THE NATIONAL RADIO AND TELEVISION BROADCASTER OF PLANGAINER, ALTERNATIVE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA, ALONG WITH THE INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING ASSOCIATION WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE 117TH EDITION OF THE WORLDVISION SONG CONTEST IN CONCORD, PLANGAINER!
The welcoming warm blue skies set the mood for the day as the city was bathed in bright light and a calm, pleasant air, the day of the show approaching with the clock ticking in the broadcast room, the crew having had extensive hours rehearsing their cues and points down to a perfected level of quality for a grand presentation that set new scales further than what they had already gotten used to before with their own national competition, but they had a duty to perform for this particular night.
"Alright ladies and gents as well as any in between, we have an hour to go and about ten or so minutes before doors, so I want a full sweep and a final check on our equipment and then we can sit back and wait until the final ten before we start showing what sort of power we have in this room, alright?" Maine called out, the room full of directors and operational producers that all stood to attention for the final rundown, her relaxed but forward nature a great help in breaking through any personal tension and anxiety lingering the room as the pressure to succeed mounted as time went on, "If anyone has a problem, please come up to me immediately so we can handle it as a team and make sure everything runs as smooth as it possibly can." the room nodded, a couple of them giving her a smile and a nod to signify they understood the message, "Let's get this show on the road yeah? We've got this!"
Her hand pulled the chair that was stationed in the upper middle portion with most stations operating a step down from where her table was, the assistant directors already preoccupied with running through the checklist, before she opened up her laptop and pulled out the headset, clicking a few channel switches on a preconnected audio panel to her right and adjusting the microphone arm that hung overhead. "Checking in, can everyone hear me just fine?" a few more seconds passed, a couple of audio clicks and beeps ringing across her ears before she gets responses from those who were set on the same network as the broadcast room, with Maine having taken up position as the head of the team it felt thankfully comfortable in a way to be back at work in a different environment, but with a familiar crew at hand, and she wasn't going to let anyone down at any given moment, her attention worked to run through the several pages worth of instructions, timings and cues, with her hand scribbling off the sides in the most familiar parts as a point of reference and for ease of access to the most critical portions of the show, time which moved fast as they set their minds to work without knowing the audience had already begun to pack the empty seats and venue floor of the Arena.
Back in the arena, a quick glance at a wristwatch that Douglas carried would confirm they only had half of an hour left before showtime, the technical crew with pens jotting down notes beside large assemblies of lights, the wiring and cables snaking their way around the corners of the backstage with long black out curtains hanging across the divides, looking up to face the trussing that supported the gigantic LED wall setup, mounted railings that connected the middle section to a movable rotor which gave the stage a unique piece of transformable flexibility.
"Just checked up on Helley, had the crew run a few sound tests before the first interval act so we've got a good starter, think we've got the backstage all prettied up for the entrance?" Stinnett said while taking a sip of some green bottled drink, the older male still donned his regular morning show attire and had no reason to change as it fit him and his style well enough to make him stand out in his own right, a pair of polished leathered shoes and black pants to accent the white shirt and black blazer, Douglas always made a point of being relaxed and casual on the outside even when he had a busy day, and that didn't change today even with a slightly nervous side to his tone.
"Yeah, should be no problem—"
"Five minutes! Everyone should get to their places." Maine's voice rang through the in-ears that most crew had on hand, both of them taking the signal and nodding, as they watched two Steadicam operators rush past them and head through the decorated hallway, patting one of them on their shoulders with a slight chuckle.
"Have fun!"
The arena had been packed with eager spectators and curious fans, all waiting in anticipation to see how their favorite contestants will perform, flags clutched between the hands of most active supporters with faces bearing the stripes and emblems of their nation painted onto the cheeks and forehead of others, with a few more scattered and clumped up as people could catch well known fan media present at the venue floor, with large setups of crane cameras that slowly would sweep over the audience once in a while as preparations backstage continued into the last few minutes of their allotted time.
