#because no matter how well you think you can create a fake scottish place name it is never going to sound quite right

[v1nsincl4ir]

Oh it's so over for You I've started finally working on my Good Omens fic again You can't stop me now

[juleswolverton-hyde]

Word by Word | 02

Genre: Fluff, Romance, University/College AU

Pairing: Graphic design student!Bangchan x Literature student!/Irish!Reader

Warnings: Swearing (but what can you honestly expect when dealing with an Irish person?)

Summary: An ancient saying dictates that polar opposites attract, which is proven once again once an introverted whiskey-loving aspiring author meets a fairly extroverted boy initially proposing to survive the loneliness brought about by academic administration together.

But soon the meaning of ‘together’ expands as personal creative worlds are explored and understanding stirs up hidden emotions.

Masterlist

Previous part / Next Part

In life, nothing goes according to plan for Fate is cruel and God is dead. There is no other explanation for the amalgamation of desperately ironical chaos which follows in the wake of the checked-in transport card going to the steady place by the window all the way in the back of the bus while blasting music. To be more precise, it comes in the form of bleached locks also lost in songs, cruel enough due to the circumstances to unapologetically settle down on the empty seat that cannot be occupied fast enough by throwing the habitual laptop bag onto it.

Oh, for feck’s sake. Alright, lass, just keep calm and read yer book. Just don’t look and... fuck, he’s looking. Calm down and fake ignorance!

Out of the corner of the eyes, a glint is beheld of jasper eyes staring interestedly at the cover of the current read, clearly trying to make out the title partially obscured by cramped with timid fingers while every thought is overrun by the scent of the widespread ocean lapping at the shore mixed with a light hint of coconut. However, impossible as it might seem, a steady yet vague focus is kept on the letters shaping the memoir of a bookseller and good faith is put in the general universally acknowledged fact that earbuds in is equal to the meaning of “leave me alone”.

Though some, like the fairly unwelcome stranger, never grasp this simple meaning.

‘Good book?’ AirPods are taken out in favour of understanding while patiently awaiting a response, continuing to gaze at a rapidly becoming distracted soul heavily debating whether or not to reply.

‘Sorry, what?’ Despite still sounding annoyed, the level of irritation is considerably lower than when speaking to another person asking the same thing and that is quite a curious occurrence for strangers are kept at bay at all costs and by any necessary means such as music.

Songs which are weirdly put to rest without hesitation. 

At seeing uncomprehending brows knit together, fortunately failing to see a part of the confusion is also turned inward at a fluttering heart and discombobulated thoughts, platinum strands elaborate on the initial inquiry. A long finger rises and points at the cover of the novel in a manner that should not be deemed as cute yet is. ‘The book. Is it any good?’

Neither should speech come as difficult as it does, stuttering normally entirely out of the question as well as the want to expand on the curt reply. ‘Uhm, y- yeah. It is.’

The response evokes a bubbly giggle which miraculously turns up the temperature in the vehicle on its way to the university, surely painting cheeks with a roseate flush. Judging by the mesmerized sparkling irises staring back in unwavering contact, they do. ‘That’s not a whole lot to go on. What’s it about?’

How can I act like this? Get yersel’ together, Y/N, and act as you would during an event. Be a cold professional.

A splendid plan that is always immediately resorted to in similar situations because it offers a sufficient amount of social protection. Moreover, it nullifies any further advances pursuing the conversation as it employs the harshest coldness of politeness.

That is the case under normal circumstances. 

But not now.

Now there is nothing but an oddly enchanted girl stammering while explaining the premise and cause of the diary written by a Scottish bookseller, gradually becoming more and more flustered with every word that flows from lips eager to engage. In the meanwhile, focus is kept steadily on the friendly handsome face intently listening with genuine interest, clearly doing so in delight.

‘So, uhm, tha- that’s the p- pre- premise.’

‘Huh, sounds interesting. Maybe I should read it.’

‘You should!’ The suggestion ignited a giddiness preserved for private moments with Grandfather, particularly on whiskey nights when books are the sole other companions in whose company to rejoice. ‘I- I mean, if y- ye want to. You ob- obvi- obviously don’t have to.’

‘I mean it, I’ll check it out. Wait, I haven’t even properly introduced myself. Hi, I’m Chris. Or Chan or Bangchan. Whatever you prefer.’ The last bit is added shyly, a careful smile ghosting over pale pink lips while a trustworthy veined hand reaches out.

And is taken for a strong handshake that clearly surprises the lad. ‘Y/N.’

‘That’s a firm hand.’ Both barely suppressing a gasp for different reasons, gripping digits swiftly unravel. Personally, it is because of a sense of being attacked on a womanly front while never having been bothered by it, only endeavouring to act entirely ladylike on important occasions. Until someone cannot shut their gob properly. In case of the lad smelling like a beach day, a grimace as if mourning the loss of contact flashes over the composed expression trying to look merely surprised yet fails in doing so. ‘Which is good, because it signifies a strong character.’

Distant remorse laces the elaboration on the original response, jasper eyes averting from a panicked face to the novel put down. Picking up on this, bookish fingertips rapidly retracted to a denim lap graced with the sarcastic memoir creep ever so slightly towards the edge of thighs to feel the warmth of ones still formed as if they were enveloping those that ran away.

But stop and flee once more.

Falsely calm.

Acting.

Though they are not doing so in the desire to get to know the boy showing sincere interest in a cold professionally introverted and, above all, unlovable girl.

‘Whe- Where are y- ye from?’ To keep the exchange going, a natural question follows from what has been quietly observed from speech.

‘Hm?’ Eyes wide, the brooding grim mood fades from chiselled features and morphs into curiosity due to incomprehension with a tilted head.

‘Yer ac- accent. You’re not from a- around here.’

‘No, I’m from Australia. I moved here recently to study.’ A playful grin promises that the same observation pertaining to the manner of speaking has been made as well, counterattacking the question by means of a proposing comment. ‘But you have an accent as well.’

‘I’m actually from around here, but thanks to Charles I got the good ol’ Irish accent.’ Composure has been regained entirely, mostly thanks to the fact the matter comes up frequently whenever accompanying Charlie to foreign publishing events where everyone always seems surprised to hear from the north.

‘Charles?’

‘My grandfather. He’s the one who raised me.’ Nothing is said about the family name out of a conscious disdain to be associated with a great author instead of being seen as an original person and novice writer. Although, mayhaps it is more of an unconscious endeavour since the thought of even mentioning a surname does not comes up.

‘What about your parents?’

‘I’d rather not talk about them, Chris.’ A brief look out the window shows the long line of variously branded cars in front of a steady red light letting solely up to three pass before halting the ever-growing queue, every driver showing impatience in a fashion as diverse as the range of names on the trunks. Next to the bus is a jet black Volkswagen Polo, a father driving while the mother and lone daughter are chattering away.

 That could’ve been me. If only life had been different. If only I wasn’t a bastard.

‘Sorry, I didn’t know it’s a sensitive topic.’ The remorse is more prominent in display than awareness thinks to let filter through to the world, curly platinum strands leaning in apologetically despite not being at fault when reverting attention to Chan.

‘You couldn’t have known, so it’s fine.’ Regardless of sounding as if nothing is wrong, the deeply-rooted pain of being raised in a good yet different life with a father figure rather than an actual parent nevertheless colours the used tone.

Withal, and fortunately fluidly, the subject changes to something casual creating a grander sense of comfort. ‘You said you came here to study?’

To forget what could have been.

Lips part as if to protest but change their mind at the last second, going with the flow and thusly leaving the previous topic behind. ‘Yeah, I did. I’m studying graphic design, but added a literary course to my curriculum this last part of the semester. Unfortunately, all my friends have either chosen a different course or are doing a whole other study.’

‘Then you and I are on the same boat.’ Unintentionally, there is a question of teaming up through the absence of familiar faces placed in other workgroups if present at all. And it is weird it is there at all since loneliness is nothing new and actually bearable, though a little bit more when being in the company of a nice character.

‘Wanna stick together and try to survive?’

Had another person been asked this, no doubt the chance to have a familiar face for support would be taken advantage of. However, it is not so in the case of a bastard who is apparently in the way. Easy to discard, as has been made evidently clear by the monsters that should have raised her instead of the other glorious bastard under a swearing whiskey roof shared with two cats from Inferno.

Trustworthy in action, honest in words, true in sincerity of company.

Just like the aura of the newly met fellow student looking like a puppy anticipating a consenting reply, excitedly wagging an imaginary tail but trying to suppress any signs of enthusiasm under a veil of patience. Still, the gloss over cheerful eyes and pursed lips indicate hoping for the best, despairing when being denied. Henceforth, while the persuasion of attitude comes second in the factors of changing minds, the proposal is accepted gladly with the brightest contained smile that has been given to someone in a long period of time, honest in meaning. ‘I’d like that.’

‘You don’t have to.’ Despite agreeing to the plan, understanding disappointment rings in the taken on tone of speech, Bangchan pulling away barely noticeably yet introducing a familiar abyss that makes the heart sink to the deepest depth it knows.

‘What makes you say that?’ Maintaining the facade of ignorance to hide the unintentional sensitive pain, the face of a summer beach day is carefully analyzed in the hopes of finding an explanation for what has been done wrong.

Why the truth cannot be seen when it has risen from beneath the rose.

‘You seem reluctant.’ The fingers held earlier in a friendly handshake dig their nails in the fabric of the seats to hide the sadness thanks to suspected denial.

But, just this once, there is a wholehearted agreement.

An exception.

For him.

Notwithstanding, the mirage of happiness fades after being built so carefully, flowing down the melancholic stream of the consciousness forever stuck in its grasp with a lowering voice and averted focus. ‘It... it’s a bad habit. A likely wrong thinking pattern.’

‘I don’t understand. What are you thinking?’ Brows knit as the Australian boy stares on in wonder, in need of an explanation to lift the mystery of the cryptic response. In fact, the weird urgency in the inquiry hints towards honestly pondering what makes a mere stranger sympathize with Atlas.

A train of thought which is disregarded by a self-mocking comment of no importance, somberly mumbled with a shake of the head. ‘Nothing. You’ll think me a drama queen.’

Because everyone who knows the truth has judged its teller as such.

An attention seeker.

But why then is she alone?

Dismissed?

But not by Chris, in whose nice to listen to voice has slipped in strong determination underlined with personally deemed misplaced worry. However, perhaps if it is truly so, it would not be evident in the overall distressed attitude sitting on the next seat. ‘No, Y/N, I won’t. I want to know and we’ve still got a ways to go before we’re at the university anyway. Please, tell me about what’s weighing you down.’

We.

Us.

Two.

Of us.

A pleasant notice that is nullified by the knowledge of the inevitable walking away because this lie has been heard one too many times by the grandsons and sons of famed writers who are in contact with Charlie. ‘You’ll discover soon enough, Chan.’

