#those graphics designers they are insanely talented

[humorousdia]

Making Arcane : season 2

[bluetomorrows]

I want longer games with beautiful graphics and how dare you suggest that I'm kidding

So that whole "I want shorter games with worse graphics made by people who are paid more to work less and I'm not kidding" thing is making the rounds on Twitter again and since I don't like to give genuine opinions on that site I'm gonna talk about it here.

In short, I disagree with the sentiment. I DO want game developers to have higher pay, reasonable hours, and deadlines that aren't cruel. I want an end to the crunch that infests AAA development. But a lot of people who post things like that don't understand what it means for a game to be short or have bad graphics. Frankly, this isn't even as much me refuting this statement as it is a chance to rant about those topics.

Game length is a funny thing. When video games first transitioned to the home, the experience was essentially the same as the arcades that were so popular at the time. Atari games were mostly short score-based rounds or head-to-head multiplayer. Even games like H.E.R.O. and Adventure which deviated from that structure to do a version of the more traditional single-player progression we're used to still didn't last very long. It was a mix of both the limitations of the primitive technology and what players had come to expect from the arcades. When the NES came along expectations changed. People didn't want just arcade games, at least not the kind from the 70s. At launch Super Mario Bros. was the clear stand-out game, far surpassing its arcade-like counterparts in critical and commercial success. They wanted bigger and better experiences. So now games have to last, they have to have that progression that's standard now. This evolution was much more smooth and slow outside of North America where there was no video game crash. However, North America's explosion in video game renting also helped push forward this mindset. If you can just beat a game in the rental period before you have to return it to Blockbuster, then you're never gonna purchase it and give the game publishers the returns they really want. So how do you make a game last on still primitive hardware? NES developers came across two main options: bullshit difficulty, and replay value. The former was easier to implement. If the game was insanely hard, then naturally it would take you more time to finish it. The latter required actually talented game developers. A game should be fun to play, and ideally more fun every time. The basic idea is as you get better at the game you'll be able to have a more satisfying experience playing the levels.

Let's take the NES Castlevania trilogy as an example of these schools of level design. Castlevania 1 is a brutal game, but that's really only your first time. When you replay it you now have a grasp on your own controls, but also the patterns of the enemy. You know how to use the sub-weapons effectively and when to spend hearts on them. The visceral gameplay flow here will make you feel incredibly badass but only when you've mastered it, the first time around you'll be weak and scared. The controls are very precise and one wrong move can cost you a lot, but you'll learn the best strategies to deal with it. Castlevania 2 employs the BS difficulty on yourfirst run. The solutions to the puzzles are obtuse and NPCs will give you strange and sometimes misleading advice. You need a player's guide to get through it. But there's the ending stinger. Gaming's first alternate ending. Depending on how fast you beat the game you'll get 3 different endings. Only by mastering the game can you achieve the best ending and see Simon survive the game, therefore encouraging you to replay it to achieve the true ending you want. Castlevania 3 combines the great replayability aspects of both games. It keeps the visceral skill-based gameplay of the original while taking the idea of different content in different playthroughs from Simon's Quest. There are now multiple paths to take to Dracula's castle, and the option to recruit three other characters to your group, although only one can travel with you at any time. 2 primary routes plus 3 possible character combinations mean 6 pretty unique experiences of the game, on top of the inherent skill progression the player experiences through gameplay.

The multiple pathways of Castlevania III's map

So how long is Castlevania 3? Like 3 hours? Not really. Because you're not expected to put it down after that first playthrough. It'd be ridiculous considering how much cartridges cost. Is Castlevania 3 a short game? Yes, but really no. It's a thing I see people very often struggle to understand. Classic Sonic games for example were designed specifically around replayability, the speed-based gameplay being inspired by Yuji Naka seeing through 1-1 of Super Mario Bros. tons of times and seeing how fast he was doing it. Doing the same thing faster is a very easy way for the player to feel they're improving. So many people play these games once and dismiss them when they're not really getting the full experience. If you watch a newbie play Sonic and an experienced player play the same stages it's practically a completely different game.

However when Sonic was coming out a new type of game was starting to appear on the market. Games that didn't need to figure out ways to make themselves last longer than they could, but instead could just last.

Due to the technical limitations of the NES and its contemporaries, the first games to really challenge the ideas of length at the time were RPGs. The main gameplay was turned-based combat, something not very intensive for the system so more resources could be given to the world maps and story. The drawbacks to RPGs in this era are that many still padded gameplay with ridiculously tough enemies and high encounter rates, and the ones that really pushed things forward with grand worlds and stories often never left Japan due to the higher-than-usual cost to localize them for other markets. Still, the effects were felt. These games didn't need to be replayed to make you feel like you'd gotten a full experience. They were able to last, while still holding on to some of the replay philosophy these developers learned during the previous generation.

The massive map of Mother/Earthbound Beginnings for the Famicom/NES. The game drew praise for the fact that every NPC had unique dialogue.

This genre would really come into its own in the next generation of systems as developers across the board were given more freedom in game length due to the improved hardware. Games outside of RPGs could still take inspiration from their world design and how simple action gameplay could only be one part of the design and mechanics of a game. With the advent of the PlayStation 1 and SEGA Saturn and the insanely higher amount of space afforded by CDs, developers were no longer limited by technology and could design their games to be as long as they really wanted.

Also the N64 was there.

This laid the groundwork for the "long" games we're seeing now, something far too complex for me to really analyze. The point is game length was now something a developer had to choose, not something chosen for them. Sometimes they even give the player the choice, allowing them to beat the "main game" or do side content for 100% completion. I'd say nowadays it's strange if a game releases without any side content for you to do. Replayability was becoming less and less important to developers. The only real push back against this came with the adcent of games specifically calling back to the NES and SNES era, specifically by indie devs, a movement that has one grown in popularity as we've entered the 20s.

So here's what I'm getting at: what is game length now? What does it mean for a game to be long? How many short games are truly short? How many truly short games are good?

Well to answer that question I made a spreadsheet. I compiled a list of 50 of my favourite games and the information on them on howlongtobeat.com. I've used this site before and generally, it's accurate, the player base isn't too skilled or too bad at games. In the cases where two versions of a game were listed, I chose the one I played, unless both versions only had very minor differences, in which case I chose the one that had a larger data set. For each game I noted how long it took to beat the base game, the base game plus some of the optional content, and how long it took to get 100%, as well as what option of the three I would recommend to others. I also listed the style of replayability of each game. Whether it was based on skill improvement, alternate paths, or had little replay value. Mind you just because a game was listed as having little replay value doesn't mean you can't replay it and have fun, if the game is good then the game is good, but it just means it wasn't really designed for that.

I tried to have a varied set of games to measure, first-person and third-person, and on-rail shooters, rhythm games, RPGs, action games, and puzzle games are all included, but there may be a bias towards platformers as it's what I've played the most of.

The results were rather interesting. Keep in mind that the games chosen are all ones I consider to be quite good, so this is supposed to represent what the average good game does. I found that the average base game lasts about 9 hours, extended to 14 hours with extras, and 25 hours if you go for 100%. I recommended completing the main game + extras about 50% of the time, with the other two paths each taking up about a quarter. Overall the average time I recommended spending with each playthrough was 15 hours. The longest recommended playthrough went to Super Mario Odyssey with 62 hours as I recommended going for 100%. The shortest time was surprisingly another Mario game, that being Super Mario Land at only one hour. But I think that's actually a perfect encapsulation of what this was trying to prove, as Odyssey has little replay value, while Super Mario Land has the skill curve via repeat playthroughs that I talked about earlier. More games weren't really built for replay value than I expected, in fact I expect the number is a bit inflated as I play more retro and arcade games than the average person. But the market has shifted, content outside of the main campaign is now the lasting appeal. But the question I ask is, should it be? Now there are some games on my list like Spyro: Reignited Trilogy and Yakuza Kiwami where I feel as though if you're not going after all the side content you're kind of missing the point of the game design, however there are other games like Doom (2016); a game that has more post-game content than the base game, yet all that content is completely pointless. Sure you unlock some cute figures and a couple extra skills, but searching around for obtuse secrets just feels like the antithesis of the design of that game, which should be fast paced reaction based action. The addition of it here has always confounded me. My best guess is they were trying to replicate aspects of the original Doom, where exploration was a much bigger part of the game, but here it doesn't work. I WOULD like to play more of Doom (2016) so I can get better at the main game, not so I can find all the doodads, and a game like it should find ways to encourage replay.

I make a special note in the file of Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland and how it encourages replayability. Beating the game 100% unlocks "Extra Mode" a version of the game that is nearly identical with the one difference being that Kirby has half the health. I do dislike this approach in other games I love; Super Mario Galaxy and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze both got "Main + Extras" scores instead of "100%" scores because they pull this at the end of the game, but I don't mind it so much here. Kirby is supposed to be a breezy relaxing game, where taking damage shouldn't be that much of an issue, but this flips that on its head and legitimately changes the way the player approaches the game. But Extra Mode isn't the real thing I want to highlight, what really elevates the replayability of Nightmare in Dreamland is what you unlock after beating all of Extra Mode: Meta Knightmare. Meta Knightmare swaps out Kirby for Meta Knight, and even though he doesn't play dramatically differently from Kirby with the sword ability, he nevertheless again encourages the player to approach the same stages differently. This more serious character should cut down enemies like butter and speed through stages without breaking a sweat, and that speed aspect is even more encouraged by Meta Knightmare removing the ability to save and prominently displaying how quickly you completed the game. Things as simple as a change in aesthetic and scoring change how the game is played and give the player more unique experiences out of a game that's "only two hours long". Mind you this doesn't involve creating tons of side content and extras, it's small changes that have a massive psychological change in how the game is played.

If you want to check out the list yourself I've linked it here. Special cases where games extend playtime through other means are noted where necessary, although they aren't common.

I think the vast differences between games on this list really highlight a point I think I already knew: Games should be as long as they need to be. Typically video games are made to be played for fun, and making long games or very replayable games typically suits that goal, but ultimately gaming is an art form. War & Peace would be a worse story if it was very short, just as The Great Gatsby would be worse if it dragged itself out for another 300 pages. The idea that games SHOULD be shorter isn't something that supports game developers or players, it's something that speaks down to the idea of games as an art form.

So yeah, I don't want shorter games. I don't care if it takes me forever or if it's over in an instant. I just want the games to be good. If I want some specific length then that's my problem, not the developer's.

I think I've made my point about game length being fluid, but that's only half the statement, what about graphics?

