#I felt compelled to make this a New Year's piece vs. holiday

[asheanon]

🎆 Holiday Card Delivery

This one is for @/Carendsyaz1 (on Twitter.) 🎁💕

The cosmic clock forever ticks; Out with the old, in with the new. For any measure, though, I'm thankful To be able to spend this time with you. 🕰️

Happy New Year, my dude! 🥂 Once again, sorry this is running late…!

[dweemeister]

Best Documentary Short Film Nominees for the 93rd Academy Awards (2021, listed in order of appearance in the shorts package)

NOTE: For viewers in the United States (continental U.S., Alaska, and Hawai’i) who would like to watch the Oscar-nominated short film packages, click here. For virtual cinemas, you can purchase the packages individually or all three at once. You can find info about reopened theaters that are playing the packages in that link. Because moviegoing carries risks at this time, please remember to follow health and safety guidelines as outlined by your local, regional, and national health guidelines.

A Love Song for Latasha (2019)

On March 16, 1991, Latasha Harlins, a 15-year-old African-American girl, was murdered by Soon Ja Du at Du’s convenience store in Los Angeles. The murder, which occurred almost two weeks after Rodney King’s beating at the hands of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), contributed to the start of the 1992 LA riots one year later. Directed by Sophia Nahli Allison, A Love Song for Latasha is an avant grade film that intercuts statements by Latasha’s friends and family about the young girl they cared deeply for. Alongside reenacted scenes of childhood, of black girls frolicking on the Californian coastline and the streets of Los Angeles, the film serves as an intimate eulogy for Latasha – one delivered as memories about her become less immediate.

Whatever justified rage the Los Angeles rioters might have felt in 1992 is not the dominant force in Allison’s film. A Love Song for Latasha is foremost a cinematic lament rather than a political polemic. With the reenacted scenes edited and appearing as if it resembling a home movie, this piece appears like a visualization of the memories that the interviewees are recalling. When Latasha was murdered, she ceased to be just a daughter or a friend. A Love Song for Latasha, thirty years on, seeks to reclaim those distinctions for those who knew her best – something, given the significance of Latasha’s murder in history, that may never happen.

My rating: 6.5/10

Do Not Split (2020, Norway)

From Norwegian documentarian-journalist Anders Hammer comes Do Not Split, a street-level glimpse into the protests against the 2019 Extradition Law Amendment Bill (ELAB) that inspired the passage of the 2020 Hong Kong national security law. The events depicted in Hammer’s film include the Hong Kong police’s sieges of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and Hong Kong Polytechnic University, in addition to small-scale clashes between protesters and police, as well as mainland Chinese instigating confrontations. Hammer’s footage is harrowing material, a collection of violent imagery with few moments of individual revelation or introspection outside of the presence of Michigan-born activist Joey Siu. Do Not Split decides not to attempt a dialectic of why the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Hong Kong Legislative Council (LegCo) are pursuing these changes and are brutalizing the protesters, depriving this film of the context that less knowledgeable viewers might need. For those who have been keeping at least superficially aware of events in Hong Kong, there is never any question on which side Hammer is on – despite Hammer’s journalistic background, this is not a piece of objective journalism.

Yet this is not agitprop due to the politics left mostly unexplained, and none of Do Not Split’s flaws take away from the rawness of the protesters’ desperation and the cynicism of the police and government officials enacting the crackdown. Despite the repetitive nature of the footage by the time it reaches the final stages of its thirty-five-minute runtime, Do Not Split contains excellent, crisp hand-held footage that makes immediate sense of the space and time of the depicted violence.

My rating: 8/10

Hunger Ward (2020)

For Pluto TV (some cord-cutting television service I was not familiar with until I started writing this) and MTV Films and directed by Skye Fitzgerald (2018 Oscar-nominated short film Lifeboat), Hunger Ward follows doctor Aida Al-sadeeq and nurse Mekkia Mahdi as they treat malnourished children in the midst of ongoing the Yemeni famine. The famine, directly related to the civil war that began in late 2014, has seen almost a hundred thousand children die in what UNICEF describes as, “the largest humanitarian crisis in the world.” Fitzgerald film works best when focusing on Al-sadeeq and Mahdi, as they describe the heartbreak conditions of the hunger ward and their experiences since the famine began. However, much of Hunger Ward’s footage is too in-your-face with footage of the mothers’ grieving and the last moments of several children. It appears almost as if gawking at the desperation and death that occurs every day in this hospital.

This is not to say that there is no revelation in the image of a child with their eyes glazed in lifelessness or the unearthly wails of a mother overtaken by grief. Fitzgerald edits and shoots their film in a way that makes this process – a child in their last moments of care, a declaration of death, a shot of the child’s corpse, a cut to the mother inside or arriving to the deathbed, and the echoing despair – occur tediously in their movie. Hunger Ward never breaks from this tedious formula. The film is redeemed only by withholding its slings and arrows until some text prior to the end credits, correctly assigning responsibility with Western nations that have enabled and abetted the violence in Yemen.

My rating: 6/10

Colette (2020)

Colette Marin-Catherine is in her twilight years and, upon first appearances, one might not predict the incredible life story that she has to tell. She was a French Resistance member, and French Resistance narratives tend to be sidelined in favor of those depicting Allied soldiers liberating France instead. But Anthony Giacchino’s (the brother of composer Michael Giacchino) film, distributed by British newspaper The Guardian and made for an extra feature of the virtual reality (VR) video game Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond, decides to linger on the memories of Colette’s murdered brother, who died at Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp in Germany, instead. At the urging and with the assistance of the young historian Lucie Fouble, who is interested in telling Colette’s story (although technically this is not Colette’s story), Colette travels to Germany to visit the site of Mittelbau-Dora so that Colette can… spill out her feelings?         

It is self-evident that Colette does not see the academic or personal value of such a trip, but the irascible subject of this short film will nevertheless humor Fouble – her intentions genuine, her approach questionable. Colette, who cannot forget the loss of brother but has not been dwelling on his death, is emotionally vulnerable throughout the trip to Germany, and the audience learns little about Colette, German atrocities, or her brother. Even in these moments, she remains a compelling figure on-screen, but this movie is a disservice to its eponymous subject – one who deserves more credit as a member of the French Resistance, as someone not defined by the worst thing that had ever happened to her.

My rating: 6/10

A Concerto Is a Conversation (2020)

Distributed by The New York Times and executive produced by Ava DuVernay, Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bower direct a deeply personal documentary short film to bookend this slate of five. A Concerto Is a Conversation contains a conversation between Kris Bowers (composer on 2018’s Green Book and 2021’s The United States vs. Billie Holiday) and his grandfather, Horace Bowers Sr., before the premiere of Bower’s concerto at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. What follows is a disjointed film with sketches of Jim Crow-era America from Horace’s past to the anxiety-laden self-questioning of Kris’ present. Kris, as a black man, is questioning his place in the classical music world – which has, justifiably in some ways, been seen as staid and white. If A Concerto Is Not a Conversation can bridge the differences between Horace and Kris’ stories, it barely does so thank to the scattershot editing.

Yet Kris and Horace’s conversation is wholesome, admiring, loving. This is Kris’ way to show his appreciation for his grandfather and the struggles that he endured for most of his life. The out-of-focus background makes A Concerto Is Not a Conversation seem almost like a dream, a meeting that almost should not be happening. And in honoring Kris’ profession and the piece that is set to debut, the film is divided into noticeable thirds – just like a concerto’s three movements. A Concerto Is Not a Conversation might not make for the most cohesive viewing, but it is a celebration of a profound bond, tied together by forces that defy even the most eloquent words: music and love.

My rating: 6.5/10

^ All ratings based on my personal imdb rating. Half-points are always rounded down. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found in the “Ratings system” page on my blog (as of July 1, 2020, tumblr is not permitting certain posts with links to appear on tag pages, so I cannot provide the URL).

