Sherry Lansing: A Proper Commencement by a Proper Lady

With spring in bloom and summer fast approaching, an exciting and anxious time looms ahead for graduates. University commencement (the USC ceremony is pictured below) is right , around the corner and so in this post I have decided to put forth a nomination for someone who has achieved great success in my field of entertainment to receive an honorary degree at the University of Southern California. James Freedman, president emeritus of the University of Iowa and Dartmouth College said “In bestowing an honorary degree [of which there is a long tradition in American higher education], a university makes an explicit statement to its students and the world about the qualities of character and attainment it admires most.” He explains that an honorand who will speak at commencement must “celebrate distinguished and sublime achievement.” Many people are very accomplished in the entertainment field, but one individual stands apart because of her stellar success in motion pictures and charitable work. She was this year’s Academy Awards recipient of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and my definition of an amazing woman: Sherry Lansing.

At USC degrees are awarded “[t]o honor individuals who have distinguished themselves through extraordinary achievements in scholarship, the professions, or other creative activities, whether or not they are widely known by the general public.” Sherry Lansing was born in 1944 in Chicago, graduated from Northwestern, and began her career in Hollywood as a model and actress appearing in Loving and Rio Lobo in 1970. She soon decided that acting was not her forte and took a job as a script reader that paid five dollars an hour. This unlikely decision turned out to change her life. Thanks to her talent and drive she quickly moved up at MGM from head of the story department all the way to VP of creative affairs. Lansing worked at Columbia as senior VP in charge of production, became the first woman to run a studio at 20th Century Fox in 1980, and then formed her own production company with Stanley Jaffe where they had great success with films like Fatal Attraction and The Accused. In 1992 Lansing was named chairman of the Motion Picture Group at Paramount (pictured here speaking as chairman) becoming the first woman ever to oversee all aspects of studio’s picture production. In twenty short years since coming to Hollywood, Lansing had become the top woman in the entire film world; definitely an extraordinary achievement in her profession and creative activities. As chairman she presided over a “roster of culture-defining films, including Forrest Gump, Titanic and Saving Private Ryan... The studio's long string of successful releases is attributed to Lansing's bottom-line approach … taking fewer risks by sharing costs with outside investors on tentpole releases.”

Lansing was passionate and driven; "If you don't wake up with something in your stomach every day that makes you think, ‘I want to make this movie,’ it'll never get made” she said. Passion is the key to success in whatever someone does and this is a message that needs to be driven home to graduates as well as a quality of “character and attainment” that USC admires and would want to align itself with. Lansing stood behind films she believed in even when “every studio turned [Fatal Attraction] down. Twice,” and persevered against rumors that her rise to the top was attributed to her popularity among men, rather than hard work. Lansing was unfaltering in her judgment and remained professional amidst the rumble and tumble of Hollywood. "This is a woman who focuses on what she's doing with great intensity and understanding," says Motion Picture Academy president Sid Ganis. "Part of why she's been so effective in the work she's doing now is because she… deeply believes in the causes she's involved with and people really respond to that.” This is something graduating students can learn from: the power of conviction. She never let herself be molded into what a traditional studio head would be like and held strong to her femininity, which is one of the reasons she was such a success. Sean Smith commented on this trait in an article entitled “The Goodbye Girl” to which Lansing laughed and replied, “I like to hug people. I don’t hug everybody, but I like contact. Part of being in the movie business is wanting to reach out to people, to connect.” These film achievements are reason enough to honor Lansing with a degree, however it is the second part of her life that makes her the kind of woman graduates could benefit from hearing. Retiring from Hollywood and leaving Paramount in 2005, continuing an already impressive list of charity work, Lansing created and dedicated herself to the Sherry Lansing Foundation (her foundations homepage is shown above), which works to raise funds and awareness for cancer.

Today, as Freedman acknowledges, many honorees are chosen not on the basis of merit but because of donations or monetary accomplishments, yet an honorary degree must be reserved for someone who has something more to share with the graduates, a message that they can carry on with them to whatever the future holds. USC has upheld the integrity of these degrees by choosing past recipients based on merit including Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa, Neil A. Armstrong, Robert Zemeckis, and John McCain to name a few. These men have all had “sublime achievement” professionally but are also respectable and giving people, something that Lansing also shares. I think it is important when honoring someone that they have achieved more than just business success, but have taken the time to give back to the community and contribute something the world can admire. Lansing not only meets this criteria, but is also spreading the message that philanthropy can be effective without an abundance of money, explaining “it’s about time, intelligence and vision. If you can think of a simple idea and be persistent, you can find someone who can give you access to someone who will fund it or do it.”

