ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

10 years, 9 months ago - Caroline Bridges

Hi Dave

I am a Choreographer and Cinematographer who used to be a professional dancer - I've just choreographed and directed a promo for BBC and a short musical amongst other things. I've had to write proposals for pitches for Random Acts and Big Dance, and it is always very interesting to do. Remember that both are visual mediums. So firstly, I would describe what genre of dance it is for a particular scene and maybe state the approximate running time of the scene if it is dance and no dialogue. Then describe the dynamics of the section - is it fiery and fast with a lot of jumps and lifts or is it a sensual duet using contact lifts? So, in a nutshell, describe the mood, the dynamics, what the audience will see and subtextually what this is saying for your script.

And, if you need a DoP that is very used to shooting dance, let me know! Hope that helps but email me on: carolinebridges@me.com if you want any further advice.

Here's a link to the BBC promo: https://vimeo.com/105570045
Best,
Caroline

10 years, 9 months ago - Dave Herman

Hi Caroline,

Thanks for your suggestions! Dance styles, mood, dynamics, (specific) visuals - definitely all elements that I can describe on the page. Every dance / song scene is part of the story and portrays a big decision or an internal dilemma, so there's plenty of emotion to play with (and it's the emotion that determines the type of dance).

Saw your promo btw, very nice (and creepy...).

Dave

10 years, 9 months ago - Dave Herman

Thanks for that Marlom, seems like good advice!

Dave

10 years, 9 months ago - Marlom Tander

I write, I don't dance, but I know dancers....ok, knew. Their knees are shot now, like mine :-(

Write what you see in your minds eye re the purpose of the dance, and any interaction needed, e.g. "on learning that her husband is dead, she moves between her sons, coolly at first, as if stunned, but soon the emotion breaks through and she gets wilder, more distraught, and ends by collapsing, exhausted, into the arms of her daughter".

If you know what type of dance etc - street, latin, that's fine, but unless you really have firm views, leave that open for your choreographer to bring input. For example, when I came up with that illustration I was thinking latin. But now I think it could work as a waltz, with her imaging her husband as her partner, and done by a good dancer, that could actually be highly controlled and massively effective. So, like i said, give the choreographers space to work :-)