Blog your response to the latest episode of “America’s Got Talent” available at NBC.com. You can blog about it and/or the essay “The Real History of Reality TV” I’ve posted a link on MYLMU Connect (I cannot, for the life of me, make it work here). But you can also just find it online at:
On the latest episode of America’s Got Talent, I was impressed with the aesthetics of the show’s introduction and stage. The panning of the camera made the studio seem massive in stature, which gave me goose bumps. I thought that it was interesting that the show had performances from the winners from the previous two seasons. In my opinion, it really set the tone of the expectations that were expected of the final six contestants. While I thought the lighting and music were brilliant, I found at times that they interfered with the flow of the show. I must admit that my attention was diverged from Nick Cannon when the lights were rapidly going in random directions around him. Aside from a couple moments of excessive lighting, I think that the effects of the stage created an exciting environment built for the numerous spectacular performances. When the twelve contestants were in pairs of two’s in order to determine who advanced and who got eliminated, the lighting was very unique. The circles in the background kept getting narrower as the result was about to be announced. This narrowing of the lights gave a sense suspense and extreme focus on the individuals that were being voted on by the audience. I also liked how the camera zoomed in on the contestants’ faces in order to show their raw emotion; thus bringing enabling the viewer to develop a closer connection to each of the contestants.
America’s Got Talent completely personifies American competition. It’s electric red and blue lighting emulates American nationalism, in which the true prestige and power of now only the show, but it’s contestants, is portrayed. The strong instrumental score is extremely powerful and highlights the idea of the competition being a fierce battle on the shining red, white, and blue stage of America. The quick shots of the judges praising one-liners and the contestants displays of talent is an affective tool that the editors utilize to flaunt the immense amount of talent on the show. Level camera shots with the stage makes the viewer feel like they are watching the performer on a stage of their own, allowing the audience to be placed on the same level as the performer. This tool entices the audience to compete on the show and enlarges their perception that they can be the next performer on that stage, in which they too are included in America’s talent. The stage-level camera shots, clips of viewing parties across the nation, and clips of talent on the streets of New York immensely highlight the viewer’s control and involvement in the show. During eliminations, the camera shots are up close and personal, in which the judges loose their power and the audience’s power is again highlighted. Thus, the power and presence of the audience in this show is a main reason why I think it is so popular. It allows the viewers to become a part of the show and truly allows the show to be about America and it’s talent/who it believes to have talent.
To be honest, it was hard to sit through an entire episode of America’s Got Talent. I feel like there was about 10 minutes of actual content spread out across 45 minutes. The show uses a lot of camera movement and quick shots to create excitement. Also, the set is very high-tech and uses a lot of lights. I think for what the show is lacking in content it tries to make up for with glitz and glam.
I think I may have found the show more interesting if I had watched it from the beginning. I would have been invested in certain acts and the results would have been more anticipated. As a talent competition the show can’t stand on its own, that’s why they have all the stage effects and audience participation. The show seemed like it was in a constant state of trying to get you hooked. The host, Nick Cannon, is always yelling and the famous judges are put up on a shiny illuminated pedestal.
The acts were just okay. I have seen some You Tube clips of really amazing acts on America’s Got Talent. I think You Tube hurts AGT’s viewer ratings because why would you sit through an hour long program when you can see the highlights online? Overall, the effort the show puts into making the production as fast paced and grand doesn’t hide the fact that there is not much material to cover.
During the episode of America’s Got Talent, I found that I was highly impressed simply by the scale of the whole thing. The opening was focusing on the final 6 contestants as they made their way to Radio City to perform. There was music and shots of the gigantic crowd that was gathering to watch the performance. The whole thing was just so… large. I think that watching this, it is easy to get sucked into the sheer grandness of the show. But when I took a step back, I realized that the actually show was filled with many commercials, lots of talking, and not a ton of performing. Did I tune in to see Target ads? Or, did I tune in to watch people perform amazing acts? In this sense, I agree with Abbey. It seemed like they could have completed the whole show in about 15 minutes.
