Lights... Camera... ACTION!!: A Hollywood Quest

Schehera Zade · Sep 5, 2024

Yesterday was my first day of classes for the new Fall Semester (yaaaaaay.....) and today was the drop of the official Season 2 trailer of a show I love quite a bit (Yaaaaaaaaay!), so I thought that I'd celebrate today. It's time for Arcane, baby! Are you excited? I'm excited. Originally, I was saving this pitch for when Season 2 officially dropped in November, but due to paranoia about other people pitching it and my own impatience, I've decided to take the opportunity today presented to post this. Instead, I'll post something else Arcane related when it drops in November. First off, if ya'll couldn't tell by my Powder profile pic, I'm a big fan of Arcane. There's genuinely so much that I could say about this series, but because of that, and because I've already been writing a lot today as well needing to handle some IRL stuff, I'll keep it brief, even if I want to talk about it much more and give my thoughts about the series. I was struggling for a bit trying to think of who should be the writer, seeing as how I didn't want to give it Mavis, but I eventually decided on Joe Mad himself, in large part due to his OTL anime inspired style of art which I think lines up well enough for Arcane and contributing to the OTL art style of Arcane. For the voice actors, I casted with the 90s in mind. I was also trying to maintain the OTL voice actors whenever I could. [Interjectory Note: I'm a lot more tired than I thought right now, so I have to cut my writings short here even though it's less than I intended, sorry.] I also included supplemental videos for your own pleasure. They include reviews, analysis, behind-the-scenes, and more. It's good content all around, and while I don't agree with all the observations made or points raised, some of them being just flat out wrong, I think it's worth checking out. If any of y'all want to talk Arcane or if you have some things you want to ask about the pitch, just shoot me a message. I'll also post a couple videos of songs related to Arcane afterwards, since you can only put 5 videos in one post. I hope you enjoy!

Animated TV Show Pitch:
Arcane
Written by: Joe Madureira

GENRE: Action/Fantasy
SUBGENRE: Drama/Science Fiction
FORMAT: Animated TV Show

SET UP: Known across Runeterra as the "city of progress," many of the most brilliant minds call Piltover home, but not all is well. The city is divided between the affluent and utopian Topside of Piltover, and the seedy and impoverished underbelly of the Undercity, where not everyone even has air to breath. An uneasy status quo exists, but the creation of hextech, a way for any person to control magical energy through technology, and the creation of Shimmer, a new drug that transforms humans into monsters, threatens that balance. Amidst the escalating unrest, sisters Vi and Powder, once inseparable, find themselves embroiled in the developing conflict over their clashing convictions and personal demons in this tale of two cities.

Jinx
Played by: Tara Strong
Alternate: Lori Petty
Alternate 2: Arleen Sorkin

Powder
Played by: Melissa Fahn

Violet/Vi
Played by: Debbie Mae West

Silco
Played by: Tim Curry
Alternate: Jason Spisak

Vander
Played by: Guy Pearce

Jayce Talis
Played by: BD Wong
Alternate: Kevin Alejandro

Viktor
Played by: Doug Stone

Caitlyn Kiramman
Played by: Laura Bailey

Cecil B. Heimerdinger
Played by: Martin Short

Mel Medarda
Played by: Toks Olagundoye

Ekko
Played by: Phil LaMarr

Mylo
Played by: Yuri Lowenthal

Claggor
Played by: Roger Craig Smith

Sevika
Played by: Mary McDonald-Lewis

Ambessa Medarda
Played by: Elln Thomas

Marcus
Played by: Quinton Flynn

Grayson
Played by: Shohreh Aghdashloo

Singed
Played by: Brett Tucker

View: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3I0HsOf9M_S0HzHJKjhVwsr_wTNhdaF9

View: https://youtu.be/t9YvyHoptYc?si=QILgfrbUPOKNzKMX

View: https://youtu.be/Vg25Fri6PvI?si=5ldxUKtQ2znMohiR

View: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQ4DJ_2CTh6gzJmadJfgTa0gZenW_735v

View: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQ4DJ_2CTh6jBfpiNACPEtLKB0CBBIh8W

overmind · Sep 6, 2024

...It's Just A Giant Turtle!

"Cut! Alright, that was good, but it could be better. Take five and we're starting once more, from the top!"

The bell rung as the actors moved from their places, some going back to their trailers, others just moving to the shaded areas to take a small breather, yet others remained in position, once more reviewing their lines, trying to see just where it was that they went wrong, whether it was them or the partner next to them who screwed up, and of course, making sure that they did not forget their lines. it was common among newcomers to the industry, where nerves took a hold of them and they believed that everything wrong was because of them.

And for one Sawaguchi Yasuko, it was even more pronounced, for the thousandth time she asked herself just what exactly was she doing here. She was not even a real actress!! She was supposed to be a regular schoolgirl, not trying to play the role of a... well, schoolgirl!

She groaned, the sun becoming unbearable for her as she seeked refuge in the shade.

"How you holding up Yasuko-Chan?"

Yasuko was startled at hearing the voice, looking back at her fellow co-star. Co-Star. What a word, she was not even a real star at the moment, yet the title really applied to the woman who was looking at her with both a comforting smile and serious concern. Ever since she had arrived to the studio for the first time, scared and unaware just what exactly she had gotten into, Yoshiko-San had been the one who'd taken her under her wings, teaching her the small tricks of the trade, enough not to make a fool out of herself.

"As best as I am able." She weakly smiled back.

"Hey. It's alright. It was not your fault, the sound technicians screwed up the take this time around. Many are still getting used to the new equipment, and working with some of the out of country staff is bound to create some friction as well."

"It's just...it's a bit overwhelming is all. I-I hadn't thought that I'd be selected. I didn't even know that the project would be this big. I just thought it would be something funny and corny like all others were. I was ready to play the side-character, not-"

"The main lead? I don't blame you. What kind of studio would go out of their way to hire someone with no experience. But, you still impressed them, you managed to do what many other seasoned actresses could not. Take pride in that at least."

"You know just what to say don't you?" Yasuko smiled, this time in relief. Both had taken a seat near one of the sets, looking at the staff members moving to and for, preparing for the next scene. "Did you expect working on this? I mean, you must have thought that you'd be making your film debut, but in a Gamera film of all things?"

Yoshiko took a moment to answer. "I didn't expect that I would be working in this franchise out of all of them, no. When my agent called me about this role, he was gushing about how it was going to launch my career. At the time I was considering firing him on the spot, right before he told me how this was made in cooperation with Lucasfilms. After that, if he'd been in front of me, I'd have kissed him."

And there was another fact that had made her feel just like she didn't belong here. It was one thing to apply for a role at Daiei Films, considered by many as one of the weakest Producing companies in Japan. It was another thing altogether finding out that they were collaborating with one of the most infamous producing companies from America. Though not one that put as many movies as the other big studios, each one of them had become unforgettable in some way.

Not that they were infallible, she still remembered the field day many of the entertainment magazines had when 1941 flopped so hard, even with Obi Wan as one of the leads. Still, being right 9 out of 10 times still made you near omniscient in her books. She could understand Yoshiko's emotions, for an up-and-coming actress making her big debut, Lucasfilms could be the one to put her on the map.

Much better than someone just trying for an audition on a dare. She still remembered her parents faces when they heard how she'd gotten the part. She should know, her face had the same expression back then.

"Besides, I think we can both agree that the script is nothing like the previous films. I half expected having to play another human alien chasing some kids around and trying to make it real. But this? I'm actually playing a key role in the film while not making a fool of myself."

"We'll both be doing that nonetheless. We are still running in terror from a giant turtle!"

Both laughed at the ridiculous thought, the tension and stress dissipating with it. Yasuko needed that, to just... vent at her situation. It was true that she had not expected to be selected. She had even thought that at best it would be a funny anecdote to mention at future reunion events; the time she skipped classes to attend an audition for a Kaiju movie.

Only the joke was on her in the end.

"The director's coming. Come on, we're about to begin once more."

"I'm coming." She stood and brushed at her clothes as she moved into position once more. At the corner she could see all other actors moving into position as well, all waiting. Not for her this time, as she joined them in looking at the outside of the set, watching the slow, ponderous steps of one Kenpachiro Satsuma. Veteran actor and stuntman from previous Godzilla films. She'd heard that he'd actually refused an offer from Toho to work on the rebooted film, all in order to keep on working as this one.

Word was that he'd been scouted by Lucasfilms for future projects in the states as well.

And all of that information that passed through her brain was to distract herself from how alive he made that suit look. It was supposed to be at least the same size of a human, and she understood that it would take special effects to make it look giant. But not a single explanation helped her, or the rest of the actors it seemed, as they were paralyzed in both awe and fear at the sight of Gamera.

...Just a giant turtle, right?

A.N.: This just came to me when I remembered how Gamera is soon to be entering release, and I kept on thinking how the main lead would feel in acting in the film when she was still technically in High School. Sawaguchi Yasuko in OTL was scouted on her 19th birthday when she won the "Toho Cinderella Audition" in 1984, becoming the newest lead in their rebooted Godzilla series. Here? She is leading the Gamera rebooted films at a much younger age. I've also tried going out of my comfort zone here, and made this Omake with more conversation. Hopefully it works just as well.

overmind · Sep 7, 2024

I remember reading the book a long time ago, and loving every single moment of it. The entire novel and mystery was amazing, from beginning to end I had some suspicions of Jorge, but the book was so engrossing and giving so many hints for different characters that he actually managed to slip my mind, so that when he was revealed as the culprit it was like a full revelation. Not to mention how the book that was referenced ended up being a "lost" book of Aristotle that basically undid every single belief that Jorge held, which is why he was so determined to keep it hidden.

Brilliant.

