#and the show was very collaborative so they did have a lot of input

[this-is-a-love-story-isnt-it]

Claudia Black and Ben Browder being captains of their own ship since 1999.

ComicCon 2009 Wintercon 2019 Wintercon 2023

[erisweekofficial]

SURPRISE! 🔥❤️‍🔥

We are SO excited to have chatted with Matthew Bassett, the voice actor for Eris Vanserra in the Graphic Audio Production of the ACOTAR series.

Read below for an Exclusive Q&A with Matt ❤️

How long have you been voice acting? How did you get started in the voice acting industry?

I’ve only really worked with Graphic Audio for voice acting, and I’ve been in their roster of actors since 2012. I’ve been a stage actor (with a tiny bit of film) since 2003, and I’ve taught acting in the Washington, DC, area since 2012. When I moved to the DC area after graduate school and started working around here, a number of actors I liked and admired kept mentioning this company that provided steady work on fun material - westerns, fantasy, sci-fi. The comic book adaptations sold me, I’m a huge comics fan. Since 2012, I’ve played countless varmints, monsters, cads, aliens, superheroes/villains, and the occasional good guy. Along with Eris, my larger roles have included voicing The Homelander in all six volumes of GA’s adaption of The Boys graphic novels and Cullen in the World of Lupi series.

Can you describe the process for being selected for the role of Eris (or any other character)? Were there auditions, callbacks, or specific criteria that led to your casting?

Graphic Audio works like a repertory acting company, in that after your initial audition, they maintain your contact information for project directors to pull from when needed. I’ve done a lot of work with Colleen Delaney, director of the ACOTAR adaptations, including several longer character arcs in multiple series, so she thought I would be a good fit for Eris based on similar characters (rogueish, but with hidden depth that is explored over time) I’ve played elsewhere. I’m glad she did! Eris has been really fun.

How did you prepare for the role of Eris in terms of understanding the character's backstory, motivations, and relationships with other characters?

Graphic Audio does a fantastic job of preparing actors and directing us through performances. Colleen sent each actor a brief but rich character description, often quoting directly from the novels, as well as providing a plot description for each specific novel (necessary since the turnaround from offer to recording is very short). During our sessions, Colleen tells me everything I need to know about where Eris has been since the last scene/book and how his relationships have evolved. GA directors also read in as “scene partners,” which, considering they are all performers themselves, makes it very easy to react as I imagine Eris would.

Eris is a complex and morally ambiguous character. What aspects of his personality did you find most challenging to convey in your performance, and how did you approach tackling those challenges?

His vulnerability is very challenging. Eris has had a hard life, despite growing up with every privilege, which is difficult to convey. He hates everyone to some extent, but it all comes from how much he hates his family and himself. The scenes with Morrigan in particular take a while to record - he has all the feelings when talking to her, but he can’t show any of them.

Did you have any creative input into how Eris's voice would sound, or was it a collaborative effort with the production team and director? Were there any specific discussions about the character's vocal tone or style?

Definitely collaborative! His basic vocal character is very close to mine, with the musicality dialed up a bit so he can taunt everyone so well. Where my director really helps is pushing me to find the different levels to his interactions - when he’s teasing (often), when he’s antagonizing (mostly with Cassian), and when he’s speaking from his heart (VERY rarely, usually to or involving Morrigan).

What actors (voice, stage, film, etc) have inspired you? And did any actors or other characters help inspire your performance for Eris?

Hoo boy. Too many to list! For something like Eris, a lot of inspiration from Tom HIddleston’s Loki, Tom Cruise’s Lestat de Lioncourt, and anything Jeremy Irons has ever done. Characters that you can’t take your eyes off of, even as you want to beat the crap out of them.

Were there any specific challenges or unique aspects to voicing Eris compared to other characters you've portrayed in the past? How did you adapt your voice to capture his essence?

Y’know, for all the dirtbags, murderers, literal monsters, aliens, and villains I’ve voiced, Eris is the one with the biggest heart. The biggest challenge is allowing him to have a deep want, hidden from even himself, for some tenderness, the one thing he has been denied his entire life. A character like Eris is easy to just have fun with and play as a smug prick (which he is), but he has moments of aching loneliness that make him much richer. SPOILER: One of my most recent favorite moments was playing Eris’ surprise and gratitude when receiving a “made” dagger for safekeeping. Eris can’t fathom trusting anyone else with something so powerful and important, because he simply wasn’t shown that level of trust or respect. The moment took him by such surprise. It was great to let myself feel that in the playing.

Do you have any advice for aspiring voice actors who are considering pursuing a career in Voice Acting? Any tips for breaking into the business and honing their craft?

Train your voice! I received excellent vocal training as part of my MFA (Master of Fine Arts) in Acting at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. I learned how to care for my vocal health, how to support with my breath, and how to modulate the dynamics of my voice for character differentiation as well as basic performance beats. You may not have the inclination for that level of training, but a regular voice lesson with a singing coach will give you similar techniques. In terms of breaking in: like anything of this nature, it’s relationships. Build a strong resume, but also build strong relationships with your collaborators and a reputation for reliability. Directors know that I’ll prepare so that I can make strong initial choices, but that I am more than happy to adjust my choices as needed to make the overall production its best.

[harlowcomehome]

Goodbye looks good on you- Part Two

A collaboration with @nattinatalia ! 🦋

Part one here!

You and Jack spent the last year engaged and for the most part pretty happy. You hadn’t broken up, which you were thankful l for after being off and on for so long.

Your parents and his parents both grew close, which was all you ever wanted in a partner. You had spent most of your life dreaming of exactly this scenario.

You did notice that when you brought up wedding planning Jack seemed apprehensive but you assumed it was just him being nervous about it all.

“I thought we decided on a long engagement?” He nervously chuckled as you gave him a side-eye.

The weeks started to pass by quickly and you decided it was time to start meeting with a wedding planner. Trying to get stuff done yourself would be too overwhelming.

However, it would’ve been a lot easier and less stressful if your fiancé would help and attended the meetings with you, but he always claimed to be busy in the studio or had a meeting with his team.

Jack was sitting beside you on the couch, scrolling on his phone when you interrupted his thoughts. “What do you think about carrot cake? Or we can go traditional with vanilla or chocolate?” You smiled, hoping for a reaction.

“I’m not a fan of cake really, so you can decide on that.” He says from his spot on the couch, without even giving you a glimpse.

You frowned at that, hoping he would have input to give.

“Okay, well I was thinking, are we doing an indoor reception or outdoor?” You watched as his facial expressions didn’t change, he still wasn’t looking at you.

“I don’t know, it depends on the weather but you can also decide on that” He shrugged.

You're getting annoyed now, “Should I show up naked to church and confess all my sins?”

He finally turns to look at you, he thought maybe he was hearing things. “What? Should you what?”

“Of course, you pay attention to that.” You close your planner, toss it to the side, and head to your bedroom, slamming the door behind you.

“Shit” he mumbled to himself as he locked his phone and walked towards the hallway.

“Y/N, I’m sorry okay?” He stands by the door, speaking through it.

“That’s all you’ve been saying for the last month. Every time I want to talk to you about the wedding, you ignore me or try to change the subject. If you’re not all in, then why did you propose?” You say behind the closed door.

He opens it now to look at you “I've just been busy.”

You looked over at him, trying to hold back tears.

“Working on the new album and trying to get a script for this new movie. I don’t have it in me to talk about wedding stuff right now.”

“So should I cancel everything then?” You mumble.

“No.” He shakes his head and walks towards you on the bed. “I have the next few days off, I’ll go with you to speak with the wedding planner.”

You smile up at him. “You mean that?”

“Yeah, I got you.” He wraps you up in a tight hug. “We’re doing this.”

“You know I love you right?” You smiled, leaning on him, and kissed the top of your head.

“I love you too, who should we make appointments with first?” He smiled and handed you the wedding planner you had slammed shut just moments earlier.

You just nodded, giving him a number to call for the cake tasting and you called your ideal venue to have a look around.

When he came back in the room, he told you a time and you smiled, motioning for him to come closer. You gave him a kiss that he of course reciprocated.

The next day you and Jack headed to the venue, he seemed to be in better spirits than he was before so your nerves had eased.

The venue had an ideal florist who was meeting you there, so you started to feel everything coming together.

A tall older woman met you inside, she was the owner of the building and she was very kind and courteous, she showed you and Jack around and even made suggestions of things she had seen done before.

“Do you like this venue?” You clung to his arm, as he continued to silently look around.

“If you like it, I love it” he replied.

“I like it, it fits us perfectly.” You hummed.

Jack nods, “Then it’s settled, we’re doing it here.”

“Well, we still need to see two more venues just in case.” You remind him with a big grin.

“What’s wrong with this one?” He asks you, clearly annoyed already, which is making you upset because just last night he promised you he would be present in everything wedding related.

He obviously could tell your change in mood, so he quickly added. “We can go see the other two places, but I love this one.”

“In the meantime, we can talk about food and flowers.” The owner of the venue chimes in. “The venue comes with catering and the chef has five dishes you can try today and see if you like any of them.”

You smile at her, “Yes, thank you, that would be wonderful.”

“If you’re not sure about this place then why are we tasting food?” Jack asks while looking through his phone.

“It’s just a procedure we like to do, in case you decide to have your wedding with us, we have everything down and ready. So if you’re ready now, we can call the chef and let him know to bring out the plates?”

“Yes please.”

The woman excuses herself, leaving you and Jack alone. “Jack, can you please try harder? You’re just agreeing with me and not giving input. This is your wedding too. I want it to be special for both of us.”

“Yes I’m sorry, I just don’t understand if we both like this place. What's the need of looking at other places? But I’m here, I’ll help more.”

