Posts tagged with "characters"

Illustration movie by 360 Magazine via 360 Magazine

The Rings of Power

All about The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the long-awaited series that premieres this year

Five years have passed since the news thrilled and surprised all Tolkien fans by equal measure. The secrecy surrounding the project all this time has only increased anticipation and enthusiasm. Finally, the time has come: the premiere of the series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

A crazy budget, an overwhelming display of special effects, and a story that promises to delight fans and characters, both known and new, will surely conquer laptops, televisions, and smartphones worldwide.

Middle Earth returns. Amazon Prime Video, the streaming platform for the series, relies on the sequel to The Lord of the Rings to get many more viewers and new users as it is looking for self-propelled and robust content to entice people to subscribe.

“An ensemble cast of characters—some familiar and some new—must deal with the reappearance of evil in Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains to the majestic forests of Lindon, from the island realm of Numenor to the farthest reaches of the map, these places and characters will forge legacies that will endure beyond their demise,’’ Amazon Prime said.

The Spanish film director, Juan Antonio Bayona, directs the first two chapters of this blockbuster, the most expensive in history and for which it is estimated that the streaming platform has disbursed more than 700 million dollars in its first season, including the acquisition of its production and rights. The result is a visually spectacular glory fantasy.

What Tolkien book were they based on to create the series?

Unlike the Lord of the Rings films or the Hobbit spin-off trilogy, Rings of Power isn’t based on a specific book. The series will not focus on most of the beloved characters from the original trilogy, as it predates its time. Considering that each era covers about a thousand years, it is surprising that the characters coincide. You won’t see Bilbo, Legolas, Frodo, or Aragorn in the series, but there are some repetitive characters, although they are much younger than we already know.

When and where to see it?

The first two chapters arrive on Prime Video on September 1. The rest will be released at the rate of one per week.

What story will The Rings of Power tell?

From what we understand, we will see how the 20 rings of power are forged: seven for the dwarves, three for the elves, nine for the Men, and one for Sauron, whom we will surely see gain the power that makes him the terrible opponent that we know. You can watch the series now by clicking HERE.

The story about The Lord of the Rings:

It takes place in an environment located in the Third Age of the Sun of Middle earth, a fictional and fantastic place populated by men and other anthropomorphic races such as elves, hobbits, or dwarves, as well as many other real and fantastic creatures.

The story recounts the journey of the main character, Frodo Baggins, hobbit of the Shire, to destroy the One Ring and the consequent war that the enemy would provoke to recover it since it is the greatest source of the power of its creator, the dark Lord Sauron.

Amazon Prime Video pronounces 25 million people worldwide watched The Rings of Power on its first day of release. The company communicates that is the service’s top premiere ever.

Article: Andrea Esteban

Action figure illustration by Heather Skovlund for 360 Magazine

Fanhome Brings Popular Collections to US

Fanhome Brings Marvel’s Iron Man, Models and Other Popular Collections to the United States for the First Time

Build-ups and figures for Marvel’s Iron Man, Fast & Furious’ Dodge Charger, Star Wars’ R2-D2, Street Fighter Characters Available Now

Fanhome, the leader in subscription-based collections and models, today announced its entry into the United States, marking the first time its products have been made available to passionate fans outside of the European Union and the United Kingdom. Through its initial debut, Fanhome introduces subscription-based build-up models for Iron Man, R2-D2 and the iconic Dodge Charger from the Fast & Furious movie franchise, alongside highly detailed figures of Street Fighter characters treasured among the fandom communities.

“As a brand built on delivering quality experiences for individuals to display their passions, we are excited to expand into the U.S., connect with fans, and bring them a new way to engage with their favorite universes,” said Nicola Drago, CEO of DeAgostini Publishing, Fanhome’s parent company. “This extension opens up new avenues of growth for our company and allows us to establish deeper connections with the properties that we know our fans want to see and experience.”

Each month fans receive a standard shipment consisting of the model’s parts accompanied by a 16-page magazine full of rich history and interesting facts about their favorite franchise, along with detailed instructions to build their model. Assembly stages for each model vary from one year up to two years to completeInitial build-ups include:

Marvel’s Iron Man

  • Tony Stark used his genius as an inventor to create the Mark III armor, the culmination of his incredible skills and the unmistakable symbol of the most iconic and charismatic hero of the Marvel universe. Incredibly detailed, fully jointed and complete with spectacular light effects, this superb large-scale made with metal and high-quality ABS, exclusive build-up model stands 24 inches high and is a complete reproduction of the Mark III armor that no Marvel fan can resist.

Fast & Furious’ Dodge Charger

  • Fans can build a faithful replica 1:8 scale model of the Legendary Dodge Charger from the Fast & Furious Saga! A car so powerful that even Dominic Toretto himself was afraid to drive it, it will surely become the start of any model collection. This car has perfect lines and brutal 375-horsepower, becoming the best-known vehicle in the Fast & Furious movie franchise. The Dodge Charger build-up model will be available starting June 7, 2021.

