#maestro fresh wes

[bitsygirl9]

Feeling nostalgic

#maestro fresh wes #stick to your vision

[lokiprompts]

Appropriate - Chp 1

"Introductions"

Summary: Loki x Female reader; Loki is banished to Midgard and he has to live an average life as penance...and you, a social worker, is there to help him along the way. Rom Com vibes. Pinning; emotional edging until we can't take it anymore.

Words: 5k (it's a doozy, but an important start).

Warnings: Some swearing, but otherwise fluffy, some angst.

Song to listen to while reading: Maestro

AN: I don't offer taglists anymore. Remember to reblog if you like a writer's work! Comments make my heart go pitter patter.

Next chapter here

“This is a prison, Brother.”

The Odinson brothers stood together in a nearly empty apartment within Stark Tower; Thor beaming with unbridled optimism and Loki with a scowl painted on his face. The very walls of the room made the youngest prince nauseated, the beige walls and cookie cutter interior design completely devoid of personality. It was a far cry from his grand chambers in Asgard. But this tiny apartment was now his to call home. He had arrived earlier in the day, fresh out of Asgardian prison to pay penance on Midgard.  Loki’s arrival was mostly due to Thor’s pleading, arguing to his dear father, Odin, that Loki would be punished thoroughly just by having to stay on Midgard. Thor thought he was doing his younger brother a favor and believed a stay at the tower was a lesser penance.

But what Thor didn’t know was that he was right. This was Hel for Loki.

“You’ll get used to it!” Thor said with as much enthusiasm as he could muster, but his happiness didn’t rub off on his dear brother, “I have a feeling you would like it here more than you think.”

Loki had begun to absentmindedly rub his new ‘jewelry’, magic dampening bangles that kept his seidr at bay.  They were a brilliant combination of Asgardian magic and Stark Tech in the form of golden bracelets, the left engraved with ‘Reindeer’ and the right with ‘Games’. ‘A little razzle dazzle to make Loki feel pretty’ Tony said. Loki’s eyeroll was inevitable.

The feeling of being deprived of his magic was unsettling for the sorcerer, to say the least. Even in his cell within Asgard, he could use his magic as he wished. His magic became another limb to him, something that had become second nature to rely on. A muscle memory that he did not even have to think about to command. Even his strength and speed were affected by the bangles. Now his magic, his strength, and his speed were all gone, and he was in essentially trapped in this dull room to live in with his immortality the only thing separating him from the average mortal.

He rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck in a pointless attempt to try and shrug off the sluggish feeling the dampeners gave him. Loki’s morning was spent mostly with Stark, having the bangles placed and explained to him.

“Okay Reindeer Games, no one is excited for you to be here so this is how it’s going to go,” Tony sneered, activating the technology of the bangles with a few calculated taps on his hologram monitor, “No magic, no F.R.I.D.A.Y. – you can’t leave the building and you can’t access certain areas in the tower. If you try, there will be consequences.”

Loki quirked an eyebrow, “What consequences?”

Tony grinned, booping Loki’s nose with the tip of his pen and taunting a god as if he hadn’t been tossed out a window, “That is for me to know, and for you to inevitably find out.”

Thor slapped Loki right on his back, jolting his younger brother forward and out of his memories, “It will all work out, don’t worry. I have a feeling that you will like the Servant of Workers that will come see you, I am sure!”

That got Loki’s attention. “You get your own servant here?” Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad here after all.

Thor grabbed Loki’s shoulder, giving it a gracious squeeze that made his younger brother grimace and roll his eyes, “She insists that she isn’t, but what she does clearly makes her a servant. You know, Midgard, everything is always so confused here. The Midgardian’s will catch on soon enough. Are you fine, Brother? I have a meeting with the team shortly, but I don’t want to-”

The god of mischief took a generous step away from his brother, cutting him off, “Yes, yes. I am fine. Now leave me be!”

There was a moment of hesitation where Thor’s gaze scrutinized his brother, trying to read through any potential lies. Eventually, he decided Loki’s proclamation of ‘being fine’ was good enough and he left the apartment, leaving Loki alone in the Tower for the first time. Still in his fine Asgardian leather, the sound of his boots echoed in the apartment as he took this time to give his new dwelling a proper look.

Loki was familiar with Tony’s penchant for finer things, each room ‘sparing no expense’, but the room he was in was clearly made on a budget. It made Loki wonder if Tony kept this room for people he hated. The living room was bare except for two beige armchairs and an end table, doubling as a coffee table in the center of the room. There were no books or a television. Attached to the living room was a kitchenette that had a humble stove and an even more humble sink that was large enough to hold exactly one plate, and that was being gracious. Loki turned down a short hallway to his bedroom if you could even call it that. There was a small full-sized mattress that was laid unceremoniously on the floor. Loki leaned down to gingerly touch the comforter that adorned the mattress and immediately scowled. The fabric left a greasy, gritty feeling on his princely fingers that were used to the finest of silks. Of course, the offending comforter, too, was beige. There was nothing else in the room, except for a closet that had a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie hanging up like they were the finest of suits. His ‘new prison uniform’, Loki thought with a scoff.

Seeing the set of repugnant clothes was the last thing Loki needed for the gravity of the situation to finally sink in. Tear started to prick at the corner of his eyes, and he slouched down to the ground, his back against the bare beige wall of his new bedroom. This life was a far cry from what he had in Asgard, even in the prisons. He always had the finest of meals prepared and dropped off to him. There was always a steady rotation of books and most importantly…. he had his magic. Without it, Loki felt like he lost his sense of identity. So much of himself was wrapped around his ability to use magic.

Growing up, he was always the smaller, weaker brother when compared to Thor. Even though Loki could hold his own in a battle, Thor’s brute strength always bested him in one-on-one combat, and it was their mother, Frigga, that took pity on Loki and taught him magic to level the playing field.

Frigga.

Loki let out a choked sob as memories of his mother teaching him magic as a young boy came flooding in. The quality time he shared with his mother was precious to him, even more so now that she has passed. Losing his magic felt like he lost her all over again, and it was enough to bring him to the point of breaking. Time dragged with Loki lost in his thoughts, tears now freely flowing, and before he knew it an hour had passed.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door of his apartment and Loki’s immediate reaction was to groan. Thor likely forgot something; the god was like a tick with its head borrowed so high in his brother’s business he couldn’t get out. With quiet steps, Loki stepped back out into the living room and listened, hoping that the guest would go away. Still, there was persistent, light knocking which was unlike Thor. But Loki certainly wasn’t up for guests and their questions.

“Go away, Thor! I may not have my magic, but I can still wield a knife!” Loki snarled through the door. Briefly, Loki questioned whether he even had knives in this dreadful apartment.

“Good thing I’m not Thor!” A voice called out from the other side. It was sweet, small, and charmingly melodic. The sound made his lip twitch up in a slight smile. It was the first time he smiled since arriving at the Tower and that fact was enough to catch Loki’s interest.

“And who are you, if you are not Thor?” Loki teased, inching closer to the door with each word until his nose almost brushed the wood grain.

“Um,” the voice giggled nervously. It rang clear and bright, despite being muffled by the door and it made Loki’s smile that much wider, “I am Y/N. I work for Tony Stark…well sort of. It’s complicated, but I am here to talk and help you, if that’s okay?”

The idea that anyone could help him was laughable at this point, and his dark mirthless chuckle was evident of that, “What could you possibly help me with?”

There was a shuffle behind the door, “Quite a bit, actually. Thor might have told you about me. I am the team’s social worker, and my job is to help you adjust.”

“Oh, the Servant of Workers? Yes, Thor mentioned you.”

Loki could vaguely here a curse, and a muttering of ‘damnit Thor’, making Loki bite his lip in amusement.

“Well, I am not a servant, but I can help you. We can talk if that’s okay? Can I come in, please?”

Even though he had been talking through the door these past few minutes, he suddenly became acutely aware of the dynamic of the conversation you were having and how rude it was – at least by his princely standards. He put his hand on the doorknob, but before he turned it and opened it, he flicked his wrist. When his intended magic did not come out to hide his still puffy and watery eyes, he considered sending you away. You seemed nice enough and gave him the option to decline meeting with you, but his curiosity was getting the best of him.

Wiping his eyes on the back of his sleeve, he opened the door and finally laid his eyes on you.

All breath left the god when he finally saw you, time slowed down, dreams and love had new meaning – and if he wasn’t so utterly, instantly besotted he might have rolled his eyes at how utterly cliché he was being. Greedily, his eyes raked over your form and soaked up every detail.

Your eyes were as bright as your laugh, a bit wide with surprise like you hadn’t expected him to actually open the door. The next thing he immediately noticed was your height; or you lack of it. Your small stature landed you just below his shoulders and he had to look down to see you and look he did. Stared, actually, with his mouth opening and closing as his once silver tongue turned to lead. Everything about you was stunning, no radiant, no resplendent – you’re perfection.

You, however, didn’t seem to notice his momentary brain malfunction and cheerfully offered your hand to shake, your other hand clutching some folders and a large book tightly to your chest. Loki saw how you looked between him and the rogue hand whose presence became more and more awkward the longer it lingered. ‘Do something, Loki’ he cursed mentally, yet he did nothing.

Slowly, your hand lowered and just a fraction of a frown ghosted on your lips, and it was enough to break him out of his stupor.

“Apologies – Yes, Darling. Come in, come in!”

He quickly stepped out of the way, and you walked into the apartment, stopping just past the threshold, and looking around. Suddenly, Loki was self-conscious of his beige prison. Caring about other’s opinions was something he did not display too often. Deep seeded threads of jealousy was also held close to his heart when it came to Thor, and that same heart swelling with pride whenever Frigga praised his magical skill. Of course, Odin’s opinion is a whole other layer of anger and tears, but now he found himself wanting to be in your good graces. To impress you.

Loki sped by you and his large frame overwhelmed his tiny kitchenette and began whipping open all the cupboards.

“Can I get you something?” His voice pressed and anxious, “Tea? A biscuit?” He frowned when he realized all the cupboards were empty except for one can of chicken noodle soup and a dinning set for one person. Did he even have a tea kettle? He truly had nothing.

“No, no, that is quite alright.” Loki’s frowned deepened and he looked to you, who had opened one of your files and clicked a pen to scribble some notes down. “So, like I said, my job title is a social worker and part of my job is here, and the other part is at the hospital. Majority of my job is to help you get what you need to adjust to your life in the tower.

