#everything was fun and games until i had to synchronize my frames

[bubblesbinxs]

BEST OF LUCK WITH COLLEGE ... im curious to know what ur using for ur actor animation ? it seems ur having trouble with procreate no ? i really wanna do animatics too but i literally dont know where to start LOL

THANK U!!!

i actually used procreate dreams for that animation!! it’s alright for back to back frame animations but Oh Boy is it hard to manipulate when you want to move around certain frames or to have them last longer when synchronizing them with audio. somehow procreate’s animation option (not procreate dreams) is easier to handle ??? bc Somehow dreams doesn’t have basic stuff like a lasso tool???? and if you want to move a pack of frames you need to group them and Then ungroup them if you want to tweak them individually?????? it’s got potential but man you can tell it’s still pretty new and is in need of lots of updates…

but yeah if i had to recommend softwares i’d say procreate (the regular app not dreams lol). iirc it’s only 10€? but even flipaclip is good for animatics so if you’re not sure abt spending money on procreate then there’s always this! tho imo any drawing software works for animatics as long as you’ll have an editing app/software.

for editing the easiest recommendation is capcut!! super easy to use and has a lot of good stuff for a free app (there’s a premium version but honestly it’s not necessary at all) - the app adds a small « made using capcut » clip but i’ve had no problem removing it directly in my phone album so no worries in that:)

ive also heard good stuff about Fable as a good substitute for After Effects (same with Pencil2D for ToonBoom/TVPaint!!!)

[chidoroki]

In Defense of TPN S2

Okay, so before y’all start throwing your salt shakers at me, let me explain. Yes, I’m just as upset and annoyed with how the second season decided to cut out so much content that us manga readers were finally hoping to see: no Yuugo, Goldy Pond arc or GP Resistance, Lucas or Glory Bell escapees, Adam, poachers, or Cuvitidala Search. Since this season also (sort of) reached the 2047 time skip, we were also denied of the Paradise Hideout, Jin, Hayato, Ayshe, the Seven Walls & Imperial Capital Battle arcs and Alex due to the anime’s so-called “original story” idea. While some manga events still took place (B06-32 getting blown up, the trio’s reunion, Norman’s time at Lambda, the cursed blood and the Grace Field raid), they were all significantly changed and barely held the same emotional impact, as we see very little to no build up to these moments. Several volumes were skipped completely and despite others being touched lightly, we unfortunately missed out on major character development for everyone, most notably for Emma, but also the lighter side of things such as chef Ray, medic Anna, Rossi learning morse code, Minerva!Norman, etc. There’s honestly so much of the main story to talk about and I totally understand why we’re all so ticked off, especially since that darn slideshow did absolutely nothing to calm our hearts at the end of ep11.

However.. I’m not gonna stand by and say this season was worthless. Highly disappointing given everything I just mentioned of course, I get it, so don’t curse me out just yet. People can trash talk it all they want and I’ll sympathize 110%, but I personally won’t do so. I love this series too much and that’s a huge reason as to why I didn’t drop this season. Usually whenever I start a new series, it’s because I become interested in a character or two. I find that no matter what happens in that series, whether the story intrigues me or not, I’ll continue it if only to see more of that character. If the story is good, it’s just another plus for me to stay addicted, so while this season totally missed their chance to adapt the wonderful source material of my favorite series, I stayed to watch Emma, Ray and all the other children I’ve grown to love over the past two years. Another reason why I stayed on this train wreck was because of how thought provoking it became as turned into yet another guessing game for me. After first watching the OP and even more after ep3 aired, I kept wondering what would they include or leave out. How would they handle this scene if this and that were already changed? How would they fix this problem if so and so isn’t here? It felt like I was watching season one blind all over again; seeing all these little clues sprinkled everywhere and yet not having any idea on how the story was going to continue or end got me excited. That’s why I came to love this story in the first place, so having the chance to feel that again alongside characters I love so dearly.. it was fun for me (until the slideshow punched me in the face). While many people will look at this season and declare the manga and first season are both superior (which they are, I agree), I’m still sitting over here like “oh look, more content!”

With all that nonsense out of the way, I thought I would go ahead and ramble about everything I believe the second season did well enough, because if I can take any heat off this adaptation then you’re damn right I’m gonna try. So if you’re wondering why on earth a manga reader even mildly enjoyed this season, it’s honestly just the little things such as a decently adapted or improved panel/scene, any new, interesting elements the anime may have included, or other personal favorite moments of mine.. which there were a lot of.

So no negativity past here kiddos, we’re gonna be as optimistic and lively as an orange antenna.

(mild manga spoiler warning, I guess? but I’m sure it’s nothing y’all haven’t heard us readers mention/complain about already)

- If you’ve read any of my reactions to this season, you would know how much love I have for “Identity.” Not only is the song still an absolute banger, but the opening sequence itself is fantastic. From the contrast between human vs demon, the cameos, the symbolism, the match cuts, the build up to the chorus.. just everything. I could talk about it endlessly and watch it several times over and still be impressed.

- Lani’s stupid fall.

- How clearly it shows Emma’s condition becoming progressively worse.

- Her scream.

- Ray’s apology, especially how soft his voice was when saying “sorry, Emma,” and the smile he gives after she tells him not to worry about it.

- And his entire promise to keep everyone in their family safe. Oh I was so happy to finally hear him say that.

- This exchange between Don and Gilda.

- Rossi and those darn faces he gives us. This boy is such a mood.

- How involved the younger kids were so they don’t feel like they were just.. there, which served as a reminder that everyone from Grace Field is smart, not just Emma and Ray.

- How pretty the demon forest looked at night when all those odd creatures started glowing (even those darn goowee).

- So happy with how this panel was adapted. That smirk of his is everything.

- The fact they remembered a small detail such as the bell.

