#our art team had an amazing art director

[ronkoza]

Some of the illustrations I've done for Kinfire Chronicles: Night's Fall

[felassan]

EA site update:

"The Dread Wolf Rises Dragon Age Day 2023 Happy DA Day to our friends across Thedas!"

"[Mark] Dragon Age has always been a franchise about characters. Characters to fall in love with or to learn to loath. Those characters need a place in which to live, to fight, and to love—a place that shapes them and the events they find themselves swept up in. Today we explore the place they call home that forms the stage for everything that you do: Thedas. Corinne and the Dragon Age: Dreadwolf team have created a game that celebrates the rich and varied past of the franchise while crafting new experiences and stories. It has been incredible to come back to BioWare and see all of the progress they’ve made, and I’m excited for some of that world to be shared with all of you today. [Corinne] Thank you, Mark! I fondly remember playing each entry in the Dragon Age franchise, being completely immersed and enamored in the world you all had built. It amazes me to be here now, working alongside you and the team, to bring new stories and characters (not to mention a few returning characters) to all of the fans of the franchise. Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is the product of hard work and love. We know how much this world means to all of you, how these experiences stay with you. We want to get it right, so we’ve taken our time. We're so excited to join in this celebration of all things Dragon Age and the incredible fandom that surrounds it. Within the dev team, we’ve been eagerly awaiting Dragon Age Day as the enthusiasm, stories, charity, and artwork you share motivates us to be our best and create new experiences for all of you. To celebrate DA Day, we’re sharing a look at a few of the in-game locations you’ll explore on this new adventure (and perhaps a little more for those who listen closely). The stage is set. The Dread Wolf is ready to make his move. Oh, and one last thing before I go… In summer 2024, we’ll be fully revealing Dragon Age: Dreadwolf to you! We honestly can’t wait. See you all in Thedas, — Corinne Busche, Game Director & Mark Darrah, Sr Production Advisor"

"You’ve visited the lands of Thedas thrice before in our games and many more times in comics, books, art, and short stories. This time, you’ll be venturing to places unseen and returning to places from long ago. To celebrate Dragon Age Day, we wanted to show you some of those sights. [link to new trailer] We stand on the precipice of change. This is a world brimming with stories and characters waiting to meet you. The fate of this world teeters on the edge of a knife. In past games, you only got to see a slice of the world. In Origins, it was Ferelden—a land ravaged by war and Dark Spawn. In II, it was Kirkwall and its locales—festering with corruption and a dark underworld. And in Inquisition, you ventured across much of Orlais—facing down political intrigue as often as combat."

"This time, however, much more of Thedas is yours to see. The desolate, beautiful badlands of the Anderfels with curtains of distant mountainous spires. The twisting canals and gleaming towers of Antiva, where Crows may lurk in any shadow. The turquoise seas of Rivain with its rushes of greenery and hardy sea-faring people. And of course, there’s more."

"We felt this was best for the tale we wanted to tell this time and we hope you enjoy it as much as we have! It’s allowed us to create many more locations than past games, including both some you’ve longed to go to…and some you’ve never heard of before!"

"To help capture the wonders of Thedas, we partnered with three wonderful artists from our exceptionally talented community and gave them an early look at what you’ve now seen. We’ve always been so fortunate to have such an incredibly skilled community of artists, and getting to work with these three was a true joy! We asked each of them to create a vista of one of the three regions in the video based on their interpretation of it in their own unique styles. Please enjoy their wonderful work, and be sure to send them some love when you check out their personal channels for more of their art!" [link to art]

"Turning our focus to your closest kitchen, if you’re looking for a fun gift this holiday season or want to try some Thedosian dishes yourself, we’ve got you covered with Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas from our partners, Insight Editions! This project was lovingly crafted by the author, Jessie Hasset, as well as members of our team who have an affinity for the kitchen and a love of cuisine."

"The cookbook features recipes suited to all skill levels, but we know that jumping in may be a daunting task for some. To help you out, we’ve partnered with MisoHungrie, a wonderful YouTuber who specializes in cooking, with a particular knack for video game and entertainment-related dishes. If you’re looking for a place to start on your culinary journey, check out his video and follow along. And be sure to let us know what you think of these Thedosian delights! In addition to this, there are two giveaways you should keep an eye out for! For the first, our friends over at Insight Editions are giving away five copies of the cookbook on their social channels, so be sure to check them out. And it doesn’t end there. For those of you who decide to try your hand at making a culinary delight from the book (including one of the ones we’ve released separately), be sure to follow our own Dragon Age social channels for the second giveaway. Keep an eye out for the opportunity to submit your creation for a chance to win a BioWare Gear Store package, including the brand-new Morrigan romance bundle! Details on that giveaway will be posted next week."

"As we mentioned earlier this year, we’ve partnered with Dark Horse to create a digital package of all their comics for Dragon Age and Mass Effect on Humble Bundle. Visit the Humble Bundle page to find out how our partners are working to support Child’s Play, an organization that seeks to make the lives of children in hospitals more comfortable through the enjoyment of games. There’s no better time than the holidays to bring a smile to someone’s face. BioWare is also supporting a few local charities this month that focus on helping the most vulnerable in our communities via food banks. This includes the Edmonton Food Bank, the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, Les Banques alimentaires au Québec, and the Central Texas Food Bank. All of them provide food to thousands of people each month and rely on kindhearted donations and volunteers. If you’re wanting to give back this holiday season, please consider supporting Child’s Play or donating to your local food banks. Many communities also accept non-monetary donations of canned, dried, and packaged goods, clothing, and other useful supplies. However you choose to support those in need, know that every bit helps and can make a big difference in someone’s life, whether they’re in your community or around the world."

"An insult that he took as a badge of pride. An insult to inspire hope in his friends and fear in his enemies. That is what Fen’Harel, the Dread Wolf, truly is. Not a man who sees himself as evil, but someone who believes he’s fighting for a good cause and is willing to get his hands dirty. This long-awaited chapter of Dragon Age is fast approaching—the time close at hand. We’ll see you next summer with answers to your questions, including ones you have yet to ask. With that will come our full reveal including new trailers, gameplay, and—of course—the long-awaited release date. The Dread Wolf will rise once more and we’ll have much more to share with you as we approach Summer 2024. Please keep an eye on our social channels for all the latest information on Dragon Age: Dreadwolf’s reveal and beyond. Know this, though: The Dread Wolf has not been idle these past years. His reach is far, and soon his plans will come to fruition—a cataclysmic rejoining of magic and realms hundreds of years in the making. Will you be able to stop him? We hope so. Always believing in you,             — The Dragon Age Team"

[source and full post]

[heartfullofleeches]

would there be any way the staff!reader could stay overnight in the gallery safely? without being turned into an art piece so everyone doesnt have to worry about losing them? maybe this reader, somehow hired to take care of and maintain everyone in the gallery, doesn't really have anywhere to go home to...?

honestly? i'd feel very protected if i had to sleep in an art gallery full of art + director that love and cherish me. after i get used to them being alive first–

BTW i hope you are safe, happy, stress-free, are eating well and drinking lots of water! have an amazing day whether you choose to answer this or not!! :D

Well, as long as you manage to make it clear that you'll never leave them, the gallery won't have to resort to turning you into a painting. I imagine living there would be the best way to do so actually. The topic will most likely come up again as you age or if you get seriously injured, but for the time they would be content with the arrangement and (somehow) work together to make sure you're given the same care that you've given them.

-

"Is Y/n comfortable?"

The question's accompanied by light snickering as the hands at work complete their mission. You wrestle against your binds, but their softness and the persisting presence of hands pinning to the mat as well as combing through your hair makes you still. You accept defeat physically - but you're not down for the count yet.

"Scavenger, I really appreciate your effort, but I need to check on the other floors before I get some rest."

The Scavenger only laughs more, yet there's a notable difference to its tone. While clocking out for the night and tending to the rest of your duties off-shift, you were ambushed by the painting and dragged back to the storage closet you slept in. Your own bedding had already been laid out; added onto by the various blankets, foods, and other comforts they had stolen for you. The Scavenger used said blankets to swaddle you in and has been trying for the past half hour to get you to fall asleep. It hushes you with a finger to your lips.

