#these are quote ‘real’ industry people making an indie show. this is HUGE. this is how big indie stuff can be now.

[diamondvic]

Dana Terrace and glitch productions crossover episode wasn’t on my 2025 bingo card but I’m here for this

[hawkbucks]

Joke’s on you, I’m going to list my favorite quotes anyway (besides the ones from the foreword that I’ve already listed) because they are Very Important: 

“Like any normal nineteen-year-old, I earned both of my master’s degrees on my own merits.” 

“Yinsen bought me the time I needed to recharge the suit, but the cost was his own life. I owe him big time, and I will never be able to repay him.” “Iron Man was born... and my world would never be the same!” 

“Don’t let the smooth talk fool you. Deep down, I’ll always be a tech geek, more comfortable alone in a workshop than surrounded by celebs at a gala fundraiser.” 

“You don’t always have to fight villains to save lives. That’s why I started the Maria Stark Foundation in memory of my mother. It may not be the branch of my company that gets the most public attention, but in my opinion, it’s where we do the most good.”

“Didn’t see [my dad] an awful lot, so Mom took me to visit every day. I grew up around Stark Industries. Or maybe Stark Industries grew up around me? 

“Instead of blowing up the world, why not help build a better one instead?”

“Over the years, I managed to develop a small core of people who I could trust implicitly. Strip away my high-tech suit, my fancy toys, even my checkbook, and I know these guys would still be on my side. They’ve become the family I thought I lost.” 

“Rhodey’s have me back for as long as I can remember. where as my stalwart best friend or flying by my side as War Machine, he’s always been there for me. We’ve been brothers-in-arms from the moment I first saved his life. He’s since repaid the debt more times than I can remember. There’s no truer friend than Rhodey. And his middle name’s Rupert. Don’t tell him I told you.” 

“I may have inherited a fortune from my parents, but the very best thing they left me was [Jarvis].” 

“I thank the heavens for Pepper every day. I’m nominating her for sainthood. Seriously.” 

“[Happy] may have been a little rough around the edges, but that was one of the things we all loved about him. Especially Pepper. Those two crazy kids were meant for each other and, even though things sometimes got rocky between them, their love was unlike anything I’d ever seen. Happy was a huge part of my world. And unfortunately is was my world--the world of Iron Man--that eventually got him killed. I’ll never forget that. And I’ll fight every day to make sure it never happens to anyone else I love.” 

“Guys like The Ghost and Spymaster will stop at nothing to worm their way into a company’s infrastructure and dig up our darkest secrets to sell to the highest bidder. Which reminds me... I really need to delete my web browser’s search history...”

“[Janice] was one of the great loves of my life, and she lost hers because of me. I don’t think I’ve ever forgiven myself.” 

“I have a soft spot for the bad girls.”

“[Rumiko and I] turned into something quite real, at least for a while. As usual, I got lost in my work... and I ended up losing Ru in the process.” 

“When I really get down to work, I don’t have time to worry about what I look like. Maximum comfort yields maximum productivity. A pair of Chucks, well-worn jeans, and a T-shirt will do just fine.” 

“Oddly enough, it’s the smallest stuff I get sentimental about. A watch and some engraved cufflinks. Dad left them on the nightstand the evening the accident happened. Collectors ask me about the watch once a month. It’s never going anywhere.”

“Easy listening is not on my playlist nor is mindless head banging. Classic rock, punk, and indie new wave are more my thing. I like the funky relaxes atmosphere in the ‘fringe’ and ‘artsy’ areas of my favorite big cities... preferably before they get gentrified and become infested with hipsters.” 

“So any joint that dispenses concentrated caffeine and has free Wi-Fi will have me warming its bench seats sooner or later.” 

“If somebody if bumped back on the waiting list because I showed up with no reso, I’ll gladly pick up their tab and add a nice bottle of a Pinot Noir.” 

“[blueprint notes] Reprogram J.A.R.V.I.S to agree with me more often.” 

“Still, mad respect for the classics.”

“...this suit boldly went where no Iron Man had gone before.” 

“When designed some of my earlier armors, I always felt like something was missing. I couldn’t put my finger on it. Was it a faster core processor? A more powerful repulsor? A better defense system? You’d think. But instead, what did I add? A nose.” 

“Jet. Powered. Roller. Skates. Yeah. You heard me.” 

“My repulsor beams could stop a charging rhino in its tracks. Theoretically, of course. Rest assured, I’ve done no testing on actual rhinos. That would just be cruel.” 

“There are people who say I am just a glorified machine operator. They think my armor is the real star of the show and that anyone could strap in and do my job just the same. Those people probably think that Jimi Hendrix was just a guitar player, or that Mario Andretti was just a driver.” 

“[Has an entire section dedicated towards his science friends called “SCIENCE BROS!”]”

“Everything you learn in life can help inform your hardest decisions. Sometimes, though, the answers you can’t find in your head you can find in your soul. Or on Wikipedia.” 

“Soon after, we came across the flash-frozen body of Captain America. We thawed him out, and he joined the team as well. Don’t tell him I said so, but it was one of the best days of my life. That’s when things started to click. Suddenly, the Avengers weren’t just another experiment to me. They were something bigger. Something important.” 

“We’ve had a ton of different members over the years, but Cap and I have always held steady at the core of the Avengers...” 

“...there’s no shame in relying on others to help you get the job done. Sometimes, there comes a day when even Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have to join forces to face the threats that no single hero can withstand. That’s when the call goes out. That’s when the Avengers assemble! (Ooh. Did you just get goosebumps, too?)”

“Whether you’re in charge of thousands of employees or a select squad of heroes, leadership is a pretty heavy burden. Choosing the path that is best for the most in the long run can come with major downsides in the short term. That’s the real test of your character--whether you can make the tough choice despite what everybody else thinks of you.” 

“Life is good. I plan to enjoy every minute. And I know what I’ll be wearing as I do.” 

[dprdabin]

Korea's Rising Rap Star DPR LIVE Looks Back on 2017 and Talks New Plans: Exclusive Video & Interview

With an onslaught of addictive bangers and visually-captivating videos in 2017, DPR LIVE has ascended from an elusive, underground rapper to one of the most talked about and celebrated new voices emerging in Korea's rapidly growing hip-hop scene.

Since gaining recognition through knockout bars and a scene-stealing performance on the critically acclaimed viral hit "Eung Freestyle," DPR LIVE―real name Hong Da Bin―has excelled thanks to his chart accolades and internet co-signs.

The 25-year-old spawned two impressive EPs via his explosive debut EP Coming to You Live from March 2017 and stellar follow-up Her in December, the latter peaking at No. 8 on Billboard's World Album chart, despite no big-name features. DPR LIVE also played to sold-out crowds in Korea and London last year, scored a promotional video campaign with Nike, and racked up millions of views on YouTube, all helping him garner a legion of excited fans all across the globe.

Yet what really sets the charismatic rapper apart as one of the more interesting come-ups in 2017 is the fact that he has achieved all this as a completely independent artist -- a rarity in Korea's highly-competitive music scene.

DPR LIVE and his crew Dream Perfect Regime -- a creative collective better known as DPR -- have relentlessly hustled with nothing but talent and determination, all in the name of keeping LIVE’s budding rap career authentic and true to the crew's message. Never bowing to industry standards, the collective's focus on positioning DPR LIVE onto the mainstream radar has already paid off in a big way: The crew received their first major monetary investment in late 201, which helped fund a new Seoul studio.

While DPR LIVE has already made accomplishments most of his indie peers can only dream of, the young talent is eyeing 2018 with higher aspirations. Gaining stateside traction for his witty flow flips between Korean and English and forward-thinking ear, LIVE earned a slot on this year's massively-anticipated, sixth annual "Korea Spotlight" showcase at SXSW 2018 among some of Korean music’s biggest names -- like R&B phenom Crush, rock sensation Hyukoh and powerhouse diva Lee Hi -- all taking place on March 16 at the Belmont in Austin, Tex.

