#much to consider for artistic choice and the intended vibes
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
un-pearable · 2 months ago
Text
Tumblr media
gonna wait to post a couple webfishing pieces all together but the sketch for my void one was really evocative to me so i wanna share now :)
16 notes · View notes
pinchinschlimbah · 3 months ago
Text
Been thinking a lot lately about Kyo's hair.... Obviously, elaborate hair was a major part of the 90s and early 2000s vkei movement with Dir en Grey being one of the iconic groups in that regard, and I even read something (unconfirmed?) that before Kyo's career took off and he was roadie-ing for other bands, he was in charge of helping them do their hair, and there is video I've seen of him doing backstage staff members' hair in vkei style for fun. Of course, as Dir en Grey moved away from that era, they dropped the performative hairstyles and went for a more western metal look for a while. Theres an old interview from the Arche era in 2014 where Kyo talks about his choice to shave his head at that time, saying he felt that having to care too much about his hair was just getting in the way of his performance and it was nice to not have to worry about it, and he didn't see himself ever having long hair again because it was too bothersome. While up until recently that last part has been true, in the past decade he's gone back to playing around with his hair a lot in color and style and it's felt pretty clear that he has been moving more towards re-embracing using visual appearance to make a statement and add to the performance rather than considering it a distraction. I've been particularly fascinated by what's been going on with him the past year- he shaved his head again, but this time it feels different. The lack of hair is no longer intended as neutral, but something to build on top of- both with him gradually covering his whole head in tattoos, and the experimentation he's been doing with attached hair extensions. The early iterations of this were just a few strands, but he's continued to play with this concept making it more elaborate and giving it more character. I found it really compelling that for the European tour this past March with the two different shows back to back, the Uroboros look which had more feminine/androgynous vibes had long hair extensions, even longer than his vkei era hair! Whereas the Withering look, which was typically a more masculine presentation, often had shorter extensions rather than just keeping his natural bald head, or for the couple shows he was bald he was doing skeleton makeup so that the baldness became an intentional part of the character. Both were constructed characters on top of the neutral base person, and each had their own worldbuilding rather than the feminine being a put-on costume and the masculine being the neutral default. Around that time, I was having a conversation with a friend about the parallels between Kyo's hair extensions and drag artists I follow who've done very similar looks in the past. I made an offhand comment about how now that Kyo has (at least for the moment) committed to being bald with the choice to tattoo his head, how long before we'd see him wearing full wigs in Sukekiyo since that that's been going in an increasingly draggy direction? And lo and behold, a few months later for the next Sukekiyo shows Kyo was wearing not just a couple hair extensions glued on a bald head, but full custom constructed full hairpiece that covered the whole front half of his head, with bangs, pigtails, etc. Having the neutral base to start with and giving himself the freedom to build characters on top of that base rather than hesitating to make statements with his appearance out of fear it would distract from the music or come off as inauthentic, gives him the opportunity to build even more distinct and captivating characters for each band than he ever has before and express each band's worldview even more fully. I'm very excited to see what happens for Androgynos, whether it'll be a continuation of what we've been seeing lately, or the start of a whole new era!
35 notes · View notes
msommers · 4 months ago
Note
✈️🧡🤔😞 for riya, ghilly and aphrodite!
thank you!! let's breeze right by the fact that i forgot this in my drafts for numerous days bc i have too many things in there, it's embarrassing // details about ocs
✈️ AIRPLANE — does your oc like traveling, or do they consider themselves a more homey person?
RIYA — she's being scammed because Riya would love traveling if she wasn't doing it as a damn Grey Warden. she misses home more than she ever thought she could, but the potential love of journeying around is definitely there. it's exciting getting to meet new people, interact with different cultures, view all new kinds of aesthetics and traditions, etc etc. plus it gives her the opportunity to flirt with all kinds of people and we know she loves that lmao 
GHILLY — home is wherever Ama is, and Ama is her constant companion during her travels so like. best of both worlds. between the two of them they practically carry a home with them anyway—tent, supplies, comforts, materials for hobbies, etc etc, they got it all packed away and ready whenever they decide on a location to set up in. she's got that strong wanderlust in her, hard to picture an end to traveling. 
APHRODITE — loves travel because she grew up in a home that she hated so deeply and did everything she could to stay out of it at any chance. she also just enjoys it in general, especially now that she doesn't have to be involved in the planning/scheduling whatsoever and she can fully live in the moment (you know, outside of when she's being bossed around because she's on a tv show but we ignore that bit). 
❤️ RED HEART — what are three of your oc's positive traits?
RIYA — passionate, audacious, protective. 
GHILLY — curious, open-minded, sincere. 
APHRODITE — loyal, creative, funny. 
🤔 THINKING FACE — what are some of your oc's quirks/mannerisms?
RIYA — plays with her hair a lot, the most expressive hands and facial expressions you’ve seen while in conversation, winking aficionado, loosely clasped hands at her front, gets real close to / initiates touch often when talking to people, incapable of not checking her appearance in a reflective surface, flutters eyelashes, purposefully does her best to look hot even while idle 
GHILLY — has an accent while speaking elvhen, expressions/reactions appear toned down, summons wisps into her lantern to play with when it’s quiet, traces her vallaslin while in thought, moves at an unhurried pace 98% of the time, character bleed if too much time spent connected to a single spirit
APHRODITE — pushes her hair behind an ear more frequently than necessary, bobs her head/dances to the music she’s writing in her head, big time eye-roller, pulls her hair back to make for a hairstyle then gives up part way through, leggy bouncy disease (critical), bites pens/pencils, “nice [insert artist name here] reference” if somebody unwittingly name drops a song/lyric she likes, exaggerated hip swaying while walking
😞 DISAPPOINTED FACE — does your oc attract others, or do they tend to be left alone?
RIYA — don't know if it's pulled it off in-game, but Riya's intended to be the kinda girly that grabs everyone's attention when she enters the scene because of her presence, charm, and [usually] beautiful wardrobe. tbh i think she attracts people no matter what her mood is because she's so expressive and open about everything. she looks like she's having a great time at a party? you feel like you could approach and she'd pull you into the vibes without hesitation. she's throwing a fit in anger? you highkey wanna engage just to hear her rant about whatever's made her so mad. she's sitting there upset? you have no choice but to go over there between how her eyes literally Glitter with tears and the way her entire body gives off "i'm in desperate need of support, please baby me". (she'd also rather fucking Die than be alone for more than 5 minutes so there's that. she puts in the effort to be approachable.) 
GHILLY — i can see both ends of the scale being true for Ghilly. sometimes she wants to be left alone and puts effort into outwardly displaying that in ways people can easily pick up on, and other times you can practically feel her welcoming anybody into her circle with open arms. 
APHRODITE — this bitch has a gravitational pull about her. you either want to get close so you can join in on her incredible vibes, or because you want to figure out just how much of a front she's putting on because nobody's That loud with their personality unless parts of it are ramped up for attention. she's rarely found alone and that's certainly on purpose, she needs others around to avoid the introspection.
2 notes · View notes
alarrytale · 1 year ago
Note
Which songs do you consider more indie? I don't feel like he's ever done anything too out there.. most of his songs could be 1D songs. I actually wish he would lean harder into the pop rock sound like Holiday or Paradise or Miss You. I don't see him losing any OG fans for having the level of edge of Paramore or Olivia Rodrigo.
Hi, anon!
I don't think he's done anything too out there either, yet. He's got some songs leaning into pop rock, punk rock, synth-pop/rock and some with a very Gallagher-y sound. The rest i consider to be within the pop genre. Chicago i almost get country-pop vibes from. FITF is all over the place sound wise.
I think if he strays too much away from the pop genre over to rock and punk rock he's going to lose fans. Louis strengths as an artist are good lyrics and great melodies. He's best at mid-tempo songs and pop-ballads. His voice fits those type of songs best too. His lyrics and songs are often very romantic and have romantic themes. That fits well within that genre.
I think his fans, from his 1D days, prefer pop music over rock or punk rock music. Pop music is more relateable, catchy and generally loved. Fans don’t want guitars or drums drowning his passionate love declarations. The Gallagher-y songs makes his voice sound whiny and grating and i don't like that. Indie or punk rock songs are less radio friendly too. Paramore and OR are in the genre i call teenage angst rock. I don't think music like that would fit his current fanbase nor his (potential) new target audience. He's not a teenager anymore either (even though he acts like one).
I personally don't like rock music and definitly not punk rock. Melodic rock music is okay, so I actually like Paradise a lot, but i don't like Holiday at all. The lads at the pub in Doncaster songs as i call them i would love for him to quit making; Saturdays, Silver Tongues, Common People, TTWLG and High in California. I don't relate to them at all and i find them immature and dated. Face the Music is soundwise always a skip for me, same with Ooms. Ftm would never have made the album if he didn’t intend it for a live audience. It's not a good album track.
I'd love for him to make more catchy songs like Waoyf. I would also love more songs like Change, All this time and my fave Copy x3. Copy is also Gallagher-y but not too much. That's the way to go if he wants to move away from pure pop. I have to say that i love all his pop songs (habit, hoth, lucky again, angels fly, the way i do and chicago). I think he should stick to making catchy pop songs, but it's not my decision to make.
If he does move away from pop music even more i'm concerned about him being less relatable with his songs, lyrics and themes, not playing to his strengths and being less commercial and harder to promote. If he can't get the indie fans on board his streaming numbers will suffer. His choice of singles and the order of the singles are also bad, but that's nothing new from him unfortunatly. So it will be interesting to see where this all leads.
3 notes · View notes
aaronafgash · 11 months ago
Text
10 NEW SONGS - 2/9/24
I’m starting a series where I write about approximately 10 new songs. These are intended to mostly address new releases for that respective week (new music is released on Friday’s), but I may dip into older songs I discovered at times, especially for bad weeks for new music (like this one). There’s no order here, but the first few songs will generally be the ones I’m most excited about.
1. Feeling Good Today - Faye Webster
I’m a Faye Webster fan through and through, but this is a different sound for her. Production wise, “Feeling Good Today” is stripped down, simple, and gorgeous - just one electric guitar and some piano near the end of the track. But I don’t think we’ve ever heard her sing in autotune. You don’t hear a lot of harmonized autotune like this, outside of Bon Iver and T-Pain (wow - those are not two artists I expected to be pairing together today), but it lands. Excited for Faye’s next project (March 1st).
2. Double Standards (feat. Sampha) - Ghetts
Didn’t know much about Ghetts before hearing “Double Standards”, but a Sampha feature always demands my attention, and I was not disappointed. Sampha obviously does not miss on this hook, but Ghetts comes correct right away, rapping “Jack's in the airport with drugs in his baggage / And security are troublin' Muhammed 'bout a sandwich��. Later, he brings up Ukraine getting international aid/support but Palestine being ignored. A jazzy, progressive, politically-charged UK rap with a soulful hook? Sign me the fuck up.
3. Holier - JD. REID Remix (feat. Shygirl) - Kelela
Kelela follows up her outstanding Raven album from 2023 with a remix project, just as she has with her past albums Hallucinogen and Take Me Apart. The album is hit or miss, but the JD. REID “Holier” remix is landing for me. Cool production, mesmerizing Kelela vocals, a fun Shygirl verse. (For the record, the Flexulant x BAMBI “Closure” remix is the best track on this album, but that one was released two months ago.)
4. Alesis - Mk.gee
Had a harder time getting into Mk.gee’s recent music so it wasn’t shocking that I wasn’t loving his new album Two Star & The Dream Police. Fortunately, “Alesis” redeems the otherwise underwhelming project. Nothing crazy about this song, but I found myself enjoying his tone and melodic choices, and the production is, as the kids say, a vibe. I was hoping for more considering how excellent his work was on Dijon’s 2021 album Absolutely, but at least we have this!
5. You’re Always On My Mind - Owen Vonn
Technically released last week, but I found it this week and I'm already struggling to hit 10 songs - fuck it! This is just a fun little house remix / reworking of “You’re Always On My Mind” by SWV, breathing some modern life into a classic ‘90s joint. Not mad at it, although it’s a bit repetitive and could have been cut down by a minute or two.
6. Since September - Walter The Producer
We have officially hit the “this week sucked ass for new music and I gotta reach for older songs I discovered recently” portion of the writeup. I had never heard of Walter the Producer, but “Since September” from 2023 is a bop, and the influence from Steve Lacy is inevitable here. Definitely keeping an eye on Walter moving forward.
7. Fifty-fifty Clown - Cocteau Twins
I found Heaven or Las Vegas my freshman year of college, and I was completely blown away by the title track, but for whatever reason, I never really got into the rest of the project. After watching videos of multiple artists on the Grammys red carpet declaring this to be their perfect album, I decided now was the right time to dig back in. One thing that’s always struck me about Cocteau Twins’ music is how modern it all sounds. “Fifty-fifty Clown” was released in 1990(!), but it still sounds so futuristic. The excellent production is one thing, but it’s the vocals that floor me - Elizabeth Fraser was OUT HERE. Her swirling, angelic voice is so stunning, you don’t realize that official lyrics for the song don’t even exist! 
8. Taurus (feat. Julia Zivic) - CARRTOONS
Became familiar with CARRTOONS after hearing his fantastic album Saturday Night from last year (2023). Came across this track this week after seeing him perform with Julia Zivic on Tiny Desk and immediately did some research to find more songs by her. Taurus feels like a warm, lazy, comfortable weekend day. Does the fact that I’m a Taurus impact my feelings about this song? Who’s to say!
9. Till There Was You - Peggy Lee
I had only ever heard the Beatles version of “Till There Was You” - after doing some digging, I found out that Paul McCartney was introduced to Peggy Lee’s cover of the original (written for a musical in ‘57). The more you know! Anyways, this is chill. Classy, almost-tropical, cruise ship vibes. I’m a fan.
10. I’m Goin’ In (feat. Lil Wayne & Drake)
It’s been a, uh, long week for Drake. Amongst other things that got big this week, his verse on the 2009 song “I’m Goin’ In” was all over my TikTok. It’s a great verse and really shows how hungry he used to be as a rapper in comparison to how he approaches his music nowadays. I love how he raps “21 years and I ain't ever met a good cop” here but on 2020’s “Pain 1993” he says “Police in my city, man, I keep they pockets greased up”. You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain. ACAB.
0 notes
clarythericebot · 2 years ago
Text
Oh my gosh I love it??? A romance built upon a fascinating world that could be the host of wilder or more adventurous stories, but that's not what this one is necessarily trying to do??? Lily vacillating between this society's and her own world's idea of love??? The built in sense of tragedy of being displaced, of never finding home again, but with the aim of the plot having the protagonist find a love to create a home with??? I would most definitely read!
I already love the idea of Lily. I'm getting Fanny-Price-treated-better vibes, though I could definitely be wrong—my speculation here is that the scholar she's been living with isn't necessarily forcing her to get married, but considering he has kids, she feels like she should take the responsibility to move out in a socially-acceptable way (though I'm curious if there is a possibility for her to do that as a single, or if the world is too dangerous for her to go at it alone or if it would be looked upon as the height of scandal).
All of the love interests are fascinating to me! The potential for their character arcs and Lily's are all so interesting. I can imagine the scholar learning to see and love Lily for who she is rather than a science experiment, the warrior pushing himself to grow for her sake, the explorer becoming steadier and more introspective, and the artist deciding to be a safe refuge for her no matter what it takes. I'm so curious how you'd juggle them all—if this is going to end up like some kind of love pentagon, or if it's the tradition of the world to have a kind of merry-go-round of suitors, or something.
The merry-go-round thing actually sounds kinda fun. Imagine if the society pressures bachelors, especially young ones, to be continuously courting at least a few girls until they pick one. A society concerned with survival would be very pro-marriage and would exert social pressure to maximize the chances of its citizens settling down and building families. So maybe all women, including Lily, are guaranteed to have at least a few choices of suitors (regardless of if the suitors intend to pursue seriously or not).
The matchmaker person also sounds super compelling to me, by the way! It sounds like the beginning of a sweet friendship. (Then again, it would be pretty hilarious if the person Lily hired to find her a match is hostile to her for some reason. Think childhood enemies reunited.)
Possibility you might want to consider: Combine the explorer and artist? He could be someone who used to go on far-off adventures, but has recently been horribly injured to the point that he's unsure he'll ever be able to do so again (and the loss of that so-valued strength must be a blow both to his social status and his own sense of self). But maybe in the meantime he rediscovers an old love of painting, and connects with Lily that way. The envy potential toward the warrior also sounds super fun to me—he might have once been able to match him in strength, but now all he has is his old stories and this shared art and the hope it'd be enough. (Though I guess this idea only works if you wanted to streamline the love interests!)
Right now, I feel like the ideal structure for this story is serialized fiction, or a Little Woman- or manga-esque novel (though I guess that's just serialized fiction put together 😛). Little mini-adventures Lily has with her love interests, friends, and family to build up a tapestry of a world and a romance.
Very much up to you, of course! I'd love to hear more and to read this story if you write it^^
Ages ago, I talked about a portal fantasy idea I had, titled Lily Between Worlds. The premise was that a girl fell into a portal fantasy world, but didn't fall into any adventures. She just had to settle into ordinary life there and wait for a portal to open up to take her home. Except no portal ever showed up, and it's not likely one ever will. She's getting older, and the family she's staying with can't support her forever. So she has to consider settling down--namely, marriage. Which is a huge deal because starting an adult life here means she's giving up on any chance of going home. Plus trying to find someone to marry when you're literally from different worlds is difficult.
It never moved much beyond that initial premise, because I couldn't develop the world or the characters. But it's been coming to mind again, and I have some ideas for worldbuilding that would offer some more detailed plot possibilities, and I want to talk about it before I lose it completely.
The first breakthrough came with the idea that I could adapt an idea from my Lost Library universe as the basis of the worldbuilding. Centuries ago, some calamity caused large hunks of land to break off and float in the sky. This broke up societies and left the people on these landmasses isolated from each other for a long time, and they're only recently coming back into contact with each other. It's useful for Lily's story, because we can say the calamity that fractured their world also opened up fissures to other worlds, and some people here are aware that people sometimes fall through from our Earth.
The other key idea is that this world is dangerous. The calamity that broke the world also caused a population explosion of various chimera-ish beasts, many of which attack humans. Society is built around the fact that we need to be able to protect people from these beasts. Women and children need to be protected, because the monsters go after the weak. Men are expendable and need to defend women and children--but women also need battle skills because it's dumb not to know how to defend yourself. There is also a lot of competition over resources--I'm not sure what, but maybe one of them is the same energy that caused the fracturing and can be used to power technologies. Things have settled down in recent centuries and they've come to a level of civilization (I'm thinking Regency-ish) where you can have classes and trades not totally devoted to survival--but those survival skills are still highly valuable.
Lily is not adventurous. She's a very quiet artistic type who heard about all the dangers of this world and decided she was never going to step outside alone. She's spent the last few years in the household of a scholar who's fascinated with Earth. He's got a few kids several years younger than her, and she settled in among the children, focusing on learning the language and the basics of this world. But now she's come of age and has to enter the adult world. Even though she's been in this world for years, we still get the portal fantasy sense of discovery because she's learning all the details of the culture surrounding courtship and adult responsibilities. This is a domestic fantasy, focused on the interpersonal relationships and the culture of this specific place. No world-changing quests, just characters interacting. At most, a few monster attacks to liven things up.
