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https://www.thenerdelement.com/2023/02/15/sundance-theater-camp-is-not-as-funny-as-it-thinks-it-is/

Theater Camp recently premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, winning the Jury prize for best ensemble. Read the official synopsis below, followed by our review of the film.

As summer rolls around again, kids are gathering from all over to attend AdirondACTS, a scrappy theater camp in upstate New York that’s a haven for budding performers. After its indomitable founder Joan (Amy Sedaris) falls into a coma, her clueless “crypto-bro” son Troy (Jimmy Tatro) is tasked with keeping the thespian paradise running. With financial ruin looming, Troy must join forces with Amos (Ben Platt), Rebecca-Diane (Molly Gordon), and their band of eccentric teachers to come up with a solution before the curtain rises on opening night.

Brought to life by first time feature directorial duo Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman. Written by Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon, Nick Liberman and Ben Platt, who together wrote the short film Theater Camp on which this feature is based.

This movie is written by four friends, three of whom star in it. Theater Camp feels very much like an in joke that maybe got stretched too far. I am not a theater camp person so I’m not their target audience, I still get the humour and why it’s meant to be funny but it didn’t quite land for me. I’m sure if you’ve been to theater camp, you’ll get more out of it than I did.

I see why Theater Camp won the Sundance Jury prize for best ensemble. The cast is very strong with plenty of familiar faces. Molly Gordon’s (Booksmart, You People) Rebecca-Diane and Ben Platt’s (Pitch Perfect, Dear Evan Hansen) Amos lead the titular theater camp. They’re both annoying, highly strung people who may put too much stock into the camp. They both bring about some laughs and their extreme personalities are intentionally too much.

Noah Galvin’s (The Good Doctor, Booksmart) Glenn is a much more reserved character. He is in the background but has the makings of a star. Jimmy Tatro (Home Economics, American Vandal) plays his usual character, seems dumb but isn’t completely useless. The kids in the film are funny and very natural, finding good child actors is tough but they did a good job.

Theater Camp uses text too often on screen to let the audience know what’s happening. Even in a mockumentary style film like this, with no talking heads or narration, I would expect more of the story to be shown through actions rather than told via text on screen. It wasn’t the best idea to further the plot in my opinion.

The end of the film is the best part, it builds to a nice conclusion. Lifelong friends going through changes leading to tension is not an original concept but it is entertaining enough. Some of the songs in the musical are good, which is essential for a film of this nature. Ultimately, the cast is having more fun than the audience but it’s good enough to pass a few hours watching on a streaming service.

Searchlight bought the rights to Theater Camp for around $8 million, so expect to see it in theaters or on Hulu later this year or early 2024.

The post Sundance: ‘Theater Camp’ Is Not As Funny As It Thinks It Is appeared first on The Nerd Element.

https://www.thenerdelement.com/2023/02/18/some-theme-park-updates/

Good evening, everyone! Today I want to discuss some updates about some theme parks including Disney and Universal. So, let’s get started, shall we?! So, at Universal Studios Orlando, they have raised up the wage to $17 becoming the wage leader in terms of trying to compete with Disney. The new wage structure, which includes raising pay for other workers based on the new rates and their time with the company, goes into effect in June, Universal Orlando Resort President and Chief Operating Officer Karen Irwin said in a letter Tuesday to the resort’s 25,000 workers. The starting hourly wage hike is part of a larger effort aimed at improving worker benefits in a tight labor market that includes increasing 401(k) matches and tuition reimbursement, adding compassionate leave, doubling the amount of parental leave and upgrading behind-the-scenes areas for workers like break rooms and bathrooms, park officials said. “But it doesn’t stop there, our culture seeks to create a path forward that supports our Team Members, gives them an opportunity to grow and fosters a real sense of purpose and belonging,” Irwin said in the letter. Universal Orlando currently is recruiting for 2,500 positions across the resort. It also is gearing up toward opening a new park, Epic Universe, in 2025. The resort’s workers aren’t unionized. At crosstown rival Walt Disney World, union members voted down a contract proposal covering 45,000 service workers earlier this month, saying it didn’t go far enough toward helping employees face cost-of-living hikes in housing and other expenses in central Florida. The company and unions plan to return to the negotiating table. Disney World service workers who are in the six unions that make up the Service Trades Council Union coalition had been demanding a starting minimum wage jump to at least $18 an hour in the first year of the contract, up from the starting minimum wage of $15 an hour won in the previous contract. The rejected proposal would have raised the starting minimum wage to $20 an hour for all service workers by the last year of the five-year contract, an increase of $1 each year for a majority of the workers it covered. Certain positions, like housekeepers, bus drivers and culinary jobs, would start immediately at a minimum of $20 under the proposal. Well, it seems like Universal is trying to beat Disney World in terms in wages and I heard a lot of people saying that Disney should be afraid of Universal because they could add some attractions there and the fact that Epic Universe is going to be opening up in 2025.