"Shhhh. Quiet. There are new rules to follow. New rules to keep Y/n safe. Once their shift is over, it's our turn to take care of them. Might get sick otherwise."

The Scavenger runs its blackened fingers across the dark circles under your eyes to prove their point. As you prepare your rebuttal, the storage room door opens. Your stomach drops seeing who walks in.

The Lady in White. Red clings to the tails of her dress like haunts of her crimes and a knife welt in her hand. Crimson decorates the blade, but it's not blood. On further investigation, its revealed to the remaining skin of the item resting on the plate in her opposite hand. Her face scrunches up in disgust as she looks at all the processed foods around you.

"Please, stop feeding my darling garbage. I've left them in your company because I believe its for the best for us all, but I am not afraid to cut you all down if I must."

She places a plate of apple slices on the floor. "The Rose has been growing these for you. It's not much, but its food. If I had the right ingredients, I'm sure I can make a proper dish with them. Use this to buy them for me, and whatever else you may need."

She sets a wallet beside the plate. At least she tried to scrape off the blood the time. As soon as she takes her leave, another member of the gallery enters the room. Two in fact. The Painter, and a newer addition to the team, Soleil. The living clock had a habit of leaving its parts about for you to find, but seemed to be in working condition as it cocks its head at you quizzically. Its companion stares down the halls with a worried expression; shocked when they look over at you.

"Oh, dear. You're still awake, Poppy? That's no good- no good at all. I came all the way from my workshop to capture your-... I mean, check on you before the Angel stopped by to play guard."

"I told you they'd be up. They're always up at this hour no matter how often I tell them the time."

"Quiet, you overgrown alarm clock. We need to let them get their rest."

Then wh..y aren't you?

Soleil jumps at the new voice, while The Painter merely slacks their shoulders. No hope in getting that perfect picture now. The Faceless Angel stands behind the duo. They have gotten better with speech since they first lost their face. Slurred, their deep and raspy voice is much clearer now with only the smallest hiccups when they speak for long. Singing and talk to you while you winded down for the night help their progress immensely. In their hands, they hold a bright pink rose which yips in excitement the closer it gets to you. The angel puts it next to your bed and takes a seat; acting as your guardian angel for now, and as long as you will allow.

With your alarm clock, guardian, and two slightly bothersome, but still caring paintings - your eyes start to grow heavy. You don't remember when you start to dose off, or how long you actually slept, but the time on Soleil's open chest reads 4am when you're woken by a gentle shake.

"Hey, Y/n. Sorry for waking you, but I lost my house keys. Can I sleep next to you?"

You mumble a reply your coworker takes as a yes. Anri snuggles up beside you, careful not to touch you aside from placing a hand over your arm. You'd save wondering how they got their hands on a new uniform in the morning.

With the gallery's residents returned back to place, the director shuts the storage room door with a prayer of pleasant dreams. It feels so good to know that you're home.

[positivexcellence]

‘Walker’s Jared Padalecki Shares a Look at What’s to Come in Season 4

Collider: You’re four seasons into this TV series now, which isn’t the 15 seasons that Supernatural was on the air, but it’s a very respectable amount of time.

JARED PADALECKI: Thank you so much. Hopefully, we’ll have 40 more. But Season 4 is certainly bizarre and amazing and incredible, and I’m grateful and flattered and love the journey these characters have gone through.

What are you loving about Season 4 and about the Cordell Walker of Season 4? What are you most enjoying about this point of the journey?

PADALECKI: With Supernatural, we would flip between maybe the big bad guy and then the problems at home or with the brothers. But in the case of Walker, we will go from big bad guy to family stuff to bad guy of the week to family stuff. Just like life is, it gets big sometimes and it gets small sometimes, but there’s always some issue. And so, what I love about Season 4 is having a serial killer out there that is from our past and that haunted us back then and is sure to haunt us again this season, as The Jackal does, and also, there’s so much drama at home. Cordell has a daughter who’s a freshman in college and a son who’s a senior in high school. Mom and dad are trying to figure out what to do. His brother is trying to figure out what to do. It’s just that feeling that we all get, as humans and as adults, where it feels like, “Can’t just one part of my life calm down?” And sure as hell, it never does.

It feels like this show was originally brought back to television because there was a real hole in this type of programming at that time, and I’m glad the series is still on because it still feels like it’s really needed in that space.

PADALECKI: Agreed. What’s funny is that I grew up in Texas. I grew up in San Antonio. I’ve lived in Austin for 15 years. I grew up watching Walker, Texas Ranger with Sir Chuck Norris, himself, so that was a part of my childhood. For those who’ve seen the original and seen ours, this is obviously a very different show. I’m certainly a fan of action movies and action shows and action books and action stories, but I found myself, after 15 years on Supernatural, which was very much based in family as well, wanting something that anybody of any age could watch. I wanted something that wasn’t just about cutting off vampires’ heads, or killing God or the devil and everything in between, but was more like, “How can we make this as realistic as possible to what’s going on right now, and what has gone on in the past, and what is sure to go on in the future?” The commentary is oftentimes about how people have seen the original and love the re-imagining that we Walker put together. But more often than not, I love that I’ve had parents come up to me and talk about how Walker, though the situation is different because he’s a widower, is going through life and trying to figure out his kids while they’re changing, and he has to go to work because he has a job. There’s something universal about that struggle and that experience that seems to have really communicated and landed with people, no matter what their job is and what their family situation is.

Is it challenging to make this series with a shortened episode count, or does it feel like you can really just pack more into every episode?

PADALECKI: I get both. There’s a quote I heard one time about actors and writers and directors and producers and whatnot, and they used it in the form of an actor. They said, “If you give an actor three years to prepare, it’ll take three years. If you give him three months to prepare, it’ll take three months. If you give him three days, it’ll take three days. If you give him three minutes, it’ll take three minutes.” It’s one of those things where life imitates art. We’ve found such wonderful stuff, and kudos to our great writing team for making it possible, but it feels very like life. It feels very much like Cordell’s life would be. You find out sooner than you would’ve hoped, “Hey, this is coming up,” or “You’ve gotta do this or that.” While it’s certainly been different, if you could give me 30 days to do an episode, it’ll have its challenges. If you give me one day to do an episode, it’ll have its challenges. I think that goes from top to bottom, cast and crew alike. We’ve had a great time. Because of cross-boarding some episodes, we might be doing episodes one and two, and even if a character is only in episode two, since we will shoot two together, I still get to catch up with that human being during the filming, which is wonderful.

You’re kicking off this season with a lot of storylines happening for these characters. He’s stepped up his romance, his daughter is not coping well with things, and there’s a serial killer. I love that there’s really this balance where you have the romance and there are some good things on the horizon for the family, but then there’s also the dark and deadly aspect of a serial killer. What sort of balance will we see this season between the light and the dark? Will we get to a point where things get more dark and more intense, as things play out with The Jackal?

PADALECKI: You certainly will. Given what happened with the strikes, over the last 12 months, it didn’t make sense to do a direct pickup after Season 3. So much time has passed between the end of Season 3 and when Season 4 will air that it just didn’t make a lot of sense for our viewers and our lovely and wonderful loyal watchers. Kale [Culley] just turned 18 in May, and he’s almost my size now. If we picked up Season 4, episode one, directly after Season 3, the final episode, it wouldn’t make sense. You’d be like, “Oh, I guess August grew four inches overnight.” Our writers were very aware of that and tried to make every bit of that as real and human as possible. We certainly do see, as characters and as viewers, how this Jackal that haunted Captain James and Ranger Walker back in the day, five years ago, still has a stranglehold on them, and just how deep and dark they go while trying to keep all the other plates spinning in the other aspects of their lives.

It’s certainly never great to keep secrets from people you care about, especially when they’re big secrets. And on a TV series, those secrets are bound to come out, and likely at the worst possible time.

PADALECKI: Yep, that’s what our sadistic writers try to do. Teasing, teasing, teasing. No, they do it in such a wonderful way. Going back to before even the pilot, one of the things that Anna Fricke and I talked about before we’d even staffed the room and cast the characters and hired the crew was that we want this to be as real as possible. Although in a different arena, with Walker being a Texas Ranger and a widow, we want this to have universal problems and issues that every person goes through on different scales as they navigate this life.

