Fred Astaire had in his contract

Grgranny · Feb 12, 2004

they had to shoot his whole body when he was dancing. Isn't there some way to get these photographers (?) to photograph skaters completely instead of just the feet, just the face, etc.? The worst is when they think it's neat to just shoot the shadow.
And when will they get the idea that if there are musicians in a show we can hear them just fine without seeing them and show the skater instead of the musician? These things just make me cringe or boil.

IDLERACER · Feb 12, 2004

"And when will they get the idea that if there are musicians in a show we can hear them just fine without seeing them and show the skater instead of the musician? These things just make me cringe or boil."

[COLOR=008000]Here Here! I've been pointing out for years that whenever they show any ballet or opera on TV you never see any of the cameras suddenly cutting over to the orchestra pit, so why doesn't this tradition ever carry over into skating exhibitions? During Brian Orser's performance of the Blob on that recent Bacharach special, everyone saw more of that tenor sax player making champagne cork noises with his cheek than the skating routine![/COLOR]

hockeyfan228 · Feb 12, 2004

IDLERACER said:
Here Here! I've been pointing out for years that whenever they show any ballet or opera on TV you never see any of the cameras suddenly cutting over to the orchestra pit, so why doesn't this tradition ever carry over into skating exhibitions?

Then you haven't seen the filmed version of Swan Lake with Maya Plisetskaya, where the camera switches from the dancing to the orchestra, backstage, and faces in the audience throughout the ballet.

Hornblower · Feb 12, 2004

In a show in which popular vocalists, etc., are performing with the skaters, I would be more than happy to see them use the fader to superimpose the skating with a closeup of the singer. That would be a beautiful look for general audiences. I cannot understand why the producers of these shows are too knuckleheaded to do this.

The worst of all is gratuitously tilting the camera.

NJSk8Fan · Feb 12, 2004

My biggest pet peeve about the camera shots are when they show a skater only from the shoulders up when they're doing footwork! I'd rather see just the feet if not the whole body...but what good does it do to see their head???

skatepixie · Feb 12, 2004

I hated it when last season they kept fliming just Sashas feet on her footwork for mal. I mean, yes, she was doing amazing things with them, but the facial expressions are just sooooo wonderful. What kind of idot would cut that out of a shot? :rolleye:

Smiley0884 · Feb 13, 2004

skatepixie said:
I hated it when last season they kept fliming just Sashas feet on her footwork for mal. I mean, yes, she was doing amazing things with them, but the facial expressions are just sooooo wonderful. What kind of idot would cut that out of a shot?

Yes, I would like to see the whole body movements, because moving your upper-body also contributes to the difficulty and the beauty of the programs. Especailly a program like Swan Lake. I wish the camera crew would get with it.

Ladskater · Feb 13, 2004

Grgranny:

I have to say both CTV and CBC here in Canada are great at filming skaters. It's not very often that they get it wrong. They show the whole skater most of the time. The close ups are at the beginning of their skate when they come on the ice and at the end when they finish their program. This is most important for ice dance. One does want to see the footwork!!!!!

Fred knew what was what!!!!

Joesitz (RIP) · Feb 13, 2004

I don't trust photographs of anyone. A photographer can take a series of posed musical artists from various angles and you will find faults with certain results. A jump may look underrotated from certain angles; a flutz may not show up if the photo shows the skater from the side while taking off; an awkward spin may look good from a certain angle.

Similarly, the results of a movie or video depends on the angles the cameraman shoots. Stars who make a living on their looks demand certain cinematographers to shoot the scene.

Sorry guys, but I don't trust pictures for accuracy but I do enjoy them. But I believe one should consider why a certain photo was published in that form.

Joe

Rgirl · Feb 15, 2004

A very successful choreographer from my dancing days went into directing--ended up winning a couple of Daytime Emmys for his direction of whatever soap it was he directed. As a dancer and choreographer, I remember him complaining like crazy about the way dance was filmed with all the cuts and edits. So, 20 years go by and this guy starts directing dance documentaries for PBS. What does he do? Exactly what he had complained about 20 years earlier, cut from the head to the feet, cut from one part of the group to another. His name didn't roll as director until after the show and when I saw it, i wanted to grab a baseball bat and take the train down to his apartment. I guess once you make all that money shooting soap operas, you can never go back.

Speaking of dance, my personal peeve is having dancers on skating specials. Okay, Kurt Browning can have his wife on--once. But the dancers on those platforms during Kristi Yamaguchi's special, what was that? They looked like go-go girls. I was waiting for them to get inside cages and put on white go-go boots.

I watch a skating special to see skating. When I want to watch dance, I know what to rent. Zamboni the dancers from figure skating specials.
Rgirl

hockeyfan228 · Feb 15, 2004

Smiley0884 said:
Yes, I would like to see the whole body movements, because moving your upper-body also contributes to the difficulty and the beauty of the programs. Especailly a program like Swan Lake. I wish the camera crew would get with it.

Dambier's LP would be nothing without his upper body movement. Klimkin's depends on his total body line. Choreography involves the arms, back, neck, head, and upper body. Even CoP acknowledges this, by upping the level of difficulty with arm and upper body changes. Too many skaters are interesting and complete only from the knees down.

Tonichelle · Feb 15, 2004

skatepixie said:
I hated it when last season they kept fliming just Sashas feet on her footwork for mal. I mean, yes, she was doing amazing things with them, but the facial expressions are just sooooo wonderful. What kind of idot would cut that out of a shot?

actually I understand why they do it, and I agree with them... they're giving you a great view of what the judges are judging... they're not giving her a 6.0 for some weird face she's making, but for what her feet are doing

MinnMan · Feb 17, 2004

Ya, Grgranny,

Maybe they need to shoot a few of the photographers, or the guy that selects which camera to put on the air.

joking??????????????

MinnMan ===== John

Yes, I think they lost count of my posts someplace. Sometiimes I go for several weeks and not post. Some of my posts were on Heather Winfield's or other sites. May be that is why.

Joesitz (RIP) · Feb 17, 2004

hockeyfan228 said:
Dambier's LP would be nothing without his upper body movement. Klimkin's depends on his total body line. Choreography involves the arms, back, neck, head, and upper body. Even CoP acknowledges this, by upping the level of difficulty with arm and upper body changes. Too many skaters are interesting and complete only from the knees down.

Couldn't agree more. Klimkin for me is the finest complete figure skater. the whole body is skating. What a fantastic dancer he would be if he had gone that route. Unfortunately, he is not the best of competitors. still, he is due for the proverbial "skate of his life". I'm pulling for him.

Joe

Fred Astaire had in his contract

Grgranny

Da' Spellin' Homegirl

IDLERACER

hockeyfan228

Hornblower

NJSk8Fan

skatepixie

Smiley0884

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~

Joesitz (RIP)

Rgirl

hockeyfan228

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

MinnMan

Joesitz (RIP)

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