Flash from 1955 to 2014

The 86th Academy Awards will be hosted by stand-up comedian and talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres, who hosted the 79th Academy Awards in 2007.

Her return follows the controversy and mixed reception of the previous host, Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane.

Entertainment Weekly’s Owen Gleiberman noted how MacFarlane created “an echo chamber of outrage” with his “fax-scandalous gags about race, Jews in Hollywood and the killing of Abraham Lincoln.”

While this switch to a less controversial host can be seen as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ attempting to prevent the same controversy from breaking out again, the key element is the fact that critical reception exists at all.

The 27th Academy Awards of 1955 didn’t have nearly as many critical viewers as the 85th had. Very little newspaper documentation exists that speaks exclusively about the quality of the presentation of the awards show. The same could be said about the ratings for the program.

Compared to today’s media, the media of the 1950s would have been fairly restrained as newspapers were one of the few major source of opinions.

Without the inclusion of news websites or social networking sites, opinions wouldn’t be able to spread nearly as fast as they would in today’s modern society. Being that word couldn’t spread nearly as quickly as it can in modern day, there are not nearly as many reviews on the 27th Academy Awards. With social media escalating, information as well as criticism reaches a larger audience, and much quicker.

However, it is likely that the Academy was just as concerned about its viewership then as it is today. Due to the era, however, documentation of any potential reception is scarce.

The host of the 27th Academy Awards, actor and comedian Bob Hope, was also a returning host, like DeGeneres.

Unlike her, however, he had a far longer history with the Academy Awards, having hosted the show six times in the past, though occasionally alongside one or two other collaborators. He went on to host the show seven more times.

His popularity implies that even without the scrutinizing eye of the media, the awards show was concerned with getting ratings much like the modern program. Bringing back a popular host was definitely a way to attain a large viewership.

Also of note is the fact that both years have a comedic personality in the role of host. In fact, that is one aspect that has remained mostly consistent throughout the years, though not every host was a comedian or was known for his or her comedic roles.

The non-comedic hosts, such as those for the 83rd Academy Awards, actors James Franco and Anne Hathaway, were known more for their serious performances rather than their comedic ones.

Besides the choice of host, there are several differences between the choice of movies for each respective year.

For the 86th Academy Awards, “American Hustle” received the most nominations at ten. Many also predict that it has a high chance of winning Best Picture due to the accolades it received from other awards shows such as the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild awards.

“A closer reading of the selections shows that Russell’s movie has broad and growing support among voters,” John Horn of the Los Angeles Times said.

The amount of nominations isn’t too far from the 12 nominations that “On the Waterfront”, the winner of Best Picture in 1955, received.

There is a difference between the themes covered by the two films. “American Hustle” has been classified as a “crime comedy-drama” with most reviewers emphasizing the strength of the characters and comedic aspects. In contrast, praise for “On The Waterfront,” also classified as a “crime drama” but without the comedic aspects, was centered on its powerful themes of union corruption and the cruelty of man.

The broad support for “American Hustle” indicates a possible shift in tastes. Rather than focus on an emotional drama of deep and profound meaning or a stereotypical epic, the voters have turned their attention to a relatively small-scale movie that leans more towards comedy.

There is just as much of the public backing “American Hustle” as there was for “On the Waterfront,” as both films were deemed a success at the box office.

According to Variety, “On the Waterfront” made $4.2 million on its release, far exceeding its budget of $910 thousand. Variety also stated that “American Hustle” made over $176 million, surpassing its estimated budget of $40 million. “”

Both films, however, are related to crime occurring in society, albeit different kinds of crime. Critics also praised the all-star cast of each film, in particular Marlon Brando and Christian Bale’s lead performances in their respective films.

The desire for viewer ship and use of entertaining personalities still exist years later. Though there are superficial changes to the categorization, the real change comes from the change in tastes. The Academy now appears to be following the trends of the audience, accepting a film that generates more laughs than sobs.

YouTube copyright rules limit gamers

For at least six years now, I’ve been a subscriber to a number of gaming channels on YouTube. The gaming channels take many forms. What most of them have in common is that they involve the creator posting footage of his or her gameplay with a specific video game.

As a gamer, watching a video game play out was fairly entertaining. However, many of these gaming channels took it a step further with running commentary behind the game to entertain viewers. These kinds of videos are commonly referred to as “Let’s Plays.”

