AYMAR JEAN CHRISTIAN ajchristian.org | weareo.tv
OTV Lab: 710 N. Lake Shore Drive, 17th Floor, Chicago, IL 60611 OTV Studio: 2557 W. North Ave, Chicago IL 60647 Faculty Office: 2240 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208
EMPLOYMENT
Associate Professor, Communication Studies 2019— Northwestern University
Assistant Professor, Communication Studies 2013-2019 Northwestern University
EDUCATION
Ph.D. University of Pennsylvania, Annenberg School for Communication 2012 Certificate, Cinema Studies M.A. University of Pennsylvania, Annenberg School for Communication 2009 B.A. University of Michigan, American Culture 2006
BOOKS
Open Platforms: Developing Culture in the Age of Big Data in progress Open TV: Innovation Beyond Hollywood and the Rise of Web Television. NYU Press. 2018 Reviews: Journal of Communication
PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLES
Christian, A.J., Platforming Intersectionality: Networked Social Media & Society 2020 Díaz, M., Day, F., Solidarity and the Limits of Platform Power. & Peterson- Salahuddin, C. Christian, A.J. Organic Representation as Cultural Reparation. Journal of Cinema and 2020 & White, K.W. Media Studies Christian, A.J. Expanding Production Value: the culture and Critical Studies in 2019 scale of television and new media. Television 14(2), 255–267. Christian, A.J. Beyond Branding: The Value of Intersectionality Television & New Media 2019 in Networked TV Distribution. Day, F., Locating Black Queer TV: Fans, Producers, and Transformative Works 2017 & Christian A.J. Networked Publics on YouTube. and Cultures, 24. Christian, A.J. The Value of Representation: Toward a Critique International Journal of 2017 of Networked Television Performance. Communication. 11, 1552–1574. Christian, A.J. Web TV Networks Challenge Linear Business Carsey-Wolf Media 2015 Models. Industries Project Christian, A.J. The Web As Television Reimagined? Online Journal of Communication 2012 Networks and the Pursuit of Legacy Media. Inquiry 36(4): 340-356. Christian, A.J. Beyond Big Video: The Instability of Continuum: Journal of 2012 Independent Distribution in a New Media Media & Cultural Market. Studies 26 (1): 73-87. Christian, A.J. Fandom as Industrial Response: Producing Transformative Works & 2011 Identity in an Independent Web Series. Cultures, 8. Christian, A.J. Joe Swanberg, Intimacy and the Digital Cinema Journal 2011 Aesthetic. 50 (4): 117-135. Christian, A.J. Camp 2.0: A Queer Performance of the Communication, Culture 2010 Personal. and Critique, 13(3): 352–376 Christian, A.J. Real Vlogs: The rules and meanings of personal First Monday 2009 online videos. 14 (11)
BOOK CHAPTERS
Christian, A.J. Intersectional Distribution. Studying Race & Media. L. Lopez, ed. 2020 NYU Press. Christian, A.J. The Art of Queer Drama. Racism Post-Race. S. Banet-Weiser, H. 2019 Gray, & R. Mukherjee, eds. Duke University Press. Christian, A.J. Off the Line: Expanding Routledge Companion to Global Television. 2019 Creativity in the Production and S. Shimpach, ed. Routledge. Distribution of Web Series. Christian, A.J. High Maintenance and The How to Watch Television. Jason Mittell 2019 Misadventures of Awkward Black and E. Thompson, eds. NYUPress. Girl: The Art of Indie TV. Christian, A.J. Open TV (beta): The From Networks to Netflix: A Guide to 2018 Development Process. Changing Channels. D. Johnson, ed. Routledge. Christian, A.J. Futurewomen: Developing Ma(s)king Her: Black Feminist Futures. 2017 Alternate Reality Television. Candor Arts. Christian, A.J. & One Man Hollywood: The From Madea to Media Mogul: Critical 2016 White, K. Decline of Black Creative Perspectives on Tyler Perry. T. Russworm, Production in Post-Network S. Sheppard, K. Bowdre, eds. Television. University Press of Mississippi. Christian, A.J. Video Stars: Marketing Queer Intersectional Internet: Race, Sex, and 2016 Performance in Networked Culture Online. A. Brock, S.U. Noble, B. Television Tynes, eds. Peter Lang. Christian, A.J. Indie TV: Innovation in Series Media Independence: working with freedom or 2014 Development. working for free?. J. Bennett & N. Strange, eds. Routledge. Christian, A.J. Not TV, Not the Web: Mobile Mobile Media Reader. N. Arceneaux, ed. 2012 Video Between Openness and Bruges, Belgium: College of Europe. Control.
