#let me post from my screenshots (+olli's) first

[fizzytoo]

have to start charging people bc shit was getting real out of hand

[scarisd3ad]

Superstar | football player!Joel miller x popstar!reader

Chapter six - obsessed

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Warnings - mentions of sex, cursing, body image talk, insecurity

Summary - when you find out about a certain football player showing up at your tour you decide to reach out just because of all the dating rumors, but what if thoughs rumors turn into reality?

A/N - it’s finally here, sorry for it being so late! But now that I’ve gotten this out of the way I’m aiming for the first chapter of jump then fall to be out sometime next week! re posting this chapter because my computer deleted the edited copy and I didn't notice till months after it had been published.

The next day I woke up with an empty imprint of where Ollie had been sleeping, Joel's arms wrapped around me in a comforting hold, and about 5 million notifications. Mostly notifications from being tagged in posts and stories, but there were some from friends and family too. Like one from Tara with a screenshot of a 'TMZ' article titled 'popstar y/n l/n photographed with new boyfriend Dallas Cowboys star football player Joel Miller on a post-game drive' paired with a dramatic open-mouthed emoji. I rolled my eyes and sent back a 'stfu' before dropping my phone back onto the mattress.

I turned, hearing the bed frame creak quietly as I admired Joel's sleeping figure. He was lying on his stomach with one arm lazily wrapped around me. His hair was messy, but he still somehow looked flawless. Joel stirred as his phone, which lay on the nightstand on top of his wireless charger, began to ring. It flashed a few times, showing off a picture of his mother and him paired with the contact's name 'momma'. Unfortunately, the phone stopped ringing before Joel could fully wake up, letting him fall back into sleep.

"Joel," I whispered as I took my hand that wasn't tucked underneath myself to shake him. He groaned, his eyes not even opening as he hummed a quiet "What?" as his arm that was once lazily wrapped around me pulled me closer. "When's your mom 'sposed to drop the girls off?" I whispered as his head ducked into the crook of my neck, pressing lazy kisses to the length of it. "Dunno. She has a key. She'll let them in when they get here." My neck muffled his voice as he took a small chunk of neck flesh into his mouth and began to suck at it. "Joel," I giggled as I pushed him away, "can't leave marks, can't have any of that at any of my shows." He rolled his eyes as he pressed his lips to mine.

We were interrupted by the sound of childlike giggles running up the stairs. "Speak of the devil," Joel chuckled as he sat up, preparing to greet his girls. The door was thrown open, revealing Sarah and Ellie. "Daddy!" both squealed as they launched themselves into the bed. "We had pancakes for dinner last night!" Sarah said as she leaned her head against her father's chest. Both girls excitedly told their father what they had done with their grandparents the previous night as he took turns pressing kisses to each one's forehead. I felt like I didn't belong during moments like this, family bonding. I wasn't their mother who could sit back fondly watching with a small smile. I was just some stranger lying in their father's bed. They hardly knew me, and I hardly knew them. Thankfully, a call from my mother was able to whisk me away.

"Hi Mom," I said, standing in the bathroom, phone pressed to my ear as I stared into the mirror. "How are you doing?" she asked, her voice low as if she was trying not to wake someone. "Fine...I'm doing fine." I had another 3 shows in Houston next weekend, so that weekend and that entire week were just about relaxation and mentally preparing for my next 3 shows, which were very physically and mentally demanding sometimes. "Your dad saw you on TV last night. He got real excited seein' you." I wished every older man in his 50s felt like that about me right now. Almost every man from the ages of 16 to 70 was pissed off at me cause they 'saw me too much' last night. I wished I didn't let it get to me, but it did. I put up this strong front like no one's able to hurt my feelings but everything they were saying about me did because, for some odd reason, men thought not liking me meant they were allowed to call me a slut and threaten to kill me if I showed up the next game. I was just glad Joel hadn't seen them yet. "Yeah?" I let out an awkward cough. "Yeah...your dad and I are trying to make it up to Houston next weekend. Dad wants to see you perform again." I smiled, though my father never understood one thing about my interest in music and songwriting, he was always my biggest supporter. "Really?"

"Y/n can you hurry up? I've really got to pee!" I heard Ellie shout from outside the door as my mother asked, "Where are you?" I sighed, unlocking the door and letting Ellie rush in as I rushed out. "Um Joel's house...but I've gotta go, alright? Love you."

I walked back into Joel's bedroom. Both girls were now gone, leaving their father alone to scroll Twitter and find out for himself what was the trending hashtag of the day. #fucky/n. How original. How old were they? This was all immature, coming mostly from men over the age of 20. He was looking down at his phone, brows furrowed in a scowl, finger still swiping. He heard my footsteps and looked up, letting out a quiet "oh." I sighed, arms wrapping around my body. "Who was that?" he asked. "My mom," I replied as I walked over to the bed and took a seat. "You don't gotta go to any of my games again...if you don't want to," he whispered. His head cocked to the side as my brows furrowed. He interpreted my sense of confusion as an answer and said, "Y/N, you're getting death threats."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I've been getting them for the last 5 years. I normally just ignore them." He sighed loudly as if he didn't understand my way of thinking, before changing the subject. "You stayin' for breakfast?" I shook my head. "No. Gotta studio session this morning..." Joel nodded. "Can you keep Ollie for a few hours? The session is early and I'm not gonna have enough time to drop him off at home."

-

I was in my car, driving down the freeway when I got a call from Will. I had met William early on in my music career. For years, Will and I had been writing music together for his albums and mine, and sometimes even a duet here and there.

"you're late," he said, his voice almost drowned out by the sound of a few people in the background. "I know, sorry. Got held up at Joel's." I could almost hear the eye roll through the phone. Will wasn't the biggest fan of my past boyfriends. It had started with Will hating Andy; he must've seen the red flags before I did. Then he hated Harry because of his reputation of being a 'womanizer', and then there was Tom who he hated simply because he could practically see through him. And now the tradition had gone on to Joel. He didn't have a reason to hate Joel yet, but he'd find one eventually, he always did. "I know, I know, alright. I'll be there in like 5 minutes, okay?"

"Alright, okay, see you in 5," he hung up the phone, leaving me to drive the rest of the way to the studio in silence.

-

When I get to the studio, a crowd of paparazzi is outside the door waiting for me, and Will is standing by the door, holding it open for me. Will's hair is a lively shade of blonde, and it falls in abundant, floppy locks that twist into gentle curls at the ends. His glasses, while stylish, are slightly oversized for his face, and they add a charming touch of quirkiness to his appearance. His voice is deep, and carries a prominent british accent, which seems to contrast with his facial features. "morning," he says with a nod as I walk into the studio, letting the door slam shut behind me. "Got anything prepared?" he asks as we walk down to the studio we had booked for the day. "A little thought you could help me finish the rest," I say as Will pushes the door open, letting me walk in first before he does.

"Alright, let me hear it," he says as he sits beside a bunch of sound equipment. I unlock my phone and open the voice memo app before playing the most recent voice memo, ' Sparks fly? ' From a few nights ago.

The voice memo starts with me playing guitar before I start the first lyric, "The way you move is like a full-on rainstorm, and I'm a house of card. You're the kind of reckless that should send me running, but I kinda know that I won't get far," will nods as he pauses the memo before unpausing it and letting it play the rest through "and you stood there in front of me, just close enough to touch. Close enough to hope you couldn't see what I was thinking of. Drop everything now, meet me in the pouring rain. Kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain. Cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile. Get me with those brown eyes, baby, as the lights go down. Give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around. Cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile," The memo ends, and will look over at me.

"Kay, I like it. What were the cords you were playing?" shit, I hadn't written them down like I usually did before studio sessions. "Um fuck, I don't know...I think I played A, F, C, and G? Maybe those," he picks up his guitar that had been discarded beside him and begins to play almost identically to how I was in the memo. "Aright was the end the chorus?" I nod a quiet "mhm." "Alright, you got anything else?" I nod before saying, "Yeah, keep on playing." He continues playing his guitar, trying to fill in the missing pieces to continue on the song's instrumental part. "My mind forgets to remind me, your bad idea. You touch me once and it's really something. You find that I'm even better than you imagined I would be. I'm on guard for the rest of the world, but with you, I know it's no good." 

- 

We finished off the rest of the song, tweaking some lyrics here and there and even recording the music before we decided to head out. I'm in my car driving by 11:30 when I get a call. The caller ID shows up on the screen on my dashboard. Joel <33. I answered the phone call, and Joel immediately started talking. "Hey baby, what you doin'?" he asks. I can hear him inhaling and puffing out air, letting me know he's probably out on his back porch smoking a cigarette. "Driving. Whatcha need?" he sighs out "nothin' really. Just wanted to know if you want to stay for dinner t'night" I laugh as my car comes to a slow stop at a red light. "Yeah, sure, what you guys havin' tonight?"

"Probably pizza doesn't feel like cooking. The girls will be happy with that," he says, punctuating his sentence with a loud inhale before a matching exhale a few seconds later. "So, how long do you think you'll be?" I hum, pondering a bit as I hit the gas, following after the car in front of me. "maybe 7 minutes? I'm a few lights away," I say. I hear him slide open his sliding glass door and presumably walk inside. "Alright, I'll let you go and Rangle up these kids before you get here. See ya in a bit." The almost piercing beeps as he hangs up fill my ears before my phone begins playing the song it had been playing before Joel's call. 

7 minutes later, I pulled up in front of Joel's house to see him sitting on the porch, cigarette hanging from his mouth, while the girls sat on the driveway drawing with chalk. I chose to park on the street so I wouldn't disturb Sarah and Ellie. I leave the car, shoving my phone into one pocket. "y/n!" Sarah leaps up from the pavement, dropping the chalk stick in her hand before running towards me. Tiny arms wrap around my body as she hugs me. "Are you staying for dinner? Daddy ordered pizza," she says excitedly as Joel walks up behind her. "Go on and play with your sister, Babygirl. Let me and y/n talk, alright?" Sarah pulls away, nodding, before running back towards her sister.

"Hey, sweetheart," he says before pressing a short but sweet kiss to my lips. "Pizza'll be here in about 10 minutes. I ordered it right after I hung up with you," he says as he places the cigarette he had pulled from his lips a few seconds ago, slotting it against his upper and lower lip. I nod as I lean into his body. "How was your thing," he asks, arm wrapping around my waist as we walk back towards his front porch. "good," I reply simply as he unwraps his arm around my waist and sits down. Somehow, being in a relationship with Joel Miller was so easy I forgot how my life used to be. My entire world now revolved around football games, touring, Joel, and his girls. I almost forgot that 3 months ago, I was still rotting in my bed, sobbing over the ending of a relationship I thought was going to be forever. The moment I took one step into Joel's life, I was sucked in and hoped to God I'd never be pushed out.

"y/n! can you come draw with us?" Sarah asks from her spot on the pavement. I look at Joel, giving him a look that almost asks, 'Is that okay?' he nods, saying, "Go, we'll talk later." I walk over and sit beside Sarah on the still-hot Texas pavement. Ellies sat across from us, so deep into her drawing that she didn't even look up to greet me. Her knees are scratched up, probably from the pavement, and her forearms and hands are covered in different dusty chalk colors. "Look at my drawing," Sarah says, pointing at a larger drawing to her right. 4 stick-figured people, 3 female, one male, and one stick-figured cat, are drawn to the left of the smaller stick-figured humans. Each is labeled 'Daddy,' 'y/n,' 'Sarah,' 'Ellie,' and 'Ollie.' I almost want to cry at how adorable it is. She smiles up at me, so proud of her work. I wanted to take a picture but decided to take one later.

I want to stay here forever, or at least have something similar to this forever. Joel sat puffing on his cigarette a few inches away, admiring from afar as I interacted with his children. Interactions that make him wish he could have met me first. Before the Barbara's, or Annas. Interactions that make me wish he was the man I met 7 years ago on a red carpet, wishing I hadn't spent 7 years delusionally praying for a ring from a man who fell less and less in love with me every day.

A car with a bright red and white Papa John's logo attached to the top pulls into the driveway. It's almost like the girls have a routine for pizza nights. They both jump up, leaving the chalk on the sidewalk and run into the house, squealing, "Pizza!!" as Joel snuffed out his cigarette against the pavement before walking up to the young brunette man with a wad of cash. I, similarly to the girls, discard the chalk on the pavement and walk inside. I wash my hands before meeting the two girls at the table. Their father already passing out slices. 

