DCA televised?

[K2SMA]

But hey, what do I know... I'm retired...

OUCH, there's that "R" word appearing again, this time in a different thread.

I'd be happy to lend any support possible to a webcast effort. And while Tom may be busy with the family in Rochester (can you imagine?!?), we can pick his brain over the summer.

Yes, Tom was the first "color man" on the DCI broadcasts. I was the host of the DCA telecast in '77. Fred Windish had posted earlier about anyone finding a copy. For my sake, I hope no one does... LOL!

However, there is a perspective on this that I find troubling. As an activity, senior (oh, okay, "all-age") drum corps does not have a "central repository" for its history. The DCW books that Steve Vickers did are wonderful, but, without the hundreds of issues of Drum Corps News (for example, and you should see the exhibits at the annual G.A.S. Reunions), videotape, film, program books, old uniforms, and other memorabilia, I fear that a lot of our history will be lost.

TV is one way to preserve our history. Give DCI their due for what they've done. But what can we do to help preserve the legacy of our activity?

[TomPeashey]

Good point Steve... where is the late Duke D or Chooch Laskowski when you need them... Drum Corps and especially dca needs a physical "Hall of Fame" with uniforms, old instruments and such... even if it's done like Duke did on a "traveling" basis...

Perhaps this would be a great project for the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame?

You are right about TV preserving the history but we do have the DVD's and they are of a fairly high quality now. Further, DCA has straightened out their contractual situations and the masters eventually belong to DCA. This was not the case in the past.

As for not finding a tape of your '77 work, I just might have it... not sure though... my problem is that I loan everything out and it's never returned.

But if memory serves me right - you did just fine...

On the DCI '74 video, no one believes I ever had hair that dark... or had the audacity to try and explain "unit penalty" under the tick system... YIKES! What was I thinking?

[JohnD]

I'm from the quill pen age. Some web-type geeks please contact DCA Now! and jump in here any time....

As for the webcast, I believe that the DCP people are or should be working closely with DCA on that. Caution of course is that there are contractual obligations with the DVD people that must be considered and respected. I'm quite certain that a close coverage of DCA weekend on line with some live snippets can be worked out and is most likely being worked on at this time.

The dialog has been started and, as noted in the Press Release regarding our new partnership for 2006, DCA and DCP are looking at ways to bring the DCA Championships to a wider audience. As Tom notes, there are a number of issues to work thru - but I can tell you that Drum Corps Planet will be on-hand in Rochester and will bring our resources to-bear to support DCA for this great event, in the way they feel is best for the organization and activity.

Of course, there's nothing like being there in-person ..... which I'm really looking forward to for myself and members of our DCP staff.

Stay tuned for more information as we get closer to Labor Day.

-john

[Wombats Contra]

Whenever I bring this up,I feel as though I'm alone, but here goes.

Having done the TV production thing, I probably wouldn't even show the DVD's in their current state to a television audience, ESPECIALLY with the advent of affordable ddigital and HD to the masses.

There's too much that goes on in our DVDs that wouldn't be acceptable in a broadcast situation.

THIS IS NO SLAM ON THE CURRENT PEOPLE, LIGHTEN UP! (before I say it, just to be sure. This is a professional opinion and no reflection on the PERSONS doing the work. They do a stellar job for us given the budget and conditions they have to work with)

<soapbox on>

Our DVDs are not of the best direction quality.

What do I mean? Watch the DCI product. It is CLEAR whomever is making the call on what gets shown and what doesn't KNOWS drum corps. Tom Blair shows year after year his experience as a marcher and instructor that works very well in tandem with his broadcast experience.

It may sound mean, but if ESPN were presented a product of the quality of the DCA DVD's, I'm certain they just wouldn't be able to use them.

Some examples:

It looks like all the cameras are "active" i.e. no iso cameras. (this can be good sometimes, but has provided us with a few "burps" that we have to live with) There's too much of videographers moving the camera or dropping the camera before the director cuts away.

The videographers will hold a soloist shot, and the director will stay with them even though they're not playing, or are getting ready to play a second time then will suddenly cut away when they start playing again.

I've noticed (after seeing some of the corps during the year) that the video folks will hone in onto a section that is doing regular work while something REALLY nice is going on elsewhere. (usually back and forth between Battery and Guard)

And, you just get the feeling that the people pushing the buttons and sweeping the switches just aren't that familiar with the activity like Tom and his crew are.

Some things that would help:

Cameras:

Overhead angle on all the time, never touched.

crossing-path iso field level cameras to handle maybe picking up something missed.

