#even if we didn’t discuss film a lot all my artistic appreciation goes hand in hand

[rowanhoney]

hey even if that heartbreak had me in a mess for over a year at least I’m even more in tune with and aware of myself in a way like never ever before so so incredible

[buttterknifeee]

Tims S/O vs. the batfam

You, the reader, are Tim’s significant other. Congrats! you may think the hard parts over right? WRONG. you need to win over the whole ass Wayne family and heres how it goes.

Alfred

refers to you as Mx. L/N; however as you visit the manor more frequently, he begins to refer to you as Mx. Y/N

Since he refers to you as Mx. Y/N, you call him Mr. Alfred because you feel weird calling him just by his first name

No matter what first impressions you gave off to him, he never shared them due to not wanting to be impolite

you quickly realize that none of the bat fam helps with the chores, so you try to lend alfred a hand whenever possible

you try to be polite as possible around him, and he appreciates it

Dick

Is EXTREMELY protective of Tim

So when you first met him, he did the whole “you break my brother’s heart i will break your face” talk and that was TERRIFYING

Tim tells you not to worry about it, but whenever you were with Tim, you could sense Dick out of the corner of your eye, watching

However, as you spend more time around him, he sees that you’re really in love with tim and hes really in love with you

And you see that tim and dick have an amazing brotherly relationship, something you’ve never experienced yourself

One night, you tell dick that you wish that you had a brother as great as him

In that moment, he decided that he was gonna adopt you as one of his siblings and boom hes your big brother too now.

Duke

Duke being considered the newest person in the Wayne Manor, is basically your liaison, explaining all the dynamics and history of the Wayne Family/Manor

Super Charismatic, though hes clearly being observant of your every move, analyzing who you are as a person

But for the most part, he made you feel really comfortable at the manor

So the day you bought him a 1000 puzzle set was the day you basically won him over

You let him geek out about film and riddles, listening to every word he said, which was something that apparently didn’t happen often to him

Also duke straight up just third wheels you as often as he can

Jason

so basically

you were scared of jason

He was rarely at that manor, especially while you were there but when he was, he came in dragging blood or drinking alcohol

once while you were alone in one of the rooms by yourself, Jason came in, mask off, bandage on his right arm

he asked you, “so why are you dating replacement?”

“Why do you call him replacement?”

“Oh you know, because he replaced me when I died”

“oh. right.” Yeah you’re kinda stupid for that one

It takes a while for you to remember that jason is a vigilante who literally died and came back to life, and it takes him a while  to remember that you’re a teenager and not a crime fighting super hero

so yeah your relationship does improve a bit

Whenever you guys get to talk, he always asks you some really deep question that throws you off guard, but you guys end up having really meaningful discussions and you get closer with him that way

Cass

you were even more scared about Cass than Jason

She just silently stared at you sometimes: didn’t even try to hide it

Like duke, she analyzed you a lot during your first meeting with her, although she did it to a more extreme: just by looking at you, she could sense your breathing, heartrate, movements; she was basically reading you soul

From this, should was able to tell just how absolutely frightened you were to meet her, so she made sure to smile to calm you down

Whenever you were alone with her you couldn’t help but feel a bit awkward; not only was there a bit of a language barrier but she was not the most talkative person, at times you just sat in silence

So you would try to do things with her rather than talking: you showed her pictures from your phone, she showed you her fighting moves, and you made conversation through facial expressions and body movements

Steph

VERY AWKWARD SHE PROBABLY HATED YOU IMMEDIATELY THE FIRST TIME YOU MET

i mean whos gonna be happy about seeing their ex’s new s/o not her nope

She kept smiling and laughing but you could see the burning hatred behind her eyes

It took a solid month before she actually talked to you

and it took another month for you to pluck up the courage to ask if she actually hated you

She looked embarrassed and admitted that she did kinda hate you in the beginning but that was solely because you were dating her ex, but she saw how good of a person you were, so she doesn’t hate you anymore

She asked if you hated her, since she kind of ignored you in the beginning

You said no, since she was so cool and you could see why Tim dated someone like her

Yeah so now you’re besties

And you often talking about Tim and his dating antics, sometimes right in front of him lol

Sometimes she would joke about stealing you from him, making sure to give you extra long hugs, and give u a kiss on the cheek just to piss Tim off >:)

Barbara

definitely looked up all your information as soon as she found out you were dating tim

Immediately went to interview mode when she met you

Asked about your future plans with tim, your job, your future college choices, your darkest fears, your median income

“... Im like 16″

Asides from that, shes pretty chill

you dont see her often, but she’s always down for a talk!

Would acted like my aunt from new jersey (in a good way)

Damian

You were super nervous about meeting him

Tim recalled events with him like he was recalling a war

So you were surprised to see a 12 year old kid being the one shooting daggers at you

“Drake brought home another guy/girl/person”

“damian shut the fuck up”

one day you catch him painting in his room

You ask him about his various paintings and he tells you his inspirations from each, going on a long rant for a solid hour

He realizes that hes been lecturing you for an hour and looked at you, blushing a bit

“Damian, you’re an amazing artist.” you say. smiling 

Now Damian always tells tim that you’re too good for him, and everytime you banters with tim damian always took your side

Except when he saw you two kissing/cuddling, he would call you guys “disgusting pigs” and bolt out of the room

Bruce

ah, bruce. the final boss

You couldn’t help but feel absolutely terrified. 

I mean not only is he a super mega rich business man and also like super famous but hes also BATMAN

you are also almost certain that he doesn’t know who you are despite being with tim for a few months by now

Everytime youre both in the same room he is often too busy to look up from whatever hes doing or rushing past you to go somewhere

Tim often confides in you about being the middle child in the family, meaning that sometimes people dont notice him and its really frustrating for him and for you to hear

One day u and tim are chilling in the batcave and bruce comes it and freezes when he sees the two of you

“who are y- what are you doing here-”

“oh um hello Mr. Wayne”

Bruce kinda just looked at you with a perplexed look, but that was when damian and cass walked by

“Father. Drake. Y/N” said damian, with Cassandra smilng and waving at you, to which you wave back.

“Hey Damian” you say nonchalantly. “I saw that you’re working on a new painting. youll have to tell me ALL about it later.”

“Of course. Im sure you’re aware of Georgia O’Keeffe” 

You smiled and nodded, to which he gave the tiniest of a smile back as he and cass headed for the training room

Bruce just stared at you even more perplexed than before, I mean, you just made damian smile

You glanced at Tim, who seemed just as uncomfortable as you

“Oh yeah Y/N, didn’t we have that movie we were gonna watch? yeah lets go like right now.” Tim said as he pulled your arm took you out of the batcave, giving bruce the well talk later look

After that instance he talk to some of his children about you, and they had nothing but good things to say. Even Jason, who literally kills people for a living, put in a good word about you.

The next time you visited the manor, you were greeted by bruce himself, dressed up in a business suit.

“Y/N, correct?” he pulled out his large calloused covered hand and held it towards you

After a brief moment you smiled and took it

“Yeah, thats me”

[lovelivingmydreams]

Paper Flowers: one step forwards two steps back

Progress isn't always linear. And the setbacks can feel devastating. But it might still be worth it to try and move forward again.

A cute puppy jumps around excitedly, clearly asking to play, in a grassy field, on a sunny day.

Dad lays his hands to his heart. "Aw so cute!"

The dark Lord has his arms crossed, face partially hidden in the shadow of his pulled up hood. "Pathetic," he scoffs, not even looking.

A cat delicately washes her face. Dad gasps. "Elegant!"

Nemesis rolls his eye. "Obnoxious"

A horse prances around a meadow, hair flowing freely in the wind.

Dad stared on in awe and whispered: "Majestic."

Nemesis pinched the bridge of his nose. "Disgraceful"

Suddenly Dad jumped on a bench and pointed frantically at the ground. "Aaah spider!" he screamed.

Nemesis cooed as he knelt down. "Hello there darling!" He gets up, gently petting a massive spider.

Dad screams in horror once more.

 "Well, that was fun," Patton smiled nervously. Virgil looked up at his paternal colleague with a raised brow. The man's body language didn't exactly radiate "I just had fun" energy.

"Plastic spider got you spooked huh?" He mused as he returned his attention to his phone. Thomas just got done filming their character's collab video. Princey's latest very transparent attempt at helping Virgil get along with the others.

"A little," Patton admitted. "But still. I get why Roman enjoys making videos with you so much!"

Virgil suppressed a scoff. There was no real need to point out that it was just Thomas playing caricature versions of them. If Patton wanted to pat himself on the back for this he wasn't going to burst his bubble. So he just shrugged. "I guess," he muttered not noticing how Patton lit up at this small victory.

“Wonderful work you two!” Roman beamed as he entered the commons. Okay, so apparently there was a point in pointing out the obvious.

“Does everyone just forget that it is Thomas who plays these characters? Most we did was toss in a few suggestions. The vine is all you Roman, jeez!” Virgil complained, though he gave Roman the smallest hint of a smile. He wasn’t sure if Roman had started making an effort to give the others credit since they became friends, or if it was just a part of him Virgil only saw now because he spent some actual time around him without shouting insults at each other. Not to say they hadn’t had fights the past… Six months, man time flies. Anyway, their fights could get just as heated as ever. But now after they stormed off to their rooms to cool down, one or the other would eventually knock on the other’s back door with a movie or a snack and an apology. They’d talk things out and make up. It was much better like this. In the past when Virgil’s anger subsided he’d start panicking about… well, everything. Not talking about it afterwards, or even acknowledging that a fight had taken place… Yeah not great.

Roman just rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say Gloom Day. But what did you guys think?” he asked, smile back in place. Roman was already feeling good about today because Virgil had more or less openly complemented him.

“It was amazing Roman! I’m sure the fanders will love it too!” Patton gushed.

Roman gave a little bow. “Thanks padre. Your enthusiasm is appreciated as always.”

This time Virgil could not contain his snort.

“Something funny? Panic at the everywhere?” Roman asked, hands on his hips and a brow raised in challenge.

“Nice one,” Virgil allowed. “It’s just, why even bother asking him? You know he’s going to sing your praises. You can’t sneeze without getting a medal as far as Patton is concerned,” he pointed out.

“That’s not true,” Patton protested gently.

“Well, what did you think then? Oh, sinister one?” Roman asked expectantly, not commenting on the medal thing.

Virgil thought about that for a moment. “I guess it was sort of okay. It was rough on Thomas because Dad and Nemesis have very different energy, but he enjoyed it. The fanders probably didn’t expect the nemesis to interact with other characters,” he allowed, trying to sound reluctant. This time he did see that Patton was beaming. He was really getting too soft around the others.

“Evening everyone,” Logan greeted as he entered the commons. Making Patton get up to get dinner ready and Virgil contemplate whether he’d have dinner in his room or if he could handle a little more social interaction.

“Logan! How did you like today’s project? I am two for two and feeling pretty good, so no need to hold back your criticism,” Roman grinned. Logan cast his eyes to Virgil and then to Patton who nodded, clearly excited to confirm this.

“I see. Well while your intentions were rather transparent, it was a rather good experiment.”

Virgil sat up confused. Did… Did Logan figure them out?

“I don’t have any idea what you are talking about,” Roman grinned innocently.

Logan sighed and adjusted his glasses. “Fine. You ran a test to see how the fanders would respond to the characters loosely based on our personalities interacting. Anxiety and Patton are an interesting first choice. My character and Patton’s would have a more natural combined narrative, but it is effective none the less. I assume that if this gets positive reviews, you will propose other collaborations as well?”

Roman shrugged. “Maybe.”

Virgil felt kind of bad. Roman had promised to stop pushing the subject after things got to a blow with Patton after the whole ‘Marcus’ incident. He should have known that he wouldn’t intentionally push them together.

“Oh Roman! That’s a brilliant idea! That’ll definitely help Anxiety feel less nervous about the whole thing. Right Anxiety?” Patton asked kindly.

Virgil shrugged as he got up to set the table. Just to have something to do.

“You guys do whatever. I’m still not on board.” He didn’t expect them to get it. They represented what people liked about Thomas. His intelligence, creativity, humor, kindness, passion…

He was… as far as everyone was concerned, what hurt Thomas. And yes, he overdid it, a lot. He had tried to be better, honestly, but he couldn’t help who he was.

“We’ll see about that Doominator. I’ll win you over, just you wait. But what did you think Logan?” Roman insisted, pulling Virgil out of his thoughts.

“Well, until we have more data it is hard to say…” Logan started, but then he stopped to ponder. Roman was actively asking for feedback. He had even stated that he could handle it if it wasn’t entirely positive. Maybe he should reward that effort with some of his own.

“Though while I usually would stick with facts, if it is my personal opinion you are seeking…”

An eager nod from Roman confirmed this. Well here goes.

“You all know I am not most in tune with emotions and artistic endeavors. That being said, you did well. The classic broken pattern and the recurring theme of closing off a video including Anxiety and any other character with some form of screaming will almost certainly be well received by the fans.”

Roman was beaming. He had more or less expected someone to criticize the skit in some way, but they all really thought it was good. Maybe the Sanders Sides series could actually happen!

“Dinner’s ready! Thanks for helping out Anxiety,” Patton said pleasantly.

Virgil looked down at the table and found he’d finished setting for four. Guess he’ll be staying for dinner.

He sat across from Patton with Roman to his right and Logan to his left. Roman was brainstorming out loud while they ate dinner, occasionally encouraged by Patton or redirected by Logan when he veered of topic. Once or twice Virgil even muttered a teasing remark which had Roman pouting dramatically and the specs trying to hide their amusement.

It was nice, almost, normal.

He should’ve known then that something was heading his way.

“What do you say Florida Ghoul? Underrated Disney movie night?” Roman asked as they put away the dishes.

Virgil was honestly tempted. Almost all his favorites were in that category. Which Roman knew. They’d argued about the best movies often enough.

But if he started he might lose track of time…

“I have made you all suffer through enough of me I think. I’m going to head down, see what the others are up to.” Thomas was more or less dozing off in front of the tv, he should be fine going down. Maybe he could ask J for a movie night of their own.

“Night,” he waved as he made his way to the door to below. Suddenly he felt someone tug at his hoodie? He looked back, expecting Roman, but it was Patton, looking at him with big shocked eyes.

“Y-you’ll be back though right? We really don’t mind you staying. You don’t have to…”

Virgil raised his hands. “Wow, calm down. What made you think I was going to go back? Permanently I mean.”

Patton looked away, let go of his shirt and started fidgeting with his hands.

That told Virgil enough. He looked up to Roman and Logan. “What did Deceit do?”

Roman got ready to speak, but Logan beat him to it.

“About a week ago, after we first discussed Roman’s Sanders Sides idea, he made a brief appearance. He implied that he might take you back in if we didn’t do a better job of ‘handling you’. Roman and I already assured Patton that Janus has no such power without our aid, but he apparently has not been convinced.”

Virgil glanced to Roman who nodded to confirm that this was how things had played out.

He let out a tired sigh. “I can’t belief this guy. I’ll be right back.”

Before anyone could say anything he rushed down the stairs. His thoughts racing. Was this the first time Janus had tried to guilt the others into being his friends? Had Roman… No… No he couldn’t start down that path. Not yet anyway.

“Janus!” he called out as he entered the living room.

“Virgin!” Remus greeted excitedly. Virgil gave the chaotic gremlin he’d grown up with a quick wave.

“Leave us for a sec Remus,” he growled, not looking away from the yellow clad side.

Janus walked up to Remus, looking at Virgil with confusion.

“Why don’t you go hunt something for breakfast Remus,” Janus suggests. Remus didn’t need any more prompting than that. A second later they were alone.

"Virgil, what's the matter?"

Virgil worked a brow. "What do you think? Why could I possibly be mad at you?" He asked, wanting to give Janus a chance to fess up himself.

Janus took in his body language and expression. This was not the fury he'd expect if he'd somehow discovered Janus had been in his room when he wasn't there.

So that left... "Did the lights really tell on me?" He huffed trying to hide how worried that made him. He had no clue about the context. What did Virgil think happened?

"No. I said I was planning on hanging with you guys tonight with plenty of my usual self deprecating humor and Patton was worried I was planning on staying away. I figured you had something to do with that. Logan told me what happened because I asked," Virgil clarified.

"Now I want to hear your side. The truth J. Please." He really hoped the explanation wouldn't be as heartbreaking as the one in his head.

Janus took in a deep breath. "Okay, bit promise we'll stay on topic. No evading, no beating around the bush." Virgil nodded in agreement.

Janus studied his face for a moment until he was satisfied with what he saw. "Okay. Virgil you have been disappearing. I tried to check up on you a few times the past few months and you were just gone. I allowed you to go upstairs because I thought it would be better for you. But if they are erasing you... I needed them to at least try to keep you. I didn't know what else to do..."

Virgil groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm going to skip over the fact that you obviously entered my room while I was our, for now." He took a deep breath. It wasn't a surprise really. Janus and Remus both always just appeared in his room when they wanted to speak with him. So of course Janus had occasionally popped in to find it empty.

"I was probably in the imagination," Virgil confessed.

"The... why? How?!" Janus asked shocked.

"Roman gave me a little meadow to relax. Like 5 months ago I think. Not too long after the prince vs nemesis video's started. I go there when I need a break."

Janus stammered for a few seconds before letting out a utterly perplexed: "Why?"

That hurt a little. Was it that hard to belief?

"He only said he felt like giving me something. Maybe it was because I gave him some constructive criticism earlier and he wanted to try out positive reinforcement. You know he always overdoes everything," Virgil explained. There wasn't a single lie in his statement, so Janus believed him.

"But... he's not supposed to know..." Janus collapsed a hand in front of his mouth, realizing he said that out loud.

"What is Roman not supposed to know?" Virgil growled.

Janus took a small step back. "I... before I sent you upstairs I told Patton and Logan what I was planning and why. I wanted to be sure they'd look after you."

Virgil nodded. That made sense. "Why was Roman not supposed to know that?"

Janus couldn't look at Virgil. "I... told them I was worried what it would do to Thomas if you didn't move to a less stressful environment. I wasn't sure if Roman would be helpful or even more wary of you. So I blocked even the thought of telling Roman about our conversation from their minds."

Virgil was silent for a few moments. Somehow he felt a lot better about everything now. It all made so much more sense.

"Unblock it then," he muttered as he turned around.

"Virgil..."

"Unblock it. I'll see you guys next week or something. Maybe..." J had meant well after all... right?

"Virgil!" Janus called after him, but he was already halfway the upper commons.

When he walked in Roman, Logan and Patton were standing there waiting for him.

"Janus lied. So you don't have to pretend anymore. And you should be able to tell Roman," he said. Hands in his pockets, leaning casually against the doorframe. His old walks back in place. It was better that way.

"Anxiety... kiddo no. You..."

"Just drop it!" Virgil hissed in his tempest tongue, the briefest glimpse of his feral form was enough to make Patton stagger backwards into Logan. Roman was reaching out though. He was still on Virgil's side.

"I was getting sick of all this sappy family stuff anyway," he scoffed before leaving for gos room.

 Roman stormed into the meadow ready to break down Virgil's door if he had to. Virgil hadn't knocked not even once. But he couldn't be left alone with his thoughts now!

He was barely two steps inside when he spotted Virgil sitting there, a crown of purple daisies in his hand.

"You came," the anxious man breathed in relief.

Roman sat down next to him careful to keep enough distance but also be within reach.

"Of course," he said gently. They both knew ge wanted to defend Patton and Logan. To assure Virgil that they never did what they did because they feared he would be pushed to the edge and hurt Thomas in the fallout.

Virgil had explained to him that his discomfort around Patton was due to feeling like the moral side saw him as a ticking timebomb.

The reason for that was painfully obvious now. But how to make Virgik see that Patton was more distant than he wanted to be instead of more welcoming?

"I knew it was all too good to be true. The bubble was bound to burst... I told myself not to get too attached, cause it would end up hurting... I didn't realize... not until earlier. My room is almost back where I started Roman. I litterally pushed them away. And I thought... I thought I'd pushed you away too." Roman could tell Virgil had been crying.

"Preposterous. I'm much too stuborn to get rid if that easily," he assured Virgil. The darker side cracked a smile at that.

"I'm glad I was wrong about that..."

Roman nodded. Virgil had told him how much he hated being right.

"Did I ruin movienight?" Virgil wondered tensely.

"Well I don't know about Logan and Patton. But you and I are going yo watch all those tragically underrated movies."

And with a wave of his hand Roman set out an out doors movie theatre complete with snacks. The sky darkened and Virgil was handed a movie menu.

He smirked as he looked it over. Roman really did have to overdo everything. Including distracting him.

It was appreciated though.

@moonlightshow00 @naturallyunstablegamer @alias290 @meowthefluffy @riverdoesbadart @vpow @apinkline2715 @frida43 @tired-yeetling @firegirl156

Later Virgil would discover that his room was moved just a few feet closer to the upper level again.

Next: adjusting

[taejeonie]

dream vs dream

— i can’t find a gif of mark in dream vs dream :(( so take this screenshot :>>

“ncity-“

“hihihi”

“gotta go get em”

“HAHAHAHAHAHA”

i present to u

markhee(HEE, i saw that reply and i loved it)

bffs forever mwah <3

i swear mark keeps laughing around taehyuck best friend goals

“mic test,,ncity...gotta go get em :)))”

video cuts to taehee moving her chair closer to mark

“hey, what are you doing?”

“i’m moving closer to you. what does it look like?”

“there you go again”

“iS it mY fAuLt fOr wAnTinG tO bE cLosE tO mY bEsT bUdDy?”

and mark just deadass stares at her but there’s this loving look in his eyes yes mark she’s still ur best friend and u love her bc that’s what bffs are <3

“ahh i knew you would be like this”

“how much do you wanna bet we’re gonna ask the same thing?”

