#also id obviously wear the pink alt

[thexwives]

my toxic trait is thinking that I could easily be in six and be alternate a/h

[archiesweirdparody]

reblogs > likes :-)) id in alt text and below the "see more"

Catch-22 modern au refs! yay!! the au was also made by tumblr user weldingtorch if youwant to follow her (you should)

I just uploaded these all to artfight and it was a huge pain in the ass. This isnt every single character obviously but it's the refs i could finish on time (which is also why they look a bit sloppy). enjoy!

[ID: a drawing of 10 characters. there are 5 in the first row and 5 in the second row. the first row has yossarian. he is wearing a blue uniform for a clothing store. hes wearing red sneakers and black sweatpants. next to him is at tappman. he's wearing a green shirt and khakis. his shirt has a "hello my name is" sticker on it. he's wearing a cross necklace. next to him is milo minderbinder. he's wearing a nametag lanyard and a m&m enterprises branded t shirt. he has a keyring on his shorts. next to him is major major. he's wearing a dark blue shirt and light blue jeans and has a sweater around his waist. next to him is wintergreen. he's wearing a teal shirt, pink striped socks, and sandals. the row below starts with orr. he's wearing the same uniform as yossarian along with light blue jeans and black boots. next to him is nately, she's wearing a barista uniform with a lot of pins on her apron. she has dyed blue hair but it's very faded. next to her is dunbar. he has slightly grown out red dyed hair and a pink hawaiian shirt over a white t shirt and khaki shorts. next to him is clevinger. he's wearing a blue button up and ripped jeans with a bookstore uniform apron over it with a few pins on it. next to him is huple. he has overgrown curly light brown hair. he has red braces. he's wearing oversized clothes. End id]

[gatorade-brand-deodorant]

@pottletheidiot

[ID: a reply by tumblr user @ pottletheidiot reading: "what's been going on? i'm sorta new here" End ID]

basically there's been years of tumblr wrongly marking trans gals' (and esp poc's) accounts or posts as mature content and/or terminating their accounts for "violating community guidelines." one of these women was user @ predstrogen (known as avery, and by her fursona "rita") as well as her alts, of which I've seen @ avewy, @ predesterone, @ madhopz and @ sadhopz. in her case, she had been one of the most vocal about the unfair flagging of her account, and one of the most egregious examples was when her literal transition timeline was flagged as mature content.

[ID: a post by the now deactivated tumblr user @ predstrogen consisting of two selfies of herself and a caption. in the leftmost image, she is posed standing inside a daylit house in front of a stairwell with her left hand resting upon her collarbone and a relaxed expression; she has a bit of facial hair, a sharper jawline, flat chest, and seemingly coarser hair that is shoulder length and brown. in the rightmost image, she is wearing a more fashionable and accessorized outfit, most notably including a pair of fluffy white and gray feline ears, as well as a black fingerless cat paw glove on her left hand. she is posed cutely, her visible hand scrunched in an imitation of a cat's claws next to her face. she is wearing pink eyeshadow, her face is chubbier and her hair appears softer and is bob-length. she wears a relaxed expression with pursed lips, she also has noticeably grown boobs. the caption reads: "not even a full year apart... we stay silly :3" followed by a cat emoji End ID]

anyway, this culminated about 20 or so hours ago when tumblr CEO Matt Mullenweg responded to some asks regarding avery, the most laughable part being when he claimed that this post was considered an actionable threat.

[ID: a screenshot of a post by tumblr user @ predstrogen. the first part reads: "i hope photomatt dies forever a painful death involving a car covered in hammers that explodes more than a few times and hammers go flying everywhere" her self-reblog reads: "how long until deathwishes against the ceo get me banned or flagged. right not im pissed off enough that i want to find out." End ID]

this is very obviously not an actionable threat, it's cartoon violence, and it's why you probably see a lot of people making jokes about an exploding hammer car 💥🔨🚗

Hey, Trans Women, I love you, Trans Women are absolutely amazing and deserve the world, I don't have much to say that hasn't been said already outside of that and a general fuck you @photomatt and fuck you tumblr

[antimonarchy]

How to Create Image Descriptions

So I’ve been creating image descriptions on tumblr for about a month, and I wanted to share some helpful guides I’ve found on how to create them as well as my own tips that I’ve picked up. Video descriptions and transcripts are also necessary, but since I mostly focus on image descriptions that’s what this guide is about. This might get a bit long, so fair warning. 

What are image descriptions?