Ahead of his debut U.S. show, DPR LIVE exclusively sat down with Billboard Koreafor his first-ever, in-depth artist interview at his new studio to share his personal struggles, creative vision and goals.

Watch DPR LIVE’s recap video and read full interview below.

What were some of the challenges you faced in the industry as an indie artist without an actual label?

Oh man, where do I even start? We had a shit-ton of challenges. First of all, financing everything on our own was the hardest thing we had to overcome. We started with zero capital. No investor, no fancy equipment, no nothing. That’s why we had to start as a visual team, but that was probably the smartest move we made, to think about it now. Not only did we get a chance to showcase our talent, but it also helped to connect with other musicians and entertainment labels. It was a good way of learning the ropes of the Korean music industry; how it worked, how we needed to evolve to get to the next level, etc.

For a good two years, DPR REM [creative director] and DPR IAN [visual director] busted their asses shooting materials for other artists in order to help fund any and all of our projects during that time. And the more I think about it now, the more I’m grateful for that, you know? Cause I know it takes a lot of trust and commitment. They were sacrificing a lot, and that’s what fueled me when I was making music. I knew I not only had to do it for myself, but more importantly, for my team.

The second biggest challenge, I guess, was the fact that we were completely clueless. [Laughs.] I didn’t even know what it meant to "mix songs," or how to get distribution for my music. It was all trial and error, because none of us had any prior experience. We had no money or any real knowledge as to how this [music industry] really works― all we had was just a whole lot of untamed passion and a dream. If one approach didn’t work, we would learn from it and move onto the next one. We learned a lot in those years. That experience is what helped us launch our own company. Now, we get to run our own show and do exactly what we want to do. No one tells us what to do, what to make or how to do it. If we like it as a team, then we do it. That kind of freedom is truly incredible. Our struggles brought us closer together and I’m proud that we have accomplished this as a team.

What is your and DPR’s greatest strength and weakness?

Our greatest strength is that whatever we do, it’s organic. We also know each other so well now to the point where we can easily align our thoughts in such a quick way that it allows us to get straight to work. There’s really no buffer period or queue. We have our own system that works efficiently for all of us. But on the other hand, we can improve and learn how to expand and grow our team. We’re known to be mysterious and unpredictable, and we like that because it keeps our fans in suspense and on edge, but it makes it harder for all of us to bring in new members, because we are such a tight-knit group. However, I’m confident we’ll get into the hang of things in due time.

Last year was great year for you. What are some of the most memorable moments?

2017 has been a life-changing year for me and my team. I released two albums, moved into a brand-new, dope studio, got to travel to some awesome places and work with some amazing people. I honestly couldn't have wished for more. Although all these moments were significantly memorable, I’d have to say getting our studio was probably the most memorable moment of 2017 for DPR. Might not sound like a big deal to some, but you have to understand, we used to hold meetings ranging from coffee shops to even local karaoke rooms on a regular basis just to get some privacy at times. Now that we have a place we can all call home, with separate recording, producing and meetings rooms; it’s surreal, to be honest. Really goes to show what can be achieved.  

Any mistakes or regrets?

No, I don’t have regrets. Everything I’ve experienced was for a specific purpose, and I really believe in that. Literally everything. Although, I had a fair share of upsets and disappointments, now that I look back on it, I'm starting to see how it all came together. Each experience was meant to happen at that exact moment so that we can draw a bigger picture. I'm a huge believer in the whole "everything happens for a reason" quote and so is my team. DPR was basically founded upon that motto. We all happened to meet by chance if you think about it. A bunch of kids, who grew up in all corners of the world, somehow met up in Seoul and eventually came together to do what we do now as DPR.

Your debut EP Coming to You Live boasts guest features from some of the top names in the industry. How did you get them to collaborate?

It was a mix of good timing and mutual respect, I guess. DPR was slowly getting recognized in the industry as an up-and-coming visual team and that really helped my musical career and credibility. While I was in the studio recording demos, IAN and REM were hustling on the video side and doing whatever they could do to spread our brand name. It also helped us earn some money to finance whatever we wanted to do in-house. [Laughs.] Also, being featured on "Eung Freestyle," which was also produced and directed by my team, gave us a good boost. It helped start a lot of conversations with artists in general.

Your recent release Her has also been successful. What did you want to resonate with this project?

Her is a more genre-specific compilation of songs than my first EP. I wanted to get more personal and intimate with my listeners on themes relating to love and relationships.

Where does your musical inspiration come from?

For me, inspiration comes in many angles. I’d say half of it comes from just an array of talented musicians and their music. The internet in itself is inspiring sometimes. On the other hand, a lot my inspiration comes from my experiences in life and the things I place value on.

Why and how did you start making music?

I started making music when I was stationed in the Korean army. I went relatively early for my age, and I had a lot of free time on my hands so I would start writing whenever I had the chance. That’s where my passion slowly grew. It was a good time for me to reflect on my future;  I had a lot of thoughts/things I wanted to say. That’s where I really picked up writing song lyrics.

What goals do you have for 2018?

I can probably make a huge list of what goals I want to hit in 2018, but ultimately, I really just want my team to stay healthy, committed and passionate. That’s not only for 2018, but that’s really a lifetime goal I have.

And what's the biggest drive that motivates you?

I just want to release quality music and materials.  I hope we [DPR] never get lazy or complacent, and continue to challenge each other so that we can continuously push boundaries. It’s not easy to impress people these days, but to rise above that, and to see that stamp of approval and recognition from people is where all my adrenaline rush comes from. It drives me and my team to go beyond.

Where do you see yourself in the next few years?

Hopefully in the next few years, I’ll not only be a better artist myself but I hope to see our team grow and continue to do more exciting things together. Whether it be a visual thing, or a music thing, or something completely different, I just want to see us all succeed together. That’s really the main point.

In the end, it's not really the legacy that I leave behind, but the impact we make as a team. There aren’t that many teams like us in Korea and for that reason, it’d be really dope if we could almost set a benchmark or an example for the next up-and-coming generation of creatives to think outside the box and really learn to DIY. In the end, that’s what we did and it's been the best decision we’ve made.

© Jessica Oak @ Billboard

[nautiscarader]

Kim Possible season 3 recap

And here is part 3 of my KP marathon notes. Obligatory thanks to @fereality-indy for encouraging me to watch this awesome show. 

So, what will happen this this time? Will Kim Possible save another kitten from a tree? Will Ron discover something better than nachos? Will Doctor Drakken release the Krakken? Will Shego puncture her ego? Will Lord Monkeyfist buy Club Banana just because he is bonkers? Will Duff Killigan finally score?

So, let’s see what’s the first big problem KP has to deal with!

Kim being alone on a Friday evening. Okay.

Also, amusingly, everyone is doing something on a Friday evening, including the villians. 

Motorhead turns out to be Drakken’s cousin. okay.

And people know the address of Draken’s lair bc of mailing list

See, it’s the little touches like those that make this show a very accurate portrayal of superheroes and villians. 

KP gets jealous of Ron’s friend in wheelchair because they spend too much time together playing video games, so she has to find a way to “fit in”.

Okay, so they can approach it in a sensible and subtle, or so-cringe-worthy-and-painful-the-skip-button-presses-itself way.

So, which did they choose?

painful it is

Few stupid scenes later, Draken STEALs THE WHEELCHAIR FROM A DISABLED KID

shego: what’s next, stealing lolipop from a baby?

and there is a brilliant running joke about it

is it ableist to say that a joke about disabled person is “running”? Well, this is tumblr you gotta be carfeul

Anyway, turns out that Drakken and Jake the Dog make an actual competent combo, even though they end up in prison. And momma Lipski is still clueless about her son’s profession

Next ep: KIM CHANGED HER HAIR! and she looks cute

Ron is a pickle, but that’s normal

Draken and shego steal moodulators (get it?) from random scientist #464

Shego: if you are so smart why do you always steal instead of inventing things yourself

Draken: it’s called outsourcing, shego

God d amit, that is a smart show. 

