If I can't find a job it's down to Dad and Myrtle Beach

February 16, 2009 11:54 AM

What person, place or thing in Myrtle Beach, SC, lends itself to a multimedia piece?

I'm heading down to Myrtle Beach with my dad, sister and dad's girlfriend for a week. We'll get there Feb. 21, this Saturday. I've got about a month of school left and need to get some stuff done on vacation, so I don't run out of time.

Long story short, I'd really like to get a multimedia piece out of the way. I'll be coming at it from a photojournalistic standpoint so I want something that will work photographically, but I also need some audio and video and possibly a "talking head" kind of interview to run through the whole thing.

I've been thinking about plopping myself down on the beach and shooting everything that walks by me, or maybe a specific old diner or shop, or a specific interesting neighbourhood? I've done the hard-hitting stuff before and sort of want something a little more light and fun.

I can travel a bit, but not excessively so.

Any ideas? I'll take any suggestions.

posted by riane to Media & Arts (9 answers total)

There is a place that looks awesome called Myrtle Beach Safari. You get up close with all endangered animals.

http://www.myrtlebeachsafari.com/

I want to go there!

There was an adorable post of a toddler and orangutans on Ellen Degenere's website from that place.
posted by ChloeMills at 12:01 PM on February 16, 2009

That general area, especially as you head South towards Georgetown, has a lot of really interesting ghost stories. There are two local ghosts in particular -- Alice of the Hermitage and the Grey Man -- that you could likely find locals to interview about.

The abridged story on Alice is that if you walk around her grave widdershins a certain number of times, her engagement ring will appear on your finger and that night, she'll come haunt you and take it back. Doing the grave-walk is something of a rite of passage, a dare between folks, and lots and lots of folks will have stories about it. Her grave is near Myrtle Beach and in a beautifully scenic area.

The Grey Man is quite cool as well -- he appears before hurricanes, and anyone who sees him is spared. There are tales of people who've seen him before hurricanes coming home to find that even the beach towels on their porches are in place while their neighbors' homes are destroyed.
posted by Gianna at 12:47 PM on February 16, 2009

I'm a huge fan of Barefoot Landing - its an outdoor mall or sorts, but its all over water, with wooden bridges, wildlife (sometimes you can spot a croc or a gator), and just interesting things.

Then again, I'm a tourist, not a local. My family and I visit every year.

Also kind of interesting? Mt. Atlanticus Minotaur Goff. Actually, the whole mini-golf scene is sort of interesting. Here's a few.
posted by firei at 1:25 PM on February 16, 2009

Atalaya Castle is interesting, but maybe not "poppy" enough for what you're trying to do.
posted by Casuistry at 1:46 PM on February 16, 2009

Try Brookgreen Gardens. They often have an artist in residence, and there are always people of all ages looking at art and the gardens. There's a great children's garden, with fascinating pieces and landscape design.

The gardens are beautiful and elegant, and but they've also got a deeper side: the land used to be a plantation staffed by slaves, and there's a good overlook of the former rice fields with a recording of a slave describing the work there. The place tries hard to honor the past while being a positive place in the present and preserving art and habitat for the future.

I spent a week there in 2003, and didn't get a feel for the place right away -- it took a few days on site to get past the manicured lawns and beautiful art and see the richer meaning of the location, the natural parts of the land, the history, and the relationship among all of these things. There are acres and acres that aren't accessible, but are part of a nature preserve. Some of these you can see on a boat or overland tour. I highly recommend these.
posted by Capri at 2:23 PM on February 16, 2009

Best answer: Myrtle Beach is full of touristy things which are surprisingly photogenic during the off-season. Facilities designed to handle thousands of pedestrians per hour take on a whole new character when there are only a few dozen people around. A lot of the bigger, ticketed attractions may well be closed for the season, but lots of them are basically glorified strip malls which stay open year round, even if some of the merchants take a month or two off.

Things to check out:

Broadway at the Beach

Murrells Inlet Marsh Walk

Brookgreen Gardens

You may have to pay to get into Brookgreen, but the first two are completely free (as long as you don't buy anything).
posted by valkyryn at 2:24 PM on February 16, 2009

My partner and I love crazy golf, and have been to nearly every course in Myrtle Beach - they all look amazing and would be fun to film. The proprietors usually have some fun stories about the people that have golfed there and all the different places they're from. There's a peter pan one somewhere on Hwy 17 that has the most terrifying peter pan in the world too!
posted by ukdanae at 3:15 PM on February 16, 2009

Murrells Inlet is chock full of independent waterfront restaurants, so of which have been around for a long time. I think so interviews of restaurant workers/owners could work well for you. Also have some good food while you are at it.
posted by mmascolino at 6:59 PM on February 16, 2009

Response by poster: Hi guys!

Wow, Myrtle Beach is weird when there's nobody around. Up until the last day, when things started to warm up, I swear there were more dogs than humans. I sort of ended up rolling with that-- the total lack of tourists, combined with the recession, so on and so forth.

Some technical issues made my interview not work out so unfortunately I have no talking heads, but this is what I came up with.

Thanks for the help!
posted by riane at 6:32 PM on March 8, 2009