Image descriptions are a textual depiction of what is going on in an image, as shown with the image below. 

[Image ID: A picture of a person with short black hair working on a computer. They are sitting at a wooden table with a large blue pot of pink flowers in front of a grey brick wall. A guitar is propped up against the wall in the background, and there is a string of lights near the ceiling. /.End ID]

Why create image descriptions?

The primary reason for creating image descriptions is to allow people who are blind/have limited vision to experience visual content. Many people who are blind/have low vision use screenreaders, which read text out loud when it is clicked or hovered over with a mouse. A large amount of online content, such as pictures, graphics, or drawings, is visual and so possibly cannot be experienced by someone with vision problems. As a general rule of thumb, anything that can be dragged or dropped most probably requires a description. In addition, if someone has partial vision and attempts to zoom in on an image, sometimes it can become pixelated and impossible to understand. 

Some neurodivergent people might need a description to understand the tone of an image, such as the meaning of facial expressions of a person to understand what emotion the artist is trying to depict

Some people might not have high speed internet or have low computer memory, meaning that they turn off images in order to save space. This means that they as well might require descriptions of visual content

Are image descriptions the same as alt text?

no, alt text and image descriptions serve the same purpose, but they are different in how they are presented. Alt text, short for alternative text, is included in the html of an image and can be read by a screen reader. However, there are many reasons why many prefer image descriptions over alt text. 

There is a limit of 200 words in alt text on tumblr specifically (and not in other contexts, which makes this information only applicable here), which means that detailed images or graphics are unable to be described fully without possibly cutting out important information. 

People who require descriptions, but who do not use a screenreader, must right-click and search through the html of an image in order to find alt text, but with an image description they are saved that work. 

Who should create image descriptions?

Everyone who is able to should create image descriptions. A content creator is best able to communicate the message of their work through text, as they are the one who created it and thus understand its message the best. While of course it takes practice when starting out, over time image descriptions become second nature when posting visual content. Always check the notes of a tumblr post for an ID rather than reblogging without one. 

What should be included in image descriptions?

There is no simple answer to this question, there are a variety of resources and guides on how to create one, and you should not accept my advice as the ultimate authority, as I am by no means a professional, and only create descriptions in my spare time as part of the effort to make Tumblr more accessible. However, here is my information for those starting out. 

First, consider what type of visual content it is. Is it fanart of a tv show, a screenshot of a tweet, or an informational graphic meant to educate people on a particular issue? 

Then, consider what information is most important in the image. If the visual content is an image of a famous building, then in writing the description the focus should be on the building, rather than describing for instance the color of the sky, surrounding buildings, or the clothing of the people walking by, as they are not the information that is being presented. 

Perkins ELearning has an excellent list of things that should generally be included, which I will include here. In my experience, these are the most important elements to describe

The people and animals in an image

The background or setting of an image

Elements that relate to the context specifically, so if it was an image of a congested highway on a news website, the description would mention the packed cars

The colors of an image (don’t overdo it however, a simple ‘light blue’ will suffice, no need to say something like ‘a color blue that is similar to the color of a robin’s egg’ unless it is crucial to the viewer’s comprehension of an image)

Context for an image. For instance, imagine if someone had drawn a version of the Bernie Sanders ‘I am once again asking’ meme, with Eleanor Shellstrop from the Good Place saying “I am once again asking for there to be a Medium Place.” Rather than provide a description to the example such as:                                          [Image ID: A drawing of Eleanor Shellstrop saying “I am once again asking for there to be a Medium Place.” /.End ID] you would instead say                                                                                                [Image ID: A redraw of the Bernie Sanders ‘I am once again asking’ meme with Eleanor Shellstrop from The Good Place saying “I am once again asking for there to be a Medium Place. /.End ID]

If the image is of a social media post, include the username/handle of the creator as well as the reactions (likes/reblogs) if they are visible in the image, as they may be cut off by the original screenshotter. 

If it is a drawing or piece of art, always look for the artist’s signature when writing a description

How do I write an image description?

To start off, here is an example description written for a piece of art I made myself. 

[Image ID: A digital drawing of Suki from Avatar: The Last Airbender over a gold background.  She is shown from the shoulders up facing the viewer, and has a neutral expression. She is wearing metal armor over a light green tunic, and is wearing her Kyoshi Warriors facepaint and headdress. The artist’s signature ‘Astra’ is written in the lower right of the image. /.End ID]

In this description:

I made clear where the description begins and ends, so that someone with a screenreader is not confused. I usually use brackets ([ ]), write the words ‘Image ID’ (or video/gif/other) and finish with a slash, period, and the words End ID. (/.End ID)

I emphasized the type of image, in this case a digital drawing

I said the character’s name (obviously this may not be known if describing a photo or something you are not familiar with)

I described the background and the character’s clothing

I described her expression

I included the description of my signature.

