Audience members unconfortable with video recording

[Worldeeeter]

We video every show with a crappy little ZOOM camera - pointed at the stage. No audience members end up in the video unless they jump on stage.
It probably has a lot to do with the style of music you play; the metal and punk crowds never care. I can see whiny, self-entitled people going to see other genres of music.

 

[DavetheDude]

I go to gigs to enjoy myself and want to do things which i can´t do if i would play myself on stage and i don´t want to change my behaviour just because of cams, this is limiting my freedom.

That doesn't sound right. Sorry...

 

[Marley's Ghost]

So the two people who mentioned the video just said they were inhibited about dancing with cameras rolling. No threats or outrage. I thought this would be a good topic to explore.

 

[Buster Brown]

At our last gig I received comments that some people were uncomfortable with being on video. We run a camcorder on a tripod off to the side and people take phone videos at various times. Are they out of touch or is this a legit gripe?

It never bothered me to be recorded. However, I'm sure that it bothers some, especially wanted felons

I remember going to an Iron Butterfly concert way back (before video) and they had a sign up at the entrances that the show was going to be filmed. Never really figured out why they had the signs up - but again, never bothered me..

 

[Buster Brown]

No, there isn't an expectation of privacy. However, that doesn't mean I like it.

Video the band if you want, but not the crowd. If you need a few seconds for a promo video, sure. But the whole show? Nah. Find an angle that hits the audience from behind, not the side.

It would bug me if I noticed and I wouldn't come up front and party with the band. My wife is the kind of professional who has to watch her public presence. She loves to dance. She wouldn't go up front and hang with your band if she knew about a camera.

Why don't you just turn the camera? Why do you need footage of the audience all show every show?

Indeed. It is a public event. There is NO expectation of privacy.

 

[Buster Brown]

I just remembered that in the middle 80s - I got my first video camera - a behemoth looking thing (sort of like a TV station) mobile unit....it was god-awful heavy. Anyway, I went to an outdoor concert one day and took the camera. I saw the promoter (knew the guy) and I asked him, "Would it be alright if I taped the bands?" and he asked me if I intended to sell any copies I told him "No". He gave me his permission at that time.

Honestly, the recording was so bad - I COULDN'T have sold it.....had I wanted to..

 

[Steve]

this day and age, you look out into the crowd and there are 3 or 4 people holding up smartphones and recording, you're doing your job

This day and age, you walk out into public and expect to not be camera'd 100% of the time, seriously, you better be in the wilderness.

 

[MDBass]

At our last gig I received comments that some people were uncomfortable with being on video. We run a camcorder on a tripod off to the side and people take phone videos at various times. Are they out of touch or is this a legit gripe?

...I don't understand, are you filming the crowd or the band?

If you're filming the band that's a weird complaint, but if you're filming the crowd that's just plain weird.

 

[mellowinman]

I have been shooting pretty much whatever I want since the 80s. I used to get a lot of footage of business owners and security people telling me I couldn't film. They hate that. For all any of you know, I may be filming you RIGHT NOW.

 

[mellowinman]

...I don't understand, are you filming the crowd or the band?

If you're filming the band that's a weird complaint, but if you're filming the crowd that's just plain weird.

When I do band videos for promo, I definitely film the audience. You show the band. You show the audience having fun to said band. Lather, rinse repeat. That's been a promo vid formula for about a million years.*

*there has not been video for a million years

 

[two fingers]

Indeed. It is a public event. There is NO expectation of privacy.

But if it potentially makes your audience, or even some of your audience, uncomfortable, why do it?

Just because you CAN that doesn't mean you SHOULD.

 

[Gideon352]

Man, good thread! I really like the varied opinions here.

 

[BAG]

My wife is the kind of professional who has to watch her public presence. She loves to dance. She wouldn't go up front and hang with your band if she knew about a camera.

Can you imagine going to a bar as a patronand having 4-5 cameras recording you all night? I can't. My guess is that the volume of cameras makes it conspicuous and overwhelming.

We can turn off our camera but we can't control patrons who video.

Indeed. It is a public event. There is NO expectation of privacy.

These days I know we're doing a good job when more and more people are holding up their phones and videoing a song.

Unfortunately it's part of the age we live in. I don't particularly like it as i know the sound will be crap, but if you fear being filmed while on a night out you better get used to not going out as the chances of being filmed are very high.

 

[MDBass]

When I do band videos for promo, I definitely film the audience. You show the band. You show the audience having fun to said band. Lather, rinse repeat. That's been a promo vid formula for about a million years.*

*there has not been video for a million years

I'm well aware of that, but you don't film the audience at every show you play for that purpose; pointing a video camera at the audience for every show you play is just flat out strange, if that is indeed what's going on here.

How many hours of B roll audience footage do you actually need?

 

[bolophonic]

many are!
it starts, i think, with getting the club's permission, and then the audience's (giving notice). some venues simply don't allow it. some don't care. i think the OP's experience is pretty common: local bar, video taping the band for fun and promotion.

My first thought was that certain venues videotape ALL their shows. I remember the old 9:30 Club in Washington DC had a video camera recording every performance back in the 80's with a live feed to monitors in the back rooms of the club. I mean... in this day and age, complaining about cameras at a public event borders on crippling narcissism. Who even watches a band on YouTube to see who's in the audience?

 

[cazclocker]

My two cents: screw the people who don't want to be recorded. YOU want to record... then YOU go ahead and record. Find a way to disguise the camera. Put a little piece of gaffer's tape over the red light.

 

[JRA]

in this day and age, complaining about cameras at a public event borders on crippling narcissism

a summary point. i agree with your assessment.

 

[jeffbrown]

Events/shows that I have attended or played at that were taping the event/show for *serious* usage have almost always displayed at the entrance and/or on the tickets a disclaimer stating that the event/show was going to be taped, and that if attendees were not comfortable with such, the ticket price would be refunded and holders were encouraged to NOT enter. Attendance at such was deemed to be permission to use persons' likeness on the program. Attendees were free to redeem the tix, or not. Another fix might be to announce or remind patrons at the beginning of each set that you are taping, and if folks don't want to be on the show, to stay away from the front of the stage. I never saw anyone reversing course and get a refund....

I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV.

 

[red_rhino]

In my last band, the drummer's boyfriend would stand at the back of the dance floor with a camcorder welded to his hand. For some reason, he felt it was his solemn duty to record every f'ing time she played. You could see that it made people feel uncomfortable; people were ducking under his line of sight when they would walk in front of him. He wouldn't stop, even when I asked, and she couldn't reign him in. As a result of this and his other idiotic shenanigans, I left the band.

Privacy rights in a public space is not the issue. If it's inhibiting your audience, they're not having a good time and your show suffers. I'd much rather the audience be out on the dance floor than have a crappy video recording of an empty dance floor.

 

[Steve]

I'll come at this devils advocate and someone who spends time on the other side of the bar and in the back office:

If you have something going on that you are afraid is going to cause you issues if it gets filmed, if you are so unsure of your ability to self control that you are afraid of getting caught on cam..if you are so twitchy and paranoid that you are scared by cameras..

Really, maybe you should just go to RedBox and stay in for the night. One thing is sure, that bar owner really doesn't need your money that bad. The problem isn't the bar is full of cameras as far as the owner is concerned. The problem is his bar is full of people afraid of cameras.