How far would you go to engage your audience?

Entertainers and social media stars are constantly under pressure to keep their audiences engaged - but, as many of them are also finding out, there is a great deal of responsibility that comes with being in the spotlight. The question is: how far is too far?

It's no secret that great responsibility has always trailed close on the heels of great power. There was a time when that maxim brought revered political figures to mind, but of late, it translates to anyone with a sizeable social media following - or, for that matter, anyone who puts themselves in the spotlight. Perhaps, we have no more poignant illustration of this than when much-adored YouTuber Logan Paul found himself on the business end of an almost rabid backlash earlier this year. Not the best way to ring in the New Year, getting temporarily banned from YouTube's ad programme and cut out of other lucrative projects - but that's what you get when you post a video of you and your pals with the body of a suicide victim. The supremely ill-advised video, taken during a trip to Japan's 'suicide forest', earned Logan such a tongue-lashing, he took a month-long hiatus to "reflect" on his actions.
In the world of entertainment, it's easy to be swept along by the addictive wave of 'engagement' - likes, comments, shares - and if you want to remain relevant or current, you need content that's fresh. It's that drive to set themselves apart from the pack that can sometimes land influencers or entertainers in the no-man's land between borderline insensitive and downright offensive. And it makes one wonder how far they'd go for their craft.
Impossible is nothing
British stuntman Damien Walters has been challenging perceptions of what's possible and what isn't for the past 10 years. One gets the impression that 'too much' is not a phrase that features much in his vocabulary. The 35-year-old, who has stunt double credits to his name in major Hollywood films such as Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Captain America: The First Avenger and Kingsman: The Secret Service - has done everything from 125-foot freefalls to jumping over his house (don't take our word for it; video evidence is available on YouTube) to setting himself on fire. And it's all because he's a firm proponent of pushing boundaries. "Since I was a kid, I've always wanted to try different things that people said weren't possible," he tells us, during a recent trip to Dubai for an XDubai shoot. "I'd try to find out why not - and if I found those claims to be untrue, I'd try to do them and prove otherwise."
The daredevil doesn't think there's anything he'd be unwilling to try; he's never said 'no' to a stunt yet. "I think if you think about it enough, and do enough prep, most things are possible. If they're not, you try to see how close you can get to the goal." Most of Damien's stunts are jaw-droppers - hailed heartily by his 750,000-strong fandom on YouTube - but the biggest one was the 125-foot freefall he did for Assassins Creed - the highest freefall performed by a stuntman in about 35 years. Did he have no reservations at all? "There are always reservations," he replies. "But we kept thinking it through and building up to it slowly: first trying it at 70 feet, then 80, 90, 100 feet. By the time we got to 125 feet, the massive air bag that was supposed to break my fall at the bottom looked like a little piece of paper. But by that point, you have done all you can, preparation-wise - so you eventually just go for it!"
Despite his sizeable social media following, Damien insists he's always created his stunt videos because he likes to - not because he has to or in order to keep his fans engaged. "I've just always hoped that my making them would translate into the audience watching and enjoying them."

Respecting the art
Dubai-based Jason Pierre Renaud is a fire dancer. Founder of entertainment business Firestorm, the 36-year-old has been 'playing with fire' since 2005. From fire breathing to body burning (where he can draw a stick of fire along his arm with a completely poker face) and even fire eating ("it tastes like burnt marshmallows"), Jason is an entertainer with several fiery tricks up his sleeve. There is no fear in his performance, but don't mistake that for nonchalance - he is constantly alert for anything that could go wrong. "Fire is one of those elements you'll never be able to control," he says. "You can never get to that point where you think you're in control because that's when your hair goes up or you could lose an eyebrow - or a beard."
Despite the dangers of the craft, one senses an undertone of deep appreciation for the art form every time he speaks of it. It is this desire for self-expression that pushes him to keep exploring how he can better his performances, without getting burnt. Currently, he and his wife (they run the business together) are figuring out how to safely dance with large steel wings that have fire on the ends. "There's a lot of heat involved, so that's still a work in progress; we'd never introduce it at a show before we knew it was 100 per cent safe."
Jason's commitment to safety is evident in that he makes it very clear to clients that while he is deeply devoted to promoting the art, he would not hesitate to cancel a show in the event of a change in circumstances (like the weather) that might lead to compromising the team's safety. "We're not huge fans of risks," he says. "We've done a lot of shows that are high impact - but that's after days of preparation and practice, so that when we actually do the show, we know (in the case of indoor shows) just how high the ceiling is, where the exits are, where the A/C vents are, etc. It's the reason we're safe today and able to continue doing what we love."

