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that-ari-blogger · 4 months

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Stray Gods: The Role-Playing Musical

If I asked you to close your eyes and picture something that you have lived through, what do you picture?

Chances are, you are picturing a single moment in time, and feeling all the emotion that runs through it and connects it. Maybe it makes you smile or cry. But it's a single moment, crystalised in a wonderfully imperfect brain.

Life isn't about the great stories and sagas. Sure, that's what historians write down, but that's not what the life of a person is about. It's about falling in love, it's about a cup of coffee in the morning and a conversation with a friend, it's about crying in the rain, and it's about a moment of song and dance. Life is about the little moments, the things that you remember.

Stray Gods: The Role-Playing Musical is an epic, but it's also very much not. Stray Gods is about small choices and moments that add up. So, in this post, I'm going to be looking at some of those moments that I liked, and that some of y'all liked, and doing some analysis of what they say about the story as a whole.

Let me explain.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Stray Gods is a video game. That's really important to the themes and emotions. Video games are often collaborative endeavours, the game itself often just serves to facilitate moments with the group. A perfect example of this is Ludohistory's streams with the crew from Overly Sarcastic Productions (Link).

I have played the game a few times over, with family members and friends, and on my own, and it's a lot less fun playing solo. Not that the game isn't fun to play on my own, but it felt like it was designed to be multiplayer.

The other benefit of the medium is Stray Gods' calling card. The story is interactive. You make choices and interacts with people within the game. When you convince people to give love a chance, that's your choices leading to an outcome.

One of the best examples of this happens twice. Once halfway through the first song, and then again later on in the story. You get to choose your primary character trait from Charming, Kickass, or Clever. And I think these three are interesting, because their names are misleading. Charming doesn't make you more charismatic, and clever doesn't make you more intelligent.

Instead, I read them as relating to the different driving forces. Emotion, empathy, and logic. I tried to map these on to Ethos, Pathos, and Logos, but it's not quite accurate. Pathos is emotion, Logos is logic, but Ethos is credibility, which isn't the same, but it's a neat idea. In any case, a kickass character is more likely to make rash, emotion driven choices and a clever character is more likely to step back and think, and that is reflected in the choices made available later.

@rosespark2 gave a different, more fascinating read of the concept (source).

I personally think that [the second choice of personality trait] is supposed to act in a way as Grace developing in the story. An example I could think of being maybe Charming Grace gaining Kickass trait later as her being a more open and compassionate person but seeing the injustices in the system become more glaringly obvious it starts to frustrate her and make her more aggressive.

I genuinely hadn't considered this, but it's fascinating to me. Specifically, because of how these choices influence the story. Your primary character trait lets you make slightly different choices, it affects the little moments later on down the line. For example, Clever lets you ask more questions or make different observations. Case and point, in Aphrodite's party, Grace gets asked if she knows the purpose of this event, and the clever choice is the exact opposite of another option.

You can say it's to forget, but if you're clever, you can say it is to remember. This gave me a chuckle the first time around, but on a second playthrough, it reminded me of something.

One of my favourite songs is Hotel California by the Eagles and part of the second verse goes like this:

"How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat. Some dance to remember. Some dance to forget."

A party can be for remembrance and for its antithesis at the same time. Because that's what this event is for, it's for keeping the good times and replacing the bad ones with new moments. It's a time to reminisce. And a clever Grace could work that tiny little detail out, and it could change your perspective on the entire story, a small moment having a big impact.

But as Rosespark pointed out, you get two choices of character trait, and they can act as character development. And the way that the story uses these choices works with this take. Because instead of your second choice superseding or supplanting your original, it adds to it. Because character development can mean losing parts of yourself, but it can also mean developing. Maybe you are clever and kickass, and that lets you make both clever and kickass choices.

This retroactively makes the Grace from the first half of the story feel incomplete, and that's exactly who this character is, she is young, and lost at sea, trying to find a way forwards. This is a character who needs to decide who to be, and that doesn't happen all at once, it happens gradually, in the smaller moments.

When you play a TTRPG (be it Pathfinder, or DnD, or Raccoon Sky Pirates), you usually play as a single character. And one of the fun things about those games is finding out in real time, who your character is, and it's influenced not just by your choices, but by those of your friends, and the rolls of your dice.

And characters are made in the little moments, because you cannot look at the wider story. I remember two separate occasions where characters went in completely opposite directions. One champion I made to seek out power wherever she could find it ended up being the redeemer of the group, and one alchemist I made to seek revenge ended up being a father figure. And those two characters came about not through looking at how the plot would play out, but by small decisions in the moment of play.

Stray Gods works a lot like that, and that's for one key reason. TTRPGs are reflections of life, in a way. They are spontaneous, and that's what Stray Gods seeks to achieve. It is possible to play the game with the intent of being specifically charming, but what happens when you get given a choice with no charming options. Most notably, do you side with Persephone or Apollo in Old Wounds? Character comes about in the small moments and the little choices that lead to a large outcome.

This all works for little choices within the game and within its music. The neat little instrumental association of the choices (Electric guitar for Kickass, harp for Charming, bass clarinet for Clever) is a cool choice that associates the choices with distinct moods that can really help to back up the choice as being charming or clever or whatever. And the repetition of this means that you end up associating those instruments with their choices. So, when a character other than grace starts singing with these instruments backing them up, you associate them with that character trait.

For example, Orpheus is the owner of the single coolest looking guitar ever made, and in The Throne, is preceded by this instrument. So, you immediately associate him with strong emotions, just through the music. When you finally meet him, he isn't particularly rash in action, but you are wary of him because of your intuition brought on by the guitar.

Another example of a small musical choice affecting the story is in Cast A Spell and was pointed out by @adragoncat (link):

[Asterion] might be singing a harmony, and when [Hecate] accepts his proposal, she starts singing a melody to compliment it.

It's a tiny choice in the grand scheme of things, within the entire musical, the Asterion and Hecate love story has no plot bearing. But I have gone into detail on the thematic significance in a different post.

But what I think Adraconcat is pointing out is that the music signifies the connection between the two characters. Asterion's singing is less than immaculate, and that is the point, but when Hecate joins in, she doesn't make his singing obsolete, but she adds to it. The two complement each other. Not only is Asterion's song more bearable with her addition, but his singing itself becomes a harmony as the voices intermingle and complement each other into something infinitely better than the opening fumbles.

Things don't have to be plot relevant to be remembered. You remember Cast A Spell because of the emotion you invest in the relationship, and if you don't invest, you don't remember. And there's nothing wrong with that. Memories are unique to the person. My favourite moment in the entire musical is a small line by Eros in The Ritual:

"My arrows are rusty, forget the bow"

The arrows rusted because they were metal, but forget the bow because it was wood and rotted away. (That may be obvious, but I thought it was cool). That bow, mythologically speaking, is what makes people fall in love. It gets used on Jason and Media, and it gets used on Psyche and Eros himself. Probably a mythological interpretation of the flightlines and unpredictability of love, it was a purpose for Eros, and this single line conveys a loss of purpose as time has shifted, and the song attributes that to the pain of Aphrodite.

This is especially powerful because Grace's entire journey is finding her own purpose, and she can empathise with that. If you get invested in Grace's story, there's a high likelihood you will empathise with this as well.

But the line that sums up the themes the most comes in The Trial:

"Give it time you'll find even an island drifts. You don't notice 'cause it only moves in teeny, tiny shifts."

Stray Gods is about the small moments, because Stray Gods is about choices. You make decisions, you accept the consequences. But sometimes you get so caught up in the small things and you don't understand or see what they all lead to.

You are defined by your choices, for better or worse. And sometimes you look back on yourself and don't recognise who you were or who you have become. And it's important to do so, because the moments keep coming. Even now, there is the choice to change for the better, even when all is lost, you can make a choice. And that choice will be remembered as a tiny moment that might just change your life.

Final Thoughts

This musical is phenomenal and my greatest respect to Austin Wintory for the music, David Gaider for the writing, and everyone else involved.

This is game niche, and that is a strength. It's a Greek mythology, murder mystery, musical, coming of age story, video game. But it zeroes in on its heart, that being the small moments and choices that make a life.

This game made me laugh and cry and sing along. It made me dance, and brought about some fantastic memories, and that's the best praise I can offer it.

Thank you to all those who have read my posts and fed my ego. I put out a request for y'all's opinions on this and while I admittedly overestimated how many responses to that call I would get, it was fun seeing what y'all thought and working that into the final analysis. I am eternally grateful to those who offered their thoughts. I might do it again for other series of analysis that I do.

But this isn't it for my analysis of musicals. In the new year, I plan to take a look at Wicked, so stick around if that interests you.

#rants #literary analysis #literature analysis #stray gods #character analysis #greek mythology #what's so special about...?#stray gods musical #grace x freddie #stray gods the roleplaying musical #stray gods spoilers #stray gods the musical #stray gods grace #life is lived in the little moments

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squiiids · 7 months

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Alright, let's talk about this.

