#andrew young layouts

[waterrr]

( 🧶 ) i can't move on, baby doll . . .

[halfpintpeach]

📓

You knew I was coming 😘

My arms are always open for you PAS

Here's an idea I've had rolling around and never really tried to do anything with until today:

Hades and Persephone Arranged Marriage AU

Andrew as Hades, god of the underworld.

Nathaniel as Kore, goddess of springtime

(Layout and very VERY vague plot line below the cut)

Due to the time of the earth, disease is running rampant and it's a struggle to survive. They give offerings to Andrew and plead to the other gods to find a way to end their constant death. Never mind the fact that Andrew isn't in charge of nor does he rule over death, he's simple the king of the underworld.

Still, the gods above are out of options as they cannot directly interfere with mortals lives. A cure for their disease is coming, but they can't rush it along.

There's a young god, one who makes the flowers bloom and the sun shine bright. He's a rebel, running off to the mortal realm and away from his mother, Mary. Bringing good harvests to the fields and ignoring the rule about interfering with the mortals.

The gods figure sending the young god to the underworld, a place where his tremendous powers (regardless of how young he is) will be muffled.

A marriage is held. The wedding is large, it's the wedding of two gods after all. There's drama as some don't want it to happen, but rings of black obsidian with golden ichor are exchanged. Three mortals are invited to the event so that they may spread the good news to the others.

Andrew is a quiet god, content to remain in the underworld and build the cities of the dead. They're marvelous things, works of art from times long ago and ever changing as the world above does. The space is limitless, ever expanding and making room.

Nathaniel is not quiet. He stomps through the palace halls and makes noise wherever he goes. He takes up space and makes himself known. Surprisingly, it took a week for him to step outside of the palace, bare feet sinking into the ash and coal.

Even more surprisingly is when sprout push their way up around his feet.

I think the overlap of Kore becoming Persephone and Nathaniel becoming Neil is fun to play with.

[garadinervi]

claire rousay, wouldn't have to hurt, Mended Dreams Records, 2022. Music by claire rousay. Additional piano and electronics on 'soft as i can' by Theodore Cale Schafer. Spoken word by Madison Van Dine on 'wouldn't have to hurt'. Mastered by Andrew Weathers. Photography by Katherine Squier. Design & Layout by Jordan Reyes

«'wouldn’t have to hurt' is a three track benefit album with all proceeds being given to the Trevor Project, the world's largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning) young people.» – claire rousay

[jennibeultimate]

Personal recap Skate Canada 2022 - Women SP

I think this SP was much better than that at Skate America, more clean skates! This is quite an open GP on who will win because many skater have good chances. It's still anyone's win here somehow...

I kept the starting order...

Yuhana Yokoi ❤️ is quite a special personality - full of energy and iconically funny (I had seen her react closeup to her fellow skaters a few years ago and she was just as much fun off ice than on ice) I really have no clue what makes her struggle on her jumps so much. It wasn't a particularly bad program for her, but still she used to lack in PCS not TES when she turned senior and now? I really want her to shine!

I missed Rika Kihira's skating so much. Like Brian Orser said after her program: "It's a start" She jumped 3-3 which is already a success on its own considering her injury and how she is still not fully recovered. I love the program and am glad to see it again. ❤️ Let's stick to the positive here! (I hope she can fully recover and return to her old arsenal of jumps without pain!🙏🙏🙏) (why were there 4 coaches listed? One of them still Mie Hamada? So is she still coached also by Hamada? 🤔)

Gabby Daleman - the most pleasant surprise of the day (night for me) So happy for her! Clean program and I have hardly ever seen her so joyous after a program! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

Rinka Watanabe did really well! 👏👏👏 I think she lacks a bit of fire for that program (I mean I compare it to Yuna Kim's from 2007 what probably isn't really fair bc she slayed back then) Poor Rinka waited an eternity for her score 😭 Though I think she has some work to do on her components, the score seemed quite low. I mean Rika with two mistakes and easy jump layout got only 3 points less than her, the TES being only 4 points apart. (I haven't seen the protocol but this seems iffy)

Ava Marie Ziegler - clean program, lovely but generic the program but suits her. I liked her hairpiece to the costume.

Eliska Brezinova - quite the opposite of generic program for Eliska and a cartwheel that looked implemented into the program done effortlessly, that's how I like a cartwheel! Love the program for her. Mistakes on the jumps but still I think it's not too bad for her. Good job! 👏

Starr Andrews - love love love that costume on her ❤️🔥 Superb skate for her! 👏👏👏

Lindsay Van Zundert - I like how she skates and performs her programs, but this program is a bit boring. Good SP for her! Yes there was an UR on the combo but she only started doing 3-3 in competition a while ago. It's amazing how far she has come! 👏

Niina Petronkina - it's a program I like, but the custume I don't. I like the concept, the music and the idea of the arm movements. It's standing out. If she now can show a bit more expression that would turn into one of my fav SPs of the season. And finally a clean skate at her 3rd competition of the season. They have been really harsh on her in the scores. I dunno why her TES dropped that much, the jumps looked rotated. She deserved better. 😤

Madeline Schizas - Swan lake is overused but I love the music so I don't mind it that much. Expression on point for the program and cleanly executed too! 👏👏👏

Linsay Thorngren - the pop was very costly especially in a field were most delivered optical clean programs. She is a lovely skater but I kind of have the same problem with the program as with Isabeau Levito's last week, she can't sell such a difficult music yet. The movements fit but the expression doesn't. I mean in her case it's also the mistakes that made her performance fall flat, but I dunno if this is a good choice for such a young girl. She seemed really sad already during the program.

I would have considered Young You the heavy favorite but with a SP like that she couldn't lead like she could have. I like the attitude in her program and the step sequence was really 🔥 🔥 🔥 I would still consider her the one to beat because she has the highest difficulty with Rinka for the free skate, but she can't afford more mistakes like here.

I am really interested in the protocol, I don't understand how some scores were so low with the same jump layout as some who had higher scores. The close standings make it all the more exciting but it doesn't seem that equally fair to everyone tbh.

[jazz-vcd]

“Typography is a hidden tool of manipulation in society.”

Visual design is the business-minded sibling of visual art. In my research this term this has been reiterated for me many times, particularly when looking at the immense business successes of designers like Paula Scher and Neville Brody. Design, unlike art, must serve a purpose. Designers make use of visual tools to communicate ideas to the masses, often on behalf of businesses trying to sell products. In order to make these products seem appealing to the viewers, the designer must understand the whole range of tools available for them to use, including colours, images, shapes, layout, and of course typography.  

Text is a straightforward way to visually communicate a message, but typography selection is more complex than first meets the eye. Different type faces can communicate different ideas and moods, for instance the Jokerman font designed by Andrew K. Smith has a goofy energy and is generally used to invoke whimsy or excitement. On the other hand fonts like Helvetica or Times New Roman are more serious and refined, so they are more likely to be used for companies/brands seeking to establish their authority. It is also worth noting that in the current world of global markets, design favours simplicity, which often means sans-serif fonts and minimal text, so as to establish brand recognition quickly and communicate smoothly to the widest audience possible.  

Steve Lovelace’s reimagining of MasterCard logo with Jokerman font. Definitely doesn’t seem like the logo of a financial company now, huh?

High impact sans-serif font, minimal text, eye catching and communicative regardless of text content

Different fonts can effect readability, with sans-serif fonts having an increased readability in comparison to serif fonts. For example, the polarising Comic Sans is considered to be the most legible font for people with ADHD, dyslexia, and other literacy issues. Still, despite its benefits, Comic Sans has its fair share of critics.

The well-versed designer is aware of these aspects of typography, and is able to work with and around them to communicate their ideas so effectively that the viewer is unaware of the typography itself speaking to them. To me, that is what Neville Brody meant by, “Typography is a hidden tool of manipulation in society.”  

As a young man, Brody was heavily involved in the emerging London punk scene, which influenced his decision to study design at the London College of Printing. In an Architectural Review interview from 1986, Brody shared “[I was] morally against the manipulativeness of advertising, so I went into design partly to understand how the form worked, and to use it against itself. I wanted to manipulate people too, but into querying, into questioning what they were being told…” The influence of punk carried on through his career, and he became best known for his work within the 1980’s alternative music scene, where he designed record covers and contributed to “The Face” magazine. He also designed several popular typefaces including FF Blur and Industria. 

The Werk Thing – Kraftwerk interview in The Face magazine. We can see the influence of constructivism in this magazine spread.

The anti-capitalist sentiments of Brody resonate with me and I feel that it echoes in his quote that I’ve chosen for the next project in this class. I will likely shorten the quote to “typography is a hidden tool of manipulation” to simplify it without losing the meaning.  

References

Farrelly, E.M. (1986). An Interview with Neville Brody, Art Director of The Face. [online] Architectural Review. Available at: https://www.architectural-review.com/essays/an-interview-with-neville-brody-art-director-of-the-face [Accessed 22 Mar. 2023].

FontShop (2019). Neville Brody. [online] FontShop. Available at: https://www.fontshop.com/designers/neville-brody [Accessed 22 Mar. 2023].