Which is why I was, well, not so much as angry but disappointed at the movie adaptation. Sure, I understand that movies had difficulties adapting the written word (and this is Umberto Eco's work, so this is multiplied because of it), not to mention the limitations of the budget that affect the actors, sets and Special Effects.. but damn it, the movie just doesn't have the same punch when you remove half of what makes it interesting, and simplifies the entire murder/mystery to the point that I could see from the beginning that Jorge was clearly the culprit.

I've made this an Ardmore Pitch, since I do hope that making this film in Europe will help us with getting the rights for the books, and hopefully the entire idea will have more luck if it debuts in Europe rather than America.

Thus, I give you:

Ardmore Movie Pitch:
The Name of the Rose

GENRE: Mystery/Historical/Thriller

SUBGENRE: Drama/Suspense

FORMAT: Movie

Set Up: Based on the Novel, The Name of the Rose, written by Umberto Eco in 1980. After a mysterious death in a Benedictine Abbey, the monks are convinced that the apocalypse is coming. With the Abbey to play host to a council on the Franciscan's Order's belief that the Church should rid itself of wealth, William von Baskerville, a respected Franciscan Friar, is surreptitiously sent to determine the cause of the untimely death. Alas, more deaths occur as the investigation draws closer to uncovering the secret the Abbey wants hidden, and there is finally no stopping the Holy Inquisition from taking an active hand in the process. William and his young novice must race against time to prove the innocence of the unjustly accused and avoid the wrath of Holy Inquisitor Bernardo Gui.

Director: Ron Howard
Composer: John Morris

- Frame the story as Adso, who is already old, telling his apprentice in the new Monastery about his previous adventure with his mentor, William of Baskerville, explaining why they take good care of their current library and Monastery. Thus, allowing for some third person narration during the story, and perhaps some instances of unreliable narration when it comes to describing the monastery and people in it.

- Have William of Baskerville be more faithful to the book, where he is a former Inquisitor, and was sent to uncover the reason for the murders under the guise of being there for a philosophical debate, having to keep his cover.

- Keep some of the theological debate scenes from the book, not fully, but to show how it's also hindering him in the investigation.

- Replace the scene where William finds out where the bathroom is for the scene from the book where, as William and Adso approach the Monastery, William is able to deduce where the Abbot's favorite horse escaped to by using his wits and logic.

- Keep the scene where William in order to keep his cover, has to go for a debate instead of following a chance to get the book, thus leading to more victims later on.

- Follow more closely the characterizations and plots from the book. Don't change the personalities of the characters as much as the movie did, following the pace on which they were introduced and met.

- Like in the book, have Inquisitor Bernardo Gui be a part of a delegation for the debates, who takes over the investigation when William has not found out the culprit, instead of being called in to solve the murders outright.

- Make sure to have William and Adso meet the victims before they are killed, even if only briefly to get a chance to know about them and have some hints as to why they were killed. Keep the discussions that foreshadowed the deaths and hinted at the theological and personal reasons why things are happening.

- Make the ending not as happy, but a bittersweet one; William is able to save some of the books from the library, but dies years later from complications from the wounds taken. The Inquisitor faces no consequences for his actions. And the girl dies being burned as a witch. Adso however, inherited the books from William, and used them as a basis to rebuild the burnt Monastery, as well as the beginnings of a new library.

William of Baskerville: A former inquisitor who is being sent to the Benedictine Abbey in Northern Italy, one that boasts having one of the largest and best-preserved libraries in Europe, with all kinds of esoteric texts. He is to participate in a theological disputation between Pope John XXII and the Franciscans over Apostolic Poverty, however, the death of one of the monks has the Abbot to ask him to investigate the cause of death, under which he begins to discover a conspiracy that may very well shake the foundations of the Abbey.

Played By: David Warner
Alternate: Michael Gambon

Adso of Melk: He is a young monk and assistant to William of Baskerville. He is recently beginning his monastic life and as such is more nervous and less certain than other members of the church. He is also led by the pleasures of the flesh, though he regrets it afterwards. Through the story, he aids William through the investigation, serving as the audience surrogate to receive explanations and exposition, but also aiding whenever he can. His older self is the narrator of the story.

Played By: Peter Hanly
Alternate: Christian Slater

Jorge of Burgos: A resident of a Benedictine abbey situated in the mountains of Northern Italy, Jorge is one of the oldest and most learned monks in the monastery and is accorded a great deal of respect as a result. A dedicated follower of Saint Benedict's 56th rule, he is strictly opposed to the use of comedy in the scholarly works of the abbey, demonizing laughter as contrary not only to the spirit of the Order's rules but to God himself. Unknown to all, he has full control of the Abbey, holding influence over the Abbot, the librarian and the scribes and library.

Played By: Feodor Chaliapin Jr.
Alternate: Burt Lancaster

Inquisitor Bernard Gui: He is The Grand Inquisitor of the Roman Catholic Church who secretly serves as a torturer and interrogator. He arrives leading the Papal delegation, and when he finds about the current situation with the mysterious murders (and how William has yet to find the culprit) he takes over the investigation himself. He discovers how both Salvatore and Remigio were former "Dulcinians" (a heretical denomination), and tortures them till they confess, before burning them at the stake.

Played By: Alan Rickman
Alternate: F. Murray Abraham

Abbot Abo of Fossanova: He is the Abbot of the unnamed Benedictine abbey in northern Italy. He asks William to discreetly investigate the murders before the arrival of the envoys from the pope and the emperor, since he worries that the recent mysterious events will foster suspicion and undermine negotiations. Above all, he is obsessed with protecting the reputation of the abbey. William observes cynically that Abo would commit murder to ensure that the abbey remained respectable.

Played By: John Mahoney
Alternate: Michael Lonsdale

Venantius of Salvemec: He is a translator who worked in the scriptorium with Adelmo. He is found dead in a barrel of pig's blood the day after William and Adso arrive at the abbey. He was intellectually curious, ambitious, and frequently argued with Jorge. He had also been pursuing the forbidden book. William finds notes on his desk in Greek and a zodiacal language relating to his attempt to break into the Finis Africae. He died from the poison Jorge had used to contaminate the pages of the manuscript, after frantically reading through it.

Played By: Kelsey Grammer

Berengar: He is the assistant librarian, described by Adso as "vain" and "lustful". His sexual desires and intellectual ambition both have tragic consequences. He is consumed with guilt after the death of Adelmo, whom he persuaded to have sex with him in return for access to a mysterious book. He stole William's glasses from the Scriptorium to prevent him from reading some notes left by Venantius who had already died. William and Adso find him drowned in a tub in the infirmary, his tongue blackened with poison after trying to read said book.

Played By: Alfred Molina

Severinus: He is in charge of the infirmary, where he works as the abbey's herbalist and doctor, ministering to the sick and dispensing medicine. He quickly strikes up a friendship with William, with whom he shares a passionate intellectual curiosity. When he finds a mysterious Arabic manuscript in the infirmary's library, he immediately informs William, but by the time William arrives at the infirmary to see the book, it is too late: Severinus is found dead and the forbidden book is stolen shortly afterwards.

Played By: Jeremy Irons

Malachi: He is the abbey's librarian. He is suspicious of outsiders and jealously guards the secrecy of the library, which he alone is allowed to enter. Adso observes that Malachi has a face that looks as if he has once felt deep passions, but has suppressed them. William and Adso later discover that Malachi does not read Greek or Arabic and thus has been doing the bidding of Jorge of Burgos for decades, since he lacks the learning to understand many of the books in the library. He murdered Severinus in a jealous rage, and died by poison, tongue blackened.

Played By: Ian McKellen

Adelmo of Otranto: He is an illuminator known for the beauty and ingenuity of his illustrations. He was very intellectually curious and lively, having engaged in a spirited debate with Jorge on the permissibility of laughter before his death. His dead body is found at the base of the library tower

Remigio: He is the abbey's cellarer, a former Franciscan who joined the Benedictines to escape religious persecution. Remigio admits that he was the first to find Venantius' dead body in the abbey's kitchen, but wasn't sure what to do with it that wouldn't incriminate himself, so decided to leave it until the morning.

Alinardo: He is the oldest monk at the abbey, and is thus a useful source of information, showing William and Adso how to enter the labyrinth. He believes that he should have been appointed as librarian many years ago, and bears a grudge against Malachi as a result. Throughout the novel he maintains that the Last Judgement is at hand.

Salvatore: He was a follower of Fra Dolcino and has taken sanctuary in the abbey. He speaks a strange combination of multiple languages, including Latin, an Italian dialect, and Provençale. Adso describes his face and body as "bestial." His bad Latin accidentally gives William and Adso the key to opening the Finis Africae.

Older Adso: He is the narrator telling the story to his apprentice. He is also the Abbot of the new Abbey which was created after the previous one was burned, using the remaining books that his late mentor, William of Baskerville, managed to save from the library as the basis for a new, if smaller, library.

Peasant Girl: She is brought to the abbey by Salvatore to have sex with Remigio in exchange for food for her family. Instead, however, she meets Adso in the kitchens. They have a sexual encounter, but she runs away in the morning without telling him her name. Salvatore brings her to the abbey again to cast a love spell on her in a ritual involving a black cat, but when discovered, she is accused of witchcraft.

A.N.: I'm hoping we can get the right for the book before Jean-Jacques Annaud convinces Eco that he is the one man for the job. He might have a fascination with medieval churches, and knowledge of Greek and Latin, but I was not that impressed with the final product. Then again, if he's that interested, then he might try to make his case to us in order to direct it.

Qudrim8054 · Sep 7, 2024

You know, for years I actually had an idea for a movie that, even now, goes through constant changes in my head. It's a crime film that took inspirations from Scorcese movies, so I decided what the hell, why not write it down as a pitch?

So while it's mostly bare bones, it's just the current version of what I had in my head... or just some of the basic plot points.

Movie Pitch: Richie Santoro
Genre: Crime Drama
Sub-Genre: Thriller/Suspense
Format: Movie

General Idea: The movie follow small-time criminal Richard "Richie" Santoro as he becomes a member of the New Orleans crime family and works his way up, all the while a young and ambitious FBI agent goes on an operation to find evidence to put him behind bars.

Richard Santoro as a pre-teen lived an unfulfiling, boring life in a poorer neighborhood in New Orleans. He would skip school many times and would go watching from afar, looking at wealthier people spending their time at a fancy restaurant several blocks away from his school. His eyes were always filled with envy.

One day he runs into an older man, a local crime boss by the name of Albert Blando, who impresses the young Richie.
A few years later, he helps his older brother Patrick rob a local community. The two manage to get away and they decide that they want to work under Blando.

By his adult years, the two brothers manage to form a crew of robbers and hijackers. The other members are Eddie "Mads" Wilkins, Kevin Drake and Roberto Alanni, each serving a specific niche in their operations. The group pulls off several successful heights that impress Blando, who has a good working relationship with them.
In one of the robberies, the group steals from a large bank a total of 4 million dollars, which gets plenty of attention on them, particularly because of their efficiency and the fact that they left little to no incriminating evidence behind.

Not long after the heist, Blando requests to meet with Richie. He request him to work as a bodyguard for his daughter Jocelyn, who he wishes to keep out of the family bussiness, until the heat dies down. Richie meets Jocelyn and they form a friendship as he starts acting as her bodyguard.

In the FBI, a newly promoted agent Caroline Smith takes interest in the robbery and the crew the performed it and convinces her superior to go undercover and try to get close to Santoro's group of friends. She is told by her reluctant superior that all she needs to do is find enough evidence to make sure that they will be convicted.

Caroline goes in civilian clothing to a bar where the group hangs out in, where she catches Richie's attention. They start spending time together and quickly begin a relationship, which Caroline uses as a means to easily find more evidence, but she fails to find any in his apartment.

During one of his nights acting as a bodyguard for Jocelyn, she becomes increasingly flirtatious and mischievuos with him. Eventually she admits that she's attracted to Richie, but knows that they can't really act on it because her father is his boss. However, Richie decides to recipricate her feelings and the two start an affair, knowing it could get him killed.

Caroline, in an attempt to get evidence, taps the phones in Richie's apartment and meets with Wilkins. They have a friendly conversation at the bar and she gradually get him drunk in an attempt to make him slip and reveal something, but he attempts to come onto her. While she manages to gain the upper hand on him, Patrick arrives and inquires what happened. Despite Caroline managing to put up a decent front and come up with a good lie, Patrick starts suspecting her.

A few months later, Richie's group prepare for another job: robbing armored trucks. When they speak over the phone, they don't specify too much information, but Caroline manages to piece enough information to figure out their target. After the group successfully rob the armored trucks, the police arrives and a chase ensues, which ends in a firefight that results in a cop and Wilkins shot dead.

As the group escape, they lie low. However, they start falling apart and accuse the other in causing everything to go wrong. While Patrick tries to calm everyone down and keep things together, they all go their seperate ways, with only the two brother sticking together.

Not long after, a slightly drunken Richie manages to sneak to Jocelyn's apartment, where she comforts him over the the death of his friend and reveals that she's pregnant with his child. Angry, he requests that she gets rid of the child so Blando won't find out about their affair, but she refuses. An argument breaks which ends with him hitting her, ending their affair and leaving as she curses him.

At the same time, as Patrick tries to steal some essentials for him and Richie, spots Caroline meeting with her operator and discovers that she's an FBI agent and her being the one who tipped off the cops about the armored trucks robbery. He calls Richie through a pay phone and tells him about Smith.

Caroline drives to her apartment, but on her way a drunken and enrage Richie drives his car right into hers, mortally wounding her. She manages to get out of the car, but Richie kills her by emptying an entire sub-machine gun magazine on her. After killing her, he is picked up by Patrick and go into hiding.

As the news of Richie killing a federal agent spreads, Jocelyn informs her father of her pregnancy, lying that Richie forced himself on her multiple times. Enraged by this betrayal, he orders the members of the Santoro group to kill the brothers.
The others manage to find where the brothers are hiding and pretend to reconsile, only to betray the brother as Alanni tries to shoot Richie, but is spotted and stopped by Patrick. A fight ensues which ends with the two brothers knocked out, with their former friends puting them in car trunks and drive away.

They reach the docks at night, where they plan to execute the brothers. When Patrick asks for the reason they betrayed them, Drake and Alanni tell him about Richie and Jocelyn's affair, which causes Patrick to resign to his fate.
Richie, knowing he's going to die, insults and mocks his former friends in a long-winded speech about how they were envious of him. Afterwards, Alanni curses Richie one last time before the brothers are killed, their bodies falling into the water.

Richard "Richie" Santoro: A small-time criminal who has a crew of robbers. He believes in efficiency and that's how one gets money without ever getting caught. He serves as the mastermind of the crew.

Caroline Smith: An FBI agent who becomes Richie's girlfriend in an attempt to find evidence to arrest him and his gang as a stepping stone in her career. She is ambitious, stubborn and very determined.

Patrick Santoro: Richie's older brother, he serves as a cool head who is good at keeping the crew together and composed. He loves his brother and is absolutely loyal to him. He serves as a smooth operator for the team.

Albert Blando: A crime boss of the New Orleans crime family and the boss of Santoro's gang. He is patient and fatherly to those he works with unless he is angry, which brings out his cruelty and sadism.

Jocelyn Blando: Albert's daughter who Richie stands working as a bodyguard for before they start having an affair. She is shrewd, sarcastic and likes to push the boundries of the people who work under her father, knowing she can get away with it.

Eddie "Mads" Wilkins: A close friend of Richie, known for his manic attitude, as if he had too much coffee. He serves as the crew's driver.

Kevin Drake: A good friend of Patrick and is a member of the Santoro crew. He's rather shy around people but is friendly with those he knows. He serves as the cat burglar and safe cracker of the crew.

Roberto Alanni: The brute of the Santoro crew, he is a quiet and stern man who likes Richie the least among the crew.

Author's note: So yeah, here is my pitch. Not the best in the world, but as I said it was mostly a jambled mess of ideas for a plot that came to my mind years ago and slightly developed during that time.

Kaiser Chris · Sep 8, 2024

A Cracked Shield

The 1982 NFL strike began on Tuesday, September 21, and lasted 77 days, ending on December 7th. During this time, no NFL games were played. The strike occurred because of the NFL Players Union demanded that a wage scale based on percentage of gross revenues be implemented. The NFLPA wanted the percentage to be 55 percent, though other demands were better pensions, health benefits, a minimum salary based on years served, and the establishment of a true free agency. According to the Los Angeles Times, the wage scale demand "dominated the negotiations."

-From 1982 NFL Strike, Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia

"And in other news, after nearly a month of strike, professional football is set to presume, although perhaps it would be more correct to say "unprofessional football". This weekend the NFLPA, the representative labor union for the NFL has announced the organization of two "All-star" games to be set on October 17th in RFK Stadium for the NFC and October 18th in our local Los Angeles Coliseum, home to the Raiders and the future Fighting Geese of the USFL.

The NFLPA has announced that there has been over 10,000 purchases since the announcement last Wednesday and the all-star games have seen strong endorsements from the AFL-CIO, leading Democratic lawmakers, and surprisingly a strong number of Hollywood stars who have announced their intention to view either game. These include Jack Nicholson, Ricardo Montalban, Loretta Swit, Burt Reynolds, and Farrah Fawcett as only a sample of among hundreds of celebrities who have stated their intent. This is most likely motivated by the failure of the Hollywood Strike two years ago which saw the halting of new benefits and the rolling back of union power within Hollywood."

-KCBS Broadcast, October 11th, 1982

Growing up you were never much of a Football fan. Baseball was the passion sport that the family shared and the NFL had only just started taking off by the time you left for Hollywood. It wasn't until Carrie began planning in the USFL that you watched football, though not with heavy interest and mainly at a couple of Raiders or Rams games along with Carrie to get a feel for the sport.

Tonight would be another night of engagement with the sport where instead of watching Mafia and Remington Steele, you were watching Monday Night Football of the AFC.

The family room was not very crowded with Debbie back at her house, and a disinterested Mary and Sarah playing in their room with most of the pets. Natalie laid on the couch, being given endless belly rubs and love by Carrie while Joseph sat on your lap, eyes glued and being super hyped since kicked off while his cat Tigger sat on the arm of the couch lazily.

"You think if it was yesterday we could have had a family thing?" You asked Carrie.

"Mary might like it but I don't think Sarah would be interested or be comfortable with the crowds." Carrie commented.

"Go, go, go! Fast!" Joseph cheered at the TV as one of the running backs was making their way to a touchdown, with Joseph cheering and clapping as he crossed the endzone. You started in wonder at the mini jock in the making.

"Besides, it'd be terrible optics for either of us to go." Carrie said, to which you raised an eyebrow. "A lot of people still hold a grudge for two years ago."

"That was the Union being a bunch of a-, dumb dumbs." You corrected, remembering your son's presence and not wanting another Fairy situation.

"True, but even still, lots of people are angry and your defiance helped tipped the scales, plus we made Star Wars while everyone was picketing in '75. If you had announced you would go, lots of the celebrities would have gotten refunds."

"What about you, everyone loves Carrie?" You pointed out. In spite of your controversies and numerous shares of critics and haters, it seemed like all of America loved Carrie O'Brian.

"I love Mommy!" Joseph agreed, making you both giggle with you handing off Joseph to sit carefully on Carrie's lap where he received lots of kisses as thanks.

"Honestly that would be even worse. The co-founder of the USFL supporting the NFL strike. I honestly wanted to endorse the strike from day one, but David said that if I did so it would ruin the strike's entire optics as the USFL sabotaging the NFL and derail their case." Carrie pointed out, which made a heavy amount of sense.

