NFTRW Weekly Top Five

Here are the top five comment generating posts of the past week:

Why is paper still so magical?

blog.google: As a researcher on the Artificial Intelligence User Experience team (AIUX) at Google, I spend a lot of time thinking about technology’s role in creativity. Over the past year, I've been interviewing folks about creativity, idea generation and the technology they use, and one little comment always made it into every conversation: “I prefer paper.”

Posted by David at 2/25/2021 11:45:00 AM

How to Overcome 'Zoom Fatigue'

lifehacker.com: Throughout the pandemic, many former office workers have been necessarily glued to their computer monitors. As work migrated online, video tools like Zoom and Google Hangouts have become the rare outlet for regular face-time with colleagues. But short of an alternative for seeing your co-workers without a screen in the way, all this videoconferencing has led to an epidemic of “Zoom fatigue.”

Posted by David at 2/25/2021 11:37:00 AM

City Moves Ahead On Big Slate Of Public-Art Projects

90.5 WESA: The city this week began accepting applications from artists for $500,000 in projects in its five regional parks, including Frick, Schenley, Riverview, Highland and Emerald View; those funds are part of an Allegheny Regional Asset District (ARAD) Art in Parks grant. City officials said another $300,000 will go toward other projects later this year.

Posted by David at 2/26/2021 09:53:00 AM

CMU study shows how the pandemic and a lack of physical activity led to a spike in depression among college students

Education Issue | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper: College students can be especially vulnerable to mental health challenges for dozens of reasons, including living away from home, making new friends, figuring out how to be an adult, and coming to terms with harsh realizations about the world. For many college students, the arrival of the pandemic in 2020 thrust them unexpectedly into an even more confusing realm.

Posted by David at 2/25/2021 11:43:00 AM

How to Recognize and Manage Imposter Syndrome

Dance Magazine: It often starts as a little voice. "She looked better doing that combination than I did." "I'm never going to get that role." But over time, the whispers can turn to shouts. "I'm not as good as they think I am." "I'm never going to make it as a professional dancer." "I don't belong in this program."

Posted by David at 2/24/2021 11:25:00 AM

 

AI identifies social bias trends in Bollywood, Hollywood movies

EurekAlert! Science News: Babies whose births were depicted in Bollywood films from the 1950s and 60s were more often than not boys; in today's films, boy and girl newborns are about evenly split. In the 50s and 60s, dowries were socially acceptable; today, not so much. And Bollywood's conception of beauty has remained consistent through the years: beautiful women have fair skin.

Historic Cathedral Acoustically Replicated In Auditorium In Spain With d&b Soundscape

ProSoundWeb: The Almería (Spain) City Orchestra’s annual Christmas concert late last year needed to be presented in a different venue than usual due to the pandemic, with d&b Soundscape employed to help create the appropriate sonic environment for the production.

How Well Do You Know Your Audio Console?

Church Production Magazine: Taking the time to engage more fully with our technology and understand its capabilities makes us better in our craft. Time spent here is an investment in ourselves and it allows us to use our talents to engage others more effectively. It allows us to minister better. Here are three capabilities that I generally see underutilized--or that are even unknown to many operators serving in our churches.

City Moves Ahead On Big Slate Of Public-Art Projects

90.5 WESA: The city this week began accepting applications from artists for $500,000 in projects in its five regional parks, including Frick, Schenley, Riverview, Highland and Emerald View; those funds are part of an Allegheny Regional Asset District (ARAD) Art in Parks grant. City officials said another $300,000 will go toward other projects later this year.

Lighting Design: Big Designs on a Small Budget

Church Production Magazine: I am always looking for new ideas, philosophies, and techniques to get the best “bang for my buck” when it comes to stage lighting and lighting effects for our church. Lighting is definitely one area where you can spend a lot of money very quickly and not have a whole lot to show for it.

Ruth Carter Tapped 39 Fashion Designers for ‘Coming 2 America’

WWD: If you thought Wakanda was stylish, wait until you see Zamunda. Costume legend Ruth E. Carter has outdone herself with “Coming 2 America,” the sequel to the 1988 comedy classic “Coming to America” that starred Eddie Murphy as Prince Akeem Joffer, crown prince of the fictional African nation Zamunda, who travels to America to find a bride.

Birds Of Prey’s costumes changed the game for female superheroes

film.avclub.com: Even before Black Panther and Joker broke through to broader awards-season glory, the superhero genre enjoyed some recognition at the Oscars. Various Batmen, Hellboys, Spider-Men, Guardians Of The Galaxy, and Suicide Squads have all been honored for their visual effects and/or makeup designs over the years—a tradition that dates back to 1979, when Richard Donner’s Superman earned a Special Achievement Award for its effects at that year’s Oscars.

The Innovation of Theatre During a Pandemic

SoundGirls.org: 2020 was the year that Broadway, and so many other theaters, closed their doors. Consoles remained covered. Houses stayed empty. The lonely ghost light stood center stage. However, the year also came with great innovation, which is something that cannot be ignored by those who remain working in this industry. Though our theatre doors may be shut, many have turned to other ways to safely continue community involvement.

Natalie Ibu: “I think the sector has been too seduced by the idea of new and young and sexy”

Exeunt Magazine: “Oh Rosemary, we’ve got a problem on our hands!” exclaims Natalie Ibu, interrupting herself mid-way through chatting about her new role as Artistic Director of Northern Stage. The situation? Obi Puff Puff, an adorable white Maltese dog who’s the star of Ibu’s social media feed and who I instantly asked to meet at the start of the interview, has helped himself to an entire bag of treats intended to be kept out of his reach.

Hello Las Vegas! How livestreaming is transforming the stage

Stage | The Guardian: As Christmas season dawned at the end of last year, two American critics had a crash course in that most British of theatre traditions, pantomime, dropping in remotely to eight shows for the New York Times. “I felt like an ethnographer studying a foreign culture’s strange ceremonies,” wrote one, while the other enjoyed the peppering of Covid-related jokes, including the insertion of “fiiiiiive toilet rolls” into The 12 Days of Christmas.

Illuminating the Careers of Disabled Lighting Designers

HowlRound Theatre Commons: Annie Wiegand is the first, and maybe the only, professional Deaf lighting designer in the theatre industry in the United States. She has been working as a freelance designer in New York City for a decade and is also a professor in the theatre and dance program at Gallaudet University, the only university in the world for Deaf students. Michael Maag is a lighting and projection designer who acquired his disability in a car versus bicycle accident in 2003 and became a T-9 paraplegic. He is the resident lighting designer at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and a founding member of Kinetic Light, a disability arts ensemble.

'Queen Sugar' Showrunner Anthony Sparks on Black History

Variety: Black history, to me, means my Mississippi mother was right after all. She often told me that “Any room you walk into, assume you belong there.” Ironically, I’m not sure my mother– a domestic, sharecropper, and factory worker for much of her life– ever fully realized that feeling for herself.

Three Costume Designers Meet for Tea on the Edge of a Cliff

HowlRound Theatre Commons: Bringing together three designers—let alone three designers of the same discipline, costume design—for a conversation outside of the context of a specific production is not your typical interview. New York–based Lux Haac, bicoastal Dominique Fawn Hill, and Washington, DC–based Deb Sivigny collectively hold over thirty-eight years of professional experience and many stories from the field. They were introduced to each other by series curators Porsche McGovern and Kate Freer, who thought that a dialogue between costume designers would illuminate the interpersonal side of design and the current struggles within their profession.

Roots Run Deep showcases Black hair in Pittsburgh

Visual Art | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper: Black hair has been the subject of discrimination and bias for centuries. Whether it is in its natural state or styled with extensions, Black people’s hair has been deemed unprofessional and unruly by many who have hiring power in today’s work industry, resulting in legislation like the CROWN "Creating a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair" Act, which declares discrimination based on an individual’s hair illegal.

