Entertainment Tomorrow - Fall 2022

Entertainment Tomorrow

FALL 2022

TOXIC ALGAE

Will it affect you and your dog or is it something not worth paying attention to?

BEHIND THE SCENES

Taking a look at what happens behind the scenes during a live production

THE MOVIES

Taking a deep dive on how the everchanging realm of the film industry has evolved

Mya is writing about the production behind live performances. She enjoys listening to music and painting very much because she nds those activities therapeutic. In the future, she hopes to get a job that she enjoys and a cat of her own. A fun fact about her is that she once lived in a haunted house.

Nico “Hank” Torres wants to do an article about the toxic algae in Town Lake and Barton creek. His favorite hobbies are video games and ne dining. A er he graduates he wants to seek out an even higher education like a theoretical physics PhD or something along the lines of that. Some interesting facts about him: he is that guy, and he wears glasses.

Lasya is writing about movies and how they a ect people. She loves to read books, especially during rainy days. Her favorite color is gray because it reminds her of cloudy weather which makes her happy. She is looking forward to going to college once she graduates high school, but isn’t entirely sure what she wants to do yet.

Letter from the Editors

Dear Readers,

We hope our magazine, Entertainment Tomorrow, will help you discover the various forms of entertainment, and maybe even keep you entertained in the meanwhile! Our thoughts, ideas, and what went into this magazine was heavily inspired by the city of Austin, and we hope you learn as much as we do about all the fun things hiding in the crooks of the city.

When we first started working on our mgazine, we were filled with uncertainity of how to proceed with the topic ‘Entertainment’ as it is very broad. But as we conclude these past nine-weeks, we have all found our own definition of the topic and now share with you what we found. Enjoy!

Sincerely, the Editors

Dog Owners Beware

Explaining the toxic algae outbreak

By Nico Torres

In July 2019, the city of Austin received many reports of dogs falling ill. The cause of this illness was a bloom of toxic algae called cyanobacteria, which can cause a myriad of bad symptoms, some of which are lethal, especially for dogs. This was the first of many reports of these algae affecting

the local population. Blooms of these algae in the summer have been so consistent, they are now expected and rarely surprise anyone. Dogs have died from it, albeit not too often but sadly, it still happens. This brings us to the main topic of this article, what is going on with the lake? More specifically, how has it

affected local business and of the lake.

According to the CDC, Cyanobacteria is a single-celled organism found in water that produces food with sunlight in nutrient-rich environments. Essentially, the way they can affect the environment is by blocking sunlight for aquatic

Left:A picture of the cyanobateria on the water Above:A picture of the Cyanobacteria under microscope

Above:An image of the algae under a microscope from wikipedia

Credit: Adelaide laboratories, wikipedia

Left: An image of an algae mat on the water.

plants which in turn will affect the food supply of aquatic animals. For us land mammals, it can affect us by making the water toxic and thus making it unsuitable for pets and animals to drink by mistake. It is especially dangerous because you can’t look at the algae and decide whether or not it is in it’s toxic phase so you may confuse it for something else and let your dog drink it or swim in it, which can be equally dangerous.

As it turns out, there are countermeasures to ensure dogs don’t get poisoned, for example, signs that warn pedestrians about high levels of algae to remind them to not let their

dogs drink any lake water. Another countermeasure is to tell places that rent out recreational water equipment when algae levels are high so that if anyone brings their dog to go paddleboarding or some other activity that involves water, the rental place can tell them that the algae are high and it wouldn’t be safe.

Countermeasures aside, people are actively working on cleaning up the algae with the intention of exterminating it with hopes that dogs and pets can someday go back to enjoying the lake. City of Austin Watershed Protection Department (CAWP) are putting a chemical called phoslock which binds to phosphorus( a key nutrient for the algae), on boats and spreading it all over the lake,especially places with large clumps. This results in cutting a major nutrient for the algae and ultimately exterminating it.

