#alas

[lady-raziel]

long reaction to the update

ok. so they put out an update video! since i've been commentating for the last three days i might as well subject you all to more of my thoughts today.

main takeaway: this was a good apology video. i mean it. short and to the point, no overproduction, heartfelt and honest (and not a ukelele to be seen. thank god.) they took ownership of the situation, apologized, and restated how much they value their relationship with the fandom.

their solution is to make the watcher tv platform into kind of an iteration of patreon where content is available for early access before it is released onto youtube later. this is clearly a better option than paywalling everything for everyone. i'm not sure what the relative breakdown of costs turns out to be when you compare how much they were making on patreon after the platform took their cut VS how much it costs in overhead to run and maintain their own platform (how much it costs annually to contract via Vimeo, essentially). but i'm sure that's part of the calculation.

all things considered, that does seem like the best option out of all the alternatives. it allows them to not completely abandon any of the pans they have simmering over the fire for the time being. i don't think i ever thought they were going to just say "oops, forget about the streaming thing! let's pretend that never happened!" because at this point they've invested quite a lot of time and money into it, and i don't disagree that keeping it in some iteration may help them make up some of the funds they're lacking.

i would say, it's fine to keep the streamer. this is one of the ok outcomes, all things considered-- but if they're going to do it, they've GOT to do it smart from this point forward. listen to both the fans and the consultants intimately. both are going to have valid points, and both are going to be right. listening to too much of either side will sink this thing because each has motives and expertise that the other doesn't. if the fans say $6 is too much, listen to them-- but have conversations with business consultants about how much you realistically need to charge to make things work.

also, i'd use this whole situation as a learning experience. watcher is a young company, and it's literally inevitable that mistakes will happen. what's different is that the watcher crew haven't really been in a position before where they've been on the receiving end of the internet-angry-justice-hammer to this extent. it's one thing to watch it happen to others, but it's a position of extreme privilege (and a bit of hubris) to think "but that won't happen to me, because i'm built different." naw, man-- two things in life are inevitable: death and fuckups. the callout posts get us all in the end.

what's really important is that they use this as a wakeup call that even the most loyal fandoms will only follow you so far to the cliff's edge, and you don't want to push that. you have to strike a balance between the passion projects that you think are worthy and the stuff that maybe doesn't excite you as much anymore but the people want to see. a little fanservice keeps the lights on, as unfair as that might seem. i'm gonna make 50 markiplier choccy milk memes just so i can make one niche political joke once and a while for 6 likes. it is what it is.

i'd also use this as a chance to take a very careful look at company structure and finances. it's not fun to do and nobody likes it. trust me-- this is hard whether you're a single adult trying to pay the bills or the freaking US government (speaking from experience on both-- i have to read the president's budget for work frequently). but you all have to ask hard questions about the ratio of creative staff you take on VS staff for administrative and other business roles, as well as the costs and benefits of everything you spend money on. how many staff members are essential to location shoots? can this video be shot with 2 cameras instead of 3 and thus you don't need another cameraperson? you might even have to come to the decision that instead of pitching a new show it makes more sense to use those funds to hire your essential non-creative roles or contract firms or freelancers.

paying staff a fair wage with benefits speaks highly of what watcher wants their values to be. it's hard to find such a position in a creative role and still actually get to work on things you care about. but it would be much worse if watcher didn't make realistic decisions about finances and it lead to the death of the company and everyone losing their jobs. the whole watcher company can work, in my opinion, but not without some sacrifices. they're going to have to run it more like a business and less like a youtube-channel-turned-business in the future if they want to survive.

last thing i'll add is that while i do think this was a good apology video, i still think they hurt themselves by not putting out some sort of statement on Friday or Saturday just to say that they were formulating a response. As i've said in other posts, it's ok and in fact beneficial to not make a kneejerk reaction, but it's also very important to communicate that you SEE what's happening. you SEE what people are saying and THAT'S why you need more time to respond. saying nothing and leaving the angry public to wonder if you dropped your phone off the Hoover Dam or just don't care? that's a fumble. it's a common mistake companies make in a crisis, but that doesn't mean it doesn't erode trust fast.

