#but honestly these ideas would be SO MUCH MORE impactful visually I need a budget of 50 million bucks please

[rawliverandgoronspice]

I spent half of my sleepless night as a little puddle of feelings in my bed, thinking about my child timeline alternative for descant ;_;

i want it to exist but it is so......... unpractical

[frostythefrostedfox]

Quality, or lack of thereof

According to Nintendo’s website, the screen of a Nintendo Switch is a “ Multi-touch capacitive touch screen / 7.0 inch OLED screen / 1280x720 “

What does that has to do with anything? Not much actually but it has to do with the quality of detail you are able to grasp and that the screen is able to put in for your enjoyment, a smaller screen always means that the pixels are closer to each other, so you might be able to camouflage certain details or lacking areas of your engine, this was specially true in older generations as we all know the age old tale about Silent Hill having fog because it was a way to fool players into not realizing the short render distance, and similar ideas and mechanics have been put into place for that reason, to camouflage the defects in the visual presentation of a game.

There are several mobile games, one of them being Genshin Impact, that need patches when brought over to PC so the resolution isn’t all blurry, pixels aren’t too wide and the game overally doesn’t looks like ass; older console ports such as Bayonetta, when released on PC received texture revamps to up the quality of the textures as it was now to be seen in screens that were much much bigger, with much much more resolution than what the PS3 and XBOX 360 were able to produce (Which, for the record, is 1080p and i), and as a result, the game looks visually pleasing and while in some areas you can see the ammount of time that has passed since its release, that is only in very specific moments, the graphical qality of the game still holds up today when put in the “good enough” quality, you know, is not ARMA III nor Forza Horizon 5, but is also not Dwarf Fortress nor Minecraft, it looks good.

So

My question here, and the point of this post, is

Why Sonic Team thought it was anywhere near acceptable to release a barebones Switch port of a game on all systems? And, inb4 “ThE gAme HaS GrPHiCooL DiFFeReNCEs BeTWeEn ReLeAsEs”, yes it does, I don’t mean things literally up to the last detail, but why the PC users have to suffer those overly stretched textures? Blurry-looking pre-rendered cutscenes, a laughable render distance, a particle count of “maybe”, why this game must lack normals and bumps on almost every single texture? Why the materials look like default unity assets? Why the density objects must be a poorly cropped PNG?

And if you think I am joking

That screenshot is my own, of my own playhtru of Sonic Frontiers, running at maximum everything.

Honestly, what the fuck is that, it looks like I am playing a PS3 game and not a game released in 2022. This game looks worse than games released more than a decade ago, which isn’t a problem by itself, but it also runs like one, which could be problem but my problem with all that is that this game is so adamantly focused on selling you the fantasy that this is a “next gen looking game” that it almost feels like an april’s fools joke that came in early.

Just look at that, again, another screenshot of mine, not even 200M away from the character and everything is already so skim in detail.

Is sonic team so incopetent that they can’t even develop a game for each of their planned releases, or was it another case of their so called “time constraints” despite having 4+1 years to finish the game and their “budget issues” despite no official budged numbers been released or mayhaps it was due to their “small development team” which doubles the numbers of other AAA games dev teams

I really don’t know the reason why, but I really can’t see someone that would see this and say “This is acceptable, this is good enough, this is a proper product that should represent my brand”

Again, why are we, all the players, forced to play a Switch port of a game instead of a properly developed game?

[connan-l]

All right, so now that I finally digested the final a little I have some random messy thoughts about Fruits Basket 2019. It got really long lol, but this has been stuck in my head for a while so I needed to get it out!

Honestly, it was a very good adaptation and I’m still in awe I was able able to see the whole manga animated. Fruits Basket is pretty important to me, as I read it for the first time when I was around twelve and it was definitely one of the series that impacted me the most — the way it tackles themes of cycle of abuse, loneliness, grief and moving forward still feel very special to me even now (I briefly wrote a post about it months ago after rereading the manga), so of course I was delighted upon hearing the reboot announced and for the most part, it didn’t disappoint. I’d never truly thought I’d be able to see characters like Rin or Machi actually move on screen in my lifetime so in a way it still feel surreal lmao (RIP to Komaki though). It was really refreshing to revisit the story in that way, especially given amusingly enough I am myself in the middle of some big changes in my life where I have to leave things behind so it felt sort of... well, I won’t say empowering per se, but quite encouraging and satisfying to watch Furuba, and especially its final, at this timing, in a way. It wasn’t perfect, there are certainly a lot of flawed directive choices that I question and unfortunately quite some important cut contents — but even at its lowest it stayed all in all good. I’m genuinely a bit stunned there are people who thinks the entire thing is worthless or a failure, because man, I have seen what a bad anime adaptation looks like, and Fruits Basket 2019 definitely isn’t one. Natsuki Takaya herself was clearly very invested and satisfied in that adaptation — I mean, just the fact she drew arts for every single episodes or for the season 3 ending really shows that I think. And while there’s a part of me who will always have a soft spot for the 2001 anime, there’s no contest that the 2019 one is the superior one and more representative of the original manga as a whole.

I believe some people really don’t realize how... uncommon it is to get such a consistently good-looking and complete anime adaptation for a shojo manga? Shojo really aren’t lucky in that prospect usually; they rarely get animated, and when they do they’re usually very bland or outright bad, or they get one short season of like 13 episodes that never receive any follow-ups — even shojo considered like classics tend to get poor treatment, unless they’re Sailor Moon of course or a long-running magical girls franchise like Precure (and even then we could have a discussion about the way Sailor Moon’s treated compared to say Dragon Ball for example, but that’s another topic entirely). So yeah it is quite awesome we were able to get this kind of anime adaptation that covers the full manga with good quality from start to finish, and I am so, so glad it exists and that it managed to revive and makes the series so popular again. (Hopefully its success means we’ll be able to get more good anime adaptation of shojo manga from now on!)

But yeah, that doesn’t mean there wasn’t problems with it and I also understand why some of the manga fans had issues. We were kind of hyped with the fact this would be a complete adaptation and in the end we only got a... sort-of-complete one lol. The art and animation stayed fine during the run (there certainly were some episodes that were uhhh, lacking in that sense, but that’s just how it is sometimes with productions and budget), but I admit I was a bit letdown regarding the direction, where it often seemed… a bit uncreative or heavy-handed. There was some very beautiful and smart shots here and there, but on the whole I really had an issue with the adaptation failing to actually take more ambitious decisions on its visual aspect, especially compared to the pretty pannelling of the manga — and when it did take these decisions it just was… kind of obnoxious and in-your-face, like the show is trying to hold the watcher’s hand (with unnecessary things like Kyo’s father record player derailing or the whole big ropes symbolizing the curse that often slapped you all over the screen, which usually just made me want to roll my eyes because of how annoying it felt.) Multiple people also pointed out the overdramatization of some scenes like the Kyo and Tohru’s confrontation at the end of season 1 or Akito and Ren’s fight which was, indeed, not very good and a weird choice. Fruits Basket is already a pretty dramatic show and these scenes are already intense, there was no need for such over-the-top theatrical display of emotions that only made them comes off as comedic. I’m probably nitpicking here but it also bothered me some characters’ expressions didn’t feel properly retranscribed (Shigure especially, whose characterization depends a lot on that, really suffered from this), or that odd habit of making some big panorama plans instead of focusing on the faces and bodies, which particularly sucks during emotional scenes (like the backgrounds were pretty I guess, but that’s not what was important here lmao).

Also that might be just a personal thing, but can I point out that the openings were pretty disappointing to me... They're not bad, but they all looked so... bland. The songs are fine but the rest feel so uninspired and it's kind of sad... I dunno, I wasn't asking for much but I just think they could've done more than just scrolling each character looking vaguely melancholic or making them walk randomly one after another :/ The endings have at least pretty illustrations and I'm okay with them (I liked what they did with Kyoko’s photo in season 3 too), but the OPs kind of feel as if they ran out of budget and ideas for them or something. I kind of feel the same with the OST as well, where they’re generally fine but were a bit lackluster, and sometimes… they were kind of played at bad times? I remember the Rin episode in season 2 were the music felt a bit out of place and took me out of the immersion, which is a shame cause it was otherwise a pretty good episode. But that might just be a me-thing here lol. The voice actors were awesome though! (The Japanese ones, at least, I didn’t watch any other dubs). I’ve said it before but special kudos to Maaya Sakamoto cause damn she’s so perfect as Akito, and Shimazaki as Yuki and Toyosaki as Rin truly delivered too. I didn’t know Manaka Iwami at all but I was really impressed by her Tohru, especially in season 3 — she really was good at capturing her character’s subtle emotional turmoils (I think she makes a better Tohru than Yui Horie too, although I admit I missed Horie a little lol.)

Anyway, on the topic of lack of ambition, that might be an unpopular opinion but there’s also the fact that I’m sad they didn’t actually... try to change or add more original scenes. By which I mean, obviously we had some changes, but not ones that were really interesting (when they’re not actively detrimental to the story). For example, I was really hoping that we’d be able to get at least one original episode focused on Ritsu (and Mitsuru too why not) in season 2 or 3, or on Kagura or Kisa; I dunno, it would’ve been a good occasion to give something more to the characters that got sidelined in the original manga, or add some moments that would’ve been nice to develop like about Akito post-cliff confrontation, but we never got that. And well, that makes sense now that we know they seemingly had an episode restriction (at least on season 3), but, yeah, that’s still a shame. Honestly in the end Ritsu’s character made even less sense in the anime, because like, it was nice they tried to adapt his introduction episode so that it feels less “you have to adapt to gender norms to feel better about yourself,” (the gender non-confirmity is definitely one of the bits that aged the less well in FB) but then they still made him cut off his hair and give his feminine clothes to Kagura at the end so why lol. (And speaking of his episode introduction, I dislike that they cut off his conversation with Tohru after the suicide attempt, not only for Ritsu but also for Tohru cause it is one of the small instances bringing up her issues that is set up early on and that is crucial to her, but I’ll come back to this later.)

And now about the biggest problem to me being, the cut content and episodes rearangement. So, just so we’re clear, I definitely don’t think an anime adaptation needs to be a page-by-page adaptation of the manga to be good. Every decent adaptation needs to have changes, and the ones that tries to just follow the source material without any heart often tend to get pretty bad. So changes are good! Cut content are needed sometimes. But in Furuba 19, it really... wasn’t the case.

And the most unfortunate thing being that the one suffering the most from this is the show’s main character herself, Tohru.

So, obviously other characters also got done dirty by this; Yuki and Machi’s relationship was so incredibly shifted in the background and rushed it’s almost funny. I’m one of the people who thinks that, while I do think they’re cute, I definitely agree on the fact their relationship was a bit underdeveloped in the manga — and that Machi’s character especially suffered as a result by being a bit reduced to just "Yuki’s love interest" when she was a character with so much more to offer (and as a whole I also tend to agree with the fact that Yuki probably didn’t need a romance at all and that his arc is more meaningful while focusing on his platonic relationships, but that’s another topic entirely) — but man, if the manga already underdevelopped them, then ohhh boy, the anime just completely dropped the ball. It feels very odd because to me it seemed like season 2 was taking their time with setting them up, so if they knew they had only 13 episodes for season 3 then they should’ve started the changes there; instead we got 1 nice Yuki/Machi/Kakeru episode, and then it’s like "Yep, they’re in love, just trust me." (It does makes me wonder if season 3 wasn’t originally supposed to be longer but then got restrained because of budget or covid or something…) Kakeru also very much suffered because of them cutting off his girlfriend and his complicated relationship with Tohru… Now, to be honest, I’ve always found the Kakeru/Komaki/Tohru subplot pretty... contrived and useless, and Komaki’s not so much a character more than a device for Kakeru’s development, but it does have some good moments relevant to the story’s themes (I like the ‘‘you can’t play suffering olympics with people’s pain’’morale) and it is important to his character (and Komaki is cute, I admit), so it was still sad they shafted it entirely. (Also I kind of like the tense relationship between Tohru and Kakeru. The fact they both seem to not appreciate each other even afterwards feel sort of refreshing even if it’s never explored unfortunately orz.) I was still surprised they didn’t actually try to make a Komaki cameo at the end? Cause I think it would’ve fitted and Kakeru’s girlfriend had already been mentioned in season 2 but... for some reason they... didn’t. (Mayyybe we’ll get an OAV like with Kyoko and Katsuya? Who knows.)

One scene that was skipped/rearranged that I’m very bitter over is the whole Tohru/Kagura confrontation and Kagura/Rin scene — it might not seem like much, but the moment of Tohru refusing to forgive Kagura is very important, and I was pretty annoyed they turned Rin’s trauma response to Kagura’s violence and her subsequent apology/hug to a gag, it legit felt tasteless. The Tohrin scene they removed at the very end too was frustating; it was great they managed to fit in the "Rin doesn’t want to forgive Akito" bit at least (I was afraid they’d cut it off entirely), but it was so essential for her to say to Tohru, not to Haru and Momiji (plus the way they put it in felt very random and awkwardly placed there, when they were initially talking about Tohru before orz). OH AND the Akito/Hana friendship too! Yeah I know it’s not a Big deal but I absolutely love the little glimpses of their friendship and it’s very important to me so I’m disappointed over them not including the ‘Ah-chan’ scene… (It was kind of weird that the show sort-of implied Hana and Kazuma got together too cause that’s… not the vibe at all from the manga… oh well.)

Most people I’ve seen generally only bring up season 3 regarding the cuts/rearangement because it’s the most obvious and the biggest offender, but I personally think there were already problems with season 2 and 1. At first glance I didn’t have much issue with some of the rearrangement, because early Furuba can indeed be pretty episodic, but thinking back on it as a whole I think it might’ve been better to leave some stuff, like Hana and Uo’s episodes for example, to season 2 (I do wonder if they did this specifically so the reboot would offer original content and differ from 2001 early on...) and cut off other not-so-important things from S1 & S2 — because as a result season 2 kind of suffer a bit by being The Yuki Season, which, for as much as I love Yuki, did end up being a bit annoying and made his development feel less natural and gradual, as well as the fact it sidelined the other characters a little and left them with not much conclusion in its final. So this added to how much they ended up cutting in season 3, it makes the show as a whole feels really unequal. I think they did overall a good job in season 3 with what they had, and they really nailed some of the dramatic and Kyoru moments (the sheets scene, cliff confrontation and post-hospital confession were practically perfect), but it is a shame that it ended up as an extremely marathoned emotional roller-caster rather than a more well-paced watch that we would’ve had if it had been 20 or so episodes. (I know others argued that season 3 was what it was because there wasn’t enough content left to cover for 22 or 24 episodes, but I disagree and even if there weren’t, it would’ve been the perfect occasion to add original episodes then. But I think it was more of a budget and Covid issue personally.)

But anyway, all of this isn’t actually what I’m the most annoyed with (and YES that’s a already a lot lmao), those are stuff I can live with, but like I said earlier the most problematic is what they cut off from Tohru’s character. And that indeed includes her parents’ backstory.

So, just so I get this out of the way; yes, I do understand why people were relieved to not see Kyoko and Katsuya’s relationship play out on screen, and yes the age gap and teacher-student thing is creepy and I do kind of wish it hadn’t been written that way. (Though I was a bit amused by people who thought we didn’t get the backstory because of the questionable age gap when, uh... you know I very much doubt the anime industry has an issue with that. Like, to start with, we wouldn’t have had Uo and Kureno’s romance if that was the case (even if Uo and Kureno is less problematic, it’s still the same basis of a underage high school girl/20+ adult man relationship), and second there was a literal romcom anime about a high school girl and an adult man that was broadcasted at the same time as Furuba season 3 lmao. So nah, it wasn’t there the problem to them, it was just time and episode restriction, which was pretty much confirmed with the announcement of the OAV focused on them.)

So, Kyoko and Katsuya is definitely Problematic and I agree on their relationship being uncomfortable; however, I’m a bit baffled that people were literally cheering on not having that part in the show, because it is... it is not just like a small bit of family trivia, it is Extremely important and actively essential to Tohru’s character and Fruits Basket’s themes and narrative as a whole. It’s very important to understand Kyoko’s character, of course; to humanize her and finally present her as a very flawed person and not just the idealized mother that Tohru project upon her, and it is extremely important simply to understand Tohru herself as well; to understand where her way of thinking, her trauma and attitude stems from, and this in a way that just isn’t possible to see with the little fragments of that flashback we got or the bits of Kyo and Kyoko’s interactions.

