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#the indie showcase might be okay
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[Oh shit I did something. I wrote Val and Sam as podcasters. Warning: this is fucking stupid. I literally had to just stop writing bc it made less and less sense as I went on. But I love writing dialogue and it’s silly and this is tumblr. here have a little snack my dudes]
Graveyard Girls Episode 12: Roasting Ember’s Beauty Guru Era at 1 AM
“Hello and welcome to Local Ghost Smash or Pass—”
“I will fucking kill you.”
Valerie had to admit that Sam Manson’s ability to keep a completely straight face while saying the most unhinged nonsense was probably one of the reasons their video podcast was so popular. Her own ability to refrain from actually killing her was the reason it still existed at all. How they’d made it to episode twelve, however, still remained at least partially an enigma.
Though it was overall Danny’s kindness that slowly made his trio of friends into a tenuous quartet, Valerie had slowly become accepted by all of them, once she finally came to terms with Danny’s secret. Sam was the last to come around, though by the time they were both seventeen their tension was less due to fighting over a boy and more due to the fact that they could agree on almost nothing.
Most of Graveyard Girls was the two girls arguing, originally spawned by a viral TikTok Tucker posted, in which Valerie—at Danny’s bizarre request—tried to explain The Bachelor franchise to them and Sam being convinced she was making some of it up. People had been interested, and with Amity Park being a niche-but-also-hot topic, a weekly podcast was born.
“Okay but,” Sam leaned back in a vintage-looking office chair, “if I returned as a ghost, would you sma—” Sam cut herself off with a grunt as she dodged a throw pillow.
The show was mostly the two competing to see who could get the other to essentially rage quit, and while Sam’s personality was surprisingly just as strange as those of her best friends, Valerie was competitive enough to be a worthy opponent.
“You might just be, like, the worst person,” Valerie said, expertly catching the throw pillow as it was hurled back at her. “We’re not even three minutes in and I’m so uncomfortable with the energy you’ve created.”
“So our very last episode is three minutes long and titled Valerie Quits, then?”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you Manson?” For a tense moment they stared each other down. “Say it one more time, see what happens.”
“So what is today’s topic, then?”
It was a challenge, to see if Valerie had forgotten it was her turn to start. She had.
They had the Box Ghost to thank for it, too.
“Okay, so—full disclosure,” she began, and she looked at her phone, “it is…1:16 in the morning. And both of us have been awake for like…”
“More hours than usually recommended,” Sam continued, “for reasons. We wanted to get this episode out on time so we are crunching.”
“And suffering.”
“And suffering quite a bit,” Sam concluded, nodding. “So my topic is that Ember McClain is trying to release eyeshadow palettes.”
“You cannot just drop that on me.”
“It was dropped on me,” Sam told her, “I’ve had to live with this. You don’t read the DMs for our official account so you didn’t see it and this poor lady, she has this indie cosmetics company and she slides into our DMs asking ‘is this person for real? I think she’s a ghost? She wants to collab.’”
“Collab…”
“And she sent me like…a mock up. I’m putting it in the google drive so get ready.”
Valerie picked her phone, opening their shared drive and—sure enough—seeing a digital version of a very Ember-esque palette, showcasing both dark and neon shades.
“She’s unhinged. But like…some of the shimmers on here aren’t terrible.”
“That’s the thing—I don’t like the bright blues and greens but there’s potential here. I could make a look out of it.”
“I’ve got conditions—if she wants to start the beauty guru era of her ‘career’ I need a full press release saying it’s not a complex murder plot,” Valerie said.
“I swear under penalty of perjury that I’m not imprisoning your parents in hamster wheels to power my sound system,” Sam affected an impression that would positively enrage the ghostly pop star as she spun around in her chair.
“My mad power-grab via subliminal mind control is so over, okay? That was the old me. Get to fucking swatching.” Valerie continued, snickering. “We kid, but this is actually peak influencer already.”
“We’re writing her YouTube apology for her,” Sam said, and she trained her eyes on the camera before continuing, “you cannot use this. I know you’re watching, I said your name once, and your Obsession is name-searching the universe. You have to do your own YouTube apology.”
“We should edit her name out before we upload.”
“We should.”
“…We’re not going to.”
“No, and a certain somebody’s gonna be on my ass about it. We should perhaps move on…”
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LACKADAISY Pilot Short Review & Thoughts: INDIE Animation Greatness.
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Okay, so I've just recently gotten finished watching the latest new indie animated pilot short: Lackadaisy. Honestly, I truly and seriously loved this 27-minute long film of bootlegging kitties' adventure! Now for those who are super new to this short and overall story of the Lackadaisy world, the short takes place in 1920s America specifically in St Louis Missouri during the prohibition era when all things alcoholic were OutLaw and where most of the characters consist of anthropomorphic cat people in this story.
The title comes from the name of the café also covered as an underground speakeasy "The little Daisy Café " or for very special Partons and guests that want to get their illegal drink on known as the Lackadaisy speakeasy. All in all, the business hasn't been like it used to be for the little once glamorous speakeasy, leaving our main cat trio of trouble of the short to dig up some much-needed booze. We got the highly chaotic also artistic wild spirit, wacky, smart but slightly dimwitted sweet grinning nut Rocky Rickaby. His baby-faced sweet and super adorable well mannered but deeply repressed rage Tigger happy cousin Calvin "Freckle" McMurray ,and last but not least little miss firecracker and sweetie full of spunk Ivy Peppers.
On the revival competitor side that is Marigold. We got our Cajuns sensations siblings danger duo the Savoy: Serafine and Nicodeme, And last Mr. Tuxedo always serious catman and professional "cleaner" extraordinaire Mordecai Heller who has some past history with the Lackadaisy staff & it past owner. Now a little details on what and why I enjoyed this film.
The Animation: Lackadaisy overall animation is fantastical amazing, like UGH from the impressive shading and lighting within the backgrounds from the way the characters eyes are super luminescence in the dark and really gives that feline aspect. To the intricate little details such as the characters very realistic cat ear twitching and other behavioral cat traits like the tail movements and fizzing of the fur when scared or startle, some criticism I've seen in the Live Chat in regards to the left in sketch/guidelines within the characters is that it's distracting. But personal for me I liked the added in sketch linework, it deeply reminded me of super old school classic Disney animation or seeing old traditional animationing videos on how they did things back in the day.
The Voice acting: I swear the voice casting in this was excellent and very on point. Each of the voice actors really fit so well into each of their characters, from Michael Kovach great voice work as Rocky who you can tell was really enjoying himself, to Channel Awesome Malcolm Ray as Nico and Benni Latham as Serafine and ProZD also known as SungWon Cho very nice and fantastic voice work as Mordecai and Belsheber Rusape as Freckle and Ashe Wagner as Mitzi, Lisa Reimold as Ivy. Just overall real good sounding Voice work.
