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(02/24/18 6:54pm)
On February 15, a group of seven students from Ball State University went to New York City to interview David Letterman. The students have been working on a project about Ball State’s centennial year and have been producing the project since the summer of 2017. The project consists of a full-length documentary that covers the history of Ball State University, a shorter documentary focused on current university affairs, and five short promotional videos. The production team has interviewed professors, students, historians, Muncie locals, and alumni in order to tell the story of Ball State’s 100 years.
(02/23/18 7:40pm)
by Sarah James
On February 15, a group of seven students from Ball State University went to New York City to interview David Letterman. The students have been working on a project about Ball State’s centennial year and have been producing the project since the summer of 2017. The project consists of a full-length documentary that covers the history of Ball State University, a shorter documentary focused on current university affairs, and five short promotional videos. The production team has interviewed professors, students, historians, Muncie locals, and alumni in order to tell the story of Ball State’s 100 years.
The students reached out to prominent BSU alumnus, David Letterman, for the opportunity to interview him. “We got in contact with him through the President’s office,” Director John Osterhoudt told Byte reporters, “and then we heard back literally like two weeks ago and he was like, ‘Yeah, come to New York.’” The students drove to Letterman’s publicist's office in Manhattan to conduct the interview.
One of the Directors of Photography, Amy Frye, called the project, “...really rewarding. I learned a lot about the equipment Ball State has and about my craft a lot, by the amount of shooting we actually did.” Frye was a part of the seven students chosen to go to New York to interview Letterman. “Interviewing David Letterman was a really fun experience,” Frye says, “because he’s a very normal man. You know, he’s like someone’s grandpa.” Osterhoudt called Letterman, “... a really nice guy, and it was cool to see that from someone so famous, because you don’t exactly know what to expect.”
The crew shared a special moment with Lettermen during the interview process, with Osterhoudt holding a full 15-minute conversation with the former host of The Late Show off camera about current events and politics.
Both Osterhoudt and Frye have been a part of the Centennial Project since the beginning of production, and are excited to see it come to fruition. The project encompasses both the history and hopes of Ball State University. According to Frye, “The whole project takes us from our past and where we came from, the good parts and the not-so-good parts, and then is taking us all the way to the future.”
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The project is slated to premiere in the Fall of 2018.
Photography: Allison Griffith
(02/10/18 5:00am)
About a month ago, on January 16th, myself and many other small channels received this email.
(02/09/18 5:29pm)
by Sarah James
Dear YouTube,
About a month ago, on January 16th, myself and many other small channels received this email.
I had to re-read this email a few times before I really understood what was happening. I won’t be monetized until I hit 1,000 subscribers. While that may not seem like a huge number to you, after all so many YouTubers have millions of subscribers, that number seems huge to me. Let me break this down for you.
I am a college student with a YouTube channel. This channel is a hobby of mine, a place where I can be creative. Since I’m busy as a student, it’s difficult for me to put the time into my channel in order to make it something sustainable. But it’s still a fun place where I can showcase my work, gain a little following, and even make some money along the way.
Well not anymore.
YouTube, you have completely forgotten to incentivize small creators by screwing over tiny channels. As of my writing of this letter my channel has 159 subscribers, I have about 17,000 total channel views, and over the course of the three years that I’ve had this channel, I’ve made a little less than $11.00. I’m a small channel, okay? And I understand that I wasn’t going to see any of that money until I made at least $100. But now, I won’t see any of that money until I hit 1,000 subscribers, then make $100 with that new subscriber count. Maybe. Who knows if you’ll change the policy again? Who knows when I’ll see any of the money I’ve made through this platform?
Listen, I don’t know if YouTube will be my full time job. I’ve made 10 videos over the course of three years since that’s all I can do while in school. I graduate soon and I’m in the midst of job searching, but I wouldn’t be able to to make the jump to full time social media personality until my YouTube channel hits a point where its sustainable. So until then, YouTube was going to be a place where I could express myself and maybe make a little money to help pay some student loans.
But now, I have no incentive to keep going with my YouTube channel, because it seems so impossible to get to a point where I could monetize my content. People won’t want to go through that grind in order to get their channel up and running. People are going to stop creating YouTube channels. You’ve taken the “you” out of YouTube.
