Video, DVD’s and digital recording of events …..

“It is a shame that some Shihans don’t want to be recorded, or only want to keep their videos private. They don’t realize that they are dooming themselves to obscurity and their style to oblivion”

This is a statement  I wish to examine.

When videos are made by Shihans for “instructional” purposes they are edited and usually require a number of takes to get their “message” across.  (along with slow motion and close-ups of points of importance) The Shihans want to ensure that their techniques demonstrated are consistent and show the precise  movements they want to transmit in a manner that they wish it to be studied/learned.   By doing this these Shihan’s  ensure that they demonstrate a clear and concise, non-ambiguous,  picture of their style so it can be studied and  passed on to the future.

Remember these are ” par excellent” practitioners and if the Uke so happens to deviate from the technique by altering the angle of attack, or the Shihan being in an awkward hami, the Shihan will alter the technique so it now becomes a variation to deal with the change.  This is why they are Shihans and we fumble along. (Note the out-takes from Endo Sensei that can be found on the internet where things didn’t work, as well as those we see on entertainment movie DVD’s of blown lines)

Some seminar organizers, Sensei and Shihan’s don’t want videoing to be done during seminars, and others are more than willing and the reasons for each choice is individual and varied.

In any art there are detractors who when seeing a “variation” done instantly proclaim this is not the way one does technique A or B, or that a certain method is the original (usually theirs)  and another ( the other sensei’s ) is  not.

Some believe that if they allow indiscriminate videoing then some practitioners might skip seminars and simply watch videos of techniques and lose the feeling and context of what is being passed on.

Others believe that the purpose of going to a seminar and watching and processing what one sees is “ the experience “ that one should take away from the event.  One well-known sensei said that if you can (“steal”) take one concept away from a seminar, process it, test it, make it your own then it has been worthwhile.  He further stated that all concepts are not necessarily on the mat aikido techniques that one should pay attention to.

In reference to the hosting of a seminar  there is an established protocol for these events.  This is done with the idea to make the as enjoyable as possible and benefit the majority of participants ( some of whom, students and or sensei’s, might not want to be filmed and it is difficult to  ask for releases from everyone and then exclude those who don’t wish to be filmed)

The established protocol for any filming or photography at any seminar is as follows:

1)    a request should be made to the organizing committee, who are the hosts.  (It is  considered disrespectful to directly to the Sensei or Shihan without going through the proper channels because the hosts have made all the arrangements and financial commitments to the event )

2)    this request, if agreed to by the hosts, would then be made to the Sensei/Shihan  by the organizing group. The Sensei would have  the final say in agreeing or not.

3)    If both the committee and the Shihan are in accord then permission is either granted.

4)    All parties then will  live with the decision rendered.

Luckily gone are the days when Shihans only taught their “secret” techniques to their students alone, in a closed-door dojos. Now is the era in which they wish their lineage and art to survive and be shared. But similar to artists and performers  who do not allow their work to be recorded at live events the  rights to their “performance” need to be respected and protected.