Eleanor Parkyn Journalism Portfolio by Eleanor Parkyn

Eleanor Parkyn Journalism and Design Portfolio 2017

Eleanor Parkyn EXPERIENCE PERSONAL STATEMENT Graduating from Cardiff University with a predicted 2:1 in Journalism, Media and Culture, with experience in copywriting, editorial work and magazine design. Award winning journalist with an active role on the editorial and design teams of Cardiff’s student publications I am looking to continue work in journalism and design. Proficient in InDesign, Photoshop and Wordpress, among others.

CONTACT

earparkyn@gmail.com 07762965142 Devon/Cardiff eleanorparkyn.wordpress.com

EDUCATION

Cardiff University [2014-2017] BA Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies Torquay Girls’ Grammar School [2007-2014] AQA Baccalaureate (Merit) A Levels: English, Psychology & Media Studies AS Levels: History, Critical Thinking 12 GCSE’s: 5 A grades including English and French, and 6 Bs including Maths and IT

Salt Media Publishing [2017] Internship which involved writing content for the Food Magazine website, proofreading the Scottish Independent Coffee Guide and contacting potential advertisers and stockists for Re:Story Magazine. Editor-In-Chief of Q3, [2016-present] Editor of Q3 magazine, a new supplementary publication to Quench magazine, created by myself, that has been shortlisted for a National Student Publication Association Award. In charge of content and design for the tri-annual online publication. This role involves a great deal of organisation and communication with contributors and interviewees, as well as writing long-form features and entertainment pieces myself. The first two issues received 21,500 views online. Head of Design at Q3 and Design Team Member at Quench [2016-present] Page designer for the monthly student magazine and for the tri-annual supplement magazine of which I edit. I am proficient at using InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop. Each issue makes use of original illustrations. I have also been commissioned to design magazines for three festivals in Cardiff. Digital Editor at Quench [2016-present] Editor and Designer for the digital mini-magazines produced by Quench magazine, including the coverage of the Cardiff Independent Film Festival, Swn music festival and Xpresstival music festival, as well as the annual arts magazine Ty Celf. I also contributed large amounts of copy for these publications. These magazines have been viewed over 31,000 times over the past 6 months. Selection Panel for Cardiff Independent Film Festival [2016-present] After my work creating the CIFF magazine, I was asked to help on the organizational committee for the 2017 festival and awards. Editor of the Film and TV section at Quench [2015-2016] As editor of this section I was awarded the Cardiff Student Media 2016 award for Best Section. I regularly contributed content, as well as editing the work of others, maintained PR contacts and conducted interviews; most notably with an animator from Pixar. I had to run social media platforms for the section. Editorial Assistant at Gair Rhydd [2014-2016] Proofreading the entire newspaper weekly, as well as regularly contributing articles to the Science section.

EMPLOYMENT Customer Service Assistant at Dinosaur World [Summer 2016]

REFERENCES AVAILABLE IF REQUIRED

General Assistant at The Downs Hotel, Babbacombe [Summer 2013] Volunteer at Oxfam St. Marychurch [2012-2013]

Journalism Portfolio 2017 Articles included: The Craft: Witchcraft as a source of female empowerment Is Gluten-Free the best thing since sliced bread? The Blame Game: Violent crimes and scapegoat films Lost in Translation: American remakes of Japanese media Scream Queens and Final Girls: The portrayal of women in postmodern horror films Disney Pixarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inside Out: Interview with Paul Oakley

THE CRAFT: WITCHCRAFT AS A SOURCE OF FEMALE EMPOWERMENT

ELEANOR PARKYN INTERVIEWS INITIATED WITCH AND PRIESTESS, CRISTINA ‘DIANARA’ PANDOLFO, ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MODERN DAY WITCH, AND HOW IT EMPOWERS WOMEN.

‘Witch’. The word probably conjures up images of an old warty woman cackling over a cauldron, or flying off on her broom sporting a hat and cloak. But while the concept of the witch might be bundled in together with the other paranormal beings we dress up as for Halloweenlike vampires and werewolves- witches and witchcraft have long been a part of our own reality. However, the difference here is that the fear we have been taught to hold in regards to witches comes less from their apparent supernatural powers, and more from their very real powers of femininity. Although there are males who identify with the term ‘witch’, the image of a witch is first and foremost that of a woman, meaning that the persecution of witches is a direct attack on women too. While the Western world hasn’t seen the persecution of witches since the 18th Century, when 200,000 were tortured, burnt or hanged over a 300-year period, the attack on women has yet to end. Nevertheless, the symbol of the witch has prevailed, constantly subverting the norm and challenging the patriarchy that has sought to destroy it- a true feminist icon! While the modern witch may be a far cry from what we have come to associate with witchcraft; with the influx of Tumblr and Instagram ‘witches’, who prioritise the aesthetic over the practice with their black lipstick and pentagram pendants, the feminist connection still continues. And although this look may seem to reinforce the stereotypical notions of witchcraft sitting on the side of evil, each aspect is in line with the Wiccan beliefs; the colour black symbolises protection, and the five points of the pentagram represent each of the five elements. In fact, nature and the elements is perhaps the key focus point for most involved in the craft, as it is seen as sacred. The themes of nature and nurturing that are central to most practicing witches further reinforces this link to femininity, as the connection between women and nature has always been apparent. But why turn to witchcraft for your sense of empowerment, when we have feminist icons in popular culture already, you may ask!? Cristina Pandolfo, aka ‘Dianara’, an initiated Witch and Priestess ordained in the Dianic Tradition, which is a female focussed spiritual path, incorporating Goddess worship, states that women have a “fundamental role” within witchcraft, and that it “helps women to rediscover the female power which has been suppressed by millennia of patriarchy”. Women are increasingly turning to witchcraft due to this option of worshipping female Goddesses and deities, and themselves becoming Priestesses, which they would perhaps not have the opportunity for when following other more traditional forms of Western religion. This also extends to people who identify as LGBTQ+, who may feel unwelcome in certain religious communities, as many queer individuals have also now embraced the empowering nature of Neopaganism and witchcraft, which allows you to seek the Gods or Goddesses with whom you personally feel the deepest connection. Cristina’s idea of the patriarchy being the cause of women seeking empowerment through witchcraft is echoed amongst self-identifying witches

far and wide. Most notably is that of Starhawk, author of ‘The Spiral Dance’, a best-selling book on Neopagan beliefs, in which she writes “to be a witch is to identify with nine million victims of bigotry and hatred, and to take responsibility for shaping a world in which prejudice claims no more victims”. Similarly, Tarotscopes creator Marty Windahl suggests that witchcraft allows for women to partake in all the things a woman is told she should not by the dominant culture, by utilising what women are told are signs of weakness, such as “emotional sensitivity, or a menstrual cycle”, and using them as “tools” to aid spells and readings. As an Esoteric Herbalist, or ‘Green Witch’, Cristina argues that a deep connection with the earth through witchcraft can “help to heal the ancestral wounds inflicted upon women (and men) by the overpowering and cruel male-rule”.

“WITCHCRAFT ALLOWS FOR WOMEN TO PARTAKE IN ALL THE THINGS A WOMAN IS TOLD SHE SHOULD NOT BY THE DOMINANT CULTURE” The 20th Century saw Witchcraft transcend from a religious practice to a far more politically motivated movement, driven by this innate sense of female empowerment. The women’s liberation movement in America during the 1960s, for example, saw the rise of the Women’s International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell, or W.I.T.C.H. Although the groups were primarily socialist feminists, the witchy connection is obvious, and many of the leading members followed the feministoriented forms of modern Paganism, such as the Dianic Wicca that Cristina practices. Witchcraft is certainly not exclusive to women though, in fact around half are men, but it is perhaps this gender equality that draws women to witchiness. And despite the fairly equal gender divide, most ‘covens’ are female-only communities that solely worship female deities, reflective of those we have come to know from media depictions of witchcraft, such as ‘The Craft’ and ‘American Horror Story: Coven’. Cristina states that the media depictions of witchcraft are “unrealistic” due to their focus on the supernatural, and negative “religious superstitions”. Although many modern witches are involved in tarot readings and herbalism, she states that witchcraft is primarily about self-improvement, as it “puts you in charge of your own life, challenges your boundaries and beliefs, making you face fears and the consequences of your actions, and leads you to wisdom and awareness”. Ultimately, she argues, it is about “self-love and selfacceptance, and the belief that the divine is within, rather than outside, yourself ”.

IS GLUTEN-FREE THE BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD?

f Mean Girls had been set in this decade, Regina wouldn’t have been on an ‘all-carb’ diet, but most likely a gluten-free one. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and some types of oats. There is a difference between being intolerant and having Coeliac; an autoimmune disease caused by a reaction to gluten that makes it difficult to properly digest food. After a period of bad health as a child, at the age of four it was suggested that I had Coeliac disease. Back then in the Nineties, Coeliac disease and gluten free diets were pretty much unheard of, with only one in 300 adults in the UK recognised to have the condition, but with two-thirds of those undiagnosed. It was safe to say that no one really understood what it meant to have Coeliac disease; at one point in my childhood I was forced to sit away from the other children, on a table by myself, in case they contaminated me with their gluten germs. Definitely not how it works.

