I’m sure everyone out there remembers a bad fashion trend. They happen often. They were a virtual epidemic in the 80’s. Can you remember bad fashion trends like Bermuda shorts, leisure suits, big bangs, crimped hair and super-tall platform shoes? We look back on them now and think “how could they have ever been in style, or in some cases, “How is it possible that they could come back IN style!?!?!?”
The kinds of fashion trends I want to talk about are not about the clothes you wear or the way you wear your hair. They, like everything I blog about here, are bad fashion trends in Human Video.
Just because someone does something, even someone who is an “expert” or who has won national merit award, doesn’t mean that you should mimic them. In most cases the copied items are poor examples of what ought to be done. Just as in our faith we must measure everything up against scripture, in theatre (for that is what Human Video is) we must measure everything up to the time-tested principles of dramatics that can be found when you really look for it.
There are three kinds I will focus on today: trends in moves, trends in storylines, and trends in subject matter.
First I suppose I should explain what I mean by “moves.” Because Human Video is a conglomeration of a variety of different art forms, it has yet to develop a cohesive jargon all it’s own. What one person calls “moves” might be entirely different than what someone else considers “moves.” Generally movement and placement in theatre are referred to as either “choreography” or “blocking.” Most of the time, these two areas are well covered in Human Videos. The movements I am talking about now have less to do with those, and more to do with “meaningful gestures.” When we think of gestures, what are the first things to come to mind? Perhaps waving to say “hello,” or shaking a fist to show anger. These kinds of gestures have meaning. The problem is that there are a lot of extraneous or unneeded movements that become “bad fashion trends.” Sometimes in Christian circles, we begin to have a sort of slang. Likely most of us have used slang in front of our parents and noticed the slightly glazed expression that creeps over their faces. When we use “slang” gestures in Human Video, those who aren’t “in the know” can’t understand the message that we are sending. |+ \/\/0|_|[]_|) 8 the 54)v(3 |pH | 70[]_|) j00 70 ph33r |\/|y tekniq, n00b!!! t0 u|\|d3r$+@|\|D jOo |\/|u5+ be lEET. 1f J00 4r3 NO+ lEe+ jOO C@|\|N0T 5p3A|< 0r ReAd +|-|I5.
The second area that is subject to “bad fashion trends” is storylines. What I have seen happen often is that one group will find a “storyline” from the Bible, and then other groups copy the idea ad infinitum. Writing stories is fairly simple. There are four elements to a story that must be present: exposition, conflict, climax, and resolution. All four must be present in order to have a complete and understandable storyline. When any of those are missing, the story becomes less effective than it could be. Some stories need only to be clarified in the minds of the writers and performers. Often by the addition of a few simple clarifying movements or facial expressions, a once “muddy” storyline becomes clear.
The final trend I want to address is related to storylines. It is subject matter. It seems that the range of most human videos is so small it is cliché. “Smoking: Bad. Sex: Bad. Drugs: Bad. Drinking: Bad. Purging: Bad. Cutting: Bad.” Surely these are not the only issues facing people today. Rather than sticking to the same subject matter over and over again, we should be going back to the Bible, back to our own experience, and asking God to give us unique and inspired ideas. Try keeping a journal. Write in it for at least a week. Jot down news articles that attract your attention, situations that happen in your circle of friends, and things that happen in your school. “Write what you know,” is advice often given to writers, and it is the advice I give to you to combat this particular “fashion trend.”
The root of all of these problems seems to come from one very small problem. Imitation. It may be the sincerest form of flattery, but we are not in the business of flattery. Rather than engage in imitative behavior, we ought to be engaging in innovative behavior. To innovate, we need to be sure of our roots. We need to understand the principles of theatre.
Things like characterization, blocking, choreography ought to be studied to the best of our ability. In 1Timothy, Paul encourages us to “study to show ourselves approved unto God,” and that is as true of studying theatre as anything else. Be knowledgeable about your craft so that you will be able to shine for Jesus, instead of being an embarrassment.
Human Video
