Dae Frazier
Suada District
Stepping off the train, I feel very queasy. "I don't think I'll be going on a train again once we leave here."
Auberon shrugs. "Apparently most of the Capitol trains aren't as...uncomfortable as that though."
"I sure hope not." I say, as I stumble back into daylight. My legs are still shaking and I feel like being sick any moment now, but it was still a fun experience! Just not an experience that I want to experience again anytime soon!
It turns out that every facility is quite far away from each other and everything is connected via train, so I guess I do have to go on it again then. I assumed it'd all just be one big block of buildings, but there's actually quite a long walk through the hills and woods to get to each place. It seems impractical to me and I'm not sure why they built it this way, but I don't think I'll get an answer.
Our train departs us at the recording facility. It's a very tiny building, with only one story and a few rooms from what I can tell. It's smaller than I expected. I thought all the VR equipment was meant to be here too?
It's lovely on the outside though! We're standing in a queue to the facility on a pebbly, stony path that leads directly into the building. (I've seen it in movies.) There's a cute little shack to the side that doubles up as an outside cafe! There's also a lovely fountain, a few cherry blossom trees dotted around and a bunch of marble statues of people I don't recognise. It'd be nice relaxing out here as you soak up the sun. You can look over the hills and see all the surroundings too!
We've been separated by Districts again and we aren't allowed to talk to anyone else yet. I think once we film the promos and intros we'll finally be allowed to mix though. I'm sitting on a table to the side with Auberon and Miri.
"Do you know what you're going to do for your promo?" Auberon whispers to us, as we sit on one of the tables.
I...haven't put too much thought into it admittedly. "I'll probably just display some of my talents and hobbies."
"I've planned everything out! I can help you if you want." Miri looks confident however. She's no longer with the other two. I think they're flirting. That's what it sounds like.
I nod, graciously. "Thank you! I should be fine though."
"I have no clue what I'm doing! Guess I'll just wing it." Auberon shrugs. That really isn't a good idea. I like Auberon but I think he needs to think things through more, sometimes.
"I can help you brainstorm then." Miri giggles.
Suddenly, a loud voice calls from outside the door. It's another nameless official who I don't know and will probably never see again. "Auberon, Baxter, Blu and Dae. Please enter the facility now."
I guess the brainstorming isn't going to happen then. "Good luck." Miri whispers to us and we utter a thank you back. Walking directly behind him, I can see him striding with confidence, but he looks kind of goofy. I stifle a laugh as I watch him bob up and down. The other two boys look much more serious. The muscly pink one especially looks somewhat annoyed.
We walk in silence as we're led down a hallway, before taking a right to a large hall with no furniture or decorations, aside from the mirrors lining the other wall. There's four separate doors, each the same dull grey. Each of us is led through a different one.
Inside is a frightening sight. There's a white screen, with a lot of cameras and bright lights pointed at it. There's an entire crew of workers scrambling about in the back, making sure everything's ok I assume, as well as a massive pile of props. I can see a separate pile with everything I requested for this, as well as a few of my suitcases.
"Dae! Dae! It's a pleasure to meet you." The main guy says as he sits on his large chair, seemingly not doing much. He cuts me off before I can speak again, talking in a very rushed manner. "My name is Theophilus and I'm here to help you with your promo."
"Oh, thanks!" I say, not sure how I'm meant to respond.
Theo nods. "I'll lay down some of the basics. You'll have as many attempts as you want to film this. If you ever aren't happy just ask us to cut the cameras and we will. If you mess up, you can start over as many times as you want. However, as soon as the cameras go over five minutes, they automatically cut off. So you'll have to condense everything into that timeframe."
That was a lot at once, but it's all simple enough. "I assume I can get my props, right?"
Theo nods. "Yes. Your list...was very large. You might not be able to fit it all in, but we can try! Just pick what you need and place it at the front."