This is my basic process for writing a description

I first say what the content is, such as a drawing, photo, or screenshot of a tweet.

I then use what is called Object-Action-Context for the most part, which UXDesign has a long article on https://uxdesign.cc/how-to-write-an-image-description-2f30d3bf5546. For example, [Image ID: A photo of a person standing in a crowd waving to someone out of view in front of a river. /.End ID] While obviously I would usually provide more information than that, Person = object, standing + waving to someone out of view = action, and ‘in a crowd’ = context. 

I describe the clothing that might be worn

I talk about the position that people in an image might be in, such as leaning against one another on a couch, or standing with their fingers intertwined

I talk about the expressions on their faces, if shown

I talk about their general appearance (if important to the description) such as hair color/length

As said before, I talk about the context of an image if necessary

If the background is a simple color, I usually include it in the first sentence of the description. However if it is more complicated, such as a river winding through a dense forest, I include that at the end of the description after describing the important elements. 

Typically if I am reblogging an image, I do not add on any commentary after creating an image description, as this allows others to reblog my description without my personal reaction. If I want to add on to an image, I usually reblog my description post. 

In general, it is best to remain objective when writing a description, meaning not including your opinion of the content. However especially in an informal setting, say for instance you were describing an adorable cow, I would see it as fine to say [Image ID: A small drawing of an adorable cow. /.End ID] because the emphasis is on the appearance. There isn’t a clearcut answer, and it really depends on the context. 

What are some tips for writing descriptions/common pitfalls?

If there is an element of an image like a line that represents an emotion, or a sound effect like ‘clang’ if something falls, include that in the description. For instance, [Image ID: ...beside the mug that has fallen on the floor, there are the words ‘sploosh’ indicating the sound of the water that has spilled out. /.End ID]

Put image descriptions first. Don’t hide them under readmores or any other text. If you have something with multiple images and you are the creator, place the description under each image in succession rather than all at the end. Readmores are ableist, as they require someone who has vision problems/one of the conditions described above to do more work to access the message of visual content. 

If you are mentioning the skin color and/or race of someone in an image, make sure you describe it for anyone else who might be in an image. Don’t just describe the race of someone who appears to not be white. This doesn’t mean that you have to describe race, such as if the character is one whose race is commonly known, just that if you do, make sure you do it for all characters/people in an image. 

In order to write IDs effectively, I’ve found it useful to download a screen reader. I use NVDA, which is entirely free and easy to use and can be downloaded here: https://www.nvaccess.org/download/. 

Insert + Q turns it off

While my guide has focused mostly on image descriptions, video descriptions are also necessary. However they are not my area of expertise, and differ slightly, so I would recommend anyone interested in them to check out this website https://www.washington.edu/accessibility/videos/

Transcripts, for those who are d/Deaf/Hard of Hearing, are also necessary for making content accessible, and might be required for content that also has a visual format, such as a Tiktok. I would recommend this website https://www.w3.org/WAI/media/av/transcripts/ for anyone interested in writing transcripts

What are some more resources I can check out?

Here are a series of websites that I have found while researching how to write descriptions

UX Design -  I mentioned UX Design earlier when talking about Object - Action - Context, this article is very useful and examines how to structure a description and provides very useful examples for beginners

Perkins E-Learning - This article is very useful in helping someone what to include in a description, such as clothing or background information, as well as providing some additional information on alt text if you are interested

Meloukhianet - This blog post by s. e. smith goes into detail on the elements of an image to emphasize depending on its context, using the example of a picture of their cat sunning himself. 

SOAP - This article by the Stanford Online Accessibility Program (SOAP) provides a large amount of information on the purpose of image descriptions and what content requires them

HubPages - This article by SOTD and Zera discusses the difference between sparse, lush, and overdone descriptions, which is the amount of information included, and if/when each should be used. 

I hope you found this information helpful, I encourage everyone to check out these websites, and my inbox is always open for questions!

[showf4lls]

For your Matchup event! Also congrats on hitting 200!

Id also like a Romantic matchup thanks!