- Knowing now that they cut so much out of the manga, I’m glad we at least got the hug.

- The ending sequence gave us a small look at Sonja and Mujika’s travels by themselves. “Magic” is also so very calming to listen to.

- How the children hug both Emma and Ray, as manga only had our girl receiving the hugs.

- Sonju & Mujika’s voice actors fit them perfectly.

- How impressed Ray was when he first tried their cooking. No wonder he was so eager to learn how to cook.

- Sonju’s story about the demon world from ch46-47 practically adapted word for word.

- While the manga also shows us how frighted the duo is upon learning they’re living in the worst case scenario, it’s seeing them and their hands physically shake that help push this scene a little bit more (not that you can tell this by a still frame but trust me).

- Their synchronized smirks and how well their excitement was not only animated but how genuine and real it sounds too. Emma’s laugh and the fact they made Ray of all people sound hopeful is fantastic.

- They kept the small Ray from this panel and made him better.

- I just love seeing him be optimistic.

- The entire scene when Emma & Ray are both scolded by the younger kids for acting so recklessly is perfect.

- They kept this tiny comment of Nat’s.

- Finally getting chef Ray and hearing how confident he is with his cooking skills already.

- Seeing other children like Dominic pick up archery and be surprisingly good at it.

- Anime pushed Emma’s quick learning ability further with archery by showing us how easily she could land a bullseye even after hitting something midair.

- How well they animated Emma’s first kill, from following the arrow as she pulls it back to when she releases it as it flies towards the bird’s eye.

- The fact that this scene and the next both used a water droplet to symbolize death just like we saw during season one with Conny and Norman’s shipments are so satisfying.

- The gupna scene and how well it emphasized Emma’s reaction to taking a life and how upset/bothered she was in doing so. The addition of a butterfly helps as well, as it’s another way this series tends to convey the idea of death. (you remember how many the OP had, right? tons.)

- I only just noticed that Ray is seen looking at a similar butterfly in the following scene as well.

- The anime doing this panel justice. Ep2 is probably the episode that follows the manga the closest and did real well in regards to that.

- Ray beating Sonju at chess.

- Chris knowing exactly which way to go without using the compass, which makes sense as he was seen mapping out the surrounding area in the previous episode.

- The kid’s adorable little freak out.-

- Giving us a better idea on how large the reference room of the B06-32 shelter truly is.

- Finally being able to hear our boy Nat play the piano. The fact that his first song is named “Nat King Cool” as a possible reference to Nat King Cole is also great.

- Rossi being an accurate representation of the manga readers while watching this episode.

- Chris being his cute self.

- Seeing Ray’s sleeping face after the manga denied us so many times by hiding it.

- It’s.. close enough. We love our chef.

- I love the idea that Nat plays a couple songs before everyone goes to sleep. That’s so precious.

- SHE!! With her hair down!

- Rossi teasing Don and the fact that just mentioning Gilda is enough to scare him.

- It remembered that Gilda has a tendency to count all the children.

- The level of confidence Isabella has in her kids.

- Ray being oh so close to shooting a human with an arrow.

- This hug.

- Chris leading the group through the underground tunnels, which he also does in manga but we learn earlier in this ep it’s due to all the time he’s played down here.

- Because of his extensive knowledge of the shelter’s layout, Chris also guides everyone to one of the secret entrances to escape after he realizes the intruders are only stationed at the main two.

- Ray’s first demon kill is smooth as hell.

- Curse this scene for being so dark because that damn smile Isabella gives us is amazing.

- Since Andrew was cut, Chris and Dominic survive the aftermath of the shelter’s destruction without any injuries.

- Although we weren’t expecting to see their older 2047 selves this soon, they look good okay?

- The emotion in her voice throughout this entire scene (probably the closest we were ever gonna get to Emma doubting herself in ch109/114 too).

- Please just let me enjoy this moment when Ray noticed her negative thoughts and stepped in to help just as I expected.

- Vylk and that goofy smile of his.

- Watching the duo communicate without words during the chase through the demon town.

- Our girl clearing this jump effortlessly.

- Norman’s squishy cheeks.

- Ray’s slap could’ve been better, I know, but at this point I’m happy they still included it.

- The fact we can see Ray’s face during the reunion hug this time.

- And this hug.

- Remembering the small panel of Ray noticing Emma’s bluff.

- Finally hearing this conversation because both voice actors do a wonderful job with it and thankfully the dialogue is on par with the manga as well. Also that one moment when the shadow falls across Emma’s face like that.

- Gilda comforting Alicia after her nightmare.

- The scene is very dear to me so of course I appreciate every little panel we can get.

- How carefree Ray sounded with his “Nopes.”

- How I only realized just now that this panel was also adapted.

- Okay so who’s brilliant idea was it to have the sun rise towards the end of this conversation as Ray helps Emma regain her confidence? I just wanna personally thank them because it was a genius move and I’ll treasure it forever.

- They kept Barbara’s slip-up.

- Like our demon friends, I think the Lambda crew’s voices fit them rather well, although Zazie’s was totally unexpected, like dude you’re 5, why is your voice so low?

- Another “it could’ve been better but at least they included it” moment.

- Vincent’s smile here cracks me up and I don’t know why.

- Barbara’s anger.

- The short snippet we get of the ch126 conversation when the duo was visiting Chris.

- The table from Barbara’s outrage was never magically fixed like it was in manga, so we get this nice shot of Norman reflected in the broken surface.

- The trio’s conversation about the royals and cursed blood follows manga relatively well.

- Anime did this panel better, I’m sorry. Thank you for showing my girl getting angry.

- This frame of Ray.

- This comment of Norman’s that made me wanna slap him.

