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ochibrochi · 1 month

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spontaneous magic manifestation was NOT mentioned in the parenting handbook 😬

I know this isn’t how magic in dc works, but the fact that Damian’s ancestry includes some pretty powerful magic users is… INTERESTING 🤔? Drabble under the cut!

I wanna preface that I'M NOT SAYIN' that Damian should/does have magic powers, but there’s still so much unexplored potential with Damian's character, and the thought that he has a dormant adeptness in magic is somewhat compelling to me. Most importantly it would FREAK! BRUCE! OUT!!!!! What is this, magic puberty 😭??

By DC laws, anyone has the ability to learn magic, but it is also possible to be an innate ability. The Al Ghuls are no strangers to the occult-- Ra's has had increasingly been portrayed as a magic user, and the recent establishment of his mother being a sorceress/witch?? Even Talia dabbled in a bit of magic, I think. There is a catch that their power is suggested to be due to Lazarus exposure, but for arguments sake let's say the Al Ghul lineage is inherently proficient in magic (and Lazarus exposure simply enhances it).

I can't recall "magic" being a part of Damian's training/upbringing (I'm still slowly catching-up on Damian comics so apologies if I miss any canon examples of magic use). Not sure why Talia wouldn't want her little "heir to an ancient assassin empire baby" to learn magic, but it would at least give reason to Damian not knowing about his magic potential, or lack of interest in it.

Through the power of pseudo storytelling, what if Damian's encounter with Mother Soul could have triggered a manifestation of magic that was once dormant; like a pressure cooker waiting to explode with energy when it hasn't been given a safe outlet.

I've yet to read a satisfying arc where Damian truly gets to contemplate his Al Ghul roots outside of "dad is good guy, mum is bad guy". Damian's initial character growth stems from him running away from, and renouncing his association with the League (i.e. "I'm nothing like you, mother and grandfather!").

The most recent thing I've read was Robin (2021), and whilst Damian is much more cordial with his mother, there's still an emotional distance and sense of distrust/resentment (for good reason, even if the context was some cartoonishly evil writing). But there is a silver-lining that they still appear to be fond of each other, in a melancholy kind of way.

Realizing he's "genetically" primed for magic would be especially confronting to Damian. There's no denying his Al Ghul blood, forcing him to confront a facet of himself he can no longer ignore or reject. A family that he likely has to approach for help/guidance.

Damian is put in a position of acknowledging this power could be used for good, to be stronger, to fight crime, balancing it with the implication that what he possesses could be rooted in dark magic (Lazarus enchantment).

If he decides to embrace it, would that be too much of an endorsement of the Al Ghul's dark occultism? Can he separate the two ideas? What if he can't control it? What if he accidentally hurts someone? What if has the ability to save someone where his other skills fall short?

Ideally, I'd love for this hypothetical story to lead into Damian exploring his Al Ghul heritage more intimately, historically, and spiritually (à la RSoB: Year of Redemption adventures). Another little coming-of-age self discovery journey.

I have my own little personal thoughts on what Damian decides to do with his magic powers, but I'd like to leave that open to interpretation... By the end of it I hope that he will at least find some forgiveness over resentment, and a balance between accepting that side of his family a little easier. It is finally a sense of inner peace :)

Any thoughts? Did I get any characterisation wrong? Let's talk over on my DC blog @arkhamochi! I'm currently trying to read all Damian-centric comics until I catch up with the current run. I'm hungry for discussion and analysis!!!!!!

#batman #batman and robin #damian wayne #bruce wayne #dc comics #P.S. drabble is kinda LONG so DO NOT read more unless you want the inconvenience of scrolling

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fantastic-nonsense · 29 days

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Hi! I've never done this before but I'm new to comics (started with WFA and Zatanna and the Ripper) and I've basically got most of my information from posts on tumblr and r/hobbydrama (including yours.) I think I have a general idea of what Jason Todd is like, but I believe a lot of people are unhappy with his new characterisation.

So, if you were the one in charge, how would you write him? Would you write him with a team or as a solo character? Would you have him use the All-Blades or a crowbar or his guns? Would you have him properly rejoin the batfam or not?

Thanks!

Hi! Welcome to the fandom! I hope you're enjoying your time here.

In general, I think DC (and the fandom) has spent too much time milking Jason's death for trauma porn. They have refused to allow him to find closure, move past that, and exist beyond his daddy issues drama with Bruce. When DC has allowed him to have stories outside of that, they were often written with little consideration for what should be done with Jason beyond making him "badass."

