November 1, 2024 – Page 12

Event Tourism: How Music, Sport, and Film Shape Destinations

TravelBy beatriceco November 1, 2024

From Taylor Swift’s record-breaking concert tours to Mega-Sports events and the surge of screen tourism inspired by hit shows like HBO’s The White Lotus, these phenomena are transforming travel patterns worldwide. The allure of mega-events and on-screen destinations can generate substantial short-term economic boosts, yet they also bring challenges. Dr. Isabella Blengini, Associate Professor of Economics at EHL Hospitality Business School, delves into the complex and multi-dimensional impacts of event tourism and pop culture tourism.As the tourism industry rebounds from recent downturns, event- and pop culture-driven travel is playing a central role in reinvigorating global destinations, particularly city tourism. Mega-events like sports championships, high-profile concerts, and screen tourism—where fans flock to destinations featured in films and TV shows—are influencing where people travel and how local economies adapt to this influx. These trends offer immense economic benefits but also raise concerns about long-term sustainability and impacts on local communities, especially in areas where tourism is not a structurally strong economic contributor.

Mega-Events: Short-Term Surge, Long-Term Planning
The summer of 2024 has been a prime example and a culmination point of mass-event tourism, from international football championships and the Olympics to high-profile concert tours like Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Event tourism (sports, culture, music) has been a high-growth tourism segment in recent years and highly important economic value creator to established destinations. New York’s entertainment industry contributes directly with 10 percent to the economy. London had over 750 events (on top of Soho theater productions) between 2017 and 20, creating 2.5 Bn GBP in economic value. So for good reasons, mega-events like these are highly sought after by countries looking to boost visibility and attract tourists. According to Dr. Blengini, they can stimulate local economies in the short term, but their long-term impact depends on careful planning.
“Mega-events offer developing countries an excuse to invest in infrastructure, like highways and public transportation, while more developed nations use these opportunities to refresh their image,” says Dr. Blengini. However, she warns that these events are often not as profitable as they seem.
Nevertheless, event-driven tourism can bring impressive economic results. For example, data shows that major concerts bring a 25% boost to hotel performance, with luxury hotels seeing the largest occupancy increases. The average daily rate (ADR) for upscale hotels also surges, driven by demand. During Adele’s ten-concert residency in Munich, more than 730,000 fans attended, contributing significantly to the city’s tourism economy. Munich’s economic department noted that one Adele concertgoer is economically worth about two regular holiday tourists.
Beyond direct spending, these events generate indirect benefits through the so-called “Halo Effect”, where the marketing visibility of a destination leads to longer-term tourism inflows. According to research on film-induced tourism, destinations can experience up to a 50% increase in visitation within five years after being featured in a film or TV show . This lasting effect is often fueled by word-of-mouth recommendations, which remain a crucial inspiration for new travelers.

Source: CoStar, STR August 2024
The Taylor Swift Effect: Dynamic Pricing and Local Economies
A notable phenomenon in recent years is the economic surge caused by blockbuster entertainment events like Taylor Swift’s tours, known as “Swiftonomics”. U.S. economists estimated that Swift’s U.S. tour in 2023 generated 4.6 billion US-Dollar in consumer spending, more than the economic output of several U.S. states. Local economies can see major shifts in hospitality demand, retail spending, and even inflation. For instance, Beyoncé’s concerts in Stockholm were calculated to have contributed to Sweden’s inflation rate increase by 0,3 percentage points due to rising prices.

Why Small Business Owners Are The Only Surefire Winners In This Election

Business NewsBy beatriceco November 1, 2024

In advance of Nov. 5th, owners of small businesses–the most trusted institution in America–report record levels of uncertainty. But both parties are playing to their concerns.By Brandon Kochkodin, Forbes Staff

Despite the deep divide between the political parties, one patch of common ground remains: Small businesses are likely to benefit, no matter who wins the November 5th election. Politicians have long pandered to the sector, a tradition Ronald Reagan highlighted in 1983 when he joked in a radio address that “every week should be Small Business Week, because America is small business.” It makes sense. Small businesses not only employ 46% of all private sector workers, but since 1995 have generated more than 60% of new private-sector jobs.

Moreover, with the American public increasingly distrustful of nearly all institutions, small business retains its sheen. It scores the highest of any sector in Gallup’s latest “Confidence in Institutions” survey, with 68% of Americans saying they trust small business “a great deal or quite a lot.” That stands in stark contrast to the mere 16% who say the same for big business and (at the bottom) the 9% who have similar trust in Congress.

Yet small business owners have election jitters.

