So, during the White trailer, when Weiss does her ...'ultimate attack' thing on the armour, these are the symbols that appear on Myrtenaster. I'd kinda always assumed it said Myrtenaster because it looked like the right amount of letters, but I couldn't figure out the word that appeared first. Does anyone know what is says?
After some backwards reasoning through Scrabble hint websites, my best guess is Verist - One who subscribes to verism, which could mean:
(art, literature) Presenting common, everyday subjects, specifically eschewing the heroic or legendary.
(art) Synonym of verismo (“19th-century art movement”) - An artistic movement, from 19th-century Italian literature and opera, in which rural and everyday people and themes were treated in an often melodramatic manner
the theory that rigid representation of truth and reality is essential to art and literature, and therefore the ugly and vulgar must be included.
...which, like, I guess kinda fits with early RWBY intents with her character - tying Weiss to opera movements and having to face ugly truths (like her bigotry towards Faunus), but... it also feels like a bit of a reach, so if anyone can find a better answer, I'd love to hear it!
The colour Sienna may be orange, but looking at her design, I’m not sure CRWBY actually knows that. She’s all red, which is especially frustrating because even with MSpaint and two minutes, it takes so little orange to make orange pop against red and black
how do you feel about tai because i feel like crwby try to write him to be a good dad but genuinely dont know how? i genuinely dont know what theyre going for with tai?
i love aus focussing on qrow and tai co-parenting the girls because fanfic writers are, as a whole, better than crwby at writing.
First off anon thank you for this ask I’ve been hyper focusing on Deltarune again and this ask gives me the perfect opportunity to talk about it again (it’ll make sense I promise lolZ)
Tai is a very complicated character and not in a good way unfortunately. CRWBY wanted to have their cake and eat it to in a manner of speaking with wanting Ruby and Yang to have a good and loving father while also having Yang be the one to care for Ruby for so long but couldn’t really be bothered to come up with a good story reason to balance both and not have the story feel muddied and hypocritical. This is the man who was so depressed and unfocused on his children that his two toddler children where able to just leave the house for hours and almost be killed by Grimm seemingly without him realizing forcing their Uncle to come to their rescue. But we’re also supposed to applaud him as a super loving and devoted father?
Tai is at first at least portrayed as having been very neglectful of his daughters after spiraling into depression after Summers death. Now this isn’t necessarily a bad thing and is a realistic response to trauma. The issues come in when the narrative also wants to paint him as a good and loving father Yang and Ruby adore and don’t have any hang ups about how absent he was from their childhood. To me at least from my own experiences….it doesn’t make a lot of sense. As a kid I always kind of resented my dad for being at work all the time and it wasn’t until very recently that I understood all the nuance of why he was at work and on business trips all the time, it’s something that as a kid I really couldn’t understand. Now maybe Yang is at a point where she can understand and is emotionally mature enough to look back on it all and understand but Ruby? She’s still a kid at the beginning of the show and is a little naive about these things which is not a bad thing! It’s realistic and makes sense given her age and how socially awkward she is.
A much better example of how this kind of parent is handled is in the Hunger Games books wherein Katniss calls out her mother for shutting down when her dad died and told her she can’t do that again if Katniss doesn’t come home. Katniss is allowed to be angry at and resent her mother for shutting down as she did and forcing Katniss to raise Primrose and, most importantly in my opinion, the narrative doesn’t treat Katniss as a bad person for having these feelings. The narrative understands that their mother abandoned them when they needed her most, forcing Katniss to do a lot to keep their family alive.
If CRWBY really wanted to have Tai absent so Yang was the one to basically raise Ruby while also allowing Tai to be a loving and devoted father, they could have done something similar to Noelle and Rudolph in Deltarune.
Within Deltarune Rudolph is Noelles father and is hospitalized due to his deteriorating health leaving her to be mostly cared for by her mother who is implied to be on some lovely emotionally abusive to Noelle. We don’t have anything directly confirming this but we have hints like how Noelle would rather stand outside her house unable to get in for hours and hours rather then admit to her mom she forgot her key or how Rudolph mentions it’s been hard for Noelle with him in the hospital because he balanced his wife out.
Now obviously CRWBY can tell the story they want to, but as they have it currently Tai is a confusing and inconsistent character with characterizations that just don’t really work. I think if they wanted to go with the loving and devoted father angle they needed to make some changes, either by changing why Tai was absent or remove that aspect entirely or allow the girls to be frustrated by his absence and have Tai realize his mistake and be working to repair his relationship with the girls.
The plot line can work technically but as of right now the writing just doesn’t work. Generally in fanfics I follow this arc about him becoming so depressed he abandoned his kids is cut and usually I see it replaced instead with Yang more filling in the mother figure role for Yang which allows her to have a hand in helping raise Yang while also allowing Tai to be a devoted father. I won’t tell anyone the best way to rewrite Tai obviously but for me at least something needs to change and as you said anon fanfic authors do so much of the work CRWBY refuses to do for some reason.
You know what I really like this idea a lot and it works so much better to balance out Tai disappearing emotionally for a bit and making him still a loving parent and it is such a simple and tiny fix vs having to overhaul so much.
