tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22815749752096445012024-03-25T09:58:08.830-04:00The Mystery of Girls' MediaCaitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.comBlogger299125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-51784637402664999322014-12-27T13:20:00.001-05:002014-12-27T13:20:15.457-05:002014 - A Wrap Up of Abject Neglect<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hi There, Readers,<br />
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It's clear to any of you who have tuned in in the past months that I've been quite busy.<br />
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To start, I'm now Co-Chair of the Producer's Guild of America's Women's Impact Network which is part of the guild's ongoing efforts to promote diversity and equality of opportunity in the entertainment industry. You can follow PGA WIN on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/PGAWomen"> Facebook </a>and<a href="https://twitter.com/pgawomen"> Twitter</a>.<br />
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That has been keeping me busy with quite a few things, including a panel I moderated at the New York Film Festival: Convergence "<a href="http://www.filmlinc.com/nyff2014/films/womens-impact-producing-in-a-convergent-world">Women's Impact: Producing in a convergent world</a>" Criticwire wrote up a lovely summary of the panel with "<a href="http://blogs.indiewire.com/criticwire/5-tips-for-female-filmmakers-from-the-nyffs-convergence-panel-20140930">Five Tips for Female Filmmakers...</a>"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ibK-Hqwx7bBnfa-yOhZWtnmN_0_BfReIeQMgsfxrrNS34lsltwwOXwFaIR1Ey4L5_85VOn5QQSu-hIgUaXmlMA5VSI7Qy2QiTxSt3ydcj126HeIcvUDuC3fpXF-J0WuXBMOh0Loqvs4S/s1600/CB_Logo_400px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ibK-Hqwx7bBnfa-yOhZWtnmN_0_BfReIeQMgsfxrrNS34lsltwwOXwFaIR1Ey4L5_85VOn5QQSu-hIgUaXmlMA5VSI7Qy2QiTxSt3ydcj126HeIcvUDuC3fpXF-J0WuXBMOh0Loqvs4S/s1600/CB_Logo_400px.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><br />
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Another big event this year, I left Starlight Runner Entertainment after nearly 10 years and started <a href="http://caitlinburnsandassociates.com/">Caitlin Burns & Associates</a> in<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> April. There's also a blog there where I'm discussing elements of business, transmedia and upcoming events. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm still giving workshops, lecturing and speaking all over the place. This year I worked on a few high-profile projects that will hit the screens in 2015 (all the screens, so many screens) and pay attention to CB&A's website for updates. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In addition to working for franchises, brands, social issue campaigns and more, I'm developing a few original properties as well. My big goal for the coming year involves this blog, yes, this very neglected blog. This year I will finally put all this stuff I've been discussing into it's originally intended format - a book. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So! stay tuned here and to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mysteryofgirlsmedia">Facebook Page</a> (which I have posted to way more often than here) as I get down to business of finally putting this thing together, and if you have any tips, questions or challenges feel free to <a href="mailto:contact@caitlinburnsandassociates.com">send them my way</a>. </span></div>
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Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-83770152154774077392014-02-07T12:15:00.001-05:002014-02-07T12:15:18.021-05:00Why Original Content for Women Thrives Online <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://cdn.streamdaily.tv/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/oangeisthenew-394x222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.streamdaily.tv/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/oangeisthenew-394x222.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
Check out my Op-Ed for <a href="http://streamdaily.tv/2014/02/07/why-truly-unique-womens-programming-now-thrives-online/">Stream Daily</a><br />
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<a href="http://streamdaily.tv/2014/02/07/why-truly-unique-womens-programming-now-thrives-online/">Why truly unique women’s programming now thrives online</a></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">"On TV, it’s increasingly difficult to find a “hidden gem”
that breaks the mold and finds a devoted, niche fanbase — the kind of
