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joe yang Loyal user Florida 296 Posts |
Here's hoping the future of escapeology is strong. Even so, it could look very different years from now. Antecdotal accounts aren't the same as good documentation. The same might be said for sideshow arts in general.
aka Mike Booth
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Steve_Mollett Inner circle Eh, so I've made 3006 Posts |
Tape?!?
Everything's DIGITAL now!
Author of: GARROTE ESCAPES
The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth. - Albert Camus |
joe yang Loyal user Florida 296 Posts |
Okay, digital your work.
aka Mike Booth
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jay leslie V.I.P. Southern California 9498 Posts |
Mini DV is tape
Jay Leslie
www.TheHouseOfEnchantment.com |
Roslyn Inner circle UK 3405 Posts |
Hey all,
I've been pondering on the "record your work" thing for a while. My own view is that when you read about an escape in the papers with a couple of still shots it's often better than watching a recording of the same escape. So get your stuff recorded but I would steer clear of taping it. Quite often, unless the escape has been created for the small screen, the drama is lost. But when you read about it you can, if the story is written well, actually have something that is more dramatic than the live performance. The embellishments made by those recounting what they've seen is what can elevate the humble performer to legendary status. I think it's the same for sideshow, magic and circus. The stories before and after the performance are what make these artforms exciting. How often have you heard mentalists talk about false memories? It's what the audience remembers that matters. All the hard work in creating those memories would be undone if they could jump on YouTube and see what really happened. However, I believe it's important that those currently at the top of our field document their work for use within the community. Kind of like Norm did a few years back with his limited release DVD. Or Steve Baker did with his 2 volume book he put out. That's important for the art to survive, but it's not suitable for public viewing. I'm waffling now, but I hope some of that made sense. If not, I can only apologise.
The Magic Cafe account of The Conwy Jester, Erwyd le Fol formerly known as Roslyn Walker.
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joe yang Loyal user Florida 296 Posts |
Roslyn, Good points all, but tape your work, (and all the digital, news, TV type guys I know till say tape, thank you) not for the performance, for the archive. Someday, you, your kids and their kids may appreciate it. Someday, somewhere, it may help someone with research.
Not just performance tape either, out takes, test screenings, they all have value. I could go on, and often do!
aka Mike Booth
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thegreatnippulini Inner circle of Hell because I've made 2582 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-02-06 17:41, jay leslie wrote: SD memory card your work? I have about a dozen Mini DV tapes of my work (and vacations, etc.). I am in-the-works with an Italian production company for a Guinness TV show that wanted to see some video footage (non-YouTube). I had to pull out the video camera, the transfer cables, and start the whole editing process... that's all I used at the time (mini DV). For the past two years I've been using my Flip camera for video work, but I haven't done stage shows since 2005! So tapes and headaches associated with tapes it is. Funny, I listen to 8 track tapes on a regular basis and the technology for DV isn't that far (magnetic tape).
The Great Nippulini: body piercer, Guinness World Record holder, blacksmith and man with The World's Strongest Nipples! Does the WORLD care? We shall see...
http://www.greatnippulini.com |
joe yang Loyal user Florida 296 Posts |
I've got some old television footage on 3/4 inch tape. I just got it converted to digital. The kid who did it said he won't have a 3/4 inch deck much longer.
There are archival, academic reasons to preserve our work, particularly escape artist and sideshow performers. These are dissapearing art forms. Eye witness accounts aren't the same as seeing the work. Eye witnesses are biased and don't always understand what they are seeing. Even mediocre performers, and I include myself, have something to contribute to the historical record. My show is mostly lecture, with just enough demonstration to illustrate. The patter is the best part of my show and though I'll never write a book, with tape, I don't have to. I've also observed that a complete, historical record of an artist's work is often better than that artist's individual work, the whole is better than the sum of the parts. Tape your work. Save the tape!
aka Mike Booth
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dave_matkin Inner circle 4522 Posts |
H@ll I still use tape!
But I find that an SD card just does not hold the gift wrapping down. I tried melting it like wax but its just no good ..... give me tape any day! Duct tape is the best! But seriously .... tape your work! A couple of seasons ago I spent quite a long time practising cups and balls ... but before I even went out on the streets I spent a couple of days with a video camera taping me and watching it back. Full script the lot ..... even stage directions on a couple of takes. This was the best thing I could have done! I changed a lot of carp before I went out and I believe it made my show better for it. I know it is not quite what you meant Joe but I still think this is a good idea. If you see your self how your audience sees you during a show you know exactly where your mistakes are .... and to be honest .... thinking back to the SJ escape that was listed on here some time ago you cant always trust the crowds response ... the guy in the SJ escape said he was marvlous based on a crowd of thousands of people at a concert type event where they had been watching a band and were excited etc. I don't think that the people response would have been in context of the escape only. But when we watched the escape detached from the audiences emotions we could see that it was .... well naff! Ros you say that you like embelishments of what actually happened by the audeince - I think that we still need to know what we did well and what was not so great and could be improved. I agree that the story that the press pass on is part of our craft - or more correctly part of their craft (they are hte story writers). but a video of our show will only show us what was actually there, what was actually happening and all we can use a evidence to help us develope - or people who know us and saw the perfomrance and can comment candidly - which is not always an easy ask - (carrie does it for me .... but often I don't want her to! - also she wont comment on some stuff - like blockhead as she wont watch it!). So yep I say film it - like you said it is not necessaraly for "human consuption" - human as in "muggles" and it should not necessaraly be readily available. |
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