The Jamaica Star :: Entertainment :: Performing for the camera

Beres Hammond - Winston Sill

At last Friday's Lover's Rock concert to recorded tracks at the Jonkanoo Lounge, Hilton Kingston hotel, New Kingston, it struck me how much of the performances went into the camera.

And I mean literally into the camera, as it was being recorded for cable station Juice TV.

By and large the performers constricted their movement to the field of the camera that was directly in front of them, and even those who did move back and forth across the small stage area seemed restrained in their movement.

No vybz for audience

It was not as extreme as one night at Weekenz on Constant Spring Road, when I saw Vybz Kartel deliver a phenomenal flood of lyrics entirely into the camera, following it as the videographer moved it around and around. At the same time, though, he by and large ignored the audience and it showed in how they responded to him, as there was not the expected interaction and feeding off the energy and 'vybz' of the crowd.

Performing specifically for the camera is a very different thing from simply performing, although being aware that it is being recorded. I wonder how many entertainers are able to strike a balance, especially in this day and age of the ever-present video camera (be it even a cellphone with recording capabilities), and engage their audience while delivering something worth recording.

Limited coverage

The problem arises especially when there is limited camera coverage, so at Beres Ham-mond's 'A Moment In Time' coming up to 2008, the question of balance and the resultant restriction did not arise, as there were a number of lens recording every moment for the DVD that is slated to come out of it.

It is extremely interesting how this instrument, the video camera, which captures every moment within its range at an event, has loosened up the people who dance for it, while in some cases it restricts the performer.

The dancers have absolutely no problem letting it all hang out for the cameramen, while the entertainer has to be careful to make the correct 'speech' lest he or she face the consequences of the angry dancehall massive farther down the musical road.

It is unfair for a live audience to be expected to be bystanders in the interplay between camera and performer who is delivering specifically for the wider viewership, which will see the recording and it is up to the artiste and the performer to strike the balance.