One field-level manned camera with a TALENTED videographer that can do moving truck/pan/zoom effects by hand

One crane (overhead/moving shots)

One handheld (for pit and features)

Obviously, that will all be a pretty big budget, which we don't have. More:

Production:

Instead of trying to cut live to video, go back and EDIT. I can guarantee you a lot hits the floor with the live to video thing that wouldn't if someone did a bunch of edit work, and took the stance a lot of editors do, that it's an art. you'll see better sweeps, pans, fades. You'll catch some of the better zooming/trucking videography from the crane and (if you have one) maybe an extra field level camera.

You could use things caught from various angles and really do some nice work. When you have a valid issue that a camera's shots are unusable, you've got 6 shots to choose from, thus increasing the possibility that youhave a shot or two that can save your rear in the edit process. Live to video really shoots your chances of fixing those type blemishes.

Budget:

I think the primary problem would be budgetary. It ain't cheap to find/get a video company with enough equipment and personnel to do the type of job Tom does. DCI also has a much broader audience, so they sell many more units than we ever could, bringing down the overall cost to DCI.

The second issue is that the distribution channel would need to be much larger to justify the expense.

It would be*nice* to have someone directing that has marched, understands and has taught or even written drill.

While we would be somewhat inconvenienced at not being able to have our DVD/VHS immediately, in the long run the product would be MUCH better when they have several days of edit time rather than very little edit time.

Or, some kind of way the production company could make a live to video cut and then a later edited cut, both for pay.

Until we have a much better, more polished product with high-quality on-screen graphics and DVD interfaces, and better produced artwork for the DVD, we'll not be able to get much of it onto TV locally much less nationally.

</soapboxoff>

To help in answering your question, here I go. Yes, this is a very possible thing first we have to design a proposal to the public television networks. Telling them just how many corps are competing along with the hundred of thousand raving fans. We also have to mention the redeeming factor of this broadcast for their broadcasting area. If we could get DCI to help out in whatever capasity possible would be a great help. The production crew could be paid or have them donate their time and talent. I've done many of these types of programs in Texas. The donating of time works two-fold: First, all crew will aquire credit points for the production; Secondly, for people trying to break into the broadcasting arena as a career could learn under a slightly less pressure type environment. As of right now I'm talking to a few people around here (Dallas) into broadcasting more of drum corp shows. I could write tons more, but would rather get the crew together ready to shoot. B)

[Jeff Ream]

What Jeff and Christine do in the privacy of their own home is their business...

BTW, I see what you guys are saying, but one thing in Tom's post really kind of stuck out to me:

Are you really saying you don't think that televising DCA would produce additional support? I'd say 90% of the people I know who got involved in drum corps did so because they saw DCI on PBS at Thanksgiving growing up! I don't know about the "Northeast," but in those areas where we are trying to build a support/fan base, it would be an absolute boon! Now, I agree that it should be done in a fiscally responsible way or not at all. I just can't believe the benefit would even be questioned!

first off, PBS won't guarantee one all the country sees it at once time. second, PBS doesnt have the advertising budget to get the word out in the markets that would show it whenever they felt like.

DCA hasnt had 10k fans to finals since.....maybe in the 80's Allentown days. PBS would want certain ratings guarantees, and with DCA still in infacy stages in 80% of the country, can you honestly say the support is there to not make this a flop? If no one picks up the bills for DCA, the costs involved could hurt the corps.

[Jeff Ream]

Let's think also about a major marketing factor. Television is focused on the 10-25 age market (or something close to that). To many people, watching old people marching on the field is not going to be attract the kids, no matter how much money is thrown at it.

Even with DCI now on ESPN2, the numbers haven't proved themselved yet. I walk into work the next day and the only I hear about is whatever football was televised. Not one has mentioned "that band thing on ESPN2". Even DCI has marketing issues to overcome.

to DCI's credit, they outdrew what hockey got on ESPN

[Jeff Ream]

OUCH, there's that "R" word appearing again, this time in a different thread.

I'd be happy to lend any support possible to a webcast effort. And while Tom may be busy with the family in Rochester (can you imagine?!?), we can pick his brain over the summer.

Yes, Tom was the first "color man" on the DCI broadcasts. I was the host of the DCA telecast in '77. Fred Windish had posted earlier about anyone finding a copy. For my sake, I hope no one does... LOL!

However, there is a perspective on this that I find troubling. As an activity, senior (oh, okay, "all-age") drum corps does not have a "central repository" for its history. The DCW books that Steve Vickers did are wonderful, but, without the hundreds of issues of Drum Corps News (for example, and you should see the exhibits at the annual G.A.S. Reunions), videotape, film, program books, old uniforms, and other memorabilia, I fear that a lot of our history will be lost.

TV is one way to preserve our history. Give DCI their due for what they've done. But what can we do to help preserve the legacy of our activity?

i have a copy :P