WHF Network - OOC Thread - Draft Thread
20:00 IZMEDUAN TIME
Lucky number 45. The World Hit Festival was maturing even further as a contest, cementing itself as a prestigious, distinguished, and consistent stalwart in multi-versal music. A new overseer was now in charge of the contest and future possibilities are always abound.
For Izmedu, this was the eighth time lucky for them as hosts. The World Hit Festival returns back to Izmedu after a surprise victory in Anollasia. No one at RTI had expected to host so soon after the country retired from the overseership, with many expecting the hosting mantle to go to other countries. When the hosting mantle was right back in Izmedu's hands, there was a sense of trepidation and fear amongst the channel. However, after taking a look at the legacy built so far, as well as the timing, how was Izmedu to say no? And thus, here we are now. The WHF returns to Vodiznad for the first time since the 34th World Hit Festival, holding in the largest audience that the country could possibly afford. The electricity and atmosphere was electrifying, breathtaking, and surreal. The audience were cheering hungrily for the show to start.
Those managing the show in some corner in the temporarily renovated, 27,000 strong La Cianta Arena. Even so, there were fans that were clamoring for more seats. The excitement was palpable as a countdown to the show began to start. RTI producers glanced at their Britonish counterparts, feeling that familiar sense of excitement from hosting the festival. The clock on the screens would slowly tick down to zero. The cheering would get progressively louder the closer it ticked down to 0.
Before long, the 45th World Hit Festival had truly begun...
Anita - I Believe
Tune: Joy Williams - Welcome Home
The broadcast proper began in silence. It showed first a scene of a quaint mountain in the outskirts of Vodiznad. The sound of wind began permeate in the broadcast (this was also projected in the arena as well). The camera would zoom out to reveal a young woman wearing a thick jacket, looking out into the distance. The landscape that the viewers and that she herself was one that was almost sublime, awe-inducing. It was Izmedu's vast natural landscape presented in the best possible shot, an almost overwhelming valley of greens and modest peaks that was devoid of any human presence sans the woman standing on the mountain. With an angle shift that showed her face only from the nose down, she can be seen smiling wistfully.
With that smile, the view would 'freeze' as an orchestral backing track would start playing. The broadcast would then apply a gradual gradient on the screen, mirroring that of the show's official logo. The words, 'I believe,' stylized like in the logo, would appear on the screen sans the World Hit Festival markings. As the instrumentation gradually swooned, a familiar scene began to appear on the screens... Kalosian fans watching at home would especially recognize the two people currently being shown on a stage in Polumisec. They were Corpus Calosum.
Zdravo, my beloved old friend
Your eyes are gaunt, your young heart feels so heavy
I sense that all hope has been lost, all torn and broken
And all I have are these small pleas, so take my hand and trust me...
The voice of a young woman (the singer's name Anita) would began to play over an effect-laden 'recap' of Corpus Calosum's win in Polumisec. Her voice would play as the backdrop as scenes can be seen of their successful victory, from the reprise to the passing on the hosts. Scenes from the 42nd World Hit Festival would play on the screen as an impactful collage of memories. Throughout the first verse, one can see images of Kaapo Séélinen, Esther Winterbourne, and the eventual winner herself, Britonisea's Evangeline Hope. At the final line of the verse, silent recaps of Britonisea clinching the scoreboard lead can be seen, prepping up to the moment of the chorus...
I believe
I believe
Hold onto the strength you have
I believe
With a soft bang and as soon as Anita sang 'I believe,' the view would focus on a scene of Evangeline Hope reacting to the revelation of her win in Altan. The music crept to an almost still silence, with only a set of strings and a domineering piano helping the proceedings. Anita singing the chorus was the very background that played host to a collage of Evangeline accepting the trophy, before fading into iconic black and white images of her win. By the end of this chorus, we were in Burgendore. The gradient taking over a subtle recreation of the template provided by the 43rd World Hit Festival.
