lithiumdoll

This is Sweet Charity related, so in here it goes ...
...
...
Man, I've forgotten how to post a vid o_0

*goes to look*

OKAY!

Glittering Clouds (Locusts)
I kept waiting, praying. I was trapped in there, screaming at you, "Just help me, please."
Music: "Glittering Clouds" - Imogen Heap
For: the very lovely rivkat, who chose the song and the demonic theme
Beta: Thank you so much deathisyourart and giandujakiss!
Feedback: Always lovely
File: ~28MB / xvid / 3:33

Download & Lyrics

( Streaming )

By popular request! And by that I mean one person kind of asked and there was no clarification, so I have absolutely no idea if this will work for them BUT NEVER MIND.

So, I really don't like squash, as a rule. It's just not my happy place. Squash, aubergine and courgettes are a trifecta of EVIL put on this Earth soley to hurt me. Is basically what I'm saying. But I liked this. YMMV.

Ingredients
1 butternut squash
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 a finely chopped onion
1 egg
1/2 cup saltines / (in the UK, try Doriano Italian crackers)
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions (steps 1 and 2 optional)
1. Purchase a butternut squash with every intention of trying a recipe. Put it somewhere prominent in the kitchen so you can feel it staring at you in silent judgement every day. Ask it about its thoughts on current events. Give it a name. Develop a rapport with your butternut (it will answer to Bob).

2. Remember Aunt and Uncle-in-Law are coming to lunch tomorrow.

3. Stab Bob repeatedly with a fork and then stick in the microwave for 8-10 minutes, depending on wattage. When Bob is hissing (and who wouldn't), remove from microwave with cloth or tongs and wait to cool a little.

( Steps 4-10 or ''How to Serve Bob'' )

Title: Four Cups of Tea (and a waffle iron)
Summary: Mozzie and Elizabeth bond over tea whilst Peter, Neal and Hughes find themselves in the middle of the worst timed robbery ever.
Recipient: kira_bouviea
Rating: PG
Genre and/or Pairing: Gen
Spoilers: Series
Word Count: ~4,100
Thank you: mitchy, sabaceanbabe and dragonfly for the betaness of awesome!
Notes: Conforms to Tzikeh Standard Spelling ;)

Second Flush Margaret's Hope

"Okay." Elizabeth smiled encouragingly from her side of the table. "Have a sip."

Mozzie raised the teacup. "And this is?"

"It's a Darjeeling." She leaned an elbow on the table and cupped her cheek in her palm. "Actually, it's got quite the tragic story."

Mozzie lowered the teacup. "I try not to drink any beverage that comes with a dark past."

( ''You're safe: it was named after the planter's daughter.'' )

That One Time, With That Thing
Pre-series, ~those~ bonds, 1-0: Neal's accidentally working for the mob, Kate is probably considering a new client list, Mozzie's waiting for The Man and The Man is a little more amused than it should be.
Rating: G - Gen
Words: ~10,800
Beta: Thank you thank you thank you to mitchy, jebbypal, sabaceanbabe and doccy! Remaining errors are the strongest of their kind and should be feared.
Notes: This is the whole, finished fic and the other bits have been removed, so it's all in one place.

---

“I hear Brazil is nice this time of year.”

Neal slowly tore his attention away from the beautiful pieces of work – no, art - in front of him and looked up. “Really?”

“Of course not.” Mozzie bit happily into his bagel and spoke around a mouthful of lettuce and cheese. “Brazil has That Thing.”

“I thought we don’t talk about, you know: That Thing.”

“Exactly,” Mozzie said, and spared a dark look for the door before hunching protectively around the remains of his bagel.

Neal stared at him blankly. “I’m … really not following.”

( Mozzie made his way around the table to look at the bonds from a safe, mayo-free distance. )

My me has been purchased \o/

Wow, thank you so much maharet83 and hannahrorlove! I'm all yours *flutters eyelashes*

I have many things I kinda really need to do, so naturally I spent half the day making an e-book toy. As you do. On the off chance it will be helpful to anyone, it's over here. It's not pretty, but to the best of my knowledge it works: you can format whatever text you want. If it breaks or doesn't do something you'd like it to, give me a shout.

Oh, and if it goes hinky where hinky wasn't before, wait a couple seconds - chances are good I'm just code tweaking.