Well im Icarus/Emery, I'm 18 and i use They/them pronounce. Im Non-binary and Bi

For my personality, i tend to be quiet and reserved at the beginning because i have a hard time building up trust with people but once im comfortable around someone i tend to be chaotic loud and just crazy, I'm incredibly loyal to the people i love and i hate if people lie to me. I'm also absolutely terrified of being replaced by someone who is better then me.

If someone wants to calm me down just put some drawing supplies Infront of me or turn on music, i basically listen to Music 24/7 and i have way to many favorite artists to actually write them down. My Love language is Touch and gift giving and i love to make my friends happy with little gifts etc.

For my appearance, I'm about 5'7 and i have short turquoise hair. Which i shaved off to feel more comfortable, i have green eyes which tend to change their color slightly based on my emotions (example: when im really angry they turn dark Green) my face is full of freckles and i have metal frame glasses which are a metallic pink and round on the bottom but flat on the Top.

My clothing style switches often between Goth and Alt but i also sometimes wear Academia and Pastel Goth. I have a septum ring and i love necklaces, chokers, rings and the Like. I have a relatively curvy body in a sort of Hourglass shape (just with a lot more pudge)

My three favorite songs would definitely have to be

She looks so perfect -5SOS

Black and White -Niall Horan

Parents -Yungblud

Some fun facts about me are that i want to become an artist, i read way to much for my own good, i used to Dance for fun, i love cooking and baking and i have an Obsession with Plushies. I am a huge Mythology nerd and know a lot of myths by heart, i cosplay for fun and i love meeting new people on the internet even though anxiety and the likes makes that hard for me. I also absolutely adore any animals (other then Bugs or spiders) and i used to volunteer at an animal shelter.

I hope that's enough info?

― vibe check! i match you with... sapnap !

cw + info! fluff, headcanons / no CWs

includes! cc!sapnap

note! thank you for the congratulations, it means a lot!! sorry that this is kind of long, i had a lot of ideas lmao. also, for anyone interested, feel free to check out the event here!

– you guys are both shy, so i feel like you would gravitate towards one another. plus, he's the type of guy to be confident when he wants to be, especially with people he feels he can relate to. even still, he takes his time warming up to you

– he definitely warms up to you faster than you warm up to him, but that’s fine! he doesn’t mind taking on a little bit of weight while you take your time getting comfy!

– you’re fiercely loyal to one another, almost concerningly so. constantly defending one another unless the other person is truly in the wrong (then you take a second to stop and talk about it lol). you never lie to one another unless it’s for a surprise

– has an unparalleled appreciate for your aesthetic; he just thinks the way you dress is so cool. i’d like to think that he feels like he has Scary Partner Privileges (like on tiktok iykyk). if anyone comments on your fashion sense in a negative way, he gets pissed. he always responds in those instances - he can’t just let someone insult you! he has to defend your honor, obviously

– for the record, he would definitely ask you to make him over at some point, just to see what he would look like if he were to dress like you. he just - he really admires your fashion sense

– loves listening to you talk about your interests or being involved with them in any way

– you’re drawing or doing other art stuff? he’s looking over your shoulder, watching in complete awe as you just do your thing

– you’re reading a new book/fic? read to him. tell him about it. give him commentary on it. at least let him sit with you while you read - let him cuddle you, as a little treat. let him wrap himself around you while you read, or at least rest his head on your tummy while you’re laying across the couch and reading!

– you start dancing out of nowhere? he’s right there with you, though he might hesitate a little [be nice, he’s shy /lh].

– you’re cooking? you’re trying a new recipe?? he wants to help! if he feels like he’s in the way, he’ll just sit to the side and bring you ingredients when you need them, set timers for you, wash the dishes. at least let him sit in the kitchen and watch while you work, maybe even let him lick the spoon if you’re feeling generous /lh

– you wanna talk about mythology? he’s all ears. stops whatever he’s doing to sit down and listen to you infodump to him, and always makes sure to ask questions. nods and hums and makes little noises to make sure you know he’s listening

– you’re planning on cosplaying? using him as a rubber duck; bounce ideas off of him! get his opinion on your makeup [he’ll always think you look amazing, even if you just went outside and rubbed some dirt on your face]! need help getting into costume? no problem, he’s there as soon as you call his name and carefully helping you get dressed!