Since the dawn of time (1992), man has sought the best and most realistic video game graphics. In olden times, neanderthals were amazed by the 3D worlds of Wolfenstein 3D and Virtua Racer, "games will never be more realistic than this" they said. Now we know that they were stupid fucking cavemen who didn't know how butt ugly their games are, they don't even look like real life. Not like Tekken, now THAT'S some real graphics.

This happened to my buddy Eric

Of course, then we realized that Tekken was also dog water graphics when the PS2 came out. And now it's 2023 and all the PS2 games look fake and gay and actually, I think Wolfenstein and Virtua Racing look pretty alright. This is a point I specifically want to address because when I see people parrot this opinion when they say they want "games with bad graphics" the examples they point to for games to aim for are titles like Hades or other more stylistic, non-realistic games, typically by indies.

This is very frustrating because those games have great graphics.

Why the hell should good graphics mean realistic graphics? Just like with pacing game graphics should be whatever the hell they need to be.

Here are some games that have good graphics in them I think

It's not about the horsepower or however gigaflops per tera butt it can render, it's just about good art direction. Good art direction can be realistic, completely stylized, or somewhere in between! To say a game like Hades has bad graphics is... how do I put this?

Basically, fuck you.

When going for realism the most common obstacle is not entering the uncanny valley, and when going for a more stylized approach the the most common obstacle is making sure everything is still clear to the player at all times.

And no, I don't want games to look bad. And that goes for both

Stylized

and realistic

Just let games be games man. If you truly believe that they're a unique art form capable of creating meaningful experiences, then let them do what they want. You can say developers should be treated better and you're right if you do, but that doesn't mean they have to make more boring art.

[a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives]

Luke Arnold, Doc Wyatt talk the teamwork and insanity that defines ‘ESSENTIALS’

The compelling new OGN is funding via Kickstarter.

by Chris Coplan (April 18, 2024)

You may know Luke Arnold as Long John Silver in the Black Sails and/or INXS’ own Michael Hutchence in the Never Tear Us Apart miniseries. Doc Wyatt, meanwhile, is best known for his production work on the iconic Napoleon Dynamite and the animated Rocket and Groot for Marvel. So, what happens when a lauded actor and a TV writer/producer get together? Why a brand-new graphic novel, ESSENTIALS.

For ESSENTIALS, Arnold and Wyatt were brought together in part by The Lab Press, a new publishing outfit that focuses primarily on graphic novels. Together, the pair then collaborated with a veritable smorgasbord of comics artists, including Bill Sienkiewicz (who does the cover), Dani, Jason Howard, Andrea Mutti, and Glenn Fabry. (The book’s colors were provided by Jordie Bellaire, Brad Simpson, and Wesley Wong, with lettering from DC Hopkins of AndWorld Design).

Once fully assembled, this superstar team behind ESSENTIALS set about crafting a story in which “the world you see around you is not real.” More specifically, we follow “disgraced mathematician Harris Pax” as he and Buttons (an “interdimensional being possessing his niece’s favorite toy”) set about smashing the walls of this faux reality. ESSENTIALS asks some big questions — “What matters most in a well-lived life? Is joy more valuable than truth?” — just as much as it’s a rollicking, dimension-hopping adventure story.

ESSENTIALS is currently crowdfunding via Kickstarter, with the campaign having raised $13,000-plus (of a seemingly $1,111 goal) on the way to its May 16 deadline. (Head here to contribute.) To get a better idea of the work that went into ESSENTIALS, we recently got to field questions to both Arnold and Wyatt. The duo spoke about the somewhat involved creative process, the big themes at the book’s heart, working with The Lab Press, and much more.

The talent behind ESSENTIALS. Courtesy of The Lab Press.

AIPT: I’m curious: what’s the collaborative process look like between a TV writer and an actor making a comic book?

Luke Arnold: It’s hard to summarize this process because there are so many stages. We broke most of the story on zoom between Australia and LA. Then, we outlined in pieces, trading them back and forth multiple times, rewriting and recrafting until we were happy. After that, we’d take a chapter each, write them, share them, editing and/or rewriting each other’s work. Then, it would go to the artists, and we’d wait for the first sketches to roll in.

Because the team (Doc, myself, and everyone at The Lab) is spread around the globe, we found that the best place to review artwork was actually in VR. We all got Oculus headsets that allowed us to sit around a table together with the art displayed on a huge board in front of us, marveling over the work and deciding on any notes to send back to the artists.

The next few stages would take place over email, and then when all the art was finished, Doc and I would get back on Zoom to take another look at the script. Once you have those final pages, you can quickly realize that a lot of dialogue feels unnecessary, so we’d go through and make changes before sending everything to the letterer. That was one of my favorite stages, as you have an opportunity to write some parts all over again, inspired by the work of the artists.

Doc Wyatt: Luke’s an actor, but he’s also a novelist. His novels blow me away. I knew Luke first as an actor, and on set, he was talking about these fantasy novels that he wanted to write. But when it actually happened, I was blown away. The Last Smile in Sunder City was Luke’s first book, and it kicked off a series that’s a mashup of the noir detective genre with urban fantasy. Anyone who’s missed it should catch up with it.

As a writer, Luke is intricate. He works in levels and layers, meanings behind meanings, and philosophical underpinnings. It was a really rich and rewarding experience because we’d start out talking about the story we were breaking, but the conversation would drift into all these other, unrelated places… until suddenly it would snap back into story mode, but bringing along all these influences from our seemingly unrelated conversations.

AIPT: What’s the elevator pitch for ESSENTIALS? It seems like there are a lot of big questions churning at the heart of this book.

LA: Our world has collided with another dimension and reality has become untethered. Most humans were killed in the collision, and those that survived are now trapped in their own subjective realities as their beliefs, thoughts, and fears become manifest around them. Harris Pax – the only scientist who foresaw this apocalypse and managed to protect himself – has teamed up with Buttons – a being from the other dimension. Together they must travel into these subjective realities and convince the people inside to give up their illusions and return to the real world.

DW: Honestly, it can sound complicated, but at the end of the day the story is pretty simple. A cosmic catastrophe has killed most human life, with the few survivors unknowingly stuck in their own bubbles of subjective reality. It’s the job of our heroes to pull them out of these private realities before they’re killed by them.

AIPT: Similarly, it seems like this book may be about/interested in simulations and subjective reality and the like. Why are those kinds of massive ideas interesting, and how do you come at them from a new angle?

LA: It’s a cliché now to say that we’ve never been so divided. We started writing this four years ago, and things seem to have only gotten worse. In this age of reactionary politics and algorithms, we really are starting to live in separate realities where even basic facts are up for dispute. But this feeling of disconnection was an existential issue long before the internet. Artists and writers have always explored the pain of isolation, our yearning for interconnection, and the despondency that comes from witnessing the perpetual division of the human race on both an intimate and planetary scale. With ESSENTIALS, we found two heroes, a villain, and a reality-spanning quest that allows us to dig into these concerns in a way that feels fresh and kind of limitless. There are already so many realities we’ve had to cast aside and many more we hope to include as the story continues.

The Jason Howard cover to ESSENTIALS. Courtesy of The Lab Press.

AIPT: What’s it like to be the debut release from Lab Press? Does that pressure help or complicate your process as creators and then also promoters of said creation?

LA: I can really only speak to it from a creative standpoint. It has awarded us a kind of freedom that is rare to find. The Lab and ESSENTIALS were formed at the same time, so the publishers had no preconceptions about what this book needed to be. There were no expectations, either from the reader or the company itself, so the book was able to find its form on its own terms. And being their debut, The Lab was likely more open to our wild ideas, such as jumping between so many artists in the way we do.

DW: For me, sure– it’s a little nerve-wracking to be the first book from a new publisher, because they’re going to be doing all their learning on our book. But that said, we believe in them. They’ve certainly taken a risk on our weird, little, indie book, so it’s only fair we take a risk on them!

AIPT: The book has a slew of talented artists attached, including Dani, Andrea Mutti, and Bill Sienkiewicz. What’s it mean to have such a roster of sheer artistic talent, and do you have any standout moments/pages?

LA: Even though this book has been in development for years, from the artists signing on to sending their pencils, their inks and colors, and now holding the final version, I still can’t really comprehend that we were able to work with artists of this caliber.

This is the first comic I’ve written, and so I was still wondering how all our scripts would come out after being interpreted by the artist. There’s a sequence in chapter two with a collage of a conversation that passes through a bunch of scenarios across a double page spread, and when Jason Howard sent us his pencils of that section, I started to believe that this world Doc and I had dreamed up could actually be realized.

I also have to say that I’m a huge Glenn Fabry fan. We gave him some of our weirdest pages, and his beautifully textured detail is everything we hoped for and more.

DW: The Lab Press had us submit a list of dream artists we’d be dying to work with. We did, thinking–well, they’ll never be able to get these… But they did!!! They didn’t tell me that they’d gotten Bill Sienkiewicz for a cover, who has been a very important artist to me since childhood. Instead they just revealed to me the fully finished cover at a party at New York Comic Con as a big surprise, and I just about lost it. It’s such an amazing cover. And it’s so Bill while still being so ESSENTIALS!

AIPT: Do you have a fave sci-fi book/film/show/etc. that maybe made its way into this project in some way (intentionally or not)?

LA: Doc is a font of sci-fi knowledge, and our original scripts were stuffed full of amazing references. Eventually, we decided to remove most of them before sending the scripts to artists because we didn’t want to cloud their minds with other visuals before we could see what their imaginations offered up. On quick flip though, you could see references to Alien, The Blob, and Night of the Living Dead, but we’ve done our best to use that imagery as a starting block to build something weirder.

AIPT: Why should anyone support the forthcoming Kickstarter for ESSENTIALS?

LA: Because this book is done and it’s incredible. We’re teaming up with Kickstarter because it’s the best way to get the books out to everyone around the world. We’re not asking for support to get it finished or anything like that. Not long after we launch, the book will be out of the printers and in your hands.

DW: We love our weird little story, and we want to tell more of it in the future, but we’ll only get the chance to do that if people read and love this one. We want to get the word out any way we can, so backers will find and support and read the book. It’s strange, it’s heady, and it’s not for everyone, but the people who it’s for– we hope– will really love it!