For more of my reviews tagged “My Movie Odyssey”, check out the tag of the same name on my blog.

From previous years: 88th Academy Awards (2016), 89th (2017), 90th (2018), 91st (2019) and 92nd (2020).

[doomonfilm]

Predictions : The 93rd Academy Award Film Nominations (2021)

As much as I try to prepare for the Oscars every year, even I’m impressed with how thorough I was in checking out the 2020 nominees.  Maybe it had something to do with the fact that streaming dominated the year, which therefore changed the nature of access, but in my humble opinion, I found no dip in the quality of the films and shorts that I took in.  I saw some familiar faces, I learned about some new talent on the scene, and I found more than a few films that spoke deeply on the human condition.  There are a few categories where a winner seems clear cut, and even more where it will be a genuine surprise at the end of the night.

With my confidence running high, it’s time to do my annual prediction list of potential Academy Award winners... that way, I can gloat if I end up being mostly right, and I can have counterpoints ready for the films that I get wrong.  Feel free to play along at home, and we will reconvene on after the day after the awards air (Sunday, April 25th for those curious) to compare numbers.

Editor’s note : Due to a lack of access to AppleTV, the films Greyhound and Wolfwalkers were not taken into consideration.  Due to a similar lack of streaming and theatrical access at the time of this article, The Man Who Sold His Skin, Opera and White Eye were also left out of my research and consideration.

Best Picture The Father Judas and the Black Messiah Mank Minari Nomadland Promising Young Woman Sound of Metal The Trial of the Chicago 7

PREDICTION : Minari

Every film this year has something poignant to say about the human condition : The Father is a frank and unflinching look at the aging process and the impact of dementia, Judas and the Black Messiah puts the focus on systematic racism and the far-reaching lengths used to disenfranchise minorities, Mank talks about how personal and political stances can get you blacklisted, Nomadland shines a spotlight on societal ills surrounding class and financial struggles, Promising Young Woman opens up a path for difficult discussions on sexual assault, Sound of Metal is all about depression connected to having your passion ripped away from you, and The Trial of the Chicago 7 is a damning portrayal about how political unrest manages to stay the same despite changing times.  

Minari handles its subject matter (immigration and assimilation, respectively) with the same weight as the previously mentioned pictures, but there is an artistic integrity to the overall presentation of the story due to the immaculate performances and beautiful production design that elevates the Minari experience a step ahead of the rest of the pack.  I would not be surprised if Nomadland continues its epic run right up to the top, but if there were one film set to upset the Best Picture category, it’s Minari without a doubt.

Best Director Lee Isaac Chung, Minari Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman David Fincher, Mank Chloé Zhao, Nomadland Thomas Vinterberg, Another Round

PREDICTION : Chloé Zhao, Nomadland

While I consider Minari to be the Best Picture of the year, I believe that comes down to a combination of look and performance for me.  When it comes down to the film that seems the most interesting in terms of how it is put together and the general choices made for execution, however, I think I’d have to continue giving  Chloé Zhao her flowers while she can still smell them.

As mentioned previously, Minari is a standout film, and two other films did threaten to give Nomadland a run for its money in terms of direction : Mank looks, sounds and feels like old Hollywood, while Promising Young Woman feels so much like an exploitation film from the 1970s with an infusion of high-style art that it saddens me it hasn’t received more recognition in the form of awards.  Nomadland, however, feels as close to a documentary as it can get without being one, and as dramatic as a film with a heavy documentary film can get, and all the while, Zhao’s choices make the camera feel like an observer and a confidant, to great effect.

Best Actor Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Anthony Hopkins, The Father Gary Oldman, Mank Steven Yeun, Minari

PREDICTION : Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

From the second that the final credit rolled on Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, I had Chadwick Boseman picked as a lock for Best Actor in any award show worth its salt.  

Riz Ahmed makes us feel his pain in his characterization, as does Anthony Hopkins (though his delivery is connected to much more levity than Ahmed’s).  Gary Oldman embodies his chameleon-like abilities that we’ve come to expect and enjoy from his work, and Steven Yeun reaches depths I had no idea he was capable of achieving.  All that being said, however, Boseman left everything he had on the film reels, and even if not for his untimely death prior to the release of this film, I feel he would still be receiving universal praise for such an emotionally raw, daring and vulnerable performance.

Best Actress Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman Frances McDormand, Nomadland Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman

PREDICTION : Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Of all the categories this year, Best Actress was far and away the toughest one to choose a prediction for.  I could give it to Andra Day based on the Golden Globes momentum she has coming into the Academy Awards and feel confident.  I would feel equal confidence in choosing Vanessa Kirby for the pain she captured in her frustration with her husband and her stillborn baby, Frances McDormand for her down to Earth nature and bold curiosity (not to mention her penchant for winning these things), or even Carey Mulligan for her brave and confident performance.

I am choosing Viola Davis, however, because while Chadwick Boseman could have easily made every other character’s performance irrelevant in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom with his sheer presence and execution, Davis simply refuses to be ignored as the titular character, and is the only one strong-willed enough to check Boseman’s character.  Her win would also be a historical moment for minorities and women when it comes to the Oscars, and I doubt that the Academy would miss an opportunity to make that statement, especially in today’s climate.

Best Supporting Actor Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7 Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah Leslie Odom Jr., One Night in Miami Paul Raci, Sound of Metal Lakeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah

PREDICTION : Lakeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah

This was another tough category to make a prediction in, mainly because of the conundrum that came with the choice.  On the one hand, choosing between the performances of Lakeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya for Judas and the Black Messiah seems inherently wrong, not only because both were stellar, but because this nomination makes it seems like the film was absent of a leading male.  If Stanfield (who, in my opinion, would be the one considered lead in this film) were to be nominated in the Best Actor category, however, he would almost certainly be nullified by Boseman in that category.  No disrespect to the other nominees in this category, but Stanfield or Kaluuya feel like sure things for this category, and for my money’s worth, Stanfield left the stronger impression.

Best Supporting Actress Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy Olivia Colman, The Father Amanda Seyfried, Mank Yuh-Jung Youn, Minari

PREDICTION : Yuh-Jung Youn, Minari

Initially, this was a tough category solely because of the films I’d seen from this category prior to this week.  Maria Bakalova was the front-runner by default for me, as it felt odd to consider Amanda Seyfried as the Best Supporting Actress of the year for such a marginal role, and Glenn Close felt odd because of Hillbilly Elegy and nothing else.  Up until this week, I’d yet to have seen Minari or The Father, and in my head, it felt like Olivia Colman would likely be my pick.

Then, I saw the movies.  Colman was great in her role, but with her acting chops so refined, and the story being one based so heavily in reality, the work she was doing seemed likely to be lost in translation for the average viewer.  Upon seeing Minari, however, my decision was immediately made for me, as  Yuh-Jung Youn easily displays the most range of anyone in the category, and does so while managing to be one of the funnier elements of the film, as well as the catalyst for the ultimate heartbreaking moment.  If  Yuh-Jung Youn doesn’t win, I will personally demand a recount.

Original Screenplay Judas and the Black Messiah Minari Promising Young Woman Sound of Metal The Trial of the Chicago 7

PREDICTION : Promising Young Woman

Sadly, I think Promising Young Woman will continue to be the bridesmaid and not the bride of this award season, but if there were a category that it seems like it could leave its mark in, it would be Best Original Screenplay.  While the other stories are certainly compelling (two of which give us deeper insight into recent race-related turmoil), Promising Young Woman is the kind of movie that can open up important conversations that many men and women are hesitant to have.  The film also cleverly sets itself up to be some sort of revenge fantasy piece, only to reveal how truly grounded and thought-provoking it is in a final act that will almost certainly take your breath away.

