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aliveandfullofjoy · 3 years

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So I was reading about the first Oscars ceremony, and it had a division between Outstanding Picture and Best Unique & Artistic Film, where Unique & Artistic was apparently meant to be an equal to Outstanding Picture but dedicated more for prestige artistic works. The next year, the two categories became one from then on, and Outstanding Picture was the only top prize. (If any of that is wrong, blame wikipedia.)

If the split had remained, and there was a more commercial-y movie top prize and a prestige art top prize, what are some notable movies that suddenly pick up wins?

okay wait........ this is a brilliant question and i am ashamed to say i’ve never really given it much thought until now.

idk if you’ve seen wings and sunrise but they’re both pretty great and they do represent wildly different kinds of filmmaking. while it’s safe to say Wings is the more commercial film, it has great craftsmanship behind it and it very clearly created the template for accessible, capital-i Important, and well-made best picture winners to come.

and, full transparency, sunrise is one of my, like, top 15 favorite movies, so i’m hella biased, but that movie is a gorgeous and strange and thrilling piece of work. the title “unique and artistic film” is impossibly vague, but watching sunrise makes it very, very clear that it fits that bill for that category. and while we’ll, of course, never know what might have happened if that category had continued, it’s tempting to think that all the winners in unique and artistic film would be of sunrise’s calibre, but knowing the oscars... that’s clearly a fantasy, lol. while sunrise is a wildly inventive and artistic film, it’s important to remember that it was fully on the academy’s radar -- janet gaynor won best actress in part for her performance in the film, and it also won best cinematography. so while it’s tempting to think the academy would always recognize a truly unique and artistic achievement every year, in all likelihood, they probably wouldn’t stray too far from the movies that were already on their radar.

so for this thought experiment!!

it’s probably safe to assume every best picture winner has to go in one of the two categories. there are only a handful of winners that stick out as maybe missing out on the big win in this new system, but only a handful.

so uh. this is way more than you asked but i got hooked. here’s what i think might have happened if the two best picture categories had stuck around. as i was working through the years, it became clear to me that, unfortunately, in a lot of years, the unique and artistic film would likely end up going to the more overtly “prestigious” films, such as the song of bernadette or the life of emile zola, while their far better and more commercially viable rivals (casablanca for bernadette, the awful truth for zola) would win outstanding picture. the actual best picture winners have an asterisk next to them. what’s also interesting to consider is the importance of the best director category: most of the time, a split in picture and director will tell you what’s clearly the runner-up. those years, usually, give you a good sense of how the two awards would shake out.

Outstanding Picture / Unique and Artistic Film

1929: The Broadway Melody*; The Divine Lady

1930: The Big House; All Quiet on the Western Front*

1931: Cimarron*; Morocco

1932: Grand Hotel*; Bad Girl

1933: Little Women; Cavalcade*

1934: It Happened One Night*; One Night of Love

1935: The Informer; A Midsummer Night’s Dream (** this is one of the few years i think the actual BP winner, Mutiny on the Bounty, would miss out; The Informer was clearly the runner-up for BP with wins in director, actor, and screenplay, while Midsummer was seen as THE artistic triumph of the year, and with its historic write-in cinematography win, there was clearly a lot of passion for it)

1936: Mr. Deeds Goes to Town; The Great Ziegfeld*

1937: The Awful Truth; The Life of Emile Zola*

1938: You Can’t Take It With You*; Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or Grand Illusion (** this one’s tough... Grand Illusion made history as the first non-english movie nominated for BP, and it clearly had a lot of support, but Snow White was such a monumental moment in Hollywood, and the academy clearly acknowledged that with its honorary award)

1939: Gone with the Wind*; The Wizard of Oz (** this is one of the first years with a clear runaway favorite for best picture, which makes guessing the way the other award would go very difficult! i’m leaning towards Oz purely because of its technical achievements, but i’m not confident about that choice at all.)

1940: Rebecca*; The Grapes of Wrath

1941: How Green Was My Valley*; Citizen Kane

1942: Yankee Doodle Dandy; Mrs. Miniver*

1943: Casablanca*; The Song of Bernadette

1944: Going My Way*; Wilson

1945: The Bells of St. Mary’s; The Lost Weekend*

1946: The Best Years of Our Lives*; Henry V

1947: Gentleman’s Agreement*; A Double Life

1948: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre; Hamlet*

1949: All the King’s Men*; The Heiress

1950: All About Eve*; Sunset Boulevard

1951: A Place in the Sun; An American in Paris*

1952: The Greatest Show on Earth*; The Quiet Man

1953: Roman Holiday; From Here to Eternity*

1954: The Country Girl; On the Waterfront*

1955: Marty*; Picnic

1956: Around the World in 80 Days*; Giant

1957: Peyton Place; The Bridge on the River Kwai

1958: The Defiant Ones; Gigi*

1959: The Diary of Anne Frank; Ben-Hur*

1960: Elmer Gantry; The Apartment*

1961: West Side Story*; Judgment at Nuremberg

1962: To Kill a Mockingbird; Lawrence of Arabia*

1963: Tom Jones*; 8½

1964: Mary Poppins; My Fair Lady*

1965: The Sound of Music*; Doctor Zhivago

1966: A Man for All Seasons*; Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

1967: In the Heat of the Night*; The Graduate

1968: Oliver!*; 2001: A Space Odyssey

1969: Midnight Cowboy; Z

1970: Airport; Patton*

1971: The French Connection*; The Last Picture Show

1972: The Godfather; Cabaret

1973: The Sting*; The Exorcist

1974: Chinatown; The Godfather, Part II

1975: Jaws; One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest*

1976: Rocky*; Network

1977: Star Wars; Annie Hall*

1978: Coming Home; The Deer Hunter*

1979: Kramer vs. Kramer*; All That Jazz

1980: Ordinary People*; Raging Bull

1981: Chariots of Fire*; Reds

1982: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial; Gandhi*

1983: Terms of Endearment*; Fanny and Alexander

1984: Amadeus*; The Killing Fields

1985: Out of Africa*; Ran

1986: Platoon*; Blue Velvet

1987: Moonstruck; The Last Emperor*

1988: Rain Man*; Who Framed Roger Rabbit

1989: Driving Miss Daisy*; Born on the Fourth of July

1990: Ghost; Dances with Wolves*

1991: The Silence of the Lambs*; JFK

1992: Unforgiven*; Howards End

1993: Schindler’s List*; The Piano

1994: Forrest Gump*; Three Colors: Red

1995: Braveheart*; Toy Story

1996: Jerry Maguire; The English Patient*

1997: Titanic*; L.A. Confidential

1998: Shakespeare in Love*; Saving Private Ryan

1999: The Cider House Rules; American Beauty*

2000: Traffic; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (** this is another year where i think the actual BP winner, Gladiator, might have missed out. it was a tight three-way race going into oscar night, and if there were two BP awards, i think this consensus might have settled, leaving Gladiator to go home with just actor and some tech awards.)

