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Bad tv, 1986

Nina Barlow & Michael J. Masucci

A live collaborative performance for a movement artist and single live camera featuring Nina Barlow and Michael J. Masucci. “Bad TV” was an experiment in ‘doing everything wrong’. They imagined (and attempted) to make every possible mistake in conventional broadcast television, including the lights being too low, lights too bright, and even changing lens filters while live.

The video was recorded as a single unedited ‘take’ that appeared live on monitors throughout EZTV, while the audience watched.

Barlow created an enormously large dress that covered the entire set. Masucci, on camera, walked up and down ladders and crouched down on the floor. As his ‘camera performance’ evolved, he would turn the stage lights on and off and move around the space while dragging 100 feet of sound and video cables. Attached to the microphones was a live recording of Scott Shepard's musical performance, feeding both the portable video recorder attached to his back as well as cable to the various TV monitors.

Perhaps most intriguing is that on several occasions, Barlow and the camera angles of Masucci's camera created 'stage magic’; her shadow on the wall appeared to be doing something different than her live body.

TITLE
Bad TV

DATE
1986

PRODUCER
John Dorr

DIRECTOR
Michael J. Masucci

MOVEMENT ARTIST & DRESSMAKER
Nina Barlow

CAMERA
Michael J. Masucci

STAGE MANAGER
Ross Johnson

ORIGINAL MUSIC
Scott Shepard

ARTWORK TYPE
Video