World Hit Festival 29 - Vodiznad, Izmedu | OOC

[Cosneolta]

Joke entries have finally come to WHF

Granted, my WHF23 entry "Aiiiyaraiiiliiya" was sort of a joke entry

Excuse Me!! Danny DingDong is a legitimate pop artist and should be treated as such!
Rick Leg not so much

I'm trying to do a so bad it's good by going horrifically over the top with it. Hopefully it will blow your socks off (and maybe blow something else while we're at it )

[Kalosia]

Welcome, Cosneolta! Everyone has been accepted and added to the OP.

Just a reminder that each user can enter up to 2 puppets in addition to their main nation, and during the voting a nation can only receive a max of 8 points from other nations controlled by the same user. For example, country A can receive 5 points from country B and 3 points from country C, but not more; country B and country C can also receive up to 8 points from each other and country A respectively.

Festival di Melodi Kalosiana is likely to be held next Saturday rather than this weekend; for now I'm calling dibs on the song Parachute by Christina Magrin (JESC 2016 Malta).

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Regarding JWHF, I've added a poll on deciding how it should be run. Should we continue JWHF2 or abandon it and begin JWHF3? Let me explain the options:

Option 1 basically means we'll pick it up from where we left off, with Tödlichebujoku as the new host. Signups will be re-opened but countries who have already signed up will be retained and can even keep their original entries (in fact, I'd personally advise those countries to not change their entries, but I won't force them to).
Option 2 is self explanatory.
Option 3 means we are essentially abandoning JWHF2, writing down in the history books that it ICly happened already and was a non-competitive event.
Option 4 is the same with option 3, except the circumstances are different (please explain!).

The poll will be open for a week, and whichever result of the poll gets the most votes will be enacted. If there is a tie, a revote involving the tying options will be held. You may choose up to 2 options.
Feel free to ask if you have any questions!

[Britonisea]

IMHO.

I don't want to send the songs I sent for JWHF2 again. Look at it from a RL situation. If we redo JWHF2, then my acts will be pretty upset as their entries were nothing and that wouldn't be written in the so-called history books. I refuse to send the songs I did for JWHF2 again, because I have bigger plans. I am fine with ToBu hosting the 3rd edition - but open sign ups for an extended time and for it to run against WHF (not clashing when it's time to post entries etc)

JWHF, maybe it was not competitive or perhaps..."everybody won!"

[Todlichebujoku]

I say just re-vote for the acts in the IC thread, get a winner, and start JWHF3.

[Kalosia]

IMHO.

I don't want to send the songs I sent for JWHF2 again. Look at it from a RL situation. If we redo JWHF2, then my acts will be pretty upset as their entries were nothing and that wouldn't be written in the so-called history books. I refuse to send the songs I did for JWHF2 again, because I have bigger plans. I am fine with ToBu hosting the 3rd edition - but open sign ups for an extended time and for it to run against WHF (not clashing when it's time to post entries etc)

I should've clarified that JWHF2 would've still happened once ICly; it's just that it, uhh, "got postponed". It would be more upsetting to the participants if it was abandoned instead. That said, I'll continue to observe the poll as well as take into note any suggestions you guys may have.

[Ethane]

I say just re-vote for the acts in the IC thread, get a winner, and start JWHF3.

This.

[Anollasia]

Nation: Anollasia
Broadcaster: NATV

Song Title: Feel
Artist: Audrey Leblanc
Language(s): English
Title Transcription (if required): N/A
Title Translation (if required): N/A
Tune: Regina Spektor - How

Translation of "Music is Life" in national language(s): English: Music is Life
Turkish: Müzik Hayattır
Anollasian: Müsic tis Haylife

[Ethane]

IMHO.

