Arts & Theatre

A digital theater reveals ‘Hidden Stories’ amid COVID-19

Instead of a live production, USC theatrical design students created a digital website that hosts stories from students, faculty and staff about their pandemic experiences.

Chrissa Loukas and Atharva Tewari
November 8

Spotify announces new music promotion feature

Spotify announced Nov. 2 that artists will soon be able to promote their music to more users if they agree to take a pay cut on the platform. Currently, Spotify uses a complex algorithm that creates personalized recommendations for users based on listening habits, including genre preference and song length. The new feature, which will begin a test run in the coming weeks, would allow artists to influence the algorithm by requesting certain songs to be prioritized.

Giulia Orsenigo, Maria Eberhart, Paris Wise, Hannah Tacher, Roseana Martinez, Eller Bart November 4

COVID-19 Closures: Final blow for movie theaters?

As streaming services begin to thrive amid quarantine and lockdowns, movie theaters face unprecedented challenges

Atharva Tewari October 19

The emergence of the Chinese film market during COVID-19

As theaters begin to open to the public after months of lockdown, the global film industry is turning to Chinese audiences for revenue.

Todd Lu October 5

‘The Social Dilemma’ Review: Netflix docudrama fails to hold ‘tech bros’ accountable

It is no doubt that “Social Dilemma” serves to inform its audience while tolling the bells of a dystopia that is approaching faster than the rising sea levels or wildfires of fascism. However, it ultimately ends up emerging as a last-ditch effort for these prodigal middle-aged white men to superficially clear their conscience of the crimes against humanity that their inventions are continuing to commit across the globe.

Atharva Tewari September 29

Creation and COVID-19

Across the country, concert venues are empty, unobserved art sits in museums and artists are struggling to interact with the outside world. Like the rest of us, artists were shaken when so much of the world outside their doors stopped. Without events going on, they needed to find innovative solutions to create a new way to pay their bills. People have long said that desperation inspires artists. The question, when they and their audiences are sheltering at home, is what are they doing with so much inspiration and few channels to get their work out to the world?

Michelle Luczo September 9

Concerts Committee delivers a concert experience like no other

USC's Concerts Committee wowed their audience with a seamless virtual production of their annual Welcome Back concert.

Awo Jama August 26

Graduate students push to complete films amidst global pandemic

As the campus lockdown has pushed most post-production efforts online, graduate film students students work in a microcosm of the new realities facing the entertainment industry in the era of COVID-19.

Dan Toomey May 14

DJ Rafi talks about the intimate experience of making music

While some artists are using quarantine to record and write music, USC DJ Rafi is “mastering mix” by experimenting with new DJ equipment to explore new ways to enhance the electronic dance music he produces. Rafael Caro, known as DJ Rafi, is a USC Business Administration and Music Industry alumnus.

Lizzy Reisinger May 12

A week into online classes, arts students and faculty reflect on how they’ve adapted

Now that classes are being held online, students in arts fields are concerned about their projects.

Alexis Timko, Daniel Hailpern, Robert Acosta, Franchesca Baratta, Katie Clark, Amy Altman March 26

Brand New Theatre persists amid COVID-19 pandemic

A personal account from the BNT team as they become the last independent student production to put on a show before social distancing

Steven Vargas March 20

USC Annenberg Media

Our newsletter is short and sweet.