yuletide 2024 letter
Oct. 12th, 2024 12:47 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thewrongkindofpcETA: treats so welcome! <3 <3 <3
Will I ever use this account again for anything but yuletide? Idk, but weirdly I've actually been semi-active in a writing/posting sense on tumblr lately -- hmu if you want that account info.
In the meantime,
Likes: close-to-canon canon divergence, missing scenes, awkward conversations about feelings, close relationships that don't map to family structures, people figuring out (usually belatedly) how to Deal With Their Shit. Feel free to poke around on my Ao3/bookmarks for vibes.
DNWs: Brain damage or memory loss, graphic sexual violence, permanent main character death
Theater Camp, characters Troy Rubinsky, Glenn Winthrop, Janet Walch
I watched this movie last Christmas with my family, and knew immediately that I wanted it for a yuletide fandom this year, if I could remember it long enough. I'd love a story that focuses on any one or any combination of these three characters. I'm infinitely weak for Jimmy Tatro ever since American Vandal, I think he's so funny, and his characters are always just tender enough in the way they deal with the world that I have to love 'em. Something about Troy's relationship with Joan, growing up with the camp staff basically as his extended family -- Clive and Rita probably saw him grow up, what a wild combination of people -- would make my LIFE.
Then there's Janet, who he just straight-up BELIEVED when she gave him her ridiculous resume -- why did she do that? What was she escaping at camp? Does she develop her own little rules for the skills she's making up to evaluate the kids on, does she wind up moving through the world like she thinks pro actors should know these rules, too? Does she ever feel bad about anything she lies about? Do she and Troy develop a bro-lationship?
Do GLENN and Troy develop a bro-lationship? Or any other kind of ship? What can I say? I'm mortal, and Troy's utterly confident of course they have sufficient mentorship, they have you, Glenn bit at the end there made me weak in the KNEES. My HEART, amirite? Plus, I think Troy's one of a pretty special, select few people who could roll with realizing he's into dudes by seeing his future bf dressed in drag as a younger version of Troy's mom without a ton of drama about it. And you know Joan would be delighted.
If you want to focus on Glenn in more of a character study way, I am also so down for that -- when did he learn he wanted to DANCE, was getting bumped into the stagecraft class really all it took to throw him off that dream? Have he and Amos ever hooked up in a coat closet at a cast party? What was Glenn's formative summercamp play experience?
And yes, if Glenn and Troy do get together, what does that culture clash look like? How do they make it work? The ongoing bit of Glenn just being quietly ...standing behind something, in the room, and startling Troy into dropping something, I'd love to see that turn domestic.
Another thing I love about these two is their study in opposites about confidence -- Troy is SO confident in his chosen field of social media influencer bro business scammery, and so bad at it, whereas Glenn is so good at the things he loves, and so unsure of himself in them that he's built a whole life out of being very good at being near those things without ever taking part. I feel like if they end up knowing each other in the longer term, this sense of oppositeness could lead to a kind of balance I'd love to see.
Ender series, characters Dink Meeker and Zeck Morgan
Okay, I highly doubt that this is where we matched, I nominated it as the longest of long shots, but I've been obsessed and troubled by the novella, A War of Gifts, for a long time, and I'd love to see someone pick a fic-style fight with it.
this is what I said about what I'd probably request in the promo post:
I'd be interested in a look at what happens to Zech in the post-Battle School world, both in terms of the personal situation of his home life and the political setup of the Shadow series, which would make him a hot commodity, and would put his pacifism in conflict with the prevailing energy of the world around him again. I'd also love to see he and Dink interact again as adults, maybe even adults who are actually able to articulate some of what was going on with them when they were younger. And with regard to what I said about being a weirdo queer who felt somewhat betrayed by the Orson Scott Card of it all, I wouldn't say no if anyone wanted to make it all a little gayer.
And all of that is true! I also love Dink so much, though, and I would love to see a slice of his POV on the climactic end moment of Shadow of the Giant, if that's how you end up feeling inspired! Or about the kidnapping situation, or any of it, really. A peek into either of these characters' heads would be a dream.
