We've spent this month talking about technology on stage. There are two productions running currently that epitomize this kind of exploration.
Check out The Deepest Man by one of our favorite artists James Scruggs at 3LD. The New York Times says, "Given that the show comes from 3-Legged Dog — a company known for integrating performance, video and effects — it is unsurprising that the piece, loaded with abstraction and supernatural traces, is a visual marvel."
And Gyda Arber's FutureMate is a immersive experience that combines film, theater, and web-based storytelling. You can catch it at the Film Society at Lincoln Center on June 26th at 8PM.
Catch them while you can.
"The art challenges the technology, and the technology inspires the art."
~ John Lasseter
Twitter has become a very popular way to promote OOB productions, share ideas or insights and connect with other artists and theatre creators. The use of hashtags is a common practice that can help followers (and potential followers) search for specific topics or areas of interest, however they can sometimes be confusing.
So, here is our
Down & Dirty Guide to Using Hashtags:
THE BASICS
- Hashtags start with the "#" symbol followed by the word or phrase (no spaces) for example, #Knowledge or #KnowledgeIsPower
- Hashtags can appear anywhere in the tweet; beginning, middle or end
- Think of hashtags as key words or phrases that are relevant to your topic
- Hashtags help you categorize tweets or search for similar tweets
- Hashtags can help you contribute to an ongoing conversation. For example during the IT Awards ceremony we use #NYITAwards. Any tweet using that hashtag will be categorized together and will automatically be included in the our stream.
- The use of hashtags is one of the ways "trending" statuses are determined. If a hashtag is very popular and used by many people, that topic is identified as trending.
USES
Twitter has identified seven basic uses for hashtags:
- Promotion of products, events or activities
"Our show opens tomorrow. Buy your tickets today! #IntrepidPlayers"
- Coordination of activities
"Participants can get water on the corner of 34th & Broadway #CleanUpNY"
- Memes
"Flat Maria Irene visits the set of Donkey #FlatIndie"
or maybe
"Hey Girl, Seen any good indie theatre lately? #SeanWilliams"
4. Context
"There are so many great companies working #Off-Off-Broadway #OOBRules"
5. Recall
"Rehearsal at 6PM #schedulechange"
6. Quotes
"There are 2 kinds of theatre, commercial theatre & theatre that matters.
We're here to celebrate theatre that matters." ~ Edward Albee #quote
7. Contribute to a conversation
TIPS & TRICKS
-
Do not over use hashtags. Best practices suggest only 2 hashtags per tweet
- Do not use hashtags to spam. Make sure your hashtags are relevant to the topic
- Only use a hashtag if it adds value to your tweet
- Search for similar tags before creating your own
- Clicking on a hashtag, shows you all the other tweets using that hashtag
Check out this great post Twitter Hashtags: Nonprofits Speak Up
#OOBRules #HeahterShoutOut
"If you have only one smile in you give it to the people you love."
~ Maya Angelou
It is not a new problem. Live performance; from dance to opera to theatre, struggles to grow and engage audiences. The question arises "how can live theatre attract an audience driven by on-demand, multi-channel, media?"
"Electronic and digital technologies have spawned an array of
media, from 3-D movies to crowd-sourced video like YouTube to smartphones, that
compete with the stage (and with other traditional media like books, and each
other) for the audience’s finite attention."
~
Craig Lambert, Harvard Magazine
Off-Off-Broadway was on the forefront of actively using social media as a promotional tool. Building a social network online is now a major part of marketing plans for all internet savvy businesses. Digital media offers an easy and cost effective way to grow an audience.
"Social
media and other marketing tools should also be used more imaginatively
(but no “tweet seats,’’ please) to communicate the unique excitement of
live performance."
~ Don Aucoin, Boston Globe
While we all agree that the arts can utilize digital media for promotional and even educational campaigns, incorporating these platforms
into the artistic presentation itself is still a foreign concept to most
theatre artists. Dexter Upshaw,
Digital Media Manager for Harlem's Apollo Theater recently spoke at the 2014 TEDxBroadway. He argued that instead
of chastising audience members for using digital devices, we should
embrace what is now a social norm and look for ways to make virtual
interaction a part of the performance.
The New York Neo-Furturists for example, often challenge their audience to tweet plays that can only be 140 characters. The best of these plays are then included in their weekly performance of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind.
Many innovative productions are now inviting the audience to participate in the creative process by encouraging them to use their smartphones, digital cameras, social media, etc. during the performance. Engaging audiences through a medium that they already use enthusiastically changes the relationship between the performer and the audience and creates a unique and personal experience for each audience member.
"Digital Theatre" is a trend which is characterized by the coexistence of live performance and digital media that interact within the same presentation. Gyda Arber has been pioneering this interactive brand of theatre. Productions such as Suspicious Package and Red Cloud Rising utilize
mp3 players preloaded with video and sound files to guide audience
members through a production. Similarly Melanie Jones used synchronized mp3 players to allow her audience access to the inner thoughts of her character in Endure: A Run Woman Show.
We already see Digital Media Design credited in OOB playbills. Will these designers soon have a seat at regular production meetings to build social
interaction into the creative process from the start?
Imagine going to see a production where selfies taken in the lobby while waiting for the house to open are reveled as family photos on the set. Or character asides - their inner thoughts - are texted to you during intense scenes. The possibilities are endless and exciting.
Granted there are productions
where "tweet seats" are inappropriate and might disrupt the rest of the
audience. However, "on-demand, multi-channel, media" is really about creating personal, immediate experiences and ultimately that is what theatre artists do best. Using digital media as a tool to heighten that experience is a natural progression and it is not surprising that OOB is among the leaders of this trend.
"Technology isn't intrinsically good or bad. It's all in how you use it, like the death ray."
~ Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth
