Opera night

I'd read about Opera night and Mike Figgis talks a bit about his experience filming that night but this is the first photo I've seen that gives the bigger picture: www.flickr.com/photos/ericsnaps/3724288983/in/pool-oneandother/ The screen looks so close to the plinth!

Posterboard story

44 mins in there is a great little paper trick wherein a posterboard size sheet blows off the plinth, out of camera for a second or two only to return to the plinth, slamming into our plinther. That was kind of fucking amazing. Missed the beginning but this guy tells an interesting story I'll have to go back to catch once archived: www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/Douglas_K

Update - Watched again and the great story begins at the 10:15 mark. Make sure you have some time because it'll take 20 mins to complete and you should really watch in one sitting. The content and pacing oddly work perfectly together. The simple signs, handwritten letters in black floating loosely on a large white space works beautifully as well. Some complex emotions boiled down to a simple short story. I have to say I really, really enjoyed that bit.

And it isn't over yet - I revisited the posterboard trick and it is amazing. 43:20 in one sheet slips free and blows off camera. At 43:59 I believe the posterboard slips free of the net / light on the front corner and finally begins its descent heading toward the fountain below. It goes off camera briefly only to return at 44:12, having caught an updraft, slamming into Douglas. Watch it again and marvel at the chances of paperboard making that circuitous route back to the plinth. That is fucking amazing! Would love to see another camera angle of that.

Will you?

Avid Plinth watcher Amos (www.kennedyprints.com) tipped me off to this guy last week while I was sick, sleeping away my days at home: www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/Redomelette

Very interesting event to look at. Would love to find out the back story. Was it a real proposal?

That guy wins!

Great game 26 mins into this guy: www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/Daniel_B

Listen to the surprise entrant (contestant #3) who clearly wins the game. Awesome. Seriously awesome. Is this the first time One & Other has reached beyond Trafalgar Square? Another wall comes tumbling down.

Golf tricks

Love the golf shot back and forth with the punters. Great back and forth, great shots and catches on the plinth. Not bad for a chef from Birmingham!

www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/Richard_A

BTW, what is up with the blocked off area around the base of the plinth? Are they cleaning? Didn't notice it there earlier today.

Gurning

Here's the act: www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/Katie_P

Wow. She makes some strange noises.

And here is a description of what it is all about: www.daeschner.com/gurning.html

Interesting guy this Peter Jackman the world champ gurner quoted in the article above. He removed his teeth in 2000 to better gurn. Then, three years later, he apparently died while playing golf in Spain when a cliff he was standing on collapsed. This quick sketch of a life seems quite unique.

Mystical smoke rings

The hecklers are seeing things tonight: www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/Curry

I like that you can see the view from the plinth through his eyes. Nice camera work.

Hilarious commentary on the nudie mag he reads about 18 mins in. Cracking me up.

Infomercial!

We've got an amateur infomercial on the plinth now! This guy could learn a bit from Billy Mays.

www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/CHARLES_T

Hooray!! Another dance party!

Finally another dance party. Feels like it has been a week since we've seen some of that good / awful dancing that is the best, best kind: www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/tricky Oh yeah, GnR is blowing through the speakers now. This is going to be a great hour!

What everyone was thinking

Gunter put in an interesting performance this morning. Three minute in he says what is on everyone's mind: www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/Gunter And really pay attention to the megaphone you can hear in the background. The bit about the audience needing a license to watch is great. Brilliant! Such tension as you wonder whether he'll blindly topple off the plinth. Don't leave this clip until you watch the action at 46 mins in and straight through the end. Pigeons on the net and so much more! I thought they were banned from Trafalgar! You may even want to catch the surprise exit at the beginning of the next clip: www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/Tom_C

I also see some updated graphics on the One and Other site. Looks like they are now tracking in line graph form the watchers response to the videos. Love that little addition.

CCTV tunes in

Mike Figgis' bit on the plinth was an interesting discussion of the technical side of the project as well as some CCTV name calling. He says the CCTV presence is creepy and that it is a bit pornographic b/c there are people anonymously watching in some sleazy little dark room.

www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/Mike_F

Looking back through some older archived plinthers I came across this one: www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/Susanna_M Click through this performance with an eye toward the ever present CCTV camera back in the background. During the first portion of the hour the CCTV camera is looking into the square...but then it sees a naked woman on the plinth. And from that point on it doesn't look at if the CCTV camera moves again during the rest of the hour. Seems to prove Mike's point right there!

Can't wait for his One & Other doc to come out!

Is the plinth the right place to learn how to unicycle?

Find out here: www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/Mark_Logie

Ashley M alopecia

Ashley went deep today to talk about his struggles with alopecia on the heels of a awareness raising walk through his wardrobe with commentary on the working conditions in the apparel industry in those countries. www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/ashley_m

About 43 minutes in he begins to honestly discuss his experience with alopecia. He shares difficult details of the public ridicule he faced when his hair feel out but it is buoyed by an amazing attitude that pulled him through an awful experience. I found his comments at 48 mins in especially poignant. Clicking ahead a bit you'll get to see his second headstand around 56 mins in which is the first headstand I've seen on the plinth though I'd guess someone else has done one already.