The Dangers Of An Artificial Support Base To Arts And Sports

All communities have to at least a certain degree a spirit of local patriotism or pride that seeks to champion a local arts or sports scene. Indeed, wanting to patronize locally created arts and sports teams is one of the most healthy behaviors a community can show. Where problems come along is when the super wealthy, the large corporations, and other entities outside of the community start funneling in large amounts of money to bolster a chosen few of these organizations and particularly when they start investing tens or hundreds of millions of dollars into physical structures to house these chosen arts and sports entities that could not on their own ever afford such physical structures. The artificiality this creates harms the local, or "organic", arts and sports scenes by creating the impression that enormous facilities are just given to an effort, whether or not the underlying financial resources of that effort could sustain them on their own, and it makes it seem like local support at the grass-roots is not necessary to the arts or sports scene.

The grant funded, giant arts and sports organizations load down the community with financial burdens that are not immediately obvious. Consider a 80,000 square ft. facility to house a ballet company and school in a downtown area. A dilapidated building or blighted site is picked and then tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars go into constructing the new edifice that does improve the surrounding area by removing the blight or dilapidated structure. But then come the ongoing and permanent monthly operating costs. An approximately $30,000 per month electric cost, which would be a $360,000 yearly cost that may or may not be paid for by the organizations own funding, is now permanently associated with that facility. It may very well be subsidized by the local utility which then massages everyone else's electric bills so that the utility does not take a direct hit. This may not seem like much, and by itself it's not in terms of a burden on the community, but the logic of it definitely carries ethical entanglements that cannot be escaped. And that is just one example of how the subsidized organization warps the overall community and local economy in such a way that the community becomes slightly less able to see the need to consciously support the local arts or sports scene. This leads to the infantizing of a community such that the community cannot, at the grass roots, handle cultural or sports affairs and soon afterwards, the handling of things like the local education system or law enforcement becomes too difficult as well.

Another example are sports stadiums that take $400 to $500 Million to build or remodel. Many times the baseball, football or soccer team that uses the stadium as home base could not ever afford that level of expenditure, but when a city passes bond issues and tax increases and giant corporations write a check to build them, the warping effects again takes hold. Everyone at first says that such efforts are great for the community except the community then looks at the structure itself and not the underlying sports teams which may need a lot of other types of work and support to prosper. In lieu of this, the regional sports scene, and the same happens in the arts scene too, withers away until only the large organization using the mega facility is left and that is not a healthy way for a community to work. Indeed this is the original type of "out sourcing" where the responsibility and benefit of a community doing its level best to create and run a football or soccer team or ballet company organically gets changed into the entitlement-type mentality that a mega corporation or city fathers will cough up the multi-millions to build a better Colosseum.

Sports Video Production Tips - Things to Remember for Live Video Shoots

Being chosen as a cameraperson to shoot live sports videos can be an exciting experience, as it means that you will not only get to see some live action up close; you will also be instrumental in ensuring that other people get to share in the enjoyment of the moment as well. Here are a few handy sports video production hints and tips to help ensure that you shoot the best quality live footage possible.

Obtain the Necessary Permission before Shooting

Regardless of where you intend shooting your sports video, chances are that the location in question is owned or managed either by a private individual, government or federal organization. This is why it is wise to make inquiries and obtain the necessary permission beforehand, as there may be some limitations associated with the use of the property. It is also important to have clearance and permission forms signed by everyone who is going to appear in the movie, especially if the event being filmed involves minors.

Use a Tripod

When it comes to sports video production, many people think that the shakier the image is, the better it looks. However, it is extremely frustrating for the end user to try and watch a video that is shaking so badly that it detracts from what is being recorded. This will enable you to have two free hands to perform zooms or pans and it will also allow you to star in the video if need be. If you don't have access to a tripod, you can lean against a wall or other solid object to steady your shots. Try not to rely too much on your camera's image stabilization feature, as this has a habit of lowering the video's resolution, which will in turn affect the end results.

Watch your Light

Although you need as much natural light as possible to shoot a great video, too much light or direct light on the camera lens will be a problem. If the weather is sunny, it is recommended that you shoot your video during the early morning or late afternoon, as this will prevent unflattering shadows from being cast on the subjects in the video. If you are struggling with low light conditions, it is recommended that you disable your camera's auto-focus feature.

Shoot Some B-Roll Footage

This is footage that needs to be spliced into your main video during editing. If you're filming a jogging or running race, this can include a few close-up shots of the runners, the start and finish lines, some footage showing the runners' shoes and watering points. It is best to shoot footage like this before the start of the event, so you will need to allow extra time for this as well. This will enable you to determine which shots will work best for being spliced into the main video.

Sports video production need not be overly challenging. In fact, once you have mastered the basics, you will be well on your way to shooting videos that are bound to capture the attention of some of the pros out there.

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