– if you’re feeling down he Will Not Hesitate to bring patches to you

– if you ever feel like volunteering at an animal shelter again, he’ll be signing the both of you up as soon as the suggestion leaves your mouth

– begs to help you dye your hair. he’s always wanted to dye someone’s hair because he thinks the whole process is really cool, and it would just be another way he gets to be close to you and spend time with you

– if you’re not wearing your glasses, he’ll definitely steal them and try to wear them. jokes about how blind you are (even if your prescription isn’t that intense)

[sightseeingshoes]

‘Along Italy’s stunning Amalfi Coast lies an alarmingly large and historically deadly volcano.  Although it’s dangerous AF, climbing Vesuvius is a surprisingly popular activity… 

On a recent trip to Naples, Les and I had an amazing view of Vesuvius from our apartment terrace. However, we knew we could never settle for just looking at the iconic volcano. We were going to need to get climbing Vesuvius and see what all the fuss was about.

We hopped a quick bus from Naples city centre which soon deposited us at the coach park at the foot of the volcano. Now needed a second coach to take us up to the walking trail.  After managing to secure seats on one, off we headed to starting climb Vesuvius.

We soon found ourselves climbing very slowly, in an enormous bus, up a worryingly steep mountainside. I can’t deny that I fully expected us to slide back down and end up on our side in the clear blue waters below.  The driver’s clutch control was masterful and, despite my terror at the camber and the sheer drop, I was impressed by his driving skills. Clearly, this wasn’t his first day.

After a steady 15 minutes of climbing, the bus dropped us at a perilously high drop off point and we were allowed to disembark. I naively assumed the length of time we ‘d taken to arrive at the trail meant we were pretty much at the top. But, as with many things my life, I was wrong. Very, very wrong, as it happens.

Climbing Vesuvius: Shoes

I can’t say any more to you than PLEASE, for the love of all that’s Holy, take good walking shoes. Those cute but sturdy pink flats you bought in James Pringle Weavers on Anglesey? Not a great choice. Trainers or walking boots are great (well done, husband). Flip flops (which were far more common than you’d think) are a very, very poor choice of footwear.

The ground is steep, rocky, uneven, and covered in dust. It’s also hotter than Hell, which means you will be slipping and sliding around in flip flops.  No one wants their family to receive a call from the Embassy reporting you plunged off the side of Vesuvius cos you insisted on wearing thongs because your feet were roastin’.

Hotter than Hell

Climbing Vesuvius: Water

Yeah, probably take this with you. Between the searing sun, walking almost doubled in two to make it up the steep incline, and the length of time it will take you to reach the top, even a camel would struggle without a sip or two. Why there would be a camel climbing up Vesuvius is besides the point. He might have gotten wrong bus, you just don’t know.  Aaanyway…

Take bottled water with you if you don’t want to pay over the odds.  If you buy it from the smiling Italian man at the bus stop, he’ll charge you double. He will definitely be judging you for being under-prepared, but he’ll do it with a grin on his face. And may this teach you for being stupid enough not to realise you’d need it. I learned this lesson so you don’t have to. You’re welcome.

Climbing Vesuvius: Wine (no, really)

As is always with the case with me, and with Italy, there’s always, always time for wine. Being at the top of a dangerous volcano, which might erupt at any time, is hardly an excuse for not serving wine. If you’re in the mood for celebration (and you absolutely will be) you can actually buy wine at the top of Vesuvius. Red, white or rose?  I’ll have one of each, please.

Quite how drinking wine will affect your ability to keep your footing on loose rocks as you clamber down winding hills with only a small rope to separate you from certain death in the smoking crater of a volcano is a decision that only you can make. If you’re wearing flip-flops, maybe wait until later to start drinking.

Climbing Vesuvius: Views

It goes without saying (although I’m going to say it anyway) that the views from Vesuvius are nothing short of incredible. Even the middle of the mountain, where your bus will ditch you, is high enough to look out over the coast. Obviously, the view from the top, both looking into the volcano and out across the city, is unrivalled.

You might be too shattered to appreciate them at the time when you’re constantly stunned to find yet ANOTHER hill around every corner. OMGAREWENEARLYTHEREYET? However, you’ll certainly be able to enjoy the memories and photos later over a glass (or two) of vino. Also; taking your shoes off after conquering Vesuvius might be the best feeling in the world. Don’t do it on the bus back down to town, though. Because, ‘Jesus wept, Suzanne, put them away!’ will almost certainly be the first sentence out your husband’s mouth and he recoils in horror.  Best wait until your back in your apartment where you’re no longer a health threat to the population. Haven’t these people suffered enough??

Have you ever fancied climbing Vesuvius like a boss?

