WICKED "new" cast pics...WHY???

Why? All I want to know is why. How much does it actually cost to reshoot a picture? I'm forced to assume one of the two following things: either a new photo is quite costly, or the folks at WICKED are really lazy. We already know the DG pic is photoshopped. Now, they have done it to Rob Sapp, too. http://www.wickedthemusical.com/gallery-stage.htm . Does anyone know why?

WHO CARES?

also, and simple answer, its cheaper.

Elphaba, dear, that is one scary avatar...lol. My GOD, the Bean can make some faces.

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Does Rob Sapp also wear that ridiculous hat in the show? Have they made that part of the Boq character now?

Gah!

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Updated On: 11/9/05 at 12:21 AM

since when did Sapp take over?

Thanks, dark.

I just don't really understand. I have heard that cast pictures are taken during performance so that the actors' expressions seem as natural as possible and not too posed. I understand that it would be totally distracting to have Joan Marcus or whomever snapping pictures during a performance; also, other theater-goers might see a flash and think they can take pictures, as well. I just assumed that since only one character changed (Rob Sapp), they could call in a few of the characters in for a specific short scene (either before or right after a matinee) and snap the one or two new shots. Just a thought.

First of all, they don't use a "flash" in photo shoots as it messes up the lighting plots etc. They may raise the brightness on lighting in certain scenes but it's not like Joan is bringing her personal Olympus digital camera around with her.

Second, cast pictures are only taken during performances when they want new cast pictures. This is done to reduce cost. It's not, necessarily, to make the pictures look more natural. In fact, most photoshoots or photo calls are done before or after a performance.

The only reason they continue to change the pictures on the website is because so many Wicked fans want to see how different actors look in different parts. So, it's actually very courteous of the marketing and website company to do this. However, since it is expensive, they save time and money by photoshopping or "fixing" older photos.

Updated On: 11/9/05 at 05:11 PM

Why can't they have pictures of ALL of the casts on the one web site instead of acting like those people never really were in Wicked?

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because I had nothing better to do... I looked at both pictures and noted the differences.

Here are the two pictures just so you can juxtapose...





In the original picture of Jeff Kuhn and Michelle, there are certain dancers in the back, and the tracks in the floor are at certain spots on the stage, as are the lights. You can see also that the spot light goes halfway down Michelle's arm. But in the second picture, the dancers/lighting/tracks are in different places... the only things that are the same are Michelle, and the dancer behind her. This is because, the only things photoshopped into the picture, are Michelle (up to her right shoulder) and the dancer in the background. The easy thing about this, was that the lighting was very similar, and the dancer's legs were behind Michelle's chair. You can also see that the lighting inside the spokes of Michelle's chair are not the same as the lighting on the floor. But the spot light in the second picture goes all the way to her wrist, where she's holding Rob's hand. This leads me to think that they took a new picture, but didn't like who Michelle looked, or really liked the other picture. So they took the dancer behind her, cropped all of her, all of Michelle, all of the wheelchair, and most of Michelle's arm, and just matched it up with the rest of her. Thereby giving us all the new picture, and causing this discussion.

Do any other shows use photoshop for their galleries? For that matter... do other shows constantly update their galleries for new cast members?

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Updated On: 11/9/05 at 08:25 PM

yeah... it is... but it's fun to look at the funny things producers of shows do.

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lol... I was actually going to comment on how small his head looks compared to his shoulders.

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