The Story: Now when it comes to overall story, I liked how it was basically more of a standalone type of storytelling in its own kind of separate reality then what's currently going on in the comic thus far into it. I can maybe see others who've been following the webcomic for far longer might dislike certain changes in the pilot that differ a bit from the comic, but I can get why they went with it this way so it probably would be easier for newcomers to jump into it. While certain parts did felt a bit underwhelming & might not be super perfect, I still enjoyed the energy and pacing of this short. I felt they did a really good job as a pilot showcasing the premise /concept and some of the characteristics of the main cast, although not all of them...but I felt it did a nice enough job of giving you a taste of these characters and making you want more of them & find out what's their story is. Either way love how the pilot plot was this mini but disastrous bootlegging adventure of Rocky, Ivy and Freckle getting into trouble barely escaping with their lives all for some nasty tasting booze.
Final Thoughts: While I might not have been following this project or webcomic since early DeviantArt or back during the mid-2000s to 2010s ( even though I wished I got into it much earlier) as long as others have. But even as a somewhat new fan of this indie piece of work and incredible artsy, I truly really come to love Lackadaisy so much and I deeply hope that this pilot short will paved the way for even more crime-fulled animated kitties adventures in the future.
Please Check Out LACKADAISY and give it all the love and support it can get because I want more Booze stealing lawbreaking Cats to see!
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spongki · 2 years
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Minutes into the 'Never Meet Your Idols' podcast (featuring Nick Valensi of The Strokes) on Spotify, they briefly bring up the "cute, Italian chef one from Queer Eye", which is obviously none other than Antoni Porowski, and I can't remember whether or not they mention the fact that he's an avid fan of The Strokes but in case you don't keep up with the Netflix makeover series where he showcases his dozens of Strokes and other early-aughts band shirts—it is indisputable that he is.
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My short attention span then drags me away from the Valensi podcast I was suppose to tune into and brings me to the Queer Eye cast's Pitchfork Over/Under episode instead and I'm just wildly amused at how there's so many LAYERS to this part of the interview where they're asked (as a collective, yes) whether they think The Strokes are overrated or underrated (that's the basic mechanics of this segment). Everyone shoots Antoni a look knowing he's a massive Strokes fan but Jonathan Van Ness initiates—"If it's not Beyoncé, everything is Simon & Garfunkel to me" (valid). Then Antoni starts, arguing that The Strokes are underrated to which Tan France disagrees with and says something along the lines of "No, they're not. They're popular! Everyone knows them." (The thing is there isn't really an established definition of Over/Under on the show, it might mean the bad-good dichotomy, or overrated-underrated in the literal sense). Antoni then ignores him and goes full geek about the band and talks about their impact and significance during the noughties, basically the similar "script" and shower of praises any fan or casual listener says about The Strokes—you know how it goes: how they jumpstarted the post-punk/garage rock revival scene, how no one was making music like them during that time and everyone just came after... that kind of stuff.
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Tan rubbing on Antoni's ear to calm him down while the rest of his friends bully him for being a Strokes fanboy, lmao.
Look at him. He was WAITING for that moment all his life. All of which are perfectly understandable as a Strokes fan myself.
The point is that this is so goddamn relatable especially when you're the only gay person within the group with more "hetero" interests—this is EXACTLY what it's like. Not to say that The Strokes is a straight dudebro band because if my memory serves me right, they were made for the rockstar dudes with "sensitive" souls and androgynous styles who get too much pussy that they get upset about it so they turn women down and walk into a wall immediately after*. Which is, to say, a different breed of straight guy, perhaps bicurious, but a straight one nonetheless. Yet even outside of the gay context, being that guy who likes "indie" bands that are defo not indie but are not listened to by your average person you just have the urge to defend your hipster tendencies all the time like I DON'T THINK THEY'RE OBSCURE, OKAY?! I JUST THINK THEY'RE UNDERRATED. IN THE SENSE THAT... and everyone else just groans and rolls their eyes.
Antoni, from one queer epicure and indie rock music fan to another, I see you.
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agentnico · 7 days
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Late Night with the Devil (2024) review
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Nothing beats retro 70’s demonic haunting. It was a simpler time…
Plot: Johnny Carson rival Jack Delroy hosts a syndicated talk show ‘Night Owls’ that has long been a trusted companion to insomniacs around the country. However, ratings for the show have plummeted since the tragic death of Jack's beloved wife. Desperate to turn his fortunes around, on October 31st, 1977, Jack plans a Halloween special like no other- unaware he is about to unleash evil into the living rooms of America.
Ladies and gentlemen, please do not adjust your television sets, for there is a new found-footage horror film in town from the indy circuit, and it might just breath the right amount of fresh air into an oversaturated genre. Personally I’ve never been a major fan of found-footage. I hear folks raving about the original Blair Witch Project yet all I watched was a bunch of guys running around the woods screaming endlessly for no reason. Additionally the shaky-cam element can be so dizzying and sickly that I truly end up questioning the entertainment value of it all. There are exceptions to the rule of course. 2008’s science fiction invasion popcorn flick Cloverfield was tons of fun, as it provided a genuine experience of what it would be like if you were thrown right into the middle of monster attack in the millennial age. There are also some genuine scares and the found footage format worked really well with the film’s themes. I too enjoyed the 2020 black comedy Spree, where Joe Keery’s driver goes on a murder spree whilst constantly filming himself in hopes of becoming a viral sensation. It may not be a five-star ride, but it earns its tip for being a well crafted and inspired effort. To be fair, The Visit from M. Night Shyamalamadingdong was enjoyable piece of horror involving creepy grandparents. Okay, maybe I do enjoy found-footage flicks, but as long as they are decently made and that format style supports the narrative in a cohesive and advantageous way.
With Late Night with the Devil, ideologies of faith and the paranormal are challenged through the lens of the late-night TV format. Think how the 1976 Network analysed the corruption of the television industry, and how the camera can influence the politics and beliefs of those watching, Late Night with the Devil does the same but with the supernatural. Presented as a rediscovered master tape of a notorious Halloween late night special, it feels like we’re watching an actual talk show in real time, and the 70’s inspiration is in full display here from the grainy monitor display to the costumers to the special effects. It truly feels like we’re looking into a time capsule of the past, and that this all really happened. Again, found-footage as a filmmaking style works when it serves the purpose of the narrative, which in this case it does. It is a shame then that the movie in its finale loses the found-footage element and instead opts for the shock value by showcasing a dream-like vision of one of the characters. Granted at the time of watching the ending it did give me a “what the fuck” reaction that the movie was going for, but looking back this sequence did hinder what otherwise was a fantastic piece of creepy unique horror.