A moment of silence passes, gazes averted and one steadily kept on the memoir of a bookseller with the need to escape and wander alone again. Dwell in familiar solitude and curl up inside it.

Running away is always easier with music. Henceforth, digits already reach towards Airpods and phone.

But are halted by slender fingers wrapping around the forearm, asking for attention with a light squeeze followed by a soft-spoken call. ‘Y/N?’ Kind happiness timidly filters through in the visage of the chatty lad when looking up again, cheerfulness forming a proposal. ‘Shall we first get some coffee after we arrive and walk to the classroom together?’

Curiously, the emphasis on the concept of together remains, thus also continuing to stress the overall paradoxical importance of the word which only enhances the wonder about why contact would want to be had at all.

 Why me? Why “us”? Why “we”?

As if reading the train of thought, Chan voices the answer to the unspoken rampant inquiries. ‘Because everyone deserves to have at least someone for support.’ Teeth bite down on the lower lip, the corners of the mouth wanting to curl up but hesitating to do so. ‘And... I want to see you smile again.’

‘My smile’s fecking horrible.’

Don’t go effing and blinding. So much for that.

They shape themselves into a warm smile regardless, an adoring sentiment that filters through into sincere speech. ‘No, it’s not. Happiness looks good on you.’

The heart flutters at hearing the warmth and unknowing how to deal with the show of affection towards a mere stranger, the book which had been put to rest for a wee bit is picked up again to hide the likely very carmine flush dusting over heated cheeks. Adorable laughter sounds from behind the safe protective walls of pages, the sound enhancing the furious blush following what was surely wrongly heard but which was interpreted as a muttered under the breath “cute”. However, eyes do not shift to check the truth, having no courage to face Bangchan while being an uncharacteristic emotional mess.

The bus starts moving.

And so do we.

In music and literature.

Word by word.

[artworkandstuff]

Journal of reflection

Having read the brief for the final major project I was able to construct a project proposal which I felt clearly reflected my work throughout the course. The course has certainly been challenging for myself as I am from a performing arts background, however I have thoroughly enjoyed the course as I haven’t let my lack of experience in art hold me back, if anything I have been able to apply my previous abilities into my most recent work. Not only that but I have gained many skills which will stay with me forever.

Reading through the brief has given me many ideas, and routes to go down. Of course I have chosen politics as its a subject I love and it’s one that’s always changing which would lead to me adding more or changing my work throughout the course of the its development. Haven been given a sheet that suggests possible outcomes as well has helped me to explore possible areas I could work in with my chosen subject. One of my first ideas was to go down the route of podcasts as it’d be classed as communication which is one of the routes suggested. I have briefly research podcasts and particular recordings to see where I could take them as I could incorporate much more into the podcasts then just them as they are. For example for each interview I could create a piece of art inspired by that interview, the subjects that were spoken about, the agreements and disagreements. This could be anything from a painting to a video or even a small installation. Realistically though, as a means of work for a final major piece, I’d feel that I would be limiting myself with a podcast as it only consists of audio. Not the best thing you could have in a gallery with each podcast up to an hour long, no one will sit through it and listen.

A second idea I had was to create rap. Not your standard “bad man” - “money and drugs” - “cars and tits” kind of rap, but rap with context and some form of educational message. Something that someone who doesn’t usually listen to, would have them entertained and informed. Rap goes back to poetry and the skill of putting words with words. Sounds straightforward, though by placing particular words with words you can create a “beat”. This happens by the rhyming and pronunciation of words leading to a rhythmic pattern forming. Inspiration would be taken from the likes of Artists such as “Dave” and “Akala”. Both artists have pieces that you would consider common rap, however they both step away from that to create their own, meaningful and educational material. I feel that as I come from a performing arts background, and I wish to go forward into technical theatre management and producing, to create my own performance piece would suit me down to the ground. Not only that but it’d allow me to test my English skills. If I was to go ahead with this idea I’d really need to gain an understanding of my audience I’d be aiming it at as for many it may just go right over their heads.

My third and final idea I had was to create my own clothing with a spin off of popular brands. It’d include fake branded pieces, such “labour” created in the style of “lacoste”. As of the 2017 general election, fake branded pieces of clothing started to gain popularity. One rather popular piece was of the NIKE logo on a white T in red with the slogan “corbyn” as opposed to “just do it”. This particular item really helped spread the love of corbynism, but also the idea that fashion can be used to give across a message. A company who have taken hold of this trend is “bowl cut garms” who take well known brands and change them. Such as “reebok” to “rasclart”. If I chose this idea I’d have to look into printing companies and attempt to work with an editing platform again, such as photoshop, which is something I’ve struggled with in the past. As much as I want to push myself with work, I don’t want to go attempting something that could push me back as oppose to push me forward in progress.

If I was to take music, I would relate each song to a subject within politics, weather that be a news article, a law, a politician, a political party or even an ideology. On top of that I’d have to create a name for myself as a rapper. I have a few names in mind, but they’d have to relate back to my work and have meaning. One rather important subject I would love to write and rap about is equality and representation. With the political party incharge of government a lot of things I’d consider important are either missed or not given the work they need in order for issues to be resolved correctly and fairly. Even subjects such as police brutality and organised fat cat tax crime, such as tax havens.

If I was to take the idea of clothes I’d focus on well known brands and make an effort to copy them to the names of the political parties, or even to particular laws as well. A few ideas I have in the works is to copy the famous fashion designer brand YSL logo and change it to SNP (scottish national party). The font would be the same, however the name would change to mean something else.  The item of clothing would have to have the logo embroidered onto it so I’d have to get on with a sewing machine and have a go. The clothing itself would just be cheap, plan items from the internet.

If I went ahead with the podcast choice I’d have to go about getting the materials, such as multiple mics, a way to record the pieces as well as a sensibile location. I’d definitely attempt to get the principle onboard and have a chat with him about the political climate. A mixture of friends and family too so I had a wide opinion range. Perhaps I could even put out invitations for people, whoever they are within college to express their own views on certain subjects, that’d definitely be cool.

Having thought about my possible routes and talking to my teachers as to where to go and where each idea could take me, it only seems appropriate to go down the route of creating my own music as its something I know I can do, but also its something that’ll push me creatively to achieve something I never have. Having said that I did actually create a song last summer and a video to accompany it. There was no reason for the creation of it, simply out of boredom and nice weather. It was really fun as I use to do a lot with video editing and it’s something I want to get back into. The enjoyment of editing and tying many clips together to create one whole piece is really rewarding when you watch it back, especially if it comes across professional. Physically making beats and making music is something I’ve always wanted to explore. Last summer I had my musically talented brother give me a hand with the basics of creating a beat which has definitely enlightened an interest in music in me.

I’ve decided on music and I’m excited for it as its a chance to explore my skill set that bit more. Choosing subjects is difficult and so I done a huge spider diagram to narrow down potential ideas and just put everything in my head of paper. After a short while of reading back the spider diagram I chose a few subjects to elaborate on in the means of lyrics or “bars”. I didn’t really think too much into it, I just wrote them on my notes in my phone and just went with the flow, nothing overly thought out and by doing so allowed me to not confine my thoughts to anything, I could just write. I posted them on the blog to show lyric development.

Choosing subjects to rap about are actually really cool as you have to think about the words associated with them and how well you can play on them or how well they sound together. Not only that but it’s important to gain an understanding of a subject before you go ahead and write about it. I know initially I wanted to write 5 songs however I have dropped that to four as I don’t feel that I can actually write about something that isn’t affecting me. By ethnicity I am middle eastern and european though my appearance is primarily white. Because of this I have never been discriminated against because I am more european looking and as I have never experienced racism I don’t feel that its my place to say something I’ve never been affected by. Of course I should use my privileged appearance as a way to talk about subjects others wouldn’t be heard for, however I just don’t feel comfortable having thought about it as it’s like asking a man to decide a woman’s abortion rights.

Having started to form a basic idea of my pieces and how I want them to be portrayed I started to think about beats to go with them and how I can create each track so that it is easily distinguishable. My plan for the beats to go with the lyrics are to find a few free copyright free tracks and edit them. This is a lot more of an easier process as I’ll use a simple beat and simply add to it but put in new edits, as well other instruments and new tuning. This will then make it mine as trying to create a solid beat can take weeks.

Today I started to record my work on some software. The actual software is a friends but he’s more than happy for me to use his equipment. He sat in the room with me but on his phone while I had a free for all and went mad. It was extremely fun, the software is kind of easy to use but it’s a little too flashy for me so I did have to keep asking how to do certain things, but besides that it was a real learning curve.

- With majority of the tracks now in the bag it’s important for me to think about presentation as that’s important in order for me to prepare myself for the audience as how else would they see it. Simply showing it on a computer isn’t really that shocking. I think back to the modern Tate museum when I saw a piece about black lives matter and they had 5 old television screens playing videos and facts and it’s something that I feel if I were able to do, it’d look good. The mix of all videos playing at once with my music would look awesome.

-Upon later evaluation with my previous idea for my presentation, it has flaws. If I’ve gone to the effort to create 4 tracks, with videos and I play them all at once over the top of one another, it’ll ruin the whole piece and what they are about. It’d be different if I needed to layer them as part of layering it would help bring my piece together, by to be honest, layering would completely ruin my work, I wasn’t even thinking logically last time, I think I just got excited. So to combat this idea I intend to only have one telly and I’ll have to play the videos in a series so you’d have to watch one after another, after another and keep it on look. It shouldn’t be a problem, I just need to source a TV and DVD combi.

Thinking of ideas for the videos to accompany the tracks has been really difficult till last night when I had a brainwave. I was laying down in bed and couldn’t sleep, it must of been 3AM and out of nowhere all of these ideas came for what I could do. It was incredible. I grabbed a notepad and started to write these ideas down as I didn’t want to forget them. I thought of one for each track and it’s really a weight of my shoulders as I know what I want to do.

For police brutality I’m thinking of having police brutality videos play in the background on a projector as I rap in front of them. I want the video to be raw and honest. With political correctness i’m thinking of collecting loads of videos of all sorts of people from different ethnicities and backgrounds, and ages, and sizes to show how vast and varied everyone is. For Conflict catalyst I have in my head the idea of playing with toy soldiers and burning them with a petrol can to show how soldiers are treated like toys and them being burnt my petrol is the oil we fight over. The last video idea I had in mind was for Our Freedom, Our future and that’s an idea I thought about the other day but never realised how to operate it. Behind my gym there is actually a load of cargo containers and someone has fly tipped   some old arm chairs. I drove past them when I was exiting the car park and thought how cool it’d be for a music video and then last night it clicked. I could use it and say how that if Tory austerity continues the way it is then we’ll all end up in poverty. The industrial feel of the cargo containers would be to show a very basic and sad future ahead. To show that the future is no more evolved than now.

