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October 1992

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Subject:
From:
Jeremy Butler <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 11 Oct 1992 11:04:56 CDT
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On Sat, 10 Oct 1992 10:31:00 CST <COMRMC@DEPAUL> said:
>One of the small scandals that took place is that one ot the women
>on the show had an affair with a cameraman on the series.  This
>apparently broke her contractual obligation anad that of the
>cameraman to respect the "line" between the subjects and the producers of the
>sh
>ow.  I think I am remembering this corre ctly.   --Richard deCordova
 
You're absolutely right, Richard.  It was fascinating the way that they
(the producers) chose to handle this.
 
The romance between the woman and the cameraman/producer occurred while
the women cast members were in Jamaica.  (Talk about contrived:  the
producers sent ONLY the women to Jamaica and while there they went to
a nude beach.  And took "home" videotape with a camcorder.  It was
incoporated into the show, complete with black boxes over breasts and
genitalia.)
 
According to the show's principal conceit (that the camera operators
were only observers and not affecting the loft members), this crossing
of the line was intolerable.  So the cameraman (or was he a producer)
was fired and the woman pulled him (literally) into the frame of the
lens.  He was videotaped with the cast members, looking very uncomfortable
to be there.
 
It was also interesting to me (since I live in Tuscaloosa, Alabama) that
they chose to foment conflict by bringing a woman from Birmingham into
the loft.  She was the only non-New Yorker (as I recall) and was
obviously introduced to provide a contrast to the others.  Much of the
program focussed on her (Julie).
 
The other thing about the casting that interested me is that the
producers chose people who were all performers to begin with--singers,
a poet who performs his work live, an aspiring dancer, a model, etc.
Obviously, this line blurs the distinction between "being" and
"performance" to begin with.
 
Any thoughts on the nature of performance in documentary, Richard?
 
I find it interesting that Bill Nichols (in REPRESENTING REALITY)
chooses to call the "real people" in docs "social actors"--to
emphasize the performantive aspect of life in society.
 
----------
          Un coup de des n'abolira jamais le hasard.
          (A throw of the dice will never abolish chance.)
                                     --Mallarme
----------
 
| Jeremy G. Butler - - - - - - - - - - | Internet : [log in to unmask] |
| SCREEN-L Coordinator                 | BITNET   :        JBUTLER@UA1VM |
|                                                                        |
| Telecommunication & Film Dept * The University of Alabama * Tuscaloosa |

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