And of course moodultaors accidentally fall on KP and SHego, so they act random throughout the day. And boy it is weird when it’s set to loveskick

Shego: steals lolipop from a baby for Drakken because she luvs him

KP turns into  a proper stalker mode for her Ronnie

And Monique is completely fine with it. 

and then kim KISSED him!!!

OMG NOSEBLEED

And then poor Ron has no idea what to do with dating KP so suddenly, and the whole scene where he debates what to do is absolute gold with a punchline that defies expectations. 

Draken and Shego go on a date and boy it is weird. SHE CATWALKS TO HIM

I can already see Disney censors thinking when it’s going to be too much for The Mouse

and kim’s dad threatens to send ron to a black hole when he takes her on a date

Also the random professor wants to sell his no-longer-existent moodulaTors on auction and he thinks about blaming it on the mail. You know, i’ve seen some approaches how to handle a world where superheroes/villians/geniuses live in our society (like in BNHA, for example), but KP so far makes it the best approach, because it makes them so relatable. 

And boy the finale is satisfying because everything completely backfires

Shego and KP got stuck in an anGry mode, and chase their boys. Ron tries to hide in the same place as drakken

Drakken: Dibs!

Ron: Double dibs!

Drakken: all right, you won with your superior dib-calling (ACTUAL QUOTE)

And the day is saved thanks to the power of friendship and not that Kp and ron are definitely in love with each other

KP, Ron, Drakken and Shego somehow manage to get into Tv, where they visit parodies of famous shows

Honestly, meh. I remember a similar episode of Teen Titans, that one was funny as heck.

and then we find out who’s the real villian of the middleton high: THE SCARY LIBRARIAN!

And turns out Ron accidentally put a book Kim rented in his backpack, causing her to get into trouble doing library duties. 

So he goes on a mission to revisit all of the bad guys they fought to see where he might have left it

Okay: calling it now, it’s still in his backpack

Shego: Where’s Possible?

Ron: She’s not my girlfriend!

Shego: Never said she was. 

And Ron accidentally saves the world on that book hunt

Lord Monkey:Ron Stoppable!

Ron: You’re the only one, who remembers my name, I respect that

Okay, so Wade can make stuff invisible. Like, how?

And there we go: the book it was in his backpack all the time. 

Oh, and Ron takes a book from Lord Monkeymonkey contaning a spirit of a monkey demon.

And he returns to the library, saving Kim from being bored to death by retunring the book. 

GUESS WHICH ONE HE RETURNED.

Oh, it was another half-episode. Weird. 

And the next one is about giant bugs. Interesting how Kim tells Ron not to be afraid of bugs, and next moment she’s all squirmish while Ron befriends a giant roach and calls him Roachie. 

KP: Ron, did you start working on the project? it was supposed to be autobiographical

ron: No, I’m waiting for it to write itself.

WE MIGHT GET RUFUS’ BACKSTORY!

Oh, and Drakken tried to take over the world with shampoo. Honestly, it’s funny as heck

he tries smarty mart to sell it

he even makes loreal-style ad, but it doesn’t sell

so he tries product placement in a hip hop song, and the artists is like “Aw, hell no”

And then 

and then

turns out that Shego and Drakken are having karaoke night every friday.

God dammit, i don’t know why but that is beyond funny

and turns out that Drakken can sing. 

and shego points out that he could sing about the shampoo

so he goes to an american idol

And I think I realise what really makes it funny: Kp is barely in this episode, helping ron with homework. No evil-doing is actually done, we only get to see, for the most part what goes behind the scenes of an evil plan that is so insanely and unnecessary convoluted it is beyond belief. 

OH, AND kp GETS TO RIVAL HIM ON STAGE, OF COURSE.

people hypnotised by the shampoo so far: one (1) random henchman

one (1) old TV producer in a sauna 

one (1) Simon Cowell

And...holy shit, his song is actually good. 

And instead of KP, who is busy fighting the mean lean green machine, Ron sings about Rufus. The song is titled “Naked Mole Rap”. And it is FREAKING PHENOMENAL.

Oh, add one (1) Shego to the list. 

Okay, so far that is the most crazy episode. Like, seriously, the quality was through the roof.

SCRATCH THAT NEXT EP is EVEN WEIRDER

So, the Team Impossible, which we have learned about in the movie, is angry at KP for saving the world for free, whereas they actually charge people for it. 

And they try to cut Kim from all of her world-traveling assets and knock her out of competition.

THAT IS FUCKING V ILE

And they hack Wade

AND TURNS OUT YOU DON’T FUCK WITH WADE

YOU DON’T CUT THEIR INTERNET CABLES OF A NERD

SINCE THIS IS ONE WAY TO MAKE AN OBESE SUPER GENIOUS  WALK OUT OF THEIR ROOM

AND HE LOOKS SO FREAKING BAD-ASS WHEN HE STORMS INTO THEIR HEADQUATERS

aaand TI is defeated the same way they would have been defeated had they answered the call. 

Pretty funny, and it does go into the details of how on Earth superheroes work in this world. 

And we have another episode about the secret ninja high school Ron was sent to 

And Yori travels to US for Ron 

And Kim is super jelaus

Wade: Kim, you are jelly

Kim: So not

Monique: You are jelly 

Kim: So not

Kim: *is jelly*

So she pretty much stalks Ron all the way to the school, and nearly fails the mission of trying to save the levitating magical jedi principal. Seriously, he’s OP as fuck.

And he’s escaping from a huge monkey. turns out it’s crazy dna lady who turned herself  into monkey for Lord Britishmonkey. 

Next episode is bascially one huge satire on the movie industry, down to the title (”and The mole rat will be CGI”). KIm and Ron accidentally crash a movie set, after Senior Senior Junior crashes it first since he accidentally applied for a role of a henchman in said movie. 

It was supposed to be set in Britian, but the movie set was in New Zealand, since “it was cheaper”

And I was like 

Is that a “Lord of The rings” joke? Someone tell me if I’m right.

Oh, and we have another long episode WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE IS ANOTHER MOVIE?

And it looks like it’s a three-part episode again, I wonder if the formula’s gonna work again. 

The beginning feels like a short promo scene for people who might not know what KP is about, and I’m not gonna lie, this sums it up perfectly. Action, drama, explosions, more drama, goofy ron, naked mole rat kicking ass and more drama. By the way, what;s the title? 

I guess the intro is an homage to the James Bond ones, with lots of colourful, surreal visuals floating in the background to the soothing, slow music. Love it, too bad it’s short, but again, it had to fit an episode’s running time.

 wait so the Nakasumi president CAN speak English? Even the movie calls him wacky for whispering all the time as if he couldn’t. 

Okay, now the movie just fucks with us. 

mr and mrs possible almost switch their cloaks with important documents, but she switches them back just at the last moment

mr posible ALMOST deletes his work file worth three billion dollars but undos it at the last moment.

it’s like the plot TRIES to start itself

And I bet the key is under the doormat

So the dating drama IS going to be the theme of the movie, huh. 

Wade: Drakken has been spotted in the Bermuda triangle

Bermuda triangle: *turns out to be a hotel*

And Ron just happened to have his suit under the scuba diving gear.

Shego proves to be once again, way more competent than Drakken.

and we have obligatory fight between two kickass ladies in dresses and high heels. This IS a James Bond movie. 

So, the prom drama continues, and it is sadly kinda goes into the cringe territory, with some new dude falling in love with Kim and Kim falling for him, Ron feeling sad, they both being conflicted, yep, seen it. 