[amorisland]

My LI UK S8E1 thoughts

even though no one asked and probably no one cares

Indiyah is GORGEOUS like absolutely stunning and I think she’d be a bit of drama because she’s a self proclaimed “player” so I’m keeping my eyes on her.

Gemma is so young geeze I’m American so I was like “no wait she can’t even drink yet” then I remembered the UK drinking age is younger...

The Public choosing the couples is an interesting twist (image if they did that in the game yikes) but its also kinda.... problematic 

Someone said Luca’s tattoos reminded them of Will and I’m dying because true but also that’s a common popular style of tattoos lately 

I was worried about the new Villa especially after the previews but it looks nice It’ll take some getting used to the layout and stuff though 

Not Liam (or whatever his name was) questioning if Gemma’s horses lived in her house 

I KNEW Davide would be the first bombshell he’s hot, Tasha is so thirsty for him HAHA 

Tasha and Amber kissing and all the guys being like  👁👄👁

PAIGE HAHAHA SAME “guys don’t act like they do in the books and its disappointing” RELATABLE I felt SEEN 

Davide looks good but he’s kinda boring so far let’s hope he gets more of a personality soon... 

My ranking for the Islanders so far:

Girls: Indiyah - Paige - Tasha - Amber (I like her but they haven’t shown her much yet :/ ) - Gemma 

Boys: (Honestly so far the boys are kinda meh compared to the girls so this was difficult) Luca - Dami (he kinda reminds me of a more awkward Cinco idk also Imma need him to stop mumbling but he seems nice) - Andrew - Liam - Ikenna - Davide 

[manlyaustralia]

Classic Charm, Modern Comforts, Large 607sqm Block with Future Scope

[robinegreenwood]

orphic || sirius black

｡･::･ﾟ★,｡･::･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･::･ﾟ★,｡･::･ﾟ☆

｡･::･ﾟ★,｡･::･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･::･ﾟ★,｡･::･ﾟ☆

in which a young woman who is rescued from captivity learns to smile, to cope, and to love. filled to the brim with laughter, romance and adventure, this is a story you definitely do not want to miss out on !

｡･::･ﾟ★,｡･::･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･::･ﾟ★,｡･::･ﾟ☆

cast list:

eden fleetwood : daisy ridley

"when it rains, it really pours"

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

sirius black : ben barnes

"bridge over troubled water,"

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

james potter : aaron taylor-johnson

"got a lot of livin' to do,"

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

lily evans : sophie skelton

"pocketful of rainbows,"

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

camilla derose : lou llobell

"if i can dream,"

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

remus lupin : andrew garfield

"steadfast, loyal and true,"

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

author's note: hello my lovely readers! i am so excited to finally be writing this fanfic!! its become a special part of my life and it's helped me escape from this troubled world we live in. i hope it becomes a safe place of escape for you all to enjoy as well. i have nothing but love for each and everyone of you. ♡♡♡ -robin

disclaimer: i own eden fleetwood, camilla derose, and professor jasper hawthorne along with their storylines. the remaining characters belong to jk rowling, along with the harry potter universe.

THIS STORY HAS BEEN WRITTEN AND EDITED BY ME. YOU DO NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO COPY OR RE-UPLOAD IT. THE SAME IS TRUE FOR MY LAYOUT AND CREATED ART. if you see my story anywhere other than on my page please report it.

trigger warnings: -mentions of depression and anxiety -violence -mentions of torture/abuse -alcohol consumption

i will not be idealising/romanticising any of the previously mentioned topics

｡･::･ﾟ★,｡･::･ﾟ☆　　 ｡･::･ﾟ★,｡･::･ﾟ☆

(harry potter maruaders era fanfic // slowburn)

started: 11/20/21 published 07/12/22 finished n/a

[hercndaisy]

I FEEL LIKE WE DONT TALK ABOUT THIS EPIC EVENT ENOUGH

some quotes are from "all the young dudes" wrote by mskingbean89 on ao3!!! the other ones r from me.

anyways twitter @remusrights 🥰💐

love y'all and i miss my wolfstar!! 😡

[letterboxd]

Blurring the Line.

As a new Space Jam film beams down to Earth, Kambole Campbell argues that a commitment to silliness and a sincere love for the medium is what it takes to make a great live-action/animation hybrid.

The live-action and animation hybrid movie is something of a dicey prospect. It’s tricky to create believable interaction between what’s real and what’s drawn, puppeteered or rendered—and blending the live and the animated has so far resulted in wild swings in quality. It is a highly specific and technically demanding niche, one with only a select few major hits, though plenty of cult oddities. So what makes a good live-action/animation hybrid?

To borrow words from Hayao Miyazaki, “live action is becoming part of that whole soup called animation”. Characters distinct from the humans they interact with, but rendered as though they were real creatures (or ghosts), are everywhere lately; in Paddington, in Scooby Doo, in David Lowery’s (wonderful) update of Pete’s Dragon.

The original ‘Pete’s Dragon’ (1977) alongside the 2016 remake.

Lowery’s dragon is realized with highly realistic lighting and visual-effects work. By comparison, the cartoon-like characters in the 1977 Pete’s Dragon—along with other films listed in Louise’s handy compendium of Disney’s live-action animation—are far more exaggerated. That said, there’s still the occasional holdout for the classical version of these crossovers: this year’s Tom and Jerry replicating the look of 2D through 3D/CGI animation, specifically harkens back to the shorts of the 1940s and ’50s.

One type of live-action/animation hybrid focuses on seamless immersion, the other is interested in exploring the seams themselves. Elf (2003) uses the aberration of stop-motion animals to represent the eponymous character as a fish out of water. Ninjababy, a Letterboxd favorite from this year’s SXSW Festival, employs an animated doodle as a representation of the protagonist’s state of mind while she processes her unplanned pregnancy.

Meanwhile, every Muppets film ever literally tears at the seams until we’re in stitches, but, for the sake of simplicity, puppets are not invited to this particular party. What we are concerned with here is the overlap between hand-drawn animation and live-action scenes (with honorable mentions of equally valid stop-motion work), and the ways in which these hybrids have moved from whimsical confections to nod-and-wink blockbusters across a century of cinema.

Betty Boop and Koko the clown in a 1938 instalment of the Fleischer brothers’ ‘Out of the Inkwell’ series.

Early crossovers often involve animators playing with their characters, in scenarios such as the inventive Out of the Inkwell series of shorts from Rotoscope inventor Max Fleischer and his director brother Dave. Things get even more interactive mid-century, when Gene Kelly holds hands with Jerry Mouse in Anchors Aweigh.

The 1960s and ’70s deliver ever more delightful family fare involving human actors entering cartoon worlds, notably in the Robert Stevenson-directed Mary Poppins and Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and Chuck Jones’ puntastic The Phantom Tollbooth.

Jerry and Gene dance off their worries in ‘Anchors Aweigh’ (1945).

Mary Poppins is one of the highest-rated live-action/animation hybrids on Letterboxd for good reason. Its sense of control in how it engages with its animated creations makes it—still!—an incredibly engaging watch. It is simply far less evil than the singin’, dancin’ glorification of slavery in Disney’s Song of the South (1946), and far more engaging than Victory Through Air Power (1943), a war-propaganda film about the benefits of long-range bombing in the fight against Hitler. The studio’s The Reluctant Dragon (1941) also serves a propagandistic function, as a behind-the-scenes studio tour made when the studio’s animators were striking.

By comparison, Mary Poppins’ excursions into the painted world—replicated in Rob Marshall’s belated, underrated 2018 sequel, Mary Poppins Returns—are full of magical whimsicality. “Films have added the gimmick of making animation and live characters interact countless times, but paradoxically none as pristine-looking as this creation,” writes Edgar in this review. “This is a visual landmark, a watershed… the effect of making everything float magically, to the detail of when a drawing should appear in front or the back of [Dick] Van Dyke is a creation beyond my comprehension.” (For Van Dyke, who played dual roles as Bert and Mr Dawes Senior, the experience sparked a lifelong love of animation and visual effects.)

Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke and penguins, in ‘Mary Poppins’ (1964).

Generally speaking, and the Mary Poppins sequel aside, more contemporary efforts seek to subvert this feeling of harmony and control, instead embracing the chaos of two worlds colliding, the cartoons there to shock rather than sing. Henry Selick’s frequently nightmarish James and the Giant Peach (1996) leans into this crossover as something uncanny and macabre by combining live action with stop motion, as its young protagonist eats his way into another world, meeting mechanical sharks and man-eating rhinos. Sally Jane Black describes it as “riding the Burton-esque wave of mid-’90s mall goth trends and blending with the differently demonic Dahl story”.

Science-classroom staple Osmosis Jones (2001) finds that within the human body, the internal organs serve as cities full of drawn white-blood-cell cops. The late Stephen Hillenburg’s The Spongebob Squarepants Movie (2004) turns its real-life humans into living cartoons themselves, particularly in a bonkers sequence featuring David Hasselhoff basically turning into a speedboat.

David Hasselhoff picks up speed in ‘The Spongebob Squarepants Movie’ (2004).

