This paper explores the intersection of female madness and Gothic space in four pieces of Gothic media: Jane Eyre written By Charlotte Brontë, "The Yellow Wallpaper" written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Carrie (1976) directed by Brian De Palma, and Midsommar (2016) directed by Ari Aster. In these texts, female characters find themselves driven “mad,” either by their own design or from outside influences. While the madness presents itself differently in each text, they all share common elements, especially in terms of Gothic space. Each text sees its madwoman affected by the environment around them whether it is explicitly stated in-text or not. Gothic space acts as both a metanarrative on the characters’ lives and emotions, and as literal, physical spaces that the characters inhabit and interact with. Oftentimes, what the character cannot express is told through the environment around her. Feelings of suffocation, misery, entrapment, and repression are represented in and through haunted homes, quasi-asylums, closets, schools, attics, and sun-lit fields. In analyzing all four texts individually and in relation to one another, this paper also argues for the presence of a paradox inherent in the cultural formation of female madness. In each text, all written/created across 200+ years, a common theme emerges. Though the expression of madness for the women in each text is a freeing and liberating experience, they also meet tragic and often violent ends. The madness exhibited in each text is both a response to and an expression of trauma - resulting in either victimization or villainization for the women who succumb to it. The end result depicts women who have been physically, mentally, and emotionally destroyed from their own madness. In freeing themselves, they unknowingly and unintentionally subject themselves to further pain and misery.

Drawing on existing scholarship as well as primary analytical materials, the research within this report demonstrates Wile E. Coyote's character is reliant on human connectivity and is evocative of the human condition, reflecting his disciplined and stylized design he possesses. Comprised of literary, film/media, and rhetorical elements, this report illustrates how Wile E. is an individual whose character holds various influences that provide dimensionality to his existence. The research within this report is both primary and secondary through observational recordings about the cartoons Wile E. appears in and through thorough analysis of texts elaborating on the elements comprising Wile E.'s character. Primary research from the initial observational recordings provides direction for the secondary research after viewing multiple cartoons and films containing Wile E. Coyote in his Warner Brothers Studios appearances and noting unique moments in his cinematic career. The notes from this viewing of Wile E. in his natural "habitat" drive the secondary research to focus on specific aspects of Wile E.'s character through the analysis of supporting texts which ultimately leads to the findings within this report. Research in the fields of literature, film/media studies, and rhetoric shape the analysis of Wile E.'s character as this report studies the various components compiled within the cartoon coyote. As a multifaceted individual, Wile E. illustrates a complexity within a stylized character that allows viewers to connect to his plights and to identify with his struggles. Through his emulative form, Wile E. embodies vital elements of character creation that allow him to become a memorable and prominent character that resonates in viewers and artists. From Wile E. Coyote's example, future generations of story tellers, regardless of their medium, can learn how to create similarly iconic and timeless characters within their works. Such stories can then contribute significant additions to popular narrative and characterization.

Zoos are doing amazing projects to help wildlife globally and locally. A lot of people aren't aware of what goes on with these conservation projects because much of it happens behind the scenes. So I decided to make a film to explain how zoos facilitate our world's wildlife. My film can be viewed at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JmLGf138zY

This thesis examines the changes that have occurred in the way the average American regards films carrying the NC-17 rating since 2007, when Dr. Kevin Sandler's book The Naked Truth: Why Hollywood Doesn't Make X-Rated Movies was published. In The Naked Truth, Sandler coins the phrase "responsible entertainment," referring to the Hollywood industry's standard of avoiding making, distributing and exhibiting films that carry the NC-17 rating. The mainstream film industry's commitment to responsible entertainment goes back to the creation of the movie rating system in 1968; since that time, adults-only movies have been stigmatized and ghettoized from the rest of mainstream film. However, since Sandler's analysis of the NC-17 rating in 2007, there have been notable changes in parents' attitudes about what is acceptable for their kids, as well as in the public's attitude about movie ratings; in addition, the general political climate of the country as a whole has evolved. This raises the question, is the era of responsible entertainment coming to an end? This thesis examines the four significant NC-17 films to be theatrically released since the publication of Sandler's work--Lust, Caution (2007), Shame (2011), Killer Joe (2012) and Blue Is the Warmest Color (2013)--in an effort to analyze the cultural and political catalysts that have led to these changes in the perception of the MPAA's most restrictive movie rating. In doing so, it may be possible to determine what the future holds for NC-17 movies, how they are released, and how the public will perceive them.

The video-on-demand marketplace in film has usually been reserved for independent distributors like Magnolia Pictures and IFC Films, who cannot secure widespread theatrical exhibition like the major studios do (which include Sony, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros., and Disney, amongst other), therefore opting for the in-home launch of films through on-demand services. These include cable providers, iTunes, Google Play, and even Netflix and Amazon Instant Video. A drastic change to this model came with the launch of The Interview exclusively on VOD platforms and in independent cinemas, challenging the established norm in the industry of major studios releasing their films with major exhibitors like AMC and Regal. Sony's controversial film provided a breakthrough in the VOD marketplace as it became the highest-grossing film ever released on the platform. There remains mystery and secrecy in the VOD realm, though, as independent distributors fail to provide accountable data on their releases and rarely measure financial successes in public. Whereas theatrical box office are available every weekend, VOD numbers do not have to be disclosed at any time, further driving ambiguity behind just how successful the technology must be when the films are often low-key, character-driven efforts rather than the blockbusters that pervade the theatrical landscape around the world. This paper explores the ramifications of video-on-demand on the theatrical marketplace, and attempts to counter the recent claim of The Interview being the game-changing success for VOD.