See, Tohru’s character is principally constructed around two things; her grief over her mother and her almost-pathological selflesness and people-pleaser needs that comes from her abandonment issues and loneliness, and her arc is very much about letting go of both of these things and finally moving forward and letting her life change. There’s this perception of Tohru I see sometimes that she’s not a very interesting character especially compared to others like Yuki or Kyo, or that she ‘‘stays the same kindhearted, naive girl from start to finish,’’ and while I deeply disagree with this I know where it comes from. The thing with Tohru is that she is firstly an extremely emotionally repressed character, and so a lot of her depth and development is made through small, gradual details scattered throughout the manga. It’s done in such a way that except for some obvious scenes those small, apparently insignificant moments are easy to miss or disregarded, and unfortunately it is a lot of these details that the 2019 anime cut, or rearanged in a way that feel less impactful or makes less sense; such as, like I pointed out earlier, her conversation with Ritsu after his suicide attempt. As I’ve seen others point out, this result in altering Tohru’s portrayal and rendering her character mostly about her romance, undercutting and downplaying all of her small, subtle character moments and developments, and miss a bit the second part of the story where the narrative actively challenge the ‘savior/therapist/mom’ that other characters and Tohru herself projected upon her.

And as a result it also means undermining things like her parallel and relationship to Akito, which idealistically should’ve been slowly built up throughout the last season but because of how rushed season 3 was in the end felt a little flat. (Akito’s character in general had some issues also because of the unequal pacing and rearranged scenes, though admittedly I think this was also an issue present in the original manga.) Kyo’s character and his romance with Tohru is the one element that managed to get out of this mostly unscathed (although Kyo also does suffer a bit from it), but because of what was removed from Tohru’s character it still inevitably impacted them by making their characters as individuals lacking. It’s not like it is a complete failure, mind you; I think the anime at least did a decent job at showing Tohru is Not Okay even at the beginning in season 1 (they certainly did a better job at it than the 2001 one lol) and managed to roughly portray her issues well enough overall, but it is just… lacking in the subtlety and nuances that, to me, makes her character and writing really special and unique.

(This post explains what I’ve tried to say here in a much more eloquent and better way that I ever could, and this all put into perspective what I basically love so much about Tohru and Fruits Basket in general.)

And, you know, it would’ve been sad but comprehensible with any other character, but here we’re talking about the story’s literal protagonist, which is why it is the part of the adaptation that makes me feel the most bitter. Tohru and her story is truly amazing and well-written, the thing I was looking forward to the most with this reboot — and while I do understand the episode restriction and I do believe they still did their best with what they had — her arc still deserved to receive a full proper adaptation, not a kind-of-half one.

So, yes, I am at least glad they’ll adapt Kyoko and Katsuya’s story in OAV, but the fact that it will never be included in the actual main narrative is still actively detrimental to it, and it will never have the same effect that if it had been played out before the Kyoru sheets scene where it should’ve been. (I hope they also won’t cut the fact that their story is narrated by Kyo, because that is also a very important detail for both Kyo and the story, but I have the feeling they will…)

Welp, that was quite a long, messy rambling. Not sure if anyone will actually read all of it but if you did then congrats lol. I feel in the end I’ve been really harsh and negative with the reboot… I do love it a lot! If someone asked me I would wholeheartedly recommend it (though I guess I would still argue to read the manga first if you really want to experience the story in all its nuances). I think they truly did an impressive job — even with season 3, which a lot of its episodes were beautifully done and did make me tear up a few times lol. I’m just sad it couldn’t actually offer a better, more nuanced delivery of the story’s depths and of one of my favorite manga protagonists that means a lot to me. But that’s an adaptation that so many fans wanted for years and I’m happy and grateful it’s here cause Fruits Basket deserved at least that much!

[noddytheornithopod]

top 5 video games?

(For this)

I’m going to list five franchises and list specific games there because I’d feel bad if I let one take up the majority of space here. In no specific order besides maybe how easily they come up in my mind right now:

Danganronpa: No surprise to anyone who’s known me over the past two years. Visual novels watching a dwindling cast of characters as they’re all murdered was not something I ever expected to get into. Even if there’s some very obvious problematic stuff, the engaging story and characters sucked me in completely. The main trilogy of games are all pretty close in terms of how much I love them. Even if I have a very special place in my heart for the original Trigger Happy Havoc (particularly because Kyoko Kirigiri is still probably my favourite character in the series, but also because it had to set up this entire world and has a level of groundedness and realism to it that makes it stand out), my favourite is definitely V3: Killing Harmony. Favourite cast, favourite score, favourite trial (THAT FIRST TRIAL WILL FOREVER HAUNT ME AND BREAK MY HEART), my favourite... almost everything. Some of the art is a bit wonky and there’s of course the usual problematic missteps (*shakes fist* Angie!!!!), and the third trial is ironically one of the weakest for me, but when it hits, it hits HARD. Still not over stuff like the impact of Kokichi Oma and the game’s ultimate twist and what it ended up meaning for basically everything.

Little Nightmares: Anyone paying attention to my tumblr may have noticed this crop up occasionally on my blog. I pretty much got into this on accident, an artist I followed was streaming the first game, and that subsequently reminded me of seeing it on a YouTube I follow and liking how the game looked there. Not one for straight up horror usually, but I appreciate more atmospheric stuff like this. Of course there’s the usual very sus things you expect from the genre (seriously, did a fat person hurt someone at Tarsier Studios???), and I will say that I’m not used to puzzle solving that involves a lot of lateral thinking so that did annoy me sometimes (or maybe I just suck with my aging mid-twenties brain lol), but I’m really happy to have a horror experience that isn’t soft on you but also isn’t overwhelming and indulgent in things like gore and jumpscares. I also like the world that’s been created, especially after Little Nightmares 2, which is easily my favourite of the games. Why? Well, besides just naturally evolving and improving from the first game, the story hits a lot harder. I went into the game expecting scary times, but I came out utterly heartbroken and stunned at the twist at the end and all of its implications. It’s all very abstract, sure, but I think that adds to the power of many of these moments.

Crash Bandicoot: Probably the franchise that’s stuck with me the longest, playing these games is almost like second nature to me. I definitely think the cartoony nature of the games and their wide cast of characters helped draw me in, too. My favourite is probably Crash Bandicoot 2, I feel like it was expansive and varied enough while not going as overboard with stuff like vehicles. That being said, I definitely think Crash Bandicoot 4 is rivaling that position, it manages to keep that classic gameplay while escalating pretty much everything in a way that I appreciate. Also have to say I love Crash Team Racing, I’m especially happy with Beenox remaking the game. The original trilogy and the newest Crash 4 are probably the most polished games for me out of the main ones, but I also have a soft spot for Mind over Mutant, which I know is blasphemous to many fans, but I just really like how the game utilises the characters and humour there for the most part, and it’s surprisingly good at worldbuilding and tying to the rest of the series despite on the surface appearing very different.

Spyro: Yeah, given my interest in Crash it’s not a surprise I like the Spyro games, being a sibling franchise in a sense. The games are just really easy and fun to get into. Well, the original trilogy anyway. Everything after it is... something alright. I actually think the Legend of Spyro games are probably the best we got after the original trilogy, because they at least were willing to do their own thing. Dawn of the Dragon was frustrating to play, but from what I understand it was even more rushed and had more budget issues than even the others in the trilogy so yeah. Favourite Spyro is definitely Year of the Dragon. It’s a nice midpoint between the first two games even if overall it’s basically Spyro 2 but done way better. People see it as a rehash and running out of ideas (and I mean the latter wasn’t true, that’s why we’re playing as a flying penguin and space monkey as part of a larger cast of characters lol), to me Spyro 2 has just a lot of issues that 3 is honestly just what the game would be if it were more polished and thought out. I definitely have a soft spot for the original Spyro the Dragon too, sometimes simple treasure hunting and dragon saving is all you need, and it probably has the most fun exploration to it.

Ratchet and Clank: Spyro came from Insomniac games, so when they dabbled back in platforming, I eventually found Ratchet and Clank too. Hybrid platformer/third person shooter with ridiculous weapons and gadgets? Sold. Favourite game is honestly a hard pick. You can tell in the PS2 era they were trying to figure out what exactly they wanted to be, so the Future games definitely are more polished overall in terms of gameplay. Even with this, I really like the PS2 games, they have a satirical edge to them (well, ignoring whatever 3 thought satire was lol) and the first two games having more platforming is really cool. If I had to pick a favourite it would probably be the second game, it was the first Ratchet game to really lean into the weapons more. Even so I really like the first game being quite unique (and it probably has the best story in this era), Deadlocked while at first was a bit too edgelord for me has really grown on me with really honing in on specific things to focus on, and well Up Your Arsenal even if I find some things about it weird (mainly in terms of story) it’s still a really fun game that solidified what the second created. I’m not as into the PS3 and beyond games from a story perspective, but like I said I do think the games are more polished overall. A Crack in Time is definitely my favourite, mainly because they got the story to work best out of the new space opera tone the Future series was going for (nonsensical time travel rules aside). It also has probably my favourite boss in the series, the final one really surprised me when I first saw it and it still sticks out in my mind. Also have a soft spot for Into the Nexus, which even if it’s too short and probably a bit undercooked (eww low framerate) has a really unique tone to it that I’d love to see returned to someday.

[kpoptimeout]

Top 10 Most Underrated K-pop Songs of 2020 (Idol Edition)

2020 was shit. But oh boy, at least the music was good.

And it took us a good while to decide on these lists.

Continuing with the K-Pop Timeout Tradition (see 2019 Ver) of listing the Top 10 Most Underrated K-Pop Songs because all the other sites are just bothered with the Top 10 that pretty much everyone will have heard of/have fan wars over, below are our top 10 picks of songs that did not rank high but deserves your attention!

Like last year we have a separate post for Top 10 underrated non-idol tracks in 2020 and a list for the Top 10 K-Dramas in 2020 in our opinion, which will drop in the coming days.

Some of the artists have escaped the list in recent years to stardom (like N.FLYING, SF9 and OH MY GIRL), so hopefully, it happens again!

This is in alphabetic order NOT in the order of awesomeness because all of them are awesome. Also, all MVs are linked in the song titles because Tumblr won’t let me share that many videos in one post.

APRIL “LALALILALA”

APRIL is a very well-rounded girl group but their talents have been squandered by DSP’s mismanagement in recent years. With DSP seeming to try again and with member Naeun’s meteoric rise thanks to acting in webdrama hit “A-TEEN” and the internationally loved K-Drama “Extraordinary You”, “LALALILALA” seemed like the song to finally give APRIL the awards they deserve. Except it did not, which is an absolute shame because “LALALILALA” is easily one of the strongest girl group tracks this year. The futuristic synths and snappy drum instrumental made for a delightful pop track and reminded us of DSP’s heydays of churning out similarly pristine and impactful tracks for KARA and Rainbow. If you were a fan of past DSP girl group bops like KARA’s “Pandora” and "STEP”, this is the song for you!

Cherry Bullet “Hands Up”

Whoever thought of putting “Beethoven” and “girl crush concept” together should get a raise at FNC Entertainment because it worked. Sampling Beethoven’s famous piece “Für Elise” in different parts of the instrumental using different instruments ranging from synths to different keyboards, the producer was able to provide rookie girl group Cherry Bullet with a hip-hop heavy girl crush banger that is catchy and fun. Also, it is clear the girls of Cherry Bullet really enjoy this song, exuding confidence and charm in the choreography and overall performance. After a few listens, you would be nodding to this addictive song and body rolling to the chorus. If you are a fan of girl crush songs, you have to listen to “Hands Up!”

Cignature “ASSA”

Honestly, we are annoyed with C9 Entertainment scrapping the highly talented girl group Good Day after merely one song and their relatively strong run on KBS’ “The UNIT” and re-debuting only some of the girls in Cignature under their sub-label J9. However, we cannot deny that “ASSA” is a powerful track. It is many things at the same time - it covered the quirky girl group demographic with the cute and somewhat bratty sounding introduction where the girls seem to be talking and singing at the same time, then a somewhat mature buildup came out of nowhere with a more raspy and charismatic delivery on the vocals front before an aggressively girl crush drop begins the chorus carried by the members feeling themselves (specifically their hair) with attitude. If you love the quirky sound of fromis_9 and Oh My Girl but also want some OG girl crush energy like 4MINUTE, “ASSA” is your song!

CSVC “No Mercy”

Okay, CSVC is not really an “idol” group in the traditional sense. A project group made up of 4 indie artists (CHEEZE's Dalchong, Stella Jang, Lovey and Park Moonchi), CSVC tries to recreate the 90s girl group sound of legends like S.E.S, Fink.L and Baby VOX and we are here for it. Not only do all four members have the pipes to carry the early K-Pop sound that has heavy RnB influences, they went all out in the song production with the retro reverbs littered throughout the track and new jack-swing inspired intro. The MV was also a love letter to 90s K-Pop girl groups with the intense use of flares, extreme use of lighting, the “futuristic” sets seemingly made of tin-foil and the members all donning all black or all white outfits. If you are a huge fan of 90s K-Pop, CSVC’s “No Mercy” is the song for you!

ELRIS “JACKPOT”

Honestly, we have no idea what the hell HUNUS Entertainment is doing with ELRIS but even with the mismanagement, they continuously give ELRIS great songs and “JACKPOT” is easily one of the best girl group songs of the year. It builds up from silky vocals to strong rap, which is followed by wonderful harmonisation before we dive into a two-part chorus which made use of the members’ strong vocals as well as gave us catchy moments to sing along to. The music video is also a delight, with the girls dancing on a stage built to look like a roulette. The addition of the 2 members also made ELRIS’ already powerful stages even more impactful. We have been hearing rumours of disbandment but we hope it is not true. If you want to listen to the definition of a well-rounded and fun K-pop girl group track, ELRIS’ “JACKPOT” is THAT SONG!

IMFACT “Lie”

IMFACT is truly a strong boy band with great vocals and strong song production skills of their own yet they CONTINUE to be SLEPT on. I mean being managed by Star Empire Entertainment does not help but it is ridiculous how little domestic and international support they have. They have a distinct sound which they continue in “Lie” - electropop infused with K-Pop song structures and a generous use of unique drums patterns. If you love electropop and K-Pop, it is time to stan IMFACT and check out this amazing song!

NATURE “Girls”

Maybe n.CH Entertainment go a boost in Mnet money after taking on the job to manage TOO after Mnet’s “To Be World Klass” show because their budget really went up and it shows in NATURE’s “Girls”. This song is truly a masterpiece. The chorus is like what you would expect of a club banger EDM track but the verses are made up of clean vocals exhibiting anguish and longing over a relatively simple beat and the bridge was orchestral instrumentals mixed with the drumming of a marching band and the loud chants of the girls. The music video is also simple yet haunting. If you like the darker tracks of 9MUSES and RAINBOW like “Sleepless Night” and “Black Swan” but also the electronic sound of Berry Good in “Don’t Believe” days, this is the song for you for you!

ONEWE “End of Spring”

We need more bands making it in mainstream K-Pop and ONEWE’s “End of Spring” gives us another reason why we think so. “End of Spring” is a breath of fresh air in this year of mainly 80s retro dance tracks and hip-hop heavy pop songs in the K-Pop world, as it instead went for a pop rock sound more reminiscent of American pop rock acts like Train in “50 Ways to Say Goodbye” and One Republic in “Counting Stars” but with a dose of the energy in a teen summer party. If you enjoy a fun pop rock song, ONEWE’s “End of Spring” is the song for you!

OnlyOneOf “dOra maar”

OnlyOneOf is a rookie group with a lot of potential given their heavily alternative RnB and overall escape room-esque sound. They had many great songs in 2020 with wonderful music videos but our favourite here at K-Pop Timeout has to be the MV-less “dOra maar”. This laid back and smooth song showcases each member’s unique vocals and sounds more like a top Korean RnB artist experimental collaboration than a K-Pop boy band song. Also, it is always fun to see K-Pop artists take inspiration from art and culture of different countries (the titular Dora Maar is a French photographer and the lover of Pablo Picasso). If you are mostly a Korean RnB fan, OnlyOneOf’s “dORa maar” might be your gateway drug into the idol scene!

