#this goes for all the various trending tropes that pop up by the way

[ace-s-fav-dp-posts]

If you're sick of the current popular trope/story prompt in the Phandom or DPxDC fandom you just need to ignore it

I feel like the fans in the Phandom and DPxDC minifandom that's popped up, who are really grossed/creeped out by the genre of fic popular right now.

Where the set up is some variation of Outsider POV and the plot is based around the assumption that Vlad SAed Danny in order to create Dan and Danielle, are people who haven't been around that long.

Especially when they try to whine about none of it being based in canon. And how they don't like the shipping of Vlad and Danny (even though the people who write these kinds of fics are very obviously not shipping Vlad and Danny in them).

Because the Phandom has historically gone through phases much more gruesome and horrifying than that.

Especially when in this current micro-genre, all of the SA and grooming and other kinds of abuse are implied only, and within the fics themselves the assumed abuse never actually happened. As the plot is based on over heard or misinterpreted fragments of information that doesn't give the POV character the full picture of the situation that's actually going on.

There's the infamous vivisection fics, in which the child main character is brutally cut open and tortured by his own parents in the name of their biased views of science. Who in canon, both happily accept him no matter what every time a reveal is happens and never so much as rejects Danny emotionally.

Then there's the variation on the traditional vivisection fic in which Danny isn't emotionally rejected and stripped of his humanity by his own parents. But instead captured and stripped of his human rights by the government, either by his parents unknowing actions which they stay oblivious to. Or in spite of his parent's acceptance of him, and with them helpless to rescue or protect him from the government's torturous "research".

There's the already existing variation of grooming and SA fics, where Vlad grooms and or assaults Danny. Which have been popping up for years now, but in which all of this type of horrible abuse actually happens in the story, instead of it being an Outside POV misunderstanding what's happen like the current micro genre of fic.

There's the fics where the Fentons have just been abusive or just negligent parents Danny and Jazz's entire lives. And them hurting Danny, emotionally or physically, intentionally or accidentally, is just an extension of their already unacceptable parenting habits.

There's the edritch/body horror genre of fics where becoming half-ghost (or sometimes something else) involves at the very least the partial loss of Danny (or Vlad)'s humanity.

Hell there's one fic that's stuck with me for ages, that I read years ago, back in my teens, written from the POV of a Maddie who murdered Danny to prevent him from becoming Dan. Which is stated in that fic to be inevitable.

It's also heavily implied that Maddie had incestuous feelings for Danny the entire fic. And that she also possibly raped him in the midst of her extremely violent* vivisection murder of him. But that if she didn't rape him, at the very least, ripping him open to see his insides while he was awake and struggling got her off anyways.

So yeah, I don't know what other explanation there is to all these people who seem confused and freaked out by the various fics popping up where there's assumed SA/grooming, but actually nothing outside of canon actually happened to Danny, and the whole thing is just a misunderstanding.

Other than them being extremely new to Danny Phantom fics in general and therefore unaware of just how dark (and potentially triggering) they can be.

When there's been fics for years about SA and grooming, some of which is explicit, some of which is all implied and talked around and just as gut wrenching, and some of which is actually painted in that cringe forbidden love sort of way, for more than a literal decade now.

If you don't like it, if it makes you uncomfortable, you're just going to have to ignore or block those people, like everyone else in the Phandom who feels the way you do has done for more than a decade now.

Don't make comments to those authors that you don't like that trope, or that it makes you uncomfortable, or anything similar. Just ignore them or block them if it really bothers you that much. Because if you don't like their stuff, then rather obviously you are not their intended audience, so you need to ignore their posts and fics and keep scrolling if you're not going to block them.

*Also yes I must state it was a violent vivisection murder. Because it is clearly stated in the fic, that Vlad finds Maddie sitting outside on the porch covered in Danny's blood and viscera, and that the room she killed him in is in a similar state.

I wanna say the fic got deleted during the old Fanfiction.net purge of more adult content, even though all of the sexual abuse/incest parts of the fic where all implied and not explicit, along with the violent vivisectoin murder taking place off screen.

Though I could be wrong, and it's still out there somewhere, and possibly not exactly as I remember it. I read it more than 5 years ago now, so there's almost certainly some memory drift by this point.

#danny phantom #feeling sick of seeing all these people complaining about the current popular trope in the phandom #this goes for all the various trending tropes that pop up by the way #not just the current dpxdc SA misunderstanding trope that's popular right now #I feel the same way about people who complained about the various de-aging adoption fics that were crazy popular a while ago too #and complained about Little Baby Man fics before that #phandom has trending tropes they all pass with time #if you don't like the trending trope then you just need to avoid it #or the whole phandom for a while if it really bothers you to the point of ruining your fandom experience #like they only tend to last a couple weeks to a couple months at most #I've seen some explode and then fade out within as little as like 3 days #I've seen fast fashion trends with more staying power than some of the tropes that seem to blow up in the Phandom

[yurimother]

LGBTQ Game Review - A Summer’s End – Hong Kong 1986

Before diving into the meat of Oracle and Bone’s A Summer’s End, I want to talk about the women behind this game Tida Kietsungden, and Charissa So. So and Kietsungden have done nothing but impress me since the announcement of A Summer’s End. They have repeatedly demonstrated their immense effort and dedication to creating a beautiful and thoughtful experience. Through conversations with the studio and reading their blog entries, I gained a remarkable understanding of how this game is both a tribute to classic cinema and a love letter to the Yuri and LGBT community. Through careful research and thoughtful expression, the two women navigate and acknowledge complicated issues, including Asian LGBTQ history and Hong Kong���s delicate political situation with grace and maturity. I am in complete awe of both women and their work. However, regardless of my profound respect for these creators, I still endeavor to offer my unfiltered thoughts on the visual novel, giving praise and criticism where appropriate.

A Summer’s End – Hong Kong 1986 is a Yuri visual novel set, as you may have figured out, in Hong Kong in the year 1986. The game follows a young office worker, Michelle (Fong Ha) Cheung, who has a chance encounter with a free-spirited woman named Sam (Ka Yan) Wong. Both women feel drawn to each other, and the game explores this mutual attraction and the budding relationship which emerges from it.

This plot follows the standard girl meets girl story that has permeated the Yuri genre for the past several decades. Like most Yuri stories, the older and more experienced woman, Sam, is rebellious and beautiful, with long dark hair and a dominating persona. Michelle, although far more naive in the ways of love, breaks the trend of this trope by being the more sullen of the two. I would have liked to see the game diverge a bit more from the standard story of the genre. Fortunately, A Summer’s End is a romance story between adults who do not work together, setting it apart from the norms. It even includes a coming out section that creates a more robust LGBT identity than any tale of temporary schoolgirl love.

The story is well put together and well presented. The story is told primarily from Michelle’s perspective. It mostly takes place over a few days, during which Michelle engages in a whirlwind romance with Sam. This story features the struggle between her feelings and passion and her devotion to tradition and her mother. The progression of her affection is unrealistically fast. The story feels a bit rushed, and many of the societal and personal quagmires the game stumbles upon are not sufficiently developed or confronted. Had the game indulged in a more prolonged and tumultuous struggle for Michelle, conclusions would have felt much sweeter, and the story would have gone from good to great.

Even with this massive missed opportunity, there are plenty of exemplary moments and aspects of the narrative. The game pulls no punches addressing Michelle’s slightly overbearing mother and the conflict between the two. It would have been incredibly simple to take the easy route on this one. Still, the developers stuck to their guns and manage to explore a challenging situation satisfyingly, all while keeping the characters realistic and sympathetic. In fact, every scene relating to LGBT rights and history is flawlessly executed.

There are also some fantastic chapters, including a thrilling but refreshing bike ride and a flashback scene that recontextualizes certain events from another perspective. The many references and allusions to classic cinema including some older lesbian films and plenty of Asian works, are particularly noteworthy. However, the best part of A Summer’s End by far is the setting.

The location and time period is intrinsic to Sam and Michelle’s tale, as it is shaped by and reflects contemporary culture and LGBTQ rights. Oracle and Bone create a vibrant and lively world, a jaw-dropping depiction of Hong Kong in the 1980s. Everything helps feed into the creation of this world, including a fantastic and retro UI, small touches such as a Cantonese subway announcement, and objects encountered like a disposable camera help convey a strong sense of the period. However, the soundtrack sells it more than any other element, save perhaps the artwork, transporting the player to the era. While a few tracks are the standard easy listening affairs one expects from visual novels, there are tons of excellent city pop and disco beats, complete with plenty of synths and confidence! Finally, a visual novel soundtrack that contributes more than just background noise!

Sadly, the game’s dialogue choice system and branching paths are far more of a hindrance than a help. I can honestly say that the game would play better and be way more enjoyable as a kinetic novel. Most choices feel inconsequential, changing nothing of the story and resulting in almost the exact same response from other characters yet, they have a hidden points system. If you do not earn enough points, parts of the optional adult content will be unplayable until one goes back to find the right choice. I spent several hours replaying, and eventually skipping through, the game to unlock all the scenes, and finally gave up with one CG left unseen. The only choice with any actual effect is painfully evident in its consequences. One option leads to the bad ending, which is well written, but no reasonable player would go down that path unless they just wanted to see the whole game. The second unveils the true good ending, which no player in their right mind would not pursue, as again, the choice is obvious and adds nothing to the game. There is no reason to put in an alternative ending or tedious dialogue choice.

