Impact to be more "Reality TV"

[chrom]

There are plans to feature more reality segments during Impact Wrestling when it debuts on Destination America tomorrow. TNA President Dixie Carter is said to be a fan of the genre and wants to include elements of it on the show. Impact regularly features a “found footage” handheld approach to backstage segments, with cameras everywhere, recording everything. There will likely be more of this. It’s possible that some of the stars may be shown out of character or arriving to the arena. Another possible reason for this is that Destination America features several reality shows and Impact may be changed a little to fit in.

Source: 411mania.com/wrestling/impact-wrestling-to-feature-more-reality-tv-segments/

[Oh Cry Me a Screwball]

Well, this is a great way to mask budget cuts to production, I guess.

[Jedi-El of Tomorrow]

Gail Kim crashes her car because she lost her gear.

[Mondai Rogue]

And here I was, thinking this could be a fresh start for TNA and a chance for them to make a comeback.

[Hypnosis]

Jan 6, 2015 21:24:56 GMT -5 Jedi-El of Tomorrow said:

Gail Kim crashes her car because she lost her gear.

Her husband ignores her in lingerie by watching more cooking shows.

[CATCH_US IS the Conversation]

I don't mind the reality TV thing. I think TNA could work as a "wrestling show" where the actual wrestling is standalone matches with the lame reality TV stuff interspersed in-between matches. Basically have two separate bookers/creative teams, one who handles the wrestling product and one who handles the reality stuff.

[Deleted]

Jan 6, 2015 23:17:03 GMT -5 CATCH_US IS the Conversation said:

I don't mind the reality TV thing. I think TNA could work as a "wrestling show" where the actual wrestling is standalone matches with the lame reality TV stuff interspersed in-between matches. Basically have two separate bookers/creative teams, one who handles the wrestling product and one who handles the reality stuff.

I think it depends on how you did it. If you make it look like a fake reality show where the wrestling and gimmicks going on in it are presented as true to life, could be an interesting update on the genre (though TNA would probably f*** it up). If you have reality show stuff treating the wrestling and gimmicks as fake then that's just taking you out of everything and basically like cutting a making-of documentary into the middle of the actual movie.

Granted, I hated that hidden camera thing when they did that. The invisible camera, so long as they don't outright deny its existence and more just kind of tune it out, is fine for me.

[Emmet Russell]

More "real" style segments and less breaking the forth wall stuff please. I don't want to know that these guys are characters playing a part for a TV show, that's really insulting to the audience.

At no point on Breaking Bad did they take a moment to show Bryan Cranston in the bedroom of his house reading the script and complaining to writers that he's better than this. Something like that would completely take you out of the show and it's stories and make you feel like you're wasting your time watching it.

The reaction camera styles they did back in 2010/11 were great, though. It's how all wrestling backstage segments should be done and I'm more than happy to see that style brought back.

[CATCH_US IS the Conversation]

Jan 7, 2015 3:12:39 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Jan 6, 2015 23:17:03 GMT -5 CATCH_US IS the Conversation said:

I don't mind the reality TV thing. I think TNA could work as a "wrestling show" where the actual wrestling is standalone matches with the lame reality TV stuff interspersed in-between matches. Basically have two separate bookers/creative teams, one who handles the wrestling product and one who handles the reality stuff.

I think it depends on how you did it. If you make it look like a fake reality show where the wrestling and gimmicks going on in it are presented as true to life, could be an interesting update on the genre (though TNA would probably f*** it up). If you have reality show stuff treating the wrestling and gimmicks as fake then that's just taking you out of everything and basically like cutting a making-of documentary into the middle of the actual movie.

I thought of it as making the wrestlers look like they have a life outside of wrestling. The wrestling would be treated as an actual combat sport where the wrestlers come out to the ring, have their match, and win/lose cleanly and decisively, and then go about their lives. The wrestlers would just have well worked matches that are won and lost without incident just to remind the viewers that they are in fact, pro wrestlers, and all the performers' character work that would be handled with the reality show segments.