Weki Meki “COOL”

Fantagio seems to be a bit unsure about which sound to give Weki Meki, as the group swings between aggressive and catchy girl crush songs to more generic cute summer songs like a pendulum. They should really consider keeping Weki Meki with the sound they found in “COOL” because the girls really carried this supermodel runway power walk song with poise and confidence. While we have seen boy bands dabble in the runway model sound such as IN2IT in “Snapshot”, SF9 in “Now or Never” and KNK in “Sunset”, we have actually rarely seen girl groups going for this expensive sound. Additionally, the music video for this song is powerful, with the scene of the girls facing each other and vogueing in a long dark room being highly memorable. If you love power girl crushes or any of these boy band songs we have mentioned above, you would really like this song!

Special Mentions of Underrated Debuts:

There were many strong debuts this year and I would like to mention 2 underrated rookie groups to look out for in 2021!

Male - E’LAST “Tears of Chaos”

While more and more male groups are debuting with either badass or cute images, E’LAST decided to enter the K-Pop world with a highly orchestral sound. And the boys have the talent and visuals to carry such a dramatic and theatrical concept. Their label E Entertainment, also seems to have every intent to do the most for these boys, as seen in the production quality of their MVs. With these boys already dropping new material right now, you all should keep an eye on them! 

FEMALE - woo!ah! “Bad Girl”

With many strong female group debuts this year, you may have missed woo!ah!, from the small label of NV Entertainment. This small company in fact is led by SM China’s former CEO and this person certainly has an eye for talent because woo!ah! is a very balanced 5 member girl group that has a lot of potential to make it big. In fact, the group is beginning to develop an international following, with “Bad Girl” reaching #1 in the Vietnam's biggest music platform, edging out both aespa’s “Black Mamba” and BLACKPINK’s “Lovesick Girls”. They have already followed up with B-Side track promotions so check out these underrated rookies!

[ummaannex]

on art, activism, and how much instagram fucking sucks: a conversation with curator Eva Respini

For people my age and younger, talking about the internet is like talking about gravity. Omnipresent, widely accepted-- but largely impossible to understand, and absolutely inescapable. Though for myself and most of the people I know growing around it has been a part of our lives, this isn’t the case for everyone.

The museum’s exhibition of “Art in the Age of the Internet, 1989 to Today” casts a sometimes humorous, oftentimes bewildering, but mostly what I see as a withering eye at the internet’s constant assault on our everyday way of life. Its curator, Eva Respini-- the chief curator at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, where the exhibition originated, sat down with me to talk about what motivated and inspired the exhibition and whether we all really are as doomed as it can make us feel.

Sena: Can you tell us where you’re from, and a little about your line of work?

Eva: I actually don’t have a hometown. I had a very peripatetic upbringing-- I was an immigrant. I was born to an Italian father and a Norwegian mother who met in Thailand. I was born in Paris, and I’d lived in 6 different countries by the time I was twenty. I came to the United States for university, and essentially stayed. So I’ve lived my adult life in the US (though I am the only member of my family to live here) but really have come to where I am in my work and who I am as a person with a really global perspective.

Sena: As someone who’s had kind of this global upbringing, and with the internet being something that a lot of people view as pretty American, or western at least—what’s it been like to communicate how the internet has affected artists from a more global perspective in your Art in the Age of the Internet exhibition?

Eva: Well, the thing about this exhibition that was really challenging, is that so much could be included. My job and work as a curator is to select, and to give a platform to a certain number of artists. I’m bound by architecture, I’m bound by budgets, I’m bound by very real constraints of what I can show, what I can bring, what I can ship—and from a conceptual point of view there are many, many artists across the globe that would have been great, and still could be great in this topic, but I had to boil it down to what I thought was right for the context in which I work.

So the show is pretty international, I thought it was really important to have perspectives from a variety of different global points of view, and that’s to speak about how the internet is not widely available. It’s widely available in the US and most of Western Europe, but there are large regions of the world where internet access is not available for a variety of reasons…and there are certain works in the show that speak to that reality in one way or another—

Sena: Like the ‘Great Firewall’ piece.

Eva: Like ‘The Great Firewall,’ yeah— which is by a Chinese hacker, artist, activist, who made a work about those restrictive parameters around the internet in China, and made a fantastic piece which serves as almost a sort of…path to resistance against these restrictions placed by the Chinese government…But there are other artists who speak to the possibility of the freedom of the internet. For example, artists in the Middle East whose pieces speak to what happened in 2010-2011 with the Arab Spring and the uprisings there. Where different social media platforms and citizen journalism gave insight for those of us who were not on the street, allowed people to bypass traditional media outlets which were only broadcasting one point of view, and allow the world to see what was really happening.

Sena: So, building from that point—in your tour yesterday night you said that the exhibit wasn’t one of the internet, but about the internet. Can you speak a little more to how you think the internet is impacting how people engage, how we interact, how we organize—and what you think that means for where we’re headed?

Eva: I mean the internet has just fundamentally changed who we are—and everything about our culture—personal relationships, how we date, how we shop, how we eat, how we travel.. but I think also, more importantly every industry whether it’s manufacturing, research, academic work… has all been fundamentally changed by the internet.

And I think what we’re understanding now is that the internet is essentially a set of social relationships. It’s a sociopolitical construct, and that’s what I’m really thinking about with this exhibition…and that has not just changed our culture and how we live, but also how we see ourselves and how we understand ourselves in others. And I think most alarmingly recently, how we understand our reality and the truth. We’re understanding that the internet and the echo chamber bubbles that have been created by it, have far-reaching influences. Policy, politics, how people vote, or don’t vote, or aren’t able to vote. We’re understanding the more nefarious underpinnings to what—when the internet was first founded in the 1960’s, essentially was a more utopian ethos of interconnectedness and universal knowledge. Being able to share knowledge across this platform through space and time. I think we see now that this more utopic ideal certainly has not come to pass.

The flipside of that is that we also see a great deal of activism recently which has been given a platform through the internet. The #MeToo movement, Black Lives Matter—a lot of this activity was either started on or given a platform by the internet. So, in that sense it gives me a little hope too that there is still some sense of being a democratic place where anybody’s voice can be lifted.

Sena: A lot of the themes featured throughout the exhibit are centered around women—and I remember you saying that you wanted to make sure to center the work of women that have been kind of sidelined as the internet and internet culture have come to prominence through the years. Can you speak to that sidelining and how things may or may not be different now?

Eva: I don’t think it’s any secret that women and people of color in many fields, but especially in the art field have not had the due, or the visibility and platform that their white male counterparts have had. What I found in my research, is that in the mediums of video, photography, and digital media—there are a lot of women working. A lot of women working alongside men, but a lot of women also working quietly on their own, and without their due.  I think there’s something about those mediums—because they’re not the traditional mediums of painting or sculpture with their long history. To do them you don’t have to go to the academy, or the art school. There’s sort of a sense that you can practice those mediums in a way that may allow for a wider variety of practitioners.

I found that there were a lot of women who have been very prescient. Judith Barry, Lynn Hershman Leeson—these are among the women who I see as very key early figures who in the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s who were making really radical work which still feels contemporary even today…and that became a kind of theme that emerged—it’s not where we started but I think the internet is a space that allowed a lot of women to come and have a voice and a platform.

Sena: Pivoting a little—one element of the exhibit is this idea of performing the identity online and self-performance…I did a little research, and you have a sort of massive Instagram following!

Eva: *laughs*

Sena: Your page is pretty awesome by the way.

Eva: Thank you.

Sena: But with you existing as this sort of public figure—and one whose profile is growing, do you think you fall victim to those same sorts of traps of identity performance? Do you think you present yourself pretty honestly online?

Eva: You know it’s funny, because recently I’ve been thinking about quitting all my social media. I quit Facebook a long time ago, I quit Twitter, and I only have Instagram. And the reason I started Instagram is because I thought it was fun, I’m a visual person, it’s a visual medium, I enjoyed looking at it. It came out of a sort of genuine, personal place, like I think it does for most people when they started social media. It was about connecting and seeing what other people were seeing, and I think especially in the beginning, it was a very creative medium and still is—but it’s become very commercialized now. It’s all ads! I feel like whatever algorithm that’s organizing my feed is one that is making me feel less and less connected to the people I sought to originally connect with. So—I think it’s still a pretty genuine expression, I think at this point if it’s no longer fun for me, I’ll just…

Sena: Call it quits.

Eva: Yeah, stop. Because it’s not for me. It’s not about advertising myself. I get paid through my job—I don’t need it for revenue—so if it’s no longer fun that’ll be it for me.

Sena: Widening that lens a little bit, what was your relationship with the internet growing up, especially having lived in all these different countries and places. What sites were you on, when did you get into it?

Eva: Well I’m old enough to remember what life was like before Google, before smartphones, before social media.

Sena: The dial-up days!

Eva: Oh, yeah. I mean that noise...

Sena: It’s like burned into your brain.

Eva: Exactly! I think I only got a cellphone when I was in college—just to give you a sense of where I fall generationally. I still have that kind of memory of not pre-internet exactly-- but pre-internet in terms of the way we understand and interact with the internet now.

I was never particularly interested in technology, I was never a computer science person, I’m not a programmer. So for me the interest in the internet has always been through images and kind of social and political conversations. The social media stuff I was interested in like Friendster and MySpace, was all about “What bands are playing?” or “Who can we connect to?” It was much more about social interaction rather than coming at it from a technical background—something I do not have. And I think that’s a reflection in the show as well—that you can see my interest is, well how has this technology, how has this platform-- created these kinds of social relationships that exist currently and shape who we are as a society.

*this interview has been edited for clarity and length*

--For those who haven’t seen it, the UMMA is putting on an art experience centered around the exhibit tonight at 7-- there you can see more of Eva’s incredible exhibition and eat free food, so...

[marisummers]

Young Creatives of the DMV : Makiyah

Makiyah is a 17 year artist she describes her art as sporadic, chaotic, and neurotic yet it is the one thing that centers her. Her art looks like something of a summer dream with rich colors symmetry and whimsical expressions. This is represented in her fashion design as well as she created her own prom dress.In this interview we will explore what inspires her and why her pieces are all untitled.

 Me:It is such an honor to interview you what do you think is your signature style that ties all your art together?

I don’t really think that there is anything that can tie all of my art together visually. It’s more about what it comes from but could maybe tie it together. And by that I mean it’s really all from just a place of me needing to find ways to kind of bring myself together. A lot of times my brain isn’t very quiet and I have to tell myself to kind of cool down but I find that when I am in the middle of creating I don’t hear a bunch of noise in my head it’s kind of just straight focus.

Me: What is your favorite art medium?

 Well I love painting, the cleanup can be kind of annoying and I haven’t gotten to experience oil painting like I want to so I’m reserving my number one spot definitely for design and fashion. I feel like fashion is an art form which a lot of people don’t recognize the importance of. I like the movie the Devil wears Prada specifically for that monologue where Meryl Streep was explaining to Anne Hathaway why and how fashion is important and even the Mundane person's life. I like to believe that I’m not mundane but it still resonated with me because I can see the shapes and the contrasts but also the collaborations between colors and patterns that come from the runway and work their way into street fashion and every day life. It’s really something but I wish people would appreciate more and something that I feel like has always and will always have my heart.

Me:One of my favorite pieces by you is a sunset and people in all black with white outlines appearing to raise one by one at the sun. What was one thing you wanted all peope to take away from this piece?

Lol I think you mean the penguins but it’s interesting that you interpreted it that way. All my pieces are entitled so I understand how it’s not exactly super duper clear, but I saw penguins. I think the takeaway for that piece wasn’t anything too deep but I remember feeling like a common direction. Like when I envisioned it I could see and hear penguins and their footsteps and how they climb together and move together like a unit and in my mind it was just really serene but also really powerful.

Me: What does it mean for you to be creative?

For me being creative isn’t really being creative. I think being creative for a lot of people means thinking outside of the box and being different from the norm, but Like for me that is the norm. I hate that monologue that the sprouts twin dad where he was like “I’m weird I’m a weirdo“ but honestly that’s literally always been me low-key. I’ve never really had the option to be normal and a cheap set me to even try to be and I think people take me being a little bit idiosyncratic as being creative. Really what it is I think is that I see the world through patterns and shapes and colors like a kid, but I never Let that go like I feel like a lot of people do when they grow up.

Me: What inspires you and in what does your art express you?

 My biggest inspiration would have to be people honestly. I’ve always been a people watcher I think because it’s always been kind of hard for me to make friends so I’ve kind of gravitated more towards watching people and how they move in their patterns and just learning about them and as I’ve gotten older I’ve gotten to it not just watch but to actually listen to their stories and it’s always so interesting to hear how despite our differences, everyone is fairly the same. Me:How do you want your art to impact people?

I just want it to encourage people to express themselves more and not be so boring and afraid to go against the norm. I’m not saying that my art is revolutionary or whatever, but it calms me in it helps me and I feel like art does that for everyone and I just want everyone to be able to find the medium that does that for them.

Me: Do you plan on designer more formal wear or more casual wear?

I definitely like to design formal wear but to style casual wear if that makes sense. Like the other day I made an entire PowerPoint full of over 100 slides full of clothes that I wanted to buy and then another PowerPoint again full of over 100 slides, full of all the looks that I would make out of all of those clothes. But with formal wear it’s a different ballgame. Formal wear gets into couture Which is the pinnacle of fashion both to me and the fashion world. I feel like it’s there that the artistic side of fashion really comes to life because you can play with more shapes and silhouette and textures which are always interesting and you can really convey a message and tell a story I’ll do a garment which I think is really powerful. But then it’s not just something to look at it’s also something to wear and that’s kind of always been the fashion that I gravitated toward. 

Me: Given no limitations, unlimited budget etc. what would you create and why?

Given no limitations and an unlimited budget, I think I would definitely create a nonprofit where kids could not only go and use the free art supplies to draw and paint and create and sing and dance, but that they could also stay there to sleep. Part of the reason I think why I gravitated toward art so much was because I needed an outlet to kind of calm me after my home life continued to be so toxic. I can’t even say began, because it’s kind of always been like that. However, I know that people have it worse than me and rather than making some big art exhibit I think that I’d rather give other people a chance to find their hearts because I have found mine already and I’m finding it more and more every day but other people don’t feel like they have the opportunity or the means and I don’t think that’s fair.

Me:  If you could collaborate with any artist who  would it be?

if I could collaborate with any artist I would collaborate with Iris Van Herpen are you kidding me???? She’s amazing and the way that her clothes are both structured and flowing at the same time is both a contradiction and a collaboration which is a paradox in itself but I love that. Like it’s so powerful. 

Me: What is your favorite art period  and what is the last thing you want to let everyone know about you, your art, your passions , and inspirations?

I don’t know if I have a favorite art period to be exact. I know I definitely like stuff that has to do with the Catholic imagery for example the Sistine Chapel and frescoes and stuff like that. I absolutely love that stuff because I think it’s so light heavy but light at the same time. I think a common theme with me is like contradictions because I think I resonate with that a lot with the way that I think and go about the world. But I also like the art period That we’re entering now because it’s like we’re seeing so many different styles and so many different but similar ideas and forms of expression and it’s really just wonderful to meet to be able to see peoples voices. I know that might not make sense but like not everyone can speak with their mouth’s some people have to speak with their hands or their feet or any other parts of their bodies but so long as people speak because I love to listen. Something that I want people to know about my art and my passions is that they kind of drive me. Like art to me isn’t just painting or creating it’s also creating a place for other people to be able to create. Other than my contradictions I think my biggest theme is making a world where everyone feels like they have a voice and to me I think that that’s the greatest form of creation you know? Like doing what makes you happy but also trying to help other people also be happy so long as it’s not hurting anyone lol.

[minaminokyoko]

A Love Letter to Black Panther

Disclaimer: Y'all gon' get tired of hearing me scream, "WAKANDA FOREVERRRRRRR!"

