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yannaryartside · 6 months

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SydCarmy vs Lucus

AMBITIONS AND PERSPECTIVES ON ART

This is a long one. Is about the series's themes on pursuing the arts, and the reasons that this ships work as symbolism for it.

When thinking about the reasons Marcus and Sydney were not going to work out (as far as we can see), I read a comment saying: "they are not on the same level" and the more I thought about it, I realized it not only meant they are not equal in culinary expertise, but they also have different ways to "live" their path in the culinary arts, almost opposite philosophies about it. And all of it is explained in their conversations with their (possible) romantic interest.

WHAT IS AN ART PHILOSOPHY?

When you enter a path in the arts, any part, at some point, you will have to make decisions about how you are going to transit this path because there are very different ways to live a creative life, to make money out of it, and how feel fulfilled about it. Many people will enter their path with an idea of what success looks like, probably modeled after an artist that you admired, the desire for your art to be recognized as good, or as "the best," or even to disrupt what came before you. Shortly, art philosophy is how you value your path in the arts: What makes it good art? What point of your career is gonna bring you satisfaction? What guides you to it?

CARMY AND SIDNEY : "LET'S BE THE BEST AND REACH LOST OF PEOPLE"

They both want to be "the best," their definition of it equals stars, reviews, magazine interviews, and restaurant numbers. The creative impulse is only as valuable as is booming, and a chef is only as good as the size of their kitchen.

They both want exterior recognition and aspire to a big audience, and their satisfaction in their craft depends on that; what makes their unbearable jobs worth it somehow is if "people loved the food." They both have wounds and bonds formed around food and love making people happy with the food, but they have selected a perspective of what "the best" is and is an ambition they run almost blindly to. You can think the burger place on your block has the best food in the world. There are cooks utterly content with that, but the Michelling stars are telling otherwise.

Of course, this is the most tangible way to measure success in arts, the singer with the most loved songs, the book with the most readers. Quality is supposed to be evident by popularity, and they want it, decorated with the prize of succeding in such a competitive industry. They have tried to win the culinary rat race and have regrets about it.

Carmy (motivated by the rejection and abandonment from his brother) worked his ass to unhealthy levels to climb the culinary ladder, living to best everybody around him and run the best restaurant on the planet (which, if we believe his monologue, only took two fucking years). Sydney is presented to us as somebody with equal creative powers, intelligence, and instincts as Carmy, which is particularly obvious in their brainstorming sessions. But she hasn't been offered the same opportunities. Her previous bosses described her as "incredibly talented, impatient, and green." and one friend told her as "always trying to be the best." There is much to say about how her impatience may sabotage her ambitions. Still, it may be because she fears getting stuck, labeled, or never recognized by her talents.

These two have 3 things they prioritize in their art paths:

Creative expression+people love the food

Exterior recognition based on the industry standards (stars and big kitchens)

A rat race (sense of urgency) and your ability to play on it.

What makes your food the "best" is comparing it to everyone else and "winning" in a particular category.

Not to mention, they are both deeply aware of the logistics and money sides of the restaurant life. It is not like they don't value inspiration, but their ambition is the defining force behind said inspiration.

MARCUS AND LUCA: "LET'S BE INSPIRED AND EVOLVE"

Luca was introduced to us as someone who was "trying to keep up with Carmy, who was much better than him," the same way the audience feels Marcus is someone trying to impress and keep up with Syd. Luca knows the culinary world, has traveled, and has a privileged position making high-end desserts (possibly in a place with stars). He is the Carmy to Marcus's Sydney.

Btw, there are some crazy parallels here too:

Marcus and Sydney have a wound/fear related to their mothers.

Luca and Carmy have strained relationships with their siblings (Luca has a sister he cannot find).

Both Carmy and Sydney got into it because of early childhood passion

Marcus and Luca got into it by "chance," discovering a passion that they never expected to love this much or be good at.

Mentor x student relationship.

Back to Marcus and Lucas's perspective of art. Notice how Carmy was trapped in a sense of urgency environment, with many people working for him, in NYC, a chaotic city; while Luca seems to work entirely by himself, in a pretty chill environment, in a rather peaceful city. Luca and Marcus thrive on this environment, which is about thought and delicacy, unlike the "efficient, fast run kitchen" Carmy and Sydney established.

Marcus had no philosophy about his craft because he was barely starting. Still, he adopts Luca's philosophy, which has 3 parts:

You may never be the best. Some artists have to let go of the idea of being "the best." There is a lot to say about this. But I want to express this using an example of the craft that I aspire to get into: writing. A friend once told me that some books are not meant to reach millions because they have a very specific audience, and what makes them good is how "memorable they are." More of it, some artists are never recognized in their times. The industry may not be made for them, or it may be just luck. Limiting the value of art by the industry standard is depriving the world of art that needs to be more exploratory, spontaneous, or just free.

Since industry validation may not be available to you, instead of "being the best" against others, you can decide, "My only competition is me from yesterday." This perspective is super important because it gives you something to aspire to, ensures your creative growth, and allows reinvention.

It is not about skill but being open to the world, yourself, and other people. It is not about fancy techniques or recognition but about being inspired.

To Luca and now Marcus, the creative process is as good as is honest, and a chef is as good as the effort he puts into it. The "self-exploration" and the recognition of the people surrounding him allowed Marcus to create his desserts: The Copenhagen sundae, for his ultimate school (and Luca), "Mum's" honey bun, Sidney's donut (the first one in believing in him and when he recognized his dreams), and "The Michael" the one that put him to make bread, and the tribute that needs to be made.

#sorry I just love stories about making art #the bear is a love story #carmy berzatto #sydcarmy #carmy the bear #the bear meta #carmen berzatto #sydney x carmy #carmy x sydney #luca the bear #marcus the bear #lucus #chef kiss

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papercranium · 9 months

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THE BEAR CHARACTERS’ ZODIAC SIGNS🐻

steaming hot takes with my (limited) knowledge of astrology. but this has been simmering in my brain for many days and i simply must speak my truth...(part 1/?) idk lmk if you want more bc i have a few thoughts!

carmy is an aquarius!!!! i know this to be true deep in my heart!! the passion, the drive, the focus, the intellect, it's all there. he's driven by his desire to be good, and to keep getting better. carmy knows what he wants and although he sometimes struggles with emotional intimacy, he's actually a really good communicator. he doesn't do small talk, but as we've seen, he's open and willing to discuss difficult topics and be vulnerable with the people he's close to. he is a stubborn believer in the people he cares about, and strongly values teamwork and his desire to make the world around him better.

i think sydney is a gemini she is such a summer girl to meeee!! i loved s2e03 bc we really got to glimpse into her creative thought process. it's fast-paced and fluid and innovative and strongly influenced by her surroundings. she has really vivid goals and dives fully into them, as we see her do in building the beef, but underneath it all i think she definitely gets flustered and struggles with self-doubt--what if her passion isn't enough to make things work? sydney's a little impulsive/impatient at times, but recovers quickly because, like carmy, she's a really strong communicator (i could go ON about sydcarmy &their signs' compatibility....but that's maybe for another time lol).

richie is a sagittarius. he just is. he's brash and extroverted and really driven by a desire to find his purpose, whether it be in his relationships or in his work (s2e07 my beloved)!!! richie's an entertainer and a people person and he's not afraid to take up a lot of space. part of this comes from his closeness to mikey, but he's a great storyteller and wants for people to hear him. but when he's upset, esp when arguing with carmy, he's very blunt and isn't afraid to hit him where it hurts. i think some of the other characters find him a bit unpredictable, and likely it's bc he's trying to unpack a lot of difficult emotions while battling against his own pride.

natalie is a libra and i love her for it. i think one of the most prominent things about nat is that she's always seeking for balance, for security, for things to be stable and good and okay (with the bear, with carmy, with her mother) she is a people pleaser!!!!!! which is probably her greatest strength as well as her greatest weakness--she really wants carmy to be okay, but the work she puts in clearly takes a toll on her. natalie can turn up the charm if it helps her get the job done, as we see her do with cicero. she's critical and focused and has a good eye, which makes her a great project manager (where would carmy and syd be without her)

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potionboy3 · 8 months

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character profile

► basics:

Full name: Alexej Emil Kavinsky (born Vogel)

Meaning of name: Alexej means “defending men”, “defender of men”, “defender of the people” or “protector of men”. Emil means "to strive", "excel", "rival", "eager"

Nickname: Lexi, Alex

Pronouns: He/him

Sexual Orientation: Gay

Nationality: German father, from mother's side Chzech and possibly Russian.

Birth date: December 16th, 1892

Zodiac sign: Sagittarius A December 16 Sagittarius is extraordinary. They have a disciplined nature and can live on little, as long as they can express their inner fire. Blessed with an artistic temperament, they understand that success equals creative accomplishment, not money. They have much wisdom.

Age: 22 when the war starts

► Physical appearance:

Faceclaim: Tom Schilling

Height: 168cm

Eye colour: Blue

Hair colour: Brown

► Personality:

Positive traits: hardworking, brave, thoughtful, determined, realistic, artistic

Negative traits: private, irritable, selfish, panicky, grumpy, indecisive, judgy, demanding

Personality type: ISFJ

Character’s greatest joy in life: getting to make his own decisions

Fears: his fathers opinions, the horrible things he has done in his past, losing loved ones.

Why?

Alexej has a difficult relationship with his father who does not approve his choices and sees him weak.

Alexej had to do a lot of bad things to survive while being part of AM and TOWER. His past haunts him.

Alexej lost his best friend and he doesn't want to lose anyone that important again.

Priorities: himself, his friends

Character’s soft spot: Fiete, Lunas, Kateryna & Klara, Sydney, Knusper, Ione

Is this soft spot obvious to others? It's not obvious at all and Sydney is the only one to see through him. (Well Knusper might.)

Greatest vulnerability or weakness: He thinks it's using his heart and not his head. But really his weakness is his own fear and anxiety. For the longest of time he did as he was told out of fear and later he still panics easily.

Biggest regret: Joining the anti-muggle group AM

Secrets of the character: He was in love with Fiete

Does anyone else know? Kateryna and Klara might guess it, as well as his father.

Drives and motivations: Future where he doesn't need to follow anyone's orders.