You smile at him, “Thank you.”

After a few more moments of talking, the chef is making his way to you both.

“Good evening, I’m-“

“Oh my god, Tony?” You ask.

“Y/N? Oh wow, how have you been?” The chef, Antonio, who you went to high school with, receives you with a hug.

“I’ve been good, thank you.” You smile at him, “You’re the chef for the venue?”

Tony nods, “I am, but I’m part owner of the venue with Crystal.”

“That’s amazing, I’m so happy for you.”

You hear coughing coming from beside you, and you forgot Jack was even there with you. He’s raising his eyebrows at you in a questioning manner.

“Right, sorry, Antonio, this is Jack, Jack this is Antonio, he and I used to go to school together.”

“Nice to meet you.” He shakes Jack’s hand and looks back at you smiling. “Are you helping him plan a party?”

You smile at that, “Actu-“

“Our wedding,” Jack says, sitting up straight, trying to look intimidating. “See her ring?”

You glare at him “Please excuse him, Tony, it’s been a long day.” You turn to look at him and notice him and Jack staring at each other. “You think we can start with the tasting?” You ask, trying to change the vibe in the room.

“Yes, of course, my apologies.” Tony smiles as ushers the both of you over to a table to sit. “I’ll be right back with the plates.”

When Tony left, Jack was automatically annoyed. “Why did you embarrass me like that? Excusing my behavior? How about you both excuse your googly eyes at one another.”

You were shocked by Jack's reaction, he wasn’t usually a jealous person. “Jackman, don’t do this. Today is supposed to be a good memory” you replied sadly but his comments stayed in your head throughout the tasting.

Neither one of you could decide on the menu, so Tony gave you his card and told you to let him know when you both decided, something Jack also didn’t find amusing.

The next few days were a blur, and you and Jack made a lot of wedding decisions but something still felt off to you.

Jack had gone to the studio and you were left alone at your place, you looked at the business card with Tony's name and number on it, contemplating your next move.

You took your phone out and dialed his number, you couldn’t explain what made you do it and you felt guilty but you did it anyway.

Once you decided on making the call, you and Tony fell into a comfortable conversation, he even invited you for coffee.

You accepted the invitation, with no hesitation whatsoever, and deep down that let you know this was a bad decision. But you didn’t care, as far as you see it, it’s just two friends catching up and maybe you’d even talk about your wedding.

So here you were at a newer, less busy coffee shop, sitting across from Tony.

“Does your fiancé know you’re here right now?” He questioned.

“I don’t tell him everything, why do you ask?” You furrow your eyebrows. This made you think he was probably trying to make a move and that didn’t sit right with you.

“Oh no, I don’t mean it in a bad or teasing way.” He takes a sip of his coffee. “I meant, well if I’m being honest he seemed a bit possessive and annoyed when you introduced us the other day.”

“He’s just always so busy, and I had dropped all the wedding stuff on his lap, so he was just exhausted.” You don’t know why you were trying to justify Jack’s behavior, Tony is one hundred percent correct, Jack did come off as rude.

He nods and stares at you like he wants to say something. “Antonio, just tell me.”

“I don’t want to offend you.” He places his hand on top of yours, in a caring way. “We just used to be such great friends, we would tell each other anything and everything. Marisol and I were the only ones allowed to call you out on your shit” He smiled.

“Yeah, I know.” You tell him sadly, “Then you moved away and we didn’t stay in contact.”

“But I’m here now.” He squeezes your hand. “And as your friend, I want to make sure you’re okay and ask you if you’re sure Jack is the one you want to spend the rest of your life with Y/N.”

You pull your hand away, “Wh-what makes you ask that?” You look out the window, pausing for a moment before looking back at him. “I love him, of course, I do.”

“I’m not saying you don’t, I’m saying, is that love enough to make you settle down with a man who can’t even help you decide on a menu or a cake?”

“Tony.” You warn, shaking your head.

“Y/N, I don’t mean to be harsh, but I’m surprised Mar hasn’t said anything. I saw it as soon as he opened his mouth, he’s cocky and he obviously doesn’t want a wedding.”

“You don’t know him like I do.”

“But you’re forgetting I know you.” His voice was sterner now.

“That was years ago Tony.”

“Then explain to me how I know you don’t like velvet cake, and he doesn’t? Why did he suggest that instead of carrot cake?”

You shrug “You’re going based on a flavor cake?”

Tony shakes his head. “No, I’m going off the fact that I didn’t see any connection between the two of you. I do weddings for a living, remember that. So I come across all types of relationships. You two might love each other, but you aren’t in love with each other.”

You were devastated and didn’t know what to say to that.

You thought this would’ve been a relaxed coffee run, catching up with an old friend. You didn’t know your engagement with Jack would be questioned.

“Thank you for the coffee, but I think I should leave now.” You toss a twenty-dollar bill for the waitress on the table.

“Y/N”

“No.” You shake your head at him. “You can’t come into my life after years of being away and question my relationship with the man I love.”

“Please just think about what I said. You have three weeks to think about taking this huge step. This isn’t me trying to get in the middle of your relationship, this is a friend worried about a friend. I don’t want you making a mistake and regretting it later on.”

“Goodbye, Tony.” You shrug sadly at him. “From now on we will only talk about my wedding and what dish we decided on.” You walk out of the coffee shop and quickly get into your car.

The whole drive back to your condo you couldn’t stop thinking about what Tony said.

Is what he said right?

Are you making a mistake?

Will you regret your married life with Jack?

All these questions were running around your head and you couldn’t escape them. Not even when you arrived home did they go away.

Tony made a lot of valid points but the big the question still remained.

Should you get married or was Tony on to something?

[bwarchives]

IN CONVERSATION WITH: BACKYARD STORIES PERFORMERS

In collaboration with Backyard Stories for their 'Neo Soul vs Splash' Jam session, we interviewed the event's main performers to learn more about their interests, journey as musicians, and experience with Backyard Stories.

Backyard Stories was founded in 2017 by Thoriso Bogwasi and John Swaki Lechiile through their love for music and desire to create and provide a platform for artists to share their experiences and creativity in an intimate environment. The first edition of Backyard Stories took place in John Swaki Lechiile's backyard. A very important aspect of the music show is that the use of alcohol and drugs is prohibited to ensure people fully enjoy the show. (source: meraki magazine)

What is your favourite song to sing/perform?  

Ayanda: How does it feel by D’Angelo

Miss OJY: Titles ( it’s an original song that hasn’t been released yet)

Ame Royal: My favorite song to sing, Make Me Cry by Pip Millet...challenges my vocal range

What do you do to calm yourself down if get nervous right before a performance?

Ayanda: PRAY

Miss OJY: I pray and ask the Lord to take over because truthfully speaking, I can’t do any of the things I do without him. I take deep breaths too and remind myself that I’m going to nail the performance and that I am worthy of being on that stage

Ame Royal: Deep breaths, self-affirmation

How would you describe your experience at the neo-soul vs splash jam session event?

Ayanda: It was absolutely amazing I struggled at first because getting to work with a lot of new people is quite hard for me as I’m a shy and introverted person by nature but they were all amazing people who really made it easy to work together and enjoy so it was definitely worth all the anxiety.

Miss OJY: It was amazing probably one of my best performances so far. I had so much fun dancing with everyone and geeking over my fellow artists’ performances. Every single thing about the jam session was amazing truthfully speaking. I can’t wait to attend another one of Backyardstories’ events.

Ame Royal: It was really fun, it felt like one big family at a get-together, the audience was interactive, and the atmosphere too was so surreal..my favorite moment was definitely after singing the first song of the set..my anxiety was high at first but the reception I got from the crowd was amazing...the dancing with the audience too, it was more than evident that everyone was having fun

How did you discover backyard stories?  

MJ Austin: Backyard stories discovered me honestly..But I often heard that there was some kind of event that’s alcohol-free that took place in a backyard

Sarai: I actually didn't know about it until I was inboxed to be a part of the show by the page manager.

Tsholo: They contacted me the end of last year to be a part of the show, which is how l got to learn about them properly.

Which performance would you say was your best and you felt like you outdid yourself

MJ Austin: It would be my rendition of Mon Soleil by Princess lover It was in french and inside, I incorporated a poem and from the planned execution to the real one,i must say,i went all out in pouring out my emotions into that one And the crowd’s response to the performance wrapped it all up

Sarai: I wish-Carl Thomas

Tsholo: My performance of strange by Celeste has to have been my favorite. It was such a magical moment on my end. The crowd seemed to feel the song alongside me. I believe it was good performance and l enjoyed every moment of it.

How would you describe your experience at the neo soul vs splash jam session event?

MJ Austin: Everyone was so friendly and easy to approach The amount of work,dedication,every artist and instrumentalist put into this,is immeasurable and I honestly can’t wait to be part of Backyard stories again

Sarai: Intimate, enjoyable and fun

Tsholo: It was definitely an interesting and exciting, mostly because of the other amazing artist who would give input in the creative process which kept things flowing and interesting. The genres were something new and fresh especially splash being a genre that is as popular amongst young people. It was a beautiful experience overall, everyone from the directors, fellow artist ,the master of ceremonies, the bands and all the behind the scene people really outdid themselves.

What did you think of the theme neo soul vs splash when you heard of it for the first time?

Simon's playground: It was very interesting concept. Honestly i scratched my brain on how its going to work but i made a interesting comparison, being that splash is basically trap but for Africans. The way the beat and bass is arranged simply gave me that vibe. That just made it slightly easier for me to visualize.

Mohau:I thought "oh that's something."I was a bit sceptical of the concept because i had never seen these two genres put together before.

