The Other Mike Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 I think why NPR's show is so successful is that it tells real stories told by the real people who live them.I think The Cadets' failure is not so much that they are using the NPR show format, but that they are not using a REAL story. This American Life states that it tells real stories, even if they aren't exciting. What they SHOULD have done is to interview all the members, find a story they liked and have them tell that story, instead of making something up. It would feel more heartfelt. Actually, it might be kind of interesting if they used a different person every night so the story was never the same. Interesting concept. Use Hop's story about his quest for hoppyness through the use of narration for finals and even "I" would find it interesting and might be able to try and listen to the actual words each time instead of trying to tune it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salad315 Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Synthetic or natural ?Food for thought (IMHO ) is fertilizer, so to speak. manure by any other name is still manure no matter who is spreading it. ( please breath deeply and TRY to understand my attempt at humor, no matter how bad it might be ) Hmm...that is pretty bad (i mean really, worse than your usual stuff ) And NO, i will NOT breathe deeply around...that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnaheimAlumni Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 (edited) Narration for the narration...Brilliant!!! Yes now they are explaining their explanation Edited July 10, 2008 by AnaheimAlumni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Other Mike Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Nope, when I did the work, I was in charge of a public television station, after the 3-hurricane season in Florida in 2004. Utilized a number of technologies to give local emergency management agencies immediate access to sideband frequencies for rapid, sizeable content distribution (video, graphics like building specs, gps coordinates, one-way and duplex audio transmissions, etc).Turned the designs over to a number of local and federal agencies. The environment has been duplicated in other areas of the country. BRAVO. Are you the reason that all the radio stations in NOLA became the United Broadcast System of Louisiana ( or whatever it was called) overnight ? It was one of the few things that was actually positive during Katrina besides FEMA ( few people know that FEMA was actually here handing out water and ice on Wednesday, only the 2nd day after the storm but was ambushed so to speak by the state officials) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Other Mike Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 in less political correct terms...you can only polish a turd so much, and in the end, it's still a turd... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medeabrass Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 In parts of this show, I agree. The corps is reduced to a supporting role for the narration, specifically where the music and narration overlap. It's like background music. However, the general idea is that GH designed the show for narration, acting as an additional element for telling the story. To him, drum corps is the product, and the product is musical, visual, and voice. In the DCI rules, that's true, too. (For the record, I'm not a fan of narration. But sometimes, somebody needs to play the devil's advocate.) I can buy some narration (Crown last year and even Cadets '05 was tolerable). I'm really really trying to give it the benefit of the doubt (I've decided I have to because I don't want to start disliking this activity so much that I'll have to walk away when/if everyone starts doing what Hop is doing). I'll even try to buy into his overly intrusive long winded stories. The problem is with the story ITSELF. It's so contrite and not fit for a 12 minute show on a football field. In the same way that some music just can't be adapted to the field, I think there's some stories that can't be told. Granted, we don't want designers to stop expanding the realm of what's possible, but you also have to admit that there's been MANY misses in DC when it comes to "going out on a limb." It's a very fine line, and I'm hoping that he's just fumbling while trying to stretch his wings and discover what this "new toy" is all about. Unfortunately, he seemed to do a better job in '05 and I get the feeling he's digging his feet in with this whole "narration as the centerpiece" concept and the "let's explain the meaning of life" narratives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meaghatron Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 The problem is with the story ITSELF. It's so contrite and not fit for a 12 minute show on a football field. In the same way that some music just can't be adapted to the field, I think there's some stories that can't be told. My thoughts exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atroy Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 So I've been troubled for about a week and a half (Since I saw the show in Naperville) about one thing. The show is the pursuit of happiness and the corps is trying to tell a story with voice that can't be told by the guard or musical ensemble, right? If anyone