-

"Cheese or pepperoni, Ellie?" Joel asks. Ellie, who sits up on her knees in the chair, says, "Both!" he shakes his head. "Nope, you won't eat it all, one or none. El's pick one," she pouts as her arms cross over her chest. "Peperoni," she mumbles under her breath as she sits back down on her butt. Joel nods before placing a slice of pepperoni pizza onto a red plastic plate and sliding it over to her. "Cheese," Sarah says before her father even asks her.

My elbows are on the table, and a half-eaten cheese pizza sits before me. This is something taken straight out of a movie, with the family sitting at the table casually talking about each other's days. Sarah told her dad about the funny joke her grandfather had told her last night. Joel chuckles, recalling the same joke being told to him more than 20 years ago when he was her age. It all felt so surreal. How could I be a part of this? I met these people less than 3 months ago and am already at family dinners. Sometimes, it makes me feel insecure; at moments, the thought of feeling so left out because this is not my family, even though I'm sitting at their family dinner. He's my boyfriend, but these are his children, not mine; I've known these people for less than 3 months and have only been actually dating Joel for one of those months.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.

Three loud, sharp knocks at the front door pull me from my thoughts. Joel sighed, dropping his slice of pizza before getting up and mumbling about how he'd 'be right back.' The dining room is silent as we hear Joel's hushed voice whispering to whoever is on the other side of the door. Sarah stood up slowly, walking over to the doorway so she could get a look at whoever was at the door. Ellie follows as usual. Monkey see, monkey do. A loud sequel-like shout makes me get up just in time to see Sarah running to the woman standing at the door. "Mommy!" 

She looks like Sarah, with similar but tighter dark curls and a slightly darker complexion. She is beautiful. Her hair is pulled up in a ponytail, and though she's only wearing a tee shirt and jeans, she pulls it off fabulously. Though there seems to be not even one wrinkle on her face, I can tell she's closer in age to Joel than I'll ever be. Joel stood at the door uncomfortably as Sarah hugged her mother.

She's tall and thin, thinner than I'd ever thought about being. I could tell she was a model not only because of her stature but also because I'd seen her online. Probably an Instagram account, though I can't recall what platform I saw her on. "how've you been, sarbear?" she asks as she hugs her daughter tightly. "good," Sarah giggles as she steps away from her mother. The woman's eyes now fall to Ellie. "Hey Ellie, how have you been" Ellie shrugs from behind me. Being her usual Ellie self when it comes to people she doesn't know well.

Joel tilts his head almost as if he's saying, 'Come here.' I comply, walking over to him with Ellie trailing close behind. Joel wraps his arm around my waist as the woman's eyes fall on me. She looks me up and down about 2 times before smiling, "And you must be..." She drags out the 'e' sound of be until I answer back meekly, "Y/n...I'm y/n." She nods, a genuine smile on her face like she's actually happy to meet me, which is not a regular occurrence when an ex meets a new girlfriend.

"Nice to meet you, y/n. I'm Barbara, but you can just call me Barb," I nod, smiling, trying to match the genuine smile she had on her face because despite the millions of insecure thoughts swirling inside my head, I was genuinely happy to finally meet her. "How long have you two been together?" she asks, eyes flicking up to Joels. "Um, bout 3 months, right honey?" he says, a fake smile gracing his lips as he leans his head down a bit to press a kiss to my temple. "Yeah, about that," I say with a forced giggle as I lean into Joel a little more. Right at this moment, my insecurities flood back in, realizing I look nothing like her. She's thin, her body fills out right where it needs to, she has no hip dips, scars, or stretchmarks. she was perfect. If this was his ex, was I not his type, or was she not?

I was looking at her body and then comparing it to mine. Wondering if he liked her legs better than mine? Did he like her hips more? Her boobs? Her butt? Her eyes? It's almost like I'm looking at her like I want to be hurt. I don't know if I'd rather him tell me straightforwardly what he liked better or me sitting here riddled with my own insecurity. I wonder if she could smell the insecurities practically dripping off of me.

"Barb, why are you here?" Joel asks; she looks at him and just laughs his words off. "I'm here to see my daughter," she says with a scoff as her hands placed on her hips. Joel rolls his eyes. "it's not like you wanted to for the last 2 years." I know this is my cue to take the girls and let them have their 'adult conversation', so I pull away from Joel and say, "Common girls, let go play with Ollie?" both girls excitedly race upstairs towards Joel's room, where we had put Ollie while we ate. 

-

I sat on the bed with the girls, my anxiety and insecurities festering inside me as the girls swooned over my cat. Would Barbara's reappearance randomly rekindle their relationship? Would I just be left in the dust? I know he was acting like he was annoyed with her downstairs, but I bet if she tried, he'd get back with her, right? He'd probably rather be with the mother of one of his children than me.

Sarah deserved a perfect family, a mom, a dad, a little sister. She didn't deserve whatever she had right now; I know Joel knew that. And I know he didn't want it to be this way. From what I heard, it seemed like she was not around a lot, and that was why he was so uncomfortable with her being here, but if she proposed to start their relationship again, I'd bet he'd agree. Her having him would mean she'd stay. Even if it wasn't for Sarah, she'd stay, and Sarah would have her mom back for good. There would be no need for some 'pretend mom' anymore. No more revolving door of girlfriends, though I desperately didn't want to be a part of that revolving door. Joel barges into the room, instructing his daughters to get ready for bed before slamming the door shut behind him. Leaving just him and me in the bedroom, alone.

 "She's staying the night." He grumbled, arms wrapping around my waist as he pulled me close. I don't ask why, feeling as though it is none of my business. I hum with a slight nod. "I was just bout to head out then," I say, pressing my head into his shoulder. Our 'sleepovers,' if you even can call them that, typically only lasted one night, maybe till dinner the next night, but definitely not a second night. "You're leaving?" I can almost hear the frown on his lips. My brow furrowed in confusion. Normally, he wouldn't budge when I said I was leaving. A few kisses, and I'm usually off, but not tonight. His arms instinctively wrap tighter around my waist as if to say, 'Don't go.' but his ex is here, Sarah's mother. Isn't that awkward?

"I thought I'd just go...cause she-she's here. But if you don't want me to leave, I can stay," I whisper, pressing a few soft kisses to Joel's exposed neck. "Yeah," he mutters with a nod. 

-

Barbara is on the couch downstairs, both girls are fast asleep in their beds, and I'm still awake scrolling mindlessly though Barbara's Instagram. she's got millions of pictures posted dating all the way back to 2014. she's nice, and I really like her I do but I can't help but feel jealous of her when I get posts from 2015. most with Joel who looks so much younger, I can tell she's pregnant in most of them. 

I can't help but obsess over every part of her body that doesn't look like mine, wonder if he prefers her body over mine. I wonder how she was during their relationship. was she good in bed? better than me? did he prefer sleeping with her? did he ever think about her? was she still friends with his friends? did his mom like her better than me? and it doesn't make this any easier on me knowing he's got a kid with her and not with me. she's forever attached to him because of Sarah but me I'm disposable. his children aren't my blood, they aren't from my womb he could forget me easily if he really wanted too. he can't forget her because he sees her every time he looks at Sarah.

I'm trying to pick out something for me to hate her, and the only reason I've come up with is because she's basically abandoned Sarah. I guess I'm turning into will. the only photos posted of Sarah was 8 years ago on her birthday July 20th, 2015, baby Sarah all swaddled up being held by Barbara who laid in a hospital bed, Joel stood next to her admiration and joy gleaming in his eyes. then 2 months later Sarah being help by Joel with the caption 'favorite people'. then after than nothing radio silent it's like the baby disappears. people in the comments must've thought that too because every comment for the next few months of posts are along the lines of 'where's the baby?'. I'm guessing that's when she left.

I know Joel loves me, and that I'm probably going crazy, but I can't help but obsess over her. "you're still awake?" Joel slurs, voice deep from sleep. I turn off my phone immediately and turn so I'm facing him. one of his arms wraps around my waist pulling me closer to him. "can't sleep" I mutter as he presses open mouthed kisses to my neck and jawline.

 even as he's practically sucking hickeys into my neck all I can think about is that he's probably done this to her, while she was laying on the same side I was as he whispered quiet 'I love You's into her neck. I can't help it as tears form in my eyes that are quickly blinked back. I can't let him know how insecure I actually am. I don't want him to know how insecure I've gotten in the last few hours because I know there's a chance, I could get hurt. 

"wha's wrong? you're tense" he says pulling away from me. I freeze staring him in the eyes as his brows curl into a furrow. "what's wrong?" his left hand reaches from my cheek caressing it softly. "nothing" I mutter leaning into his soft touch. he hums questionably like he doesn't believe me but goes onto press his lips against my none the less. 

I'm so obsessed that once Joel goes back to sleep, I can't help but scroll her page. I don't even know why I'm so obsessed, it's not like I'm ugly I'm just not anything like her so maybe that's why I'm letting it get to me. deep down I'm terrified that she's his type more than I am, that maybe her long legs, perfect hair, and confidence will sweep him right back off his feet and I'll be all alone again. I'm terrified of him leaving and stop loving me like Andy did. I don't want to rot in bed again over a man I have stupidly fallen head over heels in love with again. I don't want to this to end because of how deeply have fallen into this. I don't want him to fall onto my long list of ex-lovers and have yet another reason to be called a slut. 

Taglist

@taylarxse @none-of-this-makes-any-sense @ktheunready @camixkami @skysmiller @mars743 @tylrswftss @alyhull @jenna-mcgraw19 @h4teh3x @lexloon @greensabereyesforcevictim @cozylibraries @celebrities-imagines @nezukos-number1fan @abbysgirll @marispunk @hopelessromantic727 @fairyain @joeldjarin

[dearer-than-i]

Okay so I am officially two arcs away from Water 7 and never posted the screenshots I got so LET'S PLAY CATCH UP!! First of all OH MY GOD SHANKS <3333 Hey dad!!!! Hey dad!!!!!!!

It's always nice to get a 'What is Shanks doing rn, given everything that's happening in the world?' moment <3 AND I NEED TO TALK ABOUT USOPP IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME NOT TO. This Arc made my love and affection for this character, that was already pretty abundant, SKYROCKET ten fold. He is such a good and deeply complex character. And somehow despite being one of the comedic characters in the group he is one of the most real feeling to me when it comes to how he processes and goes through his emotions.

If their was ever a question on how much this character resonates with me this arc made me connect with him even more. I can't see how people dislike him or think he was ever properly in the wrong in this situation or at the very least can't see what was going on with him. I'm gonna talk about the Going Merry's sendoff in a followup post cause I've got a lot of emotions surrounding it but. Man seeing this whole arc for myself just solidified that I do not trust anyone who dislikes Usopp. And your regularly scheduled "Ollie saw Sanji being a dork and impulse saved" collection/hj

He's so fucking dumb I love him.

[autisticempathydaemon]

hello! i am new to redacted and here for the ask game :)

my favourite song rn is the gothic surfarama by the vampire beach babes totally go listen to that

i usually dont like big video essays unless theyre about a topic im super into, like i have watched hours of essays about tmnt and mcr, bit if its about something im not so into, probably not

my favourite audio is either damn friendsgiving or damn bowling (im a sucker for good friends and found family lmao)

i just cannot get into blake. like aside from the cult stuff lmao just not into him

RISE OF THE TMNT i have episodes of that show memorised. you could show me a screenshot and i could tell u what ep its from and whats happening at that moment.

ollie my best friend hes brilliant. nerdy about board games? perfect please be my best friend ill listen to him tell me about catan or scythe for hours on end

no tired ramblings, i sort of just get sleep drunk. if im tired i am not talking for the world

im not american so i dont do gas station stuff instead my dokan (like a corner store i guess) go to would be a mango juice bottle and whatever knock off oreos they have.

my favourite playlist (music or redacted? ill do both) is a) my gothy music playlist from when i was 13 with a few additions lmao, and b) milos playlist his accent is just so fun to listen to even though i can barely understand it lol

NO guilty pleasures i enjoy what i enjoy without shame

annd uh. im an art student, i prefer popeyes over mac, i have awful hayfever, and i cant choose a favourite colour they are all beloved to me

Ooh, so this was a thinker. I could have gone in a few directions, but if we’re taking everything into consideration plus “Vampire Beach Babes”, it’s got to be Vincent Solaire!

First, Vincent is and always will be a total nineties kid at heart, so he would absolutely love Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. (Off the top of my head, I think he thinks himself a Miley and had a big crush on Leo as a tween.) He gets super hyped for every addition to the franchise and loves chill nights on the couch watching reruns with you while you draw.

Speaking of drawing, I think Vincent would be such a wonderful boyfriend for an art student. We have evidence that he was so supportive in Lovely’s studies, and he’d do just the same with you: always bringing you snacks while you work, offering to model for you, chauffeuring you to work in automotive style. Also, he’s without a doubt gorgeous- what better inspiration could you ask for?