Because I mean it. Bless this movie, man. This is everything I have ever dreamt of seeing from a black superhero with an all black cast. They couldn't have done a better job. This movie is a vision, fully realized. It's going to leave a very important impact on pop culture at large and I am so here for that. I've been a black nerd since birth, and to be given a big budget film with a 90% black cast that is backed by a studio giant is so gratifying I can see why some people left the theater in tears of joy. It's not that we haven't had black films before that did well. It's not that we're not giving credit to Blade for being a (mostly) successful film franchise with a black hero at the helm. It's all the elements lining up from having Ryan Coogler direct to grabbing actually African cast members to being marketed during the Superbowl--which is the most expensive ad time you can buy on television--to seeing an amazing integration of tradition, science fiction, and modern topics that are relevant to the black community. I sound like I'm overstating things, but I truly am so happy with how this film turned out. It wasn't a cheap cash grab. It was a genuine attempt to weave a story about African and black culture based around a whole lot of ass-whuppin' and I can't wait to dive in. Follow me, Wakandans.

Naturally, spoiler alert.

Let's start with the man himself, the King of Wakanda, T'Challa. First of all, I knew I'd love him since Civil War. Most people went for Tony or Steve and came out of that movie going, "OH MY GOD BLACK PANTHER IS THE FUCKING BADDEST I CANNOT WAIT FOR HIS SOLO MOVIE DUDE." We all knew he was a total badass, but what I left this movie with was a sincere love for the mercy and compassion he showed us in this film. It's very easy in a position with that kind of power to let it corrupt you and become jaded, but the gestures he made in this film were so lovely. I love that he was outraged by his father trying to erase history with what happened to his uncle and cousin. He was genuinely angry and hurt by it all and in the end, he showed so much kindness by letting Kilmonger see the sunrise before he died that it was honestly touching. I love T'Challa because he has such a big heart. It’s an incredibly important perspective to provide, as much of the world still sees black men as angry, dangerous thugs incapable of kindness. He has flaws as well, like his anger issues and naivete, and that's what makes his journey so compelling. It's very easy to write a royalty character as above it all, but that's why Thor: Ragnarok was so well received recently: they knocked Thor off his princely pedestal and brought him down to our level. We understand what T'Challa is going through even though we aren't royalty. He has a homeland to protect and a family to look after in his father's absence, much like we have our own responsibilities trying to tug us in a thousand different ways. I love that he challenged his father and brought about a new era, extending his help to the world. T'Challa is an excellent character and Chadwick Boseman did a hell of a job with him.

As a black woman, you know what's coming next. My girls Nakia, Okoye, and Shuri. Where do I even start? First of all, let me raise my fist for some lovely dark-skinned women getting the spotlight in a major superhero film franchise. Now, don't get me wrong--I absolutely freaking LOVED Tessa Thompson in Thor: Ragnarok. She slayed. But my heart is just bursting with pride at these beautiful badass women who are given weight, agency, and attention in this film. I have absolutely nothing against light-skinned women at all, but I do acknowledge that they tend to get roles easier than dark-skinned women because society still has this idiotic aversion to them because of the establishment's idea of beauty. It was such a rush to see each woman on screen having inner conflict and deciding what side of the line they would stand on. I love Nakia's stubborn nature and her hesitance to join the fray, but the second T'Challa was gone, she switched into spy mode and she did the damn thing. She saved the people who cared about her, she saved Ross, and she stood up for her country as well as the other people out there who needed her help. You are a diamond, Nakia. Okoye is probably going to come out of this film as the runaway favorite, if you ask me. I mean, Danai Gurira is already worshiped for her role as the amazing Michonne on The Walking Dead, but seeing her here, slicing and stabbing and beating the tar out of everyone while struggling with her loyalty to the Wakandan throne just gives me all the feels. I adored her sharp tongue and her grumpy frown and her impossible awesomeness. Then there's Shuri. I can't express my delight with her. She was such an adorable, witty addition to the team. I fully admit that I fell for the low-hanging fruit: the "WHAT ARE THOOOOOOOSE!" joke was hilarious even though I know no one over the age of thirty is going to have a single clue what she was referencing. I loved her calling Ross "colonizer." Shuri was throwing shade left and right and it was glorious. Furthermore, having her be the gadget gal of the film was brilliantly done. I loved her enthusiasm and her amazing tech. I loved that she bravely fought even though she was inexperienced. She was such a great character and I look forward to seeing beautiful little girls idolizing her mind and her strength in the future.

Kilmonger is definitely one of the strongest villains in the MCU so far. Most people ding Marvel for having thin villains, and that's not an unfair assessment. In my opinion, it's Cutting Room Floor issues. When you have to tell a story in two and a half hours, sometimes there's just too much content that you're excited to fit in and you just can't get it in there, so you take out chunks related to the villain to avoid the hero having an unsatisfying character arc. It's not a great idea, because then your villain isn't three dimensional and it can diminish the overall enjoyment of the film. Kilmonger is the answer to that problem. He had a reason for what he did, and while it wasn't an excuse for his cruelty, it definitely made you think about the fact that every good villain is a hero in his own mind. Kilmonger's plan even tempted someone in T'Challa's camp because it had a serious amount of relevance not only to Africans but black people all over the world. Wanting to stomp out oppression, especially in this day and age, is a trap I think a lot of people can fall into. I love the almost Shakespearean tragedy of it all, that maybe this could have been avoided if T'Chaka stayed behind and explained to the boy where he came from and that he had no choice. It probably wouldn't have worked, but just abandoning the kid with his dead father was ice-cold, and it's more tragic that it was done out of good intentions in T'Chaka's mind. I love that T'Challa sympathized with Erik and even offered to save him in the end. That has weight. That's excellent writing. I do admit, though, that Michael B. Jordan is definitely a young actor, because he was hamming it up pretty hard in certain scenes, but overall the kid did well with the role.

The costume design and scenery were just breathtaking. Man, I love the visuals we got to see. African culture is so vibrant and interesting. I'm really delighted knowing millions of people will get some exposure to all the different aspects and traditions it has to offer.

The soundtrack is killer. From the score to the tracks, it was done truly well.

Andy Serkis as Claw (although I don't appreciate the bait and switch, I can live with it; Marvel always kills their villains that are not Loki and even he is probably going to die in Infinity War). I knew he was an oddball in Age of Ultron, but damn, was he a complete nutcase. I appreciate how completely insane he was the whole time with no real explanation as to why. The simple glee on his face when he giggles, "I made it rain!" was just flawless. He might have the market corned for wackiest Marvel villain thus far. I'm sad that we only got to enjoy two performances from Serkis, but they were still entertaining as hell.

The action sequences had me floored. This is one thing I've always adored about Marvel films. The pacing is always excellent and they know how to wow you. If you follow me at all, you'll know one of the numerous reasons I hated the Justice League movie is that there was NO imagination in ANY of the fight scenes. Black Panther offers some of the best and most creative scenes to enjoy, from hand to hand combat to flipping cars with a fucking vibranium spear. I was cringing and twitching in my seat like I was playing a VR of Tekken, for God's sake. These fight scenes were so well done (though I will ding the film for lighting issues; the jungle scene suffered badly from that problem, as did at least one other one to my chagrin) and I loved everyone's various weapons and fighting styles.

MY BOY BUCKY AT THE END CREDITS YOOOOOOOO. I am infatuated with the idea that the Wakandans analyzed him and have been slowly helping him recover from being brainwashed and abused. It made my cold, petrified heart all warm inside when he smiled and looked out over the water. I just want Bucky to be happy, okay?! Leave me alone!

Well, I've gone on long enough, haven't I? I regret nothing, honestly. This is like The Dark Knight all over again: one of those rare instances when the hype for something was so crazy that we were sure it couldn't deliver, but not only did it deliver, it kicked the hell out of all expectations. I can't wait to see where the road will lead from here. My wish and hope is that this movie does so damn well that Hollywood opens its damned eyes and listens to what we have been saying since the beginning: we want diversity and we want it well done and we want it now. Stop relying on the old ideals of a market that we outgrew decades ago. Black people are just as complex and interesting as everyone else on the planet, and it's time you woke up. We've been doing it ourselves with all kinds of various projects from comic books to novels to short films and you can either lead, follow, or get out the way, as Jidenna once said. Your move, Hollywood.

WAKANDA FOREVER.

[coderealizeheadcanons]

Code: Realize Anime Episode 2 Review!

It’s a little late, but here’s our review of Episode 2 of the Code: Realize anime! As this post is long, we’ve placed this under a cut to save some space. We hope you enjoy it! <3

Mod S 

This past episode of Code: Realize honestly left me more concerned than relieved. I'm not necessarily saying that I think everything about the new episode was bad, but it really left me unsatisfied. 

To try and keep a positive note, I'll talk about some things that I did enjoy. Finis' exchange with Queen Victoria was quite enjoyable. She's absolutely gorgeous in the anime; even more than in the visual novel I think. It showed us what kind of character she's going to be, and it seems that they are focusing on the side of Queen Victoria that shows up in Victor's route. I honestly expected that, so I'm quite pleased. Though she is more of an antagonist in his route, Victoria receives far more character development there. I'm glad they are attempting to do her justice. Finis himself is still amazingly represented in the anime as well. 

The animation's quality has, the majority of the time, kept up. For an otome anime, I'm honestly quite impressed with how well it's animated. Usually, more widely popular anime have the best budgets and therefore have the best animation, so I knew that it wouldn't be the most beautifully animated show when I walked into it. But even still, I'm glad that it has received at least this much. In particular, I think Lupin, Impey and Finis are animated incredibly well. Impey actually gets to show off how expressive he is, and I love that. 

I enjoyed some of the small details that they did end up keeping in the anime: how Lupin stops Van from shooting Cardia (that is mostly the same), details about Cardia not having a human heart, Impey being a good cook, Cardia wanting to touch a loved one, Victor convincing Van to join their cause, and Impey's entire dynamic with Cardia. These parts of this anime is what really makes me glad that it's being made, and I hope that they continue with it as much as possible. 

There were a few changes that I actually ended up liking too: I enjoyed the fact that Victor was the one to explain that Cardia has no heart instead of a random NPC. It felt like a much more intimate scene to me, and I think it is good characterization for Victor. I also enjoyed the conversation Cardia has with Lupin by the riverside where she explains that she longs to touch someone she loves. I think it helped to form the relationship between the two of them. I would much rather have them focus on Lupin's route than just ignore all routes to begin with for the sake of the anime anyway. 

I was also incredibly disappointed in Saint Germain's introduction. His intro in the visual novel was a testament to his mysterious and whimsical personality, and I don't feel like they captured his nature at all there. And this might be a little nitpicky, but I was frustrated they did not show him praying before the meal they ate together. Saint Germain's entire character revolves around the idea of the Christian religion, so why ignore it? Probably not to waste the precious frames of animation. Even still, it's a disservice to his character. 

But, now I have to talk about what disappointed me. I don't enjoy how they changed too much of the outing Cardia has with Lupin, Victor and Impey. I would have enjoyed it more if the three of them had been together from the start, but I do understand that they are trying to focus on Lupin. The entire change to Van's introduction also frustrated me. It was far more interesting in the anime to watch his introduction via a crowd of screaming patrons and to chase everyone out into the woods, but I also understand the need to focus their time and energy (and budget) on other scenes. Nevertheless, Van's introduction was far less interesting than the visual novel's, so I was not impressed. 

And even though the animation is good, there are still some animation critique's that I have. Van Helsing's gun animations are kind of weak, but I think they're holding back the good stuff for the airship race, the train heist and the final confrontations with Finis. Yet, as it stands, I hope Van's animations can at least keep consistent. I also think that Saint Germain is not being animated as he should be. His character model seems a bit awkward in comparison; I think this may be because of how his hair is, and the fact that he is being shown without his cape. I can only hope that they fix his model soon. Basically, I think Saint Germain (so far) is getting the short end of the stick in this show. 

In regards to Episode 2, I feel less like this was Van's introduction and more like a quick attempt to shoehorn him into the story because they had to. I wasn't afraid or transfixed by him like I was in the visual novel, and I honestly do feel that they could have done a better job capturing those feelings. I still think it could have impacted me even though I've already played the game. 

Finally, I'll address some predictions. I definitely think that this will only be a 12 or 13 episode show and that they'll pick specific scenes to focus on each character's backstory. I think Van's will be soon, as Delly's introduction this Saturday. Victor's will probably be after that, followed by Impey's with the introduction of Nemo during the airship race. Saint Germain's will probably come in where it usually does during Lupin's route, with a bit more detail from his own route in regards to the Apostles of Idea. It will likely be an incredibly abridged version, but at least it won't be totally ignored. 

I'm no longer hoping for the inclusion of route specific scenes, save for Lupin. I'm also very wary of how much will stay the same based on what's been changed and cut short so far. I've done my best to abandon any expectations that I had originally as to try and enjoy my favorite franchise receiving more attention, and I feel like that might be the fandom's best course of action at this point. Episode 3 might be the nail in the coffin for me; I might just have to separate the game from the anime entirely so that I can try and have a fun experience. 

Until next time! 

Mod Cheshire

Mod S touched upon many points that I agree with. This episode did not do as I had originally hoped. My biggest issue with the episode was Saint Germain’s lackluster introduction. He’s a mysterious and exciting character, but the anime failed to show any aspects of his personality. Anyone watching the show without having played the game won’t know a single thing about it, which is a bit sad. They won’t be able to get as attached to him as we are. His animations are also really...off. His head looks way too big and his body seems super thin. He’s weird to look at.

Van’s introduction was at least exciting. I was hoping for Van to attack Cardia and Lupin in the middle of the fair, as opposed to an alley, but the anime is really pressed for time, so I can completely understand the changes. His animations are A LOT better in the actual show than they were in the opening, which I’m extremely grateful for. I’m looking forward to his action scenes later on! I hope they’re just as good as they are now.

Aside from that, this episode was rather bleehh. It had nothing exciting to it, and I really wanted to see more of Victor and Impey. We at least got to see Queen Victoria, which is fun. 

I’m really hoping the show gets better you guys. 

[iameverything]

A Conversation: Featurette

“Featurette are Toronto-based duo that was formed by singer Lexie Jay and drummer, Jon Fedorsen. Like their synth-heavy dream pop contemporaries Phantogram and Tove Lo, FEATURETTE are influenced by the emotionally charged, heavy hitting electro-pop sounds coming from Northern Europe and New Zealand.”

First off, you recently released your new music video 'White Rabbit' and its damn mesmerizing, from the colors, to the costume (the rabbit costume kind of looks similar to the rabbit that was in The Masked Singer) How has the reception been for the video so far? The reception has been spectacular! Literally the story behind this one was my friend Sharon and I were sitting on a couch and I asked her what could we do that would be one idea, easy to do, that would be super memorable and dark. After much spitballing we came up with grave digging - and the rest is history! People have seemed to really connect with our post apocalyptic/area 51universe we set up so I’m pretty stoked on that :) For a couple of dreamers with 4 hours to shoot, a minimal budget and a crew of 3, I’m honestly so proud of the video. It’s punchy and striking and hits all the high notes!

Are you guys subtly hinting at a Joey Fatone of NSYNC collaboration soon (He was the white rabbit in The Masked Singer)?!!!   OMG I’ve never even seen that!! I just looked it up how crazy!! We’re not, unfortunately haha! It was a dream all our own that I think landed in a very different space! Spoiler alert, the masked rabbit was Jon haha

What was the writing process like for 'White Rabbit'? What inspired it? One of the things that occupies the most space in my brain is the state of our planet right now. I’ve written political and environmental warrior songs before, but this has been by far the most impactful. Of course we masked it with some striking alien visuals to cast a wider net in the video, but really the concept was just about setting the scene for digging a grave for humanity. The lyrics for this one were just like writing poetry for me, it really flowed and came on quite fast - the song itself came together quickly, but then the production was obviously an absolute undertaking. It’s very involved. But what’s neat with that is the further we went down the *cough* rabbit hole *cough* the more inspired we became and the further we pushed the vocal recording. Some of those choirs we built for the background just stack up for days - the outro for example, totally inspired by production because we wanted to create extreme contrast to the electronic heavy-hitting production. The result was pretty striking, it’s something we’re really happy with.

