UC Santa Barbara (Audio)

Working in the extreme heat on the Deadwood set, the creative process of series creator David Milch, and the challenges of portraying a historical figure all arise in this conversation about creative expression and collaboration in the TV industry between Robin Weigert (Deadwood, Big Little Lies) and Emily Zinn (UCSB). In this video, Weigert and Zinn explore Weigerts career and her experiences working on some of the most critically acclaimed television series in recent history. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 35773]

The challenge of blending three sound sources, the kinescope recording system, and the multimedia afterlives of 1950s television programs all arise in this conversation between film professor Ross Melnick, UCLA archivist Mark Quigley, and sound engineer Nicholas Bergh about the ABC television program Stars of Jazz. In this video, Quigley discusses the process of selecting which episodes to restore, and Bergh describes the principles of sound fidelity that guide his restoration work. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 35806]

Similarities between Veep and The West Wing, the perils of drawing TV plot lines from real political events, and the connection between the speed metal genre and today’s news cycle all arise in this conversation between writer/executive producer David Mandel, writer Eli Attie, and Carsey-Wolf Director Patrice Petro about Veep and The West Wing. In this video, Attie and Mandel share their admiration for one another’s work, and discuss the changing television landscape. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 35771]

The challenge of representing global environmental change on screen, the complex process of documentary editing, and the difficulties of location shooting in sensitive areas all arise in this conversation between UC Santa Barbara film and media professor Alenda Chang and co-director Jennifer Baichwal about Anthropocene: The Human Epoch. In this video, Baichwal reflects on the conflicts environmental media makers face between the desire to produce films to raise awareness and the need to limit their own carbon footprints. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 35807]

The narrative engine of Hill Street Blues, lessons in brevity from writing for advertising, and structural differences between Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU arise in this conversation between executive producer/writer Dick Wolf and Carsey-Wolf Center director Patrice Petro. In this video, Wolf describes his first experiences in a TV writing room and the foundations of the record-breaking run of Law & Order: SVU. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 35772]

The possibilities of the Nicaraguan revolution, the refusal of current government officials to speak on the record, and the importance of recording the stories of an aging generation all arise in this conversation between director/producer Jenny Murray and moderator Bianka Ballina about ¡Las Sandinistas!. In this video, Murray discusses the reemergence of Nicaraguan protests in 2018 and her film’s uncertain future in the Central American nation. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 35764]

In her book, Ecopiety, Sarah McFarland Taylor offers an absorbing examination of the intersections of environmental sensibilities, contemporary expressions of piety and devotion, and American popular culture. Ecopiety evidences the important "work" taking place as mediated popular culture plays an integral role in framing contemporary American environmental moral and ethical sensibilities. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walter H. Capps Center Series" [Humanities] [Show ID: 35620]

Bo Peep’s fierce leadership, modeling a character on a puppy, and the differences between writing for animation and live action all arise in this conversation about the Pixar legendary franchise between Stephany Folsom (Toy Story 4) and Pollock Theater Director Matt Ryan. In this video, Folsom and Ryan explore her career, the process of writing Toy Story 4, and her work in the Pixar universe. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 35766]

Adapting a novel to television, episodic storytelling structure, and staying centered when fan feedback turns bitter arise in this conversation about You and The Magicians between the series' co-creator/showrunner Sera Gamble and Carsey-Wolf Center assistant director Wesley Jacks. In this video, Sera describes the long journey that scripts make, from brainstorming in the writers room, through a barrage of notes, and finally onto the television screen. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 35661]

The privilege and challenge of extending Margaret Atwoods source novel, the unexpected opportunities arising from a new location, and writing scenes that feel like a horror film all arise in this lively conversation about The Handmaid's Tale between writer/producer Kira Snyder and Carsey-Wolf Center associate director Emily Zinn. In this video, Snyder discusses breaking down the story arcs for season two and the choice to isolate Junes character when she gives birth. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 35695]