2001: A Beautiful Mind*; Mulholland Drive

2002: Chicago*; The Pianist

2003: Mystic River; The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*

2004: Million Dollar Baby*; The Aviator

2005: Crash*; Brokeback Mountain

2006: The Departed*; Babel

2007: No Country for Old Men*; The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

2008: The Dark Knight; Slumdog Millionaire*

2009: The Hurt Locker*; Avatar

2010: The King’s Speech*; The Social Network

2011: The Artist*; The Tree of Life

2012: Argo*; Life of Pi

2013: 12 Years a Slave*; Gravity

2014: Birdman*; Boyhood

2015: Spotlight*; The Revenant

2016: La La Land; Moonlight*

2017: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri; The Shape of Water*

2018: Black Panther; Roma (** again, i think Green Book gets bumped out in this scenario, i think Black Panther is precisely the kind of movie that benefits from an award that’s seemingly more ~populist~ while Roma easily snags the unique & artistic prize)

2019: 1917; Parasite*

2020: The Father; Nomadland*

but of course i have no idea at all, and most of these are just my gut reactions lol. what a fun question!

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curious-minx · 4 years

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October 2010s Music Deep Dive!

A mock up poster for the only possible music festival line-up I would be willing to risk my life attending. Tony Allen’s passing has caused the entire Octoberfest to be cancelled indefinitely, but all proceeds from ticks will be given back to the community.

Hope all of you special nobodies and overblown somebodies reading this right now are having a smashing start your first o November. All last month I had taken it upon myself to listen to as many albums and fragments of albums released sometime during the month of October spanning the entire 10’s decade, 2010 through 2019. This is all probably a result of drinking too much dead water, Quarantine brain, undiagnosed Autism, magical thinking and the death of boredom. I have created a Spotify playlist sporting 25 hours and 4 minutes worth of music with an arbitrary amount of albums getting multiple songs, but largely one song/album. This project did create a sense of madness because of the volume of music that gets cranked out. How can we expect anyone to properly criticize music when it is nearly impossible to keep up with it all? I largely culled these albums from Allmusic’s Editorial Choice section, but I did have to use Rateyourmusic to fill out the hip-hop and R&B gaps. In gathering up all of this music I am attempting to see if spooky music was relegated to the October season and any other possible trends. Even though October has been laid to rest her swelling calendar breast still contains a treasure trove of music worth discussing. Grab your broom, sharpen your heels and get the cobwebs out of your ears because we’re going on a Deep Dive!

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The 2010s Old Souls and Musical Auteurs

I consider any musician or band that endures more than a decade worthy of this veteran label. Music biz lifers seem found solace in the October release schedule. A trend that has carried onto the new decade with October 2020 offering revitalized releases by Elvis Costello and Bruce Springsteen reunited with the E Street Band. All three main members of Sonic Youth, Moore, Gordon and Renaldo are still harnessing that spooky Bad Moon Rising energy and carrying it over into their solo releases.

KIM GORDON’s NO RECORD HOME

The first truly proper solo album by Kim Gordon following up her pretty good noise rock releases under the Body/Head moniker with Bill Nace. No Record Home towers over Thurston Moore and Lee Renaldo’s mostly okay solo releases because of how truly experimental and refreshingly modern sounding No Record Home is. This album sounds like it could easily have come out from a young Pacific Northwest Trip-Angle (RIP) label upstart. Instead, Gordon is defiantly aging gracefully and remains an all around important feminist voice in experimental rock music. No Record Home did not pop up on a lot of “Best of the Year” lists in 2019, nor did Gordon embark on any kind of touring for the release. I am hoping that more people will eventually discover this great album and realize that Gordon was truly the best, most truly experimental aspect of Sonic Youth. Her vocals on this album are the best she’s ever sounded because she built these songs and sounds with the intergral collaborator, producer Justin Raisen. A glimpse at Raisen’s Wikipedia page is a who’s who of great artists of the past decade: Yves Tumor, Charli XCX, and Sky Ferreira. The collaboration occurred at an AirBnB shared between Gordon and Raisen and birthed the first single of the project “Air BnB.” A song that completely sets the tone of the album and features one of those amazing music videos in the same line us Young Thug’s “Wyclef Jean. “

Björk - Biophilia

Can you name the last album the rolled out with its own app? Nine years have come and gone and I certainly can’t think of another album with such wholesome ambitions. Björk was getting passionate about ecological concerns in her native Icelandic home with Sigur Ros and using her sphere of influence to try to good. 2014 the app has found a permanent home in the MOMA, but outside of this curio status the album itself is still a worthwhile addition to the Björk canon. Biophilia finds Björk in musical scientist mode using sounds captured from a Tesla coil and making a whole musical universe onto herself. The rest of the 2010s found Björk going for bigger and more ambitious projects that continue to frustrate those who wish she would go back to her poppier roots. She remains one of those most consistent solo artists around and someone no one will be able to predict what she does next. The only thing is certain is that it will be visionary and will probably include a wildly ambitious rollout and a new piece of physical art like Biophilia’s $800 tuning forks.

NENEH CHERRY - BROKEN POLITICS

Featuring production duties for the second time from Four Tet (who also pops up in the October playlist with his 2013 album Beautiful Rewind). Broken Politics in Cherry’s words, “is about feeling broken, disappointed, and sad, but having perseverance. It’s a fight against the extinction of free thought and spirit.” The music video for single “Natural Skin Deep” was filmed in Beirut, a backdrop made even more painful given 2020’s Explosion. Cherry is an artist with deep spiritual and blood connections with artists central to jazz’s history. Broken Politics also features songs built around Ornette Coleman samples. This is all to say that Neneh Cherry is always going to be someone tapping into a creative cosmic vein that spans generations, and with that comes a hard wisdom. Two years later we’re still dealing with the same god damn guts and guns of history.