OTHER SCHOLARLY PUBLICATIONS
Christian, A.J. [book review] Algorithms of Oppression: How International Journal of 2019 search engines reinforce racism. Communication. Christian, A.J. Technology Shapes Black TV Representation. MediaCommons. 2018 April 14. Christian, A.J. How YouTube Blew It (book excerpt). Los Angeles Review of 2018 Books. January 19. Henderson, L; A Dossier on Making & Doing. International 2018 Hogan, M; Communication Association Christian, A.J.; 2017 Theme Book. Erni, J. Christian, A.J. Nupita Obama: The Value and Method of No More Potlucks. 44. 2016 Queer Pilot Development. Christian, A.J. How Web TV Brought Cultural Innovation to Doing Innovation. 2015 Television. November 13. Christian, A.J. Open TV: Rescue Pilots from Development Flow. 18(8). 2013 Hell. Christian, A.J. The Black TV Crisis and the Next Generation. Flow. 18(5). 2013 Christian, A.J. Zombies Beat Humans on Television. Flow. 18(2). 2013 Christian, A.J. Valuing Post-Network Television. Flow. 17(11). 2013 Christian, A.J. Outsiders After Viral Video. Hacktivision.. 2012 Christian, A.J. [book review] Christopher Pullen: Gay Identity Communication, Culture 2011 and New Storytelling. and Critique, 4 (1): 118–120. Christian, A.J. The Problem of YouTube. Flow 2011 Christian, A.J. Paying With Bagels: The Labor of Web Video In Media Res. 2011 Production. Christian, A.J. From Four to Ten: A New Lens for Scripted In Media Res. 2010 TV.
FELLOWSHIPS & HONORS
Peabody Awards Board of Jurors, Digital Storytelling 2020 Pop Culture Collaborative Program Grantee 2019-2020 Impact Guild Fellow 2020 Field & MacArthur Foundations Leader for a New Chicago 2019 Field Foundation Arts Programming Grant 2019 Northwestern University School Clarence Simon Teaching Award 2019 of Communication Peabody Awards / Media Center Faculty Fellow 2017-2019 Northwestern University Kaplan Institute for the Humanities Fellowship 2015-2016 Northwestern University Searle Fellowship in Teaching & Learning 2014-2015
Hyde Park Arts Center 3rd Language Workshop, Community Arts & 2014 Technology Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship, Honorable Mention 2012 University of Pennsylvania Fontaine Society Fellow 2007-2012 University of Pennsylvania Mellon Graduate Research Fellowship 2009-2010 Phi Beta Kappa Honoree 2006
GRANTS & AWARDS
Pop Culture Collaborative Program Grant $150,000 2018-2020 Northwestern Undergraduate Program Grant $17,000 2014-2020 Research Program Margeurite Casey Foundation Project Grant $10,000 2019 MacArthur Foundation Project Grant $90,000 2019 Nathan Cummings Foundation Program Grant $5,000 2019 Surdna Foundation Program Grant $175,000 2019 Field/MacArthur Foundation Award $50,000 2019 Field Fundation Arts Program Grant $35,000 2019 Voqal Fund & Chicago Production Funding: The $101,000 2015-19 Filmmakers T, HIVE, Right Swipe, Brujos, Brown Girls, You’re So Talented Sexualities Project at Research Grant $34,629 2015-2019 Northwestern Museum of Contemporary Art Program Grant $1,000 2017-19 Chicago Propeller Fund, via Threewalls Production Grant $6,000 2017-2018 Duke University & University of Distribution Deal $50,000 2018 North Carolina Northwestern University Provost Grant for Faculty $18,000 2017-2018 Innovation in Diversity and Equity Center for Interdisciplinary Program Grant $3,000 2018 Research in the Arts, Northwestern Joyce Foundation & 3Arts Production Grant $6,112 2017 Black Arts Initiative, Program Grant $1,000 2017 Northwestern City of Chicago, Department of Exhibition Grant $7,700 2016-2017 Cultural Affairs and Special Events Northwestern School of Faculty Innovation Award $4,600 2015-16 Communication University of Chicago Arts + Residency Stipend $2,000 2015-2016 Public Life
INVITED TALKS
Open Platforms: Developing Invited Talk. Western University, 2020. Culture in the Age of Big Data. January 23. Ontario, Canada. MacArthur Foundation Journalism Keynote Panel. Sundance Film Festival. 2020 & Media Rountable. January 26. Transforming Social Impact. Invited Talk. MacArthur Foundation, 2019 October 15. Chicago, IL. How To Develop An Indie TV Invited Talk, Sundance New Voices 2019 Show June 22 Lab, Los Angeles, CA Diversity Is Trending: Invited Talk. Michigan State 2019 Understanding Social Media through April 19. University. Lansing, MI. Indie TV. Chicago Black Arts Movement: Keynote panel. South Side Community 2018 History and Moving Forward. December 15. Art Center. Chicago, IL. International Black Writer’s Invited Talk. Parkway Ballroom. 2018 Conference, Revisited. November 10. Chicago, IL. Praxis in Practice: Featured Invited panelist. University of Texas— 2018 Roundtable. September 28. Austin, TX. Developing Intersectional Artists Keynote Talk. Princeton University. 2018 and Community Through TV. September 22. Princeton, NJ. Intersectionality Has Value in Local, Invited Talk. Microsoft Research. 2018 Global, and Networked Exhibition. September 20. Cambridge, MA. The Queer Art of Scale: Production Invited Talk. Tufts University. Boston, 2018 Value in Networked Television. September 20. MA. Scaling Development and the Value Invited Talk. Boston College. Boston, 2018 of Interesectionality. September 19. MA. Lessons from ’68: Soul!, Open Invited Talk. District Berlin. Berlin, 2018 Television, and Queer Black TV. June 2. Germany. Scaling Development: Local Value Invited Panel. ICA Annual Pre- 2018 in Global TV Markets. May 23. Conference. Prague, Czech Republic. Branding Quality TV: Race, Gender, Keynote Conversation. Block Museum. 