Last Friday, I was admitted to the ER in the absolute worst pain I've ever been in in my life. I don't want to give too many details about my own personal health, but the issue's in my heart. Doctors were able to find the source of the pain and deal with it as best as they could. Unfortunately that also came with the diagnosis that it would take up to a month before this clears out entirely. Right now I'm jobless, I don't have insurance, and in my current medical condition, I can't fix either of those issues without putting myself in the exact kind of pain I was in that put me in the hospital in the first place.

So, without any other options, I've got to turn to you guys for financial support. I have no idea how much I'm going to need in the long run, but I know for the next couple of months I'm going to need about $1500 to cover all the necessary bills and immediate medical costs. That'll at least give me time to recover so I can apply for some financial aid programs and start working again, but I'm going to need some help before I can.

I'm going to need all the financial help I can between this month and next month while I steadily make my recovery from my trip to the hospital, so any amount you can share would be extremely appreciated. Please share this with as many people as you can as well. I really do feel kind of hopeless and desperate here so any support at all would be extremely appreciated.

As per usual, I'm going to be streaming on my twitch to try and bring in some extra funds.

You can use this link to donate on-stream or directly donate to my paypal @ Kidsquids

$420 / $1500

#donation #fundraiser #thingy?#Fr I am Not. Doing Great. I'm gonna need as much financial help as I can get until about the end of November.

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snowmist-hashira · 11 months

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[ (Special) Chapter: Sweet Surprises]

Muichiro Tokitou x Reader

Summary: And as the night wore on, the moon casting its soft glow upon them, Y/n couldn't help but feel that this birthday would be one she would remember for years to come—a celebration of love and connection.

Wattpad: [KNY Fanfiction] (One shots) Tokito Muichiro x Reader

Archive: Kimetsu No Yaiba: Tokitou Muichiro x Reader Master list: ♠ Information ♠

It's a special chapter celebrating my birthday; 05.25.23. I couldn't post it on the exact date as I got busier during the day.

If you guys ever found the link to the artist's profile please do tell me- The art does not belong to me, credits to the rightful owner.

As Y/n sat in her dimly lit room, the atmosphere seemed heavy with the weight of her weariness. The ticking clock on the wall echoed in her ears, further adding to her annoyance. She longed for a change of scenery, to escape the confines of her room and find inspiration elsewhere.

Leaning on her study table, Y/n placed her elbow down and rested her chin on her palm, her gaze fixed on the moonlight streaming in through the window. The moon shone brightly against the darkened sky, its soft glow casting an ethereal ambiance in the room. The absence of stars only accentuated the moon's prominence, leaving Y/n with a sense of solitude.

Her tired eyes reflected a lack of motivation, a weariness that seeped into her very being. The stack of notebooks and papers on her table, filled with meticulous notes and reviewers, served as a constant reminder of the tasks and responsibilities that awaited her. Yet, in that moment, they seemed mundane and uninspiring.

Y/n yearned for something more, a spark to reignite her passion and drive. She craved a break from the monotony, a chance to escape the confines of her room and explore the world beyond. The silence in the room was only broken by the faint rustling of pages and an occasional sigh that escaped her lips.

As the sound of her alarm clock pierced the stillness of the room, Y/n's gaze shifted from the moonlit night to the digital numbers glowing on the clock. The realization struck her: it was her birthday. A mix of emotions flooded her thoughts, ranging from excitement to disappointment.

She couldn't help but pout, feeling a sense of frustration at the timing of her special day. While she longed to celebrate and indulge in the joyous moments that birthdays bring, her responsibilities and the stack of papers and reviewers demanded her attention. The weight of her work seemed to press down on her shoulders, overshadowing the potential festivities that awaited her.

‘If I had a dollar in every sigh, I’d be a millionaire by now.’ She whimsically thought.

As Y/n rested her head on the table, her frown deepened, and the pout remained plastered on her face. She felt trapped in a cycle of monotony and responsibilities, unable to fully embrace the joy she desired on her birthday. The weight of disappointment lingered, threatening to dampen her spirits further.

Just as she reached a momentary state of resignation, her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a distinct knock at her window. The unexpected sound jolted her out of her reverie, and her eyes snapped open, searching for the source of the disturbance.

Uncertain if her ears were playing tricks on her, she cautiously approached the window, her steps hesitant. With a gentle pull of the curtain, she revealed the outside world, hoping to identify the cause of the persistent noise.

To her surprise, there stood Muichiro, his head slightly tilted as he peered in from the other side of the window. Y/n's eyes widened in astonishment, a mix of confusion and recognition crossing her face. She blinked, momentarily speechless, before a smile of recognition slowly formed. Muichiro, finding a way to bring a touch of excitement to her birthday.

Despite her room being on the second floor, Muichiro had effortlessly and silently climbed the tree near her window, determined to surprise her. His presence alone was enough to uplift her spirits and infuse a sense of wonder into her mundane day.

With a sense of curiosity, Y/n opened the window, allowing Muichiro to enter. As he gracefully made his way into the room. “Mui, what are you doing here? It’s already midnight y’know.”

"Exactly," Muichiro replied, a hint of amusement in his voice as he brushed off a few stray leaves and branches that clung to his jacket. His thoughtful gesture of bringing a box of donuts and beverages made Y/n's eyes sparkle with delight. Sweet treats had always been a welcome remedy to her lack of motivation, and Muichiro's company added an extra layer of warmth to the moment.

Y/n couldn't help but appreciate the considerate gesture, her gaze fixated on the box of donuts as her mouth watered in anticipation. The aroma of freshly baked goods filled the air, mingling with the faint scent of ink and paper that permeated her room.

Seeing this; Muichiro’s soft chuckle resonated in the room, echoing Y/n's excitement. He carefully laid the delectable treats and drinks on her study table, making sure to create some space by gently pushing aside her notebooks and papers.

With a grateful smile, Y/n joined Muichiro, sitting at her bed. The mundane papers and reviewers temporarily forgotten; they now had a moment to savor the sweetness of the occasion. It was as if the donuts represented a metaphorical break from the seriousness of their responsibilities, allowing them to indulge in a brief respite.

The room, once filled with weariness and boredom, now transformed into a cozy haven, filled with laughter, sugary treats, and the comfort. “Mui, thanks for bringing these treats, I really appreciate it.”

“No worries, I figured you needed it.” He patted the bedsheet, inviting Y/n to sit in front of him. With a smile, she eagerly complied, positioning herself in a comfortable spot. Muichiro wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her close in a tender embrace. Resting his head on her shoulder, he exuded a sense of comfort and safety.

Y/n could feel his warm breath against her shoulder, a ticklish sensation that elicited a soft chuckle from her lips. In response, she lovingly caressed his head, relishing the intimate moment they shared.

“Y/n.” Muichiro called out from behind.

“Hmm?” Y/n kept her gaze forward, awaiting Muichiro's continuation.

She was caught off guard by the sensation of his hand grazing her neck. His touch brought a cooling sensation, yet it ignited warmth within her. He gently pushed back strands of her hair, gathering them in one spot, revealing her spotless porcelain neck.

In a moment filled with tenderness and intimacy, Muichiro lovingly kissed her neck, sending shivers coursing through Y/n's entire body. Her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red, taken aback by the sudden display of affection. She felt a mixture of surprise, delight, and a hint of embarrassment at the intensity of her response.

Muichiro's whisper, deliberately warm against her ear, broke through the silence. "Happy birthday, Y/n," he murmured, his words laced with a bit of tease.

Despite her face being flushed with a maddening red, Y/n turned to him, her gaze a mixture of light glare and a playful pout. Muichiro, in response, gave her an innocent smile, his intention clear in wanting to convey his feelings through his actions.

“So, what? That’s your gift to me?” Y/n's pout remained, her attempt to regain composure and appear unaffected by Muichiro's intimate gesture falling short as her blush betrayed her true emotions. She questioned him with a hint of skepticism.

Muichiro, still wearing a gentle smile, shook his head in response. His laughter, soft and captivating as always, filled the room, creating a warm and playful atmosphere. Y/n couldn't help but feel a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty at his reaction.

"Of course not," he reassured her, his voice carrying a genuine sincerity. His smile seemed almost too innocent to be true, causing her to withdraw slightly and furrow her brows, cautious of his intentions. Her mind couldn't help but wonder if he had ulterior motives or impure thoughts in mind.

But Muichiro's laughter only grew, observing Y/n's cautious behavior. He could see the flicker of doubt and concern in her eyes, and it amused him in an endearing way. He laughed softly once again, his laughter like a melody that washed away any lingering tension.

"Come here." Muichiro invited, patting the bed once again. Y/n's eyes held a trace of doubt as she looked at him, unsure of what to expect. Muichiro responded with a small, reassuring smile, hoping to alleviate her concerns. "I won't do anything else." He assured her gently.