You looked around, motioning to the practically empty apartment you both stood in.

“So, you are a servant? You fetch things for people?” You giggled and pressed your papers closer to your chest again. Already, Loki couldn’t get enough of your laugh.

“I am sure some of the people I work with think so, like Thor who won’t let that go,” You flashed Loki a pointed look that was filled with mirth, and it too made Loki laugh, “But, really, my job is to help you get adjusted. I am not at your beck and call.”

Loki leaned on the small island in the kitchenette with his elbows and limbs going every which way awkwardly. When did casually standing become so difficult?

“So, you also work for the hospital?”

Instantly, you lit up, and Loki smiled at the joy on your face, “Yes. It is my main job, actually. I work with children who have special abilities, much like yourself, and help make sure they get the care and tools that they need to succeed.”  All your words were spoken fervently and the passion you were exuding warmed Loki’s heart.

“You’re kind then? To care for children like that.” Loki felt like he was stating the obvious. You were a radiant creature who loved working with children and now forced to help a monster – his spiraling thoughts echoed in sick repetition in time with his fingers that started to anxiously tap on the island counter.

“I would hope so,” You laughed again, your eyes darting to his nervous tick. You motioned to his small hallway, “Is it okay if I take a look around?”

Loki rightened himself quickly, “Right, certainly. Right this way.” He led you down the short hallway, to his tiny bedroom with the mattress and greasy comforter on the floor. The matching frown you both wore was telling. So, this wasn’t an appropriate living situation for Midgard either. Loki started to shift on his feet uneasily from side to side when you poked around in his closet and saw the only piece of clothing hanging, the sweat suit.

“So, you will need some clothes, for sure.” You turned to him and gave him a warm smile, a smile that held no judgement for his living situation. Loki, on the other hand, has his lips in a tight line. Oh, how far has he fallen.

“I can get you some clothes from Asgard if you’d like, but that will take some time. I would have to ask Thor.” Loki flinched at the mention of his brother, “Or we can go shopping tomorrow and get some clothes here. I just need to get some approvals first.”

This perked Loki up, “I thought I couldn’t leave the tower?” He recalled his earlier conversation with Tony.

You nodded, “That is true, but I have special privileges and if I get it approved, we can go.” Suddenly, you realized he might not want to expose himself to the world outside. The god wasn’t the most welcome in this city, “Unless you prefer to stay here? I could pick some things up fo-“

“No, no, no!” He cut you off, waving his hands, “I would love to go and get out of this infernal apartment.”

Again, your laugh rang throughout the small room, and it delighted him to no end. Did you always laugh so much – Loki wondered. Wordlessly, you walked out of the bedroom and back out to the living room and motioned to one of the beige armchairs, “May I?”

“Please do.” Part of him debated if you checking in with him constantly was out of politeness or fear, but you didn’t seem afraid of him. If anything, it looked like you made yourself at home when you perched yourself upon his chair. Your lack of fear confused him. Don’t you know what he did?

“Let’s address the elephant in the room, shall we?” You started and Loki’s breath caught in his throat, fully expecting his self-deprecating thoughts to come to fruition, “The horrid furniture.”

Loki huffed out a breathless laugh, “Yes, it is quite horrible.” You handed Loki the big book you had in your lap, finally giving Loki a view of your curves. The outfit you wore was modest – a pencil skit that accented your rounded hips and a demure blouse that had its top button undone, allowing for just a peak of teasing cleavage. Loki hadn’t noticed he was staring until you cleared your throat.

“That book there, that’s a furniture catalog. You can pretty much ask for whatever you want, and I will do what I can to make it happen for you. There are a bunch of options there, so hopefully you will find something you like. I know this place is a far cry from a palace, but I sincerely hope it can become home to you in time.”

Loki wanted to roll his eyes and scoff at the idea of this beige nightmare being his home, but the warm, sincerity that shone in your eyes stopped him. There was so much hope there, a brazen plea to give this retched tower a chance, to give you a chance. He turned the book over in his hands and let his thumb flip through the pages. For you, he could try. At least for now.

“So, now that we have that settled, the next thing is figuring out how much you know about life on Midgard. Would you mind if I ask you some questions?”

Loki leaned back in his chair, his legs spread wide and bursting through his leathers. There was a moment where your eyes flickered down to his muscly thighs. It was almost too fast that he might have missed it, but he didn’t miss it. With a smirk, Loki motioned for you to continue, and you opened one of your folders, pulling out some papers and clicking your pen.

“Some of these questions may seem ridiculous to you, so please be patient with me. I heard from Thor that you are very well read and are quite intelligent, so know that this is just standard procedure even with how silly these questions are.”

Loki’s face heated up with your compliment and keen observation. He hoped the pink on his cheeks did not show up as brightly as he felt them burn, “Go ahead, Darling.”

You flashed Loki and unreadable look after hearing the pet name but carried on as if nothing happened. “So, what is your experience with cleaning? Doing the dishes, laundry, vacuuming? Things like that?”

Several emotions flashed across Loki’s face – first shock, then confusion, and finally dramatic offense, “What?! Do I look like some oaf to you?!”

Your hands flew up in defense, “Remember, it is just standard procedure. I don’t think you are an oaf at all, or anything of the like, but I need to ask these questions to determine what you may need help with. You likely might not need any of my assistance, but I must ask these questions to figure them out, okay?”

You spoke calmly, clearly, and without judgement and that aura of calmness was almost a balm to the already anxious prince. Loki decided that your questioning was way worse than his time with Stark this morning. At least with the genius, he could hide behind his dripping sarcasm and cleverness, but around you he felt naked, vulnerable. It was unnerving.

He sat back as you repeated your question, folding his arms and essentially closing himself off from you. The prince took the time to ponder the question and he realized he never had cleaned a dish himself in all his thousand years of existence, let alone did his own laundry. If he did need to clean something himself, he had his magic to rely on. And what was a vacuum? If there was one thing Loki didn’t like, it was not knowing something and what made it worse, that fact was going to be made painfully obvious to you. So, he did what he did best.

He lied.

Everything you asked him, he exceled at. Cooking? A master chef. Cleaning? Meticulous to a fault. Midgardian technology? Child’s play. The whole assessment took approximately an hour, and it was the highlight of Loki’s horrible day. Conversation flowed freely between you two after he allowed himself to relax and be comfortable around you. The sound of your laughter bouncing off the walls and the soft smiles made Loki feel something that he hadn’t felt in a very long time. A flicker of warmth in his cold, closed off heart. Just a man, and not the monster he knew himself to be. At least for now, with you, he could pretend.

After your last question, you tucked your papers back in your folder and stood up with the smile that Loki had come to know and appreciate during your short time with him.

“Well, it seems my predictions are right, and you don’t need any help with anything here on Midgard.”

Loki smirked, “Of course not, Darling.” Again, you scrunched your nose at the pet name before making your way to his front door and spinning around, offering your hand that held a small card.

“It was great meeting you, Loki. It seems outside of getting what you need in this apartment, you won’t need my help at all. I will have some food and provisions delivered up to you later today and I will, hopefully, if the approvals go through, pick you up tomorrow morning to go clothes shopping. You can let me know what you decide on furniture then.” He gingerly took the card from your hand and looked at it. It contained your name, a phone number, and where your office was located within the tower.

“And then after that, you won’t have to see me ever again!” You chirped, meaning for it to be playful since it was obvious Loki hated this apartment, the tower, and you assumed, you as well. Little did you know that innocent statement had sent Loki’s reeling. These….feelings, feelings? Feelings for you were new, confusing, and Loki was convincing himself that they weren’t feelings at all, but instead an infatuation because of his recent forced living situation. Just something to pass the time. But he couldn’t ignore the panic that was starting to settle in his chest at the mere thought of never seeing you again.

Loki was so caught up in his emotional crisis of the heart to even notice that you had left, and you were already making your way down the hall and away from him.

“W-wait!” Loki called out, sounding a bit more panicked than he would like, but it made you stop in your tracks and turn. That made it worth it.

“What can I help you with?” You asked, after Loki’s long legs ran him straight to you in record time. For the first time, in well, ever, Loki felt slightly winded from the exertion. He placed a large hand on his chest as his breathing settled. Damn, these bangles!

“Well, Um..Well, you see – Here’s the thing…” Loki stammered, his hands stretched out and pleading while his mind tried to come up with a reason to get you to stay. You stared at him as he rambled on, not saying anything, with your ‘this man is crazy’ expression well-hidden underneath your professional mask.

“I lied.” Loki rushed out.

“What?”

The young god rubbed the back of his neck, and your eyes caught the stray curls that lived back there, free from his onslaught of gel, “I actually don’t know any of the things you asked me about.”

“What?” You repeated. Your eyes furrowed in confusion. Loki’s intelligence and cleverness was known by the Avengers, and you had believed every word he said when you went through the assessment. He even provided examples and lofty tales of his time in the kitchen or cleaning his chambers in Asgard when the maids were sick! And he lied?

You found yourself asking him about those very scenarios and if they were true or not in a tone that wasn’t as warm as when you first met him, Loki noticed. You didn’t like being lied to, that much was clear.

“I know, I know, I am sorry, Darling, but things have been….hard for me.” His voice lowered to a shame filled whisper, “I am a prisoner here, I know, getting the sentence I deserve, but I lost my magic, my home. The last thing I have is my mind, and I didn’t want it to be known that I couldn’t do, or understand, such simple things. I truly am sorry, Darling. Will you please help me?”

It was the sincerest Loki has ever been and it surprised and horrified him to know that all the things he said were true, and he was saying them to you. A stranger. But every time he looked at you, something deep within him told him he could trust you. It was a new feeling, a strange and confusing one, but one that Loki found himself welcoming with open arms.

“Okay, I will,” Loki let out a long, relieved exhale at your words, “But, no more lying, okay? We can’t work together if we aren’t honest with each other.”

The God of Lies gritted his teeth, instantly regretting his choice and feeling the first pang of guilt for lying to you, “Of course.”

“Do you have time to talk about some things now?”

“My schedule is wide open,” ‘Painfully open’, Loki thought. Again, he followed you back into his apartment and you walked into his kitchenette.

“Since you don’t know that much about cooking, we are going to do go over some basics. I will be ordering some food and other provisions for you, but it will all be very simple things. Canned foods, microwaveable meals, things like that until we have a more formal cooking lesson. Sound good?”

