The Ask Evan A Question Thread

[eobversion1]

For the most part, there's Easons which may or may not be in the U.K. and Waterstones which are big in the UK also.

Shelf space might be tricky. If you're looking to get your book in there I can have a look at how crowded those sections can be next time I'm in and around one of those stores if you'd like?

[El Canuck]

That would actually be really cool, thank you. I was asking so I could search their site and see if I was listed with them yet. My publisher has global distribution, so I should start at least popping up on their online sites. Not yet, apparently, but I was told it could take up to eight weeks before I'm available everywhere.

[eobversion1]

Sounds like you've struck quite the deal for yourself. Congratulations. Now that you've got your foot in the door don't be afraid to diversify your portfolio with other projects, you'll develop your skills and you might earn enough in between the long gestations of Gold and Steel installments. You have to stoke the fires before you feed them with fuel.

[GooberBM]

What do you make of this? I looked at this trailer and there's a lot of talent, and I like a lot of that talent but I dunno, it just feels like a reach. You're better at movies than me, so give me your opinion

[eobversion1]

If I'm honest I'm not getting good vibes either. I think Kevin Costner played out something similar recently with "3 Days to Kill" which was pretty dreadful by all accounts. It looks very thrown together, the cast is good but it looks like they're trying to paste over some very visible cracks.

It doesn't look good but I give everything the benefit of the doubt until I've seen the final cut of the movie. I can't tell you what to think either, blind agreement leads to some boring discussion. It's fine to have different points of view as long as it's not myopic about certain values or attitudes. Some of the best discussion can be about a movie can be that a group likes to the same or similar levels but interprets in different ways creating different views but with a healthy discourse overall.

It's up to you I give it about a 50/50 chance of it being good but who knows.

[GooberBM]

I was just really curious what your opinion would be, because there are a lot of decent-to-good actors in this, that should be above just grabbing a paycheck, but this looks like a "we'll back a dump truck full of money to your house" kind of movie. It even has Ryan Reynolds gallavanting around, and that can cripple a movie all by itself so I just don't know

[eobversion1]

Who knows, who knows. Well, I would if I could see it. It certainly is a throw up, though. Looking forward to seeing Ryan Reynolds do some galavanting in Deadpool either this week or next.

[Little Jimmy]

What's your biggest fantasy?

[eobversion1]

Realistically, owning a small cozy cottage in the countryside would be pretty sweet. A modest living is an underrated way to live.

[Little Jimmy]

Have you ever partaken in any hazing rituals?

[eobversion1]

That's not a really a thing here so, No.

[GooberBM]

As a student of the visual media arts, what is your opinion on a movie/tv show/video game using a song or piece of music as a foreshadowing device and how much weight do you put on it?

I was replaying Life is Strange and picked up on my second playthrough something interesting. It's a choice based game, and at the end you get two choices to make. Both choices end in a cutscene set to music but one of the choices replays a piece of licensed music (as opposed to music composed specifically for the game that is repeated throughout the course of the game) that was used in an earlier part of the game. This is the only instance of that happening in the entire game. That is kind of making me lean to that ending being the "True" ending of the game. What do you think about something like that?

[eobversion1]

I wouldn't claim any authority over these kinds of things, I just enjoy being challenged and paying attention picking up on those kinds of things is part and parcel of it.

I haven't caught the video game bug as much as others have. I very much believe in the integrity of their allure, though.

Here's my two cents anyway.

I would say it depends on how intertwined the music is with the narrative and how it adds to the staging of the particular points in the game. If it's seamless then indeed it would be fitting for the makers to have something like that in their as an indicator of where they would like you to go. Of course, they should by right have made a game ambiguous enough that any gleanings you have are open to your own interpretation. I would ask myself if the piece of music is there just to guide you or if it enriches the experience and naturally adds meaning to the narrative or the scene. You don't want your game to flag itself at a point that tells the player that if they've come this far every choice they've made up to that point was justified. You want to keep them guessing which going by your question it seems they have.

Everything has to find its own voice. What I can say to you is that it's best not to worry about finding concrete solutions to problems that at their core are philosophical. Don't look for walkthroughs that help you clear the game the best look for ones that help you find the most meaning from it for the game and for yourself.

You'll always need reasonable closure and the piece of mind of a true ending just make sure it's the one you want.

[stigsyv1]

They say that most modern movies have 3 main points the intro the subplot and the twist. Would you agree ?

[eobversion1]

No.

[GooberBM]

Do you suppose that Rooney Mara's "doe-eyed" look is natural or is it something she worked extensively at it?

[eobversion1]

A bit of both perhaps, when she leans into it, it works for her and when she shies away you don't notice i.e. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. She definitely has it naturally to some extent, it just depends on her performance and the makeup choices. Overall, I would lean towards yes because if you look at The Social Network it obvious even when what she's doing doesn't demand it.

[GooberBM]

I bring it up because your avatar sure doesn't do justice to the bright-eyed innocence she had going on there

[eobversion1]

Side Effects is also a pretty good example too.

Aye, forum etiquette dictates that I keep my avatar at that size, it doesn't do it justice at all but it's the best I can do. My sig is bad enough, I've reduced it so much doing any more would only butcher it by ruining the proportions. Duly noted good sir.

[GooberBM]

Oh, that wasn't a crack at your sig reduction, it was a subtle nod as to what I'm doing right now. Do you follow?