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Online Entertainment and the Creativity It Has Sparked

  • April 14, 2021

Aubrey Costa

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Photo obtained from Daily Bruin

Changes that took place in the world because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the entertainment industry had to get creative with the idea of content with obstacles of social distancing. Everybody was on lockdown at home and many were feeling greatly bored and drained. This universal struggle has taken on consumers making the entertainment industry find new ideas.

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One of the earliest circumstances of growth in the entertainment industry was due to a rise in internet usage in  streaming services. Kids are always on their phones and cable bills can get expensive. Many consumers turned to streaming instead with cable prices increasing due to high demand. Companies like Netflix and Hulu boomed, while others like Verizon and Dish lost many of their subscribers. From Disney to YouTube, more and more streaming services were introduced to the world so people can watch their favorite movies and TV shows without having to rely on live play or a DVR. The circumstances of the pandemic made apps/websites like these even more useful, some films being released straight to them rather than into a movie theatre.

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Along with the use of streaming services sky-rocketing, award shows had to take on a new format due to the pandemic guidelines.“While the Emmys received attention for how it adapted amid the pandemic, numerous other events have been forced to adjust to a brave new blend of live and remote, masked attendees and fewer, socially-distanced people on site,” Hilary Lewis writes in her article on the COVID-19 era award shows in the United States. Award shows are highly-rated on TV, being some of the most popular television events of all time. From the Oscars to VMA’s, Grammy’s to the Kids Choice Awards, entertainment industries have adapted to the pandemic’s guidelines to entertain consumers regardless of circumstance. 

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Photo obtained from freepik

Along with the use of streaming services sky-rocketing, award shows had to take on a new format due to the pandemic guidelines.“While the Emmys received attention for how it adapted amid the pandemic, numerous other events have been forced to adjust to a brave new blend of live and remote, masked attendees and fewer, socially-distanced people on site,” Hilary Lewis writes in her article on the COVID-19 era award shows in the United States. Award shows are highly-rated on TV, being some of the most popular television events of all time. From the Oscars to VMA’s, Grammy’s to the Kids Choice Awards, entertainment industries have adapted to the pandemic’s guidelines to entertain consumers regardless of circumstance. 

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One notable example of this is the 2020 VMA’s, where pop stars Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga could be seen performing their summer hit, Rain on Me, while wearing masks and having COVID tests done prior to performing. Taking these changes even further, the Grammy’s, for example, had talent wearing masks the entirety of the show, except when speaking into a microphone. Celebrities like Taylor Swift and Megan Thee Stallion even had their masks designed to match their runway outfits!

 

Taking the world by storm in 2016, Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton brought up conversation on racial justice, color-blind casting and equality in the theatre industry. The hit musical was released in film form to Disney+ in July of 2020, sparking even more fans and discussion about the show’s take on the building of America. Released during the time period of COVID-19’s pandemic, the film version of Hamilton made the show even more accessible and brought up a new way to share musicals with the public without having to see it live in a broadway theatre. 

 

Many more examples can be found discussing the great discoveries made by the entertainment industry and how the public has perceived them. Directors and companies had to get creative with their projects due to the pandemic and some of the results were so impactful that they may just last past the quarantine. The way the world has adapted to this abrupt change is quite remarkable and something we could all take part in. Who knows? Maybe you might just create something revolutionary.

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