Tatianna Brown
Vassar College Graduate
Projects
Queer Representation in Audio Dramas
Senior Thesis
My senior project, "Can You Hear Us? A Content Analysis of Queer Representation in Audio Dramas," is a content analysis of seven popular audio drama podcasts. The proliferation of independently created podcasts allows for more creative freedom, and thus a greater chance for diverse representation, especially when compared to other media forms like television and film. I studied these shows for the role of queer characters and the focus, or lack thereof, on their sexualities and gender identities (specifically, any nonbinary or transgender characters), as well as how those identities potentially affect the show’s overall plot. I also looked at responses on social media sites like Twitter and Tumblr to get a brief look into the impact these shows and characters had on queer listeners.
Continue below to read an except from my conclusion.
The Dark Side of the Rebel Alliance
Published Writing
In my freshman year, I took a course analyzing post-colonial themes within the Star Wars canon. For our final projects, we were encouraged to write on any post-colonial theme that interested us the most and I chose to delve deeper into how the films portray the Rebel Alliance's actions compared to the reality of those actions, such as the destruction of both Death Stars and what those measures imply.
In August 2020, a selection of final projects from this course, including my own, were compiled into an anthology entitled "Post Colonial Star Wars," edited by my professor, Dr. Matthew Schultz. The original project was multimodal and included hyperlinks and images, but the published version is text only. Continue below to read the complete work.
Independent Project
Audio Recording and Editing
During my time abroad in London for the Spring 2020 term, I worked on an independent project initially intended to capture the city's unique soundscape. However, with the growing COVID-19 pandemic, my project shifted to cataloging the events of the virus and my reactions to it as the situation unfolded.
Inspired by The War of the Worlds, by H. G. Wells, I integrated some quotes from the book, ambient noises that I had already gathered, and audio from the Queen, the Mayor of London, and a comedy show I attended into the project. By using all of these elements, I aimed to both realistically recreate my own experiences in London, as well as add a more fantastical twist to reflect both disbelief and stark truth.
Watching the Clock
Video and Audio Editing
Working with a peer, this compilation film focuses on the idea of 'wasting' time and attempts to push that notion to its extreme. We created it in response to the endless critiques that younger generations are wasting their time on seemingly meaningless activities.
By comparing content from YouTube and art films, we begin to challenge the idea of 'wasted' time and show that the time spent in the creation and viewing of these videos is purposeful and thus they should all be qualified as art.
Many of the videos had little to no audio so we added commentary, music, and noises to, again, contrast the 'uselessness' of these videos and time usage, as well as emphasize the time the viewer spends watching this video.
A Stroll Through Vassar
Audio Recording and Editing
Completed with two peers, this soundwalk through Vassar College aims to capture sounds unique to the campus that any student would be able to easily identify. The sounds cover a variety of activities that most students experience, like the gym, dining hall, and the pianos located in all of the parlors of the dorm buildings. We wanted to create a sonic representation of an average day on campus for a student.
About Me
My name is Tatianna and I am a recent Media Studies graduate from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. My focus is on film, radio, and podcasts; specifically, I am interested in the diversity these media allow, both presented to audiences and behind the scenes. I also have a passion for writing, copy editing, and audio editing. I spent a semester abroad at Goldsmiths, University of London for Media, Communications, and Cultural Studies in the spring of 2020 and I graduated early in the fall of 2020.