[2 SPACES] SET YOURSELF ON FIRE ✯ HOLLYWOOD ✯ CAPITOL
Apr 30, 2014 17:45:54 GMT -5
Post by Onyx on Apr 30, 2014 17:45:54 GMT -5
[[HOVER]]
[presto]
When George Buchanan bought 25 acres of wasteland on the eastern edge of the Capitol, the settlers who sold it to him were convinced he was crazy. A young man, with no knowledge of the world, or the future; just a great deal more money than sense, and a vision. He dreamt of bright lights and brass bands, of red carpets and rounds of applause, and, above all, he dreamt of nationwide fame and renown. What Buchanan wanted was to establish the greatest film studios that Panem had ever seen.
Of course, no business is free of secrets, and as Buchanan’s “Temple Studios” went under construction, what they found where they planned to lay foundations turned out to be a bigger secret than anyone anticipated. Under the earth was the remains of the result of what seemed to be sheer generations of human atrocities, buried lovelessly with no grave markers, the earth so recently turned that it could only be the work of the area’s previous inhabitants, most of whom had long since fled. The others penitently revealed what as almost unthinkable: in a world where racism and discrimination had been eradicated, the community clinging on at the edge of society had become a supremacist cult, having turned back to ancient, pre-Panem beliefs and committed unforgivable acts against other classes of people in order to put themselves on top again.
Buchanan was urged, almost commanded, to report what he had found to the authorities, but he had the feeling that they already knew, and were choosing to ‘live and let live’ to prevent panic erupting in the rest of the population. Furthermore, his dream for Temple Studios was so clear, and so close to realisation, that he couldn’t abandon the land he had purchased and the plans he had made, for this. Secrets could stay secret, and although he, rightly, didn’t expect the workers who had seen the burial ground to keep their mouths shut, he dismissed all their quickly-spreading reports as mere rumours, and never let it phase him.
For four years, Temple Studios evolved, quickly gaining a name and drawing fresh talent like carrion draws vultures. Then, without warning, George Buchanan suddenly disappeared; vanishing with no notice or warning, and leaving nothing but a half-finished screenplay and his coat, hanging on the back of his chair. For several months, all productions halted, all development ceased – the Studios began to sink into ruin. That was when Mr Leland Stanford appeared – just as suddenly as Buchanan had evanesced – with a not-quite-legal fortune, and a desire to rekindle Buchanan’s life ambition.
Thirteen years down the line, Temple Studios is more powerful than George Buchanan could ever have dreamed. Hoardes of starry-eyed Capitolites flock to its marble horse-guarded gates, looking for a way into the celebrity world. However, many believe that whatever it was that caused the previous owner to depart so suddenly still hangs like a curse within the dark corridors, and more questions are arising about what really goes on behind the scenes, in the bowels of the Studios. Who are the dark figures sometimes seen wandering around the land at night? Why do so many employees suddenly stop writing or visiting home? And why are the doors to Studio Eight always locked? Perhaps the answers are there for the taking – but only by those brave enough to venture into the complex, and face whatever demons are hiding inside.
[/presto]
[presto]
Of course, no business is free of secrets, and as Buchanan’s “Temple Studios” went under construction, what they found where they planned to lay foundations turned out to be a bigger secret than anyone anticipated. Under the earth was the remains of the result of what seemed to be sheer generations of human atrocities, buried lovelessly with no grave markers, the earth so recently turned that it could only be the work of the area’s previous inhabitants, most of whom had long since fled. The others penitently revealed what as almost unthinkable: in a world where racism and discrimination had been eradicated, the community clinging on at the edge of society had become a supremacist cult, having turned back to ancient, pre-Panem beliefs and committed unforgivable acts against other classes of people in order to put themselves on top again.
Buchanan was urged, almost commanded, to report what he had found to the authorities, but he had the feeling that they already knew, and were choosing to ‘live and let live’ to prevent panic erupting in the rest of the population. Furthermore, his dream for Temple Studios was so clear, and so close to realisation, that he couldn’t abandon the land he had purchased and the plans he had made, for this. Secrets could stay secret, and although he, rightly, didn’t expect the workers who had seen the burial ground to keep their mouths shut, he dismissed all their quickly-spreading reports as mere rumours, and never let it phase him.
