#I do lots of research on the characters but please send a mood board for specific things | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

kodrevas · 4 years ago

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I tried to send you an ask and accidentally unfollowed instead *facepalm* anyway WRITING ASK 1-5 and 21-25!

1. Do you write outlines? How closely do you find yourself sticking to them?

When I drabble I go off that spark of inspiration. However, when I long form, yeah I sort of outline. It’s not like an outline you would have done in elementary school but I talk myself through the plot on paper, ask myself questions where I need stuff to fill in, remind myself to foreshadow later events that are important. Unless a plot gets an entire overhaul, which happens way more often than I want to admit, then I stick pretty closely to what I outlined. Otherwise my ADHD brain won’t get everything down.

2. How much research do you do before you start?

None. Zero. It helps that I tend to write in worlds I create, or in worlds that pretty malleable (coughStarWarscough) so I do no research until I hit an issue that I need to research. Then I get lost researching and don’t get back to what I was writing sometimes. I never said it was the right way to do things.

3. What’s your process like for world building? Do you have a clear definition of the world before starting or do you make it up as you need things?

My world building is bare bones. I tend to have an ancient history idea of the world, and less of a solid idea of the timely world. So I make up what I need when I need it. However, a world becomes more clear to me the longer I write it and think about it so I tend to have a good idea of what the rules would allow when I get to an event that needs something. That said, I mostly leave out farming, economy, clothing, food descriptions because I don’t care about that stuff when I read fantasy and I have no interest in including it in mine.

4. Do you visualize your characters as you create them? Do you make mood boards or playlists?

My characters become people the more I write them. I’ve tried to do playlists and I just don’t care. I’ve never made a mood board. I daydream a lot. So looking at the early stories in my Star Wars legacies is very cringe for me because I hadn’t rounded out my OCs and it shows.

5. How do you name things?

Letter mashing and then googling what I came up with to make sure it isn’t slang for penis in another language.

21. What kind of story are you writing right now (or planning to write soon)?

I am currently outlining an original fantasy novel. But I am not very confident in my ability to write anymore because I feel out of practice. I’m looking at going back to my old SWTOR fan fics and continuing some to get back my groove.

22. Give me your most favorite line (or paragraph/dialogue) that you’ve written recently.

Guilt dragged at Noma as she stepped over the small woman’s body. She heard Descla sob once as Habrin pulled her to her feet. Noma wanted to apologize, to hug the other women and just stay for a moment in their grief, as Minwe deserved. But there was no more time. Noma threw herself against the throne room doors and forced her way through. Don’t be dead, she pleaded. Please don’t be dead. Were there even any gods left to hear her?

23. Is your story top secret or are you posting updates for it as you go?

My novel is super top secret. I’ve discussed plot with Dutchstache and I bounce stuff off him because saying it out loud helps me make sense of my ideas. But otherwise I’ve talked very little about it. The above excerpt is a scene I cut from it. My fan fics are thrown up on Tumblr after barely editing them because I have no chill.

24. Madlibs time for one of your current works: When [plot instigating event] happens, [Name of protagonist(s)] [action verbs] to [goal], but will [pronoun] succeed when [antagonist] [action verbs in opposition]?

When her father’s murder happens, Ellesca flees in grief to mourn in hiding, but will she succeed when her father’s murderer strikes deal with ancient and evil forces to expand his kingdom across the known world?

25. Free space. Tell me anything you want about writing in general or one of your stories.

I commit the writer sin of waiting until inspiration strikes to write anything. I can get some great stuff, but sometimes there’s no inspiration for way too long. That’s where I am now. I have this story I like and want to tell, but I haven’t written in so long I no longer have any confidence that the way I tell it is going to be compelling. Or even any good. I’ve written some things over the last year that when I go back to look at them, I can’t believe I wrote something so bad and stilted. And its because I don’t make myself do the practice. I know zero drafts and first drafts are supposed to and are going to be terrible. But I feel like I’ve lost the natural writing ability I used to have to churn out cringey but salvageable material. Nothing feels salvageable now.

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midnightmoonkiss · 4 years ago

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1, 2 and 6 please?

Thank you so much for sending an ask!!💜💜

->If its an au... i try to go all out! I do a lot of research, look through Pinterest for ideas and make mood boards. The best one i think Ive done was for my collab fic, Esoteric! I really like olden time fantasy fics, so I go with shit like that often if its ever an au. I want to try and make it feel like its realy not the modern world, that it’s something entirely different with different customs and ways of living. I dont want it to be plain or something repeated, I want to describe everything I invision for a world while still leaving a tiny bit to the imagination! I also like to listen to music to get me in the feels lol.

Established Canon

->If its canon, I dont change much, nor do I do any research lol.. i dont think ive done much world building with these fics since the world is already built lmao.. i use what ive read and watched in the show already☺️and try to make sure I got the details right if I have time haha

...uhhh.... nothing to be honest 😔 I kinda just wing it..? Sometimes I pretend I am that character in my head but other than that, its out in the open. Once I’ve written it down tho, I play the scene in my head to make sure it fits whoever Im writing for!

Sometimes yeah! Im pretty emotional, and I nose dive into what im writing. If i dont feel moved by my own words then no one else will so- if its boring to me then its gettin changed 😂

Thanks again!💜🥺

#peppermint fizz

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galadrieljones · 6 years ago

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Sketch Commissions: Open!!

Hey everyone! So life has come with a couple minor and major blips on the radar this year. To fill in some of the financial gaps, I’m taking some limited portrait commissions!! Details below…

☆ Pricing☆

Basic pricing: Prices above are for what you see above! Basic bust-style portraits and include basic outfit and hair design, plus a simple, one-color, or transparent background. No full-body portraits at this time.

Additional elements: Additions such as a more scenic background, detailed hair and/or outfit design (ie: armor), detailed inventory items (ie: weapons and personal effects), animal companions, symbolism, and/or tarot elements will run an additional cost, ranging anywhere from 10-50% of the base price, depending on level of detail desired.

Additional characters: Commissions of more than one character are available but will be taken on a very limited basis. Depending on the complexity of your request, additional characters and scene sketches can run an additional cost of anywhere from 50-75% of the base price.

☆ Logistics ☆

Cost: Total cost is itemized and agreed upon after 1-2 concept sketch(es) and calculated based on the complexity and level of detail desired. Full payment is upon completion. Prices are USD. Paypal only.

Style: My style is sketchy but clean, with a lot of focus on texture. I love details that revolve around nature, dreams, and grittiness. For more examples of my art, check our my art tag!

What I Draw: I will draw original characters and characters from any fandom. I do not draw non-humanoid characters, mecha, incredibly detailed backgrounds, or explicit NSFW. Sensuality or artistic nudity are okay. If I am uncomfortable with anything you request, I will let you know.

What I Need: I will require extensive references, both visual and written (if necessary). I like face claims in addition to screenshots, if you have them. If you have a specific palette or aesthetic in mind, a Pinterest or mood board would be great! Finally, for tarot/symbolic elements, I’ll require a brief foundation of research and explanation to get me started. Note that I’m very detail-oriented, and I do my best when provided with some creative freedom, but I also need a solid starting point. If you would like me to have full control of the art, please let me know.

Sharing and Usage: My art can be shared freely on any platform as long as it is credited and unaltered. If you use it as an icon or header on your blog or elsewhere, credit is all that I ask. My art is for personal, non-commercial use only. Note that if you would like help with promotional art for your non-commercial fanfic, just ask! As a writer myself, I am happy to do that. <3

☆ Contact and Availability ☆

To request a commission, please just private message me here, or send an email with a basic description of your request to [email protected].