The story would focus on Lily's attempt to find a husband. She works with a young matchmaker-in-training (who thinks she's from some distant floating island rather than another world) to find good candidates. It's tough because Lily has no family ties here and outsiders are suspect. She's got a lot of the feminine skills this society values, but has zero combat ability--a major handicap when a good wife has to be able to protect the children from monsters. This world values beauty, social status, and strength. Lily's got the first and needs a husband who can provide the other two (and is willing to overlook her lack).
We can use the suitors to explore different facets of this world and Lily's personality. A good partner needs to be similar enough that they can connect, but different enough to draw Lily out of her comfort zone; he needs to draw out her good qualities without reinforcing her flaws. She could interact with a lot of different men, but four types are coming to the forefront as potential husband material.
The scholar: A young man who works with the scholar who houses Lily. Fascinated by Earth, knows Lily's true history. He and Lily casually get along, but don't quite gel. (He treats her a bit like a science experiment, for one thing). He doesn't have much strength to protect Lily, but he's got a decent status (enough that his family would want him to marry better than Lily). He would be the safe choice, allowing Lily to more-or-less remain the same woman she is now.
The warrior: An ideal catch by this world's standards. Very high status, excellent combat ability. Already has several heroic achievements. Socially awkward enough to need the help of a matchmaker to attract a wife. He and Lily share almost no interests, but her dynamic with him would force her to confront her own prejudices about this world--just because he's a fighter, it doesn't mean he's brainless or has no feelings. Could really draw Lily outside her comfort zone, but maybe too much so.
The explorer: A man who has spent the last several years exploring far-flung floating isles and has only recently returned home--to a lot of rumors and distrust. He's got strength, but almost no status; he's scandalous to this neighborhood. Lily likes his travel stories, and he believes her tale of being from another world--he's seen portals before. They get along well enough, but he's as adventurous as Lily is cautious. He says he wants to settle down, but he's not the type to be happy with an ordinary life. A life with him would be either a life here under the cloud of scandal, or a life of dangerous travel. But he would draw out Lily's adventurous side and introduce her (and us) to more details of this world.
The artist: A man who's working on some project for a high-status person in the neighborhood. He and Lily connect most on a personal level, sharing a love of art. He's got a middling sort of status, and is a weakling. Perhaps he's disabled from some monster attack; it would explain why he'd been allowed to take up a sedentary (and frivolous) trade (though if that's the case and she *doesn't* choose him, it could look like we're reinforcing this society's idea that he doesn't deserve to marry). He would be sort of like the male version of Lily; they would connect very easily, but he wouldn't push her to grow.
At the moment, the explorer is most compelling as endgame, though I can see potential in the warrior and artist as well. The interactions with all four can shape her character. There'd also be subplots of other monster attacks and political/social conflicts happening in the background of this courtship.
I'd probably have to end the story with Lily and her chosen guy teaming up to defeat some kind of dangerous beast--showing that Lily has developed the courage to face this world's dangers and has found a partner capable of facing them with her.
If anyone's read all that--decent ideas, or too many holes? Interesting or the dullest thing you've ever heard? I'm treating this as a worldbuilding game for the moment, so you can play along if you like.
66 notes · View notes
sytokun · 2 years ago
Note
When you say that the plasticky look on the Maya models might have been an aesthetic choice to make the characters stand out, do you mean an active choice in how they model the characters or a choice as in choosing to use Maya which has plasticky models? Like, if they put the same time into the models that they have to improve the backgrounds, could Maya RWBY have actually well textured models? Are the bad models a Maya limitation or a RWBY one?
Maya is a legit industry-level 3D software, so it was likely capable of everything Poser was and much more, hence the change. The problem was less with the engine and more with the art direction.
Since Monty was no longer there, RT clearly needed to reorient themselves and find a new art direction for RWBY and its models. My guess is Monty based a lot of early RWBY's aesthetics on Japanese MMD style animations (hence the accusations that RWBY stole much of its Poser-era models from such) -- however, the Maya era art direction very clearly took more inspiration from more Western 3D productions, with some anime mixed in. The current Maya models rely heavily on cel-shading/toon shading, which was quite common for 3D animated cartoons at the time.
So yes, Maya could very well have well-textured models - it was obvious in the environments and other props they made. I think the main problem lay more with the fact that none of RWBY's showrunners are artists or necessarily visually-minded.
They're largely writers or did Red vs. Blue, which is a machinima using existing assets from Halo. As such, they'd never had to create their models or designs from scratch. Monty however was also an artist and had many sketches of his characters that he conveyed to Ein Lee -- his skill may not be at the same level but he was clearly visual-minded and had strong visual impressions of what he wanted out of RWBY -- he sought out Ein Lee and Kristina Nguyen because their existing artstyles were a fit to how he imagined RWBY.
One thing to note that while Monty may not have "written" RWBY, he was its creator and main lead, as well as animator. He was wearing as many hats as he could wear. He knew what it would look like, what it would sound like, what the fights would feel like. These are all integral to the "vibe" of RWBY, i.e. more intangible but still important aspects of the series. Without him, it was essentially ripping out the mast of a ship, sails and all.
Even if RT was intending to faithfully follow Monty's style and preferences for the show's presentation (which I highly doubt they were), these sorts of mounting differences are inevitable. But some are more preventable than others, which is what I definitely consider the look of the models to fall under.
34 notes · View notes
kanmom51 · 4 years ago
Note
I'm kind of new to your blog so I don't know if you ever talked about this but the BTS fandom seem to genuinely hate the idea of jikook together.
I really fell like it'll never be enough, i really think if they ever kissed it'll still never be enough (they'll probably say it's Korean culture🇰🇷)
I'm gonna ask for your opinion on one topic but pls don't come at me, I'm just really curious about it.
So, we know many times BTS speaks with their art, for example:Boy With Love (a song about army), Mic Drop (dissing the haters) and many others, and one theory that has really cought my attention was about magic shop being about JIMIN and jk wrote it himself and said it was an 'army' song, ik the chance are really low but it's never impossible and this video really explains why:https://youtu.be/SNepDUB9j-0
And if it is really about him i really understand what jk did here, it's a song for jimin (and i personally think this wasn't entended for the fans to figure it out)
But now what really gets me thinking about whether it's real or not (them being romantically involved) is GCFT, because GCFT is either a massive queerbating video or it's a love letter, and i wonder if JK thought about how the fans would react because he definitely knew the fan base is quite ignorant about the idea of one of their idols being gay and dating another one within the group, so what reaction does he hope to get from the fans?????
Did he hope for the fans to give support to their relationship???
Like i really don't get what he tried to do with GCFT cause if people weren't so blind they would definitely talk about how it's not really normal to take your 'friend' to Disneyland, sleep in the same room, record a video with a gay song and etc...
And did he hope for it to be a coming out video??🤷
I'm sorry for the long text, i just really wanted to say this and get some opinions out of it, don't get me wrong i really think jikook has something but I really don't get what he tried to do with GCFT, did he not think people might not take it as a friendly thing (Wich they did) and that could mean the end of their career in south Korea??
Don't come at me, I'm just really curious about your opinion.💜
Anon, why would you think I would come at you???  I’m not that person.
Your ask is totally legitimate.  Don’t think for a second that these are things I didn’t question myself when I started to delve into the world of JM&JK.
Let’s start with Magic Shop.  Your YT link.  It’s takes it a little too far for me, especially their explanation of the lyrics meaning.  
But even saying that, well yes.  My inclination is towards it being a song for JM.  Just as I believe Serendipity is JM’s love ode to JK (even though he himself did not write the lyrics).  
This is all speculative, of course.  JK&JM’s loose use of ‘army’ (a Run BTS episode comes to mind when JM says he is army and JK’s response...) is part of it. 
Now, the song is ambiguous enough to be about army, but I tend to go with gut feelings, and going by JM’s reaction to the song, there is so much more to this.
If you look closely you can see that JM’s reactions to Magic Shop are comparable to JK’s reactions to Serendipity.  The love in the eyes, the shyness, just the whole JM vibe during the BTS comeback preview show when they were talking about the song.   Just doesn’t feel like a reaction you would expect for a song to army.
Now to your questions about GCFT.
GCFT was uploaded on 18 November 2017 following a private trip JM & JK took to Tokyo.
As I have mentioned in my timeline, I believe these two have been romantically involved since mid-end 2015 (around August 2015).  As such, this trip and the following GCFT are 2 years into their relationship.
JK had been posting song recommendations and did a cover for a song that would be considered outright LGBTQ+ content, performed by LGBTQ+ artists, over the years, even prior to mid 2015.   
You cannot look at this disconnected with JK’s personality either.  He does things impulsively.  I’m taken back to the story he told of his mother.  How he cheated on a test and was punished not for cheating but for lying to her.  Truth is important to him.  He is a non conformist.  Doesn’t feel he needs to toe the company line.  I mean, have you seen his tattoos? 
So, when looking at the choice to share GCFT with us, you cannot disconnect from who JK is.
Did JK intend to fully ‘come out’ with GCFT?  I can’t say for sure.  I do believe he was definitely trying to test the waters, stretch the boundaries.
Yes, I believe GCFT is JK’s love ode to JM, and I have said so many times.  Yes, there are clear romantic vibes.  And yes, I think he was expecting some kind of backlash.  Imagine his surprise when nothing really happened...
I think that JK & JM over the years have been sending us so many little hints as to the nature of their relationship.  I think that on the one hand they want everyone to know, wouldn’t you want to let the world know when you are in love?  When the person you adore loves you back?  That the person you love is spoken for?  You are happy and want everyone around you to know it?  It’s only natural.  
But they can’t.  They are bound by the industry they are in and the society they are part of.  Neither would accept them for who they are and who they love.  So, they tiptoe around it.  Hint it.  Send out feelers.  They push the boundaries every little bit more each time, test the reactions.  
So far, those who see it usually support them.  The others, who would not support it, well they seem to be blind to it, or choose to ignore it.  Which means they are still safe. 
23 notes · View notes
c-mxian · 4 years ago
Text
Shangri La no Tori Drama CD Limited Edition Booklet: Interview with Zariya
Please tell us how you started working on The Birds of Shangri La (Shangri La no Tori).
At first, the plan was to release it as a one shot under a different publisher, but things didn't quite work out (my manuscript ended up getting rejected at one point). I still really wanted to work on this story and Purantan contacted me just around that time. I remember showing the person in charge at first what kind of story I wanted to create and receiving their approval right then. That’s how the story eventually came to life.
I intended for the story and setting to be darker at first, with a somewhat “SM chic” vibe to it, but it’s completely different from the actual story now though of course (laughs). I initially planned to wrap the story up as a one shot, but I realized it would be necessary to do a serialization in order to better tell the story.
 Which elements remained the same in the initial draft and the story now?
The dynamic between the two main characters: a prostitute uke and a seme who takes care of him. I wanted to illustrate a situation where the seme is in charge of taking care of and arousing the prostitute uke only to have to pass him onto a customer in the end! As they grow closer, the uke would end up wanting to be held by the seme and not his customers. I thought the story would become very sad that way. On a lighter note, I really love it when a quiet and reserved seme gets troubled by a more active and straightforward uke. It’s the kind of combination I like the most and I’m able to draw that out as freely as I want in The Birds of Shangri La.
 Please share with us the scenes or lines that left the deepest impression on you in volume 1 of The Birds of Shangri La.
The last scene from chapter one. There are three rules that cannot be broken at Shangri La (“Do not let the birds come”, “Do not have intercourse, “Do not fall in love”), but I didn’t intend to include the last one at first. As I was working on the plot, I felt like something was missing with just the first two rules so I added the third one.
For this scene, I imagined a beautiful world accentuated with the scenery of the sea and sunset and a tone that marks this scene as the start of the actual story. With a lovely setting like this, I felt the romantic mood would be completely lost if I was too pragmatic with my choice in words for the dialogue. Although the story takes place in a brothel, I envisioned it to be one about pure love so I felt the inclusion of the third rule was necessary. I’m quite satisfied with the ambience even though I was supposed to reveal the rule later (laughs).
Despite being a last addition, the third rule is the most important one. I was able to portray what kind of story Shangri La would be from that point on and the readers were able to get an idea of that as well. The inclusion of the rule, “Don’t fall in love”, also adds a very nice lingering ambience to the story so I’m glad I included it. It’s definitely a line that leaves a very deep impression.
 The combination of your beautiful illustrations and balance of emotional language is one of the key elements that always leaves readers highly anticipating the next chapter. Please tell us how you came up with the characters in Shangri La no Tori.
 First off, I came up with the characterizations for Phi and Apollo at the same time since I already had a clear idea that the story would revolve around the relationship between a prostitute and the person who takes care of him. Next is the owner who is a very important character in the story, so important I’d even consider him the third main character. After that is Douglas, Apollo’s lawyer. He’s an essential character who is able to read Apollo, a man of few words. Contrastingly, I then created Carna as a companion who is able to speak on behalf of Phi. Phi may not be as reticent as Apollo, but he does not say much about the things that matter about himself.
 Please share with us anything about the other characters in the story as well.
I have so many things I want to share! As a manga artist, I don’t have many opportunities to talk with other people so I’m really happy for this opportunity.
When I come up with a character, I first consider what kind of role they will play in the story. I created Marco as the character who would help guide Apollo through Shangri La, a place unlike any he has ever been to. Marco is somewhat like a link between the world Apollo has known before and the new one he has stepped into.
Then there’s Sheth who I created because I wanted to have a character who had a vibe most similar to that of a stud. I wondered whether I should’ve made him more playful, but I felt it would be more appropriate to make his personality more relaxed and professional-like since Shangri La is a place akin to that of a high class salon. When he talks with Apollo, you can tell he’s just a normal guy and not loose as many may think. He’s a professional who takes his job seriously.
Carna may be a prostitute, but he is the bravest character in the story. In contrast to his small stature, his mentality is strong. I imagined him to be like a brother to Phi, someone who understands Phi well and stays by his side when he is not emotionally stable.
 So the recording just finished up a moment ago. What are your thoughts after listening to it in the booth?
The impression I always had of Shangri La no Tori when I drew the story is that it constantly carries a calm tone with little variation in intonation. When I listened to the recording, the balance was so nice and the mood livelier than I thought. Many of the scenes with Phi and Apollo are adult scenes, but there are also scenes like where Patrick and the other birds are livelily having a good time. While everyone is enjoying their peaceful daily life, the mood suddenly becomes tense when Phi loses his temper and starts acting violently. It was refreshing to see how a slight change in the sound can shift the tension of a scene and add emotional variety to the story. Since the story takes place in the southern region of the world, I was afraid it would be too laid-back and eventually become dull, but I guess I didn’t have to worry about this!
 What did you think of the characters’ voices?
I’m really thankful because the cast is absolutely amazing. Mr. Nakashima, the voice actor for Phi, is really amazing at expressing the various different sides of Phi: his sexy and mischievous side, his innocent and naïve side, as well as the side of him when he loses his temper. It really felt like Phi was alive.
As for Mr. Matsuoka, he did a wonderful job in portraying Apollo’s open-minded side. As a top, Apollo hasn’t quite “bloomed” yet and his potential is still hidden. Mr. Matsuoka added a wonderful layer of sexiness to that aspect of Apollo. When Apollo first arrives at Shangri La, he is taken aback by this completely new world he has stepped into, but he is able to get a hold of himself and stand ready for what’s to come. I could really feel how broad-minded and deep of a person he was and am really excited to see how the changes he will go through will be portrayed.
Aside from Phi and Apollo, the owner, Marco, Douglas, Raymond, and everyone else…the rest of the cast was absolutely amazing! I would love to share my thoughts on each individual character, but I’ll have to leave that for another time as there is a limited number of pages for this booklet. I have already shared my thoughts on twitter though so please check them out!
Each of the cast members’ voices fit each character so well, but I was really touched that even without clearly expressing their characters through their lines, they really gave life to the characters with their acting. There are certain things I can’t fully portray in the manga so I was really happy to see all those nuances come to life in the drama CD.
 Aside from the love scenes, there are many scenes of everyday life too.
In a BL, the two main characters’ relationship is the most important thing, but depicting Shangri La as “a place with a pleasant atmosphere” was also equally important to me. Shangri La is a “paradise” where only those who have been chosen by its respectable owner can enter. Even though Shangri La is a brothel, it’s a place where one can heal both their mind and heart, as Raymond has said. I was very satisfied with how the drama CD cast was able to portray Shangri La.
 What were your impressions when you heard the drama CD itself?
Out of all my works, I have always thought that The Birds of Shangri La would be the most difficult one to turn into a drama CD due to the lack of dialogue in many scenes. I added in some lines because I was concerned certain things wouldn’t get across without any dialogue.
Despite my initial concerns, it was fun to think of the sound effects and background sounds as a kind of music. When drawing the manga, I could only portray the sounds of the sea and the leaves rustling in the southern region with sound effects (sfx) even though I could picture them clearly in my head. All these sounds come to life in the drama CD. After realizing how big of an effect these sounds have, I regretted not thinking out the interior of the rooms and the miscellaneous things in them more thoroughly. For example, the sound of shell decorations dangling by a window whenever the wind flows can add an extra layer to the atmosphere of a scene.
I can say the same for the music as well. In the beginning when Marco comes to pick Apollo from the port, I imagined reggae music playing in the background, but I could only indicate this with a music note symbol. Shangri La already has a feeling of otherworldliness to it. If I added Gamelan music, I felt the setting would become disconnected from reality so I requested reggae music instead for the drama CD. The drama CD brings Shangri La to life in a way that illustrations and words can’t. I hope you can enjoy the differences between listening to the drama CD and reading the manga.
 Lastly, please give the readers of this special booklet a final message!
To be honest, I was very concerned about the lack of an H scene between Phi and Apollo in the first volume and whether the readers who look forward to this scene would find the drama CD lacking. As I listened to the recording, I started feeling differently. Aside from Phi and Apollo, the characters living in Shangri La and the region surrounding it all give life to the drama CD and the cast did a wonderful job at realistically depicting the lives of these characters. Even if Phi and Apollo don’t go all the way, I think many people will be able to enjoy this drama CD. I hope everyone will treasure the various characters that appear along the way while experiencing both pain and joy as Phi and Apollo’s feelings for each other begin to bloom. I will try my best to create a story that will not disappoint you so I hope you can follow me until the end!
Thank you very much!
60 notes · View notes
boujeeboutiques · 3 years ago
Text
Shopping in the past Style - It's Aberdeen City and Shire
michelle mea hoodies clothing If shopping tops the list of your favourite pastimes, plus Aberdeen City and Shire won't disappoint.From designer boutiques to a host of high street names, you'll locate all the labels and pinnacle character outlets you'd expect from a major city.The city has for centuries been the main shopping destination for a big catchment place, and a popular destination for European shoppers taking a weekend crack. With its striking skyline, historical obsolete town and impressive granite buildings this is a prosperous, cosmopolitan city.
The pleasing range of excellent shopping centres ensures that you'll always be practiced to locate exactly what you'on the subject of looking for and if it's something more exclusive or a tiny quirky that you'concerning after, one of Aberdeen's independent retailers will be skillful to meet the expense of that too.At a mile long, Aberdeen's Union Street is Britain's longest high street and is jam packed subsequently than than than a host of household names and high street favourites. At the upper encroachment less you'll locate the newly opened Hugo Boss, G -Star Raw and Cruise, along moreover premium stores once Jaeger and Jones the Bootmaker.