Adapted Screenplay Borat Subsequent Moviefilm The Father Nomadland One Night in Miami The White Tiger

PREDICTION : The Father

Of all the films nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, The Father is the most compelling and well-put together screenplay, with its production execution feeling like it matches the high standards set by the narrative journey.  The White Tiger comes close in terms of the way it sets and subverts expectations, but it lacks the heartbreaking gut punches that The Father uses to fuel its melancholy, which in turn allows it to pierce the soul in a much more direct and easy to perceive manner.

Animated Feature Onward Over the Moon A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon Soul Wolfwalkers

PREDICTION : Soul

Is there really any doubt that this is Soul’s category to lose?  I did the due diligence and watched all of the competition (minus Wolfwalkers), and while the rest of the field was entertaining, nothing in the pack can hold a candle to the technical prowess and appeal to humanity that Soul thrives in.

Production Design The Father Mank Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom News of the World Tenet

PREDICTION : News of the World

At first I wanted to give this award to Mank due to the way that the film feels authentically from the era it presents to us.  Not too long after that, I wanted to put my money behind Tenet, almost strictly as a way to offset the largely negative response to what feels like a strong piece of Christopher Nolan art.

Then I saw News of the World, and of the films nominated in this category, it is the only one where the world feels authentic and lived in (outside of The Father, which essentially takes place in a single flat).  From the levels of dirt on the clothes to the weathered nature of towns, News of the World feels like modern day cameras were transferred back to a simpler time, and in tandem with the acting prowess of Tom Hanks, it is certainly one of the slept-on gems of 2020.

Costume Design Emma Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Mank Mulan Pinocchio

PREDICTION : Emma

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my many years of film-watching, it’s that a British film always seems to have the edge when it comes to Best Costume Design.  While Mank and Mulan in particular should be given recognition for their costume designs, Emma makes the extremely lavish and extravagant gowns and outfits worn feel and look like a million bucks, both in their fit on the cast and in the way they work with and offset the surroundings.  

Cinematography Sean Bobbitt, Judas and the Black Messiah Erik Messerschmidt, Mank Dariusz Wolski, News of the World Joshua James Richards, Nomadland Phedon Papamichael, The Trial of the Chicago 7

PREDICTION : Erik Messerschmidt, Mank

While the Best Cinematography award is usually one given for breakthroughs and innovations with the camera, Mank feels like one of the first films that could win the category for its dead-on emulation of an era that we have since evolved from and not looked back to.  2020 wasn’t necessarily absent of crazy camerawork, but it appears that this year’s nominees are more about capturing the feel of a world, and none of the films nominated have a visual style that does it to the degree that Mank does. 

Editing The Father Nomadland Promising Young Woman Sound of Metal The Trial of the Chicago 7

PREDICTION : The Trial of the Chicago 7

This was another surprisingly tough category to pick a winner from.  The Father does some extremely clean and subtle work with editing to make us feel just as disjointed as Anthony Hopkins does during the course of the film.  Promising Young Woman brings in exploitation style and flare, but ultimately settles down into a much more serious and somber nature where the editing loses a bit of its steam.

What really works best for The Trial of the Chicago 7 in terms of its editing are two key factors : its ability to manage such a large collection of main characters with ease, and the integration of real footage from the Chicago Democratic National Convention, not to mention additional footage from the film Medium Cool, in a seamless fashion.  Aaron Sorkin films are generally known for their writing, but this film shines in how well it was put together, as Sorkin takes a step back and allows the event to be the star of the show.

Makeup and Hairstyling Emma Hillbilly Elegy Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Mank Pinocchio

PREDICTION : Pinocchio

It’s tough sometimes to separate your perception (and reception) of a film from its technical aspects, which is why it was ultimately hard to choose Pinocchio as my pick for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.  While I did not enjoy this film, I do have to give it respect for its lack of digital effects, with much of the creature creation and Pinocchio’s wooden look achieved solely through the use of makeup.  Emma seemed more about wardrobe, and Hillbilly Elegy felt a bit silly in terms of hair and makeup... I likely overlooked that aspect of Mank, and the acting held my attention in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, so maybe Pinocchio  is purely a sympathy vote for me.

Sound Greyhound Mank News of the World Soul Sound of Metal

PREDICTION : Sound of Metal

Sound of Metal is likely going to be the most overlooked film of 2020 in terms of awards recognition, but if there’s one category that feels like a can’t miss opportunity for the film, it’s Best Sound.  The narrative lives and dies off of our connection to the protagonist, especially when he starts experiencing his hearing loss, and if the production team wouldn’t have been able to capture that experience the film would’ve been a wash.  Luckily for everyone, they nailed this aspect of the film, and in turn, the world was gifted a modern day classic.

Visual Effects Love and Monsters The Midnight Sky Mulan The One and Only Ivan Tenet

PREDICTION : Love and Monsters

To my knowledge, subtlety doesn’t get you far in the Best Visual Effects category, which could likely be the reason that Love and Monsters was my pick to win this year, as the effects are anything but subtle for this film... the attention to detail in the oversized animals and bugs is as impressive as it is intimidating.  The only other film I considered is The One and Only Ivan for its work with the animals, specifically the way they were able to communicate with their eyes, but ultimately Love and Monsters feels like the bolder statement.

Score Da 5 Bloods Mank Minari News of the World Soul

PREDICTION : Mank

It feels like Soul is the favorite headed into the Oscars this year, which makes it all the more hilarious that the duo of Reznor and Ross will find the stiffest competition in the form of themselves.  I put my money behind Mank for the Golden Globes, and while I may have been wrong then, I refuse to believe that the Oscars would ignore the authentic-sounding era-specific music created by the duo.  A nod must also be given to the scores of Minari and News of the World, who if not for the Reznor/Ross tandem would likely be the ones fighting it out in this category.

Song Husavik (Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) Fight for You (Judas and the Black Messiah) Lo Sì (Seen) (The Life Ahead) Speak Now (One Night in Miami) Hear My Voice (The Trial of the Chicago 7)

PREDICTION : Fight for You (Judas and the Black Messiah)

Lo Sì (Seen) may have stolen the Golden Globe, but I refuse to believe that any song on this list can beat Fight for You twice.  You never know, however, when it comes to the Oscars and music... just ask Three 6 Mafia. 

Documentary Feature Collective Crip Camp The Mole Agent My Octopus Teacher Time

PREDICTION : Collective

I am honestly and genuinely confused how any human with a working brain, heart and soul could watch a documentary like Collective and still choose My Octopus Teacher as the Best Documentary Feature.  No disrespect to My Octopus Teacher or any of the other nominees, but the light that Collective shines on the healthcare system is not only damning, but relatable to people all over the world (including America), and the story is told absent of narrators or interviews, which makes the presentation that much more piercing in its reality.

International Feature Another Round (Denmark) Better Days (Hong Kong) Collective (Romania) The Man Who Sold His Skin (Tunisia) Quo Vadis, Aida? (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

PREDICTION : Better Days (Hong Kong)

Trying to pick between Better Days and Quo Vadis, Aida? was like trying to pick between two exquisite meals... both had compelling trailers, both stories were well-told, timely and necessary, and both films stick with you after the point of resolution.  I think I have to go Better Days, however, simply because of the level of dramatic flare it brings to the table, not to mention its story being more relatable on a human level, rather than a political one.

Animated Short Burrow Genius Loci If Anything Happens I Love You Opera Yes-People

PREDICTION : Genius Loci

If any category were a personal sure thing for me, it’d be the Best Animated Short category, because Genius Loci spoke to me in a very real way.  I feel so strongly about this, as a matter of fact, that I’m going against what is likely the smart money pick, the moving and painfully relevant If Anything Happens I Love You, another hand-drawn affair (with Genius Loci also utilizing traditional animation) that frames itself around a school shooting.  Hopefully I will get to see Opera soon, as the small portions I was able to find looked impressive, but I have been sharing Genius Loci with anyone willing to listen. 

