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callmebaby-era-yixing · 2 years

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NCT 127 as musical theater characters I think they would do well as

*Quick note before I start: I'm listing characters I think they would do well PORTRAYING on stage, not who I think they are similar to personality wise. For each member, I'll say one role I think they could play with little to no effort (marked as NATURAL), as well as one role I think they could nail if they tried hard and put in the work for (marked as CHALLENGE). For each role, I'll try to put a small explanation for the choice but some I just feel are right lol. Not every role mentioned is the main character of its musical. This post is the result of my mind being fixated my entire day on the subject lmao. Feel free to give your opinion on my picks and add your own <3. Click the keep reading if you're interested

Taeil

(NATURAL) Raoul from Phantom of the Opera

In my opinion, this is a pretty simple role in both vocals and acting. Vocally, Taeil would nail this with no problem. Acting wise, the main emotions this character shows are being in love and being worried, not too difficult tbh. I don't know if he has shown any interest in being in musical theater but this would be a good debut to the stage. Iconic musical but simple af role

(CHALLENGE) Quasimodo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Okay. Hear me out. It was between this and the Phantom from Phantom of the Opera but imo no one under 40 can give the Phantom everything it deserves so I pick this role instead. Vocally, I think Taeil can hit all the notes for this role buuutttt the challenge would come in the acting. The emotions needed for this role are more complicated and would take a lot of feeling lmao.

Johnny

(NATURAL) Aaron from Mean Girls

Johnny is one of the members I found very difficult to pick for because I don't see him wanting to pursue stage musicals at all but I can see SM convincing him to try just for some solo activities. This role is for anyone to play tbh *cough* Cameron Dallas *cough*. Not much is demanded vocally or in acting, honestly it might be too easy for Johnny but it'd be a nice role for someone not too invested in musical theater.

(CHALLENGE) Monty from A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder

Okay. Hear me out... again. This is a role I think only Johnny of the members could play. This is probably one of the most difficult roles on this list and I'll tell you why. It doesn't have a bunch of high notes, and the ones that there are, I think Johnny could hit or easily opt down. The role however, says A LOT in a small time and has many tongue twisters (See the song Poison In My Pocket (almost like a rapper,,,, you see?)). Not only that, this role moves around a lot so energy is nonnegotiable (See the performance for I've Decided to Marry You). The character has to be charming, lovable, energetic, comedic, awkward, and cartoon-like all at once, which I think Johnny could nail with practice. Check out the musical and imagine Johnny in it, tell me I'm wrong.

Taeyong

(NATURAL) Zach from A Chorus Line

Who is Zach, you're probably thinking. Well, it is the director in the show who is not seen in most stage productions. Taeyong was the absolute hardest to choose for because, like Johnny, I don't see him being even mildly interested in musical theater, but unlike Johnny, I don't see Taeyong ever being convinced to try but I still wanted to include every member. The character of Zach is often never seen, just heard. Not even singing, just talking. On days Taeyong wants to do something else, he can just prerecord all his lines and just show up at the venue by curtain call, the crowd wouldn't even know *wink wink*.

(CHALLENGE) King George from Hamilton

This probably seems like an odd choice but boom. Like I said, Taeyong doesn't give musical theater vibes so a guest role with minimal stage time would suit him best. The songs this character has are all comedic so vocally, it doesn't matter much. Tae is a good singer but a better rapper, so if he hits the notes, he gets praised for vocals, if he doesn't, he get praised for his comedy as long as he plays it off as such. Plus, it would be a nice nod for him to be in a musical with rapping, even if his role is singing.

Yuta

(NATURAL) Light from Death Note the Musical

We know Yuta can do this role. Not much to debate. Vocally, he can hit the notes, no biggy. Acting wise, he has it in the bag. boom

(CHALLENGE) Bobby from Company

This is nothing like the natural role I picked for him, thus it'd be a nice challenge for him. Vocally, I think he could do it with some parts adjusted or opted down. This is another one where the challenge is mostly in the acting. On the surface, Bobby is a guy that everyone likes and counts on which Yuta can relate to, but there is something a bit more under that Yuta would have to act out well.