Lemo and Gole: Because we mainly perform pop & mainstream pieces, we were excited for the challenge. To be honest, we had no idea what neo-soul nor splash sounded like so we were definitely in for a shock the first time we heard the music being provided for us

Your favourite performer of all time?

Simon's Playground: Jimi Hendrix

Mohau: Yebba!!!

Lemo and Gole: The both of us listen to very different genres of music. Lemo listens to a lot of mainstream, hip hop- G Eazy being her top pick. Gole listens to indie, the likes of Far Caspian 

How would you describe your experience at the neo-soul vs splash jam session event?

Simon's playground: it was inspirational and such a good learning and teaching curve. it is quite rare to get musicians who sing and play for themselves. it gives one the power to control musical narrative which was definitely the fun part for me. not to mention the many wonderful artists i got to work with. people who definitely made my dream come true.

Mohau: Very exposing - but in a good, growth, leaving the nest kind of way.

Lemo and Gole: It was definitely one we wouldn’t mind experiencing again, minus the heat of course. But we love musicians. That was the best part, networking.

ame royal

The neo-soul genre is slowly emerging in Botswana, who is your favourite neo-soul artist in Botswana and why? : Mpho Sebina..her voice is so angelic and captivating..a lot of emotion goes into all her music..how she excels in other genres too, the versatility is beautiful.

Are you currently working on releasing any music any time soon?: Yes, I've been working on a song titled 'insan3'..it will be released in a few months

ayanda

You’ve performed at quite a handful music events, which one would you say holds a special place in your heart? :So far backyard stories tops the chart by a mile

Are you currently working on releasing any music any time soon?: Yes I am

miss ojy

You are performing for the second time at backyard stories, how was your experience performing for the first time there and when was it? My first time performing for Backyard Stories was during their Harmony Chapter late last year. It was honestly a beautiful experience for me. Having people who barely knew who I was, enjoy my performance to the extent that they did , brought me joy. The backyard stories team made sure that everything pertaining to my performance ran as smoothly as possible which made my job easier. Being able to perform my original song “Titles” for the first time made me very nervous but I got the chance to share my story through the song and I believe that helped me connect better with the audience

MJ Austin

We learned that you participated in my star, which year did you participate and how has your participation in the competition benefitted you as a musician?: Both 2020 and 2023 and from the experience,I’d say i grew vocally,gained exposure and also received opportunities to perform in open mic sessions and of course Backyard Stories

sarai

We've learned that you incorporate RNB soul and gospel music, who or what would you say has influenced you to get into these genres: My upbringing as well as cultivation from my own personal experiences which have caused me to desire to incorporate 2 of my most preferred genres. My biggest influencer is my mother. Rnb has just also been one of the genres I've gravitated to the most from songs I've listened to growing up.

simon's playground

You are part of a collective called Calluses, how did that come about and what do you want to achieve with lebeko panashe and malum carlie in the future? we are musicians with the love of self-expression through our instruments. we are interested in making feel good music that might literally just be instrumentals relative to neo soul jazz vibes. alternative music of sorts. we plan on achieving a place where live music is adored by all. especially underappreciated genres such as jazz, rock, funk, neo soul, etc...

mohau

you are only 17, one would say you are quite early in your journey as an artist, what hopes do you have for yourself as an artist in the future?

I hope to have my music being listened to by different people around the world, not just my music but other projects as well because I want to touch people's hearts with the work of my hands.

lemo and gole How long have you been performing together and what is your favorite thing about performing together?:

We used to sing at our parents’ tuckshop when we were younger But together, with instruments was around 2013 when Lemo learned to play the ukelele

tsholo

Are you working on releasing any music anytime soon? I wouldn’t say very soon but a song is in the works.

Photos are courtesy of @princemarguson, @saigotheeditor and @backyardstories

[labrat-heart-emoji]

Hello vocal synth tumblr :-D!

I have been thinking on a few ideas for vocal synth series, but I feel I could really benefit from collaborators! In the past I've made my videos solo, but I feel like it will be an even better work if I have like-minded people involved!

I myself own Kevin synth v as well as a bunch of lite voicebanks, and I also use open utau, I've made videos and songs before as well, this is the best work I have currently posted to YouTube : https://youtu.be/k3ThmNmgJus! I have some stuff I consider more advanced that is not public yet, but you can message me and I can show you! I also have a lot of art on my tumblr u can find under the tag #labratart. I'll probably be doing a bit of everything if this project gets off the ground, focusing most on the drawing and the music! If there's anyone experienced in editing that would be fantastic, as that's the place I'm most lacking.

With that out of the way, my musical storytelling ideas are

a series of songs about a world where there are stereotypical "red strings" and while in the world there is no confirmed reason, society and culture see it as a thing linking soulmates. Each song would show a pair of people in worse and worse circumstances, with the first song being more lighthearted and having a happy ending, while the last song will lean into the horror elements. Having a different person at the head of each video and song will be a boon here, as then they can all have a distinctly different vibe! I have a lot of ideas about this, but I won't go further into them unless people are interested because I want the other people involved to also have creative control!

A few songs about a girl from some kinda cyberpunkish future, who somehow travels to an alternate universe that is more high fantasy, because her life goal is to. kill a dragon. I know this is a rather silly premise, but it came from having musical ideas of two really contrasting styles, and wanting to translate that into a story somehow! I have a lot of admiration for bands like The Mechanisms and wanted something with a similar vibe while still being different. Even if the starting idea is a little over the top I feel like with other people part of it it will come out really fun!

ok so imagine the stupidest internet drama imaginable but in a world where there's demons and angels. This started with me attempting practice wordbuilding, and growing attached to an idea of demons and angels ( basically theyre people born with a purpose, and that purpose is either good. or bad. its very distanced from catholic ideas except for aesthetics), and specifically finding the idea of what their internet would be like funny and interesting. I'm not sure exactly how this would translate to a song series but a lot of it seems really fun to me, so with others input I think something really cool could come out of it!

I have a lot of ideas and passion, as you can probably tell if you read this far, and I hope some people are interested! I know this is a lot of rambling, but I really want to try to find people as passionate as I am! Even thouugh I've put forth many ideas here, I'm still really flexible right now, what's important to me is making something worthwhile! And if you did read this far, even if you arent interested, thank you!

[sanstropfremir]

I'm really enjoying reading through your blog, and of course it has to do a lot with the fact that I also love to bits everything Taemin puts out. Unfortunately tumblr makes it really annoying to try and get to older posts, so sorry if you've already spoken about any of this T-T

A big part of why I love Taemin's solo work so much is his unique style, which shines through both technique and performance.

Taemin has many times spoke about how he's heavily involved in everything concerning his work: styling, picking out the samples, lyrics, themes, choreo, you name it he took care of it at some point. "The taemin genre" couldn't have emerged simply out of him being an above average dancer, his signature is on everything.

But surely, very often he can't do much more than express his opinion on something, and a lot of the end product is still created by other people? It would be silly to expect him to dance, sing, produce, write lyrics, style all at once, right? Or would it?

I very, very often hear people take pride in the fact that their fav is an "all-rounder", that presumably does most of the "creating" purely by themselves, or at least can shine all alone, even without the support of a group. But does that imply that artists that only do the performing part are somehow less "authentic", or worthy of praise? Or that idols comfortable in their position as a team player aren't talented or into what they do? To call yourself a master you probably have to spend a decade on just one skill, so why expect teens and young adults to be Da Vincis?

Now, of course it's still amazing when an idol puts in the work and branches out. Taemin's vocal improvement undoubtedly gave him more creative opportunities and made his stages that much more impactful.

But even just being an idol and maintaining an attractive appearance (for criteria as harsh as it is in k-pop) would easily count as a full-time job, so I would go as far as to say that this expectation of total creative control is a little delusional.

haha it was really funny watching you go through everything! yea tumblr is really bad about that, but if you go to my blog on desktop/not the mobile version you should be able to page back through ALL my asks, which are all tagged by 'answers'. there are like probably around a thousand of those now tho.

i have kind of talked about this before, but i'm very happy to talk about it again, because i always think it's worthwhile to clarify what the actual process is like for creating a collaborative work.

you are right, taemin and every other idol who says they're 'involved' in the process in some way is most likely just picking options and expression opinions about things that designers and stylists have already curated for them. it is physically impossible for a single person to do EVERYTHING involved in something like creating a kpop cb, because there are just too many tasks. and if one person DID try to do it all on their own, it would take probably 100x as long to finish. let me use styling as an example: lots of idols have professed to have input on styling choices, but this can range anywhere from bringing in moodboards and having discussions about what styling they're interested in at design meetings, to just picking which thing they like best from a selection of clothes already provided by the designer. in NO fucking world is an idol:

taking measurements

shopping for fabric

shopping for clothing

sewing and altering clothing

doing the budgeting

labelling and collating all the pieces together

taking fitting notes

these are all extremely specialized skills that 1) take TIME to learn how to do and how to do well, and 2) just take TIME to DO. you want to know what i spend probably 40% of the total production time of a show doing when i costume design? fucking SHOPPING. an idol may contribute ideas to a design and make executive choices, but in NO way are they solely responsible for everything about styling. the only idol that i would believe to have a heavier hand than most in this regard is kibum, who does actually have a good knowledge of fashion and fabric and i could see him going shopping with a designer. but if you think that man is sewing anything? cmon.

and this is just for ONE aspect of a cb. you think an idol is also painting the set? shopping for props? setting up the lighting? most idols that are known for dancing aren't even choreographing their own work, INCLUDING taemin. it is absolutely and unquestionably delusional to say that an idol has total creative control over something. this whole idea doesn't originate in kpop (it's auteur theory's fault), but kpop does suffer from an acute version of it, because there's a general collective concensus that devalues the creative work of the labourer. basically, people will only classify you as a "true artist" if you're the one who comes up with the ideas, because ideas and concepts are given more importance and weight. it's a type of because 'being in charge'/'at the top of the food chain that's been perpetuated by capitalism and western postmordern art theory that intentionally places value of conceptual skills higher than those of craftspeople. no type of person is a ''true artist'' and most art takes many people with many different skills in order to create. i find it unintentionally very funny that you use da vinci as an example of an 'allrounder' (or 'renaissance man' as they used to be called) because he, like every other famous painter from the era, used apprentices to help paint his paintings!!!!! he was even an apprentice himself for verrocchio!! da vinci's legacy would not have been possible without all the other people who helped him create the work that he did!

what is the real kicker about this whole mess is that downplays the beauty of the fact that art is made collaboratively. an 'ideas' person cannot realize those ideas without a craftsperson there to help them. everyone who takes part in creating something is important, and it's fucked to only acknowledge specific people in that process.