For four years, Temple Studios evolved, quickly gaining a name and drawing fresh talent like carrion draws vultures. Then, without warning, George Buchanan suddenly disappeared; vanishing with no notice or warning, and leaving nothing but a half-finished screenplay and his coat, hanging on the back of his chair. For several months, all productions halted, all development ceased – the Studios began to sink into ruin. That was when Mr Leland Stanford appeared – just as suddenly as Buchanan had evanesced – with a not-quite-legal fortune, and a desire to rekindle Buchanan’s life ambition.
Thirteen years down the line, Temple Studios is more powerful than George Buchanan could ever have dreamed. Hoardes of starry-eyed Capitolites flock to its marble horse-guarded gates, looking for a way into the celebrity world. However, many believe that whatever it was that caused the previous owner to depart so suddenly still hangs like a curse within the dark corridors, and more questions are arising about what really goes on behind the scenes, in the bowels of the Studios. Who are the dark figures sometimes seen wandering around the land at night? Why do so many employees suddenly stop writing or visiting home? And why are the doors to Studio Eight always locked? Perhaps the answers are there for the taking – but only by those brave enough to venture into the complex, and face whatever demons are hiding inside.
AGE: 38
GENDER: MALE
DEPARTMENT: DIRECTORIAL
NOTES: OMNIPOTENT, OMNISCIENT, RESPECTED, FEARED, LOVED, WORSHIPED
FACE: LASZLO HUIBER
STATUS: TAKEN BY ONYX [bitteronyx]
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: Some Studios employees say he was born to drug-rats in the scummiest part of the Capitol, and built himself from the rubble. Some whisper that when he rescued Temple Studios from the point of closure and restored it to glory, he was aided by bribed help from the government. Some claim he has a wife and child far away- or perhaps many wives and many children all over Panem. And some are convinced that he's possessed by the Devil Himself. But one thing's for sure: without Leland Stanford winding the clockwork and starting the pendulum, none of Temple Studios could run at all. A modest man, he uses ambiguity as his protection against threat, either from legitimate rival film studios, or the multitude of underground drug circles which he trades with. He's obsessed with control, and charms those around him with courtesies and attention so that they remain happy working under him. Mr Stanford's one of the only employees who knows the truth behind the Studios' original bad reputation, and although he isn't superstitious enough to believe that the ground it's built upon is cursed, he performs secret rituals and takes certain measures to assure that any demons which might lurk around him are appeased. Needless to say, Mr Stanford is a man who knows what he wants, what he owns, and how to keep it all in balance.
AGE: 19
GENDER: MALE
DEPARTMENT: INTERN
NOTES: ARROGANT, IMPULSIVE, NAIVE, REBELLIOUS, BIG TALKER, SPIRITED
FACE: ROBBIE WADGE
STATUS: TAKEN BY DARS [nerrad3215]
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: To Frankie, life is nothing more than the sum of the experiences we fill it with. Born to two scientists, both presidential loyalists, he spent his childhood seeking for the perfect way to rebel against their strict rules. What Frankie longed for was more than the mindless partying of pretty Capitolites, it was the elegant criminality of a life in showbusiness, so he packed his belongings and set out for Temple Studios, determined to prove to his parents that there was more to life - and living - by putting his name in lights. As he signed his career contract, he willingly sold his soul to this new life. Now, Frankie seizes every opportunity to make himself, going beyond simply auditioning and interning around the studios, but performing odd jobs for the various executives, particularly the intimidating power couple Claude and Alice Estée, who have taken a particular interest in him. Frankie trails after them like a dog, agreeing to their every will, even if it involves undertaking tasks in the notorious and illicit drug ring that drives the Studios.