For 51 years, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has tracked small businesses’ uncertainty by counting “don’t know” and “uncertain” responses to six key questions about the economy and their own expansion plans. In September, the gauge jumped 11 points from August, hitting its highest level in the survey’s history—higher even than in September of 2020, when the country was in the grip of the Covid pandemic and facing another fraught presidential election. Meanwhile, the NFIB’s Optimism Index remained low at 91.5, marking the 33rd consecutive month below the 50-year average of 98.

On one hand, former President Donald Trump is a familiar choice for small business owners, with his record already established from his first term. Back in February 2020, a CNBC/SurveyMonkey poll showed 64% of small business owners approved of Trump—before the pandemic and lockdowns ravaged and then reshaped the business landscape. Now, by contrast, the latest survey from September 2024 shows only 38% of small business owners approve of President Joe Biden.
On the other hand, Vice President Harris has been vocal about her plans to encourage small businesses, emphasizing a significant tax deduction aimed at making it easier to start a new venture.
“Both parties want to appeal to the small business community,” says Todd McCracken, the President of the National Small Business Association (NSBA), a non-partisan advocacy group. “But they take very different approaches.” Republicans, McCracken says, go straight for tax cuts and slashing regulations. Democrats—Vice President Harris especially—want to make it easier to get small businesses going. “Who small business owners support depends on where they are in their life cycle.”
Jim Croley and his wife Jessica have run the Wooden Keg Tavern in St. Clair, Pennsylvania—part of the state’s anthracite coal region—since 2005. Croley says that while he’s managed to stay afloat despite rising costs (his fryer oil bill has surged from $130 to $300 a week), he often wonders how other local businesses without a dedicated clientele like his manage to keep going. “You have to run an ultra lean operation these days,” he says. “I’d love to have a full time manager, more cooks than I need, more waitstaff than I need, but you just can’t do that anymore.”
Croley says he’s uncertain how the election will ultimately impact small businesses. While he appreciates Harris’ focus on fostering new business growth, he points out that running a small business is challenging, with a high failure rate. Given the importance of small businesses to the economy, he believes, “it’s good to help people get off the ground, but better to support those who know how to operate”—a view he says that aligns him more with Republican proposals.
Harris has been actively courting small business owners—a traditionally Republican base—for good reason. According to a March 2024 study by American Progress, a think tank focused on progressive policy, the pandemic sparked a surge in entrepreneurship, startups, and new business formation. From 2021 to 2023, there were 5.2 million “likely employer business applications”—new business applications filed with the IRS as part of the process to obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN). That’s a 34% jump compared to the three years before the pandemic. The small business surge has been particularly notable in zip codes with large Black populations and was evident in 49 out of 50 states (Alaska being the exception) as well as the District of Columbia, the study found. Then there’s this: Half of Gen Z (those aged 16 to 25) dream of starting their own businesses, according to a 2023 study from Samsung and Morning Consult.
During the Biden Administration, the Small Business Administration has made a big push to support smaller startups, but has also made a technical change that makes nearly unlimited funding available to successful entrepreneurs who want to own multiple small businesses.
Plus, as Democrats crack down on big corporations with antitrust suits, increased regulation and calls for raising the corporate tax rate to 28%, backing small business helps them fend off accusations of being anti-capitalist.
Richard Trent, executive director of The Main Street Alliance—a group advocating for fairer treatment of small businesses relative to big corporations—doesn’t think small businesses win either way. He believes his members would fare better under Harris but understands why many small business owners lean toward the GOP.
“One of the smartest aspects of how Republican officials have run their campaigns is to signal a commitment to small business owners,” he says. “But, I think the Harris campaign was pretty hip to this, she took some of their language and made it her own.” Among the ways Trent says Harris has tailored this message is by promoting policies she believes will help the smallest businesses and foster startup growth in traditionally underrepresented communities.
