Backstage Segments: Something WWE Can Learn From TNA?

[shooter_mcgavin]

While its not question WWE is a stronger overall organization than TNA (in terms of ratings, financials, and exposure) there is one aspect from TNA that I believe the WWE can adapt.

And that is the Backstage Segments/Promos.

While I have always seen mayself as a WWE guy there's one thing TNA does really well and thats the Backstage skits.

My biggest beef with how WWE does segments is that it just feels to scripted and feels more like SNL skit than one that has a competitive environment. You know some guy walks backstage and suddenly a skit happens. Sometimes its ok but you kind of feel like everything it too pre-planned.

It's like backstage is shown Cena is in the locker room then another superstars enters the lockerroom to converse with Cena. Now unless a cameraman is focused on Cena and somehow there's another camera where the producers know someone is approaching him, it just feels really manufactured.

TNA does things diffrently their backstage work does look authentic and is similar to what you see in sport programs like Boxing, Hockey, Football, and MMA. Their "in your face" / candid feels adds another layer to the shows and product that it feels girtty, rough, tough, and basically how a wrestling environment ought to feel. Heck I remember one backstage segment where you can hear a match going on, kind of like an update on what happened backstage showing a not so live backstage feed but becomes more realistic since you can't expect TV producers to know when the action happens all the time.

So that's my 2 cents ... what do you think? Should the WWE adapt the style of TNA's Backstage segments.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

It would certainly make the program more enjoyable for me. My biggest issue with WWE's shows is how overscripted they are. It doesn't feel genuine, it feels faker than it already should. Ever since TNA started using this model for their backstage segments it's been a wonderful thing, a great change. I suppose we can thank Bischoff for his contribution here.

Should WWE use it? Absolutely. There's really nothing wrong it, except that it doesn't fit WWE's current direction. WWE doesn't want gritty, rough and tough. They want smiley men fighting other smiley men. They want everything to be polished, flashy and picture perfect. I think it's bullshit and it's too clean and perfect at times. I've always been a fan of the little imprefections that make wrestling - wrestling. For example, back in the day when the smoke from the pyro would just magically go above and around the ring, kind of blocking your view. I liked that. The messed up camera shots and just production flaws, I don't know, it just made it feel more real, more spontaneous and it gives you the impression something spontaneous will happen.

With WWE now, like you said, every camera shot, every angle, the lighting - everything is just too damn cinematic. I don't like it, not one bit.

 

[Ellye]

Personally, I believe that trying to make the camerawork more realistic, in this day, would just feel silly.

Pretty much every single fan know that the show is scripted. The ones that don't know, are already too obliviously to far more obvious hints anyway. There's no reason to try to make the camera shots look unscripted.

I don't like when a wrestling company tries too hard to look legit. It gets silly, for me. I believe that they focus on what they are meant for, entertainment.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

I would also like to add that I remember WWE did something like this sometime ago but in a videopackage. At WM12 before The Iron Man Match they had a video segment that felt very realisitc showing Bret and Shawn training and them being intervewed backstage. I always thought this video was perfect and strange the WWE never really pushed for something like this again.

 

[Jeritron5000]

I, personally, really dislike TNA's backstage segments in comparison to WWE. I actually think the opposite and that TNA should be a little more like WWE in that area. I think that all that TNA's "realistic" backstage segments do are contribute to the feeling that the show isn't live. Yeah, it's scripted, but WWE does a hell of a job at keeping disbelief suspended in the manner they produce their segments. They could be taped at any time and it would still feel like a cohesive show. I don't want to feel like I'm getting a behind the scenes, edgy look into what's going on backstage. It's, ironically, way more contrived.

 

[Azane]

TNA is guilty of "accidentally" catching backstage action here and there too.
I actually get a little dizzy watching TNA's cameramen rocking the camera on purpose like they're Michael J. Fox. Also, hearing Tazz yell "somethings going on backstage!" and you get put right at the beginning of an action sequence doesn't seem any more real, than having us put there without screaming about it (Not as bad as Don West Jizzing in his pants though)

 

[WWEIsLife2]

Im sorry but I cannot stand TNA supposedly catching something or someone Backstage. It looks like someone is stalking them with a Camera. Wrestling doesn't have to look real or gritty to be Entertaining. Just enjoy it for what it is.

 

[JJYanks121]

No.

Not in this regard at least. As someone who watches both programs pretty much every week, I can safely say that one of the aesthetic things that bothers me most about TNA are the backstage segments. There is nothing entertaining about a shaky camera and a half view of a conversation backstage. We all know these shows are scripted entertainment programming, so you might as well make it look like a put together show. TNA's backstage segments make the show look second rate and I anxiously await the day that this ridiculous idea is dropped.

It's 2011. I know most wrestling fans are dumb, and at that, most Americans aren't too bright, but do we really not understand that this is scripted entertainment at this point? The sooner everyone understands this, the sooner we can all get away from this continuous quest to convince people "this is real". It's not and will never be.

I'll even go a step past it. Both companies should stop using twitter to further storylines. Use twitter to allow fans to interact and understand who the wrestlers are as people, but stop trying to use twitter in character. There can't possibly be people out there that believe the shit they see on Raw, Smackdown, or Impact is real. Just do us all a favor and suspend your disbelief for two hours and then get back to your normal life. With that in mind, clean up the damn cameras TNA and stop trying to make us think it's "more realistic" by having hidden cameras. It's not and honestly, are the wrestlers that dumb to ALWAYS LEAVE THE DOOR CRACKED! If anything, this "realism" idea makes every wrestler look dumber than they already are. Do a produced show as that is what wrestling is and will always be. I promise, this would do wonders for TNA and they would be best served by cleaning up their production value.