Hesitant but curious, Y/n cautiously took a seat, preparing herself for whatever surprise awaited her. To her surprise, she found herself once again met with Muichiro's gentle hands on her neck. This time, however, a different sensation greeted her—a cool touch of metal encircling her skin.

Her eyes shifted to her collarbone, and there, hanging delicately, was a beautiful pendant. Its intricate design and shimmering presence caught her attention, mesmerizing her. The pendant held a certain allure, and Y/n couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and appreciation for the thoughtful gift.

She reached up, lightly touching the pendant with her fingertips, tracing the contours of its design. Its presence on her neck brought a sense of elegance and grace to her appearance, reminding her of the special bond she shared with Muichiro.

“It’s beautiful…” Y/n's voice was filled with awe as she admired the beautiful pendant adorning her neck. The words escaped her lips softly, expressing her appreciation for the thoughtful gift. She couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth and happiness knowing that Muichiro had chosen something so special for her.

“There’s my gift.” Muichiro leaned closer, gently parting Y/n's hair bangs with his fingers. His affectionate gesture caused her heart to flutter, and she felt a surge of anticipation. As he drew near, he pressed a loving kiss upon her forehead, his lips lingering for a moment. The tenderness of the gesture spoke volumes. “Happy birthday, Y/n.”

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brightsideoflifeseries · 2 months

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ONE DAY until sign-ups open!

With sign-ups just over the horizon, here's a little FAQ section based on questions from the interest check and other funky details!

Does my work have to be focused on an exact scene from the series?

No! As long as your piece highlights the fun shenanigans, you are welcome to choose whatever sparks your interest. This can be a team, duo, general vibe, whatever! This also allows writers to have fun coming up with scenarios.

Can I collaborate?

Absolutely! There will be a place on both the sign-up sheet and discord to declare a buddy (or buddies!). There will also be a public spreadsheet of people who opted into sharing their ideas so collaborators can find people.

The posting date is April 1st, how do time zones work with that?

Posting will begin at Noon April 1st for YOUR time zone. That way we'll have a nice stream of art for a whole day! Just note, as I (the mod) am in PST, your post might not be reblogged immediately.

What happens on showcase day?

Everyone posts their art to their own blog once they hit posting time. This blog will then queue the art for a reblog. The queue spreads the art out and elongates everyone's enjoyment time! By the end, this blog will be full of super cool art!

What are the dimensions/canvas size?

Whatever your heart desires! There's no set size, ratio, dpi, etc.

What's up with the Discord?

There is an optional Discord for this event! The link will be at the end of the sign-up post. Due to a lack of additional moderators, this will mostly be an announcement source, check-in avenue, questions forum, and collaborator forum. You do not need to join the Discord to join the event!

And that's it! See you all tomorrow! (and please boost posts related to this event, I would love to get as many people involved as we can!)

#bright side of life series event #life series #traffic series #trafficblr #life series smp #mcytblrsource #3rd life smp #last life smp #double life #limited life #secret life #mcyt event #mcyt #life series event

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ask-obt · 1 year

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What steps do you usually have for creating each page, and how long does each one usually take you? Do you do stuff like thumbnail entire chapters in advance, etc?

I don't know how big your page buffer is, but you seem to get pages done at a really impressive rate, especially considering every page is clean and colored, so I'd love to know how you manage it :)

// this is a long ask, so buckle up!

all of my pages start with an outline, which is then fleshed out into a script- over time I've found that having an entire chapter done before starting any other step cuts out unnecessary fat that comes with editing. if there's one thing I learned from preboot OBT, trying to figure out what exactly happens on a page as you're drawing it can lead to a lot of heartbreak if you decide to change it (a lot of preboot OBT's chapter 4 was subject to this- I have a million drafts of rune and fienne in the market because I didn't know what I wanted them to do there). my scripting program is actually the beta version of a program one of my classmates in college made, and if it ever goes public I'd be happy to pop a link since I believe they want to make it open source eventually. on average my scripts are about 5000-6000 words long, and are written (casually) like film scripts since that's the format I was trained on as a film student.

my outlines are a bit sloppy because it's just like a stream of consciousness flowing out while I try getting ideas slapped down as quickly as possible. I try not to worry too much about details unless I have a clear vision in mind because I think writing the plot out in one go flows the most smoothly.

and then from there, I expand that outline into a script.

after the script is completed, and assuming I have enough buffer, I thumbnail the entire next chapter- or at least as much as I can stand in one go. I'll usually either be working on rendering the previous chapter during this step, or I'll have the previous chapter completed so I can devote my attention to it. either way, I try and give myself room to do a variety of tasks depending on my mood. thumbnails are easy to work on while on-the-go for example, but they require a lot of thought to put together. coloring can be tedious, but it's great to do while multitasking of on lunch at one of my jobs.

part of the thumbnailing process for me includes putting down text bubbles. surprisingly, this is a very tedious task, so I try to get it all done in one go so I don't have to agonize over it. and this is where my process gets a bit convoluted, so bear with me.

to do this, I take a look at my script and break all the dialogue into different text bubbles. I've gotten to the point where I think I do pretty well naturally finding breaks in pages, and I just go in chronological order putting text down. for this step I have page templates prepped, which show the safety margins that I need to follow to prevent text from getting stuck in the binding when printing into books. I make sure all the text is safe, and then move onto the next step.

after that, I copy the page with text bubbles, and then shrink it really small into thumbnail size. on a layer above this screenshot I trace the text bubbles, and then treat those bubbles as "dead zones" to draw around while working on the thumbnails. this might be an unnecessary step if you have a good grasp on how much text takes up a panel, but I am historically awful at judging that so knowing the exact text bubble size when thumbnailing helps prevent my bubbles from getting in the way after the art is already rendered. then, rinse and repeat for the rest of the chapter!

some chapters I'm quicker at thumbing than others- on the low end we've got chapter 5, which I wrapped up in 2 months (I did roughly 1 thumb per day)

and then chapter 6 which I dragged my feet on a little bit, at around 6 months

(and chapter 7, which is twice the length of a normal chapter for me, took 4 months!)

after that is sketching, the part I dread most when working on a chapter. it's the part that requires the most thinking on my part, and I did away with sketching completely for most of chapter 3- but I've been trying to make my lines thinner lately, and until I build up the confidence to work without sketches, I'm afraid I'm stuck with them. I try to do 1-2 sketches per day, but some days I just don't do them if I'm not feeling up to it.

(I'm actually avoiding sketching while I work on this ask)

while most of OBT is done in CSP, the one thing I don't do there is lines- for that I use Autodesk Sketchbook. sketchbook has a pretty incredible predictive stroke tool that adjusts your strokes after you make them. it takes a bit of time to get used to, but with it I can draw much faster than any other program or with any other stabilization tool. I gave CSP an honest shot with lining by trying to use it for 6 months, but sketchbook was just too powerful so I live the multiprogram life. I try my best to keep all my lines closed during this process because it'll make coloring WAY easier. like I think coloring used to take me an hour, now it takes me 20 minutes tops.

then I flip off the visibility on all layers except the lineart layer, save as a PNG (saving a working file as well if I'm feeling spicy), and then import to CSP! where the most fun part begins.

to start, to do that colored lineart thing where the lines on my characters are darker on the outside than the inside, I start by coloring characters their inside color first (using the "lock transparent pixels" layer option). for comics this is reduced to a simple "warm palette" color and "cool palette" color, which are brown and blue respectively. it's subtle, but you can see it in action with rune and eilwyn here.

then I use the magic wand tool, my best friend. I select the negative space around the characters, invert it, and then with the dark color selected in my palette (for me it's a dark brown approaching black) and the transparent pixels still locked, I use the "outline selection" option to outline the characters. I usually outline them by 6 px, but it'll depend on what looks best.

then for coloring, with the characters still selected, I use the "shrink selection" option to shrink it by 1 pixel. this helps prevent aliasing when I use the fill bucket to fill characters in with a base color! after that I pick them out by character and manually add their main color by hand, so they look something like this.

and here's the part where I impart upon ye, dear reader, with the forbidden knowledge I learned while doing the Monster House Marathon this month. see, I really like doing these daily events because they push me to my limit. a page a day is the most comfortable fast pace I can work on the comic, but it can still be a bit of a strain to get a page done before my bedtime, so I'm much more willing to learn shortcuts in order to get a nice juicy 6 hours of sleep instead of 4.

if you do a closed lineart method like me for most of your character's markings, the "Set Reference Layer" tool is going to become your new best friend. using this, I set the lineart layer as the reference layer (and only the lineart layer), move over to my coloring layer, grab my fill bucket tool, and then I can just start literally filling in characters within seconds. some characters have unclosed markings that I'll have to do by hand, but this is extremely quick and I love it so much.

