Thank you for inviting me to be a part of this blog. When I joined BAM in 2011, America's oldest performing arts center did not yet have any in-house video capabilities. At the core of my new job was the role as video archivist. I never thought of myself as an archivist before, and to be honest, I didn't particularly love the idea that something I filmed was to be put on a shelf and seen by few. This important mission, however, is something that I have grown to respect and love. Also, digital tools are rapidly changing the entire notion of an archive as a dusty stack of boxes behind a locked door.
I began by filming every performance myself (a one-man band), but we soon opened a new (third) venue, expanded programming, embraced video in exciting new ways, and now I oversee all our video production, including a growing in-house team and a few vital freelancers.
In addition to archival video, a very large part of my work has grown to include producing a wide range of video content. This includes trailers for shows, interviews with artists, educational content, and more. I am also working daily to lay the groundwork for an array of video capabilities for the organization. This means investing in new technologies, training colleagues, and a lot of new discoveries along the way.
I love working with artists to find ways to connect them directly with an audience online. I have to agree with Emily that one of my favorite parts of my job is sitting down with an artist and interview them about their work.
I'm a video nerd at heart, so I love to talk, read, and write about technical stuff. But I'm also a passionate filmmaker, with interests in animation, directing, and editing. It is an honor to be asked to contribute to this community and I look forward to our time together here.
—BC
Ben, thanks so much for joining us! We are so glad to have you to offer the perspective of a performing arts org- I think it's a role a lot of museums also fill, both through the variety of programming that can be offered and through the continued blending of visual art and performance in the gallery. I'm intrigued by the shifting role of an archive online and what this means. I can't wait to talk more about how BAM is balancing this with promotional or educational material.
ReplyDeleteBen, I am so glad you have joined the community and am very excited to talk about documentation of performance with you. In addition to creating content for museums and other non-profits in san diego I work as a video artist and collaborate with performers and dancers relatively frequently because the process of re-creating an experience through documentation is such an exciting challenge and creates a space for innovation (and generally within very limited means). I am looking forward to hearing more about your philosophy and practice!
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