QUESTION about Hopkins, Blame

[ShortAndFast]

I watched the Cadets' ensemble rehearsal twice this year, and definitely came away feeling that the narration was very much George's baby. If you've ever watched them rehearse, you know that not very much in the show escapes Tom & Gino's attentions! So I was surprised to see that they basically deferred to George on all of the questions related to the voice - volume, balance, technique with the microphone, tone of voice, sound board settings, etc.

I don't mean to suggest that the Cadets' staff didn't like the voice or didn't support the decision to use it. It just very much seemed that George was the "narration caption head" and was driving those aspects of the show design.

It's somewhat ironic, but this may be the biggest weakness of the Cadets' use of voice thus far. Just because George is an outstanding corps director does not mean that he's automatically a great scriptwriter or drama coach. I thought they achieved some decent effects with the voice by the end of the season, but I thought that other corps and other design staffs were able to use it more effectively as part of their shows. If the Cadets plan to continue using voice as a major element in their shows, I think they should hire professionals to write, teach and perfect it, so that it is done to the same incredibly high standards as their brass, percussion and guard.

Edited August 16, 2007 by ShortAndFast

[Liam]

Are you saying the Lee and Chris gave you a bad arrangement?

Did Dean Cain do a poor job acting?

In your mind, when is the last time a horrible song won a Grammy?

Your embracing the absurd to make a point is wearing a little thin (for me).

As for the director comment, there is a well know quote of Harrison Ford talking to Lucas during Star Wars saying (and I'm paraphrasing): "George, you may write this ¢hit, but I sure as hell ain't going to speak it."

MISSING THE POINT. Follow the trail of posts here. Lisa's post (and mine) were not about the quality of the writing or the performance. They were in direct response to a post that said it was disingenuous for the narrators to talk about choices in life when the words they used were not their own to choose. (Hence all the references to Shakepearean actors, movie stars, and the like)

Arguments about the quality of the narration or the performance of same can be valid arguments but were not the point of this particular sub-set of posts.

Edited August 16, 2007 by Liam

[atlvalet]

It's somewhat ironic, but this may be the biggest weakness of the Cadets' use of voice thus far. Just because George is an outstanding corps director does not mean that he's automatically a great scriptwriter or drama coach. I thought they achieved some decent effects with the voice by the end of the season, but I thought that other corps and other design staffs were able to use it more effectively as part of their shows. If the Cadets plan to continue using voice as a major element in their shows, I think they should hire professionals to write, teach and perfect it, so that it is done to the same incredibly high standards as their brass, percussion and guard.

This, if I haven't already, is (was) the point I am trying to make.

[George82]

Again, the narrators had no choice on what was said. It was not a reflection of their own attitudes. They may have agreed with the words, but they had no choice in their design.

And how are you able to affirm this??? Is this fact or just a matter of your own opinion??? Did you PERSONALLY interview each Cadet member who performed the narrative portions of this year's show??? Somehow I seriously doubt it.

I will tell you this...I can guarantee you that it was a reflection of their own attitudes. The context of everything performed was in regards to the experience of being a Cadet. THIS I BELIEVE!

[George82]

You're being serious, aren't you? I mean... I didn't see a [/sarcasm] anywhere in your post, so I have to assume you're being serious.

Can you let me know of a situation where a kid in a corps went to the director and said "You know, I don't like this part in the opener. I don't want to play it. Can you re-write it?"... and then the corps director says "SURE little Jimmy.... what you would like to play?"

:mmm:

Can I have some of what you're drinking?

Of course he's <X DM> serious Lisa. But then again, it's difficult to lend credibility to anyone who hides behind a screen name in complete anonymity.

[George82]

There are no shows to my knowlege where marchers are given a lot of choices in the design. But you miss the point. I don't expect the staff of any Corps to abrogate their responsibilities for the design of a show to the marchers. But I think it's disingenuous on the part of any staff to formulate a show with narration with " talking points " given to the members regarding a theme on the "VALUE OF CHOICES "and then telling them what to do and what to say in the show, ie...... "It's my life....." and I GET TO CHOOSE"...... blah blah blah, and not having people get a chuckle out of the fact the CHOICES were that of the staff all along, not the narrators......THAT'S the point.