“like,,,for real? cause-“

“are you scared, mark?”

“if that’s the case, i’m not betting. i have a feeling we’re gonna ask at least two questions that are the same”

taehee @ the camera: “if we get one of the questions wrong, we’re gonna eat it.”

“wh- HAHAHAHAHA”

“so that we can remember the answer after this.”

“HAHAHHAHAHAHA”

“but then we throw it away if we get it right”

“let’s fold the paper like this :p” MARK IS SO CUTE PLS

“but then eat it if we get right...you have to swallow okay?”

“oKAAYYY DREAM VS DREAM START!”

they play rps

taehee threw scissors and mark threw rock

mark, shaking his head: “you always throw scissors it’s so predictable”

“one day, i’ll throw u off. we’ll see -.-“

“okay, what year did we meet each other?”

...

...

...

“DONT PRETEND U DONT KNOW THIS IS EASY!!!”

“2012. we arrived at the same day, right?”

“right.”

“mark and i were really shy back then so we became each other’s first friends in the company”

“we were,,,13? 13, right?”

“i was 12, u were thirteen. our friendship was going strong,,,until haechan came along so mark started hanging out with him more >:((“

“you and haechan fought a lot back then!!!”

in nana’s voice: “but you chose to hangout with me and you left me all alone (-｡-; “

and mark’s in faux disbelief

taehee and her antics tsk

“okay next question....give me one thing i appreciate about mark lee and why?”

mark’s fLUSTERED TM

everyone loves u dont be shy markus

“one? just one?”

“yeah-“

“that’s so hard there’s so many”

“WOW AND YOU FINALLY ADMIT IT”

“NO NOT LIKE THAT HAHA”

“just answer the question”

“is it...i’m cute?”

“then what’s the reason for that?”

“do you like me?”

“oh no...how’d you find out :OO”

“JUST TELL ME IF IM RIGHT OR WRONG”

“no,,i’ll give u another chance. it’s something that you say”

“my habits? ‘약간’?”

“that’s cute,,but no.”

...

mark snaps his fingers and goes, “AH!”

“when i call you ‘joanie’ becauseeee.....”

“because?”

“it reminds you of your mom?”

“i was going for family but mom works too ;))”

and mark laughs in delight

“yo that was EASY”

taehee playfully rolls her eyes, “your turn”

“what is mark’s sleeping habit?”

taehee’s eyes widen for a split second before answering

“kissing your roommate”

“crawling on the floor”

“what?”

“sleep talking in korean and english”

“that’s right”

“konglish” - taehee, 2k18

“i witnessed it personally and when i do get the chance, i will record it and post it on sns”

“...please don’t”

“you’re right i might get fired”

they both laugh,,you can also hear renjun’s laughter off-screen

“okay next, you’ll know the answer to this if you’re really interested in me”

“i feel uneasy”

“what is my favorite song as of now,,,,”

“uhh ‘better now’?”

“no”

“‘i like it’”

“nooo”

“‘better now’”

“HEY YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS :(((“

“WHAT IS IT”

taehee puffs out her cheeks before giving him a clue

“it’s a song by one of your favorite artists”

mark blanks out for a moment and he’s like

uhhhhhhh

and taehee sighs disappointingly bc so far she’s got two of mark’s questions right

i mean her questions aren’t that hard pfffft

“AH! ‘new light’ by john mayer”

“DING DING DING”

“i told you to listen to it, right?,” mark says proudly

she nodded cutely before singing the lyrics

“oh i want a take two,”

“i want to breakthrough,”

and mark joins her and it becomes the perfect recipe for a louder duo

mark + taehee = loud

“I WANNA KNOW THE REAL THING ABOUT YOU”

and now they’re calm again, “so i can see you in a new light~”

taehee: “applause!!”

cLAP CLAP CLAP

“in how many cities did mark live in?”

“torontonewyorkvancouverseoul”

taehee main rapper we stan

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH THAT WAS SO FAST AHHAHAHAHAHAH”

“f o u r,” she spelled in english

“mARK LOOK FOUR HAS FOUR LETTERS”

“rEaLLy???”

simultaneously: f o u r.

and they’re both shocked like the five year olds they are so they high five each other

#dreamiesatheart

“what is taehee’s most recent sleeping habit?”

“told you it would be the same”

“yeah but mine has a ‘most recent’ on it? see,” she gestures to the paper in her hand

“you raise your arm when you’re asleep”

taehee’s like >:(( as she puts mark’s hand down when he demonstrates

“there’s another one”

“ahh sleeping on the floor”

“yeapp :DD”

“why do you get on the floor tho?”

“honestly i don’t even wanna know”

“okay in what restaurant did we eat together”

“like...just the two of us?”

“yeah”

“do i have to name all of them”

“name the most memorable one.”

“ah 삼겹살!!!”

“that’s correct but there’s another-“

“김치찌개!!”

“wow you got all of them right”

“paper doesn’t exactly suit my appetite...but maybe it does for you”

mark laughs at this

“wait, see? i’m getting goosebumps right now. what was the first menu mark and taehee ate together?”

“just the two of us? isn’t it 김치찌개 also?”

“yes,” and the girl goes in for a high five

“woah we really wrote the same thing ...”

“we should’ve discussed this earlier”

“okay last question!!! are you ready?”

“yES IM READY,” she shouts causing mark to let out a giggle

“name the film that we watched together in the movie theater”

“train to busan. i loved that movie.”

“that’s right!!”

and they make their 93488293rd high five in the video

best friend tingz

mark laughs, “no one knew about this.”

“yeah we had to sneak out,” taehee says before making that

oops i did it again face

taehee and her escapades the managers have trouble monitoring her sometimes

but she’s a good girl for the most part lmao she still needs to pay rent

“i didn’t want to watch the movie-“

“but i forced him to”

“i thought you didn’t like scary movies?”

“scary movies are fine as long as i’m with....”

everyone expects her to say ‘the members’ but it’s taehee ffs

“...you ;)))”

“oKAAAAAAAAY”

“okay my turn,,,”

“WOAH YOU ACTUALLY GOT ALL OF THE QUESTIONS CORRECT”

taehee suddenly throws the paper behind her shoulder and catches mark off by surprise

“mark,,,,,”

then there’s this look in her eyes which made mark laugh nervously, “whaaat are you gonna do?”

“are you tired?”

“is that the question?”

taehee nods, “ask me why,,”

“....why?”

“because you keep running through my mind all day ;)))”

*finger guns*

chenle and jeno laugh behind the cam while mark attempts to keep a straight face while shaking his head at you

“that was good right?,” taehee’s still laughing as she nudges mark with her knee

“oh really?,” mark says

“then you must be exhausted”

taehee: ( O.O )

“WOAHHHH”

“MARK-HYUNG!!!”

“DID HE REALLY JUST DO THAT”

taehee’s in shock bc??? mark lee??? flirting back???

“wah that was good...”

and mark’s just laughing at her expression

“wah .... i didn’t ....”

video cuts to taehee looking sullen while mark :))

“okay, the score is 5:4-“

“WHAT NO-“

“i’m hurt,,,clearly mark isn’t interested in me”

*proceeds to fake cry*

“hey, that’s no fair. the last question wasn’t even about you-“

*fake cries harder*

when taehee “calmed down” she looks at the camera

she’s still wiping her non-existent tears

acting queen give her an oscar

“from now on, i will try to be less interested in mark”

she turns to mark and makes this cutting/slicing gesture with her hand

and mouths “friendship. over. -.-“

“she gave the wrong questions. that’s why-“

“wHAT CAN GET MORE PERFECT THAN THESE”

bleep

“this was dream vs dream which ended in my victory. thank you for watching!!!”

they give each other a bro hug

and when taehee pulls away she looks down and pointed at mark’s shoes

“tie your shoes properly!!”

“but they don’t-“

“i don’t want you falling for anyone else ;)))”

mark shoves her causing taehee to go out of frame

“HAHAHHAHAHA- HEY!”

“tHAT WAS BAD I DONT EVEN HAVE SHOE LACES”

“IT WAS GOOD THOUGH!!”

“try to come up with a new one, i heard you use that on yuta-hyung already.”

“whatever-“

[hilarieburtonmorgan]

Hilarie Burton Morgan On Home Beyond Hollywood And Working Beside Her Husband On ‘The Walking Dead’

FilmMagic

From her standout performances on beloved television series to a recent bestselling memoir, Hilarie Burton Morgan continues to take us along on her journey called life. Beginning her career as a MTV VJ in 2000 to regularly lighting up the small screen ever since, the 38-year-old actress and author wears multiple hats these days, with an even more important title of mother & wife leading her charge. Now with several exciting projects on the horizon, including her long-anticipated introduction into the expanding world of The Walking Dead beside her husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan , Hilarie is no doubt maintaining a lasting impression.

To truly appreciate her on-screen chemistry with Jeffrey, it would be helpful to know how they first connected off-screen. “I knew right away,” Hilarie tells Forbes about how soon she knew Jeffrey was the person for her, while sharing the story of how they met. “My very dear friend Danneel Ackles is married to Jensen Ackles and I would stay at their house every time I would go out to LA. When I was 26, I went to stay at their house and I think they got sick of me dating drifters. So Jensen was like ‘I’m going to introduce you to someone that I want to hang out with’ and he introduced me to Jeffrey, who had played his dad on Supernatural . It was pretty from the jump. He started sending me packages right away of books and love letters and he laid it on nice and thick and it worked! Here we are 12 years later.”

AFP via Getty Images

Easter Sunday on AMC, The Walking Dead will reveal to viewers the backstory of Jeffrey’s character Negan and his ailing wife Lucille, played by Hilarie. Even though this important “Here’s Negan” season finale episode will be the first time you will actually see Lucille in action, Hilarie points out that her character has played an integral part on the hit series for some time now. “The mythology of Lucille has been around as long as Negan has been around,” Hilarie explains. “When it was introduced that he had a baseball bat that he used to kill people named Lucille, obviously there were questions surrounding who that was named after and he has been pretty forthcoming throughout the series that his dead wife was the inspiration for the name and he has talked a number of times about her cancer diagnosis, about her death, about what that loss meant to him. While Negan and my husband have been vilified over the last five or so years, to me what Lucille is, is a real glimpse into who Negan was pre-apocalypse and the man that she wanted him to be.”

Hilarie says being a real-life married couple portraying a married couple on television was an experience they really enjoyed together. “It was really wonderful. We have a really similar energy on-set. Neither one of us takes ourselves very seriously. We like joking around.” Hilarie also hopes that fans will better understand the violent ways of Negan after they get to see the love and heartbreak that he came from. “If there was ever a time for people to understand Negan’s aggression or his way of doing things, I feel like the entire world has been prepped for that over the last year. So Lucille comes in as the person who loves him the most and loves him even with his flaws. Perhaps the audience if they don’t already love him, which they should, perhaps they can follow Lucille’s example and love him through the tough stuff.”

Josh Stringer/AMC

In reality, Hilarie’s life with Jeffrey and their two kids is far less dramatic. When their son was in preschool, the couple decided to set roots as a growing family in Upstate New York and ultimately build their home on a farm. “We rescue animals and we got tons of chickens and ducks and cows and llamas and an emu and a donkey that are in love. We have got a really large vegetable garden that we definitely expanded on during quarantine and our son just turned eleven and our daughter is three and they are fully onboard with getting involved in there.”

Following the unexpected death of their local family friend Ira Gutner, Hilarie and Jeffrey decided to become co-owners of Samuel’s Sweet Shop to keep Ira’s storefront from closing, with the help of a handful of nearby friends, including another familiar face, actor Paul Rudd. “It has been such a wonderful experience for our kids because they all know what their first job is going to be,” Hilarie adds. “It has been fun for our community because we have been able to use it as the trophy case for all our food artists in town. During quarantine, when you can’t celebrate with the people you love, we hired all new people and created a new space to do gift baskets. It was so wonderful that our community and people from all over the country were supporting a small business, because we know what lockdown did to those this year.”

AMC

Last May, in the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Hilarie published her memoir The Rural Diaries: Love, Livestock and Big Life Lessons Down on Mischief Farm . In the book, which she says is meant to be a love letter to her husband, her community and her children, Hilarie very openly discusses the miscarriages she endured and says she did not expect so many people to connect with her story over the past year. “This has been a book that people have gifted their friends or their loved ones during a really difficult time. For me, the responsibility of being a voice for people who have felt like they needed to keep miscarriages or infertility a secret, I’m very serious about it. I never want to cheapen that for anyone because I know how terrible it is to fall asleep at night devastated.” Hilarie is currently writing a second book, which she hopes to have done by next year.

Even as new projects continue to pop up for Hilarie, her nostalgic fan-favorite projects from yesteryear also seem to have the possibility of returning in some capacity. When discussing her role as Sara Ellis on the stylish con artist series White Collar and her commitment to finding a way to work with that cast family again through a revival series or simply together on a new project, Hilarie says, “We’re going to get the band back together, hell or high water. We love each other.”

Hilarie’s six seasons starring as Peyton Sawyer on the hit drama series One Tree Hill has led to her having a substantially large and vocal fanbase for nearly two decades now . “Peyton was the Negan of One Tree Hill because there are people who really hated her and then there were people who really loved how messy she was. Those are the characters that I have always been drawn to, which is probably why I am so defensive of my husband’s character. I love Peyton Sawyer. I put so much of my real self into that character and really fought for her a lot behind the scenes.” When reflecting on the longevity of this series that ran from 2003-2012, Hilarie has noticed the loyal One Tree Hill fan community growing larger and larger as time goes on, as younger generations are now experiencing the series for the very first time through the in-demand world of video streaming. “It’s going to be weird when my son or my daughter comes of age and has to reckon with all the dumb stuff their mother did in her early twenties because it’s there forever,” Hilarie jokes.

FilmMagic

When referencing her One Tree Hill co-stars, which include Sophia Bush, Bethany Joy Lenz, James Lafferty and Chad Michael Murray, Hilarie says, “Those are going to be the people that I’m close with forever. Those are the people who were with me when I was most unsure about myself and we’ve all seen each other fall in love and break up and been through it. All of those life experiences matter, now that we are almost twenty years later and we’ll love each other forever. We’re always scheming on how to continue to work together.” When hoping Hilarie will elaborate further with any hints for fans, she responds, “I will say that the girls in particular are very, very close. We went through a lot together on that show and we evolved together on that show and so we may have some things in the works that we will be excited to promote later this summer.”

As Hilarie strives to make time for her new and revisited projects, she is consistently striving to make her family’s schedules work as one. “We definitely take turns. Jeffrey’s Walking Dead schedule is obviously the thing that takes precedent. So if I can maintain my side hustles around that (laughs) . The kids’ school year is a big deal for us and what has been really lovely is that in the time we have lived in the Hudson Valley, the film community there has really blossomed. Everything is about making it work for the family and I think once you have that as your center point, it makes every other decision that rolls around it very easy.”

Hilarie wrapped up our conversation thinking about other women in the world right now that have to juggle many responsibilities at once during this life-altering era of the pandemic. “For me, the struggle is always between being a good mom and working and quarantine pulled so many women out of the workforce. When I see those numbers of the amount of women that had to leave work to be able to take care of their children because schools were closed and because we didn’t know what this virus was going to do, that’s heartbreaking. Being able to be a working mother from home and take my kids to school and take them to dance class and write my book and produce movies is something I don’t take for granted at all. I want a shine a light on all the women who are doing it. Homeschool and working and cooking dinner and cleaning the house and just all of it. You’re never good enough. So for the women who out there trying their absolute best, I just want you to know you’re good enough and you’ve kicked ass and your kids are going to be great and they saw how much you cared and how hard you worked and that’s important.”

[onegirllis]

Since Life is Strange 2 is finally fully released, I let myself to write a probably not-so-short review of the complete season. The momentum for such a summary is already gone I presume but it took me a moment to finally digest and find the proper words to describe what I think and feel about this production. Following the game from the start, I patiently waited to look at the story as a whole, hoping to find an explanation for tons of burning questions and satisfying outcomes to my choices and decisions. Unfortunately, most of those didn’t happen, therefore I present you with a piece that is not very favorable towards the newest Dontnod production, harsh in places but honest. Please, do not read if you really enjoyed the story of the two brothers and find it meaningful and important, not burdened with any fallacy. Life is way too short to read reviews that just leave you frustrated.

Remember the scene in Life is Strange season one (I still hate the fact that I have to separate different instances of the franchise calling them seasons), when Max summoned by an enormous plasma TV in Victoria’s room fantasizes about watching “Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within” on it? “I like this movie, I don’t care what everybody says,” getting protective about her preferences, the little freckle leaves the room soon after, never gifting us with any explanation as to why she indeed values this animation so much or why it was an important statement. It was never brought back again, it will never matter, becoming simply a meme material or a trigger for snarky comments from Twitch streamers and YouTubers. I watched the said movie a long time ago, recalling only two things about it: the breathtaking animation of hair at the beginning and the fact that the main male character looked like Ben Affleck. The rest of the story fell into obscurity before the end credits hit the screen. I reached for this title only because I was interested in anything video games related, and the name of the popular franchise was more than enough.

The same thing goes for Life is Strange 2.

Just like the mentioned FF: The Spirits Within, the second instance of the beloved series is more of an animation than an interactive experience. Recently, plenty of video games, overwhelmed by finally reachable technology of smooth mocaps, facial expressions, hyper-realistic locations, and scanned people as characters, turned into an alley dedicated to B-class movies. From adventures by David Cage to Death Stranding, video games started to flip their working template, replacing the actual action with long animations, not the other way around. With scattered gameplay, sometimes forced as if the developers reminded themselves at the last minute that this product is supposed to be interactive, they raise an eyebrow at best, and boil your blood with the lack of creativity at its worst. Life Is Strange 2 follows this trend with astonishing enthusiasm and to the core. Even regarding this particular genre that’s supposed to focus on narrative, it barely stands as a walking simulator becoming a hardly watchable TV series — a road trip story where walking is limited.

Well, shit.

The gameplay in Life is Strange 2 is nonexistent. To be frank, riveting action-packed sequences were never a trademark of the series, but a blatant lack of any didn’t make this experience any better. With the first one, the rewind power allowed the player to actually be part of the narrative. The second, where Sean just serves as a witness to his brother’s actions, plays more like a full motion picture. An enormous amount of un-skippable cut-scenes change LIS2 into a tedious, dragging journey straight from the worst selection of buy 1 get 3 free Z-class movies. The music and the mastery in creating an atmosphere that rose Dontnod to international fame due to widespread acclaim can’t save those sequences either. It almost feels like their own creation so enchanted the development team that they ignored all the red flags and clumsy solutions to immerse in the world themselves, treating the actual player as a lesser evil, throwing them a bone just to claim it is a video game format. To no surprise, most of the items the player interacts with don’t matter at all and don’t serve any purpose either to foreshadow an upcoming outcome, present exposition to the world, or be in any way helpful.

The lack of superpower is not an issue here though. Before the Storm met the expectations with way more grace, proving that a story doesn’t need a lot of strange in life to grip and hold its audience for hours. Watching a superhero growing up is an interesting premise, but a hell of a challenge to execute and execute well. Some stories like “Little Man Tate” translate to a brilliant film, but don’t necessarily work as games, after the planning stage or first Game Design Document. The references regarding the first game also remain scattered and uneven, tossed on the pile with a heap of faith that devoted fans would notice, but without a purpose in mind.

Even if I sound harsh, I do believe that Dontnod wanted to deliver the best story possible, but Life is Strange 2 feels even too big to absorb or fill with details. Captain Spirit, not necessarily my cup of tea either, was in my opinion way more coherent, as the creative team felt more comfortable with such a small scope of a product. Everything falls into place after careful exploration, makes more sense with every minute. The mystery about the mother, an alumnus of Blackwell Academy, and an admirer of Jefferson’s work is a solid premise that didn’t raise expectations up the roof nor overpromise. The mystery of yet another mother, this time Life is Strange 2, played for over 3 and a half episodes, falls flat in comparison and ends in the disappointing question “that’s it?”

No, that’s not it. There’s more to it.

Life is Strange 1 was mocked as Tumblr: The Game, while the second instance could easily pass as Twitter: The Animated Series. The writers didn’t challenge themselves or the audience to answer the question of why certain people voted for Donald Trump, or why they would do it yet again. The only reason presented in the story is quite simplistic and obvious – because they are evil, deplorable people, not worth listening to. They are the worst. We are better. Issues of being harangued by foreigners about domestic policies and troubles of your own country are a brewing can of worms I wouldn’t like to touch at the moment. Still, this particular stance, which serves as painful generalization that every single republican voter in the US is foul, can be forged only by someone who either lives in a bubble or doesn’t live here at all. Simply because we all have parents, grandparents, relatives, friends, or co-workers who decided to elect the actual prescient to power. Some of them are racists, disgusting, and horrible personas, and some just belong to the scared of change, confused and manipulated crowd that don’t accept the fast-paced transformation nor the need for a revolution. We coexist together, arguing and fighting, especially during holiday breaks, but even if it costs me a headache, I wouldn’t call them evil. Millions of people voted for Trump, but only a few wouldn’t spit on a swastika if confronted with the Nazi banner.

It’s even more painful when you understand what kind of message was sewed into the stitches of a shattered story. There was no ill will, or at least I don’t think so, but an honest, genuine need to express the concern about modern America. Unfortunately, when executed, this concern changed into another yell or discourse by the family table during an argument with your racist uncle. An open discussion in a game community that unifies both left and right supporters equally by their love for this form of entertainment would be appreciated by many, just like after playing LIS1, a handful of people changed their views on LGBT issues.