So I go over to the pile, picking up the instruments, some of my paints, a microphone, some cards and a sewing machine. I decide to place them around the stage to add something else to look at and to allow for quicker transfers.
We go over a few other things, like what I can't say, how I might want to advertise myself and a few tricks on how to act in front of the cameras the best. These cameras are proper recording equipment, so it's different! I have to be clearer and louder and more confident.
"This will be a practice go and we can work from there. But you can still this take if you want." Theo shouts, as I anxiously wait.
I stand on the X, ready. There's a countdown and a clapper and then the cameras turn on. "Hello! I'm Dae Frazier!" I wave, smiling. "I'm a...tribute in the 8th Saturn Games, if that wasn't obvious."
I'm already cringing at what I'm saying and I have no idea what to say next! Why am I so awkward? "If you're watching this, you're probably interested in me so...I should tell you some things about me, right? I'm...actually kind of awkward, if you couldn't tell. But I'm really sweet and…" I struggle to think of some of the other adjectives to describe myself that make me look positive. "And real! I'm incredibly honest and true to myself."
The people behind seem to nod along, though I'm not sure if it's going well. I say a but more about myself, pacing up and down, before I go to the clarinet. I boast about how good I'm with it before playing a quick minute song. I feel like it's very rushed as I hop about from talent to talent rather quickly, never really finishing what I'm starting. I sew a two stitch dress in a minute and show some card tricks, before I hear a large beep.
"Aww, I didn't get to sing or dance." I frown.
"It was still a good start! You can retry it...as it was messy, but still good." Messy? I don't want to make myself look messy. So I'll gladly re-record it. They run through how I could use my time more wisely and what I should cut out and keep. Once that's over, I go back to the X and wait for the cameras to start up again.
Baxter Parthenon
Virtus District
As slowly as I can, I begin to rip my shirt apart, slowly showing all of my muscles. I can see a few of the people in the back smile, while a few grimace. They should be glad that they were so lucky to hit such reality gold with me. I've already proved I'm great eye candy and a fighter. What more could they want?
I tense my biceps a few times, before picking up a bucket of water to dump on myself. The water is ice cold, so I shiver a few times, before showing a smile. I just know I look so fucking hot right now.
The cameras suddenly beep. I realise my promo was basically a five minute modelling session. But what else do they want? You can't summarise me into a short video. I'd need an hour if I was to talk about myself.
"Are you happy with everything?" The director lady asks and I nod.
"Couldn't be more happy." I smile. She nods, whispering to a few of the people behind the cameras. I don't hear or care about what they're saying. I don't need their approval or disapproval.
After some discussion, the lady speaks up again. "You're free to leave now. An official will lead you to where you need to be, thank you."
So I'm lead out (with no replacement shirt.), to the back...which looks pretty similar to the front, huh? It's a large balcony, with like three large rectangular tables, with no chairs but these really long shared seats. The people who are here are sitting next to each other on one, like some real kumbaya shit.
"Why are you shirtless?" The girl Gratiana giggles as she looks me up and down.
"Cause the audience needs to see my fucking godly body." I tense my pecs and biceps again, though the three of them don't really look impressed. Karrie looks bored almost while Blu doesn't seem like he's paying attention. Bastards. Can't even pay attention to me when I'm speaking.
Karrie rolls her eyes. "Of course they do. I'm sure they'll fall in love at the sight of you." She sarcastically mumbles. Don't use that tone on me bitch.
"They better."
Gratiana shrugs. "It's probably smart to take your shirt off, right?"
Karrie nods. "Yes...using your body as your main selling point establishes you as a physical threat. And everybody loves a good looking tribute...which is debatable with Baxter."
"Hey, fuck you too." But I manage to stop myself before I insult her appearance. I can't snap at every rude thing said to me. It was meant to be a lighthearted dig, so I don't have to be rude back. And most importantly the audience would probably hate me if I'm always acting like a constant dickhead or whatever. I'm trying to be a better person for the cameras, right? "Can we talk about something else now? What did you do for your promo?"