Documentary Short Colette A Concerto Is a Conversation Do Not Split Hunger Ward A Love Song for Latasha

PREDICTION : Do Not Split

The 2020 Academy Awards contains quite a number of nominees that focus on issues that are currently impacting our world, and the Best Documentary Short category is rich with content of this nature.  While Colette does find its center in the Holocaust, its main thread focuses on how people generations removed still refuse to face and accept it directly.  A Concerto Is a Conversation and  A Love Song for Latasha both speak on the modern day impact of racism from the past.  Hunger Ward is a gut-wrenching look at the struggles that war-torn Third World nations face.

The documentary short with the most impact and relevance of the bunch, however, is Do Not Split, a film that looks specifically at Hong Kong’s struggles against mainland China, and with a wider lens, the ever-evolving nature of protest in the information age.  The film walks right up to (and directly into the midst of) the COVID-19 pandemic, making it extremely timely, and it speaks a version of the struggle for identity that most anyone can relate to and feel on a personal level.  All of these nominees are worthy, but Do Not Split feels like the choice that would make the most impact if given a stage to raise its awareness.

Live-Action Short Feeling Through The Letter Room The Present Two Distant Strangers White Eye

PREDICTION : Two Distant Strangers

I’ve been trying to hold on for White Eye, because the word on the street is that it is a one-take affair, and with the competition in the Best Live-Action Short category all resonating on a feature-length level in terms of creativity and execution, it would take a magic trick like a one-take film to stand out from this crowd.

Out of the films I did get to see, however, the battle for my prediction spot came down to two films.  The landmark casting of a Blinddeaf actor in Feeling Through was not lost on me, and it’s always a pleasure to see Oscar Isaac do his thing (as he did in The Letter Room), but once I saw The Present, I felt it had all of the elements it took to win... a foreign setting with risk involved in the production, a father-daughter dynamic with an incredibly touching and inspiring arc, and some compelling things to say about prejudice, specifically in volatile conflict areas.

Then I saw Two Distant Strangers.  As touchy as the subject of fractured and damaged relationships between Black Americans and the Police is, this film not only found a way to address it directly, but also symbolically, and in ways that made you really and truly think about (and understand) how helpless the often tragic interactions can feel between the two camps.  On top of everything, who knew that Joey Bada$$ could act?

[mentorup]

2017 MentorUp | Session #7

Session Breakdown | 60 minutes

Introduction | 2 minutes

Mentee’s Perspective | 4 minutes

News | 8 minutes

Work | 8 minutes

Our Work | 8 minutes

Trend & Hot Topic | 10 minutes

Dialogue | 10 minutes

Flex-Time | 10 minutes

Introduction

Curious colleagues, we are in (arguably) the best month of the year, and as F. Scott Fitzgerald perfectly said, 

Whether or not you’re in a place with crisp air and colorful leaves, take a minute before beginning this session and check how inspired you are at present. I know, I know… a big question right out of the gate, but really though, when was the last time you felt truly inspired?

As we embark on October and begin the home stretch of 2017 (helloooo Q4!), things like 2018 planning and your 3x3 are not just future projects on the calendar as mentioned last month, but are now open documents on your computer! Things such as your role for the agency in 2018 and your personal career goals deserve your full attention and an inspired you!

As the world seems to begin anew in October, use this month to invest some time in what inspires you. Time outside? An afternoon of creative writing? Volunteering? Whatever it is… pencil it in because,

You are worth it.                                    

Your career is worth it.

And your 2018 3x3 and team will thank you for it.

Ok people! Let’s go.  

Mentees’ Perspective

As we do each month… let’s gain valuable perspective from your mentee(s). Their mindset should be a guiding force in how you present this material.

Here are a few starter questions…

1. What is going on with your clients and their business?

2. What are your clients’ focuses right now?

3. What are challenges or things that need solving with your account(s)/client(s)?

4. Anything you’re especially curious about or want to learn?!

5. How can I make this time most useful and valuable for you?

Now having those questions answered, begin walking through the session with those filters in place. 

News 

1) Twitter Updates Their Word Limit To 280 Characters 

In Twitter’s 11-year history, one pillar of the platform that has remained the same is the 140 character limit per tweet… until this past week. The initial limit was one of the most compelling and unique aspects of the platform that captured the attention of the public back when the app launched in 2008.

Pop Quiz: Do you know why 140 characters was originally chosen?! (answer below)

Twitter’s fundamental undertone of brevity whether an account is striving to be informative, funny, or snarky has shaped the way online conversation and news has evolved for the last decade.   

The new limit that Twitter announced this past week in a press release is not just a slight bump but a 100% increase to 280 characters. The increase will be offered in all languages except for Japanese, Chinese, and Korean (which all can convey more complex statements/thoughts in less characters) and will begin rolling out to a small group of accounts in the coming weeks. Plans to roll out broadly will occur, but Twitter is going to do it slowly. 

Now let’s touch on some good ol’ cause and effect. As to causes, it’s no secret that Twitter has been struggling to grow in the past few years. Could the 140 character limit be a frustration contributing to stalled growth? It seems so as Twitter has been doing quite a bit of research and has found that “9% of tweets in English hit the 140-character limit vs. only 0.4% in Japanese, which suggests certain languages could benefit from having more available characters for tweets.”

A top executive for Twitter recently said, "our research shows us that the character limit is a major cause of frustration for people Tweeting in English, but it is not for those Tweeting in Japanese. Also, in all markets, when people don’t have to cram their thoughts into 140 characters and actually have some to spare, we see more people Tweeting – which is awesome!"

If you think about it, Twitter has been slightly allowing longer tweets for a while with updates such as photos and retweets not being counted in total character number. 

Now as to the effects… this change to the platform could change how users and brands use the platform in a big way. Although some may be emotionally attached to the 140 character limit, as Jack Dorsey recently tweeted, the new character limit will do an excellent job at “maintaining our brevity, speed, and essence!” 

What do you think about this? More importantly, how will this affect the brands you work with? 

How will longer tweets change a brand’s ability to creatively work within Twitter? Does this update make you excited or nervous? 

And lastly, which Twitter account do you want to hear more from?

Answer (question above): The SMS limit was 160 characters at the time the app was built, making 140 characters an “arbitrary choice” according to Dorsey. 

2) Snapchat’s 3D Ads For Brands

Over the past few months Snapchat (the social platform that currently has over 3 billion pieces of content created on it per day) has started testing 3D graphics. What is that exactly? Imagine an emoji or avatar being placed in a video that you’re taking and not just being present but actually interacting with the environment. And yes, you can even walk around this 3D character or product and see it interact and do its thing from multiple angles. 

Now you may be more familiar with these than you think… remember the dancing hotdog? Yep... that’s exactly what we’re talking about! The viral dancing hotdog as well as the integration of Bitmoji into 3D graphics is just the beginning.

The content saturated platform has announced that this tool is now available for brands. Calling them 3D World Lenses, brands can now work with Snapchat to create their own branded 3D experience.

To give you an idea of how powerful lenses are… Nielsen has released data that “the average sponsored lens increases ad awareness by 19.7 points and lifts brand awareness by 6.4 points.” Just for the puppy dog lens, users have spent over 7,000 years playing with it. #woah

Jeff Miller, Snapchat’s Global Head of Creative Strategy recently stated, “It’s something that’s first grounded organically with our community, so you can see the success of these 3-D World Lenses, for example, with the dancing hotdog. Once we started to see that and we started to see adoption, we knew it was the right time to introduce it to advertisers.”

Bud Light and Warner Bros are the first brands on the scene with Bud Light having created a 3D virtual beer vendor that any Snapchat user will be able to place in an environment to hand out (virtual) beer while Warner Bros created a car that spins around the users’ head to promote their upcoming movie, Blade Runner.

Let’s think about how this affects brands? Miller stated, “it’s something three-dimensional that can recognize surfaces or planes and is really cool because you can start to imagine ways that Snapchatters can have fun with brands and the world around them—not just on their faces. You can imagine a 3-D product that you can see in front of you, that you can place in your hand, that you can interact with and walk around with and have that sense of that product itself.”