Suzanne x

Climbing Vesuvius Like a Boss 'Along Italy's stunning Amalfi Coast lies an alarmingly large and historically deadly volcano.  Although it's dangerous AF, climbing Vesuvius is a surprisingly popular activity... 

[halloweendailynews]

The new horror comedy Boo takes place on Halloween night in 1984, when a killer in a bed sheet ghost costume targets a group of teens, and while it pays homage to some of our favorite classics, it also marks the arrival of an exciting new voice to the genre in the film’s writer, producer, director, and star Dana Melanie, who’s ready to scare you and excited to get bloody.

Boo is Melanie’s first feature-length project as both writer and director, but she is no stranger to acting, having starred as a kidnapping survivor in the 2014 thriller Treehouse, a murderous outcast in the 2016 short film Lissy Borton Had an Axe, and most recently as legendary author Emily Dickinson in this year’s Wild Nights with Emily, which had its world premiere at the prestigious South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival.

In each role, she is unafraid to completely commit to transforming her physicality to fit each part, convincingly embracing a southern drawl for the tough heroine of Treehouse and a tragic lisp and braces as the title character in Lissy Borton. In the short comedy Waiting to Die in Bayside, Queens, she fully embodies a native New York teenager in 1976 talking to her diary about all the ways she is likely about to die.

Having written and directed a few smaller projects before, Boo will be Melanie’s feature film directorial debut, and when we talked a few weeks ago, I couldn’t wait to find out how she landed on Halloween in 1984.

In our pleasantly candid conversation, we discussed recreating the innocence of the ’80s, finding the right balance between Mean Girls and Halloween, and the timely importance of a woman calling the shots in the #MeToo era.

Read on for our exclusive interview with filmmaker Dana Melanie, on creating a killer in the gray area between comedy and horror.

Dana Melanie

What are some of your Halloween memories from when you were growing up? Did you celebrate Halloween a lot as a kid?

Yeah, I remember in my elementary school, we had a Halloween Day parade. We’d all dress up in our costumes and just parade around our track, which was not a big track. It was elementary school sized, but in my mind it was gigantic.

I remember my mom used to make my Halloween costumes. I was a gypsy one year, and it was freezing and raining. I was probably 7, and it was a midriff, so I was like, ‘But I want to show it, because you made it’. I had to wear a jacket because I was freezing and the rain was ice cold, but I was determined. My mom had spent all the time making it. She had the pattern and everything.

The homemade costumes are the best.

Very true.

How did you get into acting? Did you grow up in Los Angeles?

Yes, I’m from Los Angeles, born and raised. My whole family is from New York, so I spend a lot of time back and forth.

I have been acting and writing for several years now, basically my whole life. My mom is also a writer and she used to act a little when she was younger, so I don’t know, I just fell into it. It was always what I wanted to do and what I’m meant to do.

I’ve been writing a lot recently, and Boo is the script that I decided to take the leap with first, because I think audiences will respond to it. I have another film that I wrote, but it’s a little more dramatic and heavier. With Boo, I thought it would be a good starting point.

This is a first step for you as far as writing and directing a feature, but you’re certainly not new to acting. I love your work in Treehouse and Lissy Borton Had an Axe. Can you talk a little bit about those projects? Treehouse seemed like a pretty demanding role.

Treehouse was amazing. That was basically my first real project as an actress, my first big role. We shot it in rural Missouri for about a month. It was a fantastic experience. I met some of my best friends on that film. Actually our first A.D. on Treehouse is the director who directed me in Lissy. I learned so much. I got a taste of the horror/thriller side of the industry. It was a very good jumping off point for me. I’m so happy that I got the opportunity.

And then Lissy, I’m just obsessed with. It kind of takes the horror and has a little bit of comedy in it also. I love those films.

Dana Melanie directing a short teaser for ‘WS16’, which she also wrote.

Let’s talk about Boo. Where did this idea come from, and why did you decide to set the film in 1984?

I just love the ‘80s. I love films that are set in the ‘80s. That’s sort of how I came about wanting to write Boo. I just think that there’s this realness to them and a simplicity, but it’s also so entertaining, which I think is what movies are about.

I wanted explore what it would be like to have a scream queen that you kind of wanted to die, because she’s so mean. I started toying with that concept, and I was coming up with one liners and ideas. I thought, ‘Well, if you throw it back to back in the day on Halloween, costumes were kind of quirky and funny, and they weren’t necessarily like what we have today.’ So you had little kids in sheets with black eyes running around, and it was so simplistic and endearing and cute, but it could also still be terrifying if you saw that in the middle of the road in the middle of the night staring at you. It’s unsettling.