- How Norman’s face is constantly in the shadows during this scene, which is something his office at the Paradise hideout probably wouldn’t have given us, so hurray for this location instead.

- How he and Emma bicker over how many days their deal should last.

- When the camera shifts in and out of focus during Barbara’s seizure.

- How this scene hid Norman’s face until they revealed the demon the crew killed.

- It really is the small details that make me happy.

- This smile of Don’s.

- I’ll take all the hugs I can get.

- Emma and Gilda’s little headbutt.

- Why does my boy look so grown up and handsome here? Hello??

- I suppose I have to give credit for Peter’s voice actor too hm?

- Actually making Smee a bit more relevant.

- Since the fight against Legravalima was cut, this shot of Zazie is the closest we’re gonna get to seeing him without his paper bag, but it does improve on that one panel of him at the start of ch153.

- Seeing more of Norman’s time at Lambda as well as the aftermath of the explosion.

- While this scene pales in comparison to its manga counterpart, having the sun set behind him while Norman delivers his famous line was still a decent touch. It’s a nice contrast to the sunrise in ep6 and I enjoy it very much.

- Wild demons managing to somehow successful jump scare me not once, not twice, but three times in a single episode.

- Emma getting back up to protect her family despite her injury. (i mean, it’s no ch93 comeback but oh well)

- Ray getting in another decent shot at a demon.

- This face of his.

- Seeing just how quickly the drug causes the demons to degenerate and all the chaos it causes.

- Actually showing Norman attacking a demon rather than just saying he killed Yverk off panel in ch153.

- Hate me all you want but the anime did this panel better too.

- The ch153 discussion is more or less the same but the fact they added in Norman looking to Ray for help and just having him snap back instead was priceless.

- Sonju’s grin.

- The scene when Norman stops Zazie’s attack may only last like five seconds but it’s wonderfully animated and I find myself replaying it countless times.

- How to make the manga readers and anime-onlys panic with just one sentence:

- Isabella being clever as ever by leaking false info into the radio the escapees have to lure them back to Grace Field.

- I just think Emma looks so mature and pretty here?

- Had Norman actually apologize to the demons.. or was just about to anyways.

- Demon Emma is precious and must be protected.

- The adorable mixup between both Emmas.

- I haven’t a clue on where or how the kids managed to gather all the supplies to create several hot air balloons and explosives.. but they did, somehow, and I’m impressed because I’m assuming that all happened within a day.

- Ma’am, could you be any more smug?

- Simon! And he ends up surviving!

- Having Sonju fight alongside the Lambda crew.

- Which reminds me that this is possible since the Imperial Capital battle didn’t happen (yet, in this timeline), so the three of them never received their injuries from Legravalima either.

- The smoke bombs, only because I remembered how Sonju used them back in ep1 while rescuing Ray so it’s nice to see them being used again.

- Showing Norman actually use a bow and arrow this time. He also hits his target on the first try through a smokescreen.

- Ray having enough strength to knock out two demons with a simple metal pipe. In ch169 he’s seen holding down a grown man so yeah, I can believe this as well.

- Having Jemima, Yvette, Rossi & Mark disguises themselves as shipments in order to rally up the other Grace Field kids. Mark’s face and the noise he makes upon seeing Naila again is also precious.

- Peter actually falling for Vincent’s trap.

- Getting one young child to listen to you is hard enough, but Emma manages to get about 183 of them (yes I counted, give or take the four who also disguised themselves) to follow her orders in no time flat.

- Phil helping with the plan to lead all the children to the elevator.

- It made me nervous upon seeing it but they made the Day & Night ceiling real pretty.

- I knew the reunion was coming and still cried.

- Take all my hell yeahs.

- I could listen to her say this on repeat and be overjoyed every single time.

- She’s beauty, she’s grace, she’ll point at gun in your face.

- Getting to witness someone shoot at Peter since no one did so in the manga? Wonderful. Having that person be Isabella who literally lands a perfect shot not even a full second after he pulls out that disc? Perfection.

- Mujika and Vylk bringing in hundreds of civilian demons as reinforcements.

- James!

- Those real quick shots of the ancestors because I had given up on thinking we would’ve seen them at all since the Seven Walls arc was skipped.

- I’m actually surprised they kept his death in and it’s as harsh as the manga.

- Ray confronting Isabella with the addition of this line.

- This panel being animated along with Emma’s thoughts from ch177 towards Isabella even though that chapter’s major event didn’t happen.

- I certainly can not forget about this hug.

- At least anime!Emma told the boys her plan before reaching the door, or didn’t keep it a total secret? If not then I’ll praise the boys for accepting her crazy idea regardless.

- Boy, do you know how much I love you and your smirks?

- SHE. STAYS. ALIVE!!!

- Vincent and Norman’s little fist bump.

- Different but close enough. Still cute though.

- The amount of emotions this one shot makes me feel is limitless. Catch me crying tears of joy over it for the rest of my life.

- Having Phil not only getting the chance to see a train but to ride one as well.

- This pretty shot of Gilda.

- As well as this beautiful one with Emma and Mujika.

- They gave us older Phil. Not sure how much older but he’s still adorable.

- Lastly, the goddamn soundtrack! Of course we heard a bunch of the songs from season one, but the new ones such as “The Evil-Blooded Girl” and the Arabic version of “Isabella’s Lullaby” are absolutely fantastic. I still have to listen to full soundtrack but from what little bit I heard of such songs such as “Nat King Ballade,” “Crisis,” “Norman’s Lament,” and “The Temple Ruins,” I’m sure every track is an absolute joy. I’m so happy we had Obata back for this season.