programming that now exists and thrives online."</span> </h4>
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Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-86628202040756645572014-02-06T16:43:00.000-05:002014-02-06T16:43:12.633-05:00The Producer's Guild of America launches its Women's Impact Network<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Producer's Guild of America now has it's own portal to connect to initiatives for Women in the Entertainment Industry: The Producer's Guild of America Women's Impact Network!<br />
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Check out the profile in this month's <a href="http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.producersguild.org/resource/resmgr/Produced_By_Online_Content/PGA_Jan-Feb_2013.pdf">Produced By Magazine</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PGAWomen">Like the Page on Facebook</a>, or <a href="http://www.twitter.com/PGAwomen">Follow the Network on Twitter </a>to hear more about news and initiatives to do with women in media. <br />
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I'm one of the East Coast Co-Chairs, so let me know if you know of intertesting information, programs or initiatives for women in the industry. </div>
Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-82544145167912552642013-12-02T16:28:00.001-05:002013-12-02T16:28:40.516-05:00Transmedia 101 at the Made in NY Media Center<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I'm teaching a course, IN NEW YORK! for those of you who have always dreamed of me revealing all of the secrets of the media business to you, your dream is closer than ever! Let me know if you want to attend, and use the code: STARLIGHT75 for a special discount. Spots are limited, sign up now!<span style="color: #787878;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></span></span>
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Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-83412298908121626972013-11-01T14:21:00.003-04:002013-11-01T14:21:47.296-04:00Our Dolls, Ourselves? The History of the American Girl Company<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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"In July, American Girl announced that it would “archive” Molly, one of
the original three characters, as well as Emily, her “best friend,”
introduced in 2006. There’s no specific retirement date set, but they’ll
likely be gone by the end of this year, Julie Parks, a spokesperson,
told me. Molly’s journey to the big doll box in the sky means that none
of the earliest three dolls introduced by the manufacturer that launched
the American Girl brand, Pleasant Company, will be available. (Samantha
was retired in 2009, Kirsten in 2010.) Felicity Merriman, introduced in
1991, has also been archived. Addy Walker is the only character from
Pleasant Company’s first ten years of existence that remains in active
circulation."</div>
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<a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/currency/2013/10/history-of-american-girl-company-our-dolls-ourselves.html?mbid=gnep&google_editors_picks=true">Our Dolls, Ourselves? at <i>The New Yorker</i></a></div>
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Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-22482478702548547812013-10-25T10:50:00.003-04:002013-10-25T10:50:44.484-04:00LINKSTORM: Reign and the Female Masturbation Controversey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://media.theweek.com/img/dir_0107/53855_article_full/sorry-girls.jpg?187" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://media.theweek.com/img/dir_0107/53855_article_full/sorry-girls.jpg?187" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Reign</i> courted controversy during it's pilot with a scene where one of Mary Queen of Scots, or as I will now and forever refer to her on this show, <a href="http://jezebel.com/things-reign-taught-me-about-mary-queen-of-scots-1448041343">Mary Teen of Scots</a>. This contraversey is not about the show's historicity (which is almost nil, though it is watchable despite, or possibly because of it's extremely loose relationship with facts and period) </div>
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The controversy centered on the decision to cut a scene where a fully clothed teenage lady-in-waiting masturbates in a hallway. This is despite some pretty violent poisonings and beheadings, and a fairly racy sex scene with nudity (network tv nudity) that did make the final cut. </div>
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The internet has thoughts, What are Yours? </div>