The LED wall which bore the slogan of the contest transitioned to a singular minute countdown as the excitement in the arena instantly grew louder and louder with the passing of time, the loud chant of numbers echoing through the venue and all the way to the media room, the large concrete walls unable to suppress what was going on in the main hall, as pressure built not only on the backstage crew, but also the performers who were scattered throughout and ready to begin the flag parade after the interval act, some opting to carry their flags however the wanted — some with it tied around their necks, some simply bearing it behind them with both hands and even some dressed up in their national colors to bring a more sophisticated aspect, but that was purely a creative choice let to the performers on how they wanted to be introduced.
Eventually, the countdown reached its final ten remaining seconds, the lights that were at any point on now beginning to dim to an incredibly low setting that didn't let the audience completely lose vision but wouldn't have the arena engulfed in the same white wash that filled the venue, with audience cheering and chatter reaching its loudest yet in a crescendo that only quieted down when the screens had sparked into a full blown white, followed by the iconic orchestral IBA theme signaling the beginning of the show with a huge thunderous applause rising from the crowd in response, the truss lighting that decorated the stage now shifting to a warm orange twinkle as a view of Concord appeared in the distance, music slowly building up as the intro sequence showed various people preparing their mornings, drinking coffee and getting ready for work, with the video focusing in on one man in a house with a guitar in hand, playing a catchy and uplifting tune, then suddenly cutting to various different clips and shots as people began to decorate their spaces and buildings with art of the contest theme, drawing the slogan on a large field and atop of several roof surfaces that would be joined into a large canvas with the shot showing from high up above the final resulting piece as people worked together to kick the city into spirit.
As the tune continued, a montage of clips that would display not only Concord, but far into the large mountainous areas of the country where a shot of several climbers are seen making their way up to the summit of Mt. Randal, and then a final set of footage that captured the Phoenix Arena in a bird's eye view, showing the large arena from all its angles in daylight and the activity below in the city center as the sky transitioned from a bright clear blue day to a sparkling sunset evening as the final shot showed the country from up above as rings formed from the point of Concord before bursting into a ripple, the slogan written on the screens with the contest logo right up above as the beginning VT concluded the compilation which gave as a form of introduction to the international audience of how big the enthusiasm of the contest was in perspective, the music eventually faded to silence with the screens turning black.
The restless crowd cheered as the lights in the arena slowly fell into a swooping dim, a subtle bass resounded that everyone standing right by the wings of the stage could feel beneath their feet as a sparkling line of light began to cast upon the audience standing at the floor of the arena, the screens lighting up from complete blackness as the guitars started to slowly merge with the constant thumping drone before overtaking after a large swoop left the audience watching as everyone notices Helley Bee standing in a box full of sparkling crystals, the camera approaching her slowly as the music kicked into action and the audience began to watch the first interval act that would begin the eventful night to come, as her hands held the microphone that would slowly arch its way to her face before she glanced back to look and connect with the lens, her eyes decorated in vivid orange and wisp of darker shades that reached further through and out into the side of her temples, hair that hung back with some of it still hanging off one of her shoulders before slowly pulling it back behind her.
As she finally sang the opening verse of the song, there was a subtle tone of relief after having had missed to perform before but nevertheless now presented with the honor of opening the WorldVision Song Contest instead, the sound of guitars, the percussion that would kick in, scatter and charge towards the audience was enough to get a cheering applause.
As she finally sang the opening verse of the song, there was a subtle tone of relief after having had missed to perform before but nevertheless now presented with the honor of opening the WorldVision Song Contest instead, the sound of guitars, the percussion that would kick in, scatter and charge towards the audience was enough to get a cheering applause.