Ju znam, it's easy to give up
Stay strong, even in your darkest days
Know that you are free and loved, free to fly and soar
This world may not believe in us, take my hand and say with me
Images and video clips of the WHF in Burgendore began to play in the screens as Anita sang the second verse. Shots of their opening sequence would play alongside this verse. As flags from various nations appeared, from Polkopia, to Normandy's, to the Britonish, and to the appearance of the Britonish hosts, Anita would sing over these sequences as audio clips of Elias and Evangeline's would occasionally play over her singing. These audio clips had an echo applied to them, as if Anita was singing over a distant memory. At the second half of the verse, we'd start to see the contestants take their turn. Marie Agent, Anna Kisdeminn, Les Pompiers, and Anima would all appear.
I believe
I believe
Hold onto the strength you have
I believe
The second chorus intensified in its instrumentation and delivery, especially matching the way Anima had passionately performed as they would showcase the very brief bits of their entry. During this chorus, we would then start to see Anollasia's rise to victory; the instrumentation further intensifying the more points Anollasia had. By the end of this chorus, Anima's (and Cael's) victory was now properly wrapped into the braodcast and made apparent from the 'recap' of the recent World Hit Festival. Just in time for the bridge, the World Hit Festival was now turning towards Jefferton for its 44th edition, the gradient turning light blue and white in Anollasia's national colors.
Don't let go of your dream, stand tall with no regret
Remember who you are deep inside
You are worthy
Hold on to love
The instrumentation kept to its consistent crescendo, showing scenes from the 44th World Hit Festival in Jefferton. In time to the 'climax' of this opening theme, there were shots of the Good Fellows performing the Anollasian Opening Act. Then, we would get the contestants themselves. From Daniel O'Callaghan, Rafael Tunisi, to Leonardo Nesita, Queens of Diamonds, and finally... the reason why this World Hit Festival is happening in the first place, Dorotea Viskovic & Nenad Niskic.
I believe
I believe
Stay strong for us, my beloved
Trust me when I say this...
I believe
For this final chorus, it was a brief but short reprise of Dorotea's victory. Anita's crooning of 'I believe' was interspersed with a black and white image of Dorotea holding the trophy and looking up, a few tears brimming from her eyes if one closely looked at the image. At the closing lines, the shouts of the audience would begin to be heard... The gradient now looked more familiar, and we went from Jefferton to Vodiznad. At the final note of the song, the full logo of the 45th World Hit Festival was now revealed on the broadcast.
The logo would linger on the screen for a few more seconds until all effects faded, blurring into a shot of the La Cianta Arena's interior. The 27,000 fans in the arena were all cheering loudly for the commencement of the show. Even if the opening act was shrouded in mystery, those who were familiar with Izmedu's hosting style had a feeling of what was going to come next. La Cianta pulsed with silence just for a few more seconds, before the brief set of lights that were giving off a haunting hue also all turned off. It was time for the opening act of the 45th World Hit Festival...
Helena Alic & Petar Pribanic - Ponos
Translation: Pride
Tune: Elvana Gjata ft. Flori - Kuq e zi je ti
Just one pluck of the guitar from the backing track, the crowd was already going wild.
On the screens, which was the queue for the crowd to quiet down as much as possibly could considering the example, was a poem in Izmeduan being recited within the song itself. The words were brief, appearing in cursive text as soon as they were spoken in the song as if being shouted through a megaphone. The words were spoken quickly, going as fast as they even appeared. A rough translation went as thus:
For too long we have stood in plight and suffering
Now is the time to resist the darkness that resides within us
Within us is a voice, it must be set free!
This is the time to take back what was ours
To find a light within the wilderness
And burn brighter than the sun
The last words echoed throughout the arena, almost to the point where it even resonated and appeared within the broadcast itself via a special effect. Each echo caused the camera angle to change before stabilizing into one that was directly horizontal with the main stage. The light configuration was now a haunting red hue that would continually linger until the introductory instrumental ended. For just a second, the arena would lie quiet and dormant...
The La Cianta roared to life at the commencement of an anthemic drum beat. The crowd cheered loudly as the arena was imbued in a huge of red and white. Right on cue, the camera would switch to a dynamic bird's eye view of the stage would slowly move outwards. People bearing the flags of the participating nations of the 45th World Hit Festival can be seen running in pairs from opposite sides, confluencing at the middle of the stage before pausing briefly once they reached the edge of the stage, performing a bit of choreography to herald the entrance of one of the two main singers of the song. There were 16 flags on the stage, with the flagbearers utilizing their bodies and dynamic movements to create some flashy and dramatic choreography to introduce Helena Alic. She marched on to the stage with hard eyes and a troupe of other dancers behind her, looking at the audience with determination. The camera would focus on her and she would begin to sing...
