I have always been a John Wick franchise fan not only because of the awesome scenes that revolutionized the modern action films, but also because of the world-building that surrounds the main character.
Before we delve deeper into the world-building aspect of the whole franchise, let me touch a little bit on the revolution of modern action films that John Wick started. Before the John Wick era, the action film genre has been dying that is characterized by repetitive and exhausting plots, structures, and premises. Although there are occasional gems of this genre after the Bourne series, it's unlike the horror and sci-fi genres that continuously amazed moviegoers.
John Wick's revolution in action genre is characterized by flowing and calculated scenes. Close-up shots have been a pertinent identity of the whole franchise which was the result of well-choreographed stunts that actor Keanu Reeves performed himself. Without the consistent use of stunt doubles, the franchise achieved a ballet-like flow because there was almost no disruption in the continuity of the scenes.
Aside from the revolution in the action genre, one of my most favourite in John Wick is its world-building. My main criteria when it comes to movies, series, and novels is how solid is its world-building. The reason why J.R.R Tolkien's Lord of the Rings or J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter became blockbusters was because of how solid is its world-building. It doesn't have to be so new and novel when it comes to world-building because some successful franchises are often based on existing worlds, but the key is on how the world is developed as the story progresses. Some of the fiction stories are so focused on the main character that they forgot the other elements of the story. It's all about weaving every single element into a grand tapestry of the world that exists only in the imagination of the readers or viewers.
John Wick became successful in introducing the world of assassins where every character moves according to the boundaries of their role. John Wick was tethered to the rules and they were able to execute gracefully according to those rules. As Winston has stated:
Do you think this is a movie review? It's mostly not. 😂 I just want to flex my movie critique side, as if I have one.
In John Wick's world, one of my most favourite characters is the Adjudicator. Played by Asia Kate Dillon, the Adjudicator is the only antagonist who didn't die during their debut in the film. The Adjudicator appeared in John Wick Chapter 3 - Parabellum after being dispatched by the High Table as the representative of the Elder to deal with John Wick. This was after John Wick killed Santino D'Antonio on the Continental grounds. John Wick violated one of the rules that should be strictly followed by the assassins' world. The Continental is a neutral ground, which means there should be no conduct of business in its premises. The Adjudicator is there to make sure that the consequences of violating the rules are to be imposed on the violators.
If you haven't watched the film yet, you better watch the first three chapters before the release of the fourth chapter. For now, let's move on to the reasons why I likened a curator to the Adjudicator.
1. A Curator Should Be Decisive
"An adjudicator is someone who presides, judges, and arbitrates during a formal dispute or competition." - Wikipedia
I was really struck by the sassiness and confidence of The Adjudicator. Asia Kate Dillon really did justice in portraying the role. They are a representative of a higher power (High Table) so whatever they say is the say of that higher power. A curator here in Hive is also a representative of a higher power (the curation initiative it belongs to). A curator has the power to dictate the distribution of the reward pool. This is where decisiveness comes in. Since the reward pool is a limited resource, content creation is always a competition. Whoever has superior content based on the assessment of the curators will have the bigger portion of rewards taken from the reward pool.
A curator should be firm on their decisions, but of course, those decisions should be based on the rules set on that particular curation initiative they belong to. Those rules exist to serve as guides to the curator in making a decision. Whatever is the outcome of that decision, the curator should stand firm and be proud because they have done their best.
Curators often act as detectives and investigate the background of the author to see if there's abuse going on or there are violations of the rules of the community. Decentralization doesn't mean there are no rules. You can still do whatever you want to do, but make sure that you are ready for the consequences of your actions. You can't just expect the community to watch idly when there's abuse on the common and a limited resource.
One curator that I want to mention is @perceval. Some curators are biased with their people, but @perceval is loyal to none but Hive. That should be emulated. I witnessed when he reported his friend who plagiarized. Not everyone can do that and not everyone will do that. His decisiveness is unparalleled at that moment. He particularly said that it hurt him to report the abuse, but it was the right thing to do.
2. A Curator Should Be Calm and Collected
When The Continental was already in chaos after it was desecrated as a neutral ground, they're the only ones still having all the composure. After all those men were killed by John Wick and Charon, they were able to pull off a parley and that required a lot of mental fortitude to remain collected even after the bloodbath and your men decimated by just two people who happened to be your enemy.
They mastered the art of negotiation and they know how to use their position as The Adjudicator very well. They were recognized and respected as the decision-making body for the High Table and they were able to carry out those decisions with finesse.