CAWP’s efforts have already reduced the amount of phosphorus for the algae by 40%, which is huge considering our dogs’ lives are at stake. With time we could soon go

back to letting our dogs swim in the lake and paddleboard with us, which is cute and can provide some very fun memories. However, for now, we must wait.

Bringing your dog to the lake is a very common thing as the lake along with the greenery provides a cool refuge from the hot concrete of any modern city. The image to the left is a perfect example of that with a dog park right by the lake where dogs of all backgrounds get to socially interact, run around and overall just expend some of their limitless energy.

As for us humans, it allows us to do some everyday interaction and even meet new friends.

There are also plenty of great opportunities for Austinites to get outdoors and do something fun. Paddleboarding is the obvious primary candidate but there are many other things near the lake. The trail around the lake being the next biggest thing and if you need a pitstop, a great destination is Alta cafe which has coffee and smoothies and a great view of the lake. There are also a variety of parks and fields where you can play sports or

“We are in communication with the Lake people for Austin and we get notifications on bad weather or dam openings or even the algae.”-Alvin Cantu, General manager at paddleboard

just sit down and have a picnic and look at the people walk by. That’s not all, the lake also provides boat rentals for parties and events like that. Another key point to consider is these boat, paddleboard, and kayak rental places are businesses which drive part of the recreational economy in Austin and often bring tourism. Tourism is an industry that provides a lot of revenue to our city, and with the recent plans for city development more funding couldn’t hurt.

The lake also provides a sort of natural “heatsink” that draws away heat and cools down surrounding areas. If you

Top: A picture of a dog park by the lake.

Bottom: A paddleboard/kayak rental place at dusk.

Left:A picture of the cyanobateria on the water

Above:A picture of the Cyanobacteria under microscope

Credit: Adelaide laboratories, wikipedia

are unaware, In Texas, temperatures in the summer often reach over 100 degrees so this heatsink can feel like a blessing. It can also, in turn, lower energy consumption of nearby buildings because if air conditioning units works less it results in less energy being drawn from

our very strained power grid. An added bonus of this cooling is with less power consumption comes less emissions which cools the earth in the long run. The lake also provides a water source for nearby greenery and “forest” which in turn allows them to continue to thrive in the summer providing these green spots and even more cooling. The surrounding nature is also a major reason why people enjoy the lake.

Having lakes in Austin is great! You can swim, walk, kayak, paddleboard, and so much more. The efforts in place are a good first step but we must do more to preserve and protect this lake. Because if we don’t do anything more to preserve the lake, it might turn into one of those trash lakes

that look(and probably smell) horrible, and it would overall be bad for us.Especially, considering thousands of people a day walk around the lake and there are many small businesses around the lake that rely on the lake continuing to be safe and flourish for their work to succeed. With all that in mind, I think it is safe to say that people and animals alike enjoy the lake, and they wouldn’t mind if the lake was here to stay. Also on a final side note, the algae blooms have been bolstered by climate change, So, something we could all do is work on emitting less. but By working together to care for our local waters, we could start the path to a cleaner, nicer lake. And who wouldn’t want that?

“It’s very beautiful around downtown Austin, I really enjoy walking around here especially now that the weather is getting a little cooler and you know it’s very nice to be out here and enjoy the Austin fall.”-

A photo of the lake with a mirror reflection of some buildings.

Stuff to Do Outside And a Fact About Each One

By Nico Torres

Soccer is arguable the most well known sport in the world. Hiking is a calming experience that is incredibly rewarding.

Foodball is one of texas’ favorite sports.

Going to the shooting range is good practice for people who hunt and fun for those who dont.

Paintball is a competitive experience that does not hurt as bad as one would suspect.

Skiing is a fun sport to do in the winter.

If you have friends, its winter, and you’re not in texas, this is the group activity for you.

Tennis is not just hitting a ball, it also requires a lot of agility and speed.

Golf is a common sport in florida.

Ping pong was invented on the dining tables of england and it was called whiff whaff

Kickball is just baseball but you kick the ball.