Trent believes that the choice becomes clearer when you look at the big picture. He argues–(as do many economists, as well as nonpartisan think tanks like the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget) that the Trump tax plan will ultimately drive up the deficit, which, in turn, raises the cost of capital. Higher rates, he notes, hit individuals and small businesses hardest since they’re more sensitive to increases than large corporations. “There’s a million different issues you can run through,” Trent says. “But it’s always the same, Republicans are good at messaging, but their plans don’t map to a sustainable small business ecosystem.”
Whoever wins the White House and control of Congress, one of the NSBA and similar groups’ top tax priorities for the year ahead will look pretty much the same. For small businesses, a big unresolved question is the future of Section 199A, also known as the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction, which allows certain owners of pass-through businesses (sole-proprietorships, partnerships and S corps) to deduct up to 20% of their business income on their personal income tax returns. (As their name implies, rather than paying a separate corporate tax, pass-throughs pass all their profits and losses to individual owners’ 1040s.)
A part of Trump’s 2017 tax overhaul (officially known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act or TCJA), the QBI deduction was supposed to make the tax rates these mostly small businesses pay more in line with the reduced corporate income tax rate. TCJA cut the corporate rate from 35% to 21%, while the top individual rate only dropped from 39.6% to 37%. In 2020 alone, nearly 23 million small business owners claimed $166.1 billion in 199A deductions, according to the Congressional Research Service. But whereas the corporate cuts were made permanent, 199A and all the other Trump individual tax cuts, are slated to expire at the end of 2025.
Critics argue that the Section 199A deduction favors wealthier owners more than the smaller businesses it was meant to help. IRS data from 2020 shows that filers with over $1 million in adjusted gross income—just 2.2% of claimants that year—accounted for 39% of the amount shielded from tax, suggesting the bulk of tax savings landed with higher-income households.
Despite the criticism, the Congressional Research Service reports bipartisan support for extending the Section 199A deduction, though some reforms may be on the table.
Republicans aim to make it—and the broader 2017 Trump tax cuts—permanent.
“Small businesses flourished under President Trump’s leadership—with small business sentiment setting a record high in 2018—thanks in large part to his leadership on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and creation of the small business (199A) tax deduction,” said Brian Hughes, a senior advisor for the Trump Campaign, in an emailed statement. “Allowing this deduction to expire, would destroy small businesses who are responsible for creating 2 of every 3 new jobs, and thus annihilate Americans’ employment opportunities.”
Vice President Harris, for her part, has proposed simplifying tax filing for small businesses by creating a new standard deduction but hasn’t committed to extending Section 199A itself. The Harris campaign didn’t respond to a request for comment.
“Our position is that we should reform 199A,” says John Arensmeyer, the founder and CEO of Small Business Majority, a national small business public policy advocate. Arensmeyer says Harris hasn’t taken a clear position on 199A, though he notes that former President Trump isn’t talking much about small business in general leaving onlookers to “divine” what his plans entail.
Josh Radman, founder of Presidio Advisors—a Denver-based financial planning firm launched in 2023 that helps Millennials nationwide manage their equity compensation, especially stock options—says what matters most for his business is the fate of the TCJA’s temporary tax cuts, including its increase in the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) exemption (since the AMT can reduce the favorable taxation of incentive stock options). These provisions have been a boon for his clients, and any changes will directly affect how he advises them in the future. Still, Radman says, like restaurateur Croley, his vote isn’t strictly business-driven.
“I’m not voting based on that,” he says. “There are many other factors that will also influence my vote in November.”
Harris has specifically proposed increasing the tax deduction for business start-up expenses from $5,000 to $50,000—a potential boost for new entrepreneurs. However, this change won’t benefit established small business owners who aren’t looking to launch a new venture.
“Harris has gone out of her way to have a small business plan,” Arensmeyer says. “We don’t endorse her (or Trump), but we appreciate that she’s putting out small business focused policies.”
If Trump isn’t making small business a focal point in his campaign, it doesn’t seem to be costing him any support. A September poll by the Job Creators Network, an organization founded by billionaire Home Depot cofounder and GOP mega donor Bernie Marcus, showed Trump with a 12-point lead over Harris among small business owners. In that survey, 51% of respondents rated him as the better candidate for small business needs, compared to 39% for Harris. This support comes despite nearly even political affiliation among small business owners: 35% identify as Republican, 30% as Democrat, and 33% as Independent.

