‘A Complete Unknown', ‘The Wild Robot' Win Cinema Audio Society Awards
The sound mixing teams behind 'A Complete Unknown' and 'The Wild Robot' won awards in the categories of live action feature and animated feature, respectively, at the 61st Cinema Audio Society Awards for sound mixing, held Saturday at the Beverly Hilton.
'A Complete Unknown' and 'The Wild Robot,' along with 'Dune: Part Two,' 'Wicked' and 'Emilia Perez' are nominated for the Oscar in sound, which combines mixing and sound editing. The Motion Picture Sound Editors will hand out its Golden Reel Awards on Sunday.
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Additional CAS Award winners included 'Shogun,' 'The Bear,' 'Masters of the Air' and 'Music by John Williams.'
During the evening, production sound mixer Tod A. Maitland, who was also on the award-winning 'A Complete Unknown' sound team, accepted the CAS Career Achievement Award, which was presented by Oliver Stone. Additional colleagues congratulated him in person or on video, including Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro and 'Complete Unknown' helmer James Mangold.
Maitland remembered presenting the same award to his father, Dennis Maitland, 16 years ago, and then thanked his family, friends and colleagues. 'The real draw of this business has always been the people, happenstance relationships that turn into lifelong bonds,' said Maitland, whose credits include 'JFK,' 'Born on the Fourth of July,' 'The Irishman' and Spielberg's 'West Side Story.' 'Where else do you have the opportunity to get to know some of the most interesting, creative, passionate, and, yes, exorbitantly paid individuals in the world? The longer you're in the business, the more it becomes a part of your life. The film crew becomes your family.'
He talked about his love for music-based films, saying they 'open the doors to a whole new opportunity of innovation, creativity, chance to explore new equipment, and, more importantly, as a sound mixer, to become a more integral part of the filmmaking team.'
In conclusion, Maitland warned the crowd of industry insiders: 'Our world is changing faster than anyone could have ever imagined. We as sound professionals, need to focus on is maintaining the art and maintaining our place in the art. I believe this is more important than ever, and it has to be all of our missions.'
'Dune: Part Two' director Denis Villeneuve accepted the CAS Filmmaker Award, which was presented by the film's rerecording mixer Ron Bartlett, composer Hans Zimmer and producer and his wife Tanya Lapointe. 'Sound is at the heart of my cinematic creativity,' Villeneuve said, accepting the award, acknowledging the teams with whom he has worked.
A portion of the evening's proceeds were donated to L.A. fire relief efforts, and CAS collected additional donations during the evening.
The complete list of winners follows:
MOTION PICTURES – LIVE ACTION
'A Complete Unknown'
Production Sound Mixer – Tod A. Maitland CAS
Re-Recording Mixer – Paul Massey CAS
Re-Recording Mixer – David Giammarco CAS
Scoring Mixer – Nick Baxter
ADR Mixer -David Betancourt
Foley Mixer – Kevin Schultz
MOTION PICTURES – ANIMATED
'The Wild Robot'
Original Dialogue Mixer – Ken Gombos
Re-Recording Mixer – Leff Lefferets
Re-Recording Mixer – Gary A. Rizzo CAS
Scoring Mixer – Alan Meyerson CAS
Foley Mixer – Richard Duarte
MOTION PICTURES – DOCUMENTARY
'Music by John Williams'
Production Mixer – Noah Alexander
Re-Recording Mixer – Christopher Barnett CAS
Re-Recording Mixer – Roy Waldspurger
NON-THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES OR LIMITED SERIES
'Masters of the Air' – S01 E05 'Part Five'
Production Sound Mixer – Tim Fraser
Re-Recording Mixer – Michael Minkler CAS
Re-Recording Mixer – Duncan McRae
Re-Recording Mixer – Shane Stoneback
Scoring Mixer – Thor Fienberg
ADR Mixer – Sean Moher
Foley Mixer – Randy K. Singer CAS
TELEVISION SERIES – ONE HOUR
'Shōgun' – S01 E01 'Broken to the First'
Production Sound Mixer – Michael Williamson CAS
Re-Recording Mixer – Steve Pederson CAS
Re-Recording Mixer – Greg P. Russell CAS
ADR Mixer – Takashi Akaku
Foley Mixer – Arno Stephanian CAS
TELEVISION SERIES – HALF HOUR
'The Bear' – S03 E03 'Doors'
Production Sound Mixer – Scott D. Smith CAS
Re-Recording Mixer – Steve 'Major' Giammaria CAS
ADR Mixer – Patrick Christensen
ADR Mixer – Kendall Barron
Foley Mixer – Ryan Collison
Foley Mixer – Conor Nagy
TELEVISION NON-FICTION, VARIETY or MUSIC – SERIES or SPECIALS
'Beatles '64'
Re-Recording Mixer – Josh BergerRe-Recording Mixer – Giles Martin
STUDENT RECOGNITION AWARD FINALISTS
Guillermo Moya, Full Sail University
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Buzz Feed
20 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
35 Gifts From Uncommon Goods Your BFF Will Love
