05/14/21

THIS WEEK: DIGITAL TIPPING, CATNIP FOR THEATER NERDS, AND WFH JAMS TO GET YOU THROUGH NEXT WEEK.

TRENDS THIS WEEK
 

☞ Youtube J. Cole Freestyles

☞ Letterboxd THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES

☞ TikTok #IWorkAtTheBank

☞ Spotify Lil Nas X - MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)

☞ Netflix JUPITER’S LEGACY

☞ Twitter The CDC

PS WEEKLY ツ

LIFE & CULTURE

Have you ever loved a meme so much you wished you could somehow compensate whoever came up with the original Tweet? Well, now you can, with Twitter’s introduction of a Tip Jar (for a limited subset of creators on the platform). The just-released feature (still being beta tested) allows users to send money to fellow tweeters using PayPal, Venmo, Patreon, Cash App, or Bandcamp. Twitter called it the “first step in our work to create new ways for people to receive and show support on Twitter–with money.”

I’ve written a lot here about the heated competition brewing in the podcast space. And this Friday, I’m back to report that things are (potentially) about to get even more heated with another cook entering the kitchen. Netflix is apparently dipping its toe in the audio space with a feature called “N-Plus”. According to a reporter at Protocol who was prompted with a survey on the platform, “Netflix queried people in a survey about a wide range of features and content, including podcasts, user-generated playlists, how-tos and more.” In regards to the content itself, it looks like it might be largely IP-based, as the survey described N-Plus as a “future online space where you can learn more about Netflix shows and things related to them.” Personally, when I am into a show I like to eat up all the content that I can get related to it—and then some—so I’m vocally registering my support to make this idea real, stat.

In news that happened off the internet this week, according to Variety, Jaden Smith is evolving his I Love You vegan food truck into a restaurant, where LA’s homeless population can eat for free, following the “buy one give one” model of a TOMS or Warby Parker. He says: “It’s for homeless people to get free food...but if you’re not homeless, not only do you have to pay, but you have to pay for more than the food’s worth so that you can pay for the person behind you.” Feels like a really cool way to extend that social impact model from retail to the food space, where arguably, people have the greatest, most fundamental need. 

And finally, two of the best pieces of content I came across on TikTok this week: This video unexpectedly explores the thought process behind the creation of the analog clock and this crowd-created videoshows just how far the internet will go to troll a random dude. 

—Darlene Kenney, Digital Strategist 

GUEST CURATED BY THE BRILLIANT MINDS AT 


FILMMAKER

Trust me when I say this: You never know what gems you’ll find at a local community film festival.Kiel McNaughton is an incredible filmmaker of Māori, Chinese, and Scottish descent in the local New Zealand film scene. I caught his first feature, THE LEGEND OF BARON TO’A, at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival a few years ago, and it blew me away. Set in an Aotearoa cul-de-sac, the film stars Uli Latukefu (Young Rock) as a young Tongan man returning home to confront his father’s legacy. For a small film, the action and stunt work are incredible. But more importantly, Kiel is able to really capture John Argall’s script and bring to life the heart and humor (universal, but quite Kiwi!)—honestly, it was so much fun. (And yes, it’s available on most platforms in the US to rent/buy—so go support!)

—Jes Vu, Manager, Communications/Consulting, CAPE 

*Check this space every week during the month of May for a spotlight on an inspiring AAPI creative you need to know. Curated with love by our friends at CAPE. That’s short for Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment, and org that champions diversity by educating, connecting, and empowering Asian American and Pacific Islander artists and leaders in entertainment and media. Learn more about their work here. 

FILM

If you just can’t get enough of Black cowboy culture (a.k.a. the yeehaw agenda) like me, you’ll absolutely love CONCRETE COWBOY (trailer here). The movie follows the life of Cole, played by Caleb McLaughlin (whom I absolutely adore), as he’s sent away by his mom to stay with his father (Idris Alba) in North Philadelphia. Upon his arrival it's pretty clear that his dad wasn’t expecting company—and literally has Cole share a room with his favorite horse. Cole quickly learns that it's not just his father who’s horse-obsessed—it's the entire town. And they will go to extreme lengths to preserve their rights to keep their horse. What really makes the film cool is the fact that it’s based on the novel GHETTO COWBOY by Greg Neri, which is actually inspired by the entirely real Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club—a horse-riding community in inner-city Philadelphia. The film takes representation to another level by also including real-life members from the Riding Club in the production. 

