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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

FanFic Ask Me Anything ~*~ Version 3.0 Daily Questions (See list on pg 164 or 1)

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction and Writing Resource' started by mavjade , Mar 14, 2014.

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  1. jcgoble3

    jcgoble3 Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 7, 2010
    If it doesn't cause the thread to overflow, I have one final question. In your last answer, you mentioned a "thrust stage". What is that, and what is it used for?
     
  2. Idrelle_Miocovani

    Idrelle_Miocovani Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 5, 2005
    Typically, there are three types of stages used in live theatre. The traditional and most common one (in Western theatre) is called a proscenium stage. From the audience's perspective, it looks like looking into the area where the performance is held. Proscenium stages are partially where the term "fourth wall" come from, because it appears the performers are surrounded by walls on three sides with an invisible fourth that the audience can see through. These are by far the easiest stages to work on (as actors, directors or designers). (image here)

    Thrust stages were used predominantly in Shakespeare's time. They jut into the audience so the performers are surrounded by audience on three sides. (image here) They allow for some very interesting blocking choices and playing areas, because the actors will have almost always have their backs to one side of the audience at some point. Thrust stages are my favourite kind of stage because of the immersive quality and intimate feeling they lend to the action, while still maintaining a degree of control. My favourite thrust stage is at the Tom Patterson Theatre in Stratford, Ontario (image here). It's unorthodox because it's longer and narrower than most thrust stages in a medium-sized theatre. It has the effect of making the audience feel like they are part of the action and sharing the space directly with the performers because they are so close.

    Theatre in the round is the third type, and it is not very common. As its name implies, its stage is surrounded by audience on all sides. While this immediately makes the action extremely intimate and makes the audience feel involved in the play, these stages are very difficult to work on. Directors find it challenging because they have to figure out how to play the action to ALL sides while making sure it feels and looks natural. Making sure that sight-lines are good on all sides, from all angles, from all seats is also very challenging. Lighting designers also have difficulty because it is very hard to make sure the actors are fully lit without blinding the audience. (image here)

    Some theatre pieces take place in found spaces (which can essentially be anywhere - I once saw a show that both took place in and was performed in a hotel room); the purpose of the work is usually linked to the place chosen by its creators.
     
  3. jcgoble3

    jcgoble3 Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 7, 2010
    Interesting! Thanks for the detailed explanation. The only one of those I've ever seen (and did a few performances on as a kid) is a proscenium stage. I've heard of theater in the round and seen a few pictures of it, but never seen one live or in video.
     
  4. Gamiel

    Gamiel Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Dec 16, 2012
    Who do you consider best dressed in SW?
     
  5. mavjade

    mavjade Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 10, 2005
    Let's not continue to questions for other people, just to keep it fair.

    Sorry guys I know I said I'd get a new person up this Sunday, but Boston Comic Con and a few other things got me all distracted and I forgot. (I've got a lot going on at the moment and things are slipping through the cracks. 8-}) I promise we will have a new victim next week... I've got it on my calender. :)

    If you want to nominate someone, send me a PM and I'll check with that person. We did have a few people volunteer after my last plea, so we'll have enough for at least a few weeks.
     
  6. mavjade

    mavjade Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 10, 2005
    After a short (ish) break we are back with a new FanFic Ask Me Anything!

    This week's victim is... JadeLotus!
     
  7. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    SQUEEEEEEEE-ing Out. Loud. Ahem. LOL

    What draws you to Mara Jade as a character? What are the easiest/hardest parts of her personality for you to tackle?
     
    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku likes this.
  8. K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku

    K'Tai qel Letta-Tanku Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 18, 2000
    Who are your favorite professional authors and how do they influence your writing?
     
  9. taramidala

    taramidala Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 18, 1999
    What is, hands-down, the best/most influential fic you ever read?
     
  10. Gamiel

    Gamiel Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Dec 16, 2012
    Who do you consider best dressed in SW?
     
  11. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    How'd you come up with your username? :cool:
     
  12. JediMaster_Jen

    JediMaster_Jen Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2002
    What drew you to Star Wars initially?
     
    Nyota's Heart likes this.
  13. Goodwood

    Goodwood Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    May 11, 2011
    How're you enjoying winter? ;)
     
  14. Jade_Pilot

    Jade_Pilot Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 10, 2005
    Have you been back to England lately?
     
  15. JadeLotus

    JadeLotus Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2005
    Hi everyone!

    :D I relate a great deal to Mara - my worldview is actually more in line with Luke's, but personally I connect with Mara's introverted nature, emotional isolation, trust issues and need for independence. So that part of her personality I find easy to write about, and I also like writing her banter and snark. I have more difficulty with her politics, as I think while she acknowledges that the Empire was evil, that style of government appeals to her more than the Republic, a position which contrasts pretty sharply with my own views. So getting inside her head to explore that is difficult. I also struggle with writing more emotional or romantic dialogue for her, as she's not one to wear her heart on her sleeve and it can be a fine line between her getting the point across and it being sweet and romantic but not too flowery or out of character.


    I tend to like individual novels rather than bodies of works, but I love Shakepeare, Jane Austen, Victor Hugo, Amy Tan, Roald Dahl and Peter S Beagle to name a few - the latter's novel The Last Unicorn has had an enormous influence on my writing, both in the exploration of classic fantasy tropes and the beauty of well written and evocative prose. I've never been able to reach the quality of his writing, but it inspires me to try (check out the quotes preceding each chapter of my fic Chimera, which is heavilly influenced by the Last Unicorn in style and themes.) There is an updated and higher rated version on A03, but I don't think I'm allowed to link directly to that from the boards, but it's there if you search my username.