AGE: 26
GENDER: MALE
DEPARTMENT: CASTING
NOTES: SLICK, TROUBLEMAKER, MANIPULATIVE, SHALLOW, EGOCENTRIC
FACE: LEONEL MANGIERI
STATUS: TAKEN BY KIRE [kirefuga]
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: Claude holds the position as Mr Stanford's right-hand man with an indulgent pride. As casting director, it's his clean-shaven and cold-smiling face which greets the Studios’ new arrivals. As one of the few who understands the true source of much of the Studios' income, he and his wife Alice take care of legitimising the drug money. However, the couple seem to handle all their responsibilities effortlessly, and Claude uses his free time to terrify the fresh meat of Temple Studios, getting them lost in its dark and winding corridors, inviting them to its elite private parties only to shut them down, and arranging elaborate initiation ceremonies, taking pleasure in how the young actors react. Frankie's cocky optimism intrigued Claude, and he sees it as his personal mission to break the spirit of this particularly determined specimen. However, no one - not even Frankie - seems to notice the hot, furtive glances that Claude gives the younger boy when he's carrying out a task for them, or the way he slips his wedding ring into his pocket before going to see Frankie alone...
#
AGE: 28
GENDER: FEMALE
DEPARTMENT: EXECUTIVE
NOTES: SARCASTIC, DILIGENT, HAUGHTY, EXPERIENCED, SUPERFICIAL, RUTHLESS
FACE: KATE WINSLET
STATUS: TAKEN BY SAILOR [sailorvee]
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: Arriving when she was just eleven, Alice worked as an assistant seamstress for her tailor father. She was never teased or belittled because she had been taught by her father's ex-wife how to give off an air of power and wisdom. Soon, Alice grew tired of stitching, and found a calling as a sound effects assistant. It was up to her team to produce the vivid soundscapes which went with the films, and what attracted her most was having other people to boss around. When Mr Stanford took over the studios, he refreshed almost all the staff, and fired Alice's father. However, Alice herself he kept close, inviting her to become his personal assistant instead. It was during this time that her romance with the newly employed Claude blossomed, and they joined forces as Temple Studios executives - and married to seal the deal. Alice is aware of Claude's wandering affections but does not confront him, for fear of losing everything she has at the Studios as a result of a divorce. Instead, she takes her growing bitterness out on those around her, particularly Lila and the Seamstress, who have taken on the jobs she once had. She's also made a hobby of disturbing Dolores, picking on her insecurities and taking pleasure in the worry and fear she can cause.
AGE: 22
GENDER: FEMALE
DEPARTMENT: PERFORMANCE
NOTES:DELUSIONAL, STUBBORN, IDEALISTIC, INTROVERTED, TERRIFIED
FACE: TESSA ANTIFAVE
STATUS: TAKEN BY CAIT [caty24]
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: Young, brave and beautiful, Wendy left her quaint home to follow her dream of conquering showbusiness. With her loyal lover, Marshall, at her side, she quickly became wrapped in the celebrity lifestyle that Temple Studios provided. However, when Marshall drew close to the studio Diva, Dolores, Wendy began to see beyond the glittering surface of her new life - to the dark and stinking underworld that fuelled it. Suffocated by paranoia, her descent into insanity was only accelerated by the fact that no one would believe her hallucinatory ramblings of corruption. Now, Wendy is plagued with nightmares of what she believes is her imminent romantic and professional demise, and she spends time wandering through the caravan park, writing letters home which will never be delivered, or going through her scenes with all the outwards efficiency of a healthy, happy actress - the only sign of her inner turmoil the dark translucency of her eyes.
AGE: 23
GENDER: MALE
DEPARTMENT: UNEMPLOYED
NOTES: INTOXICATED, COMPLIANT, SOCIAL CLIMBER, FOLLOWER, INDECISIVE, LIAR
FACE: JORGE SIMON ALANO
STATUS: TAKEN BY RAVE [fabulousraven]
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: When Wendy announced that she was crossing the Capitol to begin a new life, Marshall didn't think twice about following her. After a difficult childhood in a large family, Wendy had provided an escape, and he owed being a companion to her. Temple Studios gave Marshall everything he ever wanted: independence, respect and attention - unexpected for someone whose only connection to the Studios was a significant other. He went from somewhat timid, dedicated and aspiring to indulgent and self-obsessed, his brain saturated with the drugs available only to the elite. Under the influence of these highly addictive concoctions, Marshall became ensnared in the fancies of Temple Studios' treasure, Dolores. Yet, somewhere below the cold, hard lust of his affair, Marshall's sweet affection for Wendy remains, but it's obscured - perhaps even beyond redemption.
