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Post by kathryn on Jun 22, 2018 11:45:51 GMT
Many theatre practitioners disagree with you on the *should* part I know - I saw Maxine Peake on stage this week with a Q&A and I know she wasn't easy about her Hamlet being released on DVD but people I was talking to in the audience urged me to get a copy. I regretted watching the Peake Hamlet in the cinema rather than live in the theatre - I felt the camera direction was particularly poor. Couldn't get into the production at all as a result. |
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Post by crowblack on Jun 22, 2018 11:51:17 GMT
that’s not a fair professional representation of my work. But people know that of archive recordings. They'll watch an old 'lost' Dr Who just as some stills with a home-taped audio soundtrack from someone's garage because at least it's something. Given the way some plays were written and shaped around, with and by their first director and cast, seeing that original production can be important to an understanding of the development of the play. As for the basic human right thing, it's rather like the arts subsidy issue - we all pay towards it but London gets the lion's share and then some, and that's now being addressed. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2018 11:53:52 GMT
Several of us have now tried to have a reasonable discussion and failed.
I don’t live in London either. It costs me money too. But I kind of accept that the National Theatre archive lives at the National Theatre. Just like the National Library of Wales lives in Wales...I can’t demand they digitise all their books and manuscripts either...
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Post by crowblack on Jun 22, 2018 12:27:13 GMT
Several of us have now tried to have a reasonable discussion and failed. I don't think it's an unreasonable discussion. Someone earlier in the thread suggested a Theatreboard petition for it to be made accessible online, as the NT already have to schools for some better quality recordings with Cumberbatch etc.. As someone living in the North on a low income and resigned to not being able to visit it as it is, but who has been delighted to find other archive recordings on Youtube which have brought me joy, I think it would be a wonderful thing if it could happen. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2018 12:59:16 GMT
I don't know if it's an unreasonable discussion, but from a spectator point of view, it's certainly become circular. "These should be more accessible." "They're already pretty accessible, and *more* accessible isn't really possible for these reasons." "Well they should be more accessible." "Yes, they're already pretty accessible, but *more* accessible isn't really possible for reasons already stated." And so on and so forth.  |
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Post by kathryn on Jun 22, 2018 13:19:16 GMT
The step you've ommitted is the 'but why can't they make them more accessible?', but other than that, yes!
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Post by crowblack on Jun 22, 2018 13:39:51 GMT
*more* accessible isn't really possible I think it is and I think with time (and nudging from disadvantaged groups) they will be. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2018 16:31:38 GMT
The point is, I’m sorry you aren’t “disadvantaged “ by a lack of access to archival material just for your own entertainment, that is not (a point you are choosing to miss over and over) the sole purpose of archives. I agree theatre should be continually made more accessible. This includes (to a degree) more NT live style recordings and in the case of those I agree that streaming sites are also a good option that should be used more. I disagree on a level of practicality that is could and should be the case for ALL archive recordings. Just like I can’t demand the Bayeux tapestry be brought to my house on a level of practicality and purpose of those looking after it. But kathryn and myself both have substantial professional experience of this sector, what do we know right? |
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Post by crowblack on Jun 22, 2018 18:04:55 GMT
"Just for your own entertainment"? As it happens, I have been an arts writer, I've made extensive use of libraries and archives as a student, postgrad, campaigner and for my work. So I have used these things with a 'work' hat on, but I don't see why you think 'entertainment' is a bad motive! It's what makes life worth living. As a human being who loves to experience as much as possible of the work of artists and writers whose work I love, being able to see recordings of them actually performing rather than just words in biographies, reviews in old magazines or reading a playtext is like the difference between having a painting described to you in words and actually seeing the thing - even if it's just a grainy repro in an art book. Londoners have a clear advantage here* - whether it's a teenager studying for A levels or someone who is 'just' a theatre fan. I got into a certain well known posh uni to study English (first from my family to university) by enthusing in an interview about a filmed play I'd seen - a film the director had (as I mentioned earlier) not wanted to be shown on TV. I saw it on TV.
I don't happen to think there would be an appetite for ALL archive recordings, but for some 'you had to be there' productions like Jerusalem - where most of us for whatever reason couldn't be there but would have liked to be - I really think they should be online or accessible through hubs at regional libraries or arts centres.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2018 18:30:36 GMT
Yes, I who waste far too much of my life on a theatre message board think 'entertainment' is bad...
Stop looking to pick a fight. And stop deliberately disagreeing or willfully missing the point of several people offering reasonable reasons why what you wish for isn't a realistic possibility.
Or to quote a well known pop song 'You can't always get what you want'
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Post by crowblack on Jun 22, 2018 19:01:44 GMT
I'm not "looking to pick a fight". My experiences on Theatreboard have always been very pleasant until today and I was surprised and actually rather upset by the negativity over the perfectly reasonable point that material that is in digital form and available to schools (in the case of the NT) or in online teasers in the case of the V&A could where possible be made more widely available e.g. to libraries or regional hubs or better yet to the home in a sort of password protected form like with indie films on Vimeo. And I think it will happen. Or they could put them on DVD like some from The Globe etc. - slightly more expensive than an average DVD but very welcome all the same.
This is circular and pointless. Neither of us have any power to influence this issue but I want to be positive and hope it will happen as part of the wider move towards greater access to the arts which is now happening.
And now I'm off to pack my theatre rucksack for tomorrow...(and I can't visit the V&A archive while I'm there because it isn't open at weekends)
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Post by crowblack on Jun 23, 2018 23:13:10 GMT
Btw, I don't know if this info is of any use to any of you, but a few years ago when I was researching something I wanted a copy of a 1970s French drama serial and the website Ina.fr made and sent me a DVD copy for a few Euros. I think they now stream stuff too - it's a massive TV archive online and it would be very, very nice if British TV did the same here.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jun 24, 2018 15:48:17 GMT
Btw, I don't know if this info is of any use to any of you, but a few years ago when I was researching something I wanted a copy of a 1970s French drama serial and the website Ina.fr made and sent me a DVD copy for a few Euros. I think they now stream stuff too - it's a massive TV archive online and it would be very, very nice if British TV did the same here. Agreed so many BBC (and Chanel 4 from back in the glory days) of theatre productions that I would like to dip into but alas they aren’t on YouTube or similar and so I have a sad face |
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Post by nick on Aug 9, 2019 14:39:24 GMT
website Ina.fr made and sent me a DVD copy for a few Euros I think there's something similar in the USA that sell via amazon.com. Only problem is, I'm not sure they always own the appropriate copyright. Ah well if we disregard copyright then there's plenty available including lots of the NT Live recordings. FWIW I think more will become available legally over time. For example the BBC have digitised pretty much all their archive and streaming technology is well established. The problem is making sure all the participants are paid appropriately - not a trivial problem. I'm impressed by the BFI Player - lots of rare items and at a good price. For example it's the only place that have two of Joe Orton's plays to stream and they're asking £1 each. |
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