Geeks with swords

[fbhjr]

Today at work, the guy who works for me as a consultant asked me if we were
doing the Charlton show.
“No,” I said.  “They don’t pay us, so we don’t do it.”
“So, you’re like prostitutes?” he asked.
“I prefer to think of it as mercenaries,” I said.  “But, either one fits.”
“Why don’t they pay you?” he asked.  “From what you told me, your group
really looks into the history of what you’re doing, it isn’t just people
bashing each other with swords.”
“Most people can’t tell the difference,” I said.  “And if bashing people
will do it for free, then that’s usually what gets the job.”
“But, isn’t there a hierarchy of groups?  The ones who know the most get
the most and best jobs?”
“No,” I said.  “There isn’t.  Unless you’re doing a show for someone who
knows the difference and cares, it really doesn’t get you much to have any
history behind you.
Most people think history is boring and will practically run away from you
if they think you’re trying to teach it.”
“But, I watch the history channel all the time and love it,” he said.
“Is that true of most people you know?” I asked.
“My wife leaves the room when I put it on,” he said.  “Maybe you have a
point.”
“As I said, most people can’t tell the difference and don’t want to know.”
“Then why do all the research?” he asked.
“I care and I want to know,” I said.  “And, I like to prove people wrong.
History isn’t boring and it does make a difference.  That may be an uphill
battle, but I’m willing to fight it.”

And, at least this weekend, drive 3 ½ hours to a show that pays little
rather than 20 minutes to a show that pays nothing.
I guess that means I’m not even a good prostitute….  

Comments

[palusbuteo.livejournal.com]

yup. I share your frustration

[brickhousewench.livejournal.com]

Actually, as a former patron, after a couple of different events you really can tell the difference between a good sword show and a bad one. But your average patron only goes to maybe one renn faire a year, so they never learn to appreciate which acts are really good and which are merely mediocre.

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

I would agree that even someone who has never been to a faire before would
know a really bad sword fight if they saw one.  TV and movies are full of
them.  And, given they get multiple takes, camera angles, effects and such,
we often suffer by comparison even when we’re good.

And, it does not take much watching of sword fights to know which ones are
entertaining and which ones aren’t.

However, the question was: can’t people tell who has done research into
real historical techniques and appreciate that better?

I have seen very little evidence of that.  It is a rare audience member
that could tell a move taken from Highlander from one taken from Meyer.  A
few might see a more Asian influence in some of the things taken from
movies and TV.  But, unless they have exposure to western martial arts,
they probably won’t.

In 231 days of performance I can think of 1 time it happened with someone
who wasn’t already part of some sort of sword group.  And, he was a
professor who specialized in medieval German.