Tall and amiable, Harrison Schaen '08 seems like the ideal well-rounded Princeton student: a dedicated basketball player majoring in English who loves music and film. One thing sets him apart, though.
"When I was in high school, I said to my friends, 'By the time I'll be 21, I'm going to start a revolution,' " Schaen — who turns 22 in March — said.
Schaen's revolution will emerge next February in the form of a new student publication, Oh-So-Fresh (OSF) Magazine.
Calling itself Princeton's "first and only lifestyle and entertainment magazine," OSF will feature contributions by students and notable faculty members, including creative writing professor Paul Muldoon and religion professor Cornel West GS '80.
"Originally, I wanted the magazine to be a combination of GQ and Rolling Stone magazines because both have content, music and film," Schaen said. "They both have style, and they're both at the forefront of their genre."
"I want OSF to be that for the University. Style is a huge thing in the world today. People are very conscious of style, and I'd like to be a part of that."
As Schaen and a group of friends continued to work on OSF, however, their focus shifted from style to the entertainment industry.
"Now the magazine is about creating a medium for Princeton students that are involved in the arts, whether it be artistic, singing, music or something else, to reach out to their peers and the entertainment industry, which in turn will facilitate the ability for them to be recognized by industry insiders," said Kate Taylor Moore '05, the magazine's publicist.
Both Moore and Schaen stressed the benefits OSF's connections could offer to the University community.
"You have to have your 'in,'" Schaen said. "It's not about what you know, it's about who you know. We know who to talk to. We know executive heads, we know producers, and that's how OSF serves as the medium between the University and the entertainment world."
While OSF's emphasis on cultural commentary and mainstream media may seem unorthodox in a university setting, Schaen has already gathered support for the publication.
"Pop culture and University culture do overlap in many ways," Muldoon said.
"Universities have to be alert to what's happening in the world," Muldoon continued. "The academy is about making sense of the world. What else are we to make sense of? And the world is very varied."
Schaen and his staff were particularly eager to get Muldoon to write for the premier issue because of his passion for the arts.
"Paul Muldoon was recommended to us by a friend because he's not only a Pulitzer Prizewinning poet, but he's also in a band, The Rackett, together with English professor Nigel Smith and two other gentlemen," Schaen said.
Schaen plans to eventually expand OSF into a multimedia venture.
"What we try to do is have the print publication feature articles about the filmmakers or bands, and then have a website where you can go and see or hear it," Schaen said. "That's how we bridge the media gap. We're also getting Princeton Student Television Network to give us our own TV show where we will be able to feature even more."
In addition to spreading its coverage across different forms of media, OSF wants to help filmmakers and musical artists gain exposure. Schaen hopes to start an OSF film festival at Princeton next year, where the winners will be picked up by the film industry.
This Friday, OSF will host an event at the Art Museum featuring the University band Prospect 11.
OSF's first music event, held on the back terrace of Forbes College in September, featured performances by four bands and attracted over 300 people, Schaen said.
"What sets us apart is our contacts," Schaen said. "We have contacts with MGM, Sony and Paramount, as well as major record labels. It's all about getting your name out there and having someone who matters look at you, and that's what we intend to do with OSF magazine."
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