#which i remember more than the newer documentary

[sageglitch]

okay so this is by no means a "final draft" by my standards but i had a class assignment to make an opening credits sequence to a film and i tried to visualize creating one for @mothercain's preacher's daughter album if it was a film. tried the best i could with the videos i could find from youtube and created this shit from scratch so hope you enjoy <3 (also yea i made this a few months ago but i forgot my tumblr login until today so finally i can post on here again)

more info:

i wanted it to have something like a late 90s early 2000s straight to vhs movie, hence all the static and shit, and i wanted to mix together a lot of scenery of old backwater towns i spent a lot of time driving through since ive lived in the south basically my whole life. i didnt have a lot of footage i made that i could use but thankfully there was a guy on youtube who's entire channel is basically driving through these unseen towns so if i can ever remember his channels name i will give credits to him for those clips. i also spent a lot of time in old baptist church's since i was a choir kid, (including an old one in MS that still had the upper levels from slavery/jim crow era), but even the newer ones i went to in texas had this very haunting and forgotten feeling to them even though they were being actively used. as for the sound mixing, i was originally going to have this project be a lot longer so the clips didnt feel as fast and the music would have this really cool doubling effect between Family Tree (Intro) and Family Tree synched up perfectly, but my professor made me trim down the project from about 4-5 minutes to the length it's at now, so i had to unfortunately remove that and re-mix the audio to just Family Tree (Intro) and Strangers.

now, for the meat industry clips. basically, i knew there was no way i would be able to do outright gore, and i particularly didnt want to, as i felt it wouldnt unsettle the audience as much as i would want, and rather would just disgust them. so i decided, with my bundles of knowledge on the meat packing industry from the novel The Jungle, it would serve very well to unsettle the audience and mix together these ideas of a sacrificial lamb being no more than a piece of meat to the ones who sacrifice for the joy of sacrifice and not for the meaning behind it (if that makes sense). these clips were free-use sourced from old ass documentaries i found on youtube about the chicago meat packing industry primarily, and i think it does a good job at adding to the horror side element without being outright gratuitous.

and of course, many of the clips come from ethel's youtube as well, though id imagine you can tell which ones those are. there was a lot of content i found from her youtube, and i later found some older clips that no longer are posted on hayden's channel, but i figured i'd rather stick with the one's she has available as to not draw attention to clips she might not want people seeing.

theres also a few clips from possibly in michigan in there. one, because i love possibly in michigan. two, because it does a lot to add to this older film/vhs ambiance that i tried to recreate (very shittily mind you. i dont know how to use after effects very well).

hope you enjoy <3

[angrycommiedyke]

Thoughts on music in the Hunger Games (trilogy + prequel)

After finishing the trilogy, and especially after Katniss sings again in MJ, I remember thinking of the Hunger Games’ story each time I was listening to folk, country and gospel songs. The lyrics sometimes reminded me of the story and I pictured Katniss singing these songs with her dad. Songs condemning war, songs about working class people, songs about wildflowers and birds. And when I read the prequel, I was so happy to see that music was a big part of it. So here are some things I’ve noticed and wanted to share, sorry if it’s a bit messy :))

1/ Everdeen’s family // The Carter family 

In Tbosas, Maude Ivory sings “Keep on the sunny side”, a song written by The Carter Family who come from the Appalachian mountains, where District 12 is located. Its original members, A.P, Sara and Maybelle Carter mostly sang ballads and mountain songs. Recently, I watched a documentary about the history and origins of country music, and learned that A.P. fell in love with Sara Dougherty when he heard her sing. He was from what was called Poor Valley while she lived in Rich Valley. I automatically thought of Katniss’ parents, her dad from the Seam, her mom, a Townie falling in love with his voice when he sang. Katniss was taught how to sing by her father, and if we consider Maude Ivory to be her grandmother, then the tradition sure has been there for many generations. 

2/ Unity through music 

We don’t have much information about other districts, but I have this headcanon that District 11 and 12 share some of the same songs. We know music is what Rue loved the most, and people there sing at work and at home. Considering that both districts are southern and quite geographically close  to each other, I believe they kept alive some old songs from bluegrass, blues, folk, gospel and country music. (I also hc District 10 as having country music). 

Also in MJ during Finnick and Annie’s wedding, District 12 refugees start to dance to their traditional music, “teach the steps to District 13 guests” and “insist on a special number for the bride and groom” (MJ, p.217). So Finnick and Annie from District 4 and the guests from 13 all “join hands and make a giant, spinning circle where people show off their footwork” (MJ, p.217). I’d like to add that I think they are clogging. Clogging originates from Irish step dancing and developed with Native Americans influences, especially Cherokee, and “was also shaped by African ‘buck dancing’, which originated during slavery.” Therefore this dance is already a mix between Europeans, African and Native Americans cultures. And in this scene, it shows unity between the districts, everyone gathers to dance together and Katniss states “Dancing transforms us” (MJ, p.217). The same way in Tbosas (p.28), Snow’s thoughts when seeing Lucy Gray on stage during her reaping were that “Singing transformed her”, and that he “no longer found her so disconcerting.” 

3/ Snow’s dislike for old songs 

Now in the prequel, we get to see that Snow doesn’t like the old songs, and prefers the recent ones : 

“Some of the numbers bordered on unintelligible, with un-familiar words that Coriolanus struggled to get the gist of, and he remembered Lucy Gray saying that they were from another time. During these in particular, the five Covey seemed to turn in on themselves, swaying and building complicated harmonies with their voices. Coriolanus didn’t care for it; the sound unsettled him. He sat through at least three songs of this kind before he realized it reminded him of the mockingjays. Fortunately, most of the songs were newer and more to his liking, and they finished up with the one he recognized from the reaping…” (Tbosas, p.286) 

Old songs, like “Clementine” or “The ballad of Barbara Allen” are older than Panem. They existed centuries before what caused the almost extinction of human beings in the story. Despite the loss of billions and the destruction of technologies, cities…and freedom, poetry and songs are passed down generation from generation. With them, a part of history. 

Bluegrass “was born from the creativity of working class and impoverished Southerners, Appalachians, and immigrants”, and how can I not think of District 12 when I hear Hazel Dickens sing about coal miners, and how can I not think of Katniss when I listen to country song “Coal miner’s daughter” now ? These old tunes (from bluegrass, blues, folk or country music) sometimes talk about slavery, poverty, workers’ life, hard times, but also hope and resilience. They show survival. And they also set an example of worlds existing before Panem. And in my opinion, this is why Snow doesn’t like them. 

Just imagine if thanks to the songs and lyrics, people knew some parts of what happened before Panem, if they knew the atrocities committed, the wars, revolutions, and struggles. They may not know a thing about the civil rights movement but still have songs about it, like “We shall overcome”. Even songs which have ancient names are rebellious to the Capitol, think of “Country roads”, “My native home”, “West Virginia, my home”, “Sunny Tennessee” or “You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive”. Think of all the songs and ballads telling the stories of people long dead like Joe Hill or Ira Hayes that may have survived. Cause as Rachel Baiman sings, “old songs never die, they just cry and cry out for you to sing them once again”

And it’s neither in the books nor in the movies, so it’s not canon, but in the fan movie where Katniss is a child and goes to the woods with her dad, there are these lines : 

Her dad (D) : “Because what’s in the woods ?” K : “Weapons, and food and mockingjays, and…” D : “All of it exists without the Capitol.” K : “Freedom.” D : “Freedom.”

And I believe that’s the reason for Snow's specific hatred for old songs. Also, the fact that when the Covey sung these, it made him think of mockingjays is telling. I keep thinking there must be an explanation for that, perhaps it's because the mockingjays are creatures who escaped the Capitol’s control just like traditional American music did ; because mockingjays represent a way out of the Capitol’s dictatorship later becoming a symbol of hope and revolt, and old songs can hold the same power.

[qwanderer]

When Niko started her production business, it was pretty much just a way to organize the projects that she and her friends were making. Jenny, who'd been her de facto guardian since Niko's dad had died, was the one to suggest making it into something more formal.

"I'm not planning on pushing out any of my own genetic progeny," Jenny had said, rolling her eyes. "You're the closest thing I have to family. I inherited enough that I can pass on a little to my kid. Yeah? So let me help you get started."

"Oh, I can't just let you give me money," Niko had said. "But." She did need more equipment, and she was getting to the point where she kind of wanted to hire a staff. "We could be partners?" Niko suggested.

"Okay, well, I'm not hauling around your cameras for you," Jenny had told her. "I get enough of that kind of work down in the shop. But I suppose I could give you a hand with the books, or something, if you need it."

"Really?" Niko had said, raising her hands in joy. "Thanks, Jenny, you're the best!"

Up to that point, her business had been mostly known as Niko's place, you know, above the Tongue and Tail Butcher Shop? But now it needed a real name.

Niko had a lot of ideas. Maybe she had too many ideas. When the time came to put something down on paper, Niko's head was empty. None of her ideas felt quite right.

So Tongue and Tail Productions was what got put on the legal documents, and it sort of fit, actually. They did a lot of documentary material about food, from video recipes to informational videos about how the human food supply chain fit into the ecologies of the world, like things about factory farming and the limitations of organic certifications.

It also made people stop and think, and remember the name. Which was excellent marketing. Niko almost wished she'd done it on purpose.

—

That had been a few years ago now.

These days Tongue and Tail Productions had a couple of facilities they used, and they kept most of their equipment in the newer place, but Niko still had her own office and interview studio adjoining her apartment above the butcher shop. It had its own entrance and everything! And a little sign in coordinating colors with the butcher shop sign downstairs that said Tongue and Tail Productions!

Today she had a meeting with Edwin Payne and the Rowlands about the upcoming shooting schedule for Edwin's new show. It was very exciting! It wasn't her first time doing a high-production extended series, but it was a little bit of a step up in terms of ambitious ventures. She thought she had everything organized pretty well, but with something with this many moving parts, you always had to leave a little room for something to go sideways.