[golden-doves]

The Garden AU Background information

Around 1,000 years after the game story-line Lambert decided to bring the Bishops back to life, he healed their wounds given by Narinder and restored their Godhood, mostly as an apology for killing them all those years ago.

The only requirement the Bishops have is that they are peaceful towards the Lamb, and that they eventually, help him protect the Garden.

However Lambert was no fool, so he waited until everyone forgave him and Narinder, and they became somewhat friends, somewhat family. (At this point Lambert and Narinder had completed the Marriage ritual long ago, so legally he is family with the bishops.)

Eventually, once everyone forgave them, (Kallamar was technically the last one to forgive them, as he was waiting for Heket too. Shamura forgave them first.) The Lamb showed the four bishops the Garden and explained how he had discovered how this place was the spot that supplied the rest of the Island with Magic and Life.

They all promptly agreed to help protect the Garden, and moved their main temple closer to the Garden. (Shamura's temple was actually the closest originally to the garden, being almost directly underneath it. So he didn't move his)

The Garden itself

(I'm only going to give a short explanation, as the full story comes into play later in the story as a crucial detail)

The garden is a medium sized patch of land in-between everyone's cults.

The Garden is rumored to be the reason that the island exists

The garden before was entirely plant matter, however in front of a magnificent rose, stood a big spot of land, perfect for creating a meeting house(This is around 100 years before he resurrects the Bishops)

Lamb was preparing for the future

Shamura and Lambert collaborated(with some of Narinder's input on the designs) on making armor for everyone when on guard duty, or Weed patrol as they like to call it.

Characters

Baksis, the eldest child he's very protective of his siblings, and just generally the ones he loves.

*He enjoys being with his siblings, even if they all are just sitting there, merely being in each other's presence.

*Baksis also enjoys cooking, and just preparing things (He was taught how to cook by Heket :D )

Kasper the middle child, also inherited that overprotective gene from his entire family.

*Kasper was a very sickly child, up until he seven years old, and there was a long stretch of time, (Like 6 months when he was 4) That Kasper almost died, Kallamar got to have practice treating a gods sickness. though.

*However he slowly got better as he got older, and hasn't gotten sick again since he was around 7.5. Kasper enjoys sports and things that involve lots of physical movement, likely from being bed-bound for 7 years.

*Because Kasper was constantly sick, he and Kallamar eventually became really close, and Kasper even asked Kallamar if he could teach him healing magic and such.

Azami, the youngest.

*Azami in fact, did not inherit the protective gene, however she is able to calm others quite easily. She also is one to quickly defend someone else if they are being bullied or harassed.

*Azami is incredibly smart, one of her favorite past-times being learning things. She and Shamura share this bond of loving knowledge, so they often spends lots of time in Shamura's library, reading until her heart is content.

*Azami is a very social person, much like her two brothers and Lambert, so, naturally, she is in a big friend group. (There's about 13 people in this group including her.) Azami was the one who brought most of her friends into the group, and she is considered the Rock of the friend group.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That's all for now! If I realize that I forgot something then I will update this. :)

[thestupidhelmet]

In response to this post:

that70sshowgoldencouple

Oh we would have SO much fun! 💛

We’d have to keep Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp as executive producers tho! Heard they gave lots of input on Red and Kitty and from what I’ve seen, it shows! They know their characters well 😊 imagine getting to collaborate with them on a story for Red/Kitty 😳 I don’t know if I’d be able to speak!

Of course KS and DJR would be EPs. That wouldn’t change. ❤️

But we’d prep you so that you could speak to them (I say as if us being in charge of T9S is actually going to be a thing 😂).

einsteinsugly

What would you change Leia's name to, out of curiosity? And would JH's kid still be named Jay (short for James, perhaps)? Would you push the show into the early 00s, so it makes character sense too?? What would T9S be called, then?

I'd be totally excited for such a verse, that is actually canon. *Coughs loudly* Like mine...

Because it is That ‘90s Show, I’d have to work within that fixed (i.e. unchangeable) framework. I probably would go a bit meta in the first episode and have the characters reference how time moves differently in Point Place (i.e. Point Place Time™).

Eric: It did take me over five years to turn eighteen after I turned seventeen.

Donna: And we once had three Christmases in one year.

Jackie: And I graduated two years after you two did, which makes no sense since I was only a year behind you in school, and I wasn’t held back.

Eric: Time works differently in this town, and you can take the Kid out of Point Place, but not Point Place out of the Kid. And that explains how all of us have children who are fourteen and fifteen!

Jackie: You’re still going with the Kid? I thought you dropped that after everyone made fun of you for it.

Eric: I look exactly the same as I did sixteen years ago. I learned to stop questioning certain things.

---

Eric and Donna’s daughter would not be named Leia. I have a few ideas. One, she would have a name that could be shortened to a gender neutral nickname, which both Donna and Eric think is cool -- and Red and Kitty don’t get. Red and Kitty call her by her full first name while her new friends call her by her shortened one.

Or to continue the tradition of the kids calling each other by their last names, she’d be called Forman anyway. So she’d be named after a feminist icon (Donna’s wish), and Eric chooses her middle name (with the stipulation from Donna that it’s not a Star Wars or comic book name).

Jackie and Hyde’s son (or daughter) would not be named Jay. They would struggle with the naming because their ideas are incompatible. Then they’d be doing something together that’s unrelated to the baby-naming, and the right name would hit them at the same time -- and they’d shout the name at the same time, excited. And it would be a very sweet moment between them, yet again proving how similar they truly are deep down.

---

Because the show is set in 1995, Kurt Cobain’s death would be a reference point for these kids. It was a major traumatic event for teens in ‘94. Maybe one of the kids in particular, for whom Nirvana and Kurt is an emotional touchstone (maybe J/H’s son), would still be dealing with the grief to some degree.

There could be a clash of musical tastes among the kids. The ‘90s had quite a few distinct and significant music scenes going on. I think these kids would be more at odds here than the ones in That ‘70s Show. Jackie’s musical taste was the only real outlier.

---

Sexuality and gender identity would be explored in my version of That ‘90s Show. As I wrote in a previous post, “[w]riting within the limits of how people understood these things in the mid-'90s doesn’t mean writing the show as if those limits are the actual boundary to people’s sexuality and gender identity.”

---

Ultimately, everything would arise from character. Character would drive the plot, which would affect character development, which would affect the plot, etc. The conflicts would be organic to who the characters are, not forced on the characters -- which would mean making them behave OOC so that those conflicts could happen. The jokes, too, would arise from who the characters actually are instead of writing the characters’ behavior to (or for) the joke.

---

All of the above is about writing That ‘90s Show. Not a spinoff that takes place at a more realistic time period for the T7S characters to have had kids. Nor for a future!fic.

[hsmtmtsnet]

'HSMTMTS' Sneak Peek! Sofia Wylie Takes Center Stage with Corbin Bleu in Show-Stopping Dream Sequence 

Wylie, 18, tells PEOPLE that working with the OG Wildcat was "truly a pinch-me moment."

"I really did grow up watching the [HSM] movies and loving his character," she says. "I just loved him and I loved his talent and who he was as a person. Then, getting to meet him and actually know him intimately, he was exactly who I thought he was going to be."

Wylie adds that Bleu's talent is "immense" and really made her step up her own game for the number. "I really had to work my butt off and keep up."

As the rest of this season progresses, Wylie reveals that there are "a lot of plot twists" to come in the remaining episodes.

"Where people think things are headed will switch up on them," she teases. "There's so much drama, but I know that everyone is going to eat it all up."

Plus, there are even more exciting moments to look forward to as HSMTMTS has already been renewed for season 4.

With filming expected to start in September in Salt Lake City, Utah, Wylie says that she's been having extensive conversations with Federle about his plans for season 4.

"[Tim] is so inclusive and really wants myself and the rest of the cast to have an input and a say in what we hope to see this coming season," she says. "He's just such a wonderful collaborator and I'm very lucky for him."

"The musical that we'll be putting on in season 4 is super exciting," she adds. "I think you are going to love it. I'm just so excited to start filming. I think it's going to be the best season yet."

[channel-z]

Dear Covy

I lost my brilliant friend and collaborator Covy Holland this week. I’m trying to work through a strange and difficult grief process that’s only beginning, so I’ve decided to write him a letter. If you knew Covy, I hope reading it can help you a bit out too. If you didn’t know Covy, I’m really sorry that you didn’t get to meet him, because he was the absolute best, and I hope you get to know him a bit through this letter. Trigger Warning: allusion to suicide.

Hello my friend,

I want to start this letter by telling you that I am so unbelievably sad that you have left us. You were such a joy to so many and were so, so loved. You leave this Earth with all of us proud of you and so much better to have known you.