Star Wars’ R2-D2

  • Fans will build their own R2-D2 from components engineered to look just like the original Star Wars props – plus state-of-the-art modern electronic components. Taking inspiration from the remote-controlled film prop, your fully functioning half-scale model R2-D2 is a superb replica and engineered based on the droid fans have loved since its debut on screen. Once completed, fans can download an app to control and interact with R2-D2, just like the astromech from the Star Wars movies.

In addition to the build-ups, Fanhome is releasing subscription offerings to a collection of iconic characters from Street Fighter. Every monthly shipment consists of four figures and four magazines, allowing fans to relive some of their favorite stories and experiences from the universe.

Street Fighter Collection

  • Street Fighter Figures is a superb collection of the most famous and rare characters from the Street Fighter Saga, based on the Classic Japanese fighting video game. Each figure is approximately 3.5 – 5.5 inches (character dependent), complete with base. This is the most comprehensive collection available, officially licensed by Capcom, where fans will get to know 60 characters from the Street Fighter universe, including a range of favorites from Ryu, Ken and Chun Li to Guile, Vega and Blanka. This is the essential collection for all Street Fighter fans.

Franchise fans can order their collections and models on the Fanhome website now. All collections have a 70 percent off “risk-free trial package” for the first shipment and 25 percent off for the second shipment. For more information about Fanhome, please visit Fanhome.

About Fanhome

At Fanhome we are passionate fans of pop culture, from sci-fi and movies to video games and comics. Our international team of more than 100 people consists of expert creators, editors and writers, product engineers, model makers, communication and marketing gurus, logistic masters and a friendly customer service team. Our combined efforts create original collections, magnificent models, and an outstanding experience for you to enjoy.

Page Kennedy illustration by Heather Skovlund for 360 Magazine

Q×A with Page Kennedy

ACTOR & RAPPER PAGE KENNEDY JOINS 360 MAGAZINE FOR SOME Q&A

By: Heather Skovlund-Reibsamen

Page Kennedy is well known as a rapper and actor within our entertainment industry. Kennedy’s recent acting skills brought him to play “Duck” on Netflix’s “The Upshaws”, one of their newest series to hit streaming platforms starring alongside Kim Fields (Regina Upshaw), Mike Epps (Bennie Upshaw), and Wanda Skyes (Lucretia). He is also known for his roles in “Blue Mountain State”, “Weeds” and his comedic genius skits shared on Instagram and TikTok.

Kennedy’s self-titled album ‘Page’ was released in February 2021 featuring heavyweight rappers Xzibit and Method Man is available now on all streaming platforms – make sure you go check it out!

360 Magazine had the pleasure of interviewing Page Kennedy where we discussed “The Upshaws”, his character ‘Duck’, music, and his fitness journey. We had an amazing conversation about his media roles, the love for Eminem, and also found out that we both favor Cardi B because of the way she represents herself: “Cardi B makes me feel like I know her”, said Kennedy.

Read on to hear about our conversation with Page!

Your Netflix series, “The Upshaws”, came out today- how do you feel about working with it?

PK: I love it, you know I was a part of it, and I still watch the series multiple times. I can’t get tired of it. I can just go to any episode and watch it- it has so many great jokes and the characters are diverse, and they bring their own style, energy and creativity. I think it’s the funniest show on TV.

How is it working with the cast?

PK: Working with the cast is great. You know, you got legends there. You’ve got Kim Fields, the ultimate foremost legend, Mike Epps who is a comic genius, Wanda Skyes- comic genius. They are good people, and everybody is happy to be here, so it makes it fun.

Do you feel that you have any similar traits to your character Duck within yourself?

PK: I’ve been asked that question and, let me see, I look at Duck as a different character than what I typically play. The only similarity that I see between me and Duck is his loyalty. He is loyal to a fault. You know, he spent 7-10 years in jail where he could have gotten less time where he could have ratted out his friend who could have been his co-defendant, but he just took it. I think I have a loyalty like Duck. Other than that, he’s a little different than me.

Let’s talk about your latest album. How did you feel about the creative direction within the videos for “Fear” and “Safe”? How did you work through the process of such a real and raw album?

PK: I wanted to make use of all of my talents to create an art- that was my goal. My goal was to take the amalgamation of talents that I have to coalesce to create art that could be ubiquitous forever. You know, that’s what I feel I accomplished because things are great 20 years from now and it’s still going to be great. You can still listen to Biggie because it’s incredible, it’s timeless and that’s what I wanted to do. I feel like I accomplished that.

Can you tell us about the song “Shine”?

PK: I think that the album needed some respite because it’s very heavy and after you listen to Fear and Safe, it’s so cumbersome that you need some respite. And so that’s what Shine provides. It still takes a look at how difficult 2019 was personally for me and then 2020 was for everyone. The face of darkness, there is light after, and I wanted to show that the Devil will not take that light away. We will shine.

Can you tell us about your album cover?

