Two indie bands' filmed concerts screening in theaters
Indie bands Se So Neon, left, and GIFT / Captured from Twitter
By Park Han-sol
A glimmer of hope has been found in the performing arts and film industries, both hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, as they continue to join forces to provide audiences with the “next best thing” ― filmed versions of live concerts and performances.
Through CJ Cultural Foundation's Azit Live Premium concert series, theaters are now screening performances by two indie bands ― Se So Neon and GIFT ― which have been unable to stage live performances and other in-person gatherings.
GIFT bassist Kim Hyung-woo said the closures of live music venues due to strengthened social-distancing requirements left him feeling devastated.
“It feels like my homeland, a place to return to, has completely vanished,” Kim said at a press conference held after a screening, Thursday. “It is unfortunate to see indie culture and spaces fading away.”
Azit Live Premium aims to provide appropriate digital platforms for musicians struggling with the absence of live audiences and quench the thirst for pandemic-weary music lovers.
The bands' filmed performances could be seen as part music video and part concert film. Whereas a music video would typically be interrupted by constant insertions of different shots either driving the narrative or focusing on particular gestures, the camera movements for these performances are largely focused on visualizing the musical structure of each song with minimum cuts to make them more immersive.
They are also quite different from the average concert film, which is often just a secondary digital reenactment filmed alongside real live stage performances. Instead, they were shot with an intention to be viewed cinematically in the first place. The screenings feature these artists within aesthetically distinctive sets that match the mood of their melodies, which are then delivered through an immersive big screen and surround-sound system of a movie theater.
A scene from the musical “Lost Face 1895” / Courtesy of Seoul Performing Arts Company
Indie bands aren't the only ones who have found their way to the silver screen.
Last month, CGV cinemas across the country began screening a filmed version of the musical "Lost Face 1895" exploring the complex inner layers of Empress Myeongseong of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), as well as “Sidereus,” which revolves around famed astronomers Galileo and Kepler.
Other videotaped performances hitting movie theaters this year include the musical “Hope” that was released last week, “Inside William,” the play “Road to Cannes,” dance “Silent Cycle” and “New Simbanggok,” an artistic reinterpretation of Korea's traditional melodies.
These viewing opportunities are intended to let fans enjoy their favorite performances in a different way, as they would be trading in a true sense of liveness, that could only be felt in person at stage performances, for close-up views of dynamic details that could be missed easily otherwise.