[Bill L.]

First off This is not an old vs. new post. I feel that our drum corps shows have gotten so far above the general public's heads they just don't like it. Kinda like oprea or heavy classical. You just don't see that on TV either. Pitchin' pumkins,Lady ga-ga Thanksgiving,America's got talent,...... are shows that the general public gets.

[WIS]

Ok - I generally hate reality shows (can't stand seeing people intentionally make fools of themselves) - but since that seems to be the types of shows that people are viewing recently how can we get a reality show made of drum corps? Follow individuals - or follow full corps? There is the audition process at the start of the year for the individuals and a sort of elimination process at the end of the year for corps. But what to do in the middle (I'm stuck in the underwear...?...profits conundrum)? Hmmm - it could follow what happens on the busses - but what happens on the busses, stays on the busses. Maybe there is a "Real Life" type of story that could be made out of hundreds living on gym floors over the summer. "Real Chaperones of Drum Corps". "Cooking for 150+ on $X a day"? TOC + 8 - who will it be next year? "Amazing bus races"? A viewer call-in process for winners of TOC (or other) show? A Project Runway type show for guard uniforms/costumes? "Rifle Chunkin"? There must be something that can be done with show design. I'm sure there is a "The Bachelor" type program that could be created - one horn/drum line hunk dating, and eliminating, members of the color guard?

There must be 13-26 week annual show in here somewhere that a network would be interested in that would get viewers interested in the D&B corps world. Or even a series of 6 week shows taking a viewer through a season.

Suggestions anyone?

[WIS]

This week on CorpsHunters - Grayson and Jant travel to Marion Ohio to see if there are any traces left of the Americanos stay at Ebber Baker Middle School in 1974 and 1975 - you'll be shocked at what they find. And Steve sees a spider and screams like a girl.

[Plan9]

Punkin Chunkin has a number of attractions that fit TV and our current popular American mentality: it's uncomplicated, they fling stuff, it's immediate gratification, it's mechanical and measurable, and it's competitive where success and failure are front and center (and often zoomed-in on). Afterall, who would have thought that we would be interested in guys building motorcycles, noodlin', sleazy pawn shops, renovating antiques or rummaging through storage bins and old barns, not to mention the fashion and food competition shows.

The truth is that no one knows what connects until they toss it out there. The one constant is the formula built around success and failure/rejection that has been part of all reality TV from the beginning....and it's there that we all find our universal connection to DC....in the competition. The question is: how to display and sell it, AND preserve the dignity of the corps and their members/alumni, preserve their privacy and the fragile financial realities?

I have always thought that there was an answer wrapped up in the components of Marching Band and Drum Corps...a connection that makes this obviously entertaining medium connect to a viewing public. It's connected very directly to nearly every Middle and High School (and many Universities), it has all of the components of successful TV: It's young, its has attractive and talented young people, it has drama, athleticism, music and dance, it's competitive, and it's extremely entertaining when presented professionally. In fact, it has all the stuff (and more) than every other dance, music and singing competition TV show has......only, no one has found the viewing formula yet...that's all.

DCI's straight-up frontal media assault (ala the NFL) has proven last luster and generally meh to most viewing public. mostly IMO because it's leaving the luster on the floor, unseen and unconnected. We say "oh well", and explain it away saying, "you need to know about it to appreciate it"....you mean like picking or building motorcycles?

If you look at some of the ideas of the G7 proposal, you'll see an attempt to explore these components....but just that exploration alone was met with anger and intrigue by the DCP population.

In my view, there is a real and potentially huge connection between MB/DC and the viewing public...the components just need to be mined and packaged in a way that connects the receptors to the trained (and already in-place) public side of the flat screen. It's Glee meets the Real World (done in a way that keeps the night-vision cameras off the busses ).

NOTE: A nod to post #12 "WIS", who apparently had a similar abberation at the same moment!

This post has been edited by Plan9: 25 November 2011 - 12:10 PM

[danielray]

garfield, on 24 November 2011 - 08:38 PM, said:

The "Finals" is on Discovery Channel as I type.