I genuinely think they were going for what @loyal-to-the-end suggests. They just really don’t seem to have stuck the landing. Because I always assumed that Tai’s shutdown have been relatively short, because of how good Ruby and Yang’s relationship with him was. Before Burning The Candle, we have Ruby complaining that Yang is nagging her in a way that sounds “like Dad” and afterwards in Volume 2 both seem happy about his letter yet unsurprised that he’s going off somewhere; a single parent who has to work, which can definitely unintentionally make things tough for the kids and especially the eldest, but it’s also an understandable situation with no one really at fault per say. Then in Volume 3 & 4, he does seem like a good dad, there’s nothing to suggest otherwise.
It’s only once we get to Volume 5 and Yang’s speech in Alone Together that things seem off. But that’s also something that feels easy to brush away - as I definitely had without even realizing it until now - as how Yang felt alone more than her actually having raised Ruby. Especially because she says ‘Ruby couldn't even talk yet’ so Ruby was pretty young at the time (if Ruby’s can’t talk yet, she’s 2-ish making Yang 4); further emphasizing that it was probably a short period of time, but at a very formative age. Yet Yang having internalized that behavior's from Taiyang’s shutdown - no matter how long or brief - would make sense, especially coupled with the trauma of losing her mother; of course she’d be protective of Ruby, not want to let her out of her sight, and (with a child’s logic) take her along when running out of the house on a dangerous wild goose chase. Yang needing some sense of agency/control over the situation and projecting that onto keeping Ruby safe.
However, RWBY does none of the heavy lifting to explain that. It’s just the assumption I had been making with the pieces given. Any other assumption would be equally as valid and I guess I can now see why others had assumed he was a bad/absent dad. But, as is the case with the vast majority of RWBY, it would have been laughably easy to fix/clarify ALL of that with one of two small changes, or even both.
The first would be in Volume 4, have Taiyang talk to Yang about how she’s feeling and mention his own (continued) struggle with depression. I mean, Yang’s V4 arc is lackluster in so many ways, but that’s another story. I don’t think we need a definite ‘he shut down for this much time’, but just something to imply it was only a little while, may Yang feeling frustrated that she’s not making more progress yet that HE recovered by now so why can’t she? (Probably makes the most sense post putting on the prosthetic, having a flashback and feeling like this is a setback?) Maybe Taiyang bringing up that he still has bad days, that recovery isn’t a straight path, things that helped him recover, etc. It makes more sense for Yang to know that about Tai, but people aren’t the best at helping themselves, so him having to prompt her still make sense.
Secondly, changing Yang’s V5 dialogue from:
I don't think you know what it's like to be left. You have a giant family, recitals to perform at, dinners to attend. I didn't have any of that. My mom left me. Ruby's mom left too. Tai was always busy with school and Ruby couldn't even talk yet. I had to pick up the pieces. I had to keep things together. Alone.
To:
I don't think you know what it's like to be left. You have a giant family, recitals to perform at, dinners to attend. I didn't have any of that. My mom left me. Ruby’s mom left too. Qrow’s always flitted in and out of our lives, always had another mission to go on. I knew it was important, but I never knew if he’d come back, or- if he’d finally stay. Dad was... I know he tried his best. I know, alright? I’m not stupid. I’m not ...selfish. I know he made as much time for us as he could. He was the one who taught me to fight, to-- but he- it’s just, felt like he was so busy with school or missions or-- everything! And Ruby’s my baby sister. She needed me. I couldn’t let her feel like-- I had to pick up the pieces. I had to keep things together. Alone.
Why yes, Yang does make a lot of excuses for Tai in this version. However, they are very defensive excuses that demonstrates Yang has struggled with this for a while. That she wanted more attention, knew why Tai was busy and felt guilty (selfish/stupid) for wanting more of his time anyway: a normal emotional response that you know isn’t 100% logical, but you can’t help feeling and aren’t wrong for feeling. This way it puts much more emphasis on Yang’s emotional response, emphasizing that she felt responsible rather than necessarily was responsible for Ruby.
Also, just whilst I was there I wanted to mention Qrow coming and going from her life too, because it’s weird how much RWBY pretends that he is only Ruby’s uncle.
I wanted to try adding more grey to James, since he’s meant to be Ironwood. I think 12 ended up working best; the blue on the shoulders helps tie the look together more/looks more balanced to me and the palest grey avoided overselling the blue. I like the grey centre conceptually, but I don’t think a solid grey works properly there - maybe if the pattern from Due Process was repeated across the fabric instead? Regardless, I really miss the little bits of yellow in James’ Beacon & Volume 4 designs.
Paint refusing to fill tool on Qrow aside, I’m much more satisfied where his colours ended up - 10 is my favourite, but I think a few of these would work. With Qrow the aim was to get rid of the unnecessary brown and emphasise his red over the grey, no matter how much I like the boys matching. I like 10 because it’s more red than the brown of his other screenshot but less bright than the cape option. Also, having the red central helps avoid losing his silhouette in the cape. I think 10 works a bit more than 12, because the burgundy/purple that was originally in the centre helps pull out the blue of his trousers whilst also pushing the red/making his eyes pop more.
