The 75th Radio City Xmas Classic on PBS 12/23/2010

The 75th Radio City Xmas Classic on PBS 12/23/2010
Well here we are watching The 75th Radio City Xmas Classic on WTTW tonight.
We went to see the live version of this show a couple years ago when it was in the Chicago Area.
It was the most amazing show. The Rockettes synchronicity was impeccable.
The show was amazing to watch, so much going on on the stage that was all perfectly timed!

We noticed it was on tonight and tuned in to watch the presentation of the same show on TV tonight.
We were excited to see it again. We remember all the scenes as they came on the TV.

I must say this though.
We are thoroughly disappointed in the program on TV.
Whoever was the editor for this was an IDIOT!
The whole reason to watch the Rockettes is to see all the Dancers in sync with each other.

The show as presented on TV was filled with camera angle changes during the dances every 1 to 5 seconds.
We timed them.
This changing from a shot of half the stage, to close-ups of faces, to wide angle view of the entire stage, to a shot of 4 dancers from behind,
Back to a close-up, to a camera that moves down the line.
The screen was jumping around so much that it was difficult to watch, and kind of disturbing.
It was nearly impossible to see, let alone enjoy the dancing.

I hope Radio City Music Hall will realize in the future that filming a presentation, like this, that fewer camera changes will make the show much more enjoyable for TV viewers in the future. The idea is to SEE the show not jump around and catch fleeting glimpses of what was going on here and there.
The editing of this program actually ruined the show.

And one more thing... Unless it is your family in the crowd watching the show... nobody wants to see the audience reaction in the middle of the number. The audience is not performing. That is not what the TV audience is tuning in for.