Doyoung

(NATURAL) Prince Charming from Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella

He has played a prince before so this wouldn't be much of a stretch. His voice would be beautiful in the role (imagine him singing this song,,, ughhhhhh just one chance Doyoung, one chance). This character is just being in love emotion wise, so pretty simple.

(CHALLENGE) Fiyero from Wicked

This role would fit Doyoung so well! The main challenge would again be the acting. He would have to flirty to the point of being slightly douchy and very full of himself lol just for the first act though. The second act, he has to be a bit more complicated.

Jaehyun

(NATURAL) Link from Hairspray

Pretty easy role: be hot, be in love, be a good dancer. Jaehyun could nail it and make it iconic.

(CHALLENGE) Jack from Newsies

Another acting challenge. Not only acting, the DANCING bro. I think he can hit the notes but he'll have to put sooo much emotion in it (See the song Santa Fe).

Jungwoo

(NATURAL) Olaf from Frozen

Sigh Do I even have to explain this one? The role of course has this childish innocence that Jungwoo would portray well. Vocally, he has it down since it's not hard. Most difficult part would probably be controlling the puppet tbh.

(CHALLENGE) Orpheus from Hadestown

Take that same innocence from Olaf but take away the childish part. Jungwoo would nail it. We know he can sing better than he lets on, I want him to show off a bit. This would be the most we've seen of him acting wise, but I think he'd do well with practice.

Mark

(NATURAL) Sonny from In the Heights

Rap heavy role. Acting wise it shouldn't be too hard, a mostly mischievous and joke-y role with some serious parts.

(CHALLENGE) Laurens/Phillip from Hamilton

This role is also rap heavy but with some moments of vocals, which I think would suit Mark well! He'd need to work with the acting part, especially for the dying scene. Bonus will be him acting as a child in Take a Break lol.

Haechan

(NATURAL) Alfred from Alice by Heart

If you know this musical, we are now married, I don't make the rules. Haechan can be pretty dramatic yet comical which would be nice for this role. Acting wise, this could be a hard-ish role but if I was casting for a production in Korea rn, I would trust him for it. This would be on the lower end of his vocal range but he'd kill it.

(CHALLENGE) Moritz from Spring Awakening

Acting challenge part 298. This is a mostly serious role, same with the entire musical which deals with some messed up topics. It'd be hard for both nctzens and Haechan himself to stay in such a mindset when we have seen how excitable he can be, but that would make the character's eventual death that much more powerful. He would nail Don't Do Sadness, even if he took it up some to fit his naturally lighter voice. We know that Haechan could kill a rock song if he wanted to, so a whole musical that has a big rock influence? He'd freaking clean house

Thank you, that is all.

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amoei · 3 years

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Penny Dreadful: City of Angels

Plot:

1938 Los Angeles is a time and place deeply infused with social and political tension. When a grisly murder shocks the city, Detective Tiago Vega and his partner Lewis Michener become embroiled in an epic story that reflects the rich history of Los Angeles: from the building of the city's first freeways and its deep traditions of Mexican-American folklore, to the dangerous espionage actions of the Third Reich and the rise of radio evangelism. Before long, Tiago and his family are grappling with powerful forces that threaten to tear them apart. -Showtime

*spoilers*

The Good

The acting is superb. There are so many different speeches and conversations that are held in the film. From so many different walks of life.

There is such a depth to all the characters that makes each one more of a vast ocean.

When we see Peter Krupp/Craft talk to his fellow Germans about how Hitler is not Germany. And that he doesn't want to leave his children a legacy of bloodshed that was left to him by the first World War and that is why he doesn't embrace Hitler.