Instead of a lesson that had to be experienced, we got a lecture about morality and tolerance, contradicting itself constantly and nonchalantly following the well-known tropes NOT in a sarcastic and admirable way known from Saturday Night Live, but in a lazy and sometimes even clumsy substitute of a dramatic format. The political landscape painted in LIS2 is caricatural, unforgiving, harsh like a deserted wasteland with a few peaceful oases to stop at, but shies over its own existence, not willing to thoroughly discuss the dreadful weather. Guess what? The sand won’t change into greener pastures only because you close your eyes, putting your imagination to work. Donald Trump might not be re-elected for a second term, but his supporters will stay in place, even more conflicted by the other side. It’s a brave decision to deliver such a punitive story but such a cowardice to break its pillars, hoping that the general public wouldn’t notice or get distracted when things get too heated up.

The lack of subtlety forced scene by scene is even more polarizing. There is no peaceful dialogue with the other side as if it couldn’t exist in this world. There is no change of heart or a path to do so. Sometimes it feels like the only message that LIS2 writers wanted to provide was to find your own, peaceful and liberal hermitage, either among hipsters in the Redwood forest, driving a car that your ‘family with money but no soul’ had bought you or move to a trailer park filled with artistic souls in Nowhere, Arizona. Any contact with the outside world can hurt you and your feelings. Drop off the grid or die. The end.

No discussion.

The efforts of trying to understand the motivation behind even the most dreadful character of the first game, got lost in preparation for the second. LIS2 builds a higher wall between two political sides, than any other game released after Trump became the president of the United States and desperately wants to keep it erected, ignoring the crumbling foundations of such. A proverbial river you shall not cross nor build bridges over since the only outcome would end up in death, destruction, or you and your young brother getting hurt.

I’m familiar with the discussion about LIS2, especially with a shouting match that if you do not like this instance, you are therefore a racist pig, a disgusting person without a soul, conscience, or working brain that doesn’t understand the situation and never will. On the contrary. In my humble opinion, we deserve a better discussion, better stories, better representation, not sticking to whatever is presented because it’s brave enough or was never approached before. I disagree with the stance that a Latino, bisexual main character is enough to close your eyes, omitting all problems that this title tries to shun, riding its high horse. No. Those topics are way too crucial to just walk past, setting for less with your head down, thanking for the game industry to take notice. You the player deserve better, even if you don’t struggle with specific issues on a daily basis. And after playing LIS2, you may feel so good about yourself, stating that an effort was made but it it wasn’t made enough.

I expected more. I wanted Dontnod to do more, and frankly, I feel silly putting so much faith in them and supporting their efforts. Armed with resources provided by Square Enix, I’m sure they are aware of the fact that most of their audience is quite young and wouldn’t mind a lesson or message about what to do amidst troubled times. Well, Dontnod doesn’t have any but warns you that voicing your opinion or being different may end up in disaster. Outraged, they just yell at the news, angry about what our reality has changed into, but nothing comes out of it. It’s all right, though. Our parents do the same thing. We started to do the same thing, but instead of complaining to family members, we have Twitter.

While Life is Strange 2 tries really hard to come across as a realistic and raw portrait of the US at the end of the decade, they didn’t have enough courage to show realistic obstacles two runaways would be faced with. The brothers do meet a handful of bigots and racists, but the rest of the fellow travelers help them beyond understanding or hidden agenda. Sean and Daniel never really struggle to find a place to stay or a warm meal, usually complaining on or off the screen just before the game mercifully provides them with a solution. There’s no trap they can fall into, no ambiguous characters that promise one thing and then demand something in return. It’s very honorable for Brody to pay for a place to stay, but if an adult man gave young kids a key to a motel room, I would consider a way more sinister outcome. It’s not even about Brody himself, since good people exist, just like the racist ones, but the boys not even once are put in a realistic, scary situation created by a supposed ally. If somebody is helpful, this person is always decent, offering them a job, a ride, some food or money. The bad people wear red hats and yell racist slurs. America by Dontnod is simple to navigate but raw and painful when not necessary and fairy-tale-like when it could teach an actual lesson. Running away from home is not so hazardous because of Trump supporters but because you can end up dead in a ravine, being robbed and raped. It’s not the first and surely not the last time when the developers feared to touch any topic of sexual abuse with a ten-foot pole, but then the journey plays more like a vacation than a desperate escape. Sean gets beaten-up a few times, loses his eye due to a brawl, but it doesn’t affect him at all in the long run. When Daniel finally gets kidnapped, it’s not an Epstein-like circle, dealing with human trafficking, but a religious cult that worships him. The first option, even if it feels like a stretch, is unfortunately way more realistic than the latter.

Preaching to the choir is not the biggest sin this game commits though. That brings me to the most discussed theme of the production, which is education.

With all due respect to the developers, writers, and designers, Life is Strange 2 in this aspect falls flat as a discovery of a Sunday father, who is responsible for taking his kid to the zoo and struggles to find any common ground with his offspring, either trying to crack jokes about famous pop-culture phenomena or talk about food discussing their next favorite meal. The said father is trying his best though, perfectly aware that it’s his only chance to teach his son a thing or two, but doesn’t know exactly where to start, torn apart between buying more ice cream and throwing a fit about a stain on the carpet. The father doesn’t even like kids that much and can’t translate his lessons into an engaging play that would be memorized forever, rolling his eyes and counting the days to his kid’s graduation so they could share a beer or two and talk about adult things. Now, any effort to explain how the world works seems to be in vain, therefore a waste of his precious time. Leaving the emotional approach aside, the father doesn’t have to cuddle with his kid when he’s scared, bullied, traumatized or asks millions of questions about the future or present, because the full-time mother is waiting at home willing to replace him in this duty. The mother, knowing that her ex-partner sucks big time at talking about feelings, will be the one who will hold the kid, patiently explaining that the boogieman does not exist, playing pirates, or stay late at night to distract his sorrows. The kid will never discuss his fears with his dad though, trying so hard to impress his male parent. He will never know, and it’s fine. The mother is going to do the job while he can deliver a once a week entertainment along with the lines of ultimate wisdom that most likely will be forgotten anyway.

This is not raising a kid, it’s nursing them like a fragile plant in a flowerpot, focusing on water, sun, and fertilizer, but discarding the emotional background, hoping that somebody else would take care of such issues if things go south.

Sean can’t raise his brother well, simply because he is immature and will stay immature for the rest of the game. There is no moment when he truly goes through a transformation changing from a boy to a man, a fully grown-up adult who takes responsibility for his actions and makes sacrifices for the sake of the greater good. No, surrendering in a fight in the church doesn’t serve as one, neither does the first sexual experience. He doesn’t wonder even once if the hastily constructed plan is benefiting Daniel, forcing it to the last minutes of the game, taking the separation as the worst thing that could happen. There’s no spark of a tragedy like in “The Road” when a father gives up his son to strangers for the sake of saving him. Sean doesn’t care, presenting no character development across the board, merely pushing forward. If there are doubts, they disappear in the blink of an eye when the next cut-scene takes place.

I understand that such a young lad as Sean wouldn’t know how to raise a kid, especially if having no model to rely on. However, a part of growing pains is developing the awareness that we know way less than we assumed. That said, Sean Diaz is always assuming he is right, not asking for advice regarding Daniel even once. Apparently, it’s not something that he’s interested in or ever will be. If Life is Strange 2 wants to pass as a coming of age story, it falls on its face before it even starts.

Moreover, locked in the auto-driven plot, Sean cannot grow up and gain a new perspective; otherwise, the story wouldn’t reach its big, explosion-packed finale of crossing the border. His desperate efforts of influencing his brother usually converge to order him around, feed him with half-truths or simply leave him in the dark when convenient. I didn’t see any difference or change in Sean’s approach from episode one when he scolded his brother, annoyed for his party plans being interrupted, and in episode three, when he reacts similarly, for the sake of spending time alone with the chosen love interest. There’s no deep thought, no wonder about his own wrongdoings expressed to his brother, no faults admitted, no fallacies explained, with one life-threating situation after another. From an illegal weed growing farm, to destroying police stations, Sean just follows the road, paved by the writers, oblivious to the harm done to his younger sibling, as if Daniel simply forgets the morally gray choices, growing his moral spine entirely on performing chores. Washing the dishes and peeling potatoes does not make us better people but understanding a perspective so different than our own does. Thanks to Sean, Daniel expands his world, but it’s a very one-sided perspective, focusing on always praised, hippie-style liberties, and disregarding every option that requires any code of conduct, as represented by the grandparents. While the older brother forces the younger one to keep up with the designed tasks, he never discusses the issues that really matter. In episode 3, the youngster gets involved in a heist, a robbery, but after it fails, costing Sean his eye and the possible death of some of their companions, this is never mentioned. Mexico, a plan that is hardly a plan at all, is supposed to be an answer to all the questions and doubts. El Dorado of knowledge.

This is not how you raise a dog, not to mention a child.

There is no emotional bond, no special ties between the brothers, except a few problematic moments that play mostly on simple connection forged by blood, not by circumstances. Sean worries about Daniel because he’s his brother, but the player starts to wonder quite quickly why and what for. Reminiscing about old times gets nailed down to a few lines about the comforts and amenities of a life long gone. The tough topics, such as grieving after personally witnessing their father’s death, are mentioned scarcely and without much emphasis, as if serving only as a reminder to the player, but not a poignant struggle. Same goes with the dog, their friends mutilated at the end of the weed farm chapter, Chris (aka captain spirit) who is mentioned just before the end credits of the second episode, and tons of others. On top of it, the scattered and not so often dialogue lines about putting people in danger refer only to the good folk, siding with the brothers, not to humankind in general. Killing a police officer or knocking down a gas station owner are just natural ways of how things work in America, honorable deeds since it’s apparently perfectly fine for a kid to attempt a homicide if people are mean.

What a brave story.

Chloe Price had been suffering for five years after William, her beloved father, died in a car crash. For Sean and Daniel, there is no grief to experience, but a memory to share with a plan to erect a monument in the future. Esteban Diaz is a plot device, a symbol of inequality, but not a family member. Even a dream sequence with his guest appearance lacks the impact of the subconscious conversations we’ve seen in Before the Storm. It just simply doesn’t matter.

I can’t believe I have to say this but the relatable part about LIS1 wasn’t the tornado, just like in LIS2 crossing the border is its weakest point, but it’s those small moments, gestures, quick smiles in passing, the atmosphere and a breath of fresh air when a line, sometimes silly, got dropped. In the most recent story, there is not a single line worth quoting, memorizing, or discussing. And please, don’t bring up “awesome possum” again. It’s literally taken from The Lego Movie song.

The brothers, just like Thelma and Louise, decide to leave everything behind, throwing away the life as they knew it and forging their own future despite all odds. Although, when the two desperate women drive off the cliff committing suicide, chased by the armed forces, there is nothing to explain as the audience fully understands their reasoning. Their will of life was strong, but the path they followed was too steep to return. Without any help or support, confronted with brutal honesty and the world’s cruelty around them, it is the best possible solution. The story of the two brothers, even if it tries to echo the iconic movie, couldn’t be more different. Despite resources at their disposal, family members that do care about their wellbeing, the whole community rising in protest in their hometown, they risk everything for the sake of getting back to the land they don’t even know. Their Mexican heritage is also mentioned just as an exposition, and, as we learn in the very last episode, just before the ending that Daniel doesn’t speak Spanish. So why do the stubborn Diaz brothers despite all odds travel to Mexico? Because.

Canada was too close, I guess.

Last but not least, let’s talk about sex, because why the hell not. A lot of fans or admirers of the previous instances howled across all social media about how much they miss Max and Chloe. I don’t really think it’s the case, but those two girls symbolize something that LIS2 has a tremendous problem with. There’s no emotional connection between the characters the brothers meet along the way, especially the ones that really should matter. Even the love interests feel more like nagging choices than anything else, an experiment during a camping trip, not something that would last or could be fantasized about. Instead of nerve-wracking decisions such as if you’re supposed to kiss Rachel, hold her hand, or the ecstatic discovery (for PriceFielders, but it was ecstatic, right?) that Chloe changed her phone’s background, we are instead presented with a lineup of sexual experiences, that maybe trail-blaze the road when it comes to topics tackled by a video game, but fall into obscurity as an emotional construction. There is no build-up between Sean and Finn as everything develops to a kiss in one conversation, and Cassidy has fewer lines than Victoria Chase before she invites Sean to her tent. We watch it as we watched it before, trying to get attached, feel something, but the only thing we remember was how much it touched us years ago when we played a different game but with a similar title. The sex scene, relatable or not, is stripped from the emotional intimacy and is as sensitively challenging as a dog being killed.

Character development doesn’t move an inch even if Sean, a surrogate father to his brother, lost his virginity to an older girl. There’s no single thought in his head that he might conceive his own offspring during this short but probably memorable experience. There’s not a single line except for the satisfaction of some female parts finally discovered. Oh, dashing explorer, will you ever learn?

It’s sad. I did want to like this game and gave it plenty of chances like no other titles ever. I’ve made excuses for the poor execution, technical problems, with the whiny voice acting that was driving me up the wall, plot twists written (I think) on a lunch break, and so on, but I couldn’t stand it. It’s a hard pass when it comes to a video game in general, not to mention the story, script, and everything else. Life is Strange season one; a low-budget production, was the first step to create a masterpiece that LIS2 might’ve been able to become. The second season didn’t learn much from LIS1’s mistakes, additionally exchanging the well-known beauty for a garbage fire, ignoring all the warning signs along the way. Delivering a story that tackles such important topics, it slides between the checkmarks on the board of issues, mentioning conversion therapy, religion, gayness, illegal immigration, and a spiral of crimes but never elaborating on any of them. There is no meat and potatoes presented on the plate of events, but just a sticky, sweet gravy with nothing underneath that leaves you not only hungry but frustrated, willing to call the chef and yell at the waiter. The trick is that unless you were living under a rock, there are tons of other productions in different media that give those themes justice, carefully unfolding all the aspects, giving voice to both sides. The fact that it’s the first video game having an affair with serious issues doesn’t matter. I don’t believe that anybody who consumes any kind of other media like decent books, movies, or TV shows can remain blind to the problems of Life is Strange 2, claiming it to be a good story. It’s not.

So here we are, girls, boys, and beyond. Life is Strange 2 with its broken mechanics, story, characters, and spirit slowly but surely will be forgotten. It’s Dontnod’s Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within that you might love to watch or play on your brand-new TV, despite what everybody else would say, omitting any valid or invalid criticism, but unfortunately, it won’t change the general optics about this particular piece of media. A lost chance or recklessness created a convoluted mess and with a heart beating in the wrong place. You might praise Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, get excited about it since it’s a free world, free country (and even if it’s not, no one will take this ersatz of such liberty) and don’t let anybody tell you what to love. The problem is, that most likely the only thing that people will remember about this production is that the main male character looked like Ben Affleck and the hair animation was dope. Everything else won’t matter.

The same thing goes, unfortunately, for Life is Strange 2, subtitle: The Spirits Without.

[olderthannetfic]

Vidding absolutely counts as a fandom, and Escapade is key to the history of vidding.

Notice how the terminology shifts over the course of Escapade: The first year, it’s ‘songtapes’ being shown, then ‘songvid’ or ‘song video’ predominates for much of the 90s, and then we move on to ‘vidding’ and ‘vids’.

The vidshow moves from being more of a curated presentation of old favorites to having a lot of premieres. It goes from just one night to two, then back to one. Vidshow panels where you just watch vids for a whole panel slot come and go. In 1998, vid review starts up: This is a Sunday morning panel for in-depth critique of the vids shown the previous night and is a famously contentious part of the con. And then there was this:

2002, Friday, 6pm - VividCon Discussion (Come discuss the proposed VividCon, tentative time/location, August/Chicago.)

Yep. Escapade was where Vividcon was born!

By 2008, people were talking about how vidding had moved on from Escapade. In 2011 a vidshow retrospective was added to try to counter the lack of vidding-centric programming. There was a big resurgence for a few years, including such hard-hitting topics as:

2016 - Vidding Aesthetics (”Why is there so much show audio in this vid?", "Why didn't that cut hit on the beat?", "What do you mean 'Cheesy?' She's Celine Dion!" and other immortal questions of vidding aesthetics. If you've ever watched a vid, we want your opinions.)

Why yes, it was my panel. Why do you ask?

There were rounds of warnings wank, caused by Oz vids and by that time Absolute Destiny sent a vid of a violent coming of age film.

Check out this 1994 panel description from Fanlore:

"[The technology in fandom panel] included several things that people can now do in-home that they couldn't do five years ago: cutting and splicing songs on Macintosh computers (to remove inappropriate choruses, verses, or the word "girl"); the soon-to-be-easier ability to select different people from different clips and combine them onto a new background (also for songtapes); printing vhs video frames directly to computer screens, printers and/or color copiers (for fun); and zines and/or libraries on disk. Most of the new technology possibilities were followed by comments that the actual work we can do is illegal [...]. Which comments were followed by the statements that seventeen years ago, writing and publishing a slash fanzine was illegal.... [...] a few people [...], talked to me at different times throughout the con about getting accounts or modems [...]”

This is interesting not just technologically but aesthetically. Is the word ‘girl’ bad in a slashvid? Different communities have disagreed.

Conversations about digital vidding and digital vs. VCR really heated up around 2001, much later than you might expect if you’re coming out of an AMV background. While most of Youtube vids on Sony Vegas--a Windows-only program--at Escapade, Mac has been the norm.

The topics that have remained big are vidding aesthetics, including things like how to make an effective pimp vid, discussions of hosting options and where the community is hanging out now, and how-tos for people who want to get into vidding.

(And before anyone asks, the answer is that you should download DaVinci Resolve because it’s free and cross-platform. And you should encode with h.264 because it’s widely compatible.)

The 2020 vidding panels are:

Vidding 101: The Vid Bunny Farm So you’ve had an idea, and it’s gnawing on your leg? Or maybe you have too many vid ideas and can’t choose? Or you want to make a vid but don’t know where to even start? Aspiring fan vidders, unsure-vidders-to-be, and experienced vidders welcome alike to share vid bunnies, brainstorm together, and talk about the processes of conceptualizing a vid.

Vidding Genres Then & Now We’ve come a long way from “living room vids” vs ‚”con vids‚” or have we? Let’s talk about evolving fanvid genres, from ship vids to AU vids to multivids, from character vids to fake trailers, from genre-bending vids to long form vids to cosplay music videos, and more. Let’s talk about all the genres of fan videos floating around YouTube, Billibilli, AO3 and beyond, and also consider if the old school genre terms still apply.

Escapade has had many, many vidding panels. So many that even I feel the need for a readmore. I’ve pulled out the meta ones and left off some single-fandom vidshows and whatnot. Sorry for the wonky formatting, but Tumblr, in its infinite wisdom, seems to have removed the horizontal rule feature.

1991  - "Classic" songtapes were shown at 9:00 on Friday.

1994 - Song Video Roundtable (Bring works in progress or finished works you're having difficulty with for a quick jump-start. Open to anyone who enjoys videos as well as the people who make them.)

1994 - Songvid Editing (Authors get edited and usually have to do at least one rewrite of a story. Artists have erasers. What stops songvid makers from doing drafts and re-edits of their work? Let's talk about editing style (what cuts to use for best emphasis) and technique (how to physically do the inserts.)) [Notice how much of an issue editing is. These are VCR vids, edited in order, so insert edits are a gigantic pain.]

1995 - Techno Vids—Media Cannibals, (What's available with the new computer hardware and software? Can have Bodie & Doyle screwing on screen if we apply the right touches. Should we? How and when?) [Yes. Sweatily. Always.]

1995 - Video Workshop (video makers & watchers discuss the art.)

1996 - Music Video Critique and Workshop (Roundtable critique of videos, how to tell/recognize story, POV, rhythm. Also, tricks of the trade.)

1997 - Music Choice for Song Vidding (Finding the right song for the fandom is almost as great a challenge as finding the right clips for the song. Discussing what to look for in music choice.)

1997 - Songvid Critique (An exploration of different elements of media vids, with an emphasis on aesthetics. We'll look at segments of different songs to see how the images were used in conjunction with the varied rhythms of the music, and to enhance the mood.)

1998 - Media Cannibals Self-Indulgence Hour (Stunned to look back on vidding effort, MC plans to show -- and talk about -- some of their best and worst vids, pointing out some happy accidents and some annoying f*ckups. This is a great panel for people who want to learn about vid-making, the work that goes into them, and what to look for when watching them.)

1998 - Con Vids vs Living Room Vids (What are the elements that make a music vid accessible to a large crown, or more appropriate to an intimate setting?)

1998 - Music Video Show Review (Selected vids from Saturday's show will be replayed and discussed for their aesthetic, technical and musical choices. Open to all, for feedback and fun.) [Perhaps the start of the Sunday vidshow critique, which was also such a feature of Vividcon?]

1999 - Songvid Aesthetics (An exploration of theme, color, mood, and rhythm. Choosing clips to relate to the music and convey your message to the viewer.)

1999 - Sunday Morning Vid Review (Selected vids from Saturday's show will be replayed and discussed for the aesthetic, technical and musical choices. Open to all, for feedback and fun.)

2000 - Vidding Basics (Or "you want to learn how to make a music vid, huh?"—Carol and Stacy will take a group of novice vidders from the basics of what you need on your VCR, to all your hardware set ups, thru the selection of music, to actually doing some hands-on putting a dip (or two) into a music vid. So if you're interested in music videos and you want to try your hand at making one... you know what panel you need to go to.)