Speed Business Meeting Held at Mona Plaza Hotel in Belgrade

Business NewsBy beatriceco November 1, 2024

On October 28, 2024, Speed Business Meeting, jointly organized by 5 bilateral chambers of commerce and business associations: CANSEE Canadian Serbian Business Association, Slovenian Business Club, Confindustria Serbia, British-Serbian Chamber of Commerce BSCC, and French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce CCIFS, took place at the Mona Plaza Hotel in Belgrade, attracting 70 participants from various companies.

The event opened with a warm welcome from Mirjana Dončic-Beaton, Managing Director of CANSEE, who expressed gratitude to the Mona Plaza Hotel for partnering with the organizers for the third consecutive year. “This event provides a unique opportunity to meet business partners outside of your usual contact group and industry peers,” Dončić-Beaton noted.

This year’s event featured three key sponsors:

Cargo-partner: With over 40 years of experience in logistics, cargo-partner is a reliable partner offering comprehensive logistics solutions tailored to the specific needs of its clients. They specialize in multimodal transportation, ensuring safe and timely delivery by plane, ship, truck, or rail. In addition to transportation, cargo-partner provides warehousing, customs clearance, and complete logistics support, making them a trusted choice for businesses looking to streamline their supply chain.

Bravissimo: Owned and directed by Gordana Katić, Bravissimo is a translation agency renowned for its expertise in various sectors, including construction, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, agriculture, information technology, law, and economics. The agency prides itself on delivering high-quality translations of documents, professional texts, manuals, technical specifications, and legal documentation. Bravissimo adheres to the SRPS EN 15038:2008 standard, ensuring that clients receive accurate and reliable translations tailored to their specific needs.

Movie fans stunned as ‘unrecognisable’ star transforms into Marlon Brando for new film

Arts & Culture, Film & TVBy beatriceco November 1, 2024

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreFilm fans have been left severely impressed by an actor’s transformation into Marlon Brando for a new biopic.Many actors have undergone unrecognisable transformations for roles, with Colin Farrell the most recent one to have done so for his role in acclaimed HBO series The Penguin.But there’s a new person ready to take the crown as perhaps the most impressive transformation in recent years.One star has become Brando for a new film titled Waltzing with Brando, which focuses on the actor between the years 16 and 1974, when he starred in The Godfather and Last Tango in Paris.Waltzing with Brando will depict the actor starring as Vito Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 gangster film, for which he won Best Actor at the Oscars, and film fans were taken aback when a still of this was released online. But can you guess who it is?This is not Marlon Brando

Movie fans stunned as ‘unrecognisable’ star transforms into Marlon Brando for new film

Arts & Culture, Film & TVBy beatriceco November 1, 2024

Conference Focuses on International Connectivity as Key to Sustainable Growth of Bulgarian Tourism

TravelBy beatriceco November 1, 2024

A conference on international connectivity as the key to sustainable growth of Bulgarian tourism opened in Sofia on Friday. It is organized by the Bulgaria National Board of Tourism and the Tourism Ministry.
Opening the event, Tourism Minister Evtim Miloshev said sustainability is key to the development of Bulgarian tourism. He said the conference was very timely as it was came between the end of the summer and the beginning of the winter tourist season, “at a time when we are talking about upgrading the tourism product, about creating a national brand and a national destination, about creating a Balkan brand and a Balkan destination”. He also said: “We are talking about an integrated tourism brand by which we will be selling the Balkans as a tourist destination. This is becoming increasingly interesting for both overseas and European tourists.”
Miloshev stressed that the main topic at international meetings in recent months had been air connectivity, without which Bulgaria cannot sell an integrated tourism product and expect a tourist flow. He said that a very good dialogue had started with the concessionaires of Varna, Burgas and Sofia airports. The Tourism Ministry and Plovdiv Airport are working towards the launch of charter flights from Bucharest and Prague for the winter tourist season.
/DD/

Corporations using ‘ineffectual’ carbon offsets are slowing path to ‘real zero,’ more than 60 climate scientists say

Science and HealthBy beatriceco November 1, 2024

This story was originally published by The Guardian and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.Carbon offsets used by corporations around the world to lower their reportable greenhouse gas emissions are “ineffectual” and “hindering the energy transition”, according to more than 60 leading climate change scientists.A pledge signed by scientists from nine countries, including the UK, the US and Australia, said the “only path that can prevent further escalation of climate impacts” was “real zero” and not “net zero”.Get daily news from Canada’s National ObserverThe “real zero pledge” was organised by the Lethal Humidity Global Council, a group of scientists, health experts and policymakers.Among the signatories are Prof Michael Mann, of the University of Pennsylvania; Prof Johan Rockström, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research; and Bill Hare, founder of Climate Analytics and a member of a UN expert group that has warned about the overuse of carbon offsets. [embedded content] UN chief: there is no way to keep 1.5C alive without a fossil fuels phase-out – video“We should be focused on real reductions in emissions, rather than engaging in a counting game,” Hare said.The pledge reflects growing concerns that large amounts of carbon offsets generated from forest-related projects or, in Australia, from avoided land clearing, and then traded, may not have actually reduced emissions.The Lethal Humidity Global Council is a group focused on the threat of rising temperatures that, when combined with high humidity, can threaten human health. Corporations using ‘ineffectual’ carbon offsets are slowing path to ‘real zero’, more than 60 climate scientists say. #CarbonOffsets #GHGEmissions #ClimateCrisis #Deforestation Prof Katrin Meissner, director of the Climate Change Research Centre at the University of New South Wales and a signatory, said many offset programs focused on growing trees or allowing areas to regrow.But she said these could not lock carbon away forever because, when the trees die, such as in droughts or wildfires, they rereleased the carbon back into the atmosphere.“A reliance on carbon offsets without the needed emission reductions is dangerous and detrimental,” she said.“To keep global warming within the guardrails of the Paris agreement, the timeframe is now so tight that there is no space for companies to use offsetting to continue high-carbon activities. We need to turn the fossil fuel taps off, all of them.”Prof Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, another signatory and climate scientist at Australian National University, said: “In many ways ‘net zero’ is a Band-Aid solution because it doesn’t fix the problem at the source.”Russell Reichelt, a veteran public servant and Australian ambassador on sustainable oceans, said many offsets relied on the ability of the land and ocean to act as a sink for greenhouse gas emissions.But he was concerned that these natural sinks, such as forests and oceans, were already struggling to absorb the extra CO2 humans are emitting.Reichelt was a member of Australia’s Climate Change Authority which last year said the country’s official carbon credit system was helping to “smooth the transition to net zero”.The council organising the pledge is convened by the Minderoo Foundation, co-founded by the iron ore mining billionaire Andrew Forrest, who has described net zero as a “fantasy” and urged companies to focus on ending their use of fossil fuels instead.