“Sounds perfect.” Loki’s heart fluttered at the mere prospective of even more time with you. The feelings of guilt for lying to you already a distant memory as he indulged himself in your radiant presence.

You walked over to the microwave that sat over the tiny stove, “This is a microwave. Have you used one before?”

Loki shook his head no and stepped right up to you, watching your every move. You turned your attention back to the appliance and started to explain the intricacies of using it. Loki, however, was not paying attention to a word you said. Instead, he was admiring all the little details that made you, you. First, he admired your long eyelashes, long and curled and they framed your eyes perfectly. Different colors floated about in your iris, little flecks that sparkled. There was also a slight flush to your cheeks, a rosy hue and he wondered if you could be blushing because of him. But his favorite part, oh his favorite part was your mouth. Loki’s eyes followed the curve of your cupid bow and around the edge of your soft, pillowy lips. Your mouth was moving, but he wasn’t listening.

“Most packages just show…..” Your sweet voice faded in and out of his ears as he watched you, “And don’t ever, ever put….”

Loki found himself leaning into you. His nose just lightly brushing against your hair for a light whiff, but that feather touch was enough to have you whip around to face him. Your eyes went wide at the realization of how close he was and how much he towered over you. You took a tentative step back and it made Loki frown.

“Do you have any questions?” You asked, your billowy lips now in a straight line.

“No, your lesson was quite enlightening, Darling. I shall become an expert of this…microwave…in no time.” He could feel the unease radiating off you. Why did he let himself get so close?

“Wonderful. I will see you tomorrow for clothes shopping, okay? Have a good day, Loki.” And with that you left, and Loki was alone yet again. The apartment felt empty, and cold now that you had left. The life bringing warmth that you brought followed you right out his door.

The rumbling in his stomach broke him out of his thoughts. He wasn’t sure when your food delivery would be happening, but he remembered the lone can of soup in his cupboard. He opened it and pulled the top off, unaware of how lucky he was since he didn’t have a can opener. The salty, savory smell of chicken noodle soup wafted up to his nose and he decided it was satisfactory enough. He dumped the contents of the can in his only bowl and stirred it with his only metal spoon.

He put the bowl in the microwave, spoon and all, carefully so he didn’t spill. Closing the door, he looked at the numbers on the appliance. It was then he realized he hadn’t listened to a word you said during your entire explanation of how to use this contraption. With a careless shrug, he punched in thirty minutes. He remembered helping his mother make a stew in the palace once and he thinks that is how long it took, but that was centuries ago.

For a few seconds, Loki watched the contraption light up and the bowl spin, but he quickly grew bored and sat down in his armchair. He ran his fingers through his hair and groaned. How was he going to live like this? Surely, he would waste away from boredom. Loki leaned back in his chair, letting his head fall back and soon the exhaustion from the day overtook him and he fell asleep.

Screaming smoke alarms woke him up with a start, and his wrists, they were burning. He cried out in pain and collapsed on soft carpet of his living room just as shield agents burst into his apartment, knocking the door right off its hinges.

“Get him!!”

#loki fanfic #loki x reader #loki x you #loki #loki odinson #loki x female reader #loki fluff #loki fic #loki laufeyson x reader #loki of asgard #loki fanfiction #loki angst #loki laufeyson #loki laufeyson x y/n #loki laufeyson x you #loki x reader angst #loki x reader fluff #loki odison x reader #loki x female!reader

[baflegacy]

smosh au #???: Love is Blind!Actor AU part 3

Raunchy, Witty, and Stupidly Funny: Our Review of the First Two Episodes of 'Love is Blind' Season 1 by Kimmy Jimenez

With so many shows and movies that're being released month after month, it's rare that we get absolute gems constantly - ones that know what they're showing to the audience and are confident enough that we'll love it. Last year was a surprising exception to the content rollercoaster of Hollywood; audiences loved prestigious dramas such as A Court of Fey and Flowers and the second season of Without A Recipe, while comedies like Ghost Files and Game Changer quickly rose from obscurity and became fan favorites. And who could forget the underdog that was Last Meals, which took home the Golden Globe over Maestro?

This goldmine of a lineup has people setting their expectations high for 2024, and while we're still eagerly awaiting another season of Yellowjackets or if Bottoms will get a sequel, look no further than the sleeper hit that is Love is Blind, written and created by Comedy Central's own Tommy Bowe.

The trailer left a lot to the imagination when it first dropped; there's no reveal on who would end up with whom, which is already a win in our book when it comes to teasers (yes, we're talking about you, Mandalorian Season 2!). Beyond that, the trailers were a good balance of intrigue and freshness, letting us know that we're gonna be hooked. And hooked we were, because the first two episodes had us gripping our chairs already!

We won't spoil it too much for the readers out there who haven't watched it yet (but then again, why haven't you watched it, bud?), but what we will say is that Tommy Bowe and Jacklyn Uweh are a match made in writer-director heaven. As soon as we saw the RHOSLC and Jersey Shore references, we knew we were in for a treat. The colorful cast of characters are already great, but the standout for this premiere has got to be Angela Giarratana as Toilet Girl. Not only has she got the comedic timing down, she practically disappears into the role of the eponymous 'drunk contestant'.

Overall, we rate this premiere one solid 8/10. We can't wait for the next episodes to come out—and if Toilet Girl and New York have something going on!

#smosh rpf #smosh edit #smosh au #lib au #lib!actor au #??? au tag #GAH. love writing fake reviews

[popculturebuffet]

It's Not the Years, It's the Mileage Finale: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Comission for WeirdKev27)

Hello all you happy archelogists and welcome to the final installment of my Indiana Jones Retrospective, It's Not the Years, It's the Milleage. For those just joining us for the epic conculsion, i've covered all four previous Indy films over the past few months, from the good with great action set pieces, iconic lines, and deft character work, to the bad with the uncomfortable amount of brown face, temple of dooms theme park version of india and support of colonolisim, and Crystal Skulls sterotpyical 'savage tribesman", to the just plain weird with aborted ideas such as a haunting in scottland, a chess game to the death, sun wukong vs indiana jones, and an out and out alien invasion which Indy makes out during suprising no one.

IT's been one long, LONG journey and today.. it ends, as does the film franchise. With Dial of Destiny. Dial is the main reason we did this: a fresh fim with ford, with a fresh director in Logan maestro James Mangold, a final chapter for the ages.. and it has been recived with a resounding

Yeah while there was some hype for this film from Fans of Mangold or Indy (Of which i'm now both) it's now gotten to the point Wikipedia has out and out labeled it a box office bomb and Naturally the failure of this film has been taken with grace and restraint by the internet

It hasn't helped that Indy has come out in a summer with plummeting box office from usual money makers, so people are only more on their "Why aren't people seeing these films" kick. When really the reasons aren't new. We have "Doing the same shit a diffrent day instead of going with what was new and working " (Transformers rise of the beasts), "Another film outboxing it" (Elemental), "The company behind it simply not promoting it at all" (Ruby Gilman, which I intend to review at some point), " or "Oopsie we hired a pedophile as our leading actor, have no idea where we were taking this franchise when we started this film, and our company is ran by an evil overlord no one likes whose actively made the media landscape worse ever since he took over, better hope our promotoinal tactics work..."

The issues aren't new, their simply finding hitting people over the head.. and that's what happened here. Indy had an uphill battle: I was only invested at first because James Mangold was directing it and Logan is still one of the best superhero movies ever made. I got more invested thanks to this retrospective. Given Disney's slipshod treamant of star wars and terrible treatment of last jedi as well as the mcu being a mess right now, it's not a huge leap that many audiences really didn't want to gamble on ANOTHER disney live action movie that just looked okay, no matter how much Phoebe Waller Bridge or Antonio Bandareas it had. While it's sad as I honestly don't think the film deserved THIS much of a bomb.. I can't blame audiences for waiting for Disney Plus. We simply live in an era now where most people have tons of streamers or will get one for a month to watch one movie and anything else they've caught up on. We're simply entering an era where having a big brand name isn't a guarantee and in this case can be a curse if that name is disney. Big franchises can work, see Spider-Verse and Scream VI making great money, but you have to have something to offer.

So come with me under the cut as we see if Indy has just that or is best left in the past

MASSIVE SPOILERS AHOYHOY

When I'm Gone, He's Gone

As you'd expect, Lucas still wanted to make a 5th film after Skull, with Speilberg and Ford on board as always. This time though..

Lucas himself went to the press saying he wanted to do something new and Speilberg was stuck in the past... which I translate as Lucas once again went kinda nuts on the premise while , much like after Temple of Doom, Speilberg wanted something a tad more grounded to avoid making the same mistake twice. It comes off as the two just could never quite agree on what to do and eventually.. decided to let the franchise move on without him, selling it and the rest of Lucasfilm to Disney. Disney naturally wanted an indy film right away and after getting the distribution rights one year later in 2023.. it took them a decade.

Yeahhh while we got the sequel trilogy pretty fast in hollywood time it took a good decade for Indy to put his hat on. At first there were rumors floated about about recasting, then it was settled on ford, then Speilberg was set to direct and the film proceded to go through a ton of writers, from Crystal Skull's david koepp

And even Dan Fogelman of This is Us royalty was floated as one of the writers. The film also got delayed thanks to Speilbergs work on Ready Player One and the Post, before he eventually stepped off all together. He claimed it was to pass it on to a fresh director, but it really feels like his heart wasn't in it anymore, and it was best someone whose heart was took the lead.

Enter James Mangold, director of The Wolverine, Logan and Kicker of ass. Mangold was a solid choice and my book and along with his usual co-writers Jez and John Henry Butterworth, who I assure you are real people but cannot assure you aren't old timey prospectors sent forward in time, hashed out the script.

Casting went smoothly, as did filiming, with the only hiccup being production's start being delayed because of COVID. They shot in morocco, england, ireland and spain, along with the us as you'd expect. Speilberg wasn't entirely detached as he still advised and watched dalies, ultimately loving the final product. So now we can actually look at that product let's start with how it writes Indy himself. The Mileage Adds Up

One of the things that made me not really enjoy Doom or Crystal.. was a lack of character work. Indy was about the same as when he started the adventure in contrast to Raiders and Last Crusade taking him on a wonderful character journey, in the former getting his passion back and in the later reconcliing with his dad. Dial of Destiny dosen't reach those highs, but I still think it does a decent job. The opening.. is okay detailing Indy having an adventures in the last day sof the third reich, setting up both Helna's Dad and our big bad, as well as Archimedes Dial, basied on the real life Antyhkiera Mechanism. I really do love the dial as a plot device as it's a departure, being the only one of the five to not involve a god of some sort, and yes the alien counts. It's just a time machine a famous philospher made. It's still fucking neat, I mean IT'S A TIME MACHINE A FAMOUS PHILSOPHER MADE, but it's a bit more grounded while still being pretty damn nifty.

