Wow, I really hate making my private e-mails public, but I'm catching some "light-hearted ribbing" about this whole Only in America thing. So let's straigten this up with the letter that I initially received from them and my responce:
On 12 Aug 2005, at 10:34 AM, todd schindler wrote:
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Hello:
My name is Todd Schindler and I work for the Discovery Times Channel (a
joint venture between Discovery Channel and The New York Times). As part of
our new documentary program "Only in America," we'll be attending Burning
Man this year and filming an episode of the show. The program features
Pulitzer Prize-winning NY Times journalist Charlie LeDuff as the host. At
Burning Man, Charlie will be living at a theme camp and participating in all
the goings-on of the camp.
We are hoping to get as well-rounded picture about what goes on at Burning
Man as possible -- and we are trying to get Charlie as involved in
participating as much as possible. I realize that it's late at this date,
but I was wondering if there was any space for beginners to participate with
your group during the festival (of course, Charlie can attend practices at
Burning Man).
Please let me know if we can work something out. I greatly appreciate your
help. (I have already sent an e-mail to Crimson at Burning Man to join the
Fire Conclave Announcement List).
Best,
Todd Schindler
Researcher
Discovery Times Channel
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...and my responce
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todd, thank you for your interest, we look forward to seeing you on Wednesday nights.
This year, we will be providing 6 short choreographed pieces that people have been working on for months. In the interest of fairness and safety, the cutoff time for new entries was set some time ago. This insures that the people in our group are not only familiar with their routine, but with each other's routines. Cross familiarity is important as each group will be providing safety for another.
Naturally, you are welcome to practice with us at any time, and may apply again next year for LAFC. I suggest trying a little closer to the beginning of the calendar year next time. If you become a regular Burn Club attendee, the transition to the Fire Conclave will be smooth and simple.
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My responce was CC'ed to Crimson.
Later, we had a member drop out and I thought I might be able to register them (Discovery) as an official LAFC photographer, so that they could get a laminate and get better angles within the great circle. Attendance of the last two practices to get familiar with the routines and an LAFC safety course was a pre-requisite to this placement.
After talking to them on the phone, Todd brought up the idea of having charlie spin with Conclave. I tried to talk to Crimson about it. She was dealing with personal issues and asked that it take the whole thing to Andie.
I sent Todd and Andie a detailed letter of the requirements I would need filled before I would let him in. Specifically, competance with a tool, safety training for him and the crew, attendance to at least one meeting, and a harsh non-meeting schedule. Based on the depth of conversation included with THAT letter (Andie's first notice to my knowledge) I can see where she might have inferred that this idea originated with me. So, not her fault for thinking it did.
Andie sent back a note that didn't make a lot of sense, but had the effect of closing the entire plan down. This was *after* the second meeting (ie the final LAFC meeting) had passed, so it was a moot point anyway as I had no intention of letting Charlie in the great circle at that point anyway.
They still wanted to get off-playa footage with our fire troupe and interviewed most of the people in it before the event (notably, I was not among them). They also wanted to get in the Ocean of Fire (as Charlie had done some minimal fire breathing in the "circus" show). I told them that a full safety and breathing course would still be necessary before that would happen.
They did that. In fact, almost every bit of tape I shot ended up in the piece. Nick on the other hand (the tall, pretty guy with the mohawk) was followed around a week before the event, and most of the event, by their crew. How I got more face time in the final cut is still a mystery to me. I expected a short cameo during the Ocean of Fire sequence and little else.
Now, Here's my scorecard for my subjective experience with Discovery:
Initial politeness - A (they actually bothered to ask BM for permission to shoot)
- [Far better than Fox News who threatened Fireplay with a slander piece]
- [Far better than ABC who DID a slander piece without ever entering BM]
- [Far better than Malcolm and Simpsons who did not contact at all]
- [Better than dozens of 'documentarians' who shoot first, then ask]
General followthrough - C+ (some things done, others slacked)
- [A bit behind print media who says they're doing something and do it, fast]
- [On par with Fox about notifying us of filming and air dates]
- [Far better than ABC which gave no notification at all]
Fairness (subjective) - B (points off for the repeated drug references)
- [On par with the yearly documentary from experienced burner POV]
- [On par with the Malcom piece (though I only caught half)]
- [Far better than ABC slander piece, or Fox pushiness]
Completeness - B (strictly a newbie perspective)
- [Compare to Beyond Black Rock - little newbie POV]
- [On par with Malcolm's cartoonishly overdone peice]
- [note: cannot imagine a case that would warrant an A]
Citizenship:
- I told them they needed to practice to spin, they didn't, they understood.
- I told them they needed breathing lessons for OOF, they took them
- I told them which parts of the breathing training were not to be used, they weren't.
- I told them no mention of Bearclaw was to be used, none were.
- They asked people for inteviews.
- They were maticulous (around me) about asking before filming nudity.
- I told Charlie to be stone sober for breathing, he was.
Problems
- They started way too late
- They overtoned the drug thing a little.
- They obviously camped up or set up a couple of scenes
- Other than breathing, I think Charlie was pickled most of the time.
- He obviously missed the point that he wanted to throw eggs at the man while they were loading the pyro.
- Did I think he "got it?" No. Charlie is a combat seasoned journalist. He's got a pretty thick skin. I think he simply had a good vacation.
- Did I like the piece? Yes. In fact I was digging it right up until Twan called and I had to pause the TiVo for like 20 minutes. :) He called before I managed to see myself which is how I make the separation. After I hung up was when I showed up in the peice, and I still kinda liked it.
- Was the flower thing planned? No. That was the first time I had seen it and they recorded my genuine reaction to it.
- Was I advertising Inferno Inc? Yes, But not for Discovery. Many of the people who signed up for the Ocean came through Inferno Inc sources (like Courtney's email ads, for example). I wanted them to be able to spot me easier. Also, it seemed to be the appropriate thing for the evening. Besides, I wasn't really sure that the Discovery crew were even going to show up (note their grade on followthrough).
- Was the piece my idea? No.
- Did I support Discovery anyway? Yes. Discovery and History are my two favorite channels. And even if UPN had been the network, I probably would have given some support to a media outlet willing to be as upfront and fair about things as these guys were.
- So, am I against the SaveBRC movement? No, I just don't understand it. There are SO Many affronts to Burning man, so many unfair "documentaries" done without being as up front about it, so many BIG media appearances (like Malcolm) who don't donate or bother to provide final cut. This /was/ a documentary, it was /Charlie's Art/. Who are we to deny him? As for the media exposure, well, that's inevitable, why not get some good press while we can? It's not like anyone going to BM is expecting NOT to get filmed in some way.
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