2018 and Representation. May 16. Evanston, IL. Scaling Data through Intersectional Invited Talk. University of Southern 2018 R&D. April 23. California. Los Angeles, CA. On Queer TV Development. Invited Talk. University of Michigan. 2018 April 10. Ann Arbor, MI. Designing the Future of TV. Lecture Invited Talk. Illinois Institute of 2018 & Conversation. February 26. Technology. Chicago, IL. Open TV. Invited Talk & Keynote University of Michigan. 2018 Conversation. Ann Arbor, MI. February 15. Executive Talks: Aymar Jean Keynote Conversation. Stage18, Chicago, IL 2018 Christian. January 25. The Chicago Track: Web Series 101 Invited Talk & Keynote Columbia College 2018 with Open TV (beta). Conversation. January 20. Chicago. Chicago, IL In Progress: Aymar Jean Christian. Keynote Conversation & Museum of 2018 Book Reading. Contemporary Art January 16. Chicago. Chicago, IL Homegrown: Brown Girls and The Keynote Panel. Film Independent at the 2017 North Pole, Web Series Case Studies. October 22. Directors Guild of America. Hollywood, CA. The Scales of Production Value: Invited Talk. Cornell University, 2017 Intersectionality and the Culture of September 14. Ithaca, NY. TV Development. Developing Art TV. Invited Talk & Keynote Open Engagement. 2017 Conversation. Chicago, IL. April 21. Open TV (beta). Invited Talk. Vimeo HQ. New York, 2017 April 18. NY. Of Brown Girls and Brujos: The Value Invited Talk. Old Dominion 2017 of Intersectionality in Networked April 14. University. Norfolk, VA. Television. Of Brown Girls and Brujos: Invited Talk. Brown University. 2017 Performing Intersectionality in Web April 12. Providence, RI. TV. Scaling Reality Television: Invited Talk. Temple University. 2017 Inequalities of Value in Reality March 28. Philadelphia, PA. Series about Artists of Color. Open TV beta: Understanding Invited Panelist. University of Wisconsin- 2017 Networked Development. March 21. Madison. Madison, WI. Scaling Reality Television: Lecture. Northwestern University. 2017 Inequalities of Value in Networked March 8. Kaplan Institute for the Documentary. Humanities. Evanston, IL The Value of Representation: Invited Talk. New York University, 2017 Toward a Critique of Networked February 2. New York, NY. Television Performance. The Art of Scale: Production Value Invited Talk. DePaul University. 2016 in Networked Television. October 20. Chicago, IL. Plenary Session – Emerging Keynote Panel. Console-ing Passions. 2016 Scholars. Notre Dame University, IN. The Value and Limits of Keynote Talk. Middlebury College. 2016 Intersectional Distribution. April 27. Middlebury, VT. We Are Open TV: A Workshop on Keynote Panel. California State 2016 Web Series. April 12. University – San Marcos. San Marcos, CA. Collaborating Outside the Film Workshop. Chicago Filmmakers, 2016 Community. March 26. Chicago, IL. The Gathering: A Personal Plenary Panelist. The Art Institute of 2016 Narrative Made Public. March 17. Chicago, Chicago, IL. Intersectional Production as Symposium Keynote. University of Texas – 2015 Innovation in Networked Comedy. October 30. Austin, Austin, TX. Open TV. Thematic Session: Plenary Panel. American Sociological 2015 Sexualities and Popular Culture. August 25. Association, Chicago, IL. Diversity in TV: How Independent Invited Talk. Northwestern University. 2015 Artists and New Tech Challenge May 27. Evanston, IL. Legacy Television. How Academia Is Embracing Plenary Panel. LA Webfest. Los 2015 Webseries Across the Globe. April 3. Angeles, CA. What Is Open TV? Invited Talk. Illinois Institute of 2015 March 3. Technology. Chicago, IL. Reconsidering Diversity in TV Invited Talk. University of Wisconsin. 2014 Drama. October 17.. Madison, WI. Indie TV: Innovation in Series Invited Talk. University of Michigan. 2014 Development. September 11. Ann Arbor, MI. Sex, Cable and Game of Thrones. Invited Talk. Northwestern 2014 May 12. University’s Sexual Health & Assault Peer Educators (SHAPE). Evanston, IL. Indie TV: Where Creators and Fans Invited Panel with with Transforming Hollywood 2014 Pilot New Shows. Issa Rae, Numa Perrier, 5: The Future of Brad Bell, Amy Rubin, Jay Television. University of Bushman and Adam California – Los Angeles. Goldman. Los Angeles, CA. April 4. Indie TV: A Playlist. Lecture and workshop New York University 2014 leader, with Ingrid Maurice Kanbar Institute Jungermann, Adam of Film & Television Goldman. January 29. Melody Set Me Free: Embodying Art Lecture. Northwestern University 2013 Television. June 9. Performance Studies Institute: Performance, Technology, Biopolitics. Independent Television and the Invited Talk. University of Southern 2013 Transformation of Creative March 11. California. Los Angeles, Economy. CA. Digital Keynote Conversation: Show Panelist. New York Television 2012 Me the Business. October 26. Festival. New York, NY. Making and Monetizing Online Invited Talk. Blogging While Brown 2012 Video. June 1. Conference. Philadelphia, PA. Off the Line: Independent TV Invited Talk. Rutgers University New 2012 Distribution and the Pitch to February 1. Brunswick, NJ. Reinvent the Industry. Independent Television and Digital Invited Talk. University of Richmond, 2012 Possibilities. January 9. Richmond, VA. Off the Line: Independent TV Invited Talk. University of Wisconsin, 2011 Distribution and the Pitch to December 12. Madison, WI. Reinvent the Industry. Lecture. Independent Cinema in Hong Kong: Lecture. University of 2010 Negotiating Independence, Pennsylvania. Navigating Global Markets and Philadelphia, PA. Defining the Nation. Going Global: Remaking Film into Keynote. Philadelphia Museum of 2010 an International Language: Mira February 25, 27. Art. Philadelphia, PA. Nair, Ousmane Sembene, Pedro Almodóvar. The Rise of Independent Keynote. Philadelphia Museum of 2010 Filmmaking in America: Quentin February 18, 27. Art. Philadelphia, PA. Tarantino, John Cassavetes, Spike Lee. The Connection Industry and the Invited Talk. Penn Internet and Media 2009 Web Series Market. December 9. Policy workshop series. Philadelphia, PA.