35,000 "Fans" in a farmer's field, watching home made machines toss pumpkins for bragging rights.

Partying, lots of beer and BBQ.

Brought to you by Canon, Discover, and the Discovery Channel.

And DCI can't even find a way to keep PBS, let alone ESPN, happy?

Are you kidding me?

Those here who think the DCI BOD is doing things OK are right.

Just OK describes it well.

While corporate America supports chunkin pumpkins during prime time on Thanksgiving night.

R - I - G - H - T

The thing is... homemade machines throwing pumpkins... partying, beer, BBQ... that is something ANYONE can get into. Drum corps, in the current form, simply isn't all that accessible to the general public.

There are some things that can be learned from this though...

1) Partying, beer, BBQ

There needs to be more of a tailgating type scene.... a much greater fan experience that happens ALL DAY around events.

Social networking is a great way for fans to organize all sorts of their own events before the show... parties after the show.

Want to make regionals more of a destination? Create things to do for families with kids... where they can dump their kids off somewhere during the day in a safe, trusted and fun environment for the kids... while adults can hang out and socialize... then all get together for the show.

There are loads of things that can be done with this... but for this to expand... more things need to happen around the event, not just on the field.

2) Dumb down the lot and pre-show

The lot can be something that can be more accessible to anyone. Put up huge screens at major shows.... and show head to head drumming.... screamers... tossing... break dancing... whatever. Make this more freeform.... loose... and something anyone can get into.

Charge $5 for non-ticket holders to get into the lot... kids under 12 free. This can draw in a different segment... those that are simply curious.

While corps are on the field, put up the shows on a big screen in the lot for those that are just curious... but aren't committed enough to buy a full ticket.

These LED trucks or portable LED big screens are pretty cheap to rent... and can be used to promote the event in city centers in the days before the show.

Footage to promote the event should be stuff more like the video of hip hop drummers (video produced by BD that was crazy popular), drum offs, screamers, lot stuff... lifestyle stuff... mixed in with actual shows.

Anyway, the actual show on the field itself doesn't need to change much... just broaden the appeal of the stuff around it.

As for TV... TV is dead.... a completely waste of time and money. You can get better results through other channels at a fraction of the cost.

[TerriTroop]

Plan9, on 25 November 2011 - 12:08 PM, said:

Punkin Chunkin has a number of attractions that fit TV and our current popular American mentality: it's uncomplicated, they fling stuff, it's immediate gratification, it's mechanical and measurable, and it's competitive where success and failure are front and center (and often zoomed-in on). Afterall, who would have thought that we would be interested in guys building motorcycles, noodlin', sleazy pawn shops, renovating antiques or rummaging through storage bins and old barns, not to mention the fashion and food competition shows.

The truth is that no one knows what connects until they toss it out there. The one constant is the formula built around success and failure/rejection that has been part of all reality TV from the beginning....and it's there that we all find our universal connection to DC....in the competition. The question is: how to display and sell it, AND preserve the dignity of the corps and their members/alumni, preserve their privacy and the fragile financial realities?

I have always thought that there was an answer wrapped up in the components of Marching Band and Drum Corps...a connection that makes this obviously entertaining medium connect to a viewing public. It's connected very directly to nearly every Middle and High School (and many Universities), it has all of the components of successful TV: It's young, its has attractive and talented young people, it has drama, athleticism, music and dance, it's competitive, and it's extremely entertaining when presented professionally. In fact, it has all the stuff (and more) than every other dance, music and singing competition TV show has......only, no one has found the viewing formula yet...that's all.

DCI's straight-up frontal media assault (ala the NFL) has proven last luster and generally meh to most viewing public. mostly IMO because it's leaving the luster on the floor, unseen and unconnected. We say "oh well", and explain it away saying, "you need to know about it to appreciate it"....you mean like picking or building motorcycles?

If you look at some of the ideas of the G7 proposal, you'll see an attempt to explore these components....but just that exploration alone was met with anger and intrigue by the DCP population.