For obsessive24, but others may find it useful too so, tutorialicious!

First! This technique is in no way guaranteed. It works best with solid color logos that are at about 50% opacity, but even then may not work for you. New source is probably going to have more issues, but this is really aimed at the older shows you can't buy on DVD anyway.

There's a lot more tweaking you can do in After Effects than you can in Premiere (ILU ADJUSTMENT LAYERS) so if someone wants me to do something on that I can -- although I suspect it's already out there somewhere. Actually, I'm kind of surprised this wasn't already out there somewhere. Or maybe it is and no one told me! EVERYONE IS FIRED.

So, moving ooooon.

I'm doing this with Premiere in mind, but honestly any software able to invert a clip and do a color burn blend/composition can cope with this.

Say hello to Morgan. Morgan is The Collector and his series will never, ever make it to DVD. Well, okay, there was, like, three copies of the first season on DVD. Legend has it. He seems pretty stoic about it.

( HELLO MORGAN! )

The logo is small, perfectly formed, and deeply annoying. Happily, it also meets the above criteria. \o/ Please ignore the clip quality, it's not a by-product of the process, just of me wanting to keep the bandwidth overhead down with smaller files.

1. You will need to get a .png of the bug against a black background - if you're lucky, the show itself will have such a creature but if not you may need to take a brief detour into the graphic editing software of your choice.

( HELLO BUG! )

2. Place the PNG on the video track above the clip(s) you want debugged.

3. Select the PNG and go to Effects > Video Effects > Channel > Invert. Your bug still should now be an offputting white. It gets better, I swear!

4. Go to Effect Controls > Opacity and set the Blend Mode to "Color Burn"

5. And that's it. Which is awesome if it worked for you and less so if it didn't, I appreciate. If anyone knows a better way to do this, please let me know? There'll be a whole firing amnesty.

( GOODBYE BUG! )

I'm having quite a lot of fun playing with this stuff so if there's anything anyone would like me to go play in the direction of and then write notes on, just comment.

Okie doke, thuviaptarth, hope this helps ... If you want something more specific, send me a short clip of the source you're working with and I'll email you back with any suggestions ...

First, a quick walkthrough Premiere's Color Correction filters

( The Original Clip (LFN) )

As you can see, there isn't much wrong with it in terms of quality, it's just the colour that's out of whack. So!

( Clean-up )
( Leave Color )

( The Buffy )

Soooo ... yeah. Nothing there can't be ported over to Final Cut, so if anyone using that wants a how to, let me know.

This was going to be some notes for giandujakiss, but it kind of grew so I figured I'd turn it into a tut and stick it in here on the off-chance it will help others. If there's any questions or I've put something badly or whatnot, please do comment :)

Adobe Premiere Color Correction.
Or "So your source is a masterful example of primary colours and sadly that includes skin tones."

Bad, horrible colour happens to everyone (particularly everyone who vids anything from before BSG A.D., when show runners apparently turned to shades of brown and never looked back), but it can be fixed! Or at least helped. Plus, there are many fun things you can do with colour to enhance the mood and tone of a video, or repulse everyone who watches it. You know. If you want to.

This is less a tutorial on how to achieve a specific effect and more about the color correction options available in Adobe Premiere C4 (and probably previous C-version), and how they work and what they do in and of themselves.

Warnings
I'm using taking a look at Adobe Premiere as part of my "something new every day" resolution and, as this kinda implies, I haven't used this software before. Seriously, I opened it up, imported a test clip and started writing. So, while everything I'm noting down works, I could well be doing something completely the long/stupid ass way and, if so, correct me!

I've gone the route of describing everything, much of it will be no-duh to most people but I'd rather go that route than lose someone along the way. That would suck.

Workspace
I'm using the "Editing" workspace to describe the positions of bits and bobs. If you're using a different workspace, you may want to use "Editing" for just long enough to see what the hell I'm talking about. (Window > Workspace > Editing on Mac)

And off we go...
I double click my clip in my timeline (Hello, Chuck and Sarah) and then hit the "Effect Controls" tab in the middle top. There's Motion, Opacity and Time Remapping and all my old friends *smooshes old friends*

I have an Effects tab on the bottom left panel. I select it, then extend "Video Effects" and then "Color Correction". Awesome...