None of this has been conducive to creating any kind of satisfying and coherent narrative or character arc for Jason, especially when both writers and editorial seem more obsessed with stealing traits, relationships, and stories from other people to give to him (most prominently Dick, Selina, and Helena). My hottake is that DC should move beyond "Red Hood" as an identity for Jason entirely, because it drags his character down and keeps him inherently tied to the same problems that have kept his character stagnant for years.

However! I don't think he's unsalvagable. I simply think DC needs to put a decent writer on him and commit to a character direction for more than 2 years at a time. I'm unsure of what Shawn Martinbrough is currently doing with Jason in his The Hill arc, as I'm not reading it, but I've heard that there might be some forward momentum finally happening there?

Anyway, my personal conception of Jason's future (as lovingly brainstormed by me and my friends in our comics discord server) is effectively this: he becomes a street-level paranormal detective who solves cold murder cases by talking with the victims' ghosts and providing closure to restless spirits. Think Lockwood and Co. meets Pushing Daisies with a superhero twist; basically, a supernatural detective noir book.

There's a lot of concepts and lore drops tied into this idea, but basically it was born out of a discussion where I was talking about Jason's many connections with the supernatural and occult across all continuities and how it's kind of a mystery why DC hasn't just formally connected him to the mystical side of the DCU. So I was like "they should just reveal that Superboy-Prime’s reality punch resurrection left him LITERALLY undead, make the event where he finds this out also spark his ability to see and communicate with ghosts, and make him an occult detective. Let him close cold case murder files and put those spectres to rest."

Which is also a great premise for a Bat book and a great unfilled niche for a Batfamily member. Kate's supernatural stories are much more high concept and connected to her family drama. Damian's supernatural/occult connections are traditionally very heavily tied to his family history and the Lazarus Pits. Dick's semi-regular magic encounters are usually stuff he deals with alongside his teammates in the course of working with the Titans. None of the other Bats have enough regular encounters with the supernatural and magic side of the DCU for it to encroach on their shtick, and a Gotham-based supernatural book is well within DC's ability to publish and market given books like Gotham by Midnight.

In terms of how that direction affects all the other questions you asked...I think Jason's relationship with the rest of the Batfam should be complicated. I personally don't think "good/bad relationship with the Batfam" is a particularly useful way to look at it because I think there are people he should never see eye to eye with, people he realistically shouldn't and doesn't have a problem with, and people he should get along with just fine. I don't think everyone needs to or should be friends or enemies with him, but his morals and past actions will (and should!) complicate those relationships in interesting ways.

And re: what weapons I'd like to see him use...using the All-Blades would certainly factor into my proposed narrative direction, as that would lean into the supernatural connections, but I generally prefer the concept of Jason using knives as his preferred weapon over guns/a crowbar/etc. That way he can still be a marksman without using guns, and I think that fits more with his character trajectory as someone attempting to be less lethal but also has no problem roughing people up when he thinks they need to be.

#jason todd #jason todd meta #thank you!#also I'm so sorry for the delayed response. my mental capacity to respond to people has been pretty low recently 😭#long post #ask #dc comics #batman #batfam

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laufire · 2 months

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it's not like I don't believe jason or tim would react well to finding out dick let them belive he was dead. it's just that I don't think they would act like they do in grayson #12 tbh.

jason reaction is just peak bad prime earth characterisation where he's just an impulsive brute who cAN't COntrOL hIS EMotIONS and thus immediately punches dick, which. whatever. his anger as written before could've been so much more interesting, the conflict arising from this much more cutting and devastating. he would also see this as confirmation of some of the worst things he's suspected about how dick feels about him and how dick kowtows to bruce and be absolutely brutal about that, and dick would react by lashing out about jason's hypocrisy and jason would insist on all the ways his situation was different and they would go on hurting each other and it would be MESSY and really really interesting to read.

and tim? tim would not just accept this at face value, he'd dig deep, he wouldn't rest until he found out all the details because he'd KNOW something was off, and dick would try to stop it because does NOT want tim to know about what went down between him and bruce (except maybe some small part of him wants someone to know. but not tim, he'd want to protect tim's "innocence" in this, or at least tim's relationship with bruce). and tim would've also been impatient about jason being too distracted by his own hurt and his own feelings instead of pushing them aside (like tim's doing) to see that something is wrong and they need to get to the bottom of things stop making this about you omg.

also, though I don't mind it in this context, as a contrast to everyone else, and it didn't feel as jarring to me- I would've preferred a... quietly hurt damian. idk, I've been jumping through jason's nu52 appearances so I haven't seen if he got to react to finding out about dick "dying" while damian himself was gone, but can you imagine how that would've felt... yes, he would be SO HAPPY to see dick again but that doesn't erase the rest. and seeing damian hurt in such an unmasked way would've been so devastating to dick, and something he would've had to face directly while jason's and tim's own reactions would've been Problems he'd have to manage.

basically ''give everyone complicated messy feelings about this and make it more heartbreaking'' is my whole philosophy with the bat clan and it could've made things more interesting to me.

