Antipathy | Jotup

Keeping a film’s identity as a musical secret is key for box office success – here’s why

Retrieved on:

星期三, 二月 14, 2024

However, many cinema-goers would have been surprised to find these were musicals at all, considering the lack of any such suggestion in their marketing.

Key Points:

However, many cinema-goers would have been surprised to find these were musicals at all, considering the lack of any such suggestion in their marketing.
Their slogans read “discover how Willy became Wonka”, “a bold new take on a beloved classic” and “not your mother’s Mean Girls”.
Each indicates originality and change without specifying that the change in question is musical.

Musicals at the box office

YouTube documentary channel Wait in the Wings has highlighted the stark contrast in box office figures between musical films that market themselves as “musicals” and those that don’t.
The popularity of “secret musicals” suggests audiences do enjoy musicals, but perhaps reluctantly.
While musical theatre has long been stereotyped as predominately enjoyed by women and gay men, Hollywood remains largely male dominated.
However, I believe another reason lies in the “musical” label and its tendency to overpower and absorb a work’s identity.

The power of the ‘musical label’

Perhaps this has the potential to cause lethargy for audiences, and undesirable limitations for directors who might want their work to encompass other genres.
Mean Girls (2004) and Mean Girls the Broadway musical (2017) are two distinctly different works.
Perhaps we must think back to The Greatest Showman (2017) and its disappointing opening weekend.
The songs were a hit, providing great slow-burn advertising for the film, which grew in popularity with time.
Perhaps the “secret musical” is not a dig at the genre, but a helping hand – a provocative and necessary “bold new take”.

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Jodie Passey does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Why have authoritarianism and libertarianism merged? A political psychologist on 'the vulnerability of the modern self'

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星期二, 一月 2, 2024

To be libertarian is to see the freedom of the individual as the supreme principle of politics.

Key Points:

To be libertarian is to see the freedom of the individual as the supreme principle of politics.
It is core to the economics and politics of neo-liberalism, as well as to some bohemian counter-cultures.
Consider Donald Trump, whose re-election in 2024 would be seen by many as adding to the international rise of authoritarianism.
Alongside them were the Proud Boys, whose misty libertarianism is paired with a proto-authoritarian commitment to politics as violence.

New age meets anti-vax

But they were also facilitated by libertarian ideologies which rationalise suspicion of and antipathy towards authority of all sorts – and support refusals to comply with public health measures.
One might have thought that Totnes and some other towns like it would be the last places we’d find sympathy for authoritarian politics.
And of that group, 60% believed the use of violence in the name of such a movement would be justified.

Two responses to the same anxiety

As Erich Fromm and others have shown, our ideological affinities are linked to unconscious structures of feeling.
At this level, authoritarianism and libertarianism are the interchangeable products of the same underlying psychological difficulty: the vulnerability of the modern self.
Authoritarian political movements offer a sense of belonging to a collective, and of being protected by its strong leader.
This may be completely illusory, but it nonetheless provides a sense of safety in a world of threatening change and risk.

Barry Richards does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

ALCON CO-FOUNDERS AND CO-CEO'S STATE "THE BLIND SIDE" IS AS TRUE TODAY AS IT WAS 14 YEARS AGO

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星期四, 八月 24, 2023

THE BLIND SIDE was a film that no major studio would make, back when Alcon financed the film in 2009.

Key Points:

THE BLIND SIDE was a film that no major studio would make, back when Alcon financed the film in 2009.
The two of us are the longest-running interracial business partnership in the history of the film industry.
In November, it will be 14 years since THE BLIND SIDE was released by our distribution partner, Warner Bros.
We are as proud of the film today as we were when our amazing collaborators made the movie 14 years ago.

Irenic Calls on The Restaurant Group’s Board of Directors to Replace Chairman Ken Hanna Due to Mounting Corporate Governance Issues

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星期二, 七月 11, 2023

Consulting, Professional Services, Finance, Rockefeller Capital Management, The Restaurant Group, LON, Antipathy, Entrepreneurship, Restaurant, Committee, Management, Irenicism

Adam Katz, Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Irenic, commented:

Key Points:

Adam Katz, Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Irenic, commented:
“Over the past year, Irenic has attempted to work constructively and privately with The Restaurant Group.
The response from the Board and management has been to dither and to delay.
This refusal to evaluate potential director candidates on merit runs counter to the Company’s stated corporate governance principles.
As such, we believe Mr. Hanna should resign, or the Board should take steps to appoint a new Chairman that can represent all shareholders.”