Now it’s clear that all you care about is turning your platform into a commodity. By making this move that intentionally hurts small channels, you’ve made it clear that what you care about most is turning YouTube into TV. You want people who can make consistent content that fits within the time limits of an average TV show and turn out fresh videos on a specific schedule. YouTube is no longer the place of the everyday creator, the quirky kids with a camera and an idea. YouTube is now the place where if you have enough time and money, you too can have your own army of twelve-year-olds ready to defend your actions when you mess up. YouTube is the place where people pull “pranks” that intentionally hurt people, use language that’s spiteful, and stir up drama for views. YouTube isn’t a community anymore, and creators who have been there for years will agree with that. Comment sections are horribly toxic; people aren’t able to connect with each other like they used to. YouTube has become a corporate machine.
I understand that you may not like me as a creator. I don’t upload regularly, my content may be “unsuitable for some advertisers” because I do SFX makeup, and I film in a small apartment, not a well-lit studio. I’m not the type of person that will make you a ton of money, at least not yet. But now you’ve dissuaded me from trying to get to that point, taken the possibility of getting paid and throwing it further away from me. So, YouTube, if you care about who you are as a platform, if you want to be something different than the greedy machine of television, maybe take a step back and look out for the little guy. The quirky kids with cameras and an idea.
Give us a chance to shine.
(01/31/18 1:41am)
by Sarah James
Singers from across the Midwest gathered in Pruis Hall the night of January 27th for one of the 2018 ICCA Midwest Quarterfinal competitions. This is the second consecutive year that Ball State has hosted the event for the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella. Ten groups competed at the event for a chance to move on to the Midwest Semifinal, and five of those groups were from Ball State. BSU has two men’s groups (Note to Self and Unexpected Resolution), two women’s groups (Ladies’ Choice and The Parallels), and one co-ed group (Sedoctave). All five of these groups are a part of the Association of Collegiate A Cappella, the umbrella organization for the a cappella community at Ball State University.
It was a good night for Ball State a cappella. Note to Self placed third with 317 points, Unexpected Resolution placed second with 333 points, and Sedoctave came out on top with 427 points. One of Sedoctave’s Music Directors, Ball State Musical Theatre Major Micheal Hassel, also won Outstanding Arrangement for his original take on Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing.”
This was the first song I have arranged, so I was not expecting to win best arrangement,” Hassel said.
“It Don’t Mean a Thing” was one of the first songs Sedoctave learned this year going through multiple iterations thanks to Hassel’s work. “This song was something the entire group was excited about,” Hassel said, “so I spent a lot of time working on it. It was really an honor."
2018 marks the second year in a row that Sedoctave has won the Quarterfinal event. When asked about how it felt to win, Hassel said, “I felt very surprised and honored to win Quarterfinals back to back. It was a heartfelt and emotional performance.”
Both Unexpected Resolution and Sedoctave will be moving on to the Midwest Semifinal taking place in St. Louis, Missouri on March 10th.
Images: Facebook
(01/25/18 4:48pm)
The first month of the new year is almost over, and in the beginning weeks of 2018, the Internet saw a whirlwind of scandals. We’ve already discussed at length how Logan Paul’s outrageous video is disrespectful to Japanese culture, but what about how this video has impacted the YouTube community? A couple weeks after the suicide forest video was posted, YouTube decided to do something about it, but in many eyes, it was way too little, way too late. Content creators are not happy about the way Logan Paul’s situation was handled, especially when you compare it to the repercussions faced by PewDiePie last year. Was YouTube covering up for one of their poster boys, disregarding the hardworking YouTubers caught in the crossfire? And how on earth did we get to a point where a video showcasing a suicide victim ended up on the trending page with millions of views? Why are fans of Logan and Jake Paul still defending this video, and how did it get that many views in the first place? And since Logan has returned to YouTube, how will this situation impact him as a creator?
(01/25/18 1:00pm)
by Sarah James
The first month of the new year is almost over, and in the beginning weeks of 2018, the Internet saw a whirlwind of scandals. We’ve already discussed at length how Logan Paul’s outrageous video is disrespectful to Japanese culture, but what about how this video has impacted the YouTube community? A couple weeks after the suicide forest video was posted, YouTube decided to do something about it, but in many eyes, it was way too little, way too late. Content creators are not happy about the way Logan Paul’s situation was handled, especially when you compare it to the repercussions faced by PewDiePie last year. Was YouTube covering up for one of their poster boys, disregarding the hardworking YouTubers caught in the crossfire? And how on earth did we get to a point where a video showcasing a suicide victim ended up on the trending page with millions of views? Why are fans of Logan and Jake Paul still defending this video, and how did it get that many views in the first place? And since Logan has returned to YouTube, how will this situation impact him as a creator?
https://twitter.com/evelynevelynxx/status/951450680883077120
Matthew Patrick of TheGameTheorists has an excellent video explaining how this outlandish video ended up getting so many views. Essentially, the way that YouTube’s algorithm works fuels controversial content. When YouTube videos are embedded on other sites, like news sites, YouTube pushes those videos to the forefront. So when a video is controversial and people have opinions on it, they post that video on their own site, which only provides more promotion. This is how a video which featured a dead body in the thumbnail got millions of views and was trending on YouTube before it was taken down. A video like this should have been flagged from the beginning. So how did Logan Paul get away with this?
