MikeRapp Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 I thought what the Blue Devils did with "INK" was brilliant. The show didn't tell a story and it didn't have a theme. It took an imaginary approach of projecting various childhood stories in a series of short skits or vignettes that highlighted each character(s) as they metaphorically emerged from a book. No detailed story was told from start to finish, and the show didn't have one major theme. Additionally, they used music to depict characters such as Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan that was not from any of those motion picture soundtracks. What Crown is doing this year is similar from a musical perspective. Some of their music is not typical of a western (Medea). They are using it for a specific effect, as a tag onto other more Western-themed music. I think it's brilliant. After watching the Crown show several times, from several perspectives, it still seems as if the carriage is way too far from the front to be understood by anyone who doesn't already know what is happening. BD put the book(s) middle-front to frontline. I realize that a carriage is much harder to move around a football field than books on wheels. It'll translate better to multi-cam, because they will focus cameras on the drama, but if I'm sitting in row 30 of a football stadium, I am clueless about what's going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ouooga Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 My question is what drives this? What exactly is telling the judges in the rules specifically that a cohesive story is the type of show that will be more effective than a show that does not contain a storyline? Or is the effectiveness of the show based specifically on how well it is performed? These, see these are the questions (in my Peter Griffin voice). Because someone won with it once before. I was in Indy in 08, and watching that spear go through that drum major (wow that sounds dark) was one of the coolest drum corps moments I've ever experienced. Show designers want that, it's that simple. It worked once, it should work again. On top of that, when you're trying to recreate a story, your show is at least laid out for you, so a chunk of the work is done. But it's not easy to achieve, and it's not always clear that the great ones are the exception, not the norm. I was also in Indy in 09, and watching a woman get slapped over a violin definitely didn't have the same feel, but it felt obvious that that was what they were going for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 (edited) My question is what drives this? What exactly is telling the judges in the rules specifically that a cohesive story is the type of show that will be more effective than a show that does not contain a storyline? Or is the effectiveness of the show based specifically on how well it is performed? These, see these are the questions (in my Peter Griffin voice). Its based essentially on what the judge like to see and hear themselves personally. Its like an art competition. You are bringing your excellently done Norman Rockwell like painting illustration, and your competitor is bringing their equally excellently done Claude Monet like painting to the art competition. All you can do is hope to gawd that your judge for the art competition prefers the Rockwell style of art. If he prefers impressionism, or the abstract in art, you are SOOL. Its just the way it is. And its no more complicated than that when we are asking the judges to compare and contrast wholly dissimilar things that have virtually little to nothing in common. Edited July 15, 2016 by BRASSO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobias Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 Judging General Effect for marching bands, this gets talk about a fair bit. Telling a *story* is harder, and not necessarily in a good way. If you come out of the gate and basically announce with your set-up/pre-show "we are telling the story of [Alice in Wonderland/Wizard of Oz/Whatever]" then you have already created expectations that certain things are going to happen and certain elements are going to be present. As an example, I judged a show a few years ago that was going for "Alice in Wonderland...but DARKER!" (a theme I have seen every single year since I began designing/judging....but I digress). In this show, they introduced Alice (a guard member dressed in an attention-grabbing outfit to stand out) in the opening minute... ...and then she vanished for the next six minutes, only to re-emerge suddenly and without any fanfare in the final minute of the show. In-between were some barely connected elements to represent the Queen of Hearts and a few others. The Queen and Alice never met on the field. Not once. Now, the kids played well, the drill program was solid, and other elements worked, but that loomed over the whole proceedings and ultimately hurt them in the end (the rest of the GE panel agreed). That's a simplistic example, but the point is that when you set out to tell a comprehensive *story*, you are playing with a double-edged sword. If you can make it work, it's extremely effective (Spartacus has been mentioned, but yeah, that's just about the best example available in the last ten years), but if it doesn't work, it REALLY doesn't work, and you're worse off for it. It's a trade-off. From a judge's perspective, I see your point and appreciate your input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillis35 Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 After watching the Crown show several times, from several perspectives, it still seems as if the carriage is way too far from the front to be understood by anyone who doesn't already know what is happening. BD put the book(s) middle-front to frontline. I realize that a carriage is much harder to move around a football field than books on wheels. It'll translate better to multi-cam, because they will focus cameras on the drama, but if I'm sitting in row 30 of a football stadium, I am clueless about what's going on. Agree. But I think that's the brilliance of Carolina's show this year. You don't have to get the short story or skit (as I call it). The show works as an imaginative Western with fabulous music, costuming, staging, and scenery/props. The guard is wonderful! The short little skit that is included in this Western show enhances the show for sure, and I do think more is to come; but it's not a complex or long drawn-out story in a narrative sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKSuperman Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 Judging General Effect for marching bands, this gets talk about a fair bit. Telling a *story* is harder, and not necessarily in a good way. If you come out of the gate and basically announce with your set-up/pre-show "we are telling the story of [Alice in Wonderland/Wizard of Oz/Whatever]" then you have already created expectations that certain things are going to happen and certain elements are going to be present. As an example, I judged a show a few years ago that was going for "Alice in Wonderland...but DARKER!" (a theme I have seen every single year since I began designing/judging....but I digress). In this show, they introduced Alice (a guard member dressed in an attention-grabbing outfit to stand out) in the opening minute... ...and then she vanished for the next six minutes, only to re-emerge suddenly and without any fanfare in the final minute of the show. In-between were some barely connected elements to represent the Queen of Hearts and a few others. The Queen and Alice never met on the field. Not once. Now, the kids played well, the drill program was solid, and other elements worked, but that loomed over the whole proceedings and ultimately hurt them in the end (the rest of the GE panel agreed). That's a simplistic example, but the point is that when you set out to tell a comprehensive *story*, you are playing with a double-edged sword. If you can make it work, it's extremely effective (Spartacus has been mentioned, but yeah, that's just about the best example available in the last ten years), but if it doesn't work, it REALLY doesn't work, and you're worse off for it. It's a trade-off. Would this happen to be Tarpon Springs? Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumManTx Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 Would this happen to be Tarpon Springs? Lol. I would be shocked if it was, just watched that show a few days ago and they did an incredible job of staging characters and events, their Alice was pretty much front and center in the drill the whole time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKSuperman Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 I would be shocked if it was, just watched that show a few days ago and they did an incredible job of staging characters and events, their Alice was pretty much front and center in the drill the whole time. I wouldn't say the whole time. Ibremember watching it in person and thinking "where'd she go now?". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv4corps Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 (edited) The design and execution are everything. My favorite show of all time - Spartacus. My favorite show this year - Force of Nature. Talk about opposites! But they both work. Edited July 15, 2016 by luv4corps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumcorpsfever Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 Well, he has been alluded to. He's coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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