Tumblr media
Cruise, which opened in the autumn of 2007,  michelle mea hoodies clothing is one of the UK's leading independent luxury retailers gone a fabulous reputation not by yourself for designer brands, but as a showcase for well-ventilated spiteful edge fashion. Brands currently also-door door to at Cruise optional association Gucci, Prada, Dolce and Gabbana, Versace, Dior, Hugo Boss, Paul Smith, Vivienne Westwood, Fendi, Chloe and Jimmy Choo to state a few. At the bottom halt of Union Street, just past it meets the historic Castlegate, is The Bon Accord St Nicholas Shopping Centre.Right in the heart of the city it has a impressive range of stores and is the prime retailing place in Aberdeen. The biggest shopping center in the city, it is split into two buildings and has three floors extending to 630,000 sq ft on summit of two levels. Built in a serpentine touch to maximise shop unit frontage, it is covered by a barrel vaulted glazed roof gone a 90-ft high glazed field.
Flagship stores member in the works New Look and Monsoon, one of the largest in Scotland, a large Boots and Woolworths and shops such as The Body Shop, River Island, Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins, Ortak and Oasis. A auxiliary Costa Coffee will revive the most weary shopper, though the restaurants within the Upper Mall, John Lewis and Marks and Spencer, located at either fade away of the Centre, remain a poplar rendezvous for a casual lunch and a catch-occurring gone links. And of course, there's a Starbucks, taking into account an outside sitting place, if you fancy a spot of cafe culture. Just across from the city's Union Terrace Gardens, The Mall Trinity is a good, one floor shopping middle following about 27 stores including Debenhams, Argos Extra, T-Mobile, HMV, Superdrug, Waterstones and a large Primark.
Cobbled Belmont Street, known for its well-liked bars, cafes, and art habitat cinema, is with the location for The Academy shopping centre. Surrounding an Italianate style piazza, it has an excellent range of upmarket brands and individual shops, coffee shops, bars and restaurants, and the gate-space piazza is often a focus for alive entertainment throughout the summer months. Here the style living will locate independent shops such as Attic, AB10 and Concept, which specialises in casual designer-ware for men. A real style leader in Aberdeen, Attic is continuously introducing choice collections including U.A.R.M, Green Apple Tree and Six Pack. AB10 has anything from footwear to trappings, following many main stream brands including G-Star, Ted Baker, Miss Sixty, Replay, Firetrap and Gio-Goi.
Nicknamed 'Little Chelsea', the Thistle Street place of the city is the usual style quarter of Aberdeen considering a range of independent shops stocking anything from clothes, shoes and frills, in colleague in crime to avow shops, delicatessens, French bakers, florists and art galleries. Bellino and Hamish Munro both have excellent ranges of shoes by continental designers, and if you craving a dress for a big night out, attempt Frox - as soon as anything from funky to formal, it's evening wear behind than attitude. Esslemonts and Esslemonts 2 p.s. a stylish unconventional of menswear and women's fashion from leading brands such as Camel Active, Tommy Hilfiger, Remus, Hobbs and Turnover.
Verdict, along with re Thistle Street, stocks a broad range of really unfamiliar designer clothing and superfluities that are both wearable and attractive. From contemporary evening wear and fused accessories through to casual jeans and edgy tops, Verdict was named by style guru Caryn Franklin as one of the peak ten independents in Scotland.
For stylish, eternal designs Kafka, just not in the disaffect away afield afield off from the corner in Alford Place, has the latest from Armani, Burberry and Prada, even if Kafka for men can be found taking into account mention to Rosemount Viaduct.
Aberdeen's taking place and coming place, The Green, is residence to a range of first class bistros and colossal dining, and a number of trendsetting shops have plus opened in the place, including Coco Violet, designs for the cool and accepted. It houses an eclectic amassing of fashion for the girl that wants to stand out from the crowd, taking into consideration stunning items you won't locate anywhere else in Aberdeen, let alone the UK. For shoes subsequent to a difference find the money for a see at Fenner and Coburn at Netherkirkgate when an wonderful accretion of distinctive designs.
Meanwhile Zoomp, tucked away in Jopps Lane astern John Lewis, has a broad range of clothing covering unnamed casual to Jimmy Choo and Matthew Williamson.
If it's a retro vibes you'as regards after, head to The Closet in Jopps Lane for quirky, vintage retro - an Aladdin's cave of retro finds and one off pieces , or manageable Retrospect, which was recently featured in Vogue magazine, even though Vintage Phoenix in Chattan Place will tailor your finds to fit.
Jewellery, art and antiques
Aberdeen is not known as the Silver City for nothing - the excited granite buildings that make taking place much of the city are testament to that - however the city is plus the residence of some independent jewellers who can design that signature fragment to celebrate a enormously special occasion.
Family-owned Finnies the jewellers, has Scotland's largest amass of diamond jewellery - and biggest accrual of grandfather clocks. As ably as more than 26 watch brands, you'll locate unfamiliar gifts including silver snooker chalk holders. Jamieson and Carry is substitute intimates make a attain of, conventional in 1733. From pearls to pendants it's a true favourite gone jewellery lovers. You can even commission a special fragment to be individually intended and made in-house. Sandy Menzies Designer Jewellers push a constantly evolving range of contemporary jewellery. The design and production of commissioned pieces in precious metals and gemstones is also easy to use, even if George Kite on the subject of Holburn Street features a range of objector Scottish designers.
For antiques, head for the city's West End, where you'll locate Elizabeth Watt going considering reference to for Thistle Street, specialising in ceramics, silver and jewellery even if Rendezvous, re Forest Avenue, has immense art deco finds as proficiently as contemporary art. Thistle Antiques upon Esslemont Avenue is the area to go for satisfying earliest mirrors and lamps, and Atholl Antiques upon Great Western Road has character furniture and paintings. For earliest maps, grow Colin Wood upon Rose Street, who carries a definitely earsplitting range.
Gallery Heinzel specialises in contemporary Scottish art from its base in Aberdeen's Thistle Street. The gallery hosts occurring to 10 exhibitions a year showcasing the play a share of conventional and emerging Scottish artists. The Carby Art Gallery, in a contemporary art freshen, offers a unique gallery experience. Resident performer Ian Carby, famed for his vivacious landscapes and shoreline scenes, exhibits adjacent-door door to international and local artists plus sculptures, ceramics, jewellery and photography
If you'vis--vis searching for that special flavor that's a tiny bit every second from the unspecified, Nova upon Chapel Street has long been a favourite behind Aberdonians. Its combined have enough maintenance selection ranges from the cool and funky to the timeless even if Annie Mo's, upon Holburn Street and the bottom fall of Union Street, as well as stocks an uncharacteristic range of gifts along previously some beautiful furniture.
Markets
Aberdeen's Country Fair is a monthly have enough maintenance gone on zenith of 30 stalls of full of beans farm fabricate, local crafts, in flames-baking, food and beverage. The main vent takes area upon the last Saturday of all month and there's a smaller weekly report all Saturday at the Academy Shopping Centre. One of the largest markets in Scotland, it provides local farmers and crafters the opportunity to showcase their setting home-grown and handcrafted products. A typical Aberdeen Country Fair will feature everything from Aberdeen Angus beef, fish landed at Aberdeen and Peterhead Harbours, local fruit and vegetables, baking, cheeses, confectionary, Scottish whisky, wines and handmade crafts.
2 notes · View notes
betweenthetimeandsound · 3 years ago
Text
Three Minutes to Eternity: My ESC 250 (250-241)
(Author's note: I intended to have the list ready by 1 September, but I was a bit lousy in compiling the final spots on there. As a result, they will seem a bit shoddy, but there will be good summaries, I promise! And there will be honorable mentions soon enough.)
#250: Harel Skaat -- Milim (Israel 2010)
“האור נרדם, דמ��ות של דם, שורפות לי בגרון, ידית שרוטה, תקרה שמוטה, כשאני שר לך את השיר האחרון” “The light fell asleep, tears of blood scorch my throat Scratched handle, sloping ceiling When I sing to you the last song” Curiously, I already knew of Harel Skaat before hearing of Eurovision: I listened to a few of his earlier tracks when I found him singing with another Israeli pop artist, Dor Daniel. I particularly liked משנו ממני and כמה עוד אפשר. Milim is a requiem for what was once lost—the presence of one whom the narrator really loves. The imagery used in this song adds to the melancholic feel—a classic ballad of sorts, with a lot of emotion. And the performance from Harel was very good, even though he butchered a note at the end. Maybe it was the pretty blue lights that really accompanied the mood of the song. Personal ranking: 7th/39 Actual ranking: 14th/25 GF (grand final) in Oslo
#249: Tina Karol -- Show Me Your Love (Ukraine 2006)
"You see it in my eyes, my heart is on fire Don’t hide your love away, don’t wait another day" As mentioned in the note, I had a hard time determining the last few spots on my list. I went through the results of both sorters and picked what I felt in the time. Show Me Your Love is a bit odd, but with the accordion intro striking right away, it deserves a place here! While an overly simple song with stilted lyrics, Show Me Your Love is still a bunch of fun. From the boppy beat to Tina's infectious presence on stage, one can't help but smile as this comes along. And there was a jump rope right in the middle of the performance--never change, Ukraine. :) Personal ranking: 5th/37 Actual ranking: 7th/24 GF in Athens
#248: Alan Sorrenti -- Non so che darei (Italy 1980)
“Non so che darei per fermare il tempo Per dormire al tuo fianco solo una notte Non so che darei per sentirti mia Per tenerti vicina solo una notte” “I don’t know what I can give to stop the time To sleep beside you only for one night I don’t know what I can give To take you close to me only for one night” Recently, I find myself humming to this a lot, because it's so calming and nice. I particularly like Alan’s vocals in this song! He really conveys the pain of losing (or on the verge of losing) the one he loves, expressed by the melancholic lyrics. Together, they form a song which is just as beautiful, if not more so than the winner of its year. Despite its 6th place, it became a continent-wide hit, which was quite deserved (just like a good number of Italian Eurovision songs over the years, haha)! Alongside that, Non so che darei also had the only black conductor at Eurovision while there was an orchestra, along with a couple of women playing fake guitars. For some reason, I imagined they were holding umbrellas instead, but I clearly remembered wrong... Personal ranking: 3rd/19 Actual ranking: 6th/19 in Den Haag
#247: Sanja Vucic ZAA -- Goodbye (Shelter) (Serbia 2016)
"I lick my wounds So that I can keep on fighting" Another last-minute choice, but this is an important song, both in 2016 and now, unfortunately. Despite the advances in women's rights over the decades, domestic violence still persists across the world. Goodbye (Shelter) tells the story through someone who's struggling to get out of a toxic relationship, and there's a mix of vulnerability and strength in the lyrics. Of course, lyrics don't make up the whole song; the music also conveys the story through a dramatic build and beautiful strings. Considering the 2016 contest, it does get a bit lost amongst the crowd, but it feels like a musical number in all the right ways. Also, the performance told the story well, and Sanja is a wonderful singer (she also sings a cover of one all-time favorite you will see towards the end, hehe). I even would shed a tear at points. Personal ranking: 8th/42 Actual ranking: 18th/26 GF in Stockholm
#246: Remedios Amaya--Quien Maneja Mi Barca? (Spain 1983)
“El verde de tus ojos verdes, mírame, Que mira que yo te mire, mírame, Que mira que yo te mire” “The green of your green eyes, look at me, Look at me, so I can look at you, look at me Look at me, so I can look at you” One of those songs that can be defined as an acquired taste--the people who love it enjoy its subversive status in the Eurovision canon for being unapologetically Spanish, while the people who hate it will dismiss it as just a bunch of noise. This is a song which is part of the “New Flamenco” genre popularized since the 1960s, which mixes up flamenco music with other genres, such as rock or electronic music. Quien Maneja mi Barca ‘s studio cut has nebulous lyrics combined with an electronic beat, which is alright at best. I found it quite hollow and quite forgettable there. I prefer it in its orchestral form, which fuses synths and concert instruments fantastically. It definitely amps up the drama with Remedios’ voice, and made me appreciate this very distinct entry. Personal ranking: 6th/20 Actual ranking: Joint last (with Turkey) in Munich
#245: Marianna Efstratiou - To diko sou asteri (Greece 1989)
"Μα στο βραδινό τον ουρανό το δικό σου αστέρι ψάξε βρες Γιατί οι σκιές στο πρώτο φως μ��ιάζουνε φοβίες παιδικές" "But in the evening sky, search and find your own star Because the shadows in the first light seem to be childish phobias" While To diko sou asteri sounds a bit safe in the grand scheme of things, I think its lack of pretension is what makes this little song shine. The lyrics encourage one to find their star and encourage the listener to pursue what they believe in without any fear. Marianna's vocals also add to this song in that they're quietly hopeful and sweet. Also, for some reason, I got some "True Colors" vibes while listening to it every time, despite there being some differences. Both have this relaxing, calm vibe to help the listener on their journey through life. Then again, True Colors doesn't have some nice flute flourishes throughout the song, haha. Personal ranking: 4th/22 Actual ranking: 9th/22 at Lausanne
#244: Dina -- Amor d'agua fresca (Portugal 1992)
"Peguei, trinquei e meti-te na cesta Ris e dás-me a volta à cabeça" "I picked you, bit into you and put you in the basket You laughed and made my head spin" 1992 is one of the most average years at Eurovision--after the chaos that was 1991, it seems like the songs and production sought something safer, and the whole thing felt really bland. Amor d'agua fresca is anything but dull--it's bubbly and sweet, with quite relaxed atmosphere. The combination of instruments--particular the guitar in the beginning and Dina's vocals-- really help with conveying a mood. But after that, we have the lustful lyrics, describing a romance through enjoying different fruits, which was quite different for me... But hey, different makes things quite a bit better in life! Personal ranking: 4th/23 Actual ranking: 17th/23 in Malmo
#243: Lucia -- Él (Spain 1982)
"Él me perdona porque es un pedazo de buen pan Y me trata con paciencia Sé que no debo ser cruel Que le debo confesar que él a mí, no me interesa" "He forgives me because he’s a scrap of good bread And he treats me with patience I know that I shouldn’t be cruel That I should tell him I’m not interested in him" One interesting thing about me is that I'm a sucker for tango music. There's a sense of drama when one listens to it, and even more so when people get on the dance floor. While I've only danced it a few times, when one does it right, the connection between two people is quite powerful, and you could fall right into a dream. El definitely amps up the drama--Lucia is in a conflicted relationship, but she plays the "player" role quite well. It's very flirty and seductive, and you could immerse yourself in the story. While the dancing was a bit too much for a stage as small as 1982's, it's still quite fun to see. Also, it was sent as a way of supporting Argentina in the Falkland Wars, which is quite interesting... Personal ranking: 4th/18 Actual ranking: 10th/18 in Harrogate
#242: Gabriela Gunčíková -- I Stand (Czech Republic 2016)
"I am thanking you, you made me You are my air, I’ll always care" For those who have an aversion to ballads, why is that? I find it annoying because there can be ones where they can touch you and tell a story. Life can't always be happy bops with heavy beats (or it's because they don't really inhabit my musical atmosphere most of the time...) I Stand sounds like a derivative ballad sonically, but it carries itself with such grace and grandeur. The instruments add to the drama of the song, which thanks a special person for their help in their life (though the lyrics above can come off as a bit co-dependent...or so I've heard) And Gabriela delivers this with the necessary composure and grace the song desires. It feels like a highlight track from a musical--one where two characters meet again and the narrator wants to recognize the latter's good deeds before they're gone forever. Thanks to that, the Czech Republic gets their first grand final appearance (though getting 0 televote points once there was harsh...) Personal ranking: 7th/42 Actual ranking: 25th/26 GF in Stockholm
#241: t.A.T.u -- Ne ver, ne boysia (Russia 2003)
“Кто-то понты а кто-то маньяк, Кто-то как ты, кто-то как я.” “Someone's a psycho and someone's a maniac, Someone like you, someone like me” If I’m right, I may have heard this song without knowing this was from Eurovision. It was because there was a period between middle school and high school where I love t.A.T.u’s music, and this was one of their singles. Ne Ver Ne Bosia is compelling and dark, with an interplay about the people around them using an old Soviet proverb as the title. It’s gripping and intense, and brings the listener into this crazy and mad world they're enveloped in. The performance, on the other hand, almost couldn't have been worse. The vocals were really ropey (especially from Lena, who would usually be trusted to help Yulia), and it didn't come over as a great listening experience. While I love it, t.A.T.u were really lucky they competed in the televote era, as they would've been struck down hard by the juries. (and the worst part: there will be a couple of poorly-performed entries which will be quite high on this list...) Personal ranking: 6th/26 Actual ranking: 3rd/26 in Riga
3 notes · View notes
river--glass · 5 years ago
Text
Reylo Fic Recs Long Ass Fics pt 2: Alternate Universe
Someone asked for fic recs 100K or over, so here they are. See Pt. 1 for Canon Verse or Alternate Canon Verse fics. (I haven’t read all of these- my personal comments are in bold)
Equilibrium by AttackoftheDarkCurses & thebuildingsnotonfire. (modern, E, 479K)
When Rey works up the nerve to ask Grand Master Luke Skywalker to train her, she makes friends and finds something deep and wonderful in the martial art known as Taekwondo.
She never thought the choice would change her life.
Alternatively, a (long) story of love, family, and Martial Arts.
The Heartbreak Prince by diasterisms. (Harry Potter, E, WIP) 
I swore I would never read Harry Potter AU’s or Works In Progress, but for this fic I broke both rules. This is, pun not intended, so magical in every way. It has me SHOOK and if somehow you haven’t heard of it yet, do yourself a favor and check it out!
In Living Memory by SpaceWaffleHouseTM. (multiple times, E, 221K)
Ben and Rey are rendered immortal after being struck by lightning at the precise same moment, and keep running into one another as the centuries drag on. Waffle’s stories are all amaaaaazing and you need to read ALL of them.
Hit Me With Your Best Shot by SageMcMae. (modern, E, 214k)
MMA fighter, Kylo Ren is suspended from the league and sentenced to community service at his uncle’s martial arts academy. There he meets Rey Niima, a recent graduate with a natural ability and incredible potential.
Soul Searching by OptimisticBeth. (AU, Modern, E, 205K)
A Soulmates AU in which Ben is horrified to find out he’s soulmates with his 16 year old student, ten years his junior. (no underage shenanigans) This fic fucked me up. The world building is so stunning. The story is rich with love and fluff, but oh the angst. Soooo much angst and emotional anguish and two people who are trying their best but just can't communicate for shit. The overall story is so beautiful and worth every heartbreaking moment. A happy ending WILL come!
Satan Wears a Rolex by AquaWolfGirl. (Modern, E, 205K)A Devil Wears Prada AU. Unfinished, but it’s fascinating and it ends well where it is.
Hiraeth by Ferasha. (1990′s, E, 204K)
An absolute angst and pain train of a historical war fic. This is not a comfort fic. It will fuck you up. But if you’re into that, the way they’ve woven canon plot in with the Yugoslav Wars is a masterpiece. It’s dark and gritty and will make you feel things.
