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jadekitty777 · 4 years

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Snapshot Aesthetics

OKAY BUT FG WEEKEND? WHO’S CRAZY IDEA WAS THAT.

You better know I want to participate though xD I didn’t plan to have an entry for today but, well, things change lol

Day 1: Outfits

Rating: K

Words: 2.2k

Summary: Clover's job was simple: Get the model to pose properly, smile, and take the shot. But the new hire, Qrow, was about to throw a wrench into that simplicity... in more ways than one. [Fashion Model AU]

Ao3 Link: Snapshot Aesthetics

Snap!

The sound of his camera shutter going off was almost inaudible under the early morning hustle that had overtaken the studio. Clover inspected the shot of Elm displaying back on his LCD screen. He shook his head, calling to the stagehand, “Lower the forelights! There’s too much washout!”

“You got it boss.” She saluted, stepping off the scene to go tinker with the fluorescents.

Th telltale sound of stilettos had his head turning, seeing Willow striding over, lips pursed with annoyance. “Are we ready yet?”

“Almost.” He assured, showing her the picture. “Just a bit more tweaking on the lights and we’ll be good to go.”

She placed a hand on her hip, scanning the team critically. “Good.”

“Everything alright? You look…” He mulled over all his safe adjective options, “Unhappy.”

She sighed exasperatedly. “Qrow is causing a bit of a ruckus back in dress. Won’t let Kali even do his makeup.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “I don’t know what I was thinking, listening to Taiyang.”

“It’s probably because the new guy’s pretty.” And related to Raven, he thought but didn’t dare utter the runway model’s name aloud. If he did, then it would make his manager think of her ex-husband and Raven’s agent, Jacques Schnee. That was a nasty pandora’s box he’d rather keep closed.

Nevertheless, it certainly wouldn’t be the first time she hired someone simply based on an affiliation they had to someone in Jacques’ team, thinking it as some retroactive way of getting back at him. Taiyang himself was one such decision, also ironically due his connection with Raven. Though, he’d heard the two’s relationship had been more… carnal in nature.

The plus was, Taiyang had worked out great. He was handsome and jovial and easy to direct on set. Clover’s only hope when he learned of the new hire was that the same could be said for Qrow; but, it was sounding like he had his twin sister’s notorious diva-like personality, if Willow’s frustration was anything to go by. Which meant he was in for a long day.

“Light check!” Elm called, flexing both arms proudly like a muscle builder.

He snapped the shot, then nodded at the quality. “Perfect!”

Willow swiveled, heading for the door. “Let’s get started then.”

Over the course of the seven years Clover had worked for Trendy magazine, he’d discovered that each fashion designer had a specific ‘taste’ they were going for when it came to showing off their line-up and he’d learned to pose the models accordingly to keep their clients happy and coming back for each issue. So, he kept certain things in mind with each designer’s desires, like how Sienna preferred her poses to be as dynamic and wild as possible and Camilla wanted proper posture and a bit of elegance.

Unfortunately, today’s clothing line was from Roman and Neo. Which meant balancing the two designers’ conflicting requirements of flamboyance and subtlety into one picture. It tended to lead to a lot of small changes for limb placement and expression before he ever even rose his camera.

So, it tended to be a relief when the snap sounded off and he said, “Alright, you’re done!”

“Oh, thank god!” Tai slumped over immediately, rolling out his shoulders. “I think my neck has a crick in it.”

Clover snorted. “Alright drama king. Go take a break.” He turned towards the doorway, calling, “Who’s next up?”

He heard Kali’s faint, “Get in there. And stop messing with your hair!”

A gruff voice he didn’t recognize replied, “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Before Qrow Branwen walked into the room and stole his breath away.

Though he’d joked before, Clover hadn’t actually known what the man had looked like. He rarely did see new models before their first shoot. But now that he was, it had to be said that maybe Willow had indeed hired Qrow simply for his beauty. In almost every way, he was like a softer version of his sister. Where her skin was striking alabaster white, his had more of a welcoming ivory tone. Where her eyes were bright scarlet, his were a gentle vermillion. And where her hair was an ink black, his held streaks of dusty grey that somehow was just enough to make him appear refined, but not old.

Combine that with Roman and Neo’s classy “modern early-1900’s” style, and he looked absolutely dazzling. It was one of their simpler pieces, but dress had made sure he wore it well, especially with the plain, long-sleeved, white dress shirt that someone had decided to undo the top few buttons off to frame a cross necklace hanging sideways. Pulled over that and adding some muted color was a double-layered vest that buttoned from the bottom of the ribs down. The inner layer was a slate grey while the outer layer was a deep charcoal and had a tasteful embroidery design flowing down the sides. The matching dark grey slacks were fairly standard but nicely fitting to the man’s ridiculously long legs. Completing the picture were some shiny cap-toed black dress shoes.