So while the intro is mostly.. eh for me, what it does really well... is contrast the indy we know.. with where he is in 1969: Unlike Crystal Skull, which glossed over the massive amount of time passed, here were with an indy who feels both his age.. and that he's been left behind by the world. That time has taken everything from him: his friends, his father, his marriage.. and his son. He's left to yell at the neighbors, go to a class that dosen't pay attention and have a retirment party he clearly dosen't want. Granted his retirment does feel like a missed opportunity as wikipedia mentioned it pre-release as being forced out due to speaking out against operation paper clip, something that I either missed.. or more likely simply ISN'T in the film. It's a real shame, the idea is great it's just not present. This creates a really intriguing Parallel: Indy at the start of the last adventure of his we'll see is a broken down man whose years of adventuering have left a mark on him, who is estranged from Marion, has not a ton to live for, and is clearly only loosely holding it together. And the Indy we met in Raiders.. is a broken down man whose years of adventuring left a mark on him, is estranged from marion, has not a ton to live for and is clearly only loosely holding it together. The diffrence is how tired Indy is. In his late 30's he's beaten a bit and reduced to graverobbing.. but the minute he gets a real assignemnt int he grail, he jumps to it. He has his job, he has his friendship with marcus, and he's able to fix things with marion. He's not completely gone, he's just lost. Indy in Dial... has watched all his friends and his son, more on that in a minute, die, his marriage fall apart, and his job slip out under him. Without his job.. he's a man without a purpose.

This also ironically creates another Scrooge McDuck parallel, another bit of symmetry and one I didn't plan on till I started writing this and thought of the story: Indy reminds me a lot of Scrooge in the final part of Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck. Both are seasoned adventueres who have either pushed away anyone they have left or lost them and feel they just have nothing left but to slowly rot away.

And like Scrooge it takes a bolt of inspiration from the new generation after him to get Indy back in the game. In this case it's the highlight of the film, Helena Shaw, played by the wonderful, funderful fleabag, Phoebe Waller-Bridge. WB likely dosen't need any introduction but just in case she was showrunner of the successful and inventive stage show turned amazon prime show fleabag, showran killing eve and in general is pretty delightful. So it's no huge suprise she's great as Helena Shaw, daughter of Marcus Indy's sidekick for the intro who became obessed with our titular macguffin, Archemedis Dial, which can travel through time some time, though not to the end of all man kind. Helena is a neat character in that they managed to make her distinct while still giving her enough similarties to indy to serve well as his shadow, his ghost of sins past, him in his prime. She's also a brilliant archelogist, has a kid sidekick like indy did in temple of doom with Teddy Kumar (Ethann Isidoore), sells priceless artifacts for a profit, has a messy love life, kicks plenty of ass, and tries to command every room she's in. What helps seperate them is their demeanor: Indy is gruff, snarky and surly. While Helena can snark with the best of them, she's fast talking, fast thinking, and tends to use charm as much as the old Indy Guile both heroes posses. The main diffrence is rather than sell to museums, she sells to private collectors...

Okay the REAL difference is that she's only in it for the money while Indy at least, on some level, cared about the history even at his lowest. Helena just sees all her father could do and all she learned from being around him before his passing as a way to get. Once again like Indy.. she had a father who cared more about some big treasure than her child.. and a godfather who cared more about what was going on in his life than ever checking up on her. She's a person whose been left to her own devices and feels she's doing just fine.. but honestly could be putting her talents to better use. Maybe not in a school like indy, but she could help return artifacts to their countries... probably still for a pretty penny, but not just to some random asshole to sit in his den.

You can tell dealing with her just makes Indy feel even more tired, which is somehow possible after all he's been through. He's once again seeing a ghost of his past and this time can't seem to get it through her head. When she celebrates shortly after his friend Renaldo dies, he has to sharply remind her. Nothing seems to get through to her.. till we get to THAT scene. Probably the best scene of the film. The climax is awesome.. but it's this one moment. On a boat at night, Helena asks Indy what he'd do with the dial, clearly thinking some grand adventure.. instead Indy: I'd stop my son from enlisting Helena: And how would you do that? Indy: I would tell him that he would die, that his mother would be overcome with a grief so intense that his father would be unable to console her, and that it would end their marriage. The sheer PAIN Ford conveys during that monologue.. may be the finest acting he's ever done. You can just FEEL Indy's loss; his son is gone, his marriage is torn, and he blames himself for both. It gives a horrible pathos to why he's so broken down. Both developments.. coudl've been really cheap. With how much everyone but me seems to hate mutt, and how rightly no one can stand shia suprise these days, most were expecting..

Instead Mutt's death is used as the catalyst for Indy's slow spiral into dispair. He would've been happy in retirment.. but he lost his son, his wife.. he's a man truly with nothing left he feels. And while he gets some old spark back unlike Scrooge.. he's fighting it every step. He dosen't want an adventure, he dose'nt want anything but his son back, and he knows damn well that even if the dial could... the sad truth is it likely has some horrible cost to it. The grail gave eternal life but bound you to a spot. The Skull gave you the knowledge of an unknowable alien god, but drove you mad. The arc killed anyone who looked. If the Dial even works... he knows it can't bring his son back, and he's only going after it because it's better in a museum than in the hands of Nazis. We also see a change in Helena. She goes from following Indy's lead out of nececity, to seeing his point, to seeing the beauty of the world instead of just the dollar signs. She still wants the money.. but she starts to see the beauty in history instead of the dollar. I also like that this isn't easy on Teddy, who sees her postive changes as coming between him and his surrogate mom, when really she fully intends to stick with Teddy no matter what and shows nothing but loyalty.. and in the end.. they dont' really finish that arc

I like Teddy a lot, and I wish this had more of a bow on it, though we do get him taking down a nazi and trapping him to drown and later getting into a dogfight. Teddy slaps is what i'ms aying> He dosen't have a ton of deep character to explore, but he's fucking great.

This all really cumulates in the climax.. which is so great i'd rather save it for after we cover one last major character, our antagonist. Our big bad is Mads Mikkelsen as Jurgen Voller, a thereoticain who wants the dial. At first Indy assumes, as most of the audience would that Voller simply wants the dial, which he's shown to obess over to win the war for hitler. Turns out Voller's plan is more complex. We see in the intro how Voller is the ONLY one who both sees the dial's value among the nazi's and the writing on the wall: Hitler is almost gone, he fucked them over. It's over. And thus the horror of Voller isn't like with Thot , at the giant horrifying nazi machine and all their power, and more at evil allowed to hide in plain sight. At a society who forgives horrible people because their useful. Voller got a free pass thanks to operation paperclip.. and the film shows while that idea got us tons of advances including space flight.. it came at the cost of giving horrible people real power and influence. The president is outright giving voller a MEDAL. And he hasn't changed: a truly chilling bit has him talking to a black bellhop delivering meal and asking where he came from.. and dismissing him saying he came from america. Voller is every bit the white supremacist monster he ever was, he's completely loyal to the idea of the nazi's. .just not to hitler. Voller's whole plan isn't to help hitler.. but to take him out, replace him and have someone compitent win. And he only gets as fara s he does because the goverment willingly works with him, gives him agents, goes after Helena and the dial. They know what he his but fully aid and abet him. Sure they eventually realize he's gone rogue, that his pet agent is entirely in his pocket.. but they don't turn on him till far too late and with one of their great agents dead. Concidentaly I feel Agent Mason is wasted: she's the calm rational agent.. but she's also the only major black character in the film and gets killed by a nazi. That's.. entirely fucked up and while I suspect inteitonally fucked up it just dosen't work for me.

Voller is also once again, much like with Belloc, an evil mirror of indy: Both are geniuses who adore history.. but one's a good person despite being gruff while one seems harmless when we first meat him but is actually a total monster. Mads does a great job showing just how evil the guy is without going over the top. Voller is determind to change history... and he does.. just not how he wanted to.

This Ain't 1933!

The climax.. is fucking awesome. Like Crystal Skull it goes beyond what the series had done before, if not more so. It's arguably even MORE over the top. But it works. For those who haven't seen the film... INDY GOES BACK IN TIME. The dial DOES indeed work.... but it's set up to ONLY go back to this point. Helena points out the idea of "loaded decks' earlier.. and realizes the dial is one. Archimedes only left it behind to create a stable time loop.

Indy going back into actual history is nuts, entirely and my jaw dropped at it.. but it's so damn fun. Our heroes not only have to escape the plain and get the dial back after it drops onto the coast, but survive the Siege of Syracuse, the roman invasion that eventaully resulted in Archimedes end. So we have two planes flying overhead, arrows everywhere and nazis versus romans. It's over the top but not in a way that really undermines the franchise, and frankly as what's intended to be the final act of indy ever, it's a fitting finale: the man whose explored history in the present.. gets to LITERALLY go to the past for his final adventure. I do get how not everyone will agree, and it won't work for everybody, this may be a bit tooo over the top, but I love it and feel it nicely ties up everyone's character arcs.

For Voller he gets to join history.. but instead of "fixing" it like he wanted he dies horribly and is forgotten to history only the "dragon" (his palne" is left.. and cleverly foreshadowed earlier when Teddy watches a puppet show. His nazi's all die and it's glorious to watch nazi after nazi go down from arrows or our two heroes escaping the plane while teddy takes the rest down with the help of a hapless pilot.

We then get the payoff for both Helena and Indy, as Indy gives the dial to archimedes.. and plans to stay. After all we established he's lost everything... why would he go back? He'll die soon.. but he's cconvinced he'll die soon back in the present. It's Helena who'se ultimately changed realizing both the value of history.. and ultimately the movie's moral: you can't change the past, but you can live for today. Helena can't change her awful upbringing or the things she's done.. but she can be better. And Indy can't save his son from death, save archimedes from death or be a better husband to marion during the greving process.. but he can be better to her and still live now. He still has so much to offer. He taught helena to love history and to try and be better. He gave his son a better life even if it was sadly cut short. He can be better. And when he can't be convinced the easy way she proves she's fully earned her way to being indy's succesor and just clubs him and takes him back (the dial has to go back with them as archimedes needs to make his own). The end scene also mostly works for me: Indy is back at his apartment.. but finds he's not alone as when he woke up there last time: Not only has Helena forgiven him, having realized much like Indy himself that warts and all, he's family, but Sallah, who I haven't gotten to talk about is here. Sallah is great in this film, not only helping Indy when he needs to lay low but enocuraging his friend it's not over. It's also nice to see Indy helped him and his family immigrate and that he's teaching his grand kids egyptian. It's also a nice way to still have davies play the roll.. but have him get a bit more depth and make up for a white guy playing the roll.