Another criteria for possible recipients are those “whose accomplishments might serve to highlight areas in which the university has developed exceptional strength.” Since USC is one of the top film schools in the country and is located in LA, the mecca of the media world, someone from the entertainment industry is a very fitting recipient for USC. Lansing extraordinarily rose to the top of a still very male dominated profession and made films with messages and stories (the popular film Fatal Attraction is pictured above) any aspiring film student would admire. However, while Lansing’s business has been the cinematic arts, I think her honorary doctoral degree would be most fitting in humane letters for outstanding citizenship, which will highlight both her contributions in entertainment and philanthropy.

Graduates face a tough world after leaving the university bubble, especially with growing concerns for this country’s image in the world. Young people need to believe that America can get back on solid ground and recover those beliefs and traditions that once made this country so great. Lansing, having broken so many barriers in her life and realizing the importance of giving back, could inspire young people to get out into the world and make it the place they want it to be. I think Lansing would address the world with hope and optimism telling graduates that you need neither great amounts of money or power to make a difference, only determination, compassion, and understanding. Even with the amazing accomplishments of Lansing’s lifetime, (she is shown here at the 2007 Governors Ball after receiving the Oscar) she was never someone who lived for winning and remembers a favorite night when Fatal Attraction was nominated for six Academy Awards; “We lost every single award, and it wasone of the happiest nights I’ve ever had.” Graduates need to recognize that success cannot always be measured by the end result, but in the battle a person fights to get there. Lansing is a great example of how a person can have professional achievement, keep integrity, and help those in need. Sometimes young people believe they will have to make a decision between making money and doing something that they love or that will make a difference, yet Lansing demonstrates that there can be a balance; “I always thought if I was lucky enough to achieve the dreams I had in the movie business ... that I wanted to give back.”

Inscribed upon Tommy Trojan (pictured to the right) are the ideal qualities for any USC student or member of the Trojan family: faithful, scholarly, skillful, courageous, and ambitious. Sherry Lansing is one of few people who could stand proudly next to Tommy as a shining example of the perfect blend of these qualities. She is an inspiration to many people in the entertainment industry and to me personally, and graduating students would be privileged to have such a fitting honorand.

Welcome to Globowood: Cinema Ushers in a New Wave of Possibility

Last week's Academy Awards ushered in a new wave of cinematic promise. The Oscars were complete with fabulous dresses, glamorous parties, and big winners as always, but this year there was a new feeling among the nominees and a strong presence of the international film world. More than ever, international stories and films like Babel, Pan’s Labyrinth, Volver, and Letters from Iwo Jima dominated the ceremony. Box office analyst Jeff Bock remarked, “We’ve never seen so many of these movies at one time….It’s a culmination of people slowly realizing that there really is a global landscape of films.” The film industry has always been a global place, with classic French cinema, Bollywood, and the increasing popularity of Asian cinema; but the difference today is that these are no longer characterized as only great foreign films, but simply great films. These complex movies from other parts of the world are becoming the stories America now cares about. When did this shift happen, what countries are emerging in the film world, and what lies ahead for the future are very interesting questions to consider and reveal a clear transition cinema is undergoing. British Oscar nominee Paul Greengrass, director of United 93 explains that “Whenever the world looks complex and threatening and ambiguous and dangerous, it seems to me that cinema really can flourish…and I think it would be natural at those times that you have a plurality of voices, and it’s one of those things that makes Hollywood [its signature sign shown above] continually vibrant.”

As people continue to realize how much opportunity is available in film right now, communities around the world are getting cinema savvy, particularly South Africa and Ireland which are having tremendous growth in cinema right now. Both offering attractive prices and facilities to shoot pictures, as well as breeding up and comers. In the Variety article “Bringing sexy back to film education” John O’Mahony writes that the Irish government plans to spend $188 million on the film industry in the next seven years and also offer tax breaks to encourage productions. Since the nineties, film education in Ireland has increased in popularity and with demand for filmmakers so high there, the schools have to persuade students not to drop out to work. Also expanding its film outlook is South Africa, and while not focusing on film education is making its own efforts to increase film popularity and attract big Hollywood productions.

