The Process

​​I recently wrote an article for the Michigan Daily discussing my "childlike" taste in art. In the article, I claim that films, books, and TV shows meant "just for kids" still resonate with adult audiences. This project is a testament to that claim. 

 

When I began the experiment process, I had no clue what I wanted to do for the final project. But I knew that I wanted it to be related to Disney because my origin piece was an analytical essay on "The Princess and the Frog." Both of my experiments ​were magazine articles — one a fashion review on the cloche hats from "The Princess and the Frog" and the other a cultural critique on "Pocahontas." During this time, I wrote an article on a recently published Disney retelling of "The Princess and the Frog," so my mind was constantly critiquing and analyzing the stories I grew up with, and many of my peers grew up with, from Disney. Some of the things Disney cemented into my head at a young age shaped the way I viewed love and relationships, but now I'm just a cynic who knows that I have to do more than wait for my prince to come. As one of the world’s largest media and entertainment companies, Disney has the power to shape the mind's of children. And we all know that, "with great power comes great responsibility." 

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YouTube is like any other social media platform to me — I check my subscription box daily and find myself watching a variety videos every day. Video essays have always been intrigued me. They usually include an argument (or multiple arguments) and follow the argument with examples, including pictures or audio throughout the video. Some of my favorite video essays are titled, "In defense of [insert popular character or trope here]." I love the ones regarding Disney movies, especially Cinderella. Despite their different modes of technology, podcasts can resemble video essays. I found myself gravitating toward the idea of a podcast rather than a video essay because I wanted a interactive and communal experience. The best podcast episodes are discussion based and create room for productive conversations. They too can be well-edited and scripted and debate social and pop culture issues.

 

Podcasts are also fun and engaging, and they sometimes include multiple voices. I thought bringing two other perspectives on my podcast would make for a well-rounded, but most of all, entertaining episode. I listen to a lot of 90s and early 2000s TV show recap podcasts, and one thing I always notice is the laughter that makes its way into the episodes from the hosts. It's safe to say that my friends and I never stopped laughing. It was easy to have a conversation (we talked for over an hour about all things Disney), and I'm proud of the final product. However, we didn't just talk about Disney movies or bash Disney for making us believe in love at first sight, we talked about qualities of healthy relationships and what a couple of twenty-somethings look for in a partner, so I think it's an episode that anyone would find amusing.

 

I hope you engage with the art around you and find that thing you could talk about for hours.