    Now that is a hard question! In terms of influential, Your Eyes Aren't Blue Anymore by Knight_Aragorn/deaka inspired me to start writing SW fanfic (sadly, I can't find a valid link for this fic). The Journey of Discovery series by Jedi 2-B was also hugely influential and is one that I have read many times.

    I hesitate to label any fic the "best" because I love so many for so many different reasons - my rec list would be huge! I recently read the Son of Suns trilogy by blank101 (after years of meaning to) and thought it was brilliant. And @ginchy's Echoes of Always holds a very special place in my heart for fixing at least some of the LOTF mess and just being heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time. I could go on.

    Lando! I love a man in a cape. Padme has some awesome outfits, but there's a lot of hers that I dislike as well (mostly the Queen garb which I know is deliberately ostentatious.) And as much flak as Luke gets in the profic about being a "crummy dresser" I actually really like his ROTJ outfit (sans tunic). I also love a man in a high-necked collar :p

    I've always loved lotus flowers and they have been my signature flower since I was a teenager. So I just added Jade because I love Mara and I thought it sounded nice as it doubles as a colour.

    I've loved Star Wars since I was a little girl. My Dad was always pretty busy with work when I was a kid, and the way he would bond with me and my sister was to watch movies - Superman and Superman II were favourites, as well as Star Wars. I can't remember not loving Star Wars, and I always had a strong connection to the character of Luke Skywalker - I would watch Return of the Jedi over and over. Then one day we were in the bookshop (another favourite activity for me and my Dad) and I saw a whole shelf of EU novels - that was it. Basically I've always been drawn to the epic story, themes and great characters. And lightsabers :p

    Winter hasn't been too bad! I live in Adelaide, which is in the south of Australia and known for its "Mediterranean" style weather, or so they claim. We've had some cold weather, but now it feels like spring already - blue skies and averaging around 15 degrees Celsius during the day (59 F). I personally like the cold, and am now concerned that an early Spring means an early and long Summer which can get very uncomfortable.

    Unfortunately, no. My working visa ran out in 2008 so I had to come home. I would dearly love to travel there again in the next few years, and see more of Europe. Of course I would like to live there again, but that's very unlikely.
     
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  16. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Did you grow up in, and is your family, in Europe, or in the U.S.A.? :D
     
  17. JadeLotus

    JadeLotus Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2005
    I've lived most of my life in Australia, and that is where all of my family is from. I lived in Hong Kong for a few years when I was very little, and in England for two years when I was in my early twenties.
     
  18. Gamiel

    Gamiel Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Dec 16, 2012
    Favourite non-human species and why?
    Favourite SW culture and why?
     
  19. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    What things spark and/or respark the writing muse? Is music helpful?
     
  20. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    So glad to see the interviews up and running again!

    JadeLotus, I'm guessing from the title of your recent story "Eurydice" that you have at least a passing interest in classical mythology. How did that interest develop, & has it been an influence in any other of your stories? Any other cultures whose mythologies that resonate with you?
     
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  21. JadeLotus

    JadeLotus Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2005
    Probably Twi'leks or Togrutas - I just really like the character design. Does Coruscanti culture count? I really like the idea of this huge melting pot of a city with billions of people at the centre of the universe, with its own class system, structure and way of life, where people can go to the local sports bar to watch smashball and not raise an eyebrow when a pair of Jedi walk in an de-limb someone :p

    Other media actually inspires me a lot - reading a good book or watching a good movie exploring interesting characters or themes makes me think about how that would play out in Star Wars with the characters I love. If I'm trying to kick-start my muse specifically, I liked to rewatch the movies, or re-read my favourite passages from the profic, or other fanfic. I do listen to music, but not while I'm writing. I like to put my playlist on shuffle and listen to random music while taking my dog for a walk and think out fanfic scenarios/scenes in my head and usually get inspired by a good song.

    Yes I do! I never studied it academically, but when I was in primary school I did a project on Ancient Greece and absolutely fell in love with it, especially the ancient myths and legends. I devoured every book I could find at the library, and watched everything I could access including those cheesy mini-series on the Odyssey etc that they had back in the 90's - as well as Hercules and Xena [face_laugh]

    I don't think its been a direct influence on any of my other fics but Eurydice, but was responsible for shaping my love of classic myths and archetypes. I'm actually super fascinated by the myths and legends of all cultures, particularly the King Arthur stories, Christian mythology and European folklore, which I realise is not very diverse, but I always want to learn more about other traditional cultures.
     
  22. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Yummy flip side. :D What draws you to Luke =P~ as a character? What facets do you enjoy and also find challenging when writing him? :D
     
  23. Gamiel

    Gamiel Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Dec 16, 2012
    What fictional culture would you like to see used as an inspiration in SW and how?
    What real life culture would you like to see used as an inspiration in SW and how?
    Since we talk about a New York culture I would say Coruscanti culture counts
     
  24. Kahara

    Kahara FFoF Hostess Extraordinaire star 4 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Mar 3, 2001
    What would be your dream job in the Star Wars universe (if anything were possible)?
     
  25. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Favorite dessert? :D
     
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