PK: The cover of the album is confluence of tragic incident of black Americans who have had their lives taken from them at the hands of police brutality. That confluence is to show that they are me. You know, they all make up me; I am the same as them and so I wanted to, through me, show them. Wait until you get to the song “Flowers”, that is my favorite song on the album.

At the end of some of your videos, there is mention of voting- what are you trying to show viewers?

PK: So, creating Fear was so I could galvanize the troops to go vote because we can’t just yell from the rafters “We are being disrespected”, “We are being overlooked”. We have to actually get in the dirt and, you know, do things that cause change. Our biggest voice was our vote. The virality of those videos was to have the embolism of to vote throughout the video. To help people want to get out and vote after they see the deleterious effects of what fear can do on both sides so that’s why you see that throughout the videos.

Let’s talk about your fitness journey. What motivated you to get started?

PK: I got tired of looking at myself in movies and TV fat as hell and I was more attractive in my head than I was externally, so I wanted to match that.

So, there’s a lot of excuses that I think many people use such as “I can’t afford to go to the gym” or “I hurt too much to do this”. How did you push past your own excuses?

PK: I have an additive personality so once I get into something, I’m locked in and I got my mind right and ready. I had help, a tool to help me out with the point of why I was overweight which was my addiction to food. And so, I got gastro sleeve surgery which made my stomach smaller so that I couldn’t overeat. That helped. That was like the catalyst to help me and the working out thing- I already had that down. I had challenges where I would workout 100 straight days and another challenge where I went a straight year of working out without missing any days. My mind was already set to go to the gym, I just needed to get the food stuff right.

Do you still workout consistently?

PK: Yep, I’m still in it. Even when the gyms were closed, I found a way to get the workout in.

What advice would you offer somebody as far as starting out on their journey? If they were with you and undecided about their journey because of lack of motivation.

PK: I would say to make it something that is a part of your daily life that you don’t have a choice of. You don’t have a choice if you need to go to the bathroom or not, you don’t have a choice whether you like eating or not. These are things that must happen regardless of what you want or not. So, if you make the gym or workout a part of that, you take the lack of motivation away. We can have things taken away for us and see how resilient we could be. If you’re in jail or in a weight loss camp or anywhere that caused your free will to be taken away and you are forced to do something, you can do it because you have to. So why have to be in a situation where some other exterior force forces you to when you have a mind and brain that is going to be the thing to make you do it anyway.

Do you have a specific meal plan?

PK: Sometimes, yes. I go in spurts. Some weeks I have no carbs and no sugar. Then some weeks I am a little looser. I just try to be moderate because I could easily go really far one way or really far the other way. It’s not until I’m actually preparing for something that I go super crazy. Other than that, I just try and stay in striking range.

Do you allow yourself to have treats?

PK: Yep, probably more than I should.

What kind of workouts do you do?

PK: Well, when I get off the phone with you, I have a trainer, so I am going to the gym. Wednesday is leg day, which sucks. I work out with a trainer 3-4 days a week and then two other days I have an Oculus virtual reality thing that I do a supernatural workout on or I ride my bike for 20 miles to the beach on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Is there anything else that you’d like to talk about or anything that you’d like to share with our readers?

PK: I just want them to the importance of the album “Page” and how it’s important to everyone in the world right to be aware of everything that happening right now and everything that’s going on. And that if this album was released by a bigger artist, it would be a Grammy-nominated type of album – that’s how important this album is. I just implore everyone to continue to listen to it and check it out because I think it’s necessary. That’s the main thing that I want- and watch “The Upshaws” on Netflix streaming now.

The Gnarled Branch illustration by Heather Skovlund for 360 Magazine

Q×A with The Gnarled Branch

Q&A with David Irvine from The Gnarled Branch

David Irvine is the multi-talented artist behind the Gnarled Branch. He is known for his imaginative ‘Re-Directed Paintings’, whimsical furniture, original paintings, painted burnt out light bulb ornaments, salvaged record paintings, and so much more. You can visit his Etsy shop here! You can see throughout his work that there is an interest with popular characters which brings life to the rural paintings he often re-directs. Irvine will match the original artist’s style within the painting or counter it intentionally, but he always leaves the original signature clear to see. There’s a story behind each of his works, including the painting “The Last Trick or Treater” which is one of Irvine’s favorites. Read on to learn more about David’s work, inspiration, and so much more.

What is your background – in addition, did your upbringing prompt a specific reference point within your work? Is your work informed by certain concepts or themes from your childhood, background, socioeconomic status, where you lived or were raised?

DI: I was fortunate to be raised by parents who appreciated all the arts. Going to see theatre shows, music performances, and gallery exhibits were always exciting. I was encouraged to develop with the visual arts and musically as well with regular music lessons and art lessons. They were at first concerned when I decided to pursue a career in the visual arts, as they knew it can be a real struggle – but were fully supportive and excited that I was accepted into art college to study illustration.

How does this impact how you see the world and create art?