► Past

Hometown: Berlin, Germany

Type of childhood: Alexej's mother died when he was born. His father was strict and raised him to respect his values rather than finding his own ones. He had a mongrel dog before starting school, whom he loved very much. His father was wealthy so he got used to having luxurious things around him. From early on Alexej was raised to despise the muggle-community and he didn't see muggleborns as part of the Wizarding community. Religion: Not religious

Dream job: Artist ► Present Current location: Germany, then France during the war Currently living with: Lived in the base of the AM movement, later goes to France and joins the dark wizard alliance called TOWER and lives in their base.

Pets: He bonds with a wild wolf with a broken leg during the war. The wolf becomes his companion. He names him Knusper. *Author's note, thank you @cursed-herbalist for naming this little bastard!*

Occupation: Worked for German Ministry of Magic as an auror but was secretly part of the AM movement. During the start of the war Alexej was part of the German Army still working for the Ministry and AM. After leaving AM he joined TOWER and worked with them in hopes of helping Lunas Avery out of the movement's control. After leaving TOWER Alexej was hired by the British Ministry of Magic because of his knowledge and actions against TOWER. After the war he cut his connections to the Ministry and started a career as a freelance artist.

► Magical info

Blood Status: Pureblood

Education: Durmstrang

Wand: Holly wood with a dragon heartstring core, 10 ¾ and unbending flexibility

Holly is one of the rarer kinds of wand woods; traditionally considered protective, it works most happily for those who may need help overcoming a tendency to anger and impetuosity. At the same time, holly wands often choose owners who are engaged in some dangerous and often spiritual quest. Holly is one of those woods that varies most dramatically in performance depending on the wand core Patronus: Mongler dog

Just like a wizard doesn’t have to be a pure-blood to be great, a dog doesn’t have to a purebred to be your best friend. While a mongrel’s ancestry might be a mystery, they tend to be intelligent, energetic, and good-natured. Your mongrel dog Patronus will be loyal and friendly toward you but fierce against any Dementor that seeks to harm you. Their scrappy nature makes them a perfect partner in any situation. *Author's note, I find this patronus so ironic but fitting!* Patronus Memory: Spending time with his friends in Durmstrang and having fun. Boggart: Fiete dying but the person killing him is Alexej himself. Specialized/Favourite Spells: Alexej is talented in memory spells and quick to disarm his enemy. He is really bad with cleaning spells. Favourite subject in school: charms and divination

► Family Father: Anton Vogel Face claim: Oliver Masucci

Relationship with him: As a child Alexej wanted to please his father and followed his orders and wishes. During his Durmstrang years Anton didn't think his son was strong enough and wasn't pleased with the close friendship he had with Fiete. He started to see Alexej as a weak link which the teenager desperately wanted to prove wrong.

Anton wasn't a very strict or serious father but rather bantered with his son and complimented his success if he saw such. Alexej liked spending time with his father despite wanting to prove himself worthy and the two were close in his youth. After graduating, Alexej joined the AM movement that worked in Germany under Grindelwald's alliance. His father was secret supporter of the movement but being a politician he had to ensure that his name stayed out of it, so Alexej started using his mother's last name. After Alexej killed Anton's friend Adalmar Nachtnebel in 1916, he didn't contact his father until the end of the year. His father was pleased that Alexej had joined TOWER but later found out that he didn't actually value this alliance either. Anton was disappointed and Alexej didn't contact his father after the war. Later Anton became the German Minister for Magic but claimed that his son had died during the war.

► Love interests

Sydney Barlow @gaygryffindorgal Face claim: Rami Malek

Relationship with him: Alexej saves Sydney's life by shooting Nachtnebel instead of executing Sydney when he was told to. Alexej lets him go, leaving him with Nachtnebel's wand. The two meet again in a small town while Sydney is looking for his company and Alexej is on a run. The two spend time together and get to know each other a little but eventually Alexej leaves for his own adventures. They later meet again and Sydney gets his chance to save Alexej's life when Alexej gets shot. to be continued...

► Enemies

His father, Adalmar Nachtnebel, Ren Godfrey and the whole of TOWER, The whole of AM, Grindelwald's Allience, and some of the students of Durmstang. Adalmar Nachtnebel: Nachtnebel was a member of the AM and Alexej's father's good friend. Nachtnebel put a lot of pressure on Alexej and tried to shape him into a ruthless soldier. Alexej never liked him and after he was forced into crimes against the muggle community under Nachtnebel's command, he started to resent him. When Sydney Barlow escaped from the AM base after being taken there as a prisoner, Nachtnebel commanded Alexej to shoot him after the two found him from a near by forest. Alexej chose to shoot him instead.

Ren Godfrey: Alexej joined TOWER (Transnational Order of Wizards Exposure Rights) after leaving AM. Ren Godfrey was one of the founding members of the said group of dark wizards. Alexej claimed to be loyal to TOWER but he actually joined because of Lunas Avery. His real goal was to get Lunas out of the blackmailing situation he had going on with Ren. Eventually Ren finds out the truth about Alexejs true alliance but he has more anger towards Lunas than Alexej.

*Author's note, @cursed-herbalist, this beautiful smarty-pants also named both AM and TOWER when I've been struggling with both. so all the love and respect and my undying gratitude*

► Favourites

Colour: gray

Food: likes to test different type of cocktails

Literature: Reads a lot and in different languages. He likes historical fiction.

Most loved possession: his mothers old ring. ► Habits Spending habits: Alexej is used to luxury but later becomes more strict with money. Smokes: Yes a lot Drinks: That too Other drugs: Not regularly What does he do too much of? smoking, shaking Sydney's hand

What does he do too little of? relaxing

Extremely skilled at: art, making drinks, learning languages

Extremely unskilled at: talking about his feelings, hugs and public affection

►Traits

How he feels about himself: As a teenager he feels proud and above everyone else but it starts to change as he grows up. He's not much for self pity but he does get angry at himself.

How do other people perceive him: entitled and annoying, violent, problematic, or fascinating and talented

Style:

► Relationships with others

Does the character hide his true opinions and emotions from others? Alexej is hard to read and people often don't know if he's joking or not. His loyalties are often a mystery.

Person character most hates: Adalmar Nacthnebel

Best friend(s): Fiete Tegeler, Lunas Avery, Kateryna Von Engelhardt and Klara Belikova

Friends: Ione Avery, Ares Gaunt, Zedric Faust, Colm O'Shea, Linus Sullivan, Maritza Krum, Cayetana Narváez

Fiete Tegeler, Klara Belikova @gaygryffindorgal & Kateryna Von Engelhardt @cursebreakerfarrier:

During his studies in Durmstrang, Alexej was close friends with Klara, Kateryna and Fiete. Klara, Kateryna and Alexej all came from similar backgrounds and shared the same type of values. Fiete was different, being a half blood and coming from a less wealthy background. He didn't have strong opinions against muggleborns and he was much kinder than Alexej. Still he became his closest friend who he secretly developed feelings for. The three would often claim that Fiete was a pureblood to avoid controversy among other students. This bothered Fiete, but loving his friends he let them keep their perfect picture. The group would often pair up during balls and they spent holiday breaks together being practically inseparable.

During his seventh year Alexej managed to gain few enemies in school after sharing information he was not suppose to. This lead to the boys attacking him and Fiete while the girls watched trying to stop it from happening. The fight ended with Fiete's death. After his passing away it was hard for the group to spend time together as just a trio and it took a long time for them to get close again. Faceclaims: Max Schimmelpfennig, Alicia Agneson, Alina Kovalenko

*Authors note, thank you @gaygryffindorgal for choosing my fiete and loving him*

Lunas Avery @cursed-herbalist:

Alexej meets Lunas when he's posing undercover as an auror to snoop details of the ministry's agenda for the war. They became good friends and Lunas is a big reason why Alexej starts to question his beliefs. Eventually Lunas finds out his true intentions and Alexej has to flee and go back to his AM group. After Alexej leaves the allience he decides to find Lunas again and because of this he ends up joining TOWER. His true intentions are to help Lunas and possibly gain pardon by doing so.

Ione Avery @cursed-herbalist:

Ione and Alexej became friends when Ione was visiting Lunas in Berlin. They have similar struggles and get along well. They have a playful sibling like relationship. He wants to protect her.

Ares Gaunt @gaygryffindorgal:

Ares worked for TOWER at the same time Alexej was there. They had few missions together and Alexej admired Ares's way of handling the situation which was different from the other members of the group. Alexej wasn't aware that Ares was actually an auror working for the ministry.

Zedric Faust: Zedric and Alexej went to Durmstrang at the same time but they were not friends. Alexej thought that Zedric was annoying. Though he was polite to Zedric, he called him Kartoffel (potato) behind his back. After graduating Zedric and Alexej both joined AM and were often paired up together from Zedric's request. Usually Alexej did all the work while Zedric took the credit. After the war Alexej ended up defending Zedric and telling the truth about him not taking much part on the actual things that AM did and being more talk than action. While he never liked Zedric, he didn't feel that the man deserved the worst kind of sentence. The two found mutual respect for each other for surviving their youth and became actual friends.

Colm O'Shea @unfortunate-arrow Alexej got to know Colm through his friend Ione. The two were also in the same company. After the war Alexej stayed good friends with the couple. Alexej was a regular guest to their house.

Linus Sullivan @unfortunate-arrow Linus and Sydney were friends during the war and shared the same company that Alexej was in. He got to know Linus after getting closer with Sydney and the two stayed friends.

Maritza Krum Alexej and Maritza attended Durmstrang at the same time but were not friends. He met her again through his connections with the British Ministry while she was working for the French Ministry of Magic. Later he got to know her also as Linus's wife.

Cayetana Narváez @endlessly-cursed Cayetana and Alexej met because of her connection to Lunas and later became friendly. *more to be added*

Andrey Belikov @gaygryffindorgal Alexej and Andrey knew each other through Klara and once spent a night together though neither remembers that much of the occasion. The two stayed friends.

Anthony Vallen @kathrynalicemc

Andy was the scientist who was investigating the TOWER guns that Alexej,Lunas, Kit and Ares were sent to find during his time working for the British Ministry of Magic. He later also knew Andy through his relationship to Andrey Belikov.

Person character goes to for advice: Kateryna, Klara or Lunas Person character feels responsible for or takes care of: Fiete during school, later he wants to help Lunas when he's being blackmailed by Ren Godfrey. He also wants to protect Ione after befriending her.

