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disneytva · 9 months

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Big City Greens Plants Season 4 Premiere For September 23 on Disney Channel + Guest Cast List

Bingo Bango! Disney Branded Television has set primetime premieres for Big City Greens Season 4 slated to debut Saturday September 23 at 8:00PM EST only on Disney Channel and streaming October 25 only on Disney+.

The episodes airing on September 23 – 'Truck Stopped / Jingled' – have "Tilly and Cricket wrestle with indecision at a truck stop between Big City and the country" in the former, while the latter sees Tilly becoming a Big City jingle writer and rising through the ranks. In addition to premiering on Disney Channel, episodes will also be added to Disney Plus on October 25, 2023.

Guest Stars on Season 4 include musican Michael Bolton as Rick Razzle on Jingled where Tilly wants to become a Big City jingle writer and rising through the ranks. Other guest stars for Season Four include June Diane Raphael (Marvel "Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur"), Tom Green ("The Tom Green Show"),NHL player Brad Marchand,Margo Martindale (Sony Pictures "Cocaine Bear"),podcaster Justin McElroy, Tim Meadows (ABC Network "The Goldbergs"), Dean Norris (AMC "Breaking Bad", "Better Call Saul"), Comedian Ms. Pat, Amy Seradis (Netflix "Bojack Horseman", Lucasfilm "The Mandalorian") and comedian Trevor Wallace.

Since it's debut on 2018, Big City Greens has been one of Disney Television Animation recent hits with multiple shorts, a NHL game -themed broadcast special in collaboration with ESPN and a animated feature film based on the series is on production slated for a 2024 release, the series spawned a new legacy of Disney TVA creators like Natasha Kline with chicano lead-driven animated comedy series "Primos" slated for 2024 and more animated shows on development for Disney Channel by Big City Greens Alumnis. (Cheyenne Curtis,Monica Ray, Amy Hudkins,Raj Bruggemann and Houghton Brothers mentor C.H Greenblatt) who will be getting series orders in the coming months.

The new season will include the show's 100th episode, which is a major landmark for any animated series, but especially for a Disney Channel series with few ever making it quite that far. "Season four is pure insanity," says Chris Houghton, Big City Greens co-creator and executive producer. "Tilly becomes a commercial jingle-writer, Cricket tries stand-up comedy, Bill loses his mind like six times, and Gramma dabbles in minimalism. The fact that we have such a fun arena to play in when it comes to these characters is not lost on us or our crew. Even though we’ve told so many stories with these characters, this season feels fresher than ever." "There are some very funny and silly episodes in this season," adds Shane, "like 'Handshaken' where country folks act like western gunslingers, but assert their power through firm handshakes. There are also a few emotional episodes that reach out and give your heart a good squeeze – 'Family Tree' is one that makes me tear up every time I watch a cut of it. And biggest of all, Chip Whistler is back! This season may have more action, adventure, and thrills than any previous season! And here's a couple rapid-fire teases you’ll see in season four: Gloria hires a new café employee, Vasquez goes to therapy, and the kids meet a long lost family member."

Additionaly Big City Greens will continue with new shorts trought the Disney TVA multi-platform division trought Chibi Tiny Tales, Broken Karaoke,Theme Song Takeover, How NOT To Draw & Random Rings.

Big City Greens characters will continue to host on the Disney Television Animation's crossover compilation series "Chibiverse" as it's second season is slated to debut Saturday September 23.

#Big City Greens #BCG #Shane Houghton #Chris Houghton #Disney Channel

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tomoleary · 1 year

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“This epic wrap-around cover is the work of fan-favorite Steve McNiven and appeared on the 2017's Monsters Unleashed #1, the first issue of an event series in which Marvel's contemporary heroes battle some of the many 'Pre-Hero' monsters co-created by Jack Kirby in the early 1960s. The cover features many of Marvel's most popular heroes in battle with some of the company's cult classic monsters, Fin Fang Foom, It the Living Colossus, Goom and Gorgilla. The heroes include both versions of Spider-Man, Peter Parker and Miles Morales, as well as Iron Man, Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers), Thor (Jane Foster), Wolverine (Laura Kinney), Captain America (Sam Wilson), Black Bolt, Medusa, Rocket, Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan) and more. The name Monsters Unleashed comes from a Marvel black and white magazine published in the mid-1970s. Marvel's 'Pre-Hero' monsters, including such well known characters as Groot and Fin Fang Foom, first appeared in the late 50s and early 60s in a series of short one-shots, a few of which had sequels. In the early 70s, the monster stories were reprinted in a series of anthology titles such as Monsters on the Prowl, Where Creatures Roam and Where Monsters Dwell. This exposure to a new generation of fans and creators led to some of the monsters appearing in new stories where they would interact with Marvel's superheroes. Fin Fang Foom, who first appeared in Strange Tales #89 in 1961 the month before Fantastic Four #1, became a foe of Iron Man in the 1970s and appeared in animated cartoons. It, the Living Colossus first appeared as the Colossus in Tales of Suspense #14 (1961). The character was revived as "It, the Living Colossus" and briefly appeared in his own series in Astonishing Tales in 1973-1974. Goom first appeared in Tales of Suspense #15 (1961) and Gorgilla first appeared in Tales to Astonish #12 (1960).”

#steve mcniven #monsters unleashed #fin fang foom #Gorgilla #goom

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samasmith23 · 1 year

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Ms. Marvel and exposing the systemic colorism displayed by Comicsgate bigots

So I’m about to go off on a bit of a tangent here, but for the longest time, one of the things that’s constantly enraged me about Richard C. Meyer, one of the lead ringleaders of the Neo-Nazi hate movement Comicsgate, is a particular aspect of his bigotry towards the character Ms. Marvel (aka, Kamala Khan). An element of Meyer's Islamophobic attacks against Kamala that repeatedly occurs throughout all his terrible videos bashing her comics is his repeated accusation that Kamala “doesn’t even look Pakistani.”

Yes... seriously... Richard Meyer, an cis straight white male, believes that he has the authority to claim what does and does not qualify as "looking Pakistani."

It's just as cringeworthy and racist as you can possibly imagine.

So the basis of Meyer's fallacious accusation that Kamala doesn't "look Pakistani" is simply because the artists of her comics depict her as has having either dark brown or black hair along with her brown skin. Heck, Meyer has not only stated that Kamala & her family instead look “vaguely Arabic or foreign," (essentially repeating the racist talking point of all Muslim countries being culturally and ethnically monolithic), but in one of his videos he even went as far as to accuse Kamala of looking like "a white girl who spray-tanned herself to look brown."

Essentially, Meyer is accusing a Pakistani character who was created by Muslim and POC creators of engaging in literal brown face. Not only is this accusation incredibly racist, but it doesn't even made any sense whatsoever since Kamala & her family have always been depicted as being of South Asian or Desi descent. Furthermore, Kamala was explicitly modeled after her co-creator and editor Sana Amanat, who is herself a Desi Pakistani-American woman.

For the longest time I was completely dumbfounded and confused as to where Meyer was even getting these offensive ideas from. However, a few years ago I think I discovered one of the potential underlying one of the reasons as to why Meyer believes that Kamala doesn’t look “Pakistani.” And it's a reason which goes deeper than simply being a byproduct of Meyer's own ignorance and racism.

See, a lot of South Asian countries, including Pakistan, actually have a big problem in regards to issues of colorism. It's actually gotten to the point where skin-lightening creams are repeatedly advertised and marketed towards women since lighter skin is considered by some to be more 'beautiful, and this mindset can be heavily traced back to British colonialism in the Indian subcontinent.