But for once Drakken helps the cause and moves the plot forward, stealing some super project from dr Possible.

he deletes the file like he did in the opening, but GASP drakken has some mind reading machine

I do wonder if the coat switcheroo is going to be part of the plot. 

Holy shit

Drakken’s plan is so crazy that it actually makes sense. Take over the buneo nachos and put kiddy meals in it with robot toys that take over the world. And neither kim nor Shego could have forseen it. 

And more prom drama. Ugh. 

I always like when Possible family work together to stop the evil-doers.

So Drakken’s plan was brilliant, minus the part when the entire army of robots shuts down when the signal goes off-line. Kinda a major fuck-up. 

And they kindapped Kim’s boyfriend to lure her.  

OH, SO HE WAS A SYNTH ROBOT

I genuinely didn’t see that coming. 

Drakken learns Ron’s name, yeah! And it’s shot like Drakken’s yelling a curse to the skies, love it. 

Also, HOLY SHIT, Kim kicks Shego into the tower so hard it looks like she was about to kill her. Like, that was genuinely chilling moment, especially with an ominous, lightning-filled close-up onto her later.

Spoiler: she didn’t die. 

Okay, colour me confused: I didn’t think that Kim and Ron were going to kiss and start dating now, I thought this movie was going to be one huge prequel to a movie by the end of S4. Or more precisely, it feels weird NOW, knowing that there is a whole season ahead of me. Cos that felt like a pretty good end of a series, something akin to the Last Airbender one, so I’m slightly concerned how it’s going to be played into season 4, cos this can go haywire pretty easily. 

Uh, not going to lie, I’ve got mixed feelings about the movie. On one hand, it gave us a proper evil plan from Drakken, one that attacks Kim psychologically, showing that for once, he DID his homework and actually studied Kim’s behaviour. On the other, the prom/dating drama is kinda painful to watch, but fortunately gets resolved in the end. Maybe it’s just me, but I had the same expression as Rufus when he and Ron said that guys don’t talk about feelings. It felt kinda clumsy and not subtle at all, and what’s worse, the show itself did way better job of portraying romance in previous episodes, most notably the moodulator one. But as I said, those last few scenes with Ron and Kim fighting together does make up for it. 

also, Rufus once again is the unspoken hero. He did so freaking much, including, but not limited to: saving ron from the tentacle monster, freeing kim and ron, defeating the synth boyfriend, pushing Kim and Ron together... He really is a badass.    

So, not a bad one, though I preferred the first movie. Also, on the whole Season 3 was significantly shorter than second. Wonder what’s gonna happen in the next season.  

[oliverdone-johnson]

Context of contemporary fine art practise, Lecture 5: Fons Americanus notes

Below is my typed up notes from Wednesdays context of contempory fine art practise lecture that focused on Kara Walkers Fons Americanus sculpture at Tate Modern. I have added it to my Tumblr page for my protest project due to its relevance to protest. The notes below explain Walkers link to protest through her work. 

“I am and shall continue to be the monster in your closet. Prodding at your

tightly wound arsenal, your history.

Let me out.

And. You. shall. seek. to. put. me. back. in.

And together we will: in and out and in and out together HAHA!”

Kara Walker 2000

Overview of the piece

Kara Walkers work is a focus on the institution Tate Modern. She focuses on the history of the institution and what secrets they sometimes do not want to be spilled to the public. Fons Americanus is in the Turbine hall inside Tate Modern. The term Fons Americanus could mean all things American’ or it could also mean ‘American Bum hole Fountain’ according to Stuart. The sculpture also comes with an announcement plaque, the announcement is written to be a fun ready and provides entertainment, but the subject matter on the announcement when ready covers a very dark story. This could be showing Kara Walkers sense of what art is, art is there to provide entertainment at certain times in peoples lives i.e. going to a gallery on the weekend. But she is also looking at the cost of art in life- she is pointing towards slavery that was the main fund of these institutions through the sugar or coffee industries.  As over 1.5 million are known to have died being transported by boat in slavery going from Africa to nations like the UK and USA. Therefore, showing how in this piece there is much more of a focus on the content rather than the materials used. She is focusing on how it is the cost of the lives lost to create these institutions and how institutions are often made from wealth and corrupt powers, so wealth is key.

Kara Walkers early work focused on making playful cut outs that portray slavery, the artwork is presented in a way to show quite entertaining and sometime funny images i.e. a man farting but this is met with much harsher undertones and aspects of her work. Showing the balance between entertainment with the content of the project. Her work tackles serious subjects but is still inviting to an audience.

Fons Americanus was based of Queen Victoria’s Memorial monument at Buckingham Palace and was opened in 1911. The memorial shows Victoria’s life and how she commanded the largest empire in history. It also has a very nautical appearance as the navy and oceans were key to the empire. After the death of Victoria slavery was abolished.  But Kara Walker uses her own statue to show the darker side of the empire and all the aspects that were forgotten in this memorial, such as slavery which was key to Victoria’s empire.

Slavery operated in a triangle between Europe, especially countries such as the UK, Portugal and Holland, America and Africa. The slaves would come from Africa and travel to the UK and USA in exchange for exports of goods. Kara Walker is also known to have taken inspiration from packaging and images from the past such as Cotton plantations in South Carolina, 18th century tobacco adverts and One of Ten Views in the Island of Antigua 1823.

The boats that transported the slaves were more like prisons that housed the slaves under deck with thousands being crammed in. Turner painted a piece called- Slavers Throwing overboard the Dead and Dying—Typhoon coming on 1840. That shows a slaver throwing the slaves overboard as a way to claim insurance as he would not get money if they died on the ship but would if they drowned of the ship. Therefore, murdering hundreds of innocent humans just because their slaves.

In the Fons Americanus exhibition there is not just the large sculpture and plaque but also a Shell Grotto that depicts a man crying inside. The Shell can be shown to link to Sandro Botticelli The Birth of Venus 1484-86 and Voyage of the Sable Venus. The link can be shown from the shell as the shell is used in both just like Venus to popularise the slave trade and make it seem pure but Voyage of the Sable Venus was originally published for the book: History, Civil and Commercial, of the British Colonies in the West Indies. The text of the book was written by a British politician Bryan Edwards who justified slavery on the grounds of the huge economic benefits for England. The crying figure inside the shell is linked to Sierra Leone as during slavery it was a very advantageous location due to the many islands surrounding it, they were used as various slave keeping prisons and camps. Bunce Island was the most notorious due to its Hole of the brave, which was a giant hole that slaves were thrown into to die if they refused to board the ship, hence why Walker portrays a man crying out of what seems to be a hole.

Breakdown of the sculpture

At the top of Fons Americanus stands Venus with a cut through her neck and breasts that both shoot water. Walker said that this represents the blood and milk of the Black Atlantic, becoming a reminder of the lives lost due to slavery. Walker is also known for studying in Rome where she observed Piaza Navona and the Trevi Fountain, these being two historic fountains in Rome. Below the statue of Venus there are 4 smaller characters: The Captain, The Tree, Queen Vicky and the kneeling man.

The captain represents many figures both real and fictional it has been perceived there are influences from Marcus Garvey (Jamaican 1887-1940) Political activist and entrepreneur who encouraged a sense of pride and self-worth among Africans and the African diaspora amid widespread poverty, discrimination, and colonialism. And Toussaint L’Ouverture (French 1743-1803) Revolutionary leader who helped transform the slave insurgency into a revolutionary movement. As well as Captain Paul Cuffee & The Emperor Jones (fictional) A synthesis of real & fictional heroes/characters who fight against colonialism whilst revealing contradictions – desire for their own power.

The tree represents the thousands of trees used for slave hangings and lynching’s and Walker draws upon how these hanging locations had become tourist hubs just like her monument. Trees are innocent, wordlessly submitting to the weight of injustice, witness bearing.