Person character feels shy or awkward around: People who flirt with him or who he finds extremely attractive. He's the type of person that when you're having a romantic moment, he will chicken out and insult you instead.

Person character openly admires: Lunas, Ares

#alexej kavinsky #character profile mine #durmstrang oc #hp ww1 era #hp wwi era #i think i've been staring at this for an hour now but maybe it's done and if there's still something odd in it then i will fix it later #anyway baby' is out and proud #he's open for friends or enemies i guess

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nghtchngs · 2 months

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🪄๋࣭ ⭑☾˖⋆ ( victoria moroles, demiwoman, she/they ) — 🎬 just announced, VALENTINA AYALA has been cast as ALEX RUSSO in the upcoming WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE reboot. the twenty-six year old is trending as people are debating if the coffee with too much creamer, leather jackets, always sleeping in, one headphone in at all times, late night drives, & always knowing the best food spots that they are known for is enough to make them as good as original. a quick google search shows that their fans call them honest, but internet trolls think they’re more careless. i guess their newest interview for variety where they talk about the screenplays they’ve written will let people to know them better.

+ pinterest . + playlist.

BASICS:

full name: valentina milagro ayala nicknames: vale, val, tina, mili gender: demiwoman pronouns: she/they sexuality: gay gay lesbian gay age: twenty-six date & place of birth: december 28 in el monte, ca faceclaim: victoria moroles character inspo: ahsoka tano (star wars), beca mitchell (pitch perfect), america chavez (marvel comics), taissa turner (yellowjackets), leah clearwater (twilight)

BULLET POINTS:

— acting for valentina started young — what was a passing comment to her mother about wanting to mimic the children on their tv turned into various commercials, small projects, & student films to bulk her resume up. — soon enough she was scouted by disney, & would become a familiar face in all things disney by age 12. — the more money valentina made the less fun acting became ; more of a job and less of a hobby, they were now the main breadwinner for their family. the mortgage payments for their new house depended on her, a happy christmas was a result of a good holiday paycheck, & the newfound stability the ayala family never had rest on valentina’s shoulders. — disney paid well, but it stifled her, in more ways than just creatively. her teen years were spent going through the throes of gender & sexuality confusion, and by the time valentina decided she wasn’t quite a girl and definitely did not like boys, her image was decided for her — and a demigirl lesbian did not fit into that. — this caused her to retreat into herself, walls building up in an attempt to push away what she didn’t want to come to terms with. while they’re much more sure of themselves now, valentina still holds onto those walls tightly, uncomfortable with being herself. they may be rough around the edges but they’re fiercely protective of those they hold close, and are quite easy to talk to when they’re not in a (unfortunately common) judgmental mood. — while she’s ecstatic to play alex (a formative character in her life), valentina is also ready for her time with disney to be over. more serious roles have garnered valentina more acclaim & respect, and have helped them feel fulfilled as they continue their career. she plans to get more into screenwriting after, thinking that maybe her time would be better spent behind the camera than in front of it.

WANTED CONNECTIONS:

— former beard & current best friend ; someone valentina was pushed to have a pr relationship with before they both realized it was doing more harm than good. ended up as best friends & considered their platonic soulmate and most trusted confidant. — ex (ended on awkward terms) ; someone valentina dated before she came out & was still going through inner turmoil about her sexuality. (probably) ended because of vale’s issues & they are now a sore spot for her that she tries to avoid as often as possible. — roommate ; idk could be cute yktv — childhood friends/long term friendships — fwb — frenemies, enemies, other exs — flirtationships (might be one sided idk her way of flirting is being kinda mean) — literally anything ever this is all just me throwing play doh at a wall

PAST ROLES:

— maya hart in girl meets world — mal in descendants — sydney novak in i am not okay with this — mari in yellowjackets — christine in to all the boys i loved before

#2000s.intro #drops this and runs

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ncisfranchise-source · 7 months

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Although NCIS was well liked from the get-go, not even an elite investigation could have foreseen the show becoming a hit that would span decades and launch a franchise.

It began in spring 2003 as a backdoor pilot for CBS’ sturdy military-law procedural JAG. Co-created by JAG mastermind Donald P. Bellisario (Magnum, P.I. and Quantum Leap) and Don McGill (Numbers, CSI), NCIS follows special agents from D.C.’s Naval Criminal Investigative Service, led by Mark Harmon as Leroy Jethro Gibbs. The show’s initial core cast included Michael Weatherly (Tony DiNozzo), Sasha Alexander (Caitlin Todd), Pauley Perrette (Abby Sciuto) and David McCallum (Ducky Mallard). Twenty years later, the series continues to thrive, as it stands as CBS’ No. 1 broadcast drama for five straight seasons and has launched four spinoffs, with the first international entry, NCIS: Sydney, debuting this fall on the network.

In celebration of the series premiere that aired Sept. 23, 2003, The Hollywood Reporter sat down for an oral history with the creative forces behind the show’s impressive run. This includes Bellisario and McGill, in addition to fellow executive producers Charles Floyd Johnson and Mark Horowitz, CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach and former presidents Nina Tassler and Glenn Geller, CBS Studios president David Stapf, former CBS head of casting Peter Golden, casting director Susan Bluestein and others.

Among the topics discussed include how Harmon stood out among a high-profile list of potential candidates for Gibbs, the circumstances surrounding Bellisario exiting the show, the much-discussed — and sometimes controversial — departures of its initial stars and more recent additions like Cote de Pablo (Ziva David), the politics of its viewers, why NCIS would be much different had it launched on a streamer and how it gets fans to keep coming back amid all the changes.

“CASTING WAS VERY CHALLENGING”

Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill created the series as a two-episode backdoor pilot to air during their show JAG. There was a lengthy list of names considered to play the show’s leader, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, before Mark Harmon landed the part.

Charles Floyd Johnson, executive producer on JAG and NCIS: Because JAG was so successful and had gone nine seasons, the network and other people were saying, “Don, you should really spin it off into something else.”

Donald P. Bellisario, JAG creator and NCIS co-creator: I took two JAG episodes and worked NCIS into that. JAG was the springboard for it.

Don McGill, JAG producer and NCIS co-creator: Don Bellisario gave me my first job on JAG. I had been working on JAG for a couple years when he said he wanted to create a show with me, which was kind of a shock and surprise, but I was super grateful for the opportunity.

Mark Horowitz, JAG director and NCIS executive producer: The show was originally pitched as Law & Order in the Navy. First, there’d be some crime, and the NCIS agents would investigate it — the cops of the Navy — and then the JAG people would come in and try the case. Don played with that idea for a little while, and then he just said, “We’re not going to do that. It’s going to be two completely separate shows.”

Johnson: When the two-parter was finished, the strength was really the first half-hour with the investigation. And Mark Harmon just made a big impression. They started testing it, and the first half-hour tested so well that [then-CBS head] Les Moonves said, “Why don’t we just make it all investigation?” So that’s how it came about.

Amy Reisenbach, CBS Entertainment president: You’ve got to give so much credit to the writers. They wrote real people.

Johnson: I know Harrison Ford was a name that everybody thought about for Gibbs because he was so perfect. But I don’t think it ever got further than, it was a name thrown out.

Peter Golden, former head of CBS casting: [On] Harrison Ford — when you sit down, and you have an initial conversation about casting, no name is off the table. Back in the early 2000s, the Harrison Fords of the world [rarely did TV]. But that didn’t mean you didn’t put them on the list.

Susan Bluestein, NCIS casting director: I don’t remember Harrison Ford. There were names like Alec Baldwin, Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, Kevin Bacon, Tom Berenger, Val Kilmer, Charlie Sheen, Aidan Quinn, Patrick Swayze. We did not make offers to those people. We just investigated.

Johnson: I remember Scott Glenn was mentioned, and he was considered very strongly.

Bluestein: Scott Glenn, yes. And Scott Glenn was also being considered for the role of Ducky. There was a lot of discussion about Scott Glenn, and ultimately Scott Glenn passed. And other people passed for Gibbs.

McGill: Andrew McCarthy at one point was in the mix for Gibbs. He and Don Bellisario met and talked over the role.

Bluestein: Casting was very challenging. I cast Mark Harmon to play John Dillinger in a movie of the week in 1991, and he was terrific. Mark had been on my NCIS list from day one. I always felt like Mark really had the gravitas for this character.

Golden: Susan said, “What about Mark Harmon?” Mark was a big deal, and everybody thought, “We’ll make an offer to Mark Harmon, and when we don’t get him, let’s go through the list of who else we could get.” Mark had a meeting with Don Bellisario, and they hit it off, and Mark agreed to do it. All of a sudden, the show took on much more importance in my mind.

Bluestein: Don wasn’t completely sure [about Mark]. He hadn’t seen a lot of Mark’s work. I felt like I could turn that around.

Bellisario: The kind of character he played in other roles made it fit for this.

Johnson: Sasha Alexander wasn’t in the two-episode pilot. It was an actress by the name of Robyn Lively [who is Blake Lively’s older half-sister]. They liked her, but they didn’t think she quite worked. And so when the series got picked up, CBS said, “We’d rather move on.” And then we went in search of a character, and Sasha came in at the last minute. I loved Robyn Lively, but those things do happen.

Glenn Geller, former CBS Entertainment president: Don Bellisario really understands the particular attributes to put on a character that make them stand out. They are kind of stock characters, but he always infuses it with some attribute that really makes them special.

Johnson: I think Jennifer Aniston was available at the time, and her name was floated.

Bluestein: I don’t remember ever offering it to Jennifer Aniston. Jennifer Aniston could very well have been a name that we discussed.

McGill: Don Bellisario said to me he wanted the show to have a lot of humor, which is where the Abby character came from. I was a huge fan of CSI, and I loved the Greg Sanders character. So I thought creating a quirky lab character, and pushing it a little bit further, would satisfy Don Bellisario’s mandate to bring humor to the show.

Golden: Personally, I loved Pauley Perrette as an actress, but I thought, “Boy, this does not feel like someone who works in a lab.”

Bluestein: I loved Michael Weatherly. But he happened to not be available because he was in Australia [playing Robert Wagner for ABC’s] The Mystery of Natalie Wood. Don was also going to Australia and had a place there, and they went out to dinner. And, of course, later on Robert Wagner would end up playing Michael Weatherly’s father in the show, which was really ironic.