Le Fin Du Fin by QueenOfCarrotFlowers @leofgyth. (Victorian, E, 196K) A Crimson Peak AU!!! This writer has never let me down.
A Proposal by Any Other Name by Lucidlucy. (Modern, E, 188) A Leap Year AU.
Salt in the Blood by Hagen. (9th century, E, 169K) Featuring pre-Norman invasion Ireland, selkies, love of the sea, and mythical creatures.
The Great Big No by dietplainlite. (1990′s, E, 165K)
Kylo Ren is third generation rock royalty, a reigning brat prince starting to feel the burn of the fame he reached for with both hands. Rey is an aspiring singer on the verge of a big break, provided her A&R guy still has a job by the time she reaches LA. Their paths have crossed briefly, disappointingly, before. What happens when they collide?
The Trail Bride by SecretReyloTrash. (AU, Wild West, E, 160K)
Rey Niima finds herself in a perilous situation when her husband dies at the start of their journey West. From the few bachelors on the trail in her party; she attaches herself to the best of her options- mysterious Banker Ben Solo. A really interesting, amazing piece. Lots of introspection, and a heart wrenchingly real look into abuse and recovery. I emotionally digested for days.
The Sacred Texts by Eskayrobot & Poaxath. (Modern, E, 159K)
Doing the Unstuck by slipgoingunder. (Modern, E, 158K) A When Harry Met Sally AU.
The Mating Service by AlbaStarGazer. (Modern A/B/O, E, 146K)
If Rey had known how quickly she would find her biological mate and alpha through the world wide mating service, 'Match,' she might have considered signing up years ago.
Unravel Me by UnderTheCancerMoon. (Modern, E, 145K)
Rey and Ben push and pull their way through their 20's, experiencing the love, success, loss, and challenges that make life rich.
Fire Away by Daisyflo. (Modern, E, 141K)
The Witch in the Wood by HarpiaHarpyja @thisgarbagepicker & Inmyownidiom. (Fantasy, E, 138K)
I cannot say enough good things about this fic. It’s serving you knight Kylo and witch Rey and so so many good feelings. Sure there’s some angst and dark magic and some struggles but mostly this is a lovely Ghibli-esque story about two people living in a treehouse and talking to animals and having a really good life! Everything HarpiaHarpyja writes is magic.
Snow Without Winter by neonheartbeat. (Renaissance, E, 138K) 
If you’re into serious historical fics (this once features catholicism and Rome in 1492) this is for you.
Lemon-hot Summer by IshaRen & pr3tty_g1rl5. (Modern, E, 130K).
In which Ben is the horniest virgin alive and Rey is bored and looking for something (or someone) to do.
Stranger Than Fiction by daxcat79. (Modern, E, 127K). Grumpy writer Ben and sunshine muse Rey.
Like Red But Not Quite by @kylotrashforever. (Modern, E, 126K) KTF is a god-tier reylo writer and you need to do yourself a favor and go read everything they have ever written.
Dark Water by LinearA. (1950′s, E, 125K)
The North Shore by @strawberrycupcakehuckleberrypie. (Modern, E, 125K)
Notting Hill vibes. Actor Ben meets shop owner Rey, and both their lives are changed instantly. It’s mostly about them both being smitten and starting a really good life together!! Lovely!
Stars In My Pockets (Wear Daisies In My Hair) by LostInQueue. (Modern, E, 125K). A Reylogan fic.
we could plant a house, we could build a tree by like_a_dove. (Modern, E, 124K).
An absolute classic. It’s about growing pains and growing feelings - the transition from childhood into adulthood and all the messy bits in between. God, it will hurt you. Badly. But it’ll be so, so worth it.
go i know not whither and fetch i know not what by voicedimplosives. (1990′s, E, 118K)
Russian Mafia AU!! A truly beautiful piece of work. Great plot,great smut, great Bendemption arc. It’s an emotional rollercoaster that’s fully worth the ride.
Souviens-toi de moi by Maniable. (Modern/historical, E, 117K)
Disconnect by Weatherbug02. (Modern, E, 115K) 
Candyleg by 5cents. (1950′s, E, 115K)
The girl was too young, but old enough to have a hustler’s-eye view of her own bleak future. The boys were paying her to do a snow job on a candyleg, but she was beginning to love her work and love Solo, and she decided to stick with him till death did them part...
Baby, It’s Just Biology by polkadotdotdot. (Modern A/B/O, E, 112K)
Only If You Want To by Violetwilson. (Modern, M, 111K)
Personal security expert (and occasional under-the-table hitman) Kylo Ren has a strong feeling about the cute dive bar waitress with the strange bruises and the vicious wit. She's either a victim or the weirdest criminal he's ever met. Possibly both.
Ileenium Manor by WaterlilyRose. (AU, victorian, E, 109K)
Leia’s maid Rey instantly hates Lord Ben when he comes to take over the household. She can’t hate him for too long as he starts to pursue her. If you’re in the mood for a sweet but angsty Lord/Maid fic, this is for you.
Kohelet 3:16 (Call Me A Cab) by LinearA. (Modern, E, 108K)
Ruby Woo Red by HeartSabers. (Modern, E, 107K) Featuring makeup artist Rey and TV star Kylo.
Sixth Year by witheyesclosed. (Harry Potter, M, 107K)
The one where Ravenclaw Rey gets paired with Slytherin Ben in Potions and ohmygod he’s hot now
Lockjaw by bitterbones. (zombie apocalypse, M, 106K)
A Song of Trash and Fire: Ben and Rey Make a Porno by HarpiaHarpyja & sunshineflying. (Modern, E, 106K) 
With the help of rich Unca Wanwo, flagrant misuse of Ben's creative writing degree, and copious amounts of coffee, Ben and Rey put together the porno of the century, starring themselves and their friends . . . with interesting results.
The Hypnotist by Pandora_Spocks. (Modern, E, 104K)
From a galaxy far, far away, soulmates Ben and Rey have been reincarnated on Earth to resolve their karma. Dr. Ben Solo is a charismatic hypnotist to whom present day Reychelle Lumen has been referred to for help with her nightmares.
Score by SpaceWaffleHouseTM. (Modern, E, 104K)
Ben's friends convince him to take the Rice Purity Test, but when he and Rey are revealed to have the highest scores of their friends, they quickly form a pact to beat Poe's out by the end of the semester. I loved this! Its so so sweet and funny and all from Ben’s POV. Sweet, sweet pining Ben.
The World Shifts (And I Am Better Here) by lachesisgrimm. (Fantasy, E, 102K)
Once upon a time there was a beggar girl whose parents sold her to a thief, and she was very unhappy.--In which prophecy is used with malicious intent, and the universe exerts itself to correct the problem.
for @scarletvizhlovers
100 notes · View notes
luigiblood · 4 years ago
Text
Mario Artist Polygon Studio
At the time of writing (August 29th, 2020), it is Mario Artist Polygon Studio's 20th anniversary.
So let's talk about this final title of the Mario Artist series. This title is bundled with no accessory this time, and it's compatible with nothing but the N64 Mouse (which I really recommend using!)
Tumblr media
As you might have guessed, this is a 3D modeler. But it's a bit more than that. This title gives off a really wacky and weird vibe from the get go. The main menu has a couple modes: Simple, Expert, Gallery, Option, Shortcut.
Tumblr media
In many of the menus, you will find a clock icon. That's how you set up the shortcut so that you can go back to that specific mode from the main menu.
Tumblr media
Simple
Simple mode is really the mode where you can't really do much, you can look at the exemples and then move each "block" around. You can be a bit creative but it's not where you'll make the most use of it. I'll talk about the "blocks" in more detail later.
Tumblr media
Expert
Expert mode is where the real creativity tools are. You have several modes: Modeler Rocket, Block Dome, Stage UFO, a photo mode, and a simple showcase mode.
Tumblr media
Block Dome
I need to talk first about Block Dome, as it is very easy to misunderstand the point of Modeler Rocket in my opinion. Any 3D object is considered a "block". You can find basic blocks, between simple shapes to more detailed shapes, sometimes even animated, and noisy.
Tumblr media
Most of the exemples show that you can make something with just building blocks that you assemble the way you want. You can move, rotate, scale, glue, duplicate, mirror duplicate (VERY USEFUL!) and more, and in a seperate mode you can color them however you want.
Tumblr media
Modeler Rocket
Modeler Rocket is where you make your own custom model, this is the real deal! Using base models of many kinds, you can then make whatever you want within the limits of this modeler which is 1000 polygons.
Tumblr media
It also comes with prerecorded tutorials on how to use it with exemples of models that you can recreate by yourself:
youtube
There's also something called Craft Mode. This is for making simpler models to send to Randnet via Communication Kit, and then they mail you the paper craft that you can build by yourself. Pretty cool feature.
Tumblr media
This modeler has several edit modes: point, edge, face and model. Each have different sets of tools to help you model. You can move, rotate, scale, extrude, round, cut, duplicate, change shading, and so on, depending on what you are editing. It is powerful but hard to master.
Tumblr media
Once you're done modeling and have something you are satisfied with, you can get to paint on it!
Keep in mind the model shading beforehand, because you cannot change that in the Paint mode.
Tumblr media
The Paint mode works like you would expect: You can directly draw on the model with a pen or a different tool, fill the model with a color, use stamps, import a picture as a stamp or even eat the color away to make parts of it transparent!
Tumblr media
You can also mask certain models to help you draw if it's on the way, and also remove the wireframe. Don't forget the camera view icons on the bottom right, which is also present on every editor in this game.
And then after all this work... you can save it, and take a break. You can also import these custom models as an actor in your Talent Studio movie!
Tumblr media
When you go back... you'll notice your custom model might now appear as a block. You can do whatever you want with it as part of a bigger model!
Tumblr media
Minigames
But there are a couple details about Block Dome that I haven't talked about yet. There are minigames!
First of all, Go Go Pack (should name it Chicken Race instead), where your creation is used like a toy car. You build up energy and get as close to the edge as possible without falling! There are 3 stages.
Tumblr media
Then the most known exemple, Sound Bomber (named Boom Beat in my translation), where you attempt to beat as many microgames as possible, which also uses your creation in various ways. This was the base used for Wario Ware later on.
Tumblr media
And then... one of the modes that most people don't really know much about, Experimental World (Jikken World). There's something else I didn't tell you about blocks: there are what's called "power blocks". These are building blocks to create your own vehicle.
Tumblr media
Once you put them, you can then use it to wander around the experimental world, which is a full open world mode. You then attempt to collect the missing power blocks as well as bonus hidden ? blocks you can then use to customize and upgrade your vehicle with.
Tumblr media
It is a weird and mysterious world, full of toasters that burns bread with hint text, eggs and tree trunks who wants to eat you... But it's worth checking out! I can promise this: you can uncover who are the bakers behind these toasters!
Tumblr media
Stage UFO
Let's talk about Stage UFO: Basically it's the part where you can set up a stage on how you want to show off your creation of blocks. You can change the stage, the background image, add special effects, change the lighting. A pretty simple mode.
Tumblr media
You also have a photo mode for the Stage, where you can take the pictures you want... and maybe import them in other Mario Artist titles, perhaps?
Tumblr media
What you can save in this title are custom 3D models (blue triangle icon), your block setup (green circle icon) and the entire stage setup (orange square icon). It's really easy to get confused if you're not careful.
Tumblr media
Rambling about Polygon Studio
There's not a lot of known cut content in this title, weirdly enough. The best we can see of earlier versions is really just different user interface, with the same icons and same purpose.
Tumblr media
Emulation
Now I have to talk about how to emulate this title: At this time, you have no choice but to use angrylion based graphic plugins. This title does the weirdest uses of the RDP (think N64 GPU), and most plugins just don't know what to do.
Using HLE plugins will result in the editors to not work as intended, they cannot detect what you are pointing at, you cannot paint textures either. Once it does work though, I'll be the first to warn you all about it. I really want to push GLideN64 developers to get it to work.
And again, I translated all Mario Artist games, but I intend to redo them to be a lot better. It's all accessible right now! :)
And that's about all I can think about Polygon Studio, a really underrated title, which in my opinion is only remembered for being Wario Ware's inspiration when it has more to offer. I'll do a last, very small thread about Mario Artist Communication Kit later.
25 notes · View notes
your-brilliant-lady-m · 4 years ago
Text
South Korean music industry at a glance: an outsider perspective
I watched one particular AMV last week. The song used for the video was “I’m afraid” by Korean rock band DAY6. I was pleasantly surprised as someone who values lyrics in song first and foremost. The music itself was great. I’ll listen to their songs again. It’s a nice fit for my music taste. Naturally, YouTube’s algorithm decided that I’m a fan of everything Korean after 1 video and started spamming my recommendations with k-pop songs, documentaries and everything in-between. 
I watched a couple of videos, listened to some songs and discovered fascinating patterns. So, I went down to the comment section. And it was rather interesting experience, should I say? The concept of entertainment industry in South Korea simply begged to be explored more after this. I dug deeper and visited Tumblr k-pop tags and briefly glanced upon Instagram and Twitter. And, oh...
I am a big picture person and I enjoy both studying and creating systems. This one was particularly fun to explore. I discovered a lot of new things for myself. Perhaps, you can discover something new for yourself too or take a step back and look at this from a new angle. 
Disclaimer: it’s impossible not to offend someone on Tumblr, so keep that in mind. That being said, I do NOT intend to insult of offend anyone. It’s just a little research done for fun, because I love research with a purpose. This post is NOT A HATE post. No hate intended for fans, artists or other people involved. It’s meant to be a discussion, nothing more and nothing less. If it sounds like hate, it’s just my sarcastic sense of humour.
Content Warning: I mention suicide, death, depression, rape in a couple of sentences. There’s nothing major or graphic, but it’s there. 
In this long post I decided to share with you my opinion, a so-called outsider perspective, on the world of music entertainment industry in South Korea and people involved in it on different levels. I use the word “outsider” mainly because, that’s exactly what I am in this case, as someone who is in no way involved in k-pop community. I can’t name you a single band or their members. I don’t know any solo artist and can’t neither sing nor name you any song. 
And to be completely honest, I don’t think I will set my foot into k-pop fan-circles ever again after everything I saw. 
Think of this as “In this essay I will...” meme, except there’s an actual essay.
As far as I know, in South Korea “k-pop” refers to all music produced in SK, including solo artists, various bands, singers-songwriters. It doesn’t even have to be pop music. Koreans include in this definition all genres of music. However, around the world “k-pop” means primarily music made by idol groups and bands marketed for children, teenagers and younger people. In this post I use the latter definition, because that’s how most people understand “k-pop” in other countries. Therefore, my statements, opinions and conclusions here would concern only idol music. 
The music industry in South Korea is heavily influenced by culture and traditions of the country, just like all things are. And there’s nothing wrong with that. After all, different backgrounds are what makes people so interesting and unique. However, when combined with consumer mindset, desire to generate profit at any cost and fast-paced nature of modern life these neutral cultural elements could produce something concerning, and it can lead to disastrous consequences. 
1. Idol
These people are called artists, musicians, singers, bands, groups, performers. In South Korea and in Japan, however, people call them Idols or Stars. I’ve also seen Muses, Princes and Queens. Interesting, isn’t it? The terminology used to describe these musicians in South Korea is one of the key elements in this whole entertainment system. You’ll see why.
But who or what is an idol exactly? Let’s take a basic definition from Wikipedia.
“In the practice of religion, a cult image or devotional image is a human-made object that is venerated or worshipped for the deity, person, spirit or daemon ... that it embodies or represents. In several traditions, including the ancient religions of Egypt, Greece and Rome, and modern Hinduism, cult images in a temple may undergo a daily routine of being washed, dressed, and having food left for them. Processions outside the temple on special feast days are often a feature. Religious images cover a wider range of all types of images made with a religious purpose, subject, or connection. In many contexts "cult image" specifically means the most important image in a temple, kept in an inner space, as opposed to what may be many other images decorating the temple.
The term idol is often synonymous with worship cult image. In cultures where idolatry is not viewed negatively, the word idol is not generally seen as pejorative, such as in Indian English.”
Cambridge Dictionary defines idol as follows:
Tumblr media
And here’s the definition from Oxford Dictionary: 
Tumblr media
This is a centrepiece of this tapestry. Surely, you have noticed by now what these definitions have in common. 
Idol = a cult image of a god, a deity 
By calling these musicians “idols” industry makes society and audience treat them in certain way, namely as gods. What characteristics do gods possess? They are beautiful, talented, funny, confident and graceful, blessed by eternal youth of immortality. Gods have no flaws, they do not bleed, they are above human concerns. They are an embodiment of perfection. They are stars, you could not reach. 
But real people are not like that. They can be sad and angry, insecure. People don’t have perfectly symmetrical faces. They can’t dance in sync without preparation. They can’t sing like angels at any given moment throughout the day.
What happens when idols accidentally reveal their humanity? What happens when people see, that they make mistakes and do stupid things, that they need to train hard to appear graceful on stage? 
I will tell you. And it’s not pretty. But, first, let’s look at other elements of this system. 
2. Y/N and Self-insert fantasy
Aside from the music, K-pop sells the self-insert fantasy to the audience. It’s carefully arranged to appear real, where the cracks are masked and every word is scripted. The reality is so vivid that one doesn’t even have to use imagination all that much, because all scenarios and decorations already exist. Countless interviews for TV and magazines, fan meetings, talk shows, reality shows made sure people are privy to all juicy details of personal lives and opinions of musicians. And also one word - merchandise. Some of that merch made me question my life choices. Some of it is, ah, creepy or has weird vibes. All of this provides plenty of material for people to work with. Fans can effortlessly imagine themselves beside their idols or even in their place. 
In a highly competitive society, where people throw themselves into studying and work since young age, forming deep and lasting connections with others is very hard, sometimes impossible. As a result, people long to have a group of close friends with similar interests, a loving partner who would cherish them endlessly. People want to be rewarded for their backbreaking efforts to succeed by the carefree life of fame and music, everlasting friendships and love. And in a way you can’t really blame them for his. 
Does this dream life sound familiar? We are looking at K-pop bands here. It doesn’t really matter if their members don’t always get along or that they can live in debt, that fame is fickle and adoring fans can tear your self-confidence to shreds. Audience wants the glamour of fantasy and the industry is more than happy to cater to these desires. 
Perhaps, knowing that even for idols this fantasy is sometimes unattainable makes the whole set up feel just a little cruel. 
3. Fans, stans and fandom culture
We’ve already established earlier that idols are gods in the eyes of people and listed traits they must possess. So, what else do gods need to exist? Worshippers. Because a cult is worth nothing without its followers. Gods need a group of people to worship them and spread their beliefs. The role of worshippers is performed by a fans in this case. 
Apparently, there is a running joke that girl groups need to win a general public popularity and boy bands need a big passionate fandom. It seems to be true according to my observations. 
In k-pop fandom people use the word “stan” to state that they like or support particular group. Now, I am sure everyone here knows that in other fandoms, dedicated to movies, shows, books and games there’s an important distinction between being a “fan” and a “stan”. What is it? 