Bad Education (UK TV), characters Stephen Carmichael, Mitchell Harper, Chantelle Parsons, Jing Hua
Look, I was reminded of this show's existence recently by prime recommending me the movie, which I had somehow managed to never see, despite the fact that the original run of the show was my best friend in one particular depression hole in my early 20s. So I watched the movie, and, like? It was so good? Possibly better than the original show. I was delighted. Then I heard about the revival, and I was so intrigued? And then it, too, was a delight! The students are all so good, and Stephen and Mitchell are such ridiculous, horrible work-best-frenemies, I love every moment when you get to see them be juuuust older and mature enough to acknowledge to themselves that they value each other, that they're on the same ridiculous, mostly-useless team.
The bit in the reunion ep about Stephen drifting away from Chantelle because he didn't want her to see him not succeed in the thing he was trying to do was one of those moments B.E. is so good at which is, under all the ridiculous, just a bit too real, and I'd love to see them try to rebuild that relationship a little. If you want to draw Mitchell into that, maybe a contrast with either how he and his own bestie from back in school Rem Dogg either have stayed in touch the whole time, or really mostly don't.
When I first started looking for stuff about the revival I saw someone on tumblr talking about shipping Mitchell and Stephen, too. Going in with the background of the original show, I was pretty skeptical, and in a way I still kind of am, but as the new series went on, I realized they could absolutely have a this-show-level-of-bad-idea impulsive hookup and then have to deal with coming in to work together the next day, and I'd be so there for it.
And finally, Jing! If we've matched on Jing, I love you. If you want to write about her, no one else has to be involved, just tell me about her out there living her fabulous life. What did the reunion show say, that she was in Paris? Is that true? Is she in touch with anyone? Does she use her old classmates as bit characters in the background of her epic length searing cultural critique novels? Is she pulling a Stephen and letting her old friends think her life is much more dramatic than it actually is? Or is she really just that much of a superstar? Does she ever come back? Tell me everything.
Kneecap (2024), characters Mógalaí Bap | Naoise, Mo Chara | Liam Óg, DJ Próvai | JJ, Georgia (Kneecap)
I'm obsessed with the way this movie is a myth, is a tall tale in a pub, is an emotional but not literal truth, and I'd love to see a story that wants to dig into that and plays with it a little. The movie is written like it's from Mo Chara's point of view, so maybe a story that looks at what it might look at if one of the others was telling it? JJ says he wanted to be a musician first, at that point when he tries to quit the band -- where does the story start if he's telling it, for example?
I'm also deeply into Georgia as a character, and her and Mo Chara's relationship based on mutual political kink -- if they try to figure out if there's more to it than that, what does that look like?
Really, I became deeply invested in this story very very fast, and if there's anything you've been feeling like writing about it, even if it has nothing to do with anything I've said, I'll probably be very into it just because it's more thoughts about this movie to chew on. I've also gone down a bit of a rabbit hole and listened to most of their interviews and seen the music videos, so if you want to pull any of that in for color/depth, it's all fair game. I had this bizarre vision the other day of the track "Harrow Road" off the new album getting adapted into a sequel movie to this one, so if you feel like getting epic-night-out about it, that's a thought.
Hurog -- Patricia Briggs, characters Tosten
Tosten is my favorite character in these books -- he's such a fucking trooper, he's the side character in someone else's epic quest narrative, but he loves his brother and he does his best with it. He's passive aggressive and bitchy and he tries so hard, he's deeply attached to his siblings and he doesn't trust anyone and why should he?
I love the scene where Ward is being taken away in the second book, and Oreg shows up all dragon-fied to report back to the party that's following, and Tosten is like, fuckingn hellll do I really have to be the sensible one? I would also like to freak out about this!, which is another way of saying that I'm fascinated by the way he builds some kind of relationship with Oreg, who has known about Tosten even though Tosten never knew about him, who is magic and dangerous and strange and somehow family but not, and how maybe they're too much alike and maybe they have nothing in common except for how they feel about Tosten's brother and it's ODD.
Really, any kind of character study you're feeling, I'm here for.