I remember meeting you for the first time. When was that? 8, 9, even 10 years ago?? You were so excited that Shannon and I had come to Calgary to run workshops and have fun with all of you. You struck me immediately as such an engaged learner. You were so excited to pick up what Shannon and I were laying down. You had a youthful energy about you and a puckish spryness. I only remembered this week after hearing of your death that we're the same age. You always struck me as a bit younger because you always had so much energy.

What followed was one of the truly great pleasures of my life: getting to see you grow as an improviser and find your voice. You were always playful, but it was amazing to see your work get deeper, sometimes serious, sometimes wonderfully surreal.

You truly did the work, Covy, and we are all so much better for it. I'll miss your willingness to help me develop new shows, like APT 33, and your desire to "go there" whenever I was in town to try new things. I'll miss the weird onstage bits: the ones that didn't go so well and those that killed, like when you wore what felt like infinite shirts onstage to take them off one by one only to have the last shirt be one with holes for the nipples. I don't know if I'll ever really understand why that bit worked as well as it did, but it had something to do with your execution, for sure.

It was wonderful to see you grow so much during the time I knew you, Covy. I am so honored you and Stephen asked me to direct you for those several days in the summer of 2017. Now that you're gone, I cherish the time I spent with you and Stephen in that small rehearsal room, thinking of new ideas and ways to play together.

You were so generous with your time, input, energy, and love for us. We all know this. You were one of my biggest financial supporters when I used to fundraise for Story Pirates. Because of you, so many kids got to experience our creative writing and performance programs who otherwise would not have. This is part of your legacy, and I don't want it to be forgotten.

Remember that wonderful day when you and Cassie came to see me do a Story Pirates show in NYC? After, we walked several miles down Manhattan, laughing and chattering the entire way. It is such a happy memory for me. You just made so many people happy. It's so much about how you chose to live your life. We ended that day getting ice cream and Chinatown Ice Cream Factory. I went there yesterday and ate some ice cream and thought about you. I am in no way surprised that ice cream made its way into some of the stories that your family and friends told at your memorial today.

The day before I heard the terrible that you left us, a bird flew into the bakery where I work. At first, it casually flew in when I was at the front of the store, perched on our front counter, gave me a look, and flew right out. But it came back several hours later and caused a big fuss, which felt very much like you heightening an improv scene in a funny and strange way, and it took a lot of effort for us to shoo it out of the store. There was an element to it that was a little risky and part of it that was fun. Sort of like being on stage with you. Knowing what I know now about the connection that you had to nature, I'd like to believe that was you coming to visit me one last time and say goodbye.

I'm heartbroken that you're gone, Covy. Of course, there's no way to truly understand why you had to leave all of us now. I hope there's an aspect of you that's lighter now and free of what was ailing you. You have left all of us to carry the weight of your absence. It's a challenge that we are up for, but one that I don't look forward to. There are heart-shaped holes in all of the lapels of our jackets where there once were fanciful felt hearts instead. We're all going to have to learn how to keep going, day by day, in this new reality where the holes in our lapels are always there.

I will try to think of you and celebrate your spirit in small and big ways. You made such a huge impact, Covy. I truly believe that one day we'll meet again and there we'll be: in a room, with a stage and some folding chairs, and there will be much laughter and play. But until then, I'll miss you, my friend. And I'll remember you.

[jcmarchi]

Single Photons Go for Gold - Technology Org

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/single-photons-go-for-gold-technology-org/

Single Photons Go for Gold - Technology Org

In 2015, a class of two-dimensional materials called transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) entered the scientific limelight for their ability to produce just one particle of light at a time. Such single-photon emission was a natural, and somewhat random, ability in TMDs with structural defects—missing atoms here and there, or a wrinkle where the crystal should have been straight and even.

The experimental set-up at the Borys Lab at the University of Montana, which specializes in low-temperature optics and has been a long-time collaborator with the Schuck Lab.

Researchers quickly moved from observing single photon emission in TMDs to attempting to engineer the materials in a way that could yield the same effect on demand. Writing recently in Nature Communications, a team including mechanical engineers Jim Schuck and Jim Hone and the Borys lab at Montana State University go for gold to create a single photon emitter.

They carefully placed atomically thin layers of a TMD called tungsten diselenide (WSe2) on the tips of nanoscopic gold cones, which create tiny wrinkles in the material. Those wrinkles yielded strong evidence of single photon emission that, notably, occurred at room rather than ultracold temperature.

Columbia Engineering PhD student Emanuil Yanev is leading the effort to research tungsten diselenide’s properties. In this Q&A, Yanev shares what’s so interesting about single photon emitters, his journey from Idaho to New York City, and a little more about himself and his time at Columbia.

Emanuil Yanev in the Schuck Nano-Optics Lab. Image credit: Columbia University

Why do we need single photons?

We’ve all heard lots about quantum computers lately, but, eventually, we’ll want to build a network of them—essentially, a quantum internet. Single photons can be really important elements in transferring information while preserving its quantum nature.

How did you come up with the idea of using gold cones for this research?

We’ve been experimenting with using strain to create single photons.

In a prior paper published in Nature Nanotechnology, we created “nanobubbles” that strained tungsten diselenide and caused localized photon emission, but we realized that the light was coming from very small wrinkles around the bubble perimeters and not the bubble centers. We thought an array of cones could create similar wrinkles, but in a more robust and prescriptive fashion so we could better determine exactly where the strain originated and where the photons were coming from. Making the cones out of a metal like gold can also enhance the output, like an antenna.

Can we definitively say you can create single photons at room temperature?

Almost. The definitive proof is a correlation measurement that demonstrates antibunching, where you statistically show that there’s zero chance that two photons were emitted at the same time. We’re working on that, but it’s technically challenging with our nano-optical approach.

What we did show was power saturation, which is pretty strong evidence for single photon emission. We excite the tungsten diselenide by shining a laser onto a cone-induced nano-wrinkle. A single photon emitter can’t absorb a second photon until it emits what it has already absorbed from the laser, which takes some time. That means you hit a point where it can’t keep up with the rate of incoming photons, and so the emission output no longer scales with the laser input.

We observed that saturation behavior in our engineered samples at room temperature. This is exciting because it shows that single photons are potentially being created without expensive cryogenic equipment, which so far has been necessary for achieving single-photon emission in TMDs.

What’s next for this research?

To demonstrate antibunching, we need to boost the brightness of the single photon emission, so we’re experimenting with different combinations of materials. We are also starting to think about optimizing the design so that, one day, we can integrate these single photon sources onto circuit chips—that’s the ultimate goal.

Bigger picture, we also want to fundamentally understand what’s going on in these materials. The reason we have smartphones today is because 70-plus years of effort have gone into developing our understanding of silicon—the material that all of our electronics are made from. We’ve pushed the scaling of that technology to the limit more or less, so it’s time to see what we can do with new materials.

And what’s next for you?

I’m nearing the end of my PhD, so I’m starting to write up my thesis. And look for jobs. I’d like to pivot into the quantum computing industry. That’s an exciting space right now. I’ve spent a lot of time doing nanofabrication and working in cleanrooms to make substrates and samples with these 2D materials, and I’d love to continue applying that skillset going forward.

What was your path to your PhD?

My family moved to the US from Bulgaria when I was five, and we ended up in Idaho. Idaho was a great place to grow up, but it’s a little sleepy and I wanted to get into a bigger city, so I enrolled in Columbia’s 3-2 Combined Plan Program. I spent three years at The College of Idaho studying math and physics, then transferred to Columbia to study engineering for another two years.

I’ve been an engineer at heart since I was young. I always enjoyed tinkering and building random things in our garage. When I got to Columbia, I was really excited by the research efforts directed at the nano-scale. I started working in Jim Hone’s lab, and I decided to stay to pursue a PhD, which has been co-advised by Jim Hone and Jim Schuck.

How has your time been at Columbia?

With Jim Hone, I learned a lot about nanofabrication, 2D material synthesis, and sample preparation, and with Jim Schuck, I learned more about optical characterization and applications of these materials. I was a bit of a bridge between the two labs initially, which was a great opportunity: Jim Schuck had just arrived at Columbia when I started my PhD, so I helped teach a lot of the group how to make samples with 2D materials that we would then study optically.

I also spent time at Brookhaven National Laboratory as a Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Student Research Fellow, where I had the chance to explore advanced nanofabrication techniques, such as cryogenic plasma etching.

The 2D materials field is a highly collaborative environment, and it’s been really rewarding to work with people from lots of different backgrounds. You have this great overlap of researchers from mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, materials science, chemistry, and physics coming together to tackle problems.

How do you keep busy outside of the lab?

Mountain biking, which is usually not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Manhattan! I’m on the board of the New York City Mountain Bike Association, which is a nonprofit that builds and maintains the majority of off-road trails in the city and offers free bike clinics for kids and adults.

Almost everyone had a bike where I grew up, but that’s not the case here. We give New Yorkers who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to ride a chance to do so, while also improving the parks for hikers and the broader community.

Any words of advice?

Don’t be afraid to fail. A lot of people coming into graduate school are high-achieving individuals, but research is very different from the classroom—you’re going to be failing a lot, and you can’t internalize that. Just because your experiment was unsuccessful doesn’t mean you are a failure: it’s just part of the process. In fact, some of the greatest insights and discoveries are had when things don’t go according to plan, so keep an open mind!

Source: Columbia University

You can offer your link to a page which is relevant to the topic of this post.

[kmsml]

Red Velvet Wendy OSEN [Q&A]

Q. This is your new album released after 2 years and 11 months. How do you feel about making a comeback with your second mini-album 'Wish You Hell'?