Idemo, idemo!
Trči divlje conmaic
Pivati, pivati
Odbimo tak biti
Budite el tuni
Pauze vaše zidov
Zajedno pivamo
Za ova proslava
Helena and her dancers/backup singers had their arms raised as she sang this first verse with a triumphant and defiant tone. Behind her, the dancers stood stock still as the flagbearers would still circle around them. She delivered this chorus with an intensity in her eyes, marching forward in opportune moments (with her troupe following suit). The lights would flash white to the beats, pulsing down on the persons on stage. Helena would then execute some light choreography at the hook, the camera zooming in on the stage to focus on her and the dancers before briefly taking a wide view. For a brief instrumental interlude, colored smoke can be seen wisping around the stage.
Ganeči con mnom, sam ponos
Sam slobodan, sam ponos
Večeras mi slavimo
Mi smo vuk, svitili od saul
Večeras mi slavimo
Mi smo vuk, svitili od saul
The chorus of the opening act saw the audience cheer as the camera would take a close view of Helena and her dancers for just a few seconds. She would sing the first few words stock still, before engaging in stomping-esque choreography at 'sam ponos.' The camerawork and the lights were frenetic the entire time, the views shifting from the audience waving their flags in time and rhythm to the beats or for Helena and her dancers stepping and moving forward in lockstep. Either way, the excitement did not let up, and Helena did not allow herself to lose breath as she led the dancers and the audience through the high-energy act. The flagbearers, Helena, and the dancers would regroup at the end of this chorus, all going in formation as even more colored smoke (in the varying colors of the participating countries) would parade around the stage.
Sam ponos! Dođi! Dođi!
Sam ponos! Dođi! Dođi!
Sam ponos! Dođi! Dođi!
Sam ponos!...
In this chant, it would be one of the flagbearers that would lead them through. At each beat, they would clap their hands in the air twice in unison, perform some light choreography when 'Dođi' was chanted, and would clap once more when 'sam ponos' was yelled. The crowd chanted alongside those on stage, up to and including the 'ohhhhh' build up at the last iteration of 'sam ponos.' After that, it was pure pandemonium on stage as the dancers, Helena, and flagbearers were getting the audience to jump up and down with them. Some were seen performing intricate routines, almost to the point of nigh-breakdancing on stage. This was accentuated with a constant chanting of the beat, with the camera equally focusing on both the dancers on stage and the audience. As soon as the instrumental interlude ended, the dancers would get back into a regular formation. Someone from the dancing troupe would 'unexpectedly' step out, revealing himself to be Helena's co-singer for the opening act. It was Petar Pribanic, an artist long thought to have been retired.
Nemoj oklivati
Mui, opusti se
Idemo, idemo
Ovo naš trenutak
Budite el tuni
Pauze vaše zidov
Zajedno pivamo
Za ova proslava
Petar situated himself right next to Helena as both looked at each other with a mutual camaraderie. For one line, they would glance and nod at each other before Petar would look towards the audience for the rest of the second verse. His voice definitely recounted the kind of Izmeduan tradition/throated-singing that many older Izmeduans were accustomed to hearing. He carried the song with a sense of both excitement and solemnity. He would walk as close he could to the audience. The stage configuration may not have made true stage interaction possible, but he would sing directly to those in the front row and pump them up with excitement as best he could. Once his verse done, he and Helena shared one more knowing glance, smiling at each other. It was time for Helena to take control of the song once more...
Ganeči con mnom, sam ponos
Sam slobodan, sam ponos
Večeras mi slavimo
Mi smo vuk, svitili od saul
Večeras mi slavimo
Mi smo vuk, svitili od saul
Helena sang the chorus with full force, engaging once more in a smilar choreography as she did earlier. Her and her dacners' movements were just a touch more intricate and passionate, taking in the extended energy from the crowd. This was where the colored smoke ceased its effects. The stage was now clear, but the lights still remained a maelstrom of red and white. At the end of this chorus, the camera would switch from its various angles of wide and close to a static shot of Helena and the dancers once more going in formation.
