Iterate Weekly - Issue 35
This week we're experiencing Sundance in VR, going to school with celebrities, eating "clean" dog food, finding gifts for music lovers, and reliving our NES holiday memories with 8-Bit Christmas!
Welcome to issue 35 of Iterate Weekly!
Just a reminder that you can always reply to this email or leave a comment on the web version. I do read all of them and I appreciate the feedback, questions, and insights from all of you.
Let’s jump into this week’s stories.
🤖Tech
The Sundance VR Experience
This year there will be a new, high-tech way to check out some of the films at the Sundance Film Festival.
The “New Frontier” portion of the festival will be presented in virtual reality. The pandemic has really put a damper on in-person film festivals. Last year, Sundance started offering some of its films in VR through their virtual venue dubbed “The Spaceship”. This year they’re adding more functionality and the interesting ability for those watching virtually to connect with those who are there in-person in Park City.
They’re calling this technology a human scale “Biodigital Bridge” which will allow those entering the space remotely to connect with those on the ground at the festival. It’s accessible this year to all holders of the festival’s Explorer pass.
I’ve loved the ability to watch NBA games in VR on my Oculus Quest and I can see this being a really fun way to consume a film festival. I’ll be sure to tune-in to experience it for myself during the festivities taking place between January 20-30.
🎓Education
More Celebrities are Starting Schools
It is the season of giving, and more and more celebrities are choosing to give back by creating their own schools.
No, it’s no longer good enough to just slap your name on a plaque or write a check to cover the costs. Many celebrities are playing integral roles in the design of the physical schools and corresponding curricula.
The Roybal School of Film and Television Production, with a board featuring George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Don Cheadle, Kerry Washington, Mindy Kaling, Nicole Avant, Eva Longoria, Working Title Films’ Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, and CAA’s Bryan Lourd, was announced in June, with plans to welcome high school students starting next fall.
That list of celebrity board members is downright impressive. In addition to the work Clooney has done, much has been made about the dynamic duo of Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre. In 2013, they started the USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation (IYA). With their success on the collegiate level, they’re now planning to open a high school in South L.A. in the coming year.
While having a celebrity name connected to a school is no guarantee of its quality, it’s surely a good sign that so many big names are looking to enrich the lives of young people. I’m excited to see this trend grow as we look for ways to make learning more accessible and cost-effective across the board.
🩺Health & Nutrition
The growth of “clean” dog food
For several years, I’ve been giving my dog “human grade” dog food. It has simple ingredients like beef, potatoes, and carrots. It agrees with his stomach and it appears to have improved his health with no scary ingredients on the label.
It’s no coincidence that this industry is skyrocketing as more and more people care about the ingredients in their petfood as much as their own food. A new list of celebrities are investing in a brand called Jinx that hopes to push this market even further.
The Jinx brand focuses on more conscious kibble that is free of things like corn, wheat, or soy. It highlights convenience and quality along with easy to refill subscription orders so you never have to worry about running out
The roster of investors spans movies, sports, and music with Trevor Noah, Will Smith, Halsey, and Michael Strahan on board. I’m all for having more competition in the pet food market. When I had a dog as a kid there were basically 3 boring choices of unappealing dry kibble. Dogs these days really have it made!
🛍Grab Bag
Vinyl Me Please Gift Guide
In the past I’ve written about my love for Vinyl Me Please. They’re a company that sends you a new vinyl record each month to expand your musical horizons.
This month, I wanted to give a shout out to their Holiday Gift Guide. They have something for all types of music fans. I can speak from personal experience as I purchased their Best Record Stores in America book as a secret santa gift for a colleague last year. It was a huge hit.
Definitely check it out if you have a music fan on your shopping list this year.
💬Quote of the Week
“Everything that has a beginning has an ending. Make your peace with that and all will be well.” - Jack Kornfield
📺Content Recommendation
8-Bit Christmas
I think we have a new holiday classic movie on our hands…
8-Bit Christmas really pushed all the right buttons for me. It’s a period piece set in the late 80s (a time very near and dear to my heart). It’s entire premise is around kids trying to acquire a Nintendo Entertainment System before Christmas. It has some aspects of “Jingle All the Way” consumerism crossed with the nostalgic storytelling of “A Christmas Story” and the irreverent humor of “Elf” (you’ll notice the poster says “from the studio that brought you Elf”).
It’s the perfect holiday movie for anyone who remembers longing for an NES PowerGlove or being concerned about looking uncool in their snow boots at recess.
Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!