Jensen Ackles directed an episode of the series. Do you think he’ll do that again?

PADALECKI: I sure hope so. Now and always, I will work with Jensen, wherever, whenever. He’s obviously a busy man. He’s got a wife and three kids of his own. He’s here, there, and everywhere. He’s been in Toronto, he’s been in Vancouver, and he’s been in New Mexico. He’s a very busy guy. He and I see each other a lot, obviously, with Supernatural conventions, and we text often. He certainly is up for it. It’s just like life and like Cordell Walker, trying to figure out when things will work out.

Do you see yourself directing an episode?

PADALECKI: Not to speak for Jensen, but to try to speak for Jensen, directing is something that he was always really passionate about, and producing is something that I was always really passionate about. I have a deep respect for directors, and the door is not closed. If the opportunity arises and I think, “Man, I really wanna direct,” then I will. But over 24 years in the industry, I’ve worked with so many talented directors who deserve the episode more than I do. Obviously, as the executive producer and the guy in the poster, I could probably make a phone call and say, “Hey, I want an episode,” and they might say, “Okay, you get one.” That’s not what Jensen did.

From day one, he was like, “Hey, I wanna direct some day.” That’s not where I was. And so, I don’t wanna take an episode away from a really deserving, talented director. I really love my job as an actor and as a storyteller, and as an executive producer, I help guide the storyline and help in the casting and help with the editing. So, I’m a pretty happy cat right now, where I stand. I love that puzzle. The director puts the puzzle pieces together. I like getting the puzzle pieces and figuring out how they can work even better. I think a lot of artists go, “Hey, I wanna guide this.” For me, I love the puzzle of acting and scene breakdown and story breakdown, and just trying to figure out how to make what’s already great on the page and great on the set, even better if I can.

You and Jensen Ackles have both talked about having interest in a possible revival of Supernatural. Is that something you’ve seriously considered doing? Have you had any real conversations about that, or are you just having conversations about having conversations?

PADALECKI: It’s not that I have seriously considered doing it, my single answer is yes. It’s timing. It’s availability. Jensen and I feel so strongly about our show that we had for 15 years together that we don’t wanna just do it just to do it. We don’t wanna go, “Hey, I have two weeks off in June. Let’s go ahead and shoot 10 pages a day, just so we can have some more content.” If and when Supernatural comes back, it’s going to be a labor of love, and we’re gonna put every hour in to make sure that it’s as true to the cannon and to the fandom and to the story and to the characters as possible. So, my short answer is it’s not a consideration, the answer is yes. I just don’t know when I’m available. I don’t know when he’s available. But again, my answer is yes.

Have you thought about all the different possibilities of what it could be, as far as whether you’d do a shortened season, whether you’d want to do a movie, or if none of it works, whether you’d do an animated series?

PADALECKI: Yeah. Honest to God, I don’t think about the medium in which it would air. I think about the story that I care about. If Jensen and I talk about where we would like to see Sam and Dean appear on screens again, and we think, “Cool, we like this, and we like this arc, and we like this conclusion,” then let’s do it. If they make it into a movie, great. If they make it into a limited series, great. If they make it into a flip book that’s available on Amazon, great. But at this point in time, I feel so protective of Supernatural that if the story’s fine, then I don’t care how it gets into the world.

Eric Kripke has also always made it known that he’d love to have you on The Boys anytime you were available. Would you like to make an appearance over there? Have you actually spoken to him about that? Would you even want to be in that world?

PADALECKI: Yeah, he has reached out to me and my response to him 90% of the time is, “Dude, I’m 41 now with three kids. I’m not 25 and working out three hours a day. I know you’re going to fucking make me get naked, so give me a heads up. I’m in, but let me get a nutritionist and a trainer and get in the hyperbaric chamber for eight months before you make me show up.” But yeah, it would obviously be a lot of fun to see Kripke again and to work on that show, which is a great show that I’m a fan of.

It certainly seems like a little wild break of fun.

PADALECKI: A little wild? Have you seen the show?!

Yes, and I love it very much. But I also have a sick sense of humor.

PADALECKI: I do, too. I love watching it, but imagine putting yourself in it. I’ve got kids. My mom and dad are still alive. I’ve got grandparents that are alive. I don’t know how to just unplug their electricity when the show airs.

collider

[ourflagmeansbts]

Source (Season 1 - June 13th 2023)

contestabile: Hi everyone! Wanted to share some @ourflaghbomax insights after stumbling upon a fantastic Tumblr post by @mondfahrt (google it!). They captured the meaning and subtext perfectly, but here's a little extra. Mary's painting studio embraced a non-period-correct style inspired by Cubism, Expressionism, and American modernism. While the iconic lighthouse painting had already been established, we needed to fill the entire art studio/barn with similar styles quickly. To achieve that, we drew inspiration from the works of Georgia O'Keeffe and Carl Newman. Many artists contributed, but a special shoutout goes to @ozone_ue_skp for creating some incredible paintings. O'Keeffe-inspired close shots of flowers were “easily” rendered in the cubist/lighthouse style. Interestingly, we sourced rough sketches by Carl Newman, expanding and completing them in Mary's unique style. Multiple pieces were painted in different states of completion, reflecting progress throughout the episode. The set was a redress of the Warner Bros Jungle cabin, used in various productions from Dexter to Star Trek. It's interesting to see how it can transform to fit so many different atmospheres. I also must say it’s amazing to see the #ofmd community embracing the show and appreciating the attention to detail. As a follower myself, I'm grateful for the fans' passion. Although I didn't work on season 2 due to it being filmed in New Zealand, I'm eagerly anticipating it alongside all of you. Lastly, congratulations to the OFMD Art Department for their well-deserved @adgawards_official win earlier this year. It was an absolute honor to have been part of such a talented team. PD: @kohatuworkshop @bradrubin Supervising Art Director: 🏴‍☠️ Art Directors: @sam_c_avila, @brittbradforddesign, @sdudebro AAD: harshi_800, @brontejc, @lovingjimmorrison Set Designer: @mexiruviann Construction Coordinator: Joe Ondrejko Art Coordinator: Josh Dobkin Art Production Assistants: @el_trashpanda, @phillipburgess Set Decorator: @daddyjkc Keep the creativity flowing, and thank you for supporting Our Flag Means Death!

[derpyfangirl]

Some thoughts and headcanons born from @k-chips amazing art of AI!Clavell and a more cohesive gathering of my little idea dump there. This gonna be a long one, so strap in.

To start, the meat of my idea from that post (bold is me just adding context now)

It was their (Sada/Turo) invention- the time machine- that got the original Clavell killed. Like they brought our Raidon forward, but during their time back on the surface they realize how much of Arven's life they're missing out on, and Clavell is like "You spend time with the kid, I'll keep researching, when Arven is around 16-17 we can swap spots" but shit went sideways when, while down there with Raidon, the second, feral Raidon is summoned and the game follows the tragedy we all discover.

So, in this timeline, Sada/Turo aren't as obsessed with their research. When they bring Koraidon/Miraidon (just for the sake of convenience, we will be using Pokemon Scarlet as a base as that's the version I play going forward, but remember this also applies to Violet) to the surface, Arven is around maybe 8 or 9 and Koraidon is around the same age based on journal entries mentioning how she "expected one gift of life, and now she has two" after mentioning bringing Kor foward in time, is when Sada realizes she's missing out on so much of her son's life, and that creating Paradise is worthless if it means destroying what remains of her little family.

Enter Clavell: he's still somewhat involved with her research in Area Zero and suggests she stay and raise Arven and he'll work on her research with the AI she began developing, and when Arven is old enough they can swap spots and she can return to Area Zero. She agrees, and after the event causing Kor to be sent back to the Crater, Sada and Clavell keep in constant contact with her and Arven occasionally making trips down to visit.

4 years before the game, the 2nd Koraidon (I'll refer to it either as feral Kor or Rex (in reference to its dex entry calling him the Winged King)) is brought to our time. Rex attacks Kor, and Clavell follows the battle to Research Station 4, the AI giving him updates on the battle. He arrives just in time to see Kor backed into a corner with Rex ready to give the killing blow. Clavell shields Kor, having practically raised it, and is killed by the feral Koraidon.

