Creepy/cool: “Right now, Dolby has about 40 trained subjects it rotates in and out of its labs (some from within the company, and some outside participants), who are all willing to inform the algorithms: What scene in a movie makes their hearts beat faster? What makes them sweat, or causes their cheeks to flush? What makes them fall asleep?”
Category: AUDIENCE
Can We Teach The Brain To Like Art?
Today, the nascent scientific field of neuroaesthetics explores how artistic and aesthetic experiences register in the brain. And there have been other collaborations between museums and neuroscientists, like the 2014 exhibition at London’s National Gallery “Making Colour,” which included an experiment on color perception with guidance from Anya Hurlbert, a visual neuroscientist.
Netflix Suggests Interactive Storylines – But Do Audiences Really Want This?
“It seems to me to misunderstand the fundamental appeal of television; that it is bedtime stories for grownups. You plonk yourself in front of the screen to be entertained. That doesn’t mean being fed pap; contemporary television is increasingly a feast for the upper reaches of the mind as well as the primitive bits that would be just as happy banging a stick on a stone. But it does mean being presented with a finished product: a complete, satisfying entity with a beginning, a middle and an end (however many seasons it takes to get there). We want to cede control to someone else.”
Want To Maximize Box-Office Income? Make Your Ticket Pricing As Complicated As You Can Get Away With
“This doesn’t mean that prices shouldn’t be presented simply. Your pricing should be ‘swan-like’: serene on the surface, with all the paddling going on underneath to maximise the opportunity for income.” Consultant Tim Baker discusses applying the concept of “marginal gains” to ticket pricing.
A Social Media Challenge: Should Your Museum Have A Personality?
“Should I say “we” instead of “I”? Am I pretending the museum is actually speaking? What would it say? How would it say it? Can I make jokes? How funny is my museum? Is Wellcome Collection sarcastic, staid, sombre, sassy? Some of the answers to these questions are found in the history, themes and approach of the institution (also expressed through branding). But social media has a range of functions and a certain tone; it offers museums a chance to sidestep outdated perceptions or subvert expectations.”
How America’s University Museums Are Drawing In Students
“Across the country, museums associated with universities are organizing social events: The Princeton University Art Museum in New Jersey holds evenings when graduate students meet curators, for example. Beyond that, museums directors are seeking ways students can play a role in curating and experiencing artworks.”
The Museum Admission Fee Is Too Damn High (So Here’s How To Lower It)
How are museums supposed to attract younger, more diverse audiences when they charge $20 or more to get in? (Except for, maybe, three hours one day a week.) Daniel Grant suggests a source of funding (granted, a controversial source) to cut or eliminate those admission fees.
Acting For Animals: A Theatre Piece Performed For Sheep, Pigs, And Goats
“The animals won’t need a ticket, but there will be human spectators who do. The cast will definitely be performing for the animals, and the audience are there to watch that encounter.” Lyn Gardner reports.
Paris’s New Concert Hall Has Been Packing ‘Em In, With Well Over 90% Of Tickets Sold
Since it opened in January 2015, the Philharmonie de Paris has welcomed more than 1,100,000 visitors each year. Ticket sales have been 97% of capacity in its main hall, and 03% of capacity overall. (in French; Google Translate version here)
Chicago Theater To Change Business Model To A Crowdfunding/Audience Choice Hybrid
The Hypocrites, one of the city’s many respected storefront companies, ran out of cash in December and cancelled the remainder of this season. “Beginning this month, Hypocrites will pitch two plays to potential ticket buyers and ask them to commit. If interest hits critical financial mass, the shows will go on. If not, they won’t.” Lisa Bertagnoli explains.