30 Things To Do When You're 30, a set of 27 enveloped cards printed with fun activities they can enjoy solo or with others to celebrate this milestone bday. The last three cards are left blank, so your BFF can add their own bucket list activities they wanna do. From wine tastings to comedy shows, this is a gift that your bestie will totally have a blast with. Price: $32 (they've also got versions for 40th birthdays, 50th birthdays, and 60th birthdays) A box of pep talks that your bestie can open up whenever they need encouragement from their BFF. Whether they need tough love, feel like they've failed, or have been struggling to see why they matter, they can open one of these heartfelt letters to help lift their spirits. I'm not crying... kay, yes I am totally crying, this is the sweetest gift ever. Each box includes eight themed letters. Price: $16 A birthday wish candle, a vanilla-and-orange birthday cake scented bb topped with gorgeous crystals to enhance the good vibes and encourage them to set an intention for the year ahead. If you wanna wish your bestie a year filled with love, happiness, positivity, abundance, joy, inner peace, and wisdom, then this is the perfect gift to give. Promising review: "I first ordered this for my best friend. She loved it so much that I ended up ordering another one for my mom. Their birthdays are three days apart. Both were so impressed by the uniqueness of the candle and smell that I had to find out for myself! I live across the coast, so I ended up ordering a third for MYSELF and it's not even my birthday, lol. I love the idea behind the candle. Very pretty with the stones and smells great. The perfect gift! (for others or yourself)." —PinkVelvet04Price: $30 A gorg birth month flower ring tray that'll look like a piece of art on their vanity or nightstand. They're made with real, hand-picked flowers from Colombian gardens, and they're so beautiful, your bestie won't be able to stop staring at this truly unique gift every time they place their jewelry in it. Promising review: "This was the perfect birthday gift for a friend who has everything. One of the few items left on the internet that actually looks as beautiful as the photos!" —Sam LambPrice: $42 (available in 12 different flowers for each month of the year) A replica of The Story of Oz pop-up storybook because they haven't stopped talking about Wicked since November. If they still blast "The Wizard and I" on the daily and are counting the literal seconds until part two comes out in theaters, there's a *definish chance* that they'll rejoycify when they receive this present. I've got a feeling this gift is gonna be ~popular~. 😉 Promising review: "I bought this book as a gift for my sister, who is a big fan of Wicked. The book is high quality, and upon my second viewing of the movie, Elphaba is seen playing with an identical book as a kid! This occurs about 8–9 minutes into the movie, in case you want to see for yourself. I hadn't even noticed that when I bought the book, but I think it's so cool! I would definitely recommend this as a gift if you know anyone who likes the movie or the musical. Or you could buy it for yourself!" —CMPrice: $50 A custom pet embroidered sweatshirt which combines their two favorite things — cozy loungewear and their fur baby. They won't be able to stop wearing this bad boy. A subscription to Recipes By Mail because your bestie doesn't know how to cook... It's me, I'm your bestie who can't cook. They'll be sent detailed replicas of actual handwritten recipes from historical figures like Rosa Parks, George Washington, and Emily Dickinson every month! The recipes are vegetarian!Promising reviews: "My dear friend who enjoys all things involving food, interesting recipes, and is curious about history absolutely loved this gift! This was so much better than a cookbook written by her favorite chef or food personality. Thank you, UG, for such a unique find!" —Discerning Gift Giver of Unique Finds"My best friend has loved history her entire life, and she just got super into cooking, so I knew this was the perfect gift for her, especially since she lives states away! The recipes are beautiful, and the historical significance and stories included are so awesome. She's super excited to get her new recipes each month." —emdogPrice: $42+ (available in two different collections, and in 6-, and 12-month subscriptions) A birthday cocktail gift set that includes four cocktail bombs so they can celebrate themselves exactly how they like — with a drink in hand, and their BFF (you) by their side. The kit includes four cocktail bombs, mandarin-orange flavored rimming sugar, a "Happy Birthday" glass, and instructions. The bombs work with white wine, whiskey, or vodka. They'll also need seltzer or lemon-lime $34 The Adventure Challenge scrapbook that'll give them (and you and your friend group) 50 opportunities to make some new, fun-filled memories. They'll just pick a