And that’s the end of it, I guess? Of course it’s not a perfect list, as the majority of it was just personal favorites of mine but oh well. (this is just as long as ray’s birthday post too, oh lord)

I’m not gonna be one of those manga readers who continuously nag people to go read the original source material, because that’s annoying and I understand that some people just might not be up for it. They might watch a series, take it all in and then move on to the next one. Others might want to find out about every little detail and invest more time into the story. It’s totally fine to enjoy a series your own way and you shouldn’t feel pressured to continue something you’re only mildly interested in or feel bad that you love something others might despise. Just do whatever makes you happy. If you wanna check out the manga and see why us readers love it to pieces, then I promise it’s worth it, especially if you enjoyed the anime or wish to see more of any character.. or the entire story. If the manga ain’t for you, then I hope the anime did something for you. It definitely could have been better though, I can’t argue with that.

Whether you’re anime-only or manga reader, can we all still hope for a remake? This season had more flaws than any amount of praise I could give, but if years down the line we get the FMA: Brotherhood or Hellsing: Ultimate treatment where the next anime adaptation follows the manga perfectly, you know I’ll be all for it. I’m too deep in this TPN hole and I’ll probably never leave.

[hellyeahomeland]

An HYH Exclusive Interview with Dominic Mainl

[Over the last six seasons, Dominic Mainl has worked in the camera department on Homeland, working to get the shots you see in each episode onto your screens. For our “On the Record with…” series, Dom graciously answered our questions about what the Homeland experience has been like, including how he got started, what it’s like to work with cast and crew, and his most vivid memories. Thank you Dom for answering our questions! –the HYH team]

Hell Yeah Homeland: Your first Homeland episode was “Tin Man Is Down” in season three. How did the German guy become a part of the production?

Dom Mainl: Haha, pure luck? In 1998 I moved from tiny Bad Dürrheim, Germany, to Los Angeles because I wanted to work in Hollywood. I was already in the film industry in Germany and wanted to work with the best of the best and that meant moving to Los Angeles. It took a few years and a lot of hard work to “break into Hollywood” and yet another few years and even harder work to become established, but in the end it all worked out. I worked on the HBO show True Blood and met David Klein, ASC there. I really enjoy working with him and over the years we have become a good team, business partners and most importantly, very good friends. One day my phone rings and Dave said, “Hey man, I’m taking over as the Director of Photography on Homeland. Are you interested? I would love to have you on the crew” …. and I had no idea what Homeland even was! I had never heard of it! I said yes anyway because I love working with Dave and looked up the show online. So on my way out to Charlotte (where we shot season three) I started watching the first season and really, really liked it. So I was hyped about being part of the project after becoming part of the project. 

HYH: What do you remember from your first day at set? 

DM: Every project, whether it’s film, tv or commercials, I have butterflies in my stomach the night before day one. David Klein says, “if you’re not nervous before day one you are phoning it in,” and he’s right. We love what we do and there are so many things that can go wrong, so even after 20+ years I still get nervous. The first day on Homeland was really easy though because all the actors are sooo unbelievably nice. As a focus puller I am quite immersed in all technical things to make sure nothing goes wrong (especially on day one!), so Homeland was no different from other shows in that respect.

HYH: We know you can’t talk about season eight yet, but looking back at previous seasons, what scenes still stick with you? Why?

DM: This is going to explain a lot about why I love working with Dave Klein: there’s a shot in season three when Brody is brought back to the US and it's the first time Carrie and Brody meet since he was shipped off to Caracas. He’s laying on the bed and the camera is right in his face. Carrie steps into the background and has an emotional monologue directed at the sleeping Brody. Remember that? 

So, my job as a focus puller is to adjust focus during the shot. And I felt strongly about keeping Damian sharp in the foreground although the #1 star of the show just entered our shot and she was the only person talking! General rule of thumb for focus pullers: make sure the person talking is sharp. If a lot of people talk, make sure the star of the show is sharp... So here I was, new to the show, and breaking all the rules at once. But, to me, it felt so damn powerful to stay on Brody’s face to see his reaction as he slowly wakes to Carrie’s words, until he opens his eyes and (eventually) turns around. So I discussed this with Dave and he brought this idea up with director Lesli Linka Glatter and the producer/creator Alex Gansa and we ended up shooting two versions of this scene, one with the focus shifting to Carrie as she enters the frame and one that stayed with Brody. To Dave's credit he fought for my idea and in the end they used my version. That shows you how amazing it is to work with Dave Klein--you’re truly a part of the team.

HYH: Thinking of some iconic Homeland scenes (pretty much all the scenes which left us heartbroken)--like Brody‘s death scene, Quinn driving into a lethal hail of bullets--how much time did you have to prepare these scenes? How do you in the camera and photography department plan for these scenes? How many times do you shoot them before you got the material we see in the final and aired cut?

DM: Brody’s death was rather emotional for the crew as well because that was the very last shooting day of the season. We were shooting all night in Morocco and we had to bid Damian adieu after we wrapped. It was almost the same with Quinn, although we had a few days of shooting left after we killed off Rupert’s character… But Rupert served the crew champagne after the day ended, still bloodied from the scene, which was very sweet…. plus the bubbly was rather good so I didn’t mind killing him off, haha. As far as preparation for these scenes go, it's the same as for any other shot--for me, anyways. I prepare the gear the same way I would for any other scene as reliability is key. The most important part is that the equipment is functioning flawlessly because, in the end, if the camera doesn’t record what’s in front of it… why are we there?

HYH: Homeland’s main cinematographer is David Klein, and you two have worked together on many episodes over the years. Can you describe the working relationship between the two of you? 

DM: I was asked the same questions a few years ago and I have the same answer: it’s a privilege to work with David Klein because you get to work with him and not just for him. There is a fundamental difference. Of course, he’s the boss and all departmental decisions are his to make but he actively involves the camera operators and the focus pullers in the process and that’s what makes it so much fun! Sure, it really does take a while to establish such a good rapport and a working relationship like ours, because it is 100% built on trust. The example I mentioned [earlier] shows that we have each other’s back and that’s when you can get really creative…

HYH: Speaking of the art of cinematography and photography, how would you describe Homeland’s visual/photographic DNA?