“ONLY SEVEN PERCENT OF THE CONSUMERS OF GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCTS ACTUALLY HAVING AN INABILITY TO PROCESS GLUTEN, THE REMAINING 93 PER CENT OF THE CONSUMERS ARE BUYING GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCTS AS THEY BELIEVE THEM TO BE HEALTHIER”

It is no surprise that public knowledge was so limited, as due to the low number of diagnosed cases, studies into Coeliac disease were fairly small, usually only involving around thirty people. The outcome of all of these studies though, was the fact that a diet free of gluten is the key way of avoiding many of the symptoms associated with the disease; which include bloating, toilet troubles and constant tiredness. Buying food involved locating a specialist health food shop and spending a small fortune on the tiniest loaf of bread imaginable that had both the taste and texture of burnt rubber. But it had to be done; gluten damages the lining of the gut for those with Coeliac disease, preventing them from being able to digest and absorb food as we are meant to. For children, this can mean that they are unable to grow properly, and are often shorter than they would have been had they followed a gluten free diet. However, if Coeliac disease is left untreated over a long period of time, much more serious health problems can present themselves than simply being a bit short. These include osteoporosis, bowel cancer, infertility problems and a higher risk of other autoimmune diseases.

Despite the lack of scientific research or any evidence to actually suggest that gluten-free diets are beneficial to the health of those who do not actually need it, 28 per cent of Americans are following a diet without gluten. Their main reasoning behind this is that we have not adapted to process gluten, which began to be incorporated into our diets 1200 years ago, when other evolved traits have been developed over millions of years. However, people have been drinking milk for roughly the same amount of time, and whilst some are lactose intolerant, many have developed to be able to enjoy milk without becoming deathly ill.

Currently the number of people with Coeliac disease is around one in a 100, with many more suspected cases that are currently undiagnosed. The number of people with this disease has clearly increased within the past 20 years, and as such so has the range of gluten free food available. In recent years more and more ‘normal’ foods have become available as a glutenfree alterative. However much of these are freezer type foods such as pizza, chicken nuggets and fish fingers, or an assortment of cakes and biscuits. These products hardly scream out ‘healthy’, which is what has drawn over 28 per cent of all Americans to cut back or eliminate gluten from their diets. To combat this, manufacturers are producing gluten-free foods that are ‘healthier’ in a more general sense, by making the products also dairyfree and organic. While this may have some potential health benefits, and prove more environmentally beneficial, the prices of gluten-free food are continuing to increase (despite already being ridiculously high) based on the fad diet status that eating gluten-free has developed. This is a negative effect for those who actually have an inability to digest gluten, as they are forced to spend a lot more on products they need to ensure their survival due to the gluten-free ‘lifestyle’ being seen as a ‘healthy’ diet rather than a necessity to some. The US National Library of Medicine have revealed that gluten-free foods cost, on average, 242 per cent more than their gluten filled alternatives. Tesco for example, which provides one of the biggest ranges of gluten free food for a standard supermarket, charges £3.50 for a pack of six gluten-free tortilla wraps, but only 89 pence for eight regular tortilla wraps. Not only are gluten-free products more expensive, but are also always sold in far smaller portion sizes than similar non-gluten-free products. Shoppers are very much aware of this, with a survey run by Packaged Facts revealing that fifty-three percent of consumers considered gluten-free products to be ‘overpriced’. So why do people keep eating gluten-free food when they don’t need to?

The main myth that has led to such an increase in people eating glutenfree is that it is in some way healthy for us and will lead to weight loss. Of course, Gwyneth Paltrow was one of the first celebrities to jump on the gluten-free bandwagon, and countless other celebs have followed suit. While they swear that a gluten-free diet has helped them lose weight, for those of us without the celebrity dieticians and personal trainers, a glutenfree diet may not be all that healthy. Because removing the gluten from foods makes it taste pretty awful, the gluten-free products are crammed with sugar and fat in an attempt to regain some semblance of tastiness; gluten-free products can contain as much as seventy percent starch. This makes the calorific values of gluten-free food almost twice as much as many normal versions of the foods. These products are also low in fibre, meaning that people become hungry much quicker and as a result will eat more. A study by the University of Chicago found that of those on a glutenfree diet, 81 per cent had gained weight within two years of beginning the diet, with over 40 per cent of those being overweight. As well as not being a valid weight loss diet, for those who are not intolerant, gluten is actually beneficial. It provides us with a wide variety of nutrients, lowers blood pressure and supports healthy bacteria in the digestive system. Eating gluten-free products seems like a way of justifying eating junk food by claiming it is healthy. If by eating gluten-free you mean only eating meat and vegetables, then yes, you will probably lose weight and feel healthier (if eaten in moderation), but if you are just using gluten-free substitutes for breads and cakes then it is certainly not the healthier or better choice.

Market Research Company Mintel reports that the gluten-free industry was worth over ten billion dollars in 2013, and is predicted to rise by over 50 per cent in 2016. However, a 2013 Packaged Facts survey discovered that only seven percent of the consumers of gluten-free products actually having an inability to process gluten, the remaining 93 per cent of the consumers are buying gluten free products as they believe them to be healthier and will aid them to lose weight.

Others argue that we eat more gluten based products than previous generations, and this is the reason for the apparent rise in people being diagnosed with intolerances to gluten, however this is also not the case, as twice the amount of gluten was eaten during the late nineteenth century in America compared to the present day. It isn’t so much that more people are becoming intolerant to gluten, or developing an autoimmune disease, but rather that people are only recently becoming aware of such conditions.

- Eleanor Parkyn

VIOLENT CRIMES

AND SCAPEGOAT FILMS ELEANOR PARKYN DISCUSSES THE WAY VIOLENT MEDIA IS BLAMED ON VIOLENT CRIMES AND IF THERE’S A REAL REASON TO WORRY.

verybody watches filmsNot everybody shoots a child. A bit of an obvious statement you might think, but when it comes to violence in the media, everybody seems to have a PhD in Sociology. It seems as if every other week the news informs us of the latest mass shooting, more often than not, occurring in the so called Land of the Free. The long running argument has been that these acts of violence are all down to our exposure to violent scenes in the movies and television shows that we watch. These arguments are becoming more and more persistent, due to the belief that films are being made to display increasingly violent imagery. Looking at examples of ‘violence’ in old films compared with new releases actually solidifies this claim that we want more and more violence. Hitchcock’s Psycho, for instance, horrified viewers at the time with its infamous ‘shower scene’, but contemporary viewers are unlikely to bat an eyelid at it (and why should they, we don’t even see the knife touch her?!). It is therefore argued that the more violence shown onscreen, the more we become desensitized to it, and continually demand for more graphic and gruesome violence. Who knows, in years to come, Tarantino’s filmography may seem as violent as the fluffiest kitten video you can imagine!

THE BLAME GAME However, arguably this desensitization conditions us to accept violence as normal, leading to the recreation of such violent events in real life. While there may be some logic to this argument, it’s not as if after every episode of Game of Thrones we are all genuinely going to go out on a murderous rampage (even if certain character’s deaths in the show make us feel like it!) And yet the somewhat tedious debate goes on, making a pretty huge impact upon the film and TV industry. But is there any truth to it? In film and TV, violence isn’t just reserved for the ‘baddies’; heroes are violent, resolving conflicts with the pull of a trigger. Rather than being condemned for their actions, they are rewarded. These are often the ‘heroes’ and role models of younger audiences; think of ‘The Avengers’. Therefore certain individuals may see this as a way of justifying violence against those who do them wrong. This is perhaps why so many reports of mass shootings and similar violent crimes describe the perpetrator as being a ‘loner’, ‘bullied’, or ‘misunderstood’, attacking those they believe have judged them. But maybe, it’s just because these people are psychopaths. Without getting too bogged down in the statistics, there are some studies which do quite strongly suggest watching violence makes us act in an aggressive way for a short while after watching it. However, there are plenty of conflicting studies that brand such suggestions as incorrect. Is this not also the case with televised sporting events, with a favourite team losing leading