Amid greetings and small talk, they sat down in her interview studio, and Niko made sure they all had copies of the schedule in front of them.

"Okay," she said seriously, looking at each one of them in turn. "Before we finalize the schedule, I wanted to make sure to talk with all of you, and make sure you're ready for what this is going to mean."

"It's gonna be busy, yeah?" Charles said, nodding. "Extra people in the kitchen on restaurant shooting days, and then close-up cooking segments at Edwin's place, and interviews are here, right? Just gotta make sure I'm in the right place at the right time."

"I'm sure we'll manage," his mother said, smiling fondly. "It's all very exciting."

"Let me know if there's any extra help you need," Niko told them, "or if there are problems you didn't foresee."

"Yeah," Charles agreed. "Definitely."

Something about the way he said it made Niko afraid that he would suffer through, instead. So she decided she would focus on Edwin for right now.

"A documentary like this can feel intrusive," she warned them. "Edwin, I know you've done your own videos before, but this is something else. There are going to be a lot of people and equipment in your space. It's more than just a phone camera and a single microphone and a couple of lights." She widened her eyes at him for emphasis. "We're going to have multiple microphones set up if anything important is happening, we're going to have reflectors everywhere to make sure the lighting is optimal. It's going to be a lot. And I know you like your space to stay a certain way, especially your kitchen. So I need you to let me know if it's going to be a problem, and we can work something out. All right?"

"I understand," said Edwin.

"At any point," she said. "Any of you. We can juggle stuff around if that's what you need."

They all nodded. She'd keep an eye on them, though, just in case.

"Now," Niko continued, "I want to put this right out front, even though you probably won't have to deal with it during shooting. But when attention starts to get going? Don't google yourself unless you're ready to see what people are writing about you."

"I am familiar with the concept of a bad review, Niko," said Edwin. "And I believe the Rowlands are as well."

"Um," said Niko. She was going to have to phrase this carefully. She'd been watching the three of them interact since they'd arrived, and they worked together very smoothly, clearly. They worked together like family. But also.

"Well," she said, gesturing at Edwin and Charles, "for example, the two of you have a lot of chemistry. I can see that just talking to you here for a few minutes. And people are going to see that chemistry, and react to it. They are going to speculate about your personal lives. People are going to ask you about your orientations, and you're going to need to decide how you want to respond to that."

Niko tried her best to make it sound not terrifying, but it was a terrifying thing. Being queer and in the entertainment industry.

"I can't tell you what decision to make there," she told them. "But whatever it is, we'll stand behind it. This is going to be a show about the food and the culture. Right?"

Edwin's shoulders had gone stiff, and he cleared his throat. When he spoke, his voice was not entirely its usual clear and confident tone. "I hadn't thought of that," he said.

"It's not their business," said Charles, looking squarely at Edwin with determination burning in his eyes. "We don't need to tell them anything. Right?"

"That's true," said Niko, "but it won't stop people from speculating."

"I will take that into consideration," Edwin said.

"And you, too," Niko told the Rowlands. "You should all be on the same page."

"I don't care what they say about me," Charles said. "But Edwin." He turned to his mother. "Mum, when we're on camera, you've got to tone down the teasing."

"It's mostly in Kannada," she said with a dismissive wave.

"Mum! People know what you're saying! It's written all over your face!"

"I'll see what I can do," Aadhya said.

—

By the end of the session, she thought she'd gotten them all to understand that things could be rough and they should take the potential issues seriously.

She saw them out, and then she locked up, heading back into the private areas of her apartment. She leaned against the door and sighed.

"Hi, Kingham," she said to her gerbils. "Hi, Litty. How's your day been?"

They didn't answer, just kept skittering along through their maze of transparent tubes.

"Yeah," she said. "Sounds relaxing."

She took care of them, making sure they had plenty of food and nice fresh water, and after that, she was faced with the prospect of taking care of herself.

"Ugh," she said.

Then her phone chirped.

It was Crystal.

If you're done with work for the day, you could stop in, said the text.

That sounded like a good idea. Crystal would make sure she ate something. Crystal was pushy like that. And also really good at comfort food.

Niko made her way across the hall and knocked on Crystal's door.

It swung open almost immediately.

"Hey," Crystal said, and then, "oof. Not a good meeting, huh? I thought that show was pretty airtight."

"It was a productive meeting!" Niko said, trying to be optimistic about it. "I think the show's gonna be really good. But there's a lot about being on TV that I don't think they quite get yet."

"Ah, okay, you're borrowing worries from the future, huh?" Crystal took Niko by the shoulders and sat her down at the kitchen table. "Sit. I'm making you hot chocolate. And maybe French toast."

"Maybe," said Niko in a small voice. "Well, but I need to think about this stuff. And warn them. Because they need to be ready. But I hope it goes okay."

"Well, you did warn them, right?" Crystal said, raising her eyebrows as she poured milk into a saucepan. "Job done. Time to relax."

Niko let out a long breath. "Yeah," she said. Then she thought back over the rest of the conversation. "French toast?" she asked.

Crystal laughed. "There you are," she said. "Back with us in the now. Yeah, I could do French toast. Or something. What do you think?"

"You do make the best French toast," Niko said wistfully. "How do you know all the best cozy recipes?"

Crystal looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. Then she got an old, banged-up tea tin out of one of her cupboards and handed it to Niko before going back to stirring the saucepan.

Niko opened it to find dozens and dozens of old, slightly yellowed recipe cards, notes scribbled in the margins.

"My mom doesn't know I have those," said Crystal, sounding a little distant. "No one does. Those are her mom's recipes. I found them in the back of a closet when I was fourteen." She sighed. "My parents never cooked, you know? It was always takeout or toaster waffles or whatever was in the freezer. I didn't even know we had family recipes."

"That's so sad," said Niko. She started flipping through the recipes. "Ooh, these sound really good! What's bread pudding?"

"It's kinda like a French toast casserole," Crystal told her. "A lot of these recipes are really good for using up old bread and other leftover stuff in really tasty ways. Which I don't need to do, because, you know, money, but it's still nice to be able to make something tasty instead of throwing a bunch of stuff out." She set a mug of cocoa in front of Niko. "So. Yes or no on the French toast?"

"You don't have to," Niko said.

"No, hey," said Crystal, "all my favorites, I've gotten really good at making without thinking too hard. It's pretty relaxing, actually. You want my grandma's secret French toast recipe? I can knock that out in ten minutes, no problem. Actually I want French toast now. And all the recipes in there are big enough to share."

"I would love French toast," Niko decided, and sipped her cocoa.

It made her feel warm and nice, a glow that pushed back the worries of her day.

Crystal's food made everything better.

—

Shooting started pretty smoothly. The first couple of days were mostly spent on restaurant based B roll, filming the front of the building, giving an idea of the decor and ambience in the dining room, and getting a little bit insinuated into the kitchen area. The crew jostled for space with the kitchen staff at first, but negotiations went pretty smoothly, and soon they were moving like a single workforce, stepping around each other when necessary.

Niko crossed her fingers and hoped that there would be more smooth waters ahead.

Restaurant owner / chef Charles / Food critic Edwin AU - continued!!!

Hi everyone! I just wanted to say what an incredible experience it has been seeing the chef Charles/food critic Edwin AU be so amazingly received and to have so many incredible writers collaborating with me on this! I expected the idea to get a few notes and peter out but it has taken on a life of its own and I couldn't be happier. I may or may not have gotten quite emotional about it, actually. It is truly such a joy to see everyone's different styles, writerly voices, and insights into all the different aspects of this story come together in such a beautiful synthesis to celebrate culture, food, found family, healing, and of course, the characters. <3 I'm so so so so beyond floored and honored to be working with y'all, and seeing where it continues to go! Thank you for "yes and"-ing - you are all brills!!!

Anyway, the previous reblog chain was getting SUPER long thanks to everyone's contributions (<3) so I'm gonna start a second reblog chain for everyone to reblog from!

You can read the AU from the beginning here!

The masterpost for the AU is here!

[tazzykiki]

If you were a dinosaur which dinosaur would you want to be?

I can't remember many but I think a Stegosaurus! That way I can keep mfers off my back and chill and eat grass.

But it'd also be cool to be an Allosaurus since those dudes are big ol scavengers. I would absolutely let a bigger guy kill for me or wait for a tall dude to pass out, I'm too tired to do all that.

Carcharodontosaurus would also be cool. It's got super awesome shark teeth and a funny name that I remember by calling it the Call-the-doctor-a-sarus

[lwt28brave]

369 free merch + promo + singles

Welcome to another ramble by me because I am bored and can't help but think that the free merch thing has to mean something. Or not, because... expect the unexpected. I won't bring anyone else into the conversation but I'm incorporating some messages I sent into a GC pretty much unchanged.

There’s been a lot of talk surrounding the fact that we got studio pictures and then radio silence again, which I agree it’s not nice but not unheard of. And I know we all joked about the possible meanings of 369 but, after all, nothing really pointed to July 15th other than circumstantial evidence (a year it’s 365. 369 could be a year + four days. We don’t know when to start counting, but hey, July 11th is the day he left Syco, let’s start there because it seems important to him. Last year had 366 days, anyway).

The rest is under cut because this got out of hand pretty fast.

Let me preface this by saying I don’t think 18 months it’s such a long time for an artist not to release new music, but I understand that the circumstances might play into why the fandom is so on edge. As someone who’s been there for all of Louis solo career, I get why people might look at everything going on and have 2017 flashbacks. I get them from time to time. I remember him saying the album was ready to go, I remember the shift with Miss You and his tweets full of frustration, I remember TXF. And I wish to take a glimpse into 2021-Louis-brain too, let’s be honest, because Walls might have come out in 2020 but half of the songs were written by 2017. I am not the same person I was back then, and I hope he isn’t either.