A fan is someone who likes a ship or character, creates and/or consumes fandom content, supports certain ideas, discusses things they enjoyed and disliked, criticises canon. Stans, however, are a different breed. They engage in all typical fandom activities, but their support and enjoyment becomes obsession. Stans believe their favourite characters and ships are immune to criticism, that they are superior no matter what others say. Stans start shipping wars, send anon hate, death threats over fictional characters and hurt real people. Stans are considered toxic fans. And majority of normal civilised people don’t like them and try their best to let stans hang out in their echo chamber by themselves. 
In other fandoms and communities, to be a fan means to love, support and enjoy something, while to stan means to obsess over and hyperfixate on these same things. Words “I stan” rarely mean “I support” for most people, and if they do mean that, it’s only used in a joking manner (”We stan procrastination legend!”, “I stan our miscommunication kings”).
Everywhere else “stan” has only negative connotations, except in k-pop. But what has changed? What’s the difference? Why do international fans scoff at “shipper stans” and then turn around calling themselves “stans of X k-pop group” at the same time? Does it make you wonder? 
And this is another core theme of k-pop, in my opinion. In fandom where stan = obsession = support, you can see interesting patterns. 
Fandom loves their flawless gods. But watching them from afar is not enough for some people, because unlike deities in different religions, these gods live among us. People are very much aware of that. Industry has created a cult and laid the groundwork for worshippers to express their adoration in every way including personal contact. And who wouldn’t want to meet their god? Who wouldn’t want to know more about them or tell them how much you love them? In talk shows and fan meetings there is only so much one can do after all.
People desire to know more, to have more so much that their obsession transforms into concerning stalker tendencies. These crazy individuals follow idols, stalk them on social media, in hotels, research flight numbers, bribe security. Musicians were attacked and poisoned. I strongly suspect there were cases of rape that no one knows about. There is even a special term for these fans - “sasaeng”. 
Is there a definition for stalkers of actors or musicians in western world? No, I’m pretty sure there isn’t. They are just called “invasive/obsessive fans” or “stalkers”.
Also, there are sasaeng memes. Yeah, you heard that right. I enjoy some classy dark humour as much as the next person, but there is a fine line between normal and questionable. 
Back to the topic of stalkers. Do you realise how disturbing that is? Such behaviour is so common that there is a term for it. You create a fandom-cult, encourage people to worship k-pop idols as gods and then act surprised when members of said cult become fanatics and their adoration becomes obsession.
And it’s so easy to step on this slippery road. The system makes it ridiculously easy. Lines begin to blur. How much is too much? Where do you draw the line? 
While sasaeng fans engage in extreme real-life obsession, people online aren’t that far off, to be honest. I’ve seen it all: imagines, headcanons, fanfiction, real-person shipping, reactions. Real person shipping is a controversial topic. Some people support it, others don’t. I suppose I’m among those who don’t get it. I’m not exactly against it, but I find it strange. Mainly because it’s based on assumptions made by fans about personalities and behaviour of real people. 
Assumptions. Dear me! K-pop fandom has this thing with video compilations. I’ve never seen this phenomenon being so widespread in any other community or fandom. Basically people edit together a collection of short clips from talk-shows, interviews, Instagram stories, some YouTube videos, etc and then proceed to analyse every gesture, word, facial expression of idols and provide both audio and on-screen commentary. These videos and many other forms of similar analysis allow people to imagine what kind of personalities idols have, what kind of life do they live. It’s the source material for fanfiction, imagines and headcanons. 
But it’s not real. It’ll never be real. It’s an illusion, an image, a stage persona. They fall in love with a face and made up personality. And I think that when people create this content they can forget this. Fans can develop certain emotional dependence and unhealthy attitudes in the long run. In some YouTube comments even supportive and encouraging words sound whiny and obsessive. And semantics of being a “stan” of certain group or individual doesn’t help. 
4. Industry, companies and liars 
At last we arrive at the most important aspect of music entertainment industry - its creators.
Have you seen “The Road to El Dorado”? It’s one of my all time favourites. It has iconic characters, adult jokes that I didn’t get as a child and iconic soundtrack. I’ll quote “It’s Tough To Be A God” a lot here. 
In South Korea music industry is a factory, the production line to be exact. This kind of set up affects everything in the grand scheme of things. Companies and agencies play the role of training centres and record labels. And there are so many of them that a whole new scamming system developed based around fake idol agencies. It implies that there are people who fall for offers of these agencies and continue to do so. I suspect that victims must pay a fortune upfront before they realise their mistake. Are there any kind of legal protection against such scams? How can people verify the authenticity? Because a well masked scam can exist for a long time before someone discovers it and calls them out on their nonsense. 
As far as I understand legal companies work like this. After high school, which is often focused on performing arts (and private schools can get away with using talents of students for personal gain, which is totally not surprising), young people can audition for an agency and become an idol in training or idol-trainee. And passing audition is hard. But good recommendations can help, connections too. 
During training you don’t get paid. Only a few companies pay aspiring musicians. People can spend years in training and don’t debut. But rent, necessities, clothing and food (not that you need much of it, but more on that later) cost a lot. Where do you get the money to live then? Support from parents, one or two part time jobs at most and bank loans. Surprise! We found an unexpected (just kidding, it’s very obvious) party, who reaps benefits from the system. 
You need skill to be an idol. Natural talent helps too. The more skills you have, the cheaper and faster your training is. To level up your game you attend classes every month offered by your agency, which are not cheap (dance classes range from 400$ to 1000$ per month, sometimes more). There are four main categories in evaluation process: vocals, rapping, dancing and visuals. Idols are multitaskers, to have a chance on stage one must be perfect at everything. And people are ready to invest thousands of dollars into their kids training so that they could have a chance in entertainment industry. South Korea thrives on revenue k-pop industry generates every day.
Let’s pause here for a second and think about what kind of people come to these agencies. The answer is easy. People who have a dream, a desire, a real goal. You don’t wake up one day and decide to become a k-pop idol. Sometimes people get invited by agencies (after prior acting, modelling career or any other form of exposure). These people are usually very young. Some start straight after high school, some after university, but 25 years old is considered a late start. Compare that to western musicians who start singing at any age and still become famous. 
But why this age limit? Because idols are eternally young. So that in public eye musicians are remembered as 20 year old gods. People would listen to their music and imagine a young attractive face. Career in k-pop is short, it lasts 5-7 years, rarely longer than that. It’s even less than modelling or acting can offer. And professional sportsmen retire in their late 30′s. Some play longer, but usually, that’s it.
If you live in Los Angeles and say that you want to be an actor or performer, no one would bat an eye. It’s like saying that you want to be an engineer or accountant. Similarly, in South Korea becoming an k-pop musician is a real career. Because part of the self insert fantasy that the industry sells is the idea that anyone can be an idol. It’s easy after all. Anyone can pass auditions and become a trainee. A trainee with no guarantee of debut. But one should never underestimate the power of idol-dream. After all, idea is the most resilient parasite.   
“My friends started training in kindergarten. They have wanted to become idols since young”
“A lot of young kids get interested in Korean music” 
A 6-year old child sees the performance of k-pop group for the first time on TV. Let’s say it’s a girl. She is enraptured and decides that she will be like that too someday. She grows up, while being part of the fandom, just like all idols are in one way or another and whose fan-obsession transforms into desire to succeed. Her parents spend time and money to find her tutors, to fund dancing and singing classes. Perhaps in high school this girl decides to fix the shape of her eyes and make nose straighter. She trains hard and passes the auditions in her dream agency. And during training this girl faces the reality of behind the scenes life in music industry.
“Why are you crying? I’m not even pushing you”
“How many times have I told you? The rest are doing it perfectly”
“She is dancing like an elementary school student“
“I watched your performance as a spectator who bought a ticket to your concert. I want a refund“
“You make my ears hurt. I don’t want to listen at all”
“Listening to you was tiring”
“I’ll kick you out instead. You won’t debut”
“I thought I was going to die. That’s how determined I was” 
While I do understand that keeping a high quality standards in media industry is important, there are more productive and healthy ways to motivate someone to improve and be more passionate, you know? Constantly insulting people with sadistic glee and putting them down at every opportunity or calling them ugly to their face doesn’t do much. 
Do you think that children know about this? Do they know about soulless teachers and belittling managers? Do they know about friends who are really your competition, so you shouldn’t get attached? Do they know about living in debt? Do they know any of this? No, I don’t think they do. 
Children dream about the stage, about the sea of lights and crowds who chant your names. They want adoring fans and photoshoots. They want to appear on TV and magazine covers. Teenagers want the thrill of performance, they want to share their music and dancing with others. 
“I don’t know how many times I cried alone”
The truth is cruel. But they won’t give up easily even if it means sleeping 4-5 hours and consuming no more than 500 calories per day. Because giving up means that your whole life was a lie. One can’t afford not to be good enough. Giving up means admitting that all efforts and money your family invested into your dream were in vain. It means losing face before your family and friends - a fate worse than death. Imagine living this idol dream and building your whole future around it and then being told that you’ll never debut because of the circumstances outside of your control or something minor, like face shape or 1 kg of weight that your body refuses to lose. It can break you. Especially if you are like 18 or something. 
5. “And who am I to bridle if I'm forced to be an idol If they say that I'm a God, that's what I am”
“I don’t think there’s anything a tough as being a trainee in Korea”
Once you are a trainee at the agency your personal life does not belong to you anymore. You can’t go out without permission of the agency. You phone is taken away. Your diet and weight are monitored. Bad habits are not allowed (no smoking, drinking or drugs). Oh! I think I found the good thing in the system! Unfortunately, it won’t last. Trainees can’t date or meet with family without permission of agency. Dating is very taboo. Even established idols can’t openly date. 
Why is that? Because gods can’t belong to anyone. Their lives are property of the fandom. Because openly dating idols destroy the self-insert fantasy. There was a former idol girl who dated another musician. She was called a whore by her fans, her loving and adoring stans. You might know who I am talking about. Would you call an American actor or singer a prostitute for dating someone?
Trainees sign the contract. And how can a young person straight out of school or university know much about what makes a good contract in entertainment industry or what makes a good contract in general? Even if you do understand the terms fully you would still sign it because if you have come so far, you can’t let your dream slip this easily. There isn’t a choice. Not really. If you want to debut, you will agree to anything.
What about life after debut? You have to pay off your loans. And company takes 60-70% of your group’s earnings. Artists themselves get 30-40% and split it between themselves. K-pop groups have from 5 to 10 members or more than that. Each person gets less than 6%. Idols are not filthy rich. They are not. These earnings are practically nothing compared to the work you have put into this. 
Idols are musicians, who often don’t even write their own songs, music or create choreography. But if public doesn’t like the song and musical number the company created, they blame idols for the failure. Such an amazing logic we see right here. But people say that sharing music is the best part of idol life. But whose music? 
Models on catwalk are not there to demonstrate their physical beauty, they are blank canvas for works of clothing designers. Same with k-pop musicians. They act like puppets in a way, whose faces and voices are used to show audience someone’s music and songs. Some groups do write their own music and lyrics and it’s nice to know that. But those, who don’t are rather unfortunate. It’s a nice tool of psychological control and pressure for an agency. They can hold it over group and use the following rhetoric: “We gave you everything! Why can’t you follow the simple instructions” or “Where would you be without us? It’s not even your music!”
I called k-pop industry a factory. That’s true. Dozens of people become trainees every year. These talented young people are fully prepared to do anything to achieve their goal. They are ready to practice until they collapse, starve themselves and pour themselves into every song. Companies know that. Tell me why would they value their idols as individuals, as people, as human beings if they always have a replacement? Why bother with mental health of their artists if next year they could have a fresh set of people, who are younger and prettier? Why try to improve relationships inside groups if you could fire any member and replace them within a month or two?
In western countries famous bands have different stories. Some were friends since high school, who played in bars and during festivals and then they were noticed by some representative of label company, who offered them a contract. Some groups were formed by like-minded people who bonded and decided to share their music with the world. There are many stories, but ultimately the have one thing in common. Bands in the West often form themselves. These people had time to bond, connect, discover each other, solve some disagreements and learn to work around their differences. 
K-pop groups are formed by their agencies. They are their property in a way. Company selects the best and puts together these total strangers, appoints the leader with marketable face and personality and then expects them to work together like a well-oiled machine. No one has time to bond during training, because other people are you competition, not friends. And then you must learn to work as a team and be best friends on camera for the audience to support the self-insert fantasy. It’s no wonder that k-pop groups don’t get along sometimes. And every member knows that they are replaceable. It doesn’t help in forming connections. Groups can’t just terminate contract and go to work with another agency. I heard it happens sometimes, but it’s not a done thing. Unlike in other countries where bands just sign the deal with a different label and release their music under their name if they don’t like the old conditions. 
“It's tough to be a God But if you get the people's nod Count your blessings, keep them sweet, that's our advice Be a symbol of perfection Be a legend, be a cult Take their praise, take a collection As the multitudes exalt Don a supernatural habit We'd be crazy not to grab it So sign up two new Gods for paradise”
But is it really a paradise?
Idols are expected to act cute, to match personalities created for them by fans or media. They have to act according to the concept of their group. They have to be a symbol of perfection: skinny, single and with a face perfected by surgery. They are allowed to mess up, but only in a cute way. They can break down and cry, but only if it’s “aesthetic”.
Weight issues are a separate topic. Sometimes I wonder whether managers in companies understand how weight loss or human body in general works. To be honest, I think that scales in agencies are rigged. And only managers know that. I know it can be done from personal experience. Some beach resorts tweak their scales and make them show 4-6 kg less than actual weight, so people wouldn’t get upset if they gain some. There is no way a girl as tall as I am (173 cm) could weigh like 47-50 kg and be able to perform complex choreography on stage and sing without being out of breath, visit the gym on a regular basis and generally function as a normal human without fainting every other day.
“I developed a lot of eating disorders”
“I think I consumed about 300 calories today“
“Someone, please, trim the fat off her arms”
If you grow up thinking of idols as gods and then, when you become one of them you think that you must act as one too. But being an easily replaceable god is a heavy burden. The industry, companies and audience want you to be perfect, to always be on your best behaviour. And the thought of not being good enough or divine enough terrifies you, because stans have no mercy (black ocean concept is the most stupid thing ever by the way). This kind of pressure can destroy even the most resilient. And it does. 
Almost everyone knows that situation with mental health in South Korea is not the best to put it lightly. In many ways it’s a cultural thing. But in k-pop mental health issues are treated with even less care. Gods are not supposed to be depressed or suicidal. They are not supposed to have fears or insecurities, can’t be upset or angry. They try hard to be this deity, this image. So, even when they realise they need professional help or even a friend to talk to, they either won’t seek said help or reach out only to be met with silence. Some agencies disapprove or forbid therapy altogether. 
Sometimes fandom becomes self-aware.
“Don’t forget that idols are people too!”
“Your favourite idols are running out of breath just to keep you entertained“
“They are humans, who have feelings!”
Oh, but here’s the thing, my friend. The industry doesn’t want you to think of them as people. Companies and media repeatedly reinforce the idea that they are not people, they are your idols. And strangely enough, the audience supports this idea. People continue to call them idols, developing worshiping tendencies in the process, imitate them, scrutinise their flaws and triumphs. Because, you know, only “real and ordinary humans” can have flaws, not “idols”.
So people who say “they are human too” and people who say “wow, this concert was amazing, but vocals in the beginning were so off-key, I simply can’t” are one and the same.
This thought process would have been funny if it wasn’t so disappointing. But that’s just my observation.
And here’s another thing about sexualisation. I said before how appearances are everything, marketable face and body could drastically improve your chances to succeed. Companies know about this too and concepts and aesthetics of groups are designed accordingly. Girls are dressed in skimpy outfits, their dances are unnecessary suggestive, they wear heavy make up and try to have “mature” vibes. Boys don’t avoid such objectification either: suits, tight pants and dress shirts along with make up and hairstyle to give audience a promise of the things to come. Grown adults are not supposed to lust after 15-17 year olds. You can’t just create a sexy stage persona for teenagers. Do you remember my earlier words about creepy merch? Yeah. All of it neatly plays into the self-insert fantasy and encourages obsessive behaviour. 
This happens in western countries too. In some way that’s understandable. Beautiful and sexy image with a hint of innocence attracts more people and sells, because it caters to one of the base human instincts. But some things make your skin crawl. 
Sponsorships are another topic. Some k-pop bands seek out sponsors to provide financial aid and cover expenses, when earnings are not enough. Sometimes these sponsorships are fine, perfectly civil. But sometimes it’s a prostitution. Girl groups receive money and provide sexual favours to their patrons. It’s a way for the group to gain financial support and even find new opportunities in the industry. Companies can encourage such deals. Let that sink in for a moment. 
6. “Any advice to those who want to become a k-pop idol?”
A lot of former idols and trainees have similar responses to this question. 
“I don’t want to discourage anyone, but think twice”
“You only see the glamorous side, but don’t see all the hard work that goes into it”
“It’s not what you think”
“They think ‘Since I am good looking and can sing and dance really well, maybe I should become an idol?’, but there is much more to it“
“They think it’s something that is easy and will keep their family set for life financially”
And this implies that most people don’t know what kind of lifestyle k-pop stars truly have, despite the amount of information available online about “behind the scenes” proceedings.
7. Moving on
I am a practical person and every decision I make is subjected to scrutiny. And after seeing everything I can't help but wonder whether idols believe it's truly worth it. What keeps the industry alive is the idol-dream, the wilful ignorance of its reality and youthful idealism, the beautiful naïve belief that it'll get better, even if it never does in the end.
Sure no one would ever admit it out loud, because it's one of those things you never say on camera, no matter how sincere you have to be. It's the matter of professionalism after all, and idols have it spades. And also, because admitting this would equal admitting that you spent your best years doing something you both loved and hated, admitting that this was a mistake.
When you grow up in a society where appearances matter the most, where saving face and being polite is more important than staying true to yourself, where individuality is tolerated only to a certain point, it takes a lot of courage to admit that you need a break. I greatly respect those who decided that idol lifestyle is not for them and moved on.
8. Conclusion
To sum up, I hope you enjoyed my small research and this perspective, since you have read it all the way to the end.  
You have noticed that entertainment industry is an intricate system and its every component makes sure nothing changes. Companies have power over idols and audience, fandom has power over idols and their careers, and musicians themselves have fame and their music, but not always the promised fortune or happiness. 
It’s important to understand the big picture to draw your own conclusions and encourage positive and heathy attitudes in fandoms. Being open minded and allowing people to make mistakes and live their lives the way they want to is a part of being a decent person. People don’t owe anything to others. Art is about sharing your thoughts and feelings, promoting ideas and spreading beauty. It’s not always about money. And I think that this is what k-pop lacks as an industry. It turned dreams and human need for self-expression into business. Here everything is turned into a product. Everything idols touch can be sold, sometimes literally. Industry created problems, which can’t be solved anymore, because doing so would topple the system. And I find it tragic. Trapped in an endless chase after perfection creators of k-pop forgot that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. 
If you take a look at comment sections and posts on different platforms, what will you see? What kind of things resonate with audience? What makes people laugh and cry? When people start to appreciate the substance?
“Everyone needs to hear this song in their darkest moments”
“Thank you for your music!”
“They always deliver! These guys can’t make a bad song!”
“It inspired me to write again!”
“Their songs brought me and my sister together once again”
“This is what happens when you let groups write their own music - they make incredible things”
“They really are legends of k-pop! I love that they are not afraid to show their inner strength”
“Stay strong! You rock!”