A curator should be able to make tough decisions on behalf of the curation body that he/she represents. It's not easy, especially when dealing with matters that involve friends and countrymen. In times of heightened emotions that might cloud judgment, a good curator should be able to make decisions based on the rules of the curation body. While those rules are not absolute, they serve as guides to prevent the curator from making an irrational judgment. If you base your judgment on the rules, together with common sense, there's nothing to be afraid of.
3. A Curator Should Always Think that He's Replaceable
The Adjudicator was so good at their job that John Wick never even dared to touch them. He knew that The Adjudicator was replaceable and if he would succeed in killing them, a new and more vicious one will just replace them. They didn't even have a name because they didn't need to have one. They are just working based on the command of the High Table.
To be good at one's job, a curator should always think that he's replaceable. I always trained myself to think that I'm replaceable and that keeps me grounded. It stops me from even thinking of something that could abuse the system for my gain. Some curators act so high and mighty, thinking that they're already in the business for a long time. Well, if you abuse your position, it will always catch on you sooner or later.
Everything is driven by self-interest. Let's not be hypocritical about that. If you're a curator, just make sure that your self-interest is aligned with the curation body that you're representing. Once your self-interest starts to deviate from the boundaries set in your curation body, don't ever think that you're invincible. You are always replaceable.
These things might not make sense now, but they will eventually in the future. When more content creators join Hive, competition will be very tough and curators will have to make tough decisions on whose content should they choose to vote. Curators have the power to dictate the distribution of rewards. That's how powerful I think curators are next to whales and powerful stakeholders. Without a working curation, only time will tell if the social aspect of the blockchain will succeed or not.
Kim Ybañez
Welcome to Kim's small corner in Hive. He is a chemical engineer by profession, but a blogger by passion. He is a wanderlust and an adventure seeker. Join his quests as he visits secluded destinations, climbs mountains, tries new and exotic dishes, and explores his country (The Philippines). He's also a trying hard photographer so stay tuned as he shares his photos and his thought process while creating them.
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I have confirmed reading this.
Never saw John Wick movies and probably a few more months down the road before I get myself to see one. Nothing wrong with the film I think, it's just one of those mainstream shows that I know I would like but then don't have the motivation to ass myself to watch for odd reasons.
Anyway, the term curator is just something I happen to get acquainted while learning the blockchain. the conceptual definition has been replaced with the operational definition as anyone with stake upvoting a post at the basic level. It's a fancy term for pressing our like buttons.
I think the distinguishing factor is just the mindset behind the act of pressing the like button. If one has their own criteria to follow vs just clicking cause they feel like doing it. The conscious effort to think about the consequence behind the action and putting a why beyond liking the content just cause it looks good. I'd like to think people are really manually curating most of the time but a lot are just pressing like buttons with some automations. I do both but once HF25 comes, oh boy it's great to press like without being punished for voting late.
This is also true for me. I have scanned hundreds of posts everyday and I got no time really read everything. That's why posts should be interesting enough for me to stop what I'm doing and really hook my eyes on the post. There are gems I sometimes find that are worth reading until the end. My rule I imposed to myself is not to comment if I haven't read everything.
There are also posts that I scanned and skipped, but then I went back because something in the post caught my attention. So I think it's always be that the post should be interesting enough to gain my attention.
Watch those John Wick movies already. Really awesome ✨
I don't have all the time in the world to curate and might as well just subscribe to another curator's trail once HF25 gets out. Most of the content published here aren't my thing but I appreciate effort and striving to make something happen whatever they're up to that is.
It's going to be at the back of the priority list along with Game of thrones, and other mainstream shows I just couldn't get the motivation to watch. But will try.
You had me at John Wick... 😄
Seriously @ybanezkim26, excellent look at how this curation thing operates - between this and your other post, I think people will have a better understanding of the whole process.
I'm also realizing there aren't a lot of Asia Kate Dillon gifs out there from the JW franchise - I might have to come up with a special set for OCD curators... 😂
(via GIPHY)
I need that gif! I would have upvoted this comment but my VP is still rekt, so I gave a tip instead. That's for the gif. 😄
Thank you in return for the gif! I know I sent you the gif through Discord, but I also edited my comment to include the giphy link. 😊
I feel you put me in too high a place, thank you Kim. You are fucking genius, making everything fit together perfectly and implying what you really mean is awesome. We are all replaceable and there will always be someone better, so there is no choice but to strive and try to do the best job until you are replaced. I keep thinking that maybe I could do better and I always have that insecurity and that's when I wonder if I'm really doing it right and I get a lot of doubts. I don't know how I got here, but I am grateful and proud. Thanks Kim, answer my DM, I feel ignored.
