Author Topic: Playmania (Read 36018 times)

melman1 · « **Reply #30 on:** July 09, 2006, 05:31:41 PM »

Thank you all for your usual kind comments. Including those of the armchair psychologists who really should be outside enjoying a nice summer day.

However, nobody has seen fit to answer my question. If you watch this show, and you have an actual reason other than "because I want to", just exactly what would that reason be?

I have not and will not say whether anyone else should or should not like it, nor whether GSN should or should not air it. I have stated my opinion about it, which Lord knows, I certainly am entitled to do here.

And if you don't watch the show, kindly butt out!

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #31 on:** July 09, 2006, 05:42:49 PM »

[quote name=\'melman1\' post=\'123709\' date=\'Jul 9 2006, 05:31 PM\']However, nobody has seen fit to answer my question. If you watch this show, and you have an actual reason other than "because I want to", just exactly what would that reason be?[/quote]
I'm starting to agree with Chris. Your hostility toward this little piece of fluff is staggering. People have already given plenty of reasons. Besides, why isn't "because I want to" an acceptable answer? Isn't that pretty much the reason we watch anything?

There are hot babes, and there's a little bit of play-at-home value even if you're not dialing in. There's no question the show is done on a shoestring, but there's a difference between cheap production values and poor production values.

It's a silly show to defend, but if it really, truly is "worse than anything I've seen on public access," then you haven't spent much time watching public access. And I'm not going to see PlayMania called "worse" than anything when you consider that this is the same network that gave us Trivia Track.

Brandon Brooks · « **Reply #32 on:** July 09, 2006, 06:04:40 PM »

[quote name=\'melman1\' post=\'123709\' date=\'Jul 9 2006, 04:31 PM\']
If you watch this show, and you have an actual reason other than "because I want to", just exactly what would that reason be?
[/quote]
You're ridiculous. How about this one: Because it makes people happy?

Fool me twice, shame on me. Chris (PYLdude) is right; I know not to feed you anymore.

Brandon Brooks

FOXSportsFan · « **Reply #33 on:** July 09, 2006, 09:04:44 PM »

As a guy in public access...all I can ask is would you rather endure 2 hours of me calling high school basketball with only 1 camera to work with?

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #34 on:** July 09, 2006, 11:26:26 PM »

[quote name=\'FOXSportsFan\' post=\'123737\' date=\'Jul 9 2006, 09:04 PM\']
As a guy in public access...all I can ask is would you rather endure 2 hours of me calling high school basketball with only 1 camera to work with?[/quote]
Only if you're also the one operating the camera.

For my educational access channel, we frequently cover sporting events with announcers (high school students) and a single camera. When parents know that the alternative is not to cover the games at all, they're remarkably understanding. And for something like soccer, one camera is often plenty.

FOXSportsFan · « **Reply #35 on:** July 10, 2006, 12:19:30 AM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'123748\' date=\'Jul 9 2006, 11:26 PM\']
[quote name=\'FOXSportsFan\' post=\'123737\' date=\'Jul 9 2006, 09:04 PM\']
As a guy in public access...all I can ask is would you rather endure 2 hours of me calling high school basketball with only 1 camera to work with?[/quote]
Only if you're also the one operating the camera.

For my educational access channel, we frequently cover sporting events with announcers (high school students) and a single camera. When parents know that the alternative is not to cover the games at all, they're remarkably understanding. And for something like soccer, one camera is often plenty.
[/quote]

Matt, funny you mention that, I have done that a few times...not for my current employer, but for the county college when the team allowed me to go with them on the road...so I know how taxing and challenging it can be to announce and operate camera as such. Had to tape my roster to the bannister next to me (I was located at the facility's second level open balcony style fitness center which provided a cool view). The mic I used was a joke...it was a shotgun/boom mic that actually resembles Bob Barker's microphone slightly and it was going schizo on me. Had to borrow athletic tape from the school to tape it on the tripod in such a fashion that it would work. There was very little camera work required as I was situated near one of the baskets as opposed to center court.

Conversely, the Babe Ruth Softball World Series which I'll be announcing next month will use a three camera setup, so that should be interesting and I'm allegedly broadcasting not from the rickety booth, but from field level. I wonder if I'll get hazard pay?

Veering back on topic, yeah it's a simplistic production, Playmania that is. Small studio, 2 cameras (and they look like 10-15 year old cameras like my college had no less), but hey they seem happy with it.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #36 on:** July 10, 2006, 01:10:03 AM »

[quote name=\'FOXSportsFan\' post=\'123751\' date=\'Jul 10 2006, 12:19 AM\']Matt, funny you mention that, I have done that a few times...not for my current employer, but for the county college when the team allowed me to go with them on the road...so I know how taxing and challenging it can be to announce and operate camera as such. Had to tape my roster to the bannister next to me (I was located at the facility's second level open balcony style fitness center which provided a cool view). [/quote]
Heck, I was just kidding. You really did call the game AND operate the camera at the same time? As Cartman would say, that's hellacool. I send my students out as a threesome, two announcers and one operator, rotating if all three want time with the mike.