The absurdity behind the collision of the drawn and the real is never better embodied than in another of our highest-rated live/animated hybrids. Released in 1988, Robert Zemeckis’ Who Framed Roger Rabbit shows off a deep understanding—narratively and aesthetically—of the material that it’s parodying, seeking out the impeccable craftsmanship of legends such as director of animation Richard Williams (1993’s The Thief and the Cobbler), and his close collaborator Roy Naisbitt. The forced perspectives of Naisbitt’s mind-bending layouts provide much of the rocket fuel driving the film’s madcap cartoon opening.

Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, Roger Rabbit utilizes the Disney stable of characters as well as the Looney Tunes cast to harken back to America’s golden age of animation. It continues a familiar scenario where the ’toons themselves are autonomous actors (as also seen in Friz Freleng’s 1940 short You Ought to Be in Pictures, in which Daffy Duck convinces Porky Pig to try his acting luck in the big studios).

Daffy Duck plots his rise up the acting ranks in ‘You Ought to Be in Pictures’ (1940).

Through this conceit, Zemeckis is able to celebrate the craft of animation, while pastiching both Chinatown, the noir genre, and the mercenary nature of the film industry (“the best part is… they work for peanuts!” a studio exec says of the cast of Fantasia). As Eddie Valiant, Bob Hoskins’ skepticism and disdain towards “toons” is a giant parody of Disney’s more traditional approach to matching humans and drawings.

Adult audiences are catered for with plenty of euphemistic humor and in-jokes about the history of the medium. It’s both hilarious (“they… dropped a piano on him,” one character solemnly notes of his son) and just the beginning of Hollywood toying with feature-length stories in which people co-exist with cartoons, rather than dipping in and out of fantasy sequences. It’s not just about how the cartoons appear on the screen, but how the human world reacts to them, and Zemeckis gets a lot of mileage out of applying ’toon lunacy to our world.

Bob Hoskins in ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?’ (1988).

The groundbreaking optical effects and compositing are excellent (and Hoskins’ amazing performance should also be credited for holding all of it together), but what makes Roger Rabbit such a hit is that sense of controlled chaos and a clever tonal weaving of violence and noirish seediness (“I’m not bad… I’m just drawn that way”) through the cartoony feel. And it is simply very, very funny.

It could be said that, with Roger Rabbit, Zemeckis unlocked the formula for how to modernize the live-action and animation hybrid, by leaning into a winking parody of what came before. It worked so perfectly well that it helped kickstart the ‘Disney renaissance' era of animation. Roger Rabbit has influenced every well-known live-action/animation hybrid produced since, proving that there is success and fun to be had by completely upending Mary Poppins-esque quirks. Even Disney’s delightful 2007 rom-com Enchanted makes comedy out of the idea of cartoons crossing that boundary.

When a cartoon character meets real-world obstacles.

Even when done well, though, hybrids are not an automatic hit. Sitting at a 2.8-star average, Joe Dante’s stealthily great Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003) is considered by the righteous to be the superior live-action/animated Looney Tunes hybrid, harkening back to the world of Chuck Jones and Frank Tashlin. SilentDawn states that the film deserves the nostalgic reverence reserved for Space Jam: “From gag to gag, set piece to set piece, Back in Action is utterly bonkers in its logic-free plotting and the constant manipulation of busy frames.”

With its Tinseltown parody, Back in Action pulls from the same bag of tricks as Roger Rabbit; here, the Looney Tunes characters are famous, self-entitled actors. Dante cranks the meta comedy up to eleven, opening the film with Matthew Lillard being accosted by Shaggy for his performance in the aforementioned Scooby Doo movie (and early on throwing in backhanded jokes about the practice of films like itself as one character yells, “I was brought in to leverage your synergy!”).

Daffy Duck with more non-stop banter in ‘Looney Tunes: Back in Action’ (2003).

Back in Action is even more technically complex than Roger Rabbit, seamlessly bringing Looney Tunes physics and visual language into the real world. Don’t forget that Dante had been here before, when he had Anthony banish Ethel into a cartoon-populated television show in his segment of Twilight Zone: The Movie. Another key to this seamlessness is star Brendan Fraser, at the height of his powers here as “Brendan Fraser’s stunt double”.

Like Hoskins before him, Fraser brings a wholehearted commitment to playing the fed-up straight man amidst cartoon zaniness. Fraser also brought that dedication to Henry Selick's Monkeybone (2001), a Roger Rabbit-inspired sex comedy that deploys a combo of stop-motion animation and live acting in a premise amusingly close to that of 1992’s Cool World (but more on that cult anomaly shortly). A commercial flop, Back in Action was the last cinematic outing for the Looney Tunes for some time.

Nowadays, when we think of live-action animation, it’s hard not to jump straight to an image of Michael Jordan’s arm stretching to do a half-court dunk to save the Looney Tunes from slavery. There’s not a lot that can be fully rationalized about the 1996 box-office smash, Space Jam. It is a bewildering cartoon advert for Michael Jordan’s baseball career, dreamed up off the back of his basketball retirement, while also mashing together different American icons. Never forget that the soundtrack—one that, according to Benjamin, “makes you have to throw ass”—includes a song with B-Real, Coolio, Method Man and LL Cool J.

Michael Jordan and teammates in ‘Space Jam’ (1996).

Space Jam is a film inherently born to sell something, predicated on the existing success of a Nike commercial rather than any obvious passion for experimentation. But its pure strangeness, a growing nostalgia for the nineties, and meticulous compositing work from visual-effects supervisor Ed Jones and the film’s animation team (a number of whom also worked on both Roger Rabbit and Back in Action), have all kept it in the cultural memory.

The films is backwards, writes Jesse, in that it wants to distance itself from the very cartoons it leverages: “This really almost feels like a follow-up to Looney Tunes: Back in Action, rather than a predecessor, because it feels like someone watched the later movie, decided these Looney Tunes characters were a problem, and asked someone to make sure they were as secondary as possible.” That attempt to place all the agency in Jordan’s hands was a point of contention for Chuck Jones, the legendary Warner Bros cartoonist. He hated the film, stating that Bugs would never ask for help and would have dealt with the aliens in seven minutes.

Space Jam has its moments, however. Guy proclaims “there is nothing that Deadpool as a character will ever have to offer that isn’t done infinitely better by a good Bugs Bunny bit”. For some, its problems are a bit more straightforward, for others it’s a matter of safety in sport. But the overriding sentiments surrounding the film point to a sort of morbid fascination with the brazenness of its concept.

Holli Would (voiced by Kim Basinger) and Frank Harris (Brad Pitt) blur the lines in ‘Cool World’ (1992).

Existing in the same demented… space… as Space Jam, Paramount Pictures bought the idea for Cool World from Ralph Bakshi as it sought to have its own Roger Rabbit. While Brad Pitt described it as “Roger Rabbit on acid” ahead of release, Cool World itself looks like a nightmare version of Toontown. The film was universally panned at the time, caught awkwardly between being far too adult for children but too lacking in any real substance for adults (there’s something of a connective thread between Jessica Rabbit, Lola Bunny and Holli Would).

Ralph Bakshi’s risqué and calamitously horny formal experiment builds on the animator’s fascination with the relationship between the medium and the human body. Of course, he would go from the immensely detailed rotoscoping of Fire and Ice (1983) to clashing hand-drawn characters with real ones, something he had already touched upon in the seventies with Heavy Traffic and Coonskin, whose animated characters were drawn into real locations. But no one besides Bakshi quite knew what to do with the perverse concept of Brad Pitt as a noir detective trying to stop Gabriel Byrne’s cartoonist from having sex with a character that he drew—an animated Kim Basinger.

Jack Deebs (Gabriel Byrne) attempts to cross over to Hollie Would in ‘Cool World’ (1992).

Cool World’s awkwardness can be attributed to stilted interactions between Byrne, Pitt and the animated world, as well as studio meddling. Producer Frank Mancuso Jr (who was on the film due to his father running Paramount) demanded that the film be reworked into something PG-rated, against Bakshi’s wishes (he envisioned an R-rated horror), and the script was rewritten in secret. It went badly, so much so that Bakshi eventually punched Mancuso Jr in the face.

While Cool World averages two stars on Letterboxd, there are some enthusiastic holdouts. There are the people impressed by the insanity of it all, those who just love them a horny toon, and then there is Andrew, a five-star Cool World fan: “On the surface, it’s a Lovecraftian horror with Betty Boop as the villain, featuring a more impressive cityscape than Blade Runner and Dick Tracy combined, and multidimensional effects that make In the Mouth of Madness look like trash. The true star, however, proves to be the condensed surplus of unrelated gags clogging the arteries of the screen—in every corner is some of the silliest cel animation that will likely ever be created.”

There are even those who enjoy its “clear response to Who Framed Roger Rabbit”, with David writing that “the film presents a similar concept through the lens of the darkly comic, perverted world of the underground cartoonists”, though also noting that without Bakshi’s original script, the film is “a series of half steps and never really commits like it could”. Cool World feels both completely deranged and strangely low-energy, caught between different ideas as to how best to mix the two mediums. But it did give us a David Bowie jam.

‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ is in cinemas and on HBO Max now.

Craft is of course important, but generally speaking, maybe nowadays a commitment to silliness and a sincere love for the medium’s history is the thing that makes successful live-action/animation hybrids click. It’s an idea that doesn’t lend itself to being too cool, or even entirely palatable. The trick is to be as fully dotty as Mary Poppins, or steer into the gaucheness of the concept, à la Roger Rabbit and Looney Tunes: Back in Action.