Fast forward to episode 10 and we see how his family is attacked and his boys are now traumatized and he feels no choice to embrace Nazism as way to protect him and his family.

The Speeches made by Natalie Dormer? Amazing. I am not even Mexican and it made me want to stand in solidarity.

The plot is interesting and we see how otherwise good characters are forced to make horrible decisions. No one is good here. And I love how morality is Grey. And not black and white

The Bad

Critiques.

They gave up on the storyline of Raoul (oldest brother of the Vega family) after the 2nd episode. All the other characters...

Especially even given the the nazi hitman has a duality of his character. Being gay, trying to find others to find a society where he can be who he wants to be free to love who he loves. But is still also a huge fucking bigot and kills indiscriminately and has a hatred for Jewish people and all those not white. Is given a storyline. A depth to his character.

But after Raoul gets shot. And wakes up 2nd and 3rd episode?

Nothing. We just see him sit at home wide eyed and slow. I get on the account of being shot in the head messes up your motor skills etc. But also was very lucid at the beginning of episode 10.

So there was and is potential for him to grow and have a storyline.

The writers just gave up on developing him. And there is such promise there. And I know the actor has the range to deliver. I like him.

Supernatural elements?

Given the fact I watched the original Penny Dreadful 3 seasons and Eva Green is such a phenomenal actress. There was always a state of perpetual dread, the infamous London fog, and demonic or vampirism creatures always lurking every and anywhere. With demonic pensions sprinkled in and Satan.

There was a huge let down in the supernatural elements for this show.

And I blame the mis-characterization of the writers. A person who has watched Penny Dreadful and seen how abruptly it ended so to speak, would be excited to see Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, thinking at the very least it would be in the same supernatural universe. Because this is set right before the start of World War II.

Are going to be somewhat or very much disappointed with the lack of supernatural elements.

Outside of the scenes with Santa Muerte and the Beast (Natalie Dormer). The one or two scenes Maria Vega interacting with the demonic "child" of Elsa. There is essentially nothing supernatural about this film.

If you took out the supernatural elements of Santa Muerte and The Beast.

This show would still continue greatly as a historical fiction drama.

Again I blame the mis-characterization of the title. A better one would be From the Creators of Penny Dreadful comes: City of Angels.

No fan of the show would be leaving such critiques that they are leaving on IMBD.

But it still is the first season. So there may be more supernatural elements to come.

Other critiques I have seen are from Mexican people on the portrayal of Santa Muerte. And being that I am not Mexican.

It is not my place to comment or place any opinions about the portrayal of Mexican cultures and religions.

The ugly?

For those who have watched the original Penny Dreadful and are coming in to watch the City of Angels hoping for it to be the same in the amount of supernatural suspense?

Will be sorely disappointed.

Both these storylines are set at two very different times and two very different eras and countries.

This could be ugly for those who are not looking for "political TV show".

But given the fact it is set in America during the 1920s? It will be political.

Everything about America's history is political. You can't throw a rock without landing on slavery, Jim crow, no rights for women, or a person of color being hate crimed just for the color of their skin.

In terms of gore? There is a flash here and there but nothing to serious.

Like I said prior. Very little supernatural elements.

Conclusion

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels is promising. The drama, the depth of the characters, action etc. All of its there.

Except...

For the supernatural. That's literally it. Because the title is misleading fans of the show.

For newcomers? This show will be absolutely fantastic.

But..

because the showrunners or the writers of this show have gone with this title. They have a lot to make up for with the supernatural and the gore.

If or can that can be incorporated? I truly don't know.

But it is still the 1st season. And if they are able to amp up the supernatural elements and gore in this TV show then they have a real good moneymaker on their hands.

I for one, am very excited to see what they do next and the direction they are headed.

#penny dreadful: city of angels #my watchlist #film reviews #media #amoei #tv shows #penny dreadful #showtime #tv show reviews

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gracie-p8-officialblog · 4 years

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Defending Christine Daae

I never thought I'd have to write a post with that title, let me tell you.

Because when I first heard of Phantom of the Opera, I was under the impression that everybody loved Christine just as much as I did. I mean, how could you help it? Well, I was wrong. It would seem that there are, in fact, people out there who don't share my exact opinion (shock of shocks) and who dislike Christine for various stupid reasons.

Now, I'm not here to point fingers at anyone or to belittle anyone's opinions in anyway, and blah-de-blah [fill in the rest of long boring disclaimer any way you wish]. But I AM here to defend one of my favourite female protagonists in a work of fiction! And defend her I WILL! IN THE NAME OF THE MOON!

Um, pardon me. Don't know how that last sentence got in there.

Now, on the internet, I've heard some flak about Christine, and though I'm not here to make anyone feel bad (see above) I do want to refute those points about her, point-by-point. (Hmm. Redundancy.) One of the biggest points against Christine is her choice to be with Raoul instead of the Phantom, who *ahem* TOTALLY needed her because he had a bad life and he taught her to sing! My opinion?

I don't think that means Christine owes him love. Appreciation and thanks, yes. But not love. The only thing he ever did that was worth any kind of love was letting Christine go. And she isn't some sort of consolation prize! It's NOT her job to fix the Phantom, only he could fix himself!

C'mon people! The two pretty much fit the qualities of an abusive relationship (emotional manipulation, throwing her around, restricting her from seeing other people etc.) And it’s kinda disturbing. “BUT!” You cry, “CHRISTINE REJECTED THE PHANTOM FOR A SHALLOW REASON! HE WAS UGLY!”

While I do understand what you’re coming from, I would like to inform you that it was actually his toxic behaviour towards her and murderous qualities that drove her away from him and made her choose Raoul. In “Final Lair”, she said one of the biggest burns in Gothic thriller history “It’s in your SOUL where the TRUE distortion lies...” The Phantom's problem isn't with his disfigurement. No, the problem is with what he's allowed his disfigurement to make him. He's become so obsessed with the idea that no one loves him and no one will ever really care for him that he believes anyone who stands remotely in his way is just out to get him. So what does he do? He murders people whom he gets annoyed with. First Buquet, then Piangi, and finally (almost) Raoul. And that is DEFINITELY not okay!

I think Christine saw him as more of a teacher, or a friend, or a... father figure, in a messed up way... which is more evident in the book on how she is both afraid and sympathetic for the Phantom.

While not condoning his actions, I do wish the Phantom could have found someone to love him. Good gracious, his final lines “IT’S OVER NOW THE MUSIC OF THE NIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGHHHHHHTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” makes me tear up every time. Gah. I'm in danger of sobbing, too, but I really want to get this post done, so I will conquer myself and think of something Funny instead. *thinks* I know! Gerard Butler’s version of the “All I Ask Of You (Reprise)”. That’ll cheer me up and make me laugh XD!

In all seriousness, I know that Erik is unstable and violent. But I also know that he really IS a gentle, misunderstood soul. You can be both, you know. The unstable and violent side of him, unfortunately, triumphed- and his dreams, his desires for love, his castle on a cloud came tumbling down because of it.

And so... onto the next point, another common argument used to bash Christine is that she’s considered to be flat, boring and goes through ZERO development! But in actual fact, there’s so much going on in her head and goes through quite an emotional travesty that it’s almost impossible to call her bland!

She is deeply wounded by the loss of her father, and has this incredible musical talent which stayed in a state of diamond in the rough before being discovered by her “Angel of Music”. He trains her, not realizing that she is becoming the center of an unhealthy obsession, genuinely believing in her naivety that he is some benevolent spirit sent by her father, therefore bringing her a sense of comfort. She is a pious girl, after all, and being religious myself, well, such a reaction from someone who believes like her is believable though naive. Can we blame Christine for that? NO. How is she supposed to guess?