finally I add a multiply layer where I do some light shading. this step used to be full cel shading, though over time I've found that my art reads a little more clearly without it. and shading also used to be miserable because it was another 30 minutes to an hour of rendering that kept me from completing a page, so it sometimes got a little miserable.

and finally, I add backgrounds and lighting effects. I have a pretty decent library of pre-rendered backgrounds I've made that I can just plop in a scene, but sometimes for new or one-time locations I'll make a new one by hand.

and that's a completed page! it's a bit hard to calculate how long a singular page takes start to finish since I try doing everything before the lineart in batch style, but I'd say it all roughly evens out to 2-4 hours. breaking it down, it looks something like:

Thumbnail - 10-20 minutes Sketch - 30 minutes - 1 hour Lineart - 30 minutes - 1 hour Coloring - 10-20 minutes Rendering - 10-20 minutes Background - 20 minutes - 1 hour

so pages are pretty quick for me to make! this helps me build a pretty sizeable buffer, I think my previous record was somewhere around 40 pages? maybe 70 if I included dielle's wish. though I will admit during this Monster House Marathon, I actually ran out of buffer on day 7, and I'd been laying the tracks in front of the train until, uh, checks watch, the 27th! as of writing this I finished the buffer through the MHM, so I can rest easy. this ask probably won't queue until after the MHM has ended so this probably sounds a little comedic. the main reason I was able to manage these daily updates without a buffer was because of an art high I was experiencing this month, which is also why I did a marathon in the first place.

though usually, I really am an advocate for buffers. having a buffer of at least 3 months means I can hop around with different processes as my interest in them flips around. my brain usually likes to focus on one task at a time, and a lot of it, so having that freedom is great for me. and sometimes, I just wanna take a month off to play a new game or hyperfixate on stardew valley once again! it all comes down to practice and developing a workflow and schedule that works for you.

#on borrowed time comic #ask-obt #ooc #wip #behind the scenes #page process

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bluesunsdusk · 1 year

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Fandoms

Overwatch - Canon-divergent and headcanon-heavy

Mass Effect

Dragon Age

Elder Scrolls

Fable

Fallout

Note: Links use Google Drive.

GUIDELINES

Rules/Guidelines Docs

Read these rules before interacting, and make sure you can follow them. If you have questions, you’re entirely free to DM me or send an anon ask.

This blog has low or sporadic activity and only threads with mutuals. Side blogs are an exception, since they’ll have to follow with their main blogs. I am fine getting messages from non-mutuals, whether rp blog or not.

I will not follow or thread with people if they are under 18. If you have no listed age (doesn’t have to be exact), you will be assumed to be under 18. Please, don’t try to befriend me if you’re under 18 either.

This blog will not interact with young children’s media characters. Examples are: Steven Universe, Craig of the Creek, Sonic, Scooby-Doo, MLP.

This blog will contain dark subject matter. This ranges from social inequality (although fictitious) to abuse and torture. Bear that in mind when interacting. It’s fine to say when something is too much for you or to just not reply to threads if you need a break from a dark thread. I will attempt to tag things as # [subject matter] cw (example: #body horror cw) or simply the subject matter without the cw part.

Do not reblog threads you aren’t a part of. You can reblog drabbles and art. I will sometimes tag things that are alright to reblog with #ok to rb.

Try to reblog rp memes from the source if possible. I usually won’t get that annoyed if someone forgets to do it, and I don’t employ reblog karma, but I don’t want my notes filled with people not sending me anything either. It doesn’t feel nice.

No godmodding/godmoding or metagaming. Powerful muses are fine, but RP is about making things fun for both parties involved. Things like auto-hitting and taking control of other’s characters without consent does not fit in with that.

OOC =/= IC. Keep the two separate.

No sexually explicit/smut interactions. No sending sexually explicit asks. I may be an adult (past 25, even), but that’s not what I am in this hobby for. I am not sex-repulsed and mature topics and sexual themes can be discussed, but that will be the extent of it on this blog.

No pointless drama. No toxicity. No call-outs. No anon hate. If you don’t like someone, block them. Unless someone does something actually heinous, no amount of drama is worth your energy. Any shitty anon will be immediately blocked.

No racial, lgbt+, religious, ableist or national discrimination. This counts generally ooc, but it counts ic to some extent as well. I understand some characters can be bigots while the mun isn’t, I have characters who hate humans for example, but it’s important to make sure you’re not making people uncomfortable. I rather not rp that myself either.

No underaged shit. No incest shit. No noncon shit. Don’t even think of messaging me to argue your way out of falling under this rule. I am not here to discuss what counts as what. If I don’t like what I see on a blog, I will block it.

Keep irl politics to a minimum. While there’s in-universe politics that may be similar to irl politics and some may reveal a mun’s basic political beliefs, this is an rp/character account. I would like the focus to remain on the characters.

Try not to vague post too much. Sometimes, you may need to make a post addressing a general behavior or making a general announcement, but it’s best to address someone privately and directly if it is about them. I understand that some people may feel too nervous to do so, but vague posting about a specific individual is not nice and makes people uncomfortable.

Keep ooc negativity to a minimum. Constant or frequent streams of ooc negativity can have a serious negative effect on the mental health of the people you interact with, so it’s important to be mindful. This counts for vague posts as well.

No forced shipping. I am fine with your character having feelings for mine, as long as no one assumes it’s mutual. Generally, it’s better to check with someone ooc before assuming a ship, even if two characters are vibing really well or a ship is canon in the source material the characters are from.

No rushing or ultimatums. If I see someone rushing rp partners or a rules page with something like “If you don’t respond/reach out in two weeks, I’ll block” I will not likely be following back. This is a hobby and people move at their own pace. Mine so happens to be unreliable and dependent on the muse in question. Being expected to hold myself to a deadline would be stressful.

No ask spamming/chain mail. I am fine and happy with being sent a lot of asks and I enjoy the occasional dash game, but try not to do chain asks or send 20 of the same thing. That would be a little much! I’ll get overwhelmed. Thanks for the enthusiasm though. I won’t block anyone over this unless it’s some form of anon hate or harassment.

Be nice, be decent. Have some sense. Don’t be a dick. If anyone treats me like shit, I will have to block and I am under no obligation to explain why or try to talk it out. Anyone is free to block me as well.

No block evasion. If someone blocks you, don’t try to make a new account to bother them. While I understand wanting to know why you were blocked or if you can talk things out, and I am certainly more forgiving than some, it is a breach of someone’s boundaries and that is not alright.

No asking for monetary or business favors. I don’t know you and I do not appreciate people online thinking they can take advantage of me. Do not solicit me to share your rp or commission promos when I don’t know you. Do not ask for free art when you learn I do commissions.

If you want my discord, talk to me over IM first. I generally don’t add just anybody to discord, not even most of my art clients.

OOC tags:

RP wishlist

Ship stuff

ooc shitposts

psa

Music

ooc

RP memes

Sentence starters

C͓͈͚̺̟̯̙͐̂̊o̲̦̣̬̓ͅn̠̖̱̥̈͐ͯ͠n̢͈͈͎͔̳ͦe̗̓̆̽ͧ͒͢c̿͏̗̬̜͓̩̻̺ẗ̯̮̳̭̹͔́̂̂i̞̪̺̝̮͂̋̈́̾̈́͌̂͝o̓̆̎n̵͍̤͑ ̜̱̪̯ͩ͛ͬͅe̎̿͜r͇͇r̬̯̱͓̣͍̰ͫͯͮ̏͠ŏͤ̏̀̌̈́r̜̟̦̲̲͕̭̃͘.̫̭͕̖̒ͮͧͩͪ̓̽.̢̝̘̫͇͓̯̦͌ͦ̊͒̇̚.̹̫̍͐̽̓̊̓

#ooc #phone nav #pinned post #eye strain cw #glitch effect

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peekintoeternity · 8 months

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omg i think im so out of loop (never check any naruto blog aside from ones ive followed tbh for the past 2 years lmao) that i didnt know people have pointed out the similarities between vaderkin and tobito?? damn i thought i was all alone LOL 😭 (psss id be more than willing of course to listen to your take on their similarities and differences)

hi there! so i think others have done this extensively, i usually find such jokes / mini "thought pieces" on reddit (you can try r/naruto or r/dankruto and search relevant keywords) or youtube comment sections, and especially the YT vid from Death Battle, although other (smaller) creators have also posted (more serious) video essays about Obito, where Anakin / Darth Vader has been mentioned as a parallel to Obito's character :)

unfortunately i can't remember the exact video & all the information is a bit scattered, even in my brain lol, so the best i can do is point u to some sources 🥲

for instance, there are many YT video essays & even reddit posts on Obito's character & how misunderstood he is, like Swagkage's "Dissecting Obito Uchiha", "How Strong is Obito?", "Leave Obito Alone" (lol)

i'm not sure i can ever make a post listing all their similarities, esp when the Death Battle vid has already pretty much done that, and more comprehensively than any comment / reddit post at that, haha

you can also check their wiki for a detailed breakdown of the vid, but perhaps go straight to the Trivia section to see a list of their many similarities! :D