You nodded with a sigh. It was a shame you couldn't do much for the working man here as outside of their salary demand which seemed a bit overboard, everything else was sensible for a sports career. Fortunately it didn't seem like the NFLPA needed much of the help, as both the Coliseum and RFK were nearly fully booked, a fact which was shown happily by the ESPN and news cameras, and the reporters just loved to give interviews with lots of A-list celebrities in downtime, showing there was heavy momentum.

Over a million dollars was raised for the game from ticket sales along with an extra million in revenue from the ESPN deal, and with the coming weeks there would be ten million in donations, thus ensuring the strike was on.

Brandon Tartikoff was one very happy man. The launch of LucasTV had gone beyond his wildest expectations with the channel making a record amount of new subscribers with over 10 million in the first week, far outclassing HBO and Cinemax, though such was to be expected when you could get some of the best content on TV for only a dollar yearly. In this economy it was like being given a free computer.

Most of the LucasTV shows were dominating the Top 30 of the Neilsen Ratings, with Zeta Gundam making history in both reception and pure ratings. Even the kiddy cartoons from Hanna-Barbera were seen a level of praise and popularity not seen since Scooby-Doo. The only downside was that they were going to be at a hard loss from how cheap subscription was, but with Lucasfilms' billions they could run at a loss til 1990 and the merchandise from shows like Gundam, Macross, GI Joe and Luke Cage more than covered all of the channel's budget several times over.

But perhaps what came as a great blessing to boost the already rapid success of the channel was the NFL strike. While Baseball was still America's pasttime, Football was rapidly approaching to overtake it with the South already treating it as a secular religion for both college and professional play. Tens of millions watched the collective NFL games on Sunday. Without the NFL, those precious hours were now subject to shitty sports replacements like Canadian Football or bland reruns. America needed to fill the void, one that couldn't be easily done through other forms of leisure thanks to light wallets from Stagflation.

So in came Lucasfilms, offering a quality alternative through its many shows, but most importantly was the movie vault. After two weeks had passed, Brandon made an executive decision to scrap the Sunday schedules and have it be dominated most of the day by Lucasfilms movies. Beloved films like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, John Henry and Tron would fill the slots from noon to seven, allowing Americans to see their favorites on the small screen once more. And what was the harm of paying just a single dollar for peak television.

Subscription had increased from the start of the strike at 12 million to 20 million and growing around Halloween. Those very same football fans would after a disaster season still want the void to be fixed, one that the USFL would fill, a solution that LucasTV would be involved in.

"Mr. President, would you care to comment on the ongoing strike?"

"Well, I feel it's a terrible situation all around and I feel that certain actors involved in the negotiations have not been conducting themselves in good faith to bring this strike to a speedy conclusion. Demands must be brought forth to a more realistic bargain and more constructive dialogue must be brought forth. Nancy and I's thoughts and prayers go out to the thousands of innocent workers whose job is caught in the crossfire."

"Will the White House take action to help with the talks?"

"I know many Americans believe that the federal government is all knowing and powerful, but we have limits for good reasons and it is not the federal government's role to interfere in labor disputes of the private sector that are not essential to the national economy. Not like I could order the Army and Marines to fill all 28 rosters anyways. Were this a public strike we would have taken action, but as such our hands our tied aside from offers of good faith arbitration from administration officials, which both sides have repeatedly rejected."

-White House press conference November 2nd, 1982

"Ugghhh."

"Quit whining and stop staring at the clock. What's done is done and no Football is not gonna ruin our thanksgiving." Heather Walton said to her husband David.

It was Thanksgiving day with the two hosting in their suburban Dallas home. Usually at this time, David would be glued to the TV with his son, watching the Dallas Cowboys, but the greed and stupidity of the players had killed the season and now it was very likely they wouldn't even get a Super Bowl at this rate with neither side budging.

Thus, David was now on kitchen duty at the urging of his wife whose tone with the request implied the rest of the holidays on the couch if he didn't comply.

"Sorry. It's just that, you know...I don't have a lot of interesting things these days, and football just brings a little bit of life to Sundays." David complained. Growing up, he was obsessed with football and was a star defensive player for his high school team. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to give him a college scholarship, and any chances of training to join the NFL or AFL were squashed with a Vietnam draft. It wasn't as if David was living a bad life, a loving wife, two kids and stability with a job at the telephone company were better than most of the world. But he had long accepted that adventure and spice were a thing of the past, Football helping him to relive some of the glory days and spice things up.

"Oh how you've had to suffer spending more time with your family." Heather said sarcastically.

David laughed, "Yeah I suppose Sundays are okay." They had been a bit more adventurous thanks to inflation calming down and did some neat things like going to the zoo, going to the state fair or spending a lot more time at the movies.

"Besides, we're gonna have football all year round with the USFL and we have Lucas, so won't miss any games."

"Yeah but I'll have to root for stupid Houston or Oklahoma. Who builds a football team in hell on Earth Arizona over football city!" David complained with Heather shaking her head.

"Alright, Mashed Potatoes are ready, anything else?" David requested.

"Nope, we're done."

"Seriously?" He exclaimed in shock. Thanksgiving prep wasn't finished until 7 usually at their House.

"Well I do have an extra pair of hands this year instead of lounging around in the living room or backyard." Heather emphasized, to which David chuckled nervously.

"Well, I guess I can lend a hand around eleven next year." He offered, to which Heather smiled.

"Good enough. Go spend time with the kids, I'll clean up and set the table."

David searched the house for a minute and was surprised to see all the Kids and a decent amount of the adults clustering around the TV in the living room where one of Lucasfilms' Japanese cartoons was playing on the TV. He always found it odd how so many people were becoming so obsessed with them. Cartoons were kids stuff like Flintstones, they couldn't match the quality of MASH.

"Whatcha watching sport?" David asked of his son Conner.

"Mobile Suit Gundam, they're doing a marathon for people to catch up to Zeta and it's so awesome."

"It's even better than Star Wars!" David's daughter Margaret joined in, which was a huge shock to David as she idolized Carrie O'Brian and had tons of Princess Leia stuff.

"It's that good huh?" David didn't go out of his way to buy Paramount so he never watched Gundam but he heard so many co-workers gossip about it and seemed good enough to hook up many of his cousins. "Alright, let's see what all the fuss is about."

The next day David bought a Gundam VHS bundle for Black Friday.

Black Friday was absolute hell. The slashed prices made people lose all sense of reason and humanity with all retail stores turning into an unlocked zoo as people fought like animals to receive the best deals. The Black Friday of 1982 was no different, if anything it was more intense since the end of high inflation meant people were in a spend crazy mood to get some catharsis after three years of penny pinching.

The most interesting aspect though was sports stores, where most stores in the nation saw double or triple its usual customer base. Sure there were plenty of great deals for sports gear or outdoors equipment, but instead everyone was fighting like crazy to get merch of the newly formed USFL, especially the cities hosting the teams with new cities like Jacksonville and Phoenix seeing a heavy surge to fill in the void that was empty.

Yet even in NFL cities, there were many fans looking to jump ship, or at least declare loyalty to a new team.

"The Oilers have let us down too many times. First they fire Bum, then they let all of our best players go, they're wasting Earl Campbell's prime years, and Bud and the other jackass owners won't throw in the towel and let us get football back. If the NFL doesn't get its act back together I'm going to be the father of a Roughneck family." Said one interviewed customer at a north Houston Academy for the local news.

It's a story told time and time again with millions relating. The people were pissed for their lack of football, Sundays losing their luster and the hopes and dreams of half the nation being snuffed out with only two weeks of play. Tensions were reaching a boiling point.

"FUCK YOU, YOU GODDAMN MONEY-GRUBBING STUBBORN CUNTS!!! We're losing tens of millions in revenue because you won't reach a deal. Well if we don't get a month of football you can forget about Football on CBS again! Good luck getting a salary when no one in America watches your games!"

-Anonymous CBS executive.

"Joe, please for the love of God, tell me your daughter is going to sell the Lakers soon and go back to making movies?" Pleaded one of Joseph O'Brian's regulars in the Jumping Whale.

Joseph laughed at the question, it wasn't the first time and would be far from the last he'd be handed such a request, "Now why would I go and do that?"

"Cause the Knicks are getting their asses kicked, the Giants and Jets are dead and the Yankees choked last season!"

"Come on Chuck, the Lakers are part of the West, they hardly play the Knicks. My heart breaks just as much as yours but Carrie leaving aint gonna crap talent and shit management."

"Well do you have to cover a quarter of the Bar in Lakers stuff?" Indeed there was a section dedicated to autographed Lakers jerseys and other memorabilia.

"It's only about ten square feet and it makes some good money. Look Chuck, you want to have a good time watching sports and have a good team? Watch the USFL when it pops up and root for the Fighting Geese."

"Look Joe, your kids make the best movies in Hollywood, but that doesn't mean that you have to have half your soul be Californian. You gotta be local and loyal, root for the Generals."

"And support Donny's team? I'd rather root for the Red Sox."

New York Giants Defensive End Gary Jeter was not having a good season. First his leg gets sprained in game two, taking him out of the season, and then the mega strike happens with his team left to hang in the dust and with meager compensation while being shunned and shut out by the owners. All the Giants were just off doing their own things and with Gary's leg in a cast, he couldn't even do something fun like take a vacation or take up new hobbies, just spending his days miserably passing the time as a couch potato watching soap operas or binging the LucasTV commercials. At least now he was able to catch up on so many movies he missed during his time on the field.

Even when his leg had finally healed, there was still no movement from either side and there was a decent chance there might not even be a season. In a deep depression, Gary's mind wandered to dark action, though a ray of light seemed to shine down on his cloudy days with Carrie O'Brians announcement of the USFL and offering an open invite for any players to jump ship.