Several gaming channels since then proceeded to form entire gaming “networks” on YouTube. They’ve gone from simply commenting on video games to announcing gaming news and reviewing video games. Since their inception, these videos have gained a surprising degree of popularity on YouTube as demonstrated the Let’s Player PewDiePie. He is currently the most subscribed channel on YouTube at more than 21 million subscribers according to YouTube’s channel statistics.

I only became aware of the potential problems these individuals faced two months ago, when the controversy surrounding the YouTube Content ID system was at its peak.

YouTube videos by numerous creators were suddenly being flagged for copyright violation or removed outright. This was due to the newly updated YouTube Content ID system. The Content ID system compares newly submitted videos against a database. If there is a match, the video is flagged and subsequently taken down. The issue was that many of these gameplay videos had already passed inspection months, if not years ago.

Needless to say, the video posters were not happy with the sudden stream of copyright violation notices that entered their inboxes. Much of that rage is fairly justified. Even if it seems that they are just playing video games, these video creators put much more work into their videos than most realize.

For a video creator to make money off of ad revenue, he or she needs to attract at least several thousand viewers per video. For those running gaming channels, this means finding ways to attract an audience. After all, there are many gameplay videos on YouTube that people can watch.

In order to profit, a video creator needs to do something to distinguish himself. Gaming channels have to rely on humor and insightful commentary to carry through the on-screen gameplay. Without that, it just becomes another video walkthrough.

Though not everyone will agree with PewDiePie’s style of humor, there is no doubt that he is an entertainer, and not just an ordinary video game player. Why else would so many flock to his channel? The issue that the YouTube copyright controversy illuminated is that these honest individuals are being mixed up with the frauds who steal gameplay footage from major websites to make money.

Before a video gets flagged for copyright, it can still run ads for a short period of time. A user could submit several videos with purely copyrighted content and get the money from the resulting ad revenue. When the video gets taken down, the user could then simply move on and create another account to redo the same process. These are people who blatantly steal gameplay from professional outlets and try to pass it off as content that is certifiable for earning revenue.

It is understandable that those running YouTube wish to catch these individuals as to avoid lawsuits from the various publishers and developers who are having their products broadcasted without their permission. However, the problem is that these individuals exist on the same site as those who just want to make an honest living doing what they love. Recently, YouTube updated its submission system, requiring all video creators to submit their videos through an approval process.

The new system requires the creator to submit the video a few days in advance before its scheduled release so that all of its elements can be inspected. Those who have not had a history with copyright violations will be scrutinized less. On the flip side, it will make it even harder for new people to monetize their gameplay videos, especially if they rely on a quick release schedule. It seems even more unlikely that Let’s Players, commentators, and reviewers will be able to make money, at least not at the rate that they are used to.

Trying to fix YouTube’s copyright systems will be a complex endeavor. It’s a shame that until then, honest gaming channels will be mistaken for frauds looking to make a quick buck.

The strange yet realistic works of Wayne Thiebaud

Move over canvas, here comes print.

On Jan. 11, the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art unveiled Wayne Thiebaud: Works on Paper, 1948-2004, an exhibition of Thiebaud’s prints. The works on display not only show his interest in the mundane but his unique method of drawing objects and landscapes. This is Thiebaud’s third exhibition in the museum.

Thiebaud is considered one of the first artists of the Pop Art movement. However, Thiebaud stated that he doesn’t consider himself a Pop artist. Michael Zakian, director and curator of the museum, shares this sentiment.

“Most Pop artists take images and base paintings off of them while Wayne Thiebaud always believed in painting from the source,” Zakian said.

According to Zakian, Thiebaud considered himself more of a realist artist. He was more “fascinated” with drawing his thoughts onto a canvas or print and sharing it with others.

That is not to say that Thiebaud’s works resembled photographs. The works showcased are composed using a variety of mediums, ranging from woodcut to monotype. Some of the same works were even created with different color schemes. More importantly, they all demonstrate Thiebaud’s unique style.

Due in part to his studies in the field of cartooning at Disney Studios while at high school, Thiebaud’s prints, especially of objects, have a quality that makes them seem fantastical despite the realistic detail put into each print. The effect could almost be said to be akin to seeing the outlines.

“What makes his art so interesting is that they look so real yet so abstract,” Zakian said.

The exhibition is a chronicle of his print works over the years, starting with his experimentation with Expressionism in the 1940s and 1950s, which he traded out for the style most associated with him.

This newer style shifted its focus to what most would consider the mundane, especially sweets and deserts.

Thiebaud’s interest in food items came from his time when he worked as a waiter to pay off his school’s tuition. He was fascinated with America’s obsession with sweets.