Song:

Let's trash our whole afternoon/ Reciting recycled news/ Until we melt and go back to your hotel room/ I'll be your new favorite tune/ I'll be your black cloud by June/ But only when you miss the rain like I miss you

One. I like this to fit your goth/emo vibe but looking for something new. Two. This song is ridiculously singable and fun; I think Vincent would have a great time bouncing along to this with you in the car and grinning dopily when he says he’s stupid for you.

Runner-Ups:

Asher would be a cute runner-up because I think you two would like a lot of the same things, like TMNT and MCR. Asher’s more of a FOB-boy, but he’s not likely to be one and not the other, ya know? Lasko is an even cuter runner-up just because something about him would be so cute next to an art student; like, that’s an it couple right there.

note: thank you so much for waiting 💕

Read this post and send me an ask if you’d like a match-up of your own! 💌

[recurring-polynya]

Bleach Sword Beasts Arc Recap: Episode 256

I would not go so far as to claim that Bleach 256: Byakuya's Anger, Collapse of the Kuchiki Family is good, but it is dear to my heart, so I’m gonna review it. Also ~I can do screenshots agaaaaaain!~

Spoiler: At no point in this episode would I describe Byakuya as “angry”, and the Kuchiki family definitely does not collapse. Let’s carry on.

We open with a party for Squad 6 at Byakuya’s pad, with Renji and Rukia standing around, talking about what a mensch Byakuya is while Rukia stuffs her face with dango. This is my content. Then Renji’s squadmates haul him off because they are too nervous to talk to Byakuya by themselves. I screamed. I would watch a thousand hours of this.

As you might expect, Squad Six parties suck without Renji, so Rukia wanders off, complaining about how he left her in the lurch, when she hears a scream, and finds that the kitchen (?) is being attacked by some strange monsters.

In my continuing commitment to Squad 6/Kuchiki Manor minutia, we get to see some servants outfits! (attn: @kaickos​ ) Byakuya sure loves purple.

Rukia tries to fight the monsters, and realizes she’s not carrying her sword. Fortunately, Sode no Shirayuki and Senbonzakura show up to help out. Despite addressing each other formally, Sode no Shirayukia and Senbonzakura definitely exude a very strong have-made-out-at-a-boring-Kuchiki-party vibe. They immediately start trolling the hell out of Rukia until Byakuya shows up and narrows his eyes disapprovingly at them.

We skip to Squad 12, where Kurotsutchi explains the plot of the this arc: Apparently, while Muramasa was running around freeing zanpakutou, a lot of shitty Soul Reapers got killed by their own zanpakutou, who are now running around feral. Also, even if their shinigami was low-level, the so-called Sword Beasts have their full power capacity, i.e., as if they had achieved bankai. Sure. Whatever.

All I care about is the Squad 12 couch situation, which is dank. I feel like I’m gonna catch a disease just looking at these things. And jeez, the lighting. It’s important to note that Byakuya lets Rukia do all the talking in this scene. At first, I thought he might be sleeping with his eyes open again, but then my husband pointed out he was probably just holding his breath.

Enough of that! The Kuchiki sibs and their swords are strolling around town, the zanpakutou making big plans to kick names and take ass, while Byakuya searches for any excuse to be removed from this narrative.

If you read my fanfiction, you will know that I have a running gag of sorts where Renji is constantly shouting “Hey, Captain!” which Byakuya views as some sort of microagression (Renji never notices), and I stg, it happens at 9:16 of this episode: Renji jogs up yelling “TaiCHOOOOUUU!” in an extremely Renji way, and my heart literally exploded. Anyway, I’m pretty sure Byakuya secretly texted Renji like “plz show up with some sort of work excuse i cannot even with these two” and Renji delivered. Squad 6 ollies out, leaving Rukia to babysit these two drama queen zanpakutou.

You may think I am exaggerating, but Senbonzakura immediately suggests that they destroy some barracks to get the Sword Beasts’ attention. This plan is so stupid that Sode no Shirayuki’s suggestion that “maybe the Sword Beasts like parties” makes sense in comparison.

Ain’t no party like a Squad 10 party, because a Squad 10 party has comically oversized sake saucers. Are these some sort of real thing, or are they like when goofy TexMex places serve margaritas in hubcaps?

Captain Hitsugaya is McPissed about all of this. Rukia absolutely knows she got duped here, and makes some shame-faced excuses. Hitsugaya notes that he “received orders to let them do this” and I... have so many questions. Did Rukia have to submit a “party request”? Who approved this? Yamamoto??? I mean, if this were post-TYBWA, I can 100% see Kyouraku ordering Hitsugaya to throw a kegger.

Unsurprisingly, the plan does not work, and Senbonzakura gets black-out drunk. Rukia apologizes to Hitsugaya, who is like “it’s fine, my squad is all drunkards anyway.”

Sode no Shirayuki is extremely sorry at this point, because she sincerely thought this plan would work. So, just in case anyone out there thought Sode no Shirayuki has more brain cells than Zabimaru, you were wrong.

Rukia and Sode no Shirayuki have a nice talk about how Sode no Shirayuki feels like without Rukia, she is has no heart, she is just a weapon. She’s still feeling some residual guilt over the whole Muramasa incident. Rukia reassures her, over a moving montage of all their good times together stabbing shit. This idea is really interesting to me, actually-- that the shinigami provide their zanpakutou with purpose and direction, in return for the power they receive. I’ve sort of headcanoned this for a long time-- that zanpakutou are inherently selfish, caring mostly about the well-bearing of their shinigami, and must be driven by the shinigami toward accomplishing things. This was the whole reason Zangetsu didn’t want to give Ichigo the Final Getsuga when he was trying to defeat Aizen.

Anyhoo, Rukia and Sode no Shirayuki the Sword Beast shows up, and of course Rukia and Sode no Shirayuki defeat it with the power of friendship.

At the end of the episode, Rukia and Sode no Shirayuki debrief Kyouraku and Ukitake while Ukitake’s zanpakutou run around screaming in the background and I cannot emphasize enough how married these two fine gentlemen are.

That’s the end of the episode. I wonder if Rukia ever told Byakuya that his zanpakutou got blasted at a Squad 10 kegger.

[jackkodiac]

Oh boy this is fun. Extremely long post ahead. Beware of ooc drama.

@holydestruction

"If someone has an issue with another mun, please do not send yourself ‘‘anons’‘ or have your friends send ‘‘anons’‘ as an excuse to try and attack/punish other muns."

Neither I myself, nor any of my friends know who sent the ask. I avoided answering it for 3 days because Ollie and I had not finished discussing the final outcome. I went into Ollie’s DM’s SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE of this ask to try to finally clear the air and have some kind of answer. The ask made me uncomfortable, and the 2 previous ones had as well. It had been sitting unanswered for 3 days before everything blew up. 

"Once someone has blocked me I keep it at that and respect their wishes, and i normally don’t give a fuck about the petty vagueposts on here--in fact, check my rules for how i generally approach situation."

Please show me where I apparently vagueposted about anyone??? I didn’t even tell my closest friends about the problem until today (5/2/2020) when I was informed of this callout post, let alone make vague public complaints about you OR Ollie. I blocked you knowing you would likely block me soon anyway. 

"However, if someone is coming up to me saying that people are posting things like this, and bringing private matters public while spreading misinformation then I’m going to respond."

No I’m pretty sure I didn’t air any dirty laundry, unlike you? I spoke the truth; in the end I did not get a choice. I got an ultimatum. And I dropped the subject after that ask. Good to know you have someone stalking my blog for you though.

You posted a screenshot of my ask response; a request to have the subject dropped bc I was hurt by a situation I couldn’t do anything about. How horrible of me.

"Hi yeah since you blocked me and Ollie is rarely on Tumblr any more cause of this exact shit right here, and you’re trying to vilify the mun OVER FUCKING WORD BARBIES, I’m stepping in to tell you top stop playing the fucking victim when I have chat logs of you trying to hold Ollie emotionally hostage."

Like I said, I blocked you knowing you would block me eventually anyway. I blocked him too, because I figured the same thing. He specifically stated to me in his last Discord message, and I quote: “After this conversation, I really do think it’s best that we don’t talk again.” So I blocked you both to deter the possibility of accidentally engaging with either of you again. As. Requested.

Also, it hurt knowing you have full reign to npc his character when I was denied even the possibility of npcing a *background relationship*. So yes. I blocked you. I could not forsee us ever interacting in a positive manner, so I cut my losses.

I am not sure how you think I’m “playing the victim” as if I wasn’t also hurt by his words and actions? There were no winners in this argument and you blaming all of it on ME is the actual vilifying.

Also good to know that wanting to talk about something instead of being told I have to end it on the spot with no explanation is “holding someone emotionally hostage.” I guess I will just have to avoid discussions with people ever again bc talking ooc is evil now!

"Ollie tried multiple times to contact you over this issue because they wanted to stay in contact."

This is actually true! Ollie contacted me to talk about general things as well as the topic of our characters a few times over the last month. I did the same thing just as often. He would contact me to say hi and ask how I was doing, we would small talk. I would contact him to show him pictures of my cat bc he liked them! We would small talk. Occasionally we actually would start to discuss things. Then we would either get busy, go to sleep, or have to go to work, and the discussion would end. Other times we had to stop because one or both of us was too stressed out over various factors and the topic was strenuous.

"Every time, you brushed them off begging Ollie not to have them break up because, as you stated, that was the only thing you had to look forward to that made you happy."

I did not brush him off EVERY time. Sometimes we started to get somewhere. He asked to stop talking just as often, if not more times, than I did. And while I did say the ship was ONE of the only things I was looking forward to, I did not say it was THE only one. The epidemic has been stressful on everyone, and with both of us being “essential workers” the external stress is even harder. I enjoyed having something to talk about when I got off of a hard day at the warehouse. I wasn’t ready to let go of that when HE even offered to have them work it out in the first place. 

"You then ghosted them for days that rolled into weeks, and Ollie would have to contact you AGAIN."

Correction: I left Ollie ALONE for days at a time, after he would request it. He would leave my messages unanswered just as often? But I didn’t complain about it, because that is something he has always done. We don’t always have time to stop and talk. He would get stressed out and I would drop the subject AT HIS REQUEST until he brought it back up. I think that is actually considered respecting someone’s space.

"Do you know what that is, acyl? That’s putting the responsibility of YOUR HAPPINESS onto OLLIE over a FUCKING ROLEPLAY SHIP, ACYL."

And yet, his choice to make both of us retcon/cut down months of character development between both our muses ISN’T putting the responsibility of HIS happiness on ME? Ok. If you say so.

"Ollie explained to you now stressful and anxiety inducing roleplaying had become, and how miserable they were roleplaying this character for reasons that I’m not getting into and don’t matter right now. The point is, ollie explained how they felt."

And just as many times, I expressed that he did not have to continue writing. He said he was leaving tumblr and going to restrict rp to Discord. I said Ok I can work with that. He said he wanted to drop the character. I said Ok I can work with that; I have had many partners drop muses or leave the rpc before, and this issue has NEVER arose in all 5 years I have been writing this blog. The characters have either been killed off by the original mun or allowed to be npc’d in a background relationship. (Ie, implied that they occasionally hang out or talk. No large modding of anyone else’s characters.) Not once has someone started a huge ordeal over this.

"You then got MAD AT OLLIE, and LASHED OUT because Ollie deleted their blog, and told them that OLLIE SHOULD HAVE CONSULTED YOU FIRST???? AS IF YOURE ENTITLED TO THEIR BLOG??"

I was never once mad at Ollie. I was shocked and hurt by the last message Vwig had dm’d to Crow on tumblr before Ollie deleted the blog. I was concerned for Ollie over what had caused this sudden change. I had just gotten off an 8 hour shift at work and seen the aftermath, and I went into Ollie’s DM’s on Discord asking what was wrong. The previous night, when the characters had been fighting, I asked Ollie multiple times ooc if he was ok. I asked if he was bothered and he told me no multiple times. He said it was all ic and he was perfectly fine. I dropped it and the next I heard from him was THAT. I asked what was wrong, what had happened. I was concerned for my friend who just previously said he was ok. He said he didn’t want to rp vwig anymore and we started to talk about what to do since he was leaving the community. Not once did I say he had to ask my permission to delete his blog. I asked why he didn’t talk to me first about what had upset him, but I did not tell him he had to have my permission.