Source: AIPT Comics

[vvindication]

I’ve never played fallout but Everyone is going insane abt the new show should I was it yes/no ?🎤

what the hell Ghost did you read my mind. I was literally thinking of asking if you were interested in watching !! okay lets see if I can list some fun pros and cons off the top of my head but personally overall - Id recommend it giving it a go !

my list of praise, basically -

surprisingly good writing for fallout content, but in general, good writing! the main story is beautifully cohesive, plenty of foreshadowing, really fun side plots that all link up with the main one. excellent pacing, too

gets much more into the nitty gritty of the politics surrounding the events and their consequences than any fallout game dared to

focus on morality and community in the face of dire circumstances and what those things really mean

fantastic characters. every one of them is memorable, including minor ones. they feel real, which is always impressive

excellently diverse cast of characters for that matter. like, surprisingly so. genuinely chock full of really cool actors. not once did I feel like it was some attempt to get some sort of recognition (one of my favorite points to this actually is that two of the important minor characters have the BIGGEST height difference that its comical)

SUCH good actors. very talented people. lots of smaller, lesser known actors too! (there IS a guy from Lost in there I recognized tho. that startled me)

superb set design, lighting, props, costuming. cgi is done really fucking well. feels like an actual apocalyptic nuclear wasteland with funky tech as intended. absolutely beautiful to watch

no huge dependence on references! you dont need to play the games to get everything, the main story is perfectly intact without any experience in the series. its just fun extra stuff for those who have :]

if you like disco elysium, you will like this show methinks

forewarnings -

lots of (not very realistic) gore. some pretty realistic gore at points. I can be squeamish about that shit so it wouldve gotten me pretty bad without forewarning. off-screen decapitation, some eye trauma that icked me, fairly brief birth horror that isnt all that visible

some truly gross cannibalism (or it could just be me. eeww gory) thankfully brief

CULT SHIT. heavy cult shit. manipulation, chanting, lighting candles, branding, so on so forth. it can be hard to watch, but I think its better knowing the characters arent fully falling for it within the context (no spoilers!)

dog is seemingly killed but turns out to be okay. that did really upset me at first

decent amount of drug use but nothing super graphic, emphasis on medical. dudes be drinking some weird shit

couple TV typical sex scenes that look pretty graphic but dont show anything. dont watch with parents 👍 casual nudity as well

just generally very heavy in topic. if you can truck through disco elysium, you should be able to make it through this

[shovson]

Thank you for not being afraid to speak up about all of this because i'm far too scared that if i say the tiniest things they'll be on my ass and start stealing everything on my blog

The whole thing is just sad because it's making genuinely insanely talented editors/gif makers/graphics designers want to stop creating i've seen already like 5 awesome blogs say that they'll stop editing :/

wow....i really hope no one is genuinely petty enough to do that to anyone who has spoken out so far. it would show a lack of compassion and respect that i expect no one in my circles would associate with. im sorry you feel like you can't speak out because of those fears....and im happy you've found comfort in my words at the very least if that makes sense

yeah.... :/ i honestly hate the fact people have to even engage with the idea of defending themselves and their stuff and they get so demoralized because their work comes so naturally that people forget there was a person behind it that made it so. i was going to make an addition about how a lot of fanartists ALSO make work based on something that is not theirs but then i realized theres PLENTY of ppl who will mistreat all creatives that way. im sure there is something i could write about hobby, skill, disposability, and the reduction of things to be "content. but this is an insanely long ask HAHAHAHAHA

anyways anon i hope you have a wonderful and creative day. much love take care. tell your favourite fella you love them etc. etc.

[kyaruun]

RAAAWR HUG! HUG! qiapyon loves being hugged :3 and squished (is a slime so squish!) hehe you are so nice and soft :>> not at all intimidating

YOU FELT LIKE A BIG BLOG just so very top tier writing. great graphic. whole package deal. there's only two possibilities that happen to follower count when you go ia:

it goes up, because people are finding you

it goes down, because people are not finding you and your followers think you are dead

THE RETURN OF NYA im so excited rawrrrrr tag me in everything

afadsfhsd me big blog... i guess i'm a big blog. i dont know why 1.1k people are still here for my shitposts

ajdslfsdf its only a few,,, a lot of my blogs are ia..... unfortunately.... and i mostly have focused on nazukisser though i literally cant stop writing for enstars its in my soul... i always strive for weekly for every fandom but darn thats really hard with the amount of shit i have going on

WAAAAAAAA i hope YOUR works get the true recognition it deserves (one day you'll write a leo fic that will become known as that leo fic (in a pos sense))

professional.... ate lis told me that i looked professional on my blogs,,, i just try. lots of trial and error and i always try to look fresh. have gone through so many phases its insane. one time i tried replicating an actual site design on tumblr while combining it w my style and it was so hard. stares at my (long gone) tori fs2 theme

RIGHT like the readers were nice, all of the people were so nice... now its too big like who is everyone... but also its kinda dead too like damn... 2023 is not anybody's year... i wish we could return to all being silly....

help me omg big blog. i mean being a writing blog the writing might as well get a pass but the graphics suck and i'm the first one to acknowledge that. i simply don't know what to do with them >< the one and only graphic i'm still head over heels for and is the reason i still haven't remade my theme is the cute cat soren did for me a looong time ago and is my current banner. it's. so. round. so cute. silly but sosososo adorable

i mean my followers have probably accepted i'm a sporadic writer and i don't really have a schedule. it hurts when you try to put out your stuff but it doesn't get attention but aaa this is the internet. there's no point in overthinking that. my one and only concern is that anons that rq something i answer a few months later manage to read their rq :(

JESUS CHRIST QIAN YOU HAVE 1.1K FOLLOWERS?!?!? big big biggest writer indeed. i just checked mine and it's 744 followers which is an insane number for someone who posts so little!! what you said about the leo fic... i can only hope. i personally think i suck at writing leo a lot. and rei. and natsume. my izumi is pretty much a mess too. see? if i love them i can't write them right. but uuuu i'd love to write a series. i've never tried that. i also considered something like a social media au bc that's usually really cute too. i don't think any of my works will ever reach that level of importance buuuuut. i'd love that

i've been working a bit on some sort of new theme for my super due revamp but i hate editing sooo much. whatever you say your themes always look super nice and cohesive <3 they're really nice to look at ;;

the fandom being big and dead (from a writing pov) is just as you said ;; i occasionally go into the tags to look for cute fanart but i don't see any writing and it's very sad. sorry to whoever might be offended by this but x readers actually carried the fandom before engstars. but we all either grew frustrated with the lack of interaction or found new interests

i simply miss that sense of community TT the nuri era... nuri feeding the entire fandom one post a day. bee coming up with the absolute prettiest things (like hello THEIR PROMPTS. i still haven't recovered from those). swanee dropping these insanely talented bombs and leaving us knocking on their askbox like "pls comeback when". soren's blog (which i actually visit from time to time bc there's a handful of fics that carry half of my mental sanity rn). runa ;;;;

see? i miss a lot of people ꒰⁎′̥̥̥ ⌑ ‵̥̥̥ ꒱ on those are only the ones that came first into mind because there are even more moots i miss... that comfy feeling of being able to jump into everyone's askbox and be silly... nostalgia hitting hard ;;; makes me think i should try to join a server(s) to try and interact with people again, even if it's just some talking from time to time

[fearsmagazine]

FEAR - Review

DISTRIBUTOR: Hidden Empire Releasing

SYNOPSIS:  Rom has gathered friends for a much needed getaway at the Strawberry Lodge in homes of a celebration weekend, if he can muster the nerve to propose to his longtime girlfriend, Bianca. However, even though they’ve all been tested a new nightmare emerges in the form of a contagious airborne threat. Trapped in the lodge, a darker force awakens and preys upon their worst fears. As their phobias come to life will they be able to take control of the situation and survive the sheer terror.

REVIEW: Filmmaker Deon Taylor doesn’t reinvent the genre, but he does, during the height of COVID, create a solid story, interesting characters, some amazing camera work, to deliver a film that embodies the best of the 70’s and 80’s genre films with just a hint of sensuality and a slight nod to exploitation.

Taylor got lucky in finding a location that was the inspiration for his plot. The Strawberry Lodge is an actual place on the west coast, and apparently there's a town nearby where they executed witches, indigenous people, and prospectors. He weaves that into a tale about the lodge, at the heart are the witches. There are elements that are reminiscent of films like “Bur, Witch, Burn!,” “The Sentinel,” and many of Argento’s witch films. The plot isn’t overly complex to have any glaring loopholes, the characters feel genuine and the dialogue flows. There are natural sounding humorous lines that offer comic relief without breaking the fourth wall. The narrative has a slight morality tale element, but it's not preachy, making no disparities about witchcraft. It’s simply this place and what was done here that gives rise to evil. I loved it

FEAR has a solid ensemble cast. They lull the viewer into the grove of the film with performances that feel like you’re watching a group of close knit friends who are getting together yet again to celebrate something. Taylor works with his actors to capture comfortable, seamless performances. Every performance has depth and range. The viewer is hooked so that as things evolve into madness; you're there for the ride. The viewer feels for the characters and it ratchets up the intensity and terror. Talented cast, skilled director, equal excellent performances.

I adored the production values, cinematography, framing, editing, score and sound design. Right from the beginning Taylor employs some effective camera work to set the viewer on edge. He nicely frames and edits the scenes between the characters which raises the energy of the film as he gets the viewer intimately acquainted with the characters. Along the way he triggers the viewer's sense of dread with small touches to indicate the awakening peril. I appreciate how he used many genre tropes, but reimagined them in subtle ways to fit his film, making them feel fresh. Along the way he picks up the pacing by cutting back and forth between scenes to enhance the rhythm of the tale. Much of the terror comes from the fabulous sound design. It is an in your face sound that adds depth and revulsion to the scene without being insanely graphic. It ignites the imagination and the horror. I found his main creature design fascinating. When you think about the state of mind that comes with anxiety and fear, his creature is at the core of this swirling nightmare. It looks like the physical manifestation of that chaos. The film nicely blends all the music in the film, and composer Geoff Zanelli’s score accents the sound design and the effects. It lays a nice foundation for all the different emotional moments.

I often discuss a film in terms of “the filmmakers,” like the director and production team. In this instance it truly feels like a group effort between those behind and in front of the camera. Director Deon Taylor is like a master card player as he lays out his hand with enough shock and awe to thrill the audience. He takes a mature and serious approach to the genre and the story he is telling, serving up a solid, fright filled thrill ride. He sets up rules for his horrorverse that are diverse and not moralistic, never getting in the way of being entertaining. I’ve enjoyed his previous films, such as “Dead Tone,” “Chain Letter,” and “Intruder,” and right now FEAR is my favorite film of all his films I’ve taken in. Well worth assembling your friends and checking out this scarefest at your local cinema.