In my view, there is a real and potentially huge connection between MB/DC and the viewing public...the components just need to be mined and packaged in a way that connects the receptors to the trained (and already in-place) public side of the flat screen. It's Glee meets the Real World (done in a way that keeps the night-vision cameras off the busses ).

NOTE: A nod to post #12 "WIS", who apparently had a similar abberation at the same moment!

When it comes to competitive junior drum and bugle corps (i.e. DCI), the G7 proposal was rife with problems. HOWEVER.... there are ways that DCI can build on the things in the G7 proposal - and the ToC format - that would translate to audience appeal for the masses.

I wouldn't want to see the DCI circuit transformed in to a "reality" TV playground. But I do agree that the DCI media attempts have not taken the activity further into the public mainstream. When I see the trailers, I see greatness - but that's because I've been watching these organizations for more than 25 years. But if I had never seen drum corps before and I saw the theater trailers, I'd be likely to laugh or shrug and say "no thanks" - especially if I hadn't been in any kind of music or pageantry field.

The only way to change perception is to take the activity out of its comfort zone in some spectacular way. This is why I proposed the idea of "Extreme Corps". Instead of changing the activity as a whole, take the best part of the activity out to the audience: the extremes of musicianship, movement, athleticism, and the self-determination and drive of members to push themselves to the limits. That's instant audience appeal, IMO.

[MikeN]

I think that's a great idea, Terri, but I'd submit that even musicianship is not that important. Look at BD's drum video from a few years ago (the one they did to Outkast in the gym). There is not a lot of meat to the writing - it's a ton of gimmicky stick tricks, few of which you'd see on the field these days; they're seen as cliched and "cheesy." But look at the page views. I think sometimes DCI's "art" stands in its own way. (And that's not a generational thing - it's been that way for decades.)

Mike

[FHdork]

Some great ideas here! A reality based show that follows a gaggle of young auditioners as they attempt to make the ranks of 1 World Class corps (makes the most sense for it to be one of the big 4 or 5...) would garner some viewers. Kind of a mashup of American Idol, the Biggest Loser, The X Factor, Survivor, and Dancing with the Stars.

I can well imagine lots of whispered shots of rookie #3 saying, 'OMG...we've been in this BLAZING sun since 8am, and it's 4:30pm...I am WHIPPED - and we're going to stay out here till dark...6 more hours!'

[Stu]

garfield, on 24 November 2011 - 08:38 PM, said:

The "Finals" is on Discovery Channel as I type.

35,000 "Fans" in a farmer's field, watching home made machines toss pumpkins for bragging rights.

Partying, lots of beer and BBQ.

Brought to you by Canon, Discover, and the Discovery Channel.

And DCI can't even find a way to keep PBS, let alone ESPN, happy?

Are you kidding me?

Those here who think the DCI BOD is doing things OK are right.

Just OK describes it well.

While corporate America supports chunkin pumpkins during prime time on Thanksgiving night.

R - I - G - H - T

See the bold and you will figure out why this is shown on TV. The Discovery Channel makes money by selling advertisement time; and the companies which advertise hope to make money by appealing to the people watching the program. Thus the Discovery Channel aired Cuhnkin Punkin because for some reason Canon and Discover Card were convinced that they would profit by paying for the airing of this contest. Therefore, if DCI could convince major corporations like Canon or Discover Card to pay for the airing the Finals then DCI would also appear on the Discovery Channel. This is nothing more than Marketing 101.

[TerriTroop]

MikeN, on 25 November 2011 - 12:28 PM, said:

I think that's a great idea, Terri, but I'd submit that even musicianship is not that important. Look at BD's drum video from a few years ago (the one they did to Outkast in the gym). There is not a lot of meat to the writing - it's a ton of gimmicky stick tricks, few of which you'd see on the field these days; they're seen as cliched and "cheesy." But look at the page views. I think sometimes DCI's "art" stands in its own way. (And that's not a generational thing - it's been that way for decades.)

Mike

I should have been more specific: "musicianship" in this case is more about being exciting while also being excellent. It doesn't have to be hyper written stuff, but even an uninitiated audience will recognize a brilliant soloist in the right context.