View Full Version : More prep work
mrhaines
05-17-2008, 08:49 AM
Ok, just a suggestion...
When filming an episode, have segments planned out and tested BEFORE filming. The review this week of the set top box media player was PAINFUL!!! If you think waiting for a media player to load is torture, watching a tv show host change the settings on air is death!
The addition of Veronica to the show definitely helps with the watchability and pace, but for god sakes, if there are kinks in a segment, then stop filming, fix the problems, and re-film it. The last thing any audience member wants to do is watch a host work out the kinks of a product they are reviewing while on the air!
This type of stuff just makes me stop watching the episode and significantly reduces my desire to tune in again.
max1018
05-17-2008, 01:12 PM
Ok, just a suggestion...
When filming an episode, have segments planned out and tested BEFORE filming. The review this week of the set top box media player was PAINFUL!!! If you think waiting for a media player to load is torture, watching a tv show host change the settings on air is death!
The addition of Veronica to the show definitely helps with the watchability and pace, but for god sakes, if there are kinks in a segment, then stop filming, fix the problems, and re-film it. The last thing any audience member wants to do is watch a host work out the kinks of a product they are reviewing while on the air!
This type of stuff just makes me stop watching the episode and significantly reduces my desire to tune in again.
Hang on, if they didn't show you all the kinks and problems the product had, then what is the point of reviewing it? I think you missed the point completely... If they left out that the thing took ages to load then that is no help at all.
bani-banan
05-17-2008, 05:25 PM
You sir = phail.
Even though that wasn't planned (I hope not), they made it clear that the box was slow as dog-shit.
Seemed a weird device, a dedicated chip for HD which requires a load of work to process, yet a menu system that's too overblown for the hardware. It the sort of candidate that would benefit greatly from an open sourced firmware.
westudi
05-17-2008, 06:28 PM
Hang on, if they didn't show you all the kinks and problems the product had, then what is the point of reviewing it? I think you missed the point completely... If they left out that the thing took ages to load then that is no help at all.
Exactly. Anything can look good if you shoot and edit all day. We want to see the warts on the product. That's the point.
masherscf
05-17-2008, 06:35 PM
For every person who complains that they don't prepare enough, there is someone else who complains the show isn't sponaneous.
nextgenxbox
05-18-2008, 01:05 AM
You sir = phail.
Even though that wasn't planned (I hope not), they made it clear that the box was slow as dog-shit.
I second.
silentspyder
05-18-2008, 05:49 AM
I'll admit that I did think to myself "I couldn't picture his happening on TV" but then this isn't TV. I'd prefer they keep it in. It shows how slow it is.
burkhartmj
05-18-2008, 09:28 PM
I'll admit that I did think to myself "I couldn't picture his happening on TV" but then this isn't TV. I'd prefer they keep it in. It shows how slow it is.
Same here. When it was mentioned on a previous ep, it sounded promising. If they didn't show how slowly it worked, my hopes wouldna been dashed =/. Besides, how many TV shows do product reviews anyways? With the death of TechTV, it's not like you're gonna see this product on G4, much less any regular broadcast station.
ashgotti
05-18-2008, 09:36 PM
While I don't agree that the segment should have been edited, I do think that the show could use a bit more prep in the way of an outline or script.
Veronica is ok but Pat seems to ramble or talk about god knows what when they're go off topic.
In either case, I'll continue to watch because there is good substance. The delivery could use work is all.
ArmpitOfDeath
05-18-2008, 10:30 PM
Veronica is ok but Pat seems to ramble or talk about god knows what when they're go off topic.
Hmmm...
I have noticed that Patrick does seem to reminisce about stuff in length that V (and maybe you) is too young to recall - even pixelated, I can see he can see it's not clicking with V but his rambles seem to have inertia.
Is he descending into oldfarthood? Will he turn into Dvorak in a matter of episodes? Say it ain't so Patrick!
shadowtech
05-19-2008, 02:27 AM
I'm in the opinion that seeing how effing slow that thing performed was incredibly informative.
fishtoprecords
05-19-2008, 05:29 AM
I've posted in other threads asking for higher production values, less basically, etc. but on this topic, I think it was effective.
The box was insanely slow. They could have reviewed it, and said "its slow" but you would think it was subjective. What you saw was Patrick doing a bunch of stuff, each painfully slow. Pat and V didn't have to say anything, you could see it.
For stuff where there is subjective opinion, say the workmanship, fit and finish is not up to stuff, we can't see it, and need Pat and V to say it. In this case, it was clear to us to see.
it eliminates the vendor from claiming bias or an unfair review. What you see is what you get.
No way I'd buy that thing. So it was a good and fair review, IMHO
Halgy3000
05-19-2008, 03:29 PM
As long as the show doesn't come to a complete standstill I'm fine with whatever they do. Taking a few extra seconds to show how dreadfully pathetic the device is is hardly wasted time.
I have noticed that Patrick gets off message sometimes, but I hardly care. Usually he's entertaining enough to make it worth while and, in case you've forgotten, Patrick is the man. One of the happiest days of my life is when I heard that he was coming to Revision3 (perhaps a sad commentary on my life, I know). If only Leo would come on every now and then we could have the Screen Savers back if in a largely diminished way.
swtzrs
05-19-2008, 09:10 PM
Patrick fumbling with the remotes and struggling to show off the few features of the box that actually worked well is what I love about Tekzilla because I can be assured that I would have pretty much the same (or even more laborious) struggles with such a device myself. If Patrick is having trouble with a device and Veronica is making disgusted/bored faces for five minutes during its demonstration, THAT'S the review.
If I want every line polished and each demonstration executed flawlessly, I can go watch videos on the manufacturer's site. If I want to see two people walk themselves through an actual experience with it, I'll watch Tekzilla.
I actually like that Patrick goes off on obscure pop-culture tangents and isn't just a teleprompter-fed automaton. I like that Veronica isn't afraid to have genuine spontaneous opinions and reactions. Shows need personality, and even if that personality is sometimes a bit confusing, it's better than watching 45 minutes of grinning-idiot script-readers.
Video Podcast Production Problems:
1.) Bad lighting
2.) Clumsy and nausea-inducing camerawork/editing
3.) Poor sound quality
4.) Boring, redundant content ripped from RSS feeds
Tekzilla has NONE of these problems. There is always room for improvement over time, but it is definitely a cut above just about all the other video podcasts that I watch.