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Prolific fic writer trying to spread my wings into other fandoms. Xennial. Pls don't interact if a minor. PFP by @mer_1099
Joined June 2022
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Last Seen Profiles
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As the year draws to a close, I thought I'd look back at what I wrote this year!
It doesn't look like I'm going to match or break last year's wordcount of 268k, but at 248k, I came close!
Read on for primarily OFMD fics, with a few other fandoms.
#fanficyearinreview
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Just a reminder that fictional characters aren't real people who need to be held to account for their actions. They are vehicles to tell a story.
Their flaws and contradictions are a feature and not a bug. And appreciating the role they play in the story is not a moral failing.
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Imagine lil 3-D printed versions of this as bookends.
reminder that our flag means death season 2 starts filming in less than two months 🏴☠️🖤
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#OFMDs2spoilers
Been thinking of something. Both Izzy & Ed think that Ned was Stede's first kill. And yes, it was his first time killing in cold blood. BUT even though he didn't kill the Badmintons, really, he feels like he did.
He already went through his first kill spiral.
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Our Flag Means Death is a coming-of-age story where the age is 46.
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Sigh. I looked at a thing I shouldn't.
My beloved OFMD crew, Rhys CLEARLY did not mean he thinks he was the real Stede Bonnet in another life.
For fuck's sake.
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Look, it is totally valid for you to feel some kind of way about S2. It's also fine to not hope for renewal.
What's NOT fine is acting like this is a universal opinion, making creators responsible for your mental health, rolling into creators' DMs, or wishing harm on anyone.
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At least once a day I think about the fact that Taika was sad no one would talk to him on set, and he thought it was because of the Blackbeard getup and how it made him grumpy.
...and not how he's their boss and Taika fucking Waititi.
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Some people didn't come of fandom age during the Anne Rice Sues Everyone Era and it shows.
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I love how just by virtue of entering a country, Jason Momoa is now going to find himself in fanfic.
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I can't bring myself to be hypercritical of S2 because even in the show's weakest moment, it's got 10x the representation, joy, and sensitivity of anything I had to watch growing up. And it's still way better than a lot of stuff on TV.
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My mom is so funny. She can never remember the name of OFMD, but remembers how many words the title has.
We were talking about cancellation. Her latest?
My Sails Have Holes
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These faces are even funnier if you realize that Taika and Jemaine told the wolves to contradict or do the opposite of whatever Rhys said - and it was a shoot in the middle of the night.
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OKAY OKAY so you all know I keep myself really siloed.
But this is important so I will crack the silo.
I work for a creative. I am the firewall that keeps said creative away from fanworks/theories/suggestions.
FOR LEGAL REASONS.
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Pete and Lucius: we don't own each other.
Ed and Stede: *owns each other so hard it becomes everyone else's problem*
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My mom really tries to understand and be up on the stuff I like.
Tonight, as we had Thanksgiving dinner, my mom very earnestly said, "You wanted me to watch, "Your Flags Are On Fire'."
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Rhys out there giving ten minute heartfelt responses to Cameos when he only actually has to do 30 seconds is exactly what I expected from our captain.
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OFMD is a workplace comedy. Izzy Hands is the medium-competent middle manager who thinks he has way more respect than he actually does.
People shouldn't be getting so upset about the Assistant Regional Manager of Pirate Operations. He can barely work the photocopier.
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I don't know how we manage it, but the OFMD fandom is wholesomely horny.
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Imagine you are not a Twitter user and you live in the UK. You have heard some buzz about the gay pirate show, but waited until it was available for you.
You watch it. It eats your brain like so many others.
You go, I wonder what the fanfic sitch is?
And you log on to this:
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I just keep thinking of the people who are only going to watch OFMD when S2 comes out.
Some of them will inevitably get the brainrot. Then they'll go, hmm, I wonder if there's any fic?
And then they'll see this:
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I noticed that Kristian's look at NYCC was full-on very queer and fabulous. I hope that's because he was there primarily for OFMD and doesn't feel like he has to dress to make GoT dudebros comfortable.
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Things I learned from my very expensive writing degree that you can apply to fanfic.
A rather long 🧵
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Hi this took off. If you like OFMD, read my fanfic (pinned in profile)
If you like hot fandom takes like these, you may enjoy my twitter feed.
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I had a thought that's probably occured to other people but just occurred to me.
Ed tries to do 'normal' things with the same clueless confidence that Stede has when he tries to be a pirate.