2000 - Songvid Appreciation 101 (Remember Art Appreciation? "Why is this painting good?" Well, we're doing the same for vids, using examples from the ESCAPADE Video Show. Let's take advantage of the fact that we've all just seen these vids, and use them to illustrate how to do cool things in a vid. We'll look at clever POV changes, appropriate choice of music to theme, skillful uses of musical changes within a vid, storytelling techniques, changes of mood, cutting on the beat vs. cutting on the lyric line, the different approaches to serious and humorous vids, or single fandom vs. multiple fandom vids, and more.)

2001 - Vidding Workshop (2 hours) (This workshop will cover: a comparison between digital and analog vidding; a how-to for analog vidding; a how-to for digital vidding; and a discussion of the artistic side of vidding, including song and clip choices, and techniques to avoid.)

2001 - Impact of Computer Tools on Vidding (Vidding used to be push-and-pause between 2 vers, and a LOT of patience. Now with I-movie and Final Cut and Macintosh G4's, the technological leap is here and it isn't going anywhere. Are vids better for the technology available to them?)

2001 - Songvid Appreciation (2 hours) (Comments and feedback on vids you saw last night, Escapade style.)

2002 - Art Manipulation Using Photoshop (A how-to overview, with demonstrations in Photoshop, and more detailed techniques for creating photo manipulations, web graphics, and zine graphics. Depending on interest, creation of vid titles and overlay vid graphics may be included.)

2002 - Digital Vidding (An overview of the digital vidding process, including some advice on the hardware and software you need to get started. Learn the basics of editing with Premiere and similar programs, and get an overview of some of the fun options you have when using a computer to vid.)

2002 - Vidding Workshop: Art After Craft (What is the Art of Vidding?)

2002 - Vid Revision (The art and craft of revising vids—how you get from a song in your heart and a bunch of clips on your hard drive to the final product. We'll show multiple versions of a few vids, critique them, and talk about what improves a vid. No technical knowledge needed; come whether you make vids or just like watching them.)

2002 - Vids: Pro vs Fan Editing (A long time fan vidder and a professional editor discuss techniques.)

2002 - Sunday Morning Vid Review

2002 - VividCon Discussion (Come discuss the proposed VividCon, tentative time/location, August/Chicago.) [VVC started 6 months later, in August 2002, and ran until 2018]

2003 - How to Vid on the Computer (A brief intra vidding on computers. It will touch on hardware requirements, software options, and basic concepts of non-linear editing and what makes for a good vid, and, time and tech permitting, it may also include a demonstration of some of the editing basics. There will be handouts.)

2003 - Vid Show Review (A discussion (and literal re-viewing in some cases) of some of the vids from the Saturday night show.)

2003 - Also Premiering Vid Show (The "Also Premiering..." vid show is for vids premiered in the last year that aren't going to be shown in the Friday or Saturday shows. This will be an informal setting and we'll go by participant preference — if folks want to see a vid a second time, or want some time to chat about it, or if a vidder wants some feedback on it, we can decide to do that on-the-fly. If you'd like to show any vids in this show, just bring them to the show itself. There are no hard-and-fast limits on number of vids; we'll just go with what shows up and take turns until we run out of time. Afterwards, consider going out to lunch with other participants to talk about the vids!)

2004 - I want to vid! (But I don't know how) (Introduction to vidding hardware, software and maybe some concepts if we have the time.)

2004 - Made On a Mac: The MacFen Symposium (So you're a slasher and a Mac user. Come and share your tips and tricks for HTML coding, photo editing, website management and vidding on a Mac, Share the programs that have and haven't worked for you and hear some helpful tips from the front lines.)

2004 - Vidding: Creating Mood (Why do rapid cuts of short clips create tension? What does a wipe *feel* iike? A vidder's toolbox Includes more and more options, but how do we know what emotional effect each technical effect will produce? Leave the music at the door; this one's about the visuals.)

2004 - Editing Techniques and Vidding (How can you edit together clips from widely different episodes and movies into a seamless whole? A familiarity with concepts in filmmaking can help you achieve the results you're aiming for. A look at some of the common rules of continuity editing and how they relate to vids.)

2004 - The changing face of vids (How has increasingly cheap technology, wider highspeed access and the new flood of vidders changed vidding? What should we rejoice about and what should we worry about? How do we help make it a winning situation for all?)

2004 - Vid Review (A retrospective on the Saturday night show.)

2005 - Vidding: Let the Lyrics Help You (How to look at lyrics to add depth and structure to your vid. or why top 40 songs usually make you do all the work.)

2005 - Vid Review (A Sunday morning tradition at Escapade, and a chance to discuss those great vids.) [See how it’s a “tradition” by this time.]

2006 - The Changing Vid Audience (The move to digital vidding, the availability of vid source and software, and the expectation of online distribution have all radically affected audience desires and expectations. What do audiences want from vids now? Vidders, share your historical perspectives. Vid fans, this is your chance to tell vidders what you want.)

2006 - Defining the Character Study Vid (We love character study vids, so how do you go about making a good one? What's the difference between a vid about a character, a vid about a universe, and a vid about seeing the universe through the eyes of a character?)

2006 - Marketing Your Vid (How can you stand out among the swelling ranks of vidders? What's the best way to present yourself, and to draw attention to your work? We'll focus on knowing your audience, timing your release, pimp communities, etc.)

2006 - Vid Review  (Like Ebert and Roper, but much better looking.)

2007 - Ulead Media Studio Pro 8 and Why It's Better Than the Rest (A compare and contrast of the semi-professional video editing software programs with a strong emphasis on Ulead Media Studio Pro 8. If you are new to vidding, or interested in upgrading your video editing software, this panel should help you make an informed choice.)

2007 - Mac Workshop (The ins and outs of vidding on a Mac.)

2007 - Vid Show Review (Take apart what worked and what was missing from selected vids in the Saturday show. Audience participation at its finest.)

2008 - Ulead Video Editing Introduction (Intro to Ulead Video Studio/Media Studio Pro for those who are interested in vidding but don't have a clue as to where to start. or wouldn't mind a refresher course.)

2008 - Vid Review (Last night was for watching, today is for analyzing. What worked, what didn't, and why?)

2009 - Fannish Aesthetics: Extrapolation v. Subversion (How do we as writers (and especially as vidders) interact with the source material? Is that relationship evolving? What can we say about where we've been and where we're headed?)

2009 - Vid Review (Last night was for watching, today is for analyzing. What worked, what didn't, and why?)

2010 - 2010: A Vidding Odyssey (Current trends in vidding, including what's changed and what's remaind the same when it comes to slash, vidding in particular. We will show some examples of "classic" slash as well as some of the newer develpoments in constructed reality.)

2010 - Vid Review

2011 - Escapade Songvid Retrospective (A trip back to the days of yesteryear, when vids were made on VCRs and Escapade was the place for vids and vid programming. Compiled by Kandy Fong, this show will survey vids from a variety of vidders and shows, covering Escapade 1992-2001 in a fun, informal environment.)

2011 - Decoding Vid Meaning (How do you read a vid? Clip choice, lyrics, structure, symbols or the tone of the music— vids offer plenty of clues, and we decipher them as we see fit. Come watch a vid (or two!) and discuss how we get meaning from what we see and hear to develop a deeper understand of what's going on in the vid. Multiple viewings are required!)

2011 - Vid Review (Flash all the way back to Saturday night to dissect our favorite (or not) vids from the show.)

2011 - The Vidding Explosion (1985-1990) (Who taught whom. The growth of storytelling, technique, and sophistication. Includes vid show and presentation.)

2012 - Vidwatching 101 (Vids have their own language and their own framework for discussion. It can be tough to translate vids into words, but if we have the same language, vid discussion can be wonderfully rewarding for both vidder and viewer. This panel is a primer to get us all on the same page.)

2012 - The State of Vidding Fandom (Ten years of VividCon and roughly the same years vids have been distributed online, let's talk about the state of vidding and the community of vidders. Is there one? Where is it? How do vidders fit in with fandom at large? What are the different options for watching/releasing vids, and how do they stack up for vidders and viewers? If you love vids, join us—whether you vid or not.)

2012 - Festivids Review (Festivids is a fannish vid exchange inspired by the Yuletide fic exchange. This will be a vid review-style panel where we show clips from some of this year's highlight vids and talk about the challenge.)

2012 - MVD Vid Retrospective Show (Sometimes the oldies really are the goodies. Mary Van Duesen has made songvids since the 1980s, working in a range of fandoms. She has also remastered many old vids, and they look better now than they ever did. Come see some old favorites, or find some new ones.)

2012 - Vid Show Review

2012 - Nearly New Vids (So many wonderful vids were submitted for the Escapade show that we couldn’t fit them all in the early show. Here’s your chance to see the rest in the daylight hours (replay of the late-show vids).

2013 - Mac Vidders Roundtable (What’s the best way to vid on a Mac? Our vidding options have changed a lot in the last few years, and it’s been a while since we had a roundtable to discuss and compare our tips, tricks, and processes. This panel is for all of the above.)

2013 - The Art of the Pimp Vid (What makes a pimp vid so addictive one hit will get you hooked? Let’s talk vids for people outside of your fandom. Plot arc vids, character vids, pairing vids: How do you grab a new audience hard and never let them go? Hey there, little fangirl, the first taste is free!)

2013 - The Bestivids of Festivids (This year’s Festivids featured everything from incest testtube babies to care bear Avengers to a surprisingly large amount of kickass femslash. Let’s watch and discuss some favorites from Festivids 2012.)

2013 - So You Want To Be A Vidder (Nobody vidding your OTP anymore? Sad that vidders haven’t discovered your new favorite show? Why not vid it yourself? Come learn the very basics, from choosing programs in your price range to dos and don’ts if you’re planning to submit to cons.)

2013 - How Do Vids Work? (Let's talk about the techniques (not just the feelings!) that make a slash vid work. What makes for a vid that we watch over and over and that sticks with us long- term? We'll talk about these things with reference to a couple of specific vids, see what strategies, commonalities, and differences we can identify, and then open up discussion to additional favorites from the audience.)

2013 - Vidding Aesthetics (Vidders and vid watchers: let’s talk vidding aesthetics. How have styles changed over time? What makes a good vid and what’s just a matter of personal taste? What do you want to BURN WITH FIRE? Let’s get this cage match... err... discussion going.)

2013 - Vid Review (Flash all the way back to Saturday night to dissect our favorite vids (or not) vids from the show.)

2014 - Vidding 101 (Never edited before? Haven't made a vid since the VCR went the way of the dodo? Come learn how to turn those vidbunnies into reality!)

2014 - Vids for the Viewer (We often discuss writing from the perspective of a reader, but vidding from the perspective of vid-watchers not so much. Let's talk about how to read a vid, different vidding aesthetics and how accessible or popular they are with viewers vs. vidders, and impostor syndrome in vid review.)

2014 - Vid Review (Flash all the way back to Saturday night to dissect our favorite (or not) vids from the show.)

2015 - Best of Festivids. From the slashy to the merely sublime, what tickled our fancy in this year’s Festivids?

2015 - The Perfect Slash Vid. What makes the perfect slash vid? Is it the song choice? The point of view? The abs? (Okay, you got me: it’s the abs.)

2015 - So You Wanna Be A Vidder. Bring your laptop or at least a pen and paper and find out how to get started in vidding.

2015 - Vid Review: Flash all the way back to Saturday night to dissect our favorite (or not) vids from the show.

2016 - The State of *Vidding Fandom. Sunday, Noon, San Diego 2. What's going on in vidding fandom today? Where are people hosting and posting? What's next?

2016 - Vid Review. Flash all the way back to Saturday night to dissect our favorite (or not) vids from the show.

2016 - Vidding Aesthetics (”Why is there so much show audio in this vid?", "Why didn't that cut hit on the beat?", "What do you mean 'Cheesy?' She's Celine Dion!" and other immortal questions of vidding aesthetics. If you've ever watched a vid, we want your opinions.)

2017 - Vidding 101 - Have you dreamed of making a vid but just aren’t sure where to start? We’ll go step by step, talk finding your source(s), choosing music, finding your way with non overwhelming tech-tools, brainstorming ideas, finding collaborators, and learning by doing. Already a vidder? Come and help new vidders find their way, find new collaborators, and make new ideas happen.

2017 - Let’s Collab! New Forms of Collective Fan Creativity , Newport Changing technologies mean that we collaborate with each other in ever-evolving ways when we create fic and vids. What are the possibilities for collaborating beyond geographic boundaries with digital technologies? How are you collaborating with fellow writers and vidders these days? Are you interested in finding new collaborators and new ways to connect? And are these new forms of collaboration creating new forms of creative fan work?

2017 - Vid Review, Marina del Rey On Saturday night, we watched the vid show. On Sunday morning, we talk about it. Join Rache to discuss the good, the better, and the great of the show, including techniques and all of the reasons Charlotte doesn’t vid anymore and never will again.

2018 - Noon (Vids from the Vault, Part One Kandy Fong Newport A curated retrospective of vids from early Escapades.

2018 - Fanvid Feels (What vids do you return to again and again because they just make you *feel* things, thrill you, or fill you with joy, or even sadness? Maybe a vid introduced you to a pairing, or a fandom, or perhaps you love it even though you’re not really that into the source? Let’s look at some of our/your favorite vids and think about what makes them tick. Come with vids you want to talk about in mind, or just come to watch and talk about vids that make us feel stuff.)

2018 - Vid Review (Flash all the way back to Saturday night to dissect our favorite (or not) vids from the show.)

2019 - 3-Minute Pimp Vid (Forget telling: Show us your canon with a vid or clip! (3-5 minutes each.))

2019 - Lend Me Your Ears: Vids and Music (Have you ever discovered a song or musician because of a fanvid? Do you have thoughts on what music works and doesn't with fan vids? Let's talk about all the ways in which different types of music can work in vids, and look at some vids that work with music in awesome or surprising ways. Plus maybe there will be a little singing along...)

2019 - AO3 But For Fanart and Fanvids (AO3 has been great for fic, we need safe harbors for art and vids too. Let's talk about it!)

2019 - Pitch a Vid Bunny, Find a Vid Beta (Have an idea for a fanvid you'd love to see happen? Come with concept, song, source ideas, characters--share your bunnies, find some cheerleaders, brainstorm together. For newbie & experienced vidders alike, all welcome!)

2019 - Vid Review (Rehash the Saturday night vid show with a room full of fans.)

[leemznho]

life and all its beauty (ben hardy x reader)

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

Plot: inspired heavily by The Great Gatsby, and by a moodboard I saw made by @rogers-sweatbands - reader goes with their cousin to an extravagant party in West Egg, hosted by Ben Hardy, the infamous millionaire that nobody seems to really know anything about...

Word Count: 2.8k

A/N: I haven’t written anything in forever, and this is the first time I’ve ever posted any of my writing on tumblr so I’m super nervous, but I’m also feeling really good about it??? Any feedback would be g r e a t l y appreciated, and if anyone would be interested in me turning this into a series let me know! 

(P.S Ben doesn’t come in until about halfway because I wanted to properly set up the story beforehand, but if I write more then he’ll be in it more sorry okay thank you jsksjsk)

July 1922

It was like nothing you had ever seen before. It seemed as though everyone in New York City was in attendance tonight; and when you said everyone, you meant everyone.

You had barely been in Mr Hardy’s mansion longer than an hour and you had already brushed shoulders with a silent film star; overheard heiresses comparing their inheritances over cocktails by the bar, where they sat alongside bankers simultaneously discussing the current state of Wall Street; watched as gangsters and governors alike piled around the same roulette tables for a game. You had even heard that Ewing Klipspringer, a rather eccentric young lad, and rumoured descendent of Beethoven was performing tonight!

It didn’t seem to matter what class you were, or which corner of the city you had crawled out of, everyone was currently partying together in Mr Hardy’s mansion, and nothing was off the cards. Anything you could have ever dreamed of — every alcoholic beverage, every narcotic substance, every brand of cigar — all of it was on the menu right here under the one roof, and in absolute excess.

It was rather overwhelming, you had to admit. Your life back home could never have prepared you for this absolute kaleidoscope of extravagant chaos. You couldn’t have even imagined a world like this ever existed before your cousin had introduced you tonight, and so you were still trying to work out where exactly it was that you could fit in amongst all of it.

Downing yet another cocktail from a passing waiter, you attempted to shake your nerves.

“Are you having fun yet?” Your cousin shouted amid the pounding of music and thunderous conversation, taking your hand and guiding you onto the already packed dance-floor, spinning you around as she did so.

You giggled, allowing her to lead you as she moved in time with the music. “It really is like nothing I have ever experienced before!”

“I know! Isn’t is wonderful!?”

You weren’t so sure you could answer that yet.

“Where is Mr. Hardy though?” You asked. “All of these guests here for him and he hasn’t made any sort of appearance yet.”

Your cousin shrugged.

“I suppose they’re not really here for him, more just the booze and the entertainment that he provides.”

You couldn’t help but feel a little sad for him at that.

“Well has anyone ever seen him? Does anyone really know who Mr Hardy is?” you persisted.

“I heard that he was a German spy during the war,” a man with a thin black moustache yelled as he walked by, laughing, both arms hooked around the waists of two beautiful blonde women he had more than likely met that night. “He’s killed more men then you could count.”

“No, he hasn’t!” The taller of the women chirped, slapping her male companion playfully in the chest. She leaned in close to you then, as if she were about to let you in on a grand secret. “If you ask me, Mr Hardy doesn’t really exist. He’s an idea. An elaborate fairytale made up by a drunkard to justify all of the illegal activity that goes on around here. Just in case anyone starts asking questions…” She slinked away with a wink.  

Of all the tales you had been told tonight, that had to be one of the most ridiculous. Or was it? You had heard so many conflicting stories about Mr Hardy you could barely keep up with them all.

“You’re thinking about it all too much, Y/N! Have another drink, loosen up! The war is over, we deserve to have some fun!” Your cousin wiggled her eyebrows at you, dancing a little more enthusiastically than before, more for your benefit then her own.

“You’re right,” you nodded, giving her hands a reassuring squeeze. “Shall I go and fetch us both some more drinks?”

“Yes! Go! More cocktails!” She laughed, suddenly ushering you away. “Perhaps you’ll meet the great Mr. Hardy on your way and clear up all of this confusion for the lot of us.”

You rolled your eyes at her. Now she was just teasing, but you couldn’t help but hope that maybe you might.

You pushed your way through the sea of people, all fighting to move in different directions. Eventually you fell into a stream of traffic all travelling the same way and hoped that eventually you would find a bar, or in the least a place to rest your feet. You were already hot and sweaty from being squished up against so many other warm bodies, and your muscles were starting to ache from all the dancing and standing around. You knew your cousin was nowhere near ready to go home yet though; the party had practically just begun!

You began to wonder if she would notice if you slipped away for a bit to gather yourself before you returned with another drink? You highly doubted it.

Managing to manoeuvre your way out of the worst of the crowd, you found yourself at the foot of an impressive staircase, all white marble steps and cast iron railings shaped to look like twisting vines. You began the journey up to the second floor of the mansion, careful not to trip on anyone as you went. The music was just as loud up there, but the partygoers grew noticeably less and less the further you wandered.

You didn’t mean to stray as far as you did, but eventually you found yourself in a grand library, surrounded by the comforting smell of old books and sea spray. You could still hear the party from where you were (wherever that happened to be) but it was darker in there, and far less overwhelming; there was more space for you to breathe and collect your thoughts.

For a few minutes you simply watched through one of the many arch windows that lined the far wall, counting the waves as they broke on the shore, then the lights that winked at you on the horizon from East Egg, relishing in the calm stillness of the room.

Guilt began to gnaw at you far sooner than you had hoped as you remembered your cousin, still waiting for you somewhere downstairs. This wasn’t the first time she had attended one of these parties, you reminded yourself. Surely she would find familiar company to mingle with and forget that you were gone. Regardless of any reassurance you could offer yourself, you decided that you were only allowed another few minutes alone before you would join her again. As you began to turn away from the window, you noticed a painting, quite significantly sized, hung delicately on the wall in a beautiful gold frame right by you.

The background was a brilliant array of bright greens, contrasting with ribbons of diagonally placed yellows, all blending into one another with short, frantic brush strokes of thick paint. At its centre was a brown vase, small handle protruding from its front, an exuberant bouquet of pink roses spilling out of it in glorious full bloom. It was so beautiful, and vibrant, such a celebration of spring. You found yourself yearning to see the world as the artist so clearly did. You wondered if perhaps it was the infamous Mr Hardy’s own work?

“See something that you like?”

Startled, you turned away from the painting and began to scan the library, searching for a face to put to the voice you had just heard. Surely you hadn’t imagined it? The feeling in the pit of your stomach told you that you hadn’t.

You could only see as far as what was being illuminated by the moonlight pooling in through the windows, which admittedly wasn’t a great deal. So long as the company you kept didn’t want to be seen, they wouldn’t be.

You straightened your spine and tilted your chin a little higher, determined not to allow them to know just how much they had startled you. You began to speak up into the darkness of the second floor balcony.

“This is a beautiful piece. Who painted it?”

“Vincent Van Gogh.” The voice that responded was deep and hoarse you now noted, and although you were not particularly good at placing accents, you could hear that whoever was speaking was British. “Vase with Pink Roses. One of his late works, he painted it in 1890 when he was still a patient at the Saint-Rémy Asylum.”

“Impressive, but how it is that a painting by Vincent Van Gogh has found its way onto the wall of a house in West Egg?” You retorted, hoping that you could coax them from wherever they were hiding if you provoked them with conversation. “I’m no art connoisseur, but I hear that they’re starting to call Van Gogh one of the greats. I know of many an art exhibition that would pay a great deal of money for a piece such as this.”

You could hear a hint of amusement when they spoke next. “I’m sure they would. If I’m being totally honest with you, it really only fell into my possession by sheer luck.”