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Queering Research & Development. American Studies Association Annual Conference. 2019 Honolulu, Hawaii. November 10. The Tyranny of Generalizability: Toward Intersectional Research & Development. 2019 International Communication Association Annual Conference. Washington, DC. May 27. Open TV Representation: Black Queer TV Reforms Cultural Politics. International 2019 Communication Association Annual Conference. Washington, DC. May 28. The Persistent Normativity of Will & Grace. International Association for Media and 2019 Communication Research. Madrid, Spain. July 10. Organic Representation. Society for Cinema and Media Studies. Seattle, WA. March 14. 2019 Open TV. One State Together in the Arts. Galesburg XCHANGE by Arts Alliance Illinois 2018 and the Illinois Arts Council Agency. Galesburg, IL. October 22. Intersectional Fandoms as Value in Local, Global and Networked Exhibition. International 2018 Communication Association Annual Conference. Prague, Czech Republic. May 28. The Critical Role of Development in Representation. International Communication Association 2018 Annual Conference. Prague, Czech Republic. May 25 The Value and Limits of Local vs. Networked Exhibition. American Studies Association 2017 Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL. November 10. Introducing Open TV. SXSW Social. Austin, TX. March 13. 2017 Making Media in “The Chi.” Society for Cinema and Media Studies. Chicago, IL. March 22. 2017 Scales of Networked Television Performance. Flow Conference. University of Texas at 2016 Austin, Austin, TX. September 15. Diversifying Television’s Supply Chain. Console-ing Passions: international conference on television, 2016 video, audio, new media and feminism. Notre Dame, IN. June 16-19. Developing Community-Based Web TV with Small Data. International Communication 2016 Association. Fukuoka, Japan. June 12. Developing Community-Based Web TV with Small Data. Society for Cinema and Media 2016 Studies. Atlanta, GA. April 1. The Broads of Indie TV. Console-ing Passions: international conference on television, video, audio, 2015 new media and feminism. Dublin, Ireland. June 20. Locating Black Queer TV: The Production and Publics of Performance Online. Black Arts 2015 Initiative: Institutions and Interventions. Evanston, IL. June 4. Wide Open TV. International Communication Association. San Juan, Puerto Rico. May 24. 2015
Web TV is Local: Expanding Value In and Outside Hollywood. International Communication 2015 Association. San Juan, Puerto Rico. May 23. The Art of Indie Drama. Society for Cinema and Media Studies. Montreal, Canada. March 26. 2015 Scandal and the Value of Indie Drama. American Studies Association Annual Convention. Los 2014 Angeles, CA. November 9. Indie TV Is Open TV. Flow TV Conference. Austin, TX. September 13. 2014 Tyler Perry and the Decline of Black Creative Production. International Communication 2014 Association 2014 Conference. Seattle, WA. May 24. Open TV and Melody Set Me Free. National Communication Association 2013 Conference. 2013 Washington, DC. November 23. Revaluing Labor With Web Video: The Case of The Guild. National Communication 2012 Association 2012 Conference. Orlando, FL. November 16. Distribution From Outside In or, Why Every Web TV Network Wants To Emulate 2012 Television. Flow TV Conference 12. University of Texas at Austin. Austin, TX. November 2. Can Digital Distribution Recreate Television for Indie Showrunners?. What is television? A 2012 conference exploring the past, present, and future of television. University of Oregon. Portland, OR. March 3. Web Video and Ethnic Media: Linking Distribution and Representation (Black Networks 2012 focus). Modern Language Association. Seattle, WA. January 6. Producing Television 2.0: Reinventing the Industry in MTV’s Valemont. National 2011 Communication Association 2011 Conference. New Orleans, LA. November 19. Are There Queer Web Series? National Communication Association 2011 Conference. New 2011 Orleans, LA. November 19. Web Video and Ethnic Media: Linking Distribution and Representation. National 2011 Communication Association 2011 Conference. New Orleans, LA. November 19. Fandom as Industrial Response: Producing Identity in an Independent Web Series. 2011 International Communication Association 2011 Conference. Boston, MA. May 28. The Making of the Web Series Market: Marketing Connection in Independent Media. 2011 International Communication Association 2011 Conference. Boston, MA. May 29. Promise and Problems: Independent Production in Periods of Change. Media in Transition 2011 7. Boston, MA. May 14. The Future of Web Video: Lessons from Radio and TV. Broadcast Education Association 2011 2011 Conference. Las Vegas, NV. April 10.