Performances across the entire cast were great and really dedicated. Wonderful to see David Dastmalchian finally get a leading role, as he’s always been a stand-out supporting performer, whether he was polka-dotting in The Suicide Squad, or stealing the comedic limelight from Paul Rudd in the Ant-Man movies, or being a haunting presence in every Denis Villeneuve epic. Dastmalchian is a true scene stealer, and at age 48 it is shocking that only now he finally gets a lead role. Regardless he is fantastic as Jack Delroy, as he balances the charming charisma of a late-night talk show host whilst also showcases the inner demons of this character, still mourning the recent death of his wife, as well as his eagerness to become relevant again after consistently losing ratings. From the quivers in his voice to the fear in his eyes, this is a really juicy showcasing role for Dastmalchian and one that is sure to be a memorable one when looking back on the actor’s rich filmography. Ingrid Torelli as Lilly the possessed survivor of a Satanic cult was truly creepy and unnerving. From her voice changes to her awkward movements, she truly felt unnatural, or dare I say supernatural, and her strangeness was at times even comical, but also really uncomfortable. Ian Bliss as Carmichael Hunt, a paranormal sceptic, too gave a powerhouse performance, delivering lines with prowess and was a truly commanding presence. Rhys Auteri rounds up the cast as Gus the announcer of Jack’s late night show, acting very befit of, say, a Higgins for Jimmy Fallon or a Guillermo for Jimmy Kimmel. He very much embraced the role as Dastmalchian’s side-kick and provided some solid light-hearted comedy to the proceedings.
Late Night with the Devil is a true delight for horror enthusiasts, with some great use of old-school practical effects evidently inspired by 1982’s The Thing, solid sound design that harkened back to that era of television, and enough unsettling moments of suspense to entertain and shock. Minus a couple of cheap electrical sparks there isn’t any CGI used which is refreshing, and overall visually the retro element was truly delightful. Again, the ending does scratch some heads, but overall this is a refreshing piece of campy horror, with a showcasing performance from Dastmalchian. In this you can truly put your faith on.
Overall score: 7/10
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thekatea · 11 months
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The Eighth Sense
Watched: 26.04.2023
It’s more than just a romance drama…And that can be either a selling point or a red flag, depending on what you are looking for. Personally, I loved it.
The Eight Sense starts as a story mostly focused on Ji Hyun, a student that moved from the countryside to Seoul to attend a university. Trying to fit into a larger and fast paced environment, working part time and taking classes - having just one friend from the same town. And then he comes across Jae Won. And that’s when the romance starts, Ji Hyun slowly starts to get out of his comfort zone and the plot starts to shift more towards Jae Won.
For me, Jae Won is the star of the drama. His character just resonates with me more. Initially presented as this popular guy who just got back from the military. Guy that has it all: friends, girls liking him, rich and influential parents and an extroverted personality that makes his daily life so much easier. But there is so much more to this character and we slowly see the unhealed wounds as the plot starts to focus on his side more and more.
Both characters went through enormous change throughout this short drama. Both matured and learned more about themselves. While the romance was amazing, organic, well paced and perfectly delivered, the individual stories were the aspect that made me love the drama more. Creating your characters as more than just a pair, making sure they are presented as individuals with their own stories, social circles. Not locking them inside the romance bubble where they are never seen interacting with other people in a context that is detached from their relationship - that’s when you know there was some proper effort put into writing.
I cannot compliment The Eighth Sense enough on how they presented and dealt with mental health issues. This might be one of the best representations in k-bls we have seen so far. It showcases how complex of an issue it might be. How at times we don’t even know how much people around us are struggling, because they learned how to mask it. How the healing takes more than just occasional visits to a specialist. How the system of social support and having people you trust around you is also a vital aspect of recovery. How there is no one solution, magic pill that can fix it all - it’s a long process that needs many elements working together to have a positive and long lasting effect. But also, how it’s obtainable, how it’s not impossible to get out of that dark place, no matter how hopeless it might feel at the moment.
As for the acting - no complaints. Both Im Ji Sub and Oh Jun Taek did justice to their characters and delivered a realistic and believable performance. The Eighth Sense also has an amazing cast of vibrant supporting characters. I adored the female-male friendships thanks to Yoon Won’s and Ae Ri’s fun personalities and great delivery by Lee Mi Ra and Seo Ji An. I hated Eun Ji and Tae Hyung with all my passion and it was also possible only because of how well acted the roles were - props to Park Hae In and Jang Young Joon. It also made me think how we all have flaws, some just have a bit more than others… But we still need to learn how to coexist with them, otherwise it will just make out lives harder.
All that said, here comes issues I had. The editing was at times truly painful. I understand that in some cases it was probably a stylistic choice that visually represented the state the characters were in, but it did not really feel like it. It just felt like a messy and jumpy editing. In most cases the directing and editing was okay. Opening two episodes had an amazing indie feel to it and I fell in love with it right away, but the middle part of the story just felt a bit sloppy. Some scenes felt on the nose, but I don’t think it was the issue of the scenes alone, but rather the fact they were played one after another.
Overall, highly recommended, but not to people who just want a romance driven story with little to no distraction from that aspect. This show does not even have that many scenes of leads together, compared to other dramas in that genre. It’s more of the characters walking next to each other rather than characters walking together. Sometimes one person stops for a moment. Sometimes one person picks up the pace leaving the other behind. There are individual detours before they can both reach the destination.
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britesparc · 9 months
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Weekend Top Ten #591
Top Ten Moments in Indiana Jones Movies
I don’t know if you’ve noticed but there’s a new Indiana Jones movie. Directed by James Mangold – who made Cop Land, Walk the Line, and Logan – it stars the 108-year-old Harrison Ford, Fleabag, and that bloke who always plays baddies playing a baddie. It’s called The Dial of Destiny and based on nothing but my own assumptions (and the fact that it seems as if Mads Mikkelsen’s Nazi ne’er-do-well might not have aged between 1944 and 1969) that it’s gonna have something to do with time travel. I reckon Karen Allen’s Marion Ravenwood – last seen marrying Dr. Henry Jones Jr – has died (sniff) and when he gets his hand on this “Dial of Destiny”, Indy’s gonna have a moral moment a bit like at the end of Last Crusade, where he could put this immense power out of enemy hands for good, or use it himself to bring his wife back.
Or maybe I’m completely wrong.
Anyway, to celebrate the release of Dial of Destiny I actually re-watched all four prior Indy films this year. I could rank them, but there’s, like, four, so it’s not really a top ten. But then I thought, well, what are the best moments in the movies? Because these are films just built on moments. Even the lesser ones have some tremendous action scenes, fight scenes, stuntwork, and prolonged chases. Crystal Skull – the much-maligned fourth outing – is at its best when it’s on the hoof, with a great warehouse escape in the opening sequence, a bike chase through a university, and a chase through the jungle that ends up going down a waterfall. These are excellent moments of action cinema that really showcase just how adept at this sort of stuff Spielberg is.