What do you guys think? Which is your favourite? Any ideas how I could have improved these?
this was brought up to my friends but I'm weighing on it anyway. for a show that deems color as important, why is maria so... dull???
first off, mexico is known for our flashy colors and our festive culture. we're known for our holidays and celebrations and traditions for a reason.
second, maria is based off of dia de los muertos. this holiday isn't dark and dreary and depressing. the whole point of it is to celebrate life and death, to invite our loved ones to visit. this is the way people dress on this holiday:
so why isn't maria in loud colors? hell, why isn't she associated to marigolds, one of our staple flowers of this holiday? even if she keeps the faded blue, why not have marigolds be a bright contrast to her dark outfit??
again, for a show that claims color is important, why are half our characters so dull and desaturated? and why especially maria?
it just feels like laziness to me. it feels like they couldn't put in the effort to do a tiny bit of research on this holiday that they made as her allusion. it's not hard to google dia de los muertos and see what it's really about beyond sugar skulls.
Okay, definitely a VERY rough draft (not even 10 minutes in Paint 3D, ‘cause tablet decided to go on strike valid) but, here is an attempt:
... no comment on my ‘marigolds’, circles are hard (which is also why I abandoned the young Maria’s top skirt, but regardless I think that would warrant a simpler pattern and/or to be the blues from her sleeve patterns to avoid too much clutter/being too loud, especially given it’s a purely action scene, but idk).
Otherwise, all I did was colour picking the blue from her collar/underdress(?). because gold on the bottom frill made her look too bottom heavy. Tho looking at it now, I should probably have also gone over her corset(?) lacing with the gold too, to pull the colour through her design.
I didn’t want to add too much colour to older Maria, because when she talks about how she gave up, it feels like she would have lost some of the vibrancy (her blues are greyer than young Maria already), but I still wanted the gold on the underside/second layer of skirt/whatever the solid stripe under the ruffles is supposed to be.
In stage blocking (whether theatre, film, or tv), moving around a desk is 101 baby's 1st dramatic tension trick; it's about power dynamics & authority. We're in James' office: his desk separates him from RWBY as trust breaks down. Excellent. Salem does her party trick & James backs away. Solid. Against the windows to keep authority over RWBY whilst losing ground to Salem, right? Nope. Out from behind the desk into the open, evoking physical vulnerability, where Ruby could reach him emotionally!
Hey anon! I honestly did not know that but that is very fascinating to learn about! I actually decided to rewatch the scene and it's very interesting to watch! Because we know the writers decide every motion and where to place every character for each scene so analyzing how they decide to place and move the characters around the scene can tell a lot about what the writers are thinking with that in mind. I put it below the cut because it gets kind of long. But interestingly I noticed that once James steps out from behind the desk he never goes back behind the desk, he remains out from behind it in a way remaining physically vulnerable and it’s actually Ruby that goes behind the desk.
Yup, yup. It’s one of the basic building blocks in theatre, because every drama classroom has easy access to tables and little else, because not only does it create a physical barrier, desks are one of the easiest status symbols: a headmaster’s desk is their position of power, even more so if you are also a general sending out orders.
The example my drama teacher always used was imagine an argument between character A and B. Character A raises their voice, Character B retreats backward. Okay, B is clearly afraid. However, Character A raises their voice, Character B retreats behind a table. Character B is afraid enough to create a physical obstacle to stop A from reaching them. It’s not always that extreme or blatant, but that’s the most basic form of how stage blocking establishes power dynamics.
So, RWBY Headmasters and the use of tables/desks around them a rough and dirty guide, because even with the cut this got far too long and I do not have the patience to double check every episode for stage blocking so we’re just working with the ones that I can remember ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ .
The Wizard of Oz
“Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!”
The design of their offices plays a huge role in this too, and I’ll touch on Ozpin’s with Pyrrha, but the first time we meet Ozpin it’s not his office, we’re instead in …Beacon’s interrogation room? I don’t what this place is, but that’s how it’s used both times we see a student questioned individually.
Regardless, Volume 1 Chapter 1. Ozpin enters and we have that harsh lighting dividing them into two clear sides: Ruby sitting lower in frame, Ozpin standing, but he bridges the gap by pushing the cookies over to Ruby’s side of the table.
Once they build up a rapport, Ozpin sits down to be on her level. There is only 1 chair. Glynda was there first and squarely on Ozpin’s side, but the chair goes to Ozpin: a hierarchy is established in the blocking that reinforces the dynamic shown by their interactions. Then, this shot:
It’s so on the nose, it actually hurts, but it’s undeniably effective. Sweet, pure light of hope Ruby is brightly lit against the dark mystery of Ozpin, but he reaches out into the light and breaks the divide between them when asking if she wanted to attend Beacon, causing Ruby to also lean in towards him and the camera angle change makes the table into a mere sliver rather than the lower 4th of the screen: it’s not a barrier, but a bridge.
The best boy arrives. It begins with Glynda & Ozpin behind his desk talking about James’ ships, a show of trust that she is in his confidence; Glynda lingers behind the desk, keeping distance, while Ozpin steps out from behind his desk to meet James in the centre of the room: two equals, friends.
He stays in front of the desk to offer James a drink, then retreats behind the desk as they start disagreeing. James stays standing, whilst Ozpin sits behind his desk to establish his authority: and create better framing for his fears/regrets when his head later dips on ‘I hope they never have to’.
I cannot find a screenshot of Blake’s volume 2 scene with Ozpin and YouTube doesn’t want to cooperate for that episode either, so have Burning the Candle instead. A lot of similar principles apply there, but in a different manner: Yang starting on the table and calling Blake over to sit on the same level, Yang leaving the table to be standing, then post flashback the table cutting off Blake’s ability to retreat and makes the room smaller/more intimate for such a personal moment.