Independent Web Series: Failure and Value in New Media Economies. F is for Failure: 5th 2011 Annual ZdC grad student conference at USC. Los Angeles, CA. April 9. Beyond YouTube and Hulu: Independent Networks in a New Media Market. Society for 2011 Cinema and Media Studies. New Orleans, LA. March 11. Remaking the Industry and Its Texts: Production and Representation in a Lesbian Web 2010 Series. Association for Internet Researchers: IR 11.0. Gothenburg, Sweden. October 21-23. Racing Independent Production: Making and Marketing Black and Latino Web Series. 2010 International Communication Association. Singapore. June 22-26. Music Video Remakes and Fan Production. International Communication Association. 2010 Singapore. June 22-26. Mumblecore: Networked Film and the Digital Aesthetic. Society of Cinema and Media Studies, 2010 Los Angeles, CA. March 17-21. The Network Meets Community: The Boundaries and Ethics of Online Groups. New 2009 York American Studies Association. New York, NY. November 14. The Structure of Authenticity on YouTube. National Communication Association. Chicago, 2009 IL. November 12-15. Real Vlogs: The Rules and Meanings of Online Video. Association of Internet Researchers: IR 2009 10.0. Milwaukee, WI. October 7-11. Camp 2.0. Presentation, International Communication Association, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & 2009 Transgender Studies group. Chicago, IL. May 21-25. Black Politics on YouTube. Race & Ethnicity Studies Institute on Race, Ethnicity and (New) 2009 Media. College Station, TX. April 30-May 2. YouTube: Black Existentialism and Network Participation: Identity. National Council for 2009 Black Studies. Atlanta, GA. March 19-21. Camp 2.0: Queering Performance on YouTube. Presentation, Queer Iconography: Third 2008 Annual LGBT Symposium, Hempstead, NY; Hofstra University, November 7.
TEACHING
Media, Culture & Globalization Undergraduate Northwestern University 2019 Intersectionality & New Media Undergraduate Northwestern University 2017— SKAM & Web Television Undergraduate & University of Oslo, Norway 2017 [guest scholar] Masters Contemporary Television Undergraduate Northwestern University 2013— Digital Television Masters Northwestern University 2015— Creative Economy Doctoral Northwestern University 2015 Power in Entertainment Undergraduate Northwestern University 2013— The Politics of New Media Doctoral Northwestern University 2013 Production Africana Studies Summer Undergraduate University of Pennsylvania 2011 Institute (Summer) LGBT Representation Undergraduate University of Pennsylvania 2009 (Teaching Assistant) Intro. To Communication Undergraduate University of Pennsylvania 2008 Behavior (Graduate Instructor) Communication & Popular Undergraduate University of Pennsylvania 2007 Culture (Teaching Assistant)
PLATFORM DEVELOPMENT & VIDEO PRODUCTION
OTV | OPEN TELEVISION - http://weareo.tv Founder, Head of Research & Development 2014— Projects Distributed: 63 Events Hosted: 52 Project Exhibitions: 131 Press Mentions: 244 Award Wins & Nominations: 23
SELECT AWARDS & RECOGNITION (platform + series)
Exceptional Marks Distribution Deal OTV 2020— (Africa distribution via Vodacom/MTN)
9th Streamy Awards Best Indie Series, Damaged Goods 2019 nomination New City Film50: Chicago’s Screen OTV 2019 Gems, #10 LA International Film Best Web & New Media, Just Call Me Ripley & 2019 Festival, Indie Short Fest winners FOBia
8th Streamy Awards Best Indie Series the T 2018 winner Best Indie Series & BRUJOS & Seeds Best Writing, nominations
4th Series Fest Best Female Creator, Seeds 2018 winner
14th New York Television Best Female Actor Seeds 2018 Festival
5th International Academy of Best Dramatic Series, Brown Girls 2018 Web Television Awards Directing & Writing, nominations 13th New York Television Best Short-Form Digital Starving Artists 2017 Festival Project & Red Arrow Development Deal, winner City of Chicago Filmmakers-in-Residence the T 2017 New City Film Leader of the Aymar Jean Christian 2017 Moment Best of Chicago OTV, Brujos, Brown Girls
7th Streamy Awards Best Indie Series Brown Girls 2017 winner Drama Series, nomination
69th Emmy Awards Outstanding Short Form Brown Girls 2017 Series, nomination HBO Development Deal Brown Girls 2017
25th Gotham Awards Breakthrough Short Form You’re So Talented 2015 Series, nomination City of Chicago Artists and Organization OTV 2016-2017 Residency City of Chicago Chicago Artists Month OTV 2015 Featured Program
SELECT EXHIBITION (platform + series)