From a practical point of view, I look at how much I cost to put on a show like America’s Got Talent. They spend an insane amount of money on the set alone. All of those lights and the giant stage… I don’t know exactly how much that cost, but I do know its a lot. Basically what I’m getting at is: is this all really necessary ? Would we still tune in and enjoy the show as much if it were on a smaller scale? Does the amount of money they spend correlate with the amount of people that tune in? I would imagine that they could cut back quite a bit and still receive high ratings. Over all, I suppose the show does it’s job. I was highly entertained by the different acts, and I want to find out who wins!
By watching this show I came to a conclusion; the directors are very clever when choosing camera angle and when they decide to zoom in or zoom out. For example, when Collins Key (the magician) was performing his trick we were zoomed in for the entire trick (especially when they two judges had to bite on the card) however they zoomed away and showed the entire scene when he was maneuvering the cards. The viewer wants to see the cards at all times so that each individual viewer can judge the legitimacy of this trick. Magic is the art of deception, however the viewers were not distracted while he did the trick, we were simply given a bad camera angle of the entire stage.
My favorite performance was by Kanichi (the one who did the laser routine). He combined theatrics with dance and marital arts to show him in a futuristic laser fight. What they did here was zoom out and then zoom in on a single camera and then have the lasers go back and forth and was a part of a routine. This was very unique and I have never seen anything like this before. It almost gave me the feeling as if I was at Coachella with all of the lasers.
What I hated about watching this online is that it might have actually taken longer than watching the show on TV. The three-minute commercial breaks are a little bit excessive. What really agitated me was when an ad would finish and I would have to manually click “Close ad.” Before I could do this, I had to put down my popcorn, wipe off my buttery fingers and then I could finally get rid of the advertisement and continue the show.
I definitely agree with Sam Irwin on the lighting it definitely sets up that intense tone!! In this episode of Americas got talent, I felt like the suspense level the show was attempting to give off was not all there. I think this is mainly because i didn’t see the journey of the contestants in all the previous episodes. I’m sure if i had i would’ve definitely felt level of excitement and anxiety viewers are suppose to feel. The main thing that did impress me was the set! The vibrant lights and screens in almost every direction gave that modern orchestral look. The enormous set which rises above the tiny contestants, put together with the low camera angle definitely puts the contestants on a pedestal. The angle entices the viewer and pulls him/her in, it pulls the viewer into wanting that same spotlight, that chance to shine above the rest of the world and essentially be “looked up to.” I was very impressed by the acts and I can honestly say i enjoyed watching the show although I too felt like it could have happened a lot quicker than it did. I think its definitely a step up from American Idol. And i look forward to seeing who wins!
America’s Got Talent definitely showed the grand and elegant aspect to its show right away from the start. This was seen clearly from how the stage was set, where the event was taking place and even to what the host and judges are wearing. The glamorous lighting shown when the camera was panning above the whole concert hall also gave the viewers that prestige feel. The show also started off with exhilarating and dramatic build up music, which allows viewers to feel the excitement for what is to come in the show straight away.
Throughout the episode, there were some scenes that caught my attention. It was interesting to see how the producers used pace control in some of the scenes that showed specific stories of each contestant. The producers used this pace control from slow motion, to real time and to slow again, a couple of times to highlight each of the contestant’s performance. It proved to be successful due to the fact that the viewers at home could really see the complexity and quality of each of the contestant’s acts through this pace control.
In similar scenes to the one above about the contestant’s stories, there was also an echoed effect to the contestants’ voices when they gave their answers to what the show means to them. Accompanied with the sweet and slow piano background melodies, it gave the viewers an inspirational feel to their stories.
Another part to this show that stood out for me was when the contestants are told whether they would make it or not. The change in music from something cheerful to something slower and dramatic made the scene much more intense. In addition to that, the light change from blue to red and how the stage lights turned down on the contestants, as if to direct all the attention to the contestants also made the scene much more focused. Camera zooming also changed from the whole group of finalists to specific finalists, to get every viewer’s attention on those specific contestants. This signals the viewers at home that it’s time to decide who’s in and who’s out. As if there was not enough drama already, there just had to be that long pause from the host before he called out who made it or who didn’t.
Having seen the show I knew exactly what I was getting into. Big lights, long drawn out dramatic scenes, close-ups, and a huge stage. Oh wait, don’t forget the screaming young girls for their favorite cute singer or dancer.
