#its a small studio and the art in it is amazing so its 100% reasonable

[purrfurnax]

just got excited theres a graphic novel available for preorder to finish my comfort show that hbo cancelled on a big cliffhanger. $125. for the graphic novel. cries

[aion-rsa]

Rome: The Long Road of the Original HBO Epic

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It was the biggest show ever produced when it premiered on HBO. Filming in exotic international locations and on sets that went on for blocks, it was an epic spectacle that many whispered couldn’t be done on television. Not with its hundreds of extras in lavish costumes, and not with its cast of more than a dozen major characters. Yet HBO gambled big with a budget that exceeded $100 million on its first season.

These details might be mistaken by many as the genesis of Game of Thrones. But before HBO’s song of ice and fire, this was also the origin of the first actual modern TV epic. It was the story of Rome.

In its debut, Rome was even more gargantuan in scale and opulent in design than Thrones’ first few years. Filmed at the legendary facilities of Cinecittà Studios in the actual Rome, HBO and showrunner Bruno Heller oversaw a vast recreation of antiquity during the life and times of Julius Caesar. From the austere grandeur of the pre-imperial Roman Forum to the eventual seediness of the gangs on the Aventine Hill, the final days of the Roman republic were reimagined in sweaty, shocking, and spectacularly expensive detail.

“We used the most modern scholarship, which suggests that all the sculptures were painted,” Heller says over Zoom as we reminisce about Rome and its Cinecittà extravagance 15 years after the series’ 2005 premiere. Every morning Heller would  be up at 4am, arriving early on set and getting lost in the art direction’s colors. “Walking out there at dawn into the Forum and seeing this world created, it was just magical. It gives me goosebumps now thinking about it, seeing a hundred [Gaul] tribesmen on horseback with great furry helmets charging down a hillside yelling, that sort of thing. No one makes things like that anymore. Even something like Game of Thrones would use CGI for the kind of things that we were doing for real.”

Actor Kevin McKidd, who played one half of Rome’s soul, the honorable to a fault Lucius Vorenus, expresses similar awe when he thinks back at what they accomplished.

“I mean listen, none of these budgets were small, but I think Game of Thrones ended up being smaller than ours,” McKidd correctly points out. Whereas Rome was budgeted at $100 million when it premiered, Game of Thrones debuted with a more reasonable starting price tag of $60 million. Says McKidd, “Ours, it was the first time anybody had tried this, so we just had to spend the money. And I think they figured out, it seems, ways to do it smarter or for less… because our show came out of the gate just huge and bawdy and big, and unapologetic.”

Heller is even more succinct in describing Rome’s making.

“Most films, and even TV, is planning for battle,” Heller says. “Planning for a big TV series like [Rome] is like planning for war, for a campaign. It’s invading Russia.” He pauses, “You have to think about the retreat, as well.”

This was Rome’s war: brief, bloody, and beautiful.

‘Very Unlikely to Be Made’

When HBO first hired Heller to take a crack at a Rome treatment, he didn’t think for a minute it would get made. In the early 2000s, HBO was a different place than it is now. The Sopranos and Sex and the City of course turned the premium cable network into the leader of the prestige cable revolution—or harbinger of peak TV as it would later be called—and the network had its eye on bigger and more dazzling projects. In 2001 HBO even released the most expensive miniseries ever up to that point with Band of Brothers. But that World War II-set series also had the names Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks attached as producers. The network still relied on bankability.

So when Heller took a meeting about Rome, he was acutely aware he’d be unable to lend that same prestige to a sword and sandals epic. He’d written some scripts before at HBO and admired the vision of then-HBO chairman Chris Albrecht and Carolyn Strauss, then-president of HBO’s entertainment division. But he was being called in to discuss a show based on a preexisting miniseries pitch by John Milius and William J. MacDonald—a pitch the network was already wary toward.

“It’s one of those projects that’s really going for broke and very unlikely to be made, [given] the budget that was required,” Heller recalls of HBO’s attitude toward Milius and his vision. “They were paying me to write a script to take it at least to a respectable point at which time they can say, ‘Okay, thank you.’”

Citing himself as “cheap” at the time, Heller recognized it was easier to pay a young writer for a treatment than a whole production crew for a pilot. So he used the opportunity as an excuse to immerse himself in Roman history and lore. This began via conversations with his co-creators Milius and MacDonald. Their central conceit already had in place the three characters of young Octavian, the boy who would be Augustus, first Emperor of Rome, as well as Roman centurions Titus Pullo and Lucius Vorenus.

In history, as with the series, Pullo and Vorenus were the only Roman soldiers who Julius Caesar mentioned by name in his journals. But other than being Roman centurions in the 13th Legion, not much else is known of the men. And Heller took his first major liberty when he lit on the idea of changing Pullo from a centurion to a coarse, insubordinate soldier beneath Vorenus’ command.

It was a savvy move that mapped the heart of the Rome series. Whereas most other fictions about this oft-dramatized era in history focused on the lives of the legendary patricians—be it Caesar and Octavian, or Marc Antony and Cleopatra—Rome would maintain all those characters and the lower tiers in daily Roman life. Through the introduction of Pullo and Vorenus, and their contentious friendship, the fall of the Roman republic suddenly becomes an upstairs/downstairs dramedy.

Says Heller, “The model that first sparked me on ‘oh, this is how to play it’ was [Tom Stoppard’s] Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, because the larger story is so well known, like Hamlet, that it’s hard to tell that story. The downstairs story has to be more compelling than the upstairs story, because the upstairs story, a little like Batman, is a given. It’s a myth. Everyone knows what happens.”

It also allowed Heller to dive into modern research.

“There was a lot of very recent scholarship at that time that transformed people’s sense of what Roman [history] was,” Heller explains. “There was much more about the everyday life of Roman people, about how people would have lived in apartment blocks in the insular working class life, and looking at it from that modern perspective.”

Reflecting on the dirtiness and filth that would be in the Roman Forum, the showrunner adds, “It’s lucky that practically every previous representation of Rome on any scale kind of went for the grand imperial late Edward Gibbon velvet drapes and marble columns. Even Gladiator went for that. Whereas, in fact, it looked much more like Calcutta or Bombay, and smelled like that.”

This also provided the writer the chance to explore Roman culture and custom with a greater push for authenticity than many Hollywood films of yore. For example, Heller attempted to learn how to read Latin at least as well as the uneducated Pullo—though he says he only got about as far as being able to recognize “oh that’s a pub” if he were walking the streets. More successfully he came to understand his vision of the Pagan working class mentality when he wrote a scene of Pullo praying to Portunus, the Roman god of locks and keys.

It all informed an extravagant treatment for a series he’d end up writing half the episodes of (and he tells us all 22 installments of the show passed through his typewriter before shooting). Yet, at least per the co-creator, what got Rome greenlit was as much his innovations as the developments of an entirely different epic series at HBO.

“[Chris Albrecht] was looking for something that had to be big and that they had to put money behind,” Heller says. “I think it was going to be Mel Gibson doing Alexander.” Indeed, at the same time HBO was developing Rome, the network was also working with the then-beloved Oscar winning director behind Braveheart for a 10-part series on Macedonian conquest.

“Then it turned out that Mel Gibson was going to do Alexander but he wouldn’t be Alexander,” Heller says. “[But] they didn’t want to be in business with Mel Gibson as a director-producer without Mel Gibson as [the star].”

As Gibson’s project imploded, Rome’s prospects would rise, sans any stars. Clearly things in the entertainment industry were about to change.

A Bottle of Tequila in the Roman Forum

When speaking with McKidd over Zoom, the actor’s affection for Rome is profound. Not 20 feet from his screen rests Lucius Vorenus’ sword, which he safely keeps in his own home. Similarly, within the actor’s mind resides nothing but warm memories. He reminisces about seeing his children spend summers growing up around the actual ruins of the Roman Forum and Colosseum during production; and he savors still the long nights at Cinecittà with British theater legends like Kenneth Cranham, a fellow Scotsman who played Pompey Magnus.

“It was an incredibly social time,” says McKidd. “It was almost like summer camp for British actors. We all got to live there; we went out for long dinners every night and we’d speak to Kenneth and all the older actors, who told us such amazing stories about all their time in the theater.”

But one relationship, perhaps the most significant of the entire series, was that shared by McKidd and his co-star Ray Stevenson, aka Titus Pullo. While there were of course other vital parts to the series, from worldly Ciarián Hinds as Caesar to Tobias Menzies’ despairingly well-intentioned Brutus—and one must never overlook Polly Walker’s Machiavellian Atia of the Julii (Heller’s favorite character)—the heart and soul of the series belongs to Pullo and Vorenus, the odd couple of 48 BCE.

Off-screen McKidd and Stevenson had known each other for years through mutual friends, but it wasn’t until they were in the final round of chemistry auditions in a Covent Garden hotel that they began a significant lifelong friendship. But then, it was a late epiphany to cast the red-haired and fiery McKidd as the straight-laced Vorenus.

For the actor, the process began early when he bumped into Heller, as well as executive producer Anne Thomopoulos and director Michael Apted, while in Romania. At the time, McKidd was there filming the TV movie Gunpowder, Treason & Plot (2004), as it was cheaper to shoot a period piece about 16th century Scottish court intrigue in eastern Europe than actual Scotland. The Rome team was entertaining a similar idea.

“I’m strutting around in my thigh-high leather boots and period costume, and we’re riding horses and swinging swords, and all that stuff and having a great old time,” says McKidd. “And I hear these American voices in the corridor, so I come out, and here is this guy called Bruno Heller.” They immediately got to chatting about the Danny Boyle movie McKidd did, Trainspotting (1996), and about this new TV series focused on ancient Rome. McKidd quickly prepared with his current director a film reel of himself riding horses.

Yet when HBO finally sent him a script, the producers didn’t want him for the Vorenus role; they saw him as Pullo.

Read more

TV

HBO’s Rome Ending Was Originally Very Different

By David Crow

Movies

Why Gladiator Continues to Echo Through Eternity

By David Crow

On the casting process, McKidd remembers, “I said to them, ‘I’d love to come in and read, but I would really much rather read for the part of Lucius Vorenus.’ And they were like, ‘No, we really see you as maybe Pullo, can you read for Pullo?’ So I said, ‘Okay.’ So I came in and I read for Pullo. And they’re like, ‘Okay.’ Then a week goes by, and they call and they say, ‘We really love you, but maybe can you come in and read for Marc Antony?’”

So it continued until McKidd begged to get a screen test for Vorenus. It even took so long he initially considered turning the series down in favor of indie projects he was already committing to. That was at least a thought he had on the set of Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven (2005) until word got around at the pub to co-star Liam Neeson.

“I came down to the bar and Liam was pointing his finger at me and he was like, ‘You, I need to have a word with you outside,’” McKidd says. “And I was like, ‘Ah shit.’” Out in a snow-covered Spanish countryside, Neeson commanded, “Go to a phone booth, find a phone right now. Call your agent and hope and pray they haven’t offered that part to somebody else.”

They had not, and soon enough McKidd was flying alongside Stevenson to the actual city of Rome.

“I remember me and Ray going to Rome in the spring… with Michael Apted, walking around this back lot at Cinecittà, and it was all just scaffolding at that time, there was no frontage. I remember Michael turned to me and Ray and said, basically, we can’t fuck this up, because it was so huge. It was so beyond anything that any of us had ever seen.”

With red paint chipping across weathered doors, and mules grazing in the squares, a Roman Forum unlike any other came alive in the same space where Martin Scorsese just filmed Gangs of New York. The sense of size and scale was overwhelming, as was the pressure on Stevenson and McKidd to anchor it. Fifteen years later, McKidd is candid about how that tension shaped each man and, in the actor’s mind, the series.

During the last day of production on the first season, after shooting had wrapped and festivities began, McKidd and Stevenson found themselves sharing a quiet set of stairs leading up to their Roman senate. Between them was a bottle of tequila. Off in the distance, the faint sound of wrap party debauchery was rising to a muffled roar, yet the central stars of Rome were keeping their own company and having a long overdue conversation.

“I don’t think Ray would be mad at me for telling this story because we’re still close friends and I love him dearly,” McKidd says with a measured tone. “Initially, he and I clashed. We just had very different styles. Ray’s this big larger than life personality, and as Bruno would say, I’m much more this ‘Presbyterian,’ or you could say a little more controlling… and we ended up at loggerheads a lot, and fighting, and being difficult in the first season.”

Yet as McKidd is quick to point out, this translated to perfect chemistry on the screen, as Pullo and Vorenus were often “at loggerheads” during the first season, which culminated with Vorenus’ life imploding on the same day as Caesar’s assassination. Meanwhile Pullo found some semblance of peace. But here in the twilight of a recreated Roman Forum, the season was getting a much needed post-script.

“The wrap party is going on somewhere, and we can hear the music,” McKidd says, “and he and I just sat out there sharing the bottle of tequila. And we had it out, you know? Because we both had been holding stuff in for the season about things that annoyed each other… We got all of it off our chest and we ended up just having a huge hug, and we threw this bottle, this [now] empty bottle of tequila, into the middle of the Forum. We made a pact with each other that from that point on we were going to be the closest of friends, and we still are.”

In many ways, it mirrored the coming dynamic between Pullo and Vorenus in season 2, which McKidd likewise recognizes.

“Our bond was unbreakable in the second season,” he says. “You see that chemistry shift and move, and morph throughout the two seasons, and it pretty much tracks Ray and my relationship.” And it would prove indispensable that second year, especially as both characters, like their actors, were forced to close ranks and face that the end was nigh.

The Cost of Doing Business Like the Romans Do

Founded in 1937 by Benito Mussolini, the international renown of Rome’s Cinecittà Studios has long superseded its less than auspicious beginnings. Celebrated as the home to a highly skilled community of filmmaking artisans, Cinecittà’s name is inseparable with legendary filmmakers like Federico Fellini, Roberto Rossellini, and Sergio Leone. And it’s been the site of landmark Hollywood productions, such as Roman Holiday (1953), Ben-Hur (1959), and even the notorious Cleopatra (1963). Yet as Heller points out, no American production has been back to Cinecittà since Rome.

Says the creator, “It’s Italy, I love it, and it’s part of the culture, but you were there to be picked over and for them to, in completely formal and legitimately legal ways, take as much money out of the production as possible.” He pauses to smile and choose his next words carefully about the difference between shooting a movie and TV series in that environment.

“With a series, you’re making long-term relationships,” he continues. “It’s like a marriage. A movie is a one-night stand. You can be a bastard to everyone on a movie and you’re never going to see them again. So the result is more important than the relationships. In a TV series, the relationships are more important, in the end. It’s pointless having a successful first season of a show and then you can’t do the second season because no one will work together.”

This is not to say the only reason Rome was prematurely cancelled had to do with frustrations over the cost of doing business in Rome—McKidd also cites, for example, Rome eating up too much of HBO’s production budget from other projects in 2006. Nonetheless, reports of high-finance rigamarole even reached the cast.

Says McKidd, “I heard enough to know [about] the scaffolding. I don’t know how many tons of scaffolding was used to build that set, but I remember one of the earlier conversations was, ‘We need to buy this much scaffolding.’ And the people at Cinecittà were like, ‘You can’t buy that much scaffolding, but you can rent it from my brother.’”

Both Heller and McKidd insist there was no criminality or dishonesty about this, and it was simply the way things are done. But for the creator, word was executives high above his pay grade were disturbed by the Byzantine labyrinth of Italian politics. So much so it became contagious throughout Hollywood.

“At one stage, the Italian government issued arrest warrants or provisional arrest warrants for all the fiduciary producers of the show,” Heller recalls. “And that’s a sort of a standard Italian business practice, but when buttoned-down straight-laced lawyers from New York are flying out to Rome and discovering that this is [how business is done], people were spooked.”

It was also just a contributing factor to Rome’s untimely cancellation, which occurred during the pre-production process of season 2—and before the series’ popularity would explode with the international DVD sales and second season launch.

Heller was so far into writing the second season that they were in prep, gearing up to film the second season premiere, when he got the call it was over. The havoc this wreaked on Rome’s remaining 10 episodes, with one of them ready to shoot, was immediate.

When the first season concluded, Gaius Julius Caesar was dead, Vorenus had lost the love of his life, and Rome was headed toward civil war. The second season was always meant to be the fallout of that war, with a study in the brief and doomed alliance of Marc Antony (James Purefoy) and young Octavian (Max Pirkis), as well as the woman between them, Octavian’s mother and Antony’s lover, Atia. All of that, plus the death of Brutus and the other conspirators, would still occur in season 2… but so would Antony’s flight to Egypt and the eventual civil war between a now adult Octavian (Simon Woods) and Antony and Cleopatra (Lyndsey Marshal).

“I had to reconceive the second season basically from scratch,” Heller says with lingering exasperation. “Because when you take out that much history, the jump between the death of Caesar and Marc Antony taking over, and his death in Egypt, it was a huge amount of quite obscure but great, scandalous, fascinating, eventful history.” Most of it had to be jettisoned, too, between Brutus’ death and Antony declaring in his will that Caesar and Cleopatra’s son is Caesar’s true heir.

Some critics and fans were disappointed with the visibly breakneck pace of the second season. Others found it an exciting retelling of that period. One of Rome’s stars seems to be in the middle.

“I think the second season was successful in some ways, but it also feels, in my mind, a little rushed,” McKidd confesses. “And I think Bruno would say that too. Just because so much story was crushed and sort of concentrated down into season 2. I love [it], but I definitely felt like it was a lot condensed in.” 

And yet, McKidd and Heller both seem to lean more toward a satisfaction with it. In fact, the producer even suggests the ending with the ascension of Octavian to imperial status (he takes the title “First Citizen”) was the perfect grace note. While it’s well known among fans the series had a five-season bible with Cleopatra and Antony’s deaths originally marking the end of season 4, and season 5 following Vorenus and Pullo going to Palestine in time for the birth of Christ, that was never Heller’s favorite part. 

“That was one of the elements that Milius was fascinated by that I had no interest in whatsoever, frankly, trying to tie it in to the birth of Christ. Because, at the time, it meant nothing. It would have to be a completely different story. Put it another way, no Romans were worried or thinking about the coming of the Messiah.”

It was a Christmas story Heller didn’t want to tell. Even so, he had some interesting ideas already in place, including a vision of the ancient Holy Lands being closer to Monty Python’s Life of Brian than Ben-Hur.

“Palestine was in ferment at the time, and messiahs were popping up all over the place,” Heller says. “Judaism, at that point, was in a moment very much like Islam at the moment, full of passion and ferment and faith, and dreams of martyrdom.”

Like much else with Rome, it feels like a fascinating opportunity left unfulfilled, but one that the creator is glad to leave unexplored.

All Roads Lead to Rome’s Legacy

Rome shined briefly but brightly on premium cable. Premiering in the fall of 2005, it was gone by spring ’07. But even shortly after its cancellation, there were some small whispers of regret because of the show’s DVD sales; whispers that continue to be heard by stars of the series. McKidd says if you asked HBO in 2020, some would likely wince again at cancelling it, as he heard they did by the time season 2 aired. But “they couldn’t go back on that, or felt they couldn’t.”

But if it burned off like a Roman candle—with fire and thunder in its wake—the show still provided a roadmap for how to produce a massive spectacle as a television series.

“I think a lot of the producers that aren’t the ones that you hear about mostly, like Frank Doelger…  were all pivotal on Rome and went directly into Game of Thrones,” McKidd says. “Frank Doelger was one of the main producers, and he very much was the guy who whipped our show into shape and we learned a lot of lessons. So yeah, I think very directly, those people went into Game of Thrones and had learned a lot about how to do this kind of level [of production.]”

Heller likewise marvels at how HBO learned from Rome’s problems with its initially more affordable and tighter fantasy epic.

“The way they divided crews up in Game of Thrones, it was clever because there was always a general staff of central command, but they had more than one general, and they didn’t lose control of the generals,” Heller says.

And just as Rome carved a path for the modern era of epic television shows, Game of Thrones has now created a space for more diverse TV epics like Netflix’s The Witcher and Amazon’s upcoming Lord of the Rings series.

