“More than any previous coterie of corporations, the tech monopolies aspire to mold humanity into their desired image of it. They think they have the opportunity to complete the long merger between man and machine — to redirect the trajectory of human evolution. How do I know this? In annual addresses and town hall meetings, the founding fathers of these companies often make big, bold pronouncements about human nature — a view that they intend for the rest of us to adhere to.”
Category: AUDIENCE
How AI Machines Are Learning To Create Music Audiences Respond To
“This very simple idea: can you have someone making something with a generative model, putting it out there, but then taking advantage of the fact that the feedback they get? “Oh, that was good, that was bad.” That feedback that we get, the artist can learn from that in one way, but maybe the machine-learning model can learn from it as well, and say, “Oh, I see, here are all the people and here’s what they think of what I’m doing, and I have these parameters.” And we can set those parameters vis-à-vis the feedback, using reinforcement learning, and we’re working on that, too.”
Movies Are For Everyone, Right? Now, More Than Ever, No
“Conservatives have long railed against liberal Hollywood, and liberals have bemoaned the racism, sexism and militarism of Hollywood products, but through it all red and blue states have come together to produce plenty of box-office green. Movies are a common treasury for everyone to share. Is that still true? Was it ever?”
Do Critics Make It Difficult For Non-Traditional Theatre Companies To get Attention?
“A Boston critic informed me that my touring theatre company’s productions need to stay in one place for longer in a venue that is “convenient” and “familiar,” otherwise they will not come see or review the show. This ideology not only directly contradicts our mission as a touring theatre company, but it supports the misconception that theatre is only for those who can afford to go to those expensive venues (where it is more costly to produce and thus demands that the company sell tickets) and/or who have the time and money to spend to travel to those venues as well as pay the higher ticket prices. This approach to viewership directly encourages the label of ‘elitist’ to our medium.”
Detroit Hires A ‘Chief Storyteller’, The First In Any U.S. City
“The $75,000 position … was conceived to give Detroiters a way to connect and discuss issues that don’t get covered by the city’s traditional media” – i.e., something other than ruin porn or comeback boosterism. The person named to the job is popular journalist Aaron Foley, author of How to Live in Detroit Without Being a Jackass.
Seriously – Do We Really Know Who Our Audience Is?
“Let’s be realistic: theatres can’t force self-identification on our audience members. Most people want to come to the theatre, see a show, then leave with their friends. They aren’t interested in meeting our nonprofit funders’ reporting requirements. Still, arts administrators have to come up with estimates, because we have to complete those final reports. And unfortunately, any estimation method we select has problems.”
Want To Make Dance Appealing To Millennials? Here’s How
“Dance is a physical manifestation of abstract thought, and I can’t think of a better way to demonstrate this than by making work inspired by independent thought, by self-starting businesses. Using dance as a device for work advancement and learning also taps into something that Millennials increasingly desire in their work experience, something not only fun outside of work, but something applicable to professional growth.”
Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes: Hollywood Blames Review Website For Its Rotten Summer
Rotten Tomatoes has become the enemy for many studio bosses, writes Brooks Barnes: “Over lunch last month, the chief executive of a major movie company looked me in the eye and declared flatly that his mission was to destroy the review-aggregation site.” The site’s editors claim they love movies and movie fans and just want to help them. “How did a clunky website that has been around for 19 years amass such power?” Barnes explains how.
Opera And Symphony Audiences Used To Make Lots Of Noise – What Made Them Get So Quiet?
“When the first public opera houses were founded in the mid-17th century, they were designed more as venues for social interaction than as sites of aesthetic experience. … [Audiences] might perhaps listen to an aria, or watch the ballet (if there was one), but no more; and, if they did not like what they heard, they would make their displeasure known.” When and why did they quiet down? Historian Alexander Lee explains.
Why Do You Have To Get Your Hate On For Those Standing Ovations?
“Of course, no one has to stand, but I’d rather have a clear default setting. The split-second call of whether to stand or sit can designate you a groupie or a grinch, turning each spectator into a customer taking a satisfaction survey, a Roman emperor delivering the gladiator a thumbs-up or thumbs-down. By eliminating the choice and going with the flow, you leave more room for contemplating the play (or where you’re going to get dinner afterward). And if the choice falls between withholding gratitude or giving it, why not err on the side of generosity without feeling shamed?”