category, scratch off a hidden challenge, and complete the revealed task. There's space for a Polaroid pic from the day and a notes section, so they can write down the fun things that happened and look back on 'em. Examples of activities are: playing baseball, where the ball is an orange, and a baking challenge, where the person with the least baking experience is blindfolded, and the other person can only read the instructions. Each scratch-off challenge has info about the cost, time of day or night, and duration right outside of the scratch-off square, so they can choose how much they feel like spending before they commit. Promising review: "Fantastically unique gift that encourages time together. Have bought for friends and family." —Not your typical KarenPrice: $40 (also available in Family and Couple styles; you can also grab an instant camera from the listing and film refills, but the book doesn't come with the camera) A New York Times custom football book so they can get all the deets on the history of their fave team. It's full of *at least* 70 pages of reprinted coverage from The New York Times, including highlights from newsworthy games, major events, and memorable dates. They'll reach for it every time football season ends to hold them over until games start up again. A DIY espresso martini kit because you *know* bestie loves a good espresso martiniiii🫰🫰! The kit includes pretty much all that they'll need, other than martini glasses and vodka. And with four different spice blends, they'll be able to make FOUR whole 12-ounce bottles of their fave cocktail. I bet they'll vote your gift as *best birthday gift of the year*. The kit includes four spice blends (the classic, the cocoa, the vanilla, and the carda-martini; each makes 12 ounces of the beverage), a 12-ounce bottle to store the cocktail in, a metal funnel strainer, instructions, and four label stickers for their reviews: "Getting my hands on the Martini Espresso Gift Set was a total treat! Mixing up those fancy martinis at home made me feel like a pro bartender, and savoring the results added a touch of upscale vibes to my evenings. Cheers to good times and great gifts!" —Nick"My friend loved the taste, variety of flavors and uniqueness of the gift." —GratefulPrice: $35 "A Little Pampering" gift set so bestie can slip into tranquility and relaxation right from home, cuz let's face it, what they really want for their birthday is some *me time*. The gift set includes a soy candle, a shower steamer, body oil, a soap bar, and lip balm. Promising review: "I purchased this gift set for my friend's birthday. She absolutely loved it! She went through the entire set and enjoyed the lavender scent. I am sure this will help her to find some calm in difficult times." —alexcat726Price: $44+ (available in two scents and with the option to personalize the set) A personalized song because what's more special than your very own song?! And don't worry, you don't have to do any of the writing! You just answer some questions, share your memories and stories, and musician David Morgan will handle the rest and deliver a one- or three-minute song to your BFF! Answer questions, share anecdotes, and the singer/songwriter will compose a one- or three-minute song with original lyrics and music that'll match the occasion. You'll choose the music genre, too. The musician will send a draft of the lyrics to you before he sings them. Once it's ready, you'll get the custom-made track in an MP3 audio file and the lyrics in a PDF document for you to give to your bestie. Promising review: "If someone has a special birthday coming up, and you know them well, this is the perfect gift! It shows you took time to find them something special, and because it is so personalized, they will definitely feel an emotional connection to it. I also framed the song so they could see it daily, as they wouldn't listen to it every day." —Pocket Full Of DiamondsPrice: $100+ (available as a one- or three-minute song) A copy of Murdle, Volume 1 that'll have them spending their days feeling like Olivia Benson. If they feel like they were a detective in a past life, now's their time to shine and solve these murder mystery-themed logic puzzles. Cue the Law & Order: SVU *dun-dun* sound. Promising review: "I purchased this for a relative who loves to watch true crime, listen to podcasts, and solve mysteries. This gives him the enjoyment of solving mysteries in a new way!" —Amateur SleuthPrice: $16 A home bar rimming board because one thing you can always count on from your best friend, is that they'll be making margaritas if you come over for a hangout night. This'll upgrade their margs and make 'em look like restaurant-quality perfection. Promising review: "Looks just like the picture. I have a friend who is a margarita girl, and I thought she deserved some good equipment for that. She loved it!" —MargiePrice: $35 "My Life Story So Far" — a 106-page memory journal filled with prompts so your best friend can record their stories, mems, and wisdom. Promising review: "I had this saved for months waiting for my best friend's birthday, and she loved it. She is a writer and could not wait to start writing in this book. I'm so glad she loved it! —RobynPrice: $35 (they also have a personalized version where you can add their name to the byline) A bubble tea kit, since they're always up for boba. Now, they'll have everything to make it right at home, eight servings-worth, might I add. They'll get two loose-leaf teas (classic black royal milk and rooibos chai), chewy tapioca pearls, and two reusable, boba-sized stainless steel review: "Got this for my friend on her birthday and she loved it! We are both big bubble tea fans, so I thought this would be perfect. She said it was delicious and even shared it with her husband." —LarsejaPrice: $35.99 (originally $40) A customizable record cutting board because music is your best friend's favorite thing in the entire world. They'll love this uniquely beautiful gift so much, they won't wanna cut a gosh darn thing on it so that it stays perfect. Promising review: "I bought this as a birthday gift for a friend who is a musician/singer/songwriter and personalized it with his name and the name of one of his songs. I also added the stand so it could be displayed. My friend loved it!! He sent me a photo of it displayed, and it looked great after it had been personalized. It's shiny and looks like an actual record. The personalization was perfect, exactly what I had requested!" —KBBPrice: $50+ (available with or without a stand; be sure to hit the "customize" button to personalize it) A campfire beer caramelizer that'll take the sugars found in alcohol and ~caramelize 'em~ to give their brewski an unforgettably rich, frothy texture and sweet, smoky taste. Promising review: "Birthday gift hit. Got it for the bartender who has everything related to bartending. Genuine enthusiasm that led to starting a backyard campfire that night to try it out. Has been used several times. Sturdy and fun to use." —Gift giverPrice: $35 A set of two stemless wineglasses with the full text from Maya Angelou's famous "Phenomenal Woman" poem all over them. Your bestie will love 'em, and anyone who visits them will be in awe when your best friend pulls them out. Iconic, truly. Promising review: "I got these as a gift for a friend's 40th birthday. She absolutely loved them. In fact, she poured her drink into one immediately and used it for the rest of the day. These are a stunning gift for the phenomenal women in your life." —KeriPrice: $38 for a set of two A pair of herbal warming slippers that are super soft, super cozy, and have insoles filled with aromatic lavender buds and thermally conductive flax seeds for ultimate relaxation and ~spa vibes~. If their feet are always cold, then this is the perfect gift for them, cuz they can throw the insoles into the microwave to heat 'em up! Reviewers say that the insoles only need to be heated up for a few seconds, and then they'll stay warm for a longggg time. Promising reviews: "'After a long day, I slide into these two pieces of Heaven disguised as slippers. The day melts away, and I'm floating in paradise. My only regret is that I have but two feet.' ( My mother's response to receiving these!). I'm officially her favorite, lol!" —Cat"My good friend was recently diagnosed with cancer and has begun chemo treatments. She has to have her hands and feet on ice for the 2-hour infusion to mitigate the side effects of neuropathy. Needless to say, after literally 'chilling' her toes, she tells me it's pure magic to be home with her perfectly warm slippers on and feeling the hug all the way to her heart!" —DebórahPrice: $48 (available in women's sizes XS–L and two colors) A crossbody water bottle carrier bag with an adjustable strap for your adventurous BFF who loves to spend just about every waking moment outdoors. It fits water bottles up to 32 ounces, has waterproof pockets/compartments to keep their phone, earbuds, ID, and keys safe and dry, and to top it all off, it's so dang cute. Here's what BuzzFeed Editor Courtney Cummings has to say about this bag: "I gave this to my mom as a gift and she LOVED it. I thought she'd just take it on her morning dog walks or whenever she goes hiking but she carries it everywhere now. It's become her go-to bag! She loves being able to have water with her at all times without having to separately carry it. Plus, she still has access to her wallet, cards, and phone. This little bag is a workhorse and was a killer gift!" Promising review: "The Crossbody Water Bottle Bag is comfortable, spacious, and versatile. Because the strap is wide and adjustable, it never digs in, and the bag is comfortable