“[We were] ahead of the curve in the sense that it was too early,” Heller says. “But it’s not so much the audience [changed], as it is the appetite and the ability of networks and studios to make things of that size and to promote them and to market them, and to have faith and the courage to back them up.”

This series walked so that Peak TV could run. It’s a formidable legacy, and one that proves all roads in blockbuster television really do lead back to Rome.

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The post Rome: The Long Road of the Original HBO Epic appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/38reEeK

[theonyxpath]

Our Hunter: The Vigil 2nd Edition Kickstarter is a few days before we hit the final week, and we just passed 300% funding and over 1500 backers! Thanks for all the support out there, and be sure and talk this up if you get a chance.

Every time you can send somebody over to the KS, that’s another person who can connect to more folks who haven’t heard about it yet. And so on, and so on, and so on.

Another place where we could use our community doing a bit of outreach is letting game stores know that they can get V5 Chicago By Night into their stores. If you have a local game store, please tell your stores Chicago is available via distribution. Even if you personally already have it or aren’t interested, if you can ask them to request V5 Chicago By Night from their distributors, then that also raises awareness of all of the Onyx Path books currently available from distribution for stores.

The reason I’m pushing this is that now, right as the book is just becoming available in stores, is when we want to be able to provide it to everybody who asks. But some stores haven’t been able to get it from distribution, and others still aren’t aware they can stock it on their shelves.

Part of this is that in the US, V5 Chicago is being handled by our friends at Studio2, while outside the US distributors get the books from the gang at Modiphius. So even distributors need to talk to the appropriate folks.

We understand that the sort of mixed scenario for sales is not a straight line for anybody, but for our community, it’s what we need to do to get more books into stores so you can get them there – as well as online.

Mythical Denizens art by Pat McEvoy

It’s especially confusing if you are a long-time fan who came from the days when White Wolf controlled all aspects of the books – from creation right until they showed up in stores. We even had a warehouse that the books shipped out from that was connected to our offices.

This was really good for inventory control, and even better because we could play Four-Square in the warehouse until we got too big for there to be enough space to play among the pallets!

But, things have evolved, and the new White Wolf at Paradox is giving a lot of different folks the chance to create new awesome projects for the WoD setting with 5th Edition. This ties in well with our further efforts at putting certain books into stores, and expanding the sorts of projects that fans will be able to enjoy, it’s just not a straight line any more.

Another factor confusing some folks is that our publishing efforts consist of some of the lines folks recognize from the old WW days, and some new ones. Which, while different in some regards, is something we think is a healthy mix. Impish Ian has created this handy chart:

Hope that helps!

But, if you still have questions, please do reach out to us. You can do that here in the comments, or anywhere on our social media. For game line rules or setting info, our Forums here on the Onyx Path website are also great and we even have specific threads pinned for folks to ask questions of the developers of that line.

We are also always open to hearing from you if you need something clarified that you heard about online. We can’t be everywhere on social media, although our teams tries, and there are some pretty odd ideas floating around that we’ll be glad to give you the real deal about.

One nutty example is the rumor that Eddy owns Pugsteady (which is the true part), but then Pugsteady secretly owns Onyx Path, which secretly owns DTRPG: so Eddy owns DTRPG!

There’s also the one about CCP never actually having sold White Wolf to Paradox. Sometimes combined with the “fact” that I never stopped being employed by White Wolf and created Onyx Path to secretly still run things for them. Which is a hell of a way to spend the last 8 years, let me tell you!

Vigil Watch art by Alexander Honore

But there are also the rumors that can actually harm folks if they are spread around willy-nilly, like Onyx Path not paying our freelancers or being secretly trans-phobic, neither of which is true. Yet can impact both our current creators and also possible creators we could work with.

If you’re a long-time reader of this blog, you probably don’t need us to explain how weird these sorts of rumors are, and we love you for that! BUT, please do tell your friends to let us straighten out any concerns that they might have. They can post here, or if you’re willing, please go ahead and ask us yourself for them.

And to extend this idea, if you are one of our freelance creators, we are always here to listen to your concerns. If none of the usual project-based routes work, you can contact one of our in-house developers who oversee all of our game lines. It’s the same three folks from our weekly Onyx Pathcast: Eddy Webb, Dixie Cochran, and Matthew Dawkins. You can contact Matt McElroy, our Operations guru. All of them have contact info here on the site and are all over our social media.

And you can contact me, at richt@theonyxpath.com

Lunars art by Gong Studios

What I’m saying here is: it takes communication to create all of our many projects. Not just within those project teams, and not just between those teams and our other creators who also work on those projects. And not just between us and our sales partners and distributors and stores. And not just between all of us making and selling these games and our community who plays them and reads them.

It’s all interconnected and the more clearly we can communicate, the more likely we are to create even more projects for you to enjoy as we add them to our:

Many Worlds, One Path!

BLURBS!

Kickstarter!

Hunter: The Vigil 2nd Edition for Chronicles of Darkness is still ferociously on the hunt as we prowl towards starting its last week! We’re at 300% funding and over 1500 backers and are shooting right through Stretch Goals, like the Storyteller Screen Stretch Goal, the T-Shirt, and the Tending the Flame: Cells chapter for the Hunter Players’ Companion! With lots more to come!

Next Kickstarter: Legendlore!

Onyx Path Media!

This Friday the Onyx Pathcast goes once more unto the mean streets of Chicago. The Terrifying Trio explore V5 Chicago By Night once again with a deep dive into the book and what glories are within! As always this Friday’s Onyx Pathcast will be on Podbean or your favorite podcast venue! https://onyxpathcast.podbean.com/

We keep outdoing ourselves for you on Twitch! This week you can look forward to V5, Chronicles of Darkness, Scion, Pugmire, two fantastic, new chronicles of Hunter: The Vigil 2nd Edition, MORE Vampire: The Masquerade, Changeling: The Lost, Mage: The Awakening, Scarred Lands, Werewolf: The Forsaken and a third Vampire: The Masquerade game! Eddy Webb’s Development Workshop starts in earnest this week too!

A special shout-out to both of the Hunter: The Vigil games running this week, which along with the Kickstarter are drawing quite an audience! You can subscribe to our channel over on twitch.tv/theonyxpath to catch up with any episodes you missed!

Come take a look at our YouTube channel, youtube.com/user/theonyxpath, where you can find the following videos uploaded last week alone:

Pugmire: Paws & Claws: https://youtu.be/wI_ffiqJg_M

Changeling: The Lost – Littlebrook Reunion: https://youtu.be/-g3gY6wM7dU

Changeling: The Dreaming – The Last Faerie Tale: https://youtu.be/3MViDZJcGxY

Changeling: The Dreaming – Gifted & Talented: https://youtu.be/V3LMOIRHNbc

Scion: Behind the Screen: https://youtu.be/R-BMJdHj20o

A special shout-out to our Paws & Claws Pugmire crew who are now in their second season! Do check out their chronicle on our YouTube channel!

In an episode that has shocked the fanbase, Red Moon Roleplaying‘s V5 Cults of the Blood Gods “The Family” chronicle saw a tragedy afflict the coterie! You can find them on their YouTube channel, Spotify, their website redmoonroleplaying.com and everywhere else good podcasts might be found! https://youtu.be/yuI8bMlTuos

More new Occultists Anonymous for all you Mage: The Awakening fans out there:

Episode 82: In Service of Another Atratus and Wyrd seek a way to bring the Goetia they’ve taken from the Temenos and bring them into the Phenomenal World while Songbird begins to equip Titus and Jimmy “Smalls” Patinko.https://youtu.be/CSH9t-E3P7E

Episode 83: Turmoil and Strife The Rookery Cabal presents their findings of El Dorado to the Council of the Consilium, and argue to ensure it’s proper use and guardianship. Hadramiel has specific words after the meeting for the cabal, in private.https://youtu.be/jAoJgjveWls

Please check any of these out and let us know if you find or produce any actual plays of our games!

Electronic Gaming!

As we find ways to enable our community to more easily play our games, the Onyx Dice Rolling App is live! Our dev team has been doing updates since we launched based on the excellent use-case comments by our community, and this thing is awesome! (Seriously, you need to roll 100 dice for Exalted? This app has you covered.)

On Amazon and Barnes & Noble!

You can now read our fiction from the comfort and convenience of your Kindle (from Amazon) and Nook (from Barnes & Noble).

If you enjoy these or any other of our books, please help us by writing reviews on the site of the sales venue from which you bought it. Reviews really, really help us get folks interested in our amazing fiction!

Our selection includes these latest fiction books:

Our Sales Partners!

We’re working with Studio2 to get Pugmire and Monarchies of Mau out into stores, as well as to individuals through their online store. You can pick up the traditionally printed main book, the screen, and the official Pugmire dice through our friends there! https://studio2publishing.com/search?q=pugmire

We’ve added Prince’s Gambit to our Studio2 catalog: https://studio2publishing.com/products/prince-s-gambit-card-game

Now, we’ve added Changeling: The Lost 2nd Edition products to Studio2‘s store! See them here: https://studio2publishing.com/collections/all-products/changeling-the-lost

Scarred Lands (Pathfinder) books are also on sale at Studio2, and they have the 5e version, supplements, and dice as well!: https://studio2publishing.com/collections/scarred-lands

Scion 2e books and other products are available now at Studio2: https://studio2publishing.com/blogs/new-releases/scion-second-edition-book-one-origin-now-available-at-your-local-retailer-or-online

Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books? Try this link! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Onyx-Path-Publishing/

And you can order Pugmire, Monarchies of Mau, Cavaliers of Mars, and Changeling: The Lost 2e at the same link! And NOW Scion Origin and Scion Hero AND Trinity Continuum Core and Trinity Continuum: Aeon are available to order!

As always, you can find Onyx Path’s titles at DriveThruRPG.com!

On Sale This Week!

This Wednesday, we will be releasing the first of six Vigil Watch PDFs for Scarred Lands for 5e on DTRPG!

But that’s not all! We’re also releasing the PDF and PoD versions of the Trinity Continuum: Aeon Ready Made Characters on DTRPG as well!

Conventions!

Mighty Matt McElroy will be wandering the aisles of C2E2 later this week in Chicago (by day). He’d love to say hi and chat if you see him!

More conventions will be listed for 2020 in the weeks to come-

And now, the new project status updates!

DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM EDDY WEBB (projects in bold have changed status since last week):

First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep)

Exalted Essay Collection (Exalted)

N!ternational Wrestling Entertainment (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)

Contagion Chronicle Ready-Made Characters (Chronicles of Darkness)

RUST (Working Title) (Scarred Lands)

Under Alien Suns (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

Mission Statements (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

Adversaries of the Righteous (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Novas Worldwide (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)

Exalted Essence Edition (Exalted 3rd Edition)

The Clades Companion (Deviant: The Renegades)

The Devoted Companion (Deviant: The Renegades)

Saints and Monsters (Scion 2nd Edition)

M20 Rich Bastard’s Guide To Magick (Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary)

Redlines

Kith and Kin (Changeling: The Lost 2e)

Dragon-Blooded Novella #2 (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Hundred Devil’s Night Parade (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Trinity Continuum: Adventure! core (Trinity Continuum: Adventure!)

They Came From Beyond the Grave! (They Came From!)

Assassins (Trinity Continuum Core)

The Book of Endless Death (Mummy: The Curse 2e)

Second Draft

Exigents (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Crucible of Legends (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Many-Faced Strangers – Lunars Companion (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Development

Heirs to the Shogunate (Exalted 3rd Edition)

TC: Aberrant Reference Screen (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)

Scion: Demigod (Scion 2nd Edition)

Across the Eight Directions (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Contagion Chronicle: Global Outbreaks (Chronicles of Darkness)

M20 Victorian Mage (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Manuscript Approval

Scion: Dragon (Scion 2nd Edition)

Masks of the Mythos (Scion 2nd Edition)

Trinity Continuum Jumpstart (Trinity Continuum Core)

TC: Aberrant Jumpstart (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)

Post-Approval Development

Scion LARP Rules (Scion)

One Foot in the Grave Jumpstart (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2e)

Contagion Chronicle Jumpstart (Chronicles of Darkness)

Editing

Legendlore core book (Legendlore)

Pirates of Pugmire KS-Added Adventure (Realms of Pugmire)

Terra Firma (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

Deviant: The Renegades (Deviant: The Renegades)

Lunars Novella (Rosenberg) (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Buried Bones: Creating in the Realms of Pugmire (Realms of Pugmire)

Monsters of the Deep (They Came From Beneath the Sea!)

Tales of Aquatic Terror (They Came From Beneath the Sea!)

Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition core rulebook (Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition)

Titanomachy (Scion 2nd Edition)

Player’s Guide to the Contagion Chronicle (Chronicles of Darkness)

Post-Editing Development

City of the Towered Tombs (Cavaliers of Mars)

W20 Shattered Dreams Gift Cards (Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th)

Scion Companion: Mysteries of the World (Scion 2nd Edition)

Cults of the Blood Gods (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)

Hunter: The Vigil 2e core (Hunter: The Vigil 2nd Edition)

Let the Streets Run Red (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)

M20 The Technocracy Reloaded (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

WoD Ghost Hunters (World of Darkness)

Trinity Continuum: Aberrant core (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)

Lunars: Fangs at the Gate (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Geist 2e Fiction Anthology (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition)

Dragon-Blooded Novella #1 (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Indexing

ART DIRECTION FROM MIKE CHANEY!

In Art Direction

Trinity Continuum: Aberrant

Hunter: The Vigil 2e (KS) – Running on KS.

Ex3 Lunars

Cults of the Blood God (KS)

Mummy 2 – Starting to contract the rest of it.

City of the Towered Tombs – Recontracted.

Let the Streets Run Red – Contracted.

Deviant

Legendlore (KS) – All notes out by today for KS.

Technocracy Reloaded (KS)

Scion Companion – Contacted.

TC: Aeon Terra Firma – Contracted.

WoD: Ghost Stories (KS) – Cover contracted.

Tales of Aquatic Terror

Pirates Extra Adventure – Loboyko lined up for this one.

Scion Titanomachy – Awaiting art notes.

In Layout

Yugman’s Guide to Ghelspad – Ongoing.

Scion Mythical Denizens – In proofing but need some full page art to come in.

Contagion Chronicle – With Josh.

Vigil Watch – First installment this Wednesday.

TCfBtS!: Heroic Land Dwellers

TCFBtS! Screen and Booklet

Proofing

Dark Eras 2 – Sending back to Aileen for errata input.

Trinity Continuum Aeon Jumpstart

They Came from Beneath the Sea! – Getting ready for Indexing.

Chicago Folio – Out to backers for errata.

Trinity Continuum Aeon: Distant Worlds – Inputting dev changes.

Pirates of Pugmire – Gotta go over this today.

Night Horrors: Nameless and Accursed – Second proof being input, then over to WW.

CtL Oak Ash and Thorn – Inputting proofing comments.

At Press

Geist 2e (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition) – Shipping to backers, PoD proof ordered.

Geist 2e Screen – Shipping to backers.

DR:E – Shipping to backers, PoD files uploaded.

DRE Screen – Shipping to backers.

DR:E Threat Guide – Helnau’s Guide to Wasteland Beasties

Memento Mori – PoD proof ordered.

Trinity Continuum: Aeon RMCs – PDF and PoD versions on sale this Wednesday on DTRPG.

Wraith20 Anthology – PoD proof ordered.

Today’s Reason to Celebrate!

“Diane, 11:30 a.m., February 24th. Entering the town of Twin Peaks, five miles south of the Canadian border, twelve miles west of the state line. I’ve never seen so many trees in my life. As W.C. Fields would say, I’d rather be here than Philadelphia.” – Dale Cooper

[velveteenau-blog1]

5 Basic Ways Producers Can Improve Their Studio Sessions

Reading Time: 6-8 Minutes

The focus of this article isn't about gear or techniques on how to record, but rather about some of the other things that are associated with the recording process. Some of these may seem like common sense, but often can be overlooked because everyone's focus gets pulled into some of the many technical details during recording (which are still very important). The end result is affected by every single aspect of the recording process, so these are a few details that should not be overlooked, and will ultimately improve the end result of your recording.

1. PRE-PRODUCTION

This one may seem quite obvious, and is commonly talked about, but it really cannot be stressed enough. Proper pre-production will SUBSTANTIALLY improve your recording. Everyone will do it a little bit differently, and every project you encounter may not need the same amount of pre-production, but it still needs to be done. This may include working on the songs with the artist doing arrangement improvements, lyrical adjustments, or bigger changes such as rewriting or adding parts in, or changing the key to better suit the singer's range. The most important thing is that by the end of pre-production, everyone knows the song, and knows what parts they are going to record, and have practiced those parts. Recording is still a creative process, so pre-production doesn't necessarily mean that the song is 100% done when you go into record. There always should be room for spontaneity and trying new things in the studio, but the songs should be at the very least 90% there when you go into the recording studio. When everyone knows (and practices) their parts, and has a good idea for the final vision of the project, parts are played with more confidence which leads to better takes and a more efficient studio session, which makes everyone feel better about the process.

2. VOCAL LESSONS

It might seem like I'm singling out singers here, but this does apply to other players as well. The reason I'm focusing on singers is that it really is the most important part of most recordings. It is often the most powerful emotional connection that listeners relate to when they hear music, so it needs to be treated as such. As a producer, it is a really good idea to recommend, or even have it as part of a contract and include it in the budget, that the singer takes vocal lessons for a decent period of time before coming into record. It is also a good idea to know a well trained vocal coach that you trust, that understands the recording process themselves, and will be able to work with the singer directly with the songs that are being recorded. Focusing on things like proper pronunciation and lyrical rhythm, pitch control, vocal health, and proper warm-ups before tracking. Most times there is a good chance that singers either have already taken lessons or are already taking lessons, which is great. However, it's still a good idea to have them see the vocal coach that you trust, as it will make sure that they are focusing on the right things. Sometimes it can be a bit of a touchy subject, as you don't want to imply that a singer is not prepared, not good enough, etc. But approach it more as just a regular part of the recording process for any artist, regardless of performance level, which really should be the case. It is a great way of getting the singer prepared, focused properly, and excited to get into the studio and nail the parts. Since I have started doing this, I have a noticed a big difference in performance in pretty much every singer that I have worked with, regardless of ability. With some that are less experienced, it gives them confidence and tools that they can continue to use over the course of their career. For those that are already experienced singers, it's a good brush up on skills and forces them to put focus into being prepared for recording.

3. STUDIO VIBE

The overall vibe of the studio setting can play a pretty big roll in how people feel about their recording session. No one wants to come into an office type atmosphere to record their creative work, right? Every studio is a little bit different, but there are always things you can do to make a studio feel a little bit more comfortable, if need be. To me, lighting is a huge deal. For setting up, plugging things in, adjusting mics, getting sounds, etc. bright lights are usually needed to see well and to work properly…. But when tracking starts, I hate "working" lights, they kill the vibe for me. I am a huge fan of things like the coloured Phillips Hue lighting system, lava lamps, Christmas lights, etc. Lower lighting, and fun lighting can really help people get into the headspace they need to be in to record properly. Dimmer lights can calm nerves down, as people feel a little bit less "on the spot" when it comes to tracking, and confidence goes up. It's a small thing that actually can make a substantial difference in performance and session efficiency. It also helps to make sessions more fun, which is ideally how all studio sessions should feel. Plus it's a way to inspire a bit of creativity! If a session starts to get a bit stale and frustrating, try changing around the vibe…. change lights, rearrange some studio decor, adjust the atmosphere… it may actually lead to a bit of spark in creativity because you are exposing your senses to something new.

4.  ATTITUDE

Studio sessions can often lead to long days that can sometimes be frustrating when things aren't going ideally as planned. Keeping a positive and supportive attitude as a producer is huge for artist moral. Music is a very emotive creativity, and emotions can sometimes get the best of people when they are put under the microscope of recording. Being supportive and staying positive will help calm artists down if their emotions are flaring up, or if their confidence is not at it's best. Sometimes it can even be as simple as knowing when to take a break and just have a calm, supportive talk. It could also involve knowing when to call off a session and reschedule, but doing so in a way that is not degrading to the artist and their confidence. You almost never will get what you want out of an artist when they are frustrated, angry, or feeling down about their abilities. Sometimes all it takes is a nights sleep and a new day. No one wants to spend a full day wasting time in the studio knowing they won't get what is needed. It's not your job as a producer to be a "councilor" of sorts, but it really does help to know how to read people's emotional state, and how to deal with people in a supportive manner. When artists feel good and are having fun, often this is when the best takes come out.