AGE: 34
GENDER: FEMALE
DEPARTMENT: PERFORMANCE
NOTES: IMMORTAL, HYPOCHONDRIAC, DOMINANT, NARCISSISTIC, FADING
FACE: ERIN O'CONNOR
STATUS: TAKEN BY STAR [starfaultz]
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: Dolores was born to stars, and surrounded by celebrity her whole life, and she had never craved anything except an audience’s adoration. The mysterious Head of Temple Studios, Mr Stanford, who Dolores instantly fell for, offered her a deal she couldn’t refuse: a lifelong contract, in return for her professional exclusivity, and obligatory acting roles. Dolores suddenly had everything she’d ever wanted. She was the nation’s sweetheart, and also seemed to find her way into Mr Stanford’s heart, often receiving beautiful, valuable gifts from him with affectionate notes calling her his 'Brightest Star', as well as leading roles in many of his films. However, as the Studios grew and attracted younger girls from all corners of the Capitol, Stanford's feelings waned. Suddenly, there was a much higher demand for films aimed at the youth of Panem, celebrating heroes of the Games, and Dolores no longer fit the criteria. Her parts diminished in frequency and quality, and though she abused medical elixirs of youth, she couldn't help noticing the veins blooming on her arms, and the wrinkles at her eyes and mouth. By reaching out to Marshall as a small, final act of empty physical lust, Dolores acquired a small victory over the younger actresses; she was still the Queen of Temple Studios, and she would retain her crown.
AGE: 23
GENDER: MALE
DEPARTMENT: RECREATION
NOTES: INDEPENDENT, SASSY, LOYAL, CURIOUS, SECRETIVE, PRAGMATIC
FACE: KEVIN WEYDA
STATUS: TAKEN BY POGUE [pogue]
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: As the Studios’ golden boy, Conrad isn’t unfamiliar with certain special luxuries on request from the top. He’s frequently the Guest of Honour at Mr Stanford’s extravagant wrap parties, celebrating completing as the main part in yet another blockbuster film. However, more and more often, Conrad has begged absence from these events, for suspiciously vague reasons. The truth is that, under the bright eyes, the strong jaw and the stern, brooding expression that the camera so adores, Conrad has more than one secret hidden away. His job singing in Badlands Jack’s saloon precariously blends his business with his pleasure in a way that would be most undesirable if the Studios ever found out, and, perhaps even more dangerously, his quasi-Scientologist beliefs of self-knowledge and improvement cause him to dig into the secret Underworld of the Studios for answers that Mr Stanford and his hounds would rather no one ever discovered. Conrad’s biggest fear, and one that he would only confess to his two closest friends, Jack and Dwayne, is that if any of the Studio employees ever found out about his secret other lives, they’d end his career, his passions, and maybe even his life. And recently, Alice has become very interested in his varied excuses for his absences from set or celebration. Conrad is breaking, and he doesn’t know how much more he can take.