And last but not least.. Marion returns, and the two reconcile. I thought it was a bit easy when I frist saw it.. but I see now i'ts more the idea they have a long road ahead.. but both are willing to see it together.. Indy admits he was wrong and Marion is willing to give him another shot. For the third time but at least this time it's likely she just needed some psace to realize he wasn't being callous he just wasn't processing his grief.. and now he's ready to.. maybe they have a shot. It's a nice way to close out the films: Indy's life isn't over, he's got friends, he's got his wife.. and there's always another rainbow.

Assorted Other Stuff: The action set pieces as usual are fucking great, my faviorites easily being the climax and the diving adventure. The latter reminded me a lot of Tin Tin, Red Rackam's Treasure. Antonio Banderas is great as Reynaldo and I only wihs he had a bigger part.. and survived. It's not a huge suprise, saying Antonio Banderas is great. While I LIKED the finale with Marion, I'm with Karen Allen. They could've used her more. She deserves better dammit. WHy is it with the sequels they just can NEVER get bringing her back right?

Last but not least.. ther'es this weird subplot only brought up in the first two acts where the government frames indy for Murder that just.. never gets resolved? Like they never adressed it and as far as I can tell there's no resolution. Now granted I still think Indy isn't going to be arrested: He's clearly been unconcious for a week and Helena did have to get him back into the US, so it's likely the goverment found out about voller, got a debrief from helena.. and agreed to clear her and indy's record and absolve him of murder in exchange for never talking about this to anyone, as a Nazi escaping and killing one of their agents , after they pardoned the guy wouldn't look good. But we needed a line. It's easily the most baffling decision in otherwise a really godo film.

So finally we're , like indy back where we started.. was the film that bad?

When writing the reviews for Crystal Skull and Temple, I honestly hated the films MORE the more I thought abotu them, the more I found wrong, the more I realized how little they did. With this film. it's the opposite. The more I examine dial, the more I find to like. The character arcs, the action, the payoff. It's not perfect, again Indy is still kinda wanted for murder among other little plot gaffes, but I do think Dial is a solid entry in the series and better than both temple and skull at capturing what made the series graet. It dosen't nail it perfectly.. but it's still a fun ride with some really good character work and phenominal performances. Really indy failed.. because no one cares outside of fans of the franchise. As my brother put it when talking about this very film recently, kids don't know indy. It's not the big hit with kids star wars was and is. Star Wars will likekly rebound someday because Kids still dig it and kids will grow up with the sequels the way I grew up with the prequels, warts and all. Disney just assumed Indy was enough to carry it and he wasn't. I'm sad at it because not only is this a good film, but I was hoping for more pulp adventure films. But i'm also happy at what we got and to have done this journey. I saw the good, and the bad. And I saw a franchise I ended up really loving. In the end I got what I needed out of this franchise

#Indiana jones and the dial of destiny #dial of destiny #phoebe waller bridge #harrison ford #indiana jones #helena shaw #marion ravenwood #jurgen voller #disney

[alastairstom]

can you pleaseee share the hc of the maestro romero

OKAY SO YES I always want to talk about my Maestro Romero headcanons lmao. My favorite lil guy to never exist, my one-mention wonder.

The only things that we canonically know about Maestro Romero were that:

He was the weapons instructor the Madrid Institute when Thomas went there,

He and Thomas still exchange letters as of TLH, and

He moved to the Buenos Aires Institute after Thomas went home.

I like to think Maestro Romero was already the weapons instructor at the Madrid Institute when Gideon did his travel year in 1878. I headcanon that he was probably just a few years older than Gideon was then, and he probably helped Gideon see the world in new ways. Canonically, Gideon was made a kinder person because his time in Spain gave him the chance to broaden his horizons and worldviews, which makes me think that he was an open-minded and kind mentor. I like to think that they became friends of a sort and Gideon looked up to him until he was called back to train Sophie and Tessa in CP1.

Gideon and Maestro Romero probably lost touch beyond passing greetings at big Clave meetings, but their interactions would be few and far between. They remember each other fondly but fell out of contact.

1902 rolls around, and Thomas - five feet of clumsy awkwardness - makes his way up the steps of the Madrid Institute. And Maestro Romero is about 50 now, a fatherly sort, and he gets hit over the head with a #flashbackfriday that's as hard as a bag of fucking bricks. Thomas has Gideon's characteristic himboism, and Maestro Romero has not seen this particular brand of awkward in years. He likes it - honestly, he finds it to be a breath of fresh air. But in those first moments, he's like "holy shit. Gideon Lightwood reproduced."

But then he got to know Thomas and realized that he was a unique little butterfly in his own right, and he adored him. They got along really well, and Romero really respected Thomas's iron will, determination, fortitude, honesty, and ability to assess situations from multiple angles at once. He also just loved having a kid about that was so kind and sweet - he was good company, helped with the washing-up, the whole nine yards.

I think Maestro Romero had some sort of uncleish feelings for Thomas, and when he saw him grow rapidly and become uncomfortable inhabiting the world in such a big body, that's when he taught him about the bolas. Something awesome that he could never have done when he was so small!

Thomas felt good about his newfound size for the first time the day that Maestro Romero had handed them to Thomas.

When Thomas went back to London, he missed Maestro Romero sorely. So he wrote to him, and after that, the rest was history. Maestro Romero moved back to Buenos Aires, but he was of course able to be a pen pal from anywhere!

In the future, when Thomas writes to Maestro Romero to tell him about Alastair, he will be extremely happy for him. In 10ish years, he and Alastair finally meet, and he gives Alastair a moderately-chill equivalent of the "you'd better take care of him or I will kill you" Dad Speech.

#maestro romero #headcanons #thomas lightwood #gideon lightwood

[jazzdailyblog]

Benny Green: The Modern Maestro of Jazz Piano

Introduction: Benny Green stands as a modern maestro of jazz piano, renowned for his virtuosic playing, deep swing feel, and rich harmonic palette. With a career spanning several decades, Green has established himself as a leading figure in the jazz world, drawing inspiration from the bebop tradition while infusing his music with a fresh, contemporary sensibility. In this blog post, we will…

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#Art Blakey #Benny Green #Betty Carter #Diana Krall #Eddie Henderson #Faye Carroll #Freddie Hubbard #Jazz History #Jazz Pianists #Milt Jackson #Ray Brown

[ethanreedbooks]

Check out the exclusive first look at "The Ultimates"! Deniz Camp discusses transforming Marvel's iconic team into a global resistance network.

Hey everyone, let's dive into the latest scoop from the Marvel Universe! Get ready for a thrilling ride as we explore the revamped Ultimates team, set to shake up the comic book world.

Now, you may have heard whispers of the Ultimate Universe making a comeback, and boy, is it making waves. But what's an Ultimate Universe without its iconic team, the Ultimates? Marvel has already dropped bombshells with a new series featuring Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate Black Panther, and Ultimate X-Men. Guess what's next? You got it—the Ultimates!

This time, we've got Deniz Camp at the writing helm, a maestro known for blending real-world politics with mind-bending sci-fi. Look at his track record with titles like "20th Century Men" and "Children of the Vault." Now, he's teaming up with artist Juan Frigeri, who's been cooking fresh designs for our beloved heroes like Wasp and Hank Pym.

But hold onto your seats, folks, 'cause ComicBook.com snagged an exclusive peek at The Ultimates #1 and some of Frigeri's stunning artwork. Trust me, it's a sight to behold.

So, what's Camp's take on this new series? Well, I'd like to hear it straight from the source. He's been diving deep into the essence of the original Ultimates, offering both a nod to its legacy and a bold twist on the formula. We're talking fresh storytelling that taps into the pulse of today's world, folks.

And speaking of twists, get this—the Ultimates are no longer the heroes we once knew. Nope, they're branded as outlaws, terrorists even. It's a whole new ball game, with our heroes fighting against a power-hungry council and struggling to clear their tarnished names.

But fear not, true believers, because every issue promises a self-contained adventure packed with twists and turns and, yes, new versions of classic Marvel characters. We're talking about a full-scale reimagining of the Marvel Universe with higher stakes than ever.

And let's remember the visuals, folks. Frigeri and his team are pulling out all the stops, crafting a visual feast that'll leave you hungry for more. This book's got everything from character designs to epic battle scenes.

So mark your calendars, comic fans—The Ultimates #1 hits shelves on June 5th. Don't miss out on this groundbreaking new chapter in the Marvel saga. Trust me, you won't want to miss out on this one.

#ultimates #marvel comics #ultimate universe #iron man #iron lad #doctor doom #ant man #wasp #captain america

[cevinsoling]

Cevin Soling's Impact on Independent Filmmaking: A Cinematic Revolution

Cevin Soling's Impact on Independent Filmmaking: A Cinematic Revolution

In the ever-evolving landscape of independent filmmaking, few figures stand out as boldly as Cevin Soling. A maestro of thought-provoking documentaries and a champion of unorthodox storytelling, Soling has carved a distinct niche for himself, leaving an indelible mark on the world of cinema. Let's embark on a journey to explore how Cevin Soling has become a catalyst for a cinematic revolution in the realm of independent filmmaking.

Trailblazing Documentaries: Pioneering a New Narrative

Cevin Soling's documentaries are a breath of fresh air in an industry often dominated by conventional narratives. From "The War on Kids" to "A Hole in the Head," Soling fearlessly tackles unconventional subjects, challenging societal norms and providing a voice to the marginalized. His commitment to shedding light on overlooked issues sets a precedent for independent filmmakers, encouraging them to venture beyond the mainstream and explore stories that truly matter.

Visual Aesthetics: A Distinctive Filmmaking Style

Soling's impact goes beyond the narratives; it extends to his unique filmmaking style. With a keen eye for visual storytelling, he weaves a tapestry of images that complement the depth of his subject matter. Soling's ability to craft compelling visuals on a modest budget showcases the resourcefulness that is a hallmark of independent filmmaking, inspiring a generation of filmmakers to focus on creativity rather than extravagance.