5. DISTRACTIONS

It seems like these days a lot of people are quite busy, and with the use of smartphones and social media, there are a lot of distractions that make their way into a studio session. For things to go smoothly, these distractions need to be minimized. To get the best takes out of artists, everyone, including the producer, needs to be focused on the task at hand. Smartphones can be a useful tool in the studio for things like quickly searching for a rhyme for a lyric, or bringing up an example of another recording to show to someone, etc. As amazing as they are, they also can easily distract people and halt progress during a session. I generally have a rule that you treat being in a studio session like a job (artist included), because really it is. To me, this means things like having your phone on silent, and only answering calls/texts when its an emergency, or during a break. If your phone is out, it means you are using it as a tool to help a session, not playing games or using it as a distraction. Another fairly common distraction in the studio, is having too many people in the room during tracking. Studios can be fun and exciting, so people and band mates like to hang out and be present during sessions. If everyone is extremely quiet, sometimes this can be okay… but often if there's a bunch of people hanging out in the control room, it can distract whoever is trying to focus on their performance. It can also feel like the performer is being put on the spot in front of everyone, and may feel intimidating, like there's a whole room of people judging their takes. This especially rings true with singers,  because headspace is EXTREMELY important when trying to get the best, and often most emotional, takes. As a general rule, I don't allow any other band members to be present during a vocal tracking session, unless the singer absolutely needs them there. The artist should trust you as a producer to know how to get the best takes out of the singer, and part of this is creating a personal bond between you and the singer. Other people being present can distract from this, which often leads to the singer not feeling fully confident of their abilities. To wrap things up… music production is an art form itself, just like the music is. Every producer will have their own way of going about the process. The important thing is to not overlook the little stuff, as the entire production is a sum of all it's parts, regardless of how small they might seem. Hopefully you find some of these tips useful towards making some of your own killer sounding recordings! Thanks for reading! Nathan

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Nathan is a producer, musician, and one half of the award-winning production team Method Music Productions. Some of the artists he has produced include Olivia Rose and Order of Chaos.

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[shanexhuang]

Research: Abstract Car Photography - Making Strange

Some photographs document an event or show a person, place or thing. These are photos of record accurately capturing an image that represents what we see. Other times we want to take a more artistic approach, making a photograph more about a feeling than solely about the subject itself. Sometimes the two mix, for instance in advertising photography, where we might want to accurately show a product but do it in an artistic way that invites the viewer to also feel a certain way about the product.

Beautiful Lines of a Porsche and the curves of a twisting road. Put the two together to create a story. -Travel -Roadie - Nostalgia- memory - emotional connection

Do not need to show the whole car to tell a story. Show Colours, lines, and shapes to tell a story.

“One should not only photograph things for what they are but for what else they are.” - Minor White

The key is the artistic concepts of form, shape, line, tone, color, pattern, light, and shadow.

Cars may be a mode of transportation, but they are also art objects – the work of designers who pay much attention to form as well as function. Know that an automotive artist purposely and artistically designed every detail of every car. We, as photographers, can explore that art, find the beauty, note how light plays across the curves and surfaces of an car, and use it to craft beautiful photos.

Raindrops on red Jaguar. These are a few of my favorite things. The color, the diagonal lines, the iconic symbols, and the interest added by the raindrops on a freshly-waxed hood all combine to make this image work.

One problem is that there will typically be reflections on the surface. Because cars are covered with highly reflective surfaces, getting shots without object’s reflections can sometimes be a problem.

•When making tight shots of particular pieces of a car, the chances of getting a reflection in your shot is much less than if you were photographing the entire car.

It can be hard to keep surrounding object, or even yourself, out of the reflections in glass, chrome, and shiny paint.

Lighting

High-end automotive photography can involve as much care in lighting as any product or model session. There are studios specially designed to drive a car inside to photograph. I know a local guy who has such a studio. It has full hard cyclorama walls, a glossy white floor, and a lighting system that includes the largest softbox I’ve ever seen. The softbox has to be at least 30 feet long, maybe more!

Hood ornaments are art objects unto themselves. Then add a sunstar with a specular highlight and a small aperture. Both images were made in full noon sun.

The hood emblem of an old Ford F-100 pickup reminded me of the symbol used by the superhero the Flash.

The point is that you don’t need anything fancy to try this kind of photography. A creative eye, some imagination, and the ability to properly control focus, depth of field, and exposure are all you need.

The door handle is the only touch of reality in this otherwise purely abstract image.

One might think it a strange place to make photos. However, for some reason (perhaps nostalgia?), many of us are fascinated by old things. In the auto junkyard, you’ll often find old classics quietly rusting in peace. The once-shiny paint fades to all kinds of interesting colors and patinas. And the layers of peeling paint and rust make an incredible canvas for abstract art.

On the right, an old tour bus used by country star Gene Autry is now parked in Palouse, Washington. On the left, a tight shot of the abstract art to be found if you explore the rust patterns on the old band bus.

You can likely still tell this is the hood of an old car. Even so, it’s really about the patterns, textures, lines, and colors.

Getting really abstract

It’s still an old car, but now we’ve entered the world of pure abstract art. Unlike photographing iconic landmarks, where your photo is pretty much what everyone gets, making these kinds of images guarantees your photo will be one of a kind.

I have to wonder if this vehicle was painted numerous times over in its life, or if this is just how the paint ages.

I’ve seen abstract art like this selling for big money and displayed on the walls of corporate offices. I hope to someday figure out just how to tap into that market.

Make it a point to not photograph the entire car. Instead look at the shapes, lines, tone, color, and all the other artistic elements of the vehicle. Isolate these to make your shot.

If getting truly abstract images interests you, find some old cars in a junkyard and get in tight. Use the textures, colors, and patterns to make your shot. Be less concerned about what the subject is and more concerned about how the image feels.

“An Introduction to Amazing Abstract Automotive Photography.” Digital Photography School, September 5, 2019. https://digital-photography-school.com/abstract-automotive-photography/.

[mynewsblog21]

Upcoming Zombie Movies

The ultra-modern Zombie Movies of 2013-14

Zombies have of past due gained a huge quantity of hobby in pop culture. The motives is probably myriad - a morbid fascination with apocalypse conditions, a metaphor for the way that most of the people allow themselves to be herded like sheep, a developing worry stemming from recent virulent sicknesses that have wreaked havoc on populations. Whatever the reasons can be, Zombies now have their own genre regardless of seeming mindless, no pun supposed https://new-solarmovie.com/countries Though first featured in White Zombie (1932), it wasn't until the highest quality of Night of the Living Dead (1968) that Zombies in films simply garnered interest from the general public of the viewing public. A slew of Resident Evil movies later, Zombie movies have been appeared as a totally movement and horror orientated challenge. With the discharge of Shaun of the Dead (2004) even though, Zombie films have been explored for their comic price, as a consequence bursting the dam on what may be accomplished with lots of senseless, stinky creatures all rationale on eating the ones nevertheless alive. The success of AMC's The Walking Dead, a zombie apocalypse survival tv series, has right away added on the 12 months of the zombie, with extra than a dozen movies and ventures that attempt to cash in on the success that these undead freaks of nature have finished. Here we test some of the Zombie movies set to be launched soon:

World War Z - One of the biggest zombie films to be launched but, WWZ stars Brad Pitt in the leading function as Gerry Lane, a United Nations employee whose project is to coordinate resistance and assist prevent the global Zombie epidemic that threatens to tear down human civilization. Based on the eponymous book by using Max Brooks, the director, Marc Forester portrays the Zombie cadres like a colony of ants whose energy is in numbers. With a finances in excess of $two hundred million, Paramount Pictures is set to launch the film in June of this 12 months. This is probable to set a report as the very best grosser of Zombie films 2013-14.

Warm Bodies - Based on a e-book with the aid of Isaac Marion, Warm Bodies is a Zombie romantic comedy that explores Zombie love. Jonathan Levine, who wrote the screenplay and also directed the movie, ventures into the untested by way of presenting a Zombie's attitude. Nicholas Hoult stars as Zombie who suggests signs and symptoms of human emotions towards Teresa Palmer's man or woman and the film explores the possibility of human beings and zombies residing in a harmonious surroundings. Released early February of this yr, this Zombie film has already grossed over $100 million, making this a ought to look ahead to any Zombie movies lover.

The 4th Reich - Combining the two greatest villainous entities in Hollywood, this Sean Bean starrer terrifies film goers with Nazi Zombies. Directed and written with the aid of Shaun Robert Smith, this World War 2 era film portrays an elite team of a British Infantry Division as they move about killing Nazis and getting rid of the chance of Zombies created by using Nazi scientists in the course of their experiments to create a superior human race. Set to be launched late this 12 months, The 4th Reich is any other in a long list of WW2 films, but with a barely undead twist.

Invasion of the Not Quite Dead - A darkish comedy mystery about the inhabitants of a small island off the coast of England this is changed into Zombie loss of life trap through a lethal virus, this is one of the more interesting Zombie movies, written and directed by using Anthony Lane isn't always one to miss. Starring pretty widely recognized Andrew Ellis and Ajay Nayyar, the film guarantees a unique take a look at how a small group of survivors face the rigors and demanding situations of escaping Zombies.

Wyrmwood: This is an Australian movie set to be launched in overdue 2013, with publish-manufacturing paintings taking place. The film is styled after the Will Smith starrer I AM LEGEND, and falls in the action category of Zombie Movies 2013-14. Written and directed through Kiah Roache-Turner, the film stars Jay Gallagher, Bianca Bradey and Leon Burchill. The tale revolves around Jay Gallagher, whose man or woman loses his family at the eve of a zombie attack. He groups up with a friend and together they pressure thru the Australian Bush to the safer interiors, scuffling with the undead on the way from the comfort of a fortified van. This movie seems to have a higher storyline when in comparison to most of the different Zombie movies 2013-14 has to provide.

R.I.P.D - Also known as Rest In Peace Department, is a Zombie motion comedy that has a star studded solid. Ryan Reynolds plays a lately murdered cop and joins the likes of Kevin 1st Baron Verulam, Jeff Bridges and Mary-Louise Parker who along with others and bureaucracy a group of undead police officers. With a release date in mid July 2013, this Zombie movie portrays the undead as the coolest men who use their undeadness to combat crime. Directed through Robert Schwentke who has blockbusters like Red (2010) and The Time Traveler's Wife (2009) below his belt, that is one of the higher Zombie films 2013-14 and is certain to exceed all expectations.

The Harvard Zombie Massacre - Another Zombie movie that is currently in pre production, it's far set in a Harvard University campus overrun with Zombies. The twist that units this film apart from the rest of the Zombie movies is that these precise Zombies are not as mindless as one may suspect. Produced by Warren Zide of American Pie and Final Destination reputation, the movie chronicles how America's maximum first rate minds can continue to exist an onslaught from the most amazing Zombies. This horror comedy written by using Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit can be released late 2013 or early 2014.

Movies set for release in 2014:

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - An model of the conventional Jane Austen tale of a girl's quest for independence and love, the screenplay has been reworked to encompass her combat to get rid of a growing Zombie chance. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy are furnished with zombie flavored distractions from their pristine nineteenth century English manors and questions of morality and marriage are outmoded by means of the need to continue to exist. Though the movie is still in its starting stage, its unique twist ensures that it's going to generate a first-rate deal of interest, and now not simply with zombie films lovers.

The Curse of the Buxom Strumpet - A darkish comedy set within the early 1700's and starring Sir Ian McKellen and Dame Judi Dench, this Zombie film makes a speciality of the accomplishments of a lord of fictional Upper Trollop, a small city in Oxfordshire, England. Based on E'gad Zombies!, a short movie with the aid of the identical director, Matthew Butler who worked with Ian McKellen, this movie promises a showing like none other, partially due to the brilliant appearing expertise and additionally because of the particular settings. Set to be launched early 2014, that is one of the Zombie movies in order to set itself other than the rest.

The zombies are taking over the movie theaters and cinemas, after the last few years which had been dominated by the vampires and werewolves. Every big Hollywood studio and the now not-so-huge ones, now not to mention the unbiased film makers are looking to coins in on the state-of-the-art craze for the undead, prompt the by the popular television series. Zombie movies are invading the cinemas and theaters round the arena and there appears to be no preventing the undead, whenever soon.

[tannertravelslife]

Oaxaca, Oaxaca !

Two weeks spent backpacking through Mexico.

I started my trip flying from Los Angeles to Mexico City. When I arrived in Mexico, I stayed overnight in a pod hotel. They’re super convenient and cost effective, but they obviously lack most of the amenities you would find in a regular hotel or hostel. All I needed was a place to sleep that wasn’t an airport bench, and early the next morning I was on my way to Puerto Escondido. The Koffi Boys were already staying at a hostel within walking distance from the airport, called La Escondida. Definitely a step up from the simple design of the pod hotel, costing only 170 pesos (10 USD) for a night’s stay. Like most hostels, the sleeping situation is a bunkhouse-style shared dorm, (we opted for no air conditioning). In the mornings the hostel provides a small breakfast, and guests have access to two kitchens for cooking their own meals. Hostels are great if you’re up for socializing, plus you can experience the cooking and cultures of all those just passing through. Overall the vibe was very relaxed. There are other spaces besides the kitchens to hang around with fellow hostel-stayers, like the terrace and bar area. Venturing out of the hostel, downtown Puerto Escondido is less congested with fancy restaurants and bars, and more home-y in a way that feels “authentic”. La Punta and Zicatela are trendier and popular with transient visitors, and likely for a good reason, but to me they also seemed more commoditized. I generally prefer to travel a bit more immersively, but if a hip atmosphere appeals to you, check it out. 

Highlights in Puerto -

Vegetarian eats at Cocofam

This little restaurant is family-run, located right in the backyard. The food was incredible, the drinks were delicious. The menu is limited, but it’s absolutely worth checking out if you have a restricted diet (or even if you don’t)

Jugo across from the hostel

The juice spot nearby was only open until early afternoon each day and was always packed. My buddies and I would grab a drink in the morning (about 32 ounces) before we got on with our day. I recommend the “Surf Juice”.

Playa Coral

This is a “secret” beach, meaning you have to climb under a fence and hike down a trail to access it, or at least that’s how we got there. When you get down to the water, you’ll find it’s a cool and secluded spot without many people, right in front of an abandoned water park. Because it’s a bit isolated, there aren’t any options for food along the beach, so bring a picnic and watch the sunset. Just be out before it gets too dark, as the pathway down is not lit. 

Playa Carazillo

If you’re not up for making your way down an unpaved trail to get to a beach, this is a more popular and easily accessible spot. If you’re into surfing, there’s usually some decent ankle busters for beginners (the locals can be a bit territorial with their spots, so don’t expect to catch the best ever waves). Snorkeling near the shore was pretty sweet-- I even saw a few sea turtles. Playa Carazillo has the bluest waters, and is definitely a good place to spend a day. You can even rent a chair with some shade for a few bucks, and grab some grub too.

The Road to San Jose del Pacifico

After 4 days on the beaches of Puerto Escondido, we started heading towards the more mountainous San Jose del Pacifico. The town is about halfway between Puerto and Oaxaca City, tucked away in the Sierra Madre del Sur. It’s often called “magical”, both because of its beauty and because of the wild psychedelic mushrooms that grow there. These ‘shrooms are essentially decriminalized, and are sold basically everywhere, commonly preserved in honey. 

In Puerto, we left La Escondida to catch a local bus to Pochutla, about an hour and a half’s ride. The price was ~20 pesos each. ( 1 USD )  A very easy trip. The next leg of the journey was a slightly different story. From Pochutla, we bought tickets for a colectivo bus for about 150 pesos. This vehicle was absolutely nuts. The odometer read 9999999, the dash was lit up like a Christmas tree, and our driver did a quick sign of the cross as we departed. The ride up is a would-be nightmare for anyone who might be even a little hungover; the road twists and turns and winds around the mountains with very little space between the edge of the pavement and the edge of the cliff. Mads and I were practically sitting in the driver’s lap-- we kept joking that I could have grabbed the wheel and steered us off the mountain if I had wanted to. Despite sitting in the front and NOT being hungover, we still experienced a bit of carsickness. All in all, we nearly crashed only a handful of times in this uphill battle, and made it to our destination in a little over 4 stomach-churning hours. No shade directed at the bus driver; this man was truly a hero with nerves of absolute steel, steering us to victory. On arriving in San Jose del Pacifico, we walked about a half mile to our “hostel”, La Cumbre. I put “hostel” in heavy quotes, because for 150 pesos each we were treated to a private room with two queen sized beds and a desk. 

We spent two days relaxing in this mountain haven, venturing into town to eat at a local restaurant. Most meals were in the range of 35-60 pesos (about 2-3 USD). Being so high in the mountains, the evenings can get cold, and we each had 2-3 hot chocolates in the evening to keep us warm and wind us down. San Jose del Pacifico is mellow, and the best way to enjoy the town is by wandering through the streets and enjoying the views. You can also opt to trip on shrooms, if that’s your style. Relax and enjoy yourself. Two nights reading on the terrace of La Cumbre sipping chocolate, overlooking the restaurant near the hostel was good. We had some joyful conversations with other travellers around a firepit, which for 50 pesos could be lit and maintained by the restaurant staff. When it was time to move on to Oaxaca City, we bought colectivo tickets through the same company as we did on the way up. We weren’t elbow to elbow with the driver this time, but the 4-hour trip down the mountain was not nearly as harrowing. 

Just as a side note, a two hour hike from San Jose is San Mateo, which we heard is an even smaller, hippier town. We attempted to hike there, but got twisted around and ended up turning back. If you end up making it there, let me know how it is. The folks we met from the area told us it’s an off-the-beaten path, off-the-grid, psychedelic experience. 

Oaxaca City

We arrived in the afternoon and walked leisurely from the bus stop to Hostal Chocolate. The woman at the front desk told us the only beds available were in the basement, 110 pesos a night. We checked them out, and she was definitely right to give us a heads up. We decided that it wouldn’t be the most questionable thing we’d done in Mexico though, and agreed to stay. After a night, we met up with the rest of our party of 7 and checked into an Airbnb, which we stayed in for 5 days and was much more pleasant. I spent my time in Oaxaca City wandering the market places, beautiful churches, museums , and art spaces that this city has to offer. The grass roots scene for press print style artwork is huge here, and any of the studios will be happy to explain the process to you in spanglish. We took a free 3 hour walking tour and that helped us kind of get a lay of the land, pointing out some local hot spots. I am always a fan of taking the walking tour just to see what you can get out of it, usually some local spots and at the end you feel like you have a grasp on the town.  

Things to see -

Ethnobotanical Garden and Santo Domingo Cultural Museum. 

These two are located directly next to each other and are some of the most iconic landmarks in the city. It takes about 2 hours to see the museum in its entirety, but don’t rush it. It’s chock full of history, including the discovery of Tomb 7 at Monte Alban. Plan ahead so you can experience the cultural museum before the White Mountain and understand the history of everything you’ll see. The Ethnobotanical Garden is full of native plant life that is endemic to the region, meaning many of the plants are not found anywhere else on Earth. They offer a guided tour for 50 pesos in Spanish, or 100 pesos in English. If you’re looking to take some pics for Instagram, this is a good place. 

Monte Alban

A round trip bus trip to the heritage site will cost 80 pesos, and can be purchased on the west side of the Zocalo. Meet the bus driver in the morning and they'll drop you off at 9 AM. Pick-up is at noon, so you have 3 hours to take it all in. The entry fee to the mountain is another 80 pesos, but I almost recommend spending some additional money on a tour guide. There is so much to see, and having someone to guide you through the rich history may have enriched our experience. Even without, it was a humbling and beautiful place, and amazing to see the architecture of the Zapoteca still standing after centuries. 

