Producer’s Point of View: Is this a Camera I see before me?
Theatre is a fascinating industry, one heavily steeped in heritage and tradition, which equally makes it often cautious and fearful of innovation and technology. Sometimes we take it kicking and screaming into the future.
For decades, we've seen The Royal Variety Performance broadcast annually, showcasing the greatest talent of the era's as well as becoming an advert for the latest West End and Broadway productions. We've seen mixed success with selling DVD recordings of musicals, TV broadcasts of various shows and attempting to integrate streaming into shows.
NTLive took the innovative step to cinema broadcasts, becoming a huge hit both financially and artistically. For the first time, people from around the globe could access National Theatre productions without the need of travelling to London and in some cinema chains at a fraction of the cost of a theatre ticket.
For the past few years, I've been banging the gong to attempt to encourage more streaming and broadcasting of theatre, not only to engage with audiences far and wide but also to support the ever increasing financial burden of shows. A justifiably cautious industry has pushed back against the tide of digital streaming for fear it will have a negative impact on the box office.
My argument has always been that we could use broadcasts of shows as a secondary income stream to help the shows break even, they allow us to reach people how otherwise wouldn't be able to travel to see the venues/productions in questions or be able to afford a ticket price. I also strongly feel that broadcasting shows doesn't stop people wanting to see the live thing, if anything it creates an urge to experience more live theatre.
How many of us at school were forced to see shows/productions that weren't to our taste? For some students that is their first and only experience of theatre and can immediately make them feel that the genre/art from isn't for them. I believe broadcasting shows can show them that there are productions out there that fit their taste for entertainment and may even convert them back into theatre lovers, giving them the urge to book a ticket and experience the live thing.
No it isn't the same, the atmosphere isn't the same, you don't get the same experience or view point. But I want us to push forward and use streaming and broadcasts as a way of bringing theatre back into mainstream culture while also bringing in much needed money for the industry.
During lockdown we've seen companies and venues stream back catalogue productions in a variety of ways, from free YouTube showings to selling tickets for a link to the footage. This has brought theatre from the past right into our living rooms and allowed us to experience culture, art and theatre in ways we haven't done before and with staggering success. For some venues/productions, it is said more people viewed the archive footage through the internet than live in the auditorium during their runs. We are also able to reach people across the globe in this way who may never have even been to the UK to experience these productions.
The Walt Disney Company paid a staggering estimated $75 million for the rights and footage to stream Hamilton on their Disney+ platform. How many people worldwide have now had access to this show who previously wouldn't have been to see it? How many are now encouraged to see, not only Hamilton, but other shows? We are now hearing rumours of Once On This Island and Aladdin possibly being lined up to be broadcast on the platform along with Newsies.
Digital Theatre and BroadwayHD are both streaming platforms for theatre productions. They do a fantastic job in delivering a variety of productions to those of us who are lovers of the genre. Arguably where they struggle however, is captivating subscribers who aren't theatre fanatics and generating new and diverse audience demographics. Will we then see Hamilton merchandise available in our shopping malls and high streets as a result?
The RSC is taking it one step further by experimenting with Virtual Reality technology, in line with government supported initiatives in the technology, to see how this too can be used by the theatre industry and how it may fit into our future.
Now I look to the likes of Netflix to see if they too join the trend. Netflix streams a high quantity of quality drama and comedy, a large proportion of new work compared to our British TV networks. Will they get involved in supporting the development of new theatre pieces with a view of then broadcasting them on their site? Logically it is often cheaper to produce a theatre production and record it than it is to create and film a TV series or movie. And how will this change the way we operate theatre? Will acquiring the rights to stream or broadcast shows become second nature? Will broadcasting become an integral part of the budgeting of a show and the much needed income? I continue to encourage producers and venues alike to not fear this new trend but welcome it with open arms and look at ways to adapt it to suit our needs and the demand of our audiences. This is the future and it could be the way to encourage a new generation of audiences across the globe, support the complex finances of the industry and embrace the future of technology.
