Thoughts on recent(?) trend of "hiding shows" in the early season

[vincentlee1220]

This has been something that's been on my mind for a while, and I don't closely follow band anymore, but a comment thread on a video of Vista Ridge 2023 at LISD Festival of Bands got me ready to type :P.

I've observed a recent(-ish?) trend among band programs to "hide" their in-progress shows over the course of the season, only starting to show them once the competitive season gets into the groove and it's impossible to stop people from taking videos at UIL Region/Area/State.

I do understand some of the common concerns:

1. Copyrighted music
2. Rough early-season runs may deflate "hype" or negatively affect the opinion of prospective judges that watch them
3. A desire to present only one's "best self"

 

But I do miss seeing week-to-week progress and think it's a loss. Back when I was at VR (2011-2014), we uploaded public videos every single week after each football game (sometimes on the night of! I'd stay up til like 2 AM refreshing YouTube for the video). I also don't buy the common concerns:

1. Most marching band music is either out of copyright, or falls under fair use. Unless the arrangers and drill writers don't want them posted, but they usually wind up being posted at the end of the season anyways so ??
2. Realistically, no adjudicator with credentials has the time or attention to spend creeping on programs on YouTube.
3. A problem with our modern society (social media, etc.) is that we're too eager to only present our best, polished, often edited self, without reflecting or showing the hard work that led to that point. It's a delightful trip down memory lane for me to look at janky old videos of the shows I marched in (Including one football game where I started the show 10 yards away from where I should've -- miraculously made it back on track somehow). Seeing an awful visual moment just slowly iron itself out over the season (closer diamond set in vista ridge 2013 Scheherazade comes to mind) brings back lots of good memories of working hard for something and getting it just right.

I do know that students probably get shown week-to-week videos privately, but they lose access them rather quickly unless they make their own copy.

 

Thoughts? Is this a recent trend? Did it come from DCI? (probably) I know some other schools did it even when I was in high school, but I was happy we didn't.

Edited October 9, 2023 by vincentlee1220

[oddlynormal]

A great deal of this is copyright and sync rights.  A lot of composers who may be alive today have publishers who monitor sync rights to their music.  You may have the rights to arrange and perform, but not record.  

There are also bands who do not want their early season videos posted or posted at all.  That is all up to the staff of each program.  

If you think judges, who are the ultimate marching arts fans, aren't looking for or watch videos you are sorely mistaken.  I have been in the press box at MANY contests and those conversations certainly happen.  It is just the nature of the beast.

[MisterNick]

I think you have something with copyrighted music and wanting to put your best foot forward at all times. I remember back during LD Bell's heyday, people would look for drill mess-ups as proof that they didn't deserve their powerhouse reputation. I doubt much has changed in the years since, especially when it comes to directors trying to build a program.

[lost]

Copyright is a ****.