Thread: 2 video guys and a Diva?

Ok So Tonight at the hafla I host, A local dancer/teacher came and she is supposed to be our guest dancer for our student show. We had decided over the phone to discuss details of the show tonight. I have been very excited for them to come and dance. We talked tonight and I informed her that I will be giving her a % of our profits. Previously She was going to dance for free becuse we were not charging. She origionaly complained after agreeing to do this about me not charging. Which lit the fire under my bum to charge for the show.I didnt think I could becuse we were doing it at a non profit, but after inquireing further found we could so I got permission to charge and told her that after the flyers, Videoographer (sp?) and room rental were paid for I would be giving her 20% of the profits, 20% for me, 20% for my student who dances in town as a semi pro and 20% for the other semi pro and that leaves 20% for a pizza party for the class girls. I thought this was very fair since we are all working hard. Ok So I tell her that we will be video tapeing it and the videoographer will collect 100% of the profits from the dvd sales ($10 per dvd) on top of the small fee I am paying her. She then gets all offended that she will be video taped. And says she wants her "dance to be more private" Well she is on youtube for christ sakes, and I told her that the dvds would be sold to only the students, family and attandees of the show. She then wants to be edited out. I say ok no prob will let the videoorgapher know. She then wants to bring her own Videographer. I am taken back at this, since she is demanding to be cut out of my videographer and bringing her own. Now I have already negotiated with mine that they will be getting the orders. If I bring in another (which I dont intennd to) it eats into her profits, and I have already negotiated. So has any one ever delt with this before? I mean In the states I have been video taped at shows/haflas and even paid for my dvd and NO ONE even asked my permission.....So why the heck is she sooo demanding and rude (she did speak in a very rude tone infact she was rude the entire night not even dancing or shimmying a bit at the hafla just sitting there)......I am really put off by this since she was saying stuff like, Well I am glad you told me now becuse if I had shown up and this had happened I would be really mad......IT IS A PUBLIC SHOW so what is the problem, and Why does she want her guy there if she wants to be sooo private? Thoughts on how to handle this.....I really dont intend on having 2 video ographers there

please keep in mind that this is rural japan, not LV NY OR CALI

It doesn't seem all that odd for someone to opt out of being videotaped; in fact, I assume you're going to provide all your performers with a release to sign that allows your videographer to tape them. Performers who don't sign a release don't get taped, simple as that.

As for the diva being allowed to have her own videographer, I would make it clear to her (very politely) that while she is welcome to have someone of her own choosing videotape HER OWN performance, you have already hired a professional to tape the show.

If that's too much of a hassle, just make a blanket rule that you're not allowing outside photography/videography. It sounds to me like you don't think the diva is worth the hassle, so perhaps you wouldn't be crushed if she decided not to dance at your show?

Most shows that have an official videographer do not permit any other taping to be done, even on cellphones and digital cameras. I would discuss with your videographer who may expect that to be done as a professional courtesy. I would tell her she could opt out of being filmed but that have already engaged a videographer who has sole rights to tape the show.

Souzan

Yeah I am thinking that it isnt worth the hassel. There will be NO out side photo or video, It isnt fair to the video grapher or the dancers whos video gets ruined with flashes.....Thanks for the tip on the release, Looks like I need to add that to the list of crap to do. We videod the last one and NO ONE complained infact they couldnt wait to see it.....ARRRGGGG

Originally Posted by Souzan

Most shows that have an official videographer do not permit any other taping to be done, even on cellphones and digital cameras. I would discuss with your videographer who may expect that to be done as a professional courtesy. I would tell her she could opt out of being filmed but that have already engaged a videographer who has sole rights to tape the show.

Souzan

My thoughts exactaly but I needed a little reinforcement

I don't think I'm understanding something....

Did she want to bring in her own videographer to tape the the entire show including her show or just her own show alone?

In the Uk, haflahs etc. are usually taped without consent. If it is a pro thing then it is different. Artists generally want control of their image and do not want anyone else to make money from it. Sometimes people take this way to far and make a big deal of it but. I am more concerned about professional photographers and the fact they if they snap you then they own the image and can do what they want with it. I can see why people are concerned.
Also if you did not feel it was your best performance, you are stuffed!

I like the title for this thread, Annwyn! ..g.:

I had a similar circumstance recently regarding taping dancers, except for the drama part!

I produce a dance festival annually. We have a house videographer; no one else is allowed to take "moving pictures," very much like the situation Souzan described. The videographer tapes every performance; each performance is available only to that individual dancer for a fee, unless otherwise instructed. For example, John Bilezikjian plays for us every year and a few lucky dancers get to perform with him. He has asked that he not be filmed, so we turn off the camera and turn it away from the stage. The only downside is that the dancers don't get video of themselves dancing to live music, but they are aware of this going in.

Since this year was our 10th annual festival, we decided to do a special evening show that featured past workshop instructors and special guests. Because I know what a hassle artistic releases can be, I had decided not to tape the show. Then somebody (not one of the performers) asked about purchasing a tape of the entire show so I bit the bullet and began surveying the performers. Some folks were all for taping and selling and others were a bit hesitant. I understood the hesitancy, which is why I had decided to not film it in the first place; it has everything to do with controlling one's image. So, this is what we ended up doing:

I created a consent form that stipulated that 1) the show would be taped and a copy given to me for my archives, 2) neither the videographer nor I would disseminate performers' images in any way at any time without the written consent of the performer, and 3) a copy of an individual performer's show would be available to purchase by that performer only. The consent forms were signed by the performers, the videographer and me.

All the performers were very happy with this arrangement and, although it took a bit of last-minute scrambling, I was very happy with it, too!

Deborah

Deborah, the show at the "Market at the Casbah" this year would have been a great one to produce too! I have to say that it was one of the best I have attended in a while.
John has copywrites on his image, much like Jilliana and a lot of top dancers and often contracts dictate if they can be filmed or not.
As far as the dancer opting out of being filmed, pretty normal I would say.
Bringing her own video person, I would say if they filmed only her and were not in anyone's way or impeded the show, it was probably ok. BUT...if I were the other video person and had understood I was the only one taping, I think I would be upset. It could open the door at different events for others to have Aunt Maybell tape "just them" and cut into the other video persons income. Maybe the saving grace on the event we are talking about was that it was a non-profit and fundraising event? Lots of sides to this one.
Many events have a very strict no video policy and even then, people get around it. I see alot of camera phones with longer and longer taping capabilities at festivals.

Annwyn, if this is your event then you need to put your foot down and say "no unofficial video recording will be allowed"... being that you and only you decide what is and is not official.

A dancer not wishing to be filmed is not unusual, and you need to respect that. All performers that are to be taped need to sign a release and be informed on what you plan to do with the recording, sell it to the GP vs sell/give copies to the performers only.

If someone wants to video tape their performance but doesn't want your guy to do it then that's just too bad. They can negotiate with you to tape it but keep it off the master copy (they still have to sign a release for this) and make it available only to them for purchase but then that may not gel with the arrangement made with the videographer who would have rights to the material.