“So uh, how do you want me?” Qrow asked, fidgeting with the cross-shaped cufflinks of his shirt.

Splayed across my bed. Clover shook himself of any indecent thoughts, nodding towards the set that mimicked an old parlor room. “Center stage, leaning back on the table.”

He nodded, crossing the room.

As they passed each other, Tai offered a thumb’s up and a cheery, “Good luck!”

The little half-grin Qrow offered his friend left Clover floating.

Not that the other man was going to need any well wishes, as he’d decided on something fairly simplistic. As Qrow took position, he directed, “Alright, I want you to rest your hands on the table, in view. Keep your fingers spread out.”

“Like this?” He settled them by his hips.

“Mm no. Spread your arms further apart. Position your hands the other way, pointing opposite directions. Yeah – like that! A little more for the right hand. Relax your shoulders more. No, no not that much.” And on and on it went, as Clover altered each little angle and body part until he had the exact position in mind. Yet, despite the ease of what he was asking for, Qrow’s inexperience meant he had to spend twice as long getting things just right.

It quickly became clear by his 60th order that the older man was growing a bit exasperated.

Clover eyed him up and down. Hummed thoughtfully at the position of where his ankles crossed, the toe of one dress shoe pointed down. “Okay, tilt your left heel just a bit more.”

“Is all this really necessary?” Qrow grumbled, trying not to move anything else but his foot.

“When the client is picky, yeah. And stop clawing your fingers. Keep them flat.”

The other man breathed in and out slowly, carefully resting down his hands.

He gave him another once over. Frowned.

The tension he could easily see doubled as Qrow demanded, “What now?”

“Maybe we should try something different.” He considered.

The words were met with Qrow groaning out, “You got to be kidding me.”

And Willow cutting in, “Go with it. We got to get this shoot done before noon!”

He glanced at his wristwatch. Shit, was it really almost eleven? He still had four other designs to go. “Yeah, alright. Qrow, just try to relax your muscles a bit.” He rose his camera. “Alright, now smile.”

He did, stretching it as big as he could.

Clover looked at him over the lens, raising a brow. “I said smile, not look like you’re trying to imitate clown make-up.” Ignoring the other’s sarcastic laughter, he mulled it over, then snapped his fingers. “Ah, I know! Give me the same one you gave to Tai when you first walked in.”

He could tell it wasn’t quite right when it didn’t have the same cloud nine effect on him as before, but with the clock ticking in his head, he took the shot.

“Alright, that’ll do.” Clover said.

“We’re done?” Qrow asked, not moving an inch, as if worried he’d change his mind.

“Yep. You’re free as a bird.”

That earned him a real laugh. “That was awful!”

For the hell of it, he took another shot.

There was always such a sense of relief when Clover submitted the photos to processing. From there the team would do whatever touch ups were necessary before it went in for print. Normally, the rest of his day was done, but he had another engagement at a rally across town that would keep him busy well into the evening. So, he found himself stepping into the break room, intent on grabbing a cup of coffee and heading on his way.

He was surprised to find Qrow there, huddled in one of the corner tables. He was dressed down, back in his casuals, but still managed to make a t-shirt and some slacks look like runway material. They met gazes briefly, before the elder man’s eyes dropped back to his phone, not saying a word.

Already short on time, Clover was content to leave it like that, but as he finished mixing his coffee together, guilt seeped in. If they were going to be working together, then one of them had to take the first step and it was much harder for the new guy to take it.

“You did good today.” He spoke.

Qrow scoffed. “You kidding? I was a disaster.” He groaned, running a hand through his hair. “I’ll be lucky if they ask me to come back.”

Ah. So, he wasn’t a snob - he was insecure. Clover could work with that.

“Ah come on. It wasn’t that bad.” He crossed the room, turning the opposite chair sideways and falling into it. “You’re just a little stiff. A few more of these and you’ll relax.” He paused, then added, “Oh, and take it a little easy on the people in dress.”

“They were trying to poke my eye out! Whoever invented eyeliner is a demon.”

He guffawed heartily. “It’s not that bad.”

Qrow sighed, ruffling a hand through his hair. “Still, I don’t know what I was thinking, letting Tai convince me to take this job.”

Seemed Tai was doing a lot of that lately.

“I’m not a model. That’s my sister’s gig. And…” Qrow gestured to himself. “I mean, look at me.”

“Oh yeah, I’m sure it must get tiring getting all those calls from Mr. Universe asking you to come reclaim your crown.” He countered.

“Tch, if anyone’s got a crown to go reclaim, it’s probably you.” A second later, he seemed to realize what he said and hid his face in his hand. “Oh my god, I didn’t just- I’m sorry, that was inappropriate.”

