• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

[The Smiler] Marketing discussion

Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
DiogoJ42 said:
I think that's a sign you need to step back from geekdom and chill out mate. ;)
Click to expand...

How is it? This could have nothing to with The Smiler, Alton Towers or even a Theme Park for that matter and I believe it would spook me.
 
Think back to when all they marketed was new crabs in Sharkbait Reef.

Think about how much better this marketing is, and what it actually represents.

And stop moaning. There is being critical but I think a pretty damn decent effort is being unfairly ripped apart.
 
When I've spent my whole carreer controling TV picture quality, (and on occasion deliberately making things look believably bad for comic effect), I think I have every right to moan when a company as big as Merlin produces such frankly stupid quality images.

The actual idea behind the videos is perfectly good. Hell, even I can't fault that. But there is no need to go so crazy with the "bad quality" effects. It destroys any believability and makes it look obviously fake. Seriously, it is litterally not possible for any video camera to naturally produce those kind of images.
But hey, what do I know? I only spent ten years working as a vision engineer for the BBC, and another two as a freelancer. ;)


Just to reitterate, I have no problem with the content / plot of these videos. Just the post production.
 
DiogoJ42 said:
When I've spent my whole carreer controling TV picture quality, (and on occasion deliberately making things look believably bad for comic effect), I think I have every right to moan when a company as big as Merlin produces such frankly stupid quality images.

The actual idea behind the videos is perfectly good. Hell, even I can't fault that. But there is no need to go so crazy with the "bad quality" effects. It destroys any believability and makes it look obviously fake. Seriously, it is litterally not possible for any video camera to naturally produce those kind of images.
But hey, what do I know? I only spent ten years working as a vision engineer for the BBC, and another two as a freelancer. ;)


Just to reitterate, I have no problem with the content / plot of these videos. Just the post production.
Click to expand...

You could say the same for Blair Witch couldn't you but didn't that make a couple million in its time?
 
Blair Witch was just shot with domestic grade cameras. They didn't plaster stupid effects all over it in the edit... And it looked believably amateur.

LOl... This is a bit like trying to explain different coaster types to a non-enthusiast who doesn't see any difference between an Arrow looper and a B&M hyper. ;)
 
DiogoJ42 said:
When I've spent my whole carreer controling TV picture quality, (and on occasion deliberately making things look believably bad for comic effect), I think I have every right to moan when a company as big as Merlin produces such frankly stupid quality images.

The actual idea behind the videos is perfectly good. Hell, even I can't fault that. But there is no need to go so crazy with the "bad quality" effects. It destroys any believability and makes it look obviously fake. Seriously, it is litterally not possible for any video camera to naturally produce those kind of images.
But hey, what do I know? I only spent ten years working as a vision engineer for the BBC, and another two as a freelancer. ;)


Just to reitterate, I have no problem with the content / plot of these videos. Just the post production.
Click to expand...

I see your point here, but the majority of people watching probably don't have experience of TV production, so don't see it as being too unbelievable or obviously fake.

The videos are cheesy - the second one is starting to bring the back story together, but doesn't flow very well and jumps from one thing to another. They do give me hope that there will be a sinister undertone to the ride atmosphere, after being generally disappointed with the theming / uniforms etc.
 
DiogoJ42 said:
But hey, what do I know? I only spent ten years working as a vision engineer for the BBC, and another two as a freelancer. ;)
Click to expand...

This video is not just made for you!! I'm sure theres loads of people from loads of industries that together could pick apart all manner of media...this is just about communicating a story to the vast majority of people. People see VHS, they expect the image to be fuzzy...they might not be lucky enough to have you giving your professional commentary on how it's the TV that would cause the problems not the video, or that no camcorder ever would do such a thing.

I think the post-production effects make the video believable to the vast majority of viewers.

Plus I have VHS tapes that play worse than this, maybe the concept is that we're seeing what Trish is seeing?

Anyway, this conversation is pointless, this is art, they can do what they bleeding like!
 
944487_10201154917098083_2047667597_n.jpg


It might be something enthusiasts have known for ages, but it's finally official - The Smiler is the world's first 14 inversion roller coaster!
 
Argh hell. I know the general public don't get coaster jargon, but I was hoping Towers would be more specific than Thorpe were about Colossus and say it's the world's first fourteen inversion/inverting coaster instead of fourteen looping. Colossus could at least have accurately claimed to be the world's first once looping, ten inverting coaster. This is a no-looping coaster!
 
Where is this from? It has great grammar anyway...

On another note, a Youtube user noticed that, in the 'Smile. Always Part 2' video, the clock keeps flicking back to 5:21, which could possibly hint at the 21st as being the opening date.
 
I still don't think that is the "world's first" due to what Wardley said. "You'll have to ride it to find out." I'm pretty sure plastering it over the back of cereal boxes means that you won't have to ride it to find out.
 
Alastair said:
I still don't think that is the "world's first" due to what Wardley said. "You'll have to ride it to find out." I'm pretty sure plastering it over the back of cereal boxes means that you won't have to ride it to find out.
Click to expand...

Steady Alastair, don't get using that logic stuff around here ;D

Also whilst I don't agree with Diogos thoughts personally in terms of preference

DiogoJ42 said:
Just to reitterate, I have no problem with the content / plot of these videos. Just the post production.
Click to expand...

This is no different to many of you talking about something you are passionate about, and like it or not Diogo IS right. Now as I say, I like the OTT thing they're doing with it, but as a music producer when I hear AWFUL quality production in media it drives me nuts, so I completely understand where he is coming from.

As for the 14 looping thing, I don't know how you word that differently for the public, however as someone pointed out, there isn't actually 1 loop lol!!
 
DiogoJ42 said:
LOl... This is a bit like trying to explain different coaster types to a non-enthusiast who doesn't see any difference between an Arrow looper and a B&M hyper. ;)
Click to expand...

Coming from someone who also works in the media industry, getting people to really understand video is one of the hardest parts of the job haha, I sympathize with you Diogo.

I'm not getting on my high horse saying it, it's just true! :)
 
Status
This topic has been locked. No further replies can be posted.
Top