His contract with the Giants just so happened to expire this year and even if the playoffs were still held, Gary didn't think anything besides a Super Bowl ring could make such a crapsack season worth it. So the day after the USFL conference, he called his agent and directed him to find a way to have him jump ship to the USFL.

Gary's story was just one of a couple hundred NFL players who wanted a fresh start.

It is December 6th, there has been no professional football for eleven weeks. Football fans across America have grown angry and distressed, blaming both sides for this debacle and no longer caring about whose right or wrong, merely that football is played. College Football sees full stadiums and record high viewership to fill the void while the USFL is selling millions in merchandise and already a fraction of the season's tickets being sold to help fill the football void with this new and exciting spring league.

In Danton, Ohio, home of the great Hall of Fame, a hotel from the hall sees leaders from the NFLPA and all 28 owners sitting across from each other in a great 56 seat standoff. The ultimatum delivered by the Cable networks of shredding the current NFL contracts and the recent media deal for the USFL signed with ABC, ESPN and LucasTV has forced drastic action. No more delays, one way or another, a deal has to be made. No one can leave the hotel and negotiations are to continue nonstop. The strike must end.

"...The conclusion to the strike was a mixed affair for both parties. The NFLPA would receive a guarantee that $1.5 billion of NFL revenue would be spent on player salaries for the next five years. Other benefits were won including a higher playoff and training camp pay raise, a minimum salary based on years of play, increased medical, insurance, and retirement benefits, and a severance pay system. However, in return for the concessions the current free agent system would remain unchanged thanks to fears by owners of a busted draft system due to competition from the USFL. The NFLPA would promise to continue legal challenges against the free agency scheme in court.

The 1982 Season would resume with weeks 14-17 being played as scheduled and the Playoffs to contain the same schedule. Instead of the normal playoff format, a 8 team tournament bracket would be created in the same style as the NBA with the eight best teams from each conference to face each other in a traditional tournament with the winners of each conference to play in the Super Bowl.

Most controversially was the NFL instituting the immediate firing of all players who participated in the All-Star games during the Strike as a breach of contract with said players also being barred from employment within the NFL for five years, effectively ending their NFL careers. The move received widespread condemnation and was treated with heavy derision from both fanbases and the general public while the NFLPA was under heavy criticism from players for failing to protect those who partook in the All-Star game. All 80 of the NFL players who partook in the All-Star games would be hired by the USFL, further enhancing the league's popularity."

-From 1982 NFL Strike, Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia

1982 NFL Standings

NFC

St. Louis Cardinals 5-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4-2
Chicago Bears 4-2
Detroit Lions 4-2
Washington Redskins 4-2
New York Giants 4-2
Green Bay Packers 3-3
New Orleans Saints 2-4
Philadelphia Eagles 2-4
Dallas Cowboys 2-4
San Francisco 49ers 1-5
Los Angeles Rams 1-5
Minnesota Vikings 1-5
Atlanta Falcons 0-6

AFC

San Diego Chargers 6-0
Cleveland Browns 5-1
Denver Broncos 5-1
Pittsburgh Steelers 5-1
Miami Dolphins 4-2
New York Jets 4-2
Baltimore Colts 4-2
New England Raiders 4-2
Los Angeles Raiders 3-3
Houston Oilers 2-4
Cincinnati Bengals 2-4
Kansas City Chiefs 1-5
Buffalo Bills 1-5
Seattle Seahawks 0-6

1982 NFL Playoffs

First Round

NFC
6 New York Giants 41 vs 3 Chicago Bears 40
7 Green bay Packers 7 vs 2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 35
5 Washington Redskins 23 vs 4 Detroit Lions 45
8 New Orleans Saints 10 vs 1 St. Louis Cardinals 49

AFC
6 New York Jets 28 vs 3 Denver Broncos 13
8 New England Patriots 55 vs 1 Dan Diego Chargers 40
5 Miami Dolphins 30 vs 4 Pittsburgh Steelers 34
7 Baltimore Colts 21 vs 2 Cleveland Browns 27

Second Round

NFC
6 New York Giants 9 vs 2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31
4 Detroit Lions 14 vs 1 St. Louis Cardinals 10

AFC
8 New England Patriots 6 vs 6 New York Jets 21
4 Pittsburgh Steelers 12 vs 2 Cleveland Browns 17

Champsionships

NFC
4 Detroit Lions 28 vs 2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20

AFC
6 New York Jets 48 vs 2 Cleveland Browns 56

Super Bowl XVII
4 Detroit Lions 14 vs 2 Cleveland Browns 42

"Thanks again for giving me a ticket Bruce." Todd said with a heavy yawn.

"No problem, always happy to go to games with my favorite brother-in-law."

In truth, Bruce had actually invited Todd to help keep an eye on Joseph who could be pretty active at times. It also helped that Todd had taken Joseph to a Dodgers game before and they had a great time. It was a great help since Carrie was staying at home with Debbie and the girls for a Girls Night.

"Are Spartans games like this?" You asked, as Todd was a regular with his friends at USC.

"They're pretty high quality all around but we don't usually get a blow out this big unless it's an out of conference game."

While the game started out evenly with both defenses performing well in the 1st half, something must have lit a fire in the Cleveland locker room as they came back in the second half roaring with a 93 yard return Touchdown and then went on to score 35 points in the second half while denying the Lions, completely dominating the Lions in every category. Sure it must have been amazing to see for Browns fans, but to you it was above average compared to Lakers showtime.

"How'd you like it Joe?" Todd asked Joseph in the back.

"Cool! Super good fun!" Joseph exclaimed happily, still on an energy high of staying up late and perhaps one too many sips of soda.

One would think this would be the mark of Joseph being a football fanatic, but honestly he was this crazy with any and all sports. He thought Lakers games were super awesome and loved meeting all the players in the locker room, he had an absolute blast with Dodgers games. And it didn't even have to be LA, he would be super invested watching a random sports game during channel flipping. Lord only knows how he'll react to the upcoming Olympics.

"Tanks Daddy for game. Love you!" Joseph said sweetly.

You smiled heavily at that. Sure you may not understand or relate too well to Joseph's passion and the Super Bowl wasn't your most exciting live event, but it made Joseph happy and that made it a good night.

You wonder how Cleveland was celebrating their first Super Bowl win.

"FUCK DE-TROIT! FUCK DE-TROIT!" Was one of the many expletives and chants yelled by the Cleveland Browns fans with downtown Cleveland becoming a literal party city as the rusty city broke out into a frenzy of celebrations.

Among the various NFL fanbases, Browns fans were considered to be the most fanatic and loyal. Browns Stadium was always packed with the "Dawgs" as they called themselves with the Cleveland Pack sticking by their team through best and worst, through rain, sleet or snow. The Cavaliers and Indians may have been respectable teams, but Cleveland was by far a football city. Such was the case that when the NFL began playing again, there were severe liquor shortages for a week and the Brown's playoff run completely erased any negativity towards the Strike. In fact, some Browns fans were actually thankful for the Strike in playing a role to push Cleveland to the Super Bowl.

During the three hours the Super Bowl was played, those who drove and walked down the Cleveland streets would note how quiet and empty the city was as everyone was at home, at a friend's house, or at many bars and restaraunts to watch the game. When the game clock struck zero, a roaring chorus of cheers consumed Cleveland with many rushing to the streets in glee.

What took place on the night of January 30th, 1983 was a night of ecstasy and jubilation that would make mardi-gras look tame. Heavy chanting and impromptu rallies, breakdancing and flash concerts, heavy consumption of food and drinks, parties galore that lasted til sunrise, and the usage of many rather illicit substances. For what is surely coincidental reasons, October-November would set a record for the most babies born in Cleveland.

After decades of struggle, the Cleveland Browns were Super Bowl Champions. It didn't matter if they got to the playoffs after only six games and played in a dense bracket that included half of the NFL. They didn't care that many of the fans considered Super Bowl 17 to be illegitimate and Cleveland's first Lombardi to be hollow. The Cleveland Browns were Super Bowl Champions, and for Northeast Ohio all was right with the world.

Schehera Zade · Sep 9, 2024

Here's the pitch for the 3rd season of The SCP Files. The new semester for me started last Wednesday and I've been busy since, meaning I haven't really been able to get much done. Instead, I decided to put up a pitch that I already had completed. It's really late and I need to turn in soon so that I can wake up early enough to keep working on assignments, but there are at least two things that I wanted to briefly cover. First and most easily discussed, I've decided to add a theme song for the series. If you can't tell by now, music is very important to me and I always try to include it in my pitches if I can. The second thing I wanted to cover was the fact that I'm doing a bit of a retcon. Originally, I had Mavis as the writer/creator of this show, but I've since decided that it doesn't align with what I'm aiming for with her and have since decided to give the pitch to a different character. This "decentralization" of pitches is something I'm trying to adhere to a bit more strictly going forward. With this in mind, the new "original" creator for The SCP Files is another OC, Thea Martin. I think I might've mentioned her before, but I can't remember. The basic idea that I had with her is that she's an intern and she'd be obsessed with horror but has a very cheery, bubbly personality. The kind of person who just decides that you're their new best friend within 5 minutes of meeting you, or more relevantly to the matter of horror, the kind of person who screams at what happened on screen and then immediately starts laughing. She'll be who I'll be attributing most of my horror pitches for Lucasfilm to from now on. I'll also try and do an omake on her for the purposes of introducing her properly as a character, but I have no plans for it any time soon. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

TV Show Pitch:
The SCP Files Season 3
Original Concept/Written by: Thea Martin

GENRE: Horror/Thriller
SUBGENRE: Suspense, Anthology, Proto-ARG, Found Footage
FORMAT: Television Series

SET UP: Just as humanity lives and dies, it does so ignorant of the danger that everyday existence brings upon the planet. Creatures from myth and beyond, dangers just under the thin layers of reality, monsters that can only exist as proof that there is no loving God, deals made in the dark in exchange for just one more day to live...all this happens underneath our noses. And the reward, is to live and do it all over again. This thankless work of protecting humanity from horrors unseen is the job of the Special Containment Procedure Foundation, or SCP Foundation. An organization dedicated to the study, containment, and if necessary, neutralization of anomalous phenomena. Led by the mysterious O5 Council, those at the Foundation work relentlessly to protect humanity's fragile sense of normalcy and ensure it's survival, regardless of the what it may cost along the way.