(a side of "can bruce enjoy some Consequences" would be nice but i'm not asking that from prime earth stories, I'm not new here)

#not getting into peppy barbara cause i don't know who this girl is tbh #missing new earth barbara more than ever hours #talking to the void #my thoughts #dc #dc thoughts #dc comics #dick grayson #jason todd #tim drake #damian al ghul #bat clan #favourites: soul siblings #favourites: fucked up families

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republic-world · 11 months

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Decoding Batman's Flawed Villains Who Rivalled The Caped Crusader's Popularity

The Batman villains have a trajectory of transformation. They've become more layered with time, commanding more screen presence and attention.

Batman is one of the most popular superheroes in the DC Universe. The character has been retained even in the new and revised DCU films, that are slated for release in the upcoming decade. This in itself is a testament to the popularity of the character. Over the course of the last 20 years, Batman, popularly known as The Dark Knight, has been part of 9 live-action films. Even Joker, the prime nemesis of the caped crusader, was portrayed with elan by Joaquin Phoenix in the 2019 eponymous film, directed by Todd Philips. Phillips is currently working on a sequel of Joker, a character battling mental illness. Meanwhile, there are two Batman films currently under development.The Batman 2 features Robert Pattinson in the title role, whileThe Brave and The Bold will focus on the dynamics of Bruce Wayne and his son, Damian Wayne.

Batman, however, is not the only one in the films who shows character development and commands screentime. Over the years, the villains in Batman films have developed through their cinematic portrayal. Batman: The Movie, the first Batman film, was released in July 1966 and featured Adam West as the titular character. Since then, villains in Batman movies have become more and more layered, alongside Bruce Wayne. Let's take a look.

Villains in initial Batman films: Overshadowed by the ‘good guy’

Director Tim Burton, who had worked with Michael Keaton previously on Beetlejuice, made Batman in 1989. The film had a dark, brooding atmosphere, influenced by Alan Moore’s graphic novel The Killing Joke and Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns. This was also the inception of the Joker, portrayed by The Shining star Jack Nicholson.

The 1989 film offered a mix of action, intrigue, and most importantly, jokes, from the Joker. The intense undertone of Batman films was retained until Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever, featuring Val Kilmer as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Several villains, such as The Riddler, Penguin, Shreck and Two-Face, were featured in subsequent films. However, their backstories were not given enough attention, making the characters seem shallow. The heroics of Batman overshadowed these villains - the characterisations did not evoke empathy for the ‘bad guy’, despite the fact that their troubled pasts were hinted at. Actors such as Jim Carrey, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito, Tommy Lee Jones, and Uma Thurman have played villains in the Joel Schumacher films. However, the portrayals were, at best, comic in nature.

Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy reinvents Batman villains

It was not until 2005 that director Christopher Nolan gave the Batman movies his own spin. Christian Bale played the role of Batman in Batman Begins (2005) and faced off Ra’s Al Ghul, played by Liam Neeson. Ra’s Al Ghul was previously a mentor to Bruce Wayne. He had taught Bruce everything that he needed to be a force of change in Gotham. However, he returned to kill Bruce after the latter betrayed him. Ra’s Al Ghul was liked as a villain, as he mirrored the trauma of Batman’s past. However, it wasn’t until The Dark Knight (2008) that the Joker, the most fearsome Batman antagonist, was introduced.

The late actor Heath Ledger played the role of the Joker. He introduced a yet-unparalleled disruption to the superhero genre. While Ledger’s Joker was already a stone-cold murderer, he also sought to debilitate the entirety of Gotham City, simply for the sake of spreading chaos. He questions Batman in the film, “What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?” It is also a question that forms the essence of Batman and Joker’s rivalry. Batman fights to keep justice alive in a city that lacks hope, while Joker fuels the flame as he watches everything burn down.

The Dark Knight Rises featured Batman’s rival Bane, played by Tom Hardy. Bane enters Gotham and completely destroys Batman in order to establish his own rule in Gotham. If it wasn’t for Bruce Wayne’s indomitable spirit and urgency for justice, Bane would have ruled Gotham. Bane’s character development and his on-screen presence overpower even the presence of Batman - thus establishing the mortality of the superhero character.

Why Batman villains are serious

Batman is a character born out of trauma. Bruce Wayne lost his parents in front of his eyes in a mindless shooting incident. With the support of his butler Alfred, and the inherited wealth of his parents, Bruce Wayne allows himself on a journey of growth and learning. He eventually becomes a trained martial artist, assassin, engineer and most importantly, a detective, who solves crimes to bring justice.