Also, like, what kind of life does he want? Is he going to spend his life as his brother's deputy? Is he going to join the Blue Guards? I feel like Stalla with eventually point out that while he's competent enough at it, he's not necessarily constitutionally suited to be a guardsman. Now that there's a new kind of court, is he planning to spend any time in it? Hurog may need an agent there, after all.
Side note, I do read Tosten as possibly queer, and with Tisala moving to Hurog and, presumably, bringing some Oranstone folks with her, I'd be interested to see any navigation of cultural differences.
Anyway, that's just a grab bag of thoughts, I'd be delighted if any of them connected with you.
Trainspotting (Movies), characters Sick Boy and Mark Renton
This is my forever fandom. If you've clicked through to my account, you've probably seen that I've written for it before, and I probably will again. I love these nightmare characters, and I love that the second movie gives us a chance to see them grow and change -- and all the ways they don't actually grow or change that much, too. I love that movie two gives us Mark and Simon back on the couch again at the end, wasting time, mostly sober, older, sadder, and very aware of how much worse it can all get.
As a beautiful T2 fan who wrote an excellent fic after the second movie came out said, T2 was a love story -- if it's a platonic love story for you, that's rad too, but the fact that it's about love, and the way what's survived the violence of being young and not stopping things from breaking is a love of circumstance, in a way, but also a gift, is really important to me.
I've read the books, and my personal usual mode of interaction with them is just to grab the bits that I like from them and leave the rest, so if you too have read the books and want to do something similar, please do.
I'd love to see some of their lost years, or a piece of one of their lost years coming back to them in the present to disrupt the weird new-old dynamic of being back in Leith together and remind them both that everything that happened in between did happen. I'd love to see some back and forth juxtaposition of them older and younger, or some echoed or mirrored conversations evolving over time. Diane's cameo in the second movie was great, too, if you want to throw more of her in there, that's rad, too.
Really, this is another one that, if there's something you've been wanting to write, I've probably been wanting to read it. Also, lol, if you happen to be here for Kneecap and wanted to include a little tiny crossover in either direction, I'd probably keel over with joy.
xxxx
Will I ever use this account again for anything but yuletide? Idk, but weirdly I've actually been semi-active in a writing/posting sense on tumblr lately -- hmu if you want that account info.
In the meantime,
Likes: close-to-canon canon divergence, missing scenes, awkward conversations about feelings, close relationships that don't map to family structures, people figuring out (usually belatedly) how to Deal With Their Shit. Feel free to poke around on my Ao3/bookmarks for vibes.
DNWs: Brain damage or memory loss, graphic sexual violence, permanent main character death
Theater Camp, characters Troy Rubinsky, Glenn Winthrop, Janet Walch
I watched this movie last Christmas with my family, and knew immediately that I wanted it for a yuletide fandom this year, if I could remember it long enough. I'd love a story that focuses on any one or any combination of these three characters. I'm infinitely weak for Jimmy Tatro ever since American Vandal, I think he's so funny, and his characters are always just tender enough in the way they deal with the world that I have to love 'em. Something about Troy's relationship with Joan, growing up with the camp staff basically as his extended family -- Clive and Rita probably saw him grow up, what a wild combination of people -- would make my LIFE.
Then there's Janet, who he just straight-up BELIEVED when she gave him her ridiculous resume -- why did she do that? What was she escaping at camp? Does she develop her own little rules for the skills she's making up to evaluate the kids on, does she wind up moving through the world like she thinks pro actors should know these rules, too? Does she ever feel bad about anything she lies about? Do she and Troy develop a bro-lationship?
Do GLENN and Troy develop a bro-lationship? Or any other kind of ship? What can I say? I'm mortal, and Troy's utterly confident of course they have sufficient mentorship, they have you, Glenn bit at the end there made me weak in the KNEES. My HEART, amirite? Plus, I think Troy's one of a pretty special, select few people who could roll with realizing he's into dudes by seeing his future bf dressed in drag as a younger version of Troy's mom without a ton of drama about it. And you know Joan would be delighted.