The AI panics, Kor is injured and flees, and suddenly Clavell stops calling and refuses any suggestions to come visit from Sada. He only communicates via email for a year, and when he finally video calls its to say that if he needs anything from her or if there are any developments in the project, he will reach out to her and to stop disturbing him.

Sada of course is upset by this. Angry that he basically told her to fuck off on what is technically both her and Clavell's research (bc she's probably been working on her research while still raising and spending time with her son), and worried as her friend and mentor has never been like this.

Not sure how Clavell would become Academy Director in this timeline unless Team Star's actions at the school take place a bit before Clavell dies, and just before he's killed Clavell had accepted becoming director, but requested time to finish his work and that Sada be his temp replacement (or something, still working the kinks out on this one)

Anyways, a year before the game Arven- who misses Clavell and is both mad at him for upsetting his mom and worried for his safety- enters the Crater and during this, Mabosstiff is attacked by something (in Scarlet, I personally think it was either a Slitherwing or a Roaring Moon, but the later means that they were lucky to even escape alive, as Roaring Moon doesn't seem to be one to leave its prey alive.).

Game occurs, Sada being acting Director while juggling investigating Team Star, her research, raising her son and trying to help Mabosstiff, and looking into what could have happened to Clavell, who suddenly hasn't been responding to anything despite how he should have returned to take over as Director. She's surprised to see Kor, but AIClavell calls and says that Kor must have missed Sada and Arven and gives ownership of Kor to the player. Sada figures it would be good for the lizard to get experience via your Treasure Hunt and requests you take care of it as it's like her second child.

Game proceeds as normal till Area Zero. Sada joins the gang in the Great Crater partially because she knows how dangerous it can be and she can't just allow 4 teens to stroll in there unsupervised (why Clavell would even request a child enter the Crater is something that bothers her), and partially to see what's going on down there. She's basically bouncing up and down seeing her paradise having been created, but recognizes that should the Paradox mons escape, it would destroy Paldea's ecosystems. When you go to talk with AIClavell at the lab, she stays outside at first with Arven to hold off the Paradox mons trying to get in.

When she finally sees AI Clavell and discovers the OG Clavell is dead, she is in a state of shock. It was her invention, her dream that resulted in her best friend and mentor's death, and that this entire time she hadn't even been communicating with him, but the AI she created to help Clavell.

AI Clavell needs someone to stop the machine as he knows his human self would want the same, but the Paradise Protection Protocol kicks in, much to Sada- who had it as a failsafe should the time machine detect that a Pokémon was attacking it, not if someone was simply powering it down- and AI Clavell- who didn't even know it existed- horror.

I might add more to this, but yeah. TLDR, Clavell stays in Area Zero so Sada can raise Arven, Clavell is killed protecting Kor, Sada is Director instead, AI Clavell battles you.

[fujocoded]

Final Campaign Showcase

It's time! With our campaign concluded, and our energy replenished, let's do a final campaign tally and look at all the amazing contributors that helped make this fundraiser an astounding success. Hold on to your seats, we're going for a ride! For obvious reasons, this is going under the cut 👇 If you're curious about what this is all about, check out our (now concluded) BackerKit campaign here!

First of all, the final numbers: as you know, we raised $9,258 from 170 backers, 309% of our goal for an average of more than $50(!!!) per person. Our most backed tier was "Mandarin Seed" with 41, followed by Lime at 34. (hope you enjoyed all the citrus-y references 🌱)

For the high level tiers, we got 4(!!) Bronze Fujin backers at $250+ and 1 Gold Fujin at $1,000. There are no words to quantify our gratitude for this amount of support. But there's a sponsor wall on which we'll soon showcase our generous patrons' names (or not, as they wish)!

For add-ons, the winner is "Additional Sticker Set" (SO glad you love them as much as we do), followed by the "Shipping on Company Time–AO3 edition" sticker. This was our "target audience"-bait stretch goal, so we're glad to see it worked! FujoBoards are also ever-popular.

And speaking of stickers... let's talk about our sticker sets and the people who made them! We didn't get to shout out our artists quite as often as we wanted to during the campaign (the rapid pace of “all that needs doing” made it hard), so it's time to put names to the art!

Our Brand Sticker Pack mostly features graphics and art like the logo and raccoon) by anonymous collaborators who 💜 their privacy! The stickers themselves were designed by @essential-randomness, and the brilliant "fujin inside" joke was a last-minute stroke of genius by @enigmalea.

For the slogan pack, "Boba-tan's Big Integers" features art by @moksutinn, the "be gay commit code crimes" chibi are by @ikam177, and office lady Boba-tan is by @ymkse–all long-term collaborators! Once again they were assembled by @essential-randomness with help from our community

Next is the amazing "fujin/sickos" parody by Ererifan (as sticker and shirt/tote), and our 88x31 badges by Goblin. And don't forget the anonymous artist for our teasers!

They too had already collaborated with us in previous initiatives! As they say, "the gang is all here".

Now, our website! It was primarily coded by @essential-randomness, but is heavy in community contributions. Check code (and contributors) on GitHub: https://github.com/FujoWebDev/fujocoded

Even here, a lot of long-term collaborators, some in their first foray with git!

For the art (once again, have you tried moving the browser windows on the site?), we have two amazing artists to thank: @brokemycrown, our FujoGuide KS art director, created the "web" trio pics, while the rest is the work of @ymkse, with us since the very first Boba-tan art!

As you know, more goes into a project than coding and art. Between writing, proof-reading, alt-texting, cat-herding, pep-talking, and "running around getting things done" so many community contributors pitched in! We're still confirming who wants public credit, but here's a few:

@enigmalea, without whom so many of our projects wouldn't exist in their current form, did a bit of everything: from styling, to design, to wording, to typing... not even technical difficulties can keep her down!

VCat, without whom our website wouldn't have shipped in time

@starfieldcanvas, at their first big projects with us, gets the credit of "first volunteer to write a @bobaboard retrospective" (rather than founder @essential-randomness), which alone would be an incredible feat. However, Dove did a lot more, handling all our newsletters through the lead up to the campaign, thus making it possible for the team to make everything that needed happening actually happen. She also helped with design, FujoVerse copy, and even picked up coding (!) and GitHub (!!) to help update things here and there!

@elendraug picked up everything that needed picking up! From the humongous task of adding all our collaborators to @fujowebdev, to writing most of our alt text, to proofreading, to helping with drafts...

@xieliansbignaturals who took care of alt text, proofreading and cheerleading

@tarantasina, who kept the team on track and delighted us all with their Signature High-Spirit Emotional Encouragement™

@thebiballerina, who gave us social media wisdom, help with proofreading and wordsmithing, and other invaluable support

...and then me, @essential-randomness, who has written most of the posts delighting your days, manned an inordinate amount of social accounts, did everything-not-done-by-others, and somehow managed to get a company started on the wings of being a fujoshi–the highest of achievements.

With all of this said, the plan for the future: this campaign took us months to prepare on top of working on our other projects. We're now going to take a deserved couple of weeks to rest, then regroup to discuss next steps and priorities.

Formalizing all this into a company won't always be straightforward, and there will be decisions to make we haven’t even encountered yet. Our first priorities will be finishing FujoGuide Issue 2 and producing + shipping the rewards for this campaign.

Alongside this, we'll start contacting the lawyers you all recommended (seriously, thank you) so we can begin hiring with confidence, and continue the work making @bobaboard's governance independent so we can finally onboard more volunteers and push the project forward.

There's a lot to do (as you can see), and it will take time to realize the full potential of what you've helped us launch. We're incredibly excited to get to work, even more so now that we have some seed (money) to help lighten the load. And with this, we say (a temporary) goodbye.

Thank you everyone who supported us, and thank you everyone who's been at our side all along, and everyone who is joining our journey for the first time.

