Amanda Palmer TED Talk

[Rev. Jordan T. Maxwell]

some interesting thoughts on fan connectivity and compensation...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMj_P_6H ... ture=share[/youtube]

[Spots]

She's got a point. Provided the person who gives doesn't also expect compensation such as stage time.


Gotta maintain a keen (objective) eye to be able to spot the difference.

[PyroDan]

That is truly an amazing artist journey.

I see the same concept happen all the time in the improv community, not always to the same extent of success. Most of those giving are fans and more often than not, less accomplished musicians, I would bet.

If improv went completely commercial it could very well ruin some of the things we love about it. The music industry is a good example and her description of fame lays it all out. Think of every crappy pop sensation you can, and imagine if that happened in the improv community. Ugh. I feel it would be safe to say in a poll on this forum, Larry the Cable Guy would be very low on the totem of comedy, yet he makes millions of dollars. Barf.

The hardest thing about all of this is while we are not competing in a true sense of business competition, we are competing for the same patrons that enable this type of benevolence in the Austin market.

[Spots]

Within the art form competition is fairly redundant for now. Let me qualify that statement. What I find is that a potential audience member already has a first impression of the form itself.

"I saw a bad improv show in college. It was a waste of time. Improv is not really my thing."

Chris Trew and I were talking about this 2 weeks ago. He said. "Right. Now imagine if your friend went to a movie. He comes out and talks about how Die Hard sucks so he's decided he's never going to watch a movie again. Not really a big fan of Bruce Willis and films."


Imagine that for a painting. "Yeah I saw a shitty painting once. No thanks."

Or books. Films, music, and paintings are a given. You don't question your own participation.


I invited my friend to watch a show and she wanted to sit in the back because she thought she would be pulled onstage. I saw her inching towards the door based on her past bad experiences. After the show she did a 180 and was excited. I'm currently nudging her gently to take classes.


Audience perception is unique and doesn't translate well compared to other forms. The competition is in the hearts and minds of individuals whether or not they should give this art form a second chance.

[PyroDan]

You are right Jesse. It's more like dating than entertainment.

My point was that the competition is for those willing to date.

[Rev. Jordan T. Maxwell]

Within the art form competition is fairly redundant for now. Let me qualify that statement. What I find is that a potential audience member already has a first impression of the form itself.

"I saw a bad improv show in college. It was a waste of time. Improv is not really my thing."

Chris Trew and I were talking about this 2 weeks ago. He said. "Right. Now imagine if your friend went to a movie. He comes out and talks about how Die Hard sucks so he's decided he's never going to watch a movie again. Not really a big fan of Bruce Willis and films."


Imagine that for a painting. "Yeah I saw a shitty painting once. No thanks."

Or books. Films, music, and paintings are a given. You don't question your own participation.


I invited my friend to watch a show and she wanted to sit in the back because she thought she would be pulled onstage. I saw her inching towards the door based on her past bad experiences. After the show she did a 180 and was excited. I'm currently nudging her gently to take classes.


Audience perception is unique and doesn't translate well compared to other forms. The competition is in the hearts and minds of individuals whether or not they should give this art form a second chance.

i don't think it's so incomparable to other forms. in our culture, we're exposed to a lot more movies, TV, and music as media. even, if we're lucky, books and paintings. but exposure to live performance can be such a rarity, someone's first exposure to opera or musicals or Shakespeare or, hell, just a slice of life kitchen sink "the Tony goes to William Inge" play can be very definitive for them. if it was a bad experience and they have no prior experience with that form, then that becomes the entire form in their mind. they don't have the cultural vocabulary to understand it yet. and yet as in the case of your friend, once they've had a GOOD experience, their experience and vocabulary expands...and before you know it they're writing sonnets and humming Wagner. so i agree with the underlying principle, but i don't think it's unique to improv.

and anyone who doesn't like Die Hard is a dirty Communist alien invader sent to destroy all things good and holy.

[TexasImprovMassacre]

That was great