Nobody answers immediately. Great. It was meant to be aimed towards Karrie, but she doesn't react or respond. I think she's thinking but it's not a question that needs much thinking.
Blu looks up finally. "Karrie, you don't have to answer if you don't want to."
"Why wouldn't you? It's not some really personal private shit, is it? Jesus." I roll my eyes.
"Some people might want to keep their strategy to themselves." Gratiana points out, looking off the balcony, over the hills.
I can't believe this. "I didn't get to keep my strategy a secret!"
Karrie shakes her head. "You should have thought about that when you ripped your shirt off."
Great. These people are really getting on my nerves already and I'm going to have to tolerate them for the next few days. It's just disrespectful. They get to be nosy but secretive, but I don't get that option. Are they doing it on purpose to aggravate me?
Nah, I'm just taking it personally. They can probably tell how easily angered I am so I think they'd try not to upset me. They'd do the same for anyone else.
You can't snap, Baxter. You've already messed up like a dozen times already here so you can't afford to mess up again.
So I stand up and lean over the balcony for a minute, leaving them all. I'm not really one to like...slow down and appreciate the beauty of life. But looking at all these rolling hills of different shades of greens and heights against the orange sunset is really breathtaking. Astonishing. Some corny shit like that. And it's kind of calming too, just hearing the near silence, aside from some quiet chatter behind me and the sounds of nature.
Blu Saint-Germain
Virtus District
"Hello! I'm Blu Saint-Germain." I start, my voice loud and clear. I know I'm usually more quiet but I have to step outside my comfort zone now. "I joined this competition to get that grand prize. While I want the satisfaction from winning, I most importantly want that money."
Now is a good time to start to move slightly and give them something to look at. I didn't bring any additional props which I could use, so I'll have to use my body. "Me and my family...we run this cute little dye shop. It's named after our surnames, the Saint-Germain's...so give us a little visit sometime. We're the best dye shop in all of Capitol!"
I'm going off topic, which isn't the best. "And, well, our dye shop is in desperate need of some more funding, which I can get from these games! So I'm going to win for my family. We need all the help we can get, which is why I'm even more determined to succeed! I'll be shocked if you don't see me on the Victor's podium."
I keep going, talking about my family (without revealing too many details) and how I'm doing this all for them, presenting myself as a family man. I finish the promo off with me showing some of the tie dye artwork I've done, even wearing some of the clothes.
The people behind the cameras in front of me clap, while the director stands up. "Well done. It was a good attempt, especially seeing as it was all off the top of your head." The director compliments me. "But...you didn't really talk about yourself much. It's great to know your motives and the people important to you. It'll really make the audience root for you. But if they don't get a good feel for you they won't connect. So do you think you can talk about yourself some more? We can stitch it together."
I nod, not speaking up. I really don't want to though, as I don't want them to know too much about me initially. I might let my guard down and start to speak about some of my weaknesses. And I know the producers are gunning to make us look three dimensional as possible, so they'll prompt me into spilling my flaws too.
What will happen if I reveal too much and something happens to me after these games? Or to my family or the shop? Everything I've done so far would have gone down the drain…all that time and effort for nothing.
"I...would say I'm quite a smart person! I'd like to think I'm two steps ahead of my opponents. If they're stronger than me, I could still easily plan well and outsmart them." I say, but I'm not as confident this time. I really don't know what else to say. They can tell I'm stumbling over my mind and words as the cameras turn off.
"I think we have enough." The director claps and I nod.
I go to the balcony, to see that I'm the first one there. I must have been the quickest, which shocks me. I thought there'd be some people out there who know how to manufacture an image and character for this show, who'd finish much quicker than me. But I guess not. So as I wait, I stare out the balcony, at the train that's just arrived at the station.