The Ms. Marvel comics themselves even briefly commentated on the issue of colorism in Pakistan when Kamala’s older brother Aamir got engaged to Tyesha, who is a black woman, challenging his parents desire about wanting him to marry a fellow Pakistani. Even when Kamala & Aamir's parents came around to accepting and embracing Tyesha as their future daughter in-law, Aamir still expressed anxiety over whether or not his other relatives would hold anti-black attitudes towards Tyesha or any biracial children they might someday have.

Sadly, colorism is such a widespread issue in South Asian countries that if you simply search for pictures of Pakistani women on Google Images, you’re bound to find tons of photographs of Pakistani women who have used said-skin-lightening creams. So overall, considering the historical context of colorism in countries like Pakistan, combined with Richard C. Meyer's own Islamophobic biases and his inability to do basic research on other cultures and ethnicities, I think it’s fair to assume that historical and contemporary colorism could have influenced Meyer's bigoted accusations of "Kamala and her family not even looking Pakistani."

Here are a few articles written by Pakistani women which go into much greater detail about the damaging effects that colorism in particular has had in South Asian countries:

This connection between contemporary South Asian colorism and Meyer's Post-9/11 Islamophobia further reinforced by the other examples in which he openly engages in inaccurate stereotyping of all Muslim countries being culturally monolithic. The most egregious example of this is undoubtedly Meyer's open demonization of Kamala's aforementioned older brother Aamir. Meyer constantly refers to Aamir as "looking like a shepherd" simply due to him wearing traditional Islamic attire in the form of a white thobe and taqiyah cap. He even outright, and inaccurately, calls Aamir an "ISIS bomber" in one of his awful videos, even outright stating, "Yes I'm profiling.”

He has attempted to justify his Islamophobia by stating that there’s no other reason for Aamir to wear such clothing, lying to his audience that said-clothing "shows that Aamir is unwilling to integrate into American society and therefore he should be viewed with suspicion."

Where do I even begin with how racist this is?! First of all, there are plenty of Muslim Americans in the real world who wear the type of clothing Aamir wears for various religious reasons, including adhering to more orthodox beliefs or trying to emulate the Prophet Muhammad, such as the Salafi branch of Islam which Aamir adheres to. Secondly, Aamir is portrayed throughout Ms. Marvel as being a genuinely kind person despite being more traditional and conservative, someone who cares deeply for his little sister and family. Additionally, during the Last Days arc Aamir is kidnapped and forcibly given superpowers by the Inhuman extremist Kamran (aka, Kamala's evil ex-boyfriend) who's playing into Islamophobic assumptions about more traditional Muslims being more likely to engage in terrorist violence. But Aamir completely rejects the tired stereotypes that Kamran is projecting onto him, even outright stating that he doesn't want superpowers and is already happy with who and where he is in life.

Thirdly, and most importantly, Meyer stating that an individual should be profiled simply on the basis of his religious clothing is on the same level of awfulness as when Frank Miller inferred in Holy Terror that all Muslim foreign exchange students should automatically be viewed as terrorists in disguise and, therefore, are to be treated with suspicion and hatred. And Franky-Boy communicates this disgusting marriage through the scene of the foreign exchange student Amina (who just so happens to be named after the Prophet Muhummad's mother... classy...) repaying a lesbian woman's hospitality by suicide-bombing both said-lesbian and a crowded party full of dozens of other civilians:

It's blatant Islamophobia and disgusting propaganda on Miller's part.

So when Meyer not only describes Aamir as "looking like a terrorist" or "dressing and acting like a freaking Taliban" simply due to his clothing, but even outright states "yes I'm profiling" whilst making these comments, Meyer is treating Aamir's character with suspicion and hate simply because of his traditionalist Muslim clothing. Just like Frank Miller does with framing Amina the exchange student as a mass-murdering suicide bomber in Holy Terror. These are all classic racist Post-9/11 Islamophobic talking points derived from American imperialism, which are intrinsically connected to the racist promotion of colorism and skin-lightening creams in South Asian countries derived from British colonialism. Negative stereotypes which both Aamir's character and Ms. Marvel as a whole actively refuted throughout the runs by G. Willow Wilson & Saladin Ahmed:

In other words, screw Richard C. Meyer and his blatant Islamophobia. Comicsgate is a hate group, and any and all criticisms they have made against books like Ms. Marvel are simply trojan horses designed to indoctrinate their audience with far-right talking points and prejudices. Prejudices which have their roots in both modern imperialism and historical colonialism which has negatively impacted the peoples of South Asian and Middle Eastern countries.

#ms marvel #ms marvel kamala khan #ms marvel comics #kamala khan #amir khan #comicsgate is a hate group #richard c meyer is a bigot #colorism #islamophobia #g willow wilson #saladin ahmed #holy terror is the WORST comic ever #frank miller is a bigot #south asia #pakistan #desi women #tangent #mini essay

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danzafila · 2 years

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What don't you like about how KSD wrote Carol and Jess?

I didn't start out disliking her writing of Carol. and I actually did enjoy her writing of Jess (as far as I remember–maybe I’m forgetting some bad work in there somewhere lol). so I think my issues with KSD's Carol were likely more indicative of editorial mandates for the direction of her character than any actual reflection of KSD’s writing style/choices.

the big thing was the kind of unrelenting push into prominence Carol got in the 2010s (a lot of which was written by KSD) really started to wear on me over time. part of it was just annoyance she was suddenly supposed to be THE premier female superhero at Marvel (when she'd never been close to the top of that list before). but part of it was also how... disingenuous the promotion started to feel? you know, very corporate co-opting of feminism for an easy marketing boost, but with no real substance behind it? (particularly frustrating because Carol did start out as a very explicitly feminist hero--that's the whole reason *why* she had the "Ms." Marvel title to begin with!) the way she was promoted specifically as a (/THE) *female* character, how big a deal they made about the "promotion" to Captain and redesign (and if you didn't like it/objected, you must be sexist), the whole Carol Corps (particularly when it went from fan spotlight at the back of the issue to an actual canon in universe group (albeit due to Secret Wars) made me really realize 'this is just some cheap marketing gimmick!'), and everything just... left me a bit disillusioned with the character and her sudden rise to prominence.

and then... I feel like this sounds mean/bitchy to say, but there was one thing I'd ignored until Secret Wars, but I couldn't look past and bugged the shit out of me once I noticed it. KSD wrote a Carol BNF she was chummy with on Tumblr into her comics. which I guess was fine when she was just a minor member of Carol's new supporting cast (though it did kinda bug me when like, there were preexisting characters you could've brought back instead, no?). but in SW, that character ended up super powered/more prominent. and I get that the whole point of SW was to be fun non-canon stories, but it still made me reflect on how that fan's opinions and preferences had absolutely bled into how KSD was writing Carol even prior (like how she canonized the fan's Carol ship that, afaik, had nooo canon basis before KSD suddenly made them start dating lol). and... idk it just left me uncomfortable with the blurring of lines between creator/fan relationship (which I get was kinda weird in the 2010s when a bunch of comics creators were new on Tumblr and just kinda figuring it out) when a creator was allowing one fan's preferences affect how they were writing their character.

#once again. sorry for taking for fucking ever to respond to a thing #the slue of redesigns of longstanding female chs in the 2010s that were always promoted as a win for feminism is another issue entirely #that was kinda a personal pet peeve. half the time they were worse looking to me and/or imo totally unneeded #the issue people were taking was more w/ *how* they were drawn than what they were wearing so it was just not addressing the actual problem #but that's a whole other topic #domande #anonimo #sto parlando #ramblings about comix

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celebritydecks · 7 months

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Iman Vellani

Iman Vellani Age, Movies and TV Shows, Height, Biography, Wiki and Net Worth

Iman Vellani is a Pakistani-Canadian model and actress. She has quickly risen to fame for her portrayal of Kamala Khan in the Disney+ miniseries Ms. Marvel (2022).