this could have been handled better in many ways. we see that, and i'm glad watcher says they see that too. crucial going forward is taking all this and patching the errors that caused all this to fall apart and learning from the experience.

tbh at this point what i'm most sad about is that the watcher crew have probably been too stressed out and upset to appreciate some of the absolute bangers people have been laying down to clown on them. i think if it wasn't about them they might be touched by the collective attitude and creative spirit. /j

[nomifae]

Petplay gone wrong 🦌📺

[see-arcane]

What new adaptations could change in order to make the story more appealing to modern audiences to put on the screen:

Dracula drinking more people, also manipulating the weather more, necromancing dead bodies from the multiple graves everywhere, and/or summoning malevolent spirits from his Scholomace days, so the Crew has more risk-filled scenes. Have Dracula protected by ambitious/longing for immortality minions from Gentlemen's clubs, Renfield being the only minion who turns against him, so it shocks him. Have the final battle in Borgo Pass that kills Quincey be an actual battle between those, or risen dead, or demons, or a mix, who all crumble when Jonathan and Quincey kill Dracula among them.

What we get:

"What if bad boy like girl"

woww...so innovative...subversive even......

[even-in-arcadia]

i know nothing about video editing but i had a vision. i call it.......where is the second master's mind.....

[sluttywoozi]

Me after that ranking list

lmao same i need a big strong man with massive titties to carry me everywhere i go atp

[redbean-nom]

star wars by silm logic

for the silm-sw dual citizens:

I was wondering what would happen if star wars (particularly tbb bc that's the currently-releasing bit of star wars) adhered to silm logic:

Hunter is the local leader of a hidden city (Pabu)

Omega is the heir

Rex is the overall leader of a warring people (clone rebellion)

Hemlock is the local leader of a branch of the Forces of Evil

Palpatine is the overall Enemy

so therefore

Rex and Echo gather an army of escaped clones. They rescue Cody or Wolffe from the Empire. Song and fire are greatly involved.

Themes of rising hope are invoked as they make a stand against the Empire. The clone rebellion grows further.

They are initially victorious and manage to rescue the clone prisoners from Tantiss with few casualties. Hemlock is ousted and flees to the heart of the Empire (but his operation will return in time)

Echo goes to check on the Batch on Pabu and ask them to ally with him and Rex in the upcoming battle.

They march on Coruscant. Things suddenly go disastrously wrong. Cody is killed in battle. Rex faces Palpatine in single combat.

Rex dies tragically.

Eagles.

Echo tells Hunter about the battle. They are delayed on their way and attempt to ride to the rescue. The Batch arrives just after the deaths. Echo is sad.

Pabu is betrayed while the Batch is on Coruscant.

Pabu is invaded by the Empire. Hemlock subjugates the people into his weird clone experimentation program.

Dragons.

The Batch returns to destroyed/invaded Pabu and is unable to intervene.

While attempting to protect their city most of the Batch dies.

Echo is very sad.

Hunter is captured and killed in front of Omega.

Omega escapes and swears an Oath mourns the Batch.

Echo is broken by grief for the ghosts of his past and vanishes.

Omega later becomes a Rebellion leader, carrying the memories of the failed clone rebellion and the haven of Pabu with her.

Echo fades/dies on some random planet as the forgotten remnant of the GAR/Clone rebellion.

[artofalassa]

Say goodnight Say goodnight to the life and the world you knew I'm gonna follow you And I will never sing again...

[destroyusall]

BALLIN' — @laikascomet

This was a bit of an experiment with body fat - I don't usually draw larger set characters. Regardless I needed this out of my system because Laika is the coolest ever

[mariana-oconnor]

The AO3 search/filtering system has just ruined me for every other search function ever. I genuinely go onto websites, click 'advanced search' and then look at what paltry options they've given me in utter horror. How does anyone find anything? How do people survive?