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<a href="http://www.givememyremote.com/remote/wp-content/gallery/reign-on-the-cw-first-look/re01_keygroup1-jpg-8d385180-t3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://www.givememyremote.com/remote/wp-content/gallery/reign-on-the-cw-first-look/re01_keygroup1-jpg-8d385180-t3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b> Why female pleasure — not sex — is the real taboo on primetime television</b><br />
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The CW's racy new period drama <i>Reign </i><a href="http://entertainment.time.com/2013/10/15/reigns-royal-scandal-whats-so-shocking-about-masturbation/#ixzz2hoYjPptI">received criticism</a>
last week after the network edited out a female masturbation scene but
allowed several other equally explicit scenes to air. In the original,
the teen in question and her peers get all hot and bothered after
witnessing a bedding ceremony. She finds an empty stairwell and decides
to quite literally take matters into her own hands... Singling out female masturbation for censorship gets even more absurd
when you consider the graphic stuff on television that is streamed every
day without controversy. Consensual, stylized sex scenes between two
attractive, heterosexual characters are so abundant they're hardly worth
mentioning. And sexual violence is incredibly prevalent in primetime;
it is the central premise of shows like <i>Law and Order SVU</i> and <i>CSI</i>, which week after week churn out episodes focused on rape, abduction, and violence against children. [<a href="http://theweek.com/article/index/251505/why-female-pleasure-mdash-not-sex-mdash-is-the-real-taboo-on-primetime-television">The Week</a>] </blockquote>
</blockquote>
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<a href="http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1487551.1381949313!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_635/reign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1487551.1381949313!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_635/reign.jpg" width="240" /></a>"Voyeuristic sex, prolific
infidelity, a teenage girl seduced by a grown man — <i>Reign</i>. So too are scenes of extreme violence, including one featuring a decapitated head spewing blood these things are
tame enough for the CW's period drama. But a young woman masturbating? <i>Good heavens, no.</i>" [<i><a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/10/15/why_is_masturbation_more_shocking_than_sex/">Salon</a></i>] </div>
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"This is not about slamming TV-decency advocates as prudes. If you're
against the depiction of sex on TV altogether — particularly on a
network aimed largely at teens — fine; I may not agree with you but
that's a consistent position and your prerogative. But the idea that
masturbation is somehow dirtier and more outrageous than full-on sex is
absurd." [<i><a href="http://entertainment.time.com/2013/10/15/reigns-royal-scandal-whats-so-shocking-about-masturbation/#ixzz2iTa3chzH">TIME</a></i>] </div>
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<embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/FRpcOUiJJdc?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object> </div>
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I can't promise to review every episode, but I will be watching, anyone who wants to join me should hit me up at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Caitlin_Burns">@Caitlin_Burns</a> on twitter and we can snark together. </div>
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Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-78832115307595103342013-10-21T15:41:00.002-04:002013-10-21T15:41:56.902-04:00Slutoween 2013: Take Back Halloween <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://takebackhalloween.org/wp-content/themes/WPStore/thumb.php?src=http://takebackhalloween.org/wp-content/uploads/20130103/themorrigan2013_illustration.jpg&w=475&zc=1&q=80" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://takebackhalloween.org/wp-content/themes/WPStore/thumb.php?src=http://takebackhalloween.org/wp-content/uploads/20130103/themorrigan2013_illustration.jpg&w=475&zc=1&q=80" width="320" /></a></div>
So, I usually do a roundup of inappropriate Halloween Costumes, or a roundup of roundups of such costumes, but this year I simply cannot be bothered. Also, SPOILER they're all <a href="http://www.quickmeme.com/Sexy-Walter-White/?upcoming">Sexy </a><a href="http://robotmutant.com/hey-girl-sexy-walter-white-respects-your-chemistry/">Walter</a> <a href="http://metro.co.uk/2013/10/16/halloween-costume-sorted-sexy-walter-white-from-breaking-bad-4148380/">White</a> (unless you're a <a href="http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/10/18/the-spider-girl-halloween-costume-that-really-isnt/"><i>Marvel GIRL!</i></a>) <br />
