America

Jun
28

Diversity in Media: How the Web Wins

Justin on June 28th, 2010

Screenwriter John August recently blogged about the Bechdel test, a (somewhat) tongue-in-cheek way to determine a film’s level of feminism.  It consists of three questions you can ask about any film: Are there two or more female characters with names? Do they talk to each other? If they talk to each other, do they talk [...]

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Jun
21

The Popularity Paradox: Why Do We Hate Pop Culture?

Justin on June 21st, 2010

I don’t know anybody who loves pop radio. I know people who listen to it ironically, as though they’re not comfortable admitting they don’t entirely hate Lady Gaga.  And I know people who admit to liking just Lady Gaga, or just Usher, but still insist they “hate the radio.” But why do we (claim to) [...]

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Jun
7

The Secret to Media Success: Making the Audience Care

Justin on June 7th, 2010

I just finished the first book I’ve devoured in more than a decade. Mark Harris’s Pictures at a Revolution details the making of the 5 Best Picture nominees at the 1968 Academy Awards, from their initial concepts through their critical and public reception.  Two of those films, In the Heat of the Night and Guess [...]

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May
24

I Tweet, Therefore I Am… Empty?

Justin on May 24th, 2010

What if our newspapers were filled with articles on how to write for newspapers? What if the only books we printed were books about how to sell books? What if TV shows consisted solely of monologues about TV? I doubt we’d have much use for them at all. So why do we accept it in [...]

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Apr
9

Do You Hate the Right People?

Justin on April 9th, 2010

Tiger Woods cheated on his wife. We, the morally upstanding public, are supposed to hate him. Michael Vick murdered dogs. We, the morally outraged public, are supposed to hate him. Bernie Madoff made a fortune scamming people. We, the innocent victims, are supposed to hate him. But Tiger Woods is also a dad.  Do we [...]

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