She has been working in the acting industry since 2019 and gained considerable reputation in a relatively short period of time.

Iman Vellani Biography/Wiki

Iman Vellani, born on September 3, 2002, in Karachi, Pakistan. Her journey began in Karachi, Pakistan, but she relocated to Canada at the tender age of one. Growing up as a Shia Ismaili Muslim in Canada, she embraced diversity from an early age. Her educational journey led her to Unionville High School in Markham, Ontario.

Notably, she became a member of the TIFF Next Wave Committee at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. Initially planning to attend the Ontario College of Art & Design University with a focus on integrated media, fate had other plans for her.

The Road to Stardom

In September 2020, the entertainment world buzzed with excitement as Iman Vellani secured the role of Kamala Khan in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Ms. Marvel. Her journey to this iconic role began when her aunt forwarded a casting call, opening doors to a life-changing opportunity. She diligently submitted self-tapes and auditioned in Los Angeles, a process that culminated in two screen tests.

During her auditions, Vellani’s deep connection to the Marvel universe became evident. Just like Kamala Khan, she is an Avengers fangirl. Sana Amanat, co-creator of Kamala Khan, was pleasantly delighted when Vellani showed off her Avengers-themed room during a Zoom screen test.

Ms. Marvel’s Debut

In June 2022, Iman Vellani took center stage in “A Fan’s Guide to Ms. Marvel,” a documentary short that provided a glimpse into the series’ production. This documentary added to the mounting anticipation as fans eagerly awaited Ms. Marvel‘s premiere on June 8, 2022. The show, as well as Vellani’s spectacular performance, gained significant acclaim from critics and audiences.

The excitement continues as Iman Vellani returns as Kamala Khan in the 2023 film “The Marvels” and voices the character in Disney+’s “Marvel Zombies” series.

Comic Writing Debut

She is making her debut as a comic book writer which is an unexpected choice. In July 2023, it was announced that she would co-write the limited series “Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant” alongside Sabir Pirzada. This series will explore Ms. Marvel’s dual heritage as an Inhuman and a mutant while she becomes a member of the X-Men.

Beyond Acting

She made her directing debut in 2020 with the short films “I Don’t Want to Be Alone” and “Push,” displaying her versatility.

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fanthatracks · 2 years

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Are Damon Lindelof and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy working on a new Star wars film?

Could Damon Lindelof and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy be the crack team behind a new Star Wars big screen adventure?

Partner up the co-creator of Lost, Watchmen and the writer of Star Trek Into Darkness with the Oscar winning director of Ms Marvel and there’s a chance you have a sizeable portion of the creative team for a future Star Wars big screen adventure – quite possibly the next one to hit screens given the lack of news from the Taika Waititi project, the stalling of Rogue Squadron and Rian Johnson’s…

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#Damon Lindelof #Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

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tvsotherworlds · 2 years

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anerdquemoraaolado · 3 years

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Beyond a Chance

Chapter 5: In the same place

Through the plane window, Tom could see a clear blue sky, an almost tropical climate, that was more or less what the Los Angeles sky reminded him of. Despite being tired, it had been a relatively short trip, so he hadn't even slept, apart from the anxiety he'd been feeling, she'd certainly been a factor in warding off sleep for good.

He couldn't wait to unravel what Kevin Feige would tell him about Loki. Well, it could well be the news of the final ending, that he wouldn't return to the role and the character's story was finished, but on second thought, they wouldn't bother to make him leave the house just to tell in person that he was fired. Surely he would play Loki again, it remained to be seen in what context.

As Tom finished arriving in Los Angeles, one of its inhabitants finished her lunch. Despite her persistent loneliness, Yasmim couldn't be happier, she would have a meeting with Kevin Feige and finally be able to talk to him in person, thank him for his lineup, and talk a lot about Sigyn.

In the afternoon, the two went to the same place, not knowing this or that they would meet, it seemed that Kevin was triggering a meeting between the future Marvel couple, not exactly the couple, but the actors who would play Loki and Sigyn.

Tom had arrived first, greeting the producer he now considered a friend.

“I must confess that I'm anxious to know what you want to talk to me “ the actor admitted.

“Well, I'm expecting a few more people for our initial conversation, Tom, but I want to advance the subject” said Feige, continuing with the conversation “you certainly remember the segment in ''Endgame'' where Loki steals the Tesseract

“Yeah, you bet I did “ Tom still had no idea what Kevin meant.

“From there, we will create a series to explain what happened” he continued explaining “it will be something short, a mini series of 6 episodes, we really want you to accept to come back.”

“Yes, for sure, it will be great “ Tom showed his joy to see that he had correctly deduced Loki's return.

In the following hours, series creator Michael Waldrum arrived at the meeting and explained the whole concept and his ideas, which left Tom excited, wanting to participate in the project even more.

“It would be an honor for me to be able to have greater creative control, I understand what you want to do with the character, but if I can suggest a few things, his approach to everything he does within the script, I would be very grateful“ Tom showed his interest and enthusiasm.

“Of course, of course, Tom, that's our wish, we want you as executive producer” Kevin agreed “Loki wouldn't be who he is without you, so it's your right, totally.”

"Thank you very, very much," Tom thanked, adding more ideas following that.

Then, after much conversation, Yasmim arrived, finding it strange to enter the already full office. She looked at the men standing there vaguely, not immediately recognizing them, her eyes were on the biggest prize, Kevin Feige.

"I hope I haven't been too late," Yasmim apologized, feeling embarrassed.

“No, you're not, please come closer, Ms. Gomes” Kevin played host “I was just dividing time for different tasks, let me introduce you, these are Michael Waldrum and Tom Hiddleston, the creator of the series you're going to work on and your supporting actor.”

“Ms. Gomes, it's a surprise for me that we also meet today” Tom managed to use politeness, despite the shyness he felt at the surprise of meeting her.

“Call me Yasmim, please “ she asked, realizing now who exactly he was.

“Hi, Yasmim, I assume you're our Sigyn” Michael tried to break the ice.

“Yes, I am, I was cast for her, I had no idea it was a series “ she vocalized her own astonishment.

"It's one of the things about joining Marvel," Tom played with her too, hoping she would feel less self”conscious.

"Yeah, I think so," she replied, still a little stunned to see Tom Hiddleston in front of her.

Finally that trance state was gone when Michael and Kevin told him about the series and everything about it. As she listened and offered her own opinions, she reconciled the fact that she would be Sigyn, Loki's wife, meaning she would star opposite Tom Hiddleston, who was a huge phenomenon among the fans. It was surreal that they were now in the same room.

After everything was told to her, Yasmin was able to comment.

“This opportunity is everything I've been waiting for in the last 13 years, I promise to do my best, bring the essence of the character and stick to the proposal and the essence of her” promised the prominent actress.

“That's very good to hear “ Tom praised, slightly curious to know more about the trajectory of his new co-worker, some details of Yasmim's sentence seemed extremely familiar to him.

“Yeah, even though the fans are very demanding, I love this job too and I couldn't be happier” she replied, and that also made Tom interested in her career, who Yasmim was as an actress and what she had done so far.

“Before we finish, I have just one more suggestion” said the protagonist of the series “we can arrange a meeting between us, Yasmim, to talk about our characters and how to interpret them in this new context now.”