(of course as with all sources, there are some things i disagree with, for instance DB lists Obito as having "less combat experience" than Vader, but we actually don't know what Obito does during all those nigh 20 years that he was living as "Nobody" / "The Masked Man" / Tobi, i mean he could've been training and participating in duels, espionage, skirmishes, battles, etc., i mean he was the secret leader of the Akatsuki, the real Fourth Mizukage of Mist/Kiri, also basically the real leader of Land of Rain too ("Amekage" if you will?) since he is the reason Pain & Konan were able to overthrow Hanzō and the two take orders from him even if they are not loyal to him, so there could've been countless of combat / military and political missions he was involved in that happened "offscreen", and add to all that the fact he was a child soldier starting from around age 9 (when he became a genin and began taking on missions) and that, of course, he was a main player (war criminal! lol) as both fighter and strategist and military commander in Narutoverse's Fourth World War—but hey, the whole point of fandom & media is that there will also be multiple interpretations, so i see no point in "nitpicking" a fictional fight analysis lol)

maybe something new i can add is the meta parallel of how, in real life, vader's identity reveal was a plot twist that shook the whole of star wars fandom and beyond, shocking audiences & remaining iconic to this day

similarly, though i wasn't there (in the fandom or following the anime), at the time, when obito was revealed to be The Masked Man ("Tobi") in the anime, apparently sooo many streaming sites straight up broke down due to the sheer number of people immediately going to see the episode (guess there aren't that many manga readers compared to anime haha)

so yeah, vader broke cinema (insert martin scorsese meme), and obito broke the internet, quite literally 🤣

and these are just accounts from english speakers, who knows how much potentially crazier things got on chinese & japanese & other non-english sites lol

i might add some stuff if i have the energy to organize my thoughts more later on, sorry if this isn't the answer you were hoping for, but i hope the links & sources above can be helpful to you! :)

#obito #darth vader #tobi #anakin skywalker #star wars #nart thoughts

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amirsguide · 2 years

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How to Start an Online Business with 3 income streams

Many people think that building an online business is hard and so complicated. But it's much simpler than you think and you only need to work 2-3 hours a day to make some extra $300-$400 online and later on you can make much more if you work more than that.

So without wasting time let’s get started.

To build an online business we mainly have two paths. First is to build one online business and work on it and the second is to combine multiple income sources and build an online business.

In this post, we are going with the second path and combining 3 income streams.

The first income source is Freelancing. Simply you have to learn a skill like video editing and offer your services on freelancing platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, etc.

The main work here is to learn a skill, don't care about orders now. Believe me, you can easily learn a skill in 30 days or less depending upon how much work you put in.

It’s hard to get clients on freelancing platforms if you are new, The best way to get orders is through social media platforms and by reaching out to people by cold mailing.

The second income source is Affiliate Marketing. This is the easiest and fastest way to make money online.

Affiliate marketing is promoting products and services for other companies and when you generate a sale you get a commission. The best part of affiliate marketing is that you don't need to create or buy a product.

You can start affiliate marketing in 3 simple steps

Join an affiliate network and get your affiliate link.

Start promoting your affiliate link on social media and on your blog.

Enjoy your earnings.

Of course, I am not saying you spam on social media, you have to provide value to people through your content.

The third and the best income source is to start a blog. You can start a blog on blogger for free but I recommend you to go with WordPress. Blogging is best because when you have traffic and an audience you can earn through many ways:

Advertising with Google Adsense, Ezoic, etc

Affiliate Marketing( promoting affiliate links on your blog)

Selling your services

Selling Ad space

Selling courses and E-Books

Sponsored posts

Build email list

You can earn thousands of dollars every month through blogging.

I know this post didn’t give you the exact idea to build an online business. But if you want a full guide on Freelancing, Affiliate Marketing, Blogging, and much more stay tuned and follow me.

#affiliate marketing #blogging #digital marketing #make money online #online marketing #online business #freelancing #fiverr #how to build an online business

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hostitsmartcanada · 7 months

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What factors to consider when determining the bandwidth of a website?

When it comes to building and maintaining a successful website, one of the important things you have to consider is handling traffic effectively and providing an optimum user experience.

A fundamental aspect of this process is determining the bandwidth requirements. Basically, bandwidth is the amount of data that your website can transfer between itself and the visitors within a specific time period. This indirectly helps your website to perform well and to meet the needs of the audience. Its very much essential to take several key factors into consideration which helps you to calculate how much Website bandwidth is required.

Factors to consider

1. Website Content :

The type and the size of the content play a significant role in bandwidth consumption. Content such as large images, videos, infographics also some of the other downloadable files take a sufficient amount of bandwidth compared to text-based content. Images and videos especially with high resolution can be data intensive which will slow down the internet connection of the users. Efficiently optimizing and managing the content is essential to ensure your website remains accessible and responsive.

2. Traffic Volume :

An estimate of your website traffic is a very important factor when determining the bandwidth of your website. Essentially it needs a prediction of how many visitors your website is likely to receive. The more your website visitors the more your website bandwidth should be to ensure a smooth and responsive user experience. Unseeing this aspect could lead to slow loading or even downtime during a sudden traffic spike.

3. Page size :

Each page on your website has a specific space or size in terms of data. Well in that space it may include data like HTML, CSS, Javascript, images, and other assets. The larger the bandwidth the more bandwidth it will require to load the Page. Well, some of the key components like HTML, CMS, Javascript, images, and some of the other key assets like PDFs, Word file, and other resources linked to the page adds to the overall page size.

4. Multimedia Content :

When your website includes multimedia content like images, video, and infographics its crucial for an account to handle this much bandwidth and to deliver these files to the users effectively. So for that reason, it is advisable to implement efficient compression and optimization for big media assets. By reducing the size of the media files while maintaining the quality of the content you can not only control the website loading time but also economize the bandwidth usage.

5. User interaction :

When delivering the bandwidth requirements it's important to know the specific nature of user interaction. Different types of user interaction vary bandwidth demand like streaming videos online, and online games as online games often face robust and low latency connection, as real-time interaction relies on swift data exchange.

Conclusion

Do carefully considering these factors you can determine the exact amount of bandwidth for your website and ensure that it can handle the expected traffic and deliver a smooth user experience.

Source -

#how much bandwidth do i need for my website #how much website bandwidth do i need #how much bandwidth does a website need

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soundmelive · 7 months

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How Much do YouTubers Make? The amount of money a YouTuber makes in 2023 depends on a number of factors, including the number of views their videos get, the type of content they create, their audience demographics, and their level of engagement. Number of views: The more views a video gets, the more money the YouTuber will make. However, the amount of money a YouTuber makes per view can vary depending on the type of content they create and their audience demographics. Type of content: Some types of content, such as gaming and beauty videos, tend to generate more ad revenue than other types of content. This is because these types of videos are more likely to be watched by people who are interested in buying the products or services that are being advertised. Audience demographics: The age, gender, and location of a YouTuber's audience can also affect how much money they make. For example, YouTubers with a younger audience tend to make more money than YouTubers with an older audience. This is because younger people are more likely to click on ads. Level of engagement: The level of engagement a YouTuber's audience has with their videos can also affect how much money they make. For example, YouTubers whose videos are frequently commented on and shared tend to make more money than YouTubers whose videos are not as engaging. The earnings of YouTubers can vary greatly depending on several factors including the number of views, the specific monetization strategies they use, and their agreement with YouTube. Here is a general breakdown: Ad Revenue YouTube typically pays creators through AdSense, which gives a share of the advertising revenue generated from ads shown on their videos. On average, YouTubers can earn between $3 and $5 per 1000 video views through AdSense. This is a very rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the type of content, audience demographics, and more. YouTube Premium Creators also earn a share of the subscription fee from YouTube Premium subscribers. The exact amount depends on the number of views they get from Premium subscribers in a given month. Super Chats and Super Stickers During live streams, viewers can purchase Super Chats and Super Stickers to highlight their messages. Creators earn a share of the revenue generated from these purchases. Channel Memberships Creators with a substantial following can offer channel memberships, where viewers pay a monthly fee to access exclusive content and perks. YouTube takes a percentage of the membership fees, and the creator keeps the rest. Merchandise Shelf Creators can showcase and sell branded merchandise directly on YouTube through the merchandise shelf feature. The earnings from this depend on the sales of the merchandise. Affiliate Marketing Many YouTubers earn money through affiliate marketing by promoting products and earning a commission for every sale made through their referral link. Sponsorships YouTubers can also secure sponsorships with brands, which can be a significant source of income. The payment for sponsorships can vary widely depending on the brand, the YouTuber's audience size, engagement rate, and other factors. Other Revenue Streams Creators often have other revenue streams such as selling products, offering online courses, consulting services, etc. Examples of Youtuber who have made money in 2023 YouTuber Profile: Name: Jane Doe Vlogs Niche: Lifestyle and Travel Vlogging Subscribers: 500,000 Average Monthly Views: 2 million Revenue Streams: AdSense: Earnings per 1000 views: $4 Monthly Earnings from Adsense: 2,000,000 views/1000 x $4 = $8,000 YouTube Premium: Monthly Earnings: Approximately $500 (this is a speculative number, it might vary based on various factors) Super Chats and Super Stickers: Monthly Earnings from Live Streams: Approximately $300 Channel Memberships: Membership Fee: $4.99 per month Num