But Louis already said we won’t be getting a new album this year. And I do think that him being a perfectionist plays a role into that, no matter how many fingers we can point. The pandemic also contributed to the state of fandom dynamics nowadays. We were supposed to get a tour last year, which equals lots of content, and we got silence then a livestream then more silence. And now we got some content then back to nothing (that we can see—I don’t want anyone to come and call Louis lazy in my DM’s again, I don’t have the patience for that).

Let’s recap. We have an 18-months-old album that got little to no promo back when it should have gotten it, and while I will always support all the projects going on, but, frankly and while this might sound shocking giving my annoying perseverance to stream the album day and night, I don’t think the numbers are so bad. There were never any intentions to have Walls reach newer demographics. The singles aren’t being pushed right now and, certainly, weren’t promoted when they should’ve been. They never got radio play and, nowadays, can’t be added to playlists by his new label… (and we can’t really expect them to do better when the artist has already moved on from that project and the team and discography can’t or won’t help). Obviously, the push we got with Defenceless was great, and it could be even bigger if we got the hang of Tik Tok, but I don’t want the fandom to feel like we’re failing Louis, or we could be doing more, when it’s out of reach unless we get really lucky and creative with those algorithms and trends.

So, now, do I believe we’re getting new music? Does 369 feels like a buildup? It does and, at the same, it doesn’t. From a marketing perspective, for a brand to tease something for so long without clarifying anything it would mean the loss of interest from the potential clients/buyers, creating a feeling of weariness if it goes on for too long, which could pivot them to look for other things to spend their money or time on.

So, no. I don’t believe the 369 thing was being intentionally promoted when Louis teased it the first time, and I think that’s a mistake. If it really has some deeper meaning that can be associated to his next project, I think mentioning it back in March to wait until the end of April to bring it up again and, even then, sell a product related to it without specifying anything about it is a mistake. As a strategist, you have to plan while keeping in mind we (your potential clients) have the attention span of a fish. It’s harsh but it’s what it is. Not to mention this ploy, if it is promoting something, does absolutely nothing to reach new demographics… once again.

I am talking from a professional standpoint here, not throwing blame at Louis but at whoever runs this shit (please, get back to me, I did send you a CV). It’s not as easier as looking for old patterns and discerning whether we’re getting something or not. We have to assess this as a potential new situation and thenwe can focus on analyzing.

Do I believe we’re getting new music? I suspect there’s something coming but it’s just that, a supposition. It’s an assumption that’s once again, pretty baseless. Is Louis sending out new merch to promote a new single? Is he just being grateful?

Let’s look at the facts. The last merch drop was called 369, so it has some kind of significancy. There’re 369 letters/presents. At least one journalist, that we know of, got one of them. We got a few articles almost two weeks ago already talking about Louis in a general sense, re-introducing him to the public as a successful musician and nothing else (which is always great to see). It could be slow seeding, to test the waters. We could have more coming, or it could have been a one-off because he was out and about for the EURO thing andwriting music and making sandwiches for charity, so it’s good to remind people of his existence. Don’t fade away, yada yada yada.

As I mentioned above, he made it clear that he wasn’t going to be releasing an album this year, but that something BIG was coming/going to happen. Right now, I’m expecting a single that could be tied to the documentary, and parallel promotion of both. Maybe we will get Louis’ music in a Netflix show thanks to BMG deal with them, too.

I don’t think we’re getting a new LP (long play, not Liam Payne) until the tour for the previous one is done BUT I think an EP would be an interesting and very clever move. It could help keep his name relevant and get him some presence in playlists and some radio-play without changing too much the setlist of the tour and, at the same time, pave the way for his sophomore album, giving him a much fair chance of breaking into the charts.

Alas, I can’t really make any of this happen. If the sound is summer-y, which could be because of the video of them dancing in the studio, I will say they are already a little late. If you want a summer hit, but you don’t think it will be an instant hit but a sleeper (not really the term I’m looking for, but you get me), release it during spring. If the sound is more like COACOAC it won’t make sense to release it until late August or September because emo music hits harder during autumn and winter which leaves me wondering why now, why now (if it’s now, which I doubt, given the silence from his socials once again, but then, not a good move to send more things related to 369).

So here’re my thoughts on all of this. If you have any questions I will be happy to answer them but let’s be honest, this has 1,3k words so most of you won’t even read all of it.

[xnchxntmxnt]

HEY it's me here for the event <33

So fandoms is just Sk8 the infinity, and if you're doing yoi then that too but otherwise just the one is fine also I'd preferably like a dude

So that's the outift im SORRY it's all black but i wore it recently and i rlly liked it so it's the first thing that came to mind

Totally unrelated to the event but this is the pair of shoes I'm wearing in that outfit and I'm in Love with them probably my fav pair shoes

So uh yea these ^ shoes with black pants, a white tshirt with a printed tie tucked into the pants, and a black denim jacket over top. Also a black knitted belt. I always wear those bracelets and like, a normal watch.

Ah personailty. I'm that generally nice guy that noone rlly has any beef with but who's not like, one of the popular kids uk? Not very talkative but that's only around new people. In contrast, I'm probably the most talkative one within my friend group lol.

I LOVE reading I've loved it ever since i was a toddler. I don't have a fav genre, as a kid i would read literally anything, from encyclopdias to kids books to classics to even this one big book about herbal medicine that i read for some reason? I don't even remember what was in it but it was rlly cool.

I have a system where my tbr list doubles as my book ranking list. My highest ranked books tend to be those that make me cry a Lot. So books like The Song Of Achilles, aaddtsotu, No 6, Circe, A Thousand Boy Kisses.

I'm a hoe for animation, and I don't watch live action movies/series alot. When i was younger it was disney pixar etc and now I watch anime. I still love disney pixar movies tho, and im always down to watch a classic like Mulan or newer movies like Luca or Encanto (three of my favourite films of all time btw). I prefer animation to live action because it has this sense of wonder and fantasy and excitement that you can't replicate with live action, and that's what i rlly enjoy abt it.

I loove music, i play the uke guitar and piano, tho I'm not Amazing at any of them. My fav artist is Taylor Swift. I don't support Celebrity Stan culture and I don't follow her life too intensely, i just find out stuff by filtration from my mutuals/friends lol. That being said, i think Taylor is so incredibly talented and her music never ever fails to make me feel a whole slew of emotions.

I also have adhd and it messes w my life in some ways, makes it more interesting in other ways. I Cannot hold a topic I go on multiple tangents, i have the short term memory capacity of a spoon, i cannot sit still and am always fidgeting , I'm hypersensitive to sudden sounds, but im also unable to function in total silence. School was weird cuz I'd never be able to pay attention in class or while studying normally but sometimes I'd hyperfixate on my studies for hours on end and so I'd do fairly well anyway.

I'm bisexual grayro! I'm aromantic in the sense that I don't feel romantic attraction, but i still wanna be in a romantic relationship someday (btw I am taking this event date as romantic not platonic). I'm also into boys girls and anything else, although i have a preference for guys.

I love being alone and left to do my own thing, but i hate feeling lonely or isolated. Which is smn my friends understand, so we don't talk a whole lot, but whenever we do it's so refreshing and the love between us is so palpable uk?

I watch documentaries in my free time! I especially love ones about history, which is one of my favourite subjects. I'm not TOO interested in war history, although its important and just as significant. I'm more interested in the development of society through the ages and the small quiet revolutions that made the world what we know today.

UHHHH that got longer than i meant it to but yea!! This was so fun thank u :)) hope u had fun reading all that!

i just have to say i was gonna text u this but i just. i love listening to people ramble like this its so fun because i love when people just. talk. especially about themselves. all these cool little things i now know about you i just. yes. i love it i love all of this its such a cool thing to me

ramble over. thANK YOU FOR SINGING WITH ME AT THIS <333 i did not even have to think about this matchup i got about halfway through ur submission before i was like lol i have the perfect idea

𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡... 𝐑𝐄𝐊𝐈 𝐊𝐘𝐀𝐍

kjgbkjdbg suit for him <3

the tie disappears after about 5 minutes he HATES ties. anyway

little different than others: you guys didn't actually meet here

you two had kinda been seeing each other for a little while but nothing was super formal or official

but you wanted to bring him because 1) you found out his friend was gonna be there too 2) gave you a chance to vibe a while yknow?

so reki's your plus one going into this

dude was SO nervous he was calling langa in a panic trying to figure out how to style his hair and what he was supposed to be wearing and all this other stuff

poor dude

but hey, he showed up, he looks great, its awesome

you told him beforehand that you were going in early bc music setup n stuff

he decided to come around the time everyone else was supposed to be there & just come by himself

hung out w langa and his girlfriend until yours truly makes their entrance

oh boy this dude was AWESTRUCK when it was music time

i've got this idea in my brain that like. i od a song then we do a song? said song is lover

he was vibing w the music for a while yk and then you started singing

lets just say dude went as red as his hair

he gives me the vibes that he'd have a thing for musicians or just people that can sing well

so like every gay panic siren was going off in his head when he heard you sing

finally music stuff was done

time to eat

before you could even get to the table reki ZOOMS over to you and is geeking out

incomprehensible rambling

he's just !!!!!

but overall he's just like ,NGNMJBHDGJNH BLUE THAT WAS SO GOOD

expect to be almost trampled in a hug

he will hug you

<333

so anyway you go through dinner

congrats you officially met langa + his girlfriend koi (who also participated in this lol)

however

ur probably halfway through a conversation and reki hears a song that he likes and makes u dance w him

he's never been one for social standards anyway he doesn't care if it seems rude its only langa

and he wouldn't care

he knows he wouldn't

so now ur cute redhead is pulling you onto the dance floor

he cannot dance but its okay!! he's trying. just vibe with him and let him spin you and spin him and he'll be smiling and laughing at you all night

that's all I've got but he's whipped for u and know that either that night or soon after u two make it official he had so much fun w you that he probably asked you night-of or the day after

[starrybluez]

Tagged about a week ago by @whats-her-name-virginia-plain & @duranarchy-in-the-uk - thank you 💜💙 and sorry I took so long in posting this! It brought back some great memories though!