Batman's villains are often a counterpart to the aspects of his persona. The Penguin, for instance, is corrupt and selfish and he exists solely in the criminal underbelly of Gotham.Two-Face is a villain who mirrors the same lack of faith in human goodness that Batman consistently fights to uphold. The Joker is one of Batman’s most fierce antagonists - while Batman follows a trajectory of self-affirmational discipline and perseverance, The Joker is deeply nihilistic and chaotic.

Moreover, Joker (2019) gave us a glimpse of the villain’s psychological makeup. The insight into his mind seems to justify the Joker's behaviour, albeit in his own perspective. Gotham, in and of itself, is portrayed as a sinister location where Joaquin Phoenix's Arthur Fleck grew up and lost all hope. It is a city so corrupt, that in his eyes, redemption is impossible. Joaquin Phoenix portrays the character’s pain, as he deals with rejection, apathy, ignorance and organisational mismanagement in the city.

This is the connective tissue in most Batman villains. They feature backstories that are as tragic (if not more), when compared to the vigilante superhero that they are fighting. This allows us to view Batman villaiuns in a more human light, which is in contrast to their seemingly ruthless nature. Even Robert Pattinson's The Batman featured Paul Dano as The Riddler. The character matched every bit of intensity that the neo-noir superhero film demanded.

For More latest entertainment news only on www.republicworld.com

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#entertainment #hollywood #batman #villains #dc comics

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batarangsoundsdumb · 3 years

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batman webcomic

#it was fantastic i really wish that dynamic for ALL of the batfam comics #also wishing for a batgirls story featuring steph babs and cass #y'all let's make this happen #gimme my goddamn STEPH CONTENT #HAND IT OVER DC RIGHT FUCKING NOW OR YOU DIE AND YOU DIE PAINFULLY #ngl i'd risk it all for stephanie brown #i love ALL of the batfam but if anything happened to STEPH??? i would genuinely die #but lmao damian in this was fantastic #prime damian characterisation #tho like i'm so 200% hellbent on damian being a weeb #it's fine weebs exist and they have (some) rights. like human rights and animal rights and stuff #damian greeting duke: Greetings MORTAL join me in the hall for a battle of the sword- whoever bests the other gets to pick the naruto ep #damian's alarm clock is set to a nightcore remix of the season 2 intro to attack on titan #cooki-dough #LOVE YOUR USERNAME #bataranswers #damian wayne #robin #batman #batfamily adventures #batfam #batfamily #batman webtoon #dc #dcu #dc comics

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eastonia-blog · 5 years

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Not really a new thing but a general complaint about New52 and Rebirth characterisation about one Dick Grayson

Particularly in the 'Knight Terrors' storyline, Rebirth: Nightwing #50-56 (Yes that long-arse storyline which didn't in particular go anywhere).

Okay. In New52 and subsequently, the DCnAU (DC new Animated Universe) Dick gets taken down way, way too easy by the Scarecrow's fear toxin. Basically an attempt to retcon one of his established abilities, the ability to work through the fear toxin if exposed.

Rebirth attempted to correct this by... Making him plain old unaffected. And just let me quote one Dr. Jonathan Crane (Scarecrow) here.

"I knew a boy once, so fearless it... well, it terrified me. And I have sought to capture' that boy, now a young man, as a means of freeing myself. I wish to be free of my fear as I have freed Blüdhaven. Are you hiding my little bird? Is Nightwing afraid to come out and play?" ~ Nightwing #55

Can you see my issue with this? My issue is "so fearless". The pendulum has swung too far into the other end.

Now what is my issue with both these approaches?

1) Being severely affected to the point of debilitation is a clear nerfing.

I often joke that Nightwing (especially when appearing with Batman) seems to suffer from what I call 'Anime Rival Ability Syndrome'. He is supposed to be scary good. And once in a while you get to see him being scary good. And sometimes you see him in a one on one fight with the main protagonist (in this case Bruce) and it's pretty clear they are closely matched. But he's never, and I repeat never allowed to best the protagonist. He is allowed to best everyone else and is often used as a yardstick of how good another characters abilities are.

Fine I get you DC, you don't want the Student to surpass the Master. Even though Dick is still in his prime and Bruce is aging. Heck you're not even allowing Damian to age much because of that entire thing where Bruce will age too much.

But let's move on to why Rebirth ALSO gets this wrong.

2) Fearlessness being a trait of Dick's.

Nope. No. What sort of bloody message are you trying to send with that? Don't be afraid? Not being afraid is a good thing?