I don't want to send the songs I sent for JWHF2 again. Look at it from a RL situation. If we redo JWHF2, then my acts will be pretty upset as their entries were nothing and that wouldn't be written in the so-called history books. I refuse to send the songs I did for JWHF2 again, because I have bigger plans. I am fine with ToBu hosting the 3rd edition - but open sign ups for an extended time and for it to run against WHF (not clashing when it's time to post entries etc)

I should've clarified that JWHF2 would've still happened once ICly; it's just that it, uhh, "got postponed". It would be more upsetting to the participants if it was abandoned instead. That said, I'll continue to observe the poll as well as take into note any suggestions you guys may have.

Just an issue with the poll you made - you can select more than one option.

[Kalosia]

Anollasia has been accepted and added to the OP.

Just an issue with the poll you made - you can select more than one option.

This was on purpose for a variety of reasons. Though, if a tiebreaker poll is necessary there will only be two options and you may only be able to choose one.

[Izmedu]

All the details on WHF29, plus a few more.

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The City of Vodiznad

An aerial view of Vodiznad showing its skyline and the famous Velikstav waterfront/walkway

Vodiznad (population: 586,711) is the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Izmedu. It is the 'founding' and first city of the republic, considered to the very genesis of the country itself. The seaside capital boasts what is to be considered some of the country's best aspects of its culture. The architecture of Vodiznad is particularly acclaimed, with the Adviant Palace (one of Vodiznad's oldest buildings, a palace that was believed to have been older than Izmedu itself) standing the test of time and remaining stalwart as Vodiznad modernized itself. Of course, Vodiznad is a blend of the old and the new. Take a drive down one of its intimately built boulevards and you'll find a nightclub scene that bursts alive at night.

Vodiznad stands as Izmedu's most recognizable and arguably the country's only global city. Not only has it staked a reputation for being its most powerful cultural hub, but also as a tourist destination. Vodiznad is famed locally for its constant stream of events that happen annually. Two domestic music fesitvals (VodiFest and OmniVodiznad, respectively catering to traditional/turbofolk and EDM/House) are held within a space of two months, to festivals that celebrate the seasons, and much more. Vodiznad is strategically built around a nature reserve, so one can get away from the urban sprawl to take a hike at the Rub Grada trail just skirting outside the city. Many domestic visitors flock to the city for a chance to experience these aforementioned events and more.

"If you wanted to make it anywhere in Izmedu as a star, Vodiznad was the way to go. You know you've made it when the savants of Vodiznad have rightfully declared you as one of their own."

The Theme - "Music is Life"

“Music is Life” was decided as the theme to WHF29 based upon two things. One, it is based off RTI's philosophical approach to the contest with its focus on selecting artists from all walks of life, whether they are veterans, upstarts, or those in the middle. Any artist, so long as they are making music, are eligible to become the Izmeduan representative. The one common thread uniting every artist in the World Hit Festival is their dedication to one thing: the creation and sharing of music. For many of those competing in the WHF, music is a livelihood, their stock in trade. It informs the ways in which they see, hear, and perceive the world. It is a source of comfort and enjoyment. Any little detail, down to the cars passing in the street to the sound effects of urban sprawl, can act as a spark of inspiration. For many participants, music can be and is quite literally life.

The second criteria is based off the universality of the theme, and deciding to have “music is life” as the contest's slogan allows for RTI to embrace all cultures and music styles flowing into the contest. Regardless of how music between countries differs in sound and style, there is always a commonality that is shared between all of us... That commonality is the dedication to creating the art of music. What we produce may sound different from each other, but from artist to artist, we know of the work that goes into each song. The music may be different, but what can't be denied is that the philosophy of our lives being revolving around music can transcend borders.