AGE: 25
GENDER: MALE
DEPARTMENT: PERFORMANCE
NOTES: CAREFREE, BOLD, INTELLIGENT, ECCENTRIC, PASSIONATE, CHILDISH
FACE: HARVEY NEWTON HAYDON
STATUS: TAKEN BY MOTH [shilkworm]
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: As well as acting parts for the camera within the studios, Dwayne plays a character off-screen, as well. A drugstore cowboy, with embroidered boots and a love for hoedowns, he dresses up to make an impression, and ensure people remember him long after he's gone. Dwayne doesn't believe in romance, and his interest in a woman waxes an wanes faster than the moon. One thing's for sure though, he knows how to use his looks and charm to get what he wants, whether that be a part from Claude, a free drink from Conrad, or a night with many of the Studios' ladies. But behind the cowboy hat and drawling accent, Dwayne's much more afraid of failure than he lets on. Having been sent to the Studios by his father, who truly believed his son had what it took to make it, Dwayne is terrified he'll fail him, and be left ashamed, and with nothing. Sometimes, alone in his caravan, or after a few drinks, Dwayne breaks down into hysteria and panic, all the worries he normally suppresses bursting out at once. Because of this, he understands the value of a good friend - and though he never treats anyone coldly, he's still looking for the right person to put his trust in.
AGE: 20
GENDER: FEMALE
DEPARTMENT: UNCLASSIFIED
NOTES: AMNESIAC, CONFUSED, INNOCENT, POLITE, TIMID, RESERVED, BASHFUL
FACE:
STATUS: OPEN
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: Ask anyone at Temple Studios about Romola, and they'd smile fondly and shake their head. She arrived a year ago, not sure why, or where she had come from, but with the address scribbled on the palm of her hand. It's something which she often does - half-finished memos jotted into her notebook, cryptic doodles which she has to decipher, or accidental acronyms, hidden and pointing to a person or place, fished from her subconscious, where her severe amnesia has done less damage. Conrad spends many nights drilling lines with her, helping her to push them into a more permanent part of her head, and Wendy confides secrets in her, knowing they'll be forgotten all too quickly. Even Mr Stanford has taken an interest in her, sometimes asking her to deliver letters or parcels for him – because he, like Wendy, understands that she won’t be able to remember anything compromising she sees, to use as a threat against the Studios. The only person who seems to truly dislike Romola is the Seamstress, for reasons no one can fully discern. Perhaps it's Romola's frequent sudden impulsivity, as if she's just remembered something she'd forgotten for so long; most people treat her as harmless, but the Seamstress is suspicious of how much she really takes in.
AGE: 23
GENDER: FEMALE
DEPARTMENT: FOLEY
NOTES: PROUD, SENSIBLE, INTUITIVE, OPTIMISTIC, GRUDGE BEARING, SMART
FACE: HANNAH JOHNSON
STATUS: TAKEN BY TOM [hetaliachina]
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: As the only girl in a family with four boys, Lila had always felt she had to prove herself as just as independent. Temple Studios attracted her as a world away from the chores dubbed a 'woman's duty', the sexist comments, the care she always had to pay her brothers because they wouldn't pay it to each other. Mr Stanford admired her ferocity, and offered her the position of sound director for his movies. Although she receives glowers and taunts from Alice, and wolf-whistles as she returns to her caravan at night, Lila always holds her back straight, filled with this urgency to keep showing a strong tempered. During her first weeks at the Studios, she was drawn by Mr Stanford's charms, forgetting her credo of total independence from men at the first smile he gave her. However, when he believed he had gained her devotion and invited her to one of his cult-like private parties, Lila was repulsed at the underworld she discovered, and all respect she had for the man, and the institution, evaporated. Her only motivator now is proof of herself; she won't be seen as a quitter, and certainly won't show Mr Stanford that he succeeded, if only partially, to crush her spirit.
AGE: 26
GENDER: MALE
DEPARTMENT: PROPERTIES
NOTES:CLINICAL LYCANTHROPY, CHARMING, SELENOPHOBIA, ASHAMED, GENTLE, KIND
FACE: ANDRÉ HAMANN
STATUS: TAKEN BY ARX [aria]
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: Although Jasper Tuttle is the new boy in town, he seems as though he knows more about the Studios than anyone else. Whether that’s true or not makes no difference, but the wide-eyed panic as he encounters someone round a corner, and the hushed way he talks, suggests that there truly is something worth fearing. Tuttle was diagnosed with his ‘condition’ as a teenager, and came to Temple Studios because he felt that if doctors treated his life like a monster movie, he ought to produce monster movies, too. However, when the compulsivity faded, he was left afraid that someone would discover the extent of his problem – his taste for raw meat or his fear of the full moon. He reaches out to the people who seem most forgiving, Romola, Lila, Wendy, and cringes from the stronger executive figures. But a conflict remains that he has the power to hurt them, just as the Studios does. Mr Tuttle just has to work out, with the help of those who seem to know, which is the greater danger of the two.
