jaina: (Default)
HELLO LIVEJOURNAL!

I HAVE SURVIVED SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON FOR A NINTH YEAR!

I did not do Masquerade for the first time ever!

But I still stayed up way late and got no sleep because I was finishing costumes for Saturday!

But I GOT THEM FINISHED!!!!

Behold! Avatar: The Last Airbender, Season 3!

Piandao the Sword Master:

IMG_7050 . IMG_0319

Suki (Fire Nation disguise):

IMG_7029 . Suki reference

PRETTY DARN EPIC AVATAR PHOTOSHOOT THAT WE MADE HAPPEN THROUGH SHEER FORCE OF WILL:

IMG_6958

Oh and LEGEND OF KORRA IS GOING TO BE AMAAAAAAZING.

Now, please excuse me, I am going to go collapse into bed. SLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.
jaina: (Default)
I first posted about my unhappiness with The Last Airbender film back in February, and at that point I thought that would be the end of it. I would simply ignore the movie and go about my life. But as the release date has gotten closer, I've gotten more and more upset, to the point where I am literally sick to my stomach about this film.

Please do me one favor first-- please go and read [livejournal.com profile] ssj10's excellent and heartfelt post on this subject. I'll wait.

And now, here is what I have to say.

1. Avatar: The Last Airbender, the original series upon which the movie is based, was explicitly and deliberately created as a story set in “an ancient, fantastical Asian environment, primarily Chinese,” specifically as a response to all the European-based fantasy stories out there (think Lord of the Rings, etc). The creators have said "...we wanted to create a mythology that was based on Eastern culture, rather than Western culture." The cultures of Avatar were all based on real-world Asian and Inuit cultures, including the food, the clothing, the tools, the martial arts, even accurate Chinese calligraphy. All of the characters were Asian/Inuit-- people of color. To quote [livejournal.com profile] ssj10, who says it so much more beautifully than I:
"Here was a fantastical Asian world, full of well developed and delineated countries, each with a distinctive culture and a carefully developed mythology born from real world Asian traditions, art forms, myths and religions. Here was beautiful Hànzì adorning the walls of temples and restaurants. Here was the food I loved best from my childhood, eaten with chopsticks by the heroes of the show.

"And here were the Heroes: Brave, noble, beautiful, strong, and Asian."
2. When the filmmakers began to cast the movie, they deliberately set out to cast Caucasian actors in the four principal roles of Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Zuko. All of the casting notices read "Caucasian or any other ethnicity"-- not "all ethnicities" or "Asian ethnicities." They specifically wanted to cast the four leads with white actors. And they did so.

Then, before filming began, the actor playing Zuko, the primary villain in the first film, dropped out due to "scheduling conflicts." He was replaced with Dev Patel, who is ethnically Indian. After that, the rest of the villains in the film (all, like Zuko, part of the Fire Nation) were all cast, in the director's own words, "from Indian/Persian to Mediterranean, all that group with all its darker colors including Italians." So the villains are all darker-skinned actors, while the three main heroes are white.

3. This is Hollywood whitewashing, the Hollywood glass ceiling, at its absolute worst. There was no reason, none at all, to whitewash the three main heroes. In fact, this was the perfect opportunity to cast a whole rainbow of young, talented actors. It's right there in the source material. 82% of lead roles in Hollywood go to white actors. Less than 2% of lead roles go to Asian actors and less than 1% go to Native American actors. This film had every reason to be the antithesis of all that. Instead, it's business as usual, which I find deplorable.

I love Avatar: The Last Airbender. I wanted so very badly to love its big-screen adaptation. It breaks my heart that I don't. But I cannot and will not financially support a movie that condones these practices. I'm going to see The Karate Kid instead. I'd love it if you joined me.
jaina: (Default)
I first posted about my unhappiness with The Last Airbender film back in February, and at that point I thought that would be the end of it. I would simply ignore the movie and go about my life. But as the release date has gotten closer, I've gotten more and more upset, to the point where I am literally sick to my stomach about this film.

Please do me one favor first-- please go and read [livejournal.com profile] ssj10's excellent and heartfelt post on this subject. I'll wait.

And now, here is what I have to say.

1. Avatar: The Last Airbender, the original series upon which the movie is based, was explicitly and deliberately created as a story set in “an ancient, fantastical Asian environment, primarily Chinese,” specifically as a response to all the European-based fantasy stories out there (think Lord of the Rings, etc). The creators have said "...we wanted to create a mythology that was based on Eastern culture, rather than Western culture." The cultures of Avatar were all based on real-world Asian and Inuit cultures, including the food, the clothing, the tools, the martial arts, even accurate Chinese calligraphy. All of the characters were Asian/Inuit-- people of color. To quote [livejournal.com profile] ssj10, who says it so much more beautifully than I:
"Here was a fantastical Asian world, full of well developed and delineated countries, each with a distinctive culture and a carefully developed mythology born from real world Asian traditions, art forms, myths and religions. Here was beautiful Hànzì adorning the walls of temples and restaurants. Here was the food I loved best from my childhood, eaten with chopsticks by the heroes of the show.

"And here were the Heroes: Brave, noble, beautiful, strong, and Asian."
2. When the filmmakers began to cast the movie, they deliberately set out to cast Caucasian actors in the four principal roles of Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Zuko. All of the casting notices read "Caucasian or any other ethnicity"-- not "all ethnicities" or "Asian ethnicities." They specifically wanted to cast the four leads with white actors. And they did so.

