The plot is protracted, the games are similar Variety shows cannot go without paying attention

Variety shows can't go without being careful

【Film and television review】

In recent years, the problem of water injection in the creation of variety shows has been repeatedly criticized by the audience. The long-awaited variety show was launched, but it was found that it was just a pilot film that was pieced together and edited with fragments; A program is often two or three hours long, and the plot drags on; It is obviously a new show, but there are many bridges that seem familiar. Viewers are exhausted by the lengthy content, so they turn on the double-speed viewing mode or switch to the short video platform to learn about the highlights of the program. The creation of variety shows injects water, which not only dilutes the enthusiasm of the audience, but also deviates the industrial ecology.

To summarize the water injection methods of variety shows, there are two main types. One is that there is no distinction between primary and secondary, and there is too much duplicate and redundant information. Whether it is a slow variety show that creates a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, or an outdoor variety show that is mainly based on competition, it is recorded from the time the guests receive the invitation, and the details of the links such as departure and boarding and interviews on the way are exhaustive. These are supposed to be tidbits but often appear in feature sequences that need to be paid to watch under the name of "pilot films". It's hard to get to the point, the story is pieced together, the materials are piled up at will, the gags of the guests and stylized game interactions occupy most of the narrative space, but the main plot has become an embellishment. What's more, it hyped up bridges that are easy to be on the hot search but are not helpful in storytelling. For example, the plot of a guest falling in an outdoor variety show should be repeated many times with different cameras. The picture of the hands of male and female guests accidentally touching in the love variety show is also rendered in slow motion. In addition to the length of the feature film being lengthened, variety shows have also added tidbits and direct shooting, in fact, the content is much the same.

Another way to fill water is to group the subject matter type and fill the old wine in new bottles. Some variety show genres have creative bottlenecks, and many program formats and processes are replicates classic models. In addition to the lack of novelty in the large genre framework, the specific plot also falls into the cliché. Whether it is an indoor interview game variety show or an outdoor competitive reality show, the game link is inseparable from several projects such as you draw me guess, microphone, guess the name of the song, tear the name tag and so on. The show also has a certain degree of overlap in guest invitations, and when an artist is popular, he becomes the object of invitation to variety shows. Some viewers said helplessly: "Almost the same guests, almost the same game, I can't tell which show I watch." ”

The water injection of variety shows is first of all related to the excessive pursuit of commercial value and the violation of artistic laws. When the sponsor signs a contract with the program group, it generally stipulates the exposure time of the product. Artists participate in variety shows and also hope to increase exposure. Therefore, the longer the show, the longer the exposure time of the brand and the artist, which may leave a deeper impression on the audience. As a result, space injection has become a way to accommodate the demands of multiple parties. Secondly, the expression of variety shows is becoming more and more complex, and more and more content can be presented. In the past, the program was mainly recorded in the studio, and the host and guests stood on the stage, and the content was relatively single, so there was less material. Now the shooting scenes of variety shows are more diverse, and in addition to the main stage, scenes such as observation rooms and dressing rooms have been added in the studio. There are more choices of outdoor scenes, and it is almost possible to "change scenery step by step". Even in a fixed location, almost every guest has a dedicated camera to shoot directly. Dozens of cameras are constantly accumulating a lot of material, and there are improper trade-offs when editing, and the content is inevitably lengthy and repetitive. Again, some variety shows are weak in innovation. Faced with the changing market environment and audience taste, some creators dare not speak lightly about innovation, so they limit their creative vision to mature models or conventional types that have passed market verification, and produce standard "cultural products" at low cost and high efficiency. Although this concept can control market risks, it suppresses the creativity of practitioners and leads to homogenization of content. More "parallel goods" of the same type that lack innovation will also lead to "water injection on the track", resulting in overcapacity.

Therefore, the creation of variety shows cannot be just a matter of quantity. To tighten the "water injection faucet", we must strengthen the sense of quality, improve the ability to innovate, and continue to produce high-quality "dry goods" for the industry. Creators should adhere to artistic pursuit and value orientation, polish stories with ingenuity, and forge brands with sincerity. Open up the pattern when planning the theme idea, and tap more content that spreads positive energy and carries forward the main theme. When shooting and editing, artistic quality should be put first, so that the content of the program revolves around the theme and obeys the needs of the narrative. In the process, we can both deepen traditional genres and open up new ones. But no matter which path you take, you should bravely step out of your creative comfort zone, reduce self-repetition, and fully integrate interesting cultural and entertainment functions into meaningful mainstream values. It is gratifying that in the past two years, new types and forms such as labor documentary interactive reality shows and cultural and museum programs have emerged in the field of variety shows, continuously injecting the source of living water into creation. It is believed that in the near future, as the creation squeezes out the moisture, practitioners will launch more solid masterpieces with a more rigorous creative attitude, so that the road of variety show development will become wider and more stable.

(Author: Zhou Kui, Associate Professor, Communication University of China)

(Guangming Daily)