Backgrounds/ Backdrops for LARP photos

Community Larp discussion
#1

Hi wonderful people!

It could just be the theatre practitioner in me, but I’ve been having a few chats with a few of you lately on the concept of scenery/backdrops for LARP photos.

In the last year or so since I started LARPing it’s always seemed a little bit of a disappointment to me (perhaps the only disappointment) when I see so many amazing people put so much amazing effort into exceptional costumes, props, performances and character development etc…only for the photos of the event to stand out like a beacon because they blatantly ring of ‘school hall’ ‘hired room’ etc. Don’t get me wrong, I realize with conventions that all but the Saturday night LARPs at Kapcon and Chimera have quick turn overs and if you took an hour to set up a room (a room we can afford) you’d have generally used 1/3 of your allocated game time. Or, if say you were from Wellington and flew to Auckland to run a game and had a 20 foot x 20 foot backdrop folded up in your suitcase that would be half your luggage allowance.

At the same time, I’m thinking about how many times our legendary Scott has run Snow White, and was thinking if, as well as the cardboard fireplace, there was one particular backdrop that went with that game that everyone could take photos against and have at least some guaranteed in-world shots, would that work? Are LARPers even interested in the backgrounds of their photos (besides games run outside)?

To use another example, Anthony and I have been writing a Public Sector Secret Santa LARP (basically the Office Christmas party that’s an easy in for new comers). Obviously, outside of running the game at Hydra we’ll have more time to hire a room/office in Wellington and get the player members of the office social club to come in early and help decorate the place with as much Christmas as we can manage. But instead of taking all our cattle-call photos of each character before or after the game lining up in front of the same Turnball house curtains, would it be worth the $1 per person from the playing fee to have photos in front of a photo quality backdrop? For some games a backdrop may not be affordable at $20 - $70 USD…but what about draping fabric in one corner/ an installation/anything relevant to the world of the individual game?

There are technicalities too with the backdrops I’m thinking of online (eg shops like Foto World on ebay stores.ebay.com/HOYA-FOTO-WORLD). As mentioned, some of these Muslin and canvas backdrops are 20 foot x 20 foot so would probably need to be hung. The 8 x 10 foot ones could likely be pinned though, or at least that’s what I’ve done in the past.

Does anyone else have any thoughts on the matter?

#2

Yeah, set dressing is a big logistical issue. It can look really great if you’ve got the time to put in: Al Shir Ma and The Gordian Knot were both standout in that respect, but it can suck a heck of a lot of time right when you’re really busy dealing with people. (I think for Al Shir Ma, the organisers spent all of Friday setting up?)

Those backdrops you linked to look pretty great, although I’m curious as to how durable they are (would affect reusability). And I think getting a few like that would be a good investment for the gear store. But the bigger issue (for me at least) is how to set them up quickly without messing up walls in a rented space or having them fall down - a standard problem in Motu Moana is trying to hang fabric over cinderblock walls and having nothing better than gaffer tape which doesn’t stick very well. Do you have any ideas about (cheap) reusable stands that we could invest in as well?

#3

Oh for sure hun!

But flagship LARPS are poles apart from the LARPs I was thinking of. You know the 3 hour Turnbull House type ones we have so often on Saturday nights in Wellington? I’ve only been to one Kapcon and one Chimera and their flagships have both been fantastic and so much incredibly hard work has clearly gone into all aspects of the event. My concern is for those 3 hour LARPS we often have (and for which I’m most grateful). In these a GM has gone to an incredible amount of trouble to either write a game, or secure one from elsewhere, book and prepare an event, co-ordinate LARPers in game and their props, drinks, nibbles etc, the players themselves have turned up looking exceptional in Weta worthy make up and costumes with hand made props and a well polished character background…only to have the only ‘record’ of the event fail to represent the awesome efforts that went in because the photos still look like the same hired hall etc.

Norm or Judit or Antz would probably be better at answering what kind of pole structure would be best for hanging clothes or backdrops, but some of the ones I’ve seen on ebay don’t seem too dear (whole packages including basic light, hangings, umbrellas and poles seem to be going for $100 on some sites).

If we were going to keep having stand alone Saturday night games in Wellington would it be worth considering having a designated photographer at each game who could make for one less job that the GM has to worry about?

In thinking back, Norman Cate’s 50 million in-character action shots of the first Silver Kiss of the the Magical Twilight (?) were some of the best game-capturing moments I’ve seen in Wellington, compared to our usual ‘the game’s finished. Now go stand in front of the curtains and have a pic taken before you get changed’. I completely agree Steph, that GMs have enough to worry about when running a game without co-ordinating a pro photo shoot. If we were going to look at possible new approaches for games going forward though…perhaps sets and photos could be looked at?

#4

Or… blue screen.

/thread.

#5

the photos can be fun, and some people really love them, but they’re never the point of my games. It’s about the experience and the game for me. I’ll always want gm focus on that more than photo ops. That being said, the green screen at Chimera was cool.

#6

Organising a backdrop is relatively easy, even the hanging ones, but what I tend to do is look for an already occuring wall or background and shoot against that.
I’m happy to do posed shots and find, or organise, a backdrop. But historically I tended to find there wasn’t a whole lot of interest, mostly due to time contraints getting ready for the game or busy during the game or dead after the game.

If people want me to come along and do some photography, including posed shots, then just let me know and I do my best to get there and orgainise a decent backdrop.

#7

Thanks for the offer, Scotty. Which city are you based in?

#8

Auckland.
I’ve been doing the Teonn photos and a few of the other larps too.