( Fun With Filters )

And we're done \o/
In conclusion, you can clean source up really well in Premiere (to the extent I may use it rather than FCP next time I need to get over the nineties), but you may find you need to combine several techniques - I didn't find any miracle solve-all.

If wanted, I can do a tut showing how I would clean up some source (possibly just so you can laugh), let me know.

Hope this helps ... someone o_0

Now in practice ...

I read a couple fics before I realised AO3 is having a personal crisis and backed off. So, I guess, when it comes back? I rec these!

Grosse Pointe Blank
Complete Blank
Martin is going to have a perfect wedding if it kills ... well, everyone but Debi. And Marcella and Bart.
*FLAIL* This is ridiculously fantabulous. If you love of the movie, run don't walk because this is what happened next. RILLY.

Push
ROY G. BIV
"You need to take some fucking art classes if we're gonna save the world's collective ass," Nick comments blandly from where he is sitting across from Cassie at today's Unnamed Ramen Shack Of Ill-Repute, chin resting heavily on his hand, thick knuckles pushing his lips into an exaggerated pout and making his words come out in a slur.
I kind of adored the Push movie. Also Jumper. Stop judging me. Anyway! While I adore it, I am the first to admit, while it has its charms, it is perhaps not a good movie. This fic makes it better! It makes it awesome! I am BOOKMARKING here.

ION, I think I love having hits - there's something weirdly relaxing about knowing that recipients haven't commented because they haven't read a fic, and not because they're trying to work out how to say "AUUGH!" nicely. What? WHAT?

Happy Christmas! (Again!)

Drive by of me because there is early lunching and and things, but I got pressies! PRESSIES! Thank you so much mitchy an' mostlyarmed an' thedivinegoat an' thalinoviel \o/

Also, I got Yuletide fics! Two Yuletide fics! And they're both awesome. I am the luckiest me ever

The Dangers of Champagne and Shrimp Puffs, which is a Jake 2.0 fic! JAKE 2.0 \o/ Seriously, my wonderful Yuletider pretty much had me right there, they could have coasted. And they didn't! They wrote a brilliant post-series, four years on, kinda fic and everyone's changed just a little but stayed the same in all the important ways. Particularly with their levels of win. Lou's levels of win, for instance. *draws so, so many hearts around Lou* Words cannot express how much I adore this. Where is DW's interpretative dance function? WHERE?

Plus! Extra fic OMG! And it's ZOMBIELAND \o/ EEEEEEEEEE.
No Plans Needed, wherein the world is their oyster and I love this to teeny tiny little undead pieces. *HANDS* I adore Columbus, but I may be a teeny tiny little undead bit biased what with, you know. Adoring Columbus. So I also invite you to cackle with joy over Tallahassee, Wichita and Little Rock <3 <3 <3

Boosting the signal for elynross, for people on the Yuletide pinch-hitters list:

Apparently Yahoogroups has changed some policy, and the wave of pinch hits sent out has DISABLED MY YAHOO ACCOUNT. I can't post to it to tell the pinch hitters why I'm not responding to claims. Of the 20+ groups I belong to or own, only 3 are displaying, presumably because the rest are on the email address that has been disabled. I... am not a happy camper.

At this point, I need to sleep, and there's very little I can do about this. If you want to claim a pinch hit, you'll need to *forward* or otherwise get the info to my personal email (elynross@gmail.com), and I'll work with that, and try and respond when I get up in a few hours.

Please boost the signal on this, to try and reach other people on the pinch hit list. I'm not sure how the second half of the pinch hits are going to go out, but we'll figure something out.

Heeeeeeee. I have paid DW time! Paid DW time for meeeee! Thank you so much thedivinegoat!

Long Walk Home
Time takes it all whether you want it to or not, time takes it all. Time bears it away, and in the end there is only darkness. Sometimes we find others in that darkness, and sometimes we lose them there again. -- Steven King
Rating: PG-13
Words: ~1860
Note: This is the last part (cue maniacal laughter). So much thank you to everyone who encouraged me writing this because, man, I was so quitting around the 30k mark otherwise. And, of course, to all those who've betaed along the way and without whom this would be less fic, more "spot the typo." Anyway, I hope it's enjoyed and I'm sorry it took so long! We'll always have string theory o_0

Out on the Wire List

---

“Jesse?” John tries to follow what’s happening, but the images flicker too fast and then they’re gone completely. He turns on Murch, “Bring them back.”