Then, before filming began, the actor playing Zuko, the primary villain in the first film, dropped out due to "scheduling conflicts." He was replaced with Dev Patel, who is ethnically Indian. After that, the rest of the villains in the film (all, like Zuko, part of the Fire Nation) were all cast, in the director's own words, "from Indian/Persian to Mediterranean, all that group with all its darker colors including Italians." So the villains are all darker-skinned actors, while the three main heroes are white.

3. This is Hollywood whitewashing, the Hollywood glass ceiling, at its absolute worst. There was no reason, none at all, to whitewash the three main heroes. In fact, this was the perfect opportunity to cast a whole rainbow of young, talented actors. It's right there in the source material. 82% of lead roles in Hollywood go to white actors. Less than 2% of lead roles go to Asian actors and less than 1% go to Native American actors. This film had every reason to be the antithesis of all that. Instead, it's business as usual, which I find deplorable.

I love Avatar: The Last Airbender. I wanted so very badly to love its big-screen adaptation. It breaks my heart that I don't. But I cannot and will not financially support a movie that condones these practices. I'm going to see The Karate Kid instead. I'd love it if you joined me.
jaina: (Default)
I just need to put this out there, guys: No, I haven't seen The Last Airbender trailer. No, I'm not going to. No, I will not be seeing the movie. At all.

For me, it boils down to this: the filmmakers deliberately set out to whitewash the main cast. After the resulting outcry, they backed down a little-- just enough to recast the villains as people of color. And I'm not interested in supporting that. At all.

I don't particularly want to debate this, and if you're excited about the movie, I'm certainly not out to ruin your fun. I just wanted to explain why, while I love the show, I'm not interested in talking about the movie in any form.
jaina: (Default)
I just need to put this out there, guys: No, I haven't seen The Last Airbender trailer. No, I'm not going to. No, I will not be seeing the movie. At all.

For me, it boils down to this: the filmmakers deliberately set out to whitewash the main cast. After the resulting outcry, they backed down a little-- just enough to recast the villains as people of color. And I'm not interested in supporting that. At all.

I don't particularly want to debate this, and if you're excited about the movie, I'm certainly not out to ruin your fun. I just wanted to explain why, while I love the show, I'm not interested in talking about the movie in any form.
jaina: (Default)
While we're on the subject of SDCC, I feel compelled to share with you the best photo *ever*, taken this year by [livejournal.com profile] miana_dude:

Best Photo Ever.

Poster juxtaposition FTW. I hear you, penguin dude. I hear you.
jaina: (Default)
While we're on the subject of SDCC, I feel compelled to share with you the best photo *ever*, taken this year by [livejournal.com profile] miana_dude:

Best Photo Ever.

Poster juxtaposition FTW. I hear you, penguin dude. I hear you.

emmy noms

Jul. 16th, 2009 07:28 am
jaina: (Default)
WHEE Emmy noms are out! A lot of the same stuff as always, but some new things that I am EEEE! about:

Choreography, Comedy Series, Comedy Actor, Reality Host, etc: )

emmy noms

Jul. 16th, 2009 07:28 am
jaina: (Default)
WHEE Emmy noms are out! A lot of the same stuff as always, but some new things that I am EEEE! about:

Choreography, Comedy Series, Comedy Actor, Reality Host, etc: )
jaina: (Default)
I present to you, the best commentary I have ever seen on the racebending casting issue for the Avatar movie:

I would advise not drinking anything before clicking this link

Someone give that person an internet immediately.
jaina: (Default)
I present to you, the best commentary I have ever seen on the racebending casting issue for the Avatar movie:

I would advise not drinking anything before clicking this link

Someone give that person an internet immediately.
jaina: (atla - tophsmack)
It's a day later and I still can't post with any coherency. I should have taken notes while we were watching it. With the STUFF. And the EVERYTHING.

It can't be over. It can't. I need more adventures and group hugs and field trips and beach parties and BOOMERANGS!

I can't wait to watch this with a crowd at SDCC, I can tell you that much.

ETA: You know what I really, really don't have time to do, no seriously not even if I don't sleep for the next five nights? Make an Avatar costume.

You know what I really, really want to do? Yeah. Sadface.
jaina: (atla - tophsmack)
It's a day later and I still can't post with any coherency. I should have taken notes while we were watching it. With the STUFF. And the EVERYTHING.

It can't be over. It can't. I need more adventures and group hugs and field trips and beach parties and BOOMERANGS!

I can't wait to watch this with a crowd at SDCC, I can tell you that much.

ETA: You know what I really, really don't have time to do, no seriously not even if I don't sleep for the next five nights? Make an Avatar costume.

You know what I really, really want to do? Yeah. Sadface.
jaina: (atla - tophsmack)
Avatar 3x16, The Southern Raiders )

Haha, most of my friendslist is either "OMG AVATAR" or "OMG DARK KNIGHT." Good weekend for fandom!
jaina: (atla - tophsmack)
Avatar 3x16, The Southern Raiders )

Haha, most of my friendslist is either "OMG AVATAR" or "OMG DARK KNIGHT." Good weekend for fandom!
jaina: (angel cancelled dance)
CURSE YOU [livejournal.com profile] raykel!!! I have so much SDCC sewing to do and now I'm freaking obsessed with Danny Phantom and it is ALL YOUR FAULT. (Finished the series today. Wah.) PLEASE SEND HELP. OR SEMI-DECENT FIC.

On the plus side, it's distracting me from the wait till the ATLA finale, so.

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