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When I saw the Barbie trailer, an homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey, I was blown away. I was intrigued by the concept of a Greta Gerwig interpretation of the Barbie universe, and when the trailer ended I was completely sold on the project. The trailer brilliantly set a unique tonal expectation and captivated an unexpected demographic through its referential humor.

This trailer sparked me to analyze my love for movie trailers.

Many trailers use genre as a way to sell a film. For example, action trailers follow a clear format. They draw you in with spectacle and show fans of the genre that the film will have all the fight scenes and explosions they could want. Other trailers rely on the persuasive tool of star power — focusing on the biggest names involved in the project. Finally, there are those like the Barbie trailer that sell you on a movie using eccentric style and creative editing as a marketing tool.

For the most part, we’ve moved past the bellowing voice-overs declaring “IN A WORLD…” at the start of a trailer. Nevertheless, a movie trailer is in fact inviting you into their world. When done well, they are a perfectly crafted nugget of persuasion.

The good, the bad and the brilliant

A common complaint about trailers is that they defeat the purpose of needing to actually see the movie. To skeptics out there, I want you to feel heard: there are some awful trailers. Every plot point spoiled, every punchline told, every twist revealed. But the bad trailers make the good ones even sweeter. A perfect example can be found in two trailers for Stephen King movie adaptations.

The trailer for the 1976 horror film Carrie manages to reveal almost every important part of the movie. By the end, there is no feeling of excitement or curiosity about the film.

But then you have the trailer for The Shining. After some scrolling credits highlighting the big names of the movie, an eerie tune gets increasingly louder and blood begins to rush out of elevator doors. The blood takes over the entire screen and the trailer concludes.

The trailer brilliantly utilizes the power of the well-known novel the movie is based on to create a trailer so compelling it doesn’t need a single word. Even if you haven’t read the book, you know everything you need to know: this movie will be a masterfully terrifying experience.

Then you have trailers that expertly montage key moments without actually giving away anything. The Social Network trailer is one of the most captivating pieces of storytelling. Whoever decided to score this trailer with a Belgian girls choir cover of Radiohead’s “Creep” deserves a raise. It begins with an eerie depiction of social media and builds to a frantic pace, matching the film’s story but leaving the audience wanting more.

From the witty rhythmic pacing of The Big Short trailer, or the unparalleled editing genius of the Dr. Strangelove trailer, or the needle drop of “Paper Planes” by M.I.A. in the Pineapple Express trailer, a good trailer plays like a music video. A perfect companion piece to another art form. They allow you to reenter the world of a movie in just a few minutes.

The exhilaration of expectation

I love rewatching trailers for movies I’ve seen, but I want to highlight one of the most magical components of movie trailers: the exhilaration of expectation. Trailers build conversations and community surrounding the anticipation of a movie.

Something special occurs when a compelling preview plays at the theater. The murmur of noise spreads as moviegoers express approval for the upcoming project. In just a couple of minutes, a trailer has given people something to talk about and a shared thrill. Watching a good trailer that captures the essence of a movie builds a lovely bubble of excitement that you get to share, discuss, and develop as you wait for a movie’s release.

Whether it is to revisit a beloved movie, to build excitement for an upcoming project, or just to admire a masterclass in curating a vibe, movie trailers are truly an underappreciated art form.

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The complexity of the world today—with emergencies related to climate, health, migration, and more—demands that we bring together all the available tools and disciplines for reflection and action. How can knowledge be interwoven to expand our understanding of the world and broaden our imaginations, to look to the future on an international scale? “Research-creation,” or practice-based research, is a relatively recent field between theoretical and applied research associating experimental, exploratory, and critical approaches and practices while privileging sensorial experience. Through installations, dispositifs, and performances, new methodological tools are being created to access sources of shared knowledge and to explore contemporary transformations aesthetically.

How can we go beyond text in communicating these findings at the intersections of art, design, and science? The traditional methodologies and formats of journal articles are not always adapted to research that explores sensorial and singular forms.

.able Journal is the result of observing this limitation, reinventing the publication form by making research accessible through images. Free of charge and distributed on numerous platforms, media, and devices—including formats specifically adapted for social media—the journal gives immediate access to visual essays and creates multiple entry points for all to access research in the arts, design, and sciences. Centered on the visual, this system makes the text ancillary, overturning the traditional balance between text and image. .able’s publication modalities leverage and circumvent contemporary fragmented reading patterns, allowing transitions between different devices, beginning with smartphones.

A reader checks out “Yōkobo” by Dominique Deuff, Gentiane Venture, Isabelle Milleville, and Ioana Ocnarescu on .able. Image courtesy of Dominique Deuff

As a peer-reviewed journal, .able experiments with the potential of academic publishing, going beyond text-centric conventions to explore the many alternatives and opportunities that multimedia and multiple platforms offer. From the design of sustainable fashion or bioluminescent micro-architecture to the dynamics of bacterial contamination or the exploration of deep sleep, .able combines academic excellence, artistic rigor, and accessibility focused on exploring contemporary sociopolitical and environmental issues in images and putting these challenges into perspective. The journal offers a new space for interdisciplinary research to both the academic community and the wider public. With its radical approach, it aims to reinterpret the traditional publishing process.

