May 2016

Our second Eurovision semi-final picks are in; will we do better than the first semi-final? Hoo boy, so we kinda tanked in our picks for the first Eurovision Song Contest semi-final, only getting 7 out of 10 right collectively (and not doing much better individually). Regardless, we here at telESCope shall persevere as we try our hand at predicting which of the 191 18 acts will advance from Thursday’s second semi-final. But first, let’s rehash Ryan’s methodology summary. Ben, Ryan, and I ranked the entries three times. The first ranking was just to get a sense of what we liked and what we didn’t once all the entries were selected, and this ranking did not factor into our final scores. It did help us gauge improvement and/or disappointment over time. For our second ranking in mid-April, we each compared each individual entry against the others in the field asking the question “which entry is more likely to qualify.” We used this same ranking process for our third ranking after watching all of last week’s rehearsal footage on the Eurovision YouTube channel. For balance and to incorporate some on-the-ground perspective, we also used the press center votes,2 the YouTube views of the official music videos, and the betting odds […]

The post Eurovision Song Contest 2016 Second Semi-Final: Our Predictions appeared first on What Else is On: telESCope.

[Read more…]

Our first semi-final picks are in; let the Eurovision Song Contest begin! It’s here! It’s May! I am so excite! The Eurovision Song Contest’s first semi-final takes place today; eighteen countries will battle for just ten tickets to Saturday’s Grand Final. After months of reading, listening, and watching videos,1 it’s time to put these entries on the stage. Who will be left standing at the end? We’ve made our picks … But first, let’s talk for a moment about methodology. Ben, Mike, and I ranked the entries three times. The first ranking was just to get a sense of what we liked and what we didn’t once all the entries were selected, and this ranking did not factor into our final scores. It did help us gauge improvement and/or disappointment over time. For our second ranking in mid-April, we each compared each individual entry against the others in the field asking the question “which entry is more likely to qualify.” We used this same ranking process for our third ranking after watching all of last week’s rehearsal footage on the Eurovision YouTube channel. For balance and to incorporate some on-the-ground perspective, we also used the press center votes,2 the YouTube views of the official music videos, […]

The post Eurovision Song Contest 2016 First Semi-Final: Our Predictions appeared first on What Else is On: telESCope.

[Read more…]

Friday provided a clearer separation of the wheat from the chaff as all eighteen performers from Semifinal 1 took to the Eurovision stage for their second rehearsals. The second rehearsal is key for Eurovision performers; this is the time when they’re finalizing costume choices, working through lighting and camera issues, tightening up choreography, and working out any remaining kinks. The next time these eighteen countries take the stage next Monday, they’ll be performing in front of the national juries that will account for half of their score. Here are first impressions from Friday’s rehearsals: 1 Apparently this is the final costuming? And those vocals … they are not good. Here’s hoping Sandhja’s just tired, and will be able to get some rest over the weekend. Props to those backup singers, who are doing great work trying to give energy, but ultimately the staging is static and the performance flat. 2 When in doubt, dance with your arms! Seriously though: I’m not a fan of this staging, in part because it reminds me too much of Portugal 2011. It’s very Greek, though, and hopefully some smart camera angles will capture some of the energy the dancers are bringing. Greece has never failed […]

The post 2016 Rehearsals Day 5: SF1, France, and Spain appeared first on What Else is On: telESCope.

[Read more…]

Tuesday saw ten more countries rehearsing for the first time on Stockholm’s Eurovision Song Contest stage. The second half of the first semi final got its turn to rehearse on the stage in Stockholm on Tuesday. Host country Sweden also got to rehearse at the end of the day. As usual, mini clips of each session were posted on the Eurovision YouTube channel. Here are first impressions from Tuesday’s rehearsals: Czech Republic Well, yes, Gabriela Guncikova is just standing there, which will probably be happening a lot among the contestants of the semi-finals. It doesn’t look like there will be a lot of distractions on stage or in the backdrop. Cyprus The cage motif is a bit of a surprise. It will be interesting to see how that looks on TV — especially with the steadicam having to navigate an obstacle course. Austria Another stand-and-sing. The colorful backdrop looks pretty, but I wonder how much will be able to translate to television in closeup shots of Zoe. Estonia Has this song always had a Vegas motif? The backdrop is a little bland, but from photos on the Eurovision site, it looks like there will be a lot of floor graphics […]

The post 2016 Rehearsals Day 2: Czech Republic through Malta plus Sweden appeared first on What Else is On: telESCope.

[Read more…]