Precarious Creativity: Global Media, Local Labor

by Michael Curtin (editor), Kevin Sanson (Editor)

At free ebook version of this title is available through Luminos, University of California Press's new open access publishing program. Visit www.luminosoa.org to learn more.Precarious Creativity examines the seismic changes confronting media workers in an age of globalization and corporate conglomeration. This pathbreaking anthology peeks behind the hype and supposed glamor of screen media industries to reveal the intensifying pressures and challenges confronting actors, editors, electricians, and others. The authors take on pressing conceptual and methodological issues while also providing insightful case studies of workplace dynamics regarding creativity, collaboration, exploitation, and cultural difference. Furthermore, it examines working conditions and organizing efforts on all six continents, offering broad-ranging and comprehensive analysis of contemporary screen media labor in such places as Lagos, Prague, Hollywood, and Hyderabad. The collection also examines labor conditions across a range of job categories that includes, for example, visual effects, production services, and adult entertainment. With contributions from such leading scholars as John Caldwell, Vicki Mayer, Herman Gray, and Tejaswini Ganti, Precarious Creativity offers timely critiques of media globalization while also intervening in broader debates about labor, creativity, and precarity.

Genres: Film

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 29, 2016

Reviews

[Tara Brabazon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an edited collection where the overwhelming majority of chapter are edgy, innovative and fascinating. Do not allow chapter two - the chapter by Toby Miller - to turn you off the book. That chapter is dated, ill-organized, and lacking the spine of an argument. But Szcepanik's research on globalizing screen media labor in Prague, John Caldwell's theorization of 'craft' media, Mayer's exploration of 'extras' and the absolutely stunning chapter by Heather Berg and Constance Penley on "Creative Precarity in the Adult Film Industry" are brilliant. There is magnificent research on Bollywood and Nollywood, and strong theorization of media advocacy, in a chapter by Allison Perlman.

This book has a relevance far beyond media or cultural studies. It offers a clear-headed investigation of labour and new ways of thinking about work. Excellent.

[Nicolle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Critical read about the state of the creative infustries with world wide casestudies. A must-read if you are in media or cultural studies, or interested in the global film/TV landscape, where workers are increasingly doing fast gigs, but have little stability. Longer blog about the book here: https://nicollelamerichs.com/2018/04/...