Most Anticipated Films of 2024: Fall

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By Peyton Harvey

Despite last year’s SAG-AFTRA strike, a promising slate of films will be released in 2024. This year of film has gotten off to a good start, with highly anticipated releases like Dune: Part Two earning impressive box office numbers and critical praise. From big blockbusters to smaller, independently produced projects, the 2024 movie lineup offers something for every type of viewer. Thus, here are some of the most anticipated films of 2024.

Joker: Folie à Deux

4 October 2024

Credit: Entertainment Weekly

The Joker immediately comes to mind when we think about iconic movie villains. He’s sadistic and unpredictable and makes for a great film antagonist. Todd Phillips’ 2019 film Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix, offered an unprecedented look at the famous villain, diving into the character’s psychology and origin. The film received several significant nominations and awards and was a commercial success. Phoenix gave a spectacularly chilling performance that won him an Academy Award for Best Actor, and Joker was the first R-rated film to gross over $1 billion USD.

The sequel, Joker: Folie á Deux, is set for an October 2024 release, with Phillips returning as the director and a writer alongside Scott Silver. Phoenix will reprise his role as the Joker, and Zazie Beetz will return. New cast members include Lady Gaga as Dr. Harlene Quinzel/Harley Quinn, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, and Steve Coogan. Although the film’s plot is largely under wraps, audiences can anticipate a musical, psychological thriller that will continue Phillips’ unique look into the character and DC world.

Paddington in Peru

8 November 2024

Credit: IMDb

The Paddington franchise is one of the most outstanding contemporary children’s movie series, with a reputation for capturing the attention of all types of viewers. Paddington and Paddington 2 were critical and box office successes with an incredible cast of characters that center on the iconic Paddington character. Doug Wilson will direct the franchise’s third installment, and much of the beloved cast will reprise their roles. Ben Whishaw and Imelda Staunton will again voice Paddington and Aunt Lucy. In addition, Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Jim Broadbent, and Julie Walters will also return. New cast members include Olivia Coleman, Antonio Banderas, and Emily Mortimer.

Paddington in Peru will depict “Paddington returning to Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears. Paddington and the Brown Family embark on an unexpected journey through the Amazon rainforest and up to the mountain peaks of Peru.” (Variety) Based on the first two films, it’s safe to say Paddington in Peru is one of the most anticipated films of 2024.

Gladiator 2

22 November 2024

Credit: Screen Rant

In 2024, Ridley Scott will return with the highly-anticipated sequel to Gladiator (2000), Gladiator 2. Written by David Scarpa, little is known about the Gladiator 2 script beyond the film centering on “Lucius, the son of Maxmius’s love, Lucilla, after Maximus’ death” (IMDb). The historical epic is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated films of 2024. Paul Mescal will star as Lucius Verus, alongside Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, and Joseph Quinn as co-emperor Caracalla.

Wicked

27 November 2024

Credit: Variety

Wicked is arguably one of the most notorious musicals of our time. Based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, the story follows “two young witches: Elphaba, whose skin is green, and Glinda, who is blonde and beautiful. They dislike each other at first but soon form an unlikely bond. The musical follows them from their girlhood friendship and explains how Elphaba became the Wicked Witch and Glinda became the Good Witch.” (New York Theater Guide) After numerous stage adaptations on Broadway, the West End, and more, a long-awaited film adaptation is finally here, with the first installment of the two-part film adaptation releasing on 27 November 2024.

Jon M. Chu, known for Crazy Rich Asians (2018) and In the Heights (2021), will direct both installments. Audiences can look forward to an all-star cast with Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Glinda, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Jeff Goldblum as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Jonathan Bailey and Fiyero. Wicked will surely be a visual spectacle with impressive vocal performances and themes of friendship, trust, and prejudice at the story’s heart.

Nosferatu

25 December 2024

Credit: Variety

If you enjoy the dark gothic horror films that serve as the foundation of the modern horror genre, Nosferatu should be on your watchlist. Directed by Robert Eggers, a director known for his eerie historical horror films, Nosferatu is the second remake of the original 1922 Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror. The 2024 remake stars Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, and Willem Dafoe. Focus Features states, “Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.”

Blitz

TBA

Credit: Variety

Steve McQueen will return this year, writing and directing his first feature film in six years. Blitz follows the stories of a group of Londoners during the events of the British capital bombing in World War II (IMDb). McQueen, known for the drama film 12 Years a Slave (2013), has assembled an impressive ensemble cast, including Saoirse Ronan, Harris Dickinson, Stephen Graham, Erin Kellyman, Paul Weller, Leigh Gill, Kathy Burke, Hayley Squires, and Benjamin Clementine. If McQueen’s past projects are any indication of what Blitz has in store, audiences can undoubtedly anticipate a knock-out film.

