December 2024: The Director's Cut

thread TABLE OF CONTENTS

SEAMS

#18 Runway Realway: Alexander Mcqueen - The Birds Spring/Summer 2025

#20 Runway Realway: Prada Fall/Winter 2014

#22 Celeb Style: Winona Ryder

#24 Celeb Style: Hunter Schafer

#26 Iconic Sunglasses

#28 Iconic Shoes

#30 Priscilla Makeup #32 Mime Makeup

#34 Seams Profile: Viola Davis

#36 Seams Profile: Robin Williams

#40 Athena Grand Closing the Curtain

#22 Celeb Style: Winona Ryder

#82 As Well As Just Beauty

MIDDLE OF THE BOOK

#46 Spirit of the American West

#58 Black Swan

#70 The Golden Age of Hollywood

#82 ...As Well As Just Beauty

#94 Six Looks We Like: Roles on Set

CAMPUS CASUAL

#102 QUIZ: Which Director Are You?

#104 Ohio In LA Program

#106 Day in the Life of an Acting Major

FEATURES

#110 History of the Athena : The Jewel of Court Street

#114 Appalachian Depiction in Films : Hills, Howlers, and Hollywood

#118 Method Acting

BACK OF THE CLOSET

#122 Bollywood

#124 Cross Casting

#126 Anime

#128 Foreign Films- Films that have broken through the language barrier

#130 In Good Fashion (IGF): Deaf West

#132 Rant/Rave: Remakes (Sequels and Live Actions)

HAUTE ONLINE

Looking for a new internet obsession? Whether you want to listen to podcasts or watch some videos, we’ve got you covered virtually.

PHOTO BY GQ

TRASH POLKA TATTOOS

Trash Polka is not a new style in the tattooing world but is making a comeback with modern tattooers. The style was invented in the late ‘90s by Simone Pfaff and Volker Merschky in Germany. Trash Polka is essentially like a living sketchbook. You have several elements overlapping: heavy brush strokes, over saturation, and all levels of realism to pop art. They are, in my opinion, some of the most creative tattoos. The style allows you to mix and match different styles and textures to create a cohesive piece without needing symmetrical balance or perfect composition.

Typically, Trash Polka tattoos use the traditional grayscale palette with a bright red as the accent color; however, as this style is regaining popularity people have expanded the palette to feature other colors as well. Trash Polka also emulates the nature in which the art was made by showcasing sketch lines and allowing for more artistic freedom to enhance the work. Trash Polka tattoos are truly one of a kind and extremely versatile. The style is chaotic and challenges the status quo of modern tattoos. It is a complete juxtaposition of fitting in and playing it safe.

- SHYLA ALGERI

BACKGROUND

For the past three years, I have been adding to a personal collection that I hold dearly to my heart: a YouTube playlist titled “Background Music.” This playlist contains videos from all corners of the video-streaming service, a majority of which are the music behind beloved movies and TV shows.

Whether it’s the dreamy music of “Pride and Prejudice” (2005), the comforting waltz of Studio Ghibli soundtracks, or the intense theme of “The Batman” (2022), there is a soundtrack fit

for any study session or mood. By curating this playlist, I’ve grown a great respect for the use of music in movies. Without music — whether that be original or preexisting — movies would be dull and lack emotional depth, and my playlist would be sorely empty.

If you ever find yourself in need of a new song, but don’t know what to listen to, try the soundtrack of your favorite movie. Trust me, it will be worth it.

- ALEXANDRA HOPKINS

TINY GLADE

“Tiny Glade” is a newly released cozy building simulator developed by Pounce Light, with a team of two developers: Anastasia Opara and Tomasz Stachowiak. In this sandbox game, you can build about anything you can imagine. While the options for the game are limited due to its early stage of release, there is no limit to your imagination. For those who might struggle with new building designs, the game’s daily prompt feature offers inspiration. “Tiny Glade” is any cottage core, cozy gamer, building simulator lover’s dream. It is great to take a brain break from

the stressful reality of work and school for a couple of hours to play around and build whatever your heart desires, whether that be an entire kingdom or a tiny farm. Along with buildings, some sheep and ducks wander around while you build. Yes, you can pet them. With its low price tag and simple controls, “Tiny Glade” is accessible and fun for everyone. “Tiny Glade” is a great creative outlet and a nice way to unwind after a long, stressful day.

- CARLY HART

DIGITAL CAMERAS

A trend that I am currently obsessed with is digital cameras and photography. Taking pictures with an actual camera is something that has become super important to me, and having a portable camera makes capturing these special moments that much easier. Along with the convenience of a digital camera, I particularly enjoy the vintage charm of digital pictures. One of my favorite aspects of a digital camera is that they have this dated, nostalgic quality without even having to edit the photos. Unlike a phone camera, the lighting always ends up looking perfect, and the photos feel much more natural and almost effortless.

Rather than relying on my phone to take great pictures when I cannot have my regular camera, carrying my digital camera with me to capture moments from family gatherings, and friend hangouts to on-campus events and concerts, is so convenient and rewarding. Digital cameras have gained so much popularity recently because of the combination of their portability and highquality performance while still being fitting for both amateurs and pros. Another thing I love about them is how they tend to be much more affordable than a DSLR camera even with all their convenience. Being able to capture my everyday life through my digital camera has become so special to me and I am excited to continue capturing more special moments in the future.

- JORI HUSTED

Find out the top five things that our exec board is inspired by right now.

“HEALTHIER” FAST FOOD CHOICES

Don’t get me wrong, I am an avid fan of a greasy burger and french fries every now and again. There is nothing quite like filling a big hunger void with a comforting meal leaving your stomach with second guesses about whether or not that was the best idea or not. I, however, have recently developed a love for the fast food options you could consider a little healthier. Although I’m sure not everything that I pick could be considered healthy, at least I’m eating a few vegetables and to be honest, that is always a win in my book. In Ohio, the delicious Piada always seems to satisfy that craving for me. When I decide to choose an option that will not leave my stomach feeling like a rock, Piada always seems to brighten up my day with an aftertaste of delicious crispy chicken BLT wrap (add avocado, of course).

More recently, however, in D.C. I have discovered the TikTok infamous Cava, a Mediterranean style inspired Chipotle which is notoriously known for their oh-so-yummy soft pita chips adding that extra layer of pizzazz to an already fantastic bowl. Although this option is not yet available in Ohio, I hope to see it hit the streets of Columbus or even hopefully Athens, soon enough. When I’m craving something fresh and full of nutrients, Piada and Cava have always been the places to go.

- GABRIELLE CABANES

I belong to a small subgroup of college students: the unfortunate amblers, the upperclassmen without cars. Although my lack of an automobile has certainly been an inconvenience, it has also created a special relationship between myself and the GoBus system, which is not nearly as bad as it sounds. The buses have never been late or canceled, and they don’t have any abhorrent smells or climate control problems. Along with the absence of negatives, the GoBus has shown me some surprisingly scenic areas of Ohio, from trips home to Cincinnati to visiting friends in Cleveland. The sunset views of fall foliage throughout the rolling Appalachian hills have made the endless hours on the road more than bearable, especially since I don’t have to split my attention between the scenery and the rules of the road. I always enter a fugue state, falling in and out of sleep as I listen to a curated playlist and ponder various aspects of my life. Although being able to drive myself would be a welcomed change in my life, I would doubtlessly miss those hours of meditation while being quasi-chauffeured through a state these journeys have taught me to love.

- SOPHIA ROOKSBERRY

LIBRARIES

Call me a nerd, but I’ve loved the library since I was little. I grew up visiting my hometown’s public library every weekend, and I would sit in the kid’s corner and read book after book, soaking in every last word. My mom is an English teacher, so maybe it’s in my genes, but the library has always been my happy place.

Although I’m in college now, this fact has not changed. For the entirety of my freshman year, I practically lived in Alden Library. Whether I was frantically writing an essay I had procrastinated starting, casually working on homework with my friends in a study room, or occasionally falling asleep in one of the egg chairs, I honestly spent more time at Alden than in my dorm.

- CAMI SEYMORE

EARLY MORNINGS

A clear sign I am turning into my father, early mornings have become the highlight of my day and an essential part of my season’s ‘Top 5.’ Setting my alarm early and making plans to go on a walk, read my book, or work out before my classes and other commitments has become a personal commitment to myself and the highlight of my day. An early morning spent at an almostempty gym is spent among others in the same headspace as myself, with a comforting matched red-eye and quiet disposition to show for it. Along with the quiet time in solitude the morning offers, making early morning plans with friends for the sake of spending time together has become equivalent to a love language — a gentle reminder that making time for loved ones is always possible. My early Sunday mornings spent reading at a

coffee shop or early Thursday on a weekly coffee walk with a friend have helped me better navigate the rest of my day and ease anxieties about my to-do list or whatever else I worry about during the rest of the day.

With the loudness and chaos that the peak of college inevitably brings, quiet and early mornings have become my solution to balancing my days and my mind. An earlier alarm clock has been an unexpected favorite of my season because it has given me the time to work toward goals I otherwise would not have progressed in.

- DISHA HOQUE

COFFEE

Coffee has become one of my favorite parts of the day and some mornings, is my main reason to get out of bed. The promise of coffee is especially motivating during the cold, dreary winter months when life can feel mundane and the workload is piling up. Although for some, coffee is just a bittertasting drink used occasionally for late-night study sessions, to me coffee is not only delicious, but comforting as well.

Coffee also brings people together. Have you ever found yourself in a coffee shop, smiling at the sight of all the customers gathering in one place for the same reason: their love for coffee? And

maybe it sounds a bit silly, but I swear going to a coffee shop with a good friend can solve many of life’s problems.

Fun traditions like the new seasonal Starbucks drinks create another excuse for me and my friends to buy a fun flavored drink that adds joy to our day. Coffee can be extremely versatile and creating new recipes in my little apartment is a simple pleasure that romanticizes my life.

- LILA NEWMAN

Editor’s Note

Greetings! I am overjoyed and excited to invite you into our second issue of the semester for Thread! In this issue, we wanted to find a way to really explore storytelling and creativity in all different aspects that we have the ability to. In our minds, the magic of cinema perfectly encapsulates all aspects of creativity we have at Thread. “The Director’s Cut” is an homage to unforgettable moments and styles we have seen for decades in the film industry as well as highlighting some of the ways Ohio University is involved in shaping our own into the film industry of tomorrow.

Our Oscar-worthy middle of the book shoots are a must see event. Prepare for dusty trails in our version of the old west, “Spirit of the American West”. Explore the dark side of beauty and the pursuit of greatness in “Black Swan/ White Swan”. Travel back to an era that truly defined cinema in “The Golden Age of Hollywood”. Finally, “...As Well As Just Beauty”, a period piece inspired by Greta Gerwig’s film, “Little Women”.

I am constantly blown away and at a loss for words by the work and commitment that is given by the 28 executive members we have here at Thread. The magic you are seeing is the direct product of the passion and creativity done by these people who work early mornings and late nights to share this with you all. Lila Newman is constantly coming up with ways to keep our social media engaging and sharing things you may not get to see in the final product of the magazine. Emma Hedges and Sabine Obermoller work alongside her in the business department to perfect our creative strategy, help with event planning, and fundraise for this completely student run publication.

Thank you to our outstanding editorial staff Avery St. George, Abby Joyner, Cami Seymore, Sophia Rooksberry, and Alexandra Hopkins. Thread is extremely lucky to have those in the likes of you all who have the ability to perfect storytelling like no other.

Being a film inspired issue, visual storytelling is absolutely essential and it would not be possible without the work of our brilliant photo staff Disha Hoque, Jori Husted, Emma Odson, and Jack Hopper.

Our website is still growing everyday and we are constantly looking for new ways to implement different aspects of what Thread is and that is all thanks to our talented web director, Carly Hart.

Our multimedia team, Jenna Skidmore and Maggie Musto, are the reason this issue exists today. Aside from the constant production of visual content to promote issues, getting behind the scenes footage, and helping with visual storytelling, they are also the masterminds of this issue who originally pitched a film inspired issue. Very fitting.

Our makeup team, Shyla Algeri and Kamryn Clark have beautifully curated the looks you see today. Additionally, we have expanded our team in adding the talented Julia Brown as our hair director.

Movies and television would not be possible without the storytelling of costume and wardrobe as well as Thread and this issue would not be possible without these things and that is all thanks to our fashion

WITH HEARTFELT APPRECIATION

team Kendall Bergeron, Natalie Schoolcraft, and Bella Bolin.

Lastly, what you are seeing and reading now, the final touch to put everything together is brought to you by our brilliant design director, Cassidy Woods, and illustration assistant Kendall Wiff. Special thanks to Cassidy Woods who we were lucky enough to have for these past two issues and as she graduates, we wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors.

Thread would not be what it is today without the brilliance of our creative director Hadley Fain as well as our art director Morgan Clark. There isn’t a way to put into words the creativity and passion that these two have for Thread and also the work that they do within the publication and everything outside of it. We are deeply grateful and honored to have you both on this team.

I would like to express my sincerest thanks to our managing editor, Gabrielle Cabanes, who has been working for Thread virtually for the past two issues while she has been away in Washington D.C. although it has felt like she has been right by our side every step of the way. You are a light for this publication and we could not do it without you.

To our staff, thank you from the bottom of my heart for devoting your personal time to Thread. Joining this publication and doing this work is completely optional and I am constantly amazed that we have such an engaging and hard-working staff who show up and do the work just because they can. You are the reason we can continue to do what we do and share our art and creativity with everyone.

Lastly, thank you to the readers. You are the reason we do this and the reason we are constantly evolving. Your unwavering support, enthusiasm, and passion for what we do keep us inspired and motivated every day. Now silence your cell phones and get your popcorn ready because we now present to you, “The Director’s Cut”.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Hunter Gibson

MANAGING EDITOR Gabrielle Cabanes

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Hadley Fain

ART DIRECTOR Morgan Clark

EDITORIAL

COPY CHIEF Cami Seymore

SEAMS EDITOR Abby Joyner

WWW, & CAMPUS CASUAL EDITOR Avery St. George

FEATURES & BOC EDITOR Sophia Rooksberry

ONLINE CONTENT EDITOR Alex Hopkins

EDITORIAL STAFF Emilie DeOreo, Avery Tyla, Lauren Stidham, Olivia Leggans, Mackenzie Carr, Sophia Anness, Susie Iannone, Peyton Ann Hodge

DESIGN

DESIGN DIRECTOR Cassidy Woods

ILLUSTRATION DIRECTOR Kendall Wiff

WEB EDITOR Carly Hart

DESIGN STAFF Ella Huelskamp, Sophia Cianciola, Nicole Bell, Carly Hart, Tanner Vance, Gretchen Stoner, Morgan Clark, Maris Cordial, Gwyneth Shoemaker, Emily Petertonjes

ILLUSTRATION STAFF Carly Hart, Emily Henderson, Sophia Cianciola, Emma Henry, Kyrah Grant

PHOTO

PHOTO CHIEF Disha Hoque

HEAD PHOTO EDITOR Jori Husted

EXECUTIVE PHOTO EDITORS Emma Odson & Jack Hopper

PHOTOGRAPHY STAFF Zennia Lam, Natalie Yan, Cat Lyons, Nate Conklin, Emily Henderson, Nicole Bell, Meredith Viox, Jackson McCoy, Skylar Seavey, Kitty Crino, Emma Snyder-Lovera

MULTIMEDIA

MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR AND WEB EDITOR Jenna Skidmore & Carly Hart

VIDEO EDITOR Maggie Musto

MULTIMEDIA STAFF Ella Huelskamp, Jayla Neal, Sean Terrell, Gabbie Weil, Nicole Bell, Avery Tyla, Maddie Benedict, Avery Callison, Alayna Talladino, Emma Henry

FASHION

FASHION DIRECTOR Kendall Bergeron ASSISTANT FASHION DIRECTORS Bella Bolin & Natalie Schoolcraft

MAKEUP DIRECTORS Kamryn Clark & Shyla Algeri

DIRECTOR OF HAIR Julia Brown

FASHION STAFF Jackie Tullos, Rey De Spain, Abby Joyner, Julia Brown, Adam Marcum, Catherine Lyons, Abbey Kates, Carmin Barcus, Ella Marcinec, Megan Harlan, Alex Cunningham, Jayla Neal

BUSINESS AND SOCIAL MEDIA

PUBLIC RELATIONS & CREATIVE STRATEGY Sabine Obermoller

HEAD OF EVENT PLANNING Emma Hedges

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Lila Newman

BUSINESS & SOCIAL MEDIA STAFF Taylor Blevins, Camden Campdell, Abigail Kates, Andrew Ryan, Avery Callison, Cami Seymor, Carmin Barcus, Catalina Litts, Emma McGowan, Halle Andrus, Jackie Tullos, Kara Switala, Maris Cordial, Olivia Beatty, Sofia Baer, Tess Altier

Cassidy Woods design director

Hadley Fain creative director

Hunter Gibson editor-in-chief

Julia Brown hair director

Emma Hedges event planning

Gabrielle Cabanes managing editor

Alexandra Hopkins online content editor

Kendall Bergeron fashion director

Sabine Obermoller pr creative strategy

Jenna Skidmore multimedia director

Morgan Clark art director

Carly Hart web director

Kendall Wiff illustration director

Jack Hopper photo editor

Bella Bolin asst. fashion director

Cami Seymore copy chief

Abby Joyner seams editor

Natalie Schoolcraft asst. fashion director

Maggie Musto video editor

Disha Hoque photo chief

Jori Husted head of photo editing

Avery St. George campus casual & www

Kamryn Clark makeup director

Shyla Algeri makeup director

Lila Newman social media manager

Emma Odson photo editor

Sophia Rooksberry boc features editor

SEAMS

From the runway to the streets, and everywhere in between, here are this seasons’s most soughtafter trends.

MIME MAKEUP P.#32

As fog filled the runway, shades of navy, yellow, and purple donned the Alexander McQueen Spring and Summer 2025 collection during Paris Fashion Week. Seán McGirr, the creative director of Alexander McQueen, put together an elaborate runway show for fashion enthusiasts, fellow designers, and journalists to enjoy.

McGirr pulled inspiration for the runway from another McQueen show from 1995 London Fashion Week. The 1995 show was themed after the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock horror film, “The Birds.”

The classic film, strange and suspenseful, remains a horror staple over half a century after its release. Both the 1995 collection and the 2025 collection reflect these horrordriven themes from the movie through their garments.

The 1995 collection followed a common theme seen in many of McQueen’s designs: destruction. Examples of destruction were shown through intentional tire marks, dirt splatters, and wrinkles painted across the garments. Influence from “The Birds” was shown through bird-patterned blazers and feathers.

For the 1995 collection, the outfits were very structured, leaving little room for movement. Trends popular with the time appeared throughout the runway, such as shoulder pads, turtlenecks, and low-rise pants that sat on the models’ hip bones.

Though the ‘95 collection remains relevant and has a heavy influence on fashion today, the updated 2025 collection handled a very different representation of the film.

The 2025 collection resembled the older collection but in a new light. While still keeping on the looks of blazers and sophisticated outfits, the pieces felt like they had a more modern flair. The runway show portrayed both structured and flowy outfits. One noticeable aspect of the 2025 collection is the bird-like silhouettes, colors, and constructions of some of the garments. One all-white piece created the illusion of wings through bell sleeves and pleated fabric, giving the abstract look of an albatross. Though each collection brought its own unique influence to the fashion industry, they all made an impact on fashion as a whole. The influence of “The Birds” is prevalent throughout each collection, and it is fascinating to see how interpretations of film influence and are adapted through fashion.

BY SOPHIA ANNESS

BY ZEINNA

LAM

DESIGN BY MORGAN CLARK

PHOTOS

2025 Alexander McQueen SPRING SUMMER

PHOTOS BY EMMA ODSON

Winona Ryder Celeb Style:

BY EMILIE DEOREO

CORDIAL

DESIGN BY MARIS

PHOTOS BY JACKSON MCCOY

At the age of 16, Winona Ryder captivated audiences around the world dressed head to toe in black. Adorned with pointy hair, dark makeup, pale skin, and frilly black lace, Ryder instantly became a recognizable face from filmmaker Tim Burton’s 1988 cult film “Beetlejuice” as Lydia Deetz, a brooding, eccentric teenager fascinated by the macabre. Since her rise to fame in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Ryder embodied a gothic and grunge-like aesthetic that has cemented her as an enduring style icon. From “Heathers” and “Beetlejuice” to her most recent portrayal of Joyce Byers in the worldwide phenomenon, “Stranger Things” (2016), Ryder’s looks have stayed distinctive all the while remaining timeless.

Early in her career, Ryder’s fashion choice resonated with the offbeat characters she portrayed. In “Heathers” (1988), Ryder played Veronica Sawyer, a rebellious and disillusioned teenager as well as Kim, a softer, sweeter type falling for the unconventional Edward in Burton’s “Edward Scissorhands” (1990). Off-screen, Ryder’s fashion taste mirrored many of her roles as she tended to wear goth-inspired clothing. Most recently, in a conversation with Vogue, Ryder’s stylist Erica Cloud described herself as a “treasure hunter” and that the importance of thoughtful pieces are “imperfectly perfect” and that “flaws are the best part.”

Around the 1990s, at the peak of her career, Ryder fully embraced grunge as she was frequently spotted in thrifty, rebellious looks that celebrated antifashion, an umbrella term for various styles of dress that go against the modern trends of the time. About a decade later, Ryder shifted to a more refined and classic style while still favoring darker colors. These looks became more polished as they incorporated elegant silhouettes seeming almost effortless. Very minimalist, Ryder’s red-carpet looks, notably her black Armani dress from the 72nd Academy Awards, were poised, simple, and refined.

After a hiatus, Ryder’s return to

stardom in The Duffer Brothers’ sensation “Stranger Things,” as the nervous yet fearless and protective mother Joyce Byers — a shift from her past roles — sparked nostalgia for those who grew up with her on their televisions. Now a regular face at fashion shows, Ryder often sports chic and contemporary pieces while retaining her beloved vintage style. Marked by her unwavering authenticity, Ryder has inspired multiple generations throughout her roles and her closet. From goth to grunge to timeless chic, Ryder’s influence on fashion is as enduring as her career.

“imperfectly perfect”

Erica Cloud

HUNTER SCHAFER

BY

Hunter Schafer has been steadily on the rise in Hollywood from the success and acclaim of her role as Jules Vaughn in the HBO Max original series “Euphoria” (2019). This role not only launched her acting career but also solidified her presence in the worlds of fashion and activism. Beyond the screen, Schafer has become an influential voice for trans rights, captivating audiences with her multifaceted talent and unapologetically unique identity.

Aside from her acting debut in 2019, Schafer made headlines in 2016 for her staunch opposition against a transphobic North Carolina House Bill at just 17 years old.

At 18, Schafer signed with a modeling agency where she soon began representing brands like Christian Dior and Marc Jacobs. She walked the runway for famous fashion houses like Helmut Lang and Miu Miu. After her modeling debut, Schafer slowly became a fashion icon, well-known for her inventive street style and captivating runway presence. In 2018, Schafer booked the role in “Euphoria” at 19 with no prior acting experience. For the “Euphoria” premiere in 2019, Schafer wore an asymmetric floral Rodarte dress. The midlength dress mixed black, gray, white, and beige through lacey, floral patterns and was paired with similar colored boots that laced up the leg.

Unsurprisingly, Schafer was invited to the 2021 Met Gala, whose theme that year celebrated the vast anthology of American fashion. According to W Magazine,“Schafer looked like she came from another galaxy,” wearing a metallic two-piece set from Prada.

In addition to her space look, she wore a silver brooch in between her eyes that was designed by Evangeline AdaLioryn and wore white contacts to compliment the brooch.