How do you imagine your clients utilizing this Snapchat tool? Do you anticipate Instagram adding this into their platform?

Now let’s shift to AR as a whole. Between ARKit and ARCore (and the various apps being developed on those platforms), the average consumer’s comfort level with AR is going to drastically increase over the next year or so. How are your clients prepared to address this behavioral/comfort change? Have you explored AR opportunities with your client?

3) Pinterest Teams Up With Target For The Holidays

I know it seems crazy, but the holidays really are just around the corner! With October being the month where the majority of consumers begin thinking about gifts and looking for inspiration (see the NRF 2017 Holiday Playbook for details), we’re seeing brands beginning their holiday strategies… like Target!

The major retailer has teamed up with Pinterest to license Pinterest’s new lens tool for Target.com through the Target app. For example, users can take a picture of a friend’s living room or a coworker’s purse and then Target, by using Pinterest’s Lens technology, will show the user products from Target.com that are close to the photographed product.

Not only does this give users a direct tool to sort through the mass amounts of items on Target.com but the longer consumers use this tool, the more Target will be able to see desired trends and products that it should add to its store.

Essentially, this is a brand using visual technology to drive sales. We’ve seen brands like Neiman Marcus and Home Depot utilize camera based search technology, but Target will be the first to use photos of real life objects.

How are your clients using visual technology? Have you ever tried the lens feature on Pinterest? 

If you haven’t, take a minute and check it out with your mentor before moving on.

Work

1) Samsung Turns Iconic Bridge Into A Harp

To promote the Samsung Note 8 in Ireland, Samsung decided to turn Dublin’s Samuel Beckett Bridge (an iconic Dublin landmark) into a ginormous harp. Yes, you did read that correctly, a huge harp!

The architect that designed the bridge was inspired in design by the shape of a harp, but being a bridge, it of course cannot play music. To bring the harp shape to life, Samsung linked a real harp, being played by a famous harpist, via software that lit up the corresponding cables on the bridge as the harpist plucked each string. The process of this was shown through the smartphone’s screen thus tying the experience back to the product.

The creative director working on this experiential activation said, "As a recognizable Irish symbol, the Samuel Beckett Bridge has drawn attention from brands before, but we were determined to make the public see it in a completely new light." 

The musical experience can now be viewed through content videos captured, which of course are being shared and promoted on social. 

What big and somewhat wild idea do you have for your client(s)? Have you shared it? If so, have you pitched it again recently? 

2) Taco Bell + Forever 21 Team Up On Fashion Line 

There have been a flurry of brands creating clothing lines and all sorts of wacky swag (think McDonalds, KFC, and of course, our very own Cheetos).

Taco Bell has jumped on the bandwagon but with a strategic twist… by partnering and collaborating with a fashion retailer.

The limited time collection will include everything from tops to bodysuits and even jackets in “hunger-inspiring prints.” These flavorful fashion finds will be in select stores and on Forever 21’s website starting October 11th, following of course a late night LA fashion show and concert that’ll happen the night before. 

There’s also a social play where fans can submit videos and/or photos through social with the hashtag #F21xTacoBell for the opportunity to see their content included in the fashion show. Between real life supermodels walking the runway (that have a social media tie to the company) to the sheer fun of this idea…. it’s bound to be a home run.

One thing to think about is that by partnering with Forever21, Taco Bell gained access to designers, suppliers, distribution, and an already built online store. This makes the reach of this collaboration bigger as the infrastructure is already there.

What do you think of this? Is there a product play for a brand you work on? If so… are there ways to make it a reality with a partnership? 

If a brand you work on could partner/collaborate with another brand, what would it be? What’s keeping you from pitching this idea?

3) Virgin Atlantic Promotes Free Inflight Wifi With Comedy Festival 

Raise your hand if airline wifi makes you nuts? Paying $39.49 for 2 hours of wifi just to find that Google’s home page can’t even load is an easy way to ruin a flight… not to mention put you behind at work.  

Enter Virgin Atlantic… the airline that is the first worldwide to offer free wifi for its entire fleet. As a way to promote this exciting and long awaited amenity, Virgin featured a reversed form on in-flight entertainment. Normally airlines gather content from the outside world and then give passengers access to it. Virgin reversed this by creating content and entertainment in flight and then broadcasting it out to the world. On September 28, 6 comedians took off from London on 6 different planes and instead of entertaining from the aisle, the comedians did a comedy show broadcasted on Instagram Stories and Twitter. The passengers in flight could tune in as well as brand fans around the globe. This in flight comedy festival was the first of its kind and gets a perfect 10 for innovation! 

The chief creative officer working on the activation said, “There have been airlines that have done movie screenings and live music, but those are all for a very small audience, for the people flying. We want to broadcast it to the world."

First, what are annoyances and/or pain points that consumers experience with or around a brand you work on? Like Virgin America, how can you address those? Wifi is a small thing, but it makes a big difference.

Second, often times experiential ideas don’t make it due to the amount of people reached not justifying the cost. This is the perfect example of an experiential idea turned brand experience through broadcasting. How can an experiential idea with a brand you work on gain more reach?  

Technology

1) AMC Is Brining VR to Theaters

It’s happening people! AMC has formally announced that they are currently working on bringing VR to theaters.

AMC has invested $20 million with VR company Dreamscape Immersive, to create unique VR experiences that will debut in only AMC cinemas over the next 18 months.

The type of VR AMC is interested in is a bit different than what you may initially think. Instead of the usual more immersive version of gaming or movie watching, the experiences will be “modeled off of Dreamscape’s “Virtual Reality Multiplex” technology, which lets groups of up to six people explore virtual settings as unique avatars, which can be seen to all participants in the group even while wearing the headsets.”

There will be new film to experience as well as experiences featuring beloved movie franchises that will offer a whole new way for audiences to interact with storylines. AMC is already in talks with various film studios. Over the next 18 months, we’ll see 6 VR locations open up and don’t worry about it being too expensive. Tickets will run from $15-20, so just a tad higher than a movie.

What’s notable about this update is although it may seem like a natural progression in the integration of VR, it’s a step in making VR the norm, changing how consumers see themselves in a storyline and how they expect to interact with content. Think of young children… will they enjoy regular movies more or these VR immersive films? Curious to see if in the future, regular films with be the new “talkies.”

What are your thoughts on this? How does this affect the brands you work on?

2) Amazon Adds MORE Hardware To Ecosystem

At the end of September, Amazon announced some exciting new Echo devices at a company event. The new products are listed below!

-       Echo Spot

-       Fire TV (lower $ option)

-       Echo Plus

-       Echo Connect 

Amazon’s ambitions seem to be endless in an effort to have Alexa enabled devices at every touchpoint. Currently, Amazon is leading the smart speaker/connected device market but the competition is tough. With competitors like Google, Apple, and now Facebook they’re being forced to innovate and offer an ecosystem rather than just a standalone device. Like many Apple products, the tempting factor of multiple devices that seamlessly work together and that are buildable over time is quite strong.

Amazon also offers lower price points than their competitors, letting households of all incomes experience AI for just $40.

In tech reports released throughout this year to the speakers at TMA Jumpstart, we are entering the age of voice and sound.

How are your clients prepared on this? Are they educated on it? We have a unique opportunity to be the ones to educate and then pitch to gracefully transition our clients from a visual age to a sound age.

Hot Topic/Trend

This month, we have Greg Neal as a guest writer. [insert clapping sound] 

Greg is our fearless leader of our TMA content team, TMA Studio. He’s going to walk us through some hot topics and trends he’s seeing in the world of content and then tell us a bit about what’s going on with TMA Studio!

Take it away Greg!

Hot Topics and Trends in Content + plug for TMA Studio

We are TMA Studio and we are here to talk video.