I will take three commissions at a time, with no more than one scene/multi-character request at a time. If interest persists, I will open commissions on a more continuous basis, so even if commissions fill up before you get a chance, if you’re interested, please let me know!

If you can’t afford a commission right now, but you like my art, please help me out by reblogging this post! You can also buy me a kofi. I deeply appreciate any and all of your support. All my love, gala

#art commissions #commissions #portrait commissions #gala's portrait commissions #commissions post #my art #my commission info

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vanessagalang · 6 years ago

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Last week, I finally had the courage, and time to have my maternity shoot. 😀

It was such a surreal experience; it was a first time for everyone! My hair and makeup artist, the photo and video team, my husband, and of course, me!

I know it can be unnecessary, since we have so much to prepare for birth and the days after that, but I definitely wanted to push this idea to document this wonderful miracle while I can. And of course, it won’t be possible for me not to write about it here. Teehee!

So I’d like to share some tips and a guide on what you need to do just in case you’ll be holding your own momma-shoot!

Find a Comfortable Venue

I was 35 weeks when I had this shoot, and according to some of my readings, the best weeks to hold this photoshoot is when you are between your 28th to 35th. In this time, at least your tummy is showy enough to be captured, and at the same time, safer. We don’t want to be bothered by the fact that you can give birth any minute while posing for the camera, do we?

Photo Credit: http://sanrafaelriveradventure.com/

I tried looking for studios, and a good AirBNB place, but all the places I’ve looked for are either too cramped, doesn’t allow photoshoots, or are waaaaaaaaaaaaay too expensive!

Good thing, I stumbled upon a post in my feed about this cute getaway place in Bulacan. It’s called San Rafael River Adventure, and the place actually looks divine! 😀

They have a lot of fun activities that you can use for other types of shoots, like the prenup. But since I will just be using the entire accommodation, this should be enough.

It is highly important that you feel comfortable with the location or your venue, because of our condition. This is not the shoot where we can be adventurous. Leave it to the prenups and getaway trips! 😀

I booked the Glass Stilt Cottage, which is newly constructed by the way. I can’t believe I have a view of the lake in front of me! They have a comfy bed, and a jacuzzi. The space outside was enough to cater at least 6 people. There was a hammock, a sliding sofa, good lighting and a breezy weather to top it off. The air condition was good inside as well, plus the windows were perfect for those silhouette shots I was eyeing. Plus I thought that their rainy season promo was just perfect! So, what does a pregnant girl got to do? Book it right away of course! 😀

I am happy that the resort was very quick to reply, and I was given the available dates. I made a group chat, and voila, scheduled it right away together with the available dates of my team! 😀

2. Create Your Mood Board

I am a very bad pregnant-person-slash-client. Grr. I bash myself.

Oh well, I know I have to prepare for this weeks ago, but I was only able to send this to my team two days prior to our shooting day. I was too busy with some other things that I rarely had time to browse Pinterest or create a mood board.

But being the good crammer that I am, I was able to whip one just in time. Hehe 😀

Since I got a really good deal with Grid Studio too, (they are our civil wedding photo and video team by the way); they offered me unlimited shots, so yeah I want to maximize that. 😀

I thought about 5 sets and took inspiration from the things I found online, and of course with the available props and wardrobe that I have.

a. Whimsical Woman

I bought this pink ensemble way back in May, thinking it could be a good alternative for a bridal robe for my church wedding. But turns out, it could serve its purpose at an earlier date!

I also bought these flower crowns in SM. I couldn’t decide which one I like more, so I got them both. Haha Ayoko na pahirapan sarili ko! (I don’t want to have the burden of thinking which one is better!)

b. Simple and Laidback Mom + Hubby

I saw a lot of simples, and laidback shots that are perfect to include baby things, and the husband too. It looks soft on the eyes, very loving, and “very family”.

c. Boss Mama

This one is credited to my working-productive-self! Even though I’m pregnant, I am still very hands-on in my business especially that it’s new and the brand is just starting to pick up.

I always tell myself, I will not lose my identity and individuality just because of the new role that motherhood could bring; more so, it will be a big improvement. I will be a much better version because I’m adding a new role in my resume.

d. Boudoir

I actually wanted one before prior to getting married, but due to time constraints and indecisiveness, I wasn’t able to come up with one. Hopefully, when I get my body back post-pregnancy!

So in the meantime, I thought why not have one while expecting? It’s a totally new form because for once in my life I am not skinny, and I’ve got a few extra curves to flaunt. 😀

I can’t wait to share the silhouette photos! 😀

e. Summertime

Since I love wearing a bikini, and there was a Jacuzzi in our venue, there was no way I would pass on the opportunity of wearing one.

It was very funny too, because for once in my life, I have to buy an extra-large bikini! Haha 😀 I was pretty sad when I didn’t get the color I wanted because I was too big for the available Large size. Goodie, they have this red one that can fit my baby bump.

Which reminds me, I actually had a mini shoot wearing a bikini when I was in Bataan. I was 18 weeks here, and you could see how I just look ‘busog’.

3. Find a Good Maternity Shoot Team

This was easy. I was able to establish a really good relationship with my civil wedding photo-video-HMU team that I thought about them instantly. They actually haven’t done any maternity shoots, so this made the whole experience more exciting.

I actually thought of getting other suppliers, but I realized I will still get a better deal if I get my original team. I also saw some studios offering maternity shoots. Sure they are cheaper, but what I didn’t like is that they don’t give raw files of the photos, and they will only release like 5 to 10 shots, printed and edited. Plus there was no video too.

Grid Studio offered me unlimited shots, a video, printed photos and raw files, plus we can shoot anywhere I like, so yes, there was nothing left to discuss.

Elaine Cordova Makeup Artistry is such a good find too. She has done my makeup for a blog photoshoot and at my actual wedding, and I am really satisfied. She has great skills, plus I don’t have to burn holes in my pockets just to avail her airbush makeup. Elaine is also very instinctive, she knows what you want, asks for your makeup pegs, and deliberately retouches you every now and then, without you even asking.

4. Know Your Poses

Expect a lot of dreamy looks and belly-touching poses on a maternity shoot. So be sure your nails are polished! If you gain some weight and some extra chubbs in your face like I do, be sure you know your angles so you can still achieve the looks you want.

It’s also good to research poses with your husband/partner so things could go on smoothly. I am so happy that Rose and Michael of Grid Studio are very directive when it comes to poses. It was amazing how they handled and directed us even though it was also their first to cover a maternity shoot.

5. Prepare Your Props

We weren’t able to buy a lot of props, but good thing I was able to nick some of the random shopping baby finds we had. Plus it is so helpful that friends and family also gave their baby gifts earlier! Haha More props for us!

Here is the list of the props I think would help add more character to a maternity shoot:

Baby clothes

Baby shoes (Be gender specific)

Baby socks

Baby toys

Ultrasound Photos

Baby book / Storybook

Pregnancy book

Stuffed toy (I had a kangaroo with a little joey in its pouch)

A figure of the first letter of baby’s name (We didn’t have time to find one. Sad. )

6. Get a Good Night Sleep The Day Before

Please do! It’s good for your skin, and to rid those circles under your eyes. Plus it helps you to have good energy for the entire day!

I only had an hour’s sleep though. I was finishing bulk orders ready for delivery the next day, that’s why. I think my strong desire and excitement for the shoot to happen are what sustained me to last the whole day! 😀

7. Enjoy Being Gorgeously Pregnant and Pose the Belly Away

Honestly, I was extra weary that I won’t look great in this shoot, because I’m fat, my skin is dry, my belly button is protruding, my linea nigra is so apparent, my face feels like it’s going to burst, etc.

But hey, I am a walking miracle! That should be enough to keep me happy and make me feel beautiful. So I just accepted all these flaws that I have in my head, after all, these are all normal for a pregnant woman, duh?

So I just prepared myself that I won’t get the usual results in this photoshoot, unlike the past ones. I have to accept that early on. I will look different. Very different. But there’s a growing life inside me, and this little one is going to change my life forever. And being able to document that in a maternity shoot is already a blessing. Truly, something I would treasure for the years to come.

If you are thinking of having one too, I highly recommend it! It doesn’t have to put a big dent on your wallet though. You can always have the kind of shoot you want, whether in your home, studio, in a DIY setup, on the beach, or anywhere you find it comfortable doing. You just have to do your research, and be resourceful!

Go my mermom merfriends! 😀 Be confident and strut that baby bump soon! 😀 You only get pregnant once, or twice, or thrice! Haha 😀 Whatever the frequency is, it would be a great keepsake for your family to remember by, and a great photo to show the little one once he is outside too!

I will share my final shots when I get them!

Enjoy your pregnancy! I’m popping soon!

**, Via

7 Things to Do When Preparing for Your Maternity Shoot Last week, I finally had the courage, and time to have my maternity shoot. 😀 It was such a surreal experience; it was a first time for everyone!

#Maternity #Maternity Photoshot #Maternity Shoot #Mermom #Mermommy #Mom-To-Be #Mommy #motherhood #Photoshoot #Shoots

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sabinasanfanfic · 7 years ago

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Hakumyu Saitō-hen - The Experiment

Here in lies my rather extensive thoughts on the first of the Hakumyu shows. I’m warning beforehand that this post IS NOT spoiler free! If you haven’t seen any of the shows yet and don’t want to be spoiled, keep on scrolling. Don’t worry, I won’t be offended. 😉 I’m sorry that this post is going to take up your dash. I attempted to add a cut, but it doesn’t work at all. I’ve tried every trick I found. Every time I clicked keep reading, it would send the reader to my blog but not open the post. I apologize!

Full Disclosure: I haven’t completed an entire playthrough of any route of any of the Hakuōki games (I’m working in it, I swear!). I have seen the entire anime several times as well as both movies, which means that most of my Hakuōki knowledge is really of Hijikata’s route. With that said, I’m not an expert on the individual routes, so I won’t be commentating on the accuracy of the story itself as it compares to the games.

Okay, my method while I was viewing was pretty straight forward. I realized that not all of the musicals have been translated (and I’m nowhere close to being a fluent speaker/understander of Japanese), and obviously, my ability to understand the dialogue would sway my opinion of the show, so I decided to watch all of the musicals without subtitles. That way, all of the musicals are on equal footing when it comes to my ability to comprehend what is going on. I had to rely on my severely limited knowledge of Japanese and the acting. I also did not watch any behind the scenes footage or extras, so everything is based off of what I saw on stage. I’ll also use screenshots and an occasional gif to illustrate my point and to break up the walls of text I’m certain are going to happen.

Okay, so let’s get this show on the road!

I’ll start by explaining my subtitle. As of this writing, there are 10 Hakumyu productions! I think it’s incredible that years after the initial release of Hakuōki, there is still so much interest to warrant stage shows, and they’ve been successful enough to produce more. In any case, Saitō was the first to get a musical that centered around his route, and I call it the experiment because I’m sure no one knew how successful this would be. The whole flavor of the show is sort of young - like they were trying things out and seeing what would work in terms of casting, choreography, music, etc.. I’d say it was by no means a failure, but there were some definite kinks to work out, that as time went on and everyone gained experience, they did (for the most part).

The Set

Just...just look at it! A set like this is an actor’s dream. It’s aesthetically pleasing, and look at all those different levels to play on! The doors, the different entrances, the movable walls and floors to make seamless transitions between different scenes - it’s probably hands down my favorite set from the entire series thus far (and we’re only one show in). The set is the audience’s first impression of the show, our first peak into the world, and I’d say the set designers knocked this one out of the park.

Up close, it looks like the wood patterns are painted on, and I’d have to say kudos to the tech crew for that because painted wood is a pain to get right! It looks good up close and far away.

While we’re on the subject of the technical stuff, I love the lighting in this show. The whole stage is so well-lit, and there are few dark spots on stage, which means the audience can see all the action (and there’s plenty!)

A great example of the lighting. After Heisuke takes the Ochimizu, a battle begins between him and the rest of the Shinsengumi officers. It’s a dark moment, and the lighting reflects that while also being bright enough for us to see all of the battle. There’s even some use of some fun gobos to add a streak of brighter light in order to further illuminate what’s going on without dispelling the mood of the moment. The technical crew nailed it for this production!

The Choreography

One of the things that I appreciate the most across the board in Hakumyu is the fight choreography. I think most people would be aware that the actors aren’t really going all out fighting because...well, that’s dangerous. It’s up to the actors to sell to the audience the reality of what is going on without hurting each other or themselves. The core of stage combat is to practice, make sure everyone is safe, and play up the movements to make it all look real. Up close, it looks a little ridiculous and over-the-top, but from far away, it looks amazing!

(I wish I could post the original gif I made from this scene, but it’s too big!) Anyway, this tiny gif, I think, is a perfect illustration of the actors selling the stage fighting.

But the stage combat isn’t the only choreography going on here. Compared to the rest of the Hakumyus I’ve seen thus far, I think Saitō-hen takes the cake for having the most “dance” (choreography that doesn’t involve swordplay) numbers like “Yaisa! Yaisa! Yaisa!” “Samurai Future,” and “Kinniku Love.” The dancing is fun, but especially in “Samurai Future,” it becomes clear that the company has lost the energy that is required later in the song. When they finally arrive at Ikedaya, it’s supposed to be this moment of high intensity, and the singing really suffers because they have put their all into the dance at the beginning of the number. Dancing is fun in a musical, but it shouldn’t take away from the actor’s ability to perform the rest of the number.

The Music

I’m going to use this section to discuss my favorite songs from the show. I really don’t have many favorites from this show. As I said before, this was the first and an experiment, and the music, I think, reflects the youth of the show. The music isn’t bad, but a good amount of it just comes off as clunky almost as if they felt they had to put a song somewhere because this is supposed to be a musical. Also, as stated before, I felt some of the performances of the songs suffered due to the dancing. The vocals are very young (and nervous) for a few of the actors, and there were times when I winced because the singers went sharp or were a little flat. Despite that, my favorites are:

Ryūgi/Don’t Forget my Style - Our introduction to Saitō and Okita. Besides the fact that I LOVE the fight choreography for this number, I felt that this song really gives us a window into the relationship that develops between the two. I love how sophisticated the harmony is in this number because the notes that they sing fit and at the same time are discordant - I think it highlights how well they get along because their beliefs are very similar; however, there is that undercurrent of jealousy and competitiveness (from Okita) that makes their relationship complex in terms of friendship and camaraderie.

Yoiyami Aketara Asobimasho - What can I say other than I’m a sucker for lullabies, especially in minor key. This is my favorite rendition of this song because Yoshida Hitomi sings it so beautifully. It’s in the sweet spot of her vocal range, and the emotion in it is perfect.

Oni no Matsuei - (Above screenshot is for all my Shiranui fans out there 😉 ). This is a song in which I love all of the different melodies. The main melody is also just so catchy. Like many of the songs in this show, it is the later renditions that I love because all of the singers have more mature voices. For me, the rendition of this song I love best is from LIVE! in terms of vocals. In this show, I love having the chance to hear our favorite Oni sing.