A few years after Schafer’s first significant role, in 2023, she was offered the role of Tigris in “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.” Two of Schafer’s most memorable looks come from the film’s European and world premieres. For the European premiere, the actress wore a colorful Schiaparelli fall 2023 haute couture dress. People said the colorful dress looked as if it was painted on her. For the world premiere, Schafer wore a custom gold and black Prada dress. Her press run for the film was lauded by fashion lovers for her creative looks and ability to embody every garment.

Schafer has had a quick claim to fame, not just as an actress, but as an activist and model, representing the trans community within the film and modeling industries.

AVERY TYLA PHOTOS BY SKYLAR SEAVEY EDITED BY EMMA ODSON DESIGN

BY LAUREN STIDHAM ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY HENDERSON DESIGN BY EMILY PETERTONJES

Styling Sunglasses Styling Sunglasses

Agent Smith’s futuristic shades that dodge bullets, Pete Mitchell’s aviator eyewear that brings a new level of swagger to flying planes, and Holly Golightly’s luxuriously oversized sunglasses are all costume choices that laid the foundation for some of Hollywood’s most memorable movie characters. Meticulous and extensive preparation goes into the art of costume design and too often the accessory looking right at you is overlooked when creating

a character’s wardrobe. When the craft of accessorizing is executed properly, it is often impossible to reference these characters without acknowledging their iconic eyewear. One character’s collection of specs caught the attention of film enjoyers not only for its eccentric designs but also its symbolic references to the unhinged demeanor of this alter ego. Tyler Durden, the narrator’s insomnia-induced split personality in the film “Fight Club,” (1999) is a representation

of everything the narrator desires to be. Durden’s effortless charisma is not just reinforced through his witty banter, but also his contemporary and rebellious attire that he rocks tastefully. The character’s recurring red lenses, such as the Oliver Peoples 523s, push the envelope in fashion choices, reflecting the nonconformist identity of the character. It is also said that the red lenses hint at the narrator’s insomnia, considering they are commonly used to block out blue light. The Oakley X Metal Mars Jordan sunglasses feature leather-covered rims, stitching surrounding the orange-tinted lenses, and an irregular gogglelike shape that works together to exhibit Durden’s anarchist role in the film. Elemental Spot described the hidden symbolism of the sunglasses: “As Tyler Durden and the narrator discuss the duality of human nature, these iconic shades reflect the idea of seeing oneself as an idealized version, a concept deeply rooted in our desire for self-improvement and reinvention.”

Tyler Durden’s Oliver Peoples collection sports various rim shapes and reddish-hued lenses, each one making his wardrobe an exhibition of individuality that continues to distinguish itself in the film industry. The anticonsumerist ideals the film focuses on make the designer eyewear choices feel ironic. This choice added to the paradoxical nature of the narrator, his feelings of disdain toward those with consumer driver lives opposing his buried desire to live outside the bonds of financial hindrances. Elemental Spot said these contrasting ideas are “reminding us that identity and self-expression can often be paradoxical.” The ability to make a pair of sunglasses so complex reflects the gravity of costume design when crafting an intricate character. A pair of sunglasses is more than a haphazard accessory, it’s a finalization of a character’s identity that decides if their story will live on in the world of cinema.

Shining Shining Shoes Shoes

BY ADAM MARCUM

ILLUSTRATION BY EMMA HENRY

DESIGN BY CARLY HART

Shoes are universally recognized as fundamental pieces of clothing, which is why phrases like “no shirt, no shoes, no service” have become so widely understood. However, shoes can be more than just functional; they can serve as powerful symbols, especially in film. In movies, shoes often mark an integral part of a character’s identity by defining their personality or marking significant moments in the story. Some shoes from films have transcended their role as mere accessories and have become iconic, lasting symbols evoking strong emotional connections to both the characters and the narratives they belong to.

One of the most famous examples of iconic film shoes is the pair of ruby slippers worn by Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz” (1939). These shoes have achieved such status they are now considered a piece of cinematic history and have been preserved as artifacts in the Smithsonian Institution. The slippers are central to the film’s plot, representing Dorothy’s ability to return home to Kansas. The red slippers are symbolic of the journey of self-discovery and empowerment Dorothy undergoes, and their impact has only grown over time, becoming an enduring symbol of the film and the broader cultural notion of “home.”

The lasting fame of the ruby slippers speaks to their role not only in “The Wizard of Oz” but also in American pop culture.

Another memorable pair of shoes, although not as widely discussed, is the thighhigh black boots worn by Julia Roberts’ character, Vivian, in “Pretty Woman” (1990). These boots became a statement piece, symbolizing Vivian’s transformation from a street-smart woman to someone who embraces luxury and selfworth. The boots were so striking that they were featured noticeably on the VHS cover of the film,cementing their place in cinematic fashion history. Even decades after the film’s release, fans continue to replicate Vivian’s style, and the

boots have come to represent empowerment and confidence in both the world of the film and the real world.

Lastly, the self-lacing Nike sneakers from “Back to the Future Part II” (1989) stand out as a perfect fusion of futuristic fantasy and realworld innovation. In the film, Marty McFly wears these high-tech shoes in a scene set in the year 2015, which was, at the time of the movie’s release, a near future. The shoes were not only a clever design choice but also an imaginative representation of the coming years, blending a popular, recognizable brand with the advanced technology of the self-lacing mechanism. This vision of the future became a reality in 2016 when Nike released limited-edition versions of the shoes which showcased the power of cinema to inspire technological development and fashion trends.

Each of these shoes — whether Dorothy’s ruby slippers, Vivian’s black boots, or Marty McFly’s self-lacing Nikes — has become far more than just footwear. They are cultural symbols, representative of the films they appear in, and their legacy endures as part of larger

PHOTOS BY KITTY CRINO

EDITING BY MORGAN CLARK

Mime Makeup Speaks, But Will We Listen?

BY OLIVIA LEGGANS

PHOTOS BY ZENNIA LAM

DESIGN BY SOPHIA CIANCIOLA

As soon as a mime shows their purewhite, expressive face, they are judged and dismissed, both subconsciously and aggressively. Their Breton stripe tops, black-brimmed hats, and faces caked in white paint cannot go unnoticed; yet, their performances remain undervalued. These elements practiced by street performers and Halloween-goers typify the narrow vision of modern pantomime.

Current mimes are seldom seen as true artists, for many believe that mime only consists of unoriginal silent slapstick humor and white face paint. Audience members and bystanders become visibly uncomfortable by their persistent silence and wide eyes.

There is no strict guide to accurate mime makeup and attire. Mime is a theatrical style that involves physical expression without speech to communicate an abstract or literal idea. Many mimes, however, opt for opaque white makeup to mask their individual features. This masklike canvas not only allows for the exaggerated emotion needed to perform without speaking but also creates a context and expectation for the performance. When an audience sees white face paint, eyes, and lips lined with black, and other emotive markings, they can anticipate the type of show they will watch and be better primed to engage in it.

Similar to all artistic interpretations, mime makeup varies from mime to mime. Some push paint to their hairline to cover their entire face, while others carefully cover the central part of their face to create a faux mask. Charcoal eyeliner around the eyes and lips crisply contrasts the white makeup and attracts the audience’s attention.

Some mimes draw a small, vertical line from their lower lashline to illustrate tears, age, and experience. Raised eyebrows drawn with eyeliner can produce a fixed state of wonder and amazement, signifying youth, and curiosity. Mimes may also add diamonds, dots, or bits of color to convey specific emotions. All these emotive elements can exist simultaneously, for mimes seek to reflect a full range of emotions and perspectives that cannot be succinctly spoken.

Despite mime’s roots in ancient Greece, this popular mime visual was primarily established by the renowned mime, Marcel Marceau and his character, Bip. Bip sports a black top hat with a red flower, a Breton stripe shirt, white form-fitting pants, stark white face makeup, and black lines delineating eyebrows, eyes, and lips. Marceau’s version may look similar to modern mimes, yet his performances were far from the gimmicky and unserious shows on the street. Inspired by fellow mime, Jean Gaspard Deburau, and silent film star, Charlie Chaplin, Marceau spent decades touring comedy, drama, literal, and abstract performances. Marceau’s lifelong work earned him respect as an artist and performer, yet also facilitated widespread exposure for the mime art form. Why, then, do so many pedestrians find mimes intolerable or creepy?

Reductive street performances may account for mime’s supposed exclusion from respectable art forms, yet audiences are fundamentally becoming less receptive to silence and the unknown. Silence frightens people, particularly when they are forced to be present with someone void of distractions. The intricately drawn-on faces of mimes may seem unpredictable and eerily quiet, but audiences should risk slowing down and tuning into their expressive language of movement.

Viola Davis

BY MACKENZIE CARR

ILLUSTRATION BY KYRAH GRANT

DESIGN BY TANNER VANCE

SEAMS PROFILE: VIOLA DAVIS

Viola Davis is undeniably one of the most accomplished actresses of her generation, earning widespread acclaim for her work across film, television, and theater. In 2023, she became the 18th person to achieve EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) status — an achievement referred to as the “grand slam” of American show business. So why, despite her success, is Davis often compared to her white counterparts as if her accomplishments fall short?

Born on Aug. 11, 1965, in South Carolina, Davis grew up with a passion for the arts and attended Rhode Island College to study theater before graduating from Juilliard in 1994. Two years later, Davis made her Broadway debut as Vera in August Wilson’s “Seven Guitars,” marking the beginning of her career on stage. Her first major recognition occurred in 2001 when she received the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role as Tonya in “King Hedley II” — her first step toward EGOT status. Then, in 2010, she won another Tony Award, this time for Best Actress in a Play for her role in a revival of August Wilson’s play, “Fences.”

Davis received four Academy Award nominations before winning the prestigious Oscar award in 2016 for Best Supporting Actress for “Fences.” Davis broke into the television scene for her role in “How to Get Away with Murder,” (2014) where she portrayed the lead character Annalise Keating, a professor and criminal defense attorney. Davis’ portrayal led her to become the first African American to win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Davis also won two SAG awards

and was nominated at the Golden Globes for her performance on the show.

Despite having a very successful career, she expressed her bitterness at the racial disparities that exist in the industry. Davis often speaks out about the imbalance in recognition and opportunities for minority actresses. Despite her many achievements, she highlighted how she doesn’t receive the same level of pay, media attention, or roles that would be offered to white actresses with similar credentials.

Famously in a 2018 interview, Davis expressed her frustrations at not being held to the same status as white actresses with lesser accolades: “I have more than a 30-year professional career … I got the Oscar, I got the Emmy, I got the two Tonys, I’ve done Broadway, I’ve done off-Broadway, I’ve done TV, I’ve done film. I’ve done all of it. I have a career comparable to Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, and Sigourney Weaver.”

To complete her EGOT status, Davis was awarded her Grammy in 2023 for Best Audiobook, Narration, and Storytelling Recording for the narration of her autobiography “Finding Me,” a milestone that none of the actresses she mentioned have achieved. Even with all of her achievements, Davis remains outside the same circles of recognition and opportunity afforded to her white peers.

With an impeccable and award-winning filmography, Davis is one of the most celebrated actresses of her time. Still, her advocacy for greater diversity and representation in Hollywood makes her a seminal voice and generational talent in the industry.

Oh Captain, My Captain

BY SOPHIA ROOKSBERRY

ILLUSTRATION BY KENDALL WIFF

DESIGN BY CASSIDY WOODS

SEAMS PROFILE: ROBIN WILLIAMS

Few actors throughout history have earned the right to be called incomparable. One of these few is Robin Williams. The actor and comedian gave the world a range of characters in his work, from voice acting in “Aladdin” (1992) and “Happy Feet” (2006) to an Oscar-winning dramatic performance to some of the greatest comedic moments in the history of filmography.

Williams was born in 1951 in Chicago. From an early age, he showed an unbelievable aptitude for the stage and comedic performance, both of which he pursued through high school theater. After floating around different collegiate experiences, Williams settled in at the Juilliard School in 1973.