Megalopolis

TBA

Credit: IMDb

A star-studded ensemble cast working with a prolific director is always highly anticipated, and Megalopolis is no different. In late 2024, Francis Ford Coppola’s passion project film will star an ambitious cast made up of Nathalie Emmanuel, Adam Driver, Forest Whitaker, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Schwartzman, and Shia LaBeouf. The film is “a sprawling story about an ambitious young architect aiming to recreate New York City in the wake of a tragedy, loosely inspired by a Roman coup d’état called the Catilinarian conspiracy” (GQ).

Coppola conceived the idea for the film in the 1970s, and the story has undergone multiple iterations. Despite nearly acquiring funding for the film several times, studios ultimately scratched Megalopolis in the early 2000s. Twenty years later, Coppola is self-funding the film, providing himself with significant creative freedoms. Although we know little about what we can expect from Megalopolis, it is safe to assume that such a bold and uninhibited creative project is in good hands.

Most Anticipated Films of 2024: Spring & Summer

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By Peyton Harvey

Despite last year’s SAG-AFTRA strike, a promising slate of films will be released in 2024. This year of film has gotten off to a good start, with highly anticipated releases like Dune: Part Two earning impressive box office numbers and critical praise. From big blockbusters to smaller, independently produced projects, the 2024 movie lineup offers something for every type of viewer. Thus, here are some of the most anticipated films of 2024.

Challengers

26 April 2024

Credit: Collider

Later this month, Luca Guadagnino’s highly anticipated tennis comedy-drama Challengers, starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist, will be released. The film was initially set for an August 2023 release. However, the SAG-AFTRA strike delayed it nearly eight months. The Challengers press tour is underway, with the cast making recent appearances in Australia to promote the film.

The film follows “Tashi, a former tennis prodigy turned coach, [who] is married to a champion on a losing streak. Her strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend.” (IMDb) Audiences can expect an alluring and fun love triangle set against the backdrop of the tennis world. With a cast of some of young Hollywood’s brightest and most promising talents, Challengers will undoubtedly be exciting.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

24 May 2024

Credit: British GQ

Over the past forty-five years, the Mad Max franchise has established itself as a global phenomenon and cult classic. After Mad Max: Fury Road was released in 2015, new audiences became mesmerized by the deranged post-apocalyptic society, riveting action sequences, and compelling characters. The Mad Max world is undoubtedly unlike anything audiences have seen before, making a new addition to the franchise highly anticipated.

This May, creator and director George Miller will return to the Mad Max universe with Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, starring Anya Taylor-Joy as Imperator Furiosa and Chris Hemsworth as Warlord Dementus. The film serves as a prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road and follows Furiosa after she is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers by Warlord Dementus and plots her way back home through the Wasteland (The Hollywood Reporter). If Mad Max: Fury Road is any indication, audiences can expect to be submerged into an apocalyptic desert wasteland and witness an invigorating marathon of action sequences. Mad Max: Fury Road holds the title of one of the best action films of the twenty-first century, so action fans should be thrilled for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

Inside Out 2

14 June 2024

Credit: Disney Movies

The past ten years of animated film have been no less than exceptional, and Inside Out (2015) is arguably one of the most impressive animated story-telling feats of the twenty-first century. The original film followed a young girl named Riley and her five personified emotions, Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust, as her family relocated to San Francisco. Inside Out was a critical and commercial success, with a reach extending far beyond Pixar’s typical youth audience.

The sequel, Inside Out 2, is set for a June 2024 release and will follow Riley during her teenage years as she encounters new emotions. Audiences can expect a new slate of personified emotions, including Ayo Edebiri as Envy, Maya Hawke as Anxiety, Paul Walker Hauser as Embarrassment, and Adèle Exarchopoulos as Ennui. Based on the original film’s inventiveness and emotionally moving nature, audiences should undoubtedly consider seeing Inside Out 2– even if they don’t have children.

Kinds of Kindness

28 June 2024

Credit: Empire

This summer, Yorgos Lanthimos is returning with another star-studded film, Kinds of Kindness. After the critically successful Poor Things (2023) and Emma Stone’s Best Actress Oscar win for her role as Bella Baxter, Lanthimos and Stone are collaborating for a third time. The film will also star Jesse Plemmons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, and Joe Alwyn.

Kinds of Kindness will be a contemporary film that features three different stories. Searchlight has released the following synopsis of the film: “Kinds of Kindness is a triptych fable with segments following a man without choice who tries to take control of his life; a policeman who is alarmed that his wife, who was missing at sea has returned and seems to be a different person; and a woman who is determined to find a specific someone destined to become a prodigious spiritual leader.” (Searchlight Pictures)

Sing Sing

Summer 2024

Credit: IMDb

Sing Sing is a drama film directed by Greg Kwedar, starring Colman Domingo. The film initially premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, and A24 will distribute the film this summer. Already, critics are raving about Sing Sing, and the film holds a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. A24 has released the following description of the film: “Divine G (Colman Domingo), imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn’t commit, finds purpose by acting in a theater group with other incarcerated men. When a wary outsider joins the group, the men decide to stage their first original comedy in this stirring true story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art, starring an unforgettable ensemble cast of formerly incarcerated actors.” With raving reviews about Domingo’s performance, viewers should certainly look forward to Sing Sing’s wide release.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

6 September 2024

Credit: Variety

The highly anticipated return of Tim Burton’s iconic Beetlejuice character is imminent. A sequel to the legendary 1988 horror-comedy film, Beetlejuice, will release in early September, with Burton returning to direct and Wednesday writers Alfred Gogh and Miles Millar penning the screenplay. Much of the beloved original cast will return for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, including Winona Ryder reprising her role as Lydia Deetz, Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz, and Michael Keaton as the infamous ghost, Beetlejuice. Jenna Ortega, Monica Bellucci, Justin Theroux, and Willem Dafoe round out the cast, starring as new characters.

