Fun Disson Christmas Show on SUNDAY

[Susan1]

Steve Disson did answer. They have looked at split screen treatment and it doesn't work for them - I'm not surprised as the proportions of the TV image just don't lend themselves to division.

As someone suggested above, if anyone has seen a TV treatment of two images that they think might work they should send an example along to him. TV producers are always looking for a better way to do things and if there is one, I imagine that Steve would give it a long, fair look.

How about "picture in a picture"? They could keep the skating on the main screen and put a little picture of someone playing whatever down in the corner! Everyone has big flat screen t.v.s now, so the little picture wouldn't be quite so little. And I wouldn't get whiplash from trying to watch Yuka Sato just stroking across the ice and have it flip over to a guy playing the keyboard and smiling at the camera. Geez.

[roxynova]

Yes, it is a free country and you have the right to complain - but it seems as everyone has had the same complaint for years now and it has been brought to the producer's attention before...so to me it would be nice to have people chat more about the skaters (that they can see...haha) than the fact that they can't enjoy the show.

Many of these shows have a short turn-around to air on tv, so complicated fades and picture-in-picture edits may be tricky - but can't hurt to ask to (hopefully) put this issue to bed!

Wondering if anyone is watching the Rock Center Xmas show? I am listening to the performances as well as watching the musicians/singers...as are many other millions. I enjoy seeing them as well as hearing them sometimes (and I'm sure they like to be on tv too...) - and look, half of these people have been in Disson shows...Josh Groban, Charice, Boyz II Men...

[disneygal 2001]

The one part I managed to sit through without any band interruptions was Brian Boitano skating to Imagine. What's wrong with him? Are his knees bothering him? He kept lifting one leg up stiffly like he had a cramp. Is that his latest idea of choreography. Very disappointing.

Brian has been struggling with a serious knee injury for over a year now. There was an article about that in this month's Blades On Ice. It is something to do with his knee cap on his landing leg. Every time he bends his knee it hurts. According to the article, it can not be corrected with surgery. He basically has had to learn to deal with the pain. He had to cancel one show last year, and skated in two other Disson Shows, but didn't jump at all.This was the first time he did triples in a performance in quite some time, so it was a big accomplishment in his rehab. And, as was already said, he is 47 years old, and it has been almost 23 years since his Olympic win in Calgary. I also will cut him some slack....

[CzakoFan]

The production quality of the holiday show was very poor, as many have pointed out. For the Disson team to switch away from the skaters to various instrumental musicians was inexcusable. The Foreigner Improv show looked much better. At least you had a singer and a band rocking out in that one.

I'm against a split-screen solution, unless it's done in a very artful way. The best I've ever seen was during a movie starring Kim Novak called The Legend of Lylah Clare. There was a flashback scene at one point where almost all the screen was taken up by the flashback. However, Kim's face was shown in a very tiny cloud in one corner of the screen. It seems to me this would work for the Disson shows if all the cameramen in the building knew what corner of the screen might be blocked out by an inserted picture.

[nursebetty]

Hopefully the band understands that only their music is needed for the televised part. I would rather see the skaters, but .........don't have a solution. I just got around to watching it and really wished I had been able to see it live. And really, really want a Pandora bracelet. I tried one on about a month ago and had a hard time with the clasp. Does anyone have one and do you really get use to it?

[alilou]

The production quality of the holiday show was very poor, as many have pointed out. For the Disson team to switch away from the skaters to various instrumental musicians was inexcusable. The Foreigner Improv show looked much better. At least you had a singer and a band rocking out in that one.

I'm against a split-screen solution, unless it's done in a very artful way. The best I've ever seen was during a movie starring Kim Novak called The Legend of Lylah Clare. There was a flashback scene at one point where almost all the screen was taken up by the flashback. However, Kim's face was shown in a very tiny cloud in one corner of the screen. It seems to me this would work for the Disson shows if all the cameramen in the building knew what corner of the screen might be blocked out by an inserted picture.

Honestly I don't care whether it's artful or not, all I care about is being able to hear the music, and see the skating.

Use a combination of picture-in-picture, fade in/out so both images are on the screen at the same time, and split screen. Whatever it takes to allow us to see a complete skating performance.

[CzakoFan]

Honestly I don't care whether it's artful or not, all I care about is being able to hear the music, and see the skating.

If it's not well-done, the solution could be just as bad or even worse than the problem that now exists. Disson's TV people were cutting away from the beautiful skating to show very boring shots of middle-aged, balding musicians doing not much of anything. If those same Disson people are put in charge of a split-screen solution, you can expect more bad judgment that could make the whole show look even worse (especially for those watching on smaller TV sets). Music is an art. Skating is an art. And I believe television is an art. They should all be treated with the respect they deserve.

One simple solution would be for the songs to last longer than the skating. The musicians could have the cameras to themselves for about a minute, then the skaters could come out and have the cameras to themselves for the remainder of the song.

[Meredith]

One simple solution would be for the songs to last longer than the skating. The musicians could have the cameras to themselves for about a minute, then the skaters could come out and have the cameras to themselves for the remainder of the song.

This is one of the best solutions I've heard so far. Wonder how the musicians' union would regard this idea?

[Wyliefan]

I think they understand that it is necessary to show both performances (musical and skating).

No, it isn't necessary. You can hear musicians. You can't hear skaters. I agree with alilou that it's disrespectful to the skaters -- not to mention the skating fans.

And really, really want a Pandora bracelet. I tried one on about a month ago and had a hard time with the clasp. Does anyone have one and do you really get use to it?

I have a Trollbeads bracelet, which is similar, and the clasp works okay. Maybe you just got a defective clasp?

[alilou]

One simple solution would be for the songs to last longer than the skating. The musicians could have the cameras to themselves for about a minute, then the skaters could come out and have the cameras to themselves for the remainder of the song.

This is a brilliant idea. This coupled with occasional picture-in-picture and/or split screen during the performance should be enough to show the musicians.

[Skate Talker]

They have in the past had the musicians start off then have the skater join in after a minute or so - especially useful for really long songs where the skater would be getting too tired to skate the whole thing - but so far they still cut back to the musicians. If you have a singer who really cranks up the drama at the end of the song they would always want to be given some face time, unfortunately.

For a group like Mannheim Steamroller, this type of thing should have been enough, with perhaps the edition of one number that is totally theirs with no skaters. Mannheim got that solo number so I don't see why they had to have quite so much face time - though this broadcast did a bit more imho to keep a mini view of the skater in some shots.

A great time for the "musical solo" would be in the beginning, right after the opening number. That would let all the skaters to be in the group number even if they are the first skater up for a solo. If necessary give the musicians another "solo" right before the finale. This would allow the last solo skater a chance to change/recover for the closing number.