Twelve years after the end of apartheid, South Africa is still a country that needs vast change, and film is helping the progression. Africa is looking to expand film possibilities in every direction and after winning the foreign language Oscar last year for Gavin Hood’s Tsotsi, the sentiment is very positive. In an NBC article “South Africa: Catching a fire” Stephen Galloway explains, “Thanks to versatile locales and strong infrastructure, the country has a booming locations business, consistently drawing foreign productions.…It also has a new state-of-the-art shooting facility under construction just outside Capetown.” One of the major reasons that South Africa has been able to establish itself as a shooting location is because the South African government has made it a priority to be very accommodating, “realizing that the film industry not only has the potential to create jobs and bring in much-needed foreign revenue but can lure tourists to a country long recognized as one of the most beautiful in the world.” This year’s high-profile film Blood Diamond (scenes from the film shown above) starring Leonardo DiCaprio demonstrates that the plan is working. South Africa boasts good production value and has also set up a rebate plan where producers can receive fifteen percent of their South African spend back, but this is only for very large productions with big name stars attached. More importantly, the country is encouraging indigenous productions by offering backing: “Local filmmakers are being given the opportunity to sink their teeth into a range of projects, which only stands to increase the country’s experienced talent pool.”

Foreign producers no longer have to make only foreign films, just as American producers can make a foreign film such as Clint Eastwood’s Letters from Iwo Jima. Guillermo del Toro (pictured left), who directed the blockbuster Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and whose Spanish film Pan’s Labyrinth enjoyed great success at the Oscars, verbalizes this sentiment explaining, “We are not pigeonholed to do mariachi or bullfighting movies. A director can come in and direct ‘Harry Potter’ or an action thriller or whatever we want.” A-List actors have helped in bringing about this change by wanting to work with directors from all over the world, and where the big names go, the financing follows. Film has certainly become the focus of many countries looking to make a greater imprint on the world. South Africa acknowledges that film is a valuable resource and opportunity to expand its economy, while expressing the country’s voice. Ireland recognizes the vast opportunities available in film and wants to offer education equivalent to America. However, in America, a country where Hollywood has dominated for seventy years, why just now are people looking to other countries for stories and voices, when Hollywood still makes hundreds of worthy films a year?

The answer to this question is rooted deep within the worlds’ turmoil and grief, the wars and third world conditions, and the hope for a better future. Film is such a powerful form of expression that shares stories in a fashion people can relate to. Every day people are bombarded with news and images of world issues, but when a problem seems so far away, it is hard to understand what is going on, but “films put a human face on the people in the news who are usually, and literally, caught in the crossfire” notes Chale Nafus, director of programming at the Austin Film Society. Blood Diamond is an excellent example of this, because while everyone has heard about De Beers' conflict diamonds and the awful conditions of the diamond industry, until one sees the whole world come alive on screen and really feels the danger and horror, only then does it becomes a reality. It is not the case that Hollywood is no longer making any films worth merit, it is just that audiences are craving something different. Nafus says, “The stories that Hollywood has been dealing with are no longer of interest to many people” and the success of films like Pan’s Labyrinth (poster of film shown to the upper right) “points to the desire for rich, uncharted stories that Hollywood isn’t producing.” Bock adds that “these are such imaginative films, and you can’t hold them back anymore just because they’re not in English.” Foreign films are amazing to watch because they have a new voice, perspective, landscape, and show worlds and stories that few may have known about before.

It is truly an exhilarating time to be involved with cinema and as a young person looking to get into the film business, I could not be more thrilled with the prospects. The Oscar nominated film Babel (poster on left showing the many different faces and places the movie concerns) looks at the many languages that separate the people of the world, but also at how emotions and stories connect everyone, much like cinema. Cinema is a universal language, and a great film can be understood no matter what language the actors are speaking. “In the past, if anything was outside the shores of North America, [the industry] looked at it as a risk,” says foreign nominee Deepa Mehta, but today this is just the type of film that is sought after because of the fantastic potential. With foreign films growing in popularity Hollywood is truly becoming Globowood; some even postulating that “maybe the Oscars’ foreign film category will someday just disappear.” This is a very definite possibility and as one film world unites maybe there is hope for a tomorrow of one unified world. For now, the future is wide open.