Why is paper still so magical?

blog.google: As a researcher on the Artificial Intelligence User Experience team (AIUX) at Google, I spend a lot of time thinking about technology’s role in creativity. Over the past year, I've been interviewing folks about creativity, idea generation and the technology they use, and one little comment always made it into every conversation: “I prefer paper.”

Pittsburgh invests $800,000 in public art, seeks proposals for 18 projects

Visual Art | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper: The pandemic has highlighted the importance of public art, as the format gives artists and patrons a way to show and view work in safer spaces that allow for social distancing. Now Pittsburgh will embark on an ambitious new initiative to fund and execute a number of public art projects across the city.

The Rush to Virtual Dance Performances

Dance Magazine: Competitive and optimistic—at times to a fault—dance artists and organizations rushed to the internet last spring as COVID-19 spread. For some, this meant uploading footage to YouTube; others experimented with interactive webcasts on Zoom. Festivals and presenters convened panel discussions with speakers and viewers from numerous countries. By the end of April, anyone familiar with social media could easily spend 40 hours a week consuming local, regional, national and international dance.

CMU study shows how the pandemic and a lack of physical activity led to a spike in depression among college students

Education Issue | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper: College students can be especially vulnerable to mental health challenges for dozens of reasons, including living away from home, making new friends, figuring out how to be an adult, and coming to terms with harsh realizations about the world. For many college students, the arrival of the pandemic in 2020 thrust them unexpectedly into an even more confusing realm.

You’re New Here, Aren’t You? Digital Theater’s Unexpected Upside

The New York Times: Five days after the coronavirus quieted performing arts venues, the Irish Repertory Theater found its voice. It was St. Patrick’s Day, after all — not an occasion to go unacknowledged, even during a pandemic. So the humble nonprofit started posting homespun videos of company members performing Irish-themed songs, poems and monologues on social media.

Broadway unions lobby New York state for COBRA subsidy renewal

Broadway News: With most of the theater industry out of work and in danger of losing healthcare coverage, the affiliated unions are asking the state to renew its COBRA subsidy program for entertainment workers, which would cover 50% of members’ healthcare premiums. The state’s current COBRA program is set to expire July 2021.

Most People Can’t Tell the Difference Between Art Made by Humans and by AI, a Rather Concerning New Study Says

news.artnet.com: “There is a battle rising between humans and machines.” No, that’s not a voiceover from another Matrix or Terminator movie. That’s the first line of a new study on how humans perceive artworks made by computers versus those made by humans, and, according to the findings, published in the journal Empirical Studies in the Arts, things don’t look great for the humans.

How to Overcome 'Zoom Fatigue'

lifehacker.com: Throughout the pandemic, many former office workers have been necessarily glued to their computer monitors. As work migrated online, video tools like Zoom and Google Hangouts have become the rare outlet for regular face-time with colleagues. But short of an alternative for seeing your co-workers without a screen in the way, all this videoconferencing has led to an epidemic of “Zoom fatigue.”

Meyer Sound Spacemap Go Intensifies Auditory Experience At AREA15 In Las Vegas

ProSoundWeb: At AREA15, a new art and entertainment district located minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, one of the principal attractions is a space called “The Portal” where visitors can plunge into a 360-degree projection-mapped video experience supported by immersive audio enabled by Meyer Sound’s new Spacemap Go spatial sound design and live mixing tool.

Skill Builder: What Wood Finishes Are The Most Eco Friendly?

makezine.com: Most finishes, even the “green” ones, contain VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, which they emit as fumes or gases. Many VOCs are known to be bad for the atmosphere and for your personal health. An easy VOC test: If it smells bad, it is bad. Never mind the short-term side effects like headaches and nausea, VOCs have been linked to liver, kidney, and nervous system damage as well as an increase in smog and tropospheric ozone. (It’s bad. You can look it up.) So our goal is to find a finish with little to no VOCs that still gets the job done.