While at Juilliard, Williams distinguished himself among a group of promising up-and-coming performers of the age with his superhuman improvisational and dramatic talents. However, the actor outgrew even the most prestigious arts academy in the world and left in his junior year to pursue stand-up comedy in California.

One of Williams’ first on-screen performances was as Mork in a 1978 episode of “Happy Days,” which quickly resulted in its spin-off show: “Mork & Mindy” which aired from 1978-1982.

During this time, he also portrayed his first leading role in “Popeye” (1980) and soon after began filming stand-up comedy specials.

The years that followed are a chronicle of some of the most diverse skills and content from a performer throughout history. Between 1987-2006, Williams transformed into numerous characters: a radio broadcaster, high school English teacher, grown-up Peter Pan, nanny-in-disguise, therapist, Theodore Roosevelt, and countless other beloved characters.

Williams’ ability to manipulate his appearance with nothing more than a facial expression and vocal variation allowed him to resonate with audience members across ages and tastes. This standing is not only commemorated in his iconicity but in his receipt of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for 1997’s “Good Will Hunting” and Best Actor nominations for “Good Morning, Vietnam” (1987), “Dead Poets Society” (1989), and “The Fisher King” (1991).

The actor struggled with substance abuse throughout his life, but began the journey to recovery after the birth of his first son, Zachary, in 1983. Williams went on to have three children across two marriages, his first child with Valerie Velardi and his second two with Marsha Garces Williams. His final marriage with Susan Schneider lasted from 2011 until his death in 2014.

Williams was determined to be sober when he died by suicide on Aug. 11, 2014. He had been falsely diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease but was rather afflicted with Lewy body dementia which was believed to have greatly contributed to the depression he experienced before his passing.

The film industry has felt a palpable loss since the death of Robin Williams, and his shoes are ready to be filled by a comparable talent. His inspiring and lengthy filmography is sure to be an inspiration for the next generation of gut-bustingly funny and delicately thoughtful performers.

WHO, WHAT, WEAR

A glimpse into some of Athens’ most captivating people, places, and events.

HEADLINE P.#40

BY

CLOSING

THE CURTAIN

The Athena Grand, located on East State Street, announced its closing on Facebook in late November. The theater, which opened nearly 20 years ago, announced its last day of business will be Jan. 5. The closing of the movie theater has left OU students and community members devastated.

The Athena Grand is an independent movie theater according to its website and was notable for its $5 movie tickets. The Grand’s cheap tickets made watching a film affordable to both residents and students of nearby Ohio University.

Greta Hibbard, a senior studying physics, has been a resident of Athens for 21 years. She originally found out about the closing of the Athena Grand on Facebook and was very sad to hear the news, although not very surprised, she said.

Many small businesses across Athens have faced closure recently and the Athena Grand was just an unfortunate part of this trend, according to Hibbard. She feels the main attribution specifically for the Grand’s closing has been the rise in the use of streaming services.

While in the past, an audience had to wait several weeks or even months for a movie to become available to the public after its showing, many streaming services have made it possible to watch movies a single week or mere days after its release. Many audiences wait for movies to release on these platforms so they can watch them from the comfort of their own homes rather than going to the theater.

“I think movie theaters in general have been on the outs since people just watch everything on streaming services anyways,” Hibbard said. “It’s a COVID-19 thing, I think. People don’t want to go see movies in theaters anymore. They’d rather just wait an extra two weeks and watch it at home.”

Kaela Ricket, a sophomore studying communications, has been going to the Athena Grand since she was little. Ricket grew up in the Athens area and said the news of its closing was a little sad because she had good memories there with her mom.

“My mom and I—when I was a kid—used to sneak in snacks in her purse,” Ricket said. “We would go and watch movies together sometimes and sneak in snacks, which was fun.”

who, what, wear

Recently, however, Ricket has been trying to go to The Athena Cinema on Court Street because it almost closed a few years ago, and it’s been more convenient for her since she lives on campus.

“10 years ago [The Athena Cinema] almost shut down,” Ricket said. “It closed for a bit and only got afloat because a bunch of people were donating money toward it. Ever since that happened, I’ve been trying to go to the one uptown.”

The Athena Cinema is a popular place for OU students who want to see a movie close to campus. With the closing of the Athena Grand, Ricket feels that more students might frequent the uptown theatre instead. Even though they’re losing a theatre, she said, there are still plenty of movie watching options and people can save money by watching at home.

Due to its similarity in name, The Athena Cinema located on Court Street has had to assert its differences with the Athena Grand, especially due to the Athena Grand’s recent closure announcement.

On Dec. 4, The Athena Cinema posted an announcement to their Instagram, titled “We wanted to clear some things up.” The post goes on to explain the cinema shares no affiliation with the Athena Grand, despite sharing similar names.

“My mom and I—when I was a kid—used to sneak in snacks in her purse,” Ricket said. “We would go and watch movies together sometimes and sneak in snacks, which was fun.”

KAELA RICKET

“The correlation is only that people always mistake us for them, and vice versa,” Eli Kaltenecker, a junior studying film and employee at the Athena Cinema, said.

Kaltenecker’s place of employment and field of study offers him insight into different areas of the local film community that will be impacted by the closure of the Athena Grand.

“As an Athena [Cinema] worker, it just means more business for us which is a good thing, but

at the same time competition is always good in this kind of system, so it’s a good and a bad thing,” he said.

Another downside to the closure is a decrease of cinema access, which Kaltenecker said will impact current Athena Grand patrons, including him and his friends.

“It does offer a different environment, so of course it’ll be restricting most people to just the Athena, and seeing that we only have three theaters to them having probably 10 to 15, it’ll probably be more limiting,” he said.

Although the closure of any institution in a small town creates a palpable loss, Kaltenecker wasn’t entirely surprised by the announcement.

“[The Grand] seems a little bit more sketchy than the Athena, a little bit less official,” he said. “It seems like a movie theater popped into a lot and just made some back rooms into theaters. No hate to them, but at the same time I kind of felt like it wasn’t as grounded as the Athena is.”

While some weren’t left quite as upset by the closure of the Athena Grand, others were

devastated by this shutdown as many residents of Athens left the theater as a part of their community.

Samantha Brown, a junior studying middle childhood education with concentrations in English and history, said she was completely shocked by the sudden closing of the Athena Grand. Her shock stemmed from the fact yet another local business in Athens was closing. Recently, Sol, a restaurant on East State Street, and Import House, a retail store on Court Street, also announced their closures. For Brown, an important characteristic of Athens is its local businesses, and she has noticed many locals similarly upset with the trend of local Athens businesses being overtaken by larger corporations.

“I have a really long relationship with the Athena Grand,” Brown, an Athens native who has been going to the Athena Grand for 18 years, said. “I went there with everyone, especially in middle school.” For Brown, outings to the movie theater were a quintessential

“I have a really long relationship with the Athena Grand.”

SAMANTHA BROWN

experience growing up, and she even saw her first movie in theaters at the Athena Grand.

While other movie theaters—such as the Movies 10 - Fun Barn in Nelsonville—offer similar selections to the Athena Grand, their ticket prices were raised, according to Brown. She finds it disappointing how expensive and inaccessible outings like going to the movies have become, because streaming movies does not compare to the experience of going to a theater.

“The fun of it isn’t necessarily seeing a movie. I get to hang out with my friends, we get popcorn,” Brown said. “That’s what I always liked.” Yet, going forward, she plans to watch new movies once. The Athena Grand will always hold a special place in the hearts of many, who remember fond memories of going to the theater with family and friends.

“I always went there with my grandparents in elementary school,” Hibbard said. “Then, with my friends in middle and high school. I still go with my friends all the time because it’s so fun, but I guess not anymore.”

Community members are curious to see what new business will be put in place of the Athena Grand, and many hope another movie theater will be put in, now that options are further limited in the Athens area.

MIDDLE OF THE BOOK

A look into Thread’s creative shoot concepts.

SIX LOOKS WE LIKE: ROLES ON SET P.#94

spirit of the American West

PHOTOS BY MEREDITH VIOX

EDITING BY NATE CONKLIN

DESIGN BY MORGAN CLARK

BLACKSWAN

PHOTOS BY HADLEY FAIN DESIGN BY TANNER VANCE

Golden Age of Hollywood

PHOTOS

AsAsWellJustBeauty

Inspired by Greta Gerwig’s ‘Little Women’

PHOTOS AND EDITING BY DISHA HOQUE DESIGN BY CARLY HART

Six Looks: Roles On A Set

PHOTOS AND EDITING BY

JORI HUSTED

DESIGN BY GWYNETH SHOEMAKER

The Director

The Fashion Director

The Makeup Director

The Assistant

The Star

Videographer

CAMPUS CASUAL

Light-hearted reads for the quiztaking, listicle reading, horoscope believin’ spirit in all of us.

OHIO-IN-LA PROGRAM P.#104

Director ARE YOU? WHICH

BY SUSIE IANNONE ILLUSTRATION & DESIGN BY CASSIDY WOODS

Quiz:

WHICH SNACK ARE YOU ORDERING AT THE MOVIE THEATER?

A. Popcorn

B. Icee

C. Candy

D. All of the above at the same time with no fear of potential sickness

WHERE IN THE THEATER WILL YOU SIT?

A. Front row

B. Smack dab in the middle

C. Far, far away from others

D. Closest to the exit

WHO ARE YOU BRINGING TO THE MOVIE?

A. Best friends

B. Family

C. Flying solo

D. A date

WHAT OUTFIT ARE YOU WEARING TO THE THEATER?

A. Pajamas

B. Cute outfit

C. Sweats

D. There is no time to think about the outfit because you are already late for the movie

WHICH GENRE OF MOVIE WILL YOU WATCH?

A. Thriller

B. Romance

C. Comedy

D. Action

WHEN THE MOVIE IS OVER YOU WILL…

A. Think about it periodically throughout the week

B. Search the internet for theories

C. Develop a fascination with the main character in the film

D. Refuse to watch it ever again

If you answered mostly A: Hayao Miyazaki

You are a classic film lover, attentive to the storylines, and appreciative of creative work. While you can sometimes get lost in the whimsical feeling of an alternate reality, you often find yourself learning important lessons and incorporating them into your own life. Miyazaki, a co-creator of Studio Ghibli, brings this whimsical fantasy world to life in many different films: “Ponyo,” “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” “Princess Mononoke,” and other comforting and immersive stories.

If you answered mostly B: Sofia Coppola

You are a breath of fresh air for the film industry, willing to open your mind to different perspectives and absorb them without judgment. You are not afraid to be vulnerable and enjoy finding the real meaning behind plot lines and characters, especially the most sensitive people and topics. Coppola is a bold and empathetic director, creating films that focus on the female perspective of different periods in history: “Priscilla,” “The Virgin Suicides,” and “Marie Antoinette.”

If you answered mostly C: Spike Lee

You are an opinionated person, but not when it comes to jokes. Witty, funny, and intelligent, you know exactly what you think of everything you watch and read and you are sticking to it. You watch movies to find entertainment but often find you are learning more about yourself along the way. Spike Lee is known for his exploration of topics like race, sex, poverty, and crime through his unique and incredibly cinematic films. Character dialogue is explored in so many ways in movies such as “Do the Right Thing,” “Malcolm X,” and “She’s Gotta Have It.”

If you answered mostly D: The Coen Brothers

You are a complex thinker, even when watching uncomplex movies. You are a big fan of intelligent conversation, devious plots, and engaging in activities you wouldn’t have possibly considered doing five years ago. Movies are important to you both for nostalgia and for fun. The Coen Brothers, Joel and Ethan, directed classic ‘80s and ‘90s films for the masses but had interesting storylines and incredible characters. “The Big Lebowski” and “Fargo” are clever comedies with a hint of crime.

OHIO IN LA

Students reflect on their time in OHIO-in-LA Program.

BY PEYTON ANN HODGE | ILLUSTRATION BY KYRAH GRANT | DESIGN BY SOPHIA CIANCIOLA

OHIO-in-LA is a study away program offered in the summer and fall semesters to Ohio University juniors, seniors, and recent graduates. The program’s cost covers rent for a fully furnished apartment, nine tuition credits, and admission to popular Los Angeles attractions such as tours of Sony Pictures Studios and Warner Bros, tapings of “The Voice” and “Jimmy Kimmel,” and a trip to Disneyland.

