Transparent, Soloway & Kohan, October

First things first. If you haven’t watched Transparent yet, you’re doing something wrong. Correction: If you are frustrated by the sensationalism of today’s popular entertainment+, and you appreciate beautifully crafted, subtle storytelling in 30-minute increments, and you haven’t watched Transparent yet, you’re doing something wrong. Open up a new browser tab, head on over to Amazon, and do yourself a favor.

Glad we got that out of the way. In short, I love Transparent. I love that the show depicts a person coming out as her true self later in life. Trans* characters are certainly having their day in the (mainstream) sun, most notably with Laverne Cox’s Sophia on Orange Is The New Black, and Jared Leto’s Oscar-winning turn as Rayon in The Dallas Buyers Club.++ (That both Leto and Transparent‘s Jeffrey Tambor portray these women as cis-gender male actors has raised some valid criticisms. But we’ll have to address them another time.) However, the simple premise that coming out is hard at any age, and that family dynamics are always complicated makes the characters’ struggles relatable and gives the story the universality required of all great storytelling.

(Full disclosure: I’ve only watched the first two episodes, but if the rest of the season follows suit, I’m sure I won’t be disappointed. I’m actually going to write a paper about the show soon, which will necessitate my binge-watching the rest of the season this weekend. So I may have a more nuanced critique [to match the nuance of the show] next week).

Next, here is some non-news: online streaming allows storytellers to depict characters that have beentraditionally marginalized and denied in mainstream media. Go team go. That it’s happening, is great. That we’re recognizing that it’s happening, is crucial. At the recent New Yorker festival, Jill Soloway, and Jenji Kohan, creators of Transparent and Orange Is The New Black, respectively, appeared on a panel discussing LGBTQ depictions in television. It’s been reported that the two clashed over a couple of issues. Flavorwire’s Moze Halperin examines the encounter intelligently.

The piece explains that Kohan takes issue with Soloway running a competition to find a transperson to join the writing staff for the show’s second season. What isn’t articulated is that Soloway is not going to pull a random trans people off the street. The film & television industry is incredibly difficult to break into. But just because someone isn’t a seasoned writer, doesn’t mean that person isn’t talented. And just because certain opportunities haven’t presented themselves, doesn’t mean someone doesn’t deserve to be in that room. For me, that was the disconnect for Kohan’s whole argument. It sounds like a great mentorship opportunity and I applaud Soloway for her efforts.

Finally, it’s October. That time in the semester when instead of updating my blog, I should be doing one of a million homework assignments, readings, papers, or projects. I mentioned tI’ll be writing a paper on Transparent, particularly how Soloway’s team operates creatively within the larger television landscape. I’m also excited to create a design brief and mockups for my design interactive class’s final project. I’m working some exciting events at the Media Center this weekend, and lastly, I’m going to be building/stretching some producer muscles by entering a team in the upcoming Winter Film Awards’ 48-hour short film challenge. It sounds absolutely absurd, and I’m way too busy to do it, but it really feels like something I need to do at this point in my practice, so I’m jumping in. Stay tuned for the end result!

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+ I have and will continue to support Shondaland programs. I took delight in learning that Ali on Pretty Little Liars [spoiler alert] was still alive. I can’t wait for the next season of Game of Thrones. And I too, have been drawn in by the endless stream of overhyped “This will blow your mind/Change your life/Cure cancer”internet headlines. But enough already. Then again, But maybe it’s me. I’ve always had a thing for subtlety.

++ This is not meant to omit the numerous depictions of trans characters that have come before this particular heyday. Boys Don’t Cry and the documentary Paris Is Burning are two noteworthy examples.

Future Applicability

Here I am, a little more than half-way through a media studies graduate program I entered for many reasons. You can review most of them in earlier posts, but one significant reason was (and is) starting the next phase in my career. I chose a subject about which I’ve always been passionate, a program that provided flexibility, and a curriculum that would offer some tangible skills in the short and long terms. As I type, I’m excited about completing my first website for my interactive design class and discussing the most recent readings and articles in Managing Creativity in the Media Arts.

I’ve embraced the fact that what I’ll be doing in 10, 20, or 40 years, may not necessarily exist yet. And I’m coming to terms with the fact that my career path is more likely to resemble an unmarked woodland trail than a straight shot on any highway. Indeed it certainly does already. But I’m taking steps now to buttress my future. I’ve started volunteering at the Media Center, and am taking advantage of networking and industry insider events through school. Because I’m human, I stress about my unknown future at times, but I’m doing the work, and I tend to believe that things are going to work out in the end.*

It is with this mindset, that I came across and offer up the video Humans Need Not Apply by CGP Grey. In 15 minutes, it describes how robots will eliminate the need for humans in most segments of the work force. It touches upon labor of course, but then goes on to describe how white collar, professional, and even super special snowflake creative career paths will also be replaced. The question is not “if,” but “when,” followed by “how.”

The video concludes:

“Horses aren’t unemployed now because they got lazy as a species, they’re unemployable… We need to start thinking about what to do now when large sections of the population are unemployable through no fault of their own. What to do in a future where for most jobs, humans need not apply.”

My proclivity for the sentimental wants to argue that robots cannot offer human connection; the bonds we form with others, the joys and sorrows we share, etc.. etc.. But then I imagine a robot can easily send a charge to our neurons, and fire synapses which replicate the stimulation caused by human contact.

When automation takes over the jobs that currently run our economy, what will society look like? What task can we assign value that can’t be replicated or simplified by bots? What aspects of our humanity will we prize? And most importantly, how can we start building and preparing for that today? It’s certainly something to think about.

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*I recognize this outlook is based on my past life experiences, and that it is a privilege to hold such a belief system.

Back to school

It’s back to school time. The semester started a few weeks ago and I feel like I’m hitting in full force (in a good way).  I’m taking an interactive design class with David Marcinkowski which I’m really excited about. By the end of the semester I should have a pretty good working knowledge of html, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), animation and interactive design, javascript, jquery and more! I’ve gotten in touch with the Red Dog production company (The New School’s in-house production unit) about building up their website, so that’s also something I’ll be working on. Hopefully it’ll be a chance to utilize some skills learned in the interactive design class.

I’m also continuing with the Media Management track with a class called Managing Creativity in the Media arts with Neyda Martinez. Yesterday, we visited the Made In NY Media Center by IFP in DUMBO. We got to tour the facilities and here about some of the programs and events that go on there. While their memberships are a little pricey for a graduate student trying to survive in NYC, I hope to be able to volunteer there soon and stay up to date with their activities.

At work in the Marketing & Communications office (newly renamed from Communications and External Affairs), I’ve been continuing making press packets which are sent out to the board of trustees, president, and other administrative department heads, and faculty. I’ve also been writing numerous blog posts for the New School News.

Here           are           some           sample           posts.

Also, earlier in the summer, one of my blog posts was included as a feature story in the Newsletter that goes out every other week during the school year(once a month during the summer). We’ve just started using Click-to-tweet software for the posts, so I’ve been implementing that for the team. Our Social Media Director is pretty excited about it.

Lastly, on a completely unrelated note, I’ve started commuting to work/school by bike, which I’m pretty excited about. I’ve been afraid of riding in Manhattan for the longest time, but Monday, I woke up and just decided to do it.  The Manhattan Bridge is a challenge every morning, but I’m feeling great and excited to keep it up! Wish me luck.