The characters in A Summer’s End are well constructed. Sam is adventurous without being obnoxious and has a mature though appropriately unrefined demeanor. Michelle is extremely curt and somewhat distant, although she displays a sharp wit and more timid nature on occasion. Both women participate in engaging, deep, and thoughtful discussions, often with each other, although sometimes internally, and thus feel well developed and complex. Unfortunately, their chemistry, while not absent, is not enough to sell the whirlwind romance. There is insufficient expression of their feelings and attractions, both internally or through dialogue and actions, so their inevitable closeness feels unearned.

However, even in the short game, both characters change with each other, especially Michelle, as she becomes more affectionate, confident, and caring. She begins to embody some of Sam’s warmness while never losing herself. Some of my favorite dialogue and interaction came from her towards the end of the game, although I will not spoil it. Additionally, side characters have a strong presence thanks to their firmly established characteristics and a profound effect on the narrative. Each has their own sprite and mannerisms, helping cement them as fixtures in A Summer’s End rather than tacked on assets.

The visual novel contains optional adult content, which is installed in an extra patch and can be toggled on and off. I played through the game with and without it and can happily report that the story is just as fulfilling and complete without it. Although the unlockable nature of these scenes is aggravating, they are very well written and sensual without being exploitative. There were moments I did not care for as much, such as Sam getting carried away at one point, but it felt very realistic and incredibly sensual. The artwork in these sexual encounters is some of the best in the game, embracing darker colors and showcasing intense desire.

Speaking of the artwork, it is stupendous. The game is bright and striking, with amazing backgrounds complete with luminous neon signs, glaring televisions, and life and activity oozing from every corner. The backgrounds are so beautiful and detailed they could effectively serve in place of CG art, although there is plenty of that asides. The character models and designs are similarly excellent, with expressive poses and faces. The various outfits, of which the game has many, embody iconic 80’s fashion. Artist Tida Kietsungden draws both the characters and CGs with a distinctive hand-drawn style, which allows them to play well off each other and add to the beautiful presentation. The detail and care that went into the aesthetics are enormous and elevate the game at every moment. 

A Summer’s End – Hong Kong 1986 is a vibrant and intimate experience. The fantastic setting and flawless artwork surround a compelling and thoughtful story about lesbian love and desire, societal expectations, and the bonds between family and lovers. It is rough around the edges, with a slightly rushed story that leaves little time to wallow in complexity and an awful dialogue system. However, it will win players over with its striking presentation and sophisticated subject matter. I look forward to more from this studio and highly recommend you check this game out!

Ratings: Story – 7 Characters – 6 Art – 10 Music – 8 LGBTQ – 8 Sexual Content – 3 (8 with patch) Final – 7

Purchase A Summer’s End on Steam and itch.io, available April 23

Consider supporting Yuri news, reviews, and content on the YuriMother Patreon

#Yuri #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtq+ #queer #gay #reivew #a summer's end #hong kong #girls love #gl #wlw #lesbian #visual novel #games #video games #gaming #manga #anime #reviews

[wazafam]

The first Dungeons & Dragons modules and campaigns that Gary Gygax created back in the day were inspired by literature, specifically the Lord of the Rings books. Dungeon Masters and players alike still use their favorite books as templates for their campaigns, but there's a lot more to choose from when it comes to media these days. Modern Table Top Role-Playing Gamers (TTRPGers) not only have volumes of books but also a myriad of video games and movies when they need new ideas.

RELATED: 10 Best Fantasy TV Shows To Watch Right Now, Ranked (According To Rotten Tomatoes)

There are a lot of fantasy movies out there that would make great D&D campaigns. They include a team of characters with different but complementary abilities, a quest, some nasty enemies to fight, and maybe even a magical object. All of the elements combine to make a great story and a great D&D module. Contemporary movies have the added benefit of mixing up the setting and genre, with some space opera and superheroes thrown into the mix.

10 The Avengers (2012)

Fantasy isn't always about sword and sorcery, but there's even some of that in there through the Asgard connection that features the god Thor and his sorcerer brother, Loki. The Avengers plays out like a stereotypical D&D module, complete with a quest, a magical object, a sworn enemy, and various people with different abilities that have to learn to work together for a common goal.

The fantasy movies of today are dominated by superheroes, and the success of the Marvel movies attests to that trend. Several entries in the franchise could inspire a TTRPG, but recognition goes to the one that confirmed the franchise was a pop culture force to be reckoned with.

9 Star Wars (1977)

It's not exactly science fiction, although there are plenty of tabletop games that specialize in the genre, but a combination of sci-fi and fantasy known as space opera. This is where snarky descriptions of Jedi Knights as "space wizards" come from, and you can easily assign other D&D classes to the other characters, like Rogue or Barbarian. The question of whether Jedi are Wizards, Sorcerers, or Clerics could be a source of interesting debate.

The concept of a campaign that takes place in outer space, or even in a setting that features interdimensional travel, can follow a similar plot as the original Star Wars. The campaign could include a mentor, training, party formation, and working together for a common goal.

8 Ninja Scroll (1993)

Imagine a module that has elements like a secretive plot that the characters must team up to discover despite opposition from malevolent and supernatural forces, and that's essentially the plot of Ninja Scroll. The setting can vary, but a DM can take some inspiration from that as well since "medieval" doesn't always have the go with "European."

RELATED: 10 Greatest Fantasy Weapons in Film, Ranked

Ninja Scroll was part of the anime wave of the mid-1990s that brought on cyberpunk and psychological horror along with this movie, a chilling tale of ghosts and demons from Japanese history. At the time it was a unique example of an anime film that took place in the past as opposed to a movie about the future.

7 The Last Unicorn (1982)

A book that's been successfully adapted into a movie can also be adapted into a campaign. For players that are more concerned about character development and roleplaying, especially as it relates to class progression, The Last Unicorn is the ideal inspiration.

The quest and plot are simple, relying more on the interaction between the characters than any complex storyline. Players and DMs alike can see where archetypes come from and how they can be subverted, different ways that character progression can work, and how they are combined as part of RP in gameplay.

6 Conan The Destroyer (1984)

The first Conan movie could also be in this space, but the oft-overlooked sequel, Conan The Destroyer, has a much better party dynamic.

Conan, of course, a Barbarian, is joined by a Cleric, a Druid who might be a Fighter multiclass, a Monk who might be a Barbarian herself, and of course his sidekicks from the first movie, the Rogue and the Wizard. They're on a quest to find a magical artifact for a queen who seems to be Neutral Evil so she can resurrect an old, angry god. If there's not a D&D module for this already, there should be.

5 Spirited Away (2001)

Sometimes a whole module can take place in a relatively small space, like a castle keep, a large house, or a prison compound. This movie is more about creating and playing in a unique and perhaps enclosed setting since there's little to see regarding party dynamic with one character being the focus of the plot and action.

RELATED: Spirited Away: 10 Ways It's Actually A Horror Movie

The enchanted bathhouse of the witch Yubaba is where most of the action takes place. DMs will appreciate the detail and difference that each of the various levels has, with the lower levels furnished for public viewing and the upper levels for employees and Yubaba's private quarters, with the addition of secret routes along the perilous exterior of the massive building.

4 Ladyhawke (1985)

The quest still has to be at the heart of any D&D campaign and that's also what makes Ladyhawke such a great movie when DMs and players need inspiration. Every good D&D campaign needs a plot, which is the quest, along with a realistic antagonist complete with minions and magical powers.

That's not to say a few interesting characters are included, and they have some interesting arcs, for those interested in character progression. For example, the main character, Philipe, is a Rogue who seems to take a turn towards multi-classing into a Cleric as the story comes to a close.

3 Dragonslayer (1981)

This one seems too obvious at first, and the script plays on those fairytale tropes on purpose only to surprise the viewer later. Although Dragonslayer is missing a lot of that essential party dynamic, the main character has an interesting mentor and character arc, thus it's more useful to players when it comes to putting together a good backstory than building the ideal campaign.

However, what seems like a typical story ends up subverting some old archetypes in clever ways, and a good D&D campaign would find some ways to do the same.

2 The Dark Crystal (1982)

A unique setting can make a simple, even stereotypical storyline a lot more interesting. The journey starts with the search for and the acquisition of a magical item that must be delivered to a precise location, complete with a ticking clock, which is also a nice plot for a DM to guide the party through.

RELATED: 10 Fantasy Movies That Were Groundbreaking For The Genre

Aside from all that, there's a wealth of details in The Dark Crystal for those that are interested in designing a unique campaign with a lot of lore, which includes creative destinations and compelling villains with interesting backstories. It's also an interesting example of progressing through a campaign where one player starts on their own, with a brand new character, and grows their party as their initial quest progresses.

1 Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 2

The first movie was more about how Star-Lord and his gang initially got together, a story that's useful for beginners, so Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 for players and Dungeon Masters that want some inspiration for more advanced characters. These are gamers from both sides of the table who have already formed a solid party dynamic and are ready to face a more formidable challenge.