Music Questions

1) what is the first song you remember hearing?

Many moons ago. Could have been “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”? "Mary Had A Little Lamb?" Or maybe “Hey Jude” by the Beatles.

2) what is the first band you got into?

The Bangles & Exposé. And Madonna was my favorite artist. I think it was all about the girl power back then!

3) do you collect any physical music?

Lately no, but I still have a ton of CD’s and casettes (mostly mixed tapes).

4) what is your favourite piece of music memorabilia?

Probably some of my retro 60′s music magazines that I bought at the vintage hippie shops in New Hope, PA

5) the favourite concert you’ve been to?

I saw Paul McCartney in concert 3 times (was a Beatlemaniac for years). The first two times I think I got the cheapest seats where he was about a mile away. The last one I went to was back when I had a real job and could afford to sit maybe half a mile away. It was awesome.

Another favorite would be the B52′s with OMD as the openers. Saw them back in 2018. Nosebleed seats again, but the music was so good.

Oh! And Cyndi Lauper, The Go Go's, Duran Duran, Sean Lennon, David Byrne and the Tom Tom Club (not all at once ofc)! All from around the 2010's. I have a bestie who is always getting tickets for concerts so I've seen heaps of live acts.

I wish I could remember the Duran concert better, but it was 10 years ago and we were all the way in the back again. For Cyndi's concert though, my friend got us seats so close that we could see up her nose! There was a very funny moment where she exclaimed, "Man it's hot in here! Where's the A/C, man?!" And she dragged out a box fan on to the stage!

6) if you could see one artist who is no longer alive in concert, who would it be?

David Bowie!! Still kicking myself for not seeing him live.

7) have you met any musicians?

Gary Lightbody (lead singer from Snow Patrol) and a very quiet James McCartney (Paul’s son - he’s very shy).

8) what’s your go to album when you’re feeling sad?

Any classic McCartney album really. His voice can be a source of comfort & nostalgia.

9) what’s your go to album when you’re feeling happy?

Something I can sing or dance to, like my Duran albums.

10) one music documentary you love?

80's Duran in Sing Blue Silver and Three To Get Ready! Another favorite would be Wingspan w/McCartney & Wings, naturally

11) what is one concert dvd that you love?

The Prince's Trust Rock Gala 1986. Actually rented it on VHS back in the late 90's! My favorite performance from that would be Paul McCartney & Tina Turner singing "Get Back". So much hair, so much! Looked like a hair battle at one point. Tina is just amazing here, but I don't know when she hasn't been. That performance is also on YouTube. X

12) do you prefer listening to playlists or albums?

Albums mainly, because I can pick and choose which song I want to listen too. But since the newer cars don't have CD players (who's brilliant idea was that? 😐) I've been listening to my Spotify playlists. But that's been ok too because I can explore more tunes without having to buy them (for now at least).

13) do you listen to albums in order or on shuffle?

In order, but I skip around a lot.

14) what is your favourite deep cut song by your favourite artist?

Paul McCartney has so many deep cuts that he never released for years, but many of them started popping up on various sites online. A lot of the songs he didn't release himself are actually better than what he released I think. I can't really single one out. I'd say "Sunshine Sometime" and "Why So Blue" to name a few.

15) what is your favourite cd/cassette/vinyl you own in terms of its packaging?

Hmm maybe "The Beatles Anthology" or "Flaming Pie" by Paul McCartney. Anything with lyrics and lots of photos is good enough for me.

Since I was tagged days ago, I'm tagging anybody!

*pls don't reblog (it's long enough as it is!)

[popentertainmentmusic]

TINY TIM: KING FOR A DAY

Featuring Jonas Mekas, Richard Barone, Susan M. Khaury Wellman, Johnny Pineapple, Justin A. Martell, Eddie Rabin, Bernie Stein, Bobby Gonsalves, DA Pennebaker, Wavy Gravy, Harve Mann, Ron De Blasio, Tommy James, Richard Perry, Artie Butler, George Schlatter, Pat Barreat, Sherrye Weinstein, Rita Ritz, Tulip Stewart, Will Friedwald and archival footage of Herbert “Tiny Tim” Khaury.

Narrated by “Weird Al” Yankovic.

Written by Martin Daniel and Johan Von Sydow.

Directed by Johan Von Sydow.

Distributed by Juno Films. 75 minutes. Not Rated.

Tiny Tim is the type of strange-but-true eccentric talent that could only have really flourished in the 1960s. And not only flourish, for a white-hot period he became a cultural icon, mainly because he was so willfully different from anyone out there, so unrepentantly weird.

His comically falsetto ukulele version of the vaudeville-era chestnut “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” became a huge hit (and to this day is still considered something of a musical classic, if a rather odd one…) after Tiny Tim performed it on Laugh-In. His on-the-air marriage to his paramour “Miss Vicki” on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show was at the time the second most-watched event in television history. (It was second only to the moon landing.)

Yet novelty acts like Tiny Tim are notoriously short-lived, and as bright as his peculiar star burned for a short time (about two years), it burnt out nearly as quickly. Even though he eventually was not exactly a shock and the world moved on to newer, even weirder acts, Tiny Tim was so determinedly offbeat that he was never really forgotten and was able to continue performing – though on a much smaller scale (sometimes an embarrassingly small scale) – for almost 30 years.

As Wavy Gravy, the mainstay of the hippie scene and head of the Hog Farm collective says in this documentary on the singer’s short and strange life, Tiny Tim was the type of act that you either just got, or you just didn’t.

Tiny Tim: King for a Day opens with a clip of Tiny Tim (born Herbert Khaury) doing a duet with himself on Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe” in which he performs Cher’s lines in falsetto and Sonny’s lines in a normal singing voice. It’s an odd experience, and it also shows the juxtaposition of just being Tiny Tim, the two sides of his talent and his persona, an oddball split personality battling for superiority.

There was one thing that all sides of Tiny Tim agreed upon though. He craved the spotlight, to the point that it was almost an addiction. He even died on stage – the only place where he ever really felt comfortable – after disregarding his doctor’s orders that continuing performing would kill him.

He was so bracingly odd in the flower-power 60s that he became cool. After all, he stood out in a crowd, a very tall man named after a Dickens character with long, unkempt hair, a large nose and plaid outfits and neckties, playing Tin Pan Alley classics on a ukulele in a warbly falsetto.

Although his image was known for its edgy androgyny (at least edgy for the 1960s), while as a young man he questioned his sexuality, it appears that he was mostly very, very into girls. (And it seems, he was a tiny bit of a perv, though often more in thought than action.)

Even Tim recognized the falsetto vocals were odd. He called it his “sissy voice.” However, after several years of gaining no notice at all as a decent but unremarkable traditional vocalist, it was only when he changed things up radically – he says he was told by Jesus Christ to perform that way in a dream – that he gained attention in the dog-eat-dog world of show business.

Though he is mostly remembered for that voice – and it was his calling card – it belies the fact that not only did he have a quite decent baritone (as shown off on that “I Got You Babe” self-duet), but he also had an encyclopedic knowledge of music, and a great love of the music of 1890-1930.

Yeah, Tiny Tim was a bit of a joke character – and Herbert Khaury was in on the joke – but he was also a natural, a smart and talented showman. And yes, he was just a bit crazy, but he incorporated his eccentricity into his act.

Sadly, the world only tuned in and turned on to Tiny Tim for a short time. About a decade after his superstardom, he was broke, and living in his mother’s apartment in the Bronx – right where he started out. (Though it is not really explored in the film, Tim’s naivete led to him being swindled by his business managers.)

He took a series of oddball jobs – including being the ringmaster of a circus, doing oddball covers of more current hits like “Staying Alive” and “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy,” starring in a cheesy horror film, guesting on The Howard Stern Show and even as the host of a short-lived kids’ show called Tiny Tim & Friends that was a pretty blatant rip-off of PeeWee’s Playhouse. (Sadly, King for a Day does not share any footage of this oddball career turn, but it is available on YouTube). He even did an album called Rock which was a bunch of hair metal cover songs.

He kept going long after most people would have given up, and for smaller and smaller audiences. Tiny Tim was mostly famous for being shocking and strange. You can only do that for so long before the world catches up with you.

But as King for a Day reminds us, he sure as hell had a fascinating, conflicted life.

Jay S. Jacobs

Copyright ©2021 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: April 21, 2021.