Do you know TMA STUDIO? The elevator pitch: we are The Marketing Arm’s internal video content studio. We help create and/or produce all video needs for TMA Clients. Everything from commercials to sizzle reels to facebook posts.

It’s not ground breaking news that video consumption is exploding.

There is a massive increase in what’s being made, uploaded and shared, everywhere.

Just take a look at these eye popping stats. And if we wait a few months, they will get even more staggering.

Massive Volume: 

82% of Twitter users watch video content on Twitter.

YouTube has over a billion users, almost one-third of total internet users.

45% of people watch more than an hour of Facebook or YouTube videos a week.

More than 500 million hours of videos are watched on YouTube each day.

More video content is uploaded in 30 days than the major U.S. television networks have created in 30 years.

87% of online marketers use video content.

Rise in Mobile: 

Over half of video content is viewed on mobile.

92 percent of mobile video viewers share videos with others.

90% of Twitter video views happen on a mobile device.

Periscope users have created more than 200 million broadcasts.

10 million videos are watched on Snapchat per day.

Video Engages: 

51% of marketing professionals worldwide name video as the type of content with the best ROI.

Marketers who use video grow revenue 49% faster than non-video users.

59% of executives agree that if both text and video are available on the same topic, they are more likely to choose video.

Social video generates 1200% more shares than text and images combined.

But what makes video so much fun is the innovative and creative ways we are making and producing it. 

Take this example from Fashion Photographer Steven Sebring, who’s created a ground breaking 360 camera and rotating stage. Here is a mesmorizing example of skateboarder Rodney Mullen for Vogue Magazine.

Another trend we are seeing, is utilizing user video to create the message. The barrier between professional and pro-sumer is blurring. Samsung’s anthem (by Casey Neistat) to creators is a perfect example of the power of the people to create.

Even Cheerios has gotten into the user generated trend. Why shoot babies when SO MUCH good video already exists?

How about using science and experimentation to tell a story. Symatics has created one of the coolest videos ever to demonstrate the power of robotics in an unusual and unexpected way. When video tells a compelling story, people will share.

For us at TMA to be successful, we are working hard to not only stay on top of trends but also have a finger on the pulse of partners that are doing great work.

Currently we are producing over 1,000 pieces of content a year, broadcast spots, sizzle reels, stadium LED boards, brand films and more.

We are executing across multiple diverse solutions and offerings to our clients, as our TMA hub and spoke wheel suggest. And our client list keeps growing.

Our team now operates in both LA and Dallas and has a diverse and impressive media background, having deep experience at brands like Oprah, HGTV, Food Network, Chiat Day, ABC Television and more!

If any of you have any questions for Greg or TMA Studio, please reach out at TMAStudio@themarketingarm.com

App of the Month

IKEA AR App

It should be no surprise that we are featuring an AR app made with Apple’s ARKit this month. This is such a huge leap for the world of mobile AR and you need to understand how it works. 

While playing with this new app, think about all the brand applications for an AR app. How many can you list with your mentee/mentor?

Here’s a great read featuring a long list!

How Brands Are Using ARKits Capes

*Now for those of you that do not have an iOS device, the reason we’re featuring an iOS only app is that Apple’s ARKit has been launched while Google’s ARCore has not. Stay tuned for an Android AR app in the future. :) Please don’t let it stop you from playing with it though. Find an iOS friend and explore the app together!

Content Feature

Audi Clown Proof

Conclusion

Way to go finishing session #7! If you have any questions or are interested in MentorUp for your clients, please reach out to Claire Murray at cmurray@themarketingarm.com

Thanks!

[swipestream]

Make It Personal

What is it that separates the games that we tell stories about for years after we play in them from the bulk of adventures that are fun but disappear from our memories? How can we guide the opportunities for roleplay and storytelling towards those special moments? There are many answers, more than I will know about, but there is one thing that has set me up for success more often than not; making it as personal as possible. Bringing in the personal feelings and motivations of the characters into your campaign or convention game rewards everyone. That probably seems like a no brainer, right? The path to get there isn’t always an obvious one.

What is personal?

If I watch the news I see stories about strangers that are in need of help, kindness, or maybe just a chance to succeed. The hosts talk about the world’s villains, its leaders, and about the chess games played by the elite power brokers. Many RPGs focus on these kinds of stories too. You are the world’s last best hope at salvation. Characters, regardless of genre, are the unknowable power that protects the innocent.

Sometimes when I watch the news a story will hit home in a personal way. They are often smaller stories about things like a family being robbed near the holidays, a sick kid in need, 3d printed prosthetics given away free, or a lost pet. They connect to me because of my life experiences, family, or interests.

Those smaller stories where authentic human connections happen and they can be brought to a gaming table to tell personal stories. It helps create the feeling that our character’s actions matter to the world directly around them. That feels personal to me every time.

Session zero

You and the players can set the foundation for personal storytelling before the campaign officially begins. A session zero, a planning session for the upcoming game, is an often overlooked tool in a game facilitator’s toolbox to create story hooks that matter to players.

Before the campaign officially starts you all meet up to make and/or plan characters and create relationships between the characters (and the players too if I’m being honest). This is also the perfect place to ask question about the people and places that the characters care most about. You’ll use the things that they tell you about and tie them into the story when appropriate.

In a session zero for a short noir police procedural campaign that I ran for my regular group one of the players added, “There is a cop bar call Petrofski’s. It’s where we hang out every night.” They told me that the bartender’s name was Rosie. Rosie and the bar became central to the game and she even started dating one of the officers. It meant that much more when they realized that she was the mobster pulling the strings and discovered the reasons behind everything she had done. I loved that game.

In a one shot it’s a more difficult to bake that into a kind of tailored story because you don’t know who is going to be at your table. There is very limited time to talk about the world and still play a full story so it requires a different setup.

I give the characters something that they care about it and add it into the brief backstories that I write. It’s just enough to hit on the idea of who the person is. I drop story hooks into my adventure that feed into the things that they care about. It’s always gratifying when a player picks up the little details and runs with it.

Give the story room to grow

Having a well thought out world and a compelling plot is something that I value in the traditional RPG adventures that I facilitate. Having a tight storyline doesn’t preclude having enough space inside the narrative to make their experience a unique one.

I listen to the players during the game and make adjustments based on their choices and where I see their interests heading. I realized a long time ago that my favorite games are the ones where we collaboratively tell an amazing story and we all see a piece of ourselves in it when we’re done.

There is a lot of responsibility on the GM’s shoulders during a game but that shouldn’t let you hold the reins so tightly that you choke your player’s creativity. Leave space for them to be amazing and you’ll find that sometimes they will rise to and even exceed your expectations.

The refrigerator vs personal motivations

 No matricide, spouse’s head in a box, or kidnapped betrothed needed! 

Share1

Tweet1

+11

Reddit1

Email

When a character has people in their life that they love and care for my first reaction isn’t to threaten or kill those loved ones. I use those ties to inspire the characters to greatness and possibly sacrifice.

There is no need to force a player into, “You come home and your entire family has been murder by the King’s guards.” Instead I would tie the instinct to protect family to the people in danger.

“In the middle of the chaos you see a small child in tears. He is clutching a small dragon doll to his chest. The toy reminds you of Cedric the dragon that you made for your own daughter. One of the King’s guards points at him and says, ‘put that one in the cart!’

What would you like to do?”

As a player and as a character that would be all that was required for me to do everything in my power to make sure that the kid never ends up in that cart. I don’t even know if getting into the king’s cart is a bad thing but I’m not going to take any chances. Inspire you players to care about the imaginary people that they interact with in the world. Give them a reason to be heroes that transcend their selfish needs.

Ending on a personal note

There are usually plot threads that end up getting dropped during the course of play in both one shots and campaigns. The players decide what is important and edit the story though play. Take note of the things that they keep coming back to and make sure that they pay off in an emotionally satisfying way in the game’s conclusion.