"It's a great idea, for sure, as we're going to be married on the show," she replied, with a giggle at the end like a flourish.

“Great, I'll stay a few more days here in Los Angeles, if you don't mind staying here too, if you can” he suggested.

“Don't worry, staying in LA is no problem at all, I live here” she explained willingly.

"Even better then," he replied with a satisfied smile.

Then they exchanged their phone numbers, to arrange the next meeting, also saying goodbye to Michael and Kevin. Yasmin, as he was returning home, could hardly believe her luck, her first big role was for the biggest franchise today, everything was wonderfully promising.

#tom hiddleston #tom hiddleston x oc #tom hiddleston x brazilian!oc #beyond a chance #tom x yasmim #tomim #my writing

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insanityclause · 3 years

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Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase 4 features numerous television series that fans are looking forward to. While WandaVision kicks off MCU Phase 4 this weekend, the phase also features shows like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, What If...?, Loki, She-Hulk, Hawkeye and Ms Marvel. While we've been hearing updates about the series over the past few weeks, our hearts sprung with joy when we learned an Indian actor was a part of one of these series. It was previously revealed that Bollywood actor Mohan Kapur will star in Ms Marvel.

The actor, who was seen in Sadak 2 last year, will play Kamala Khan aka Ms Marvel's father on the show. Soon after the announcement, Pinkvilla caught up with Mohan for a quick chat about the project and his experience of working with Marvel Studios. The B-town star recalled learning about the casting during the lockdown and he auditioned for the role with the help of his friend.

"I requested a friend because the audition part was between me and my daughter, I called a male friend of mine and said, 'yaar please come with your mask and all, and help me shoot this audition.' He was very kind and he came over we shot the audition. That was on August 12th and we sent it. The casting director at Marvel loved it so it just (worked). October I flew and we began filming in the first week of November," he recalled.

"I am playing the father, it is a really nice role and I can relate to it, not that I am a father (laughs) but I have played a lot of these kinds of roles in India too. But this one is special," he added. Before making his way to the sets, Mohan revealed he was sent the Ms Marvel comics and connected with Ms Marvel's co-creator Sana Amanat digitally. Once he landed in Atlanta, the actor met the team and carried out readings with them. However, Mohan added, the team couldn't socialise due to COVID-19.

"The whole cast sat together, we had readings for the episodes. There wasn't much we could socialise, we would have all loved to go out for dinners and things like that. But we were all under very strict quarantine, and we still are. Of course, it is basically up to us to be responsible and everyone in the cast and crew also, they are all being responsible," he said. Mohan added that Marvel is strict with the COVID measures on sets. While a COVID officer is always on sets, governing the shoot, the cast and crew also take a COVID-19 test thrice a week to ensure safety.

While Ms Marvel marks Mohan's first Hollywood acting project, he is also possibly the first Bollywood actor to star in a Marvel Studios project. Talking about the milestone, Mohan said he is blessed to be working in Hollywood and in a Marvel project is like godsent. "For me, of course, I am representing my country, but I am also representing my film industry on whose stepping stones over the years has led me to come and let me be a part of this. I am not a sportsman but I feel like a sportsman in the acting arena, it feels really proud that I am representing my country. So everything I do, it should be of calibre. It feels damn good," he said.

Although Mohan encountered numerous new people on the sets of Ms Marvel, the actor experienced a sense of familiarity courtesy his co-star Zenobia Shroff, who plays Kamala's mother on the show. "The lady playing my wife, Zenobia Shroff, is from Mumbai. She is Parsi from Mumbai. She has been tutored in theatre by Pearl Padamsee and I have done theatre with Pearl and her daughter Raell Padamsee. When we started comparing notes, we realised that we have so many friends in common," he said.

Ms Marvel is being shot at the Trilith Studios in Atlanta. The location has doubled up as a venue for several other Marvel Studios, including Loki. Asked if he crossed paths with any other MCU star at the studio, Mohan recalled an incident involving Tom Hiddleston. "We are shooting in the same studios, Pinewood Studios, it has got different floors. We are on stage 9. One day, this was when we were still doing readings, we were all just standing and waiting for our vans to come and head back home. Suddenly someone from the sets comes and asks, 'Hey, did you see them?' I asked, 'See who?' 'The guys who just went cycling by?' I said 'I saw two people, everyone's in masks.' (I was informed) it was Tom Hiddleston. I said, 'What? Tom Hiddleston, you mean Loki?' Arre yaar, yeh mask ne toh jeena haram kar rakha hai yaar, main bhaag ke uska autograph leta, I would have taken a selfie and all of that," he said.

He also added that Jason Bateman is living in the building the MCU actor resides at. But he hasn't met anyone due to the COVID bubble. "I haven't bumped into anybody due to this mask," he adds. Asked if we could see any of the MCU actors appearing in Ms Marvel, Mohan said he wasn't aware of such a development as of yet. "There are chances of cameos but we don't know," he said.

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captain-s-rogers · 4 years

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Have A Little Faith In Me

(gif credit to the creator)

Part One

Master List Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC // Clint Barton x OFC Word Count: 1,900 Warnings: none? A/N: Debuting for OC Day 2020! Here’s the first part of the rewrite of my first ever Marvel series! If you want to be added to my tag list please let me know! Feedback is cool :)

Rockefeller PR firm. Though not connected to the famed family by any means, legend had it the J.D. Rockefeller himself had hired the founding members to handle his public relations in the very early success of the family. As a show of gratitude, in addition to a substantial cash and client flow, Mr. Rockefeller had allowed the firm to use the family’s prosperous name.

Anyone who was anyone in New York City knew of and often employed Rockefeller PR. The firm put on benefit events like they were going out of style, constantly hosting galas and banquets for one charity or another. Of course, with the guest lists for the events most often restricted to Manhattan’s elite, the donations poured in left and right. The firm had reached their renowned status as the most profitable and most charitable over the years.

In more recent years, Sophia Hawkins and Lucy Cleveland had made names for themselves as the firm’s most successful representatives. That success had given the clout they needed to swing an event entirely different from anything the firm had done in a long time -- possibly ever.

For starters, this event wasn’t being held to raise funds for an art gallery or secure investors for a corporation. This event was being held to raise funds to donate to several different organizations that supported the US troops and veterans. Not to mention, the event was made open to the public -- another component which had never been a part of a Rockefeller PR event. The thing was 1940s USO; everyone who showed up to attend the event was required to dress accordingly and make a donation at the door, in addition to their purchased ticket, of course

Both Sophia’s and Lucy’s grandfathers had fought in World War II, which had been Sophia’s inspiration for the idea. The firm’s executives hadn’t been keen on the idea when the two women first presented it, but between the excellent publicity that would come from supporting the troops and veterans, and the girls’ track record of successful events, convincing them to endorse the event hadn’t taken but a few minutes.

The night of the benefit arrived, with a line forming out the door a couple of hours before the designated start time. Sophia and Lucy were dressed to the nines, double checking that everything -- from the menu to the music -- was in order. The servers were dressing in period-appropriate waiter and waitress uniforms, and the trio of women singing were emulating a 1940s singing group to a T. While the musical act ran through their era-specific setlist, Sophia and Lucy shined up the finishing touches on the decor.

“Soph!” Lucy called out across the banquet hall, “do we need to alter the table settings? Caitlyn still has place cards for high-profile clients set out.”

“We can just toss the cards, since there’s no guest list and we’re closing the doors as max capacity,” Sophia replied, already plucking name cards from a nearby table.

“Do we have enough food?” Lucy continued.