A. It's hard to believe that so much time has passed already. Unlike my first solo album 'Like Water,' this time I've come back with the 'Wish You Hell' album to give freedom and positive energy to many people. I hope everyone enjoys it to the fullest.

Q. What kind of song is the title track 'Wish You Hell,' and what are the key points to enjoy?

A. 'Wish You Hell' is a song about bidding farewell to the past self who lived according to what others wanted and finding one's true self. If anyone has had similar experiences in their daily lives, I hope they can feel even a little liberated through my song and vocals.

Q. I heard that there's a performance prepared for the title track 'Wish You Hell.' Are there any key choreography points?

A. We tried to express a different version of 'me' in line with the song's message. You can see Wendy's charm, where a colorful arrangement akin to a musical coexists with a positive and free-spirited demeanor. Also, there's a key choreography move where we express shedding tears in chorus, synchronized with the lyrics "Wish You Hell."

Q. This album seems to showcase a different musical color compared to your first solo album. Was there a particular aspect you focused on the most while preparing for it?

A. Like all artists, I put effort into every aspect, and I had numerous discussions with the company. We started with the album concept and then determined the message I wanted to convey. After that, I provided a lot of input on the music, visuals, jacket, music videos, and other aspects.

Q. What emotions would you like people to feel after listening to this album? If you could fill in the blank with a desired comment, what would it be? Wish You __

A. Wish You 'Well.' I hope everyone stays healthy and happy.

Q. The teaser images for this album garnered a lot of attention. What was your favorite styling while preparing for this album, and did you have any ideas of your own?

A. I collaborated closely with RED Production and shared my opinions throughout the process. I explained a lot about the feelings I wanted to convey through this album, and the production team understood the concepts very well and helped complete Wendy within them.

Q. Various contents were prepared related to the album, such as concept clips, WENDY's POV, and the music video. Do you have any anecdotes from the shooting?

A. I actually suggested shooting 'WENDY's POV' in a very comfortable atmosphere! I wanted to shoot in a style that I really liked, so I showed several video references. It was also great to be able to do a micro live performance with the microphone I recently bought. As for the music video, it was a delightful shoot working with director Lee Rae Kyung and cinematographer Yoon In Mo, whom I collaborated with for 'Like Water.'

Q. Do you have any plans or goals regarding activities related to this album?

A. My goal is to bring positive energy to many people and to enjoy activities with those who support me!

Source: 레드벨벳 웬디 "자유로움과 긍정적 에너지 드리고 싶다" [일문일답] (osen.co.kr)

[2xplusungood]

From a critique standpoint I really feel like The Plinkett Star Wars Prequal Reviews are the gold standard of film analysis.

Firstly, one thing I really like that they do is outright state they are omitting media outside of the movie while analyzing the story. What this does is place it from the perspective of an average person watching the prequals for the first time and how effective that is telling its story on its own. Books, video games, tv shows, etc can be very good for fleshing out your universe and answering questions that may have gone unanswered, but when theres massive gaps in your narrative intended to be filled in elsewhere (Or in star wars' case, likely retroactively explained by outside authors) can inhibit the audience's ability to become invested in the story. Especially when the question going unanswered is "Why is this important?" which the prequals tend to fail at, because the focus is more on getting to what George Lucas considers important (Dry political drama and big space battles)

Secondly, while a lot of media critiques tend to just mindlessly list plotholes, theres a lot more of a focus on examining the storyline as a whole through the lens of film critique. When they are talking about protagonists, they aren't just saying "This is how films SHOULD" be "There is a glaring issue of the movie where it essentially throws the audience in a very convoluted situation with no real point of reference in a way that actively works against it when there is a very common literary tool you could've used that could've grounded the story"

Thirdly, by relying so much on the interpretation of behind the scenes footage, they recontextualize all of it from "This is why star war is bad" and instead makes a point of how the idea of movies being the result of a "sole visionary" is a myth and its actually a very collaborative effort between the writers, director, actors and the studio as a whole and how Lucas' status as a legendary director actively worked against him, as everyone was too afraid to rock the boat, leading to a very sterile interpretation of a very weak story that could've been so much better if Georgyboy did treat the series like his baby and let others give input to create something much more fleshed out. Thats WHY all the extra material is so good, becuase they take the very solid skeleton that Lucas provided and were able to put their own spin on things as a group rather than just one person as a monolith.

Also they never blame the actors. One of the things that absolutely burns my ass about fandoms in general is that the actors always get undeserved blame 9 times out of 10, they are simply working with the material given. For instance, at no point do they ever blame Hayden Christianson or Natalie Portman for the absolutely awkward alien chemistry between Anakin and Padme becuase they KNOW the actors are capable of so much more, but have their hands tied by Lucas and his writing.

They definitely have some faults with them, such as a lot of the humor being gross shock value and I can definitely see people being put off by it, and I don't blame them, but if you have a couple hours to kill and want a concise, well thought out analysis of why the prequals were so poorly recieved, definitely worth the watch and if not the whole trilogy, definitely The Phantom Menace review

[withhertea]

Pop singer-songwriter Maisie Peters gained initial popularity on YouTube before releasing two original EPs and going on tour all over the US. She signed to Gingerbread Man Records, the record label headed up by none other than pop icon Ed Sheeran, and just released her first debut album, You Signed Up For This, last month.

We sat down with Maisie Peters just before the album release to talk about You Signed Up For This, her work on Trying, one of the latest Apple TV+ binge-worthy shows and of course, her viral TikToks.

Beyond The Stage: What has it been like working with Ed Sheeran now that you’re on his label?

Maisie Peters: It’s been amazing. [Sheeran] is obviously ridiculously talented, and he’s also the most generous, down-to-earth person in every way. Besides being generous, he is so courteous and amazing. I’m a one-woman Ed Sheeran promotional team right now [laughs]. He’s just amazing, and it’s really amazing and inspiring to watch and learn from him. Working with him has been really so easy. He’s really supportive and wants me to make the music that I want to make.

BTS: When you wrote the soundtrack for season two of Trying on Apple TV+ did you have full reign on the music, or did Apple have inputs in the music, such as the collaborations?

MP: That was a really cool process, one of my favorite things that I have done, actually. I worked really closely with the director, Jim O’Hanlon, and Catherine Grimes, who was the BBC music commissioner. It was myself and Joe Rubel, the producer with whom I made the soundtrack. We had a couple of long Zoom meetings with [O’Hanlon] before we started, and we talked through the themes and the general story and the universe it was in since it was season two.

Then I read all the scripts, and I made notes, and I was very methodical with it. But when it came to writing the music, we just went away, and I think we spent about two weeks doing four or five songs and we just sent them to Apple. Luckily for us, they really liked them. I think it was “Helicopters,” “Mail House,” “Funeral” and they loved what we did.

I had to change a couple of timing things like there was a song called “Office Christmas Party” that just became “The Party” because we wrote it around Christmas time so I was obviously in the festive spirit. We realized that we couldn’t have something called “Office Christmas Party” in a TV show that was set in autumn. It was really easy and definitely a different experience. Apple was wonderful to work for. They really trusted me and my vision. I think it all worked out really well.

BTS: Did you feel like the songs you wrote for Trying were still your music, or did it feel more like you were doing something for a show?

Maisie Peters: No. It’s interesting, even though a lot of it was in a different character’s shoes and the show is not really my life, the show was still set in London and it was about these young people figuring out how they wanted to live their lives. I actually was writing my album at the same time, and a lot of these songs, even though they’re written for something else, there’s so much of me in them. They feel super-close to me. I think it’s music I could make in my sleep, almost.

I’ll always make songs like that. It was really fulfilling and magical to get to write like a whole album basically that was twisty, smart, folk-pop songs. And it’s funny, they’re all love songs really in some way, shape or form, which is hilarious for me, the girl who never writes love songs but I think it’s interesting. They’re all love songs, but there is also nuance to them and it really looks like love through a lot of different eyes and not a stereotypical bunch of love songs.

BTS: Did you have to set aside time to specifically write for Trying and then specifically write for your album?

MP: I think it only happened once where I wrote a song and thought it could work for either. I wrote a song called “Trying,” not actually linked to the show, but that song we started for the Trying soundtrack. It ended up not really working, we only did the first verse and chorus, and we were like, ‘That doesn’t really work for Trying, but it could work for me,’ and then it ended up being on my album.

The soundtrack was done in such a concentrated time like we literally did those first four songs in like a week or less, and it was [Rubel] and me being like, ‘We have a deadline,’ and we wanted to get these done by Christmas, and it was October. So we just got the writing done very quickly. With recording and producing, though, there were definitely some crazy days where I would be in [Rubel]’s studio until 1 am every day, and I would go on the weekends for a few months.

We had a joke with my manager because he actually had to ban me from going to the studio because I would just go all the time. He was like, ‘Maisie, you need to stop. Stop going to the studio.’ I’m the only artist ever to be told not to go [laughs].

We’d be working on a song from my album and then a soundtrack song and then a song from my album, and then we had to check mixes for songs from my album, but then the soundtrack, and it was all very chaotic.

BTS: How did you start making your TikToks what they are today? You’re sharing music and carving a space out for yourself there.

Maisie Peters: I think the same as everyone. It was the lockdown, and everyone was like, ‘What do I do?’ I actually think TikTok is the best social media app. It’s so funny, and I got really into it. I’ve discovered so much new music from TikTok and so many artists that I think are incredible, especially songwriters. It’s such a perfect platform for songwriters, and I’m someone who really likes sharing my music in quite a casual way, and TikTok is the perfect place to do that.

I just put all these little snippets up and these little jokey things, and it’s become a fun little thing. And now it’s super important as well because everyone is being told to do it. I really feel like songwriting has had a comeback with TikTok, and I’m constantly blown away. Every day I stumble across someone singing on my For You Page, and I’m like, that is insane, that’s an amazing song.