Kawaranaimono - Hands down, this is my favorite song of Hakumyu. Out of all of them. It is just so. damn. gorgeous! The melody is beautiful, the lyrics are sad yet hopeful, and this just...invokes a deep ache in my chest. I sing along every damn time it comes across on my iPod (up an octave), and it’s probably the most played Hakumyu song I have. I love the incorporation of traditional Japanese instruments amid the western ones to further the idea that Saitō believes in the unchanging things. My favorite rendition of this song comes from Hijikata-hen (but more on that when I review that show).

The Actors

In this section, I’m really going to focus on the leads and anyone else I think stands out, minus those characters that get shows focusing on them. Be prepared...there is going to be lots of pictures and gushing at times. I have no shame. 😆

Matsuda Ryō - Um...where do I even start?! He is, without a doubt, an extremely talented actor. Like I said towards the beginning of all this, I didn’t do research or behind-the-scenes stuff beyond looking at who played who and the names of songs. My assumption is, based on his acting in this show compared to the other Hakumyus he’s been in, that this must be one of his first big shows.

There is a seriousness to Saitō that permeates everything he does, and Matsuda does do a great job of conveying this. I see it in his impassive gaze, the formality of his movements, and the control in which he moves. Seriously, there isn’t any limpness in any of Matsuda’s actions.

Can we also talk about the fact that Matsuda Ryō is extremely good at fighting with his left hand as the dominate one?! Like, how many actors can say that they can do something as involved as swordplay with their non-dominate hand? Color me super impressed! During this entire show, I never once believed for a second that Matsuda isn’t actually left-handed. The fact that he was willing to learn and complete his swordplay left-handed just blows my mind in terms of dedication to his craft. EDIT: I’ve just learned that Matsuda is actually left-handed, so never mind on that account. Still! His swordplay is amazing!

He is young in this show. In this case, it really works because Saitō is so woefully inexperienced when it comes to matters of the heart! Below is the “Oh, shit...I don’t know what to do now!” look:

It’s adorable, right?! I can’t even with him. Anyway, there are so many things I love that Matsuda does, such as the deep-throated growl as he crawling towards the Ochimizu that Kazama left for him to drink, the awkwardness that permeates him every time he’s around Chizuru, and his swordplay is just phenomenal. I wish that he had the chance to do this show when he was a little older because his singing would be out of this world.

Yoshida Hitomi - Our first Chizuru, and a very capable one at that! Her vocals are great as long as she stays in the mid-range of her voice. The higher notes written for Chizuru are a little high for her, and for the few times she pushed to reach those high notes, they weren’t as pure. Still, her voice is lovely.

Her acting is great. I loved seeing this side of Chizuru. For this scene in particular, I loved seeing the surprise she conveyed at having drawn her sword, and then the determination of “Well, I have to follow through now!” I feel like this is perfectly in line with Chizuru. And the fear:

On point. My only beef is that there were times when she over-emoted (like when Chizuru was sad about Saitō leaving the Shinsengumi), and her voice would get pitchy almost to the point of annoyance. Other than that, she ranks as one of my favorite Chizurus.

The chemistry between Yoshida and Matsuda is sufficient for this show and the nature of the relationship as a whole. Yoshida definitely makes it clear that Chizuru loves Saitō, and Matsuda brings that awkwardness to it that creates the right amount of sweetness and distance between the characters. But when that moment comes that Saitō finally allows himself to drink Chizuru’s blood:

DAMN! LOOK AT THAT CHEMISTRY!!!!! I mean, it’s such a complex moment in terms of emotion that is just done beautifully. It’s painful, it’s sweet, it’s sensual. Executed to perfection!

Suzuki Shogō - *sigh* I won’t spend too much time on him since Kazama has his own show, but he does deserve a mention for being a major character in this show. He’s another one I really don’t know where to begin. I mean...just look at him:

Nothing quite says “evil bastard” like that look right there. And he does a very good job of being the “no redeeming qualities” baddie in this show. He’s proud, arrogant, and doesn’t give a shit about those nasty humans - and I buy every choice that Suzuki makes during the show. I love his little chuckles, the crooked smile, the way Suzuki walks - so controlled and upright like Saitō - and his swordplay is fantastic. He’s another actor who has vocals that are rather youthful compared to later shows, but they’re not bad. He definitely has the basic character of Kazama down here, and it’s enough to draw me in. He’s great.

The chemistry between Suzuki and Matsuda is very evident as well. I mean, just look at the disdain from Saitō:

and the “I’m going to enjoy fucking with you” from Kazama:

It’s so good! The intensity of their sword battles is where I definitely saw the most of their great chemistry as rivals. Throughout, Suzuki continues his attitude of hunter messing with his prey, and Matsuda brings that righteous fury to their interactions.

Other Thoughts

This section is for those thoughts on other parts in the show that didn’t quite fit anywhere else.

I’m going to start off with the humor. I...just...couldn’t with a good majority of the humor in this show. My favorite humorous scene? The one where Okita is telling Saitō he’s changed, and Saitō refutes him by talking about how much he’s grown:

My least favorite? The scene where Gen-san is teaching the members of the Shinsengumi to fight the Oni:

To me, this was just not worth the time. It was painfully obvious it was meant to be funny for the sake of being funny, and it really served no purpose to further the plot along. I hated Yamazaki’s impression of Chizuru, and I hated that Gen-san was treated as the Shinsengumi’s clown the entire show.

There were times that I felt humor should not have been used. The worst moment was the first time we see Saitō suffer from the blood lust:

For real?! This is a serious moment! He’s suffering for want of blood and you’re going to bring up the buttons on his jacket?! Saitō’s expression sums up my reaction perfectly. Unfortunately, this is something that carries through the show, and it really prevents me from becoming emotionally invested in moments that are supposed to be emotionally charged. It’s a let-down. I want that catharsis!

I liked the flow of the story. I liked seeing Saitō joining the Shinsengumi from their days at the Shieikan because we get to see the establishment of his close relationships with Okita and Hijikata that remain throughout the show. Plus, the linear storyline makes it easier to fit everything in that I feel is important. We got so many moments where characters and relationships were developed that made the show very enjoyable.

All-in-all, Saitō-hen was a valiant effort for Hakymyu’s first show. It definitely kept me interested in seeing the other Hakumyus, as this was actually my first foray into watching Japanese theatre. I hope this post was enjoyable (I had fun writing it and spending hours grabbing screenshots, lol!) Please remember that these are all my opinions, and respectful discussion is welcomed!

Next up: Okita-hen!

#hakumyu #saito-hen #hakuouki #Hakuōki #matsuda ryo #suzuki shogo #yoshida hitomi #sabinasan speaks

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squirrellybaby67 · 6 years ago

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Little Ditty About Jackie & Diane (Part 1)

Summary: What happens with Dean meets the female version of himself?

Pairing: Dean x OFC

Word Count: 4,510

Warnings: language, double entendres

A/N: So this is something I had stuck in my head. It’s not going to be a full blown story, but there are going to be other installments of it. I have about 6 of them mapped out so far. There will be time jumps between each one. Hope you guys like it! Let me know what you think, this is my first time writing for Supernatural. I don’t own the rights to any of the art or characters. Just Jackie and my crazy imagination.

One Bourbon, One Scotch, & One Beer

"Jackie, we have a situation on our hands and we need your help," Jody said, her voice holding a bit of strain through the speaker of my cell.

"Ok," I replied.

"I'll send you the coordinates. Everyone will be meeting there tomorrow around 6 P.M.," she stated. "And I know this goes without saying, but please be careful on your way there."