[reflectxons]

✤ + ( h x a !! )

based on this !

who said i love you first?

lol we know that this one was hughes. unfortunately it caused amelia to leave because she was scared about her feelings and everything that ever happened with her past relationships. but she does love him, she really does !

who laughs when the other trips? 

amelia for sure. hughes is always the one to make sure that she is already and he’s super soft about it. however, when hughes trips, amelia always will laugh about it. 

who pays the bills? 

both ? i think that they almost split them. like amelia could pay them all and probably has offered to do so but hughes of course wouldn’t let her. however, i still feel like more often than not, he is paying for things even if she is insisting on it. 

which one makes a bigger deal around the holidays?

amelia !! she loves everything about the holidays. her family has always gone crazy for them and she’s the same way. even if she isn’t living with him, she still probably decorates his place.  also she definitely makes him take her on those cheesy holiday time dates during them cause she lives for the holidays. 

who’s more clumsy?

amelia. she is the more reckless one out of the two so she is definitely flinging her body everywhere and doesn’t necessarily care what happens. if she were to ever get hurt due to her clumsiness, hughes would be there to patch her up !! 

who checks their daily horoscope?

honestly..i am going to go with both. amelia is very big into the horoscopes so she reads them every day and definitely did when they were just friends the first time around. but over time, hughes started reading them to impress her and so they had something else to talk about. after that it just kinda stuck. 

who sings louder in the car?

again this is both of them. what again started as amelia, turned into him singing with her. sometimes, she will put on the songs from high school musical and make him be troy so she can be his gabriella. they truly go all out during these songs. even she was away in cali, there was some songs she couldn’t listen to because they reminded her of their times spent singing in the car. 

who leaves the cap off the toothpaste?

amelia..while she tries her hardest to remember to put the cap back, her mind is a million other places and she forgets. also hughes is definitely more organized and put together than her. so when they finally move in together, it’s finding that balance. 

who is more up to date in pop culture?

again i’m going to have to say amelia. hughes is more of a classics guy whereas amelia likes the newer things. she always keeps him up to date on the latest though, even if he doesn’t want to hear it. she will always be like ‘did you hear about this ?’ knowing damn well he hasn’t heard about it just so she can explain it to him.

who insists on going to see the newest movie?

they have such different movie tastes that it would depend on the movie. i think that in all reality, they would rather just stay home and watch something there if they are going to watch a movie. however, if they are really hyped about a movie, the other will definitely go along with them to see it because they like to do things in support of the other. 

who cries when the abused animal commercials come on?

shockingly amelia. she might be a wilder side but she cares about animals immensely.  there’s probably been a drunken night or two when hughes was taking care of her and the commercial came on and she started crying. he was so concerned and wanted to know what was wrong and all she could do was point at the tv and be like the puppies….

who’s the lighter sleeper?

hughes ! once amelia passes out, she kind of hard to wake up although hughes has the special touch and she will wake up for him easily. anyone else ? game over. he definitely sleeps lighter than her and makes sure to be quiet if he wakes up before he. 

who believes in ghosts?

amelia !! she is all for ghost stories and paranormal activity. she has forced hughes to watch a bunch of documentaries on them, along with all the horror movies. though, she doesn’t have any experiences with ghosts, she knows they are out there !

who does the grocery shopping?

hughes ! let’s be honest, he does most of the cooking and amelia loves his cooking so she would want to make sure that he’s getting what he needs to continue to cook for her which is why he does the shopping. though, most of the times they go to together and she just pushes the cart while he’s grabbing the supplies for the meals he makes that week. meanwhile amelia is putting things they don’t ‘need’ in the cart but she claims they are a big need. 

who updates their facebook status more often?

facebook, we don’t know her. but all other socials, i think amelia. except for that time when she went to cali without telling anyone and then came back a month later. other than that, she is always posting something on her instagram story. i think that she always has like a ‘secret’ twitter where she just shit posts her thoughts all the time. hughes loves to read that. 

[purplesurveys]

1113

During thunderstorms, how does your pet react? They don’t care for them, as typhoons are fairly common. Kimi used to be scared of fireworks but he’s since grown indifferent to them as he’s gotten older. Cooper also didn’t seem to care much for fireworks during his first New Year, but that might be because my dad left music playing in the living room which helped drown out the loud explosions.

What internet browser do you use? I’ve used Chrome for well more than a decade now.

Who did you spend most of your time with last Summer? The pandemic and the lockdown were still at their peak back then, so I only remained with my immediate family. I didn’t even see my then-girlfriend until July, and we only saw each other thrice before we broke up.

Are you addicted to any energy drinks? No. I got to smell Red Bull before and it gave off such a strong sweet smell that I wasn’t even interested in drinking it.

Do you like Egg Nog? Have never tried it but I’ve always thought it sounds delicious.

How often do you see your mother? I still live with my family, so I see her everyday. I don’t always want to, but I don’t really have a choice.

Do you like croutons in your salad? Just in some kinds of salad, yeah. They’re not appropriate for my favorite kind of salad though.

Are you the one who vacuums your house? My mom takes charge of anything cleaning-related because she’s fully convinced none of us can do tasks precisely her way.

When was the last time your living room furniture was rearranged? Middle of January when we put away the Christmas tree and moved some stuff around to make up for the free space.

Would you rather drink out of a cup or a mug? Depends on what I’m drinking. I drink hot things from a mug and cold ones from a cup < Same.

What company do you get your internet through? We have PLDT for the wi-fi. But on my phone, I get my mobile data from Globe since they’re my service provider.

Are there any musical instruments in the room you’re in? Not anymore. The keyboard used to be here in the living room, where I am; but we’ve since moved it up to my sister’s room since it was originally bought for her anyway.

When you were little did you like watching Cartoon Network, Disney or Nickelodeon more? My favorites in order were Nickelodeon, Disney, and Cartoon Network.

What's on your calendar for tomorrow? I might go to the village cafe to unwind and for some me time. Maybe embroider a bit too, and find a wrestling documentary or two to watch.

When was the last time you rode on an escalator? Last Sunday when I went to UPTC.

If you have siblings, when is the last time you saw them? My sister’s also on the first floor but in a different room; she was last in my line of sight around 20 minutes. My brother, around five hours ago when we were having dinner.

Throughout a typical week, which places are you likely to go? From Monday to Friday I stay at home due to our work from home set-up. On weekends, you’ll most likely find me at a mall/coffee shop, depending on where I feel like being.

How often do you use your webcam, if you even have one that is? I have multiple video call meetings all five weekdays. I remember dreading Google Meets when I was a fresh new intern and wondering why people just won’t discuss deliverables through chat threads. I eventually got used to it and video calls are now a breeze for me lol, so yay for progress and getting over my anxiety.

Did you and your mom ever have a big fight that caused you to move out? We’ve had plenty of big fights - we clash the most often out of any two people in the family - but I don’t move out, mainly because I can’t lmao.

Have you had a good day today or was yesterday better? It’s technically Saturday now because it just turned midnight, but my mind’s still on Friday mode so let’s go with that timeline. Anyway, ‘today’ was much better because it’s a holiday. Yesterday was fucking chaotic and I did not enjoy it at all; I had back-to-back meetings, two of which where I had to present some slides to clients, and one of which lasted three fucking hours.

The weekend, have you got plans? Today (Saturday) I wanna keep being lazy and like I said, maybe stop by a coffee shop for a few hours for a sanity break. On Sunday I have to pack some gift bag goodies we plan to send out to several media for a PR thing for one of our clients.

Would you ever date someone who was absolutely gorgeous but thought they were better than everyone? I’d probably have such a headache trying to deal with them. No.

Have you ever thought about a teacher naked? Yeah. I absolutely hate intrusive thoughts.

Do you think you will be in a relationship 2 months from now? No.

Do you always feel like you’re making mistakes? Not as often anymore. I feel like having been stuck in this mindset hurt my self-esteem and caused me to make more mistakes, so I’ve been making an effort to give myself more credit and acknowledge that besides committing mistakes (which is an okay thing to happen), I’m also able to reach achievements here and there as well.

Who did you last play truth or dare with? I can’t remember. The groups I’m a part of have usually preferred to play Never Have I Ever rather than Truth or Dare.

Do you like yourself? I’m trying to get there.

Do you remember who you liked on New Year’s? Yes, but New Year’s was also around the time I started being kinder to myself, so my views on Gabie have definitely drastically changed by then.

If you could see one person right now, who would it be? I don’t wish to see anyone at 12:40 AM.

What is something you currently want? For the annoying single pimple by my left eyebrow to piss off.

Do you like sushi? I freaaaaaaaaaking love sushi. Love all kinds and am always ready to try out newer styles and takes on them.

Do you have empty bottles of alcohol hidden somewhere? Nope. All my alcohol is in the fridge, readily chilled should I ever be in the mood to drink.

Have you changed in the past 6 months? Absolutely. It’s been a positive change as well. It was rocky for a while and I didn’t know if I was ever gonna get out of such a bad rut. But I’m here and I’ve made it and I’m doing better than ever, and most importantly I’m happy. I’ve learned some lessons, swallowed some difficult pills, set some boundaries.

Do you think someone likes the same person you like? I don’t like anyone.

Do you like the person you are becoming? Yes. Like a 100% fuck yes.

Would you rather love one person or have many short relationships? Love one person. Dating is not for me.

First and middle name please. Robyn. I’m not sharing my maiden name.

Do you think you’re wasting your time on the person you like? See fourth to the last question.