Warner Bros has released the following synopsis of the film: “Beetlejuice is back! After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.” (Warner Bros)

The Pull of True Crime & Online Sleuthing

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By Macy Ellis

We all have felt the pull of true crime stories—horrific, and yet we find it hard to look away. Stories of crime have long been a fascination of ours, like with murder mysteries and crime fiction. Today, there are many ways to access true crime stories. Many of us continue to read, but even more so people are listening to podcasts, watching YouTube videos, browsing the web, and turning off safe search on Google. 

Our collective intrigue with the darker side of real life has led to the rise of what are commonly referred to as internet sleuths. There’s often both praise and pointed accusations aimed at these amateur detectives. I have personally heard of many cases where web sleuths involved themselves in a crime investigation. In fact, my home institution in the US resides in two different areas that have a history of missing persons cases.

The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University (CSB+SJU) are located in St. Joseph and Collegeville, Minnesota, respectively. Jacob Wetterling, from St. Joseph, was abducted as a child and killed. Most everyone in the area is aware of his case, as he was missing for 27 years before his remains were found. Joy Baker, a woman drawn to Jacob’s case, was a blogger and ultimately helped authorities find Jacob after meeting with men who had been abducted as young boys. One boy had been abducted ten miles away from Jacob’s home in 1989, and all of the events involved sexual attacks by a masked suspect thirty minutes away from where Jacob lived. After tracking down the victims and sharing details in her blog, their stories grabbed the attention of the public, and, in turn, the police. DNA testing linked Danny Heinrich to the case, and eventually he did confess to abducting, sexually assaulting, and killing Jacob as part of a plea that he would not be charged with murder if he revealed the location of Jacob’s remains. Joy is an example of an internet sleuth who caused a much-needed breakthrough. In 2023 she helped Patty Wetterling, Jacob’s mother, release a book that they co-authored. Her blog, Joy the Curious, is still active. Jacob is now buried in the Saint John’s Abbey Cemetery, where the community keeps his memory alive.

Jacob Wetterling’s grave
Memorial for Jacob

Another case that is close to home for me is that of Joshua Guimond. Josh was a college student at CSB+SJU, where I currently attend. It is said that Josh left an on-campus party at St. John’s and was never seen again. The police investigation into his 21-year disappearance still remains active. Around the 20thanniversary of his disappearance, the popular Netflix series Unsolved Mysteries aired an episode about the investigation, exploring theories as to why Josh disappeared. There is also a podcast, Simply Vanished, that looks into the depths of Josh’s case. The mystery has managed to stay open and relevant with the help of the community and, of course, online sleuthing.

St. John’s University

I’ve further been made aware of online sleuthing through my interest in many other cases. In my free time, I sometimes watch true crime documentaries. I particularly like Netflix’s productions, and a favorite one of mine is Don’t Fuck with Cats. This docuseries investigates how truly committed internet sleuths can be. 

Poster for Netflix’s Don’t Fuck With Cats

The docuseries follows how a case was solved thanks to determined armchair detectives, though a group not without their mistakes. The same can be said about Netflix’s Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, which explores the good and bad that can come from internet sleuths. Even the Idaho student murders, which I’ve been transfixed by since they happened, has had its fair share of cyber sleuthing.

Cecil Hotel
Location of Idaho student murders

It must be acknowledged that there are great benefits that come from these online communities taking an investigation into their own hands. They have helped identify unknown individuals in crime footage and helped gather and analyze information related to a crime, leading to new leads and potential evidence for law enforcement. Not only that, internet sleuths help to raise awareness for cold cases and missing persons, which can lead to new tips and leads that law enforcement did not know about. This is certainly true for the cases I have mentioned. In this sense, some sleuth groups rightfully get frustrated that they aren’t taken more seriously. However, sleuthing’s collective influence is naturally their downfall when innocent people have had their lives ruined after being wrongly targeted. Are online sleuths correcting justice or merely partaking in the morbid fascination of it all? I think both things can be true. What is most important is that internet sleuthing is done responsibly and ethically because the reality is that amateur online detectives see things that the professionals don’t, often leading to breakthroughs.