"Yes, Mom," I whined in my best teenage impression.

"Please act your age," she sighed.

"Where's the fun in that?" I chuckled before hanging up the phone and finishing my hair and make up.

I threw all of my toiletries and makeup in a duffle before grabbing the rest of my things and setting it on the bed nearest to the door. I had zipped up my knee high boots over my worn jeans and grabbed my leather motorcycle jacket when my phone pinged with an incoming text. Just as promised Jody had sent me the location of the spot we were meeting.

I had met Jody on a hunt about a year ago. She and Claire were chasing down a nest of vamps that had set up shop between two towns. I had been investigating one town, she the other when we ran into each other while scoping out the nest. Clearing out the place had been the easiest I had ever experienced, the three of us making one hell of a team. She asked me to stay in contact with her after that and we had teamed up a time or two after that but I never stayed long. She understood why I never stayed and for that I respected her immensely. Jody had a family, a family I was not willing to put at risk with the curse that was my life. Don't get me wrong, I had tried that life before. Meeting someone nice, planting roots in a place and giving up the lifestyle for something normal, but after two years I left in the middle of the night. Normal had been too boring and predictable, two things that I was definitely not.

After checking out of the motel I packed up my car and put the location Jody had given me in my GPS. Lebanon, Kansas. I'd make it there with a day to spare and the thought made me excited for what the night could hold. The last hunt had been a bit extensive so not much fun was had in the last week, so I was itching to blow off some steam with my old friend and namesake, Jack Daniels. Yeah, laugh all you want, I was named after whiskey.

Dad won a bet with Mom, but ultimately compromised with my mother and named me Jacquelin, Jackie for short. He thought it was the best idea in the world since our last name was Daniels. Dad had a warped sense of humor, something else I had gotten from him along with the hunger of this lifestyle and my car. Diane had been all I had left of them after they died since we were always moving and never really accumulated much. Diane was a 1968 Chevelle that they had bought me for my sixteenth birthday. She was quite the rust bucket back then, but Dad and I had put in the time to restore her from the frame up. Dad had made sure the car was everything he and I had pictured. She had a racing engine, a custom hood with the scoop and pins, chrome grill and tail light bar. The finishing touch had been the amazing flat black paint job we gave her with the glossy black racing stripes. She's a badass bitch.

~~~

The drive to Lebanon hadn't taken very long, but then again, I always enjoyed driving so even a long drive never felt like long. I found freedom and peace behind the wheel with the rumbling of Diane's engine singing me a wonderful song. I pulled into the first motel I came across around eight at night and decided to order a pizza so I had some food in my stomach before going out to drink. I texted Jody to let her know I had made it to our destination already and where I was staying for the night before switching tops for my favorite tank top and putting on my jacket.

I had done a little research while eating dinner to find the local watering hole and that research did not disappoint. The place was nothing short of a shack sitting on the side of the road. I'm sure if one of the boards moved on the building the whole place would fall to pieces. Dive bars were my thing, the locals were never there to make friends and neither was I so it fit my mood well. I parked towards the back of the parking lot like I always did and headed inside. The air was thick with smoke, the jukebox was playing REO Speedwagon, the lights were dim, and the barstools were worn out leather. I headed to the bar feeling the eyes of all five patrons on me which informed me that they were in fact local regulars and I was the person out of place. "Jack and coke, please," I said as I sat down at the bar. The bartender gave me a nod before heading off to do his job.

Within the hour the place started to come to life as more people trickled in. I was on my second drink when a DJ turned the jukebox off and announced that he was starting karaoke for the night. After the third pop song blared through the speakers while girls that looked barely legal squealed in the microphones I decided it was time to put the pop shit to bed. I put a song up and waited my turn while trying my best to tune the horrendous music out while watching the people milling about. I had gathered from the crowd that this was where all the single ladies came to slut themselves out for free drinks and the men came with the intention of taking one of them home. Every guy in the place had at least one girl hanging all over him, a few of them with two. I liked being the majority sex in the bar, the guys were outnumbered meaning they all had their hands full for the night and I could just enjoy my booze, some music, and watching all of the regrettable decisions being made for the night in peace.

"And we have Jackie coming up," the DJ announced over the speakers. I sucked down the rest of my drink before placing my jacket on my stool to hold my spot and then headed up to enjoy some real music. The guitar was loud and pounding through the speaker as the song started and I began to talk my way through the first verse of "One Bourbon, One Scotch, and One Beer." I tapped my leather clad foot to the beat as I let the song take me away and the guys started to sing along. As the song hit the chorus the scantily clad girls took over the dance floor with their man of choice and I took the cue to loosen up and dance on the stage as I jammed out. During the instrumental break I shook my ass getting lost in the riffs and crying of the guitar when a loud whistle let out that caught my attention. I looked up around the room, finding most of the patrons were in fact on the dance floor jamming out with me, all except one. He was sitting with his back leaning against the bar as he watched me on stage, a girl pressing herself against his side. I went back to my jam session, finishing off the song with a loud eruption of applause. I put in another song before heading back to my spot at the bar.

I looked around wondering who had left their drinks at my spot. "They're yours," the bartender shouted above the music. "Guy at the end of the bar," he added with a point toward the end the guy sat at. I sat down, picking up the two tumblers and giving them each a sniff. One bourbon, one scotch, and one beer. Clever, I thought as I shook my head with a laugh. I grabbed the glass of bourbon before looking down the bar to catch the eyes of the man who had bought the clever order. The same guy that hadn't been dancing was now staring me down, beer in hand, girl long gone, with a smirk on his face as our eyes caught one another. I tipped my glass with a nod in thanks and he did the same before putting the beer bottle to his full lips. I took the bourbon in a long gulp before slamming the glass back down to the wooden bar. I looked back up to where the man had been but he was gone.

"The name's Dean," the deep voice said in my ear, the warmth of his breath washing over me.

"Smooth," I retorted as I turned around in my seat after grabbing the glass of scotch.

"Oh, I assure you that's not the only thing smooth about me, sweetheart," he said with a smirk, completely full of himself.

Oh great, another self absorbed douchebag.

"And here I thought you wouldn't be the bald eagle type," I smirked back. His eyes grew slightly as he let the comment register.

His eyes are beautiful, I thought to myself. Too bad they are attached to an asshat, I shrugged to myself before turning back around on my stool.

"Manscaping is not a crime," he scoffed as he sat down on the empty barstool next to me. "And I've never had any complaints."

"I'm sure you haven't, big boy," I said, patting his back like a buddy would do.

"Wow," he laughed, "Did I just get friendzoned?"

"Oh, does that not happen often, Ken?" I asked as I finished off my scotch.

"My name's Dean," he replied quickly.

"I know," I smiled.

"Then why did you call me Ken?" he asked before taking a swig of his beer. "He some kinda douchebag ex?"

"I'm glad you think Ken is a douchebag, I guess douchebags recognize each other in the wild?" I quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Ouch," he clutched his hand to his chest like he had been shot.

"Ken Doll," I replied, rolling my eyes.

"Oh, so you're admitting I'm handsome even though you think I'm a douchebag?" he asked practically batting his long lashes.

"I'm not blind," I shrugged.

"Admit it, I'm easy on the eyes," he said wiggling his eyesbrows.

"Didn't I just do that?" I gave him a side eye, "I'm not sure how much more stroking your ego can take. I'm afraid your head my explode."

"I can handle a lot of stroking, Darlin," he smiled devilishly.

"Jackie, you're up," the DJ shouted. I got up without a word, walking to the stage barely able to keep my composure because my life was just full of ill timed fate.

As the song started Dean turned around in his seat again to watch as I started singing "The Stroke". The dance floor flooded with grinding bodies again and I let myself enjoy the ironic turn the night had taken. I danced, rolling my body to the beat, and mocked the words with my movements while I sang, every once in a while glancing over to Dean, who had the biggest shit-eating grin on his face. As the song ended, Dean gave me a half smirk as he rose from his bar stool, walking up to the stage with a bowlegged swagger I had never seen any man every pull off as sexy as he did. He stepped up on the stage, grabbing the microphone from my hand. "Let me show you how it's done, sweetheart." he said with a playful wink. Shaking my head, I walked back to my seat and had just sat down when the music escaped the speakers. The guitar riff of 'Hot Blooded' washed over me and I couldn't help but smile as I watched him pour himself into the lyrics. His brilliantly green eyes locked on me as he sang the chorus and then he pointed at me while singing the lyrics of the second verse and I couldn't help but laugh. As the song progressed he kept looking over at me like he was trying to serenade me with his message. I shook my head as he took the instrumental break to bust out his best air guitar moves. I turned around on my seat and listened as the song continued, watching him in the reflection of the mirror behind the bar while I finished off my beer. "So....." he trailed off as he sat down on the stool next to me. His green eyes impossibly brighter as they held a boyish charm looking for approval.

"Eh, A little anti-climactic if you ask me," I shrugged, trying my best to be neutral. He had actually done a decent job on the classic rock song, but I wasn't going to give him the praise he was looking for because, well quite frankly, he had a big enough ego, I wasn't going to help add to it.

"Well the best climaxes usually involve two people," he smiled, his tongue sneaking out past his teeth to barely touch his lips. "You know, duets," he added. "Oh, we are definitely going to duet tonight," he smiled even wider and I couldn't help but shake my head as I fought the laugh that was battling for release. "I've got the perfect song for us too," he said before getting up and walking over to the DJ to put in another song.

"Did you just put a song up for us to sing together?" I asked as he sat down.

"I told you we were going to duet, sweetheart," he wiggled his eyebrows.

"You think you are slick don't you?" I asked as I motioned for the bartender for a Jack and Coke.

"I think I'm adorable," he grinned. I didn't respond to him, just sat there sipping on my drink as I listened to a horrible rendition of Joe Nichols' 'What's a Guy Gotta Do'. I watched the sloshed guy in the mirror attempt to keep up with the tempo of the song as he stumbled and slurred his way through the words "So you come here often?" Dean asked after a few moments of awkward silence.

"Really?" I said, giving him my best 'Are you kidding me' look.

"I've just never seen you around here before," he quickly tried to recover.

"I'm here on business," I answered with a shrug of my shoulders.

"Dean and Jackie, come on up!" the DJ announced and Dean gave me a huge smile before grabbing my hand and pulling me up to the stage. I managed to snag my drink off the bar as I was dragged up to the stage.

"You ready?" Dean asked as he handed me a mic and reached for his own. The music started and I started chugging my drink as Dean started singing, my mind taking the full first verse before it registered what song he was singing. He turned to me as he started singing the chorus, "Take me home tonight, I don't wanna let you go til you see the light." I shook my head knowing exactly what part he wanted me to sing. I sat my now empty glass on the barstool that was on the stage and then put the mic in its stand before I made my way back to my seat to grab my jacket. He was one cheeky bastard, I'd give him that, but I wasn't going to stick around the rest of the night humoring him in his blatant attempt to get into my pants. I was here to enjoy a quiet night of drinking and watching the local drunks, not to be pursued by one of them. I was a few steps out of the front door when I heard him behind me. "Where are you going? Did you not like the song or something?" he asked making me stop in the middle of the parking lot.

I turned on my heel to face him, "I've gotta go. I have shit to do tomorrow and I'm tired."

"Well, how's about a ride home?" he asked, stroking the hood of a sleek black '67 Impala and grinning like he was the cat that ate the canary.

"Thanks, but I've got my own ride," I answered. "Have a good night, Dean." I turned back around headed back to my car that was now hidden behind a large truck.

"You need some good ole' American muscle to ride, not some souped up douchebag tree hugging car," Dean called out behind me and I couldn't help the extra sway of my hips as I kept walking away. He was going to shit his pants. I hopped into Diane, pulling out of the spot and stopping behind Dean's car. He mumbled out, "Son of a bitch," as he looked over my black beauty and then back at me. I gave him a wink and a wave before slamming my foot down on the gas pedal, tires squealing and gravel flying as I pulled out onto the highway.