“We’ve got the chefs cooking for one-hundred-fifty and there’s one-hundred seats. I think we’re okay,” Sophia smiled. “Calm down, Luce. Everything is going according to plan. Nobody can plan like we can.”

Finally, Lucy was able to calm down. “You’re right. You’re absolutely right.”

The women smiled at each other; everything was going to be perfect. Despite Lucy’s worries, they were well aware that this had been one of the smoothest events they had ever planned. Not having to please a bunch of snobby clients made the process a breeze.

With only a few minutes to go, Sophia and Lucy decided they were happy with the state of things. After a short breather, they told the doorman to begin letting guests in the hall.

Manhattan’s elite mingled with some lesser known citizens, filling the room and milling about the dance floor with freshly served drinks. The two event planners flitted about, adjusting table placements as necessary, making sure the food and drinks stayed well-stocked. The turnout was set to be huge, and within ten minutes of the doors opening, the hall was filled to capacity.

Once everyone had found their seat, Sophia made a brief yet spectacular speech welcoming everyone and thanking them for their donations -- with the total amount to be named later in the evening -- the musical act took to the stage. Drinks continued to flow, the appetizers were served, and the nostalgia of the songs pulled a few couples to the dance floor. Sophia and Lucy stood at the back of the room, admiring their handiwork.

“Ya know, Soph, I think we did a good job with this one,” Lucy mused, accepting a martini from the bartender.

“I think you’re right,” Sophia agreed. She sipped wine from the glass in her hand and took another cursory glance over the room, ever vigilant for any little thing that might go wrong.

“Everyone seems to be having a good time,” Lucy added. “And, speaking of a good time, I do believe that gentleman in the corner is eyeing you. He has been all night.”

Sophia choked her drink. “You’re kidding, right? Lucy, tonight is not the night for your games, friend.”

“I’m not playing games,” Lucy laughed. “See, over by the band? Tall, blond. Might have to call the doctor, since he’s been nursing that beer for over an hour. But, yes, friend, he keeps glancing over at you.”

“I think you’re full of shit,” Sophia mumbled, though she looked somewhat hopeful as she threw a casual glance in the direction Lucy had indicated. She locked eyes with the man Lucy had nodded toward.

“Still think I’m full of shit?”

Sophia scoffed, shaking her head before she downed the rest of her wine and set the glass on the bar. Yes, she had been hopeful seconds ago, but this man was beyond handsome -- and she was on the clock, to boot.

“Go, talk to him!” Lucy urged.

“Not a chance, Luce. We’re working, remember?”

Before Lucy could come up with a suitable response to change her friend’s mind, the man in question started towards the two women. When he was close enough for them to see he was, for certain, headed in their direction, Lucy whispered a quick ‘good luck’ in Sophia’s ear, then made herself busy checking on the status of supper.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” the man began, “but are you Sophia Hawkins?”

Sophia nodded. “I am. Can I help you with something?

“I’m Steve Rogers,” he introduced, extending a hand. When Sophia slipped her hand into his for a confident but cautious handshake, he continued. “I wanted to thank you for coordinating this event. It’s a great cause, and I’m very impressed with the level of authenticity.”

Sophia faltered for a moment, running through her mental files so could explain the familiarity of his name. She recovered quickly, pasting a polite, professional smile on her face.

“We did our best to make it as authentic as possible. My grandfather and great uncle were in World War II, and my co-planner, Lucy’s grandfather was in the war, as well. We were able to find a lot of photographic evidence to go off of.”

Steve hesitated, casting an uneasy glance at the ground before meeting her eyes again. “Yeah, my grandfather was in the war, too. I think he would appreciate how well you pulled it all off.”

“Why, thank you,” she smiled. They stood in silence for a moment, and Sophia noticed the authentic detail of the Army uniform Steve was wearing -- even with the best costume designers, nothing they had provided for the waitstaff or singers was this authentic. The longer she looked, the more familiar the uniform seemed.

Steve met her eyes. “Everything all right?”

Sophia nodded and quickly dismissed the strange familiarity as something she had seen in her own family’s photos. “Is the uniform your grandfather’s?”

Again, Steve hesitated, almost as though he was looking for the right words to answer an otherwise easy question. “It was. Found it in my mother’s attic before the event. Since time-period attire was required, seemed like the uniform was the way to go.”

“It suits you,” Sophia smiled. She turned away for a moment to ask the bartender for another glass of wine.

Steve quickly took a sip of his beer while he waited for her to return to their conversation. He looked around the room, catching sight of the dance floor; a warm blush creeped over his cheeks and down his neck. The tempo had changed from upbeat and quick to slow and steady. A surge of confidence swelled in his chest, pushing him to act on impulse. Steve finished off his beer and set the bottle on the counter, then extended his hand to Sophia again.

“Forgive me if I’m out of line, but would you like to dance, Ms. Hawkins?” Steve asked.

Sophia’s blush matched his as she turned to set the wine glass on the bar. She accepted Steve’s hand. “Call me Sophia, and I’d love to dance.”

The couple eased into a simple waltz as the music began to build from the first verse into the bridge of the song. They danced in silence through the chorus, concentrating on the steps before changing focus to each other.

“You told me about your family, but what made you decide to do an event open to the public? I’ve been told your firm generally caters Manhattan’s high-status citizens.”

“We do, you’re right,” Sophia confirmed. “Lucy and I have done so many of those, we wanted to do something different. We were looking through old family photos together one night, just for fun, and the idea to do a benefit for the military came to us. The USO theme followed.”

“I don’t want to sound like a broken record,” Steve smiled, “but you did a really fantastic job.”

Sophia showed her appreciation for his compliment with a modest smile. When the song ended, though she was reluctant to do so, she thanked Steve for the dance and turned to return to the bar.

“Sophia?” he called, gently grabbing her wrist to keep her from getting too far..

She turned to face him, brows raised in question. “Mm?”

“Would you want to get dinner some time? Maybe get to know each other better. Sometime when you’re not working.”

Sophia didn’t bother to stop the ear-to-ear grin that spread over her face. “I would love that.”

A pen was handy in the pocket of her dress, since she was, in fact, working. She took Steve’s hand again and jotted her number across his palm. She clicked the pen before putting it back in her pocket.

“I’ll call you in a few days,” Steve promised. “We’ll work out the details.”

“Sounds good.” Sophia nodded and winked at him. She turned to walk away, this time looking over her shoulder to add, “Thanks for the dance, Captain.”

He froze for a moment, fearing that Sophia was aware of his full identity. Her eyes glanced to the patches on his jacket before she turned away from him; that had been what tipped her off to the rank. When she was back at the bar and conversing with her friend, Steve looked down at the phone number written across his palm. With a suppressed but victorious smile, he worked his way back into the crowd.

@arrowsandmixtapes @the-murder-strut-murdered-me @growningupgeek @star-spangled-man-with-a-plan @captain-rogers-beard @kitkatd7 @patzammit @sagechanoafterdark @what-is-your-plan-today

#steve rogers fanfiction #clint barton fanfiction #oc appreciation day 2020 #ocs are people too

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bewitching-elizabeth-olsen · 3 years

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Press/Gallery/Video: Not Your Mother’s Suburbs

The Marvel Cinematic Universe comes to television with WandaVision the new Disney+ series that places a super-powered Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany in the suburbs of classic sitcoms.

https://elizabeth-olsen.com/media/Photoshoot/2020-EmmyMag.mp4

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Studio Photoshoots > 2020 > Session 002

Magazine Scans > 2020 > Emmy Magazine

EMMY – When you wish upon a luxurious star, you just might land at Club 33 in Disneyland.