CAST: Joseph Sikora, Andrew Bachelor, Annie Ilonzeh, Ruby Modine, Iddo Goldberg, Terrence Jenkins, Jessica Allain, Tyler Abron, and Tip 'T.I.' Harris. CREW: Director/Screenplay/Producer - Deon Taylor; Screenplay - John Ferry; Producers - Roxanne Avent, Omar Joseph, and Heather Kritzer; Cinematographer - Christopher Duskin; Score - Geoff Zanelli; Editors - Martin Bernfeld & Peck Prior; Production Designer - Dara Waxman; Costume Designer - Chloe Philbert; Visual Effects Artist - Doug Spilatro; OFFICIAL: www.fear.movie FACEBOOK: N.A. TWITTER: N.A. TRAILER: https://youtu.be/VgaG0PbziYY RELEASE DATE: In theaters January 27th, 2023

**Until we can all head back into the theaters our “COVID Reel Value” will be similar to how you rate a film on digital platforms - 👍 (Like), 👌 (It’s just okay),  or 👎 (Dislike)

Reviewed by Joseph B Mauceri

[princemick-archive]

i hope it's okay if i send you this but i'm pretty new to the f1 side of tumblr and don't really know the ins and outs yet and you're literally the first blog i came across and you seem really popular and talented so i thought i'd ask you for some blog recommendations? and maybe you'd know if there's any like fandom etiquette one should follow on f1 tumblr that's different from general tumblr etiquette because i know some fandoms have some extra unspoken rules and all that

Hi nonnie ofc it's okay!! so here's:

kyle, princemick's beginners guide to f1blr!

basic rules to f1blr:

please always tag any kind of crash, they happen, theyre scary please remember to tag them with 'crash tw'

don't cross tag keep the right drivers in the right tags, we dont wanna see max in the ferrari tag or charles in the merc tag etc

tag your hate with 'anti *insert driver*' (use first name not both first and last so it doesnt show up in the main tags) and don't go looking in those tags for ur fav just to defend them that's annoying ass hell

basic things to remember:

rpf is very likely to happen, if you dont enjoy it no worries to blacklist or not follow people who are active in it BUT rpf does happen a lot casually as jokes etc so dont take it to seriously

everyone has their favs and critize everyone, the block and unfollow button is right there, its still sport. curate your own experience.

NOW kyle's blog rec list below the cut!

go and support and show some love, they're all incredible creators and organized by fav driver/genre of content so please take some time to check them out!! (tried to explain what they mostly do but some just rb and post so ajksdb theyre still all amazing though)

a lot of these are also mixed in who they support, I put them in the catagory of people I identify them w most.

also tumblr is a dick so has a tag limit which means half of these are links so there are a bunch of people in here who didnt get a notif that they're in this post, so rip.

FIRST OFF follow my most beloveds @milflewis and @yeericcihaw theyre two of the most important people in my life who are on their own incredible creators, niamh is an incredible writer and fran a wonderful gif maker. both of them make tumblr so so much better for me and I love them dearly

general f1 blogs/people i think everyone should follow:

@race-week should be in everyone's following if they call themselves an f1 fan // @maranello THE ferrari blog (and incredible editor) // @brawn-gp incredible editor, ferrari main // @formulaoneisajoke lando main // @h-f-k amazing graphic designer // @alpinegasly insane f1 poster designer // @f1-stuff mosttly ferrari gifs that are incredibly and high quality // @yukierree irl friend and wonderful graphic designer // @husbono amazing writer and graphic designer // @hakkinens one of the source for classic f1 stuff also lew/seb/charles main // @greenliketheskyf1pics the classic f1 blog // @edoardo-mortara one of the non f1 motorsport blog // @josefnewgayden also one of the non f1 motorsport blogs // @oscar-piastri one of the best gifmakers/editors on this website

artists:

@souriadraws incredible artist // @alboncat amazingly stylistic and cute artist // @stoffelwdc incredible artist // @russilton incredible artist with a really distinct style // @absurdt funny and cute artist // @livetogether--diealone amazing charles main artist // @ruszhou incredible artist and george/yuki/guanyu main // @sebsxmp amazing linework // @mangocito incredibly cute artist // @cedobols the seb artist // @hyonibee one of the cutests styles

writers:

@stuckonspidey one of the mick writers in the fandom imo // @effervescentdragon insane (affectionate) and incredible writer // @schulott amazing schullot writer // @redpaint charles fan and writer

mick:

@acrosstobear 1/3 of the pilars of mickblr // @boomacher 2/3 of the pilars of mickblr // @mickstart the schumacher blog on this side of tumblr // @userhamilton funny, creative and gifmaker // @grussell63 funny and insane (affectionate) also big merc fan // @guanyu-ilott mick/callum main

charles:

@leqclerc incredible editor // @16whispers writer // @lukamodric wonerful editor // @mssr-monagato dramatic and a tifosi // @dobbiamo-capire tifosi and local italian translator // @monacoprince amazing editor // @ferrariprince16 major tifosi // @lileclair charles main // @lolaleclerc charles main // @finalgirlcharlesleclerc charles main // @c2stan one of the charles blogs // @balaclavacharles another one of the charles blogs

seb:

@lisandro-vettel very funny seb main // @teamgreenheart seb/lew main // @4xmulti21champion the ted kravits source // @005seb seb/alex main // @multi-2-1 seb main // @unhinged-vettel incredible designer // @youjustwaitsunshine funny ass seb main

lew:

@teamroscoes the lew blog // @lewki lew/yuki main // @xiaozhous guanyu/lew main // @danielssmile danny/lew/george main // @alexanderalbons seb/lew/alex main // @andreagrimes val/seb main also nando but won't admit it also incredible artist

other:

@spygate nando main, very funny // @beparwah96 yuki main, v creative // @formulaonedirection lando main, very funny // @pierrelli pierre main, cool ass editor // @its-always-silly-season funny ass hell // @dilfgrassi danny and lew main also fe fan // @tsuchansworld one of the yuki blog on this site // @gcsly the pierre giffer // @lesellieknope danny main // @estebanbicon este main // @raceweek the alex blog // @robinfrinjs one of the FE blogs // @estiebestieban este main

I think that's it!! go and support all these amazing blogs, this is bascially just my following list so it's how I've curated my tl and it's a wonderful place so highly reccomend.

[sciderman]

hi sci! i hope you don't mind me asking, but what was your education route like? and if you have any tips for work experience to support illustration?

hello anon! i really wish i had a wealth of advice on this - but i'll talk a little bit about my experiences!

i was kind of the unofficial artist of my high school, actually - not that i ever explicitly volunteered but absolutely any time the school needed posters or graphic design or illustrations of any kind... "this looks like a job for sci." designed all the christmas cards, all the posters for all the school plays - even now, almost a decade later, they're still using my illustrations for like, education principles and for the student journals and everything. it's really cute.

i think doing all those illustrations for my school was a real boost of confidence - i felt like i was practically a professional already, because my illustrations were already so widespread and seen, in people's day-to-day.

i studied art, media studies, english literature and drama at A-level - and went straight into university after to study animation (i've kind of always known i wanted to be an animator since i was a wee baby, it's always been my path)

while i was in uni i had a freelance gig at a daily newspaper - so i did these daily little illustrations that were kind of like little visual poems.

i was kind of lucky that a lot of little publication opportunities would arise for me because of my interest in translated literature and being kind of part of the british-iraqi community - so i got to do a lot of small publications - little translated books - even a magazine cover or two. i think, if you're part of communities it's always worth it to volunteer up your talents - even for free - create art to promote events, etc - it's so, so important as an illustrator to have eyes on your work. i know exposure doesn't pay the rent - but it does wonders for your confidence, and looks so, so good on the portfolio. posters - promotional material - publications - all of that stuff is so, so great. art for function, that's what will push illustrators forward, i think.

straight after graduating (well - with a year devoted to the job hunt) i entered the world of corporate animation! i mostly do after effects motion graphics - here's my groovy (and in need of updating) showreel!

i currently work as lead animator in a small corporate film studio! i storyboard, i animate, i direct (sometimes live-action projects too!) - i love what i do. and because i'm quite active on social media, i've also landed a few pretty high-profile freelance gigs on top of it! for a time i posted lots of commute drawings and it caught the eye of someone at the bbc and f1 - which lead to a lot of really exciting jobs. so you really never know what's going to catch someone's eye and lead to opportunities. something small you did just to unwind might actually be just the spark someone was looking for. the number of times i've had someone point to some silly, small idea i threw out into the void for a giggle and they've said "that. i want that. and i'll pay you for it." everything you create has value. even if you can't quantify it just yet.

a lot of the time when i gain a bit of success or i land a job i always say "huh. i'm lucky." but actually - i work insanely hard. i'm almost constantly creating. i've been that way since i decided i was going to be an animator, and that was - well, i was like, 11 years old. i decided i was going to pick up the pencil and never put it down. (not saying that's a healthy way to be! but it's just the way i've been.)

i think the most valuable thing for an illustrator is to be seen. create a lot. share a lot. join art collectives - do art challenges - submit to publications and zines - pushing your art out there in front of eyeballs is the best place to start!

[seraphsurvival]

prologue : 𝙬𝙝𝙤’𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡 ?

following weeks of anticipation and dozens of applications it’s time to finally pick our final 12 angels to compete on 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐇. have you made the right decision for our top 12 ? find out on the first episode of the most interactive koc survival show 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐇.

nova and yen stood beside each other in coordinated outfits as they had their final touch ups made before making their first official appearance as the hosts of the ultimate kpop project group survival show ‘seraph’. nova and yen had been anticipating this day since they were approached to be the hosts weeks ago. who would turn down an opportunity to be a part of pop culture history? the hosts were just as excited as the audience and the score of contestants that were waiting anxiously backstage for the competition to finally begin. 

the producer stood beside the cameraman with a clipboard in her hand, she silently counted them down. both girls turned to each other and silently wished each other good luck before plastering on their best smiles. 

on queue the shows intro music played along with the designed graphics before the camera focused on the hosts. 

“hello and welcome to ‘seraph’ !” the two girls announce in unison as they cheer finally being able to unleash all their wong up excitement. 

“it’s your favourite princess nova of inter-stellar ” she spoke with a typically royal wave before turning to yen beside her , “ and your devilish angel, yen of triptych!” yen gave the camera a finger gun shot before turning to her co-host.

 “and we are your hosts of ‘seraph’!” they cheered in unison, their smiles sparkling. 