What makes this show any different from American Idol? Or the Xfactor? One can make the case that this show is superior because of the grand setting it has. Or that because this show offers such a range in competitors. But come on, we all know the truth. It’s NO different.
I will give it to the music creators and lighting people for making the moods and tones of the show accurate with how the producers want the viewers to feel. When the contenders are lined up waiting to hear wether or not they made it on to the next round, the lights dim and the music gets soft. It gets real up and personal now. We are supposed to really connect and understand their nerves and anxiety. It really is impressive with how they can make us feel whatever they want. I don’t buy it though. I never have. The only part I used to like about American Idol was when Simon Cowell used to just bring people to tears because of how bad they were. I mean that was real tv. This just all seems so staged and fake.
People above already talked about the huge impact the lighting has had in this show. But I feel since that was the biggest part I took from watching this episode I should just put on that I agree with the others that the lighting set the tone and made it extremely intense and dramatic.
Another factor we have to look at is the way they set up the camera angles. The close-ups make it personal as if we actually know this person now. We can now relate to him or her. The huge far away shots are meant to show really just how huge this whole competition is. It shows how large the audience is and how small the contenders are compared to the stage.
As I said I have seen this show before, and I’m not planning on watching another episode. It’s just not for me.
To be completely honest it was quite difficult to sit and actually watch the entire episode. The introduction piece of the show was very interesting and captivating, which actually made me very excited to watch, but when the actual live show began it was quite the disappointment for me. The set and huge stage seem like the main concern rather than the content of the performances. The stage was beautiful, the colors and lighting make it a spectacle to see. I really enjoyed the different angles of the camera, which panned out the entire stage and also the view from the high point of the arena, which showed the audience as well. It really gave the people watching it from their television screen an idea of just how massive this place actually is. Each one of the contestants has their own little backstory before they perform, which I think is completely cliche and overrated on these competition shows. It is an attempt to make the contestants seem like real people, and to give the audience a sense of relating to them. I believe it to be completely cheesy and overly scripted. Every contestant performed a piece they had previously done, which I believe was an attempt to give the audience members a sense that the entire competition was coming full circle–that they have grown and learned alongside their favorite contestants. I also really did not like the fact that the judges said the exact same thing after every performance, about how each contestant deserved to win. All in all, I really did not enjoy this show and I believe it to be extremely overrated.
GLAMOROUS… Bright lights, intense music, and exciting performances make for an interesting show. It is pretty obvious that the producers of this show have a lot of wiggle room when it comes to the show’s budget. They go all out with the choreographed red and blue lights, massive stage sets, enthusiastic crowds, and a dozen camera angles for every type of scene. This is the type of show that drags in the TV audience very easily. It’s so eye-catching and exciting.
I definitely like how big a part the lights and music play in this show. Things would be much duller without all the flashes and lasers, and low ominous tones of suspense and loud theme song inserts everywhere. It works. The red lights go with the suspenseful scenes of who makes it to the next round, and the blue goes with the exciting relief of finding out. The camera angles help do a lot of things in this show. Besides putting the contestants on a pedestal and showing up-close emotions, the angles show the luxury of the show. We see the expanse of the stage, the cavernous radio city music hall, and the crowds of people. You really do get the sense that the world is watching. I’ll bet that stage becomes darn small when you step out into the crowd to perform…
While already being familiar with the original talent show, American Idol, I have never felt the need to watch the spinoff show America’s Got Talent. Five minutes into the show it was obvious that the producers secure their viewers with flashing light, catchy music, and over the top cinematography. Without question the real talent on the show is behind the scenes. Looking at the introduction alone, it becomes evident that with the slow motion footage and the smooth transitions from contestant to contestant that the show is definitely up to date technology wise. Also I agree with Kurt and his idea that the camera angles give the fans a personal connection to the show. At the same time far out camera angles give the stage a sense of enormousness which many shows simply can’t compete with. Although the idea of the show is a little mediocre the producers without question make up for it.
