Presented By: LSA Opportunity Hub
Alum Connection: Creating the World You Want to See Both On and Behind the Camera with Dr. Aymar Jèan Christian
Dr. Aymar Jean "AJ" Christian (LSA ‘06 American Culture) is an associate professor of communication studies at Northwestern University. He also co-founded OTV | Open Television, a platform for intersectional television. OTV programs have received recognition from the Television Academy (Emmy Awards), Webby Awards, Streamy Awards, Gotham Awards, among others. Artists supported by OTV have received offers from leading studios and distributors, including HBO, CBS and Hulu. From 2015-2020 while leading OTV’s transition from experiment to independent non-profit, Dr. Christian and Executive Director Elijah McKinnon raised over $1 million in multi-year support to sustain its operations. Building on the success of OTV, he co-founded an incubator for intersectional film & television with Stephanie Jeter and Lilly Wachowski.
Dr. Christian describes his vocation in life as “work to heal systems by researching, producing, directing, reporting, curating and cultivating stories and platforms.” For over 15 years he has used creative research and development to bring equity to media and technology. Join Dr. Christian as he illuminates the steps on his journey from a burgeoning interest in journalism during undergrad at LSA, to co-founding an innovative television platform for intersectional programming, to becoming a tenured professor, leading scholar and celebrated author.
You should attend this session if you are:
An LSA undergraduate.
Interested in building a career in film, television, or media.
Curious about content creation with emerging technology.
What you will gain by attending:
Gain insight into the intersections of media, technology, and equity.
Learn about the power of independent content creation to open up employment opportunities in emerging and previously non-existent spaces.
Discover how community-based research can be utilized to transform media and its related technologies.
RSVP NOW to reserve your spot. By signing up, you will receive an email with details on how to attend this workshop the morning of the session.
About Dr. Christian:
As an associate professor, Dr. Christian’s research focuses on the political economy of legacy and new media, cultural studies, and community-based research. He published his first book, “Open TV: Innovation Beyond Hollywood and the Rise of Web Television” (NYU Press, 2018), and is currently writing his second book, “Reparative Media: Cultivating Stories and Platforms to Heal Our Culture” (MIT Press, forthcoming), which explores how to repair systemic harm and discrimination in media, technology and research. His scholarship has been published in numerous academic journals, including the International Journal of Communication, Television & New Media, Social Media & Society, Journal of Cinema and Media Studies, among other journals and edited collections.
Dr. Christian engages industry and community-based organizations as part of his research. He has given lectures for and collaborated with the Sundance Institute, Vimeo, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Black Public Media, and more. He has juried television and video for the Peabody Awards, Gotham Awards, and Tribeca Film Festival, among others. His work has been recognized by the MacArthur Foundation & Field Foundation (Leaders for a New Chicago, 2019), Variety (Top 50 Entertainment Instructor 2020 & 2021), Filmmaker (25 New Faces of Indie Film, 2018) NewCity (Film Leader 2017 & Film Hall of Fame 2020), Chicago magazine (New Power List, 2021), and Seed&Spark (Filmmaker to Watch 2018).
OTV’s programming partners have included the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the Sundance Institute, and the city of Chicago, along with numerous galleries, community organizations, and universities.
From 2008 to 2014 he ran the blog Televisual focused on the evolution of TV and internet. He received his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania.
Virtual Event accessibility statement:
The LSA Opportunity Hub aims to deliver inclusive and accessible experiences and welcomes all LSA students to participate. This event will be hosted on Zoom (learn more about Zoom accessibility) and can be accessed by phone or computer. Presentation materials may be shared in advance if requested, and live captioning will be provided. To request other accommodations please contact LSA Hub Events at lsa.hubevents@umich.edu or 734-763-4674 so we can make arrangements.
Dr. Christian describes his vocation in life as “work to heal systems by researching, producing, directing, reporting, curating and cultivating stories and platforms.” For over 15 years he has used creative research and development to bring equity to media and technology. Join Dr. Christian as he illuminates the steps on his journey from a burgeoning interest in journalism during undergrad at LSA, to co-founding an innovative television platform for intersectional programming, to becoming a tenured professor, leading scholar and celebrated author.
You should attend this session if you are:
An LSA undergraduate.
Interested in building a career in film, television, or media.
Curious about content creation with emerging technology.
What you will gain by attending:
Gain insight into the intersections of media, technology, and equity.
Learn about the power of independent content creation to open up employment opportunities in emerging and previously non-existent spaces.
Discover how community-based research can be utilized to transform media and its related technologies.
RSVP NOW to reserve your spot. By signing up, you will receive an email with details on how to attend this workshop the morning of the session.
About Dr. Christian:
As an associate professor, Dr. Christian’s research focuses on the political economy of legacy and new media, cultural studies, and community-based research. He published his first book, “Open TV: Innovation Beyond Hollywood and the Rise of Web Television” (NYU Press, 2018), and is currently writing his second book, “Reparative Media: Cultivating Stories and Platforms to Heal Our Culture” (MIT Press, forthcoming), which explores how to repair systemic harm and discrimination in media, technology and research. His scholarship has been published in numerous academic journals, including the International Journal of Communication, Television & New Media, Social Media & Society, Journal of Cinema and Media Studies, among other journals and edited collections.
Dr. Christian engages industry and community-based organizations as part of his research. He has given lectures for and collaborated with the Sundance Institute, Vimeo, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Black Public Media, and more. He has juried television and video for the Peabody Awards, Gotham Awards, and Tribeca Film Festival, among others. His work has been recognized by the MacArthur Foundation & Field Foundation (Leaders for a New Chicago, 2019), Variety (Top 50 Entertainment Instructor 2020 & 2021), Filmmaker (25 New Faces of Indie Film, 2018) NewCity (Film Leader 2017 & Film Hall of Fame 2020), Chicago magazine (New Power List, 2021), and Seed&Spark (Filmmaker to Watch 2018).
OTV’s programming partners have included the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the Sundance Institute, and the city of Chicago, along with numerous galleries, community organizations, and universities.
From 2008 to 2014 he ran the blog Televisual focused on the evolution of TV and internet. He received his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania.
Virtual Event accessibility statement:
The LSA Opportunity Hub aims to deliver inclusive and accessible experiences and welcomes all LSA students to participate. This event will be hosted on Zoom (learn more about Zoom accessibility) and can be accessed by phone or computer. Presentation materials may be shared in advance if requested, and live captioning will be provided. To request other accommodations please contact LSA Hub Events at lsa.hubevents@umich.edu or 734-763-4674 so we can make arrangements.
Related Links
Co-Sponsored By
Explore Similar Events
-
Loading Similar Events...