Tucked away above New Orleans Square and decorated with historic flourishes (the harpsichord at reception belonged to Walt Disney’s wife, Lillian), it’s a pricey, ultra-exclusive club for members and VIPS. On August 25, 2019, Marvel Studios president and chief creative officer Kevin Feige, joined by producer-director Matt Shakman, enjoyed lunch and swapped stories there with Dick Van Dyke and his wife, Arlene.

“It was unbelievable!” Feige recalls. “You sit down and don’t know what to say because you’re so starstruck.” Shakman is more succinct: “It was the best afternoon of my life.”

They weren’t there just to catch up with a 93-year-old legend. They were about to start production on an innovative Disney+ series called WandaVision — which Shakman will only describe as a “love letter to television” — and they wanted to hear about the star’s experiences on his groundbreaking 1960s sitcom, The Dick Van Dyke Show.

Van Dyke waxed about his fellow actor and the show creator, Carl Reiner, who mined real-life anecdotes for the episodes, as well as his own delight at filming in front of live studio audiences.

In turn, Feige talked about the new series he was executive-producing with Shakman, among others. “I tried to explain how there was this robot and a witch and how she had to kill him because Thanos reversed time,” he says with a laugh. “I’m thinking, ‘He doesn’t need to hear this!'”

With the premiere of WandaVision on January 15, it will all click. Set after the events of the 2019 blockbuster Avengers: Endgame, the weekly series — which is patterned on prototypical sitcoms of various eras — explores the adventures of Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and her love, an android named Vision (Paul Bettany).

Yes, Vision died when the Mind Stone was ripped from his forehead in the 2018 film Avengers: Infinity War, and he is still dead. But rules can be malleable when one of the two main characters is also known as Scarlet Witch.

“What I love about Wanda in the comic books, and what drew me to her originally,” Olsen says, “is what we get to explore in a beautiful way.” To that end, even a witch couldn’t have manipulated the series’ timing any better.

When Disney+ launched in November 2019, it did so with the promise that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) would soon unveil new series based on some of its lower-profile action heroes. At last, fans of the gazillion-grossing, 23-movie Infinity Saga would enjoy extensive and exclusive insights into the likes of Falcon, the Winter Soldier, Wanda, Vision, Loki and others, all in episodic installments.

But the global pandemic wreaked havoc on production schedules. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier — which required a complex, multi-city shoot and was set to lead the charge — got pushed to 2021. That left WandaVision, which aims to change the future of the medium by paying homage to its past.

“The show is complicated,” explains co-executive producer Mary Livanos, “because we’re incorporating the rules of the MCU and narrowing in on suburban family sitcoms — but not all the episodes are structurally similar.

“What’s fun about it is that it leads the audience to ask questions about when this takes place or whether this is a social experiment and if this is an alternative reality and an unraveling of the mystery. We’re excited that the Disney+ platform allows us the creative space to play around.”

Indeed, with revenues from cruises, theme parks and cinema down sharply due to the pandemic, Disney+ emerged as the clear winner in the Disney portfolio, signing more than 73 million global members in just 11 months. (The company had initially set its five-year goal at 60 million to 90 million.)

Meanwhile, the Star Wars series The Mandalorian nabbed an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Drama Series — and seven awards in crafts categories — and the MCU has expanded into the freshly minted series She-Hulk, Moon Knight and Ms. Marvel.

Those successes led to a major announcement this fall from new chief executive Bob Chapek: Disney would realign its business divisions to focus future creative efforts squarely on Disney+.

Feige admits to growing up with “a near-unhealthy love and obsession” for some of the characters on his favorite shows, like Alice and Little House on the Prairie, and he’s just as committed now to his behemoth production studio.

“Streaming is 100 percent the future and where consumers want to watch things,” he says. “And hopefully they’ll want to watch our longform narrative series. An experience like WandaVision is something you can’t get in a movie. You go to movies for things you can’t get on streaming, and you go to streaming for things you can’t get in a theater. And of course, everything in a theater goes to streaming eventually.”

It was back in the days of yore — ahem, early 2018 — when then–Disney CEO Bob Iger approached Feige about extending the MCU for what would be a new Disney streaming service. At the time, Feige, who started at Marvel Studios as a producer in 2000 and became president of production in 2007, was wrapping up the 10-year-long Infinity Saga storyline.

“My team and I were wondering internally about where to go from here, and what would be the next step that was equally challenging and unexpected,” he relates. The notion of extending the brand to television “was an adrenaline boost.” Looking to showcase MCU characters who hadn’t yet reached their potential in terms of screen time, he zeroed in on Wanda and Vision and their romantic but doomed love story.

“Elizabeth and Paul were these amazing actors — who had done amazing things in four movies — but never had a chance to dominate the narrative because there was so much else going on,” he explains. “It felt fun to finally give them a platform to showcase their astounding talent.”

Bettany, for one, assumed that his run as Vision had ended with his death in Infinity War. “I was called in to see Kevin and [Marvel copresident] Louis D’Esposito and was convinced that they were going to be gentlemen and say, ‘It’s been a great ride; thank you for your work and good luck,'” he recalls. Instead, they pitched him what he describes as an “exciting and bonkers” idea for the character’s return. “Of course, I said I was in.”

During Olsen’s meeting? “Kevin told me he wanted to merge two different comic series as inspiration. He explained the series would show how Wanda is originally from an Eastern European country and grew up on American black-market products like television,” she says, then cuts herself off to avoid revealing spoilers.

At first, she says, “I was a little bit nervous about Marvel doing something on television, because what does that mean and how could it possibly intertwine? But I got so excited when I heard that nugget of the idea.”

That nugget grew into a fleshed-out narrative in early 2019 after Livanos, who is also director of production and development at Marvel Studios, tapped screenwriter Jac Schaeffer (Captain Marvel, Black Widow) as head writer. “We envisioned Wanda and Vision in this sitcom setting but didn’t know what that meant until Jac came on,” Livanos says.

Schaeffer remembers: “I got wind of this percolating crazy notion of this project and told myself that I needed to get in on that!” …

Press/Gallery/Video: Not Your Mother’s Suburbs was originally published on Elizabeth Olsen Source • Your source for everything Elizabeth Olsen

#Elizabeth Olsen #WandaVision #Avengers #Scarlet Witch #Wanda Maximoff #Sorry For Your Loss #Avengers Infinity War #Avengers Age of Ultron #Captain America Civil War #Ingrid Goes West #Godzilla

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demifiendrsa · 5 years

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Marvel's Avengers - Kamala Khan Trailer

key visual

screenshots

Character overview

Co-created by G. Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona, Sana Amanat, and Stephen Wacker, in the comics, Kamala is an enthusiastic teenager who defends her hometown Jersey City as the costumed Ms. Marvel. First appearing in Captain Marvel #14 in August 2013, Kamala quickly captured the imagination of generations of True Believers, leading to her own monthly comic series in February 2014.

A self-avowed Avengers fan, in the game’s original story, Kamala Khan must apply her intellect, optimism, and unique abilities to the task of unraveling a global conspiracy and reassembling her personal heroes in time to stop a new secretive organization, Advanced Idea Mechanics (AIM), before they unleash one of the greatest threats Earth has ever faced.

Players first encounter a young Kamala during A-Day, where Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Black Widow, and Thor are unveiling a hi-tech Avengers Headquarters in San Francisco—including the reveal of their own helicarrier powered by an experimental energy source. The celebration turns deadly when a catastrophic accident results in massive devastation. Kamala is exposed to the mysterious Terrigen Mist, and finds herself developing extraordinary polymorphic powers, which she subsequently hides for years. Blamed for the tragedy, the Avengers disband. Five years later, with all Super Heroes outlawed and the world in peril, Kamala uncovers a shocking conspiracy and embarks on a quest to reassemble the heroes she believes in and to become the hero she was destined to be.

