The Future of Reenacting

[Last Southron]

I was an early customer of Charlie Childs (1984) wanting to improve my image but caught hell for trying to be better than my pards. I always explained that had nothing to do with it the audience could not know who wore what it was for my own expectations. This was before a lot of you were born and the hobby has had its’ up and downs. Lately people are claiming that due to the economical situation the hobby might be at an end. Many sutlers are having serious concerns, our manufactures’ are reconsidering their priorities and it is for certain that fewer and fewer people are taking up the cause. Are we pushing out these who would guarantee reenactments would continue? Take a look at the July issue of “American Civil War” where they discuss many States are ignoring tourism about the War. I happen to know it might go much deeper, with some sites, tours, etc, considering dropping their pursuit of that tourist. Reenactments long an advertisement for tourists would be a help but the friction in the hobby is turning off these who we should be embracing and working with to ensure we are a voice for the past. The last Secretary of the Interior once said “two of every five overseas tourist comes here for the war and goes home unhappy”. Gary Adams

[Scurvy Boy]

Re: The Future of Reenacting

I've been reenacting for many years now, about 13 years now, and it seems to me that Hollywood may play a part in the popularity of reenacting, which sounds kind of strange, but look at what happened to reenacting after the movie Gettysburg came out. Now look at what has happened to World War II reenacting ever since Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers came out. I think the biggest push reenacting gets comes from a good movie, one that makes people want to learn more, people who then realize they can sort of relive what they have seen on the big screen.

On the flip side, a dull movie doesn't really get the public's attention very much and might thin the ranks of reenacting, which seemed to happen after Gods and Generals (I'm not trying to start a debate on whether or not that was a good movie - to the general public it was a sleeper and would not help to get people interested in the hobby).

That said maybe the new Steven Spielburg movie coming out next year will get people interested in the hobby again. The movie is going to focus on Lincoln, but is said to have a lot of battle footage and war issues in it.

William Malmborg

[JimKindred]

Re: The Future of Reenacting

People have been predicting the end is near in this hobby since the 80s. Their error rate so far has been 100%.

Thread is now closed.