If you want to focus on Glenn in more of a character study way, I am also so down for that -- when did he learn he wanted to DANCE, was getting bumped into the stagecraft class really all it took to throw him off that dream? Have he and Amos ever hooked up in a coat closet at a cast party? What was Glenn's formative summercamp play experience?
And yes, if Glenn and Troy do get together, what does that culture clash look like? How do they make it work? The ongoing bit of Glenn just being quietly ...standing behind something, in the room, and startling Troy into dropping something, I'd love to see that turn domestic.
Another thing I love about these two is their study in opposites about confidence -- Troy is SO confident in his chosen field of social media influencer bro business scammery, and so bad at it, whereas Glenn is so good at the things he loves, and so unsure of himself in them that he's built a whole life out of being very good at being near those things without ever taking part. I feel like if they end up knowing each other in the longer term, this sense of oppositeness could lead to a kind of balance I'd love to see.
Ender series, characters Dink Meeker and Zeck Morgan
Okay, I highly doubt that this is where we matched, I nominated it as the longest of long shots, but I've been obsessed and troubled by the novella, A War of Gifts, for a long time, and I'd love to see someone pick a fic-style fight with it.
this is what I said about what I'd probably request in the promo post:
I'd be interested in a look at what happens to Zech in the post-Battle School world, both in terms of the personal situation of his home life and the political setup of the Shadow series, which would make him a hot commodity, and would put his pacifism in conflict with the prevailing energy of the world around him again. I'd also love to see he and Dink interact again as adults, maybe even adults who are actually able to articulate some of what was going on with them when they were younger. And with regard to what I said about being a weirdo queer who felt somewhat betrayed by the Orson Scott Card of it all, I wouldn't say no if anyone wanted to make it all a little gayer.
And all of that is true! I also love Dink so much, though, and I would love to see a slice of his POV on the climactic end moment of Shadow of the Giant, if that's how you end up feeling inspired! Or about the kidnapping situation, or any of it, really. A peek into either of these characters' heads would be a dream.
Bad Education (UK TV), characters Stephen Carmichael, Mitchell Harper, Chantelle Parsons, Jing Hua
Look, I was reminded of this show's existence recently by prime recommending me the movie, which I had somehow managed to never see, despite the fact that the original run of the show was my best friend in one particular depression hole in my early 20s. So I watched the movie, and, like? It was so good? Possibly better than the original show. I was delighted. Then I heard about the revival, and I was so intrigued? And then it, too, was a delight! The students are all so good, and Stephen and Mitchell are such ridiculous, horrible work-best-frenemies, I love every moment when you get to see them be juuuust older and mature enough to acknowledge to themselves that they value each other, that they're on the same ridiculous, mostly-useless team.
The bit in the reunion ep about Stephen drifting away from Chantelle because he didn't want her to see him not succeed in the thing he was trying to do was one of those moments B.E. is so good at which is, under all the ridiculous, just a bit too real, and I'd love to see them try to rebuild that relationship a little. If you want to draw Mitchell into that, maybe a contrast with either how he and his own bestie from back in school Rem Dogg either have stayed in touch the whole time, or really mostly don't.
When I first started looking for stuff about the revival I saw someone on tumblr talking about shipping Mitchell and Stephen, too. Going in with the background of the original show, I was pretty skeptical, and in a way I still kind of am, but as the new series went on, I realized they could absolutely have a this-show-level-of-bad-idea impulsive hookup and then have to deal with coming in to work together the next day, and I'd be so there for it.
And finally, Jing! If we've matched on Jing, I love you. If you want to write about her, no one else has to be involved, just tell me about her out there living her fabulous life. What did the reunion show say, that she was in Paris? Is that true? Is she in touch with anyone? Does she use her old classmates as bit characters in the background of her epic length searing cultural critique novels? Is she pulling a Stephen and letting her old friends think her life is much more dramatic than it actually is? Or is she really just that much of a superstar? Does she ever come back? Tell me everything.