DI: It’s no secret the art world can be very snooty, takes itself far too seriously and that is a real shame. In a lot of the genres that I do- I am always considering humor and fun as elements in a piece. Especially during these difficult pandemic times, art needs to uplift and provide smiles and not be staunch, same old -same old themes that have been done over and over.

Do you have an educational background or experiences that have contributed to your evolution as an artist?

DI: I studied illustration at Sheridan College, and throughout my childhood would occasionally take art lessons. The rest was experimenting and being self-taught with various mediums and medium combinations. I taught visual art to a wide range of ages through community night school and was an art tutor to a terrific student with special needs. Those were very memorable years.

What does your work aim to say?

DI: I do so many different genres of art, I think there’s a spectrum of what I want to communicate…. from making people laugh and feel good — to the darker, macabre work to scare and bring the viewer into a world that they may not feel comfortable being in… I guess I make art to get a reaction… not just creating something for its sole purpose is to look pretty and match the sofa.

Is there a particular artist that inspired you to pursue art?

DI: My grandfather was an accomplished amateur painter and I’d watch him work and see the pieces he did… maybe that was the first seed…Other than that I would always sign out art books from the library and soak in everything from master painters to illustrators and cartoonists who worked presently.

Whose techniques do you study or admire?

DI: There are so many — but in high school, I always enjoyed Ralph Steadman ink illustrations, Van Gogh for his boldness, Rene Magritte for the unique and surreal visuals … Currently I’ll search through websites like Tumblr or magazines like Juxtapoz and discover artists both old and new who mix unusual mediums or have their own unique style.

How do you cultivate a collector base?

DI: When I first started as a fine artist, I didn’t have a computer- the internet wasn’t a thing yet, so I was reliant on physically going to galleries and public places to show my work. From little gift or record shops to restaurants and cafes. Now with technology, it’s just a matter of updating and refreshing social media, submitting articles to websites, or being lucky and being featured by a blog, website, or podcast…it all helps and a lot more convenient to be able to post an instructional video from home, or post new work in progress photos to a website, than to lug workaround or mail promo packages out to land a show. Once a collector is on board, having top-notch customer service skills and excellent communication is key…

What inspires you to paint?

DI: I’ll have a lot of eureka moments as I’m sketching or planning out new works or series….and I have to then see that eureka image come to fruition. It would drive me bananas having a good idea sitting there on a page and going nowhere. As well it is my chosen job- so those bills must get paid.

How do you look for new ways to challenge yourself?

DI: I get bored very easily… so challenges are always put in place to not get bored. Every artist has a spectrum of color they usually gravitate to when creating a piece…I like to switch things up and use the colors I don’t normally use or come up with different color combinations/ mixing. I’ll even wear tinted sunglasses so the colors I think I’m using wind up making happy accidents when I look at the piece without the sunglasses. Using oil pastels with acrylic paint… various types of inks and papers …are many variables that can be used to break away from regular tendencies when approaching a piece.

Do you have a favorite painting that you have completed? If so, can you tell us the story behind it?

DI: I did a solo show a few years ago with Halloween as the main theme. A few favorite paintings came out of that show including one called the Last Trick or Treater. It showed a bird’s eye view looking down onto an old tyme small hamlet, and one child in a ghost costume running down a street with a lantern. I think I captured the quiet of the night, and the bit of panic the boy was having as he was quickly trying to get home.

What inspired Re-Directed painting for you?

DI: When I first started as a fine artist, I had very little money and art supplies and framing was expensive. I would frequent yard sales and thrift shops to purchase old frames, lithographs on board, and existing canvas prints to paint over and frame. Around 2009 I started to paint weird imagery in an existing piece and then later one piece my Mom was getting rid of was a seascape -where I had the immediate vision of two reapers playing with a beachball. I painted them in, shared them on social media and things snowballed rather quickly from there. I came up with the term re-directed as I used that as a tag and hoped people would begin to associate it with me…and it worked! Other people now use that term – which is fine… I prefer that to ‘Improved Painting’…as I never meant to demean the original artist. All these redirected pieces were salvaged and unwanted and quite likely wind up as landfill. I hate waste and seeing potential thrown away. This was just another method to upcycle. I’ll spend considerable time touching up the piece from scratches, buffs or sun/ water damage then I’ll add in my own visions. ..never covering the signature of the original artist. Research is always done prior to any painting to insure it’s not of significant value. I rarely work on originals, always lithographs, canvas prints, or anonymous paint by numbers.

Is there anything that you would like to add?

DI: Even though most know my work through my ongoing Re-Directed thrift art series, I look forward to continuing my upcycling work (hand-painted ornaments using salvaged burnt-out light bulbs, pop art paintings on discarded, damaged vinyl records, beer cap pins, and redoing/painting discarded wooden furniture…) and preventing landfill.