“Your possession?” you asked, slightly taken aback. “But that would mean that you’re…”

From the second floor of the library, a young man appeared at the balcony railing, scotch glass in one hand, cigar in the other, slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“Forgive me if I frightened you. I don’t often entertain a crowd that is more interested in the art than the alcohol.”  

“Oh no, I should be the one apologising. I never meant to wander so far from the party. If I disturbed you at all—”

“Please,” he waved a hand at you. “You hardly disturbed me.”

He descended the staircase closest to you, and made his way across the room, snuffing his cigar in an ashtray as he passed by a table. He was dressed in an all black suit that looked more expensive then anything you had ever owned, blonde hair combed and slicked back neatly, his face clean shaven. He was nothing at all like you had imagined, particularly after all of the stories you had heard.

When he finally reached you, he didn’t hesitate to take your hand in his and bring it to his lips for a soft kiss.

“Ben Hardy,” he offered, light green eyes scanning your face with such an intensity you found that you had to look away.

“Y/N Y/L/N,” you smiled, your voice lacking the confidence you would have liked.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss. Y/L/N.”

“As it is a pleasure to meet you.”

“Are you from around here?” He asked. “I can’t recall ever seeing your face.”

“When so many people come flooding through your doors every weekend I imagine it must be difficult to keep track of every face you’ve ever seen” you teased him.

“Yes, but something tells me I would remember yours if I had seen it before.”

You tried to hide the blush that bloomed across your cheeks as he finally let your hand slip gently from his fingers.

“I’m currently visiting my cousin and her husband over in East Egg.”

“Is your family originally from over there? Perhaps I know them?”

“No, my cousin just married well, although you may know her husband? Joseph Mazzello?”

“Ah, yes. Good ole’ Joe,” he smiled fondly. You made a note to ask Joe about it when you returned home.

Ben turned his attention back to the Van Gogh painting.

“About ten years ago, before the war, before I moved here from England, I was passing through Zürich. I met a banker there, and we struck up a friendship of sorts. He was loud, and rather obnoxious, and only really appreciated the worth of something if you could put enough numbers in front of a dollar sign. He gave it to me as a gift before I returned to London. I don’t really know what he was doing with it. I don’t think he knew the first thing about art,” Ben smiled to himself.

“If he did I doubt he would have been so quick to give it away,” you remarked, amazed.

“He did write to me a few years ago. He said that he’d been approached by a man who had heard about the piece and wanted it for a gallery he owned in Paris. They were willing to pay whatever price they had to to get it in their collection. I’ve never seen such desperation in a man as I did the day I received that letter.”

“I suppose it’s safe to assume how this story ends,” You laughed softly.  

Ben smiled at you mischievously.

“Do you collect much art?” you continued, daring to trace a corner of the paintings frame.

“Admittedly I don’t,” he confessed, his eyes scanning you as you further inspected the painting. “Though there is something about Van Gogh’s work wouldn’t you say, Miss. Y/L/N? Something incredibly beautiful about the way he saw the world, despite how sad he was.”

“Perhaps,” you agreed. “Or perhaps he did not paint how he saw the world, but in fact how he wish he saw it.”

“Sadness does not prevent one from recognising beauty, Miss. Y/L/N.”

“A matter of perspective, I suppose, Mr. Hardy.”

There was a slight pause before either of you spoke again, the air growing heavy.

“You talk as though you have seen this world without beauty?”

“I think they’re calling it the Great War,” you remarked dryly.

Another pause.

“You lost someone.” He didn’t pose it as a question.  

“Is it not safe to assume that we all lost someone, Mr. Hardy?” You retorted as you turned to face him. He wasn’t looking at you anymore though; instead he stared out the window and into the sea, face bathed in moonlight, brow furrowed.

“It’s true, we all lost a great many things. But even during times of war, if you look carefully enough… there is beauty.”

You smiled with a new found realisation.

“You found someone.”

Ben smiled too, but it was full of unmistakeable heartache.  

“Look at us,” He finally laughed, but it was without humour. He began to straighten himself, smoothing down the shoulders of his suit jacket. “Tonight is a night for celebration, Miss. Y/L/N. We shouldn’t be hiding away in a library, torturing ourselves with such solemn conversation.”

“Might I ask what it is that we’re actually celebrating, Mr Hardy?”

He looked at you, almost seeming confused by your resistance. It only lasted for a moment though, gone so quickly you wondered if it was ever really there at all.

“Don’t tell me that you need a reason to celebrate, Miss Y/L/N?”

“I guess I just don’t understand why you would waste such extravagance on nothing,” you replied bluntly. “Surely there has to be some occasion that we’re celebrating.”

He smiled at you.

“Alright, since you demand an occasion… tonight we celebrate life and all its beauty, in memory of our dear friend, Vincent Van Gogh,” Ben raised his glass in the direction of the painting, before bringing it to his lips. You couldn’t help but scoff a little.

“I suppose that is as good a reason as any,” you settled, rolling your eyes at him. “But if I knew you any better, Mr Hardy, I would think that you didn’t want to celebrate at all tonight. In fact, before I came in here I would almost go as far as to say that it seemed like you were hiding.”

“Would you like to get to know me better?” He asked softly, looking back at you.

You studied him for a moment, letting his question hang in the air.

“I suppose it depends which version of you I’m getting to know…”

“What do you mean?”

“Well after all the stories I’ve heard tonight… for all I know you could be a German spy!” You teased.

He sighed, nodding knowingly.

“The rumour mill really never stops spinning, does it? Suppose you heard that I also acted as the Kaiser’s assassin?”

“Oh, I’ve heard them all,” you laugh. “You know I met a woman tonight who tried to tell me that you didn’t even exist?”

You watched as his eyes grew wide.

“Now there’s one that I haven’t heard before.” Setting his glass down by the window, he offered you his arm before flashing you a mischievous grin. “Shall we rejoin the company downstairs and dispel some of these ridiculous rumours together?”

You linked your arm with his, a nervous sort of excitement bubbling up inside of you.

“I think that sounds like a wonderful idea.”

[n3rdybird]

Springtime Memories

Trying my hand at RPF for the wonderful peeps at @i-dont-do-rpfs 1k Followers challenge, "Spring Has Sprung."  I chose Tom Hiddleston and the prompt, "Picnic in the Park."  Hope this goes okay. :D Enjoy.

Springtime Memories 

(Picnic in the Park with Tom HiddlestonxReader)

You hugged your coat closer to your body, trying to keep the vestiges of winter chill from stealing your body heat.  The sun was hiding behind the trees, not quite warm enough to herald the beginning of spring.  Even so, you sat on the bench, just listening to the quiet of the morning.

It was Sunday, and most of the world was still asleep at this hour.  After all, weekends, Sundays especially, were made for sleeping in.  You heard birds rustling nearby, so you aimed your camera and took a few pictures.  With it being so early, each sound seemed amplified.  You heard the sound of feet pounding on the pavement.  Probably a jogger, eager to get exercise out of the way before the park became crowded.

You brightened when the sun came out, hitting your face.  Again, you raised your camera, hoping to catch the sunrise.  The shutter clicked loudly, hopefully capturing the imagine you wanted.

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Being a famous actor had its ups and downs.  Tom Hiddleston never would have imagined he’d get to where he was now, though he did wish for it.  He got to live his dream, his passion, acting in films and on the stage.  And his fans, all over the world people cheered for him and supported his dream.  It could be overwhelming at times, both fans and paparazzi alike, all waiting to see him.

So, he decided to take advantage of the early morning and go for a run.  The park was nearly empty, only a few others dotted along the winding path.  He paused, taking a breather next to the pond, stretching out his legs.  The familiar sound of a camera shutter caught his attention and he paused, internally sighing.  He turned, expecting to see a paparazzi hiding out in the bushes.  But instead, he saw a young woman, sitting alone on a bench, a camera in hand.  The culprit was a fan then, which was much preferred otherwise.  Putting on a smile, he walked over.

You were snapping photos, when the sound of footsteps drew your attention.

“Excuse me, miss.  If you’d like a photo of me, you could ask.  I’d love to take one with you, if you’d want.”

The male voice breaking into your thoughts seemed friendly enough, but you furrowed your brow at the words.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you.  If I’ve taken an unwanted photo of you, it was purely on accident.”

You nodded in direction of the horizon, holding your camera.

“I was only trying to get a photo of the sunrise.”

He laughed softly, at himself and not you.  He almost seemed taken aback by your answer.

“In that case, I apologize, I just assumed-”

“That I wanted a picture of you? You must consider yourself extraordinarily handsome if random people take photos of you all the time.  Though your voice sounds familiar, have we met before?”

He was quiet, and you could tell he was trying to figure you out.  You were about to ask his name when the sound of your stomach broke the silence.  You flushed in embarrassment.

“Wow, that was loud,” you huffed, trying to rub your stomach into submission.  Your early morning companion tried to hold back a laugh, but it snuck out all the same.

“Well, it is breakfast time.  Would you care to join me?  I'd like to apologize for my assumption.”

You smiled brightly, tucking your camera away.  You stood, pulling your white guidance cane from your bag, snapping it into place.

“I’m (Y/N) by the way, what’s your name?” you asked, hooking your bag around your shoulder.

He groaned.

“Apparently I’m an idiot first thing in the morning.  I’m sorry, I didn’t realize-”

“That I was blind? It’s okay.  Sometimes the glasses give it away,” you said, touching the dark shades on your face.  You held out your hand to shake his.

“So shall I call I call you idiot for the rest of the day?  I am open to suggestions, dingbat being a personal favorite of mine,” you teased.

His hand closed around yours.  His fingers were long and tapered, an artist's hand.

“Tom,” he introduced himself.

“Nice to meet you Tom, you said something about breakfast?”

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Your chance meeting with Tom, the park jogger, led to a lovely breakfast at a café nearby.  When it came time to part, you were reluctant to leave, and you hoped Tom felt the same way.  So when he asked to exchange numbers, you were giddy.

It wasn't often that you met new people, and continued to be friends.  Most would give you a wide berth, or avoid you when they found out you were blind.  You didn't blame them, it could be tough or awkward to deal with.  You had been blind almost half of your life, and you still found some situations exacerbated by your disability.

But Tom was truly a good man, albeit a little too gentlemanly at times.  It took a few meetings in the park for Tom to trust that you could get from point a to point b, regardless of your lack of sight.  He was quick to take your elbow and try to steer you away from any obstacles, which was frustrating at times.  Eventually you realized it was just Tom being Tom and not him babying you.

The two of you met up occasionally on Sundays at what was called “your bench.”  Nothing particular was talked about, just life in general, hobbies, favorite things.

“Please don't take this the wrong way, but why do you take photos when you can't see?”

You lifted your camera and snapped a photo in the general direction of Tom face.

“Well two things really.  I usually get defensive and say something along the lines of “Just because I'm blind, doesn't mean I can't see.” I mean, photography is more than just the perfectly set up shots.  And it's important for me to show that blindness doesn't mean I can't appreciate beauty.  Beethoven wrote some of his best music when deaf.  Who says the blind can't make art?”

Tom hummed in agreement.

“Very true love. And your second reason?”

At this, you flushed a little.

“It's silly but-” you started.

Tom took your hand in his, rubbing the back of your hand with his thumb, prompting you to continue.

“If they ever find a cure for my blindness, I'd like to be able to look at my memories.  And if they don't, any family I might have will be able to see my life too.”

Tom lifted your hand, placing a kiss on palm.  You tried to hold back the shiver that traveled down your spine at the touch of his lips on your hand.

“That's not silly at all.”

It was after that conversation, that you found yourself a tiny bit smitten with the Englishman.  For knowing him all of a month, Tom was very supportive and a great listener.  And his voice, you could listen to it all day long.  So when you heard his voice when you were watching tv, you froze.  

There it was, his distinctive laugh.  The quiet, breathy ‘hehehe’ that never failed to make you smile.  Jogger Tom was Tom Hiddleston.  The Tom Hiddleston.  You resisted the urge to text him immediately, asking why he hadn't told you.  But you thought about it for awhile.  

Tom was a lot like you in a way.  You both had a barrier that sometimes kept people away.  Your blindness and his fame.  Maybe he was afraid you would freak out or treat him differently.  So you tucked away your fears and questions.  If Tom could look past your blindness, you would do him the courtesy of feigning ignorance about his fame until he was ready to tell you.

Eventually your friends got eager, wanting to know the identity of your mystery friend.  When they asked his last name, you just shrugged.  Tom was just Tom.  You wouldn't out him to your friends until he trusted you with last name.

It all came to a head when you were enjoying an impromptu picnic of various snacks while enjoying the new spring sun.  Neither of you could make your traditional early Sunday meet up, so you met up in the afternoon instead.  With the crowds a bit thicker due to the lovely spring weather, you both decided to sit on the grass and let the world pass you by.

You were discussing, well debating which was better, pancakes or waffles, (He was firmly in the pancake camp whereas you were team waffle all the way) when someone approached him.

“Excuse me, Mr. Loki sir?” a soft voice asked.

You could hear Tom inhale sharply.

“Yes, how can I help you sweetheart?”

“My brother said Loki was bad, and that Thor is better.  But I don't think so. You're my favorite. Big brothers are meanies.”

You laughed, causing Tom to laugh as well.

“Big brothers can definitely can be meanies sometimes. But even though Loki and Thor fight, they are still brothers. Family always looks out for each other.”

You heard hurried footsteps, larger than the little girl's.

“I am so sorry Mr. Hiddleston, when she recognized you, she just took off,” a panicked voice apologized.  You assumed it was the mother of the child, who was softly scolding the small girl for running off.

“It's no bother really, I'm always happy to meet fans.  Especially ones as adorable as her.”

The mother shuffled the girl away after the actor gave the girl a quick hug and an autograph.  When they retreated, Tom sighed.

“I really didn't want you to find out this way.”

You tilted your head to the side, a fake look of shock on your face.

“You mean that you are Tom Hiddleston, famous actor. Most notable roles being in the Marvel movies, Crimson Peak, Kong Skull Island,” you rattled off.  Tom was still silent, and you reached over to tap his hand, giving it a squeeze.

“I Saw the Light almost threw me off, your accent was so different in that one,” you mused offhandedly.

“You knew who I was?” his voice was quiet.

You smiled.

“I told you your voice was familiar.  It took me a bit, but I figured it out.  I do watch movies you know, sort of.”

“Why didn't you say anything?”

You shrugged.

“You didn't say anything either. And I'm friends with Jogger Tom, who just happens to be a pretty famous actor.”

Tom chuckled, throwing his arm around your shoulder with a small squeeze.

“I'm sorry I didn't say anything. I just wanted to be Tom around you. I wasn't sure if it would change anything.”

You raised a brow.

“Why would it change anything? I mean, you preferring pancakes over waffles is a bit much to handle, but I suppose if I can be friends with a dirty pancake heathen, being friends with an actor wouldn't be much harder,” you joked.

Tom poked your side in retaliation making you flinch and bat his hands away.

“So, now that you know who I am. Or rather I know, that you know,” Tom started.

“-Could I take you on a proper date?”

You fiddled with your camera.

“Yes,” you said smiling, pulling Tom in for a selfie as he kissed your cheek.

It was definitely a memory you wanted to treasure.

-------------------------------------

So hopefully this wasn’t terrible. Please enjoy and follow @i-dont-do-rpfs if you enjoy RPF.

[franeridart]

I just found your profile and I love your style so much!

AHHHHHH THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!

Anon said:From kami's-hair-is-hard-to-doodle anon from a while back: I finally got it! Thank you so much for your advice - reading and rereading your tips kept me practicing! I'd also like to thank the Academy /orz

I’m glad it could help you at all!!!! :O Kami keeps on being a mystery to me (and Horikoshi himself ???) too so don’t get too down on yourself for it taking time haha

Anon said:Ive sent you a couple of asks before but Im just so in love with the content you produce. Like not only is your art style so cute and stuff, but the plot/story (Idk) of each post is just so original and adorable. Im just so blown away by everything you post. Thank you for sharing your art!!!! Have a good week!!

Anon said:Hi! I’m new to your blog but love your art, I think your very talented which is why I’d like to ask a question. Do you have any advice for posing? I noticed your very good at it and wondered if you have any tips. If you do answer this, Thank you!!

Firstly, thank you so much for the compliments!!! I don’t know how useful exactly any advice I could give you will be, since most of it comes from drawing a lot and watching drawings even more, but in general to pick a pose usually what I do is think of the scene as if in movement? As in, what the characters are doing, and how they’d move if I were looking at them while doing it - keeping in mind the characters personalities helps me with this a lot too. 

Take for example the confessions drawings I’ve posted a couple of days ago: it’s true that there’s no words nor movement anywhere in them, but as I drew them I had a pretty clear idea of what they were saying and how the characters would react in those situations - Jirou’s shy and easily flustered, so she’s averting her eyes, unable to keep eye contact, and closing in on herself a bit, hiding her face and so on; in the concept, Kaminari was the one who confessed, so he’s holding her hand, tentative, because he’s unsure about how she’s gonna answer (it’s all stuff that didn’t actually make it in the drawing, how he reached for her hand, how he’s gonna close his other hand around her knuckles, but in my head it was a complete scene and I just picked one frame of it all to draw). The same goes for Bakugou and Kirishima - they’re rowdier, louder, more assertive and inclined to take everything as a fight, so this time around I went for a scene in which Bakugou straight out yells his feelings at Kirishima and Kirishima answers me too (again, I had the before and after in my head too, I just picked the frame that best coveyed what I was trying to do)

As I said I’m usure about how much this might help you orz it’s just my way of doing things, and it mostly comes from the fact that I was originally a writer honestly, so thinking of a whole scene makes things easier for me #rip

Anon said:Can I say, I really like the colors for your confession pictures! :>

THANK YOU??????? H E C K ;O; 

Anon said:hi~ i just went through literally everything in your sketches tag and i just wanna say i love your art and your comics and stuff. also because i went through everything, i want to bring attention to how cool it is to see how much your style has changed! your lines seem more confident and your characters more dynamic in the last few years :D

HECK THANK YOU SO MUCH it’s always so damn nice to know people can see my stuff getting even just slightly better oh mannnnnnnnnnnnnn *sob*

Anon said:can we repost your art if we give like 100% credit

Nope, sorry, I’d prefer it if you didn’t do that

Anon said:those "confessions" must be the lewdest thing I've ever seen

why would you use that word tho

Anon said:I just wanted to tell you that I love your art and it always makes me a little happier when you post something! No matter if it's your comics or colored pics or "simple" doodles, I love all of them! (Though soft stuff is the best, hehe) I just hope you know that you're very appreciated, and I hope you only have wonderful days!

GODS THANK YOU SO MUCH I’m so so so happy I can make you a lil happier ;0; I hope you’ll have every possible wonderful day too, anon!!

Anon said:I just spent the last few hours of my Sunday going though your entire blog. It’s beautiful and I hope you know that you have ruined my life because of that beauty. God damn it.

That wasn’t the intention but I’m!!!!!!!!! glad you think so???????? sob oh my g od you all are too nice to me ;^;

Anon said:Tododeku?

It sure is a ship, isn’t it - I’ve drawn for it in the past, I most probably will again in the future! :D

Anon said:you're honestly one of my fav artists on here! i love your style it feels so unique and is so pleasing to look at (((:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’M CRYING THANK YOU

Anon said:Your art has this unique quality about it... its really hard to describe but there’s something so dynamic and god damn pretty about your work. It’s fantastic and you inspire me to keep on creating! I hope your day is absolutely wonderful and thank you for blessing us with your art!

I’m!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so glad I can make you want to create stuff, anon!!!!!! that’s the best thing anyone can ever tell me, oh my god ;^; thank you so much !!!

Anon said:I love it when you draw cuddly bakugou!! Its wonderful!!

THAT’S!!!! super great to hear cause I could probably draw only that for the foreseeable future and not mind it one bit holy smoke

Anon said:THE HUG COMICS ARE THE BEST COMICS, I LOVE HUGS AND BAKUGOU BEING PHYSICALLY AFFECTIONATE IS SOMETHING I LOVE, A++++, WOULD RECOMMEND.

HONESTLY BAKUGOU NEEDS ALL THE HUGS AND IF I MUST BE THE ONE TO GIVE THEM ALL TO HIM THEN SO BE IT

Anon said:all ur comics are fucking delightful and make my day everytime. i ve read them all like too many times? i read each multiple times in a row and im still giddy? i love them i love u

I!!!!!!! LOVE YOU TOO???? HOLY SHIT THANK YOU

Anon said:*sigh* soft-phisical contact lover bakugou save my week. And kiri is the most wonderfull sunshine and no one cant discuss that *sit down in the floor and manly crying*

Kiri is the brightest sunshine isn’t he ;^; the sun to Bakugou’s moon, it makes me weak and I cry a lot

Anon said:I never knew I could be so weak for kiribaku omg fran what have you done to me, on that note what little things do you think theyd do to take care of each other? Like kinda lowkey stuff theyd quietly do? Ahh anyway thank you so much for all the wonderful drawings, hope everything is going well for you :)

Well, this is just the feeling I got, but I’d say they do plenty for each other quietly and softly in canon too, don’t they? Bakugou especially, pointing out to Kirishima his strength when he can’t see it for himself and always trying to find a way to cheer him up when he’s down and giving him space when he needs it, training together, studying together, worrying over one another, Kiri making sure to always know what’s up with Bakugou and following him to help him, just generally being there for each other so that if and when they need they’ll know they’ll have someone they can lean on - their relationship is really mutually supportive, isn’t it? I cry so much they make me so happy ;^; *sob*

Anon said:When season 3 comes out wouldnt it be fun if krbk fans filmed their ch.90 being animated reactions?? I think it'd be so cool/cute to see all the emotions! What do you think?