Whenever possible I give players cinematic moments of personal connection. If the characters rescue and take the child with them from the earlier example they have created a space for an impactful family reunion. Imagine witnessing the moment were a presumed orphan is instantly transformed back into the son of a loving family. For me, that’s powerful. If they chose not to take the child with them then maybe that scene changes into the characters coming across a family working on building a new house far away from the original battle. The sound of joyful laughter is something that they’ve not heard in a long time but it’s coming from a nearby field. In the field is the child playing with his dragon, pretending to battle evil foes, and repeating words that he heard from his heroes; the characters that saved him.

Make their actions matter in a positive way and feel like they matters to the people around them.

Do you have any tricks that you use to create personal moments at the gaming table? What are some of your favorite experiences where it really felt like your actions mattered?

Make It Personal published first on https://medium.com/@ReloadedPCGames

[kayawagner]

Make It Personal

What is it that separates the games that we tell stories about for years after we play in them from the bulk of adventures that are fun but disappear from our memories? How can we guide the opportunities for roleplay and storytelling towards those special moments? There are many answers, more than I will know about, but there is one thing that has set me up for success more often than not; making it as personal as possible. Bringing in the personal feelings and motivations of the characters into your campaign or convention game rewards everyone. That probably seems like a no brainer, right? The path to get there isn’t always an obvious one.

What is personal?

If I watch the news I see stories about strangers that are in need of help, kindness, or maybe just a chance to succeed. The hosts talk about the world’s villains, its leaders, and about the chess games played by the elite power brokers. Many RPGs focus on these kinds of stories too. You are the world’s last best hope at salvation. Characters, regardless of genre, are the unknowable power that protects the innocent.

Sometimes when I watch the news a story will hit home in a personal way. They are often smaller stories about things like a family being robbed near the holidays, a sick kid in need, 3d printed prosthetics given away free, or a lost pet. They connect to me because of my life experiences, family, or interests.

Those smaller stories where authentic human connections happen and they can be brought to a gaming table to tell personal stories. It helps create the feeling that our character’s actions matter to the world directly around them. That feels personal to me every time.

Session zero

You and the players can set the foundation for personal storytelling before the campaign officially begins. A session zero, a planning session for the upcoming game, is an often overlooked tool in a game facilitator’s toolbox to create story hooks that matter to players.

Before the campaign officially starts you all meet up to make and/or plan characters and create relationships between the characters (and the players too if I’m being honest). This is also the perfect place to ask question about the people and places that the characters care most about. You’ll use the things that they tell you about and tie them into the story when appropriate.

In a session zero for a short noir police procedural campaign that I ran for my regular group one of the players added, “There is a cop bar call Petrofski’s. It’s where we hang out every night.” They told me that the bartender’s name was Rosie. Rosie and the bar became central to the game and she even started dating one of the officers. It meant that much more when they realized that she was the mobster pulling the strings and discovered the reasons behind everything she had done. I loved that game.

In a one shot it’s a more difficult to bake that into a kind of tailored story because you don’t know who is going to be at your table. There is very limited time to talk about the world and still play a full story so it requires a different setup.

I give the characters something that they care about it and add it into the brief backstories that I write. It’s just enough to hit on the idea of who the person is. I drop story hooks into my adventure that feed into the things that they care about. It’s always gratifying when a player picks up the little details and runs with it.

Give the story room to grow

Having a well thought out world and a compelling plot is something that I value in the traditional RPG adventures that I facilitate. Having a tight storyline doesn’t preclude having enough space inside the narrative to make their experience a unique one.

I listen to the players during the game and make adjustments based on their choices and where I see their interests heading. I realized a long time ago that my favorite games are the ones where we collaboratively tell an amazing story and we all see a piece of ourselves in it when we’re done.

There is a lot of responsibility on the GM’s shoulders during a game but that shouldn’t let you hold the reins so tightly that you choke your player’s creativity. Leave space for them to be amazing and you’ll find that sometimes they will rise to and even exceed your expectations.

The refrigerator vs personal motivations

 No matricide, spouse’s head in a box, or kidnapped betrothed needed! 

Share1

Tweet1

+11

Reddit1

Email

When a character has people in their life that they love and care for my first reaction isn’t to threaten or kill those loved ones. I use those ties to inspire the characters to greatness and possibly sacrifice.

There is no need to force a player into, “You come home and your entire family has been murder by the King’s guards.” Instead I would tie the instinct to protect family to the people in danger.

“In the middle of the chaos you see a small child in tears. He is clutching a small dragon doll to his chest. The toy reminds you of Cedric the dragon that you made for your own daughter. One of the King’s guards points at him and says, ‘put that one in the cart!’

What would you like to do?”

As a player and as a character that would be all that was required for me to do everything in my power to make sure that the kid never ends up in that cart. I don’t even know if getting into the king’s cart is a bad thing but I’m not going to take any chances. Inspire you players to care about the imaginary people that they interact with in the world. Give them a reason to be heroes that transcend their selfish needs.

Ending on a personal note

There are usually plot threads that end up getting dropped during the course of play in both one shots and campaigns. The players decide what is important and edit the story though play. Take note of the things that they keep coming back to and make sure that they pay off in an emotionally satisfying way in the game’s conclusion.

Whenever possible I give players cinematic moments of personal connection. If the characters rescue and take the child with them from the earlier example they have created a space for an impactful family reunion. Imagine witnessing the moment were a presumed orphan is instantly transformed back into the son of a loving family. For me, that’s powerful. If they chose not to take the child with them then maybe that scene changes into the characters coming across a family working on building a new house far away from the original battle. The sound of joyful laughter is something that they’ve heard in a long time but it’s coming from a nearby field. In the field is the child playing with his dragon, pretending to battle evil foes, and repeating words that he heard from his heroes; the characters that saved him.

Make their actions matter in a positive way and feels like matters to the people around them.

Do you have any tricks that you use to create personal moments at the gaming table? What are some of your favorite experiences where it really felt like your actions mattered?

Make It Personal published first on https://supergalaxyrom.tumblr.com

[doomonfilm]

Predictions : 78th Golden Globes Nominees (2021)

This Sunday marks the 78th Annual Golden Globe Awards, hosted by Amy Poehler and Tina Fey on NBC.  With the run-up to the show occurring a month later than usual, I found myself mostly focused on Black History Month films, but I did my best to attempt and catch up on what I’d not yet seen.  I didn’t cover as much ground as I wanted to, but that’s not going to stop me from attempting to predict the winners in each of the film-related categories.  All of you can play along at home, and we’ll come back to check our numbers on Monday!

Editor’s note : I will not be predicting the following categories, as I sadly did not do the research necessary to make an educated guess...  - Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language - Best Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture - Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television - Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television - Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television.

Best Motion Picture – Drama The Father (Sony Pictures Classics) Mank (Netflix) Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures) Promising Young Woman (Focus Features) The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix)

Prediction :  Mank (Netflix)

This is a tough category to call... Nomadland and Promising Young Woman both made enough noise to possibly steal this category away, but Hollywood loves patting itself on the back, and Mank has just enough edge to it to make it a strong contender for taking the top award home.

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Amazon Studios) Hamilton (Walt Disney Pictures) Palm Springs (Neon) Music (Vertical Entertainment) The Prom (Netflix)

Prediction :  Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Amazon Studios)

In all honesty, I would not be surprised if Hamilton walked away with the top prize in this category, but if there was ever a year that  Borat Subsequent Moviefilm could win an award, it would be in the wake of 2020.   Borat Subsequent Moviefilm had some of the most poignant and timely things to say about the Trump presidency and COVID-19, and for that particular timely relevancy, I’m putting my money on Borat.