And Crystal Skull isn’t even the best film! I mean, it’s not the worst either, but it’s down there a little bit.
What I’m trying to say is that the whole Indy saga is just a phenomenally well-constructed series of breakneck, nail-biting, expertly choreographed action scenes. I’m not really sure why Spielberg isn’t talked about more as an action director, because he stages the heck out of these things, and is capable of not only giving us exciting cinema, not only framing it in such a way as to be decipherable and easy to follow, but also injects a huge amount of humour and heart and character into these things. From the very first moments of Raiders, we have the core tenants defined: yes, it’s a great, exciting, action set piece; but it’s also inventive (the idol, the arrows, the boulder!). It shows Indy’s ingenuity and knowledge but also his fallibility; he cocks up by mistaking the weight of the idol and so triggering the booby traps. He runs hell for leather, appears knackered and beaten down (we also have that sublime moment where grabs a vine, thinks he’s safe, cracks a relieved smile, and then the vine starts to tear away and he panics again). Then he’s captured, taunted, has the idol taken from him, but manages to escape anyway with arrows raining down around him. And he hates snakes! He hates ‘em!
The boulder scene hasn’t made this list, shockingly; yes, I’m even angry with myself. But bloody hell fire, there’s just so much in these films. Almost every one of them has at least three or four simply phenomenal action scenes. There are absolute all-time iconic scenes here. Any list of the best action scenes of all time ever that didn’t include at least one Indiana Jones sequence is not to be trusted. And yeah, okay, whilst there may have been a little bit of trying to give every film a fair shake here, I do think that all of them have their merits and then some. Even the really stupid bit in Temple of Doom when they jump out of an aeroplane in a dingy is still a cool stunt.
All this said and still I think the best thing about Indy is the heart and humanity of the series. Yeah, okay, I guess he’s a cad and a bit of a graverobber and all that, but the whole franchise is about how, deep down, he cares so damn much. He believes in stuff. He loves people. He gets hurt but he keeps getting back up again. And again, and again, and again, long after he probably, realistically, should have stopped making these films. Which is why not all of these moments are really action – some of them are drama and some of them are comedy. But we still have that propulsive excellence that defines these movies.
Indiana. Let it go.
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The truck chase (Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1981): one of the greatest stunts in history as far as I’m concerned. It’s a great car chase which features clambering over and around trucks, people getting punched out of windows, and – oh my god – the classic Stagecoach-riffing moment where Vic Armstrong crawls underneath a moving truck and edges his way to the rear before climbing up the back of the vehicle. It’s stunning. And, again, it’s a sequence that features so many great Ford reaction shots and instances of him getting battered.
The tank chase (The Last Crusade, 1989): another excellent chase through the sand, with Indy once more going on and around a large moving vehicle. Here, though, we have multiple things going on, with Henry and Marcus in the tank, and Sallah helping out on horseback. There’s great ingenuity – the rock in the gun barrel – and ups and downs as our heroes score minor victories and then get clonked on the head. And then the tension of Indy trapped on the barrel, about to hit a rock, and then the glorious gag of the tank going over the cliff and a bedraggled Indy joining his companions as they stare over the edge.
The Brody cut (Crusade): yep, not really an action beat, but I did just say “moments”! This is such a funny bit and one of the best jump cut edits of all time. We slowly track in on Indy as he taunts the Nazis with Marcus Brody’s skills and accomplishments; “with a little luck, he’s found the Grail already.” Smash cut: Brody walking through a market loudly asking if anyone speaks English. What more is there to say? He got lost in his own museum.
“Let it go” (Crusade): still on Crusade, a film that’s one percent not quite as amazing as Raiders but is still just so damn good. This is almost an action scene as it’s a tense bit of stuntwork and effects as Indy falls into a crevice and stretches out to retrieve the Grail, his fingers touching it. The simplicity of his dad calling him “Indiana” for the one and only time in the movie – acknowledging his son’s choices, having grown to understand and accept them – is so touching it kicks Indy out of his Grail-mania and allows him to be saved, choosing life – and therefore death – over the Grail’s promise of immortality.
Anything Goes (Temple of Doom, 1984): my least-favourite of the four films (by a gnat’s wing) still has some blinding moments, including the best opening of the series. Spielberg scratches his musical itch about thirty-five years before West Side Story will a beautifully choreographed Busby Berkeley-esque dance sequence of chorus girls, and future Mrs. Spielberg Kate Capshaw singing in Mandarin. When Indy drinks poison and scrambles for an antidote there’s a knockabout, slapstick quality to the proceedings, with things getting kicked away amidst a riot and a fight, and then – and then! – they end up in a car chase through Shanghai, before the great final gag. Nice try, Lao Che!
The plane (Raiders): the story of the production of the plane fight is legendary – George Lucas snapping two wings off a model because it would be too expensive to build full-scale – but the sequence itself remains extraordinary. Another great example of Indy getting the shit kicked out of him, it’s also a great showcase for Marion as she batters a Nazi pilot with some chocks and attempts to steer the plane, its rotation – and spinning rotors – a recurring threat as Indy fights a Nazi man-mountain. After all the tension and drama of the fight, we get that great moment of gore as the spinning blades hit our adversary; just the right gruesomely funny coda to a terrific scene.
The castle escape (Crusade): the whole sequence with Indy and his dad in the Nazi castle is brilliant, with their banter just terrific right from the off, and then it evolves into another of those almost Rube Goldberg-like escalating action scenes. There’s the attempt to escape from being tied together on chairs, a rapidly escalating fire, and a secret revolving fireplace. And then, out of the castle, there’s a brilliant bike chase, with pursuing Nazis sent flying like Stormtroopers on speeder bikes. It all culminates in Henry’s brilliant speech about the Grail being life, about this being a battle against evil. So good.
Young Indiana (Crusade): prequels, eh? Whatcha gonna do? But here we see the most perfect prequel of all time – possibly because it’s only, like, fifteen minutes long or something. But in this microcosm we see every element of Indy, from the superficial to the significant. He gets his whip, he gets his hat, he gets the dinky little scar on his chin; but we also see his resolve, tenacity, his desire to preserve these ancient antiquities for the wider world… his fear of snakes. And we see the difficult relationship he had with his dad. It’s everything you need in a prequel, with a hot, charismatic, terrific actor playing the younger version of our hero. And it’s just so fun; the chase through the desert, the various train carriages… it’s an amazing opening sequence.