The Kneeling man represents the ideology of self-obsess, where people sucked up to traders i.e. black traders to improve their own financial situation over helping their people, it represents greed. “He begs a slave owner an amalgam of European Colonial Interests, full of Capital and Promises and Religion Lies, deceit and corruption.”

Queen Vicky is placed in the piece as she was the reigning monarch through slavery and profited of it the most, and because Kara Walker based her statue of Victoria’s memorial. Victoria is shown in the image to be holding a coconut and it is unclear weather Vicky is about to hit the person below her or feed them. This can represent the argument of her rule. She is a Maternal character, holding a coconut. Is it a fruit of life, or could it fall on the head of the man beneath?

 Lower down on Fons Americanus there is a rowing boat surrounded by sharks. The rowing boat is linked to Winslow Homer the Gulf Stream 1899 that depicts the dangers of the waters. The sharks are also a notable link to Damien Hirst, but it is unclear weather this is appreciation of his work or a critique. Kanye Wests initials are also used on the bottom of the boat to link the past the present and show how sucking up and greed can elevate a person to a position of power.

Kara Walker could be linked to artists like Andrea Fraser and Hans Hucker with her evidential critiques in the art world.

History of Henry Tate and the Tate institute

Henry Tate 1819-1899 was a remarkably successful businessman. At the age of 50 he owned a sugar refinery company. In his later years he donated his paintings to the government. Th building that resulted was Tate Britain which was opened to the public in 1897. The institution would not be a thing if it were not for Henry Tate’s wealth. Tate is known for being involved with the sugar business, which is where Tate Lyle comes from. The sugar trade was built from slavery. And even though he did not start in the sugar trade until after slavery was abolished but he did profit from its history, which was built from slavery. The Tate recently started a project looking back at its origins and history, which is why they invited Kara Walker to create a sculpture for Tate Modern.

In 2014 created a sculpture titled ‘A subtlety or the marvellous sugar baby’ At the Domino sugar factory in Brooklyn NYC. Walker was offered an old sugar factory, so she made a giant sphinx sculpture that was covered in sugar. The sphinx was also heavily sexualized to link its humanity to other aspects such as greed and power. In this exhibition there was also smaller sculptures which were of child slaves made completely out of sugar. This represents ‘Subtlety’ as in the past little sweets were shaped to look like important people such as royals, it is a power play. So, Walker made these subtleties of slave children as a way to relook at this concept in a much darker light.

When you contrast Walkers first quote about being a monster with her invitation from the Tate it seems like a brave thing for the institution to do. As Walker unearthed and reminded the nation of much worse times and put a negative shadow over Tate and its origins. And although it could be shown as very noble of Tate to respect the artist and allow her critique of there institution Tate has since had other critiques in articles, such as there wage inequality for lower paid staff such as security and shop workers. Showing a stark difference within the institution of how they are willing to allow attention to some aspects of corruption, but others struggles such as modern-day wage inequality is shrouded in secrecy.

[spotlightsaga]

Kevin Cage of @spotlightsaga reviews... GLOW (S01E04) The Dusty Spur Airdate: June 23, 2017 Ratings: @netflix original Score: 8.75/10 **********SPOILERS BELOW********** 'The Dusty Spur' is only the 4th episode out of 10 in S1... That's really not a whole lot of screen time for such a big cast of 'larger than life' personalities. I saw Kenny Herzog of 'Vulture' (that's right I call out names. This is GLOW, bitch. Step into the ring!), get a bit restless in his review of the episode. Kenny is calling for a bit more action, but I believe GLOW is exactly where it needs to be, doing exactly what it needs to be doing... Really exploring origin stories and holding up a magnifying lens to its characters in a careful and steady manner. Any true fan of wrestling knows that it's all about the build and you simply don't have wrestling without well rounded characters... And you don't have well rounded characters unless you give them as many dimensions as possible, not worthwhile characters anyway. Truly, these characters in GLOW are so electric, they're literally sparking with depth. I want to see GLOW explore that depth, because once we get to the main events, that's the only way it's ever really going to take it to the next level and really put the show over with fans. I remember JBL recalling a match he had with the late, GREAT Eddie Guerrero on a podcast a few years back. I can't quote him verbatim but he broke down the psychology and and anticipation needed to truly make 5-Star matches. At the time JBL was no rookie, but the main event scene on such a grand platform is obviously one that can easily rattle one's nerves. Eddie had some wise words and tidbits of much needed inspiring motivation at the time. He literally told JBL that they would tease the crowd a bit, give them a slow back and forth, go into a headlock and hold it for an unnecessarily long time. Basically, bore them to death. Now, GLOW is anything but boring, but surely Creator Liz Flahive & 'The Dusty Spur' writer, Sascha Rothschild, took a page out of Eddie's book. The crowd will never genuinely connect in the truly engrossing and all-encompassing way that it needs to if we don't know who these people are. There is no need to rush... It's not about the finish line or immediate gratification, it's about building anticipation with the audience so that the show resonates with them long after S1 is over... Just like Eddie Guerrero's grandiose, emotionally charged matches. I doubt there is fan out there that can recall an important match of Eddie's that doesn't have a few points that they can still remember like it was yesterday, making the hairs on the back of their neck stand up as they tell it... Not just triggering nostalgia, but triggering greatness. That's what Netflix's GLOW team is creating here, something that will stick with us forever... Leave us pissed off we have to wait a whole year between seasons. That's how you do it! To be fair to Kenny, he wasn't bashing the show, quite the opposite really. Although he does go on to say that 'The show is sacrificing a bit of humor for authenticity'. See, now they just can't win... As if I recall Vulture saying the very opposite about OITNB. Both of these comments just struck me the wrong way. I know everyone is eager for these women to get in the ring, but we got a little ways to go. I doubt anyone will have to wait to much longer as the experiment has to begin sooner than later. None of these women who the creative team of GLOW are reimagining in their brilliant dramatization have a story like WWE's Sami Zayn. They didn't tour almost 15 years working their asses off in the Indies, then hit a performance training center and introductory WWE promotion like NXT for three years, and then finally and triumphantly make it to the main stage. No, no... They were pushed right into the fire, but that doesn't mean we still don't need to get these episodes where we truly get to know these women. Just like in OITNB, GLOW does a fantastic job of juggling many different character arcs, subplots, and focused character work, all while moving the core narrative at a respectable speed. We got a flash of the exact vision that Sam (Marc Maron) has for his big main event. Obviously, Debbie (Betty Gilpin) is already there... She may have her own drama, but she knows who she is and can naturally step into any part she's given anyway. It's Ruth who is still struggling with her 'would-be' personas. She comes up with a few ideas and pitches them to Sam but she's shot down. Sam even goes as far as to suggest that her gimmick's fate isn't even necessarily in her own hands... And can you blame him? Obviously there's something inside Ruth that's worth tapping into, but it feels like no one, especially Ruth, knows where to even start. Maybe Sheila the She Wolf (Gayle Rankin) can give Ruth a helping paw. Their pairing is so odd, but the fact that these two have ended up in the same room together makes for both great comedy and one of the most awkwardly dramatic scenes in the entire episode. Sheila has big issues with sharing living space with another human being... No, this isn't because Sheila identifies as a wolf, it's much deeper than that. Clearly, Sheila has worked hard to not only accurately express how she feels on the inside, but to keep any possible vulnerability that may open her up for ridicule swept under the rug. Ruth acknowledging that Sheila was sleeping with a wig on was probably the straw that broke the camels back, but as we've mentioned before... Ruth may not know who she is quite yet, but her passion and aspirations help define her while she embarks on her own existential quest. It's a bit like Ruth is a cockroach... It's going to take more than a couple of traps and putting roadkill in her bed to get rid of her. Ruth is just about awkward in everything she does, and that includes opening to Sheila and attempting to find common ground. I loved that Ruth was absolutely terrible at doing so, but just the fact that she was making an effort was met with respect from Sheila. These women are all making the most of their scenes and I hope that this becomes a huge launching pad for talented women like Rankin who have never been given this type of platform before. Another big shout out to our girl Tammé (Kia Stevens aka Awesome Kong/Kharma). Everything she's been handed in this series so far has been elevated to another level by her clear vision of her character and obvious professionalism. I think a lot of people are ready to easily dismiss wrestlers as jokes when it comes to the acting world but we continue to see many who have not just succeeded, but exploded into both 'Main Stream Blockbusters' & respected dives into nuanced character work. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson immediately comes to mind. Sure he can carry a big film, but look at the incredible depth he provides his Spencer character on HBO's 'Ballers'. I honestly believe that Kia Stevens has what it takes to not just create a splash in Hollywood, but to inspire real, honest to God respect from fans, critics, and her fellow peers in the industry alike. Tammé is having some issues with her 'Welfare Queen' persona. It's an obvious insulting stereotype when looked at through a certain lens. She's literally wrestling with the fact that she's worked hard in life to give her children a chance to be greater than any stereotype society associates with people of color, especially in the 80s. But with the help of Cherry's husband, Keith (Bashir Salahuddin), and his very simple remark that he finds Marc 'to be more sexist than racist' paired with watching an old shlock film of Marc's that has an oddly timed video dating cut right near the end of the film, Tammé appears to be coming to terms with the character. She's learning how to separate pointless stereotypes with the benefits of 'kitsch' and championing irony in the stereotype's context... And in pro-wrestling, both men's and women's wrestling, that's something that's extremely important. It would be disrespectful for me to end this review without noting that our man, former WWE Superstar Brodus Clay aka TNA hired gun Tyrus (George Murdoch) makes an appearance as Carmen's sympathetic brother who appears at their training camp with their legendary wrestling father, Goliath Jackson (Winston James Francis). They are there strictly to retrieve Carmen after they quickly realize that the giant pile of pillows and shoes in Carmen's old bed are not actually Carmen. Goliath and Carmen's two brothers are primarily used as a reminder to the audience that no one, not even the parent and member of a wrestling dynasty family, believes that these women will be taken seriously on any level. Carmen is one of those characters on GLOW that I tend to perk up for. Her lovable giant and adorable 'Machu Picchu' persona aren't exactly cutting edge material here (not quite yet, anyway), but actress Britney Young is proving that she can hang with best of them. Her scenes with her new roomie Rhonda aka Brittanica (real life singer-songwriter Kate Nash) give off a bit of 'explorative' vibe, possibly lesbian or it could be as simple as the differences in body image as Carmen is so quick to point out. Whatever direction they go with these two is ok with me, the pairing up of all the characters in the hotel is doing nothing but helping the spotlight shine on each and every character just a little bit more... And trust me, to all those pining for action, you'll appreciate all this character work they're doing now when these women finally step in the ring and start doing what they all came here to do... Wrestle!