Clover couldn’t stop grinning. “Relax gorgeous. You’re in the right business to be making comments like that.” He took a sip of his coffee. “Don’t feel so bad, either. You’re not the only one self-conscious around here. Winter? Breaks out before every shoot. James? Has a scar right here.” He ran a finger above the line of his right eyebrow. “And by now, we’ve got to be giving Tai a complex with how much gets altered in processing.”

“He certainly had a lot to say about last month’s issue.”

“Well, you know, we gotta follow those trends and freckles are in.” He was sure there was a lot of talk on the questionable ethics of digitally changing people’s appearances to portray an unobtainable beauty, but it was a topic he wasn’t too interested in engaging with. In the end, it all just came down to the paycheck and keeping people’s jobs. Because if a model couldn’t sell the clothes they were wearing, then they weren’t going to get to keep modeling them.

Qrow leant back, crossing his arms. “Wonder how much they’ll change about me.”

“Well, they’ll definitely take out those cute wrinkles you get around your eyes when you laugh.”

“I wasn’t laughing?”

“Not in the first shot. But I may have…” He shrugged sheepishly. “Taken another one, right at the end? You looked more natural.”

Qrow blinked. “Well. Alright then. Guess that’s why you’re the expert.” His gaze drifted past Clover’s shoulder at about the same time he heard the footsteps. “Hey Tai. All done?”

“Yeah.” The blond replied as he stopped at their table, eyeing him suspiciously. “Hopefully the company flirt wasn’t giving you trouble.”

“Oh sunshine,” Clover drawled, playing it up as he bat his eyelashes at the other man. “I hope you know you’re my one and only.”

He snorted, rolling his eyes. “Save it for the guys actually swinging your way.” He nodded to his friend. “Come on, we better get moving if we want to get the girls on time.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Qrow stood. “It was nice meeting you Clover.”

“Same here. Looking forward to working with you.” He replied sincerely. A pleasant little warmth tingled through him when the sentiment earned him an adorable smile.

As he watched him go, Clover cast his earlier worries aside and decided that this truly was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

#clover ebi #qrow branwen #fair game #fairgameweekend2020 #rwby #fanfiction #Chase Firekitten's Tale

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rinnahtheskinchanger · 7 years

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REALLY LONG CHARACTER SURVEY.

RULES. repost , don’t reblog ! tag 10 ! TAGGED BY: @celestialspitfire B| TAGGING. anyone who wants to torture themselves

BASICS.

FULL NAME : Rinnah NICKNAME : Rin, Rinrin, Puppy, Wolfy, Wolf, Pipsqueak, Half-pint, Furball, Fuzzball, Fluffy, etc. AGE : 19 BIRTHDAY : August 31st ETHNIC GROUP : Mixed blood (Dad has some of the Eastern blood in him, hence the lion), but she looks stereotypical white (Nordic, specifically) NATIONALITY : Skin-changer (Nordic in modern/Earth) LANGUAGE / S : Common Tongue/English, most animal languages SEXUAL ORIENTATION : Pansexual ROMANTIC ORIENTATION : Panromantic RELATIONSHIP STATUS : Single and hoping to find someone that she can trust and love completely. Hasn’t had the best life, so having a stable, caring partner would do wonders to help her. CLASS : Skinchangers don’t really have classes, but she’s the granddaughter of the chief. Whether or not that’s recognized by the other denizens of Middle Earth really depends. I wouldn’t think that many hold her kind in high regard. Probably most think they’re savages, or something, really. HOME TOWN / AREA : The Withered Heath, in the far North of Arda. CURRENT HOME : She’s a wanderer, though whether its by nature or necessity is actually quite hazy. PROFESSION : A hunter, guide, muscle for hire, etc. Rin does what needs to be done in order to survive, whether it’s selling wares, or letting people pay her to help them in some way.

PHYSICAL.