North Paddington First Impressions

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By Peyton Harvey

Despite being located in the nation’s largest metropolitan center, North Paddington’s small-town energy is immediately evident while walking around the neighborhood’s friendly streets. While the area maintains the bustling and energetic qualities central to London’s culture, the neighborhood’s comforting charm and collaborative spirit distinguish North Paddington as a community. Simply walking down the streets, it is impossible not to notice the plethora of small businesses and the community-centric atmosphere indicative of a small town. There is a sense of community entirely unique to North Paddington, and the love and appreciation that the residents have for the neighborhood is refreshing and incredibly perceptible. 

The neighborhood has a noticeable admiration for the arts, with colorful murals and architectural details distinguishing North Paddington from other London neighborhoods. These artistic expressions do not seem confined to a specific aesthetic and instead exude a sense of creativity and passion that does not feel structured or commissioned. North Paddington seems to be a hub for artists to create peacefully and surround themselves with similarly oriented individuals. This artistic presence contributes significantly to the individualistic yet neighborly atmosphere.

From a non-Londoner’s perspective, North Paddington appears to be a tight-knit community resisting gentrification and emphasizing internal growth initiatives. The neighborhood is seemingly modernizing while maintaining its strong community focus and appreciation for North Paddington’s unique qualities. In particular, the renovated Our Lady of Lourdes and St Vincent de Paul seem to be a formidable example of internal initiatives that promote the community. Focusing on a community center like a Church rather than bringing in new commercial businesses demonstrates the apparent sense of community in the neighborhood.

The North Paddington Program is exciting due to its focus on working with North Paddington residents and local groups to promote equality and a healthier, safer, and more financially secure neighborhood. The program is community-centered and utilizes the North Paddington Partnership Board, which local education, health, businesses, and law enforcement representatives, among others, make up. This group consults on the neighborhood’s internal growth initiatives, stressing the importance of community voices during the decision-making process. One notable North Paddington Program Project is the Harrow Road Shopfronts Improvement Scheme. This initiative provides free architectural services and grants that would allow local businesses to make exterior improvements to their shops, focusing on conserving North Paddington’s heritage and tradition.

Another memorable North Paddington Program initiative is the North Paddington High Streets Program, which emphasizes growing the North Paddington economy by building up local businesses. This effort is a primary example of North Paddington’s prevalent community-based values, in which existing, small, local businesses are at the foundation of the neighborhood’s economic initiatives. Furthermore, the North Paddington Creative Enterprise Zone designated the neighborhood as a space for artists and creative businesses to thrive. These locations support local people in developing innovative skills and promoting artistry.

A hallmark of these programs in North Paddington is that their initiatives center on local people and existing institutions and businesses. The area is undergoing modernization in an untraditional way within contemporary society. Instead of witnessing gentrification overrun the neighborhood, the local government seems to prioritize current residents and businesses to grow North Paddington economically, culturally, and artistically– a commendable yet regrettably rare strategy.

A Weekend in Iceland

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From the UK, Iceland was only a three-hour flight away but it felt like another planet. The muddy, mossy tundra ran all the way to the base of the mountains, some blanketed by snow and some barren, with tiny waterfalls splitting the rugged cliff-faces like pale veins and venules. Herds of Icelandic horses tossed their heads against the rain and the occasional dusting of sheep huddled near the white-and-red barns. There was so much open space and open sky, and I wished so badly for the clouds to clear and for the Northern Lights to dance across the stars, but I could not have been so lucky just for a weekend.

That was not to say that the rest of the trip was not good, as it was beautiful and a landscape photographer’s dream location regardless. The first place that I went to when I flew in was Reykjavík, the capital city whose name translated to “Smoky Bay” in Icelandic due to the geothermal hot springs in the area. I only spent a brief time in my host city, long enough to check out the waterfront and taste a comforting traditional dish of lamb soup at Kaffi Loki. Visitors must bear in mind that meals in Iceland are expensive especially because grains and produce must be imported since the farms don’t grow anything except grass.

The next stop was a dusk to night visit to Sky Lagoon, the newest geothermal spa only ten minutes outside of the city center. It was relaxing and an overall interesting experience to be submerged in the warm water while still feeling the droplets of cold rain. I did the spa’s seven steps which ranged from a cold plunge to a sauna and steam room. Into the night, bright red bloomed at the horizon line and the visitors to the Sky Lagoon watched the live eruption of Fagradalsfjall with awe. It had been the fourth eruption in the last few months but was handled well by Iceland’s emergency services, and I learned afterward that the Blue Lagoon tourists and population of the town Grindavík were safely evacuated.

The day after, I took an all-day tour of Iceland’s South Coast through the company Reykjavík Sightseeing. My tour guide was named Kat and she provided insightful bits of information as we drove through the shifting landscape. Early on, we passed through the snowy Hengill volcanic area as well as a town nestled in a valley that was warmed by geothermal activity. Following that, our first official stop was the waterfall Skógafoss. There, the difference in scale between the size of the cliff face and the tourists was incredible.