Example: The Wolves are booked in singles matches. Davey and Eddie make a bet that whoever wins their match in the fastest time, the loser has to buy the winner beer that night. Eddie beats Robbie E in 6:42 while Davey beats Sanada in 5:19, winning the bet. They go out for drinks, but Eddie decides to rib his partner by putting laxatives in his beer. Hilarity ensues.

[Welfare Willis]

You know wrestling is the orginal reality TV. Because wrestling is predetermined for entertainment (minus this week's Raw).

[________ has left the building]

Well, reality tv is more scripted than pro wrestling. You can keep saying Russo isn't involved in TNA but this eerily sounds like his idea to have a wrestling show without wrestling. If it's showing wrestlers get prepared for matches, getting worked on by trainers post match, and giving thoughts after the fight; good. But if it's talking about their characters as if it was Inside the Actors Studio and arguing with the bookers on camera about going over; they can keep that shit.

[Ryushinku]

"Hahaha, and then I'll yell "I'll kill you!" and it'll be awesome, and...oh, wait, camera, I'LL KILL YOU!!"

[Deleted]

Jan 7, 2015 3:20:53 GMT -5 Emmet Russell said:

More "real" style segments and less breaking the forth wall stuff please. I don't want to know that these guys are characters playing a part for a TV show, that's really insulting to the audience.

At no point on Breaking Bad did they take a moment to show Bryan Cranston in the bedroom of his house reading the script and complaining to writers that he's better than this. Something like that would completely take you out of the show and it's stories and make you feel like you're wasting your time watching it.

The reaction camera styles they did back in 2010/11 were great, though. It's how all wrestling backstage segments should be done and I'm more than happy to see that style brought back.

Yeah telling everyone it's fake and then expecting them to "get lost in the moment" when the actual wrestling happens is insulting to the viewer and counter productive for the company. The WWE treats everything like a variety show, where nothing matters and there are no consequences for anything, and TNA would be foolish to follow that script. The moment you tell them "everything is fake BUT what I'm about to do/say is real" is the quickest way to piss away your audience. There has to be a fine line, which I think Punk did pretty well in 2011 but it's not easy.

Present the product as real. Make the reality show aspect of it fit the kayfabe narrative. That's the best way to utilize reality TV aspects without insultin your audience.

[kidglov3s]

How long before Impact is 'haunted' and we have 5min static shots of a table then OMG A CUP FELL OVER

[Rave]

Seriously, was Dixie dropped on her head repeatedly and from a great height as a child? They tried this before with the GutCheck stuff and it sucked like hell.

[A Platypus Rave]

Jan 7, 2015 3:12:39 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Jan 6, 2015 23:17:03 GMT -5 CATCH_US IS the Conversation said:

I don't mind the reality TV thing. I think TNA could work as a "wrestling show" where the actual wrestling is standalone matches with the lame reality TV stuff interspersed in-between matches. Basically have two separate bookers/creative teams, one who handles the wrestling product and one who handles the reality stuff.

I think it depends on how you did it. If you make it look like a fake reality show where the wrestling and gimmicks going on in it are presented as true to life, could be an interesting update on the genre (though TNA would probably f*** it up). If you have reality show stuff treating the wrestling and gimmicks as fake then that's just taking you out of everything and basically like cutting a making-of documentary into the middle of the actual movie.

Granted, I hated that hidden camera thing when they did that. The invisible camera, so long as they don't outright deny its existence and more just kind of tune it out, is fine for me.

Yeah, I personally found the creeping cameraman more distracting than the invisible cameraman.

Also how they word it in the article sounds terrible.

It sounds like James Cox will be interviewed coming into the arena to perform as James Storm instead of... James Storm showing up for the show.

[Push R Truth]

I'd love it if they edited it like most reality shows:

Joe is talking to Tommy Dreamer backstage about how they are going to wrestle as a tag team that night. They sound all happy as they work out their plan. The show then cuts to Joe talking alone to the camera "All I could think about was 'Get the hell out of my way Tommy. No reason for your old ass to screw up this match for me'". Then it cuts to Tommy "Who does this fat bastard think he is telling ME, Tommy F'ing Dreamer what to do in a tag match??!?"