Over to Disney World, over 2,500 cast members have filed some lawsuits against Disney unions for refusing the increase one cent because they want their jobs back. They know that Universal is winning against them. Now, Disney has offered the cast members a 50% discount. Although Disney is refusing to offer “even one cent” wage increase in their negotiations with Cast Members, they are offering Cast Members 50% off their purchases. The discount is available online at shopDisney through February 26, 2023, and at Disney Parks through March 7. This discount is coming on the heels of some controversy regarding wages for Cast Members, who protested in November against Disney’s reluctance to raise wages amid inflation concerns and the rise on cost of living in the Orlando area with signs that read “Full-time can’t buy diapers!” and “Full-time can’t buy formula!” among others. This seems to me that Disney is trying to fix some things up in terms of the cast member jobs. I just think that people need to give Disney another chance even though they are not happy and they might start to actually like Universal better. So, I would just let Disney play this out and let Bob Iger handle this. Don’t interfere with Disney.

Also in Disney World, the new ride called Tron Light Cycle Run is going to be opening up on April 4^th, 2023. The cast member previews have already started by trying out the ride and they seem to love it so far. Some people are having problems with the ride saying “I can’t fit on the ride”. I think people will eventually get use to it because it is their first time riding it.

Last, but not least at the Disneyland Resort, The Mickey’s ToonTown reopening date has been delayed to March 19^th due to the winter storms that have slowed down the progress that they have been making. It was scheduled to reopen on March 8^th. It was a smart move by Disney to delay the reopening of Toon Town.

So, what do you guys think about the entire theme park updates I shared information with you guys about?! I would love to hear lots of comments, thoughts, opinions, questions, or concerns down below! Tell me what information stood out to you the most.

Stay tuned for theme perk updates.

The post Some Theme Park Updates. appeared first on The Nerd Element.

https://blacknerdproblems.com/the-beginners-primer-to-the-the-reason-why-raeliana-ended-up-at-the-dukes-mansion/

Spring Anime Season is nearly upon us, and we’re getting second seasons of already established series and some stunning debuts coming our way. Regarding some of the new anime coming our way, perhaps you’re wondering what all the fuss is about? I got you, fam. Here’s a mostly spoiler free guide for anyone who wants to know the details on one of the most anticipated anime series, The Reason Why Raeliana Ended Up a the Duke’s Manison, based on a manhwa–a Korean web-comic, coming this April!

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Log line:

Reincarnated as Raeliana McMillan, a minor character who is killed off early in a novel, the protagonist here uses what she remembers of the plot and tries to avoid dying with help from the mysterious male protagonist of the novel, Noah Wynknight. 

Who Created it:

Milcha is perhaps best known for being the author of The Reason Why Raeliana Ended up at the Duke’s Mansion which got its start as a South Korean web novel sometime in 2016.  Due to its popularity, a web-comic adaption came later in 2017 with illustrations by the artist known as Whale. An anime television series adaptation by Typhoon Graphics is set to premiere this April.