“We were lucky to get that close; it can be months either way.” Murch shakes his head. “I’m sorry.”

( Kyle steps up beside them, still staring at the place where Sarah was. )

Amen Break
[Mathematics] is not human and has nothing particular to do with this planet or with the whole accidental universe … like Spinoza's God, it won't love us in return. -- Bertrand Russell.
Rating: PG-13
Words: ~6600

Out on the Wire List

---

They make Bishop just after the sun goes down; Jesse brings the truck to a stop outside a motel without prompting. They haven’t said two words to each other since Ellison and the kid left, Hijo padding behind. Everything seems empty and silent, but Sarah finds that somehow comfortable just the same.

( Two. Not the right two, but two, and that’s a number Sarah knows. )

Say Again (Your Last)
“Every man is born as many men, and dies as a single one.” -- Martin Heidegger
Rating: PG-13
Words: ~7000

Out on the Wire List

---

Click, whir – click, whir - click. Click.

“- didn’t believe it, but the message wasn’t for him. I don’t think it was for me either, I think it was for you - for me to give back to you. Maybe you’ll know what to do with it.

“No fate. Goodbye, John.”

Click, whir - click. Click.

“Goodbye, John.”


( In the end, there are four of them. Lee volunteers, but Lee has a daughter and John isn’t taking anyone’s father away from them before he has to. )

Words Twice
The phoenix hope, can wing her way through the desert skies and still defying fortune's spite; revive from ashes and rise. -- Miguel de Cervantes
Rating: PG-13
Words: ~5150
Beta: Thank you so much to doccy, mitchy and ticketsonmyself who betaed the last parts of this fic and made it, you know. Readable.
Notes: This fic is now COMPLETE \o/ Parts 11, 12 and 13 will be along.
Disclaimer: If it you recognise it, it's not mine. V.sad.

Out on the Wire List

---

Sarah’s eight or nine, and she’s skating circles in front of the house when a pale blue Chevy with a cracked plate jumps the curb. She tries to run but roller-skates aren’t made for running, so she falls. She thinks she can see every piece of grit in the tire treads.

( She’s picked up and thrown away hard enough that the grass she lands on grazes her hands and knees. )

I'm here, I'm here!

Okay, so, (again) thank you so much for writing my fic! I want to stress (again, again) that I will adore whatever you do and my prompts and preferences really are just meant to be helpful indications rather than, like, what my appreciation hinges on.

( As a rule ... )

( Burn Notice )

( Jake 2.0 )

( Traveler )

( Zombieland )

TL;DR I hope you have fun with the writing and please don't sweat the prompts! I will have happiness with whatever you come up with!

For reasons that don't need exploring at this juncture, I'm not doing festivids this year. (Okay, fine, because of an unstable work situation and a complete inability to fill out a form, I'm not doing festivids this year. )

But then I had a cunning plan. I do still want to do a vid, I just don't want to risk letting someone down (or fill out a form *shifty eyes*) - and I can! Plus, this way, non-vidders can maybe get a vid \o/

Normally when I do small fandom vids, it's auction (hello, Veritas and The Collector) or it's because it's a small fandom I want to lure people into (hello, everything else).

This time, I will ask.

I forgot to put True Blood on the poll! Consider that a write in or something. Eric! Pam! Lafayette! Sam! Anyone who isn't Beel or Sucky!

[Poll #1484906]


If no one has a preference, I will choose randomly with a pin. Which will suck for my monitor.

Also, if you can sign up for a vidding exchange thingy in good conscience, and aren't stumped by things like .. questions and ... preferences ... festivids sign ups are open -- go do that!

The History Pyre
Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present, and future. -- Gail Lumet Buckley
Rating: PG-13
Words: ~4300
Beta: Thank you oodles mitchy, vchrusch and doccy! Any mistakes yadda yadda mine all mine cakes.
Disclaimer: If it you recognise it, it's not mine. V.sad.

Parts 1-8

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John’s world has been his workshop for the last two weeks, and there’s another guard at the door. It’s a man this time, John hasn’t asked his name. Disobey Perry’s orders, steal Derek Reese’s kid brother to go on what’s likely to be a suicide run, and there are going to be consequences.

( He had kind of hoped getting back alive might count for something, but Derek seems to think that’s debatable. )