Somebody else steps onto the balcony. Gratiana...I believe. I haven't spoken to her yet and I don't have a good read on her, but I can't ignore her. She walks up to me, standing by my side.
"Sorry, if this is me being nosy...but I really liked what you said in your promo." She meekly says, as she doesn't stare at my face. We're both watching the train leave again.
"Huh? You saw my promo? How did you see it?" I ask, somewhat nervously. I really shouldn't have revealed all that information about myself then! She knows my strategy and my motives, so will I have to change everything? Or can I proposition that as a lie? That would require a lot of effort and communication though and I'm not even sure if I trust her yet.
"Oh! I heard a bit of it while I was waiting outside! I had to leave halfway through so…" Gratiana fiddles with her fingers. She looks...worried. Guilty even. Does she feel bad for eavesdropping too? "I heard you speak about your family and I thought it was really admirable!"
Good, she didn't hear too much about me. I'm just worrying over nothing.
"Thank you." I smile at her. "I just said what anyone in my position would say…"
Gratiana nods. "Yeah, but it's still really sweet of you! My family means a lot to me too. Especially my sister. But I didn't join this for them, I joined it for myself. I'm nowhere near as selfless as you are." She suddenly brings up her family.
"Selfless?" I think about it for a second. I've never really thought about it that way.
"Yeah! Definitely! You should be shown some appreciation for it." She nods, no longer playing with her fingers. Her hands are in her pockets now.
"Well thanks…" A buzzing feeling of joy rings in my head. "I don't think you're selfish
though. A truly selfish person wouldn't feel doubtful or guilty about their motives."
Gratiana looks a lot more relieved now. Her shoulders aren't so tense anymore and she's swinging her arms slightly. "That's true! Thank you too."
We stand in silence, appreciating the view. I think Gratiana is definitely a really nice person. Maybe a bit too nice for such a cutthroat game like this (though that doesn't mean she can't be cutthroat too.) And she's definitely open about her flaws and feelings. I don't know if I can trust her yet and I don't want to get too emotionally attached to her, as I'll have to betray her at some point. Or she could exploit my weaknesses too. I don't want anyone to do that.
Miri Sunburst
Suada District
"Hi, hi, hi! This is Miri Sunburst speaking! Or you might know me as LifeWithMiri! Either work." I giggle slightly, putting my bigger bubbler livelier personality on, making my movements and voice much more exaggerated. It's how I have to present myself in my videos, so I have to do it here too.
"You might have heard of me from Casimir Shontviac too. We have... the cutest relationship going on right now." I start to speak, though my mind goes blank for a second. What I just said is true from an outsider's perspective, so I'm not lying really. I'm just not telling the truth either.
Even now I'm using Casimir, when this promo is meant to be about me. I should steer away from it but I can't. They want to hear as much about him as possible. "He's such a sweet, amazing guy. He's like my prince charming, y'know? He's the one who inspired me to join this show!"
I move to the side of the stage, waltzing around like I'm recording the intro of one of my videos. "He loves the games. And so do I! Like the games were so good last year, weren't they? I was so shocked when…" My mind blanks again, as I look up and stare at the stage lights accidentally. "Beetee killed all of those tributes! What a wa6 to end the games."
I did watch them actually, but I can't really remember what happened. They don't have to know about my terrible memory though. I only know this as it was the talking point for months.
"But...that's enough about the games and Casimir. You want to know about me, right? It's why you're watching this." I giggle again.
So I start to compliment myself. I try not to come off as too conceited, but I still want to make myself look as good as possible. "I think I'm quite cute and charming. I try my best to look as beautiful as I can. It's why some of my hobbies are doing makeup and designing fashion."
I'm...not really that interested in either of those, but I know the audience will love that. Going with the popular opinion is easy and looks good. "I also love doodling! Like, calligraphy! It relieves your stress so well."