The Academy Awards Shake Things Up: Oscars Go Green

Tonight is the biggest night of the year for entertainment. Just hours from now at the Kodak Theater, Hollywood will celebrate the culmination of a year of talent, hard work, and great films. The Academy Awards (official poster shown to the left) brings together actors, directors, costume designers, musicians, and the best of the industry for one special night. A highly coveted spot on this red carpet is reserved for the biggest stars only. For months now everyone has had Oscar fever on the mind, and the blogosphere has reflected this. This week I decided to look into the buzz surrounding this year's awards and share my thoughts with other bloggers. While navigating through everyone’s winning predictions, I found two very interesting blogs that reflect a transition the Academy Awards are undergoing. This year, the Oscars are going green promoting economy friendly cars and organic foods. Blogger Xtrmius writes in Oscars go Golden Green, how much of the hype this year is surrounding not what the stars will wear, but what they will arrive in. While the traditional answer would be a limo, this year as stars are becoming more environmentally aware, many are rumored to be arriving in smart cars. Blogger Nicole Weston, in Oscar goes organic at the Governor’s Ball, also picked up on this new trend and describes how this year the Governors Ball, known as the official after party of the awards, is changing the look of the event serving all organic food with a much more relaxed feel. The Academy Awards (preparations for the awards in the Kodak Theater shown on left) are always sure to impress and epitomize Hollywood glamour and this year it seems celebrities are promoting the glamour of a healthy lifestyle.

My comment on Oscars go Golden Green: Well the arrival scene will certainly look very different this year. This is a very interesting trend that you have brought to light of celebrities really being the frontrunners in promoting protection of the environment. Celebrities have great power to promote change because people follow their trends and choices religiously; so when someone sees Leonardo DiCaprio (shown here in his hybrid) or Penelope Cruz in one of these cars, having a smart car suddenly becomes very fashionable. I think Matt Peterson chose the perfect time to really gear up his Global Green campaign because the majority of people are just now familiar enough with the idea of smart cars that they will pick up on their presence during the arrival broadcast. I think up until recently a major hesitancy to invest in a green car has been the look of the car and lack of style variety, but now with the hot Tesla (new model shown below) and ZAP, people will see that these really are the cars of the future. However, while celebrities do have the power to push new trends I think you make a very accurate point when you quote Orlando Bloom as saying “ that it’s up to those in power and governments to create the greatest change.” Saving the environment is a very large battle, and no matter how many people drive smart cars and build green houses, we really need big business and government on board to make a real difference.

My comment on Oscar goes organic at the Governor’s Ball: First of all, the menu looks delicious and Wolfgang Puck has once again done an incredible job. The Governors Ball is really making a push to become more hip and shed its reputation of being a bit stiff and merely a filler between the awards and the real parties. (Pictured here is the Tuscan countryside themed Ball set up more like a lounge than with the traditional tables.) This is a reflection of the Academy Awards in general revamping small details of the ceremony to make this night not only the most prestigious and important, but also young and fun. As you say, “The Ball is not going to be a sit-down affair, but an elegant/casual cocktail-type of party, and the overriding theme this year will be ‘Oscar goes organic.’” Hollywood is famously known for being on the top of every trend, so it makes sense in our country of growing organic lovers that the stars eat in style. All this hype and preparation really demonstrate the time and commitment that goes into the Oscars every year. This is not just a night of awards and great fashion, but also a night where people get a peak into the glamorous life of celebrities. Aside from the grueling hours of hard work, the invasive paparazzi, and all other difficulties that accompany stardom, this a night that reminds everyone what is wonderful about being a star and the magic of film.

Must See TV: What Lies Behind the Addiction?

Everyone has that one hour, one night a week, where all plans are halted and people find themselves curled up on the couch, eyes glued to the screen. If someone tries to interrupt this focused viewer, a quick reply and a dirty look say, “Shh. My show is on!” It is an interesting phenomenon; people form very strong emotional attachments to the fictional world of television and talk about characters as they talk about close friends. A lot of people explain this phenomenon by diving into the human psyche, while others argue people just get caught up in the hype and routine. When it comes to television, all shows try to create the perfect blend of beautiful people, hot hookups, and exciting plot lines, yet only a select few become a huge success. What is it that makes a show must see TV?