It's also a nice twist on the conventional fantasy genre, with a variety of settings that include Ego's planet and some creative space monsters, including the final boss himself. All of this is set up with some easy-to-follow character progression, and if viewers are paying attention, there are Barbarians, Fighters, and Rogues aplenty if players that favor those classes need inspiration for their own individual gameplay.

NEXT: 10 Pro Tips To Running A Large DND Group

10 Best Fantasy Movies That'll Inspire Your Next DnD Campaign from https://ift.tt/3v2cKK0

#Blogger

[katrinahood]

Here’s something 3-2-1 Penguins! related: Part 2

Jenna Moreci has made her best science fiction tropes video! You know what that means! It’s time to see if 3-2-1 Penguins! has any of the tropes she has listed!

#1: Robot Companion: Does B.I.N.G. count? He only appeared in one episode, The Doom Funnel Rescue. He helped to deliver the laughs when needed, although his interactions with the Rockhopper crew didn’t really shine any new light onto what those alien space penguins are like, no exploration of what it means to be a person, no implications raised about B.I.N.G.’s existence, etc. However, I am okay with this. Not every interaction between organic beings and robots has to explore those themes. Sometimes, we just wanna watch a robot get confounded by yet other bizarre organic lifeform habit.

#2: The Tough Guy: Nope, no major 3-2-1 Penguins! character fits Moreci’s description of a badass warrior who can kick your teeth into your throat, who can also be a cinnamon roll on the inside. I know, a bummer, really. But, would you be open to my OC idea of a lady lizard who has the guns for every occasion, both the mechanical and the organic ones? She may not come from a warrior race, because not every person can and/or will live up to that, but she doesn’t have titties to show that she’s a woman because I know of other ways to show sexual polymorphism than just enforcing human sexual dimorphism characteristics onto aliens!

#3: Culture Shock: Now that I think about it, no, no 3-2-1 Penguins! episode has ever had a character experience major culture shock. No Captain Zidgel going, “Wait, those religious services don’t involve sacrificing an animal and eating it after the sacrificial prayers are said? What are those people supposed to eat if there’s no sacrifice?” No Midgel being like “Wait, I propositioned that prime minister just by shaking his hand?” No Fidgel forgetting that idioms don’t really translate well into other languages. No Kevin...actually, Kevin would act weird even within his culture. No Jason or Michelle getting overwhelmed at all the different alien cultures, especially ones that exist within the same species. A real shame, like what Moreci said, this trope has a lot of comedy potential, and it’s an excellent tool to have our cultures shown through the lens of a different one.

#4: Realism: The best I could understand from what Jenna Moreci said about this trope is when a work of science fiction doesn’t try too hard to say “This is the future!”, or in this case, “This is in space!” The best description I can come up with when it comes to the aesthetics is that 3-2-1 Penguins! is all about the retro-futurism, in the clothing, the vehicles, the buildings, etc. So…it doesn’t have this trope? I dunno.

#5: Slang: No, there isn’t any fictional slang to be found. Sure, characters like Zidgel and Midgel sometimes say things like “Sweet spawning salmon!” or “Jumping Jupiter!”, but those are exclamations, not really slang. No one calls the galeezel “the leezle-beezle”. No one says “OMS, that movie was, like, so novella.” Again, a bit of a bummer, but I understand why it wasn’t included. Do any of you understand what something being “so novella” is?

#6: We’re Not Stupid!: Yes, 3-2-1 Penguins! only relays the information that needs to be known in the here and the now, like how the galeezel needs the metric magnetic matter disperser to work when the galeezel goes kapoot in “I Scream, You Scream”. In “Moon Menace on Planet Tell-a-Lie”, the moon of the titular planet is thrown out of orbit because someone pushed a button that they weren’t supposed to, no need to go into deeper detail.

#7: Pew Pew Pew!: Well, the premise of the show is two kids getting recruited by alien space penguins to go on missions to alien planets. And even the episode where Jason and the Penguins go on a vacation, “The Amazing Carnival of Complaining”, had plenty of adventure to go around, since it turns out that the carnival they go to is a cover for a real estate scheme (it’s better than it sounds). So, yeah, there is plenty of adventure to be seen on this show, even though there are episodes where the adventure can be lacking sometimes.

#8: The Twilight Zone: Nope, 3-2-1 Penguins! does not make us question why we hold the beliefs and mindsets we have via telling weird and introspective stories. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, if I wanted to watch a show like The Twilight Zone, I’d watch The Twilight Zone. However, 3-2-1 Penguins! does tend to do the opposite, having episodes preach one moral as an absolute and never making room for situations where that moral would not apply. For example, the moral of “Hogs and Kisses” is “friends say hurtful things because they care about you and enemies say nice things because they want something from you”. Hey, what about the prickholes who verbally abuse others and claim “it’s for their own good”? And can’t people say nice things because they genuinely mean it? Yeah, that moral totally isn’t gonna send mixed messages at all.

#9: Pop Culture: Come on, why isn’t there any information on what kind of pop culture the Federation has produced? No movies remade on different planets, no songs that are combinations of popular trends on various planets, no sitcoms about living on space stations, none of that?

#10: Humankind: Since 3-2-1 Penguins! takes place at the turn of the 21st century, humanity is pretty divided. Had it taken place in a time when humans working with aliens is commonplace, would it have this trope? Probably, probably not, who knows?

So, what did I learn from writing this, and the last related post on the matter? 3-2-1 Penguins! may not have all the tropes listed, but that does not make it a bad show. And if there ever is a remake for 3-2-1 Penguins!, I hope that remake has more of the good tropes, and less of the not-so-good tropes. Also, what are considered good tropes and bad tropes are subjective.

#321 penguins #the first series #my post #Jenna Moreci

[aion-rsa]

Is Skyward Sword the Only Link and Zelda Romance Story?

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If you’re anything like most gamers from a certain era, you probably grew up assuming that Zelda and Link were in love. After all, he is a hero, she is a princess, he was a boy, she was a girl…can we make it any more obvious?

However, the truth of the matter is that nothing is quite that obvious when it comes to Link and Zelda’s relationship. Much like your relationship status on Facebook whenever you felt like stirring up a little drama, the relationship between Link and Zelda over the years has been decidedly complicated.

That’s part of the reason why Skyward Sword has always been one of the most interesting Zelda games from a lore perspective. After years of ambiguity, complications, winks, half-answers, and lingering questions, Skyward Sword gave us a Link and Zelda relationship that couldn’t possibly be interpreted as anything but romantic (even if there is some ambiguity regarding how their relationship ends). The game was even promoted with this “Romance Trailer” that highlights that aspect of the plot:

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While there is very little debate regarding whether or not Skyward Sword is a Link and Zelda love story, there is a much more substantial (and far more interesting) debate to be had regarding whether or not it is the only real love story in Legend of Zelda history.

“Hold up,” you might be saying. “If Zelda and Link didn’t have a canonical romance until 2011, then why did I grow up believing that they were in love?”

Well, as we mentioned before, elements of the perceived romance between Zelda and Link can be attributed to the fact that most of the guys you see rescuing princesses in fantasy stories do tend to fall in love with them. It’s not exactly the genre’s most beloved trope, but it’s certainly one that has ingrained itself into our collective pop culture consciousness over the years.

To be fair, though, the Zelda/Link love hasn’t just been in our heads this entire time. The popular theory is that the pair end up getting married at the end of the original NES game (even if the sourcing for that claim is somewhat dubious from a canonical perspective), and we see Zelda kiss Link at the end of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. Granted, the Zelda that kisses him at the end of that game isn’t the Zelda he saved in the original game but rather a version of Zelda from years ago. Look, Zelda lore is…weird.

Speaking of which, we should probably talk about the Link from the 1989 animated Legend of Zelda TV series. That version of Link was more or less a stalker who pretty much refused to help Zelda without asking for a kiss. He was also so insufferably annoying that we honestly think Zelda might have been better off with Ganon than this ’80s movie jock in a green leotard.

It’s around that time that Nintendo became much coyer about Zelda and Link’s relationship. A Link to the Past doesn’t really bother to bring up the possibility of a romantic relationship between the two (outside of an often misinterpreted piece of dialog), and Link’s Awakening doesn’t even feature Zelda (though the character Marin is clearly inspired by Link’s memories of Zelda). At this point, it’s easy to assume that Nintendo decided to abandon the more overt references to Link and Zelda’s romance due to creative preferences, the increasingly complicated nature of the franchise’s timeline, and perhaps the feeling that this just wasn’t meant to be that kind of franchise.

That’s when we enter a prolonged and strange “Will they or won’t they?” period for Link and Zelda’s relationship. Ocarina of Time dances around the issue, but only hints that a romantic relationship may be blossoming. The Wind Waker pretty much abandons the idea entirely in favor of presenting the two as adventuring equals, while Twilight Princess offers the “coldest,” or perhaps most “business-like,” relationship between the pair yet. Nintendo even gave Link more overt love interests during this time to seemingly try to encourage people to stop focusing so much on the Zelda/Link romance narrative.

Interestingly, the Zelda/Link relationship has always skewed more towards intimacy (or at least blossoming romance) in many of the handheld Zelda games. That’s not a universal rule (Zelda wasn’t even in Phantom Hourglass), but for some reason, the pair have almost always been a bit…closer in those games.