Courageous Storytelling: Facing the Uncomfortable

One of Soling's most commendable contributions is his fearless approach to storytelling. He confronts uncomfortable truths and challenges prevailing ideologies, daring his audience to question the status quo. This courage in storytelling sets an example for independent filmmakers, urging them to embrace authenticity and tackle subjects that resonate with societal concerns.

Championing Unheard Voices: A Commitment to Social Justice

Cevin Soling's documentaries often serve as a megaphone for unheard voices. By spotlighting issues like the shortcomings of the education system or the struggles of the mentally ill, he amplifies the narratives of those often relegated to the periphery. This commitment to social justice not only elevates the quality of his work but sets a standard for independent filmmakers to utilize their craft as a tool for positive change.

Influence on Emerging Filmmakers: Shaping the Next Generation

The impact of Cevin Soling on independent filmmaking is not limited to his own productions; it extends to the filmmakers he inspires. Emerging talents look to Soling as a mentor figure, drawing inspiration from his unapologetic storytelling and resourceful approach. His influence has sparked a wave of independent filmmakers eager to break free from the conventional and carve their path.

Conclusion: A Cinematic Legacy in the Making

In the realm of independent filmmaking, Cevin Soling stands as a trailblazer, a visionary whose work continues to shape the landscape of cinema. Through courageous storytelling, a distinctive visual style, and a commitment to social justice, Soling has sparked a cinematic revolution, inspiring a new generation of storytellers to redefine the possibilities of independent filmmaking. As we witness the unfolding chapters of Soling's cinematic legacy, it's evident that his impact will resonate for years to come, leaving an enduring mark on the art of filmmaking.

#Cevin Soling #music #movies

[final-girlboss]

So @sounds-of-some-day and I have been trying to watch as many movies we felt would be nominated at the Oscars this year, and now with the official nomination list, I can't say I'm shocked but I'm definitely disappointed.

If Maestro wins a single Oscar (save for maybe Sound), I'll be incredibly upset. Never seen a more haphazardly slapped together, desperate film before, and I think Bradley Cooper's begging for an Oscar is starting to get incredibly annoying.

Killers of Flower Moon was mid at best, but I wouldn't be upset with it winning Costuming, or with Lily Gladstone winning Best Actress (even if I personally feel Sandra Hüller was the standout actress this year both in Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Interest). Shocked to see that Margot Robbie wasn't nominated for Barbie however, she was truly the standout performance in that movie and I really feel like she deserves one at this point (she was previously passed over for I, Tonya, which she truly deserved it for in my opinion).

I truly hope Anatomy of a Fall wins something (Original Screenplay seems to be the most likely), because it was such an incredible film. Past Lives, as well, because it did not go where I thought it would and it was such a breath of fresh air, as well as bringing a unique perspective to the idea of destined lovers. I'll be a little pissed about May December winning, mostly because the producers didn't ask for permission to tell the story of the real person and events their story was based on.

I'm tickled to see Nimona nominated for Animated, even though I know it won't win (not that I'm begrudging Spiderverse or Boy and the Heron for this, they're both incredible movies).

I can see Barbie getting Production Design, and I honestly wouldn't be upset with that at all. Though, knowing the Academy, it's usually the historical pieces that win these categories. If Napoleon wins, I'll be incredibly upset.

If Maestro wins Makeup and Hairstyling, I'll walk into the fucking ocean. That fake nose prosthetic was so bad and distracting and it made Cooper sound incredibly nasal-y and awful. Or maybe he was doing that on purpose to sound deeper and it just sounded like shit instead. Regardless, I think it's the worst pick for this category.

Disheartened by the lack of Metro Boomin in Best Song. The Spiderverse soundtrack was breathtaking, and Metro and the rest of the musicians worked incredibly hard on the incredible songs such as Am I Dreaming and Annihilate. Barbie getting two songs nominated...I understand I'm Just Ken was a funny song with a creative dance number, and the emotion and story of finding yourself in What Was I Made For are both really good, but it should have been one or the other.

TLDR; Oscars stay predictably boring and disappointing.

Side note, in December I was able to watch The Iron Claw; INCREDIBLE movie, I cried at least 4 times while watching it. Not a single nomination. Sorry but Zac Efron's role was far better than Bradley Cooper's shit ass Maestro. Please watch The Iron Claw.

#oscars #film

[lyricscribex]

Brody Brown's Triumphant Return: A Review of 'Amorè'

With a career spanning three decades, Brody Brown has solidified his name as a maestro of music production excellence. His influence in the industry is nothing short of legendary, boasting collaborations with music luminaries such as Bruno Mars, Adele, Lukas Graham, Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, Mark Ronson, and the late Nipsey Hussle, to name just a few. Brody Brown is not just a producer; he's a trailblazer, and he's back in the limelight with a fresh anthem that promises to reignite your passion for great tunes and good vibes.

"Amorè," featuring the supremely talented India Love, is a musical masterpiece that grabs your senses from the first note and refuses to let go. It's the kind of infectious hit that has you dancing with renewed energy, grooving to its irresistible beat, and getting lost in its melodious magic. This hip-hop duet is just the tip of the iceberg, marking the beginning of a sonic journey that promises to be nothing short of extraordinary.

In "Amorè," Brody Brown's production genius takes center stage, setting the perfect backdrop for India Love's mesmerizing vocals. The track is a captivating blend of beats, rhythms, and lyrics that seamlessly fuse into an irresistible whole. It's the kind of song that you'll find yourself humming, even when you're not listening to it.

But "Amorè" is more than just a song; it's an invitation to an unforgettable musical experience. It's a gateway to a world where music transcends boundaries, cultures, and genres. It's a reminder of the power of music to bring people together in harmonious celebration.

So, don't miss out on the musical phenomenon that is "Amorè." Give in to the rhythm that Brody Brown and India Love have masterfully crafted, and let it carry you away on a journey of musical discovery. This is a song that reminds us why we fell in love with music in the first place and why it continues to be a source of joy and inspiration.

To truly experience the magic of "Amorè," be sure to check out the music video, where Brody Brown and India Love bring the song to life in a visual spectacle that's just as captivating as the music itself.

"Amorè" is more than just a song; it's a testament to Brody Brown's enduring talent and a promise of more great music to come. So, turn up the volume, hit play, and let the music sweep you off your feet. This is a journey you won't want to miss.

Watch the video for "Amorè" here and let the music take you on a ride: https://youtu.be/gnemiKZ63_8

#music promotion #new music #youtube #hiphop

[omegaplus]

# 4,040

Omega Radio for April 25, 2022; #305.

Public Enemy: “13th Message / Living In A Zoo”

Monie Love: “Work It Out (Boyz N’ The Hood)”

Redman: "Where Am I?”

West Coast Rap All-Stars: “We’re All In The Same Gang”

Kurious: “Walk Like A Duck”

MC Eiht: “Streiht Up Menace”

Fu-Schickens: “Sneakin’ Up On Ya’”

Large Professor & Pete Rock: “The Rap World”

Atban Klann: “Puddles Of H2O”

Outkast: “Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik”

Black Sheep: “On The Wall”

Scarface: “Now I Feel Ya’”

Rappin’ 4-Tay: “A Message From Your Mind”

Kriss Kross feat. Super Cat: “Jump”

Queen Latifah: “Jersey”

Nice & Smooth: “Hip Hop Junkies”

The Roots: “The Good, The Bad, And The Desolate”

Lord Finesse: “Gameplan”

Keith Murray: “East Left”

Organized Konfusion: “Drop Bombs”

Pete Rock & CL Smooth: “Death Becomes You”

Method Man & Redman: “Da’ Rockwilder”

Total feat. The Notorious B.I.G.: “Can’t You See?”

Lords Of The Underground: “Burn Rubber”

Kool G Rap & Polo: “Brother On The Run”

Freestyle Fellowship: “Blood / Bullies Of The Block”

Mobb Deep: “Back At You”

KRS-One: “Outta Here”

Yaggfu Front: “Busted Loop”

De La Soul feat. Jungle Brothers & A Tribe Called Quest: “Buddy” RMX

King Tee: “At Your Own Risk (Old English)”

Maestro Fresh Wes: “Let Your Backbone Slide”

LL Cool J: “Jingling Baby”

Grand Daddy I.U.: “Don’t Stress Me”

Biohazard & Onyx: “Judgment Night”

Bonus quarterly golden-era hip-hop and rap plus soundtracks.

#omega #music #mixtapes #reviews #playlists #hip-hop #rap #golden era #LL Cool J #De La Soul #Jungle Brothers #A Tribe Called Quest #KRS-One #Mobb Deep #Kool G Rap #Notorious B.I.G. #Method Man #Redman #Pete Rock #Lord Finesse #Keith Murray #The roots #Queen Latifah #Kriss Kross #Scarface #Black Sheep #Outkast #Monie Love #Public Enemy

[kiruuuuu]

Kiru's Advent Calendar, Day 1 🍝

As promised, here is some of the content I've produced throughout the past year - and hopefully some new as well! I've always liked the idea of Ace cooking together with various ops and with varying success, so here's him filming an episode with none other than the master himself. (Ace and Maestro, Rating T, fluffy chaos, ~2.2k words)

.

Saying Ace was nervous would be an exaggeration, but claiming he was completely at ease not quite accurate either. To suppress some of the restlessness, he checks whether everything is ready: various cameras are set up around the kitchen, he’s all mic’d up and has the second one ready, props are strategically placed on the spotless and tidy surfaces (he re-potted a basil plant even though he knows from first hand experience how fickle they are – this one will survive two, maybe three weeks). Ingredients are partly lined up on the counter, partly still in the fridge and freezer for maximum freshness, and he’s set aside the utensils they’ll need.

One stipulation his new apartment had to meet was a large kitchen, and he got lucky: not only is it brand new following recent renovations, it’s also extremely spacious with a proper kitchen island in the middle. He’s paying half a fortune to live here, but following the sharp increase in quality to his videos came a proportional increase in viewers, followers, sponsors and therefore income.

He stands in front of the fresh tomatoes, a little lost and a little anxious, and waits. One o’clock was the agreed time, and it’s 12:59 right now, so there should be -

His heart jumps into his throat when the doorbell rings. Not denying himself the whimsical joy of sliding through his corridor on slippery socks, he comes to a halt right in front of his apartment door and rips it open to reveal none other than his jovial Italian colleague.