to cases of domestic abuse? Obviously this is less about what you watch and more about what you are like as a person. Even so, the news media jump on any chance to blame violent films for the murder of masses. One of the earliest examples of this, somewhat surprisingly, is a British crime; The Hungerford Massacre of 1987, in which Michael Ryan shot and killed 16 people, and seriously injured several others. Despite there being absolutely no evidence that he had ever seen the film, the press continually reported that the massacre was spurred by his obsession with the Rambo film First Blood. While the only connection between the two was that they both involve guns, the damage was done and the press have never been able to let go of the idea that violent films are inherently evil and to blame almost entirely for violent crimes committed by those under 25. Unlike our friends across the pond, the British learned from this tragedy and The Firearms Act was amended the following year to prevent similar massacres. Another British violent crime that gained widespread notoriety and led to major changes for the film industry was the murder of Jamie Bulger. The media coverage that ensued following his death blamed the horror film Child’s Play 3 on the actions of the two ten year old boys who kidnapped, tortured and killed him. Again there was no evidence that the boy in question had ever seen the film, let alone been influenced by it. With crimes as horrific as this, violent films can perhaps be seen as a way of rationalising their behaviour, as it is far easier to blame their actions on a film than it is to accept that such young boys could do something so evil. Due to the media coverage and subsequent increase in the mass panic of the public concerning media violence, major changes were enforced for the BBFC’s rating system, with stricter classifications. This included a test to determine whether a film could cause ‘harm’ to the viewer; themselves, or other people through their actions. Of course, this is now a much bigger issue in America, where guns are more or less freely available. While many famous cases like the Columbine High School Massacre and Sandy Hook school shooting use video games as the source of blame, others are more explicitly linked to films. The shooting that took place a few years back in Colorado, for example, saw James Holmes, the man who fatally shot twelve people and injured seventy at a screening of Batman film The Dark Knight Rises, welcome the comparison made between him and ‘The Joker’. Amazingly (in the ironic sense), this led to an increase of gun sales in the state, rather than enforcing stricter gun laws in the area. The Columbine High School Massacre, while not blamed on films, nonetheless certainly impacted the film industry. Just six months after Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold committed one of the worst school shootings in US history, ‘black comedy parody’ Duck! The Carbine High Massacre was released. I’m not sure poor taste and bad timing really quite cover it. But thus began the emergence of a growing number of indie films based around the events that occurred at Columbine. Some examples of these include Elephant, Zero Day, Home Room and April Showers, the latter of which is written and directed by a survivor of the Columbine massacre. Like all other violent media, these films garnered criticism and controversy, in these cases even more so, based on the influences of their content. And perhaps this was cause for concern. With the rise of online social media sites like Tumblr, groups of predominantly teenage girls have joined together as the self-defined ‘Columbiners’, who are obsessed with Eric and Dylan; dressing as them and posing with guns, drawing pictures of them and making ‘fan-edit’ videos of them with footage taken from the above mentioned films and various other documentaries on the massacre, such as Bowling For Columbine. Whether these individuals would actually carry out a similar attack is unknown, although they do discuss their plans to openly. While some women obsessing over serial killers (known as hybristophilia) isn’t a new concept, these films have certainly allowed for these ‘Columbiners’ to develop and express their obsessions, possibly even influencing them. Of course, for the vast majority of us, violent media will have no significant impacts, but it cannot be denied that with almost 200 shootings in schools in the US since Columbine, and counting, there may be reason to fear such films, particularly if potential attackers are viewing. That being said, the majority of the people who have committed these atrocities are all considered to be mentally ill, and to blame their actions on the films they watch and not the appalling lack of mental health care provision and refusal to make gun regulations far stricter is a tragedy.

“IN YEARS TO COME, TARANTINO’S FILMOGRAPHY MAY SEEM AS VIOLENT AS THE FLUFFIEST KITTEN VIDEO YOU CAN IMAGINE”

Lost in Translation ELEANOR PARKYN DISCUSSES HOW JAPANESE CULTURE IS GETTING LOST IN AMERICAN REMAKES, AND HOW WHITEWASHING IS STILL VERY MUCH AN ISSUE.

We’re all aware that Hollywood can be fairly problematic; from the continual scarcity of recognition for coloured actors, to the almost complete lack of roles for actresses who couldn’t also be found working for Victoria’s Secret. Yet one area of Hollywood’s failings that is often less discussed is the way in which it has turned to remaking Japanese media over the past couple of decades. Rather than creating adaptations that do justice to the often critically acclaimed texts, the American film industry has ended up plundering narratives and returning them to the screen without the culture that is so integral to its original form. In doing so, these typical Hollywood wrongdoings of negatively representing race and women are being reestablished in texts that had previously sought to abolish such limited portrayals. This all kicked off after the ten billionth sequel to John Carpenter’s Halloween, when the American horror film industry in the 90s was desperate for something new; their answer- JAPAN! With the success of Ringu, Hollywood saw an opportunity to finally return to a more horrifying form of horror without actually having to think up new storylines themselves, and the unknowingness of this foreign culture made it all the more terrifying for viewers. Thus films like The Ring and The Grudge hit the screens; and while they were not terrible remakes, both being successful profit-wise, the key elements of the original films were lost in their newfound Americanness, leaving films that were originally complex social commentaries without any of the cultural influence that gave the film meaning, demoting it back into the realms of the simple American horror plots. The key problem with adapting these J-horror movies is primarily in regards to the new versions’ portrayal of women, which American adaptations have consciously chosen to ignore or change for the worse in favour of a plot which is regressive to the empowerment of women. Firstly, a core difference is seen in the way in which the spirit is ‘dealt with’. In Western horror, the standard conclusion to the film involves defeating the ‘evil spirit’, whereas spirits in the Japanese narratives are not regarded as enemies, but as a co-existing being amongst us. The folklore surrounding the basis of the now iconic J-horror ‘ghostly female with long black hair’ is lost on the Western world, and the once justified avenging spirit becomes pure evil, re-establishing a link between femininity and evil as opposed to sympathy.

“RATHER THAN CREATING ADAPTATIONS THAT DO JUSTICE TO THE OFTEN CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED TEXTS, THE AMERICAN FILM INDUSTRY HAS ENDED UP PLUNDERING NARRATIVES AND RETURNING THEM TO THE SCREEN WITHOUT THE CULTURE THAT IS SO INTEGRAL TO ITS ORIGINAL FORM” But secondly, and most importantly, these films featured female leads for a reason. Films such as Ringu and Ju-on: The Grudge revealed the fears held towards the growing rejection of tradition in Japan, resulting in an increase in divorce rates and shifts in gender roles. The female protagonist were single mothers and career women, notions that had caused tensions in Japanese society, and so were being played upon within the horror genre. While the Japanese originals of these films can be seen as offering more progressive representations of femininity, the remakes for Western audiences have resulted in a regressive portrayal of women, instead conforming to the usual depiction of them as victims and sexual objects. Unlike the Americanized versions, J-horror instead centres the narrative on the female figure, through which the concerns held by Japanese society are projected. These women are independent, and patriarchy is often criticised. However over in America these women are presented differently, undermining the progressive, strong female characters in favour of re-establishing ideals that align more with the patriarchal ideology held by Hollywood. These once independent women are made weaker and more reliant on the men who had previously abandoned them. They need to be rescued by, and seek to return to their prior relationships with, the men who had wronged them, re-establishing the ideas of nuclear families and weak women that the Japanese had been working to abolish years before. Yet there is no social motivation behind the American remakes, merely to cash in on the ideas of others when they have been seen to be successful, revealing how Hollywood deliberately chose to reassert the patriarchal hierarchy that Japanese horror strived to critique.

While the craze of J-horror remakes seems to have been left behind somewhere in the 2000’s, recently the American film industry has been adapting a different kind of Japanese media, in the form of anime turned into live-action feature films. This time however, the issue is all about the representation of race, in particular that of Asian (specifically Japanese) people. Hollywood is notorious for whitewashing the casts of their products, and this is made very apparent in their anime remakes. If you are not aware, whitewashing is a bizarre phenomenon in which ethnically diverse characters are for some reason consistently and unjustifiably played by white actors. When Japanese source material, involving Japanese characters living in Japan and doing things that are mostly only relevant in the context of their Japanese society and traditions is remade featuring ninety-nine percent white people and none of the essential cultural aspects, it’s not really surprising that many people get up in arms about it. And yet it happens time and time again. Jaume Collett-Serra, the director of the on-again-off-again-will-it-everhappen remake of beloved anime film Akira stated that he believed the original characters were not ‘interesting’, because Japanese culture, in his mind, does not make for ‘strong characters’. If there is this much misunderstanding of and lack of respect for the original texts, then being responsible for remaking them should be out of the question. That way mistakes like Dragonball: Evolution and Avatar: The Last Airbender can be avoided. All of this can perhaps best be demonstrated with the upcoming remake of popular anime series Death Note. The series is centred around Light Yagami, who comes across a Death Note, a notebook which leads to the death of anyone who’s name is written within it. These notebooks are controlled by

death gods, or Shinigami. The entire concept of the Shinigami is clearly firmly based in Japanese folklore, and the decisions made by Light are clearly seen to be influenced by the traditions known to him as a Japanese person. Death Note is rich in its cultural influence, through its mythology and characterization, and to remove this sense of culture would be to erase the beliefs and intentions of the original text merely to better appeal to an American audience. But surprise surprise, Light Yagami is being played by white actor Nat Wolff. And his name is now Light Turner. Not only this, but none of the main cast are Asian. There are already a very limited number of roles made available for Asian people within Western media, so when Asian characters are made available to be acted out, they should be cast in those roles, rather than have to witness them being whitewashed and replaced by white actors who already have far more opportunities within the acting world without having to dip into the pool of available roles for people of colour too. But this isn’t a case of directors auditioning actors and picking someone white because they were the best. Edward Zo, an Asian-American actor, revealed his attempts to audition for a number of roles within the upcoming Death Note film, only to be told that he was ‘too Asian’ and that they knew from the beginning that they didn’t want any of the Japanese character’s to be played by Asian actors. The roles available for Asian actors are so lacking already, and so harmfully stereotypical that a role in such a film, where characters are so complex and multi-dimensional, would be one step closer to the much needed visibility for a group that has been extremely marginalised by Western media. Yet this opportunity to break stereotypical barriers has again not been taken, and so Asian people will continue to be misrepresented and lack in roles destined for them until Hollywood gets the hint that whitewashing Japanese media and putting an Americanised twist on it will only cause the film to bomb. Hopefully they’ll learn their lesson soon.

