#what's her job? screenwriter or a director like she wanted

[lastofthe20thcenturygirls]

is it monday yet? when will it be monday?? can it be monday now????

[jq37]

Please let us know if you solve this mystery!

OK! It’s the end of the year so let me compile everything I was able to come up with (with the help of everyone I dragged into this–you know who you are and thank you and I’m sorry). 

To anyone who’s just seeing this and doesn’t have context, in November, right before the movie Wish came out, I made a longish post questioning who Allison Moore was (which, incidentally, is the first post that comes up when you Google “Allison Moore Disney”).

The reason I was curious about who this random writer is is because she’s credited as one of the co-writers of Wish, Disney’s 100th Anniversary Feature Film BUT she has no obvious experience writing for animation, children, or fantasy when everyone else on the main team has credits on stuff like Frozen and Encanto. I thought it was bizarre that there would be someone so green on a project so big so I went digging. 

Here’s what I learned:

(1) Moore wasn’t originally announced as being attached to the project. Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, and Fawn Veersunthorn were all mentioned when the project was officially announced in Sept 2022 (for example). Moore was not. And you’d think they’d mention the *co-writer*, right? You don’t start to see her name until a year later in Sept 2023 when the trailer dropped (for example). So it seems like she was brought onto the project later. Of course, this could just be a normal quirk of the industry or something I’m misinterpreting, but I think it’s worth mentioning. 

(2) Moore seems to have a lot more credits in stage writing than she does in screenwriting. I wasn’t able to 100% confirm it until recently (I’ll get to that in a second) but she’s written a bunch of plays and it seems like this is where she has most of her bona fides. 

“Allison is the recipient of two Jerome Fellowships, two McKnight Advancement Grants and the Bush Artist Fellowship.”

That sounds fancy. But it still doesn’t say “Top Choice for Disney Anniversary Movie” to me. That’s not a statement on writing quality. I haven’t read/seen any of her plays. It’s about the subject matter. Look at some of these synopses:

None of that really screams Disney. Which isn’t to say people can’t have range. George Miller wrote all the Mad Maxes but also Babe and both Happy Feet. But if I was hiring someone for a really big project, I wouldn’t want that project to be their first attempt at expanding into that genre. 

(3) This isn’t actually inherently important but she was on an episode of Nailed it. That’s where this picture comes from:

She won the first round and the game ended in a three way tie for the first time in the show’s history. 

The only reason this is noteworthy in the larger scale of things is that, until very recently, this was one of only two places online you could see Allison Moore talking. The other is this very short interview on the red carpet during the premiere. 

There’s nothing in that interview that explains anything. It’s mainly her talking about how it was fun working on the movie and how good the movie is. 

Honestly, good for her for not being Extremely Online, but it really felt like I could get a bit of a handle on everyone else who’d worked on this project in a high profile way but not her. Which is part of why I started down this rabbit hole to begin with. There was nothing to show where she might have had a connection or an interest or anything that would connect the dots. 

For reference, Fawn (who was one of the Directors and story writers) has the kind of resume that I was expecting Moore to have when I initially Googled her:

Smaller jobs on other kids/animated movies (Hop, The Lorax, Despicable Me 2), some storyboard or art work on other Disney stuff (Frozen, Moana, Zootopia, Ralph), and then a big break (Raya and Wish). Based on my understanding of the industry (and I know a fair bit because it’s one I’m interested in professionally) that’s a very typical track to get to the writing side of animation.  

A couple of people speculated that Moore got onto the project in a mentorship capacity. Now, I’m a Black woman who writes fiction professionally when I’m not on this hellsite (affectionate) with the rest of y’all. That means I have firsthand experience with what mentorship looks like in writing–both official Diversity and Inclusion type mentorship and more organic “Let me take you under my wing” type mentorship. I have *never* seen anyone get a job this high profile at the jump just due to mentorship alone. Going from zero to Disney’s 100th anniversary is kinda insane. This wasn’t some B project or something. It was a Big Deal Project. And this is Disney so they could have hired basically anyone they wanted. So you have to assume this was an active decision someone made and not just a thing that happened for lack of options. But in all my searching, Moore wasn’t mentioned except to just say she wrote the screenplay with Jennifer Lee. It was just the baking show and the Youtube clip.

Until today.

(4) I’m going to preface this by saying this doesn’t actually answer the question in a big AHA! way, but it is the only interview I’ve seen about Wish from Moore besides the red carpet clip.

On December 15th, Moore gave this interview with the San Antonio Current.

I stumbled across it while searching for a different piece of information and eagerly clicked to see what she had to say after three weeks of silence after the movie dropped on November 22.

Here are some highlights:

-In high school she was a theater kid and thought she wanted to pursue acting. 

-I college she did playwriting and eventually she got her MFA from Iowa (which has a weirdly great MFA program btw, and also, this interview is how I confirmed she was the playwright Allison).

-When she started on the theater track at her college, she told them she was a playwright so she could study that too even though she’d never written a play before. So it sounds like Wish isn’t the first time she’s just jumped into a new thing without experience. You have to respect the hustle.

But this is the most important line in the interview because it’s like, an answer and a non-answer all in one. She’s asked, “How did you go from writing plays to writing for TV and film?”

And her answer is, “I had a whole career writing for theater, and then when my son was born, I realized I needed to make more money, so I started pitching for TV. I worked in television for about a decade. In the midst of working in TV, I continued playwriting. That's how I got on the radar at Disney.”

Which kind of sidesteps the most intriguing part of the question? Like, first of all, it’s not 100% clear if she means her playwriting or her TV writing caught Disney’s attention. I’m guessing playwriting, but I could be wrong. Secondly, who is “Disney” in this situation? A Disney recruiter? A Disney director? Did Jennifer Lee see a production of Slasher: A Horrifying comedy while passing through Texas and think, “Her. I want her to be my co-writer on this children’s film.” And what did she do to impress them so much that they right away put her on the the *Anniversary Project*? Like, I know I keep harping on this but I can’t stress enough how big of a deal this is. It’s hard enough to write for just your average sitcom or little movie. To just jump on something this big is baffling. I obviously don’t expect Disney to be justifying their every hiring decision publicly but, usually, when someone is doing something like this, it’s very obvious why they were chosen and, even with this sliver of explanation, it’s still frustratingly opaque. And with the strange post hoc timing of the interview (seriously, doesn’t promotion usually happen PRE movie release?) It almost reads like an interview that exists because someone realized the lack of any online presence was weird. 

(5) When she was a kid, Allison Moore had a crush on Fox Robin Hood. That’s not at all important to the mystery, that’s just information she volunteered during the interview and that I’m now sharing with you. So when you search her name now, the top results are me wondering who she is, her IMDB, and her talking about how she liked Fox Robin Hood's little hat. Which isn't a LOT of information, but it’s more than we had before and that’s something.  

[asundcr]

( CATHERINE ZETA-JONES. FIFTY-TWO. CIS WOMAN. SHE/HER. ) since you aren’t aware of them yet… that’s ( MIRANDA GRAVES ) wandering around in hollow creek! from what i know they’ve lived in hollow creek for ( 25 YEARS. )  i’m also aware of the fact that they work as a ( CRISIS MANAGER. ) in town! but if you were to ask me, what i see when i think about them are: ( AN AIR OF SARCASM WITH EVERY WORD, COLD HANDS AND AN EVEN COLDER HEART, FRESH MANICURES, THINKING BEFORE ACTING. ) if anything, i feel like they could be ( ASSERTIVE, DIPLOMATIC, VAIN, MANIPULATIVE. ) it’s really weird, though… because they seem to be hiding something that no one else knows. but i sure do! and that is ( REDACTED ). wild, huh? i know. they’re hoping no one will ever find out. and the very last thing that i’d say about them is that they’re mainly known to be ( THE FIXER. ) just keep a lookout! who knows if they’re putting on a facade! 

STATS

full name: miranda carissa graves   hometown: huntington beach, ca   sexuality: bisexual  birthday: april 12, 1972   zodiac: aries sun, aries moon, taurus rising  height: 5’7”  languages spoken: english, french, spanish marital status: married children: two  traits: assertive, diplomatic, persuasive, vain, manipulative, vindictive 

BACKGROUND

born into a show business family — her father was a director and her mother a screenwriter — miranda knew from a young age that she was not destined for the same life; she has one younger brother and he works in show business too 

was always the top of her class, excelling in all her academic pursuits; she was president of the debate team in high school and ran the school yearbook committee like it was the goddamn navy 

she got into every college she applied to and decided to stay in california and attend stanford; she obviously was incredible there, but always knew she was destined for the east coast 

she got into a graduate program at rrinceton and shipped out and she has lived on this side of the country since 

she met her husband while at princeton, he is from a powerful political family and they just Made Sense; they got married while she was still in school and she kept her last name, not wanting anyone to think she used her husband’s political connections to build her career (no nepo wife allegations !! only nepo baby ones !!) 

they moved to massachusetts (her husband's home state, very kennedy of him) had two children (wc on main xx) while miranda was building her career as a crisis manager, working for some of the most powerful people in the massachusetts political world

though they have a home in hollow creek, miranda split her time between there and boston so that she was closer to Important Government Matters and would probably be considered a largely absent mother <33

now she mostly works from hollow creek, doing a bunch of behind the scenes, ABC scandal-esque work for Important People

PERSONALITY

mean; listen, she’s VERY charming in her work life and can turn on a sly, sweet side at the drop of a hat, but in her personal life? generally Not very nice! you do not want to be on her bad side 

only loyal to those important to her career and her family — would do Anything for her family, but will not be keeping a promise to anyone else 

despite having loyalty to her children, not a particularly good mother; she has a generally distant relationship with them as she’s always put her career first and she has always had very high expectations for them as she and her husband are both very high-achieving 

will do anything it takes to pull off her job, not criminally involved personally because that could come out and Look Bad, but she is extremely morally grey and is not really concerned with who she has to destroy to move forward

is close to approximately 4 people, does not like to let anyone too far into her life or know too much about her

pinterest is here, WC page here

[ckerouac]

What I Read: July

Back with another busy month of books. Sitting in waiting rooms and poolside really adds up.

Fiction

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

4.5/5 || It sucked me in, devoured it in two pool afternoons.

In a shabby house, on a shabby street, in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her scheming mistress discovers the lump of a servant cowering in the kitchen is actually hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to better the family's social position. Determined to seize this one chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of seers and alchemists, holy men and hucksters, where the lines between magic, science, and fraud are never certain. But as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition's wrath.

The Rom-commers by Katherine Center

4.24/5 || I really enjoyed this story, but the narrator definitely has a distinct style that you’ll either vibe with or it’ll drive you up a wall. I wanted to snatch all the ‘what? WHAT?’ type repeated questions from the author and put them on a high shelf out of her reach. But the story was really fun.

Emma Wheeler desperately longs to be a screenwriter. She’s spent her life studying, obsessing over, and writing romantic comedies—good ones! That win contests! But she’s also been the sole caretaker for her kind-hearted dad, who needs full-time care. Now, when she gets a chance to re-write a script for famous screenwriter Charlie Yates—The Charlie Yates! Her personal writing god! But what is it they say? Don’t meet your heroes? Charlie Yates doesn’t want to write with anyone—much less “a failed, nobody screenwriter.” Worse, the romantic comedy he’s written is so terrible it might actually bring on the apocalypse. Plus! He doesn’t even care about the script—it’s just a means to get a different one green-lit. But Emma’s not going down without a fight. She will convince him that love stories matter—even if she has to kiss him senseless to do it.

Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

4/5 || Unsettling and great. Apparently Argentinian horror is something I’m loving this year.

His wife has left him, his father is sinking into dementia, and Marcos tries not to think too hard about how he makes a living. After all, it happened so quickly. First, it was reported that an infectious virus has made all animal meat poisonous to humans. Then governments initiated the "Transition." Now, eating human meat--"special meat"--is legal. Marcos tries to stick to numbers, consignments, processing. Then one day he's given a gift: a live specimen of the finest quality. Though he's aware that any form of personal contact is forbidden on pain of death, little by little he starts to treat her like a human being. And soon, he becomes tortured by what has been lost--and what might still be saved.

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré

4/5 || A classic of the genre for a reason. Carré can do in 200 pages what takes other authors twice as long.

In the shadow of the newly erected Berlin Wall, Alec Leamas watches as his last agent is shot dead by East German sentries. For Leamas, the head of Berlin Station, the Cold War is over. As he faces the prospect of retirement or worse--a desk job--Control offers him a unique opportunity for revenge. Assuming the guise of an embittered and dissolute ex-agent, Leamas is set up to trap Mundt, the deputy director of the East German Intelligence Service--with himself as the bait. In the background is George Smiley, ready to make the game play out just as Control wants.

Husband Material by Alexis Hall

3/5 || I loved the first book, and this one was… fine. Completely lacking in the charm of the first book for me. I was so disappointed.

In Boyfriend Material, Luc and Oliver met, pretended to fall in love, fell in love for real, dealt with heartbreak and disappointment and family and friends…and somehow figured out a way to make it work. Now it seems like everyone around them is getting married, and Luc’s feeling the social pressure to propose. But it’ll take more than four weddings, a funeral, and a bowl full of special curry to get these two from I don’t know what I’m doing to I do. Good thing Oliver is such perfect Husband Material.

Funny Story by Emily Henry

3/5 || I think I need to accept that I find the plots of Henry’s books more interesting than her execution of said plots.

Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it… right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra. Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. But it’s all just for show because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex… right?

A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen

3/5 || Norse magic was interesting, main character acted dumber than a box of rocks on too many occasions. Not opposed to reading the second book, but I’ll be surprised if I remember read book 1 when it comes out.

Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back. Freya's dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region's jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son, Bjorn. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: She possesses a drop of a goddess's blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.

Big In Sweden by Sally Franson

2.5/5 || You know those fanfics that have a great set up but you quickly realize is written by someone who feels compelled to overexplain everything to prove they have the correct opinions and are aware of how ‘problematic’ everything is? Yeah.

Paulie Johansson has never put much stock in the idea of family: she has her long-term boyfriend Declan and beloved best friend Jemma, and that's more than enough for her. Yet one night on a lark, she lets Jemma convince her to audition for Sverige och Mig, a show on Swedish television where Swedish-Americans compete to win the ultimate prize: a reunion with their Swedish relatives. Much to her shock, her drunken submission video wins her a spot on the show, and against Declan's advice Paulie decides to go for it. Grappling with long-held notions of family, friendship, and love--not to mention her feelings for the distractingly handsome Swedish cameraman who's been assigned to follow her around--Paulie starts to reconsider her past and rethink what she wants for the future.

Nonfiction

King Leopold’s Ghost by Adam Hochschild

5/5 || You think you know how bad the Belgian destruction of the Congo was. Yeah, it’s even worse. Once I picked this up, I couldn’t put it down.

In the 1880s, as the European powers were carving up Africa, King Leopold II of Belgium seized for himself the vast and mostly unexplored territory surrounding the Congo River. Carrying out a genocidal plundering of the Congo, he looted its rubber, brutalized its people, and ultimately slashed its population by ten million--all the while shrewdly cultivating his reputation as a great humanitarian. Heroic efforts to expose these crimes eventually led to the first great human rights movement of the twentieth century, in which everyone from Mark Twain to the Archbishop of Canterbury participated. King Leopold's Ghost is the haunting account of a megalomaniac of monstrous proportions, a man as cunning, charming, and cruel as any of the great Shakespearean villains. It is also the deeply moving portrait of those who fought Leopold: a brave handful of missionaries, travelers, and young idealists who went to Africa for work or adventure and unexpectedly found themselves witnesses to a holocaust.

The Far Land: 200 Years of Murder, Mania, and Mutiny in the South Pacific by Brandon Presser

3.25/5 || Very readable as a travelogue, but takes a lot of liberties in the history presented as fact that can’t be known for certain.

Told through vivid historical and personal narrative, The Far Land goes beyond the infamous mutiny on the Bounty, offering an unprecedented glimpse at life on the fringes of civilization, and how, perhaps, it's not so different from our own. In 2018, Brandon Presser rode the freighter to live among its present-day families; two clans bound by circumstance and secrets. While on the island, he pieced together Pitcairn's full story: an operatic saga that holds all who have visited in its mortal clutch--even the author.

[gucciwins]

Bel and harry angst pls // bel whining anything 🥺

You asked for whiny Bel, but it’s whiny Harry. Here’s a bit of angst for Harry and Bel. (it's 1k enjoy 🤭)

// 

“It’s one day, H. You knew I was coming to LA for work.” Bel reminded him as she stuffed her planner in her tote bag, getting ready to head out. 

Harry sighs, “but us being in the same city should mean you’ll be at the show.” 

“I told you I would try. You go on at nine.” 

“But my good luck kiss,” he whines. 

“Harry, please!” Bel pleads, wanting him to understand that she has to work. It’s not a vacation. She has contracts to sign and partnerships to see through. It would be nice if she could enjoy every moment with Harry, but she knows it is impossible. 

Bel knows they spend so much time missing each other that they don’t want to be apart when they are together, but Bel loves her job just as much as Harry loves his. She has interviews and people to meet. Tonight she has a dinner that Harry was invited to but declined because of the show. He knows how important tonight is for her. She’s signing on as a producer to a film she loves dearly and is meeting with the director and screenwriter. 

Harry sighs, shutting up as he sees her slip her shoes on. “But you will be there, right?” 

She sighs, “you’re being selfish.” 

He scoffs, “don’t start.” 

“You know, tonight’s meeting is important for me. I’m not going to stop them mid-meal. “Sorry, I’ve got to run. My boyfriend needs a kiss to perform well on stage tonight”.” 

“Don’t say it like that.” 

She sighs, stepping close to him, “you’re wonderful on stage. You have been long before me.” 

“And even better when you leave, right?” 

She freezes. It’s the way he said it that left her shocked. “What in the hell is that supposed to mean?” 

Harry runs a hand down his face, “nothing, absolutely nothing.” 

“Enough, bullshit, H. You are doing all this for me to break up with you.” She spits out, “Grow the fuck up. If you want to break up with me, say the words don’t make me do the job for you.” With that, she grabs her bag and walks out, leaving Harry to wonder how he managed to fuck up in a matter of minutes. 

//

Harry spent the day in tears, sending texts and leaving voicemails for Bel, and got nothing in return. Harry spoke to Mitch and Sarah about what happened, and it’s safe to say they told him he was an arrogant son of a bitch brushing off her career as if she didn’t work hard to get where she is today. Her career is something that she always told Harry meant the world to her. She got to tell new stories and now was branching out to learn more about the behind-the-scenes as she warms up to the idea of directing. It’s something she’s passionate about, and he made her feel awful. That she should be dedicating all her time to him. 

He realized he was having a hard time, and his insecurities were creeping up even though he knows Bel loves him. She shows him every chance she gets. He’s thankful she didn’t break up with him because Harry knows he deserves it. 

Jeff shook his head as Harry placed his phone down. He hoped she wouldn’t show up because he wanted her to come back to their place excited to tell him about her meeting and the new script that Viola was excited to share. He goes on stage with a heavy heart that night. 

The encore is all that’s left for tonight, and Harry’s ready for the final thanks because he knows that means he gets to go home and see Bel or at least talk to her. 

“I can admit, I’m not the smartest man,” Harry tells the crowd. “Mitch knows.” The cameras pan over to Mitch, who lifts up his cup in agreement. “I make mistakes. Sometimes I’m a bad son, brother, friend, and boyfriend. I want to remind you that owning up to your mistakes is okay. I hurt someone I love and want them to know I’m sorry.” The crowd awes, “that’s enough of my personal life. Thank you all for being here. I love you.” 

Running off stage, Harry ran straight into the waiting Jeep, where he was shocked to see Bel sitting. 

“Y/N,” he gasps. 

“I’m still mad at you.” 

“I deserve it.” 

“The meeting went well.” 

“I’m glad. I knew it would. You’re amazing.” 

She bites her lip to hold back a smile, “they’re a fan of yours, to no one’s surprise, and they were happy to accompany me to the show.” 

Harry gasps, “you were here.” 

“We arrived before the medley. I promised them a full show for another night. They look forward to meeting you,” she mutters the last part.

“You have to know how sorry I am, Bel. I was being selfish. An asshole on all levels.” 

“I agree.” 

Harry chuckles because he deserves it, but even then, she doesn’t let herself say those harmful words. 

“I love you, and I don’t deserve you. I don’t want to break up with you. I love you. I got so wrapped in my head that I said something I knew would hurt you, and I hate that I do that as a defense.” 

“Thank you for apologizing.”

Harry nods, “I love you.” 

She hums.

“Still love me?” He whispers.

That cracks her defense, “course I do, Harry. Even when you tell thousands of fans when you’re in a fight with your girlfriend.” 

Harry grins, “I had to make sure you got the message whether you were in the audience or through your phone. Naomi’s always quick to send you update account videos.” 

Bel scooted next to him, letting him hold her as he pressed his lips to her head. 

“I promise to do better.” 

“Thank you. I promise to continue being honest with you,” 

Harry laughs, letting himself squeeze her tighter. 

