#and cadence. well she's pretty well adjusted and is generally very kind but i think being so focused on leaving the museum is Something

[guidingsbolt]

i have FINALLY figured out the throughline in my characters!

[aion-rsa]

Raised by Wolves: Ridley Scott and Aaron Guzikowski Talk Parenting on a New Planet

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HBO Max’s new science fiction series Raised by Wolves is the kind of genre collaboration where it’s fascinating to trace its disparate elements back to their various sources. Showrunner Aaron Guzikowski broke into Hollywood with the 2013 film Prisoners, about the lengths to which a father will go to rescue his kidnapped daughter—themes that are just as relatable whether it’s a pair of androids or space Crusaders on that same parental journey.

Then there’s Sir Ridley Scott, who describes his process as “shifting from visual image to visual image in my head.” The iconic director brought everything from childhood remembrances of post-World War II radio serials to New York City’s iconic Atlas statue to the show’s terrifying android Mother (Amanda Collin). That necromancer-turned-nurturer is herself an evolution of the increasingly uncanny androids that have characterized Scott’s body of work from Alien to Blade Runner. Further, while Raised by Wolves is Scott’s television directorial debut for an American audience, he credits his decades of commercial work (estimating at least 2,000 commercials) as his “real directing school.”

Guzikowski and Scott spoke with Den of Geek about how Raised by Wolves reaches back into Earth’s history in order to break humanity’s toxic patterns on future planets, and how AI stories reflect contemporary parenting in all its ego and good intentions.

Den of Geek: Aaron, what initially inspired the series?

Aaron Guzikowski: I’ve been into science fiction for all my life, basically. My father got me into it, so it’s always been an obsession of mine—and often just the way in terms of how I think about the world and try to think through these science fiction scenarios and try to understand the present day a little bit better. But I also have three young sons and, you know, just thinking about them and the encroachment of technology and what the future might bring: if should they ever be given the opportunity to start a new civilization, start from scratch, but they know what happened on Earth, you have all of that information—making that decision [of] what are you gonna take with you and what are you gonna try and leave behind? Is that even something we’re able to do, or are we so genetically programmed as human beings to keep falling back into these cycles? Is there some rut that we can’t get out of, or is this something that we can free ourselves from and find some renewed sense of purpose?

I think a lot of sci-fi is asking exactly that right now. Ridley, how did you get involved?

Sir Ridley Scott: The script was fantastic. I was going to come in as a producer with my company [Scott Free Productions], but I was blown away by honestly the first three episodes, and I felt I didn’t want to let this get away. I wanted to be involved in the casting of the characters, how it looks—very important—because with such a great script, you don’t want it to go off the rails and become a bit more normal or the usual suspects. Really, the inspiration was the material.

Aaron’s spec script inspired some visual interpretations from you, which led to further shaping the series. Can you describe your collaboration?

Sir Ridley Scott: I read visually—that’s the way my mind works—so when I’m reading I’m getting… You know, the most visual medium in the world is radio, because your brain is gonna be better than any screen. And on a screen you are already focused on that and your brain is processing that, but it’s not thinking. I come from the generation just out of the war, [and] my mother’s favorite thing to do was to sit on a Thursday night and listen to a radio show called Inner Sanctum. But she was so afraid to listen to the radio [alone], she’d make my brother and I sit with her to accompany her. It would begin with a creaking door and footsteps, and a deep voice would say, “Good evening friends, this is [your host Raymond Edward Johnson], the story for this evening is…” and he’d go into a new story, and we’d all be scared to death after the next hour.

So my mother had to have all the children sitting—we were all scared to death—but I’ll never forget the visuals that would go through your mind as you’re listening to the sound effects, the voices, etcetera, etcetera. And so to me, on paper has the same effect; I read it, and the images are whirring.

Aaron, did you draw from specific historical religious conflicts (the Crusades, etc.) in crafting this future and its defining conflict between the Mithraic cult and the atheists? Or was it more generally inspired by zealotry itself?