“He always found simple, ordinary to be fascinating,” Zakian said. “So he could make a slice of pie interesting.”

Of course, the exhibition didn’t neglect the other prints. After his interest in doing art of food passed, he did prints toys, articles of clothing and tubes of lipstick, all of which are on display.

Despite the number of prints centered on mundane objects, quite a few works in the gallery are devoted to landscapes, most notably the manner in which he drew them.

His prints of San Francisco are almost surreal, with streets almost angled at ninety degrees and buildings that stand erect despite the tilted landscape.

The inspiration for these rather bizarre prints came from Thiebaud’s experiences in San Francisco when he and his wife bought a second house in the 1970s.

“When he travelled [to San Francisco], he noted how strange the streets were,” Zakian said.“He wanted to portray that strangeness.”

Some of Thiebaud’s later landscape prints included the Sacramento River Valley and Yosemite. Though neither has the same surreal nature of the prints of San Francisco, the landscapes of both prints possess Thiebaud’s realistic yet abstract art style.

Notably, the human presence was missing from the exhibition with the exception of a self-portrait Thiebaud did while experimenting with cubism.

“I decided just to focus on the food and the places [when I organized the exhibition],” Zakian said.

Aside from the contents of the exhibition, the occasion is also important.

The exhibition is the museum’s way of celebrating its 20th anniversary, following a trend that began with the museum’s inception.

“Pepperdine has had a long relationship with Wayne Thiebaud,” Zakian said.

Thiebaud’s paintings made up the first exhibition when the museum opened.

For the museum’s tenth anniversary, it showcased his works again in an exhibition titled Wayne Thiebaud: Works from 1955-2003.

The exhibition overall is a demonstration of the unique style Thiebaud put into his works. Despite Thiebaud’s place as one of the first Pop artists, no movement of artists has ever taken the task of replicating his art style.

“I think Wayne Thiebaud saw himself as very much an individual,” Zakian said.

To this day, Thiebaud’s style remains one-of-a-kind.

Acoustic Guitars Introduce Charity

Drinking water has never felt more important.

The 10 Days charity campaign began this past Saturday in the amphitheater. The campaign was preceded by a small concert held the previous Friday in the amphitheater that introduced and attempted to spread further awareness of the campaign. The campaign is part of a larger organization called Living Water, which dedicates itself to digging wells in underdeveloped countries.

For those uninitiated, the 10 Days Campaign is a 10-day challenge in which people refrain from drinking tea, juice or coffee. The money that would have been used to buy these beverages instead will be donated to drilling wells in villages in developing countries currently without clean water.

Interestingly enough, the campaign was founded by a group of college sophomores from Texas A&M. According to Henry Proegler, the director of the campaign, he first got the idea to start the campaign after attending a concert.

At said concert, the musician voiced his concerns about the water crisis currently plaguing underdeveloped countries.

“After that, I just couldn’t get the issue out of my head,” Proegler said.

Along with two of his friends, Proegler founded the 10 Day Campaign on his campus in order to help the countries desperately in need of clean water.

Shortly afterward, Proegler’s campaign was picked up by Living Water International, which is an organization dedicated to bringing clean water to developing nations. Proegler now works at Living Water full time and has expanded the campaign to include college campuses worldwide.

According to Katy Broesche, the 10 Days director, there are more than 50 colleges nationwide, including Pepperdine, participating in the campaign. It is Pepperdine’s fifth year as a contributor to the campaign.

To spread awareness of the campaign every year, Pepperdine’s student organization Wells Project holds a concert.

The opening act of Friday’s concert was senior Karianne Larson and her band. Larson is the roommate of President of the Wells Project and senior Alyssa Alaniz. According to Larson, Alaniz and her other roommates presented her the opportunity.

“I just felt really honored,” Larson said.

However, she was convinced to join by the main act, Jillian Edwards, an upcoming artist from Nashville, Tennessee.

Larson, a college friend of Proegler, toured with the 10 Days Campaign crew previously. One of their most recent tours was in 2012, during which Edwards and Proegler went to 20 universities over the course of five weeks.

She also contributed to the 10 Day extended play record, which was on sale during the concert.

Larson is a fan of Edwards.’ According to Alaniz, Edwards was Larson’s role model. The concert was the first time she ever saw her idol live.

“I just think [Edwards] had one of the purest voices,” Larson said. “She’s just a phenomenal performer.”