Before reading the reality television excerpt I didn’t realize how broad a genre reality TV was. I should of read the passage before watching the show because I did not realize that America’s Got Talent falls into the category of reality TV. I was under the impression that my hometown show “Laguna Beach” was the first reality TV show and I was amazed at how early the idea of filming typical life was made. However I am a little hesitant to accept the writers idea of incorporating shows like America’s Funniest Home Videos and other things into the same category as shows like Keeping Up with the Kardashians. It was very interesting learning about how the idea of reality tv came to be, but the origins that the author provide do not necessarily convince me of many of the shows that he suggested were based on reality.
America’s Got Talent is a show that keeps viewers interested through its extensive budget and large spending on effects. The way that the show is filmed with the cameras showing viewers watching at home perspectives from every angle makes them feel more involved with the competition and therefore more invested in the show. The camera angles from the very back of the live audience make the crowd seem much larger than I’m sure it actually is. I think the show did a great job of making the performers all seem on a personal level with viewers by close up shots of their faces and also giving background into their own lives. I think this is a factor that makes reality television shows so interesting. As the article “The Real History of Reality TV” states, “We seek any small hint about how to live our own lives just a bit better, to justify our hope,…”. I think this quote shows how people watch shows such as America’s Got Talent, or other reality TV, to give them some sort of hope that something that fantastic could happen to just the average person. The way that Nick Cannon, the host, and the way the judges spoke about winning the show and what a big deal it would be contributes to this. It builds up suspense and keeps viewers from turning the channel. The lights add to the glamor of the show. I noticed that each performer got their own set and personalized background which I thought was very cool. This is obviously due to the large amount of money that NBC can spend on the show. I do agree with Abbey’s comment above that the show really did contain about 10 minutes of actual content that was necessary and the rest was just added affects adding to the beauty of the show. Luckily for NBC, viewers are attracted to beauty which is why competition shows such as America’s Got Talent have been so prevalent in past years.
During the entire episode the only aspect I could concentrate on was the camera angles and the stage lighting. I was absolutely mesmerized by how huge the entire set looked as well as how big the audience was! The camera operators did a fabulous job at making everything seem absolutely surreal! The whole show seemed glamorous and expensive and just grand if I sum it up in one word! The lights were also great. I loved how there were always different lights in various shapes spinning all around the stage. All of these lighting and camera effects almost made it seem like I was at the circus. Although the lighting and camera added to the show’s glam factor, it did get to the point where it was a bit overdoing it and I could not focus on anything else. I think they should tone it down a few levels because they are taking away from the performers and showing off their talents. I don’t think the attention is being taken away form the performers on purpose, but if I were a contestant on the show I would be a little bit upset that my big break on screen was being overshadowed by the lighting and camera angles.
I grew up watching American Idol on occasion, so I am aware of the premise of these sort of reality television shows. To be quite honest, I appreciate these shows for the clips that get forwarded to me showing people with bizarre, impressive talents. Watching an entire episode is another story. As I watched American Idol progress, I noticed it became less about the idea of ordinary people getting their chance at the spotlight and more about the spectacle. It’s become watching a live concert each episode, with special effects and hand picked themes that enhance the performers. It seems like the judges are giving much less technical feedback to the performers, and simply saying vague comments on the show. There also is a huge rise in the emphasis on the background to the contestants, who has gone through more and who has more on the line. The reality section of the show has expanded immensely. While I can appreciate these kinds of reality television, I feel that they have a small place in my life and don’t particularly feel the need to keep up.
The genre of reality television has become a major part of American tv culture. Prior to reading the article “The Real History of Reality TV” , I had no idea that such shows began years and years ago. I had always considered it to be a more modern genre, but I see now that it has gradually evolved over time to become what it is today.
I do have to disagree a bit on the author’s conclusion. He writes that viewers watch reality tv shows in order to desperately find something relevant to their own lives. However, this is not true of every individual. Although I personally rarely watch such programs such as “Jersey Shore” or “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”, I doubt that everyone watching it is in it for some subconscious desire to connect with the people onscreen. Let’s be honest here, the people who watch it are mostly in it for the sheer entertainment and humor it brings. If I wanted to learn how to live my life a little better, I would not be looking towards Kim Kardashian as my role model.