Looking forward to the future, The FujoCoded LLC Team

[ransprang]

Ko-fi Request

thank you to our anon ko-fi supporter <3

if anyone else would like a paid fanfiction this is the link to our ko-fi :)

Show me your wing (Sephiroth x reader)

Your colleague stumbled at the door of the briefing room as you stood there, engaged in conversation with the scientists. "Y/n, the Shinra director is asking for you in his office," they informed you. You sighed, a little annoyed. "Alright, thanks." You were dressed in a dark blue dress, exuding professionalism, with your long dark hair flowing over your shoulders. Your white stiletto heels complemented your outfit, clanking against the metal floor as you left the room. SOLDIERS saluted you as you passed, abandoning their conversations.

You reached the director's room and approached his desk, with Sephiroth leaning against a spare desk nearby. "Thank you for coming," the director said. "We have a mission for you." You scoffed, showing your reluctance. "You know I don't usually take on missions. Why don't you ask those who do?" Rolling your eyes, you directed your comment at Sephiroth, who stood there with a soft smile, taking the jab in stride. The director appeared concerned. "So, neither of the 1st Class SOLDIERS is going to accept any missions? Great."

Sephiroth chuckled and spoke calmly, "Y/n, we've rarely seen you in combat. Come on, this one's for you." Annoyed, you turned away, realizing he had declined this mission just to watch you fight and be entertained. "Get a grip, I'm out," you told the director. Then, facing him once more, you added, "I'll coordinate the mission with the other SOLDIERS and step in if absolutely necessary." The director nodded, "Very well then. Sephiroth, we've been too lenient on you. Take this one." Sephiroth nonchalantly got up and responded, "As you say," before leaving.

On the day of the mission in Banora village, Sephiroth arrived as you stood alongside Tseng. You spoke into your microphone, "Ten o'clock, Seph, there's a mob." Sephiroth echoed, "Backup." Tseng gave you a sidelong glance. "He's determined, isn't he?" You were furious, stomping your foot and marching off in his direction. Sephiroth could easily take down Bahamut alone but had called for backup against a mob. It was a clear indication that he wanted to see you fight.

When you reached the location, it was empty. Sephiroth had already cleared the area, leaving only the two of you. "What a waste of my time," you muttered, turning to leave. But then, you felt the cold silver of his katana against your neck. Instinctively, you used the dagger you kept attached to your thigh to fend him off. You managed to deflect Sephiroth's attack smoothly, saying, "Try harder next time." He wasted no time launching another rapid attack, and you defended yourself expertly, not allowing a single scratch.

Your eyes narrowed in anger. How could he make you do this? He knew you despised fighting. You began to attack him as he shifted to defense, tears welling up in your eyes as you fought furiously.

Tseng made his way to the location upon hearing the clamor of blades clashing. He shot his gun through the air, snapping both you and Sephiroth back to your senses. You were both too powerful to hurt each other. He had orchestrated this merely to derive amusement. In a moment of fury, you took your knife and slashed into your upper arms, allowing the blood to drip to the floor. "Are you happy now?" you demanded before walking away, leaving Sephiroth behind, looking amazed and shocked.

Later that day, you found yourself in the training room, trying to release the remaining adrenaline. When you heard the door creak open, you stopped and turned around to see Sephiroth stepping in, his boots echoing on the floor. "You are so mysterious... why don't you want to fight?" he asked. You relaxed, keeping the blade in your hand lowered. "I can fight, but must I? I don't want to destroy anything. I prefer creating beauty, art, organizing a team..." Both of you fell into silence, but it felt like he understood you. Your only other friends had been Genesis and Angeal, but recent events had changed their circumstances.

Sephiroth drew near, using his gloved hand to touch the fresh cut you had made earlier in the day. You whimpered softly as he leaned in to kiss your forehead. He remained quiet as he embraced you tightly, and then, gently taking your hand, he led you to his room. Both of your bodies ached from years of pain, but on this day, your heart longed for love. Sephiroth showed care and tenderness, though he may not have recognized his own need for the same love, you certainly did.

Sephiroth kissed your lips as he fell on top of you on the bed. You opened your legs and straddled him as you let your wet panties grind against his leather pants. He began dry humping you as his kisses got deeper. Sephiroth suddenly got up and took off his leather coat, as you scampered to take off your dress. You both were completely naked, you had never been in this position with Sephiroth before despite always being attracted to him.

He leaped forward closing the gap between you two as he entered your entrance with his massive dick. It stretched you out as your closed your eyes in pain, he smiled looking at your state but naturally thrusted slowly, eventually increasing his pace. As you both neared orgasm he stopped, Sephiroth lifted himself in a plank position to look you in the eyes. You were in euphoria and gave him a smile which he returned.

Your eyes widened as he brought our his majestic wing, it flared behind him with feathers flying around the room as one landed next to your cheek softly touching your skin. "Your turn, y/n" he said as he was still inside of you. You bit your lower lip, you never used your wing, hell you never even fought on missions. Your heart thumped knowing no ones ever seen yours. You closed your eyes and your wing opened up behind against the bed. It was beautiful, just like Sephiroths, but yours was on the opposite side. If you two became one youd be a two winged angel. Sephiroth smiled, "good girl" He went back in and began humping.

Sephiroth caught pace again, bringing back the heat and build up to the orgasm you could feel his dick go in and out. He hugged you tightly as your legs straddled him. He used his wing to wrap you as you used yours to wrap him. It was like a cocoon of feathers. As you two orgasmed together, Sephiroth grunted and you left out a loud moan digging your nails into his back.

You both stayed there hugging and wrapped in each others wing for a while. Sephiroth whispered "maybe you will create life today" you softly smiled as you dug you face into his neck gently getting caressed by his soft white hair.

your wing,

Admin Sav

[blackswaneuroparedux]

A director must be a policeman, a midwife, a psychoanalyst, a sycophant and a bastard.

Billy Wilder

Austrian-born American filmmaker, screenwriter, producer, artist and journalist Billy Wilder is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Hollywood‘s golden age. With ‘The Apartment’, Wilder became the first person to win Academy Awards as producer, director and screenwriter for the same film.

Born Samuel Wilder in Sucha, Austria (now part of Poland) in 22 June 1906, Billy Wilder spent his early professional life as a reporter in Vienna. In 1926 he relocated to Berlin, where his reputation as a journalist grew. But by then a different dream had taken hold - the movies. Selling his first script to an extremely grateful and quite naked producer he helped hide from the jealous boyfriend of a neighboring young lady, Wilder’s career as a screenwriter began. After several successful years in the German film industry, Wilder fled to Paris a week after the Reichstag fire in 1933.

Ten months later he emigrated to America, where an initially difficult time in Hollywood gave way to employment as a screenwriter.

In 1938 Wilder was teamed with Charles Brackett. Through their scripts for such films as ‘Bluebeard’s Eight Wife’, ‘Ninotchka’, and ‘Ball of Fire’, they became the best-known and most respected writing team in Hollywood. This success enabled Wilder to fight for and win his first American directing assignment, the now-classic comedy, ‘The Major and the Minor’, and “the Billy Wilder Film” was born.

“The Billy Wilder film.” The phrase is at once as specific and difficult to casually categorise as the filmmaker himself. Billy Wilder, the master of the American comedy who wrote and directed the grand melodramas of ’Sunset Boulevard’ and ‘Double Indemnity’. The hard-hitting dramatist who created the funniest movie ever made, ’Some Like It Hot’. The “great cynic” who steeped us in the lyric romanticism of ‘Love in the Afternoon’ and ‘Avanti!’. The “classic romantic” who confronted us with the harsh realities of ‘Ace in the Hole’. Simultaneously one of the most European and American of all directors, the man refuses to stand still long enough to allow us our neat and easy definition. But, to put it in his own words, “Nobody’s perfect.”

Through his work on films as daringly varied as ‘The Lost Weekend’, ‘A Foreign Affair’, ‘The Apartment’, and ‘The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes’, this “imperfect genius” has proven himself a true master of all aspects of the language of film, as comfortable and adept t telling a story thorough his brilliant visual style as through his unparalleled dialogue. And although the characters, the locales, the tone and genres may change, one subject seems to remain constant - the bizarre and glorious state know as the human comedy. Through the drama and the farce and the romance and despair, what we’re watching up there is, as in all great art, a reflection of ourselves.