The Venue

The official venue of World Hit Festival 29 is the Dragulj Arena (capacity: ~13,500, highest recorded attendance is: 14,222). Built in 1976 to accommodate Izmedu's growing music scene as well as in response to the need for a much larger place to hold concerts, sports matches, and conferences, the Dragulj Arena is now known as the primary venue that the city turns to for hosting larger events. The arena's most recent hosting projects are the first two editions of Izmepisma, Izmedu's national final for the WorldVision Song Contest, as well several iterations of OmniVodiznad (a domestic music festival). The Dragulj Arena also plays host to short-term residency concerts from the country's largest music stars, with artists like Arijana Kovac and Antony Bernardini-Vujkovic holding week-long stints in the arena during concert tours.

Radio-teleivizija Izmedu (RTI) has anticipated that the demand for tickets will outstrip the arena's limited capacity. Thus, the channel has collaborated with the original developers of the Dragulj Arena to safely expand the maximum capacity of the arena to ~16,000 in time for the contest, as well as offering viewing parties in the surrounding vicinity of the arena.

The Stage

A CGI Rendering of the Planned Stage

In keeping with the theme's simplicity, the stage has been designed accordingly to be both simple in concept and intricate in detail. The layout consists of a three-tiered stage, a top level near the stage entrance, a mid-base level that contains the main stage and a protruding runway, which is then complemented by a lower level that fills out the rest of the stage. On the lowest level contains two stage platforms that can either be utilized by delegations to perform special stage effects or where props can be placed (the platforms can be adjusted up to as high as the ceiling, musicians can be placed there, and etc). The center of stage's back wall is an entrance that artists can enter in and out of, and there are accompanying entrances hidden from the audience in both stage left and stage right. The rest of the back wall is dominated by a large screen that can broadcast any images or screen effects that nations need for their performances. The artistic rendering of the stage above shows tiered screens to show graphics that somewhat resemble the theme graphic, this can easily be changed to show whole images that can dominate an entire wall (a la the Dusseldorf stage in ESC 2011). The floors on all levels are screens as well, though tests have shown the most pleasing screen aesthetics come from the very center floor panel.

Now, we move onto what the stage can do as far as special effects. Designers have optimized the stage to make sure that delegations can install any effects that they need. Firework launchers are on offer, as well as pyrotechnics, water effects (there is a water conduit on the ceiling), multiple lighting configurations, confetti cannons, as well as limited holographic technology, and much more. The list of effects currently provided is by no means exhaustive and delegations are welcome to ask for more advanced options that can be fine-tuned for their performances.

Postcards and Headers

Similar to the World Hit Festival 19, there will be two designs for each nation that successfully participates in the contest (a complete entry on the draft thread). When entries are pasted over on the draft thread, a header will be attached to the top of their entry where a version of the plant logo will be presented in a variation of the national colors, and the ensuing entry information will be presented. That picture will then act as a link to the postcard.

There are three variations of the postcard that all reflect the theme of the contest: “Music is Life.” Each variation is termed as thus: Sound, Scope, and Notes. The sound variation will feature a picture of an equalizer, scope shows a picture of an ethereal galactic background, and notes will show a person with headphones with musical notes flowing out of such. Each iteration of the postcard will have the color gradients adjusted. Interspersed with each respective design will be the translation of “Music is Life” into your national language as the focal point of the postcard. Enclosed below is a sample of the postcard using the WHF28 Izmeduan entry. The ways in which what postcard image is allocated to each nation will be determined by the running order, as I aim to make sure that an equal amount of the postcard variations are distributed. However, if a nation yearns for a particular type, I will be able to accommodate the request.

Header using the Izmeduan WHF28 entry, click on the header to access the sample postcard

The Voting Reveal

The voting portion of the contest will be revealed in two phases. The way it will be handled will take chief inspiration from the way the voting was presented in both WHF26 and 27 (consider it a hybrid of sorts). Phase 1 of the voting will concern the lower votes that are given out. The host will go through nation by nation to determine the 1-4 points they have given to other nations, similar to how Britonisea presented the 1-4 votes in WHF27. However, the scoreboard will not be revealed throughout Phase 1 until all nations have revealed their phase 1 votes, with the post-Phase 1 scoreboard acting as a halftime result. No spokesperson shall be used for this part as it will be the Izmeduan host that will go through each nation. The voting order of Phase 1 will remain independent from Phase 2, as tension and excitement are so far the number one criteria to determine the result reveal.

