aofshovels Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 I’m probably thinking too much into this, but there’s something that’s bugging me about the short- William’s expression in his close-up. All of the other expressions in the short I can clearly interpret, but his remains enigmatic to me; even when I do a quick edit of the shot to remove the glasses (see image). Can I get some suggestions please? Also, I don’t know if this is the right section for this topic. If it isn’t, please let me know. Thanks Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/136439-interpreting-expressions-in-the-new-short/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowlVoid Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 I interprete this as an expression of greed. Unwilling to share what is his, that power. Something like: "T-this is mine, you weren't supposed to see that." Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/136439-interpreting-expressions-in-the-new-short/#findComment-1527474 Share on other sites More sharing options...
minespatch Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 9 minutes ago, aofshovels said: Can I get some suggestions please? Yeah, this is what intrigued me as well. He seemed offended. Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/136439-interpreting-expressions-in-the-new-short/#findComment-1527476 Share on other sites More sharing options...
aofshovels Posted December 23, 2021 Author Share Posted December 23, 2021 I can see both. Thanks. Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/136439-interpreting-expressions-in-the-new-short/#findComment-1527489 Share on other sites More sharing options...
SecretPizzaMan Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 Seems confused. Also has the look of a man who isn't present. This is his expression in my probably wrong opinion. Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/136439-interpreting-expressions-in-the-new-short/#findComment-1527492 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owlrust Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 Honestly he looks horrified and worried more than anything else. After all, he did just witness the dark magic of his book power up some stranger to do something physically impossible by human standards; he's probably concerned at this point in the lore at what the true destructive power the book holds. Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/136439-interpreting-expressions-in-the-new-short/#findComment-1527510 Share on other sites More sharing options...
BezKa Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 In this picture he strikes me mostly as scared. There is a lot mixed in his expression, but it's mostly fear. Starting from the fact he's in shock after the train accident, got saved by Codex Umbra, which people saw happen, and Wolfgang is looking at him with this disbelief and curiosity after the shadow magic used on him, William is pretty much a ball of nerves. I can only assume most people experienced this feeling at some point, when you're so ready to break down the only thing holding you up is the very same desperation that makes you want to cry in the first place. That's why he doesn't collapse where he stands to calm down and deal with the shock, he runs away instead. I've seen a couple interpretations as of what point in time this is- did he already have the Codex or found it just now, etc. Either way it can be the need to snatch a treasure you just found before anyone else notices, or as HowIVoid says, the "you weren't supposed to see that". If you were to overinterpret, William is still at the rough patch of his life in that short. I'd dare to dig out a little bit of sadness, of yet another thing going wrong. Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/136439-interpreting-expressions-in-the-new-short/#findComment-1527568 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vixen Doe Posted December 24, 2021 Share Posted December 24, 2021 I agree with a lot of the people above, for the most part. William just went through quite a traumatic event, and watched the Codex do things to Wolfgang that shouldn't be possible. I like to think this was the first time the book truly showed its power to him, instead of just being an odd thing he found around, and felt strangely possessive over. His exaggerated features make his expression a bit harder to read than most people's, but it truly reads to me as fear and confusion. He doesn't know what just happened, and doesn't want to stick around to find out or be questioned about it. Some people think he's ungrateful, but that just doesn't sound right. He was still the 'tall, nervous gentleman with an English accent' at this point. It wouldn't fit for him to be disgusted or angry for being saved. Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/136439-interpreting-expressions-in-the-new-short/#findComment-1527721 Share on other sites More sharing options...
aofshovels Posted December 24, 2021 Author Share Posted December 24, 2021 All of these points are valid and make sense. This is probably why his expression is so hard to pin one emotion on. Again, thank you for answering and giving your input. Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/136439-interpreting-expressions-in-the-new-short/#findComment-1527725 Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowlVoid Posted December 24, 2021 Share Posted December 24, 2021 So I rewatched the short and I don't buy that William was experiencing fear at all. Sometimes when you can't determine what someone is feeling with facial expressions alone, your next cue is body language. A couple of things I noticed. 1. William already has an establish grasp on the book. Notice when the power is recalled from Wolfgang it is returning while it is in Williams hands and open. This seems very deliberate act from him and almost like it is William himself who is recalling the power. His isn't trembling, he isn't fumbling with it or holding it akwardly, he is wielding it and exerting his control. Wolfgang has saved him, but that's enough of him tasting this power. 2. The way William grasps the book is of someone holding something precious and unwilling to let go. To arms criss-crossing over the book with a very firm grasp over both sides of the book. That isn't someone who fears the book or the miracle it just created. 3. The way William escapes the scene of the crime is also important. He isn't tripping over himself, he isn't fleeing in fear, he is simply... Walking way with haste. Not even running. I firmly believe that at this point in time he knows what the book can do, he's already had a taste himself. He doesn't want more people to know of it and now Wolfgang knows. He isn't angry at Wolfgang, but he does wish that he hasn't seen the power of the book and what it can do. What if others wish to wield that power? What if it's taken from him? This is the power that will bring him hope and unmake the loser he has become. Of course he doesn't want people coveting that power and taking it away from him; his only salvation. Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/136439-interpreting-expressions-in-the-new-short/#findComment-1527756 Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwikenobi Posted December 24, 2021 Share Posted December 24, 2021 My original interpretation of William's postcard that he sent to his brother made me believe that it was the train crash itself that caused the Codex to manifest itself to him. Like, the train crashed, he woke up, and there was this mysterious book that did mysterious things. The short does seem to contradict that, so I may just let that bit of headcanon go. But honestly, I think it's hard to tell how much of what the shadows did with Wolfgang was under William's control. He seemed to be unconscious when Wolfgang first tried to lift the train car off of him. Or at least not able to move. He reached out and then went limp. I don't think he could have been using the Codex in that position, pinned under the train car. It may have been something the shadows did on their own, to save their chosen host, if they did, indeed, choose William on purpose. Or maybe they reacted to his sheer desire to be saved, without him having to consciously activate them. I agree that he doesn't look frightened, or at least not very. I think mostly he looks uncertain, confused, maybe. If, as I suspect, he wasn't in control of what just happened, he has no reason to understand it. Something between confusion and awe, perhaps. Maybe a touch of guilt or shame, some desire to get away and not be seen, since he doesn't understand what happened, or what he may have just done himself without realizing it. And, of course, he was just in an actual train crash. Maybe he was just in shock from his terrifying near-death experience, so he's not emoting normally. Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/136439-interpreting-expressions-in-the-new-short/#findComment-1527759 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohan Posted December 24, 2021 Share Posted December 24, 2021 Doesnt know how to deal with the sudden butterflies in his stomach for the burly muscley beefy stranger that saved his life. Eventually this leads him to trap wolfgang in the constant. Case closed. Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/136439-interpreting-expressions-in-the-new-short/#findComment-1527772 Share on other sites More sharing options...
minespatch Posted December 24, 2021 Share Posted December 24, 2021 1 minute ago, Ohan said: burly muscley beefy stranger that saved his life. Maxwell: U//w//U He's a tsundere?! Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/136439-interpreting-expressions-in-the-new-short/#findComment-1527773 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astraia Posted December 24, 2021 Share Posted December 24, 2021 Like @HowlVoid said, seems like he's showing an expression of greed Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/136439-interpreting-expressions-in-the-new-short/#findComment-1527774 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echsrick Posted December 24, 2021 Share Posted December 24, 2021 he seems to have mixed feelings, like, he him self not realy sure about the things, but you know whats a clear feeling i get? that this makes for a goodprofile picture to some people Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/136439-interpreting-expressions-in-the-new-short/#findComment-1527901 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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