Golden: Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Michael Weatherly, they all came in and read, and when they read, it was undeniable. And I don’t want to underestimate how great Rocky Carroll (Leon Vance, who joined in season five) was.

James Whitmore Jr., director on JAG, NCIS and three spinoffs: When they cast David McCallum as Ducky, the studio said, “No way, we’re not casting this old character actor in the role.” And Don [Bellisario] said, “If you don’t, we’re not doing the show.” He was that serious about it. The studio went with it, and of course, David McCallum is gold.

Golden: I think it was because David McCallum was British. The feeling was, “Can you do that?” This was such an American show.

David Stapf, CBS Studios president: I felt like the show was probably not going to do as well globally because it was about an American unit of the military. So why would other countries embrace it? But I do think back to the universality of good versus evil, and caring about the people.

McGill: In that first year, understandably so, the CSI folks were not too happy about us bringing out a show called NCIS — a crime show with forensics. So it was decided that, at least in that first year, to differentiate, it was called Navy NCIS, which is a little bit redundant. But it assuaged the concerns of the folks at CSI.

Nina Tassler, former CBS Entertainment president: The show really was so strong out of the gate. You had incredible chemistry between the cast, and there was a tone and a sensibility to NCIS that other procedurals couldn’t quite hit.

McGill: I developed the show with Don, wrote the two-hour backdoor pilot out of JAG, and then I wrote a couple of the first episodes of the season. Without going into stuff I’d rather not talk about, Don and I had a falling out. Our relationship became strained. He saw things differently from me. Since he was the boss and a very successful producer, I thought it was best for me and the show that I leave and move on, which is what I did.

“HE’S A VESUVIUS OF A MAN”

The series got off to a solid start but didn’t flourish in the ratings until the third season, which followed the shock of Sasha Alexander getting unexpectedly killed off at the end of season two. In the early years, the show had an arduous shooting process, with Bellisario known as a perfectionist. He exited in 2007.

Golden: We were only able to make a deal with Sasha for two seasons. She decided she wanted to move on to other things, and that left a gaping hole because she was an important part of the show.

Johnson: In year two, Sasha went to Don and said, “I love this show, but I just can’t work this hard.” We were doing long hours. I don’t think she wanted to leave the show — she just wanted a lighter workload. Bellisario was always a writer who went for the cataclysmic. He went, “Well, what if we kill her off?” Everybody goes, “What?” And he went to her and told her, “Good news — your workload is going to be lighter. But you’re going to die.” (Laughs.) It was the very last minute or two of the show — the shot through the head. That’s always been one of the more shocking things on the internet of endings that you don’t see coming.

Bellisario: I wanted to do a shocker, so that’s what I did, and people didn’t expect that at all. It came out of nowhere.

Horowitz: We’ve had a number of circumstances over the years where we’ve had to keep a secret from the audience, and that was the very first one. Only one script page of her being shot was ever printed, and they read it in person, and it was returned every time. The film was broken off from the rest of the film shot for that day. Also, we actually shot an alternate ending. Even my wife didn’t know. (Laughs.) We were watching the show, and [Caitlin] got shot, and she just jumped out of her chair.

Geller: I wasn’t surprised when the series ended up on the air, but I don’t think it was really NCIS in its first season. It took a couple of seasons to really become something.

Horowitz: At the end of their third seasons, both JAG and NCIS were sold to USA Network, where they started running them 24 hours a day. That’s when the network ratings went up, and we moved up to this No. 1 position.

Bellisario: I didn’t realize [that it was a hit] for a while, but when I did, it was a great feeling. I shouldn’t say it was surprising because it was a good show, so I knew it would do well, but I was a little bit surprised by it.

Johnson: Bellisario was very creative and wonderful, but he was a tough taskmaster. I got along with him, thank God, or I don’t think I would have lasted that long. But the reality was that if he didn’t like a script on the day that we were getting ready to start to shoot, he would just tear it apart. He would just start all over again. You’re looking at it, and you’re going, “Oh, God, the cost of this, the budget, nobody’s going to know their lines.” But that’s who he was. His feeling was, if it’s not a good script, you can’t shoot it. But ultimately, down the line, that caused problems with the cast and with Harmon.

Whitmore: Don’s a volatile character. Like a lot of creative people, he’s a Vesuvius of a man. We had done a bunch of Quantum Leaps together, and then I had done a pilot with him that had not gone well. I just said, “I don’t want to do this anymore.” So I stopped working with him. But he did JAG, which was very successful, and I did a couple of those. Then I was doing 24, and Don loved that show’s style. He wanted me to come over [to NCIS]; against my better judgment, I said, “OK, I’ll work for Don again.” I started with the eighth episode of season one. I got hooked immediately, and I kept coming back.

Johnson: Mark Harmon is a lovely man, but he has a very strong, male, no-nonsense point of view in terms of who he was. I think that’s what drew Bellisario to Harmon, and he may have seen some of his own personality in Harmon as well. Harmon had a reputation in terms of his work ethic of always being on time, always hitting his marks and always being supportive of his crew.

Horowitz: Mark Harmon is an extraordinary actor, a wonderful human being and a wonderful person to work with. He was the captain of the acting team.

Johnson: Eventually, actors felt like they would get two acts or one act, and they didn’t know what their arc was for the show. They couldn’t figure out their lines. It was a very complicated show in the beginning. And so when we got to about year four, Harmon just felt like it was too hard. He never said to anybody, “Get rid of Don.” He just said, “This is too hard to work this way.” Eventually, the network went to Bellisario and said, “Maybe you should work from a distance from it and not be quite as involved in terms of the way you work.” And so Bellisario, by the fifth year, was gone.

Bellisario: It was just time for me to move on and do something else. I had done enough on the show, so I stepped away. It was my decision.

Johnson: I was in the middle a lot. I was able to walk the line, and work with Harmon and work with Don. It was not easy, but I was able to do that. I sometimes felt, when the train went off the track, I was the person who had the responsibility of getting it back on and keeping everybody together. But I have great respect for Don. Without him, there would be no NCIS. The two strongest people who got that show up and running in terms of keeping it what it was, would be Bellisario and Harmon.

Whitmore: Mark Harmon is just a solid pro, committed to the work. He is completely creative, never stops working, never stops supporting the other actors, demands everybody showing up there ready to go, just like he is. He doesn’t mess around.

McGill: I just know what I was reading in the trades. (Laughs.) I know that Mark was not happy, and that he and Don, their relationship became strained. I don’t know much that went on behind the scenes because I wasn’t there. It’s just one of those things that happens, the classic Hollywood creative differences.

Bluestein: I always had a special fondness for Don because he was very, very good to me. I was always very grateful to Don.

Horowitz: He was definitely the leader — the creator of the show — and I think there was always a question mark in people’s minds: How would it proceed?

Johnson: That was hard for all of us to believe because he had always been so intricately involved in every show, and he established so much of the pattern of the characters. I became the showrunner for a while with Shane Brennan, but I wasn’t a writer per se. Eventually, we brought in a couple of writers to run the show from the creative standpoint. But I was very lucky. I had been there for so long and had great relationships with everybody, so I was able to stay on and be a useful producer for them. Obviously, it worked because I’m still there. (Laughs.)

“WHEN COTE LEFT, LITERALLY THERE WAS A RIPPLE IN THE UNIVERSE”

After Sasha Alexander’s departure, Cote de Pablo joined the series in the season three premiere as Ziva David. Her exit in season 11 presaged a number of high-profile goodbyes, including those of Michael Weatherly, Pauley Perrette and Mark Harmon.

Golden: Susan delivered Cote de Pablo, who was just a home run. I remember she walked in the room, and we all were like, “Oh, my God, who is this woman?” Which doesn’t happen now that much at network tests.

Bluestein: I had loved Cote for a long time from a series called The Jury. She was just so unique, and then she read with Michael, and the chemistry was instantaneous.

Golden: I’m not sure Don Bellisario was 100 percent on board [with Cote] right away. Not that he didn’t love her, but I think he had another choice that he felt was righter for the role. But everybody was so enthusiastic about Cote that he came around.

Geller: The first time I met Don, we had lunch in 2006, and he actually talked about the character of Ziva the entire time and why she was going to be so popular.

Horowitz: In the beginning, she wasn’t necessarily as popular as she was when she left. I just remember thinking, “Huh.” It took time for the audience to be involved in the relationship between she and Tony and really appreciate her kickass status.

Johnson: With Cote, I think she had gotten to a place where she wanted to move on. She did eight years on the show, and I had a conversation with her about a year or two before she left, and she said to me, “I don’t know if I want to do this forever, and at some point, I think I might leave.” And I said, “Oh, Cote, please, come on. It’s such a successful show. What are you going to do? You should ride this horse all the way to the gate.” And she said, “No, I don’t think so.” So I didn’t believe it.

Tassler: When Cote left, literally there was a ripple in the universe. But again, the show found its way forward.

Johnson: Emily Wickersham (Eleanor Bishop) came in, and hers wasn’t an easy transition from Cote de Pablo because Cote was such a strong character. Audiences liked [Cote], but eventually Emily won out. But I remember it was a little bumpy with her, where you’d get mail, and people would go, “She’s no Cote de Pablo.” Well, we wrote her very differently for that reason.

Golden: I was really thrilled that Maria Bello (Jack Sloane) went in for a while. Maria was somebody who we were always trying to get to do something. We needed that female lead because Cote was leaving, and it just worked out.

Geller: When Michael Weatherly left, my entire goal was to get him to stay on CBS, and I did. I was thrilled because I knew America loved DiNozzo, and I wanted him to be a part of Bull. When a series loses a major character like that, there’s always a hole. But the writers always managed to really find a way to not plug the hole, but to massage the characters and the relationships so that you were being introduced to new ones, and you still got to love the ones that are there.

Horowitz: When Michael Weatherly left, I thought, “We’re done. How could we go on?” And yet Wilmer Valderrama (Nick Torres) comes in and creates his own persona, and he’s got his own thing.

Johnson: In Pauley Perrette’s case, there was an incident with the show with a dog. The dog was Harmon’s, and apparently the dog bit someone. Pauley was a huge, huge SPCA [Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals] animal person. And then the dog kept coming with Harmon, and she felt it wasn’t safe for the show. By the end of that year, she just felt like it wasn’t working for her anymore, and it was time to move on.