~~~

I woke the next morning to my phone ringing, my head was pounding as I hit the decline button quickly to shut up the annoying noise. I looked at the clock realizing it wasn't as early as I had thought. The effort it took to sit up in my bed was excruciating, but I had an hour before check out time at the hotel and I still needed to clean up a bit before I went out in public. My phone rang again with a text message this time from Jody asking if I would meet her at a diner for lunch. I replied quickly before standing up and heading for the bathroom. After relieving myself, I washed my face and brushed my teeth. I thought about showering, but quickly decided against it since today was hunt day and I would more than likely end up a mess at the end of the day anyways. I ran my fingers through my dark brown, beach waved hair to detangle it the best I could without having to brush it, knowing if I did in fact brush it I'd end up with a frizzy mess. After I was somewhat satisfied with my hair I applied some makeup to my face in an attempt to look more alive. I looked in the mirror, deciding that this would have to do before throwing on a pair of jeans, one of my Dad's old AC/DC shirts I had revamped to fit me, my pair of black combat boots, and my leather jacket. I rounded up all of my things, storing them away in the trunk of my car before checking out of the hotel and heading off to meet Jody.

~~~

"I need coffee," I grumbled out as I sat down next to Claire.

"Rough night?" Jody asked before sliding a cup of the dark stuff my way.

"Mixed too many liquors," I said after taking my first sip of hot caffeine. "That's a big no-no, kid," I added, looking over at Claire as if I was giving her the best advice in the world. "You'd think after 31 years of life I'd know better," I said before running my hand over my face.

"Here," Jody said, sliding over a bottle of Ibuprofen.

"Thanks," I said, giving her the best smile I could muster through my headache. "So what's the case?"

"Well, the Winchester brothers have been tipped off that the head honchos of every monster species are congregating at a place not far from here," she started.

"Apparently, they are all in cahoots now," Donna, Jody's hunter/cop friend sitting next to her said. "They're planning on taking out all hunters and are planning to work together to do so."

"Ok, but why here?" I asked as the waitress came over bringing our food.

"Hope I ordered right for you," Jody said as the waitress sat down a plate with a burger and fries on it.

"Thank you," I grinned before adding my condiments on my burger.

"Well, the Winchesters are based here and my guess is that they are first on the hit list in hopes that if they take down the top hunters the rest of us will run," Jody explained.

"Are they John's boys?" I asked, remembering my Dad's friend he had done a hunt with when I was a little girl. I had met his sons when Mom watched them for John while he and Dad were gone. I had been five or six and his sons were quite older than me. Cam and Don, I think but couldn't be sure of their names. They had nothing to do with me and my dolls while they stayed with us. Dad had talked about John Winchester a lot while I was growing up, but he never came back around after that one hunt.

"Yeah, did you know their dad?" Jody asked, puzzled.

"Met him once. My Dad was friends with him," I explained before stuffing my face with french fries. "God, this is good," I practically moaned causing Claire to laugh. "So are we headed to their place after this?"

"Yeah, figured we could all settle in while we wait for the rest of the hunters meeting there," Donna said. "Plus, It's always nice to catch up with those boys."

We finished up eating and Claire climbed into the passenger seat of Diane, "I've been stuck in the car with those two for the past six hours. I need a break." I nodded in understanding before starting the car and following Jody and Donna to the Winchesters'.