See: being Jeff, being a fisherman.
They really ARE meant for each other!
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Saw a TikTok that asked whether Taika has an ego problem.
...the fact that people don't get that his public persona is constructed is kind of hilarious.
Also, so what if he has an ego? He's a highly talented, highly accomplished man of colour. Let him.
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Some young members of fandom assume they are the default and core audience for any piece of queer media regardless of the age of the characters in said media.
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#ofmds2poilers
And OH BOY did he spiral both times. But he also told the elder that he didn't feel bad that Nigel was dead. And I bet he doesn't mourn Chauncey either. He's already been responsible for taking two horrible men off the earth, so what's one more?
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Hate to say, but things like Cameo are not done to be accessible to fans. They're done as an alternate source of income.
Creative people should be paid what their time is worth. Whether it's a fan or a studio footing the bill.
That's what the strike was about.
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Oscar winning director Taika Waititi framing himself terribly on a video call.
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OFMD cast and thirst trap skills:
Samba: I did a what?
Rhys: Ah, let me just be myself and be accidentally sexy, and occasionally purposefully sexy.
Con: Thirst trap prodigy.
Taika: Sup bitches?
Vico: No more panties for you.
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I can't wait for the actor's strike to be over. Not just because it means the actors got a fair deal, but because of the way the entire cast is going to Kool-Aid Man through a wall and start posting shit.
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I kind of love how you're all looking at Taika's shaved head like Stede looked at beardless Ed.
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#ofmds2poilers
We saw flashes of both those kills just before he forced Ned onto the plank. I think we were supposed to be reminded that this isn't the first time. It's just the first time he did it fully deliberately.
And they hurt his crew.
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I love OFMD because they said: we don't care that sandwiches won't be invented for decades because it's funny to have Izzy bonked in the head with one.
Comedy trumps history.
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I'm just thinking of the scene where Ed introduces himself to the crew. They're all shitting themselves, but he's trying to be friendly and nice. But his reputation and presence is undeniable.
We talk about how Taika isn't Ed, but I think in that moment, the dynamic was similar.
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Willfully twisting peoples' words into the worst possible interpretation is not social justice - it's bullying. It's looking for reasons to go on the attack.
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Imagine you're Nathan Foad or Vico Ortiz: young actors working with a Marvel and Oscar-winning director, as an actor, on a show that you have no idea if it's going to hit.
And Taika is all miserable and hot in leather and fake hair.
I wouldn't go up to him, either.
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I hope if I ever have the good fortune to meet Taika, I have the presence of mind to say, "Oh my god, it's Jemaine Clement."
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A reminder to the fandom that just because a take seems to have a lot of support and amplification on Twitter doesn't mean it's now fandom law.
Bad takes go viral all the time.
Nuance is often lost
Some of these takes are started by very young people
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Like, my opinion on Taika and Rita means absolutely nothing at all. It's his damned personal life and none of us actually know him, or what he's actually like in private.
But these really dorky MTV clips are the first time I feel like I get why they're together.
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Real talk: feeling sad for the cast and crew today who I'm positive would LOVE to be sharing this moment with us.
But they can't even retweet the article because they're still fighting for a fair deal.
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#ofmds2poilers
Stede has never really shied away from violence. It took some time for him to get a stomach for it, but he got there.
He thinks piracy should be done differently and that violence isn't always necessary. But he has never tried to be nonviolent entirely.
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#ofmds2poilers
It's also I think, why Stede felt powerful. I think he's still not processed or dealt with his hand in the Badmintons' death. And him jumping Ed's bones was definitely an avoidance tactic. But I think there's more going on here.
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#OFMD2Spoilers
I think it's important to remember that Stede didn't fall into piracy. He dreamed about it, probably for years, and deliberately became one. He wanted respect and power outside the system he was born into.
And now he's getting it.
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Please please please don't chase validation from the cast and crew. Don't put fic in front of them. You put them at risk and you risk someone above them deciding to crack down on fanworks.
DJ might never go after the fans.
But do you know who might? HBO.
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This parasocial chasing of validation from cast and crew is unhealthy and dangerous, and threatens to upset the very delicate balance that allows us to create fic to begin with.
I'm begging you. Stop.
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Let's take a moment to appreciate that no matter how much jean trends change, Rhys Montague Darby is never going to give up his skinnies.
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I gotta say, given Kristian's experience with other fandoms, I'm kind of impressed that he wants to engage with us at this level.