It’s quite a tightrope to walk between good meta-comedy and a parade of references to intellectual property. The winningest strategy is to weave the characters into the tapestry of the plot and let the gags grow from there, rather than hoping their very inclusion is its own reward. Wait, you said what is coming out this week?

Related content

Rootfish Jones’s list of cartoons people are horny for

The 100 Sequences that Shaped Animation: the companion list to the Vulture story

Jose Moreno’s list of every animated film made from 1888 to the present

Follow Kambole on Letterboxd

[librarycomic]

The Middle Kid by Steven Weinberg. Chronicle Books, 2021. 9781452181806. http://www.powells.com/book/-9781452181806?partnerid=34778&p_bt

I love Weinberg's books, particularly the way he's now working with both collage and drawing and painting and whatever in his picture books and the AstroNuts series. This one seems to be the composition notebook of a middle kid, complete with tables of useful information at the front and penciled notes to KEEP OUT! from the writer. Inside it reads like a picture book diary, in comics format, of the ups and downs of being a middle kid who loves drawing (like Weinberg). His sister spills on his art. His brother locks him in a trunk to teach him to be tough. But when things are too intense, his mom takes him for a break at the library. Perfect.

Ship in a Bottle by Andrew Prahin. G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2021. 9781984815811. http://www.powells.com/book/-9781984815811?partnerid=34778&p_bt

Mouse dreams of a better life, of a place where she can enjoy gingersnaps and sit in the sun without Cat trying to eat her. So she sets off in her ship in a bottle, with an ample supply of cookies. Things seem a little bleak -- there's a storm and some rude seagulls -- but eventually, when it seems most unlikely, Mouse finds new friends and a perfect home.

I love Prahin's gray rainy days almost as much as I love the colorful world full of new friends he draws for Mouse.

Anthony and the Gargoyle by Jo Ellen Bogart, illustrated by Maja Kastelic. Groundwood Books, 2021. 9781773063447.

In this lovely, wordless story, Anthony, discovers a friendly young creature in his closet. With the help of a book on Notre Dame, they figure out it's probably a gargoyle, like the ones on the cathedral. When Anthony's family visits his ailing grandmother, he introduces her to his friend, and then during a trip to Notre Dame returns it to its family (much to his parents' surprise).

This story is told in a very simple layout of borderless comics panels with rounded corners, which make it feel a bit kinder than it would have if the panels had had sharp angles. It's a great introduction to the power of panels, the way they allow readers to control the pace of a story and even to go back and forth between moments.

[dweemeister]

Melody Time (1948)

Disengaged and disinterested, Walt Disney was adrift at his own studio in the late 1940s. The studio’s modestly-budgeted package animated features were designed to save it from financial ruin. Yet, they required artistic and storytelling compromises that Disney was loathe to make. In this period, Disney shuffled personnel around the various departments – whether due to personal conflicts or dissatisfaction with their artistic approach on a certain film. Melody Time’s segments are of varying quality and limited experimentation, reflecting the organizational tumult within the studio. No standout moment exists in Melody Time, even though it is more energetic and looser than the preceding Fun and Fancy Free (1947).

The modern Walt Disney Company has advertised Melody Time as a film, “in the grand tradition of Disney’s greatest musical classics, such as Fantasia.” Audacious comparison to make, but functionally inaccurate. Fantasia, as imagined by Walt Disney, Deems Taylor, Leopold Stokowski, and the studio’s animators, was crafted so that its animation would empower the music (in cinema, the reverse – where music serves the action on-screen – is almost always a filmmaker’s approach). The reverse of that relationships holds here. Melody Time contains these seven segments, or “mini-musicals”: “Once Upon a Wintertime”, “Bumble Boogie”, “The Legend of Johnny Appleseed”, “Little Toot”, “Trees”, “Blame It on the Samba”, and “Pecos Bill”. Some of these mini-musicals are more watchable and more artistically interesting than others – although that standard is relatively low in Melody Time.

“Once Upon a Wintertime” is based on an overused Disney narrative template that never ceases to be a bore. A young couple are out and about, flirting and flitting, all while the woodland animals scurrying back and forth mirror human courtship. The segment, however, is partially redeemed by Frances Langford singing the segment’s title song (composed by Bobby Worth and Ray Gilbert) and the unmistakable influence of Mary Blair (1950’s Cinderella, the “It’s a Small World” attraction at Disneyland in Anaheim) in its aesthetic. With any piece of animation involving Mary Blair, one can expect an eye-catching use of color and her modernist art style. “Once Upon a Wintertime” is like a holiday card brought to animated life. Unlike a picturesque and meaningful holiday card, though, it overstays its welcome. But the stereotypical treatment of the young women appearing in “Once Upon a Wintertime” is, to put it mildly, clichéd writing at best. Hackneyed, too, is the fact that the woodland animals come to the human’s rescue.

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee is one of the most recognizable (and overplayed) pieces of Western classical music, even to those folks who go out of their way to announce their distaste for classical music. Given a jazz rendition by the Freddy Martin Orchestra, “Bumble Boogie” is a thankfully brief three-minute foray. Here, an insect (that does not seem anything like a bee) flies through a series of surreal images – mostly parts of musical instruments (piano keys in particular) – that it must avoid. The segment is visually entertaining to watch, even if it must have been the easiest to prepare, design, and animated for in all of Melody Time. If placed in either Fantasia or Fantasia 2000, it would easily be the weakest Fantasia segment ever produced.

Third in the film is a segment that feels most like a classic Disney production. “The Legend of Johnny Appleseed” is Disney’s glorified and sanitized take on the eponymous American pioneer, nurseryman, conservationist, and missionary. Walt’s personal ideology and perspective on American history included the fulfillment of Manifest Destiny and the taming of the nation’s wilds as among humanity’s greatest achievements. These are notions that Walt – through his films, theme parks, television shows, and public and private remarks – never questioned. Narrated and with Johnny Appleseed voiced by Dennis Day, there is a sincerity to Johnny’s characterization not present anywhere else in the movie. Again, Mary Blair’s artwork – this time, her forested backgrounds – appears as if heaven-sent. The umbrella-like canopy of the apple trees and “untamed” forests are inviting, and attract one’s eyes upward – towards the apples, paradise.

The title song (sometimes referred to as “The Lord is Good to Me”) featured in the opening moments of “The Legend of Appleseed” is one of the earliest – and one of the few – mentions or depictions of religious faith in a Disney animated work. It reinforces the mythos that surrounds Johnny Appleseed (and, by extension, the belief that white men are divine heroes for civilizing the lands west of the original Thirteen Colonies) to the present day. I was not raised in any of the Abrahamic religions, but it difficult to deny the simple charm of the title song and this segment – even if it endorses a troublesome perspective on American history. “The Legend of Johnny Appleseed” is the best segment of Melody Time – from its unassuming storytelling and wondrous animation. It is the only Melody Time segment that I could possibly envision as a decent feature-length animated film.

Based on a 1939 children’s picture book of the same name Hardie Gramatky, “Little Toot” is a chore to sit through. The segment shares similar narrative and aesthetic tissue with Saludos Amigos’ (1942) “Pedro”, which concerned an anthropomorphic mail airplane that thinks it could. Along the Hudson River in New York City, Little Toot is a tiny tugboat who aspires to be like his father Big Toot. Just as in “Pedro”, this is a case of an anthropomorphized vehicle child who attempts to assume adult responsibility in order to prove that they can perform tasks as well as the adults can. Given that Little Toot is a meddling prankster playing tugboat games, it is difficult to feel much sympathy when he finally faces the consequences of his actions – which probably includes calamitous infrastructural damage and human casualties. Of course, Little Toot is eventually redeemed through some heroic deeds. All of the tugboats will love him, as they belt out with glee that Little Toot will go down in history. The segment is grating, including the novelty title song sung by The Andrews Sisters. Aside from some fascinating water effects, there is not much that “Little Toot” offers in the way of animated interest. Otherwise, it is least interesting segment of the film.

The palate-cleanser is “Trees”, a four-minute segment based on Joyce Kilmer’s poem of the same name (music composed by Oscar Rasbach and performed by Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians). Its aesthetic harkens back to a few seconds near the end of the “Ave Maria” in Fantasia, but otherwise “Trees” is distinct from anything else that has appeared in the Disney animated canon. When setting to work on “Trees”, layout artist Ken O’Connor (1941’s Dumbo, 1987’s The Brave Little Toaster) found himself enamored by the concept art, and endeavored to be a faithful to the style set by the concept art as possible. To do this, O’Connor frosted cels before drawing pastel images onto the cel. Before being photographed by the studio’s multiplane camera, each cel was laminated in clear lacquer to prevent the pastel from smudging. Thanks to O’Connor’s experimentation, “Trees”, however fleeting, lays claim to some of the most beautiful animation among all of the package Disney animated features.