You think that's powerful? You think that's just how brave Dick Grayson is?

Newsflash. Courage is not being fearless. Being fearless is being reckless. And Dick? Circus background, aerialist-acrobat Dick? He is far from reckless.

Look recklessness is assuming everything will turn out fine so I'm going to charge ahead. As an acrobat, that sort of thinking (especially with the safety procedures his family would have emphasised in order to fly without a net) gets you killed.

Say this with me people. Courage is doing things afraid. You know everything bad that could happen. You planned out your contingencies. And you are still wary and still terrified. But you go ahead and do it anyway because you trust in yourself and in the people around you to help.

Pre-Flashpoint? This was Dick. Exposure to Fear-toxin made him afraid. But he rode the fear and did his duty (saving civilians) anyway.

Courage is a choice.

Now tell me. Which approach was the more powerful message?

#nightwing #dick grayson #analysis #batman #richard grayson #eastoniarants #meta

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ericfruits · 4 years

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The rise of isolationism in the Conservative Party

Bagehot The rise of isolationism in the Conservative Party

Britain is starting to look like a very lonely little country

May 9th 2020

A FEW YEARS ago Britain liked to think of itself as the belle of the globalisation ball. David Cameron invited Xi Jinping, China’s president, for a state visit that involved a trip down the Mall in a gilded carriage and a banquet in Buckingham Palace. He wooed Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor, in a bid to breathe new life into Britain’s membership of the European Union. He liked to boast that his friendship with Barack Obama, America’s president, was so close that Mr Obama had once tucked him up in the presidential bed on Air Force One.

Boris Johnson came to power promising, in a very Johnsonian manner, to preserve Britain’s pro-global stance while also delivering Brexit. He routinely referred to the Europeans as “our neighbours and partners”. He got on famously with Donald Trump. Shortly before taking over as prime minister he told a Chinese TV station that his government would be “very pro-China”. He repeatedly insisted that there are two possible versions of Brexit: Nigel Farage represented the inward-looking and xenophobic one while he represented the outward-looking and cosmopolitan one.

Yet Mr Johnson’s party may be turning against his global vision. One piece of evidence is the emergence of the China Research Group (CRG). Founded a couple of weeks ago to “promote debate and fresh thinking” about China, in the words of one of its founders, Tom Tugendhat, it has attracted interest from all sorts: moderates like Damian Green, Eurosceptics like Mark Francois and human-rights advocates like Benedict Rogers. Mr Tugendhat is a moderate Remainer; Neil O’Brien, the co-founder, a moderate Leaver. It has already drawn some blood: on May 5th the foreign-affairs select committee, which Mr Tugendhat chairs, asked some difficult questions about whether, acting through surrogates, the Chinese government took over a British-based firm, Imagination Technologies, in order to get control of security software.

The rise of the CRG is not evidence, in itself, that the Conservative Party is losing its enthusiasm for “global Britain”. There are plenty of good reasons for criticising a country that distorts trade through industrial subsidies, soft loans from state banks and discriminatory standards while conducting industrial espionage and supporting authoritarian regimes around the world. Keeping China at arm’s length may also be a price for maintaining a close alliance with America: some senators are trying to block the deployment of the latest generation of American fighter jets to Britain because it is allowing Huawei into its 5G network. Still, the CRG’s name, a deliberate echo of the European Research Group (ERG) that masterminded Brexit, is ominous. You cannot pick fights with China without China hitting back.

The rise of scepticism towards China that the CRG represents comes at a perilous time for Britain’s international affairs. Relations with Russia have not recovered from the Salisbury poisonings two years ago, and those with both the European Union and the United States are unusually troubled.

A Tory MP characterises Mr Johnson’s attitude to the EU as “the only way is out, out, out”. The prime minister is willing to accept a much harder Brexit than the average member of the ERG would have thought possible a couple of years ago. He has little interest in remaining part of the EU’s foreign policy and security structures that his predecessor, Theresa May, held in high regard. The pandemic is widening the channel even further. Britain is so preoccupied by the virus that it is devoting far too little attention to its Brexit negotiations, increasing the chances that an on-time Brexit will also be a bitter Brexit.

Britain’s relations with the United States are volatile. The Brexiteers’ bet on Donald Trump was always risky, given his exotic personality and determination to put America first. The Anglo-American trade talks, which have just got under way, cover such tricky topics as chlorinated chicken and the National Health Service’s purchasing policy. The chances that Britain will soon be dealing with Joe Biden rather than Mr Trump go up by the day, as Mr Trump flails around in the face of the virus. Mr Biden may well be more interested in cosying up to the EU than to “Britain Trump”, the moniker which the American president bestowed on the British prime minister. Given his long record of pro-Irish sentiments, Mr Biden will not take kindly to a Brexit that damages either the Anglo-Irish agreement or the Republic’s economy.

