On Editing and Viewer Manipulation

[Gala62]

On the subject of camera angles...

I think that there is often a really big chasm between the impact the piece has on an audience observing from within a theatre and the impact the piece has on the audience observing from the limited confines of the camera shot.

Often I have wished that the darn cameras would just zoom out and show the entire stage so that I could get an overall impact of the piece rather than just the swirling image of the edge of a dress or a shot of feet spinning in place.

I wonder how it would look if they did just show the stage, rather than jumping around with all the different shots? Would it come across as cheesy and unprofessional, would the viewing audience love it or hate it, etc?

Lisa G

oh boy do I agree with this! I wish they would cover the whole stage more, especially during the group dances. Too often this year, only a select few were highlighted while the others danced in the background.

[ChicagoViewer]

oh boy do I agree with this! I wish they would cover the whole stage more, especially during the group dances. Too often this year, only a select few were highlighted while the others danced in the background.

Anybody else notice at the end of the show last night how it looked like the cameraman was scared sh*tless that Lacey was going to catch him? Did we really need her mug in frame for the entire credit sequence?

[DarKensoul7]

I am so glad Sabra beat the odds! Now we know that just because a dancer doesn't get camera time during the auditions, they can still win!!!

[Pookipichu]

Editing and viewer manipulation play a huge part in this show as well as other "reality" tv shows. The face time and back story are significant for the contestants to develop a fan base. Look at Shauna, her dance for her life solo was incredible yet she never really gained a foothold with the viewing public since all the focus was on the producer's chosen dancers. Lauren's consistent pimping (and I do like her) was blatant as she underperformed in several instances in comparison to the other females yet was consistently saved. Her connections with the production garnered her special treatment. Danny and his awful hip-hop (by far the worst in the competition) and so-so ballroom (see gut churning cha-cha) was also consistently saved because the production "knows better" and decided that he was going to be in the finale. Notice also that the chosen performers get programs that will play to their strengths. The genres are never evenly distributed which plays a huge part in how well the contestants do. Being the brother of a finalist also doesn't hurt and I was really amazed by Danny's consistent pimping when he only excelled in spinning and undulating. When editing fails, heck just rig the votes.

Sabra is the Allison of this season, sheer poetry across the floor. People are so fickle, last year the hammy mugging of Benji was adored as he was expertly edited and given Benji friendly programs (i.e. no contemporary and little hip hop). This year Lacey, who was actually better than her brother, was criticized for her mugging even though she is funnier, more likable and less cheesy. Sabra is good but Allison's technique is truly amazing. Editing, viewer manipulation and vote rigging, all go hand in hand with reality tv.

[Fierce Critter]

Often I have wished that the darn cameras would just zoom out and show the entire stage so that I could get an overall impact of the piece rather than just the swirling image of the edge of a dress or a shot of feet spinning in place.

Often while watching and being annoyed with shots of only feet or only torsos, I'm reminded of something I heard once about Fred Astaire. If memory serves, he was adamant that he be shot entirely from head to toe at all times. My memory could be filling in blanks, but I believe this is true.

I would agree.

[Pookipichu]

It annoys the heck out of me when all they show is the waist up, leaving a huge space above the head. Dancing encompasses the entire body, the least interesting shot is the bust crop. I HATE IT. You can't see what is going on with the arms, hips or feet. The people who man the cameras must be spiteful.

[skyhigh79]

they're not spiteful, just not dancers.

[jsciv]

Often while watching and being annoyed with shots of only feet or only torsos, I'm reminded of something I heard once about Fred Astaire. If memory serves, he was adamant that he be shot entirely from head to toe at all times. My memory could be filling in blanks, but I believe this is true.

I would agree.

He was. Astaire insisted that people know there weren't camera tricks involved.

Given that shows like SYTYCD and DWTS are live and/or in front of an audience there really isn't any doubt that the dancers ARE doing this, it's less of a concern. I don't know what the artistic merits are, but I can see that one camera would be more boring.

[Fierce Critter]

Actually, no.

I've double-checked, and from more than one source, I can confirm that it wasn't about camera tricks, it was about the dance as a head-to-toe entity, that should be shown in its entirety:

"Astaire wanted the camera to serve the dancer so that all the complexity, nuance, and expression would be the dancer's responsibility. He would not stand for crosscutting or anything other than the camera being far enough away to capture his entire body. The reason: His instrument stretched from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. Novelty shots and startling setups were replaced with a luminescent individual power held in place by an overwhelming ease. Astaire gave the impression that the way he was moving at any moment was three things plaited together: the only, the most natural, and the best choice." Fred Astaire and Louis Armstrong. - By Stanley Crouch - Slate Magazine

I agree.

[jsciv]

You learn something new every day. Thanks!