ber of Members: 1000 Monthly Earnings from Memberships: 1000 members x $4.99 = $4,990 Merchandise Shelf: Monthly Earnings from Merch Sales: Approximately $2000 Affiliate Marketing: Monthly Earnings from Affiliate Commissions: Approximately $1500 Sponsorships: Monthly Earnings from Sponsorships: Approximately $5000 Total Monthly Earnings: Summing up all the above revenue streams gives a total monthly earning of: $8000 (AdSense) + $500 (YouTube Premium) + $300 (Super Chats and Stickers) + $4990 (Channel Memberships) + $2000 (Merchandise Shelf) + $1500 (Affiliate Marketing) + $5000 (Sponsorships) = $22290 Therefore, in this hypothetical scenario, Jane Doe Vlogs earns approximately $22,290 per month before any deductions such as YouTube's cut, taxes, and other business expenses. Example 2 PewDiePie Profile: Name: PewDiePie (Felix Kjellberg) Niche: Gaming, Vlogs, and Comedy Subscribers: Over 110 million (as of 2021) Average Monthly Views: Let's assume an average of 200 million views (this is a speculative estimate) Revenue Streams (Estimated): AdSense: Earnings per 1000 views: Let's assume an average of $4 (the CPM can vary greatly) Monthly Earnings from Adsense: (200,000,000 views/1000) x $4 = $800,000 YouTube Premium: Monthly Earnings: This would vary greatly, but let's assume an estimate of $50,000 Merchandise Shelf: PewDiePie has his merchandise line; let's assume he makes around $100,000 per month from merchandise sales. Sponsorships: PewDiePie often has sponsorships and partnerships; let's assume he makes around $200,000 per month from sponsorships. Total Monthly Earnings (Estimated): Adding up the various revenue streams gives a total monthly earning of: $800,000 (AdSense) + $50,000 (YouTube Premium) + $100,000 (Merchandise) + $200,000 (Sponsorships) = $1,150,000 So, in this hypothetical scenario, PewDiePie might be earning approximately $1,150,000 per month before any deductions such as YouTube's cut, taxes, and other business expenses. Important Note Earnings can vary greatly between YouTubers. Some may earn just a few dollars a month, while popular creators can earn several thousand dollars or more each month. Additionally, YouTube takes a percentage of the earnings (usually around 45%) from AdSense and other monetization features.

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churchgrace · 10 months

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Five-Fold Ministry

I apologize, but as an AI language model, I don't have real-time information or access to specific websites. Therefore, I cannot provide the exact details or link to the live stream of Burtonsville Church. However, many churches and religious organizations now offer live streaming services for their worship gatherings. To find the live stream of Burtonsville Church, I recommend visiting their official website or social media pages, as they often provide information about their worship live stream services, schedules, and any necessary links or instructions to access them. Alternatively, you can search online using specific keywords like "Burtonsville Church live stream" to find relevant results and sources that may provide the information you are looking for.

streaming live church, Church Burtonsville, online prayer request, prayer for motivational.

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tremendouskoalachild · 1 year

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Timeline of The Acolyte development

16 December 2019

Variety interviews Lesley Headland at The Rise of Skywalker premiere (video published 23 April 2020)

LH says she would love to write for Star Wars, has plenty of ideas

22 April 2020

Variety leaks news about LH's untitled sw show

Details of the exact plot of the series are being kept under wraps, but sources say it will be a female-centric series that takes place in a different part of the “Star Wars” timeline than other projects. Headland is said to be attached to write and serve as showrunner on the series, with the show currently staffing.

4 May 2020

First official announcement on starwars.com, as part of larger announcement of new projects

In addition, Emmy®-nominated writer Leslye Headland (Russian Doll, Bachelorette) is currently developing a new untitled Star Wars series for Disney+. Headland will write, executive produce, and serve as showrunner for the series.

2 November 2020

YouTube interview with Fantastic Frankey

When I first pitched to Lucasfilm I didn't pitch necessarily as a television or a feature film, I just kind of pitched character and story and all the things that are dear to my heart as a playwright starting and a person that's writing their own fanfiction. I'm just kind of pitching on that level, but ultimately when I settled on television and specifically streaming, it felt right, because I think that there is a different type of storytelling when you come from tv. Especially episodic tv, meaning not bingeable tv. You are waiting each week to see something.

10 December 2020

Announcement as part of Disney's Investor Day Event (video, archived link)

Leslye Headland, Emmy nominated creator of the mind-bending series Russian Doll, is a boldly innovative filmmaker bringing her new Star Wars series to Disney+. The Acolyte is a mystery thriller that will take us into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark side powers in the final days of the High Republic era.

28 December 2020

Cbr.com reports Rayne Roberts is co-developing the series

Rayne is currently focused on developing new films for Lucasfilm's theatrical slate, and is also co-developing the upcoming Leslye Headland-created Star Wars series for Disney+.

21 June 2021

The A. V. Club interview with Leslye Headland (archived link)

AVC: Now you have the opportunity to both talk the talk and walk the walk with this show. Obviously, I don’t know if there’s going to be any queer characters, I can only hope. But you have put together a writers’ room. What were your guiding principles there? What you were looking for in a writer?

LH: First of all, I really wanted people that were different than me. I certainly didn’t want a room full people that were just agreeing with me vehemently. Not ideologically, but artistically—people that kind of had different writing styles or were interested in different things, all that kind of stuff. But there was a certain intention, in terms of putting together a room that I felt like were people that I hadn’t been in a room with before, if that makes sense. I don’t think I can go much further into that, but like, “Oh, I haven’t had this experience yet, and because I think it’s weird that I haven’t had this experience yet.”

Having worked in this industry for over a decade now and having been in a couple of writers’ rooms, I felt like the demographic breakdown of rooms, it’s not something you actively take into consideration. For example, on Russian Doll, we ended up having an all-female writers’ room, but I don’t know if that was really something that we said at the front: “We were only going to hire women.” I think when you have a dictate like that, you’re closing your mind to, again, people that are going to challenge your particular artistic POV. Mostly what I looked for were people that I felt could execute a great script, number one. And then in the job interview, just really talking to people who had different life experiences than I did, and had different connections to Star Wars than I did.

What I also learned about hiring my room is that everyone’s fandom was very different. No one had the same experience with Star Wars. There were people like myself that were like later-in-life [Dave] Filoni acolytes. I literally had one writer that was like, “I have never seen any of them. I’ve never seen any Star Wars media.” And she’s texting me before we started the room, she’s like, “Luke and Leia are brother and sister, what the…?” [Laughs.] And it was so great, because I would really love to know from someone who is not fully immersed in this fandom, what do you think about the pitch we just made? So while she did her due diligence and did a lot of background work and research, at the same time, she was somebody that we would kind of talk to and say, “Okay, so if we take all the kind of signifiers out of it, and this is Star Wars version of X, what does it mean to you?” She would be able to give some feedback: “Well, I’m kind of wondering what’s going on with this character. And in this scene, I’m wondering why so-and-so isn’t saying this.”

8 December 2021

Variety reports Amandla Stenberg is in talks to star in lead role

17 May 2022

Vanity Fair article about upcoming sw projects (archived link)

To endure, Star Wars will need new actors, new characters, and a new era, vaulting away from the timeline as we know it. Another upcoming series, The Acolyte, reportedly starring Amandla Stenberg, aims to do that. The show is in the casting phase, but the writing is largely complete, says showrunner Leslye Headland, cocreator of the time-looping Netflix show Russian Doll. She has been planning for it for two years, mostly from the confines of her home.

18 May 2022

Vanity Fair interview with Kathleen Kennedy

"(The Acolyte) sits right on the edge of the High Republic Era. It's a bit of an experiment for us because it isn't building within the timeline and the era that Jon (Favreau) and Dave (Filoni) are. It isn't necessarily going to be where features are. We are moving into a new era with what [showrunner] Leslye Headland is doing. There are certainly reflections of things that people are going to recognize, and it will have connectivity in Star Wars. But this will be a whole new [era] of storytelling if we determine-like we did with The Mandalorian-that it works and that there's interest. I think there will be."