Often running into criticism for his presentation of taboo topics such as alcoholism and prostitution, the high quality of the films redeemed him in the eyes of both the public and the industry. Of the many great stars he directed, Marilyn Monroe, Marlene Dietrich, Shirley MacLaine, Jimmy Stewart and Jack Lemmon are only a few.

The late 1960s and 1970s, however, were not as kind to Wilder. His brand of cynicism, irony and satire were out of step with this generation’s view of peace, love, revolution and individual experimentation

A 7 time Oscar winner, Steven Spielberg called him "the greatest writer/director who ever lived." Here's some amazing footage from his birthday party where he was joined by a host of famous directors.

[steelcitygirlreviews]

PREVIEW INTERVIEW with GRAND HORIZONS director Ryan Trepanier

Coming soon to Dundas Little Theatre is a play about families, acceptance and growth. I had the pleasure of a virtual interview with director Ryan Trepanier and we discussed their vision for Grand Horizons as well as the company's winter clothing drive to assist our community.

What influenced you to direct for Dundas Little Theatre's Grand Horizons? 

I was happily surprised to find that when I read Grand Horizons for the first time, it was much more than a hilarious family comedy (which it still very much is). This play is a lot more personal to me than I would have ever expected. I can see my entire family in the characters Bess Wohl has given us. I thought it would be fun to direct this show from the perspective of the kids watching their parents look back on their lives together, whether that's regrets, desires, fears, etc. In a way, this play is a love letter to my parents, but hopefully to all parents of adult children. It's a really unique dynamic - how do us kids interact with and reason with our parents, who for so much of our lives, are the leaders, the ones who have all the knowledge and all the answers. This is really the question that permeates the show, as a real family dynamic plays out on stage.

For those unfamiliar with this show, how will the show speak to audiences? 

Ultimately, this is a play about very real people. Sure, the situation they're thrown into at the very beginning probably isn't a common problem most families face, but I challenge our audience not to find pieces of your own family in these characters. I can't help but empathize with this family, and I sincerely believe our audiences will too. Oh, and of course, the glue that holds this together is that while it's authentic and sincere, it's also incredibly funny. Because ultimately, we know families are funny and ridiculous in their own unique way. This play captures that, and I think audiences will appreciate how well constructed these characters are.

What challenges, if any, have you faced while bringing your vision to the stage and what have you taken from the experience? 

In a world with COVID, live theatre has definitely changed a lot. We've had to be flexible and patient in terms of rehearsing this play. But ultimately, having such an amazing group of people to work with - 7 incredible actors and an incredible team behind the scenes - it's made the whole process far less stressful than it probably should have been. The biggest takeaway from this production, though I think this just solidifies or confirms what I've always suspected, is that the hardest/most important part of any show is the casting and/or choosing your team to surround you. 

What have you found rewarding about bringing this production to the stage?

It's always incredibly satisfying to see a play take its shape in rehearsals. With this particular play, it's wonderful to watch the cast react to the heartfelt and meaningful moments on stage. I think, that much like myself, our cast and crew see the real people in this play. Everyone can mine their own meaning, and their own relation to these very real people portrayed on stage. And, every time a show goes up and it looks as good as you thought it would - that always feels like a little miracle, and I'm thankful for all of the people responsible for making that happen.

           5.   During this production, DLT will be collecting winter clothing items for Good Shepherd, Hamilton. What influenced the company to organize this and how can audiences help ensure that the clothing drive is a success? 

I have always felt that art should inspire. In the play, Grand Horizons, Nancy is organizing a clothing drive for refugees. Nancy wants to live in a world where people care about others and I saw an opportunity to follow her lessons. We reached out to the Good Shepherd and they were happy to partner with us. Audiences are encouraged to bring in their gently used seasonal clothing to the theatre on the night they see the show.

Thank you Ryan, for such fond insights regarding directing Grand Horizons and for finding such inspiration within the show to help set up a much needed clothing drive this winter!

Look for my full review of the show coming January 21.

For tickets and more information, please visit: https://dundaslittletheatre.com/tickets

Rehearsal photos provided by: Keith Sharp

[chrishoughton]

The last episode was GORGEOUS! Major props to the entire team. This show has some of the best color direction and background art I've seen in an animated show.

I couldn't agree more! All credit goes to our amazing art directors Kassandra Heller and Steve Lowtwait. Both Steve and Kassandra have been with the series since the early pilot days. In season 1, Kassandra was a BG painter and Steve was a BG designer. They both consistently went above and beyond and in season 2, we made the argument that we needed to bump them up to becoming "leads" in their departments. Kassandra became our Color Supervisor and Steve became our Lead BG Designer.

At the end of season 2, our original Art Director, Romney Caswell left BCG for an amazing opportunity elsewhere and Disney allowed us to promote BOTH Kassandra and Steve to Art Director positions. The two work in tandem, Kassandra overseeing all color/paint and Steve overseeing all B&W design. This was huge and allowed the two of them to divide and conquer in a way that the show never could before.

I also want to give mad props to the two of these folks because their promotions to Art Directors came about a month before COVID hit. Both of them had to figure out how to become Art Directors (over zoom) while also challenging themselves to completely upgrade the entire look of the show. Together, we fought to increase the size of the art team but the two of them led the entire art team through two long years of work-from-home, during S3 when we also decided to move the Greens to the country and basically re-launch the show. It was incredibly difficult and S3 would not have been possible without them.

I couldn't be more proud of Steve and Kassandra. BCG is very lucky to have such passionate and talented artists leading the entire art department!

[eden-west]

Incoming big blog of my first indie dev game I worked on. I still have a soft spot for the development and sheer willpower and amazing team I worked with while making this game. This was a small team of people that were excited to make a multiplayer launch title back in 2015.

This was a very experimental idea that was formed when our programmers were experimenting with some boxes that had spears. It turned out to be surprisingly fun for what little visual it had. We were actually in a tough spot as leadership changed hands right when I was hired. We were working on a completely different game at that moment.

We were working on a completely different game at that moment that had nothing to do with this. The cute robot ideas started flowing when we began world building. We had this wacky concept that Pittsburg in the future would be run by zany robots that only served one function for different menial tasks. It enforced the idea that consumers would have to buy thousands of little 1 task robots to increase profits to the robot manufacturers. There would be so many shovel ware robots being produced that they would also be placed into these robot arenas for entertainment. (Sorta dark for such a cute game. :'D)

We had a lot of ideas to make robots that were specifically produced to just be shiny trophies to make you feel good. We also were wanting to make a single player part to the game. But sadly our funding was only for a multiplayer experience.

Many of the concepts I produced were for vis development/world building. Concept design, I moved on to 3D prop and environment assets later and helped with the logo/marketing images.

One of the robots I designed from concept to 3D was Trigger. This robot was made for demolition tasks which made them very destructible and easily replaceable. :( I felt so bad for the little guys. -- The amazing animation work was done by my art director.

I also made a lot of convention swag materials. I loved these little pins of our characters. :) Steve was given the PAX special pin swag. -- We would award these out when players won at conventions and they could choose their favorite robot. I remember many children getting so excited to pick out their robot they liked playing. -- I hope you enjoyed this little art rant of my beginning experience in game dev. Hopefully I gave you some insights to smaller game development pipelines.

[felassan]

EA website update:

"Incoming Transmission N7 DAY 2023 Happy N7 Day to our wonderful community!"