“today is a special day as we will finally discover who are the nation's angels !” yen continued on , nova nodded along focusing her attention on the shorter girl as she awaited her queue. she elegantly brushed her hair behind her ear.

“for those of you who do not understand how this part of the  show works here’s a short rundown. we sent out an announcement and dozens of idols within the industry have sent in their audition tapes to prove why they believe they deserve to be your favourite angel. we then opened up voting and let you decide who the top 12 are and we will be announcing them tonight !” 

“but before we get to the angels let’s introduce our amazing judges ! “she smiled charmingly to the camera before it panned to reveal the panel of judges.

“first up we have the outstanding performer and ex wonder girl sunmi !” sunmi stood up with a smile as she waved to the camera and the audience before sitting back in her seat. 

“next to her we have the queen of stage presence and rap herself hyuna !” the rapper stood up covering her mouth as she blushed. she bowed before taking her seat again. 

“and lastly we have the multi talented dance master : bts’ j-hope !” he struck a pose as he stood up ,  his face broke out into its iconic heart shaped smile as he bowed respectfully and sat back down.

the camera panned back to the girls as they applauded each of the insanely talented judges they had lined up.

the applause died down and the giant projector screen behind the hosts showed the collection of thumbnails of the audition tapes the show had received.

“all of the videos behind us were uploaded to the ‘seraph’ official youtube and website and you as the audience were able to vote all through the week. there was so much talent to pick from but only 12 have made it as your angels. who will spread their wings and who will have their wings cut ? “ yen nails the dramatic tone of the statement as her words builds up the tension in the studio. 

nova clears her throat before she spoke , “in no particular order these are your angels :” she paused for 3 theatric seconds before finally announcing the competition lineup.

“our first angel is ricky of @unholiied​ !” the entire room applauded as ricky’s audition tape played on the giant screen.  she walked up onto the platform from backstage in complete shock. her hands covered her face the entire time as she stood as the first angel. 

“next up we have mimi and eden of @inter-stellar-jyp​ !” nova couldn’t mask the pride in her voice as she watched two of the youngest members of her group move up onto the platform. their auditions played side by side as mimi stood eyes huge and jaw dropped. she was not expecting to be announced. eden bounced excitedly holding onto mimi’s hand as they stood beside ricky. ricky gave the two newest additions a polite bow and round of applause.

the studio’s attention was on the hosts once again as they awaited the next angel. “ our next angel’s are  dahlia of @d3adfl0wers​ and chloe kwon ( @chloekwon​ ) !” the studio applauded as both girls excitedly made their way to the platform bowing along their way . they took their spots beside the already present angels as they tried to mask their excitement and shock. 

“next we have jay of @dulcetgg !” the sixth angel’s squeal could be heard faintly off camera as she just about skipped up to the platform. her audition played behind her as she bowed taking her position. 

“we’re already half way through the angels. judges, how are you feeling looking at our beautiful angels so far?” yen asked. the camera switched to the judges panel and focused on sunmi. 

sunmi chuckled softly as she looked up at the girls. “i think the audience has picked an outstanding amount of talent tonight. all of these girls deserve to be where they are.” 

hyuna and j-hope nod from the seats beside the other judge. 

“definitely! there is so much range and talent on the stage right now and we’re just getting started! i can’t wait to see what they have to show us,” hyuna added on making all the current angels bow with bashful smiles.  

“the angels are already the strongest lineup in history! i’m so excited i want to know the next six. i’m dying at this point.” j-hope joked, making the studio laugh lightly as the camera focused back on nova and yen. 

“thank you, judges.” yen nodded in appreciation before turning her attention back to the main camera. “it’s time to reveal our final six angels.” 

“our seventh angel is ...” nova paused as she looked over at yen expectedly. “ame of @triptychexe !” yen’s face lit up as she turned to see her group mates reaction. ame shook her head in disbelief as she walked to the platform. behind her, her audition tape played. yen didn’t even bother to hide her pride as she gave ame a smile and a thumbs up. 

“our next set of angels are… summer of @se4sonz,  jade of @nct-krown and haeju of @hcney-moon!” yen announced. the 3 girls walked out one after the other, their proud smiles mirroring each other as they moved onto the platform. the other angels congratulated them as they joined the flock. just as the energy in the studio had reached it’s peak, the lights overhead dimmed, hushing the audience and the contestants into silence. a sudden tension draped over the studio as nova brought the microphone to her lips. 

“on the platform behind us we have 10 beautiful angels. there are only 2 spots left. for many of our applicants this is the end of the road.” nova said somberly. “who will be the final 2 angels?” nova’s seriousness created anticipation as she looked over at yen, who had the task of announcing the most anticipated angels. 

“and our final angels are ...” she paused with a deep breath yen looked down at her cards before looking into the camera once again with a knowing gleam in her eyes. “baebi of @whileinvenus and yuri of @cube-vivid !” 

the final 2 girls came out hand in hand. baebi waved at the judges and audience as she walked up to the platform confidently, a stark contrast to the glossy eyed yuri beside her. her shock and relief was evident as she looked up at her audition and wiped at her eyes before waving along with baebi. the 2 took the positions at the very front of the flock completing the angels of ‘seraph’. 

“yuri , what has made you so emotional this evening?” hyuna asked from her spot at the judges panel. 

yuri was handed a mic from a staff member as she thought of a coherent reply. “ um,” she laughed softly as baebi wiped at her eyes, gently  trying to save her makeup. 

“i’m just so thankful to have made it, i didn’t think i would.” she replied, her eyes already welling up again. 

hyuna nodded , “but now look !” 

“you’ve made it , you all have !” nova rhapsodized making the studio fill with praises and cheers. 

“you’ve made it girls- i mean angels ,” sunmi broke out into a wide smile as soon as she corrected herself and that smile reflected on each of their faces. 

“congratulations angels !” j-hope exclaimed into the mic. the angels yelled in excitement on the stage matching his energy. 

“ladies and gentlemen, your angels of ‘seraph’!” yen and nova chorused gesturing to the platform allowing for the cameras to fully focus on each of the contestants.  the shows official music is played as they each got their solo shots with their names and groups written beside them. 

“that’s it for this episode! stay tuned to see how the angels spread their wings and soar through weekly challenges and compete to be a part of the ultimate koc super group  !” yen announced with a bright smile as she threw an arm around nova’s shoulders, bringing the other girl in for an adorable side hug. 

“thanks to everyone who participated and we’ll see you next week !” she laughed brightly  copying yen’s movements. 

“bye !” the 2 hosts waved at the camera before it focused on the rest of the people in the studio. 

the camera cut between the judges standing  up from their chairs to applaud the girls and chatting amongst themselves and the angels on the platform as they happily hugged one another.  the excitement was so thick in the atmosphere it was palpable. the sound of congratulations and the official ‘seraph’ track played as the credits rolled. 

‘seraph’ has officially begun.

*results below ! *

[yeonjuins]

3, 24, 28, 29? (I'd love to hear about your experience with AE but obviously you can answer these however you like~) ✨💜

omg wings (": i love how i am the 'ae user' of moablr PAHAHA i hope ur day has been doing well my love <3 i'll answer this moreso on the gfx side of things (since i don't feel like i'm qualified enough to speak on behalf of my gif making skills...)

ask a graphics / gif maker

3. who/what inspires your graphics / gifs?

i had to think about this one for a bit, and i've said this before on my blog but, i truly think nctzens and armys are absolutely insane when it comes to the gfx community... the sheer amount of creativity and talent in those two communities always outstands me !! i don't rmbr when or how, but i stumbled across @/neoheists blog and my mind was absolutely blown at the mockups and the amount of detail that went into their work ;; i found even more nctzens on instagram that make such insane graphics (i truly wish i could be up to par with their skill level in all honesty)

i don't follow many army gfx creators but armys do make a large population of the kpop community so it's only natural i find a lot of their edits on my pintrest.... just the sheer amount of diversity in designs and how people create such unique ideas absolutely blows me away and i admire their works so much (yours included wings <3)

other than that, it's simply- anything and everything. my yellow cab edit was inspired by a deobi making a yellow cab fmv for sunwoo or gyugle was inspired by just a youtube video i watched that had the search engine 'gyugle' at the beginning (": i think taking inspo from all sorts of places is very important in order to get fresh ideas hehe

(a little bit ironic i mention gfx makers from nct/bts because the gfxs they make are nothing alike to whatever i create </3)

24. what is something that you’re wanting to learn right now?

web design (": it's apart of my internship so naturally, i am currently learning it atm !! but i also just have this sense of urgency to learn everything already so i can execute my ideas (<- a little bit insane if you ask me) a lot of people associate me to web prototypes for txt but truthfully speaking.... if those were actual websites they'd be so impractical PAHAHHAHAH i want to start considering what actually goes into making a solid website and how i can incorporate my creativity into it other than just focusing on the aesthetics portion (:<

a few other things would be learning how to brand (creating logos, brand design mockups, etc) and more 3d renderings !! truly excited to step my foot into those and see how i can incorporate my love for my kpop boys with that ability overtime <3

28. advice for any beginner graphic / gif makers?

create. literally just make anything you have in mind. in my internship, my employer stated that as i familiarize myself with the program that they use, don’t feel as though i have any restrictions. if i have any sort of idea i want to execute, just try it. if not, google a video. if not then, ask him to see if he can help, etc. please don’t feel as though you ‘can’t do something’ because there’s just no straight answer to it. 

one of the biggest hardships someone is going to face when they first start out is that they have an idea in mind, but they don’t know how to execute it. they won’t be able to find a tutorial because they don’t know the jargon, etc etc (i face this issue all the time as well). i think facing stuff like that is pretty natural and overtime as you learn more, you’ll actually learn the lingo of stuff you want to do/are doing. but please, if you have an idea and you have somewhat of a brief idea of how to execute it, just do it. even if it’s tedious and even if it takes you x10 as long as it would’ve been if you knew the proper steps how. it’ll get your creativity flowing and overtime the more you do it, the more you’ll actually learn the program itself then slowly realize the easier steps to take. 

tldr : create whatever your heart desires <3 that is the most simplest (yet, perhaps, most complex) advice i could give (”:

29. advice for any advanced/expert graphic / gif makers?

your attention to detail goes a long way. perhaps the majority of people looking at it will not notice it but trust me- it adds to the viewing experience as a whole whether people acknowledge it or not. and for the niche minority that does recognize those little details, it feels the most satisfactory having it be acknowledged (”: 

on another note: in beginners art, you’re taught the basic principles of design and elements of design. you may not notice it, but you subconsciously follow these rules a lot. i think it’s really good to look back onto those principles whenever you feel like something is missing and see which one of those best fits the book that you could add/improve on. don’t feel as though you have to create something that fits the bill of those principles/elements (i absolutely hated having to do that in art) but rather have that help elevate your ideas and morph it into something of your own. ultimately, that is the biggest power people have as creatives (”: 

(tbh that’s literally all i could say for this i feel like i’m unqualified to give advice to experts LMFAO) 

[unsaid-stardust]

“Julie and The Phantoms” No Longer Phantoms as They Debut at #1

Only a year ago today, internet band “Julie and The Phantoms” took the world by storm when they posted a cover of Taylor Swift’s “You Need To Calm Down”. From there, the band, which consists of lead singer Julie Molina (16), guitarist Luke Patterson (17), bassist Reggie Peters (17), and drummer Alex Mercer (17), continued to post weekly covers which garnered an average of 3 million hits per video. Sure enough, the band got picked up by Hollywood Ghost Club Records  and signed on to record a total of 3 albums.