In the midst of awards season, shows like House (logo shown to the upper left), Grey’s Anatomy, and Heroes are proving to be this year’s favorite picks. Not only do critics and actors love the shows, but also so do millions of viewers which increasing ratings prove every week. Popular drama House draws in about 17.5 million, hot new show Heroes (cast shown below) pulls in 15 million, and favorite Grey’s consistently comes in third in the Neilson ratings with 21.5 million every Thursday. These are clearly impressive figures and while there is no one formula to create a smash hit, communication theorists and entertainment experts believe it has something to do with psychological aspects of identification and bonding.

A widely held belief in the communications field is that people watch television because of wishful identification that Cynthia Hoffner and Martha Buchanan define in their article in Media Psychology “as the desire to be like or act like the character.” As people watch loveable and screwed up Meredith on Grey’s Anatomy, or sarcastic and biting Dr. Gregory House from House they recognize these people from their own lives and form attachments. Everyone can probably remember a show or character where they felt this: I can remember growing up watching Saved by the Bell and wanting to be just like Kelly Kapowski, pretty and popular. I had her bangs and wore my overalls one shoulder unclipped to emulate her style. As I got a little older, it was Rachel Green on Friends, and I copied everything from what she wore, to what she said, and of course followed her hair trends (a popular cut style of Aniston's is shown on the left). If any character is living proof that wishful identification exists it is Jennifer Aniston’s character Rachel, just ask any hairdresser. It makes sense that people want to associate themselves with characters that are smart, funny, successful, and attractive, but it goes deeper than that. Hoffner and Buchanan explain, “people have a fundamental need to form connections with other people, and television offers audience members access to a wide range of other human beings.” Clearly, likeable characters are a major component.

Another key ingredient for success seems to be blood, quick-wit, and characters that can make scrubs look good. Medical dramas have and still prove to be the most popular shows on TV. Scrubs, Grey’s Anatomy, House, Nip/Tuck, and long running ER are all network favorites. While the shows are not always accurate depictions, in “Anatomy of a Real Medical Career” a medical student claims House is ‘an excellent show with some really fun diagnoses. The way they go about determining the final diagnosis, in theory, is the way we are taught in school.” Medical shows draw people in not only because of the exciting illnesses and surgeries, but people like to see that other side of medicine and see that these powerful surgeons and doctors are just as scared and screwed up as anybody. Many people like the fact that while watching an episode they can see a whole drama enfold and be resolved by the end of the hour. No matter how much blood or gore each show depicts, in general the audience is left with a hopeful feeling about medicine and life, and people love to hold onto this hope.

As for cult show phenomenons like Lost and Heroes, a key part of their universal success is the appeal to a wide audience. Children as young as seven or eight to people as old as eighty love the mystery and action-filled series. Television watching becomes family time and a tradition that brings busy people together; common ground for a father and his adolescent daughter to bond over. People love the ever deepening, unsolved mysteries, and to form their own theories about the “truth.” As TV critic Scott Pierce writes, “"There seems to be a big segment of the audience, especially younger audiences, that wants a show to be less spelled-out for them." Ask any viewer of either of these shows and they will give a long explanation of what they think the keys are to the big mysteries, and actively engaging in the show like this creates a stronger bond.

While it may be true that some people simply tune into Lost to have something to talk about on Thursdays at work, or fane interest in a medical saga to fill that hour before going out on a Thursday night in college, for the majority of people watching television it is way more than that. Putting aside psychological explanations and logistical reasons, the reason people watch television can be boiled down into simply wanting to believe in something. Heroes preaches that there are people out there with special powers to help save humanity and on Grey’s Anatomy (a scene from last year's season finale shown on right) people are given hope that their loved ones will make it through a difficult surgery and at the end of the day their will be smiles and a fitting song playing in the background. While some criticize these shows for these very reasons, people do not watch television week after week for reality, but for an escape into a world where for that short time, it is not about their worries or problems, but watching someone else’s life unfold. People essentially love TV for one reason; escape, and some shows have created the perfect haven.