Part of it is because Logan and his brother, Jake, are not new to the notion that controversy sells. The brothers seem to go back and forth between crazy stunts and their newsworthiness. Remember last year when Jake Paul was in the news for being rude to his neighbors and releasing a diss track that capitalized on his meeting with a Make-A-Wish kid? Both Paul brother sare fueled off of controversial content, and shrug off legitimate criticism as “haters being haters” (dab on ‘em). Each video they create has to top the last, so it’s no wonder that Logan Paul ended up in this situation. He may have tried to play it off as a means to start a conversation about suicide, but if you watch clips of the video it becomes clear that he thought this video was going to be his next big thing. And in a way, he was right.
https://twitter.com/iconredesign/status/953615176636383233
The most damning thing about this situation is that this stunt did not hurt Logan Paul. His fans supported his video even when he asked them to denounce him. His monetized apology video currently has over 47 million views, and his channel didn’t suffer at all from this controversy. Sure, when YouTube finally decided to act, they removed Logan Paul from Google Preferred advertising and cancelled his next YouTube Red project, but overall, the release of this suicide video has done more to help his channel than harm him. Because the video was on the trending page for as long as it was, people were still being pointed to Logan’s channel for more content. Even though the original video wasn’t monetized, videos from Logan that show up under “what to watch next” and are on autoplay are monetized, so he still has money to gain from a controversial video. And let’s not forget that Logan was the one to eventually take down his video after receiving backlash, not YouTube. Throughout this entire extravaganza, Logan Paul gained subscribers and made money, not the other way around like you might expect. Besides, his fanbase is beyond loyal, and the #Logang will always be there to defend his indefensible actions and dab on any haters who attack him.
https://twitter.com/Shnuggles9537/status/953697948839358466
Logan didn’t take much of a hit from posting this video, and in the long run, this may have even benefitted his career and brought more people to his content. Meanwhile, other creators who have covered this story are still being hit with demonetization. Which brings us to yesterday, when Logan Paul returned to YouTube.
Wednesday afternoon, Logan uploaded a video titled “Suicide: Be Here Now.” In the video he explains that the aftermath of his “WE FOUND A DEAD BODY” video opened his eyes to real problems of suicide, and just how prevalent mental health issues are. The video showcases Kevin Hines, a suicide survivor, as well as Dr. John Draper of the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. Logan states at the beginning of the video, “I know I’ve made mistakes. I know I’ve let people down. But what happens if you’re given an opportunity to help make a difference in the world?” At first, the video seems to be more centered around Logan being sorry for his mistakes, but then it shifts and we learn that he was really just ignorant of the complexities of suicide and how many people are affected by it. He takes time to listen to people, provides tips for those who have someone in their lives with suicidal thoughts, and promises to use the following he has to create more awareness about the issue.
I must admit, I was impressed by this video. He seems to be very genuine in his acceptance of his mistake and provides resources for people who may need to seek help. It’s true that videos like this from large creators like Logan Paul could help erase the stigmas surrounding suicide and further the much-needed conversation about mental health. But would Logan have fought for such a cause if he had never uploaded his original video? Probably not. So if the original video had to happen in order to get a Logan Paul who will advocate for those with mental illness, was it worth it? Would we have been better off with a Logan Paul who continued to pull crazy stunts until he disrespected another group of people? What does this mean for the future of his channel? What about his brother’s channel? How much of the #Logang will support this new direction and how many of them will want the old reckless Logan back?
Because of the way this algorithm works, people are prone to create YouTube drama by physically attacking other YouTubers, pulling stunts that could ultimately kill someone, and even depicting a dead body in a thumbnail image.
