"THE JUDGES ARE #$%!ING DRUNK!"... Discuss.
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It's an annual tradition....TPS hosts the Story Slam, which takes the format of a typical poetry slam but features only stories.
It goes down WED SEPT 2 @ The Boat, 158 Augusta, 730pm signup. $5 cover. Featuring RC Weslowski from Vancouver.
Check out the rules below to find out more about the Story Slam....
-Two-round format: 12 poets in the first round, 6 in the second, that's it. Scores are cumulative.
-Performances in the Story Slam must contain some form of narrative. Judges will be instructed to dock marks to poems that don't contain a story element. The piece must have a story somewhere in it, but note the entire piece doesn’t have to be one long story (although it can be, and that’s encouraged)
-Because stories often require more time to connect narrative threads, the time limit has been extended to five minutes and ten seconds. As always, for every ten seconds over the limit, there’s a half-point deduction
-Short stories, ghost stories, bedtime stories, creative Biblical stories, story-raps, erotic fiction and novel excerpts are all welcome at the Story Slam
-Same slam rules apply: no covers, costumes, props, musical instruments, etc.
-IMPORTANT: If you don’t have three story-poems ready for Sept 2, consider simply watching the slam instead of participating. It would defeat the purpose of Story Slam to hear poetry that aren't stories
-Story Slam winner receives $50 prize and a collection of short stories
-If you have any questions, please contact Dave “BigDeal” Silverberg at info@torontopoetryslam.com
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there appears to be conflicting information here; is it 2 rounds or 3?
".......Performances in the Story Slam must contain some form of narrative. Judges will be instructed to dock marks to poems that don't contain a story element. The piece must have a story somewhere in it, but note the entire piece doesn’t have to be one long story (although it can be, and that’s encouraged)............."
Not to sound like a stickler here, I don't even know if I will be vying for a spot in the story slam, but I hope this rule is enforced. I have remembered past story slams where the first round did have a few contestants following the format of what was required but by the time we got to the end, everything was let to fall by the wayside, and eventually it seemed that everyone was performing spoken word pieces absent of a story, and it just became a regular slam.
I don't say this as a potential contestant that is planning to adhere to this rule, I say this also as a TPS audience member, for there may be those that will show to the story slam to here that specific format.
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tomy wrote:
there appears to be conflicting information here; is it 2 rounds or 3?
It did say at the beginning "the format of a typical poetry slam" but further on he said
BigDeal wrote:
Two-round format: 12 poets in the first round, 6 in the second, that's it. Scores are cumulative
So I'd say it's probably 2 rounds.
I'd also like to 2nd Val's proposal. I think I'll message the Van Slam board to see what Spillious does for special theme slams.
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I think the confusion lies in the fact that Dave first says:
BigDeal wrote:
-Two-round format: 12 poets in the first round, 6 in the second, that's it. Scores are cumulative.
....And then goes on to say:
BigDeal wrote:
-IMPORTANT: If you don’t have three story-poems ready for Sept 2, consider simply watching the slam instead of participating. It would defeat the purpose of Story Slam to hear poetry that aren't stories
I mean really why would you need to have three poems memorized for two rounds, unless of course you come with an armament and try to strategize by what the judges are feeling, which really isn't a bad idea.....still I totally get what Dave is saying, and I will vouch for the fact that Dave is indeed a very bright guy, he'll school you at Jeopardy and NBA trivia, and he is overall a very cool guy to hang out with.
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Val is 100% right. The story slam is a kind of a joke like the 'anything goes' slam. The 1st round is usually interesting, but then it just degenerates into a typical slam. The problem is the loosely interpretive '...contains some sort of narrative.' This is so fucking vague it gives P-words a back door out to try and use one of their tired old tried and true pieces. A piece they've done a hundred times. A piece they know scores well..etc. Have some guts P-words!!!! You should have to 'TELL A STORY!" Not do a piece with a narrative, not transform an old piece...you're supposed to be spoken word artists. Climb out from behind the tele-prompter (your safe little flow), take a risk and try telling a story. Or are you limited to that one fucking style?
Dave,
Quite honestly it's good that you'll be telling the judges to watch for a narrative within the poem, and I think it's good that a judge, should judge the content of that narrative, but since you hold the power as an official in terms of discqualification (or would it be Gypsy Eyes) I do think quite honestly that you shouldn't be afraid to crack a couple of eggs, and disqualify if necessary, even if a questionable "story piece" involves some sort of conference with Gypsy Eyes, or maybe someone else you could appoint to talk about the validity of a story poem?
Just thinkin' out loud.
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Technically the true authority would be Amanda, as she is the Slam Master. I'm just the local props rule nazi and score keeper. To my fellow Slam-Ops folks; should we make a rule or sumting? Val you seem to have a bunch of thoughts on the subject, what make a piece a story? Clear characters? Beginning middle end (not nessicarily in that order)? how much of the poem should be narrative? Can you name poems in the past that you felt were violations of the rule? After all there are some "tired, tried and true" poems that also happen to be stories or have a strong narrative component. Some guideline suggestions would probably be good for everyone. Or you could just heckle anyone that you feel isn't living up to the "story" component.
