SIFF: The Standbys
Saturday's first movie was a documentary called The Standbys. It tells the story of three actors whose job it is to simply stand by--in case the star of a Broadway show can't go on. They learn all the lines, songs, and dances, and then they wait . . . and they never go on unless the star can't. Director Stephanie Riggs, whose training is narrative, decided to structure this documentary into three acts, following a storytelling structure that makes the film feel less like a documentary somehow, and more like a dramatic film--which in many ways it really is. Each of these people is a character with a story arc, having to overcome the challenges that their roles present: enormously gifted (and we're given the chance to see just how talented they truly are--they all have star power in their own right), they spend their lives backstage waiting for the opportunity to shine. When each finally gets (or makes) the chance to be the star they are, we see the impact of the work on their lives and, in at least one case, on the audience.
I thought the film was very good indeed. The actors featured--Merwin Foard, Ben Crawford, and Alena Watters--were all remarkably powerful performers and appealing people themselves, and their stories were interesting and involving. I can't rate the film as great and I can't put my finger on why. It might be because compared to some of the other documentaries I've seen, it doesn't cover some heavy, important subject, but rather reveals one side of the inside of the theater business. And that's not a weakness at all; it's a difference in subject matter and approach. I think the film is, as I said, very good indeed, enlightening about other ways to succeed in theater. I think it should be required viewing for theater majors and aspiring performers of any type, because it makes clear just how tough the business is.
This was the film's theatrical debut. We sat next to the director and her friend as it screened, and Stephanie Riggs took questions when the lights came up. She talked about what was required to film inside theaters during performance: in one case, having to get permission from 17 unions in two hours and still being given a hard time by the producers. She talked about the structure of the film, and about how she found the three actors whom she featured. She was clearly excited and quite pleased with the reactions of the audience. I'm glad for her that it was a success.
I thought the film was very good indeed. The actors featured--Merwin Foard, Ben Crawford, and Alena Watters--were all remarkably powerful performers and appealing people themselves, and their stories were interesting and involving. I can't rate the film as great and I can't put my finger on why. It might be because compared to some of the other documentaries I've seen, it doesn't cover some heavy, important subject, but rather reveals one side of the inside of the theater business. And that's not a weakness at all; it's a difference in subject matter and approach. I think the film is, as I said, very good indeed, enlightening about other ways to succeed in theater. I think it should be required viewing for theater majors and aspiring performers of any type, because it makes clear just how tough the business is.
This was the film's theatrical debut. We sat next to the director and her friend as it screened, and Stephanie Riggs took questions when the lights came up. She talked about what was required to film inside theaters during performance: in one case, having to get permission from 17 unions in two hours and still being given a hard time by the producers. She talked about the structure of the film, and about how she found the three actors whom she featured. She was clearly excited and quite pleased with the reactions of the audience. I'm glad for her that it was a success.