Episode 1: SCP-610 The Flesh That Hates Part 1
Episode 2: SCP-610 The Flesh That Hates Part 2
Episode 3: SCP-053-FR Blue Fear
Episode 4: SCP-747 Children and Dolls
Episode 5: SCP-723 Aging Staircase
Episode 6: SCP-2006 Too Spooky
Episode 7: SCP-2128 The Liars Cradle
Episode 8: SCP-428 The Crowd
Episode 9: SCP-4682 Body Dysmorphia Mirror
Episode 10: SCP Seminar-Factions Part 1
Episode 11: SCP-783 There Was A Crooked Man
Episode 12: SCP-347 The Invisible Woman
Episode 13: SCP-3114 Wouldn't It Be Chilly?
Episode 14: SCP-1013 Cockatrice
Episode 15: SCP-5056 Constant Companions
Episode 16: SCP-966 Sleep Kill
Episode 17: SCP-4633 Rock, Paper, Yog-Sothoth
Episode 18: SCP-280 Eyes in the Dark
Episode 19: SCP-4310 Hero's Journey
Episode 20: SCP Seminar-001 Proposals Part 2
Episode 21: SCP-002 The Living Room
Episode 22: SCP-4190 The Grinner
Episode 23: SCP-1048 Builder Bear
Episode 24: SCP-O15-IT The Boogeyman
Episode 25: SCP-715 My Face That I May Be
Episode 26: SCP-4217 Contain the Bismarck!
Episode 27: SCP-1133 Intravenous Sin
Episode 28: SCP-1003 Tapeworm Children
Episode 29: SCP-1510 The Tarnished Legionnaire
Episode 30: SCP Seminar-Foundation Part 3

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gv5LxAzWt0

Cyberphilosipher · Sep 9, 2024

A Symbol of Healing

Jiro Masterson was like most men who had survived the post-war chaos that had gripped Japan during the late 40s and 50s.

Dedicated, hard-working and unlike many of his compatriots had stood clear of the radicalism that had gripped the nation during college, he was artistic driven and quiet.

It was an incredible and difficult thing to do to avoid the scandal and hysteria of the 60s; instead preferred to focus on short stories, poems, and his research into the character dramas that had gripped his childhood.

He looked and the mirror to see his blue eyes glaring back at him.

He could never escape who he was…and the world reminded him of that every time he looked in the mirror.

He turned to the mirror and then to the phone.

He had some calls to make.

------------------

Jiro Narukami Masterson was born in Post War Osaka Japan on September 5th, 1945, his Father was United States Master Sergeant James Masterson, of the United States Marines and his mother had been a struggling poet turned prostitute who took the deadly risk to sell her services to the US POWs an act that would have at best marked her as an outsider…or worse killed her.

Ami Narukami, for all of her struggles, managed to marry James in a rushed ceremony days after his release and rehabilitation, attended by what remained of the surviving squad and Ami's family. The early days of their relationship were a controversial one both from her parents and surviving members of James's squad, who thought he had clung to her for food and a moment of escape…

But such things were nothing, raising a child in Post War Japan, was the true challenge that they strived to meet no matter the cost.

Worked as a day laborer, then a clerk, and finally a translator of foreign newspapers. James and Ami carved out a successful and comfortable existence.

Jiro graduated with a journalism degree, and a minor in literature, and gained some fame for his articles in the Asahi Shimbun about American Soldiers in Vietnam…articles that gained some minor praise from the supporters of the military and ridicule from the anti-war movement.

Jiro would become renown for his short stories set in the 1940s and 1950s, being noted as "Snapshot character dramas" of some of the most unusual couplings and odd pairs in his stories.

-------------------------

He looked at the home, the quiet little place his parents had bought when he was eight, a comfortable suburban home with a fine tree planted by the company that built it. It had gotten taller, and larger.

Just like me. He thought almost smiling. He knocked on the door, "Come in."

Oh course they recognize my knock. He walked in and took off his shoes. "I'm sorry I didn't bring the grandchildren, but they have tests to prepare for."

His mother smelling like jasmine, hugged him "You know the door is always open Jiro…you should have called."

"I called Dad, and wanted to talk." He said.

"It's good to know that you're talking again, I had thought in '76 that you two would never talk again." She said.

Blame Star Wars for that, we finally had something we'd like together, he never understood Ultraman.

"Well he's in his workshop, you know how he is with hobbies." She said as he thanked his mother.

He knocked on the door to the workshop <"Jiro…come in.">

He was speaking English, that must means he's concentrating on something.

"Dad…" Jiro entered and saw the model, hand-carved mini-figurines, he was trying to resurrect the Battle of Aizu, down to each detail.

"Son…how are the kids." Father said as he motioned for Jiro to make an observation and answer.

"Testing, but I've been on top of them to do well." He said. "Before you say anything, I have considered sending them to America."

"Good, they'll do well there." Father finished.

"Dad…you mind if I ask you a personal question?" Jiro asked.

"Hmm." It was a yes, unsaid.

"What did you do for your honeymoon?"

"Took a bicycle, and went up north to your great grandparents. With you on her back, needed somewhere stable while the chaos died down." He said.

"So thats why my first memories are you complaining about snow." Jiro huffed.

"Oh you think snow in Hokkaido is bad. I grew up in Minnesota son, you don't know cold until you've walked in a blizzard two miles." He said.

"Well, we got time for talking about that time?"

"Another short story?" He said.

"Maybe something longer." Jiro finished with a smile.

--------------------------------------------------

Disney/Studio Ghibli MOVIE Pitch:
The Bicycle From Osaka
By Jiro Masterson

Set UP: The Bycicle of Osaka is a Semi-Autobiographical Fiction Novel set in POST-WAR Japan following a young newly married couple (A US Marine and a Japanese Writer) as they look for members of the Wife's family in the chaotic and confusing transition from War to Post War society seen through the eyes of the travelers.

Protagonists: The Couple and their Bicycle

Master Sargent Marcus Anderson: One of the Main POV's of the Story, a US marine who was captured in 1943, now working to orient himself into his wife family and help her find some stability in the chaos, in spite of his weakened state, he is a US Marine Boxer and earned a bronze star for heroism and is a brave and honest man.

Ritsuko Azuma: The other main character, the wife of Marcus and a writer who married him for protection and steady food and a sense of loyalty after she saved his life from starvation in a POW camp. She is knowledgeable of many of the roads and owns the bike, presenting the image of a perfect society member with a rather rough-and-tumble interior.

AN: I'll add more to this, but its a little something I had in my head for a while.

overmind · Sep 9, 2024

Por Que No Los Dos?

Conrad Bach was greatly annoyed, not an unusual occurrence, but still something that needed to be addressed.

As part of Lucasfilms acquisitions team he'd been part of the many, many, many times they'd been sent to try and acquire the new properties from which Lucasfilms would usually then try to turn into new films or shows for entertainment. Sure, it was not the glamorous work he'd once envisioned as a child when hearing his uncle speak about his own cases; defending the little guy against the big companies, getting settlements from clearly amoral businessman, heck even managing to exonerate a man accused of fraud and proving the accuser was the guilty party.

Yeah, going from wanting to be the defender of the innocent, to working as part of a big studio company was no what he may have expected, but it was a living. Besides, Lucasfilms was not a bad place to work with. In his time in the company he'd seen that, unlike many of the different places he'd interned or even worked at before, that their dealings were always above board, making sure that the entire legalese was clear and easy to understand for their employees and those they did business with.

No that they were kept idle though, as despite their every effort there was always that needed their attention, just one more thing that was required to make their endeavors run smoothly; whether dealing with small lawsuits that barely had any leg to stand upon, from making sure that the newest acquisitions were all up to par, new deals that needed to be made and renegotiated (and always with the spectre of the Toho deal hanging over them... the knowledge which had become a yearly presentation to remind everyone to never let themselves be fooled again) and of course the many times when they would accompany Mr. O'Brian or Mr. Eisner when they signed new deals for movies, properties, etc.

All of which meant they should had been on top of any and all situations as they developed. They had the practice for it after all. Hardly a month passed when they were suddenly thrusted into needing to speak with directors, authors, actors, producers, business owners, the list went on and on... as their boss's mercurial moods took them to different areas of America, and the world, whenever they found something new that they just had to make into a movie, or sometimes they would remember an old-time candy they ate and suddenly they had to buy the entire company.

Yes, looking at you Oatfield! Better make a bloody profit soon or God help you...! Those were some of the most excruciating months of his life that he spent in one of the most impoverished areas of Ireland! He was still sure they were not speaking English as well, probably trying to mock him and make him waste time.

English speaking country his ass!

The point was Conrad and his colleagues (some of them his friends) knew that they had to be ready at any time and moment to have everything ready when their bosses wanted something. It was a point of pride for them that rarely had they failed, and when they did, it had been for unreasonable circumstances that they could have never predicted; the person in question had a clear bias against Lucasfilms, they'd made a deal beforehand, they were scared of Mr. Eisner (though for the life of him he could not understand why).

Clear and simple.

Which made moments like these truly vexing for him.

To wit, once more there had been talks about adding a new property for the creatives work; a novel this time which had exploded into popularity in Italy and Europe, along with the most literary circles in America. A murder mystery set in medieval times, and though he had not read it himself, he could still appreciate the amount of talent needed if they were to be noticed by Mr. O'Brian. Conrad swore that he man must be able to see the future sometimes considering how he seemed to know just what works to go after and which to just ignore.