SCREAM QUEENS AND FINAL GIRLS: the Portrayal of Women in Postmodern Horror Films

alloween is upon us, and thus begins the battle to watch as many of the seemingly infinite number of horror films as possible. While you may associate horror films with the likes of ghosts, gore and creepy children, a key feature of the horror genre is, in my opinion, women. You may ask: ‘why!? What do women have to do with anything?’ The answer is, out of all genres of film, perhaps excluding the female targeted rom-com genre, horror films have a particularly high number of female protagonists; especially in comparison to the gender inequalities of most Hollywood films. However, this inclusion of ladies in horror is not necessarily as good as it may seem. If we go with the view that we live in a patriarchal society, the portrayal of women in horror actually often reinforces male dominance, or woman as a monster, suggesting that the representation of many women in horror is used to maintain the status-quo in terms of gender roles and societal beliefs. Women in horror movies can often be categorised into several archetypes, for example, women can be portrayed as a victim, a ‘Scream Queen’ or ‘Final Girl’, or as monsters and mothers. One of the main ways in which women are represented in horror movies is as a victim. Women as victims are often highly sexualised, particularly in the ‘slasher’ genre; think Rose McGowan in Scream. Slasher movies are often metaphors for punishing teenagers’ sexual behaviour- because obviously pre-marital sex is a punishable offence worthy of gory death! Carol Clover, a feminist academic who has written extensively on women in horror argues that while both male and female characters get punished for their sexy acts, the deaths of the ladies are usually way more erotic and graphic than their male partners, who are usually bumped off quickly and off-screen. This idea that sex equals death and therefore being a virgin is your only chance of survival is rife in horror; an obvious example of this would be in John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978), in which several characters are killed just after having sex, leaving the virginal character ‘Laurie’ as one of the only ladies to survive until the end of the film. This concept of virginity as a means of survival is actually joked about in Wes Craven’s Scream, as one character states ‘sex equals death… in order to successfully survive a horror movie… you can never have sex’. However Scream certainly challenges this, as the Final Girl, Sidney, survives despite her loss of virginity. As the film was created nearly 20 years after Halloween,this could perhaps reveal how real world views on female sexuality were being deemed as more acceptable.

However, in terms of Halloween and Scream, the surviving female protagonists, or ‘Final Girls’, Laurie and Sidney, can be argued to only survive due to their lack of femininity and sexuality. This even goes as far as their names; both of which are unisex. This masculinisation of the strong female protagonist is, on the one hand, suggestive of the view that femininity is weak. However, on the other hand, the core audience for the horror genre is young males, who have the internalised belief that they must be inherently masculine and powerful, and so in order to identify with the female character, that character must have masculine qualities. Therefore in order for film companies to attract a mostly male audience the ‘final girl’ must have masculine qualities. Not so fantastic for the actual female audiences of horror who want to see a kick-ass female character who can still rock floral dresses and winged eyeliner. From a feminist perspective, the fact that keeping men feeling masculinised is more important than providing women with an accurate representation of their gender implies that men are more important. In many horror films, teenage girls feature quite prominently; Laurie and Sidney, for example, are both teenagers and feature as the protagonist. However, in many horror films the female, in particular the female teenager, is portrayed as a monster. Films like Carrie and Ginger Snaps are great examples of this. People have always been afraid of teenage girls, due to the move from childhood innocence to sexual maturation, and this fear of puberty and its link to ‘Satan’, evil or supernatural powers has existed for a long time, in particular in relation to menstruation. The association between menstruation and the ‘supernatural’ is thought of in several cultures to be a sign of witches and witchcraft. One example would be the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, which occurred due to several girls of pubescent age ‘screaming’ and ‘throwing things’- perhaps more a normal teenage girl tantrum rather than that of demonic possession or witchcraft… A teenage girl with links to Satan and the supernatural is central to Carrie, in which the main character Carrie White develops telekinetic abilities after she begins menstruating. This occurs after a shower scene, in which Carrie’s actions in combination with the music, produces a sensual, almost erotic view of the character. As is the same for many women in horror; for this pleasure she is punished, again suggesting female sexuality is sinful, an idea in keeping with both the horror genre and patriarchal ideology. Perhaps the most iconic scene in ‘Carrie’ is that of the pig’s blood scene, in which pig’s blood, symbolic of menstrual blood, is dumped over Carrie as she is crowned prom queen. The scene signifies horror and shame, and humiliates Carrie, therefore suggesting that menstruation itself is shameful. Again, not such a great view of women being put out there by the American horror film genre… Thanks for that guys!

“the core audience for the horror genre is young males, who have the internalised belief that they must be inherently masculine and powerful, and so in order to identify with the female character, that character must have masculine qualities.”

Women as monsters are also seen in more recent films, like Scream 4 (2011) and Jennifer’s Body (2009). However both of these films suggest that gender roles in films have changed again somewhat in recent years, as the female characters are being portrayed in a monstrous way that has previously been thought of as ‘male’; for example they are seen stabbing their victims to death rather than just being a bit of an overbearing mum. Modern horror also brings a change in that these ‘monsters’ are portrayed in a more traditionally feminine way; with Megan Fox’s character in Jennifer’s Body being portrayed in a hyper-sexualised manner. Although it may be considered a welcome change to have a variation of roles for women in horror, it can equally be argued that such portrayals are dangerous as they present women both in a negative light as a monster, and also as sexual objects. This does nothing to aid the already fairly bleak portrayals of women, both in the media and society. Essentially the horror genre provides In keeping with the idea of women as monsters in horror is that of women with five stereotypes; the sexualised victim; the sexualised the portrayal of mothers in horror films. Perhaps the most famous killer; the witch; the mother; or the virgin, all of which are very of these would be the ‘mother’ in Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960), who’s limiting and suggest that women can only be defined by one trait, domineering relationship with her son, Norman Bates, creates which, as per usual, does not provide people with a realistic view a monster. Carrie’s mother certainly fits into this category also, of women. as her domination of Carrie ultimately leads to the creation of her monstrous child. In the films both mother’s attempt to curb - Eleanor Parkyn their child’s attempts to escape and become independent of them by keeping them in a naive and childlike state, while punishing them for forming relations with others. Carrie’s mother achieves this with her refusal to inform her daughter about sexuality and reproduction, something she considers a ‘sin’, as well as manipulating her daughter with phrases such as ‘they’re all going to laugh at you… stay here with me.’ Such portrayals of women and mother figures is again in accordance with dominant views about both women’s roles in society and the idea that in some way women are inferior to men.

PIXAR ANIMATOR PAUL OAKLEY INTERVIEW

FOLLOWING THE RELEASE OF PIXAR’S ‘INSIDE OUT’, ELEANOR PARKYN INTERVIEWED FORMER CARDIFF UNIVERSITY STUDENT PAUL OAKLEY WHO HAS BEEN WORKING AS A LIGHTING TECHNICAL DIRECTOR AT PIXAR FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS. How did you end up working for Pixar? I did my fine art degree and then I went travelling for a long time and met someone who worked in film and they suggested I pursue a career in visual effects. I started off by getting a job as a runner, making tea and coffee for the film Gladiator, and then I trained myself up. I ended up doing ten years of visual effects for films like Harry Potter and Avatar, and I was working in places like London and Toronto. My producer on Avatar at the time introduced me to a recruiter for Pixar and I was flown out for an interview and that was that!

modelled and created and 3D shading has to be added. I am responsible for taking something that is not lit, in a CG sense, for example it won’t have a time of day or mood or an atmosphere and I’ll then proceed to add the light. It’s an interesting concept, it’s like you have something that is flatly coloured, without any kind of idea of a mood or time and then I put this 3D light onto surfaces to make it look like its part of that particular time of day or atmosphere. Lighting in CG terms is a very abstract concept, it’s like walking into a room where all the lights are off and you know the set exists there and you know everything is coloured but you can’t really see Which Pixar films have you worked on? anything until the light has been turned on, and I’ve worked on everything we’ve made at Pixar that’s what I do. since I got here 5 years ago, so Brave, Monsters University, Cars 2, Blue Umbrella, Inside Out What was your favourite part of this film to and Lava. work on? I did a whole bunch of different sequences, but What does your job involve? a fun sequence I did was the ‘disco dancing I work directly underneath the director of party unicorn’ sequence and that was fun to do. photography, and they specialise in lighting That was quite interesting because it touches and the aesthetic look of the film. I specialise in people and makes them laugh. But I also did the lighting department, which is responsible the end of the film, a scene between Joy and for creating the aesthetic for the film. The art Sadness, and there is a multitude of different department creates the overall visual elements emotions and each one has its place. It was an of the film and then the lighting department incredibly important moment in the film, and I takes those and produces them in CG. think it was quite beautiful. So that I think was my favourite part to work on. You’ve been working on the latest film, Inside Out, how long did it take you to complete Pixar films are commonly thought of as your work on that? children’s films, but many critics have argued There are different crews of people for the film that Inside Out is more adult orientated, that are involved at different times throughout what do you think about that? the production of the film. For myself I was Something I think Pixar does well is that they working on it for 6 months, but a director of create an amazing world and a cohesive story photography can be working on it for around that really enables you to get past the general two years. There is a lot of preparation that goes fluff of it being a CG children’s cartoon. It’s into the final product. something that is hard to convey in CG feature films and I think it’s what separates Pixar from What is the process of making the film for the rest. The film gets to touch people, no matter you? whether they are adults, or small children. You The director writes the film, the storyboards are can go and see the film, and no matter who you made and then it is blocked out in animation are you will take something really great away and then there is modelling and set design. from it. It transcends just being a cartoon or a When it comes to me, it’ll be part animated, CG feature film and it becomes art.

