Does a lack of production value ever turn you off?

[mcmahonfan85]

no, because i watch wrestling for the wrestling. if the production values suck but the wrestling is good i'll watch. if the production values are good but the wrestling sucks, i won't.

[Starshine]

I'm only really distracted by poor lighting, or bad camera quality. Lighting is only really an issue where I just can't see what's going on, which was a problem I had with some of the later 2011 DGUSA shows. The camera thing is more annoying when they cut between cameras and one stands out as particularly poor compared to the others.

Other than that, so long as I can see what's going on, I'm rarely irritated by production quality.

[Magic knows Black Lives Matter]

As long as the screen isn't just a blurry mess of pixels and the actual content of the show is good, I can deal.

Now, make no mistake about it. I certainly do have expectations as far as production goes from companies of certain sizes. For example, all the issues that ROH had with it's IPPVs in the past were absurd.

[CATCH_US IS the Conversation]

I don't really care about lighting and pyro, but I care deeply about good quality camera work (doesn't have to be HD) and editing. And while I don't expect a fancy set on the level of WWE or WCW, I expect the entry way for the wrestlers to look decent.

[molson5]

Part of the fun for me is the presentation - the theme music, the graphics, the promo packages, the venue, the entrance videos. Sometimes presentation can be done really well and creatively on a small budget, but it's usually just an afterthought.

[Ultimo Gallos]

Not really. I watch lots of smaller indies and none of them have good production values. Went to a show one time that had these two huge screens set up to play entrance videos on. But then didn't secure the ring apron down so it kept slipping during the opening 45 minute battle royale. One of my favorite indy feds was running monthly shows in a local community theater. It was dark and tiny,but the shows were a blast and the wrestling was good.

[Deleted]

Absolutely. As a filmmaker I can't help but notice and be put off by poor production, especially when most of the time it's such an easy fix.

[Wolf Hawkfield no1 NZ poster]

If its really shitty production then yes.

[Society of the Spectacle]

Although I think it is true that good wrestling with bad production is easier to stomach than bad wrestling with good production, I really think there needs to be a certain level of professionalism at play to be taken seriously. I could be matching a match-up between my favorite wrestlers, but if it is badly lit, shot and presented, it definitely takes me out of the moment a little.

Small shows can still look professional, as Brian Kendrick's King of Flight Tournament proves. I was at that show and the place is small, not too well lit, with a smaller ring and a crowd that wasn't massive. However, Kendrick and his production team made it feel like a bigger event on the DVD, as he had Nigel and Kaelin on commentary throughout, a nice but not overly lavish entrance, and great camera work which made it feel like it had a much bigger budget. Sure Kendrick probably was able to call in a few favors to make these things happen, but it worked.

[WBL a.k.a. Mountie II]

Classic ECW taught me to ignore the crap production work and focus on the story and the match.

[Brother Nero....Wolfe]

Yes. It might be because I'm sort of working in the entertainment industry which makes me a production values hipster in terms of "OH C'MON YOU COULD HAVE AT LEAST DONE ____ AND IT WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE BEEN EXPENSIVE" but it keeps me from watching most indies and even kept me from watching TNA until recently.

[Deleted]

Bad production is a turn-off, but low-key, "no frills" production in a wrestling fed can actually draw me in.

[Chairman of the Board]

Yes.

Empty seats. Horrible commentary. Bad lighting. These are all major turn offs.

I don't hate anybody for it because it's expensive and care intensive. With so much FREE wrestling on the internet who wants to watch a "good" match in front of an empty crowd under bad light with weak commentary?

[Djm Doesn't Find You Funny]

Not anymore. And people that make that a reason to not watch wrestling really bother me.

Over-proudction bothers me far more. It becomes nearly synthetic and takes away the element of unpredictability that makes wrestling a little more interesting, but because it's in HD and has pyro, it's automatically 'better'.

[Chairman of the Board]

Jun 24, 2013 12:10:17 GMT -5 Djm Doesn't Find You Funny said:

Not anymore. And people that make that a reason to not watch wrestling really bother me.

Over-proudction bothers me far more. It becomes nearly synthetic and takes away the element of unpredictability that makes wrestling a little more interesting, but because it's in HD and has pyro, it's automatically 'better'.

It's really an Art v. Entertainment debate.

To me wrestling in 2013 is entertainment. My thing is I have trouble thinking over "over production" in pro wrestling. WWE/TNA both are amazing. ROH isn't horrible.

Would I watch a crappy video of a worker I like? Yes.

Would I watch a crappy video of 2 guys I don't know? No.

It's not that production value are the end all be all. It's just that if your production is horrible you'll never really compete with anybody. Guys put on amazing matches on all sorts of small shows. To me the combo of good wrestling with a good crowd, with good lighting and production makes me want to dedicate time to watching it. That's entertainment to me.

If it were the 90's I would give it a pass. But it's 2013, you can buy the stuff you need on Ebay. You can damn near edit professionally from your house.

Again, it's not that I wouldn't watch something based on that. I just wouldn't seek it without recommendation.

[A Platypus Rave]

Bad camera work and sound if I'm watching a DVD or on tv certainly can.

For instance I skipped most of the in rung promos for the early Roy shows I have because I can barely understand them since they ran the mic o the house speakers and not any of th cameras direct.

As for camera work... I watched a TNA ppv once here they cut to a different camera angle a total of nine times when all that was happening was Kurt Angle climbing the turnbuckle

[Chairman of the Board]

Jun 24, 2013 12:58:25 GMT -5 @spindoc said:

Jun 24, 2013 12:01:24 GMT -5 @wvguitar said:

Bad production is a turn-off, but low-key, "no frills" production in a wrestling fed can actually draw me in.

Yeah, this is exactly where I'm at.

IMO that is good production values.

It's like movies. It doesn't have to be a big budget blockbuster to have good production values. It just has to look and sound clean. It should look like this event was meant to be filmed because it's important.

[SOR]

I have these Lucha DVD's I bought for like a buck each on eBay and they feature some pretty big stars fresh from WCW at the time. Rey Jr, Psychosis, Konnan, La Parka and a ton of other WCW Luchadores.

Problem is they're unwatchable due to bad camera work which is a shame because Rey Jr working the indies REALLY interests me.

In general though if the camera is okay I don't generally mind. I do know that a lot of casual fans care though so indies should put some more effort in. A smoke machine can be purchased relatively cheap as can a curtain over the backstage door. Some entrance way lights aren't overly expensive either.

[rapidfire187]

I don't care much about production values but sometimes it can take me out of things of the production is too cheap or way too overproduced. WWE's overproduced stuff bothers me, same as when TNA was using the fake cheers and boos. On the other hand, I've had trouble getting into 90's AJPW because the quality looks like early ECW to me which is unacceptable for a major company.

[Essential1]

When you grow up watching old WWF with all their basic aisle entrances you pretty much learn to watch for the wrestling. TNA and their generic sets can go take a dive though.