to wear for lengthy periods of time. I originally purchased it for when walking and biking, but find I use it much more often. I also love the sage green color." —Nature LoverPrice: $59 (available in three colors) A butterfly bouquet 3D pop-up card because, I mean, go big or go home, right? This is your BFF, and those regular ol' grocery store cards just won't hit quite as hard as a big, pop-up bouquet. Since you love 'em SO much, might as well get an extravagantly beautiful, larger-than-life card to show it. Promising review: "This was part of a gift for my BFF who loves butterflies. I have given and received pop up cards in the past, but this was the most amazing one. She was so excited. We both love that the butterflies are suspended after the card is opened. The colors are vibrant. This was the BEST and even better than pictured." —DebPrice: $12 A set of four Himalayan salt shot glasses since your bestie loves a little tequila or mezcal shot every now and then. These have a salty finish that will make their shot even tastier. Bet that as soon as your BFF opens this gift, they'll start cutting up some limes! The salt is naturally antibacterial, so they don't need to be washed. Just store in a dry, cool place. Promising review: "I got this as a gift for my roommate for her birthday. Since it was her birthday, I told her that I would take a shot with her. I'm not an avid tequila drinker like her, so it was a long shot that I would actually enjoy taking it. I can honestly say that when I took the tequila shot out of these shot glasses, I ACTUALLY wanted another a party, right? They are PERFECT. Truly amazing product. Turned me into a some-what tequila drinker." —Turned Tequila DrinkerPrice: $20+ (available with or without a tray) A grilled personal pizza maker because their favorite food is brick-oven 'za, and this lil' guy will let them create their own 8-inch pie right from home, whenever they want. A top-tier gift for anyone who's pizza-obsessed and could eat it every day. It can be used on charcoal, gas, and electric (boogie-woogie-woogie) grills. Price: $40 And a set of three pizza doughs — an *epic deep dish one, a Neapolitan style one, and one for outdoor grilling — hold on, currently wiping the drool off of my chin. Since your bestie totally *lives* for a good slice of 'za, give them this and let things get tasty. Each bag makes two pizzas, just add water!Promising review: "Bought this as a gift for a friend who shares my love for homemade pizza. The price was so good, I ended up getting them for myself as well, and man, am I glad I did. You need to plan ahead, as the instructions call to allow the dough to rise for 2–4 hours, but it's so worth it! Each bag makes two pizzas. Perfect for families, or leftovers, or heck, eat it all yourself! So easy to keep in the pantry." —BPrice: $24 A seriously so good personalized swivel cheese and tapas board because your best friend loves hosting. This super impressive bamboo serving piece comes with four dishwasher-safe ceramic bowls that fit into special sockets, plus a *secret* drawer that holds three (included) cheese knives. And there's even a little spot for them to put their crackers. When Hannah Montana said "nobody's perfect," she hadn't met this bb yet. A birth month flower growth kit, perfect for your plant-lovin' bestie, who enjoys nothing more than growing their lil' plant babies. Promising review: "My friend of over forty years, Mary, is living in another state, and we still remember each other's important dates. Along with a card wishing the best for each other this year, I wanted to send her the July kit. Her birthday is July 17th, and she loves the idea of growing lavender in the home and then transferring it outside to grace her flower bed, then bringing the plant back into the home before the frost in Massachusetts kills it. Now she can enjoy the beauty and smell of lavender all year long!" —Nana SuePrice: $36 (available in a flower for all 12 months of the year) Or a self-watering sunflower grow kit because your bestie loves flowers, and is trying to find their green thumb, but let's face it, your bestie's a killer. A plant killer, that is (bless their lil' heart), but this'll be a stress-free way for them to grow their favorite flower. Promising review: "My best friend loves sunflowers, so I thought this was a beautiful gift! The fact that it also self-waters is amazing because now it's less of a chore for her." —ChelseaPrice: $38 Some shortbread cookies with custom messages so your best friend will get a tasty treat, plus a heartfelt message, inside joke, or whatever personalized text you wanna put on 'em. Unique as heck, really. Promising review: "I bought these for a great friend I haven't seen in some time as a birthday gift; she was absolutely tickled! She said that the cookies are delicious, and the personalized message really made her feel special. Great that they are individually wrapped in two-packs so she can enjoy them longer. Truly a sweet little surprise." —KendraaPrice: $40 (be sure to hit the "customize" button to personalize it) An unlock-the-wine escape room game with clues and puzzles that'll lead them to unlock their beloved vino. The wine bottle is *not* included butttt 54 escape room cards with over 160 puzzles/riddles and a score sheet are. A personalized home LED ticker with over 50 customizable apps so they can curate what they wanna see. Whether they love tracking live sports scores, are into stocks, or just wanna be able to always see what the weather's like, they'll be super into this extra cool gift. Promising review: "My husband never wants anything for his birthday/Christmas, but he loves this! It's super unique and works very well. He loves the customizable aspects. Easy to set up and very vibrant colors. My dad already wants one as well." —Surely StephPrice: $160+ (available in two sizes) A whiskey- and rum-making kit that'll have them bragging to everyone about how they actually made that liquor their guests are sipping on. A DIY rainbow bagel kit, which comes with all the fixins' they'll need to make a beautiful and delish breakfast. Since your bestie loves to bake, they'll love this lil' fun activity that allows them to be creative in the kitchen. They'll be posting pics of their beautiful bagels for weeks. A time capsule kit with instructions, writing prompts, a photo album, and everything else they'll need to curate a sentimental keepsake and dig it up years later. Did anyone else grow up thinking they'd make tons of these and then never did? A fun way for your best friend to turn their special moments into treasure. The kit includes writing prompts, a photo album, a notepad, labels, cloth gloves, wrenches, nuts, bolts, rings, silica packets to prevent damage from humidity, an aluminum time capsule, a stamped "TIME CAPSULE" stake, and ideas of items to $120 Your bestie, after opening their new espresso martini kit: Reviews in this post have been edited for length and clarity.

Business Insider
a day ago
- Business Insider
My 7-year-old interviewed the author of his favorite book. He asked big and small questions with more confidence than I have.
When author and illustrator Peter Brown set out to write "The Wild Robot," he didn't head to a studio or café — he went to the Catskills, Maine, and the Pacific Northwest to find inspiration. When I had the chance to connect with Brown, I knew I had to turn to an expert who truly appreciated the book: my 7-year-old son. "I tried to spend as much time in kind of a wilderness area as I could to feed my imagination, give me little ideas, remind myself of the kind of sounds that you hear when you're out in the woods," Brown told me and my son over a video interview. That juxtaposition — the mechanical and the natural — sits at the heart of "The Wild Robot," Brown's beloved middle-grade novel and now an Oscar-nominated major motion picture from DreamWorks. "The last place you'd expect to find a robot is out in the wilderness," Brown explained. "And so I thought, well, that's kind of interesting." My three children agree. They are such fans of the movie that we ended up not only buying it, but also getting the book to read the original story, which we've already enjoyed multiple times. My son had lots of questions to ask Brown, from whether he liked robots to whether there would be more movies starring his favorite robot, Roz. He wanted readers to care about the robot To prepare for the interview, my son and I talked about our favorite parts of the movie and the book. I asked him what he wanted to ask Brown, and he surprised me with how much he wanted to know, including why the robot doesn't have a mouth but can still talk, and more profound questions that, as a parent, moved me. For those who aren't hardcore fans like we are, "The Wild Robot" follows Rozzum Unit 7134 (a.k.a Roz), a machine that washes ashore on a remote island and must learn to survive — and eventually, thrive — among wildlife. "This is a very extreme fish out of water story," Brown said. "You take that advanced technological character and you put it in the least technological place you can imagine." The book's premise is simple, but the emotional arc is complex. Brown imagined a robot that becomes more "natural and wild than even a person could." Both my husband and I cried at different scenes of the movie because Roz reminded us of different parenting phases we've been through, helping our kids learn how to walk, or learning ourselves how to let them go and become their own person. "That is kind of the main goal of an author — to make sure your readers care," Brown said. Roz is an optimistic vision of AI At a time when most portrayals of artificial intelligence tend