[markwatkinsconsumerguide]

Consumer Guide / No.77 / she’s the leader of the band, Verity White with Mark Watkins.

MW : Verity, tell me about the band & what’s your management style?

VW : The band started out as just me and my husband Alex, formed after I'd come back from a tour in 2016 as a backing vocalist with the prog-rock band Pendragon. While we'd been on tour, I'd been asked by a number of their fans where they could buy my music and, having written songs since I was 13 and never put any out there, this was the kick up the arse I needed to get going with it all!

We started working on our first release (Parentheses) as a tester to see if people liked it, and it snowballed from there. We then enlisted Joe Kelly on bass and Al McIntosh on drums and started performing live (our first band gig was only in January 2017!) - but myself and Alex still write all the music.

As for management, I'm quite lucky that the only person that I ever need to convince to do something is myself, the guys love performing and rock music as much as I do and we just roll with it month-to-month. This year (2019) is the first year that I've had a strategy for the band, so it's all beginning to get very grown up - and - a little more serious; but having fun and making great music will always be the heart of it.

MW : Describe your band’s sound / influences...

VW : I  always struggle with this! I feel that our older releases have so much going on in them that people found it hard to put us in a genre. Now, we have a clearly defined sound and I think that people will find that when they listen to the new album (due February 2019) and the most recent singles - THAT they're much more rock and much less 'ooh what's going on with this synth over here...'

Having found like-minded bands represented in groups such as the New Wave of Classic Rock group on Facebook, I think we're definitely have a affinity with that category : simply put, it's rock music - feisty, female-fronted rock music!

Influences? - comes from a range of rather amazing females such as Skunk Anansie, Le Tigre, Aretha Franklin, Tori Amos, Amanda Palmer; as well as alternative rock groups such as Nine Inch Nails, Nirvana and Tool - the list is really endless, but there's a huge 90s music style referenced throughout our tracks.

MW : What's the best review you've had so far (& by whom)?

VW : I loved this quote from Down The Front Media :- "her lyrics are poetic, her message is inspirational and her voice is sublime." (thanks again guys!) - it's always so wonderful when people really spend time listening to what I'm saying in the songs,  as I put a huge amount of personal experience into their stories.

MW :  What can people expect to see live?

VW :  Fun, sweat and rock! We're not the kind of band who stand limply on stage avoiding eye contact - it's much more engaging and exciting than that, and very energetic. Good job too as the band love a road burger on the way home ;)

MW :  What was the first record you bought? The last ?

VW : Nooo, this is too embarrassing!  The first record I ever bought with my own pocket-money was Kylie's Hand on Your Heart (shame!)

The most recent purchase was the new Halestorm album (and very good it is!).

MW :  What do you think about the new changes at BBC Radio 2 i.e more female presenters on Daytime scheduling?

VW : Always up for more female presenters, it's been a long time coming. In the whole industry women are underrepresented, and that is often due to us being written off once we hit 25! Its a shame it's still like that but its good things are moving forwards.

MW :  What radio stations do you listen to?

VW: I actually don't listen to radio. I buy or download the music I like and listen at my own leisure. I'm quite picky, so radio doesn't usually cater for my tastes.

MW :  What (old) TV show do you miss & why?

VW : Quantum Leap - because it was AWESOME! I had such a crush on Sam Beckett, and Al was just brilliant!

MW : ...your Top 10 1990's albums, and say something about your No.1...

VW :

10. Nirvana - Nevermind (1991)

9.  Bjork - Post (1995)

8.  RHCP - Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)

7.  Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral (1994)

6. Portishead - Dummy (1994)

5.  Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill  (1995)

4. Skunk Anansie - Stoosh (1996)

3. Tool - Aenima (1996)

2.  Lamb - Lamb (1996)

1.  Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile  (1999)

I still come back to The Fragile album time and time again. It's so complex and emotional, amazingly written and always an inspiration. It was a real turning point in my life when I first got my hands on this too, so many amazing memories. Fun fact - Alex and I had our first dance to The Fragile at our wedding.

MW :  Which New Year's' resolutions (if any) are you keeping to, maybe breaking already?!

VW : I don't do New Years resolutions - because you have to power to resolve to change things at any time, why should it be just once a year?  

MW :  What do you think to the “Yellow Vests” protests throughout France?

VW : I understand why they're doing it. So much seems to be totally bonkers politically and none of us feel like we have any control over it. This is at least a way that people in France feel they can affect change. I don't agree with any violence that might ensue, though. It's a shame that so many people are in situations where they feel that their opinions are marginalised, and that so many of the people in power - that can actually do things about this - don't seem to understand why, or don't want to? I could talk about this for ages so I'll leave it there, but it's just sad that we're all stuck within something we feel we have no control over.

MW :  Where can we keep tabs on your movements!

VW: The website is www.veritywhite.com. I'm also on instagram (original_verity) Facebook (@veritywhiteband) and Twitter (@veebear) so feel free to drop by and say..Hello! 