Mercado 20 de Noviembre

It doesn’t actually have to be the 20th of November to visit this market; it’s named for the date of the Mexican Revolution. The market itself is a celebration of Mexican culture and cuisine, a deluge of smells and sights. It’s full of knick-knacks but the focus is really on the sizzling meat all around you. Everything you could ever want to eat all packed into the one market (as long as you like carne asada). 

Bolenc 

Sourdough bakery and restaurant-y deli-y place with awesome sandwiches and pizza.

Hierba Dulce

Vegetarian and vegan restaurant serving traditional Oaxacan dishes with a twist

Calle Porfirio Diaz

This bustling street is lined with hip restaurants and shops. 

Zocalo The city center square, full of shops and restaurants. 

La Cosecha

An organic harvest market filled with rich history, fresh juice, and many shops. 

Mexico, and more specifically the state of Oaxaca is a rich blast of culture waiting to be taken in. An assortment of indigenous culture paired with an array of bright primary colors everywhere you look make it hard not to have a smile on your face at all times. I reflected on my trip when I returned to my fast paced life in Los Angeles and quickly missed those cobblestone streets, siestas, and easy afternoons spent in Oaxaca. The emphasis on a happy life and much time spent with family and friends is infectiones, and I wish more people prioritized these things back here in the land of the 9-5. I look forward to returning to Oaxaca someday, and exploring the rest of what Mexico has to offer. 

Click here to receive a free copy of Oaxaca, Oaxaca ! A 16 page zine filled with 35mm photos from my trip. Just enter your name and address.

[xtremedespair3d]

Anime Fall 2019 Final Impressions + Plans for Winter 2020 [FINAL]

Before I start reviewing every anime I watched this season, I want to address this first: As the title suggest, this is gonna be my last post, but not my last post overall (as I’m still working on my 2019 review with a little bit of my history from the last 10 years to celebrate the end of 2010 and the start of 2020), this is the last post of the seasonal anime review series.

This may be a one-time thing since it’s the last post, but I’m gonna keep my opinions as short as possible because, here’s a story: right after I published my previous Summer 2019 anime review post, I started by sharing my post on a Discord server, someone pinged me about reading my post I just shared as well as my retirement post (finally, someone who reads my stuff), I later started talking about my issues with making these posts, such as inconsistent formatting, don’t really have much opinion on what I saw or looking forward to, and my least favorite: post-publish editing, about the part of not having much thought on the shows I watch or gonna watch next, this guy from the Karoshi Discord server who atually read my previous Summer anime review post responded with this:

Well, I’ll gladly try not to write lengthy paragraphs when in reality I don’t really have much to comment, but at the same time, it’s going to be rather weird how there’s one entry with little to no comments and another with lengthy paragraphs whenever I actually feel like commenting. I’ve always been forcing myself to make lengthy paragraphs because I needed to make these posts look even as much as possible. (And I still ended up having a little bit of forced opinions, but at the same time, there are some small things that I needed to get it out of my heart, and there are other lengthy things for the same reason)

However, there are some things that I do really feel like making lengthy reviews, so I’ll point them out with a * representing “Lengthy review written by heart.”

The only things I ended up having no commentary at all were three anticipated anime in contrast to literally everything else which I still ended up making lengthy posts, though I guarantee some of these were from heart.

(Let me know if I should change my ShareX image quality settings to .png or .jpg because I’ve been using .jpg for a while and now I started to notice that the quality is absolute crap. I should have pasted it when I cropped it for sure, but I just wanted to formally upload this, so I can make this post look “formal”, even though there’s a little bit of informal writing, sometimes.)

(Also, check the end of the post for my birthday thanks)

Ranking every anime I watched this season from best to worst

I should also address why I do these posts from top to bottom even though it should be the other way around, it’s because I like keeping track of what’s my highest and what’s my lowest, although now that I think about it, I should have made outlines of these lists and the moment I start making these posts, I could go from the lowest to the highest like many sites do, but whatever. Also, if that wasn’t enough, the thumbnails already spoil what’s my #1 AOTS.

Let’s get right to the rankings!

1.- Azur Lane: The Animation*: I’m super addicted to Azur Lane, I even play it a lot more than FGO, and when the anime was announced, I defintely was absolutely hyped for it! And now, it’s finally here and boy, it absolutely didn’t disappoint! So let’s get right to it! (Also, expect me to draw comparisons with Kancolle a lot. inb4 y’all gonna tell me “Try to bring Warship Girls for better comparison” and all that jazz and honestly, I don’t even care about lesser known shipfus properties as much as I do with Kancolle and Azur Lane)

For starters, the anime uses the “Azur Lane vs Red Axis” storyline which is a reference to the guild menu.

(Screenshot from the Azur Lane Wiki with the old UI)

(My screenshot of the guild menu with the new UI, for comparison)

As someone who always plays Azur Lane a lot, this is one thing I overlooked for the most part and I feel kinda stupid for it.

There’s just like a ton of easter eggs I understood, I could make posts after posts from each episode or just make like a compilation post about every single easter egg from the game in every episode, I was literally geeking out on all of them.

The animation wasn’t the greatest, sadly, and even Kancolle looked better than Azur Lane does, but I’m not really mad about it nor I care! Even so, there were still some interesting sakuga moments! However, for the last time about the visuals, Kancolle has a uniformal character designs (calling them same faces would be a stretch), but Azur Lane does a pretty good job on capturing the different art styles the characters have, at least from their facial structures. It’s still no Chain Chronicle-tier (nor there will be anything with the same animation and character designs as the Chain Chronicle OVAs EVER!), but I’m impressed!

Speaking of the animation, episodes 11 and 12 will be delayed UNTIL MARCH while the entire series will be rebroadcast in January so we could lead up to the finale episodes in March. Well that’s certainly going to be quite a while to wait but they’re doing this to deliver the best animated finale episodes as possible, so I’m totally down for it!

Perhaps my big problem with the story is that the subplot focused more on trying to befriend Ayanami and there wasn’t much of Z23, but I think it’s more like they’re pulling from the JP server’s starter ship roster with Javelin, Laffey and Ayanami while Z23 is an unlockable. But it doesn’t matter, we do not point out issues or think of what I didn’t like which I had no problems, it always leave me a sour taste in what I’ve always been hyped for, so forget what I said.

Not to mention there are a little bit of elements that are completely new in the series and I wish they added them in the game, like Kaga’s giant fox ship and Unicorn’s flying U-chan (I didn’t know U-chan lives, I thought it was a simple lifeless stuffed animal), Hornet and Laffey in swimsuits (Come on, Manjuu, give them these swimsuits), etc.

The anime is also making me like some characters more, I kinda like Sheffield more because she’s badass (and doesn’t wear panties), but I’m liking Belfast a lot more than I have before, her chemistry with Enterprise is just amazing, I really love seeing these two together.

To top it all off, the first volume of the Blu-Ray has a really awesome unlockable of a new Enterprise costume! Which I’ll probably never get of course because I don’t think I could ever buy the BD.

I also didn’t know I needed and find it strange to hear English dub in the anime when the game has 100% Japanese voices, and I really wonder how much of the VAs know about this game and if they play it themselves (I’m sure they might not). This is a common thing with mobage adaptations (and even Kancolle), and Azur Lane is no exception.

Azur Lane The Animation is truly a love letter to the people who play the game, especially me because boy, I couldn’t stop pointing out references galore! It’s sad that the series only has 12 episodes, but I really hope it gets second seasons and even a movie like Kancolle did... Alright, what I’m saying is that I want Azur Lane The Animation to straight-up copy Kancolle The Animation. (Speaking of which, season 2 of Kancolle The Animation is coming and it’s an absolute joke that it’s happening) I want more storylines, I want more ships, I want more Azur Lane anime to exist!

But if this is really gonna be a one-off series, I’ll be forever sad because I won’t get more animated Azur Lane related stuff, I want to see everything being brought to life. Since it’s a big franchise right now, I hope it could get the Fate/Grand Order treatment where there should be different anime by different studios, that’s what I’d love to see!

UPDATE - December 24th: It seems like my dream of more Azur Lane anime is finally becoming true, as they announced an adaptation of the 4koma series!

10/10 - 100% - Rank: S++, I don’t give a shit about what anyone might say about the series’ story or even the animation, I just loved it!

(I’m glad I don’t visit 4chan and I have seen nothing but praise towards Aur Lane The Animation (mostly from Japanese people to see negative comments everywhere so my mind becomes broken and giving me the idea that the general consensus being the series is absolutely terrible, inb4 I share this and tell me otherwise.)

2.- Girls’ Frontline Healing Chapter (JP)*: Yes, I know I already talked about it on my last post, but it’s the Japanese dub we’re talking about and it’s relatively solid. However, there are quite some big changes, starting with the first episode where there’s more sound effects to the battlefield scene where it made the CN version feel poor in comparison, future episodes were having slight changes to the camera as well. Although there are things in the Japanese dub’s acting and scripting that I’m not really satisfied with, but it was still good regardless. Also, forget about “English sub vs dub”, now it’s “Chinese dub vs Japanese dub” now. Though the last few episodes didn’t have much of big changes, other than Chinese text written to Japanese.

The most important thing I have to talk about are these weird post-credits scenes, I have no idea what do these scenes even mean, maybe they just made these scenes as fillers to fill the maximum 4-5 minute run on Japanese TV.

Also, I have to go back to the CN version because, at the time when the first episode of the JP dub aired, the CN dub premiered its final episode and my god, I’m really sad this is over. And now we’re moving on to the other series, Madness Chapter (which you’ll find out as you scroll down this). Man, I really want more of this, I love the art style, but I wish some characters had more screentime and let RO shine!

Goodbye Healing Chapter, it was nice knowing you! ;_;7

Supposedly ShouKin (one of the uploaders for the two Girls’ Frontline anime series, the other being Berizou) found that season 2 for Healing Chapter was confirmed. Sounds awesome but I think I’ll have to wait for more and reliable information about it. Not that ShouKin is not a reliable source, but I really hope we get to hear more of it.

10/10 - 100% - Rank: S++ (Even with the JP dub, you continue to be great)

3.- High Score Girl II*: Supposedly I’ve always been following Moetron’s news about its release and I thought the first 3 episodes were gonna come out on my birthday, it indeed happened in Japan but there has never been any torrent of them and I was seriously disappointed about it! It came out like late October and I was like “What took you so long for this to come out or something?”, there might have been stuff I may have missed that explain these weird releases.

Anyways, moving on talking about the series and all I can think of is that the series continues to give me a big smile, seriously, every time I watch High Score Girl, I always smile for 24 minutes, that’s how powerful this show must be. (Even though everything shown is from the 90s and I was born in 1999, so I’m a 2000s kid, so I probably won’t have any idea of its historical accuracies and references).

Seriously, out of everything JC Staff they made this year, including the absolute garbage that was One Punch Man season 2, High Score Girl is obviously the winner for their best looking anime of the year!

100/100 - 100% - Rank: S++

4.- Fate/Grand Order Babylonia: For the last time, Fate anime adaptations have become quite a hot sensitive topic for me since 2017′s Fate/Apocrypha and 2018′s Fate/Extra Last Encore (And I enjoyed them both), but with Fate/Grand Order Babylonia, I’m qutie impressed, especially with the animation. This is probably the only two-cour series consisting of 21 episodes, it’s a weird number but it’s decent enough, and it’s a very long chapter of the game.

The Type-Moon community seems pretty hateful on other Fate series adaptations, but they’re very chill with Ufotable’s Stay Night adaptations, and nobody really seems to complaint with the New Year’s content and I’m glad for it. (Which by the way, the New Year’s stuff continue to be great! I definitely want it to be a tradition forever.)

5.- Tokunana: This was a relatively fun cop drama with stellar performances, and perhaps it was definitely the most underrated show of the season. The art style reminds me of Shirow Miwa in a way as well.

8/10 - 84% - Rank: A

6.- Beastars: I don’t know much about the story, but my big focus is the animation. Orage continues to deliver great CG animation post-Houseki no Kuni but it suffers the same problems as Sanzigen with the hand-drawn background characters and that shit is seriously annoying.

8/10 - 82% - Rank: A-

Between Beastars and High Score Girl II, I wanted HSGII to be the better looking CG series without blatant hand drawn parts, but I guess it even includes hand drawn parts at times, so having to find which CG anime look better is a hard stretch, perhaps I’m asking too much on what kind of CG anime do I want. Also, I hate to admit, I have to give props to Studio Polygon because they definitely make everything 100% CG. (Or do they? Gah! I don’t know anymore!)

7.- My Hero Academia season 4: Well, I read the manga, it’s no surprising about what even happened with these arcs. (even though when I’m at the current chapters, I forget what happened the previous volumes).

7.5/10 - 75% - Rank: B+

8.- Psycho-Pass 3*: If Tokunana wasn’t enough of a cop drama, then here comes Psycho-Pass 3 which it’s the true definition of a cop drama with the 40 minute runtime.

As someone who wasn’t really offended on Psycho-Pass 2, I’ll have to assume that Psycho-Pass 3 is definitely a breath of fresh air for the series after the movies, perhaps even more.

I’m glad that most of the familiar faces have returned, although it was probably always expected, but there’s just something about Akane, Ginoza and Kogami’s returns from the first few episodes that made me fanboy a little bit, not gonna lie. It’s just that I was really stuck to the marketing and promotional images of the series.

If Psycho-Pass 3 is still somewhat received negatively like Psycho-Pass 2, I don’t know what do you really want from this franchise at this point. At this point you’re definitely thinking that Psycho-Pass should have been a one-off series, but no, most of the fans begged for a second season and so on, they delivered. Don’t try to mess with the creators’ efforts and stuff.

Though my only problem with this season is that I wish the original characters had some more screentime, and then episode 8 didn’t really feel conclusive but I guess that helped to lead up to the upcoming film--which turned out to be a compilation film which gives me a sour taste in my mouth. However, it does confirm that it will indeed conclude the story, for a “compilation film” I don’t know how that might work, but if it’s indeed gonna conclude the story, that’s the main thing I wanted to hear.

7.5/10 - 75% - Rank: B+

First there are anime with 40 minute premieres, movies are a different thing, but a full-fledged TV anime series with a 40 minute runtime? That sure kinda sounds revolutionary but at the same time it’s a total overkill for animators. Besides, I never have the energy to watch anything in 40 minutes, so let’s keep things the way they are with usually having to watch anime series in 20 minutes.

9.- Phantasy Star Online 2 Episode Oracle*: You think that a PSO2 anime that’s actually set in the game’s universe and it’s more serialized could be better than PSO2: The Animation? Well, part of it yeah. But for me, honestly, this was WAY WORSE than PSO2: The Animation for one major reason: This was absolutely rather dark and I wasn’t too comfortable with it.

The animation is kind of alright, it’s not very great but at least Gonzo has definitely improved since the maximum garbage that was 18if.

Is the actual game this dark? Even if I haven’t really seen any story mode (?) cutscenes, from what I’ve seen, I just don’t see it in that light. I haven’t played the JP version (I’d like to but I have difficulties with the download) but I am gonna try to play the English version next year (Can’t believe it’s finally happening).

I just read on MAL that it does adapt these episodes from the actual game but they have anime original content in the process, since I’m not a PSO2 player, I really can’t say for sure if it is indeed faithful but with the anime original stuff, but if it is, well shit.

Surprisingly I haven’t seen some friends I know who play PSO2 talk about Episode Oracle. They have talked about PSO2: The Animation when it came out and they certainly hate it but I can defintely tell they don’t watch Episode Oracle at all (I think it’s for the best).

Anyways, I want to forget this garbage and I want to go back to PSO2: The Animation, it wasn’t that offensively bad after all.

(As of the writing in November 11th, Firefox crashed and I wrote parts of this review a little differently, so I had to rewrite it and it might be different from what I remember, but it’s still decent)

5.5/10 - 53% - Rank: C-

10.- Girls’ Frontline Madness Chapter: Now that Healing Chapter is over, it was time to move on to Madness Chapter, and with the first episode alone... I wasn’t feeling it at all, I’m not super impressed.

Quick info drop, this series is an adaptation of Girls’ Frontline’s in-game 4koma which can be found in the Cafe, though I only play the English version and I assume that the Chinese and Korean servers must have the 4komas like on volume 10 or so.

With that being said about that Madness Chapter adapts the 4koma, there’s just something really off about the animation, it’s just that it’s way too quirky and over the top. It looks more like it’s the true definition of a Chinese anime or something, not for the dub, but for the talent.

Though I have to say, the last few episodes have been really growing on me, but my first impressions will probably remain.

Once Healing Chapter in Japanese ends, I’m definitely expecting Madness Chapter to have Japanese dub as well.

4.5/10 - 45% - Rank: C--

11.- Granblue Fantasy season 2*: A second season with an absolute stepback on animation and decent storyline, everything else is rather forgettable. The Vira episodes were interesting but I couldn’t get myself to care for everything else.

I seriously don't like the new animation at all. A-1 did a very good job on how it looks, but even so, people seem to hate the first season, so the animation in S2 is an absolute downgrade and won't do any favors for me. As for the story so far, I can't really tell if this is from the actual game's campaign (like I said, I stopped at Chapter 17), but I guess it's alright. The most absurd thing about this is that armored characters like the Empire solders and even Apollo are all CG and they look terrible. (Were they CG in the first season too? I can't remember already).

I'm not really one who should be like those "These people shouldn't make cashgrab adaptations doing the story from the very start and instead spend all their money on making OVAs or whatever on their most popular events, like What Makes the Sky Blue?" nazis and I don't give much of a crap about it, but I do really feel like GBF shouldn't really need to be adapted from zero and instead just do any of their popular events or something. I mean, just look at FGO where they only did about one adaptation of the prologue and later they're adapting Babylonia and Camelot, the most popular chapters.

On October 26th, I made a small TwitLonger post detailing my complicated history with GBF and why I’m feeling like I want to walk away from it. (It’s kind of dumb really. And yes, the first paragraphs of this where I gave my first impressions with GBF S2 were straight-up copied from the post).

The most heartbreaking thing that happened in this series is that they showed a Halloween special on November 8th WITH THE FIRST SEASON’S ANIMATION, my god, look how better it was before they went to this crap! This is One-Punch Man season 2 all over again! (But certainly doesn’t top it)

3/10 - 31% - Rank: D

Overall:

Honorable mentions

BLACKFOX*: I barely had time to watch it exactly on my birthday, but when I saw it the next day, it was a relatively solid and entertaining comic book-like narrated film. Although it may not be the greatest film like I wanted, but it may be for the best because at the time, my brain was absolutely burned from seeing Joker last night to even care for everything else, it’s a masterpiece.

One problem I do have is Melissa, at the end of the film, we see Rikka, Mia and... surprisingly Melissa with a costume and everything. What’s the origin behind it? What about her character development?

I really hope there’s more Blackfox because the teaser at the end seems too good to pass to make a full-fledged series of it.

(Mia best girl.)

8/10 - 85% - Rank: B+

Fire Force: My opinion on the animation, at least in non-action moments, probably remain, but I really like these arcs more, not that I didn’t like the beginning arcs but I’m really liking this direction.

(I don’t know how to define “better” anymore without using “I like X better just because. It tops, it exceeds, etc.”)

7/10 - 72% - Rank: B

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection*: This one’s a little funny because it’s a movie that came out about months ago, but it came out in Mexican theaters on October 11th, since it’s October and it falls into the Fall category (”Falls to Fall” lmao), I’ll have to include it.

Anyways, having watched the compilation films as a road to get into the Code Geass series, Lelouch of the Re;surrection was good, but it did get me confused at times, I have a lot of questions about what was going on, but the post-credits scene got me the most confused, I don’t know if it was meant to be a teaser, but the way this scene happened is kind of ambiguous.

Even though watching the compilation films may or may not be the best method to get into Code Geass, I had to do it so I could have saved time, if I were to watch the series, it would have taken me forever. Besides, Lelouch of the Re;surrection is from the compilation films’ canon, so it’s something, I guess.

Moving on, the most baffling thing I have to talk about are the technical issues in my cinema. Like around the beginning of the film, the part where Lelouch blows up Shesthaal, the audio cuts off, they had to pause the run of the film a couple of minutes and rewinded some. People in my cinema, while thankfully not very loud with whistles and all, were definitely complaining about the issue, while my older sister and I were just laughing silently and smh’ing.