Internships in LA are encouraged but not required for the program. Participants take classes while in LA that contribute to their degrees back at OU. These courses include “The Business of Hollywood,” “The History of Hollywood,” and “Production in Los Angeles.”

Along with classes and a potential internship, students engage in the creation of two films.

Before the start of the program, participants are asked to submit scripts that will be voted on for the two projects. After the selection, production starts as soon as students arrive in Los Angeles Positions for both of the films’ production teams are assigned to students based on self-pitches. At the end of each program, a screening is held of both films where Los Angeles locals and OU alums are invited to see all of the student’s hard work.

James Kelly, a senior studying film, participated in the program over the summer. Kelly chose to apply for the program specifically the summer before his senior year to establish connections, do an internship, and prepare for his capstone project by working on the assignment. Kelly’s script was selected for one of the two films, and he was also chosen to direct it.

“I had to just roll with the punches, learn how to effectively communicate what I needed and how to be a leader on set,” Kelly said when asked about his experience directing the film.

On top of his directorship, Kelly also held an internship position as head assistant with BeatRice Productions.

“I was on set a little bit, but a lot of what I did was pre-production and working with clients,” Kelly said. “It was really interesting to learn how certain things are run and maybe how they were different than I learned, and use that when I brought it back [to OU] for my own projects.”

Jack Connelly, a senior studying film and acting, knew he wanted to be involved in the industry since his childhood and chose OU because of the Ohio-in-LA program.

“The Ohio-in-LA program has been a dream of mine since I was a senior in high school looking at film schools,” Connelly said. “I just wanted to get my name out there, meet people, and see what could happen, and it helped me open the door to the industry and get my foot in.”

After returning to Athens, Connelly booked his first lead role in a TV pilot which he credits to his experience in Los Angeles.

“I don’t think I ever would have been able to do that without the LA program,” Connelly said. “Someone told me out there, the industry is 90% business and 10% talent, so if you can be a business mind and make connections that will set you so far ahead.”

Fifth-year media arts production and film student, Gabriel Story, encouraged students to apply for the program to experience living and working in Hollywood.

“The film and media industry is so hard to get into, and the program felt like a good chance to really see, ‘Can I do this?’” Story said. “I know it may sound cliche, but really live in the moment while you’re in LA … you don’t know if you’ll get to come back. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Another participant, Brittany Pankratz, said students should know that the program isn’t just for media majors. Pankratz, a senior majoring in communications, interned for Velvet Hammer Music Management Group while in LA. She was able to work with bands such as Alice in Chains, Korn, and Deftones.

“If you’re a comms major, a journalism major, or anything else, don’t be afraid to apply because it’s a really good opportunity and you don’t want to miss out on it,” Pankratz said. When asked if she had any advice for future participants in the program, she said to remember to live in the moment.

“Soak it all in,” Pankratz said. “Something that I wish I did in the summer was take the time to realize that ‘I’m in LA, I’m doing this program, and I’m never gonna get an experience like this again.’”

OHIO-in-LA is a unique opportunity for anyone interested in the entertainment industry: actors, directors, producers, writers, etc. To apply for the program, applicants need to provide a resume, three references, an interview, and a 500-word essay about why the program would be valuable to them and their careers. Interested students can apply online on the OU global opportunities website.

Day in the life of an acting major

BY SOPHIA ANNESS ILLUSTRATION BY KENDALL WIFF DESIGN BY GWYNETH SHOEMAKER

From on the stage to in front of a camera, the spotlight is not a place Elizabeth Amstutz is unfamiliar with. As a senior majoring in acting, Amstutz is always on the go and has a hectic schedule. Here, she gives a look into a day in her life.

Amstutz got involved with theatre from a young age, taking any experience she could. She participated in a local theatre company, Easy Street Productions, in her hometown of Youngstown when she was in elementary

it was like, ‘I’m never gonna not do that ever again.’”

During her time at Boardman High School, she continued to pursue any and all performance outlets and got involved in show choir and theater.

Now, as a senior in college, Amstutz is very busy with all her activities and explained that every day looks different for her.

Amstutz often wakes up early in the morning to go to Ping Recreation Center. She said it’s a great way to begin her mornings due to the physicality of acting and performing.

Throughout the day, Amstutz attends multiple classes. Some of her classes include a Chekhov Technique course, an acting technique and movement course, and a theater seminar where the class reads and discusses several plays.

“I got to lead our discussion last week,” Amstutz said while talking about her theater seminar class. “It was on this version of ‘Hamlet’ that was done by the Wooster Group, it was awesome. They had this old production of ‘Hamlet’ from 1964 like a taped production playing in the background, and then, the actors on stage reenacted everything.”

In between classes, Amstutz can be found working at the first-floor desk in Baker University Center. She holds the job titles of an Ohio University tour guide and desk worker.

As the semester winds down, she feels her coursework has been slow but her extracurriculars have kept her busy. Currently, she is working on filming scenes for her senior showcase, which will be sent out to agents.

Amstutz also helps out at Athens Middle School, where she helps the middle school’s drama club write and perform their own show. She has worked with middle school students since her freshman year of college, but this year was the first year she directed them by herself.

“I gave them a prompt, and it was time travel,” Amstutz said. “They immediately were like, ‘Okay, time travel. This is awesome. Like, we can go to a bunch of different eras and things like that.’”

Along with directing a play, Amstutz was rehearsing a performance of her own. Amstutz

performed in “Tipping the Velvet,” a VictorianEra comedy where she played two roles: Mrs. Dendy and Annie. The performances of “Tipping the Velvet” took place from Nov. 21-23 and Dec. 4-7.

“The whole show takes a huge turn,” Amstutz said. “It’s hilarious and it’s also heartfelt. There’s a lot of really great representation for LGBTQ+ people and people of that time whose stories were not being told but were happening.”

Amstutz is currently thinking about what she wants to do after college. Though theatre is her first love, she hopes to pursue acting for film. She often finds herself watching movies at The Athena Cinema on Court Street either with friends or alone.

“I love movies because you can go back and rewatch it,” Amstutz said. “I want to be able to be a part of movies someday that someone watches on a bad day to make them feel better, like something that’s been encapsulated in time.”

Amstutz’s biggest acting inspiration is Emma Stone for her versatile acting skills and performance across film and theatre. She one day hopes to work with Greta Gerwig and Sophia Copolla, two famous directors who have paved the way for females working in a maledominated field.

“Those women are writing really awesome films and directing them,” Amstutz said. “I think there is more need for women in these spaces.”

Amstutz has an inspiring passion for acting and she works hard to be the best she can be. In the future, look for Amstutz on the screen and the stage. She has big dreams and cannot wait to see where life takes her.

BACK OF THE CLOSET

An in-depth look at today’s most buzz-worthy topics.

THE HISTORY OF ATHENA P.#110

THE JEWEL OF COURT STREET

The Athena Cinema is a historic landmark on Court Street that has entertained the Athens community for over a century.

The Athena Cinema, located at 20 S. Court St., is one of the oldest continuously operating movie theaters in the United States. According to The Athena’s website, the space was originally a grocery store until a local family purchased it and converted it into a movie theater.

The theater opened its doors on June 3, 1915, and was originally named The Majestic Theatre, at first only showing silent films, including “Cinderella” (1914). Tickets were originally sold

for only 10 cents.

In 1935, The Majestic Theatre was bought by another family and renamed Schine’s Athena Theatre. The theater experienced a devastating fire on May 28, 1988, causing over $200,000 in damage and forcing it to temporarily close its doors. However, after undergoing major repairs, it soon reopened.

The theater changed ownership several times in the years that followed. In 2001, Ohio University took ownership of The Athena, further solidifying its role as a community institution.

Now that The Athena is owned by the

BY CAMI SEYMORE DESIGN BY MARIS CORDIAL PHOTOS BY EMMA SNYDER-LOVERA

university, it is used as an academic institution and lecture hall during the day within the College of Fine Arts, and it shows films in the evenings.

Alexandra Kamody, director of The Athena, has been working for the theater for 16 years and is in charge of its programming and day-to-day functions.

“I think that the main difference really is looking at a for-profit versus a non-profit model,” Kamody said. “I think we like to see what films we can bring here that might not otherwise be seen at area theaters … so that’s really different when you’re trying to sell as many tickets as possible.”

Trey Barrett, a second-year graduate student in film studies and the current entertainment section editor of The Post Athens, is a selfproclaimed film buff and frequents The Athena at least once a month because of its focus on independent filmmaking.

“The Athena Cinema kind of [has] that niche of being an independent film hub,” Barrett said. “The more well-known theaters, like AMC, prioritize blockbusters because that is what keeps them in business. But I think what’s unique about the Athena Cinema is that they prioritize independent filmmaking.”

a range of filmmakers and focus on topics that may not be represented in mainstream cinema. Many of these screenings are free of charge and are more about fostering education and community connection than generating profits.

“I’ve been approached by a lot of partners in the university and in the community who have a vision of something that they want to see come to life on the big screen,” Kamody said. “That is really where a lot of our series have been born.”

The Athena offers a number of different series, including the “From the Hills & Hollers” series, which launched in 2022 in partnership with OU. This series highlights films based in or about Appalachia, offering a platform for regional filmmakers and stories.

Beyond its regular movie screenings, The Athena also hosts a variety of film series throughout the year that highlight independent films, as well as works that feature diverse perspectives and underrepresented voices.

“One part of our mission is to be a shared space for the Athens and wider Appalachian regional communities,” Kamody said. “The other is to show films that wouldn’t otherwise be shown in the region.”

These series are often the result of partnerships with university organizations and local community groups. The Athena’s collaborations allow it to showcase films from

Another popular series is the “Sustainability Film Series,” which was made in partnership with the Office of Sustainability and the Environmental Studies program. These films discuss different environmental issues and feature a guest speaker before each showing to help educate viewers about the topics presented in the film.

The “Heroes in Color” series was created to recognize diverse voices and perspectives, and to highlight people of color whose stories are often ignored or underrepresented, including popular films like “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (2022) and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (2023).

“[The film series] represents a lot of diverse voices and a lot of unique perspectives in cinema, and I think that that is incredibly important,” Barrett said.

Despite all these programming options, the theater is most known for being the host of the Athens International Film + Video Festival (AIFVF), which is in its 52nd year. The festival, which will be held from April 7-13, 2025, provides a platform for emerging filmmakers.

In conjunction with the university’s College of Fine Arts, the AIFVF screens over 200 films from more than 40 countries annually during its spring festival. The AIFVF also has a film competition that offers cash prizes to the winners in four cinematic categories: experimental, narrative, animation, and documentary.

Both the AIFVF and The Athena are known for amplifying the voices of marginalized groups through the films they show.

“I think it’s important for people to watch independent films because it brings a new element to cinema,” Barrett said. “A lot of the time those films are from diverse voices or from underrepresented groups.”

In addition to film screenings, The Athena organizes events to bring community members together. For example, the popular “Movies on the Rooftop” series, which takes place on top of the Athens City parking garage, provides an opportunity for local residents to enjoy films outside. This year, The Athena played Ari Aster’s “Midsommar” (2019) on Aug. 28 as a free event for new and returning students during welcome week.

The Athena also offers a number of artistic events. A popular one is Ceramics at the Cinema, which is a monthly event where patrons get to create and glaze ceramic objects. The Athena’s Paint & Sip Party allows participants to create a painting related to the film being shown at the event under the guidance of multimedia artist Brooke Ripley.

At these events, The Athena frequently provides themed drinks and cocktails, trivia, and decorations to enhance the experience and make it more immersive and engaging.

The Athena also has a strong connection to OU’s film students, frequently previewing their short films on the big screen. The Athena works directly with the film school to provide a platform to highlight their creative works. Avery Bookman, a sophomore studying media arts production, discussed the importance of highlighting student projects.

“We’re a college town, so a lot of the students here are in movie organizations and stuff like that,” Bookman said. “It’s nice to have a place for them to premiere their work on the big screen.”

The Athena remains a vital resource for film lovers in Athens, providing a space for cinema that pushes beyond the mainstream and celebrates independent storytelling.

For local residents and students alike, The Athena offers a rare opportunity to experience cinema in its many forms — beyond the blockbusters and high-budget productions that dominate larger theater chains.

“I like that The Athena showcases these movies. It makes me happy to see movies I never would have expected to see on the big screen,” Barrett said. “The Athena truly embraces the artistry and innovation of cinema and is a springboard for up-and-coming filmmakers.”

Hills, Howlers Hollywood & Appalachian Depiction in

Modern Media

Appalachia is defined as a geographic region spanning 13 states across the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States. It is a region known for abundant resources, rolling hills, and socioeconomic depression. Yet, Hollywood stereotypes have limited the perception of the people of Appalachia — stereotypes that residents and experts on the region are constantly fighting against.

Tiffany Arnold, an associate professor of instruction in the Department of Social and Public Health, comes from a long line of Appalachian natives. She teaches Appalachian studies at Ohio University and has a deep understanding of the region’s history and how stereotypes in media have evolved throughout the decades.

BY ALEXANDRA HOPKINS ILLUSTRATION BY SOPHIA CIANCIOLA

“In the 1800s there was this group of people that I guess you could refer to as journalists, but they were called color fiction writers,” Arnold said. “They would come to the [Appalachian] region for a day, or a couple of days or whatever, and they would go back and they would write these stories that were based on reality but were super exaggerated.”

Local color literature became popular after the Civil War when Americans were looking for a way to relive the country’s past and satisfy their curiosity about “distant parts of the United States,” according to Britannica. These works defined American literature in the late 1800s. Color authors such as John Fox Jr. and Mary Noailles Murfree were the original masterminds behind the stereotypes of Appalachians that continue in the modern day.

PHOTOS BY SKYLAR SEAVEY

DESIGN BY MORGAN CLARK

“People would buy that stuff,” Arnold said. “They wanted to read the story about this place that was completely different than anything they’d ever seen, where the people were weird or did odd things. These color fiction writers would exaggerate these things and make it look like [Appalachians] were this freak show, and people bought it.”

The products of this time leaned into gaudy Southern stereotypes that now define the Appalachian region. In combination with exaggerated imagery and cartoons, the southern cultures of the United States were defined by outsiders.

“In the 1940s there was a cartoon character named Snuffy Smith that was in comic strips that started by showing Appalachian people being silly, bumbling, goofy, and a lot of times alcoholic,” Arnold said. “But then it morphed into this evil, violent portrayal after a while.”

“Barney Google and Snuffy Smith,” the comic in which Snuffy Smith starred, debuted in 1919. Snuffy’s appearance in the comics as a “typical hillbilly” of the South slowly shaped how the rest of the country viewed Appalachian America. As time went on, Snuffy grew into a caricature of the region that enforced negative stereotypes.

“You can get a lot of movies out of that, you can get a lot of TV shows out of being violent and creepy,” Arnold said. “I think that’s why that way of looking at [Appalachians] kept on going in the media.”

Since the days of color literature and Snuffy Smith comics, portrayals of Appalachia in the media have evolved very little. Stereotypes developed in the late 1800s through the early 1900s are still used today. Most modern portrayals do a disservice to the region, according to Lindsey Martin, Associate Director of the School of Film and Assistant Professor of Film Production at OU.

“‘Hillbilly Elegy’ has been probably one of the more [negative depictions] — and there’s been enough writing about it, and there’s been a lot of commentary about it — but it just keeps rearing its head,” Martin said. “For me, one of the biggest things, one of the biggest pieces of criticism about it, is that from an outsider perspective, there is an image in people’s mind about Appalachia, of poor, of white, of drug addicts, laziness, of choosing this life.”

“Hillbilly Elegy” is a 2016 memoir written by U.S. Vice President-elect J.D. Vance about growing up in Middletown, OH, and being raised on

Appalachian values. Throughout the book, he criticizes his family and locals for their behavior. The memoir received a movie adaptation in 2020.

Vance’s memoir received criticism for perpetuating the harmful, stereotypical representation of Appalachia. Many critics condemned the book’s main message, which argued that because Vance “made it out” of Appalachia, every resident can do the same.

It presents Appalachians as “having some kind of ability or power to pull yourself out of it if you just work hard enough. It’s not taking into consideration the institutional mechanisms that are working against this isolated region,” according to Martin.

So, what makes a good movie depiction of Appalachia? Stories that are based in reality and made with the residents and the region in mind, according to Martin and Arnold. Outside perspectives of the region are typically saturated by misfortune and poverty, allowing the underlying stereotypes to flourish in the mind’s eye.

“The ones that are pretty positive are real stories and showing real life rather than this fake, made-up thing that people believe we are,” Arnold said. “‘Dark Waters’ (2019) is a fairly recent movie that’s not a happy story, but it’s a fantastic film that shows a real event that happened right down the road from [Athens].”

“Dark Waters” is based on the true story of the chemical contamination of Parkersburg, West Virginia. For decades, the DuPont chemical company exposed the Parkersburg community to unregulated forever chemicals. Dozens of residents were diagnosed with cancer or other illnesses caused by their exposure. “Dark Waters” follows the community’s legal action against DuPont and the health impacts felt by the community.

“Something about ‘Dark Waters’ that I loved is that this region is a pollution haven,” Arnold said. “A lot of industry moves here and they are killing people, and I don’t think that story is told

often enough because then when people see it they’re usually compelled to act on it. I wish that was portrayed more often.”

“Dark Waters” brought attention to the environmental and health effects of unregulated forever chemicals, also known as PFAS. Mark Ruffalo, who starred in the movie as lawyer Rob Bilott, led the charge in getting these chemicals successfully regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2024. Some credit must be given to “Dark Waters” for this success.

Movies such as “Dark Waters” are few and far between, and many lack input from residents of Appalachia.

“The thing that’s missing the most is actually how diverse it is,” Martin said. “Think about Athens. Athens was a part of the Underground Railroad and had black coal mining towns, African Americans participated in coal mining and industry. Native Americans from the area have been overlooked forever. The immigrant population that confines themselves all throughout Appalachia. Think about queer Appalachia.”

Appalachia is typically associated with having a large white population, and while true, the modern region is actually much more diverse than the media portrays. A history of colonization and the abolition of slavery pushed out many minority groups. Yet when the coal mining industry boomed, a new influx of culturally and racially diverse people moved to the region in search of work, and diversity has steadily increased since the 1990s.

“I think [Appalachia] is really depicted as a homophobic space, a racist space, but there are queer people who live and work [here],” Martin said. “That’s the kind of stuff that I feel like is missing from the sort of depiction and there’s a lot more of it than people think.”

Representation of Appalachia’s marginalized communities is absent in the film industry due in part to the wrongful outside perception that the region is only home to a white population. Stereotypes like these erase many minority groups that call the mountains their home.

“The starting point is going to be at the development and writing portion of it,” Martin said. “I think from there, it will shift and it will change. It is changing, and it is shifting.”

Bringing people from the region into the writing room and including them in every aspect of the process will make the stories more interesting and diverse.

Martin also acknowledged the lack of film industry in Appalachia and understands why movies may be made outside of the region. However, she stressed the need for filmmakers to do their research about the region and to visit Appalachia before they start shooting.

“Location affects narrative, and location affects the story, and by spending time in a space, I think you can actually pull away a lot of details and nuance that can affect a character if you actually spend time in any place,” Martin said.

Martin and Arnold have both dedicated part of their life’s work to telling Appalachian stories. Martin is currently working on “Doorknob,” an animated film that tells the story of a young woman in antebellum Appalachia, OH.

Arnold teaches Appalachian Studies courses at OU, in which she educates students about the history of the region. It’s through work like this that they hope to change the conversation about Appalachia and its residents.

“The hardest part is getting people to challenge their assumptions about things,” Arnold said. “That’s why I wanted to start a film series at The Athena Cinema because there are so many ways that we are portrayed. I think that a lot of times students will come to Athens and not realize, first of all, where they live, or if they do they don’t have positive views of it.”

“From The Hills & Hollers: Appalachian Stories Film Series” is an annual event hosted by Athena Cinema that “seeks to foster a deeper connection between the residents of Athens city and the Ohio University community to the cultural legacy of the surrounding region through films that examine the many facets, both positive and negative, of life in Appalachia,” according to the theater’s webpage.

This marks the third year of the series. Before each film is shown, a guest speaker introduces the film and provides context for its portrayal of Appalachian culture. Both Martin and Arnold have spoken as guest lecturers, and Martin’s film, “Pottero,” will be shown as part of the series in January.

The series is sponsored by numerous local initiatives, and funded by the Ohio Arts Council, a state government agency that helps fund the series. Justin Nigro is the council’s Operations and Public Affairs Director, and he works to cultivate the council’s partnership with the Hills & Hollers series.

“What Hills and Hollers strives to do is to shed some light on what Appalachia really is to folks who are really connected to those communities,” Nigro said. “One of the core driving motivators of Hills and Hollers is to help to change or expand film depictions of Appalachia and show that the region is not a monolith.”

Arnold hopes the series will lead people to question the accuracy of how the media portrays the Appalachians and to challenge the common stereotypes so often shown in movies.

“We’re in our third year now and departments keep supporting us,” Arnold said. “Last week, when we showed ‘Silence of the Lambs’ (1991), we turned people away [because the theater was full], and we’ve brought a lot of filmmakers to show their films and some really amazing speakers. That gives me hope for the future, that people are willing to do that. I’m going to keep my fingers crossed that people are still showing up.”

BY GABRIELLE CABANES

ILLUSTRATION BY EMMA HENRY DESIGN BY CASSIDY WOODS

METHOD

ACTING apprehensions

There are often stories heard in the news of actors who have completely changed after completing a role. While often characterized as crazy or completely out of the ordinary, method acting is used by certain actors to step into those roles in a unique way. Using this method, actors may choose not only to embody the character during work but become the character in order to better understand what they are going through. This, however, has been found to have serious repercussions for some actors who then have trouble stepping out of it.

The method “trains actors to use their physical, mental, and emotional humanity in the creation of the play’s characters, and stresses the way in which personal experience can fire the actor’s imagination,” according to the Lee and Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. Actors often use their own memories of the past to embody the characters they are trying to portray. This approach becomes an attempt for the actor’s emotions to be more genuine when approaching the embodiment of a new character.

There are, however, examples of ways in which this method of acting has gone completely wrong, according to The Independent. While some are more harmless than others, like Austin Butler having trouble shaking off his Elvis Presley accent after the release of “Elvis” (2022), others become more serious like Jared Leto, who has been notoriously known for taking method acting to a new extreme.

During the filming of “Chapter 27” (2007), Leto gained 67 pounds in order to better portray John Lennon’s murderer. During the filming of “Suicide Squad” (2016), Leto, who played The Joker, sent strange presents to his costars on set such as used condoms and anal beads. Margot Robbie told Elle that Leto delivered a live rat to her on set. Finally, during the filming of “Morbius” in 2022, Leto refused to break character and limped in crutches throughout the entirety of the film process. He would take bathroom breaks reaching up to 45 minutes and made the cast and crew lose countless hours because of this.

Method acting, among other techniques, is known to be detrimental to actors who do not have the emotional and mental stability to practice them and who have trouble releasing themselves from the characters they are trying to portray.

According to Ellie Clark, artistic director of Tantrum Theater and assistant professor of Acting at the School of Theater, method acting blurs the lines between acting and real life. Clark said, “I think method acting really walks a fine line of being incredibly self indulgent.”

Clark believes it is incredibly important for actors to maintain good mental health and to understand the importance of stepping in and out of character.

“It feels very safe that I can go into a space, have an argument, have a fight, express fear or put myself in a situation where I need to portray fear as an actor, particularly if I’m supposed to fear the actor playing opposite of me. It’s very healthy for me to be able to step out of that and realize this person I’m playing this with is not dangerous,” she said.