Aaron Guzikowski: I think zealotry in general, but certainly the Crusades—definitely in terms of the design, the uniforms. This idea, too, that we keep reaching into Earth’s past to tell the story of the future here a little bit. They are restarting this new planet and [there’s] this kind of mirroring of the ancient history of Earth as this new planet gets started; but also, too, our propensity on Earth for memorializing and worshipping ancient things. The older something becomes, the more mysterious; the more able we are to extrapolate holiness out of it, the less we know about it. So it’s a little bit of all of that in there.

Speaking of the Mithraic cult, the necromancers are terrifying. Ridley, when you were directing the first two episodes and especially directing Amanda Collin as Mother—as this simultaneously destructive force and nurturing force—what were you trying to get out of her performance? You’ve been behind so many iconic android performances over the decades, especially from Ian Holm and Michael Fassbender in the Alien franchise, as well as the Blade Runner films.

Sir Ridley Scott:I knew that there’d be a moment where Mother would move from being a very thoughtful, female version of an android—an AI—and there was a gentle quality to her cadence, and very thoughtful; essentially, [she] would be a great mother. But I also knew that down the line, she would adjust—and could adjust, almost without being able to help herself—into being a kind of weapon. One of the most impressive pieces of sculpture in New York [City] is outside [Rockefeller Center]. Ithas the most incredible statue of a bronze character holding up a giant ball. [Atlas, carrying the world on his shoulders, a collaboration between artists Lee Lawrie and Rene Paul Chambellan.] I used to stare at that thinking, “That’s Mother.” Except, she’ll be supremely female. And so I kind of modeled Mother on that. But she’s pretty impressive, isn’t she? Scary as hell.

Aaron, with Prisoners and now Raised by Wolves, you’ve created these genre stories about the lengths that parents will go to for their children. We see that with Mother and Father obviously, but also with Marcus and Sue. What is it about those stories that compels you?

Aaron Guzikowski:  I do like characters who are pushed to do something no matter what, where you have no choice: You are essentially being tasked with rescuing some part of yourself—that connective tissue between the parent and the child, in that they are kind of the same being in some sense, so stories like that interested me on that level. And here too, just the whole idea of creators and their creations; I think as it applies to AI, but even as it applies to human parents and their children: We have the genetics, the stuff that they’re born with, the stuff that they come out already ready-made; and then the environmental stuff, what we choose to then teach them, how we direct them. But also at the same time, they come from us, so the way we see them is completely clouded by our own ego on some level. I love taking all of that stuff and infusing it into this story, because I think it kinda supercharges everything. It’s such a primal thing, parents and their children; as I said, it’s almost like it’s a part of yourself. So in terms of the storytelling, it definitely opens up a lot of interesting doors.

Raised by Wolves premieres its first three episodes September 3 on HBO Max.

The post Raised by Wolves: Ridley Scott and Aaron Guzikowski Talk Parenting on a New Planet appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[vincentvelour]

Expat and Expert: A Global Mobility Dialogue, Part 2 of 2

Expat and Expert: A Global Mobility Dialogue, Part 2 of 2

7/10/2017

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        By Rory Shedden, Director, Solution Development, Radius

and Katie Davies, VP International Solution Development, Radius

Editor’s note: In their previous post, Rory (the expat) and Katie (the global mobility expert) discussed Rory’s time working in Germany, in particular his local income tax and social security obligations there. This dialogue picks up where that left off, and addresses short-term expat assignments and Rory’s current assignment in the US.

Rory: Before we go into my long-term assignment in the US, let’s briefly address short-term expat assignments. I understand these can be quite complex, sometimes requiring visas, the company paying for accommodation and regular trips back to the home country. The expat may also be faced with significant cultural differences with little time to adjust.