And now, let's talk about "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again", aka. The Christine Empowerment™ song! I feel like the difference between a good portrayal of Christine and a great portrayal of Christine, is based on how good their rendition of this song is. It is a crucial part of the plot. One of the reason The Phantom and Raoul appeal to Christine is because of the connection they represent to her dead father. Of course, Raoul actually knew her father and the Phantom uses his memory to manipulate her. At this point in the show, Christine has become disillusioned with Raoul and is afraid of the Phantom. She realizes through the song that the only way she can’t move forward is through letting go of the past, and getting over the death of her father. This fuels her actions through the rest of the show as it makes her realize that if she wants her happy ending, she must take charge of her destiny and earn her own agency! And the Phantom, trying to use her in the moment where she was probably at her most vulnerable since she is questioning herself about her entire life, only catalyses her decision. She performs in Don Juan Triumphant, because she knows that everything is up to her, and that she cannot let the Phantom keep on destroying her life.

As for her unmasking the Phantom in "Point of No Return", Christine did this in a way to show him that she refused to be controlled by him any longer. It is certainly not the most intelligent thing to do, nor the nicest, but again, her behaviour is explainable. But as said above for Erik, it doesn’t excuse her. And it shows how she was beginning to be able to resist his pull/spell/enchantment/whatever you like to call it on her!

I adore and admire Christine Daae as a character so much, and it was her actions and story arc that really started my love for this story. Christine's ability to love unconditionally and selflessly is so profound. Even though the Phantom put her and everyone else through lots of horrors, she still doesn't hesitate to show kindness towards him but makes sure that her abuser NEVER hurts anyone EVER again. She loves Raoul so much that she's pretty much willing to sacrifice her freedom and happiness so Raoul could be free. No matter what circumstances she is given, she will still put the ones she loves before herself no matter what, even if it means giving up a chance to save herself. I know most of us won’t ever be put in such an extreme scenario but Christine is such an inspiration of how to love others and believe in them despite flaws and bad sides. She inspires me to see the good in people. It’s so easy to be cynical and hardened in this world, and I think that Phantom of the Opera reminds us to have kindness and light in our hearts, even in challenging circumstances.

I would also like to add another moment of character. Think what it must have taken to prepare for the female lead role in a 3-act opera. Christine wasn’t even an understudy. In a matter of minutes, she went from member of the ballet corps to the lead role, and she had to rehearse and remember new music, character, blocking, and vocals. Not only did she prepare in time, she performed so well that she became a hit. This reveals, not only the skill and beauty of her voice, but also her concentration, diligence, and acting capability. Everyone hails the Phantom as the ultimate musical genius—and he is—but they overlook the implied extent of Christine’s skill.

She went through the loss of both parents, manipulation, being stalked, and knowing that the person she loves most has his life on the line - because of her. And then she literally gets off of her knees and shows her abuser the first form of kindness he has ever known. Not even the Phantom was strong enough for that; he gave up on the world far too early. Christine is the embodiment of courage and kindness; she teaches us to love and forgive those who have been awful to us, and to protect those we love even if it means our own suffering. But she no longer succumbs to the Phantom and makes sure her abuser never hurts anyone EVER again. Seriously, this girl is AWESOME! And this was in the 18th century! It's really sad that such a great character is overlooked by many...

It seems that Leroux really understood women... That we can be emotional, we are vulnerable but not weak... And emotion really helps us when we keep them in control!

Christine, in a nutshell, is a kind, observant, compassionate, trusting young woman–a too trusting at first–but with a spine of steel and determination once she’s drawn the line. She loves people deeply, but she picks up quickly on the realities of the situation. She has the strongest character arc in the story and makes the choices to grow and to move on. Yet she remains gentle and compassionate, uses her love to bless and not manipulate. She’s a layered character who grows. And there’s so much more to her than meets the eye.

#christine daae #Christine daae defense league #phantom of the opera musical #phantom of the opera #the phantom of the opera #poto #character analysis #I'm in the mood to talk about her rn #She's seriously awesome #And it's sad not many people see her like that!

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gamerszone2019-blog · 5 years

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Life is Strange 2 Devs Don't Know Where Franchise Will Go Next, But They Want To Keep Making Games Like It

New Post has been published on https://gamerszone.tn/life-is-strange-2-devs-dont-know-where-franchise-will-go-next-but-they-want-to-keep-making-games-like-it/

Life is Strange 2 Devs Don't Know Where Franchise Will Go Next, But They Want To Keep Making Games Like It

Developer Dontnod’s choice-focused, narrative Life is Strange games have come to occupy a specific niche on the video game industry landscape. Life is Strange and Life is Strange 2 tell stories about coming of age and growing up, and while both seasons of the franchise also include kids with fantastic supernatural powers, they also try to focus on getting at subjects that are relatable in everyday life. Life is Strange 2 is particularly interesting for its setting in the current US political climate, taking place right before the 2016 presidential election and including a lot of the issues and rhetoric surrounding it.

Life is Strange 2 director Raoul Barbet and lead writer Jean-Luc Cano took part in a panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, where they discussed some of the ins and outs of working on the Life is Strange franchise and creating the young characters who make up its world. Ahead of the panel, Barbet and Cano sat down with GameSpot to talk about the burgeoning Life is Strange “universe,” which now spans Life is Strange, its prequel Before the Storm, Life is Strange 2, and The Adventures of Captain Spirit, a free episode that functions as an add-on story for Life is Strange 2.

While the franchise seems to be expanding to include a variety of different stories, neither Barbet and Cano were sure where the franchise might be headed after the conclusion of Life is Strange 2’s last two episodes, the next of which is due out in August. Regardless of whether Life is Strange continues, though, the formula of narrative game it embodies is something both developers said Dontnod will pursue.

GameSpot: As you think about the Life is Strange “universe,” what is it that makes a Life is Strange game?

Raoul Barbet: As you may know it’s Square Enix, the publisher, that owns the brand of Life is Strange. So after the first Life is Strange, we were discussing with them if they were interested in creating a new season. That was the case and we were asking ourselves what really was the DNA of those games, and those style of games. So for the first Life is Strange, we didn’t want to create, like, a universe or something like that, it was more about creating a game–a good game, I hope. And even after the first episode, we didn’t know if we’d continue to create the other episodes. We were in luck because it works quite well and we were happy, so we were able to finish the first season and create the new one.

So I’d say that because it was really an independent game and a full story that works by itself, we wanted to do the same thing with Life is Strange 2, so it’s a new story, new characters, but of course, the DNA of the game is still there. So it’ll be the artistic direction, it will be that we want to create, first, believable characters and a good story, and that tackles some actual subjects of society’s problems and that kind of stuff, and puts the player in some interesting situations. And in the end, you’ve got the supernatural element, so in the first season, it was the ability to rewind, linked to the story of Max and the coming of age story. And this one involves Daniel and the education subject, and the fact we wanted to talk about, what does it take to educate someone and take care of someone else?

What are you guys thinking about as this world keeps getting bigger, and what do you want to do with it?

Jean-Luc Cano: We don’t really know if we’re going to do another Life is Strange game, but with Captain Spirit, Life is Strange 2 was already written, and we were thinking about how to present it to the players, to the community, to the fans, the new flavor of Life is Strange 2. That’s why we made Captain Spirit, to introduce in a smart way Sean and Daniel, not by making them the heroes of Captain Spirit, but by making them the guests at the end. When you see Sean and Daniel at the end, nobody knew that they would be the heroes of the new season. Then we released the first trailer for Life is Strange 2, people were like, oh man, it’s the two guys from the end of Captain Spirit.

