Stage Door Blog & Impressions From Technology

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LgzXwpePTTU

In the first clip on the page technology of the backdrop is simple, but adds an environment for cheap. The costumes are detailed and the male lead’s facial hair builds character, showing his age and emphasizing his dream to be successful regardless of his age. The real technology that shows through however in this example is the lighting and camera work. When the climax of the piece is reached the actor turns around and the camera is blinded by the lights which are faded in with the crescendo and out with the decrescendo. Following this, the woman who is no longer contributing is left out of the lighting when it fades again, leaving the focus purely on him and the lighting for a second time brightens as he finishes the song, emphasizing his passion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UvXEQ4lZt8k

This video peaked my interest right away with the lighting. The lighting was static, but it worked with the simple, modern set in such a way that you knew you were at a relaxing kind of bar or club. The outfits were nice and reinforced my suspicion. The most amazing part of technology that I witnessed was the exceptional camera work. The proximity, always framing up who was being addressed, always zooming in, but never stopping, getting closer every time, but not repeating the same distance. This built tension the whole time through. Later the camera looking up to her, putting her in a position of power and authority over the boys was well done as well.

Finally breaking the fourth wall by throwing her drink into the audience at the end was a nice touch as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZR2-GJmXOGw

This video had excellent costumes that revealed the unded nature of the ghost, and the children's costumes set the time of the song. The set was also deeper and more intricate than the ones I have seen thus far, including fog floating above the ground. The dynamic set component of the casket exploding, and the ghost flying also incorporated the same dynamics used in the baroque theatre.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lQQcmZ2sB_c

This piece had a simply, but effective set. The Lighting was balanced and static. The impressive aspects were the costumes which set the period of time and welcomed you into that era with top hats, sailor costumes, veils, suits and dresses of the time. The most impressive aspect was the choreography and the camera movements, focusing on the active members on stage and cutting out the background movement. The dancing and movement didn’t bother you that new people came out of nowhere because of these cuts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wzh6VKpB6qc

This movie pulled my attention first by the wonderful, extravagant costumes. The set was fantastically done. The backdrop and lighting played so well with eachother it is difficult to determine where the set ends and the painting begins. The camera movements when they pull together zooms in rapidly on them, stressing the connection between them. There was also a lot of depth used in the camera work, placing a foreground, mid-ground and background, despite the limited amount of space on stage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xL52hEArSfM

I was attracted to this piece because I love the song, and performed it before. The main aspects of technology in this one is the movements of the performer and the camera. It starts with the camera zooming in to the performer. The camera always keeps the vocalist in the center third of the camera, and his eyes on the top third line, except for at the end when the camera zooms back out. The character’s costume also adds to the performance, and the backdrop places the time in the baroque, or middle ages.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kMwotYjG0Ak

OMG, Fantastic! The lighting, the set, the acting, the costumes, Neil Patrick Harris, there was nothing I didn’t like about this piece. The set and costumes place everything in modern times instantly. The lighting changes a few times, the blue key light on Neil as he starts to sing, focuses everything on him. The camera work was so nice that you barely noticed it. It always focused on the right groups, although one shot zoomed out too fast, but then they were pulling him the gentle sway of the camera pulled a watcher into the action. The clouds rolling on the backdrop was something I didn’t notice until later, but it was a nice touch of technology. The lighting at the end, speeding up with the song was exciting, and the camera work when Neil looks for his left and no one is there was nice.