Baseball was america’s sport back in the 50s and 60s.

Some people can go 100 miles on a bycicle in a single day.

Basketball is another very popular sport in the united states.

Tug of war can be used instead of a coin flip to settle disputes.

Water-balloons are a great way to cool off in the summer.

While most commonly found at bars, dart boards can be used anywhere.

Dodgeball is a fun team based sport that only results in minor bruising.

Ice skating is a more elegant version of skating that involves thin bladed shoes and ice.

Archery is another fun thing to challenge your friends to.

Pool is another “bar” activity that is actually very fun for kids.

Bowling is a casual sport that is more about hanging out with friends than actually playing sports

Skating and roller blading is actually pretty decent exercise.

Beer pong can be made kid friendly if you replace beer with juice.

Airsoft is for the people who want to play paintball but have a more tactical world view.

While triathalons require training, ironman triathalons are some of the most impressuve feats, it features long distance running cycling and swimming, and you only have 24 hours to do it.

quiddich is a suprising real world sport that actually has a team in austin.

Three lane soccer is actually a real sport that has one ball and three teams/goals.

Sources:

Survey conducted from 9/1-9/20 to allow them to be sorted from most to least known. Most of the information about these spiorts was collected from wikipedia or prior knowledge.

An Inside Look Into Live Productions

e production process behind concerts and plays

BY MYA RIGA

Live productions are great events that bring a lot of people together to see one theatrical act or concert. Something that can often be overlooked in live productions is what goes on behind the scenes. There are many roles such as stage coaches, managers, directors, actors, artists… the list goes on and on. All of these people work together to put on a production for the audience members, implementing aspects such as sound design, light design, etc.

A vital design aspect is scenic design. For theatrical productions such as plays, musicals, or operas, scenic design is key for portraying the story’s emotions, themes, and general information. For example, the location or time period that the story takes place in.

Josafath Reynoso, a scenic designer and lecturer at the University of Texas in Austin, walked through his process of designing for a production and where he gets his inspiration from. “At the very beginning, you start conversations with the director and you start doing a bunch of research. Visual research; you research images. I like to do a lot of research that is based on either music or movies,” Reynoso said. The whole process from getting invited to work on a show to opening night is one that is long and full of meetings, working with other people, researching, and improving the design as time goes on. “I want to say every scenic design process is probably between 4-6 months,” Reynoso said.

When kickstarting the process, Reynoso said, “I read the play, I talk to the director, and I say, ‘This is what I envision. This is what I’m thinking. This is what’s in my mind when I read this play, when I’m thinking of this play, when I’m thinking of this thing. What do you think?’ We start a conversation, and like I said, I usually show them images or music videos or just a piece of music.”

The inspiration behind his designs aren’t always conventional. Research includes taking inspiration from multiple forms of media, and taking away the emotion or feeling from that particular piece of work and putting it into the set design. “Say it’s a picture of a window and on the window there’s a landscape reflected. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you, as a designer, take it and build the window. Sometimes, what you build or what you propose as a design is, maybe, a backdrop that has that landscape or maybe the elements,

Hayley Williams of Paramore at ACL 2022.

the furniture, the surfaces of the tables are going to be reflective, so you get the same effect; the same feeling of the picture,” Reynoso

One example of this is when Reynoso designed a production of the Crucible around 4 or 5 years ago where he took inspiration from a musical piece. “The very first inspiration piece that I shared with my director was a cartoon from the 1930s,” Reynoso said, “In this cartoon, Pluto’s [the main character] a nightmare, and Hell. He goes to trial where all the rorized have put he’s sentenced to a music piece cats are singing guilty and how to throw him actually a very effective piece because when I shared it with the director, we both agreed that this idea of this sense of cruel justice, the unfairness, the cruelty of the trial, was part of the crucible, what the show was going to look like. There were a lot of elements that made it into the final design, like the grime, the deteriorated wood, and rough wooden planks. Some of those textures, some

of those feelings, some of those effects made it into the final version.”

