Jan 5, 2024
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Night swimming in Copenhagen: floating lights in a sea of stars #nightsw...
Clearing out my camera roll 16/?
ଘ(੭*ˊᵕˋ)੭* ੈ♡‧₊˚
Tangled Lighting
Two of the key elements of the lantern sequence in Tangled were Lighting & Effects. Using materials from our Look Dept, multiple light rigs, and the Effects animated dance of the lanterns, Lighting combined all of these pieces to create this beautiful scene.
Robert L Miles, Lighting Supervisor, Walt Disney Animation Studios
https://www.facebook.com/23245476854/videos/715617629331270/
And this was done without Hyperion which WDAS created for Big Hero 6 and which was and is used in all subsequent films. Imagine if the lighting was rendered with Hyperion! Compare Frozen (pre-Hyperion) and Frozen II to see the difference.
The Sundrop Alchemist (2)
Me: Writes prologue and two chapters of the story in just two days and posts all, because I have no idea when the inspiration will go away. It always does...
Anyway, here’s chapter 2.
Summary: Varian finally gathers courage and asks Mother to leave the tower. Only for one night... for his birthday... She should agree, right?
AO3 link is here
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Chapter 2: The Birthday Lights
Varian pursed his lips, reminding himself to be brave. He was going to do it. He was going to ask Mother.
He heard a familiar female voice calling out for him at the bottom of the tower. With a resolve in his heart, he opened the window and threw down his hair, securing it over the wheel. Soo, he felt a tug and proceed to lift Mother up.
She looked rather tired, which was no surprise, considering she has to travel a long way this time. Varian didn’t know where exactly Mother went off to this time, but she was gone for several days, so it has to be really far.
“Ah, you’re getting better at this.” The woman praised, patting his blonde hair in approval. He blushed a little at the appraisal.
It was true. When earlier it took him several minutes to lift Mother up to the windowsill, now it was just a matter of half a minute.
“You behaved while I was gone, I presume.” Mother went on, setting down her basket and turning to him. She opened her arms and he gladly launched at her, hugging the woman.
He missed her those days she was gone. She didn’t spend as much time in the tower as she did when he was younger, but she still tried to come every second day. This was the longest she was away, as far as he remembered.
“I missed you, Mother.” He mumbled at her chest and she patted him again. He unlaced his arms and took a step back. Mother didn’t like it when he hugged her for too long. “Did you have a good trip?”
“Aw, I’m sorry to leave you alone for so long, Flower.” She made a sad face and cupped his cheek affectionately. “Mother had some things to take care of.”
“I understand, Mother.” Varian nodded. He stood still for a moment. “Oh, I’ve tried out a new recipe from the book you gave me!” He remembered, running up to the oven and taking out a tray of sweet-smelling cookies. “I wanted you to be the first one to try them.”
Gingerly, he offered the tray to the woman. She eyed the confections cautiously. Both of them knew Varian loved experimenting, was it with alchemy, engineering OR cooking.
“I-I didn’t add anything weird this time, I promise.” The boy supplied, red spreading at his cheeks. “I followed the recipe to the dot.”
“Well, let’s see if it’s edible then, shall we?” Mother joked and picked up one cookie. She bit a small piece and nibbled on it in silence.
Varian held his breath, as Mother ate. Was it good? Bad? Too sweet? Too bitter? Maybe he forgot some ingredient? He was so pumped up about the recipe, he might have forgotten something.
Finally, Mother swallowed the piece. There was a moment of silence as she thought about her judgement. Varian thought he could die just there, if she didn’t like it.
“Well…” She spoke up and Varian hang to every word. This was it. “... seems like not everything you do must end with disaster.” She smiled and ate the rest of the cookie. She patted his cheek and he smiled.
“So you liked it?” He asked, eyes glistening.
“It was definitely better than the food I have to ate on my journey.” She replied, sitting down on the stool. “Next time you’ll prepare food for me, won’t you, Flower?”
“O-of course, Mother!” Varian agreed gingerly and put the tray on the table. He took one of the cookies and the woman picked up another one, nibbling on it absent-mindedly.
“But that’s for other time.” Mother waved her had nonchalantly and smiled. “Now, be a dear and bring me your hairbrush. It’s been a while since I brushed your hair.”