Phase 2 of the voting will be similar to both WHF26 and 27, where we will go over each nation to find out who they gave their maximum 5 points to. Phase 2 will see nations utilize a spokesperson and an active scoreboard throughout the process. Thus, participants will be able to track where their nation lands as the 5 points recipients are revealed.. Similarly to phase 1, the voting order for phase 2 will attempt to maximize tension and also cloud the winner of the contest for as long as possible. As such the phase 2 voting will be similar to the way Kalosia handled the 5 points back in WHF26.

Phase I Votes from Izmedu

Phase II votes from Izmedu

Final Scoreboard using WHF28 Results

That concludes most IC aspects of the upcoming WHF. If there are any questions, please feel free to ask them here or through TG

[Polkopia]

Nation: Polkopia
Broadcaster: PNB (Polkopian National Broadcaster)

Song Title: Davai
Artist: Nikolai Bartrov
Language(s): English, Russian
Title Transcription (if required):
Title Translation (if required): Let's Go
Tune: Willy William - Ego

Translation of "Music is Life" in national language(s): Muzika Zhezna

[West Phoencia]

Nation:  The Confederate Kingdom of West Phoenicia
Broadcaster: WP Music Gold Station

Song Title: Bubblegum Kisses
Artist: Bubblegum
Language(s): English
Title Transcription (if required): 
Title Translation (if required): 
Tune: 

Translation of "Music is Life" in national language(s):  Music is Life

[Britonisea]

What is this I see? A...a Polkopia? I haven't seen one of them since like WHF15-or sometime like that. Back in the olden times...

And hello West Phoenicia!

[Anollasia]

Welcome back, Polkopia! Also, Vodiznad looks beautiful, very Mediterranean. I wish I was there right now.

[Kalosia]

Welcome back Polkopia, West Phoenicia! Polk, I really like your tune btw

And once again I like your designs Izmedu ^_^ they're very sleek and elegant this edition. I can't afford to send a bid but I'd love to work on something in the near future...

[Izmedu]

Polk! Nice to see you sign up for WHF29 (and I also approve of the tune too), glad to see you've made it. Welcome back to WHF, Polkopia.

I'd also like to welcome back West Phoenicia as well. It's good to see returnees floating back in. Hopefully we see more nations trickle in for the next week or so, new or old.

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Welcome back, Polkopia! Also, Vodiznad looks beautiful, very Mediterranean. I wish I was there right now.

Aww thank you! I blush, I've been waiting to show off Vodiznad for a while haha. RL-wise it's based off of the city of Split, Croatia. And I agree, it's very beautiful (I instantly made it the basis of my capital the moment I saw pictures of Split years ago). How I'd love to be taking a walk in that picture right now...

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Welcome back Polkopia, West Phoenicia! Polk, I really like your tune btw

And once again I like your designs Izmedu ^_^ they're very sleek and elegant this edition. I can't afford to send a bid but I'd love to work on something in the near future...

omg i cry thank you so much I try my best. Seriously though, I'm very flattered to hear that as your own design work for WV and WHF is gorgeous. I haven't taken on a huge design project in such a long while (thank Behance and my desire for fonts for a lot of this tbh) so it's good to hear good responses.

[West Phoencia]

Thanks. Had a death in the family, so had to pull back on some of my play time. And this got the chop due to time that is needed to invest.

[Anollasia]

Polk! Nice to see you sign up for WHF29 (and I also approve of the tune too), glad to see you've made it. Welcome back to WHF, Polkopia.

I'd also like to welcome back West Phoenicia as well. It's good to see returnees floating back in. Hopefully we see more nations trickle in for the next week or so, new or old.

