Reed Van Dyk was writing a film about a mass shooting when he realized he didn’t know how a 911 dispatcher answered the phone. Listening to a real 911 call during an attempted shooting at an Atlanta elementary school, however, gave him the inspiration for a different film. “After hearing that phone call, I kept […]
Category Archives: Film & TV
Q&A: Alum, creator of series ‘When We Rise’ talks importance of LGBTQ history
The “we” in “When We Rise” is the most crucial part of the TV show’s title. It speaks to the idea that historically underrepresented groups are strongest when they join together and fight as a united coalition, said Dustin Lance Black, the show’s writer and creator. The UCLA alumnus and Oscar-winning screenwriter of the 2008 […]
Hollywood Diversity Report spotlights structural inequity in film, TV
In Hollywood, the only color that matters is green. But the types of films proven to make a lot of money are not always the ones that get made, said Darnell Hunt, the director of the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA. Films and television shows with diverse representation proportional to […]
Video: UCLA alum brings ‘Moana’ ocean to life
Holding a Ph.D. in mathematics from UCLA, Alexey Stomakhin now spends his days working at Walt Disney Animation Studios as a senior software engineer. His research helped bring to life the water from this year’s Oscar-nominated animation feature “Moana”. Watch as Stomakhin describes his experience with Disney, both on and behind the screens.
Oscars 2017: Unwinding reels of memory to storyboard scenes in ‘Zootopia’
The walls of Melnitz Hall, lined with Hollywood movie posters, foreshadow the potential of students at UCLA. After studying within the entertainment capital of the United States, some Bruin filmmakers go on to contribute to award-winning films. In the week leading up to the 2017 Academy Awards, Daily Bruin A&E will spotlight UCLA alumni behind […]
Oscars 2017: Costume designers to host discussion tailored for aspiring Bruins
Oscars season has arrived in style at UCLA. Students and Los Angeles community members will gather Saturday to hear the costume designers of some of this year’s most critically acclaimed films discuss their artistic visions and processes. The event, titled Sketch to Screen Costume Design Panel and Celebration, will be put on by the School […]
Reel Representation: Recent increase in Oscars diversity does not equal inclusive film industry
Diversity in film and television came into the spotlight in 2016 with #OscarsSoWhite. A USC study in 2016 found only about a quarter of speaking characters belonged to nonwhite racial groups. In “Reel Representation,” columnist Olivia Mazzucato discusses different issues of race and representation in media as they relate to new movies and TV shows. […]