You keep it moving till I the brakes,
All these excuses giving me headaches,
This ain't a test for my faith, cause I know just what you said,
And I ain't giving in for a pointless chase
As the watchful eyes of the audience were allowed to step inside and share the space with the singer, the walls would unfold to reveal a larger space around them, lit in a dimmer shade and a glistening haze from rows of LEDs that made for a clearer contrast against the crystal interior she stood inside before, now walking out of the and forward, as the floor had a seemingly low fog that showed the way across the dark space around them, Helley looking out as voices ahead, distant and faint, spoke and murmured in a distorted mess of noise that was nothing but mere gibberish but yet sounded like a beckoning, with the musician clearly interested in investigating as her feet now followed the lit up floor of orange and white.
The audience in the arena were quick to make out she wasn't yet present on the stage herself, but something along with how the scene is being played out and the fact that the gigantic LED wall was now slowly sliding open to reveal a second entrance that had fog slowly seep through and wash across the clean black tiled floors was enough to have everyone expect a grand appearance soon.
The audience in the arena were quick to make out she wasn't yet present on the stage herself, but something along with how the scene is being played out and the fact that the gigantic LED wall was now slowly sliding open to reveal a second entrance that had fog slowly seep through and wash across the clean black tiled floors was enough to have everyone expect a grand appearance soon.
Why should I sit around in your fallout,
Like a mannequin in the background,
I left some space in the bed because I know that for you its
just for the best
The camera slowly lowers as she is engulfed in the dim backstage lighting in the short lived breath of silence as the song was resurrected by an isolated kick and clap that then dove into a more lively and upbeat chorus progression, in the very same instance, an off-shot pair of hands would grab Helley and push her into a standing man dressed in a full dark blue outfit consisting of what looks like a mask covering reminiscent of Cabaret, with strips of diamond that cascaded the sides and feathered ends which decorated their seemingly dark and mysterious aura, the outfits themselves a uneven combination of various pieces that had the theme of diamonds and shiny gems in different colors and sizes, with the performer holding the musician in their arms as she begins to sing the first lines of the chorus before being thrown into another figure, wearing a distinctly different mask but nevertheless following the same theme as the first one to then get pushed to a third and then a fourth one every time a new line was sung before she herself threw the last man away with a push by the shoulders with one arm as the camera moved quick to follow her in the moments that she was being thrown from dancer to dancer.
Shout it out, just what a relief
To leave you be alone and at ease
Left one last kiss that I ain't gonna miss
Don't think I can't move on
Its easy
The shot then switched to them from the opposite direction as the lights swept in a simple strobe wave of white across the hall way they were inside with a twinkling pulse, with all five of them — the four dancers and the female singer — now facing in the direction of the entrance into the back of the main stage as Helley was standing at the front lit up by the multitude of LEDs that hung from the walls around her and the roof that had a forest of crystals hanging at different angles that would bend the light shining upon them in many different ways, with the four men now stepping up right behind her and placing their silk gloves upon her collar prior to her leaning forward and shrugging them off with a synchronized move as each of her shoulders picked off the unwelcoming guests and took her next few steps forward in the direction of the camera that moved along with her while she began to step with a seemingly unbothered stride, the four dancers catching up before falling back as the lights swept through the hallway, changing their hues briefly to a colder shade of cyan and a warm hue that felt welcoming previously once again falling back into a natural shade of orange before they would once again try to catch up.
As she got closer to the end of the chorus, the four dancers quickly grabbed their arms behind their backs as they begin to push forward in a hunched walked past Helley and the camera that moved in a little closer as the individual strips of LED at the sides faded to a warmer tint of white before — like a dying sparkle of a firework in the air — falling back into complete and utter darkness.