Our second stop was the black sand beach Reynisfjara. It was eerily beautiful with slick basalt columns of Reynisdrangar yawning toward the sky, the same geological structures that made Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland such a draw. However, it was the epitome of nature unharnessed, and Kat warned us about sneaker waves which would pull unsuspecting visitors into the strong, freezing ocean.

After our lunch stop in the coastal town Vík, we made our way to the glacier Sólheimajökull which was a ten minute trail off of the parking lot to a viewing platform. From there, I could make out the incredibly small silhouettes of people hiking across its surface. It was immense–blue in some areas, white in most, and streaked with the dark volcanic sediment everywhere in Iceland. Ice floes trailed off from the glacier into a lake, and Kat informed us tragically that Sólheimajökull lost ten meters of water a year due to global warming.

Our last stop was the waterfall Seljalandsfoss which had a path stretching behind the water. It was a little scary to venture across without hiking boots, as some of the ground was slippery with ice and snow, and I had no traction on my sneakers when changing elevation. It was rewarding, however, to have made it to the other end and to get the photos of it from there.

Due to poor weather, the Northern Lights portion of our tour was canceled. It was always a risk with planning such a short trip to the polar regions–buy it when it was cheap and keep an eye on weather forecasts and moon phases for illumination, but it will always be like throwing a dart at a shrouded target. Maybe in a long while, I will return to the country in search of them or I’ll end up scouring the dark skies of Canada or Alaska that are closer to where I live long-term.

My overall weekend in Iceland was an experience that I am not likely to forget, and it was an absolute goldmine for a photographer. I loved focusing on minimalist landscape shots as well as emphasizing what I referenced earlier–comparing the size of the people to the sheer scale of nature. The whole country was brimming with photography opportunities and there were so many moments on the tour bus where I wished to pull over to the side of the road for a shot. A specific missed one that comes to mind was a portrait of the Icelandic horses who I’d only seen from a distance.

If I were to return again for a longer time period–and for anyone else planning a similar visit–I would look into renting a car for weather-experienced drivers as the roads are often empty. This way, you would be able to build your own itinerary, stop whenever you wanted, and chase the Northern Lights yourself. However, for a one-day itinerary with not a lot of ideas for what to see, the guided tour was well worth it.

All photographs by Carissa Leong (@carissalphoto.cr2)

An Intern’s Guide to Concert Photojournalism

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By Carissa Leong, intern

In high school, I was a big fan of music and a photography hobbyist, so the natural bridge was becoming involved in concert photography. At sixteen, I had my first press pass slipped into a laminate around my neck–covering the post-hardcore band Sleeping With Sirens at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco, CA in January of 2020–and it was not only a long journey to get to that point, but also a long journey to continue from there. For anyone interested in pursuing the same hobby, here are a few tips.

Grayscale opening for All Time Low at the Wiltern, Los Angeles 11.10.23

Building your Portfolio:

  1. Reach out to small bands

If you don’t already have connections, a good way to start a portfolio is to reach out to local bands playing at venues that allow DSLR cameras. Typically for free entry, you can provide them with promotional photos that they can market themselves with while you receive the experience and work for your portfolio in return.

2. Low light

Keep in mind that you’re shooting in low light and need gear good enough to accommodate this. Make sure you shoot in RAW format to capture the greatest amount of detail and ensure that you can freeze the action with a higher shutter speed while still being able to see the subject. Look into owning a lens that can achieve a shallow aperture (f/1.4 to 2.8) as that will let in the most amount of light.

Half Alive at House of Blues, Anaheim 18.10.23

Getting onto a Publication:

  1. Apply

If you plan to photograph outside of Paddington Arts for any reason, there are a lot of small online music publications with application sections that are more prone to being open during the summer. Being backed by a publication is vital in getting approved for the higher-profile shows that you want. Often, you’ll be asked to submit your portfolio, a list of your gear, as well as your favorite musicians.

Christian French at the El Rey Theatre, Los Angeles 22.10.23

Applying for Press Passes:

  1. Editors

Stay in communication with your editor. If it is your editor’s job to apply for the shows that interest you, then don’t violate that unless you get permission and don’t be afraid to follow-up.

2. Review

You will also have a higher chance of getting approved for a show if you are able to write a review accompanying a gallery.

3. Be professional

If you’re the one directly communicating with the band’s PR contact, then be professional. Make sure they know your name, have access to your publication’s website as well as your portfolio, and ensure that they know what the press access will be used for. Don’t be afraid to follow up with these contacts as well, especially a week before the concert to remind them that you exist.

4. Use connections

Connections are everywhere. My alumna got me into the KIA Forum in Los Angeles to photograph an EDM artist San Holo with all-access–which was a surreal experience as I had just seen my favorite band Paramore performing at the same venue only a few months earlier–and my mother’s friend’s daughter got me access to her friend’s gig which was Devon Gabriella opening for Christian French at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles.

5. Transportation

Getting a photo pass will often come with free entry to the show, but keep in mind that you will still need to transport yourself which is a lot more difficult and expensive in car-dependent cities.