Sam ponos! Dođi! Dođi!
Sam ponos! Dođi! Dođi!
Sam ponos! Dođi! Dođi!
Sam ponos!...
Another chant. This time, it was the audience dominating the proceedings. Each chant of 'sam ponos' saw the camera angles and the lights flash in time of the words. It alternated between shots of the audience and the dancers, with some invested audience members also following along with the choreography (especally the tighly timed clapping). Clever camerawork would involve timing both the audience's clapping and the dancers' with alternating shots, especially at each 'sam ponos.' At the end, the dancers would disperse once more, preparing to send off the opening act with one last hurrah...
Ganeči con mnom, sam ponos
Sam slobodan, sam ponos
Večeras mi slavimo
Mi smo vuk, svitili od saul
Večeras mi slavimo
Mi smo vuk, svitili od saul
This time, the choreography was far more informal, and Helena, Petar, and the dancers/flagbearers were now all huddled together as much as possible. They would all have their arms raised at opportune moments, standing stock still as a testament and statement. Helena passionately sang out the last parts of the song, being ably supported by Petar and the dancers. Once the song was done, Helena, Petar, and the dancers would quickly disperse from the stage.
The audience cheered loudly, almost to the point where the announcement of tonight's World Hit Festival host was drowned out by the cheering. Tonight's host was another media and TV personality, and the one burgeoning mastermind of VodiFest in particular. His name was Toni Tomic, the man picked to help facilitate the hosting of the 45th World Hit Festival on the TV screens. He came out onto the main stage after a minute to let the stagehands prepare the proceedings and for the calm to crowd. He had a quip ready, some witty remark and a pointed glance at the crowd. However, the cheering never seemed to find any end. Instead, Toni was left in a stunned supor when he was face to face with the crowd after countless rehearsals. It was there where he knew that he was gonna have to do a bit of improvising. Either way though, he let the surprise within him play out as he took a step back. He pointed towards someone manning the camera, and it was agreed to let this crowd cheer until the broadcast really needed to push the show forth. Once there was a semblance of silence, Toni felt comfortable to begin the show.
Toni: What a crowd, huh!?
That caused quite the chuckle and another cheer from the crowd. Yep, this show was going to definitely run over the perscribed length. Toni took a deep breath, smiling at the audience with an almost jokey look.
Toni: So we're just gonna keep cheering? Ok, ok don't take the bait! Alright, let's get this show started.
Toni: Welcome, everyone, one and all, from the Izmeduan watching near the TV to those tuning in all around from the multiverse. Welcome to the 45th World Hit Festival!
There was cheering here, the camera panning out to the audience for just a few seconds.
Toni: For quite a few of us, we've all been here before. We know what this contest is about, what it entails, and what we're going to do here. However, for someone who's not in the know... Well, I'm happy to explain!
Toni would take a step forward as a podium was raised for him in front of the stage right on time. He carried his cue card as producers gracefully exited the stage, only being barely caught by the camera's gaze.
Toni: The World Hit Festival is one of the oldest singing competitions in the multiverse. Simply put, if you ever wanted to watch nations battle it out for musical glory, this is the festival for you. However, it's more than just whoever gets that first place trophy.
Toni: Have you ever wanted a festival where you actually get to see different styles of music that you've never been exposed to, get largely televised like this? Some of the nations here bring some styles of music that one doesn't get to hear everyday. Not only do you get to see nations battle it out, this is also expanding your musical horizons as well. How's that for marketing?
Toni: Anyway! I know I've waffled on enough, but just one more thing...
The logo of the 45th World Hit Festival appeared before him on the screens, causing the crowd to cheer.
Toni: The big number 45? This contest is definitely long in the tooth. And let's not forget, this is RTI's... my god, is it really the 8th time we've hosted this?
Somewhere in the arena, the general-director is silently weeping.
Toni: We've built quite the legacy here. Let's keep this going. We have 16 nations ready to present their entries here. Only one of them can win, but we'll worry about that when the times comes!
Toni: Alright... our lucky number one is... Estogium! Hey! Elias! You ready?
The camera would fade to the first frame of the Estogian postcard as the audience cheered loudly. After an opening theme and act, the 45th World Hit Festival had now truly began in earnest.