Run to the ones you've been meeting,
Such a shame that I caught you sneaking,
Don't worry though, this won't be your last show
Needed some closure, no more grieving
You'll be so surprised its easy
Her eyes took up the view as she looked past the lens, her face lit up by an even beam that kept the rest of her in the shadows as her feet slowly waded forward out of the hallway, the Steadicam slowly gliding around to her side before coming around to the bright bloom of the spotlight that came from the darkness as the back of the stage seemed to be rather well curtained for something as mystical as it so seemed, with the fog that slowly descended the alternative ramp behind the primary stage setup where she was to get up and join the arena, the sides of the floor lit up in a dark orange glow to illuminate the path forward as Helley let the lights that were hung up around her follow her through while a mix of handheld and dual use of two Steadicams continued to follow her along the journey through the backstage areas, swiftly turning her eyes to a gap in the separation that left a large volumetric beam to cast through and over her, basking in the light to then taking off in a sprint as she makes her way through, before the shot faded into black as the music slipped into silence once again.
No need to treat me like a castaway,
It's not my fault I caught some foul play,
You could have simply confessed,
But now you act all oppressed,
when I say its for the best
Show myself out hope you don't try to,
upset them, them, hmm
As she stepped through the divide in the wall, she was met with an incredibly overwhelming sight of a set, the arena lit up with fans each accompanied with their own individual wristband that lit up the darkness and painted a gorgeous mixture of colors across the walls and roof of the arena, a set of golden rays fell upon her face, the music kicking right back into the second chorus as the four dancers were evenly spaced at either side of the stage, with the a dozen more dancers accompanying the four further along with her now standing in the middle and above a giant display floor who all synchronously kicked into a sharp mixture of fast moving choreography, the screen wall beginning to slowly retract back into its usual position after the performed had finished stepping through and a crane camera that descended from above would see her walking her way to the front point of the stage, with the sight of the vast audience making her lips curl into an unintentional smile that caused her to let out an inadvertent giggle before refocusing herself again as the choreographed routine was performed in unison behind her, some of her movements joining in with them but not so much to cause her voice to stumble out of pitch with the song.
As the second portion of the chorus is sung, she begins to converse a little more with the spirit of the crowd, breaking away from the cameras and enjoying the general uplifting spirit of the crowd bearing a multitude of flags and colors before her, the tiny void in her chest that she always has when performing seemingly disappearing in that moment before powerfully raising her voice and singing out the last lyric of the chorus with her eyes shut and fist clenched as the cameras swiftly zoomed out to display the whole arena, as the stage then erupts in a spontaneous pop of pyrotechnics and fireworks that began to cascade the sides and back of the stage, spotlights beaming in multiple directions as the lights across the venue washed in orange and the synonymous purples and pinks of the contest theme that were then swept in waves across the roof and audience to accentuate the sudden burst of power on stage as wide shots caught the stage being sprung into a mesmerizing act of powerful life.
As the second portion of the chorus is sung, she begins to converse a little more with the spirit of the crowd, breaking away from the cameras and enjoying the general uplifting spirit of the crowd bearing a multitude of flags and colors before her, the tiny void in her chest that she always has when performing seemingly disappearing in that moment before powerfully raising her voice and singing out the last lyric of the chorus with her eyes shut and fist clenched as the cameras swiftly zoomed out to display the whole arena, as the stage then erupts in a spontaneous pop of pyrotechnics and fireworks that began to cascade the sides and back of the stage, spotlights beaming in multiple directions as the lights across the venue washed in orange and the synonymous purples and pinks of the contest theme that were then swept in waves across the roof and audience to accentuate the sudden burst of power on stage as wide shots caught the stage being sprung into a mesmerizing act of powerful life.
Shout it out, just what a relief
To leave you be alone and at ease
Left one last kiss that I ain't gonna miss
Don't think I can't move on
Its easy
Run to the ones you've been meeting,
Such a shame that I caught you sneaking,
Don't worry though, this won't be your last show
Needed some closure, no more grieving
You'll be so surprised its easy!