At this point, it’s hard to say what’s in store for Logan Paul. While I ultimately think that his most recent video is good for opening up conversation, I’m still skeptical of his motives as a creator. It will be interesting to see if his subscriber count changes because of this shift in his channel. Until then, here’s a note for the overall platform:
Hey Youtube. If you want to prevent videos like Logan’s suicide video from reaching the point that it did, maybe you should stop incentivizing the creation of controversial content that always needs to push the envelope. Because of the way this algorithm works, people are prone to create YouTube drama by physically attacking other YouTubers, pulling stunts that could ultimately kill someone, and even depicting a dead body in a thumbnail image. YouTube used to be the place of the everyday creator, where people could share their hobbies and opinions with like-minded people and find a community they could escape to. Now, YouTube fanbases are becoming hostile, toxic and sometimes even dangerous places, and if the algorithm continues to promote the creation of controversy, it's only going to lead to more people getting hurt.
Sources: Byte, YouTube
Images: Twitter, YouTube, Today
(01/15/18 6:36am)
(12/29/17 11:00pm)
Every year produces a relentless heaping of blockbuster films that sell fantastically, but how many of them are actually good is another question entirely. Though the major circuit may have been a little bit short on masterpieces this year, it was by no means empty. We got another great Pixar movie, a beautiful shoutout to The Room, and the best M. Night Shyamalan film in a long time. We also caught a whole host of independent films at Heartland Film Festival this year, some of which were made in our own backyard. So as it turns out, the year of The Disaster Artist wasn’t such a disaster after all.
(12/29/17 10:20pm)
Music reviews were a new endeavor for Byte this year, but it was a great first year to cover. We saw some disappointments from previously loved artists like Arcade Fire and Blondie, to be sure, but we also saw some pleasant comebacks and changeups from the likes of Lorde, Aimee Mann and Paramore. Some of these albums made us smile and others made us cry, but they all left some sort of indelible mark on us, and that’s why they’re the best albums of 2017.
(10/30/17 3:36pm)
On this episode of Input 2 we take a look at the cult classic, Rocky Horror Picture Show. We dive into the history of the film, ask what defines a cult classic, and talk about the strange traditions associated with the film. We’re joined by two members of the Ball State University RHPS Shadowcast, and they talk about what the film means to them and their experience being in the shadow cast on campus. So sit down and tune in to this late night double feature picture show.
(10/23/17 3:48pm)
Welcome to Pop Tabs: keeping tabs on all things pop culture. Matt, Mayzie, and Sarah discuss recent drama with the Fast and Furious franchise, Googles plans for Pixel 2, the Harvey Weinstein scandal, and Boy Scouts encroaching on the Girl Scouts turf! Tune in next week for another episode of Pop Tabs to keep up to date on our entertainment, tech, and culture discussion.
(10/23/17 2:59pm)
In the midst of all the films being showcased at Heartland Film Festival this year, there are a few that hit a little closer to home than others – literally. Heartland has an entire category titled the Indiana Spotlight category, in which independent films shot partially or entirely in Indiana can be entered. In fact one of these films, The Storyteller, was filmed entirely in the Fishers area, and with its heartfelt story and Indiana charm, this movie may invoke a tear or two.
(10/21/17 9:00am)
by Sarah James
In the midst of all the films being showcased at Heartland Film Festival this year, there are a few that hit a little closer to home than others - literally. Heartland has an entire category titled the Indiana Spotlight category, in which independent films shot partially or entirely in Indiana can be entered. In fact one of these films, The Storyteller, was filmed entirely in the Fishers area, and with its heartfelt story and Indiana charm, this movie may invoke a tear or two.
Simply put, The Storyteller is about rediscovering the importance of family. The film centers around Maggie (Samantha Colburn), who is dealing with her bedridden grandmother, Rosemary (Constance Towers), the loss of her husband and a broken relationship with her adopted daughter, Jen (Cassidy Mack). In the midst of everything, a young girl named Abby (Brooklyn Rae Silzer) stumbles into this family that’s falling apart, and through her spirit and impeccable perception, she helps bring the family together. The film weaves original music with parallels to Peter Pan to create a locally crafted feel-good movie.
Brooklyn Rae Silzer steals this show. The Storyteller marks her feature film debut, and she does not disappoint in the slightest. It’s no wonder all the characters in this film start to fall in love with her; her energy is infectious, and it’s hard not to smile while she’s on screen. Cassidy Mack and James Snyder (who plays music teacher and love interest John Griffin) also do a fantastic job, especially with the music. Music plays a large role in this film and is one of the things that brings all of these characters together. Co-producer Nancy Crump wrote the two original songs in the film, which were actually performed by the cast. Mack and Snyder’s voices blend beautifully and breathe life into the original music.