I have to admit, I was wildly impressed with the stage production of America’s Got Talent. They really seem to go all out on the grandeur and scale of the show. They are also very good at using angles to convey certain feelings to the viewer, like intimacy or supremacy (close up vs. panning wide angle looking up at the contestant and judges). But aside from the pure showmanship of the show, I was absolutely not impressed by it, because it was lacking in every other aspect. The show was like twenty minutes of acts and an hour and ten minutes of pure filler. The commercial breaks were absolutely ridiculous, which just infuriated me, and the banter was sub-par. The jokes between the judges (and Nick Cannon) were certainly hit or miss, such as Nick’s joke about Howie and Howard kissing, which absolutely did not entertain the crowd. The actual acts themselves were not even that impressive, and it was heightened by the fact that the contestants had to essentially do the same act as they did in auditions. The comedian was not funny at all, the singers were mediocre at best, and the dancer (Kenichi Ebina) was pretty cool, but once again it can only be so cool when they are doing repetitious material. But the show does a great job at getting people hooked, so I applaud it in that aspect.
I agree with William that the length of the show versus the actual time spent showing the performances is quite irritating and makes watching the entire episode feel like a chore. I do think that this is an effective way to hook an audience, however. The lengthy breaks between acts heighten the intensity. I disagree with William’s assessment of the talent: having ten years of classical singing experience myself, I think the musical acts (especially the opera trio) were very good. Additionally, the mere fact that the comedian had the audience laughing proves that his material is funny, at least to that particular audience.
My main problem with this show and other reality competition shows like it is the credentials of the judges. What qualifies Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, and the other judges whose names escape me to judge talent? Level of fame? Success in show biz? I don’t know, but I think a judge’s credentials should involve some level of talent besides walking down a runway or being bald.
Besides watching a few clips on Youtube, I had never sat down and watched an entire episode of America’s Got Talent. Like the rest of the class, the first thing that can not go unnoticed is the high production value. It just makes me wonder how much it costs to produce this show. I can tell that all the technical equipment is top notch. However, the production value I feel is both a positive and a negative. For one the show is beautiful to look at. The lighting and large stage can really enhance the performances. Most of the performers used it to their advantage, especially the robotic dancer, who used the laser-like lights as part of his act. The long sweeping camera shots make the stage look as grand as ever. However, I think that the show can look a little too polished at times. Even the performers are wearing a large amount of make-up. When the show has interviews with the performers, it almost seems scripted, which makes it feel like less of a reality show. Another problem I have with the show are the judges’ qualifications. Do the judges know that much about singing and dancing to actually critique a performance fairly? Most of the judges’ time was spent just praising the performer, without really getting into analytics. Another thing that bothered me was the use of public voting. The judges might not be qualified, but they are likely more qualified than the general American public. In effect, the show turns into a popularity contest. With that being said, the show is still very entertaining. The performances were not terribly interesting, but I can tell that a large amount of work went into each performance. That is something that I can actually relate to in the show. I could tell that the performers really wanted to win and that gave the show some tension. As mentioned above, the show grew tiresome due to the long length and amount of time spent on things other than performances. I believe this is why I’ve only watched the show on Youtube. Reality shows like this and American Idol will never be something that I am into, but I can see why it is so popular. It is obvious that a lot of time is spent trying to attract as big of an audience as possible.
Watching America’s got talent reminded me a lot of American Idol. I grew up watching American Idol and watching the new show allowed me to revisit my past. America’s got talent has extreme special effects that completely change the tone of the show to a lot more dramatic than what it is supposed to be. Flashing lights, background changes, camera angles, and the list goes on, the stage production was top tier. Something that always adds to the suspense of these types of competitioin shows is the dramatic pause leading into commercial break right before they announce who will be going home. This always frustrates the viewer but keeps the viewer attentive and engaged in the show. I know that when this dramatic break happens that it makes me want to watch even more. This is a common tactic used on competition shows like America’s got talent. Each tactic used by America’s got talent helped enhance the finished product, in a top notch competition show that grabs the interest of millions of Americans acrosss the country I enjoyed the show and it’s good to see that Nick Cannon (the host) is back hosting shows because from previous shows, nick was an interesting individual who can keep the crowd engaged. Needless to say, America has some amazing talents and this show truly helps bring out these hidden people