It would be easy to see that such rise to greatness could cause some trouble in paradise, but the band told a different story when I sat down with them at a local diner.

I was quick to notice that Julie had looked to her bandmates, careful not to overstep anyone wanting to answer, but the 3 boys had all eyes on her. Luke had nodded and teased “all you boss”, seemingly some sort of inside joke, which prompted Julie to take the lead just as she does on stage.

I was quick to notice that Julie had looked to her bandmates, careful not to overstep anyone wanting to answer, but the 3 boys had all eyes on her. Luke had nodded and teased “all you boss”, seemingly some sort of inside joke, which prompted Julie to take the lead just as she does on stage.

J: Ah well, we’re not really allowed to give any details quite yet, but we can say that there’s definitely some discussion happening behind the scenes! 

I: of course! That all must be very exciting considering only a year ago today you guys were posting covers on YouTube!

L: Yeah, yeah it’s all super exciting. The boys and I had talked about it long before we even knew Julie, so it’s just crazy to see it all happening and now with a wicked beauty of a singer to light up the stage every night? What more could we have asked for?

Luke winked and clicked his tongue towards Julie who’s smile got brighter than before. The shooed her hand at the compliment though, a teasing “oh, stop it” sounding from her.

I: You mentioned that you knew Alex and Reggie before meeting Julie. Can either of you tell us how you guys all met?

A: Well Reggie, Luke, and I actually all knew each other since the 2nd grade. We met in the music room and the rest was history. With Julie though, Luke actually had seen one of her original songs--which was “Wake Up” I know that for a fact because you can’t forget the first time you heard a voice like that--floating around on YouTube at the time. Reggie and I had just been chilling in our studio and Luke came running in with his laptop and said-

R: Wait-wait! I Wanna take this one I do a great Luke impersonation

A chuckle escaped from Julie’s lips and the two boys in question had shook their heads. 

A: Do you...? Okay.

Reggie then began to pretend that he was preparing for an acting gig, his thumb pressed to his two fingers as he brought them in front of his face, releasing a breath of focused air. 

R: guys guys you have to check out this insanely talented wicked beauty. Her pipes are just insane

L: I did not say that 

R and A: Yeah you did. 

Julie took the reins then just as natural as she were taking the reins on stage.

J: Well, even if you did or didn’t say that, that is how you guys found me. They emailed me after that and they invited me over to their studio where we had a impromptu jam-sesh. We didn’t even have a song planned to practice which is how “Bright” was actually born. So, after copious amounts of begging and begging and begging-

Luke playfully punched the lead singer in the arm and as Alex and Reggie threw out objections.

J: ok ok, I said yes to joining the band right away and as Alex said earlier, the rest is history

I: Oh, you guys for sure were meant to make this history together. You just have this natural chemistry with one another. I mean just from hearing how you guys met and then from seeing you guys today--you guys have been so in sync this whole time. I mean Reggie, you and Alex answer the same. And Luke and Julie, you two have moved the same the entire time. It’s just amazing watching you all here and on stage. But speaking of Luke and Julie, I have to ask...are you two dating?

The two shifted in their seats, but they never took their eyes off of the other, which is not the only time that Patterson had been the culprit of doing so. Both took the time to answer giving Reggie the leeway.

R: They’re not, but they should be

It’s hard to tell if the sun had just hit Julie and Luke at the wrong time or if the L.A temperature had suddenly gotten to them, but Julie was quick to respond to the bassist.

J: A-ha you’re so funny Reggie. No, no we um....we aren’t dating. I love all the guys right here next to me and I feel like I’ve bonded with them so much over the past year; they're pretty much my family. Alex and I have dance parties in my room and paint each others nails and Reggie and I gush over Taylor Swift’s newest albums and Luke and I...we just have a different bond from songwriting, you know? So I really just take that speculation as having great chemistry with my band which is definitely needed when you spend hours locked in a studio trying to get an album done.

I: Speaking of the album, can we talk about the album cover for a minute? It’s just so unique and eye-catching! Can you tell us what inspired you to choose this for your debut album cover?

Alex: Our really good friend and PR assistant Flynn actually designed it. She said that she took into consideration all of our personalities and what made us “Julie and The Phantoms” and went into photoshop and designed this masterpiece. The colors behind us our each of our favorite colors and the space background kinda comes from the idea that all of us feel like something fated us together. The universe maybe, but whatever it was we were meant to play together. And the font is a homage to Star Wars for Reggie!

I: that’s amazing! So what you’re saying is, I need to contact Flynn for all my graphic designing needs?

The band immediately nod their heads in agreement. 

J: yeah she’s amazing. She’s actually my best friend too and she was the one who really got us going. We wouldn’t be here without her!

I: Sounds like a true friend! Alright, well, thank you guys for letting me sit down with you guys. It was a pleasure, one more thing to ask though--if you could have written any existing song, what would it be?

R: ooooo definitely ‘home is where my horse is’ that one is a masterpiece 

The band, excluding Julie, groaned at the title.

L: Reggie stop trying to go country it’s not gonna happen

A: and that isn’t answering the question since it doesn’t exist!

J: hey, hey, it exists in Reggie and Me’s heart ok.

The bassist reached over to high five the lead singer. 

A: I wish I would’ve written “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by the icon that is Whitney Houston. 

J: ooo that’s a good one. Anything by Alicia Keys for me. Or Aretha Franklin. Those two were definitely my idols growing up

L: oh “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” by Green Day for sure. The lyrics in that one hit hard man I'd love to just write a song that does that to people one day. 

I: Well, looking at the charts, it appears like you might have already! Thank you so much again for sitting down with me today. Hopefully we’ll get to talk sometime soon and I look forward to seeing what you guys get up to in the future!

You can now stream “Bright Forever” on Apple Music and Spotify!  

[insanityclause]

A really long article about the twists and turns of this project - including Tom’s involvement.

Upon the completion of this draft, which addressed both the project’s artistic and commercial concerns (“Imagine if I took the graphic novel and melded it with what Alex Proyas did.”), this iteration of The Crow secured its leading man. “We went out and immediately got Tom Hiddleston, right off the cuff,” Mr. Dorfman tells us. Mr. Gutierrez reveals that he’d met with numerous actors beforehand, from the very moment he’d boarded the project: “This was not a typical process for a movie. We were working with actors from day one. I met actors when I arrived on the project. We considered James McAvoy for a time. He was one of the more ‘name’ choices the studio was exploring. I met with every single actor in town, it was insane. Down the road, I talked with Tom Hiddleston, who was an actor I loved. He was not that well known at the time. He had just made the first Avengers movie. He was really passionate about the role.”

Beyond casting, Mr. Gutierrez was looking at pulling together the various facets of the production as well. “I approached Rick Baker to do the makeup, and the Skull Cowboy. I love Rick Baker. I approached Bo Welch as production designer, who did Batman Returns, Edward Scissorhands, and others. And I approached and had a very cool dinner with Atticus Ross, because I was excited about bringing the songs of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross to the movie’s soundtrack. I was trying to do something very dark, but very good, and Rated R. There was no way this could be a PG-13. Just make another movie. But the producers were very supportive of this. We were scouting in different areas, like New Orleans, and then later the U.K. Unfortunately, the process was very long…”

“I’m not sure why Hiddleston dropped out,” Mr. Dorfman says, discussing the actor’s exit from the project. “But immediately after, we had Luke Evans. We were just thrilled. Dracula [Untold] was just coming out from Universal. Luke is a very special actor. I think he would’ve been the absolute perfect Crow. He had the precise amount of vulnerability versus power, love versus hate. He had all of those emotions at the tips of his fingers, and right behind his eyes. Wasn’t like Tom wouldn’t have been great, he would’ve been amazing. And then we thought, ‘Oh shit! Luke! We’re lucky again!’ Like, ‘Maybe this project isn’t cursed! Maybe this project is really supposed to go!’”

Mr. Gutierrez agrees. “I got to know Luke Evans. What I love about him – not only is he a talented actor, but he was very sensitive. He’s a beautiful soul. I thought that would make him a good match. And he was a fresh face at the time.”

[toenialls]

hi ! here’s a fic rec i made bc what better time to read fics than a quarantine. i’ve ordered them below from longest to shortest. :) 

these are all the fics i’ve read/re-read this quarantine

hiding place by alivingfire  @alivingfire (365k)

louis never wanted a soulmate, didn’t really care for the whole Bonding thing at all, really. enter harry styles, who’s wanted to be Bonded for as long as he could remember. with one fateful meeting in a x factor bathroom, louis gets a dagger on his arm and the realization that just because harry is his soulmate doesn’t mean it’s mutual.

from the x factor house to madison square garden, from the fountain studios stage to stadiums across the world, louis has to learn to love without losing himself completely, because someday his best friend will Bond to someone and replace louis as the center of his universe. meanwhile, harry begins to think that maybe fate doesn’t actually know what it’s doing after all, because his other half has clearly been right in front of him the whole time. all he has to do now is convince louis to give them a chance.

or, the canon compliant harry and louis love story from the very beginning, where the only difference is that the love between them is literally written on their skin, and there’s only so much they can hide.

relief next to me  by dolce_piccante @haydolce (333k)

au- what happens when a baker and a graphic designer meet via a very specific craigslist post? fate, friendship, food, and maybe more. 

young & beautiful by velvetoscar @mizzwilde (227k)

louis, to his horror, attends an elitist university in which the name zayn malik means something, niall horan doesn’t stop talking, there are pianos everywhere, and harry styles, only son o a drug-addled, clinically insane ex-rocker, has a perfect smile and empty eyes 

now in a minute by thealmightyavocado @avocadolouie​ (150k)

13 feels like yesterday for many people, but for louis it actually was.more than anything in the world, louis tomlinson dreams of growing up. simply skipping over all the awkward embarrassing years of teenage existence and getting on with life, real life.

so when thirteen-year-old louis wakes up in the body of his thirty-year-old self, he expected his adult life to be picture perfect. and maybe it is. he has it all…or so it seems. 

except his favorite person and lifelong best mate, harry styles, is totally missing from the equation and louis doesn’t understand why. he has a lot of catching up to do and as adult life turns out to be more than what he bargained for, louis can’t help wondering why a life that seemed so perfect, feel so empty.

or, the 13 going on 30 au that should have been done years ago.

walk that mile by purpledaisy (149k)

harry stares at him, the line of his jaw standing out scarily. “i wanted to get the most out of this trip so i planned it carefully.” his voice is low and steady and somehow that’s worse than when he was yelling. “so far, you’ve put your sticky fingers on everything i’ve tried to do.”