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God put us in different universes otherwise we'd have unstoppable gay snark.
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It's very ironic to me that Max seemed to want OFMD to be something it isn't: an uncomplicated pirate workplace comedy.
Considering one of the big themes of the show is the toxic nature of expectations that don't align with who you are.
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The fandom is going to love this movie so much when it's released widely in 2023.
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Don't try to get the attention of the people in the cast and crew with fanworks. I know THEY have been kind of bad about drawing that line, but that's on them. We can't control if they're finding work. And fanart is safer because frankly, a plot isn't contained in a piece of art.
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This creative does not read their own email. I screen it all and either handle it or pass on the safe stuff. This is not ego. This is not just so they won't be bothered. This is so the creative doesn't have to scrap entire projects if someone decides to sue.
THIS IS REAL.
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@redshiftsinger
Oh yes. One is hoping for something to happen in the narrative, and the other is casting moral judgment on people who are appreciating a character and the story. I'm referring to the latter.
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That is the face of a man who made out with one of his closest friends while it was filmed in glorious 4K. Again.
the funny thing about the "becomes a man" thing is that we wouldn't howl like a legion of horny beasts if Rhys didn't break his poker face but him and Vico absolutely just handed it to us
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Which makes sense in retrospect. Most of Taika's work as an actor has been with friends - people who know him pre-fame. Maybe he's not used to being intimidating?
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Maybe it's because I'm old. ButI think a very queer show full of found family and imperfect characters finding love is revolutionary. It was not that long ago where the existence of a show like that felt impossible.
That's why I won't let my quibbles override my gratitude.
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There is a reason DJ said 'waiting for the series to end.' He did not mean some plot in the story. He meant the SERIES, when OFMD is wrapped and out in the world and he is no longer at risk of having to scrap an entire season and/or be sued.
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There is a firewall between fans and creators not because they think they're better than us or they don't love the enthusiasm behind the show. They do it to protect their own creative process and cover their legal asses.
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@redshiftsinger
And sometimes the character not being held accountable within the narrative on purpose. It often says something about the world the characters inhabit.
Bad guys don't always need to face justice or account for their actions if that doesn't serve the story.
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The idea that the season is regarded as bad by the majority of even the engaged fandom is false. I am begging people to please emerge from their echo chambers to realize this.
Everyone doesn't need to agree for your opinion to be valid. You're allowed to just not like it.
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It's a fact that most people who watched S2 liked it. Numbers bear that out, both in where it sits in the most-demand list on Max, and from the aggregate of professional and viewer reviews.
You are TOTALLY welcome to disagree but recognize it's not universal or even common.
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If you find yourself feeling personally hurt by treatment of characters, please talk to someone or at the very least, step away.
I say this with all kindness and empathy. It's not a good thing to relate so closely to characters that fictional events cause you mental distress.
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Person here who just got back from a con that started the day after the strike.
Here's what I saw:
-Disclaimer at panels that they can't talk about current or future work.
- Bigger names supportive of the union cancelling panels. (Billy Boyd, Sean Astin, Christina Ricci)
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The whole fandom being Breakup Ed Coded when the OFMD official account is being Return Stede Coded is so damned funny to me.
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DJ is not secretly reading our fanfic. The writers are not secretly into the SMAU of the moment. They CAN'T. And if they have been reading it, they really shouldn't be because they're risking a LOT.
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A friendly reminder that we're inevitably going to see scenarios/scenes/dynamics play out in S2 that have shown up in fic.
Don't take this as proof that someone in the writers' room read that fic!
There are over 22k fics out there. Someone was bound to get a few things right.
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I know everyone is excited about the mermaid flag, but what if each department just uses a different one for their paperwork?
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Lest anyone doubt the litigious nature of HBO. I had a t-shirt up on a site that said 'These violent delights have violent ends" which is from Romeo and Juliet. It didn't say Westworld on it anywhere or have any branding. Just the words.
HBO took it down and got me kicked off.
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Some people also don't seem to realize that copyright law is not a matter of opinion. Often, the only thing allowing fanworks to continue is that rights holders CHOOSE not to crack down.
But they can. And they will if it goes too far.
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Also reincarnation isn't real. It was a goddamn metaphor, my dear crew.
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@thainaaraujoe
It sadly did. Just about every day, I see someone attacking people for liking fictional characters who are something other than totally morally pure. And arguing about who you're allowed to like vs who it's 'problematic' to enjoy.