8.5/10 - 85% - Rank: A-

Lupin the 3rd Prison of the Past: I genuinely didn’t expect there would be another Lupin the 3rd OVA. It’s been months since I saw Goodbye Partner.

It’s probably unintentional but something tells me that releasing this OVA now is like a lead-up to the Lupin the 3rd CG movie in December in Japan.

There’s one thing I’m not happy about is that there wasn’t a memorial for Monkey Punch or anything (but does that “Monkey” branded chewing gum count? Sounds a little insulting), or this might have been made a while before Monkey Punch passed away, but they should have included something like that.

8/10 - 80% - Rank: A

Anticipated

This is the last anime season of the decade and now we’re gonna reach the first lineup of new anime in the new decade. I of course wouldn’t watch literally every single anime in existence, like I always do with every season, but here are some of the very first anime of the 2020 decade I want to watch!

(I’m surprised no one is hyping up how we’re getting our first anime of the 2020 decade)

I should also try to keep track on everything I want to watch because I think I may forget when they’re gonna come out.

Quintessential Quintuplets season 2 - January ???: A few months ago I binged the series and I seriously can’t believe I slept on this, it was hilarious and pure at times, so I can’t wait to watch more. Though I haven’t read the manga (but I’d like to some day) but it’s enough for me to go blind and enjoy the series.

Speaking of the manga, the series will end on its 14th volume next year and we’re so close on that happening because volume 13 will be released in January 17th 2020. I’ll be sad to see this series go but I’m interested to see what the creator will make next and if the anime keeps getting new seasons, we might actually see the series finale get adapted.

[UPDATE - January 4th 2020: As of now, there hasn’t been any news about Quintessential Quintuplets S2 lately, no promos or anything. I think at this point it’s probably delayed until Spring.]

Heya Camp - January 6th: It may not be season 2 of Yuru Camp (yet) but I’m glad there’s going to be more coziness with the short series lifted from the previews from the base series.

Isekai Quartet season 2 - January 14th: I’m definitely hype for more Isekai Quartet and that teaser with the new classmates at the end of the first season finale is not to be wasted, and those new classmates happened to be Naofumi, Raphtalia and Filo from Rising of Shield Hero. As of the writing this in December 1st, I’m planning to binge Shield Hero, I have pretty much watched every isekai series featured in Isekai Quartet, so I don’t want to be left out with Shield Hero. Regardless of what I heard about the series, I’m still gonna watch it anyways. (Finished watching on December 5th and... DAMN, I REALLY LIKED IT. FUCK THEM SJWs!)

Bang Dream season 3 - January 23rd: It would have been amazing if Sangizen were to do the Bubuki Buranki thing with the first season in Winter and the second season in Fall, but they deserve to take their time.

Madoka Magica Magia Record - January 4th: Fall 2019 was quite stuffed with anime based on gacha, Fate/Grand Order Babylonia, Azur Lane The Animation and Granblue Fantasy The Animation, but Madoka Magica Magia Record is the one show based on the mobile game that decided to not to join the party and it’s kinda funny.

Nekopara - January 9th: That’s right, there’s going to be a full fledged Nekopara TV series now. This is the most unnecessary anime to exist since there already was a plethora of OVAs, there’s no need to make a TV series of the VN now. I don’t have time to rush through the VN if I want to buy it (Most likely from Steam and buy the adult patch too) but I don’t have the money to do it, well, it may depend from my interest and time to try to play it because I’m a bit behind with Saya no Uta.

Speaking of adult content, I’m expecting a bit of fan service somewhere because they wouldn’t do the full blown hentai scenes. Pretty standard VN adapation rules.

Dorohedoro - January 12th.

Danmachi OVA - January 29th.

ID:Invaded - January 5th.

Ishizoku Reviewers - January 11th: I seriously haven’t watched any ecchi series in a long time, and reading the synopsis alone, I’m really intrigued in checking this one out.

There’s quite of anime to look forward to in 2020 but I haven’t been keeping track on what do I want to watch, though I know some that may come in that year, but I’m not gonna get into that since this is just for Winter 2020, I’ll address that in my “10 year journey” post.

The future of the seasonal anime review series

Since this is my last seasonal anime review post in Tumblr, I’ll probably continue making lists either by tweeting them out or will have to make a Discord channel in my private server, but it’s probably more about anticipated shows, for seasonal reviews, I’ll have to do Tier Maker images, probably for the best because I’ve been making a bit of a weird inconsistencies with ranking shows with scores and ranks, so I’ll probably have to stick to only ranks with Tier Maker from now on.

Although to be honest, I’m not sure if anyone would really care about what am I gonna watch, did I like a show or not, but at the same time, I forget people do really care as they’re quite the show-offs and ofcourse discussions galore. So I think I’ll keep doing what I’m doing but in a more simple way.

And that’s it, we’re done here. This is the end of the seasonal anime review Tumblr post series, though nobody had really read these posts before, but I finally got my first audition with the Karoshi Discord server from the beginning of this post. I’ve had fun making these posts, even if lately I’ve been getting burnt out but I still enjoyed writing these.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot, thank you for the birthday wishes, a day early and even on the very same day.

With a day early, particularly from my Japanese friends, especially you @hinosuna0720/@hinosuna3D21 (NSFW content, viewer discretion is advised) for giving me sweet images with my Custom Maid 3D2 OCs, and you even gifted me VA-11 HALL-A and I’m seriously grateful. I also want to congratulate @ryuuunnji for giving me a picture too.

And on the actual day, I want to thank for @SALthePAL95 making me drawings of my new OCs! And speaking of drawings, my older sister made me one too (but I won’t show it, sorry), it’s been a long time since she made me one... ;-;

And I, of course, want to thank everyone else who has given me birthday wishes!

This 20th birthday was definitely the best I’ve ever had in my life, I’ve had some really sweet surprises that I’ve always been looking for, and I wish my future birthdays continue to be this good, especially in the next decade.

(Not you @kirishima_ss. Thankfully it was a day after my birthday but, come on... (he blocked me)) 🖕🔪 (Although that did teach me a valuable lession: I’m not gonna promote my birthday literally every day ever again, because I was seriously getting pretentious)

Anyways, it’s time for making these Tumblr posts to stop, but alas, there’s one more Tumblr post to make, it’s a whole different topic but it’s extremely important, it’s super long but I hope you’ll understand. See you there. Also, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in advance.

Check out my Carrd.

My retirement announcement for one last reminder. (And just fixed it to make it more readable)

[pbandjesse]

I wore stripes again. A pattern of wearing a pattern! Felt real cute though. I sewed up the front of the dress so it had a gental high/low thing going on. I slept really well last night. I let myself sleep in until around 945 and laid in bed until a little after 10. I really needed the rest. I got up and took my time. Fed Sweetp and had some toast. I was planning on having lunch with Niky but i didn’t need to rush anywhere. I got dressed and red for a bit. Texted Niky and she said shed be around in about 15 minutes. So I packed up my purse for the day and waited. When she texted me she was downstairs I of course knocked everythting over and had to take a second to reset. But it was all okay. We had to take a few minutes to look up the taxidermy studio we were going to. She couldn’t find the business card and I couldn’t remember the name of the place. But we did some Google detective work and figured out that the place was called studio Payne and was in st Paul. The place was smaller then I would have thought. And honestly a bit mismanaged. The man who was in there when we went in was playing with a cat and a laser pointer. And while small the layout was not utilized well. But I still had fun. The man brought out a snake and told us stories. I enjoyed seeing all the wet specimis of wolves and fawns and even someone’s pet Chihuahua which had apparently died of natural causes. They had good stuff but their layout for the art fair last week was better then their store front. Ah well. We went and got lunch after that. Niky took me to a very fancy ramen place. I got my normal order but it was particularly good at this spot. Like the spices were really well balanced and I really enjoyed it. We talked about fan fiction and tropes and food and I just had a really great time. I can’t talk about fandom stuff with anyone else really so it’s just really great to have her in my life. For many reasons but that’s a special one. We both only had half our ramen and took the other half to go. Then we drove over to an ice cream place Obama visited. I had sortm of lost my sense of taste again so I couldn’t really tell if I like the cookie monster ice cream I sampled. But the cookie dough and cookies pieces were a nice texture so I got that in a waffle bowl. Niky got taro and Thai tea but she barely ate it cause she felt to full. Ah well. We had a nice time sitting outside and enjoying the sun. It had been nice all day but it started getting really warm once we left the ice cream place. But it was okay. We went over to the minihaha mile where all the antique stores are. Went to the junkett first and i got a pretty little earring organizer. Which is awesome and i have been trying to find a better way to store the earrings I almost never wear. I gave myself a $20 budget but I wouldn’t even break half of that. We hit up all the stores. Niky got some tea cups. We pointed out everything we loved and things we had when we were kids. It was very warm out but I was very happy. Our last stop was that Paris antiques which I had enjoyed so much last time. And It did not disappoint. I found a taxidermy duck for $6??? Thats amazing and his foot was a little messed up But besides that he’s great! Niky also loves taxidermy so she was a bit jealous i has scooped that up. She got a frame and we enjoyed the air conditioning for a few more minutes. We headed back to the car. It was really hot. But we were happy and it was beautiful. Niky took me home and gave me the print that came in the frame she bought. Its a pretty Rococo scene. She was going to throw it away anyhow. She’s the best. I was really tired and it was almost 5 once I got upstairs and changed. I texted with Jess for a while but I really just wanted to sleep. I was very sun tired. I let myself sleep until 7. Jess texted me and I had toast and tried to have yogurt but it was chocolate and was disgusting. I thought it would be like pudding but it was not it was just bitter and sour and horrible. So I threw that away. I read for a while. Watched a little tv. I had commented on a fic I read because the author asked for feedback and I had some constructive criticism but they are really mad at me now so I don’t know why I even bother. Litterally every comment I have ever left that isn’t glowing praise has been met with anger and it drives me crazy. Esspecially since people on here are always saying they wished people commented on their works. And yet every time it’s not 100% positive I feel like i get told I’m an idiot. I only give feedback when it’s asked to rate and review and yet.. Whatever. I still liked their story, just thought it could be improved with some expansion of sentence structure. I’m going to relax again tomorrow. Do some reading. I want to go through all my clothes and try to purge out some stuff I haven’t worn in a long time. Well got with a year? I would love to get my clothes to all fit in 2 trunks. Were at 3 right now. But well see what happens there. I hope you all sleep well tonight and have a nice day tomorrow!

[princessalethea]

How Do I Self-Publish a Book? (A List, With Resources)

I’ve been asked about self-publishing a lot recently, so I decided it was high time to write up a big, long answer with lots of fabulous and helpful links!

If you are asking yourself “Should I self-publish my book?” — the answer is NO. Self-publishing is a ridiculously hard amount of work (on top of writing your novel in the first place, which was already a ton of work, am I right?). And right now there is a glut of indie-published books out there, which means that once you DO get through the hard work of writing and the harder work of editing and publishing, there’s the virtually-impossible job of actually getting your book actually SEEN and READ by people.

But if self-publishing is so terrible, why are you doing it? Because I’m the stubborn brat who did terribly in English class, but never stopped writing. I got a Chemistry degree and immediately went to work at a bookstore. I moved across state lines and made really bad life choices (I once started a publishing company to impress a boy) and went into debt several times, all for the sake of writing because it is my soul. I was orphaned by two major publishers and still refused to stop writing.

If you are a crazy person like me–and I know you are out there (MY PEOPLE!)–keep reading.

Everyone else: submit your manuscript to an agent or shove it back under the couch, and then go see a movie and be glad I saved you from the really bad decision you were about to make.

*************************************

Princess Alethea’s Self Publishing Basics

The Manuscript

When you have finished writing your novel (we’re going to talk about novels here, because picture books are ENTIRELY different horses), you need three different kinds of editors to look at it: a content editor, a copyeditor, and at least one proofreader.

The content editor’s job is to be sure your manuscript makes sense. Is the pacing right? Does it flow? Did you forget to describe a character? Did you leave a plot hole dangling? Did you write an adventure story when you meant to write a romance? (I’ve done this at least twice.) Did you realize you have an underlying theme of loss that you should really explore and carry out through the resolution?

The content editor will give you revision notes. Take a day to scream and cry about these notes, and then sit down and do the work to make your story better. (The content editor’s job is not to find typos, but she might mark a few.) When your revisions are completed satisfactorily, your manuscript goes to the copyeditor.

The copyeditor’s job is to go through the manuscript with a fine-tooth comb and catch all your typos and grammatical mistakes. They will sort out your hyphens and pry the commas from your cold, dead hands. They will catch inconsistencies or anachronisms. They will point out awkward sentences that should really be rephrased. They will catch that you used the word “small” five times in one paragraph. Once you have fixed all these silly mistakes, it’s time to send your manuscript to the proofreaders.

A proofreader’s job is to catch whatever tiny things the copyeditor didn’t see. In traditional publishing, this is the equivalent of the Advance Readers Copy. My ARCs go to my VIP Review Team and my Brute Squad. There are a couple of readers who I KNOW will catch things my eagle-eyed copyeditor missed, and I pay special attention to those comments.

In the course of my two-decades-plus in the publishing industry, I have professionally held all three of the above positions. I am here to tell you that YOU NEED ALL THREE OF THEM. If you are the writer, do not do these jobs yourself. And if you are a writer who CAN do any of these jobs yourself, I bow to you because you are a God.

As in traditional publishing, you should always start with the cleanest version of the manuscript you can. If you are distracting any of these editors with a messy manuscript, it’s possible that they will be concentrating so hard on easily fixable mistakes that they miss something they SHOULD be paying attention to. (And that is often how typos end up in final manuscripts)

My editorial team is made up of my best friend (who happens to be an English professor at a big university), a dear author friend, my fan club, and my mom. It took me a long time to put these folks together, and we are AMAZING. You will find your team. But don’t get discouraged if it takes you a while. And be open to looking in un-obvious places.

Casey has papers to grade, Kat has books to write, and Mom’s not currently offering her proofing services on a professional basis, so I’ve compiled this short list of friends & acquaintances for you to research. Please, DO YOUR RESEARCH. Some of these folks only do one kind of editing, or for specific genres. Each will charge different amounts. Feel free to tell them I sent you, and BE KIND–these are friends of mine!

Renee Murphy Shannon Page Chris Kridler Laura Anne Gilman Bryan Thomas Schmidt Spencer German Ellsworth Literally Addicted to Detail (Chelle Olson) Melissa Gilbert Lyn Worthen John Jarrold Ashley Davis Jenny Rae Rappaport Eschler Editing (Sabine Berlin) KH Koehler Michael Kabongo Laura Helseth Venessa Glunta

The Cover

Even after all these years and thousands of idioms, readers still judge a book by its cover. Your cover is INCREDIBLY important. I spend a LOT of money on the cover art for my novels, and it it 100% worth it.

My cover artist is another amazing author (Rachel Marks) who is no longer taking new clients (because she also has books to write!). Luckily for you, there are a TON of new, great resources out there for covers–even places that provide pre-made covers!

(I do not have a list of resources for these yet.)

  The Layout

I am a Mac user, so I have been blessed with the fabulous software that is Vellum. I have been known to tell PC indie authors that it is worth it to buy a Mac, just for the e-book software. And that was BEFORE it could do print layout!

Vellum is magic for e-books. And I suspect I will be doing quite a few print layouts there too, in the future. But outside of that, my go-to for print layout will always be Polgarus Studio. They have made all of my fairy tale books look amazing, and even helped me when I was having massive amount of trouble with Diary of a Mad Scientist Garden Gnome. Their rates are reasonable, communication is excellent, and they provide layout within a week. LOVE THEM.

  Retailers

There are websites where you can upload your e-book and they will get it out to all the various retailers…but really, it’s best if you do the Big Five on your own: Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iTunes, and Google Play. (Google Play is a bit problematic…do some research…but I’ve still got a few books there for now.)

You will need to set up accounts, link bank numbers, and fill out tax forms for each of these sites. It is not a short process. And every time you upload the book, you will need to input the metadata. Another not-short process–while all sites require a lot of the same information, every ine is different.

Do you need ISBNs from Bowker? That’s up to you. I bought a bunch way back when they were on sale, and I use them mostly for my print books through Ingram…but if you’re only using e-books and Createspace, you don’t need them.

I use both CreateSpace and Ingram for my print books. I did a lot of research before I made this decision. Did I need Ingram? Probably not–they are expensive, and a hassle–but I did want hardcover books. I hear that Nook is now doing hardcovers. I haven’t looked into that yet. But CreateSpace can get you into most of the sales channels you need.

Affiliate Programs

Make sure you are set up on all the Affiliate programs: Amazon, Kobo, and iTunes. I admit, the only one I’ve really seen money back from is Amazon…but you never know. All those nickles and dimes add up eventually. And remember to use these links! I know it’s a pain in the butt, but it’s a good habit to train yourself to get into. DO NOT EVER BUY ANYTHING OFF AMAZON without clicking on a link to a fellow author’s book first. Even if you don’t buy the book, they still get the kickback. IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. You have no idea how much!

  Advertising

The book advertising climate changes every five minutes. It’s true that you have to spend money to make money, but FB ads and newsletter ads and free sites are so prevalent now, it’s tough to make a list of reliable ones. I will say that BookBub ads are still great if you can get them (don’t stop applying!) and Hidden Gems is fabulously reliable for getting ARC reviews!

Also: Be sure to “claim” your books on BookBub and add them to your Amazon Author Profile (make sure you are set up on Author Central) as soon as the buy or pre-order links go live!

Author Central will be indispensable to you as an indie author. Their customer service is bar-none.

  Audiobooks

If you’re just starting out with self-publishing, you shouldn’t worry about audiobooks just yet. That said, make sure you also “claim” all your books and short stories on ACX. ACX has a ton of great video tutorials…I highly recommend them. And be prepared to spend a lot of money on your narrator–you get what you pay for. My audiobook narrators have blown me away…and brought me some of the greatest joy. Their exceptional performances remind me why I do what I do!

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WHEW! Okay, I know that’s a LOT of material, but it really only scratches the surface. I just want to make sure I properly convey the scope of the GIANT HEADACHE you are about to have for the next two-five years.

And if you made it this far…I wish you all the best of luck in the world. Vaya con dios!

xox

Princess Alethea

***************

Follow Alethea Kontis on Patreon: http://ift.tt/1DT4Gha

The post How Do I Self-Publish a Book? (A List, With Resources) appeared first on AletheaKontis.com.

from How Do I Self-Publish a Book? (A List, With Resources)

[theparaminds]

Creativity has been the anchor point to much of Jimi Somewhere’s life, whether by force or by natural instinct. All he feels, experiences and knows is translated into artistry. Though at times, this has left him expressing him the worst of what he’s been going through, sounds he didn’t feel sure of or fully understand. That reality is now a distant memory.

With both his new work and new outlooks on life, Jimi has learned to embrace his past mistakes and misunderstandings. He no longer takes them as dark points, but as moments to learn from. He stands with a new found positivity, a newfound confidence, in all he does and all he represents.

Now, with the memories truly in the past, the failures finally teaching and his passion stronger than he could have imagined, all seems ready. His mentality, concepts, and vision have fully formed into what he has dreamed of. For the first time, the Somehwere that trails his first name doesn’t seem so distant, so impossible to grasp.

Our first question as always, how’s your day going and how have you been lately?

Hey! Its going good. Been working on music stuff all week and just being productive feels great.

To begin, your sound and artistic stylings are incredibly unique and singular, though that asks the question of how you even got into music and art in the first place? What forces pushed you upon the path?

I’m not sure. I’ve always been this way. My father is a photographer and writer himself so I think the need to create runs in the family. Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always been heavy into music and reading up on all my favorite artists and stuff. It’s second nature to me. I also played in a lot of different bands in elementary & wrote raps all through middle school. I don't know life without music.

Specifically, have you found your location to be a part of how you’ve shaped yourself sonically? Either by embracing all that is around you or by rejecting it completely.