OTHER NOTABLES:

(Cat Power - The Wanderer; John Cale - Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood; Tony Allen - Film of Life ; Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill ;Bryan Ferry - Olympia; Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Ghosteen ;Yoko Ono - Warzone; Vashti Bunyan - Heartleap; Elvis Costello & The Imposters - Look Now; The Chills - Silver Bullets; Weezer - Everything Will Be Alright In The End;Laurie Anderson - Heart of A Dog;Janet Jackson - Unbrekable;The Mercury Rev - Light In You; Rocketship - Thanks To You; Van Dyke Parks & Gaby Moreno - Spangled; Donald Fagen - Sunken Condos; Prefab Sprout - Crimson Red; Pere Ubu - 20 Years in a Montana Missile Silo; Negativland - True False )

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TRILOGY OF BLACKSTARS

Three last albums released by three titans of 20th century songwriting. Two of them follow the trajectory of an older artist getting rejuvenated by a younger backing band. Lulu is beyond a meme at this point and is considered one of the most confounding flops since Metallic Music. Like Metallic Music, Lulu will get a reappraisal and find its audience. Mr. Blackstar himself Bowie considered Lulu one of his favorite releases. “Junior Dad” alone makes this album a worthy addition in Lou Reed’s discography. Scott Walker invited some similarly hairy and intense younger rock studs into his private castle and pulls off a far more natural combination. Soused fits like a velvet glove on a elegant corpse hand swirling thick slabs of guitar and demonic percussion. Scott Walker effortlessly orchestrates between elegance and moribundity whereas Lulu wallows and thrashes against the ugly riffage.

No riffs or oozing wall of sound are anywhere to be found on the sparse and pointedly elegiac You Want it Darker. Leonard Cohen never went full on sleazy I’m Your Man ever again but he didn’t become adult contemporary either. You Want It Darker finds Leonard and his son Adam Cohen. When Leonard passed away he was the only one to get a full David Bowie like museum tribute, Lou Reed only got a corner of a library. Cohen is far and away the most accessible mystical Jewish Buddhist monk with a penchant for fedoras and having a masked man with a leather belt beat him in the recording booth [citation needed]. You Want It Darker is the only one of these mortality laden kiss offs to win a Grammy. I do wonder if Cohen would have ever allowed a more adventurous production to touch his staid and timeless old fashioned sound. Tom Scharpling divides Leonard Cohen into his Pre-Fedora and Post-Fedora days. If you are being literal about that demarcation that still gives you a pretty vast body of music I just want sad bloated blurry black and white Leonard Cohen with a banana or the smiling cad on Songs of Love and Hate. Even the floppy fedora era has worthwhile albums and he sounds like if Serge Gainsbourgh was a muppet Gargoyle, he’s reliable. I will always beat myself for not buying that official Leonard Cohen raincoat at the Jewish Museum Leonard Cohen exhibit, but I hope someone has and they are finding comfort with Cohen’s music. A lot of his latter day period is comforting in a sardonic sexy mind bending nursing home sort of way.

I am glad that these men were ultimately spared from having to deal with Covid times and even someone as tasteless as Brian Wilson’s Ghost can acknowledge that it’s more important than ever to keep your elderly loved ones locked away in a well ventilated pod.

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(INSERT ARTIST HERE) SEASON

For a few sticky sweet select few artists the month of October proved to be a suitable release launch pad for more than one album. The Mountain Goats and clipping. have just joined the October two-timer club this year. The reigning queen of October releases is Taylor Swift and Adrianne Lenker. In chronological order swift released Speak Now, Red and 1989 probably Swift’s biggest run in terms of critical and commercial success. None of these albums have a particularly big place in my heart, in fact speaking on behalf of Brian Wilson’s Ghost Ltd. I’m not the biggest fan of America’s Sweetheart, Sweet Tea Poet Laureate. All three of these albums all came out in the latter part of October and based on the Target brand synergy roll-out felt as inevitable as pumpkin spice. Haunted. Sad Beautiful Tragic. Out of the Woods. These are either song titles taken from these three albums are the names of the under utilized Romantic Halloween Horror Comedy genre. Lady Gaga might have been spooking it up on American Horror Story, but Swift gives a far more chilling performance in Tom Hooper’s midnight madness of Cats and I could envision Swift excelling really well as a horror film actor. Especially in a role like Scarlett Johansson’s Under the Skin.

You cannot get more polar opposite from Swift than Adrianne Lenker. Who released her first solo album abysskiss and the second Big Thief album of 2019 Two Hands. Lenker will have also gone on to make her third October release this year with her second solo album songs & instrumentals. Striking that such a ghostly autumnal band would have only released one album in October, but autumnal feeling albums are not beholden to release calendars. The song “Not” from the Big Thief album Two Hands is a watershed breakthrough moment for the band and put Lenker and her band on the map. In 2019 Big Thief became a band that could get booked onto a Goodmorning American performance slot and more or less made Big Thief one of the rare 2010s indie bands to become more or less a household name.

Other notable artists to have released more than one album on October 2010s:

Less notable artists to have multiple October releases: James Blunt Korn

Calvin Harris

Kings of Leon

Pentatonix

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FORMER HARBINGERS OF HYPE

These are October releases from artists that once felt like whenever they put out an album a wider array of outlets and publications seemed to care more and would spill more digital ink over them. The big three artists that had the biggest drop off in attention and acclaim that stick out to me the most are Titus Andronicus, Justice and Why? All three artists debuted with strong starts back in the aughts, but according to critical reception more or less crashed and burned. Titus Andronicus’ Local Business was one of the last times Titus Andronicus would get positive marks from Pitchfork. Local Business a fun and shaggy follow-up to one of the most self-serious concept albums of the 2010s.

Justice’s Audio, Video, Disco similarly is a follow up to a highly acclaimed album that set the bar high enough to doom Justice into never living up to the hype. Justice’s 2007 s/t heralded them as the next Daft Punk, but unlike those soulful and thoughtful robots Justice mainly wanted to make big ridiculous unfashionable synth prog rock. Audio, Video, Disco is simply cheesy fun and even though we live in a world better off without parties and gatherings this album helps you feel like you are in high-def IMAX monster mash on the moon.

The leaves us with Why?’s Mump’s Etc. an album that already had the job of following up an already divisive follow up record Eskimo Snow. Why’s Alopecia is a really important 2008 indie blog rap album that helped thrust the online indie blogs into the hip-hop genre hybrid experimentalism. Why? would never make another universally beloved album again and with Mump’s Etc. ended up permanently in Pitchfork’s hate pit. In the original release review the Pitchfork writer essentially deems this album an act of “career suicide.” The whole review is essentially an assignation of Why?’s figurehead Yoni Wolf and taking him to task for all of his awkward lyrical blunders and the fact he is narcissistic enough to be a musician writing about his career in a meta fashion. Yet when I listen to Mump’s Etc. I am more or less enjoying Yoni Wolf’s personality and find the whole thing to be pretty charming. A perfectly serviceable 3.5/5 release that a media outlet like Pitchfork turns into a flexing opportunity to show how that they have the power to make or break a career.

