#& also unique. not to toot my own horn or anything but<3

[s1x-foot-deep]

humanito is such a weird little freak I love hims

he is a weird little freak isnt he..... whats his problem,

[ja-khajay]

2020-2021 Animation Watch(ed)list

I haven’t posted about animation in a while that I remember, and I know a lot of my followers are into it as much as me so I decided to make a list of the animated movies and series I watched on the past year or so, coupled with my short, spoilerless take on them. Enjoy!

Organized by

Things I saw for the first time

Things I rewatched

Under a cut for the sake of your dashboards! PS: I have not added any images yet. If you are interested in knowing more about the visuals of these movies, I might make an old fashion ask-prompted imageset list.

Part One: Things I saw for the first time

The Bear’s Famous Invasion of Sicily

Movie, 2019, Italian/French

9/10, a delightful little movie with amazing visuals. It feels like an animated picture book.

One of those “plot is in the title” media! I had never heard of this before but was heavily recommended it by my family members, who all loved it! It’s a sweet story, nothing groundbreaking but the unique colorful visual style alone makes it worth it.

The Castle of Cagliostro

Movie, 1979, Japanese

10/10. Reminded me of all the books i loved reading as a child

I assume its because it’s so old and the art style and themes are so different that it gets little to no love compared to other Ghibli movies, which is a shame! It’s fun with an endearing cast and as always, great animation and music

Mushishi

Series, 2006, Japanese

10/10 three episodes in I knew it was going to be my favorite series ever

One of the few things I’ve seen I’ll describe as life-changing. It’s absolutely lovely but never toots its own horn about it. Humble, calming, emotional and surprisingly mature. It’s pretty impossible to binge due to how intense the experience is. I just want to walk in the forest now...

FMA: Brotherhood

Series, 2009, Japanese

6/10 Dissapointing adaptation of a classic story

I read the manga for this when I was in middle school and remembered loving it. The animated version does an ok job of presenting the characters and worldbuilding and has some nice action scenes but overall looks really damn cheap and just. Not very good. Seeing I already knew most of the plot I did not have the element of discovery that made me marvel so much reading the original. It’s still a nice series but I really recommend reading it instead.

Code Lyoko (s1+2)

Series, 2003, french

3/10. 1.5 being for the opening song alone

This show sucks ass if I hadn’t been watching this with my bestie I would have dropped it two episodes in. The art style is ugly the stories are always the same and the first season has a (later removed thank fucking god) LITERAL “erase any consequences” button as a plot device in every episode. If you watch it for one thing let it be the nostalgia factor of early 00s Vidya Game Plot

The Legend of Hei

Movie, 2019, Chinese

7/10. Impressive visuals and a poor story

I finally watched this, peer pressured by the load of gifsets on my dashboard! It’s a sweet movie with really impressive animation, sometimes a bit too flashy for my taste (the action sequences go so ham they become not very readable...) but the story was just ok? The setting is barely explained and you are instead bombarded with vague epicspeech about powers and stuff that made me fondly remember Kingdom Hearts lol but that asides it’s a really good time! I need to watch more Chinese movies the few I know are just delightfully off the shits in how they approach action and I love that

Hunter x Hunter

Series, 1999, Japanese

9/10. Superior to the recent one!

I first got introduced to the series via the 2011 one. Comparatively, the 99 series focuses way less on action and way more on the characters, which I love because that fits my personal preferences! Despite mediocre filler episodes and some weird slight pointless plot changes, what it changes from the original manga doesn’t have much of an impact on the characters. The animation quality isn’t always consistent including a huge art style change for an arc (???) but it’s overall pretty nice. The series really shines in the last arc it adapts.

Oban Star-racers

Series, 2006, Japanese/french

9/10 a lovely surprise

This series is completly obscure despite having been created by people famous for their other series (Cowboy Bebop, Code Lyoko that i can name) and it’s a crime! It’s a kids show but without being stupid about it who tells the story of an inter-planetary race. If you liked that one scene in the star wars prequels you know what I mean. It’s got surprisingly nice animation for a TV series, and some truly great character design. The art style is a bit unique in a not for everyone sense, but I didn’t mind it much. It’s also THE most offensively 2000s series i’ve seen in terms of visuals. y2k kids assemble

The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon

Movie, 1963, japanese

8/10. Classic fairytale format with incredible visuals

Watched this for the art style because I know it inspired Samurai Jack, and it delievered! I dont’ have much to say about this one, it’s a very simply film but it’s sweet. For my pirates out there if you want to find it in good quality with english subtitles it’s VERY hard to find. If you just want to see the looks of it, it’s on Youtube with portugese subs.

We now enter the Gobelins Shorts Zone....!

My Friend Who Glows In The Dark

10/10 makes me cry each time

Pure delight...great animation writing everything. A little short about death and friendship but not in the way you imagine!

Colza

9/10

Visual treat...homely and nice :) not far from a 10 but a 9 because nothing about it is that groundbreaking

Sundown

9/10

If you’ve ever been ten minutes from failing a group project because of a single dude you will REALLY enjoy this. Loved the colors and personality

T’as vendu mes rollers?

10/10

It’s SUCH a sweet little short I loved that one so much

Dix-huit kilomètres trois

10/10

Surprisingly well written dialog. Visuals are great but the humanity of the characters carries this to another level

Un diable dans la poche

9/10

Amazing visuals and the most tense/creepy of Gobelin shorts i’ve ever seen. Chilling

La bestia

8/10

I had some issues with the pacing. Interesting story and visuals choices but I was not fond of the art style

Goodbye Robin

5/10

Confusing but predictable. Both at once??? Yes!

Le retour des vagues

6/10

Cool animation stuff but felt pretty pointless

                                                                ***

Part Two: Things I rewatched

Ruben Brandt: Collector

Movie, 2018, Hungarian

10/10. Underrated as hell

Watched this fully blind for the first time in an animated festival and rewatched it with friends. It’s a crime I never see anyone talking about it given the amount of whining I see about the lack of both adult animation and 2D movies? This film is a unique love letter to art in the form of a weird mix of charming crime story and psychological horror with amazing visuals. I recommend watching it blind and also buying it to show appreciation for how nice it is!!! WATCH THIS MOVIE...

Mononoke

Series, 2007, Japanese

10/10 Visual/storytelling masterpiece in the weird shit departement

If you can stomach intense stuff watch this. The visuals are incredibly unique and beautiful and under the jewel tones and art direction high takes it’s a really cool horror series. My only obstacle to enjoying it the first time I saw it was how dense it is - simply put, it’s so...culturally Japanese it’s not very accessible to me who doesn’t know anything about the culture? Watching it for the second time helped understanding the stories more! 

Corto Maltese in Siberia

Movie, 2002, french

9/10 but really close to ten. A great adaptation!

I’m a huge fan of the original comic so I entered this a biiiittttt suspicious it would suck but it was a really pleasant surprise! It has all the wonder and charm of the original and the animation was surprisingly good for the little budget. If you’re not familiar with the series, it’s a sort of geopolitical action/adventure movie but with it’s own really poetic vibe to it. It’s almost impossible to find online but happens to be fully on YouTube so go ham I guess?

Redline

Movie, 2009, Japanese

10/10 cinema was invented for this, actually

Every review of this movie i’ve seen gives it five stars and starts by talking about how immensly stupid it is. I’m no different. It’s a masterpiece of escalating energy with the depth of a puddle and it fucking rules. It’s free on YouTube too so there really is no excuse to not watch it. Watched it for the first time on a huge cinema screen and despite this my second rewatch on my small laptop was as/even more enjoyable. If you watch this stoned with friends you might travel to another dimension

Spirited Away

Movie, 2001, Japan

10/10 deserves the love it gets

I watched this a single time as a kid and had little memory of it! I mean it’s Ghibli you know it’s going to be good as hell but this one rly shines in how colorful and detailed it is and in it’s world! It made me remember I had a huge crush on the dragonboy as a kid. I’m gay now

Kung-fu Panda (1&2)

Movie, Usa

10/10. KFP fucking rules

Honestly my favorite franchise of the whole disney/dreamworks/pixar hydra. It’s fun as hell, doesn’t skip a single beat and has amazing animation and character designs. If something is a good time I will not care if it’s deep or not and boy I fucking love these movies

Sinbad, Legend of the Seven Seas

Movie, 2003, Usa

5/10 Some great some really bad and overall generic

I tend to hate american cinema and this includes that era of animation I have no nostalgia for. Sinbad is in a weird place because I love adventure stories and the visuals of the movie absolutely deliver but it’s very predictable and TANKED by the addition of the female character, pushed in your face as “look we have woman!!!” despite her writing being misogynistic as hell lol. The evil goddess rules tho. This movie would have been a solid 9 if instead of the girl the two dudes had kissed

[tuntematonkorppi]

Clarification: Part 1. But try not to spoil Seth's part near the end? I can;t remember if you wrote them simultaneously. He's such an adorable idiot and SOON THERE WILL BE KISSING . And I will squeak with happiness.

1: What inspired you to write the fic this way?

uuuuuuuuh that’s a good question. i just wanted Seth and Kate to end up together but i’m a sucker for healthy and equal relationships so i had to bring them there first before anything could actually happen between them.

2: What scene did you first put down?

already answered

3: What’s your favorite line of narration?

already answered

4: What’s your favorite line of dialogue?

already answered

5: What part was hardest to write?

already answered

6: What makes this fic special or different from all your other fics?

i wrote 45k in like. a month and a half, with very few things to completely change, and with being proud of it almost from the get go. i also wrote it in one block at first, then cut it into parts. i usually write one shots or divide chapter by chapter as i write. and i experimented with different narration styles. 

7: Where did the title come from?

the title (and every title for the rest of the series) is from this musical project by the caretaker, which aims to recreate the descent into dementia through sound and music. i listened to this album while writing part I-1 & 2 and part II-1

8: Did any real people or events inspire any part of it?

so as i mentionned in my reply to @myletternevercame, Kate’s depression in part II-1 was inspired by one of my own depressive episodes.

the line of dialogue i quoted in that same ask is actually something i’ve said to my best friend a couple years ago. we met through his ex, who was one of my friends at the time, and he was feeling guilty that we weren’t friends anymore after their break up. that’s when i told him to i had chosen him and that i would keep choosing him and that he had nothing to be guilty about. 

(i know you said to talk only about part 1 of the series but Seth’s hatred of mojitos comes from my own hatred of making mojitos when i was a bartender.)

9: Were there any alternate versions of this fic?

nope

10: Why did you choose this pairing for this particular story?

because this story couldn’t have been told with another pairing? idk. 

11: What do you like best about this fic?

okay not to toot my own horn or whatever that fucking weird saying is, but i consider this fic (along with ‘what does it matter how my heart breaks’) my best work. in this particular fic, i’m proud of how i managed to build fraternal bonds between Kate and Scott, Diego, Dorian, Miguel and Richie that are each unique and different from one another, but also of how i wrote Kate’s rebuilding of herself through different ways. but i think what i love most about these two fics (and i know you said just part 1, but still) is how they allowed me to play with the unreliable narration and the difference in perception of a same event by two people. Kate is going to see something one way and Seth is going to see it another way and the truth is somewhere in the middle. what Kate thinks Seth is thinking might not be what he is actually thinking and Seth is gonna interpret Kate’s actions when she actually doesn’t mean them that way and it’s really fun to play with that and to write that because you have to keep in mind what the other protagonist is actually going through rather than having them being just a prop in your character’s POV.

12: What do you like least about this fic?

so as i said, i consider this series my best work. however in the first part, i think i would develop some scenes more, but that’s maybe just because i wrote them longer in seth’s pov. overall i’m pretty pleased with how it turned out. 

13: What music did you listen to, if any, to get in the mood for writing this story? Or if you didn’t listen to anything, what do you think readers should listen to to accompany us while reading?

alright so as i mentionned above, i listened to “everywhere at the end of time” by the caretaker for the first few chapters. then i have an entire playlist for this fic on spotify, which includes the movie ‘hostiles’ ost, the broadchurch ost, a lot of olafur arnalds in general and also johann johannsson. 

14: Is there anything you wanted readers to learn from reading this fic?

uuuuuuuuuuuuh i have no idea. i just write the shit that comes into my head and if people learn anything from it then great but idk what they could learn from this? y’all tell me.

15: What did you learn from writing this fic?

as said above, experimenting with unreliable narration was the best thing ever and it taught me to really consider every player of each scene as an entire person with their own thoughts and their own motivations rather than props who are just there to make my protagonist’s story advance. 

i could literally rewrite this fic from Richie’s POV, or Diego’s, or Dorian’s, or Miguel’s, or even Kisa’s at this point. 

thank you so muuuuuch!!!

Fanfic asks

[ripley95]

Echoes of Old Embers

Chapter 10

Pairing: F!Shepard/Kaidan Alenko

Rating: T

Chapter length: 3.5K

Story Synopsis:

After surviving the war, one of Shepard’s biggest regrets was rejecting Kaidan at Apollo’s. Fate has a way of bringing Jane and Kaidan back into each other’s lives. A misunderstanding with his family makes Kaidan and Shepard relive old history and question where they stand.