“Blame it on the Samba” sees a reunion of Donald Duck and Brazilian parrot José Carioca (Saludos Amigos, 1944’s The Three Caballeros) are walking about, depressed, directionless. Suddenly, they encounter the Aracuan Bird (who debuted in The Three Caballeros), who whisks them inside a cocktail that introduces them to the rhythmic pleasures of the samba. The segment’s title song is based on Ernesto Nazareth’s polka Apanhei-te, Cavaquinho, sung by The Dinning Sisters with adapted English lyrics, and accompanied by organist Ethel Smith (who appears as herself).

“Blame it on the Samba” feels like it should have been featured in either Saludos Amigos or The Three Caballeros – and that was the intention exactly. Intended to appear in Saludos Amigos, “Blame it on the Samba” was animated and completed in time for it to be incorporated in The Three Caballeros. Given Donald Duck’s lust for human women in the second half of the latter movie, “Blame it on the Samba” might have otherwise been a serviceable penultimate number in that film. The segment is an explosion of color, a kick in the rear for a movie that feels much longer than its seven-five-minute runtime might suggest. And yet in a segment for a music genre innovated in Brazil and popularized by Brazilians, the performers and the performance lack any discernible Brazilian influence or roots. This is not samba music. Instead, it is the culmination of what a white American might think samba music sounds like. This unfortunate development probably would have been avoided entirely if “Blame it on the Samba” appeared in those two aforementioned films instead.

“Pecos Bill”, based on the Texan folk hero of the same name, makes reference to American Indians in ghastly ways. Simultaneously, its absurd humor and lack of fidelity to sensible human behavior and physics make it a delight to watch. The segment also boasts the presence of Roy Rogers and the Pioneers (and Rogers’ horse, Trigger). Child actors Luana Patten and Bobby Driscoll, both of whom had just starred in Song of the South (1946), make brief appearances in the segment’s hybrid animation/live-action introduction. Rogers, then contracted to Republic Pictures, was one of the quintessential stars of the singing cowboy subgenre – singing cowboy movies were almost exclusively made by the “Poverty Row” studios including Republic, and they were extremely profitable against their barebones budgets). “Pecos Bill” all begins with the atmospheric, moody “Blue Shadows on the Trail”. “Blue Shadows on the Trail” describes and, through its spare instrumentation, reflects the emptiness and desolation of the American West. It is a beautiful ballad, and could easily be placed in any Western (singing cowboy movies or otherwise).

Once the hybrid animation/live-action introduction concludes, “Pecos Bill” steams forward with comic hyperbole followed by another comic hyperbole. The title song (music by Eliot Daniel, lyrics by Johnny Lange) doubles down on the exaggerations. Those exaggerations include the segment’s constant gunplay – escaping censorship from the Hays Code: a risqué gag that includes Pecos Bill’s guns going off because of love interest Slue Foot Sue. At least Melody Time ends brashly and riotously, but any impressionable children watching will require a discussion from a trusted adult. Its depictions of American Indians and men-women relations are deplorable, but after just over an hour of inconsistent quality, I found myself enjoying “Pecos Bill” more than I imagined.

Shortly after the release of Melody Time, Walt Disney embarked on a three-week cruise to Hawai’i. Walt rarely went vacationing, and he spent these weeks fully concentrating on his family and escaping from the minutiae of managing his studio. Even after returning from Hawai’i, Walt did not spend much time in Burbank. Walt invited animator and fellow train enthusiast Ward Kimball on a trip to the Midwest. Together, they attended the 1948 Chicago Railroad Fair, visited the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, and stopped at other locations close to Walt’s childhood in the Midwest. Through the end of 1948, Walt spent more time constructing the train set in his backyard than paying attention to the animation and live-action movies his studio was producing. What seemed like idleness to many (including New York Times film critic Bosley Crowther, who believed that Disney was a cinematic genius wasting his time on quixotic projects) was a major inspiration for a draft sketch entitled “Mickey Mouse Park”, dated August 31, 1948.

The package era at Walt Disney Productions (now Walt Disney Animation Studios) was nearing its end. Every film during this run – Saludos Amigos (1942), The Three Caballeros (1944), Make Mine Music (1946), Fun and Fancy Free (1947), Melody Time, and The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949) – faced the same narrative of Walt Disney’s personal indifference to the projects, a lack of direction and motivation among the animators, and audience and critic dissatisfaction when compared to Disney’s Golden Age movies. A return to non-package animated features would be imminent, in spite of Melody Time’s mediocre performance at the box office. The Disney studios would attempt to begin a period of renewal with a tradition that inaugurated their animated canon – with a fairy tale.

My rating: 6/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. Half-points are always rounded down. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found in the “Ratings system” page on my blog (as of July 1, 2020, tumblr is not permitting certain posts with links to appear on tag pages, so I cannot provide the URL).

For more of my reviews tagged “My Movie Odyssey”, check out the tag of the same name on my blog.

[redrabbitspod]

READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH ROLLING STONE HERE:

(full, designed article. But if you don’t want to follow a magazine layout, read the transcript. Art by @bloodydamnit)

TRANSCRIPT BELOW THE CUT

Red Rabbits: The Rolling Stone Interview

Featuring Andrew Minyard, Neil Josten, and the Red Rabbits Team

By Angie Rodner

On a chilly Monday, Neil Josten and Andrew Minyard are standing side by side, looking at something on Andrew’s phone in our New York, Rolling Stone headquarters. The rest of the Red Rabbits team, consisting of Dan Wilds, Seth Gordon, Renee Walker, Robin Cross, Allison Reynolds, and pro Exy legend/honorable mention Matt Boyd, orbit around them. It's an interesting scene to take in, to say the least. No matter what they seem to be talking about, they all defer to the two hosts without any of them seeming to acknowledge it. 

I was lucky enough to sit down with all eight of them, and I’m not ashamed to say I’m a fan of the podcast and I’ve followed since Season 1. The story of Andrew and Neil (formerly known as Nathaniel Wesnisnki, the son of the Nathan Wesninski or the Butcher of Baltimore), and the revelation of their connection they’d shared as kids, was better than any true crime podcast I’d ever listened to. 

Now, the team takes on what they’ve dubbed ‘The Case of the Newark 9’ for their second season. It’s a case based around the hunt for a man known only as ‘Steven’, who they believe is responsible for a series of kidnappings and murders of young girls in and around the Newark area. They’re joined by Robin Cross, a victim and survivor of Steven’s, who is helping them investigate the case. 

I sat down with Robin and the other women of Red Rabbits first. 

What’s it been like to work on this podcast together? Was it strange to go from looking for Neil, to having him in the studio, to watching him and Andrew form the relationship they have?

Dan: It was strange, because in all honesty, it wasn’t strange. Does that make sense? None of us knew about the meeting they had as kids, but when Andrew finally told us, everything made a lot more sense. Really, they belong together. It was much weirder when they first got back and hadn’t acknowledged what was between them yet. We were all just kinda like... are y’all not seeing what we’re seeing?

Renee: They got there eventually.

How have things changed from Season 1 to Season 2? The cases are obviously different, but they still involve missing children. What’s the atmosphere like around the studio?

Dan: Tense.

Allison: I’m not even there that often and I can still feel it.

Robin: It is tense, but there’s also a sense of urgency. We know ‘Steven’ has another girl now, so it’s like every day that goes by is another day he has her... Another day we either find him, or we don’t.  

Mm... I can’t imagine how difficult that is. However, with that being said, the NYPD have made it pretty clear that they aren’t buying what you guys are selling. How does that make you feel?

Robin: I don’t feel anything about the NYPD. My anger is better placed elsewhere. I am angry. But the police didn’t listen to me when I was a kid and trying to tell them important information. Why would they listen to me now?

Renee: I think we all try and take our cues from Robin. Andrew and Neil are very careful to include her and get her opinion on certain things before moving forward. We’re not letting this thing with the NYPD deter us. 

Speaking of Robin then, what’s it like for you to have her on the team? As one of Steven’s victims that is, there with you in the studio?

Robin: Oh no. Say nice things about me.

Dan: Girl. [ laughs ] Honestly, she’s amazing. She’s my little sister and I’m not just saying that. I think we all kind of feel that way. I’ve never known a person as strong and determined as she is and I know - see she’s blushing! [ laughs again ]- I know she hates it when we talk about her like this, but it’s so true. She’s family now.

Renee: She is, and I think she brings a really unique perspective to the case. We have someone here who’s directly involved, who lived through it and can give us some idea of what the other girls went through. I think most people would really love to have that kind of resource during an investigation.

Allison: For sure. She’s even my muse for my fall line. Everything is going to be deep colors and fun modesty.

Seems like you’ve been properly inducted into the team, Robin.

Robin: [ smiling ] It feels amazing...

Now, last question. Are you confident you’ll find what you’re looking for?

All as one: Yes.

Speaking with the ladies was fun. They were easy and connected and you can tell that there was a real sisterhood in the studio that day. It was refreshing to see women supporting and helping each other thrive in such a competitive industry. There was a lot of laughter between them, and it was such a joy to be able to share it with them. 

-

My next interviewees were Seth Gordon, ‘resident TFN sound engineer/IT guy/anything to do with technology’, as he tells it, and New York Lynxes starting backliner, Matt Boyd. When I tell you I laughed throughout this entire interview, I’m being completely sincere. There was something about the way the two bounced off each other that had me smiling and understanding why they are both so well-liked. 

