Films often are products of their time, and German cinema after the fall of Nazism is a prime example. Early “rubble” films like 1946’s “The Murderers Are Among Us” unflinchingly deal with Germany’s psychological guilt over the Holocaust. Sumptuous productions like 1955’s “Sissi” were produced after Germany’s economic boom. UCLA Film and Television Archive hopes […]
Author Archives: Mary Dang
Sweeps shows networks’ lack of class
November isn’t just a turkey season when we give thanks. It’s also TV sweeps month. While for many families it’s a time for caring and sharing, for television networks it’s time to battle for more viewers. Sweeps month is crucial for television networks. For those who don’t know, November is the time when the number […]
Casting director stresses industry connections
African Americans in Communications, Media, and Entertainment is a UCLA organization for anyone interested in going into the entertainment business. It provides internships, workshops, and in the case of last Thursday night, a group discussion with casting director Felicia Fasano (MTV’s “The Real World” series, “Barbershop” and “Training Day”). Though there was some confusion as […]
Minority shows must appeal to wider audience for success
It’s not interesting to have NBC’s “The West Wing” pitted against ABC’s “The Bachelor.” The networks are repeating the same schtick we’ve seen before. ABC is trying to chip away at NBC’s core audience with the enticement of a show that is full of guilty pleasure. Most networks’ strategies don’t amaze me. However, I am […]
UCLA professor Ackerman presses writers to use own life
The standards for what makes a great story can rely on many elements. For some, good writing has to succeed in drawing the audience into another world. For Harold Ackerman, there’s no better world to write about than the real one. As a professor of screenwriting at UCLA for more than 16 years, Ackerman emphasizes […]
Fresh Thinking
Lots of stereotypes come with the derogatory term “fob.” For some, it might bring to mind a confused immigrant wearing a rice paddy hat and speaking in broken English. Whatever the superficial notions may be, the Vietnamese American Arts and Letters Association and VSU.Voice intend to challenge those ideas with the Multi-Art FOB Show, which […]
WB and UPN break network mold with bad, unique shows
There are two types of shows out there. There’s the type of show that wins Emmys, and the type of show that, well … is just there. In other words, it’s on the WB or UPN. (Note: I will refer to WB and UPN as one entity since they are almost the same.) WB and […]