This question is arising because I'm performing at a Festival soon, and it's a new festival, and they're taking the advice of experienced producers so as to be gracious hosts.

They let me know as part of my contract that audience members will not be allowed to record or photograph my performance.

The "no recording" policy I understand. I don't agree with it (probably 'cause I know too many Grateful Dead fans), but at least I understand it.

The "no photos" policy... someone want to explain the reasons behind that one? Either from the point of view of a producer or a performer?


(BTW, I let the Festival producers that I have no problems personally with audience members taking pictures or recording my performances... so they needn't implement the policy for my benefit. I don't think they'll change their policy, as I'm sure other performers on the bill may have different feelings, and that would be bizarre (especially at an olio): "Okay, everyone, take your cameras out now for the next story, but you'll have to put them away for the following two." For logistics sake, I understand the need to have a consistent policy.

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Tim E
http://www.storyteller.net/tellers/tereneta
http://www.myspace.com/storiesbytim
http://storytelling.blogspot.com
http://storytellersunplugged.wordpress.com

My take on no photos:
1) as a performer, sometimes flashes distract. But then the ban should be against flash, not photo.
2) as a producer, sometimes my volunteer photographers have acted like the worst of wedding photographers. They stop just shy of climbing into the teller's lap to get a 'great shot' for the festival. But that should be my problem setting boundaries for my particular photographer, not make it a general rule.
3) it's possible it's borrowed from theatre, where I've often heard it announced. Partly because it distracts, but also because actors are conscious about becoming 'overexposed'. Many actors double as models & so are used to being paid for being photographed.

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Yvonne Healy, storyteller
www.YHealy.com
810-225-2204

"healy" My take on no photos:

2) as a producer, sometimes my volunteer photographers have acted like the worst of wedding photographers. They stop just shy of climbing into the teller's lap to get a 'great shot' for the festival. But that should be my problem setting boundaries for my particular photographer, not make it a general rule.


I've recently gone to 2 performances in which the photographer is on stage and blocking the audience view. I felt like the audience was being used as extras for a video and wondered why I paid for a ticket and wasn't paid to be there. In one case, I left (along with 1/2 the audience) at intermission. Half the time I couldn't see the performer at all (this was a music-not storytelling concert) I spoke with other audience members, who were also upset. If a producer gets burned once or twice from that sort of thing, I can understand why they would restrict pictures.

As an audience member I have found photographers very distracting. At times, even though the photographer has tried to be discreet, I end up watching him/her and tending to the photography process rather than what is happening on stage.

As a storyteller, I would prefer not to be distracted by the photographer either ... I would rather have people (all of them ... including the photographer) 'present' rather than filtering the performance through a filter.

Perhaps, it would be easier on the audience / performer(s) if the photographer had some boundaries ... wasn't 'snapping' all the way through but at previously chosen times?

- MK

*****
M. K. Clark
Narrative Communication Artist and Practitioner
Exploring Story, Relationship and the Creative Process
beagle150@frontiernet.net