CharityRackham

Hey Ravanos! If you are on Facebook connect with: William Mcrea: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/williammayhem Or connect with Ken Ostrow: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000705988364&ref=sgm Or connect with Christine (Johnny's Angels): http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/johnnysangels You could check with: http://www.facebook.com/pages/South-Florida-Pirates/152717581408946?ref=ts&v=wall Or even with FLARF: http://www.ren-fest.com/deerfield-home.asp or http://www.facebook.com/flarenfest?ref=ts&v=app_10467688569 There's a few others I know and/or know of (on Facebook, in person or on Myspace) but I have so little time right now to check. Don't know if you can do a location search on here but... So connect with them and they can get you redirected or hooked in. Have fun and good luck.

I can't help you from up here but there are no shortage of pirate groups in Cali. Have you thought to check FaceBook for groups in California OR.. Even indie production lists. Here in Canada we get production lists from the individual film commissions. You may have a skill that a mid size indi film may need and they may be looking for non union workers with your skills. http://www.film.ca.gov/ OR.. The renfest circuit. Most publicly produced renfests are run by producers looking for additional help. It would be based on seasons but with a number of different renfests in Cali the season thing may just match your needs. http://www.renaissancefestivals.com has an incredible list. Good luck on this. Wish I could do more. Later

I've read through the posts and I am pleased with what I see. So... I'd like to add to it: I've been a special skills performer for approx. 20 years (also in the entertainment industry since I was 8 - I'm 42) and I own my own festival so there's been a 'both sides of the fence' thing for me and I use those experiences to shape the rules for the actors and attendees. Swords and Alcohol: Our rules state that if we are in character we are not to have alcohol. I always make sure one (or all) of my pirate pots are with us and filled with bottled water. This means we can give the look of 'alcohol' without actually drinking. Usually at the end of the night/day when the public is gone (or fading away) we will have one drink that gets stretched to fill the rest of the time. It makes sense and, to me, I don't care what your 'tolerance' is you are still an influence on others. It is amazing to also see how other events affect ours. This year, based on something that happened at a completely different event, we had to have a weapons check at the pub because the peace bonding we have for the even itself was not to the satisfaction of the RCMP. Out of the blue.. Who knows.. Next year may be back to that last 3 year's rules. The audience/playtrons/etc was fine with it and we were very lucky that it didn't seem to affect any sales or support. Interrupting other performers: Yeah.. That one is tough. You can't police that and can only hope that the other performer winds up looking bad, not you. Many of our friends push us to take part in a show or a presentation. I love the fact that we have support but I will not join in unless the performer invites me. And we've been invited. It's great. It's like earning your wings. But yeah.. All you can do is hope another will give you the same consideration. And the insult thing also mentioned. Okay.. I know we're pirates but unless your character is set up for that (the receiving character that is) don't. I've come back with some doozies when another 'pirate' treats Charity like a wench and degrades her. It is obvious that she isn't. If you're that frustrated, go find a wench. Don't continue to interfere with the other pirates routine. As this is a also a HUGE community (much like Trek was in it's peak) there is bound to be fractions. I've watched many a group with members coming and going. Even we've had that and we're not as established and long lived as folks like The Seattle Seafarers. The worse part about it is when factions steamed from a group or other groups created from those factions, do things that make audience/customers/playtrons/other performers, paranoid or uncomfortable. If it is fresh (or even if it is lingered) save it for a one on one with that person. Respect the performance. Don't go out of your way to linger in the areas they are in or hover just in sight, knowing that they hurt. In other words.. Don't use the energy you carry to cause them to falter on the show nor discredit them. People will discredit themselves, over time, but to make yourself the enemy just because you're hurt (so are they folks) is making the audience and other performers pay for your emotions. Not worth it. Really.. It is a form of interruption and I've been a victim of that as well as seen many really good performers (with low self esteem) be taken down by others doing this and when the others go down, no one is left. Attendees/Playtrons: Respect for each other is good. I like all the advice about knowing a little about the subject matter of the event and knowing if it is a reenactment or something a little more relaxed and/or commercial. I've also seen quite a bit of disrespect for performers on that one. In all my years of being around this sort of event, I've seen no shortage of rude remarks to the performers about not being accurate or stage fighting isn't real so the actors are whimps or even walking up to a fellow attendee and criticising their outfit..... Hey look.. A Star Trek con... There is a ton of similarities in most 'pop culture' events/gatherings. History or not, if it is popular then it is claimed by pop culture. IT really isn't worth it. If you are there for you and simply find the aspects of the event that make you happy, then you have spent your entry fee wisely. I would love to see an event where all in attendance actually goes just to have fun not poke fun.. You know what I mean? I know.. Big dream but... I'd also like to see attending folk not criticize the vendors. That'd be nice. The price is the price. If you don't like that vendor or the product, don't buy from them. I see, too often, folks try to shutdown a vendor due to a personal disagreement or a price that they feel is too high. Recently at an event a perfect example came up. A friend wanted to buy me a new pouch and she asked which pouch. My description of the booth and the pouch I wanted wasn't as clear as we had hoped. There is a vendor I don't really like. In my world their product is too much money for too little product and the shape of their pouches don't fit the space on my belt and lower back. But the friend was in a rush and she went to the first person she saw with pouches and bought the wrong one from the wrong vendor. It had to be returned and one from the right vendor was purchased. Now... I could go on and on for people not to buy from the first mentioned vendor but I won't. They have their fans and their customers and that's cool. My friend could bitch about it too. They wouldn't refund, only store credit. To me that's bad form but my friend found it acceptable. So.. Her call not mine. This is good form. I won't speak on her behalf and we will never tell people to not buy at the one vendor. It isn't our job to upset or impress the customers of these vendors. It is theirs. I have to dash... Work is calling... Thank you for giving me this space to just... well.. Share... Later.