This film also acts as an amazing conversation starter for two tough-to-talk-about topics: the mental health struggles of the elderly and the difficulties often faced by those in our foster care system. And both of these issues are driven by the personal experiences of the filmmakers. The director’s mother suffered from a form of dementia that causes hallucinations, which was a direct inspiration for the character of Rosemary, who believes Abby is her older sister that never grew up. The character of Jen and her experiences with the foster care system is also enhanced by actress Cassidy Mack and her real life experience in foster care. These moments felt by the cast and crew grounded this story in reality, which is a stark contrast to the fairy tale elements of the movie.
Overall, this film is full of heart, and anyone can find a moment or character that they can relate their own lives to. For people who grew up in Indiana, keep an eye out for some local favorites (Handel’s Ice Cream and Greek’s Pizza make an appearance). The Storyteller is also on Hallmark’s video-on-demand service, so if you don’t have a chance to check it out at Heartland Film Festival this weekend, you have another opportunity to see this wondrous story come to life.
You can follow the film on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and their website.
Featured image from Facebook
(10/18/17 6:30pm)
When walking into an independent film festival, you never know exactly what to expect. A film about an 88-year-old woman taking a road trip may not seem exciting to some, but The Tree is so much more than what meets the eye. Director Stephen Wallace Pruitt took the inspiring friendship between his mother and her best friend and orchestrated a beautiful, heartwarming work of fiction that is sure to pull on the heartstrings.
(10/18/17 4:18pm)
by Sarah James
When walking into an independent film festival, you never know exactly what to expect. A film about an 88-year-old woman taking a road trip may not seem exciting to some, but The Tree is so much more than what meets the eye. Director Stephen Wallace Pruitt took the inspiring friendship between his mother and her best friend and orchestrated a beautiful, heartwarming work of fiction that is sure to pull on the heartstrings.
The Tree stars Joicie Appell as Dorothy Thorp, an 88-year-old woman who takes a solo road trip from Kansas to her hometown of Terre Haute, Indiana to see her childhood best friend. Along the way, she serves her own distinct brand of midwestern wisdom to the people she meets, helping others to the best of her ability as she makes her way home. Dorothy feels like she could be anyone’s grandmother, and her spirit, kindness and sense of adventure is captivating. This story of a journey towards home is something usually reserved for a young, rebellious protagonist as a means of discovering who they are. Taking this story and shifting it to an 88-year-old woman gives the narrative a new level of depth and emotion and makes one nostalgic for a time they may have only heard of.
Joicie Appell is an absolute standout. The entire film rests on her shoulders and she does not disappoint in the slightest. In a Q&A after the film screening, filmmakers Stephen and Mary Pruitt revealed that Joicie memorized all her lines, not relying on cue cards in the slightest for long takes during lengthy scenes, which for a woman of her age is absolutely remarkable. Dorothy has moments of sheer joy and kindness mixed in with real concern, all intermingled with quick wit and comedy; Joicie masters each element of her character. Her spirit is what drives the movie forward and draws the audience in, and she executes the role flawlessly.
This film was shot primarily in Kansas and Missouri, although the ending of the film took place right here in Terre Haute. The cast and crew drove along the national roads from Kansas to Indiana, showcasing the beautiful sights and quirks of the American Midwest. In fact, this whole film has a charm that is so undoubtedly Midwestern that anyone from the area can understand it immediately, even if they don’t recognize it outright. The Tree is a beautiful and emotional story that truly encompasses the heart of this area of the country, on top of asking the audience what they would do for the chance to go home. Stephen Pruitt told the audience after they watched his film that, “We all have a tree we would like to go back to.” What is your tree? Where is the place you want to someday return? And whose lives will you touch on your journey there? If you have a chance to see this film, I highly recommend you bring tissues. Tears may be shed.
You can follow the film on Facebook and Twitter.
Featured image from IMDb
(10/06/17 8:42pm)
by Sarah James
Lady Gaga’s most recent project Gaga: Five Foot Two has just released on Netflix. The documentary, which was produced by Gaga, follows the pop superstar during the creation of her most recent album, Joanne, and her preparation for performing the halftime show at Super Bowl LI. Throughout the documentary, viewers are shown a side of Lady Gaga that they may have never guessed existed. She’s dealing with extreme pain in her hip for several years, trying very hard to combat her mental illness, and wanting more than anything to be seen a strong woman in the music industry. Why, then, would she produce a documentary that showcases her weaknesses and struggles?