Recreating the essence of Billie Holiday's iconic style

Los Angeles Times: Being tasked with re-creating Billie Holiday’s iconic looks in “The United States vs. Billie Holiday” was a challenge for costume designer Paolo Nieddu, both because director Lee Daniels’ biopic required so many costume changes and because there was a pressure to get the history right. Ultimately, Nieddu, who previously collaborated with Daniels on “Empire,” determined that the film’s aesthetic was an imagined take on Holiday rather than a definitive reality.

Sydney selected to host SIGGRAPH Asia 2023

InPark Magazine: SIGGRAPH Asia has announced Sydney to be the host city for its 2023 conference and exhibition, bringing together the world’s most respected technical and creative minds, and further building New South Wales’ position as a leading global knowledge hub for creative industries.

How to Recognize and Manage Imposter Syndrome

Dance Magazine: It often starts as a little voice. "She looked better doing that combination than I did." "I'm never going to get that role." But over time, the whispers can turn to shouts. "I'm not as good as they think I am." "I'm never going to make it as a professional dancer." "I don't belong in this program."

Common Sound Editorial Mistakes That Can Become Big Mix Problems

SoundGirls.org: As a mixer, I see all kinds of issues cropping up that originated in sound editorial. And with my background in sound editorial, I’ve surely committed every one of them myself at some point. Here’s a list of some common problems we see on the mix stage. Avoiding these problems will not only make your work easier to handle and more professionally presented, but it will also hopefully save you a snarky email or comment from a mixer!

Industry or Community

HowlRound Theatre Commons: Prior to the pandemic, designers, like many theatremakers, existed in a fiscally precarious environment. There seemed to be an unspoken assumption among artistic leadership that we had other sources of income. There must have been, because if theatre institutions actually calculated how much designers are paid, and then how many projects designers would need to take on in a year to survive without outside funding, then the current pay scale would appear to be unconscionable.

One Size Does Not Fit All in Acoustics

SoundGirls.org: Have you ever stood outside when it has been snowing and noticed that it feels “quieter” than normal? Have you ever heard your sibling or housemate play music or talk in the room next to you and hear only the lower frequency content on the other side of the wall? People are better at perceptually understanding acoustics than we give ourselves credit for.

Martinez Named CFA Assistant Dean of DEI

www.cmu.edu: Valeria J. Martinez has been named the assistant dean for diversity, equity and inclusion within Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Fine Arts (CFA). CFA Dean Dan Martin announced the appointment of Martinez to the new position in a message to the CFA community earlier today.

It’s Time to Embrace the Singular ‘They’

lifehacker.com: Grammar snobs may shudder in disgust at this idea, but it’s time to normalize the use of they/them as singular pronouns. It’s 2021; no more of this “he or she, his or her” stuff.

Kevin Michael Richardson To Voice Dr. Hibbert on The Simpsons

The Mary Sue: In a move that is long overdue, The Simpsons has announced that veteran voice actor Harry Shearer will step away from the role of Dr. Hibbert. Shearer, who voices many iconic Springfieldians including Mr. Burns, Waylon Smithers, Principal Skinner, and Ned Flanders, will be replaced by actor Kevin Michael Richardson.

The rich, deep decor of Lee Daniels' Billie Holiday biopic

Film and Furniture: Andra Day is captivating and wholly believable as Billie Holiday in Lee Daniels’ new movie The United States vs. Billie Holiday and has already been recognised for her performance with a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress. The film sets are equally absorbing. From jazz clubs to penthouses, the colour themes are rich and deep, and some gorgeous art deco furniture caught our eye too.

Stage Monitoring For Captain & Tennille At The MGM Grand In Las Vegas, Circa 1979

ProSoundWeb: The fact is, musicians are becoming more demanding in their requirements for good monitors and monitoring systems are growing in complexity and sophistication to satisfy this demand. The trend is to more and more independent mixes on stage and finer control of these mixes.