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Instead, be inspired by: <br />
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<a href="http://takebackhalloween.org/">Take Back Halloween</a></h2>
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Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-25890380371350074842013-10-21T15:32:00.000-04:002013-10-21T15:32:07.176-04:00Girls Toys are Raising Toy Company's Profits By Leaps and Bounds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/193wbjrz1ob3tpng/ku-bigpic.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/193wbjrz1ob3tpng/ku-bigpic.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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"Boys' products sales, the biggest category by revenue, fell 17% in the
latest quarter to $392 million. The games category's sales improved 5.9%
to $387.5 million, while sales in the girls' category climbed 29% to
$388.7 million."<br />
<br />
<a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303448104579149141769529228" target="_blank">Hasbro's Earnings Rise on Improved Sales of Girls Toys</a> </div>
Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-69860866381559051512013-10-10T14:34:00.002-04:002013-10-10T14:34:26.461-04:00Sexualized avatars affect the real world, Stanford researchers find<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://news.stanford.edu/news/2013/october/images/13117-avatar_news.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://news.stanford.edu/news/2013/october/images/13117-avatar_news.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
"A Stanford study shows that after women wear sexualized avatars in a
virtual reality world, they feel objectified and are more likely to
accept rape myths in the real world. The research could have
implications for the role of female characters in video games."<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;">
-<i>Read more at <a href="http://news.stanford.edu/news/2013/october/virtual-female-avatars-100913.html">Stanford News</a></i></div>
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Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-5955385576299944672013-10-03T16:36:00.003-04:002013-10-03T16:36:42.928-04:00Is This the Grossest Advertising Strategy of All Time? -The Atlantic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://cdn.theatlantic.com/newsroom/img/posts/RTR2GEQO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://cdn.theatlantic.com/newsroom/img/posts/RTR2GEQO.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A new study claims to identify the times of the week that women are
feeling the most insecure about their bodies, and recommends that brands
"concentrate media during prime vulnerability moments."<br />
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Read more at <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/10/is-this-the-grossest-advertising-strategy-of-all-time/280242/">The Atlantic</a></div>
Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-75797866940559286822013-08-22T14:43:00.002-04:002013-08-22T14:47:19.910-04:00Ode: Everything I know I learned from Pepper Ann <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18xm0n2x65q3zjpg/ku-bigpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18xm0n2x65q3zjpg/ku-bigpic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
"...while it’s true that the Network-television animators who decorated my
childhood probably weren’t conspiring to subliminally raise an army of
(one?) young feminists, the shifting narrative trends point to a greater
societal transformation. That can’t be a coincidence, can it?" <br />
<br />
-<i> Read more at <a href="http://jezebel.com/everything-i-know-i-learned-from-pepper-ann-1172363394">Jezebel</a></i></div>
Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-45950187690435947012013-08-12T11:13:00.001-04:002013-08-12T11:14:19.339-04:00The History of the Romance Novel -PBS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.pbs.org/pov/blog/povdocs/files/2012/07/evolution-romance-novel-fifty-shades-ebooks-754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.pbs.org/pov/blog/povdocs/files/2012/07/evolution-romance-novel-fifty-shades-ebooks-754.jpg" width="129" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.pbs.org/pov/blog/povdocs/files/2012/07/evolution-romance-novel-fifty-shades-ebooks-754.jpg"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.pbs.org/pov/blog/povdocs/files/2012/07/evolution-romance-novel-fifty-shades-ebooks-754.jpg">Check out the full size image from PBS</a></div>
Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-28954295790451434242013-08-06T12:21:00.000-04:002013-08-06T12:28:24.827-04:00Barbie's "Career of the Year": Mars Explorer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18w6ocdwjiw8cpng/ku-bigpic.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18w6ocdwjiw8cpng/ku-bigpic.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<a href="http://io9.com/nasa-teams-up-with-mattel-to-create-mars-explorer-barbi-1041240607">Mattel and NASA Team up to create Mars Explorer Barbie</a>, FINALLY a second doll to play with my daughter's Sally Ride Barbie. Pink or no pink, I could still sleep at night if I bought it for my daughter. </div>
Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-3527213432693155772013-08-06T12:07:00.002-04:002013-08-06T12:27:43.414-04:00I want to be excited for The White Queen, so I've decided I will be. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/f358b7506f50af9382f990c7a7d74091/tumblr_mpjpvqwCW91rmy553o3_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/f358b7506f50af9382f990c7a7d74091/tumblr_mpjpvqwCW91rmy553o3_500.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Starz's new series <a href="http://www.starz.com/originals/thewhitequeen"><i>The White Queen</i></a>, premieres this weekend, and takes on a major historical time period from the perspective of the women involved.<br />
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<embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/O9OHmZr_BnM?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHQzlNa1na0YG93a5P9F-pvu_jTgHArA4kprkZNcRWMHtASi0lykNrkSGVTdtAVIq36dsLPtQJ1jKQ5YfU0kcmOlQYgeqE5aX5CtDQMXsBhhn-k02WYgjvdbLA066F0l9vujgcsOVHTUm/s400/WHITE+QUEEN1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHQzlNa1na0YG93a5P9F-pvu_jTgHArA4kprkZNcRWMHtASi0lykNrkSGVTdtAVIq36dsLPtQJ1jKQ5YfU0kcmOlQYgeqE5aX5CtDQMXsBhhn-k02WYgjvdbLA066F0l9vujgcsOVHTUm/s320/WHITE+QUEEN1.jpg" width="204" /></a>While some might say, isn't this a derivitive game of thrones? just like Da Vinci's Demons was a derivative Borgias (or Assassin's Creed?). That's a fair critique I suppose, but for me personally, I'm a fan of getting multiple perspectives on a story. It's what I've based entire career on the appeal of being able to provide a grander narrartive context in different stories. So, it's compelling to see these historical periods explored from different artistic visions. Especially when they're done well. <br />
<br />
The fact that the series follows three women negotiating halls of power is quite compelling, and if they only reason you tune in is because Game of Thrones is in the off season and you're mildly inspired to see something about The War of the Roses, hopefully it'll keep you inspired long enough to stay tuned. The fact that there is material that is determining the throughline of miniseries from Philippa
Gregory’s War of the Roses trilogy may bode well for the conhearance of its story-arcs.<br />
<br />
I have enjoyed Starz forays into long-form drama thus far, and hold a lot of hope for their ability to bring this female-led drama to life. Hopefully inspiring more creators in its wake. <br />
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<br /></div>
Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-76521897962405331352013-07-26T14:15:00.003-04:002013-07-26T14:15:42.554-04:00What it takes to make it as a modern female pop star<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18uztdm4e24g1jpg/k-bigpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18uztdm4e24g1jpg/k-bigpic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<em>"At first glance, I didn't realize the most notable thing about the
video, as I was totally distracted by McKee's very bright candy-colored
hair: it's that she actually wrote every song she was performing.
"Hold It Against Me." "Teenage Dream." "Dynamite." "Last Friday Night
(T.G.I.F)." "Part Of Me." "C'Mon." "California Girls." "Wide Awake.""</em><br />
<em> - <a href="http://jezebel.com/bonnie-mckee-and-what-it-takes-to-make-a-modern-female-912727362">Jezebel</a></em></div>
Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-49411043093121039492013-07-18T13:28:00.000-04:002013-07-18T13:28:01.708-04:00It's a Man's Man's Man's World- METRO<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.blastr.com/sites/blastr/files/styles/blog_post_media/public/pacific-rim-fight.png?itok=SRHqFFhK" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://www.blastr.com/sites/blastr/files/styles/blog_post_media/public/pacific-rim-fight.png?itok=SRHqFFhK" width="320" /></a></div>