Players begin the journey as Kamala Khan and learn the origins of her extraordinary powers. As the story expands, Kamala plays an essential role in bringing the disbanded Avengers back together. As each Super Hero is added to the roster, players must master all of their unique abilities, rebuild and customize the Avengers team to face increasingly growing threats only the Avengers together can defeat.

“An optimistic fan girl of the Avengers, Kamala Khan is the perfect character for the story we’re telling in Marvel’s Avengers,” said Shaun Escayg, Creative Director and Writer at Crystal Dynamics. “Telling our story of Kamala’s coming-of-age brings a fresh, hopeful perspective to the gameplay experience and her unique abilities as Ms. Marvel make her a character every person can relate to and will want to play. Kamala Khan is one of the unique characters that makes our game stand apart from any Avengers story experienced before.”

“Kamala is an inspired and perfectly fitting choice to join the ranks of, and reassemble, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes,” said Bill Rosemann, VP of Creative at Marvel Games. “Perhaps more than any other character invented over the past decade, Ms. Marvel has not only charmed the hearts of longtime True Believers, but her unique mix of classic Marvel heroic elements and modern cultural relevancy has resulted in a headline-generating cultural icon.”

“It is a thrill to see Kamala in the Marvel’s Avengers game,” said Sana Amanat, VP of Content and Character Development at Marvel. “Crystal Dynamics has done a marvelous job of crafting a brand-new take on Kamala, while staying true to the spirit of her inspiring character, charismatic persona, and relatable purpose. Fans of the character are in for quite a ride, along with a few surprises, when Marvel’s Avengers makes its debut next year.”

“I think Kamala is a perfect fit for a game like this, since she sees the Marvel world the same way we do as fans and players,” said G. Willow Wilson, co-creator of Ms. Marvel. “Kamala allows us to imagine what we ourselves would do if we suddenly discovered we had superpowers and got to stand alongside our heroes in their time of greatest need.”

#Marvel's Avengers #Avengers #Avengers game #Marvel #Ms. Marvel #Kamala Khan #Crystal Dynamics #Square Enix #NYCC 2019 #video game #PS4 #XBO #PC

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writemarcus · 4 years

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Watch This Space: Playwrights Train for All Media

As dramatists begin to write for all media, the nation’s playwriting programs are starting to teach beyond the stage.

BY MARCUS SCOTT

In 2018, a record 495 original scripted series were released across cable, online, and broadcast platforms, according to a report by FX Networks. And with the growing popularity of streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon (not to mention new players like Disney and Apple), a whopping 146 more shows are up and running on various platforms now than were on air in 2013. So how does peak TV relate to theatre?

Once a way for financially strapped playwrights to land stable income and adequate health insurance, television has since emerged as a rewarding venue for ambitious dramatists looking to forge lifetime careers as working writers. Playwright Tanya Saracho is the current showrunner for “Vida” on Starz. Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is the series developer of “Riverdale” and “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.” Sheila Callaghan is executive producer of the long-running black comedy “Shameless.” Sarah Treem, co-creator and showrunner of “The Affair,” recently concluded the Rashomon-esque psychological drama in November.

To satiate demand for more content, showrunners have sought to recruit emerging playwrights to fill their writers’ rooms. It’s now common practice for them to read plays or spec scripts penned prior to a writer’s graduation.

Many aspiring playwrights have caught on, enrolling in drama school intent on flirting with virtually every medium under the umbrella of the performing arts. Several institutions around the country have become gatekeepers for the hopeful—post-graduate MFA boot camps bestowing scribes with the Aristotelian wisdom of plot, character, thought, diction, and spectacle before they’re dropped into the school of hard knocks that is the modern American writers’ room. Indeed, since our culture has emerged from the chrysalis of peak TV, playwriting programs have begun training students for a career that includes not only the stage but multiple mediums, including the screen.

Playwright Zayd Dohrn, who has served as both chair of Northwestern University’s radio/TV/film department and director of the MFA in writing for screen and stage since 2016, said versatility is the strongest tool in the kit of the program’s students.

“We offer classes in playwriting, screenwriting and TV writing, as well as podcasts, video games, interactive media, stand-up, improv, and much more,” he explained. “There’s no one way to approach the craft, and we offer world-class faculty with diverse backgrounds, professional experiences, and perspectives, so students can be exposed to the full range of professional and artistic practice.”

Dominic Taylor, vice chair of graduate studies at UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television in California, also agrees that multiplicity is the key to the survival of a working writer. “In the industries today, whether one is breaking a story in a writers’ room or writing coverage as an assistant, the ability to recognize and manipulate structure is paramount,” Taylor said. “The primary skill, aside from honing excellent social skills, would be to continue to study the forms as they emerge. Read scripts and note differences and strengths of form to the individual’s skill set. For example, the multi-cam network comedy is very different from the single-cam comedy—‘The Conners’ versus ‘Modern Family,’ let’s say. It’s not just the technology; it is the pace of the comedy.”

Taylor, a distinguished multi-hyphenate theatre artist working on both coasts, said that schools like UCLA offer a lot more than classes, including one with Phyllis Nagy (screenwriter of Carol). UCLA’s program also partners with its film school, and hires professional directors to work with playwrights to develop graduate student plays for productions at UCLA’s one-act festival, ONES, or its New Play Festival. Taylor also teaches four separate classes on Black theatre, giving students the opportunity to study the likes of Alice Childress, Marita Bonner, and Angelina Weld Grimké in a university setting (a rarity outside of historically Black colleges and universities).

Dohrn, a prominent playwright who is currently developing a feature film for Netflix and has TV shows in development at Showtime, BBC America, and NBC/Universal, said that television, like theatre, needs people who can create interesting characters and tell compelling stories, who have singular, unique voices—all of which are emphasized in playwriting training.

“Playwrights are not just good at writing dialogue—they are world creators who bring a unique vision to the stories they tell,” Dohrn emphasized. “More than anything else, a writer needs to develop his/her/their unique voice. Craft can be taught, but talent and creativity are the most important thing for a young writer.”

For playwright David Henry Hwang, who joined the faculty at Columbia University School of the Arts as head of the playwriting MFA program in 2014, success should be a byproduct, not a destination. “As a playwright, I don’t believe it’s possible to ‘game’ the system—i.e., to try and figure out how to write something ‘successful,’” he said. “The finished play is your reward for taking that journey. The thing that makes you different, and uniquely you, is your superpower as a dramatist, because it is the key to writing the play only you can write. Ironically, by focusing not on success but on what you really care about, you are more likely to find success.”

Since arriving at Columbia, one of Hwang’s top priorities was to expand the range of TV writing classes. This led to the creation of separate TV sub-department “concentrations,” housed in both the theatre and film programs. All playwriting students are required to take some television classes.

“We are at a rather anomalous moment in playwriting history, where the ability to write plays is actually a monetizable skill,” said Hwang, whose TV credits include Treem’s “The Affair.” “Playwrights have become increasingly valuable to TV because it has traditionally been a dialogue-driven medium (though shows like ‘Game of Thrones’ push into more cinematic storytelling language), and playwrights are comfortable being in production (unlike screenwriters, some of whom never go to set). Once TV discovered playwrights, we became more valuable for feature films as well.”