HAIR : Bright white; a product of Leucism. It really depends on how she wants it cut. Grows relatively fast, so there are times when she lets it grow to her waist. Other times, it’s cut into a crest that becomes midback length locks. Either way, there are two side pieces, and it’s been likened to a lion’s mane, as her father’s was. Soft to the touch, but doesn’t lie flat and silken. EYES : Heterochromatic. Her left eye is a golden brown/amber, while the other is a vibrant green (inherited from her mother) NOSE : A medium length nose, with a slight bump in the middle. The bottom is not overly wide, and slightly upturned. FACE : Her facial shape is not remarkably feminine, more androgynous, though her features definitely point towards her being female. Her brows are a bit heavier than most women, and with a semi-strong jaw. (Think Norn of Guild Wars 2) LIPS : Nice, full lips, plush for sure. COMPLEXION : Not pale, but not too dark. She has the permanent tan of someone who is always outside. No freckles or acne. Skin is pretty clear for the most part, though in the cold there can be a need for something to give it moisture. BLEMISHES : Only occasional things. Dry lips, sometimes, maybe dark circles if there hasn’t been much sleep. SCARS : General wear and tear, as to be expected. There is also a massive burn scar on her left side, from hip, to under the bust, but not crossing over her center or spine. Two rips on back and front each of her right side, from massive fangs. Three claw marks over her left eye from forehead to midcheek. TATTOOS : ...there’s, uh, some tribal stuff on the top of her...dick HEIGHT : 137 cm / 4′6″ WEIGHT : 50 kg / 110 lbs BUILD : Rinnah is toned, but not sculpted. She has an endomorphic body type (reference is Samantha Wright, mostly). There isn’t too much going on, bust-wise, and there’s a bit of broadness to her shoulders, but her hips are decidedly wider, giving a more pear shaped appearance, though her upper body is nothing to sneeze at. FEATURES : Thick thighs, thick ass. Got a bit of a happy trail going on (white peach fuzz) ALLERGIES : Nope! USUAL HAIR STYLE : Let it loose! Though she has been known to braid her crest, braid it when long, or just tie it up to keep it out of the way. USUAL FACE LOOK : Generally curious, interested. Not necessarily happy, but there’s no resting bitch face either. USUAL CLOTHING : Think vikings, with more bones and furs, and no shoes.

PSYCHOLOGY.

FEAR / S : Being alone, rejection, abuse ASPIRATION / S : To find whatever it is that she’s looking for. ( Rin, herself, doesn’t know what it is, but it’s to find someone that cares for her (in any sense of the word) and/or a place that she can have purpose. POSITIVE TRAITS : Strong, loyal, gentle, caring, protective, brave ( for others ) NEGATIVE TRAITS : Pushover, nervous ( under the surface ), easily influenced, gullible ZODIAC : Virgo TEMPEREMENT : Easy-going, yet a bit on the shy side, until she gets to know/trust you. Then, she’s a fluffy whirlwind of fun, if you let her be. SOUL TYPE / S : Server. Click the link on the actual “soul type” thing to find out what that means! ANIMALS : Wolf, Lion, Horse, Hawk ( Her and her immediate family’s forms )

VICE HABIT / S : Tendency to isolate herself, despite the fact that it makes her feel horrible, Is very secretive, and tries to give out as little information as possible, until convinced that she can trust them completely, Easy to corrupt with her eager-to-please nature and fear of rejection

FAITH : Believes in the Valar, mostly because she has met two of them, so it is not possible for her not to believe at that point XD GHOSTS ? : Eh AFTERLIFE ? : Everyone is told the story of what happens, and being that she has met two of th Valar, proving their existence, Rinnah isn’t quite sure on the matter. REINCARNATION ? : I don’t think Rinnah wants this to exist, the possibility of coming back, and not having her family the way it was. She refuses to think about it. ALIENS ? : Modern verse? Certainly POLITICAL ALIGNMENT : True neutral. Rinnah will making decisions based on who gets to her first ( and shows some form of affection/care, even if they’re faking.

ECONOMIC PREFERENCE : Skin changers are not known for being materialistic. They might have a home, but everything has its purpose, and is usually crafted by them, themselves. SOCIOPOLITICAL POSITION : Granddaughter of a chief, but that really doesn’t mean much in her society. Everyone is inherently equal, in their eyes, though your behavior and prowess can sway it. EDUCATION LEVEL : Basic survival/self care. A bit of domestic knowledge, but no formal schooling. Can’t really read or write that well... (main verse only)

FAMILY.

FATHER : Folkvar -Deceased- ( The White Lion ) 7′6″, broad and thick muscled. White hair, and blue eyes. A traveller by nature, until he met his match, Selehna, in the Withered Heath. He is jovial, and kind, though a big flirter as well. Has shared his bed with many people, of all races and genders when they’re interested. Doting father to his twin daughters, though Rinnah is his favorite, which everyone knows, but there is no problem with it. MOTHER : Selehna -Deceased- ( The Knight Mare ) 6’4″, more slender and wiry, reminiscent of Elves. Dark red hair, and green eyes. Described by her husband ( and agreed upon by many ) as a Warrior Goddess. She has a temper, to be sure, and is not quite as cuddly as Folkvar. Though, her daughters are a different matter. Sinha is her favorite, and similar to her in many ways. Selehna is the beat down first, ask questions later type when it comes to intruders, or anyone threatening her family. Other times, she is cool and calculating. SIBLINGS : Sinha -Deceased- 5′7″ ( At age 13 ) Fraternal twin to Rinnah. Lighter red hair than their mother ( not fiery ), and blind ( blue eyes ). Takes after their mother in build, and a bit in temperament. Sinha is not entirely fun-loving, but will do all sorts of playing and fun things with her sister, and their father should Rinnah be present. Calm, assertive.

