Survival Guide to Social Distancing

This outbreak has caused rapid change to our society and many, many people have found themselves in precarious economic situations and social distancing. In times of isolation, we must strengthen our ties to community. Here’s how: Donate to your local food bank, which you can find here. Support relief funds, like this one for artists in Seattle or this one for sex workers in New York. Help groups get housing for homeless people, like this one for queer youth. Order take-out from independent restaurants, especially Asian restaurants. Buy gift cards from small businesses. Tip generously.

Now onto a lighter note: let’s talk about the phrase of the moment, the source of such immediate change to our culture. Social distancing has become the law of the land, as health experts recommend for all of us to limit our social contact and stay home, if possible. As we adopt voluntary isolation, WFH, and the art of being inside, we’ve begun to ask… just what is there to do from home?

Well, we’ve got you covered with a fresh list of things to read, see, and hear––a collection of favorite works from the projects* team. We want to offer content for inspiration, digital connection, or some comedic relief in this chaotic time.

Honeyboy
I have fallen in love with Natasha Braier’s work as a cinematographer. What really drew me into the film is how she visually brings to life Shia Labeouf’s script. She is a great example of someone that is moving between cinema and commercials in a fluid way. You can see her latest commercial ‘Electric Wave’, which was commissioned by Audi.

“Opulence” | Contrapoints
Under her Youtube channel Contrapoints, Natalie Wynn makes video essays exploring topics ranging anywhere from beauty to debating the alt-right. The video on opulence is truly her crown jewel, as she dissects the history and cultural meanings behind “the aesthetic of owning everything”– all while bringing sarcastic wit and glossy cinematography to the discussion table.

Touching on hip-hop, the Met Gala, and vampires, Contrapoints offers a truly unique cultural roundup built around America’s taste for shiny things.

Lil C on NTS Radio
This week I’ve been washing my hands to Doja Cat and consuming 8am to 8pm nonstop online radio – but not just the news (which can be less than inspiring). My go-to source of music is NTS Radio, who despite closing their hubs across the globe, is continuing to broadcast 24/7, playing remotely from residents’ make-shift home studios. You can listen live or you can peruse pages of archival shows including some of my favorites, Jamie XX playing a mix of funk and soul, or Lil C playing dancehall. Today friends and I are tuning in to the same channel to feel a sense of togetherness!

Real Life by Brandon Taylor
My social distancing content consumption has inadvertently become a survey of what’s Black and Queer and poppin’ right now. Firstly, I had the chance to finish Brandon Taylor’s extraordinary debut novel, Real Life over the weekend. It’s a fascinating twist on the “campus novel” genre, set in the very specific milieu of a group of biochem grad students at a Midwestern university.

Masterclass, specifically Rupaul’s
In his MasterClass, RuPaul shares universal lessons from drag that can be applied to any profession. Whether you’re an aspiring artist or brand strategist, we’re all asked to perform drag and wear multiple hats everyday. RuPaul gives us confidence to own the room and most importantly, embrace failure.

Elite
I’m not the first person who has excitedly discussed this Spanish teen drama, but as Netflix dropped its third season this past Friday and with social distancing in full effect, now is the perfect time to watch it all if you haven’t. It’s a show with murder and moody lighting, and it moves quickly, making for an easy watch. And if you watch it in its original Spanish, the melodrama of it all is just that much more palpable.

Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear
Released in 2009, this album was basically written for this moment. Veckatimest embodies the indie rock boom of the late 00s and early 10s, building on the many emerging genres bubbling around it. Grizzly Bear juxtaposes timid harmonies with full-bodied instrumental presence. It is a collage of sound and influence, conflicting, confrontational, but still ever-so-beautiful.

Hamish & Andy
An Australian favorite, Hamish & Andy’s podcast is great for a laugh. But the real top, top recommendation of their work is on their Youtube channel. When I’m really stressed, I go into full YouTube rabbit holes. It’s hours and hours of mini clips from 3 minutes onwards, so ideal content for right now. All of their gap year content is pure comedy gold.

Shakedown
The experimental documentary Shakedown is about a black lesbian strip show in Los Angeles in the early aughts. It’s a deeply compelling portrait of a very private and marginalized community, shot over the course of several years by director (and former CEO of Hood by Air) Leilah Weinraub. It’s in the midst of a digital screening tour, currently on Pornhub (their first non-adult content, apparently), before moving on to dis.art, Boiler Room TV, iTunes and the Criterion Channel, later in the year.

We’re trying to make the most of this very weird time. We’re watching closely to see how culture, industry, and society will shift, so stay tuned for next week’s look at how brands can engage during this unprecedented moment. In the meantime, be kind to one another, and take care of yourself.

With lots of love,

the projects*