Alone again

Domestic pressures to turn inward are also mounting. The election shifted the Tory party’s centre of gravity from regions dominated by the winners of globalisation to those dominated by losers. The pandemic is leading many Tories to question the relevance of free-market orthodoxies to a world in which supply chains are vulnerable and protectionism is spreading. They point to the way that Germany has benefited from its national capacity to carry out tests and make personal protective equipment. “Reshoring”, “domestic resilience” and “strategic industries” are all the rage. Mr Johnson talks about a shift to “national self-sufficiency”, with a step-change in Britain’s capacity to manufacture drugs, vaccines and medical equipment.

The idea of distilling a “global Britain” from the frenzy of Brexit was always problematic. It depended on pulling off two difficult tricks simultaneously: back home, taming the protectionist forces that drove Brexit, and, abroad, cosying up to competing powers without getting too close to any of them. The pandemic has made it harder still. Anti-Chinese sentiment is rising across the West, particularly in America. Nation states are retreating to their core function of protecting their citizens first or consolidating their relations with their closest neighbours. The British are about to discover that the “splendid isolation” the Victorians once celebrated is less glorious when that solitude is not chosen as an instrument of power, but is imposed by the world’s indifference. ■

This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline "Contra mundum"

https://ift.tt/2W9wAns

#IFTTT #Feedly

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lmamajorperformancelee · 4 years

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25/02/2020 Characterisation

To start our rehearsal day, we did an improvisation exercise to work on our characterisation of our characters. This consisted of a hot seating exercise improvisation exercise. My scenario was based in a sex clinic and the characters included Lee, Leon, Mickey, Damian and Prime. This worked well as we worked off instincts alone, didn’t have time to think much due to many variables of the scene and being asked questions. I found this beneficial as it allowed me to focus on my characterisation of my role, as well as practising putting all the attention on the other actors within the scene.

We then did Character Hot seating activity, where we had to choose a piece of music that complemented our characters. We got asked a number of questions that we must answer in character, enter the space so how would your character walk and sit and finally speak. This allowed me to explore and discover new facts about my character that I can implement into my performance. The song that I chose was ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’ (Cher, 1989) referring back to the want of having his family back, both his dad and child, Mickey. This worked as it helped work on further characterisation and the unearthing of specific idiosyncrasies that our characters may adapt.

Finally. we studied two of Lees scenes to which included both the football scene and also the second Prime and Razor scene. The football scene was working out relationships between the characters and the differences between relationships of Leon and Mickey compared to Lee. In comparison to the other scene which was working on transitioning from the Present world and Old world and making sure that these transitions are made flawless. I struggled a little with Act 2, Scene 1, the most as it is such a long scene to keep audience engaged so have to make it as interesting as possible with doings and the use of an emotional journey, which is difficult with the type of scene. Additionally, I found yet again there was no official positioning of the television. Therefore next time we run the scene I am going to discuss with the rest of the cast members regarding eye line of the television. As for Act 2, Scene 1, I need play around with my motives and Beats and Actions, to create more of a journey for myself within the scene.

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joseph7acts · 6 years

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Technical sides of the production

CHRONOLOGICAL TEQ CUES FOR OLIVER MORRIS – THE SEVEN ACTS OF MERCY 11/05/18 (4pm and 7pm) NB: The Projector must be positioned in such a way that allows the actors to stand before the projection screen without it being projected onto them? NB: All LFX to fade up as Music fades out (Unless otherwise specified). Some scenes will begin during the playback, and one scene will be played throughout the playback. For these specific scenes, I would suggest just fading up the LFX once the props and actors are in position and ready.

PART 1 SCENE 1 – NAPLES CHURCH- SET = x2 Large Wooden A Frame Ladders / X2 Period Chairs / A large trestle table / Paints / Brushes / Rags / Bed / Blanket- LFX = Moody / Dark on one side / Light through Stain Glass on the other / Slight spot on each A Frame Ladder. - Blackout- Fade up Projection: The Seven Acts Of Mercy (Complete)- Fade Down Projection - Music: N.W.A. – 100 Miles and Running | in from 00:08 - Projection – The Burial (Incomplete)- Music crash cuts on 01:18- Projection – The Death Of The Virgin (Complete) on the cue = Caravaggio: No fucker saw the Death Of The Virgin.- Projection – The Burial (Incomplete) on the cue = Marchese: It’s full of love. That’s what I want here.- Blackout.