Either that or someday he and the rest of his colleagues will find themselves having to find a way to keep the entire company from going bankrupt.

The Name of the Rose, an interesting novel written by Umberto Eco, a more interesting man. An erudite and philosopher whom he would not mind discussing different topics under any different circumstances. Yet his time was precious, and he was not paid to tarry, as such while keeping his courtesies, he also made sure to keep to the topic at hand and not waste either of their time; he had been sent to get the rights to make the movie. He offered a generous (more than generous really) settlement for the rights, showed the prowess of Lucasfilms when it came to adapting works, and even gave him the chance to be part of the entire process.

He even showed some of the different costumes and graphic designs made by the ILM Team, a way to prove that they were fully committed to bringing his vision to life.

All that effort only to be interrupted mid-conversation when a new visitor decided to interrupt, someone that unfortunately he could not dismiss, and someone who had come with a clear agenda that ran counter to his.

Jean-Jacques Annaud, Academy Award and Cesar Award winner, one of those rare French directors who could make the successful transition to American cinema and back, and whose works do not go overly much into near incomprehensive crap that they like to sprinkle in all their films. And at that moment, his direct competitor when it came to getting the rights to make the film adaptation.

It was just...annoying to hear the man speak about how much he knew about the movie, how he felt fascinated by the book, and how he even had knowledge on both Greek and Latin that would aid him in the more semiotic and linguistic parts of the adaptation. He spoke at length about the different sets he could work with, and the passion he could bring to the entire work.

And somehow, this was enough to get Umberto Eco to delay until he could think it over, with Conrad's mission going from a certainty to being a flip of the coin. He could understand passion, heck the entire company he works with was founded on it, as well as for giving the artist a chance to shine. Even Mr. Eisner agreed with Mr. O'Brian and Mr. Lucas on occassion.

Which is why he was on the phone, waiting for the line to be connected internationally to speak with Mr. Eisner. Taking into account the time differences, he should be calling around the midday or the morning. This mission had just turned complicated, and if he was to succeed he would need to know just how deep he could go.

And how creatively he could interpret his orders as well.

Jean-Jacques Annaud was preparing to spend some time looking at his notes when he received the call. It was nothing out there, just a request for a meeting at a downtown cafe near the area. But his previous experiences had him on the edge, this was not the first time he'd been asked to meet with studio representatives only to be ambushed with either unreasonable demands, or as that American film put it "An offer he could not refuse".

Granted, Lucasfilms reputation did not suggest that they would try to stoop to any such lows, but for all they claimed they were above such petty things, he could still recall the many horror stories his director friends had told him of Hollywood, the Gilded City that hid one of the darkest underbellies that one could think of.

And he'd chosen to go against them due to his passion and desire to bring Umberto Eco's novel to the big picture. He could not help himself in this case, even when he arrived and saw him already in discussions with said company's representative, he knew he had to make his pitch, make him understand that he was the right person to direct the film, to make it come alive like no one could. Sure, he did not have the production company, funds, cast, or perhaps even a script yet, but he could get them in time, if he was only given a chance.

Which is why when he was finally sat in front of Mr. Conrad Bach he steeled himself and prepared to refuse any and all offers to stop his suit. He was determined to make the movie, come hell or high water, and he was not going to take no for an answer. If it was a fight they wanted, then it was a fight he was willing to take.

"Would you like to work for us?"

...

Okay, this was new.

"Excuse me?" He replied, his English still having that hint of an accent to it.
"It's occurred to my superiors that while we would prefer to have the rights to the novel for ourselves, we can also compromise. We want to make the movie; you want to make the movie. You'll need a production company unless you're willing to pay everything out of pocket."

"...Well, perhaps I will. It won't be as glamorous as other Hollywood productions, but I can make the movie better than any others."

"I think Mr. Howard or Mr. Spielberg might disagree, but let's not go into what ifs, let's deal with facts. Fact is, there is a 50% chance you get the rights to the movie. You working with us moves it up to 100%. I don't think you need to do the math to see which is the better choice."

If he wasn't so damn smug about then he might have considered the offer without questioning it too much. For all his apprehension, it was true that he would need a production company...but he did not have to make it easy for them either.

"I think you overestimate yourself."

Mr. Bach remained silent, but he could feel the slight anger in him.

"It's true that I need a production Company, but whether Lucasfilms, or Ardmore, I have other options as well in France alone, not even mentioning the rest of Europe. This is not America where a movie has to be an entire spectacle. I can make a good, deep, movie without your oh so precious "Special Effects" and still make it a great adaptation. As for the percentage? Considering you were the ones who called me, I'd say it's more a 70% chance... in my favor."

Which was true in many ways. He had options, he had connections, and he knew himself well enough that he could make the movie without the need of Lucasfilms. And considering that Mr. Bach called on him just the day after, he was willing to bet that he was more desperate than he let on.

Case in point...

"...what do you want?" Bach gritted out.

He smiled "The movie is made with my vision. I direct it, and get full support both financially. All casting decisions are made by me. I'll accept your suggestions, but they all must be approved by me in the end. I choose the location, and I want as little interference from your studio as possible."

"...Your vision, direction and support is agreed to. Casting conditionally, if the producer insists on an actor then you must at the very least give them a chance to prove they can do it. The filming is done by Ardmore, and the setting along with the Special Effects are given as well. As for interference...we have a script already on the works, so at least you have to give it a look."

Better than you expected, and more than good enough for your purposes. Not all companies would give you what you asked, and the money would certainly help in fulfilling his vision. Now, about- wait, what was the last part?

"...Just, why did you start work on a script for a novel you did not have the rights for?"

While not technically illegal, usually producers would prefer to have the script done once all the i's had been dotted and t's crossed as well. Writing could be an exhausting, and expensive, process. Heck, he had yet to start writing the script for his adaptation!

"Our writers get zealous sometimes."

That...that explained so much, and yet so little.

"So, are we in agreement here?"

He shook himself out of it, looking at the stretched hand in front of him. The possibilities, both good and bad swimming through his mind. Greater support, greater funding, the sure chance to make his vision come true without having to jump through many hoops in order to achieve it. And in return, he would bind himself to Lucasfilms for the foreseeable future... it should be a no-brainer, but some small apprehension still remained in him.

What if it was too good to be true in the end?

... But, what if it was true?

In the end, he decided to trust his instincts, to trust what he had heard and seen instead of what may be.

He shook the man's hand, a gentleman's agreement made between the both of them.

And he hoped he'd made the right choice.

A.N.: Truth be told, when my reward was to have The Name of the Rose ready to be produced, I thought that we still needed to get the rights ready. Then I thought about how it's a shame that Jean-Jacques Annaud would not have the chance to direct it since, for all that his version lacked the philosophical, and semiotic, themes, I do think he could have made good use of them had he not been constrained for lack of funds and time. I mean, looking at his filmography he's actually a very good director, and made some of my favorite movies as well. I think that he can work very well if he works with us, thus having the best of both worlds.

Kaiser Chris · Sep 10, 2024

The Hollywood Reporter: Interview with Bruce and Carrie O'Brian, Killer Queen January 1983

The following is an interview with Hollywood super couple Bruce O'Brian and Carrie O'Brian for their new film Killer Queen with reporter Antonio Canales interviewing.

A: From trailers and promotional material it has been noted that Killer Queen bears many similarities to Singing in the Rain with Debbie Reynolds as an ordinary woman suddenly thrusted into stardom. Was this intentional?

C: Yes. I did initially write Killer Queen lacking any homages or connections, but after watching Singing I received some inspiration and with Mom always intended to be the leading woman, it felt only natural to form those connections and homages to the film that made Mom into a star and is one of the greatest films of all time. There's a lot of overlapping themes and I feel that how we present Killer Queen shows an interesting evolution of Hollywood and film from the 50's to the 80s.

A: But it's not going to be a musical correct?

C: Yes. I wouldn't mind writing more musicals or starring in one, but I felt that Killer Queen would have the story somewhat diluted if it was in that format as the themes and characters didn't really play to the strengths of a musical.

A: Yet despite saying such the film is named after Queen's iconic single?

C: Well when I was recording Mansion Rock with the band, Freddie was singing Killer Queen for fun to Mary, and I was hit with a major burst of inspiration and a lot of loose threads and story elements for the film kind of fell into place so without Killer Queen, I don't think the film would have been made in the same way it was finished. So I'm really thankful to Queen for their inspiration, and rest assured Queen fans that Killer Queen and a couple of other Queen songs will be present in the soundtrack.

A: Bruce, as the man who many call the "Master of Action", do you find it more difficult to work on a more grounded and dramatic film like Killer Queen as Director?
B: Who said anything about it not being an action packed shootout? Bruce laughs. In all seriousness, I love filmmaking in all of its forms so I'm never afraid to approach genres I'm unfamiliar with like horror with Moonlight Diner. There wasn't anything about Killer Queen that was more difficult than other productions, and I found Directing to be really fulfilling and enjoyable thanks to working with one of the best scripts produced and a highly talented cast.

A: It's been reported that three of your castmates are your children in their film debuts, Mary, Sarah and Joseph O'Brian. Is this the start of acting careers for your three children or merely a one time thing?

C: I casted my three kids mainly because this was a deeply personal film and I wanted them to be involved for fun, it also helped that they play my character's kids so it wasn't too hard for Bruce to direct them.

B: We always tried to make sure that the kids were having a good time and weren't pressured under the camera, and I think fans will enjoy their performances. As for the future, if they show up in another O'Brian film or want to do anything else is entirely up to them. Whether all of my kids work in film or none of them have a career in Hollywood, I'll love and support them the same as the proudest Dad in the world.

