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Rennies: The Movie

The official web site for "Rennies: The Movie".

Be sure to drop by this site and watch the preview for the upcoming documentary on rennies. It looks very promising!

THE TWO DIMENSIONAL WORLD OF RENNIES
by John-Paul, ATF Staff Writer

While surfing some renaissance festivals sites a few weeks ago I stumbled across a link to Keepers of the Kingdom, a preview site for an upcoming documentary film on rennies. On this site they have a short QuickTime preview movie that shows highlights. While I watched it, I was surprised to find a few people I'd seen before — specifically a sword/fire shallower we first met at the wonderful Hamlet of Slater renaissance festival in Missouri.

During the short clip, I also noticed something very interesting: I knew everyone in the video! Well, not directly, but I at least knew someone just like them from the faires I had attended. The characters were so familiar. The opinions expressed matched those of local rennies I hang out with. It was quite a feeling of familiarity and deja-vu.

It was quite a feeling of familiarity and deja-vu. Could it be that rennies were all the same? Do we, as a group, fit into some kind of stereotype? My startling realization was that we, as a whole, do. Sure, it is quite true that not all red heads have massive tempers (mine doesn't...really), but alot do. It is also quite true that not all blondes are dumb, but almost all of us have encountered some bombshell blonde babe who fit that description to a 'T'. Are all guys with computers nerds? I'd argue that statement to the bitter end, then quietly take out my Palm PDA and make a few notes before docking it with my laptop computer and doing a full data sync. Come to think of it, I really like Star Trek, too.

According to dictionary.com, stereotype is defined as follows:

stereotype \Ste"re*o*type\, n. [Stereo- + -type: cf. F. st['e]r['e]otype.]

  1. A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image: "Regional stereotypes have been part of America since its founding. . .. Westerners are trendy, Midwesterners are dull, Northeasterners are brainy, and Southerners are lazy" (Brad Edmondson).
  2. One that is regarded as embodying or conforming to a set image or type.

 

I am reminded of a George Carlin Show episode on TV where he, playing the role of taxi driver, was outraged at a local newscast's stereotype of taxi drivers. On his way to the station to present his rebuttal he caught a ride with a more-than-stereotypical taxi driver who didn't speak English and didn't know directions. Of course, Carlin changed his tunes and gave a monolog about how stereotypes must be based on something.

Rennies, it seems, really fit a common mold. Some of this is positive, some not. On the plus side, many rennies have more than their fair share of personality, intelligence, and appreciation for history or the arts. On the negative side, many rennies have more than their fair share of personality, intelligence, and appreciation for history or the arts. The term "athenti-Nazi" comes to mind when I recall my encounter with a particular rennie who was a bit too "into" costume authenticity. A good coworker of mine has similar opinions of music at festivals since most of it is far from "period." (Yes, as hard as it is to believe, The Scotsman wasn't sung in mediaeval England. Ever.)

Ironically, many of the types that are so (too?) critical seem to ignore the fact that Budweiser and Turkey legs are also a creation of the Americas and would also be quite out of place in a period village. But I digress.

You know the type, though, don't you? See what I mean?

Take a moment to watch the video preview (and be sure to order it once it becomes available), and see how many of the people shown match those you know. I'd be quite suprised if you can't say "oh, he sounds just like..." to virtually every person with an interview segment. Let me know what you think.

So, the next time you try to tell a mundane friend of yours about going to festival and they respond with 1) "renaissance festivals are full of dirty, evil people", 2) "those rennie people are way too weird", or 3) "why would I want to go hang out with a bunch of no-life losers?" take a moment and think... Is your mundane friend just not educated about "real" festivals, or can you think of fellow rennies that really fit those descriptions?

I suppose my point is the same as Carlin's. While inside we think we are all very special and unique, to those that don't know us closely we may very well "all look the same." At least, from their perspective. Of course, that would probably explain the close bonding rennies share and how usually we all seem to get along so well from the very first meeting.

Until we meet again for the first time ... I'll see you at the faire


To read about John-Paul, cofounder of AtTheFaire.com, please visit the About ATF page.

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