The first time we met, it was an interview you did for JUNNNKTANK (RIP) 2 years ago, when you released the song '//Bang//'. It's been too long, how has it been going since then? RIP Indeed! So much has happened - it’s been fairly internal for us, we’ve been writing non-stop to finish up this album coming out in Jan, 2020!! To recap the year: We released Million Things and the cat-filled 90’s dance troop music vid to back that up in the spring, followed by some shows. Then came the single Don’t Know Me Without You followed by the GORGEOUS black and white music video, followed by a fall tour supporting that. Then came White Rabbit and the aforementioned music video for that which we paired with the sold out Mother Mother show at the end of our fall tour. What a blast!! Now we’re staring down the barrel of the release and I’m stoked!!!

2016 was the last time you guys released your debut album 'Crave' and I must say, as like any other fan, we are 'craving' more albums. When should we expect the next? How is that writing process going? Dude. It’s here - we are like WEEKS AWAY!!! January 2020, PREPARE YOURSELF!! Spoilers in my insta story RUN, DON’T WALK!! hahaha More teasers to come in the coming weeks!!

'//Bang//' being your last video you put out 2 years ago before 'Million Things', what was that like to go back into 'lets make a video' mindset after so long? And what was happening within the middle of that time fame between the two videos? I mean it was a *year and a half* before Million Things if you want to get technical (LOL)  but it was less ‘let’s make a video’ and more…  we’re back. In the middle we were writing the album we’ve been teasing all year - three singles this year, and we’ll give you one more along with the album in January - we’ve climbed a serious mountain! I’m also (pray for me) aiming to make another music video for January. Fun fact, I did the production design and wardrobe/makeup for all videos we put out in 2019 - really love making them so I hope you’ve enjoyed watching them!!

Considering we all change as humans over a course of two years, so four years being a bigger change, and you guys being artists, so having to adjust at a quicker rate to new music trends or ideas, how much of a change from style and writing can fans expect for the next album? The album coming is very like the singles we put out this year. We tried to show as much breadth as possible - Million Things being the ‘indie pop’ side, with lots of punch, upbeat, fun etc. and then we hit the ‘deep album track’ end of thing with DKMWY. That one was darker, moodier, heavily electronic but still in your face. More recently we showed White Rabbit which was like our ‘art track’ for the album. You can expect more in each category of those! We’ve got 9 songs, and we honestly cover so much ground, while trying to maintain our sound. I think the sonic place we’ve landed is very much still FEATURETTE, but louder. More confident, more to say, we found our voice. You know?

Whats the secret to keeping content fresh and not falling within the loop of same old or losing inspiration? Omg I’m not even worried about that at all - Jon and I write all the time. We have maybe 50 songs we’ve written that are either waiting in the wings, or just something we had to get out after a crazy session at 3am haha! I think when you write all the time you can find what you start to gravitate too, and then working to develop those ideas you can start to find things that work. And those even inspire new songs! We don’t see this as our job, so we never get tired of it, which helps keep it fresh for sure.

Speaking of new, you guys released another music video titled 'Dont Know Me Without You' and you mentioned in another interview it was darker than your last single 'Million Things', is there certain head space you guys have to be in to write those kind of songs perhaps seclusion? How has the reception been from Fans and even music execs to that single in particular with its dark undertone? It’s honestly the opposite! I have to be in the headspace to write Million Things because I’m *always* in the dark headspace haha! It’s not a bad thing I just naturally gravitate towards darker music and minor songs. I think you still need the upbeat side, but I think if you listen closely to the lyrics, you’ll find they are still super dark. The track might be upbeat and major, but the lyrics are some of the saddest I write to balance that out. We’re a dark electro-pop band, we like it moody and creepy. What’s super cool is now there are the Billie Eilish’s of the world blowing up, which opens up a window for all us ‘creatures of the night’ to crawl through!

You recently were on tour and ended your tour in Kitchener with Mother Mother. How was that to open for such a cool band? How did your tour go overall? Tour was great - absolutely fantastic vibes every night, we can’t wait to get back out there next year. Playing to large audiences though like the Mother Mother show - we T H R I V E on that. The more energy in the room the harder we’ll give it back. Doesn’t matter if it’s to 8 people or 800! We actually were able to write with Ryan from Mother Mother in the summer, so it was so great to follow up with a show with them! Amazing energy.

Whats the next tour you guys have planned? We’re cooking something up for 2020 - stay tuned!!

It's really cool and inspiring to see how far you have come from, singles like '//Broken//' to 'White Rabbit', as someone who has seen Featurette flourish  from more than just a 'feature' to open up for a bigger act, to the act itself and the main event on a bigger stage, I'd like to think 2020, is the year bands like Mother Mother open up for you. How much growth have you guys been through since coming together as Featurette and have you guys ever had to overcome any doubt in the past of continuing as a band? I think any person who runs their own business or project of any kind will have doubts along the way. It’s human to doubt ourselves, but for me, it’s what I take from those moments and what I can do with those feelings that spurs me forward. How can I turn that moment into a song, because it’s so relatable right? Artists especially - it’s like the wild west! When you’re independent, you have no idea what we’re doing, or if you're doing it right or wrong. Every ’next level’ you get to you just find out how many more there are to go. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and honestly I think we’ve found our stride. When we put out Crave we were literal babies. Like the first thing we ever did was come out with an album we made all by ourselves, completely independently. That’s actually mind-blowing to me now! We could have shopped that around, built a team, but we were like: Here we are! And I love that about us. Now we’ve gone away, thought about what we want to put out in this world, and made something beautiful that I couldn’t be more proud of. I have no idea where it will take us, but I hope to have you pose the same question in a year or two and be able to give you the most insane answer about whatever ’next level’ we’re on by then. In short, we’re in it to win it, whatever that looks like for us.

Lastly, lets play rapid fire with five random questions give the answer that comes to mind first If you were not called Featurette what else would you want to be called? Futurette - because that’s what everyone thinks our band name is anyway :p… I should buy that domain… Favorite current song that isn't your own? Petit Biscuit - Wide Awake Worst question you dislike being asked? Are you guys a couple? Mind yo own beezwaxxx ! Little secret fact about you guys not many know? Alternate passions to music: Lex - Crazy Plant Lady Jon: Hockey-aholic Whats next? ALBUM TIME GUYS - JANUARY BAYBEEEE!

[notperfectbutitsmine]

Wonder Woman (2017)

Tony Stark v. Bruce Wayne. Thor v. Superman. DC and Marvel are constantly being compared against one another and, in terms of films, audiences tend to gravitate towards one over the other. I am definitely guilty of opting for Marvel every time and keeping my expectations low when it comes to the latest DC release. And, to be honest, the likes of “Suicide Squad” and “Batman v. Superman” have done little to change that.

I recently decided to give “Wonder Woman” a go and, although it’s not perfect, it’s a vast improvement on its predecessors. My outlook on the franchise may be about to become more positive.

When their hidden island paradise comes into contact with the chaos raging in the human world, a tribe of Amazon warrior women are faced with a dilemma – should the secret they’ve been trying to keep hidden for centuries now be revealed? Princess Diana (Gal Gadot), convinced that by defeating the Greek God Ares she will end WWI and restore peace, leaves the island for the first time with an American spy (Chris Pine). Fighting alongside the men, she discovers the truth about her powers and the nature of humanity.

“Wonder Woman” presents a positive female role model in a genre dominated by male leads. She’s smart, confident, a strong leader and, most importantly, her actions aren’t determined solely by the men around her. Whilst Steve Trevor arguably makes her follow him on his mission, she chooses to do what she thinks is right and diverge from him many times. Although references are made to the suffragette movement, these are very brief and in some way insignificant. So, the message of female empowerment rests almost entirely on Diana and her impressions of the opposite sex. Initially demonised by the Amazons, men are considered the source of all the world’s problems and only useful for procreation, which plays on that initial reaction many have when asked what feminism is about. Through the relationships formed with Steve and his friends, Diana’s perceptions are altered and therefore the film’s approach to a strong female lead is too. It begins to reinforce that equality and cooperation between the sexes matters more than preconceived notions of which is superior.  Overall, DC portrays this female superhero in a generally positive way, yet how she is received differs amongst audience members. And it’s easy to see where each side is coming from. The film does make strides towards empowering women but, at the same time, some of Hollywood’s old habits are hard to break… 

The film has other good qualities, from its casting to the production value, but again only to a certain extent. As origin stories go, “Wonder Woman” feels relatively unique. The film starts in such a way that, until you reach the final scenes, it doesn’t seem like your typical superhero blockbuster. However, the film maybe falls into the usual trap of relying on big budget action to draw in audiences. It was almost as if the people behind the film felt that it needed to conform to everything that had come before. That’s not to say that the production value is not to be appreciated. There are some great sequences that are well-choreographed and have plenty of CGI to grab your attention. One iconic moment is when Diana ventures into No Man’s Land. The costume reveal and theme playing combined with the reality of the setting isn’t just about the visuals, but it’s certainly impressive to watch.

Casting in films like this is incredibly important. The comics already have a substantial following and everyone will have their own thoughts on what a character should be like. It’s a challenge any adaptation faces. For me, the casting was one of the highlights. Gal Gadot excelled as Diana/Wonder Woman and Chris Pine complimented her performance rather than taking anything away. There are also a few British actors who make an appearance and some were more pleasing than others. Ewen Bremner (“Trainspotting”) was a great addition to represent the impact of war on men at the time. His reluctance to shoot and need to find calm and comfort through music was indicative of those who returned home suffering from “shell shock” or PTSD. It didn’t just assume that everyone would walk away from events perfectly fine. Another familiar face worth mentioning is David Thewlis (a.k.a. Professor Lupin), a great actor who was perhaps let down a bit by the character he was portraying.

Indeed, something that the film really lacked was a credible antagonist. From the outset, we know that Diana is determined to stop Ares, the God of War, and Steve’s main aim is to prevent the German army from releasing a poisonous gas that could change the outcome of the First World War. So, audiences are initially secure in terms of knowing who the antagonists are. The film alternates between our heroes and the enemies, General Ludendorff and Doctor Manu, establishing them as the two sides of the war. Ares remains an unknown entity mentioned every so often to remind us that he exists or suggest that he doesn’t. The grand reveal of Ares’ identity was very anti-climactic and the established “baddies” were reduced to an afterthought. It didn’t really make much sense. Two possibilities are given – that Ludendorff is Ares or the war is the result of humanity, not a God – and these are both thrown aside. The idea that Thewlis’ character is really a God in disguise isn’t really eluded to at all as he has very little interaction with the protagonists. Honestly, I was a little disappointed. A good villain needs to be developed or at least mean something to the heroes in order to have an impact. Otherwise they might as well have chosen anyone. The time taken to present the doctor and her poisons as an important part of the story seemed almost redundant. Efforts could have instead been redirected to make the reveal more feasible. I mean, funding the first few days of the mission and then basically disappearing for the rest of the film isn’t nearly enough.

While we’re still waiting for a female-led Marvel film (e.g. Black Widow), DC has managed to somewhat successfully introduce Wonder Woman to audiences. The film as a whole is good, a few flaws can be found here and there but it’s still enjoyable. Marvel remains my favourite of the two universes, although now I feel more willing to watch “Justice League” and future DC films with an open mind. Hopefully this means that DC can only improve and not take a step backwards.

Jess x

[anniversary-magazine]

A Melancholic Photographic Journey — In Conversation with Charlotte Lapalus

Charlotte Lapalus is a Marseille-based photographer mainly shooting fashion editorials, portraits, landscape, interiors, and objects. Her captivating photographic style invites the viewer into a world of saturated colors and deep tones filled with mystery, beautiful scenery, poetic style, and serene portraits. Somehow lost in another world, her unique style and distinctive use of colors creates a certain melancholy and calmness throughout her work. Her strict use of muted colors adds a warm minimal aesthetic, that somehow erases or fades the perspectives within the photos, giving it a quaint expression. There exists a certain lightness to every look, as well as the models that often have these serene, dewy look, which catches light, even from the shadows. 

MH : You have stated, “French photographer until I find a real job” as the bio on your Instagram account. Distanced irony or the actual truth? What is the story behind it?

CL : I can say that my bio had a hint of irony, in the fact that I was a notary public after years of law studies, but that somehow deep inside I knew that this was not fulfilling my desire for creativity. I have always had this urge to create whether it was drawing, photography or painting and I knew that this was really what I wanted to do. I just didn’t know I could do it for a living and actually make a career out of it.

And in 2015 it all came together, I left my job, enrolled a photography school in Marseille and booked my first professional shoot 4 months after.

So really that is the story behind my bio, and for what is yet to come, people tend to say that you never know what I am going to pull out my hat next !

MH : Could you please take us back in time and tell us how and when you first become fascinated with photography?

CL : As far as I can remember, I have always been taking photos. At first it was mainly landscapes. It has been a work in progress for many years and it’s my love of photography and the different people I have met along the way that played a decisive role in my choice to change my professional path radically.

I found the work of Massimo Vitali and Raymond Depardon very inspiring when it came to landscapes. I thought that Raymond Depardon and Martin Paar work have a human dimension to them. Mainly the fact that their models play a real role in their pictures more so than Massimo Vitali in my opinion. These kind of artists inspired me to move from landscapes to models.

The work of David Hamilton and Sally Mann for example, have also inspired me in my approach to photograph models. For me their work give you a sense of fragility and sensitivity when it comes to his choice of shooting women models.

So all in all my transition from shooting mainly landscapes to shooting women models has been a natural progression. I find that as I evolved and grew as a photographer, I wanted to get closer to the women I was shooting, closer to their femininity and fragility.

MH : Does growing up in Marseille, and France in general, play any role or has it had an impact on how you create and tell stories?

CL : Probably but as I have never lived anywhere else I cannot really say. However the light and the melting pot of all the different cultures in Marseille is surely a great source of inspiration for my work.

MH : What are the basic requirements for you to create a good photo?

CL : I don’t have special requirements as such, but I think that in order to create a good photo, the prep for the shooting is key: the story telling, the location, the cast…

The most important for me is the lighting and the work around it, I spend a lot of time fine tuning it on a shoot. The team plays a huge role in creating a good photo too, working all together with the same purpose is my moto.

MH : Your use of saturated colors, deep tones and shadow seem to play an important role throughout your work. Can you tell us more about your creative approach to image making?

CL : I can say that I do have a real predilection for a certain color palet for my pictures, but I do not feel that saturated colors are that important in my work. I tend to work with warm colors.

I do feel that my approach to image making is considering the shoot as a whole. I think that it comes with good prep to the shoot, from finding the perfect location, to casting the best model for the job and the choice of the stylist. So in that sense, I really see the making of a good photo as a team effort too.

I do find my inspiration for a shoot from a lot of different creative sources such as poetry, paintings and movies. The idea of the story I want to tell on the shoot mainly comes from a feeling or something subtle that I have seen or felt when thinking about it.

“I do find my inspiration for a shoot from a lot of different creative sources such as poetry, paintings and movies. The idea of the story I want to tell on the shoot mainly comes from a feeling or something subtle that I have seen or felt when thinking about it.”

— Charlotte Lapalus

MH : When it comes to fashion photography, the choice of style, but also the overall scenery and location seems to play an important role throughout your projects. What are your focus points when arranging a picture?

CL : Again, for me the crucial thing is the light. I would position the model and try and find the best angle or place to shoot her with regards to the light.

The other thing that I like to focus on is my communication with the model. I always try and talk to them and direct them as best as possible in order for them to understand and transpose the vision I have for the shoot the best they can. I like for them to understand my approach to the shoot and for that I like to communicate the overall vision I have of the character they are portraying. In other words I ask them to be the character. I like what I call « accidents », when they are not necessarily posing but just being, these photos are usually the ones I select during my edit.

MH : How do you choose your projects? And what project are your personal favourite?

CL : I choose my projects depending on how much I can get involved in the creative process. I like to be inspired but also add something to a campaign. These projects are the ones that I tend to go for as I feel free to express my vision for the shoot.

As for personal favourite the one that comes to my mind is the one I made for a French Charity called « Autour de l’enfant ». This charity is active in Africa and they look after women and children, their wellbeing and their education. This project is really close to my heart as it involves creativity but also humanity. I am going back to Africa soon for another shoot with regards to women rights when it comes to excision.

MH : When I look at your captivating imagery, I often get a reminiscent to David Lynch’s iconic television series, Twin Peaks. Part of your work is like delving into a contemporary fashion editorial taken from the ever-mysterious world of Dale Coopers investigation in what happened to Laura Palmer. What are you inspired by, and where do you get your inspiration from?