"YOU DO NOT OWN ANY RIGHTS OR GET TO HAVE ANY SAY IN WHAT OLLIE DOES WITH THEIR PROPERTY, NOR DICTATE WHAT OLLIE DOES WITH A HOBBY MEANT TO MAKE THEM HAPPY AND RELAXED. YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT CONTROL OVER OLLIE."

At no point did I ever express that I did. I expressed concern over his change in demeanor. 

"You DO NOT get to do nothing but guilt trip Ollie to try and make them do what YOU WANT. You DO NOT then get to try and use anger to INTIMIDATE Ollie into doing what YOU WANT. You DO NOT get to ghost Ollie after they try to reach out, and pin the blame on them. You DO NOT get to try and vilify ollie because YOU DIDNT GET YOUR WAY."

Good to know that expressing my own discomfort, and concern is suddenly all of these things. Good to know that trying to find out why we can’t work things out all of a sudden is manipulative.

Good to know that internalizing my pain over this fight and going out of my way to avoid talking about it to literally anyone in order to avoid vilifying him in any way is me trying to make him look bad.

"Ollie stated why they were uncomfortable with you NPCing their relationship, and it is your responsibility to RESPECT it. Even if you disagree, it is THEIR CHOICE."

Just as well, I stated why I was uncomfortable with retconning months of writing and development. But apparently it is not his responsibility to respect that and try to come to a compromise. I am the one supposed to only respect him and not expect him to respect me back.

TLDR; You claim I am out here slandering and defaming someone I have never once mentioned in public about a private issue. Yet you name drop and vilify me in a callout post, yourself. You are being a hypocrite, and I would appreciate it if you did not mention me again. Have a nice day.

[roccoreceipts-blog]

CALLOUT FOR MARS / BARON / ROCCO / MIMI / PIPPI / MARIA WHO CURRENTLY OWNS @VINYLBITCHIN + @HANDFUCKIING + @FLESHPRAY + @SHESCHISM + BUNKERKEPT . CONTENT WARNING FOR ABUSE, PEDOPHILIA, RAPE, RACEFAKING, ETC.
 


a quick introduction though i'm kinda uncomfortable, im 17 i run a few blogs on this hellsite and i have some concerns for people's safety. this isn't a petty post either, is genuinely fearful for myself and others she's abused in the past and will continue to do so and it's about time we all came out about this because it's gone on way too long and i blame myself more than anything for holding back. i just felt unsafe and i do more so now but it's worth other people's safety. and everybody knows i'm definitely not one to do something like this and i've had such a hard time coming out about this from guilt. i want to make this short and to the point. i don't wanna take up too much time because we could go off for hours about all of her drastic lies like how she supposedly got hypothermia in 45 degree weather or how she lied about being in a s.chool s.hooting ( one , two , three ) ironically she had sent me a fanfiction of the c.olumbine s.hooters in the past and guilt tripped me the moment i said it wasn't right. or the time she told me she was taken hostage which i might have stayed believing if it weren't for the fact she was roleplaying with a character from that movie on her @lleeta blog not too long ago ( one , two , three ) but anyway.

im never gonna be able to recover completely but i want to reach out and warn people. me and others have gone through her explicit / obsessive / rape roleplays but i can fucking guarantee no matter how many times i was ( or the others ) guilt tripped into saying YES despite how uncomfortable i was but couldn't tell her , she does still do them from what i know. she tends to warp characters ( other muns put in these scenarios have told me the same thing bc she did it to multiple people ) to make them far more obsessive / creepy then they are even meant to be. i'll start out by saying ive known rocco since the end of 2015 or so and we instantly became friends. we quickly made our ocs out to be affiliated, though they were SUPPOSED to be father and daughter (and often i would let her portray an oc i of mine who is supposed to be a love interest), she would always propose obsessive rape plots, and even an explicit plot of a forced marriage au between the father and daughter muses which was clear she wanted to lead to smut (warning for a graphic detail i can't get out of my fucking head was her saying she could imagine hannah / the daughter on her knees being forced to unbuckle his belt but said it as if it were almost ? something she got ? in a way , excited over ??) of course i don't have many screenshots of these things especially because i was isolated by her for about a year at the time , trusted her , and no matter how sick or anxious ive felt getting her messages i didn't really know i had the choice to come out about it , especially considering how hostile she would be when i had friends or even my ex .

( one , two , three , four , five ) we were actually dating at this time, which was a relationship i was basically forced / guilt tripped in after saying no countless times. she would often numb me down when i would say no to things, whether it was her asking to be in a relationship with me or even roleplay, in which at one point i've counted 20+ screenshots of her constantly begging even though i had just declined. at this time is when i was isolated so i don't the have exact proof because again, i didn't know about the abuse going on in front of my face and i didn't known what to do about it. she would constantly guilt trip me over these things and i felt very vulnerable though i do tend to play things off when i'm uncomfortable.

now i'll move on to some more recent -ish shit or at least things i haven't completely blocked out from my memory since that's most of what i have. we've been friends on and off because she had eventually set me off, our first fight being me angry that she couldn't handle when i declined her roleplays. so it's been a long cycle of me blocking her from discomfort, only for her to constantly make or log into old blogs to try and contact me to manipulate me into friendship again. and it worked. too many times. after all of that, she began to test boundaries which is something she usually does. this included throwing attitude for no reason ( i remember a time i was supposed to be making her icons and couldn't at the time and her response was "it's not that fucking hard" // she's even sent me a screenshot herself before of her in a groupchat where one of the participants had said something and told them "literally nobody cares" and expected me to comfort her after that ) + saying things she knows is wrong + stealing or making blatant rip offs of my original character ( one , two , of course there are far more instances like the time she ran @viirginblood but that's not the point of this post so i'm skipping over that ) + bringing up my past relationships / sometimes family or financial issues + constantly bringing up the fact we got in fights i was trying to move past or try to make me feel bad if i didn't reply right away ( one , two , three , four , five / she also acted very controlling to me any time i wouldn't answer so i would be forced to give an explaination and she would pretend it wasn't just her being "worried" ) + manipulating her into following her / bossing me into doing things she wanted ( one , two ). even some new information came to light that i was completely oblivious to; obviously any time i had a friend or a significant other she had no problem portraying blatant jealousy, i was also informed she was acting possessive of me even when i wasn't around, when i was actually NOT TALKING TO HER AT ALL ( one , two ) . which really freaked me the fuck out.

she would also constantly TRY to spite me when we weren't friends. she's admitted it. she's also admitted in a group call, that i still have contact with one of the participants, that she stalked me when we stopped talking and got her friends to "keep tabs on me" i was also informed of her stalking another minor not too long ago and going back to the spite stealing, it wasn't just one oc, it was concept ideas, urls, even going as far to LITERALLY flat out steal the oc i let her portray ( the one she obsessively wrote out rape roleplays with ) , lied by saying it was a "misunderstanding".

shes also is a rapist and pedophile apologist ! she roleplayed dolores of l.olita and a few people including myself can recall her literally posting / asking for a humbert to roleplay with. i don't know a lot about the film / book itself but i DO know humbert is the pedophile who abused dolores. here's some screenshots of her not only apologizing his actions burn theowing a pity party over it, claiming shen had a right to roleplay dolores getting, what i imagine must have been sexually abused ( one , two , three ).

her relationship with her ex, ( for those of you who don't know ollie you can probably easily find some information on him as a fill in on what he's done / warning for rape ) ,   she helped him catfish / fake his identity to hide what he did, shows hostility toward the rape victim and shows behavior of a rapist apologist again + talked some nasty transphobic shit about me , not to mention again , i'm underage so that's weird that it's focused on my body especially considering she's 18 here, not to mention she's not still obsessing over me when we aren't talking ( one , two ) + on her @roccospeaks blog she had a while back , she deleted the posts but i'm sure plenty of people saw that she and others were claiming that ollie was FAKING A TRANS IDENTITY ( and this isn't a kiss ass moment to him, i'm just pointing this out: this was after she made those transphobic remarks about me so i highly doubt she can blame her transphobia on being "drunk" here ) because he was wearing makeup and had a feminine appearance . i'm pretty sure the post is still floating about somewhere so if you can find it, it's all there . she continued to focus on me despite we weren't talking, blamed me for being the source of her suicidal tendencies that she's had since i've known her, ironically though she's also told me i'm the reason she says alive in the past — and something she thinks blocking her for comfort is a manipulation tactic or game to her ?? / that and here's some of her guilt tripping all because i soft blocked her ( one , two , three )

i had also recently ended a relationship with an ex of mine , which wasn't ANY of her business but she constantly brought her up plenty of times. as shown above, she's was insisting that my vague posts about ending my relationship were about her no matter what i said ( one , two , three ) + doing so either herself or i suspect getting ollie or his friends to send me anons about MY relationship because i didn't tell anybody else about it, but she sure as hell did ! all while putting blame on me ( one , two )

here are some messages i have of someone informing me she was actually racefaking ! and the funny thing about this is she's white. or at least from what i know? i know she has indeed sent me a link to a post before of a black mun venting about white people or smth like that which was NONE of my fucking business esp considering i wasn't following this person and she told me after sending me the link to the post "i thought i could trust them" where she tried tin get me to comfort her ?? this is also interesting, here she is talking about a minor, THREATENING THAT SAME MINOR, not to mention dissing sex workers and putting an input on reverse racism.

heres more of her obsessive / controlling behaviors over not letting people follow / interact with me out of sheer spite and not wanting them to be able to know what she has done ( one , two , three , four , five , six , though there's many more i lost ) here's more evidence of her interest in writing problematic issues / warning for rape ( one , two ) i have many more screenshots of her situations with ollie but chose not to post them; however if you would like to see them you can ask me, it's just her encouraging him to hack me plus some gaslighting aftermath shen sent me on mun personal when things didn't go her way.

she has also lied about her age to smut multiple times in the past , claimed to be of age here and on multiple blogs. she was at least sixteen at the time. also mentions shes underage here but then says she could LEGALLY portray sexual assault ?? and here's her saying she WILL have depictions of pedophilia on her blog. keep in mind we've known each other for a long time, though it was on and off; she knows very well i'm not 18. if told her before countless times AND it's all over my rules. BUT YET, she's persistent on sending me explicit content KNOWING IM A MINOR / ADMITTING SHE IS 18 after i had vagued about my discomfort ( one , two , three )

as i mentioned above she was always presenting nasty plots to me; i can't stress the fact that it DID make me uncomfortable whether i decided to play it off or not, but later on, when she was indeed of age, presented to me an old, incestous plot and then had the audacity to put the blame on ME, whenever i strictly recall her wanting to ship them / make the more brothers in the first place. my character had already had a brother, her oc she actually made back in 2016 was a spiral off of this canon character. so even afternoon she blamed me for it, we established that i said no, she still chose to focus on his childhood with romance. ( one , two , three , four )

again, im not the only person she's has abused like this. and compared to the things she put ALL OF US through, these have to be some of the lightest fucking examples. but i do hope it is enough to keep others safe or be a warning. i also haven't mentioned anybody for their safety, but if you think you would be willing to share your story you can add on or whatever to get it out their. i really hope you can take my word for or it as well, because it wasn't very hard for me to put myself out here but i think i did the right thing for others.

and last but not least, if she's seeing this, here's a big fat "fuck you" from all us, what you put us through, and blamed us for.

[pixelgrotto]

Olly olly oxen free

Night School Studio’s Oxenfree is an interesting game. The first time I beat it, after about four and a half hours on a Sunday night, I thought it was decent but missing that extra “kick” to make it stand out amongst other indie adventure games of its ilk. But then I played through it again the following day, mostly because I had a nagging feeling like there was still more stuff to see, and also because I’d enjoyed watching the series of documentaries that came included with the game. (Always been a sucker for a good “Making Of” docu, ever since the days of King’s Quest VI.) Lo and behold, there was a New Game + option that carried over certain things from my first playthrough and ultimately led to an alternate ending, and I enjoyed the game a lot more the second time. And now, the more that I think about Oxenfree, the more I think I like it a lot. 

(There will be big spoilers ahead as I explain my up-and-down pogo stick of impressions regarding this game! So come back once you’ve played it. Or forge ahead if you don’t care!)

