DCI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS SEMIFINALS

[ContraFart]

2 hours ago, MidWAmericanArts said:

Of all your gripes man, I’ll never understand this one. Have you ever been a performer or taught? Individual field level skills are VASTLY different from box skills. It’s like saying VP and VA are the same.

You put yourself through hating BD so much every year. You need some hippie garden of love in your life, my friend.

No what that means is that he designers have more control over the outcome than the kids. 

[MarkHornGA]

5 minutes ago, ContraFart said:

No what that means is that he designers have more control over the outcome than the kids. 

I get the sentiment, and this is not meant to be sarcastic, but the show designers are just as much artists and creatives as the kids performing. There are far fewer people with the ability to design a winning show than those who can go out there and perform it. It’s a corps wide effort.

[ContraFart]

1 hour ago, TheOneWhoKnows said:

*This*. People forget that variety is key when it comes to GE. And I personally know one of the effect judges tonight is big on variety of effects. We don’t want to see the same effect over and over again the entire show. 
 

BD manages to create a show with so many genres of music and styles of visual movement that add up in the variety of effects column. 

So the inference is that no other corps do that.

BD is the only corps that has variety in musical styles and visual movement. They have the only design team that can create great GE in the minds of the judges.

Yes I am being sarcastic, but that is how it sounds when people explain why the judges love BD so much. 

Someone said something like this not meaning to the other day, but I am beginning to think it's true. BD will win or get 2nd every year as the status quo, for anyone to beat them it takes an exponentially special year. 

Maybe I am just stupid and 30 years around this activity means nothing, but I really thought the top 4 corps were relatively equal in talent and design, but I am wrong. There is something about BD that the judges find superior that I will never understand.

[TheOneWhoKnows]

9 minutes ago, ContraFart said:

No what that means is that he designers have more control over the outcome than the kids. 

There is some truth to this and it’s something I’ve pushed back on in my judging. But at the end of the day, execution still matters and readability of design comes with good performance. 

[TheOneWhoKnows]

1 minute ago, ContraFart said:

So the inference is that no other corps do that.

BD is the only corps that has variety in musical styles and visual movement. They have the only design team that can create great GE in the minds of the judges.

Yes I am being sarcastic, but that is how it sounds when people explain why the judges love BD so much. 

Someone said something like this not meaning to the other day, but I am beginning to think it's true. BD will win or get 2nd every year as the status quo, for anyone to beat them it takes an exponentially special year. 

Maybe I am just stupid and 30 years around this activity means nothing, but I really thought the top 4 corps were relatively equal in talent and design, but I am wrong. There is something about BD that the judges find superior that I will never understand.

No they aren’t the only ones who do it, they just happen to be really good at it. The pacing of their shows is timed out and logical. The effects are timed out, detailed, nuanced. People can complain they “write to sheets”, well this is a competitive activity and you want to win right? 
 

I said from the outset of this year, in terms of design the only show that could beat BD this year would be Bluecoats. They’re playing that variety and pacing of effects game like BD. 

[ContraFart]

2 minutes ago, TheOneWhoKnows said:

There is some truth to this and it’s something I’ve pushed back on in my judging. But at the end of the day, execution still matters and readability of design comes with good performance. 

But doesn't higher field scores mean that other corps are executing better? At least musically?

[TheOneWhoKnows]

Just now, ContraFart said:

But doesn't higher field scores mean that other corps are executing better? At least musically?

On an individual basis. But as an ensemble BD kicks butt. 

[ContraFart]

Just now, TheOneWhoKnows said:

On an individual basis. But as an ensemble BD kicks butt. 

So does Crowns, so does Bluecoats, do does BAC. 

 

[MarkHornGA]

Just now, ContraFart said:

So does Crowns, so does Bluecoats, do does BAC. 

 

I agree with you. Watching the top four two nights in a row I was equally impressed and captivated by them all. To me, any of them could be a champion. 
 

In my non-conspiracy mind, judges clearly see finer details in BD that give them that .10-20 edge in sub captions. Details that I am not trained or able to identify. If that’s the case, then I put the responsibility on myself to learn the finer details and perhaps I will also be able to spot them and understand the system better. 
 

I take the AA perspective. If I am disturbed, something is wrong with me. 

[ContraFart]

5 minutes ago, MarkHornGA said:

I agree with you. Watching the top four two nights in a row I was equally impressed and captivated by them all. To me, any of them could be a champion. 
 

In my non-conspiracy mind, judges clearly see finer details in BD that give them that .10-20 edge in sub captions. Details that I am not trained or able to identify. If that’s the case, then I put the responsibility on myself to learn the finer details and perhaps I will also be able to spot them and understand the system better. 
 

I take the AA perspective. If I am disturbed, something is wrong with me. 

So my 30 years in the activity and learning from DCI hall of famers really does mean nothing.

I guess to beat BD, you have to be better than them in the fall and winter and out design them before you even have auditions.