So you would think this would’ve been part of the last episode, but whatever. Nothing’s gonna be completely to schedule for a play. So we’ve been missing more background characters so let’s get an Applejack centered one. This time we’re getting more into set design and building, which makes me wonder if Applejack was the one who made Shiny City too heavy to move across stage. I mean when you have someone with super strength, it might be hard to notice when something might be too much for small teenage boys. But it looks like AJ is gonna get into some hard times when out of commission. Let’s see how this plays out.
Sunset: I’m so glad we picked you to be the set designer Applejack.”
Applejack: “I’m the only one who applied…so…”
Well you can’t say she isn’t honest. Though she’s not as excited to help out as she usually is. She’s usually the first to give her “honest opinion” about something when asked, but maybe she got roped into it? Also I would think these sets would be built enough instead of feeling like she just started since we’ve been through other random shenanigans before without seeing the set. Well with her super strength it should be a snap anyway. Maybe someone’s just gonna be helping her with the design process.
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| Applejack: “Like I always say, measure twice, cut once. But only after you measure three more times.” |
Ok no matter what happens, I think that will always be a good moral. I try
(keyword “try) to make my own cosplay and sometimes things won’t come out as good as I want it and would have to scrap whatever material I’m using and possibly buy more. I think if I was as adamant with accuracy as Applejack
(alliteration is catchy), then things might be easier for anyone.
But I’m sure with her super strength, she’ll be fine. What’s the worst that can happen?
So yeah…I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before, but Applejack’s friendship power is super strength. I know the person has to kind of concentrate or touch their magical geode to activate it, but I would think with the strength she has, she wouldn’t have injured herself like this. Like if she was using her power, she can only injure herself because she has strength to do so. But maybe this makes sense when she wasn’t using her power and just has normal human strength. Hard to say really. Too many superhero movies plaguing my mind with possibilities of faster healing if she has super strength.
Moving on, as recommended by our Nurse Redheart, our main set designer can’s go any form of set building. And I know I’m beating a dead horse here (debatable pun intended), but…
Ok ok I’m done. Let’s get to our options now before I get even more cynical.
Rainbow Dash option
Well this shouldn’t be too bad. Looks like her loyalty came back in full force when someone is actually in need of help. But Dashie doesn’t read me as the careful type to “measure twice, cut once.” Maybe she knows not to just randomly drill holes into things.
Or maybe I was wrong…again. But I’ll say this. At least she’s using her super speed for something useful like this compared to just getting to places really fast and overusing her power.
Yeah I won’t deny. Super speed is probably the coolest power to have and this is coming from someone who’s too lazy to briskly run to catch a bus. The set looks amazing here and to Applejack’s surprise, looks nothing like her drawn out blueprints. So how did Dash come up with all this on her own?
So according to this “green print”, this was Applejack’s vision board of original ideas she wanted to do, but knew she wouldn’t have time to make it all. Which is a really good idea for and form of creating using the inspiration from what you’re using or what you’re creating. I would love to know if there’s any theater or movie crew who use something like this to make set designs.
Also green is Applejack’s “power color” that helps her get ideas, but wasn’t red like…most apples, including the apple on her shirt. Interesting idea.
So the only reason Dash had that vision board is because she ran to AJ’s house while building and broke in....like a good friend would do. Again, super speed is truly OP. And Dash even had enough time to drop her loyalty and read Applejack’s unlocked diary while doing so. So in this case, A for effort and execution, but maybe a grade dropped for looking at your friend’s personal diary. Makes me wonder how many hearts with “A+R 4Ever” was randomly drawn in it. But this was still a good idea and it got the job done in the most amazing way possible.
Pinkie Pie Option
Oh this should be interesting. Let’s have hyper active Pinkie around power tools and set building while also performing a drum solo. I am filled with some concerns.
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| Pinkie: “I CAN’T HEAR YOU!!! I’M BUSY HELPING!!!” |
My concerns are getting higher and higher with this character. I also need to know where a drum solo is gonna be in this play about moving to the big city to be a disco dancer. I love bringing up the plot of this play just because it still gets a little chuckle out of me. Anyway, on to set building.