Finally after weeks of searching I have found a TV DVD combi, I won an Ebay bid for £5.50 and everything works. On top of this, this week I have finally filmed all of my work. Everything you ever plan, is only ever a plan and never set in stone and that seems to be the way for me. My videos aren’t what I originally planned, but by jumping hurdles I have made them better. My our freedom our future video was the only one that went how I planned it, and I’m happy I kept it simple and I know once edited it’ll look good.

The other videos which include conflict catalyst, police brutality and political correctness all changed as I came to filming each other. Conflict catalyst didn’t change much more than how I envisioned it, I just burned the toy soldiers somewhere else to where I originally planned. Not only that but to use petrol would be too expensive and dangerous so I used lighter fluid and that done the job perfectly. One edited I’ll really be able to put it together as i feel that my description doesn’t do the videos justice as some of the shots look really powerful.

Police brutality developed to become a lot more deep than I first imagined. I chose in the end to play the CCTV footage of Rashan Charles being murdered who is someone I reference in the piece. He was wrongly accused of swallowing a package and strangled to death by a police officer who was attempting to “restrain” him. Upon filming the piece I had to play it on the projector and I sat there and watched it and it was really painful to watch and to help break that sense of pain down, by taking so many shots once edited you’ll be able to see it in the background, but it won’t be ongoing it’ll be a stop and start sort of feel as I just ignore it and played it on loop while I rapped.

Political correctness was a real flop but also a lesson for myself. So I filmed as planned with many peoples faces however I could only use a handful of people as everyone was so busy. How I first imagined it fell apart which is a real shame as I wanted to show diversity. It came to my attention that when viewing the videos they weren’t  going to fit with the music. There wasn’t enough material, but also the two pieces didn’t fit together, the music was a little too aggressive for what I thought would once work. I had a couple of days to think about it and had a great brainwave. I thought about the theatre at college as its a space I have performed in before. I thought about the idea that the empty chairs could represent people and they would be watching a performance. The performance would be myself walking over the media, by having newspapers on the floor. There’d be shots of my stamping on them, rapping in front of them, walking over big headlines, it just seemed to fill me with hope that it’d work. Much to my luck yesterday I filmed it and from watching the videos back it looks really powerful. I have my back to the audience chairs as I perform to the camera in front of me. Once I’ve edited with the music it’ll look incredible, i know it.

Editing videos can sometimes be tideos but once finished the wait is worth it. Being able to create something from nothing is always a great feeling. Going about editing the videos wasn’t too complicated, only trouble being my own editing software crashed after editing Our Freedom, Our Future and so I had to use the one at college. But I’m not complaining as that one is much more advanced, it was just easier to do it all at home at mine but making the extra effort paid off as the editing software at college allows you to really dissect the clips and cut very sharply leading to a crisp cut. Showing the videos to my teachers gave me strength knowing I was going along the right path as they were pleased with the progress I had made.

Presentation ideas for my work have evolved from 4 televisions to one, to now a television in a wooden box and art installation pieces alongside it. The reason for putting the television in the box is so that I can add hooks and hang headphones in order for people to hear my work. Not only that but as the TV is a box TV I wanted to make the most of its size and write the most powerful bars from my pieces all over it. I feel that this would really tie the whole piece together. Making the box was rather straightforward, I salvaged the wood from a skip and cut all to size, nothing fancy, just chipboard.

After much thought I have also chosen to have art installations alongside my work as opposed to just a TV with lyrics on its box. I want my piece to be interesting and to ask questions. I have thought about finding an item that I could associate with each song and write my own lyrics on it. Not only would this intrigue people but it’d also be an add on to my work itself. For Our Freedom, Our Future I want to have UK flag and write “ I’m not defending my race or culture, but i’m defending that fallen soldier”. For Conflict Catalyst I want to find an old military jacket and write “Why we selling arms to a country that doesn’t follow human rights safely”. For Police Brutality I want to write on a pair of tracksuit bottoms “They after me cause i look a certain way, they after me because of how I behave”. Though finally for Political Correctness I want to use an old book of animal farm and write “Everyone comes from the same place, weather you’re reading from a Bible, Qu’ran or looking at the start of our own race”.

After many charity shop visits I found some suitable tracksuit bottoms and an actual UK military jacket that was clearly from one of the military surplus stores. I also ordered a UK flag last week and found my Animal farm book, I was then able to paint on all of them what I wanted.

On top of this I have also created my album cover which reflects why I’ve chosen music. Music is a powerful way to interact with others, it can bring a lot of emotions with it and change people forever. To show the power of music I also bought an old radio and smashed it up but took pictures of it to show the power of music and how certain pieces of work can either rip people apart or keep them intact. I’m intending to use the smashed up piece as part of my installation work. I chose to call the EP outrage as it seems that many people, especially within news and politics become outraged by anything but it disappears after 5 minutes and then no one cares, such as Grenfell, complete outrage but nothing’s really been done. The name “DENT” is my stage name and it reflects me denting and smashing up the radio, but also because I want my music to leave a dent in people’s minds and I hope it does.

[le-koko-butter-blog]

BBC Sherlock Tinhatting Masterpost

I can’t believe I’m John Watson-ing this shit--that or Andersoning it. The reason I will stick to the former is because of all the emotional damage The Final Problem has done to me but mostly to the LGBT+ audience of the show. Regardless of whether there is a 4th episode or not, they hurt many people deeply. Some of you other fans who are curiously strolling through the sherlock tag or even the johnlock tag are baffled by the depth in which this episode upset people. Many of you are suggesting that people are overreacting. Although I plan to address this later, at the moment, I would like to say, please try to have a little empathy before resorting to condescension. Try to see WHY in the first place it mattered to them instead of assuming that in no way whatsoever can a tv show possibly mean that much. With that being said, I’m going to make a list of all the evidence suggesting some sort of trick—or rather plan. I can’t believe I’m about to kick my own goddamn balls and go through with this. Believe me, I’m generally rather rational.

 Something comforting about the number 3. First off, when this line was said, it was hilarious. I honestly believed for a second that Sherlock shoved a recording device up his bootyhole. John’s disappointment only added to this. It made more logical sense than the off chance that John would leave his cane. At any rate, many were theorizing what this line means. Naturally, it caused people to think that there was possibly a 4th Holmes. Even then, many thought this suggested a 4th episode. The reason why this line is important is not only the amount of screen time it was given, but the cadence in which it was delivered. No one who was actively sitting there missed this. In place of this line, Sherlock could easily have said something more pertinent to the point of the episode, Sherlock’s aim to get John back in action (not my words. Lame explanation really for it was actually about). In prior episodes such as TAB, John is always neglected as a player by the villains. His importance is never considered. Sherlock could have said instead: “Oh but Mr. Smith, you’re forgetting the one thing that really matters, the true feature of interest, the irreplaceable Dr. Watson.” Maybe that’s a bit too cheesy and something better would do but something along those lines would make more sense in regards to the cane and would add scaffolding to the theme of John’s importance.·         

Plot holes. Alright. Much has been written about the hilarity of the plot holes. There are so many, so big and so frequent the entire Spanish Armada could have sailed through them unscathed which is certainly more than what can be said of Moffat’s and Gattiss’ reputation after TFP. The plot holes are so glaring that it defies logic that not one single person  on set could not have mentioned this. It’s almost as if they were deliberate. 1 or 2 is an accident. 5 is just a regular ol’ network tv show on FOX. But 80? I’m not even being hyperbolic. There might actually be at least 80 plot holes. I’m going to point out the chain one because it would need a special set up. Now as I write this I’ve only ever seen TFP once, mostly because I can’t bring my brain to consume it so soon afterwards in fear of cerebral hemorrhaging. From what I recall, we are given a close up of John’s chained foot. First off, this would suggest that at one point, the well was drained and a chain somehow installed…but never mind that. To film it, the camera would have to be dangerously close to the water if not somewhat submerged. This probably happened in another room, set up to look like the well and if that’s the case, more work would be involved. The amount of work only to have the rope thrown down there makes no sense. Even a goddamn idiot would have remembered that. It would have taken effort. It would have been hard. At least harder than not doing it. I mean as the audience, we’re not expecting a 45 year old Dr. Watson to scale the curved walls of a slick well. Maybe the Chinese ninja guy from the blind banker but still.·         

Parody of itself. After the episode I was hurt. I was angry. And I was lashing out. I stepped back and listened to myself. Everything I was saying was exactly the things the prior episodes of Sherlock could be accused of by those, to say it not so politely, more boring viewers. Remember the Bond critic, the one Gattiss wrote a poem to rebuff? To give an example, there was too much improbable action: the stealing of the fishing boat, the taking over of the asylum, the transplanting from one location to another in an unreasonable time frame, the surviving the blast. Sherlock is too athletic, too badass. Certainly, Sherlock in the previous episodes can be accused of this. Sherlock can win in a sword fight like in the one in TBB as well as do calculus in his head? Please. But as fans, we understood that this was part of the fun. Sherlock Holmes has always been a super hero, he might even have been the first ever. His level of intellect is his super power. It’s mere existence is unlikely. But that is storytelling. If we wanted reality, we would watch Forensic Files (I love that show btw but all the more reason to contrast it). In addition, the disguises were downright stupid. Funny. But stupid. Mycroft looked like an evil child eating fisherman and Sherlock, dainty, dandy little Sherlock with the Renaissance curls hulked down a corridor doing an impressive impression of Frankenstein’s monster all the while mimicking an awful Scottish (?) accent. The only time we are given an actual disguise (my memory may be off) on the part of Sherlock was the French waiter. But when they did that in TEH, it was cute and playful. This was random, weird, and confusing. But then again, I can only imagine how someone who is inclined to be defensive of their own intellect and willing to dislike Sherlock because of it, would lap up that scene and mock the show for it despite it’s charm and humor.·         

