As a participant of the prestigious Television Academy Foundation’s 2018 internship program, Tayler Scriber ’19 gained a hands-on, inside look into an industry that affects millions—which she is interested in exploring further.
Over the summer, Scriber interned in the media research department at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, CA. There, she delved into the studio’s deep pool of research about consumer behavior. She pored over data about how people watch their favorite shows and movies, as well as what related merchandise fans want.
“When I was looking for internship opportunities in television and film, I found the Television Academy Foundation and knew it would be an excellent fit. Their program seemed hands-on and informative, as well as a fun overall experience to have,” said Scriber.
Scriber has always been curious about people’s relationship with media: why they watch what they watch, and in turn, how that content affects them. Thanks to the Whittier Scholars Program, Scriber turned that passion into a self-designed major, Film and Humanities, and has enjoyed exploring a subject that deeply interests her.
She has specifically honed in on black representation, both on the screen and behind the camera. Acclaimed movies like Get Out, which turned a critical eye to racism, and HBO’s Insecure, a TV show which explores the black female experience, have had serious cross-cultural implications, Scriber said.
In her junior year, she examined how the revolutionary horror classic Night of the Living Dead characterized its black lead, played by Duane Jones, and the significance of his role in a 1960s film. The optics of the seminal zombie movie, a black man trying to survive conflict only to be killed by his protectors, reflect the optics of not only its era, but 2018, as well.
“I think it matters that we take stock of the things that we consume on a regular basis,” said Scriber, presenting her analysis last spring at Whittier’s annual conference for student research. “We take these un-intentioned biases and we place that on people that we meet in the outside world.”
Her senior project expands her scope and looks at how black women have been represented in film, and how those portrayals shaped real women’s experiences. She’s also taking a close look at black women’s involvement in the industry, which has remained static over time.
“I’ve always been interested in how we create a more holistic story of who we are,” she said. “Especially in the United States of America, where we have so many different types of people, it would behoove us to show different types of people and see how those stories affect who we are as a society.”
Scriber is receiving support for her research through the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship, which helps under-represented students who want to become professors. After graduation, Scriber plans to continue her education and research in graduate school.