For all your Andy-related info-dumping needs. If there's information you'd like to archive, please post it here, and feel free to link to it from the main post if you'd like to discuss it.
[These ones were in reference to a character that I had loosely based off Andy, and which he painted for me. I've taken out a few of my replies; they're mostly just me thanking him, saying yes I'd like to hear that, etc. In retrospect, I think he was setting bait I was failing to pick up... ~C]
Andrew Blake
Ok. The contact lenses statement threw me.
Is the build right, or do I need to tweak that? It's one thing to see it in sketch, another as it's coming together in paint.
Carla 05/12/2011 08:00 Carla
The build looks good. I've always seen him as in good shape, but not the kind of person who works out--more the kind who might do hiking or rockclimbing, but not "going to a gym and lifting weights," ever, unless he had some specific reason to bulk up for a particular scheme--so that looks good.
Andrew Blake 05/12/2011 08:00 Andrew Blake
Gotcha. Starting painting now.
Andrew Blake 05/12/2011 08:03 Andrew Blake
BTW, I take it this is the character you loosely based off of the fandom perception of me? How far along are you/how interested in getting more info on some of the actual practicalities of trying to live with unusual abilities/disabilities of the paranormal nature, and/or living quasi-off the grid?
Andrew Blake 05/12/2011 08:08 Andrew Blake
I figured you've never exactly lived either outside "the system" nor in any kind of a life where you have to think on your feet to the extent of trying to hide something like that. Give me what you have of the mechanics/rules of this character that are necessary for your story/already set in stone, and I'll give you the "ok, this is how it would work" version. Sort of like telling a military consultant "this is the team I have and this is the terrain, and we need to rescue the damsel from there, how do I write my assault?"
Andrew Blake 05/12/2011 08:48 Andrew Blake
Ok, three biggest questions first: has he actually done/does he actually do anything wrong? In other words, is he really a conman? And if so, how/why? (Because if he actually CAN contact dead grandma, he's not a con artist if that's what they're paying for, no matter how much showmanship or how much he charges. And if he COULD contact dead grandma but CAN'T, why the fuck doesn't he and how do you expect readers to forgive that?) Second, how famous is he? Third; resources?
Andrew Blake 05/12/2011 09:28 Andrew Blake
The bottom line is that for an innocent person to not fight back, they have to have something they're afraid of, and you haven't given him motive enough for that. Likewise, for someone to not take an opportunity in front of them, there has to be a good reason (I'm embarrassed about my parents wouldn't cut it if HE is legit) and for someone to have something incredible and not the power that accompanies it, there has to be a reason.
Regardless of what the actual capabilities of forensics, your readership reads mystery novels and watches CSI. Unless you're going to go to incredible lengths to really, REALLY frame him, just "seen leaving his room" doesn't nail you any more.
Andrew Blake 05/12/2011 09:29 Andrew Blake
We can keep him innocent, but the "Turi" character is exactly your saving grace here. If I may...?
Carla 05/12/2011 09:29 Carla
Yes?
Andrew Blake 05/12/2011 09:34 Andrew Blake
Let's say he's grown up with these shyster parents, but they're struggling more and more as the carnival dies and the internet grows, and he's always hidden that he's the real deal because he doesn't want to be used by them and is ashamed of what they do. There is a "last straw" moment when they really, really take someone to the cleaners who can't afford it...like an old person or a single mother or someone mentally disabled. He runs away - takes the sister or not, it's up to you - but he quickly finds out he has no marketable skills or educational credentials - as a carnie kid, he's been loosely homeschooled - and after failing to even get hired at WalMart and completely out of money, he starts quietly selling his gift, though he doesn't have the resources to do the flash and dazzle at first, and he's careful to keep it completely above-board. Because he IS the real deal, he starts to make enough money to survive, but because he's not willing to promote or push for fear of Being Like Them, it's not much more than that. (to be continued after I pee....)
Andrew Blake 05/12/2011 09:41 Andrew Blake
Word of mouth, he gets referred to someone who is basically a BNF - they've got a good-sized blog, they're upper middle class, they have a respected occupation such as doctor or lawyer, but they're not in a position of Actual Power like a police officer or senator - and that person is both very skeptical and very desperate to find out something about their recently deceased parent. They're also, when they meet the teens, VERY into the sister, but again, still skeptical. Money is BAD at the moment, as it's just before the holidays and no one is spending on readings, and Our Hero gives a small reading of a lesser dead relative that knocks the socks off BNF. BNF is amazed, and not only are their hopes of finding out the Thing They Need To Know through the roof, they get sudden stars in their eyes that This Kid Is Gonna Be Huge...and they want to be Colonel Parker to this Elvis. Also, the idea of Making Your Brother The Success He Deserves To Be is getting him what he at least sees as headway with the sister. They throw every bit of their BNF status and a sizable but not devastating amount of money ($3,000-10,000 maybe?) into a big live event with TV and webcast and all the media coverage they can, basically putting together a combination reading/press conference. Our Hero is incredibly uncomfortable with it, especially when the professionals brought in for the event are setting up a lot of very familiar trappings, but broke is broke is I will not be telling my sister we're spending Christmas in a homeless shelter. (tbc)
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Re: Facebook messages: Carlanime/Necromommycon and Andy
(Anonymous) 2015-04-16 11:11 pm (UTC)(link)In retrospect, I think he was setting bait I was failing to pick up... ~C]
Andrew Blake
Ok. The contact lenses statement threw me.
Is the build right, or do I need to tweak that? It's one thing to see it in sketch, another as it's coming together in paint.
Carla
05/12/2011 08:00
Carla
The build looks good. I've always seen him as in good shape, but not the kind of person who works out--more the kind who might do hiking or rockclimbing, but not "going to a gym and lifting weights," ever, unless he had some specific reason to bulk up for a particular scheme--so that looks good.
Andrew Blake
05/12/2011 08:00
Andrew Blake
Gotcha. Starting painting now.
Andrew Blake
05/12/2011 08:03
Andrew Blake
BTW, I take it this is the character you loosely based off of the fandom perception of me? How far along are you/how interested in getting more info on some of the actual practicalities of trying to live with unusual abilities/disabilities of the paranormal nature, and/or living quasi-off the grid?
Andrew Blake
05/12/2011 08:08
Andrew Blake
I figured you've never exactly lived either outside "the system" nor in any kind of a life where you have to think on your feet to the extent of trying to hide something like that. Give me what you have of the mechanics/rules of this character that are necessary for your story/already set in stone, and I'll give you the "ok, this is how it would work" version. Sort of like telling a military consultant "this is the team I have and this is the terrain, and we need to rescue the damsel from there, how do I write my assault?"
Andrew Blake
05/12/2011 08:48
Andrew Blake
Ok, three biggest questions first: has he actually done/does he actually do anything wrong? In other words, is he really a conman? And if so, how/why? (Because if he actually CAN contact dead grandma, he's not a con artist if that's what they're paying for, no matter how much showmanship or how much he charges. And if he COULD contact dead grandma but CAN'T, why the fuck doesn't he and how do you expect readers to forgive that?) Second, how famous is he? Third; resources?
Andrew Blake
05/12/2011 09:28
Andrew Blake
The bottom line is that for an innocent person to not fight back, they have to have something they're afraid of, and you haven't given him motive enough for that. Likewise, for someone to not take an opportunity in front of them, there has to be a good reason (I'm embarrassed about my parents wouldn't cut it if HE is legit) and for someone to have something incredible and not the power that accompanies it, there has to be a reason.
Regardless of what the actual capabilities of forensics, your readership reads mystery novels and watches CSI. Unless you're going to go to incredible lengths to really, REALLY frame him, just "seen leaving his room" doesn't nail you any more.
Andrew Blake
05/12/2011 09:29
Andrew Blake
We can keep him innocent, but the "Turi" character is exactly your saving grace here. If I may...?
Carla
05/12/2011 09:29
Carla
Yes?
Andrew Blake
05/12/2011 09:34
Andrew Blake
Let's say he's grown up with these shyster parents, but they're struggling more and more as the carnival dies and the internet grows, and he's always hidden that he's the real deal because he doesn't want to be used by them and is ashamed of what they do. There is a "last straw" moment when they really, really take someone to the cleaners who can't afford it...like an old person or a single mother or someone mentally disabled. He runs away - takes the sister or not, it's up to you - but he quickly finds out he has no marketable skills or educational credentials - as a carnie kid, he's been loosely homeschooled - and after failing to even get hired at WalMart and completely out of money, he starts quietly selling his gift, though he doesn't have the resources to do the flash and dazzle at first, and he's careful to keep it completely above-board. Because he IS the real deal, he starts to make enough money to survive, but because he's not willing to promote or push for fear of Being Like Them, it's not much more than that.
(to be continued after I pee....)
Andrew Blake
05/12/2011 09:41
Andrew Blake
Word of mouth, he gets referred to someone who is basically a BNF - they've got a good-sized blog, they're upper middle class, they have a respected occupation such as doctor or lawyer, but they're not in a position of Actual Power like a police officer or senator - and that person is both very skeptical and very desperate to find out something about their recently deceased parent. They're also, when they meet the teens, VERY into the sister, but again, still skeptical. Money is BAD at the moment, as it's just before the holidays and no one is spending on readings, and Our Hero gives a small reading of a lesser dead relative that knocks the socks off BNF. BNF is amazed, and not only are their hopes of finding out the Thing They Need To Know through the roof, they get sudden stars in their eyes that This Kid Is Gonna Be Huge...and they want to be Colonel Parker to this Elvis. Also, the idea of Making Your Brother The Success He Deserves To Be is getting him what he at least sees as headway with the sister. They throw every bit of their BNF status and a sizable but not devastating amount of money ($3,000-10,000 maybe?) into a big live event with TV and webcast and all the media coverage they can, basically putting together a combination reading/press conference. Our Hero is incredibly uncomfortable with it, especially when the professionals brought in for the event are setting up a lot of very familiar trappings, but broke is broke is I will not be telling my sister we're spending Christmas in a homeless shelter.
(tbc)