I believe that the answer is quite simple: when it’s real, sincere. It’s all about the message you choose to send to your audience, because only superficial things cause obsession. When you say that the sparkly façade is all that matters, then that’s the only thing people will ever care about. Your audience will never give a damn about the meaning behind dancing, music or lyrics, if you tell them that performance is more important. No one would praise WHAT k-pop idols sing, instead they would prefer wasting breath to criticize HOW they sing or look or move. 
I dare the k-pop industry to prove people that it’s not just about looks or perfection, or laser shows, or being a branding machine. Prove to your fans that k-pop artists are also passionate people with big dreams and talent, who love every moment of their job, who live and inspire, who are human just like us and whose humanity is real!
Do it, you cowards!
And now, I’m finished. I can hear the raging crowd of k-pop fandom in the distance, which means it’s time to hide. See you some other time! 
6 notes · View notes
fugandhi · 4 years ago
Text
Why We Rise (A Meditation on Humanity)
by Adam Kenichi Wekarski
Tumblr media
The time has come for me to write about Christopher Nolan’s Batman Trilogy (and why it is the most important cinematic franchise of our time). *Please purchase & view the franchise in it’s entirety prior to reading this independent essay. Spoilers are No Fun for Anyone. SUPPORT The STORYTELLERS*
Although it’s a story derived from a comic book, this is not a movie franchise to be taken lightly (or for granted for that matter). Christopher Nolan’s film, “Memento” was the first work he had accomplished that I had ever seen (back in the Blockbuster days - ahem, VHS RULES!) and it is still spinnin’ my mind after all this time. Christopher Nolan ALWAYS delivers some form of ground-breaking excellence in his work - his ‘Dark Knight’ Franchise is no exception.
When one thinks of Batman, it’s very easy to consider the various forms (literature, animation, cinema, video games, etc) of said character (God Bless You, Adam West! R.I.P., Good Sir!). SO many INCREDIBLE & [BEYOND] TALENTED folks have, not only performed as the character, but have helped in shaping this character’s Monumental & Positive Imprint on contemporary society (worldwide).
I still believe Christian Bale is one of the most under-appreciated performers of our time. I first saw him in the Dark Comedy, “American Psycho” (DUDE! Holy Smack-a-RONi! Totally Bonkers & Viciously frightening). I still can’t believe he did not receive an Academy Award nomination for that performance (for shame, HollyWould). As much as I love Tim Robbins (SHAWSHANK, BaBY!), Christian Bale is one of the greatest actors of all time (100% WITHOUT A DOUBT). He plays Bruce Wayne PERFECTLY (TOTALLY the BEST Bruce Wayne OF ALL TIME! DONE! NO ARGUMENT! END-ALL-BE-ALL..”..Been there, Done that - got the album, Bought the Tee-shirt..NEXT” (Ricky Gervais, The Office [UK]). CHRISTIAN BALE DESERVED AN ACADEMY AWARD FOR “The Dark Knight Rises” - I’M SAYING IT - HE DID SUCH A PERFECT PERFORMANCE in (Yeah ALL Caps) this entire franchise. I need to address that because so many folks seemed to be swept-up in their own distractions as viewers (Yeah we get it, he disguised his voice with a growl - get over it, ya’ll). He seems to be a good person (‘seems’ being the operative word) & I’ve read about his efforts in his life off-screen (You are a Good Man, Sir) when the cameras are not around. I have a belief that it’s good for people to appreciate those ‘moments-of-truth’ more often (just one person’s opinion, take it or leave it).
Speaking of ‘moments-of-truth’ - This story (spanning across three EPIC films) is the ultimate moment-of-truth for Sir Christopher Nolan (Why Not?; He actually is CBE apparently; Respect) and his AMAZING Production TEAM’s collective efforts. So many people put their well-being on the line to make these stories happen (some even, their lives, Rest in Peace) and I believe this franchise deserves ALL of the Success & Recognition & Praise (and honestly, Time) for the awe-inspiring efforts put forth (in regards to cinematic storytelling). This is a franchise for the fans (due to how well it honors the source material & simultaneously manages to elevate the art-form).
Bruce Wayne is one of the most important modern characters of our time. Not since the days of Jesus Christ, himself, has there even been someone who sparked a universal impact (sorry ‘Supes’ - You & Ol’ ‘Batsy’ are Tied in my book) upon average people worldwide. Granted - Bruce Wayne is NO Jesus (there can only be one), however, his life’s journey is a true Test of Faith, which is a universal lesson that I firmly believe Jesus Christ was attempting to spread in his message of good faith towards one another.
Tumblr media
Bruce Wayne (played by Christian Bale & Gus Lewis, respectively), as it is now [mostly known], was born an heir to The Wayne Family, an age-old empire in modern society (Gotham City, U.S.A.). In Christopher Nolan’s particular take on this (now-classic) SuperHero story - Reality is the cinematic setting.
“Batman Begins” is Nolan’s homage to Richard Donner’s “Superman”, having been THE standard for comic book movies (since the late 1970’s if I’m not mistaken). Having obviously been a fan of Donner’s work (Gee, who isn’t?) - it’s an obvious source-of-influence for the first installment in Christopher Nolan’s Perfect Epic.
When I had first discovered the news that Christopher Nolan was Warner Bros. Studios’ choice for a brand new Batman reboot - I have to admit I was VERY optimistic. After having seen “Memento”, and his work with that incredible team - I was very, very optimistic that for ONCE the Batman universe was going to be actually depicted like it is in the comic books (at least the ‘80s Batman Comics - Hello Dark & Gritty Vibes). Considering the mental intensity of “Memento” (and how linear-storytelling-need-not-apply) - I was absolutely curious to see how well the story would finally be done on-screen (with all due respect to Tim Burton & Joel Schumacher & All previous efforts achieved in the known story-telling community). After all is said and done, this franchise is a ‘Grand Slam’.
Christopher Nolan’s version of Milton “Bill” Finger’s (Bob Kane took all of the credit for Bill’s work; for shame) story of Bruce Wayne/Batman is the most inspiring work I’ve seen achieved on the concept (and characters) to this day. With the initial tone set in the first film - we find a young Bruce Wayne as a child - simply playing in the Wayne family’s garden with his best (& childhood) friend (and one of the most important characters in the franchise): Rachel Dawes (played by Katie Holmes, Emma Lockhart, and Maggie Gyllenhaal, respectively). Bruce & Rachel establish the innocence of childhood (and of our main protagonist) with the playful phrase, “Finders Keepers” which is followed by young Bruce falling into an old dried-out well (which then traps him into a slight crevice, filled with Bats).
As we discover in this story, the symbol of Batman has a rather deeper meaning to Bruce Wayne than what had been initially expected (unless if you’re a fan of the comics). When the first film starts to take form, we find Bruce Wayne lost in the depths of ‘hell’ as an adult man. Having been an heir to a Family’s Kingdom (so-to-speak), Bruce Wayne had lost his Mother & Father; Martha & Thomas Wayne (SUCH Good People) at a tragically-early age, having their lives taken by a lost soul in the dark of night (a reality known, all-too-well, by our own collective experiences as a contemporary society).
Martha & Thomas Wayne establish the core values that help shape Bruce Wayne as an Individual. Their Leadership, their knowledge, their wisdom, their love (their faith). All of their finest attributes shine a light on how the community - the city of Gotham (and their actions as people) help shape said community. Without their Faith, Bruce Wayne’s immediate world probably wouldn’t have even been established for him (perhaps). It is that faith that is the driving force of this franchise, and the greatest tragedy of this film is, indeed, the blatant & cold-blooded murder of Martha & Thomas Wayne. Ya know, they were really good people in terms of their contributions to their household & community & their lives, and they truly cared about their impact on the world (in a greater sense).
With such care, they made important choices (that had an effect on everyone in Gotham, regardless of outlook). Choices that made a necessary difference in, not only their home, but in their overall world. Gotham may be fictional, but I will let the fantasy play and I will acknowledge the tremendous amount of detail put into these stories that went unnoticed in the initial ‘life’ of this franchise’s release. Having said that - Unless if memory serves inaccurate, this film received a lot of unwarranted criticism for the realistic depiction of modern violence (due to the UNGodly public shooting(s) that have been taking place in our country; I acknowledge the real-life tragedies, but also acknowledge the importance of artistic vision). I say unwarranted due to the fact that Christopher Nolan managed to hold up a mirror and we need to pay close attention (and look beyond the glamour & simulated violence), and this was accomplished well-before Todd Phillips’ incredible film “Joker” had been produced (which drew plenty of inspiration from Nolan’s signature style and Heath Ledger’s actual development of said character; Joker’s Journal).
At the core of this story is Faith.
Faith is what was instilled in Martha & Thomas Wayne (and their lessons with Bruce as a boy). Alfred Pennyworth (played Beautifully by Sir Michael Caine in a Nomination-worthy performance for Best Supporting Actor in my humble opinion) is the reinforcement to protect the Wayne Family’s Honor & Good Name. On the surface, Mr. Pennyworth is Bruce Wayne’s Butler, however, when he’s not maintaining the Wayne fortune, he is ‘the guiding light’ (no pun intended) in Bruce Wayne’s Journey (despite the efforts of various opposition). While Rutger Hauer (rest his soul; “BLIND FURY”!!! YES!) had set the tone for what was to come later in young Bruce Wayne’s life (at the funeral for Martha & Thomas Wayne) - it becomes abundantly clear that Bruce Wayne has quite the journey ahead of him in his life (with plenty of whom have pre-developed plans & agendas to seize Wayne Enterprises for their own gain).
Bruce Wayne, born of a Mother & Father, heir to “the throne” (as it were), and thriving billionaire, one day decides to leave it all behind. It’s a moment of internal crisis for our protagonist due to the severely traumatic act of witnessing the death of his own parents (while almost being murdered himself). I know a lot of people think Kal-El (aka ‘Superman’, aka ‘Clark Kent’) is the end-all be-all of Superheroes (myself included), however, after a retrospective look back at Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy it becomes abundantly clear just how much credit this franchise did NOT receive from the critics & the artistic community (Hi, Academy. I’m lookin’ at ya’ll). Despite the worldwide acclaim, I believe this franchise was well ahead of it’s time in terms of the most important aspect of the entire achievement - The Story.
This is a franchise fully-devoted to the story and that is a significant contributor to the success of this version of Batman. I grew up watching old reruns on TV of Adam West & Burt Ward going around and ‘CLEANING-SOME-CLOCKS’ as it were (POW! ZAM! KLAM! CHOWDAH!), and I always hold that version near-and-dear to my heart because I still think the early 1960’s version of Batman was really fun & really awesome & an absolute delight. Plain & simple. ..Granted - as time continued and the characterization of Bruce Wayne (and his alter-ego “Batman”; His Armor; His Protective Shield) had advanced & developed into a new ground (conceptually-speaking). The core values of who Bruce Wayne is, where he comes from, and Why he does [what he does] did not truly become profoundly-realized for me until I’d say when the Animated series (1990’s! DUDE still one of the best Animated Series I’ve ever seen; like ‘a fine wine of cartoons’). “The Mask of The Phantasm” is still one of the best Batman stories I’ve ever seen - Such an incredible origin story for Bruce Wayne - and definitely one of the best animated, full-length features I had ever seen as a kid (Not to discount Tim Burton’s gothic-induced-dream-like version of the knight’s tale).
With Christopher Nolan’s contribution to the overall storyline of Batman - we truly have a Masterpiece Trilogy before us (as audience members). Nolan’s take on Batman is truly like no other (even surpassing efforts that preceded the franchise) in that he actually provides a glimpse into what it would look like if the fantasy actually became a reality. Christopher Nolan achieves that goal (Ten-fold) with this trilogy.
Tumblr media
In the first film - what we know about Batman becomes hyper-realized with the emphasis on Bruce Wayne’s life in modern-day America (Gotham City being the quintessential metropolitan All-American city). An America that has succumbed to an overall tone of darkness & hopelessness (with the reality of tangible corruption & streets of truly deadly conditions) which has reached a pinnacle-of-suffering for the good people of Gotham (and perhaps, rippled outward into the rest of the world).
Jim Gordon (played PERFECTLY by Gary Oldman, one of the finest performing actors ever to be on screen), a symbol of Gotham’s defeated Law Enforcement, patrols the streets of Gotham City each night. Jim Gordon is one of the key individuals that Bruce Wayne reaches out towards (in his pre-Knight regalia) in the first stages of ‘Batman Begins’. Jim Gordon was the person who wrapped the coat around (a young) Bruce Wayne’s shoulders after his parents had been needlessly-murdered right before his very eyes. Jim Gordon was the one who kneeled to Bruce’s level, acknowledged his loss, and gave him that moment of kindness & warmth & honest-to-God decency. He acknowledged Bruce’s sorrow & loss with grace. He gave him a moment of simple human decency & kindness for the sake of kindness itself.
Jim Gordon’s kind gesture is merely a moment in time, which made all the difference for a young kid who just needed someone to simply be there for him. A moment that showed Bruce Wayne that Goodness & Human Decency can & does still exist in the world despite a traumatically-life-changing tragedy. Jim Gordon’s simple, nearly effortless act, is a sign that people Do honor good faith (and people who truly deserve it) and the good Do get rewarded.
I really like the character Bruce Wayne. I think he’s a better character than most that I’ve ever seen, especially since he actually has character. It’s a shame that people can not see beyond the surface to find the deeper meaning of this story. Bruce Wayne’s [incredible] journey takes place all over the world. When we find him in ‘..Begins’, he is locked up in the ominous mountains of Bhutan. His home now a desolate wasteland of an existence due to his loss. His tragedy (despite Jim Gordon’s act of kindness) had lead him astray and brought him across the other part of the world (only to discover what it truly means to suffer in poverty & hunger & pain & strife & darkness without any means of comfort). As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Bruce’s path is the ‘path-of-most-resistance.’ Rather than succumb to a frivolous, meaningless, and hollow existence - Bruce Wayne took the path rarely taken. He chose his own path, to earn his own personal truth, his own story to be lived & known (and eventually discovered by Gotham City).
Tumblr media
When Bruce meets an unusual individual by the name of ‘Ducard’ (aka Ra’s al Ghul; aka Liam Neeson; Also played simultaneously by the honorable Ken Watanabe, respectively) in his own ‘personal hell’, Ducard feeds into Bruce’s fall from the path of grace (and his spiritual confusion). Ra’s al Ghul/Ducard is only interested in one thing: controlling Bruce Wayne. As Ra’s al Ghul is the quintessential ‘Handler’, or ‘Hypnotist’ of Bruce Wayne in the training period for Bruce Wayne’s spiritual journey - it becomes evident with each effort from Wayne that Ra’s al Ghul represents The Devil (aka ‘The Prince of Darkness’, ‘Satan’, ‘Lucifer’; The ‘Shadow Side’ of Saturn; See “Yikes!”; See “YOWZA”; See “Hide Yo Kids, Hide Yo Wife”; No Disrespect To The Coven; See Not My Lord; See God Protect Me).
From the moment we first-see Ra’s al Ghul - he is shrouded in darkness - lurking in the shadows within each unseen corner of the world - the proverbial serpent of the shadows (so-to-say). In a manner of speaking, Ra’s al Ghul is merely one of many faces throughout the story that showcase the forces of darkness in this particular cinematic legacy (from the depths of darkness, here to possess the living). Ra’s al Ghul attempts to indoctrinate Bruce Wayne (in Bad Faith) in the Bhutanese abyss; a wasteland for the damned (and where the death of hope thrives amidst the stone-prison-walls). Despite Ra’s al Ghul’s efforts - Bruce Wayne not only proves to be the most-prominent under-study of the cult (while being initiated into a secret society; a clandestine fraternity; a subversive order of assassins following an ancient practice (unknown & unseen by the blissful light of day).
Bruce Wayne’s prominence during his training cycle with ‘The League of Shadows’ (an appropriate title) shows us that he surpasses even Ra’s al Ghul’s expectations: showing how the student becomes the teacher (by upholding an authentic approach to having a Personal Moral Code & Justice & Ethical Values). Bruce Wayne is not only faster, stronger, and smarter than Ra’s al Ghul - Bruce Wayne is also wiser. Due to Wayne’s parents (and his friendships) he truly is ‘the shining example’ of true justice that Ra’s al Ghul has yet to achieve in life (due to his obsessive wrath).
Having destroyed the League of Shadows’ initiation grounds & temple of darkness - Bruce Wayne LITERALLY SAVES RA’S AL GHUL’S LIFE. ‘True Colors’ does not even begin to define such a moment for our protagonist (that’s a true sign of Mercy).
Despite Bruce Wayne saving Ra’s al Ghul’s life, afterwards the dude STILL tries to come back and kill Bruce AND Gotham City (Showing how The Devil has No Mercy for Anything, Anyone, or Anywhere and is just flat-out unwilling to acknowledge when something good actually does happen). Granted, at the end of “Batman Begins” we discover how Martha and Thomas Wayne were murdered as a direct result of Ra’s al Ghul & The League of Shadows (and their hatred for all things Gotham City & Western Civilization). It’s a diabolical reveal that the devil holds nothing sacred in the sanctity of human life. The devil will literally kill an angel after having been saved by said angel. In fact, Bruce Wayne’s own personal brush with death is (tragically) a common concern of not only Alfred, but Lucius Fox (played exquisitely by one Morgan Freeman), a former Board-Member & former colleague of Thomas Wayne (prior to his passing).
Bruce shows us that good people typically make a lot of good friends and have good people looking out for one’s best interest (no matter their walk of life). The most awe-inspiring truth of Bruce Wayne/Batman is that his ‘best interest’ is preserving & honoring the good faith of his community and the people in his life (including his ancestors, mind-you, as well as the herculean guidance of one Alfred Pennyworth). Without friends - life goes nowhere - that’s a universal truth. Bruce Wayne nearly died so many times in this trilogy and I don’t think people appreciate that aspect of these movies. This is an individual who literally put his life on the line to save the soul of the city he loves (wanting nothing other than a good, normal, & happy life). I know people only fixate on ‘the How’, but I think ‘the Why’ is the most important element of Bruce Wayne’s fictional example.
Bruce Wayne (as all of us) exists for a reason. His life (albeit fictional) does have an important purpose in the grand scheme of things (as one puts it).
Of course, this reason is emphasized (more & more) by his best friend, Rachel Dawes (among others). It’s a shame that Katie Holmes did not portray Rachel Dawes in both of the first two films, however, I found it to be very impressive [just] how smoothly Maggie Gyllenhaal performed as the character. It’s one of the rare instances in which a character is portrayed by two different performers who both managed to bring an equal amount of dignity & respect to said character. Katie Holmes & Maggie Gyllenhaal should both be applauded for their contributions & performance(s) as the grown-up portrayal of Rachel Dawes.
Rachel Dawes is the positive-female-influence in Bruce Wayne’s life (complimentary to that of Alfred Pennyworth’s positive-male-influence; or non-gender-specific-neutral-influence? Sure, why not) that is necessary to develop his respect & honor towards women (which is a necessary element of chivalry). Chivalry is not dead in America: The examples set before us can be found within our own real-life society (I shall go into that more later..).