Kneecap (2024), characters Mógalaí Bap | Naoise, Mo Chara | Liam Óg, DJ Próvai | JJ, Georgia (Kneecap)
I'm obsessed with the way this movie is a myth, is a tall tale in a pub, is an emotional but not literal truth, and I'd love to see a story that wants to dig into that and plays with it a little. The movie is written like it's from Mo Chara's point of view, so maybe a story that looks at what it might look at if one of the others was telling it? JJ says he wanted to be a musician first, at that point when he tries to quit the band -- where does the story start if he's telling it, for example?
I'm also deeply into Georgia as a character, and her and Mo Chara's relationship based on mutual political kink -- if they try to figure out if there's more to it than that, what does that look like?
Really, I became deeply invested in this story very very fast, and if there's anything you've been feeling like writing about it, even if it has nothing to do with anything I've said, I'll probably be very into it just because it's more thoughts about this movie to chew on. I've also gone down a bit of a rabbit hole and listened to most of their interviews and seen the music videos, so if you want to pull any of that in for color/depth, it's all fair game. I had this bizarre vision the other day of the track "Harrow Road" off the new album getting adapted into a sequel movie to this one, so if you feel like getting epic-night-out about it, that's a thought.
Hurog -- Patricia Briggs, characters Tosten
Tosten is my favorite character in these books -- he's such a fucking trooper, he's the side character in someone else's epic quest narrative, but he loves his brother and he does his best with it. He's passive aggressive and bitchy and he tries so hard, he's deeply attached to his siblings and he doesn't trust anyone and why should he?
I love the scene where Ward is being taken away in the second book, and Oreg shows up all dragon-fied to report back to the party that's following, and Tosten is like, fuckingn hellll do I really have to be the sensible one? I would also like to freak out about this!, which is another way of saying that I'm fascinated by the way he builds some kind of relationship with Oreg, who has known about Tosten even though Tosten never knew about him, who is magic and dangerous and strange and somehow family but not, and how maybe they're too much alike and maybe they have nothing in common except for how they feel about Tosten's brother and it's ODD.
Really, any kind of character study you're feeling, I'm here for.
Also, like, what kind of life does he want? Is he going to spend his life as his brother's deputy? Is he going to join the Blue Guards? I feel like Stalla with eventually point out that while he's competent enough at it, he's not necessarily constitutionally suited to be a guardsman. Now that there's a new kind of court, is he planning to spend any time in it? Hurog may need an agent there, after all.
Side note, I do read Tosten as possibly queer, and with Tisala moving to Hurog and, presumably, bringing some Oranstone folks with her, I'd be interested to see any navigation of cultural differences.
Anyway, that's just a grab bag of thoughts, I'd be delighted if any of them connected with you.
Trainspotting (Movies), characters Sick Boy and Mark Renton
This is my forever fandom. If you've clicked through to my account, you've probably seen that I've written for it before, and I probably will again. I love these nightmare characters, and I love that the second movie gives us a chance to see them grow and change -- and all the ways they don't actually grow or change that much, too. I love that movie two gives us Mark and Simon back on the couch again at the end, wasting time, mostly sober, older, sadder, and very aware of how much worse it can all get.
As a beautiful T2 fan who wrote an excellent fic after the second movie came out said, T2 was a love story -- if it's a platonic love story for you, that's rad too, but the fact that it's about love, and the way what's survived the violence of being young and not stopping things from breaking is a love of circumstance, in a way, but also a gift, is really important to me.
I've read the books, and my personal usual mode of interaction with them is just to grab the bits that I like from them and leave the rest, so if you too have read the books and want to do something similar, please do.
I'd love to see some of their lost years, or a piece of one of their lost years coming back to them in the present to disrupt the weird new-old dynamic of being back in Leith together and remind them both that everything that happened in between did happen. I'd love to see some back and forth juxtaposition of them older and younger, or some echoed or mirrored conversations evolving over time. Diane's cameo in the second movie was great, too, if you want to throw more of her in there, that's rad, too.
Really, this is another one that, if there's something you've been wanting to write, I've probably been wanting to read it. Also, lol, if you happen to be here for Kneecap and wanted to include a little tiny crossover in either direction, I'd probably keel over with joy.
xxxx