Frameline Film Festival Brown Girls (2017), the T (2018), Southern For Pussy 2017-2019 (2018), Kissing Walls (2018) & the T (2019) Museum of Contemporary OTV pilot premieres (3 screenings) 2017-2019 Art Chicago Stareable Fest The Right Swipe & Border’d 2019 Catalyst Fest The Haven & Just Call Me Ripley 2019 Chicago Cultural Center OTV series premieres (15 screenings) 2017-2019 New York Television Starving Artists (2017), Seeds (2018) 2017-2018 Festival NewFest Quare Life (2017), F*ck Yes (2017), the T (2018) 2017-2018 Black Cinema House Hair Story, Hook-Ups, Darling Shear, Sur La Nuit 2018 SeriesFest Seeds 2018 Midwest Independent Film Brown Girls, Seeds, Code-Switched 2017-2018 Festival Art Institute of Chicago Hair Story, Roach Is Coming, Sur La Nuit 2018 Chicago International the T, Velvet, Kissing Walls 2018 Television Festival Bronx Academy of Arts & Brujos & Brown Girls 2018 Dance Victory Gardens Theater the T 2017 National Museum of Brujos 2017 Mexican Art NewFest The T, Darling Shear 2017 Reeling Film Festival Brown Girls 2017 DuSable Museum of African Quare Life, Let Go and Let God, Darling Shear 2017 American History Arts Incubator, University Open TV Presents 2017 of Chicago SXSW OTV 2017 Brooklyn Museum Brown Girls 2017 Baltimore Museum of Art Brown Girls 2017 Chicago Humanities Lipstick City, Brujos 2016 Festival, Block Museum of Art Console-ing Passions Nupita Obama Creates Vogua, Southern for Pussy, 2016 Let Go & Let God ACRE TV Open TV (one-week live webcast) 2016 Tribeca Film Festival You’re So Talented 2015 Smart Museum of Art You’re So Talented 2015 School of the Art Institute You’re So Talented 2015 of Chicago TEDxNorthwesternU OTV 2015
PRODUCTION
Good Enough (drama series) - https://www.weareo.tv/originals/goodenough 2020
Credits Executive producer Distribution P3 (UNC/EmoryCenter for Innovative Technology) Exhibitions Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (2019)
Hair Story (pilot) - https://www.weareo.tv/presents//hair-story 2018
Credits Co-creator, director, executive producer Exhibitions Silver Room Block Party Film Fest (2019) amfm x OTV Black Queer Movie Night (2019) Chicago Onscreen, Chicago Parks District (2018) Black Cinema House, University of Chicago (2018) City Bureau (2018) Art Institute of Chicago (2018)
OTV Tonight at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (talk show) 2017-19
Credits Executive producer, producer (2018) & host Exhibition MCAChicago.org (2018)
Two Queens in a Kitchen (talk/cooking show) - 2016-18 https://www.weareo.tv/originals/2qik
Credits Executive producer & host, seasons 1-3 Exhibition SLAY TV, June 30, 2018 Out magazine (season 2), (2017) Reunion (season 2), (2017) Soho House Chicago (season 2), (2017) Out magazine (season 1), (2016) Reunion (season 1), (2016)
Futurewomen (documentary series) - 2015 https://www.weareo.tv/originals/futurewomen
Credits Executive producer, director, producer & editor Exhibition Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Popular Culture, University of Chicago (2015) Logan Center, University of Chicago (2015) Community Film Workshop, Collected Voices: Chicago’s Ethnographic Film Festival (2015) Global Girls Inc. Studio, Best of the Festival, Collected Voices: Chicago’s Ethnographic Film Festival (2015) Recognition Best Cinematography – Documentary, Collected Voices: Chicago’s Ethnographic Film Festival (2015)
Let Go and Let God (short film) - 2015 https://www.weareo.tv/presents/let-go-and-let-god
Credit Producer Exhibition DuSable Museum of African American History (2017)
12th Annual Queer Women of Color Film Festival (2016) Dance Center Chicago (2015) Woman Made Gallery (2015)
Southern for Pussy (short film) – 2015 https://www.weareo.tv/presents/southern-for-pussy
Credit Producer Exhibition Frameline42 (2018) Glass Curtain Gallery, Columbia College (2016) Cooper Gallery, Cooper Union (2015) Trans Tech Social Enterprises (2015) Woman Made Gallery (2015)
Nupita Obama Creates Vogua (pilot) - 2015 https://www.weareo.tv/presents/nupita-obama-creates-vog
Credit Creator, writer, director Exhibition Outerspace Studios (Sunday Silver Screen) (2017) Black Arts Initiative: Brown Bag Series (2015) Woman Made Gallery (2015) 1618W17 (2015) Canvas Chicago (2015) Chicago Home Theater Festival (2015) Recognition Chicago Artists Month Featured Artist, City of Chicago (2015)
Vogua: Studies for Wide Open (art/instructional demonstration) 2014
Credit Producer, editor, performer Exhibition dacha salon (2014) Mana Contemporary Art Space (2014)
She’s Out of Order (original series) 2013
Credits Co-producer, graphic/web designer Distribution ClickFlick (2014) Exhibition LA Web Fest (2015) Recognition Outstanding Lead Actress, Comedy Series, nomination LA Web Fest (2015) Outstanding Guest Actress, winner LA Web Fest (2015)
Artists Unbound: The Appeal of Transgressive Art (feature documentary) 2011
Credit assistant producer Interviews Zackary Drucker, Tania Hammidi, Andres Serrano. Aliza Shvarts, produced Eric Stanley and Chris Vargas, Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens, Julie Tolentino, Johanna Went, Madison Young
Is Premiere Week An Event? (documentary short) 2010 Credits Producer, narrator, editor Exhibition In Media Res (2010)
MEET (web series pilot) 2010
Credits Writer, director, editor
A Night at ArtSpace 2010
Credits Director, editor
FAME: Kade Style (documentary short) 2010
Credits Co-producer, co-director Exhibition http://gawker.com (2010)
