woo). Color is the vehicle and the predator, the danger and the light, it is sexual awakening, it is being gay, it is embracing the monster within - right up to and including the color rush itself as something essentially orgasmic. I can tell you, purely on the basis of the fact that the manwha was in black and white, that this BL must be better that its source because it had color to use in its storytelling. Because it had color to play with. If that’s not the visual voice of cinematography telling me a tall tale, I don’t know what is. 

I will never get over this show. 

8. Semantic Error 

Korea hit it entirely out of the Parks with Semantic Error by doing a university set BL featuring everything we expect from BL just done exactly right. It has Korea's signature quality executed perfectly, and added bonus good story, great pacing, stunning visuals, and fantastic chemistry. You cannot ask for more from a BL, let alone a KBL. And the film team was part of this. 

Frankly I would have used screen caps from Semantic Error as much as Color Rush in that post on yaoi framing techniques, but I wrote that post too long ago. This BL owes more to its Japanese roots than any other Korean BL I’ve seen: story, characters, and filming style. That image above with the backlit windows and the empty classroom? Could have popped out of Takumi or Boys Love (would have been more blue toned though), not just classic BL but the beginning of BL. 

This is another KBL one where the use of color, particularly contrast, is incredibly strong. In this one cool vs warm tones are tools for characterization. (Usually they are used for mood, but not really in this show.) JaeYoung is usually wearing warm tones or shot in warm lighting and with warm backgrounds (reds, oranges, yellows), except when he enters SangWoo’s space. SangWoo is the opposite, almost always in cool tones and lighting (greens, blues, purples). So we get this fire and ice contrast between the two of them, with the lighting playing up who is “winning” the argument or the intimacy levels by being either warm or cool (or transitioning between them in the course of the shot). When JaeYoung manages to crumble SangWoo’s defensives, it gets warmer, when SangWoo is in charge of the narrative drive, it gets cooler. It’s very clever. 

I think Korea is particularly good that this tonal character association and mood enhancement because they use it in high concept Kpop MVs all the time. 

9. Cutie Pie

Very high production and a lot of visual references to yaoi gave this show a whiff of Japan but ultimately it stayed firmly in Thailand’s BL camp veering from absurd to appealing to annoying and then back to absurd again. If you can roll with the arranged marriage conceit and very lifestyle D/s relationships, the chemistry is spot on even if the plot is naff and sappy and driven by miscommunication. Watch this one for the pretty, give it a pass on depth. 

But if it has so little story for the cinematography to support, why did I pick it? 

I like the setting chosen (it’s no accent this is top of my list of best Architecture in BL) but I also love the clean filming style, it’s very very manga for Thailand. Cheewin does this well sometimes (see alos SCOY). Not really the best BL by any stretch of the imagination, but there is something candy bright about this one that really harkens to reading yaoi, and Thailand just doesn't do that very often. This is why I chose it. 

Wardrobe, setting, and color choices are all used to really highlight the differences between the characters in terms of age and life stage. Also Zee has really learned how to push his physicality since Why Ru U? so that his body positioning in particular just looks EXACTLY like the seme of some 2000s yaoi. 

10. Until We Meet Again 

UWMA is a work of narrative genius, and all the actors all turn in stellar performances, it is the best Thai BL from a storytelling perspective. It’s two interwoven narratives, present and past, of lovers who have been reincarnated in order to find each other again and forgive each other (and their families) for that past. 

But this is a strange one to chose for this list, since the cinematography is workmanlike at best. There’s repeat cuts and other annoying tics, and general hallmarks of New’s style as a director (which is, quite frankly not particularly stylish). BUT, one of the fun things to watch for in this BL is how New contrasts central framing with peekaboo (AKA dirty) framing with regards to the two lead couples. 

Korn & In, the past selves, are secretive, scared, and hiding everything. They are usually filmed with things dirtying the screen: walls, and other objects, so we get this voyeuristic feeling of always peeking around a corner at them, and seeing something we shouldn’t. The few times we see their intimacy fully framed it’s at night, staggered, and/or off center. This illustrates not just the secrecy but the instability of the relationship. 

Dean & Pharm, the present selves, the camera treats as a representation, in part, of Dean having learned from his past not to hide who he loves. They are often filmed full figure, and centrally framed, full lighting, bold and direct, standing upright, holding hands, or kissing. 

In other words, New is using framing techniques to highlight in a way the couples “outness,” the state of their relationship, is related to the outside world and also how they feel about it and themselves.

And there they are, my 10 picks. 

Honorable Mention: Light on Me 

The filming in this show was precision engineered. The frame was kept uncluttered, characters appeared exactly in the center, there was little visual noise, and the lighting was full on, even in night shots. To me this reflected the character of TaeKyung - honest and almost stilted in his mannerisms. I feel like the director filmed this series as if the show itself were TaeKyung: careful and clear and specific.

This may come off as one-note or simplistic to a casual viewer but it’s actually quite difficult to film something so precisely and still make it interesting to watch. It forced the viewer to focus almost entirely on the actor’s faces, their nuanced emotion, and their interpersonal relationships to the exclusion of all else. Lucky for us those actors served the lens beautifully.

There is literally NOTHING distracting about this directing style. It’s like the camera was a neutral white room, a well-lit gallery in which the narrative hung suspended for us all to stand and stare at in hushed silence.