A.C. Newman, an artist who appears on this playlist with his terrific 2012 Shut Down The Streets took to Twitter to scoff at the idea that a good Pitchfork review has done anything for his career. Shut Down The Streets currently remains the last solo album Newman has released under his name choosing to focus on his main gig with the New Pornographers. The Internet based hype machine is even more ADHD addled and twitchier by the day. The joy of doing this deep dive allowed me to revisit a lot of these artists and acts that I had fallen out of touch with. I had completely forgotten about King of Convenience’s Erlend Øye who released the album Legao in 2014. I rediscovered a good deal of bands like the Editors, The Dodos, Kisses, Black Milk, Crocodiles, Empire of the Sun, Juana Molina, Jagwar Ma, Here We Go Magic, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., YACHT, Peaking Lights, The Twilight Sad, Elf Power, Swet Shop Boys, Radio Dept, Allo’ Darlin, Foxes In Fiction, and HOMESHAKE are all bands not trying to change the world or challenge listeners with avant garde experimentation. Instead I feel like I maintaining relationships with old friends on the edge of obscurity.

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A HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS IN OCTOBER

A tradition stretching back as far as 2014 not October’s Idina Menzel’s Holiday Wishes, but Seth McFarland’s Holiday For Swing sweatily released on CD, digital, and vinyl on September 30, 2014. 2015 then brings us a Chris Tomlin and Ru Paul Christmas albums because every force of Neo-liberal good must be balanced with evangelical contemporary Christian music *shutters.* 2016 finds the Christmas in October era reaching a complete and utter nadir with R. Kelly’s final official LP 12 Nights of Christmas and A Pentatonix Christmas, but also buffered by Kacey Musgrave’s Christmas. 2017 only had time for Gwen Stefani’s You Make It Feel Like Christmas and no one else could evoke this feeling in October. On 2018, Michelle and Barack Obama’s combined one and only Christmas wish comes true, no not cancelling those drone strikes, but getting John Legend to join the October release jamboree; Eric Clapton claps open his guitar’s butt cheeks and hatefully squats out a half assed Xmas album defiantly opening the album with “White Christmas” [eyeroll emoji]; and finally 2018 found the Pentatonix announcing in October that Christmas Is Here. I apologize for all of that crude butt talk about the hateful racist Eric Clapton, but(t) I have festive gluteus Maximus on the mind, because in 2019 Norah Jones got her alternative country gal trio back together to remind us to shake our Christmas butts. Eat shit commercial shit, today’s Santa’s birthday! That’s the magic of the October release schedule!

The hallowed Christmas in October tradition continues on in 2020 with Dolly I-Beg-Thee-Pardon releasing A Holly Dolly Christmas right on time on October 2, 2020 (Carrie Underwood missed the memo and unwraps her unwanted My Gift in September 2020). Meghan Trainor, Goo Goo Dolls, and Tori Kelly released Christmas albums. Can you believe Seth MacFarlane comes up twice in this article, because his sleazy J. Michigan Frog croon is processed and grated like Parmesan cheese snow flakes all over a rendition of White Christmas. What a time to be alive!

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WHERE DID THEY GO?

A Brief Case For Class Actress’s Rapproacher

Among my October music travels I encountered one artist that really impressed me with her proper LP debut Rapprocher. The trio fronted by Elizabeth Vanessa Harper is essentially peddling the kind of competent moody 80’s inspired synth pop that belongs on a lost Donnie Darko sequel. Harper’s vocals are striking and expressive and they are melded with constantly propulsive bed of shiny synths and glossy barely-there gated percussion. Outside of an 2015 EP called Movies featuring exciting production contributions from Italo-disco icon Giorgio Moroder there has been nothing else from Class Actress. Highly recommend you check them out especially if you want to find the sweet spot between Chromatics and Kylie Minogue.

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THE OCTOBER 2010s MASTERPIECES

(Robyn - Honey, Big K.R.I.T. - 4eva is a Mighty Long Time ,Miguel - Kaleidoscope Dream, Crying - Beyond The Fleeting Gale , M83 Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming ,SRSQ - Unreality, Sufjan Stevens - age of adz, Joanna Newsom - divers, VV Brown Samson and Delilah, Kelela - tear me apart , Neon Indian - VEGA Intl., Fever Ray - Plunge , Antony and The Johnsons - Swanlights (goodbye album) , Caroline Polachek - Pang , Sky Ferreira - Night Time, My Time . Bat For Lashes Haunted Man, James Ferraro - Far Side Virtual , Grouper - Ruins , Kero Kero Bonito -Bonito Generation , DJ Rashad - Double Cup)

Maybe if I surround this VV Brown album with more well known artists she’ll finally get some more clicks? I should also mention that Joanna Newsom’s Divers is nowhere on my Spotify October Music playlist because Joanna Newsom thinks Spotify is bananas, and she hates bananas. I know I should also mention Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city and Tame Impala’s Lonerism. That’s the maddening thing about October music that just when you think you covered all your ground you find another hidden hump underneath the carpet. I feel remiss without mentioning striking debut and instant hidden gem Tinashe’s Aquarius, which did you know has a new album art on Spotify. Death Grip’s No Love Deep Web. T_T I didn’t even get around to making a big verbal mosaic to Thom Yorke’s witchy Suspiria soundtrack.Corpus Christi! I forgot to highlight The Orb album in the collage with my other veteran artists! As you can see this project nearly ruined me. I did not necessarily listen to all of these albums from front to back, but I did listen all of the songs on the playlist and chose them from the immense collection of October releases. I am pretty sure this is the kind of content for no one in particular but I really needed to get it out of my system. Let’s meet back up October 2030!!!!!

(Thank you to my beloved partner, best friend and Spotify provider Maddie Johnson XD)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7sdLaNNaqWpKEKXRZ3jNqY?si=SLZxUwLMQYOQ5wA1xuZc7w

#spooky #spooktember #spooktober #spooktacular #octoberfest #autism #best of #music festival #Joanna newsom #sufjan stevens #kendrick lamar #tame impala #Taylor swift #big thief #Adrianne lenker #ru paul #kelly klarkson

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inquiringquilter · 3 years

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My Island Batik Boxes - What's Inside?

As an Island Batik Ambassador one of our biggest events is the opening of our semi-annual boxes of goodies from Island Batik.

To celebrate this early Christmas-like event, each Ambassador makes a box opening video. The videos reveal what’s inside of course—a preview of upcoming Island Batik collections and the latest tools from our program partners.

Don’t miss any of the excitement this year—new quilts, blog hops, free patterns and for sale ones, and giveaways! You’ll find ways to follow at the top of my sidebar.

As usual I received two huge boxes from Island Batik filled with the freshest batiks just now arriving in stores. Gorgeous! The boxes are also filled with great things from our program partners—awesome tools and accessories for quilting that you can’t do without.