CL : Thank you for comparing my work to David Lynch’s series! I am very flattered with your comparison, even if Twin Peaks was not my main source of inspiration. Although I do admit that the atmosphere in Lynch’s series is really close to the one I try to realize in my shoots. It’s the obscure ambiance that you can find in Lynch’s work that I like, the fact that it makes you ask yourself questions about the over all ambiance.

I do find a lot of my inspiration in different movies. The one director that I do particularly like is Xavier Dolan, I love his esthetic approach to the image. The light in his movies is soft and subtle. I like the fact that his direction of actors transpose in his movies, their acting is powerful but also brittle in a way.

I am also inspired by American series such as Mad Men or Fargo. The scenes are like a succession of photographies. As for the scene setting of my photos I am inspired by the resourcefulness of the French cinema, in the sense that with a strong intention and not necessarily a big budget you can still tell a good story.

MH : Working with photography, I assume you have to be comfortable and good with people in terms of interacting and collaborating closely on set with tight deadlines, high expectations on delivery and so forth. When working intensively with all these different people on various projects, both in front and behind the lense, do you follow any guidelines? Or how do you manage and direct in such a situation?

CL : I don’t have guidelines as such. The mere fact that it is a creative process means that there is no organisation as such. I feel like a conductor of well put together « bordel » or organized chaos.

But indeed you do need a minimum of organization. I do believe that as long as you communicate efficiently and in a respectful manner you can ask for anything you need on a shoot.

My experience as a notary public as given me this structure in a way. I did have to manage a panel of different people and skills and it still does serves me in my life now.

It can be very stressful to be the main focal person to whom every one is depending in terms of which direction the shoot is suppose to take, but I feel that focusing on the shoot and what I want to achieve keeps me grounded.

“I feel that focusing on the shoot and what I want to achieve keeps me grounded.”

— Charlotte Lapalus

MH : Visual content takes more and more place in our digital lifes. Living in a digital age the tendency towards an insatiable desire for visual consumption is rapidly growing — a so-called exhibitionism trend highly promoted through social medias and especially Instagram. What are your opinions on the way people are exposed to, and not least digest visual content today?

CL : « Ou la la « I can honestly say that for me it’s a very broad debate! But I do feel that due to the fact that we live more than ever in a virtual world, the amount of visual information that we see on a daily basis can be overpowering. We see a lot but we don’t retain much.

However it allows us to discover new artists, opinions and different vision of things. In a way it allowed me to do this interview today… The fact that we are served this enormous amount of visual content can lead us to laziness when it comes to explore new arts. I do feel that it is very important to keep our curiosity by going to the cinema, theatre and exhibitions.

When it comes to exhibitionism I do think that it is not the apps such as Instagram that promote that but mainly the users. For me some things are private and it is common sense. The users choose to expose their lives, but Instagram for example is just a way of doing so. Personally I made the choice not to expose myself but just my work. I do not feel the need to exhibit my personal life to the public.

MH : Tea or Coffee?

CL : Neither, mainly water.

MH : Sunrise or sunset?

CL : Sunset.

MH : Summer or Winter?

CL : Summer, having grown in the South of France…

All images courtesy of Charlotte Lapalus

[mrmichaelchadler]

Home Entertainment Consumer Guide: December 27, 2018

10 NEW TO NETFLIX

"2 Fast 2 Furious" "Apocalypse Now" "Avengers: Infinity War" "Baby Mama" "The Fast and the Furious" "The Innocents" "Kill the Messenger" "The Little Hours" "Maps to the Stars" "The Theory of Everything"

8 NEW TO BLU-RAY/DVD

"Assassination Nation"

I'm only human and so there's a bit of an impulse to include a release in this column on which I'm quoted on the cover, even if the movie itself is something of a mixed bag. The quote "'Mean Girls' meets 'The Purge" is from my Sundance viewing of this divisive genre film, and is more descriptive than praising. What's been interesting to watch about the conversation around this abrasive, incendiary castigation of internet culture is that I have been very lonely in my middle ground opinion. I like its ideas more than its execution, but find it fascinating how many people either LOVE or HATE this movie. Honestly, we need more movies like that—movies that provoke conversation and debate. So you should see this not because I'm quoted on the cover but because you should pick a side ... or join me in the neutral zone.

Buy it here 

Special Features Deleted/Extended Scenes Gag Reel Trailers

"Bad Times at the El Royale"

This is another movie that people seemed to either embrace or abhor and I finished with a shoulder shrug. Maybe that's not fair. I mostly liked Drew Goddard's single-setting bloodbath, but I'm stunned that anyone sees enough to like or hate here to include in either ten best or ten worst lists for the entirety of 2018. On the positive side, the ensemble is fantastic, especially Cynthia Erivo, Jeff Bridges, and Chris Hemsworth. It's never boring, weaving several subplots on a very bad night at the El Royale hotel into one backstabbing tapestry. It's also too long, too unfocused, and slips through your fingers once it's over. There's a tighter, smarter version of "El Royale" in this one that could have been great. But this one is still pretty good—available On Demand now and on Blu-ray on 1/1.

Buy it here

Special Features Making Bad Times at the El Royale Gallery

"Fahrenheit 11/9"

Did Michael Moore's latest provocation influence the election as he so clearly hoped it would when he dropped it in the heat of the season? Maybe. Probably not, though. The fact is that Moore doesn't have the impact he once did, but should that be the only way we judge him as a filmmaker? As an influencer? It will be interesting to see how his most overtly political films like this one stand up with a couple decades of history behind them. For me, the best pieces of "Fahrenheit 11/9" don't focus on the Trump Presidency but the various stories of the last few years that led to the voter apathy that was arguably the biggest reason he won. And, say what you will about this film's lack of focus, there's a great mini-doc buried within this film about the Flint water crisis that you really should see.

Buy it here

Special Features None

"The Predator"

After the TIFF premiere of Shane Black's latest reboot/sequel to the hit '80s sci-fi/action film, I suspected that I would be in the minority of critics who enjoyed it but didn't expect it to be quite so drastic. I stand by my 2am take in Canada that this is a fun action movie that understands what worked about the original film while also taking some of the same ideas in a new direction. No, it's not going to be anyone's favorite movie of 2018, but it's a quick, enjoyable rental on a Saturday night, and it works even better at home than in the middle of the night in Toronto.

Buy it here 

Special Features Deleted Scenes A Touch of Black Predator Evolution The Takedown Team Predator Catch-Up Gallery

"Schindler's List"

Only this column could go from "The Predator" to "Schindler's List," but that's how we roll at the HECG (and the byproduct of alphabetical listings). For the 25th anniversary of one of the best films of the '90s, Universal has upgraded Steven Spielberg's Oscar winner with a 4K release that reminds viewers why this movie was so rapturously praised when it came out in 1993. Given 4 stars by Roger on its initial release, he didn't wait long to put it in the Great Movies pantheon, and it's a movie that has held up remarkably well. The 4K release is accompanied by a new documentary called "Schindler's List: 25 Years Later," adding to the sense that this is one of the essential 4K Blu-ray releases of 2018.

Buy it here 

Special Features NEW 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM SUPERVISED BY STEVEN SPIELBERG DOLBY VISION/HDR 10 PRESENTATION OF THE FILM NEW Schindler's List: 25 Years Later - Featurette NEW USC Shoah Foundation Story with Steven Spielberg (2018) Voices from the List - Featurette Let Their Testimonies Speak - Stronger Than Hate About IWitness (2018) AND MORE...

"A Simple Favor"

Paul Feig's mystery/comedy looked like a disaster before it was released. It was coming out at a time of year when studios are known for dumping movies that they don't know what to do with, and it didn't play any fests or get much in the way of critics screenings. And then it dropped and most people were pleasantly surprised. A reasonably big hit (almost $100 million worldwide), "A Simple Favor" filled a hole in storytelling for adults that Hollywood simply doesn't care about as much as they used to. In a time when the mid-budget movie is disappearing, it feels like everything is a part of a franchise or a low-budget indie. The mid-budget filmmakers went to TV. And so it's so heartening to see a solid mid-budget flick that offers a night of entertainment for grown-ups away from Netflix. I'm a little less high on the flick than everybody else (I think Blake Lively is amazing but the movie sags a bit when she's absent), but it's totally worth a rental. 

Buy it here    Special Features 3 Audio Commentaries with Cast and Crew 8 Featurettes Gag Reel Deleted Scenes Flash Mob

"Starman"

When the acolytes of John Carpenter talk about the horror icon, they often stick solely to, well, his horror films. How many pieces can the internet produce about the greatness of "Halloween," "The Thing," or underrated pics like "The Fog" and "Prince of Darkness"? Lost in a lot of the talk about Carpenter is what is actually his highest-grossing film outside of Mike Myers, 1984's "Starman." This has always been a film that I hold close to my heart as I was nine when it came out and, well, that's a good age for this movie. It's an underrated film with a truly great performance from Jeff Bridges. As Roger wrote 34 years ago, "Actors sometimes try to change their appearance; Bridges does something trickier, and tries to convince us that Jeff Bridges is not inhabited by himself."

Buy it here 

Special Features NEW They Came from Hollywood: Re-visiting STARMAN – featuring director John Carpenter, actors Jeff Bridges, Charles Martin Smith and script supervisor Sandy King-Carpenter Audio Commentary with director John Carpenter and Jeff Bridges Vintage Featurette Teaser Trailer Theatrical Trailer TV Spots Still Gallery

"Venom"

Ah, "Venom." Is this smash hit a good movie? Noooo. It's clunky and weird. And yet there's something in here that almost brings it together and that's the totally committed lunacy from Tom Hardy. Whether he's talking to the symbiote inhabiting his body or eating a live lobster out of the tank in which he's sitting, there's something inspired in so many of his choices. Sadly, the rest of the movie totally pales in comparison, including something I didn't think was possible: flat performances from Riz Ahmed and Michelle Williams. As much as I don't want to see "Venom" again, I'll be curious about "Venom 2" just to see if Hardy's energy can be featured in a project that deserves it. 

Buy it here 

Special Features Venom Mode: When selecting this mode the film will engage informative pop-ups throughout the film to provide insight on the movie's relationship to the comics, and to reveal hidden references that even a seasoned Venom-fan may have missed! Deleted & Extended Scenes: These deleted and extended scenes will give fans even more of the Venom action they loved in theaters! Ride to Hospital – Eddie and Venom take a ride to the hospital. Car Alarm – Let's just say that Venom is not fond of car alarms. San Quentin – Extended post-credits scene at San Quentin. From Symbiote to Screen: A mini documentary about the history of Venom in comics and his journey to the big screen. Interviews with Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, Ruben Fleischer, Oliver Scholl, and Director and Comic Fanboy Kevin Smith. The Lethal Protector in Action: Go behind the scenes with the production crew and learn the secrets behind the awesome Motorcycle stunts, wire stunts, and drones. Venom Vision: A look at how Ruben Fleischer came to the project, gathered his team, and made Venom a reality. Utilizes interviews from cast, crew, and producers as well as Fleischer himself. Designing Venom: Designing and creating Venom meant a huge challenge for VFX artists; follow the amazing journey. Symbiote Secrets: Blink and you may have missed it! Enjoy the hidden references throughout the film. 8 Select Scenes Pre-Vis sequences: See the progression of the visual effects, storyboards and fight chorography compared to the finished film. "Venom" by Eminem – Music Video "Sunflower" by Post Malone, Swae Lee (From Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Sneak Peek: Meanwhile in another universe …

from All Content http://bit.ly/2EPZSPN

[mikeyd1986]

MIKEY’S PERSONAL BLOG 127, October 2018

On Monday morning, Mum and I visited the Bayside Specialist Centre located in Patterson Lakes. It’s hard to explain the source of my nervous energy surrounding my first appointment with consultant psychiatrist Dr. Ricardo Peralta. Personally I do have some rational reasons for getting so worried and worked up about it including the whole new experience of seeking psychiatric treatment for my mental disorders and placing my care into that of a stranger. It’s also difficult to know exactly what to expect during the session. https://www.verywellmind.com/before-your-first-visit-380651

Considering I’ve waited over 5 weeks to see him, I’m making it a big priority of mine to get as mentally prepared as possible. Now I’ve only got one more week to wait until I hopefully get the treatment I need. The good news is that, by doing my research first, I’ve avoided some dodgy psychiatrists who shouldn’t be practicing after the reviews I read about them and also a few that charged fees that were very unreasonable. https://www.yourhealthinmind.org/psychiatry-explained/your-first-appointment

In contrast, Dr. Ricardo Peralta seems pretty reliable, decent and professional so I should be fine. I guess the purpose of today was to have a visual sense of where Dr. Peralta’s private psychiatric clinic is located and also have an idea of where to park my car and to access the centre. It did give me some peace of mind as Patterson Lakes is a lovely coastal town and much quieter than the area which I live in. Plus the centre is very close to the local shops, restaurants and cafes so there are plenty of positives to take away. https://nepeanspecialistgroup.com.au/specialists/dr-ricardo-peralta

On Monday night, I went to a Boxing small group training session at CinFull Fitness in Narre Warren South. Tonight was a challenging class for me on a few different levels. Socially it’ll always be difficult for me to fit in, although I did get recognised by a guy named Andrew and briefly chatted to the others. The problem lies in lack of shared interests and being comfortable enough to open up more. Yep that’s 32 years worth of self awareness right there.

My biggest fears often rise to the surface whenever I’m participating in high intensity physical exercise like a boxing class. Will I be able to handle it? Will I be able to keep on top of my fatigue levels? Will I be able to keep concentrating? I’ve had close calls in the past but never once passed out in a class. I think that would be the ultimate fear for me but thankfully Cinamon Guerin is very mindful about this and my limits when it comes to physical activity.

Tonight we did a combination of boxing drills and cardio exercise which required a lot of mental effort and memorisation of combos. I was partnered up with a girl named Jade who seemed to be a beginner like myself. Of course there was lots of squats, push ups, mountain climbers, Russian twists, star jumps, crab walks and wall holds and I can feel the burn pretty quickly. The most important thing is that I’m constantly trying and never giving up, even when I do struggle and need to take a break.

On Tuesday morning, Mum and I drove down to Mornington to visit Mentis Assist, which is an NDIS service provider specialising in mental health. Honestly I really had no clue what to expect out of “dropping in” to the head office but at this point I was out of ideas. It took a lot of courage and effort to come down to see if they could give me a sense of direction with my NDIS plan. I met with Matt who is the NDIS intake co-ordinator and Tracey who is the NDIS Team Leader. They led us into a small office space to have a discussion. https://mentisassist.org.au/get-in-touch/contact-us

Now the nerves were kicking in fast. Luckily I had my purple display folder filled with notes, information brochures, letters and my official NDIS plan so fall back on if I really struggled to express myself. Thankfully both Matt and Tracey were both friendly, casual and accommodating. They didn’t simply put the pressure on me or ask “What Do You Want?” with impossible expectations on me. It’s difficult when you only have a vague idea yourself.

Instead they asked structured questions about things in my life that I may or may not need some assistance with...social skills, decision making, budgeting, mental health support, counselling, group community activities and life skills development. These were some of the important ones for me and my plan did make some degree of sense to them. https://mentisassist.org.au/what-we-do/our-programs

I signed my first ever service agreement with them and it was a surreal moment for me, that I was finally making some progress and getting myself unstuck from the ditch I was in. Compared to last week, I am feeling a lot more hopeful and optimistic about actually doing something with my NDIS plan and funding and also that I’ve chosen my main provider carefully. https://mentisassist.org.au/ndis

On Tuesday afternoon, I caught up with Tori Norris who is the program co-ordinator for the Men of Doveton group. This was pretty confronting territory for me as I don’t usually open up about my feelings and I felt like I needed to in order to gain closure on this issue. The fact that Tori believed that I deserved to graduate the program was a bit unsettling for me and yet I chose to accept her offer. Her motivations were genuine too. Lately I haven’t had much self-belief and so maybe this was what I needed. To show myself that yeah I do deserve to be successful and have good things happen for me.