Corporations using ‘ineffectual’ carbon offsets are slowing path to ‘real zero,’ more than 60 climate scientists say

Science and HealthBy beatriceco November 1, 2024

“Escaping Ohio” Movie Director and Star Talks Akron Roots and Local Filmmaking: Q&A

Arts & Culture, Film & TVBy beatriceco November 1, 2024

There are some similarities between Jessica Michael Davis’ own career and Sam, the character she plays in her new movie Escaping Ohio. Like Sam, she left Akron at the age of 18 to pursue her dreams — and like Sam, she also came to appreciate the beauty of growing up in Northeast Ohio.Davis drew on her own background in making the fictional movie, which follows two best friends who fall in love, and who have to confront major life decisions after high school.The movie is set to release on-demand on streaming services like Apple TV on Nov. 8, and it will also screen at the Night Light in Akron at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1.We caught up with Davis to hear more about the film, her years in Ohio, working in the local film industry and more.Cleveland Magazine: There was so much of a local influence on this movie. What made you want to make this movie?Jessica Michael Davis: I love teen rom-coms, but I felt like it was always really focused on the love story and the happily ever after. And as a teenager, growing up, I never related to that. I always wanted a dream, like, my dream, or just kind of learning more about myself. So I wanted a rom-com that still felt heartfelt in the same type of feelings you get, but where the girl’s her own love story, and she chooses herself. From there, I just instantly was like, this has to be in Ohio. And the more I delved into that, the more I just felt how right that felt.It was actually a short film first, and the short was the same premise of her best friend — the “will they, won’t they” relationship. He shows her Ohio and proves that it’s worth sticking around for, and she learns to love her small town. Even though she does love it and grows more grateful for it, she still chooses to leave. But that was only over, like, a 24-hour period, so once we made that short, I instantly knew there was so much more I wanted to tell with the story and the characters in Ohio. That’s when the feature came about, and that just allowed me to explore even more of my hometown, that same sort of coming of age story as well.[embedded content]CM: The story seems pretty influenced by your own experiences. What was your childhood in Ohio like?JD: Growing up in Ohio was the best. Honestly, I think it’s really fun as a kid. It’s more simple, more small town vibes. I just think it’s a good place to grow up. But with that as well, I think you’re around a lot of people who have a smaller world view, and I found myself bumping up against that, because I wanted to travel, I wanted to explore and I felt like I was thinking bigger, and sometimes that doesn’t always rub right with some people. So I found myself just kind of feeling lonely sometimes. It was a mix of feelings: I was coming from this really good place, but I still wanted more. And I think that we don’t see a lot of movies that use that. I do think a lot of these teen movies, where they end up leaving their small towns, it’s because they either come from a really bad home or a bad situation, or they hate their town, and I wanted to show the other way, where it’s like, “No, you can actually come from a really good place and have a really great family,” because I did. I had the best support system. I love my family, I had good friends, I had a good job at the time, and, yeah, there was good stuff going for me. I probably could have built a great life, but there was just this itching feeling of wanting more. It is like a love letter to Ohio. So many of the locations I chose, none of them were random. Swensons [Drive-In] and Handel’s [Homemade Ice Cream] — every time I go back to Ohio, I still go. Some of those houses that we use are my grandparents’ houses. We filmed a lot on the streets I grew up on; the parking lot that we hang out in is the first parking lot that I learned how to drive in. There’s a lot of memories and love all throughout that film.RELATED: Swensons Curbside Server to CEO: Inside Jeffrey Flowers’ Humble BeginningsCM: What was it like to come back for the filming process?JD: It felt like we were in our own world. A couple of the crew members also grew up in Ohio and had left. We had met in New York, but it turned out they were from Canton, Ohio. So it always felt like we were just kids running around, making this movie. Ohio supported us so much; there were a lot of locations or restaurants that were so welcoming, so it really felt like we were making this with our community. Because it’s a smaller indie film, and we didn’t have these huge stars, it also kind of felt like no one knew about it.My family also was a huge part of helping make it. Not only my community and other Akron businesses and people, but even my grandparents, my parents, my cousins. CM: How did your family get involved?JD: All the little things. They’d help me paint Sam’s room; I turned my Nana’s attic into Sam’s room — light purple and very 2000s-inspired. We completely revamped it, which she allowed me to do. My mom actually cooked a lot of the meals for all the cast and crew. Anytime I needed something, like on the fly, like, “Can you go get us coffee?” or “Can you run to the store and grab this thing that we