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I swear, some young queer folks equate a late coming out with internalized homophobia and shame.
Yes, that is the case sometimes. But definitely not ALL.
And even when it is the case, why not celebrate the finding of oneself, no matter how late it is?
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It's going to be so interesting how the OFMD cast dynamic shifts with S2.
It sounds like in S1, everyone was very professional and well-behaved. They had no idea what they were in for.
They're returning after months of love and excitement, and a group chat going that whole time
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New trope just dropped: only one earthquake bed.
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New fandom peeps coming into Interview With the Vampire:
It doesn't matter that they're terrible and kill people. It's fiction. You don't have to make excuses for their behaviour in order to find them hot. You don't have to apologize for liking the sexy monsters.
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I and a lot of people in this fandom have stayed quiet for a long time out of respect for people who felt seen for the first time in this show and have felt let down by S2.
But now it seems like our respectful silence is being taken for agreement, and that's just not the case.
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Please please please try to be satisfied with the validation within the fan community.
Maybe one day when there's no chance of more OFMD, we'll hear what the creatives thought of our fanwork.
But until then, don't touch the freaking firewall, okay?
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SMAU people who primarily post on Twitter should be EXTRA SUPER DUPER CAREFUL and not want to draw attention to themselves.
When you post on AO3, you are protected because they fight for fair use. That's why they take donations.
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Imagine you're RD and you spent your whole career being a comedy ninja, popping up in weird places, whose stand-up routine involves a lot of flailing limbs and funny noises. And then you are nearly fifty, and suddenly you're a sex symbol.
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Honestly don't get how anyone could hate Con when he's over here sharing horny fanart, cursing out the Tories, and posting support for trans people. And when all his castmates gush about him at every opportunity.
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Do you think Phony Stark, the new CEO of This Bird App is going to back you up if HBO serves you with a cease and desist and/or sues you?
NOPE.
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I get the sense that this panel was out of Rhys' element. He's done a million interviews, but that was either a talk show where some of the audience was indifferent, or no one else is in the room. Or his stand up where he knew what he was going to say and could control the crowd.
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This is your reminder that you don't have to earn your place in fandom by engaging in everything.
Just consuming is enough. Just creating is enough. Just interacting is enough. Just sharing is enough.
You are welcome no matter how much of your time you can commit.
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I said this before in response to another thread, but this firewall exists to protect US as well.
Imagine if showrunners could just go on AO3 and steal plot ideas with no consequence and no credit.
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Counterpoint: Rhys doesn't have a beard in s2 because the writers were like, I think we left Mary in a good place, actually.
Rhys doesn't have a beard in s2 because hair and makeup knew the Stede girlies would get Too Feral and nixed the idea
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The idea that Con is sending coded messages to a subset of the fandom via interview responses (that otherwise seem to debunk their ideas) is a conspiracy theory.
Occam's razor applies. The simplest explanation is that Con was bummed to say goodbye to Izzy but understood why.
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Fanworks exist in a gray area. If too much public attention gets put on us, then rights holders are forced to crack down whether they want to or not.
Copyright law is crazy but basically, if you don't enforce your copyright, you risk losing it.
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I was looking at Black Friday sales and I found the most Stede-coded shoes.
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When Rhys said he was becoming a cryptid AGAIN I was like...wait...did we just learn some truth about him?
Then I remembered:
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There is some gray area here. Technically, cast (non-TW cause he's EP) and like..the lighting people or set designers or costume designers might be able to get away with it, because they aren't making plot decisions. But it would still be unwise.
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I really hope anyone who disagrees with me and thinks Rhys actually did something wrong just goes ahead and blocks me. We don't need to be in each others' lives.
I will call out real problematic behaviour, but this isn't it.
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Rhys is 48 human years old and just discovered what it's like to be in a boy band.
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For the record, in case anyone is playing the game of unfollowing people based on who they follow in the current drama:
I have no idea what it's all about and I don't want to know. I'm not picking sides because I don't know what the sides are.
Just here to write fic.
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And lest anyone think that my talking about copyright law is some kind of jealousy thing...
...the absolute LAST thing I want is to be acknowledged, noticed, or perceived by the cast and crew in any way.
I make fic for you guys, not them.
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Protip from a con veteran to newbies going the first time to ECCC:
Celebs often have table selfies that are cheaper and more personal than the official photo ops. The photo ops tend to be VERY rushed and impersonal.
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