To shoot my videos I enlist the help of my daughter. Together, we gather quilts and pin them to my design wall, set up the studio lights, and ready the camera. Then we gather the items in the boxes and prepare them to be presented one by one during the video.

We’ve also planned a surprise or two to liven things up.

After we shoot the video, Katerina edits it all together and adds little fun flourishes. The result is below. Go ahead and watch! I’ll wait. <grin>

Now wasn’t that fun? The generosity and support I’ve received from Island Batik and the program sponsors is overwhelming. I’m humbled and so very grateful.

Let’s take a closer look at what I got!

Stash Busters

Island Batik included two Stash Builders in my box. Stash Builders are an easy way to build your stash is a wide selection of batiks. They are also an easy way for you to create a scrappy batik quilt. Each Stash Builder contains a mix of batiks in a particular color, such as green and violet.

A Stash Builder roll includes four 5” x WOF strips; there are 5 rolls in each pack giving you almost 3 yards of batiks! To see how I’ve used these strips in the past, take a look at my January challenge and my March challenge.

Want a chance to win a few Stash Builder rolls? Be sure to enter my giveaway at the end of this post.

Featured Spring Collection

My featured Spring collection is Midnight Dazzle. I’ll be designing a quilt for the August blog hop using this beautiful collection.

I was sent two fat-quarters of all the fabrics in the collection. In the background here you can also see the coordinating fabrics Island Batik sent from the Foundations (Solids, Basics, Blenders). I received half yards of each of those. In addition, I was sent 2 yards of two coordinates (one light, one dark) also from the Foundations to use as possible backgrounds for the quilt I design.

Neutral

Island Batik always sends along a lovely neutral batik that I can use as a background in my quilt designs. This time they sent Doughnut—a lovely creamy tan.

Solids

Island Batik has been making solid batiks for a few years now, and I simply love them! Lovely rich colors that are deep and solid—no show-through here! If you are a lover of solids for your quilts you really need to try these solids!

Island Batik included some lovely solids with the Spring and Summer Coordinates (scroll down to see) plus neutral solids in grey, black and white—the perfect background for a modern quilt.

Studio 180 Ruler

Studio 180 Design is a challenge partner. Our August challenge is to create a quilt using the Studio 180 Design ruler we were sent. I got the Rapid Fire Hunter’s Star ruler. They also sent the book Hunter’s Star Hidden Treasures to fill my head with ideas on how to use a Hunter’s Star. I’ve been wanting to make a Hunter’s Star quilt for quite some time so I can’t wait to get started!

Deb Tucker from Studio 180 Design creates clever rulers that help you make over-sized blocks fast, and to trim them to perfection for show stopping quilts. Check out her other rulers here.

Aurifil Threads

Aurifil is a program partner and they sent a box of coordinating threads for a thread challenge later this year. I love the quality of Aurifil—how little lint it produces, how strong a stitch it makes and how precise.

The box they sent is from their Color Builders program, a thread of the month that you subscribe to. They sent a 40 wt. collection called Red Panda, inspired by the fur of that endangered animal.

BYANNIE

ByAnnie is another challenge partner. Like last year, we’ll be challenged to make a ByAnnie bag or tote using Island Batiks from a Spring 2021 collection.

For the challenge, we selected a ByAnnie pattern and batiks from a specific collection we were assigned for this challenge. ByAnnie then selected zippers, mesh, hardware, batting, strapping, and fusible for the bag we chose.

THE SURPRISE BUNDLE

Also included in my box was a surprise bundle from a Summer 2021 collection. The bundle is wrapped so I can’t show you what’s in it just yet. The Summer 2021 collections will make their debut during our second blog hop in November.

Be sure to mark your calendar for November so you don’t miss the parade of Summer 2021 collections across the Ambassador’s websites and my quilt, made with my Summer 2021 collection. And yes, there are no purples this time so that’s a challenge for me I guess except not really because the collection they sent me is yummy! (even without purple <grin>)

Coordinates for Spring and Summer 2021 Collections

Island Batik typically sends a grouping of half-yard coordinates for each of the collections in our boxes. These coordinates are pulled from the Basics, Blenders, and Solids collections. Batiks in these collections are designed to be useful staples in your stash because they go with so many designer batik collections. Also, you should have no problem finding Basics, Blenders, and Solids at quilt stores that carry Island Batiks.

The bundle on the right with yellow, orange, browns and blues coordinate with the Surprise fabrics from the Summer 2021 collection I was sent and your only clue as to what might be inside. Twist my arm and I’ll tell you that the browns and blues go more closely with the collection than the pop of yellow and orange. I can also tell you that the collection is absolutely gorgeous and I’m super lucky to be tasked with the joy of designing a quilt with it.

The bundle on the left with the greens and blues coordinates with the featured Spring 2021 collection I was sent. Again, that collection (Midnight Dazzle) is simply stunning. Scroll back for another view.

Hobbs Batting

Hobbs is a program partner, and they always send a selection of their high quality battings. I truly love using Hobbs—lovely drape, easy and smooth to quilt, and washes like a dream!

Hobbs included one Queen-size Thermore batting, one Throw-size Tuscany Cotton Wool batting, one Queen-size Heirloom Premium 80/20 Fusible Cotton Poly Blend batting, one Queen-size Heirloom Premium 80/20 Cotton Poly Blend batting, and one set of 2-1/2” Fusible Batting Strips.

Each batting has it’s own particular use. The 80/20 batts are my go to since they blend cotton with polyester for a soft, drapable, easily quiltable quilt. The fusible type saves time with pin-basting.

Thermore is a polyester batting created through a patented process that results in a super thin light weight quilt. Originally developed for garment making, it’s the perfect batt to use when looking for something light weight and soft to the touch such as a wall hanging, garment, or baby quilt.

Tuscany Cotton Wool is my go-to when I want a light weight warm quilt. And oh the softness and lovely drape! By blending cotton with wool you reduce the shrinkage and problems associated with a pure wool batt. The result is perfection.

The 2-1/2” fusible strips are perfect for small projects requiring strips of batting, such as woven projects, strip rugs, and tote straps. Oh so easy to use and a real time-saver.

The Unboxing Schedule

The Island Batik Ambassador unboxing videos are scheduled so you won’t miss a thing! The fun begins today (July 21st) with the first three Ambassadors sharing their boxes (including me!) Here’s the rest of the schedule.

Every Ambassador receives a different collection of batiks in their box, so be sure to visit each Ambassador in turn to watch their videos. You won’t believe the beauties you’ll see!