<i>Nikki Baughan, editor of <a href="http://www.moviescopemag.com/" target="_blank">MovieScope</a>
magazine, said Pacific Rim was in bad company at the box office this
summer, with films such as Man Of Steel, The Great Gatsby and World War Z
all incapable of meeting the three Bechdel criteria.</i><br />
<i>
</i><i>‘Yes, they have female characters in them – indeed, striking
characters like Daisy Buchanan, Mako Mori and Lois Lane – but they all
fail the test for one reason or another,’ she told Metro.</i><br />
<i>
</i><i>‘Unfortunately, these women are not independent characters in their
own right, but designed to interact with and support the males around
them...’</i><br />
<br />
<i>‘If girls grow up without seeing strong female characters on screen –
leaders, engineers, scientists – it has a very real impact on how they
see their place in the world,’ she said. ‘It’s a vicious circle and the
Bechdel test is an important tool for highlighting this problem. The
Bechdel test acts as a magnifying glass; by breaking down a film in
these simple terms, it draws attention to the shocking gender disparity
that exists in the majority of cinematic narratives. The Bechdel test
isn’t intended as a mark of quality, rather of gender diversity within a
narrative.’</i><br />
<br />
<i>
</i><i>The problem lies on the other side of the camera. According to <a href="http://annenberg.usc.edu/News%20and%20Events/News/%7E/media/PDFs/Smith_GenderInequality500Films.ashx" target="_blank">research carried out by the University of Southern California</a>,
just one in six of the directors, writers and producers behind the 100
top-grossing movies at the US box office last year were female.</i><br />
<br />
<i>
</i><i>‘Women are under-represented in English language films, but it’s not
surprising when you look at the dominance of men behind the camera,’
said film writer Stuart Barr, a contributor for movie websites <a href="http://www.screenjabber.com/" target="_blank">Screenjabber</a> and <a href="http://www.chrisandphilpresent.co.uk/blogs/spectacularoptical/" target="_blank">Chris And Phil Present</a>.</i><br />
<br />
<i>
</i><i>Baughan added: ‘Male screenwriters write from their own perspective
and experiences and that usually – though not always – results in female
characters that are either absent or entirely unsatisfactory. It’s a
sad fact that, for various reasons historical and financial, the
mainstream film industry remains the enclave of the straight, white,
middle-class male.’</i><br />
<br />
Read the rest of the <i>Metro </i>article at<i> <a href="http://metro.co.uk/2013/07/18/movie-lovers-hit-back-at-hollywood-misogyny-with-the-bechdel-test-3886103/">The Bechdel Test and why Hollywood is a Man's, Man's, Man's World </a></i><i><br /></i></div>
Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-83649405464335056242013-07-01T10:40:00.000-04:002013-07-01T10:40:44.122-04:00"I Was a Manic Pixie Dream Girl" - New Statesman<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://paperbacksnpostcards.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/manicpixiedreamgirls.jpg?w=640" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://paperbacksnpostcards.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/manicpixiedreamgirls.jpg?w=640" width="320" /></a></div>
"<a href="http://www.newstatesman.com/lifestyle/2013/06/i-was-manic-pixie-dream-girl-now-i%E2%80%99m-busy-casting-spells-myself">I’m fascinated by this character and what she means to people, because the experience of being her - of playing her - is so wildly different than it seems to appear from the outside.</a> In recent weeks I’ve filled in
the gaps of classic Manic Pixie Dream Girl films I hadn’t already sat
through, and I’m struck by how many of them claim to be ironic
re-imaginings of a character trope that they fail to actually
interrogate in any way. Irony is, of course, the last vestige of modern
crypto-misogyny: all those lazy stereotypes and hurtful put-downs are
definitely a joke, right up until they aren’t, and clearly you need a
man to tell you when and if you’re supposed to take sexism seriously. "<br />
<br />
<a href="http://img.blogdecine.com/2012/11/ruby%20sparks%20critica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://img.blogdecine.com/2012/11/ruby%20sparks%20critica.jpg" width="320" /></a>Read <a href="http://www.newstatesman.com/lifestyle/2013/06/i-was-manic-pixie-dream-girl-now-i%E2%80%99m-busy-casting-spells-myself">this article</a>, and if you REALLY want to be disturbed watch <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1839492/">Ruby Sparks</a>. </div>
Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-20558600941628194042013-06-06T15:19:00.000-04:002013-06-06T15:21:05.411-04:00Tiger Eyes Premieres this Weekend<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The first Judy Blume book to ever see the silver screen opens this weekend, are you going to see <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1748260/">Tiger Eyes</a>?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/64609111?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <a href="http://vimeo.com/64609111"></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Tiger Eyes - Trailer</div>
</div>
</div>
from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user9818420">Tashmoo Productions</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-41021319432810800432013-05-20T14:06:00.004-04:002013-05-20T14:06:55.141-04:00Women didn't Abandon Rom-Coms, Rom-Coms abandoned Women<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18o9sj1uix0nbpng/k-bigpic.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18o9sj1uix0nbpng/k-bigpic.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://jezebel.com/women-didnt-abandon-rom-coms-roms-coms-abandoned-wome-506779390">The Jezebel takes on the question of "What happened to the Rom-Com?</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<em>"1986 to 1988, the dawn of a Golden Age for Rom-Coms. Moonstruck and Working Girl
were both major hits, and the genre sold $1.6 billion in tickets over
three years (adjusted to 2012 dollars, as are all figures in this
article). This was followed by When Harry Met Sally... (1989), Pretty Woman (1990), and Sleepless in Seattle
(1993), all of which topped $170 million. In two of these films, the
sole protagonist is a woman. Two more were written and directed by Nora
Ephron. That leaves Pretty Woman, where Julia Roberts stole the
fucking show. Plenty of men saw these movies–you can't win the box
office by excluding an entire gender–but these films were undeniably
aimed at a female audience."</em></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="http://jezebel.com/women-didnt-abandon-rom-coms-roms-coms-abandoned-wome-506779390"> -Jezebel</a></div>
</div>
Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-4045557958174909132013-05-01T12:03:00.003-04:002013-05-01T12:03:40.977-04:00The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and the Power of Transmedia <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.justeffing.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/LB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.justeffing.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/LB.jpg" /></a></div>
"<a href="http://www.justeffing.com/2013/04/25/the-lizzie-bennet-diaries-and-the-power-of-transmedia/#.UYDblEIqAS5.twitter">The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is a modernized transmedia adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice</a>, told in the form of a video blog kept by
24 year-old grad student Lizzie Bennet. Lizzie’s vlog sets out to
document the ups and downs of a young woman struggling to figure out
where she fits in the world, along with her best friend Charlotte Lu and
her two sisters, excessively nice Jane and wild child Lydia. And
shortly after the videos begin, a young handsome medical student named
Bing Lee moves to town. The show began in April of 2012 with two videos
a week posted at <a href="http://youtube.com/lizziebennet">Lizzie’s YouTube channel.</a> The characters also had their own Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr accounts where they would talk to each other, and the fans."Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-40094914587261268222013-04-29T12:16:00.000-04:002013-04-29T12:16:03.258-04:00Link: Why It's Time to Retire the Manic Pixie Dream Girl <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://media.theweek.com/img/dir_0095/47947_article_full/kirsten-dunsts-character-in-elizabethtown-was-all-quirk-and-no-depth-what-a-manic-pixie-dream-girl.jpg?173" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://media.theweek.com/img/dir_0095/47947_article_full/kirsten-dunsts-character-in-elizabethtown-was-all-quirk-and-no-depth-what-a-manic-pixie-dream-girl.jpg?173" width="320" /></a></div>
"As long as men have
written female characters, entertainment has been packed with girls
whose individuality is just a means for some tiresome hero to work out
his own ennui. From William Shakespeare's Juliet Capulet to Truman
Capote's Holly Golightly, the characters' uniqueness was like an
ideological rib-eye that the down-on-his-luck hero could feast on to