Link to Chapter 1 on AO3

Chapter Synopsis:

Shepard helps Kaidan’s mother prepare food for Libby’s wedding. They get to know each other better while Shepard worries about saying something to deepen the misunderstandings surrounding her relationship with Kaidan.

Read to Chapter 10 on AO3

Tumblr Links:

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14

Read the chapter here below the cut:

Shepard watched Kaidan as he went outside to go work on the yard before she headed towards the kitchen to help Ada, dishes from their breakfast still in hand. She paused in front of the doorway, steeling herself to go in. Now that she’d thought about it, putting her foot in her mouth again was a significant risk and maybe being alone with Kaidan’s mother wasn’t as safe as she’d been making it out to be.

Whether she’d be putting her foot in her mouth or not, time was wasting, so she pushed herself to go into the kitchen. Ada was already busy at work preparing everything. She was pulling out baking dishes, utensils and all sorts of ingredients. Thanks to the war ending, and everyone still trying to rebuild society, Shepard figured that luxuries like catering businesses were probably not a priority right now. This wedding wasn’t supposed to be huge by any means, but she knew there was going to be a decent amount of people there. That ensured that there was plenty to do in the kitchen, which didn’t ease the unsettled feeling in her stomach at all, knowing that she might be stuck here helping with prep all day. It provided much more time for something else to go wrong.

“Ah, there you are,” Ada said, turning around to glance at Shepard, still busy getting everything out to prepare. “You can just put those dishes in the sink for now. We’ll have plenty needing to be washed by the end of all this prep work,” she said as she turned back to pulling out more ingredients and recipes.

Shepard followed her orders, like the good soldier she was, placing the dishes down gingerly and washing her hands.

“So, what are we making?”

“Well, there’ll be a lot,” Ada said with a laugh tinged with a bit of frustration at the notion. “Luckily, some of my friends have agreed to come cook everything tomorrow, so we won’t have to worry about it. Still, I want to try to prep as much as I can today to make their lives easier. The one we’ll start with is my famous glazed carrots. It’s one of the sides that Libby wanted. In the fall, we make apple cider and store it in the freezers so it can last a while. We still have a batch from the last harvest that somehow made it through the war. I use that as a marinade with some spices and butter. I don’t usually like tooting my own horn, but it’s delicious,” she said with a proud smile.

“I can’t say that I’ve ever had anything like that before, but it sure sounds good,” Shepard said, legitimately intrigued with the idea of it. She supposed anything was better than what she was used to lately, but she’d already sampled Ada’s cooking and she couldn’t imagine anything coming from her tasting bad.

“I’m not going to lie, it’s one of my favourite dishes. I was happy to know that Libby thought of it fondly enough to have it at her wedding. That being said, I’m used to making it for a family of six, not for a gathering of more than fifty people, so I think we have our work cut out for us. Kaidan’s sure capable of tucking a lot of it away, too, so we also have to account for that,” she said with a laugh.

“It sounds like we should get to it then. Where do you want me?”

“I already have you set up over here,” Ada said, lightly slapping a pile of bagged carrots that she had put on the large island in the centre of the kitchen. It had barstools on the opposite side. “I figured this would be the easiest. You can sit or stand as you please when you need to give your leg a rest.”

Shepard nodded and went over to the other side and sat down on one of the stools. Her leg was feeling okay, but she thought it best to rest it in case she might be up and busy helping more tomorrow morning before the wedding.

“How did you know it was my leg?” Shepard asked curiously.

“Hmm?” Ada asked, confused.

“I mentioned that I was injured before, but I don’t think we ever specifically mentioned that it was my leg.”

“Ah. Well, I didn’t always help run the orchard, you see,” she said with a wistful smile.

“Oh?” Shepard said, opening the bags of carrots and picking up the peeler.

“Here, put the shavings in this,” she said, handing Shepard a bucket. “We’ll use those for the compost later. I used to be a nurse. I got my start in the Alliance, too, actually.”

“Really?” Shepard looked up to her in disbelief. She wasn’t expecting that. “I’m surprised Kaidan never mentioned that.”

“Ah, he was probably doing that to grant mercy on me,” she said with a chuckle. “I was only enrolled very briefly, mind you, and this was way back in the earlier days of the Alliance when there was much less interplanetary travel. I’ve still never been off-planet. I’m sure you can’t even imagine what that’s like,” she said, giving Shepard a smile.

Shepard chuckled. “Not really. I was born in space. Spent most of my life there.”

“Sounds amazing,” Ada said, giving her a smile. “Then again, I think anything opposite from what you’re used to is bound to sound a little amazing. Maybe it’s nothing but routine for you.”

“There’s definitely some truth to that,” Shepard agreed. “I don’t know if I would quite call it routine. With my job, there was rarely ever a dull moment, but yeah, I would say space is what I’m used to. Probably doesn’t hold the same amount of wonder as it would for someone who’s never been up there. Meanwhile, seeing where you live has been pretty stunning. Not that I’ve never been ground-side, but every place I go is so unique. I haven’t seen anything quite like this before.”

Ada nodded in agreement.

“I’m not sure if you’re just trying to change the subject on me, but you can’t bring up being in the Alliance and not tell me that story,” Shepard said with a curious smile.

“Ha, I should have expected that I wouldn’t be able to pull one over on Commander Shepard,” she said with a laugh. “I suppose my reason for joining the Alliance was the same reason that a lot of people joined. I wanted to get into the medical field. I had already gone to school, but the Alliance was offering a program where they’d reimburse education expenses. It would have helped me a lot at the time, so I decided to give it a shot. Maybe you guessed it by now, but it’s how I met Ethan,” she said, with a whimsical smile.

Shepard stopped peeling the carrot and stared at her, surprised that Kaidan would have kept such a secret about how his parents met, especially with how familiar it was to their own circumstances. “Forbidden romance?” she asked, intrigued.

“You could say that, though, I think it’s probably even worse than you’re thinking. It wasn’t just the regs that were an issue. Ethan was a patient of mine. Not very ethical of me, I know,” she said with the same shit-eating grin that Kaidan had. As much as she was talking about ethics, she clearly found the situation amusing, which made Shepard smile.

“So, what was it? Love at first sight? Did you leave the Alliance so you could be together?” Shepard questioned with a smile.

“Oh no, nothing like that at all, actually. We maintained a respectable distance even though I was quite taken with him even early on. The first time I ever saw him, he came into medical with a sprained ankle from training. I don’t know what he did to it, but it looked like a cantaloupe, and must have hurt like hell. Even through the pain, he was cracking jokes the whole time. We hit it off immediately, but we didn’t act on anything until much later. After he recovered, he’d come around every now and then to catch up. Sometimes he’d bring me a coffee. Actually, he’d bring them for everyone on my shift, but I’m pretty sure it was an excuse to see me. He never did it when I wasn’t there.”

Shepard couldn’t help herself from smiling at that. From everything she’d heard over the last few days, Kaidan sounded like he was the spitting image of his dad.

“We’d chat on my breaks, but we never started anything romantic that early on, no,” she said, looking sombre recounting old memories. “No, you see, there’s this little hangup when you join the Alliance. Even when you just want to be in medical or engineering or anything not involved in the actual combat, you need to at least have basic weaponry certification. Let’s just say, my certification classes didn’t go very well. I kept screaming every time a gun went off. The first time I had to actually fire a weapon, not only did I scream again, but I also dropped the gun because I was so scared of it and proceeded to pass out. When I came to, I believe I asked if I shot anyone, to which I heard the whole class laughing behind me. Luckily the guns automatically go into safety mode when you lose contact with it.” she said, looking directly at Shepard, distracting herself away from her busy hands momentarily. “But look who I’m talking to. Of course, you know all of that already. Anyway,” she continued, looking back down at the food, starting to work with it again, “I was so panicked that I didn’t remember it at the time, and I was concerned I may have killed someone. So as you can imagine, I was discharged pretty swiftly after that. I wasn’t all that disappointed, mind you. I didn’t have much hope for myself to get over that fear. Yet another area that I suspect we’re different,” Ada said with a smile, no harshness behind her words.

Shepard smiled at that, as she peeled the carrots. “You could say that,” she said.

“Yes, well, as soon as Ethan learned that I had been discharged, he looked me up and asked me out. He really didn’t waste any time with that. I suppose the rest is history. I wasn’t particularly proud of my time in the Alliance, so I think my kids tend to keep that piece of information to themselves for my sake. Now anyway. There was a fair amount of teasing when they finally learned about it for themselves. I may not have been any good at it, but the Alliance is pretty important in the Alenko household.”

“Now, there’s something that we have in common,” Shepard said.

“Oh, is that right? I was never fond of the term, but Kaidan did call you a ‘military brat’ earlier. So you come from an Alliance background, yourself, then do you?”

“I do. My parents were both Alliance. Dad died for the cause.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Ada said genuinely.

“It’s okay. It was a long time ago. I barely knew him.” Ada nodded at that, not wanting to open old wounds. “My mom’s still going strong, though. She’s an Admiral now.”

“Impressive. She already sounds like an amazing woman.”

“She is. She worked hard for it. But anyway, back to you. I believe you were trying to tell me how you picked up on the fact that it was my leg that was injured.”

“Ah, right. I tend to lose my train of thought easily. After I was discharged from the Alliance, that didn’t change my original plans of working in the medical field. I saw more than my fair share of cases like yours. I think you hide it well. It’s hardly visible, but I can tell that your leg is still bothering you. I’m not sure what happened to you, but it must have been severe if you’ve only just been released from the hospital recently.”

Shepard stopped peeling for a moment, trying hard not to relive the Citadel collapsing on top of her, or the months of surgeries and physical therapy. “Yeah, you could say that.”

Ada had been measuring out ingredients and mixing the marinade the entire time that she had been talking, but that was enough to make her stop and look at Shepard.

“Has anyone told you how much they appreciate what you’ve done?”

“All the time,” Shepard said dryly.

“I suppose that’s not to be unexpected. I have a feeling most people don’t understand the full extent of your sacrifice and duty when they say that, though.”

Shepard looked up at her then, carrot and peeler still idle in her hands.

“Kaidan told us about the Reapers, you know. I mean way back in ’83.”

“He did?”

“Oh, yes. He told me a lot about his time serving with you. How cold was Noveria, by the way? It’s notorious for its harsh weather. Kaidan called me afterwards. He clearly had the sniffles. I told him to wear a sweater,” she said, shaking her head at the memory. “You know what, nevermind. I’m already losing track again,” she said, as Shepard had to silently laugh to herself. “Anyway, that was all years ago now. I think the right people put money towards squashing the rumours that there was a threat. Most people moved on with life as though nothing happened after the Citadel was attacked. But there were some of us who questioned things. People got wind of something going on. I asked Kaidan if he believed they were dangerous and he told me that he believed they were. He told us about all the push-back you were getting, but as far as we were concerned, it was all I needed to hear on the matter. It’s the reason that Ethan jumped so quickly to go back into the Alliance when they finally landed. He knew everything was at stake because his son said so.”

Shepard nodded, already knowing Mr. Alenko’s fate thanks to that dedication, not really knowing what to say to a grieving widow about loss. She had never experienced anything quite like that. She figured Kaidan was actually better equipped to handle that one.

Ada shook her head, looking out the large kitchen window. Shepard turned to see what she was looking at and noticed that she was watching Kaidan working outside.

“Ethan and Kaidan were so alike in so many ways. Ethan never backed down from a fight when he was able to protect the things he loved. The moment I heard about Kaidan joining the Normandy again after becoming a Spectre, I always thought there might have been something more to it. Of course, I would have expected Kaidan to jump at the chance to really try to make a difference during the war no matter what, especially when fighting the Reapers was so important to him, but there was more to it than that. I knew he had someone important in his life.”

Shepard looked back to Ada then, another pang of guilt hitting her. Apparently, the misunderstanding had gotten to her too.

Ada must have caught the look on her face and put her hands up in protest. “It’s none of my business. I know my kids have been squabbling about the two of you since you got here, but you don’t have to explain yourself to me. Kaidan said you’re not together, and I’ll take his word for it until he’s the one to say otherwise. But my point still stands. There’s something between the two of you. Maybe not a romance, but he cares for you. You’re important to him.”

That immediately calmed Shepard down. She liked Ada’s relaxed attitude towards the whole matter. Finally, she nodded in agreement. “He’s important to me too.”

“So I thought. A mother can tell these things,” she said with a cheeky grin. “He may not have said so in words, but it was pretty clear how much he cared about you, even back then. Every time we managed to have a vid call, I always asked him how he was doing. Without fail, he always had this smile that you could tell he was trying to hide a little, but the truth was really in the eyes. You know, eyes have a harder time lying, and his were always beaming. It was the same thing after he joined the Normandy for the second time. To be honest, I wasn’t surprised at all when Kaidan came walking through that door with you,” she said, nodding her head towards the front door. “When he called me to tell me he was bringing someone to the wedding, he had that same look in his eyes.”

