YouTube was streaming the MTV Video Music Awards, sort of.
They showed us everything except the stage. We saw backstage cameras, dressing room cameras, limo pickup area cameras, talent prep areas, the lobby, and lots of shots of the audience. But no performances.
We could hear, somewhat, what or who was on stage, but our visual focus was elsewhere. Nicki Minaj or Beyonce getting their hair done, Kanye wandering the lobby, Jaden Smith talking in the hall with Miley Cyrus. It was Kanye and Kim Kardashian sitting alone looking at their phones in a dressing room.
This went on all night. Cameras would switch from obscure location to obscure location.
It was groups of handlers and hair stylists following people around in numerous unique, little entourages. It was security people, and more security people. They were bald and wore dark clothes.
The moment the awards cut to a commercial, the camera focused on the celebrity audience. The famous would get up and wander about to talk to each other, take pictures, and so on. Waiters delivered glasses of water to people in their seats.
Our cameras were occasionally out of focus, badly lit, or trained on someone we didn’t recognize. There were no subtitles to tell us who we were watching. We saw backstage cinder block walls, makeshift velvet rooms, loading platforms, roadies, and teams of dancers wander abut the basement of Madison Square Garden.
Before going on stage, most celebs would do three things.
First, they would have their assistants do their hair and makeup. Each hair is done individually.
Second, they stop in to a Talent Prep area, where it appeared that people familiar with the show would explain the stage, how to get on and off, and so on.
Third, they pose for photos like a model. There was an area called the Green Room that featured a mirrored tunnel. When someone like Jay Z would stroll up, handlers would make adjustments to clothes and hair, lights would go on, poses woud be struck, and photographers would snap.
You could tell that someone was famous by the way they carried themselves. They’d walk confidently, toward something. Non-famous people would stand around and look at people walking around, or would be part of the team as assistants following each celeb.
Kanye wandered all over the place, like he owned MSG. Out to the lobby, check on people backstage, pose for photos, talk with friends, sit with wife. He was very relaxed, friendly, and acting like a good host.
There were no fans bothering anyone. Everyone was working.
Celebs seemed bored or depressed most of the time, except when they’d see another celebrity. They’d light up and have a real conversation with peers for a moment.
Some in the audience, all celebs themselves, really loved the performances of muscial numbers. They’d sing along, dance in place, etc. ALL ignored the hosts entirely – as soon as they’d start talking, everyone would check phones, wander about, get drinks, leave, etc.
All in all, these weird cameras provided a much more real view of the MTV Video Awards show than whatever went out over the air.