Best Motion Picture – Animated The Croods: A New Age (Universal Pictures) Onward (Walt Disney Pictures) Over the Moon (Netflix) Soul (Walt Disney Pictures) Wolfwalkers (Cartoon Saloon)

Prediction :  Soul (Walt Disney Pictures)

Walt Disney and Pixar have made a habit of dropping award-winning films, and Soul might just be the most compelling one they’ve ever released.  The animation is pristine, and the attention to detail that remains in the midst of animating enough volume to sell New York City is an achievement in its own right.  Keep an eye out for Wolfwalkers to possibly steal the category away, but that’s not something I would count on to happen.

Best Director – Motion Picture Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman (Focus Features) David Fincher, Mank (Netflix) Regina King, One Night in Miami (Amazon Studios) Aaron Sorkin, The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix) Chloé Zhao, Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures)

Prediction :  Chloé Zhao, Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures)

Awards season is where future fixtures in the industry make their name, and despite stiff competition, this feels like  Chloé Zhao‘s category to lose.  David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin feel like they will cancel one another out, Promising Young Woman felt like it would garner more superficial awards than production-based ones, and as good as One Night in Miami was, Regina King may need at least one more film under her belt before she starts winning directing awards.   Chloé Zhao took a style she’s established over two previous films and applied it to a story that speaks on a version of the human condition that many people currently face, and she does so with the artistic mastery of a seasoned pro, and for that, I’m putting my money on her taking this award home.

Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm) Kate Hudson (Music) Michelle Pfeiffer (French Exit) Rosamund Pike (I Care a Lot) Anya Taylor-Joy (Emma)

Prediction :  Rosamund Pike (I Care a Lot)

Up until last week, I figured this one was headed to Anya Taylor-Joy, but then I saw I Care a Lot, and if Hollywood’s reaction to this film resembles that of popular opinion in any way, shape or form, then they may as well put Rosamund Pike’s name on that Golden Globe statue right now.  Personal fandom aside, Rosamund Pike turned in a powerful performance in the type of role that stereotypical goes to male actors, but did so without having to negotiate or sacrifice her femininity, and for this impressive balancing act, I believe she will be rewarded.

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm) James Corden (The Prom) Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) Dev Patel (The Personal History of David Copperfield) Andy Samberg (Palm Springs)

Prediction :  Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm)

Whoever wins this award, it will be a surprise, as this category is full of relative newcomers when it comes to award nominations and success.  It is true that Sacha Baron Cohen has developed the Borat character over many, many years, but I believe it is that slight advantage that will edge him out over the competition.  That being said, my dark horse candidate has to be Lin-Manuel Miranda, because as much potential as there is for Hamilton to go home empty-handed, there may be an attempt to salvage that property by finding somewhere to give it award recognition, and this is the easiest category in which that could occur.

Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holiday) Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman) Frances McDormand (Nomadland) Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman)

Prediction :  Frances McDormand (Nomadland)

This is going to be one of the tightest races for an award of the night, hands down.  Viola Davis and Carey Mulligan could easily take this category, but Frances McDormand has essentially become an award-winning machine, and her ability to be compelling in the midst of non-actors, while simultaneously not giving the impression that she is acting, makes her the smart money bet.

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) Anthony Hopkins (The Father) Gary Oldman (Mank) Tahar Rahim (The Mauritanian)

Prediction :  Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom)

What a tough prediction to make... my head says Gary Oldman, and historically, logic has won out over emotion in situations like this.  Every once in a while, however, you have to go with your heart, and deep down in my heart, this is Chadwick Boseman’s award to lose.  While his untimely death may play a factor in this decision, it should not be considered as the primary factor, as Boseman left everything he had on the table with his powerful performance.  Prepare for this particular award to be a parallel experience of joy and sorrow.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture Sacha Baron Cohen (The Trial of the Chicago 7) Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah) Jared Leto (The Little Things) Bill Murray (On the Rocks) Leslie Odom, Jr. (One Night in Miami)

Prediction :  Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah)

First and foremost, the fact that Lakeith Stanfield did not receive a nomination for  Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama is a major snub.  Based solely on this factor alone, I could see Daniel Kaluuya getting an award to rectify that oversight.  I do want to clarify, however, that if he does win, it will not be specifically because Stanfield was not even nominated... Kaluuya’s performance as Fred Hampton allowed the normally reserved actor to exhibit humanitarian compassion, wisdom beyond his years, and a focused revolutionary rage that proved his acting chops were deeper than most perceived.  Jared Leto or Sacha Baron Cohen may jump in and steal this award, but it feels like Kaluuya is the frontrunner here.

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture Promising Young Woman (Focus Features) Mank (Netflix) The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix) The Father (Sony Pictures Classics) Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures)

Prediction :  Mank (Netflix)

I really need to see Promising Young Woman, but based solely on what I’ve heard, it doesn’t seem like it has what it takes in terms of writing to touch Mank.  Nomadland seems like it may have had more of a skeleton than an actual screenplay (but maybe I’m reading too much into the realism I feel from it), and The Trial of the Chicago 7 seems like Aaron Sorkin purposely restrained his voice that is normally found in his award-winning writing.  Mank feels appropriate to the period it emulates, but relevant enough to have a modern day impact, so I will not be surprised if it wins in this category.

Best Original Score – Motion Picture The Midnight Sky (Netflix) – Alexandre Desplat Tenet (Warner Bros.) – Ludwig Göransson News of the World (Universal Pictures) – James Newton Howard Mank (Netflix) – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross Soul (Pixar) – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste

Prediction :  Mank (Netflix) – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are taking this award home, period point-blank.  Personally, I loved the Tenet score, and having been a  Ludwig Göransson fan since his days of collaborating with Childish Gambino, I would love to see him win on this level, but right now nobody is nearly as prolific as the Reznor and Ross duo.  Not only are they nominated twice, but neither of the scores nominated sound similar to one another, and both are wholly distinct from their previous iconic work.  I believe that it will be their ability to mimic scores and popular music of the era in which Mank takes place that will edge it out over Soul, but I’d bet the farm that these two will not be beat.

Best Original Song – Motion Picture Fight for You from Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros.) – H.E.R., Dernst Emile II, Tiara Thomas Hear My Voice from The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix) – Daniel Pemberton, Celeste Io Si (Seen) from The Life Ahead (Netflix) – Diane Warren, Laura Pausini, Niccolò Agliardi Speak Now from One Night in Miami (Amazon Studios) – Leslie Odom Jr, Sam Ashworth Tigress & Tweed from The United States vs. Billie Holliday (Hulu) – Andra Day, Raphael Saadiq

Prediction :  Fight for You from Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros.) – H.E.R., Dernst Emile II, Tiara Thomas

2020 and 2021 have been odd in terms of popular music, with many high-level artists choosing to wait out the impact of the pandemic on the industry.  With this vacuum created on both sides, it is impressive that H.E.R. has been able to grow during this time, and a major component of this growth was the recently released single  Fight for You from Judas and the Black Messiah.  There are some big names nominated, but H.E.R. will more than likely ride her trajectory of success right up to the Golden Globe stage this Sunday, if not further.

Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Normal People (Hulu/BBC) The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix) Small Axe (Amazon Studios/BBC) The Undoing (HBO) Unorthodox (Netflix)

Prediction :  The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)

Netflix has been a giant in the streaming industry, and The Queen’s Gambit was the giant that conquered the previous records other properties had set.  After ages in development hell, winning a Golden Globe would bring this triumphant success story full circle, and we all know how Hollywood feels about those real life narratives.  Small Axe could be a dark horse contender based solely on its social relevancy, but usually, money talks, and The Queen’s Gambit spoke louder than most any series that stepped into the spotlight this year.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Cate Blanchett (Mrs. America) Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People) Shira Haas (Unorthodox) Nicole Kidman (The Undoing) Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit)

Prediction :  Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit)

While we’re on the subject of awarding The Queen’s Gambit, let’s go ahead and point out that Anya Taylor-Joy feels like the clear cut winner for this award, beating out a couple of massive names in the process.  This has truly been a breakout year for Taylor-Joy, who has been carving a name for herself over the past half-decade or so, and a Golden Globe could do wonders for her already booming career.