DM: That’s a question for David Klein, haha. Of course I have my 2 cents but that’s not for me to answer…

HYH: What's your secret about taking the perfect shot?

DM: Generally speaking, preparation. Hard work beats talent unless talent works hard. The perfect shot is when all the elements come together in synchronized harmony. Think of it as choreography - the actors, the frame, focus and camera platform (hand-held, dolly or Steadicam, etc.)… everything that moves, everything needs to be perfectly in sync to achieve what the director or the DP had in mind and there is a lot that can go wrong. But when it all goes right, it seems effortless. What’s my secret? Easy: Don’t fuck it up. Don’t be the one element that blows the shot.

HYH: You’ve traveled with the Homeland production all over the world -- to South Africa, Germany, Morocco, and several locations in the US. Which trip did you enjoy the most and which one was the hardest work? Why?

DM: I really enjoyed Morocco. And I really disliked Morocco. For clarification, I met my wife in Morocco while shooting the finale for season three there and I will always have fond memories of that time. And I disliked season eight in Morocco, because even though my wife had become a member of the crew by then (she is the script supervisor for season eight), shooting there the second time around was unnecessarily complicated and frustrating for reasons I will not go into detail at this point…. but it really wasn’t much fun.

We loved South Africa a lot, too. That was probably one of my favorite seasons. Not necessarily the scripts but the location.

HYH: Compared to other jobs you did before, what’s different about working on Homeland?

DM: After 7 years (well, on and off) of True Blood I was happy I didn’t have to work with vampires and at night anymore. The spy game turned out to be fun and intriguing but you pay the price for getting to see the world. The biggest challenge was the constant shifts in location. One, because we ship a lot of camera gear around the world which adds a ton of work and stress (carnets, inventory, maintenance, etc.). Two, it’s really hard to find and keep a good crew around and given we were on the road for six years we had to start over almost everywhere we went and train the team to the workflow that Dave and I have had established. I admit, I am quite demanding and finding a crew that could do the job to my expectations in all those locations was not easy. But we ended up making some life-long friends… and probably a handful of enemies too, haha.

HYH: From what we were able to follow on social media, we got the impression that filming season eight has been a long and tough journey, much harder than previous seasons. Is there anything you can share about the reasons why?

DM: Well, if you go into Africa expecting you can shoot an American TV schedule with an international crew within the same time frame and on the same budget... you have to be crazy! But there isn't just one party to blame for the exhausting Moroccan portion of season eight but rather a combination of unfortunate misunderstandings paired with inexperience and a healthy dose of negligence. As they say, “everything that could go wrong, did.”

HYH: Was there ever a scene for which you had just one take to get it right? Which one?

DM: Let’s just say there is going to be an explosion in season eight and we only had one try at it. And we nailed it.

HYH: For the tech nerds among us, what's your favorite camera and objective and which scene you shot with it comes to your mind?

DM: Hands down, the ARRI Alexa Mini. Homeland is a predominantly handheld show in order to keep the tensions high while (subconsciously) keeping the audience always on the edge of [their] seat. If the cameras are handheld the image constantly moves. You can even see/feel the breathing of the camera operators. The Alexa Mini is lightweight yet robust and the sensor is the best money can buy. We used ARRI Master Primes for added sharpness for seasons five, six, seven, and eight, but sprinkled in a few Zeiss Supreme Primes this year to take off a little bit of weight. We also like to use Canon Cinema Zooms for their high quality.

HYH: Butter bei die Fische (Now’s the time for straight talk), why is Homeland still filmed in HD?

DM: Because Showtime wants it that way. I would’ve loved to shoot 4K or with a different aspect ratio or utilize a different sensor size but the people at the helm want to keep it “the way it was.”

HYH: Homeland’s eighth and final season is wrapping up and now airing. How does it feel that the show is coming to an end soon?

DM: It’s bittersweet. I have had some of the best and some of the worst moments of my career on the set of Homeland and I know I will miss it down the road but right now I’m happy that Carrie finally gets to…. Never mind, can’t tell you that, haha. I know I’ll miss it but we’re just exhausted right now.

HYH: What other projects are you working on after Homeland? Any plans yet?

DM: Vacation. No more jobs in 2019 and hopefully a good movie with a good script in 2020. I think after six years of spy TV I want to take a break from the small screen, if possible.

[jinships-ideas]

BTS Run 27 - The Jin Harem

Here we have a Jin disapproving of a Tae dirtying a JK’s face with actual dirt 

‘You can make fun of him but please do not dirty his face’

How protective...

Ultimately the outcome...

Poor JK XD

Jk...You look comfy...

The natural stance of JK: Seagull pose (with a wing on Jin’s Broad Pacific Ocean shoulders 

Notice how Jin only looks at Namjoon while everyone is talking?

Also Namjoon only looks at Jin while he talks

(there’s going to be a whole lot of that this ep) 

*in bliss*

I just felt like sharing this

JK... what even (let’s be real, my mood 24/7)

Also, Hobi directs the question to only Jin 

(who proceeds to give a wrong and ridiculous answer)

Again with the shoulders... JK keep your hands to yourself a little 

(not that I’m complaining because we get quality jinkook)

I see you~

Didn’t you guys just complain that it’s too hot?

Yet here 2Seok are~

Shoulder-to-shoulder, Arm-to-arm

(whiskers kookie peek-a-boo)

Here we have a JK, looking happy after he is given attention by a Jin

And beside them we have a Namjoon looking in affection

Namjoon finding it cute and amusing how Jin keeps changing his mind~

Once again, nosey Jin looking at Jimin’s and Namjoon’s paper even before opening his

He really likes to know which team the others are on...