That trend reached its apex with the release of 2009’s The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. That game was originally not even supposed to include Zelda as Link’s adventuring partner, but the developers felt like it would be better to feature her as a prominent side character rather than try to create a new character or simply re-use Wind Waker/Phantom Hourglass‘ Tetra yet again. The result is a Zelda game where Link and Zelda spend an unusual amount of time together (compared to other titles in this series). While that kind of set-up is enough to get shippers talking, the game wasn’t exactly shy about teasing a possible romance. It even ends with Zelda and Link holding hands!

What’s even more interesting than Spirit Tracks‘ implication that its version of Zelda and Link could end up together is the reason that the developers chose to give Link a female partner for that game in the first place.

“I was searching for something that hadn’t been portrayed much, and there was Princess Zelda,” says director Daiki Iwamoto regarding the casting decision. “At first, we hadn’t settled on the subcharacter, and I discussed several things with the staff. Then we thought that, since they’re adventuring together, it would be better to have it be a girl.”

That last part brings us back to the elephant in the room concerning this whole Zelda/Link relationship discussion. There is a heteronormative side to fantasy fiction from certain eras that has, to a degree, trained our brains to see female and male leads together and just assume that they’re going to be romantically involved by the time the credits roll.

Even though Nintendo has historically danced around this romance and, at times, straight-up avoided it, Iwamoto still says that it just made more sense for Link to be with a female character that he obviously ends up having intimate moments with (even if they may or may not be entirely romantic). You could argue that throughout much of the history of The Legend of Zelda franchise, speculation regarding the pair’s romantic relationship has been fuelled by those who either wished the two would get together or just assumed that has to be the case given their situation and genders.

So why did Nintendo decide to finally show Link and Zelda in an obviously romantic relationship in Skyward Sword after dodging the matter for so long? Interestingly enough, Skyward Sword producer Eiji Aonuma thought about cutting the romance angles when the game’s development team (which, it must be said, consisted of quite a few Spirit Tracks developers) initially suggested them. While Skyward Sword‘s developers had to make some cuts to justify including the romance subplot, Aonuma’s decision to leave it in ultimately came down to his simple belief that it was an effective way to get players to care about rescuing Zelda.

“As far as the love story goes, it wasn’t that we wanted to create a romance between Link and Zelda as much as we wanted the player to feel like this is a person who’s very important to me, who I need to find,” Aonuma said in an interview with Game Informer. “We used that hint of a romance between the two to tug at the heartstrings.”

From a meta standpoint, the idea that Nintendo is aware that even hinting at the possibility of a Link and Zelda romance is a pretty easy way to engage people certainly makes a lot of sense. While Aonuma stops short of saying that was somehow their idea this entire time, you could argue that it’s more valuable for Nintendo to simply leave room open for that possibility rather than outright establish a romantic relationship more often.

Of course, that makes it all the more interesting that the one Zelda game that features such a blatant romance story is also the first game in the Zelda timeline. While the versions of Link and Zelda featured in that game are not the same characters we see in subsequent games, Nintendo did clearly establish that the foundation of their relationship (and this franchise) is partially based on their love for each other. Circumstances may have prevented them from leading the life together they hoped to have (at least based on our hopes for how two young people in love might end up), but who is to say that one of Zelda‘s descendants or one of Link’s reincarnations won’t be able to break the curse and live the life that these two were possibly denied so many years ago?

Actually, that’s what makes Breath of the Wild such a fascinating piece of this puzzle. While serious questions remain regarding how Breath of the Wild fits into Zelda‘s chronology, it almost certainly seems to take place at what we could see as “the end” of the current Zelda timeline (or timelines). It’s perhaps no coincidence, then, that it’s the game that not only openly acknowledges the complicated relationship between the various Links and Zeldas over the years but is also the game that shows Link and Zelda clearly growing closer to each other over the course of the adventure. By the end of the game, you could very easily view their relationship as “romantic” or, at the very least, heading in that direction.

While we’ll have to see whether or not Breath of the Wild 2 does anything with that implication, we’re left with the simple conclusion that Skyward Sword may be the only “overt” Link and Zelda romance story so far, but elements of that romance can be found in Spirit Tracks, Breath of the Wild, and, depending on your interpretation of the timeline, nearly every other Legend of Zelda game in some form or fashion.

Sure, it’s a little annoying that Nintendo keeps hinting at romances they seemingly never intend to really do anything with, but there’s something to be said for the ways they’ve paired Zelda and Link together over the years without relying on a relatively simple romantic subplot. Of course, that just makes Skyward Sword even more of an oddity than it already was.

The post Is Skyward Sword the Only Link and Zelda Romance Story? appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[fuckyeahevanrwood]

Evan Rachel Wood on Suits and Sci-Fi

When Evan Rachel Wood walked onto the red carpet at the annual Golden Globe awards in January, where she was nominated for her role in HBO’s fantasy Western series “Westworld,” the simple fact that she was dressed in a suit created a frenzy. A few weeks later, when she again eschewed a dress in favor of a suit at the Screen Actors Guild awards (where she was also nominated), a trend had been cemented.

“I knew that when awards season rolled around I wanted to walk down that red carpet in a Marlene Dietrich suit [and] just take a stance, because I know there’s pressure and I know there’s all this fear involved of not being liked or not being wanted or not making a best-dressed list,” Wood says. “And I just thought I don’t want to live my life like that — and I don’t think other people want to either.”

The role in “Westworld” has provided the 29-year-old with dual opportunities to raise her profile: her performance has been highly celebrated (she is now up for an Emmy, rounding out the season), and the subsequent awards circuit has given her a platform on which to model her commitment to freedom of expression.

Wood is on the phone from California with a nearly lost voice from several days of filming out in Santa Clarita. “We’ve been shooting this really intense sequence for the past week and we’re shooting in the desert, and there’s no service and we have all this stuff to do,” she says, the morning after a long night shoot. “I try to explain it to people sometimes; they’re like, ‘Dude I can’t get hold of you, what’s going on?’ and I’m like, ‘You don’t understand. ‘Westworld’ is all-consuming. Once you’re in, you’re in.’”

The intensity of the show — an average day includes filming in 113 degree temperatures or coming home to “wash dirt and blood off of me every day” — is what has drawn its masses of fans; the series is HBO’s most-viewed first season of an original series to date.

“It transcends the genre that is you think of a sci-fi show — you don’t expect it to be so profound or emotionally riveting,” Wood says of the show’s power. “And I think the themes it touches upon are all eerily relevant. Even though it is science fiction, it still is based in reality, weirdly, and [touches on] where technology is headed and the nature of human beings.”

Her character, Delores, is originally read as the classic damsel-in-distress trope but is revealed to be a much more layered woman. “When the show first came on the scene everyone was really worried because they had seen these images of me getting dragged and [took it as] violence against women and everyone sort of thought, ‘Oh great, here we go again,’” Wood says. “And then it turns out she’s this fierce warrior who is completely breaking that mold and taking a stand and saying no and changing the story.”

The show is tied with “Saturday Night Live” for the most Emmy nominations this year, including one for Wood. The ceremony, on Sept. 17, is the final big awards show for television stars — and the actress plans to arrive in her now-signature suit.

“I knew how I felt as an actress and as a woman, and I figured that if I felt that way, other people must feel that way, too,” says Wood, who has been acting since age 9, including a Golden Globes-nominated role in the film “Thirteen” in 2003. “I remember growing up as a teenager in the industry, there was massive amounts of pressure and a lot of opinions being thrown at you about what is good for you and what is good for your career, that goes against what feels right for you and your identity. I remember being a teenager and doing some photo shoot for a teen magazine and I really didn’t wear dresses — I was very shy and tomboyish and gangly, and had not gotten comfortable in my body yet — and they kept sending me dresses and I kept saying I really didn’t want to wear a dress, and they were, like, ‘You either put the dress on or we’re not taking your picture.’ And I remember doing the photo shoot with tears in my eyes because it was just so f–king uncomfortable.”

Wood is heavily inspired by David Bowie, whom she calls her “high priestess,” and by Dietrich in her top hat and coattails.

“I’d grown up looking at Dietrich, going ‘what a badass’ and that amazing suit that she wore was such an inspiration for me,” Wood says. “I was like maybe if I just go for it then we can start making it OK and have less pressure to feel like you have to fit the mold. And also because it didn’t feel honest to kind of perpetuate that, especially when young women are watching, and they take a lot of the cues from you and pop culture and fashion. So when I found out I was nominated I was, like, ‘All right, that’s it.’”

Wood has worked with celebrity stylist Samantha McMillen since she was a teenager, and together they partnered with Joseph Altuzarra to create custom suits for her various carpet appearances.

“I really admire Evan’s style and confidence to take chances and affect change through her look,” Altuzarra says. “The message she wanted to convey on the red carpet really resonated with me, so to work with her on tailoring options was a special collaborative experience.  She’s such a dynamic individual and her commitment to her look is so powerful, it’s contagious.”  

“It’s helping her to express the message that she wanted to send — it was kind of being who you are and wearing what you want to wear and not worrying that you won’t get your picture in the paper or be in the best dressed list because you’re in a suit,” says McMillen of Wood’s choice to wear suits. “Obviously, we try to look our best, but being who you are is the main thing — to be comfortable in what you’re wearing and not being afraid to be yourself and not conforming to what you think everybody has to look like.”