You know, I’m pretty sure that IS gonna happen? People make reaction videos for so many things! It’s nice and fun, honestly, I love it~

Anon said:I really love the way you draw spiky hair! It looks so floofy and soft.

Boi thank you!!!! Spikes are super nice to draw, though admittedly I make them less spiky then they’re probably supposed to be haha

Anon said:As someone who adores Sero Hanta And is a die hard krbk fan can I just say how much I love you? Like I was having a rough-ish day and I can’t stop smiling now because of your latest comic. Seriously, I love you and your art is everything.

I’M SO GLAD YOU LIKED THAT ONE!!!!!!!! I adore Sero if I had any better clue how to draw him I’d draw him all the time always, true story, he’s such a fave ;^;

Anon said:OMG Fran!!! I want Bakugou's name tattooed on all their faces now!! Hahahaha!

You know, one of my first krbk fanarts was Bakugou writing his name on Kirishima’s forehead, actually....................

[wigwurq]

WIG REVIEW: AVENGERS - INFINITY WAR

OH GURL, I finally saw Infinity War! Yes, I’m a full week late to this party but y’all know I had to wait that long to see this with MoviePass. Was it worth the wait? Decidedly: no. I mean, it’s the Marvel Universe and and the wigs are always terrible! But the twist here is: SO WAS THE ENTIRE MOVIE. LET’S DISCUSS.

SO MANY SPOILERS AHEAD.

Straight up: this movie is about jewelry. The only other movie I have wasted so much time at that devoted so much time to jewelry was Titanic and it’s hard to say which movie I hated more? I guess still Titanic but I honestly don’t know. They are both really long, cost way too much money, and involved deaths that didn’t need to happen. So that’s the whole thing with Infinity War, right? We were promised that beloved (?) characters would die and they do but also NOT REALLY. BUCKLE UP FOR THE MOST EXHAUSTING RECAP OF NONSENSE EVER.

So blah blah blah Thanos is this intergalactic psychopath “played by” Josh Brolin but mainly played by a computer, as with most characters in the Marvel Universe. Anyway, he needs to get all 6 infinity stones to complete his blinged out Dr Claw from Inspector Gadget hand. 

That is basically the entire plot of the movie. Thanos is basically Liberace but slightly less gay and with no apparent piano playing abilities who I guess hates overpopulation and is a complete psychopath? You do the math on this one.

The movie starts exactly where my beloved Thor: Wignarock left off with Loki’s increasingly terrible Disaster Artist locks billowing in the space wind as Thanos demands some effing bling. Tessa Thompson is somehow not there because she has much more important things to do. Loki delivers some infinity stone he just had laying around someplace because sure and promptly dies (?) All deaths in this movie are highly questionable but this one seems possibly legit and I’m fine with it because this wig is terrible and Tom Hiddleston can do better. Same goes for Idris Elba who also dies (?).  I’m very happy that these two handsome men have been freed from the shackles of the Marvel Universe and the bad wigs that go with them. Thor and The Hulk are also there but are somehow spared by Thanos because his deal seems to be only killing HALF the good guys but only sometimes and don’t ask why because you certainly will get no answers. 

Moving on, the Hulk crashlands into Dr. Strange’s olde curiousity shoppe and gurl I can’t even with this lewk. I’m all for capes ALWAYS but this HAIR. There are many jokes about Dr. Strange being a wizard and he does look like a very bad magician always. Anyway he gets the 411 on this bling situation from the Hulk which is troubling since possesses some of that bling. It should be noted that the bling he possesses can alter time and space so you’d think the bling could just protect itself and everyone around it but I guess that is too logical for this movie? So instead he decides to go ask another mad genius with a goatee for help!

OMG GOOP IS BACK. HAHHAHAHAHHA. LOOK AT THIS EFFING WIG. 

YOU CAN SEE THE LINE OF THE WIG WITH HER REAL HAIR UNDERNEATH. Ok, I understand that building entire characters and planets out of computers is $$$ but for the characters that are played by people, could we maybe get a wig assist? MARVEL UNIVERSE FOR SHAME.

But this wig is not long for this Marvel Universe since Iron Man decides to form a goatee alliance with Dr. Strange because of course. Look at these weirdos! Side note: these are absolutely the kind of dudes who always go to see movies at Film Forum. Anyway, Robert Downey, Jr’s dye job alone is very upsetting but THOSE GLASSES. NO.

Anyway, the goatee alliance proves terrible at protecting NYC streets despite the fact that DR STRANGE’S NECKLACE CAN CHANGE TIME OMG JUST USE THE NECKLACE. Instead, Dr. Strange is beamed aboard a spaceship where he is given the worst acupuncture treatment this side of Hellraiser. 

Iron Man and Spider-Man somehow save the day by literally stealing a plotpoint from Aliens and then all three make a lot more stupid movie references while also completely failing at doing anything productive involving highly important timeshifting bling.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Scotland, a Transilvanian Witch and a robot twice her age with a flashlight in his forehead have found love outside a kebab shop. 

BUT NOT FOR LONG because WWII wet rag Chris Evans who inexplicably has given himself a butch makeover and ScarJo in the best hair she’s ever had in the Marvel Universe show up to tell them that they need to destroy said forehead flashlight because it’s one of the bling Thanos needs for his bling claw. This is where all logic really goes out the window. The Avengers refuse to sacrifice the “life” of Robot Paul Bettany for the good of, well, THE UNIVERSE so instead to go find help in extracting the bling AND saving a robot’s life in Wakanda because apparently the only capable person in this entire movie is our gurl Shuri.

Anyway, back in space, The Guardians of the Galaxy save Thor who has just been floating around half dead since Thanos left. This means that Chris Pratt and Chris Hemsworth meet face to face and they’re definitely the best looking and funniest in the Marvel Universe so fine. Still, Gamora’s upsetting Halloween Adventure wig continues to exist. Look at these guys looking at it. NO. Anyway, the Chris party is shortlived as Thor needs to go get a new hammer.

But who could make a new hammer? PETER DINKLAGE OF COURSE. The episodic nature of this movie already feels like a sci-fi version of Game of Thrones so why not? He’s the best part of that show and this movie, obvs. He plays a giant dwarf (?) created through highly questionable photoshop not unlike my #2 favorite character in Thor: Wignarock - that GIANT EFFING WOLF. Anyway, this is the best picture I can find of his insane mountain man wig which is very awful. Regardless, he makes Thor an axe with an assist from Groot and also an assist from Thor getting a really terrible sunburn to make it all happen. Whatever? OH: also that raccoon gives Thor a new eye which somehow matches his other eye. Bye, eyepatch!

Anyway, The Guardians go to see Benicio del Toro in his batshit crazy space wig which is so terrible as to maybe be amazing. He definitely has given Thanos some bling that alters reality and they fight and blah blah, Thanos ends up stealing away Gamora, aka his adoptive daughter but not before she tells Chris Pratt she loves him! Yay?

Oh but then in order to get the soul bling (which is not what I imagined), he DEFINITELY throws her off a cliff. But is she dead? DEATH IS NEVER CERTAIN ANYMORE BECAUSE OF THAT REALITY BLING SO EVERYTHING CAN BE CHANGED AND WHY ARE WE EVEN STILL WATCHING THIS NOW SINCE THERE ARE NO ACTUAL STAKES.

Anyway, Chris Pratt and co meet up with the goatee/Spider-Man party and everything devolves into “witty” repartee and terrible decision-making. Thanos shows up and that insect chick puts a spell on him but for some reason they don’t use this magic slumber to kill him, just to try to get his bling claw off and they fail because Chris Pratt can’t control his DAMN TEMPER BECAUSE GAMORA IS MAYBE DEAD BUT PROBABLY NOT SO JUST EFFING CHILL DUDE. Anyway, to save Iron Man, Dr. Strange ends up giving up his bling so Thanos only has one bling left to get...dun dun dun.

Back in Wakanda, Paul Bettany’s bling is being extracted by Shuri but meanwhile, they are totally under attack by some horrible space dogs because obvs. Fighting alongside Wakanda’s already awesome fighters are Chris Evans, ScarJo and the Winter Soldier hisself. GODDAMN THAT IS A TERRIBLE WIG. I mean, truly truly truly outrageously bad.

Also outrageously bad? The fact that all of Wakanda is under attack JUST TO SAVE ROBOT PAUL BETTANY. SO MANY INNOCENT WAKANDANS HAVE TO FIGHT AND ARE KILLED BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT TO KILL A ROBOT AND WHY DID ANYONE IN WAKANDA AGREE TO THIS INSANE PLAN EVEN MICHONNE FROM THE WALKING DEAD. WHAT IN THE VERY HELL. It should also be noted that Black Panther is the only movie in the Marvel Universe that wurqs wig-wise so truly, this is all really plummeting their stock.

So Thor shows up and almost saves the day but then Thanos shows up and then everyone realizes that they have to just destroy this robot anyway to destroy the bling and this was all a huge and terrible waste of time because OBVIOUSLY.

This makes that Transilvanian witch in a horrible horrible horrible red wig that Robot Paul Bettany loves very very sad because somehow a witch is the only person who can destroy bling in this movie which is a plotpoint I appreciate but then she has to also destroy her robot lover but like: IT’S THE ONLY WAY WHY DIDN’T YOU JUST DO THAT BACK AT THE KEBAB SHOP. WHAT IN THE VERY HELL, AVENGERS?!

So then everyone just keeps fighting Thanos even though he is completely unstoppable but like...maybe just fighting him hand to hand will work? (It doesn’t work). Nothing works! Nothing wurqs! The Avengers are completely useless and Thanos just peaces out and then things get completely mindbogglingly stupid:

HALF THE POPULATION OF THE WORLD INCLUDING HALF OF THE AVENGERS JUST DISAPPEARS INTO SMOKE LIKE AN OFFBRAND EPISODE OF THE LEFTOVERS WHICH I’VE NEVER SEEN AND DEFINITELY WON’T NOW.

Huh? Yes, this was Thanos’s plan all along! But obviously, these deaths are not real! I can’t even tell you who got whisked away and who didn’t because one of the people blown away was Black Panther and THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL THEY ARE ACTUALLY KILLING OFF BLACK PANTHER. Also before he’s blown away, Dr. Strange says something about how this was the only way (after earlier doing like 14 million calculations) so clearly: they win in the end.

But not the end of THIS movie. No! No! The Marvel Universe refuses to be self contained to one movie. So the whole thing just...ends! For now! Like one big hanging chad of death until the next Avengers movie (A YEAR AWAY) when definitely everyone will live again. THE MARVEL UNIVERSE JUST MADE DEATH NOT A REALITY AND WASTED ALL OUR TIME IN THE PROCESS. There has not been a more ridiculous cliffhanger ending to a movie since The Empire Strikes Back and absolutely both endings are true garbage filmmaking THERE I SAID IT. 

At this point, I ask myself: HOW MANY DAYS HAVE I LOST TO THE MARVEL UNIVERSE? How many overlong movies have I watched to prepare for other overlong movies THAT DON’T HAVE AN ENDING? HOW DOES THIS CYCLE CONTINUE? WHEN WILL WE BE DONE? NEVER! BECAUSE WE’LL KEEP SEEING THEM BECAUSE WE DON’T VALUE OUR TIME AND BECAUSE WE’RE GARBAGE PEOPLE. THE END.

VERDICT: DOESN’T WURQ

[movieshdblogs]

Candyman Full Movie Online (2021) Free Candyman Movie Review

Candyman Full Movie Online (2021) Free Candyman Movie Review

Topic: Candyman Full Movie Online

After more than 20 years, Candyman is back on the big screen, so let’s talk about that Candyman is a simple reboot of the Candyman series and what I mean This is intended to reboot the Candyman franchise and stand alone as a story but is a direct follow-up to the original Candy from 1992.

Watching now A little background on my experience with the Candyman franchise I’ve only seen any of them for about two weeks and for the past two weeks I’ve watched In the previous three movies, I watched all the specials, a bunch of interviews with Tony Todd and Virginia Madsen and so I tried to get to know myself

The new candy maker and what is your experience with the franchise before watching this movie saying that, let’s start with the best first

The thing you have to talk about about this movie is that it was beautifully and professionally shot, everything is deliberately framed so the choice of shot is amazing the way it goes from the shot

Watching now To shoot scene to scene is done with a lot of intent especially when you start getting into some killings and the way you use mirrors Things that happen up appear

He’s trying to communicate our main character’s transition and kind of what’s going on with him, he suddenly starts revealing things

Background but enough to be able to determine that it is a movie that has everything thought through during its design Each of these scenes,

where to put the camera and how to capture everything on the same lines the way they visualize the killings and The candyman’s craftsmanship is handled very nicely whereas most of the movies do it kind of like blank slant guys

Shows people tears or someone stands there and suddenly a hook passes through them or something

Watching now The movie finds all these different ways to love subtly hinting that it’s what’s going on so you try to put them together

What you see until you are surprised at the actual murder that happens and it all goes into the way these shots are framed Using mirrors and just a very creative way to visualize the way candy manifests in this world, there are even times when you think that Candyman Full Movie Online

The scene turns and in fact, we see the end of the scene, which is a murder, and if you don’t pay attention, you may miss and so on

The audience trusts the framing of the shots to pay attention to the small details that happen and because the series is very connected with the folklore

Urban legends and background stories the film finds a way to communicate a lot of that in different and interesting ways besides that Just doing flashbacks and so it’s just a lot of artistic flair throughout the entire movie and as I mentioned before this is a minor reboot and so it’s Candyman Full Movie Online

Designed so that you can watch it after not seeing anything in the past It gives you everything you need to know and all the links with the original movie are

He dealt with some of the folklore within this movie the same way the original movie dealt with all that folklore and these backstories shared from

Watching now Decades later, that’s what this movie does to the original and so it actually ties in very well with Candyman Full Movie Online

The story, but it’s not just past things that actually happen that intertwine in this story and put some of that story into motion in exciting and innovative ways.

So, respecting the past builds on the past while not requiring you to watch it but nevertheless, I recommend watching the 1992 movie before watching it This is because this movie is basically going to spoil this movie for you, so it makes sense to watch it in

A proper arrangement and finally I appreciate that it’s a high-level, homeless horror movie, it’s about a guy with a hook in his hand that cuts his throat and runs people through but nothing is done for the schlock’s value only nothing is done by winking at the camera they take the material very seriously

He tells it with a bunch of finesse and deals with some social issues, but I also had a lot of problems with this movie so let’s move on to the bad stuff.

The first thing that comes to mind here is that the character division is very unusual and what I mean by that is our lead character Candyman Full Movie Online

Watching now

He is an artist and you would expect that he would interact with a reckless art critic at some point in the movie really well in this movie.

Three or four characters are buzzing art critics and with a movie that doesn’t have a particularly large cast, that’s a huge percentage of

The cast are reckless art critics, so when our characters interact with people, they have these high definition conversations about art that

I couldn’t get attached or didn’t care about it and it felt like these characters had become too repetitive at one point in time another problem with

The story is that it’s only 91 minutes long and it looks like they need to flesh out the last 20 minutes a bit more when they start Candyman Full Movie Online

Connecting all the side characters to each other, the backstory of new legends and social commentary that are sped up and blurred into Candyman Full Movie Online

The last 15 minutes and I was trying to put it together because it felt like she was trying to get to the next plot point to get to the big end and me

They think they need to slow down a lot of that to explain exactly what was going on and why they’re making their statements, in the end, a little bit more

Watching now

Meaningful but at the end of the day, my biggest problem with this movie was dealing with the social commentary itself now of course the original movie was obvious It a political and social commentary but it was a subtext and was communicated through the story

There is a point in time in the original where Helen says two The murders are there and the cops do nothing a white woman gets assaulted and we get some rest and that’s a very clear political statement but it was also motivated

The plot is an action that happens to her and her response to her to communicate that idea in the new movie our main characters are introduced and They immediately get into a discussion about the racial effects of gentrification and when they don’t discuss gentrification they understand Discussing our main character’s art

Which is mostly based on racial oppression and inequality, the original movie had sub-tones and guarantees about inequality but it was all driven by

In the story here the characters just sit in circles discussing racial gentrification, racial inequality, and police brutality from ideology

Watching now

Perspective If you want to communicate a message through a great movie, tell a story that challenges my preconceptions and my experiences

Show me the world through someone else’s eyes, one of the most important sayings of cinema is the show, don’t tell the audience to trust making connections Understand and draw their own conclusions, this film does not trust its story to deliver its message or the audience to understand

Everything is just explicitly stated, there is no room for interpretation, no subtlety or nuance, no place to have a conversation with Friends then about what all that “no” means.

The writers and director just mentioned what they think of what they’re trying to say the most A ruthless way you can do it, and in case you don’t get it within the last 10 minutes of the movie, just double and triple their thoughts to slam them in there. In your face it’s frustrating

Because the movie was shot very accurately but the social commentary was too fast before I give you the final score Be sure to join me below in the comments section and let me know what you think of the new Candyman and what your experience with the past has been.

Movies Also, I’m going to rank all 4 Candy Man movies in just a couple of days, but if you want more horror content from me, check out this playlist now

Watching now

It’s there that I graded a bunch of classic horror franchises while appreciating all the craftsmanship that went into curating the shots that offer

It kills in an interesting way and relates to the 1992 movie, I wish the same literal was applied to how it communicated its message instead.

From saying it in public, I wish it had been told throughout the story In general, I give the candy a C-plus on the entertainment scale, it’s 5.5, and I You can’t make a single recommendation on this because it’s going to be polarizing if you really like very clearly socially aware horror movies.

Message You are likely to absolutely love this movie if you prefer your social commentary to be subtext and primary score, this movie will result in more accuracy It might be too harsh for you

[neven-ebrez]

Wayward cocktails with Jerry Wanek in Hawaii

Okay!  So I was extremely lucky to get to sit down right beside production designer Jerry Wanek along with some other fans and talk to him for over an hour on Sunday night after Honolulu con wrapped.  I recorded a bit of the audio of the meeting for notes so here’s some highlights from our group chat.

Jerry has an office upstairs where the studios are.  There’s no doors.  There’s nine people in the art department including the art director, set designer, and the graphic director.  The whole process is extremely collaborative and the best idea usually wins!  I brought up the fact that there’s always discussions of intent when analyzing the show and how its very hard to pin down because there are so many hands in the cookie jar!  Jerry said a lot of it goes back to the boys, which provide the most focus in his opinion.  

Jerry says he reads lots of scripts every day, some of which have stupid ideas (”This is so stupid I want to cry” his words, lol).  He said after they get the first draft that they all submit their ideas, “What if we do this? What if we do that?”  Jerry works very close with every director.  He looks over the scripts and helps point out what is pretty much impossible (or otherwise VERY tough/expensive).  He says he has a script right now that is 14 pages long at NIGHT, OUTSIDE, and RAINING. (FYI: this is a production/cost/logistics/timing nightmare for those who don’t know this).  Jerry says they can’t even get this done on their 8 day schedule, that there’s simply not enough TIME.  He says he had to call up Andrew Dabb and be like, “Uh... Andrew... you’re gonna have to cut some of this!” 

Jerry spoke well of John Showalter and Phil Sgriccia, saying Phil’s history in editing helps him tremendously in directing (and I guess fixing problems like being given a script with 14 pages of night shoots, lol).  He spoke of how Phil cares about the show’s mythology and legacy compared to some writers who do things that change the mythology.  He said everyone was confused by Asmodeus in the fact that he could shapeshift.  He didn’t like the fact that all the other Princes of Hell didn’t have that ability but apparently Asmodeus did.  

I asked him if there’s ever been a set that he especially hated to tear down and he said “Yes and no.” He went on to talk about the lake house from 12x23 and 13x01.  He looked for 2 weeks for a house for that shoot.  He was out looking for a spot to shoot the angel blades from the AU and the guy that had that property mentioned another spit of land he had and then he and Jerry drove out there and then Jerry saw that it was perfect and so he immediately called up Bob and they decided to build the house as a complete set there instead of finding a house already built.  

I told him it was amazing that they could build these things all so fast.  He said that it’s taken a lot of years to acquire those skills.  He’s been in the film business for 40 years.  He spoke of the freedom he had on the Dark Angel set, that they told him “just take care of the sets” and that James Cameron and them had other things to worry about, so there was a lot of trust there.  He said that since then he’s only had to get “okay’d” on maybe half a dozen sets.  Basically, he has a lot of free reign on whether the location is a bunker, an abandoned warehouse, whatever.  He spoke fondly of the distillery set from 10x21 and said it had been written as an abandoned warehouse.  Coming up in 13x07 the script called for a concrete bunker in the desert, but Jerry designed a church instead.  I suggested that “concrete bunker” was just script shorthand for “let Jerry do what he wants” and he said, “pretty much” lol.  

@obsessionisaperfume then piped in about the wallpaper and how you could write a dissertation just on it.  I mentioned the Hansel and Gretel wallpaper and Jerry said that one came from France. Dori said her favorite was the Siren wallpaper.  I said my favorite was the red/green tartan codependency wallpaper because it was so striking.  (Here is where @nicky36 and @ibelieveinthelittletreetopper arrived).  Jerry said anytime Misha calls something a “masterpiece” is when he knows he hit a homerun. :’)  He said set reveals are somewhat like an art opening and he loves all the reactions they get.  He said that any time the reaction to a hotel set is low, that it’s “game on” and it’s time to raise the bar with the wild and wacky.  I asked him what his favorite themed motel was and then immediately told him my favorite, which was the “Too Tired” motel and that it was a motel dedicated to me.  He loved that one.  He said it was two tires in the “too” and that the location of that motel was in one of the biggest tire manufacturers in the country, so the whole thing was a pun with a double meaning!  