"sticky fingers?“ louis repeats. offended. “are you saying it’s my fault you got stung by a bee? had you been alone you would have gotten halfway to the dotty diner and ran the car off the road because of an allergic reaction, so don’t go blaming me.”

"polk-a-dot drive in,“ harry spits before getting out of the car. he slams the door shut with a deafening reverb and louis rolls his eyes.

or, a route 66 au where falling in love was never part of the plan.

own the scars by crinkle-eyed-boo @crinkle-eyed-boo​ (144k)

“but i don’t belong here,” louis insists.

"why do you say that?“ james asks.

"these people are all drug addicts and alcoholics,” louis shrugs. something sparks in james’ eyes. “and you’re not?”

louis has never felt like he was good enough: for his stepdad, for his life-long best friends, for the life he’s supposed to want. after an accident that nearly costs him his life, louis’ parents send him to rehab where he’s forced to make his own decisions. on the long and difficult road to recovery, louis must confront the truths he;s been avoiding about his future, his relationships, and his sense of self-worth. because before he can love anyone else, he’s got to learn how to love himself first.

wear it like a crown by zarah5 @zarahdetand​ (141k)

au- as a part of a team of fixers hired to handle a gay scandal in buckingham palace, louis expects prince harry to be a lot of things –  most notable a royally spoilt brat. never mind that the very same prince harry used to star in quite a number of louis’ teenage fantasies.

unbelievers by isthatyoularry @isthatyoularry​ (136k)

it’s louis’ senior year, and he’s dead set on doing it right. however, along with his pair of cleats, a healthy dose of sarcasm and his ridiculous best friend, he’s also got a complicated family, a terrifying uncertain future, and a mortal enemy making his life that much worse. mortal enemies “with benefits” was not exactly the plan.

or, the one where louis and harry definitely aren’t friends, and football is everything

empty skies by green_feelings (134k)

for three years, harry has been running from his past. now, he is moving to london and pledges to fulfill only his dream – making it big in the music industry. not everyone has a place, though, and the competition is tough. as is his past catching up to him.

louis is part of the biggest boy band of the world, and getting there meant a lo to hard work, as well as sacrificing parts of his heart and soul. he’s still happy. maybe not as happy as he could be, but who is he to complain?

featuring perrie as harry’s adorable flatmate, niall as his manager, and liam and zayn as louis’ bandmates.

love is a rebellious bird by 100precentsassy @100percentsassy​ gloria_andrews @gloriaandrews​ (134k)

au. in which the boys still make music. louis is the concertmaster of the london symphony orchestra, harry is the new! and exciting! interim conductor / ex-cello prodigy who “has made mozart cool again” according to esquire magazine (louis hates him immediately, which is definitely why he internet stalked him in his dark bedroom late at night that one time), and niall is the best. zayn and liam are around too.

don’t hum Bolero

wild love by  purpledaisy (130k)

“good,” julia says, clearly pleased to have them both uncomfortable and unable to look at each other. “now, i only have one more question before you can go. what are you planning to do when this experiment ruins your friendship?“

 "we said we’d stay friends no matter what,” harry says smoothly his chin lifting in defense.

"that was our one thing going into it,“ louis agrees. “stay friends no matter what.”

julia raises a perfectly manicured eyebrow, “that’s all fine and good. but i hope you realize your emotions aren’t going to realize this is an experiment in the end. if one of you falls for the other and finds out those feelings are not reciprocated you’re not going to be able to laugh it off as a social experiment. i’m not saying you shouldn’t do this, i’m just hoping you’ve considered all of the possible outcomes.”

or, two friends try to date each other for forty days. it’s supposed to be fun until emotions make it complicated

got the sunshine on my shoulders by hattalove @hattalove​ (124k)

five years ago, harry styles left his tiny home town to make it big as a recording artist, he didn’t have much regard for what he left behind– a life, a family, a husband, who woke up one morning to find him gone.

now, harry has everything he could possibly want. he’s rich, famous, and adored by everyone he meets, including his boyfriend. but when said boyfriend proposes to him, he’s forced to face the uncomfortable facts of his past– and louis, who’s spent the last five years returning every set of divorce papers harry sent him.

or, au based on the movie sweet home alabama.

california sold by isthatyoularry (123k)

notoriously closeted boyband member harry styles is famous on a global scale, meanwhile louis, as his best friend, is back home in manchester living the typical life of a 24 year old. when harry needs louis with him in LA, a publicity stunt gone wrong changes their friendship forever.

or, a fake-relationship au between two lifelong best friends.

the finish line (is a good place for us to start) by loadedgunn @loaded-gunn (122k)

louis tomlinson, one-time formula i world champion, is looking forward to the 2013 season, he’s got zayn in his garage and liam in his ear, he’s got cowell racing backing him despite former indiscretions, he’s got experience and the best race car out there. not to mention he’s the only racer they have, after oliver dropped out late last year.

it hasn’t occured to him that oliver would have to be replaced by february. that is, until he finds himself at a party celebrating harry styles leaving ferarri for cowell. harry hotshot styles, who broke a record last year and is probably looking to make a big splash. harry styles, who is talented and somewhat intimidating. harry styles, who left ferarri for reasons unknown and seems kind of lonely and harmless in person. lonely, harmless, hot as fuck. whatever.

the first thing louis does is take him under his wing. from there it’s nine months of slow-burning romance, the past catching up to them, turning into the human puppy pile that is ot5 and a lot of feelings until, of course, reaching the finish line.  

tired tired sea by mediawhore @mediawhorefics​ (113k)

as a b&b owner on the most remote of all the british isles, louis tomlinson is used to spending the coldest half of the year in complete isolation, with his dog and the sea as sol companions. until one day, a mysterious stranger on a quest to rebuild himself rents a room for the winter.

here in the afterglow by fondleeds @fondleeds​ (88k)

"if you hadn’t noticed, i don’t have many friends,” louis whispers, the blossom of insecurity in his stomach unfurling and clawing his way into his throat.

harry is silent for a long time, and then he speaks; a soft, slow uncurl that makes louis’ stomach shake. “i’ll be your friend.”

or, 1970’s au. in a tiny town in idaho, louis’ life changed forever by the arrival of a curious stranger.

chasing empty spaces by domesticharry @domestic-harry​ (79k)

the year is 1934 and harry styles was to inherit the largest tobacco firm in the south. his parents have picked out the “perfect” girl for him to marry and he has the privilege of receiving the highest education possible. the problem was, harry hadn’t realized that he didn’t want nay part of the future until he met a mechanic named, louis tomlinson.

don’t want shelter by kingsofeverything @kingsofeverything​ (76k)

louis and harry have known each other all their lives. friends as children, they danced around each other as teenagers, and have spent the last twenty-five years either screaming at each other or not speaking at all. except for that one time ten years ago...

when hurricane nicole threatens the coast, they end up stuck together in their families' old vacation home that they begrudgingly co-own.

during the storm, and in the months after, they’re both forced to reevaluate their history and what they mean to each other

money moves by mmaree @zqua1d​ (74k)

"i’ll cut straight to the chase,“ liam announces. he leans forward, and zayn is met with steely eyes and steepled fingers. "i’m willing to offer you fifty grand if you’ll enter into a small…partnership with me. this would be in addition to your salary at payne innovations, of course. think of it as a bonus.”

zayn narrow his eyes. “what kind of partnership?”

"a fake engagement.“

"oh,” zayn says, relived it’s nothing illegal. “wait–what?”

“a fake engagement,” his boss repeats slowly, as if he’s convinced zayn’s comprehension skills are significantly lacking. “for six months. maybe less if i can pull it off sooner but don’t worry– you’ll be paid the full sum regardless of how long it takes.”

zayn’s suspicious, and he doesn’t even know why. there’s nothing to be suspicious of because, clearly, liam’s lost the plot. zayn’s having a conversation with a complete nutter. there’s no other reasonable explanation.

he clears his throat, searches liam’s eyes for a sign he’s taking the piss. “how long what takes?”

a smile plays at liam’s lips. “for me to be hired as the cto at titan technologies.”

to the ends of the earth by stylinsoncity @aliensingucci​ (68k)

during a yearlong hiatus, louis visits harry at his cabin in idaho, where long-buried feelings ignite like the fire keeping them warm.

lend me your hand by quickedween (63k)

society has long since decided that the soulmarks everyone is born with are entirely unfashionable. they’re just another way for people of a lower class to scam their way into marrying above their station.

lord louis tomlinson viscount loring, on the other hand, has always believed that he will find his soulmate one day. despite preparing for a match his whole life, he is entirely unprepared for the arrival of gemma styles’ younger brother.

harry styles has been travelling and away from society for over a year. coming back, he intends to spend time with his sister, and slowly reacquaint himself with life in town. he doesn’t need to wait around for a soulmark to determine how his life will play out.

small doses (loving you it’s explosive) by quickedween (40k)

louis tomlinson finds himself at vitality fitness to try and turn his life around after having left his cheating boyfriends of four years. the gym’s owner, liam, quickly becomes a good friend but his right hand man is rude and dismissive from the get-go.

louis and harry continue to clash all while harry is trying to move his way up the ranks in manchester’s amateur boxing circuit, but they can’t seem to stay away from each other.

learning to eat by photo41 (28k)

celebrity chef louis tomlinson has a problem, he’s opening his first restaurant in 9 week . and he has yet to hire a pastry chef- apparently people think he’s “standoffish” and “rude” and “quick to temper” . whatever. he ends u saddled with an annoying, happy-go-lucky rookie who also happens to be obnoxiously good looking. his tv presenter and pop star friends only add to the drama, and for fucks sake would everyone please stop quoting julia child?!

these roads we stumble down  by onewasturning @onewasturning​ (18k)

he’s completely drenched, not one milimetre of him covered in rain, and the old sheepskin cover over the seat is probably going to stink afterwards from the damp. but even with what seems to be a constant tremor shaking his body, brown hair plastered to his forehead, and a blue tinge to his skin, he’s still probably the most gorgeous person that harry has ever seen.

or, harry picks up a hitchhiker in oxford, and it’s a long ride to glasgow.