need for the next scene?” My dad would be on it. I’ve used both of my grandparents’ houses. I used my aunt’s house. She let us stay there even while we were filming. CM: The soundtrack also included some Ohio-based musicians and bands. How did that come about?JD: The first band, that my parents actually found, was Detention, who changed their name now to Off-Leash, but they’re from Akron. And my parents were like, “Oh, this band’s amazing. You have to listen to them.” I instantly reached out, so they were the first Akron band that we included. I found a bunch of Reddit posts or articles about favorite bands in Ohio, and I would just go through all their albums on Spotify and see what songs, because it is a very specific tone. Just because I want to be able to include something, I want to make sure it still fits right for the film. I found all these amazing bands, even more than were included in the film. I was just really excited to include Ohio, because there’s so much featured on screen; I wanted to make sure I included people in the audio as well. We have six different bands. I just feel like it feels more authentic. Having their support as well is really cool, because it feels like we all did this together. I love that feeling of community, all of us making this one thing together.CM: Backing up, could you share more about your film career?JD: I started acting when I moved to New York. I was also a dancer, but I really just felt that bug for performing. Once I went to acting school in New York, we started studying filmmaking and film history, and I just instantly was drawn to it. When I was nine, I cast my friends and produced this whole Harry Potter scene. I essentially directed it as well, and I cast myself as a lead with Harry Potter. Looking back, I was doing exactly what I’m doing now, producing and directing and getting all my friends together to make this thing, and then I cast myself in it. And then when I was 10 years old, the movie that really got me into film was School of Rock. I wrote the script for School of Rock 2, and I wrote a cover letter casting myself in the film and sent it to the director. Looking back, it’s like, “Oh, okay, I really was kind of always meant to do this.” It just took me a little longer to find my way back to it.CM: Ohio has become a more common place for movies to film, even just here in Downtown Cleveland. From your perspective as a filmmaker, could you speak to that change over time in the state?JD: Technology makes it so much easier; you don’t really have to be in the studio or in LA. So many things are shooting other places. It was also so much cheaper to shoot in Ohio. There are these movies that were filmed in Ohio, but I felt like I never saw that Ohio I knew and grew up with and loved. And a lot of films also fake Ohio; like, I know Spider-Man 3, they shot in Cleveland, but they based it in New York. I really wanted to showcase the beauty and the charm of Ohio. The community came behind us to help support us and make it. We shot at an airport for free, which is absolutely insane, if you think about it. I do think I got a little help since I was from Ohio. I got so much support from [The Greater Cleveland Film Commission] looking for locations, and I still get support in terms of marketing it and just getting it out there. White Noise, which was a Netflix film, was filming at the same time as us for a part of our shoot. It was just interesting, the differences. People would hear about the next piece of the Netflix movie shooting, and so they would ask us if this is what that was. Ohio was such a great place to shoot, and I hope to bring other movies as well.RELATED: Netflix Spends $100+ Million Filming “White Noise” in ClevelandCM: Do you have any other projects in the works?JD: There are two that I am currently working on. One, much closer in the future, that is based off of a short film that I just made, and it’s actually adapted from a short story by an Ohio author who is one of my favorite authors. We’re now working on the beginning stages of that and writing that together. And then in the further future, I can’t talk too much about it; I still have to legally get the rights and everything. But there was a true story that happened in Ohio in the ‘90s, and I’m really surprised not a lot of people know about it. And I think it just deals with a lot of complexities. I’m excited to make it. It’s a dark comedy. They’re both very different than Escaping Ohio, getting into a more mature genre as well. At least one of those, I definitely want to come back to Ohio, if not both.CM: It sounds like they both have pretty local subject matter — which is cool to see continuing in your work.JD: I do think, and this is also with the bands and the people around me — I like to uplift the people around me. For example, Issa Rae has this quote where it’s like, “Don’t network up, network across.” I like to do that same thing where instead of trying to reach out and get the biggest bands or something, why not look for the people who are up and rising and give them a platform?Find more details about Escaping Ohio, including streaming details, at the movie’s website, escapingohio.com.For more updates about Cleveland, sign up for our Cleveland Magazine Daily newsletter, delivered to your inbox six times a week.Cleveland Magazine is also available in print, publishing 12 times a year with immersive features, helpful guides and beautiful photography and design.