So Pinkie’s idea is to just turn herself into Thor and duel wield two hammers to drum on everything that has nails on it. Not a bad idea, but the fact that Pinkie seems to have this much coordination and accuracy for hitting the right spots that also creates music is beyond brilliant.
If you didn’t think I was gonna bring up a character from a little girl’s cartoon throwing up the devil horns of rock, they you came to the wrong follow up. This had to be the most interesting way to practice drumming and help build a stage set I’ve ever seen. This is truly the fun Pinkie Pie way I would see everywhere. But how did it all go with the set not having hammer holes in it?
End results, a very beautifully done stage with some great colors and a little bit of Pinkie flair with the balloons. I guess in this sense, this was Pinkie putting together a giant puzzle where all the pieces were done, but just needed to be brought together. Nice job and great beat.
Photo Finish option
Ok…interesting options here. Uhh…I don’t even know what to say or think here. Photography enthusiast building a disco set for a play. I thought I would have more concerns with Pinkie Pie working with tools, but now this has me ringing some red flags here. How did this even happen? Was Photo Finish the first person she saw in the hallway and said “ok you’ll do”? Asking her friends to help with something is one thing, but this might be pushing it. But let’s not count her out just yet. I’ll give it a shot.
Ok confession time. I had to watch this option a few times than the others. Not because of screenshot reasons, but because with Photo Finish’s accent, I had a hard time understanding what she was talking about. And even when I did understand what words she was saying, I still didn’t know what she was talking about. Tabitha St. Germane stop making this job harder for me! But at least she has her partners in photography Violet Blurr on the left and Pixel Pizzaz, whose designs I love and also has a Monster High feel to them with the combination of girly style and horror elements. Never seen the show, but I’d cosplay these two in a heartbeat.
So her assistants seem to be setting up some nice lighting. I’m sure it’ll be useful for the play, but doesn’t look like any set building I’ve seen. Anyone else concerned or is it just me? But maybe the end results will be amazing. Photo Finish is a character who loves the dramatic flair in everything.
Ok…this is awkward. I’m kind of with Applejack here. Where is the set? Where is the construction materials? Where is…anything? Do I really have to consider Photo Finish doing an “Emperor’s New Clothes” scam where the set can only be seen with your heart and not your eyes? So then what was all the lighting prep for?
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| Photo Finish: “You are looking with your eyes!!! Look with YOUR HEART!!!” |
Yeah I’m pretty sure AJ is ready to throw hands with this fashion nutcase and I probably wouldn’t blame her. Wasted time on lighting and nothing to show for it?
Well…I immediately take back my words. Hologram stage set. Easy to set up, not crowded, might help the actors move on stage more, and since it’s a disco set it makes for great lighting and a good effect. Thought I have to wonder how shadows are gonna work here. Not to mention if the actors were to look in a certain direction, they could get easily blinded by the set lighting. I also wonder how they even have lighting like this. Is it a program or how the light is supposed to be sold as? There’s a lot of questions, but I won’t deny finding this idea interesting for the sake of convenience.
So that was Constructive Criticism and as a writer I have to always be full of them. This was a really fun short and each one felt right for each character. It’s hard to pick a favorite here when all the sets looks great for the stage. It would be a close race to first between Rainbow Dash and Pinkie’s idea when I loved Rainbow’s sincerity and Pinkie’s humor, but maybe more for Rainbow Dash since her stage was made of ideas that Applejack thought of and made happen for her. It’s kind of sweet moment when I watched it again. Photo Finish was impressive, but too much science mumbo jumbo with lights is contradicting some things. I would love to hear which ones you guys liked since it really is a matter of style and preference, not to mention each set design just screams with the personality of the ones who built it. We're getting closer to the final performance and that might be happening the week of New years so look forward to that. I’m Penny Wrights and now I’m in the mood to rave out at a disco.