Throughout his career, he has been building this pool of references. “It’s still like a library that you build in your mind. The more things you see, the more music you listen to, the more movies you go watch, the more references that you have and you can say, ‘Oh! This reminds me of that,’ you know, ‘Harry Potter clip where this and this and this and this happens.’”

show will look, a design is drafted and sent to the technical director in the theater’s shop to be built. During this time, rehearsals are already happening with the actors in a rehearsal studio since the Director already knows what the set will look like. The actors don’t rehearse on set until it has been finished and loaded into the theater. “They are usually going to be rehearsing for about 2-3 weeks at a rehearsal studio, and then they jump into the set, on stage, after it’s been loaded. For that period, which we call ‘designer run’, is a very first run specifically for the designer to watch, to see the movement, to see how the set is being used, and to flag any potential issues.”

With all of these different inspirations, no production looks the same. There are connections to emotions or feelings that are made with certain colors, objects, or textures, but they vary from each design. “I just recently opened a show for Genia that I had designed four times before. Even though it was the same play, the same text, the characters are the same, the actions are the same, the director is different and their ideas are different. What they want to say with the play is different. There is not one thing that I can tell you, oh, sadness is blue or happiness is a square, it always depends on that particular moment, even in the way that I, myself, am feeling in that particular moment. Sometimes sadness is going to be red and sometimes sadness is going to be yellow and sometimes it’s going to be Billie Eilish, gray, pink, whatever that is.”

After multiple meetings with the Director to talk about how the

Once everything is fixed and done, the production day comes and everything comes to life. “Honestly, it’s hard to keep a favorite, because I feel like, as a designer your job is to fall in love with the next show you’re doing. You cannot say, ‘That was the best thing that I’ve done.’ There have been shows that have been more successful than others, that have given me more than others, there are some shows that are very small but very fulfilling.” Reynoso said. “I work a lot in Argentina and in Ireland, and those usually have 5 actors on almost a bare stage with a couple of elements that I still get to design. They are very different productions from, say, Mamma Mia which has spinning platforms and a giant tree on stage, but at the same time, each one has its own thing.”

“It’s never the same, and that’s the thing.”

Josafath Reynoso

Actors dancing with a tree and a moon in the backdrop.

Photo Courtesy of Josafath Reynoso.

On the other side of the same giant coin, there is lighting design. Concerts are spots where this form of design shines as you are surrounded by urries of color for a few hours.

Rob Sinclair, a lighting designer who has designed for bands such as Queen, System of a Down, Tame Impala, Vampire Weekend, and other various bands, says, “I greatly enjoy what I do. I get to work with a glorious group of people, I get to work with talented artists, other talented designers, and talented technicians.”

Sinclair started working in this eld in his late teens/early twenties. “ ings were a lot less formal when I le school in the late 80s and there was a lot less of an expectation to go to college if you were doing this sort of work,” Sinclair said, “I le school when I was about 18 and I worked as a DJ, and then I did a course called theater electrics. So it was basically a house

electrician course with some theatrical components added to it. We learned how to wire houses and how to wire switches and all of the things that all of the regular electricians did and then had extra components on top of that. at’s the only formal training that I had.”

Erich Bertti, a lighting designer who has worked with Ghost for many years, started at a similar age. B ertti said, “My uncle is the founder of one of the biggest South American lighting companies called LPL and I grew up around it helping out on gigs, running followspots and learning the technical aspects. e majority of the men in my family work around lighting. At the age of 18 I moved to São Paulo and started working to make a living and studying for college exams. A Couple of years later everything seemed so natural that I ended up ‘locking’ my college course to take on

my rst international tour.” With starting a large project comes a design phase or process, and both Sinclair and Bertti said that it starts with getting to know the project, designing, and implementing. “Every

gig has its own speci cs and you have to evolve and adapt every single time,” Bertti said, “I’d say there’s the study of your client rst, the understanding of its past work, what it wants/expects of the future and to really absorb the objective of the design. A er analyzing these factors it’s all about what you consider as good references in the world of art and to translate that

“The very short answer is chaos.”