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Photo Credit: David Irvine
Photo Credit: David Irvine
Photo Credit: David Irvine
Photo Credit: David Irvine
Inhuman illustration by Heather Skovlund (Cover art for Inhuman provided by Smith Publicity) for 360 Magazine

Eric Leland × Inhuman

A Gripping Military Horror with Shocking Supernatural Twists

Q&A WITH ERIC LELAND:

AUTHOR OF Inhuman MILITARY THRILLER DEBUT

Question: What inspired you to write Inhuman?

Eric Leland: During a class for my MA I wrote a 25-page short story titled Recon Team: Mercury. That story was shortened to five pages and is now the prologue to Inhuman. For a NaNoWriMo idea I thought it would be interesting to see what happened when the rescuers came looking for the team that disappeared in my original short story. Inhuman is the result.

Q: What sets Inhuman apart from other military and horror books?

EL: The bravado one comes to expect when reading military fiction is quickly ripped away to expose and pick at the delicate flesh of fear and self-doubt we are ashamed to admit exists.

Q: What do you hope readers will take away from the book?

EL: It was never my intent for Inhuman to be didactic. Primarily I hope readers are entertained. I hope readers will remember the experience of Inhuman rather than any particular lesson.

Q: Inhuman features a diverse cast of characters. How did your military friendships, and experiences with “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” inform this inclusivity?

EL: A diverse cast adds verisimilitude to military fiction simply because any U.S. military unit features a diverse roster. In my first combat experience I found myself fighting shoulder to shoulder with Mexican Americans, an African American, and a gay woman. Unfortunately, DADT was still a thing for most of my military career and I would only find out after DADT was repealed that some of my greatest friends were gay. I think truth in fiction is important, and if I did not write a diverse cast I would by lying. Readers can spot a lie from a mile out.

Q: How did you develop your characters? And which of them do you have the strongest connection to?

EL: The character Jaran is heavily based on my wife’s experiences who was born in Vietnam. At an early age, she and her family fled to a refugee camp after the war. The chaos of displacement during war time seemed terrifying. I can’t really say which character I have the strongest connection to—John’s sense of duty; Chris’s refusal to take anything seriously; and Brandon’s severe depression and self-doubt—they’re all variations of me.

Eric Leland grew up in Massena, NY and entered Army basic training upon high school graduation. He was an MP in the Army for six years and reclassified to a Special Agent with the Army Criminal Investigation Division. Eric deployed to Honduras in 2002, and Iraq in 2003 and 2009 where he was awarded an Army Commendation Medal with “V” device for valor. He completed his MA in Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University and has happily traded in his gun for a pen. Eric lives in Seattle with his wife. Connect with Eric Leland on Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads.

Inhuman is available on Amazon in both print and digital.

Audiobook forthcoming in Summer 2021.

VIDAS book illustration by Heather Skovlund for 360 Magazine

VIDAS: Deep in Mexico and Spain

ADVENTURE AWAITS IN THIS NEW COMING-OF-AGE TRAVEL MEMOIR 

“VIDAS: Deep in Mexico and Spain”

A Tribute to The Glorious Diversity of Our Worlds

Shortly after the American ministers of hate started demonizing the people of Mexico, New York Times Best-Selling Author Edward Stanton began writing about his own wide experience living in that country, confounding the bigots and their bogeys, showing the real women, men, and children he knew there. When the coronavirus struck Spain last year, he decided to include that country as a homage to it and its people, whom he also knew and loved. 

This is how VIDAS: Deep in Mexico and Spain was born.

A wayward descendant of Mexico’s national hero, a femme fatale who recites poems in cantinas, a Tunisian prostitute in Barcelona, a Spanish psychiatrist who fights brave bulls, the wise owner of the world’s oldest restaurant. They are just a handful of the characters portrayed in VIDAS: Deep in Mexico and Spain, the first memoir to capture Mexico and Spain from the perspective of an American and the knowledge of an insider.

VIDAS explores subjects as diverse as the art of blasphemy, the cult of the Virgin Mary, superstition and witchcraft, the bordellos of Mexico, Spain’s paradise of drink and food, the bullfight, and the running of bulls in Pamplona, the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Every chapter of this vibrant travel memoir depicts a different person or place, which combined create a cross-section of the most populous Spanish-speaking countries in the New and Old World. VIDAS is a passage from childhood to adolescence and maturity, a tribute to nature and the open road, an exaltation of love, food, and wine, a journey from the tender, mortal flesh to the luminous world of the spirit.

-RELEASE DATE: March 1st, 2021
-PUBLISHING COMPANY: Waterside Publications
-ISBN-13: 978-1-949003-47-5 (print)
-ISBN-13: 978-1-949003-48-2 (eBook)
-GENRE: Nonfiction, travel, memoir, culture, diversity
-PRICE: $17.95 (print) $9.95 (eBook)
-PURCHASING INFO: VIDAS is available for purchase on Amazon here.

Why You Need This Book

Filled with photographs, this engaging and unique memoir provides a sensory travel experience many of us are craving today. VIDAS: Deep in Mexico and Spain offers the opportunity to learn about faraway lands and striking events while never leaving home. This timely “armchair travel” memoir is for anyone searching for an escape during our troubled time.