The Reichenbach Fall. I’ve alluded to this in another post and in some of the evidence for the above points and in no way am I the originator of this idea. But The Reichenbach Fall is perfect allusion to what Gattiss and Moffat are doing to their show. The sincere fans are terribly hurt. But the critics. Don’t think for a moment the critics are enjoying themselves. For years some viewers of the show must have resented BBC Sherlock because of it’s almost condescending cleverness. It presents it’s hero and it’s plot as being so much smarter than everyone else. In TRF Sherlock warns John about this. I may be wrong but he says this outside of the reporter’s house when met with Moriarty’s actor disguise. People want Sherlock to be a fake. They don’t want to think that someone can be so much smarter than them. They are more than willing to believe in his downfall. Now, if I am right about this and the aluminum isn’t fucking with my brain as this horned hat sits on my head, this stunt would take massive guts. Hell, it might even make television history. (how can they possibly pull this off?) I have seen in many posts people commenting on the interviews Mofftiss and the other showrunners have done. One of them says that it’s almost as if they never knew them. Hell, maybe they are dicks. But it’s like character assassination nevertheless, especially after that disgusting one about Molly. No one can be that thick. Well, unless you’re Donald Trump. How is this consistent with the same people who wrote that beautiful speech Sherlock gave at John’s wedding? How? Now, I’m not sure where we, the tinhatters stand as either John Watson or Anderson (What the fuck is his first name?) We’re standing at the proverbial grave site of this amazing show, asking it the most ludicrous question. Please don’t be dead. Just don’t. Don’t be like this. Come back, give us more. Fix this. We’re sitting there chugging coffee and devouring a 2 pound bag sour patch kids on 4 hours of sleep writing mad theories on the internet, tweeked out and heartbroken. Maybe the healthy thing would to go out and marry an assassin who we thought all along was a cat loving nurse. Maybe there are some Lestrades out there. The blessed normal ones who are just hurt. But to my defense, the theories presented in The Empty Hearse, especially in it’s first sequence is tame by comparison to anything that happened in The Final Problem. I’m not being dramatic when I say that. Those who liked the episode, please just for a moment think about what you are told to believe to have happened in TFP and ask even in the Sherlock universe, is this possible?·         

Literary allusions. I cannot be credited with any of these. But they certainly are not random. Musgrave , Oscar Wilde and the Importance of Being Ernest, and Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Final Problem . These aren’t random. They are deliberate.·      

The Projector, the Clue at the Beginning of Season 4 and the Nature of the Detective Story. Link. Alright. Now, I’m not particularly a fan of detective fiction. I do like some. When I was younger, I was much like Hermione Granger and I liked to solve the puzzles myself, thinking how I am oh so clever. I was insufferable but to on to the point; the set up of a detective story is generally that a mystery must be solved (murder usually), am I wrong? A good detective writer does not only create tension and drama and stakes (if you want, you can credit TFP with having these things. I think that’s awfully generous of you if you do though). A good detective writer leaves enough clues for the reader/viewer to be able to solve the puzzle on their own if they are really clever. If they are not but still get a tickle out of it, they would have much the same reaction as the guy with the Japanese tattoo in T6T. Oh its so simple when you put it that way! Oh of course! Now BBC Sherlock isn’t perfect. They aren’t Agatha Christie or anything but it’s never too far off. I’m sure some of you were able to solve the cases on your own or at least see how it’s possible when you rewatch. Some things that they fail to give us closeups of aren’t fair. But I’ll get off it. What I am trying to say is. TFP was NOT A DETECTIVE STORY. It was a thriller/horror? There was no possible way we could have solved any of it. Not at all. Now some of you may point to the song. In my defense, which is an easy one I might add, is that for one, we are not allowed to actually hear the song in its entirety and even if we were, the gravestones ARE NOT A VIABLE OPTION. I repeat. THEY ARE NOT A VIABLE OPTION. Why Ms. Koko Butter? Because the gravestones are noted to be strange. There was something wrong about them to begin with. It was this weirdness which supposedly alerts Sherlock. But why should they be weird? TFP says that the dates aren’t historically possible (which can be said about the events of the episode). The gravestones exist before the murder of Redbeard. Now why on earth would a historically inaccurate graveyard exist anyway? Are we to assume that the Holmes are just freaks and be done with it? Sorry, not buying that. Especially since so many of Sherlock’s deductions in prior episodes are supported by the probability of human behavior consistent along the lines of what is considered a normal sequence of action. Now, the other option is that the little girl put them there herself. I’m sorry. Even if she were one of those creepy baby geniuses in Twilight, she could not physically have done it without alerting her parents. Certainly Mycroft who is older and smarter than Sherlock would have known about this. Are you to tell me that he wouldn’t act on it? Loyalty to Eurus does not matter since he betrays her. Are you telling me that through some line of reasoning, he wouldn’t do the thing that is the most obvious thing in the world to anyone which is check the well. And if he did, he wouldn’t be decent enough to remove the poor child’s remains and give them to his family? Alright, I’m digressing. What I am saying is, this song, like all the other puzzles presented to Sherlock in TFP are more along the lines of SAW than a detective story. But we know that Sherlock the show, is in some ways, still a detective show that has actual cases the viewers can solve. In this line of reasoning with my tin hat on, I present TFP as evidence. Many great detective stories start immediately with a HUGE clue. In the episode dealing with Magnussen he LITERALLY says what his vaults really are. Within a few minutes in, surrounded by the heads of the British government, he says to them that he has a good memory. BAM. There it is. The clue. The vaults are his mind palace. Kinda lame but I’m cool. Still love it. We’re still golden. Season 4 starts off with the doctoring of footage. It’s weird too because Sherlock is prancing around, high on life. Why? WHY?! This is unlike him even if we think we consider that he is happy to be back in England (if I didn’t know any better I would think John had just kissed him and all that oxytocin was pumping him with a natural high and making him sing out like character in musical I’m glad to be alive~). The link above shows the projector clue. But if this really is a detective story, then this is the first and most important moment in solving the case. Doctored footage. Now, this isn’t new. Many of you have suggested this. But along the lines of genre, this is crucial. TFP plays with genre as well. It’s starts with a movie. It’s horror at first littered with a bunch of typical horror movie tropes, bleeding eyes and killer clowns. Then it’s some shitey action flick, a comedy, and then a buddy cop? A fucking buddy cop. The even have a name for it. The Baker Street Boys. Good god. The buddy cop is a genre popular in the 80s just like that awful freeze frame at the end. But then again, isn’t that what everyone already thinks about BBC Sherlock? All of those horrible things. A buddy cup with too much action and pseudo intellectual characters?·        

I know who you really are. Ok, now crucify me with sentiment. I’ve never been above it. But the whole reason I got on this tinhatting business wasn’t even that it logically made sense. The world is a disappointing cesspool at times (i.e.Trump, i.e. callousness to refugees). I’ve lost a lot of hope as I’ve gotten older. It’s easier to just be like FUCK YOU MOFFTISS. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve done that and I’ll continue to do that. But what sparked this whole thing was a gifset of the hug in TLD. Now, what the fuck? How can the same people who made that, make TFP? It doesn’t make sense. It reminds me of this story I heard once about this young man who faked finding old Shakespeare letters and eventually a play just to impress his dad. I’m not saying BBC Sherlock is Shakespeare but what I’m getting at was the kid was discovered because this supposed play of his was nothing like actual Shakespeare. It was too shitty. People believed it at first because the paper quality was true to the time but the actual work itself was so far off from what we knew to be his style, that it was literally impossible. Of course, Mofftiss wrote that monstrosity but it is no way approached in the same way as the previous episodes were. It was meant to be different. It is glaringly different. There is no way TFP exists alongside in reality with Watson’s and Sherlock’s beautifully crafted and heartbreaking performance. Think about it. Every line means something. It does. If you provoke me on this, I will write a 20 page fucking play by play of each goddamn line and each blocking choice. I WILL. Don’t threaten me.·         

Johnlock. Ahhhh the elephant in the fucking room. If you’re still reading this. I’m sorry. I’m a caffeinated ranter. Forgive me. Now, this isn’t about shipping. I hate that word and I hate the culture associated with it. I have never and will never ship something that is not textually supported. A romantic implication was obvious in the very first episode. Here is my example:  Hudson, Donovan, the waiter and probably some other people ALL ASSUME THAT JOHN IS HIS BOYFRIEND. Why? Just because the fucker is with him? What? Would you think that? This only makes sense if everyone already assumes Sherlock is gay. Even at the dinner scene, which is so intimate and romantically awkward I can hardly watch it, Sherlock denies an interest in women but does not deny an interest in men. The way that was written, performed, and filmed are all indicators of a relationship. I remember watching it the first time years ago and turning to my dad and us smiling at one another like OMFG HOW ADORBZ. (It goes without saying my dad wasn’t a homophobe). It was made that way to plant the idea in our head. Because why? That’s what tv/movie romances do. If this isn’t plain to you, please rewatch. Now why is Johnlock so important? First off, the story is about their relationship. Don’t agree? Then what is the major arc? The humanizing of Sherlock Holmes. Who humanizes Sherlock? John Watson. Can you be sure of that? Yes, because the show begins with their meeting. So obviously, their meeting is the initiator. Why does it have to be romantic? Because it’s written that way. I don’t have enough energy to go through this but if you are still incredulous, I can send you links from people who have already written it down. Now, stories have to complete their arc. This is why they often become predictable after awhile. We call them tropes or archetypes. But stories do not mimic reality, they bring out the perceived truth of the human condition. It’s the license in poetry, the climax in a narrative, the soliloquy in the play. If they do not, we feel it on a deep instinctual level, the way we can sense that the math is off in the musical progression of notes. It is the difference between hearing a symphony and hearing noise. It’s inherent. TFP is jarring. Jarring because it does not complete the arc of its textual themes, for example, the romantic entanglement line, highlighted by the plot hole of the missing letter and the overdue confession on the tarmac. We’re waiting for it the way we all know in that crappy romcom that they’ll miss their plane, run back in the rain, and say in so many contrived words, YOU COMPLETE ME. And we love it. Don’t lie. You love it. We should have gotten it but we didn’t. That is the heart of the queerbait. Because we were baited by these notes, the themes in the story and instead of a a crescendo, we are left with a cacophony of car horns. The advertisements leave no room for doubt. Sherlock is in love? With Who? Who else would it be? Honestly? Motherfucker was dead on the slab and LITERALLY RESTARTED HIS HEART FOR JOHN WATSON. That’s not even reading into it. It literally happened. Just like that. Irene was mentioned. Mycroft was mentioned. Molly was the eventual TFP the trick. Only John’s name invokes such a reaction. Friendship does not do this. Please leave me alone with that argument but I seriously doubt that is even scientifically possible. Oxytocin which is produced during sex and childbirth creates insane fucking bonds. Mothers are known to defy logic in their will to protect their baby. Sex produces a similar effect. Correct me if I’m wrong but Sherlock’s actions suggest that he is IN LOVE (romantically and sexually) with John. Any other interpretations borders on madness or serious nonchalance.·         

TFP cheap production. Where did all the money go? My fingers hurt. I can’t type anymore. But really. Where did all the money go? It was so cheap. It was like the same room painted in different colors. 

Now this is longer than I intended. I’m adding more links to other posts. Please add if you have more evidence. Before I sat down, I had a lot. I feel like I have forgotten to include some. I may add more later. Now, I am prepared to accept the result that Mofftiss just sucks major balls and if they do, they deserve all the accusations of queer baiting and ought to be ridiculed for their smugness. But my brain keeps telling me otherwise.       