And if equating a red carpet fashion choice with real social power seems trivial, the reception Wood has received this past year — and is likely to see at the Emmys — disagrees.

“Look, I wore the suit and that might seem like a dumb, insignificant thing to some people, but little things like that really do make a difference,” she insists. “Anytime you can put something out in the world that you know people are going to see that might inspire them or change the way they think about something, then do it. Now is the time.”

#evan rachel wood #articles #WWD #westworld #articles 2017 #article

[vsplusonline]

Understanding India’s streaming platforms industry in the context of lockdown

New Post has been published on https://apzweb.com/understanding-indias-streaming-platforms-industry-in-the-context-of-lockdown/

Understanding India’s streaming platforms industry in the context of lockdown

In the book Folktales From India—a precious contribution to Indian culture—poet, and an authority on Indian aesthetics A K Ramanujan narrates a South Indian folktale. The folktale is called Losing a Self. It is a story of a Guru and his twelve idiot disciples. They want to cross a river. But the river is treacherous. They wait for some time. After making a firm resolve, they cross the river. As they reach the other end, a disciple starts counting to ascertain whether all were able to cross the river. He counts everyone except himself. All believe that one person died while crossing the river. But they are unable to figure out who died. A magician passing by listens to their problem patiently. He reassures them that he will solve this conundrum. He asks a disciple to bring cow dung and make a long line of cow dung. After asking all to stand in a row in front of the cow dung line, he asks all to bend down and press their noses in the dung. He asks them to count the number of dents in the cow dung. They unanimously agree that the number is thirteen and realise no one has died while crossing the river. In an allegorical sense, this folktale—like many folktales which have a certain amount of truth in them—reflect an inveterate tendency in entertainment industry to spell doom for cinema and theatre every time a ‘new avenue’ of entertainment gains high acceptance among viewers.

In almost every evolutionary phase, it is assumed that a new avenue of entertainment will make the old or already existing avenues of entertainment irrelevant or unprofitable. It started with the advent of television. This was followed by huge acceptance of cable television and watching films at home by renting movies from video library, proliferation of private television channels, and Direct-To-Home (DTH) services. Throughout these phases, a constant concern is piracy, which still persists. And now, the latest threat or a concern is increasing acceptance of streaming platforms as a serious contender which can jeopardise the existence of theatre and the way we watch cinema or consume content. These observations have found more relevance in the context of lockdown which has made a large section of viewers realise the power of streaming platforms in providing engaging and entertaining content.

Sector experts believe that because of potential threat of contracting with the Coronavirus, people may avoid group engagement activities such as watching films in theatre for a long time. Considering this fact, producers are releasing films slated to be released in theatres on streaming platforms. Given these new realities, a few key questions which have popped up in minds of experts and viewers are: Will streaming platforms define the way we watch films as more and more films are being released on these platforms? Will theatre lose its relevance as the costs attached to watching a film in theatre are not economical in comparison with watching a film on a streaming platform in a well-equipped surround sound home-theatre environment? What exactly has happened with the advent of streaming platforms to other avenues of entertainment in India? And most importantly, like the South Indian folktale, will streaming platforms co-exist with the old or already existing avenues of entertainment such as television and theatre? Let us understand these aspects in detail:

The rising wave For a long time before private channels proliferated, viewers shared a common experience of watching serials on the government-sponsored channel Doordarshan. These serials had substance, entertainment value and a certain touching simplicity of presentation which had elements to make them stuff of nostalgia. Even today these serials are re-watched with the same fervour and warmth as they were watched when they were shown on Doordarshan. From mid-1980s, serials such as Hum Log, Buniyaad, Nukkad, Ramayan, Mahabharat, Byomkesh Bakshi, Vikram Vetal, Trishna, Oshin and Kirdaar showed that in a limited episode format one could entertain and appeal to a wide and vast audience. These serials were based on literature, true events, original ideas and mythology. In a clear sense, these very ingredients make streaming platforms a unique offering today. The experience of watching serials in the mid-1980s on Doordarshan has been almost similar to what today’s audience experience watching web series on streaming platforms. The only difference is web series on streaming platforms have better production value than the serials on Doordarshan. This aspect may give a sense of novelty to what streaming platforms have to offer.

In the mid-1990s, things changed drastically. A large number of private channels were launched as the power of television as a medium of reaching out to a wide audience was acknowledged and recognised by producers and advertisers. Television provided a viable economic model of making money for creators and investors. This resulted in what usually happens when too many players enter an industry. When a structure and the costs associated with that structure are not so high, creative freedom is also high. Such structures are congenial for creating artistic content. But when structures grow and evolve as more players enter and compete, creative freedom gets sacrificed and more importance is given to the viability of the content. In such a structure, ‘science’ prevails. The focus shifts to creating serials which can be elongated and are not tight enough from providing wholesome and meaningful entertainment in limited episode format. This is because such a structure is remunerative for producers in terms of television rating points and hence, advertisements. Consequently, serials became imitative and monotonous. This brought division in categories of audiences.

The audience which craved for wholesome, meaningful and thought-provoking entertainment was utterly ignored. Infrequently, this audience satisfied this taste from films or some serials which showed the promise of good entertainment in the early phase but subsequently conformed to the format dictated by market forces. This created division among audiences and it became clear to advertisers that the target audience for general entertainment content on television will be non-working women and men will be interested in sports and non-entertainment channels.

Over the years, a few categories of audiences, which already existed, exhibited their distinction in the way they watched content. These categories showed a clear trend how content will be consumed in theatre as content on television became extremely formulaic, imitative and sterile. Broadly speaking, six categories of audience emerged in the two decades. Firstly, there is an audience of evolved taste. They are nothing but discerning audience. They have access to information and they understand what they like and what they don’t like. This category basically is a torrent audience who download films from the internet. Then, there is an audience which, largely, catches up with others around them. This audience gets disappointed far often than the evolved audience because it goes to theatre more often than the audience of evolved taste. Then, there is urban audience which just seeks pure entertainment. This audience does not have keen interest in cinema. They don’t have any viable and equally interesting means or avenues of entertainment on weekends. For them, going to theatre for a film is a family outing. This ritual borders on discharging family duty of taking care and being considerate towards wife and kids.

This category is followed by lower middle class, which is the staple audience for Hindi movies. This audience has sustained the formula on which the juggernaut called Hindi cinema has been established. A film which merges known tropes without making it esoteric and presenting it in a fresh way is an event for this audience. Watching films in theatre is a strict ritual for this audience because it is like a spiritual ceremony in dark which gives them intense happiness. This is the most stable theatre goer. The fifth category is the audience which is in tier-II and tier-III cities. This audience in tier-II and tier-III cities is driving revenues at the box office because of two reasons. One, multiplexes have expanded in these locations rapidly in the past five years as space constraints and rising costs in cities make expansion outside metros more feasible and viable. Two, audiences in tier-II and tier-III believe the ritual of going to multiplexes as one of the ways they catch up with city-dwellers. And lastly, there is rural audience which is undemanding and is content with what comes its way.

Increasing predictability of content on television, rising ticket prices, economical internet packages (the launch of Jio services has played a critical role in this), exposure and understanding of well-written and superbly executed English and non-English content from the west, easy access to films through piracy and most importantly, the freedom to watch content at one’s subjective pace and convenient time without the patience-testing advertisements sowed the seeds for a much-needed space for an offering for the audience with evolved taste. Streaming or Over The Top (OTT) platforms filled up this space in the past five years.

Today, in India, there are close to thirty-six streaming platforms which are owned by Indian companies. Apart from these, there are global streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+Hotstar.

Since the lockdown it is clearly evident that the awareness and importance of streaming or OTT platforms has increased. According to various estimates and reports, there has been jump of 8-100% in subscribers’ addition of major OTT platforms. According to industry experts, the lockdown has helped OTT platforms secure new subscribers. Even the average age of the subscribers’ universe has increased. Film-maker Shivdarshan Sable says, “I think this is clearly evident that the lockdown has been a blessing in disguise for streaming platforms. Earlier, the average age of the subscribers’ universe might be less than 30. Due to lockdown, I think the average age of the subscribers’ universe has gone up. I am certain that today a fair share of the new subscribers added will be in the age group of 35-55.” This means that there are an increasing number of people who are acknowledging the engaging and superior production value of the content offered up by streaming platforms.

The recent flurry of release of Hindi films on streaming platforms also add to their increasing importance as it shows that producers have acknowledged the potency of these platforms in distributing content and reaching out to a large universe of viewers. Amazon Prime Video has acquired seven Bollywood and regional films. A noteworthy aspect about this flurry of release is they also include films boasting big stars and well-known directors and producers. A case in the point is the film Gulaabo Sitabo. Well-established and critically-acclaimed director Shoojit Sircar directed the film which has successful pairing of the man with a Midas touch Ayushmann Khurrana and Amitabh Bachchan.

Is there an impact? Now, in this context of the increasing importance of streaming platforms among viewers and producers for content consumption and distribution, one needs to understand whether business in television or theatre affected.

Gauging the pattern of how television and streaming platforms are providing content, it is evident that television and streaming platforms feed into each other. It has been observed that the content generated by television finds its place in the catalogue or offerings of streaming platforms also. The famous TV series Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu is available on streaming platform Disney+Hotstar. It is also observed that broadcast-backed streaming platforms show the content of their streaming platforms on their respective channels. For instance, the content of Zee5, a streaming platform of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, is being shown on its channels also and vice versa. This aspect of feeding into each other is likely to prolong the relevance of television and quell any kind of panic-driven knee-jerk assumption that streaming platforms will kill television.