The mine karts (Doom): like the world’s best videogame level, this has ups, downs, and everything in between. To describe it as a rollercoaster isn’t doing it any justice; I think they actually did turn it into a rollercoaster. But this is just another one of those iconic sequences, with all the various jumps and spills, characters going in and out of different karts; so iconic, in fact, that it’s been homage and replicated time and again. Donkey Kong Country owes it a big debt, for instance. It does beg the question, though: why did the Thuggees build this crazy, impossible, multi-mile-long network of higgledy-piggledy train tracks? It makes no damn sense!
The bike chase (Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, 2008): the scenes and sequences in Crystal Skull might not be quite as iconic – although the image of Indiana Jones, a WWII-era throwback to nineteenth century adventurer-explorers, framed against a mushroom cloud is pretty dramatic – but this prolonged fight-cum-chase is an excellent example of Spielberg’s inventive direction. Tapping into its fifties milieu, we have a greasers-versus-jocks brawl, and our heroes on a Harley pursued by sinister besuited figures, Indy moving in and out of vehicles (this is a franchise staple that I don’t think I’d quite clicked on until this list), at one point dragged along on foot, before the chase enters the university itself, riding through a library to allow Indy to give some advice to Tom Hanks’ son. It’s a wild, escalating action-packed sequence full of character and comedy, and shows that even after all this time the series still had it.
Another good bit from Crystal Skull? Jim Broadbent sadly reflecting that they’ve reached the age when life “takes more than it gives”. It has quite a nice, melancholy air that film, that’s often overlooked.
And, god, what bits haven’t I mentioned? Marion’s bar! Asps! Toht’s coat hanger! The bridge! The bugs! The zeppelin! They named the dog Indiana!
Anyway: Indiana Jones. Fab, innit?
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avaliveradio · 1 year
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The Brisbane Music Scene is alive and thriving with the Return of 44 Ardent
As a hub for live music, Brisbane is the place to be for music lovers looking for a unique experience. With a wide range of genres and venues to choose from, everyone can find something to suit their taste. From indie bands playing in small bars to international superstars filling stadiums, there is always something happening in Brisbane's diverse music scene. 
The club and dj music scene in Brisbane showcases some of the hottest talent in the world. In 2022 dance music really came into its own in Brisbane, with a number of new clubs opening up and existing venues expanding their offerings. If you're a fan of house, techno, or any other electronic music genre, you'll find plenty of places to dance the night away.
Electronic music is thriving in Brisbane and 44 Ardent is one to watch in 2023. Anonymous Australian producer 44 Ardent returns with an invigorating new single titled ‘far gone’, which is just the first of many new singles he has planned for release throughout the year via Mammal Sounds Records. 
‘Far Gone’ is a lo-fi house, indie-dance vibe that sets a mood to room from the start. The production is top quality and the layers flow effortlessly moving from one phrase to another with an uplifting beat and infectious tempo. The vocals drift in and out of the focus widening the soundscape with a more spacious feel. The use of vocal effects fit in nicely with the music. This track is a terrific introduction for what we can expect coming from this artist in 2023 and I love the style. 
Can’t wait for more.
Music Review by Jacqueline Jax 
44 Ardent
44 Ardent is a mysterious Australian producer who has been crafting a unique blend of electronica with elements of indie-dance and lo-fi house music. Throughout 2022, 44 Ardent gave us a collection of new singles which inevitably led to the release of his debut seven-track ep “intothedeep”, which was met with much praise and attention from music fans and curators across the globe. Over the last few months, 44 Ardent has been very busy working on his next phase of music which he will be sharing with us throughout 2023, and he’s excited to be kicking things off this week with his latest single, an uplifting and invigorating indie-dance track called ‘far gone’ which is being release via Mammal Sounds Records. “far gone’ is about gazing into the ocean in order to gather your thoughts and emotions. when you are sad, upset or confused, sometimes it’s just good to look at a large body of water. It might make you feel better or sometimes it might not, but that’s okay because at least you’ll have a nice view xx”– 44 Ardent
‘far gone’ is available everywhere now via Mammal Sounds Records.
Stream:  https://bfan.link/far-gone
Artist Connect:
https://soundcloud.com/44ardent
https://www.facebook.com/44ardent
https://twitter.com/44Ardent
https://www.instagram.com/44ardent
Credits:  Production by 44 Ardent
Mixing & Mastering by Callan Alexander
Artwork by 44 Ardent
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waynes-multiverse · 2 years
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Hiiiiii !!! I wanted to send all numbers of the fanfic writer ask but I didn't. So 🙃
2, 6, 7, 12, 30, 32 😘
Okay, let's do this! 😁
2. What character(s) do you find the most difficult to write for? Why?
I honestly don't have that much trouble writing a specific character. If I know certain personality traits, it's really fun imagining "what if" scenarios and then I go from there. Even Sam, who I don't write for a lot, still comes fairly easy to me. A good tip otherwise is making a character spreadsheet with their most important info and then follow your gut. Does it sound right for a certain character to say/do that or wrong?
6. If you listen to music when writing, what were you listening to when writing [Fanfic Name]?
I have my own writing playlist, which mostly contains indie/altnernative/rock music. Something with a soothing melody and not too distracting. Bonus points if the lyrics are inspiring too. And Taylor Swift's Folklore and Evermore always get me in a inspiring mood too ☺️
7. What story/headcanons do you feel the proudest of?
Attempting to give Sam and Dean a family in DBM. Also, in my head, they have houses next door to each other and Dean always loots Sam's fridge and finds a reason for BBQing in the yard 🤷‍♀️
12. Who is your favorite author?
Hm, fanfic or published? I can't possibly choose a favorite fanfic author. There's two many and everyone is amazing and has their own unique style and ideas! I do love that fanfiction is so free and not constricted by rules. You can write anything you want. No one cares about "marketability" and "censorship." You can curse, you can write the most cliché tropes, you can fully delve into your own style... A few of my favorite published authors, though, include: Rainbow Rowell and John Green. Both write YA novels, but I really love their narrative style! And a go-to for inspiration is always Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass. I also love reading plays and dystopian novels! Honestly, never ask a literature student about favorite authors/books. You might be here a while 😂😂😂
30. Do you write down all your ideas? What makes you decide to write one versus the other?
I write down everything. Even if it's just a fleeting idea or a one-liner. I might use it or I might not, but at least it's saved somewhere if I need it. Sometimes I might have a funny idea or a dialogue sequence in my head. If I'm already over my desired word count, I might not use it if it's not super important for the story and would just be a "detail" or "fun fact." I probably have tons of "deleted scenes" in my notes and even more in my head... 🙈
32. What story do you think showcases your signature style the most?
That would actually be my newest one, To Be Human 😊 It's more stream of consciousness, and thus, feels the most like me. I wanted all my characters' thoughts to be more "free flowing" and less restricted by grammar and writing conventions. But I usually adapt my style depending on the story I wanna tell. So tenses and perspectives depend on my main objective. Which is why TBH is written in present tense because I wanted my audience to feel a certain urgency and that everything is happening right now, whereas with DBM, I imagined the reader telling the story of how everything happened from some point in the future (Kinda like HIMYM – "Kids, this is how I ended up here...).