Here he is peeking at Jk’s paper... or is he?

Because it seems to me like JK is purposefully positioning his paper so Jin can see it too

Hobi is curious too~

The happy look namjoon has after realising who his teammates were

(feat.JK being crushed by the 2 tols of bangtan)

hmm but I wonder why Jin looks so distracted...

He was staring at Taegi’s papers...

Guess there’s no visual team or SIN team this time~

(my delulu mind thinks he registered the hawaiian couple’s slips and was a wee bit jealous)

OMO

JK looks so happy!

(Real JK, shirt JK looks like the cute gloomy bear~)

Namjoon looks happy too~

(I see you dimple~)

Yoongi low-key tapping Jin’s arms with his hand

Don’t think I wouldn’t catch that Yoongles  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Proof that Yoongi did actually touch Jin and Jin looking at him curiously 

Envious Yoongi looking on as namjinkook decides who gets to name their team

Their reactions to Jin once again naming the team after himself

YOU GO JIN! PERFECT NAME! TEAM KIM SEOK JIN!

Tae: hehe he’s doing it again

Yoongi: Mannn I wouldn’t mind being in team Kim Seok Jin

Jin: I AM A GENIUS *windshield wiper laugh*

JK: ahhh Jin hyung is hilarious

Namjoon: AHHHH Why he gotta be like that?! (I imagine that to be ‘cute’) (notice how he’s actually smiling~ sneaky smile can’t escape my eyes~)

Hobi: Laughing brighter than the sun shining at them from Jin’s antics

Jimin: Laughs so hard, he becomes a beand and disppears off-screen

Namjoon giving in to Jin’s naming and even gets JK to agree with it

If only JK’s veiny arms didn’t cover up his happy face!

You can still see his bright smile though

Here we have Team KimSeokJin2.0 looking happy af

(once again Jin managed to get his team to do the power rangers pose XD)

Namjoon reaching out for Jin in embarrassment after shouting differently from the team 

He shouted ahjae (Jin’s nickname) while jinkook shouted AhJa (similar to ‘fighting’)

Jin also reaches out for Namjoon as he laughs

(my namjin heart is shaking)

Meanwhile JK taps his hyung on his arm to get a little attention back on himself

This week on run! Namkook vying for Jin’s attention~

Yoongi sneakily coming in physical contact with Jin again... ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Too bad Jin was distracted by a bug that flew near his ear

Namjin sitting just a little closer than the rest~

Yoonjin and their little touching feet~

AGAIN. There’s plenty of space but Namjin are just casually sitting so lose their legs touch

I squealed so hard here 

Namjoon! I bet inner!namjoon made the same expression as Koya as he touched Jin’s knee

Jin turning to his team in surprise and joy!

Namjoon reaching out for Jin (who is just beside him so really there is no need to)

Jin also reaches out to namjoon in happiness 

meanwhile JK looks in awe at his beloved hyung

If Koya wasn’t there, where would Jin’s hands be?  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

I know Jin is reaching for the card but since the card is barely visible, let me pretend he is reaching out for JK

Also: The mistreatment of RJ and Koya by Namjin 

Namjoon turns to Jin in joy at winning the game~

Take note on what he’s looking at...

Jin’s fist

Notice how his own hand slowly goes towards Jin’s hand

SUCCESS!

INTERLOCKED FINGERS

AHHHHHHHHHHHH - Namjinkook and all of us, 2017

Namjinkook holding hands (namjin interlocking their fingers)

Matching Jinkook

(Team KimSeokJin all has 2 fingers up in this frame and I think that’s cute)

It’s kinda creepy how in-synch jinkook are here

(my crappy attempt at capturing they synchronicity)

They bent down at the same time with the same speed and made the same motions at the same time without making any eye-contact and that’s just really creepy and cool to me

The way Tae looks at Jin with that smile though (kinda like Shooky lolol)

Jin lightly touching Yoongi’s hands 

*clutches my yoonjin heart*

I’m putting this here because the way kookie’s face looks on Jin’s hoodie is hilarious

Also how come only Jin got the hoodie while everyone else got a shirt?

The mistreatment of RJ, Koya and Cooky... A Saga by Team Kim Seok Jin

Here namjoon slightly brushes his hand on Jin’s arms (I see everything Namjoon  👀)

Look who decided to join the saga! Let’s welcome Tae into the mistreatment of their BT21 counterparts!

Jin approves of Tae’s quick wit~

(they were just being nitpicky about Jimin’s answer)

(Why are they such babies)

Well well well, looks like yoongi joined in the mistreatment too...

These boys...really... if it were me I’d treat those with care...

Hobi... I had faith in you... WHY?!

Meanwhile only Chimmy is safe but Chimmy is also all alone, abandoned in a corner...

These boys... really

That’s Yoonjin’s hands slightly brushing each other by the way~

Namjin laughing while laooking at each other 

Namjoon-ah... your hands...

Jin leans in closer to namjoon to discuss the question

the voice he uses is so soft and gentle

hnnng

Here he have Yoongi touching Jin’s thighs

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

And Jin is leaning into Namjoon

Jin’s hands would also have been on Namjoon’s thighs if it weren’t for Koya

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

My 2 OTPs 

*I am in utter happiness right now*

Jin... you can’t abuse your face like this...

Please control your face and your hand

Namjoon happy about Jin holding his hands and smilling with protruding cheeks

Is touching his thigh really necessary right now namjoon?

(not that I’m complaining)

Jimin: What is even going on right now?

Hobi: ooh Jin hyung looks happy! hehe

Tae: ?