EXTENDED FAMILY : Unknown on father’s side. Mother’s, however, which made up many of the tribe, were not fond of an outsider marrying their most sought after daughter. Were abusive to Rinnah when her parents took Sinha away to find a better healer. They are the source of all her scars, stunted growth, and psychological problems NAME MEANING / S : Folkvar: “guardian of the people”, Selehna: “Moon”, Rinnah: “Shouting for joy”, Sinha: made to match Rin’s HISTORICAL CONNECTION ? : N/A.

FAVORITES.

BOOK : N/A MOVIE : N/A 5 SONGS : N/A

DEITY : Orome and Ulmo ( because she’s met both, and finds them to be quite pleasant )

HOLIDAY : N/A MONTH : Probably September, when it’s not too cool, but Fall has begun. SEASON : Summer/Fall PLACE : She wanders too much to have a favorite. If she did, then there’s a good chance that there would be no more traveling for her. WEATHER : Sunny days, warm, but not too warm for someone who...wears a fur coat -wink- SOUND : The sound of fire crackling, the animals of the forest, rain on a roof, or on the leaves SCENT / S : Baked treats and bread, roasting meat, freshly cut wood TASTE / S : Savory, meaty flavors. Freshly baked bread, deserts of all sorts FEEL / S : Leather, fur, crunching leaves, smooth river stones ANIMAL / S : Dogs and horses, and bears NUMBER : N/A. COLORS : Golden yellow, warm browns

EXTRA.

TALENTS : Good, scrappy fighter, ready to use whatever weapons she can find, and her body if she can’t. Cooking and singing. Very good listener. BAD AT : Reading, math, fitting in with more “cultured” people, especially the women TURN ONS : All sorts of things, really. Mostly anything that takes away her control, and even possibly belittles her. Teasing is good, verbal or otherwise, but nothing too cruel. Facesitting is pretty awesome (especially when someone else is doing the sitting). SIZE DIFFERENCE HELL FUCKIN YEAH. Experienced partners, and a reasonable amount of roughness. Put a hand around her throat, maybe pin her down completely, make her cum over and over until she’s begging you to stop, or the reverse is good too. TURN OFFS : MAKING ANY SORT OF NEGATIVE COMMENT TOWARDS HER GENITALS (The existence of, moreso than being like “oh gosh it’s so small, because that kind of comment makes her feel all hot and embarrassed and she loves it.) HOBBIES : Woodcarving, hunting, singing, traveling, sleeping in sun beams AESTHETIC TAGS : Animals of all sorts, gorgeous landscapes, carved wood, bone jewelry, all sorts of weapons (more along the primitive/medieval aspect), rustic dishes (bread and meats predominantly) GPOY QUOTES : N/A. Look at the musings tag on my blog

FC INFO.

MAIN FC / S : Emilia Clarke & Samantha Wright ALT FC / S : Isla from Plastic Memories (For any non-live action) OLDER FC / S : N/A YOUNGER FC / S : N/A VOICE CLAIM / S : Nora Patterson of Royal Teeth, I think, is probably the best I can find? GENDERBENT FC / S : N/A

MUN QUESTIONS.

Q1 : if you could write your character your way in their own movie , what would it be called , what style would it be filmed in , and what would it be about ? A1 : Oh geez, this is definitely a very tough question. Personally, I don’t think there’s really much of a way to do a movie about her. I mean, the beginning would be fun, probably, with the antics of her and Sinha, as well as just enjoying time with the parents. Then everything would just become depressing, more depressing, and then a bit indifferent as she went on her own. After all, She doesn’t have anything big that happens, she’s just another denizen of Middle-Earth.

Q2 : what would their soundtrack / score sound like ? A2 : Ooh boy, Instrumentals all the way for this one. It fits best with the world she lives in, and a lot of the Lord of the Rings stuff would fit for that reason. However, while it’s good on the epic/battle fronts, it doesn’t have quite as many happy and depressing songs that would fit for her. For that reason, I could actually see Ghibli type music working well. It has a whole range of emotional songs, from the most light-hearted, to the most heart-wrenching. Princess Mononoke would definitely have good instrumentals, as well as Spirited Away.

Q3 : why did you start writing this character ? A3 : Well, I had her as a character in my mind since I first read The Hobbit in second grade. (I was really good at reading) There have been multiple revisions over the years (as children tend to make sort of mary-sue characters, but that’s not their fault), and I finally really settled about 2009. (other than the average hair changes because people don’t have to stick to one style)

Q4 : what first attracted you to this character ? A4 : BEORN WAS MY FAVE IN THE HOBBIT AND I WANTED SO MUCH MORE!!! I would have loved a book about his life, and more of when the Company stayed at his home. Shape-shifting characters have always been a draw for me, but I wasn’t quite as fond of the one’s who had even more power than that. Trust me, being able to change into one animal is enough to make a character interesting, without overdosing on coolness and power.