BTS: Do you think that hearing all the songwriters on TikTok and elsewhere has changed how you’ve been writing at all because you hear so many different voices?

MP: I think it’s just really inspiring. It’s wonderful how many talented people there are out there and how many people are writing amazing music all the time and most of the time, they’re just teenagers in their bedrooms, and I just think that’s so cool.

BTS: How did you decide what collaborations you wanted to do and who you wanted to do them with? Do you write songs before or after you decide who to collaborate with?

Maisie Peters: On my album, there aren’t any features, but there are collaborations with James Bay, Bear’s Den and Griff on the [Trying] soundtrack, and all of those songs were different.

With Griff, we’d written the song, but I knew I wanted her voice to be on it with me, and it reminded me of Folklore. We’d just done that cover together, so I sent it over to her and explained what the TV show was about and what the song was about, and I said, ‘Feel free to write, produce, whatever you want.’ She ended up writing this amazing verse and did all these vocals that sounded so good and sent it back to me.

But also, I wrote with JP Saxe, we did ‘Maybe Don’t’ together, and that was done very collaboratively. We met in the studio right before lockdown, and within five hours, we had written this song. It was very collaborative and came out of us just sharing our experiences and lives at the time, joining forces.

BTS: How is it getting back to doing live shows? Are you thinking of touring for this album?

Maisie Peters: Yes, I’m excited. The festival was amazing. It was really fulfilling and inspiring. I am definitely going to tour for this album. I’ve announced some record store dates, which will be really fun. I’m really excited to play these songs live, and I’m hoping next year, for sure, I can do some touring.

BTS: Was it weird to get ready to go back on stage after this long? A festival seems like a big way to jump back in.

MP: It was kind of crazy. There was definitely some worry that I had forgotten how to do it, which is, I think, a very valid worry because I hadn’t been on stage for like a year and a half. But I actually think the time away made me much better, and I was never really a natural performer, but doing those shows at the festivals really made me realize the sort of performer I want to be. I think I’m getting closer to the performer that I’ve always wanted to be.

It’s really cool. It’s coming from just growing up and gaining confidence and writing songs and knowing how to make songs work live, and I have a really amazing band as well. It was kind of daunting to go on stage. I wasn’t sure I knew how to do it, but I sort of stumbled back into it.

BTS: How do you feel about this new album? How does it compare to previous EPs and singles?

MP: I’m really excited for this album to come out. Once it comes out, it’ll be weird because it’s all I worked on for arguably all my life but at least like a year. I think it has the same heart as my EPs.

There are veins and rivers that run through all of them that help carry each one to the next. ‘Dressed Too Nice for a Jacket’ led to ‘It’s Your Bed Babe’ and then to this album; I like to think they’re all stepping stones. They’re like the little baby siblings of this album. I think [the album release] will be weird, but I think it’ll be good. I’m really proud of it. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it.

[thedaveandkimmershow]

What I'll remember about April are basically two things: this year's adventure in California and Linzy's shows with The Little Lies, Midnight High, and Annie J.

Oh and... taxes, getting moss off the roof, moving big, heavy rocks, and, of course, Daisy Jones & The Six. 😁

First: this year's adventure in California.

We start out at the beginning of April, timing that, quite perfectly overlapped with everyone else's Spring Break. So we traveled with a lot of travelers and we theme parked with a ton of theme parkers and we camped with a lot of campers.

Even Linzy was down in California for the first few days of our adventure. Not with us but in San Francisco catching up and having her own adventure with friends from Cornish who call The City by the Bay their home.

At the same time, the director of the Archbishop Murphy Wildcat Band was even closer to where we landed in southern California. Our friend, Keith Curtis. You see, he and the 2022-2023 Wildcat Band were finishing their second of two performances, the first at Disneyland and this second one at the Five Towers stage in Universal Studios Hollywood's City Walk. Which is where we caught up with him and spent some lovely time comparing recent histories.

A coupla days later, we got the chance to experience a full day at Universal Studios where we did everything Harry Potter and we took the studio tour that was a wonderful bit of Memory Lane for us. Across the entire experience, we managed a pretty decent balance of fun and relaxation. Huzzah!!!

One of the iconic features of these family trips is renting an Escape Campervan as our mini RV. Last time here we scored Nessie from the Seattle (ish) location. This year we scored Big Foot from the Inglewood location.

YESSSS!!!

Eventually we hit the road in Big Foot and launched ourselves into a different world where we were seemingly able to live more experience during the course of each day than we usually accomplish living our city life. In a way, the camp experience is more coordinating and collaborating with friends and family. It's more sitting around the table just chattin'. It's more time around the campfire... just chattin'. It's more together. Time definitely moves at a slower pace and we're definitely in no rush. We're not motivated to hit the gas. We can take our time. And we can choose to be distracted by nothing in particular. Sometimes several nothings.

During our time camping, we had the opportunity to play a lot of loud and boisterous Uno with teenagers. We found ourselves on a wildflower covered hill on the edge of nowhere taking pictures of orange and yellow loveliness. We were stunned by the nearness and bigness of the moon. We were blessed not once but twice to visit Kimmer's aunt who's in the best hands for memory care. She looks great...

...plus she was more engaged this time around, conjuring a bit of her old self with that laugh and smile of hers. And finally we had the absolute fortune to hang out around a campfire with family and friends, an experience ending in well wishes and fare-thee-wells all around, along with a deep conviction that this experience is very good for the soul.

Moving right along, well... almost right along, a bit of work also found some space within our adventure. You see, a business consulting challenge came up for Kimmer that was gonna need some input by the time we got back. So over the course of our time away we took some opportunities here and there and there to talk it through. And between that, as well as research on Kimmer's part, a plan was formed that, by the end of the month, has proven to be a solid plan. An even better path forward.

Not long after we returned, Linzy had a gig with The Little Lies at the Old Edmonds Opera House. The gig kicked off a bit of a Hell Week for her as the next day she had rehearsals for two other bands, Midnight High and Annie J, both with performances the coming Thursday at the Sunset Tavern.

After that, it was a steady schedule of practice, rehearsal, and work through Thursday night's performances which were brilliant, by the way. 😁😁😁

In semi-related news, a friend whose last album Linzy contributed vocals to and with whom she collaborated on one of the songs on that album, and who subsequently performed a couple concerts with them... asked her to collaborate writing songs in the fall for the next album.

In other, grown-up news 😉, we turned our taxes in right before the post office closed at 6 on the 18th... then celebrated the craziness of that day with some well earned relaxing at Pub 70. Also, we spent the last two weeks of the month with a bit of landscaping activity and cleaning the moss off the roof. Real home owner-y type things to do 'cause for sure no one would willingly undergo the tedium of removing moss from a roof or moving a bottomless pit of seriously heavy rocks from one part of the yard to another.

Of course Kimmer loved the experience. 😊

Of course the experience I loved (we all loved, actually) was experiencing our way through the first half of Daisy Jones & The Six in April. Linzy's a HUUUUUUGE fan and insisted we all watch it together.

Of course now we're hooked.

In the end, April was more packed than usual. More fun. More relaxation. More hard work. And definitely more super sized memories.

The beginning of the month did wind up being a break of sorts, a good opportunity to peace out, re-energize, consider a bunch, course correct a little, firm up the picture going into the coming months that's for sure a different picture than the one we had before we hit April.

So that's four months down. Eight to go.

And now...

May.

🙂

[pumpkinpaix]

mdzs fandom, diaspora, and cultural exchange

Hey everyone. This post contains a statement that’s been posted to my twitter, but was a collaborative effort between several diaspora fans over the last few weeks. Some of the specifics are part of a twitter-localized discourse, but the general sentiments and issues raised are applicable across the board, including here on tumblr.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ve probably seen a few of my posts about this fandom, cultural exchange, and diasporic identity. For example, here, here, and here. This statement more directly criticizes some of the general issues I and others have raised in the past, and also hopefully provides a little more insight into where those issues come from. I would be happy if people took the time to read and reblog this, as the thought that went into it is not trivial, and neither is the subject matter. Thank you.

Introduction

Hello. I'm a member of a Chinese diaspora discord server - I volunteered to try and compile a thread of some thoughts regarding our place and roles in the fandom expressed in some of our recent discussions. This was primarily drafted by me and reviewed/edited by others with the hopes that we can share a cohesive statement on our honest feelings instead of repeatedly sharing multiple, fragmented versions of similar threads in isolation.

This was compiled by one group of diaspora and cannot be taken to represent diaspora as a whole, but we hope that our input can be considered with compassion and understanding of such.

For context, we are referencing two connected instances: the conflict described in these two threads (here and here), and when @/jelenedra tweeted about giving Jewish practices to the Lans. Regarding the latter, we felt that it tread into the territory of cultural erasure, and that it came from a person who had already disrespected diaspora’s work and input.

Context

The Lans have their own religious and cultural practices, rooted both in the cultural history of China and the genre of xianxia. Superimposing a different religious practice onto the Lans amidst other researched, canonical or culturally accurate details felt as if something important of ours was being overwritten for another’s personal satisfaction. Because canon is so intrinsically tied to real cultural, historical, and religious practices, replacing those practices in a canon setting fic feels like erasure. While MDZS is a fantasy novel, the religious practices contained therein are not. This was uncomfortable for many of us, and we wanted to point it out and have it resolved amicably. We were hoping for a discussion or exchange as there are many parallels and points of relation between Chinese and Jewish cultures, but that did not turn out quite as expected.

What happened next felt like a long game of outrage telephone that resulted in a confusion of issues that deflected responsibility, distracted from the origin of the conflict, and swept our concern under the rug.