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Welcome back, Polkopia! Also, Vodiznad looks beautiful, very Mediterranean. I wish I was there right now.

Aww thank you! I blush, I've been waiting to show off Vodiznad for a while haha. RL-wise it's based off of the city of Split, Croatia. And I agree, it's very beautiful (I instantly made it the basis of my capital the moment I saw pictures of Split years ago). How I'd love to be taking a walk in that picture right now...

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Welcome back Polkopia, West Phoenicia! Polk, I really like your tune btw

And once again I like your designs Izmedu ^_^ they're very sleek and elegant this edition. I can't afford to send a bid but I'd love to work on something in the near future...

omg i cry thank you so much I try my best. Seriously though, I'm very flattered to hear that as your own design work for WV and WHF is gorgeous. I haven't taken on a huge design project in such a long while (thank Behance and my desire for fonts for a lot of this tbh) so it's good to hear good responses.

Croatia looks like a beautiful place. I'd like to visit it.

Thanks. Had a death in the family, so had to pull back on some of my play time. And this got the chop due to time that is needed to invest.

Aw man, sorry to hear that. You can make it through this. If you need someone to talk to, feel free to telegram me.

[Darkmania]

Thanks. Had a death in the family, so had to pull back on some of my play time. And this got the chop due to time that is needed to invest.

We will be there for you.

[Izmedu]

Thanks. Had a death in the family, so had to pull back on some of my play time. And this got the chop due to time that is needed to invest.

My deepest condolences... If you ever need anyone to talk to, for any reason at all, my TG line is open. I hope things are looking up for you.

[Estogium]

Estogium's entry is 100% complete, but I am unsure about Britonisea, so it is likely that I may send a WV song, improved, or a back up plan song.

[Kalosia]

So the WHF community has voted to make JWHF2 a non-competitive event and move on to JWHF3.

Appropriate steps will be taken and the signups thread will be open by the weekend.

[Todlichebujoku]

So the WHF community has voted to make JWHF2 a non-competitive event and move on to JWHF3.

Appropriate steps will be taken and the signups thread will be open by the weekend.

Though my suggestion wasn't included in the poll :/

Alternatively, we could do the re-voting during JWHF3 signups.

Yes, I'm somewhat determined to see what Hannes and Friends get for their trouble.

[Kalosia]

So the WHF community has voted to make JWHF2 a non-competitive event and move on to JWHF3.

Appropriate steps will be taken and the signups thread will be open by the weekend.

Though my suggestion wasn't included in the poll :/

Alternatively, we could do the re-voting during JWHF3 signups.

Yes, I'm somewhat determined to see what Hannes and Friends get for their trouble.

I assumed that people in favour of that voted for the last option. JWHF is meant to be longer since it only occurs every once in a while. We could carry on according to the results of the poll, have a 2nd round voting with your option, or you could make a thing where a WHF fansite conducts unofficial voting, with us participating countries submitting the votes (a la OGAE).

I'm having second thoughts on using Parachute as my tune :/

[Izmedu]

My two cents on JWHF, so long as there is a JWHF3 happening, I'm cool with it. While I was intensely interested in the results a long time ago (a part of me still yearns how JWHF2 would've panned out in terms of results tho, so an OGAE-like fan vote is interesting), it's been so long since JWHF2. I'm actually excited for JWHF3, I have a tune ready, just need to bust out and work out the kinks of the Izmeduan lanuage...

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Bit of a brief announcement, the draft thread will be up later on today if you're a resident of the US, or by incredibly early morning if you live in the GMT/CET timezones. I have written all of the necessary stuff for the draft thread, just need to implement the formatting. I expect to have it all set up by 10:00PM PST, but it might come a little bit later. I do have a final exam in the evening that will cause some delays, but not more than 1 or 2 hours from what I'm expecting.

Get your entries ready! You'll have the chance to post them very soon.

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EDIT: The draft thread is now up!

WORLD! START POSTING NOW!