ANYWAY, Ozpin talking to Blake. The lighting is far less dramatic this time, but having the camera move more and show the table dividing them creates a similar effect. The part that matters though is that after Blake denies knowledge of the White Fang & Ozpin goes to leave, though the table is technically between them still, when he implores Blake to talk to him, the table is no longer in frame.
Like we talked about before, James is the one most on board with Ruby’s desire to take action as it mirrors his own frustrations, so naturally he’s on her side of the room and the furthest adult from the desk for the majority of the scene.
Ozpin is seated initially, but stands up once Ruby enters. For the opening gag about ‘so that’s the tone we’re going for’, it make them all look more stern and unified, but it also means Ozpin is giving Ruby his full attention without sacrificing the position of authority behind the desk: it lessens the power imbalance if they’re both standing, a trick used with James A LOT during volume 7.
Everyone is back behind the desk, a smaller ‘room’ for a more secretive inner circle discussion. Ozpin is back in the leader’s chair and Glynda is much closer to the desk than James is. James comes closer as they disagree, building tension, then Ozpin stands. That increases then rapidly decreased the tension. It’s an abrupt movement, not aggressive but assertive, and established Ozpin’s lack of passiveness (reinforcing the verbal argument that caution is not inaction), but then Ozpin’s stance changes to an almost parade rest: he’s meeting James halfway by putting in terms he’ll understand better, whilst re-establishing the leadership framing.
The Scarecrow arrives! Initially, James is not touching Ozpin’s desk: he’s only standing in front of it. Ozpin takes his rightful place as leader, while Glynda and James stand in front of it together like Lieutenants - a unified front against Qrow - with Winter noticeably further forward as a third party. Glynda ends up leaning against the desk, but I can’t quite tell if she does that immediately or if her stance shifts at some point.
Then, once Qrow talks about intel and their annoyance disperses somewhat, James shifts away from Glynda to the other side of the desk: to lean against it, more relaxed, but still framing the rest of the inner circle against Qrow’s resumed outburst about not communicating. Having James against the desk also helps reinforce his authority to dismiss Winter, whilst not undermining Ozpin’s.
Getting the above framing for the line ‘it’s why we meet behind closed doors’ will never not amused me, because it screams Ironqrow tension and history between those two, but regardless; James against the desk also reduces their height difference so they’re on a more even footing for this section of disagreement.
James then moves away from the desk and we get a reverse of the earlier framing with Qrow & Glynda in front of the desk against James’ plan. Once Ozpin stands, taking command from behind his desk, the camera angle flips around a lot but always showing the desk separating them from him. Once James concedes the point, he comes back toward the desk; towards the centre of gravity that is Ozpin’s power/authority, the gap between them is bridged and so they get physically closer.
Pyrrha’s framing is why I used the Wizard of Oz quote at the beginning of this segment. Ozpin’s office does not normally have the chair, it looks like it was dragged in from another room just for this moment. There’s nothing remarkable about this scene’s framing overall, but it does demonstrate WHY desk stage blocking is so effective. Almost everyone can resonate with feeling like a little kid in front of a headmasters/teachers desk, ya know?
Anyway, the point I wanted to make about the chair is that Ozpin’s office is an ivory tower. A stage. There is basically nothing in that room: only the desk, the elevators, the clockwork, and that one little table with a plant. There is no curtain to look behind. Nothing to see here. Nope. Just a normal headmaster with his completely normal clock tower office. Ask no further questions. It’s an excellent showcase of what good set design can be. Not as detailed as Leo or James get, but solid nonetheless.
I don’t really have anything to say about Ozpin being behind his desk with computer screens up when Qrow & Glynda run in after Cinder’s monologue. He’s sending out his troops as a commander, it’s as simple as this get, so onto the Mistral House:
Just gonna merge most of those conversations into one to demonstrate how the blocking can work is less blatant examples. Ozpin’s chair is clearly established as the armchair: the one solo chair in the very centre, it places him as the most important person. And while it’s mostly a gag, having him standing on the chair does create a high ground authority too.
When Yang confronts him about the bird transformation, Oz leaves his armchair/throne position of absolute authority. He walks around the table to the opposite side from Yang: it moves him out of Yang’s direct reach, whilst also framing him to be standing with Qrow. So that when Yang yells at him, Qrow can cut her off from a solid position of authority: followed up by Oz asking ‘may I?’ when he wants to go towards Yang, he keeps authority on the other side of the table, but crosses over the ‘barrier’ of Qrow’s position, before finally coming to stand next to Yang when he’s vulnerable and admits that his power is finite and dwindling, then being the one to make contact with Yang: touching her shoulder.
So at this point in volume 6, Ozma hasn’t decided to leave Salem yet. He still thinks he can talk to her, so they are on the same side of her desk. Yet it’s clearly framed as HER desk. She’s learning against it, in the position of power compared to Ozpin being open in the room. Simple, but it works.
The Cowardly Lion
I love Leo’s desk. It is as much a safety blanket as it is suffocating him. Where he’s seeking safety is also WATTS what’s control him: Salem. You can see it in the volume 5 intro, Leo safe behind his desk with Watts looming over him and the Grimm tendrils encroaching.