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I don't know why I always stumble or mis-step when posting on here, but to clarify my last post, you should not be afraid to disqualify those participants who are not adhering to the narrative rule, and have a poem completely absent of a story.
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Gypsy Eyes,
All of the points you bring up with respect to my are completely and utterly good ones....which begs the question: Why then is a thematic slam created to challenge writers during the TPS season, and created with a giant grey area around it?
Who am I to tell you the regimented rules of a story? You brought up the Slam-Ops people maybe having to revise the rules, that's actually not a bad idea and I guess if there are any paramaters to be set on what a story is, they'd be the ones to do it.
But I am obviously not alone when it comes to thinking the Story slam needs a but if tweeking in terms of adherence to the theme. I am not saying that the regular brilliant pieces we hear from people don't have any story in them, sure some of them do, but from the last story slam I went to two years ago, I can't name specifics, but after the first round a large percentage did not, and this was even joked about at the after party.
I am not meaning to create any offence here, again, like I said just thinking out loud.
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electric jon wrote:
The problem is the loosely interpretive '...contains some sort of narrative.' This is so fucking vague it gives P-words a back door out to try and use one of their tired old tried and true pieces. A piece they've done a hundred times. A piece they know scores well..etc. Have some guts P-words!!!! You should have to 'TELL A STORY!"
but that would just be madness!!!
new stories at the STORY SLAM?!
crazy!
who is this rebel-rouser and where is his P-wordery?
Oh and can we still get a definitive 2 or 3 rounds?
My bad. it's a two-rounder. Mistake in the text in that last line.
And perhaps slam-ops can meet to discuss the story-poem rule, cuz jon is right in a certain way: poets should tell stories at the Story Slam, and not rely on poems with narrative sections. Will keep everyone posted. In the meantime, mark off Sept 2 on your calendar.
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Sup folks,
I know I don't make it out to TPS slams much. But I'mma throw in my 2 cents anyways...
I know that Vancouver has monthly alternative slams (Nerd, story, etc) hosted by Spillious. So I asked their advice about enforcing rules for alternative slams (click here for the thread). Perhaps Spillious would be a good person to ask directly about enforcement of alternative slam rules
This is the clearest definition of narrative poetry I found:
http://www.krucli.com/narrative_poetry.htm wrote:
1. tells a story
2. is longer than the usual poem
3. has one or more characters
4. has a setting, conflict, and a series of events that lead to a climax and conclusion
5. lines that are divided into stanzas
In my humble opinion, I would suggest that there be a judge(s) who would rule if they didn't think the poem adhered to the form of a story and then the score should be docked 2 points.
Valentino Assenza wrote:
...Why then is a thematic slam created to challenge writers during the TPS season...
IS this part of the TPS season proper? Since there are still regular August & September slams I thought this was an event independant of the regular season. Am I mistaken? (certainly wouldn't be the 1st or last time).
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Duff, great digging, kudos. I like that definition, except line 5, and your idea of a "story judge" sounds interesting. Hmm, care to volunteer yourself?
And no, the Story Slam is not part of the season, it's a bonus slam, won't count towards regular season standings. Winner just gets cool hard cash, no bye into the semi's. Not jsut my decision, but the slam-ops committee at Toronto Poetry Project said those kinda theme slams (like Anything Goes) should be outside reg season.
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I competed in a story slam in Vancouver some moons ago, and it was just that: STORIES / STORYTELLING, NOT POETRY. Pardon the all caps, but you get the idea.
So excuse me if I'm reiterating, but scrap the 'some narrative element' stuff. If you're going to have a story slam, make it a story slam. I mean, when I ran the songwriters' slam, I didn't allow spoken word that 'had some lyrical/rhythmic element to it.' Folks had to put up songs.
Anyway, you get my point.
See y'all there :)
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Now we're getting somewhere....
Other thematic slam suggestions:
The Comedy Slam
Yes I know it does have the potential to turn into something like "Last Comic Standing" but at the very least there would be no grey area here. Make people laugh, and as a consensus in an audience it wouldn't be hard to tell what is funny and what is not. Also, it would challenge poets that have an affinity for the melancholy to write something different.
The Erotica Slam
Turn us on poets, turn us on.
Also, there was criticism regarding the Anything Goes Slam, and I also had a suggestion that perhaps that could be altered to the:
Outside Of The Box Slam
Instead of giving poets the option to do covers, use props, or costumes, in order to qualify they must use one of those elements.
I mean I wouldn't want us to get inundated with themes here, but I think those would be some cool theme slams.
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We have a monthly story slam. Their rules for what quailfy as a story are pretty simple and straightforward...events that take place over a period of time.
That period of time can be a few seconds, a minute, an hour, a day, a week, a lifetime etc but there has to be a progression of time. Poetry often reflects upon a single moment and embellishes it. Stories take place over more than one moment in time. Stories can bounce back in forth in time or follow a linear narrative.
