I love seeing couples cosplay, especially of characters that I grew up watching! This Fred and Wilma Flintstone are absolutely perfect! (Side thought – I should get a Pebbles costume for my daughter…)
Why you get bored during fight scenes
Hello My Imaginary Friends,
Fight scenes are hard to write and even harder to write well. A great fight scene will simultaneously amuse and move the story forward. This applies to any medium.
There are three elements to a fantastic fight scene and if you’re missing one of them it will fall flat. Those three elements are Tension, Character and Story Development, and Entertainment.
These three elements should be present in any good fight scene but be used in varying amounts for different styles.
Tension
The tension in the fight comes from the risk of injury, death, or failure. If you’re watching a fight and don’t really care what’s happening than there’s no tension.
In order to care about the scene the audience has to care about the characters, the outcome, or the location. The tension in a good Godzilla movie isn’t whether he’ll survive, but what his fight will do to the city and people in it.
Once the audience is invested, the fight has to feel like the thing or person we invested in, is in peril. If you know Superman will win and the movie gives you a thirty minute set piece fight, you get bored.
This is extremely common in Table Top games when the player characters are overpowered and the gamemaster just throws longer fights at them.
It also happens in superhero movies and super powered hero books.
Guilty: Man of Steel (2013), Chuck Norris, and Dungeons and Dragons 4th edition.
Innocent: Wonder Woman (2017), Jackie Chan, and Shadowrun 3rd edition.
Character Story and Development
If your fight scene serves no other reason than to show off special effects or fill space, it’ll be boring.
A fight scene needs to work like a song in a good musical. It tells us about the characters, moves their plot forward, and ties in to the rest of the story. It also needs to be a story in itself.
The time I have as an audience member is precious and I want more than just something pretty.
Guilty: Atomic Blond (2017), Star Wars Episode 1, 2, and 3, Star Trek Into Darkness, Dungeons and Dragons Random Encounters system.
Innocent: Hitman’s Bodyguard (2017), Star Wars Episode 5, 6 and 7, Star Trek (2009), Princess Bride
Entertainment
This is the third category and in truth, it’s the one that most people concentrate on when writing a fight scene.
This is where the tricks and awesome things come in. Sometimes it’s humour, sometimes it’s choreography, and sometimes it’s just banter. This is the hardest to get wrong and often flows out of the other two.
Guilty: Fight Club, Star Wars A New Hope, and older low level JRPGs (I’m looking at you Everquest on NES)
Innocent: Kung Fu Panda, Batman Vs Superman, modern JRPGs
I like my fight scenes weighted towards Character Story and Development with a lot of Entertainment (Pirates of the Caribbean, Hitman’s Bodyguard, Princess Bride, Court Jester, Kingsman), but as long as a fight scene hits on all three I’m happy.
What’s your favourite fight scene and why?
Éric
Niagara Falls
Although not inspired by Mario Kart, those of us who grew up racing in video games can’t help but be reminded of those hours spent in front of a console when we look at Niagara Falls’ new go-kart race track.
On top of the falls themselves (the Canadian ones are better!), you can visit a new zombie exhibit, a 4D motion theatre, and the recently renovated Ripley’s Believe It Or Not museum.
Are you interested in travelling to Niagara Falls? Jen has retired from working as a travel agent. Hope you’ve enjoyed Fandom Travel.
Éric’s Top 5 Workplace Pet Peeves
Hello My Imaginary Friends,
Every work place is different. That being said, there are certain things that you shouldn’t do and that annoy me.
5. Talking while I’m working
Feel free to have a conversation, but not next to me. Yes, I may work near a hall or kitchen etc, but that doesn’t mean my work area is a meeting room. You may think you’re being quiet, but my area isn’t a meeting zone.
If you’re within 6 feet of my cubicle and you plan on having a meeting that is longer than 30 seconds… GO AWAY!
4. Being in the way
I understand you haven’t seen Hrothgar in a long time and you just need to chat. Don’t do it at the entrance or exit of something. Especially don’t have your heated discussions in a narrow hall. That’s super awkward.
GET A ROOM!
3. Popcorn
All kinds of food smell strongly, but nothing sticks in the air like popcorn. That smell will hover around for hours. Now Aeschere, I know you need your snack, but either make enough for the entire floor or CHOOSE ANOTHER SNACK!
2. Policing my work
I realize it’s important that we all do our best and work hard to ensure our work-stuff is done and done well. How, when, where, and with whom I do it is none of your business. (Yeah I’m talking to you Unferth!)
I work best when I’m not dying of boredom and since my job can get tedious I tend to watch videos while I work. It helps me stay focused and I work faster.