Thank you so much for asking, @eevvvaa! 🖤 That was a lot of fun, although I went a little overboard with my answers 😂
Fanfic Writer Asks
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h-pelessly · 19 days
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Betting on You by Lynn Painter (10/10) I'm in love with Lynn Painter's writing. At first, I read this with the mindset that nothing YA/hs will beat Wes Bennett from BTTM knowing Charlie is Wes' cousin. However, this book also made me sob. There were a lot of tropes jam packed into this, but I enjoyed it. The only thing I didn't love about this one is Bailey, the FMC. She was a little naive and I like my FMCs a little strong. But the way these two acted and interacted brought me right back to high school. This is a perfect friends to lovers book and I will absolutely cry over it any day. A quote that really stuck with me was "I wanted to show you that you can trust me to never disappear again" when Charlie wanted to give Bailey his cat. BABY, I WILL SOB
The Cupcake Cowboy by Rose Rayne Rivers (7/10) This was an ARC read for an indie author. I am currently in my sports romance era (when am I not tbfh) but I was like hmmmm let me jump into this. Not going to completely lie, I got bored. I did like Kaytlyn's sassy mouth, but it was also like ???? Do u know when to shut up. Blayke and Kaytlyn met when Blayke's "brother" (by heart) brings him to the diner Kaytlyn works at to showcase his crush. Immediately, Blayke falls in love. The insta attraction threw me off. But the struggles they went through was mediocre. I didn't feel my relation to the characters at all.
Break the Girl by Rachel Jonas and Nikki Thorne (7.5/10) For a dark romance, I didn't hate it. I was kinda surprised at this, but then again, people are saying that it's not really a dark romance so i don't know. But to me, it was a dark romance bc I would personally not like to exist in here. But it was slightly in this world so I don't know if it classifies as such. ANYWHO, I got this on one of syk days, and I was like I need a break from fluffy romances or at least a filler. This one is about a bully frat which I can kind of see, but also, it's like what the fuck is this brotherhood shit. It's also a why choose which is why I was kinda okay with it. Let's cover all this shit up with smut and it'll all be alright. The girl was realistically fighting against her fate, and the boys ended up pleasuring her altogether. So in a way, it was sweet they didn't push her. This is part of a trilology which is cool, but like there's no HEA or any sense of closure so I am not necessarily looking forward to finishing/continuing.
Collided by Lauren Asher (7/10) I liked this a bit better than the first one. I never got around to reading it until I found an audio version of it. This one, like the first book, was tension filled. To the point where the slow burn didn't make sense because we all know what's going to happen like there was no angst at all. I do love banter and a slow burn, but it was kind of like there were no other barrier. Under developed for an Asher book imo. A lot of things didn't make sense such as why Liam was so fixated on Sophie's "fuck it" list when he kind of had something like that with someone else and ended it. That didn't make sense to me. Or the father-daughter relationship between Sophie and her dad-- super weird imo. But I mean I did end up liking it more and might as well finish the Dirty Air series.
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (7.5/10) I personally had a love-hate relationship with this book, but I can't lie that this book made me feel things. I did feel the romance/love aspect, but it wasn't as strong as other emotions. I hated the fact that Michael, the Asian MMC was a sex worker (escort). Like there's nothing wrong with it, but the fact that he experienced racism while doing his work made me so uncomfortable. And he had to be Vietnamese too like that shit hurt so much. Anyway, someone said the autism was fucked out of Stella, the FMC, and I cannot stop thinking about that. I honestly don't think the characters would last together IRL, but it was a cute attempt that they ended up engaged/married.
Faceoff by Mari Loyal (7.3/10) This book was an ARC so I didn't know what to expect. This was a sports (hockey) romance in a college setting. I have some things that I didn't like, but I honestly did enjoy it. It had me giggling and kicking my feet. I love my independent and strong FMCs. This is a rivals-to-lovers romance which has a latina FMC. I loved getting to know her family. And the MMC, chef's kiss. He's so patient and kind to her, Luz, and he lets her shine. If he wasn't so young, I'd be in love.
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magic-maam · 1 month
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dear diary,
today i decided to reveal my true identity to the world. well, not really. i still have to keep some secrets, like my age and hometown. you never know who might be lurking on the internet, right? but i did share some of my interests, which are pretty awesome if i do say so myself. i mean, who doesn't love cartoons, creative writing, fanart, indie music, and learning science stuff and anything odd or unusual? i'm a jack of all trades, master of none, and proud of it!
i also invited everyone to visit my sideblog, where i post anything that is not related to hilda: the series. hilda is my main obsession, but i have other passions too, you know. like being obsessed with adventure time recently, because i'm like a sleeper agent who got activated by a message, and that message being the new fionna and cake series. or letting you in on a conspiracy. do you know anyone from bielefeld? have you ever been to bielefeld? do you think bielefeld exists? if you answered yes to atleast one, then you're brainwashed because bielefeld doesn't exist!!! my sideblog is a place where i can express myself freely, without worrying about what others think. it's my humble abode, and you are welcome to make yourself at home!
but be warned, diary. my sideblog is not for the faint of heart. it's a wild ride of fanarts, fanfic ideas, reblogs, and random thoughts. i don't just post what i like, i post what i'm crazy about. i'm crazy enough to make my sideblog a reflection of myself, a collage of my insanity, a showcase of my madness. you never know what you'll find on my sideblog, diary. it's full of surprises. and maybe some regrets.
so, diary, what do you think of my new tumblr post? do you like it? do you hate it? do you want to read more? do you want to unfollow me? do you want to be my friend? do you want to be my enemy? do you want to be my lover? do you want to be my pet? do you want to be my... okay, i'll stop now. i'm getting carried away. i tend to do that sometimes. sorry, diary. i hope you don't mind.
anyway, diary, i think that's enough for today. i have to go and do some other stuff. i'll write to you again soon, diary. until then, stay cool, stay weird, stay awesome.
love, helga (aka magic ma'am)
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uniquebasementpirate · 2 months
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Why Dublin Host Families Offer the Best Cultural Experience
Choosing a Dublin host family instantly welcomes you into iconic Irish culture. Dublin, Ireland's largest and most diverse city, offers many experiences. Experience the joy of learning the local language as you explore medieval castles. Later, enjoy traditional music in cozy pub sessions. Dublin offers a blend of living history and exciting nightlife, showcasing Ireland's distinct charms while also providing a vibrant cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Staying with trusted Dublin Host Families handpicked by FamWorld is far superior to average tourist traps, without a doubt. Experience the true essence of Irish life through enchanting daily moments shared at home and in their local town. Read on for 5 reasons why living as a member of a local Dublin clan ensures Ireland memories you'll cherish forever.