Yoongi: He’s smiling and so excited right now

Jin: asdfghjkl

Namjoon: *anticipates with glee*

JK: IDK what’s going on but let’s just cheer along with Jin hyung!

Jin touching Namjoon’s shoulders in pure excitement

(Namjoon: OHHH OHH HE’S TOUCHING ME OMGOMGOMG)

I just wanted a cute Jin to be here so there you go~

Namjoon looking at Jin as he attempts the challenge~

Jin reaching for Namjoon’s thigh yet again...

also, Yoongi’s hand reaching for Jin’s arm

Why is bangtan so touchy? I LOVE IT

??!!?!??!?!?!?!?!!?

ARE YOONJIN HOLDING HANDS IN THE BG?!

OMGOMGOMG

(lmao no... those are Jin’s hands XD but I fooled you didn’t I?)

(Please don’t hurt me)

Jinkook high-5~ feat.unglam Joon

Putting this here cos this deserves to be mentioned, memed and framed

Just because I can, here 

Have a TaeTae imitating a TaTa

Jin leaning on Namjoon’s shoulders~

(Koya is me right now)

Cutie Jin again~

Namjoon and his sneaky hands. 

What did I say before? WE SEE ALL

Jin loving hobi’s little sound effects that are totally adorable

Jin reaching out to both Yoongi and Namjoon~

But he’s doing it to silence them and to get attention on Jimin who’s about to challenge the game!

Matching Jinkook~

They both twitched their fingers too!

gahh it’s great to be a namjin shipper~

I FEEL GREAT I FEEL ALIVE 

Namjoon you and your sneaky hand

Also notice how he puts VAN on him because they are having an O-X quiz and VAN’s eyes are X_O

A smart touchy tol: Namjoon

Jin once again reaching out to namjoon in pure excitement at figuring out the question!

(he almost got it the previous time when it was their turn)

A quick witted tol: Jin

Let’s put this in context.

He is whispering the answer to Namjoon right now

The answer?

Will you stay by my side Will you promise me

HE WHISPERED THIS TO NAMJOON

ALSO how close do you have to get to whisper something?

*I can die happy now*

At hearing those words, namjoon reaches to touch Jin’s thigh

He whispers it to his roomie too~

pouty yoongs because why not

This little bub cheers ‘Jin Seok Kim’ instead of ‘Kim Seok Jin’

“The perfect team” -Namjinkook, 2017

Then proceeds to fail miserably 

Yoongi teasing his roomie~

NAMJOON! LAST WARNING! Stop touching Jin’s thigh on camera!

(Please don’t stop)

Namjin in-sync

The whole time, Namjoon doesn’t lift his hand off of Jin’s thigh

Jin-ah... do you HAVE to touch Yoongi as you sit? hmm?

Touchy Touchy Boys

If VAN wasn’t there, Jin would have touched Namjoon’s thighs~

They really need to control their touchiness...who am I kidding? 

WE LIVE FOR IT

This is it for this weeks’ Run! - Jin Harem post~

Hope you guys enjoyed it!

Until next time~  

Preview:

What sort of abuse did they put JK’s face through?!

Naruto Chim? NARUCHIM or CHIMRUTO?

Namjoon-ah... please don’t abuse your face...

THIS CUTIE WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME!

[ratcarneymain]

Summer Break(bills)

Welters Challenge Submission!! 

Words: 1665

Summary: Eliot convinces Margo to stay with him at Brakebills for the summer vacation between first and second year. Margo tries to control her feelings for him, but a sudden blackout offers her a chance to act on them.

NOTE: I don’t ship them, I just enjoy writing Margo suffering over Eliot. Plus, we all know that this probably happened.

"I have literally no desire to live. That's how bored I am." Margo exhaled dramatically. "I can't believe I was persuaded to stay here with you all summer." She glared at Eliot. "We could have done something fun, but nooo--" "I just had to ruin everyone's summer and insist that my best friend stay with me during the break." Eliot smirked. "You're welcome, by the way." He took a drag on his cigarette so that grey swirls of smoke spilled from his lips with every word. He held his hand up and rubbed the tips of his index finger and thumb together. "Do you know what this is." He never truly seemed to raise the pitch of his voice to signify a question. Margo pressed her lips together to avoid laughing. "A tiny, tiny violin playing a sad song." Despite her effort, a laugh bubbled up around her words anyway. "Just for me."