The boy quickly ran up to his room and brought up the blue hairbrush. He gave it to the woman, running up and bringing a stool for himself to sit. A familiar song found its way to his lips and he felt at peace, singing gently. Magic flew through his hair and Mother gently brushed it, untangling any knots.
After the ritual, they both set out to make dinner. Varian was fully capable to do it on his own, but he loved it when he worked together with Mother. It made those rare moments more memorable.
They ate, chatting about Mother’s travel. Varian listened carefully, his mind picturing the places she described. He loved when Mother spoke about the outside world. It felt magical and the boy wanted nothing more but to explore it by himself.
“Oh my, I would have forgotten.” Mother said suddenly and reached out to her basket, fishing out a book and pushing it towards the boy. “I got you a little something, while I was away.”
“Tales of Flynnigan Rider, Tome 5!” He exclaimed happily, eyes wandering over the cover. It looked old and used, but it didn’t matter. It was a gift from Mother! “Thank you, Mother!”
“Well, what kind of mother I would be, if I came back empty-handed?” The woman laughed and observed the boy looking through the book. “Speaking of, your birthday are coming, are they not? Which ones are they this time? Nine? Ten?”
“Fourteen, Mother.” Varian supplied and Mother laughed.
“Silly me. I still think you’re my sweet little boy.” She ruffled his hair playfully. “You grow up so fast.”
“Um… so, about by birthday…” Varian set the book down and knotted his fingers under the table. He took a deep breath. This was it. He was going to ask her. “Could you take me to see the floating lights?”
“Do you mean stars, Flower?” Mother cocked her head in confusion. “Why, they are perfectly visible from here.”
“No, not the stars. They’re… Let me show you.” Before the woman could react, he darted back to his room. He picked up his notebook from the bedside table and ran back, looking through it. “Here, see? They’re not stars!” He opened the correct page and pushed the notebook towards Mother. “Stars are white and they are not that big. These-these floating lights have different colours.” He pointed to the drawing, showing colourful dots. Pink, yellow, green, blue… “I… I don’t know what they are, but they appear only once a year, exactly at my birthday. Can we, please, go see them? I… I want to know what they are. Just for one night, several hours.”
“Flower…” Mother sighed and pushed the notebook away. “How many times should I tell you? You can’t leave this tower. It’s not safe out there.”
“B-but, if I go with you-” Varian tried to argue but Mother shushed him quickly.
“You stay in that tower for your own protection, Flower. The world outside is awful and cruel. I only go out, because I need to.” She took his face in her hands and continued. “There are ruffians and criminals. Men with pointy teeth and sharp nails. They would take you away, hurt you and use you for your magic hair.”
“I…I don’t think it’s that bad-” The boy cut in, but Mother put her finger on his lips, successfully shutting him.
“Trust me, Flower. I would know.” She said. “Ruffians, thugs, poison ivy, quicksand, cannibals, snakes... I’ve seen it all. Not once I barely escaped with my life.” She added dramatically.
Varian’s breath hitched. Mother barely escaped with her life? Mother? Did that mean…?
“And you, Varian.” Mother looked him up and down and tutted. “They would eat you alive. You are so young, so naive. All it would take is one blink of an eye for me to lose you. And you know it would break my heart, if anything were to happen to you.”
“I… I’m sorry, Mother.” Varian downed his head in shame. Mother took care of him for so long, kept him safe from the awful world outside. And he wanted it all go to waste just to see some floating lights. He was an awful son.
“Varian?” Mother spoke and he looked up at her, tears in his eyes. Was she mad? Disappointed?
She opened her arms in a silent invitation and he barrelled into her, crying. She shushed him, gently stroking his hair.
“Promise me, you will never leave this tower.” She said, voice tainted with sadness. He nodded against her chest, tears falling from his eyes.
“I promise, Mother.” He whispered into her dress.
“Good. I love you, Flower.” Mother said. Varian hugged her even tighter.
“I love you more.” He replied.
“I love you most.” She finished, planting a kiss on the top of his head.
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So... she didn’t agree. But that’s fine, right? He can stay in the tower forever... right?...