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Independent Creatives

In media and technology there are a small number of dominant players, huge companies with vast resources that define much of our world in terms of what we see, hear, and use. In fact, tech has become media: not just social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), but they are now the gatekeepers for music (Apple and Spotify), video (YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon), and games (Sony and Microsoft). It takes enormous investment to create the infrastructure for such platforms, and big tech has gotten very good at leveraging computing at the scale needed to serve billions of people.

But we know that such dominance also leaves big gaps… spaces for individuals and small groups to create and make content that may not premiere on Disney+, but enrich the ecosystem. Independent works are absolutely necessary to inject different and diverse ideas into the media and tech landscape. But this requires a different kind of technology… the kind that disintermediates, enabling even individuals to create very high quality work, connect with and market to supporters, and easily publish their work to a worldwide audience. I contend there’s never been a better time to be an independent creative, but it requires a knowledge of this specific kind of tech: how to create, share, and scale the reach of your work.

Remember, creativity is just connecting things, and Philly is a fantastic city in which our highly diverse arts, media, tech, and civic communities can interconnect. This afternoon, as part of the program for Amplify Philly @ Home No. 4, I’ll be hosting a conversation about independent creatives in media and tech in Philadelphia with two very special guests:

• Dr. Frank Lee is Founding Director of the Entrepreneurial Game Studio, co-founder of Drexel’s highly ranked game design program, and an ExCITe Center colleague. He’s the creator of Skyscraper Tetris (on the Cira Centre), which earned him a Guiness World Record for the largest architectural video game display in history. He’s been named by Polygon as one of the 50 most admirable people in gaming as well as one of Philadelphia Magazine’s Top Innovators.
• Dave Silver is the co-founder of REC Philly, the space for creatives in Philadelphia. Located in a beautiful new space in the renovated Fashion District mall, they provide resources that help members to design, create, record and produce work, get booked for live shows, network with other creatives, and receive industry services. Dave has also co-organized Amplify Philly, highlighting Philadelphia’s music and startup communities annually at SXSW.

RSVP here and tune in at 2pm for what’s sure to be a great discussion!

Click here to watch Amplify Philly live!

Note: I’ve shifted the newsletter to a bi-weekly schedule.
I hope that’s a pace that is sustainable for the long term. 

(Socially) Distant Creations

• The Opera Philadelphia Channel: I’ve written about this before, but this new streaming service is now live! This month the channel kicks off with a newly created recital program, Lawrence Brownlee & Friends, and a 2015 filmed performance of La traviata at the Academy of Music, which was fantastic!
• ‘Little Shop,’ Big Relief [NYTimes] How the Weathervane Theater (NH) put on a safe performance of the musical, Little Shop of Horrors, for a live audience.
• The Room Where It Happens [Hamilton] Another collaborative music video from the original cast of Hamilton to help get out the vote, featuring Philly’s own Leslie Odom, Jr. Bonus content: Another Hamilton co-video of The Schuyler Sisters, with cast members from the multiple productions! These pandemic performance videos now cover a significant portion of the musical!
• The Love [Black Eyed Peas & Jennifer Hudson] An updated remix of their 2003 classic, Where is the Love?, for the current moment. I still have a soft spot for this song.

What I’m creating

Virtual Chorister for Android is now available on the Google Play Store! Let’s call this a preview version… There are many different Android devices, and I’ve only been able to test it on a small number. It’s also my first Android app, and I’m sure there are many kinks still to be ironed out!

Android users, please give it a try, and send feedback if you encounter any issues.