Smile for The Camera

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Smile For The Camera was a Play By Post Game on Nintendo Nsider2 Forums created by the user ???. Set in an Alternate Universe where monsters, ghosts, and various other types of supernatural phenomenon not only exist by are commonly acknowledged by the public, the RP centers around the cast of Monster Mashers, a reality TV program in which a group of monster hunters take down supernatural threats to protect humanity (and to earn as high ratings as possible). Hilarity Ensues.

The original turned into a dead fic, however, and it didn't come back for a while...until the dead RP became a plot point in Rhadamanthus' Land of the Dead, which reminded ??? to revive it. The new version can be found here.

Tropes from the old Smile From The Camera are:

• All Trolls Are Different: Kikai.
• Almighty Janitor: Ranpu, a martial-arts expert, spent most of his life as a botanist before joining Monster Mashers.
• Animal Wrongs Group: Averted. While Dyana cares deeply about the well-being of monsters, she's more than willing to help the others open a can of whoopass on one when push comes to shove.
• Animated Armor: Albert.
• Attention Defecit...Ooh, Shiny!: Dr. Drogan.
• The Beast Master: Dyana.
• Bilingual Bonus: Albert's taunt when fighting the Chupacabras: "Tu madre tiene la coche de un pajaro!" Which translates to "Your mother has a bird's car"...whatever that means...
• Cool Old Guy: Ranpu.
• Cloudcuckoolander: Drogan and to a lesser extent, Kikai.
• Chew Bubblegum: Kikai uses this line when fighting the zombie hoard.
• Ditzy Genius: Dr. Drogan.
• Expy: Drogan shares many similarities toProfessor Membrane, which is both intentional and results in massive doses of Lampshade Hanging.
  • Milta is also quite similar to Morrigan.
• For Science!!: Practically Drogan's catchphrase.
• Gratuitous Japanese: Kikai.
  • Even his name is Japanese. It's some kind of running gag for the user who made him.
• Horny Devils: Milta is definitely one of these.
• Improbable Weapon User: Kikai fights using a keyboard. Of course, this is probably a Stealth Pun referring to Internet trolls.
• Jerkass: Albert is a prime example.

"People say I'm rude and insensitive, that I have poor table manners, that I'm all around crude and annoying. Well...They're right."

• Ms. Fanservice: Milta is both aware and proud of this.
• Orphaned Series
• Our Zombies Are Different
• Punch Clock Hero: The cast seem to treat their job as more of a professional business than actual heroism.
• Shock and Awe: Dr. Drogan, using an electrified baton.
• Shout-Out: Let's see...A living suit of armor named Al?
• Show Within a Show: Monster Mashers, which is actually a major aspect of the RP, considering nearly all the characters are "actors" on said show.
• Stripperiffic: Milta's usual outfit, though she seems to be able to spontaneously change her clothes at will.
• We Are Team Cannon Fodder: The camera crews fall under this trope regularly, although this should be expected.
• You Gotta Have Blue Hair: Dyana has pink hair and Milta has blue hair.
• Youkai: Monsters from this category are among those featured in the RP.

Tropes from the new Smile For The Camera are:

• A Day in The Limelight: William gets a mission in Seattle, involving his former hacker buddies.
• Action Girl: Clarissa, Dyana, and Portia.
• The Alcatraz: Outpost 13, which exploded.
• Adored By the Network: Like Screwed By the Network the Monster Mahser crew are trying to get the best and most ratings as possible.
• All Myths Are True: To some extent.
• Affectionate Parody/ Homage: Portia, is a clear one to the 50's/60's, Zeerusty, Raygun Gothic Sci-Fi.
  • This whole RP is one of Urban Fantasy and Gothic Punk-type.
• Attention Deficit Ooh Shiny: Portia.
• Artifact of Doom: The Muramasa blade used by Lady War.
• Arc Words: "Come and see"
• Badass in A Nice Suit: William.
  • Famine as well.
• Badass Labcoat: Portia wears one.
• Berserk Button: Just please do not mess with Clarissa's appearance....Things will get really ugly.
• Big Bad: Lady War
• Big Badass Wolf: William.
• Bilingual Bonus: Translating the women's Russian is pretty funny.
• The Beast Master: Dyana
• Black Comedy: Practically inevitable.
• Brainy Brunette: Inverted with Clarissa. Played Straight with Amanda.
• Brainless Beauty: Clarissa, has her moments. Sometimes branching onto Genius Ditz, at times.
• Brilliant but Lazy: Sibrious.
• Breaking the Fourth Wall: Kinda of.
• Broken Ace: One possible interpretation of Clarissa.
• Cat Suit: Clarissa, wears one on occasion.
• Continuity Reboot
• Chinese Vampire: Malachi.
• Clothing Damage: Seen with Clarissa, prominently during the fight with Wendy. She tends to suffer this, a lot.
• Cloudcuckoolander: Portia, due to her mental condition and the experiments done on her.
  • And, possibly Dyana, too.
• Corrupt Corporate Executive: Lord Famine
• Cyberpunk/ Post Cyber Punk: The theme's from William's background seems to be branching on this. With him quitting from a tech company due to his corrupt CEO.
• Cyberpunk With a Chance of Rain: Seattle, of course.
• Cyberspace: Seen in William's mission.
• Expy: William is probably one to the The Beast.
  • Portia looks to be one Agatha Clay.
• Dark Action Girl: The female members of Abyss and many others to count.
• Dumb Blonde: Inverted, with Portia. She can be pretty brilliant but can be little off, at times.
• Enthralling Siren: Harmony. Thus using her singing powers to mind control civilians with her music to commit crimes, for her personal gain.
• Escort Mission: Escorting Lady War didn't turn our so well.
• Something Man Band:
  • The Hero: Joel
  • The Lancer: Frankie or Rocky, possibly.
  • The Chick: Clarissa
  • The Big Guy: William, also The Smart Guy.
  • The Smart Guy: Uhh....Portia? William? Faron? Jason?
  • Tagalong Kid: Jason
  • Team Mom: Amanda
  • The Empath: Faron, arguably
• Eldritch Abomination: One can assume The Operator is this and Humanoid Abomination.
• Fantastic Racism: Quite a couple instances in the RP between monsters and humans, supremacy. Mostly the Furious Four and the The Abyss organization.
• Greek Mythology: Located around this RP with: Harmony, and many others.
• Genre Savvy: This exchange between William and Portia:

William: Now before I go....I really need that bath, it'll be rainy and cold in Seattle. And...Seattle is nothing but a cloudy dystopia filled with valuable advance technology.....And corporations. Portia(blowing a fuse): Wha-? You make science look so bad! The future is supposed to be an atomic powered and space-laden paradise! You silly goose! Filled with space battles, PULP robots, teleportation, traveling the deep vastness....OF SPACE, while...RUNNING ON SCIENCE!

• • Jason seemed a bit of Savvy in during the abandoned hospital mission.
• Giant Spider: Frankie, sorta.
• Gainaxing: Clarissa, as source of distraction.
• Goldfish Poop Gang: The Furious Four, much to Lance's dismay.
• Gothic Punk: Probably, has some shades of it.
  • Eh, more like an Affectionate Parody.
• Guns Akimbo: Clarissa and Joel, on some occasions.
• Genius Ditz/ Ditzy Genius: Portia has her moments.
• Hair of Gold: Jason, Rocky, and Portia sports this, fittingly.
• Harping On About Harpies: Erica, although more of a slyph.
• Heterosexual Life Partners: Portia and Clarissa are starting to develop this.
  • Also, Jason and Rocky.
• Honest Corporate Executive: Amanda, rather a subtle, example.
  • William before he quit his other job.
• Hot Scientist: Portia seems to be a rather loony one.
• Hot Springs Episode: After the Outpost 13 incident, which led to Clarissa and Portia's Les Yay and Bathtub Bonding.
• I Have Many Names: Just look at Rocky's Shout-Out barrage!

Rocky: My titles are Earth warder, Ashbringer, Fist of the North Star, King of games, Lich king, Shaman King, Man of mystery, The man with the golden gun, The boy that lived, The one ring to rule them all, The number one hyperactive knuckleheaded ninja of the leaf viliage, The 'Magic' element of harmony, The second red, and later the second blue, Power Ranger, Pokemon master, Avatar, One of the dukes of hazzard...with Jason being the other one, And that guy down the street who makes a killer tequila!

• Jerkass: Torgrot. He is an ork, after all...
  • Let's not forget Albert.
• Lampshade Hanging: Quite a few examples seen on top and bottom of this page.
• Magitek: Possibly what's activating Jason's Comic reader.
• Memento MacGuffin: Joel's necklace
• Mission Control: Amanda usually gives the missions via bulletin board.
• Ms. Fanservice: Clarissa.
• Mythology Gag/ Call Back: Frankie's mentioning of the Wicktor from the original. Then, Siberious has a few to Dr. Drogan.
• Obfuscating Stupidity: Daynna and Portia, somehow do this.
• One Steve Limit: Averted. With both William's, to prevent any confusion Francois decides to be called by his middle name.
• Our Banshees Are Louder: Seen in mission 5.
• Our Gargoyles Rock: Seen in the Notre Dame mission.
• Our Monsters Are Different: IN SPADES!
• Our Werewolves Are Different: William, in which he doesn't transform but stays as a werewolf.
• Overly Long Gag: Seen with Albert in the battle with Lady War:

Albert:Oh, hey, real nice move, dumbass! How am I supposed to use this from the ground, huh? Yeah, I'm feeling real useful now. Just gonna go beat this bitch up, okay. Oh! I know! I'll get her to step on me! Then her foot will hurt for like a whole goddamn day! Yeah, long-term, that's the way to win a fight. Maybe if I'm really lucky, she'll trip and poke her eye out on me. Then she'll be in trouble, yeah? Meanwhile, Mister Long, Green, and Handsome over there can bite her ankles. We'll be the perfect team! The Anklebiters! We'll be huge, I tell ya! Just you wait. We'll make millions by giving people irritating foot pain. Maybe we can get an ad deal with Adidas or something. Like, I'll be on a stool or something, and then Malachi puts on the shoe, and something awesome happens, and then I'll be like, 'OHHHHHH YEEEAAAAHHHH! DIG IT!' Then I'll marry some Swedish supermodel, and we'll have divorce three weeks later, and then there'll be a big scandal, and I'll be all over the tabloids, and then me and Malachi will have a falling-out and we'll go our separate ways. And he'll be like the goddamn Paul Mc Cartney and form a new group that's almost as good as we were, and I'll just be a homeless head on the side of the road in Milwaukee, wherever the fuck that is, asking people for money. And then one day Malachi will walk by, but he won't even recognize me, and he'll just keep walking, and I'll cry. And then I'll start singing, 'I ain't got no body...' And then a talent scout will find me, and I'll get a record deal and make millions. But then World War 3 will break out, and people won't want to listen to my music anymore, and I'll turn to drugs, and then eventually kill myself, and then everybody will start buying my records, because I'll be dead, see, and that's the only way for a true artist to become popular is to die. Like Picasso, and Michael Jackson... Malachi:Hey, Albert? Shut up.

• The Quiet One: The Operator.
• Raygun Gothic: Portia's weapon's and devices seems to be based around this aesthetic, rather.
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: Jason (blue) and Rocky (red).
• Rich Bitch: Clarissa has come from a wealthy family, which this is practically inevitable.
• Rewarding Vandalism: Averted or Deconstructed. Amanda gets call in the first part of the RP about the property damage being caused.
• Science Hero: Portia and Siberious.
• Screwed By the Network: Played with In-verse. The fact that the cast members are trying to get the best ratings to prevent this. Has this coming in the future.
• Sirens Are Mermaids: Averted with Harmony.
• Shared Universe: With The Death Series.
• Shout-Out: Quite a lot of them, as expected:
  • William often nicknames Clarissa as Joanna dark.
  • A cat named Pluto?
  • Frankie shrugs similarly to Pepé Le Pu.
  • Frankie also made passing mention about Wicktor during the mission involving a monster with a very Chupacabra MO. In the original Dr. Drogan was fighting Chupacabras right around the time activity died off.
  • "YOU BETTER START CALLING YOUR HARPY LADY SISTERS!"
  • Dr Portia N. Tesla. Her raygun is also a clear reference to Gunstar Heroes.
  • Not to mention Experiment 1138
  • LETS GET DANGEROUS!
  • "Hey, I hear that stuntman guy's doing a show in town. Johnny something-or-other."
  • Portia's having a chip installed in her brain, in her backstory. Is a reference to Johnny Mnemonic.
  • Club Tech Noir
  • Rocky's I Have Many Names Badass Boast is filled with them, on top.
  • A Shout-Out Theme Naming with the Shadow Hackers: Leon, Neo, Jake, and Jem. Are references to Cyberpunk/PostCyberpunk works.
  • What Portia mentions about her ants is kinda of an obvious one:

William:(looks at ants) How long have you been collecting those things? Portia: Since I was little! One time they banned me from the science fair because I was testing growth elixir on these guys! Matter fact I got banned from all of my science fairs...

• • And before then:

Portia:Also, I believe the saying is: 'Strike me down, and I will become powerful then what you could imagine.'

• • Shh-sh-sh....Not now William! I'M MAKING-! TOAST!
    • My poor insane daughter.
    • My Squeelidly Spooch!
  • Lady War's outfit shows signs of Shana's red hat, trench coat, and katana.
  • The whole Shadow Hackers mission has influences from both Tron and Mad World.
    • In the same mission Portia uses Rust Promoter.
  • GREAT SCOTT!!
  • The ending of the Macbeth mission is one to Scooby Doo. With the captured director saying "You Meddling Monster Mashers".
  • This during the mission with the Cockatrice:

Faron:If it turns out the thing running loose in this place is a hunchback with the voice if a tenor, you owe me fifty bucks.

• Standard Evil Organization Squad: What is known as The Abyss is something like this.
• Swiss Army Weapon: Jason's Cosmic Reader is this with a Choice of Two Weapons limit
• Transplant: Okay, let's start at the beginning...Albert first appeared as a character in the original Smile for the Camera, until that died. Almost a year later, he became a Transplant in Land of the Dead. Now he's back in Smile for the Camera as a Canon Immigrant.
• Trigger Happy: Clarissa.
• Urban Fantasy
• The Usual Adversaries: Torgrot, obviously...
• Weird Science: Portia and Siberious really define this trope.
• White-Haired Pretty Girl: Wendy, a slyph.
• When Trees Attack: Ablus. But, he's friendly so it may be Plant Person.
• Wild Mass Guessing: Go ahead make your guess...
• Youkai: Just like the first RP, monsters seen in category are seen.
• You Gotta Have Blue Hair: Dyana's pink hair.
• You Meddling Kids: Seen at the end of Macbeth mission, in which the captured diectror says this phrase.
• Zeerust: See Raygun Gothic.