He begins in front of the desk in 5x1, but then retreats away from Qrow’s interrogation to hide behind it. Watts has to call him out from behind the desk to see to Seer grimm. He uses it to separate him from Raven. The angles are always tight and low, which makes the desk take up a huge portion of the frame, this massive wooden obstacle between him and any other character. And Leo is almost always sitting.
Now, when Oz was sitting, it was with confidence: taking command of the scene. Leo however is framed to cower away, especially when conversing with Raven; he’s so submissive and low in frame that is almost looks like he’s sat before Raven at HER desk.
The one major exception to that is his brief outburst at Qrow about not being able to take Raven’s tribe, but you still have the desk itself taking up more of the frame than is allotted to Leo. Technically true for Qrow too, but because Qrow is on the audience side of the desk and gets a full body shot, the desk doesn’t dominate him in the same way. Leo is made to look small and vulnerable by the desk.
The Tin Woodsman
Starting with Jacques office, they are antagonistically separated by the table. What makes it antagonistic rather than just how a normal room looks? Well the chessboard symbolism helps, but its the low angle: we’re looking up at both of them from the division between them. However, at this point it’s still a meeting of equals. Whereas when talking to Weiss, Jacques moves behind his desk to have authority and talk down to her.
Later it becomes clear they cannot cooperate and James’ campaign against tables begins. Not relevant to this discussion on desks, but somehow does not make the top 20 weird CRWBY decisions, maybe not even of those related to James.
Jacques is in his seat of power. He’s confidently sitting whilst James stands, no chair moved over despite others existing in the office, so how does James come out in control of his scene? He looms over the desk, while Jacques leans as far back into his chair as he can: trying to get away from James. The desk is not a barrier to push James away, it’s what’s keeping him away: defence, not offence, despite Jacques’ attempt at a power play.
So, James welcomes them into his office: getting everyone inside BEFORE he moves to sit behind his desk. This could be used to establish James setting down the law and clearly what RWBY fear happening, but instead he chuckles when they mention stealing with airship. He’s in a position of power, but not utilising it: like how Pyrrha sitting in Ozpin’s office is relatively neutral despite showing where authority rests.
Then in the pictured moment, James is flanked by Lieutenants, but having them behind the desk shifts the dynamic from the one we saw with Ozpin and his inner circle. That separation makes it more neutral: having power without using it. Also love the little hat the window detailing gives James.
Then, when he shares his plan with RWBY&CO, James leaves the safety of his desk and comes down the steps to stand on the same level as everyone else. There is a table dividing them technically, but it’s a round table. Visually, the knights of the round table. Equal footing, all voices matter. James could surely have activated the display from his desk, but he doesn’t.
James seems really restless this scene, and honestly most in his office, because he. will. not. stop. moving. It’s like they wanted to get an angle for every part of the office. Regardless, even once he moves back toward his desk, it’s not used to separate them in the same way. Instead, that dais platform his desk rests on is used to create a high ground division of authority, which James still bridges to go back down to their level and give Ruby the lamp.
I have written far too much about DESKS today, so speed rounding through v7. James keeps doing his leave the position of power to be on an equal level with his people thing constantly. In this scene with Nora, yes James is behind his desk as she yells at him, tension is building as he gets closer to the desk, ready to assert authority. And he does not. Instead, he sighs and sits: position of authority, not wielding it.
Then when he outright overrules the idea of telling people ahead of time and does use his authority, James stands and leave his desk. He comes out into the room to be with them whilst giving instructions and, like you mention in the original scene, shows trust/vulnerability by turning his back on them. It’s not something that can 100% be avoided if you think about a room’s layout logically, but that’s not how shows work; the camera will cheat it so that an audience doesn’t see the vulnerability, by using other angles or cutting to other characters. Here James’ displays of trust are blatant and constant.
Also, when Ren takes James’ side, the desk is framed behind him. He gets centre frame, framed by James’ literal seat of power. It is gorgeous stage blocking and I cannot for the life of me tell if you’re right and there is a secret James stan animating those scenes, or if CRWBY is once again lucking into something greater than what they actually try to do.
So, I’m basically skipping the majority of stuff with the Schnee table, but the cliff notes version is that the camera angle shifts to make characters look bigger relative to the others as their power in the conversation grows. Jacques has the table between him and other initially, but once his power breaks down everyone is on the same side, crowded around him because his defences have been breached: seen most blatantly with James crowding over his chair.
However, once we reach the Oscar conversation, things get interesting. James is sat at the head of the table. The position of authority. We’ve been in the room for a while, we know where he is sat. Yet, the framing makes James’ side of the table look much longer and Oscar’s side seems like the head of the table instead. The room’s framing cheats to push power into Oscar’s hand, because James is vulnerable after hearing the news and Oscar was the one to create that vulnerability.
Then when Oscar asks ‘what are you going to do’, the angle swings back to a “true” presentation. James is at the head of the table, he is in charge and must make the call to defend Mantle. The return camera angle is more intimate, closer with the characters for a more level playing field for the city in the sky line.
Then once Oscar goes to leave and we get James at the head of the table, but the audience and Oscar are framed on the same side as James. Not separated from him and he turns away from the table to show vulnerability when asking for no more surprises. Not like when he hides his expression from Oscar, he shows that vulnerability nakedly and in a manner where he’s moved away from the security of the table.