~~~

We pulled up outside of what looked to be an abandon factory and I shut off the car before getting out and giving the area a scan. "They live in an old factory?" I asked skeptically.

"Under it technically," Claire answered. "Come on," she said as she followed behind Donna and Jody. As we walked through the door the interior was far from what I thought it would be. The architecture was beautiful and classic and I couldn't help my wandering eyes while we walked down the metal stairs to the main level of the area.

"Jody!" a voice shouted catching my attention. I stared as the extremely tall, long haired man enveloped Jody in a hug before moving onto Donna and then Claire.

"This is Sam," Claire introduced the man. "Sam, this is."

"George Thorogood." The voice made my heart stop as its source came around the corner from a hallway.

Oh, great. Him.

"What?" Sam asked with a puzzled look.

"Hi, I'm Jaqueline Daniels," I introduced myself, sticking my hand out to Sam for a handshake. "But everyone just calls me Jackie."

"Jackie Daniels?" Dean laughed. "Oh, God. That's........That's hilarious." Dean bent over clutching his side in hysterics.

"Yeah, laugh it up, Chuckles," I rolled my eyes.

"Dean," Sam growled out making Dean stand up straight. Dean shook his hands out in front of him in surrender as he worked hard to get the smile off his face. "Sorry, my brother's a dick," Sam said as he turned back towards me. "Make yourself at home," he said as he gestured around the place.

"Thanks," I smiled at the taller brother and I followed Claire over to a table in the center of the room to sit down.

"What the hell is your problem, Dean?" Sam whispered at his brother before glancing over at me and giving me a tight lipped grin before looking back at his brother with a glare.

"That's her, man," Dean said as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Who?" Sam asked, confused.

"The girl from last night," Dean mumbled out in a whisper in attempt to stay inconspicuous.

"The one with the car?" Sam asked before glancing back at me and then looking back at Dean.