Who is inexplicably carrying a large box of what looks to be groceries.

“Help me carry, there’s more in the car”, he greets Ace curtly yet with a friendly tone – all business already – and hands the box over (and why is it so heavy) before turning around and clattering back down the stairs to the ground floor.

Ace notices two things: 1) Maestro looks utterly stunning, and it’s wholly unclear whether he always dresses this well in his spare time or has dolled himself up for the occasion. 2) If he himself is heading back down, it means he’s got enough stuff to warrant two strong men to carry it. Which… is a tad worrying. Just a bit.

But Ace isn’t worried. He wouldn’t worry about it. He’s not worrying.

Quickly, he deposits the crate in the kitchen and nearly collides with his guest on the way down the stairs. A flashy Alfa Romeo is badly parked on the opposite side of the street, its trunk revealing two more boxes.

He’s beginning to worry.

Maestro seems to sense his bewilderment and, as soon as everything he brought occupies all horizontal surfaces in the kitchen, booms: “I know you said you’d take care of the ingredients, but I was sure you wouldn’t get enough, ragazotto, and I was right. You couldn’t feed a small family with these, look at how puny the aubergines are!”

Mildly, in case he’d upset the loud man, Ace replies: “We’re not trying to feed a small family.”

“Come now, don’t put yourself down – I’ve heard you have quite a few people who watch your funny little videos, you can’t let them go hungry.”

Oh. Ace’s eyes widen. Oh no. “We’re… we’re not cooking for my viewers.” Funny little videos?

Confused, Maestro turns around, eyeing the cameras with suspicion. “But …”

“Okay. Look. We are cooking for my viewers, but only digitally. We will cook and film ourselves doing so, and later they will watch the video. They don’t… visit me to eat. They live all over the world, actually.” Belatedly, he adds: “And it’s far too many anyway, my subscriber count is -”

“I see”, the loud Italian interrupts him like it comes to him naturally (and he really seems to enjoy hearing himself speak), “even then, you can freeze food if you must. Time to show your people how to feed someone.” He starts unpacking the second he finishes his sentence and frowns in dissatisfaction when Ace stops him.

“Before we start, you need a mic or else nobody will be able to -”

Aaaaand Maestro’s shirt is already unbuttoned. Revealing his bulky torso, pronounced muscles under the tan skin, just enough coarse, curled hairs adorning his chest… and Ace feels like it’s going to be a long Sunday.

.

After the first fifteen minutes he finally understands how recipe blogs became what they are now. To every ingredient, Maestro has a backstory ready, ever-increasing on the impressiveness scale – this herb he already loved as a kid and climbed over his neighbour’s fence to steal some from their garden, his niece once choked on this vegetable and he barely managed to save her, this one was apparently used in chemical warfare in the 1920s, that one would literally kill them if prepared wrong. Ace barely gets a word in edgewise and eventually resigns to just standing there, listening to the epic tale of Maestro’s entire life laid out in association with specific types of food while mentally apologising to his editor. She’ll have to suffer through all this herself as well.

… she’s going to strangle him.

Halfway through a recount of how lentils single-handedly won the American Civil War, Maestro’s broad hands conjure up an expensive-looking wine bottle as well as an expensive-looking corkscrew. Ace is past the point of self doubt as he’s pretty sure he went over all the rules before the other man agreed to join him, therefore he simply cuts in: “No alcohol. We can drink after, but not now.”

The Italian looks at him like he just snapped a handful of spaghetti in half. “Mi scusi, I thought you were joking? How am I supposed to get into the flow when I can’t lubricate the gears? How do I get into the state where everything comes together, salt flutters out of my sleeve, my ancestors guide my seasoning and the sun itself shines out of the dish?”

Ace stares. And wonders whether Maestro is used to finishing a whole bottle by himself. “Later”, he emphasises after he’s regained his composure. “I appreciate the gesture though.”

His guest grumbles something and Ace believes he makes out the word dittatore at some point, but at least the wine is placed out of sight.

.

What then transpires is an absolute rollercoaster.

Ace has never experienced this many emotions in such short periods of time – one second, Maestro confidently crushes garlic cloves with the heel of his palm like the world’s first cooking supermodel, the next he agonises over Ace’s carrot cutting technique so sincerely Ace may as well have stabbed his brother, and what follows is a salacious anecdote involving several military officials, a horse mask, copious amounts of hay and too many Cowboy boots, the entirety of which Ace’s editor will have to either cut out or bleep for as long as Maestro is talking.

Trying to clean up after his guest so the background isn’t cluttered or dirty is a Sisyphean task and at no point does Ace feel in control – Maestro takes over every horizontal surface to either cut vegetables at lightning speed or roll picture-perfect Gnocchi with his arms floured up to his elbows (be still my heart), he samples nearly every ingredient at some point and even tries to feed Ace repeatedly, and he won’t. Stop. Talking.

During close-ups of the sizzling dishes, while Ace adjusts clothes and hair, with his mouth full, in the middle of Ace’s sentences.

And honestly? It’s not even that bad. Ace gets to exist in the background for once, not having to make awkward small talk or come up with funny remarks on the spot, try to keep the conversation flowing to evoke a friendly and warm atmosphere so his viewers feel comfortable – all he has to do is stare at this beast of a man decimating a heap of vegetables into a soup divided into several pots because no single one Ace owns would be large enough to contain it. It’s obvious Maestro is having the time of his life, visibly enjoying leaving a trail of destruction behind him, knowing Ace will tidy after him; he didn’t even need the alcohol. But before Ace can wallow in the positivity of it all, Maestro drops a swear so obscene Ace instinctively twitches towards the nearest camera in the instinct of turning it off. He doesn’t, though.

He doesn’t have the time.

“… and here we are, bambini”, Maestro eventually roars not unlike a ringmaster announcing the next act – at some point, he got it in his head that Ace’s viewership was comprised entirely of children and he didn’t feel like correcting him, not like Maestro would listen anyway, “a three-course meal worthy of the gods! A hearty Minestrone to warm your bones first, then Gnocchi al Gorgonzola to satisfy your stomach and a light Affogato al caffè to bring it all together. Perfect for a light family dinner.”

“… of fifteen”, Ace adds quietly. He has to admit, the end result is inviting – not on the same level as professional food photography, presentation wise, but just the right kind of homely to assure you it’s been cooked with love, while seeming very appetising. “Let’s dig in! I let you do all the seasoning so I’m excited how it turned out.” Ace dips a spoon in the small bowl of soup and prays inwardly that it at least taste good. When the word about their collaboration spread in Rainbow, he garnered a vast range of reactions which still concern him a little, but credible sources have claimed Maestro is actually good at this. He lifts the utensil up and closes his mouth around it, careful to let the camera see his face.

And he nearly drops the spoon.

“Bit salty”, Maestro comments, having tried his own portion, and now it’s Ace’s turn to stare at him like he just claimed Sweden and Norway were interchangeable, because what.

He tries some more. Has to almost physically restrain himself not to dump the whole thing down his gullet. It’s one of the best dishes he’s ever eaten. Breathless, he pants: “This is amazing.”

Maestro shoots him a toothy grin. “My nonna’s recipe, pace all’anima sua. Wouldn’t stop smoking till the day she dropped dead, what a woman. Did I ever tell you about how she managed to trade a goose for a car? It started out -”

Tuning him out completely, Ace tries the gnocchi. They’re the perfect consistency, sticky yet not too starchy, the sauce melting in his mouth and complementing the mild base with its strong taste – without being overpowering. The flavour of the blue cheese adds a whole other dimension to the creamy goodness of it all.

Ace is dumbstruck. He couldn’t even choose the better dish, they’re both magnificent in their own particular way.

Because he has to, he spoons a bit of the espresso into his mouth, careful to get some of the vanilla ice cream as well – he’s normally not an espresso fan yet Maestro was insistent and even brought his own moka pot (just like he seemed to have carried along half his kitchen, including his entire spice and knife rack), so it’s worth a try.

And boy is it worth a try.

By now, Maestro is holding a full-fledged monologue straight into the nearest camera, so Ace turns to a different one to mouth delicious before pulling an unashamedly orgasmic face. Not even listening to his guest, he finishes his tiny portions while producing appropriate expressions for the benefit of his viewers, then steals Maestro’s before they get cold(er) and eventually even gets a third serving. Which he finishes long before the Italian is done with his current anecdote. So he just grabs some more.

There is absolutely no way he’s going to share the leftovers with anyone.

.

“And that concludes this week’s episode of ‘kiss the cook’!”, Ace concludes a while later. It’s almost eight in the evening. They were meant to finish at five. “Thank you all so much for watching and please let me know if you actually try out any of the recipes. And thank you, Adriano, for joining me this week and sharing some traditional Italian dishes with us.”

As Maestro says his parting words, Ace reflects on the experience. Was it worth the trashed kitchen, the paint job necessary now that there are stains on the ceiling, the constant panic over whatever Maestro was doing, the constant panic over the way Maestro looks, and the large parts they’ll have to cut out because the man swears like a sailor?

Probably.

… will it be worth the comments he’ll inevitably get when his fans watch him lose his mind in more ways than one? Well. He’ll see.

They wave their goodbyes and Maestro, just as agreed, leans in to make the show live up to its name – only he, uh, must’ve misunderstood, or forgotten what they’d discussed, because he takes Ace’s face in his hands and kisses him right on the lips.

Straight up mouth-to-mouth.

A proper smooch.

For several seconds.

And Ace, reeling and nearly losing his balance when he’s eventually released again, decides that nope, this will definitely not be worth the comments he’ll get.

#rainbow six siege #fanfic #ace #maestro #kac #big gay panic going on there #sample the chef

[itskomplicated]

March 19, 2023 playlist: Weezer "Island In The Sun" Michael Jackson "Bad" Telepopmusik feat. Angela McCluskey "Breathe" Beyonce "Cuff It" Kizz Daniel feat. Tekno "Buga" Christine and The Queens "Comme Si" Gap Band "Burn Rubber On Me" Hannibal Tabu "KQBH Station ID Break" Jungle "Casio" Nelly Furtado "Say It Right" Morris Day & The Time "Ice Cream Castles" The Killers "All These Things That I’ve Done" Kool & The Gang "She’s Fresh" Maestro Fresh Wes "Drop The Needle" Kali Uchis "Dead To Me" https://www.instagram.com/p/CqAH5fZOeY5/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[bryanalbrektsen04]

The Legal Implications of Music Supervision

Music is just a powerful medium that has the capacity to evoke emotions, set the tone, and lay the groundwork for storytelling within visual media. music supervision are essentially the creative maestros who weave the perfect soundtrack to raise the projects we fall deeply in love with, whether it's a significant film or even a breathtaking television commercial. With increasing opportunities, flexible career paths, and an ever-expanding music licensing landscape, there has never been an even more desirable time and energy to delve into this fascinating field. In this comprehensive guide, we will take you through the entire world of music supervision, from the fundamental role so it plays to essential tips on how to thrive within this exciting industry.

