Pro-shots involve theatre productions being professionally filmed over a set number of shows to capture the best angles and performances. Once edited together, they allow a close up look at a world in which we may otherwise only experience from the back row of the grand circle, with the tallest person in the world sitting in front of us.
I have had my fair share of back rows but it is true that nothing compares to the atmosphere of live theatre, restricted view or not. It can still be felt, no matter where your seat is. Some could argue that pro-shots destroy the culture and the etiquette of the theatre, reducing it to a screen and stripping it of the freshness that comes with playing off a new audience each night. Pro-shots cannot echo the spontaneity of live theatre or capture the experience of going out to watch a show, but I don’t think they are trying to. They don’t dissuade people from going to the theatre, but broaden the ways in which theatre can be consumed, bringing it up to date with a fusion of stage and screen.
This was shown to be crucial during the pandemic, when theatres were closed and that live experience was just not possible. During that time, the National Theatre streamed productions on YouTube and even launched their own streaming platform, National Theatre At Home, which allowed subscribers to access productions filmed pre-Covid, from the comfort of their own homes.
This resilience and want for theatre during an unprecedented time solidified the place of pro-shots, as our only glimpse of the theatre that we knew and missed. They filled a temporary void and once theatres reopened, the live experience was appreciated more than ever before. I don’t think people will ever fully choose to swap that for the screen, but it has given us a way to keep theatre alive, regardless of uncertainties.
Post-pandemic, it is no surprise that people still demand pro-shots. The government attempted to push retraining for creatives, reducing funding to the arts and discouraging degree training in this sector. Pro-shots offered an essential response to this, reaching more people to re-establish theatre’s relevance. Cinemas now hold screenings for pro-shot releases, striving to make theatre accessible and affordable across the country. National Theatre At Home continues to provide an abundance of shows, for just under £10 a month. When theatre tickets can go beyond £200 for certain West End productions, pro-shots appeal to the masses.
Theatre has always had associations with the upper class and the popularisation of pro-shots is a step towards making theatre inclusive, reaching audiences that the live production may otherwise not. These audiences can now keep and rewatch performances, making these subscriptions a worthy investment, rather than a one-off expense. Theatre is usually fleeting, but can now be preserved for future generations to enjoy.
Leading the way as digital innovators during Covid, National Theatre Live has just launched its new campaign to promote pro-shots: ‘The Best Seat In The House’. The online advertisement, featuring Benedict Cumberbatch, uses just a single chair to emphasise all the places and emotions that their pro-shots in the cinema can transport you to. This promo clip emphasises the power of pro-shots and their vital position in the future of theatre.
Theatre is supposed to tell people’s stories and thanks to pro-shots, more people can now hear those stories. Whilst nothing will replace live theatre, I attach equal significance to the memory of my grandparents introducing me to Les Mis. Theatre is made to be shared, whether in the living room with your unhappy siblings, in a cinema or in a sold out auditorium. Pro-shots expand theatre’s reach, not competing with live performance but complementing it. They provide the best seat in the house, and even the tallest person in the world can never sit in front and take that away from you.