My first press pass 18.01.20

Shooting the Show:

  1. Be respectful

You will be let into a special area between the barricade and the stage called the photo pit. Make sure you don’t get in the way of the other photographers as much as possible. Don’t ever enable flash on your camera, as that can be very distracting to unexpecting performers and will result in you being kicked out.

2. First three songs

You will be limited to photographing the first three songs in the photo pit unless given special instruction so don’t fight to remain there after the allotted time. Afterwards, know the rules about shooting from the rest of the venue and what areas you would be allowed onto (ex. balcony). Don’t be afraid to check in with the security about the rules.

3. Camera settings

Shoot in manual mode and keep an eye on your light meter. The lighting will change unpredictably and depending on the genre, there can be rapid action so make sure there is enough light as well as a high enough shutter speed. Photograph in bursts to capture the best moments. From my experience, the most action–specifically in hardcore, punk, and metal genres–results in the best, most unexpected photos.

Geneva Jacuzzi opening for Automatic at the Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles 12.12.23

Coverage:

  1. Turnaround speedy but quality coverage

Submit 12-20 of your best photos to your editor. The ideal content turnaround timeline is 24-48 hrs from the concert, though bear in mind that your editor may be slow in going through the content that you sent over so don’t be afraid to follow-up. However, in the case that photos need to be approved before publishing, send a folder with the files to the artist manager first.

2. Send coverage to PR

If it was your personal responsibility to email the artist PR contact, then email them the coverage once it’s posted on the website to show that you are reliable enough to work with them again in the future.

3. Photo usage

Try not to post your photos from the show before it’s released by your publication unless you receive explicit permission to do so. Also don’t send your photos to another publication to use if you acquired a press pass through a different one.

4. Build your portfolio

If you end up getting good photos, make sure you update your portfolio!

JVNA opening for San Holo at the KIA Forum, Los Angeles 06.10.23

My early experience in this has led to my further interest in becoming a part of the music business, which admittedly arrived late due to the COVID-19 pandemic throwing off my career trajectory, yet it luckily still arrived regardless. A turning point for me was that through one of my publications, I was invited to the Hopeless Records’ 30th Anniversary museum opening party in December 2023 and had the opportunity to mingle with artists and creators in the industry that I had known about for years. In my future, I hope to become involved in record label marketing, starting out with internships in Los Angeles, CA where I am based, and it all started because I loved music too much as a teenager.

Me at the Hopeless Records 30th Anniversary Museum Opening 8.12.23

All photographs by Carissa Leong (@carissalphoto.cr2).

Book Review: Loveless

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By Macy Ellis

Alice Oseman’s Loveless follows Georgia, a young woman transitioning from high school to college who battles loneliness and questions her sexuality identity. The book focuses not only on Georgia’s growth in coming to terms with her asexuality and aromanticism, but it also manages to reflect the wide range of experiences of members in the LGBTQIA+ community. Loveless is a very important YA novel for our current time and is able to represent LGBTQIA+ young adults realistically, in a way that media doesn’t often get right. These people are not confused or stuck “in a phase,” rather, they know their own feelings better than anyone else. However, society hasn’t made the language for these feelings widely available, making it difficult for queer people to express to others how they feel. 

Loveless is written in a way that is accessible, but sometimes that simplicity becomes the story’s downfall. While Oseman does make a point to mention sexualities such as demisexuality and grayromanticism she describes them as “internet” sexualities—ones that are lesser known, or sometimes perceived to be made up. Although Oseman names them, these sexualities are never mentioned again or described in any detail, which I would have loved to see. Oseman writes:

. . . people identified as all sorts of combinations of romantic and sexual – there were gay asexuals, like Sunil, or bisexual aromantics, like Jess, or straight asexuals, pansexual aromantics, and loads more. Some asexual and aromantic people didn’t even like splitting up their attraction into two labels, and some just used the word ‘queer’ to summarise everything. There were words I had to google like ‘demisexual’ and ‘greyromantic’, but even after googling I wasn’t sure exactly what they meant.

While it is important to have this conversation about how truly wide ranges can be within sexual identities, I would’ve liked to have seen more discussion on some of the sexualities mentioned, as they are brushed aside a bit too quickly.

Another area I would have liked Oseman to expand upon surrounds Georgia’s worries about ending up alone in life due to her sexuality. Given the heaviness of this topic, I feel it is resolved too neatly in the text. After coming to terms with her sexual identity, Georgia discovers that she can value platonic love as much as others value romantic love. She realizes that she will never be alone in life when she has her friends, that they are the true loves of her life. While I appreciate this sentiment, I question how realistic it is for Georgia to go from worried to completely fine, and I would have liked to see her grapple even more with the uncertainty of the future. In real life, things are never certain, and I wonder if it would have been more impactful had Georgia’s character been left to wonder if there would always be someone there for her and how she would know that to be true.