It wasn't as much performing anymore but rather simply an opportunity to just have fun and let go of whatever thoughts she had, the energy from the audience and the people that were on stage around her gave off something that felt invigorating, something that felt inspiring, that kept pushing to go harder and bring more than you would ever expect of yourself to, as she jumped around the free space of the stage and approaching one of the dancers as the two looked at one another with the camera capturing them in the same moment as she grabbed the dancers hand and held it for a moment more, as she begins to sing again as they took in eye contact for a little more before letting go and returning back to the center front stage to keep performing, a moment where the camera cuts went from the more active cuts from between the rails stationed just at the very edges and the riser cam just underneath the middle piece of the LED screen to a descending crane shot that would swoop above the stage featuring all the dancers before coming down about eye-level with Helley, as the lights went from the crazed extravagance to a dimming that left her with a singular spotlight.
Oh, you'll be so surprised its easy!
No you won't have, you won't have to worry
I'm just happy, just happy with myself
with myself,
Needed some closure, no more grieving
You'll be so surprised...
She returned her eyes to the lens, the spotlight above her keeping focus as the perimeter lighting pulsed with the rhythmical percussion, with all of the dancers present slowly taking each step in same rhythmic manner and stride, their arms parted from their torso with the tallest ones at the back standing up and the closer to the front, the lower they were. Once the lights began to thump with the increasingly louder percussion as the music returns into the more upbeat and dance-able pace, the singer's voice slowly comes back from its softer touch right back into a powerful, yet controlled tone that is backed up by a single backing track to accentuate her vocals as the camera begins to speed up and move out to reveal more of the stage that shows more and more of the dance crew and Helley at the center of it all, with bright flares being propelled from the back and sides of the stage during the moment of increasing crescendo.
Shout it out, just what a relief
To leave you be alone and at ease
Left one last kiss that I ain't gonna miss
Don't think I can't move on
Its easy
With hands tightly holding her by the hips with each dancer positioning themselves as low as they can, the audience watched as the singer is raised off from her feet and held up into the air in a pose that was almost majestic and graceful as the spotlights and moving beams of light began to once again light up the stage in a circular motion, the underlying LED floor exploding into the familiar ringed wave pattern mixed of deep purple and pink mixed with orange as an overhead camera descended from the hole in the very panel up above them captured Helley being turned around the axis as she held her arms up and open, as she began to descend into her finale and the last lines of her performance, before being set down back into her feet as they slowly stepped themselves back and the cameras switched to the head on group of four stationaries that were placed right ahead from the center point.
It was by far her most favorite part of the act, especially the point where she was elevated into the air and held up by her fellow dance crew to present the very peak of the act and performance, her heart beating out of her chest at how it was something she couldn't really have prepared for before then, but nevertheless was at the principle of the experience being held up and singing. It was all truly a surreal feeling, but one that she wouldn't exchange for the world, even the thought of being able to look back and just see the sea of lights, flags, people, all of which being in one singular space, the energy that was given to them and that was received, the very feeling of unity and love that was in the very atmosphere of the venue made it worth every second.
It was by far her most favorite part of the act, especially the point where she was elevated into the air and held up by her fellow dance crew to present the very peak of the act and performance, her heart beating out of her chest at how it was something she couldn't really have prepared for before then, but nevertheless was at the principle of the experience being held up and singing. It was all truly a surreal feeling, but one that she wouldn't exchange for the world, even the thought of being able to look back and just see the sea of lights, flags, people, all of which being in one singular space, the energy that was given to them and that was received, the very feeling of unity and love that was in the very atmosphere of the venue made it worth every second.
Run to the ones you've been meeting,
Such a shame that I caught you sneaking,
Don't worry though, this won't be your last show
Needed some closure, no more grieving
You'll be so surprised its easy
The audience had erupted into cheers with such a fantastic performance from Helley Bee standing at the front of the stage, clutching her chest with a breath as laughs broke through the tiredness and her head rose up to see the waving crowd before her. "Thank you so much guys!"