Inside Out is a very thought provoking film, have you learnt anything during the making of the film about your own emotions? It is incredibly thought provoking. When I saw it in the board stages, when it wasn’t even animated yet, I came away thinking ‘when I get home tonight I have to be a better father, or I have to at least understand my children for being their own people and their personalities and really make the best of that’. It made me want to be a better person, and that’s a pretty powerful thing to take from it. What do you think is the secret of this film’s success, in comparison to other Pixar films? It’s an incredibly complex subject that has been dealt with and that the studio has tried to convey. They convey it in an eloquent but very simplistic fashion that I think is cohesive and direct to the point. Trying to convey such a complex message in such a simplistic way is really, really difficult and I think that is one of the great things about it. A lot of people have found the film very emotional, where there any parts you cried at when you first saw the film? I think the first time, when some of her happy memories become tinged with sadness, I think then I started to shed a bit of a tear; maybe because it reminds me of times when I wasn’t the best person I could be. But what is kind of cool about that is the end, because it gives you the understanding that all the emotions have a place within you and help the other emotions to build and develop, and it made me feel alright in the end!

CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE.

PIXAR INSIDE OUT: PAUL OAKLEY INTERVIEW Who would you say is your favourite emotion or character from the film? I like the whimsy of Bing Bong, I know he’s not an emotion, but I like him because I’m kind of creative and I like his abstract nature. There is a soft toy of Bing Bong available and his tummy smells like candyfloss, it’s great! If I had to pick my favourite emotion it would be Joy. All of my children like Sadness though, I guess because she’s so hilarious. What has working at Pixar been like throughout the making of Inside Out? I came into work one morning and the entire atrium was filled with giant inflatable coloured balloons. The balloons were probably about eight foot tall, and in red, blue, yellow, purple and green; the colours of the emotions from the film. There were about 60 of them and they were everywhere, and that bought a real smile to my face, it was quite a joyful moment. Was there any particular reason for this? No, that’s just kind of what Pixar does! Pixar does anything it feels like, whenever it feels like it wants to do it. I heard you also worked on the short film accompanying Inside Out, Lava, can you tell me about that? Yeah, I did a time lapse sequence for it and that was interesting to make. James Murphy (Head animator for Pixar) who wrote and directed Lava spends a lot of time in Hawaii and I think it was inspired by his love of the islands, as well as the cultural history and music of Hawaii. So he wrote this romantic piece about it. Like Inside Out that was very emotional as well. I think the emotion of Pixar films is what separates us from the rest of the pack; it’s our ability to create an entertaining story but also cut to the matter and have this emotional core. In Inside Out we see inside people’s minds and that some people have certain emotions ruling them, like for Riley it’s Joy, which emotion would you say is in control in your life? I think it depends in what stage of life you ask that question, now that I’m a father it’s all kind of changed. But I think I’m quite playful so I guess if I chose, I would be a sort of mixture between Joy and Bing Bong. Or at least I try to be! At the end of the film we see the installation of the new emotions control panel with the addition of the ‘puberty’ button, is this a hint at the potential of a sequel? You know, I think that’s just Pete Docter (Director of Inside Out) being incredibly funny. He’s just a funny guy, there are so many gags throughout the film that I think are just hilarious. Can you tell us about any future projects you’re going to be working on? I’m working on Finding Dory at the moment, but I can’t reveal any more than that. I imagine you can probably guess that it’s underwater and involves fish! How has Cardiff University helped you to get where you are today? My first introduction to CG and 3D was when I did my fine art degree, and there was one lecturer, called Tom Piper, who specialised in print making and he introduced me to 3D and without him I probably would not have gotten into CG and I would love to thank him for that.

Design Portfolio 2017

With three years of experience on the design teams of Cardiff University’s student magazines Quench, Q3 and Ty Celf, I am proficient in InDesign, and regularly use Photoshop and Illustrator. Having worked on several publications, I have been commissioned by organisers of numerous festivals within Cardiff, celebrating film, music and culture, to produce magazines reviewing the events. 10

FEATURES

ANONYMITY IN THE DIGITAL AGE WORDS BY: RACHEL JEFFERIES DESIGN BY: ELEANOR PARKYN

Yik Yak, Ask.fm, eChat, we’ve all used them before. But how many of you really know the effects your content can carry once you push that send button? Social media has become a common environment for antisocial behaviour, and we are all getting sucked into its black hole with every app download and Google search that we make. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram aren’t enough for us anymore. We are now being exposed to new material such as Yik Yak and Ask.fm which allows identities to be hidden and unfiltered comments to be posted, as well as providing an excuse for insensitive behaviour. It’s got to the point where internet friends are becoming internet fiends, and nobody knows who is who. It is, as the title suggests, anonymous. In this issue, Quench investigates the causes, dangers and consequences displayed to users of anonymous online apps and websites that we thoughtlessly use every day. The two most popular anonymous sites are Yik Yak and Ask.fm. Yik Yak is an app where you can anonymously post up to 200 characters which will be displayed to users within close geographical proximity. This is often referred to as a ‘Yak’. “Yakkers” can up-vote (like) or down-vote (dislike) and comment on any Yak that is posted. Similarly, Ask.fm also provided a platform where anonymous users could ask questions which others could like or react to. The common denominator between both of these sites is that they provide people with an online confidence. Online confidence is an obvious concept when you think about it. Have you ever wanted to text somebody something instead of telling them to their face? Ever exaggerated a story to a friend via messages to make it seem a big deal? Or told somebody information about yourself that you probably wouldn’t have if the conversation was in person? Those my friends, are all types of online confidence and we have all experienced it- but some run higher risks than others. When anonymity is an option it seems as though no one is there to judge you, no one will know who you are, and no one will take notice. Consequences such as cyber-bullying and ‘cat-fishing’ are not only ten times easier, but even possibly harder to recognise when it is happening, whether you’re on either end of the argument. With websites and applications that allow or encourage anonymous messaging, it makes hostile comments and behaviour easier to mask. Yik Yak’s homepage welcomes users to “share your thoughts with people around you while keeping your privacy.” However in some cases, the idea of ‘sharing is caring’ really does not apply. Being a user of Yik Yak myself, I have witnessed how different users abuse the anonymous feature. Amongst the entertaining, humourous posts, I have seen yaks hating on flatmates, attacking nearby universities, slating vegans… You name it, it’s probably been yakked. Yik Yak is even a place that many people use to discuss their problems in the security of anonymity.

Yet of course, when messages are anonymous, haters will inevitably be waiting on that digital horizon. Hostility in the digital age is worryingly common, and it is clear that some users take advantage of their cloaked identities. Yik Yak user, Sarah* talks to Quench about her experience of negative comments from others, when using the app. “I think most people have [experienced these comments]. People get brave because it’s anonymous”, she says. The anonymous setting is always unguarded territory when granted as a feature on any app or website, whether it’s filtered content or not. In light of this, Sarah voices that anonymous users “are not called to account for what they say because no one knows who they are”, making it easier to type before you think about the consequences. Diving deeper into the question of whether anonymity is a safe or promising feature, Quench held a survey aimed towards Yik Yak users. Results revealed that 53% of users** agreed that Yik Yak can be dangerous at times due to the anonymous setting that is enabled. With this in mind, it is becoming transparent that sometimes the down-vote and report buttons are not the most effective strategies. When vulnerable, unknown users are a target of malicious comments from fellow Yakkers. Although 69% of users* have admitted that they have had to down-vote a Yak post due to inappropriate comments, it still doesn’t change the fact that once a comment is posted and read, the damage is already done. Yik Yak is undeniably a popular app, yet its appeal comes in waves. One moment people are totally obsessed with it, fishing for up-votes, and the next they don’t touch the app for days or weeks on end. Quench’s survey exposed that 40% of users** only use the app during university or college term time, and 29% go through phases of using Yik Yak excessively, then hardly ever. This throw-away attitude to the app could possibly mirror how users treat others through their smokescreen identities, meaning that one of the easiest ways to solve such harmful online behaviour is to simply delete the app. Is this online behaviour our responsibility to remove ourselves, or should this be down to the app or website’s authority and filter system? Cyberbully (2015) film featuring Maisie Williams addresses these issues of how cyberbullying can take its toll, resulting in serious side effects. The film highlights that the best way to stop cyberbullying is to seek for help, and remove the vehicle that’s being used.