The game on its surface level is a coming-of-age story about a group of teens who get stuck on an island during a pre-graduation party trip. The character you play as, Alex, accidentally uses a radio to free the spirits of a nuclear submarine crew who were sucked into another reality after their ship blew up in a freak accident near the island. These poltergeists start messing with the flow of events, throwing Alex and her friends into constant time loops as they run around and try to figure out what’s going on, and there’s the risk that they’ll end up possessing these characters for good before the night is done. All of this is solid set-up for a mildly creepy romp that channels the whole “kids get into supernatural trouble” schtick that’s been popular since the days of Scooby-Doo and seems especially popular today, and for my first playthrough, that’s what I thought the game was - solid, but not mind-blowing. The gameplay was a tad slow, with a lot of time spent trudging around to different island locations, and the radio puzzles were interesting at first but quickly became routine. I did like branching dialogue options, the graphical style and the game’s female characters, but the male ones annoyed me. Ren, Alex’s stoner friend, seemed like a putz, and Jonas, Alex’s new stepbrother, wouldn’t shut up. Also, I felt like everyone kept talking not like a bunch of 17-year-olds, but like a bunch of 17-year-olds who were reading dialogue that had been written by a bunch of 30-somethings. (I also thought that their occasional pop culture references - like The Boxcar Children - were things that today’s crop of teens probably wouldn’t know about, but then I learned that they apparently made a Boxcar Children movie in 2014. The more you know!) 

Despite my nitpicks, though, apparently enough clicked to make me want to replay Oxenfree right after beating it, which is something that I rarely do. (Supergiant Games’ 2011 freshman effort, Bastion, was the last instance that comes to mind.) And to my pleasant surprise, everything seemed a lot more enjoyable. The guys were still a little irritating and the puzzles rote, but suddenly, everything started making more sense, and details that seemed nebulous in my first run, like the dialogue of the poltergeists, suddenly became crystal clear. 

Because I was also playing on Oxenfree’s New Game + mode, I also got to see Alex and the poltergeists remember certain things from my first playthrough, which leads me to the big Inception-esque reveal of the game - due to the nature of the ghost’s control over reality, you’re trapped in a time loop that constantly resets after you leave the island with your friends and “beat” the game. The ultimate goal, then, isn’t merely to “escape” - it’s to send a message out to an alternate reality version of yourself, warning them to stay away from the island. Doing so will theoretically break the loop...or at least one timeline’s version of it. 

I’m usually 50/50 when it comes to these Christopher Nolan-style mind fuck twists in video games. I mentioned in a previous post that two other games that I recently played, Kathy Rain and Doki Doki Literature Club, also employed similar “let’s mess with your conception of the rules” tricks, with varying degrees of success. I’d say that Oxenfree falls into the more successful region of that spectrum, at least once I’d completed my second run and achieved the “true” ending, and the replay value and intriguing reveals that the game eventually provided were what finally elevated it in my mind to “something special” status.

Maybe it’s appropriate that I had to play this game twice to really dig it. After all, the name comes from the phrase “olly olly oxen free,” which I haven’t heard in over two decades. I think I remember saying it in games of tag or capture the flag when I was a really little kid, and it basically means that the teams are switching sides or the next round is beginning. Thus, Oxenfree the game, especially when you consider the time loop aspect, tells a story about “rounds” that go on and on... Until you somehow manage to break the loop. And that’s pretty nifty.  Incidentally, I wasn’t the only one who didn’t warm up to Oxenfree at first. Polygon had the similar experience, and they published not only a middling review, but a follow-up article that expends 348 words saying absolutely NOTHING! Ahem. I hope I’ve done a bit better vocalizing how this game grew on me, and I feel glad that I now know about Night School Studio. Their next project is a cool game where you play as a guy and a gal who are trapped in hell and are trying to drink their way out. Can’t wait to play that one and have my expectations subverted all over again! Screenshots are a combo of ones I took during my two playthroughs as well as some images I stole from the game’s website. Shoutout to Rachel, who recommended this in the first place and popped up in-game to offer useful advice thanks to Oxenfree accessing my GOG friend list, hah.

[thank-you-phipps]

DNFed take on: Deke by Eden Finley

If I continue talking about books I don’t like in the future, the posts will probably all be of this same ilk. Mostly in nonsensical rant format, eluding any sense of organization, but still defending valid points. I don’t care enough to write in paragraphs, each with their own points and sub points of discussion, because I’m /super/ bored, and since this is merely me scraping the bottom of the barrel, I figure I’ll take it easy on myself. This is already a borderline masochistic exercise, but I’d still rather think about books I hate than be bored one second longer. 

Unfortunately, my resolution to bother with bad books can’t also get me the finish them, so I’m demoting this review to the status of “take on” since I don’t feel good about calling my rant about a few chapters of a twenty to thirty chapter book, a review. (I don’t actually know how many chapters it has.) But no matter, my morals are officially loose, my standards are lowered, my field of fucks as lain barren for years. Let us begin.

Everything is forced, from the forward momentum of the story, to the chemistry, to the very thought processes of the characters. No matter what they’re talking about or what’s being narrated, be it characters’ emotions or a hockey action sequence, it’s all read in this weird tone of voice, which, as far as I can tell, is a combination of monotone, and vaguely enthused sports commentator using their “emotion” voice. The dialogue is obvious, not nearly as clever as Eden thinks it is, and doesn’t sound realistic. Seven chapters down and my sensors are not registering any personality as of yet, and I’m too worn out to go any further. To be frank, Clark (I can’t remember what his name is) oggles Ollie too much to have given enough room for a potential personality to peek its head above ground. 

They get waay into each other way too fast. One lame-ass kiss is enough masturbation fuel to keep Ollie going for /six months/ (jesus fuck, kid), and when they meet up again, Clark is looking at him all moony eyed and woe-is-me when Ollie’s pissed about the article. Which! by the way is a super overreaction since they barely know each other and don’t really owe the other anything, even honesty. It might have been a bit out of order on Clark’s part to keep Ollie in the dark about him being a reporter but, dude, come on. You knew each other for about an hour, maybe, and spent about five minutes of that not putting on a show for Ollie’s family. And /those/ five minutes were spent doing the aforementioned lame-ass kiss. Yes, “doing.” 

I have several poorly edited screenshots below of some irritating aspects of the writing, mostly commenting on the bad editing with one or two story-telling pet-peeves. There would undoubtedly be many, many, many more had I not tired myself out immediately. There’s about a photo for every two pages of ebook text, taken over a short span of pages. Here are some quotes that I wrote down before I started taking screen shots.

“Your reputation precedes itself, JJ” - Ollie

That’s not a thing.

“Jet offered to blow me to fuck with me.” - Ollie

Bad sentence structure. The whole book is bad sentence structure.

“’You’re skating like a newborn foal out there...’ ‘Can baby horses even skate?’ I ask, and Kessler tries to hide a laugh.” - Coach/Ollie

Unfunny comedy: fastest way to lose respect for an author. Also MAJOR pet-peeve: unnecessarily hiding/stifling/”coughing?”(wtf) on a laugh. The combination of the unfunny jokes and undeserved laughter makes it that much more cringey. 

“The fight to stay in this drives me.” - Ollie

No context is needed, as it doesn’t make any more sense even mixed in with other sentences.

Bad: “...air is filled with the stench of pads soaked in perspiration.” - Ollie

Better: “...air is filled with the stench of sweat-soaked pads.”

The stench of (noun) soaked in (noun) should always be a combination of two bad smells. In the middle of reading that sentence I got the slightest bit confused because pads don't have a stench, and even that slightest bit of confusion was more than enough to bring me further out of the story than I already was. My example is better because it doesn’t imply that pads stink on their own, and it puts the thing with actual smell potential out in front, answering the question of what smells, first. Also, sweat sounds more smelly than (*one delicate pinky drifts away from one china teacup*) pErSpIrAtIoN.

I didn’t write down an example of this, but I remember the general structure of the sentence. Person A says something implying recognition of person B FOLLOWED by a narrated sentence relaying a “dawning look of recognition” on the face of person A. These two pieces should be swapped. I already had an image of person A with a look of recognition on his face, what with him recognizing B and all. To then have the narrator jump in afterward to relay a  corresponding expression, wipes Person A’s face blank in my mind so I can put the expression of recognition back on there, now with the narrator’s permission. Narrator missed their entrance.

Here are your screenshots:

[toovain-forpain]

ALRIGHT LETS DO THIS

I’m equipped with a selective attention span and a moderate understanding of Japanese, TIME TO LAY OUT MY THOUGHTS ABOUT CHAPTER 49

Obviously: spoiler alert, I won’t try being vague either. Screenshots included, along with some minor translations that are more paraphrasing than actual translations. 

SO FROM THE TOP

YOSANO LEADS THE CAVALRY AND THEY LOOK DAMN GOOD DOING IT!! VERY HOPEFUL SHOT. THEY’RE KICKING SO MUCH ASS. Which is understandable tbh like in terms of making use of abilities? They’re is Illusion Support, Healing Support and a Tank, this is about as Dream Team as it gets. Also YOSANO so A++

(Anyone realise that Harukawa’s art in this chapter is fucking heavenly? They really did the Most this time. I love them so much it’s killing me.)

Next up THESE ARE LIKE. SOME OF THE HOTTEST PANELS I’VE EVER SEEN FROM BSD I SHIT YOU NOT I THREW MY PANTIES AT THE SCREEN. RANPO IS TURNING IT THE FUCK UP, NO ITEMS, FOX ONLY, FINAL DESTINATION. AND CHUUYA. CHUUYA, MY SWEETHEART, WARINESS IS SUCH A GOOD LOOK ON YOU. THANK YOU BASED HARUKAWA.

If anyone wants to know: Ranpo here is referring to Chuuya as ‘Beautiful Hat-kun’! I’m not sure if this has happened beforehand, but IT SURE IS NOW AND I SURE AM... CONSIDERING IT. BOY. I FORGOT RANPO IS OLDER THAN CHUUYA UNTIL HE USED ‘KUN’ LMAO I LOST IT.

The convo’s gist is: Chuuya: I’m not gonna fight an ADA member with no ability Ranpo: Oh? But you’ve lost to Dazai, yes? Chuuya: 

Then KATAI’S PLACE. THIS WHOLE PART. I CAN’T ACTUALLY BEAR TO POST THE WHOLE THING SO HERE’S THE GIST OF ME:

1) KUNIKIDA FUCKING BAREKNUCKLE PUNCHED A HOLE THRU A CEMENT WALL BOI WHAT THE F U C K

2) Atsushis face extended my lifespan (the rest of the manga tho brought it back down to 0)

3) Fun fact this panel was the first spoiler I saw before reading the chapter. I thought to myself, ‘ah, Kunikida went with Atsushi! Splendid! That means we’ll get to see KNKD talk to his husband Katai!’

4) I’m so sorry. I jinxed it. I cursed it. I’ve failed all of you. THATS THE FACE OF A MAN WHO JUST WATCHED HIS FRIEND OF 10 YEARS GET SHOT BY A FUCKING DEMON. STONE COLD. IM DEAD INSIDE BITCH. DEAD!!!!!

5) I CANT EVEN BEAR TO LOOK AT IT ALL I WANT IS FOR KATAI TO COME B A C K PLEASE KUNIKIDA’S BEEN THRU E N O U G H JUST... LET HIM HAVE A BREAK N HUG HIS FUTON HUSBAND WTF

THEN NEXT UP IS FUCKING AKUTAGAWA AND KYOUKA LIKE FUCK

LIKE BITCH WHAT THE FUCK!! WHAT THE FUCK!!! HE SAYS ‘IT’S BEEN A WHILE’ WHICH IMPLIES?? SO MUCH??????? I LOST IT IMMEDIATELY?? APRICOTS: DROPPED.

AND THEN THE LEGENDARY PANEL

HE SAYS ‘FINALLY (AFTER A WHILE), AN OPPONENT WITH BACKBONE’ (I THINK?? HE USES A JAPANESE EXPRESSION THAT IMNOT FAMILIAR WITH) LIKE BRUH

Personally this part wasn’t all that interesting to me until the later half of it but I’LL GET TO THAT

Skipping over the RanChuu part bc idk what to say fam, they’re trapped in a murder mystery now and Ranpo literally said “Let’s try not to die together” im Tired That They’re Targeting Me Like This

Tbqh i feel that if my senpai grabbed my fucking knife and snapped it in hald with his bare hands i’d be fucking terrified but KYOUKA... SHE’S BEING BRAVE AND ALL. LOOK AT HER EYES. THEY’RE A FOCAL POINT THROUGHOUT THE NEXT FEW PAGES

I’M TOO LAZY TO ACTUALLY PUT PAGE BY PAGE HERE SO HAVE THE DIALOGUE INSTEAD

Aktgw: Isn’t it odd, Kyouka. Your eyes. They are very different from when I first met you. =FLASHBACK, 6 MONTHS AGO TF= Kyouka: Are you the one with the Ability that can cut through anything? Aktgw: If so? What of it? Kyouka: Snow Demon killed my parents. I want revenge. So please kill me, the owner of this demon. =FLASHBACK END= Aktgw: From your eyes, it was obvious. You hated life. From the time you jumped off the train, until the ship, and the whale, you did not see meaning in living. Kyouka: What would you know about that? Aktgw: I do know. Because there was (I knew?) a child with those same eyes, void of life’s purpose. Kyouka: What happened to that boy? Aktgw: The same thing that happened to you. Through meeting certain people, and through meeting certain groups, they were able to lose those eyes. AKUTAGAWA’S FLASHBACK ATSUSHI (!!!!): I SAW WORTH IN KYOUKA, EVEN THOUGH I’M WORTHLESS MYSELF...!! (MY FAV PART, WAIT FOR IT) Aktgw: ...Kyouka. Aktgw:  よかった な (Yokatta na) (YOKATTA NA) (ITS HARD TO TRANSLATE BUT THE SENTIMENT IS ‘IT’S GREAT’ (THAT YOU FOUND THE ADA’))

AND HE SAYS THIS WITH ENOUGH SINCERETY THAT KYOUKA LITERALLY OLLIES RIGHT THE FUCK OUT!! SHE LOOKS SO WORRIED TOO LIKE FML... I’M WORRIED TOO BITCH AKUTAGAWA LITERALLY SHOWED A FUCKING EMOTION!!! AND ATSUSHI IS THE ONE WHO BROUGHT OUT THAT EMOTION IN HIM!!! WHAT!! THE!! FUCK!!!!