Rob Sinclair

Queen + Adam Lambert performing in 2021. Photo courtesy of Rob SinclairSinclair

into a lighting design. I personally like architecture, sculpting and painting a lot so I always have a very caring eye for the structural plot and in the choosing of my xtures.” Sinclair explained how his process happens in 3 similar phases. e discovery phase, “when you try and nd out what everyone wants, what their references are, what their budgets are, and what their logistical restraints are.” Second, the design phase, “where you take that rst information and try to turn it into some ideas.” Lastly, there is an implementation phase, where “you’re in rehearsals or you’re actually physically putting something together, and you’re in a room and things become more manifest.”

At the end of this implementation phase is putting on the show. e days start early and end late; Sinclair and Bertti both work all day to make sure everything is being built properly and making any necessary changes for a show at night. “Generally, the team will start work at around 6 or 7 am, the trucks will unload, things will start to be built, you know, it depends on the size of the show and the scale of which

it’s working. It’s usually an early start with an ideal of having everything built just a er lunch so that the artist can do a rehearsal in the a ernoon, and that’s the point I would make any changes or we would implement any notes, although on a regular day on a tour there’s very little time to do that sort of thing,” Sinclair said. Bertti said, “Long hours of focusing every single xture and checking notes from the last night until doors are open and audience is in. en it is having a great show, dismantling and loading out everything to repeat the next day.”

Ghost performing at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas 2022. inclair

“Ghost has a special place since it’s been the one that got me out of the Brazilian market into worldwide contacts.”

Erich Bertti

Tame Impala performing in 2021. Photo courtexy of Rob Sinclair.nc

By Mya Riga

A sneak-peak into Austin’s movies

By Lasya Sangana

Even with the growing variety of ways to entertain oneselves, films continue to be a widely renowned option that many people go to. According to an article on Movies Guide only 26% of the people they interviewed had never been to the movie theater before to watch a film. This illustrates the wide reach of the population that shifts towards watching films—whether it might happen on a rainy cozy or just playing them as background noise when you’re doing work late at night.

In Austin we have multiple theater’s that provide fun and entertainment anyone might be craving. From the more popular ones, like the Alamo Drafthouse, and the AMC, to the less widely known ones, like Galaxy Theaters or Violet crown, Austin’s movie theaters serve you a variety of experiences.

Jeannette McGowan, an Austin Community College employee and

avid movie fan, agrees that watching movies in the theater versus at home offers a different experience. “But in the theater you get to observe

from daily life and responsibilities. For 2-3 hours you are immersed in another world, or a peek into the characters’ life and it stirs emotions that are outside the normal routine.” Dahms said.

if others react to the movie as you do. Does a scene move the audience like it moves you?”

McGowan states that enjoys observing people’s reactions during films in the theater and emphasizes how it pulls you into the movie even more. Similarly, she comments on how films can provide a quick escape that allows you to get completely immersed in the story. Richard Dahms, general manager of Galaxy Theaters, agrees.

“It [movies] is a total escape

Dahms emphasizes that this is the key importance that differentiates watching films at home versus watching it in a theater—when you watch it at the theater, it’s a complete and total escape from your daily life and the stress that comes with it. Along with this, Dahms also mentions how different movie theaters offer various amounts of satisfaction. For example, Galaxy Theaters has a very developed team and quality products to suit the customers needs.

“

SOME ARE NICE TO VIEW IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME,”

“OUR TEAM MEMBERS ARE THE FRIENDLIEST AND ARE THE MOST INVESTED,”

Dahms said. “And we even have the comfiest chairs in Austin. Our nachos especially make us special, people go crazy for them.” Dahms also said another thing that makes Galaxy Theaters special is that they offer regular shows of Spanish films along with Spanish dubs. With about 33%of Austin’s population being Hispanic, according to KVUE, this has more inclusive films rather than just playing the same couple of popular films in every theater.