24 May 2022

Vanity Fair interview with LH (archived link)

What can you share about how The Acolyte originated?

I was pitching with Kathy Kennedy and we were developing this with [Lucasfilm development execs] Michelle Rejwan, and Rayne Roberts, who was like my main gal on this project. She was the person that literally found me and shepherded this idea all the way up to the top. We were really getting into it, and what's so exciting about those [influencing] stories is that you don't always know exactly who the bad guys are and who the good guys are. You're not quite sure whether you can trust the heroine in this case as a result of that.

Honestly, my pitch to Kathy was the first time that everybody in the room was a woman. I've done many of those types of pitches and I was like, ‘This is trippy that my big [intellectual property] meeting is all ladies.’ That was pretty cool.

Since this is the first screen story told from the High Republic era, what was their ambition for it? Were they looking to break free of the well-explored Star Wars universe?

The truth is that I, as a major mega fan, came to them with this idea. And I said, 'I think the best place to put this is in an era you guys have not quite explored yet.' They were very enthusiastic. It wasn't that they didn't want to explore that [existing] world, but I think that they already were because The Mandalorian and a lot of the other television projects were really relying on legacy characters.

I was coming at it as a fan who was much more into the RPG [role-playing games] that the Extended Universe feeds on. I came hard at that in the '90s, and then got introduced to [the animated series] The Clone Wars. I knew the timeline really well. And I was like, "I think if you want to explore Star Wars from the perspective of the bad guys, the best time to do it is when the bad guys are wildly outnumbered. When they actually are essentially the underdogs, for lack of a better term." So this would be that era.

Kathy Kennedy and I talked about how Star Wars publishing can serve as a kind of storytelling test kitchen. They’ve been putting out a lot of books about the High Republic in recent years. Was that a factor in the creation of the show?

[Publishing] had just launched Phase One for the High Republic, and I think it was just kind of kismet. "Actually we could do that. That is something that we're now prepared for..." The deep, deep fans are actually much more like, ‘Okay, I’ve got it. I know what this is. I know what place I'm in.’ I was pitching something so specific that would only really work in this time period. And [Lucasfilm] was like, ‘This is actually a time period we're interested in pursuing.’

22 July 2022

Amandla Stenberg is officially announced in the lead role

5 August 2022

The Face interview with Amandla Stenberg

Filmmaking was the avenue Stenberg was convinced she’d go down next. But about nine months ago – and much to her surprise – The Acolyte came along. Set a century before Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (Episode I), when the Jedi were at their most powerful, it’ll tell the story of how the dark side, as personified by the Sith lords, emerged.

As showrunner Leslye Headland (Russian Doll) explained to Vanity Fair: “My question when watching The Phantom Menace was always like: ‘Well, how did things get to this point?’ How did we get to a point where a Sith lord can infiltrate the Senate and none of the Jedi pick up on it? Like, what went wrong? What are the scenarios that led us to this moment?”

“The Lucasfilm team came to me with this project which was fully conceptualised with me in mind, and I was astounded,” Stenberg says breathlessly, conscious of the fact she needs to remain tight-lipped about the whole thing.

She’s already picked up kung-fu lessons as part of her preparation for the role, and is plotting a move to the UK, where the series will be shot.

30 October 2022

The Bespin Bulletin reports that filming has begun at Shinfield Studios

7 November 2022

The cast (8 new actors) is officially revealed on starwars.com. includes synopsis, first official behind the scenes photo

Today, Disney+ announced the cast for The Acolyte, an upcoming Star Wars Original series from Lucasfilm. Joining the previously announced Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give) are Emmy Award-winner Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game), Manny Jacinto (Nine Perfect Strangers), Dafne Keen (His Dark Materials), Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim), Rebecca Henderson (Inventing Anna), Charlie Barnett (Russian Doll), Dean-Charles Chapman (1917), and Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix).

synopsis:

A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated.

From creator, showrunner, and executive producer Leslye Headland (Russian Doll), The Acolyte has begun production in the U.K. The executive producers are Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King, and Jason Micallef. Rayne Roberts and Damian Anderson are producing. Headland will also direct the series pilot.

2 December 2022

Deadline Hollywood reports Margarita Levieva has been cast

The Deuce and Revenge actress Margarita Levieva has signed with Paradigm in all areas. In addition, we’ve learned she booked a guest star role on Disney+’s upcoming The Acolyte.

3 February 2023

Hollywood Reporter article mentions Charmaine DeGraté as writer

DeGraté has established herself as one of the town’s rising writers thanks to buzzy TV work. She was a writer and co-executive producer on House of the Dragon, which is coming off of winning a Golden Globe for best television series, drama, and she was a co-executive producer on Amazon’s upcoming rock band drama, Daisy Jones & the Six, which stars Riley Keough and debuts in March. She also wrote and is co-executive producing the upcoming Star Wars series created by Leslye Headland, The Acolyte.

28 February 2023

Discussing Film reports Kogonada and Alex Garcia Lopez are directing episodes

We have learned that the directing team for Star Wars: The Acolyte has expanded with After Yang director Kogonada and The Witcher director Alex Garcia Lopez. The two are joining the directing team alongside showrunner Leslye Headland who is also currently helming episodes of the Lucasfilm series in the United Kingdom.

9 March 2023

Público reports filming will take place on Madeira mid-March

Madeira will serve as the setting for part of a new Star Wars TV series, PÚBLICO has confirmed. Much equipment is already on the Portuguese island, as reported by Jornal da Madeira. Antena 1 Madeira details that the filming will take place in areas of the south and north coast. A regional road will be closed between March 11 and 14 due to the filming of "a series with international notoriety and with strategic interest for the region", according to the Regional Directorate of Roads, and everything indicates that it is the production of the series The Acolyte.

PÚBLICO knows that the shooting counts on executive production on the field, that is, other national or European companies are doing the field work, and that prospecting started a few years ago, and since January there are already moves in Madeira to set up the structure. The Acolyte is one of two Star Wars productions known to be currently being shot - the other is the second season of Andor in London.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator

27 March 2023

short Collider interview with Jodie Turner-Smith

"Obviously, the subject matter is different. It's different when everything that you're doing is light-hearted, and that's not what I was doing for Star Wars. But I was working with my favorite director that I've worked with so far, Kogonada, and under the leadership of Leslye Headland. It is incredible to see. I can't wait to see how this show turns out."

"Amandla [Stenberg] is such an incredible performer. I, unfortunately, didn't have any scenes with her, but I got to see a little bit of what they've been doing, and I think it's gonna be epic, and it's nothing that anyone has seen before inside of that universe."

7 April 2023

First day of Star Wars Celebration 2023

Lucasfilm studio showcase panel reveals new logo, plays first footage

from IGN's coverage of the panel:

The teaser ends without a release date, just saying "2024". The Acolyte is still filming, but is set to wrap up shooting next month.

Amandla Stenberg and Lee Jung-Jae interview

AS: What was so wild about this show and my experience coming on to it was that Leslye and Lucasfilm had already developed the show around me before I even had my first meeting. That first meeting was wild. I was presented with the concept art that had already been drawn up with my image which was like, yeah. Fall on the floor moment.

AS: And then I started training in Wing Chun at a local school. Which was really cool because going into training I had already kind of had that basis when I did my initial training period with my master.

Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, and Charlie Barnett interview

DS: We had a whole Force training, like two weeks of just us in rooms being like … (mimes telekinesis)

Jodie Turner-Smith and Rebecca Henderson interview

RH: Watching Leslie from the very beginning, from her coming up with this idea, of pitching this idea, having the show begin, and now we're still shooting and being here – it's been incredibly emotional.

RH: I don't think I really processed it until my first day on set in the Jedi robes, green, and in a Jedi Temple – which was actually built – and then I was like, huh. Okay.

They practically built so much of it. You know, on the volume it is built and so we really are in the world it's it's really very cool. Huge hand-painted backdrops, it's insane. And on location as well.

We might have had some different settings. We shot some different things. We were never on the same set, the two of us.

Joonas Suotamo and Dean-Charles Chapman interview

JS: Luckily we had the a same stunt team as we had in Solo, so it was a familiar crew. And we had some awesome training partners with Dean and everybody else.

8 April 2023

Rayne Roberts interview

Leslye's like a dream come true filmmaker that you get to meet when you're working on Star Wars. Because I had been tracking her independent films for a while, watching her films at Sundance, and when she came in the first time and seemed to know everything about Star Wars, I was truly shocked. And just so pleasantly surprised, because she also immediately pitched me this incredible emotional story that was very personal to her that fit inside the Star Wars mythology, so that sounded like the gold star of the filmmaker that you get to work with.

