https://www.youtube.com/playlist?li.....pnVMaaXDVj3ulc

The idea of creating multi-camera edits for performances from a fursuit dance competition is something that I have desired to attempt for a lengthy period of time. Those who have attended VancouFur may have noticed myself behind a camera as part of that convention’s video crew. When recording dance competitions, camera operators typically keep their shots wide and full body so as to avoid missing any of the competitor’s movements. This is also true of many attendees who have similarly made their own competition recordings. But some dancers choose to emphasize paw and footwork at certain moments in their performances. If you had that wide coverage to fallback upon, would you not zoom in a little closer to the action?

Going into Anthro Northwest 2023,  kitwanalion agreed to donate his footage to this project. I am super grateful for his wonderful tail-saving audio-visual “coverage”. It was Kitwana that captured all the wide shots, and it was Kitwana’s audio which proved invaluable for those performances where my own sound recordings were unusable. In post, I combined footage from both of our cameras, and then — to have some fun — threw in a few surprise edits to further spice things up. I hope that all of the dancers approve of how I chose to document their performances.

If you were part of ANW 2023’s dance competition and do not see yourself included in this playlist, please do not take the exclusion personally. It was never my intent to record the entire roster of competitors; having neither the time not the ocular fortitude to go through that much footage. These performers were selected at first sight; with no prior knowledge of who would complement the entire lineup. At the very least you should see yourself included as part of “The Exit Dance” that took place while the audience was dispersing at the conclusion of the event (Although admittedly when a DJ drops The Weekend’s “Blinding Lights,” it is hard to want to leave the room!).

Special recognition must also go to Phor Dingo for hosting; Ary Rinn for organizing; Esker, Silver and Zillion for judging; and the entire actual Anthro Northwest AV team for doing all of the real heavy lifting.