Comment of the Week

Here are this week's contenders:

Comment #1: a new comment on your post "BLACK BOX THEATER":

The first two shows on this article seem particularly interesting to me. The first because what the modern mindset is about planes and the cockpit is different than the mindset that existed about them 30 years ago. The original audience didn't live through 9/11, the landing in the hudson, and the various stories that have filtered through the internet of pilots who sleep and have little concern for passenger safety. It'd be interesting to see how a modern audience will react to how people acted in the cockpit in years prior. The second show described is interesting to me because I find the technological and generational split fascinating. Living on this college campus, it's so beneficial to be "linked in" to all the wireless capabilities around. I can check my e-mail on my phone if I don't have my computer with me, and I can communicate verbally and visually with my friends on my laptop. How do the people on campus who are older handle this? Do they "link in" as well? Are they as familiar with the technology? How about the ones who choose not to use this technology? A play that contrasts those who rely on this technology with those who refuse to touch it is truly a social commentary that many people need a wake up call to.

Comment #2: a new comment on your post "Preview: STREB founder has an appetite for action":

Despite the fact that this sounds like an incredibly breath-taking show to watch, I was a little taken aback by Streb's statement that actors are often hurt in the middle of performances and need to be replaced without missing a beat.
If there is a known precondition to your work that may cripple an actor, how difficult must it be to find actors that want to work for your company? Is the company forgiving when you are out or work for weeks with cracked ribs, or broken limbs? Who is paying for all of those hospital bills, and are the actors being compensated in some way for being hurt on the job for what seems to be accident-prone choreography?
There is pushing the body to the limits, and then there is actively putting yourself in harm's way. I may be extrapolating that statement a bit farther than it was intended, but if the audience is gasping and putting their hands over their eyes (and peeking through when they think it might be safe to) for 95 minutes in fear of the actors' safety, I'm hesitant to say that this danger is justifiable. Being awestruck is one thing, being in panic is another.

Comment #3: a new comment on your post "The Truth About Being "Done" Versus Being "Perfect...":

I cannot think of another article that is so applicable to theatre and film/television. Living fast paced enables people to spit out ideas at record speeds and run with them, letting them grow and develop, but it is never a good idea to sit on something for too long. Ideas tend to become stale when people do this. It is so invigorating and inspiring to see all of these new companies coming up with such dynamite ways to lead and function. I think "Done is better than perfect" is a great slogan because it buys into the idea that perfectionism kills, and that perfectionism is what can cause a company to work too long and hard on a project that could have been developed in a third amount of time and be released as more fresh and relevant than waiting to work on it longer and then releasing it. This does not mean going with your first idea: it just means get a product out their simply and efficiently and don't stress about whether or not it is perfect.

Comment #4: a new comment on your post "What Public Domain? Why A Letter Written In 1755 I...":

I feel like I say this a lot on this blog and in conversations I have about copyright and IP law: The copyright, patent, and IP Law system is extremely broken. It was never meant to enter the digital age without being updated, and is currently prohibiting innovation. This article just continues to support that case. It points out that copyright just plain doesn't make sense! ("If you digitized books from 1912, you could infringe on a copyright from 1935. That is not a functional system.")
This article points out one example that I think it particularly relevant to theatrical artists: the sale of the first Star Trek episode. The copyright for that didn't kick in until the first sale, not the broadcasting. That can cause some potentially interesting problems or requirements for those of us working in TV, and I'm interested to find out what the current TV industry is doing about it.

Comment #5: a new comment on your post "A Record One-in-Five Households Now Owe Student Lo...":

College is terrible.
1. It is now societally made out to be something one needs to achieve any success at all, regardless of industry. Whether or not this is true is a separate argument. However, a quarter of a million dollars (coughcoughCMU) is a hell of a large number for something many view as mandatory.
2. Sure, financial aid is great, and grants exist. But they only cover a fraction of the cost. The rest of it just gets messy after graduation.
3. I will owe approximately $100,000 in student loan debt beginning in 2.5 years. Would those other four in five households like to divvy a little of that up for me? Now accepting applications.

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