The Future Starts Here

Nominated for an Emmy Award in the category New Approaches: Arts, Lifestyle, Culture, groundbreaking filmmaker and founder of the Webby Awards Tiffany Shlain returns for a new season of her AOL Originals hit show which has received over 40 million views to take audiences on a wildly entertaining and inspiring ride exploring what it means to be human in our increasingly connected world.

From the latest neuroscience on daydreaming to the evolution of social media, to new perspectives on creativity, diplomacy, gender, and the future of our species, Shlain uses her signature style of fast-paced images, colorful animations, and daring and funny insights to encourage us all to think about where we’re headed.

Filmmaker Tiffany Shlain speaks around the world at a wide range of events. If you are interested in booking Tiffany, click here

Season 1:

Ep 1: Technology shabbats

If you’re interested in exploring more about Technology Shabbats, Tiffany has also written several pieces about the experience.

Ep 2: Motherhood Remixed

Ep 3: Tech Etiquette

Ep 4: Why We Love Robots

Why We Love Robots was honored with the “Best Educational Film” from the 2014 Robot Film Festival. You can check out more of Ken’s Work in robotics, art, and more at goldberg.berkeley.edu

Ep 5: The Participatory Revolution

We first explored the idea of The Participatory Revolution in our feature film Connected.

Ep. 6: The Creative Process

The Creative Process episode was inspired by a piece my artist and writer sister Limberly Brooks wrote in The huffington Post called The 8 Stages of the Creative Process. I love it, have highlighted it in my newsletter, and have referenced it in exploring my own creative process. Another one of my favorite writers on the topic is Twyla Tharp, whose book The Creative Habit was a great inspiration for me. I read it whenit first came out and again recently. For daily inspiration, Brain Pickings by Maria Popova is divine.

Ep 7: Idea Porn

Watch more behind the scenes of the transatlantic brainstorm in the sky on this short clip “Ungrounded.”

Ep 8: A Case for Optimism

 

Season 2

Ep 1: A Case for Dreaming

What happens in our brains when we’re daydreaming? This episode is a dream-like ride that explores the science behind why, as we rush into the future, it’s more important than ever to let our minds wander.

Episode 2: Punk rock Diplomacy

Starting with a hilarious story about Tiffany when she was 18 and out of her element, this episode explores her recent journeys with the US State Department and how everyone can participate in what she calls “punk rock diplomacy”.

Ep 3: Robots, Botox and Google Glass

Know that feeling when you search for something online and all of a sudden ads are popping up about it? That creepy feeling has a name. Professor of Robotics Ken Goldberg (Tiffany’s husband) tells us all about it.

Ep 4: The Photosynthesis of Social Media

They say the 5 people you hang around with the most shape who you are. Tiffany explores how this applies to social media– the people you follow shape who you are, and everything you post shapes others. So how do we flourish and grow in our hyper-connected world?

Ep 5: Transboom

Tiffany’s producer and co-writer Sawyer Steele happens to be transgender. In this episode he joins Tiffany to share his transition story, as well as insights into where a shift toward a cultural acceptance of trans identities is coming from — the past, present, and potential future of trans.

Ep 6: Parentechnology

A new challenge faces Tiffany’s family: cell phones for their 5th grader? Seriously? This episode explores how every generation faces new questions of how technologies are shaping our children, and what that means for her family.

Ep 7: Creative Bondage

Roadblocks, challenges, constraints — some of life’s biggest breakthroughs come through when we’re forced to think differently. Tiffany explores how some of her favorite artists have overcome barriers, and how early challenges in her career led to her own biggest creative breakthroughs.

Ep 8: The Future of our Species

Five years after Tiffany’s father, best-selling author Leonard Shlain, passes away, his final book is finally published. Sharing the story of the book’s publication and building off the ideas of her father’s book, this episode also explores Tiffany’s ideas about where the future of our species is headed.