Q5 : describe the biggest thing you dislike about your muse. A5 : Being that Rinnah is naturally so friendly, and her culture pretty open, I have a lot of trouble when it comes to rp partners thinking that she’s trying to get into their pants. She also has a lot of fears and conflict when interacting with others, so I can’t always proceed the way I would like, in threads. Pleasing the character she’s interacting with is her top priority, so sometimes it can be pretty limiting.

Q6 : what do you have in common with your muse ? A6 : We both stay quiet about our own problems, and will constantly try and help people while we, ourselves, are just treading emotional water. I personally, emotionally carried like half of my fellow Honor students in college through every midterm and finals week, while completely freaking out in my own head.

Q7 : how does your muse feel about you ? A7 : She’d probably be really excited to have someone like me as a friend. Interacting with me isn’t as emotionally taxing, because of my laid-back nature, so it would be very comfortable for her.

Q8 : what characters does your muse have interesting interactions with ? A8 : Ya know, I can’t make this shit up. With, like, 90% of villain characters, she will become like someone they absolutely love to be around, some even ask to marry her, while others mostly go out with her, if she hasn’t been adopted by them. (And yes, I’m including the ones who really are not fond of other people, like; Gisborne, Smaug (in multiple cases), Bolg, Ganondorf, Hades, Gregor Clegane, Hyde (from BBC’s Jekyll), etc.

Q9 : what gives you inspiration to write your muse ? A9 : Music, mostly. If I’m listening to some good shit I will check tumblr so many times for notifications hoping that it’ll be time to write XD My other inspiration is all of the positive feedback I get from my partners, as well as my want/need to do the best that I can for them.

Q10 : how long did this take you to complete ? A10 : Don’t....don’t even..please...

#headcanons #Rinnah #Muse #JFC PUT AN END TO MY SUFFERING

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filmsbyme-blog · 6 years

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City of God: Benny’s Farewell

City of God (2002), directed by Fernando Meirelles and Katia Lund, is a champion of Brazilian cinema. The film was shot on location in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas with often improvising non-professional actors to help create the verisimilitude and Documentary flavor of the film. After the withdrawal of government support in 1990, Brazilian cinema rebounded from crisis. The new cinema movement is known as the retonmada or reemergence and has since reinforced the film industry and brought international success (Johnson). One common trait is social conscience, namely revealing the harsh realities of favelas and exploitation of poverty. Glauber Rocha’s manifesto "Aesthetics of Hunger" (1965) argues that films need to be aggressive in order to truly expose poverty (Borges). City of God is exactly that. Benny’s Farewell Party should be a peaceful occasion welcoming him to a new life but demonstrates that trouble never rests. The action is undeniably exciting. The death of Benny, one of the most promising characters, leaves little hope for others like Rocket seeking to break the cycle of violence in the City of God. Benny’s Farewell Party is a pivotal downturn for the town, as it is the causation of the imminent drug-war; it also signifies hopelessness for those, who try to leave the City.