[bonesblubs]

A bunch of sketch order requests that wound up being 3/4 views to the right…. except for that last Jin Guangyao for some reason ,,

[mistysblueboxstuff]

not me getting back into Doctor Who nope nope

[tangledinink]

Casey had been listening to Uncle Tello, at first, taking great care to absorb all his lessons for a future without him in it. But as he did so, listening to this man who he had known and relied on his entire life, who had carried him around on his shoulders like he was weightless as a child, who he had once watched run a literal mile-long race with his brother just to end an argument (Casey had timed it himself,) this person who had always, without question, been strong and capable and confident and indestructible in Casey's eyes, even despite the world they lived in, in spite of everything... he came to a horrifying realization.

Looking at him now, Casey was quite certain that if he were to wrap his fingers around his thigh, his fingers would touch.

Based on the latest arc in @somerandomdudelmao Apocalypse Series. I am being very brave and choosing to trust them.

[bitter-rabbitholes]

ciel's first day at weston:

[percheduphere]

CONSIDER:

The only one powerful enough to defeat all the Kang variants and stop the multiversal war is Loki.

Mobius looks for Thor and begs him to help him free Loki from Yggdrasil.

Thor asks him who he is. Mobius replies, on different occasions during their adventure:

"We used to work together ..."

"He's my friend ..."

When at last they arrive at Yggdrasil and weave their way into its center, Mobius insists that Thor should go in first.

Thor and Loki have a tearful reunion. They embrace long and hard. Thor can't believe it. His brother looks and acts so different from the Loki he knew.

After explaining everything they have each been through, Loki peers over Thor's shoulder and discovers the most precious person in his life that he never thought he'd see again. He whispers:

"Mobius...?"

Mobius smiles. True to form, he cuts the tension with humor, "Didn't think you'd get rid of me that easily, did you?"

Loki runs to Mobius and sweeps him into an intimate embrace. His nose buries in Mobius's silver hair. Mobius presses his eyes into the slope of Loki's neck.

Thor watches the two of them, the way they talk to one another (his brow arches), the way they make each other laugh (his eyes narrow), the way they touch one another with profound familiarity (his jaw drops).

In shock, Thor drops mjolnir at his feet and clears his throat.

Loki turns to him. Shy and blushing, he stumbles over his words.

"Thor, this is ... This is Mobius ... My, uh ... my..."

Mobius intervenes, saying, "Partner. I'm his partner."

[imhellaboss]

Yandere! Alastor Headcanons

[Still blows my mind that she was able to get so many incredible actors to work on her show]

He really could take or leave you tbh

The only thing you both share is having been both from the South

You find it hard to read him and know exactly what he's thinking

Which is why it was so hard to believe when he did finally started liking you

He's protective over you and can get extremely violent if someone hurts you or upsets you

He loves to fuck with you and string you along

If you want something from him, he makes you beg

"You want it? Beg. Me."

Gets a sick joy of humiliating you

No one else can do that though. If anyone tries it, they better hope there's a double hell, because they're not staying in this hell for much longer

Pats your head a lot. Like you're a dog

Always smiling, but it's not how he's truly feeling

^ You've only seen his demon form once and you saw that he had stitches keeping his mouth up, so he can't stop smiling

^ You would feel bad, but then he says something that pisses you off and you lose all empathy

His demon form scared the shit out of you. Especially since he had you cornered

Finds you infuriating sometimes when you don't do what he says

He laughs really loud when you say something stupid or that he doesn't agree with

He can be scary, but he has never physically abused you. It's the one thing he is adamantly against

Now Mental and Emotional abuse it another story-

[omtai]

new thursday song so good it got me painting w/ acrylics for the first time in a year …and at 2am no less !!