Playwrights aren’t the only generative theatremakers moving to the screen. Masi Asare is an assistant professor at Northwestern’s School of Communication, which teaches music theatre history, music theatre writing and composition, and vocal performance. The award-winning composer-lyricist, who recently saw her one-act Mirror of Most Value: A Ms. Marvel Play published by Marvel/Samuel French, said that the world of musical theatre is not all that different either; it’s experiencing a resurgence in both cinema and the small screen: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, Justin Hurwitz, and Benj Pasek and Justin Paul have all written songs that were nominated for or won Oscars. The growth of YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter have offered new ways for musical theatre graduates to market and monetize their songs and build an audience.

“The feeling that a song has to ‘work’ behind a microphone in order to be a good song is really having an impact on young writers,” said Asare. “The song must sound and look good in this encapsulated video that will be posted on the songwriters’ website and circulated via social media.” She noted that in this case, the medium of video is also changing the medium of musical theatre itself. “Certainly it may lead to different kinds of musicals—who knows? New experimentation can be exciting, but I think there is a perception that all you have to have is a series of good video clips to be a songwriter for the musical theatre, a musical storyteller. I think that does something of a disservice to rising composers and lyricists.”

Some playwriting students, of course, are not interested in learning about how to write for television. But many who spoke for this story agreed that learning about the different ways of storytelling can be beneficial. One program in particular that has its eyes on the multiplicity of storytelling mediums is the Writing for Performance program at the California Institute of the Arts. Founded by playwright Suzan-Lori Parks in 2001 as a synergy of immersive environments, visual art installation, screenplay, and the traditional stage play, the program has helped students and visiting artists alike transcend theatrical conventions. Though Parks is no longer on the CalArts faculty, her spirit still infuses the program. As Amanda Shank, assistant dean of the CalArts School of Theater, puts it, “Every time she came to the page, there was a real fidelity to the impulse of what she was trying to communicate with the play, and the form followed that. It’s not her trying to write a ‘correct’ kind of play or to lay things bare in a certain prescribed way.”

That instinct is in the life fiber of CalArts’s Special Topics in Writing, a peer-to-peer incubator for the development of new projects that grants students from across various departments the opportunity to develop and produce writing-based projects. Shank defines the vaguely titled yearlong class, which she began, as a “hybrid of a writing workshop and a dramaturgical project development space.” A playwright and dramaturg, Shank said her class was born of her experience as an MFA candidate; she attended the program between 2010 and 2013, and then noticed her fellow students’ lack of ability to fully shepherd their projects.

“I was finding a lot of students that would have an idea, bring in a few pages or even bring in a full draft, but then they would kind of abandon it,” said Shank. “I wanted a space [that would] marry generative creativity, a place of accountability, but also a place that was working that muscle of really developing a project. Because I think often as artists we look to other institutions, other people to usher our work along. Yes, you need collaborators, yes, you need organizations of supporters—but you have to some degree know how to do those things yourself.”

Program alum Virginia Grise agrees. Grise has been a working artist since her play blu won the 2010 Yale Drama Series Award. She conceived her latest play, rasgos asiaticos, while still attending CalArts. Inspired by her Chicana-Chinese family, the play has evolved into a walk-around theatrical experience with some dialogue pressed into phonograph records that accompany her great uncle’s 1920s-era Chinese opera records. After developing the production over a period of years, with the help of CalArts Center for New Performance (CNP), Grise will premiere rasgos asiaticos in downtown Los Angeles in March 2020, boasting a predominantly female cast, a Black female director, and a design team entirely composed of women of color. Her multidisciplinary work is emblematic of the direction CalArts is hoping to steer the field, with training that is responsive to a growingly diverse body of students who may not want to create theatre in the Western European tradition.

“You cannot recruit students of color into a training program and continue to train actors, writers, and directors in the same way you have trained them prior to recruiting them,” said Grise. “I feel like training programs should look at the diversity of aesthetics, the diversity of storytelling—what are the different ways in which we make performance, and how is that indicative of who we are, and where we are coming from, and who we are speaking to?”

As an educator whose work deals with Asian American identity, including the play M. Butterfly and the high-concept musical Soft Power, Hwang said that one of his goals as an educator is to train a diverse body of students and teach them how to write from a perspective that is uniquely theirs.

“If we assume that people like to see themselves onstage, this requires a range of diverse bodies as well as diverse stories in our theatres,” Hwang said. “Institutions like Columbia have a huge responsibility to address this issue, since we are helping to produce artists of the future. Our program takes diversity as our first core value—not only in terms of aesthetics, but also by trying to cultivate artists and stories which encompass the fullest range of communities, nationalities, races, genders, sexualities, differences, and identities.”

The film business could use similar cultivation. In March 2019, the Think Tank for Inclusion and Equity (TTIE), a self-organized syndicate of working television writers, published “Behind the Scenes: The State of Inclusion and Equity in TV Writing,” a research-driven survey funded by the Pop Culture Collaborative. Data from that report observed hiring, writer advancement, workplace harassment, and bias among diverse writers, examining 282 working Hollywood writers who identify as women or nonbinary, LGBTQ, people of color, and/or people with disabilities, analyzing how they fare within the writers’ room. In positions that range from staff writer to executive story editor, a nearly two thirds majority of this surveyed group reported troubling instances of bias, discrimination, and/or harassment by members of their individual writing staff. Also, 58 percent of them said they experienced pushback when pitching a non-stereotypical diverse character or storyline; 58 percent later experienced micro-aggressions in-house. The biggest slap in the face: When it comes to in-house pitches, 53 percent of this group’s ideas were rejected, only to have white writers pitch exactly the same idea a few minutes later and get accepted. Other key findings from the report: 58 percent say their agents pitch them to shows by highlighting their “otherness,” and 15 percent reported they took a demotion just to get a staff job.

But there was more: 65 percent of people of color in the survey reported being the only one in their writers’ room, and 34 percent of the women and nonbinary writers reported being the only woman or nonbinary member of their writing staff; 38 percent of writers with disabilities reported being the only one, and 68 percent of LGBTQ writers reported being the only one.

For Dominic Taylor, the lack of diversity and inclusion in TV writers’ rooms can be fought in part by opening up the curriculum on college campuses, which he has expanded since joining the faculty at UCLA. “Students need a comprehensive education,” Taylor pointed out. He noted the importance of prospective playwrights being as familiar with Migdalia Cruz, Maria Irene Fornés, James Yoshimura, Julia Cho, and William Yellow Robe as they are with William Shakespeare, and looking at traditions as vast as the Gelede Festival, the Egungun Festival, Shang theatre of China, as well as the Passion Plays of Ancient Egypt.

“All of these modes of performance predate the Greek theatre, which is the starting point for much of theatre history,” explained Taylor. “It is part of my mandate as an educator to complete the education of my students. Inclusion is crucial to that education.”

After all, with the growing variety of platforms for story and expression, why shouldn’t there also be diversity of forms and voices? Whatever the medium of delivery, these are trends worth keeping an eye on.

Marcus Scott is a New York City-based playwright, musical writer, and journalist. He’s written for Elle, Essence, Out, and Playbill, among other publications.

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satoshi-mochida · 5 years

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Kamala Khan will be playable in Marvel’s Avengers, Square Enix announced during the Marvel Games Panel at New York Comic-Con 2019.

Here is an overview of the character, via Square Enix:

Marvel’s Avengers is due out for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia on May 15, 2020.

Watch a new trailer below. View a new set of screenshots at the gallery.

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#Kamala Khan #Ms. Marvel #Marvel’s Avengers #Marvel Comics #Square Enix #Gematsu #Don't read the site's comment section.

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