Let me know if the links are weird or confusing or if there are any errors. I usually just reblog things on this blue hell of a site.

LINK

LINK 2

LINK 3

Onward once more into the breach my friends....something fucky this way comes.

[moreartworkandstuff]

Journal of reflection

Having read the brief for the final major project I was able to construct a project proposal which I felt clearly reflected my work throughout the course. The course has certainly been challenging for myself as I am from a performing arts background, however I have thoroughly enjoyed the course as I haven’t let my lack of experience in art hold me back, if anything I have been able to apply my previous abilities into my most recent work. Not only that but I have gained many skills which will stay with me forever.

Reading through the brief has given me many ideas, and routes to go down. Of course I have chosen politics as its a subject I love and it’s one that’s always changing which would lead to me adding more or changing my work throughout the course of the its development. Haven been given a sheet that suggests possible outcomes as well has helped me to explore possible areas I could work in with my chosen subject. One of my first ideas was to go down the route of podcasts as it’d be classed as communication which is one of the routes suggested. I have briefly research podcasts and particular recordings to see where I could take them as I could incorporate much more into the podcasts then just them as they are. For example for each interview I could create a piece of art inspired by that interview, the subjects that were spoken about, the agreements and disagreements. This could be anything from a painting to a video or even a small installation. Realistically though, as a means of work for a final major piece, I’d feel that I would be limiting myself with a podcast as it only consists of audio. Not the best thing you could have in a gallery with each podcast up to an hour long, no one will sit through it and listen.

A second idea I had was to create rap. Not your standard “bad man” - “money and drugs” - “cars and tits” kind of rap, but rap with context and some form of educational message. Something that someone who doesn’t usually listen to, would have them entertained and informed. Rap goes back to poetry and the skill of putting words with words. Sounds straightforward, though by placing particular words with words you can create a “beat”. This happens by the rhyming and pronunciation of words leading to a rhythmic pattern forming. Inspiration would be taken from the likes of Artists such as “Dave” and “Akala”. Both artists have pieces that you would consider common rap, however they both step away from that to create their own, meaningful and educational material. I feel that as I come from a performing arts background, and I wish to go forward into technical theatre management and producing, to create my own performance piece would suit me down to the ground. Not only that but it’d allow me to test my English skills. If I was to go ahead with this idea I’d really need to gain an understanding of my audience I’d be aiming it at as for many it may just go right over their heads.

My third and final idea I had was to create my own clothing with a spin off of popular brands. It’d include fake branded pieces, such “labour” created in the style of “lacoste”. As of the 2017 general election, fake branded pieces of clothing started to gain popularity. One rather popular piece was of the NIKE logo on a white T in red with the slogan “corbyn” as opposed to “just do it”. This particular item really helped spread the love of corbynism, but also the idea that fashion can be used to give across a message. A company who have taken hold of this trend is “bowl cut garms” who take well known brands and change them. Such as “reebok” to “rasclart”. If I chose this idea I’d have to look into printing companies and attempt to work with an editing platform again, such as photoshop, which is something I’ve struggled with in the past. As much as I want to push myself with work, I don’t want to go attempting something that could push me back as oppose to push me forward in progress.

If I was to take music, I would relate each song to a subject within politics, weather that be a news article, a law, a politician, a political party or even an ideology. On top of that I’d have to create a name for myself as a rapper. I have a few names in mind, but they’d have to relate back to my work and have meaning. One rather important subject I would love to write and rap about is equality and representation. With the political party incharge of government a lot of things I’d consider important are either missed or not given the work they need in order for issues to be resolved correctly and fairly. Even subjects such as police brutality and organised fat cat tax crime, such as tax havens.

If I was to take the idea of clothes I’d focus on well known brands and make an effort to copy them to the names of the political parties, or even to particular laws as well. A few ideas I have in the works is to copy the famous fashion designer brand YSL logo and change it to SNP (scottish national party). The font would be the same, however the name would change to mean something else.  The item of clothing would have to have the logo embroidered onto it so I’d have to get on with a sewing machine and have a go. The clothing itself would just be cheap, plan items from the internet.

If I went ahead with the podcast choice I’d have to go about getting the materials, such as multiple mics, a way to record the pieces as well as a sensibile location. I’d definitely attempt to get the principle onboard and have a chat with him about the political climate. A mixture of friends and family too so I had a wide opinion range. Perhaps I could even put out invitations for people, whoever they are within college to express their own views on certain subjects, that’d definitely be cool.

Having thought about my possible routes and talking to my teachers as to where to go and where each idea could take me, it only seems appropriate to go down the route of creating my own music as its something I know I can do, but also its something that’ll push me creatively to achieve something I never have. Having said that I did actually create a song last summer and a video to accompany it. There was no reason for the creation of it, simply out of boredom and nice weather. It was really fun as I use to do a lot with video editing and it’s something I want to get back into. The enjoyment of editing and tying many clips together to create one whole piece is really rewarding when you watch it back, especially if it comes across professional. Physically making beats and making music is something I’ve always wanted to explore. Last summer I had my musically talented brother give me a hand with the basics of creating a beat which has definitely enlightened an interest in music in me.

I’ve decided on music and I’m excited for it as its a chance to explore my skill set that bit more. Choosing subjects is difficult and so I done a huge spider diagram to narrow down potential ideas and just put everything in my head of paper. After a short while of reading back the spider diagram I chose a few subjects to elaborate on in the means of lyrics or “bars”. I didn’t really think too much into it, I just wrote them on my notes in my phone and just went with the flow, nothing overly thought out and by doing so allowed me to not confine my thoughts to anything, I could just write. I posted them on the blog to show lyric development.

Choosing subjects to rap about are actually really cool as you have to think about the words associated with them and how well you can play on them or how well they sound together. Not only that but it’s important to gain an understanding of a subject before you go ahead and write about it. I know initially I wanted to write 5 songs however I have dropped that to four as I don’t feel that I can actually write about something that isn't affecting me. By ethnicity I am middle eastern and european though my appearance is primarily white. Because of this I have never been discriminated against because I am more european looking and as I have never experienced racism I don’t feel that its my place to say something I’ve never been affected by. Of course I should use my privileged appearance as a way to talk about subjects others wouldn’t be heard for, however I just don’t feel comfortable having thought about it as it’s like asking a man to decide a woman’s abortion rights.

Having started to form a basic idea of my pieces and how I want them to be portrayed I started to think about beats to go with them and how I can create each track so that it is easily distinguishable. My plan for the beats to go with the lyrics are to find a few free copyright free tracks and edit them. This is a lot more of an easier process as I’ll use a simple beat and simply add to it but put in new edits, as well other instruments and new tuning. This will then make it mine as trying to create a solid beat can take weeks.

Today I started to record my work on some software. The actual software is a friends but he’s more than happy for me to use his equipment. He sat in the room with me but on his phone while I had a free for all and went mad. It was extremely fun, the software is kind of easy to use but it’s a little too flashy for me so I did have to keep asking how to do certain things, but besides that it was a real learning curve.

- With majority of the tracks now in the bag it’s important for me to think about presentation as that’s important in order for me to prepare myself for the audience as how else would they see it. Simply showing it on a computer isn’t really that shocking. I think back to the modern Tate museum when I saw a piece about black lives matter and they had 5 old television screens playing videos and facts and it’s something that I feel if I were able to do, it’d look good. The mix of all videos playing at once with my music would look awesome.

-Upon later evaluation with my previous idea for my presentation, it has flaws. If I’ve gone to the effort to create 4 tracks, with videos and I play them all at once over the top of one another, it’ll ruin the whole piece and what they are about. It’d be different if I needed to layer them as part of layering it would help bring my piece together, by to be honest, layering would completely ruin my work, I wasn’t even thinking logically last time, I think I just got excited. So to combat this idea I intend to only have one telly and I’ll have to play the videos in a series so you’d have to watch one after another, after another and keep it on look. It shouldn’t be a problem, I just need to source a TV and DVD combi.

Thinking of ideas for the videos to accompany the tracks has been really difficult till last night when I had a brainwave. I was laying down in bed and couldn’t sleep, it must of been 3AM and out of nowhere all of these ideas came for what I could do. It was incredible. I grabbed a notepad and started to write these ideas down as I didn’t want to forget them. I thought of one for each track and it’s really a weight of my shoulders as I know what I want to do.

For police brutality I’m thinking of having police brutality videos play in the background on a projector as I rap in front of them. I want the video to be raw and honest. With political correctness i’m thinking of collecting loads of videos of all sorts of people from different ethnicities and backgrounds, and ages, and sizes to show how vast and varied everyone is. For Conflict catalyst I have in my head the idea of playing with toy soldiers and burning them with a petrol can to show how soldiers are treated like toys and them being burnt my petrol is the oil we fight over. The last video idea I had in mind was for Our Freedom, Our future and that’s an idea I thought about the other day but never realised how to operate it. Behind my gym there is actually a load of cargo containers and someone has fly tipped   some old arm chairs. I drove past them when I was exiting the car park and thought how cool it’d be for a music video and then last night it clicked. I could use it and say how that if Tory austerity continues the way it is then we’ll all end up in poverty. The industrial feel of the cargo containers would be to show a very basic and sad future ahead. To show that the future is no more evolved than now.

Finally after weeks of searching I have found a TV DVD combi, I won an Ebay bid for £5.50 and everything works. On top of this, this week I have finally filmed all of my work. Everything you ever plan, is only ever a plan and never set in stone and that seems to be the way for me. My videos aren’t what I originally planned, but by jumping hurdles I have made them better. My our freedom our future video was the only one that went how I planned it, and I’m happy I kept it simple and I know once edited it’ll look good.

The other videos which include conflict catalyst, police brutality and political correctness all changed as I came to filming each other. Conflict catalyst didn’t change much more than how I envisioned it, I just burned the toy soldiers somewhere else to where I originally planned. Not only that but to use petrol would be too expensive and dangerous so I used lighter fluid and that done the job perfectly. One edited I’ll really be able to put it together as i feel that my description doesn’t do the videos justice as some of the shots look really powerful.

Police brutality developed to become a lot more deep than I first imagined. I chose in the end to play the CCTV footage of Rashan Charles being murdered who is someone I reference in the piece. He was wrongly accused of swallowing a package and strangled to death by a police officer who was attempting to “restrain” him. Upon filming the piece I had to play it on the projector and I sat there and watched it and it was really painful to watch and to help break that sense of pain down, by taking so many shots once edited you’ll be able to see it in the background, but it won’t be ongoing it’ll be a stop and start sort of feel as I just ignore it and played it on loop while I rapped.