Wells Project held the concert this year in Pepperdine’s amphitheatre.

The reason why the concert was held in the amphitheater was to attract a larger crowd. According to Broesche, the previous concerts were held on Alumni field. The concert location was moved to a location that would be more accessible.

Despite the rather small crowd, the Wells Project’s executive board continued on with the production.

Those who were present were fairly passionate about the campaign.

Sophomore Lionel Ong said that while the concert was good, the cause was just as important. He said he hoped the money was being donated to a good cause. The students and families present now will have the responsibility of spreading the word of the concert to the other students on campus.

Broesche expressed her hopes that more students will join the cause in the following days.

“They can be a part of something bigger,” she said.

To find out more about the campaign, students can go to the main website at http://www.10days.cc/pepperdine.

‘Doubt: A parable’

A small stage somehow managed to leave a big impact.

John Patrick Stanley’s “Doubt: A Parable” premiered in Lindhurst Theatre at 7:30 p.m on Tuesday.

“Doubt” is a play consisting of a very minimal cast. Despite this, its story is much more complicated in theme than it initially appears.

“[Stanley’s] taking something that is very black and white and twisting it and humanizes what would otherwise be a one-dimensional story,” Director of “Doubt” and Professor of Theater Jason Chanos said.

“Doubt” is a tale of uncertain moral ambiguity. Aloysius, the principal of a Roman Catholic school in Bronx, has suspicions that the new priest, Father Flynn, might be having an illicit relationship with the school’s first African American student, Donald Muller. Throughout the play, her motivations are constantly questioned with no definitive answer.

“[Stanley] put some twists on it where you would have some doubts,” Chanos said.

Chanos said he considers the play to be “deceptively challenging” to direct. He defined it as the kind of play that requires characters who are much more realistic than the classic theater fair. As a result, he said he cannot ask for too much “flourish” in the performances.

Despite the tricky direction, Chanos pulled the production off quite well.

Father Flynn’s opening sermon was portrayed skillfully and with great force and conviction by freshman Will Craig. It is this opening scene that establishes the central theme of doubt and sets the precedent for everyone else’s acting prowess.

The actors managed to put their absolute all into every scene they were in. They all sounded like they had an investment in the words they spoke.

The force of the acting was also bolstered by some surprisingly dry wit that got several laughs from the audience, most of it coming from the blunt Aloysius.

Aloysius’ actress, senior Karolina Keach, only realized that several of the lines held comedic value after the audience started laughing.

“We didn’t know there were comedic elements,” Keach said.

Father Flynn and Aloysius provide several of the most emotionally intense scenes in the play, particularly in the climax. Notably, neither side is portrayed as purely antagonistic, thanks to the humanizing elements that each actor provides.

Craig said he personally loved the role of Father Flynn. He found the role to be the only time in his acting career when he has addressed serious social issues.

“I’ve never crossed this bridge in my acting career,” Craig said.

Though their roles were somewhat more minor, the idealistic Sister James, played by Alexis Fitting, and Donald’s mother Mrs. Muller, played by Caitlin O’Grady, were equally wonderful. O’Grady in particular deserves mention for carrying a single scene with great force.

The ending of the play was met with thunderous applause and a fade to black.

“[The play] was really good,” freshman Chloe Howard said. “Will did a great job for being so young compared to the other actors.”

For Chanos, the success of the premiere was part of a long streak of good luck.

According to Chanos, the production of “Doubt” was done on a tight time limit as the announcement only occurred at the last minute.

In February, Chanos said he and several other theater faculty met to discuss which play to perform at the start of the coming year. Originally, he wanted to direct the play “Miss Julie,” as the theater department could not get the rights to “Doubt” from Stanley. However, Pepperdine’s theater coordinator Cathy Thomas-Grant had called Stanley personally and was able to get the rights.

Chanos said this was under the requirement of 75 seats per show.

From the moment Thomas-Grant secured the rights, Chanos had to hurry with the production. According to Chanos, casting for the play began as late as Sept. 1.

The production was a team effort, Chanos said. The light and sound designers were both from the center theater group for instance. The Our Lady of Malibu pastor Father Bill Kerze was also involved as an adviser for costume design and Catholic protocol.

In spite of the short time frame Chano had, he managed to direct an incredibly well-received premiere. Though he noted flaws such as the pacing, he said he was pleased overall.

He said he feels that the characters of the play “bloomed” during the premiere thanks to their actors.

The performances continue Wednesday through Friday at 7:30 p.m., and the last two performances will be on Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.