I mention not so much because it serves up story, because it doesn’t, but because it is the opposite, it allows the story to serve itself. 

All my stuff on the BL filming side of things: 

Yaoi filming, staging & framing techniques 

Favorite Uses of Metonymy In BL 

BL Directors - Overview

Lighting

Diffuse point lighting

Backlighting & Silhouettes 

Unidirectional focused lighting 

Spotlight on romantic couple moments 

That lens flare moment 

Framing

Staggered couple framing

Linear cinematography + near perfect framing, in distance shots 

Central Aperture Framing 

Peekaboo Framing 

Acting

Favorite Subtle Character Attributes 

Ohm’s Acting 

Gun's Acting

We Best Love: Seme/Uke & Sam Lin’s Acting Screen Presence (Charisma + Experience)

Saint’s Physicality  

OffGun & The Evolution of Chemistry for a BL Pair 

Why Nanon Korapat's Acting is FANTASTIC 

Meta Post - All My Stuff on the BL Industry - Master Post talking about financing & production: This is a complication by request of all the posts and discussions this blog has hand on the BL industry as an industry, includes studios, production, country analysis, actor and fan behavior 

(source) 

[interact-if]

Day 4 of interviews! Please welcome to the stage... Pime!

Pime, author of The Passenger

Latino Heritage Month Featured Author

Play as an eldritch abomination that’s about to be devoured by  another unthinkable creature. Good news is you are pretty crafty and know how  to jump dimensions to escape your ghastly fate; bad news is, you’re now stuck on Earth, trapped inside a dumb human larva.

As years go  by, you realize the amount of energy you need to leave this horrible dimension behind is a lot more than you had expected. Not  to mention  the creature that almost ate you all those years ago never  really  stopped looking for you. But there’s no way it’ll pin point your  actual  location… right?

The Passenger Demo | Author’s Kofi | Discord | Read more [here]

Tags: sci-fi, horror

(INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT UNDER THE CUT!)

Q1: So, tell us a little bit about the projects you’re working on!

The Passenger is a project written in choicescript, it tells the story of an eldritch abomination MC that's about to fall prey to another lovecraftian creature. They escape at the last moment and through some interdimensional jumping they end up on Earth, trapping themself inside a human baby in the process. The game takes place 26 years later when MC realizes that the creature is still out there looking for them. Now they need to find a way to escape Earth before the hunter finds them and eats them.

Q2: What excites you most about using interactive fiction? What are some of the biggest challenges?

The first time I came across this type of media, I was around 9 years old. It was one of those CYOA books—The Mystery of Chimney Rock iirc. It blew my mind because it mixed together two things I loved (and still love) a lot: reading, and playing games.

I enjoy writing character interactions and banter the most. I love trying to figure out what makes people tick, what they value the most, and what they don't care about—trying on different costumes so to speak—and interactive fiction is great for that sort of thing. I also enjoy thinking about different ways to overcome the same problem and the freedom of making a story your own through the choices you make.

I think the biggest challenge is putting myself in the shoes of a very logical character tbh; sometimes I have to think about how a cool, collected, analytical person would act in certain situations and it's just... tv static inside my head. Fortunately, IF is this weird collective storytelling in which players ask for choices to be added, so they truly save my bacon in that regard.

Q3: What has been something in your project you’ve had to do a weird amount of research for?

Describing the type of scenery one encounters when hiking on the hills of Maryland. Thank the universe for those hiking bloggers.

Q4: Which of your characters is most like you? How?

I would say anyone but Fiama; she's so mature and has her life more or less figured out even though she would probably scoff at the notion. If I had to choose one romantic option that's the most like me, I’d pick Jonny: we like the same stuff, are socially awkward, and have the same you-do-you-just-don't-bother-me attitude. I tend to see the glass half full when his is mostly empty though.

Q5: Does your heritage influence your characters as you create them? (How? Why or why not?)

Yes, and I don't think I did it on purpose; it sort of seeped in. Even if The Passenger is set in Maryland, there's little pieces of my own experiences and the experiences of people I've met here and there. Mostly poor folks' since that's what I know. Lots of working-class, too-tired, over-competent-for-the-job-they're-stuck-with types, young parents, passionate, stubborn, funny and loud people trying to do their best with the cards they were dealt. I guess this is true for almost everyone else, which speaks more about capitalism than ethnicity, but there you go.

I also try to sneak in mentions of Latin America whenever I can plus some nods to obscure Argentinian trivia.

Q6: What is something you love to see in interactive fiction?

So many things! I love the collective storytelling part of interactive fiction: too many times I see somebody come up with a headcanon that blows the original (mainstream) work right out of the water and I’m left thinking that I would prefer their version over the canon thing, and with IF you have the power to do just that. I also love how much freedom it grants players since most of the time it lets you choose appearance, gender, sexuality, name… do you know how hard it is to find a game in which the MC is a Latino guy with brown eyes and a weakness for GNC people? It’s pretty hard.

Q7: Any advice to give?

To anyone, if you want to write interactive fiction, do it: someone out there will enjoy your game. To my Latinx siblings, the same I told everyone else with a vengeance. Our culture is as beautiful as it is diverse and I don’t know about you but I could do with some new stories, some new ideas that reflect something a bit closer to our childhoods and the stories of our families. That type of thing will always be innovative in a world that spits out 17 marvel movies per year and maybe one Latino character in a short by Disney.