Video nasty

Published Monday 4 August 2008 at 17:20

We recently posted our show reel on the web site YouTube (www.youtube.com) - a great tool, a fab way of showing your show reel, and agent-friendly.

I had a look at some of the other tribute acts on this site. There are loads, but many are made to seem so bad.

I do know some of the featured acts - I’ve seen them and they are truly good, but some person has stood at the back of the room, filmed a rather bad part, and posted it on the site. The odds are that the act doesn’t even know this clip is being seen by the world.

Here is an example of how this could go wrong. Two weeks ago, we performed at an open air concert. The promoter arranged for lorry trailers as the stage, but sadly he was let down on the day. In the event, he could only manage to obtain a builder’s merchant lorry. I would not like to see a clip of that on YouTube!

For many years, before our show we have always made the announcement that there must be no use of any video or audio taping of our show in any way, shape or form. No part of any of our show filmed either legally or illegally may be shown on any web site/media or be seen in private or public without prior written permission from the Abbagirls management.

I should like to see this as an integral clause as a part of all agents/bookers terms and conditions. I should also like to see all venues displaying signs forbidding the use of video cameras. Any act, good or bad, can be made to look ridiculous with the use of today’s technology. We must also have more power to remove clips posted without the act’s consent.

We must stop this illegal filming of our shows.

Colin Cross

Producer

Abbagirls

Email supplied