Rhythm & Alps Festival Closes 2020 with Hippotizer Karst

TPi: It’s a comfort to know that somewhere in the world, 2020 ended with a music festival. That’s what happened in the shadow of New Zealand’s Southern Alps, where the Rhythm & Alps Festival saw off the year with a celebratory vibe enhanced by TomTom Productions, whose Hippotizer™ Media Servers from Green Hippo delivered the visuals for three separate stages.

Kobalt 24V Max Oscillating Multi-Tool Review

Pro Tool Reviews: With names like Fein, Bosch, and Makita to compete with, you don’t necessarily expect to find the Kobalt 24V Max Oscillating Multi-Tool near the top of the cordless heap. But that’s the surprising result we got in our head-to-head review when we compiled all the data. So just how did this Lowe’s brand manage to engineer one of the top-performing models?

The Wonderful Woman Behind Wonder Woman 1984’s Incredible Costume Design

SHEmazing!: It takes incredible skill and talent to nail the costume design for an entire feature-length film, and Lindy Hemming has done a fantastic job with Wonder Woman 1984's outfits. Costume design may well be one of the most underrated aspects of film making, at least from the audience's perspective. This is because it is one of those elements of making a movie that viewers only really notice when it is poorly done.

Pulling It Together: Putting Good Use To Existing Tech To Produce A Quality Livestream

ProSoundWeb: Every December for the last 13 years, Dave and Patty Tyler, owners of Tylerland Recording Studios in Rome, NY have gathered at a local bar with about a hundred of their closest friends and hosted a night of music featuring their own band, TYLER, joined by numerous other local acts.

Producers, Guilds Ask President Biden To Keep Job-Creating Entertainment Top Of Mind In Policy Agenda; “Our Industry Comprised Of Much More Than Red-Carpet Celebrities

Deadline: The Motion Picture Association, DGA, IATSE, IFTA, SAG-AFTRA along with the AFL-CIO’s Department of Professional Employees have penned a letter to President Joe Biden urging the new administration to keep the job-providing, economy-stimulating film and television community in mind when hashing out policy.

USITT Announces 2021 Award Winners

Lighting&Sound America Online - News: USITT announces and congratulates its 2021 award winners. Winners will be honored during the institute's 61st Annual Conference & Stage Expo taking place virtually, March 8 - 12, 2021. Congratulations to this year's award winners

Mortal Kombat Movie Used Japanese History To Inspire Scorpion’s Costume

screenrant.comSimon McQuoid, the director for the upcoming Mortal Kombat reboot, says that Japanese history inspired the new costume for iconic MK ninja Scorpion. The film is an adaptation of the wildly popular and bombastically violent Mortal Kombat video game series, while also serving as a theatrical reboot after two live-action Mortal Kombat films came out in the '90s. The film is being produced by James Wan, and does not directly adapt any of the games directly - opting for a mix of stories and elements from across the MK universe.

'The Simpsons' Recasts Dr. Hibbert With Black Voice Actor

Variety: Kevin Michael Richardson will be taking over the voice role of Dr. Hibbert on “The Simpsons,” replacing Harry Shearer, who portrayed the Black character since 1990.

As Ballet Looks Toward Its Future, Let's Talk About Its Troubling Emotional Demands

Pointe: As a ballet student, I distinctively remember being told that to survive ballet as a profession, one must be exceptionally thick-skinned and resilient. I always assumed it was because of the physically demanding nature of ballet: long rehearsal hours, challenging and stressful performances, and physical pain.

Hands On With The Ortur Laser Cutter

Hackaday: I couldn’t write very much without a computer. Early in my career, I wrote with a typewriter. Unless you are pretty close to perfect — I’m not — it is very frustrating to make edits on typewritten stuff. The equivalent in the real world, for me, has been 3D printers and CNC machines. I can visualize a lot of things that I’m not careful enough to build with normal tools.