More important than Rachel Dawes’ positive influence on Bruce Wayne is her genuine friendship (since their childhood). Rachel is not interested in taking advantage of Bruce or using him for her own personal gain. Rachel Dawes genuinely cares about Bruce Wayne and how well the quality of his life (as well as the life of the community) have grown. Rachel Dawes shows Bruce what is occurring in the streets of Gotham on a daily basis. Rachel is living, breathing, working, and seeing what has become of Gotham City - a limping giant of a once-prominent-city (Modern-Day America in a nutshell). Rachel Dawes reminds Bruce Wayne of the importance of Good People Taking Ownership of One’s Community. She reminds him that life is not only about one’s own personal pain, but alas, the collective pain of which a community must endure & resolve (as a said community) with good faith; “It’s not about who you are underneath, it’s what you do that defines you.”
In the second act of Nolan’s Cinematic Epic, “The Dark Knight” - Bruce Wayne encounters the tangible result of Newton’s Third Law: for every action there is an equal (or greater) reaction; hence ‘The Joker’ (played enormously by the late Heath Ledger; Rest in Peace).
The Joker is the response to Bruce Wayne’s actions in the first act, and in every way, he is Bruce Wayne’s exact opposite (albeit opposites, their life paths are balancing on the same proverbial axis of existence). Bruce Wayne is a reflection of light while The Joker is a product of darkness (Negative Energy, Pessimism, Hate, Evil, Unhappiness, Pain, Suffering, Misery, Torment, Violence, & Trauma). While Batman is the answer to corrupt forces in Gotham City - The Joker is the reaction to The Bat-Man.
Tumblr media
The Joker is the continuation of opposing forces attempting to infiltrate Bruce Wayne’s life & community (as would a specter in the shadows, a spider in the darkest reaches of lunacy; a.k.a. the absence of faith, the inversion of angels; i.e. Demons, Demonic Entities, Dark Deities, etc). The Joker represents everything evil in society - everything sick, everything sad, everything hurt. To The Joker (and the fools before him) - society is an infestation, a plague, a result of toxicity & corruption (especially the light of which darkness cannot fathom). Batman is the antithesis to Joker’s Chaos. Batman is the collective honor & balance of civility & justice & good faith quantified into one symbolic rogue.
Heath Ledger’s performance of Joker was nothing short of awe-inspiring artistry & workmanship (WorkPERSONship?). His passing was a needless tragedy and although his performance garnered him numerous accolades - I wish he did not have to die in order to attain it (It should have been him accepting the award - it should have been him). Without a doubt, an equal to Joaquin Phoenix’s performance (if not Superior) - I still acknowledge Heath Ledger’s ground-breaking performance as a perfect triumph of Acting (although I think the character is absolutely distorted on all accounts; despite Joker’s persuasive wit).
Many people like to compare Joaquin Phoenix & Heath Ledger’s performance(s) as The Joker (folks compare everything in life), and I think both performances stand strongly on equal ground. Total Perfection. No doubt about it - and one kinda goes with the other if you were to align the vision side-by-side. Of course I love me some Jack Nicholson in Tim Burton’s “Batman” - I think he gave an undeniably frightening & charismatic performance just as Ledger & Phoenix (proof of the character’s universal & artistic appeal). Although Heath Ledger’s performance shall always be praised as a definitive milestone in Acting on Film - I still think the character is a twisted f**k (pardon my American).
Not only does Joker attempt to destroy Bruce Wayne’s personal Faith, but also everyone he cares about in his life, and everyone in the entire city of Gotham, USA. The pitiful tragedy of Joker’s existence is the sad truth that he lacks good faith in not only himself, but the people of Gotham, and the one individual who is genuinely trying to make a good difference in the world: Bruce Wayne.
Tumblr media
It is a tragedy & a disgrace to humankind that Rachel Dawes & Harvey Dent (played by the Always-Excellent Aaron Eckhart) died in vain (as Thomas & Martha before them). It’s a sin that the Joker did what he did to everyone in Gotham City. It’s unGodly that so many human beings had to lose their lives, needlessly, just because of one individual’s own loss of innocence, and more specific, his loss of personal faith in his life (and in the world, of which, we live). The reason why Joker is dangerous is because he is the quintessential ‘mass shooter.’ He is the terrorist. He is the result of a society that has forgotten him. He is the reason why so many people struggle & suffer in contemporary society - not because he caused it, but because he fed into it - preying on the life force of humanity & destroying the efforts of truly good people who kept striving to save the soul of humanity (within the framework of a struggling eco-system).
If Bruce Wayne did not have friends he would have been dead in the first act of the story - that is a fact. When Dr. Jonathan (Not ‘Frasier’) Crane (aka ‘The Scarecrow’) had attacked Batman (in ‘Begins’) with the weaponized hallucinogens, Bruce Wayne was almost killed. If it was not for Alfred Pennyworth & Lucius Fox, Bruce would have been dead in the streets of Gotham. The consistent importance of Friendship is quite evident when thinking of Bruce Wayne’s network of acquaintances (both in ‘high’ & ‘low’ places) in the city of Gotham. This also applies in the opposite, with Bruce becoming an important (and powerful) friend to certain individuals of Gotham City (in return).
Friendship is a universal quality of humanity that should be cherished & honored. Friendship, like everything, requires effort. Bruce Wayne’s life requires effort even though he is a “billionaire playboy” - he still has struggles just like anyone else, and he shares the struggle with his friends (since they became a sort of surrogate family; more like extended-family; legal & spiritual guardians). Bruce Wayne is a fictional example that no one is free from life’s struggle and life’s personal challenges & lessons (no matter the ‘advantages’ or ‘upbringing’). It’s a sign of brilliance on behalf of the conceptual team behind the vision of The Dark Knight Trilogy. I know a lot of people focus on the action sequences and the drama of the theatrical dance of Light & Dark play out on screen in the form of the Batman & the Joker, but beneath the surface is a sincere sociological & political commentary (and spiritual message).
The Light & The Dark (i.e. Positive & Negative, God & Lucifer, Heaven & Hell, Angels & Demons, the Good & the Bad vibes, The Upward Infinity & The Downward Spiral, etc, etc, etc): it is at the fundamental core of our collective balance of existence; Life as we know it to be. It is my humble understanding that the eternal balance is a necessary process, it requires effort on both sides. Both Light & Dark must cooperate to preserve the equinox-of-existence (just one person’s opinion based off of observation & objective analysis, take it or leave it).
The death of Bruce Wayne’s best friend, Rachel Dawes, was not only a tragedy in Bruce’s life, it was a tragedy for innocence. She was so angelic & kind & giving & honorable & brave - her Faith is what helped Bruce remember his childhood innocence (before he was robbed of said innocence), and her last words (which were concealed from Bruce due to desperate-times-call-for-desperate-measures; see Alfred Pennyworth), she continued to spread the message of Good Faith in Humanity despite the fact that she was needlessly murdered. A defining attribute of Rachel Dawes’ character is one-in-the-same as Martha and Thomas Wayne - the Belief & Faith in Humanity despite the monumental heartache & loss (and yes, trauma & death).
If one recalls the time in the first act when Alfred was bringing Bruce Wayne back from the mountains of Bhutan - Alfred briefly mentions how Bruce Wayne’s ancestors’ tireless efforts to keep their community alive (even at the worst of times) nearly made them bankrupt. It was their tireless dedication (their faith) that paved the way to set a foundation for future generations to prosper (while honoring the efforts of said ancestors). Although their example did not improve Gotham’s economic prosperity overnight, the murder of Martha & Thomas Wayne set the wealthy of Gotham into action (as the story goes).
Bruce Wayne comes from a long lineage of helpers. Helpful People who are Good. People who want to see the best results out of humanity’s efforts (as a whole). People who believe in the power of the individual, and the social end-result of one individual’s tireless faith (and life choices).
Although Bruce Wayne’s ancestors are not the focal point of Batman, they are his bloodline & family’s history which in it’s own right deserves to be honored & respected (I know this is a fictional character, but roll with me here, people HahaHA).
Yes, “The Dark Knight” consists of nothing short of complete Mayhem, and YES, The Joker may make ya pee a little bit (just a little), and maybe even laugh (the writing is pretty damn genius in my humble opinion). I acknowledge that “The Dark Knight” should have been nominated for Best Picture (Double that for “The Dark Knight Rises”), and I acknowledge that Christian Bale should have been nominated for Best Actor his final performance as Bruce Wayne/Batman (I think he was snubbed, but hey I’m not in the Academy, so what do I know, right? HahaHA).
Speaking of “The Dark Knight Rises”, I still believe it’s the best Batman movie of all time. I understand (and have heard) many folks say “The Dark Knight” was a better movie, however, I believe (on the contrary) that not only is the third act of Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece a testament of cinematic storytelling - it is a testament to just how AWESOME we are when we perform at our best. When we work together, we are at our best (as a country, and as a people).
“The Dark Knight Rises”, at it’s core, is a cyclical nod to everything that was established in the first act of the trilogy (a perfect Full Circle), and of course, is the conclusion of Batman. Every lesson in Bruce Wayne’s life, every struggle, every enemy, every friend - every aspect of Bruce Wayne’s life is interwoven with Gotham City (and the people of Gotham) as he & his friends defend Gotham City (and everyone in it). In “The Dark Knight Rises”, Bruce Wayne has become a Hermit; locked away, half man, half mythos, in an air of mystery & fascination (among the ones who still speak of the elusive figure; a fading memory of a silent guardian). And as a hermit, Bruce has become deeply reclusive due to the Joker’s killing spree in Gotham City nearly a decade prior (while exploiting the sick minds & lost souls who stand for nothing [and truly fall for anything]).
While an average person would possibly accept Bruce Wayne’s physically-defeated, emotionally-scarred,  and spiritually-damaged condition - Alfred Pennyworth (God Bless ‘em) does what any individual of Good Faith would do - he encourages Bruce. He sees Bruce as a human being, not as a symbol. He cares about Bruce Wayne’s life, his well-being, his overall fulfillment, and Bruce’s personal happiness. He chose to honor the pact he made with Thomas Wayne to protect the family fortune (most importantly, Bruce). Alfred Pennyworth has his own fascinating & rich history from his own backstory (having been a soldier in his younger years). Fact of the matter is, Alfred never stopped being a soldier at heart. He is True Blue; a true man of the cause; a true Englishman, a true American, and overall a true HUMAN BEING. He is a True Believer of preserving all that is sacred & righteous in our world. He is a Saint and he is a blessing (in contrast to Ra’s al Ghul’s curse-like presence; working in Bad Faith; a destructive force; almost the polar opposite of Alfred).
Tumblr media
One thing I love about the final film in Nolan’s titanic, artistic, commercial, & cinematic effort is just how well the Production had managed to pull off the third act (having so many characters and SO much exposition) especially considering the factors that most wouldn’t even consider (i.e. Budget, Lights, Sound, Wardrobe, Set Design, making sure everyone’s hitting their marks, making sure all the stunt-work is safe, making sure it’s all coordinated to the “T” - the amount of brain-storming, conceptualization, the marketing, the pre-production, the principal photography, the post-production, etc etc etc). Movies that require so much of the cast & crew do not always work well, but Warner Bros. & Nolan’s Team somehow managed to actually pull it off. They did what no one else could do - they made Batman real. Christian Bale made Bruce Wayne real. He made Bruce Wayne truly Human (even if just for a moment).
In this day & age (with everything that just happened very recently in our very own United States of America) - one could find a jaw-dropping parallel to what happened when ‘Bane’ came to Gotham City (played ferociously by the envelope-pushing Tom Hardy; see “Bronson”, so gnarly) to what had happened to our own U.S. Capitol.
Bane is the darkness (cloaked with brute force) that feeds off of the fear of humanity. Bane is a product of The League of Shadows (with Hardy’s vocal performance being a nod to UK & Ireland Bare-Knuckle-Boxing Champion, Bartley “King of The Gypsies” Gorman), and was actually ex-communicated from the league (so the story goes) by Ra’s al Ghul (himself). Word around the campfire is that Bane is a force of nature (more destructive than known before) and will stop at nothing to ‘fulfill the destiny of Ra’s al Ghul.’ Bane is a result of fringe-Cult-Mind-Control-Indoctrination (a life devoid of pure faith & free-will entirely; typically due to some possible form of sincere trauma and/or loss and governing authority; aka The Darkness).
The legend of Bane is more rumor than fact. He is just as elusive as Batman, and just as evil as Joker (if not more). Bane’s physicality brings Bruce Wayne to his knees in the third act of Nolan’s 3-piece work-of-art, while also providing all of the intellectually-driven rationale (totally psychotic) behind his Madness & Apocalyptic ambitions. Bane is a real-life-threat to Bruce Wayne & Gotham City (and The American Way). Bane represents the overall threat to our way of life (as a humanity). Bane is everything wrong with world leaders & corrupt forces (cultivated into the most toxic physical form); like a deranged & disfigured Churchill who lumbers about (as a lion in a den) in the underground infrastructure of Gotham City’s sewage system (almost as a warped, drug-induced, Shakespearean Emperor). Bane is a deadly force of nature, fueled entirely by the sickness of bad faith; coerced into his own psychosis by probably the most complex & frightening character of the entire series - Talia al Ghul (a.k.a. ‘Miranda Tate’, played unnervingly-well by one Marion Cotillard [the child played by Joey King, respectively]; her performance sends chills up the spine upon numerous viewings).
While introducing Batman & Gotham’s new enemies, some of Bruce’s new friends in the final (and most epic) installment of Christopher Nolan’s Batman storyline are Officer [Robin] John Blake (played exceptionally by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and a Wild-Card-Femme-Fatale character by the name of Selina Kyle (a.k.a. ‘Catwoman’, performed very well by Anne Hathaway). Joseph Gordon-Levitt shines as young Patrol Officer Blake - also having been an orphan, like Bruce Wayne, and a true believer in the purpose of Bruce Wayne (Batman) in Gotham City. Unlike Bruce, however, Robin is not a billionaire & Robin was not born into a life of privilege. Despite his brief backstory, Robin Blake, like Bruce Wayne, has Faith in Humanity. It’s why he puts on the uniform (speculative subtext). He does not have the luxury to become Batman, so just as Jim Gordon does - He works with what is given to him. He applies himself within the structure already established within Gotham (despite the restrictions & limitations of said structures of society). He, like ‘Serpico’ before him (see Al Pacino) is a regular Cop who just wants to do what the Law is supposed to do: To Protect & To Serve the good people of Gotham City.
Selina Kyle, on the other hand, is on a path between The Light & The Dark (on a sort of ‘spiritual tight-rope’ between the two paths). Selina’s life path is one of constant survival and constant running. As a ‘Cat Burglar’, Selina Kyle is a flat-out Crook. Her tough exterior conceals what truly is underneath her mask - a person who, too, has faith in humanity (proof that the ones who wander are not lost). Unfortunately for Bruce Wayne, as previously-mentioned, ‘Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures’ - and Selina Kyle’s desperation put Bruce directly into the hands of Bane & The League of Shadows (at a truly disturbing moment in the film). While forces of The League of Shadows’ (combined with a few of Wayne Enterprises’ own ‘bad seeds’, i.e. Daggett, Stryver, etc) disseminate chaos throughout the plot of “The Dark Knight Rises” (by destroying the city of Gotham and exiling Bruce Wayne across the world into a pit of hell) - all of the friends Bruce Wayne has made start to band together to organize a resistance with the surviving members of local (and once-established) authorities. The honor, the people, the community of Gotham City, and the overall driving spirit - the collective faith of the city (as a whole) had been damn-near destroyed entirely in this film. The resistance was born from those of whom are still faithful to their city and the rights of every individual who resides within.
Between the clandestine operations of Robin & his fellow law enforcement officers (all trapped underneath Gotham due to The League’s devastating terrorist attack), the United States Federal Government (and necessary agencies) & Wayne Enterprises (with ‘Miranda Tate’, Lucius Fox, etc), and the awe-inspiring action-sequences in this grand finale - there is no denial that the final installment of The Dark Knight Trilogy is the most realistic & visceral revolutionary epic set in modern-day America. It’s funny when one stops to think that this was all originally based off of a comic book character published by Detective Comics in the late 1930’s. It’s astonishing to think of just how far this fantasy story has evolved throughout the years.
Bruce Wayne is more than a comic book character. Bruce Wayne is a symbol of humanity. That is his ‘superpower’ - his Humanity. He is more than just a person fighting crime to honor his family’s faith & heritage - he is honoring the faith of humanity as it stands today. After all of the corruption & loss & trauma - Bruce Wayne never lost faith in what we have in life (even after losing so many loved ones and frequently having his own life in harm’s way). As he strives to defeat the darkness of Gotham (by striking fear into the hearts of those who prey upon the fearful), the force of darkness continues to rise to attempt to destroy & defeat The Light (Futility at it’s finest).
The greatest villain of all, Batman’s most incredible threat throughout the entire trilogy is actually Talia Al Ghul (Ra’s al Ghul’s daughter & heir to The League of Shadows; the true leader of the cult). She is the one who almost destroys Gotham City (if it wasn’t for Bruce Wayne and everyone who stepped up to do what was right to defend the city).
Although Talia does not fight Batman physically - she is the only villain who ever slept with Batman & exploited him with complete intimacy (seducing Bruce Wayne in a seemingly romantic moment in the film). Talia (still known as “Miranda” by this point in the story), appears innocent & sweet upon first glance, however with multiple viewings of the film, one begins to understand the disturbing nature of what Miranda/Talia is and is Not saying in Bruce Wayne’s presence (a brief glimmer of her spiritual void). Talia al Ghul truly is Ra’s al Ghul’s daughter and her light has been completely stamped out by the fact that she, not Bane, was the one who came out from the pit of hell (as it is revealed in the climax of this epic conclusion). The Devil lurks in many forms - in this particular case, Talia al Ghul displays the darkness as it exists in feminine form. Marion Cotillard was the most over-looked performance of the series (in my personal opinion) and I think as much as Tom Hardy does not get enough credit for his, at times, somewhat Macbethian performance (albeit not as flamboyant as Joker, but even more deadly) - I believe Talia al Ghul is the greatest threat to Gotham City in this trilogy (sorry, fellas).
While magnifying the character of Talia al Ghul, one must acknowledge her natural ability to be a ‘Wolf-in-Sheep’s-Clothing.’ She is the deadliest threat to Humanity due to her belief in a necessary demise of Gotham (seeing Gotham City as a hotbed of hypocrisy & imperialism). Talia al Ghul has no problem burning the barrel over a few bad apples (if that makes sense). While Talia is the CEO of Wayne Enterprises, she was also simultaneously dictating every strategy for The League of Shadows behind closed doors. She is the ‘Queen’, ‘The Head of The Serpent’, The Leader of ‘The Hive.’ She is the quintessential ‘Wicked Witch’, The ‘Bad Girl’, the ‘Goddess’, Kali, Baphomet, etc etc etc). She is an individual, born into a pit of darkness, and exposed to a potentially-life-shattering amount of trauma (based off of the staggering display of complete psychosis; albeit tremendously stealthy & downplayed under her facade of congeniality).