You covered this scene, but to answer about this specific framing angle, it can mean A LOT of things depending on context. However, in this case, it’s about the audience seeing both perspectives without them seeing each other.
As you said, James is mentally preparing himself, but in doing so he’s also hiding his expressions from RWBY. It’s vulnerable (physically to RWBY with his back turned, emotionally to the audience) whilst also showing that there is a wall being built between the characters, that isn’t being bridged by sharing the frame which other camera angle could show. This kind of angle keeps the physical distance clear, they aren’t being pulled closer.
In this scene RWBY plant their feet and refuse to move, narratively and in the framing. There is no compromise and, though their feet aren’t glued to their starting position, they’re largely keeping to their assigned area. That doesn’t mean anything on its own, but it stands out compared to James’ movement across the dais.
Until, Ruby’s coup. Because it’s not just any desk that Ruby hides behind. It’s James’ desk. She steals his literal seat of power. Remember what I said about Lieutenants and how James’ framing was different than Ozpin’s? Well, WBY are in front and larger: muscle to protect the seat of power. Ruby hides behind his desk. Literally. Not just goes behind it, she is crouched on the ground, hiding, when she makes that call.
In a better written show, Ruby would have bridged the divide. Closing the physical distance whilst reaching out to James. The framing should have narrowed, closer and closer, as tension built. Smaller is more intimate, the threat of violence more real; that way she can get closer to James without immediately defusing the scene. Smaller and more intimate, until the moment of release when they see eye to eye and finally agree; getting on the same level together as leaders on the dais, with some camera trickery and/or collapsing to the ground because one of them is 6′6″ and the other is very much not.
And I’m not touching v8 with a ten foot plot, because this was already so much to write and I’m certain I’ve skipped several in v7 regardless, but on the topic of the saint rays.
This framing was easy to avoid, even with the office already designed like this. Tip the camera up slightly, tip the camera down slightly, do the exact same shot but framed with the window instead. Turn the chair to the side slightly to frame against the symmetry of the walls instead. There are infinitely more options to not give him saint framing than there are for this one shot, where he even sinks down into the framing.
However, this shot is gorgeous despite not at all working with the villain angle. Even beyond the saint rays, James is being framed by the symbols of his office as a position of strength. Yes, the architecture of that backwall beyond the ray fresco with the statues flanking him, but also the desk. There is nothing below the line of his desk and the shot frames it going all the way across: it looks like a platform, supporting the weight of everything above. That framing is Atlas.
Tumblr, why are you doing that to the formatting!? OP’s answer first, not in the middle of the reblog. I’m sorry… but mostly confused?
Hello. I jist finished all, I mean all, your IronStrange works. I so love them! Can I make a little request? Just a little prompt. What if Tony doesn't know about Stephen's astral projecting and they just started dating. He was thinking of startling him but Stephen didn't respond so he started panicking and thought something wrong is happening. I dunno. I just think that will be so cute and I immediately thought of your writing style. It's okay tho if you're not up to it. Thank you for all your amazing works! 💚
As with last time; I don’t usually take requests but it’s been a while since the last one came in so i decided what the heck - also I run on flattery and you’ve fed me. 💕💕💕
I’m not sure if this is what you had in mind but I hope it’s enjoyable either way. Also - because why not - I imagine this as the same universe as the previous request. A sequel, if you will.
Stepping through the doors of the sanctum, more often than not, still had him swallowing back anxiety - if not outright panic.
It wasn't the opening of the door that freaked him out - he usually pretended it was just a mechanism, opening to the recognition of his face. What bothered him still was the shift in the air as he approached - the sentience of the old building as it sensed him, reaching out onto the pavement and enveloping him like phagocytosis, checking his presence before it allowed its doors to open. It only got worse the moment he stepped inside, the force wrapping around him and compressing his skin. He still tried to ignore it as best as he could, could feel his body tense against the pressure as it tried to push back.
Despite having been friends with Strange for months - and currently dating him for almost five weeks - he still wasn't fond of magic.
He trusted Stephen, trusted his soft but trembling hands, the smile around his eyes, and the twirl of his hair - trusted his authority over the mystical world. What he didn't trust was the mystical world itself.
Stephen, who knew this, usually came down to greet him the moment he arrived - whether or not his presence had been previously announced - which is why Tony found it odd that he wasn't there now. It was date night, after all.
The heels of his shoes - which were only slightly above average height and that, along with the padded souls on the inside, gave him an extra inch that no one needed to know about - against the wooden floors echoed around the empty foyer. The sound bounced off the old walls and ricocheted back towards him, putting the hair on his arms on end.
He gripped the bag of take-out tighter in his hand and reached out to tap his arc reactor so his suit could swallow him into safety. The moment he was covered in nanoparticles, he immediately felt it easier to breathe, his mind shifting into Iron Man mode.
"FRIDAY?" He asked, the Irish lilt coming alive at once in response to his question. "Check the building for heat signatures."
"I detect Doctor Strange in the lounge, sir. He is fine, but his vitals are slightly off. No other signatures in the building."
Tony could feel his breath hitch in his chest, shoulders tensing further as he retracted his suit and rushed into the hallway, reaching the informal lounge in no time.