Shepard tried to avert Ada’s gaze, and busy herself with the carrots then, but she couldn’t help a small smile forming at the knowledge. Even if it wasn’t because he had romantic interests for her, it felt nice that he still cared, and was happy at the prospect of bringing her back home with him.

“See,” Ada said, enthusiastically, making Shepard glance back up to her, still trying to peel the carrots in her hand. “The eyes don’t lie.”

That brought out a real smile from Shepard, unable to contain it now.

“Ah-ha,” Ada said, completely happy with herself, acting as though she caught Shepard with her hand in the cookie jar, before relaxing again. “Don’t worry. I said I’d stay out of it and I will. But it’s nice to know that whatever it is that you have with my son is reciprocated,” she said with a smile.

“It is.”

Ada nodded at that before looking back to what she was doing while Shepard winced inwardly with yet another pang of guilt, knowing that it wasn’t exactly reciprocated. That maybe it could have been if she hadn’t rejected him at Apollo’s so foolishly. That now, it was just her awkwardly fawning after him in her head while having to go out of her way to put up a wall between them. Luckily, Ada didn’t seem to notice her reaction as she continued the conversation.

“Back in ’83, I didn’t know it was you, of course. We didn’t even know much about his mission at all, but anytime we talked to him, he was always just... happy. Usually, with those same eyes you just had.”

“Really?” Shepard asked, already knowing it was true. That was the one and only time in their history together where they ever acted on anything. Where they abandoned the regs, and said what they felt. It was the only time she let herself get that close to anyone.

“Oh, you better believe it. And it’s the same look I got from him during the war, too, right up until the very end,” she said with a smile. “And you want to know a secret?” she asked coyly. Shepard didn’t respond, and just looked up to her with curiosity. “It’s the same look I saw in him this morning when we were making breakfast together, too. He’s almost a different person around you,” she said, going about the preparations.

“What was that about not meddling?” Shepard asked, keeping the accusation playful.

“Not meddling, just figured you might want to know,” she said defensively.

Shepard narrowed her eyes at Ada, knowing precisely what she was getting at. Truth be told, she really didn’t know what to think of that information. She liked to think she was a different person around Kaidan too, but that didn’t necessarily have romantic implications. Maybe none of that mattered. The regs were still an issue. She still hoped to be back on active duty again someday. Just because she made it out of the war didn’t mean death wasn’t a possibility anymore. Nothing about their relationship or history was easy. She didn’t know that what she’d just heard really changed anything.

“Now that I’ve talked you into oblivion, why don’t you tell me about space?” Ada said, with an err of genuine excitement and interest. “And your mother, too. I think we all know a bit about Commander Shepard, but why don’t you tell me about Jane,” she said with a smile.

With that, the solemn feeling that had settled in Shepard’s gut lifted slightly. Talking about Kaidan and long-lost wishes she wanted to be fulfilled was difficult. She wasn’t ordinarily fond of talking about herself, but it might serve as a good distraction in this case. Once again, her mantra played in her head.

‘This will all be over soon.’

[apexarrow]

How to screenshot Part 1.

I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I've been told on more than one occassion "I wish I could take screenshots like you" and "oh my god youre so good at screens." and I always tell people the same thing - "Practice practice practice."

Case in point:

(Yes - thats my archive where I store my ffxiv screenshots. Yes, the folder for 2018 has 5,756 files. Yes. that means 5,756 screenshots.)

But that doesn't mean that there aren't certain things to bear in mind when taking eye-catching screenshots. Yes, there are tools out there that will help you along the way - multiple mods exist, as well as Reshade, but an artist is more than the tools at their disposal. There are certain things to look out for that no addon or reshade setting will fix for you.

Of course, by no means is this the ONLY way or the BEST way to take screenshots. I am just here to walk you through a part of my process. 

PART 1. Camera Angles, Distractions, Color Filters and Body Language.

Lets start with an amateur screenshot. 

This is a picture I have seen a million times - a male miqo’te in the quicksand. ORIGINAL. Of course, this is my own character @rgael looking rather unfortunately BORING in this shot. I see this exact shot SO often when people are making a new character and wanting to make RP connections. It physically pains me when I see this picture.

So whats wrong here.  1. The composition is boring  2. Distractions  3. He’s blending in  4. No expression, a basic bitch pose.  These 4 issues are what I’m going to tackle in this tutorial - how to overcome each of them. So lets start at the beginning. The composition. Dull. Boring. There is a time and a place for having a character placed in the direct center of a screen, with a head-on camera angle like this - but cool screenshots is NOT IT! Distractions.  - I hate those lamps. They offer nothing to the overall image. They’re not aesthetically pleasing - theyre not even symmetrical. Theyre brighter than he is, leading your eye away from him. He’s blending in. There is nothing eyecatching about this, the picture has very little contrast. No expression. A Basic bitch pose. Look, lets not kid ourselves. This is a stock miqote pose. Everyone can do it. and many do. Body language is so important, and there’s nothing about this that portrays R’gael the way I want to. From this view, there appears to be NOTHING unique about him - and why would that capture ANYONE’S attention? It wouldn’t. And it shouldn’t. this is a bad screen. Now, lets take that EXACT same pose and location and see what we can improve on.

Just zooming in, we’re already looking a bit better. At least we can see his face clearly. The lamps are cut out, but I’m not crazy about that railing to the right. Still, the colors are kind of washed out, and Gael’s most striking feature is his eyes - I want to draw attention to his eyes whenever I can. So lets discuss color filters for a second.

THEY ARE MOSTLY TRASH.

I only use a few of gpose’s color filters - ever.

There is no official rule when some will be better than others. It depends on your subject matter, the time of day, etc. These are the only effects I use, ever. Anything thats crossed out is either never used, or used by me so little that its not even worth including on the list.  I like Colored Marker 2, Pastel 1, and Pastel 2 the most. Lets try Colored Marker 2 in this picture.

Nice. It’s a subtle effect, but his eyes are brighter, the contrast is a bit higher. we’re getting closer to a more acceptable screenshot. Lets mess with the angle.

By just adjusting our camera angle a few degrees, we’ve eliminated the annoying distractions. Also note how the lines in the background are literally guiding the eye to the focal point of the image - his face. This is already looking a lot better as a portrait, but its still kind of boring to me.

This is looking better. As a portrait, this is much more expressive. His body is turned one way, but his face is looking another. The expression is unchanged technically, but there is a billion times more emotion shown here.

PROTIP: You can use the spacebar in gpose to make your character look at the “camera” in many poses - try making them look one way, then adjust the camera angle after. They dont always have to look at the camera, that gets boring.

Just look at the comparison tho.

for emphasis - I didn’t change anything the character is doing - its the same pose, in the same location, with the same expression.  Lets do it again - this time I’m picking another location. Gael wears a lot of black, and I want him to stand out. I’m going to go somewhere bright - I have an apartment in the mists, so I’m going down to the beach.

Cool its raining.  So since its raining. I’m gonna go for something angsty. Lets try crossing our arms and being sad.  the /sad emote is a little too bitch-ish for gael - so lets try /disturbed instead. Basic standing pose, /disturbed emote, and Bright 3 for that blue and moody atmosphere.

awful. Again, dull composition.  the emotion..it just doesn’t make sense. His face says sad but his body language is confident. And a bad background. Play with combining emotes and expressions. The male miqo’te /doze is my go-to for R’gael. Look at what a different this makes if you combined it with /disturbed and pause it at the beginning.

This is a MUCH more interesting pose! His head is tilted to the side, his weight is shifted to the side, his ears are tilted BACK. This body language portrays emotion much better. Its way more natural. Lets play with this.

Okay, we’re head-on now. Its still not great. I can do better.

Shifting the composition to the side. by moving the camera around him - its a crisp, clean background (Though the mountain to the right is a little annoying. I would be torn about using this in a post, I feel like the mountain would bother me too much.)

Now this one I’m digging - we’re zoomed in close, its an intimate picture. It has excellent contrast against the background - we can sort of see the emotion on his face - but its concealed. We’re cropped in so close that we dont even see the top of his head - its very personal. We’re up in his shit. I like this one. I would use this.

Again, these two images are the same pose, the same face, the same filter. All thats different between them is the position and angle of the camera.

I hope this has provided a little insight into some of my process. If there is enough interest, I’ll make more “guides” like this in the future. Touching on the Rule of Thirds, Tumblr Image post composition, reshade filters, Gpose lighting/screen effects, couples, color composition, choosing locations...basically whatever people want to see lolol.

[martyrblood]

1-3, 8 and 9, 13, 16 and 17, 25-30 LOL. MY question(s) are.. What OC has had your favorite development so far? And what AU or AUs are your favorite characterization-wise and whyyyyyy?

1. The most recent OC I’ve made I wanna say it’s Celine, but honestly I do have more recent like… rough ideas for characters, none that I’ve developed much or have come up with any purpose for but, I’ve got some in the ole incubator. Some off the top of my head are these two guys Victor and Todd, and then one based off the singer Sevdaliza… who I may or may not eventually make into an exxie. But I’m really slow and bad at making OC’s so “eventually” probably means like In Three Years. OH and there’s my DND bard named Pietro who issss only… I guess I made him around January of this year? He’s coming along a bit quicker than most of my new OC’s do because I’m forced to play with him once a week lol.

2. An early OC I remember making my FIRST….BABIEST oc was an Inu Yasha OC named Moonshadow lmao. I was 11 ish…? Another old one was a Naruto OC I made in middle school named Yume and I RP’d her with my friends up through high school, this is her 

3. An OC I’ve never used for anything Uhhhh… depending on how you define “used”… I think the majority of my OC’s have never been used for RP, but most of them do belong to an original canon. Ummmm. Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh I’m not sure if I have any floaters… I really can’t think of One lol oops

9. An OC I made to fit into another universe I guess this means, universe that I didn’t come up with? I don’t really have any current ones but like, as mentioned above in number 2 I used to make fan-characters to fit universes I liked. I actually don’t even have characters in RP that were made for RP, they were all adapted from original canons to fit dustverse. If I ever make that Sevdaliza OC, she’ll probably be the first one.

13. An OC inspired by something completely unexpected LET’S SEE… well, a ton of my OC’s and story ideas are actually based on weird dreams that I have… including Giovanni and Matthew. I have dreams a lot where I’m someone else that I don’t know, or I’m looking down on people from somewhere, and sometimes if a dream sticks with me after I wake up I’ll make characters based on the people in the dream. I’m a lot more creative when I’m asleep lol

16. The most difficult OC for me to write (and why!) Ah geez. In RP, honestly I think it would have to be Giovanni. It’s so difficult to come up with idle posts and open starters for him, because of his personality and social tendencies. It’s also just difficult for me to get into his headspace a lot of the time. He’s not really ~relatable~ for me personally which, fun fact, is a little ironic considering that in the dream he came from, it was like first person from his perspective or I was him or whatever you wanna call it. I have the same problem with Schaeler, I can’t relate to him very well so he can be hard to write for. It’s double ironic because both of them are the “narrator” type protagonists of their respective canons. Idk why I do this to myself.

17. The easiest OC for me to write (and why!) Dallas, takes me almost no effort to write because he’s my self insert he’s a character I relate to very easily, and along with Schaeler he’s probably the oldest OC that I still use. I know he doesn’t appear on dash very often lol but that’s more, my failing to come up with something interesting for him to do in dustverse yet. His characterization is like second nature for me at this point, I rly don’t have to think about it more than a second when asked how he would react to A or B. He rarely surprises me anymore lol.

25. An OC I’ve changed a LOT HMMM. Judah’s been through a lot of changes. Not really in his personality or appearance, but like I’ve switched him around a few backgrounds and canons, and some things I assumed about him turned out not to be true. Random example, he’s feeling very nonbinary and pansexual lately when I check in with him.

26. An OC that I’m still working on I mean technically all of them haha. Some more than others. The ones off the top of my head that are in more active development lately are Celine (I have a good enough grip on her personality but not really her background or motives) and… Kate, actually, fun fact Kate is super dead in her canon lol and as I’ve been adapting her to dustverse, I’m getting to know her much better than I ever did writing the canon material. I actually might favor her over Jake a little at this point lol.

27. Someone else’s OC that I really admire GOSH there’s……a lot of y’all’s characters that I love, obviously… and I don’t wanna make anyone feel left out lol but there’s some characters I’m super familiar and comfortable with that I basically love as much as my own OC’s, and these would be like, Ricky’s Nisha and Nora, Tai’s Vico… they are My Babies and I will keep trying to steal them from their strollers like a goblin that steals babies

28. A common trait or pattern in my OCs I don’t wanna name any embarrassing or overly personal ones so uh. Let’s see… pairs? I have a habit of making OC’s in pairs, and they often have an Opposites Unfortunately Attract kind of dynamic. Sometimes “pairs” means like a Shippy sort of setup, i.e. Giovanni/Matthew, Julia/Celine (sorry I have not written much there), Dallas/Schaeler (you’re welcome I have not written much there) but sometimes it’s not as much a ship as just, I usually wind up making two at a time lol because I really like foil dynamics.