I thanked him for not giving into the motel 6 suggestion and he said he would have left the show, no doubt.  Jerry loves Americana and time period stuff, classic stuff like the 50s and 60s, Route 66.   I mentioned the Elysian Field motel from 5x19.  He said that that was when the Olympics was in Vancouver and that he told the writers “whatever you do, DO NOT write an episode that is motel heavy right now” because all the motels were booked up.  “So what do the writers do?” Jerry asked, “They, of course, made a whole episode in a motel.”  I said, “No one listens to you?” He laughed and said, “No, they don’t!”  He said that whole motel was built on a stage and that he was very pleased with it because of all the detail they could do.  He then went a little in depth into intention so I’m going to simply transcribe the next bit:

“You can get as wacky as you want, but, if you just put something wacky in, and it doesn’t have anything to do with the script, and it doesn’t have any support- You know, if I put a screen in, then there’s going to be another complementing element in there, in color, in texture, in glass, whatever that makes it seem integral, that when someone built that motel room, that they had a plan.  It wasn’t just like... ‘Oh I want a cool screen to shoot through, that’s not good enough!  Because it just sticks out, I mean, this guy who was watching the show, he was friend of mine, and he did a headboard and he was a young person so he put bubble wrap over it and twinkle light behind it and I'm going like... ‘Well, well it’s different. You know, but it looks- It looks-’ (me: laughing, “I appreciate your input”) ‘Yeah.  But it looks really stupid. It wasn’t on our show’.  Which.. he showed me a picture of his show.  And I went, ‘Oh yeah... Nice... nice... real nice.. yeah...’

Someone goes on to say that it infuriates them that someone would go on and say (about set design), “Oh, they just went and found whatever.”  I then said that I would fight somebody.  “You can hit them for me.” (cheers)  I said one of my favorite things was the sunshine rag rugs that cropped up when Cas was back and “home” and I told him I recalled a story on Tumblr a few seasons back where someone said their mother/grandmother was commissioned by him to hand make those.  I asked him if that was fake.  Jerry thought for a second and said, “No. I don’t think so.”  Jerry then switched topics to the beer on set.  We all knew the story behind “the mom beer” and we told him that’s what we all called it.  He said it’s based on a real beer in Wiscousin called Leinenkugel’s (I remember this but didn’t want to tell him in case others didn’t know).  Jerry’s Winnipeg graphic artist wrote the story on the back of the beer label.  

Someone mentioned the set design coffee table book and I told him I was upset that it existed and that I couldn’t buy it.  Someone mentioned the Impala they were restoring and that they wanted some beer bottle labels for it.  I asked the fan the name of their Impala (Angel) and said that I had one, too (Grace)!  Jerry was surprised to hear that two of us in our small group had bought the car.  He asked if I got mine from the guy in Kansas and I said that I got mine from a guy in Maryland. The other fan asked if it was possible for her to get some beer labels and Jerry said absolutely, that he’d be happy to do that. <3

Jess then said that she was glad to see he was doing well from his surgery from the last time she saw him at the Wayward Cocktails thing.  Everyone agreed and was grateful he is doing good!  He said he was out for 3 months (end of October, November and December).  And that he really got upset about some of the diners in his absence.  I said that we could tell he was gone right away.  He said that he almost got out of his hospital bed, threw things at the tv over some of it.  He said the guy that had took over in his absence was a really good friend of his, but that he couldn’t really replicate his style, nor did he include subtext from the script like he does.

Okay this is where my recorded audio ends so the rest is by my memory.

I asked Jerry about this piece of graffiti from my business Twitter earlier in the day.  I asked about whether it was intentional and that some of us saw it as a shout out to those that read into the graffiti and set design.  He said, “Everything is intentional.” :)  In regards to graffiti especially, they have to do all their own graffiti and that if graffiti exists in the shot that is NOT THEIRS, then they have to remove it, otherwise they could get sued by the artist.  Someone joked about how the front bunker location always gets graffiti’d IRL and how if they couldn’t clean it in time they could just write it into the script and have Dean complain that the door had been tagged.  They have several of their own graffiti artists that they use when they want graffiti.  Jerry praised the artist from 8x19.  I brought up warding and whether or not Jared or Jensen had messed up a set by accident and if they had ever had to repaint it and reset and he admitted, “Yes” with a chuckle.  He said that they try to do 95% of it so that the boys only had to spray like one line/curve so there is a low chance of them messing up.  I asked how challenging 4x01 was with the warding on the barnyard and he said it was quite a challenge!  He said he felt like he was seeing symbols in his sleep after that!  He was very pleased with the end result tho!

When he talked about the S12 finale lake house to another fan he said they tore it down after the finale and then had to build it again for the S13 premiere!  So that entire set was built twice!  

I asked about who made Billie’s new scythe and Jerry said I was forgetting the most important thing!  The library set!  He said originally the set was supposed to be a little country cottage with lots of books but that he was like, “Nah.” and did the polished minimalism set instead.  Everyone praised it and we all said we loved it very much and that we felt it had a similar style as Heaven so they coordinated in a way.  It’s been one of his favorites of the season so far.  He never answered the scythe question, lol.  He said that overall that he’s been loving the new season very much and that the whole thing has felt very fresh.  He brought up the new stunt coordinator and praised him.  He said that the old guy was good but he had some very dated (old school) ideas and that the new guy was a real breath of fresh air.  I told him that everyone could instantly tell that we had a new guy doing the fight scenes and that everyone was really impressed and that there was even a lot of symbolism in them.  

Tula (Jerry’s dog) came by a few times and everyone petted Tula.  Jerry said that Tula isn’t allowed on set very often because of regulations.  He also has to screen Tula three months early for travel to Hawaii because of the strict pet regulations here (Hawai’i doesn’t have rabies for example).  

I asked Jerry if he would be directing again anytime soon and he said probably not, due to something about crew being unable to direct because of some law or complaint or something.  Everyone was sad because 9x14 was one of our favorite episodes.  Jerry said that he still didn’t have *complete* freedom the way he wanted on that episode, that there were all these neat different shots he wanted to do but that he couldn’t for whatever reason.  I said I love the door/screen transition there and he said he wished he could do more stuff like that.  

We talked about Jensen directing and I asked him if Jensen asked for any advice and he said that Jensen didn’t, but that didn’t stop Jerry from talking to him and giving him some anyway!  He praised Jensen’s directing and said that it was good to switch between directors with different backgrounds (acting, editing, set design) and that they all would bring something unique to the directing chair. 

Jerry showed us the photos he later posted on Twitter from the church in the alternate world in 13x07.  He said the script just read “concrete bunker” and he was basically like “fuck that” and built the church with the iron maiden instead.  

I asked Jerry if things ever got left on set and ended up in the shot that weren’t strictly intended and he admitted that it didn’t happen often but it had happened before (the example I used was crew cell phones lying on the table).  It’s worth noting that Jerry admitted this with extreme reluctance lol.  

+EDIT+

Oh! Three more things I forgot to mention! 

Jerry spoke very well of Misha and how S4 changed everything for the show and how everyone became so excited to work on the show again!  The mythology of just demons had gotten really stale and to throw angels into the mix just really got everyone pumped.

Jerry said he loved Alaina Huffman as Abaddon.  We all agreed she was great.  Commenting on her exit, I said that we loved the foreshadowing of the martini shot that signaled her departure and how clever it was at least.

Jerry also spoke about the challenges of building train sets and how he was excited to be working on the “Stakes on a Train” episode but that it ultimately got scrapped because of the budget.  He said it was going to have a similar feel to 11x14 (which he LOVED), and he was sad it fell through and that he hoped they’d bring it back another season.

+      +

This is all I remember being discussed and at this point Jules asked everyone to switch it up so everyone would get the chance to talk to Jerry.  We all stood and hugged him goodbye and thanked him.  After this @thevioletcaptain and @deathbycoldopen took mine and @nicky36‘s spots beside Jerry so I’m going to open this write up up for them to include anything interesting they learned.  ^_^

[onceuponamirror]

riverdale S2 tag game

got tagged by @raptorlily​ (thank you!!!) and y’all i’m so sorry because this is gonna be another one of my eight year long essays 

but i don’t always talk about riverdale, even though i’ve got thoughts coming out my ears---and so it builds up and then, well, this happens 

rules: answer the questions and tag seven people!

a character/characters you hope gets more screen time: 

the facts were these: kevin keller

but---really, i want a lot more kevin. that kid is so funny and so dry but also like i want him to see him be more than a comedic relief! like he’s pretty blindly moralistic and judgmental in a way that’s gonna have him coming down on a different side than betty or jughead, and i see him butting heads with his best friends and i am super excited to see how that plays out. 

i also am excited to see more of reggie! i’ve said before that reggie just felt like a character that showed up to be an antagonist whenever cheryl was in a good mood and that bugged me. i realize now that some of that was the filming schedule for the previous actor but like---still, c’mon, there has to be more nuance to this guy.

also also, probably an unpopular opinion but: archie, in some ways. i felt like the show really dropped the ball on archie. there was so much potential. like i was really excited for his narrative to explore the downfall of golden boys (especially as someone being thrust into the mantle of jason blossom), social expectation and grooming in small town hierarchies. 

not to mention completely flat-out ignoring the fact that this kid was raped by a repeat sexual predator who was established as having cut him off from his relationships, fucking with his head, manipulating his self worth, etc like??? i’m still waiting for that to come up bitch  

instead archie has just felt so lackluster and goofy high school musical, which sucks, because there was just a lot of potential there. anyway we’ll see where it goes from hereon out 

character you’ll miss: i mean i wish we’d seen more of joaquin, who ostensibily did nothing but stare into a corner and think about how utterly fucked he was and then make out with kevin a bit

but building off my earlier point about grundy, she should be on trial and i wish she wasn’t just welp, viva las vegas! and out the door without any consequences 

though i wouldn’t really classify this as “missing her” lmao 

one death you would like to see: i hate deaths on tv, generally. most of the time it’s just a cheap attempt to shake up the other characters for 3 episodes (i’m definitely not talking about robin from ouat what do you mean) 

but a death can also be a good catalyst for radical character development, so it all depends on how it would go down 

then again i mean i hate hal cooper and how he pulled his whole family into his shakespearean melodrama and the resulting gaslight bullshit he pulled so like i wouldn’t sweat over his death 

one death you would hate to see: i’d write a very angry but also very polite MLA format letter to the writers if betty cooper died

a storyline you like: i loooove when riverdale dips its toe into classism. i’ve said this so many times so i apologize, but the show really reaches an important level when it touches upon privilege and class. 

i’ve seen this floated around as a “civil war” in the press junkets and i think that’s a good way to generate buzz but also heavily simplifies what i hope to see; which is the desire that the show continues to present things as gray zones. 

for example, i’ve seen a lot of romanticization for the serpents and that’s really interesting. we’re definitely made to empathize with them and that’s important but also gang inductions and gang life is driven by class warfare; people are left disenfranchised by their local infrastructure and have to turn to each other for help, but it also is usually a deeply destructive cycle.

the parents get wrapped up in gang life, the children are neglected, the rest of the gang swoops in and takes care of them, then inducts them, and so on. it’s a really complicated narrative that has a lot of real world grittiness and i hope to see it handled right!

similarly, i think that an honest dive into the drug epidemic sweeping across america, particularly rural/small towns/suburbs would be really fitting on riverdale. i mean they already showed a very graphic overdose death and the show ended with a reveal that a character was moving major quantities of hard drugs, so....i know it’s a teen show on the cw that i’ve convinced myself is being written by the showrunners of true detective.....but, i mean, you never know

a storyline you don’t: i mean can i just take a moment to be upset that veronica took cheryl to her house to warm in front of the fire, fresh off a suicide attempt, and then left the damn girl alone to go to a dance?????????? that really upset me and if you thought i wasn’t still thinking about it we haven’t met properly

i also deeply disliked the show’s portrayal of chuck clayton. i get that they needed a villain but like did it have to be the sweet, artistic black character who was created at a time of limited positive representation? anyway, here’s an article that speaks to it better than i could: [x]

a pairing you hope to see more of: i mean mostly just bughead lbr 

but i’m also very excited for cheryl’s upcoming relationship, who i expect will be with the new character toni! i also feel like i haven’t been sold on varchie beyond a basic appreciation for some cute moments so i’m looking forward to seeing them more

something you would like to happen: a solid discussion about mental health issues and how they manifest. i want to see a deeper exploration into the kind of trauma jughead has gone through (i loved when he talked about why he didn’t like his birthday), for example. i also see cheryl as a bipolar character (an illness very close to my family and which i see a lot in her) and i’d like to see that hopefully touched upon. 

mostly though, i want a more nuanced approach to betty’s obvious mental health issues. i’ve seen a lot of people chalking it up to sort an “evil alter ego” type thing, as if she’s jean gray or something, but in reality, dissociative personality disorders are rare and very complex. and not really something i trust in the hands of the cw, nor something i see in betty. 

i see her as having pretty intense anxiety disorders and as someone with those, i would love to see that treated not as a stigma, but as something that one lives with and accepts and works through. 

on that line, i also want to see more of betty’s somewhat black and white perspective on justice competing with jughead’s moral apathy/grayness and how that creates a tension that will ultimately lead to a better understanding of one another and life. 

also: i know, i know, jesus christ sarah please relax 

I tag:

listen to be honest tagging people fills me with a weird type of social anxiety that i’ve otherwise mostly moved past so i like can’t tag people without it stressing me out! but if you want to do this, i will cover for you, i have tagged you

[ugdigital]

[EXCLUSIVE] @JONCHAFFIN : THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS

If you’ve been following the last few weeks, you’ve seen the various features we’ve run here at UGD in support of The Haves and the Have Nots. This week, we catch up with Jon Chaffin, who plays one of the show’s most loved and hated characters, Warlock. Without going into heavy detail of his character, Jon Chaffin displays some of the best acting we’ve seen with his character, and it undoubtedly has taken the show to amazing heights. He’s got millions of fans tuning in each week to see what’s going to happen next on the show. The season is currently reaching it’s climax, and things are getting really heated right now. Jon sits down for a few moments to talk with us about the show, what’s to come, and also the many amazing things he has going on in his career outside of HAHN. 

  U.G. Digital Mag: First off Mr Chaffin, this is a tremendous honor to connect with you because you are one of the best I’ve seen do this. I imagine you hear it a lot, and I know the type of person you are so you don’t feed off it, but I still imagine you get it a lot. Even with what you are doing with The Haves and the Have Nots, it’s inspiring to so many. Not even fronting, I watch the show and am a die hard fan. I have said for so long that I wanted to connect, not just about the show, but also your journey. Many want to do this, and get into entertainment, acting, or more, and they get discouraged. With all you’re doing, you show people they can do it, do what they love, and make a living. They can prosper financially and professionally. I haven’t seen anybody else deliver what you do with HAHN. We regular push this man, in terms of following your passion. I walked away from career to build this publication that offers an alternative, and something that’s culture bending, and just not the norm. We love to show the positivity in people like yourself. Thank you for that. I know it’s a mouth full. 

 Jon Chaffin: Wow. I appreciate it and am really humbled by it. 

 U.G. Digital Mag: It’s cool, too, because again, people easily get discouraged, and I’ve been there. This initially made no money. I had to maintain family and all else for something I love. Looking at you and so many others, you see first hand that when you put your heart and passion in, it works out. 

 Jon Chaffin: Yes sir. I appreciate that so much. 

 U.G. Digital Mag: My goal has been to connect with everybody from the show. It’s funny because I reached out to Crystal Fox, who plays Hanna, and we did that. Then I reached out to Presilah Nunez, who plays Erica. That’s running now. You’re will run here on the site and in the issue. On a side note, you worked with Markice Moore in a films that we’ll discuss later in our conversation, and he’s doing the cover. It’s so cool to see what’s going on with HAHN, and how big it has become. Getting into the show, how did War come about for you?

 Jon Chaffin: It was an audition. My agent sent it to me. I did it the old-fashioned way. They liked it and brought me in for the callback. I had to go in to do it in Atlanta because I was in LA at the time. I’m still in LA. But I had to go to Atlanta for Tyler and the producers. I did my thing, and initially, I knew who this guy was. I grew up with people like him, and been around people like him. I was able to find the connection and bring it to life. Through the process, I was able to dive deeper into the psyche and personality. It was all done the old-fashioned way. I gave them my take and they liked it. As they say, the rest is history. 

 U.G. Digital Mag: Someone like myself, I have watched since day one. I DVR’d because I worked so much. Now I take an iPad to work with me to make sure I catch it. I binge watch at times just out of love for the show.  What’s cool is it unites people with families. I watch with my mother, my wife loves it, my son loves it and begs me to DVR it. It’s funny because we watched last night, and I work a night shift gig. We watched, and as it went off, he was saying he wished another episode was coming on. Did you expect this type of success with it, especially reaching all age groups like it does? People either love or hate War. 

    Jon Chaffin: Yea. I had no idea. Initially it was one episode. Candace had come to him because she had gotten all her belongings taken. It wasn’t written that I would have a long shelf life. When I did it, Tyler really liked it, and he said he would write more for the character. You just never know, which is why you have to focus on the work and not so much the outcome. I didn’t go in with the idea that I would love for it to be a regular character. I just did my things, and that opened up the opportunity for more. I was totally surprised by what this role had become because like I said, it wasn’t written for that. I had no idea it would go this far, or fans would gravitate to it the way they have. It’s been an awesome ride. They either love me, or hate me. They love to hate me, hate to love me. It’s what we hope for as actors, is that the audience gravitate to the character and the work. We want to move them in some fashion, and the fact that I did that means job well done. They love the character and it’s been a blessing. 

 U.G. Digital Mag: It’s cool because a lot of characters in many of Tyler’s shows are that way. Presilah Nunez said the same thing. She was only there for three episodes, and it grew. Crystal Fox was to be there long term obviously, but it’s great to see the smaller roles growing the way they do. I never imagined it would get this big, even though i saw big things. On Facebook, there’s a ton of groups, and I usually do some promotion there. People are like die hard fans. They have groups and everything with thousands of members. They LIVE chat each week, and they go in hard. I know Angela chats live sometimes. She actually did the cover of our first issue. Do you find time, even with how incredibly busy you are, to get on Facebook and chat?

 Jon Chaffin: Oh yea. I get on, and try to respond as often as I can. i try not to live my life on social media, though. We’ve become a society that’s glued to our phones. I post and reply, but not all day and everyday. Sometimes, I LIVE tweet if I can catch the show. I am active in responding, and try to thank the fans. Without them, the show would not be what it is. We need the fans to love what we do so we can continue. I’m grateful for social media because it gives us the opportunity to connect directly with the fans. The comments, and gifs, have me cracking up. It’s hilarious, but it goes to show, like you said, how invested people are in these shows and characters. I go back to say it was unexpected that it would become this beloved character. I’m grateful. I try to reach out and thank them, or retweet. I can’t reply to everybody, but I try to like comments and let them know I see it and appreciate it. 

  U.G. Digital Mag: Keeping it real man, I know you can’t give nothing away, but I’d be crazy not to ask for a tidbit of intel?

 Jon Chaffin: [Laughing] You just gotta watch. Let’s just say the journey comes to full circle. Hopefully, the audience will enjoy the next episode. it will definitely put some people on the edge of their seats. 

 U.G. Digital Mag: I say again that you guys reach all generations. I also work with someone who’s in their seventies, and she asked me last night about the show. It’s cool that you can bring people together this way. It’s amazing what we can do through entertainment. 

 Jon Chaffin: Yea man. It’s a blessing to affect people that way. That’s the beauty of what we do as artists, whether acting, writing, or doing poetry. Our job is to reflect the times in which we live. When we can reach and connect with people, that’s it. It’s good when people are affected in a positive way. 

 U.G. Digital Mag: So this is where I start to transition into some of your other work. I love how supportive the entire cast is of each other. No matter what it is, everyone supports. You did King Hedley II and you also did 96 Minutes, which paired you with Evan Ross, David Oyelowo, Markice Moore, and Hosea Chanchez. You did really good with the character, which was also somewhat villainous. In 96 minutes, what was it like bringing the role of JJ to life?

 Jon Chaffin: That was an awesome experience to work with Aimee Lagos, who wrote and directed, David Oyelowo who is amazing at what he does, Evan Ross, and Markice Moore. It was really great. I knew people like that character, but it was also a learning experience. This was earlier in my career. It was a good learning curve to be on set with those veterans. I tried to learn as much as I could, and bring honesty and truth to the role. You never know how it will come out or how people will gravitate to it. You hope for good. I’ve played a variety of roles. To me, I don’t get caught up in the role. Each person has a story to tell. We are all humans and capable of the same thing. Each character deserves the same respect. I don’t get caught up in the idea of being type-cast. I make it a point not to play each role the same way because they’re all different.

 U.G. Digital Mag: The phrase you said, “I Love what I do”; that’s where we all want to get. That resonated really good in King Hedley II. I haven’t seen it yet because I’m in Ohio, but I’ve seen the promo. I’ve seen your postings on social media, and I see the postings from others. It appears to have done extremely well for you. 