The lines blur with method acting when an actor is unable to remove themselves from the scene and step out of character, Clark said. It can often be dangerous for their mental health if their character is supposed to portray a strong and negative emotion or is in dangerous circumstances.

Since characters use their own memories and traumas to step into the character, acting out a dangerous persona can be damaging to the actor, Clark said.

“I think some of the things I know to be questionable in regards to method acting — and this is through my own lens — is emotional recall, which is using your own life experiences to generate emotional life, to generate the real live feeling or display of emotions of a character, and calling on your own personal experiences from the past to bring those emotions to your performance,” Clark said.

Paige Weir, a sophomore studying musical theater, said method acting is often a discouraged method for young actors in the

School of Theater. She said that her professor had told her method acting “is not acting because you’re not portraying a character, you’re becoming a character.”

On a personal level, method acting is something Weir was not comfortable with due to how intrusive it may be, but for other acting professionals this may work for them in a healthy way, she said.

“I think everyone has their own way of getting done what they need to get done,” Weir said. “I personally don’t like it because I think when you’re acting, you put so much of yourself into the character. There are stories of people going crazy and stuff after movies because they method acted, and I definitely don’t want to do that. I personally don’t prefer it, but I’m not going to tell a professional not to do what they do.”

One thing that is often overlooked by nonactors when thinking about acting methods is the fact that while minds understand someone is acting, the body, often, does not, according to Clark.

“When we’re portraying fear or if we’re doing a scene that we’re expressing mourning or grieving, we are doing certain things to bring ourselves to do things that might bring this up for us as actors, and our body won’t necessarily know that we’re acting,” Clark said. “It thinks we are going through the true emotional life of mourning or crying or running in fear. So, we have to be really careful in how we approach and protect ourselves.”

Clark emphasized the importance of mental health when it comes to acting. She said that

truly any technique which makes you step into a role can be considered unhealthy for the actor if they do not have a good sense of self or a good sense of what is beneficial to their mental health. While some actors may be comfortable with certain characters, certain scenes and certain methods of acting, others may not be able to perform them.

“I think actors have to take care of themselves and be very aware of where they are and who they are, and how they’ve healed, or what they understand and don’t understand, and decide if it’s healthy for them to step into the shoes of any particular character,” she said.

Ohio University ensures that the students in the theater department feel safe in the roles that they are casted in, Clark said. Upon casting, students are asked to fill out a sheet which allows them to include any roles they would not feel comfortable playing for any particular reason. This ensures that students do not take drastic measures to play a character they do not feel comfortable playing.

“At OU, we have casting preference sheets where actors can say ‘This is something I don’t feel comfortable portraying or this is a scene I wouldn’t feel comfortable acting in’, so that we can know when we’re casting this might not be a good choice for them,” Clark said.

Bollywood: A Harmless Tool of Escapism or a Colorful Distortion of India

BY OLIVIA LEGGANS

ILLUSTRATION BY KYRAH GRANT DESIGN BY GWYNETH SHOEMAKER

During discourse concerning India’s film industry, Bollywood is the cream that rises to the top. Bollywood’s mesmerizing dance numbers, glamorous attire, and exaggerated plot points enthrall Western minds. For those who care about movies in the United States, consuming and analyzing foreign films is common practice. Many may be found boasting about global film industries pretentious and distinct from genuine film appreciation, yet the expanding awareness of foreign films is apparent nonetheless.

Despite this, the term “Bollywood” is inaccurately thrown around as a monolithic, musical-adjacent genre and slapped on all of Indian cinema. Discussions of global film industries typically mention Bollywood because of its sheer size and speed of production. A Statista report released in April 2024 stated India released 1,796 films in 2023, whereas the United States and Canada released 504 films in the same year. If Indian film industries vastly outproduce United States’ industries, why does the Western understanding of Bollywood and Indian cinema remain surface-level, and does it peripheralize Indian culture in the process? Will Bollywood ever crack into cinema discourse in Athens or the mainstream United States? Hopefully plunging below the sea of vivid colors and songs in Bollywood will provide a sophisticated context of its roots, as well as a consciousness of Indian cinema’s breadth.

To demystify Indian cinema, one must first understand that there is a wealth of languages in India, Pakistan, and Kashmir. Consequently,

the Indian film industry splits up films based on language. Bollywood strictly refers to movies using the Hindi language. Tollywood and Kollywood, on the other hand, refer to movies in Telugu and Tamil, respectively. As with any country’s film sector, various production levels and genres emerge. Within Bollywood and Indian cinema as a whole, there are mainstream, independent, and political films, as well as romance, action, drama, musicals, and comedy genres, to mention a few. As an outsider, it may be easy to collectively categorize unfamiliarities into simple, singular labels, yet this is a surefire way to perpetuate misconceptions and overlook potential.

When speaking with Aqeel Ahmad, an Ohio University graduate student studying fiction writing, he offered up ideas that make Bollywood and Hollywood seem more similar than anticipated. Hollywood informs reference points and inside jokes in the U.S., and Bollywood is no different. Ahmad emphasized Bollywood’s evident cultural significance in India, Pakistan, and Kashmir.

“It [Bollywood] is a very household thing in Pakistan … Bollywood has been part of everyday experiences and the music, the dialogues are … like local folklore,” he said.

Despite the intrinsic cultural significance, foreign audiences continue to connect with Bollywood films, their elaborate dance routines, and intensely emotional and aspirational narratives.

“I think people connect with some things, at least in the global south … the escapist nature of it,” he said. “… I think the over-the-top-ness, the dramatic-ness … that’s very much integrated. I don’t think that Bollywood does better [than Hollywood], but I think it’s part of the package, and that makes Bollywood very popular.”

Ahmad recommends dramatic, yet satirical films like “Dabangg” (2010) and “Laapataa Ladies” (2023).

While this specific style of Bollywood movie draws in a significant audience, it deters just as many. Dr. Kavita Yadav is a Hindi language professor and Fulbright Foreign Language teaching assistant at OU. Yadav watched Bollywood films as a child, yet she is not buying a movie theater ticket anytime soon.

“Lately I stopped watching Bollywood movies for the same reason because they are too dramatic … there’s already a lot of drama happening around us,” Yadav said. “I don’t want to watch that on a screen.”

Instead, Dr. Yadav proposes movies like “Masaan” (2015) that feel natural, balanced, and are unafraid to stray from the age-old intense Bollywood tropes.

“They’re so dissociated with reality, some of the movies,” Yadav said. “So mainstream Bollywood is not my thing, really, not anymore, because after every half an hour there’s a song and people are dancing and there’s beautiful streets, and India is not really like that.”

While some bask in Bollywood’s romance and idealist power, others desire a realistic, comprehensive representation of societies. Bollywood’s political, social, and cultural roots can be appreciated, yet India’s entire film industry cannot be boiled down to prettily packaged song and dance. More so, as Dr. Yadav asserts, the realities of Indian life should not be

distorted by the Bollywood lens, for both native Indian and foreign audiences. Ultimately, however, the acceptance of traditional Bollywood films should be determined by personal preference. While many Bollywood films are surface-level, so is much of Hollywood, which gets its fair share of global screen-time. By consuming a wide scope of Indian cinema, non-Indian people can discover the fundamental ideals of Indian society, while also learning why and how those aspirational ideals were constructed in the first place.

Cross-Casting

Diving into actors playing opposite sex

Portraying a person with a completely different background or identity takes a level of versatility that only the most skilled actors can perfect. When an actor is chosen to play a character outside of their own sex, it adds a level of difficulty that causes unrest if the story is told incompletely. Portraying a complex identity at the forefront of a story is often difficult when an actor is required to adopt mannerisms and inflections atypical of oneself. The actors who take on these roles tell the most impactful stories when they focus on the narrative instead of the theatrics surrounding the performance.

Cross-gender acting has an extensive history, dating back to ancient Greek and Indian theaters where women were denied the right to participate in performances and other aspects of public affairs. As time progressed, Hollywood adopted this practice to tell the stories of transgender individuals. Many of these films shed light on the experiences and struggles of trans people, but criticism arises when cisgender actors take on these roles. In the 2015 film “The Danish Girl,” Eddie Redmayne received

an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Lili Elbe, one of the first trans women to attempt gender-affirming surgery. However, this role sparked conversation surrounding whether an actual trans actor should have fulfilled the role to begin with.

Casey Plett is an assistant professor in the School of English and School of Film at Ohio University, and a trans woman herself.

“In a vacuum, it would work but we don’t live in a vacuum,” Plett said. “When you had ‘The Danish Girl’ where Eddie Redmayne played a trans woman, there was all this light on his acting skills and amazement, but the undercurrent of all that praise is ‘wow, look at that man pretend to be a woman,’ whereas if you would’ve just cast a woman playing themself there wouldn’t have been praise as much.”

In “Dallas Buyers Club,” (2013) Jared Leto earned an Oscar for his portrayal of a trans woman diagnosed with HIV and AIDS in the mid-1980s. Although Leto recounts his numerous conversations with trans people and the method tactics he used before taking on the role, many believe the authenticity of a real trans actor is lost in such casting decisions.

BY LAUREN STIDHAM ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY HENDERSON DESIGN BY NICOLE BELL

“I think transgender people should be playing those roles because it’s reflective of their story,” said Nick Wood, a graduate student studying journalism. “It gives it more honesty, it gives it more depth, and from the perspective of the viewer, I feel like if I’m watching a story about a trans person and it’s told by a trans person, it has way more impact on me because it feels like it’s coming from a real place.”

Many other films follow this precedent, such as “Boys Don’t Cry” (1999) where Hilary Swank earned an Oscar for portraying a trans man, and the film adaptation of “Breakfast on Pluto” (2005) where Cillian Murphy stars as the main character, a trans woman. While these films play a major role in highlighting diverse experiences within the trans community, the lack of actual transgender individuals in production leaves the viewers to question if this exposure is productive or another form of misrepresentation in mainstream media.

“I think they obviously are sparking conversation and are having people see and understand the trans experience on some level, but whenever we’re having these conversations and trans people aren’t a part of it, I just don’t

think it is doing as much as it could,” Wood said. Another risk is the lack of opportunities it leaves for trans actors to take on these roles.

“The disadvantage is if trans actors cannot play this self-fulfilling role and if you don’t give those roles to trans people, they don’t have an equal opportunity to play on that level of field,” Plett said.

Including the voices of those whose stories are being told allows for impactful and genuine stories. Anthony Alterio, an assistant professor of production in the School of Film and School of Theater, addressed how he saw more trans inclusion at the production stage.

“I started to see that shift, thankfully, because students have been part of the cause for that push in lower-level academia, but I don’t think it’s mainstream in the way that I wish it was,” Alterio said.

While the coverage of trans representation in films has progressed and the trend of cisgender actors playing trans characters is fading out, this category of films will forever coincide with the adolescence of trans representation in the film industry.

Early 1900s France saw the creation of the world’s first animated film. On the other side of the hemisphere, Japanese animators were quick to follow suit and create the first anime in 1917. Anime is associated with many meanings and stereotypes, but its core definition is

nothing more than “a style of Japanese film and television animation.”

The Anime Club at Ohio University encapsulates many goals in its mission; one of the main ones is to expand that definition to include what anime can do, not just what it is.

“Over the course of the last few years, thankfully animation and anime specifically has been seen less as a genre itself and more so a medium of telling stories,” said Tyler List, a junior studying English literature and the vice president of the club.

The club aims to discourage the idea that anime is a medium intended only for children, a notion that is slowly disappearing as anime continually reaches wider audiences.

“Big box office busters like Studio Ghibli films … bring animation into a different focus in Western media, puts it on a higher pedestal and says we can tell really good, really complex, mature stories in a medium that is not live action,” said Bobby Reilly, a junior studying political science pre-law and the treasurer of Anime Club.

Another main goal of Anime Club is to build a community around the medium. The club meets weekly to watch three or four episodes of different animes from a range of genres.