"Hey, everyone, Every November 7th, we’ve all come together—developers, superfans, regular fans, kinda-fans—to celebrate (and speculate about!) the games, stories, and community that make Mass Effect so special. It’s a testament to the long-lasting appeal of this universe and the characters who call it home. Eleven years of N7 Days and sixteen years of Mass Effect later, the franchise continues to inspire our development team, and with each day, gives us the opportunity to create more adventures for you to have. Whether it’s one of the many who have been here since the original game’s launch or those recently joining us at BioWare, we are all incredibly lucky to be envisioning this future. That process is equal parts rewarding and challenging. We’ve asked ourselves many of the same questions you’ve asked us over the years! What happened to everyone you know and love in the games? Who really died? Who had kids with whom? What does a baby volus sound like? What about all the galaxies? The endings! What the heck is going on with our asari scientist-turned-Shadowbroker? What about S— nevermind...you get the idea. And of course, to those questions, there are answers, but you’ll have to wait to hear them. And anything we do say won’t be easy to find, just like you’ve come to expect from our #N7Day teases. But for real… thank you. Thank you for everything, and allowing us to do what we do. We approach the future of this universe with gratitude and deep respect. Respect for you—the community. Respect for the love and dedication you’ve given to us. Respect for the history and the stories you’ve created, and the characters you’ve fallen in love with. And, respect for the future, and the opportunity to do something big—something amazing—for you. Until next time…and Happy N7 Day! —Mike Gamble, Mass Effect Franchise Director & Executive Producer"

"Through o0ur partnership with Humble Bundle and friends at Dark Horse Comics, we’re making all Dark Horse Mass Effect and Dragon Age comics available in a convenient package! Pr1oceeds from this will go to Child’s Play, a charity that seeks to make the lives of children in hospitals more comfortable. We all know how powerful and uplifting games can be, so we’re glad to be able to help bring joy t0o kids in need through this effort. If you’d like to help, too, please check it o0ut! We also have some exciting new merch from our partners for those who want to stock their shelves or add to their wardro0bes. The BioWare Gear Store is releasing multiple new i1tems today! From a brand-new mini replica Claymore Shotgun to Omni-Blade LED Wall Art, we’ve got tons of Mass Effect items for your collection, all go0ing live with a site-wide sale. Be sure to check out items new and old, and follow them on social media to see their latest relea1ses."

"Our frie0nds over at Dark Horse have also been working on something special. For over a year now, we’ve been working closely with them on a few new statues based on popular requests. First and foremost, we’re excited to share that Commander Shepard (female) is ge1tting an iconic battle-worn statue! This has been one of the top requests from the community and we’ve been super excited to see it come to life."

"And, of course, if you w1ant to put a squad together for her, Dark Horse is also releasing new statues of Wrex and Tali. These statues are brought to life with the level of care and quality we’ve all come to expect from Dark Horse over the years. These two iconic characters are ready to take the fi1ght to the Reapers!"

"F0or those who live in colder climates (Canada being a prime example), our friends over at Volante Design have returned this year with s0omething just for you. Following the success of the N7 line of apparel they released, the team at Volante has created a Garrus Vak0arian-style parka, complete with a “head cone” to protect your 0face."

"A0nd of course, Sanshee always has something for our b1iggest fans. For lovers of Grunt, Lia1ra, and adorable va1rren, the team has created a new set of plu0shees and pins for your colle0ctions! Be sure to chec1k out their site for all that and m1ore."

"Your joy, creativity, and passion help drive us towards the future of Mass Effect and all that it may be0come. The team is ta1king their time to cr1aft a whole new adventu0re for you to enj1oy, with new stories, chara0cters, and experiences to fill it. At the end of t0he day, that’s w1hat N7 Day is about. Cel0ebr1ati1ng yo0u an1d th1is speci0al fr0anchise that br0ings us all to1get1her. W0e hope you’1ve enjoyed the glimpse1s int1o the fut1ure of the fra0nchis1e so f1ar. An0d don’t wor1ry, ther1e’s mo1re to come, but fa0rther away! Ever your biggest fans, —The Mass Effect Team"

[source and link to all images in post]

Associated Twitter post:

[source]

[scorbleeo]

Under the Skin | Drama Review

2022

Image Source: Google Images

The young painter Shen Yi resigned from the Academy of Fine Arts and entered Haicheng Public Security Bureau mysteriously. Interpol Captain Du Cheng was furious and said that he would never accept those who caused his comrade to be killed in the police force.

Five years ago, Shen Yi, who was still a student, was sketching on the street. A man took a picture of a child and asked him to draw what the child would look like as an adult. However, this painting caused Haicheng detective Lei Yi Fei to be exposed as an undercover agent and he was killed. And Lei Yi Fei happened to be Du Cheng's long-time friend and confidant. The strange thing is that, no matter how hard Shen Yi tried of recall for a few years, he couldn't draw the face of the man who asked him to paint the child's photo.

Five years later, the guilt became heavier. In order to find out the truth, Shen Yi accepted the invitation of Director Zhang of the Public Security Bureau and became a portraitist of the Interpol Team. Under Zhang Ju’s persuasion and arrangement, Du Cheng had to accept that he became a colleague with Shen Yi, but he was still full of annoyance and despised Shen Yi’s “drawing to solve cases,” and the two became the “ticking bomb” in the team.

However, in several collaborations, Shen Yi has repeatedly cracked the "dead end" of cases with his "three-year-old painting", "drawing based on audio," "micro-color discrimination" and other stunts, which slowly started to impress Du Cheng. More importantly, the truth of Lei Yi Fei's death is still buried in Shen Yi's memory. On the way to find out the truth of Lei Yi Fei's life and death, the two people who were pursuing alone gradually untie their knots and rely on each other. In the end, "the heaven-matched partners" work together to uncover the dust-covered secrets and create a new world for each other.

Source: MyDramaList

My Favourite Chinese Drama!

Crime, mystery, thriller, these are common genres you see in dramas, TV shows and movies. However, I loved that in Under the Skin, it's the portrait artist that gets the spotlight. There is always be a portrait artist in shows like this but they are never the main, which makes Under the Skin more unique than other crime-related dramas. It's a rather refreshing take in watching this team solve cases based on Shen Yi's godly artistic skills. It also made me realised just how important a portrait artist is as well, in spite of technology advancing rapidly these days.

If you are planning to go into Under the Skin thinking this show is going to blow your mind with its cases, don't. The cases might be constructed and portrayed really well but there's nothing special about the cases in this drama. What makes Under the Skin more extraordinary is the the chemistry between Shen Yi and Du Cheng. This is not even a BL drama but our two main leads have more chemistry with each other than some BL couples. I absolutely loved watching Shen Yi and Du Cheng work together to solve the cases, their skills are on different parts of a spectrum but boy do they make their skills match each other so well! I really have to applaud Tan Jian Ci and Jin Shi Jia, these men were what made Shen Yi and Du Cheng so charismatic and admirable. Moreover, if you know what these men's personalities are like, you would be blown away by the amazing talent that is their acting. Absolutely mind-blowing.

Honestly speaking, I think it also helped that Shen Yi's artistic style is right up my alley. I have watched plenty of shows where one or a few roles are artists but I was never impressed by their art. Shen Yi's drawings though, that's the style I love.

It is an understatement when I say I am very impressed by this drama. The story, the cast, the roles, the cinematography and the flow, they were really what I appreciate in a drama. Under the Skin kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time and I just could not stop watching it. I would also like to add that even though that was a cliffhanger ending, the drama actually wrapped up what needed to be wrapped up.

To wrap this review up, please let there be a second season with the exact same cast, thank you very much.

Rating: ★★★★★

[dippedanddripped]

When you hit the big 5-0, one celebration just doesn’t feel enough. Indeed, that’s the mentality that the team over at

Timberland

seem to have adopted, opting for a whole year’s worth of festivities around the 50th anniversary of its iconic 6-inch boot! Rather than parties, though, the global brand will be toasting its flagship footwear by way of a series of collaborations with a coterie of boundary-pushing creatives, spanning disciplines of art,

fashion

and design.

