Thinking Outside of the Genre???

I have been thinking about something since I saw "The Blue Dragon" in Vancouver.  And tonight when I saw the film "Avatar", it came up again:

In both these pieces, I was struck by the fact that the Directors chose a genre that does not usually entail fabulous script and acting.  Lepage is a Director who is known for his work in French Theatre - which is a spectacle genre.  Cameron is an adventure science fiction Director known for spectacle and action.

Although I actually do love much of what these 2 directors do, I find it interesting that they are sticking to a focus on spectacle when there is so much more to be had in the telling of their stories through the script and through the acting.

For e.g. in "The Blue Dragon", the story took place in an impressive 2 story set that converted into a bar with a moving track table, airport, condo in Shanghai, a warehouse, the outdoors of the condo.  It was fabulous to watch and to see all the amazing images created by the projectors and by the dancers. At the same time, the script was a translation that could have used a little more work and much of the acting was not at all at the professional level that I thought it would be. But it was a really great story - one that would have been so much more powerful if delivered with excellence.

In "Avatar", Cameron created this amazing world of the Avatars and merged the curiosity and science of man with that world in a very creative way.  The images and the camera work in the film were incredible and very easy to watch.  But the script and the characters were created with the typical stereotype of the science fiction genre - where the people are very one-note:  The Avatars are this incredible spiritual people who live in this fabulously gorgeous forest and they do amazing things for each other and their surroundings there, whereas the army and the scientists who are studying the Avatars end up being pushy and selfish for the most part - even evil.  The most human person that we could relate to is the main character- the corporal.  In the end, he too makes stereotypically amazing choices. It's all just too good or too bad to be real. 

I guess I am partial to telling a good story and not sparing a dime on that because I want people to relate and to be drawn in.  Both of these pieces left me with wondering eyes and attention, not because I did not appreciate the spectacle, but because I think the story was shafted by the desire to create the spectacle.

Long lasting art I think is something that people will be able to identify with for a long time to come.  And I think that this kind of art can only happen when we are willing to think outside of the genre box.

What do you think?


Designing with you...

Wanda
http://www.reinholdtproductions.ca

Halo learning

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Halo is history Well, Halo is now in the history books for Fire Exit Theatre. I am still receiving emails from people who saw the show and loved it! Josh, you certainly have written a gem of a play! Halo taught me many things and reinforced things that I already knew but now I know in a fresh and new way: People really respond well to humor and to drama mixed together. There is such encouragement in a community of artists working together to create something powerful. People like to feel valued and are freed by having a clear understanding of what their role is. Artists need to be encouraged and motivated when they are going into tech week. As a Director, I learned much about myself too. I learned that I indeed have a style which is to nurture and encourage people. I learned too that I can nurture and encourage just by asking designers and actors to give their best ever. I don't have to compromise the vision of the show to do that. And I learned that as I gain experience, I gain the respect of others when I ask them to make changes. So I'm looking forward to moving into more and more work in the arts so that I can keep sharpening my skills and my person. How are you sharpening your skills and person?