The mis-en-scene of the comfortable party atmosphere lures in the audience: the diverse group of jovial partyers dance in the decorated slums. The shallow shots fill the frame with people. Littered bottles and spray-painted walls help create the verisimilitude of the carefree, disheveled slums. The shots are consistent with ambient noises of laughing, partying, and music, until the climax. However, this pleasant illusion is quickly dissolved by the characters. The blue lighting of this scene contrasts the golden lighting in the innocent sixty's era. The mis-en-scene is purposefully kept dark to create the appearance of nightlife but maintain the complex tone of insecurity in peacetime. In the opening shot, after Rocket receives the gifted camera from Benny, the two smiling men tightly hug. The well-lit medium shot help create the cheerful intimacy and assert the two centered characters. Benny is donned in his hippie attire, indicating his difference from his gangster friends. His floral warm shirt helps depict his liveliness that contrast the dark colors of antagonist Lil Z and neutrals of bystander Rocket. Next, there is a medium shot of Lil Z changing his attention, and his large smile disappears from his face. A quick pan shows that he watches the hug. Followed by a close-up of his eyes, the Kushelov effect develops his jealousy. Lil Z striding toward the camera creates a threatening feeling. Following, Blacky’s unlit face peeks from behind a wall, watching intently. The flash of light that briefly crosses his face creates the eeriness of his questionable intentions. “You’ll take some great pictures,” Benny correctly promises. In an over the shoulder shot, Rocket pleasantly studies the camera before in a medium shot, Lil Z snatches the camera. Rocket is pushed to the ground; he is viewed from a high angle, demonstrating his submission to Lil Z, who is shown in the next shot from a low angle to demonstrate his power and how he looks down on Rocket. In the next shot, as Rocket gets up, and Benny grabs the camera. Benny and Lil Z begin to fight. Benny’s face is seen; he is viewed as the heroic defender, knowing right from wrong. The shouts and struggle of Benny and Lil Z greatly contrast the fun party mood that surrounds them. In Lil Z and Benny’s shots, their fight is centered, hinting to its importance in the plot and thematic interpretation. The situational irony is striking; typically, a friend would be proud for the other in the occasion. In the next shot, a needle is placed on a new music record, and consequently, the party shot erupts in cheers. The music changes to a groovy tune, and the strobe lights commence. In a close up, Benny and Lil Z’s faces are shone; both characters are back lit in an ominous and intimidating manner, and the tension can still be seen in their faces. Benny’s girlfriend Angelica attempts to hold back Rocket straining to break up the fight; his protest can be heard. The looming, blank expression of Blacky is one of the only non-smiling party-goers in the scene. He walks in what is presumed to be the direction of Benny and Lil Z because of the intercutting of the shots. There is a close up on his eyes, making the audience wonder what is going through his mind, aiding the apprehensive tone. The scene returns to the fights and then a wide pan of the party. There are then successive shots of close ups on the angered faces of Benny and Lil, shots of the anxious Rocket and Angelica, and hints of Blacky’s face. Extended shots of the struggle between Lil Z and Benny, the concerned Rocket and Angelica, and suspicious Blacky create a feeling of anticipation in the audience. In the climax, briefly the audience sees what is hidden in the jacket pocket of Blacky. The bright orange light from the fired shot contrast with the darkness of the mis-en-scene. The high contrast of light also creates a persistence of vision, forcing the audience to focus on the gun. Blacky’s complete silent accentuates his mysteriousness, until his alarming gun shot is heard. As quickly as the gun was fired, the shot changes. Benny jerks back, and the audience is left to imagine his fall. Screams are heard in the darkness. Lil Z rushes to Benny in a medium shot. The shooter, Blacky, runs; the close-up reveals the emotionless expression and makes him a seemingly heartless murderer. The strobe light creates a frantic effect. The images are unclear and unsettling, creating a feeling of frenzy. This builds suspense to the climax. The brevity that the audience sees the images keeps the audience frantically trying to keep up and gives a sense of disorientation that emphasizing the shock when the audience realizes that it is Benny who has been shot. The fast cuts build tension. The pans build suspense. In the darkness, everyone scrambles. In the over the shoulder shot of the DJ, it is an omniscient point of view, also known as “God-like” point of view. The music stops. Signifying here, God abandons the scene. With no music, the sounds of screams and running can be heard clearly; accentuating the fearful tone. In the successive shots, feet and shoulder are seen fleeing; a voice is heard saying “They’ve killed Benny!” In one shot, feet scramble past the camera that lies on the floor. There are asynchronous sounds of a woman screaming in the dark shot, withdrawing audience sympathy. In a medium shot, Lil Z rushes to Angelica who clings to Benny. Then, there is a close-up on her crying face. Angelica, once the love interest of Rocket, is a symbol of passion, desire, and yearning. The love of her and Benny represented that of symbiotic connection and the healthiest relationship in City of God. Understanding the bond between Benny and Angelica and what they represent makes the shot truly heartbreaking. The next is a low angle shot of Lil Z who cries, “Fuck! Call an ambulance! Where’s the motherfucker who did it?” Never has he been so visibly upset. He swings his gun around in violent reaction. This foreshadows his reaction to the death of Benny, who kept him from initiating the drug-war, and the beginning of the bloody end. Intercutting clips of Angelica and Lil Z make the audience greatly feel Benny’s absence. Close-ups of Angelica shouting and holding Benny are intercut with an interaction of Lil Z. Lil Z, defensively behind his gun is told Benny is dead; he denies, saying, “No! Call a doctor!” The high over the shoulder shot of Lil Z show how other characters now are threatened below him. To reinforce this theme, a long shot shows the others fearfully crawl away from Lil Z’s pointed gun. The grief of both Angelica and Lil Z is shown through Angelica’s desperation and Lil Z’s denial. The next shot is a close-up of the weeping girlfriend’s face that pans down to Benny as she gives him a final, slow kiss. In the next shot, Lil Z pushes her off, screaming “Get out of here, bitch! It’s your fault!” In the sharp light of her close-up, her weak position and crying face are shown. The point of view is her level, and the audience experiences her perspective. This builds a pity for her situation. Contrarily, the gun pointing on her is all that is seen of Lil Z. His humanity is lost, replaced only by his violent presence. In reaction, Angelica crawls back. The next shot is a behind the shoulder of Lil Z’s pointed gun and the pitied Angelica. Interestingly, this is followed by a shot of Lil Z with a gun pointed at the camera. This not only helps the audience experience Angelica’s point of view, but contributes to the fear the audience will feel toward Lil Z. After, in the long shot, Angelica, like the audience, takes one last long look at the scene, before she hesitantly peels away. In the final shots, there is a close-up of Lil Z and Benny. This allows a final chance for the audience to reconsider their relationship and digest what this means for the favelas. The close up of Lil Z’s hands feeling Benny’s chest produces a pity for both Lil Z and Benny; it finalizes the fact that Benny is never coming back for Lil Z and the audience. The actions of Lil Z are significantly unlike previous scenes. Once a murderous nine-year-old, Lil Z finally witnesses a death he did not relish and did not provoke, as he has lost his only friend. The next long shot is an omniscient point of view, where screaming Lil Z angrily fires his gun into the sky hovering over the body. The gunfire contrasts the darkness, and tone foreshadows the violence that follows. The single light above head is reminiscent of “climbing toward the light” emphasizing the idea of death and resembles a spotlight, dramatizing Lil Z. Combined with a deserted deep shot, this all emphasizes the isolation of Lil Z. The long shot distances even the audience from Lil Z. Lil Z is in the lower right third creating a sense of weakness and is different from his previous depictions. With the finality of Benny’s death, the single strobe light fades to black. The world darkness around Lil Z, and the finale is foreboding.