I think it’s more of a middle ground. I had a great childhood in this small place with lots of nature. But considering it wasn’t a big city or anything, there wasn’t that much stuff to do. Which resulted in creating a lot. I also didn't really have any friends that were as into music or art as I was, and they didn’t live in the same place, so I was mostly on my own in that field. I met Milo, who produces all my music, in eighth grade but even then he lived on the other side of Norway. It resulted in me just discovering and diving into music on my own on the internet, which led me to enjoying all kinds of different stuff.

When developing yourself artistically, how did you come to the name of Jimi Somewhere? What does the moniker mean to you and how does it represent you as a musician?

First of all, I never wanted to make music under my real name because I wanted to create this character I could play with. I feel like if I made music under my real name I’d be much more obligated to tell 100% the truth. Now I have this pseudonym I can write about more, like a book or film character. And for the name, I just thought the way Odd Future named themselves sounded so cool. Like Earl Sweatshirt and Frank Ocean. So I just took a name and a word I’ve always gravitated towards and combined the two.

Now currently, you’re in the process of a new EP, which you’ve been building to for a while. What is the message you hoped to resonate with this piece and do you feel you achieved the goals you set out to?

The overall message of the EP is just ‘take a punch, get up and keep going’. Life gets hard but It’s important to just keep moving no matter what, you feel me? Of course, It’s not as easy as that, but I really hope I can inspire people in some way to not stop, no matter what they get hit with. 2018 treated me both very good and very bad, but we’re still here. Not giving up. I can take these punches! As for goals, I think we made exactly the project we set out to make. Now all I can do is show the world and wait and see if it resonates with the people.

How would you personally compare both the process and final result of your new work compared to older projects, such as Memoria?

Well, the overall sound quality is way up. Milo Orchis mixed both Memoria and this one, and he has gotten so much better. Some of the mixes on Memoria are really bad. Other than that It’s all pretty different. I feel like I’ve gotten better at songwriting and using my voice. The process was different too, considering we made this whole EP in Los Angeles. I think we needed to get away from Norway for a minute just for inspiration. Still me and Milo in a tiny room with bad speakers though, like how we made Memoria, just with new experiences and new inspiration.

Part of this release was also creating a playlist of influential songs to this EP, which actually has a wide range of genres and ideas, what was it that was drawing you to these songs in the time of creation, and what truly was their importance to the process?

I listen to music all the time when I’m not making it. I think it’s so important to listen to as many different genres as possible when you’re an artist. That's when you make the most exciting stuff. When it comes to their importance in the project, I would say some songs have inspired stuff heavier than other stuff. But I love to take different genres and just blend them. Experimentation is key, and to be able to experiment you need to hear what's out there. I think the common denominator in the playlist is melancholy though. Both me and Milo are very drawn towards melancholic stuff, as you probably can hear if you listen to our music.  

But of all time, what’s been the album, or maybe three, that have shaped you as an artist the most? From where in the projects do you draw from and continue to find joy within?

Okay, so for 3 albums that have shaped me the most, I’m gonna say:

‘MTV1987’ by Kevin Abstract. First time I heard something sound so professional and intriguing while made by two 17-year-old kids in their bedroom. That's like the album that showed me that I could do this too. I didn't need a real studio or anything.

‘Because the Internet’ by Childish Gambino. Such an experimental project. With the script he wrote to go with the album, the short films, music videos, and artwork. The way he created a whole universe like that has inspired me so much in my own work.

Lastly, I’m gonna say ‘Pure Heroine’ by Lorde. She’s just such a good writer. And the way she portrays nostalgia and growing up is so pure, no pun intended. Might be the greatest pop album ever, in my opinion.

In your mind, what’re the greatest personal and musical improvements and changes you’ve been able to make, and how do you hope to continue growing as an artist?

I don’t know about changes or improvements, but I’m just trying to perfect everything I do. I want to be considered one of the greatest when I die, so that’s what I’m working towards. I'm still young & learning. Just gonna keep maturing and growing. Hopefully, that will lead me in the right direction.

As well, you just were touring around with Boy Pablo for a minute, how did you find the experience of travel and live experimentation and is it something you hope to pursue further in the future?

I loved it. We joined Pablo on his UK tour and even though it was just a week, I learned so much and had the most fun ever. Performing live in front of a good crowd is the best feeling there is and it's definitely what I want to be doing for the rest of my life. Seeing music we made on a shitty computer with a cheap mic make 1000 people jump up and down is so amazing. My live show is still very in the works so I’m looking forward to getting better at performing and communicating with the crowd.

If you could recommend one film to everyone reading this currently, which would be your choice and for what reasons do you think its an essential watch?

Right now I would recommend ‘A Ghost Story’. It's been on my mind ever since I saw it. The way it captures grief and an existential crisis is amazing. Such a different movie and the feeling I was left with after I saw it was something else. Definitely an essential watch. Other than that ‘Her’ by Spike Jonze is my favorite movie ever and I aspire to create something as genuine and beautiful as that movie.

Do you have anyone to shoutout or anything to promote? The floor is yours!

My EP Ponyboy is on its way! And 1st Place is already out, so go listen and let me know what you think, all comments are appreciated! Thanks for having me.

Photos by Dev Dhusni

Follow Jimi Somewhere on Instagram and Twitter

Listen on Soundcloud and Spotify

[sglabs]

Visit with a Veep- Reagan Heller

Reagan Heller is the vice president of art for Schell Games. Reagan manages and oversees the Art team as well as assists with general studio staffing.

To start things off, I like to begin well before your current leadership position. What is the weirdest job you’ve had?

One experience that sticks out is when I worked at a dollar movie theater.  It wasn’t necessarily a weird ‘job’ more so than a weird ‘place.’ Odd things would happen. Instead of focusing on selling popcorn and tickets, I would be given a broom [by management] to chase people out of the theater who were trying to sleep in it. They also would try and sleep in the photo booth. Another time we found illicit drugs in the theater and had to dispose of them. Overall, it was a very weird and interesting place to work.

Wow. What type of lessons did you take away from having that experience?

I certainly learned how to deal with interesting situations. I mean, if you are chasing a person out from trying to sleep in the theater, you learn how to be tactful. I wasn’t going to chase the person out by hitting them with the broom. Instead, I would try sweeping around them and approach them like, “hey, the movie is over and it’s time to leave, you can’t sleep here.”

That’s quite the experience! So from there, how did you end up in the video game industry?

My path was a little unusual. I didn’t know that you could have a job as an artist or a graphic designer in the video game industry. I went to Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) for graphic design with the intention of going into the advertising industry. I knew I wanted to do something digital and use art to communicate and sell products and ideas to people. That sounded awesome to me, so I aspired to be an advertising designer.

But, I was also always into geeky stuff, so a lot of my friends weren’t in the design department, but in the computer science department in CMU. A number of them told me about this class called “Building Virtual Worlds” and that I could work with computer programmers, and make games, and things like that. Though I didn’t have much experience programming, my friends encouraged me to apply for the class (at this time candidates still had to apply to the class to Randy Pausch). Dr. Pausch looked through my sketchbook and said “this is some really cool stuff.” I was honest and told him that I didn’t know much about computer programming, but he said that if I was willing to work hard, he’d let me in. And man, I worked really freaking hard.

Very cool.

It was! I fell in love with it. The ability and opportunity to work with people of different disciplines and using the skills of color theory and design that I had learned came into play in a way I thought was really awesome. When I saw people play the experiences we were creating [in class] I just found that really fulfilling. After finishing my undergrad, I applied to the ETC school for my graduate degree.

You’re right, that is an interesting path.

Yes, my parents were like “what are you doing?” because no one knew if you could make a living making video games.

What is, in your opinion, unique about being on a leadership team for a video game studio, and specifically with Schell Games?

When networking and talking to other studio leaders at conferences like GDC, I have noticed that we strive to be very collaborative in a cross-discipline way. And we are very open and not hierarchical. People can go to talk to Jesse, or talk to Jake or any of the veeps. When studios increase in size, some of them lose that kind of touch. We try really hard to have real conversations, work with teams so they understand how we can best support the projects they are working on.  It was easy for us to have those open conversations when we were smaller, but we’ve made it a point to still have an open communication channel. I’ve heard of studios not having open communication, so the project teams think they’re working on a project with goals “decreed from on High.”  That feels really bad for those teams.

As VP of Art, you’re touching a lot of things in the studio. On top of that, there’s that management capacity too. How do you stay on top of your craft and discipline, while managing the art team?

I know I am by far, not the best artist in the studio, and I think that’s important to realize. I don’t think that your best artist should be your vp of art because you do spend a lot of time managing people, and helping people with their careers and you simply are not able to be on a critical path for certain projects anymore. I still stay involved in pitches, and stay relevant in order to communicate clearly. When I am trying to discuss something with an art director I want to make sure that I can still “talk the language” and know the same techniques and theories that they are using. But it is tough. A way to stay on top is to be involved with the teams and understanding the processes and pipelines and why they are going for a certain look. The joy [in this job] is from elevating the people around you and making sure they are doing the most high-quality work for the studio they possibly can.

When I walk around the studio, I’m always impressed by the art being created here.

All those people out there are amazing. I’m really proud of the art team we have here at Schell Games. We are completely on the top of our game, which is good. I’m inspired a lot by the people I work with on the art team.

(screenshot from Schell Games’ mobile VR game, Frostbound)

What do you think are the benefits of working at an indie studio?

That’s funny, because I never really think of us as an ‘indie’ studio, for some reason.

Really? Why?

When I hear ‘indie’ I think of small groups of developers solely working on their own, creating their own IP. I really like the position that we’re in, because it gives us a balance and a variety of work and it allows us to be stable and grow at a rate we like. When a studio goes 100% into its own IP, that is a really big risk. A lot of indie studios that have tried that, have folded in on themselves. We do a great job balancing between our own IP and interesting client work.

What do you mean by ‘interesting?’

We’re in the position to work with different new technologies, transformational challenges, and even educational challenges that are interesting to us. Our diversity and balance [between client and IP] work has kept us stable. It has kept us pushing toward the newest thing and we haven’t gotten caught in the rut that other studios have found themselves in. Also, we haven’t gone the route of making a ton of IP games that could gamble the studio’s livelihood.

True. Schell Games has worked with some good companies.

I do like that we get a chance to do client work with some great companies, trusting us to do some unique and new things.

Where do you see Schell Games in 5 years?

Oh man, if you asked me that 5 years ago I wouldn’t have known. I’m not entirely sure, but I do think that we’ll have some amount of growth. I am very interested to see where virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) go; there are some interesting things going on with mobile VR that I’m excited about. I think that as soon as you untether people, and make the headsets more mobile and lightweight, the more apt people will be to try it. I feel like AR has a lot potential, especially with children. With VR, it is very personal to you, unless there are others in a headset with you. For AR, you can bring people in the experience with you. I think for children and parents, that can be a powerful experience that encourages more parent-child interaction. I’m hoping that AR takes off once platforms like Google Tango are on more devices.

Also, I think theme parks are doing more interactive experiences, and I am hoping that we’ve created enough of a name for ourselves to work on more of that, because it’s a lot of fun to do. Those are some of my favorite projects to work on.

What is one thing about ‘leadership’ that you learned on the job?

You’re always learning, and that is a question I feel could have a number of answers. One of the major lessons for me was how valuable soft skills are, and how important it is that in difficult conversations, the other person in the conversation feels heard. It is really easy to be ‘bull-headed’ about it, but there can be an underlying problem in a team, a project, that is very important to that person. It is very important to be an active listener. Sometimes it’s also important to help them see from different perspectives, helping ‘pull themselves out’ of the situation. 

Being able to give feedback, critically and constructively, in a positive way, is also an art. And for artists especially, allowing them the freedom to find their way to the goal we’ve set out is very important. If they have a process or a set of tools they want to use that can get us there, then by all means. I don’t think there is anyone completely ready to be a leader. Those who think they are, typically have the hardest time adapting to what it really takes.

Are you playing any really cool games right now, or do you have a favorite all-time game?

I have many terrible answers for this. I am well-known for the fact that I like terrible things- bad movies, etc.; I like seeing the raw-edges on things. For example: in a movie, you see a boom-mic slowly fall from the ceiling, things like that. (I do like good movies too, and I do appreciate them, I swear). But I tend to like things where I can see how they pieced things together. I also like things that are a little unusual, different, and break the mold a little bit. For video games, I’ve played some really good- really beautiful- games; but if I had to just pick, I really liked Godzilla NES when I was a kid. First because I liked Godzilla, and second because it put three genres together- it was a tabletop strategy game, a side-scrolling action game, and a fighting game because you were fighting other monsters. As a kid, I thought this was the greatest game ever. In reality, it is really clunky and not that great.

More recently-a few years ago- I played this game created by a game designer named Swery, and he makes very weird games that follow his passion. He developed this game called Deadly Premonition, which was this out-of-control...game. You could see all the seams, it was a mess. It was made for the Xbox One, but they didn’t have a grasp on the type of textures and polys the engine could push, and so you can see the bad texturing, models that had been awkwardly optimized, animations that were so bizarre, and the whole thing is just trying to cram a bunch of stuff into one perplexing experience. I don’t know why I liked it so much, maybe because it reminded me of Twin Peaks. But that’s a stand-out fun game experience I recently remember. In terms of good games I’ve played, I liked Dragon Age, Mario Galaxy, The Order: 1886- I like good games too, I mean, you can’t only play games that are complete disasters.

Given unlimited resources, unlimited time, no restrictions, what type of game or experience would you like to see Schell Games create?

I have always said that one day in my career, I would like to participate in creating a survival horror game. I’m not sure what it would look like, or how to be innovative with it since much of it has been done to death. But I still think it would be awesome.

What makes the leadership team at Schell Games ‘tick’?

We talk to each other. I think in the same way we encourage others to be cross-discipline, we make an example of that. It’s the same expectations I have for a team: we try to be very open with each other in the same way. We try to identify concerns in pipeline, processes and try to fix them together. We’re not siloed as some other departments may be. We’re not a ‘hand-off’ process; we try to be examples in collaboration.

What advice do you have for people trying to get into the video game industry?

Work in teams! Understand that it's about collaboration, teamsmanship, and getting a team together on a vision. Also, be excellent- really study the game art in games that inspire you. Work outside of your school assignments to push those skills that will make you stand out as a potential game artist in your preferred discipline. There is a wealth of resources online- tutorials, free tools, game art forums, etc. Look at the portfolio of successful industry artists and set a high bar for yourself.

[ccorinnef]

Sketchbook Flipthrough: Dec 19 - Jun 20

One of the creative practices I have developed is to work in my sketchbook for one hour every day. It seems that the key to my personal creativity is consistency rather than quality. I have gone through so many sketchbooks in my developing career as an artist but this is the very first one that I have fully completed. I worked in this Seawhite of Brighton A5 sketchbook from December 2019 to June 2020.

This first page I was attempting to finish up my self-made Inktober prompts by drawing a Garden Chafer. I don't think I really did it justice but it got me past the dilemma of the first blank page. On the next page I've drawn a mandala - I love drawing mandalas to practice symmetry and linework.

This next drawing was for a Christmas present for my partner; it is one of his favourite Warhammer characters: The Green Knight. The composition of this piece was taken directly from the reference picture I had from a Warhammer book but I drew it in my style of ink illustration with a bold triangle frame. Next to this I tried my hand at some faux calligraphy by inking the words "lose hate not weight." This is a message that became a personal mantra in the post-Christmas and New Year diet culture frenzy that is so overwhelming and all-consuming.

This collection of small drawings is titled "Some things I found while walking the dog." It features some winter plants and a lot of litter as well as a turnip that had washed up with the recent floods, which my dog thought was the best ball ever.

This spread has a very simplified not-quite pattern of houses of different designs. I was just playing with different shapes and patterns to create the buildings and their features. Beside this we have a baby Yoda - can you tell we started the year watching the Mandalorian?

Next, I've drawn a very fine lined rendition of the Wallace Monument in Stirling - this one may become a print in the near future, I am as yet undecided. On the opposite page I've drawn another mandala, this time taking up the entire page. I love practicing my linework and incorporating more bold black elements is something I am going to work with more going forwards.

This is a random doodle page - I tend to have my sketchbook out on the counter while volunteering with Made In Stirling so I can doodle in between customers when it is quiet. I like to do these random shapes of lines to practice getting the flow and ease of specific line styles more natural. The drawing beside this is of Stirling Castle - this one is definitely going to become a print in my collection soon! I just love the combination of the semi circle and the trees.

On the next spread, I've done a simplified drawing of a local building - I use local estate agents pictures as reference images as they tend to take really good building pictures! The next drawing was another style I have really started to gravitate towards. It's a kind of line practice except in the style of a topographic map. I had great fun doing this and they'll definitely pop up in my sketchbook practices regularly in the future.

This drawing was one of the ones I did while idly watching TV to stop myself from fidgeting. It's just a collection of tiny leaves that look as though they are drifting slowly in the sky. On the opposite page is a weird lined abstract shape thing - I don't particularly like it, but bad art is just as important to the creative process as good art.

This next spread is another that I don't particularly like. On the left, I've drawn a group of tree shapes in a similar vein to the not-quite house pattern. On the right is an attempt at a more structured architectural drawing of a fancy modern style house. You can tell I got fed up of it by the time I got to the shading.

This next piece is actually my first ever drawing from life. I took a life drawing class at my local college at the start of the year to push my boundaries a bit. I just glued it into my sketchbook after class and folded it so it would fit properly. It was drawn in charcoal and I didn't use any setting spray on it so it has smudged a little bit. Beside this is a tiny collection of baby animals which I think I drew at one of the Community Creative Club meets. I will never not love baby hedgehogs - they are the cutest thing on this planet.

Next up, I've got a collection of the local birdlife. These are all birds that I have seen around my home and tried to identify as best as possible. The heron, which I had mentally named Herman and saw every morning, unfortunately died after being caught in the floods of the start of this year. I have since seen another heron take its place in the misty mornings. This spring it was a delight to watch the swan and duck families grow up - we saw the same goosander family almost every day and took great delight in witnessing the mum duck diving under the ducklings and teaching them how to swim and forage.

This drawing is another random linework practice piece - it's kind of noodly. On the right is a drawing of Mooncake from Final Space which we were watching at the time. Chookity Pok!

This is another simplified building drawing using local estate agents' pictures as reference images. Beside this, is another drawing from my life drawing class. In this activity I thouroughly misunderstood the instructions so everyone else in the class ended up with tiny drawings on the side of their bigger collaborative pieces.

Next, we have another topographic style line drawing but a lot more simplified, as well as one of the first of my portraiture practices for the 100 Heads Challenge.

This two page spread is another piece from my life drawing class - this time I drew with materials more familiar to me, using white ink to add highlights and make the figure pop out from the brown of the paper.

On the next pages I've drawn a leafy plant and a Totoro - this was when Netflix started adding Studio Ghibli to its catalogue.

This next drawing is another that I don't particularly like, I think I just got the composition not quite right. It's a kind of composite of a few different trees that formed the view out of our cabin window on our February holiday to Aviemore. Beside this I've drawn a collection of simple fine line mushrooms.

The next page is an attempt at illustrating a map of an imaginary town - I have mixed feelings about it. On the opposite page is an aimless doodle of tiny flowers, for no particular reason.

Next is a page of random tiny doodles which almost looks like a (really bad) tattoo flash sheet. On the right I've drawn a self-portrait.

Next is almost a cartoon board but made up of intricate food illustration. I wanted to really test my textures with ink in this piece to try and capture a sense of likeness of the food items. Also, a pine cone. I have a weird obsession with pine cones.

On the left is a kind of spiderweb doodle which was probably another line work practice. On the right is another piece from life drawing class which I've just glued in so as to keep a memento of my progress.

This drawing is yet another one from life drawing class where I used different colours of ink pens to create depth and shadows in the model. Beside this is a drawing of a monument in Edinburgh called the Dugald Stewart Monument.

Another piece from my life drawing class is followed by a rough sketch of the Falkirk Kelpies.

The next two pages are made up of another piece from life drawing class - I like the way I've used different shades of ink to add highlight and lowlight to the figure.