“And you’re not little spoon for a month,” she adds as punishment. 

“Oh, come on.” Harry groans playfully. 

“Don’t make me make it two.” 

“No little spoon.” He agrees, knowing she let him off easy. 

Arguments were rare and few in Bel and Harry’s relationship, but at the end of the day, they knew they’d be coming back to each other. 

//

[sparkymalone]

Have you watched Scott pilgrim the anime?

How about an actors au: "wanna run lines in your trailer?"

Just, maybe with real sparks after the kissing scene instead of the one-sided first love…

D-D-D-DOUBLE POST!!

Here is an ask from fucking January. I'm so good at deadlines, guys.

Anyway, I had not seen the Scott Pilgrim anime at the time of getting this request, so part of the time delay was me thinking I needed to watch it to get the full context. And that took forever, because I have about a million things that I need to watch, but haven't. I'm that kinda bitch.

SO! I have seen it now lol. But really, this fic has very little to do with SP. I really leaned into the sparks thing, though. Uh, maybe more than is reasonable, but here we are.

“...And cut!”

The actors on set all breathed a sigh of relief and turned to the director expectantly. The director walked onto the set to describe what she was picturing to the actors, while some of the extras slipped away to the catering table.

Hajime sighed and set down the tray of coffee cups he was holding, offering one to each person that approached him. This definitely wasn't what he had had in mind when he signed up for film school. All he wanted was to direct, but here he was working craft services instead.

He had applied to Hope's Peak Film School right out of high school, and had taken out a hefty loan to pay for tuition. The school promised results, and Hollywood was positively packed with Hope's Peak graduates, so Hajime had high hopes going in.

Unfortunately, even Hope’s Peak couldn't do anything for someone with no talent. Turns out Hajime didn't have the eye necessary for directing, or for cinematography. He wasn't any good at screenwriting, lighting, or much of anything else, either.

But the school had promised results, so they couldn't very well tell him to leave. Instead, they had bounced him from program to program, trying to find a job he could excel at. Finally, they had stuck him in a “work study” program, which basically meant he was an intern on the set of another student's project.

Currently, he was being used as a gofer by the people on set, going on frequent coffee runs and helping out with catering in between. It was thankless work, and Hajime thought about just quitting every single day. But then he remembered how much money he had spent on this bullshit school, and that kept him from leaving.

That, and getting to see so many beautiful actors. The movie seemed to be some sort of gay romance drama, and as such, all of the lead actors were hot. As much as Hajime hated being there, his inner bisexual disaster was satisfied.

The guy in the lead male role was particularly gorgeous. His name was Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, he was in the same year as Hajime but in the acting program, and somehow this was his first film. Hajime found himself staring whenever he was on set, finding him oddly captivating.

And maybe it was his imagination, but he could have sworn he caught Kuzuryu staring back once or twice.

The actor playing his love interest was good-looking, too, but he didn't seem to be very good at acting. Not that Hajime could judge, really. He had never tried acting, so what did he know? Maybe the guy was actually great.

Judging from the way Kuzuryu snapped at him when the camera was off, however, it seemed like he was pretty bad.

The director resumed her seat and everyone took their places. “Action!”

Hajime watched the scene unfold, and found himself enthralled when Kuzuryu began giving a heartfelt monologue to his love interest. He moved closer to the other man, gazing up into his eyes. The other actor gave a brief response, cupped his cheek, and kissed him.

The kiss looked… bad. Even ignoring the weird twinge of jealousy Hajime felt watching it, the kiss just seemed kind of awkward.

Kuzuryu apparently thought so, too, because he jerked away. “Are you fuckin' serious?!” he growled.

“Cut!” The director hopped out of her chair and approached the scene. “What's the problem?”

The taller man crossed his arms, glaring at Kuzuryu. “I don't know, ask him.”

But the director narrowed her eyes at him. “I'm asking you. That looked terrible. Have you ever kissed anyone before, Leon?”

The actor, Leon Kuwata, balked. “What?! Of course I have! If it looked bad it's because-”

“Hell no, don't try and pin this on me,” Kuzuryu snapped. “You're a shitty kisser.”

Kuwata glared at him. “It's just awkward ‘cause you're so damn short!”

This sparked a shouting match between the two actors. Hajime rolled his eyes, but decided that this seemed like a good opportunity to give the director her coffee.

“Miss Nevermind?” he called as he approached. When she turned, Hajime held out her coffee cup.

“Thank you,” the director sighed, clearly dismayed by the lack of chemistry between her two leads.

“Height has nothing to do with it, you're just a shitty actor!” Kuzuryu was shouting. He caught Hajime's eye and the brunette froze, trying not to notice as Kuzuryu quickly looked him up and down. “I'll prove it to you.”

The diminutive blonde walked up to Hajime, glancing between him and Kuwata. Apparently deciding that they were close enough in height, he looked up into Hajime's face. “What’s your name?”

Blinking in surprise, the intern replied, “Uh… Hajime Hinata…”

Kuzuryu nodded in acknowledgement. “Hinata. Okay. Run this scene with me real quick.”

Hajime was shocked. “W-What? But… I'm not an actor…”

“Doesn't matter,” the blonde replied, waving his hand dismissively. “That's even better, actually. I'm just trying to prove a point.”

Kuwata gritted his teeth. “Fuck you, man.” Still, he obligingly stepped off to the side.

A script seemed to come out of nowhere, being shoved into Hajime's hands. The director, Sonia, cheerfully told him which page to turn to, and then where to stand.

Completely out of his depth, Hajime looked helplessly between the others before taking his place in the scene.

Sonia went back to her chair to watch as Kuzuryu resumed his own spot. “I'm going to start with the monologue again, okay? You just say the bit after that and then kiss me, got it?”

Hajime blushed brightly, but tried to force it down. “Uh, got it.”

Clearing his throat, Kuzuryu once again began reciting his monologue. Seeing him perform up close like this felt totally different, and Hajime felt himself getting swept up in the scene. When the blonde man stepped closer, Hajime instinctively put a hand on his waist. Kuzuryu seemed surprised, but kept going.

The actor finished his line and looked up at Hajime expectantly. Hajime swallowed hard and glanced at the script in his hand. Putting as much feeling into it as he could, he recited his part before meeting Kuzuryu’s eyes. He tucked the script under his arm, cupped the blonde's cheek, and leaned down.

When their lips touched, Hajime felt a strange little jolt, almost like a spark. He chose not to focus on that, though, instead giving all of his attention to the kiss. His lips pressed against Kuzuryu's, both of them tilting their heads to allow their mouths to slot together. The shorter man's lips parted and Hajime, caught up in the moment, slipped his tongue into his mouth. Kuzuryu made a soft noise, somewhere between surprised and pleased.

They kissed for a long moment, mouths moving together naturally. The hand Hajime had on Kuzuryu's waist slid around his back, pulling their bodies flush against each other. Kuzuryu moaned quietly, bracing his hands on Hajime's chest.

Finally, the blonde pulled back, and the two of them gazed into each other's eyes. Hajime's skin felt electric, and he desperately wanted to kiss him again.

Someone off to the side clapped, breaking the spell, and both of them whipped around to face the director. “That looked amazing!” Sonia beamed. “Hajime, how would you like to be in my movie?”

The offer completely caught Hajime off guard. He glanced back at Kuzuryu, who stepped out of his arms. “Uh… I mean… Is that really okay?”

“What the fuck?!” Kuwata demanded, stomping over. “You can't just give him my part-”

“I can and I will,” Sonia declared, her tone leaving no room to argue. “What do you say, Hajime?”

Feeling a jolt of excitement, Hajime nodded. “S-Sure… I'd love to!”

The redheaded actor stormed off, but Hajime found his attention commanded by Kuzuryu, who was idly touching his own lips with his fingertips. When he noticed Hajime staring, he stopped, giving the taller man a confident smile.

“Welcome to showbiz,” he teased. Hajime couldn't help smiling back.

***

Never in a million years would Hajime have expected to be good at acting, but apparently he was. Sonia was thrilled with his performance, and Fuyuhiko (he had insisted Hajime use his first name) seemed to approve, as well.

And that was good, because Hajime would've given anything to keep the role. Playing opposite Fuyuhiko in such romantic scenes was intoxicating, not to mention the electric feeling he got whenever they kissed. Even if it was just for the movie, Hajime was going to treasure every second.

He wasn't entirely sure how Fuyuhiko felt about it, though. The blonde would often look at him strangely, especially after kissing scenes. He was generally pretty easy to get along with, though, once Hajime got past his grumpy exterior.

After a long day of filming, during which there had been a particularly steamy kiss that left Hajime's lips tingling, Fuyuhiko approached him. “Hey, you've been doing really well,” he told Hajime, expression neutral. “But there's still a couple of places I think you can improve. Wanna run lines in my dorm?”

Hajime's eyebrows shot up. He certainly never would've expected Fuyuhiko to ask him to go anywhere, let alone his own room. “Oh, sure. Thanks.”

He followed Fuyuhiko back to the dorms, noting how much nicer his room was than Hajime's. There was enough space for a sofa and a table, in addition to all of the bedroom furniture. Fuyuhiko sat on the couch and gestured for him to do the same.

The blonde looked at him critically, but said nothing. Feeling nervous, Hajime offered a smile. “Thanks for helping me out. I've never acted before, so I'm happy for any pointers you can give me.”

Fuyuhiko was silent a moment longer before finally speaking. “Yeah… Happy to help.”

Hajime furrowed his brow. “Um, is something wrong?”

The actor sighed and leaned against the arm of the sofa. “Look, I kinda had an ulterior motive asking you here.”

Immediately, Hajime's heart sank. This was it, Fuyuhiko was going to tell him he was actually awful, tell him to quit or just straight up fire him - could he do that?

His panicked thoughts were interrupted when Fuyuhiko spoke again. “When we… kiss,” he began cautiously, “do you ever feel anything… weird?”

Hajime's eyes widened. “...Yeah, actually.”

Fuyuhiko looked at him, seeming surprised even though he was the one who brought it up. “You do?”

Nodding, Hajime considered all the on-screen kisses they had shared. “I always feel kinda tingly… electric, maybe. Like-”

“-Sparks,” Fuyuhiko finished for him.

“...Yeah.”

They stared at each other for a long moment. “That's the feeling I get, too,” the blonde told him quietly. “I just wanted to find out… if it was just me, I guess.”

Hajime licked his lips nervously. “What do you think it means?”

Fuyuhiko shrugged. “I don't know.” He paused. “...Maybe it would help us figure it out if we kissed right now.”