“Lyrical…Iconic…Elegant…” –KIRKUS REVIEWS

“A love letter to the Mexican and Spanish peoples, a pure affirmation of life in countries with radical cultures of death.” –ANA MERINO, WINNER 2020 PREMIO NADAL

About the Author, Edward Stanton:

Born in Colorado and raised in California, Edward Stanton has lived in Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, and Spain. He’s the author of twelve books, some of them translated and published in Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese. Road of Stars to Santiago, the story of his 500-mile walk on the ancient pilgrimage route to Compostela, was called one of the best books on the subject by the New York Times; Stanton’s environmental novel Wide as the Wind, the first to treat the tragic history of Easter Island, won the Next Generation Indie Book Award for Young Adult Fiction and three other international prizes. 

Rules of creative writing and storytelling

The internet and libraries abound with books, novels, and stories written by authors. Some of them are more successful than others and this is because authors have managed to create interesting and compelling stories. Storytelling in copywriting is the trend that will describe the marketing efforts of many businesses in the next years, as it begins to gain momentum as an important marketing trend. However, storytelling and creative writing have a few rules that, if followed, can help you create amazing pieces of text. 

There is no special formula to unleash your imagination or write a piece of text that many readers can relate to. It is more about talent, hard work, and a few creative tips that can enhance the writing skills of anyone. 

A Dedicated Writing Space 

This is something that all writers are stressing over and over again. Having a dedicated writing space helps you enter a flow state when you do not feel how the time passes. When you are in a flow state, you get so involved in what you are doing, that everything in your environment seems to work for you. 

You are more efficient and productive, and sometimes, as a writer, you would want to be like this. But apart from this benefit, a dedicated writing space allows you to gather your resources and concentrate on your piece of text. It is a great way to eliminate distractions and let your ideas pour on paper. 

Structured and Specific Stories 

Creative writing and storytelling develop impressive and emotional stories. To be successful, they need to appeal to the public and help it relate to them. Writing general stories and concepts and using lazy word combinations is one of the things to avoid. Instead, be specific and use words that describe complex states. For example, instead of very sad you can use sorrowful or instead of very shiny you can use gleaming. Everyone is now competing for the attention of the people, no matter if it is online or offline. But many writers need feedback and suggestions on their pieces of text and writing services can turn out to be of help. If you need help from an essay writing service UK, they have a large base of proficient writers that can support you in the writing process and help you find the best words. 

One or Two Narrative Points of View? 

There are two common approaches to the narrative point of view. It can be first-person, meaning the narrator is also a character in the story. Or, it can be third-person, meaning that the narrator is not an active participant in the story. Both of them are largely used in all pieces of writing and storytelling and each of them comes with its benefits. The first-person point of view comes with intimacy and great character building. While a third-person point of view allows the writer to focus on more characters and gives the feeling of omnipresence. 

Which one of them is right for your idea of the story, you get to decide. But the best thing you could do that will also boost your creativity is to experiment. Writing does not have any magic formula and it is your personality and perspective on the world that will be reflected by your pieces of text. Experimenting with all the narrative points of view allows you to develop the story more and also come up with new ideas. This is something both copywriters and creative writers are doing. 

Character Building 

Storytelling is not only about a succession of events that take place. It is also about the characters that take part in those events and interact with each other. No matter your narrative point of view, as an author, you need to paint the readers an accurate character portrait. Think about real characters and describe them. What do they look like? What do they like or dislike? How do they relate to the events that take place? Do they have any hobbies, pets, thoughts they ruminate on?

Not only the story but the characters too, make a story memorable. And storytelling is exactly about this. Understanding and constantly learning about characters is important, as it can help any writer develop a compelling story. 

Conclusion 

There are many types of content writing or storytelling you can choose to write, but this depends on the ideas you have and the message you want to send. To write successful pieces of text, you need to train your brain to enter a flow state, where you forget to check the clock. The best thing you can do is consistency. Have a dedicated writing space and write even when you don’t feel like writing. 

Aim to create specific stories and use a large pool of words to describe the emotions and feelings in an accurate manner. This will help readers relate more to your story and continue reading. Writing is also about experimenting and you can do this with your character building. Both the events and the characters make a story memorable. 

Author Bio: Judy Nelson is a content writer and blogger, passionate about literature. She spends her spare time reading books on diverse genres: SFs, historical fiction, and self-development. Judy loves writing essays on topics such as the psychology of creative writing and writing skills.

The Leather City

By Armon Hayes

Superheroes are as custom as their outfits. Living in a world where versatility and luxury are never compromised, The Leather City is the destination where craftsmanship meets your leather desires.

Amazingly stitched pieces of premium quality are seamless when it comes to design. Rooted in heritage, The Leather City proudly represents over 22 years of leather goods at their most polished.