This documentary does an excellent job of humanizing Lady Gaga. You see moments of frustration when her album gets leaked, pain when when she goes to the hospital for her hip, strength when she pushes through a Super Bowl rehearsal, and love when she visits her grandmother. The documentary strips her down to her basic human components, takes away the name and wild "Lady Gaga" persona and replaces her with Stefani Germanotta, a woman trying to show herself and her family through her music.
Yet, as humanizing as this documentary is, it is a very limited look at Gaga's life. The documentary crew filmed over the course of several months, grabbing footage of her recording process, life at home, music video shoots, interviews, rehearsals, and much more. But in the end, months are condensed into a film that lasts less than two hours and provides the audience with a mere glimpse at Lady Gaga’s experience. And that’s the challenge in tackling a documentary of this size. Each shot is specifically composed and chosen in order to tell the story that Lady Gaga wants to tell. This isn’t to say that it is less humanizing or that she wasn’t being her real self in front of the camera. It is worth keeping in mind, however that there was a story to be told in this documentary.
But what exactly was that story? At first, the narrative may seem like one of redemption - that by the end of the documentary our heroine will overcome her obstacles to release an album and maybe see her pain diminish. The documentary starts with a distinct focus on Joanne, showcasing studio sessions and background on the family member after whom Gaga named her album. In the midst of the stress to create this album that was not only new, but a moment for Gaga to redefine who she is as an artist, the audience is introduced to the extreme ongoing pain that she experiences. At first, this works in the narrative; it adds another obstacle for the protagonist to overcome and peels back another layer from Lady Gaga’s persona. But as the documentary progresses, there are almost too many things to worry about as the narrative jumping from hospital visits to studio sessions to family gatherings and more.
Then, about half an hour into the story, the Super Bowl is introduced. The Super Bowl is relevant for about five minutes and is then promptly forgotten until the end of the documentary. Sure, this is how time progressed as the crew filmed, but there was already a surplus of conflict; adding the Super Bowl seemed superfluous. This documentary could have been compelling as either a journey to the Super Bowl, with extensive rehearsal footage and the process in putting on such a demanding show, or the making of Joanne, with an in-depth look at the inspirations and creations behind the album. Having both elements crammed into an hour and forty minutes is a little overwhelming, and ultimately, seems unfocused. With these abundant conflicts, the end of the documentary doesn’t really feel like a satisfying resolution.
That said, there are a lot of really awesome moments in the documentary. We get a chance to see Gaga interact with her grandmother and show her the song inspired by her daughter, Joanne. We see a look at Gaga’s creative process and hear her voice, raw and unfiltered, as she records her music. We see her perform, record a music video, and go to a Walmart to buy her own album. We see a side of Gaga that was previously hidden: a woman who has had her heart broken more than once and who is going through pain she does not understand, all while trying to make her fans happy and proud. Sure, it’s easy to write off the life of a celebrity as one of absolute luxury and claim that their complaints can be seen as invalid because of their fame, but Five Foot Two shows us that celebrities have real struggles - that they are placed under an insane amount of stress and are expected to be their best at all times.
Overall, Gaga: Five Foot Two is an excellent look at the life of Lady Gaga. It humanizes one of the biggest pop stars of the past decade and turns her from an outrageous celebrity into a real, hard-working woman in the music industry.
Featured image from Toronto International Film Festival
(10/03/17 5:47pm)
In this episode of Input 2, we discuss one of the newest horror movies to be released this fall, Friend Request, and try to decipher exactly what the creative minds behind the films were trying to say. We talk about the use of social media and suicide in both this movie and 2015's Unfriended, and what the fear of social media entails. Will social media continued to be used in horror movies? What do this films do to add to the conversation about suicide and mental illness. All this and more on Input 2!
(09/25/17 3:58pm)
We’re back witches with another episode of The Coven Podcast. This week our cauldron is full as we talk about the unfortunate practice of whitewashing in Hollywood, looking at movies like Ghost in the Shell and the upcoming Aladdin remake. We also look at the Hellboy reboot and how Ed Skrein showed everyone that speaking up can lead to ethnically appropriate casting. All this and more on The Coven Podcast!
(09/15/17 8:35pm)
Welcome back to a brand new season of Input 2! On this episode, we look at the biggest horror movie in the theaters right now, It. What makes this film better or different than other recent horror movies? Why are children such an important part of horror movies as a whole? how does this film compare to the 1990 Tim Curry mini-series? What do we want from the inevitable sequel? All this and more on this episode of Input 2!