Here is a monument in my typical style, this one is a part of Glasgow University. And next to this is another very simplified topography style map.

This spread features more monuments of Glasgow - the Duke of Wellington Statue (complete with cone hat, obviously) and the Clyde Auditorium. Both of which will become prints before long.

These next drawings are of another topographic map and the Falkirk Kelpies. These Kelpies took me about two weeks to draw in total because there are just so many intricate details.

Up next is a couple more monuments, the Stirling Robert the Bruce statue, and Edinburgh's Greyfriars Bobby.

The next drawing is another in my usual style of Castle Stalker. I love how this one turned out and it will definitely be in my shop soon! Beside this is an attempt at drawing a building from the Royal Mile in Edinburgh - I don't think it turned out very well, I got some of the angles of walls a bit wrong.

This next page features a simple drawing of a piece of hawthorn blossom that I found earlier this year. Beside this is a cute little Japanese building which I've coloured in with pencils. I was inspired to draw this from watching Midnight Diner on Netflix.

This painting was one of the first that I did during lockdown - it's of some daffodils that smudged a wee bit. On the right is an ink illustration of St Andrew's Cathedral, which also has some smudged daffodil paint.

This spread includes a yin and yang mandala and another colour pencil Japanese style house.

This is some more linework practice. On the left is a drawing of some wintery cow parsley stalks. On the right is some simple lined circles - I really like how when they cross over each other it appears like cross hatching.

This next page was inspired by watching Chris Riddell's IGTV's during lockdown. Beside this is a fuzzy bumble butt grazing on a thistle.

These next two drawings are my first tentative steps into character design - when I'm learning something new I tend to take inspiration from artists that already work in a particular way so that I might pick up some of their tricks along the way.

The next spread features another tiny building and an adorable mouse peeking out of a tulip flower.

Next is another practice of character drawing and an attempt at a fairytale style house, I didn't get the proportions quite right unfortunately.

On the left is a drawing of a treehouse which looks like an amazing place to live. On the right is an illustration of Fenton Tower - you might recognise it as Archie's humble abode from Balamory.

Next is another couple of spaghetti like line practices. I love playing with flow and texture within linework.

This drawing is a local building, the reference picture came from estate agents’ images. Beside this is some triangular line practice with the crossing over crosshatching again.

This is an illustration in my usual style of Dunnottar Castle - it will soon be in my avaible print collection. Next to this is an ink and watercolour drawing of a building from Culross, Fife where they have very distinctive white washed walls and bright brick edging.

This is another spread of linework practice - this time with squares and another topographic map.

This is a funky building I found online and wanted to draw - it's wedged between two sheer cliff faces! Next to this is a random page of scraps really. I started trying to draw some fairytale buildings before abandoning that idea and splashing some watercolour over the page instead. I then added this small watercolour painting of Kate from @kateshappinessjourney, which I tried to paint with a colour palette similar to Fran Menses.

These are two paintings of tiny country cottages done in ink and watercolour. I really enjoyed doing these and will probably do more going forward. Beside this is another bumble butt on a flower.

This is another Studio Ghibli inspired drawing and some character design practice. On the right is a couple more tiny watercolour cottages.

This page is has a random drawing from a reference on Instagram of a person wrapped up in a blanket along with a quote that reads: "I have planted worth, beneath my skin, in all the places, you made me doubt." Beside this is a practice loose watercolour painting of some flowers and leaves in a vase. It's not my usual style but I like to practice using watercolour regularly so that I can continue to develop my skills.

Next up is a collection of tiny drawings taken from scrolling through Instagram - I do this particularly when I want to draw but don't have a specific subject in mind. On the right hand side is a little landscape painting in gouache. I'm still learning how to use this medium so I don't expect masterpieces any time soon!

This is another weird building drawing - it did not turn out how I had envisioned so I am quite disappointed with it. On the adjoining page is a Draw This In Your Style challenge from @moonylux on Instagram. Its a very dainty and glamourous looking mermaid that I quite enjoyed drawing.

Here are some more gouache painting practices of some Scottish landscapes. I really like how my use of brushstrokes makes the paintings more vibrant and alive. Beside this is a little line drawing practice of some ocean waves.

This next drawing is another bumble butt on a flower. I think I might turn these into a print. On the right is a tiny collection of watercolour snails being adorable and curious creatures. I'm low-key obsessed with snails - I always move them from the path after the rain so they don't get stood on. I think these paintings could do with another layer of paint to increase the saturation of the colours.

This is an ink drawing of a Jackalope. I wish I could have one as a pet because they are so freaking cute. On the other side of this spread is another gouache practice piece - this one of a pink flower on a dark blue background.

This is another in my series of mythological creature illustrations. It's a fairy based off of the flower fairy drawings by Cicely Mary Barker in her books. Next to this is my first attempt at creating a repeating pattern for Minnie Small's #minniemission. It did not go well but I like to keep the scraps of my ideas.

This is a series of sketches for a commission for The Kitchen at 44. I often test out ideas in my sketchbook - sometimes completing the whole commission in my sketchbook and other times, as in this case, transferring the drawings over to something more fit-for-purpose (like watercolour paper).

Here is another of the great Scottish mythological creatures - this one is a Kelpie which features in stories across the country. Beside this I've done another gouache practice, of yet another landscape... I miss my studio and my acrylic paints a lot, but I am having great fun learning to use a new medium!

This is an illustration of a bean-nighe, or washer woman, who foretells death when she is seen washing the bloodied clothes of the people who are about to die. She also has breasts so saggy and cumbersome that she throws them over her shoulders to keep them out the way while she works. Next to this is a drawing of a building inspired by Ian Mcque's incredibly intricate illustrations.

This next drawing is another mythological creature illustration - this one is an uilbheist of Orkney and Shetland legend. This three headed sea serpent protects the islands from danger. On the right, is a little gouache seascape study. I really like how this one turned out.

This is another gouache study - I don't like how this one turned out much but there are tiny elements of this piece that I like. Beside this is some portrait practices for the 100 Heads Challenge - the challenge is to do 100 Heads in 10 days but that is way too difficult for me to achieve, so I just practice some here and there when I want to draw something different.

This is an illustration of a Boobrie, another of Scotland's mythological creatures. Beside this is some more portrait practice. I don't think I did these ones very well - but that is exactly why it is called a practice.

Here is a random piece of paper that I was testing pens on when decluttering. Over the top of it I've just drawn a quick flower doodle. Next to this is a collection of some of the Black Lives Matter protestors from June. Please keep this movement alive, listen and learn as much as possible. Only we can make the future better.

This next drawing is a commission I did for a friend who is about to embark on her probation year as an English teacher and wanted some literary themed illustrations to make signposts for her classroom. They are Narnia, Desire St, and East Egg, since they are some of her favourite stories. Beside this, on the right, is a collection of random shapes drawn with a highlighter and then turned into cartoony people. This kind of drawing practice really pushes you to look at shapes in a different way.

Here is some more portrait practices. I'm quite pleased with these. Next to this is some random leafy doodles, just for the hell of it.

This is another simplified house using a reference image from local estate agents. Beside this is another topographic map style linework practice.

Here is a creature by Karolina Plutowska from the book 'Sketching from the Imagination: Creatures and Monsters.' Practicing drawing like this helps me learn new ways of approaching illustration that I might not have considered before. Of course, I would never seek to claim any kind of profit or credit for drawings like these since they are based on someone else's artwork. On the right, is some more portrait practices which I never got around to inking. The pencil lines are very faint but you can see that I use a lot of shapes and lines to get the proportions right and help map out the whole page before I ink.

And this very last spread consists of another creature drawing from the book 'Sketching from the Imagination.' It is an illustration by Ksenia Bakhareva which I am particularly fond of. On the very last page of this sketchbook I've stuck in the finished repeating pattern that I made for Minnie Small's #minniemission. I am really pleased with how this piece came out and I can't wait to turn it into something fun!

And there you have it! That is the entire contents of my last sketchbook - dated from December 2019 to June 2020. It was been a wild few months but I've grown a lot as a person and as an artist, as can be seen from my sketchbook progression.

I hope you enjoyed taking a look inside my sketchbook. I use it basically as a place to store all of my art and treat each page as a new opportunity to practice my skills and talents. Not everything you create has to be a masterpiece but the act of practicing your skills every day will get you so much more creative than you ever thought possible .

[miniliew-blog]

Date:  Dec 16, 2019

We have a hard time to wake up.  May be because we were too tired the day before.  So, we just bearly make it to the breakfast cut off time.  Hahaha.

The food is simple.  But enough for us to eat.

Wow, the restaurant selling Tottori crab.  I have never seen crabs has so many black dots.  This is the marker of Tottori crab.

龙见台

We start our journey by driving out towards the Sand Dunes direction.  It will takes 1 hour to go to that place.

The first stop we stopped is 龙见台.  It’s a beach, that has a car park and a coffee restaurant.

It is always fantastic feeling to see a beach.

As usual, Kay does not like direct sun light.  So, he uses his camel that he just bought at one of the highway stopover to cover his eyes.

I also wanted to take a picture here.

This is the place and the landmark.

Look at the sky.  So blue.  So, hopefully tonight has better luck to see the stars.  Later at night, I was wrong.  The clouds came in so fast and covered the whole sky around 9pm.

Let’s see what we can do here.

Let’s sky jump.

Here is the series of sky jump photos we took, and it is fantastic.

These are memorable photos.  For me and the kids.

Kay Kay is flying.

Now, it is both the kids turns.

Let’s take a group photo.

Jay Jay flying.

I am lifting off.  Naturally.

I am doing funny jump pose.

I am flying again un-naturally.

I am running in the thin air.

How about this, sticking my tongue out.  This is fun!

We end up eating ice cream and drinking coffee here at the only coffee restaurant here.

White Rabbit Beach & The Surfers

We then reach another beach.  White Rabbit beach.  白兔海滩。

And welcome Kay Kay in the picture.  He is back facing the sun.  That is why he can open his eyes.

It is a very nice sandy beach.

I made them sky jump, but the effect not so good.  Using my iPhone to do the job.

Spotted a surfer here.  Not come meh???

Oh, there are two more surfers in the water.

They were in the water for long time.  And they try to catch the wave.  And finally, he made it.

Most of the time, he just body surfing.

And here the go out to the sea again.

Finally they retired the surf and go back to the car park.  Smoking and resting.  So, they are the surfer yuppee I suppose.

Love the seas.

Love the bokeh.  I am glad that I brought along my trusted 100-400mm telephoto lens.

Why do you think I can take very close up shots of the surfers.  Of course using maximum zoom, the only regret is I forgot to bring my x2 adapter.  hahaha

Jay and the Sands.

Jay and the sea.

The back shot.

Kay Kay throwing a rock into the sea.

And the rock leaves his hand.

This trip we taken a lot of nice photos. I am satisfy with that.

Kay Kay running on the beach.

It’s my turn.  I asked my wife to take the shot.

Not too bad too.

One more.

Let’s take a photo of my wife too.

White Rabbit Shrine

Opposite the beach is the car park.  Beside the car park is the White Rabbit Shrine.

Why this shrine is there.

As this is the sand dune area.  So there is a sand sculpture here too.

Every where you can see the rabbit stone statue.

This is a nice pose.

A nice picture for the three of them.

There is a place for you to wash hand, pray and drink the holly clear stream water.

Quite nice to drink.

There are instruction to teach you how to drink.

There is this pond here too.  In Chinese it says no gain no minus pond.  Does it mean the water here always at the same water level?

Our first shrine to pay respect.  Bow two times, throw the donations coins, bow again, and pull the bell.

Here is how Kay Kay did it.  And he forgot the bow before shaking the bell.  hahaha

Don’t forget to buy the good luck charm and the study hard charm.  And the accident free charm.

Love the reflection of the pond.

Here is the reason why we are here.

But I did not take very good starry night photo yesterday because of the clouds.

There are so m any places you can see good starry sky in this province.

Really fantastic.  I wish I can stay here few more days.

Let’s hold hand and say buy buy to White Rabbit Shrine.

Sand Dune Art Museum

We continue our journey.  That is why I said, renting a car is so fun and so good.  Because you can see more things.

And we are finally here.  We have not eaten.  But let’s visit the museum first.

This is a fantastic museum.  They have different exhibit every year.

This is a nice pose.

All the sand sculpture is done by these international team.  Wow.  A lot of hard work.

Sand Sculpture of South Asians is 2019 theme.

This Gandhi sand sculpture is done by this Russian Mr. Pavel Mylinkov.  It looks so real.

Wow.

Wow.

Wow.  Look at the 3D effect of the building.

This is amazing.

I cannot believe all these were done using sands.

Wow.

It is really amazing.

My kids also cannot believe and wonder how they sculpture it.

Just look at the 3D effect of the town and roads.

More zoom in.

The facial expression is so nicely done.

The whole walls.

Even the painting on the wall are done using layers of sands.

The details of the building is sculptured using sands.

I like this one too.

It looks so real.

The city.

Look at the detail sculpture.

Some Indian figures.

Look at the face.

Lotus three face buddhas.

Just look at the eye lid.

Jay is amazed with all these.

The army.

The building. Wow!

How much time they spent to do this???

Zoom in more.

Smile or sad?

So amazing.

Elephant rider.

The temple.

The buddha.

Wow.

The apprentices.

Taking picture with the sand buddha.

Sleeping Buddha.

The followers.

The monks.

The statue.  I am sure the real thing also look similar to this.

Taj Mahal?

Nice eyes.

Unbelievable face.

Another look at the street.  In 3D mode.

Some maharajah.

Some beast?

Some goddess?

Another goddess?

The stairs

Animal kingdom.

This is how massive the studio.

bathing?

Elephant god?

Me and Gandhi behind.

Me and Jay.

From the second floor view.  There are photos of all the past 20 years sand sculpture theme too.

They also have outdoor sand sculpture too.

But because there are winds and rain.  So, they have to cover it up. And the sculpture are not that nice.

Here we can see the sand dunes.  Behind them is the sand dunes.

Is just dessert.  A very small one.

Let’s take the sand dunes picture.

Some outdoor one is nice.

The tour ended at the Bell of Happiness.

Ya, ring the bell, Kay!

Lunch Time Just opposite the Museum

We have our lunch just opposite the museum.  A fresh seafood don place.

Cheers.

Fabulous food.  Fresh and nice.

Let’s take a photo here.

Its Good!

Camel Ride

Across the road is the sand dune.  Basically it is dessert, a very small one with some dunes.

Kind of strange to find sand dune in Japan, but here you are.

Let’s sky jump here.

Sorry Kay Kay, this year we didn’t plan for a skiing trip.  So, you could not see any snow.  But we have sand.

And he loves to run on the sand.

Although it looks small, from one place to another also takes some time.

That’s the sand dune.  See how small the people are?

Now, when you walk on it, you will find it quite big actually.

So, we need to ride camel first.

And they charge for taking photo of the camel too.  So, please ask if you can take photo.

So, in order to take photo of the camel, we paid for the kids to ride a camel.

It would be cheaper for both to ride on the same camel.

And we can take picture of it.

They have ride horses before.  So, riding a camel is the first time experience for them.

And Kay insists to bring the camel soft-toy he bought just now with him on a camel.

Here they go.  Riding the camel.  For the first time.

Bye bye Jay and Kay, see you in few minutes time.

Wow, now I can see that how important a camel is to the dessert people.

They are there. On a camel.

You see that Sand Dune behind them.  Later, me and the kids will walk on the right side.  And Mommy will “climb” the left side, the actual dune that has inclination angle > 50 degree.  Hahahahah

Wow, they seems happy.

And Kay is playing with his camel soft toy.  On a camel.

That concludes the ride.

Yeah, happy.

Let’s give the camel a pad.

Sand Dunes & Climbing it

Here comes the next challenge.

And the kids can’t wait to climb it.

Oh, some couple taking wedding photo over there.

Let’s take some nice photo here.

It is a dessert but not too hot.  The sea breeze make it very pleasant.

While we are happily taking photos, the kids has already reach the middle of the sand dunes.

Really no joke.  Big.

Kids running up the sand dune hills.

See the kids already climbing.  And Jay has sit down for a short rest.

Video of the Sand Dunes.

Look to the left of the very steep hill, there are actually brave people climbing that.  It must be more than 50 degrees inclination.

Of course, I am a heart patient so I cannot climb that!!! hahaha

So, to enjoy this some one must climb it.

Boon Ching!!!!!

That is how I “con” her to climb the left path.  The very steep path and she accepted the challenge.

No joke.  Very steep.  But climbable.

She did slip a few times.  Hopefully she won’t roll down.

And Kay Kay by this time, already running on top of the sand dune.

I shouted at him, “Sky Jump”.  And he gladly jump.

Let’s jump again!

Mommy, you are almost there.  加油！

Opps, she slips.

Manage to get the foot hold.  Almost there.

The kids celebrate by doing more sky jump.  There you see mommy is almost reaching them.

Got to love the way they jumped.

Mommy quick.

Mommy, I give you a hand.  I think Mommy must be very tired.  hahahahahaha

Tired…

But joyful.

Good job, mommy.

As for me, I slowly climb la.

Luckily I bought new shoe.  And you can see the sands are quite loose.

And see how my heart beat jump up with just a short climb.  hahaha

It is totally a new scene up here.

Mommy and Kay Kay still staying there.

The other side of the sand dune is the sea.  Sea of Japan.

And I made it to the top too.

360 degree of my surrounding.

Jay Jay is sitting there playing the sands.  Let’s walk toward him.

Really love the breeze up here.  And the scenery is nice too.

More sand dunes.

More Sea of Japan.

He is playing with the sands.  And uses his iPhone camera to record all kind of slow mo.

He sit there also nice.

Mommy and Kay Kay also come.  And Jay show them how to play with the sands.

Kay playing with the sands.  Using a stick.

OK, its time to go back.

Kay Kay just love to run on the sand.

While walking, they will sit down on the sand for a while.

Playing with the soft soft sands.

So, my family loves snow, and they also love sand…..

Sun has gone down.  Let’s go back to the onsen hotel.

Before we leave, let’s take a nice picture.

Eat my favourite ice cream.

Really tasty.  Tottori is famous for its big pear.  So, it is pear soft cream.

鱼见台

Dragon in the morning, and now fish.

In the mid-way back to hotel.

They have this funny looking rock.

I cannot read that first Chinese word.  The second word is “rock”.

Let’s take another picture with Sea of Japan.

Oh nice bridge.  blue bridge.

Jay really love the scenery here.

That concludes our 2nd day.  Later, I will write what we eat and what I photograph at night.  The 2nd day is eventful.  We love the sand dunes.  The seafood don is not bad.  The Sea of Japan is nice!

Japan 2019 – Tottori (Day 2) Sand Dunes Date:  Dec 16, 2019 We have a hard time to wake up.  May be because we were too tired the day before. 

[blschaos3000-blog]

Its 11:15 pm dark

A little while ago I was lucky enough to have interview the fantastic artist Louie De Martinis whose drawings of The Shadow just blew my mind. Ever since that interview I have been looking for more artists to talk with but I found out that is easier said then done.    My old friends in the music business will get a laugh about how I met Meaghan C. Kehoe…I found her completely by accident. See,I have been a follower of a small art community center in Oshawa called The Living Room which was founded by the lovely Mary Krohnert for a couple of years now. Once in a while Mary will post on YouTube about community center and upcoming events.    When I saw the Taskmaster Art Challenge video which featured 5 very talented artists creating a project in just 5 minutes and then raffling it to raise money for the center,I knew I had found my next artist to chat with Meaghan.     But securing a interview with a very much in demand artist is no easy task either as Meaghan and I played email tag for while before she able to get a little time to answer her questions.    But the wait was so worth it because Meaghan is pretty damn amazing and I sure am blessed to landed this chance to ask her 8 Questions!!!

 Please introduce yourself and share a little of your background.