Specifically, we are concerned about how these two incidents are part of what we feel is a repeated, widespread pattern of the devaluing of Chinese fans’ work and concerns within this fandom. This recent round of discourse is just one of many instances where we have found ourselves in a position of feeling spoken over within a space that is nominally ours. Regardless of what the telephone game was actually about, the way it played out revealed something about how issues are prioritized.

Background

MDZS is one of the first and largest franchises of cmedia that has become popular and easily accessible outside of China. Moreover, it’s a piece of queer Chinese media that is easily accessible to those of us overseas. For many non-Chinese fans, this is the first piece of cmedia they have connected with, and it’s serving as their introduction to a culture previously opaque to them. What perhaps is less obvious is that for many Chinese diaspora fans, this is also the first piece of cmedia THEY have connected with, found community with, seen themselves in.

Many, many of us have a fraught relationship with our heritage, our language—we often suffer from a sense of alienation, both from our families and from our surrounding peers. For our families, our command of the language and culture is often considered superficial, clunky, childish. Often, connecting with our culture is framed as a mandatory academic duty, and such an approach often fosters resentment towards our own heritage. For our non-Chinese peers, our culture is seen as exotic and strange and other, something shiny and interesting to observe, while we, trapped in the middle, find ourselves uprooted and adrift.

MDZS holds an incredibly important place in many diaspora’s hearts. Speaking for myself, this is literally the first time in my life I have felt motivated and excited about my own native tongue. It's the first time I have felt genuine hope that I might one day be able to speak and read it without fear and self-doubt. It is also the first time that so many people have expressed interest in learning from me, in hearing my thoughts and opinions about my culture.

This past year and a half in fandom has been an incredible experience. I know that I am not alone in this. So many diaspora I have spoken to just in the last week have expressed similar sentiments about the place MDZS holds in their lives. It is a precious thing to us, both because we love the story itself, and because it represents a lifeline to a heritage that’s never felt fully ours to grasp.

It’s wonderful to feel like we are able to welcome our friends into our home and show them all these things that have been so formative to our identities, and to be received with such enthusiasm and interest. Introducing this to non-Chinese friends and fans has also been an opportunity to bridge gaps and be humanized in a way that has been especially important in a year where yellow peril fear mongering has been at an all-time high.  

History

However, MDZS’ rise in popularity among non-Chinese audiences has also come with certain difficulties. It is natural to want to take a story you love and make it your own: that’s what transformative fandom is all about. It is also natural that misunderstandings and unintentional missteps might happen when you aren’t familiar with the ins and outs of the culture and political history of the story in question. This is understandable and forgivable—perfection is impossible, even for ourselves.

We hope for consideration and respect when we give our knowledge freely and when we raise the issue of our own discomfort with certain statements or actions regarding our culture. Please remember that what is an isolated incident to you might be a pattern of growing microaggressions to us. In non-Asian spaces, Asian diaspora are often lumped together under one umbrella. In the west, a lot of Chinese diaspora attach themselves to Korean and Japanese media in order to feel some semblance of connection to a media which approximates our cultures because there are cultural similarities. This is the first time we've collectively found community around something that is actually ours, so the specificities matter.

There is a bitterness about being Asian diaspora and a misery in having to put up a united front about racial issues. Enmity towards one group becomes a danger to all of us, all while our own conflicted histories with one another continue to pass trauma down through the generations. Many of us don’t even watch anime in front of our grandparents because of that lingering cultural antipathy. When the distinctions between our cultures are muddled, it feels once again like that very fraught history is flattened and forgotten.

Without the lived experience of it, it’s hard to understand how pervasive the contradictory web of anti-Asian and, more specifically, anti-Chinese racial aggressions are and how insidious its effects are. The conflation of China the political entity (as perceived and presented by the US and Europe) with its people, culture, and diaspora results in an exhausting litany of criticism levied like a bludgeon, often by people who don’t understand the complicated nature of a situation against those of us who do.

There is often a frankly stunning lack of self-awareness re: cultural biases and blind spots when it comes to discussions of MDZS, particularly moral ones. There are countless righteous claims and hot takes on certain aspects of the story, its author, and the characters that are so clearly rooted in a Euroamerican political and moral framework that does not reflect Chinese cultural realities and experiences. Some of these takes have become so widespread they are essentially accepted as fanon.

This is a pattern of behavior within the fandom. It is not limited to any specific group, nor does it even exclude ourselves—we are, after all, not a monolith, and we should not be placed on pedestals to have our differing opinions weaponized against one another in fandom squabbles. We are not flawless in our own understandings and approaches, and we would appreciate it if others would remember this before using any of us as ultimate authorities to settle a personal score.

It is difficult not to be disheartened when enthusiastic interest crosses the line into entitled demand and when transformative work crosses into erasure, especially when the reactions to our raised concerns have so frequently been dismissive and hostile. The overwhelming cultural and emotional labor we bring to the table is often taken advantage of and then criticized in bad faith. We are bombarded with racist aggressions, micro and macro, and then met with ridicule and annoyance when we push back. Worse, we sometimes face accusations of hostility that force us to apologize, back down, and let the matter go.

When we bring up our issues, it usually seems to come with the expectation that there are other issues that should be addressed before we can address ours. It feels like it’s never really the time to talk about Asian issues.

On the internet and in fandom spaces, Western-coded media, politics and perspectives are assumed to be general knowledge and experience that everyone knows and has. It feels like a double standard that we are expected to know the ins and outs of western politics and to engage on these terms, but most non-Chinese have not even the slightest grasp of the sort of politics that are at play within our communities. We end up feeling used for our specialized knowledge and cultural background and then dismissed when our opinions and problems are inconvenient.

As the culture represented in MDZS is not a culture that most non-Chinese fans are familiar with, we’d like to remind you that you do not get to decide which parts of it are or are not important. While sharing this space with Chinese diaspora who have a close connection to the work and the painful history that goes along with being diaspora, we ask that you be mindful of listening to our concerns.

Cultural erasure is tied to a lot of intense historical and generational trauma for us that maybe isn't immediately evident: the horrors of the Pacific theatre, the far-reaching consequences of colonization, racial tensions both among ourselves and with non-Chinese etc. These are not minor or simple things, and when we talk about our issues within fandom, this is often what underlies them. This is one of the first and only places many of us have been able to find community to discuss our unique issues without feeling as if we’re speaking out of turn.

With the HK protests, COVID, the anti-Chinese platforms of the US election etc., anti-Chinese sentiment has been at the forefront of the global news cycle for some time now, and it is with complete sincerity that we emphasize once again how important MDZS fandom has been as a haven for humanizing and valuing Chinese people through cultural exchange.

Experiencing racial aggression within that space stings, not just because it’s a space we love, but because it feels like we’ve been swimming in rapidly rising racial aggression for over a year at this point.

Feelings

This is a difficult topic to broach at the best of times, and these are not the best of times. Many of us have a wariness of rocking the boat instilled in us from our upbringings, and it is not uncommon for us to feel like we should be grateful that people want to engage with something of ours at all. When we do decide to speak up, we’ve learned that there is a not insignificant chance that we’ll be turned on and trampled over because what we’ve said is inconvenient or uncomfortable. When it is already so difficult to speak up, we end up second-guessing and gaslighting ourselves into wondering whether there really was a problem at all.

We’d like to be able to share what we know about our culture and have our knowledge and experience be taken seriously and treated with courtesy. This is a beautiful, rich world built with the history of our ancestors, one that we too are trying to connect with. When we find it in ourselves to speak up about it, we would appreciate being met with consideration instead of hostility.

We don't have the luxury of stepping away from our culture when we get tired of it. We don't get to put it down and walk away when it’s difficult. But if you're not Chinese or Chinese diaspora, you get to put this book down—we'd like to kindly request that you put it down gently because of how much it matters to all of us in this fandom, regardless of heritage.

What we are asking for is reflection and thoughtfulness as we continue to engage with this work and with one another, especially with regards to how Chinese issues are positioned. When we raise issues of our own discomfort, please take a moment to reflect before reacting defensively or trying to shut us down for spoiling the fun—don’t deprioritize our concerns, especially in a fandom for a piece of Chinese media. We promise most of us are not trying to start shit for the sake of a fight. Most of the time, all we want is acknowledgement and a genuine attempt at understanding.

Our hope with this statement is to encourage more openness and understanding between diaspora and non-Chinese fans while we navigate this place that we’re sharing. Please remember that for many of us, MDZS is far more intense than a typical fandom experience. Remember that the knowledge we have and research we do is freely and happily given, and that it costs us both materially and emotionally. Please don’t take that for granted. Remember too that sometimes the reason for our discomfort may not be immediately evident to you: what seems culturally neutral and harmless might touch upon specific loaded issues for us. We ask for patience, and we ask for sincerity as we try to communicate with one another.

We are writing this because there’s a collective sense of imposed silence—that every time the newest round of discourse crops up, we often feel as if we’re walking away having created no meaningful change, and nursing new wounds that we’ll never get to address. But without speaking up about it, this is a cycle that will keep repeating.

This is not meant to shame or guilt the fandom into throwing themselves at our feet, either to thank us or beg for forgiveness—far from that. We’re just your friends and your fellow fans. We are happy to have you here, and we’re happy to create and share and play together. We just ask to be respected and heard.

Thank you. Thank you for listening. Several of us will be stepping back from twitter for a while. We’ll see you when we get back. ❤️

* A final addendum: here are two articles with solid practical advice on writing stories regarding a culture other than your own.

Cultural Appropriation for the Worried Writer: Some Practical Advice

Cultural Appropriation: Some More Practical Advice

The thread on twitter is linked in the source of this post. Thanks everyone.