Camera panning away during backstage segments

[Cronant]

It happens every show, but it had to have happened 3 times this RAW, including back to back segments with Kane/DB and Vince.

Why? This literally adds nothing to the segments, and if anything, it draws you out. Who wants to see a crowd watching a screen?

[whiskers]

It started a little after Raw 1000, if I remember correctly, and I've hated it since it began. It's distracting and takes you away from the narrative flow of the segment that's on the screen.

[turkeysandwich]

It's one of the worst things they do production-wise. It makes no sense whatsoever.

[zeez]

It's to prove that somebody actually watches those backstage segments.

[Bang Bang Bart]

Didn't they do that as far back as last year, especially during one of The Rock's many "via Satellite" promos?

[Deleted]

This makes me laugh every time they do it.

I hadn't been to a WWF/WWE TV taping since 1997 before I went to Raw 1000. It blew my mind how they just stopped the show dead for backstage segments and commercials. If anyone ever wonders why crowds have gotten so dead since that time, it's because you have to sit through ~5 minute blocks of taped previews and backstage segments playing on the screen between something actually happening in the ring.

I can't believe how stop-and-go the TV taping shows are now.

[flatsdomino]

Oct 15, 2012 22:15:40 GMT -5 whiskers said:

It started a little after Raw 1000, if I remember correctly, and I've hated it since it began. It's distracting and takes you away from the narrative flow of the segment that's on the screen.

No, they've been doing it since 2010, maybe 2009. It's been my least favorite piece of Kevin Dunn production BS since then, even more than dumbass crowd/backstage mood lighting. It just makes no sense.

[Bang Bang Bart]

How about when they linger on a wrestler looking off into God-knows-where for a few seconds before the segment ends?

[Lord Bendtner]

I spoke to Alex Greenfield (former writer for WWE) about this on Twitter a few weeks ago (both the looking into space expressions and panning to crowd during backstage segments) - he said that for the into space shots, they think it builds the suspense of the upcoming segment or whatever it is they're building. To me it is just plain awkward and irritating. And for the crowd panning, he says its because they want to break away from the monotony and long viewing of the segment for the viewers at home, to give a break so to speak.

[revolver86]

Dunn needs to be let go! You'd be surprised how much the presentation of the product does most of the work!

[whiskers]

Oct 15, 2012 22:34:54 GMT -5 Lord Bendtner said:

I spoke to Alex Greenfield (former writer for WWE) about this on Twitter a few weeks ago (both the looking into space expressions and panning to crowd during backstage segments) - he said that for the into space shots, they think it builds the suspense of the upcoming segment or whatever it is they're building. To me it is just plain awkward and irritating. And for the crowd panning, he says its because they want to break away from the monotony and long viewing of the segment for the viewers at home, to give a break so to speak.

We do have breaks from it: they're called commercials...

[bob]

it's incredibly dumb and annoying

[Deleted]

I don't mind it.

[Bo Rida]

You'd think they'd actually look at what the crowd is doing before they show them, it's always funny to see them walking about, having a chat, checking their phones or just generally sitting still with a bored expression on their faces.

[Deleted]

Oct 15, 2012 22:34:54 GMT -5 Lord Bendtner said:

To me it is just plain awkward and irritating. And for the crowd panning, he says its because they want to break away from the monotony and long viewing of the segment for the viewers at home, to give a break so to speak.

WWE staffer: Apparently, these drawn-out backstage segments are a chore for viewers at home to watch.

Kevin Dunn: I've got it! Let's show the screen from the crowd!

[OGBoardPoster2005]

I hate backstage segments in general, kills the idea that wrestling is a competition and just always seems too forced. They need to go back to backstage interviews instead.

[paywindah]

I always went with the "misery loves company" theory. They wanted to show us TV viewers that it's not just us that have to sit through these hacky segments - the live paying audience is stuck watching them too.

[Indiana Miz]

Oct 16, 2012 14:02:50 GMT -5 OGBoardPoster2005 said:

I hate backstage segments in general, kills the idea that wrestling is a competition and just always seems too forced. They need to go back to backstage interviews instead.

YES. Much like General Managers, invisible camera skits have been played out for years. I'd prefer they do the type of promos they put on the WWE app with Scott Stanford & Matt Striker.

[PKO]

It is kinda stupidly unnecessary.

Oct 15, 2012 22:22:24 GMT -5 Bang Bang Bart said:

How about when they linger on a wrestler looking off into God-knows-where for a few seconds before the segment ends?

Argh!!! I hate that.