You guys are best friends aren’t you? I feel a bromance in this Chilli’s tonight.

Seth: Bet. Matt Boyd is my homie and BFFL. Do people still say that? Anyway, we have matching necklaces and everything.

Do you really?

Matt: No, not really, but I’d totally wear one if he gave it to me.

[ laughing ] Matt, how did you even end up here? I know you were friends with Neil, but I feel like the details on that are kind of murky.

Matt: I hit him with my truck. [ My jaw dropped ] No, really! I hit him with my truck in Midtown Manhattan when I was driving home. He refused to go to the hospital so I brought him back to my place to make sure he was okay. He didn’t leave after that.

Seth: Because you held him hostage? That’s the way I hear it.

Matt: Oh yeah, for sure. He takes up so little space, why not? [ laughs again ] No really, I did convince him to stay, but I just felt like he needed a friend. He was obviously running from something and he was scared. I just didn’t know from what or why at the time.

And when you found out?

Matt: Honestly? I just about shit myself, but it made so much sense. All the little questions I asked myself early on, finally had answers. 

I saw the interview you and Dan did with Essence. You guys look amazing together.

Seth: They are amazing together. It’s gross. 

Matt: Yeah, and you and Dion aren’t constantly fawning all over each other.

Is that Dion hovering nearby?

Seth: Yep, that’s my man. He’s amazing and fuckin’ fine as hell. Can I say fuck in this interview?

Sure.

Seth: He’s fuckin’ fine.

Seth, what’s it been like for you, putting together the shows? There’s been a lot of audio that’s hard for us as listeners to hear, and I’m sure there’s more we haven’t even heard. 

Seth: There is.

What’s that like for you to have to go through it all?

Seth: Really hard sometimes. There was some stuff in Season 1 we didn’t air that seriously gave me nightmares. It’s worth it, though. We found Neil and I think we’ll find Steven.

Are both of you confident in that fact?

Seth: Positive.

Matt: I think if anyone can find him, it’s Andrew and Neil. They’re determined and they’ll keep looking no matter what.

I believe them. 

Andrew and Neil were my last interview of the day, and a more determined pair I think I’ve ever met. 

Here’s the thing readers: They’re connected. It might make me a poor journalist, but I don’t know how else to explain it. At one point during the interview, Neil reached over to squeeze Andrew’s arm. At another point, Andrew reached over to squeeze the back of Neil’s neck. They were obviously a comfort to and for each other, and it almost seemed like they borrowed strength. It was intense and being able to witness it has been one of my favorite moments in my career.

So, let’s talk about this season before we get into everything else. You’re looking for a man you believe to be responsible for the disappearances of multiple girls in the Newark area. Do you feel like you’re any closer to solving the mystery than you were at the beginning?

Neil: Absolutely. We’ve gotten some really great tips and we think we’ve narrowed some things down. We don’t want to get too deep into what we’ve got at the moment, because we’re still investigating. But we’re confident in what we have.

What’s it been like working with Robin? I was able to interview her earlier, and she’s really something.

Andrew: She’s been the best resource we have. She’s incredibly strong and unbelievably quick. She’s taken this terrible thing that happened to her and turned it into fire, and it’s been amazing to watch. Most of the information we have comes from her.

The interview you guys did with her was absolutely chilling. I cried three times listening to it. How do you handle hearing these things? I feel like it’d be really hard not to take it home with you.

Neil: Yeah. It’s hard sometimes.

Andrew, I want to touch on the interview Riko Moriyama just did with Kathy Ferdinand and your response. What was that like for you, hearing Riko wrongfully expose something like that on live television?

Andrew: It was… I was stunned, I guess. That information was supposed to be sealed. My name was redacted. So I have no idea how he even got details of the case.

You’ve talked before about being in the foster care system. It sounds like you had a pretty rocky childhood.

Andrew: Yes.

Neil, I know yours was no picnic either. Do you think that this kind of... shared trauma, I guess, is part of why you two work so well together?

Neil: Yeah, partly. When we met as kids, I think a bond was cemented. We both knew how horrible adults could be to children. But now that we’re older, I think more than a shared trauma, it’s a mutual respect for that trauma. We both have shit, you know? I told Matt this one time and I didn’t really understand how true it was until recently, but we both have baggage that we share. We take each other’s on to lighten the load for the other. But, there are times when it gets really fucking heavy, and I think recently we’ve figured out that it’s better to lean on each other when that happens, instead of trying to carry it all ourselves.

Why do you think Riko felt the need to call you two out like he did? I know he mentioned Neil possibly being manipulated into the relationship.

Neil: [laughs]

Andrew: I wish I could manipulate him into having better taste in music.

Neil: My taste in music is fine. 

Andrew: It is absolutely not. And I don’t know why Riko feels the need to comment. I’d be interested to hear the reason. The things he said regarding Neil were ridiculous, and in his response, Neil has made sure to make that known. But the thing that really bothered me was his comments on mental health. He tried to basically call me unstable for seeking therapy and admitting that there came a point when I needed outside help. There are literally hundreds of thousands of people in this country who seek out therapy every year. There’s no shame in it and I’m unsure as to why Riko believes there is. Honestly, I’m shocked the Moriyamas haven’t released a statement. He’s their mouthpiece, after all.

Do you think they should apologize?

Neil: Yes.

Andrew: I think they should at least clarify. I’ve already heard people are planning to protest their new documentary and I don’t blame them. I wouldn’t want to give my money to people who think I’m less of a person because I struggle sometimes.

Speaking of struggle, let’s move back to the case. I know the NYPD has been giving you grief over your claims that the person you’re looking for is the same person that’s taken Haylie Clark. Robin, especially, seems completely certain. How does it feel to know law enforcement doesn’t have your back on this?

Andrew: Familiar. They’ve never had my back before, so why would they start now?

Neil: I’ve dealt with too many crooked cops to really take it seriously. I have no idea what their motivations are and to be clear, I’m not saying I think they’re crooked - I’m just saying that in my experience, the help doesn’t always come like it’s supposed to.

The rest of the team seems pretty confident in you two. They all said they absolutely believe you’ll be able to find him. Is it hard sometimes, not to lose faith?

Andrew: It’s hard all the time. But it doesn’t matter. We have to keep moving forward. We aren’t going to stop until he and Haylie are found. 

I think that’s really commendable and I look forward to seeing that happen. Now, tell me a bit about the team. Neil, since you came in at the end of Season 1, how did you find the dynamic as an outsider?

Neil: I didn’t really understand it in the beginning. Not really. It helped having Matt at my back for months prior, but I’ve never had the opportunity to make solid connections with people. So when I came into the studio, to this group of people who had known each other since college, it was overwhelming. 

Andrew: That’s funny, seeing as how they like you better than me.

Neil: It’s all the charm and charisma. 

[ laughing ] And now? You all seem really tight knit.

Neil: Now, yeah. We are. These people are my family.

Andrew?

Andrew: Yes?

Neil: She wants you to say something nice about the team.

Andrew: Every single one of them knows my coffee order, and it’s truly amazing that they can do what the interns cannot. [ he looks over at Neil, who’s tilting his head and raising his brows ] Oh, don’t look at me like that. Fine. We have a really strong team. I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing without them. Seth works harder than anyone I know, Dan keeps us all in line with just a look, Renee is the only reason I agreed to do this in the first place, Reynolds has a lot of money and she’s not afraid to use it for a cause she believes in, and Robin is the most inspiring person I’ve ever met.

And Matt?

Andrew: Who?

Neil: The guy that kept me alive for months while you were hunting me.

Andrew: [ rolls his eyes and shrugs ] He’s fine.

-

My take away from the interviews was this: these people will do whatever they need, in order to find their perpetrator. They believe in their cause, they hurt for these girls, and they’ll find justice for them in the end. They’re family, that much is clear, and I can’t wait to see how this ends. I can’t wait to say that I was there when it’s over.

Red Rabbits can be heard on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and GooglePlay. You can follow the website at redrabbitspod.tumblr.com and twitter @redrabbitspod.

And as the Red Rabbits team always says, “Keep Searching”. I know I will.

[ssjthug]

This campaign is funding the first two issues of Joystick Angels!

A NEW comic series written by T.J. and Spencer Sterling, Illustrated by Nats "Shun" Ledesma, colored by Loris Ravina and lettered by Deron Bennett of Andworld Design. This will be a full color, 54-page comic book with some very cool Variant Covers!

The purpose of this campaign and our mission is to help put this entertaining and unique comic series Joystick Angels into the hands of people all over the world and continue to celebrate positive and uplifting black stories in comics.

It is also our prime mission to bring many more of our creative projects to life with the help of the Kickstarter community and more.

Issue one of JOYSTICK ANGELS is 100% drawn and colored. Lettering is taking place as this campaign is running. Here are some samples of the amazing work by artist Nats "Shun" Ledesma and colorist Loris Ravina.

Damien Fox aka FOX

He is the brash and cocky 16 year old leader of the Angels fighter pilot team. At the age of five Fox’s parents were killed in the first galactic war against the Eukarya Empire. Raised by the officials at Libor, Fox made it his life's mission to become a space pilot like his parents before him and fight the evil of the Eukarya. Fox has a serious chip on his shoulder which eventually gets him into trouble but his keen eye and almost prodigy-like understanding of space jets makes him a major asset to the movement.