My work is my business and my manager’s.
STOP BEING A BUSYBODY!
1. Scents
The smell of certain perfumes can make me physically sick. I’m not alone in this, many people have issues. If I have a strong floral scent around me, I will start to sneeze, get a migraine, and if it lasts long enough, become nauseated. I have had to leave work because of this in the past.
As much as you like that scented hand sanitizer Sigemund, remember that not everyone around you can handle it. The same goes for hand cream, lip balm, perfume, air fresheners, and anything that is aerosolised.
This applies to smokers; if you smell like smoke, it will affect those around you.
DON’T STINK!
What are your workplace Pet Peeves?
Éric
Yondu and Star Lord
A young Yondu and Star Lord stopped by our table at Ottawa Comic Con! Great costumes!
Come see us this weekend at the Fall Flair Craft Fair
Hello Imaginary Friends,
JenEric Designs, JenEric Coffee, and Éric Desmarais (with Renaissance Press) will be at the Parkdale Fall Flair Craft Fair this Saturday.
We’ll have 12 coffee flavours, new Voltron crochet, and my new book Parasomnia.
Hope to see you there!
Éric
Blush: Ejaculate colours
Hello readers!
To continue the colour theme from two weeks ago, I decided to write about the colours of ejaculate!
The usual colour of semen is white-grey.
Its consistency can vary, but as long as it isn’t extremely sticky and viscous (a sign of possible inflammation), it’s completely normal. Some viscosity is perfectly fine!
If the semen is slightly brown, pink, or red, there is a possibility of blood in the semen. This could be because of inflammation or bleeding in the interior organs (prostate or seminal vesicle). This is only a worry if the colour persists for a week or two. Get it checked out at this time at the latest.
A yellow tinge to semen could be because of urine, a high white blood cell count, or jaundice. Again, if the colour continues to show up after a week or two, go and see a doctor.
If semen is yellow-green, this is a sign of a possible prostate infection. Again, something to keep an eye on over the next couple of weeks, and if the unusual colour continues to show up, go get it checked out.
If the above colour changes also happen at the same time as other symptoms, such as fever, pain, blood in urine, and/or sexual dysfunction, go see your doctor as soon as you can. Unusual colour changes (especially accompanied by other symptoms) can indicate a medical condition, and it’s best to catch the more serious ones early.
References
If you’re enjoying the Blush blogs, consider learning more with Blush: The Card Game from Renaissance Press.
Renaissance Book Bash 2017
The celebration will be held at:
The 3 Brewers pub (240 Sparks St., Ottawa)
Sunday September 3rd, 2017, from 5:00 – 7:00 PM.
Join us for author readings, live drawing, exciting door prizes,
and of course, the opportunity to get your books signed!
Check out the event on Facebook!
Lust and Lemonade by Jamieson Wolf
LGBTQIA2+ / slice of life
In a world filled with one-night stands, glory hole blowjobs and weeklong romances, what does it take to find love? This is just what our protagonist Blaine worries about. Unlike his friends, he wants to settle down.
ISBN 978-1-987963-24-3 – Available now!
The Reluctant Barbarian by John Haas
Fantasy comedy
Arthur Jenkins would have been happy to live his life the way it was until he finally died, but the angel in his office has different ideas. He’s there to grant a wish Arthur made as a kid, and it’s a doozy. After all, what grown man would want to be a barbarian hero? Join Arthur, Dead Mike and Valeria the Paladin on a quest across the land, having unwanted adventures while looking for a comfy place to sit.
ISBN 978-1-987963-26-7 – Available September 3rd!
Daughters of Britain by S. M. Carriere
Historical
68 ad.
The Roman Empire has swallowed most of Europe.
There are pockets of resistance…
but nowhere, no one, is safe.
It’s life or death both in the arena and out for Mederei and Adalbern as they try to survive and save their people.
ISBN 978-1-987963-22-9 Available now!
Some Assembly Required by Caroline Fréchette
LGBT Graphic novel
Louis, Lily, and Laurent have been friends for most of their lives. When Lily and Laurent start dating, not only does Louis feel left behind, because of his unspoken love for Laurent, but Laurent also begins acting oddly, and it seems Louis may be in the best position to help…
ISBN 978-1-987963-28-1 – Available September 3rd!
Parasomnia by Éric Desmarais
Paranormal Mystery
At the Aux-Anges institute, nestled in the woods outside of North Bay, they study and treat parasomnias, or sleep disorders. When the patients and one of the counsellors discover the secret hideout of an old club called the Dreamers, they are shocked to find that the five of them are connected through more than just the Institute.
ISBN 978-1-987963-20-5 – Available September 3rd!