Besides this, television will serve its purpose in different ways. The emergence of Smart Television with surround sound home theatre facility gives a new purpose of watching content of streaming platforms on television. Also sporting events which require bigger screen than mobile devices will also justify the existence of television. Most importantly, India’s infrastructure will provide longer life for television to exist because broadband and telecommunications connectivity are yet to penetrate deeper in locations beyond tier-II and tier-III cities. This is evident from the fact that one of the most highly watched series during lockdown period was the re-run of the serial Ramayan on DD National. This indicates that there is no threat for TV from streaming platforms.

Even as regards theatre, streaming platforms have not been a threat to their business model. It has been more than five years global streaming platforms have entered into India. And encouraged by them, television channels launched their own streaming services. In the past five years, there has been no impact on footfalls in theatres. Footfalls in two major multiplexes such as PVR and Inox Leisure have grown in this period. Footfalls in PVR and Inox Leisure grew to 99.4 million and 62.5 million respectively in FY19 from 59.9 million and 38.6 million respectively in FY14. Also an analysis of financial performance of these multiplexes before the advent and after the advent of streaming platforms (FY14) shows that there has been reasonably good growth in revenue per screen before and after FY14.

Revenue per screen for Inox increased to Rs2.9 crore in FY19 from Rs2.6 crore in FY14. Similarly, for PVR, revenue per screen increased to Rs4 crore in FY19 from Rs3.1 crore in FY14. Also the number of films which recorded more than Rs100 crore at the box office jumped close to two times to 13 in FY19 from seven in FY14, points out a KPMG report. Even the box office collections have grown to Rs3759 crore in FY19 from Rs2493 crore in FY15. This is despite the fact that the average ticket price of multiplexes has been rising in the range of 5-8% in the past five years. This shows that streaming platforms have not created any material impact on theatre business as it is content which attracts viewers to theatres not just the ‘avenue’ of entertainment.

The moot question Though till last year, streaming platforms have not hurt the theatre or movie business, due to the recent announcement of films to be released on streaming platforms in the coming months, there is an increasing concern over the future of movie and theatre business. This is because digital release does not fetch returns as high as theatrical release. According to an analysis of auditing firm KPMG, around 75% of overall revenue on a film comes from big screen cinema release while digital makes up 13% and the rest from television and satellite broadcasting. Given the small share of revenues streaming platforms generate, it is unlikely it will jeopardise the business model of movie and theatre business.

Besides this, it is the very structure of content offering of streaming platforms works in the favour of movies and theatre business. This is because the structure does not appeal to all kinds of audience. In recent years, there have been a few observations of well-known film-makers which amply explain the fact that cinema or movie business is likely to remain and will charm the audience for years to come. There are three key observations of famed and critically acclaimed film-makers why cinema or theatre as an avenue will survive and not lose its relevance. These comments centre on the very structure of streaming platforms. Director Oliver stone, in an Oxford Union dialogue, said that the content on streaming platforms is journalism and cinema has a quality of literature. He said, “It (content on streaming platforms) makes the first draft longer…a first draft of history. In other words, it is like a journalistic account. You have to go deeper and that is what makes movies interesting. Once you get to a movie usually years later you really can go in there and try to see the patterns at work.” Also director Alfonso Cuaron, in the YouTube channel BAFTA Guru said, “What we are experiencing on platforms is not necessarily cinema. It is more connected with television. I am lost in a series not because of its cinematic value of the series. I am getting lost in a story. In many ways, it is becoming a media for lazy readers. What I am more intrigued about is cinema.” An interesting remark of director Joel Coen of director duo Coens Brothers also shows how the structure of content of streaming platforms does not pose a threat to movie and theatre business. He said the content on streaming platforms has start, middle but no end and goes on and on. Cinema, on the other hand, has an end which gives it a sense of finality in presentation in limited time.

Also the structure of content offering on streaming platforms entails long hours of watching comes with its own health problems. Dr. Priyanka Shah Dattani, Counselling Psychologist at NH SRCC Hospital, Haji Ali, Mumbai said, “I think these platforms are largely about the concept of indulgence. Earlier you would wait for things which would delay gratification. But this concept of ‘binge watching’ for instant gratification is a serious matter which needs pondering. One of the serious repercussions is this whole exercise numbs you out. You become emotionally numb. In psychology, it is said you can heal what you feel. But when you are emotionally numb it becomes difficult to assess exactly what is the problem. It results various kind of mental and physical ailments such as depression and Spondylitis due to continuous watching of content.” She added, “Besides, one does not build any social skills as interaction with the outside world is bare minimum. The whole process disconnects you from the outside world and provides you an alternative reality within the confines of a virtual world. This is suspension from reality and it disconnects a person from her inner world. One hardly acquires any skills.” She pointed, “As regards adults, stress levels have gone up. The idea of recreation has changed to watching content on these platforms rather than talking to child or spouse. Children are lot more affected than adults. Since they have more time and chemically wired to emulate adults, their sleep pattern is massively affected. A lot of children are sleeping as late as 2 am. Across the board one can see how the content has created distraction affecting relationship, work and productivity. ”

In a sense, streaming platforms are like television channels only. They show programmes on digital platform. The only difference is OTT platforms provide content to the viewer in the following manner: When they want, where they want and how they want. This means there is convenience and freedom to viewers to watch content anytime and at any point in the narrative of a series. Though these platforms have created a perception that they cater to a certain category of viewers, in truth, they are merely creating “library” of content. It is clear that they want to cater to all and sundry. This is evident from how content is delivered on these platforms. These platforms provide subtitles. One can listen to the narrative of a series in more than language (includes regional languages) apart from English. According to Ernst & Young, Indian consumers prefer to watch videos in vernacular and regional languages. In India, close to 93% of the time spent on videos is in Hindi and other regional languages. As a result, streaming platforms have content which go beyond Hindi and English and reach out to these consumers.

Another aspect of business model of streaming platforms is what looks like the strength of these platforms can also be its limitation. These platforms sustain on creativity, which unlike plain advertisement model, does not make up for fickle pattern of subscription. According to several research studies, viewers have shown clear preference for original and fresh content. This shows that subscribers are more interested in fresh and original content, which is a tall order to a certain extent. Given these realities, viewers will not be glued to their OTT screens and will step out of their comfort zones and watch films in theatres.

In the coming years, one is likely to see three trends in the context of increasing acceptance of streaming platforms. One, mid-budget and low-budget films may straight away release on streaming platforms. This trend is already evolving. But it will become more prominent. This is because of two reasons. One, high cost involved in promoting or publicity of a mid-budget or low-budget film. A mid-budget film costs Rs25-40 crore and a low-budget film is made in less than Rs25 crore. But publicity is a huge expense. A case in the point is director Apoorva Lakhia’s film Haseena Parkar released in 2017. The director in an interview mentioned that the film was made for Rs 11 crore and the publicity budget of the film was Rs 8 crore. Two, low-and-mid-budget films have to compete with big-budget films, which occupy disproportionately higher screens in theatres.

The second trend is the change in economic model of film-making. Film-makers point out that in the near future certain Hindi films will be made under a budget that even if they get released straight on streaming platforms the producers will not lose much money. Lastly, streaming platforms industry will consolidate. Presently, there are thirty six OTT or streaming platforms. This means there is intense competition among streaming platforms to attract viewers in times when viewers are spoilt for choice regarding content. Streaming platforms do not follow the traditional advertisement-based revenue model which means that they have to rely on huge cash which may result in high debt for companies. Also subscribers are largely fickle and they switch their accounts to different platforms as and when they find a series exciting.

Only those platforms which have backing of strong balance sheet and moneyed or strategic investors will survive and acquire weaker players who may die a natural death due to lack of funds. According to industry veterans, the budget of a web series is almost similar to a film’s budget. A web series is shot as a film and cut and edited in episodic format. This requires more money than television series where money is provided on each episode basis and locations are mostly interior. This will put pricing pressure on streaming platforms. It is quite likely that broadcast-backed and international streaming platforms will survive. They have long experience and brand power, which will help secure funds.

In the overall scheme of things, most avenues of entertainment will co-exist because they will not only feed into each other but also independently and distinctly serve their purpose. It has been observed that even feature length film directors produce work exclusively for OTT platforms. In addition to this, they make films which are released only in theatre first and then on OTT platforms. Theatres will release films which will be experiential in nature and can only be enjoyed better in theatres than any platform. Television will also survive as it serves a break from theatre and OTT platforms. But OTT platforms face two major threats. These are piracy and censorship. If the government changes censorship rules and brings out fresh rules for streaming platforms industry, then it may affect the quality of content on streaming platforms. This is because censorship will curb creative freedom, which is the fundamental reason for the huge acceptance and success of content of streaming platforms. Also piracy, which affects cinema, affects OTT platforms.