[seodigitalalmighty]

How do I start a career in Social Media?

A few years ago, social media was mostly just for fun, but not anymore. Now, social media has become more popular than ever, and brands all over Bengaluru are harnessing the power of social media to spread the word about their products and services. Engagement with customers through social media has become the top priority for enterprises and organizations using platforms like: Facebook, Instagram, Linked In, and Twitter to gain market share.

To configure the perks of social media marketing in their marketing strategy, enterprises are increasingly focussing on hiring new talents to lead the innovation in the space. This is a great time to be a social media marketer, and if you want to know how diverse social media channels work, then a social media training course in Bengaluru can be your ultimate solution. But before you start to build your career in social media, here is some information for you.

Let’s start with some common misconceptions about social media marketing as a career:

1. Social media marketing is a cakewalk.

Social media is the most competitive place you will ever be in. So, no social media marketing isn’t easy. It requires creativity, data analysis, attention to detail, impeccable research, and above all, passion and patience.

2. Social media marketing is just a phase. It is a marketing experiment.

This is the biggest mistake that one can make. Social media is vast, and so it requires strategic planning and long-term focus. Instead of opting for social media marketing just during a product launch or specific events, brands must have a consistent social media strategy in place. They must frequently post to drive engagement and stay connected with their customers.

3. Social media marketing is objective

Successful social media marketers know that engaging campaigns aren’t built on sheer guesswork or instincts. Social media campaigns must be data-driven and thoroughly research-based. When social media campaigns are tailored by analyzing buyer personas through intent data, they bring in more conversions. Besides, a personalized approach can denote how you care about your users’ perspectives.

4. Social media marketing doesn’t require any institutional training.

Wrong. As one of the most effective marketing strategies, social media needs proper execution. Training is essential. Without any prior training or experience, understanding social media can be daunting. Each social media has its own audience, content formats, features, and analytics practice.

Skills that you need to build

Skills are those tangible factors in social media marketing that bring results to the table. Some imperative skills for a social media marketer are listed as follows:

Copywriting to drive engagement and clicks

Immaculately creative design skills for graphics and videos

Insane trend research skills to make the content go viral

Precise budgeting skills

Community engagement skills to provide remarkable customer service experiences

Behavioral psychology

Ability to handle analytics, and more

Acquiring all these skills might seem overwhelming. With the right training, you can expand your knowledge. Hence, looking for the best social media course in Bengaluru is the first step towards acquiring these skills and certifications.

Get started now!

In addition to being a rewarding career option, social media also empower you to discover new ideas and trends and connect with a global pool of active social media audiences. Social media has become a critical part of how people communicate, network, and share. The best part is that you can be a part of all of it with a social media training course in Bengaluru.

Are you looking for a globally recognized social media training course in Bengaluru? Reach out to the experts at Digital Almighty. And get world-class training right from your home!

Source: https://www.digitalalmighty.com/how-do-i-start-a-career-in-social-media/

[5-secondsofcolor]

Much Ado About Nothing || A.I

Prompt: office!Ashton, ‘I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I have no idea what I’m doing. I almost never do.’

Length: 1.4k word

Warning: reference to body image issues. Swearing(?)

Event Masterlist

A/N: I want to close this out by saying a thank you and to @h0tsos and @maluminspace who put this all together! I love you both.

———

“You’re still here?,” standing in the doorway, Beatrice is unsure if she’s bothering Ashton a moment. His smile beacons her in. Letting her know the distraction is appreciated.

“Yeah I’ve got this deadline and I don’t think my coworker would appreciate me missing it.”

“No. Something tells me she really needs you to finish,” she jokes.

“Want to check out what I’ve got so far?”

With that she commits to entering the makeshift office he makes himself when he visits Messina headquarters. His visits becoming more and more frequent even as a freelance hire for them. She didn’t think he’s stay as long as he did. Especially with the start of a rocky professional relationship.

It’s insane to her to remember the days when she was up to her throat with his bullshit. His lack of email responses giving her heartburn as she tried to pin down the odd graphic designer they’d hired. It took a few visits over a before there was an understanding of peace and even more before there was an understanding of friendship.

Her emails were care. Her way to show support for the one employee far away. The one who she could never offer a cup of coffee to or a quick walking break. Meanwhile his silence was as necessary to him as air. He needed his space for work and for self care that he held ever sacred.

She sits in the chair closest to his, looking over the endless sketches he’s produced since settling into his seat. Picking out one in particular, “This one’s amazing. I like that you incorporated more colors. It catches the eye really well.”

Ashton's eye is caught by her arm instead, a small trio of leaves tattooed there first caught his attention the night they met. A simple outline of an olive brand, it felt ironic on someone who seemed to always be fighting. He reaches out, expecting her to recoil but instead she lends him her hand, holding the poster in the other as she feels his fingers trace the tattoo.

“I still don’t understand how you pick a color pallet.” She mulls over the balance in his work. His talent, however late and stressful to her, was the one thing she could never argue against.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I have no idea what I’m doing. I almost never do,” as usual it’s nearly impossible to tell how serious he is. Instead she puts down the sheet, picking up his notes scribbled onto sketching papers. “Honestly, I let the colors tell a story. Can I color these in?”

“Sure?” With that Ashton grabs a few green markers off the desk, she can feel the cold marker as he slowly adds colors into the outlines. She’s too focused on his notes, seeing the progression of his sketches until he begins to reach a final illustration for the magazine and accompanying video.

“Don’t you have anyone to get home to?”

“No. Not much has changed in a while,” She admits. “I try sometimes but other times it’s just insecurity taking me out.”

His brows furrow in confusion, “What do you mean?”

He looks up a moment, his face much closer than she expected. From this angle, she can’t help but see how long his eyelashes are, the light freckles settling on his nose, the steep shape of his Cupid’s bow. They are silent as he looks on, still confused. She exhales heavily realizing she needs to spell it out for him.

“It hasn’t always been the easiest to be confident in my body. Of course now, it’s better. I just wear the clothes I like and I learned to say fuck it but that wasn’t the easiest.”

“Is that why you got an olive branch?”

“Yeah actually. It’s a little olive branch to my body,” she’s taken aback by his understanding. It feels silly saying it out loud, to admit she’s hated her most basic self, and that she’s learning to make peace. Some of her time spent wishing it didn’t feel so necessary yet she stares at the proof she needs a reminder.

“Took more work than I’d like to admit to get to neutral ground.” She admits. “Why am I telling you this?”

“Because you care very little what I think. Which is good.” He says pulling out a second marker. It’s blue this time, he layers it on her skin with green before picking up a black black marker again and connecting the branch further down to a freckle on her forearm. The liberty he takes on his sketch only growing her tattoo.

He takes in what she said. He doesn’t argue or try to tell her she’s wrong. He won’t try to explain how he sees her. Instead he sits in silence a moment, absorbing her reality and understanding what she said. “Thank you for sharing with me.”

“Can I ask you something?” something in her tone tells him she’s serious. This isn’t a guise to be smart with him or a stupid rebutal.

He answers with a short nod, too focused on filling in the leaves he’s added.

“Do you ever think you’ll stay? If Leon offered you a perminant position here?”

“Maybe. I like working with you and Nova too. I loved the first few articles you put out and was sad I just kinda had to hope we crossed paths again after we met at those conferences. I don’t know. I love being my own business. Working as I please but I do miss having office mates and the job protection this provides,” he says as he inspects the last of his work on her arm, running a thumb over his final addition before capping his pen. “When you have your own company, you’ll understand, a lot of them just use you to get on top.”

The smirk is immediate. She can’t help but till her eyes at him as he dramatically feigns heartache.

“I’m sure it’s not hard to get on top of you,” the joke lightens the odd mood, shaking off some of the seriousness that’s befallen them. It halfway works as she gives him a quick one over glance before she walks out of the conference room. He can’t help but watch the easy sway of her hips as she walks away, only turning his attention back to his work once she turns the corner into her own office.

She stares down at her little leaf, expecting him to have drawn something inappropriate. Instead there’s now a full olive branch to stare at. She packs her bag with a smile plastered on her face, enamored with the way he’s filled in all the leaves with blues and greens and extended the branch further, and for a moment she thinks, maybe there will be peace. With a sigh, she collects the last of her things from her office for the weekend.

“Have a nice night.” He shouts when she finally walks past the door again.

“I’ll see you Monday.” she shouts back. She watches the elevator numbers change slowly. Counting up to her floor slowly but she’s gone by the time the doors open.

In another circumstantial, maybe they’d have gotten along but Beatrice adjust. They get along. For now. That’s all she needed anyways and Tuesday, he’s gone just the same.

____

Beatrice comes back into the office on Monday, her weekend gone all too quickly. First order of business stays the same— check on Leon’s weekly update, usually a drag, today there’s a thing of sadness as she thinks about the end. Leon gave the same goodbye to all visitors ‘Our warmest goodbye and best wishes to our visitors Ashton and Luke.’

The subject line alone brings her joy “Leon’s Monday Update. Delivered 7:23 AM” She skims the opening, well aware of everything at the company. Her eye’s don’t stop until she sees, “Thank you for welcoming our visitors Luke and Ashton. As you know we’re pushing for a revitalized marketing strategy and in bringing them in, we’ve learned a lot and will continue to learn a lot. I’m very pleased to say our partnership will continue. As both Luke and Ashton have agreed to stay on board as advisors.

It has been a great time having them collaborating with our lovely marketing team. So much so that we’ve decided to extend their stay through the end of the month to explore additional projects.

Best wishes,

Leon”

Before Beatrice can get a word out, finishing processing what his email says, Nova’s response comes through, “Thank you for the update, Leon. We’re over the moon to have them here for the rest of the month. We’ll confirm that an office is set aside for the remainder of their stay. Thank you.”

Beatrice slowly puts her head down on her desk. Unsure why there’s a twinge of excitement in her heart with the extension of their stay.