For more / other information please contact Manilla PR

http://manillapr.com/

© Mark Watkins / January 2019

[gretagerwigarchive]

The Damsels in ‘Damsels in Distress’ Discuss the Film, Director Whit Stillman, and Women in Films

By Geoff Berkshire, 04.05.12

source: https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-damsels-in-damsels-in-distress-discuss-the-film-director-whit-stillman-and-women-in-films

In a roundtable discussion hosted by The Daily Beast, the four female stars of Whit Stillman’s new film—his first in 12 years—talk about what it was like working for the acclaimed director, how the film sent them all back to dancing school, and the (slightly) warmer climate for women in films today.

Simply finding a movie with a single interesting female role can feel like a major discovery. But stumbling upon a film with four vibrant, fresh, funny female characters is cause for celebration.

The college-set comedy of manners Damsels in Distress—the first movie in 12 years from ‘90s indie icon Whit Stillman (the unique mind behind Metropolitan, Barcelona, and The Last Days of Disco)—shines a spotlight on a quartet of equally exciting breakout stars, who just happen to be women.

Greta Gerwig stars as Violet, the self-appointed leader of a small band of coeds intent on making the historically male-dominated Seven Oaks University a more refined and better smelling institution. After establishing herself as the unofficial Queen of Mumblecore in films by Joe Swanberg (Nights and Weekends) and the Duplass Brothers (Baghead), Gerwig garnered even more attention as a quirky romantic lead opposite Ben Stiller in Greenberg and Russell Brand in Arthur.

Former America’s Next Top Model contestant and Crazy, Stupid, Love. costar Analeigh Tipton plays the latest addition to Violet’s gang: the sheltered and painfully “normal” Lily. TV veteran Megalyn Echikunwoke (The 4400, CSI: Miami) is Violet’s right-hand gal, the suspiciously English-accented Rose, and newcomer Carrie MacLemore rounds out the group as dim-witted but cheerful Heather.

The Daily Beast sat down with all four damsels the morning after their Los Angeles premiere, when they freely admitted to still feeling tipsy from the revelry the night before.

Since Whit Stillman hasn’t made a movie since 1998, were any of you familiar with his work before you signed on for Damsels?

Greta Gerwig: Yes. I’d seen everything and I knew every line. I was obsessed with him. Metropolitan was the most quoted film at my college.

How did the rest of you get to know Whit’s world?

Megalyn Echikunwoke: I think you get a sense of his style from reading the script. I wasn’t familiar with him and I read it and was like, “Oh my god, this is so unique and funny.” After that I started researching [the earlier films].

Carrie MacLemore: Mine was similar. I got the script and then freaked out, “Who’s been holding out on me? Who didn’t tell me about Metropolitan until now?”

Analeigh Tipton: I didn’t know his work either. People were like, “Before you read the film, you need to actually see his other films, because you have to realize what you’re going to be a part of.” I was sitting in a trailer and Julianne Moore was like, “What’s your next project?” I said, “This Whit Stillman thing ...” She got so excited, “Whit Stillman’s making another film!?” You realize what kind of respect he has in the industry.

The rhythm of his dialogue is so specific. Is it easy to pick up from the script or does it help to watch his other films?

Gerwig: I was so obsessed with him to the point that the one episode of Homicide he directed I watched. It was full-on craziness. For me, the big thing was I had to unhear the rhythms in my head of the way everybody else had done it. I didn’t want to be imitating Chris Eigeman or Kate Beckinsale. I think that’s something that happens especially with writer-directors who have really strong voices. I think that’s why a lot of people wind up sounding like they’re imitating Woody Allen when they do Woody Allen [films]. They’re looking for a rhythm they already know in their head.

You know how they say Christopher Walken eliminates all punctuation when he works on a script? I almost tried to memorize [the dialogue] without meaning so that I could go back and try to find it. Otherwise I would fall into a sing-song, it was so easy to.

MacLemore: It was just so refreshing to read something intelligent. It was easier to learn it because you wanted to respect every word.

Was the goal to make the dialogue sound like everyday conversation, or something more unique?

Echikunwoke: I think we wanted it to sound unique because it is unique. We just wanted to honor the script.

Gerwig: If you went through dailies we always started out more animated and [Whit] would say, “Do less.” Because he’s not a very animated person actually. He’s very even keeled. He speaks in the same tone, he’ll say an entire sentence at the same pace. He loves things to be said like that. So we’d do things like [very animated] “Isn’t it great!?”

MacLemore: Yeah, and he’d be like “Can you say that normal?”

Gerwig: And we’d realize he means, do it like him.

MacLemore: Whit normal.

Tipton: At random moments he’d let us sort of break out, which is also very much Whit. Whit will just become suddenly extremely animated and then just go back like nothing happened.

Echikunwoke: Especially after a drink.

Gerwig: I have memories of times he’d come up and say things like, “Greta, whatever you’re doing now, don’t do it anymore.” I think everyone at some point the first week cried. I always felt like I wanted to get a take in that was more animated, because I thought to myself, “He’s gonna want this as an option. I don’t know which scene he’s gonna want to use it in, but he’ll use it.” And he did.

Even though you were such a Stillman superfan, you didn’t mind questioning him?

Gerwig: I don’t know that I questioned. But I did do it my way.

Echikunwoke: I think he supported that. He’s very collaborative. He was always asking what we thought of things, directorial choices. He’d say “What do you think of this choice?” And it’s like “I don’t think a director has ever asked me what I thought about something that didn’t have anything to do with my performance!”

Gerwig: He was very protective of us, he was very on our side.

Tipton: On set and off. I had a little apartment that they put me up in, very kindly, but my bed didn’t have blankets and it was the fall. It was freezing because the heater didn’t work. I was really cold all day on set. For the next three days he was in a panic making sure I had a blanket. He was giving me his jacket to take home with me.

Gerwig: Occasionally he would get upset with someone on set but it was always a technical thing. He would never get mad at us, even if we—I mean, I—forgot a line or messed something up, he’d never lose his patience.

Echikunwoke: He’s a real gentleman.

Gerwig: He also has daughters our age.

I wanted to ask about that. He’s of a certain generation but he also has daughters in their twenties. Were there aspects of his directing that felt fatherly or did that impact his work in any way?

Echikunwoke: I think that’s just how he is. He’s a special person who really understands women and respects them as interesting people with ideas.

Gerwig: He really does respect women. We were doing the DVD commentary yesterday, he was talking to me and Adam [Brody]. He told us he was offered to direct Sex and the City episodes and he didn’t do it because he thought they were humiliating for women. He thought the sex stuff ... he felt it was not respectful.

He doesn’t seem to be interested in raunch or vulgarity.

MacLemore: I think it’s his principles.

Gerwig: But he will make an entire plotline about anal sex. [Tipton’s character Lily has a fling with a friend named Xavier, whose Cathar religion advocates nonreproductive sex.]

Tipton: During those scenes there was no debate. We were in bed about to have sex and I was clothed. It was never going to be any different. Which was kind of awesome.

Gerwig: He’s so particular. You can’t invent those kind of contradictions.

Echikunwoke: I feel like the four of us represent different aspects of his personality. Rose is the very principled one, with very strong ideas about sex and smells and fashion.

Are they Whit’s ideas?

MacLemore: Totally. All of these theories have occurred to him.

Gerwig: A large part of him is like Lily, who wants to fit in and be normal. He puts his ideas in characters’ mouths and he lets them have the debates he has.

Last year with The Help and Bridesmaids female ensemble casts were seen as a hot trend. Was that weird for you as actresses and how do you think that impacts Damsels as a movie with four really strong roles for young women?

Echikunwoke: Just reading this script before those movies [came out], I was thinking it was really cool, kind of unprecedented. It is weird that it’s a trend. It should be normal.

