Sunday, February 14, 2010

Mission: Inaccurate

I wasn't going to raise an issue with this new PacRim promo video that will doubtless be shown in the arena multiple times over. Truly, truly I wasn't. I thought it was a great effort. I did. I even hope some of it goes on telly. Fast, sassy, action-packed, emotional, there's little to fault.

Except... I mean... elephant in the room here.

Hands up if you too can spot the gymnasts in it that aren't from Pacific Rim nations and whose national flags won't be paraded during the competition?

Wouldn't it have been a little easier to just use footage of the top 4 London AA place-getters, who went on to be individual apparatus medallists and all of whom happened to be from countries within the Pacific Rim (Sloan, Bross, Tsurumi, Mitchell)? Or even shots featuring the 9 gymnasts in the London top 13 who were from Pacific Rim nations (Garcia, Yang, Kurbatova, Deng, Semenova in addition to the aforementioned top 4)?

Oi dunno, sir *shrug*. It's not a huge deal and I can't do anything about it, of course. But sometimes I just think simplicity is the key.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jeez. I wasn't going to criticise you for being picky, I wasn't, really. But what the hell --- Its a promo for women's gymnastics, and that what it shows. Can't be more simple than that. Two suggested bits of reading for you, Mez. Dale Carnegie, and Peter Rabbit's mom.

Anonymous said...

Hey mez, how long will it be until you post your articles? it wasn't just a joke was it?

Anonymous said...

My mother has always said if you don't have anything nice to say, it is often better to say nothing at all!

Anonymous said...

I think the promo is great, it showcases fantastic gymnastics, and that is what we will see a Pac Rim. Good promotion of the sport and fantastic way to bring people to watch. Most people wouldn't know who the gymnasts were anyway, by name or country, but just think what they showed was wonderful! You are Jealous Mez, maybe because you didn't get something up first about Pac rim.

nade00 said...

Awww, c'mon guys, Mez didn't mean any harm by it.

News in the gym world is slow at the moment and she is doing a great job keeping the blog current and updated frequently.

You're right - it's not a big deal, but it was just an observation after all. Nobody is calling for the GA media person to be fired because they included clips of other girls.

Being nasty and accusing Mez of being jealous is uncalled for.

On another note, I hope GA do continue their excellent promotional efforts. Has anyone heard about whether it will be on Aussie/US TV, or whether there will be a stream?

Mez said...

I think it's a good montage, don't get me wrong! I'm not saying it should be changed or taken out of circulation or that someone should be kicked in the bum for it.

I just think it's a bit weird for them to include footage of the likes of Italy and France when those nations aren't in the Pacific Rim. That's all. Though as someone remarked to me - there is no footage of Larrissa Miller in it, that's a bit of a shame.

Calm down, Anons. Don't know what's with the "jealousy" calls, that's just unnecessary.

To the anon who asked - one exclusive is coming along a little faster than the other. They weren't jokes, they are for real. I apologise for the delay.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous #1: No, it's a promo for PAC RIM, not women's gymnastics. Obviously it's NOT that simple, because YOU didn't get it.

Anonymous #4: Your resentment is delicious.

Love,

Anonymous #5

Anonymous said...

Hey Anon#5 ... I think you will find that it is indeed a promotion for Women's Gymnastics, that will play during the competition to encourage folks who are there to come watch the girls, or prior to the WAH sessions to prepare them for the sort of gym they are going to see. That's the way its usually done at major comps in Australia. Guess you don't attend. I get it fine ... you missed it

Anon#1

Anonymous said...

What a great promo for gymnastics!!!

Anonymous said...

Quote: "I think you will find that it is indeed a promotion for Women's Gymnastics, that will play during the competition to encourage folks who are there to come watch the girls,"

Ohhh, I get it! So they're going to play it for people who are already there watching the girls . . . to encourage them to . . . watch the girls? Silly me!

"That's the way its usually done at major comps in Australia. Guess you don't attend."

Good thing that I'm going to Pac Rim and that there'll be this video to encourage me to "watch the girls" then, eh?

- Anon #5

Anonymous said...

Well if you are there, you'll see that I'm right. Bet you don't acknowledge the fact, though :)

Anon #1

Step It Up: said...

I personally think it would be better if they showed clips of Lisa Skinner. Sure she's retired but if you want to promote graceful Australian gymansts to get people to watch, there is none better. I miss seeing gynmasts do triple turns on floor or triple backtwist. Gymnastics is not quite the same anymore...

Nik said...

Someone else commented on this over at the Gymnastics Coaching Blog, so youre not the only one who noticed Mez.

That being said, I didn't even notice. Just happy to see a nice montage up on the GA website :)

Froggy said...

Now, now Anon1 and Anon5 ... let's not have a fight over it. I've worked as the announcer at most of the major comps in Australia in the last 10 years, and I've worked with Matt, the video montage king, at most of them.

I would suggest that this particular montage will be used in three ways ...

1. On-line / on-air promotion of PacRim.

2. As an add in the stadium during MAG or ACRO events for up-coming WAG sessions. Might even be seen at NHC too.

3. As a teaser during the apparatus warm-up at WAG competitions, as in " Have a look at the big-screen for a taste of the action you're about to see".

That is the way they have been used at previous comps, and I see no reason why they won't be used that way again.

So, you're both right. Kiss and make up :)

Ribbit