My name is Meaghan Claire Kehoe and I am a human, feminist, amateur environmentalist, and some would say artist. I’ve always been excited to create things- things that are visually appealing. From drawing pretty pictures when I was a kid and into my teen years, I started to ask myself where I wanted these pretty pictures to take me in life. I went to Sheridan for Illustration, but dropped out after a year and a half when I found I was bored by the direction the program took me in. After months of deliberation, I decided to go safe and do my undergrad in French at Laurier (choosing this university only because my younger sister was applying there for Business). It turns out I loved the structure of university. I loved the critical thinking of dissecting literature and I loved learning about different cultures across the globe. I took German and Italian as well and was hopeful for a future of globe trotting to fill my life with cross-cultural understanding and meaning. In third year, I was finally allowed to go abroad on exchange. I worked full time for a semester as a barista while on a full time course load and was able to afford one semester in France. I went to Tours (for no other reason than our schools had partnerships for course equivalence), and it was beautiful. A small University city overrun with mostly students, shops, cafes and cobblestone (and of course our late-night shawarma place for post-cheap-wine-and-cheese snacks. But it was a single evening that was pivotal in my life’s direction and probably the reason I am where I am. I had managed to get into a figure-drawing class (really had to fight for that one since it wasn’t a normal elective at Laurier) and I remember surprising my stereo-typically snooty french art prof with my skill in the class- he even stopped me after class to ask about my history in figure-drawing (which was an accumulation of Arts York HS and the stint at Sheridan). Anyway, the experience woke me up again. I felt alive. I remember after the class ended, it was already dark out- a late January evening- I literally skipped back to the cafe where I was to meet a friend. Rolled newsprint underarm, blackened charcoal fingers, and a silly grin, I felt weightless flying over the cobblestone. I knew then, or maybe in the days to follow, that it was time to take this thing seriously.

After 6 months travelling Europe, I returned to finish my final fourth year at Laurier and did so with honours, all the while setting myself up to begin the risky journey of being an entrepreneur and self-employed artist.

 What drew you to art? Was there a defining moment where you knew this is what you wanted to do?

My mum is an incredibly talented artist. When I was growing up, she went from working as a graphic designer for an agency to starting her own business from home so she could spend more time with us. She has always had an incredible eye for composition and a refreshing use of negative space. This seemed to alway translate to her paintings as well. She created gorgeous watercolours with expressive vibrancy, colour and edge. She was obviously a strong influence in my life and I followed in her footsteps though I did not always want to. I knew I had the natural passion and all the learned skill she’d taught me through the years, but I had watched her struggle with the classic entrepreneur hangups: getting clients to pay her, getting clients to respect her choices and knowledge and experience, and… getting clients. I didn’t think I was cut out for it. I was shy and insecure and I didn’t think I had anything original or meaningful to share with the world.

That moment in Tours, France on my exchange really helped me remember why I painted in the first place. It was enough to do it because it made ME happy. And if I couldn’t do that then what else was there?

 What are the pros and cons of getting a art education at a university or college? Some say a “formal” education restricts artistic freedom,how do you respond to that?

This one is tough for me to respond to since I never finished my post-secondary art program. All I have to say is that it is likely like any other program. It has to be the right one for you, but also there is no program out there that is going to satisfy your needs %100. It takes a lot of guts to go against the grain or the prof and take from the experience what you need as opposed to what is provided, but its worth it to do some digging and soul-searching to make sure you don’t conform for the sake of conforming. There are a lot of opinions out there about what constitutes “real” art, but they are all just that. Opinions.

 What does “mixed media” mean? 

Mixed media means you are no sticking to strictly one medium in your work. For example, you are not using just oil paint or just acrylic paint. There are some fantastic contemporary artists using mixtures of paints, pastels, papers, photography, and even found objects. (Anya Mielniczek is a great one for this- she’s a good friend of mine who is also an environmentalist and up-cycles trash to create beautiful works).

 What is your typical day like as an artist? How do you get your creative ideas?

I’d like to say my typical day is a romantic sepia-toned dreamy sequence of me in cute overalls with a smear of paint on my nose, a brush through my messy bun that I’ll continually be losing and looking for, and a giant canvas on my wall splattered in passionate marks that somehow emerges as a perfectly balanced masterpiece. And it is. Is the lie I’ll tell Spielberg when he interviews me for the biography he’ll shoot about me one day.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of stuff I have to do that sucks my soul (like in any job). I usually start with a to-do list, then emails, any phone calls I need to make to clients, sometimes brainstorming/conceptualizing/sketching designs for corporate murals, sometimes cleaning up the mess of spraypaints I’ve dumped in my studio the night before after a project. There’s taxes, invoices (which reminds me I still have a couple to do today), and walking my dog. I actually get a lot of my best ideas this way. A walk alone with my thoughts, 50 minutes or so, gets a great creative brain-flow going and puts me in a better mind set to get work done when I get back in the studio.

 What is your take on “art critics”? 

Well, I’ve never been critiqued by one yet- I suppose my work isnt legitimate enough for them. But thats the thing, isnt it? My art isnt for everyone. Nor should it be. Like I said, opinions are opinions.

 Do you ever go to museums or art galleries yourself? If so,do you look as a fan or an artist?

I do go to museums and art galleries, though I feel most compelled to visit them in Europe. They’ve put a lot more value into their arts and culture than we have in North America (as well as a longer and richer history) so there’s a lot more to see. Plus, they’re usually way cheaper or FREE! It’s like they actually want their citizens to appreciate art!

 What was your first drawing and what was the first piece that you sold?

I really couldn’t tell you what my first drawing was. My mom says I was drawing perfect circles before I could talk. But my first piece I sold was probably when I was 16. I was commissioned to create the cover of Salvation Army’s ‘Faith and Friends’ Christmas zine. Though my mom will tell you that I painted a piece in grade three that all the teachers tried to buy off her. She had it framed and it hung in our dining room for a couple decades.

You have done art in over 50 Starbucks in Canada,how did you get that gig and do you have complete freedom in what you paint?

I got the Starbucks gig through a connection (my sister’s friend’s then-boyfriend was an interior designer for Starbucks and looking for more muralists at the same time I had decided I wanted to get into large-scale wall-art). It was a match made in heaven. I honestly have never had so little control over my work than I did with Starbucks- they are very particular about their branding, but they were really professional and respectful and compensated me well. I had so many jobs with them over the span of a few years that I was able to do things like quit my part time job, buy a car and put money into savings. I owe them a lot.

 Are graffiti taggers artists or vandals?

Yeah this one is a tough one. I have to go with both. It’s funny because a certain few street or graff artists have become famous internationally (e.g. Basqiat and Banksy). Their work questioned societies norms in a way that was clever and beautiful and spoke to people. If that isn’t art, then I don’t know what is. But were they vandalizing property? Sure. But many graff artists would say that property is a societal construct and imposition that should be challenged. Personally, I can see it from both sides and its a constant dichotic conversation for me.  

   You do a LOT of charity work, what drives you to give your gift to others?   How did you get involved with Mary Krohnert and The Living Room?

I think one of the most universal human struggles is finding meaning in one’s life. That doesn’t change when you become an artist. In fact, it is only amplified. Everyone has their own gifts and talents and for me it is crucial to find out why I ended up with mine. The answer is that I still don’t know, but if I just keep helping out where I can, I’m sure I wont get further from answering that important question. Or maybe its just the childhood catholic school guilt… Who knows?!

My introduction to Mary from The Living Room was another serendipitous moment in my life. My partner and I moved to Oshawa two years ago and one day I was sitting on my porch and a pretty lady with a cute dog walked by. So I chased her down to meet her pup (a shy hound named Alice), and found  out they were my neighbours from a few doors down. Mary was really excited to find out I was an artist and the friendship bloomed from there. I really believe in what Mary is doing with The Living Room. Any way I can help out, like in the latest fundraiser event where I got to be a part of their very own ‘Task-Master’ episode (a spin off form a British series), is the least I can do.

What is a art battle?

Art Battle is an event that was started around 8 years ago by two guys, Chris and Simon, that began with a competition of two artists painting live and being judged by audience vote and has evolved into a world-wide organization with monthly contests all around the globe between 16 artists at a time. There are three rounds: 1) 8 artists paint for 20 minutes; 2) another 8 artists paint for 20 minutes; 3) the top two painters from each round voted by the audience paint a new painting for 20 minutes and the audience votes for the final winner. There’s a DJ, a bar and a lot of excitement. The winner goes onto the regional competition and the winner of that goes onto the Nationals. I’ve won the Toronto regionals twice in the couple years I painted at art battle only to be beat out at Nationals twice.

 The cheetah and I are coming to see a exhibit of your latest work but we are a day early and now you are our tour guide,what are we doing?

Oh my goodness! Okay! Well we’d have to go the the Robert McLaughlin Gallery for sure. If it was the first Friday of the month, I’d take ya to the RMG fridays event where they also feature some local live music. That would be after grabbing dinner at Spicy Affairs (my favourite Indian restaurant in Durham and its right near my house). Before that might be an afternoon at the Botanical Gardens. Oshawa Creek runs through there and in the right season you can see the salmon racing upstream to spawn. They’re huge! Theyve also got cool sculptures and some playgrounds for the kids around there. Before that we would go to Isabella’s for coffee and snacks or to Berry Hill for brunch/lunch. And at the end of the whole night, we would end up at Riley’s for a pint and a couple rounds of pool.

 THE END.

I like to thank Meaghan for chatting with me. I think you have a true gift and that you share it with the world is tremendous. You are definitely doing what you were meant to do here,never doubt that for a second.

You can follow the wonderful Meaghan Claire Kehoe by visiting and bookmarking it by going to her website here.

Thank you for your continued support and I hope you enjoy these interviews as much as I do. I have many more in the pipeline that I think you’ll really enjoy.

Feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll make sure to pass it on to Meaghan.

8 Questions with…………..artist Meaghan Claire Kehoe Its 11:15 pm dark A little while ago I was lucky enough to have interview the fantastic artist Louie De Martinis whose drawings of The Shadow just blew my mind.

[cameronwjones]

25 Sydney Event Venues Your Attendees Will Love

Looking to plan an event in Australia's Harbour City? Check out this list of 25 amazing Sydney event venues.

Prehistoric times saw this land in Australia occupied by the Aborigines. It wasn’t until 1788 that the First Fleet of British ships would arrive and bring with it the historic penal colonies the country is known for.

Today, Sydney is still home to some of the world’s finest natural landscapes, beaches, and architectural attractions. A melting pot of old and new, the city’s culture now reflects the international feel of its occupants who gather to attend events of all kinds. If you’re looking to organize an event in Sydney and need inspiration for event venues, this is the guide for you.

1. Maniax - Axe Throwing

Source: Tumblr

Location: St. Peters

Capacity: 45

One of the more unusual Sydney event spaces on our list, ax throwing makes for a great event if you’ve got a little steam to blow off. You can book solo or small group sessions, date night sessions, and corporate packages. And don’t worry if you’re new to this, they walk you through how to throw the axes at their wooden targets.

2. Lorraine’s Patisserie

Source: Merivale

Location: Sydney

Capacity: 140

Lorraine’s Patisserie prides itself on being able to turn any frown upside down. They sell a variety of pastries made by expert chefs right at their location. Their glass storefront makes this event venue a treat for the eyes as well. They also provide professional floral arrangements that can be customized for any occasion.

3. Sydney Opera House

Source: Sydney Opera House

Location: Bennelong Point

Capacity: 6,000

Sydney Opera House may just be one of the most popular event venues in New South Wales — and for good reason. This World-Heritage listed venue includes everything from intimate recital rooms and full-on concert stages. Their three main rooms for hire include the famous Concert Hall, the elegant and intimate Utzon Room, and their screening room, which is known as The Studio.

4. Wilhelmina’s

Source: Wilhelmina’s

Location: Balmain

Capacity: 150

Wilhelmina’s has a variety of spaces to choose from. They’ve hosted events like birthdays, engagement parties, wedding receptions, and work functions in that past and are equipped to transform the space in whatever way best suits your plan. They also offer seasonal food and drinks through their restaurant.

5. Establishment

Source: Merivale

Location: Sydney

Capacity: 400

Elegance is the name of the game at the Establishment. At the center of the space is a 42-meter-long marble bar, with columns lining the walls. This iconic venue serves an eclectic mix of food and drinks, including classic Aussie pub food, traditional Thai fare, and chicken schnitzel. In addition to their bar area, they also have a garden in the back.

6. Mjølner

Source: Mjolner

Location: Redfern

Capacity: 50

If you’re into historic Viking features and upscale Scandinavian design then this Sydney event venue might be your new favorite. They offer their venue for both private and semi-private affairs. In addition to their booths and private bar they also have a private dining room. Their hand-crafted catering menu is available if you book for a minimum of 20 guests.

7. Quarryman’s Hotel

Source: Eat Drink Play

Location: Pyrmont

Capacity: 150

This location has craft cocktails, a colorful menu, and a rooftop bar. Their pub and beer garden experience maintains the locations signature sophisticated yet fun-loving vibe. They’ve created a variety of food and drink packages you can choose from. But their rotating list of hand-selected brews on tap is always an option too.

8. South Steyne Floating Restaurant

Source: Trade Boats

Location: Sydney

Capacity: 400

The South Steyn Floating Restaurant includes four event spaces, a restaurant, and a waterfront deck for events of all sizes. Located right in the heart of Darling Harbour, the venue’s main attraction is its iconic view of the water. They do tend to book out pretty far in advance so be sure to contact them early on in your planning!

9. Chiswick at the Gallery

Source: Chiswick at the Gallery

Location: Sydney

Capacity: 250

The Chiswick lives inside one of the most comprehensive and applauded art collections in Sydney, if not the world. This casual dining restaurant hosts events like weddings, corporate lunches, and hobby club meetings. Their seasonal menu features fresh vegetables and herbs grown in their kitchen-adjacent garden. They have a contemporary dining room, casual bar, and a semi-private dining room up for grabs.

10. The Papermill 414

Source: Facebook

Location: Sydney

Capacity: 80

The Papermill 414 has a rich history and is recognized as one of the earliest buildings constructed in the Federation Warehouse style. High ceilings, wood piers, and sandstone frontage create a relaxing atmosphere. They’re famous for their Aroma brand coffee and their food is highly rated as well. They also offer audio and video rentals on site.

11. Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection

Source: Pier One Sydney Harbour

Location: Dawes Point

Capacity: 1,500

Pier One Sydney Harbour has a variety of state-of-the-art waterfront spaces for you to choose from. Each option has its own gallery and virtual tour right on the website. They are also home to Sydney Harbour’s first ever plunge pool where guests can have a safe and luxurious ocean dip.

12. Wesley Conference Centre

Source: Wesley Mission

Location: Sydney

Capacity: 800

Use your event management software to organize your event details at this large and multi-faceted Sydney event venue. The Wesley Conference Centre mostly caters to professional events. They include a number of different spaces, locations, audio/visual, and catering options to suit the needs of bigger, more complex or multi-track events.

13. No.1 Bent Street

Source: No. 1 Bent Street

Location: CBD

Capacity: 100

No. 1 Bent Street is located in the heart of Sydney’s CBD. This flexible space plays host to formal sit-down dinners, stand-up canapes, and specially curated menus. You can book their venue with or without their catering options. But if you’re interested, the food they serve is locally sourced and tailored to the needs and tastes of your group.

14. Mordeo Pasta & Panini Bar

Source: TripAdvisor

Location: Sydney

Capacity: 100

Mordeo prides itself on being “a slice of Southern Europe”. It’s pasta, panini, salad bars, and menu reflect their affinity for signature local dishes. Cuisines from Spain, Italy, France, and Greece are all heavily featured. They also have a wide selection of wine to choose from for any event. This venue pairs well with an audience of foodies.

15. Beachside Dojo

Source: Pinterest

Location: Manly

Capacity: 180

What Sydney event spaces list would be complete without a little beachfront suggestion? Sophisticated architectural design combined with stunning views makes this location a standout. Space options include their Sunrise Dojo, Northern Dojo, and a Private Dining Room. Their onsite events team is experienced in putting together customized event packages and are available to assist you from start to finish.

16. Doltone House Darling Island Wharf

Source: Doltone House

Location: Pyrmont

Capacity: 1500

Another waterfront view, this time back in the Harbour with a full view of Sydney’s city skyline. Doltone House has multiple sleek and modern meeting rooms as well as a main event space. Their location plays hosts to lectures and breakout sessions, cocktails and seated dinners. The indoor/outdoor space is accessible by boat so guests can enjoy a little cruise as well.

17. Urban Winery Sydney

Source: Urban Winery Sydney

Location: Moore Park

Capacity: 60

There’s no doubt about it — Australia makes great wine. This multifunctional event space located inside the main winery allows guests to experience a little bit of country without leaving the big city. The space and design have a modern rustic vibe to them. They’ve hosted everything from Hen’s parties to team-building events.

18. Captain Cook Cruises

Source: Captain Cook Cruises

Location: Circular Quay

Capacity: 700

Captain Cook’s has a whole range of cruises, including luxury dining, dinners, lunches, high tea, catered sightseeing, and hop on/hop off excursions. From six-course evenings with live entertainment to express trips to the zoo, there is an option for every type of group. And if you’re not interested in any of their package options, they also allow you to hire a private charter with even more features and extras to choose from.

19. Royal Automobile Club of Australia

Source: RACA

Location: Sydney

Capacity: 250

The Royal Automobile Club of Australia has hosted everything from small board functions to networking events to large gala dinners. They have six rooms to choose from. They also provide the services of their expert events team to help make sure the whole event runs smoothly.

20. The Mint

Source: Sydney Living Museums

Location: Sydney

Capacity: 75

The Mint is a venue as eclectic and interesting as its history. Originally financed with 45,000 gallons of rum, The Mint began as Governor Macquarie's ‘Rum Hospital’ and once provided beds for roughly 200 patients. Now the space houses offices, a restaurant,a cafe, and, of course, an events venue. History and heritage meet contemporary design in this unique Sydney event space.

21. Royal Hall of Industries

Source: Centennial Park

Location: Moore Park

Capacity: 1,186

The Royal Hall of Industries, part of the Centennial Parklands, has vaulted ceilings and magnificent cathedral windows that have seen a number of prestigious events in Sydney’s history. The venue’s website welcomes planners to view their space as a blank canvas. In fact, the Royal Hall of Industries has proven to be quite a transformational space, having once been home to an exhibition hall, morgue, roller and ice skating rinks, a boxing venue, and a ballroom.

22. The Erko Hotel

Source: The Erko

Location: Erskineville

Capacity: 1,200

The Erko hotel hosts a lively community of folks who love local culture, great beers, and Erskine’s famous award-winning smokehouse. The gastropub and beer garden spaces offer a welcoming and stylish location suitable for most event types. They even partnered with a local brewery to create and sell their own unique beer. If you’re looking for a venue with an abundance of local character, this is the spot for you.

23. Club York

Source: Yelp

Location: Sydney

Capacity: 280

The York Events specifically cater to meetings, conferences, and seminars. They support these functions with 9 different function rooms, a newly renovated cocktail bar, a fully equipped audio/visual system for each space, a 300 seat auditorium, and flexible catering packages. Pro tip: they offer a discount on venue hire for members!

24. Carriageworks

Source: Eat Drink Play

Location: Eveleigh

Capacity: up to 3,000

Carriageworks has a few different artsy and hip spaces to choose from. Choose from a filming & photography studio, a white-walled gallery space with polished concrete floors, a grand scale industrial space for large events, a raw warehouse space with exposed brick and heritage columns, and a whole lot more. Their spaces can serve any size group or function.

25. Ms. G’s

Source: Merivale

Location: Potts Point

Capacity: 100

This modern Asian restaurant and event space describes itself as having a wide-roaming menu with a serious dose of fun. Their overall brand prides itself on spontaneity and a sense of play. You never quite know what you’ll get with each new experience there, which is exactly what they strive to deliver with every event they host. Their sales and events team is more than happy to make your private celebration, wedding, or casual corporate function extraordinary.

Wrapping Up: Finding The Perfect Sydney Event Venue

There are lots of things to consider when planning a great event, from the guest list to the menu to the itinerary.

Choosing the right event venue in New South Wales to host it all in can be a challenge. The good news is you can use this list to inspire your next Sydney event space choice. Select a location that best suits your event strategy as you continue to create and build relationships with your event attendees.

from Cameron Jones Updates https://blog.bizzabo.com/sydney-event-venues