Why are you interested in this project?
We are interested in this Decibels project because since the company’s start we have used digital technology , sometimes effectively and successfully sometimes unnecessarily and presenting great challenges to the company . sometimes using it just because it was artistically in vogue!
Three examples of past work
Travelling
Using film as part of the company’s performance, did work when the film told part of the story, did not work as a backdrop, because the audience cannot focus on so many things at once. TRAVELLING with CAROVANA SMI was the most successful work utilizing film
SDC Showreel
Using film works when we wanted to perform to very large audiences, we used a film maker with live camera as in a live rock concert to point to the sign language, as the sign is small the film enables it to be seen. But when you we do not only focus on the hands as sign doesn’t make sense when you isolate the hands.
‘CALIBAN AND MIRANDA’ directed by Garry Robson was the most successful.
BBC Interview
We have worked for many years with the BBC developing a visual media platform to visualize radio drama. We worked on several projects with BBC Radio 4 , using film and the BBC’s Digital platform to show the sign-language version and sign theatre versions of the radio work. This has been a great experiment, and we have learnt a great deal from it.
Interview with Signdance Collective - BBC
How do you use technology in your work?
As a company on the road, we utilize skype and other means to communicate, explore new artistic ideas , develop forums even direct projects from a-far. Sometimes this doesn’t work because live performance is a 3 dimensional form, and when you have a camera on it no matter how good, you miss the depth.
David Bower *SDC’’s Artistic director with composer Luke Barlow have explored greatly through digital means the sounds of tinnitus, and developing, music and visual pictures through sound to picture translators . The result was a piece of work called ‘LISTEN’ Signdance Collective: Three Films + One – disability arts. Read more here.
There is no replacement for trying new ideas, sometimes failures are as important as successes.
Lastly but importantly, recording work for rehearsals, though good to not overuse and feel’ how it’s going. Not everyone likes to watch themselves back. so this is particularly useful for choreographers and when working collaboratively over long distances.
promotion – though it’s important to keep film for PR purposes concise.
Website
signdancecollectiveinternational.com