Lexi Winbush aka DEUCE

a 16yr old animal humanoid hybrid creature which they call The Naku. She along with many of her kind spent most of her life in a lab and was created for the sole purpose of assisting Libor space squadrons in extra-planetary exploration by testing out living conditions. This is something that she is not happy with which has caused many issues in her life. The only person that really accepted her for as she was and treated her like a person was Fox. When Fox formed the Angels team she joined as his second in command. Her animalistic side also makes very formidable in battle.

Andrew Marx aka DRAGONETT

He is a flamboyant 16 year old black kid who is a lover of music and dance as well as all 80-90’s. He also happens to be the fastest fighter pilot in all of Libor. Just like Fox, Dragonetti’s parents were killed in the first galactic war against the Eukarya. Growing up on the Libor Space Station Dragonetti stayed getting into trouble and eventually met Fox and was swayed by his passion and devotion towards retribution. He eventually joined him and partnered with Fox to create the Joystick Angels team where he serves as Battle officer and strategist.

Aisha Garcia aka LEGZ

a 14 year old AfroLatina Queer girl who serves the Angels team as lead engineer and tech wiz kid. Legz spends most of her time building robotic sentries, writing AI code and servicing the Angels ships in preparation for battle or space flight. She also has a very hot temper which gets her into trouble. So much trouble that she met Fox in a stockade after they both got caught stealing. From that point on they formed a bond and eventually years later when Fox formed the Angels she joined her friend as one of his right hands.

Cassandra Middleton aka TANK

She is a strong and snappy young 15 year old black girl who doubles as espionage agent for the Libor government as well as a member of the Angels team. Besides being one of the best pilots in the galaxy she also is assigned to interplanetary travel and intel collection. She serves the Angels as lead strategist and data analyst. Tank only grew up with her mother as her father died in the first galactic war against the Eukarya. Her love of life is only eclipsed by her love for all things fashion and retro. She is assigned to join the Angels and provide multi level support.

Tj Sterling - Founder, Co-creator and Writer Joystick Angels

TJ Sterling is the owner/operator of RAE Comics. He is also the cowriter for the Joystick Angels comic series and the lead writer and artist for the ongoing comic series Okemus. He has also the writer for the Tisena, Okemus Dark History and APG series, all coming soon.

Nats "Shun" Ledesma - Illustrator Joystick Angels

Jonathan L. Ledesma, but in the Art Realm, also known as Shun-008. His work usually falls in the areas of Concept Design,  environments to creatures, armors and weapons... and characters. He learned to through a friend of his who taught him the basics. From there, he started developing his own style upon seeing different art styles from artists in comics. Artists like... Dale Keown, Joe Madureira, Clayton Crain and other artists from the 90's.

Had the opportunity to work as a Layout Artist on some of the leading animation studios here in the Philippines. Companies like Toon City, Filcartoons, Philippine Animation Studio Inc., and Sketzaholiks.

[zoe-dinh]

Shameless Media: A Start-up's Guide To Digital Stakeholder Engagement

OVERVIEW

Today’s businesses exist in a world where everything is rapidly changing. How organisations communicate with stakeholders, and vice versa, have been transformed by the digital age.

Not only are stakeholders powerful and tech-savvy, thanks to digital media, they now also have direct contact with companies and organisations 24/7 (Ozer 2020).

Companies therefore are much more accountable for their conduct and value (Tench & Yeomans 2017). This can either play to their advantage, or hinder it in a critical way.

As such, businesses need to foster relationships with stakeholders by leveraging the power of digital media. The goal is to have a community of people who support the organisation, who resonates with the brand’s value and message.

An example of modern organisations championing this is Shameless Media. Utilising digital media, Shameless engages with their stakeholders through strategic branding and content marketing.

How can we capture people’s hearts and minds in an attention economy? Let’s learn from this millennial start-up.

CASE STUDY: SHAMELESS MEDIA

Profile

Shameless Media (SM) is a millennial gen Z’s destination for all things digital content. Operated in Melbourne by a team of five young women, the company was founded in 2019 by writers Zara McDonald and Michelle Andrews.

Although relatively young, the podcast venture has accumulated a consumer base of over 20 million listeners, plus a growing community of 220,000+ followers across Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. SM also recently created a brand-new agency for content creators and influencers, The Sana Agency.

Stakeholders

Since its inception, the podcast has not had a single episode that has not been sponsored (Forbes 2021). More notably, Shameless listenership is overwhelmingly 94.7% women in their 20s (Gillezeau 2021).

SM's key stakeholder groups thus include:

1. Consumers: audiences, readers, listeners; and

2. Sponsors: collaborators, business partners.

Current digital operations

PLATFORMS

1. Podcast

At first glance: Eye-catching cover. Good tag line (“The pop culture podcast for smart people who love dumb stuff”). Almost always seen in the Top Charts.

My thoughts: I was surprised to discover how new the podcast is. Its popularity, large growing number of listeners and content quality make Shameless seem a lot more established.

Open and honest, the hosts are not afraid to let audience knows where they stand on critical issues (feminism, politics, climate change etc.). New episodes are regularly scheduled which is good for audience retention.

As a consumer, I am drawn to the show/company for their seeming authenticity and relatability. Not to mention the well-balanced research that allows audience to form their own opinions without being spoon-fed. 10/10 recommend.

2. Website

At first glance: Layout is easy to look at. Visually appealing. All relevant info seems to be there.

My thoughts: Nice design, but not as much interactivity as I would have liked. When I tried looking for more information on the founders and organisation, something like an About Us section for example, there was none. Neither was there any resource or material on the business side of things (annual reports or data analytics or anything of the sorts).

One may excuse this considering the age of the organisation. However, I believe SM might benefit from a website update or revamp. It will certainly be helpful for those like me who are curious, who do research on the firm and would therefore like more access to information.

3. Instagram

At first glance: Quite large following. Relatively high audience engagement. Content layout not my personal taste, but appealing overall.

My thoughts: Shameless has great social media presence, especially on Instagram. The company made good efforts in interacting with followers. There are the ‘Your say Fridays’, polls and Q&A every other day on Stories. Users regularly comment on posts (memes, podcast updates & announcement), and many get replies from admin.

Overall, Shameless is doing very well with social media engagement and audience interactions.

4. Facebook

At first glance: Not much to see/do as this is a private group. Nice cover image though.

My thoughts: Large community of readers of nearly 34,000 members. The group has been active since 2019. While discussion threads cannot be publicly viewed, those interested in the content can find related episodes on the Shameless podcast.

Over on Instagram, there are links in bio to the book-selling site for each month’s pick. Makes me wonder whether or not these are affiliate links.

5. LinkedIn

At first glance: Small-to-medium sized following. Appealing visuals, though not too much information.

My thoughts: I have seen the Shameless LinkedIn profile before, but has only started following them recently. The account is not too active, the latest post was from a few months ago. Perhaps this is because the content that circulates on LinkedIn often revolves around business culture, not the usual focus by SM. Most of the posts thus far are general announcement and job openings.

In the future, SM might be benefit from a more active LinkedIn page, so as to not only attract new audience and potential talents, but also to establish their presence more firmly among competitors in the corporate world.

DIGITAL STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

The corporate brand is constantly being co-created by organisation with their stakeholders. Dialogical communication is said to enhance this along with corporate reputation (Gundolf et al. 2018; Ozer 2020; Rosenberg & Seager 2017).

In reality, what might this look like?

From tactics to dialogic communication in digital media, let’s look at how SM has been engaging with stakeholders.

Dialogical communication in digital media

Tactics

Potential areas of improvement

Lack of strategy

Upscaling the business

Other types of content, especially video

CONCLUSION

So far, leveraging social media has helped Shameless achieve their goal and stay true to their brand. “Win their niche, core audience, nurture specific community of mostly young working women” (Gillezeau 2021).

The company’s success is in no small way thanks to the relationship they have with their audience. SM has intimate understandings of what the audience wants, and are able to deliver it.

This is in large part due to the founders being in the same demographics as their audience. As McDonald put it, “[W]e wanted to tap into a younger demographic that we thought were generally being ignored by mainstream media” (Forbes 2021), which explains the company slogan.

“We make content for ourselves, our mates, and you”.

Branding and content wise, SM is doing a good job capitalising on the trends, particularly with interactive content, content marketing, and online content communities (Clark-Keane 2021; Thomson 2019).

Yet, it is also important to note the fortunate position SM finds themselves in. As a millennial start-up, they are already advantaged by having skills in digital media and technologies.

Nonetheless, through forces of strategic digital communication, Shameless Media has been successfully engaging with their stakeholders through a combination of clever branding and content marketing.