The brunette looked at him in shock. Fuyuhiko wasn't facing him, cheeks flushed, and Hajime felt his heartbeat speed up. Finally, he nodded. “Sure, if, uh… If you're okay with it.”

The smaller man slowly turned to look at him, cheeks rosier than ever. “Of course I'm okay with it, dumbass. I suggested it.” Despite his words, he still sounded unsure.

But if he said he was fine, Hajime certainly wasn't going to pass up a chance to kiss him in private.

Hajime scooted closer on the couch, not breaking eye contact. He slowly leaned in, giving Fuyuhiko ample time to change his mind. He was apparently taking too long for the blonde, however, and Fuyuhiko lunged forward, crashing their mouths together.

The kiss was a lot more aggressive than any of their on-screen kisses, but Hajime still felt that familiar tingle. After a moment, he pulled back.

“Sparks,” he breathed.

Fuyuhiko studied his face nervously. “What the fuck does it mean, though? Maybe we should-”

He was cut off as Hajime moved in and kissed him again. This time he parted his lips, carefully licking Fuyuhiko's bottom lip. The blonde made a soft noise, but opened his mouth, allowing Hajime access. As soon as their tongues met, he felt more sparks, exploding across his skin and behind his eyes.

It seemed like Fuyuhiko felt it, too, because he threw his arms around Hajime's neck and pulled him closer. Hajime obligingly wrapped his arms around the other man's waist, kissing him deeply.

After several minutes of passionate kissing, Fuyuhiko pulled back, panting. “Holy shit,” he murmured. “Why does that feel so good?”

“What do you think it would feel like if I kissed you somewhere else?” Hajime heard himself ask.

The blonde's eyes widened, but he didn't move away. Instead, he slowly tilted his head to one side, baring his neck invitingly. Hajime only took a second to be flustered by the situation before leaning in and kissing Fuyuhiko's neck.

The tingle in Hajime's lips was less noticeable than it had been when he kissed Fuyuhiko's mouth, but apparently the effect it was having on the smaller man was much more dramatic.

Fuyuhiko let out a soft moan as Hajime pressed wet, open-mouthed kisses along his neck. “Fuck,” he gasped. “Ngh, that feels fuckin' amazing…!”

Encouraged by his partner's moans, Hajime kissed slowly up his neck, paying special attention to the sensitive spot just below his ear. He kissed Fuyuhiko's ear, as well, tracing his tongue along the shell before sucking gently on his earlobe.

The blonde moaned and squirmed, hands fisted in the front of Hajime's shirt. “S-Stop…!”

Immediately, Hajime stopped what he was doing and sat up, breathing heavily. “Uh, sorry… Was that too much?”

Fuyuhiko didn't answer, instead pushing Hajime against the back of the couch and climbing into his lap. He straddled the shocked man, looking up at him with half-lidded eyes. “Kiss me again, you bastard.”

Hajime didn't need to be told twice. He dove in, kissing Fuyuhiko deeply, arms wrapping around him and pulling their bodies flush together. The blonde gave a pleased moan, throwing his arms around Hajime's neck and pressing himself closer.

In this position, Hajime could feel the bulge in Fuyuhiko's pants, and he was unsurprised to realize that he was just as hard. He was surprised when the smaller man began grinding against him, sending waves of pleasure through both of them. Hajime gasped into the kiss and rolled his hips to meet Fuyuhiko.

After several minutes of desperate making out and grinding, Fuyuhiko pulled back, grasping the collar of Hajime's shirt. “Hah… That feels fuckin' incredible…” He rocked his hips again, moaning at the sensation.

The taller man hummed in agreement, leaning in to kiss his neck again. Hajime relished every gasp and moan he drew from Fuyuhiko's lips, nipping at the sensitive skin. The whole situation seemed unreal, but he was still going to enjoy it to the fullest, cupping Fuyuhiko's ass and rutting hard against him.

Biting his lip, Fuyuhiko pulled away just enough to get Hajime to meet his eyes. The brunette couldn't help thinking how beautiful he looked, with his flushed cheeks and kiss-bruised lips. He was so enamored that he barely registered when Fuyuhiko spoke.

“...I want to feel more,” the blonde told him, almost shyly. “I want you to touch me more.”

Hajime couldn't believe his ears. Never in a million years would he have expected a hot, talented person like Fuyuhiko to be interested in someone like him. Still, he knew better than to question his good fortune.

Lunging back in, Hajime kissed the other man roughly. Fuyuhiko didn't seem to mind, kissing back with equal ferocity. Hajime pulled his partner tightly against him before slipping one hand under the waistband of Fuyuhiko's pants, sliding down to cup his bare ass.

The blonde moaned encouragingly, raising his hips, urging Hajime further. The taller man took the hint, sliding his fingers along the cleft of Fuyuhiko's ass, down to his entrance. He stroked the puckered opening, causing the man in his arms to gasp and break their kiss.

“Fuck,” Fuyuhiko breathed, gazing at Hajime with half-lidded eyes. “Just you touching me feels so fuckin' good…”

Hajime smiled slightly, rubbing more firmly against Fuyuhiko's hole. “Yeah?” he purred, feeling a sense of confidence he had never felt before. “I bet it'd feel even better with my fingers inside you.” Heat rose in his face at how forward he was being, but he didn't back down.

Fuyuhiko licked his lips seductively, draping his arms over Hajime's shoulders and arching his back to give him easier access. “Mmn, I bet it would.”

Breathing heavily, Hajime pulled his hand out of Fuyuhiko's pants just long enough to shove his fingers into his mouth and coat them with saliva. He quickly slipped his hand back under the fabric, trailing down Fuyuhiko's ass to rub slick fingertips against his hole. Watching his partner's reaction, he slid one finger inside.

The blonde's mouth fell open soundlessly, but he didn't look uncomfortable, so Hajime pushed a second finger into him, pressing in deep. Fuyuhiko's eyelashes fluttered and he moaned low in his throat. “Holy shit,” he breathed.

Hajime paused. “Is this okay?”

Golden eyes fixed him with a smoldering gaze. “It feels fucking amazing. Don't you dare stop!”

Biting his lip, Hajime gently slid his fingers in and out, pleased when another breathy moan escaped from Fuyuhiko's throat. Hajime slowly pumped his digits into the other man, watching the way he squirmed and whined.

The taller man swallowed hard. He didn't really have experience doing anything like this, so he was mostly just going off of what he had seen in porn or heard from his friends. It seemed like he was doing a good job, though, with the way Fuyuhiko was moaning and clenching around his fingers.

After a moment, the blonde grasped Hajime's face between his hands, trying to look at him seriously even though he was still being fingered open. “H-Hajime,” he started hoarsely, “I, mmn… I want you… I want you to fuck me.”

Hajime tried to ignore the way his heart leapt into his throat. “...Are you sure?”

Fuyuhiko gasped and rocked back against Hajime's hand. “Hah… Of course I'm sure. With how fuckin' good everything else feels… ahh… I have to know what your cock feels like…”

Letting out a shuddered breath, Hajime felt his erection strain against his pants. “God, I want to know what you feel like, too…”

“So fuck me!” Fuyuhiko moaned, hips bucking.

And god, Hajime wanted to fuck him. Unfortunately, his nerves were still getting the best of him. He decided it was probably better to just confess. “...I, um… I want to, I've just never… done this before,” he said lamely.

Fuyuhiko looked at him in surprise. “What? Then how the fuck are you so good at - mmn~!” He cut off with a sweet moan as Hajime's fingers brushed his prostate.

The brunette shivered as the other man squeezed tight around his fingers. He groaned softly, watching his partner's face. “...Just tell me what to do,” he told him quietly.

Licking his lips, Fuyuhiko reached back and pulled Hajime's fingers out of him. He stood up, looking appraisingly at the tent in Hajime's pants. “Hurry up and get your dick out.”

As Hajime scrambled to comply, Fuyuhiko made his way over to his nightstand, pulling out a bottle of lube. He returned to the couch, excitement flashing in his eyes as he caught sight of Hajime's exposed cock.

“Damn,” he chuckled, handing the lube to his flustered partner. Fuyuhiko began shedding his own clothes, undressing completely, much to Hajime's surprise. He climbed back into the taller man's lap, straddling him once more.

Hajime quickly poured some of the lubricant into his hand and began rubbing it over his cock, trying not to get too caught up. Having Fuyuhiko completely nude in his lap while he was still fully clothed was weirdly sexy, and he couldn't wait to finally be inside of the smaller man.

After only a moment, Fuyuhiko batted Hajime's hand away and took hold of his erection. He positioned it beneath him and slowly began lowering himself. The first touch of Hajime's cock against his hole had both of them gasping, an electric feeling running across their skin. Fuyuhiko bit his lip and lowered himself further, allowing the tip to breach his entrance.

The taller man dug his fingers into Fuyuhiko's hips, trembling with pleasure already. Something about the touch of the other man's skin was sending sparks through his entire body. As his cock slowly slid inside, the feeling only got more intense. Tight heat engulfed his cock and his whole body felt like it was on fire, but in the most euphoric way.

Fuyuhiko didn't stop moving until he was fully seated on Hajime's cock, breathless moans pouring from his lips already. “Holy fuck…!” he whined, muscles clenching and unclenching reflexively, making Hajime hiss. “S-So… So fuckin' big, so fuckin' good…!” He rocked his hips as he adjusted, making both of them moan.

Hajime was already completely overwhelmed. The feeling of being inside Fuyuhiko was incredibly intense and he couldn't keep himself from bucking up into him, making his partner cry out. “Sorry,” he breathed, but he was still pulling Fuyuhiko's hips down hard against his own.

Thankfully, Fuyuhiko seemed to be just as eager for more. He carefully raised himself up, almost to the tip of Hajime's cock, before sliding back down. A pleased purr left his throat and he repeated the action, this time slamming himself down roughly.

The blonde started up a slow rhythm, bouncing in Hajime's lap and coming down hard. Both of them gasped and moaned at the sensation, hungry for more.

“Fuck, Fuyuhiko,” Hajime panted, watching the other man's face. “You feel amazing…”

Fuyuhiko met his gaze, not slowing his pace at all. “Mmn, so do you…!” He bit his lip as Hajime's cock brushed against his sweet spot.

“God, you look so fucking good like this,” Hajime murmured, feeling almost delirious from the pleasure. “You're so fucking beautiful, so tight around my cock, so-”

His rambling was cut short when Fuyuhiko lunged forward and kissed him. Hajime wasn't complaining, happily kissing back as his partner rode him harder. He rocked his hips up to meet each of Fuyuhiko's movements, making both of them gasp and moan.

After a moment, Fuyuhiko broke the kiss with a loud cry. He had found exactly the right angle, causing Hajime's cock to hit his sweet spot with every bounce. The blonde arched his back, moaning sweetly as his lover's cock slid even deeper inside.