He stopped in the doorway when his eyes finally found Stephen, and his heart dared relax again as he noticed the familiar pose of the sorcerer. He edged closer, placing the bag of food on a nearby surface and making sure to stay quiet as not to alert the sorcerer of his presence.
Tony had never seen Stephen meditate, but it wasn't hard to figure out that was what he was doing. He was sitting cross-legged, floating over the ground around his usual height, and Tony realized that must have been why his vitals were off from their regular stats; his breathing slower than expected, heart quieted down, mind further away. A fond smile crawled over his face as Tony snuck around his boyfriend, finally seeing his face after a horrid week of work and barely any free time to even face call.
His face was slack, looking both younger and older with the lines smoothed out. His eyes were closed as expected, his lashes a stark contrast against his pale cheekbones, which had softened slightly. Tony was reminded of the last morning they had gotten to spend together - almost a week ago now. Every morning since, he'd hoped to open his eyes to find pale blue eyes carefully watching him, warm skin against his naked shoulder, his arms wrapped around a narrow waist.
They were still trying to figure out a way to find space for each other in their hectic lives. It was a challenging endeavor, but one that Tony knew was worth it every time his eyes trailed over Stephen.
Stephen's magic made it simpler, of course, as no other lover would be able to portal over whenever he finished up his work in Nepal earlier than expected. No one else could jump out of his tower window and fly over whenever he felt like skipping a day of work. Still, they had their responsibilities, and this week had been the longest they'd gone without seeing each other since they'd started their relationship.
Thinking about it, no matter how much Tony loved watching Stephen, he loved talking to him more. So, he decided to beg his boyfriend for the attention he rightfully deserved. Stephen still hadn't seemed to notice him, so Tony decided to have some fun with it. Sneaking closer, intend on scaring the sorcerer, he leaned into his ear.
Careful as not to touch him or otherwise alert him from his presence, Tony spoke softly but surely. "Honey, I'm home."
The sorcerer didn't even flinch - in fact, he didn't respond at all, keeping his face just as slack as when Tony had walked in, chest still moving slowly but steadily.
"Honey?" Tony frowned, stepping closer and, now there was no point in hiding his presence anymore, wrapping his arms around the sorcerer's waist. It was nice to feel Stephen's body between his arms again, but Tony couldn't revel in it as his eyes searched Stephen's face worriedly. Not a hitch - not even the rolling of his cornea underneath his eyelids.
Tony's breath sped up as he stepped away again, letting his arms fall to his side as he once again moved to stand in front of Stephen. Gingerly he reached out to place his fingers against Stephen's carotid artery, feeling it flutter quietly under his fingertips. It wasn't a relief - he trusted FRIDAY when she'd said his vitals were fine if different from usual. Still, it didn't explain why he didn't react.
What if he'd been spelled or something? What if magic was keeping his consciousness hostage? What if someone was addling his mind?
He was starting to feel on edge, breath speeding up - he didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to contact Wong for help, or whether help was even needed … or possible. What if he was already as good as braindead?
His fears and worries rushed through his head, combining with the memories he had with Stephen, the utter knowledge that he did not want to lose what they had. No matter how new their relationship was, he wasn't sure if he could go back to before, to a life without him.
He'd survive it, of course - he wasn't going to be more dramatic about it than it warranted - but he'd already felt the crushing weight of his absence over the last week. The last thing he wanted was for that pain to become a permanent part of his life - combined with the uncertainty of what could have been.
He didn't want to lose Stephen watching him from across the room, the warmth of his stare against his skin. Didn't want to miss Stephen's voice, the way it reverberated through his veins, reaching his heart in a soft tenor. Wanted to learn more of his weak spots - the points on his skin that would make him flinch, blush, and glare at him all at the same time -
Tony reached out, heart beating fast in desperation as he let his hands trail over Stephen's thigh, the thought sparking this mind. He stopped right above his knee and spread his thumb and index finger, finding the tendon's on either side of his leg. He waited with bated breath as he observed Stephen carefully and then quickly pressed his fingers into his skin.
This, at least, got a reaction from Stephen's body; his face flinched, his legs jumping slightly where they were floating cross-legged in the air. He was so focused on the changes in Stephen's features, waiting desperately for his eyes to open, that he missed the sanctum's shift in magic.
"You know I hate it when you -" A sudden, scolding voice spoke from behind him, making Tony jump out of his skin. Waves of panic rolled through his muscles, and he grasped a hand against his chest as he whirled around to find Stephen floating behind him.
"HOLY SHIT- Stephen, I have a heart condition!" He gasped, still trying to gather his breath as his eyes roamed over the sorcerer- or his? What? Ghost? HAD Stephen died after all?? He swallowed deeply, eyes trailing between Stephen's body and … Stephen?
"My apologies," Stephen smiled, crow's feet forming at his eyes despite not having eyes - not really. His hand reached out to touch Tony's cheek as if on instinct. Tony could feel the energy around Stephen's fingers as they neared his skin, but the sorcerer pulled back at the last moment, much to Tony's dismay. Stephen blinked, seemingly remembering himself. "Oh right, one moment -"
Stephen disappeared, fading out of existence, and Tony's heart lurched out in panic before strong arms wrapped around him from behind. Tony sighed into the embrace, leaning his back against Stephen's chest as he allowed his heart to slow down finally.