A: Speaking of cast members, this will be Debbie Reynolds first starring role in a decade since her role as Charlotte in Charlotte's Web. What would you have to say about her performance.

C: Absolutely incredible, probably her best out of her career, and that's an undeniable fact. One of the best times in my life was being able to co-star alongside Mom in Broadway and finally share the stage with her as equals. It was a joy to have that experience again and I think audiences will fall heavily in love with Mom's character and her performance.

B: I've always said that there are two women in this world who are the best actresses, my wife and my mother-in-law. Debbie's fans are going to be quite happy with what we created and it'll always be one of my greatest honors to be the director for this film.

overmind · Sep 11, 2024

Rocky Fighting an Alien?

It had all started as a simple joke.

Jim Thomas, screenwriter-per-hire, had just finished his latest commission; some schlock high fantasy/science Fiction "Epic" that the buyer was sure "would be the next Star Wars!". Yeah, keep dreaming pal, perhaps if you hadn't plagiarized any and all concepts from Star Trek and just reworded it then he might have a chance. But, what could Jim do? He was the hired help, he was paid to write what the commissioner asked for, even when at times he wondered if there was any shred of originality left in this city.

They all probably went to work for O'Brian anyways.

Still, he was free, after two months of grueling work, having to make peace with his conscience and $1000 dollars richer. Enough to perhaps give himself some time before having to pick up the pen for any would be "auteurs" who'd rather not do the job themselves. Who knows, perhaps by then he might actually get an idea as to what to write for himself.

...Now why did he had to think about that? Okay, he might have jumped into the Hollywood scene hoping to make it there, and perhaps he had yet to find a script that would work, but that did not mean he was stuck. He wasn't! He was just... a bit too busy that's all. He would get back into it tomorrow, first thing even!

For now though, he had an open invitation with his brother. John may have not chosen to be a fulltime screenwriter like him, making do with different odd jobs to keep himself busy, but they both knew they had each other's backs when it came to it. Plus, with the strike over, it was finally time for the Superbowl games. And if there was anything that he and John enjoyed was open a cold one while cheering for whoever team struck their fancy on that day.

Only this time around, their usual grousing began differently.

"No fucking way is that true!" Jim said in disbelief. He knew he'd been a bit of a recluse when it came to his writing, but he was certain that no such rumor had even been an inkling before he locked himself writing.

"Cross my heart little bro." John laughed. "Everyone in Hollywood is just saying the same thing over and over again. There's even talk that it might get done by next year."

Sitting on the garden of John's house, the siblings engaged in one of their old rituals; gossiping. With Jim being mainly a recluse for the last months as he finished his latest commission, it had fallen to John to keep his brother up to date; from the latest news about the recent drafts, to the strike's final conclusion and settlement, and the rumors around Hollywood.

However, this one took the cake!

"But.. but that's just stupid! How can anyone think that the next Rocky movie will have him fight an alien?!"

It would be one thing if he had to fight two men at the same time, or perhaps have to go in some sumo wrestling match and find a way to overcome the enemy through competitive eating, enough to barely qualify for the match and then have to find a way to learn how to fight in the match itself, only to lose and then come back through a series of wacky hijinks which would then become a parody and-

"Hey!" John snapped his fingers in front of Jim's face. "Earth to Jimmy, focus. Come on, game's about to start, we better get inside."

Jim shook himself and followed his brother inside. The TV was turned on as the siblings once more enjoyed their relaxation time with some good old-fashioned Football. Yet Jim's mind could not get out of the entire premise that he'd been told. Really, Rocky fighting an Alien? Could it actually be done? Should it actually be done? Why would they even try it? He'd think they would know something like that would never work? ... Or do they?

Just what exactly is going on!?

(Seven Days Later)

John Thomas had just returned from another day at work, and the last thing he wanted to do was to try and work even more. However, he had promised himself; at the very least he needed to work out his mental muscles and write one hundred words per day. The atrophy of the mind was something real, and he was not going to let it affect him, not when he was already way behind his little bro when it came to becoming a real writer... then again, perhaps he would have a greater chance if he had just gone full in like Jim had.

But if he had, then they would both probably starve.

It was a bit unfair to think so, uncharitable perhaps, but it was a fact that he'd cottoned on early on. Both of them wanted to be writers, but Jim was the one who took it to be his one passion. He could work on it on the side, but his little brother would not be satisfied unless he went at it every moment of every day. He'd tried to counsel him to get some type of part-time job, but Jim was stubborn and was determined to make it on his own writing alone.

And well, that's how they got at where they were.

Sure, his brother had gotten his hand at writing, but in the end he still had yet to find that big break that he'd hoped for. Not to mention that some of the stuff he came up with was a bit out there. From Star Wars Knock offs to the new brand of exploitation films, though at the very least he had yet to try any type of erotica or porn. There were lines that were just not crossed unless you wanted to be stuck there for the rest of your life, and neither of them were that desperate yet.

Nevertheless, the fact that both of them seemed to be stuck when it came to their careers was gaining traction whenever they had their talks together, a sense of defeatism that came to dominate their talks whenever Jim finished another project and heard about the new and upcoming films, the writers who came to prominence, and the new renaissance of ideas that just seemed to inspire everyone to greater heights each and every month.

You swear, when he read about Mavis Kingsley and her meteoric rise, he seemed to both invigorate and deflate at the same time. It wasn't even that Jim was untalented, he could come with some of the most inventive ideas that one could imagine, concepts that could blow everyone's minds...

But he was clearly wasting his talent thinking that he could just rise if he kept on writing until someone found about his talent. Even Kingsley needed someone to find her, and she was at the very top of Lucasfilms for it to happen. He'd told him before that they should try working together, submit one full script to any of the studios in town to at the very least have their names be known among them, yet he'd been refused time and again, his stubbornness in receiving help becoming legendary by now among them.

Perhaps this time he will come around to it. His previous joke seemed to make him more concerned than anything.

Oh sure, there had been rumors abounding for a while now about how after beating O'Brian in his film that there was no way that Rocky would be able to have another opponent of said caliber, joking that perhaps he'll find an alien or a demon next, stuff that no one took seriously. He thought to joke about to Jim, saying that it was clearly serious and they would go ahead with it to see his reaction. Oddly enough, he seemed to take it more seriously than he had expected.

Perhaps he shoul-

*BRRIIIIIIIIIINGG* *BRRIIIIIIIIIINGG* *BRRIIIIIIIIIINGG*

Walking to the phone as his thoughts cleared from his musings, he picked it up and...

"Yes, who is this?"

"..."

"This is John Thomas, yes."

"..."

"Wait, wait... police department? What is this about?"

"..."

"What do you mean my brother was brought in?!"

"..."

"HE DID WHAT!?!?"

(Later That Night)

"Just what were you thinking James?!?! Or were you even thinking at all!?!"

John was clearly furious, as evidence by the yelling and the using of Jim's full name. His driving remaining steady despite the heat in his voice. The last thing anyone wanted was an accident due to sloppy driving, and John was working hard to keep his temper in check.

Which was hard when he'd just had to post bail on his little brother's apparently new stalking habits!

At least the victim decided not to press charges once his brother's reasons where discovered, not that it made it any better when one hears how apparently he'd up and decided that it would be a good idea to shadow Sylvester Stallone in order to see for himself if there was actual truth to the entire rumor that the next Rocky film would have him fight an alien!

"... It just seemed like a good idea at the time"

... He was going to kill him, honest to the lord he was going to kill him.

"... and at least I got a good idea for a script?"

Slooowlyy.

They drove in silence for a while, the tension mounting between them. Something had to snap and give before it became even more acrimonious. It just so happened, that Jim was the one who broke first.

"Look John, I know I fucked up alright! I just- I just, I don't know, it was like everything was rushing at me alright! I just finished another fucking crappy commission that I would not even wipe my own ass with, I then hear that Hollywood might be going insane with taking ideas that some of the most brain dead of my own clients are going with, and then it all just... blows in my mind, like you wonder why waste so long trying when the lowest denominator gets the chance when you don't, and the next thing you know you're suddenly walking and trying to-to ... God, just do anything to no longer feel so useless..."

He seemed to deflate at that. John's gaze seeming less flinty than before. He knew that Jim's situation had not been the best, and he knew that he'd snap eventually, he just expected a shouting match or perhaps some sort of big bender instead of going straight for the criminal offences. They were darn lucky that Mr. Stallone had decided to leave it as it was once Jim was found to be relatively harmless.

John took a deep breath, his body relaxing somewhat. He could see his brother looking down at his lap, looking devoid of life and that spark he'd had before. There would clearly be a time to talk more in depth about what happened today. But for now, he could be lenient. His brother needed him after all.

"So... what was that about an idea for a script?"

Jim startled from his thoughts, looking at him before tentatively smiling.

"Well... you mentioned an alien, and while I was... you know... I kept on thinking 'Man, if I was an Alien I would just try to attack from out of nowhere instead of fighting in front of him', and then I kept on thinking what kind of Alien does that when they have weapons and technology, right? Then I thought, but what if he's a Hunter, like the type we have nowadays. But then what kind of prey does he hunt? That is what stumped me and I kept on thinking all kinds of different professions..."

The explanation of the idea kept all the way to his home and beyond, the brothers throwing ideas to each other, further refining the concept, little by little forming what would become one of the most iconic movies in the decade. Not that they knew it at the time of course.

For now, it was just two siblings talking, and it was good.

A.N.: This just came from the old story that Predator was created because of a joke about "Rocky fighting an Alien" since he no longer has any opponents on Earth after Rocky IV. However, researching more, it seems they came up with the idea way before Rocky IV began production as well. I thought to combine both and see what would be a fun and wacky way this could have gone about in this new timeline. Any changes to the borther's biography is because despite my best efforts, I could not find much information about them. Hopefully you enjoyed it.

Lights... Camera... ACTION!!: A Hollywood Quest

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