thrive and prosper in his own life. These idiosyncratic muses were
finally given a common name in 2007: <a href="http://theweek.com/article/index/243265/girls-on-film-why-its-time-to-retire-the-term-manic-pixie-dream-girl">The "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" — and now, in 2013, it's time to put the term to rest." </a><br />
<br />
<br />Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-65374096141606914112013-04-26T10:51:00.000-04:002013-04-26T10:51:17.425-04:00The Sage Dowager<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18lqz5znfn7xqjpg/k-bigpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18lqz5znfn7xqjpg/k-bigpic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<a href="http://jezebel.com/is-lady-olenna-the-dowager-countess-of-game-of-thrones-481294991">Lady Olenna and The Dowager Countess </a>the Sage voices of reason in our favorite shows.<br />
<br />
It's great to see some serious screentime given to women who fit into the sage archetype, like Yoda or Gandolf but in corsets (ok, maybe we could all do without corsets). But there's a whole chapter on that to write, oh wait! it IS a chapter I'm writing... Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-52550745460702217042013-04-19T15:42:00.000-04:002013-04-19T15:42:27.096-04:00Context Artist: Createasphere's Transmedia Coalition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://transmediacoalition.com/images/made/images/uploads/Cburns/zero-dark-thirty-director-producer-kathryn-bigelow-with-writer-producer-mark-boal-and-crew-luca-kouimelis-jonathan-leven-greg-shapiro-barrie-rice-george-little-richard-stutsman-and-david-ticotin-on-the-set-of-zero-dark-thirty_329_219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://transmediacoalition.com/images/made/images/uploads/Cburns/zero-dark-thirty-director-producer-kathryn-bigelow-with-writer-producer-mark-boal-and-crew-luca-kouimelis-jonathan-leven-greg-shapiro-barrie-rice-george-little-richard-stutsman-and-david-ticotin-on-the-set-of-zero-dark-thirty_329_219.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Remember my column over at <a href="http://transmediacoalition.com/cburns">Createasphere's Transmedia Coalition</a>? Well, It exists!<br />
<br />
Check out my new article:<br />
<br />
<i><a href="http://transmediacoalition.com/cburns/story/the-producer-as-serial-entrepreneur">The Producer as Serial Entrepreneur</a></i>Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-29254461946761852002013-04-15T11:10:00.001-04:002013-04-15T11:12:36.875-04:00An AI Feels More Human than I Do: Kotaku on Bioshock Infinite<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18keonvaloz88png/k-bigpic.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18keonvaloz88png/k-bigpic.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Kotaku's<a href="http://kotaku.com/an-effin-ai-in-bioshock-infinite-is-more-of-a-human-th-470825011"> Commentary on BioShock Infinite </a>(which includes spoilers) talks about the dehumanization of players in games, and how play parameters reveal and reenforce inhumanity in the FPS world. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I'm supposed to run after her. That's not what I do. Instead, I look
around me and loot what I can—Elizabeth will wait. What if I miss
something by running after her right away? Sure enough, I would have... <br />
<br />
The design, which rewards exploration, is at odds with the narrative,
which makes you care about Elizabeth. Worse, the design makes me feel
ashamed for being unable to resemble a normal human being in a
game—because if it was real life, there's no way I'd stop and ransack
everything before running after Elizabeth!"</blockquote>
Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2281574975209644501.post-60666057027329894232013-04-02T15:15:00.000-04:002013-04-02T15:20:08.867-04:00Nostalgia Critic – What's With The Princess Hate?<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="433" src="http://blip.tv/play/gbk7g5ClVQI.x?p=1" width="720"></iframe><embed src="http://blip.tv/api.swf#gbk7g5ClVQI" style="display: none;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed><br />
<a href="http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/thatguywiththeglasses/nostalgia-critic/38723-nostalgia-critic-whats-with-the-princess-hate"><br /></a>
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<a href="http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/thatguywiththeglasses/nostalgia-critic/38723-nostalgia-critic-whats-with-the-princess-hate">This guy has some fairly interesting points. </a></div>
Caitlin Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871460138355630670noreply@blogger.com0