Dbacksfan12 · « **Reply #37 on:** July 10, 2006, 02:02:44 AM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'123755\' date=\'Jul 10 2006, 12:10 AM\']
I send my students out as a threesome, two announcers and one operator, rotating if all three want time with the mike.
[/quote]
And I bet they're still better than Steve Beverly.

clemon79 · « **Reply #38 on:** July 10, 2006, 02:05:29 AM »

[quote name=\'Modor\' post=\'123756\' date=\'Jul 9 2006, 11:02 PM\']
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'123755\' date=\'Jul 10 2006, 12:10 AM\']
I send my students out as a threesome, two announcers and one operator, rotating if all three want time with the mike.
[/quote]
And I bet they're still better than Steve Beverly.
[/quote]
Huh?

FOXSportsFan · « **Reply #39 on:** July 10, 2006, 06:14:54 AM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'123755\' date=\'Jul 10 2006, 01:10 AM\']
[quote name=\'FOXSportsFan\' post=\'123751\' date=\'Jul 10 2006, 12:19 AM\']Matt, funny you mention that, I have done that a few times...not for my current employer, but for the county college when the team allowed me to go with them on the road...so I know how taxing and challenging it can be to announce and operate camera as such. Had to tape my roster to the bannister next to me (I was located at the facility's second level open balcony style fitness center which provided a cool view). [/quote]
Heck, I was just kidding. You really did call the game AND operate the camera at the same time? As Cartman would say, that's hellacool. I send my students out as a threesome, two announcers and one operator, rotating if all three want time with the mike.
[/quote]

I never thought I'd see the day that Matt Ottinger quoted Eric Cartman. Can I die a happy man? Not sure, but I shall die a slightly disturbed one. : )

dzinkin · « **Reply #40 on:** July 10, 2006, 06:17:04 AM »

Catching up after a quick out-of-town trip...

[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'123687\' date=\'Jul 9 2006, 02:34 PM\']
With this discussion, and some of his past, I've become convinced that melman believes that he's some sort of God on this message board. Just because he doesn't like it, he feels that one of two things must be true:

1) either it must be taken off the air immediately and no mention of it should ever be made again
2) none of us should like it either.

I won't feed the melman anymore, that's for sure.
[/quote]
Oh, come off it. All melman said was that he didn't see the appeal of a low-budget show whose primary appeal is supposed to be its interactivity, particularly when even the interactivity isn't even available on the West Coast. He never said that the show should be taken off the air. He never said that the show shouldn't have fans. And why a network puts a particular show on is a different question from why someone would want to watch (though of course they're related, since a network isn't likely to put something on that NO ONE would watch).

I don't always agree with melman but he isn't a troll, and he sure as hell didn't engage in any insults that warrant being compared to one. Unlike my co-EP, I see more puzzlement than anger in melman's question. I think he's just trying to figure out why people would actively seek this show out, when as Mr. Lemon points out, many of the viewers might not be seeking the show out and just land on it by default.

Looking for an answer to a question that doesn't have an answer isn't exactly new around here... I'm sure Mike Klauss is still asking "Why did God create Malcolm?", for example. :-) It's frustrating for the person asking the question but hardly trolling.

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #41 on:** July 10, 2006, 08:17:14 AM »

O.K. You got me. I'm in the East. I watch hoping for a wardrobe malfunction. There is no reason anyone should watch in the West.

clemon79 · « **Reply #42 on:** July 10, 2006, 09:32:37 AM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'123771\' date=\'Jul 10 2006, 05:17 AM\']
O.K. You got me. I'm in the East. I watch hoping for a wardrobe malfunction. There is no reason anyone should watch in the West.
[/quote]
Do they ever wear wardrobes in danger of malfunctioning? I've never seen one, thouh I will admit that I have a fairly small sample size to work from.

(perhaps if they DID wear wardrobe with some malfunction potential, that sample size would get...ahem. Erm. 'Scuse me.)

trainman · « **Reply #43 on:** July 11, 2006, 11:08:39 PM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'123771\' date=\'Jul 10 2006, 05:17 AM\']
O.K. You got me. I'm in the East. I watch hoping for a wardrobe malfunction. There is no reason anyone should watch in the West.
[/quote]

Hey, some of us in the West have DirecTV and therefore get the Eastern feed of GSN.

(But I don't have any particular motivation to watch "Playmania," especially since the TiVo means I only watch things live once in a blue moon.)

SteveRep · « **Reply #44 on:** July 21, 2006, 01:38:13 AM »

This show is dead. They're 35 minutes into the show and they're playing their third game and the amount of time with no one lined up to play is extensive.

Listening to Mel and Shandi beg for players to try and win a measly $50 isn't entertaining.

Author Topic: Playmania (Read 36018 times)

dzinkin