Created at the initiative of La Chaire Arts & Sciences of the École Polytechnique, the École des Arts Décoratifs–PSL, and the Fondation Daniel et Nina Carasso, .able journal is published by Actar Publishers and supported by some 30 international academic partners brought together to publish innovative interdisciplinary research.

The free-of-charge, open-access journal is available now at able-journal.org and distributed on social media at @ablejournal.

A print.able issue, printed on demand. Image courtesy of Actar Publishers

Emile de Visscher & Ophélie Maurus, “Petrification.” Image courtesy of Ophélie Maurus

Peter Lunenfeld, Denise Gonzales Crisp, and the students of UCLA’s Design Futures 2021, “Solve for (x)Futurisms.” Image courtesy of UCLA | Albert Acosta, Zara Aiken, Helena Alcala, Nel Alpysbayeva, Sascha Barnes, and Natalia Beltran

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article .able Journal Publishes Research Through Images appeared first on Colossal.

The Ithaca Farmers Market opened to the public at its waterfront location in the Pavilion at Steamboat Landing on April first, 2023. The market has operated since 1973 and is celebrating its 50th year of serving the community.

The market’s 50th year is set up to be an interesting one as it is considering reopening their mid-week downtown market in DeWitt Park, in addition to their satellite market at East Hill. The DeWitt Park market was a popular downtown destination, but it was forced to close due to COVID-19 restrictions that limited customers.

At the beginning of March, the market announced that they would be seeking community input through an online survey to understand whether or not residents would be interested in attending a midweek downtown market. On March 28, it was announced that the survey would remain open until April 7, 2023.

The survey asks residents to consider if they would prefer the midweek market to be held on Tuesdays or Thursdays, if the hours should be from 11am to 2pm or from 3pm to 6pm and if it should be held at DeWitt Park — as it was before the pandemic — or in a new location on the 100 block of West State/MLK Street?

The marketing coordinator for the Farmers Market, Carie Cuinn,  issued a press release saying that so far, according to the survey “customers are mainly looking for prepared foods and a good variety of farm products.” Cuinn continued saying, “Once the community votes are tallied, [the market] will work with their vendors to ensure they can properly fill this need before moving forward with a final decision.”

According to Cuinn, “Ithaca Farmers Market will announce their results in May 2023, and if they decide to reopen the downtown market, Ithaca could see it later this year.”

The link to the community survey can be accessed here.

While the future of a downtown midweek farmers market remains uncertain, Cuinn has encouraged residents to visit the market on the waterfront in the Pavillion at Steamboat Landing to experience the “wide variety of products” from within 30 miles of Ithaca.

Products include: farm-raised meat, eggs, and dairy; fresh vegetables and fruit; locally-gathered honey and locally-prepared staples like jelly and sauces; bread, pastries and other baked goods; wine, hard apple cider and mushroom spirits; as well as live plants and the best selection of hot food and art.

Throughout the month of April the market will be open on Saturdays from 9am to 3pm and starting on May 7 the hours on Sunday will range from 10am to 3pm.

The Market at Steamboat Landing operates rain or shine, from April through December each year. It features more than 80 unique local vendors at each market, plus live outdoor music — weather permitting. The market has space for parking, and easy access via public transit on TCAT Route 13.

The Ithaca Farmers Market Organizational Manager, Kelly Sauve, recently said “The farmers market organization wouldn’t survive without its community and in this 50th season we look forward to celebrating with you all, hosting fun events and featuring non profits, including our very own Friends of Market.”

Sauve continued saying, “We think this year will be the best one yet as customers shop the best food, art and groceries within 30 miles while also learning about great community resources and enjoying being together.”

Operations Manager at the Farmers Market, Cassidy Graham has said, “In our 2023 season, we are happy to welcome several new vendors to our IFM community who offer an exciting variety of new products.”

Graham continued saying, “If you stop by Steamboat Landing this season, you will find kombucha and hard ciders from Redbyrd Orchard Cider; nursery trees, plants, and seasonal produce from Perry City Orchard & Nursery; an array of honey products from Picaflor Farm; chicken wings from Wally’s Wings and Things; and plenty more! We will continue to add new vendors to our roster throughout the 2023 season so you’ll be sure to find new products, as well as all of your favorite classics, every time you visit us at Steamboat Landing this season.”

The Pavilion at Steamboat Landing is located at 545 3rd Street, Ithaca, NY 14850. Saturday market hours are 9AM to 3PM beginning April 1, 2023. The market will reopen on Sundays beginning in May 2023.

To learn more visit the Ithaca Farmers Market website or follow the Farmers Market on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.