“Mmn, Hajime~” Fuyuhiko purred, burying one hand in Hajime's hair and looking into his eyes. “You're gonna fuckin' cum in me, right~?”

Hajime nodded obediently. “Hah… Fuck, yes…!”

The smaller man gave a pleased chuckle, muscles clenching around his partner. He leaned forward to nip at Hajime's lower lip. “And you're gonna cum hard, right~? Fill me up~?”

Again, Hajime moaned his agreement. “Please!”

Fuyuhiko slammed himself down harder with every bounce, feeling his climax rapidly approaching. He reached down to stroke his own cock, gasping and moaning. “Ngh…! Fuck, Hajime… I'm so fuckin' close, mmn…!”

“Me, too,” Hajime breathed. He leaned in, pressing sloppy, open-mouthed kisses against Fuyuhiko's throat as he bucked into him. His body felt like it was on fire and the only cure was the gorgeous blonde bouncing in his lap.

With a loud cry, Fuyuhiko finally reached his peak, slamming himself down and grinding onto Hajime's cock. He moaned hoarsely as his inner muscles fluttered around his partner and he spilled over his own fingers.

Hajime was right behind him, bucking desperately into him as he toppled over the edge. Fireworks exploded behind his eyes and he bit down on Fuyuhiko's neck. He buried himself as deeply as possible, filling his lover with his seed.

The two of them collapsed against the back of the couch, holding each other tightly. They were both breathing heavily, gazing into each other's eyes as they tried to get their thoughts in order. It took several minutes for either of them to form words.

“...Wow,” Hajime panted, still grasping Fuyuhiko's hips.

The blonde huffed out a quiet laugh. “Yeah… wow.”

Smiling softly, Hajime tried to formulate another thought. “So, uh… Sparks?”

Fuyuhiko leaned his head against his partner's shoulder. “Still don't know what it means, but… yeah. Sparks.”

“I think,” the brunette began slowly, “it means that there's… something special between us. Don't you think so?” He looked at the other man, eyes hopeful.

It took a moment for Fuyuhiko to respond. “...Yeah. I think you're right.”

Hajime felt his heart leap into his throat. “Yeah?”

The blonde slowly lifted his head, meeting Hajime's gaze. His face was flushed, but he looked determined. “...I like you. The whole reason I wanted to test the whole ‘sparks’ thing was because I like you. And now… I'm sure.” He shifted his weight, reminding them both that Hajime was still inside of him. “Mmn… Be my dumbass boyfriend,” he murmured shyly.

Hajime's heart was pounding, and he immediately lunged in to kiss the man in his arms, feeling ecstatic. Between kisses, he managed to reply, “I like you, too… Of course I'll be your boyfriend.”

Fuyuhiko hummed happily, kissing him back. The two of them stayed entwined on the couch for a while longer, just kissing and muttering words of affection.

Hopefully that was worth the wait?? IDK anymore. I liked it.

[mattmorettiisbored]

[ joe mazzello, cis male, he/him ] — whoa! MATT MORETTI  just stole my cab! not cool, but maybe they needed it more. they have lived in the city for 3 MONTHS, working as a SCREEN WRITER/DIRECTOR. that can’t be easy, especially at only 39 YEARS OLD. some people say they can be a little bit COLD and PRETENTIOUS, but i know them to be FUNNY and GENEROUS. whatever. i guess i’ll catch the next cab. hope they like the ride back to Brooklyn! — (nads, 34, gmt-3, she/her)

BASICS

FULL NAME: Matthew Moretti

NICKNAME(S): Matt

AGE: 39

DATE OF BIRTH: September 19, 1984

PLACE OF BIRTH: Hyde Park, New York

CURRENT LOCATION: Brooklyn, New York.

RELIGION: Catholic

ETHNICITY: White.

GENDER: Cis Man

PRONOUNS: He/Him

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Bisexual Straight 

EDUCATION: The University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts (SCA)

OCCUPATION: Writer/Director

FACECLAIM: Joe Mazzello

PHYSICAL TRAITS

HEIGHT: 5'9 

WEIGHT: 150 lbs

HAIR COLOR: Dark ginger

EYE COLOR: Hazel

PIERCINGS: None

TATTOOS: none

SCARS|MARKS: Some freckles on his nose.

SIGNATURE SCENT: Hugo Boss Bottled Night

PERSONALITY

CHARACTER INSPO: Hawkins 'Hawk' Fuller (Fellow Travellers) Tom Burgess (My Policeman) Adam (All of us Strangers) The Priest (Fleabag) Ted Lasso

THEME SONG: I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2

POS TRAITS: Generous. Friendly. Funny

NEG TRAITS: Traditional. Arrogant. 

LOVE LANGUAGE: Quality time

ALIGNMENT: Chaotic good

RELATIONSHIPS

MOTHER: Grace Moretti

SISTER: Mary Moretti

Biography:

Growing up in the 80s in Hyde Park, New York was pretty easy for Matt. He was part of the picture perfect little family of four. Mom, dad, his sister and him. His days were full of bike rides to the park and climbing trees and trips to the lake. 

Matt’s parents were really good parents and wanted their kids to try anything they wanted so Mary and Matty did it all, from dance and piano lessons to all the sports the town had to offer. Even some acting jobs as kids. Matt’s favorite though were his dance lessons. Of course they were, his dad taught them. Matt was John’s shadow. He admired his dad more than anyone in the world. While his classmates were always whining about their fathers, he was going on road trips with the man for half the summer. They were thick as thieves. 

That’s why it shook him to his core when he had to move from LA back to New York because his father was terminally ill. Matt had been living in LA for over 10 years, moving there to study in USC to be a filmmaker but without a doubt he paused his entire life to be with his hero. His best friend. 

When his dad peacefully passed away, Matt took one last trip with him and brought some of his ashes to Italy where his grandparents came from. Once there he discovered more about himself than just some family history. 

In Italy, Matt fell in love with Teddy and at thirty-six years old, they made him doubt everything he believed to be true about himself. 

It didn’t matter how much Teddy tried and proved themselves to Matt over and over, Matt couldn’t get past his paralyzing fear of people finding out about them so eventually and understandably, Teddy’s patience ran out and they left him for good. 

Now he’s back in New York, in Brooklyn this time, working in Manhattan as a screenwriter on a show filming in the city. It’s been three months but he still can’t help but turn every time he sees someone with blonde hair passing by him. 

[wayward-dreamer]

Coffee & Chaos - Part 2

Pairing: Producer!Jensen x Fem!Screenwriter!Reader

Word count: 1,976

Summary: Y/N starts working at Chaos Machine Productions, finding joy in the work and fitting in instantly. She knows she could really thrive in the company, as long as she doesn’t fall for her boss, the executive producer and founder, along the way. Little does she know he’s trying to suppress his feelings, for the sake of professionalism, too.

Warnings: Swearing, slight angst

A/N: I’m so excited to bring this mini-series to you guys! Let me know what you think! Happy reading and enjoy! :) beta’d by my love @evergreencowboy.

Series Masterlist | This mini-series is complete on Patreon!

A couple of weeks passed as Y/N settled into the job. Everyone had been right about telling her that it was only going to get harder from the first day, but it was nothing she hadn’t been able to handle. She had fallen into a great routine with everyone in the office, finding a different rapport with each of them but still managing to make it all work within the way the company operated. She had fallen into a comfortable routine with Jensen, too, both working together on a different level, something that she hadn’t expected to happen with an executive producer of a production company. He was accommodating of her ideas, listened to everything she had to say before he gave his notes, and was just a whole lot of fun, as well.

He was really making it hard not to like him, but hopefully that was allowed in a friendly capacity at least.

When she arrived at work that morning she was hoping to see him, but as lunch time rolled around, she knew that she probably wouldn’t have time to talk to him about a few things. He had been so busy with one-on-one meetings with writers, directors and other producers on upcoming projects, that he had been locked away in his office since he came in at 9:30am.

Y/N decided that lunch was a good time to multitask, so as she ate, she worked on the script that she had been writing. She was hoping to have it done soon to add to her portfolio and start sending it out to different companies.

“Hey, you doing alright?” Sarah asked, as she stood at Y/N’s desk.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Y/N replied, leaning back in her chair as she stopped typing. She wanted to take a little walk for some fresh air, having been inside since she got to work. “Wanna grab a coffee?”

“Sure,” Sarah smiled, as she walked back to her desk and picked up her wallet.

“So, what’re you working on?” Sarah asked her as soon as they were in line, across the street at Starbucks.

Y/N pressed her lips together, looking sheepish. “Sorry, I know I shouldn’t be working on anything personal-”

“Oh, please, there’s no rule that says you can’t,” Sarah waved her off, unbothered.

“Okay, good,” Y/N sighed. “It’s a pilot, I’m hoping to have it done really soon.”

“Well, I’m here if you need another set of eyes to look over it,” Sarah offered, nudging her arm into Y/N’s.

Y/N smiled. “Thanks.”

Just as their coffee orders arrived, Sarah’s phone rang. She answered it and immediately looked at Y/N as the person on the other end spoke. With an “okay” and “yeah, we’re on our way back”, she hung up the phone and gestured for Y/N to follow her.

“Jensen wants everyone in the next meeting,” she explained, as they rushed out of Starbucks and back across the street to the office, an extra coffee in tow for the boss.

Y/N hurried back to her desk to see who the meeting was for, her mind preoccupied with other tasks and completely forgetting who Jensen was scheduled to meet after lunch. She flipped through all her files and cursed inwardly, seeing that it was on the one script she hadn’t made any pre-meeting notes on. She was really hating her past self for such a stupid mistake.

“Ready?” Sarah asked, as she drifted by her desk.

“As I’ll ever be,” Y/N replied, picking up her copy of the script, notebook and pen as she followed behind her colleague.

They made their way over to the meeting room, as other employees filed in and took a seat at the table in the middle of the room. Y/N made sure all the water jugs were full and then sat down to Jensen’s right, between him and Sarah. The writers of the script were sitting across from her to his left, their hushed tones discussing something before the meeting officially started. Jensen started speaking, and she tried to focus on what he was talking about as she wrote down specific notes that they would need later. She found herself getting distracted as she looked down at his hands, his thick fingers twirling the pen between them, causing her to bite her lip as her mind drifted off, thinking about where she’d like those fingers to be…

“Y/N?”

She shook herself out of her daydream, looking up at him to see his green orbs staring at her. He had always been pleasant around her, but she gulped slightly as she saw his eyebrows furrowed, a dark look in his eye as he looked between her and her notebook.

