I learned about this Christian Science Monitor article “Do You Get The Millennial Generation” from Carol Phillips on Twitter.com. (BTW – Check out Carol’s blog – MillennialMarketing!) The premise of the article is that the Baby Boomer, Gen X, and Millennial generations each have a coming of age movie that is emblematic of the characteristics/values of each generation. For the Baby Boomers, it was The Graduate. For Gen X, it was Risky Business. And for the Millennials, the authors offer The Devil Wears Prada as the leading candidate. Amidst a busy travel/work schedule, I never got around to seeing The Devil when it made its theater run. So I found a copy of the DVD for $8.99, stuck it in my MacBook and settled in with a glass of iced tea in hand. In the spirit of full disclosure, I’ve always been a Meryl Streep fan and she did not disappoint.
Here is the relevant summary from the Christian Science Monitor article by Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais:
“Millennials are the American generation least bound by gender role expectations, so it isn’t surprising that the protagonist is a young woman with an androgynous name, Andy (Sachs). Because Millennials are also the most tolerant American generation, it’s not surprising that Andy’s best friends are an African-American woman, a gay man, and her sensitive boyfriend who aspires to be a chef. In true Millennial fashion, Andy constantly relies on her friends and parents, whom she adores, for love, advice, and support.
Andy is temporarily attracted by the glitter of the world of high fashion. However, like others of this generation who are driven by a desire to solve society’s problems, she realizes her true calling is far different.
She breaks with her boss, Miranda Priestly, at the fashion magazine where she works, so that she can take a job writing for a liberal newspaper. But, as a polite and conventional Millennial, the break is not harsh. In fact, her old boss, the devil herself, provides the crucial reference for Andy’s new job.
Everyone in politics and pop culture should learn the lesson MTV belatedly has. To really understand the preferences of young people, take a look at their generation and not simply their age. That will tell you everything you need to know”
Of course this a view of the Millennials. I am curious if Millennials see The Devil Wears Prada as their coming of age movie.
"Every Little Step" – Not Every Millennial Gets The Part
Last Saturday I took time out to see Every Little Step. As noted on Yahoo:
“Explores the journey of A Chorus Line from its initial idea to its current Broadway revival and goes behind the scenes with exclusive interviews and footage of the revival’s audition process, revealing the dramatic journey of the performers.”
First of all, run don’t walk to a theater near you to see this documentary. The film has a lot to say about the creative process. However, what I want to address here is the competitive nature of the audition process.
In thinking about this post I came across a blog titled, Gen Y Driven by Affirmation. Alyssa Carter talks about everyone getting a trophy or an award. Contrast that reality with the audition process for the current remake of A Chorus Line. According to the documentary, there were over 3000 people auditioning for thirteen primary roles in this production. In contrast the typical Ivy League School gets about 20,000 applications and makes about 2000 admission offers.
So how does the Millennial prepare himself or herself for such an audition process when the conventional view of this generation is one of entitlement and neediness?
Here is my hypothesis. For the Millennials who show up for an audition like the one for the casting of A Chorus Line, it is not their first rodeo. These twenty-somethings are a product of schools like Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music, Art & Performing Arts (formerly The NYC School for Performing Arts made famous in the movie Fame). Getting into such places is an audition. So when most Millennials show up for an audition for a Broadway Show, they know that most will not get the “trophy”.