I talk a little bit more about myself, carefully choosing my words. Before I know it, the cameras beep again and someone hits another clapper. The workers start to clap and cheer really loudly. Even the director stands up and claps, though it's a bit reluctant.
"That was so good! You really know how to present yourself in front of the cameras." He pats me on the back and I giggle.
"Thanks...I've had a lot of practice." I smile. This is just like any other day for me really. I'm so used to acting while being recorded that I don't even bat an eyelid anymore. Why be worried or hesitant when I do this all the time?
He nods. "We can tell. I don't think we'll have to re-record it, unless you want to."
"No, I'm happy." I say. For most of it was fine, but I feel guilty about a few of the things I said. I don't want to go through that again.
I'm escorted out the building, where I can quickly let out a sigh of relief again. For a few seconds I can be myself and not be the act I out in for the camera, which I really appreciate. But I wear it again once I'm in front of the others again. The crowd outside on the balcony is quite big now, as only a few people haven't finished recording yet.
I should talk to some new people. Lycoris creeped me out a little with his constant flirting and Tiara annoyed me with how she constantly went along with it and egged him on. Dae and Auberon also seem like two peas in a pod, though their oblivious natures are frustrating. I don't want to third wheel them yet.
So I go to a girl, who's sitting to herself, brooding properly. "Hi! How did your promos go?" I ask, noticing how she only has one arm. But I shouldn't mention that.
"Fine." She says without elaborating.
"It didn't sound fine...Nefeli." I state the obvious. She finally sits up after I say her name. (name tags are very helpful.)
Nefeli looks at me, clearly glancing over me and analysing me. "It wasn't fine actually. They didn't like what I was doing and kept trying to make me do something else. But I didn't want to do it."
"Did you end up...doing it?" I ask. It's weird how she won't specify what this was.
Nefeli shakes her head. "Nope. I was set on doing what I wanted to do. And if they don't like that, fuck them."
"They were only trying to help. They're really wise and they're advice is great." I try to feel sorry for them. My thoughts are that if I flatter them and I don't act difficult, they'll be more likely to give me a positive edit. It probably won't though.
"Well I didn't think it was helpful. I don't want to go along with the image they're trying to manufacture for me." Nefeli says, going back to slouching. She's very moody, isn't she? I don't think she could be a good ally either. Maybe we could have a rivalry? Or an enemies to friends storyline? I'm not sure if I want to pursue that.
I twiddle with my hair. "Fair enough then."
I should meet the others before I decide on doing something.
Fabian Redsun
Creator of the Saturn Games
Every year, I'm the first to watch the finished promos. I don't bother to watch the cams as...I feel very creepy, so this is my first proper introduction to a lot of the tributes. So sitting on the edge of my armchair in my office, I open the files. I really need these tributes to be as perfect as possible.
Most promos are only around two minutes or so at most. They start to drag on afterwards and I normally zone out on a usual year, but I don't think I will this time. I really can't afford for these to fail. I'm already skating on thin ice. I gulp, my throat feeling much drier than usual, as the video starts.
It starts off with Auberon, who looks very excited and optimistic. I heard that he had to film his promos multiple times, as he kept messing up or saying strange things or being too quiet...which I can definitely see as this is quite hastily edited. I don't think anyone will notice though. I think it's interesting how he doesn't mention his haemophilia yet. He must not want it to define him.
Baxter's...is just him flexing for most of it. He shows off a lot of his jewellery and watches, tensing his muscles and ruffling his hands through his hair. He doesn't speak much except for some uncomfortable quips like: "You like that? You want more?" or "this is real gold, none of the fake shit they make." The cherry on the top of the cake is when he rips his shirt off. It's quite uncomfortable and he looks like an idiot. But I can't hate him as he comes off as oddly charming. Hopefully he'll cringe when looking back at this.
Blu's is rather short and sweet, where he talks about how he's doing it for his family and shop. We've been told to keep an eye on him due to his poor upbringing. I don't think he's a rebel, but even if he was, he's too smart to act out. He's got his head screwed on right.