"You're late," Tony huffed, even as his hands dug into the arms wrapped around his torso, keeping the sorcerer firmly in place. "And now the food's cold."
Stephen leaned forward, trailing his lips over the skin in Tony's neck. He tilted his head to allow the sorcerer easier access. Tony hummed quietly as Stephen went for his usual soft spot, sucking as he let his teeth scrape over his skin.
"I lost track of time." Stephen pulled back. Tony let out an annoyed groan. "But I am starving."
Tony rolled his eyes and stepped out of Stephen's embrace, pointing towards the bag on the cabinet against the wall. "Got a microwave?"
"Let's put that in the fridge for tomorrow," Stephen suggested, glancing towards Tony. Tony caught his eye, raising his eye in intrigue. "I feel like going out to eat."
"Really?" Tony asked, a pleased smile creeping up his face. Despite having been 'dating' for a while, they hadn't actually gone out yet - they usually spend their nights in the sanctum or Tony's penthouse. Tony loved it either way; he just wanted to spend time with Stephen, and in the comfort of their own homes, they could be as affectionate and tactile as they wanted to be.
Going out would be a new experience, one Tony was already looking forward to sharing with him.
He leaned over to press a kiss to Stephen's lips - suddenly acutely aware they hadn't kissed in days. Stephen's hand came up to curl in his hair, but the kiss remained brief.
The sorcerer was the one to pull back, a smile still around his lips. "I'll have to change into something more appropriate. Come on."
Tony followed the sorcerer upstairs, falling onto Stephen's bed as soon as they'd stepped into his bedroom. He spread out on the familiar sheets, lounging against the headboard as he watched Stephen head over to his closet and get ready to change. He definitely didn't stop himself from observing the sorcerer as his robes were peeled away, eyeing the vast expanse of skin as it was revealed inch by inch.
Stephen glanced towards him, immediately catching his eyes with a pleased smirk - and it's only then that Tony realized he'd hummed in appreciation. Oh well. It was allowed to be known how much he liked the view.
"You know-" Tony started as Stephen finished buttoning his pants and moved to grab a soft green sweater to pull over his head. "- You really scared me earlier."
"Yes, I truly am sorry. Are you okay?" Stephen asked as he moved towards the mirror to run a brush through his hair.
From Stephen's reaction, Tony knew that the meaning of his words hadn't fully gotten through. He shifted away from the headboard, throwing his legs over the side. "No - not that. I thought - I don't know - I thought something might have happened to you."
Stephen stopped mid-movement, slowly lowering his brush so he could place it on the dresser. He turned around, a soft smile on his face as he caught Tony's eyes.
"I wasn't doing anything dangerous, I promise." Stephen's voice was soothing but understanding, and he moved over to sit down next to Tony on the edge of the bed. "It's called astral projection - it's one of the first things I learned at Kamar Taj."
"I just don't want to lose you," Tony admitted, reaching his hand up to run a finger along Stephen's hairline, toying with the strands of hair there. Stephen smiled back at him, eyes surprisingly warm for their sapphire blue.
"I know, and I did not particularly like when you were kidnapped either." Stephen’s eye turned serious then, seemingly considering their predicament. Tony realised it too - they were a mess of a couple, really. There was danger around every bend for the both of them, and they were rarely fighting the same battles. Tony didn’t want to think about how he would even find out if something went wrong during one of Stephen’s missions. “But as neither of us can put down our duties, all we can do is enjoy the moments we can. Unless-”
Stephen trailed off, and Tony frowned when his eyes shifted away from him. he lowered his hand slightly so he could cup Stephen’s cheek and turn his eyes back to him. “What?”
“If you rather don’t -”
“Of course I do!” Tony soothed immediately, thumb trailing over the skin underneath Stephen’s eyes. “I don’t think I’d be able to give this up even if I wanted to.”
Stephen grabbed Tony's hand as it distractedly trailed back up to his fringe, pressing a kiss to the back of Tony's palm before returning it to his lap. "Now, no messing with my hair; I just brushed it.”
I think the Avengers cinematic series lost it’s appeal pretty much the same second I realized the directors were never going to make the team be friends
I like Tony because he’s chaos incarnate, acting on every impulse. Most of them turn out good, some of them not so good. He sees his past for what it was, and maybe he refuses to forgive himself. Same. Maybe he hates his upbringing. Same. Maybe he wants more than anything to atone. Same.
I like Stephen because he’s careful, meticulous, thinking through everything. This usually serves him, but sometimes it bites back. He sees the future and all it’s possibilities. They keep him up and invade his dreams. Same. Maybe he wants to keep people safe as an extension of his original calling. Same. Maybe he feels like he owes it to the world after all his selfishness. Same.
They’re so aware of their flaws, but also not. They confront them but they don’t. Not head on. They mitigate the worst affects of their character defects. Try to keep from hurting others but never care for keeping themselves safe.
Maybe I get that. Maybe I want them to just find happiness in each other.
supernatural is like “what if we made a show about angels and demons and world mythology and massive universe-spanning cosmic themes but we only cast american white people.” anyway here’s an indian cas
(if this gets notes i might redesign more of the cast)
dailybridgerton
blakekathryn
areudirty
2087
romaincrisis
snowghoul
kianamaiart
gummygunk
tangentwithtanner
germansingergirl