Note: The videos each day are released throughout the day, so the link may not work at first. Each day a video is released at 8 AM PST, 12 PM PST and 3 PM PST. I’m in the Eastern time zone so my video will be released at 3 PM PST or 6 PM EST.

Also I’ve been told that there may be some last-minute changes to the schedule so I’ll be updating the links as needed each day.

Wednesday, July 21st

Megan Best @ Best Quilter Pamela Boatright @ Pamela Quilts Jennifer Fulton @ Inquiring Quilter (that’s me!)

Thursday, July 22nd

Preeti Harris @ Sew Preeti Quilts Jane Hauprich @ Stitch by Stitch Custom Quilting Emily Leachman @ Darling Dogwood

friday, July 23rd

Denise Looney @ For the Love of Geese Leah Malasky @ Quilted Delights Sally Manke @ Sally Manke Fiber Artist

Monday, July 26th

Maryellen McAuliffe @ Mary Mack Made Mine Claudia Porter @ Create with Claudia Gail Renna @ Quilt Haven Threads

Tuesday, July 27th

Brianna Roberts @ Sew Cute and Quirky Andi Stanfield @ True Blue Quilts Jennifer Thomas @ Curlicue Creations

Wednesday, July 28th

Jennifer Eubank @ Archipelago Quilting Suzy Webster @ Webster Quilt Janet Yamamoto @ Whispers of Yore

Thursday, July 29th

Elizabeth DeCroos @ Epida Studio Connie Kauffman @ Kauffman Designs Gail Sheppard @ Quilting Gail

Friday, July 30th

Joanne Hart @ Unicorn Harts Mania Hatziioannidi @ Mania for Quilts Michelle Roberts @ Creative Blonde

Every month, the Island Batik Ambassadors are challenged to design and make a quilted project. The July challenge is to make holiday projects. Mine is underway and will appear here soon.

Don’t miss any of the other monthly challenges and the goings on here at Inquiring Quilter! You’ll find ways to follow me at the top of my sidebar.

Be Sure to Enter My Giveaway!

For a chance to win these 2 Stash Builder rolls, use the Rafflecopter below.

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Like batiks? Like to share your wips and finishes?

Each Ambassador answers the monthly challenges in unique ways—be sure to follow my fellow Ambassadors too! You’ll find them all listed on my Island Batik Ambassador page.

In the meantime, thank you so much for stopping by! Be sure to click over to my Wednesday Wait Loss linkup to share your current quilty projects!

Disclosure: The products featured here were provided to me free of charge by Island Batik, Aurifil, Hobbs, Studio 180 Designs, and ByAnnie.

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sentrava · 6 years

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What’s On in Copenhagen: May 2018

Rejoice! May has arrived in Copenhagen and we couldn’t be happier about it. May is typically when the weather really warms up and the sun comes out. But even on the dreary days, there’s so much to do in the city at this time of year.

Take a look at all the best events happening in Copenhagen during May:

Sunday 15th April – Sunday 6th May

ECI 24H

Check out this ultra cool festival: 22 art shows in 22 days, where each one is mounted and then dismantled in 24 hours. All shows are held at LOKALE in Nørrebro, and both Danish as well as international artists will be represented.

Tuesday 1st May

International Worker’s Day/May Day

The annual celebration of activism and solidarity with industrial workers everywhere. In Copenhagen, crowds of up to 50,000 commemorate the occasion in Østerbro’s Fælledparken with speeches and even an address from the Prime Minister. Pack some beer and make a day of it.

Thursday 3rd – Wednesday 16th May

Copenhagen Architecture Festival

Back for its fifth year, the Copenhagen Architecture Festival is all about exploring how architecture is integrated into our daily life and shapes our world. The theme for this year is “home, housing, and belonging.” Check out our recommendations for the best tours, films and talks.

Friday 4th May

Up Sessions on the Rooftop

Starting May 4th and running every Friday through August, enjoy some drinks and good conversation on the rooftop terrace of Hotel Danmark. This is the perfect way to unwind after the week and take in a glorious view of Copenhagen.

Saturday 5th – Sunday 6th May

Forårsbazar

Grab a basket and fill it up with plants for this spring market in Østerbro! If your apartment needs a little green update for the new season, this is the place to do it. Even if you’re not planning to buy, there’s nothing better than a stroll around some lush greenery. Open both days from 10 am – 3 pm.

Saturday 5th May

Spring Market on Elmegade

From 10 am – 5 pm, take a stroll around one of the cutest pockets of Nørrebro, right by Sankt Hans Torv. There will be stands selling clothes, accessories and other goods, as well as food and some activities. Such a nice way to spend a Saturday!

Urbanfestival

This day-long festival on Amager includes events for kids such as a magician, a flea market, live music, good food and more. If you’re in the neighborhood, stop by!

Sunday 6th May

Fashion Flea Market: Trendsales & Tradono

There are serious fashion finds to be had at this large indoor flea market. If you’ve been doing some spring cleaning for your wardrobe, you may have a few items you need to fill in. With designer names at very good price, this is the place to do it. The market runs from 10 am – 4 pm at Store Kannikestræde 19.

Monday 7th May

Drop-in Jazz Dance Workshop

This workshop, taught by choreographer and dancer Matthew Bailey, focuses on core strengthening. It will work within the jazz framework and vocabulary. You don’t need to be an expert dancer; just have the desire to improve your skills!

Thursday 10th May

Marie Key at Store Vega

Beloved Danish pop singer/songwriter Marie Key will be performing at Store Vega. Her breathy, sweet voice and clever pop songs make it easy to see why she’s become so popular in Denmark (she sings in Danish, by the way). Having seen her command the stage (Orange, no less!) at Roskilde Festival, we can confirm that she puts on a very good show.

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Bad Movie Club: The Apple at Husets Biograf

For fans of “How Did This Get Made” and all others who love a good bad movie, The Bad Movie Club at Husets Biograf is a real treat. This installation is “The Apple,” a totally bonkers film shot in West Berlin and released in 1980. It’s about…a singer…in the dystopian future of 1994…and an evil record company called Boogalow…also, there’s a lot of Biblical references…yeah, we don’t really get it either. But it’s weird and fun.

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Friday 11th May

RAR Brewing at Himmeriget

Himmeriget welcomes Maryland, USA-based brewing company RAR to the bar for the night. Try an array of their beers on tap as well well as cans that have been flown in to ensure freshness. This is a fun chance to try something you can’t usually get in Copenhagen.

Saturday 12th May

Jenny Wilson at Store Vega

Swedish pop-rock singer/songwriter Jenny Wilson is as fierce as they come, and her beats are too. We love her smart, fast-paced music and her message of fearlessness.

