The Frame

Alison Bechdel says she thought the idea of having her graphic novel memoir turned into a musical was "insane"; composer John Adams says his landmark opera, "Nixon in China," is as timely as ever; NBC has invested $500 million in Snapchat with big plans for using the social media platform.

Bruna Papandrea has produced hit films such as "Wild" and "Gone Girl," and now she's part of the team behind HBO's "Big Little Lies"; Netflix has a new reality competition series that's being produced for six global markets simultaneously.

C-SPAN anchor Steve Scully (aka "the most patient man on television") talks with The Frame about C-SPAN's origin story, its mission and the role it fills in today's media landscape; Then, actress Jane Kaczmarek explains why she's spending her post "Malcolm In the Middle" years doing theater like Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey Into Night."

When Asghar Farhadi won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, he did not pick up his statue in person. But he was in L.A. last year following our election and he spoke with us about his movie, "The Salesman," and then-President elect Trump; R&B producer and musician Raphael Saadiq has branched out to scoring movies and TV shows.

Award-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black created the ABC miniseries, "When We Rise," to bring the history of the gay rights movement into America's living rooms in the hopes of bridging a divided nation and inspiring activism in a new generation; The Oscars are finally over. What must Hollywood do to become more inclusive?

On this year's Frame Oscar preview, get to know some nominees ahead of the big night. Among the guests are the writer/directors of "La La Land" and "Moonlight," actors Ruth Negga, Emma Stone, Dev Patel, and Andrew Garfield; Documentary filmmakers Ava Duvernay and Ezra Edelman; the screenwriters for "Hidden Figures" and "The Lobster," and songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda. Plus, John Horn and his co-host in The Awards Show Show podcast, Kyle Buchanan, make predictions.

Comedian and art collector Cheech Marin walks the galleries of Frank Romero's retrospective with the artist himself; "Hacksaw Ridge" sound mixer Kevin O'Connell has 21 Oscar nominations but no win ... yet; political and topical ads are likely during the Academy Awards. Who's advertising and how are they hoping to benefit?

Melanie Lynskey felt a deep connection with her character in the Sundance hit, "I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore"; a federal judge issues an injunction against a law that prevented websites such as IMDb from publishing the birthdate of actors.

Jordan Peele (of "Key & Peele" fame) makes his film directing debut with the horror movie, “Get Out," which takes on racism in the creepiest fashion; John Horn debates how to improve the Academy Awards broadcast with his "Awards Show Show" podcast co-host, Kyle Buchanan, and TV mavens Alex Jung and Jen Chaney.

The Oscar-nominated movie "Lion" is based on the memoir of Saroo Brierly, whose unbelievable life story was turned into a two-hour film by screenwriter Luke Davies; an annual report on diversity in Hollywood makes a strong case that on-camera diversity is directly linked to box office and ratings success; the WGA honored the screenwriters of "Moonlight" and "Arrival."

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences makes changes to its board in an effort to diversify. We talk with two members of the Academy about what's to come. Then composer Laura Karpman talks about her Grammy-winning composition "Ask Your Mama" and how she's working to get more women into the scoring stage.

Producer Janet Yang (The Joy Luck Club, The People v. Larry Flynt) was among the Asian American professionals in Hollywood who sent a letter to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences protesting offensive jokes told at the Oscars. Touring LACMA'S Mapplethorpe exhibit and finding unexpected art. We meet a young African American filmmaker undeterred by Hollywood's diversity problem.

Robert Mapplethorpe gets a massive retrospective at two L.A. museums courtesy of the Mapplethorpe Foundation. Can a set top box that streams first run films the day they're in theaters disrupt the movie business as we know it? Closing the gender gap one women artist at a time.

The massive Hauser Wirth & Schimmel gallery is the newest addition to L.A.'s bustling downtown arts district; singer and bass player Esperanza Spalding adds some theatrical touches to her live show; the South by Southwest film festival kicks off today in Austin.

Actress Ellen Page and Ian Daniel are co-hosts of a new Viceland channel show that documents LGBTQ communities around the world; a Marine's experience in Iraq is dramatized by the adventurous Long Beach Opera.

Actress Sarah Paulson is getting rave reviews for her performance as prosecutor Marcia Clark in "The People v. O.J. Simpson"; the music collective known as Dublab partnered with Metro to create an ambient music experience at L.A.'s Union Station.

Writer-producer Terence Winter creates an HBO drama out of the 1970's music business in "Vinyl"; SNL alumnus Seth Meyers injects politics into his "Late Night" humor; Swedish-Argentine musician José González redefines "global music."

Nahnatchka Khan's experience as a daughter of immigrants helped shape the outsider perspective of "Fresh Off the Boat"; the box office success of "Zootopia" is due to Disney's embrace of Pixar's ethic; KT Tunstall deconstructs the song that launched her career, "Suddenly I See."

David Litt was President Obama's funniest speechwriter and now he's mining Washington for Funny or Die; Robert Carlock talks about adapting "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" for his longtime writing partner, Tina Fey; Kendrick Lamar drops a surprise album.

Series creator Beau Willimon tees up the fourth season of "House of Cards" on Netflix; the trailer for the remake of "Ghostbusters" depicts a very different New York City; Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Julia Wolfe readies the West Coast premiere of her oratorio.

Over the past 25 years, Jon Brion has quietly become a go-to producer and composer for musicians and filmmakers; L.A. County tightens the rules for raves on public property; the Colburn School teaches its students how to audition for orchestra jobs.

Roger Guenveur Smith on directing "The Mountaintop," a play set in a Memphis motel on the eve of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination; criticism mounts over Chris Rock's treatment of diversity and Asian-Americans; high school students perform August Wilson monologues.