Then adding in the ‘80s itself, I mean, I thought it was a no-brainer because there’s so much to work with. The ‘80s just was an explosion of film and art and politics, so I just love it. Plus jazzercise, I mean, you can’t go wrong with jazzercise. (laughs)

 So it was honestly because I love watching films that are from or are set back in the ‘80s. And you’re seeing it more and more in TV right now too.

Between things like Stranger Things and Glow on Netflix, the ‘80s are definitely all over the pop culture landscape right now.

I think it’s because there are so many different layers to it. So much happened in that time, and there are so many avenues to explore with it.

That’s what I thought was such a great thing about the ‘80s, was just how pure and just entertaining the films were, so that’s what we hope to bring back with this.

Obviously Halloween was different in 1984 than it is now, so I imagine you’ll be playing with that quite a bit in the film. I’ve seen where you’ve described Boo as sort of Mean Girls meets Halloween with a dash of Scream and Clueless thrown in, which sounds great. How will you be using those influences?

  Again, I love stylized films, with wardrobe especially, which is how the ‘80s is really going to play a big part. That’s where like the Mean Girls and the Clueless comes in. And then you have Halloween, which is the actual gut of it.

We have our three main girls, Blair, Betty, and Becca, the three B’s. They’re the ones that you love to hate, who are the popular girls, naturally. So playing with all of that is really what we’re planning on doing, and just going with the whole concept of how back in the ‘80s you had all those Pretty in Pink, where it’s a popular girl and a not popular girl and how they’re clashing with each other. So we play a lot with that, and just getting back to those old movies and how the vibe was in high school.

It’s really about these high school kids and how they’re dealing with this psychopath who decided to show up and start killing people.

Would you say the tone is going to be more comedic or more horror, or will it walk the line?

 It’s going to walk the line. The comedy of it may read a little slapstick, but it’s not going to be that, because it will be performed very real. It’s like real life, you know, you have these tragedy moments, but then there could be something funny that happens, and you’re like, ‘Oh my god, I’m not supposed to laugh, but I’m going to laugh because it was funny.’

Nothing is black and white. Real life is all about the gray area, so we’re going to be toying around a lot with the gray area.

Scream is one of my favorites, and it’s very funny throughout the movie, but when the horror comes, it’s serious horror. Would you say that when the horror does come into play in Boo that it will be similar to that?

 Yeah, it definitely will. I think Scream makes fun of the whole concept of horror films a little bit more than we are going to, but when it gets down to the horror, I mean, it’s definitely going to be a murderer after these kids, and that’s scary.

‘Boo’ promo image

How did you decide on the look of your killer, using just a simple ghost sheet?

You know, I think it goes back to what I said before, being back in the day and having these simple costumes. I was thinking, ‘How could I make a monster that people wouldn’t necessarily find scary, but then make it scary?’ I think a sheet that you have on your bed, everybody’s got one, is a great way to play with that, and be like, ‘Well, you don’t think ghosts are scary, but wait until you see our film. You might change your mind.’

And it’s such an iconic old school, classic costume idea too.

Exactly, (we can) kind of bring it back.

You mentioned that a lot of what’s going to bring the ‘80s feel is in the costumes. Are you doing things like trying to find vintage Halloween décor of the time to incorporate?

It’s great because the location where we’re shooting is a school that’s actually been abandoned for a few years. We just location scouted for it the other day, and it looks like it was locked in that time. So the location itself is going to be so incredible and really add to the aesthetic of it.

And the language, some of the lines that we have are going to cater to the slang that was used back then. And yeah, of course the decorations also, and the ghost himself in the sheet.

It all sounds great. You’re running a crowd funding campaign now, but the film is definitely going into production, regardless if the Indiegogo goal is met or not, is that right?

Yes. We’re talking to investors right now, so that’s where the majority (of our budget) is coming from. But we wanted to start our Indiegogo because we wanted to start hype and we wanted to engage with our audience as soon as possible, and allow them to give us feedback of what they’re responding to, and allow them to be involved. It’s a great way to engage with an audience, and it’s not just giving us money, you’re buying a perk that’s going to give you a download of the film the day it premieres.

So we thought it was just a great opportunity for everybody to learn and engage, and to see what’s working and maybe what’s not working.