CURATORIAL & JURY WORK
American Film Institute (AFI) Awards Juror, Television 2019 Outfest Film Festival Indie Episodic consultant 2017-2019 Stareable TV Festival Juror 2018 Brooklyn Web Fest Executive board member 2016-2018 Frameline Film Festival Indie Episodic consultant 2017— Gene Siskel Film Center Associate Producers board member 2017— Chicago Home Theater Festival Producer & host 2014-2017 Project Greenlight Digital Studios Advisory board member 2017 NewFest Indie Episodic consultant 2017 Voqal Fund & Chicago Filmmakers Grant review panelist 2017 City of Chicago, Individual Artist Program Grant review panelist 2017 The Petty Biennial Advisory Board 2017 Open Engagement Selection Committee 2017 SAIC De Nue exhibition Juror 2016 Gotham Awards Short-form series nominating committee 2015-2016 School of the Art Institute Faculty MFA Critic 2015-2016 Peabody Awards Head of nominating committee on web 2015— projects Tribeca Film Festival Advisory board member, 2014-2015 New Online Work Honey Pot Performance Board Member 2014— Streamy Awards Blue Ribbon Panel member 2012-2014 Make My Series Juror 2012 RFI/Black Women’s Entertainment Web Juror 2011 Series Writing Contest Philadelphia Museum of Art Curator, Jean Renoir Summer Series 2010. Philadelphia Museum of Art Curator, Film @ Perelman 2008-2010
ACADEMIC SERVICE
Ohio State University Press, Editorial Board 2018— Race & Mediated Culture Series New York University Press Reviewer 2018 Media & Creative Markets Module, Faculty Advisor 2017— Northwestern School of Communication The Velvet Light Trap Editorial Board 2017— Journal of Communication Reviewer 2017 Communication, Culture & Critique Editorial Board 2017— ICA 2017: Making and Doing Exhibition Organizing Committee 2016-17 Society for Cinema and Media Studies Host Committee 2016-17 MTS Speaker Series, Northwestern Organizer 2015-2016 Department of Communication Studies Multicultural Filmmakers Association, Interim Faculty Advisor 2014-2015 Northwestern University New Media & Society Reviewer 2012 Television & New Media Reviewer 2014— Critical Studies in Media Communication Reviewer 2014 Cinema Journal Reviewer 2013 Ethnicity and Race in Communication Co-secretary and board member 2011-2013 Division, International Communication Association Fontaine Society at Penn Communications Chair 2009-2011 University of Pennsylvania Graduate Student Council 2009-2010
PUBLIC COMMENTARY (press in which I was interviewed)
Supreme Court to Take Up Case on Race and Television. WYNC. June 18. 2019 NYU Conference on Race & Technology. C-SPAN-3. May 28. 2019 Open TV Is Telling Diverse, Intersectional Stories. WBEZ (NPR). April 3. 2019 Open Television Tonight premiere. FOX Good Day Chicago. April 2. 2019 The Chicago of Tomorrow: 33 visions for the next city. Newcity. January 31. 2019 Will Networks Continue to Show Interest in Adapting Web Series By People of Color? 2018 Christian Science Monitor. October 16. Why Digital Publishers Like Vice and BuzzFeed Are Expanding From Small to Big 2018 Screens. Adweek. September 17. Aymar Jean Christian. 25 New Faces of Indie Film. Filmmaker. September 14. 2018 Aymar Jean Christian Talks Open TV and the Creative Possibilities of Internet- 2018 Distributed Television. Media Business Matters by Amanda Lotz. May 21. Chicago web series 'Seeds' is a 'love letter to black girls'. Red Eye (Chicago Tribune). May 18. 2018 Chicago's Web Series Scene Is Flourishing. WDCB (The Arts Section by Gary Zidek), March 2018 26. Chi Sounds Like: Aymar Jean Christian. Vocalo. February 22. 2018 Digital Media Professor Discusses “Possibilities, Challenges, And Histories” In New 2018 Book On Indie Web TV. Tubefilter. February 6. Oscars and the Film Industry. WGN AM 720 (Chicago), January 27. 2018 Researcher takes on legacy television in new book on web TV. Northwestern Now. January 2018 12. Chicago-made webseries to watch in 2018. Chicago Reader. January 4. 2018
Best Of Chicago (Open TV beta, Brown Girls, Brujos). Newcity. November. 2017 Film Leader of the Moment: Aymar Jean Christian. Newcity. October. 2017 ‘Brown Girls’ Didn’t Win the Emmy—But the Queer Web Series Is Already Changing 2017 TV. Into. September 20. How Open TV Is Changing Who Gets To Make Television. WFPL (NPR). September 2. 2017 All the Brown Girls on TV. The Altantic. July 9. 2017 Open TV helps web series about queer people of color get HBO deal. Northwestern Now. 2017 June 8. The Changing Face of Television. WTTW (PBS). May 9. 2017 Open TV helps web series about queer people of color get HBO deal. Northwestern Now. 2017 June 8. SXSW #YoutubeSoBrown Panel Tackles Show Business, Empowerment. Colorlines. 2017 March 13. Brown Girls Is The Future of Television. The Ringer. February 22. 2017 Why Is New Series Brown Girls So Revolutionary? ELLE. February 15. 2017 MCA Hosts First Look of Subversive New Shows. Chicago Maroon. February 2. 