Gerwig: This isn’t Whit, but a lot of it is also [work created by] women. Bridesmaids was written by women and The Help was based on a book written by a woman. Lena Dunham’s show Girls, written and directed by her.

I just had an interviewer ask me this morning, a foreign guy, [puts on a foreign accent] “Do you think that because you’re a writer, it’s OK you’re not pretty?”

[Everyone gasps]

MacLemore: Greta!

Gerwig: It was like, “Well, I didn’t think that until you just said it.”

Echikunwoke: What did you say?

Gerwig: I just sort of clammed up and fumbled around. I think it was a sort of confusion with the language, I think he meant something less insulting than it sounded. I also think we have to expand our notion of what a movie star is. Two months ago Meryl Streep was on the cover of Vogue. On the inside it said, “This is Meryl’s first Vogue cover.” I was like, “She’s in her 60s, this is her first Vogue cover!?” She’s a movie star in that sense now, with Mama Mia! and everything. She was obviously a hugely respected actress before but now she’s a cover girl. Do you know what I mean? I feel like that’s a shift. People have an idea of women or male movie stars ...

Echikunwoke: Glamorous and selling sex.

That’s a product of a male-dominated industry, right? The idea that women need to be selling sex or who would be interested in watching them?

Echikunwoke: Yeah, but I think we can be both.

Gerwig: Whit also made us all look very pretty. He really likes a girl to look like a girl.

Echikunwoke: You can be feminine but you don’t have to be trashy, with your cleavage hanging out.

MacLemore: [The dress code] was so modest, it was very strict. No cleavage, the skirts had to be a certain length.

Gerwig: But it’s also we were characters, we weren’t objects.

Echikunwoke: Exactly. I think what’s happening now is people are realizing women can be interesting characters and be sexy and beautiful and smart and engaging.

Tipton: These characters are personal and relatable. You forget that you’re watching a bunch of women. That’s kind of key, too. I hope that things get to a point where it doesn’t matter, like it did with Bridesmaids—“You’re watching women being funny!”

From an audience perspective if it’s funny, it’s funny. But the media loves to latch on to trends.

Gerwig: When I’m looking for a movie to watch on a plane or after a night out or something, I’m always looking for a movie about women. And there’s so few of them. Look at HBO On Demand, there’s not that many. So you want to watch Sex and the City 2 again?

Tipton: There are so many things that don’t revolve around loving men.

Gerwig: I want to watch women doing stuff together. I loved The Help because I was watching women talk. My favorite times are with my girlfriends, and I don’t see that on the screen.

Let’s talk about the men in the movie. They are the distress of the title and in some ways they’re all sort of idiots, jerks, or liars, but in a lovable way. They’re ultimately not such bad guys, but there’s still a sense that the women are superior.

Echikunwoke: The roles are reversed. In most movies women are the objects, they’re dumb and don’t have that much to offer, can’t have conversations.

Gerwig: I think it’s that Whit is almost like Tennessee Williams or something.

Echikunwoke: Oh definitely, women are his flowers, the things that are interesting.

Gerwig: The men in his world are so much more obtuse.

Echikunwoke: Basically he’s really smart and a thinker. Most men aren’t.

Gerwig: Thinking back to Barcelona, he identified at that moment with the guys trying to find love. I think he realized, “I can just write a movie about the girls, I don’t need to worry about the guys.” And Last Days of Disco became that.

There’s a real teamwork element to the ensemble acting in this film. Did you enjoy being in your character’s skin even when you weren’t the focus of a scene?

MacLemore: I did. I loved putting on a Heather suit. I loved what all the characters were saying so it was easy to be an active listener.

Tipton: I didn’t always love being Lily. You guys would have the freedom to be a little whimsical in things. The only time when I really felt I could break out was in the dance numbers. You can see it if you watch, I’m just like deliriously laughing the whole time to get it all out.

Gerwig: Sometimes we had that element of moving as one organism: the damsels. The lines were right on top of each other and we’d be walking all together. It felt like a relay team or something.

Echikunwoke: Those walk-and-talk scenes were so technical, a lot of it was just making sure you’re not getting hidden, staying in your spot and also listening to what’s going on.

Gerwig: More than a lot of other filmmakers, Whit loves a three shot and a four shot. He loves getting a lot of people on camera at the same time. I like it so much, it’s a really nice way to shoot. It really lets the scenes play as opposed to feeling like they’re edited.

Analeigh mentioned the dance scenes. All of you have some kind of dance background, how exciting was it to find an opportunity to use that in a movie?

Gerwig: So exciting.

MacLemore: I got to put my childhood to good use!

Echikunwoke: When I got to the end of the script [the big dance finale] I was like, “I have to be in this!” It was just the most exciting script I’d read in a long time. Just the way he incorporates the dancing is so whimsical, it’s like dreamy.

Tipton: How often do you find that? You don’t ever. To be in these big ridiculous dresses.

Gerwig: One of my favorite scenes [is when] we’re doing a walk and talk in those dresses with no explanation. I just remembered something … It really was like we were all really supportive. I remember the first week I was having a doubty moment like, “I don’t know, does it seem like I’m bad?” and [Megalyn] said “Now I can’t imagine another person doing it.” It made me feel like I owned it. I think we all kind of helped each other, had each other's backs.

Tipton: I also remember really loving the moments when we’d just be sitting around and it would be quiet and someone would whisper, “This is so cool!”

Gerwig: There were so many things we just didn’t know how they’d turn out. Like I’d look at the camera and say, “Hey everybody, let’s do the Sambola!”

MacLemore: [Imitating Stillman] “Just say it normal.”

Gerwig: That was the best moment of Whit saying, “Just say it normal.” Because I launch dance crazes I make up all the time.

What are the odds of Violet’s dance craze the Sambola actually catching on?

Gerwig: I think [Whit] cares more about the Sambola than the movie.

Tipton: At the premiere, Justin the choreographer was teaching everyone.

Gerwig: I was so happy to see Justin! I feel like we did more dance rehearsals than regular rehearsals.

MacLemore: We definitely did.

Tipton: There were days when it was like school. If we weren’t doing anything, people would say, “You need to be in rehearsal!”

Gerwig: If you weren’t shooting, you were in the bottom of a building doing a two-step.

Carrie, this was your film debut, and Analeigh, you’ve only made a few films so far. Did you have a sense of how unusual this movie was when you were making it?

MacLemore: I haven’t done another film since, so there’s that. I compare everything to it, that’s been hard. I feel spoiled. The writing is so good and special. [Other] stuff is so two-dimensional and you have to work harder to find something. That’s kind of a downer. I really do get worried it’ll never be that thrilling again.

Tipton: I was just filming Crazy, Stupid, Love. when I got cast in this. That was a big studio film so I had no idea what to expect [with Damsels]. It was a completely different experience but absolutely wonderful. I can’t tell you how much I learned, the most relevant to how I approach my work now. The biggest thing is how exciting it was to be around someone as passionate as Greta. She would talk about her writing—I actually moved to L.A. for writing and I kinda got sidetracked and I didn’t meet a lot of girls writing. [To Greta:] I think I told you this?

Gerwig: No!

Tipton: Oh my god, I was so amazed. I went and watched Hannah Takes the Stairs and I got into mumblecore because I wanted to see how you started. It was so inspiring. As soon as I got back, I started to pick up writing again.

Gerwig: I’m not saying this like pat on the back—but when [Caitlin Fitzgerald, who costars in Damsels as distraught coed Priss] was on set, she was complaining parts are so shitty and normal actress stuff. I was like, “You’re too smart, make your own movie.” And she did! She went and shot it.

Tipton: That’s what I took away. And also it’s amazing to me, on my resume, people will look and see Crazy, Stupid, Love. and that’s cool, but it’s a whole different group of writers, producers, directors that go, “You did a Whit Stillman!” I think all of us are really proud to have been cast in this film. It says something.