Arts organisations are increasingly exploring the possibilities of virtual performance. Hannah Rudman explains how digital solutions can complement live performances.
Statistics and our knowledge prove that our audiences are time poor, have increasing expectations of personalisation, and prefer to time-shift their cultural consumption to fit in with their lifestyles. In response to these socio-economic changes, New Yorks Metropolitan Opera has this year implemented a successful digital strategy. They offer recordings of concerts for download, and streamed live performances online for a low cost. They then generate further income by making those recordings available for broadcast on both public service and subscription radio and TV channels; and, finally, make the same recordings available for CD/DVD (alongside other content). (http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/ broadcast/on_air.aspx)
Suzanne Vega recently performed a live gig in Second Life (http://secondlife.com), a virtual reality world, where 1.5m residents spend time building up networks of friends, virtually acquiring real estate, and even businesses. Her avatar (an onscreen representation of herself) performed, whist an audience of 100 other avatars watched (controlled by their real life counterparts via computers to sit and watch, clap, and dance to varying levels of sophistication).
Mimicry
In a world where there is ever increasing opportunity to experience virtual performance, the arts sector is naturally concerned to protect its X factor: the unique experience of the live performance. In the popular music sector, gig organisers are also preoccupied with convincing the audience of the primacy of the live experience (although as advocates of live music they also have interests in getting audiences to venues so that they buy massively overpriced refreshments and merchandise). Are we right to worry that a virtual exposure to our art can give our audiences an inferior experience, or take away audiences from our venue? And, as various classical music organisations that Im currently talking to are asking themselves, what are the opportunities and threats of allowing our audience access to our work via different digital delivery channels?
The virtual event is inferior if it is trying to mimic the unique qualities of live performance. But I want to argue that most virtual performance is simply different. I dont think that the goal of Vegas virtual concert was to imitate the experience of one her live gigs as perfectly as possible. Had it tried to do this, it would have achieved only a mediocre result. The ambience of tangible excitement and collective expectation would be missing. You wouldnt be able to feel the volume and texture of the music as the soundwaves hit your body. You would not be able to sense the release of tension in yourself as you exert energy cheering and singing along with the sweaty crowd. The atmosphere would be different.
However, Vegas virtual reality audience had an opportunity to experience artistic content live, but in a different paradigm: not the same live that wed experience at the venue. This live was experienced by the audience in various geographical places and different times of day around the world individually, and collectively, in a virtual space at the same time. The set up of the virtual experience added extra interactive and personalised elements a Q&A session, and an interview with Vega conducted by a radio DJ. This live offers a different level of intimacy and exclusivity not available as an experience at a standard concert (&unless perhaps you have that elusive backstage pass).
Unique
Likewise, web streaming or radio broadcasting of live concerts are also alternative kinds of experience to being there, which, in turn, is a different experience to buying the CD recording of the same orchestra playing the same piece. Production values of a live recording are not of recorded-for-CD quality: minor mistakes and audience disturbance as you would experience as an audience member on the night of the performance can be heard. Our audiences understand this, and have insight into the unique qualities of a live experience at a venue, and so expect that a virtual experience is dissimilar. Therefore, we should not fear loss of custom from live events if we make virtual events or recordings of live events virtually.
Perceived threats might be that a virtual experience will, per unit, be sold for less and so be of lower sales value to the organisation. The business model for a downloadable recording has to cover the cost of the recording itself, the web design, and hosting. There will also be a small cost per transaction for using an e-commerce system for collecting payment (this could be in-house or outsourced). However, if you wanted to get the hosting and webpage for free, then uploading the recording to a content aggregator/reseller like I-Tunes e-store would make savings, even if it means the web address your audience was downloading from was not your own. Audiences are now used to the idea of making micro-payments for music online it is increasingly the way they purchase popular music online.
Another perceived threat might be that artists lose out financially if the recording is of a live concert, then there is no separate session fee. However, artists should still gain financially from the recording, by receiving their split from the generated micro-payment revenues. Even though the price per unit is low, potential sales for a virtual performance via the Web are not limited to the number of seats at a venue. The audience for virtual product is global.
As the Met Opera and San Francisco Opera (http://podcast.sfopera.com) have proved, arts organisations can make virtual versions of events for webcast, streaming, or download and make money from them. Artistic product is available to your audience at a time to suit them. It also increases access to your product for those who do not live near enough to your venue to visit; and allows the building of global communities and fan bases. It keeps audience in touch with you as an arts organisation they like; whose work they want to experience (even if they can not always afford the time or money to see your entire programme live); and with whom they have an ongoing relationship.
Added value
Digital content can also make available insight and interpretation (such as interviews and discussions) not necessarily offered at every live performance: an audience member receiving web-streamed or downloaded content may in fact have a more intellectually enlightening experience. Audiences recognise the live experience as being the ultimate in production quality, atmosphere and experience. Creating virtual, downloadable and streamed content provide alternative methods of making a connection between people and art not inferior, but different.
Hannah Rudman is a freelance IT and digital content consultant.
e: hannah@hannahrudman.com;
t: 07971 282261.