"Yep," Dean answered, standing up a little straighter and glancing over as well.

~~~

"Beer?" Dean offered, holding out a bottle in my direction.

"Thanks," I said as I grabbed it from his grasp.

"I'd offer a bourbon and scotch, but we've only got whiskey," Dean added with a smirk.

"Funny," I rolled my eyes. "The beer is fine."

"So, hunting..." he trailed off as he sat down in the open chair next to me.

"Yep," I answered with a nod before taking a swig of the cold liquid.

"Jody says you knew our Dad," Dean said more as a statement instead of a question.

"I knew of him. Met him once. And I guess I knew you too. My Mom watched you once," I said with a shrug. Dean nodded and squinted his eyes as if he was peering through rows and rows of memories to track down a specific one.

"She made us chocolate chip pancakes," he added after sitting silent for a few minutes.

"Sounds like her," I smiled.

"So how long have you been in the life?" he asked, looking genuinely interested.

"About ten years," I answered.

"So you've been hunting since you were a teenager too?" Dean looked like he was trying to piece together something in his mind.

"Dad finally took me on a hunt for my twenty-first birthay," I answered, a small smile playing on my lips as I took a few minutes to recall the memory. I had begged him for years, but he always said he wanted me to have my first legal drink before he would take me. We wasted no time after midnight the morning of my birthday, venturing to a bar so I could order my first beer.

"So 31," Dean mumbled to himself as if he was doing mental math to figure out my age.

"I'm taking it Math wasn't your strong suit in school?" I asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Dean was too busy getting busy in school to learn anything," Sam laughed as he jumped into our conversation after finishing up his talk with a few hunters that had arrived.

"Not all of us had the opportunity to go to Stanford," Dean quipped back at his brother who just shrugged his shoulders.

"But I'm pretty sure you learn how to add ten to a number in first grade. Doesn't take a college education to do simple math," I said, which earned an unamused look from Dean.

"Oh, I like her," Sam chuckled as he stood up from his chair. "She's like a smarter, female version of you," he added before patting Dean on the shoulder as he walked by.

Part 2

#supernatural #dean winchester #dean winchester x ofc #little ditty #my work #fanfiction

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yokodesignidentity-blog · 7 years ago

Text

22.01.18

Final Idea Confirmation

A lot of my time till now has been spent creating my marketing report so I therefore have been mainly focusing on getting this complete before I begin filming to clear my schedule completely for the filming and later editing required with my film, I understand this will probably take a lot of time. Therefore, I haven’t had much to write about within my blogs as a lot of my research has been done prior to creating the marketing report. This will provide a brief overview of what I have been doing for the past week and where I am planning to go with regards to the weeks to come.

Feedback

In today's session we presented our shot list and therefore our most solid, final draft of our ideas. As Karen was ill the week before we had quite a while to collate this information and create a very in-depth shot list, but I guess this is a positive. The shot list basically complies of all the scenes and shots I am planning to create, with an image to summarize it and little descriptions on length of shots, angels and actions the actor must do. The shot list really helped me to define a much clearer sense of where I wanted the film to go and to make necessary decisions on elements I had not yet even considered. My shot list was very in-depth and quite lengthy as I wanted everything to be explained to a ‘T’ to make it coherent for my camera man and the actor. As in a previous lecture, visiting lecturer Justin Barrow explained the importance of planning and preparation behind our films and how in-depth this must be to achieve a strong outcome, this shot list has really allowed me to plan in depth and I believe will be beneficial when I come to film as I will know everything I need to shoot.

Explanation Of Final Idea

My shot list was well received as well as my final concept for the campaign and story line for the film. The final solidified concept is now based around the story of a writer, who has writers block who to be inspired steps out into his community and is inspired by different cultures, people, food, music etc. It is to run alongside a campaign from Jigsaw that is to promote multiculturalism within Britain, and encouraging people to immerse with others perhaps unfamiliar customs, culture and individuals and celebrating our uniqueness is something that should be met with positivity. Jigsaw throughout the months surrounding Spring/Summer 2018 will hold events, festivals, exhibitions for people to engage with varied culture in their areas.

This campaign that is part of their Style and Truth campaign runs alongside the promotion of their new Spring/Summer collection that was developed by creatives from all over the world. The collaboration explores colour, print, silhouettes that steps outside Jigsaws comfort zone, just as they wish their consumer to do to immerse in unfamiliar culture.

The feedback given was mostly positive, that they liked the campaign idea and the story line of the film. They thought that perhaps elements of the film were not necessary, and it may run too long and that getting rid of weaker parts will make it stronger. I definitely agree with this and believe that when I come back with the footage I will be critical and ruthless when it comes to getting rid of footage or shots that aren’t successful or adding anything to the film. I would like the film to be maximum 4 minutes long, but I would rather base it around the 3-minute duration as I feel any longer will loose the attention of the viewers. I am definitely pleased with the feedback received and now feel that it is all about planning and preparation to be able to pull this off now.

Further Steps To Take

Justin suggested some techniques that may benefit the planning behind the film. He suggested looking at Google maps on street view will allow me to understand my location (Camden market/ Chinatown) better, and the more familiar I am with it the easier it will be when it comes to filming and setting up. I have to consider that I am quite tight for time in consideration to the detailed story line and locations I wish to film in, therefore making sure the planning and preparation is done well will ensure this will run as smoothly as possible on the limited days I have to film. Looking well in advance about weather, lighting, time of day etc. is crucial as these could potentially really effect the film. He suggested certain apps that would allow me to plan in advance these elements, so I am not left in the dark on the days I am filming.

I think I now need to go back through my shot list and tweak any elements that need updating from my tutorial feedback, Justin in particular mentioned focusing on the audio requirements for mine as I was planning to do the sound effect in post-production, but he feels collating this audio when filming could also be helpful. Once my shot list is complete I will need to send it out to both the actor and cameraman to ensure they both have a full understanding of what is required of them on the day and any preparation they may need to do can be done to save time on the day. I think it will be beneficial to sit down with my camera man and pan out every shot and the details involved to make sure it is all coherent and if there are any element he would want to adapt.

I now need to explore the styling, prop and scenography elements within my film. I need to purchase any clothing that is required, any props required and plan with regards to location and shooting. I want the film to have character and style and so therefore it is important that the features displayed in the film reflect this slightly quirky aesthetic I want to achieve. Taking inspiration from directors such as Wes Anderson and Tom Solondz who have such defined styles and aesthetic within their films needs to come across in mine and I believe this can be best done through clever styling, prop design and placement and elements within post production such as filters, lighting, colours etc. I will ensure to mood board these elements and plan them properly before purchasing to ensure an aesthetic theme is maintained throughout.

I have planned to film the weekend of the 3rd/4th of February as I felt this left enough time for planning and equally enough time for editing and post production. So that leaves me one more week until filming, I therefore need to expand my planning and explore all details required to ensure that my filming can run as smoothly as possible on the days planned. I am aiming to continue and hopefully finish the content side of my marketing report this week to make sure it is completely out the way for the final few weeks left then to edit. I think concept building and mood boarding will defiantly help me when considering the final details within the film.

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seasonsofreckoningrp-blog · 8 years ago

Photo

Congratulations, Melinda! You’ve been accepted for the role of Nico Washington and your faceclaim change for Brandon Mychal Smith was accepted. Please make sure to check our checklist, and you have twenty-four hours to send us your character’s blog. We’re really happy to have you in our family!

Your portrayal of Nico really gave us the feels! We were taken on a journey of the deeper inner workings of Nico and his reasons for leaving the coven and joining Adrasteia. What’s really great is that you also gave us a glimpse of how Nico is now and how this new family has helped him so much more than his own coven has. We are so excited to see how he will play out as well as your plans for him!

Introduction

Melinda (mel if u nasty), 22, CST, they/them.

Activity level:

7 – 9. I’m a recent college graduate so I’m in the process of looking for work right now so at the moment, I can be on most of the time. If I do find a job, I’ll most likely be working graveyard shifts so my activity might falter a little during the day because of sleep.

Further contact:

[Removed]

How did you find the roleplay?

I decided to dip my toe back into the supernatural rp tag because I missed being part of one. I also think a current member reblogged the promo onto my dash.

Roleplay experience:

I’ve been on the tumblr rp scene since like 2011? The fantasy genre was always my place of comfort, but things sort of died down for a while so I decided to try out mob and crime rps—which weren’t exactly my thing, but hey why not branch out? I delete/edit blogs frequently, but I have a few still up. Hunter. Mutant. Demigod.

Triggers:

[Removed]

Anything else?

[Removed]

IC INFORMATION

Desired character:

Nico Washington

Faceclaim:

I said my favorite movie was Moonlight and now I’m asking to change Nico’s fc, smh, I’m such a fake fan. I’d like to make a change to Brandan Mychal Smith (who I didn’t not realize was 1). So fine 2). 27)

Why did you choose this character?

I’m incredibly interested in how Nico was so lively up until his mom died and everything just sort of changed – not exactly for the worse, but he wasn’t himself. Going from one coven to another because he realized that war was a more logical than peace is such an interesting concept. You abandon the family that you’ve known your entire life for one that your mother had when was growing up. He’s such an enigma and having the whole brooding thing going on seems like so much fun.

Para sample:

It all happened with a bang – or at least, that is always how he remembers it. When his mother died, it was like someone took a gun and pointed directly into his heart and pulled the trigger. He didn’t know what to do after her death – the coven was nice enough to give him space, to give him the time that he needed to heal. The problem was that nothing seemed to work, no amount of time or some other sentimental bullshit helped him process her death. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see her passing away repeatedly. No matter how many times he tried to intervene or help make things better, she still withered away in the end. Nico found that the only solution he had to stop the images from popping up in his brain was to leave sleeping behind. It did the trick, but any relationships he might have built suffered as a result. There was no time spent outside of his families’ home and the people he once called friends just seemed to fade away into noise in the background. His entire life has shifted to just slightly to the left and he had no way to deal with or process anything that was going on around him.

Things started to change when he found his mother’s book of shadows and began diving more into the history of the Washington family. There were some words of comfort in the book, but more than that, there was a feeling of confusion and disgust. All the things that his mother went through to keep him ignorant of war and what had it gotten her? A death and a coven that didn’t know how to talk to her son. Nico started to wander outside of his family home after that, doing more research into what exactly the coven intended to accomplish. How did one accomplish peace? Now that his mother was gone, violence seemed to find him, and the attack did nothing to build back confidence in the Coven that he’d known his entire life. It was then that the choice was made – when the world seemed to be crumbling around him, when everything seemed dark. Nico decided to follow the same light that had guided his mother. He found himself with the Adrasteia Coven and he hadn’t felt so at home since the passing of his mom.

Now times were changing and he was starting to come out of the shadows, starting to live life again despite the tragedy that had rocked his world. Nico stood in a world of fire and could himself glowing – the flames of tragedy could not touch him anymore. Despite making changes to return to who he was, there are still somethings he cannot shake. He betrayed his coven and must deal with the consequences of his choices. Old friends look at him differently now and he understands why, if he was in their position, he might give himself strange looks. No matter what happens now with the other covens or the war, he will be prepared. If you looked closely at the Washington home late at night, you’d see nothing but darkness and a faint source of light that seemed to glow brighter before vanishing. How many years had it been since he last summoned fire in his hands – how many years since he felt the calming flames brush against his skin. Nico Washington is a different man now, but he can still remember who he was, can still remember the joy that the flames brought him early on his youth. He isn’t that child anymore, but he can still use the flames and enjoy them. He’ll be okay, one day.

EXTRA

Personality traits:

Positive: Attentive, patient, calm. These traits describe the man he is now and the things he had to learn after his mother died. He pays attention to everything, making sure to take care not to overlook anything that could come back to bite him in the ass later. “A good man sees every angle and makes the best choice before acting.” His mother would often give him lessons in manhood and he remembers them now, remembers the words he wished he’d followed as a kid.

Negative: Cold, distant, grumpy. These traits describe the boy he was and sometimes the man he is. Nico has a bad tendency of shutting people out and he doesn’t really enjoy asking for help much unless the situation is dire. He’s also just generally grumpy because what is the point of being in a good mood when you’re surrounded by war?

Headcanons:

He likes to hang out in the dark a lot. It’s a harsh change from the kid who used to love hanging in the sun, but hey, death can do that to you. You can find him hanging out in the shade most of the time.

He has a great sense of humor – it’s most self-deprecating, but it’s still hilarious if you look at from the right angle.

You want someone to tell you how bleak life is in the warmest voice? Nico is ya man.

Despite his general out view on the world, he can become an optimist under the right conditions. It’s mostly his mother, but everyone should take what they can get.

Nico has a unique range for his offensive magic and it’s a full circle around his body that you can sort of see if you squint hard enough. Things inside of the circle can be affect by his powers, but he can’t do much if something gets outside.

*The Extra section is also where you can share anything else you’d like about the character you chose. Graphics, moodboars, playlist, etc. You are also free to send an inspo/mock blog if you’ve created one.

https://www.pinterest.com/melindabaes/fire-in-your-veins/ budding pinterest board.

#accepted

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