Ukraine war: how Putin's anti-LGBTQ+ agenda is an attempt to build support for the invasion

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星期六, 六月 17, 2023

This law had banned anything that suggested gay relationships were normal, as well as what it called “gay propaganda” in all forms of media.

Key Points:

This law had banned anything that suggested gay relationships were normal, as well as what it called “gay propaganda” in all forms of media.
Conscription campaigns have carried a strong appeal to Russian men’s sense of traditional masculinity.
The purpose of a new version of the “gay propaganda” law was part of Putin’s manipulation of the political agenda.
In one example, two video bloggers from Kazan, a young queer couple, were prosecuted for sharing videos through social networks discussing gay issues.
The aim of these anti-LGBTQ+ “propaganda” speech acts was to generate fear, or hatred, of a minority.
But also to create political legitimacy for the powerful, by pitting the majority “us” against the minority “them”.

Putin’s propaganda

The original “gay propaganda” law had a very clear political mission: it was supposed to increase support of Putin’s fading popularity.
Polls in 2013 revealed that 43% of Russians thought homosexuality was “licentiousness, a bad habit” and 35% thought it was “illness or the result of psychological trauma”.

What explains Donald Trump's enduring appeal with Republican voters?

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星期四, 六月 15, 2023

This defense, echoed by Fox News, has also been adopted by leading members of the Republican party, including Kevin McCarthy, the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Key Points:

This defense, echoed by Fox News, has also been adopted by leading members of the Republican party, including Kevin McCarthy, the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
If the most prominent Republicans are either defending the former president or keeping a low profile, it’s because Donald Trump remains very popular with right-wing voters.
This gap continues to widen, even in the state of Florida, where Ron Desantis was overwhelmingly re-elected governor in 2022.
In line with previous scandals, the new indictment is unlikely to dent Republican voters’ support for the former president.

Divided Republicans

The problem is that, apart from this homogeneous radicalized pro-Trump base unified around the former president, the Republicans are divided.
20% of Republican voters) have not found an alternative candidate and therefore say they are ready to rally behind Trump.
One other important factor not often considered is that only a tiny minority of voters cast a ballot in the primaries – less than 15% turnout among Republicans in 2016, which is still the highest rate in over 30 years.

A more radical but less charismatic rival

But in so doing, DeSantis is actually seeking to appeal to a segment of the electorate quite similar to that of Trump.
Described by the Financial Times as a “Donald Trump with brains and without the drama,” he is also known for his lack of charisma.

Racial resentment as a unifying factor

For the majority of Republicans, the mere idea of an indictment feels politically motivated.
This enduring suspicion illustrates not only that perception counts for more than reality, but also that there is a form of paranoia symptomatic of an identity crisis rooted in economic anxiety and racial resentment.
For part of this white American electorate, this comes down to what sociologist Arlie Hochschild calls “a deep history”.

Trump’s “emotional strategy”

Donald Trump’s success stems from his charisma and his ability to tap into the fear, resentment and humiliation of that deep story.
A recent study shows, for example, a growing number of Latinos and people of colour in the white supremacist movement.

Martyr and superhero

Donald Trump has built a narrative around himself in which he is a victim-in-chief, even a martyr, with whom his electorate can identify on the one hand and, and a hypemasculinized superhero in whom his base can project itself on the other.
On the eve of the 2016 elections, he claimed to be the “voice of the forgotten”.
In such a context, we can legitimately wonder what would happen if Trump were to lose the Republican primaries.

The ‘otherness’ of Jacinda Ardern – by doing politics differently she changed the game and saved her party

Retrieved on:

星期一, 四月 17, 2023

When Ardern delivered her valedictory statement earlier this month, I was in Canada as a visiting speaker at the University of Alberta.