1. The Role of Music Supervision To offer a clear understanding of music supervision, we should first define its crucial role within the production process. Music supervisors work collaboratively with directors, producers, and editors in selecting, sourcing, and licensing the perfect soundtrack for various forms of visual content, including films, TV shows, commercials, and video games. Their expertise in music rights and negotiations, combined with a thorough knowledge of varied genres and emerging artists, ensures an easy integration of soundtracks that not merely enhance the ability but also support the general message and tone of the project. 2. Starting Your Career in Music Supervision There are numerous pathways for aspiring music supervisors looking to create their mark in the industry. Many begin their journey by working within music publishing, record labels, or sync agencies, honing their skills in licensing and gaining valuable contacts within the film and television industries. Others may choose to take on internships or assistant roles within production companies or music supervision agencies to achieve firsthand experience in project collaborations. Ultimately, a strong desire for music and a solid knowledge of the changing landscape of music rights and licensing can provide a solid foundation for success. 3. Building an Impressive Music Supervision Portfolio Developing a varied and impressive portfolio is required for fostering relationships and showcasing your skills as a music supervisor. From student films and local commercials to indie games and personal editing projects, every opportunity provides an invaluable experience to sharpen your skills and establish your reputation. As your portfolio grows, you'll naturally commence to see patterns in your work and identify your unique music supervision style. This will help you be noticeable and ultimately build a lifetime career that aligns with your passions and strengths. 4. Networking & Staying Ahead of the Curve In this fast-paced industry, networking is paramount to staying relevant and positioning yourself for success. Attend industry events, film festivals, workshops, and professional gatherings to get in touch with likeminded individuals, including composers, producers, and music supervisors. Building these relationships won't only expand your familiarity with the field but in addition offer you opportunities to collaborate on projects and learn from industry veterans. Notably, staying in front of the curve with brand-new artists, musical styles, and licensing trends is also needed for excelling in the world of music supervision. By checking in on new releases and following industry news, you'll ensure that you remain at the forefront of music supervision and continue to create fresh, innovative tips to the table. 5. Stay Persistent & Flexible It's important to remain persistent and flexible in your way of a lifetime career in music supervision. Projects may come and go, and the music licensing landscape is continuously evolving, making adaptability an integral trait for thriving in this industry. Don't hesitate to take risks and tackle projects from your safe place; these challenges will allow you to grow as a specialist and allow you to a better-rounded music supervisor.

In Short: Since the demand for captivating audio-visual content continues to increase, so too does the necessity for skilled music supervisors. Tapping into your passion for music, combined together with your unique viewpoint and networking abilities, will ultimately set you on the path to success in this fast-paced and ever-changing industry. By staying persistent, adaptable, and committed to honing your craft, you'll be well on the way to creating an enduring legacy within the entire world of music supervision, playing your part in the creation of unforgettable and emotional experiences that shape our world.

#music supervision

[sins-of-the-sea]

“Feel better, Gio?”

Giovanni sighs as he and Guy step out after using the public washing areas and with fresh new clothes. They no longer look red or raw, nor do they smell like sand and ocean water. “I think I’m better now.”

“Truly? You don’t look like it.”

“Well….” Giovanni looks around in the store they are in. They’re not far from an aisle bearing baby toys and other assorted products.

“Oh, Gio. I’m really sorry. Are you really that scared about fatherhood?”

“I-It’s not fatherhood! Not necessarily!”

“Well, the Master isn’t here…”

“I can’t help but be paranoid! Especially with-”

“It’s going to be okay, Gio. Really. We all made the promise we will protect Annalise and your little one. We’re not going to have a repeat of Guangzhou. I personally, in the deepest depths of my heart and in the names of my late mother and sister, swear by it.”

Giovanni loses all color. What should have cheered him up only made him more terrified. “G-Guy…”

“Think of the happier things to look forward to. I know I’ve been!”

“Really?”

“Yes! You’re going to get married! Think about Miss Annalise in her wedding gown! How beautiful she’ll look when she walks down the aisle!”

“O-oh…” That worked, or at least was starting to. Giovanni’s eyes light up at the idea of standing at the altar for his bride to approach him. “That would be lovely!”

“Indeed! Rashid can summon a simulacrum musical band! Maybe even an organist! He can even resemble the Maestro if you want!”

“That would be wonderful!”

“You’ll have your cousin to officiate. Think about the crying he’s likely going to do to make the wedding twice as long.”

Giovanni makes a choking, groaning sound as he lowers his head while a big grin lights up on his face. That is his laughter. It’s ugly. “I’ll have to yell at him to keep it going!”

“There’s your honeymoon too. I’m certain you’ll be looking forward to that despite her pregnancy. Or maybe because of it.”

“Guy!!!

“...Y-You’re not wrong.”

“For a woman, she is really cute. Makes me think of my sister in some ways.”

“Truly? Does she-...”

“Hm?! Oh! No no no, Gio, I’m saying this as a good thing! I’m more than willing to help! I know Abena is working with her to make her dress! I can help with the hair!”

“And then there is the baby too. I’ll bet you are especially looking for that the most. Do you want a boy or a girl? Have you picked out any na-”

Giovanni turns around to lean against the wall. He vomits violently at the corner.

“Giovanni?!?!”

#[Sinfully Valentining 2] #[Guy Duchamp] #[Giovanni Vespucci] #pregnancy tw #vomit tw #racy tw #dragonskxn #never took a lesson #well fuck I guess I canonized 'Gio throws up when he's especially upset' now

[never-took-a-lesson]

“Isn’t it wonderful to feel released at last?  That sweet happiness that fills you?  Although now our bellies are empty… they won’t be for long.”

Forte’s voice weaved like silk through the chords he played upon the organ.  The men had come up from the cellar for the first time in weeks and were waiting in the chapel room.  They waited for Antoine to finish scouting and lead them to their feast.

The maestro was at the console, his fingers caressing the keys with a lithe energy he had not felt for some time.  As the organ spoke, Nathaniel sunk deep into a soft chair and could feel the power shake his body.

“Wonderful isn’t the word for it,” Nathaniel said.

“Soon, darling, all that pain will go away,” Forte’s voice slithered around him like a warm blanket, “Soon, you and I will be closer than ever.  Resonating deeply.  We shall move as one.”

“At peace,” said the shorter man, letting his skull lay back against the headrest, “At peace is the right word.”

“Relief is at hand,” Forte purred, and with that, he concluded his piece.

“Maestro!  Maestro!”

As if on queue, Antoine reappeared, moving at speed into the room and stopping shortly before the organ’s landing.

“Wonderful timing,” Forte crooned as he arose from his bench.

The maestro stepped down from the landing and stood tall at the front of the chapel room.  From one of the chairs gathered around, Nathaniel also stood.  Even now, his movement seemed altered.  His head was steady and his paces were even and measured.  Nathaniel took to the side of his sharp-toothed husband, his expression impassive.

“You guys are not going to believe this,” Antoine panted in between trying to catch his breath, “Gee you’re lucky you sent me out when you did.”

“Well, go on,” Forte urged him, frowning.

“There are thirteen weirdos out there in the woods.  And they’re on our trail.  They’re after us,” Antoine said, his amber eyes huge.

“On our trail?  Are you sure about that?  For all anyone knows, we’re just a couple nice older gentlemen.. and their deadbeat son,” Forte scoffed.

“Yeah, well, here’s the thing: these guys, they’re vampire hunters!”

Forte could hardly repress a laugh, “Those still exist?  Ahaha.”

His eyes strayed to his side where Nathaniel, still with the old days fresh in his mind, had a look on his face that told he took the idea far more seriously.  Forte stroked his hand down his husband’s shoulder in just such a way that Nathaniel felt a tingling sensation throughout his body.

“Now, are you certain these aren’t just some.. edgy teenagers roleplaying in the woods?” Forte said, “We won’t be eating those sorts.  Scare them perhaps, but my palette is only attuned to the flesh of those who deserve their fates.  I’m certain you went out knowing that, Fife?”

“Oh yes, Maestro.  I know your moral code,” interjected Antoine, “And- and- that’s definitely not the case.  They have all this gear and stuff.  I don’t know, maybe the Vatican sent them or something?  Anyway, these guys seem serious.”

Hearing clothes rustling from his side, Forte saw that Nathaniel had turned to him, looking very afraid.  Immediately, Forte went into comfort mode, rubbing the side of his face along Nathaniel’s cheek like an affectionate cat and wrapping an arm around his side, squeezing him close.  He hissed a soft “sh” into his husband's ear before addressing the young vampire before him.

“These awful human beings.  They come to prosecute us.  We would scarcely hurt a fly.  We’re just a harmless couple of eccentrics,” Forte chided, “For their cruelty, they will suffer dearly.  We must strike first.”

“Maximillian, if what Antoine said was true… What if we’re hurt?  Or worse?  Dearest, if I die, my soul is forfeit.  If I die, that will be it,” Nathaniel rasped.

“That won’t happen.  Those fools have no idea of my power.  You shall not die.  No one under my protection shall,” Forte thundered, his voice filling the chapel room like it was wind from the great pipes, “They will pay dearly for threatening and underestimating us.”

Nathaniel’s deep brown eyes gazed into his husband.  Forte was indeed immensely powerful.  Few knew the extent of his magic, including Nathaniel.  Nathaniel could only guess in the years they had been separated that Forte must have gotten to the level of a god.  Surely.

That dark power that Forte possessed…  Nathaniel would be lying if he said that wasn’t a part of the appeal.  

Forte’s darkness was mesmerizing.  Intoxicating.

“Be it so,” Nathaniel spoke, “They will be our prey.”

#event: itching teeth #awww shit #tw: religious themes #tw: religion #tw: cannibalism #tw: existential dread #side character: cogsworth #side character: fife #v: modern