The more money we raise, the more blood we can have, the bigger name actors we can have, the more extensive our stunts can be. Every bit helps, especially when it’s on an indie film like ours.

What are some of your other influences as far as filmmakers?

I’ve been heavily inspired lately by the directors that I’ve recently worked with. I’ve done a lot of independent films, and each one is a completely new experience.

You know, indie films, they’re hard. You’re working against the elements to make this art, and hope that people respond to it and see it, so all of these directors and writers that I’ve worked with really inspired me to push forward and create my own stuff, and especially now. As a woman writer, my voice I think is important in its own unique way, so I want to be heard.

I’ve just been learning by watching. I love being on set. I don’t hide away in my room or trailer, I like to be there (on set) asking questions and learning, and figuring out as much as I can. Honestly that’s where I’ve been really heavily inspired, by all the directors that I’ve been working with recently and in the past.

Dana Melanie at the premiere of ‘Waiting to Die in Bayside, Queens’ in 2017.

Can you talk a little bit about the significance of the fact that you are a female writer, director, producer, and star of your own feature film in the current #MeToo era?

I just got back from South by Southwest, because my film Wild Nights with Emily premiered there. Our director, Madeleine Olnek, wrote and directed it, and she did an outstanding job. It’s a really artistic piece of work. I was inspired by her. And there was another film there that had a male who wrote, directed, and starred in his film, and I thought, ‘I can do that. Why don’t I just do that?’

It’s terrifying. I’ve never done this before. I’ve written before and I’ve directed a little short before for a script I did. I think I’m starting to gain enough experience. And because I’m so terrified, I think that means that I absolutely have to do this. I think what scares you is something that is – you need to take that leap. Otherwise, what’s worth it in the end? It’s the things that scare you which have the biggest rewards.

And then being a woman. Blair, the main character, I didn’t want her to be just your typical scream queen. In my opinion, she’s deeper than that. She’s got layers. She’s a force to be reckoned with. She’s an alpha woman girl who’s figuring all this out on her own. I think as a woman writing a female lead in a horror character, I think it’s important, and I’m excited to see how audiences respond to her and to the whole film itself.

So when do you begin shooting Boo?

Filming is going to take place this October.

So you’ll be filming right during Halloween season and getting those real October vibes, which is awesome.

Exactly.

And you’re filming in Minnesota, right?

Yes, Kiester, Minnesota.

How did you pick that location?

Actually, our producer, Mike, is from Kiester, Minnesota. It’s this extremely small town. Hardly anybody’s heard of it. Their claim to fame is a Preparation H commercial was filmed there I think last year. So we’re bringing Hollywood to Kiester. (laughs)

We originally assumed it was going to be filmed here in Los Angeles, because that’s where we’re all based, and our producer, Mike, was just telling us stories one day about his childhood in this small town. And I went on Google Earth and was just going through the streets and everything, and I thought, ‘Hey, this would be a great location for Boo to be filmed.’ The script wasn’t even finished yet. It was just kind of sitting there, because I was working on other things.

When I saw the town, it sort of just put everything into full gear, and I finished it and decided we’re going to do this now.

We’re shooting for 12 days in October. Then we’ll go into post production. And hopefully we can make a deal and get this out for October 2019.

I can’t wait to show it to everybody. I’m so excited.

‘Boo’ writer/director/producer/actor Dana Melanie

What else can you tell us about Boo?

 Let’s see. I’m trying to think of how many people die. There’s a lot, actually. (laughs) I want to say that there’s going to be seven deaths.

Are you excited about shooting those scenes?

I’m so excited. I can’t wait to start killing people and get that blood gushing everywhere. Yeah, it will be really fun. And we’re playing with it. We’re going to get a little Hitchcock with it, where you don’t necessarily see things, but you will.

I assure you, there will be blood and guts. (laughs)

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Boo is currently raising a portion of its budget through an Indiegogo campaign running until July 11, which you can contribute to in exchange for some sweet perks here.

Keep watching Halloween Daily News, as we are excited to cover the development of this fun new Halloween film.

Dana Melanie

For more Halloween news, follow @HalloweenDaily.

'Boo' Writer/Director Dana Melanie [Interview] The new horror comedy Boo takes place on Halloween night in 1984, when a killer in a bed sheet ghost costume targets a group of teens, and while it pays homage to some of our favorite classics, it also marks the arrival of an exciting new voice to the genre in the film's writer, producer, director, and star Dana Melanie, who's ready to scare you and excited to get bloody.