Political correctness was a real flop but also a lesson for myself. So I filmed as planned with many peoples faces however I could only use a handful of people as everyone was so busy. How I first imagined it fell apart which is a real shame as I wanted to show diversity. It came to my attention that when viewing the videos they weren’t  going to fit with the music. There wasn’t enough material, but also the two pieces didn’t fit together, the music was a little too aggressive for what I thought would once work. I had a couple of days to think about it and had a great brainwave. I thought about the theatre at college as its a space I have performed in before. I thought about the idea that the empty chairs could represent people and they would be watching a performance. The performance would be myself walking over the media, by having newspapers on the floor. There’d be shots of my stamping on them, rapping in front of them, walking over big headlines, it just seemed to fill me with hope that it’d work. Much to my luck yesterday I filmed it and from watching the videos back it looks really powerful. I have my back to the audience chairs as I perform to the camera in front of me. Once i’ve edited with the music it’ll look incredible, i know it.

Editing videos can sometimes be tideos but once finished the wait is worth it. Being able to create something from nothing is always a great feeling. Going about editing the videos wasn’t too complicated, only trouble being my own editing software crashed after editing Our Freedom, Our Future and so I had to use the one at college. But I’m not complaining as that one is much more advanced, it was just easier to do it all at home at mine but making the extra effort paid off as the editing software at college allows you to really dissect the clips and cut very sharply leading to a crisp cut. Showing the videos to my teachers gave me strength knowing I was going along the right path as they were pleased with the progress I had made.

Presentation ideas for my work have evolved from 4 televisions to one, to now a television in a wooden box and art installation pieces alongside it. The reason for putting the television in the box is so that I can add hooks and hang headphones in order for people to hear my work. Not only that but as the TV is a box TV I wanted to make the most of its size and write the most powerful bars from my pieces all over it. I feel that this would really tie the whole piece together. Making the box was rather straightforward, I salvaged the wood from a skip and cut all to size, nothing fancy, just chipboard.

After much thought I have also chosen to have art installations alongside my work as opposed to just a TV with lyrics on its box. I want my piece to be interesting and to ask questions. I have thought about finding an item that I could associate with each song and write my own lyrics on it. Not only would this intrigue people but it’d also be an add on to my work itself. For Our Freedom, Our Future I want to have UK flag and write “ I’m not defending my race or culture, but i’m defending that fallen soldier”. For Conflict Catalyst I want to find an old military jacket and write “Why we selling arms to a country that doesn’t follow human rights safely”. For Police Brutality I want to write on a pair of tracksuit bottoms “They after me cause i look a certain way, they after me because of how I behave”. Though finally for Political Correctness I want to use an old book of animal farm and write “Everyone comes from the same place, weather you’re reading from a Bible, Qu’ran or looking at the start of our own race”.

After many charity shop visits I found some suitable tracksuit bottoms and an actual UK military jacket that was clearly from one of the military surplus stores. I also ordered a UK flag last week and found my Animal farm book, I was then able to paint on all of them what I wanted.

On top of this I have also created my album cover which reflects why I’ve chosen music. Music is a powerful way to interact with others, it can bring a lot of emotions with it and change people forever. To show the power of music I also bought an old radio and smashed it up but took pictures of it to show the power of music and how certain pieces of work can either rip people apart or keep them intact. I’m intending to use the smashed up piece as part of my installation work. I chose to call the EP outrage as it seems that many people, especially within news and politics become outraged by anything but it disappears after 5 minutes and then no one cares, such as Grenfell, complete outrage but nothing’s really been done. The name “DENT” is my stage name and it reflects me denting and smashing up the radio, but also because I want my music to leave a dent in people’s minds and I hope it does.

[humanauction]

THE WEATHER REPORT #10

W.R. 10 - week ending 24.11.17

Brrr it is getting cold in Baghdad this week with temperatures ranging from lows of 18C/64F to highs of 21C/69F. if it gets any colder, we would have to recommend moving to Somaliland. there will be no rain, of course, but humidity will sit around the 30% mark and winds will not exceed 10mph. this week’s Weather Report is presented in association with the Iraq Bikers. they’re a mixed bunch, riding all over Iraq and include Sunni, Shia, Christian, Kurd and Turkmen among its membership. they are currently on the look-out for 1 Jew, some Sikhs and a pair of Mormon as they feel this would really help break down barriers regarding “Motorcycle Clubs” and their nefarious reputation, so if you are Jewish, a Sikh or Mormon and in Iraq (or even if you just like motorbikes) give them a call on +9647722288842 or send them a message on facebook - they usually reply within 24 hours!!

Iraqi Bikers - supported by HUMAN AUCTION

*

meanwhile, elsewhere:

EUROPE - SCOTLAND: Scottish National Party introduce a minimum alcohol price standard as the whole of Scotland, literally the whole country, totally lost their shit. Kirsty Leslie commented “the SNP are literally, destroying Scotland"; Richard Haines echoed the sentiments of her and most other people adding “low income (households) just about getting by, and happen to enjoy a few responsible drinks here and there, will now have to give that up as well,” for any readers who don’t know much about Scotland, there are a few things you should know:

i) Scotland is **beautiful**. it’s really stunning - from the forests in the middle, to the windswept and brutal coastline, including the borders to the south, and all the way out to the far-northern isles (hebrides) where little has changed, well, ever, it is really quite a special place. if you haven’t been you should *totally* go. but go in august. and take your winter clothes.

ii) Scotland is COLD. like really, really, cold. it’s a wet cold too and it chills you to your bone. you need to be warmly wrapped and waterproof at all times.

iii.) Scotland is a nation of alcoholics, drinking mainly single malt whisky and Buckfast. it is so ingrained in the culture that in Scotland they are wary of non-drinkers, treating them as other nations would treat severe alcoholics. how much do they like drinking? well, 24.11.17 was Black Friday, and where the rest of us perused electronics, internet deals, that kind of thing, in Scotland they had massive ***4.5 LITRE*** bottles of Famous Grouse (a terrible whisky) - “normal” size is 0.7L or 1.0L - as well as other spirits. for Black Friday. why did the SNP make such a desperately unpopular decision now? well, to be fair this legislation passed five years ago and has been in court ever since. also, the Scots aren’t very good at drinking. for a nation of just under 6 million people, in the last 2 years, Scottish police confirmed 6,500 reports of antisocial behaviour and violence relating to buckfast alone. “alcohol-related” crime statistics include: 54% of all violent crime was influenced by booze; 50% of convicted murderers were drunk or on drugs at the time of offence; 67% of young offenders were drunk when they committed the crime(s) they were sentenced for. as usual this will impact society’s poorest the hardest, with most Scots seeing it as yet another stealth-tax for the already poor. that said, in a 2016 report, alcohol harm (inc. health; social care; productive capacity) cost the tax-payer £3.6billion PLUS National Health Service bill was £267million PLUS crime cost at £727 million. and they reckon a minimum price is the thing destroying the country.

making friends, with Buckfast (a.k.a. Break the Hoos(house) Juice, Vino d’Jaikey, Commotion Lotion)

*

NORTH AMERICA - USA: all-round definitely (and you know what that means) good eggs, facebook, are set to release (in December 2017) a tool allowing users to see where posts actually come from. this is all because of the US voting “scandal” where Hillary lost to the Donald because she is a sadistic sociopath with a long list of extra-judicial killings to her name, personally, whereas the Donald only killed some people and only ever over money - which is the one thing you can do without facing jail time. so long as you give a stack of cash to someone. like the president at the time. *then* it’s ok. anyway, the Russian company Internet Research Agency - which doesn’t sound at all sinister - and behind “hundreds of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts”, posting thousands of politically-charged messages and buying advertising space has been outed as… hackers?! apparently this is not an okay thing to do. no one uses propaganda to further their own narrative. except for terrorists. these “fake” pages were patriotically designed & presented appearing as if they were created and posted by Americans, and had *white power-y* names like “Heart Of Texas” or “Secured Borders”. in previous statements, facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has said as many as up to, maybe, 126 million Americans *may* have seen content uploaded since early 2015. the confusing thing about all of this is why is it illegal if Russia do it and it is pro-the Donald? Hilary’s people put together a concert with Beyonce and Jay-Z headlining which some might have called propaganda (because that’s exactly what it was). shouting out (or post, article, op-ed, tweet, interview, photo, opine…) your biased views - that’s called campaigning; not telling the truth - politics; manipulating details to make them appear as something else/new - that’s called spin; the people who write these ideas - communications directors; making sure specific people are in a photo or post (even if they wouldn’t choose to be) - Public Relations; spreading ideas for support, influence, money - lobbying/lobbyist; deciding how to split the image you wish to project between various media - that is a campaign manager. what you wear, how you talk, “anonymous” charitable donations you make, what your kids do… all of this , and *SO* much more is how you become head girl or boy. there are also things like the party whips - who lie and bully and collect information to use against someone in the future. none of the above is morally just, hell most of it is morally deplorable, but it is what happens, *every day*, on both sides of the coin. but don’t take our word for it, check out the figures below:

Expenditure/Figure --------------------------Number/Detail

Total US operation expenses -------------- $2.3 million

Staff working on US campaign ------------ up to 90 people

# of US social media accounts ------------ at least 118

Total subscribers --------------------------- more than 6 million

Most page views in a week ---------------- 70 million (October 2016)

American activists supported ------------- 100

Rallies held in US cities -------------------- 40

Budget to support US activists ----------- approximately $80,000 over two years

Budget for social media promotion ------- approx. $120,000 over two years

so whilst we don't know about you guys, it sure looks a lot like campaigning from over where we’re standing. the difference? the Russian campaign team ran a good race and the Donald won. whereas the Democrat campaign team were rubbish and Hilary lost.