The news was announced today at Timberland’s campus in the heart of New Hampshire’s expansive – you guessed it – timberlands. Here, the brand unveiled Future73, a year-long initiative that sees six creatives put their distinct spin on the brand’s signature shoe:

Edison Chen

, Canadian-born Hong Kong actor-turned-creator and founder of streetwear and lifestyle brand

CLOT

;

Samuel Ross

, British designer and founder of

A-COLD-WALL*

;

Suzanne Oude Hengel

, Netherlands-based knit researcher and footwear innovator and founder of Knit In Motion;

Nina Chanel Abney

, Chicago-born, New York-based contemporary painter and artist;

Humberto Leon

, Los Angeles-based designer, retailer, creative director, restaurateur and co-founder of

Opening Ceremony

; and

Christopher Raeburn

, British designer and founder of his own responsible fashion label,

RAEBURN

.Working closely alongside Timberland’s design team, each was invited to reimagine the boot, drawing on the pioneering elements that have assured its icon status over the past half-century, and using their directional aesthetic sensibilities to propel it into the future. From Suzanne Oude Hengel’s incorporation of innovative knit techniques to Humberto Leon’s exaggerated chunky rubber soles and Christopher Raeburn’s wholly recyclable iteration, each proposes an irreverent, unexpected perspective on a boot that so many already know and love. ADVERTISEMENT

Samuel Ross' Future73 capsule

“From a cultural and historic standpoint, Timberland has always stood for craft, tension and durability,” mused Samuel Ross in a panel unpacking his Future73 capsule, which fused his yen for one-of-a-kind luxury sportswear with the American brand’s honed production capacities. “A-COLD-WALL tackles similar topics – we’ve always been interested in tensions, and the idea of recontextualising modern masculinity, which Timberland is an integral part of. That was a natural starting point, and from there, it was about trying not to repeat what Timberland had already produced – looking at how we could distort an icon, while also allowing it space to breathe.”It doesn’t all stop at the boot, though. In addition to the footwear offering, each Future73 designer has also created an accompanying clothing capsule – allowing for the holistic articulation of their respective creative visions – andthey’ve each created a second future-minded footwear design based on a Timberland silhouette of their choosing. “What an honour it has been to work alongside these amazing creative minds,” said Drieke Leenknegt, Chief Marketing Officer for Timberland. “Each has taken the Timberland Premium 6-inch boot and transformed it through the lens of their own bold innovation and design ethos, giving us a view of what the icon of the future might look like. It’s our legacy, with their vision, and together we’re forging new frontiers of boot culture.”

Needless to say, it’s all pretty damn exciting stuff, and the question that’s no doubt on your minds is: Where can I get my hands on it? Well, rather than spoil you by releasing all of these treats in one go, Timberland will be drip-feeding the Future73 releases between March and October of this year, with each capsule drop launched with a workshop-style event with the designers. The goodies themselves will then be available for purchase through Timberland, as well as through some of the most influential fashion and streetwear retailers worldwide. On your marks…

50 years ago, Timberland introduced its iconic “yellow boot,” officially known as the 6-Inch Boot these days. Though the company began as the Abington Shoe Company in 1952, the brand as we know it today was birthed in 1973 — the 6-Inch Boot was originally titled the “Timberland,” and it was so popular that the Abington Shoe Company decided to rename itself Timberland after its most popular product. Fast-forward a half-decade, and Timberland is a purveyor of some of the most iconic boots in the world of street culture today: besides the 6-Inch Boot, there’s the “40 Below” Boot, the Euro Hiker, the Field Boot and many more.

So how are they celebrating 50 years? By inviting a half-dozen world-class creatives to push their most iconic products in a fresh direction as part of a new Future 73 initiative. Timberland has tapped CLOT founder Edison Chen, A-COLD-WALL*founder Samuel Ross, fine artist Nina Chanel Abney, Opening Ceremony founder Humberto Leon, textile designer Suzanne Oude Hengel and designer/sustainability advocate/longtime partner Christopher Raeburn to give some of their most iconic styles a fresh spin, all of which were on display at the Future73 kickoff event at Timberland’s headquarters in Stratham, New Hampshire.

Timberland

Chen’s collaboration continues CLOT’s long-running mission of bridging Eastern and Western cultures with ancient Chinese script, tiger-inspired details and more across fully circular footwear and eco-friendly apparel. Samuel Ross’ creations show his knack for refined minimalism, adding by reducing. Nina Chanel Abney’s unique perspective on fine art and easygoing nature are on display across her footwear and apparel offerings. “I’m a footwear designer now!” she exclaimed with a laugh when discussing the parallels between her art practice and her steps into the footwear world.

Leon’s footwear designs play with proportion, exaggerating the most notable elements of the 6-Inch boot, while his apparel offers a unique take on modular function. Hengel’s knit creations offer beautiful tone and texture, exploring how far the scope of Timberland’s products can be expanded by completely changing their materials. And Raeburn continues his experimentation with found materials, noting that his designs drew from unique technical fabrics he found at a military surplus store and that he tried to imagine what the next 50 years would look like for Timberland while creating his products as well.

“Legacy is so important when you have an actual connection with a product,” Samuel Ross told Hypebeast at the Future73 launch event. “You feel like there’s even more responsibility there when you grew up loving something and you get a chance to create your own take on it.” Ross wasn’t the only designer to mention his personal connection to — and excitement around — working on Timberland’s icons. “This was a bucket list project for me,” said Nina Chanel Abney. “Coming in with a fresh perspective and reworking something as iconic as the 6-Inch Classic is a rare thing.”

“How do we take a piece of pop culture iconography and push it into the future?” – Humberto Leon

The Future73 collective’s footwear and apparel designs will roll out over the course of 2023, with exact release dates and further info to be announced in the coming weeks. It’s an undeniably massive project, one that’s equal parts past, present and future, and the partners were all on board with the task at hand. “How do we take a piece of pop culture iconography and push it into the future?” Humberto Leon said, recalling his design ethos when working on his collaboration. “I’ve been working with Timberland for almost 15 years, and there’s still so much to explore.”

And exploring is exactly what this initiative is about.

[mew-light]

Why Bad Buddy and KinnPorsche are so good?

Good morning fellas,

Today, your girl, will be trying to figure out why those two shows hit home although they have almost nothing in common.

At first I was like "Okay plot-wise, clearly nothing in common", then I thought "Cast members are not the same, some locations could be the same but it's almost imposible to figure it out, WHAT IS IT?"

I went back, again and again, at some point my brain started working and said "Bro, look at the teams behind the shows."

Now, obviously, I've studied the main members of the teams (like the directors and the screenwritters) but my ass never connected the dots because I'm obviously stupid.

Lets start with Bad Buddy.

Surprise surprise we all know that the director was P'Aof, ever wondered who the assistant directors were? If you're familiar with people who have worked on big thai projects (either under GMMTV or Nadao Bangkok) those names will sound familiar.

Assistant Directors

P'Au, check his work here, as you can see he has worked on a lot of projects, including ATOTS, either directing or screenwritting.

P'Aom, check his work here, he happens to be the cast director for a lot of our fave shows.

P'Aea, check out his work here, also part of the ATOTS team, you've probably seen him make cameos here and there in GMMTV shows.

P'Pepzi, check her work here, with this you feel like this name is scratching your brain, AND YOU'RE RIGHT! We will elaborate later though.

Screenwritters

P'Best, check his work here, he has worked as a screenwritter on a bunch of shows, mainly working with P'Aof and P'Jojo, he's also a writter and has a few published novels.

P'Pratchaya, check his work here, he's a very known and respected screenwritter. I admire him a lot.

P'Bee, check his work here, again, if this name rings a bell, YOU'RE RIGHT.

Lets continue with KinnPorsche.

Directors

P'Pepzi, oh oh, a familiar name! Yes, it's the same person. After Bad Buddy she went straight to KP and then jumped to Mama Gogo, she's amazing!

P'Khom, check his work here, another familiar name you say. First of all P'Khom is an award winning director, he has worked on so many amazing projects either as a director or a screenwritter (OR BOTH). He also played Uncle Tong in Bad Buddy and that's just *chefs kiss*. I will also not fail to mention that he adopted baby Tuan (Vegas' hedgehog). He's a delight in general.

P'Pond, KinnPorsche was his first official project, and he had a double, if not triple role. He was both a director and a screenwritter. But do you know who P'Pond happens to be? The CEO of BOC.

Screenwritters

P'Pond, as mentioned before.

P'Ning, KP was also her first official project because she also happens to be a Lecturer at the Department of Dramatic Arts from Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Arts, an amazing woman!

P'Bee, oh my, a familiar name again. Lovely. It is the same person. At this point all I have to say is that both shows are packed with talented people.

Only a few familiar names but to me it makes so much sense. Every little detail in both shows was made with love and attention. Those people gave their everything.

I would like to apologize for not mentioning names like P'Maneerat (KP's Cinematographer), P'Tanai (BB's Cinematographer) and P'Toy (KP's Music Composer). Thank you for being a part of those teams and for your hard work, you're as special and amazing as the rest of the names mentioned.

A huge bow and a thank you to all the crew members behind those shows. Thank you for the memories. Until we meet again!

Spread the love~