Katie: You raise an interesting dilemma. While many companies have policies and practices in place for more formal assignments (usually those lasting a year or more), a significant number of companies don’t account for short-term business trips. These companies run the risk of sending “accidental” expats. These expats can be either regular commuters to a country or short-term expats that may be in-country for relatively short periods of time (a matter of months). If productive work is being performed, invariably a local work permit is required. Depending on the nationality of the traveler and the destination, a visa may also be required just to enter the country.

Rory: To be clear: Just because a traveler has a valid visa to enter a country does not mean that he or she has the right to work in that country, correct?

Katie: You’re right to clarify that point, as there is often some confusion about the difference between a visa and a work permit. A visa provides the traveler the right to enter a country, usually for a short period of time. A visa does not normally in itself permit a traveler to engage in productive work, although some visas allow business visitors to engage in limited work-related activities. A work permit, by contrast, allows a person the right to perform certain work duties that are distinct and separate from those that can be engaged in by a business visitor.

Rory: Are short-term visitors ever subject to income tax obligations in the host country?

Katie: This is a critical point. Companies should not assume that income taxes and social security are not relevant to travelers going on short-term assignments. A traveler who makes multiple short business trips to a country over a period of time (for example during a rolling 12-month period or during that country’s fiscal year) may trigger local tax and social security obligations, both for herself and her company.

Rory: I’ve heard that as a rule of thumb, if your stay is less than six months, or 183 days, that travelers really don’t need to worry about tax and social security obligations in the host country.

Katie: Many people only consider time in excess of 183 days as the trigger point for income taxes and social security, but that is not necessarily true. Some countries such as Singapore and Hong Kong have shorter periods of time from which income tax is triggered. Moreover, the common 183-day rule is usually only applicable when the salary or costs of the employee are not being borne by or paid by a local resident entity (i.e., a permanent establishment in the host country). In other words, if the expat’s salary or expenses are being supported by a local company (say a client), then the expat may trigger tax and social obligations starting well before the 183-day rule (or whatever time period applies in the jurisdiction in question.) This is because the 183-day rule is only one of the conditions of the double tax treaty exemption. The other condition relates to recharging costs back to a permanent establishment in the host country (or to a host-country entity directly bearing employment costs).

It’s important to understand that these are real concerns for both expats and their employers. Tax authorities around the globe are increasingly scrutinizing commuters and short-term business visitors to ensure that they — and their employers — are compliant with local tax and social security regulations.

Rory: From an employer’s perspective, keeping track of multiple expat assignments and the tax triggers of the various countries involved could get complicated pretty quickly, right?

Katie: Depending on the number of employees and countries involved, it can be very complicated and burdensome. For an employer, the key message here is to ensure that you understand the nature of your expatriate workers’ assignments and that you track all of their activities abroad. You’ll need to ask: Where are your employees working? How often are they in other countries? What is the pattern and cadence of travel?

It is particularly challenging to ask these questions, and keep track of the answers, when we’re talking about employees that go to multiple countries for short-term business travel. Many employers that I talk to find it difficult to account for all the activities of these types of travelers, although many (but not all!) employers do have a good understanding of the nature of their long-term expatriate assignments. That said, even relatively scrupulous employers in my experience may be less than certain about the state of their expatriate employees’ payroll arrangements and general compliance with local income tax, social security and other obligations.

Rory: This brings me to my move to Boston. This was certainly the move which took the most time to plan. Compared to my life in 2011, when I went to Germany, things were considerably more complex for me. When Radius proposed the long-term Boston assignment, I had a UK mortgage, UK investments and, most importantly, a wife who was expecting a baby. (I’m happy to say that our daughter was born happy and healthy in the USA!)

In short, both I and the company had many more factors to consider when planning for the Boston assignment. Needless to say, we were all concerned to plan and implement the move correctly so it would be a success for both parties.

Katie: Your situation raises an often-overlooked, and unfortunate, reality: The reason that many expat assignments fail is because the expat’s partner — sometimes referred to as the “trailing spouse” — is unhappy.