[nawaazishein]

(German show anon here) Hey, sorry it has taken me so long to reply. I did not see your answer to my question, sorry. I don't mind any genre, I like romance comedy and thrillers most. I am not very picky, so number of episodes and genre is not a problem. But some thing that is complete would be my choice. I don't mind other platforms than Netflix or Amazon. Thank you so much for replying ♥️

Hi anon, I’m sorry it took me a couple of days to answer this but I had a really hard time finding anything with subtitles - what is wrong with you, Germany? – which is why I have split this in different sections in hopes that it helps you some way or the other. Stuff with English subtitles (I hope these are on your Netflix as well):

1. Weissensee – Netflix – romance-ish The series is set in East Berlin between 1980 and 1990 and follows two families. Martin’s family is well-connected to the communist regime, while Julia’s family is openly against it. Martina and Julia fall in love but can’t be together because of their familys’ political differences…. 2. How to sell drugs online (fast) – on Netflix – teen comedy Moritz and his fellow friend Lenny Sander attempt to rekindle Moritz's love for ex-girlfriend Lisa Novak through selling ecstasy online. Starting off as a small time business, it quickly spirals out of control and Moritz and Lenny find themselves in a whole bunch of hilarious trouble. 3. Bad Banks – on Netflix – thriller Centers around an investment banker in Frankfurt, Germany’s finance capital, with lots of backstabbing, intrigues, sex... 4. The Heute Show - on Youtube - News/Comedy: The German equivalent to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert 5. Nico’s Weg - on Youtube - no genre specifically: A show specifically made for language learners. Every episode is roughly the length of a movie and focused on different levels, such as episode 1 focuses on A1 level, episode 2 on A2 and so on. 6. Die Sendung mit der Maus - on Youtube - children’s show (and one of my favorites I still watch to this day) As funny as it sounds, watching children’s show is one of the best ways to learn a language. They’re perfect for learning basic vocabulary and improving listening skills. For example, I’ve been watching a lot of Turkish Cartoon Network or Disney Channel (without subtitles) for that exact reason. The Mouse also has more newer episodes without or with German subtitles, which I will link below. Stuff with German subtitles You don’t necessarily only learn a language and words by watching something with English subtitles. Yes, it helps a lot not to lose interest in a ongoing show/plot but I sometimes find I focus on reading subtitles much more than listening and don’t concentrate enough on what is actually said. That’s why sometimes it can really help to watch something with subtitles in your target language. It forces you to listen and distinguish the spoken words a lot more actively while still providing some help by seeing the words written out. Keep in mind that you don’t have to understand anything, the goal here is just to slowly pick up words here and there in a fun way. Lots of German channels have different shows and clips in their online media centers with German subtitles, so there’s a whole varitey to choose from. 1. Die Heute Show (different link as above, with German subtitles, click the speech bubble icon and then click on “eingeschränktes Hörvermögen”) 2. Die Sendung mit der Haus (different link as above, with German subtitles, play the video and then click "UT” for subtitles, the German word for subtitles is Untertitel) 3. ARD, ZDF und WDR media centers of different German TV channels (different links each, with documentaries, news, soaps, etc. with German subtitles) No subtitles: If you want to go a step further, watch something without any subtitles at all. It’s not important to understand every word. If you get the jist, that’s more than enough. The goal here is just to really focus on your listening comprehension, you don’t need to understand the words but you should be able to “tell them apart”. When you learn a new language it’s all a whole bunch of gibberish and you don’t know where a word or a sentence begins or ends, especially since we Germans like our compound words, but just listening to the language without subtitles makes you get a feel for the sound and the intonation of it. I remember when I started learning Turkish I literally couldn’t even tell different words apart, it all sounded like nothing but endless keysmash to me. But I just watched a whole lot of random shows/vlogs in Turkish (or Hindi, for that matter), without understanding anything, just to get a feel for the way it is spoken. As I said, you could watch any kind of Vlog on Youtube for that, or if you did fancy a little bit of plot I’d highly recommend 1. Doctor’s Diary - romance/comedy It’s a bit like Bridget Jones means Grey’s Anatomy. One of my favorite shows. 2. Türkish for Beginners - comedy/sitcom with a bit of romance The show focuses on the German-Turkish stepfamily Schneider-Öztürk, their everyday lives and particularly on the eldest daughter, Lena, who narrates the show. During its run of 52 episodes, the show covered topics including typical problems of teenagers and cross-cultural experiences. It’s also one of my favorites. It started out as a show but they later turned it into two movies, that might be on your Netflix (with subs). Since I had a hard time finding stuff with subs there are a whole lot more show, but mostly movies I couldn’t mention. So if you’re feeling adventurous enough to watch more stuff without subs let me know!

[amandaklwrites]

Movie Review: Hamilton (Musical) (2015, 2020)

Genre: Broadway Musical, Historical Retelling

Rating: 10/10

Movie/Musical Review: 

HOLY BLOODY HELL. THIS IS AMAZING. I UNDERSTAND NOW!

I loved everything about this show. The themes, the characters, the music, the storytelling. 

Unfortunately, I have not seen it live (though, now I do, whenever Broadway starts up again!), but I was able to watch this on Disney+ when it dropped over Fourth of July weekend. And it blew me away. And I watched it the following day with my mom. 

I honestly knew some about Alexander Hamilton because I come from a huge history buff/nerd family, and I have traveled through the Northeast and Virginia on a trip with my mom and my grandparents. I visited Mount Vernon. I’ve been to D. C. And I just watch documentaries with my grandpa a lot. The Revolutionary War era is a period we both like and watch a lot of stuff together. 

But this told me so much more. Yes, I know, Lin Manuel Miranda took some liberties, but it’s a retelling. Aren’t all adaptations of historical people just retellings and have some inaccuracies? I’ve seen so many movies about people in history that leave out some things, add some stuff to make it more interesting, and such. So that isn’t really the point here, to be 100% accurate. But he was much more accurate than most things I have watched or read. 

I thought of this musical as a tragedy, but told beautifully. I won’t spoil too much (though, most people know that Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel), but you see the downfall of this great man who literally fought tooth and nail to help make the United States great (within reason, obviously-- terribly, many, many of these men owned enslaved people or allowed it to happen) and he had actually done so much for us. But with all great men, there is an ending. And Hamilton’s happened to be ended sooner, and in a distressful way. 

Without spoiling too much, I’ll just say some things rather vaguely. 

I loved the portrayal of Aaron Burr. We got to see everything from his side too. Honestly, we saw all sides. Every person got to come to the forefront and tell their side. We learn why Burr became jealous and wanted to fight Hamilton in a duel in the first place. We start to understand these people and why they did these things. 

This musical is about showing the humanness of people that most of our country has deemed as gods. Yes, they fought a war to gain freedom to make the colonies into its own country. I have to admit, if they hadn’t, I wouldn’t be here. But there are always mistakes, and many of their mistakes are brutalities that are a part of this country’s blood as well. It is something we have to face and recognize as a part of the history as well. It isn’t all good. So we see the flaws and faults of the men who had stepped up to fight bravely for what they believed was freedom. 

AND THE WOMEN! They get their voices! Lin Manuel Miranda made them a forefront, which was so damn important. I loved how much their stories were weaved into the men’s, because let’s be honest-- everything would fall apart if there weren’t women. We’ve always been here, guys, just working in the background. It’s time history put us up with the boys, or honestly, in front of them (LIKE WHAT HAMILTON DID AT THE END-- you know what I'm talking about). 

The music, my god. How creative is this? I remember watching a documentary with my mom about Lin making this musical, and I still can’t believe the genius of it. He read a biography about Alexander Hamilton and just happened to hear it all in music? Like what?????? He’s a damn genius, and I will scream that to the rooftops. And I love how so many aspects of past songs still show up in newer songs. Like, I can’t fathom how amazing his brain is. 

This is history, told in a tale. There are so, so many messages infused into the music and story that are so important, and I want to cry just thinking about them all. And I won’t talk about them, so you can discover them for yourself. But my god, are they brilliant. 

Everyone on this show was absolutely amazing. The actors, the musicians, the ensemble, the set designers, crew, EVERYONE. I get why it’s something talked about to this day, five years later. 

I think this will be a legacy. 

[fierceawakening]

@medleymisty I think part of it is maybe some people have been told they have low empathy by people who they see as authorities and they think that empathy is an in-born trait that they can’t change, instead of seeing it as a skill that people learn. It’s like the giftedness discourse, where the most anti-gifted people are the ones who see intelligence as an in-born trait that can’t be changed, or at least they have experienced authorities who treat it as an in-born trait and used it to discriminate.

It’s complicated and we don’t know, I think.

On the one hand, cognitive empathy, consciously “putting yourself in another person’s shoes” seems clearly variable. Affective empathy, how much you feel and care in an emotional sense when something happens to someone else, seems to be fixed. But it’s not clear from my research exactly how much. It seems they’re both somewhat plastic to me, which is why I think encouraging us to use both makes sense, but I’m not sure we have this nailed down.

The really interesting bit of the neuroscience for me is that from what I gather, newer studies seem to indicate that when we see immoral behavior from sociopaths or narcissists, it’s not so much that they don’t feel empathy as that they are able to to turn it off and on in ways most of us can’t. So the more neurotypical person might watch, say, footage of real violence and feel revulsion or a desire to help or protect the victim, but the sociopath or narcissist wouldn’t react to it any differently than to a documentary on paint colors or something.

But from what I gather from these studies, if you tell the person to focus on what the victim is feeling, then not only do the responses sound more like the control, but the brain patterns also look more like the control, who, remember, empathized affectively without external prompting.

What does this mean? I don’t know. I’m not one of the scientists! But it seems likely it either means:

Cognitive empathy (consciously thinking about someone being in pain) mimics affective empathy (reacting viscerally to their pain) pretty well at least sometimes

Or

Cognitive empathy actually increases affective empathy. Someone who doesn’t have emotions in response to someone’s pain may in fact start Ha them when they stop and think about it.

What either thing suggests to me is that we need more external prompting, not less. Which is why I think “some people don’t empathize automatically so thus no one should, to make the playing field level” sounds exactly ass backwards.

What I think we should be doing is “what makes you feel for other people? When you do, why do you? When you don’t, why don’t you? How can you work to do it more consistently, for wider groups of people?”

What it seems other people are saying is “Always be rational. Even though humans are barely-rational were-great-apes an evolutionary week ago and are prone to logical fallacies all the time! It’s just Better(tm)!”

And I’m just, “but we know that’s harder. If good behavior is what matters, why are we consciously making it harder just to show off? What wait why.”

It feels like it’s about nitpicking motives in the service of creating a narrative where the people who have been stigmatized look the smartest.

And I understand the impetus to do that! I was an ess jay Dubya of the highest order only a little over ten years ago!

But it didn’t actually fix anything, and it actually made some things worse, because rejecting good things closer-to-NT people did, said, or used as “stupid NT things” meant constantly having to reinvent the wheel rather than asking

“Why might this be the default? What might have led to this tradition? Do I agree with it? Can I do it?”

BEFORE trying to wash the brains.

I’m impure. I try to be smart and analytical, and I try to do that a lot, because I value those things.

