#re-editing

This semester’s midterm project was to choose a film and create a trailer from its scenes in a completely different genre. When I first heard about it, the idea caught my interest because I think a film does not have a fixed meaning; it can actually be rewritten through editing. In my opinion, what a scene makes you feel is often more about how it is presented than the scene itself. That’s why, when starting the project, I began looking at films from different genres. Especially films with a strong emotional tone seemed more suitable for this kind of transformation.

For example, The Shining is a film strongly associated with horror and tension. However, when its scenes are handled with different music and editing, the same images can create a more absurd or ironic effect. Especially the character’s facial expressions and the use of space provide a suitable ground for transitions between genres.

So I am re-editing/writing “Looking at You” which is one of two Post CACW fics that I wrote (the other one being Storms) because I sort of hate the whole post CACW Dynamic?

Anyway, Looking at You in Winteriron, and I’m re-editing it and I came across this scene::

“I have a hard time being close to you because you represent something I have lost in my life.” Tony said suddenly. “I can barely even look at you most days. But every time I do manage to look at you, you're always looking at me. Why?”

“Does it bother you?”

“Tell me why.”

“I like looking at you.”

“Tell me why.”

Bucky made a vague gesture with his right hand.“Why wouldn't I want to look at you? Have you seen you? You're gorgeous, Tony.”

Tony actually dropped the piece of metal he was holding, sending it skittering across the table and Bucky reached out with his right hand to snatch it before it hit the ground.

“Don't--don't say stuff like that.” Tony stammered. “Don't.”

“Why not?” Bucky wanted to know, leaning a little closer and Tony almost fell out of his chair as he leaned away.

“I just finished telling you I can't hardly be around you and you're going to hit on me?” Tony cried. “What the hell is wrong with you? Why would you think that is appropriate?”

“I guess that's fair.” Bucky wet his lips and let his voice roll in slow and lazy, looking up at Tony from beneath his lashes. “Can I try hitting on you some other time then?”

“God dammit.” Tony snapped the palm plate back in place and retreated several steps. “Get out. Get-- get out! What the fuck are you doing?! GET OUT!”

“Tony.” Bucky groaned, ran both his hands through his hair. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you mad. I was just teasing, honey, trying to make you smile.”

“Don't you call me honey.” Tony warned, backing up even further. “We are not friends, Bucky. We aren't friends, we are barely teammates and we are certainly not ready too---”

He dragged in a shaky breath. “I used to hear about you, you know? All the stories about how Bucky could charm the pants off a snake, how he would talk in a fucking Brooklyn accent and girls and guys would trip over themselves to get in his bed.”

“Tony--”

“I am not that person!” Tony was shouting now. “I don't want that from you! Don't you fucking talk to me like that, you have no idea what you've taken from me and you're going to walk in here and try to fucking flirt with me? I can barely look you in the eye and you’re going to try and CHARM me?”

“Tony, Tony--” Bucky jumped to his feet, holding out his hand. “Tony, I wasn’t trying to mess with you. I just thought it would make you smile. You never smile and I just wanted--

“ Get. Out.”

And I was really just struck by the difference between THIS Bucky, and how I usually write Bucky. I always feel like Winteriron is a perfect couple, a shared history of trauma, matching snark levels in AU fics, the ability to make their partner melt with just a look-- I love the together!  

But re-reading this, and seeing how I wrote Bucky and how hard it is for Winteriron to find their happily ever after... it just makes me sad, because this ^^ is more the reality. 

If MCU Bucky tried to flirt with Tony Post CACW/Pre IW , he’d get popped with a repulsor. Tony would be too traumatized to even be in the same room as him, but driven to help Bucky because Tony has a fucking savior complex. And when he spends the time with Bucky they would be able to heal together, and some how they would make it work, even if it never made it to the bedroom and all they did was share quiet cups of coffee in the morning. 

Honestly, this is why Winteriron is one of my top ships. 

Should You Edit Your Published Book?

Like just about anything we do (paint, cook, dance, carpentry, write) we get better with practice. We learn better methods, the tricks of the trade, how to blend color and spices, cut a rug and cut a bevel. We learn how to craft a tight plot and rich characters, show versus tell, reduce dialog tags, choose verbs, kill the adverbs. If we’re lucky, we get strong feedback from editors, critiquers,…

1. Jeff Goldblum’s father dies in the tsunami. The kids and bus arc never happen. 

2. Jeff Goldblum as resident authority on the alien tech who hasn’t been comatose for 20 years is the one to make first contact with the Sphere. 

3. Dr Brackish Okun wakes up, writes on wall, maybe mans laser, otherwise has no role in this movie. His gay lover does not die. He does not get the last line.

4. Dikembe the African warlord sticks with the Legacy pilots ad tells them about the whole “from behind” thing, which lampshades how the queen is killed, OR does a Riddick. I.E. at Area 51 some character says “Oh no, the aliens have broken out of their cells!” Camera shows Dikembe looking focussed and slipping out a side door. Dikembe sometime later reappears with machete in one hand, a severed alien head in the other. “I fixed your problem.” Camera pans to show alien corpses, and shocked/impressed reaction faces on the other humans.

5. Floyd never happened.