I keep hearing good things about the camp, but I've never been (largely because I'm broke and can't afford it, but also because I reserve all of my time off for SM duties and NPS/iWPS/WOWps).
I agree that there definitely should be a more advanced workshop for those who have been touring for a sec and still not getting it right.
Or...
Make it so that when the workshops are written up synopsis wise, one doesn't have to feel that it is a beginner course.
I've seen way too many "advanced" features who come in and are:
- late, so they're scattered - rude, so no one after them really gets heard - lame because they can't seem to perform for a small audience (hey...shit happens) - lame because they use their being tired as an excuse to perform badly (if you're tired, then don't book the gig!) - spiteful (I'm going to perform EXTRA time because the audience is small and I'm not getting paid a lot of money)
I dunno...maybe it's just my way of thinking, but I think that if one wants to call themselves a pro, then treat every performance (no matter how big the purse) like it's either your first (i.e. I don't wanna mess up because then I'll never work in this town again) or your largest. You never know who that lone person in the back listening to you is or who they represent; they just might be your meal ticket.
This advice isn't to you, Alvin. It just happened to land in your LJ comments.
Exactly. In fact, at small shows I expected to leave broke from, I've met university professors and MTV talent agents who hooked me up down the road. A 15-person show in Ann Arbor which paid me $50 and merch netted me $3k in gigs.
also, it'd be great if there were more emphasis on writing and performance skills, and more debate on how can be married. There's a such a massive disconnect between styles and scenes ... how is it we're all doing the same art but our aesthetics and execution are so polarized? It's not like other artforms where you can disagree with someone's choices but still respect their craft. (At some levels) half of the poets think the other half are virtually talentless!
touring workshops are almost misleading, because they NEVER emphasize how good and well-known you have to be before you start making money. I know when Andrea and I were separately touring on the way to iWPS, we were just bleeding money. while that might have been bad luck or preparation, it think it shows that your average touring poet hoping to jump into the scene can get HOSED.
I agree that there definitely should be a more advanced workshop for those who have been touring for a sec and still not getting it right.
Or...
Make it so that when the workshops are written up synopsis wise, one doesn't have to feel that it is a beginner course.
I've seen way too many "advanced" features who come in and are:
- late, so they're scattered
- rude, so no one after them really gets heard
- lame because they can't seem to perform for a small audience (hey...shit happens)
- lame because they use their being tired as an excuse to perform badly (if you're tired, then don't book the gig!)
- spiteful (I'm going to perform EXTRA time because the audience is small and I'm not getting paid a lot of money)
I dunno...maybe it's just my way of thinking, but I think that if one wants to call themselves a pro, then treat every performance (no matter how big the purse) like it's either your first (i.e. I don't wanna mess up because then I'll never work in this town again) or your largest. You never know who that lone person in the back listening to you is or who they represent; they just might be your meal ticket.
This advice isn't to you, Alvin. It just happened to land in your LJ comments.
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touring workshops are almost misleading, because they NEVER emphasize how good and well-known you have to be before you start making money. I know when Andrea and I were separately touring on the way to iWPS, we were just bleeding money. while that might have been bad luck or preparation, it think it shows that your average touring poet hoping to jump into the scene can get HOSED.
Reply
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