I give Loveless four out of five stars. Save for some minor criticisms, I think Loveless ultimately succeeds in its themes: that platonic love is just as important and meaningful as romantic love, that all sexualities are valid and deserve to be legitimized, that understanding sexuality identity is a process and not a straightforward path, that there are no right or wrong experiences for queer people, and that safe spaces have great value. What I think the book succeeds most in is showing readers the importance of own-voices storytelling. Oseman herself is asexual, which allows her to write realistic characters, showcasing all of their goodness and flaws in tandem. With her book, Oseman is actively challenging society and its norms including heteronormativity. I have been thinking much about queerness as a concept recently, so this read came at a perfect time. Like we see in Loveless, I think it’s far braver and more important to live our realities and challenge the constraints of society than to remain complicit in a system that’s not working for us.

Show Review: Tom Odell at the Roundhouse, London

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By Carissa Leong, intern

Thumbnail credit: Ciara McMullan (@ciaramcmullanmedia)

On March 15, Tom Odell had a victorious homecoming at the first of two sold-out shows at the Roundhouse in London while on tour for his newest album Black Friday. Accompanied by his backing band, his soulful vocals pulled the audience from triumphant highs to melancholic lows and back up again, multiple times over with apparent effortlessness.

To kick off the night, the sole opening act Sofia Isella was just nineteen but had the stage presence of a performer who had been in the industry for over a decade. Her performance was haunting and magnetic, successfully engaging the audience in ways that openers often fail to with a combination of breathy whispers, full-bodied vocals and casual chats. Taking advantage of her multi-instrumental background, Isella swayed in the spotlight while providing her own violin accompaniment to the last song on her setlist “I Looked the Future in the Eyes, It’s Mine.”

When Tom Odell finally took the stage, one of the most immediately striking characteristics was the show’s visuals. It reflected the cinematic simplicity prevalent in his album art and music videos, playing well with lighting, colors and shadows. From a spotlight carving him an isolated silhouette at his piano to his band’s shadows shifting across a piercing red backdrop, the lighting designers made the show visually engaging while staying true to Odell’s grounded, minimalist aesthetic.

Credit: Ciara McMullan (@ciaramcmullanmedia)

The moment that the first lyric rang through the air, a somber opening to “Somebody Else,” cheers immediately melted into a reverent silence at the raw emotionality of Odell’s live vocals thundering through the Roundhouse. The air of quiet awe was consistent with many of the ballads throughout the set. That was not to say that audience engagement was dissuaded at all, however, as many were happy to join their voices to the upbeat and popular songs. On the more spirited end, Odell directly employed crowd participation to call back parts of the anthemic track “Hold Me,” and there was a point where he amped the energy all the way up by clambering on top of his piano to sing.

Backdropping Odell’s vocal and piano performance was a whole host of different instruments, from the conventional guitar, bass and drums to the more classical violin, trumpet and saxophone that lent a jazzier edge less typical of indie rock singer-songwriters. The backing band contributed to layered compositions that made the emotional lows more heart-wrenching and emotional highs even more buoyant.

Credit: Ciara McMullan (@ciaramcmullanmedia)

Between songs, Odell included a love letter to the host city. Introducing “Long Way Down,” the title track from his 2013 album, he reminisced that it was the first song he wrote when he moved to London at around twenty years-old–over a decade ago, back when his present success was just hypothetical. He called out London as the best city which met an eruption of biased, infectious cheering.

Further into the set, homage was also paid to Elton John whom Odell performed with in the past. For a nostalgic duet of “Tiny Dancer,” Abigail Morris, the singer of indie group The Last Dinner Party, was invited to the stage. It was well-received and many show-goers echoed the pair’s performance of the classic with their own attachment to the song.

Credit: Ciara McMullan (@ciaramcmullanmedia)

Tom Odell wrapped up the night with an ode to his expansive discography, leaving the audience with some of his newest music including the TikTok viral “Black Friday” but creating a final, bittersweet conclusion with 2013’s “Another Love,” his most popular song to date. A testament to the universality of his songwriting, I was one among hundreds who couldn’t help but relate to the utterly human topics confronted so artistically by the night’s performance.

Carissa’s North Paddington Impressions

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By Carissa Leong, intern

At first sight, North Paddington was devoid of the glamorous architecture stereotyped of London by Westminster, though it still resembled what a majority of London was actually like–a persistent, diverse community nurturing authenticity in a world that disadvantaged them. It reminded me of Camden Town if it was less commercial, a quiet birthplace for art in the shifting suburbs all the way across the city, though still bordering the same canal.

I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and could see both similarities and differences to the area of North Paddington. The differences were the most salient because so much of the Bay Area was sleek and modern tech buildings, a characteristic that I’d always disliked. Here, the buildings were similarly more practical than they were beautiful, but they were also more worn down with art able to show its face. Bright blue railings lined the bridge over the canal and the graffitied skatepark was a pop of color among the greenery of Meanwhile Gardens. Parts of San Francisco, the city itself, seemed like this–it had quieter, artsier neighborhoods despite being a center for technological development. It was a combination that the majority of the rest of the Bay was unable to achieve.