Reading Aloud and Together: Ten New Children’s Books To Read Now

Arts & Culture, BooksBy beatriceco November 1, 2024

We might think of reading as a solitary activity, but of course that’s not always true, especially when it comes to children’s books. My husband and I read aloud to our kids almost every night. More and more often, they read aloud to us. I read to the children I meet at schools during my author visits, I read books to discuss at a monthly book club with friends, and I always love hearing about what other people have read, because really, is there anything better than the thrill of discovering that someone else’s favorite book is your favorite book? Each time I make a connection with a fellow reader, I’m reminded of the power books have to bring us together as family members, as new friends, as a community.Article continues after advertisementRemove Ads
In the spirit of community, I enlisted my friend Jen Kraar, a children’s writer and bookseller here in Pittsburgh, to give me a little help with this month’s children’s book roundup. Jen recommended the first title on this list to me, and now I’m recommending it to you, along with nine more new books for you to share with your own friends and family. I hope you enjoy them—and I’d love to hear about what else you’re reading!
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Robert Macfarlane and Johnny Flynn, The World to ComeIllustrated by Emily Sutton(Magic Cat, November 5)Recommended for ages 1-5Article continues after advertisementRemove Ads
Here’s a picture book that’s lyrical in the most literal sense: Its words, by nature writer Robert Macfarlane and musician Johnny Flynn, enjoyed a first life as lyrics on the pair’s 2021 musical release Lost in the Cedar Wood. Now, the song “The World to Come” has morphed into a mesmerizing picture book. Colorful art from illustrator Emily Sutton provides a loose narrative structure: a parent and child explore nature together, spying blackbirds, owls, and otters and even running into a band of musicians along the riverbank. For adults and kids alike, The World to Come is a hopeful celebration of poetry, music, and the natural world.

Angela Dominguez, Lolo and Birdie: I Want More! / ¡Quiero Más! (Lolo and Birdie #3)(Henry Holt and Co., November 12)Recommended for ages 2-4
Lolo and Birdie are the best of friends, but they’re not exactly the same. Birdie is a bird, to start with, and Lolo is a dinosaur. Birdie is practical; Lolo is passionate. And Birdie speaks English, while Lolo speaks Spanish. They have no trouble understanding each other, though, and Birdie tries hard to comply with Lolo’s request of más flores, bringing him all the flowers from the garden and hauling in truckloads of dirt to grow even more. The illustrations and smart dialogue exchanges allow readers who know only one of the two languages used in the book to follow along with both characters on their funny adventures.
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Icinori, trans. Emilie Robert Wong, Thank You, Everything(Enchanted Lion, December 3)Recommended for ages 4-8
As a writer, I spend a lot of time trying to find the right words, so I’m frequently awed by books that tell powerful stories with very limited text. Thank You, Everything is a nearly wordless picture book that begins like a list of simple gratitudes (“Thank you, colors. Thank you, house.”), but readers will soon realize that the illustrations are telling a bigger story—an adventure story, even, about a trek out of the house (“Thank you, door”), through a jungle full of creatures (“Thank you, caution”) and up into the sky (“Thank you, hot-air balloon”). Kids and adults will love searching through the eye-catching artwork to catch new story details with every reading.

Mina Javaherbin, My Father’s HouseIllustrated by Lindsey Yankey(Candlewick, November 19)Recommended for ages 4-8
In this autobiographical picture book drawn from author Mina Javaherbin’s memories, young Mina narrates a day spent exploring her father’s hometown of Isfahan, Iran. People of many different religious traditions live in the city, and Mina and her father pass by a local synagogue, church, and mosque, each exquisitely depicted by illustrator Lindsey Yankey. But the best treats wait inside Mina’s father’s childhood home, where there are horses to feed with handfuls of sugar, pigeons to visit on the roof, and a dinner gathering with loved ones. My kids and I very much enjoyed My Grandma and Me, Javaherbin and Yankey’s previous picture book about love, tradition, and family, so I’m looking forward to adding My Father’s House to our collection.Article continues after advertisementRemove Ads
Readers interested in picture books about twentieth-century Iran might also be interested in Azadeh Westergaard’s The One and Only Googoosh, a biography of the famous Iranian singer, also out this month.