The pop culture partnership with the Canada-based company comes at a time when we all could tap into our inner “superhero”. From Black Panther to Deadpool, Superman to Batman and Captain Marvel to Nightwing, The Leather City’s superhero jackets let us embrace the spirit of our heroes at a time in which our world could use a few high-powered individuals battling for justice.

Building bridges in Africa and Dubai, the high fashion brand diversifies its efforts to further its commitment to heritage. The Leather City doesn’t just make jackets. These pieces are leather artwork lined and designed to cater to extraordinary lives, and the zipper closure jacket is premium to its smell and tailored fit.

The Leather City is following these superheroes with a goal to protect, though not against aliens, supervillains and evil gods. They are providing workers with items like gloves, masks, hand sanitizer and soap to counter the spread of COVID-19 and keep their customers safe.

Shades by Saint Owen

Marvel Rising

Click HERE for a sneak peek of Marvel Rising: Chasing Ghosts.

On the heels of the successful launches of the Marvel Rising: Initiation shorts and the animated film Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors, Marvel Entertainment announced today additional content for theMarvel Rising franchise including two new animated specials Marvel Rising: Chasing Ghostsand Marvel Rising: Heart of Iron.

Marvel Rising: Chasing Ghosts features the return of Dove Cameron (“Descendants 3”) and BooBoo Stewart (“Descendants 3”) in a brand-new 22-minute special that follows Ghost-Spider teaming-up with the Secret Warriors to bring down the villains Sheath and Exile for good.

“I am so excited to return to the world of ‘Marvel Rising’ as Ghost-Spider!,” said Dove Cameron. “It’s so rewarding to be part of a project that resonates with girls, and speaks to topics and subject matters we can all relate to.”

Marvel Rising: Heart of Iron will introduce Riri Williams a.k.a. Ironheart to the Marvel Rising universe, voiced by Sofia Wylie (“Andi Mack”). In this 44-minute special, we find Riri Williams adjusting to college life and feeling socially isolated because she is younger than the other students. After Hala the Accuser destroys the school’s engineering lab and kidnaps Riri’s best friend, Riri finds inspiration in her hero Iron Man and hatches a plan to defeat Hala and save the day.

“I feel so honored to be a part of the Marvel family, but more importantly I’m excited to join a cast of diverse, strong intelligent women!” said Sofia Wylie. “I can’t wait for fans to see my character and to see a little of themselves in this powerful young woman.”

“We believe girls and boys are going to be so thrilled to see what happens next for The Secret Warriors, and watch new heroes shake up the team,” said Cort Lane, Marvel’s Senior Vice President of Animation & Family Entertainment.

Marvel Rising: Chasing Ghosts will star Dove Cameron as Ghost-Spider, and features the return of Tyler Posey as Inferno, Chloe Bennet as Quake, Cierra Ramirez as America Chavez, BooBoo Stewart as Exile, Milana Vayntrub as Squirrel Girl, Kathreen Khavari as Ms. Marvel, Kamil McFadden as Patriot, Skai Jackson as Gloria Grant, Dee Bradley Baker as Lockjaw/Tippy-Toe, Steven Weber as Captain Stacy, Tara Strong as Mary Jane Watson, and Amanda C. Miller as Sheath.

Marvel Rising: Heart of Iron will star Sofia Wylie as Riri Williams a.k.a. Ironheart, and features Ming-Na Wen as Hala, Kim Raver as Captain Marvel, Dove Cameron as Ghost-Spider, Tyler Posey as Inferno, Chloe Bennet as Quake, Cierra Ramirez as America Chavez, Milana Vayntrub as Squirrel Girl, Kathreen Khavari as Ms. Marvel, Kamil McFadden as Patriot, Dee Bradley Baker as Lockjaw/Tippy-Toe, Mick Wingert as Iron Man, and Melanie Minichino as A.M.I.

Marvel Rising: Chasing Ghosts is executive produced by Joe Quesada, Dan Buckley, Cort Lane, and Eric Radomski; co-executive produced by Stan Lee, Sana Amanat, and Marsha Griffin. The special was written by Mairghread Scott. Alfred Gimeno served as supervising animation producer and director.

Marvel Rising: Heart of Iron is executive produced by Joe Quesada, Dan Buckley, Cort Lane, and Eric Radomski; co-executive produced by Stan Lee, Sana Amanat, and Marsha Griffin. The special was written by Margaret Dunlap. Alfred Gimeno served as supervising director and the special was directed by Sol Choi.

Distribution partners and release dates for Marvel Rising: Chasing Ghosts and Marvel Rising: Heart of Iron to be announced at a later date.

To watch Marvel Rising: Initiation on the Marvel HQ YouTube click here and Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors is now available to stream on DisneyNOW.

For more information, check out Marvel Rising on social at www.Facebook.com/MarvelRising, www.Twitter.com/MarvelRisingSW, and www.Instagram.com/MarvelRising

Subscribe to Marvel HQ on YouTube for full episodes and more: www.youtube.com/MarvelHQ

About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy-five years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing.

