How Does Hollywood Create a Buzz?0

Spring 2012

In entertainment, there are no fixed rules for success. “That’s the fun part of the industry,” says McIntire professor Natasha Foutz. “You never know what will become successful.” Foutz researches and teaches media and marketing, and she says that for entertainment products—movies, music, books, games and events—demand is uncertain, and life cycles are short. So what creates a buzz around a movie? First, of course, the product itself matters. Celebrities and interesting plots draw us in. Ever notice how many sequels are playing at the multiplex? Sequels tend...

The Secret Life of a Raindrop0

Winter 2011

A raindrop is never just a raindrop. Its value changes from friend to enemy, moneymaker to toxin.

What’s the future of books in a digital world?4

Fall 2011

Rare Book School“The most important thing to point out,” says Michael Suarez, director of U.Va.‘s Rare Book School, “is that despite lots of writing to the contrary, the book is not dead.” Suarez notes that in 2010 more titles than ever were published worldwide. Also, though the emergence of new media has changed the way we get information and tell stories, it’s just another in a long line of expressive media. “The world of writing, or chirographic culture, didn’t replace orality,” he says. “Print didn’t replace writing by hand, film didn’t stop radio, television...

Smart Mouth0

Summer 2011

Professor David Hill explains the sense of taste

We Are Stardust0

Spring 2011

Astronomy professor Edward M. Murphy (Grad '93, '96) knows how the universe began. He also has a pretty good idea of how it will end.

Man with a Plan2

Winter 2010

Good Counsel0

Fall 2010

Saving Shots Is a Snap0

Summer 2010