Tumblr media
Talia al Ghul is the mastermind who inherited the crown from Ra’s al Ghul’s ‘throne’ (if that makes sense). She is a product of trauma, suffering, & loneliness, but more importantly, a severely sick individual who needs some serious mental & emotional help (more than Joker & Harley Quinn combined) and is the deadliest foe of all (due to her intellect & internalized rage & female fury & her knowledge of all things Gotham & Bruce Wayne/Batman). Talia al Ghul, like Batman, is a force of nature; especially due to her complete cutthroat tactics and inversion of personal Faith in Humanity. Talia al Ghul initially comes across as a meek & angelic person, responsible for the credibility & success of Wayne Enterprises. Her entire life, however, has been dedicated towards the infiltration of Gotham City, USA, and she is the only character in the film who is truly superior to Bruce Wayne in terms of sheer will-power (He caught up to her in the end though). What saves Bruce Wayne is his network of friends (Alfred, Jim Gordon, Lucius, Robin, Selina, etc), in addition to his mind, body, & spirit (once they attain alignment).
I don’t know what others have said, but I think Robin & Catwoman were actually done brilliantly in “The Dark Knight Rises.” Robin was a pleasant surprise for me as a viewer (truth be told; although I thought Ryan Gosling (GOS!) would have made an amazing Robin in ‘The Dark Knight Rises’; much respect for Joseph Gordon-Levitt), and Selina Kyle/Catwoman is fascinating due to her being the wild card of the last film (that truly helped level the playing-field; Girl-Power).
Catwoman, unlike Batman & Robin, is a big question mark throughout the majority of the last film. Her presence is just as elusive & threatening as Talia’s, however, Catwoman (unlike Talia al Ghul), underneath it all, is a Good Person trapped in a bad situation. That is a common thread in this storyline - Good people being in bad places (i.e. Jim Gordon, Lucius Fox, Rachel Dawes, Harvey Dent, etc). On the flip side of the coin - there are plenty of bad folks in good places amidst Gotham’s corrupt forces (i.e. Dr. Crane/Scarecrow, Carmine Falcone, Judge Faden, Detective Ramirez, Detective Wuertz, etc). It’s a reality known all too well in our modern society.
When one observes the overall arc of Bruce Wayne’s transformational life experiences in Nolan’s Comic Book Epic - I have to reiterate the notion of duality consistently interwoven within each one of these films. Light & Dark - Good & Evil - Positive & Negative - the eternal dance - it is the driving force of this franchise (as Bruce is the quintessential “Light Worker” - not that I’m soliciting ‘New Age’ [or ‘Old Age’ for that matter] ideologies, just a matter-of-saying). Bruce Wayne symbolizes The Light of God found in human form (at the very core and most-primary form of what Natives call, “The Great Spirit”, respectively), of which must seize the day to tame the night. Bruce is the epitome of a Capricorn/Aquarius cusp (Western Astrology/Zodiac) - in full force - bringing the water to those who are thirsty, bringing food to those who are starving, and healing the suffering of a people by means of very serious mental, physical, and Yes, Spiritual Work & Seriously Visionary Goals. Bruce Wayne is the Light while Bane is the Darkness of Humanity (the brute force, the inversion of light); the absence of faith. Although he does indeed have an inherent belief within his bones (and muscles reminiscent of mountains), Bane is still dependent on man-made ideologies & approaches (entirely based in the material world). The League of Shadows are attempting to summon the fires from hell in order to bring the dark prince into Heaven to seize the light (again, futility) to fulfill the devil’s ultimate lie (talk about a God-Complex..Oh me, Oh my) of Superiority (‘Can’t we all just get along?’).
When examining Talia al Ghul’s presence as a double-agent mastermind - her reveal is one of the most important plot twists of the series. Talia being a hidden “mole” within the resistance of Gotham City during The League of Shadows’ Hostile Takeover sets off Martial Law in Gotham - which sparks an uprising in the city that eventually saves Gotham (due to the efforts of a network of people who utilized adaptability & effective methods of coordination & action). Bane is to Batman as Talia is to Catwoman (just as Harvey is to Rachel; Duality; Gemini, Twins). What’s so incredible about Selina Kyle is her purpose in the story as a symbol that people CAN & DO redeem themselves despite having a checkered past (something a good amount of folks have in this day-and-age, myself included). Although the clandestine efforts of Gotham’s resistance had been futile due to the fact that Talia al Ghul was hiding in plain sight (a stroke of genius on the writing), Selina Kyle was the defining individual that tipped the scale in favor for Gotham City (and more importantly, Humanity as a Whole). She had an opportunity to leave Gotham and have a clean slate, but she had a personal moment-of-crisis... That’s because she has a soul, and in her soul, she knows, by faith & intuition, that humanity needed her help (one could speculate). She went back & risked her life (God bless her), which was a full circle nod, of which, echoed the sentiment originally planted within the first film: The moment when Rachel Dawes asked a younger Bruce Wayne, “..What chance does Gotham have if the good people do nothing?”  (Edmund Burke; ‘Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents’ [1770], regarding the nepotism of a monarchy).
Talia al Ghul is a highly-complex character (next to Bruce Wayne) in the series due to the potential life she may have lead as an orphan born in the pit of hell (shot in the jaw-dropping landscape of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India). She is also the most tragic due to the fact that she literally has an opportunity to leave her life of pain & suffering behind to be with Bruce Wayne, but succumbs to the ‘Shadow Side.’ ...You know something is ‘rotten in the state of Denmark’ when she would rather destroy the world than have a ‘happily ever after’ with Bruce Wayne. Her spirit fell back into the proverbial pit of despair & darkness (without ‘The Light’) that she had escaped from (in a metaphoric sense). Bane, like Scarecrow before him, is merely a pawn in the worldwide game of Chess (‘all the world is a stage...’). The tragedy of Talia is that she is someone who was born into darkness and literally had to pay for the sins of her father (as her mother did, tragically).
Talia al Ghul is the most heart-breaking villain of the trilogy simply due to her life being a complete tragedy. One begins to ponder if she had a romantic evening with Bruce Wayne simply because she had felt the cold winter of loneliness for too long, or if she desperately (just for a moment) wanted to be one with God’s Light & a person’s gentle embrace (although I don’t know I might be wrong - she was probably like “Hey, it’s either Scary-Ass Bane or six-pack abs Bruce Wayne. HMMM. Let’s tip the scale on that one - HAhaHa, I digress). Regardless of reasoning - Talia al Ghul’s complexity is probably no match for the intense unhappiness she carries with her. It’s no surprise due to the fact that her mother’s absolutely unGodly demise (so sad) was the catalyst that sparked her mission from Hell (with her hound-of-hell on a leash, aka Bane). As much as I may condemn Talia al Ghul & Bane - I want to reason with them. I want to listen to them and I want to let them know that America is not a bad place, and we are not a bad people. I want to find a common ground, and extend the olive branch (as the saying goes) in order to help heal their pain & misconceptions of Americans and Humanity (as a whole), without having to give my (or anyone else’s) life in the process.
I have a belief that if Talia al Ghul was given a fair & ample opportunity to have a better life in America - she would have taken it (if she had not been so deeply-programmed with hate). I have the understanding & more concrete belief that it is due to her life-long journey of trauma-based-indoctrination as the main culprit as to why she simply won’t cease & desist from committing further acts of wrath upon Humanity. Talia al Ghul could have put just as much effort into the healing as the killing (but she fell back into that spiritual pit). I know why she hates. She hates because she weeps, deep down inside in her soul at night (when no one is around), for her trauma & her unbearable internal pain. She hates because she is repeating the pattern of trauma that may or may not have been applied to her mind, body, and worst of all - her soul. She hates because she had hatred put into her (since being a small, innocent child) and she put that hatred out into the world (a severe lack of comfort, love, care, family, and yes - Faith). Although symbols of lightness, darkness, duality, and representations of sins & faith are all spread across this monumental achievement in film (without having to shove a Cross in someone’s face) - at the very core of this film is, again, the importance of faith in humanity despite our individual & collective tragedies (and shared injustice). The importance of striving, no matter the odds, no matter the pain, no matter how dark the night.
Tumblr media
I believe the BEST moment in the entire story was the moment Bruce Wayne climbed out of the pit to save his people. He could have easily died a painful & shameful death in that ancient prison (while watching his city & country being destroyed by an insane fringe cult; a militia of madness; a false liberation). A lot of people seem to overlook just how incredible & truly powerful that moment is in “The Dark Knight Rises.” Tom Conti (a perfect performance of an apathetic mentor-like figure; complimented brilliantly by one Uri Gavriel as the exiled Medical Doctor of a Monarch) & Christian Bale’s overall dynamic in the entire pit sequence was a masterful stroke of storytelling (tying back to the first film, putting Bruce Wayne back where he first began). It’s fascinating to find Bruce Wayne, with a severely-injured body, having to rebuild himself and strengthening his spirit to rise out of the pit of despair - the pit of personal hell, the unforgiving pit of Time (Capricorn; Saturn; Kronos; “The Task-Master”, “The Reaper”; Reward or Punishment; Karma; The Lord of The Rings). The moment of truth comes when Bruce Wayne discovers (through numerous attempts) that it is his spirit that must rise to seize the light - without vanity, without any fancy gadgets, technology, tricks up his sleeve, or any clever contraption (or vehicle) to assist him in the process. This was a moment for Bruce Wayne and Bruce Wayne alone. This is what we call our moment to “Shine” as an individual being...  our independent spirit. Bruce Wayne had to learn what it meant to climb out of the pit of hell and abandon his fear (as the child in the legend had done; Talia al Ghul).
The pit can represent many things to many different people. The eye of the beholder truly does apply to this (as well as any) story. For the individual to think & feel for one’s self - and to also believe in one’s self. The pit can be a literal prison - or it could be a wealthy kingdom. I know (from personal experience) the feeling of being at the pit of one’s own existence. I know what it means to be a prisoner trapped in one’s own body (due to unwanted pain & suffering & hidden trauma). I’ve learned the plight of humanity and the experience of suffering in the night (I’m just like everybody else). I have been there. I have known the darkness. I have known what it means to “dance with the devil under the pale moonlight” (as the expression goes). I’ve known what it means to defend the innocent from evil, thrusting myself into danger to save family members from toxic masculinity & extreme violence (since being a little boy). I have known the darkness, which is why I kept searching for my own personal truths & answers (which ended the day I had a near-death experience & literally saw The Light of God; 100% Serious). I have known all of these things, but I also know that the people who put that hurt into me had that same hurt (if not worse) put into them...  That’s the paradox of trauma. The original source goes so far back it’s pointless to trace - which is why I look FORWARD in Life. I no longer dwell in the weight of one’s misery & spiritual darkness - I seize the light by choosing a good life (to fulfill my own purpose).
At the risk of my own humiliation & embarrassment (and at the delight of those of whom feel actual glee out of my personal struggles & suffering; God knows who you are), I can acknowledge that I am someone who has lived “in the darkness” before. I have known what it means to suffer and toil without the light of God in my life. I have abandoned my own belief in God before, and my own personal Faith before... it’s not something I am particularly proud of, and although I have survived various life experiences that made me plunge into the pessimistic side of life (having been mentally, physically, and yes - Sexually-Abused in my early childhood) - I reach out (in spirit) to anyone who may be reading my words, who has possibly fallen from the good grace of God (especially due to what has happened in our country). I, too, know what it is to lose faith in God & The True Light (as opposed to the Man-Made light). I know what it’s like to suffer & hate “The Believers” (my trauma came from a so-called “believer”).
You know, stories are more powerful than one may ever think (as well as Family, Friendship, Fun, and Faith). I have lived in my own personal hell before - I have ‘had it all’ and then lost EVERYTHING the following year. I have rebuilt my life SO many times (too many damn times), and I’ve learned one ultimate truth that I MUST share with everyone who is (and will be) alive to read these words...
..There IS A GOD. THERE IS A LIGHT. It may not be visible because we cannot see what lies beyond the veil of existence, but I assure you - Everyone is Alive for a REASON (and Individual Purpose). Women may have the divine gift of giving Life (RESPECT!), but we ALL have the gift of giving LIGHT (each in our own unique way). We all have a way to help heal and put something good into the world, despite our shared pain & trauma, as a people. We all deserve to be happy and have a decent opportunity for a healthy & happy existence (ESPECIALLY with our modern-day world; unless if folks start committing crimes and harming others and whatnot). I believe we are all at our best when we cooperate & coexist with one another (despite our individual differences). The Light does not need to shine out The Darkness just as The Darkness shall never overthrow The Light. We can live in a spiritual Harmony. We do not have to walk the same path. We do not have to share the same spiritual beliefs. I just think we CAN share this world (as I believe we are truly alive in what is known as the Garden of Eden).
We do not have to destroy ourselves to prosper. We can live among one another (with dignity & respect & honor). I’m not always happy to see that people willingly practice certain principles & “values”, but who am I to judge? That’s why God is here... It’s a tough lesson to accept, but it’s true. I should not judge someone just because they worship darkness - because at the end of the day that’s between them and their purpose in life - not mine. I have walked the line, but I never learned from others shouting in my face - I learned from listening & civility & patience & yes - Faith. That’s the purpose of the light - not to drown out the dark, but to work together (as Santa Clause & Krampus do), as a balance of necessary elements that will always be present in our own reality. We, as a contemporary society, have lost touch with the natural way of the world (well, a good amount of folks anyhow). We, as a humanity, have become so vain that we do not even know which way is Up & Down anymore - which way is truly Left & Right. We, as the soul of humanity, have suffered in the darkness for far too long (due to those who wish to control our individual light). We, as a country, MUST help one another climb out of our collective pit of despair - our sociological prison (cultivated through the last aeon), our ‘darkness.’ It has happened before and it can happen again - and to all of my fellow beings of whom shall always carry within us, The Light of Goodness, the love of God, and the wisdom of The Light - I say to thee: RISE.
Tumblr media
I give Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy a PERFECT 10 out of 10! The most inspiring superhero franchise of all time (in my opinion). Bruce Wayne & Gotham City show us that Chivalry is NOT dead in The United States of America (despite our challenges). Christopher Nolan’s Cinematic Achievement is victorious in it’s final conclusion: Gotham City IS worth Saving, as our very own Humanity - and Yes - We can all have a better way of life without having to sacrifice our own lives in the process. We can rise to fulfill our individual & collective destiny (as decent human beings) and have, not the life we need, but the one we DESERVE.
*This is dedicated in loving memory to everyone who has lived & died in service of The Light..✝️
“I see a beautiful city... and a brilliant people, rising from this abyss... I see the lives, for which I lay down my life: peaceful, useful, prosperous, and happy... I see that I hold a sanctuary in their hearts, and in the hearts of their descendents (generations hence)... It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known...”
4 notes · View notes
onestowatch · 4 years ago
Text
little luna’s “shift & go” Is a Mesmerizing Debut
Tumblr media
Here we are at last, gifted with the beautifully mesmerizing debut single “shift & go” from new Alt-pop artist, little luna. Inspired by her poetry, little luna has put the intense complexity of personal growth into words. It’s not easy finding your passion, but the true challenge is following your passion once found. little luna illustrates a conflict between feeling internally free and outwardly trapped; “freed little child on the inside, crying where have you been?”
little luna released a lyric video, coinciding with the original music video, that we were given the opportunity to premiere. The lyric video created for “shift & go” is anything but predictable. The text displaying the lyrics was not added in post-production, but rather projected onto the floor and walls throughout the video as a unique stylistic choice. The lyrical element of the song and story are very important to little luna. She wants the viewer to deeply feel and absorb what is being said and presented. The lyrics are far from an afterthought and that is apparent through the beautifully crafted video below. We are eagerly waiting to see what else little luna has in store for us. In the meantime, read our full Q&A to learn more about her.
Ones to Watch: Congrats on the release of your debut single, “shift & go”! For those who don’t know, who is little luna?
little luna: thanks so much! OTW is one of the few music outlets i look to for new music, so i’m over the moon about this interview – thank you for having me. little luna is rachael kathryn bell & rachael kathryn bell is little luna. for a long time i felt like they were separate parts of my personality; combining the doc marten-loving songwriting LL with the yoga-loving actress rkb. throughout making this music though, i’ve realized not only that i can be all of it at once... but i already am all of it at once. the exploration of music was what i needed to realize a) i am allowed to change & b) i’m going to continue to change.
“shift & go” was inspired by a poem you wrote. Would you say that poetry is a part of your writing process or is ‘shift & go’ unique in that way?
poetry is a huge part of my process; a majority of my songs are based off of poems i’ve written, some poems dating back to first moving to LA almost ten years ago. one day i’ll put them all in a book of sorts, but for now i just keep turning them into songs. whether my session has a co-writer, or i’m just working solo with a producer, i’ll normally take in a few lines from poems / melody ideas i’m vibing with that day and see if the other writer / producer vibes with any of them. everything is a collaboration.
Tumblr media
What do you want your listeners to take away from the story of this song?
honestly music is so personal, so i’m not going to try & control the listener’s narrative. half the time i’ll listen to a song on repeat & have no idea what the lyrics are but the instrumentation alone tells me a story / makes me feel a type of way. with that being said, of course my hope is that upon listening to “shift & go” you’d feel like you are allowed to change. no matter how long you’ve fit into the label that has been put on you, or that maybe even was you for a period of time, that doesn’t have to be forever. take time to reconnect to your inner child & make decisions for yourself out of that place. making this music has been & continues to be my sonic journey through re- discovering my truest self, giving you sounds & words to support you as you do the same.
The visuals and music video are beautifully haunting, can you speak to the inspiration behind the imagery?
thank you! my visuals are created by myself & Jade Ehlers. actually, the lineage of our working relationship is amazing & a story for another day. Jade has helped me bring LL to life & really is a huge part of my journey. considering i grew up acting / studying film, for me the visuals within little luna needed to be on point to help tell the story. marrying sounds with visuals is one of my favorite things to do... like... i’m that person geeking out watching a film when the music supervisor has placed a song at THE perfect moment. any time i’m in-motion (driving, walking, on a train/scooter, etc) i feel like i’m in my own movie, blasting the soundtrack. the visuals to “shift & go” just tie into my love for cinematic expression in general.
What made you shift your path from acting into music? Are you still pursuing acting?
i discovered my love for acting & singing at the same time... a sixth-grade musical ha. it just so happens that acting was what i focused on first & then dove fully into from the age of thirteen to like, two years ago. i got to a point where i just wasn’t passionate about the pursuit of acting & would rather spend my days grinding in sessions than at auditions. there’s no bad blood & if a dream role came up tomorrow i’d love nothing more than to be on set, but i had & this unquenchable thirst to allow myself the time to give 100% into music, so here we are.
Can we expect more songs (possibly an EP) in the near future?
i’m sitting on so much music right now that i cannot wait to share with the world. my little (no pun intended) but mighty team & i wanted to give “shift & go” proper space to live & breathe. so, something could always change, but as of now we’re planning for back to back singles dropping in 2021 followed by my first EP.
What or who would you say has been the biggest influence on your music?
i have answers for both as they are both equally important to me. “what” has been the biggest influence on my music is lush forests, museums & the connection to my truest-self which i first started finding through practice of mediation & yoga. “who” is Bon Iver, James Blake, Etta James, & Stevie Nicks. my parents always had music playing in the house growing up, so my list could go on but i’d say these four have had the greatest impact.
Who are your Ones to Watch?
my Ones to Watch are YEИDRY, EVAN GIIA, & Lous and the Yakuza
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by rachael kathryn bell (@littleluna) on Oct 2, 2020 at 1:26pm PDT
]
3 notes · View notes