What is it About:

Rinko Hanasaki (Eunha Park in the original manhwa) is celebrating great news and then she meets her death mysteriously and then enters the world of a novel. She wakes up, as a minor character, Raeliana McMillan, who is set to die early. Raeliana is a young noblewoman who is written to be poisoned to death by her own betrothed, unfortunately. After our main character comes to grips on where she now is and who she is now, she chooses action. She offers a deal too good to pass up to the male protagonist of the novel, Noah Wynknight to attempt to escape death from the hands of her fiancé. This sets off a chain of reactions that changes up the novel and ultimately Raeliana’s interactions with several characters as she lives on past her fated death in the novel.

Who Would this Appeal to:

• Fans of the original novel, web comic, of course
• Fans of the Isekai, romance, and fantasy genres
• Fans of stories with twists and turns, with mystery abound
• Fans of anime who want to be introduced to adaptations of more Korean comics, more manhwa
• Folks who love all those rom-com tropes put to good use: fake relationship, love triangles, second chance

Where Can I Read it: 

You can read both the original novel and web-comic on Tappytoon! (Available on both web and app.) It is an understatement to tell you that it is a very, very popular web-comic as the series alone has over five million views! Yen Press has published the first few volumes of the web-comic in glorious color that you can purchase digitally or in print.

Can My Kid(s) Read the Source Material:

I believe that the rating is teen, age 13 and up. There’s nothing super risky or very violent that happens that would be inappropriate for the younger readers. There is enough cheeky behavior to go around and offbeat humor for me to know that there are for sure adults in the creative team.

Who are Some Important Characters I Should Know About:

Raeliana McMillan, a minor character who is killed off early in the novel that (Park Eunha in the Korean comics, now Rinko in the Japanese adaptation) Rinko read while studying for college exams. On a night where she received great news worth celebrating, her life is cut short. When she awakens, she’s now Raeliana, a young noblewoman in the very same novel that she read before! As jarring as this new life is, she sits and remembers the story’s plot and the events that follow. If she hopes to live this second life longer than the previous Raeliana, she must survive! Knowing that her fiancé is the person behind her death, she moves to make a plan: approach the male lead of the book and offer him a deal for protection. In doing so, she ends up changing the novel’s events as she knows it and for once living a life she’s always deserved.

Noah Wynknight, the Duke with the warm smile and the cold heart. With admirers all over the kingdom, Noah is next to royalty with his looks, wealth, and family name. He’s a enigma. He’s thoughtful and flirty one moment and cold and calculating the next. He’s approached by Raeliana for protection and is intrigued and hears her out and the two enter a deal. He’s very curious how she happens to know things that only him and another person in the kingdom know. He’s very curious about her worrying, scheming, entering his life, and constantly surprising him, yet he has schemes too. He’s also the novel male lead and, eventually, the other half to the novel’s heroine, unbeknownst to him. His partnering up with Raeliana changes his life forever and has repercussions the two will not be able to predict.

What to expect? Another popular Korean comic is getting the Japanese anime treatment:

I adore The Reason Why Raeliana Ended up at the Duke’s Mansion. I’ve reread the series at least a dozen times and when I heard the news about the anime adaptation, I (happily) screamed. There’s been talk about the Isekai genre for a while: if the genre is too saturated now, if the genre is too stale now, and so on. And yet the sub-genres of reincarnated? Villainess and reincarnated side character who happens to be a woman keep the genre alive, kicking, and fresh. While not every series is a hit, Raeliana’s adventures have become an international hit, gained an English translated print run, and even an anime adaptation which doesn’t happen to every Korean web-comic.