And a good welcome to you. If that you be true. To hold to the code No matter what be your mode Supporting Brethren to the very end, again and again Loving the Sea No matter who you be... Okay.. Not one of my best but a poem non the less.

For the renfest and any other thing the Jade Dragon crew does, we stick to songs we know are not copyrighted or are listed as free domain and/or traditional. Sometimes we are inspired by versions from our favourite other performers but we are not doing their songs but more motivated and formed on their variation of a song. I've had a number of people come up to me with a list of songs they want to perform at BCRF. I remind them that their signed agreement/contract with us states that they are responsible for any copyrights or the like. We don't design their sets so we can't really control their performance in this way. I always tell them that the songs we (cast at the pubsing) do are 'free for alls' and that's partially why we do them. Lately a few of the stage performers have asked me again about songs like "Drink up me Hearties - Yo Ho" and "Hoist The Colours". As far as I know they are Disney and Disney is a stickler for the copyright thing (never worked directly with them but have heard stories) yet I see other pirate performers do those songs. Then there's incredible performers like Bogg and Salty, who write original songs I know some of our performers want to use. All I can tell them is that I always get permission when I use music and songs for our promo videos and, in performance, we stick to the songs we know won't get us in trouble. Here's where you lot can help. What songs have you had problems with or know there will be a problem? Have any of you used copyrighted materials and an owner turned a blind eye, or went after you? Why do you think (or know) that is so? Have you noticed certain performers, artists or companies are pickier or more difficult then others? Have you ever modified music or songs to avoid or change the copyright permissions/access? I would sooo love to be able to give the BCRF stage performers a better answer then "you worry about it" for the 2011 BCRF. Thanks, in advance, for any help you can give.

Killer Pixie. Shes a black Tracker. Smaller then our previous SUV but just as tough.

Hey.. Wish I knew this was here. I would have joined a lot earlier. But since I am here now: BC Renfest is still going and you can follow the Jade Dragon pirates either through the weboage: http://www.jadedragonpirates.com or on their facebook or myspace pages: http://www.myspace.com/jadedragonpirates http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Jade-Dragon-Pirates/133757749987214?ref=ts AND BCRF is at: http://www.bcrenfest.com See yah around and thanks!