Whitmore: Diona Reasonover (Kasie Hines) is wonderful and brilliant, and the work is great. But you walk onto that set sometimes, and you miss Pauley.

Geller: Pauley Perrette made Abby one of the most beloved characters on television in the 21st century.

Johnson: There’s a joke sometimes where people would say, “You never know who’s going to survive on NCIS.” Because Lauren Holly (Jenny Shepard) was there, and she went that way, and a couple of others. And some fans complained that it was always women who went faster than the guys. But it did keep audiences’ attention. Lauren Holly had signed on, and she didn’t expect to stay there forever, but I don’t think she expected that she was going to leave that way.

Horowitz: Gibbs lost the love of his life — she was killed, and he’s never found anybody he ever loved again. Throughout the course of the series, we would introduce potential female suitors, and those were always met with disdain [from fans]. (Laughs.) That happened consistently. None of them were good enough for him, and we always thought that was very funny.

Johnson: There was a character that Muse Watson played where he was an old NCIS investigator who would come and go. He loved the show, and he’d come in two or three times a season, and he ended up getting killed. I know he was very unhappy. (Laughs.)

Horowitz: In the last scenes of an episode, if people were moved emotionally in some way, that’s the feeling they’d be left with. Sometimes that involved getting rid of somebody that you really liked. Gibbs’ best friend, Mike Franks (Watson) — terrific actor. He did a bunch of shows with us. Well, yeah, he didn’t live real long.

Johnson: We thought [Harmon leaving] was the death knell. Coming in at 6:30 a.m., five days a week, and being the major character that was the linchpin — that’s pretty tough, and he did it for 18 seasons. He had just gotten to the place where he was getting close to turning 70, and he wanted to spend time with [wife] Pam [Dawber] and his kids. So he was leading up to it. It started probably [with him dropping hints] around the 15th or 16th season. But he was so loyal to that crew and so supportive of the show. He was very proud of it, and he stayed on longer than he even intended.

Whitmore: When Harmon was talking about leaving, and there was this chance that he might not come back, I said, “How are they going to replace this dude?” And they brought in the one guy that could do it, which was Gary Cole (Alden Parker).

Johnson: In the end, we hit gold with Gary Cole. There were a lot of names bandied about. When everybody finally decided we’d make an offer to Gary Cole, we didn’t pitch it to him as, “He was going to become the new Gibbs.” We pitched it to him that he was going to come in and wasn’t sure he was going to stay with the team, so that he didn’t have to feel like he was stepping into the shoes of someone who had been there for 18 seasons.

Horowitz: When Gibbs was in charge, he was the leader, and everybody was pretty much under him. When the Gary Cole character came in, it loosened up a little bit and allowed McGee (Sean Murray) to become a senior agent, and they have a little bit more authority. So it gave room for other possibilities.

Johnson: David McCallum doesn’t do that much in the series anymore. David [just turned 90], and he lives in New York. He may come back and do four or five episodes. It’s much too hard on him now, and I think he’s ready to retire. But he was amazing from the day he came on.

Horowitz: Gary [Glasberg, the executive producer who died in 2016,] was just an extraordinary talent — really talented writer and just a wonderful, wonderful human being. I look at him every day, and I think about him every day. He was such a great leader of this show and sorely, sorely missed.

“I SOMETIMES FONDLY REFER TO NCIS AS CHOCOLATE CAKE”

With NCIS renewed for a 21st season and CBS set to air its fourth spinoff and first international one, NCIS: Sydney, the franchise keeps going strong.

Horowitz: You could absolutely say that the show is popular amongst people who perhaps are politically conservative or live in more rural areas. But at the same time, we’ll go on a college campus, and everybody there watches the show, even in Southern California. Obviously, I think it’s more popular in the central states than on the coasts.

Johnson: During the Trump years, we just decided most of the time to stay away from the whole political thing, and we didn’t talk much about the president. We would talk about Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Navy, that kind of thing. We veered away from that as much as we could.

Horowitz: We did an episode where Gibbs went to speak with Michelle Obama, and we shot it in the White House with her about a real-life program that helped military families to find doctors and housing. It was a very positive thing, and it really came out great, and she was fantastic. Some people really reacted very positively to the show, and then other people did not like seeing Michelle Obama on the show. (Laughs.) So we didn’t really dive into politics that much.

Diana Valentine, director on NCIS and two spinoffs: NCIS didn’t start getting these numbers and becoming the big hit until season four or five, and a lot of times [now], studios and networks don’t let a show find its audience before it gets pulled — even more so with streamers. A streaming show would never go 21 years like this show has.

Reisenbach: [On whether starting on broadcast helped its legacy:] A hundred percent yes, in my opinion. It does touch so many viewers coast to coast and worldwide, and that really is because of the platform that it got on CBS, as well as how well it did when it went into syndication around the world. But it all started on linear, and that does have a lot to do with its longevity and success.

Tassler: NCIS was perhaps one of the cornerstones in helping shape the trajectory of the network. Even during its success, it never rested on its laurels.

Horowitz: I sometimes fondly refer to NCIS as chocolate cake. Everybody knows what chocolate cake tastes like, but you still want the chocolate cake.

Bellisario: It’s not so much about the stories. It’s about the characters and their relationship with each other, and that connects with viewers.

McGill: I don’t think it’s necessarily the kind of show that was out to get awards. It was really a show that was out to get eyeballs, and so I’m not surprised that it wasn’t ever really in Emmy consideration.

Johnson: I have been threatening to leave the show for a couple of years myself. A lot of people, including me, got force majeure’d this year, so my contract is ended. Everybody’s concerned about budgets and all this crazy stuff, so I may be just one of the casualties since I’ve been threatening to leave. So I’m just waiting to see. Once they do finally decide to find a solution [to the strikes], I think the landscape is going to change a lot.

Stapf: Speaking as the studio, I think it can go forever.

Reisenbach: Speaking as the network, I concur. I mean, it’s the No. 1 show.

Tassler: When I was at the network, we always used to say, “I’d much rather take ratings over reviews.” I’d much rather have a really devoted fan base, and that’s what that show has.

Johnson: We have not been told by the network, “Wrap it up at the end of the 21st year.” So I think it’s open-ended. We are proceeding as if we’re going to continue.

#ncis #interview

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alexbkrieger13 · 10 months

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A opinion piece about P's potential role at Bayern :)

https://www.90min.de/posts/pernille-harder-die-neue-spielmacherin-des-fc-bayern

Pernille Harder: Bayern Munich's new playmaker

With Pernille Harder, one of the best offensive players in the world will play in the FC Bayern Frauen jersey from the coming season . The already strong offensive of the reigning German champions will be raised to a higher level with the top transfer. But what is the best way to use Harder at Bayern and who has to leave the starting XI for them

The Dane is considered a "complete attacking player" because she can play almost any position in attack: up front, as a shadow striker, false nine, ten or eight. Like hardly any other player, Harder knows how to position herself instinctively and, as a strong-willed team player, also put her teammates in the limelight. In order for her to be able to fully develop her world class and creativity in the third attack, however, the tactical setting has to be right.

Under head coach Alexander Straus, who has been on the sidelines since 2022, Bayern developed a much more flexible style of play than under predecessor Jens Scheuer, which is also more oriented towards possession and is defined by dynamic, short passes in tight spaces. It's a style that suits Harder better than her former club Chelsea. The Blues are more direct in their attacks. In fast forward play, the goal is to get the ball from the defensive line to the front of the attack and from there into the goal in as few moves as possible.

On the Isar, more value is placed on a clean build-up and passing game from behind. The routes in the direction of the opponent's box are less predictable, as it sometimes goes to the left, sometimes to the right and sometimes through the center. Harder brings the perfect qualities and skills for this: an enormous spatial awareness, the perfect instinct for runs and cleverly executed passes as well as an almost effortless proactivity on and against the ball.

As of June 2023, FC Bayern has the following offensive players in its own ranks in addition to Pernille Harder: Lina Magull, Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir, Sydney Lohmann, Franziska Kett, Linda Dallmann, Klara Bühl, Weronika Zawistowska, Jovana Damnjanovic and Lea Schüller. There will not be room for everyone in the starting XI, although rotation will be one of the imperatives for next season. The competition will be fierce, also because the working papers from Magull and Lohmann will expire next year.

What this strong offensive lacks, however, is a playmaker in the last third. This was already evident last season when cleverly implemented attacks didn't end in a goal, the game was characterized by a lack of efficiency or there were difficulties against opponents who were standing deep. In general, it is the playmaker's job to act as the switchboard between attacking midfield and striker, to get the ball into dangerous positions through accurate passing, but also to complete an attack herself.

If the Dane took over this role from next season, it would look a little different, because the Munich team is not a team that is tactically built around a single player. In all probability, Harder will orientate himself in the attack line behind Lea Schüller. The Bayern striker, who always moved away from the fixed point on the nine in the game last season and sometimes worked more in the direction of the attacking chain in midfield, could now move back into the attack as a classic nine with Harder's commitment.

Harder would either act as a shadow striker or ten behind Schüller, depending on how Alexander Straus sets up his team. The Dane would be flanked by Klara Bühl, who is a permanent fixture on the right wing. The left flank raises the bigger question mark: with Carolin Simon and the Austrian new signing Katharina Naschenweng, there are two flexible, attacking full-backs on this side.

In the past season, it was often observed how the Munich team started the games with a back four, which then quickly proved to be a hybrid, as at least one of the full-backs slipped into the role of the rail player when the ball was in possession. So what does this defensive orientation have to do with Pernille Harder?

A high-playing left-back would allow the offensive power (Lohmann or Magull) next to the Dane to orient themselves more centrally in the attacking midfield. Harder could then, in keeping with her new team's hybrid-flexible playstyle, switch between being behind Schüller and playing as ten, while giving her the freedom to thrive on the field. It's also important to note that she can act as a playmaker in both situations without having to field the team around her.

Even if the offensive department of the FC Bayern women seems to be overloaded with top players, the transfer of Pernille Harder makes a lot of sense. As a longtime captain of the Danish national team, she brings a special leadership mentality to Munich, which can bring the whole team a big step forward. Cross-competitive experience and the qualities at world class level described above make the player the new key figure in FC Bayern's attack.

#good read #pernille harder #denwnt #fc bayern frauen

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himynameis4 · 1 year

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Adult Byler Teacher Headcanons

They both teach at the same school, maybe even same district.