Raeliana and Noah’s dynamic is so fun to watch on the page, and I’m hoping that chemistry, that energy makes it to the screen. There’s a fun cast of side characters that all have hilarious personalities that also bring life to the story. The narrative brings an air of mystery as both Noah and Raeliana find themselves with each other’s backs as rebellion, strange creatures, and dire circumstances keep meeting the couple. Raeliana McMillan was supposed to die. She’s a minor character who death is the catalyst for the heroine, the main female lead to enter the story, and eventually meet Noah. Yet, Raeliana cheats death and changes her story for survival. In doing so, she’s creating her own story with Noah and others, and it is one that I enjoyed reading and rereading so much and can’t wait to see animated.

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The Reason Why Raeliana Ended up at the Duke’s Mansion anime will premiere April 2023.

CBR adds additional commentary on the animation studio bringing us the adaptation: ” …Typhoon Graphics, who worked on an original series called One Room and adapted an otome game Sengoku Night Blood. Junichi Yamamoto, who directed More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers and worked on the 3D animation for the 2016 romantic fantasy film Your Name. Joining Yamamoto is Mitsuka Hirota as scriptwriter, Haruna Hashimoto as character designer, Yasunori Ebina as sound director and Keiji Inai as composer. Lantis (Free!, One-Punch Man) will produce the music. Additionally, Serra sings the ending song ‘Always and Forever,’ which can be heard in the trailer.”

Crunchyroll has supplied the voice cast along with additional staff:

Main Voice cast:

• Raeliana McMillan: Yume Miyamoto (Nika Nanaura in Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury)
• Noah Voltaire Wynknight: Yuichiro Umehara (Siegfried Kircheis in The Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These)
• Adam Taylor: Shuichiro Umeda (Izumi-kun in Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie)
• Keith Westernberg: Shunichi Toki (Kei Tsuzuki in The Idolm@ster SideM)
• Heeker De Mint: Akira Ishida (Athrun Zala in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED)
• Justin Shamal: Tomokazu Sugita (Gintoki Sakata in Gintama)
• Viviane Shamal: Yumika Yano
• Siatrich Newrial Cheimos: Junichi Suwabe (Keigo Atobe in The Prince of Tennis)

(Some name spellings are not official)

Main staff:

• Director: Junichi Yamamoto (More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers)
• Series Composition: Mitsuki Hirota
• Character Design: Haruna Hashimoto
• Prop Design: Sei Edamatsu
• Art Director: Kenji Kato
• Color Designer: Chieko Hibi
• Director of Photography: Yugen Funakoshi
• 3DCG: Tetsuya Watanabe
• Editing: Ichiro Chaen
• Sound Director: Yasunori Ebina
• Sound Production: Glovision
• Music: Keiji Iuchi
• Music Production: Lantis
• Animation Production: Typhoon Graphics

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Cover video via Crunchyroll YouTube page, Cover image via Steam

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The post The Beginner’s Primer to the ‘The Reason Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion ’ appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.

https://www.blackenterprise.com/this-black-founder-stayed-true-to-his-triple-win-strategy-to-build-a-1-billion-business/

Wemimo Abbey’s journey to co-founding billion-dollar fintech company Esusu, the leading platform for renter financial health that supports low-to-moderate-income households in the U.S., begins in Lagos, Nigeria.

Abbey was raised by his mother and two sisters after his father passed away when he was just two years old. Then, in 2009, his mother’s staunch belief in the value of education brought him to the “magical place called America” for college, from his 80-degree hometown to 22-degree Minnesota.

But it was far from an easy transition.

In need of a loan to fund her son’s schooling, Abbey’s mother walked into one of the largest financial institutions in the U.S. — and was turned away because she didn’t have a credit score. Not only was she forced to borrow money from a predatory lender at a 400% interest rate, but she also had to borrow from church members and pawn her husband’s wedding ring.

“No matter where you come from, the color of your skin and your financial identity shouldn’t determine where you end up in the wealthiest nation in the world — and dare I say anywhere in the world,” Abbey tells Entrepreneur.

That conviction led Abbey and his co-founder Samir Goel to launch Esusu in 2018. The goal was to offer a path to building credit for those who might not have the option otherwise — and that’s exactly what Abbey and Goel have done with their company, which reports rent payments to major credit bureaus to help renters raise their scores and owners and property managers maximize returns.