 Jon Chaffin: Yea. King Hedley II is one of August Wilson’s plays. It’s set in 1985 in his ten-play cycle in Pittsburgh in the Hill district, about King, who is returning home from a 7-year prison stint, and he’s trying to reingratiate himself into society, his wife is pregnant, and he’s trying to start a business to make money to get going in life. I play Mister, his best friend, side kick, and sometimes business partner. It was a great opportunity to get on stage and do this play, and say those words. Michele Shay who is an August Wilson-ian; she originates the role of Louise in Seven Guitars. She and Viola Davis did it on Broadway. She’s done a number of August Wilson’s plays, and she directed this production. Like you saw on Instagram, we had a great turn-out. A lot of my cast members came out, and a lot of celebrities came out. It’s a timely piece. It’s set in ’85, but the challenges they were dealing with are prevalent today in what we deal with in society. To be able to go on stage and do theatre; there’s something in that. There’s an energy you don’t get with a television show or movie. In theatre, the audience is right there and in the moment. They laugh at things you didn’t expect them to laugh at, and then they don’t laugh when you thought they would. It’s like, you have to be totally focused and in a zone with theatre. It’s a great workout, and I always wanted to do something by August Wilson. When the opportunity came, I jumped in with both feet. I plan to do more. I hope to do another play if not this year, definitely next year. We did this out here in LA, which is not known for theatre, although they’ve done some great theatre, and it was great to get the response we got.

 U.G. Digital Mag: What’s the biggest lesson in your journey?

 Jon Chaffin: Not to expect anything. Roll with the punches. Don’t expect anyone to give you anything, and don’t expect a return on your investment. We want what we want right then, but a career takes time to develop. I’ve learned to be patient. I’ve learned to work hard, and believe in myself. In acting, moreso than any other career or vocation, you use yourself, and need to know who you are as a person. The more you know, and the more comfortable you are, the more you can look at your flaws and embrace the imperfections, and the more you can give to the character and story. That’s what makes a great actor. They’re able to give freely of themselves, and unblock the extra. I’ve just learned to be a professional but not expect anything and work hard. 

 U.G. Digital Mag: What have you taken away from the level of success black actors are beginning to see? You have people like Gabrielle Union, and you have Sanaa Lathan who was doing Shots Fired which was shockingly canceled… I thought it was so dope … but even outside of that, people like Tyler Perry are doing so amazing, and bringing opportunities to the table. I know when you came into this, the opportunities were fewer, and farther between. There’s been so much growth. 

  Jon Chaffin: Everything happens in waves. If you really think about it, in the nineties and earlier 2000s, we has a lot of shows, but we also were building the networks up. The CW was there, then they canceled Girlfriends, Fox had Martin and Living Single, NBC had The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. We had a lot of shows and then they died off. But now, especially with social media, people can express what they want to see, and everybody has the ability to voice their opinions as far as what they want. The conversation is being blown open. It’s a great time because there’s so much content, and so many avenues to get it out. It’s not just the major networks anymore. Sign up for cable and you get hundreds of channels. Then the streaming services. Netflix and Hulu. All these avenues, and everyone vies for attention. People are watching television on phones and laptops now. It’s a great time for artists of color to get opportunities, and create their own opportunities. Shots Fired, I thought it was great as well, but you also realize it’s a business. Shows will come and go. Sanaa Lathan will be on something else when you look up because she’s amazing. Its hard to get a show to a second season, third, and fourth. I can’t even go through all the shows that are out. People ask me if I’ve seen Game of Thrones, and I haven’t. I’m like, it’s seven seasons in. Ain’t no point of even jumping in now. I would literally have to spend my whole week or two glued to the television. I just don’t have that time. That goes to show how much is out there. You try to find what you like and ride with them. You miss a week or two and get left behind. The way the shows are done now is changing. They don’t do 23 episodes in a season. Now they do 10 or 13. They air the first 10 in the spring, and then you don’t see it again until the fall. I was just talking with my fiancé about when How to Get Away with Murder is coming back on. I feel like I haven’t seen it in forever. It’s so many other things you’re watching. It’s good and bad. Right now it’s a great time for actors, writers, and producers. There’s such a need for content, and so many more avenues to get it out. 

 U.G. Digital Mag: You’re right, though. I’m the exact same way in the fact that I work so much that I miss a lot of TV. My wife and I just started streaming, and we’re doing Roku now. 

 Jon Chaffin: Right. That’s where the industry is going. People were hanging on for sports, but you look at Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, and soon the services will be as much as cable because you’ll have 5 or 6 subscriptions. 

 U.G. Digital Mag: Right. I just binge watched Survivor’s Remorse, and saw how amazing it was. You’re definitely right about the content out there. What are you most thankful for?

 Jon Chaffin: Just being able to do what I love. Having the opportunity to pursue my dreams. I’m thankful for life and good health. We take for granted the little things. I‘m grateful I’ve been gifted this talent to entertain, and the opportunity to pursue it, perfect it, and work at it. We spoke earlier about you leaving your job to do what you love. I’m a firm believer of not living your life with what ifs. As you have children, and I don’t but hope to some day, you want to push them to pursue their goals some day. It would be hard if I didn’t do it for myself. I want to lead by example. Go after what you truly desire in your heart because tomorrow is not promised. We’re all going to die at some point, so when you realize that, you come to realize nothing is as serious as we make it. Live a life that it pleasing to yourself that you can enjoy. Try not to hurt anybody in the process. 

 U.G. Digital Mag: Everyone has watched your journey. We saw that you went to school and put yourself in a place to be noticed. What advice do you offer to those out there who dream of this type of life, or any profession?

 Jon Chaffin: I would say learn as much about the path that you are about to take. Understand that it doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time. Have a talk with yourself about the reasons for wanting to do it. I get asked a lot about how someone should start, and when you tell them, they have a look like “I actually have to do work?”. What are you doing it for? Do you want to be seen and famous, or is there something you have to get out, or stories you have to tell? That’s why I ask people. If this is something you want to do, you have to believe it is possible. You can’t get discouraged by the naysayers. Fulfill the promise to yourself. Push yourself and strive to go that extra mile. What people don’t understand is it’s not hard. It’s just hard to believe. That’s the hardest part. Once you conquer that part, the rest is about putting in the work and letting the chips fall where they may. You have people who pursue for years and it’s like there’s nothing; then you have people who step off the boat and jump and they blow up. I can’t say it will take ten years, or ten days. Every path is different. I say to stay encouraged. Learn the business and craft. Study it. You’ll have to study it for the rest of your life. You’ll never have it all. We grow, evolve, experience life and change, and you have to incorporate it into your work. You have to believe in yourself. That’s what I believe is the formula. If you need to listen to motivational speakers to keep you motivated, do it. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t second guess sometimes, or wonder if something was going to work. I also ask myself if there would be anything else that would make me more happy, and luckily that answer has been no. That’s how I know I’m on the right path, but if there’s something else you can do to make you happy, I say go and do that. This is a tough business and it’s not for the faint at heart. 

 U.G. Digital Mag: I thank you for so many things, especially the encouragement that I and so many others get. Again, we watched you work from the bottom up. I take it back to the show as well. I love the show and character. I’m counting down til next Tuesday. It’s dope and I love what you guys do. I appreciate your time. It’s cool to connect with people you admire. 

 Jon Chaffin: I appreciate you man. Thank you so much. The words gave me life today and I needed that.

[1ff]

The Society of Multiples, Chapter 8

Second draft of my story about an alternate world where almost everybody is multiple. If you read it, you agree to leave at least two words in response. Constructive criticism welcome. Reblog if you love cake.

Catch up: (Chapter 1) (Chapter 2) (Chapter 3) (Chapter 4) (Chapter 5) (Chapter 6) (Chapter 7)

I think I’m technically supposed to have a polished version of the novel ready when I start passing it around to agents, and since I’ve already done that, it’s probably wise if I hurry the hell up and finish at least the second draft.

Huge thanks to everyone who’s been leaving comments and critique! It’s been incredibly helpful!

Let me know if you want to be tagged when I update so you don’t miss it ( @nevermindbinarity ) or search for the tag #thesocietyofmultiples

-Ronin

Chapter 8

The mood as we entered Jernigan shifted to relief and excitement. Jernigan itself was a large but laid-back city; obviously very rich, with a lot to do for entertainment and relaxation. It was midday when we got there, but evidence of the city’s busy nightlife were everywhere in neon signs and twenty-four hour locations.

We stopped at the hotel across from the studio first, checked in, and slept. All three of us were exhausted.

The next day, Cal and Macy accompanied me across the street to the studio. It was a huge building, very blocky and concrete. Inside, it was abuzz with activity; people rushing in every direction, clutching scripts and props, and escorting actors from place to place. It was clear that a lot happened here besides Amy’s show. We passed by one studio where it looked like they were filming some kind of science fiction show.

I insisted that either Cal or Macy stay with me. I’d grown to trust them over the last few days, and the last thing I wanted was to be misled at this stage of the game by someone trying to convince me that they were personnel when in fact they were here to take me away. I wasn't’ sure if my paranoia had grown beyond the reality of the situation yet, but both of them easily agreed.

I was taken past a desk where bored-looking secretary handed me a clipboard with a waiver on it, and led me down a hall to a small waiting room. Cal and Macy sat across from me; they referred to the space as a Green Room.

The waiver had few surprises; I’d always kept a skeptical attitude to talk shows in general, but at least Amy’s show seemed more respectable and real than most. She’d started her career as a journalist, and kept a degree of journalistic honesty, at least in image. And Julian, who ran the show behind the scenes, had obviously done a very good job. The production values were high. Besides the talk show, they were said to run a media empire that rivalled any of the big Hollywood studios.

Once I’d read the contract carefully and signed off on it, I was rushed back outside to film some stock footage. They had me walk down the street, sit next to a fountain, stare into the distance. An impatient man with a camera told me to act brooding, mysterious, and ponderous, but also natural, as though I was like that all the time. I must have pulled it off fairly well based on an entire lifetime of acting by necessity, because the shooting didn’t take long. The cameraman seemed annoyed to have Cal and Macy hovering around the whole time, but it was as if he didn’t have time to argue with them so he just tolerated their presence.

Back inside, I was seated in front of a makeup mirror. A cheery blonde artist rushed in smiling from ear to ear, and got to work on my face. Ey had a photo of Eron which ey clipped to the mirror, as well as a couple of other similair faces of actors and celebritities who vaguely resembled him. I did my best not to fidget. It was especially strange having someone else put that face on me; I felt uncomfortable enough doing it myself.

Ey did a great job, though- far better than I’d ever done. Somehow ey had captured his look perfectly, even better than my best attempts. I nodded in appreciation. Ey shook my hand, made some kind of awkward compliment or appreciation about my heroism, and my patience in the makeup chair, or something- by this point I was so full of anxiety that I was having trouble focusing. I thanked em and got ushered back to the green room, where a costumer was waiting with a suit. I was skeptical at first, but again they’d managed to capture something about Eron that surprised me. The suit was black, with a dark gray shirt, and no tie.

It seemed strange; heroes rarely wore black in film or television, but the nation apparently saw Eron as a moody, dark anti-hero. They’d created an image of him that wasn’t entirely wrong, but bolstered by a lie they didn’t expect. I was going to go out on the stage in this? Millions would be watching me. Millions would hear what I had to say, and perhaps fittingly- I would be presented as an antihero.

For a moment I contemplated asking for a different outfit, since this would not be the impression I wanted the audience to walk away with. But I shrugged and put the suit on; I had to maintain the lie of my life a little longer. The costumer had to swap out a different jacket due to sleeves too short, but overall the suit fit me well and was flattering. Macy nodded and smiled when I paused in front of the mirror to admire it.

The secretary poked her head in the door. “Eron, Amy wants to have a brief pre-interview with you.”

Macy and Cal walked with me towards the door, but the secretary just gave us an exasperated look. “Alone. Obviously.”

I contemplated my options for a moment. “Can they wait outside the room? They need to stay near. Amy appointed them.”

She shrugged. “Sure, if you want. This way.”

She led us through the maze-like corridors to another small office, and down the hall from there to a closed door.

“We’ll wait here,” Cal assured me. “You’re safe with Amy.”

I took a deep breath and let the secretary usher me in. She put on a false smile as she introduced me to Amy, then left.

Amy was shorter than I’d expected, which is what everybody seems to say about celebrities when they meet face-to-face. She was still imposing, though, but her mannerisms were also gracious and welcoming. She shook my hand, then we sat on a comfortable couch.

“I’m glad to finally meet you, Eron. Before we went out, I wanted to stop and express my gratitude for coming all this way for this interview.”

“I’m not really sure what to say. I’m kind of overwhelmed. I’m not sure why there’s all this attention on me after such a small incident.”

She smiled, offered me a coffee from the urn on the table. I nodded. “Well, it goes beyond that incident,” she explained, “and the incident itself was strange enough. Gun violence, sexual predation, unexpected heroism, all of that got people talking. But then there’s you.”

I added cream and sugar to my cup of coffee, and sipped it gently. “I’m not that exciting.”

“You really are, though. You’ve got the whole world talking. This random stranger barges into a hostile situation, defuses it, then runs off and completely disappears from the face of the planet. Did you know I had four different teams of private detectives try to track you down?”

My head was spinning. The anxiety was building fast; I felt like I was going to vomit. How on earth was I going to get out on that stage and talk about all of this?

“That seems excessive,” I answered carefully.

She laughed. “Maybe. But everything they found just made me more and more curious. You’re a bit of an enigma. I have to be careful- I don’t want you to say too much before we go out on stage. We need to have natural reactions and easy banter, it can’t seem rehearsed. But I’m honestly looking forward to this interview more than most, I’ll admit it.”

I felt tongue-tied. I really didn’t want to go out on stage like this, shaking and whimpering and barely able to speak. I couldn’t get my voice to get along with my brain, so I just took another sip.

“Don’t worry, you’re going to do great. Everyone gets jitters before the stage. Once we’re out there, you’ll be surprised at how easy it all is. And trust me, everyone is going to want to hear what you have to say. Especially-” she paused, and caught my eye- “especially if you’re going to say what I’m hoping you’re going to say.”

There was a long moment when our eyes locked. I think my jaw must have dropped, but she just smiled again, that easy comfortable smile that just naturally relaxes whoever she points it at. And then she winked.

“I also wanted to let you know- Julian will be around. The two of us discuss things internally during shooting- he needs to be around and have his say. He’ll keep out of the way for the most part, so don’t worry about it. I just wanted to let you know for the sake of honesty and disclosure.”

My eyes went wide, and she caught the expression. “Yes, we co-front. Not a lot of people do, or even can, but it might have something to do with being dual. We spend a lot of time together. I’d appreciate if you didn’t make that public knowledge; people get uncomfortable at things like that. They think there’s only certain proper ways to be. I figured I could trust you, though.”

I nodded. “Of course. Your secret’s safe with me.”

I was ushered back again to the Green Room, where a technician fitted me with a lapel mike. It was surprisingly small, but apparently very high-fidelity.

I was the only guest in the Green Room, along with Cal and Macy, but they still brought in a large platter of cheese and crackers. I nibbled nervously. I felt that if I had too many it would just send my stomach into even more convulsions.

Finally, everything was in place, and I was led to the stage. Cal and Macy promised to stay just back-stage; before I went out, I shook their hands and thanked them for all they’d done. I hoped that when all was said and done, they’d still be there, ready to help escort me away, but I knew I could expect no promises.

I heard Amy talking, winding up a brief welcome and instructions to the crowd, who were being prepped to react with positivity and thoughtfulness. I marvelled at how carefully the whole production was put together to create a certain mood. Amy really had a way of working the audience.

Amy sat and began the show’s introduction; a brief description of Eron and the incident, of Eron going into hiding, of her pulling her resources to find him. I saw on a monitor screen various photos of Eron and Lake Victor being shown as a backdrop to her explanation.

A technician pointed at me, gestured for me to go on-stage.

All of a sudden, all of the jitters and the anxiety washed away. I looked out at the audience, at the brightly lit stage, at Amy herself poised so perfectly in one of the two yellow armchairs on stage- and all of a sudden it all changed. I suddenly knew I could do what I had come here to do. My heart slowed down to a relaxed pace, my hands stopped shaking. Nothing that stood in the way was important anymore.

I walked out on stage with determination and a soft smile. The audience applauded. Amy stood and shook my hand, catching my eye again with a knowing look. We sat, and I tried to make myself comfortable without slouching.

After the applause died down, Amy turned to me. “You’ve come a long way to be with us today. Whereabouts are you living now.”

“I’ve been in River City. I’ve lived there since I left Lake Victor.”

“And how have things been for you? Do you get recognized on the street a lot?”

“No, not really. I’ve actually been laying low ever since the incident.”

She nodded. “It’s been pretty clear that you wanted to avoid attention. Before we get deeper into that though, I was hoping you would tell us more about the event itself. We haven’t really heard it from your perspective.”

“Okay. I don’t know that I have much to add. I was working in the hotel kitchen in Lake Victor when I noticed one of the chefs acting strangely-”

“That’d be Jace?”

I nodded.

“What did he do?”

“Well, he switched. A public switch, stress-induced. His headmate Rhonda took front. Supposedly.”

“But you recognized that something seemed wrong.”

“Yes.”

“How did you know?”

I shrugged. “I can’t really say that it was anything in particular. I’ve just always studied people very closely, I guess. I could see that something was off. The switch was fake.”

“Did you have any inkling as to why he would fake the switch?”

“Not at the time. It seemed like he was trying to get out of work, but that’s a pretty drastic way to do it.”

“But effective.”

“Yes, definitely. Everybody was kind of embarrassed. He got out of there in a hurry.”

“And you followed?”

“My shift was almost over, I was planning on going for a hike. I noticed Jace leave on one of the trails, so I decided to follow. Out of curiosity.”

“What happened then?”

“Well, I wasn’t following too intently, so I lost sight of him for a bit, but then I saw him on a ledge further down the hill, and I could see that he had a gun. He was in a little hiding spot above the main path, and I realized that he was waiting for someone to come by and that he was going to shoot them.”

“What did that feel like, in that moment? Realizing you were seeing someone about to commit a violent act?”

“Shocking. Very shocking. It’s just not something you see a lot of. And it was so sneaky, the way he was hiding… it gave me chills. It felt so surreal.”

She nodded. “Go on.”

“So then I saw one of the hotel waitresses coming around the corner with a young man, and I realized that one of them had to be the target. So I decided to act before Jace got a chance to.”

“But in doing so, you must have realized that you were putting yourself in a lot of danger?”

“Yeah. I knew. But I had an advantage on him. He didn’t even know I was there; I was able to get the drop on him before he had a chance to react. Besides, I couldn’t just stand there and watch. I had to do something.”

“A lot of people are considering that a very heroic act. Not everybody would do what you did in that situation.”

“Maybe not. I don’t know. I can’t imagine doing anything differently. I think I was mostly in the right place at the right time.”

“Yes, but how you got to be at that place and time isn’t coincidence either. You saw something that nobody else could see.”

“I guess.”

“So, after all of that was said and done, you disarmed him, and then what happened?”

“I handed the gun over to the waitress’ headmate, who used it to subdue Jace until the police could arrive.”

“And by the time the police came, you were long gone.”

“Yes. I felt I had to get out of there.”

“And that’s the big question that’s been on everybody’s minds. So let’s get down to it; can you share with us why you felt it was necessary to leave?”

It was amazing how much she could communicate with a glance; comfort, strength, encouragement. She shifted forward on her chair, ready to take in my answer.

I looked out at the audience, glanced momentarily at the camera, and came back to look at her.

“My whole life I’ve tried to lay low, stay unnoticed. I’m different from most people. A lot of people would consider me… unwanted. I left because I knew that if people found out about me, I could be in personal danger.”

“What is it about you that makes you feel that people would react badly to you?” I could tell by the even, careful way she asked, that she knew. There was no question now.

I took a deep breath. Here it was.

“I’m a singlet,” I said finally. It was over now; anything that came before this moment in my life would be fundamentally different from anything that happened after.

The audience murmured; the cameramen foundered with their equipment. I could hear gasps of surprise and revulsion and disgust. Through it all, Amy remained stoic, unfazed.

“You realize that by telling the world about this now, you’re putting yourself at risk all over again.”

“I know. I know.” I struggled to keep my voice calm. “I’m just… tired of living in hiding. Tired of disguising myself, of lying just to fit in and feel safe. And for no good reason! There’s no reason why we should be feared. We really are just like everybody else- we’re not the monsters that everyone believes we are.”

She nodded. “I think a lot of people are going to be surprised that, in this whole story, it wasn’t the man with the gun who was the singlet, it was the man who stepped in and stopped him. It’s going to make a lot of people uncomfortable that the singlet was the hero instead of the villain.”

“Yes. And I worried that nobody would understand that. I worried that the whole story would turn inside-out, that somehow I would be blamed. Because people think that we have no moral compass, no ability to empathize. They think we’re cold and cruel and twisted, that we do horrible things to animals and children- it’s all so ridiculous. I know that things will get twisted around now, that somebody will invent a new story out of all of this, that turns my motives upside-down and portrays me as equally evil. But I wanted to give people the chance to consider that-” I had to pause, my voice was breaking up now. “-to consider that we’re... okay. That we should be considered equals, that we’re safe and normal and just like everybody else.” I was losing composure, but I had to finish. I had to raise my voice a little as the unsettled crowd was getting louder. “Nobody has ever really heard about our lives from our own perspectives before. I’m sure half of the world doesn’t even know we exist. But we’re out there, and there’s so many more of us than people suspect, and we’re human beings. We’re all around you; friends, siblings, children. I want everybody to know that, even if they don’t know it yet, they already know a singlet. There’s somebody in their lives that they consider a good person, or a friend, or someone they love. And that they should still love that person even if they know.”

I took a deep breath. The sound of the crowd was growing now. The audience was no longer an audience, now they were becoming active. People were fidgeting with their phones, using them to record and make calls and contact people. The waivers they’d signed on their way in were no longer important; something more important than the show was going on. It might not be much longer before the audience became a full-on mob; there were many people visibly upset, some of them turning angry.

“I think that’s about all we’ll have time for,” Amy said calmly.