Will teaches art, namely Drawing & Painting I & II, as well as AP Art & Honors Drawing for Production & Design. (He also was dragged into making props for the school musical, and started/runs the school’s GSA. Mans is SWAMPED)

Mike teaches AP Language & Comp, Creative Writing, Honors English 9, and English 11. He also runs the school’s Literary Magazine, Newspaper, and Yearbook clubs. (Mans is similarly swamped)

(They’re both considering starting up an AV club & a D&D club, but where they’ll find the money or the time, they got no clue)

Will was the reason Mike first explored teaching. Mike had taken his dad’s advice & become a business major, because it can be applied to lots of jobs & is a good way to get a job quick, but… yeah, he fucking hated it.

He ended up taking one of the education courses Will was taking, trying to fulfill some credits & figuring having a class with Will would make it bearable… and then he fell headfirst into teaching

They were hired at the same time. They student taught together, too. A wave of retirees meant most of their colleagues were new blood, like them, and… well, there was A Lot of relationship drama among the staff. It was like a freakin’ soap opera. (Did my high school have a lot of interpersonal staff relationship drama? Yes, why do you ask?)

Will & Mike came out when they got married, because Will wanted to change his last name. By this point, Will was already running the school’s GSA. They hadn’t been very public about their relationship, having been there for The Sanders Affair Of 2006 (and the subsequent divorces, marriages, and affairs that came from said affair) & making the mutual decision to keep their personal lives private… but as their district became less conservative, they hadn’t exactly hidden it, either.

Their friends on the staff all know, & some are close enough friends to get invites

Will had gone by “Mr. William” for the vast majority of his career, so it wasn’t a huge shift for his students or anything.

Mike’s nickname is just “Wheeler,” a similar sign of affection—at least, to his face.

(His students call him “Hot Wheels” behind his back)

(Will is well aware of this, & endlessly amused)

Will’s hair has gone entirely grey. (Lonnie’s genetics, rip). Post-covid, he uses blue light glasses… unlike mike, who needs glasses full-time. (Will teases him about this quite frequently)

Mike finishes growing his hair out, but ditched the bangs. He’s one of those teachers who always has his hair in a severe ponytail (he likes manbuns, too, but you wont often see him with one bc We’re At Work, Will, I Must Be Professional)

They Do Not Talk About The Mullet Era

Or The Bowl Cut For The Entirety Of The Childhoods

They have matching rings, customized replicas of the One Ring bc they’re both geeks. They’re engraved to say “crazy together” in elvish. Technically these were their engagement rings… and also the rings they used when they got a domestic partnership, and also the rings they used in their wedding ceremony. For a long time, they wore them like necklaces tucked under their shirts (bc the Mike in the Math department & Sydney from Social Studies are MASSIVE gossips, and also bc LoTR is iconic & these two are cheesey af),

They started wearing them openly when Will changed his last name, though.

Will & Mike are the teachers who let students eat lunch in their classrooms. The ones who invite them in during free periods. The ones who hear about the shitty chem teacher, the asshole ex, the awful divorce, the toxic friend group, the impending move. They’re the ones who collect & display dozens of senior photos, whose hands cramp from writing yearbook messages, and the ones whose students will remember years later. They’re the ones who keep in touch—they get wedding invites and scattered letters and life updates.

Because they’re the ones who remember what it’s like to be 14, 15, and feeling like the world was about to end. They remember the bullies. They remember the isolation. They remember how awful it feels to grow apart from the people you used to hold dear, and how much they hated high school.

It’s why they love being teachers, exhausting as it is. They’re the adults they didn’t get in high school, despite their parents’ best efforts—they get to be the support they desperately needed. They get to watch their kids grow, and its so, so satisfying to know they’re giving the kids better than what they had.

But most importantly? They’re happy.

#adult byler #stranger things headcanon #stranger things headcanons #mike wheeler #will byers #byler #i just love them okay???#also will def studied abroad while in college #mike StruggledTM #there’s something ab having queer adults as teachers #made my high school experience 10000x better #& ngl the teacher drama was Something Else at our hs #the number of ex-spouses on the same staff…😬#also #they 100% adopt btw #they end up looking into older child adoption #espec bc of growing up w el #talking w joyce and hop and el actually helps them a lot #also also they’re both currently working on a comic book ab their childhoods #they may jot be bale to publish it #bc ndas #but they have it For Them #plus mike writes fanfic & will makes fanart #this is another part of their personal lives that their students Can Not Know #they’re trekkies & wayyyy into lotr #i have many more thoughts ab these ppl as adults #byler as teachers #ig this could work for a #stranger things au #but its not rlly its more of a where-they-could-go kinda thing

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folansstuff · 9 months

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ATTICUS MOORE INTRODUCTION

Name: Atticus Moore Aliases: Spin, Vortex (briefly) Gender: Male Age: 28 - 30

Background

Born to two social workers in Sydney, Australia; Atticus led a relatively normal life from birth to age 13, where the death of his father caused an emotional breakdown that triggered his X-Gene while at school. This incident caught the attention of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youth, who sent the New Mutants (then consisting of Mirage, Wolfsbane, Magik, Cannonball, Karma and Sunspot) to find him and bring him to America for training and education. Atticus remained with the team for 5 years, before an incident related to the Avengers caused the death of his mother. The emotional toll of this, of being a teen superhero, the death of Illyana and a souring relationship with the X-Men had started to wear on him, and he left the team and school to strike out on his own. He remained separate from the X-Men for several years, getting a degree in education and working with mutant outreach centers in New York, only rejoining the team briefly after a depowered Dani contacted him for help and telling him Illyana was alive again. During this time he came into contact with a ‘living dimension’ named ‘The Garden’, which formed a strange symbiotic relationship with Atticus and his powers, though he refused to explore them further at the time. He was unheard from until he was offered a job with Avengers Academy under the recommendation of Wolverine as an Mutant teacher unaffiliated with the X-Men. This caused tension with his allies in the X-Men, since he was purposefully avoiding Utopia out of mistrust for leadership. This position lasted until the Phoenix Five incident, where Atticus attempted to speak sense into Illyana and Piotr, but was slashed across the chest and knocked unconscious by the siblings. He joined up with Cyclop’s revolutionary X-Men in order to support Illyana and the students they were bringing in, but was killed in an incident related to Mystique and S.H.I.E.L.D. He remained deceased for several years, including through the Terregien Mist incident and the founding of Krakoa. In Krakoa’s second year, Atticus was found on one of the island’s beaches, covered in unknown plant life and dirt. Thanks to the intervention of Reed Richards and Stephen Strange, alongside Illyana and Dani, they discovered ‘The Garden’, as a living dimension, had decided to steal Atticus’ body and had functionally regrown him within itself over 5 years, cementing a physical and mental connection to the dimension and reviving Atticus outside of Krakoa’s resurrection protocols. As of current, he is one of the teachers at the Akedeimos Institute and has rejoined the New Mutants with his friends.

Personality

Atticus has a warm and friendly disposition, although he has a long-running anxious streak that has been developed from years of superhero and mutant related experiences. He’s highly protective of his friends and students, especially since he’s gotten used to worrying about their well-being. While he does try his best, he is prone to cowardice and impulsive and poorly thought out actions, which so far have luckily only really affected him. He also has a stubborn streak, especially when it comes to the safety of his friends and family, which can cause issues with other members of Mutantkind. Post-revival, Atticus has mellowed out somewhat, settling into a “slightly nerdy English teacher” vibe as he moves into his thirties, which he attributes to being able to live on an relatively safe island with his family. He prefers academic and creative endeavors, and he is prone to picking up and abandoning new projects as they catch his attention and obsessing over them until he gets bored. While he has his issues with Mutankind’s leaders, he is still incredibly passionate about the safety and well-being of mutants, and a lot of his work after leaving the New Mutants originally has been about giving young mutants safe spaces for them to grow and learn without the threat of whatever new catastrophe is coming for mutants.

Appearance

Atticus is a man in his late 20’s, with a pale complexion, a light brown mullet, and green eyes. While skinny and gangly in his youth, age has caused him to become noticeably wider and hairier, with a prominent stomach and body hair, alongside a decently sized beard. This has led to his nickname, “Teddy Bear”, from Illyana, thanks to his general body warmth. Atticus no longer wears the standard New Mutants uniform, even on missions, preferring to wear comfortable clothing (jeans, sweaters, etc) instead, though for a brief period he wore a t-shirt with ‘X-Man’ in poorly written comic sans font as a joke.

Powers

Atticus is a (within a limited definition) Alpha level reality warper, initially with the ability to increase the rotation speed of objects within viewing distance (frisbee’s bullets, etc). As he got older, Atticus developed the ability to ‘spin’ bigger and bigger objects, until he realized that with enough focus he could spin planets, and with enough effort, could ‘spin’ people out of their current dimension into other adjacent dimensions. This comes with great cost, as the strain from moving people between dimensions, or effecting multiple targets/trying to spin larger objects causes his body to break down, potentially leading to death or severe injury.

After his revival on Krakoa, Atticus also has a connection to a living sub-dimension called “The Garden”. While this connection initially offered no benefits, it was eventually found that it granted him a boost to his normal power (no longer needing eye contact to spin things) while also granting him complete control of The Garden when inside of it. It has also granted him the ability to resurrect, although resurrection seems to disable his powers outside The Garden for a period, and causes memory issues if done too frequently in succession.

Relationships

Illyana Rasputin: Atticus and Illyana met as members of the New Mutants, the two becoming close friends and romantic partners over their time together. While they were physically separated, the two still maintained their relationship, only briefly separating after an argument over Utopia and the X-Men before the Phoenix Five incident. As of the Krakoan era, the two live together in a bungalow near the ocean, having adopted a creature from Otherworld called “Beastie”, and are working together as instructors when Illyana isn’t on X-Men missions.

The New Mutants: Atticus maintained close relationships with most of the New Mutants while he was away, although primarily with Dani, Sam and Rahne. Dani in particular are close friends, the two becoming far closer after M-Day. Xuan, Rahne, Dani and Atticus currently run Akedeimos as their representatives and head teachers.

X-Terminators: Atticus became an ‘unofficial’ member of the team after Illyana asked if he wanted to help Alison DM the team's D&D game. In particular, he and Alison Blaire (a.k.a Dazzler) became good friends and DM buddies, the two hanging out frequently.