Because, why not?
Egyptian-Austrian expat Nadja Issa wears many hats: choreographer, dancer, owner of businesses Art of Entertainment and Art in the Air. But the avatars she especially cherishes are her aerial performer and trapeze artist ones. Nadja's speciality is walls: walking on them, tapping on them, performing vertical dances on them... all while rigged up to a harness and swinging through the air.
The highest she's ever performed at was about 275 feet in Shanghai; in Dubai, which has been her home since 2006, her highest performance was at roughly 245 feet, when she had to jump down the side of the DIFC as part of an aerial act for one of their anniversary celebrations. Ask if she'd be willing to go even higher, and her response is immediate: "Sure, why not?" It's a question that drives her to push herself ever higher. "The first moment you look over and see how high up you are - there's always a momentary gasp. After that, it's all about trusting the equipment and team."
Despite nearly 20 years of performing, 'going up' still hasn't gotten old for 48-year-old Nadja. "A lot of people can't understand how you can walk in a vertical position. They're also afraid of heights, so they can't fathom why anyone would voluntarily combine the two in a show. But performing in the air offers so much more scope than what you can do on the ground," says Nadja, whose past shows have included lifting a car in Germany (with the help of chain motors, of course) and playing a soccer game - all while positioned at clean 90 degree angles to the ground.
Despite her enthusiasm for "always exploring new and daring things", the only line she would draw is where safety is involved. "To be honest, I've never met an entertainer that wasn't driven by safety awareness. To not take that into consideration is unthinkable."

Mindful of ethics
Underwater photographer and documentary filmmaker Ali bin Thalith's travels have taken him around the world - and they've all been spurred on by the love of a good photo. Not just any kind either - but stunning shots of marine life you wouldn't believe existed, were it not for the photographic evidence in front of you. The Emirati, who serves as the Secretary General of the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA), is followed by close to 70,000 fans of his work on Instagram.
There's always an element of danger that goes into every deep-sea dive, he admits - but it is offset by his great passion for this form of photography (reflected even in the title of his book called Truly, Madly, Deeply). "Diving underwater can be unpredictable and, in some cases, fatal. Hence, it is important for me to carry out all the required research into the places I plan to dive in, to minimise any risks and ensure that the dives go as smoothly as possible."
Recounting one of the scariest situations he's been in to date, he says, "A few years ago, during an underwater dive in Wakatobi, Indonesia, I looked over to see one of my colleagues trying to communicate something to me with his hands. He was trying to tell me not to move, as I had a sea snake hanging on my left shoulder. I froze in fear and also to avoid scaring the snake into biting me. Eventually, it swam away - but not before gliding in front of my face. Fair to say, it felt like I stared death in the face that day."
The only line he would draw would be an ethical one. Divers are often warned against the perils of disturbing marine life in their underwater escapades. "I always seek to capture the best possible photograph without disturbing the marine life or creatures," Ali notes. He is also keenly aware of the power that those who command sizeable social media followings have to direct their audiences to the issues of the day. "It is our moral responsibility as underwater photographers to educate the masses about marine life and the dangers faced by creatures living underwater from issues such as pollution and global warming. In fact, that is an effort I have undertaken strenuously over the past few years, and something I'd encourage all other wildlife and underwater photographers to emulate."
karen@khaleejtimes.com