29. Something that I haven’t really explored with any of my OCs Heterosexuality Is A Mystery I Will Never Solve also um. Healthy relationships?

30. What OC has had your favorite development so far? Well Matthew’s been a wild ride. In and out of dustverse. It’s not always like, pleasant for me lol, but I am proud of how organically he developed and how realistic he feels? I wouldn’t toot my own horn about that normally but I’ve gotten some compliments on him lol. So thank you, and ya i know

30. What AU or AUs are your favorite characterization-wise and whyyyyyy? GOD I JUST *clenches fist* LOVE AU’S I have a problem. I really have a problem. My very top favorite ones though uhhhh gosh… any variation of a vampire AU, because I’m a slut for vampires, and I love exploring different brands of Vampire AngstTM (or lack thereof.) Another favorite is an AU me and Tai have built that’s about witches and familiars, currently in like a medieval France setting, we’ve got a big giant pile of lore on that one now… also I love, X-MEN AU and MISFITS AU because I love coming up with superpowers for OC’s but those particular universes are amazing and unique. I also love basically ripping the premise from any horror movie, throwing OC’s in a bag with it, and just shaking the bag very hard

EDIT: Ricky knows all the characters mentioned in this post but I realize everyone may not because I don’t RP with all of my OC’s lol so please refer to @mmementommori and @nomina-incognita for those you don’t recognize if you are curious.

[xylianna]

....It took Ignis a while to realize that he was shaking, literally trembling where he stood, his jaw hanging inelegantly open as he gaped at the scene before him. Astrals, he hadn’t been this wonder-struck since his first visit to the club.... *blush* ummmm like this whole chapter to be perfectly honest.

You. I like you. 

I’m going to totally commentate the entire freakin’ chapter because insomnia is refusing to let me sleep and I love the chance to blather on about my work to a willing audience!

I will be kind and put it behind a cut, though.

Okay, I’m pulling up the chapter and commenting as I go, so if you read it as you go my comments might make more sense!   Wait, first I should make coffee.  Coffee is love, coffee is life. 

Okay, I’m back with coffee!  So, the first thing I’ll say about this chapter is it’s actually the first thing I wrote. Specifically, the Ignis POV starting with his arrival at the club.  A few days later, I wrote the Gladio POV, and a couple days ago, I added the paragraphs at the beginning about Ignis’s relaxing day going to the farmer’s market, coffee shop, etc to help it flow from chapter 1 better.  I initially was going to have this be maybe chapter 4 or so, but I said fuck it, let’s start the bdsm off right out of the gate so people know what they’re reading, lol.

Lest you think those first few paragraphs are merely filler, let me assure you I love Ignis getting downtime, and I will write it into as many stories as I can.  It’s a good balance for how often I put him through all the angst.

So, Iggy’s outfit I put a lot of thought into!  He’s a strategist, so I figured he’d have his disguise nailed.  First, the suit.  Iggy wears suits all the time, but I headcanon they are perfectly tailored, high class affairs.  So for this, he wears something off the rack.  The red tie was actually an in-joke/call back to a scene in my co-authored fic with @aliatori, This Too Is Sacred (check it out).   He couldn’t take his car, too much of a clue to his identity.  He absolutely cannot speak - his accent?  Way too recognizable.  So we have the silent, carless, off-the-rack suited, masked Hawk, anonymous in the crowd but still a bright beacon to those who are looking closely, because even with the different guise, it’s still Iggy, and he’s still amazing.

Fun fact:  the card Iggy needed to show the doorman to get in?  Based off a local kink party I attended for several years before it stopped running. You had an approval process, and once you were totally vetted you got your card and then you could get into events without signing waivers or being vouched for etc.

I also borrowed heavily from personal experience when I described what he saw/heard/smelled as he walked into the club proper.  The very first kink event I went to had a dress code that was basically formal wear or fetish wear, if you showed up in jeans + tshirt you wouldn’t be allowed in.   While I personally don’t feel the need to be that strict, I like the atmosphere of everyone being formal, whatever that means to them.  I also thought it fit Iggy.

The ridiculous cacophony of conversation/sounds of beatings/loud music takes some getting used to, haha.    And I am here for being in a room that basically overwhelming smells like leather.

The ‘rules’ I put in place are again, stolen from real events I attended. Not that consent is a unique rule since its the law everywhere that I live.   Anonymity is super super important at events like this though.  The best events are the ones that manage to feel exotic, but still like a safe space where you can just be yourself.  The no alcohol thing, too.   You really don’t want to mix consensual beatings with intoxication.

Okay I live for the headcanon that while Ignis’s refusal to speak is part of his effort to keep his identity secret, that his refusal to cry out during play is also a challenge issued to every top he scenes with.  

“Who was that, in the far corner there?”  the point where everyone is hopefully shouting IS IT GLADIO IS IT GLADIO

I stopped typing for several minutes because I read the paragraph describing Gladio giving that beating and… yeah. lol. 

Iggy of course gets pissed seeing him there, because as we established in chapter 1 he has a gigantic unrequited crush on a man he perceives as straight and therefore off-limits.  Also, I try to make the characters human, and Iggy losing his temper at something that isn’t actually a wrong action on anyone’s part makes him very human to me.

One of my favorite lines this chapter: “He cautiously walked closer, knowing he was playing with fire - if anyone could see through his masquerade, it would be Gladiolus - but like the proverbial moth he was drawn ever closer to that brightly burning flame.”     Not to toot my own horn or anything haha!

Now we’re to the section you actually put in my ask box.   Ignis has totally lost hold of his self control at this point. Well, not totally, I suppose.  Totally would have had him going right up to Gladio and kissing the crap out of him, lol.  But seeing the man he’s been crushing on is also a skilled and inventive top, it’s all a little too much for our Igster.

And then, Ignis’s play partner finds him.   I tried to strike a balance between writing their scene so that the reader could tell who Stag was meant to be, without making it blatant. After all, Ignis doesn’t know.   The guise of Stag was directly chosen because of the stylistic details of Nyx’s headgear in Kingsglaive.

Of course Ignis has to hesitate, though, since Gladio is RIGHT FUCKING THERE OMG, but his desire for his monthly fix wins out.

For the beating itself, I won’t say much, except that I do so love writing gladnis bdsm and I never plan to stop.

Now we hit my favorite line of this chapter and I am not at all ashamed to highlight it:  “And then, the kaleidoscope of his waking dream shifted, and he saw nothing but Gladiolus.”

Sigghhhh 

An oops, some clean up, and a little flirty banter, and Iggy’s POV ends with him noticing Gladio staring at him like he’s a Cup Noodles, and he gets a flash of hope that maybe his crush isn’t so hopeless as he’s previously though.

And then we’re over to Gladio.

I shamelessly used the beginning of Gladio’s POV to highlight two issues I’ve seen happen in kink communities.  TOPS NEED AFTERCARE TOO DAMMIT.  FUCK ANYONE WHO SAYS THEY DON’T.  Seriously.  Give your top a fucking hug. A bottle of water.  Make sure they’re as okay as they are making sure are post-scene, ugh.  And don’t treat them like beating dispensers, they have fucking feelings and they are people and and and ooookay, off my soap box. :D

I considered having Gladio also masked, but figured even if his tattoo wasn’t fully done at this point, he’s such a unique figure (even in a fantasy world like Eos, we don’t see that many 6′6″ massive muscular dudes walking around) that it would be rather pointless to try and hide. Plus… I mean, its Gladio. Why would he hide?

And of course I had to have him watch Iggy’s beating and fixate needing to get to know and hopefully play with that masochist because, well, we all know the Gladnis is coming, especially if you’ve read Discretion you know where I am taking this.

I took great delight in writing how meeting Hawk’s eyes reminded Gladio of Ignis’s eyes and then him thinking how ridiculous the idea of Iggy ever being at a place like the club, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.  Ahem.  Sorry.

So of course Nyx had to be the one to invite Gladio/get him on the approved list, because I just watched Kingsglaive and I’m thirsty for some Nyx.   Also I could see them bro-ing it up and talking about shit like this organically, so it wouldn’t be like Nyx creepily offered “you should come to this elite kink party” so much as they just compared notes on relationships/dating/etc and it came up.

I also headcanon Nyx as an unrepentant flirt, so don’t mind him flirting with Hawk and Gladio with equal ease, lol.

Nyx throwing down the gauntlet to Gladio re: Hawk … nothing like a little trash talk between bros, right?

Gladio gets home and I decide he’s a shower beer guy, because really he’s like 21 years old at this point, he just went to a kink party where he spent most the night beating ungrateful recipients who left him high and dry, and then he watched a masked hottie come from no stimulation other than a flogging.  He needed a fucking drink, why wait til after the shower? 

At the end of the chapter I enjoy Gladio thinking it would be more appropriate to focus his thoughts on Hawk since he doesn’t think Ignis would be into him at all, haha. Those two crazy dumb kids, we’ll get ‘em there, I promise.

So this was WAY MORE INFO than you probably wanted when you sent me your ask but I HAVE COFFEE AND I CAN’T SLEEP AND OKAY THEN.

Thanks for being so kind and supportive.

[ajohnstonebsm308]

Entry No.3 - Personal Marketing and Unique Value Proposition

Studying this subject has further cemented my view that personal branding/marketing is one of the most important things in life. It doesn’t just have to be valued when going for a job, it has a place in day to day life. 

I know for me personally, I always try to present the best version of myself to others. No matter whether that is my friends, family, strangers or my partner. This encapsulates everything from the way I dress, to the way I act, my humour and to my own personal values. Every small thing that you do is unique and that adds to who you are as a person. People judge you on the way you act, so presenting the best version of yourself is the ideal way to avoid harsh critics.

Employers nowadays can find out everything about you through social media and the internet. I’m a fairly private person so all of my accounts are set to private, even though I have nothing to hide. I also haver a fairly common name, especially in the UK, so I don’t appear up the top when searched on google. 

According to Santos (2020), personal marketing is a strategy that serves to strengthen the image and reputation of a professional in the job market. Basically, it is a strategy to ‘toot your own horn’ by  showing everybody how good you are at what you do. When going for a job against others it is crucial to tell the organisation why you’re the best option. Being able to show a touch of arrogance/confidence is necessary in the corporate world. 

A big part of personal marketing is having a unique value proposition (UVP). a UVP is something related to the job you’re applying for that sets you apart from the rest of the pack. If a job has hundreds of applicants, having a noticeable UVP becomes essential. 

I believe I have a strong UVP that can put me ahead of a majority of my classmates when the internships roll around. I will be leaning on my age, experience, verbal and written communication skills when it’s time to apply. 

Being a mature age student means that this course is very serious to me and not something I’ve fallen into post school. It is a passion that I am going ‘chips in’ on and a dream I’ll do anything to achieve. Adding to this is my ability to communicate and get along with people from a range of different ages and backgrounds. It is something I learnt during my upbringing and schooling. Treating people the way you would like to be treated is something that has always stuck with me. 

Being likeable and personable is something that comes very naturally to me. Aside from producing quality work, people want to be able to get along with you in the office. Relationships and making connections with people are one of the most important things in the world. 

If there is something I need to improve then it would probably be time management and procrastination. I have a tendency to leave things till the last minute which means my work is not always the highest quality it could be. I’ve always been able to get by with minimum effort which has led me to be lazy. If I can improve my work ethic a bit then I might be able to do some amazing things. Here’s hoping! 

Santos, B. (2020, October 2). Personal Marketing: Learn How to Blow Your Own Horn. https://blog.hotmart.com/en/personal-marketing/ 

[love-hope-faith-feels-like-a-lie]

Hi! 👋 hope you, and your loveones are well. Ask game: 1-20 17 25 27 33 47 56 78 87 99 100

Hey! Hope things are great with you. Thanks for the ask, much love to ya! (ps. sorry it took a while to get to it.)

1: when you have cereal, do you have more milk than cereal or more cereal than milk? I think I end up having more milk than cereals. Don’t really like having dry ass cereals. 

2: do you like the feeling of cold air on your cheeks on a wintery day? Yes, very much. Love winter in general. 

3: what random objects do you use to bookmark your books? I’ve used my phone when I couldn’t find paper but only when I need to leave the room while reading in bed. Other than that just random paper. 

4: how do you take your coffee/tea? I don’t. Not a coffee lover and I only like Ice Tea. The mango one is my fav. 

5: are you self-conscious of your smile? Really like my smile but sometimes I do get self-conscious about it, especially when I’m somewhere I don’t really feel comfortable.

6: do you keep plants? Yep, I have three. A cactus, an aloe vera and this other little plant that I have no idea what type it is but it was dying when I saw it at the shop and I had this need to buy it and nurse it back to health, which not to toot my own horn, is currently thriving now.

7: do you name your plants? Nope, but now I totally want to because it’s such a Lorelai Gilmore thing to do. 

8: what artistic medium do you use to express your feelings? Writing, I guess. Drawing too but I haven’t done any in a good while. 

9: do you like singing/humming to yourself? Yeah but I only do it when a song is stuck in my head or when music is playing. 

