JimF-LowBari Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Example: I was at the Madison regional standing center top 50 (where you'll usually find me) and even before the Cadets came on the field a small group of fans (not cadet fans) were already saying before they heard one note or narration...."I hear they're using narration again, I'm sure I'm not going to like it. I just wish they'd stop talking" [sarcasm]. Now I didn't tap the man on the shoulder and asked him where he heard it or read it but it was quite visable that he had already put the Cadets show in a negative space. Narration dislikers really don't care who hears them because they assume everyone around them is in agreement with them or thinking the same way. Imagine our adjudicators using that same thought process.Irving Fan of the Arts Also possible that they heard about the 2008 show from DCW, Cadets/YEA website or any other place that did not offer any opinion on narration. And their not liking how Cadets use narration comes from seeing them in previous years <$1 to Meaghan>. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bawker Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Narration dislikers really don't care who hears them because they assume everyone around them is in agreement with them or thinking the same way. Imagine our adjudicators using that same thought process. Not that this is on topic, really, but if there's one spot that insular thinking is, indeed, taking place. . .it's adjudication-wise. Not to say that they don't get it right most of the time, but, DCI's directors create the very rules and judging criteria that the judges use. That, in turn, directs a way of thinking . . .and, quite honestly, if one judge came out with numbers that varied strikingly from one show to the next, and looked at each performance by itself each night . . .it would probably upset the apple cart a little bit. That's not to say that the Crossmen should be beating the Cavaliers, though. Just that surrounding yourself with those you agree with occasionally leads to an unspoken "this is the way it's done". /tin foil hat off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan of the Arts Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Also possible that they heard about the 2008 show from DCW, Cadets/YEA website or any other place that did not offer any opinion on narration. And their not liking how Cadets use narration comes from seeing them in previous years <$1 to Meaghan>. I did not ask them their source; you have suggested the possibilities. Irving Fan of the Arts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 1.) I think the simplest, cheapest, and fastest step they could take right now would be to eliminate the hockey puck "set". It physically removes the players from the action of the corps which is obviously designed to tell the story. The problem here is one of character - what or who is the corps in relation to the players? As far as I can tell, they exist in a dimension completely separate from Sarah and her story. Is the corps supposed to be Sarah's memory swirling about her as she speaks? Is the corps what the interviewer is daydreaming about while she's talking (and that's why we can no longer hear her)? While many people may not be able to put a finger on it, I think this is part of the very emotional reaction that people are having with it. Use the set at the very beginning if you must but then get rid of the it, letting the players have their relationship to the corps made clearer. I agree with this in theory -- problem is, as someone else noted, we're in midseason already and the majority of the drill is designed to work with the set in place. Removing it would create significant drill rewrites, most likely. But if we could go back in time, maybe a better idea would have been to have it be a walking TV interview rather than a stationary radio interview. Script could be the same either way, but if the interviewer and interviewee were strolling thru the corps, there would be many more opportunities to draw the audience's eyes to appropriate drill moments and also to "hide" the actors in between conversation moments. The radio show idea seems like a good idea on paper, but it just doesn't translate to the visual activity happening around them, unfortunately ... Just a thought Good thread!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 I did not ask them their source; you have suggested the possibilities.Irving Fan of the Arts IMO I followed your lead as it appears you pointed the finger at DCP in an earlier post..... "And those viewing the show for the first time are fed with all the noise they hear about the narration from most threads on DCP instead of approaching the show with an open mind. It really is hard to try to get it when you already have a wall up." Not trying to pick an argument, but I don't understand the apparant reasoning that DCP posts are a case of people not liking Cadets show and/or narration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Please -- The OP opened this thread for a specific reason -- can we please keep this ONE THREAD about constructive ideas and/or opinions of the show itself and resist the urge to talk about "haters" or narration in general or other DCP shortfalls. I know it's easy to veer off to that stuff, but there's lots of other threads for it. PLEASE -- JUST THIS ONE THREAD!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 I agree with this in theory -- problem is, as someone else noted, we're in midseason already and the majority of the drill is designed to work with the set in place. Removing it would create significant drill rewrites, most likely. But if we could go back in time, maybe a better idea would have been to have it be a walking TV interview rather than a stationary radio interview. Script could be the same either way, but if the interviewer and interviewee were strolling thru the corps, there would be many more opportunities to draw the audience's eyes to appropriate drill moments and also to "hide" the actors in between conversation moments. The radio show idea seems like a good idea on paper, but it just doesn't translate to the visual activity happening around them, unfortunately ... Just a thought Good thread!! It's a good idea...but conceptually it's not very different from last year, where the physical placement of the narrators drew they eye to the drill...and that show got trounced here in DCP-land too. I think they are 'stuck' with the prop, if that is the right word. I like it from the video I saw. Not sure about the connection to the show from the early narration, but from reading George's Blog the narration has changed a lot, for partially that reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 (edited) It's a good idea...but conceptually it's not very different from last year, where the physical placement of the narrators drew they eye to the drill...and that show got trounced here in DCP-land too. I think they are 'stuck' with the prop, if that is the right word. I like it from the video I saw. Not sure about the connection to the show from the early narration, but from reading George's Blog the narration has changed a lot, for partially that reason. Actually, I liked that part of last year's show that your eye was naturally drawn to the the narrators which was where you were supposed to be watching drill-wise. I had the same issue with last year's show, though, that I do with this year's -- that the script itself was poorly written. In addition, this year's show has the visual problem of not being sure where to look and I also am not drawn into the scene by the acting. I agree though -- they're "stuck" with the prop because we're too far down the road now. So I would concentrate on 1) trying to make the actors believable -- I've already suggested having it be the daughter of Sarah Jones being interviewed, discussing her mother's struggles in life to find Happiness as seen from her 20-year old perspective. Wouldn't take that much tweaking of the script or the basic story/message. I think this would be a lot more believable and poignant to hear a 20-year old's view of the how her mother achieved Happiness despite many challenges and how she (the daughter) may take this to heart as she begins her own Pursuit 2) It's not too late to bring in a professional writer to punch up the script to make it more concise, yet effective and also to make it more "musical", if you catch my drift. Words can be quite melodic and pulsating, but they should be crafted with as much care and professionalism as the brass book and the drum book and the guard movements. 3) I kind of agree with an earlier point about "freezing" the actors when they are not what we're supposed to be looking at. I'd have to see this to be sure, but it's a common technique in the theater to make sure that the audience isn't distracted away from where they are supposed to be concentrating. Worth a shot .... Edited July 10, 2008 by Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salad315 Posted July 10, 2008 Author Share Posted July 10, 2008 Please -- The OP opened this thread for a specific reason -- can we please keep this ONE THREAD about constructive ideas and/or opinions of the show itself and resist the urge to talk about "haters" or narration in general or other DCP shortfalls. I know it's easy to veer off to that stuff, but there's lots of other threads for it.PLEASE -- JUST THIS ONE THREAD!!!! Actually, as the OP, I'm pleasantly surprised at how well this thread has gone. Sure, it has veered OT a little, but there have been no major insults or attacks...just a few dcp related tangents. Considering the way things usually go, and the inherent difficulty with regulating a thread, I think I'll take what we've got so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Actually, as the OP, I'm pleasantly surprised at how well this thread has gone. Sure, it has veered OT a little, but there have been no major insults or attacks...just a few dcp related tangents. Considering the way things usually go, and the inherent difficulty with regulating a thread, I think I'll take what we've got so far Agreed -- I could just sense some stuff simmering and wanted to head it off before it gained too much momentum, that's all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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