2017 Aymar Jean Christian (Ph.D. ’12) Launches Web Series “Two Queens in a Kitchen” To 2016 Showcase LGBTQ Artists of Color. Annenberg School for Communication. October 25. Aymar Jean Christian Opens TV. Chicago Reader. October 24. 2016 Marginalized by media: Queer-focused cooking series raises up people of color (Cover 2016 Story). RedEye (Chicago Tribune). September 19. Two Queens in a Kitchen is Not Your Mom’s Easy-Bake-Oven Cooking Show. Out. 2016 August 23. What does the popularity of 'Game of Thrones' say about TV viewers?. Christian Science 2016 Monitor. May 11. How American Idol Changed Music, Television. Christian Science Monitor. April 7. 2016 Aymar Jean Christian, Open TV and Queer of Color Media Production. Imagine Otherwise. 2016 February 10. Reading Came First, Beyoncé and a Conversation with Dr. Aymar Jean Christian. Reading 2016 Came First (podcast). February 9. The Future of TV Is Online. Bitch magazine. December 1. 2015 Wayne’s World and the democratization of TV from public access to YouTube. AV Club: 2015 Popcorn Politics. November 13. Cutting the Cord. RTS TV. October 5. 2015 Open TV's 'Nupita Obama Creates Vogua' explores queer love. Windy City Times. August 2015 18. Open TV Boosts Indie Arts and Artists. Northwestern Now. July 15. 2015 Facebook’s ‘like’ button separates Democrats from Republicans. Wall Street 2014 Journal/Marketwatch. October 28. Why Gone Girl Killed At The Box Office. Wall Street Journal/Marketwatch. October 6. 2014 Diversity in Hollywood. The Stream, Al Jazeera America. February 25. 2014 Tonight Show’s tomorrow looks younger, more Web-saavy. Orange County Register. February 2014 4. TV goes full stream ahead. Orange County Register. August 21. 2013 Money key in Netflix Emmy nod–Northwestern’s Aymar Christian. Reuters TV. July 18. 2013 Internet TV Has Its Mad Men Moment. IEEE Spectrum. July 8. 2013 The future of television: How long will your TV set still be relevant?. Metro. May 13. 2013 Kickstarting Veronica Mars: A Conversation About the Future of Television (Parts 1-4). 2013 Confessions of an Aca-Fan: the official weblog of Henry Jenkins. March 26-29. A Conversation with Aymar Jean Christian on Web TV and the Expansion of the 2013 Creative Economy. USC Annenberg’s Media, Economics & Entrepreneurship (blog). March 25. Black Web Series: Going Boldly Where TV Won’t. Ebony. February 5. 2013 The Devastating Disorder. CUNY TV. April 11. 2012 Decoding the world wide Webbys. USA Today. May 25. 2012 Death of sitcoms, it turns out, was greatly exaggerated. Plain Dealer. August 23. 2010 Making All TV Like Stories?. The Atlantic. February 15. 2010 To Blacks, Precious is ‘Demeaned’ or ‘Angelic.’ New York Times. November 21. 2009 Black TV Goes Online. Here and Now (NPR). November 17. 2009
POPULAR WRITING (articles I have written in popular media)
Televisual, personal blog (560+ posts). http://tvisual.org 2008— Black Media Needs to Step Up and Support Its Queer Fam. Into. April 26. 2018 Repealing Net Neutrality Will Kill the TV Revolution. Indiewire. February 28. 2018 How YouTube Blew It. Los Angeles Review of Books. January 19. 2018 Why Hollywood Award Shows Are Failing Indie TV. Indiewire. February 19. 2017 Best of Indie TV 2014. Indiewire. January 24. 2015 How High Maintenance Became the Future of Indie TV. Indiewire. November 18. 2014 Indie Cooking Shows Online Serve Hungry Niches. Indiewire. September 15. 2014 East Los High and 32 Other Web Dramas Upstaging TV With Their Diversity. Indiewire. 2014 July 31. Film Festivals Catch Online Video on the Cusp. Tubefilter. May 16. 2014 15 Web Series That Could Be The Next Broad City. Indiewire. April 2. 2014 How Does A Web Series Jump to TV. Indiewire. February 25. 2014 Why Treme Is Better Than The Wire. Indiewire. January 9. 2014 Critic's Picks: 2013's Six Drama Web Series You Must See. Indiewire. December 20. 2013 Critic's Picks: 2013's Best Comedy Web Series. Indiewire. December 19. 2013 Can the New York Television Festival Get Past the Pilot? Tubefilter. October 29. 2013 Four Web Series Explore How (Not) To Make It In Hollywood. Indiewire. October 21. 2013 Beyond 'Orange Is The New Black': The Summer of the Lesbian Web Series. Indiewire. 2013 September 19. Four Ways YouTube's Space Could Help the Company Survive the Netflix Wave. 2013 Indiewire. March 20. Can An Online School Teach You Web TV Production for Under $100?. Indiewire. 2013 February 14. Will My Damn Channel Grow Into YouTube's Biggest Comedy Network? Indiewire. 2013 January 28. Don't Know Which Web Series to Watch? Here are the Best of 2012. Indiewire. January 4. 2012 How YouTube Is Leaving Amateurs Behind. Slate, Future Tense. November 5. 2012 Out of this World: How web sci-fi is bucking whitewashed Hollywood. Bitch. Spring. 2012
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Television Academy (Emmys) 2017— International Communication Association 2008— Society for Cinema and Media Studies 2008— International Press Academy, member 2013-2014 International Academy of Web Television, member 2011-2014