MY SHIN SOUKOKU HEART BITCH I CRIED. SO MUCH. FUCK. AKUTAGAWA SHOWING KYOUKA AN EMOTION FUCKING RUINED ME!!!

Ah the rest of it is lemon man rambling and the cavalry RETREATING I didn’t bother translating it bc im not interested in him, basically FUCK!! THIS CHAPTER WAS WILD AF

[jessicakehoe]

Everything That Upset the Internet This Week

What is the web-o-sphere angry about this week? A straight headliner at a Pride festival, a movie that’s been altered to have a happier ending, and a threat to the livelihood of Canadian comedians. Here’s everything you need to know:

Ariana Grande is Headlining Machester Pride Festival 

THE STORY: Ariana Grande announced earlier this week that she will be headlining Manchester’s 2019 Pride celebration. It will be the second time the “thank u, next” singer is performing in the city since the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, the first time being at Manchester One Love, the tribute concert she organized in honour of those affected by the attack.

  THE REACTION:

don't care if y'all hate me for this opinion but i'm annoyed at ariana headlining manchester pride, now all the heteros will flock to pride and turn it into a tacky ariana grande concert instead of it being about, you know… pride and the lgbt community coming together

— elle (@ugwdead) February 27, 2019

ariana grande headlining manchester pride is such a big kick in the face to lgbt artists lmfao

— allex 14 (@Ioseloselose) February 25, 2019

ariana grande headlining manchester pride while also headlining coachella, who’s founder/owner gives large donations to the National Christian Foundation which “funds a lot of the groups aggressively working to chip away at the equal rights of LGBT Americans” is….interesting

— nick (@VersaceDeIRey) February 26, 2019

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: “I saw many people discussing this so i wanted to chime in,” the pop star tweeted, responding to a fan who wrote, “Idk …. ariana headlining pride when she’s straight (as far as we’re all aware) …. and doubling the price of tickets …. kinda smells like exploitation of the lgbt community to me …..”

Grande attached a screenshot from her Notes app, where she let her fans know that she has nothing to do with ticket pricing, but that she does have a very special relationship with the LGBTQ+ community. She also added that she wished to “celebrate and support” those celebrating price “regardless of my identity or how people label me.”

And you know what, I think that’s entirely fair. Ariana Grande seems to be finding herself on this list every week—it’s time to give the girl a break. Olly Alexander, the frontman of Years and Years, wrote his own note in response to the backlash. “I’d love to see more LGBT+ headliners across all bills, [but] the reality is line ups are a mix of artists depending on their availability and the need to sell tickets,” he wrote. “Pride’s [sic] normally raise money so they can put on their events and donate to various (usually local) causes.”

Addressing Grande’s headlining position specifically, Alexander—who starred in the 2017 documentary Growing Up Gay—said, “Ariana has shown more than most that she cares about us and loves Manchester,” he said. “Does that mean that we shouldn’t try harder to celebrate all the amazing queer talent? No!”

  Netflix U.K. Changed the Ending of The Notebook 

THE STORY: It’s been 15 years since Nicole Sparks’ The Notebook became a blockbuster film, causing audiences to sob at the seemingly tragic yet entirely endearing end of the film. (Noah and Allie die together in their old age, cuddled up on a twin-size nursing home bed. I hope that’s not a spoiler.)

In the version of the film now available on Netflix U.K., the movie ends a little differently. The nurse’s discovery has been cut, and so it’s unclear whether or not the couple does indeed die together.

THE REACTION:

Its shocking….! Give us back our gut wrenching tears!!!!!!! @NetflixUK #thenotebook

— Michelle Frost (@chelliey) February 25, 2019

Why on earth would Netflix change the ending of The Notebook??? There are two movies that you cannot mess with….Shawshank Redemption AND The Notebook!!! 🤬

— Sheli Z. (@zahnley1) February 27, 2019

Emails @netflix to cancel my mofo’n subscription!You are NOT about to just ruin my favorite movie like that ☝🏾! After years of being a loyal Netflix customer I have been left no option but to fully commit to @PrimeVideo#netflixruinedthenotebook#TheNotebook#Netflix @NetflixFilm

— PlainJane_F (@DaOrigPlainJane) February 25, 2019

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: I love Netflix’s sassy (and extremely responsive) social media accounts. Here’s how they responded:

Things you should know…

– we did not edit the notebook – an alternate version exists and was supplied to us – we are getting to the bottom of it asap – apparently some films have more than one ending?!

— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) February 27, 2019

Here in Canada, we have nothing to worry about: The Notebook that appears on your Netflix queue is identical to the one you saw in theatres all those years ago.

Just for Laughs Takes Over Canada Laughs Channel on XM Radio

THE STORY: This month, Just For Laughs—the company that holds the world’s largest international comedy festival in Montreal each year—took over the SiriusXM Station Canada Laughs, planning to change the name of the station to Just for Laughs Radio. They also planned to change the station programming, taking it from 100% CanCon to a mix of stand-up recorded at Just For Laughs festivals, events and galas.

Canada Laughs was a reliable source for Canadian comedians, with residuals from the station being funnelled directly into the hands of independent artists. Under the new Just For Laughs model, royalties would be funnelled into the hands of a monolithic company.

THE REACTION:

Just For Laughs made a terrible decision today that once again treats Canadian comics as second class. https://t.co/Hij6b3JmJl

— Scott Thompson (@ScottThompson_) February 24, 2019

AMERICAN COMICS: Alert yourself to the deal JFL and Canada Laughs on Sirius XM has done. Canadian comics will no longer be heard in their own country. THEY HAVE JUST NOW TAKEN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AWAY FROM COMEDIANS. FOR REAL. JUST NOW. Comedians in both America and Canada need..

— Hampton Yount (@Hamptonyount) February 24, 2019

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: Late Wednesday evening, Just for Laughs gave in to the requests. It goes to show: if you rage on the internet, you can make a difference.

“We’ve listened carefully to the concerns of Canadian artists and regret the stress we have caused the comedy community,” said Just For Laughs president Bruce Hills in a press release. “We are invested in the growth of Canada’s comedy industry and are working to include even more Canadian talent in all our initiatives.”

The press release also explained that SiriusXM 168 will be called Just For Laughs Canada and showcase 100% purely Canadian content, with all content being produced by Canadian artists independent of the Just For Laughs catalogue. Under this new model, Canadian artists will be eligible for the same royalties as they were with the previous channel.

    The post Everything That Upset the Internet This Week appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Everything That Upset the Internet This Week published first on https://borboletabags.tumblr.com/

[lorrainecparker]

ART OF THE CUT with the editors of “The Crown”

DOP Adriano Goldman and editors Úna ní Dhonghaíle and Pia Di Ciaula.

I felt like I had this Art of the Cut conversation sitting down to tea with two brilliant colleagues. I have been watching The Crown on Netflix and the editing plays such a great part of developing the rich character studies, drama and social commentary that makes the series so much more than a “behind-the-scenes” glimpse at the history of the royal family.

While the series has been edited by a considerably larger group of editors, I was able to discuss it with two of them, Pia Di Ciaula and Úna ní Dhonghaíle.

Di Ciaula is a Canadian who has spent most of the last 20 years in London. She has a long list of both feature films and TV credits, starting in the early 1990s. Her work includes television series, Tess of the D’Urbervilles (2008), The Street (2007-2009), and feature films, Silk 2007), Tyrannosaur (2011), and Belle (2013). Her next film, Journeyman, will be released in 2018 and she’s currently editing A Very English Scandal, directed by Stephen Frears and starring Hugh Grant.

ní Dhonghaíle is Irish with feature and TV credits going back to 1997. Her TV work includes Golden Globe nominee The Missing and she received three BAFTA nominations for editing White Girl, Ripper Street, and The Missing. She also cut Wallander (2010-15), Upstairs Downstairs (2010), Doctor Who (2011). Her feature film work includes Frank Ned and Busy Lizzie (2004), King Kennedy (2011) and the upcoming feature film Stan and Ollie, set to be released in 2018.

I used the British spelling of words to do honour to their lovely accents and to remind readers that I try to feature talented editors from around the world.

The Crown (L to R) Elizabeth, Prince Philip. Queen Elizabeth II formally makes Philip a British Prince

Hullfish: Where did you edit The Crown?

ní Dhonghaíle: We edited in Molinare in Soho, London, working on Avid Media Composer.

Hullfish: I have talked to other editors who worked at that same production facility. That must be quite popular.

ní Dhonghaíle: It is one of the leading post-production houses in London. It’s wonderful.

Di Ciaula: They occupy two buildings divided by a cobblestone courtyard. They provide on-line facilities and create some of our visual effects and grade. It’s close to Liberties and Carnaby Street so it’s a wonderful place to work. (they both burst into laughter).

Hullfish: Wait. What’s Liberties?

Di Ciaula: It’s a famous department store built from the remains of an old ship. The store has dark hardwood floors that creak loudly, it’s haunted but it’s a beautiful place. We buy each other presents from there so when someone walks towards you with a purple Liberty’s bag, you know you’re in for a treat.

Hullfish: I watched The Crown with my wife and we both loved it. It’s very personal and lovely. How long did you each work on the series?

The Crown (L to R) Prince Philip, Elizabeth Elizabeth and Philip discuss Charles’ education

ní Dhonghaíle: There were seven editors in all on series one, Kristina Hetherington, Stuart Gazzard, Luke Dunkley, Mark Eckersley, Yan Miles, Pia and myself.  We worked on different schedules because we all worked with different directors. We had four brilliant directors, Stephen Daldry, Philip Martin, Julian Jarrold and Ben Caron. Netflix/Leftbank envisioned a more filmic approach for The Crown, with each Director shooting two episodes per block and each episode having their own editor.  This enabled us to assemble and edit our own episodes and collaborate individually all the way through to the grade and mix. I loved working with Julian Jarrold  on Episode 6 ‘Gelignite’ and Ben Caron on Episode 7 ‘Scienta Potentia Est‘. The fine-cutting time was roughly 7-8 weeks per episode.

Di Ciaula: My schedule was different because I worked with the genius Stephen Daldry on block three. I edited the second episode, ‘Hyde Park Corner.’ Stephen shoots a lot of material. He usually uses two cameras and we often have a second unit, directed by the wonderful Justin Martin who has collaborated with Stephen for about ten years. For my episode, they traveled to South Africa because the show dealt with the Commonwealth Tour and a safari in Kenya. I also received tons of footage of animals to integrate into the film because there were none present during principal photography. My contract lasted for five months because I was committed to cutting Paddy Considine’s film ‘Journeyman’.

Hullfish: So sometimes when you’re editing for directors shooting multiple episodes, they’ll often shoot scenes that are for other episodes.

The Crown Season 1

ní Dhonghaíle: Yes, you might have lots of material on one day and very little the next and so the longer assembly time allowed you to build and craft the episode whilst awaiting more footage. Peter Morgan is a master storyteller and during the shooting and editing of series one, he was writing and developing series two. He realised that some actors may not return to series two, but they might appear in flashback scenes and so he wrote and shot these scenes during the first series. This really takes vision and courage, but it has paid off nicely! I had one scene in my episode this year featuring John Lithgow, which Stephen Daldry shot last year and it was wonderful to see it slot into place perfectly.

Hullfish: There was a very funny scene with John Lithgow in a bathtub right, with the secretary nervously standing outside the door.