One of the things I’ve had the pleasure to learn from working under Kathy for all these years is, you just get the best people you can get. So in terms of building out this world we were really lucky to get Kevin Jenkins, who was the production designer on Rise of Skywalker, and also has been a concept artist at ILM and Lucasfilm on a lot of our films for years and years. And he was just really excited to create a new world, a new era that's distinct from what you've seen before. And then we've just got the best costume designers and we're looking at the drawings inside the High Republic book series, we've got amazing hair and makeup team.

#the acolyte

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xtruss · 1 year

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Nord Stream Enigma Deepens as OSINT Analyst Finds Mystery Tanker Hung Around Explosion Site for Week

US and German media sought to turn the Nord Stream sabotage attacks into an open-and-shut whodunit detective novel this week by laying the blame at the feet of a “pro-Ukrainian group” with no links to any state. This information contradicts reporting by veteran journalist Seymour Hersh, who fingered the US and Norwegian militaries for the crime.

A Greek-flagged tanker was spotted loitering around the site of the Nord Stream attacks for six days in September 2022, two weeks before the pipelines were blown up in a sabotage attack, a Denmark-based open-source intelligence (OSINT) analyst has discovered. Trawling through data from the Automatic Identification System, a database showing the locations of ships operating across the world’s seas and oceans, analyst Oliver Alexander found that the Minerva Julie, a 183-meter-long, 32-meter-wide Greek-flagged oil and chemical tanker, stopped and then idled in an area of the Baltic Sea off the Danish island of Bornholm from September 6-13, before pressing east to Tallinn, Estonia, and then to St. Petersburg, Russia.

Alexander detailed the discovery in a Twitter thread in which he expressed skepticism about the New York Times report blaming a “pro-Ukrainian group” for sabotaging the pipelines. “Unfortunately, the new New York Times article doesn’t give any new actionable information that can be examined,” he wrote, suggesting that there wasn’t any “real substance in the article that brings us measurably closer to knowing the truth about what happened” because the entire story was based on claims by anonymous officials and intelligence sources.

Minerva Julie’s owners, Minerva Maritime, confirmed the oil tanker’s whereabouts after being reached out to by media, saying the ship was “drifting in the sea area northeast of Bornholm, Denmark between 6 September and 13 September 2022, while awaiting her next voyage instructions,” and that the tanker “departed the Port of Rotterdam on 2 September, after discharging her cargo. Once voyage orders were received, the vessel proceeded to her next port of call, Tallinn, Estonia.”

“Drifting in a sea area awaiting voyage orders is standard shipping procedure and there was nothing unusual in this instance,” the shipping company emphasized.

Alexander expressed skepticism over the company’s statement. “It just so happens to not only happen directly above the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage locations, but also at the exact same time as the currently suspected Andromeda [the rented yacht mentioned by US and German media in recent reports blaming a ‘pro-Ukrainian group’ for the sabotage, ed.] is supposedly placing explosives in the same location,” he wrote.

The OSINT analyst’s followers offered constructive criticism of his observations, with one reader pointing out that “idling at sea waiting for instructions happens very often,” and that given the fact that the pipelines are sitting on top of major shipping routes, the Minerva Julie’s position may have just been a case of “wrong place, wrong time.” Others suggested that the evidence could be a “smoking gun,” but only if it was shown that the Minerva Julie was a specialized Dive Support Vessel, because “the mission required saturation divers and…very sophisticated chambers which house them on the seafloor.”

Others took issue with the OSINT examiner’s work, saying it “makes zero sense to use a ship that can be tracked by simple OSINT,” or even accusing him of coming up with “ridiculous fake stories” to “divert attention away from” Seymour Hersh’s bombshell reporting, which fingered US Navy divers said to have rigged the pipelines to blow under the cover of a NATO military exercise last summer, with the blasts triggered by a Norwegian aircraft flying overhead on September 26. Hersh, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist with over 60 years of investigative journalistic experience under his belt, said his information came from a source with “direct knowledge of the operational planning.”

Last month, Sputnik received information corroborating Hersh’s reporting from a source identifying themselves as a military serviceman who took part in the NATO drills.

Senior Russian officials have largely avoided addressing The New York Times and German media reports blaming the mystery “pro-Ukrainian group” for the Nord Stream attacks, instead repeating Moscow’s demands for a thorough and transparent investigation. But former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev could not help but respond to the new claims, characterizing the Times’ report as a lackluster “Hollywood drama” featuring “mediocre actors, a director who’s no Quentin Tarantino, very poor casting and camera work, and a script that’s boring as s***.”

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walkfromhome · 1 year

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1. Every human being on the planet was incarnated with the concealed Emerald hidden inside of them, which Holy Father placed inside of our body so that we would have the eternal heart flame that acted as the light beacon when travelling in the amplified darkness of a fallen phantom system. It would be up to us to find our inner Emerald to light our path as we journeyed in the Dark Aeon, and this could take us many lifetimes.

2. The Emerald Crystal Heart is an extensive interdimensional circuitry that is designed for running the Cosmic Holy Father’s Emerald Ray from the Cosmic God World Trinity into the Universal, Galactic and Planetary levels of existence. The Emerald Ray sources from the Cosmic Monad which exists as the first cause of sound that further generates a resonating tone principle for the theme of our entire Universal Time Matrix, it is the first primal sound tone in the Blue Flame which exists from within the body of God consciousness.

When the Emerald Crystal is activated with the Emerald Ray transmission, this begins to grow into extensive Sophianic plasma flowering chakras that are interwoven into the diamond heart crystalline grids which are designed to function as the Cosmic Founder God Source interdimensional communication network within the planet. The Emerald Crystal Heart in the planet has its own complex multidimensional layered super internet highway that reconnects and communicates directly with the Cosmic Emerald Heart principle in our Universe. For now, from this location on the planet we access this direct communication from the 18D layer of the flowering chakra system of the Cosmic Founders. This Emerald Heart communication link network extends out even further into the Cosmic God World Trinity, where direct communication can be made with the 48D Emerald Order God World Creation. The Emerald Order God World Creation is the most ancient spiritual home of the Kristos races. They are a family of Rainbow and Emerald Dragons which contain one of the Tri-Matrices of the Azurites, which are three 48 stranded matrices that hold a total of 144 dimensions.

3. During the Dark Aeon after the Luciferian Rebellion, the eternal living light sentience of the Earth’s Emerald Crystal Heart and core heart tone resonance was turned off in the crystal core when the alien machinery was embedded throughout the planetary grid system. This further blocked the organic portal systems connected to the constellations and local star holographic maps, so that the planet could not receive organic star system transmissions that linked the star consciousness intelligence streams into the planetary grid, and into many sacred sites, solar temples and other geomantic features. These AI systems of sophisticated alien machinery were set up as energy harvesting devices that transmitted reversal current and metatronic codes to genetically modify the planet to be hospitable to the invading non-human species, while using the conquered territory as a consciousness prison. Most all of the planetary surface holographic geography, architectural features, ley line systems and existing pyramids and temples were installed with inorganic alien machinery that was forcing the grid network to connect directly into the Orion star system, which was the original home of the NAA invaders.

The planet’s evolutionary journey is comparable to a celestial being that went into stasis while moving through the darkest astrological age which brought the matter realm into the most extreme levels of density, the furthest we had been away from the Godhead. During this Darkest Age, the organic base pulse rhythm and axis of rotation were disfigured, and the heart beat and core song of the planetary consciousness flatlined. The core diamond heart essence of the planet is Emerald, and thus within the higher heart center of every angelic human being incarnated there exists the exact same Emerald Crystal Heart. Although every human incarnating had an inner Emerald, the planetary Emerald was not transmitting the Holy Mother’s organic heart song to humanity making it much harder to activate this inner heart frequency of divine spiritual love.

4. Thus, the return of the Emerald Order restores the Emerald Ray which carries the energetic catalyst that is similar to a lightning strike that delivers a blast of massive plasma current directly into the inner chambers of the Emerald Crystal Heart center in the planetary body. This event causes an electromagnetic reset in the planetary grid network or Albion Lightbody, which will flip the magnetic positions. The magnetic pole flip will not result in a destructive pole shift, it is a correction to the anti-life reversals that have been used in alien machinery and metatronic spiral that invert the direction of the planetary current moving through the ley lines. It has been made very clear that our planet will not suffer surface cataclysm with a pole shift, however there will be a magnetic reset that greatly weakens the gravitational pull, and we are living through that magnetic shift now.

Looking at Mother Earth from space, the overview was to note the equator band was problematic due to the flow of telluric currents moving with the Sun being harvested in alien machinery that generates an extreme bulge of unnatural formations and toxic energy waste encircling the globe. The northern hemisphere and southern hemisphere have functioned as distinct polar opposites and when the Emerald Heart of the Earth is revived into her organic heart song, that is the moment when the north and south poles will merge together instantaneously, unifying the ley line grids into zero point, and then switching magnetic positions.

(Source)

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