Whether it be narration, the drill sets or the notes played on a horn or drum, unless you're a soloist improvising a solo NOTHING is chosen by the performer.

You have been on a campaign all summer about the word "choice". You were one of the main characters earlier this summer droning on and on about how the message was about a woman's right to choose and the National Organization for Women. You're like a worn out recording. It's really not that complicated. Your agenda is pointless and completely irrelevant and without merit or substance.

Understand this "X DM"...the show is reflective of values fostered by the Cadet experience plain and simple. You made it clear weeks ago that you didn't get it then and you certainly don't get it now nor do you seem willing to try. You really need to get a life and move on. It's over.

Edited August 16, 2007 by George82

[bawker]

If the Cadets plan to continue using voice as a major element in their shows, I think they should hire professionals to write, teach and perfect it, so that it is done to the same incredibly high standards as their brass, percussion and guard.

1,000,000% agree.

The horn line dazzles, the visuals were amazing....but the narration was a layer that just "sat there" on top of everything else. Even BD 2005 had their narration/announcing tied in to the overall theme of the show...

The most intergrated points there were:

-"We can do this...." in the opener.

-Response dependent on guard catch/drop in middle section.

-...and really, not much at all in the closer.

...all of which are very, "this is 'x' to look at, now this is 'y' to look at", not much different than what some creative staging might have accomplished without narration.

The show concept is "This, I Believe" (with a subtext of what it means to march Cadets and drum corps):

There was plenty of talk about marching, about basic blocks and "again"...but where was the "This is what it means to be a Cadet?" parts?

Why wasn't there nod to all that came before (in a show that proclaims "tradition" via bringing back old uniforms, etc) with a few bars of "O Holy Name" in the show? The passing reference to 1987 at the beginning was good, but what about a few Bocook quotes of Holsinger, Bernstein and the other bits and pieces that made the dynasty what it is?

Why not feature singing "O Holy Name" in the closer somewhere, and change the "I didn't fit in" narration to something that proclaims the history, grandeur and dedication of being a Cadet?

None of the three pieces selected worked on another level with narration to me. It really did seem like 2001's "Juxtaperformance" with a few quotes laid over top of it.

There was no sense of being a Cadet, marching drum corps (only in the general sense, no more so than a high school band camp) or a whole thought process via the narration.

It jumped from lofty concepts of "being an athlete of God" to more mundane "I found music" to "We are all human beings"...none of which does anything to bring a point about the Cadets home except in perhaps the most general of terms.

Point being...narration, as George says, is simply a tool....not a end-all, be-all.

When you construct an entire show around it as a framework, it cannot work unless the intergration into the cohesive whole of the theme/narrative is present. It's akin to basing an entire show around a few percussion or horn soloists...it wears thin unless its done very, very well.

There is no shame in handing over writing narration or thematic points to someone who is well versed in it; if anything, the concept will be stronger for it.

[audiodb]

Stop it, Bawker - you're giving him ideas for next year.

[bawker]

Stop it, Bawker - you're giving him ideas for next year.

:P

2008's "Life, Liberty and The Pursuit Of Happiness"....we are guaranteed that there will be vocals. No doubt in my mind.

I just hope it ends up being more than taking West Johnston HS's show and running with it...if its not, then I think that the "relentless pursuit of the edge" will become somewhat of a misnomer for the maroon and gold.

There's an opportunity to do more than that...to really stretch and create something cool.

I would hope it would be more towards a musical (limited singing in spots) bend, though...beating people over the head with quotes from the Declaration Of Independence can't work, given that there are only three or four lines that are really congruent with what such a show would want to portray...the rest are too anachronistic for placement in a drum corps show.

[stifled4mallettechnique]

Thank you to those that responded to my questions. I genuinely appreciate the feedback. To the rest of you, I apologize for the brief interruption in your battle between those that want to have George's babies and those that thinks he'll just eat their soft, tiny heads anyway. ^0^

For the record, I enjoyed the Bluecoats' use of voice, and loved many of the Cadets' nonvocal show elements. Just my personal preference.

Edited August 16, 2007 by stifled4mallettechnique