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Live Screening of Eurovision Finals at Husets Biograf

Enjoy watching the Eurovision finals, which take place in Lisbon this year, with other fans. Entrance is free, but it fills up fast so we recommend that you reserve a spot! Take a listen to Denmark’s entry, “Higher Ground,” by Rasmussen.

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Friday 18th May – Sunday 20th May

Cabonara Festival

Finally! The festival we’ve all been waiting for. It’s time to celebrate carbonara, and we are so here for it. No details yet, so check their Facebook page for updates.

Friday 18th May

OSHUN at Ideal Bar

Bringing hip hop, reggae, soul and pop into their excellent tracks, OSHUN comments on community, politics, and black women’s lives in the USA. If you haven’t already heard them, get on board.

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Saturday 19th – Sunday 20th May

FindersKeepers x Mad About Copenhagen Market

From 11 am – 5 pm on both days, check out this design and food market, hosted by FindersKeepers and Copenhagen foodies Mad About Copenhagen. Great design, fashion and art, plus the best food vendors in the city? That sounds like a great weekend.

Click Festival

This is definitely not your average festival. Celebrating contemporary art, science and technology, CLICK has an incredibly diverse and in-depth program over its two days. There are concerts, talks, workshops, interactive installations, and much more. The theme this year is “Xeno,” an exploration of what is alien or other. CLICK is located in Helsingør, so just a 45 minute ride on the train from central Copenhagen; it is possible to camp at the site.

Saturday 19th May

Movie Drink-Along: The Big Lebowski at Husets Biograf

What’s better than a sing-along? A drink-along, obviously. Have a few White Russias while shouting out lines like “This is not ‘Nam. This is Bowling. There are rules,” and “You’re out of your element, Donny!” and “This aggression will not stand!” Best night ever.

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Tuesday 22nd May – Sunday 27th May

Art Week CPH

If you’re an art fan, this is your big week! There will be exhibitions, parties, debates, and more. Be sure to check their website for the program release and other updates.

Tuesday 22nd May

Manu Crook$ at Ideal Bar

Is Manu Crook$ the first Australian rapper to make it on the international mainstream? Looks that way! See him at Ideal Bar, the perfect setting for a small but bouncing concert.

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Saturday 26th – Sunday 27th May

Bloom Festival

This festival celebrates nature over two days with talk by philosophers and scientists, music from classical composers, and time spent enjoying the beautiful surroundings of Søndermarken.

Saturday 26th May

Fortovsfest

A full day of fun for the whole family! This festival goes from 10 am – midnight and includes a flea market, live music, activities for kids, and food and drink available to buy. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for sunshine!

Balders Plads Flea Market

Peruse second hand clothes, accessories and home goods in this buzzy corner of Nørrebro. There are plenty of good cafes around, so enjoy a coffee or lunch and then have a day of low-key shopping between 10 am – 4 pm.

Rocky Horror Picture Show at Husets Biograf

Dammit Janet! This beloved cult film is the one that you’ll be singing for the rest of your days. There’s nothing quite like seeing “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” on the big screen and feasting your eyes on Tim Curry in all his steamy, sexy glory. Go sing along as loud as you can.

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Sunday 27th May

Rita Ora at Store Vega

British pop star Rita Ora brings her powerful presence and voice to Store Vega, where it’s sure to be a party. Get tickets before they sell out!

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Wednesday 30 May – Sunday 3 June

Distortion Festival

It’s that time of year again! Distortion is here, and your nights are about to get a little weird. As usual, the concerts are divided into Distortion Ø, which takes place at Refshaleøen, Distortion Club all over the city, and the street parties, in their annual locations. Buy your armband now and get ready to dance!

→ On the Joy of Distortion

Thursday 31 May – Saturday 2nd June

Heartland Festival

This isn’t in Copenhagen, but it’s too good for us not to tell you about it. Located on the island of Funen in the gorgeous Egeskov Castle, this festival combines music, art, literature and food for a totally unique weekend of beauty and learning. This year’s line up includes Patti Smith, Van Morrison, Lykke Li and Grizzly Bear. As if that weren’t enough, Tracy Emin, Kim Gordon and Salaman Rushdie will all be giving talks, and chef Christian Puglisi (among many other local favourites) has his hand in the food aspect of the event.

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Ongoing in May

Picasso Ceramics Exhibit at Lousiana Museum of Modern Art

The first exhibition in their 60 year anniversary celebration, the Picasso Ceramics is truly something to experience. A look at a lesser-known medium of the legendary artist, the ceramics are as wonderful, joyful, and historically important collection that every art and design lover should see.

High On Luxury: Lost Treasures of the Roman Empire Exhibit at Glyptoteket

Silver, gold, gems and luxury items created during the Roman Empire, celebrating artisan craftsmanship and decadence. If you’re in the mood to party, but in a super-cultured way, this is the exhibit for you.

Jesper Christiansen “Touchstone” Exhibit at GL Strand

Danish painter Jesper Christiansen is renown for his literary paintings that create almost-theatrical scenes and staging. “Touchstone” combines text with paintings to showcase the relationship between the words and visuals. A really interesting and unique museum experience!

Mathias Bengtsson “Organic Transformations” Exhibit at Designmuseum Danmark

This is a small exhibition in the hall between the lobby and the cafe of Designmuseum Danmark, but it’s really worth a visit. These incredible pieces are a blend of furniture and art; one-off pieces that utilise new technological advances to create awe-inspiring textures.

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If you’re a business or organisation that would like us to add your event to next month’s calendar, please contact us at hello [@] scandinaviastandard [dot] com. Thank you!

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What’s On in Copenhagen: May 2018 published first on https://medium.com/@OCEANDREAMCHARTERS

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billnewcottblog · 6 years

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Grownup Love: Eight Movies

Contrary to what Hollywood might have you think, love and romance aren’t just for kids. Here are eight truly engaging grownup movie love stories from 2017:

The Big Sick (Ray Romano and Holly Hunter)

The focus is on a young couple (Kumail Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan), but the real treasure in this big-hearted comedy is the relationship between the young woman’s parents, whose years of marriage enable them to negotiate with fiery grace the stormy waters of a family crisis.

Darkest Hour (Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas) The world is crashing down on Britain’s new Prime Minister, and he’s on the brink of drowning in a sea of self-pity. But then comes Winnie’s wife Clemmie, who gives him precisely the kick in the pants he needs to keep calm and carry on. These two envelop each other like a London fog.

The Dinner (Steve Coogan and Laura Linney) All is not well for Paul and Claire, sharing a very agitated dinner with Paul’s brother and sister-in-law (Richard Gere and Rebecca Hall). The two couple’s sons have committed a heinous crime, and the four must decide whether to turn the kids in or leave it at “boys will be boys.” At the heart of the crisis is that perpetual tension moms and dads feel between being parents and partners.