In the context of these realities, it will be the viewers who will benefit amply. They will continue to have access to humongous content. The various avenues of entertainment—television, OTT, cinema and other social media platforms—have created a food thali which satisfies hunger of almost all kinds of viewers. But the appetite of viewers is also humongous. The content creators know whom they are serving. To borrow a phrase of poet Dom Moraes’ writings, the content creators know that they are serving ‘a ferocious master’ in viewers. In the coming years, the success and longevity of these avenues of entertainment will be tested in this question: Are viewers watching content because they have time at hand or the content is so good that viewers are making time to watch it?

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5 Literary Agents Discuss the Horror Genre

A special treat on this Halloween morning: Five literary agents, who all represent the horror genre, took a break from reading manuscripts to answer a few questions on horror, including what they’re seeing a high demand for, what about a submission inspires confidence, and common weaknesses they see in writing. If you’re currently struggling through your work-in-progress at the moment, take your own break and see what these horror literary agents have to say. You may just find your key—whether it’s psychological horror, marginalized voices, or crossover appeal—to breaking out!

How has the horror genre evolved in recent years, in terms of both writers/books and readers/audiences?

Tricia Skinner: Horror has always proved it’s not a genre to take for granted. As soon as you think no one wants to read it or watch it, out pops some crazy cool horror book or movie that resets everyone’s perception. I think horror blends well with other genres, which broadens its appeal to readers who claim to staunchly dislike the genre on its own. Horror’s growing crossover appeal is what I’ve seen in recent years. The purely niche stories aren’t having a good time finding homes.

Caitlin McDonald: I think both writers and readers have become more discerning. There will certainly always be an appeal in campiness, but recent years have seen an influx of works that are more polished, more literary, that rely less on—or undermine—the usual tropes. I think the pressure to adhere to the “rules” of horror has lessened.

Carlisle Webber: I think it’s reached out to readers who normally wouldn’t go for a straight-up horror novel. I’ve seen horror books with plots that more closely resemble mysteries or thrillers, and I think that’s helped expand the audience.

Lane Heymont: Horror has stepped up its game recently—especially in the last few years—both in publishing and film. In years past, horror was reserved for those who already had an “in”, such as Stephen King, Koontz, Joe Hill (one of King’s sons), or to smaller presses. This was mainly because the genre was a hard sell to the Big Six (now Five) publishers. But, horror has made a huge comeback. Thanks, I think, goes to those smaller presses who took chances and produced fantastic stories by amazing authors. Some of my favorites are Nick Mamatas, Christopher Golden, Michael Hodges (I am biased since he’s a client of mine), Kate Jonez, Silvia Moreno-Garcia (who writes and edits a lot of women-driven Lovecraft), and Jennifer Brozek.

What I love about horror now is that it’s taken on this literary bent. For example, Silvia Moreno-Garcia edited She Walks with Shadows with Paula R. Stiles. H.P. Lovecraft was a notorious sexist, racist, and anti-Semite (despite his wife being Jewish), and it’s been fantastic to see his style of writing interpreted by so many talented women and POC.

The whole H.P. Lovecraft thing has caused quite a stir, and I hope not to receive any angry e-mails or comments about it. I love Lovecraft and everything he did, but it’s amazing to see his work translated to reflect our time.

As for movies—which are intertwined with books—we have The Conjuring franchise, the Insidious franchise, Sinister, and especially Get Out by Jordan Peele (from Blumhouse). Blumhouse has made huge strides and pushed boundaries with the horror genre. I can’t wait to see Happy Death Day!

Julie DInneen: The horror genre continues taking us in directions we haven’t gone before, overlapping with other genres and generally giving us more variety, as we would hope.

Meet the Agents

Julie Dinneen, D4EO Literary Agency: After years of editorial work, professional writing of many descriptions, and an internship at The Bent Agency, Julie joined D4EO Literary as an agent in 2017 to build her own list of upmarket fiction. Across the board, she’s looking for books that hook her from the very first page, whether it’s the writing, the voice or some unquantifiable draw that demands her time. She’s drawn to stories that are exceptionally well-written, that star dynamic, unforgettable characters, and that appeal to a wide, commercial audience. She’s looking for literary fiction with commercial appeal and beautiful, stand-out writing (The Girls, Cloud Atlas). She’s on the lookout for upmarket general, women’s, and historical fiction her book club will want to spend hours talking about (Big Little Lies, The Nest, Orphan Train). She’d love to discover a new twist on chick lit—think Bridget Jones for millennials—and she has a weakness for fun, perfectly-executed beach reads. She’s also looking for well-written romance, both contemporary and historical. She especially enjoy epic, genre-bending romance (Outlander, The Bronze Horseman) and she never says never when it comes to paranormal, although believability and originality are essential. Genres she reads less of, but will still consider, include high-concept YA with blockbuster potential, psychologically complex horror, and female-centric thrillers. In these categories, she’s looking for select projects with storytelling that won’t let go.

Lane Heymont, The Tobias Literary Agency: Lane has judged writing contests across the country and served as faculty member at a wide range of conferences. As Literary Assistant at the Seymour Agency, Lane led the marketing efforts for their authors and enjoyed connecting clients with readers. As a lover of literature since childhood, and at the prodding of his mentor Nicole Resciniti, he decided to pursue his passion as a literary agent. He went on to help found The Tobias Literary Agency. He strives to bring incredible and thought-provoking books to the masses, culminating in reaching the number one spot on Publishers Marketplace for agents representing horror, and the Top Ten for women’s fiction and romance. Lane represents a broad range of commercial fiction including romance and all its sub-genres, fantasy, science fiction, horror, celebrity/memoirs, pop culture, serious nonfiction, and true crime. He is a member of the Romance Writers of America, Horror Writers Association, and the Association of Authors’ Representatives. He believes what John Gregory Dunne said: “Writing is manual labor of the mind.”

Caitlin McDonald, Donald Maass Literary Agency: Caitlin joined DMLA in 2015, and was previously at Sterling Lord Literistic. She represents adult and young adult speculative fiction, primarily science-fiction, fantasy, horror, and related subgenres, as well as contemporary fiction about geeky characters. She also handles a small amount of nonfiction in geeky areas, with a focus on feminist theory/women’s issues and pop culture. Caitlin grew up overseas and has a BA in Creative Writing from Columbia University.

Tricia Skinner, Fuse Literary Agency: Tri­cia was raised in Detroit, Michigan. She obtained her undergraduate degree from the nationally acclaimed Journalism Institute for Media Diversity at Wayne State University and earned her graduate degree from Southern Methodist University. Professionally, she began her writing career as a newspaper reporter and wrote for The Detroit News, Investor’s Business Daily, MSN, and The Houston Chronicle. She’s covered small & minority business, personal finance, and technology. Tricia has 20 years of experience working with the video game industry in various roles, including public relations, industry relations, and writing/editing. She is also a hybrid author of passionate urban fantasy (represented by Fuse co-founder Laurie McLean). Diversity in genre fiction is dear to Tricia’s heart.  As an agent, Tricia wants to represent authors who reflect diversity and cultures in their work. She specializes in Adult, Young Adult and Middle Grade. On the personal side, Tricia has a Tom Hiddleston obsession and she is definitely Team Vader. Her fam­ily includes three Great Danes (so far).

Carlisle Webber, Fuse Literary Agency: Carlisle refused to major in English in college because she didn’t think there was anything fun to read on the required lists. No Stephen King? No R.L. Stine? No thanks! After college, she took her love of commercial, YA, and middle grade fiction to the University of Pittsburgh School of Information Sciences, where she earned a Master of Library and Information Sciences. She worked as a public librarian for years before deciding to move to the business side of publishing. She attended the Columbia Publishing Course, interned at Writers House, and worked at the Jane Rotrosen Agency in New York City. She considers herself to be an editorial agent and holds a Professional Certificate in Editing from University of California, Berkeley. She belongs to the American Copy Editors Society and Bay Area Editors’ Forum. When editing, she aims to make a book the best possible version of itself, shaping it in a way so it can best use its unique voice to appeal to a wide audience. Carlisle is looking for high-concept commercial fiction in middle grade, young adult, and adult. If your book is fresh and exciting, tackles difficult topics, reads like a Shonda Rhimes show, or makes readers stay up late turning pages, she’s the agent for you.

What are you seeing a high demand for in the market?

JD: Anything and everything that’s original, believable and well-written. One trend we’ve seen more of is the weave of humor into very-scary horror, as successfully done by authors like Grady Hendrix and David Wong.

CM: I’m seeing a (welcome) interest in stories like Get Out that mirror real-world issues in our society. Psychological horror is also strong right now.

LH: I’ve been receiving lots of requests from Big 5 editors for more psychological horror than anything else. This also works well with the film side of things—low budget, high return—affording more writers a chance to see their horror novels optioned for film.

I also think psychological horror allows for fresher ideas. Monsters are a dime a dozen, but what really interests readers (and editors) is the ordinary person’s reaction to those monsters. Take Stephen King’s It, for example. What makes Pennywise so terrifying is the ability to use the Losers’ fears against them. Yes, there is the pan-dimensional monster murdering people, but the story is really about the Losers’ psychological responses to that monster—overcoming fear and childhood trauma through friendship and unity.

There’s also been a huge push for horror by marginalized peoples and women. We want to see horror from the view of different cultures—a client, Sean Cummings has a very cool horror that takes place in 1920s Canada. I’d also love to see some more horror based on Jewish mythology, or by Cajun or First Nations people. Horror should join other genres in helping counter our current political climate. Editors are looking for projects that do just that, and so am I.