10: do you sleep on your back, side, or stomach? On my stomach. 

11: what’s an inner joke you have with your friends? There are a few, and they’re just so weird and difficult to explain. One has to do with a soda can, KA to be specific.

12: what’s your favorite planet? Saturn. Simply because E and I want to have milkshakes on the rings of Saturn, and I just love that thought. 

13: what’s something that made you smile today? Well, Gilmore girls. Was watching an episode during breakfast. It never fails to make me smile.

14: if you were to live with your best friend in an old flat in a big city, what would it look like? No idea, but there would be a lot of books and movies in my room. (just like now tbh) We would jam music with her Alexa. There would be pizza in the freezer and loads of pasta in our cupboards. Skincare and hair care products that would mostly be her's in the bathroom. A gin bottle and maybe some wine here and there. 

15: go google a weird space fact and tell us what it is! If you drilled a tunnel through Earth and jumped in, you would reach the other side in 42 minutes and 12 seconds, and your top speed would be 17,670 mph. An epic slide. Might be a little hot and death will be at the end of it but you know...fun. lol.

16: what’s your favorite pasta dish? All of them tbh but I guess mac and cheese and spaghetti bolognese are my favs to make and eat. 

17: what color do you really want to dye your hair? Purple! Wanted to for a good few years now, but I love my hair and its natural colour too much to change. 

18: tell us about something dumb/funny you did that has since gone down in history between you and your friends and is always brought up. I can’t think of anything rn, but my cousin likes making fun at the fact that when I was little I jumped on an Argos book and slipped on it and hurt myself. I also remind my bestie of the time she tripped while running in the library at school. Love the fact I got to see that. Really great moment. 

19: do you keep a journal? what do you write/draw/ in it? Yeah, I finished the first one I made a few years ago and so I started an online one which I kept up to date for a few months and then forgot about it. So I recently started writing and updating a new physical journal. My hand hurts from all the writing. It’s mostly just writing and sometimes it becomes a scrapbook when I have tickets or little things from events to add to it. 

20: what’s your favorite eye color? Probably blue but honestly they’re all so beautiful in there own way. 

25: what’s the weirdest place you’ve ever broken into? Don’t think I have ever broken into anywhere. I guess I’ve been in places I probably shouldn’t have been like classrooms (during lunch and break), teacher’s office and the upstairs area of the library that ended up being like a clubhouse for me and my friends in our last year of school. 

27: what’s your favorite bubblegum flavor? Don’t think I have one but I like fruity flavours better. 

33: what’s your fave pastry? Damn this is hard because I just want to say all of them. Here are a few though: Danish pastries, croissant, pain au Chocolat and Palmier.

47: what food do you think should be banned from the universe? Carob. My Dad got it once when we were in Maderia and I just hated everything about it. Its smell makes me want to throw up. Not my thing for sure. 

56: what are some things you find endearing in people? I love how unique people are. No one is exactly the same and I love that.

78: are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub? Don’t hate em, don’t love em either. 

87: what are some movies you think everyone should watch at least once in their lives? Back to the future, It happened one night, Casablanca, bringing up baby and The Philadelphia Story. Some classics I’ve fallen in love with and need more love shown to them. 

99: list some songs that resonate to your soul whenever you hear them. I was wrong by ARIZONA, Hatefuck by Cruel Youth, Ocean Eyes by Billie Eilish, Wasted Roses by JT Roach, You're Not Missing Me by Chelsea Cutler, Numb by Hayden James and Right Where You Should Be by Quinn XCII, just to name a few.

100: if you were presented with two buttons, one that allows you to go 5 years into the past, the other 5 years into the future, which one would you press? why? I think I would go with five years in the past. I would be nice to relive somethings again knowing the future and being able to appreciate it more. 

Thanks again for the ask, this was fun to do. All the best to you!  💕

[digitalmark18-blog]

The Ultimate Collection of Resume Templates for 2018

New Post has been published on https://britishdigitalmarketingnews.com/the-ultimate-collection-of-resume-templates-for-2018/

The Ultimate Collection of Resume Templates for 2018

Are you looking to create an awesome resume that lands the job of your dreams? Whatever industry you’re applying to work in (from marketing to sales), there’s one thing all resumes need to have in common: the ability to stand-out.

But, this uniqueness doesn’t mean you need to make your application uncommon — especially when you’re using a template.

Resume templates allow job seekers to put together a unique one-page document that’s proven to get results. The best part? Even a non-designer could whip-up an incredible resume template in a matter of minutes and see results, including invites to interview or job offers.

Work your way through this guide to discover how a resume template can help you land a new job.

How to Create a Resume Template

Are you ready to make a start on the template that’s going to boost the success rate of your resume? Grab a pen and paper — it’s almost time to dive in.

Here’s what your one-page document needs to include, and the resume outline that’ll bring the best results (no matter the industry):

1. Your Details

The first thing you’ll need to build a resume template is a section for your personal details. Granted, this might be the most obvious part of your resume, but don’t underestimate their importance. The most obvious things often go unnoticed, right?

All resumes need to include details such as:

Your full name and address

A contact number

An email

Your address

You could also add an image or your personal logo to your template. Resumes for creative jobs need to stand out, and in an industry where design is important, adding a visual touch to your resume could be all it needs to make an impact.

Not only will these contact details make your resume look professional, but it edges the recruiter towards our end goal (a job offer) if your contact information is easy to find.

2. An Objective Statement

If you’re frantically Googling the definition of an objective statement before reading into this section, don’t worry. Here’s all you’ll need to know about creating one for your resume template.

An objective statement is 1-2 sentences on how you want to achieve a goal in relation to the position you’re applying for. It’s usually listed at the top of a resume, and it’s an essential element of any resume template because it sets you apart. That’s the goal here, right?

How to Write a Resume Objective Statement

When writing a resume objective statement, think about the job in question. Then, ask yourself:

Why do I want to work at this company?

How will the role help me achieve my goals?

What skills do I want to develop?

Each of these questions requires you to dig deep into your career goals, and show the company you’re motivated to reach them.

For example, if I was building a marketing resume template, this might be my objective statement:

“Looking for a position where I can develop my 5+ years of inbound marketing experience and help to build a solid content marketing strategy for a startup.”

It touches on my experience (what I can bring to the table), along with how I want to help the company. I told you it wasn’t too complicated!

3. Your Experience

Now we’re moving onto the good part of your resume template: your experience. After all, that’s the bare bones of this document, and it’s the section recruiters spend the most time reading.

This step is self-explanatory — tell the recruiter the jobs you’ve had prior to this one.

Include your job title, company name, dates of employment, and a brief summary of your duties. This allows the hiring manager to understand how your experience could help you, should they chose to bring you on-board.

This part of our resume outline comes with a warning: Don’t over-do it. Keep your list of duties short — preferably in a bullet-pointed list — to keep the recruiter’s attention.

4. Your Education

The education section of your resume template is also pretty self-explanatory. You’ll need to include the school you attended (with dates), along with the grades you achieved.

However, don’t fall into the trap of including your middle (or even worse, elementary) school as part of your resume outline. You likely didn’t learn anything here that was out of the ordinary, so don’t include it on your resume.

Instead, stick to high school and preferably college and onwards, highlighting university grades, should you have them.

You should also include any training programs you’ve completed in the education section of your resume outline. These can set you apart from other candidates, especially if they’re directly related to the role or industry you’re applying for.

(If you’re building a marketing resume, our HubSpot certifications would fit perfectly in this section!)

5. Your Skills

The skills section of a resume template is where many job-seekers struggle. Whether you’re shaking your head in confusing or asking “what skills do I need to put on a resume?”, it’s not uncommon to get it wrong.

That’s because people don’t know the best skills to list. Should they list skills that are applicable to any role, or stick with industry-specific skills that directly relate to the role they’re applying for?

The answer is simple: a combination of both.

Soft Skills

Skills that are applicable for any job are called soft skills. They’re essentially what makes you a “good worker.”

Soft skills can include:

Conflict resolution

Excellent communication

Great at working in a team

The ability to work on your own initiative

93% of employers say soft skills are an “essential” or “very important” factor in hiring decisions. So don’t leave them out!

Hard Skills

On the other hand, hard skills are a bit trickier to build. They relate directly the role (or industry) you’re applying for and listing them on your resume template will show that you’re a great fit for that specific position.

Hard skills include things like:

Writing

Customer service

Analytics

Data analysis

Computer programming

Graphic design

Since these hard skills are more difficult to master, don’t be afraid to toot your own horn on this part of your resume template. If you’ve got it, flaunt it!

6. Personal Qualities and Interests

What better way to make your resume stand-out than to include information about yourself? It’s a surefire way to make your resume template unique — there’s only one you.

The personal qualities and interests section of your resume outline should let the recruiter know about the person behind the document.

What qualities set you apart? Do you have any interests or hobbies? What activities do you love doing outside of working hours?

Don’t worry if your hobbies or interests don’t directly relate to the role. Personal accomplishments — like training for a marathon, taking cooking classes at night, or learning a new language — show your commitment to learning new things and experiencing new perspectives. 

Best Practices for Resume Design

Now you’ve got the structure of your resume template, let’s get your creative juices flowing and move onto the design.

Despite this being the fun part of your template, it can be the hardest to master. Not everybody has the same taste in design and what works for one industry might be a no-go in another.

Here are the best practices for designing a resume template:

Resume Layout

The layout of your resume is how it looks on a page. You’ve got control over the columns, spacing, and order of your resume template, and each option has its benefits:

Sequential Order

Resumes that show your contact details, objective statement, and experience in order are sequential.

This style works well because it allows the recruiter to easily follow a resume. Although it’s only a one-page sheet, the hiring manager can flow through your resume without putting too much brain power into the information they’re looking for.

However, because sequential resumes are popular, it might miss the mark on uniqueness.

Not-In-Order

Resume templates that go against the norm and display information out-of-order look more unique. That’s because you have more creative control over the layout of your resume.

I sense a “but” coming?

The “but” here is opposite to a sequential resume: They’re not easy to follow. You have a risk of overwhelming or confusing the recruiter and seeing your resume get tossed into the trash, which is not what we want.

Best practice for a resume layout depends on the risk you’re willing to take. If you’re more willing to lose out on uniqueness and avoid losing a recruiter’s attention, stick with a sequential resume (and vice versa).

What Fonts Should You Use on a Resume?

Font choice is another tricky one that depends on the role and industry you’re applying to work in.

As a general rule of thumb, serif fonts are usually easier to read. But, sans-serif look more modern. (Notice how much of your resume template is based on preference?)

Head over to Google Fonts and enter text to see how each font looks. If you spot any you’d like to use in your resume template, add them to your PC or Mac. You’ll then be able to find them when editing your template in a document, like Microsoft Word.

Here are some recommendations for each font style:

When finalizing your font selection, avoid using a different font for each sentence. Stick to three or fewer throughout your entire resume template, or browse Google Fonts’ popular pairings for groups that are proven to work:

What Color Should You Use on a Resume?

Color is another resume design element that is totally decided by preference.

Here, best practice is a light background color paired with dark text.

Switching this around and using dark backgrounds can make text hard to read, and be too off-putting for the recruiter scrutinizing the detail in your resume.

But, in terms of best practice for any other elements, stick to three (or fewer) colors throughout the entire page. Going full speed ahead with 25 different colors could risk your resume template looking like a child’s coloring book. 

CV vs. Resume: What’s the Difference?

CVs and resumes are two names for similar things. But, if you’re applying for a job, how do you know which document you should be sending — and the things you’ll need to include for each?

When to Use a CV

Send a CV (curriculum vitae) if the recruiter wants an in-depth dive into your experience. These documents tend to be 1-2 pages in length, and talk about various things in detail, including your education, experience, and skills.

CVs are used commonly in the U.K. but aren’t very customizable. That’s because achievements need to be listed sequentially.

When to Use a Resume

On the other hand, resumes are a one-page document that details everything a recruiter would need to know, without the added detail.

Since a supporting cover letter dives into the nitty gritty of your experience, a resume only covers top-level information. This makes them more to-the-point than a CV.

And, because the goal isn’t to explain your experience (it’s to make you stand out), they’re highly customizable. Feel free to let your creative juices flow and experiment with every aspect of your document!

5 Tips for Writing an Attention-Grabbing Resume

Did you know that recruiters only spend six seconds reviewing a resume? (That’s less than the precious seconds you spend making your morning coffee.)

You can stand out from the crowd of resumes on a recruiter’s pile by:

1. Include hard-hitting stats.

Grab the recruiter’s attention by using hard-hitting stats in your resume template, and relate them to your skills. Not only does this look more impressive, but it proves you do have the skills you’re listing — especially if you’ve got great results from them before.

These statistics can be used in your experience section. Take a look at the below example. Which looks more impressive to you?

Redesigned the company’s website.

Executed a complete redesign of the company’s website, which saw an uplift of 30% on-site conversions just two weeks after implementation.

Option B hits you hard and gives the wow factor, right?

2. Ditch the fluff.

A surefire way to make sure your resume gets tossed into the trash is to fill it with fluff. Remember, we only have a few seconds to win-over a recruiter with our resume.