"That's right." Eliot offered her his signature crooked grin. He had changed over the course of their first year, Margo observed. Grown into himself a little. He had gotten pretty fit, too--he was too thin before. Now it almost looked like there was more than just skin and bones on his frame. She pursed her lips. She had always had a bit of a crush on the tall boy, but now it was blossoming into something more intense. And it wasn't the kind of intense that she was used to. Margo didn't just want to fuck him, no. She wanted to love him. "I'm gasping." Margo groaned breathily, pushing down her thoughts. "Is there anything to drink?" Eliot laughed. "With me, there always is." He stood and stretched, almost touching the ceiling. Margo watched as he threw his head back to stretch his long neck and strode to the kitchen. "Merlot or Sauvignon?" He called. Margo smiled slyly. "Cocktail." She licked her lips, watching as Eliot sighed exasperatedly. He had already opened the wine cabinet, and seemed very annoyed at having to close it. "You drive a hard bargain, Margo Hanson." He snickered and made his way to the bar. "Like you would know about hard bargains, Eliot Waugh." She teased. "Mr. I'll-give-anyone-a-blowjob-for-exam-answers." "That was twice, and we passed, didn't we?" He made his voice high-pitched to imitate Margo. "Thanks, Eliot, for sucking some dick so that I can stay at the special magic school!" Eliot lowered his voice and glared at Margo. "You never did thank me, princess." Margo laughed. "Thanks, Eliot, for sucking some dick so that I can stay at the special magic school." She stood to rest her elbows on the bar. "And you know very well that I'm no princess." "My apologies, Queen Margo The Destroyer." Eliot dipped his head in a theatrical show of mock respect. "That's better." She laughed. Yes, alright, she had been kind of a bitch about having to stay with Eliot during the summer, but if the whole summer could be like this, she would be happy. And the whole summer was almost like that. Almost. They had been drinking, and the familiar heat of tipsiness washed over Margo like a lukewarm wave. She and Eliot were playing Push, a card game that was quite popular at Brakebills. Like all magician games (see Welters for example), it was hellishly complex, and drinking didn't help either of them comprehend the rules. The only people who knew the game well enough to win were the Finns, or fifth years, and that was only because they had been at it for five long years. "Wait, do I throw the card into the hat before or after reciting the suit and number in Old Church Slavonic?" Eliot furrowed his brow in confusion, the hand not holding a bottle of wine gravitating to his forehead to brush his dark curls out of his eyes. "Um." Margo tipped the contents of the wine bottle she held into her mouth. The alcohol felt good going down her throat, dulling her senses and ensuring that a warm, leafy branch of good feeling sprouted in her chest. "I dunno." "Well." Eliot announced. "We tried." He set his cards down, evidently uninterested in pursuing the game any further. Margo sighed contentedly, curling up on the couch next to him. "What time is it." She murmured. Eliot checked his watch. "8:45." He smiled. "The night is still young, my dear." "Let's watch a movie." Margo said. Eliot pursed his lips. "Sure. Why not. What movie?" Margo thought for a second. Maybe it was because of her intoxication, and maybe it was because Eliot was so damn distracting, but she said the first movie that popped into her head. "Bambi." She blurted. "Never took you for a Disney girl." Eliot smirked. "But Bambi it is." He got up and crossed to the shelf, picking out a movie with a big-eyed-deer on it. Popping it in the DVD player, he went back to Margo and allowed her to lay her head on his lap. Everything was going great. The deer were cute, the forest animals were chirpy, and the animation was subpar. Margo hadn't seen this movie in quite a long time, but a big warning sign flashed in her head. She knew what was coming next. She squeezed her eyes shut and held on to Eliot until the shot passed. "Someone's tense." Eliot observed. "What, did you have a particularly strong attachment to Bambi's mom that I didn't catch?" "Shut it, asshole." Margo smiled, slightly embarrassed at revealing her sensitivity. "She was a great mom." Eliot chuckled lightly, smiling down at Margo with his odd, twisted smile. "If you say so." They watched the rest of the movie in silence, each taking in the bright colors and choppy animations at their own paces. It wasn't an aesthetically pleasing movie, but it was relatively light and not very intellectually challenging. They enjoyed it. Once the credits rolled, Margo sat up. "What now?" She asked. Eliot opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, the lights flickered and went out. Margo felt her hands grip the fabric of Eliot's dress shirt. He looked up nonchalantly. "Summer blackout." He assessed. "Nothing to freak out about, Bambi." He used the new nickname cautiously, with a hint of amusement chasing his words. Margo's hands relaxed so that they rested on Eliot's chest. "I hope that's not gonna stick." She snickered, but secretly, she hoped it did. They sat in the darkness for a while, each enjoying the silence of each other's company the way good friends do when they have surpassed the level of mere comfort and are venturing in near-familial territory. Not that that would stop Margo, of course. She was still in love with Eliot, but she felt like if she acted upon it, then everything would be fine the next day. Isn't that the dream. "Truth or dare." She said before she could stop herself. She couldn't see him that well, but Margo could tell that Eliot was rolling his eyes. "What are you, twelve?" He snickered. "Truth or dare, Eliot." Margo insisted. Hell, it's not like she could take it back. "Dare." Eliot stated clearly. Now was her chance. Margo inhaled slowly. "Kiss me." She murmured, moving closer to him. "You're drunk." Eliot narrowed his eyes. "So are you." Margo replied without missing a beat. "C'mon, El. Don't be a pussy." There was a pause. Margo was ready to give him a more appropriate dare when she felt soft lips crash into hers. Eliot cradled her jaw in his hands, carefully placing his thumbs on the apples of her warm cheeks. She had fantasized about this, sure, but she never knew that a gay guy would kiss so well. He pulled her close, and in that moment, she could forget that her love for him was unrequited. Margo's hands traveled the length of his collarbone, gently ghosting around his fragile neck. In return, he stroked her cheek with his thumb and lowered his other hand to firmly grasp her shoulder. His hands were cold despite the summer heat, and they sent a slight chill down her spine. It could have lasted seconds and it could have lasted years, but whatever it was was sweet and fiery and hot and passionate, passionate red. His lips were surprisingly soft and guaranteed to be smudged with her lipstick by the time they were done. At first it was just a kiss, but Margo parted her lips to allow Eliot's tongue to explore the inside of her mouth. He was uncharacteristically cautious, as if Margo was a glass figurine that he would break if he pressed her too hard or held her too carelessly. He held her close, so close that her breasts brushed his chest, so close that their hearts beat in unison, so close that each breath they took was synchronized. Finally, he pulled away, dropping his hands just as the light snapped back on, and the spell was broken. Margo panted softly, gazing at Eliot. He looked dazed and confused. he brought his fingers to his mouth to brush them against his lips, as if making sure that what just happened was actually real. Margo coughed, trying to play down her embarrassment. "What, I couldn't have been your first." She teased, tapping his nose playfully. "Well," He cleared his throat. "You were my first girl." His cheeks reddened, as if he were confessing something big. Margo laughed before she could stop herself. "How appropriate." She giggled. "You're my first gay." Eliot cupped Margo's cheek in his hand. "Never change, Bambi." He pressed one final kiss to her nose and smiled his signature crooked smirk.