1. Sample Authentic Irish Home Cooking
Skip bland international hotel buffets! Host Family Dublin can't wait to showcase regional culinary delights perfected over generations at shared family dinners. Let your eager hosts introduce your palate to savory classics like Irish stew, indulgent soda breads and more unusual acquired tastes like black pudding. Then show off recipes from your own heritage in return! Comparing favorite comforting meals kickstarts wonderfully revealing cultural conversations with new Irish friends.
2. Learn Lively Local Lingo and Laughs
Dubliners speak English peppered with charming Irish slang and quirky expressions spanning centuries. Distinguish “grand” as high praise rather than just okay thanks to your host parents' informal guidance. Confidently order “a pint of the black stuff” joining Friday night pint sessions with their social circle too. Understanding subtle Irish wit and lyrical turns of phrase within relaxed chatter over house chores brings this poetic language alive with insight textbooks lack.
You'll undoubtedly adopt favorite Irish terms into your everyday vocabulary after just a few weeks of bunking with a local Dublin crew. But even more valuable than expanding your linguistic skills are all the hilarious memories and inside jokes you'll accumulate together!
3. Gain Insight Into Irish Family Traditions
Immerse yourself in the authentic Dublin experience by joining your host family in their daily activities and celebrations. Celebrate national holidays such as St Patrick's Day by joining your proud Host Family In Ireland in preparing regional dishes, rather than settling for generic green beer. Discover the meaning behind celebrating important family events such as christenings, communions, and weddings. Who knows, you might even receive an invitation!
Irish families are usually happy to explain cultural customs when you ask respectful questions. Collecting these vivid memories makes heritage come alive.
4. Receive Local Tips Revealing Dublin's Hidden Gems
Tourists clumsily cling to crowded attractions promoted on travel blogs, completely missing local treasures right under their noses! But your Dublin host family can't wait to guide you off the beaten path instead personally. Not only will they reveal neighborhood hole-in-the-wall pubs boasting the city's finest traditional music sessions, but also quiet riverside nature trails, quaint second-hand bookshops and so much more. Scan their personalized maps to uncover hideaway cafes and indie boutiques, too! Insider secrets shared by your Dublin hosts guarantee discovering Ireland's best-kept secrets.
Conclusion
Skip superficial snapshots by snapping selfies as just another forgettable tourist. Why settle for lonely, impersonal hotels when you could belong to the warmth of an authentic Dublin home? FamWorld removes all the guesswork in finding Guardianship Ireland who can't wait to embrace you as one of their own. From sampling grandmother's long-kept recipes to mastering lyrical local vocabulary over everyday adventures together, our Dublin hosts unlock Ireland's magical soul.
Are you still unconvinced that Dublin host families provide a more authentic cultural experience than scripted tourism gimmicks? Check out testimonials from global guests on FamWorld.com. Contact us for a free consultation to find your perfect hosts for an unforgettable Irish experience. The Emerald Isle eagerly awaits your arrival!
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independentartistbuzz · 6 months
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Indie 5-0: 5 Questions with Staytus
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Staytus is the musical alter-ego of Arizona-based recording prodigy Sam Grundemann, who fuses the immersive sensibility of gaming culture and the moody, stylized futurism of anime with Gen X-inspired angst, all set to a serrated electro-industrial goth metal soundtrack. 
A black-winged avatar come to deliver reckoning for the onslaught of challenges today’s young adults have to navigate, Grundemann’s ability to translate trauma, betrayal, heartbreak, grief and anxiety into sound from a non-neurotypical perspective arrives not a moment too soon.
“Depravity Bites,” the latest single from her upcoming sophomore full-length Wasteland of Broken Hearts, goes for an even starker edge than previous single “Lovesick." The “Depravity Bites” video sees Grundemann incorporating BDSM imagery for the first time, alternating between a whip and the guitar that has become the centerpiece of her sonic arsenal. Once again, Grundemann shows that she can match her prodigious DAW chops with a burgeoning sense of songcraft.
We caught up with Staytus for a very special Indie 5-0 below.
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Your music is described as a fusion of gaming culture, anime aesthetics, and Gen X-inspired angst. Can you tell us more about how these diverse influences come together in your music, and what inspired you to create this unique blend?
I've always been a gamer and an anime fan. Combining that with my love for the gritty music from the Gen X era seemed natural to me. It's like blending the excitement of a video game, the unique art and stories of anime, and the deep emotions of Gen X music. All these different parts of my life come together in my songs, making them feel both nostalgic and fresh at the same time.
"Depravity Bites" features BDSM imagery, which is a departure from your previous work. What motivated you to incorporate this visual element, and how does it relate to the message or themes in the song?
The song "Depravity Bites" is a personal reflection on identity and feelings that are often kept hidden. I used BDSM imagery in the video to show the theme of control - like how society tries to control how we should feel and act. I wanted to stand up against that and tell people it's okay to be themselves.
You have a background in acquiring multiple recording degrees and certifications at a young age. How has your formal education in music production shaped your approach to creating music, and what advice do you have for aspiring producers?
Studying music formally gave me a strong foundation. It taught me the technical skills I needed, but it also opened my mind to experimenting with sound. It's like having a toolbox and knowing when and how to use each tool. For new producers, I'd suggest always keeping an open mind, absorbing everything you can learn, and then putting your unique spin on it. Remember, your voice and perspective are what will make you stand out.
In an era where shorter formats like singles and EPs dominate the music scene, you are working on a full-length album. What drives your commitment to creating albums, and how does "Wasteland of Broken Hearts" differ from your previous work?
While singles give quick bursts of emotion or message, an album is like reading a whole book with a start, middle, and end. I love taking my listeners on that complete journey. "Wasteland of Broken Hearts" is special because it delves deeper into personal stories and emotions. It's a reflection of my growth as an artist and showcases a broader range of my musical inspirations.
You openly acknowledge the influence of bands like Nine Inch Nails, KoRn, Orgy, Kittie, Black Dresses, and How To Destroy Angels. How do you balance paying homage to these influences while still maintaining your unique sound and artistic vision?
These bands have played a big role in shaping my musical taste. Their passion and energy have always inspired me. But I always want to add my touch to everything I do. While I might take inspiration from them, I mix it with my own experiences, feelings, and the stuff I've learned about sound design to create something that's truly Staytus.