The most common form of “fluff” on a resume template is overused skills that anyone is likely to have — such proficiency with Microsoft Word. That’s a skill most people learn in school, so it’s not going to set you apart from your competition.

It’s also important to remember that recruiters care for what you did that made an impact, not always what you coordinated or strategized. So, ditch the “managed a team of two people” and use “executed an entire rebrand for the company, directing a team of two to increase subscribers on the site by 50%” instead.

And, if you’re including non-relevant positions in the experience section of your resume outline, show how those skills translate to this job. That way, you’re proving you have cross-functional skills that relate to the role you’re applying for.

3. Make it fun.

Many job-seekers struggle to liven-up their resume without going overboard. The line can be fine between a sense of humor and immaturity in the workplace, after all.

However, you can liven-up your resume template (and demand your recruiter’s attention) by adding humor in the stories, facts, and information you share.

Boring resumes they’ve seen hundreds of times before aren’t going to make an impact. Creative resume templates that allow your personality to shine through, will.

4. Don’t overcomplicate it

A unique layout can make your resume stand out, but don’t go crazy (to the point where it’s too complicated to understand). Although it sounds obvious, it’s an easy mistake to make … especially when you’re experimenting with fonts, colors, and formats.

You can get a great understanding of how easy your resume is to read — without the risk of finding out from recruiters — by asking family and friends to review it.

Do they look overwhelmed when they first lay eyes on it? Are they asking questions like, “what does this mean?” or “where can I find your experience?”. If so, it’s probably too complex.

5. Use resume action words.

The words you’re using on a resume should be powerful. And, although any fluff should already be ditched by this point, a few simple tweaks to the start of your sentences could be all it needs to reach perfection.

You can do this by using action words, which give the wow factor to your resume template.

So, if you catch yourself writing “managed”, “was responsible for”, or “helped” to kick off a new sentence, replace it with “executed”, “trained”, or “directed”.

Free Resume Templates

Looking for a done-for-you template where you can cut and paste your own information? Luckily for you, we have a list of resume templates that’ll help you get noticed in a stack of others.

However, if you’d prefer resume samples that can be used directly from your document software, here are a few to keep your eye on:

Resume Templates for Word

Microsoft Word offers tons of templates to build your resume.

Simply open a new Word doc and type “resume” in the template search box:

Our favorites include:

Resume (Modern Design)

This resume template is simple, but it covers everything you’ll need to include in your document.

Plus, with the option to add an image and the simple color choice, you can’t go far wrong:

Crisp and Clean Resume

This template was professionally designed by Moo.com, and has a unique layout that’s easy to customize.

There’s also free matching cover letter template that you can use in conjunction with this resume template:

Creative Resume

Also designed by Moo.com, this Microsoft Word resume template uses fun patterns and icons to make your document stand out:

Google Docs Resume Templates

If Google Docs is your software of choice, you’re able to pick from five resume templates.

Once you’ve created a Google account (or signed into your own), head to Google Docs and hit “Template Gallery”.

Scroll down to see the Google Docs resume templates:

Our favorites are:

Spearmint

This one has got you covered if you’re looking for a modern, single-column resume template:

Swiss

This resume template for Google Docs uses a two-column format. It’s easy to read, but uses very little color:

Modern Writer

Looking for a resume template you can use for writing roles? This Google Docs option uses a unique typewriter-style font that’s bound to set you apart:

Creative Resume Templates

Applying for a role where creativity is important? Graphic design, marketing, or branding industries might be looking for creative resumes that really go above and beyond to make an impact.

Luckily for you, you have complete control over every aspect of your resume template. You don’t always have to list your points in a boring black and white document. In fact, there are various other resume formats that allow you to show your creativity.

Our favorite? Infographic resumes.

Infographic resumes turn a boring one-page document into an exciting resume in image-form.

They’re fantastic for online applications because internet readers pay close attention to information in images. People spend more time looking at images than they do text when reading on the web, making it a simple way to make sure your resume doesn’t get lost in the sea of browser tabs that a recruiter has open.

However, infographic resumes come with a warning: Always check that online applications allow image uploads. Many sites only allow document files to be uploaded, so it could be a total waste of time if you create an infographic resume and can’t send it to the company!

Although they take longer to create and still need to be customized for each job you’re applying for, they’re a guaranteed way to make an impact and help your resume stand out.

Resume Builder Tools

The resume template tools we’ve listed here are bound to set you off on the right foot.

But, if you’re wishing to go above and beyond with your document, we recommend using these resume builder tools:

Canva: Create your own infographic-style resumes using a professionally-designed template, or build your own from scratch. Then, download your infographic resume as PNG, JPEG, or as a PDF.

Resume Genius: Choose from 20+ resume templates and get your final version personally reviewed by a resume expert. It’s great for people who’re too shy to ask family and friends for feedback!

Visual CV: Go against the norm and create an online resume instead of a document or image-based one. Once built, you can add a link to your online resume from your personal website.

Resume Coach: This site offers lots of pre-made resume templates to choose from, varying in format, color, and style. Plus, they’re exclusive to this site — you won’t find the same ones on another site. There’s no need to worry about selecting a common, overused template.

Conclusion

Great job. You’ve just created a resume template that’s bound to land your dream job!

When adding details to this document, remember to be unique and look into the application requirements for each one.

You’ll soon stand out from the crowd, be invited to interview, and maybe even land your dream job.

Source: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/resume-templates

[lindyhunt]

The Ultimate Collection of Resume Templates for 2018

Are you looking to create an awesome resume that lands the job of your dreams? Whatever industry you’re applying to work in (from marketing to sales), there’s one thing all resumes need to have in common: the ability to stand-out.

But, this uniqueness doesn’t mean you need to make your application uncommon — especially when you’re using a template.

Resume templates allow job seekers to put together a unique one-page document that’s proven to get results. The best part? Even a non-designer could whip-up an incredible resume template in a matter of minutes and see results, including invites to interview or job offers.

Work your way through this guide to discover how a resume template can help you land a new job.

How to Create a Resume Template

Are you ready to make a start on the template that’s going to boost the success rate of your resume? Grab a pen and paper — it’s almost time to dive in.

Here’s what your one-page document needs to include, and the resume outline that’ll bring the best results (no matter the industry):

1. Your Details

The first thing you’ll need to build a resume template is a section for your personal details. Granted, this might be the most obvious part of your resume, but don’t underestimate their importance. The most obvious things often go unnoticed, right?

All resumes need to include details such as:

Your full name and address

A contact number

An email

Your address

You could also add an image or your personal logo to your template. Resumes for creative jobs need to stand out, and in an industry where design is important, adding a visual touch to your resume could be all it needs to make an impact.

Not only will these contact details make your resume look professional, but it edges the recruiter towards our end goal (a job offer) if your contact information is easy to find.

2. An Objective Statement

If you’re frantically Googling the definition of an objective statement before reading into this section, don’t worry. Here’s all you’ll need to know about creating one for your resume template.

An objective statement is 1-2 sentences on how you want to achieve a goal in relation to the position you’re applying for. It’s usually listed at the top of a resume, and it’s an essential element of any resume template because it sets you apart. That’s the goal here, right?

How to Write a Resume Objective Statement

When writing a resume objective statement, think about the job in question. Then, ask yourself:

Why do I want to work at this company?

How will the role help me achieve my goals?

What skills do I want to develop?

Each of these questions requires you to dig deep into your career goals, and show the company you’re motivated to reach them.

For example, if I was building a marketing resume template, this might be my objective statement:

“Looking for a position where I can develop my 5+ years of inbound marketing experience and help to build a solid content marketing strategy for a startup.”

It touches on my experience (what I can bring to the table), along with how I want to help the company. I told you it wasn’t too complicated!

3. Your Experience

Now we’re moving onto the good part of your resume template: your experience. After all, that’s the bare bones of this document, and it’s the section recruiters spend the most time reading.

This step is self-explanatory — tell the recruiter the jobs you’ve had prior to this one.

Include your job title, company name, dates of employment, and a brief summary of your duties. This allows the hiring manager to understand how your experience could help you, should they chose to bring you on-board.

This part of our resume outline comes with a warning: Don’t over-do it. Keep your list of duties short — preferably in a bullet-pointed list — to keep the recruiter’s attention.

4. Your Education

The education section of your resume template is also pretty self-explanatory. You’ll need to include the school you attended (with dates), along with the grades you achieved.

However, don’t fall into the trap of including your middle (or even worse, elementary) school as part of your resume outline. You likely didn’t learn anything here that was out of the ordinary, so don’t include it on your resume.

Instead, stick to high school and preferably college and onwards, highlighting university grades, should you have them.

You should also include any training programs you’ve completed in the education section of your resume outline. These can set you apart from other candidates, especially if they’re directly related to the role or industry you’re applying for.

(If you’re building a marketing resume, our HubSpot certifications would fit perfectly in this section!)

5. Your Skills

The skills section of a resume template is where many job-seekers struggle. Whether you’re shaking your head in confusing or asking “what skills do I need to put on a resume?”, it’s not uncommon to get it wrong.

That’s because people don’t know the best skills to list. Should they list skills that are applicable to any role, or stick with industry-specific skills that directly relate to the role they’re applying for?

The answer is simple: a combination of both.

Soft Skills

Skills that are applicable for any job are called soft skills. They’re essentially what makes you a “good worker.”

Soft skills can include:

Conflict resolution

Excellent communication

Great at working in a team

The ability to work on your own initiative

93% of employers say soft skills are an “essential” or “very important” factor in hiring decisions. So don’t leave them out!

Hard Skills

On the other hand, hard skills are a bit trickier to build. They relate directly the role (or industry) you’re applying for and listing them on your resume template will show that you’re a great fit for that specific position.

Hard skills include things like:

Writing

Customer service

Analytics

Data analysis

Computer programming

Graphic design

Since these hard skills are more difficult to master, don’t be afraid to toot your own horn on this part of your resume template. If you’ve got it, flaunt it!

6. Personal Qualities and Interests

What better way to make your resume stand-out than to include information about yourself? It’s a surefire way to make your resume template unique — there’s only one you.

The personal qualities and interests section of your resume outline should let the recruiter know about the person behind the document.

What qualities set you apart? Do you have any interests or hobbies? What activities do you love doing outside of working hours?

Don’t worry if your hobbies or interests don’t directly relate to the role. Personal accomplishments — like training for a marathon, taking cooking classes at night, or learning a new language — show your commitment to learning new things and experiencing new perspectives. 

Best Practices for Resume Design

Now you’ve got the structure of your resume template, let’s get your creative juices flowing and move onto the design.

Despite this being the fun part of your template, it can be the hardest to master. Not everybody has the same taste in design and what works for one industry might be a no-go in another.

Here are the best practices for designing a resume template:

Resume Layout

The layout of your resume is how it looks on a page. You’ve got control over the columns, spacing, and order of your resume template, and each option has its benefits:

Sequential Order

Resumes that show your contact details, objective statement, and experience in order are sequential.

This style works well because it allows the recruiter to easily follow a resume. Although it’s only a one-page sheet, the hiring manager can flow through your resume without putting too much brain power into the information they’re looking for.

However, because sequential resumes are popular, it might miss the mark on uniqueness.

Not-In-Order

Resume templates that go against the norm and display information out-of-order look more unique. That’s because you have more creative control over the layout of your resume.

I sense a “but” coming?

The “but” here is opposite to a sequential resume: They’re not easy to follow. You have a risk of overwhelming or confusing the recruiter and seeing your resume get tossed into the trash, which is not what we want.

Best practice for a resume layout depends on the risk you’re willing to take. If you’re more willing to lose out on uniqueness and avoid losing a recruiter’s attention, stick with a sequential resume (and vice versa).

What Fonts Should You Use on a Resume?

Font choice is another tricky one that depends on the role and industry you’re applying to work in.

As a general rule of thumb, serif fonts are usually easier to read. But, sans-serif look more modern. (Notice how much of your resume template is based on preference?)

Head over to Google Fonts and enter text to see how each font looks. If you spot any you’d like to use in your resume template, add them to your PC or Mac. You’ll then be able to find them when editing your template in a document, like Microsoft Word.

Here are some recommendations for each font style:

Serif fonts: Roboto, Open Sans, Lato

Sans-serif fonts: Slabo, Lora, PT Serif

When finalizing your font selection, avoid using a different font for each sentence. Stick to three or fewer throughout your entire resume template, or browse Google Fonts’ popular pairings for groups that are proven to work:

What Color Should You Use on a Resume?

Color is another resume design element that is totally decided by preference.

Here, best practice is a light background color paired with dark text.

Switching this around and using dark backgrounds can make text hard to read, and be too off-putting for the recruiter scrutinizing the detail in your resume.

But, in terms of best practice for any other elements, stick to three (or fewer) colors throughout the entire page. Going full speed ahead with 25 different colors could risk your resume template looking like a child’s coloring book. 

CV vs. Resume: What’s the Difference?

