Was Great Comet filmed for later viewing?

[JayElle]

Posted: 9/3/17 at 2:27am

Falsettos, Ham, She Loves Me, etc were filmed for future viewing on BroadwayHD or Great Performances, but I've not heard that GC was.  Don't tell me they didn't capture this for the future.

[springwillcome]

Posted: 9/3/17 at 2:59am

I am fairly certain it was archived, but it definitely didn't get a pro-shot for public release, no. pro-shots are rare and certainly not common in shows that didn't do well financially. I wish pro-shots were possible for more shows ESPECIALLY those with unfairly short runs, but it's important to be realistic too. 

Updated On: 9/3/17 at 02:59 AM

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 9/3/17 at 5:37am

It's not in the NYPL catalogue, so no one thought throwing money at TOFT was a good idea, evidently.

[Rainah]

Posted: 9/3/17 at 8:15am

It was filmed for the lincoln centre just recently (And even that was a miracle, I didn't think they were going to be able to do it). There are no plans to release it publicly. I know they tried at one point but couldn't make the financials work

[cmorrow]

Posted: 9/3/17 at 8:48am

g.d.e.l.g.i. said: "It's not in the NYPL catalogue, so no one thought throwing money at TOFT was a good idea, evidently."

Great Comet was taped for TOFT last Wednesday. The record is not in the catalog yet because the material hasn't been processed yet. (I know this because I work at the library.) Other shows that have already been taped for TOFT, such as A Doll's House Part 2, are still being processed as well. There's a thread about this topic in All That Chat that goes into more detail about funding, and mentions a few other shows that have been taped recently.

As for throwing money at TOFT, that sounds great. Happens very seldom, however.

[cmorrow]

Posted: 9/3/17 at 2:32pm

I'd like to add that shows taped by TOFT sometimes take a while to process. (The reasons vary.) In recent days, a number of records appeared in the NYPL Catalog for Off-Broadway additions to the archive, including Daniel's Husband, Bella, and How to Transcend a Happy Marriage. The DVDs themselves were already available to view, but the records didn't go online until last week. My larger point is, you won't necessarily find the record in our online catalog right away, and sometimes not until after a show closes. The best way to find out if TOFT taped something is to call [phone], and ask.

[schubox]

Posted: 9/3/17 at 3:31pm

So for those familiar with this, how are these or preserved? On DVD? What resolution? What kind of cameras do they use? I assume they're edited together? Who does that? Is all the raw footage kept? 

 

I assume I'll never see any of these archival shows, but I'm very curious 

[cmorrow]

Posted: 9/3/17 at 4:24pm

TOFT videos are taped live, like a live TV show, so there is no post-editing and thus, no raw footage. The make of the cameras varies, depending on the videographer. Playback copies are DVD format and are kept at the Performing Arts Library, while master tapes are kept in off-site storage.

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 9/3/17 at 6:15pm

This is a pretty good article explaining what goes into a TOFT filming: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/09/nyregion/giving-plays-second-acts-after-the-final-curtain.html?mcubz=1

 

It's usually a 2-3 camera shoot for archival purposes, with no post-production work. Not a "Great Performances"/Broadway HD-level shoot, but fairly good quality nowadays. The finished product is kept in the NYPL for the Performing Arts, viewable for "research" or "academic" purposes in-person at the library. The NYPL filming isn't released commercially or for any other reason outside of the library, and nobody involved with the show makes money off the filming.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong here, but I think producers or creative team members can restrict access so it's only viewable to certain people (for whatever reason), or can withhold viewing it for a period of time. (And some people like Neil Simon have not wanted their stage productions filmed.)

As for what shows get filmed: There's a limited budget for filming, but I think producers can pay the NYPL to have it filmed for archival purposes (this 2013 article says $16K, but maybe it's more now) if the NYPL can't do it on their own.

[cmorrow]

Posted: 9/3/17 at 6:24pm

Someone correct me if I'm wrong here, but I think producers or creative team members can restrict access so it's only viewable to certain people (for whatever reason), or can withhold viewing it for a period of time. (And some people like Neil Simon have not wanted their stage productions filmed.)

You're correct about members of the creative team restricting access to certain videos. You're mistaken about Neil Simon, however -- several of his plays have been taped. My understanding is that, in earlier years, his agent would refuse requests for taping, without Mr. Simon's knowledge. (Now it's my turn to say that I may be mistaken, as this was before I worked at the Performing Arts Library.) In any case, several of his shows have been taped since the 1980s.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 9/3/17 at 7:07pm

Bob Fosse is one that refused all requests to film document his shows.  His reasoning is that they needed to be experienced live in a theatre as they were intended.  

Lucky enough, his choreography was notated in full by his dance captains so they were documented.  These notations were a savior when they were developing the revue FOSSE in the late 1990s.   

[JayElle]

Posted: 9/4/17 at 12:30am

But She Loves Me & Falsettos and others were taped to be shown on BwayHD and Grt Perf.  At least with BwayHD, you have to pay to see it. And what about the special showings at local theaters. Falsettos was broadcast in local theaters for $15 or $20 for a one time showing.

Doesn't that make up the $ they lost?   

 

[JayElle]

Posted: 9/4/17 at 12:30am

And what's a TOFT?   Sorry, my ignorance

[dramamama611]

Posted: 9/4/17 at 12:46am

Theatre on Film & Tape

 

https://www.nypl.org/about/divisions/theatre-film-and-tape-archive