On Thursday morning, Mum and I attended the NDIS Plan Implementation information session held inside the private function room at Bunjil Place in Narre Warren. I had a lot of expectations leading up to this info session considering how confused, lost and stressed out I’ve been feeling since receiving my first plan. So it was a relief to hear that other participants and carers were voicing similar concerns and frustrations about their own experiences. No longer did I feel alone in this journey and now my feelings can be validated and heard instead of shoved under the carpet. https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/understanding-your-plan-and-supports.html

Today’s info session was hosted once again by Sharna from the NDIA. She broke the presentation up in two parts. The first half focused on the different sections of the plan as well as the three types of budgets: Core, Capacity Building and Capital and how the funds are managed. In the second half, she talked about the importance of reading the NDIS Price Guide and turning your plan into supports by connecting to providers, negotiating supports, making a service agreement and then making a service booking. https://www.ndis.gov.au/finding-and-engaging-providers.html

Bringing my Mum along felt like a wise decision so that she could be educated about the NDIS system and just how complex it is to understand and learn. Whilst it was unsettling to hear the negative feedback from several people in the room, it was also justified and made me feel like I wasn’t the only one going through these struggles. It was good to note that more changes and a new plan format will be introduced from mid-November so hopefully improvement is on the way and things will eventually get easier for NDIS participants and carers.

It was also great to see Amanda Stapleton (City of Casey counsellor and ex-mayor) was participating in today’s information session and had some valid questions to ask about her own situation. A man named Bruce from Latrobe Community Health Service was also in attendance and did seem to take all of our feedback today seriously. Whilst I’ve had many frustrations and stumbling blocks in the process so far, I’m trying my hardest to be optimistic about the future as an NDIS participant and actually use my funding for positive change.

On Thursday night, I attended my first group sleep study workshop held at La Trobe University - Psychology Clinic in Bundoora. It’s been a couple of weeks since I started my involvement in the sleep research study for Autistic Adults that I’m participating in and now I’ll be starting to learn ways to hopefully improve my sleep. Driving to Bundoora was honestly a headache mainly because I was in the middle of peak hour traffic and also because I accidentally took the wrong exit off the Eastern Freeway but it’s all learning.

It was just a small group of us: three other participants as well as Dr. Lauren Lawson (Research Fellow), Dr. Eric Morris (La Trobe University Psychology Clinic Director) and Alexis (Provisional Psychologist). Firstly, they briefly explained some concepts about sleep including sleep cycles, the stages of sleep, circadian rhythms and arousal. Next we talked about what is insomnia and the ways many people try to fall asleep.

These “amplifiers” include things like taking sleep vitamins, using lavender spray, playing music, reading, listening to a guided meditation. Whilst they make work occasionally, they’re generally not considered long term solutions. We also talked about the costs of insomnia such as having poor concentration and focus, low energy levels, lack of motivation and drive, feeling more irritable and emotional, impacting on your health and wellbeing, preventing you from doing some daily activities and being a burden on your finances.

This lead into Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or simply Acceptance of things like having worrying thoughts and frustrations about trying to fall asleep, letting go of the struggle and essentially letting go of control. We then discussed the barriers to changing your sleep including fear of change, discomfort, uncertainty, being stuck in current habits, having temptations or resistance.

Lastly, we wrote down a few goals that we wish to achieve relating to sleep including to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, have a more regular sleep routine, have less disruptions during the night, have more energy during the day, be able to concentrate and focus better, to be more productive and be able to participate more in daily activities, to lower levels of anxiety and depression.

The good thing about this group is that it’s small, casual and allows anyone to contribute their ideas, thoughts and personal experiences related to sleep and insomnia. Whilst I am quite uncertain about this new approach so far, I’m also open to trying it out. At this point, I’ll literally try anything to help me sleep better. It’s affecting my day to day living, brain function, mood and concentration levels. I’m looking forward to the next workshop.

“What you wanted so had to let it go. Brand new day is coming round the bend. Troubles reaching for the end. If you stray from the path my friend, I will pick you up again.” Alex Lloyd - Brand New Day (2006)

“There's always something taking over my mind. I know I'm crazy and I know you know. I trying harder 'cause I love you so. I want to be special. I want to be good. I want to be happy. I know that I should. Sometimes the truth. Is hard to believe. Some of us stay. And some of us leave.” Alex Lloyd - Special (2008)

[dyernews]

The Best Apps for Each Step in Your Financial Journey

As of next month it will have been a full decade since Apple first launched their famed App Store. In that time, mobile applications have changed several aspects of our lives. From the Instagrams and Twitters of the world affecting the way we share our lives to streaming services that have moved many of us from big screens to small ones. While these evolutions each have their own pros and cons, one area of our daily lives that’s been positively impacted in recent years is personal finance.

Sure the app explosion has brought with it a million different ways to splurge and spend but it’s also introduced a number of services that can actually improve your finances. You’ve likely seen several lists of such apps that can do everything from help you build a budget to earn you cash back on each purchase you make. However it occurs to me that not all of these apps are right for every person. In fact, many of these applications are best used at particular points in your financial journey.

With that in mind, I wanted to highlight 10 finance-related apps along with when they would be most beneficial — ranging from the point when you first decide to get your finances in order to the point when you’re ready to start putting your money to work for you. So grab your smartphone and get ready to embark on your financial journey with the help of these mobile apps:

Step 1: Building a Budget and Monitoring Your Money

At this point most of us know that, in order to keep our finances in good shape, we need to have a budget in place. And yet, how many of us can honestly say we have a functional budget we adhere to? The truth is that setting up a budget — or at least gaining an understanding of where your money is going — is key to successfully managing your finances.

While this first step of the financial journey may be the most painful, there are a couple of apps that can help get you through it and continue to keep you motivated during and after the worst of it.

Mint

Review | Website

What it is: Mint is not only the most popular budgeting app on the market but is also one of the most powerful. By linking your various banking, credit card, and retirement accounts, Mint will give you at-a-glance access to your figures such as your net worth, as well as compile all of your transactions in one place. From there, you can create different spending categories (both suggested and custom) and set spending limits for each. The app will then automatically place your transactions in the proper category and let you know how you’re doing with your budget.

How it’ll help your finances: Perhaps the hardest part of maintaining a budget is actually taking the time to go through your purchases on a regular basis and fill out whatever spreadsheet you have to see where you stand. Mint removes that obstacle by doing a lot of the heavy lifting for you. The app is also filled with plenty of visual tools that help give you a better understanding of your spending, your budget, and where changes can be made. To that point, since budgets are often evolving, Mint also makes it simple to make adjustments and nail down a budget that works for you.

Beyond those basic features, Mint’s app also includes some handy tools to keep you on the right financial track. For example, you’ll be able to set bill due date reminders to ensure you’re never late with a payment. Speaking of alerts, the app will also let you know when you break your budget or you have irregular activity on your account.

What else you should know: First, Mint is completely free to sign-up for and use. Additionally, while the app does contain a number of great features, the desktop site offers even more. In fact, for new users, I’d recommend getting started on your desktop computer and then using the mobile app once you have all of your accounts connected, spending limits set, and alert preferences locked in.

The only other note is that, while Mint does a great job of organizing transactions based on merchant codes, you may need to manually categorize some purchases to ensure they’re displaying where you want them to. Thankfully this is a fairly painless process but it’s still something to be aware of nonetheless.

Clarity Money

Review | Website

What it is: Like Mint, Clarity Money is another budget-minded app — but one that presents important info in a unique way. Designed to be your daily financial news feed, Clarity Money’s main app tab features a series of widgets that focus on a specific aspect of your money and budget. Following a warm welcome, the first widget you’ll encounter is a look at all of your combined account balances. Tapping any of these figures will allow you to view individual balances for all of your linked accounts. Other widgets include an overview of your monthly income, a graphic breakdown of your top spending categories, and more.

How it’ll help your finances: Personally, what I love about Clarity Money is its clean design, which makes the app inviting and enjoyable to use. Besides looking pretty, the app also has some star features that can further help you slay your spending habits. Among the most helpful widgets in my opinion is a mini-tool that lets you quickly recall how much you’ve spent at a particular retailer — perfect for identifying where you splurge the most and where cutbacks can be made. Similarly a separate widget shows you a list of subscriptions you have and can even help you cancel some services you no longer need.

Another great feature on Clarity Money is the ability to stash cash toward a specific goal. You can set up automated savings right in the app by selecting how much you want to save, how often you want to save it (you can select a date each month or day of the week for transfers to trigger), choose which account to pull from, and of course declare what your earmarking the funds for. Any money you set aside using this tool is FDIC insured and it’s easy to withdraw whenever you need to. While it’s a small feature and one you could surely set up at your regular bank, watching your savings grow and reminding yourself of your money goal can really be the push you need to keep up the good work.

What else you should know: Although Clarity Money might not have as many powerful budgeting tools as Mint, it still has a lot to offer. Because of this, I’d actually recommend utilizing both. Lastly, another one of the Clarity Money widgets offers integration with an app we’ll talk about a bit later, Acorns.

Step 2: Checking Your Credit

To be honest, this step could also be at the same level as step one. That’s because understanding your credit and working to improve your credit scores can often go hand in hand with overhauling your spending. Of course, for a very long time, obtaining your credit report was a major pain that prevented many Americans from even bothering.

That’s all changed now as we thankfully live in a world where learning what your credit score is, why it is what it is, and how you can improve are all just a few taps away.

Credit Karma

Review | Website

What it is: As the leading free online credit score service, there’s a good chance you’ve already heard of Credit Karma. This site and app give users access to credit score data from two of the three big credit bureaus: TransUnion and Equifax. More than just displaying these seemingly random numbers, the app will also break down the factors that go into calculating your scores and offer you some basic guidance on how to raise them.

How it’ll help your finances: Having an overall idea of what kind of shape your credit is an important step in your financial journey. Not only will you credit often dictate the rates you’re able to secure on loan and your ability to be approved for lucrative rewards credit cards but can also come up when you’re looking to rent or even applying for a job. Because of this, letting Credit Karma show you where you stand and then guide you toward a higher credit score can really make a difference in your financial life.

Something else to keep in mind is that, although most people only talk about your credit score, what’s actually more important is your credit report. Since the info contained in your credit report is what will ultimately determine your credit scores, it’s in your best interest to ensure that everything in the report is accurate. This is where Credit Karma’s Direct Dispute tool can come to the rescue. You can view your credit report details in the app and, should you find any error, tap the aptly labeled “Dispute the Error” button to start the process of getting the info changed. Removing inaccurate negative remarks from your credit report can have a major effect on your scores and, in turn, your future finances.

What else you should know: The biggest thing to note about Credit Karma is that using their service to check your credit will not affect your scores (it’s a long story as to why but just trust me). The second biggest thing is that the credit scores it offers may not be exactly what creditors will see. That’s because the site utilizes the VantageScore 3.0 model as opposed to one of the FICO models. However it should be noted that, with so many scoring models available, it can be extremely difficult to predict exactly which of your many credit scores any given creditor will obtain anyway. Ultimately there’s still tremendous value in the scores Credit Karma offers, even if they’re more of a ballpark figure.

Another thing to mention is that, similar to Mint, I find it’s best to get started with Credit Karma on their desktop site before migrating to the mobile app. Additionally, if you currently have a freeze on your credit it, you’ll need to request a temporary lift in order to sign-up for the site. Once you’re all set on the site, you can refreeze your credit and still view your scores without issue.

WalletHub

Review | Website

What it is: WalletHub is another popular free credit monitoring site akin to Credit Karma. Like with our comparison of Mint and Clarity Money, the main differences between WalletHub and similar apps really comes down to preference and style. In my experience, I’ve found WalletHub’s app to be a bit easier to navigate and the design to be a bit sleeker. That said, I do personally use both Credit Karma and WalletHub on a regular basis.

How it’ll help your finances: Despite the similarities to Credit Karma, WalletHub also includes some original and helpful features. One of the main factors that I’ve been focusing on when it comes to my credit is my utilization rate. That’s why I appreciate the graph that WalletHub offers in its Analysis tab, showing my credit utilization percentage over time. Similar visual aids can also be obtained for your age of credit, account diversity, and your overall credit scores.

Another nice feature of WalletHub is the option to switch between viewing a full credit report (including the ability to dispute errors) and what they call a Credit Timeline. This view will display notable activity in your credit such as new account, inquiries, and freezes that can be especially helpful when combating identity fraud and similar issues. To that point, WalletHub also offers 24/7 monitoring alerts via both push notification and SMS that you can opt into.

What else you should know: Sadly, WalletHub only offers your VantageScore 3.0 credit score from one bureau (TransUnion) as opposed to the two that Credit Karma boasts. I should also mention that, since neither tool includes Experian, you’ll also want to obtain your credit report from that bureau and review for errors as well. You can actually do this for free once a year by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com.

Step 3: Saving on Essentials and Other Spending

Now that you have your budget in place and your credit in order, it’s time to go shopping! No, I’m not suggesting some sort of spree where you derail all the hard work you’ve already put in — I’m merely noting that, no matter how frugal you’ve become, there will be things you need to spend your money on. But, as it turns out, there may be ways to save on even the most essential of purchases.

From avoiding the trap of credit cards to saving on gas, groceries, and God knows what else, these apps can help you cut costs when you shop.

Debx

Review | Website

What it is: The idea behind Debx is simple: turn your credit cards into debit cards. To do this, Debx connects your checking account to your credit accounts in order to swiftly pay off purchases you make. As a result, you get the benefits that credit cards offer with the peace of mind (and lack of interest paid) that comes with debit cards.

How it’ll help your finances: As your credit scores rise and you’ve proven yourself creditworthy, you may begin to qualify for various rewards credit cards. Whether they offer cash back on your spending, airline miles for your travels, or other perks, using these rewards responsibly can be quite lucrative — “responsibly” being the key word. Carrying a balance on your credit card means paying interest on your purchases and making late payments can quickly damage the credit scores you’ve worked to raise. Debx can help you guard against both of these problems and keep your spending in check.

What else you should know: A confession: Debx is the only app on this list I have yet to actually try out for myserlf. However it is my understanding that you can customize the app to create exceptions for certain purchases and ensure that you’re not overdrafting your checking account in the name of keeping your credit card balance low. Despite my lack of personal experience, I think the idea of Debx is a great one and believe that those who worry about getting carried away with their credit cards could really benefit from this simple solution.

GasBuddy

Review | Website

What it is: Have you ever pulled over to fill your gas tank only to find a station with much better prices a little further down the road? GasBuddy helps prevent these frustrating situations by giving you a crowdsourced overview of gas prices in your area. This is especially helpful on road trips as it will show you how far you are from the next station and present you a range of prices.

In addition to the regular GasBuddy features, the company has also introduced their Pay with GasBuddy card. When you sign up and link your checking account, GasBuddy will send you a special pay card you can use at numerous pumps across the country. You can select to either save 10¢ per gallon on your first fill up and 5¢ per gallon after that or elect to earn Sears Shop Your Way points amounting to 30¢ per gallon in your first 60 days and 15¢ per gallon thereafter. Whichever you choose, purchases made with your Pay with GasBuddy card will be deducted directly from your linked checking account.

How it’ll help your finances: If you drive (and unless you have a purely electric car), gasoline is one commodity you’ll need to purchase on a regular basis. As a result, any savings you can make in this category should be counted as a win. Additionally, if you don’t have a rewards credit card that offers cash back on gas purchases, the Pay with GasBuddy card might be able to help you further maximize your savings at the pump.

What else you should know: Since GasBuddy is most useful when on the road, you’ll of course want to be sure not to let this app distract you while driving. Additionally, with many of the prices in the app coming from users, there’s a slight chance they may be wrong (although this has never happened to me personally). On that note, you can also earn points by reporting or verifying prices. These points can then be redeemed for entries into GasBuddy’s drawing to win a $100 gas card.

Walmart Savings Catcher

Review | Website

What it is: As you probably know, Walmart’s biggest selling point is its low prices. Well, the company’s Savings Catcher — found within their regular Walmart app — doubles down on their price guarantee by searching competitor ads for lower prices and giving you the difference in the form of a digital gift card if it does find a better price. To activate Saving Catcher, you can either scan the barcode on your receipt and submit using the app or utilize Walmart Pay to automatically receive a digital receipt for submission.

How it’ll help your finances: Love them or hate them, there’s no denying that Walmart’s low prices and vast selection make them a convenient stop when stocking up on essentials. Even though their grocery prices are typically comparable to or lower than most other stores, there are still times when one of their competitors will have a killer sale. While you could split your shopping list to take advantage of the best deals in each store, the Savings Catcher has your back and can save you a trip. Personally, I’ve received multiple reimbursements from the app — most of the time from sales I didn’t even know were happening.

What else you should know: Although it’s pretty great overall, there are some limitations to Walmart Savings Catcher. For one, since many of the store’s best buys are on generic or private label items, the app won’t be able to compare prices on these selections. This also works both ways as Savings Catcher won’t apply to discount grocery shops like Aldi, which may actually have better deals on similar (but not identical) items. Additionally, the tool only searches advertised prices.

Dosh

Review | Website

What it is: Dosh is an app that features special offers from various brick-and-mortar and online retailers that can earn you cash back. Currently, by signing up for Dosh and linking your first credit or debit card, you’ll earn $5 in cash back credit. You can also earn an additional $1 for subsequent cards you link. From there, you can explore stores and restaurants in your area, with a typical offer bringing between 3% and 10% in cash back. To take advantage of these deals, all you need to do is pay using one of your linked cards and, within minutes (from my experience) you’ll be alerted that your cash back has been added to your total.

While in-store purchases are my favorite method of earning Dosh cash back, the app also features online offers. To nab these deals, you need to visit each site by tapping the offer in the Dosh app. Lastly, Dosh also has a travel section where you can rack up cash back by booking hotel rooms through their tool.

How it’ll help your finances: Not to oversell it but using Dosh is like getting free money. In addition to the numerous cashback offers, savvy users can also boost their earnings by referring their friends and family to the app as well. Although Dosh is constantly changing their referral offers, in the past they’ve awarded up to $15 for each person who uses your special link to sign-up, add a card, and redeem their first offer.

Something else I should mention about Dosh is that the cash back rewards they offer come in addition to any rewards you would normally receive from your credit card. As a result, my savings record is 14% back from my dinner at Chili’s (10% from Dosh and 4% from my Uber Visa). With the app expanding in recent months, hopefully there will be even more opportunities to save using Dosh down the road.

What else you should know: One downside of Dosh is that you will need to save up a minimum of $25 in cash back before you’ll be able to transfer the money to your bank account or PayPal. It’s also important to note that, while some of the retailers on Dosh may specialize in essentials, others traffic squarely on the splurge side of things. Because of this, you’ll want to ensure that using Dosh doesn’t serve as an excuse to overspend.

Step 4: Investing and Putting Your Money to Work

So you think you’ve mastered money, huh? Then it’s time to prove it and start putting your money to work for you. In other words, let’s learn to invest.

I don’t know about you but the thought of investing both excited and terrified me at the same time. Adding to my concern was the misguiding belief that I needed to save up thousands of dollars in accessible funds before I could open an account and start buying stocks. That may have been the case years ago but no longer.

For those like me who want to start investing — and take on all the risks that come with it — there are two apps in particular that could possibly serve as your springboard.

Acorns

Review | Website

What it is: For those wanting to dip their toes into the world of investing, Acorns could serve as the perfect solution. First, the main way to use Acorns is to utilize their Round-Ups to build your investment funds. To use Round-Ups, you’ll want to link your credit and debit card to the app. Then Acorns will total up the digital spare change (rounding up each purchase to the nearest dollar — hence the name). When you hit more than $5, the money will come out of your selected bank account and will be invested for you.

In addition to the Round-Ups feature, you can also elect to make a one-time funds transfer or set up recurring transfers to keep your investment account growing. Acorns has also been growing what they call their Found Money section where, similar to Dosh, you can take advantage of offers from a number of online retailers. Completing these qualifying purchases will earn you cash back that will be added to your investment account.

How it’ll help your finances: Acorns is quite possibly the easiest way to start investing without feeling overwhelmed. The app allows you to choose from five different investment levels — ranging from conservative to aggressive — that each feature a diversified mix of stocks and bonds. Whether you opt into the Round-Ups feature, regularly add money manually, or set up a recurring transfer, Acorns could help you get a feel for investing and help set you on your way to bigger things.

What else you should know: Acorns has the unfortunate distinction of being the only app on this list this is not completely free to use. To start investing with the app, you’ll be assessed a $1 per month fee. These fees used to be deducted from your investment account but they’ve since revised their policy and now take the $1 a month from your linked checking account.

Since Acorns is an investing app, it’s also important to mention that there is a very real chance that you will lose money on the platform. Moreover you should never invest any money you can’t afford to lose.

Robinhood

Review | Website

What it is: If Acorns is investing 101, Robinhood is the 201. This app allows users to buy and sell real stocks without any commissions or other fees. As a result, Robinhood is a strong option for those looking to get a bit more hands-on with their investments and really obtain the stock market experience without all of the fees.

In recent months Robinhood has also expanded to offer a number of new features. Among these features is the ability to trade options. However that addition is likely overshadowed by the launch of Robinhood Crypto. As the name implies, this feature enables users to trade Bitcoin and Ethereum, with the promise of more coins to join in the future. Both of these features are currently in beta and may not be available to all users just yet, but the regular Robinhood account will still allow you to buy and sell stocks and ETFs.

How it’ll help your finances: Investing is an important aspect of personal finance that can be really intimidating for some. Although Robinhood is certainly more involved than Acorns, it also gives users far more power when it comes to building their portfolio. This includes the ability to purchase specific stocks, whereas Acorns employs algorithms to select your investments.

The bottom line is, if you want to be more active in investing but aren’t quite ready to play in the big leagues, Robinhood can be a great gateway.

What else you should know: When compared to Acorns, which lets users invest as little as $5, investing using Robinhood may be more expensive depending on the stocks you plan to purchase. For example, my first stock purchase was a share of The Walt Disney Company that cost me over $100. Thus, if you don’t have a lot of cash to invest, it may be difficult to build a properly balanced portfolio off the bat.

This leads me to the same warning I issued earlier, which is that you should never invest any money you can’t afford to lose. Furthermore, while cryptocurrencies may be the talk of the town at the moment, it’s important to realize that Bitcoin and others are still extremely volatile and could put those looking to hit it rich in a world of hurt if things turn (just look at Bitcoin’s 2017 high compared to now to learn that lesson). Similarly, trading — or, more specifically, selling options — can be very risky. So even though the app does offer some guidance on the matter, make sure you fully understand these products before diving in.

Given the sheer number of finance apps that have hit the market over the past few years, it can be easy to fall down a rabbit hole of recommendations. However, instead of filling your phone with every application you find, perhaps a better approach is to introduce apps to your ecosystem as you progress in your financial journey. Starting with budgeting apps and credit monitoring services, moving onto savings apps that can help you earn on your spending, and finally finding your way through the sometimes scary world of investing, hopefully these 10 mobile apps can help make your path to financial prosperity that much easier.

The post The Best Apps for Each Step in Your Financial Journey appeared first on Dyer News.

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Program Reflection

In Month 1, it was about understanding Personal Development and Leadership self-awareness. After taking the Grit Scale and the Ambition Scale Self-Assessments, I have noticed some strong points and some weak points of myself. I understood the positive and negatives about my “life’s task”. I knew that I would love to be involved in some sort of media environment. I also feel that my “life’s task” calling would be to run a business or network of some sort in the media realm. In the past, I wanted to have my own production company, so I bought equipment to get things going. The positive thing about this was going out there and being hands on with the clients. The negative thing about this was not fully being prepared for what was the task or job Intel. A lesson was always learned each time.

Overall, I’m willing to be ambitious enough to pursuit my dreams. As well as have enough grit to follow through or fail depending on the concepts. It’s all a matter of persevering with a state of mind being focus and readiness with lessons learned. I learned quickly, I needed to be patient enough to learn the key basic. I had struggle really hard and which it showed in my work. After consistent “practice and repetition,” I learned that it takes time to analyze each discipline of how to film. Once I was able to understand why I needed to know these functions, filming became second nature to me.

Executive Leadership for month 2, was an interesting class. In order for those in business to be successful, leadership is an essential part of the managerial process. Leadership demonstrated by management can have a positive or negative effect on the way a business performs. In this course, students were challenged to define what leadership means. Naturally, nearly every student had a different definition of what leadership is and what constitutes a good leader.

An effective leader, I concluded, was one that values each and every member of the business, exalts a positive attitude even in the face of adversity, but also includes a clear vision for future business and is able to effectively communicate it to those they lead. An effective leader also leads by example and helps to prepare others to assume leadership roles. In this course, students were first tasked with coming up with an idea for their Business Plan that they would be working on throughout the program. The Leadership Portfolio portion of this class was selecting the final idea that would be used for our Business Plan.

In month 3, it brought students the opportunity to learn about Project and Team Management. Building on the skills learned in Executive Leadership, students were provided with the chance to apply those newly learned skills by working together with classmates on a fictitious project due at the conclusion of the course. I believe I also learned the importance of understanding everything that goes into a project is essential so businesses know where they are at in the project process and were resources are best allocated to ensure not only success but to save costs in the end. Failure to identify areas that deficient could lead to the inability of meeting the project deadline or ultimately losing potential revenue and profits.

In the course, our class learned about work-breakdown structures (WBS) and how to complete a network diagram. This where as a team we had to consider every minute detail that would go in to each area of this event and determine where to best allocate our resources to ensure the event would come off as success. We were able to accomplish this using the WBS and visually present it in a network diagram. I also learned how WBS and network diagrams could also help me in the film production process.

In Month 4, it was an amazing experience. Business Storytelling and Branding helped students understand that a business is much more than just the products and services they provide. More importantly, the company’s brand helps customers identify the company and their offerings more easily and helps build trust among their customers. The importance of being able to use storytelling to help effectively communicate your businesses goals and accomplishments helps companies’ further build brand awareness among the general public.

I feel this course helped me further understand the importance of knowing who my company is and how I want to present my company, its brand, and the products/services offered by knowing my not only my target audience but also my competitors and their demographics. I am particularly proud of my growth in this course because I learned how important branding can be in creating awareness of my company and our products and services.

For Month 5, Entertainment Business Finance completely changed the way I understood finance and the world of money. Students learned they did not need to have a money tree growing in their backyard in order to maximize their investments while minimizing potential liabilities. We learned the importance of making wise investments. I had the opportunity to create a Pro-Forma Financial statement for my company. This assignment helped me slow down and consider all of the various areas financially that will affect my business to ensure that I reach break-even as quickly as possible and reach profitability.

Being able to not only understand financial terms and the importance of having a sound financial plan for my business, and personal life will help me not only make my business profitable, but more importantly sustainable. I honestly feel this course has to have been one of the single greatest impacts on my academic career.

For Month 6, Digital marketing is essential to the success of modern day business. While many businesses still have a physical presence in the real world, much like their competitors, they must offer some sort of web presence in today’s business world in order to maintain and compete for an online business that continues to grow. Just having a website though is no longer enough to keep businesses competitive. As more and more competitors put their businesses online, companies need to take great care and effort to ensure potential new customers can find them when using a search engine. One way companies can accomplish this is through search engine optimization.

Overall, students had to define their goals and objectives for their overall Digital Media Plan. Students had to create concrete outcomes that could be measured while defining the analytic framework and the metrics to use to quantify the outcome. This assisted students in making sure that their marketing efforts are achieving their desired goals in increasing sales and profits for their efforts. Students also had to define a budget and a duration for their digital campaigns as well as identify how these campaigns contribute to the overall marketing plan of the company and their products.

In the 7 Month, we will need to learn the skills of negotiation and deal-making. At some point, all students will be in a position in which they will have to negotiate agreements and make deals. Prior to enrolling in the EBMS program, I felt this area was one of my weaknesses in the world of business. My personality has always been to avoid conflict at all costs and make any necessary concession in order to just get a deal done. I was hoping this course would help me build the tenacity required to negotiate successfully in the future.

I learned the importance of over preparing for negotiations through research and the importance of having multiple offers to place on the table should future negotiations not go as well as these two had. I learned the importance of creating a “win-win” situation for both sides and to use autonomy to foster and facilitate the chance for all sides to contribute the outcome and solution. I also learned the importance of using affiliation to identify with the opposing side to help lessen conflict and differing views.

In Month 8, before entering Product and Artist Management, to have a career possibly managing an artist had always intrigued me. Being solely introduce to film, I had no clue how to even break into this type of field. Having always been a huge fan of musical artists, I often wondered how much work went in behind the scenes into transforming a small town artist into a huge mega-star. Contrary to popular opinion, an artist’s success is much more than just having musical and singing talent. Being able to sing and entertain is only one facet that goes into building success for the artist.

This course provided me with a firm understanding and appreciation of what goes into managing an artist’s career. The most important thing I learned is that each and every move needs to be evaluated and calculated. The artist’s image has to be carefully crafted to maximize the exposure of the artist to assist in resonating with their fan base.

For Month 9, Advanced Entertainment Law was a class that I looked forward to because of the importance of understanding the law to ensure that my business is compliant with the law but also how to understand the law to protect my business as well. The importance of understanding trademark protection, copyright law, and intellectual property are essential for every single entertainment based business. Failure to understand any of these areas could expose your company to legal liabilities that could severely limit your ability to operate or even exist.

At the conclusion of this course, I felt very strong in my understanding of the areas I need to be aware of in order to protect and minimize my company’s liabilities. I felt confident in the work that I submitted and what I had been able to accomplish during this course. At the conclusion of the course, I had taken the first real steps in legitimizing my business by filing for corporation status in the state of Florida after which I received my Articles of Incorporation. As I sit back and reflect on this course, I learned a lot of important information that will be essential to making sure my business is protected.

In Month 10, Entertainment Media Publishing and Distribution, proved to be not only informational but exciting as well. EMPD opened my eyes and challenged to think critically about how the growing popularity of social networking sites. The greatest thing I took away from this course was that modern entertainment distribution no longer has to conform to outdated traditional models used by many studios and labels. The power to distribute and make money off of content has drastically changed and in essence, eliminated the traditional gatekeepers used many years ago.

In the course, students had to create a Business Strategy Plan that had students create a mission statement, an executive summary, a company description, identify the product being offered, how it will be manufactured and distributed, and how it will be marketed and promoted. This assignment helped me visualize the overall scope of my business plan as it forced to really think and analyze my company’s goals and plans to market and distribute our end product. I also learned the importance of being able to communicate effectively through written correspondence if a time comes where I need to seek agent representation.  

For Month 11, the course introduced and helped prepare students for the development of their Business Plan’s that are to be presented in Month 12 of the program. Having a sound and concise Business Plan is imperative to any individual looking to acquire funding, either through bank loans or a private investor. The Business Plan is the blue print that shows the business owner has sat down and carefully weighed what will make his business not only successful but profitable as well. Failure to have a clear Business Plan that does not explain the purpose of your business, identify what your competitors do/do not do well, and what strategies you plan on using to effectively compete in the market place will make it difficult for any business to get off the ground.

The course overall, students had to identify who their company was and write clear company description as well as define their mission statement. Students also had to research and understand who their target market is while explaining how they planned on earning revenues from this market segment. Students had to research and gauge the trends of their particular industry. Since my BP is based on delivery unique and original content online to Internet and mobile device users, naturally I discovered how much internet broadcasting as an industry has grown.

Finally, the 12 and last month of the program, this month did proved to be the most challenging month for me. Initially students were taking all of the information we had previously learned and tying it all together, there were often times I had forgotten some of the wonderful concepts I had learned. It allowed me to go back to each course and refresh the concepts so that I could apply it effectively to my overall business plan. In completing the final assignments, I was forced to refine each major section of my Business Plan into a concise presentation or pitch in order to entice potential investors to continue reading. However, as this class progressed, I quickly found myself revising my approach to this business idea.

I have come to the conclusion, the business of making films or being in the entertainment field is a risky one, riddled with competition at every turn. One of the keys to making good films is within the capability to flawlessly take the film through all parts of production. This means recognizing the big picture, while being aware of every detail necessary to make the big picture possible. In my opinion, this vision is what weeds out the great filmmakers from the mediocre ones. Of course, technical abilities are a given in the work of film-making, but being the best at any technique without a willingness to push the boundaries, does not amount to craft. Truly great craftsmen in any field take criticism and use it as fodder for better work to come.

Links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuI7vbAg0YE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3aFndmbHyg&t=7s