CVs and resumes are two names for similar things. But, if you’re applying for a job, how do you know which document you should be sending — and the things you’ll need to include for each?

When to Use a CV

Send a CV (curriculum vitae) if the recruiter wants an in-depth dive into your experience. These documents tend to be 1-2 pages in length, and talk about various things in detail, including your education, experience, and skills.

CVs are used commonly in the U.K. but aren’t very customizable. That’s because achievements need to be listed sequentially.

When to Use a Resume

On the other hand, resumes are a one-page document that details everything a recruiter would need to know, without the added detail.

Since a supporting cover letter dives into the nitty gritty of your experience, a resume only covers top-level information. This makes them more to-the-point than a CV.

And, because the goal isn’t to explain your experience (it’s to make you stand out), they’re highly customizable. Feel free to let your creative juices flow and experiment with every aspect of your document!

5 Tips for Writing an Attention-Grabbing Resume

Did you know that recruiters only spend six seconds reviewing a resume? (That’s less than the precious seconds you spend making your morning coffee.)

You can stand out from the crowd of resumes on a recruiter’s pile by:

1. Include hard-hitting stats.

Grab the recruiter’s attention by using hard-hitting stats in your resume template, and relate them to your skills. Not only does this look more impressive, but it proves you do have the skills you’re listing — especially if you’ve got great results from them before.

These statistics can be used in your experience section. Take a look at the below example. Which looks more impressive to you?

Redesigned the company’s website.

Executed a complete redesign of the company’s website, which saw an uplift of 30% on-site conversions just two weeks after implementation.

Option B hits you hard and gives the wow factor, right?

2. Ditch the fluff.

A surefire way to make sure your resume gets tossed into the trash is to fill it with fluff. Remember, we only have a few seconds to win-over a recruiter with our resume.

The most common form of “fluff” on a resume template is overused skills that anyone is likely to have — such proficiency with Microsoft Word. That’s a skill most people learn in school, so it’s not going to set you apart from your competition.

It’s also important to remember that recruiters care for what you did that made an impact, not always what you coordinated or strategized. So, ditch the “managed a team of two people” and use “executed an entire rebrand for the company, directing a team of two to increase subscribers on the site by 50%” instead.

And, if you’re including non-relevant positions in the experience section of your resume outline, show how those skills translate to this job. That way, you’re proving you have cross-functional skills that relate to the role you’re applying for.

3. Make it fun.

Many job-seekers struggle to liven-up their resume without going overboard. The line can be fine between a sense of humor and immaturity in the workplace, after all.

However, you can liven-up your resume template (and demand your recruiter’s attention) by adding humor in the stories, facts, and information you share.

Boring resumes they’ve seen hundreds of times before aren’t going to make an impact. Creative resume templates that allow your personality to shine through, will.

4. Don’t overcomplicate it

A unique layout can make your resume stand out, but don’t go crazy (to the point where it’s too complicated to understand). Although it sounds obvious, it’s an easy mistake to make … especially when you’re experimenting with fonts, colors, and formats.

You can get a great understanding of how easy your resume is to read — without the risk of finding out from recruiters — by asking family and friends to review it.

Do they look overwhelmed when they first lay eyes on it? Are they asking questions like, “what does this mean?” or “where can I find your experience?”. If so, it’s probably too complex.

5. Use resume action words.

The words you’re using on a resume should be powerful. And, although any fluff should already be ditched by this point, a few simple tweaks to the start of your sentences could be all it needs to reach perfection.

You can do this by using action words, which give the wow factor to your resume template.

So, if you catch yourself writing “managed”, “was responsible for”, or “helped” to kick off a new sentence, replace it with “executed”, “trained”, or “directed”.

Free Resume Templates

Looking for a done-for-you template where you can cut and paste your own information? Luckily for you, we have a list of resume templates that’ll help you get noticed in a stack of others.

However, if you’d prefer resume samples that can be used directly from your document software, here are a few to keep your eye on:

Resume Templates for Word

Microsoft Word offers tons of templates to build your resume.

Simply open a new Word doc and type “resume” in the template search box:

Our favorites include:

Resume (Modern Design)

This resume template is simple, but it covers everything you’ll need to include in your document.

Plus, with the option to add an image and the simple color choice, you can’t go far wrong:

Crisp and Clean Resume

This template was professionally designed by Moo.com, and has a unique layout that’s easy to customize.

There’s also free matching cover letter template that you can use in conjunction with this resume template:

Creative Resume

Also designed by Moo.com, this Microsoft Word resume template uses fun patterns and icons to make your document stand out:

Google Docs Resume Templates

If Google Docs is your software of choice, you’re able to pick from five resume templates.

Once you’ve created a Google account (or signed into your own), head to Google Docs and hit “Template Gallery”.

Scroll down to see the Google Docs resume templates:

Our favorites are:

Spearmint

This one has got you covered if you’re looking for a modern, single-column resume template:

Swiss

This resume template for Google Docs uses a two-column format. It’s easy to read, but uses very little color:

Modern Writer

Looking for a resume template you can use for writing roles? This Google Docs option uses a unique typewriter-style font that’s bound to set you apart:

Creative Resume Templates

Applying for a role where creativity is important? Graphic design, marketing, or branding industries might be looking for creative resumes that really go above and beyond to make an impact.

Luckily for you, you have complete control over every aspect of your resume template. You don’t always have to list your points in a boring black and white document. In fact, there are various other resume formats that allow you to show your creativity.

Our favorite? Infographic resumes.

Infographic resumes turn a boring one-page document into an exciting resume in image-form.

They’re fantastic for online applications because internet readers pay close attention to information in images. People spend more time looking at images than they do text when reading on the web, making it a simple way to make sure your resume doesn’t get lost in the sea of browser tabs that a recruiter has open.

However, infographic resumes come with a warning: Always check that online applications allow image uploads. Many sites only allow document files to be uploaded, so it could be a total waste of time if you create an infographic resume and can’t send it to the company!

Although they take longer to create and still need to be customized for each job you’re applying for, they’re a guaranteed way to make an impact and help your resume stand out.

Resume Builder Tools

The resume template tools we’ve listed here are bound to set you off on the right foot.

But, if you’re wishing to go above and beyond with your document, we recommend using these resume builder tools:

Canva: Create your own infographic-style resumes using a professionally-designed template, or build your own from scratch. Then, download your infographic resume as PNG, JPEG, or as a PDF.

Resume Genius: Choose from 20+ resume templates and get your final version personally reviewed by a resume expert. It’s great for people who’re too shy to ask family and friends for feedback!

Visual CV: Go against the norm and create an online resume instead of a document or image-based one. Once built, you can add a link to your online resume from your personal website.

Resume Coach: This site offers lots of pre-made resume templates to choose from, varying in format, color, and style. Plus, they’re exclusive to this site — you won’t find the same ones on another site. There’s no need to worry about selecting a common, overused template.

Conclusion

Great job. You’ve just created a resume template that’s bound to land your dream job!

When adding details to this document, remember to be unique and look into the application requirements for each one.

You’ll soon stand out from the crowd, be invited to interview, and maybe even land your dream job.

[thetallsquishnasty]

The Process:

1. Image- (see above images)

2.Drawings- (see below images)

3.Project/ Artist statement- For this piece I felt like I had to do a lot more problem solving than anything else. Luckily solving problems is my speciality. The creative part of this project I feel for at least me individually was missing because my image text left little to be desired. I was told how to make each individual piece as well as how each piece interacted with the others. Over all an enjoyable experience that helped me hewn in my wood crafting and problem solving skills.

4.Research-Research for this project besides the drawing I did, I feel would be kind like cheating. I didn't want to know what my piece looked like until the reveal during the critique. I will however include the paragraph that I was sent by Alex for a frame of reference to what I was doing for this project. 

“This object is a collection of several flat planes which are not round. When looking at this object someone might notice it has a lack of angles that are not 90 degree angles. Straight lines and 90 degree angles are definitely a very big contributor to what makes this object exist. To understand this object one must understand the faces which construct its 3D form and how it is composed of twelve faces, with two sets of six identical faces. The first of these faces, which I will call Face A, please remember that, begins with a 35cm line. This 35cm line extends forward and meets with another 35cm line, which meets the first line at a 90 degree angle. On their repectiv ends which do not touch the other 35cm line, both 35cm lines meet a 10cm line which intersects at a 90 degree angle. Imagine driving down a road that represents a 35 cm line. You just took a turn onto the road representing the other 35 cm line. When you turn onto the road representing the 10cm line, you would repeat the same turn you took before. The final lines which complete this face are two 25cm lines which intersect with the 10cm lines at a 90 degree angle and with eachother at a 90 degree angle. With all lines touching another line this completes the larger of the faces found in this three dimensional form. If this face were a racetrack and you started from the point the two 35cm lines touch, you would make a right turn, another right turn, a left turn, a right turn and then a final right turn. similarly you drove in the other direction, you would take two left turns a right and two more lefts. Now that you comprehend the shape of this face, you are halfway complete to understanding the three dimensional form, as six of the objects twelve faces are exactly this. Face B is the second shape one must understand to create this three dimensional form. It is smaller than Face A, but all angles are identical. Face B begins with a 25cm line which meets a second 25cm line similar to Face A. The ends of these lines which do not touch each other instead each touch a 10cm line. Just as with Face A, the connection to the 10cm line mimics the connection between the two 25 cm lines. Both 10cm lines then meet a 15cm line at a 90 degree angle, which then meet each other, also at a 90 degree angle. Similarly to Face A, driving along roads representing these lines would be a pattern of right, right, left, right, right or left, left, right, left, left. Now that you understand the two faces, Face A and Face B, you must understand that this complete three dimensional form is ruled by 90 degree angles. Each face meets its tangential face at a 90 degree angle. All twelve faces connect perfectly to each other to form a single solid form, elsewise it could not exist in three dimensions. Every edge of each face only touches an edge of a different face if it matches its length. For example, all 35cm edges must meet a 35cm edge at a 90 degree angle. Each Face A will touch four faces identical to it as well as two of the faces called Face B. Similarly, each Face B will touch four of its identical copies and two of the faces called Face A. It helps to think of the larger Face A as an outward facing face and of Face B as inward facing. When all faces connect you have the three dimensional form that this piece takes. The sculpture takes the form of this unique geometric three dimensional object seamlessly. It is made of resin although the object could be constructed with wood or any other hard surface capable of producing tight 90 degree angles and flat faces. The exterior is a glossy white.”

5. Self-critique- For this project I feel like I met the requirements to the fullest. I very accurately represented my sculpture that I was designed. The teacher even praised that it was the best re-representation that she had ever seen done in the class before, not to toot my own horn. The class also seemed to agree with her seeing as they clapped for me before the critique had even started. 

Personally I believe that my craftsmanship could have been more solid when it came to the cuts that I was making in the wood and the sanding job that was done. I won't give myself too hard of a time however because this project was very short and my life is very busy. 

To sum up I feel very pleased with the way that my project turned out and think that my grade will reflect my hard work. 

[lorrainecparker]

How to Write Video Production Proposals that Sell

When a prospective client asks you for your pricing, you’ve got a golden opportunity to earn their business. How much you make of that opportunity depends on you. By creating a targeted and personalized proposal for them, you can radically increase your chances of getting the job.

A well-written proposal can show the client that you understand their needs fully, and that you’re the best video production company for their project. It’s a great marketing tool that allows you to showcase your company, what you bring to the table, and what makes you uniquely qualified to do an outstanding job for them on their video.

I’m going to be writing from the perspective of my experience with my own production company, but most of what I’ll include can be adapted to any type of video production company such as those who specialize in weddings and events.

Do you need a formal proposal for every prospective client?

Almost always. Assuming that you’ve pre-qualified the client, in my opinion it’s usually worth the effort. I find that I have a much better chance of landing the job with a quality proposal. However, writing it does take time, so before you start, make sure that your services are within the client’s budget.

I also recommend using formal proposals for repeat clients. Never assume that your existing clients aren’t checking out your competition. A proposal gives you the opportunity to remind them and their management why they’ve chosen you in the past and why they should choose you again.

There are certain situations where I usually choose to use a more informal approach.

One of those is when the profit on a project is minimal. When it’s a super small profit, I may not take the time to craft a formal proposal. In those situations I will usually discuss the pricing with the client, and then send an email with that information. The only exception to this is when a client has much more work for us down the road, and they’re testing out our services with a small project first.

Your proposal MUST look professional!

When we first started out, we hired a professional marketing writer to create a proposal template. She spent time interviewing me to find out exactly what made my company unique, and who our target market was. She then crafted a proposal that we could use as a starting point for each client. That was invaluable!

If you’re not in a position to hire someone to do this for you, you’ll still want to create your own template based on your strengths and your specific target market. However it’s essential that your proposals come off as professionally written. If your writing skills are not exactly professional, be sure to always have someone else review and edit your template as well as each proposal. Never let something go out from your company that has spelling, grammar or spacing errors. It’s a sure way to make a bad first impression.

What should be included in your proposal? 

