I think there should be a push for shows to be recorded for the public, especially for shows that are limited runs. I don't think this will keep people from coming to see the show, I actually think this will encourage people to go see the shows. They can be released after runs have been concluded or later in the run. I mean look at Sondheim's works - Into The Woods, Sweeney and more - they are recorded and have gained his work a lot of fans and caused many to want to get people to see his shows on stage. They're great promotion tools.
I know many will say producers will not want to pay actors for these recordings but I think this will be a smarter decision for their pockets in the long run. This could give their shows longevity even after a run has concluded. There are no reasons shows like Cabaret (last revival) should never be seen by people around the world. I believe if they put out the DVDs and actually promote them, they could bring in some revenue for all parties involved.
OAN: I also don't know why shows who can't afford cast recordings won't just do live audio recordings?
i agree completely! This is a double edged sword though cause it might have an effect on ticket sales. I don't really think it would though cause there are so many bootlegs out there and people still pay cause we crave live theatre!
"I think there should be a push for shows to be recorded for the public, especially for shows that are limited runs. I don't think this will keep people from coming to see the show, I actually think this will encourage people to go see the shows. They can be released after runs have been concluded or later in the run. I mean look at Sondheim's works - Into The Woods, Sweeney and more - they are recorded and have gained his work a lot of fans and caused many to want to get people to see his shows on stage. They're great promotion tools. I know many will say producers will not want to pay actors for these recordings but I think this will be a smarter decision for their pockets in the long run. This could give their shows longevity even after a run has concluded. There are no reasons shows like Cabaret (last revival) should never be seen by people around the world. I believe if they put out the DVDs and actually promote them, they could bring in some revenue for all parties involved. OAN: I also don't know why shows who can't afford cast recordings won't just do live audio recordings?"
Live audio recordings pretty much only save on studio rental costs. You still have to pay the actors and musicians for recording, because the unions, rightly so, are not going to agree to cut that paycheck from their salaries. And you still need to pay a recording engineer to completely remaster the recordings, because what sounds good in the theatre is not necessarily going to sound good on a recording.
"100% yes.. I think it should be common practice for every show to release a video recording once its run has ended."
I agree; especially in this day and age, theater simply doesn't have widespread appeal with the evolution of other entertainment media, which is still spreading. Pirating aside, would potential viewers opt to simply wait for a DVD release instead of looking for ticket deals, given the rising ticket prices? Who knows. Maybe releasing only in SD instead of HD and higher might help with that. I think it's an experiment that should be attempted either way, though.
Unfortunately those recordings are not available for viewing by the great unwashed masses.
If The Boy From Oz had been recorded, people still would have came. In addition, if DVD's were sold at the theater they would have sold out every night.
People would still absolutely go to shows. Look at every other live event, people are still going to sporting events and those are all live in HD. People are still heading out to the movies as well when it's a big movie.
Personally for myself as someone who tries to see everything on Broadway before it closes though I would most likely cut out 85 percent of the shows I go to if I had the option of watching in HD from my couch. The major reason for this is that I hate driving in or taking the train to the city and even more so I am generally so uncomfortable in so many of the theatres when I don't have an aisle seat. It would be amazing to have all the leg room I wanted from my own couch. Saving all the money would just be an added bonus.
"People would still absolutely go to shows. Look at every other live event, people are still going to sporting events and those are all live in HD. People are still heading out to the movies as well when it's a big movie.
Personally for myself as someone who tries to see everything on Broadway before it closes though I would most likely cut out 85 percent of the shows I go to if I had the option of watching in HD from my couch. The major reason for this is that I hate driving in or taking the train to the city and even more so I am generally so uncomfortable in so many of the theatres when I don't have an aisle seat. It would be amazing to have all the leg room I wanted from my own couch. Saving all the money would just be an added bonus.
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So you say that you don't think releasing recordings will impact ticket sales, and follow that up with saying you would cut out a huge percentage of the shows you go see if these recordings became common place? That right there is why producers are not making any major efforts to find a deal that would make releasing these recordings even remotely feasible.
And let's face it, the only shows that could potentially turn a profit from these would be the mega-hits, which hardly need it. Do you really think releasing a recording of something like Honeymoon in Vegas, It Shoulda Been You, or Amazing Grace (to use a few recent examples) would be anything but even more money down the drain?
You can't compare theater to a live sporting event. There is one Superbowl a year. I can't buy tickets to another Superbowl when the televised one is sold out or beyond my means. Even for lesser high stakes games, the outcome is unknown.... no matter how many red sox games I see.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
Whether released before or after a show closes, someone has to pony up the huge cost of filming, editing and releasing. For those who think this should be done, why don't you pay for one and see how enthusiastic you are after that.
Using Passing Strange as an example, despite being exceptionally well filmed and well reviewed, the interest level is such that the video cannot be found among the top 10000 titles on Amazon.
However much some folks here might want to see it, these recordings are financially insane.
Finally, as a posture, filming shows conveys a deadly idea-that the film version of a show is a reasonable substitute for the live show. As an industry, that is the exact opposite of the message that needs to be communicated: that there is NO substitute for live theatre.
It also potentially can breed some creative sterility in regional and community theatres, which already have a habit of often presenting a low-rent version of the most recent major production of a show. A nightmare for folks whose concepts and designs are copied or aped.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
As someone who saw Passing Strange many times in the theater, saw the movie in the theater and owns the DVD, I am glad I saw it live. The movie is good, but some of the visuals, like the back wall got lost in the filming.
To that point, Ive seldom enjoyed recording (bootlegs or otherwise) of any bway show. i wouldnt be spending too much on dvds. Heck, i had frint row seats for Passing strange, and it closed the week before I went and I still had no desire to see the dvd Hogan speaks of.
Live theater needs to be live. (for me)
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
Blue Gobo used to be great. A number of years ago they removed a lot of really good stuff.
I agree re watching filmed performances as opposed to a movie musical. I hate it when the score is gutted or great songs are replaced with newer inferior ones. In addition , the Broadway stars generally outshine their cinema counterparts.
They removed a lot of stuff because of the crackdown from the Ed Sullivan estate.
The Sullivan estate has over 15 hours of clips from Broadway shows 1950-1970. It has release only a handful of these, and it pursues legal action against anyone who posts them.