Edward van de Vendel and Anoush Elman, trans. Nancy Forest-Flier, MishkaIllustrated by Annet Schaap(Levine Querido, November 12)Recommended for ages 7-10
Even if I didn’t write this column, I’d be recommending Mishka to readers far and wide. It’s a short illustrated story about a young girl named Roya who announces to her family that they really should have a pet. After journeying from Afghanistan and waiting for years in refugee centers, they’ve finally been given permission to stay in the Netherlands for good, in their own home. And what’s a home without a sweet pet dwarf rabbit who’ll cuddle with you, pee on you (it’s a compliment, really!), and listen to your family’s stories? As Mishka the rabbit settles into the household, Roya, her older brothers, and her parents discover that caring for Mishka allows them to open up about their memories of the journey from Kabul, both good and bad, and to navigate the challenges and joys of their new life. Originally published in Dutch and based on coauthor Anoush Elman’s true stories, Mishka has already won children’s literature awards around the world. Now it will charm and delight English-speaking readers, too.
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Meika Hashimoto, Off the Map(Scholastic, November 12)Recommended for ages 8-12
Kids who enjoy survival stories and off-grid adventures will love hopping in a canoe with Marlo, the protagonist of Off the Map, as she sets off on a long paddle with her dog, Cheerio, and her outdoor-guide mom on Alaska’s Yukon River. Marlo is glad to have a reason not to think about the people in her life who’ve disappointed her, especially her former best friend Amos. But she’s shocked to find out that her mom has invited Amos and his dad along on the canoe trip. It’s hard enough to be stuck in a canoe with someone who’s betrayed your trust, but when the kids’ boat takes a wrong turn over a waterfall, Marlo and Amos (and Cheerio) suddenly find themselves alone in the wilderness. The kids’ quest to reconnect with their parents shapes the plot, but their journey to make amends with each other is at the heart of the story.

Andy Warner, Spices and Spuds: How Plants Made Our World (Andy Warner’s Oddball Histories #2)(Little, Brown Ink, November 5)Recommended for ages 8-12
Spices and Spuds is part comic book, part world history course, and entirely fascinating for readers of all ages: it explores how the cultivation of ten different plants shaped human history. The crops that creator Andy Warner has chosen as his focus—including corn, rice, tea, and tulips—allow him to give young readers an introductory overview of many different historical events and eras and the sometimes surprising connections between them. After a few hours lost in this book’s eye-catching and funny comic-style panels, your young reader might be able to tell you a little bit about the Phoenicians, the Dust Bowl, the Little Ice Age, the Asante Empire, and World War II. They’ll certainly understand that plants have inspired and influenced civilizations around the world, and that the materials we choose to grow and consume can have long-lasting, globe-spanning consequences.

Tina Cho, The Other Side of TomorrowIllustrated by Deb JJ Lee(HarperAlley, November 12)Recommended for ages 8-12
Set in 2013, this compelling graphic novel tells the story of two children determined to escape the oppression and poverty of life in North Korea. After his mother leaves to find money and food in China, ten-year-old Yunho works collecting scrap metal, which he sells to make enough money to care for his grandmother until the day he receives word that it’s time to follow his mother across the river. After her own older relative dies, eleven-year-old street seller Myunghee decides to cross the river herself. Told in alternating points of view, the narrative follows both children on their journey along the “Asian Underground Railroad,” which is often harrowing; author Tina Cho and illustrator Deb JJ Lee remain both honest and thoughtful as they depict the children’s experiences finding their way across countries toward safety, freedom, and a sense of home.

Marisha Pessl, Darkly(Delacorte Press, November 26)Recommended for ages 12 and up
Adult readers familiar with Marisha Pessl’s novels Night Film and Special Topics in Calamity Physics will be as excited as I was to dig into Darkly, a YA thriller that showcases Pessl’s talent for page-turning, puzzle-like plots and brilliant twists. The Darkly game factory was once overseen by Louisiana Veda, a legendary and mysterious game designer. Veda died years ago, but her cult following remains, and seventeen-year-old Dia Gannon counts herself as a devoted fan. When Dia is chosen for an internship at Darkly, she can’t imagine why she’s been selected to join six other teens at the factory on the remote island, but she can tell right away that there is more to this internship than meets the eye. Old documents and photographs add to the novel’s immersive, modern-Gothic atmosphere.

Tirzah Price, In Want of a Suspect (Lizzie & Darcy Mysteries #1)(HarperCollins, November 12)Recommended for ages 14 and up
Tirzah Price’s debut novel, Pride and Premeditation, retold Jane Austen’s most beloved tale as a murder mystery, casting Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy as competing solicitors on the trail of a killer. Now In Want of a Suspect, the first in Price’s spinoff series, finds Lizzie and Darcy on the same side, both professionally and romantically speaking. When Lizzie looks into the cause of a suspicious fire that killed her client’s brother, she finds herself unpicking a satisfyingly tangled knot of secrets, past loves, and smugglers—in short, all the things a reader might hope to find in a good historical mystery. Readers don’t have to be Janeites to enjoy this entertaining story, nor is familiarity with Price’s earlier books required to follow the mystery’s twists and turns.

Daily Archives: November 1, 2024