Other Relationships: For someone who doesn’t love the superhero thing, Atticus has a surprisingly large group of associates. He still maintains contact with his fellow staff from Avengers Academy, especially Ant-Man and Tigra, and has a friendly back and forth with The Thing. As for notable relationships within the X-Men; Atticus has a friendly relationship with Piotr since he’s dating Piotr’s sister, and has a close friendship with Kitty Pryde which is based on their mutual long running relationships with Illyana. He is also familiar with Scarlet Witch and Dr Strange through Illyana, although he wouldn’t go so far as to call them friends.

#x-men oc #marvel oc #x-men original character #marvel original character #oc x canon #original character #original character sheet #just wanted to get this out there #for reference #also please ask me questions abt him!!! he occupies so much of my brain lmao

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angrelysimpping · 2 years

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you know what, fuck self control, what kinda English majors they'd be based on my time as an English major

Alex struggles a bit with sussing out deeper themes sometimes but damn are they good at discussing the aesthetics of the works.

Anxious Guard never clearly makes their point in argumentative essays. Takes creative writing classes but never commits to the degree itself, worries about it being a "useless" degree.

Avery is more cold and analitical in their analysis of the text than most people are. Often points out flawed relationships and acts as if one character is getting taken advantage of, it's that character's fault becuase the problems are "obvious."

Bailey gripes about the price of textbooks (don't we all?) and starts buying and selling textbooks themself as a way to make a quick buck and undercut the University. Middle of the road essays. Doesn't give a shit, just make their passing grade and moves on. Fucker is selling essays that get top marks. Has some blackmail on some of the professors.

Briar propositions the professors for better grades. Half the time doesn't even need better grades, they just want to make the professors squirm. Does the same with their fellow students, exchanging sexual favors for essays and test questions. Always focuses on the sexual aspect of any works they have to analyze.

Darryl works so hard, bless them. Often uses the University provided services to help with their essays. Studies poetry but hardly ever writes their own.

Again, Doren is in English education but they also take loads of poetry and drama classes. Works in the tutoring center. Worked for the essay revision service for a bit but didn't stay on for personal reasons.

Eden in Victorian lit, Eden in Vioctorian lit, Eden in Victorian lit!!!! It just feels right to them. Struggles with other classes but Victorian lit comes to them easy.

Harper always praises the moraly dubious and/or unreliable narriators. Just, how they're written. Not their actions, no, they would never. Don't believe them. Likes medical settings and anything thats a bit of a trippy read.

Kylar is a lil poetry major. Always writes the most sappy love poems. Turns every assignment into a love poem, somehow. All their poems have an underlying theme of obsession, and they're the only one who doesn't pick up on it.

Landry is very middle of the road. Doesn't stand out. Midling grades. 100% lifting the test answers from the professor's offices. Hangs around th campus coffee shops. Gothic lit enthusiast.

Leighton likes all those "taboo" classics and loves driving group conversations to those topics. "Helps" freshmen who have to take their English 101. Works for the university helping people write essays. Actually good at their job, even if there have been some complaintes about them acting a little inapropriately, all rumors that get brushed aside.

Niki is so fucking good with imagry, it's a little scary.

Quinn doesn't even try. They just costs by, and still make solid grades. Has been known to dominate group discussions. Often wins debates.

Relaxed Guard plays devil's advociate all the goddamn time. Doesn't even believe half the shit they say and write, just does it to see if they can pull it off.

Remy is cut and dry. Often pointedly ignores symbolism. Often hangs around the library, but it's unkown what they fuck they're doing there because they're never studying or looking for books or any of that, really.

Robin focuses on children's lit. Very good student, works hard, always starts on essays right when they get them.

Sydney is doing too much. Creative writing degree, focuses on religious symbolism and works. Works in the library. Goes to office hours. Takes on extra assignements. Regular at all campus coffee shops.

Vet Guard is that one person who always focuses on battles and wars. Picks their side on debates and will not change their opinian for anything.

Whitney bullshits their way through essays and class discussions and it fucking works. Hardly ever shows up to classes. Somehow still passing.

Wren bounces around. Mostly in the creative writing department. Chooses classes based on what they find interesting insted of focusing on getting a degree. Loves the poetry classes, tares Kylar's poems appart in group crituqe. Works in the coffee shop in the library, scribbles lil one off poems on napkins. Also writes tiny poems on the paper cups along with their number, handing them off to customers with a wink.

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totally-profesional · 9 months

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Holy moly guacamole Camp Here and There and is INSANE WHAT THE HELL this thing is so good and intriguing??? If you haven't watch it you should, because it deserve more fans (the good kind)

Shitty Summary : tells the story of Sydney, a co-nurse in the summer camp Camp Here and There. located in Ohio, in a universe where the weird and strange are the norms and apocalypse happen regularly apparently(oh and magic also exist). Told in the form of the camp announcement and Sydney's personal recording on a ghost recorder he's keeping

We'll hears about the daily activities in the camp, the strange occurrence that happens, a look into the counselors relationship, Sydney's ever depleting mental health and special secrets you should find out yourself

Anyway here's more reason to listen

The music is a bop, a banger, a jam. its Will Wood's for goodness sake (if carnival and circus themed music is up your alley congrats)

The characters are all hella interesting and entertaining in their own way (Sydney my beloved) i love adore hate and loath you, pink elephant man <3

Interesting humor and comedy, Its WTNV abd Gravity Falls thrown into a mix with its own creative and unique idea (Sydney definetly idolize Cecil)

The relationship? Its complicated (loving Joshua and Yvonne as a duo tho <3)

The plot???? See for yourself, dont search or look at anymore spoilers. Go and watch it as blind as you can, please trust me when i said it feel way better to find out yourself, hell even i regret being careless and spoil myself (no fun for me :[ )

I hope this convince you to watch Camp Here and There, its on YouTube and spotify (let me know if there's other place). Please check it out, it's so worth it

Other people would do better job at this because I suck at talking especially recommending, but if this post convinced you then im glad and happy to hear that!

#camp here & there #camp here and there #chnt #sydney sargent #podcast #recommendation #long post #oof #Charlotte's shitty summary for piece of media she likes #do you know how hard it is to write when your phone screen touch is acting funky #tumblr #podcast recommendations #wtnv #if you like wtnvc you will like this #im begging #please watch it #please watch this

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acaseforpencils · 8 months

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Victoria Roberts Talks about Animation.

Today's interview on Case is a little bit different—I had been seeing Victoria's lovely animations on Instagram, and asked her if she might be interested in talking about them on here. She kindly obliged, so I sent her a loose list of questions to consider, and she sent me back such an incredible rumination on her experiences that I replied back to her "This is so cool! You are so cool!" because though I was expecting something incredible (Victoria being Victoria after all!), it wouldn't be dramatic for me say that I was thunderstruck! Anyways, I hope you all enjoy reading what she has to say as much as I did! —Jane

Find this print here!

On Animation

I’m so fortunate to be working on what I love.

It’s been a long haul in a way. I came to New York City from Sydney, Australia, because I wanted to run away with the Wooster Group-that is, do theatre. Or film. I was already a cartoonist, and I became one under contract to The New Yorker, an enormous privilege, thirty odd years ago.

But since last month, thanks to a software named Callipeg, I make an animated short every week, for which I do the voices, called “Axolotl Mondays.” Finally, I’m in the movies!

To be a performer and tell stories, or at least vignettes, is my passion. At nineteen, with $5000 from the Creative Development Fund of The Australia Council, we made “Goodbye Sally Goldstein”, a five minute animated film. I had three collaborators:

Rob Rogers, composer and musician, Kathryn Pentecost, and Jacqueline Field who drew and painted. From the sound recording, inking and painting, to the shoot, it took six months to complete. My favourite task in all of this was doing the sound breakdown, which consisted of manually running the soundtrack tape through a reader (not sure what the device was called) and jotting down the length of each sound so that you could animate to the soundtrack.

David Deneen founder of Film Graphics was my inspiration and coach. What I knew about animation came from time spent over the school holidays in his studio thanks to my mum, who worked in advertising and got me the gig. They were making an animated ad for Witchy Brew, an ice cream, and I remember they said it wasn’t until they boiled spaghetti that they got the right sound for the witch’s cauldron.

Every animator had a different style, and each animator’s desk, covered in drawings, felt like a different universe. Val Udowenko and Don Mackinnon were stars in this creative shop that went on to win the Academy Award for Bruce Petty’s “Leisure” in 1976, Best Short Film. To watch David Deneen solve a problem from idea, to script, to film, was my university.

I left school at sixteen and got a job painting cels for Hannah Barbera. The studio was run by Zoran Janjic, and his mum Zora, ran the painting department. Her “quiet girls please!” in a rich Yugoslavian accent resounded often. It was a big studio.

Sometimes we were on a network deadline so tight that Bill Hannah came to Sydney. We were paid per painted cel, working overtime, and we would try to get scenes with many mouths, as lips were very quick to paint. We stayed in over lunchtime and Mr. Hannah ordered in for us, fried chicken and coleslaw. “Would anybody like more slaw?” he offered, and the painting department cracked up at his American pronounciation of “slaaaaaaaaaaw.”

Again I had the good fortune to hear the soundtrack for a series called “Wait ‘til Your Father Comes Home,” an animated sitcom. I loved the soundtracks, and again remember the sound more than the drawings, and longed to be a creator of some sort.

Some characters come to the world with more dialogue than others. A cartoon strip though roomier than a gag cartoon with a drawing and one line of dialogue, isn’t enough space still for some characters like Nona Appleby, an Australian octogenarian character I have drawn since I was 16. Finally I started to play her on stage, and that gave Nona the opportunity to say everything that is in her heart (it’s a lot!). I maintain that I am a vessel, and the characters do all of the work.

“Axolotl Mondays” is mid-step between the page and theatre. There is the element of time in a video, which is delicate and wonderful. A friend gave me gift of a six week editing course at MEWSHOP in New York City, which gave me a very good base for cutting and thinking about time. We learned at one of their lectures that “Annie Hall” started out as a film with a stream of consciousness dialogue, but that Diane Keaton’s performances were so extraordinary that it became another film in the editing room. I mention this to underline the malleability, possibility and difficulty of film.