Benny’s farewell scene begins auspiciously with a jubilant and celebratory tone given by the excited music, cheerful voices, and comparative brightness, as one of the most beloved character will finally break the cycle. It ends with a dark, abandoned environment with the lonely, backlit figure of Lil Z mourning over Benny’s dead body. His death ruins his dream and transforms it to one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the movie. This scene hosts many important themes for the entire movie. First, this is the introduction of the “Chekhov’s Gun,” the camera that Rocket would use to take the picture of Lil Z and earn his first photography job. By giving Rocket a camera, Benny is giving him an opportunity to start a new life doing what he loves and find his own destiny, much like Benny is doing. The camera, the symbol of his dreams, is snatched away from him by Lil Z, who represents those who embrace the cycle of violence. In the end, the camera symbolizing Rocket’s opportunity is left on the floor at this party. This camera will only be returned to him by Lil Z later in the movie leading to his first successful shot. In this scene, the camera, instead of being a symbol of wealth or power, represents future creative opportunity and Benny’s extended compassion to Rocket, provoking the jealousy of Lil Z, who grew up with Rocket but unlike him, chose drugs. Even though they are best friends, Benny is more like Rocket than Lil Z. Benny displays kindness, unlike his friend and like Rocket, condemns the drug lifestyle. Like Rocket’s, Benny’s dream dies here with him destroyed by Jealousy- Lil Z- and Revenge- Blacky. Secondly, Benny’s death signifies the beginning of war. Benny acts as the control for Lil Z’s violent tendency. Now, the devasted, unrestrained and angry Lil Z, who has lost the only friend with whom he seemed to have a passionate connection, starts the drug war immediately. As Carrot later explains to Blacky, “You’ve killed the coolest cat in the hood.” Benny represents love; he is friends with all groups of people. For example, his charm wins over Rocket’s love interest Angelica. Benny is one of the few characters who exhibits genuine altruism to others like Rocket, for example, to whom he has given a long-time desired camera. It is evident that even Lil Z, the most heartless character in the film, cared for Benny. However, Benny’s death demonstrates that generosity and charm are powerless to violence as a social power. The death of Benny says even the most popular and lovable man, who tries to do something good for his life, can be shot and killed. Where the best die, all are hopeless. Jealousy and vengeful desires, demonstrated in this scene by Lil Z and Blacky, are what ruin men like Benny. In comparison to the story of Shaggy and Goose, the scarier significance is that there is no way out of the cycle of violence that they were born into in the City, unless one is dead. The most popular man in town, is in the end, abandoned with few left to help him because fear dominates camaraderie in the City of God. Alone this scene is depressing, but the positive end for Rocket makes the film more hopeful.

Works Cited:

Johnson, Randal. (2005). “The New Brazilian Cinema”. Film quarterly, 59(1), 63–65. JSTOR, Retrieved from www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/fq.2005.59.1.63.

Borges, G. (2011). “From city of god to city of men: The representation of violence in brazilian cinema and television.” Cinémas : Revue d'Études Cinématographiques. Journal of Film Studies, 22(1), 123-148,183. ProQuest, Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/900868616?accountid=14882

Submitted for Global Cinema course Scene Analysis on October 8th, 2018

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