The Van Story Slam uses the "events that take place over a period of time" as a qualifier and the judges know to remember that. Poets have slammed poems at the story slam but they get dinged right away because they are poems and not stories. It's the poets/storytellers risk if they want to play with the format.
And how long of a time limit are you using? The Van Story Slam has 8 poets with 5 minutes each no grace period and a maximum of 6 minutes before you are gonged off the stage no matter how close or far from finishing you are.
I look forward to being your feature. This entry would not be considered a story or a poem.
RCW wrote:
This entry would not be considered a story or a poem.
Jokes !!
I didn't like #5 either but included it for completeness of the quote.
Wednesday September 2nd huh? I could possibly make it (since the wife is getting a week's vacay in BC the week before). I might be tempted. Lemme think about it & I'll let you know a'la FaceBook.
I love the idea that you guys are trying to do more themed slams outside the regular season. I think the themed slams have the potential of appealing to a wider and wacker audience & participants. I just wonder if I'd qualify for a Nerd slam (Yikes!).
So it seems like we might have some agreement on ideas for judging the form of a story. But how do we enforce it? Point deduction on a sliding scale depending on how little it resembles a story? Or straight up DQ?
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i'm interested to see what new stories we hear... i'll be disappointed if it's the same old stuff.
is there another September slam and will this cumulative thing be in effect?
Tomosina (if that is your real name), the Story Slam is not part of the reg season, as I mentioned earlier. It's a "bonus" slam, a themed slam. Got a feeling we'll do more of these in the year.
Scores will be cumulative for this one as well. Start writin dem stories!
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do the stories need to be memorized?
hey abigail,
no, they don't, and in this kinda slam it's even more acceptable to have paper in front of you. hopefully a few fiction writers will stop to regale us with their prose. it's gonna be one of those nights, can't wait!
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What is POETRY SLAM'S STORY SLAM? It does sound too confusing a title.
Why don't we call it a "POETIC PROSE" as is termed in Uk or Canadians are begging to differ?
I know an example of this "Poetry Slam's Story Slam", hold on, "Poetic Prose" should have been presented last saturday so that come 2nd september, contestants would know whether they are breaking the rules or is the judge that is breaking their neck. I think it will still be an interesting competition.
Kofi Graves wrote:
What is POETRY SLAM'S STORY SLAM? It does sound too confusing a title.
Why don't we call it a "POETIC PROSE" as is termed in Uk or Canadians are begging to differ?
I know an example of this "Poetry Slam's Story Slam", hold on, "Poetic Prose" should have been presented last saturday so that come 2nd september, contestants would know whether they are breaking the rules or is the judge that is breaking their neck. I think it will still be an interesting competition.
I just realized that half of the poetry slams in the past competitions conforms to Poetic Prose unless you want me to pick on someone.
Tomasina Ballick is obviously Tomy bam bam Bewick....
But who the fuck is Duffman? Gypsy?
hmmmmmnnnn....
Kofi Graves wrote:
I just realized that half of the poetry slams in the past competitions conforms to Poetic Prose unless you want me to pick on someone.
Yeah, some of the slam stuff you hear is prose-like. As if poets have reworked short stories into poems. And we might see some of that on Sept 2. And we might see some straight up stories. I'm gunnin for both.
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You know, it's funny that we'll be holding people to the "story" part in the story slam, but we never hold people to the "poetry" part of a poetry slam.
Not saying we should. Just saying.
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good point white noise... should we have some new rules from the slam ops on that? I mean if we're gonna hold the storytellers to such stringent standards...
Would like to see the competition...is this event open to public viewing?
Tacky re-bar aesthetic wrote:
Tomasina Ballick is obviously Tomy bam bam Bewick....
But who the fuck is Duffman? Gypsy?
hmmmmmnnnn....
Duffman is the official mascot of Duff beer (and Acton's reigning Slam Champion), oh yeah !!
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Char wrote:
Would like to see the competition...is this event open to public viewing?
Slam is FOR the public. Whether you slam, open mic, or just watch the slammers/open micers make utter fools of themselves it's all good!
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Just got an idea....What if each judge also chose an award for the night, like Best Ending and Most Likely Story to be Published. Or maybe a bizarre award, like Best Line to Get you Feeling Warm in that Special Place. So Judge 1 would have Best Ending, Judge 2 would choose Funniest Line, that kinda thing.
We'd give away lil prizes to each of the 5 winners...and I think it could set this night apart from the rest, even though prize-givings are just a superficial hurrah.
I dig the idea of giving the judges one extra task. Perhaps we'd outfit em with notepads and pens, so they don't hafta stress about remembering a line or ending.
Thoughts?
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i believe it's butter
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And the winner was...KEVIN FORTNUM! Dude has been in Edmonton for a bit, but he made his triumphant return with some kickass stories and juicy lines. I gots to leave now to hit up Rochdale Rhymes n' Readings, so if anyone else who attended the Story Slam wants to drop a lil review of the event, be my guest.
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