Key Points:

When Ardern delivered her valedictory statement earlier this month, I was in Canada as a visiting speaker at the University of Alberta.
My lectures and workshops included sessions on gender politics and the pandemic, media representations of women leaders, and the possibilities for leading with kindness.
People questioned why New Zealanders appeared to have forgotten their country’s internationally recognised success in the fight against COVID-19.

Gender politics

For example, in her study of news coverage of four women prime ministers from New Zealand, Australia and Canada, Linda Trimble reveals that gender is explicitly referenced.
The research also shows this use of gender references is most common when a country experiences its first female political leader.
Read more:
Jacinda Ardern says goodbye to parliament: how her politics of kindness fell on unkind times
Yet when Ardern became Labour leader, throughout her tenure and on her departure from politics, it seemed her gender continued to have news value: we first read about “Jacindamania” just two hours after she became leader, followed by questions from talk show hosts about her motherhood intentions.

Ardern’s ‘otherness’

Certainly, having a baby while in office accentuated her as novel and newsworthy, nationally and internationally.
In her valedictory statement, Ardern implicitly addressed this “otherness”:
I leave knowing I was the best mother I could be.
You can be that person and be here […] I do hope I have demonstrated something else entirely.
Read more:
Anniversary of a landslide: new research reveals what really swung New Zealand's 2020 'COVID election'

Great expectations

Those “expecting her to be the party’s salvation and deliver them the government benches”, the columnist went on, “have set their expectations too high”.
Perhaps by promising policy “transformation”, Ardern set her own expectations too high.
And, as I witnessed in Canada, there are young people elsewhere who Jacinda Ardern has inspired to lead with kindness.

Opportunities in Quantum Networks 2022 to 2031: Huge Potential in the Development of the Quantum Internet

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星期一, 十一月 7, 2022

Opportunities prior to the quantum internet: For now, quantum networks and QKD networks are taken as more or less the same.

Key Points:

Opportunities prior to the quantum internet: For now, quantum networks and QKD networks are taken as more or less the same.
Quantum sensor networks: A new type of quantum network is covered in the report - quantum sensor networks.
This part of our quantum networking report considers both classical networks of quantum sensors and future end-to-end quantum sensors networks.
Satellites vs. fiber in quantum networks: Until commercial repeaters become widely available, satellites will play an important role in long-haul quantum networks.

The ‘Golden Age’ of the Monarchy? 13 Million Brits Plan on Tuning Into The Crown Whilst King Charles Receives 73% Approval Rating

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星期一, 十一月 7, 2022

TV and Radio, Entertainment, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Life, Antipathy, Anne, Princess Royal, Death, Research, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Ageing, Element, Monarchy, Netflix, SurveyMonkey, Jewellery, Toy, Momentive, Crown, Royals

King Charles III begins his reign with high favourability, as 73% of Brits hold a favourable opinion of the new king.

Key Points:

King Charles III begins his reign with high favourability, as 73% of Brits hold a favourable opinion of the new king.
His favourability ratings, however, are surpassed by those of Prince William (83%), Princess Kate (84%), and Princess Anne (78%).
One third (33%) say the show is not an accurate representation, whilst (47%) think that some elements are accurate.
Whilst King Charles III begins his reign with high favourability, Camillas favourability is much lower at just 58%.

Fees Cause Customers to Reevaluate Bank Relationships, According to a New Survey

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星期二, 十一月 1, 2022

Banking, Marketing, Communications, Professional Services, Other Communications, Marketing, YouGov, Antipathy, International Journal of Bank Marketing, McGuffin, Customer, Ageing, Particle-size distribution, News, Bank, Cryptocurrency

A new study of U.S. banking customers and their attitudes toward fees has uncovered that nearly one in three customers considered changing banks because of those fees.

Key Points:

A new study of U.S. banking customers and their attitudes toward fees has uncovered that nearly one in three customers considered changing banks because of those fees.
The second annual study, commissioned by McGuffin Creative Group and conducted by YouGov, sheds light on customers perceptions and attitudes toward common banking fees and how their bank communicates those fees.
The finding is supported by the fact that customers continue to perceive fees they deem service fees as unfair, despite their infrequency.
For access to the free survey report Banks, Customers and Fees: An In-Depth Look for Bank Marketers, visit: https://pages.services/info.mcguffincg.com/banking-fees-research-2022/
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.