To some extent this will vary depending on the client that you’re pitching to and the type of project. You’ll want to include anything that shows the client how well qualified you are to handle their specific project. Make it as tailored to their company, project and needs as you can. For example, if you’re shooting a CEO of a company and you’ve done that many times before, be sure to mention that. If you’ve worked for a similar type of company, mention that as well.

You’ll also want to present your company in a positive and professional manner. Take every opportunity to toot your own horn. Whenever there’s something special or appealing about your company that you could mention, do it! For example, if you’re talking about your crew, mention their stellar qualifications. Of course if you don’t have anything glowing to write about them, simply don’t mention it. Never include anything that’s less than honest.

You’ll also need to include details about the project. In future articles, I’ll be showing you how to create contracts. When we make a contract, we use the proposal we created for the client as the first part of the contract. It makes it easier to include complete and specific details about the project in the proposal. It also gives the client the sense that you completely understand what they’re asking for.

Our proposals are made up of several sections:

1. Introduction

Our proposal begins with a brief sentence or two that gives the basic objective of the project. Here’s an example. Please note that I’ll be removing the clients’ identifying information:

“Ball Media Innovations, Inc. is pleased to present this proposal to “company” for the purpose of shooting and editing a real estate marketing video featuring their property in Miami, Florida.”

This can be very simple and straight forward. It’s a good idea to include locations and dates if it’s an event.

2. About Our Company

This is where you can really shine. In this section you’ll want to write about what makes you uniquely qualified to serve the client. Remember that you’re trying to outshine your competitors here, so don’t be shy about mentioning your unique strengths and capabilities. Be honest, and don’t overstate anything. No exaggeration. Only share things that you can back up.

In this section we usually share:

About the knowledge and experience we have that makes us unique.

Details about our excellent customer service.

A short version of our client list, including clients with similar companies.

Testimonials, especially from clients with similar projects. We usually include one or two testimonials in this section.

If you’re not sure what to write about, your company most likely has an About Us page. If you check out my “About Us” page, you’ll see a lot of the raw material for our proposals.

In our proposals, this section is usually about 1 to 1 ½ pages long.

3. Scope of the Project

This is where we give the details of the project, and the services that we’ll be providing. We start with an overview giving a basic description of the project that’s a little more detailed than the introduction. Then we go into details using sub-sections such as:

Script

Shooting

Editing

Cost

Again, throughout this section remember to talk about anything that could make your company look appealing. Here are some more details on what to include in those sections:

Script: If you’re writing the script, you’ll want to briefly describe the process and the extent of your services. If you have a great writer, you can talk about his/her experience and qualifications.

Shooting: Include details about the shoot such as the crew included, types of equipment, times, locations, backdrops, etc. We also mention anything that the client will be providing such as equipment, on-camera talent, etc.

Editing: We list anything that will be included in the edit such as the insertion of PowerPoint slides, stock footage or images, music, voice over, etc. Again, we also mention anything that will be supplied by the client such as logos, photographs, PowerPoint slides, etc. If it’s appropriate, we mention the format the client will give it to us in, and the format that the final video will be given to the client in. We also specify the expected length of the video.

Cost: Naturally this is where we break down the costs for the client. Be sure to keep it organized and easy to scan. We usually break down our costs for the shoot and edit separately. We find that having two lower cost items rather than one big cost helps reduce sticker shock.

It’s important to lay everything out in advance. We don’t want the appearance of hidden costs. In the cost section we also include information about:

The payment type – credit, cash or wire transfer.

What’s not included in the price such as shipping or lunch during a shoot.

So a statement for a project may look like this:

* This price assumes that the client will be paying by company check. It does not include shipping, or lunch during the shoot. Client is responsible for these fees.

4. Next Steps

Here we provide the client with their next steps. This should be a call to action. We let them know who to call if they have any questions, or if they want to proceed. We make this section noticeable and easy to find by using all capitals and color in the heading like this:

NEXT STEPS

5. More client testimonials

Although we include a couple of testimonials in the “About Us” section, we include more at the end of the proposal. Why not take the opportunity to wow them if you can!

Your proposal should make a positive impact

When you put it all together, this type of proposal makes a great impression when done right.

  The post How to Write Video Production Proposals that Sell appeared first on ProVideo Coalition.

First Found At: How to Write Video Production Proposals that Sell

[xt1erminator-blog]

“Celebrity” DMs That Slay

I love Dungeons & Dragons. I love playing it, DMing it, reading about it, watching YouTube videos on subject matter relating to it (Nerdarchy, Matt Colville and Drunkens & Dragons: Play D&D Like A Badass are all great YouTube channels with quality content).  Some games are even great to watch live streams of, especially observing talented “celebrity” Dungeon Masters working their magic, some of them admitting a lot of their “performance” and the content they come up with for their players is improvised and off the cuff.  It takes a lot to pull that off.  Most games out there however, are very difficult to watch and enjoy. There are too many distractions among groups when streaming stuff and it can be boring.

So, for anyone new to the D&D hobby that might be reading this blog, I just wanted to write up some stuff on three of the best publicly known Dungeon Masters out there thanks to the Internet - most of us into D&D will know who they are, and they are all are on a lot of people’s Top 3 Dungeon Masters Ever lists I’m sure. These guys put in some crazy hard work to help the online community better ourselves as Dungeon Masters. Thank you.

(And you know, I should have mentioned this in one of my first posts on this site, but I’m not a professional blogger or even a good writer. This is just my space to shoot the shit (probably mostly talking to myself no doubt) about one of my favourite past times, D&D). Warning: some of this post may seem out of logical order, sorry in advance :)  I had to go back and edit it a few times. Apologies for any inaccuracies as well but I’m pretty confident it’s solid.

Chris Perkins, “Celebrity DM to the Stars”

Being a semi-regular reader of Dungeon magazine for quite some time, I didn’t really pay attention to names of the authors of the short adventure modules published within the magazine’s pages.  When I reconnected with the hobby a couple of years ago after hearing a lot of good praise about 5th Edition D&D, I did more and more research about the people behind it, and naturally stumbled across reading about Chris and the Acquisitions Incorporated live games run at some of the PAX (Penny Arcade Expo) Conventions with the Penny Arcade guys (Jerry Holkins, Mike Krahulik and Scott Kurtz, as well as occasional appearances by celebrities/TV personalities like Wil Wheaton and Morgan Webb, author Patrick Rothfuss, etc.).  Then I went back through old Dungeon magazines after reading that’s how Chris got his start to getting his foot in the door, and have since become a fan of his. He’s even replied to Tweets of mine once or twice. Woo.

I am very entertained by how Chris runs his live games. It’s quite easy to see why he is held in such high regard. I started to lose a little interest in his work however when his regular weekly Dice, Camera, Action web series started. They were starting to run a series based on The Curse of Strahd just before the book released. The PAX games are still great, as are the in-studio AI series episodes, however with Dice, Camera, Action things seemed to really be a struggle and it was hard to follow and really get in to. Between technical difficulties in the first few episodes, to things taking a long time to pick up due to excessive chatter which was in my opinion a waste of time (get on with the game ffs! This happened quite frequently), it was hard to keep myself entertained and motivated enough to finish watching each episode. By the 6th episode or so, I stopped watching D, CA entirely. I decided to revisit it recently and while the presentation is a bit better and they seem to have worked out the kinks in the system, I have come to the conclusion why it wasn’t a success for me: the cast picked for this series is not very good. It’s not Chris - how can it be. The guy is probably the most dedicated and passionate Dungeons & Dragons fan, Dungeon Master, works for the company who makes the game (Wizards of the Coast), and spends a shitload of time on Twitter answering questions from fans with his unique sense of humour, I love the guy (not that way).  The cast though. Very weak. Generally speaking they are either too silly to take seriously or not entertaining enough in role playing their characters (hey, I’m not very good when I play and probably an even worse DM so I’m not tooting my own horn by any means), etc. but they are on camera for this and I really cannot believe so many people like this show like they say they do. The whole “Waffle Crew” thing I just don’t get I guess. The cast isn’t exceptional and I think Chris should be spending his time with a different group doing bigger and better things. Again, I am a heavily opinionated bastard as stated in the header of this blog :) “ProJared” is probably the weakest link in the D, CA group. He just doesn’t bring anything to the table and quite honestly, his attitude sucks. It is a puzzle to me how he was chosen to partake in this show with the legendary Christopher Perkins, DM. Just watch his videos on his YouTube channel, ProJared Plays I believe it’s called. I suggest watching his video entitled “Worst Player Ever”. Wait for the part where he describes how he “loses his shit” with “Steve”.  But enough about him... Chris rocks.

Matt Mercer, He’s Pretty OK

One of the players in a campaign I run is a very, very big fan of Critical Role. If you don’t know what CR is, Google it. It’s one of the reasons she became interested in Dungeons & Dragons and wanted to try it out, which opened a huge floodgate for me that had been closed for several years, and caused my re-connection with the hobby a couple of years ago. The addiction resurfaced and hundreds (OK, probably thousands) of dollars later I am the proud owner of a collection of nerdy D&D stuff that has been amassed. Damn you, Liesl.

Anyhow.  I was curious and tried watching some episodes of CR. At the time, I wasn’t into it. Not at all. I wouldn’t say I am now either, but I have probably watched around half of the 80+ episodes and find quite a bit of entertainment in the performance everyone in that group delivers.

So, at the time we started getting into 5e via the infamous Starter Set, featuring the introductory Lost Mine of Phandelver adventure module. Naturally, I ran it improvising mostly everything and only referencing major area and plot details when absolutely required.  I admittedly do not care much for running any of the current 5e premade adventures and therefore probably won’t ever run any of them in their entirety (I will pick apart things, and throw in content from an old Dungeon magazine, even 4e source book, etc. or borrow a part from some other WotC hard cover adventure campaign book, that, like I said, will never run in its entirety). There’s good stuff in there, but it doesn’t play like modules back in the good old days. Anyhow I think it went well. The more we played, the more references were made to Critical Role and how Matt did things. So I got more and more curious and gave Matt and CR another chance. Glad I did.

It turns out what I really went back for though after thinking I didn’t like CR, was Matt Mercer (after awhile the cast of that show grew on me, but I was paying particular attention to Matt most of the time). It’s absolutely unlikely I would ever be able to pull off 1% of what he can do with voices, and describing and gesturing things when he spins his tale - but I try to absorb everything I can, and hope my poor little brain remembers just a smidgen of it and it enters my game at some point and does just a little bit to help my improvisational skills. I don’t think I’ll ever attempt performing NPC or monster voices, but who knows... like they say, you’ll never get anywhere with it if you don’t just start doing it, no matter how much of a fool you think you are making of yourself. There is a reason why Matthew Mercer is regarded as one of the best Dungeon Masters in the world, because he truly is just that damn good.

Also - FORCE GREY IS AMAZING. It’s a short run series Matt DM’d for several other celebrity players including the immortal Brian Posehn.

Matt Colville, the YouTube DM Activist

Finally, I think my personal absolute favourite "popular” Dungeon Master these days would have to be none other than Matt Colville. He claims to be a normal person just like anyone else, but he’s totally a celebrity now, to me anyhow. Ha ha. Dude, you’re on a now-quite-popular YouTube channel. You’re awesome. Thank you.

Matt is a writer by profession. He’s got a couple of fantasy novels he’s written that you can find on Amazon.com (Priest, and Thief I believe are the titles - check them out).  He’s also lead writer at Turtle Rock game studio in California. Makers of games like the Mercenaries series on consoles, and more recently the party vs. big bad enemy shooter Evolve (he says he’s most proud of this title), all of which Matt did major writing on. From the game sessions I have watched that he has posted on his channel, it is evident that he is very creative and an extremely bright person more than capable of running a really great game that is well thought out and has all the bells and whistles and logistics of everything worked out just right (in my opinion). I wish I could run my games with his brain :)

The last few videos I’ve linked on my blog here are a few of my favourites of his, and they have really kickstarted my brain. So now I am thinking of better ways to run my games, and attempting to infuse a similar kind of quality material that Matt seems to ooze out of his noggin.  Watch his videos, all of them. When I first discovered his channel, I was amused. However, after watching maybe a half dozen more videos, I had to stop. I think it was the rapid rate at which he discusses the topics presented, it was maybe overwhelming me. I took a break for a couple of months and avoided his channel.  Then a colleague and I were discussing him, and in hindsight I realized I really totally dug his stuff. So when I went back to checking out his videos and gave some thought about what it is that he is doing with his channel, and what he is doing to help Dungeon Masters (new or old) better the quality of their games. I watched every single video (and rewatch several frequently for inspiration) and it’s now my top rated Dungeons & Dragons influenced channel.

I respect his genuine passion for the game and how he conveys his message to us, and appreciate the time he takes to create such brilliant content for the DM crowd. I highly suggest subscribing to his channel. If you can get past the fast paced talking, it’s worth the time to check his stuff out. If there ever was such thing as a “Church of D&D”, Matt Colville should be the high priest of it.

In the words of Mr. Colville:

“Peace. Out.”

And now, enjoy some whiny ProJared! (”he’s such a dumbass!”)

-runDMsteve