QUENCH’S SURVEY REVEALED THAT It’s one thing seeing demeaning comments posted, but the reality of how damaging the anonymous internet can be is rather shocking. Quench’s survey revealed that 38% of users* have received inappropriate or hostile comments first hand, and 45% have alternatively witnessed others receive such comments instead. Looking at these results, there is no question as to why victims of cyber-bullying may feel trapped or alone. This treatment can lead to triggering serious long-term effects such as low self-esteem, depression and anxiety. According to campaign website nobullying.com, seven suicide cases resulted from anonymous website Ask.fm, due to abusive comments encouraging self-harm. In saying this, campaigns and websites such as nobullying.com exist to spread awareness. Cases of cyberbullying have forced schools and colleges to ban Yik Yak in the hopes of creating a safer environment, due to the app ‘facilitating cyberbullying’. But the help doesn’t stop there. Student organisation, NUS have also voiced their commitment to work with Yik Yak in the hope to combat abuse and to make anonymous apps safer places for students. As technology develops and apps and websites become even more advanced, it can be difficult to stay away from these platforms which hold such high safety risks. It is easy to gain online confidence, but it isn’t so easy to take back the comments and messages you send. It is important that staying safe online isn’t overlooked, and awareness is spread to reduce risks, making sites with anonymous features as enjoyable as they were intended to be. Make the internet world a better place, and think before you click!

38% OF USERS* HAVE RECEIVED INAPPROPRIATE OR HOSTILE COMMENTS FIRST HAND

? *Name has been changed **Users who took the survey. Survey taken place on 08/08/2016.

ILLUSTRATION: ELEANOR PARKYN

This norm, however, has been questioned by the increasingly progressive media. In film, it has been portrayed as humorous and light-hearted such as in Billy Wilder’s Some Like it Hot (1929). Whilst this portrayal may not be as progressive or iconic as others, it is a very early example of cross-dressing being shown in popular cinema. In cult cinema, The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) took its representation of drag further, and Tim Curry’s character Dr Frank N Furter showed a way of expressing sensuality and pansexuality. The documentary Paris is Burning (1990) provided one of the most iconic glimpses into life within the counterculture of NY drag balls, examining the lives of gay men and trans people from the African-American and Latino community. The film’s portrayal of the adversities faced to survive in a ‘rich, white world’ was ground-breaking for all audiences, particularly in how the subjects in the film are portrayed as individualistic and inspiring, above any gender assertions. John Waters’ Pink Flamingos (1972) provided the community with its own icon in drag queen Divine, a provocative and even more fabulous Foxy Brown type whose transcendence of dichotomous gender definitions is intrinsically linked with her individual identity. She isn’t a man in drag; she is Divine. These portrayals prove that people can truly feel their oats when they are allowed to self-define, and don’t conform to traditional gender roles with audiences being more receptive to this on their screens than initially thought.

THE LIBRARY IS OPEN READING TRADITIONAL GENDER IDENTITY TO FILTH Sadia Pineda Hameed serves some discursive realness on how drag shakes up our notions of identity. The artform of drag - which most often sees performers create a female, male or ungendered illusion through padding, costumes, and faces painted for the gods – entertains and allows for expression, but also shatters traditional ideas of gender identity. Drag icon and international glamazon RuPaul’s mantra, “we’re all born naked and the rest is drag” spills the tea. From pageant girls to NY club kids, fishy to faux, queens take dressing up to a new, sickening and progressive level – and prove gender identity can be redefined with just a bit of charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent.

Despite traditional drag being about exaggerated femininity and associated with the gay male community, it explores what gender identity means for us all. It disrupts what the patriarchal rubric has defined as ‘female’ and ‘male’, a dichotomy that excludes any sort of subversions, fluidity or gender-variance. Sex does not denote gender as it is more of a social construct, and drag liberates us from this whilst pointing out the artificiality of it all. Heidi Wurst, fierce queen and events organiser at Sickening Events who has recently been bringing some of the biggest names in drag like Trixie Mattel, Tatianna and Kim Chi to Cardiff, understands the power of this art form. “Drag has no boundaries; people can do whatever they want; which is what often upsets the heteronormative audiences because they've always been told that they can't. […] Gender should be examined from all angles even if it's a long way to go before we accept that gender is all in our heads and not the result of marketing.” The gender binary that is marketed to us since youth, from the toys we play with as children to the magazines we read as teens, all attempt to shape us into its own definition; and anyone that questions it is regarded as deviant to the apparent norm.

Within the last decade especially, it seems that drag culture has been finding its way into mainstream popular culture through the reality TV series RuPaul’s Drag Race from gay network Logo TV. Whilst the audience largely consists of those from the LGBTQ+ community, viewers outside it have increased with each season thanks to this age of social media - in 2016, RuPaul even snatched the crown, winning an Emmy award for ‘Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program’, cementing the show in pop culture. Heidi Wurst understands the increased popularity with those less familiar with drag, “RuPaul's Drag Race is purely entertainment, I've worked in TV so for me it's not as shocking or misleading but for the general audience they get sucked up into it.” There is more to the show than Roxxxy Andrews’ iconic wig reveal during her lipsync with Alyssa Edwards, the shady reads from Jujubee, and Shangela showering Mimi Imfurst with her Absolut Vodka cocktail (because she’s what? Sickening). It is a showcase of the diversity in drag in an entertainment show, and creates international superstars out of those who would otherwise be regarded as alternative entertainers. The host, RuPaul, would know better than most the difficulties in bringing drag into the mainstream. Her performance of Supermodel at MTV’s Spring Break in 1993 to a despondent and confused audience can be compared to the fact that the stars of RuPaul’s Drag Race performed at LA music festival Beach Goth in 2016, as part of a lineup that included mainstream performers like Gucci Mane and Bon Iver. Drag is not only becoming more legitimised in the mainstream as a way of life, but also as a respected artform. Although the emergence of drag culture in popular media has been helping to redefine gender norms for us all, there are still instances of discrimination within the drag community which are perhaps more regressive than liberating and accepting. Female performers also have a place within the diverse drag community in the form of drag kings, who perform under a hyper-male persona, and bio queens who drag up their own female appearances. The notion of what it is to identify with a particular gender is further shaken up by this.

“DRAG HAS NO BOUNDARIES; PEOPLE CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT; WHICH IS WHAT OFTEN UPSETS THE HETERONORMATIVE AUDIENCES BECAUSE THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD THAT THEY CAN'T. GENDER SHOULD BE EXAMINED FROM ALL ANGLES EVEN IF IT'S A LONG WAY TO GO BEFORE WE ACCEPT THAT GENDER IS ALL IN OUR HEADS AND NOT THE RESULT OF MARKETING.” But, all tea all shade, there is an unfortunate stigma surrounding them and issues with whether they are impinging on male performers’ ‘safe space’. “A lot of people dismiss them because it's expected of them to be great at things like make-up and being a female,” Heidi Wurst explains, “but actually I've seen many bio queens who are better than some of the drag queens I've seen. I think it's been a tough time for bio queens, people don’t respect them as much as they should.” At the core of it, drag is about exploring one’s own individual personality whilst challenging the traditional gender definitions. Bio queen Fauxnique told Bust magazine that she feels drag “comes down to a sort of self-awareness, a self-consciousness about playing around with femininity” and is also a “rejection of traditional oppressive forms of masculinity — and that's part of an affinity with gay men as well.” Drag’s impact on gender identity affects us all, no matter what we identify as. It brings into question what it means to be feminine through the diversity of fem and butch queens, and what it means to identify as a particular gender at all. Whilst it is perhaps more real for those within the community and for now more of an entertainment for those outside of it, it is nevertheless making an impact that is spreading faster than ever through social media and more accessible TV and streaming websites. By taking inspiration from the queens that write their own gender identities, we can learn to both feel freer and become more accepting of anything that deviates from patriarchal norms. Now, sashay away.