I could see it resembling the Pacific Northwest cities in the United States. Parts of Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington seemed similar. There was a greater emphasis on nurturing art and nature alongside advancing development, though these cities in the States were bustling with more activity than North Paddington neighborhood appeared to have.

From my limited time here, I managed to gather that the community was kinder to one another, presumably because there was less of a draw for the tourists who were devoid of intent to build lasting relationships in their cursory time in London. I stepped out from work the other day and went to Crispies on the high street to get cheese fries for lunch, and I noticed immediately that the environment was different from what I was used to. Those eating in made sure to clean up after themselves and thank the worker at the till–which may seem like the bare minimum but I had seen the garbage and dishes piling up in my local Ole & Steen cafes and knew that it most definitely wasn’t.

 And just the week before, the cashier at Costa took time out of her day to playfully indulge a customer’s toddler. While leaving, I helped a friendly worker with a cart exit through the closed doors. North Paddington was a place abundantly driven by its small, supportive interactions and sincerity in a way that my area in South Kensington was less so, with its transactional hospitality between tourists who could pay to be there and workers who helped them by obligation of their job.

Despite historically rapid changes, North Paddington has impressively remained the same at its core, boiling down to its resilient and close-knit residents. I appreciate the opportunity to have immersed myself in it at least for a little while and during the rest of my internship, I look forward to participating in more of these small interactions as a part of its community.

The Zone of Interest Review

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By Peyton Harvey

After winning two Oscars at the 2024 Academy Awards ceremony, The Zone of Interest has cemented itself as one of the best (and most harrowing) films of 2023. Based on Martin Amis’ 2014 novel of the same name, the historical drama offers an unprecedented depiction of the Holocaust in film, following a German family who, despite residing next to the Auschwitz Concentration Camp, are living an idyllic life. English director and screenwriter Jonathan Glazer, known for films such as Under the Skin (2013) and Birth (2004), penned the screenplay and directed the film, starring Sandra Hüller and Christian Friedel. The Zone of Interest premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on 19 May 2023 and was released in theaters in December 2023, receiving widespread critical acclaim and holding an impressive 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and 92% on Metacritic.


The film follows Rudolf Höss, a Nazi commandant at Auschwitz, played by Friedel, and Hedwig Höss, played by Hüller, a married couple who live with their children in the “Zone of Interest,” the area around Auschwitz reserved for Nazi commandants to reside with their families. The film follows the couple throughout their blissful daily lives, seemingly undisturbed by the nearby atrocities. However, as Rudolf rises within the Nazi regime and builds a picturesque life with Hedwig, hints of the horrific crimes occurring nearby sneak through the walls of their utopian bubble.

The Zone of Interest offers a powerful picture of how a group of people can commit and witness such horrifying crimes yet sit by idly and experience no discomfort or shift from normalcy in their own lives. In the film, the audience follows characters who seldom leave their congenial environments, going about life as though the crimes in Auschwitz are nothing more than a facet of Rudolf’s career. This sense of normalcy is what makes The Zone of Interest especially haunting. The film utilizes naturalistic elements to immerse the audience into a seemingly mundane life, humanizing the film’s characters and creating visual normalcy. Director of Photography Lukasz Zal shot the film in a highly realistic and objective manner and emphasized a raw color palette that immerses viewers into the film, almost making the audience complicit to the Höss family’s indifference. However, whispers of dread slowly slip through the cracks of their idealistic lives and let the audience in on the dreadful atrocities happening in such proximity.


The Zone of Interest’s sound design is undoubtedly the film’s most vital asset and most impressive feat. Johnnie Burn, who won the Academy Award for Best Sound for his work on the film, created an auditory experience that propels the profound sense of dread and eeriness home for viewers. Glazer omitted a lavish score from the film, allowing the audience to become submerged in the film’s realism and the sound design to be at the forefront of the film’s auditory message. Thus, the sound design is incredibly immersive, following similar patterns to the film’s naturalistic cinematography. The film’s sound design focuses on the natural world by depicting birds chirping, running rivers, and an utterly realistic quiet. However, these traditionally calming sounds do not produce typical placating effects on viewers. Throughout the film, the audience hears ambiguous sounds from afar, which include industrial and anguishing noises that are so subtle viewers could misinterpret them. These disturbing sounds are the primary indication of the horrors occurring at Auschwitz and inflict a potent heaviness and sense of dread on the viewers, making The Zone of Interest particularly chilling.

Hüller and Freidel deliver harrowingly casual performances that drive the unnerving indifference of their respective characters home. Rudolf and Hedwig discuss the crimes at Auschwitz with an unwavering casualness that fails to convey any indication of discomfort. Instead, viewers might even discern a chilling pleasantness that reveals their true evil. Even the Höss children discuss the horrors at Auschwitz with a sense of play and nonchalance that showcases a profound detachment and disregard that these characters have for such horrific, evil acts. Indifference is a choice, and The Zone of Interest expertly demonstrates society’s petrifying ability to sequester evil.