Sending a family on assignment will undoubtedly complicate the expatriate’s personal situation, which as you've mentioned may already be complex before the assignment even begins. A move abroad also threatens the well-being of other family members, even when moving between two countries with similar cultures. In your case, the baby presumably did not understand or care if she was born in Bristol, UK or Boston, USA, but older children of expats may be uprooted from their long-time schools, and partners may be uprooted from their jobs. If the destination country is a so-called hardship location — which may bring a significant deterioration of living standards related to personal safety, local infrastructure, education and more — the challenges to the family will be dramatically increased.

Rory: I hadn’t thought much about hardship locations. Does the employer take on more responsibilities and financial burdens in such cases?

Katie: Typically, yes. Even sending an employee to a country where the first language spoken is not the expatriate’s native tongue adds complexity and costs for the employer. Due consideration must be given to the overall family’s position to ensure a successful assignment, and pre-assignment planning becomes even more crucial with each complicating factor.

Of course, the employer can’t bear all the responsibility. Items that we have already addressed — such as retirement planning and tax on personal income in both the home and host country — should be proactively considered by the expatriate, even where the employer doesn’t support financial or tax planning in relation to personal income or capital.

That said, an employer has a duty of care to encourage their expatriates to seek appropriate advice in the areas of taxation, local schooling, native language courses and more. No employer wants their employee to be made personally worse off by taking an assignment, particularly where advance planning by the expatriate could have mitigated negative consequences. Perhaps even more important, no employer wants their employee to seek compensation from them due to any negative effects of an assignment.

Rory: Are there any other considerations you think we should cover here?

Katie: Actually, you alluded to one key element of assignment planning earlier, when you spoke of routinely debating with your girlfriend when to leave Germany and return to the UK. We didn’t really address that, but it’s critical for expats and their employers to plan for what happens at the end of an assignment. Is the plan to return home? If the expat does return home, will he or she have a job at the former location, and if so will the job be the same or different? Is there an option to remain permanently in the destination country if desired by both parties?

Clearly, some of these are personal considerations for the expatriate and may not be known at the outset. Again, though, it is best practice for an employer to know these kinds of questions and at least raise the matters so the expat clearly understands the possible ramifications of an assignment. In order to promote a successful assignment, employers and expats should from the start engage in an open dialogue. The employer should also encourage the expat to engage in this kind of open and informed communication with his or her family members.

Rory: In your experience, are there any countries that have more complexity or risk for employers or expats?

Any expatriate assignment that includes the US will be complex.Tweet this

Katie: Unfortunately for most of our readers, the fact is that any expatriate assignment that includes the US will be complex, regardless of whether the US will be the home or the host country. Putting aside the fact that the US occupies a complicated political and social position relative to the rest of the world, it has extremely onerous tax rules. In these uncertain times virtually anything seems possible, but I doubt there will be significant expatriate tax reform any time soon. Again, if your expat assignment involves the US, you should understand that as an expat or an employer you will face significant tax-compliance challenges.

Rory: All in all, I think Radius and I did a good job of planning and budgeting for the relocation, including preparing for tax obligations. But nothing can quite prepare a Brit used to the rainy British climate for the snow and cold of a true Boston winter. Don’t forget to budget for a snow shovel and plenty of grit!

Katie: And sun cream (as we Brits call it) for that summer heat that comes on quickly after the long, harsh New England winter. No human lobsters on our watch, please.

Rory: Sound advice as usual, Katie. As for what’s next for my family: We’re already feeling well-settled in Boston. I can honestly say that we’ve been overwhelmed with the kindness and generosity of colleagues, friends and neighbors in welcoming us to the fold. We’re very excited and privileged to be in this position and really looking forward to the time we have in the USA.

For more information about common challenges faced by expatriates and their employers, download the Expat Playbook, Best Practices for Sending Employees Abroad.

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