On Wednesday August 9th, The Blue Devils will be
doing two very special recordings. See below for information. At
10:30am the public is welcome to see the "Live" studio recording of
the Blue Devils and their 2006 production. It will take place at the
Overture Center in downtown Madison.
INSIDE THE BD DRUMLINE ‘06
OVERVIEW
“Inside the BD Drumline ‘06” is the ultimate marching percussion video.
Featuring the percussion section of the 2006 Blue Devils Drum and Bugle
Corps, this unique project will provide an “in-depth” look at one of
the foremost marching percussion sections on the performance field
today.
Shot entirely in High Definition Video, recorded and released in both
digitally mastered stereo and 5.1 audio “Inside the BD Drumline ’06”
will be the most technically sophisticated, state of the art project
documenting drum corps on the market to date.
Footage for “Inside the BD Drumline ‘06” will be captured the week of
the Drum Corps International Championships in Madison Wisconsin, August
6-12.
Behind the lens of the project, long-time drum corps documentary
filmmaker Michael Zapanta (009.LA) will offer a rare look into the
lives, experiences and processes of this extremely talented,
disciplined and entertaining group of young performers as they make
their run at an unprecedented 12th Drum Corps International (DCI) World
Championship title.
EXECUTION
“Inside the BD Drumline 06” will rely on a unique combination of behind
the scenes “reality style” footage and conventional style documentary
filmmaking. It will include state of the art 3d animation, a special
indoor recording session, an exclusive view of the line’s DCI
Championship performances, their competition, the fans who adore them
and a digitally mastered mix by audio specialists Dolby Laboratories.
“Conventional Documentary“ Approach:
“Inside the BD Drumline ‘06” will employ a narrator of the likes of a
NFL films or PBS Frontline documentary. Providing a deep sense of
importance, this adult male voice will guide us through the week of
rehearsals, show prep, and competition. His narration will include such
topics as the introduction of each instrument and how it relates to the
ensemble, the demand of the performer, how an arranger writes a show,
how the staff works and communicates with one another, as well as how
the ensemble prepares for the World Championships.
The “Reality Style” Approach:
Three high definition cameras dedicated to the drumline throughout the
week of Championship’s will capture the “reality style” behind the
scenes events. From wake up to pass out and all the events in between:
bus rides, chow lines, rest breaks, parking lot warm ups, etc, this
footage will provide the inside day to day grind and successes
associated with life on the road. Inter-cut with this footage will be
interviews with staff and members discussing their thoughts, anxieties,
and state of mind as they attack the week of Championships.
SPECIAL FEATURES
3d Graphics
Unlike any other video/dvd of its kind, “Inside the BD Drumline ‘06”
will utililize high quality 3d graphics to reveal a special inside look
into the physics of a marching percussionist: his instrument, his
athletic movement, how sound travels, and how an ensemble plays
together given the demands of movement and sound and outdoor
performances.
The Indoor “Studio Recording”
This section of the dvd will be recorded indoors at the newly renovated
Overture Center in Madison Wisconsin on Wednesday morning August 9th
(http://www.overturecenter.com). It will feature the warm ups, special
drum licks and the 2006 show in its entirety. Produced in conjunction
with Dolby Laboratories, this feature will be recorded by Dolby
Laboratories’ engineers John Loose and Adam Pinch with special
consultation by long-time drum corps sound recording specialist, Frank
Dorritie. It will be shot on the main stage of the center and will
include mulit-camera angles including a 15’ jib that will be brought in
especially for this event.
Also worth noting, Dolby Laboratories will be utilizing this footage
for its demonstration of Dolbys technology on the new HD dvd and Blue
Ray High Definition dvd discs. (see “distribution and exhibition”
below).
The Championship Performances
From the three performances of the DCI Championships there will be a
single line cut of the drumline’s 2006 show. Using the 5.1 recording
provided by DCI and it’s audio recording engineer Larry Rock,
Audio Director of the New York Philharmonic, this cut will be the
first-ever video capture of the line in High Definition Video.
The Fan and The Competition
The story of the BD Drumline could not be accurately told without the
inclusion of both BD’s competition and its fans. Therefore, throughout
the week, we will be capturing rehearsals and performances of some of
the line’s fiercest competitors. Additionally, we will include a rare
look into some of the line’s most passionate fans - exploring their
never-ending fervor and enthusiasm.
The Final Mix
Dolby Laboratories will be providing a digitally master stereo and 5.1
final mix in addition to the recording engineering services taking
place on August 9th at the Overture Center.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXHIBITION
“Inside the BD Drumline ‘06” has the following usage arrangements already in place:
As a standard definition dvd (to be released this fall) to
service the unique niche market of rudimentary drummers and Blue Devil
enthusiasts across the US, Japan and Europe.
As downloadable content from the Blue Devil’s site (bluedevils.org).
As a promotional source for Dolby Labs: to use in the demonstration of
the new HD dvd and Blue Ray high definition dvd discs; as well as to
display the unique recording technology of Dolby Labs.
(www.dolby.com/professional/pro_audio_engineering/solutions_dvd3.html#truehd)
“Inside the BD Drumline ‘06” has the following potential usage arrangements:
As a documentary program for High Definition Television Broadcasts outlets such as an HD Discovery, HDNet, or PBSHD.
As an HD dvd and/or Blue Ray dvd disc to be released and distributed
through the Blue Devils and/or outside distribution networks such as
Barnes and Noble, Tower Records, Amazon.com, etc.
ADVANCED APPRECIATION
The Blue Devils and the filmmakers would to thank in advance the
following companies and individuals for their contribution and
assistance in the creation of this production:
Dynasty USA, Mark W. Schafer - President, Al Murray - Vice President, Mark Reynolds
Dolby Laboratories, John Loose and Adam Pinch
DCI, Dan Acheson
Tom Blair, producer of the DCI Championships on ESPN2
The staff and members of the BD Drumline, Scott Johnson, percussion caption head
Steve Schoeder of the Overture Center Madison Wisconsin
BigVision, provider of the HD Cameras and technical resources