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caliconiko · 1 year
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Hiiiiiiiii !!!!!!!!!!
if you're here you're either from my twitter, sleepy.zone, or randomly found me.
Welcome !!!
Hello, I'm Calico Niko. You can call me Cally.
My pronouns match the following regex: /the(y|m|ir)/
Currently live in Java island and desperately trying to get out of here
I have no fucking clue as to what I'm doing and or what I should be doing.
but I'm chilling, or at least trying to chill.
anyways, this is a pinned post thing for my linkies and doodads
GitHub:
though I'm not developing anything rn, I might continue developing one of my projects someday
Twitter:
still quite active on twitter despite it basically burning down
SoundCloud:
come and laugh at my taste in music
YouTube:
I will upload a video soon I promise. for now, you can watch my video showcasing the Transcraft resource pack
Itch:
made a few lil' games for game jams believe it or not
...
okay that's it for now.
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aliciazhen · 4 years
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A Long Way Home
Feb. 20 — Mar. 17, 2020
Game Designer & 2D Artist
About the Game
A puzzle and movement-based indie game made using Bitsy. Play as a lost cat who tries to find their way home! Play here!
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Beginning Scene
Role: Game Designer & 2D Artist Duration: 1.5 weeks Team Size: 3
Among 25 other student submissions, our game was selected as a winning game to be showcased at the annual UCSC Games Showcase of 2020.
Contributions
Developed & designed the original concept & narrative of the game.
Drove the vision and implementation of game features & systems (i.e., narrative, settinging, interactive objects, quests, etc.)
Led the development process by delegating tasks, tracking their progress, and updating the team's production schedule.
Coordinated & facilitated team meetings to drive actionable tasks and deadlines with Google Docs.
Drew, designed & developed environments, quests, sprites, and interactive objects within Bitsy.
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Northlake Park by Alicia Zhen
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Ransom Way, a trailer park neighborhood by Joann Wong
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Cliff-Side Waterfall by Brandon Kharaka
Game Design:
Our game provides players with lots of freedom and agency, allowing for emergent gameplay:
Almost every home in each neighborhood has fully furnished & designed interiors, which the player can explore.
(Some locked homes require a key before you can enter! )
There are also signs, objects, animals, and NPCs that the player can speak and interact with.
The game has one main quest that the player must complete in order to progress in the game, and several side quests which the player has the option to either participate in or ignore.
(ex. one "side quest" is the option to help clean up all the trash in Northlake Park, which triggers new dialogues from the NPCs and objects there!)
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Albertson Street by Alicia Zhen
Player Experience:
Overall, we wanted the player to feel an initial sense of comfort and ease — particularly at the beginning of the game — as they chase the butterfly. We also hoped that a sense of smallness would follow, as the player realizes that they have to explore and traverse the entire game world in order to find a way back “home.”
(This sense of smallness grows bigger, as the player realizes that the game world isn’t as small as it may have initially appeared.) We hoped that our game would almost create an “open-world”experience, by implementing elements such as exploration and side-quests. With this, players have the agency to roam around the urban neighborhood as they wish, while scavenging for items along the way.
Problem-solving — players must match certain items with certain sprites when taking on side quests. As the game stretches on, players may also feel the want or need to memorize which routes they’ve taken in order to avoid revisiting the same streets, and to find new paths that could help them reach their house as soon as possible.
Friendliness / Curiosity — an experience which sprouts from interacting with the NPCs who live in the neighborhood, exploring their homes, and occasionally helping them out with any problems they might be facing.
Uncertainty — may occur due to different interactions with different NPCs, which could affect the outcome of the game. Based on the different neighborhoods that the cat [the player] will arrive at, NPCs can range from being very kind to very dismissive, or even hostile. 
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Ashberry Avenue by Alicia Zhen
Game Reviews:
“This game is beautiful. You all should be very proud of the work you’ve done, and I hope you’re okay with me sharing it with the rest of the graders. I am absolutely taken aback by the level of effort, time, and energy spent on this project and I want you to know that it is not to waste. I wish I could give you more than just one point of extra credit, but alas, rules exist! This game is one for the portfolio. Also, great pokemon references.“ ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ—Dany Francis, Course Grader
“Very cute cat / animation / music. Quests are surprisingly deep.“ ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ—Judge at UCSC Games Showcase of 2020
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skully-bones · 3 years
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dude i feel like pure trash rn i can almost guarantee i look like that hyper realistic still frame of squidward
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asmolbirb · 2 years
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Having listened to Ruin like 18 times now, here are some musical thoughts that I simply need to share with other people. Might rb with more thoughts later idk
This album feels much more “alt indie” or “alt folk” than “folk rock” at places. This is not a detriment, I quite enjoyed the softer touch to the album, but it’s a marked departure from THATW and I think that’s really neat. It’s not what I was expecting, but it showcases a range in their musical skill, and I love that
Speaking of softness…. The amount of spoken dialogue throughout the album !!! “Ah bollocks to your waves”, the whole exchange at the end of Drinking Song. There are so many tiny islands of softness amidst the ruined world they’re sketching out for us listeners and it makes me SOFT
Joey’s voice is so much more, idk the right word, intentional in Blossoms. More sibilant, more rhotic, more plosive, more enunciated. It drives me fucking nuts. Blossoms in general is incredible but Joey’s renewed intensity adds a truly indescribable layer of emotion to it. Talk about Blossoms more you cowards—
I talked about this in a previous post but the way they utilize offbeat emphasis and syncopation to throw you off kilter, and then later resolve that syncopation into rhythmic climaxes that are almost anthemic in nature, driving you forward like a marching drum— *chef’s kiss* It’s super prominent in The Calling where the first verse is totally syncopated, the first half of the second verse alternates, and the second half of the second verse is almost totally straightforward with the instrumental building up simultaneously. But there’s other moments too - “my dress is on fire” in Blossoms (hemiolas again) contrasting the 6/8 time of the rest of the song + instrumental; all of Chords, which is a slow progression from syncopation to anthemic straightforward rhythm; TOWSATGMG which does the exact opposite, actually, building up to a rhythmic climax in “you are in the earth of me” and then coming BACK to syncopation in the third part of the song, paralleling Joey’s rebirth/newfound confidence (and ferality)
Okay so in The Calling, when Madeleine is talking to the face in the water, there’s very clearly two separate sound bites in the track. Like Madeleine says “who’s this” and SEPARATELY says “who are you” in a bite that overlaps with the first, thus emphasizing that there are two people + two voices at play here. In TOWSATGMG, though, when Joey’s talking to Good Man Grace, there’s no separation between “I can’t do this” / “you can”. It’s the same sound bite. In other words, the implication here is that Joey himself is echoed within Good Man Grace, or that Good Man Grace is Joey himself
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