No photos this time but let's talk film.

I know it's been kind of quiet around here lately. I've been busy finishing up a new photo project, but I did see a new movie and a new network TV show that made me want to ask...what's up with all this non hero stuff?

Have you seen Deadpool? If not, you are in the apparent minority. It broke the box office record for a film opening in February. My wife piped in that it's an unfair comparrison seeing how ticket prices are outrageously higher than they were in decades past. Don't be a buzzkill, dear. I'm sure they allow for that obvious discrepancy. Who knew that the unhero would be the next big "thing" (no Fantasic 4 reference intended).

Talk about the new anti hero? Then we need to mention the ultimate unhero as namesake for a new network TV series called "Lucifer." Yes. That Lucifer. Who in the hell had the notion for viewers to root for his satanic majesty as the lead character in a detective series? I can't imagine the network bean counters not worrying about Proctor and Gamble pulling advertising or the Tea Party vilifying the show or a lack of viewers in the so called bible belt.  Did the network executives get together after a black mass and decide it was time for their misunderstood master to have his moment in the sun?

Hero movies have always been a mainstay of film and tv studios. From the little man successfully defeating the forces out to destroy him (mean bosses, evil banks or corporations, coveting neighbors, etc.) to the super hero fighting evil aliens or geniuses, we the public have engorged ourselves at the trough of derring do (archaic english for heroic acts). Why stop there? When I was a kid there were the Italian made Hercules movies starring Steve Reeves. Oh boy! I loved those films. He was quite the man in his lion skin (?) and bare chest with rippling muscles as he fought his way through the Italian version of his namesake's mythology. He always got the girl too, must have been that 1960s Italian Greek mythology at work.

Remember the stop action monsters? They would photograph the model and then move it a bit and photograph it again and again making it appear alive and on the attack. The actor would be fighting air while the superimposed monster (usually giant spiders or scorpions or three headed wolves or cyclops) flailed back in their direction. Great stuff. It was all we had. We were expected to supply the imagination to accept it as real (well...you know what I mean).

Today we take so many things for granted in the movies it's hard to surprise a kid when they see a film. That first shot of the Imperial cruiser following the scrolling words in the original Star Wars was the cinematic deathknell of having to stretch your imagination while sitting in the movie house. It was the tip of the iceberg. The development of computer generated movie making has never looked back. Digital photography's (see, we are talking photography) constant technological improvement and drop in cost of high quality CGI (computer generated images) has made it too easy to suspend belief. It isn't required for anyone to ignore the wires controlling the scary beast on screen or two guys dressed as Godzilla and Mothra duking it out claw to claw while crushing a miniature Tokyo, to enjoy a scifi thriller. Imagination isn't required when you see the splattered flesh and blood of monster or hero generated before your eyes by high end computer generated magic. We are becoming immune to the thrill of cheering for the hero. How many Superman, Spiderman, X Men, Wolverine, Avengers, Captain America, Batman, Green Lantern, Iron Man and Fantastic 4 movies can we absorb without screaming, "Enough!" I haven't included the too many Star Wars or Star Treks. They are even rebooting movies that haven't been around long enough to be considered classics. As with all good things (the music industry comes to mind) the lust for gold has caused a glut of similar product being dumped on the public and we, due to human nature in the land of excess, are becoming numb and disinterested. No more super heros please! We want something else. Someone out there knows what we want. A computer is whispering to them.

Next time: More about the Non Hero and some photos of the lastest stage show.

Shooting Live Performances or Seeing Things In The Right Light

 I love photographing live theater. It's something I really enjoy doing and have been doing it for a couple of decades. Now if you're job is at a Regional (State), College or Professional house you have the best in theatrical lighting to work with. Your equipment combined with a top notch lighting plot will leave you only looking for that special moment to snap and not muttering under your breath when that moment is in semi darkness for one reason or another. Actors are notorious for not feeling the light or missing their mark so carefully planned and executed by the Director and Lighting designer. I've seen a few stand like the Phantom with half their face hidden in darkenss due to an errant step. Now software can work wonders but the time spent processing 300+ pics can make it a nightmare to meet your deadline. Also consider that if the stage light isn't consistant then you can't have a template that will work across the board. Each photo starts the process from scratch leading to inconsistent results. It reminds me of my golfing experiences. You practice at the driving range and you think you might have things under control. You then progress to the links and find you can't hit the boradside of a barn much less sink a 5 foot putt. Every T shot is worse than the previous and as you approach the 18th T you're missing your driver, putter and most of your irons which are now scattered all over the back 9. You promise yourself that after this hole you will never play the game again and then.... You hit the ball 300 yards down the fairway. Your second shot is on the green and you putt out with an Eagle. Your love of golf is renewed. One hole made you forget the hell that was the other 17. You rush back over the course to gather your clubs from the roughs and the water traps where they were flung. Tomorrow is a new day!





Some thing else you might find is that many actors perform with their eyes closed. Now, I'm not picking on actors. I am to be included in their number, but a blink is a blink. There's no way someone's eyes are closed in every single shot! But there it is, the perfect photo during a group scene and one or more have their eyes closed. AARRGGHH! Next!

 The result can be the same when shooting a performance. 250 of the 300 snaps might be unusable or mediocre at best, but those 50 really good ones make the hours spent worthwhile. And you can hardly wait to hang or post them. After all you're providing a record...a memory for cast and crew and their friends and family. Remember, it's a punishable crime to film a stage play without permission (and good luck getting that). The performers don't get a chance to see what the audience showed their appreciation for during the curtain call. We as directors, designers, actors and crew become like a family during the production. We share the ups and downs of auditioning, casting, designing, rehearsing, building, blocking, memorizing, sewing, working concessions.taking tickets,

seating patrons, working concessions, selling ads, overcoming stage fright and sometimes stage mothers. We usually swear fidelity and promise to get together and not be strangers. 9 times out of 10 it doesn't work out that way. We make friends (it's a small community after all) but time passes quickly and real life has a tendency to intervene.

Acquiring the ability to be in the exact position to capture the essence of a "moment" whether comedic or dramatic is the road to the money shot. You know it when you see it. Those who have no theatrical background can do it as a technician; one who understands the construct (geometry) of a properly framed photo. Take enough and you are bound to capture that moment. The advantage of knowing how something is staged allows you to anticipate and be ready when that moment arrives.
Of course there are no guarantees. Remember, someone's eyes might be closed. To tell a story on myself, I conscientiously managed to reload my SD card holder in preparation for a session and forgot to put it back in the camera bag before I headed to the shoot. I got
set up and went to test my lighting and NO CARD. I dashed to  the only place open and paid what I pay for a 32gig card walking out with 4 gigs. No worries. No one knows but you.

Go to the theater.See a show. It doesn't have to be a musical. Some folks love them and some do not.
The experience can be life changing no matter what you see. Magic happens up on that stage and I love trying to capture just a moment of it.

Please enjoy the few pics I've sprinkled throughout the post. You might be able to guess the titles of the shows (if you don't already know) and if you have any questions drop me a line care of the blog.