“We really believe in this idea of justice capitalism: We can do good and do well.”

Homeownership is the largest driver of wealth in the U.S., Abbey says, and the legacy of Jim Crow and redlining have left people of color at a distinct disadvantage.

Today, that history contributes to a significant racial wealth gap in the U.S. The divide between the wealthiest and lowest-income families in the U.S. more than doubled from 1989 to 2016, by which point the median wealth of white households was $171,000 — 10 times that of Black households ($17,100) and eight times that of Hispanic households ($20,600), according to Pew Research Center analysis of data from the Federal Reserve Board’s Survey of Consumer Finances.

With Esusu, Abbey strives to dismantle a system that has failed millions of Americans.

“We need to find ways where we can create a win-win-win construct across the board,” Abbey says. “We really believe in this idea of justice capitalism: We can do good and do well — and it’s by no means mutually exclusive.”

Esusu adheres to a “do no harm approach.” The platform captures on-time rental data and reports it to consumer revenue agencies, but it only reports positive rental data. Renters enrolled with Esusu can also opt-out at any time.

But Esusu’s desire to bridge the racial wealth gap goes even a step further: Renters can tap into a zero-interest rent-relief fund.

“It’s this win-win-win construct,” Abbey explains. “It’s a win for the renter because they can establish their credit score or build their credit score and not go through what my mother and I went through when we came to this country, and during a tough time, [renters also] get access to zero-interest rent relief. The landlord can also get paid instead of evicting the renter. And the last win is for society — to prevent eviction and homelessness.”

Esusu is valued at $1 billion. Abbey acknowledges that the premise of the company’s existence is “very in your face” and that its investor demographics reflect that: Roughly 75% of Esusu’s investors are women or people of color, he says.

“Because we’re talking about addressing the [racial wealth] gap, those are the kind of investors we attract,” Abbey says. “My co-founder and I spoke with 326 investors and received multiple ‘nos’ across the board because some of the traditional folk just didn’t want to get behind an idea that’s going to bridge the gap — it sort of sounds [like a] nonprofit to some people. But we fundamentally believe that the rising tide lifts all boats.”

“We need to give credit where credit is due so everyone’s on the same page.”

“Representation is not liberation,” Abbey says. “Representation is currency. You, as a founder, have the currency to fundamentally impact the world in a positive way.”

Esusu’s positive impact has already been significant. The company works with more than 50% of the largest property owners and operators in the U.S., which translates to more than four million rental units. Esusu is “immensely grateful” for its current partnerships, but it’s “still early days,” and Abbey has his sights set on the nearly 50 million rental units across the U.S.

As the fintech company grows, it must continue to meet U.S. compliance and regulatory standards. “There are a lot of compliance and regulatory challenges,” Abbey admits, but Esusu has managed to navigate the “constellation” of thousands of rules and regulations to ensure rent reporting happens.

It’s a stringent process, but Abbey “applauds regulators across the country” for their due diligence. What’s more, Esusu has gained powerful traction with government-sponsored entities including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

“We collaborate with them,” Abbey explains, “and they’ve essentially created incentives to make sure sponsors and lenders within their network are pushing this agenda of rental reports to reflect on the consumer credit score.”

Additionally, Abbey notes that support for rent payments counting towards credit scores has crossed party lines: The bipartisan Credit and Inclusion Act of 2021 allows for the reporting of information related to a consumer’s performance in making payments either under a lease agreement for a residence or pursuant to a contract for a utility or telecommunications service.

“This policy is probably one of the only bipartisan issues we have in Washington, D.C. today, and it’s simple,” Abbey says. “When you pay your mortgage, you get credit for it, and when you pay your rent, you should also get credit for it. We need to give credit where credit is due so everyone’s on the same page.”

This article was republished with permission from Entrepreneur.com.