These videos start out with a soundtrack usually, but I learn something new each week about how movement and time on screen works. My animation style is very basic, which fortunately suits my drawing style. It’s detail and timing, and other possibilities which I am learning about that make a piece “sing.” As with most of my work, I rarely know what I am doing. It’s the mystery, the discovery, that keep me on board.

Callipeg is like having an old-style animation studio at your fingertips. Everything is done on the iPad. It’s so much faster than paper and cels, and cameras-and so accessible. Really a beautiful software, plus the creator’s tutorials are delivered in a native French accent!

Instagram Links:

Kathryn Pentecost is at BohemianPalaceof Art

Rob Rogers is rogers_bob

Jacqueline Field

Don Mackinnon

———-

If you enjoy this blog, and would like to contribute to labor and maintenance costs, there is a Patreon, and if you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee, there is a Ko-Fi account as well! I do this blog for free because accessible arts education is important to me, and your support helps a lot! You can also find more posts about art supplies on Case’s Instagram and Twitter! Thank you!

#artists on tumblr #victoria roberts cartoonist #victoria roberts #animation #victoria roberts animation

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newsatsix1986 · 6 months

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🌟 UNSEEN AND JUST A LITTLE BIT OBSCENE 🌟

On Friday afternoon, I whipped out the VCR from the garage. The purpose of this endeavour? To play a VHS tape that I acquired recently that I had wanted since I was fourteen. After fiddling around with the cords and swearing at the telly, I finally got both the audio and video working! Tested it first with a VHS of the Sydney 2000 Olympics Opening Ceremony, before getting onto the tape I was really itching to watch!

In 1998, Good News Week released a very funny and outrageous video tape called Unseen And Obscene, which was filled with behind the scenes footage and parts of the show that were too rude to go to air at the eight o'clock timeslot the ABC had given it. I have been watching it on and off on YouTube for many years and it is a HOOT. Even today after many rewatches some of the things said and done have my eyes watering! From terrorising audience members; young and old alike, pashing mannequins, taking a portly gent's snack stash off him and making jokes about the Packers at the expense of Kate Fischer sitting only seats away, it is utter pandemonium 😂 Did I forget to mention the live songs too!?

There is something special about watching something from 1998 on VHS as it was intended to. It feels properly authentic. As I keep immersing myself in all this media nostalgia I cannot help but feel a bit jealous that I never got to experience this stuff while it was on air, born too late unfortunately. There's not a lot of telly like this today in this country, I'm afraid. Definitely a far less vibrant TV landscape now. The best I can do is use my creative brain to try to replicate the experience of what it might have been like for myself. I hope I'm doing an alright job with all of this because I'm loving every second of it. 💖🌟📺🇦🇺

#good news week #paul mcdermott #mikey robins #julie mccrossin #poppy king #anthony morgan #what else are your twenties for aside from fulfilling teenage dreams because now you've got the money to do so!#mikey taking the larger bloke's snacks off him in the audience - never not hilarious! 😂#or his bill and ben joke 😂

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worldlymatters · 8 days

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is that jacob elordi ? oh, no, that’s leo walker, a twenty six year old bartender at catch me if you can who uses he/him pronouns. they currently live in valparaíso, and the character they identify with most is joseph joestar from jojo's bizarre adventure. hopefully they find their own little paradise here in el país de los poetas!

basics.

full name: leo walker nicknames: n/a age: twenty-six zodiac: cancer birthday: july 4th, 1997 birthplace: melbourne, australia orientation: biromantic / bisexual occupation: bartender at catch me if you can height: 6'5" eyes: brown tattoos: none piercings: standard lobes. languages: english & conversational spanish

family.

warren walker (father, alive) claire walker (mother, dead) unknown older sister (half sister, alive)

background.

leo was born in melbourne australia, but at an early age his family had moved to sydney for better work opportunities for his parents. he was raised an only child and got everything he ever wanted or glanced at. when he was enrolled in school he was quick to make new friends. he was a chatterbox from an early age, entertaining kids his own age and even some adults.

he lived an ordinary life for the most part, getting average grades hanging out with his friends that he had made at an early age, and getting a job as soon as he was legally able to work. he couldn't complain about anything in his life, even though his parents weren't rich he was still receiving all the extras in life.

tw death/ a month before leo's seventeenth birthday he woke up to find out the most tragic news. his mother had died in her sleep. his whole world got flipped on it's head. the last thing he was ever expecting. very quickly things changed and leo watched as his father lost the light behind his eyes. when helping his father get things in order for his mother's service, leo came across pictures of a baby girl but nothing was written to signal who they were. he had a feeling because of what that baby looked like but went to ask his father to be sure. in the craziness of all of this he was told that he had a half sister from his mother. he tried to find her but without any other information about her it was a dead end.

all the extra goodies that he had been getting stopped and money became tighter. his father insisted that leo didn't put any of his own money towards bills and to save it. that wasn't going to stop him from helping out. half of what he earned went towards his savings and the other half went to go towards bills.

slowly but surely, there was a calm that came back into his life and things were starting to get easier again. after graduating he was unsure of what he wanted to do with his life. he thought about college and ended up going for a year before deciding that it wasn't for him. he knew that his dad would support him regardless of what he done he just wanted to make him proud.

looking at his savings he figured to make a big life change and started a group text between his friends asking for advice. 'where should i move?' several ideas flew around but nothing called out to him until someone told him about valparaíso. one of his friends had family that already lived out in chile and they agreed to help him get adjusted once he got in the city.

wanted connections.

half sister: this would be someone roughly ten years older than leo, he's never met her and doesn't have much information about her other than they're related through their mom. friends from home: a handful of friends either coming from australia that were around when leo was going through all of his big life changes internet friends: either people he's met on online communities that gave him good advice and challenged his creativity. roommates: preferably 1-2 people in his age range, no other requirements!

#valpohqintro

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wanderingnork · 2 years

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Right. Found footage is, as we all know, a pretty polarizing style of horror movie. And, even though I adore it, I see why. Pervasive issues of shakycam, bad quality being used to hide sfx issues, audio problems, bad acting due to the affordability of making a found footage movie, and more can really wreck a movie. I’ve seen plenty of found footage that I just plain hated.

When found footage is done well, though, it’s very good. I’d like to offer five of my favorite found footage movies. These don’t just rely on a single, badly-used handheld camera: they get creative with the technology at hand to draw you in and help you to believe you’re watching something real.

Top Five

The Bay (2012): Mutant isopods from a polluted bay come to exact environmental revenge on a small American town.

The sheer VARIETY of kinds of footage (home video, news tapes, security cameras from a huge number of angles, police dashcam footage) makes this stand out. It’s not just one single tape telling a story of a few people--it’s a compilation of tapes that provide a wide view of a disaster befalling a whole town. YMMV on whether or not that was a good idea (I think it was), but the segment of police dashcam footage is one of the single most unsettling things I’ve ever seen.

The Tunnel: A news crew investigates a possible conspiracy involving disappearances in the sewers under Sydney, Australia, and get more than they bargained for.

The guy playing the news cameraman (Steve Davis) is actually a professional camera operator for documentaries as his day job, so the camera work is actually very exceptional and deliberate instead of handheld shakycam. It avoids a lot of the common pitfalls like disorientation or focusing on the wrong thing, and I didn’t feel like I was going to get motion sick watching it.

Host (2020): During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of friends tries to hold a seance over Zoom. It doesn’t go well.

Maximizes the fear factor of all of Zoom’s constraints, from face recognition to custom backgrounds to the number of participants in the call. It also has to pack a lot into a limited time, since the length of the movie is the length of a free Zoom call, and it does so very, very well.

Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum: A group of amateur Korean ghost hunters decide to livestream a lock-in at the titular asylum. This also doesn’t go well.

There’s a really novel use of techniques like GoPro cameras to bring you up close and personal with the ghosts. I almost had to take off my headphones during one scene. It also adds the unique conceit that everything is being livestreamed, which creates a layer of complication for the characters as they try to navigate the terrifying night.

V/H/S 94, “The Subject”: An Indonesian scientist building cyborgs out of unwilling participants discovers what happens when his own creations finally turn on him.

The reveal of exactly how the movie is being filmed is extraordinary. It does a great job at presenting a point of view that I don’t think I’ve ever seen before, and it’s so beautifully well-handled in terms of sound design to foreshadow what’s coming. The horror is also absolutely gut-wrenching and I’m not sure I’ve ever cheered a final girl as loudly as I cheered Subject 99.

A few other movies under the cut!

Honorable Mentions

Cloverfield: A giant monster attacks New York City and a group of friends tries to survive the night.

Although it suffers badly from shakycam and poor audio, and makes the head of the Statue of Liberty bizarrely large, the movie uses the constraints of a home video camera to give us a terrifying look at what it’s like on the ground for civilians during a kaiju attack. That’s something most modern giant monster movies neglect to give, since we see it from the perspective of scientists, soldiers, and heroes--not the innocent, hapless citizens caught in the crossfire.

Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County (1998): A family Thanksgiving in rural Montana is interrupted by the arrival of Little Grey Men.

The movie effectively manipulates the constraints of a handheld camera’s limited view (keeping the viewer wondering what’s happening behind the character with a camera), which is quite nice. More importantly, though, it pulled a full “War of the Worlds” by presenting itself as a factual documentary (with no disclaimers), resulting in a fair amount of public concern, speculation, and paranoia. This was a year before Blair Witch Project came out with its early-Internet ARG stylings, so that’s even cooler to me.

For other takes on found footage I love, even though they didn’t feel terribly groundbreaking, see:

Grave Encounters: A ghost hunt goes terribly wrong during an overnight lock-in. Anything else would spoil the story.

Troll Hunter (2010): A small group of students follows around a professional troll hunter in Norway to learn about his work and the mythical trolls he hunts.

V/H/S, “Amateur Night”: Three friends attempt to pick up girls at a bar. Filmed with a camera hidden in a pair of glasses, we get a front-row seat to what happens when one of the girls turns out to be more than meets the eye.

V/H/S, “Tuesday the 17th”: Out in the woods, a bizarre entity that appears only as camera glitches hunts and kills a group of friends one by one.

[REC]: Zombies attack inside a Spanish apartment building--and when the doors are locked, the residents are left to fend for themselves to survive.

Noroi: The Curse: This “documentary” tells the story of a paranormal researcher who attempts to uncover the secrets of the supernatural in Japan, only to find himself caught up in the very curse he investigates.

#nork rants #the horror tag #found footage

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