Di Ciaula: Peter Morgan’s scripts are superb! His dialogue is poetic and he writes with such an interesting turn of phrase but it’s also very typical of Stephen Daldry to add more humour and to direct in a very magical and interesting way.  Stephen introduces Churchill with a close up of a glass of whiskey and a cigar. And then we slowly reveal Churchill in the bathtub with the secretary standing outside the bathroom trying to deliver important documents.  Peter’s brilliant dialogue encapsulates Churchill with his line ‘You have to be a monster to defeat Hitler’.  Churchill repositions himself in the tub in order to take a nap, spills some water and Venetia slips on the water coming from under the door.  Then Stephen added Churchill’s beautiful dog drinking the bath water.  Working with Stephen and Peter was great fun and an amazing opportunity but it came with a huge responsibility.  I worked incredibly hard but it’s been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career!  It was also wonderful working with John Lithgow, Claire Foy and the entire fabulous cast, getting such great performances that you couldn’t help but fall in love with these characters.

Screenshot of the Avid bin for the Churchill bath scene. All images in the article can be right-clicked and opened in their own window for larger, more detailed viewing.

(On a technical note,  if you look at the clip names in the bin for Churchill’s bath scene, you’ll notice that we were using the British slating system.  On season 2, we decided to switch to the American slating system.  It seemed more efficient due to so many episodes, so many units, and so many countries; the episode and scene numbers were most important and easier to track than slate numbers.  This bin also illustrates my selected clips and updated cuts.)

ní Dhonghaíle: I love the way Peter Morgan writes, his scripts are alive with humor, compassion, and intrigue. He really gets under the skin of the characters and it was a real privilege for me to edit on this show. His stories are grounded in true historical events, but he breathes life and subtext into these events.

Hullfish: Subtext is one of those things that really fascinates me. Can either of you speak to me about how, as an editor, you try to bring out or enhance the idea of the subtext beyond the basic plot?

The Crown Season 1

ní Dhonghaíle: The subtext is always revealed in ‘the unsaid’. In episode six, for example, the story centred around the Queen’s promise to allow her sister Margaret to marry Peter Townsend, a promise she will break before the end of the episode. One of the scenes that best exemplifies subtext for me is the scene when Margaret and Peter come to Buckingham Palace and ask the Queen’s permission to marry. The performances were great and there were covert looks passing between Margaret and Peter, but essentially there was a lot of dialogue with four people sitting at the dining table and the Queen did very little talking. When I was cutting it, I found Claire Foy’s performance was so beautiful and her silent listening and reacting to what was been asked of her was ‘the thing’! As Editors, we can carve out the emotional impact of the scene by playing words on the listener and this can be infinitely more interesting than showing the character who is speaking.  The use of sound also enriched the subtext of this scene because there was a ticking clock in the background and I found that at the moment of the disjoint when the Queen realizes what Margaret is asking of her, if I disjointed the ticking of the clock it had an unconscious visceral effect on the viewer. It’s very subliminal, but when the sound of the clock began to disjoint, the audience would feel uneasy. This seemed to reflect the inner turmoil of the Queen. In another guise, it could just be a great scene of people talking around a table, but with the high level of performance by the cast, we were able to let the audience feel the Queen’s dilemma and the subtext was revealed. 

The Crown Season 1

Hullfish: Pia? Thoughts?

Di Ciaula: Yes, I agree.  Finding the heart of the narrative is key and when you reveal the subtext, it elevates everyone’s contribution.  I’ll backtrack to the rushes stage to illustrate my process. I read the script before the shoot but I don’t like reading it again because I like the rushes to wash over me. If the subtext is present, then I get it and I see how to shape the scene. If it’s not, you have to work harder in editing to make it more obvious, stay longer on a character, show details of what they’re really feeling, or use sound as a device.  Words are important but non-verbal communication can be even more powerful.  An image can reflect what a character is feeling better than what they’re saying which is sometimes in conflict with the truth. Stephen likes to add a lot of internal turmoil in the subtext so that we get under the skin of the characters.  If an actor can reveal subtext without words, it strengthens their performance and makes the scene more interesting. 

But Una, you reminded me of another point – sound. We all did very intricate sound-work on the show.  I often had up to 24 tracks, 6-8 dialogue, 4 ambiences, 4 sync effects and 6-8 music tracks. Depending on the scene, sometimes I would also add foley footsteps if it was important for the character. 

The Crown Season 1

Songs are another emotional aspect.  Stephen likes to shoot surprises, so for instance, when the Queen leaves Kenya after the king’s death, a little Kenyan boy watches the plane taking off and begins singing a sweet and somber song.  Stephen adds these little touches that affect you emotionally but weren’t originally scripted.  The other heart-breaking song that comes to mind is in episode one when the King sings a Christmas carol wearing a paper crown.  Kristina cut this episode and I remember sobbing when I first watched it.

Hullfish: You’ve both spoken glowingly about your directors which is kind of unusual for television because in the US method, the director is much more of a hired gun and the producer is the standard bearer for the show, but you also said it was done a little more in the film style than TV. Of course, editors always want to serve their director, but the director/editor relationship is different in television than film.

Di Ciaula: I started my editing career in Toronto, mainly working for American Networks and although I loved it, I was also frustrated because directors were replaced by producers within a couple weeks of the director’s cut.  I didn’t have a problem with producers but it was the directors’ vision that I was trying to reveal.  On one MOW, I was flown to LA to finish the film without the director. Understandably, the director was upset and felt betrayed by me. I tried to explain that no one knew the material better than I did and that I could protect the film and his vision. If I had walked away, we would have lost everything that we had tried to achieve together. So he calmed down because he trusted me but I kept him informed every day so it all worked out but this was the last MOW I edited in North America.  I then moved to London and started editing feature films, collaborating with terrific directors and brilliant actors like Judy Dench, Kate Winslet, and Ewan McGregor. So when I was offered The Crown by Stephen Daldry, I knew it wouldn’t be your average TV show; I knew every episode would be exceptional. In this respect, Stephen keeps me on until the end of Post in order to check VFX, ADR, conform, grade, music and mix.  Combining Peter’s scripts with Stephen’s vision, the calibre of talent from all the HOD’s, Adriano Goldman, Michele Clapton and Martin Childs, and the guidance and support from Netflix, Andy Harries and Suzanne Mackie allowed us to concentrate on creativity and treat every episode like a feature film. 

The Crown (L to R) Prince Philip, Elizabeth. Philip and Elizabeth share an intimate moment

ní Dhonghaíle: There is a difference between America and Europe because, in Europe, we may have more of an ‘auteur’ or director-centred industry. The director sets the tone of the piece and is allowed the full edit time to carve out his/her vision. With such tight schedules, you become each other’s allies. Trust and a shared vision is key.  We were very lucky to have these brilliant directors with brilliant producers (Peter Morgan, Andy Harries, Suzanne Mackie and the Netflix team). Once the collaborators have a shared vision, you are never really stuck between the producer and director — you might be a little bit, but —. (Pia laughs) and yes, you have to negotiate sometimes, so that everyone is happy with the solution to the notes. Everyone might have a different solution to a problem, but they at least agree on the problem. As an Editor, part of our art is to listen and to find these solutions together. The US model intrigues me because, on the one hand, it seems your directors might leave the cutting room after four days, but on the other hand, the legacy and vision of the writing/directing team are obviously still felt because such incredible TV shows are being produced in America at the moment. 

Hullfish: And I have to say that with this director discussion, I’m not talking about feature directors. I’m only talking about TV directors. The thing with editors in American TV that I’ve spoken with is that they need to shift their allegiances. The director is certainly given tremendous respect, but they have maybe four days or five days with the material in the cutting room and then they have to step aside for the producers. And the editors then shift their allegiance to the producers who are really in control of the material. You have to deliver on the director’s vision but because the directors come in and out of the series and the editors tend to stick with a show, they are the stewards of the overall vision of the show along with the producers and understand the characters and the storylines over multiple seasons. The editors understand the cutting style of the show or at least what the producers are going to allow in the end because in America TV is more writing-centric and the producers are really more writers than they are producers usually. So it TV, you have to be totally committed to the director, then they leave and now you’re totally committed to the producer… it’s kind of like serial monogamy.

The Crown Season 1

ní Dhonghaíle: (laughs) In Europe, our writers are also more often executive producers on their own shows. This allows great direct communication and collaboration. Peter Morgan is fearless in throwing out ideas and discussing ways of improving the story. He helped create an open discourse and we had a shared commitment to making this series something unique. We were all on the same page.

Di Ciaula: This also reminds me that during the first season, Peter invited all the editors on Friday afternoons for tea and we would bring one edited scene each.  It was like show and tell.  We would laugh, cry and discuss it, but it allowed the editors to collaborate and share what we were doing…“Oh, what are you using for that temp track?”…”where did you get that sound effect?”…”may I borrow that shot?”.  Those Friday afternoons were marvelous.  Peter wanted an open door policy and he achieved it.  It was great fun, wasn’t it Una?

ní Dhonghaíle: It was wonderful as it allowed us to glimpse the series as a whole. It was a real honour to see the other episodes in their infancy and to see how the characters developed throughout the series. It was also a time for playfulness, to discuss storytelling techniques, sound design and raise the bar on ideas. I remember, Julian Jarrold and I had tried a music cue on the Queen mother’s arrival to Buckingham Palace and although we loved it, we wondered if it might be a bit too big and bombastic. That Friday, Pia showed her first cut of the ending of episode 2 and the music built to a glorious crescendo – it was jaw-droppingly brilliant! Julian and I turned to each other and agreed that our music was not too big, in fact, we were now emboldened to go further.

Di Ciaula: Working with Stephen Daldry is liberating because nothing is big enough, loud enough, or extreme enough. (laughs) The sky is the limit!

ní Dhonghaíle: All of the directors of the first season — Philip Martin, Stephen Daldry, Julian Jarrold and Ben Caron, — all of those guys really wanted to have fun with this material and shed new light on the royal family.

The Crown Season 1

Hullfish: Both of you have talked about character, which is obviously critical. When you’re watching dailies do you try to let these scenes wash over you or because you’re on such tight deadlines, you realize that you can’t watch these passively like an audience would. You’ve really got to be concentrating on marking moments finding moments of character that you can then use when you’re editing? How are you watching dailies and what are you actually doing while you’re watching?

Di Ciaula: My assistant Charlotte Bradley assembles the rushes into a sequence, in slate order. Every camera has its own sequence. I take notes describing the action but also about my reactions, if I laugh or cry if I’m scared or shocked; I don’t want to forget my first unbiased impressions. I have to watch every frame of the rushes because there are great moments that can be missed if you only watch selected takes. I create a ‘selected’ sequence, add all the characters’ on-camera lines from every take, in script order.  I make a copy of this ‘selected’ clip and then it’s a process of elimination so I’m more Jenga than Lego.  By juxtaposing the many takes, I find it easier to compare the nuance in performances.  I delete what I don’t like, find the subtext, sculpt, shape, overlap or pre-lap dialogue, check the rhythm, prepare VFX comps that Charlotte enhances beautifully;  I add sound effects and ambiences, add temp music if required until I have the best scene possible.  Stephen doesn’t want weekly assemblies; he prefers edited scenes the same day that I receive rushes from the previous day’s shoot so I’m under constant pressure but it’s creative pressure, not usually stressful.  These daily cuts allow Stephen, Justin and myself the opportunity to discuss pick-ups; help to inform how they shoot the following day, and they boost the morale on set.

The Crown Season 1

ní Dhonghaíle: I also have a documentary background, so I am also well versed in watching everything. I look for best performance, truthful delivery and any moment that speaks to me. Editors are the first audience and if it moves you when you are watching rushes, it will move the viewer. I trust my instincts and on a practical level, I begin a ‘Selects’ reel for each scene, which will have everything that I felt was worth taking. If watched on its own, it will look like this poetic, repetitive, possibly lyrical sequence that makes no sense, but it helps me to memorise the material. If I find a moment in the wide shot for example, perhaps the middle of the scene, I shall build around that and withhold using the wide shot until this moment. Equally, if the close up has the power for a particular moment, I will not use it or overuse it before this moment, so as to maintain its emotional impact. Understanding the mise-en-scene is also very important and the editor must find the story within the shot or the interplay between the shots. Sound and music enrich the edit so the first assembly/cut feels complete. For my directors, I send the first cut of the scenes on the Friday of every week and I only send scenes daily if we had a concern or wanted to discuss anything additional that we might need to shoot. My directors were excellent and we were in daily contact. I could give them a first reaction to the material and a big thumbs up as well. Even on a show like this, with a healthy budget and great support system, the directors, actors, and crew were pushing themselves with long working hours and high ambition and keeping morale high was important, Occasionally I would send a jpeg of a beautiful shot to the cinematographers Adriano Goldman and Ole Bratt Birkeland and the directors to say ‘huge congratulations this footage is beautiful’! It’s important as the editor to give the good news as well as any suggestions or concerns. You do not want to derail them or throw them off course as they prepare for the next day shoot, but if you see something, you must flag it up.