But sometimes, actually a lot of times, I do what I think are good things just because I want to, not because I think I should.

I’m okay with that, because I think I’d be too overloaded to do as many good things if I had to think every one of them through. I wish more other people were okay with that, too.

[stewy]

hi! what do you think about Ray Coleman's books on John and Paul? should I get them or it's a waste of money? and I was wondering if you've posted anything about that time when John was co hosting the Michael Douglas show and interviewed a member of the Black Panthers? I'm not american and considering the recent events I wanted to educate myself and remembered that interview from the Lennon in NYC documentary.

 Hi! You mean his definitive biography of John and his essay about Yesterday, right?

Well, it’s been almost two years since I read Lennon: The Definitive Biography, so my memories of it aren’t that fresh (they never are) but I found it an enjoyable read. While I prefer Norman’s bio for its more recent and enjoyable read (especially for a new Beatles fan), Coleman’s bio was just as informative, which was surprising, considering the book was first released in 1986, a time when the figure of martyr Lennon was still fresh in the public’s mind but the author doesn’t shy away from John’s flaws (though not dwelling on them). It has the typical Yoko-approved-biography flaws: you’d think May Pang didn’t exist as it reduced her to a mere footnote in John’s life, and that his relationship with Paul couldn’t be less complex than two friends who just didn’t enjoy each other’s company anymore. It also makes John’s househusband years seem idyllic, something questionable, to say the least (then again, Yoko-approved). However, I’d recommend it to anyone who is searching in-depth knowledge about John!

Now, to McCartney: Yesterday and Today. I consider it more of an essay on facts than a biography, honestly. It’s an enjoyable read for Paul fans for the trivia in it, but I don’t think it goes beyond much more than that? It’s been less than a year since I picked it up, but it didn’t stand out in my mind. But it might be more interesting read for newer fans, I don’t know.

And, no, I have posted nothing about John and Yoko’s co-hosting of the Mike Douglas show, even though I have seen these videos! The interviews are fascinating and they heard members of various black organizations that night, if I recall correctly, besides putting various anti-establishment/minority groups on the spotlight during their entire week on the program. I’ll try to look for the videos again. Thanks for reminding me!

[gettingtoknowmj]

A WARNING TO MICHAEL JACKSON FANS - MATT FIDDLES IS A PRESS RAT AND WAS NEVER MICHAEL'S BODYGUARD

Because of my Michael Jackson page I have been afforded communication with a man formally on Michael Jackson's security team. We have talked a number of times after something on my page made him contact me. I have all proof I need that he is the real deal. He has said I can post this message, encouraged it.

Now unlike some bodyguards that hung around MJ in his last years and have made money out of their association. This guy hasn't and doesn't plan to; he doesn't even really want his face and name known but he knew Micheal for a good number of years (but not after 2004). He loved the man he called complicated, sometimes frustrating but a true good heart. He does not claim the status of friendship but keen observer of his boss, who was mostly very kind to him. He saw Michael at the best and at his worst, and felt for him. And Michael Jackson was more vulnerable than I personally imagined.

And one thing he has definitely confirmed to me is not to trust Matt Fiddles (pictured). The man popping up all over the media claiming to have been Michael's bodyguard for ten years, he is a fake and a fraud. He did not guard Michael Jackson for more than a few days back in 2002. He was an associate of Uri Geller's not Michael's bodyguard! Michael agreed to help Geller on a project. When Michael came to England this Matt Fiddles agreed free of charge for Uri Geller to pose as a bodyguard for Michael Jackson.

The things Fiddles has been saying in the press of late on the face of it seem harmless, perhaps beneficial. Yes, he is coming across as a defender of Michael Jackson's honour. He could fool anyone, including me... he did! But this guy has said nasty stuff in the past. He has a dark history of slandering Michael Jackson. That older fans are choosing not to knowledge and newer fans don't know about...

This past week since getting the alert about Matt Fiddles I and a Facebook friend of mine have attempted to warn fans on various Michael Jackson groups only to have pending posts deleted before they can be seen! It seems some group owners are keen on Matt Fiddles.

Yes, I know some of you are probably thinking "but Matt Fiddles is defending Michael Jackson. He even took apart in Chase The Truth documentary where he debunked stuff to do with Neverland... I want to believe him, it makes me feel more assured of Michael's innocence. Matt Fiddles has even said how Michael was very interested in women, and sneaked women into his hotel room! I want that to be true". I hate to break it to you, I am sorry to say but Matt Fiddles never worked at Neverland nor was he a member of his tour security.

None of Michael's real bodyguards, including the lovely man on security I have talked to remember him at all. In fact, no sneaking in of any women happened on his watch. He just saw families touring with Michael with their kids. Some of them did share and sleep in same huge hotel room at times but so did a member of security (before anybody jumps to unpleasant conclusions). If he had secret girlfriends who knows maybe he did but Matt Fiddles was not there to know. Because nobody remembers him!

Michael's makeup artist Karen Faye doesn't remember Fiddles either, don't believe me? Ask her. She is easy to contact.

Michael's friend from child to man Frank Cascio has never heard of Matt Fiddles either.

The late Frank DiLeo was asked in 2009 about Matt... and you guessed it... never heard of him.

Michael's mother has also publicly outted Matt Fiddles as a fake in the past too. Yes, Katherine Jackson, Michael's own mother: “‘Fiddes tried to pretend that he was a close friend of my son Michael, but when I spoke to Michael about him, he could not remember who he was. The whole family was deeply upset by the interviews he gave shortly after Michael’s death, which no friend would have done.’

Trust me, if Matt Fiddles was a character witness he wouldn't be called in a legal case for Michael Jackson's defence.

MATT FIDDLES LIES YOU PROBABLY WERE NOT AWARE HE CREATED IN THE PRESS

NO NOSE LIE: Matt caused some of the crazy rumours that Michael Jackson had a fake nose for years and at time of death that fell off. When anyone that has read Michael's autopsy report (not a happy task, I don't recommend it) and can see from the photos (again really upsetting, not recommend...), his nose was actually fine at time of death...

It is true that he had a number of reconstructive procedures on his nose mostly due to complications caused by lupus (and even according to security man I am in communication with, did have a hole in tip at one time caused by that!) but he did not have a full on fake nose! EVER! And as I say, issues with his nose were fixed. No fake nose.

SKIN BLEACHING AND SELF RACE HATE: Matt Fiddles claimed Michael hated his skin colour so much he almost BURNED off his willy with bleaching creams. Autopsy report, Michael had a NORMAL uncircumcised penis (I feel bad for knowing these kind of details... truly no privacy but in good cause, sorry Michael!). Certainly not brunt off by skin bleaching creams. Autopsy also showed Michael was a longtime sufferer of vitiligo. Not race hate.

NAZI SYMPATHISER: Matt Fiddles has stated that Michael Jackson was obsessed with Nazis, had admired Hitler and hated Jews. Funny that Micheal should choose a woman of Jewish faith Debbie Rowe as surrogate mother in order that he could experience becoming a father, even to please his mother's religious beliefs married Debbie so the children could be born of wedlock (something very important to Witnesses). And Michael was at one time firm friends with a Rabbi and was best man at a Jewish wedding! He even donned a skull cap for it. And Michael lovingly recounted stories of dear Rose Fine, the Jewish tutor he’d had as a child whom he credited as giving him a lifelong passion for reading.

On a related note: Matt said Michael POKED holes in a voodoo doll he made of Steven Spielberg after the singer became a Nazi sympathiser, err? Yeah... imaginative.

MICHAEL ASKED BODYGUARDS TO SHOOT RANDY: Michael Jackson ordered his bodyguards to kill his brother Randy Jackson when Randy was in a dispute with Michael. This was supposed to have been said in front of Randy. A story his real bodyguards at the time say is laughable and Randy even released a statement that it never happened.

SPERM STEALING: Matt Fiddles has claimed Michael stole his sperm to father Blanket. On 17th November 2010 Matt Fiddes sold a story claiming that in 2 months (January 2011) he will be flying out to California to take a DNA test to establish that he is the father. He never did.

"He won't go to L.A., he has no intention!" Fiddes ex-girlfriend Carly Galliford said via Twitter. "He loves the attention, not caring about the Jacksons." Galliford (who claims she was with Fiddes when he came up with the baby-daddy tale) said that Fiddes admitted to lying about being Blanket’s father to her face, years ago.

In the interest of being fair and balanced it should be noted. There are many sources that claim Michael didn't father any of his children, some more credible than others (let's not go there, his private business... wouldn't change the fact he was dad). IF Michael didn't, you can be reasonably sure Matt Fiddles didn't either. Matt Fiddes was in Michael’s life for all of 5 minutes. He wasn’t Michael's close friend, he certainly wasn’t a confidant. It's highly unlikely that Michael chose Fiddles as a donor.

KILL MYSELF WITH SAME PILLS AS MICHAEL KILLED HIMSELF WITH: On 3rd December 2010 a story appears in the Sun claiming that the stress of putting himself forward as Blanket's father caused him to take an overdose of the same drugs Michael died from and that they were found in Michael’s body. Touching story, except Michael Jackson did not die from Soma tablets, none were found in his body or in his possession, and none has ever been associated with him. The most amusing aspect of this story is that he claims he was prescribed 5 of these tablets by a Michael Jackson doctor in 2002 and he’d stored them 8 years before finally using them. Soma aka Carisoprodol has a shelf life of 2 years, so I’d be curious as to what effects a drug that had expired 6 years before could do to a person, but maybe Matt could share that with us sometime.

HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT LIE: Matt said Michael FLEW into a rage when he was barred from buying the Speaker’s chair from the House of Commons to use as his “green throne”. To quote him: "He toured Parliament in 2002 and when the guide told him he could not buy this piece of British culture Michael exclaimed, ‘I am the King, the King of Pop’, before flying into a real rage.”