For the future, we don’t know if we’re going to make Life is Strange 3 or expand the universe. We haven’t been thinking about it in this kind of way. Actually, we’re working on Episode 4 and Episode 5, and we’re really dedicated to these last two episodes because it’s a lot of work. We don’t know what we’re going to do next.

Barbet: The fact is that Square Enix owns the brand, so it’s their decision to expand the universe. Even if we have created the first season and the characters, and for this one and the characters. They own the brand. So I don’t think we’re going to continue, but if we continue as creators, game creators, we’ll continue to create narrative games like this. And I think Captain Spirit was a great experience for us because it was very different. It’s a small game some would say, it’s a shorter game, but I think we managed to create very quickly our universe and believable characters, and it was quite a challenge at this time, but we would be able to continue to create small games like this. So it might not be in the Life is Strange universe but we don’t know. We’re game directors, so we don’t know what we’ll be working on, and I don’t know what Square Enix wants.

As you were focusing on Episode 4 and 5, was the whole story written ahead of time or is it evolving as you’re making it?

Cano: The whole story was written from the beginning. So our process is to write and imagine the story with Michelle and Raoul, we three imagine the story, then I write the first big [take on the] story. And then after that, the story’s cut into five episodes. We’re working from the top, the main story, and then we divide it into sequences, and then from sequences into small scenes, and then from scenes into dialogues. So we know from the beginning where we’re going to, but because of the game itself, the episodic approach, we’re able to change stuff in production. But basically, the main story is written from the beginning.

Have there been any changes like that, any responses to how maybe how players are experiencing the game or their feedback?

Cano: Yes, the fact that we have four months between two episodes and at the end of every episode we have the statistics, we can shape the experience of the new episode we are in production on. So we’ve made a few adjustments regarding player choices, and also from a production point of view, sometimes the episode is too big to be done, so we have to cut some sequences. Our job is to say, okay, if we cut all these sequences, what we’re saying in these sequences has to be said somewhere else. So we have to reshape the episode from this point of view.

The game is very much set in this specific current political climate. It’s reacting to things that are happening in our real world, like with its mention of Donald Trump’s wall on the Mexico-US border. That situation is, even now, evolving every day–is what’s going on in the real world filtering down to you as you make each new episode, and are you responding to what’s happening in our world?

Barbet: I don’t think we want to make statements, for sure. It’s not the purpose of our game. It’s more about putting the players in interesting situations where they can think about all those subjects. The idea is not to make political statements or to say this is good or this is bad, it’s more to see the situation, live this moment, and to think about it. …But I think it’s not evolving so much in the beginning of the game, because by the time we had written the story, all those subjects were already there, and I think even like a hundred years ago. It’s the same in Europe and in other countries. Our game is taking place in the US so we talk about it here, but in France it’s the same. We wanted to talk about those subjects because of the story and the sequences we wanted to create for the players. Like you say, it’s evolving very fast, but we’re not changing the story for that, I think it was already there from the beginning.

Creating believable kids is a big part of what you’re talking about on your panel, and it seems like a big challenge. What’s it like trying to build those characters, and what work are you doing maybe from a research perspective?

Barbet: At the beginning, we were doing a lot of research about that, and about education in a general way, books and documentaries about psychologists and sociologists who talk about this. And after that, it’s a lot of work with the writers and with the actors. For Daniel, it was a very young child, and the voice actors as well, so we discuss with them. Jean-Luc has a daughter, so there is a lot of his own story inside the story of Life is Strange 2. And after that, we research and talk about the scene with different people to be sure to be accurate. But having a believable young child is really difficult. It’s dialogues and sentences, cues, but it’s also acting, like in the animation, those little elements that give Daniel believability. It’s a lot of small stuff like that during production.

So you’re bouncing lines off the actors and asking “Does this feel authentic to you?”