—Eden Bekele, Digital Associate 

TV

PBS is currently five episodes into the eight-part docu-series PHILLY D.A. (trailer here), about the first term of Philadelphia district attorney Larry Krasner. There’s no better time to catch up, as Krasner, a lifelong civil rights attorney who unexpectedly won the D.A. seat in a landslide 2017 election, faces a reelection challenge in the Democratic primary on May 18. I know that “PBS” and “municipal government” might not scream entertainment, but PHILLY D.A. is dramatic as hell—and informative, too. 

Krasner pledged to change the culture of Philly’s criminal justice system but has met resistance from his new colleagues: the prosecutors and police officers he’s spent his entire career criticizing. The filmmakers (Ted Passon, Yoni Brook, and Nicola Salazar) provide a comprehensive look at the past and present of the Philadelphia D.A.’s office, taking time to profile the many people that make city government run. It’s like watching a chemical reaction in real time, a practical experiment in how change in government can happen.

—Nolan Russell, Executive Assistant

THEATER

Musical theater nerds rejoice, for MCC Theater’s MISCAST gala is back! The annual gala and showcase features Broadway stars performing songs that they would traditionally never have the chance to play, often because of the character’s gender—i.e. Gavin Creel and Aaron Tveit’s iconic performance of Take Me or Leave Me from RENT. This year’s performers include Billy Porter, Idina Menzel, Renée Elise Goldsberry, and Melissa Barrera, and you can stream it all on MCC’s website starting May 16! 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive

BOOK

Most people know Alison Bechdel as the inventor of The Bechdel Test, but hopefully some of you are also familiar with her debut graphic memoir, FUN HOME. Bechdel is back this week with her third graphic memoir, THE SECRET TO SUPERHUMAN STRENGTH. The book chronicles Bechdel’s complicated lifelong “journey of fitness,” from Jane Fonda videos and HIIT to spin classes and skiing (both Alpine and Nordic). The book is in no way an exercise manual—it’s an exploration of Bechdel’s relationship with her body and the role fitness plays in that relationship— something I’m sure many of us grappled with this year while we were locked in our houses. 

—Julia Hammer, Creative Executive

MUSIC

Say what you will about working from home, but it’s taught me a few important lessons about my productivity style. Most importantly, that I work so much better with music playing in my space. And recently I’ve been able to pinpoint exactly what kind of music really soothes, and encourages me to zone in. I’d describe this music as melodic, repetitive and simple house, which brings me to my rec for this week, Park Hye Jin.

The South Korean-born DJ, producer, rapper and singer literally owns the simplistic house sound, which some others call K-House. In her first EP, IF U WANT IT, she effortlessly blends soft beats with repetitive lyrics and loops, creating a light dreamy world and cementing herself in the house music space. Her second EP, HOW CAN I, is a roller coaster of emotions, and I can appreciate that she’s experimenting with darker energy and sounds, but still includes repetition as a central theme. Here’s hoping I get to see her do her thing in person soon, but until then I will continue looping these EPs while I work from the solace of my bedroom. 

—Eden Bekele, Digital Associate
 

Speaking of WFH-jams, I urge you to tune in to young artist Tobi Lou. The Spotify gods recommended him to me while I was driving and vibing to SZA and Smino, the latter of whom Tobi has collaborated with. As I was nodding along to his laid-back beats and chill tempo, I also felt myself grinning at his lyrics. “I don’t think I’m ready, no, not for that jelly, my honey like Winnie the Pooh.” (DARLIN’). And from his hilarious and relatable song, SKIN CARE TUTORIAL 2020: ”I'm irrational, I'm too passionate, I don't give a f----, I just popped a zip. Mirror on the wall, who the baddest b-----? Oh yeah right that's me, how could I forget?” How can you not smile at that inversion of traditional pop bravado?His tunes, chill as they are, are shots of serotonin and energy to an otherwise chaotic day. I also highly recommend watching his music videos for SKIN CARE and DARLIN’. Like his music, his video aesthetic is the perfect blend of nostalgic and whimsical themes wrapped in either energetic or soothing lo-fi beats. Let’s give this young artist some hype and love! 

—Shuyu Cao, Executive Assistant