Week 3: Setting the Frame — Pre-Production Preparation

Welcome to Week 3 of the Unseen Curtain creative media project. After defining the podcast and photobook as our dual creative outputs, this week shifts entirely into pre-production planning—the critical foundational stage that turns creative concepts into actionable, executable work. Every step this week focuses on organizing logistics, securing key collaborators, and structuring content to ensure the upcoming fieldwork and production run smoothly, all while staying true to our campaign mission: amplifying the unheard voices of classical performing arts practitioners.

Building upon the brainstorming results from Week 2, this week’s pre-production work focuses on four key priorities: reaching out to and connecting with potential interviewees, drafting a targeted interview outline with specific questions, confirming suitable shooting locations, and creating a detailed shot list for the photobook.

Outreach to Potential Interviewees

The heart of both the podcast and photobook lies in the voices and stories of emerging ballet and opera practitioners, so securing the right interviewees is our top priority. This week, I drafted and sent formal collaboration emails to two arts organizations in region of Aotearoa—Creative Waikato and The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio—both of which focus on supporting young artists’ diverse artistic expression and carrying their voices to a wider spotlight. Thanks to Dr. Rodrigo Hill for this advisory guidance.

In outreach emails, I clearly conveyed the core mission of Unseen Curtain project, challenging stereotypes in classical arts, sharing authentic behind-the-scenes experiences, and connecting these art forms with young audiences. I also assured all participants of their comfort and creative control. I will update the information as soon as I recieve response, and immediately arrange follow-up matters to confirm their availability and the shotting schedules, which will all take place after two weeks of teaching recess. I also kept backup contacts on hand to ensure stable participation for the upcoming production stage.

Draft Interview Question List

To guide meaningful, focused conversations for the podcast, I have developed a thoughtful interview question list, designed to deliver personal, reflective stories instead of generic answers. The questions revolve around our project’s core social issue—stereotypes and marginalization of classical performing arts, with flexible room for organic dialogue. The narrative structure of the interview will be divided into three parts, focusing on passion, misunderstanding, and persistence, which will ultimately converge and complement one another, with the aim of amplifying the unheard voices of classical performing arts practitioners as much as possible.

Passion (Personal Journey)

• Can you briefly introduce your role in the field of art?

• When was your first contact with classical arts, and what made you decide to devote yourself to this specific art form?

• What was the biggest challenge you have faced in your early artistic practice, and how did you overcome it?

• What does a typical day in your work look like?

• Can you briefly describe what classical art means to you personally?

• Can you share a particularly meaningful or uplifting moment from your journey so far?

• What do you wish more people to understand about your work?

Missunderstanding (Industry Realities & Social Stereotypes)

• How do you feel public perceptions of classical arts have shifted in recent years?

• Do you think these art forms are now reaching more diverse audiences compared to the past?

• What barriers do you see in connecting with wider or younger audiences?

• Some people argue that classical art has become less visible in mainstream culture. What is your perspective on this, and how would you like to respond?

• How do you feel classical art is represented in mainstream media today?

• From your perspective, has social media helped or challenged your professional field?

• Have you noticed any structural stereotypes that you would like to challenge?

Persistence (Future & Expectations)

• What changes would you like to see in the future of this art form?

• How can audiences better engage with classical performing arts nowadays?

• If you could say one thing to people who hold prejudice against classical arts, what would it be?

Outro (Additionally)

• Is there anything else you would like to add that we haven't covered today?

• Recommend one of your favorite works. It can be an opera, piano piece, ballet music, jazz, or anything—we may use it as background music for our podcast.

• Is there anyone you would love to see invited as a guest on our next episode?

Confirm Shooting Locations

For the photobook’s natural and authentic visual storytelling, I finalized three potentially accessible shooting locations that align with our theme of Unseen Curtain:

1. Dance Studio Rehearsal Space: A small, intimate rehearsal room with natural light, perfect for capturing daily practice and rehearsal moments of dancers.

2. Community Opera Rehearsal Hall: A modest, non-commercial performance space for opera group rehearsals, ideal for documenting collective practice and backstage preparation.

3. Casual Gathering Space After Stage Performance: A quiet lounge area adjacent to the stage, to capture relaxed, off-duty moments of artists and showcase their everyday humanity.

All locations prioritize natural lighting and minimize commercial elements, avoiding grand, exclusive performance venues to stay consistent with our focus on emerging artists and bust the stereotypes that classical art is inaccessible and irrelevant to modern audiences. Actually, the first venue that came to mind was the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts at the University of Waikato; it seems to meet all the criteria and is close to both nature and the campus. If the conditions permit, I would truly appreciate that we can carry out the rest of the work here.

Detailed Photobook Shot List

I created a comprehensive shot list that clearly outlines the scene, subject, shooting method, angle, and lighting requirements, fully in line with the documentary-style, intimate visual aesthetic of the photobook.

1. Rehearsal Moments: Close-ups of pointe shoes, dancers’ hands/feet in practice, focused facial expressions, full-body shots of solo/group rehearsals, natural light-filled studio wide shots.

2. Backstage & Preparation: Artists adjusting costumes/makeup, quiet pre-rehearsal warm-ups, casual interactions between peers, sheet music and performance props close-ups.

3. Everyday Artistic Life: Off-duty candid shots, artists discussing rehearsals, small personal items related to their practice, quiet reflective moments.

4. Emotional Detail Shots: Subtle, mood-driven imagery (e.g., a glimpse of eye contact, handwritten notes on sheet music) to reinforce the project’s intimate tone.

This week’s pre-production groundwork has laid out a clear roadmap for the upcoming content creation. With interviewees confirmed, detailed questions prepared, locations locked in, and professional shot list finalized, we’re ready to step into the practical production stage and start capturing the real, unheard stories at the core of Unseen Curtain.

Next week, we will dive into theoretical research in preparation for our fieldwork, with the aim of enriching our material base and establishing a solid theoretical foundation for future interviews and discussions. Please stay tuned for more updates on our progress and our original creative materials.

References:

1. Creative Waikato. (2026). Creative Waikato. https://creativewaikato.co.nz/

2. Te Pae Kōkako TANZOS. (2026). Te Pae Kōkako: The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio. https://www.tanzos.org