knows anything about American Elegy (the piece that ties all of the scenes together) then they know that that piece already tells a very, very important story. It was the tribute written by Frank Ticheli in honor of the Columbine tragedy. It is a great piece and the Cadets perform it quite well(I have no problem saying that they are always a stellar musical ensemble, the words just get in the way sometimes) I just can't get past the giant happy face at the end that winks at the crowd while playing American Elegy. I have no idea if anyone else feels the same or not but I think in trying to tell one story they overlook the importance and the real story behind American Elegy. This is just my thoughts and I really wanted to get it out to see what others think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrunchyTenor Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 So I've been troubled for about a week and a half (Since I saw the show in Naperville) about one thing. The show is the pursuit of happiness and the corps is trying to tell a story with voice that can't be told by the guard or musical ensemble, right? If anyone knows anything about American Elegy (the piece that ties all of the scenes together) then they know that that piece already tells a very, very important story. It was the tribute written by Frank Ticheli in honor of the Columbine tragedy. It is a great piece and the Cadets perform it quite well(I have no problem saying that they are always a stellar musical ensemble, the words just get in the way sometimes) I just can't get past the giant happy face at the end that winks at the crowd while playing American Elegy. I have no idea if anyone else feels the same or not but I think in trying to tell one story they overlook the importance and the real story behind American Elegy. This is just my thoughts and I really wanted to get it out to see what others think. Alex, you raise a very important point. I remember when Cadets announced this piece of music, and DCP went into overdrive pondering how they would use it. There is already a story behind the music. They should have stuck to that. Regarding the video, I have to agree with Medeabrass and Chico (hey, dude!) that it was trying to explain their explanation of what was happening on the field. This tells me that what they wanted to accomplish isn't working. They are in fire fighting mode. My suggestion is, if you have to use voice, use it in a way that what we see on the field does not solely rely on the spoken word. Use it to augment the visual and music, not the other way around. I'm not surprised at all by the symbolism of the dumpster and the DCP comment. What he should have been tossing in there was the original concept of this show. I'm sorry to rehash this whole argument, but it's drum and bugle corps. I'll even accept drum and brass corps. Trying to inject foreign concepts and sounds only dilutes the incredible heritage sound. Here's a really strange analogy, but most should get it... Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd But you can be happy if you've a mind to Ya can't take a shower in a parakeet cage Ya can't take a shower in a parakeet cage Ya can't take a shower in a parakeet cage But you can be happy if you've a mind to All ya gotta do is put your mind to it Knuckle down, buckle down, do it, do it, do it Well, ya can't go a-swimmin' in a baseball pool Ya can't go swimmin' in a baseball pool Ya can't go swimmin' in a baseball pool But you can be happy if you've a mind to Ya can't change film with a kid on your back Ya can't change film with a kid on your back Ya can't change film with a kid on your back But you can be happy if you've a mind to Ya can't drive around with a tiger in your car Ya can't drive around with a tiger in your car Ya can't drive around with a tiger in your car But you can be happy if you've a mind to All ya gotta do is put your mind to it Knuckle down, buckle down do it, do it, do it Well, ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd Ya can't roller skate in a buffalo herd But you can be happy if you've a mind to Ya can't go fishin' in a watermelon patch Ya can't go fishin' in a watermelon patch Ya can't go fishin' in a watermelon patch But you can be happy if you've a mind to ($1 to Roger Miller) Garry in Vegas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2000Cadet Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 I have; I understand the full aspect of what's trying to be conveyed. Listened to the "This American Life" that inspired it, thematically understood the concept, saw the show live and have a grasp on exactly what its trying to be brought forward to the viewer.There is no intrinsic "negative" that I come away with regarding the corps proper or George Hopkins, but when there's always a subtext that it's us against the drum corps world . . .well, it probably gets as grating as all those anti-amp and anti-narration people posting all the time. But it's not like he intentionally tries to point that out. I mean many of the people who post on here negatively about the Cadets make it that way, especially when they try to point out people like me who are seemingly Cadet "kool-aid drinkers" or "Cadet borgs", etc. Much of what is posted about what the Cadets do or have done fuels the "us against the drum corps world" story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.