“Our ultimate goal … is to include as many people as possible and make the club a very energetic, inclusive space for people,” List said.

Another way students are engaging in the anime community is through the class “Film Topics Seminar I - Anime.” The class is instructed by Joanna Azami, a second-year PhD student studying interdisciplinary arts who designed the class after noticing that despite the wide fan base of anime in the U.S., many people lack a deeper understanding of the medium.

“They don’t know much about the history that lies behind anime, how much anime has impacted cinema, or how anime draws from cinema,” Azami said. “What is the history of Japanese culture, Japanese traditions? What are we talking about when we are talking about manga and the pioneers of this whole industry? What I hope for them is to be able to identify

either one or hopefully two of these things when they are finished with the class.”

Both Azami and the executive members of Anime Club have faced the stereotypes surrounding anime in their pursuit of the art form. Reilly believes the club fights these misconceptions by offering more than just mainstream content in their weekly showings.

“When we start to branch out and we look at some of the more obscure stuff - the mysteries, the complex dramas, the romances, the horrors … we see that it’s something that all people can enjoy, that there’s something for everyone,” Reilly said. “By providing our members with these smaller shows, we can show them it’s something larger than what your stereotype might hold.”

Azami believes skeptics can begin engaging in the medium by drawing connections between the beloved American comic book superheroes who inspired many action-based animes. It is also important to recognize the contrary: many tropes and stills from anime throughout history have been appropriated for Western media.

“In the case of ‘Perfect Blue,’ this was something that happened with Aronovsky and his film ‘Requiem for a Dream,’” Azami said. “These are the connections we are trying to make, trying to draw both from cinema and anime and what they have in common when we juxtapose them together.”

All About Anime

BY SOPHIA ROOKSBERRY ILLUSTRATION BY KENDALL WIFF DESIGN BY CARLY HART

BREAKING THE BARRIER

FOREIGN FILMS TAKE THE STAGE

BY ALEX HOPKINS ILLUSTRATION BY KENDALL WIFF DESIGN BY CASSIDY WOODS

An increasing number of foreign films are shown at the American box office each year, representing a recent shift in American attitudes toward the industry. Among the shifts, conversations about subtitles and common misperceptions are at the helm of the change.

“Once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films,” “Parasite” (2019) director Bong Joon-ho said while accepting the award for “Best Motion Picture, Foreign Language” at the 2020 Golden Globes.

“Parasite,” a South Korean dark comedy thriller, also won the award for Best Picture at the Oscars and was the first foreign language film to ever receive the honor. This win sparked a resurgence of American interest in foreign films and a conversation about subtitles that continues to this day.

“I agree with that sentiment,” said Justin Daering, director of Ohio University’s School of Film and assistant professor. “I mean, far be it for me to disagree with Bong Joon-ho, he’s one of the best. There’s a lot of movies that will come alive when you get over the idea that you have to watch them with subtitles.”

Foreign films, notably non-English language films, have grown in popularity at American box offices over the past few years. However, this success comes with a long history, according to Ofer Eliaz, associate professor of film studies.

“Especially in the 1950s and ‘60s, many people went to see movies and they wouldn’t necessarily know if they were foreign or not, they just saw them as movies,” Eliaz said. “It’s only more recently that there started to be a real division between foreign films and domestic products.”

Within this division, Eliaz has observed distinctions his students have made between “foreign” films and “American” films. Most notably, foreign films are non-English language and usually shown with subtitles.

“For a long time, when I started teaching, students would really rebel against subtitles for reasons that I understood,” Eliaz said. “Students would have trouble keeping up with subtitles and watching the movie at the same time. In the last five years, I get almost the opposite reaction, where students don’t say anything when I show a foreign film with subtitles.”

When he asked students why, they said they watch any media, including English-language films, with subtitles. Bigger TV and theaterspecific audio mixing may have a role in the

change, Eliaz said, but “it’s this phenomenon that I don’t quite have a full explanation for.”

Subtitles have long been a topic of debate among friends and family, from arguing over whether to turn them on or outright refusing to watch a movie because it requires subtitles. Yet, they are used in places other than foreign films without much thought.

“What’s interesting is that we may have an aversion to watching films with subtitles, but anime with subtitles is being consumed in large quantities,” Daering said. According to him, foreign films are usually misrepresented as slower, and less exciting than American films, and the language barrier may make watching them seem harder.

Foreign films are also often generalized by students as “more serious,” according to Eliaz, who steers students away from this grouped characterization in his class.

“When they’re watching foreign films there’s a kind of trepidation to fully react because they’re worried, ‘Oh, am I going to react incorrectly? Is this going to be a kind of cultural misunderstanding?’” he said. He will often remind his students that foreign movies were made with popular audiences in mind, just like American films.

The resurgence of foreign films in America has been fruitful, not only for the international film industry but for American content and culture. By engaging with movies outside of a native language, a whole new world of film is available.

“There’s a lot beyond the subtitles of it,” Daering said. “A big reason we tell stories is to understand other people and recognize a common truth of the human experience that we share. When you’re watching stories from people on the other side of the globe, and their lives are not fundamentally like yours. The culture they grew up in is different. The social practices are different. The environment is different. The language is different. Whatever it is, right? And yet the emotional experience they’re having still affects you, and you still feel some degree of empathy with whatever it is they’re going through. I think that reminds us of the fundamental truth that we’re more alike on the inside than we are different.”

DEAF WEST

BY ABBY JOYNER ILLUSTRATION BY KENDALL WIFF DESIGN BY CASSIDY WOODS

When entering a theater, one expects to be greeted with a cacophony of noise: an energetic orchestra, powerful soliloquies, or melodic sopranos singing. A successful production beautifully blends these acoustic elements to create a profound sonic experience, but perhaps it’s time to consider what lies beyond that notion. Since 1991, the Deaf West Theatre in Los Angeles has uplifted deaf and hardof-hearing actors by creating a space that prioritizes them. Through the use of American Sign Language and a blend of deaf and hearing actors, Deaf West inspires audiences who step into the theater to reconsider what modern theater can be. They seek to make theater inclusive for both deaf and hearing audiences. There, audiences are reminded deaf actors deserve a space in the theater and are capable of captivating audiences through the expressive art of sign language.

The founder of Deaf West Theatre, Ed Waterstreet, created the non-profit group in 1991, becoming the first regional theater in the

country to be led by a deaf artistic director. From then on, the company has been lauded for its innovative and provocative productions which often discover new perspectives of classic shows like “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1963) or “Pippin” (1972). According to their website, Deaf West claims they are “committed to innovation, collaboration, training, and activism,” and to act as an “artistic bridge between the Deaf and hearing worlds.” They are increasing the number of deaf actors working in the theater and film industry, creating programs and workshops to help them find opportunities to share their imaginative talents with even wider audiences.

Deaf West may be most well known for their critically acclaimed 2015 revival of Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater’s 2006 coming-ofage musical, “Spring Awakening.” Based on a 19th-century German play of the same name, “Spring Awakening” tells the story of a group of young teenagers navigating their burgeoning sexualities under the suppressing voices of

THEATRE

their overprotective or neglectful parents. Explicit and controversial, the musical handles themes like abortion, homosexuality, and abusive households with a rock ‘n’ roll-inspired soundtrack. The source material presented an excellent launch pad for a Deaf West production.

In their iteration of “Spring Awakening,” managing director of Deaf West Jeff Peri, artistic director DJ Kurs, and director Michael Arden added a layer of complexity to the original text by performing it entirely in sign language. Some of the characters were reimagined as deaf individuals, notably the character of Moritz Stiefel, a teen boy struggling with academic failure and his parents’ disapproval. By layering this complexity onto a preexisting mosaic of suffering characters, the showrunners brought awareness to the stigma against deaf individuals during the period during which the show takes place. The cast was made up of half deaf actors and half hearing actors; each deaf actor had a hearing double who spoke

and sang for them while they performed the sign language. Like a shadow, the hearing actors followed their deaf counterparts, which highlighted the meticulously choreographed ASL. Each sign reflected the character’s personality, beautifully representing sign language as poetry in motion. Actors used their whole bodies to perform, communicating their thoughts, motivations, or desires through contortions, elongations, or flows of their figures.

According to the L.A. Times, Deaf West does not only seek to provide an artistic outlet for deaf performers: “It is about layering meanings, finding new pathways of communication, fostering lasting relationships, and building a more just and equitable world for deaf people.” By inviting audiences to leave their preconceived notions about theater at home, Deaf West works tirelessly to challenge traditional theater and make a more inclusive space for disabled actors.

BY MACKENZIE CARR ILLUSTRATION BY CARLY HART DESIGN BY NICOLE BELL

Remakes & Remakes & Rave:

Some stories never get old, no matter how many times they are retold. Think of “Dune,” “A Star is Born,” or “The Parent Trap.” In the right hands, these classics become more than just another version. They turn into fresh, memorable films that stand on their own. But what makes a remake work? Why do some hit the mark while others miss, and what qualities determine a good remake?

These three movies brought a new, iconic light to their classic counterparts while also maintaining the original story. When most people think of these movies, they think of the remakes. The “Dune” film series, starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, has recently taken over the world with its sequel, “Dune: Part Two,” coming out earlier this year. These days, people hardly remember, or have never heard of, the poorly rated original “Dune” that came out in 1984.

The same can be said for “The Parent Trap,” one of Hollywood’s most beloved examples of how a remake can capture the magic of an original while appealing to a new generation. The 1998 version, starring Lindsay Lohan in a dual role, revitalized the 1961 classic about twin sisters who meet at summer camp and hatch a plan to reunite their divorced parents. By updating the setting, adding more modern humor, and giving each twin a unique personality, the remake feels fresh without losing the heart of the original story.

“A Star is Born” has been remade five times, with the most recent adaptation being in 2018, starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper and the original coming out in 1937. This film was one of the most popular films of the 2010s, winning a total of 111 awards. Unlike earlier adaptations, which focused more heavily on the female lead’s rise to fame, this version gave audiences a raw, intimate look into the inner lives and struggles of both main characters, deepening the emotional impact of the story. This gave audiences a stronger connection to the movie and paid homage to the classic tale while giving it a new life for new generations.

Remakes of movies can be a good thing if they are executed correctly. A lot of the best-rated movies are remakes: “The Departed” (2006), “Scarface” (1983), “Planet of the Apes” (2001), “Oceans 11” (2001), “Cape Fear” (1991), and “Little Women” (2019) are just a few. The best remakes do not just copy the original, they add something new to surprise audiences and remind them why these stories are so important. When filmmakers stay true to the heart of a story while contributing their own style, a remake can become something special. Audiences can look forward to seeing which classic stories will be reimagined and how they will continue to live on in fresh, exciting ways.

Sequels Sequels

Rant:

Sequels and remakes create a complicated mix of creative and commercial interests, both for the audience and the filmmakers. They can be wonderful continuations of beloved characters and stories or a money grab of epic proportions. More often than not however, the message of the movie is lost in its attempt to continue the plot of the original. They tend to be a gamble and are rarely recognized as “good” or better than the original.

For example, the classic 1983 thriller “Scarface” is a remake of a 1932 film under the same title, but it surpasses the original by lengths and would be ruined by a sequel.

“Scarface” is a timely movie that touches on themes of immigration, the American dream, and moral values in a changing world. At the 1983 release, the movie was a purposeful insight into the compounding political issues from the Cold War both in America and Cuba, and a sequel would be even less relevant in today’s age and context. Although a remake made sense during this time, this is not always the case for all remakes at all times showing the limitations of the strategy. Tony Montana is a memorable and entertaining character, but his story could never be continued in a way that did justice to the original.

Although some sequels surpass the original, such as the 2012 continuation of the Batman

universe, “The Dark Knight Rises,” most remakes and sequels completely miss the mark. A strong example of a sequel that places the original on a pedestal is “Jaws 2,” a void of tension and character development, a shame regarding the first.

Filmmakers and audience members alike need to be more conscious of what movies are for conveying messages through incredibly creative and visually appealing ways, not for closure or the comfort of those watching.

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