“You wanna check back into reality?” he asked, his voice deep and husky, his intense glare on her.

She felt her core tighten as she squeezed her thighs together, not sure how his words and his look elicited that reaction. She should’ve been embarrassed to be called out in the meeting, but she couldn’t be bothered with the way he was staring at her.

“Sorry,” she muttered, her eyes drifting back down to the page, refusing to meet his again for the rest of the meeting.

Jensen continued the meeting, Y/N’s averted gaze on her work allowing her to concentrate as he spoke and write down all the important points that he or one of her colleagues brought up. An hour later, he stood up and shook hands with the writers, chuckling at something one of them said. As she gathered her things, she looked up at him, feeling butterflies in her stomach as she saw his gorgeous smile.

“You alright, Y/N?” Caleb, one of her fellow employees, asked as he moved past her.

“Yeah,” she replied, smiling softly. “I think the last couple of weeks of just going non-stop have finally gotten to me.”

“Well, if you wanna go for a drink tonight and chill out, we can” he offered.

“You know, I might actually take you up on that,” she muttered, sighing in relief to know that there was something to look forward to after a long day.

“Great,” Caleb breathed before making his way out of the room.

Y/N was about to follow him out when her eyes met Jensen’s, his arms crossed over his chest as he looked at her pointedly. She stopped and turned back to him, standing a few inches away as she waited to hear what he had to say.

“Wanna tell me what that was back there?” he asked, his voice deep but soft. He was clearly more confused than angry.

Her shoulders dropped as she breathed heavily, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, I’m just so distracted with everything else I’m trying to do. It won’t happen again, I promise.” He didn’t need to know that she was actually fantasizing about him.

He nodded, slowly. He seemed to approve of that. “Good. So… get those notes to me as soon as you can, okay?”

“Sure.”

Y/N flashed him a quick smile before she walked out of the room, letting out the breath she had been holding since he called her over. That could’ve been much worse, but she knew that even though he could be a hard ass, he never did anything to make anyone feel inferior. She had a sneaking suspicion he could be a bit of a softie sometimes, too, but that was a side to him he rarely showed to people.

She had a brief thought that she would like to see what he was like outside of work, but she pushed it away, carrying on with her work.

Y/N stretched her arms as she glanced down at her phone, checking the time. It was close to 7pm, not too late to call it a day unlike the last couple days where she had been finishing work much later. There was still enough time to go have a drink with some of her colleagues and then get home to make a quick dinner for herself. She picked up the scripts that she had been reading and the reports that she had done for them, carrying them to Jensen’s office. She knocked twice, entering as soon as she heard his rough voice say “come in.”

“Got those reports you asked for,” she informed him, placing the scripts and other papers on his desk.

“Thanks, Y/N,” he said, smiling softly. “You outta here?”

“Yeah,” she sighed, smirking. “Caleb asked me to go out for a drink, so that’s where I’m headed before going home.”

“Really? Caleb?” he asked, his eyebrows raised.

“Something wrong?” she inquired, frowning.

He shrugged his shoulders, shaking his head as he smirked. “No, no. Go have fun.”

“Okay,” she mumbled. She wasn’t sure what caused his demeanor to change suddenly, but he looked a little upset. She was probably overthinking it, so she decided to let it go for now. “Listen, uh… I really am sorry about today. It really won’t happen again,” she promised.

“It’s okay, Y/N. Your first slip-up in the weeks you’ve been here, it’s really nothing compared to the horror stories I’ve heard,” he reassured her, waving off her concerns. “If I was too hard on you-”

“No, you weren’t,” she interjected. You could’ve been harder. She cringed at her own thoughts, feeling her cheeks heat up. She really couldn’t be thinking things like that around him. “Goodnight, Jensen.”

“Night, Y/N.”

Y/N walked back to her desk and picked up her purse, slinging it over her shoulder as she left the office, ready to unwind for the night. She wondered if Jensen was really okay, but told herself that maybe he was just tired. It had been a long day and he probably just wanted to head home like the rest of them. Being the boss didn’t always have perks.

But she couldn’t help the weird feeling that bubbled in her stomach that there was something wrong.

Jensen leaned back in his chair, letting out a frustrated sigh as he stared up at the ceiling. He was in way deeper than he was thinking he was. Before she told him she was going for a drink, he was fully intending to ask Y/N out for one himself, as a way of telling her that there were no hard feelings about what happened in the meeting. Hearing that she was headed out with the rest of his staff got to him a little. He liked them all, he wouldn’t be working with them if he didn’t, but he was hoping that they might finally have a moment to talk outside of work.

Y/N was amazing. They had a great time getting to know each other in the context of work, and the little he did know about her personal life (she was an only child, her parents still lived in her childhood home, she had a dog), was all more reason to feel drawn to her. She was hardworking, caring, insanely smart and creative, and a great addition to the production company as well as being an awesome person.

As her boss, he really couldn’t expect anything to happen between them. Anything could be misconstrued as him trying to make advances, and that was the last thing he wanted Y/N to think of him. He liked her already, and he wished there was a way to handle this without the implications of what their industry had become infamous for.

That wasn’t his intention, but as much as he had started to like her over the last couple of weeks she had been there, there was just no way anything could happen.

He had to keep reminding himself of that.

Join my taglist(s)! If you’re crossed out I couldn’t tag you :(

Forevers: @evergreencowboy // @makeadealwithdean // @writercole // @flamencodiva // @440mxs-wife // @sexyvixen7 // @foxyjwls007 // @maliburenee // @waynes-multiverse // @weepingwillowphoenix // @kyjey // @lunarmoon8 // @stoneyggirl2 // @hobby27 //

Supernatural: @winchest09 // @deanwanddamons // @jensengirl83 // @watermelonlipstick // @emoryhemsworth // @katelyn--renee // @spnwoman // @lacilou // @kazsrm67 // @mariaenchanted // @smellingofpoetry // @snowlovespie // @stephv213 // @desimarie12 // @redbarn1995 // @nancymcl // @mrswhozeewhatsis //

Jensen: @akshi8278 // @whatareyousearchingfordean // @candy-coated-misery0731 // @siospins2 // @deans-baby-momma // @pink-sparkly-witch // @krazykelly // @lyarr24 // @perpetualabsurdity //  @lessons-of-red // @xlynnbbyx //

C&C: @spnfamily-j2​

[little-whats-her-name]

Giving my thoughts while watching The Dressmaker for the first time, so there will be spoilers

FYI the first piece of media I watched with Kate Winslet in it was not, like most, Titanic (I still haven't watched Titanic) but HBO's The Regime, thus I'm still wrapping my head around seeing Kate play a role that isn't Chancellor Elena Vernham

I don't know what's weirder, hearing Kate Winslet speak with an Aussie accent or watching her smoke. But Lenny, the lung cancer!

Kate even says "hm" like an Aussie, but you can tell who the real ones are

Liam looks identical to Chris

Wouldn't be an Australian film without Shane Jacobson. I swear it must be in the contract for whenever a screenwriter wants to set a film in Australia - must have Shane Jacobson playing a dad or, at the very least, a father-figure. I met him after Rocky Horror in 2018 (he was the narrator). He was very kind, stopped someone from cutting in front of me for autographs

Say what you want about the cop-type guy, he matched his hat and skirt to his uniform top and tie very well

Just had a Freaky Friday moment: Nearly bit right through my finger in the footy scene, meanwhile my dad could not have cared less about Myrtle's appearance and was pretty much watching the same scene like "mmm footy". No other thoughts in his head at all. So I'm questioning my own thought process

Thought she was nude but the black dress and the decolletage is nice

I don't get how changing her dress made the opposite team get distracted but alright

Pot brownies!

I've seen the Liam Hemsworth stripping scene in every single trailer. I pointed this out to my dad, who replied, "Gotta give the viewers something to look forward to." 🤣

The actor that plays Gertrude's mum would make a great Emily Weiss

"Give it! Give it!" Kate, your Elena Vernham is showing

Same with "Teddy, look." and "No no no no no d-don't!" and "Those vile idiots, I invited them up here." and "God, she must have broken something when she fell." and "But... she's in pain!" and "She would've hated it, she would've hated this one!"

Also the "But... she's in pain!" delivery is me when my mum calls Elena crazy

Love that Teddy finds out that Myrtle's technically responsible for a boy's death and responds by making out with her

Cracked up laughing at Chancellor Elena Vernham's face and voice saying, "It's Superman!"

"I AM NO LONGER CURSED!"

Oh no, we've got Kate Winslet on a boat, is this intertextual referencing?

She's gonna get Titanic flashbacks, they're on a boat and Teddy's gone

My dad was making dinner and missed this part, so I had to fill him in:

Me (distraught): You were right about the wheat thing!

My dad: What?

Me: Liam's character just suffocated in the wheat!

My dad (having no empathy for Myrtle whatsoever): So, she is cursed.

Like no, dad, don't say that in front of the fragile Kate Winslet character, she's already blaming herself, she doesn't need your confirmation

Kate's got one panicked sobbing voice but it's a good one

Ay there's those hymn number things that were in Reefer Madness (2005), but unlike in Reefer Madness, none of the hymn numbers are 420

That's such an Elena mourning outfit

Ooh I reckon that extra's in Hairspray (2007). Like the casting directors just call her up whenever they need a background character for a film set in the 1950s-1960s

"10 shillings." "12 shillings." Makes me think of "5 galleons." "I'm your brother!" "Ten galleons."

"At least you've got Una." Extra in front right's reaction is hilarious and perfect. Should've got a raise for that.

Seeing Myrtle asleep is making me think of that one ep of The Regime

Makeup guys did a good job, very realistic exhausted, red-eyes-from-crying look

Kate makes "Thank you, Trudy." sound like "Go fuck yourself, Trudy."

Now Kate looks like Elena in ep 6

The pot brownies are back!

Had to die right in the middle of the town for the perfect shot (as in the way the scene's set, there's no bullet)

Myrtle being sad and drunk is such a mood, so's her outfit

HAHA I have to gif that scene for Mae

The way she reads the letter 😂 "Winyerp... drama club..." She's so hangover, I love her so much, I'll hold her hair back if she vomits. I'll just step right through the TV screen. I wrote a song about a similar thing

And I have to gif THIS scene for Mae

"Marigold, this is very wrong!" "Yes... But I'm unstable."

The contrast between the pastel tiles and his dark blood is so pretty

Shane looks so good in Rocco makeup, with his beard and everything

Ah there's the clip that's in the trailer, editors did a good job spoiling the twist ending

"Where are you going, miss?" Home? "Paris." (disappointed voice) Aw

"You never met the rubbish." is a great final line

[foxsoulcourt]

Women Talking

For a VaRiEtY of reasons last week I went down some rabbit holes around this movie + the principals involved.