AGE: 22
GENDER: FEMALE
DEPARTMENT: MEDICAL
NOTES: HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, CONFIDENT, POPULAR, OPPORTUNISTIC, ENERGETIC
FACE:
STATUS: OPEN
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: In a world of square-shouldered, cold-featured, malevolent professionals, who would the vulnerable employees be more inclined to trust than the friendly-faced Drugstore Girl? Gliding through the studio corridors on her signature roller skates, distributing scripts or delivering notes, Leta greets and is greeted with smiles from every doorway. Although not a professional physician, she prescribes the medication that so many are desperate for, whether they need it or not, and is always discreet and respectful. The air of approachability she gives off causes many customers to trust her completely, often telling her more than they should. And after joining the fragments of all the different stories they share, Leta has realised the Studios have covered up many more conspiracies than anyone could calculate. However, she would never share their secrets - at least, not until she's offered the right price...
AGE: 27
GENDER: MALE
DEPARTMENT: MAINTENANCE
NOTES: ILL TEMPER, GUILTY CONSCIENCE, ALCOHOLIC, ANTISOCIAL, BAD REPUTATION
FACE: JACK GALLOWTREE
STATUS: TAKEN BY ONYX [bitteronyx]
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: Who would ever have guessed that the Devil wore plaid? Badlands Jack is the most hostile employee of Temple Studios, and only still there because he refused to leave, having grown up on the land before the Studios were built, and now the hereditary owner of the caravan park and saloon where many of the actors come home in the evening. His meanness covers up a past which no one can get close enough to talk about: Jack's teenage involvement with an extremist cult, made up of many members of his now-deceased family, who still believed in the pre-Panem ideas of race supremacy and segregation between cultures. Even more secret are the meanings behind his many foreign-looking tattoos, and even more again is the fact that Jack may be one of the only people who knows the whole truth about what – or who – is underneath the Studios' foundations... and that he was part of putting it there. Jack's short fuse, and extreme burden of guilt from his past, makes it hard for him to find companions, but he manages to get by with the few 'friends' he has. Furthermore, his desperate, forceful, and yet seemingly unrequited infatuation for the Drugstore Girl leaves him wishing he could be someone kinder, someone gentler, and someone easier to love.
AGE: 27
GENDER: MALE
DEPARTMENT: SCORES
NOTES: SUSPICIOUS, ASPIRATIONAL, GRACIOUS, THOUGHTFUL, INSECURE
FACE: CLEMENT CHABERNAUD
STATUS: TAKEN BY ANATRA [anatra]
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: Formerly one of the Capitol's only 100% organic Grocers, Eugene ventured to Temple Studios after his shop was ransacked beyond repair to pursue his long-stifled dream of creating scores for motion pictures. The Studios accepted him with open arms – and as well as granting him his wish of the position as musical coordinator, they invited him to even act in some of the films he helped to create. It was almost too good, too sweet, to be true. However, as he's given more and more parts that seem to mirror his shopkeeping and past, and less and less time to commit to making music, his paranoia grows. Have the Studios been watching him? Why is he the subject of their interest? And most importantly, what's destined to happen to him as a result?
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[b]Do you believe in ghosts?[/b] (Because I'm curious!)Credits:
- This plot is based on Punchdrunk's play, "The Drowned Man: A Hollywood Fable". Character and location names are taken from The Drowned Man, and do not belong to me
- Inspiration for character names and traits come from "Woyzeck" by Georg Büchner, "The Day of the Locust" by Nathanael West and "Something Wicked This Way Comes" by Ray Bradbury
- Graphic and stamp logo image owned by Punchdrunk
- Graphic textures from Deviantart
- Thanks to Alisha from Adoxography for the character description templates