Dae's is also quite chaotic. She tries to display as many skills and talents as possible, which makes for a nice montage, but you never get a full grasp of everything. She also awkwardly describes herself a bit too honestly, but I think she's quite charming. (Whether that's intentional or not though is another question.)
Next is Gratiana's which is a cute promo. She starts off by playing the clarinet, before...giving a physics lesson in a water tank? She doesn't teach much but goes over her love for the sciences, while she paddles about. I'm guessing she wanted to show her skills separately but ran out of time. It's also like Dae's, as she jumps from topic to topic incredibly quickly, but I can see the audience liking her.
Karrie talks very quickly, (which I don't know if she's normally like that or trying to be quick for the promos.) She talks a lot about her mother Diasma, a famous TV host, which is smart. Diasma is well loved in the Capitol, so I'm sure the audience's eyes will be on her now. Karrie ends it off with relaying as much Hunger Games information as possible. So she'll attract the casual and hardcore fans. I definitely see why she's one of the smartest tributes.
Lycoris' is also very entertaining. He's very promiscuous and illusive, revealing as little as possible while also making himself look accessible. He's definitely charming as he talks about some of his wildest dates and parties, before moving onto his love for performing. It cuts off rather abruptly, to my disappointment, as I feel like he was about to reveal some spicy information. The entire time he makes flirtatious jokes, occasionally winking to the audience or laughing loudly. He knows how to produce himself well.
Already I see a stark contrast between the two types of tributes. Those who aren't as prepared (Auberon, Dae, Gratiana) and those who know exactly what they're doing and how to act in the cameras (Karrie, Lycoris, Blu.) It'll be interesting to see how they progress.
But Miri's promo blows the others out of the water. I've watched a few of her videos in preparation and it's clear that she's extremely talented at her job. She knows how to emote, how to use the space of the stage well, what to say without much hesitation and how to keep the audience engaged. I marvel at her performance, thinking she'll certainly have a lot of fans.
Nefeli...presents herself as a villain. Poor child. The editors will have no mercy when it comes to including her in the story. I'll request that they do make her a likeable villain, as it hasn't turned out well before. Nefeli says she'll have no hesitation cutting her allies and opponents off and says she'll take joy in it. She also talks about her motivations for joining and love for jazz, which is cute. But I'm still worried after seeing it. The positives don't outweighs the negatives.
Osiris's is also entertaining. He presents himself as a determined, thrill seeking adventurer who'll do anything to win. Nothing will stop him on his mission and he'll have as much fun as possible. He's charming, cracking jokes at any opportunity, always with a wide smile. I think he'll be another fan favourite.
The next one is rather boring. Rowan's is clearly scripted, as he's quiet and soft and bit too monotonous. It's impressive he's learned his lines but it begs the question on if he prepared it himself. I sort of zone out, as he talks about his love for learning and fighting. I know he's really interesting as he did much better in his audition, but maybe he's more scared now that he's in front of such a big audience?
Tiara's comes off a lot more natural, but she has a tinge of fakeness to her. She's constantly laughing and smiling and never really sitting still. She doesn't have to overact to make herself look appealing, as her true self does crack though and it's just as entertaining. She plays the piano and sing. It's definitely above average, so I think she'll have some fans.
Finally, Willow's is quite good too. She's very...bright. Everything that she's wearing causes you too look at her as she's decked out in neon accessories everywhere. Willow comes off as bubbly and excited, talking about her love for acting and singing. She also sings. It's hard to pick between Tiara and Willow, I'd say they're rather equal. It's a lot more natural though.
The tape ends and I smile, glad that it's not too bad. I really don't have any concerns that we'll have a repeat of last year, as we really clamped down on all the checks. I really like this cast actually. I think it being smaller helps as each character is much more memorable than a crowd of 30. Sometimes bigger isn't better.