[Rave]

Jan 7, 2015 9:57:23 GMT -5 Push R Truth said:

I'd love it if they edited it like most reality shows:

Joe is talking to Tommy Dreamer backstage about how they are going to wrestle as a tag team that night. They sound all happy as they work out their plan. The show then cuts to Joe talking alone to the camera "All I could think about was 'Get the hell out of my way Tommy. No reason for your old ass to screw up this match for me'". Then it cuts to Tommy "Who does this fat bastard think he is telling ME, Tommy F'ing Dreamer what to do in a tag match??!?"

They don't even need separate cuts, just bring back the Jeff Hardy telepathy voiceover for them.

[Andrew is Good]

I've recently gotten into the show "Catfish". Now, having some experience with online dating, the show fascinated me, but one thing that I liked the most about the show was the cinematography. It looked like a cool show to watch. Now recently, MTV has kinda f***ed the show over with c-list celebrities as part of the research, bringing in people who just wanted to be famous on the show, etc. But, the look of the show was very modern, so stuff like that makes me optimistic.

In regards to them arriving out of character, recently I listened to some review shows of the Wrestle Kingdom 9 card, I think it was the LAW one with the JAW crew and Dan Lavranski. They talked about how leading up to the show, they were doing these tv specials that showed them "out of character" like Okada going back to his Jr. High. The thing was, it wasn't as much out of character as it was an out of character environment and these people were presented as real people, and that even on the TV, they're still those people, if you get me.

Wrestlers should just be presented as being themselves, no matter what. Maybe they get more fired up in the ring, but like if MVP is just walking to the building, he's not loud and obnoxious, but maybe he's also not signing autographs, or if he does, he doesn't look at the fan and just walks away. Make him look like an arrogant dick. I hate how pro wrestling has to do "shoots". Everything's supposed to be a shoot. Like, on CSI, it's all a shoot on that TV show. No one's like, oh yeah, this dead guy is the writer's son and I hate how nepotism is running this show.

But yeah, if they can get something similar to reality tv, but of course, something that's there own thing, I feel it could work. One thing I hate is the fourth wall in wrestling, it gives me the sour belches. Like, a few weeks ago on Raw, Naomi goes up to Miz and Mizdow, and wants to talk to Miz privately so she wants Mizdow to leave. Privately, there's a god damn camera in front of you. And it's not like other TV shows with a real forth wall. You can see television cameras out ringside, sometimes backstage, and hell, in some of the classic WWE segments, the Rock grabbed a television camera, one time to berate a camera man, and the other trash talk Steve Austin. Why in WWE do you have one dimension in the arena which is a sports presentation, and then you go behind the curtain, you go into another dimension where it's fourth wall bullshit. I'll give TNA credit for this. One time they had Robbie E talking about going to meet some chick with Tinder and then Jesse and DJZ are trying to get his attention to show him that someone's recording them. Anyway, rant over.

[A Platypus Rave]

Jan 7, 2015 11:05:30 GMT -5 Andrew is Good said:

In regards to them arriving out of character, recently I listened to some review shows of the Wrestle Kingdom 9 card, I think it was the LAW one with the JAW crew and Dan Lavranski. They talked about how leading up to the show, they were doing these tv specials that showed them "out of character" like Okada going back to his Jr. High. The thing was, it wasn't as much out of character as it was an out of character environment and these people were presented as real people, and that even on the TV, they're still those people, if you get me.

Wrestlers should just be presented as being themselves, no matter what. Maybe they get more fired up in the ring, but like if MVP is just walking to the building, he's not loud and obnoxious, but maybe he's also not signing autographs, or if he does, he doesn't look at the fan and just walks away. Make him look like an arrogant dick. I hate how pro wrestling has to do "shoots". Everything's supposed to be a shoot.

What you described isn't out of character.

That would probably be more easily referred to as being out of their element.

Since they aren't acting out of character at all... they just aren't wrestling