Navigating this experience illuminated how I want to stretch + grow in terms of exercising leadership, no matter my role within a group or community. I stand in wonder learning a bit about how DeDe Gardner, Sarah Polley + Frances McDormand collaborate. Their vision of how movies can create conversations to help shift important social dynamics INSPIRES ME.

If you are similarly interested, here's some links you might enjoy.

update 3/12/23 8:00pm SARAH POLLEY JUST WON THE ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY!!! Watch her JoYfuLLy run up to give her iNsiGhTfuL acceptance speech here.

Back in Sept2022 at TIFF2022 (25 min) this L o V e L y small group convo happened. Among other bits, LOVED moderator Sonia Lawrence's summary statement that what she takes from the film into her life is not the community's lack of judgment, but their presence of care.

Here's Frances at MVFF (54 min) - where she read some bits from Sarah Polley's brave book Run Towards The Danger; spoke about the magnificient collaboration between Polley (screenwriter + director), producer Dede Gardner + herself; and described the impact of Polley's way of exercising leadership on others. Watching this video is the first time I've seriously considered using the descriptor 'matriarchal leadership style.' Loved this bit (which is mostly a direct quote), "Movies are not answers, but they are propaganda + conversation starters... we're actively screening at colleges + universities... using the moving to talk about the future, not about the horrible present, but the future + try to radicalise the conversation more. "

Claire Foy in a convo moderated by Kate Erbland (28 min) - about how Foy landed as Salome, what it was like to work with Polley as a director, and more. At 14:05 min there's a sweet bit about the experience of acting with Ben Whishaw + his role in the movie.

NYFF60 (19 min) - Eugene Hernandez does an admirable job getting each person to reflect on the movie within this relatively short panel conversation.

In February Polley + Ben, and then Buckley + Foy were on London Live (9:25 min). L O V E D how about 3/4 of the way through Buckley gently pushes back on interviewer's assumption that the women character's lives were foreign to the actors playing them. They're not, she said, not at all. What WAS foreign + welcome was the ability for a group of women to have an extended conversation about a complex issue and then to make a decision which will have an impact on the rest of their lives. D A M N, if that isn't sobering!

I didn't know August Winter before watching these interviews, so found this Autostraddle interview w/cast member August Winter about the movie + navigating the industry as a non-binary actor + this video. I appreciate hearing from them directly about their character Melvin who is a trans man + learning why silence is such a significant part of their character's behaviour.

Lastly, reading some of Polley's IG posts reminds me that the people I admire most know their worth, yet a l w a y s shine a light on those around them. After listening + watching Polley today, I am even.more.encouraged to do the same. Currently the latter is easier than the former. #work in progress

[invisiblegarters]

Be My Favorite Ep 5

Ugh, why is Kawi still hanging out with these losers? Please stop trying so hard to fit in, dude, it hurts me.

Oh, Pisaeng. He really did do some soul searching, didn't he? Good for him. I totally thought he was gonna confess to Kawi though. I mean, I think they both know who he was talking about, but I wonder if Piseang knows Kawi knows?

Ha, okay. Yes, I would totally try to win the lottery too if I had time travel capabilities.

I will say that I do worry that Pear is gonna suddenly become a faen fatale because of being rejected by Pisaeng. I don't know anything about this director/screenwriter so I don't know if I should expect it. Can she please just stay her awesome self?

Pfft. I wonder how the subtitlers of this show feel about subtitling someone acting like their job makes them lower than other people. Subtitling is hard work.

Max is such a good friend. I'm very happy that Kawi got past his hang ups with him, because he's just the best and I am always happy to see him.

Not so much Not. He continues to be the worst. And the worst part for me is that I totally get Kawi's need to be his friend. I get his desperation to want to belong, and how winning over people like Not seem like the way to do that. But people like that are not the ones you want to be friends with. Those types of people always need a low man on the totem pole to peck at, to make themselves feel better, and Not has clearly made Kawi his "low man".

I feel like Pear and Kawi could be really great friends, honestly. It interests me that Kawi seems to be instinctively drawn to decent people - Max, Pear, even Pisaeng even though he's fighting the last bit because he knows about Pisaeng's crush on him - and yet he till keeps trying with people like Not out of some misplaced belief that that's the kind of friendship he needs.

Okay, if Max and Pisaeng become friends I will scream in the good way.

1984! Now I want to rewatch The Eclipse (ah hell who am I kidding. I always want to rewatch that show).

MAX. He is s great. The greatest. Maybe Pisaeng should date him (I know he won't but please let them be friends, please. He's so lovely and comfortable with himself and Pisaeng could really really use someone like him in his life).

Oh, does Pear's friend like Not? Girl, you can do better. Although I suppose we might be getting a redemption arc for him at some point. And ha, okay, was that a subtle rebuke from her about encouraging people? Because if so, you go girl. And she's right. It's just as easy to be encouraging and decent to people as it is to be mean, but so often people choose the latter. The funny thing is that I actually think that in the long run, choosing to be nice helps you more, because it feels good to make other people feel good. Doesn't it? It doesn't harm anyone to be pleasant and to encourage others.

Oh, that smile when Kawi got the text from Pisaeng. I have a small hunch that part of Kawi's issues both with Max and with Pisaeng is that he recognizes them in himself and doesn't want to, but I am not entirely sure he knows it. Max wasn't wrong to call him out on his BS about it, either. Even without the romance stuff I want to see Kawi grow as a person.

Aw, okay. That was a very good rejection speech. Honest but not mean, and no shying away or running and making Pisaeng feel like dirt for his feelings. I really really like that Kawi took Max's words to heart, and the he seems to have really internalized them. I know we're only on episode five, but my goodness I like this turn from trying to fix what he thought were all the problems in his life to genuinely working on himself. Because here's the thing. It's not that Kawi's life took a wrong turn somewhere that made everything go bad, not really. There's no one specific thing that he can point to and be like "yes, that there is where it all went wrong" even though he thinks that there is. For Kawi it's definitely more an attitude problem. He was so in the habit of looking at the world a certain way, and now he's learning that if he tilts his head in a different direction, everything looks different.

I think I'm going to like Kawi and Pisaeng's Friend Era.

Well this song certainly isn't going to help Pisaeng move past that crush of his. That poor boy is so doomed.

Speaking of Pisaeng, I really appreciated his whole arc this episode. He was brave in so many ways. I love that he's clearly going on his own journey apart from the thing with Kawi, and again, I need him and Max to be friends. After the end of the last ep though my guess is Max is gonna figure out who has the crush on Kawi way sooner than later.

I haven't read the novel this is based on so I don't know if it's different there, but I do like that this crush has led Pisaeng down his own journey of self-discovery. We don't want miserable, drunk Pisaeng marrying a woman he doesn't love in the future, okay? We want happy, comfortable Pisaeng who may or may not be with Kawi but is still in a good place. I'm also happy it seems to be very deliberately stepping away from the whole "I don't like guys, I just like you" thing, because I hate it (granted I haven't seen it happen recently, but still. I've seen it enough that I'm always wary of it).

[possessionisamyth]

Given what Lily Gao has said about Ada, do you think Capcom is becoming aware of the criticisms regarding Ada's "dragon lady" persona and is working to correct it?

I'm going to preface this with I am not Chinese nor Chinese-American. I'm black, I taught english in Japan, and knowledge on this kind of racial stereotyping is growing at the same rate as my knowledge on antisemitism, AKA I know some but am still learning. So sorry again for this being long, but my answer will focus on how I look at writing/story analysis.

To be honest, for me when it comes to critically thinking about and analyzing media, I don't really care about what people say in interviews. I don't even look for them. The first exception I make to this is if someone has made enough of something that I can catch the patterns in their story-telling/depiction, and I have a desire to know where that comes from. That desire to know is also extremely rare, because there isn't a piece of written work (sans music) I don't analyze to some extent, and I've gotten great at guessing where ideas sprout from. Too good actually.

I say this not because the information is irrelevant, but because if what they're saying is true it will be executed well in the piece. If what they're saying is true, it will have met the goal whether or not they explicitly tell me what their goal is. I don't look at voice actor interviews, screenwriter interviews, or director interviews, and I haven't since my university classes. The other exception to this are blooper reels and director cuts with commentary. It's a shame many pieces no longer do these because they do highlight the goals of the movie better due to being in the moment with reels or by explaining why things were removed instead of why things were there, which is also more valuable to me.

I'm much less inclined to take Resident Evil voice actor opinions because I do not know how long they'll have that job. On top of that, IF we get Separate Ways DLC, I want how they took her lines in RE4R to make more sense as a result. I have a voice acting friend who loves Ada's new voice, but had problems with the direction they took her lines in. I didn't really hear it. I'm not experienced in that avenue. Me and my friend already have proven to have different opinions since I like when VAs voices crack or sound weak or warbly because it makes the scene feel more real to me. Voices aren't always perfectly practiced sounding without error because it veers too far into the uncanny which is why I stopped listening to ENG dubs of anime.

I love Ada talking to Luis and Leon like they're her subs. I love how bored and uninterested she sounds. It's a million times better than the "don't you want to fuck me" voice because anime has rotted the brains of many, and I'm a stupid gay who think women with deep voices can say anything so there's clearly a bias here! Yet until we see that DLC, which I'm praying we get, I can't tell you if Gao's words are true or not. Japan has a nasty history of being super xenophobic towards chinese people, and their xenophobia has been horribly normalized to this day. (I lived there, and I'm going back, and how nonchalant people were about it made me sick.)

As long as the DLC doesn't half focus on Luis, who Leon/Luis shippers are doing their own "latino papi" racist takes on link included check out the article, we'll have to see. I want to see the Remake Separate Ways DLC put in the work of departing Ada from the dragon lady stereotype. I want to know the writers and directors behind it realized how bad the original RE4 made it via making the remake DLC simply showing Ada as a woman who puts herself and her beliefs first no matter how gray those beliefs are. If it accomplishes that goal narratively, then I can assume whatever Lily Gao said is correct because other people will be talking about it. If it doesn't, then it doesn't regardless of the actor's interpretation of the piece.

Personally (this is related to the racist stereotype topic though veering off topic) If they do RE5 Remake, I will be flooding the tags with either praise or vitrol because jesus fucking christ the african stereotypes in the original? Painful. Physically painful for me. If they don't fix it, you all will know. In the meantime, praying we get that Separate Ways DLC. Really hoping to hear chinese voices who either enjoyed or felt neutral about Gao's acting on the DLC if it drops.

