Entertainment has always thrived on a sense of togetherness. Movies and TV shows are often filmed in crowded locations, audiences feel they’ve been immersed in live performance in black box theatres, and the thrill of live music can be most profoundly felt in arthouse venues. In the current climate of shutdowns, restrictions, and social distancing, how can the entertainment industry transition from the personal to the virtual? How can performers that have relied on live audiences to make their livings continue to sustain themselves? Currently, there are no clear answers to these questions. As the COVID-19 pandemic stretches on, and the budgets of Federal arts programs have decreased in the U.S., what will a predominantly online entertainment community look like? The vaccine started to roll-out, but how did the behavior of the people change? More importantly, how will artists cope with a future that’s starkly different than the one they imagined? With your support, Doodeo can help a dazed industry find its footing in a new, online frontier.

When you take a look at the filmmaking industry, it’s not hard to see the impact the current shutdown has had. Back in July, it was estimated that U.S. box off revenue would fall by roughly 70%, equalling a sum of $3.5 Billion. Although staggering, that number pales in comparison to the projected $160 Billion that could be lost over the next five years. What this means, is that Hollywood will have to take a different path. Although not new, the concept of production meetings occurring entirely over Google Meet and Zoom will surely become a solid norm. Actors will likely be expected to adapt to virtual auditions, table readings, and rehearsals replacing in-person collaborations. Obviously, there is much work to be done. The prohibitive cost of creating completely CGI sets and many performers’ well-documented dislike of green screen performances will inevitably prove challenging. Fortunately, entertainers will have growing platforms like Doodeo to forge online connections and to navigate and participate in an increasingly virtual job market.

When it was announced that Broadway would close its doors for the foreseeable future, the theatre community feared the worst. It seems, however, that online innovation has come to the rescue, and the theatre experience might be salvaged. Doodeo, of course, remains a welcoming hub for all kinds of entertainers. Resilient performers and producers were quick to digitally release new productions while filmed versions of older works began to be released through various streaming apps. The socially distanced performances of Stephen Sondheim’s 90th Birthday Celebration on Broadway.com and the release of the long-awaited musical Hamilton on Disney+ are cases in point. Theatre’s quick embrace of new online marketplaces will support its artists and quite surely ensure its survival.

Like stage performers, musicians have had to rethink their own strategies about how to best connect with their audiences. With bars and concert venues shuttered at present, new strategies have to be attempted. Though some have turned to drive-in performances, many artists retooled their summer concert schedules to an exclusively online lineup. Both beloved musicians Gloria Estefan and Rufus Wainwright turned to online charity performances to connect with their fans. Even the entirety of the Monterey Jazz Festival was live streamed in July. Many other performers have simply sold tickets to one-off online concerts. This transition hasn’t been made only by big-name artists. The rush to live online music has made companies like Doodeo even more vital because they allow newer artists to share their work with audiences looking for solace in a time of isolation.

With all this upheaval in the entertainment industry, it seems abundantly clear that a massive push toward innovation in online performance and artist interaction is necessary. The direst of estimates predict that without some form of intervention from the Federal Government, as many as 90% of music venues alone could disappear within the next few years. This, of course, would be a worst-case scenario, but such a high percentage is shocking. Sadly, COVID-19 isn’t the only threat to traditional entertainment in the U.S. With an $897 million budget cut in 2019 that would reduce funding to The National Endowment for the Arts, NPR, and PBS, it’s easy to see how traditional media could likely suffer as well. This is why it is vitally important that companies like Doodeo are invested in and supported. Struggling artists can use this sort of platform to sustain their careers while keeping pace with a trend in online performance that is gaining incredible, daily momentum.

Whatever uncertainty the future holds, and however entertainers evolve to share their work in an increasingly digital performance space, Doodeo’s chief goal is to help. With your support through Wefunder, we can continue to provide opportunities for performers and help them reach audiences that truly need their talents in an uncertain time.

References:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/for-third-year-in-a-row-trumps-budget-plan-eliminates-arts-public-tv-and-library-funding/2019/03/18/e946db9a-49a2-11e9-9663-00ac73f49662_story.html

https://www.npr.org/2020/08/13/901796934/how-live-music-is-coping-and-what-the-near-future-will-bring

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/08/12/hollywood-pandemic-film-industry/

https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9335531/coronavirus-quarantine-music-events-online-streams

https://observer.com/2020/05/coronavirus-film-tv-160-billion-loss-covid-pandemic/

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Rachel-Chavkin-Andre-de-Shields-Taylor-Mac-and-More-Launch-THE-TRICKLE-UP-to-Aid-Artists-Loss-of-Income-Due-to-Covid-19-20200323