Funny that, the officials that gave Micheal the tour said he was lovely, funny and charming... making a joke how he'd like a chair like that. He didn't in anyway suggest actually buying the thing let alone fly into a rage, he was even invited to go for a chat with a mp afterwards. The main tour guide said Michael loved England and was genuinely in awe of the building and history. There is footage on one of the pay for press video footage sites documenting from moment Michael starts his guided tour to moment he leaves. I will see if I can recall which site and update with link. Proof this ranting at the guide event never took place. Only thing that is true is Matt Fiddles was there.

There is actually more but you get the picture... this is just some of the crazy stuff Matt Fiddles has said, all soon after Michael Jackson died of course, so he couldn't be sued. There’s no proof he even went to visit Michael at a perminant residance. There’s no proof he even went to Neverland.

Michael Jackson is nothing more than a lucrative business for Matt Fiddles, and he is now selling his “positive” stories to papers for cash and celebrity. Nothing more nothing less. Because being positive about Michael actually is selling better for him right now as not many people are brave enough to defend Michael.... a book will come next... as you can be sure he is trying to build up a base of MJ fans to sell it too! When/if his book comes out, you will know to take what he say's with a very large pinch of salt.

---

Note: Please don't ask or pm me requesting information on the security staff member I have been in communication with. Our conversations are to remain private. Do not press me to ask him questions he has said what he has had to say, what he wanted to share and won't share no more... I may for all I know never hear from him again, if I don't that is fine, I am touched and grateful for the tip bits of information he gave me and for the warning about Matt Fiddles. I will not give his contact details to anybody. Nor repeat anything he has told me without his utter consent. Other than what has already been ok'd.

[weshallneverrevolt]

B&C Behind the Scenes: Retro Video Capture On a Budget

People who follow Bread and Circuses know that the blog is dedicated almost entirely to pop culture analysis. But people who are my friends also know that I’m a huge geek for computer hardware. So today, you’ll get you a man who can do both. This is my first behind the scenes feature, where I talk about crazy learning experiences in being a small-time YouTuber. This piece will be very technical, so I don’t blame you for skipping it.

The next project for Bread and Circuses is a full documentary and retrospective on Final Fantasy IX (2000, PlayStation), maybe the most important game in my life and one of the best RPGs ever made. Due to the scope of the video, I’m replaying all the original Final Fantasy games for the original PlayStation to jog my memory and give context for the less researchy parts. I am doing this on original hardware and a tube TV, without resorting to emulation or the re-releases. And I’ll be recording the entire game.

The choice for original hardware came for a few reasons. For one, the newer ports of Final Fantasy games are…mixed, at best. IX’s updated ports feature higher quality models and cutscenes, but the backgrounds are blurry, the new fonts and interface are hideous, and the overall “feel” of the original game is somewhat lost. As inspiration for writing the script, I also want the nostalgic experience of how I first experienced the game.

With that being said, I had a major hurdle to overcome: how do I record 50+ hours of gameplay from a 1995 console?

Step 1: Capture Setup

Most game capture these days is done in two ways: via the device playing the game, or via a capture card. The first method is quite easy on PC: you just fire up Open Broadcaster Suite, use a quick setup guide and you’re good to go. This is what I’ve done for all my videos thus far.

For modern consoles, you can use an HDMI capture card like the Elgato HD60. The cards aren’t exactly cheap, but they’re affordable enough for most streamers and let’s players.

But there’s one problem: both the original PlayStation and PlayStation 2 do not have HDMI output. The early model PS3s can play PS1 games and have native HDMI, but they are rare, expensive, and often break.

While you can buy HDMI adapters for the OG PlayStation, they are spotty in quality and present yet another challenge: such adapters often introduce noticeable input lag. Though FFIX is not a fast-paced game, the lag is still bothersome. They also don’t work with my tube TV, which is critical for my desired creative process.

That leaves me with two capture options: composite or S-Video. Composite video is the little yellow guy you used to plug into your tube TV. It looks decent on those, but when captured digitally, the blurriness and drab colors are immediately apparent. It’s for this reason that I purchased S-video cables; without going into boring technical detail, S-Video delivers far richer colors. Because the adapter includes both, I can output to my TV and computer at the same time with no additional equipment!

Speaking of adapters, the PS2 also has the option to output component video, arguably the best analog video available. While capture solutions exist for component video, my tube TV does not accept it. So to use component, I would need a system of complicated adapters and converters to both record on my computer and play on my TV at the same time. It’s too much hassle for not enough results.

So instead, I did some research and bought this little guy: the Hauppauge USB Live-2. There are many adapters like it, but Hauppauge has brand recognition in this area. This adapter also uses 4:2:2 chroma subsampling, meaning that it sacrifices very little in color depth compared to some cheaper models. It plugs into any USB port.

My tube TV only supports mono sound, which means it only needs one audio cable. I hooked up the left channel (white cable) to my TV, and the right channel (red cable) to my capture card. When outputting FFIX in mono mode, both devices receive the same sounds, and the music doesn’t suffer from missing stereo effects. Perfection.

Step 2: PS1 or PS2?

So as most people know, the PlayStation 2 is backwards compatible with original PlayStation games. The method by which this is done, however, differs based on the model.

Early PS2s have an actual PS1 processor on their motherboard. For the PS2 it’s used for sound and input/output, but when playing a PS1 game this CPU is instead, providing nearly perfect PS1 support. Sony actually did the same thing with the first PS3, but soon realized it was very expensive and scrapped it.

For later models of the PS2 – the slimlines – Sony switched to software emulation to save costs and space. The software emulation works very well, but it is just that: emulation. It is very rare for emulators to be literally perfect replications of the original experience, and Sony’s for the PS2 – called POPS – is not 100% accurate. I also don’t have a slim, so there’s that.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. I first dug out my old PlayStation 1, purchased new in 1998. While the system itself still works shockingly well (despite some skipping during movies), I quickly ran into a problem: the PS1 outputs at 240p. For the uninitiated, video nomenclature like 240p refers to the number of lines in the image along with the scan type. So 240p means there are 240 lines of pixels in the image, and they are updated progressively, meaning all at once.

Older tube TVs can accept 240p input, but output it in interlaced form. This means that the TV quickly updates every other line of the image, rather than the entire image at once. It works pretty good for this type of TV, but on a modern monitor introduces some problems…which I’ll get to in a bit.

Image from dummies.com. Fitting.

However, this was a problem for me because my new capture card did not accept 240p input. I tried countless times to get it to accept PS1 video, and it just didn’t work. However, I noticed that my PS2 did. That’s because the PS2 outputs by default at 480i, an interlaced mode that my capture card accepted.

So I opted to use my “fat” PS2 instead, which is a SCPH-30001 model, purchased new in 2001. It includes the original PlayStation chip, and – to my enormous surprise – read my original Final Fantasy IX CDs perfectly. Because the PS2 accepts PS1 controllers and PS1 memory cards, it was an almost flawless version of the original PS1 experience. Awesome!

Step 3: Recording

With setup out of the way, I got to the final step of the project: actually recording digital video.

I use Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) for all my video and streaming projects. It’s free, powerful, and pretty fast. My capture device was immediately detected by OBS, but there was one immediate problem.

Remember the interlacing I mentioned earlier? When you display interlaced video on a progressive screen – AKA any modern flat-panel monitor – you get a horribly ugly effect where the video seems to be ripping itself apart. This is called combing, and it sucks. Thankfully, OBS supports native deinterlacing, so I was able to fix it right up.

That being said, let’s break down the different parts of recording with OBS:

Resolution: the PS2 outputs in 720x480 pixels, but my videos are at 1920x1080. However, recording at 1080p requires more hardware power, so I get more definition at the expense of less overall quality. I chose instead to record at 720p, which is closer to the PS2’s native resolution and allows me to capture better colors with less blur.

Framerate: this is where things got interesting. I master all of my videos at 60 frames per second. Very, very few PS1/2 games (FFIX included) hit 60fps, because the hardware of the time just wasn’t capable of rendering graphics that fast. However, they do output at a 60 hertz refresh rate, meaning that the image updates 60 times per second even if the console doesn’t actually produce new frames that fast. So if you record at under 60fps, you get noticeable judder in your footage. That being said, 60fps was a requirement.

Encoding: I wanted to get the highest possible quality picture. My computer has a Ryzen 5 1600 processor – a capable mid-range CPU – and is excellent at software video encoding. I used the OBS x264 encoder running at medium quality. Any higher than medium and I started experiencing skipping footage as my CPU went to 100% utilization. I gotta admit, it’s pretty cool hearing my computer fans kick into overdrive as the CPU is pushed to its limits.

Bitrate: I’m recording a lot of footage here, so while I needed high quality, I also have to keep storage limitations in mind. I did some experimenting and decided on a bitrate of 9000kbps, still above YouTube quality while also saving space. This also means that each hour of footage is about 4GB; given that FFIX is about 40 hours long, that means roughly 160GB of footage for the game. Not bad, considering.

Deinterlacing: OBS presents a slew of options for deinterlacing your footage, and the differences can be tough to spot. The only option that gave me zero trouble – no juddering or excessive blur – was Yasif 2x. I also increased the brightness and saturation to make up for some of the analog video deficiencies.

I’ve included sample footage below, along with pictures of my setup. If you’re an aspiring retro YouTuber or streamer, feel free to PM me with any questions. This stuff was kinda intimidating to figure out and I’m happy to help!

Until then, I’ll be in Gaia. Or Terra, once I hit Disc 3.

Jon

Full Setup

Cable Routing Detail

The TV inputs run through this old AV hub I dug up from my teenage bedroom. This lets me run the cables behind my desk to keep things a bit neater. I say a bit because you can still see the cables back there, but that’s showbiz, baby.

Sample Footage