PART 1 SCENE 2 – BOOTLE HOUSE- SET = Sofa / Arm Chair / Book Shelf with books on Socialism and Art / Large Poster of Leon Trotsky / Large Poster of the Everton FC Crest - LFX = Grey / Grim. Slight spotlight on the Trotsky poster. - Music: Jake Bugg – Trouble Town | in from 00:02 / fade out from 01:04- Projection: The Calling Of Saint Mathew- Projection: The Seven Acts Of Mercy (complete)- Blackout.

PART 1 SCENE 3 – FOOD BANK- SET = Stacked Free Standing Shelves filled with food stuffs (Stuck down) / Hot Boxes / Kettle Boxes / Cold Boxes / Table / x2 Chairs - LFX = Grey / Grim - Music: Sandie Shaw – Jeanne | in 00:00 / fade out from 01:13- Projection - #1 “For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat” #2 “I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink” (Fades in / Fades out)- Blackout.

PART 1 SCENE 4 – NAPLES CHURCH SET = Same as aboveLFX = Same as above - Music: The White Stripes – Seven Nation Army | in 00:00 / fade out from 01:12s- Projection – The Burial (complete) / Cimon and Pero (work in progress) - Blackout

PART 1 SCENE 5 – CONFERENCE HALL - SET = Podium on a Raised Plinth - LFX = Single Spotlight on the Podium / Soft lighting on the audience downstage. When the actress finishes her speech and steps down, the spot goes out and the lights come up downstage. - Music: Gil Scott-Heron – The Revolution Will Not Be Televised |in 00:00 – Fade out on 01:10Blackout.

- PART 1 SCENE 6 – BOOTLE HOUSE SET = Same as aboveLFX = Same as above - Music: Captain Ska – Liar Liar | in 00:00 – fade out on 02:00 (during the action) ie The actress will be acting over the music at the top of the scene.- Blackout.

- PART 1 SCENE 7 – THE BOOKIES- SET = x2 fixed odds betting machines (Back To Back in profile) / Tall Stools / Newspaper Racing Pages stuck to walls (pre-pasted onto boards?)- LFX = Brighter than previous sets / Ideally, light emanating from betting machines onto actors faces - Music: Pink Floyd – Money | fade up from 00:37 / fade out on 02:00Blackout.

- PART 1 SCENE 8 – NAPLES CHURCH SET = Same as aboveLFX = Same as above - Music: Stealers Wheel – Stuck In The Middle With You | in 00:00 / fade out on 01:03 - Projection – Burial (complete) / Cimon and Pero (Complete) / Virgin, Christ & Angels (work in progress)- Projection – Judith & Holofernes- Projection – back to - Burial (complete) / Cimon and Pero (Complete) / Virgin, Christ & Angels (work in progress).- Blackout.

- PART 1 SCENE 9 – BOOTLE HOUSE SET = Same as aboveLFX = Same as above - Music: Billy Bragg – Between The Wars | in 00:00 / fade out on 01:13- Projection - #3 “I was a stranger, and ye took me in” (Fades in / Fades out)- Blackout - PART 1 SCENE 10 – NAPLES CHURCH SET = Same as aboveLFX = Same as above - Music: Tom Waits – Well I hope that I don’t fall in love with you | fade in on 00:16 / fade out on 01:37 (during the action).- Projection – The Burial (complete) / Cimon & Pero (Complete) / Virgin, Christ & Angels (near complete) ie more complete than in scene 8.- Projection – The Madonna Of Loretto- Projection – Back to The Burial (complete) / Cimon & Pero (Complete) / Virgin, Christ & Angels (near complete)- LFX fade out (not snap out)- Projection – The Seven Acts Of Mercy (complete and vibrant)- Music – Tom Waits – Well I hope that I don’t fall in love with you (Reprise) | whole song - House Lights Up. *** INTERVAL ***

- PART 2 SCENE 1 – BOOTLE HOUSE SET = Same as aboveLFX = Same as above - Music: Gerry and The Pacemakers – You’ll Never Walk Alone | in 00:00 / crash cut on 01:37 as actress says “I’m an Everton fa ya twat!” Q: Can we had a needle scratching off the record SFX to accompany the cut?- Projection - #4 “I was sick, and ye visited me”. (To Fade Up / Fade down)- Blackout.