That’s the long-winded way of saying, psychological horror and multicultural horror.

TS: Writers amped up the psychological terror, which continues to work. Horror that mirrors the world today, how people are so disconnected, hateful, and paranoid, but provides a scapegoat in the form of a monster, are doing well right now.

CW: Books that feel like We Have Always Lived in the Castle, where there’s not necessarily a lot of fast-paced terror up front, but a looming dark presence that builds as the novel goes on.

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What about a submission inspires confidence that you’ll be able to find the work a home with a publisher?

LH: This is a fantastic, and almost impossible to answer, question! The answer mostly given, and appropriate, frustrates authors to no end, so I apologize in advance.

What makes an agent or editor feel a project will be successful? Voice! A fresh angle also helps, but if you have a killer voice—see what I did there?—you can tell a clichéd story like it’s as fresh as ripe tomatoes. After all, there are only so many plots. Just ask Aristotle, Georges Polti, or Carroll Carroll, who said, “There hasn’t been a new idea in seventy-five years.” That was in the 1950s!

What I’m getting at is it’s important to hone your craft. Work out your voice. Avoid clichés. I often tell writers to help avoid falling into traps they must ask the questions before the readers have a chance to. Or do what James Wan did while writing Insidious: keep a notepad by your desk with all the known clichés and when you find you’ve written one, rewrite it.

CM: A strong and unique voice. This is true of any genre, but in horror it’s even more important, because this is where that tense atmosphere comes from. Think of it like the cinematography of a horror film: How little things like camera angles and cuts can build audience terror far more effectively than just showing a monster on the screen. The same principle applies here: How you tell the story is, in horror, almost more important than the story itself.

JD: As mentioned above: originality, outstanding writing, and storytelling that pulls me in and won’t let go. Right now I’m reading Joe Hill’s Heart-Shaped Box and I’m finding myself reading [it] when I should be doing other things. When that happens with a submission—and when it can sustain that momentum throughout—I start thinking about which editors might be a good match.

CW: Just like other genres, if a book has compelling characters, high tension, and other hallmarks of a quality novel, I’m more likely to want to represent it. A good scare is even scarier if it’s happening to a character I’m invested in.

TS: Crossover appeal is the first thing I’d look for in a submission. The writing must be gorgeous and mesmerizing. A publisher will always consider any work with incredible writing.

What are the most common weaknesses in your horror submission pile?

TS: Poor writing, weak structure, and failing to deliver on the horror premise. The weakest submissions are usually from writers skimming the genre’s surface layer. Some writers spend too much time in one area (e.g. creature creation) yet very little in another area (e.g. character motivation). The worst is never delivering the chills and cold sweat throughout the story. If the only time the story is scary is when the monster is in the scene, something is wrong.

JD: For horror that involves the supernatural—and most of it does, though not all—believability is especially difficult to pull off. Convincing readers that the supernatural is real—and terrifying—isn’t easy. Holes in the world-building can undermine a reader’s belief and shatter the illusion. The central job of effective horror is to scare or shock the reader and to simultaneously make us want more. If we don’t believe, we won’t feel the fear. In the same vein, if we don’t feel the need to find out what happens next, the writer has more work to do.

CW: The first is too much gore coupled with not enough characterization. It’s not enough to have blood and guts for the sake of having them. They have to surround a main character whom I want to follow to the end of the story. The second is a lack of world-building. The author writes a book and can clearly imagine their world and its rules, but it isn’t well explained to someone who’s coming in with no knowledge of their world at all.

CM: Stories that are just not unique enough in premise. I see many of the same two or three basic ideas over and over again, and unless you have a truly phenomenal narrative voice, it’s going to be hard to make that stand out on the bookshelf. Look beyond the usual settings and tropes for your story. I want to see more horror that really shakes it up.

LH: This goes along with the previous question: clichés, and then gore.

Those are the two biggest weaknesses I’ve found in horror. Blood is fine, but it must serve a purpose. Just like foul language, sex, and nudity. I’m not against those things, but it’s obvious when they are there just for thrills or to pull a gut reaction.

Horror is more than violence, blood, and monsters. It’s the shadows creeping beyond the door when you look away. It’s the sense of dread clawing at your insides when you look up at the inky night sky and find the stars are not there.

Relying on physical fear often leads to a weak plot, weaker story, and a lack emotive prowess. This is because we can only suspend so much disbelief. We’re reading words on a page so we instinctively know we’re not in any real danger, which is why it’s so important to focus on the power of words to cause the air around us to saturate with dread.

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What do you wish you would see more of in your inbox?

JD: Voice. In any genre, originality of voice really stands out. And, of course, wonderful writing.

CM: More crossover horror: Stories that serve two genres at once. One of my recent sales is The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling, which combines a horror narrative with a science-fiction setting for a whole new level of creepiness. Using science-fiction or fantasy to change up your setting from the real world is a great way to bring a freshness to your horror novel—not to mention all the new scary elements you can introduce.

TS: I’d prefer physical creatures instead of ghostly/spirit manifestations. I’m not tired of truly dark Southern Gothic. Horror manuscripts with a multi-ethnic cast and set in a large city, or a city that isn’t Seattle, along the east coast, or fictional. An international horror story would rock. Something that jumps continents. And in all of these suggestions, I don’t care if it’s historical, alternate history, present, or future. Query me!

LH: Psychological horror—I recently signed Shadow Award-winning author Daniel I. Russell, who has written a fantastic psychological horror involving an “evil” doll. It may sound cliché, but with his voice, we truly feel the maddening suspicion of whether this inanimate object is possessed by some evil or if it’s our own madness stalking the hallways. It gave me the spooks and several of my interns complained about nightmares after reading it!

I’m also less interested in gore and violence, and more craving projects which show us how horror affects characters. This is something H.P. Lovecraft, Poe, and Le Fanu excelled at. You might be able to tell I love me some Gothic and stories involving horrors beyond description.

Last, but not least—actually, most importantly—I’m looking for projects from marginalized writers and multicultural stories. If you have a horror novel involving voodoo, ifrits, mazikeen, or any other non-European horror, send it my way!

CW: I’m addicted to true crime podcasts and TV shows, so I’d love to see more human-based, as opposed to primarily supernatural, horror. Since psychological thrillers do so well, I’d love to see some psychological horror land in my inbox. I also love stories about ordinary people in extraordinary situations.

Are there any premises or plot structures that you’ve seen played out in this genre?

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CM: Ancient evil powers tormenting sleepy rural towns. The Thing in the Woods. This is a subgenre that still seems to have something of a market, but in my opinion, it’s been done to death. That’s not to say that I won’t be interested if the voice is especially amazing and unique, but there’s a lot of competition out there and it’s hard to find a new angle to bring to this table.

JD: I don’t think any premise has “played out.” Every writer spins a tale from a slightly different angle and brings her or his own unique vantage point to a story. When writers have talent, a good idea, and trust themselves to follow their vision along its own unique path, it becomes something new. You might think the market has had enough of horror stories about teenagers getting lost in the woods or hunted down at summer camp. But then a book like Joey Comeau’s The Summer Has Ended and We Are Not Yet Saved comes along and it’s new. It’s gruesome, almost funny, and somehow turns something that could have been derivative into something original. This happens all the time. In 2010, we could have been forgiven for thinking the market had seen enough of vampires, but then Justin Cronin proved us wrong with The Passage, which is inventive, well-written, and truly eerie. And on that note … if you’ve written 2017’s completely original, well-written vampire novel (in any genre), please query me!

CW: Books where a serial killer is a primary or secondary character can be hard to sell. I get the appeal, because serial killers are a little like modern-day fairytale villains, but in too many manuscripts I’ve seen they lack dimension. Also, when a serial killer is involved, there’s almost always a plot element of “How do we stop them?” so that gets repetitive.

LH: Haunted houses—we currently have an author on submission with an excellent haunted house project.

No mad scientists, either. I once mentioned—okay, maybe several times—Frankenstein is my favorite book of all time. Notice the Gothic horror? So, lots of authors pitch their horror novels as being in the vein of Frankenstein. Obviously, that’s not an automatic rejection, but it’s sure close. No one’s novel can compete with perfection. You might as well tell me you’ve written the next Iliad.

Horror only works if it’s fresh, so you need to come with a totally different angle than we’ve seen before. Think about films that left us scratching our heads: M. Night’s Sixth Sense or Alejandro Amenábar’s The Others. Both movies had the same twist, but it’s the delivery and tones which set them apart.

Something else that bothers me about horror projects I’ve been receiving is the treatment of women. Too many people seem to use them as fodder for murder to gain our sympathy or anger. I’d love to see some kick-ass women in horror—think The Descent (one of my favorite horror films) or She Walks in Shadows or anything in the vein of Billie Sue Mosiman.

TS: I’m bored with the “malevolent forces target a child” trope. Same goes for ghost house, pissed off witch spirit, vampiric whatever, cannibal neighbors, etc. If it’s on Netflix in some form, I’d rather not read it. I’m looking for new and fresh.

If you’re an agent looking to update your information or an author interested in contributing to the GLA blog or the next edition of the book, contact Writer’s Digest Books Managing Editor Cris Freese at [email protected].

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