The Exception (Christopher Plummer and Janet McTeer) He’s the German Kaiser and she is his Empress—and in the early years of World War II, exiled to The Netherlands, they rule over an estate that’s nothing more than a sumptuous prison guarded by Nazi soldiers. She’s determined to soften his sense of humiliation, sustaining a veneer of pomp and pageantry for the man she loves. He, in turn, casts upon her his undying—if occasionally gruff—affection.

The Lovers (Tracy Letts and Debra Winger) Decades of marriage and raising a son have taken their toll on Michael and Mary—in fact, they have each taken secret lovers. But then one day their old fire rekindles and the pair starts cheating on their lovers…with each other. For all involved, it’s a mess; for us, it’s a reminder of how easily the fires of passion can burn in unexpected directions no matter what your age.

Maudie (Ethan Hawke and Sally Hawkins)

Canadian folk artist Maud Lewis and her husband Everett are just 34 and 40, respectively, when they marry. But life ages you faster in remote 1930s Nova Scotia and Maud, crippled with arthritis, and Everett, a stuck-in-his-ways fish seller, have lived lifetimes of hardscrabble existence before they find each other. We watch them grow genuinely old, leaning on each other, filling in each other’s empty spots, sharing an almost invisible, yet undeniable, affection.

Paris Can Wait (Arnaud Viard and Diane Lane)

Ignored by her way-too-busy hubby (Alec Baldwin), a neglected wife accepts a quick lift from the South of France to Paris. In the hands of charming Viard and sexy Lane, the one-day jaunt becomes a days-long voyage of flirty, romantic discovery.

Wonder (Owen Wilson and Julia Roberts)

Lots of parents divvy up the good cop/bad cop routine, but the tactic is particularly fraught when you have one child born with a heartbreaking facial deformity and another who senses she’ll spend her entire life playing second fiddle to her “special” brother. Wilson and Roberts capture not only that profound parental dilemma—but also the couple’s fierce devotion to each other, a necessary ingredient to undergird the family’s determination to endure.

#love stories #movies #the big sick #darkest hour #the exception #paris can wait #wonder #julia roberts #owen wilson #Diane Lane #Maudie #Ethan Hawke #Sally Hawkiins #Christopher Plummer #janet mcteer #Gary Oldman #Ray Romano #Holly Hunter

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kaitlynalingefelt · 7 years

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The Magic Of Storytelling

We’ve grown up with stories since we were young children. They were told to us to teach us life lessons or simply for entertainment purposes. We enjoyed stories so much that we continued to read them into adulthood. Now, using digital technology, stories have the possibility to show and tell us so much more.

Narrativism and Storytelling

Espen Aarseth related stories to games in his article “Genre Trouble: Narrativism and the Art of Simulation”. Though he spends most of the article contrasting stories and games (games rely on goals while stories are more controlled and meant to simply be read), he touched on the definition of narrativism. Narrativism states that everything around us is a story and that stories need to be told to make sense of the world.

This brings us back to the stories we grew up on. Many childhood stories are meant to teach us things or help us to be better people. With the emergence of the digital world, it is now possible to live the stories instead of just reading and absorbing them. Janet Murray, in her book “Hamlet on the Holodeck”, imagines many of the possibilities of immersive storytelling.

Multiform Stories

The multiform story has been around for a while in formats such as movies and television. “I am using the term multiform story to describe a written or dramatic narrative that presents a single situation or plotline in multiple versions, versions that would be mutually exclusive in our ordinary experience” (30).

This means that every story can be told from a different perspective. Many things we watch or see are shown to us only one way, even though we may be interested in seeing them from another point of view.

Popular examples include “A Wonderful Life”, in which the character of George Bailey gets to see what it would be like if he had never been born, and “Groundhog Day”, in which a weatherman named Phil is given the opportunity to relieve the same day over and over again until he gets it right.

The “alternate realities” of storytelling are interesting, and offer us a wide variety of ways to experience a story. If we don’t like the way a story is told, we can go back and see it told another way. In effect, the story may change depending on what actions are taken. Seeing the effects of our choices is truly immersive and gives us satisfaction.

Agency and Authorship

This sense of satisfaction is referred to as agency. “Agency is the satisfying power to take meaningful action and see the results of our decisions and choices” (126).

Agency is a concept most often seen in digital games. For example, we make a choice: we follow the clues and we find the magic key. We then take the magic key and use it to open the treasure we found using the map. We are happy that we won the game and found the treasure, and praise ourselves on the good choices that we made.

With interactive media, however, the authors limit how many choices we can truly make. We may feel satisfied and feel like we are very clever for doing so, but we didn’t create the choices.

When it comes to digital storytelling (which occurs often in certain kinds of games), we want to feel like we created the story and made it into something unique. This is hard for us to do because we don’t know how to make games or put together source code. In the end, we have to rely on authors to give us the agency we crave.

“The interactor is not the author of the digital narrative, although the interactor can experience one of the most exciting aspects of artistic creation-the thrill of exerting power over enticing and plastic materials. This is not authorship but agency” (153).

Tools for Interaction

In order for digital environments to work, Murray says they must have four properties: procedural, participatory, spatial, and encyclopedic.

Digital spaces need procedures and rules in order to work properly. Software limits what we can and can’t do and games have specific rules that we play by. For example, if we play Sim City we know that we can only build structures and collect resources in a finite amount of ways.

Participation is an even bigger part of interaction. Why put yourself in a digital world if you can’t do anything in it? When we are given a wide range of things to do and explore on our own, we feel more satisfied and interested.

Spatial properties refer to the space in digital worlds. We like to be able to move around and see what’s around us from all angles. Seeing things and being able to touch and experience things interests us. Even MUDs, which rely solely on words, are spatial. We type in commands and the game gives us word pictures to see in our minds.

Finally, digital environments should be able to hold a lot of information. Computers can already do that, so the potential for good storytelling through interactive worlds is alive. More information equals more detail and a better depth of experience for us. With a fully immersive and interactive digital world, many great stories can be told.

The Magic

Stories are always going to be important to our lives. If the digital environments that we interact with provide them for us in a better way, we would be much more content, no matter what kind of stories are present. “In our ordinary lives, we turn to stories of every kind, again and again, to reflect our desires and sorrows with the heightened clarity of the imagination. We will bring these same expectations to digital narrative” (274).

In summary, digital technologies have the capability to bring even our most vivid stories and fantasies to life. Ideally, we should be able to live our stories and become fully immersed in what we create. After all, the magic of stories is how real they can seem to us, fictional or otherwise.

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