[fearsmagazine]

FOLLOW HER - Review

DISTRIBUTOR: Quiver

SYNOPSIS: “Jess has finally found her hook: secretly filming creepy interactions she encounters via online job listings, and using the kinks of others to fuel her streaming success. For her next episode, she’s been hired by Tom to write the ending of a screenplay in a remote, lavish cabin. Once there, the alluring self-proclaimed screenwriter hands her a script in which the two of them are the main characters. This client isn’t what he seems, and even though the money’s great… the real payment here could cost her life.” - Quiver

REVIEW: FOLLOW HER is a cleaver idea that deals with the take down of an aggressive influencer whose karma catches up with her. Actress Dani Barker is also the film’s writer and a producer. She weaves together some interesting ideas, creates a character you’ll love to hate, and is an overall above average independent genre film.

The screenplay for FOLLOW HER tackles the arc of the main character Jess. It is made clear early on that she gives little thought to taking advantage of everyone, including her family, to get what she wants. She exploits people’s fetishes, she is usually careful, but something goes wrong with her latest encounter. Instead of taking it down, she leaves it online as it continues to trend and reaches a new level. When she comes across a writing opportunity that deals with themes she is familiar with, and pays good money, she throws caution to the wind and heads to the country to meet the screenwriter. What ensues is a game of cat-&-mouse as Jess comes to realize the setup is too perfect and there is something more going on than she expected or planned for. There are moments when Jess’s ego and greed overcomes her sense of self-preservation and ultimately the climax presents a strange twist that is an overthought “Absence of Malice.” The story does not end there. There is a scene with Jess, her father and the police that feels out of place and almost like an afterthought to the entire narrative. There is a final sequence that adds another level of the strange and bizarre, which also provides the title of the film. I was in for the majority of the tale, however the subsequent scenes felt unnecessary and bewildering.

Dani Barker and Luke Cook, the two main actors, carry the story. Barker portrays a mean girl, a self-absorbed influencer of today, and I enjoyed seeing her in danger. Yes, I was rooting for the bad guy, Tom. Luke’s Tom is a charming and twisted character, and the humor flows naturally. His performance reminds me of a cross between Christian Bale’s Patrick Bateman and Jack Nicholson’s The Joker. The actors have a strong rapport and their on-screen interactions are believable and engaging. The actors have excellent chemistry, but their rapport creates a light-hearted atmosphere that undermines the suspense and makes it difficult for the audience to become fully invested in the story.

The production values are solid, the editing creates a nice pace for the majority of the film. The barn is an excellent location, the others are adequate. Jess has some interesting costume designs and Barker seems very comfortable in them.

FOLLOW HER, an adult-themed film that never achieves a level of seriousness and peril that I believe it should. There are excellent performances and some witty banter, but the story has two additional scenes, the first feels awkward and the second is an additional punchline that feels like it is there to simply set up the title of the film. Still, it is a deadly frolic where you can’t help but cheer for Jess’ demise.

CAST: Luke Cook, Dani Barker, Eliana Jones and Mark Moses CREW: Director / Producer - Sylvia Caminer; Screenplay / Producer - Dani Barker; Producer - Michael Indjeian; Cinematographer - Luke Geissbuhler; Score - Alexander Arntzen; Editor - Alex Gans; Production Designer - Noa Rachel Bricklin; Costume Designer - Caycee Black; Visual Effects Supervisor - Alex Noble OFFICIAL: www.followherfilm.com FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/FollowHerFilm TWITTER: twitter.com/FollowHerFilm TRAILER: https://youtu.be/19ELKe8IKXo RELEASE DATE: In Select Theaters & VOD June 2nd, 2023

**Until we can all head back into the theaters our “COVID Reel Value” will be similar to how you rate a film on digital platforms - 👍 (Like), 👌 (It’s just okay), or 👎 (Dislike)

Reviewed by Joseph B Mauceri

[eilinelsghost]

Fifteen Questions for Fifteen Mutuals

Thanks for the tag, @actual-bill-potts!!

Are you named after anyone? Lol yes. I was supposed to have both first and middle be after a great-gma, but my mom liked how a waitress signed her name on a receipt when mom was 8 months pregnant, so my first got changed at the last minute. (on here I go by my middle because...uh...I actually hate my first name haha.)

Do you have kids? Yep! One excellent lil 3 year old.

Do you use sarcasm a lot? Why, is it not apparent?

When was the last time you cried? Last week, I think? I do some side work in abuse survivor advocacy and some things were pretty rough.

What's the first thing you notice about other people? Their smiles maybe? I need to pay more attention to this.

Eye colour? Brown.

What sports do you/have played? I played soccer as a kid, but spent the whole time pretending I was in the armies of Gondor, so that was not a huge success. Does writing count as a sport or....?

Any special talent? I generally feel like I'm good at a lot of things, but great at....uh nothing? So I'm not sure I have a special talent. Things I like doing, though, are playing piano and violin, cooking, making (and eating) rhubarb pie, puns, and now teaching myself how to draw - which has been surprisingly fun!

Where were you born? Illinois, USA

Scary movies or happy endings? Happy endings. I don't mind sad necessarily, but not big on scary. Also do not let anything happen to the animals. (My husband literally checks a website called does the dog die dot com before we watch anything just to play it safe.)

Do you have any pets? I have an extremely anxious little dachshund-beagle mutt that we got from a rescue. She is a damn delight and an absolute mess of a canine and I adore her.

How tall are you? 5'6"

What are your hobbies? I guess see the special talent question because apparently I answered it with a list of hobbies haha.

Favorite subject in school? English lit/writing and history

Dream job? I actually don't have a dream job! I spent a lot of my early life wanting to be a screenwriter/director, but now I honestly just want a nice, chill job that keeps work at work, lets me do a 9-5, and enables me to do the things I love outside of it. Which is the setup I have right now and it's working out pretty great.

------

I think I've seen all my mutuals I'd tag here already tagged, so if you see this and think it sounds fun, consider yourself tagged!

[byneddiedingo]

Mads Mikkelsen and Alicia Vikander in A Royal Affair (Nikolaj Arcel, 2012) Cast: Alicia Vikander, Mads Mikkelsen, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Trine Dyrholm, David Dencik, Harriet Walter. Screenplay: Rasmus Heisterberg, Nikolaj Arcel, based on a novel by Bodil Steensen-Leth. Cinematography: Rasmus Videbæk. Production design: Niels Sejer. Costume design: Manon Rasmussen. Film editing: Kasper Leick, Mikkel E.G. Nielsen. Music: Cyril Aufort, Gabriel Yared. A Royal Affair features Alicia Vikander and Mads Mikkelsen, who are well-known in the United States, but they almost get the film stolen out from under them by Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, a young actor unknown on this side of the Atlantic. The film, as its title suggests, is a romantic historical drama. It's based on the story of the arranged marriage of Princess Caroline Matilda of Great Britain (a sister of George III) to King Christian VII of Denmark, and her affair with the king's adviser, the German physician Johann Friedrich Struensee, a story that, as the film is careful to point out, is an analog to the story of Guinevere, Lancelot, and Arthur. It's a rough analog, because unlike Arthur, Christian (Følsgaard), was quite mad. And except for cuckolding the king, Struensee (Mikkelsen) is really more Merlin than Lancelot to him -- a physician who tries to temper Christian's madness but also a political adviser determined to bring the ideas of Locke and Rousseau and other Enlightenment thinkers to feudal, priest-ridden Denmark. Director Nikolaj Arcel and co-screenwriter Rasmus Heisterberg naturally gravitate more toward the romance than the politics, using as their primary source a novel by Bodil Steensen-Leth that tells the story from the point of view of Caroline, who is as disgusted with her mad husband as he is indifferent to her. Vikander is splendid in the role as she goes from naive enthusiasm at the idea of marrying a king, even though she's never seen him before they're wed, to icy disillusionment and from indifference to Struensee to passion. Mikkelsen is a little stolid in his role: He communicates Struensee's passion for Enlightenment ideas better than he does his passion for Caroline. But Følsgaard has a grand time playing the mercurial Christian, who is sometimes plausibly sane and even likable, but mostly acts like a four-year-old in a grown man's body, with the additional danger of having the royal prerogative to do what he wants. Arcel does a good job of rising above the clichés of the genre, and cinematographer Rasmus Videbæk and production designer Niels Sejer do justice to the handsome settings, most of them in and around Prague.

[dropthedemiurge]

Okay, so. I am too lazy to make screencaps but. Some of the things I noticed in Be My Favorite and I want to bet whether they are true or not (or discuss with people).

0: First of all, why I think we can safely theorize: JittyRain's story that was used for a cool mystic universe-travelling concept in ViceVersa but really failed imo in that part now wrote another story. But BMF is inspired by, not an adaptation of the novel. And the screenwriter & director P'Waa is someone who is known for his love of precise filming where every detail and movement has its meaning and goes with his vision. It's a director who made actors film one small movement like 100 times. And then ended up not using the cut because it didn't fit the picture. So I trust him to really do a good job with BMF storytelling, and as far as I know, just 2 eps already have hella lot of differences from the original novel.

But what do we have so far?

1. Pisaeng definitely already likes Kawi. Kawi is really an unreliable narrator, he never even moticed Pisaeng properly before but the guy was always on the background (literally, starting from the scene of Kawi pulling for secret buddy). The amount of gazing and openly saying he liked Kawi but it's all played as simple flirting that viewer (ehem in Kawics POV) doesn't really believe. But Pisaeng has been eyeing Kawi and wanting to get close with him for a long time, and finally he has a chance. And he lets so many things slide when it comes to Kawi xD

2. Pisaeng and Pear are childhood friends. He said they know each other since they were young. Pisaeng is clearly uncomfortable being shipped with Pear, and Pear is friendly with him > They do not have a romantic interest for each other but they don't mind spending time dining together or just hanging out.

3. Maybe, as it goes for BL typically, Pisaeng is interested in guys, Pear in girls but they both rich so the marriage came from their parents / business-like decision, and that's why Pisaeng is so distressed and drunk at his own wedding (in that one timeline change) because he never actually pursued Pear as his love interest. He even openly said in the beginning he doesn't have feelings for her. And it would be weird to make Pear in love with Pisaeng. (i kinda think she is confused why Pisaeng brought Kawi to their "date" or why Kawi is shy with her because she might know it's Pisaeng who wants to get close to Kawi)

4. Why the hell Kawi is reading foreign books (Sam Walton?) in Korean?? There are thai and english books in his room and only one fully written in Korean book and it's so obviously pointed out. I desperately need to know whether it's intentional or just a decoration. Or is Kawi really talented with languages (and he works as a subtitler!), is it a real part of his personality? I need to knoooow

I'm gonna add more thoughts if I remember them xD