Russia & America - closer than most think

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THE WORLD - BEEHIVES, EVERYWHERE: who doesn’t love them? especially the chubby little high-fiving bumble bees. bees control ALL international honey deals and they run the international honey monopoly with support from HSBC (money), DeBeers (diamonds) and Goldcorp (gold). bees are the ultimate “blood in, blood out” organization renowned for their unflinching readiness to sacrifice as many as it takes in the face of certain death. because what matters is the hive. with internet connections and speeds improving all the time though, access to information is now available to juvenile bees in a never-seen-before way. and young bees have been exploring different avenues. at first it was suspected that they were just curious, maybe even lazy, or that it was a generational phase the kids would grow out of. however this recent study has shown that in fact the bees are more likely to be so god-damned high on pesticides that they have forgotten how to buzz! with many young bees now rejecting the practice as “old-fashioned” - preferring to communicate via smart phone using the iBee messaging service - they are also rejecting traditional pollen collection methods. an ever increasing number of bees preferring instead to purchase pollen online through notorious websites like beeroad and using beecoins. the problem with this, apart from the fact it is illegal and unregulated, is that 80% of all plant species rely on pollination - with bees doing most of it. talks are due to take place next month with the wasps preparing their pitch for the control of the pollination racket and honey industry. the wasps have been muscling in on bee territories for the last 10 years now, but their inability to produce honey has always left them with operating costs far exceeding the bees. however with several prominent hornets named in the paradise papers and damning allegations of sexual misconduct and rape against 5 queen bees has created a power-void and now the insect world is gearing up for a war between the bee and wasp mafias.

wasps - just assholes

*

AFRICA - ZIMBABWE: Robert Mugabe falls asleep as the world tries to work out what kind of coup took/is taking place. if it is a coup, but everyone *insisted* it isn’t a coup, per se, and if you’ve read the various W.R.s you all know what that means (i.e. of course it is without a doubt a Coup). the whole thing started when Robert Mugabe was placed under house arrest and his wife, Grace, fled the country altogether, by the military in what appeared to be your run-of-the-mill coup d’etat led by military chief General Constantino Chiwenga. so it was a standard “get the f@*k out” Coup d’Etat. *then* someone confirmed it was actually the Army who arrested him, making it a military coup again; only then it became not the army, but the Veterans Association - making it a *guardian* coup. at this point, Mugabe’s own party - ZANU-PF - said they wanted him gone too and would fire and impeach Mugabe on Sunday and Tuesday respectively if he didn’t go quickly and quietly. those deadlines came and went during which time - over 72 hours since the initial coup - Mugabe was presiding over a university graduation ceremony(?!). then he fell asleep. then embarked on one of several looooooooong speeches. then the police added their support to the army, via the veterans association, taking it back to some sort of military coup; then the opposition said they were involved - from exile in Kenya - and it became a political coup; then the people all came out on the street insisting it was ***their*** coup (which would mean it was a civilian coup). and through all of this, Mugabe was giving rambling speeches and generally falling asleep. to be fair, he is 93. **everyone** was now saying “get the f@*k out or we will arrest, impeach and imprison/execute you”. to which Mugabe said “i give **ZERO** f@^!s, this is my country, f@^k you”. this had, for Mugabe, a most undesirable effect - it galvanized everyone else for the first time since the British left Rhodesia. suddenly, it was a VETO coup! Mugabe, still giving zero f@^!s, went back to sleep. as of the 23.11.17 though Mugabe is willing to step aside so long as no one can try the corrupt, racist, war criminal we all know him definitely not to be ;-/

robby’s next project - it’s the mugababes!

have a sunny weekend,

HA

@humanauction

p.s. please, if you liked this report leave comment, share, like, re-post, link to, follow or any of that good stuff. you know, if you’d like to. we sure would really appreciate it! :-)

HA

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[vileart]

Ultra Dramaturgy: Rosie Kay on tour

Scottish-born choreographer returns with subversive new show, MK ULTRA

• A new dance work, performed by seven young dancers, explores conspiracy theory within the entertainment industry and the idea that child stars are brainwashed from a young age • Lady Gaga designer Gary Card creates his first costume designs for contemporary dance • Adam Curtis, known for Hypernormalisation that recently featured on the BBC, is a creative collaborator on the show and has created short films to be shown throughout What was the inspiration behind this performance?

This is the third part of a trilogy of works, tackling big ‘non-dinner-party’ topics! The first was war + the body (5 Soldiers), the second was exploring religion through the body (There is Hope) and this final part was to be politics and the body. I went in quite a few directions to begin with, exploring the novel 1984, surveillance, propaganda and even torture. 

Through my research, I came across an online world of conspiracy theory, some I’d heard of, or were on my periphery, and others that were new to me. When I came across the conspiracy theory that pop stars are under the control of ‘The Illuminati’ (some kind of shadowy elite that control music, fashion, entertainment but also politics, science, finance) I felt that it was an exciting area to explore. 

The theory is that children are picked, and then undergo some kind of brainwashing, which was invented by the CIA (this is partly based on real historical events - the CIA developed brainwashing experiments in the 1950s and 1960s, one such method was code named MK Ultra). 

These pop stars then are catapulted into extreme stardom and while achieving worldwide global fame, are under a strict and ultimately destructive kind of brainwashing that can start to affect them, hence the breakdowns. It’s a fantastical theory, but it hit me with something true about the world we live in now - our weird celebrity culture clashing with ‘real news’ of war and atrocities, and our distrust in news and now ‘fake news’. I think we are all questioning what kind of reality we are living in.

After deciding on the subject matter, I wanted to know if it were just a small group of fanatics that knew about it, or if young people were aware of this alternative information about mainstream pop stars. 

I conducted workshops with 14-25 year olds all over the East and West Midlands and asked them ostensibly about their view on ‘mainstream’ media. Eventually, the magic words ‘the Illuminati’ would be whispered and when I told them I wanted to know everything about this, they erupted! 

One girl was heard as she left the workshop saying ‘I can’t believe we just talked about the illuminati in the classroom’. Young people not only knew about the theories I’d investigated, they’d known about them for a long time, and they were also aware that it may or may not be true. This was such an interesting state of being to me, that Adam Curtis and I returned to interview quite a few of the young people I’d worked with initially to include their opinions in the show.

Is performance still a good space for the public discussion of ideas?

Well, there are others ways of course, through writing, through talking, through other art forms and media. For me, dance helps me understand the mysteries of the world - some things can be killed if explained or rationalized, so many ideas live in the felt, lived and emotional dimension. I think dance has the magic to capture that. 

I also want to make people think and to challenge their perceptions, and so through my work, I use dance, but also non-linear narrative, character, video, music and documentary to help audiences find different ways into my world. I think we crave group experiences, and so a performance can give us a shared experience, and with my work, hopefully the space to have your own interpretation of it. I love that fact that in dance you do have to think and interpret a bit. 

You have to watch and go, ‘OK what’s happening here’. I let layers of meaning be revealed, but I like not to be too explicit at all times, and leave areas of question and doubt. These form spaces that you join together in your mind.

How did you become interested in making performance?

I think I danced before I could talk. Dance for me was a way of making sense of the world. The world is so vast, so confusing, and I felt things so strongly, that dance was at once a strong discipline and daily personal practice, with its ritual and repetition. 

It was also an emotional release, a place I could channel my heart and soul through my body and find that it communicated deeply with people. Now I perform far less, but I seek this quality from the artists I work with, and I help draw it out of them. I think my company are extraordinary dancers, but they are also exceptional performers, actors and communicators.

Is there any particular approach to the making of the show?

Yes- there is a very particular way I’ve made this work, and its quite odd. After the research on the Internet and with groups of young people, I spent time with my company doing task-based work and trying to find the physical language of the work. It’s a hybrid world of pop, street, hip-hop dance styles but I wanted it to have an Avant-Garde cutting edge feel with contemporary and ballet techniques running through the movement vocabulary. I couldn’t find it at first, so I went into the studio on my own and improvised with the music tracks I thought captured the feel of the work. 

I realized that this highly original, and slightly weird language was in my body, so I filmed my improvisations, normally doing 3 or 4 on a set theme or set section of music, then chose the best, or the one I thought captured what I wanted, and gave it to the dancer. Each dancer received a video of their solo and they all received a video of the unison work. The first week was a bizarre sight. 

They were plugged into laptops and iPads with headphones in, each meticulously learning their sections alone or in groups. It was a little alienating for them at first, but we’d do sharings every few hours and it was incredible how this language developed through all their bodies.

Does the show fit with your usual productions?

For one, I don’t have a ‘usual’ production. I think all my productions are unique, but together they add up to a body of unique works with unique approaches to subject and form. MK Ultra is the work I wanted to make, and it really does make sense if seen with its predecessors, 5 Soldiers and There is Hope. Through these three works, I’ve tested myself enormously, whether it be through the intense research, through the methodologies of each work, which felt very authentic to the subject matter, or though the results. 

MK Ultra is like the others in that it is very visual, has emotional depth, and its quite intricately choreographed, but it’s not like the others, because the subject matter demanded very different things from me. I’m interested to see where I go next, as I feel my palette is now ready to stabalise and become more highly articulate, perhaps in fewer directions.

What do you hope the audience will experience?

I want the audience to go with me on a brainwashing experience. I want them to sit on a lovely line between mainstream pop entertainment and disturbing avant-garde art! MK Ultra is

visually dazzling, over stimulating, beautiful, disturbing and funny. I want audiences to be on the edge of their seats and also let their brains go free!

What strategies did you consider towards shaping this audience experience?

Wow- we’ve used a lot here! We have mind-boggling original documentary footage from Adam Curtis, which includes interviews with MK Ultra victims and the CIA boss who sanctioned it, we’ve got full-on illuminati referencing, mind bending video work from Louis Price, we’ve got trippy repetitive music composed by Annie Mahtani, and of course we have seven utterly incredible, athletic performers who give it heart and soul. We also have Gary Card’s stunning costumes, which have been described as a ‘work of art’ in themselves, or alternatively, ‘a masonic rave’! I find the work overwhelming. It’s at once glossy pop and heart-felt art. It’s beautiful.

Rosie Kay Dance Company, headed by artistic director and choreographer Rosie Kay and winner of Best Independent Company at the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards in 2015, finishes its UK tour of MK ULTRA in Stirling on Thursday 18 May at Macrobert Art Centre. The show has created headlines in The Guardian, Financial Times and iNews for its exploration of mind control and subliminal messaging within the entertainment industry - a theory that grew from the CIA's real mind control experiments in the 60s. Following several years of research with young people into the world of contemporary pop culture and their theories around who pulls the strings behind the scenes of politics, economics and the entertainment industry, MK ULTRA will bring a hypnotic, supercharged mash-up of dance, music, costume and film to the stage. Renowned for tackling pertinent and challenging subject matters, RKDC’s latest work is timely in the context of ‘fake news’ and ‘alternative facts’ as it explores how easily fact and fiction can get tangled. Born in Scotland, Rosie Kay is one of the UK’s leading female choreographers and is renowned for her athletic movement, rigorous research and intelligent theatricality. Kay, a research associate to the University of Oxford School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, choreographed the hit feature film Sunshine on Leith and is best known for the five star and award-winning 5 SOLDIERS. Also featuring in the team is sought-after designer Gary Card who will be designing his first costumes for contemporary dance. A set designer, illustrator and one of London’s most talked about talents, Card has worked with pop stars such as Lady Gaga, designing props and headdresses for her Monster Ball tour. His designs have also featured in the collections of Comme Des Garçons, Topshop, House of Holland, Nike, Adidas, Stella McCartney and Penguin. Rosie Kay had this to say about the show: “MK Ultra is the result of three years intense research, which have taken me through the world of surveillance, state police, torture and brainwashing, through to pop culture, mainstream media and celebrity breakdowns, all the way back to politics and a comment on the post-culturism state we are in now. Spending time exploring the deep rabbit hole of conspiracy theory took me into strange realms of CIA brainwashing, celebrity training and Illuminati symbolism hidden in pop culture. At a time when everything is fake, or at least we don’t trust what’s real any more, MK Ultra looks at what this world really feels like and what affect it is having on us, whether we know it or not. Be prepared for high-energy, high-octane dance, a mash up of dance styles, subliminal and secret messages, incredible video, light and costume visuals, music that wraps around your senses and a deeper, darker political edge. Be prepared, there is twerking.” Filmmaker Adam Curtis said: “Over the past twenty years millions of people have given up believing in the grand stories told them by politicians and others in power. This has created a vacuum into which have rushed all kinds of strange and bizarre stories about the hidden forces that are really controlling the world. I find them fascinating - because, on the one hand they show how in our chaotic and uncertain time people are desperately seeking evidence that someone, anyone, is really in control. But at the same time people also hate the idea of control - because everybody these days wants to be an independent, free individual. And I think it is the tension between these two - the desire for control and the desire for freedom - that leads to such strange and bizarre stories rising up. I think Rosie’s idea to explore this strange world is brilliant. Because it is a way of looking at how people really see the world today. It’s a way of looking behind the shiny surface of modern society - a surface that the politicians and their journalistic allies are desperately trying to hold in place - and seeing the real tensions and anxieties that are actually shaping how we feel today.” MK ULTRA will feature seven outstanding dancers- Shanelle Clemenson, Harriet Ellis, Shelley Eva Haden, Lizzie Klotz, Joao Maio, Ryan Munroe and Oliver Russell. MK ULTRA is supported using public funding by Arts Council England and is commissioned by DanceXchange, Warwick Arts Centre & Birmingham Repertory Theatre. from the vileblog http://ift.tt/2rZUIb2

