B-Side - Nirvana

Lyons Township

TV Show

Entry Description

This is an excerpt from the music review show "B-Side", featuring a highlight on Nirvana.

Judge 1

Positives: The host was excellent. Well informed, passionate, consistent, and opinionated. I couldn't tell if the script was memorized or read from prompter, which is good. Excellent choice of subject material. Nirvana fascinates people to this day and interest shows no sign of stopping anytime soon. Also, the choice to keep the scope of their career small was wise. You're not going to unpack the whole story of the band in 3 minutes so keeping it focused on one event in their history was the right way to go.

Improvements: Production Value - It was not very exciting seeing only photos of the band. This was an act known for their explosive performances. They would routinely demolish their gear onstage or just jump into the crowd. Seeing a photo of the band from an afternoon photoshoot is one thing, a video of Kurt Cobain diving headfirst into a drumset tells a very different story. Script - There were some factual errors, or times when the facts and opinions were muddled. One example is when you mention the Rolling Stone list of the 500 Greatest Albums, and say that Nirvana bumped Michael Jackson to a lower spot. What you're actually referring to is when Nevermind took the #1 spot on the Billboard Album Charts in January of 1992, bumping Michael Jackson's "Dangerous" to #2. This is a well-known moment in pop culture history. The Billboard Charts are based on album sales, while the Rolling Stone article (which was written 20 years later in 2012) is purely editorial opinion. They are both important examples of Nevermind's impact on music history, but they are very different examples from very different sources.

Judge 2

Positives: Your host does a very nice job. Good pace. She seems quite comfortable on camera. Good clear information supported nicely with appropriate photos, album covers, etc. Audio levels were balanced nicely and the background music track never made it difficult to hear her audio.

Improvements: I didn't love the green screen looking sharp edge around her hair. If it's just a blank background anyway, why not just shoot her in front a blank wall? Adjust the light boxes to avoid reflection in her glasses. Even though this is a grunge band, I found her wardrobe uninspired. (Not a big deal, but it could probably be better.) I wonder about the relevance of reviewing an album from 1991, but I suppose you're introducing the group to a new generation who might not be familiar. Very solid work here.

Judge 3

Positives: Good use of graphics for host and images. Interesting idea for a show.

Improvements: Too long on same shot. Too much talking head and not enough music/entertainment value.

Judge 4

Positives:

Improvements: