Hello, welcome to day 4956 in the hellscape called 2020. I jest, sort of. One of the biggest issues for those of us in the arts, is how to ply our craft under this absolutely ridiculous set of conditions. One of the ways that writing twitter has come up with is Zoom scene studies. What’s a scene study, you ask? Well, some enterprising, brave soul decides to either organize an online Zoom performance of their work or, in the case of one group I have been working with, some outgoing person takes on the task of collecting writers, actors and directors to perform scenes from scripted works for the community. Our little group is called The Thing For AWD because our founder is trying to raise the profile of women directors. Since I know the founder, I accepted the opportunity to direct an episode. Whew. I felt as much stress as my last project. But my hair was flames in my photo.
It’s a very interesting thing to see actors develop their craft in front of you and to see how different directors bring different techniques to scenes. Artists adapt, unlike me to the lack of block editor when it seems my attempts at inserting html breaks aren’t working, like right now. It’s been fascinating to see how distance learning and performance has embraced tools like Zoom, Twitch, Hangouts or Skype. If you have an interest, there’s probably an activity going on online. Here are a few cool home options:
- Atlas Obscura: Wonder From Home
- Kev On Stage: Keep Your Distance Comedy
- Folk Dancing at home Event Calendar
I gotta admit, I’m impressed. When I see folks talk about how doomed & fucked we are, I always wonder if they’re deliberately obtuse or just enjoying a good despair wallow. Humans adapt. That’s why we’re a pernicious scourge on every other creature on the planet. We adapt like fucking weeds. We’re life and we find a way. I hope you’re finding a way to connect, enjoy some kulcha and make a little joy in your corner of the world. Know anything interesting, drop it below in thread. I will be narrating the scene setting for the next The Thing for AWD tomorrow afternoon at 4pm PST, so if you feel like watching a scene study for a movie script, sign up to attend. It’s not like we’re out of seats. Open respite thread.
Obligatory artistic cat pic
rose weiss
Yes, we all have to be creative in ways to connect in this crazy time. Thank you for the post reminding us of all the many areas we can explore to connect.
NotMax
Smack in the middle of watching an RPG with our gaming group on Zoom. Not anywhere close to the same.
Although kind of neato that one guy participating is in Thailand at the moment.
Seanly
Yes, we adapt, but we don’t like to. While change is necessary, we aren’t always going to like it.
Another part of the problem is that some of us see the strides we’ve made as a society over the last 100 years – suffrage for women, civil rights expanded, greater sexual freedom, greater acceptance of others. We have come so far and yet we’re just started on this mountian climb of making the Earth a more just, equitable, and cleaner place. And our leaders keep trying to cut the rope.
I’ve benefited more than I can ever know from being born a white male in middle-class family in the USA. I want to be sure that everyone has those same benefits regardless of race, sex, creed, religion, orientation, or national origin. Or at least that I & my ilk can’t game the system to the detriment of everyone not as pasty as me. And I fear that we’ve watched so much of the gains slide away. Not just over the last 3.5 years, but losing ground in some areas (like reproductive freedom) while gaining in others over the last 40 years.
I also know how lucky I am for my financial situation though I feel like the Sword of Damocyles dangles overhead. Same with my medical insurance. I want us all to be secure knowing that the vagaries of life can’t toss us to the street and leave us mired in debt. And I see that as being one of the next big hurdles for this country to overcome.
And I haven’t even touched on the situation of the environment… or COVID.
LesGS
My little community theater group just produced a set of ~10 minutes plays explicitly written to be acted and recorded on Zoom, then posted on-line. I’ve directed a number of “regular” plays, and it was an interesting challenge to direct one of these.
ruemara
@LesGS: It’s definitely interesting. A meld between audiodrama & stage direction.
NotMax
@LesGS
“What’s my motivation for doing that?”
“I’m the director. THAT’S your motivation.”
;)
oatler.
Jim Gaffigan finally let his freak flag fly. Hot Pockets, motherfuckers!
https://crooksandliars.com/2020/08/comedian-jim-gaffigan-breaks-silence-and
mrmoshpotato
@NotMax: Allow me to introducing myself. I am Boris Badenov, famous movie director.
LesGS
@ruemara: I’m used to directing large, multi-generational casts, so I have a very physical and visual style. At least the visual element translates well. And patience, the acquired patience, is pretty helpful. :D But I miss my sword fights…
LesGS
@NotMax: I wish. The theater is affiliated with a UU church, and boy, howdy, to we believe in the democratic process.
NotMax
@LesGS
“Whaddaya mean you took a vote and the butler didn’t do it?”
:)
LesGS
@NotMax: Uh, we did do a play that sorta ran along those lines. We’ve also done a couple “courtroom” plays where the audience is the “jury” and the cast had to be prepared to go with one of two or three different endings depending on what the audience decided. UUs. Whatcha gonna do.
Jay
Police reforms face defeat as California Democrats block George Floyd-inspired bills
BY THE SACRAMENTO BEE EDITORIAL BOARD
AUGUST 27, 2020 05:00 AM , UPDATED AUGUST 28, 2020 09:29 PM
Play Video
Read more here: https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/editorials/article245286690.html#storylink=cpyThe
Jay
Jay
Sister Golden Bear
Humans and artists do indeed adapt.
This month I’ve been watching the virtual version of this year’s Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend, which under normal circumstances features the best performers in the world.
They reopened submissions for the virtual event and got some absolutely brilliant acts, which make use of the online medium in ways that you could never do in a live show.
For example, one performer did a fan dance, which was impressive in it’s own right, but then used post-production to repeatedly change the color of his outfit and fan in time with the music. It was almost hypnotic. Another performer performed at night in the parking garage of her apartment building, illuminated only by the headlights of a parked car, to produce a stunning film noir-esque act filmed in black-and-white. Or another New York-based performer who did a single tracking shot “reverse strip” act, starting with him in the shower and then moving through the rest of his apartment as he put clothes on.
It was also really interesting to see amazing performers from around the world that I’ve not heard of before because normally don’t attend BHOF because they can’t afford to travel to Las Vegas.
It’s still not the same as live shows, but it’s great to see performers pushing the art form in new directions that never would’ve happened pre-Covid.
Starfish
@Jay: Some people are so afraid of change that they are fine with fascists. There has been very online anti-homeless, pro-police behavior where I live. Clearly, this suburb is the most dangerous place on Earth because we have homeless people. We have homeless people because we have anti-housing jerks running the government.
Sloane Ranger
My AmDram group isn’t trying anything even remotely as demanding as anything described but we are meeting via Zoom and using the time to improve our voice acting as well as explore new genres. We started The Merchant of Venice recently for instance.
Previously we’ve limited ourselves to modern comedy.
MazeDancer
Most uplifting.
arrieve
I think I’m going to try folk dancing at home! (My downstairs neighbors may disapprove.) Thanks for the links.
debbie
@arrieve:
They just might.
dnfree
One of my daughters is a working musician (singer). All the events they did—weddings, charity functions, business meetings, summer festivals, singing at restaurants—effectively gone. She and a colleague have formed a group singing outside people’s homes for special occasions. It keeps them working, but the weather will change soon. What will be the “new normal” for them?
stinger
I’m printing this out in big font and putting it on my wall.
cain
@Jay:
Eh.. no one at BLM was scared. They definitely wanted to kick their ass. I think calling it ‘terrorist’ is just dumb – we need to be better than that.
You don’t get scared by nazis, you fuck them up.
cain
Great post, rue mara! Also Odo always reminds me of my deceased cat, Yellow. Same marking and coloring. Great to see him!