toward the dystopian, Brown aimed for something different. "We are very familiar with stories about robots, kind of like a robot uprising," he said. "I thought it was more interesting to show a more optimistic vision of what the future could look like." He backs that vision with research, not just imagination. Brown visited NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and spoke with scientists designing robots to explore other planets. "They're already using robots to communicate with animals," he told my son, who listened with both his eyes and mouth wide open in surprise. Roz, Brown believes, could someday exist. There might be a movie sequel Brown has long loved animation, and the adaptation of the first book from his three-book series into a movie has been a surreal experience. "Before I started writing children's books, I actually worked in animation," he said. So when DreamWorks reached out, saying they wanted to adapt the book into a movie, he was very excited. He hopes for a sequel, which was one of the more important questions my son had because he wants more of Roz. "I'm pretty confident there will be at least one more movie," he said. My son shared with Brown how his twin sisters, who are two years younger than him, often get distracted when my husband reads the original book because it doesn't have illustrations on every page. Brown's latest project, " The Wild Robot on the Island," is a picture book adaptation of the original novel, aimed at an audience like my daughters. He wants readers to learn something from Roz Throughout the interview, Brown answered my son's big questions and little questions with the same enthusiasm and attention to detail. They talked about whether Brown had a Roomba (he doesn't) and whether he had adopted anything like Roz did in the story (he did adopt his dog Pam). My son surprised me by asking one of the more profound questions of the interview — what we, as readers, could learn from Roz. Brown hopes it's empathy and interdependence. "Roz learns that she needs help. She can't do it all by herself," he said. "We all need each other; we should just be good to each other because we're going to need each other at some point or another." It's a message that Brown feels is often forgotten. But through the eyes of a robot (or in my case, during this interview, a 7-year-old) trying to understand the world, it becomes fresh again.
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- Yahoo
Ariana Grande's Jennifer Coolidge Impression Wasn't the Most-Watched ‘SNL' Sketch of the Season, This Recurring Character Was
After a historic year for 'Saturday Night Live,' the comedy series ranked their most viral sketches from Season 50, and Ariana Grande's performances came out on top. The 'Wicked' star made her presence known at Studio 8H during her press tour for the blockbuster, with three of her sketches cracking the top five most-watched performances of the season. The pop singer's Jennifer Coolidge impression came in as the 4th most-watched sketch of the season. Grande and Chloe Fineman mirrored their impressions of the 'White Lotus' star as they tested out Maybelline's latest lip product. But the recurring sketch that dominated the season was another one of Grande's: 'Domingo.' The Oscar nominee was joined by a cast of bridesmaids to toast the bride with an original song to the tune of Sabrina Carpenter's 'Espresso.' Grande's ability to sing off-key went viral on social media, leading the cast to bring back the sketch format twice more during the season — once for Charli XCX's episode and a third time during the 50th Anniversary special, featuring Carpenter herself. 'Domingo: Babymoon' was the second-most watched sketch of the season. Another sketch from the 'Thank U, Next' singer that was third most-watched overall was 'Castrati,' in which she plays a young boy who is castrated at eight or nine years old to preserve his falsetto singing voice. Her face of general disgust and horror as Antonio became a meme on social media, gaining traction for the sketch across platforms. Several of Timothée Chalamet's performances also cracked the Top 10 most-watched sketches, including his performance as a barista-in-training and a bungee workout instructor. Here's the full list of the top sketches of 'SNL' Season 50: 'Domingo: Bridesmaid Speech' feat. Ariana Grande 'Domingo: Babymoon' feat. Charli XCX 'Castrati' feat. Ariana Grande 'Maybelline' feat. Ariana Grande 'Mid-Day News 2' feat. Shane Gillis 'Bungee' feat. Timothée Chalamet 'Port Authority Duane Reade' feat. John Mulaney 'New Barista Training' feat. Timothée Chalamet 'Washington's Dream 2' feat. Nate Bargatze 'Shrek: The Musical' feat. Charli XCX The post Ariana Grande's Jennifer Coolidge Impression Wasn't the Most-Watched 'SNL' Sketch of the Season, This Recurring Character Was appeared first on TheWrap.