Barbet: Yeah, even when we are shooting a scene, we’re asking, “is it believable like this?” and they’re saying, “no, it’s not really believable to do that,” et cetera. And the same for the voice actors, each time we record some lines, as we’re French, we prefer to trust American people to tell us it sounds natural or to make sure it’s not cliche or the French way of saying things.

All the Life is Strange games, they don’t back down from dealing with social issues and things that are real part of kids’ lives and of growing up. What kind of issues would you say you’re trying to tackle in Episodes Four and Five, thematically?

Cano: To be honest, we can’t really talk about what will happen in Episodes Four and Five, but the themes we are tackling in Four and Five are new themes that haven’t been seen in the first three episodes of Life is Strange 2, or in the first season of Life is Strange. Sean and Daniel will face new scenes, new characters, new moods. So we really can’t wait to see the reaction of the fans and the players and the community, because it’s a new subject.

You mentioned that a lot of the story is kind of yours, with your daughter. Can you tell me more about that?

Cano: Yeah, when we were imagining what Life is Strange 2 could be with [co-director] Michel [Koch] and Raoul, I was just figuring out that, as a father, everything I was doing, everything I was saying, my little daughter took it as an example. For example, if I said to her, “You know, it’s bad to say bad words,” she’d say, “Yes, but when you’re driving you say a lot of bad words.” Okay, so, yeah, I figured out that everything I was doing or saying, I was an example for her, so I had to behave myself not for me to be a better person, but for her to learn to be a better one.

So I think the beginning, the seed of Life is Strange 2 came from this, and when we imagined the story of Life is Strange 2, I told Michel and Raoul, we could have this thing where you shape a new character by your actions. So the fact would be in LIfe is Strange 2 every decision you make as Sean would have an impact not only on you and your story, but also on Daniel. So as a player it will be really interesting to see, oh my god, Daniel is growing up, but he’s becoming a bad kid. But it’s only because of me, and what I had done? I thought I was making good decision for him.

Is it tough to balance the idea of consequences for your actions with giving the player a chance to fix things? I know after Episode 2 I was thinking, okay, how can I get Daniel back on track, how can I “win.” How do you balance the push and pull of wanting consequences to flow forward with giving the player the ability to try to “fix” things?

Barbet: I would say there’s not a good or bad ending, or things to “fix.” Because I think it’s more, maybe you think you have made a mistake, or you think you could have done better with something that happens every day in your life, you know? You make decisions, you make choices with any of that. But you can’t rewind. You can’t go back in time. So the idea of this game is: be careful, you will be responsible for some consequences, but you will also be responsible for Daniel’s whole life, maybe, because of this education aspect.

So I really think it’s strong as a basis for a game. It was really strong. And from a design point of view, I would say we find good moments for the player to be able to choose a bit, but we really, of course, stay on a storyline we have to tell. So you can have very different endings, like you have seen in Episode 2, but we have to go on and continue to tell the story. So we can’t, I would say, have too many different scenes and different endings, for example in this episode, because we want to keep the characters believable, and we want the story to continue to work, even if Daniel is changing a lot. So you have to find the right balance between giving some freedom to the players and in the meantime, keep your story safe, or keep your story believable.

Cano: And I think the main difference between the first season of Life is Strange and Life is Strange 2 is that, in the first season of Life is Strange, when you make a decision with Max, you can see the consequence immediately. And you see, two or three sequences later, another consequence, but you knew it was because of this decision.

In Life is Strange 2, you don’t see immediately the consequences. You don’t have your massive, big decisions. The behavior of Daniel is shaped by a lot of small details you don’t notice at the time. Even if we have big, huge A or B choices, Daniel is not always shaped by only these big decision. He is shaped by a lot of little stuff, vital choices, action you’ve made, picking up some stuff. And it’s all separate stuff, you know. So when you say, “Okay, what I’ve done wrong?” It’s not one decision you have made. It’s a lot of different small details that shape Daniel, but it’s not right or wrong. It’s only your experience.

Source : Gamesport

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