- PART 2 SCENE 2 – NAPLES CHURCH SET = Same as aboveLFX = Same as above - Music: London Grammar – Strong | fade in on 00:43 / fade out on 02:23 (During the action) - Projection – The Burial (complete) / Cimon & Pero (complete) / The Virgin, Christ & Angels (now complete)- Blackout. - PART 2 SCENE 3 – DAMIAN’S HOUSE SET = An A frame ladder / a kettle on the floor / empty kettle boxLFX = Cold Blue / Grim - Music: Dave – Question time | in on 00:18 - LFX fade up on 00:58- Music fades on 01:48 (during the action)- Projection - #5 “Naked, and ye clothed me”.- Blackout.-

PART 2 SCENE 4 – NAPLES CHURCH SET = Same as aboveLFX = Same as above

- Music: The Prodigy – Firestarter | in on 00:00- LFX Snap up on 00:23 as actors storm in.- Music fade-outs on 01:22 (during action)- Projection – The Burial (complete) / Cimon & Pero (complete) / Virgin, Christ & Angels (complete) / St Martin of Tours (work in progress) Beggar complete but no St Martin as yet.- Blackout

-PART 2 SCENE 5 – BOLTHOLE SET = sparse / black box / one chair and a boogie boxLFX = Cold / Purple hints - Music: Cypress Hill – Hits from the bong | in on 00:00- LFX fade up when actors are ready.- Music snap cut when actor turns off the stereo after the line “With the old man in the wheelchair”- Blackout.- -

PART 2 SCENE 6 – NAPLES CHURCH SET = Same as above but with blood everywhereLFX = Same as above - Music: Silver Bullet – Bring Forth The Guillotine | fade in from 00:22 / snap cut on 01:33- Projection – The Burial (complete) / Cimon & Pero (complete) / Virgin, Christ & angels (complete) / St Martin Of Tours (near complete) just some of the red cloak in progress- Projection – Judith & Holofernes- Projection – David & Goliath- Projection – Medusa- Projection – back to - The Burial (complete) / Cimon & Pero (complete) / Virgin, Christ & angels (complete) / St Martin Of Tours (near complete) just some of the red cloak in progress- LFX fades out (not Blackout)

- PART 2 SCENE 7 – THE BOLTHOLE SET = same as previouslyLFX = same as previously - Music: Snoop Dogg – Gin & Juice | in 00:00 / fade out 01:23- Projection - #6 “I was in prison, and ye came unto me’. - Blackout. - PART 2 SCENE 8 – NAPLES CHURCH SET = Same as aboveLFX = Same as above - Music: Morrissey – Margaret On The Guillotine | in 00:00 / fade on 00:58- Projection - The Burial (complete) / Cimon & Pero (complete) / Virgin, Christ & angels (complete) / St Martin Of Tours (now complete).- Blackout.- - PART 2

SCENE 9 – BOOTLE HOUSE SET = Same as aboveLFX = Same as above - Music: Linkin Park – Numb. - Blackout.

- PART 2 SCENE 10 – NAPLES CHURCH SET = Same as aboveLFX = More beautiful than previously. Painting prominent and vibrant. - Music: Sandra Szabo – Creep | entire song 00:00 - 04:11 (underscore during the action)- Projection – The Seven Acts Of Mercy (now complete and lit beautifully)- LFX – Slow fade - Projection – Slow fade with the LFX

- PART 2 SCENE 11 – HOSPICESET = Hospital Bed / Bedside Chair / Bedside table / Drip on a drip stand. LFX = Chiaroscuro – Leon’s Deathbed lit beautifully in the soft spotlight. - Music: John Lennon – Working Class Hero | in 00:00 / fade on 01:20s- Projection - #7 - Projection – Photo / Jennifer smiling at the Foodbank - Projection – Photo / Danny smiling with her cup of tea.- Projection – Photo / Damian Scowling at the leather coat- Projection – Photo / Prime and Razor posing in the Bolthole with a leather coat - Projection – Photo / Leon dying in his bed.- Projection – Just The Burial- Projection – The Seven Acts Of Mercy (complete)- Music: Johnny Cash – Hurt | in 00:00 / fade out on 01:37s- LFX – Slow fade to black as the music fades.

THE END - House LFX up for curtain call.- Music: Jools Holland – The Seven Acts Of Mercy | 00:00 - end

Above is a chronological order of the scene changes along with how we will create the set for each scene. Music has been introduced to fade into each scene and this works really well, not only does it distract the audience from the scene change, it adds to the atmosphere of each scene. Since the music has been introduced it feels as though peoples performances have improved as the music feeds into our characterisation, with every song relating to the characters and situations of that scene.

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georgiawills7acts-blog · 6 years

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Technical sides of the production

PART 2 SCENE 4 – NAPLES CHURCH SET = Same as aboveLFX = Same as above

SCENE 9 – BOOTLE HOUSE SET = Same as aboveLFX = Same as above - Music: Linkin Park – Numb. - Blackout.

THE END - House LFX up for curtain call.- Music: Jools Holland – The Seven Acts Of Mercy | 00:00 - end

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