---

REFERENCES

Clark-Keane, C. 2021, ‘7 Content Marketing Trends to Watch in 2021’, Wordstream, https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2020/11/23/content-marketing-trends

Forbes, T. 2021, ‘How I Do It: Shameless Media’s Zara McDonald and Michelle Andrews on building their empire’, Fashion Journal, https://fashionjournal.com.au/life/how-i-do-it-shameless-media/

Gillezeau, N. 2021, ‘Shameless Media: The podcast start-up that’s rejecting big offers’, Australian Financial Review, https://www.afr.com/companies/media-and-marketing/how-they-built-it-shameless-media-20210330-p57fbu

Gundolf, K., Jaouen, A. & Gast, J. 2018, ‘Motives for strategic alliances in cultural and creative industries’, Creative Innovation Management, vol. 27, pp. 148-160, DOI: 10.1111/caim.12255

Johnston, J. & Rowney, K. 2019, ‘Social networks’, Media Strategies: Managing Content, Platforms and Relationships, Taylor & Francis, Sydney, pp. 75-103.

Kim, K. 2021, ‘How to make sure you’re marketing to Gen Z the right way’, Sprout Social, https://sproutsocial.com/insights/marketing-to-gen-z/

Ozer, D. 2020, ‘Organisations’ use of social media from the perspective of dialogical communications and marketing-oriented public relations’, In B.O. Aydin, S. Gurbuz & O, Dugan (eds.), Public Relations in the Networked Publics, Peter Lang, Frankfurt, pp. 211-235.

Rosenberg, M. & Seager, P. H. 2017, ‘The Big Picture: Four Trend that Change Everything’, Managing Media Businesses, Retrieved from ProQuest EBook Central, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-52021-6_1

Smart Insights 2020, ‘7 ways to reach and influence millennials using social media marketing’, https://www.smartinsights.com/social-media-marketing/social-media-strategy/7-ways-to-reach-millennials-through-social-media-marketing/

Tench, R. & Yeomans, L. 2017, ‘Exploring Public Relations’, Global Strategic Communication, Pearson Education, Harlow, Available from: ProQuest EBook Central (14 August 2021).

Thomson, C. 2019, ‘Top Marketing Trends For 2020’, Forbes, https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2019/10/03/top-marketing-trends-for-2020/#6889ba113d5d

-END-

[goldenjellyfish12]

Helen Blackthorn versus the sexist pancake mix.

Author's note: this is the first fanfiction I've ever posted (actually the first fanfiction I've ever finished) and I wrote it on notes in my phone so sorry if there are any typos or punctuation errors.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters all characters belong to @cassandraclare

When Helen Blackthorn was little she used to love helping her mom in the kitchen. Helping her mom make breakfast and dinner for her little brothers and sisters is one of her favorite things to do,she knows exactly how to prepare their food and their little quirks so that they'll eat or her and her mom have worked so hard to make. Except on Saturdays when she gets to sleep in just a little bit and when she wakes up and head to the kitchen of The Institute there are a stack of warm delicious pancakes waiting for her. Pancake Saturdays are her siblings favorite day and to be fair it was Helen's favorite too at least it was until her mom got sick. When Eleanor Blackthorn (Helen's adoptive mother technically stepmom but Eleanor has always treated Helen and Mark like they were her own flesh and blood. She sang them to sleep every night growing up, put Band-Aids on their boo boos kiss them and told them everything was going to be alright when they fell down or when they woke up with nightmares in the middle of the night.)

First got sick only a few people knew Andrew Helen's father, Mark and the Silent Brothers. So the first Saturday after her mom and dad sat her and Mark down to tell him that their mom had cancer Helen woke up super early tiptoeing carefully into her parents bedroom to turn off their alarm to let them sleep in knowing that they needed the rest because baby Tavvy had to be fed every 3 hours and had he's last bottle was at 5 a.m. so they would have to be up until 8:00. After successfully  turning off their alarm and not waking them or Tavvy in his bassinet next to their bed she made her way into the kitchen and got the Bisquick box from the cabinet and started following the instructions on the back of the Bisquick box very carefully. When the first batch of pancakes we're done and they were all burnt she wasn't that worried she heard about the first Pancake phenomenon she knew that the first batch of Pancakes were supposed to be burnt but after the next three batches turned out to be burnt and black on the outside and raw and gooey in the inside she was about to have a meltdown. She knew how to cook, her mom taught her how to cook! She was good no great at cooking! She just wanted to do something nice for her Mom. Eleanor had given her everything and had always been there for her. And Helen just want to do this one thing and she couldn't even do that! That's when Mark walked in yawning and barefoot his light blonde hair askew and shining in the Morning light still in his blue and turquoise plaid pajama pants and a gray tank top. He made a face of disgust."Smells like you're trying to burn down the Institute" he said in a sleepy voice looking over at sister. Helen was on the brink of Tears. She saw Mark's eyes widen taking in the scene, Helen standing over the stove spatula in hand, red face trying to hold back tears, a stack of burnt but gooey Pancakes on a plate to her right, Helen's messy bun falling in ringlets around her face, Helen's oversized t-shirt that works as a nightgown splattered with raw batter. Helen tried to look up at her brother but she couldn't, she couldn't take the look in his eyes the look of pity. Then his arms were around her in a big bear hug. Yep, Helen was definitely crying she could feel the hot ,salty liquid running down her face. She hated crying in front of anyone especially in front of her younger siblings. She wanted her brothers and sisters to see her as strong and capable not  fragile and the type of girl that would  cry over freaking pancakes! That's when she registered Mark's voice in her ear saying"What's wrong, Hels? Did you get burnt? Are you okay? Hey it's okay. Helen it's going to be okay whatever it is it's going to be okay" Helen felt herself smile just a little bit. How kind, caring, and patient her brother is with her if only he could be a little bit more patient with Julian she thinks to herself as she unwraps herself from her brother. "I'm fine" she says in a voice that she wishes wasn't so shaky "Obviously you're not fine. You're crying" said Mark. So  Helen tells Mark how she wanted to do something special for their parents especially their mom and how it all went horrible because the stupid pancakes all turned out to be burnt and raw. "Seriously how can something be burned and raw at the same time? It makes no sense!"she said at the end of her small rant of how her morning had begun. He gave her a small chuckle and smiled at that last part "Okay" he said "We can still fix this!"

"How?" Said Helen

"Well first we have to throw those awful pancakes away their stinking up the whole entire room. Second we need to open a window and get a candle. 3rd there looks like there is just enough pancake mix for one more batch which will not be enough for our family so while I'm cooking the pancakes you can make some more pancake mix." Helen didn't think it was that bad but she could have just become numb to smell and then her and Mark got to work. Mark going to look for a candle and throwing the pancake away and Helen opening a window and starting on new pancake batter. Mark walked in with a candle and a lighter he's at the candle on The middle of the island Helen watch Mark carefully as he lit the candle making sure that he didn't burn himself with it. It didn't matter that Mark was almost 14 and that they were Shadowhunters and did dangerous things all the time he was her little brother and it was her job make sure that he was safe and didn't do stupid things like burn himself with lighters. Mark successfully lit the candle and went over to the stove to start cooking the leftover pancakes mix and Helen started on making new pancake mix for Mark to cook. While mixing the pancake mix. Helen kept glancing over to Mark making sure that he didn't burn himself on the stove or pan. When she was done making up the pancake mix she picked up the bowl and bought it over by the stove next to Mark. "Perfect timing" he said "I just got done with the first batch of not burnt Pancakes"  Helen hand him the bowl of pancake mix and then looked over to the cook pancakes and noticed that they we're not burnt on the outside and gooey and Raw on the inside like hers but a perfect toasty golden color and no goo in sight. She was more than slightly annoyed by this and mumbled under her breath "sexist pancake mix." While Mark finishes cooking the pancakes Helen decides to clean up and set the table occasionally glancing over to make sure that Mark hasn't burnt himself. What can you say a big sisters job is never done. When Mark is done cooking the pancakes Helen takes  the stack of pancakes off the counter next to the stove and places them on the middle of the island where the candle was but has since been blown out and moved. Just as Helen put the pancakes on the island the door of the kitchen opens and Andrew and Eleanor Blackthorn walk in a fussy baby Tavvy on Eleanor's hip. Helen look at the clock on the stove it reads 8:06. Helen and Mark share look as if to say right on time. as Andrew and Eleanor walk-in Andrew is cut off saying something like "I can't believe we slept through our alarm the kids are going to be up any minute and we haven't even started on breakfas-" the room goes silent except for Tavvy lite fussing. Andrew and Eleanor take in the room the table set, kitchen clean,stack of pancakes on the island, milk, apple and orange juice sitting on the island next to the pancakes with a couple of glasses, cups with lids and reusable straws for the young ones ,and a sippy cup for Dru layout ready for them to choose what they want to drink. "Surprise" Mark says "What? How? Said Eleanor and disbelief. "It was all Helens idea she did everything" said Mark

"Everything except make the pancakes." Helen scoffs "all of my pancakes turned out burnt on the outside and raw on the inside"

"I hate making pancakes mine end up the same way" said Eleanor as she started fixing tavvy formula.

"What but you make pancakes every Saturday morning?" Helen said with a hint of confusion in her voice

"No, I make pancakes on Saturday mornings" Andrew said proudly

"Sexist pancakes" Eleanor and Helen Grumble at the same time.

Helen smiles and thinks to herself of what an awesome badass feminist Shadowhunter her mom is and how lucky she is to have her.

The end

@purple-haired-faerie