Sweeps across the audience caught countless fans as the stage was quickly emptied for the flag parade, a large amount of activity going on backstage as a line formed on either sides, as countries were introduced with an upbeat mashup of several Plangainerian hits in the last year, as the Phoenix Arena definitely welcomed everyone from far and wide to be there with the stage now being bathed in the colors of their flags in a full color sweep on the LED walls, each nation being loudly announced with a five to seven second shot as they approached and either danced or made their own style of grand entrance before the momentum kept the performers coming on and off stage as Douglas and Angela were now positioned behind the screen, looking at one another in their formal attire with decorative stitching that would help make them stand out from the bright screens, before eventually, the screen pushed forward and making the gap for the two to step through, as a loud voice echoed through the arena:
[Douglas Stinnett]: Good Evening Concord! Good Evening Plangainer and most importantly...
[Douglas Stinnett & Angela Ingram]: ...Good Evening to the World!
[Angela Ingram]: Finally, after such an anticipated wait, the contest came to the wonderful city of Concord and I couldn't be any more proud to be standing here today alongside this dashing young man, some may call him the star of the show, but I personally wouldn't call him that, to me, he's my long time nemesis in the world of hosting and I cannot wait to show him how to PROPERLY handle a live show, isn't that right Doug?
[Douglas Stinnett]: *Chuckling* ... don't worry guys, she's only angry that she couldn't beat me in charades at our party, and of course, I always win. It's only fair. But as we both like to kid around and make it about ourselves, let us bring it back to why we are all here today... To Share The Love.
[Angela Ingram]: Exactly, and how can we share the love if we don't actually introduce ourselves to our most beautiful viewers? My name is Angela Ingram...
A loud cheer came through the audience, as Douglas looked at her with a side eye shaking his head with a seemingly jealous look on his face, a smile cracking up on her face as they waited for the response to quiet down before the other host would continue his own line.
[Douglas Stinnett]: And I, undoubtedly, am Douglas Stinnett!
To his surprise, the cheers from the audience became even more loud and lively, the sound being a pleasant roar before Angela was now looking at Douglas with the same sort of unserious judging glare, with Douglas bearing a cocky smirk and pointing to himself as the two exchanged looks before the audience would quiet down again.
[Douglas Stinnett]: But of course, Angela and I wouldn't be here without a wonderful, beautiful city welcoming us, the people who've built us up, the country that brought the song contest here and to our lovely hosts of last edition, a collaboration between two countries in the city of Dougaç, who hosted a most spectacular show.
[Angela Ingram]: Emma Maxwell from Malta Comino Gozo had truly captured the hearts of the people when they won, granting Malta Comino Gozo their 10th win! But the question this evening is, will they make their way to the top and get their eleventh, or will Concord crown a new victor in tonight's show? That is up to our dearest audience and the professional panel of jurors across the seas to decide.
The camera cuts from the hosts to the graphic of tonight's extensive line up of countries performing tonight, as the voice of Douglas speaks through.
[Douglas Stinnett]: Much like any edition, the voting details will be presented before you on how to vote in your country, using the telephone number or going to the WorldVision app, you can cast your votes to your favorite acts, but you may NOT vote for your own country. Voting lines do not open until the last song has performed for the night, where later we will be able to first reveal our jury scores before we reveal how the public have voted.
[Angela Ingram]: After which, we will be able to determine who had received the most amount of points to take that beautiful trophy and be declared the winner of the 117th edition of the WorldVision Song Contest! Without further ado, I think it's about time we start the show, right?
[Douglas Stinnett]: Absolutely, shall we do it together?
[Angela Ingram]: Together.
[Douglas Stinnett & Angela Ingram]: Let the 117th Edition of the WorldVision Song Contest BEGIN!
As their arms both shot up into the air with Angela leaping up into the air, the music kicking up with a large firework extravaganza across the sides of the stage while the camera shot began to roll back and out to reveal the stage in its entirety, declaring the beginning of the contest with the broadcast cutting to the first postcard of the night.
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