Hullfish: I was thinking about Pia having to deliver a scene so quickly. She has to do that because she’s asked to do it, but at the same time, you want to present something that is so good that it doesn’t make the director worried about their own work.

Di Ciaula: I have to send Stephen the best cuts possible which also allows him to experience my first gut instincts without any influences.  Some directors give editors notes before they assemble but I think they’re missing a trick because an editor is unbiased and not aware of issues on set so they come to the material fresh and may have a new perspective.  If I had a choice, I would send the sequences the following morning because I prefer to sleep on things and have some distance.  The work I do the following morning is invaluable so if I improve a scene tremendously, I simply send Stephen the updated version the following day.

Hullfish: I love the idea of the Friday afternoon tea with the editors. We are kind of solitary. I mean obviously we work with directors and assistant editors, but it’s not often that you get the chance to spend time with other editors discussing things. It’s one of the reasons why I do this series, to be honest is because how often do you get to find out how other people work? I just love that idea of bringing the editors together to see each other’s work, be challenged by each other, be a community. Tell me a little bit about what you think the benefits were.

ní Dhonghaíle: The workload is so high that it’s very easy to let an idea like this slip away, but I think Peter Morgan was insightful to suggest it. It was like a writer’s room for directors, producers, and editors and it would be wonderful to nurture.  I think it’s very important as an editor because we are not editing these blocks in isolation. Our audience will often binge watch a box set and we should review the episodes in the same conditions to ensure clarity of storytelling, continuity of style, development of character and if a plot point is planted in one episode, that it might be paid off in a later one. When I was editing Kenneth Branagh’s Wallander in 2014, we often used echo images, for example, images that would jog the audience’s memory of something that happened in a previous episode or series. I loved this idea as it made for a more dynamic discourse for the audience too.

Di Ciaula: Those sessions allowed us to gel as friends, collaborate more and really raise the bar. Everyone was experienced and talented so there was a healthy competitive spirit that kept us on our toes.  I’ve never had editor-friends in London until The Crown. Everyone is wonderful and inspirational.

Screenshot of Avid bins and Project window from The Crown. This is not really the way the editors look at the bins. All images in the article can be right-clicked and opened in their own window for larger, more detailed viewing.

Hullfish: I’ve worked with teams of editors before and I have to say that it’s a group that usually wants to see each other succeed instead of one-up each other most of the time.

ní Dhonghaíle: That’s true and our craft allows a more collaborative stance because even if you share music ideas  for example, our individuality is revealed and even when you use the same piece of music it will feel different because you can use it differently, or use a different motif.

Hullfish: It could even be something you, as the editor, catch in a subtle performance thing that an actor does as part of their character and you can call it out to other editors or the directors and build it in instead of hide it. Is there some something to talk about concerning finding performance; utilizing what is true and honest in a performance, and really diving into that?

Di Ciaula: Stephen directs performances that are so wonderful and nuanced that you could literally choose any take but I had one shot of Claire Foy where she had to sit back in her seat on the plane and think. They repositioned the camera seven times within one take, and before the last one, Stephen said, “When you sit back, just hold your eye-line.”  I spoke with Claire about that afterwards, and she said, “Why didn’t I think of that?”  It was such a simple note that made the biggest difference.  That’s how brilliant and detailed Stephen’s instincts are. Netflix and Leftbank allowed us to make The Crown with huge scale whilst encouraging us to pay attention to tiny details like a subtle eye-shift.

ní Dhonghaíle: The calibre of actor on The Crown was top drawer. All the leads and supporting cast, but also the guest and more minor characters rose to the occasion. With the directors stewardship and confidence building, everyone inhabited their part  – it was like a Stanislavsky showcase! This meant that even before action or after cut, the actors stayed in character so we could mine these little stolen moments of private thought and use them within the scene. Sometimes, these moments were pure gold.

Hullfish: That’s exactly the kind of stuff that I was looking for when I asked that question, Pia, you mentioned listening to the director’s comments between takes as a way to get insight into the direction of the scene. We’re given so much footage now and the crews tend to just keep rolling through multiple “takes” but one of the advantages is that you can hear the director give notes to the actor which then, of course, gives the note to you.

Di Ciaula: Before I worked with Paddy Considine on Tyrannosaur, I disliked hearing the director’s voice because I was forced to fill the track. But I loved hearing Paddy’s comments because he was very enthusiastic and those directions also helped me to understand what he was searching for. I love hearing Stephen’s comments too because besides being informative, he’s also very funny. Like Scorsese, Stephen often walks on the set at the end of a take and whispers in the actor’s ear.  I like seeing the concentration on his face and wonder what he’s thinking and how the next take will change or improve?  He runs a very warm set and we all adore him!

Hullfish: Anything else you guys want to chat about? Anything I haven’t asked about the production?

The Crown (L to R) Elizabeth, Adeane, Philip. Elizabeth and Philip return from the world tour

ní Dhonghaíle: I think it would have been very easy to make this series about the royal family with this high level of actors and not to push the boundaries of cinematic storytelling. And that’s what I pay tribute to Peter Morgan, to all of the directors, Andy Harries and Suzanne Mackie and Netflix because they went into this with such a cinematic drive. They wanted to show something so ordinary on one hand, because we’ve all grown up with the royal family and know almost everything about them, but they wanted to show it in an extraordinary way. We were not complacent as a team and we wanted to push the boundaries and explore ideas that were exciting and unexpected in the way they revealed the narrative. This happened at every level, from script, performance, shooting, editing and music – the ambition was shared. When we heard that Hans Zimmer and Rupert Gregson-Williams would join us as the composers, it was a real boost to morale to know that we were in such wonderful, Oscar-nominated hands.

Di Ciaula: I love the fact that although we’re not making documentaries, Peter and Stephen are dedicated to presenting the truth and are open to suggestions.  In ‘Hyde Park Corner’, I felt that there was a beat missing between the King’s duet with Princess Margaret and his death the following morning. I felt that the transition was too abrupt and that the King needed a moment to connect with Elizabeth to reinforce the emotion.  I asked Stephen if we could shoot a scene of the King getting ready for bed and watching Elizabeth on TV during the Commonwealth Tour.  Stephen asked the research department to find out what historically happened that night and to our surprise, he actually did ask about her progress on the tour.  So Stephen shot it with a tracking shot and got an emotional performance from Jared Harris. Obviously, Peter had to invent and dramatise the dialogue when there were intimate scenes and during the audiences with the Queen and PM’s; even their partners weren’t privy to their conversations.  During an interview, Tony Blair quoted some of the lines that Peter Morgan had written in ‘The Queen’ so obviously they were better than his own, (laughs) an example of life imitating art. Even when I have a script, I see every shot as a non-linear entity because you’re always restructuring and recreating scenes and adding extra off-camera lines.

The Crown (L to R) JFK, Jackie, Elizabeth, Philip. The Kennedys and Windsors meet

ní Dhonghaíle: It’s a tremendous responsibility, even with these imagined conversations because there is a responsibility on all of us who are making a film about real people, whether they are in the public domain or ordinary citizens, the responsibility is the same. We have to be as truthful and compassionate as we can be in telling their story.

Di Ciaula: We all feel a moral obligation to be truthful but to tell the story in a dramatic, humorous and epic way. I have to give credit to Peter Morgan because before we started shooting the first season the palace approached him and wanted to be a part of the production. Peter said absolutely not. He wanted free rein to dramatise the show any way he wanted. He wanted to show the behind the scenes. He wanted to show the darkness and intimacy between the Queen and Prince Philip. Otherwise, all of that would have been whitewashed and it wouldn’t have been as dramatic, truthful or entertaining.

And as far as the brilliant Hans Zimmer and Rupert Gregson-Williams are concerned, we were so lucky to have access to so many amazing soundtracks from their previous films which is mainly how we created our temp tracks and drew inspiration. I sometimes used 6-8 tracks of temp music so it was a complicated and intricate soundtrack in order to build rhythm, underscore emotion and increase tension.  In season two, we were even luckier because we could draw from the score that had been composed for season one which had the right tone and tempo but of course, new music was composed as well.

Hullfish: Una, my background is documentary as well, and it’s not an easy jump to make to drama, though there are many very good documentary editors who have done it. How did that jump happen for you?

The Crown (L to R) Margaret, Tony Armstrong Jones Tony Armstrong Jones prepares to photograph Margaret at his studio

ní Dhonghaíle: After leaving school, I completed a four-year film degree in Dublin and then I specialised in film editing at the National Film and TV School (NFTS) in the UK 1995-98. One of my graduation films ‘Secondhand’, directed by Emily Young was a co-production with the Lodz film school in Poland and we won the top prize for the best student film in Cannes in 1999. For the next nine years, I edited feature documentary films that were shown in festivals, on TV and won many prestigious awards, but it was difficult to break into drama. Then in 2008, Wojtek Szepel the cinematographer of ‘Secondhand’ recommended me for a BBC drama ‘White Girl’, written by Abi Morgan and directed by Hettie MacDonald. I showed Hettie 40 minutes of one of my documentaries, which was edited in a visceral, present tense way with no talking head interviews or voice-over narration and she loved it and I got the job! So I was really lucky, it came from the roots of the short film-school graduation piece in Cannes and Wojtek never forgot me and I am indebted to him and Hettie.

Editors can be pigeon-holed and I would urge producers and directors not to pigeonhole anyone because part of my drama skill and craft comes from my years in documentary and also having trained on film. It has made me decisive and resourceful. I have a belief in my gut instincts and I remember my first instincts when I watch the rushes and find the best way to tell the story.

Hullfish: You both talked about the responsibility to these real people who are alive now. And I just talked to William Goldenberg who edited Detroit and all those people are still alive and well they’re not royalty, they’re human beings and he felt incredible responsibility to them in portraying that the actual people

ní Dhonghaíle: Yes that’s what I mean, I think as filmmakers we are all very loyal and responsible when we are telling the story of ordinary people and I think we needed to maintain that same level of loyalty and responsibility to these people who are in the public domain, such as the royal family or politicians. Sometimes it’s easier to be more cavalier when the people are in the public domain, but they are only human too. So the responsibility William felt, we felt too when we were making this series because the characters we portray live outside of the domain of our story. That’s what Peter does so beautifully in his writing, because although he uncovers the darker side of humanity, he always does it with compassion and that is the key.

Di Ciaula: Peter’s writing is truthful, based on historical events but he finds these tiny details that he dramatises beautifully and in a very respectful way.  Even if it’s material that might be uncomfortable for the Royals, Peter treats them with humanity.  I think that’s why the show appeals to everyone; we’re not protecting anyone or sugarcoating anything.  And even if one wasn’t a Royalist when we started the show, many people fell in love with them…..

ní Dhonghaíle (interrupting): I couldn’t call myself a Royalist! (much laughter) …but I empathise with them in the stories we told.

Di Ciaula: Some people became Royalists after watching the show because they were portrayed honestly and their strengths and weaknesses were revealed equally.  As a Canadian and part of the Commonwealth, I’ve seen the Queen’s image every day of my life so I have to say that I’ve learned a great deal about her history and struggles so I have more respect for her after my experience on The Crown.

Anyway Steve, I know we have to wrap this up but thanks so much for your interest in The Crown.  Your articles are inspirational and it’s been terrific sharing our experiences with you and your readers.  Let us know when you’re in London and we’ll all get together!

ní Dhonghaíle: Thank you, Steve, it was a pleasure talking to you. Best of luck with everything.

This interview was transcribed using SpeedScriber. (Transcribed in under 10 minutes with no wait for a transcriptionist.)

To read more interviews in the Art of the Cut series, check out THIS LINK and follow me on Twitter @stevehullfish

The first 50 interviews in the series provided the material for the book, “Art of the Cut: Conversations with Film and TV Editors.” This is a unique book that breaks down interviews with many of the world’s best editors and organizes it into a virtual roundtable discussion centering on the topics editors care about. It is a powerful tool for experienced and aspiring editors alike. Cinemontage and CinemaEditor magazine both gave it rave reviews. No other book provides the breadth of opinion and experience. Combined, the editors featured in the book have edited for over 1,000 years on many of the most iconic, critically acclaimed and biggest box office hits in the history of cinema.

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