Evil Editing

[spegs]

I feel like the editing has gotten progressively worse since the first Survivor. In order to make the end a "surprise," they leave out so much information, and twist the scenes they show so badly, that I feel like I hardly get to see what was going on. I know they want to have some suspense, but I want to see what the relationships were really like; I like the insight on human nature as much as the challenges. I hate it when the cast members later say things like "Well, they didn't show it when..." or "We actually did talk about that..." showing how much interesting stuff gets cut.

Is there anyway to preserve the integrity of the story, but still satisfy their need for the *gasp* factor?


The only worse manipulation of footage occurs in the previews!!! Those are a joke.

[John]

I think the editing lately actually takes away the suspense, even though they're trying to create it.

I'd much rather watch to see how 16 people react to the pressure of being starved, allied against, competed against than just being shown the "ratings grab" for the week and all the footage leading up to it. Back to S1 you go, Mark. Take a clue from that. Oh, and fire whoever's responsible for leaking bootees to other web sites. Really.

[sheela]

Originally posted by spegs
I want to see what the relationships were really like; I like the insight on human nature as much as the challenges.

Me, too.

Originally posted by john
I'd much rather watch to see how 16 people react to the pressure of being starved, allied against, competed against than just being shown the "ratings grab" for the week and all the footage leading up to it.

[sheela]

But I love the editing in the Amazon, too.

Looks like MB’s plan is to have a good vs. evil match at final TC. He has been building up to it all season.

Jenna has been negatively edited throughout. While it’s true that it’s impossible to edit a bad personality in, he could have edited a bad personality out and didn’t.
On the other hand, Matt’s scheming has never been shown. From Shawna’s chat it would appear that Matt successfully campaigned to oust her. He didn’t vote with the majority by accident last TC, either. Yet we have never been shown his politicking. So, he remains, in our eyes, a saint.

The editing is masterful. Each episode MB has unmasked the scheming or flaws (one of the “Seven Deadly Sins”) of the person who is voted out at that TC. We have never felt, this season, that any of the bootees did not deserve to go when they did. This has been a totally “feel-good” Survivor – everyone has got their come-uppance. Justice has been swift. If you haven’t been completely delighted by the boot, you have at least been able to rationalize it.

My worry is that after keeping us happy all season, Survivor Amazon is going to pull the rug out from under us at Final TC and Jenna is going to walk off with the prize.

[fluff]

Originally posted by John
I think the editing lately actually takes away the suspense, even though they're trying to create it.

I'd much rather watch to see how 16 people react to the pressure of being starved, allied against, competed against than just being shown the "ratings grab" for the week and all the footage leading up to it. Back to S1 you go, Mark. Take a clue from that. Oh, and fire whoever's responsible for leaking bootees to other web sites. Really.

I have to agree with you re the leaking of info to websites John.
It's gotten to the stage where some sites clearly have insider info.
Of course, the argument is not to look at them, but if info wasn't being leaked in the first place you could move about informative sites freely.

[Play Doh Rocks]

But isn't the lack of masterful editing part of the reason that Big Brother never got the ratings that Survivor did?

[TheDoctor]

I think the editing lately actually takes away the suspense, even though they're trying to create it.

Even worse, I think Mark B showing us who everyone is ganging up on has become a contrary indicator. (except for Roger - it looked like he was gonna get the boot... and he did). When they showed the voting process this week, stopping only to show Butch and Christy voting for Jenna, my immediate reaction was "Oh, no - Mark B. is showing us this because Jenna's not going to voted out! Who's about to get backstabbed now?"

Oh, and Jeff... if you really want to preserve the suspense, stop saying things like "The ninth person voted out of the Amazon and the fourth person on our jury..." before you flip the last vote over. We can count the votes, y'know - you're just giving it away a few seconds early. Just flip the paper over - let the realization dawn on us then. (yeah, it's nit-picky, but all the good discussion points were taken. )

[Paulie]

Actually, I agree on the whole "ninth person" thing. He never used to do that. You're spot on, Doctor. Just flip the last "parchment". It's way more dramatic that way.

[Lil_Cutie]

I think the editing sometimes gives away who will get voted out, I tried to deny it the episode Dave got voted off, but it was soooo incredibly obvious, taking away all the suspense! I hardly remember the editing of the first season though.

Something happened in the last episode that made me go,"Great editing," only I don't have a clue what it was now! Oh well. Otherwise the editing has been subpar.

[Miss Filangi]

Although I loved the editing on Roger's boot. You kept thinking, "Oh no, it's WAYYY too obvious. He's safe" I kept believing right up until Rob's vote and then I smiled.

This series has been jam packed with interesting events that it must kill them to leave some of the tape on the floor. With the exception of all that snake/spider footage, there was very little they could have taken out.