The Frame

John Gerrard’s installation at LACMA is a digital simulation that recreates a Nevada solar thermal power plant and the surrounding desert landscape; how the gender imbalance among film critics can affect female-led movies; the Dodgers organist does more than just play “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”

The two longtime friends use their boyhood home of Oakland as the setting for their tough-minded film about friendship in a changing city; "Skyscraper" writer/director Rawson Marshall Thurber on his summer blockbuster; "Black Panther" costumer Ruth Carter has tips for Comic-Con cos-players.

The chef and restaurant owner uses his experience as an immigrant to inform his PBS series, "No Passport Required"; former Obama speechwriter and current "Funny or Die" writer/producer David Litt weighs in on Sacha Baron Cohen's "Who Is America?"; the South L.A. band Inner Wave has been together for 10 years, and the members are still in their early 20s.

Gus Van Sant makes a movie about the quadriplegic cartoonist John Callahan's life in AA. And could Sacha Baron Cohen's new TV show land him in legal jeopardy? And the LA Phil brings kids to California for the 2nd annual Take A Stand Festival.

Musicians Bhi Bhiman, Gaby Moreno and Radney Foster – each in their own way – sing about the rights and suffering of immigrants. Also, we unpack the 2018 Emmy noms.

"Won't You Be My Neighbor" filmmaker Morgan Neville reveals why his documentary about Fred Rogers has become a hit movie this summer. And singer-songwriter Mary Gautier partners with veterans to make music and mend wounds.

At the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the classic Rodgers & Hammerstein musical is re-imagined with same-sex lead couples; Warner Bros. wants to build a gondola from its lot to the Hollywood sign; this year's Smithsonian Folklife Festival featured Armenian-American musicians who are challenging traditional sounds.

On today's show: Comedian Bo Burnham has conflicted feelings about the Internet, so he addresses that angst through a young teen in his feature directing debut, "Eighth Grade"; Congress could soon pass long-overdue updates to music copyright laws that will benefit songwriters; the Filipino-American drama "Bitter Melon" screens at Outfest.

On today's show: Inside the restoration of The Beatles' animated classic from 1968; we revisit a 2013 interview with sci-fi author Harlan Ellison, who died on June 27; an initiative to increase the number of women of color in classical music.

On today's show: director Boots Riley and actress Tessa Thompson talk about one of the buzziest movies of the summer; former soccer player and current stuntman Bobby Holland Hanton talks about bad acting in the World Cup.

Writer/director John Ridley (far right, with actor Timothy Hutton) talks about his edgy new TV series, “American Crime"; We crash a viewing party for the breakout TV hit, “Empire"; Musician and attorney Joe Escalante on the fallout from the “Blurred Lines” verdict.

A jury ruled that Robin Thicke (pictured) and Pharrell Williams violated the copyright to Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give It Up"; an assistant director on the film "Midnight Rider" was found guilty of charges relating to the death of a camera assistant; producer David Shore revived a TV project created a dozen years ago by Vince Gilligan, before his "Breaking Bad" success.

"Midnight Rider" director Randall Miller was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to charges resulting from the death of a crew member on the set; Clint Eastwood talks about "American Sniper" (pictured) becoming the biggest-grossing film released in 2014; actress Gillian Jacobs has added director to her resumé with a documentary about computer pioneer Grace Hopper.

A fan laments that legendary radio DJ Art Laboe (pictured) can't be heard in L.A., at least for now; Robert Christgau, the Dean of American Rock Critics, has a memoir covering his 40-plus years on the music beat; Claire Keane is a third-generation artist who left a cushy job to write and illustrate children's books.

The trial for the lawsuit brought by Marvin Gaye's children against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams is nearing an end; how "Dead Man Walking" was transformed from a movie to an opera (pictured); comedian Wayne Federman rounds up his hilarious friends to host a film festival where they chose the lineup; comic book writer Scott Snyder put his anxieties into his version of "Batman."

Ed Piskor’s "Hip Hop Family Tree” (pictured) takes a look at the music's history in a comic book series; young comedians test their chops in roast battles; the Writer's Guild examines the lack of racial and gender diversity among TV writers.

Late night host Conan O'Brien tells us about his trip to Cuba and his thoughts on the late night TV shuffle; Vulture.com's Margaret Lyons recommends some TV shows that have an air of optimism; comic book writer Ed Brubaker goes from Captain America and Batman to a Hollywood noir graphic novel.

Will Smith's "Focus" (pictured) did middling business in its opening weekend, so where does this leave his career?; filmmaker Ed Burns on the highs and lows of his career since bursting on the scene with "The Brothers McMullen" in 1995; Valiant Entertainment has a simple goal: make comic books like they used to be made.

Leonard Nimoy (pictured) died today. We discuss his artistic journey as an actor, writer and photographer; the copyright trial pitting Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams and T.I. against Marvin Gaye's children is underway; Will Forte is "The Last Man on Earth," a new Fox comedy.

Singer-songwriter Gabriel Kahane (pictured) wrote "The Ambassador," a song cycle inspired by architectural landmarks around L.A.; Yann Demange's new film is set amidst the violent Northern Ireland conflict known as The Troubles; a new study concludes that watching even just one film can change minds about a topic as charged as politics.

A new report by the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA says movies and TV shows with diverse casts (such as "Empire," pictured) make good financial sense; Song Exploder breaks down the theme song for "House of Cards"; a new stage production at CalTech takes "Alice Through the Wormhole."

How did Amy Poehler's sitcom (pictured) survive seven seasons of average ratings?; Sam Beam, aka Iron & Wine, returns to his musical roots with "Archive Series Volume Number One"; Wes Anderson's Oscar-winning film is the subject of a new book; the L.A. Philharmonic stages a multimedia production of "Alice in Wonderland."