For more information visit marvel.com. © 2018 MARVEL

DreamWorks Tales of Arcadia: 3Below

DREAMWORKS ANIMATION TELEVISION ANNOUNCES GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S RETURN TO NEW YORK COMIC CON WITH NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES DREAMWORKS TALES OF ARCADIA: 3BELOW

DreamWorks Tales of Arcadia: 3Below to debut at The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden on Friday, October 5, at 4pm

DreamWorks Animation Television has added a panel for OSCAR® winner Guillermo del Toro’s highly-anticipated Netflix original series DreamWorks Tales of Arcadia: 3Below to the studio’s exciting New York Comic Con 2018 line up.

Creator and executive producer del Toro, alongside series star Diego Luna, and fellow executive producers Rodrigo Blaas, Marc Guggenheim and Chad Hammes, are set to provide a first look inside the upcoming Netflix original series DreamWorks Tales of Arcadia: 3Below, the second chapter in the DreamWorks Tales of Arcadia trilogy. Fans of the 7 time Emmy®-winning Trollhunters can expect to find several familiar faces in 3Below when two royal teenage aliens, Krel (Luna) and Aja, and their bodyguard flee a surprise takeover of their home planet by an evil dictator and crash land in Arcadia.

The series is set to debut in 2018. DreamWorks previously announced the series will feature Luna and Tatiana Maslany in the lead roles of Krel and Aja. Additional details for the panel can be found below (talent appearances subject to change):

Friday, October 5

DreamWorks Tales of Arcadia: 3Below, a Netflix Original Series

Panel 4:00-5:00 PM

The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden

Guillermo del Toro offers a first look inside his upcoming Netflix original series DreamWorks Tales of Arcadia: 3Below, the second chapter in the Tales of Arcadia trilogy. The panel will also include executive producers Rodrigo Blaas, Marc Guggenheim and Chad Hammes, and actor Diego Luna. The series follows two royal teenage aliens, and their bodyguard who flee a surprise takeover of their home planet by an evil dictator and crash land in Arcadia. Now on the run from intergalactic bounty hunters, they struggle to blend in and adapt to the bizarre world of high school all the while attempting to repair their ship so they can return and defend their home planet.

Previously announced DreamWorks Animation Television panels:

Thursday, October 4

DreamWorks She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, a Netflix Original Series

Panel 3:00-4:00 PM

Hammerstein Ballroom at the Manhattan Center

She-Ra is back! Inspired by the popular ‘80s series, DreamWorks She-Ra and the Princesses of Power tells the epic story of an orphan named Adora, who leaves behind her former life in the evil Horde when she discovers a magic sword that transforms her into the mythical warrior princess She-Ra. Join executive producer Noelle Stevenson (Nimona, Lumberjanes), Aimee Carrero (voice of Adora/She-Ra), Karen Fukuhara (voice of Glimmer) and more as they offer a first look at the highly-anticipated series.

In addition to the panels, DreamWorks will also offer an immersive fan experience inspired by the imaginative world of the highly-anticipated series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power at Booth #502. The activation will include a larger-than-life She-Ra statue, as well as interactive photo opportunities that will transport guests straight to Etheria, the Whispering Woods and Hordak’s lair. Reservations are required to attend the fan experience. Please look out for more information on New York Comic Con’s social channels.

Friday, October 5

DreamWorks Voltron Legendary Defender, a Netflix Original Series

Panel 10:30-11:30 AM

Hammerstein Ballroom at the Manhattan Center

Join executive producers Joaquim Dos Santos and Lauren Montgomery, story editor Josh Hamilton and voice actors Bex Taylor-Klaus, Josh Keaton, Jeremy Shada, Kimberly Brooks and more as they look back on seven seasons of DreamWorks Voltron Legendary Defender and offer a sneak peek at the final chapter arriving on Netflix later this year.

About the DreamWorks Tales of Arcadia trilogy:

On the surface, Arcadia appears to be a slice of timeless Americana, but it is no ordinary town. It lies at the center of magical and mystical lines that will make it a nexus for many battles among otherworldly creatures including trolls, aliens and wizards. DreamWorks Trollhunters, the first installment in the DreamWorks Tales of Arcadia trilogy, will be followed by two additional series 3Below in 2018 and a final chapter Wizards set to debut in 2019.

About DreamWorks Animation Television

DreamWorks Animation Television is one of the world’s leading producers of high-quality, animated family programming, reaching consumers in more than 190 countries. Creating a diverse array of original content in a variety of formats and delivering deep, fully immersive worlds served up with compelling characters, the prolific studio has garnered 22 Emmy Awards since inception in 2013 and is home to such beloved series as DreamWorks Tales of Arcadia: Trollhunters, Spirit Riding Free, Trolls: The Beat Goes On!, The Boss Baby: Back in Business, Voltron Legendary Defender, The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants, Harvey Street Kids, Dragons: Race to the Edge, All Hail King Julien, The Adventures of Puss in Boots and the upcoming She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny and 3Below. DreamWorks is a division of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group within NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.