Echoes on the Screen: The Media That Still Lives in My Mind [2025]

As a Creative, I often revisit works by others that have stayed with me, to find guidance and understanding of what works, and what stands the test of time. Here is seven pieces that live in my mind rent-free in 2025 (in no particular ranking order.)

Deaf Film Campers at CM7

I saw this when it first came out in 2016 - despite being Deaf all my life, this was one of the first examples I ever saw of other Deaf youth organizing together and thriving, I really did wish for an opportunity like this in England.

This is a beautiful example of how two worlds can stunningly collide with Deaf culture and music; it feels like Phillip phillips’ song was written for this; the lyrics encompasses looking out for each other, creating space for each other, and believing that we can thrive.

This project only emphasizes how important it is to connect and encourage our Deaf Youth, something I passionately believe in, it continues to help me see how there was space for Deaf creatives in the world - be it directors, actors, editors, translators, performers, and so much more (all of whom are credited in the youtube video description).

Bo Burnham - Inside

Bo Burnham, was discovered by the public as a young boy, through the early days of YouTube. He cemented his fame after many comedy hits such as; "Words Words Words" (2010), "what." (2013), "Make Happy" (2016)

After 2016, he had suddenly disappeared from public performing life and social media.

in 2019 He unexpectedly came back with this short film - written, performed and directed by him. It followed how he created work inside an apartment before the Covid 19 lockdowns, and how he continued during them; capturing how his physical and emotional state changed during these two very different periods. Released during the last of the lockdowns to a very captive audience, it served as a satirical and introspective diary that forced all of us to creatively grapple with what the world now is. It is widely thought that this is his last work, and it is an incredibly good one to end with.

Every time I watch it, something new from his work stands out to me, the music and visuals that thrive in his work, despite the confines of his small apartment. He has mastered a way of summing up in an incredibly clever and indirect way a huge amount of political, social, and emotional issues that still affect us today; he is not afraid to make the audience uncomfortable, as what else do you have to explore when you’ve been stuck inside too long?

Joshua Castille’s Cover of Satisfied from Hamilton

An incredible one-man adaptation by Joshua Castille, depicting all the complexities of emotion, time and space for multiple characters. The commitment to getting the translation, timing and expression to match this performance is incredible.

(It’s also based in an epic Deaf perfomance space, the ASL Cabaret space was founded by Mona Jean Cedar and Jo-Ann Dean in 2014)

CDK - Somebody that I used to know by Goya

A performing company based in the Netherlands came out with this stunning movement translation of “Somebody that I used to know” By Goya, which was also successfully adapted for a live audience in the World of Dance Eindhoven showcase in 2024.

The clean, crisp, and meaningful movements are so useful for me as a Deaf performer, as it translates the music into clear beats and emotions.

I wish I saw more of this kind of inventive and deeply layered dance in mainstream media - it captures interesting possibilities of a character emerging from the group, only to disappear as the group constantly re-forms, reflecting on the song’s lyrics of losing sense of who someone was as they disappear into the rhythms of a strangers again.

John Mc Ginty & Jordan Fisher’s adaptation of “Listen”

An incredibly hard-hitting, impactful performance by John McGinty, Jordan Fisher, Daniel Marmion and Morgana Shaw, written and directed by Broadway Backwards creator Robert Bartley.

The irony of a Deaf person accusing their hearing family of not listening to them in the struggle to embrace them as who they are, is one that hits hard for many Deaf people globally.

It is a rare example of a rich balance of roles using different levels of ASL; and having efficient understanding throughout the performance for both hearing and Deaf people in the audience. The chemistry, choreography and timing for the whole scene comes together beautifully for the Dreamgirl’s song “Listen” - which holds a completely different strength in this scene.

Childish Gambino - This is America

This is a masterclass in using visual metaphors. This song from Childish Gambino (with backing vocals from Slim Jxmmi of Rae Sremmurd, BlocBoy JB, Quavo of Migos, and 21 Savage) came out in May 6, 2018, it quickly became viral for the incredible amount of detail included in the music video, citing how historical and current events strongly intertwine together in today’s racial climate.

This piece of media stays with me because it’s sadly still relevant today. It sparks much-needed reflection about what we don’t always notice in history and today’s current climate, people have rewatched this piece time and time again to see what they have missed. It has consistent long shots where there is incredible detail in the background, the costumes, and in the Childish Gambino’s journey through the scene. (here is a good breakdown of some of the different layers and motifs used in this video, though there are a lot more than just these)

Sanjeev Baskar’s Reading of Spike Milligan’s Wartime Letter

Letter’s Live is such a fascinating concept, making the often unnoticed way of communicating grievances, stories, excitement, exclamations of love (and so much more!) into a public space of performance.

This is my favorite letter, written by Spike Milligan, under the pressures of war, finds the comedy within the restraints of wartime censorship.