DESIGN

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY: THE RISE OF THE YOUTUBE STAR LIANNE POTTS DISCUSSES THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF YOUTUBE

n recent years, a new kind of “celebrity” has emerged: the YouTuber. Whilst they are famous figures, there’s a definite difference between these people and those who are well known in the worlds of music, film, or television. What makes the YouTuber stand out is the unique and personal connection they share with their audiences. Viewers are invited to become a part of both the glamorous and the mundane aspects of their favourite creators’ everyday lives. Being able to get to know a YouTuber on such a personal level means that viewers see themselves as more like friends than fans. The relative newness of this concept of the YouTuber, coupled with the close connection they share with their audiences, means that both creators and viewers are still in the process of figuring out what a YouTuber ought to be. How should this platform be used, and what boundaries need to be in place in order to make the YouTuber/viewer relationship work? This relationship certainly has the potential to go wrong, and sadly has done in the past. The worst case scenario undoubtedly occurred a couple of years ago, when serious allegations of sexual assault and manipulation were made against a number of prominent YouTubers. These allegations sent shockwaves through the YouTube community for both creators and viewers alike, and served to illustrate how it is possible for some YouTubers to use their position of power and influence for incredibly malicious

DROWNERS Review by ALYSSA ALAMILLO New York outfit Drowers made their gig at Swn a fitting end to their second headlining UK tour. Made up of Jack Ridley, Erik Lee Snyder, Daniel Jacobs, and Welsh frontman (and Cardiff University alumnus!) Matt Hitt, the band impressed the small but lively crowd at Clwb Ifor Bach. The group’s 45-minute set was packed with catchy, upbeat songs. Older tunes like “Long Hair” and “Luv Hold Me Down” proved to be fan favourites, having the mostly young, adolescent crowd dancing and waving their long tresses around. New tracks like “Another Go”, “Pick Up the Pace”, and “Someone Else is Getting In” received some nods and bounces among the hardcore fans and curious festival attendees alike. Perhaps not as packed and energetic as their headline shows, their festival performance was still the sight of a good time amongst Swn goers. If classic heartbreak and young love tropes paired with fun, Smiths-reminiscent melodies are your thing, then Drowners are the band to catch.

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WATCH THEIR INTERVIEW HERE

purposes. YouTubers themselves have also expressed their frustration at fans who have discovered their private addresses, and turned up at their homes in the hopes of meeting them in a clear violation of privacy. Although these individuals are in the minority, it still goes to show that there are still steps to be taken in navigating how interactions between YouTubers and their viewers should be carried out. Many YouTubers have also been met with distaste, as a number of them have begun to produce different kinds of content which, unlike their usual videos, are monetised. Several prominent creators are now releasing books, tours, and paid-for content on YouTube as well as other platforms. Some of these ventures have been met with large amounts of scepticism, with accusations made that these YouTubers are “selling out” by making money in these ways. Zoe Sugg, for example, upon the release of her debut novel ‘Girl Online’ was criticised for her use of a ghostwriter, leading to Sugg being criticised for cashing in on her YouTube fame. That’s not to say that there isn’t an overwhelmingly positive side to the ways in which YouTubers are now branching out into other forms of media. Many creators’

prominence online has allowed them to undertake projects they may never have been able to otherwise. Books such as Carrie Hope Fletcher’s ‘All I Know Now’ are far from attempts to “cash in” on their fame, with Fletcher using her book to pass down the wisdom she has gained over the years in the hopes of helping her younger viewers through difficult times. Filmmakers such as PJ Liguori have also been given the chance to bring their visions to life on a far grander scale than they would have had the resources to had they been working alone. Liguori was able to take his short film ‘Oscar’s Hotel’ and work in partnership with professionals, most notably those from the Jim Henson Company, to transform it into an incredible six-part series, shot on location in Los Angeles. On top of that, YouTube is also incredibly important as a platform for creating open discussions and raising awareness for issues that are often overlooked elsewhere in the media or in everyday life in general. Charlie McDonnell, Dodie Clark, and Beckie Jane Brown, to name but a few, have used their channels to share their experiences with mental health issues, whilst others such as Ingrid Nilsen, Troye Sivan and Connor Franta have openly discussed their coming out experiences. Similarly, YouTube can be used as

a tool for education on an enormous variety of topics. Channels such as Crash Course are devoted to educational content on topics ranging from world history to physics, plus YouTuber Hannah Witton, for example, often creates videos discussing sexual health. YouTube, as a platform which allows for such a personal connection between creators and viewers, is perfectly suited to these kinds of discussions. It places both parties on a level playing field, and allows conversations to be conducted in a non-patronising, nonjudgemental manner not often found in everyday life. As with most forms of media, there’s a good and a bad side to YouTube. However, as time goes on, we’re steadily making progress towards determining what a YouTuber should be, how they ought to behave when placed in a position of importance and influence, and how the relationship between YouTubers and their audiences ought to function. As mainstream media continues to become more aware of the YouTube community, the future holds exciting opportunities for YouTubers to bring their projects to life and create bigger and better things for their audiences, as well as giving them more chances to use their voices to continue making a positive impact, particularly upon the young people who look up to them.

THE CRAFT: WITCHCRAFT AS A SOURCE OF FEMALE EMPOWERMENT

ELEANOR PARKYN INTERVIEWS INITIATED WITCH AND PRIESTESS, CRISTINA ‘DIANARA’ PANDOLFO, ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MODERN DAY WITCH, AND HOW IT EMPOWERS WOMEN.

But why turn to witchcraft for your sense of empowerment, when we have feminist icons in popular culture already, you may ask!? Cristina Pandolfo, aka ‘Dianara’, an initiated Witch and Priestess ordained in the Dianic Tradition, which is a female focussed spiritual path, incorporating Goddess worship, states that women have a “fundamental role” within witchcraft, and that it “helps women to rediscover the female power which has been suppressed by millennia of patriarchy”. Women are increasingly turning to witchcraft due to this option of worshipping female Goddesses and deities, and themselves becoming Priestesses, which they would perhaps not have the opportunity for when following other more traditional forms of Western religion. This also extends to people who identify as LGBTQ+, who may feel unwelcome in certain religious communities, as many queer individuals have also now embraced the empowering nature of Neopaganism and witchcraft, which allows you to seek the Gods or Goddesses with whom you personally feel the deepest connection. Cristina’s idea of the patriarchy being the cause of women seeking empowerment through witchcraft is echoed amongst self-identifying witches

CULTURE

CARDIFF’S CULTURAL HOTSPOTS CARDIFF HAS A RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE FOR YOU TO EXPLORE. WE’VE ROUNDED UP THE MOST STUDENT-FRIENDLY VISITS FOR YOU TO CHECK OUT DURING YOUR TIME IN THE CITY.

CARDIFF CASTLE When I think of Cardiff, the first thing that comes to mind is the castle. Imposing, historic, and a key landmark, Cardiff Castle is one of the first things you see when you arrive in the city centre. Over 2,000 years old, and an important part of international history and the history of Cardiff itself, the castle has been home to the Romans, the Normans, the Tudors, and most recently the Bute family, before it was gifted to the City of Cardiff in 1947. The castle plays host to several interesting and exciting events throughout the academic year such as ghost tours, open-air theatre performances and historical experience days. Not only that, but you can often see a TARDIS or a dalek guarding the walls from the parapets. Cardiff Castle also supports the Welsh Rugby team, sporting a huge rugby ball embedded in one of its walls during the Six Nations. All in all, Cardiff Castle is a fantastic place to visit for history lovers and pop culture enthusiasts. Definitely worth a trip! – GEORGINA BOLWELL Cardiff Castle is open 7 days a week from 9am-5pm. Student entry is £10.50 but Cardiff residents can apply for a Castle Key for free entry for three years (£5 admin fee).

ST FAGANS NATIONALHISTORY MUSEUM St Fagans National History Museum is an open air museum chronicling Wales’ culture, heritage and lifestyle throughout the ages, starting from the Celtic era up to the present day. Over 50 original buildings have been made in the parkland area at St Fagans Castle that allow visitors to explore Wales’ history. Many craft and leisure activities are available to watch as well as Welsh traditions, architecture and past-times. This is the perfect place to visit if you are new to Wales and especially if you are a student. It’s something different from the usual shopping trip and visit to the cinema as well as being a perfect way to learn more about the city and country that you have come to study and live in for at least 3 years! The museum boasts free entry and bus and train services go straight to there - perfect for an on-the-whim trip. It’s an affordable day out and in addition to exploring the Welsh culture, it gets you out into the stunning Welsh countryside and away from the hustle and bustle of Cardiff and university life. - BETH GIRDLER MASLEN St Fagans is open 7 days a week from 10am-5pm. Entry is free.

CULTURE

CASTELL COCH Hidden away in the north of Cardiff, with its fairytale turrets and elaborately decorated rooms, Castell Coch is sure to astound any visitor today just as much as it would have done a hundred years ago. The ‘Red Castle’, which began life as an eleventh century Norman structure, received a spectacular transformation when it came into the possession of John Crichton-Stuart, the third Marquess of Bute in 1848. Architect William Burges was enlisted to reconstruct the castle, just as he had done for Cardiff Castle a few years before, and it’s his vision we see today. Despite being a relatively modern construction, Burges’ incredible skill and vivid imagination allows visitors to take a step back in time to medieval Wales, as seen through a Victorian lens. Castell Coch is well worth travelling a few extra miles for – it is a sight not to be missed. – LIANNE POTTS Castell Coch is open 7 days a week from 9.30am-6pm. Student entry is £4.20.