[gh0stlyfool]

Permanent Consequences Chapter 4

Static. That’s what the video held. Two separate screens, the main one was nothing but static while the other, a smaller screen to the lower right, portrayed a tall skeleton wearing a basketball shirt and cap. The skeleton spoke:

“Hello subscribers, and welcome to another reaction live stream made by me; Cool-skeleton, otherwise known as Papyrus!” Papyrus squirms in his chair to get more comfortable, “Today, I have received a video anonymously. It said to play it, so I will have all of you watch it with me!” He wears a large smile on his face, “So, like and subscribe. If I gain 10,000, I will do another reaction video earlier next time!”  He clicks a few buttons off screen to play the video.

*ding* -I literally live for these! Let’s get with the show!

Still Static.

It stayed like this for a moment before a man came into view, he was slender in size.

*ding* -This guy looks like a classic villain in every thriller ever-

*ding* -no kidding LOL

“Hello, Papyrus, I must apologize, but my pet has been a naughty thing because of you”

Papyrus gasps, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know my videos could cause such a thing. I’m sure it wasn’t that bad. Do any of my video really cause harm?”

The man moved out the way to show a small skeleton male in a personalized butler’s uniform and an odd collar around his neck. He looked frightened as he watches the man, “Come on, ye can’t be serious, Master. Th-This isn’t going to Paps” The smaller skeleton’s voice held an odd boston-scottish mixed accent.

SLAP

The man struck him against his cheekbone.

*ding* Papyrus wasn’t reading the comments anymore, “yes, I’m very much serious, and I will send this to Papyrus; I thought I taught you better.” The skeleton looks away, “…I’m sorry, m-master” “Very good,” the man straightens himself, “now, tell them what you have done. Or shall I raise your punishment? Perhaps you need more time in the room?” The skeletons eyes widened, “N-No, sir, that’s n-not necessary!” the man swiftly grabs his face, “I decide what is necessary, now tell him what you have done”, he let’s go of his face. The skeleton breathes harshly, facing the camera understatedly, “I-I tried to m-make contact with m-my old family, n-now I’ll be punished for b-breaking the rules.” The man smiles a toothy grin, “Good boy. Now, for your punishment~”

The video cuts to static for another moment. Papyrus looks up at his camera, hands clasped over his mouth, “That’s Sans…” He looks back at the screen as it cuts back to a different room. The room had a medieval tone to it as Papyrus’ eyes scanned it, “This place reminds me of that horror game I’ve played for you; Amnesia?”

The door opened and a different man came in dragging Sans behind him, dressed in an outfit much like Sans but personalized differently. While they were facing away from the camera, Papyrus could see the designs on the back. The back of the vests was pure silk, Sans being a faded blue, while the others was a vibrant green. Sans had what looked like icicles hanging from the top of his vest, with snowflakes sewn into the back and front alike.

The man pushed Sans deep into the dark room and closed the door, leaving the skeleton by himself. While this happened the from before spoke, his voice edited into the background, “I’m sorry for the poor quality, Papyrus, our security is a tad old”

Papyrus had  trained himself to respond to the voices coming from the speakers, though a tad annoying when watching a movie, he loved his subscribers too much to break this habit; and so, responded without thinking, “It’s fine human.”

The man came back with something in his pant pocket, “Master’s orders, take ‘off that top, don’t want to get it dirty now do we?”  Sans did as told, unbuttoning his vest and slipping it off, going for the dress shirt next. Papyrus worried over his cooperation, without a retort of sorts. As if of knowing Papyrus’ thoughts, Sans spoke up, rubbing Papyrus the wrong way with his Scottish-Boston accent, “goin’ a b’t fast there, aren’t we?”

Papyrus nearly laughed but just choked on it as the man slashed something at Sans. Only after sans was on the floor, clutching his arm in pain, does Papyrus realize it was a pocket knife.

Sans removed his hand from the injury and continues on in with his task of taking off the white clothes, “ ’m sorry, sir. Ah didn’ mean no harm” “Well, you did, hurry it up so ah can teach you a lesson you’ll never forget” Papyrus watches as Sans only nods and lays the clothes on the floor, “Alright, then”, he gets up. The man smirks with satisfaction, “get on your knees, lamb”

Papyrus watches, a sickening familiar feeling bubbling at his core, as Sans did as told once again, “Sans never listened to anyone, not like…this…”

The man take the knife by the blade, hitting the handle against the right of Sans’ skull, too close to his socket, “that’s one, how many did the boss say to give?”, he doesn’t wait for an answer,“d oesn’t matter.” He shoves Sans into the wall, “stay.” Sans doesn’t reply, only doing as told, “good boy”

Papyrus felt the feeling heat up and spread as the voice rings from the speaker once again, “understand, Papyrus? He has been a very loyal servant-” “Loyal? Yeah right.” “-until I found his journal-” “Which you probably stole.” “-which held some very interesting information pertaining his life and yours. Too bad he also wrote of plans to sneak out and run away-” “Can’t imagine why” It occurred to Papyrus that he wasn’t just acting out a fake conversation, but insulting and criticizing the men as well. This feeling was working his teeth without him realizing; this feeling of red hot anger.

A sudden yelp broke through his thoughts, snapping his attention back to the screen. Now the man had Sans blindfolded and was running the knife down his skull, around his clavicle, and along sternum. The man in green chuckled darkly, “I’m not even using the shape of the blade yet and look at you”. Sans whimpers as he felt the man crouch down, “Samuel, please, n-not That. Not with the cameras…” A smirk curls Samuel’s face, “why not? Scared your brothers gonna judge you?” Samuel turned the knife in his hand, the tip of the blade now hovering on Sans sternum, right where his soul was. “Be ashamed of you”, he added pressure onto the handle, creating a fine line oozing determination, dust clinging to the edge as he drags the knife lazily over his ribs, not enough to cause damage, but enough to be painful. Sans, meanwhile, learned from his first few punishments, and silenced his yelps and screams of pain. Samuel hums, “it’s been awhile, hasn’t it? You were going to get your name and everything~”

Sans shook his head, he knew what was coming. Samuel stood suddenly, “I’ll be right back~” He grabbed a piece of cloth from the table, along with a plain blue collar, “you looked so much better in this, when you first came here, gave us a real fight without that new collar of yours~” He walks back and tied Sans hands behind his back, “this wouldn’t even hold you. Didn’t know how boss did it with you, but he did; but you still end up coming back here~” He uses another piece of cloth to gag him, “do you like coming here, lamb?” Sans hastily shook his head until it hurt. Samuel reached down, leaning over him as he feels his crouch, “seems to me like you’re lying~”

Papyrus felt like, if he could, he’s throw up his breakfast. Could skeletons vomit? He was about to find out. “How does any living being find this amusing! WHEN I FIND OUT WHERE THEY ARE SO HELP ME!”

*ding*

*ding*

*ding*

*ding*

*ding*

*ding*

Papyrus growls, before pausing the video and turning to the camera, “I’m sorry, ok! This video is personal, I can’t help it if I get angry with this man! I will find him and get Sans back its-”

*ding*

“ARGH!”

He turns his attention to the chat box in near blinded rage before he stops, turning cold all over at the last comment.

-I have a name you know, that’s very rude of you

“…”, he was speechless, was this man really so careless as to comment to him?

*ding* -hello, “this man” is speaking to you

Maybe he is. He breathe through his teeth to calm his nerves, he can watch the rest of the video in  just a moment, he needed answers, “What’s your game, sending this to me?”

*ding* -don’t trust him Pappy, he’s trying to mess with you! It could be photoshopped!

*ding* -oh, but you’re wrong. Papyrus, that video is very real, taken not but a few weeks ago

Papyrus glares at the screen, “is Sans…”, he couldn’t say ok, he knew he wasn’t, “still alive”

*ding* -yes

“Does he know I have the tape?”

*ding* -yes

“is he still with you?”

*ding* -yes

“What’s your game? Why did you send this to me? Where is he? How is he? Why did you take Sans?”

…

Papyrus waits. It almost seemed like he wouldn’t reply

*ding*

There it is. Papyrus quickly looks over it.

-my my, that’s a lot of questions. First, it’s fun. I’ve lived for a long time you know, it takes a lot to humor this old coot. The tape was sent to you because you’re the one he talked about the most in his journal. I can’t tell where we are, at least, not yet. How is he? Very good, physically I mean, I don’t care how bad off he is in his mind. He could go mad for all I care, so long as he can serve me properly. Why did I take Sans? Oh, that’s right. It’s simple, because he’s a monster. He would be worth a fortune. But what good is a fortune anyways when you’re already rich? No, I’ll make him into my trophy.

Papyrus found it very hard to control his anger suddenly, gritting his teeth,  "and why, may I ask, are you telling me this, why are you contacting me in the first place?“

*ding* -because, it’s fun. Besides, I’ve needed to talk to you for some time now. Would you like the talk, just you and I?

He answered without thinking it through. He needed to milk as much information out of this man as possible, “alright.”

Moments later his phone began to ring.

—break—

Next: (soon)

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