Now you know how it feels to be ignored. 😂
You won't be replaced if you do your job well and I think you're doing your job well, @perceval. That's why I mentioned you in this post.
Well composed and very attractive, well done and keep up the good work. Thanks for sharing this lovely post as well @ybanezkim26
Thank you! While this is specifically targeted to curators, I think this can be applied to any field of endeavour.
Great movie, saw it more than once.
They do make sense already, no doubt about that. In the end all curators are just humans, but what makes the difference is if they have a "curation ethic" or not.
Power can get to peoples heads easily, that's why we are humans. But it takes strength to overcome being biased, even though we all suffer from it to a certain extend.
Great read and the right content for the Red Thai Curry that I just made lol.
They sell this great red curry paste and frozen asian veggies in the supermarket and adding some homegrown chilis gave it the right touch, just saying 😂
I love that "curation ethic" thing. And I agree with you that power can really corrupt anyone. That's why it's always good to have checks and balances. With power goes unchecked, it will be very destructive.
That's why curators must have internal audits. Thinking that you're replaceable as a curator is one of them. It really keeps me grounded and makes me do my job according to the boundaries set by the curation body that I represent.
That speaks for you and your "Curation Ethics". Use that term if you like, makes me feel like I contributed something for the better of the Hive 😃.
I like how you try to shine a light on curators work. Being out front with it is a good thing. When everything is just behind the scenes people won't understand and that's when people become unsatisfied. Also it makes people understand the amount of work that is behind curation. Behind manual curation. Behind fair curation in the best sense.
It may be easy when people don't put effort into this project Hive, for themselves and the blockchain, but once content producers create some kind of "content ethics" it becomes more challenging.
Hive is having the potential to become sth different, not only with the decentralization, but also with the social aspect. The world out there is harsh and competitive already. Often unfair and wealth not contributed in a fair manner. We could create a different space here.
Gosh, my idealism breaks through 😂 lol.
It's good idealism tho.
Well, after reading this I would like to be the John Wick of hive, doing what I know how to do better every day but respecting the rules of the curators, since they bring the balance.
John Wick broke the rules. 😂 But he knew the consequences of breaking those rules. I think that's one factor to be considered here in Hive. Since everything is recorded in the block chain, whatever you do, just know that there are consequences.
I disagree that John wick revolutionized the action scene. It's not ground breaking it is high octane.
High octane is action movies. If we look at the premise of single take revolutionized filming the one that was and should get that accolade is Tony Jaa's Tom-Yum-Goong.
If you haven't seen it I highly recommend it.
I haven't seen it, but it's familiar. I will definitely check that out.
I imagine that if there was a place in OCD where the curators met, the phrase "We Are Replaceable" would be there for all to see.
Excellent comparison you make with the work of the OCD Curators with The Adjudicator, now it will be impossible for me not to see them as characters in this film and I hope to be very careful not to send anyone riding motorcycles and using katana.
Hahahaha! I gagged at "We Are Replaceable"! Don't mess with OCD curators because they're always replaceable so they can be suicidal at times. 😂
Well, I went ahead and followed you. I’m willing to take the risk, because this post was bada$$ @ybanezkim26 - look forward to reading more of your work.
Thank you! That's so nice of you! Don't expect too much tho. I just share whatever comes to mind.
Those are the best posts 👍🏽
Very good analogy between the curators and the Adjudicators from John Wick hahaha. Wow excellent what Perceval did. It is admirable. The right thing to do is to put the interests and welfare of the platform above friends. It doesn't matter if it's a friendly person, the abuser needs to be reported.
I recommend a recent movie that is on Netflix. It's called Nobody and many have compared it to John Wick. It is with the actor who stars in the series Better Call Saul. I saw it and really liked the action scenes.
Heading to Netflix now. 😂
Yeah. Perceval is a total badass.
Nice read and good rules. I personally don't comment or vote on anything I don't read in full, but it is very time consuming. I don't have the HP to make curing nearly as profitable as posting yet, and it often leaves me without time to post, but I persist.
I agree. It's very time consuming and I don't have enough HP to curate either. Posting will always be more profitable than curating. At least for now and in the near future.