MADEINROATH Madeinroath festival is returning for another year to shine the spotlight on the best in community arts. From exhibitions and music to performances and talks, the Cardiff suburb of Roath is set to be swarming with creativity once again as it celebrates and offers a platform for local, national and international artwork. The festival is for anyone who enjoys the arts, attracting and involving all members of the community. This year’s festival dates are 9-16 October and if you happen to find yourself in Roath, you can expect to see something exciting around every corner. In the past, they have had Bogman appearing on Roath Park Lake to tell stories from before time began, exhibitions in unexpected places and a National Museum Wales ‘Museum in a House.’ There is something for all ages and tastes and it’s all free. Plans are still being put into place for this year’s festival, but they are keen to involve anyone wishing to showcase their work or those wishing to volunteer- it’s worth keeping an eye on the website. - HANNAH HOPKINS Madeinroath festival is running from 9-16th October. For more information or to get involved visit www.madeinroath.com.

THE GLEE CLUB The Glee Club is located in Cardiff Bay, and holds a plethora of events including comedy shows, live music and motivational speaking shows. The venue provides a rich atmosphere and is a popular night out serving plenty of food and drink. Whether a public or private event, the award-winning club is always available for parties and caters to a range of audiences. After having won awards for the best venue, the club holds a large variety of styles, as well as a welcoming layout which only encourages intimate showings. So why not take a trip to the Bay and have a night fueled with the vibrant cultures of the Welsh capital? - BETH GIRDLER MASLEN Ticket prices vary according to the event. Check out the website for upcoming shows: www.glee.co.uk/venues/cardiff/

NATIONAL MUSEUM CARDIFF Cardiff ’s National Museum is much more than just a venue for the university’s Spring Ball! It really does pay to spend a couple of hours admiring the collections and take a wellearned study break at the Museum. Situated just off Park Place, it is within walking distance of Cathays Campus and hosts a generous mix of Wales’ national art, geology and natural history collections as well as major temporary and touring exhibitions- so there’s something to interest everyone. The museum’s art collection is one of the finest in Europe, and includes one of Europe’s best collections of Impressionist art. Make sure to catch the current exhibition, Quentin Blake: Inside Stories, as part of the Roald Dahl 100 celebrations, which is free to enter and on display until November 20th. - HANNAH HOPKINS National Museum Cardiff is open Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 5pm. Free entry.

DESIGN 16

CULTURE

THE NEW ‘LOST GENERATION’? HANNAH HOPKINS INVESTIGATES SOCIAL MEDIA’S IMPACT ON CULTURE.

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ANIMATION SHOWCASE

Kicking off the film festival this year was the animation showcase, screening a collection of short animated films entered in the category of best animation.

Apple, a cheerful artistic cartoon following the progress of the apple through history and fiction, involving Adam and Eve, Snow White and Steve Jobs, amongst others is shown first. A well thought out and beautifully drawn animation, suitable for all. Next screened was Olilo, a wonderful animation dealing with social anxiety through visual symbolism. With delightful music and a well thought through use of colour to help depict the progression of feelings experienced by the introverted protagonist. It is certainly worth a watch for those who struggle to let others into their lives. A place I’ve Never Been was less

of an animated narrative, more a collection of holiday like photographs rapidly displayed. The point was a little unclear, but seemed to make a statement about tourism and family life in big cities. Mostly, however, this film just hurt my eyes. Another aesthetically pleasing animation comes from White Out, a South Korean shot film involving a man hunting a polar bear during a snow storm. It is a very sweet animation style, with excellent snow filled transitions between scenes, rather than the harsh cuts which can often be experienced in short animations.

CULTURE

Culture falls under many sections such as music, art, theatre, literature and places and it has a huge impact on us and how we live our lives. In this new generation of technology, it seems social media has had the same effect and on a much wider scale. The battle of culture and social media seems to be under way or rather the real world versus the online world. As a lover of social media and culture, it’s interesting to ask the question: is social media affecting the way we view culture and is it changing culture for the good or bad? Culture can be a range of things: a cultural hotspot in a country or a show in the theatre. ‘Selfies’ have become the norm and constant documentation of one’s whereabouts on multiple outlets has become a prominent thing. Although social media can be a positive outlet that allows people to become closer and develop different online communities, it comes with its drawbacks which affect the way we view culture. Instead of viewing and taking in the beauty of an area, a show, a work of art, out come the cameras and the ongoing hashtags. In the generation we're in with social media, photos are constantly taken and documented to the world to the point where people are taking photos for the sake of it and to get more 'likes' or 'followers' rather than because they are enjoying what they’re seeing. We have entered into a new culture – the culture of likes. A countries culture is a prime example, with people posing against cultural landmarks, such as trying to prop up the Leaning Tower of Pisa or holding the top of the Eiffel Tower. My visit to the Eiffel Tower opened my eyes to this. When I was sat in front of the globally renound landmark, two girls spent the whole hour that I was sat there, posing, hair flipping, jumping, checking the camera and then trying again trying to get the perfect shot in front of the iconic building. The same goes with taking photos of art or filming a scene in a play. We as a generation are so busy trying to get the perfect post that we see beyond the first glance. Take in your surroundings, stare intently at a painting in a gallery, get swept into a show and gripped by a novel. Maybe we need to put down the phones, log out of the apps and just take in the culture around us. There is no doubting that we live in a hashtag culture: we can’t escape them. If they’re not rearing their #ugly head on Facebook, they are being forced upon us during television broadcasts to get us joining in with the ‘conversation’ on Twitter. Made famous by Twitter, tagging keywords, phrases and other strings of text help to link social media posts to other posts about the same topic. In contemporary culture, as a channel to debate or express emotion, the hashtag is arguably one of the most powerful tools around. They help to form relationships with like-minded individuals, they are used to show solidarity and they can be used to challenge and raise awareness of injustice. #BringBackOurGirls, #BlackLivesMatter and #EverydaySexism are some popular hashtag campaigns from recent years helping to do just that, allowing everyday social media users to voice, and change, opinions as well as to support movements. Social media places power in the hands of the user in other ways. In a digital culture with a range of ways to communicate a factual image, we are led to question the value of amateur eyewitness videos taken on a mobile phone against traditional news broadcasts. Social media, especially Twitter, has also given way to ‘citizen journalism’, a concept where everyday people play an active role in the collecting and reporting of news and information. Armed with a smartphone, enabled with cameras and sound recorders, ordinary people can now contribute to, and post information online in real time. With the help of social media, Citizen Journalism has played a fundamentally important

The British entry in this showcase After the End is a clay-mation akin to a Wallace and Gromit style animation, yet far far more adult. The humour is often quintessentially British, but also incorporates many visual gags, and an abundance of dick jokes. After the world ends, ‘not with a bang, but with a wanker’, Rene, a pretentious philosopher and ‘the last man on Earth’ has finished a full history of the world and is ready to end it all. That is until Gordon, his polar opposite, arrives with Rene’s dream woman; Dolly the sex doll. Truly hilarious events ensue in this enjoyable comedic animation. Mirage an American animation provides a particularly artistic and thought provoking exploration of memory. Director Yaya Xu makes use of colour to effectively create a bright, vibrant, world, contrasting greatly with the latter monochrome black and white sequence.

role in breaking news stories of recent years, working both with traditional outlets, as well as ahead of them, helping to report and piece together stories and evidence. Notably, following the 2013 Boston Bombings, online users began searching for and publishing information online about the event. The trouble is, however, that working outside of the traditional, considered news structure means that news is often reported prior to fact checking. This led to Reddit users falsely identifying a suspect on the site before police released the names of the actual suspect. Social media also places creativity in the hands of the user, who is now able to produce and distribute their own content freely as they are spared the large start-up costs of traditional production. The rise of the blogger or Vlogger is a perfect example of this: ordinary people taking to YouTube or Wordpress to promote themselves, often finding fame and sometimes fortune in the process. Some YouTubers and lifestyle bloggers have even seen themselves propelled to celebrity status. Many well-known musicians even started out promoting their music on YouTube, or were even discovered on the site, including Justin Bieber, who apparently caught the attention of a talent scout on the site. Social media is not just changing the way we view culture, it is becoming a fundamental part of culture, giving the power to us as individuals to protest and to change opinion without moving from our desks.

WE AS A GENERATION ARE SO BUSY TRYING TO GET THE PERFECT POST THAT WE DON’T SEE BEYOND THE FIRST GLANCE.

Evanescent is a visually stunning animation created here in South Wales; however its style could have easily emerged from major Japanese animation studios. It appears particularly similar to those produced by Studio Ghibli, even down to the point of its narrative; a young girl growing up in a forest with a deerlike forest spirit. Initially the animation looks a little outdated, yet it develops into something wonderful, and it is a shame that it is only four minutes long. Atmosphere, like Mirage, involves extraordinary amounts of vibrant colour, yet this more fast paced film follows spherical items, such as bowling balls and planets in an extremely vivid manner, with close ups and slow motion sequences for emphasis. Islanders Rest was the longest animation submitted for the competition, at almost twenty minutes. Set in a seaside village, with a plot revolving around ships in bottles, it is different in style to the other entrants. Entirely in black and white, it does however mss our on some of the charm the other animations display with their colourful visions. ELEANOR PARKYN