Dahms remarked that another thing that makes Galaxy Theaters special is, historically, Galaxy Theaters was the first theater in Austin to have DBox motion chairs. Along with that, in a

Person purchasing snacks at concession stand. Photo courtesy of Lasya Sangana.

Two people watching a movie in Galaxy Theatres. Photo Courtesy of Lasya Sangana.

wider scale, their theater can still play 70mm films and there are only a handful of theaters in the United States that can still do that, and one of them is in Austin!

Sara Denny, owner of Doc’s Drive-in Theater and Mama Marlowe’s Speakeasy, boasts of a similar thing, saying there are less than 300 drive-in theaters in the whole state of Texas, and that they are one of the remaining few. When asked what makes drive-in theaters special, Denny replied that it’s a different feeling.

“I feel like it definitely creates a more nostalgic experience,” Denny said. “You can kind of create

your own experience like some people will bring data or sit in the back of their truck and bring, you know all their friends and family so it’s more of a nostalgic experience rather than sitting inside of theaters.”

She certainly hopes that even if the numbers seem to be dwindling, that drive-in theaters stick around. Denny also adds that she loves the outdoor nature that drive-in theaters have—something you can’t get from regular indoor movie theaters. Outdoor theaters allow you to talk through and discuss the movie while it’s happening, whereas indoor movie theaters don’t have the luxury of having that privilege.

“It depends on the person, and what type of experience you’re looking for.” Denny said.

It might not be a complete immersion as going to the movie theater might be, but it has other advantages. You can sit outside, watch the sunset, and then start your film. Drive-ins are more spacious, so you won’t really bother others by making conversation with your peers. Like Galaxy Theaters, you can order really amazing food instead of just popcorn and soda.

“We also have, you know, a staycation so if you want to stay in the tiny houses,” Denny said. “Some people will make a weekend out of it, which is different from theater.”

Denny concludes by saying it’s a totally different vibe; very chill and relaxing with a sunset being like a cherry on top. Dahms, however, offers another view on

“The guests that come in are excited for

Two People leaving after watching a movie. Photo courtesy of Lasya Sangana.

the big screen experience,” Dahms said.

Dahm tries to emphasize that perhaps the reason people enjoy watching films, especially in theaters, is due to the feeling of being enclosed with just you and the screen. McGowan provides yet another way of looking at how the different forms of film-watching differ.

“Watching movies in the comfort of your home provides a different feeling,” McGowan said. “You have more flexibility with the whole experience.”

McGowan suggests that

even if a movie theater, drivein or not, might provide a sort of excitement of the feeling of going somewhere, simply staying at home curled up under a pile of blankets while watching a film can have a completely different but equally nice feeling of comfort.

“For me, I love to pop my popcorn just before the movie starts. That way it’s hot when the movie begins,” McGowan said. “I might not get to do that in movie theaters.”

Whether it’s watching a film in a theater or at home, they inherently provide a unique experience of entertainment by being such

a quick, rapid escape from reality. Even if you don’t drive around Austin to find the stellar and unique theaters that are located here, simply just watching a film at home can be an inherently fun experience. Next time you find yourself wanting to watch a film, (if not at home), be sure to check out Galaxy Theaters or maybe even try and experience a beautiful sunset at Doc’s Drive-in.

A women sitting alone with her popcorn. Photo Courtesy of Lasya Sangana.

an unconventional form of entertainment

By Lasya Sangana

Newspaper isn’t the most common form of entertainment, but it’s definetly and overlooked and classic one. Here are a few different graphs showing how different age groups interact with newspaper.

This is found in a lake. “Shh.. they are in the middle of _______.” You listen to this. A performer’s job is to _________. You play this.

Someone who is a part of the cast of a film is an _____. You do this on a lake or you could find your seat here.