Also, get a cameraman over 5'5". We all know that Jason Hervey is shorter than Kevin Arnold so he shouldn't have to look up at all the wrestlers. Get a normal sized cameraman!

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

I would also like to add in my initial argument is that we know that wrestling is scripted by what I realized in all this in how much more tension is built up in the backstage segments from TNA.

One thing I also forgot to point out is that the reason of the shaky cams is sometimes they like to focus on one particular person or have certain angles (like looking through a door) that make the conversation between the guys more intimate. In the WWE its always stoic and makes it more feel staged and because it feels that way many times the backstage segment feels so detatched.

 

[WWEIsLife2]

Yeah JJ I too cannot stand in TNA when they the Wrestler/Divas when their Doors are open Backstage for a Camera to be positioned magically to catch a conversation. Who are they trying to convince with that? If anything TNA should learn from WWE about how to do Backstage Segments but they should learn alot things from how WWE does things.

 

[VinnieSunshine]

I know what you mean and I think it would help. There were a few times in the past they cut to the back too early and you would see a wrestler standing there. Then they would walk, talk, or act like they are getting ready.

A more unscripted promo would help WWE, but they have done fine so far...why change now. If it ain't broke dont try to fix it.

The way TNA does theirs is what separates them from WWE.

 

[hatehabsforever]

I disagree with the OP regarding TNA's usage of their backstage segments. The biggest complaint I consistently have with TNA is their lack of production value. Look at their roster, their story lines, etc., and I think that TNA shows promise. However, everything they do, in my opinion, is cheap looking. Their venue, their lighting, their pyro, it all comes across to me as looking second rate. So on the occasional instance when they do something entertaining, it ends up looking less Impressive than it otherwise could or should.

This applies to their backstage action as well. Sometimes I like their backstage activity, most times I don't, but either way, it ends up looking like it was recorded on a home camcorder or on my iPhone. For me, the style of their backstage segments is not realistic or less scripted looking, it's cheap looking. It doesn't add to the segments for me, in fact it detracts from it in my opinion.

We all know about the choreographed nature of pro wrestling in either company. We all know about kayfabe. So don't try to make it look more realistic with this blurry, unfocused, jittery camera footage that often misses the action it attempts to record. Show us the action with footage we can actually see and follow. Maybe we'll like it (well it could happen ).

 

[Jack-Hammer]

If this was 1991 rather than 2011, I'd probably agree. TNA's backstage segments tend to involve the camera guy lurking through the halls backstage and peeking out from hiding places for the purposes of catching wrestlers in "candid" moments. The wrestlers themselves, however, are still in character during these "candid" moments. If this was 1991, such an interesting look behind the scenes, even within the boundaries of kayfabe, would be something that's revolutionary. At the same time though, such a thing would probably never take place in 1991.

In this day and age, the idea of generally trying to portray everything the wrestlers are doing and saying as 100% real just doesn't work. The simple truth of the matter is that with or without the internet, pretty much any person with a shred of intelligence and common sense knows that wrestling is scripted. There's nothing wrong with trying to pass it off as being "real" within certain boundaries. A little shot of reality injected into wrestling can be a good thing, but not to this degree. The herky jerky camera movements and the camera just always happening to be in the right spot at just the right time just don't captivate me.

When it comes to backstage segments, particularly promo segments, I've no problem with the more old school method.

 

[Da Solo]

Hell no.

To be honest, the backstage filming is one of the things that makes TNA/Impact look inferior to WWE. I don't know if they're going for the realistic look, but it just comes off as low-budget. The camera's always shaky, the footage looks very homemade and they film at the most awkward angles (one scene, I remember, was shot from behind the window in Hogan's office AND in-between his blinds. WTF?). I don't give a damn about the realism in this situation; I want to be able to see and hear what I'm supposed to see and hear.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

Then why not WWE does it but make it big budget ... similar to sports documentaries in how those are filmed. I was watching a documentary of the Edmonton Oilers 2010/2011/2012 season called Oil Change and it had style that could fit very well in WWE backstage segments.

 

[billm75]

I get what you're saying, but it seems to me to be a matter of money for production, rather than an intentional way of filming their backstage segments. Cameras cost money, camera operators cost money, good lighting, sound, etc, all costs money. WWE has loads of it to spend on their production, whereas, TNA doesn't seem to be all that flush with cash right now.

Of course, that's just my guess, I don't know how much money TNA has to work with or is willing to spend on things.

 

[Jackal960]

So you guys are smart enough to know wrestling is fake, and the guys who crushed WWE at one stage are dumb enough to think everyone sees it as real? Good on you! Bischoff was saying at one interview that he always tried to give the wrestling show a real feel. Nothing wrong with that. Maybe he could maybe he couldn't achieved that. Its just another strategy they use. So why didn't anyone hate Punk's promo? Did you really think that wasn't scripted and he was talking out of his ass? It's not because they are trying to make you see it as real, it's just a part of the show, not any more real feel than G-TV was doing back in the day. You can argue the cameras are not helping much (although i think it's a nice way) but don't start talking "we know wrestling is fake, why bother" blah blah blah

 

[poppycock]

I agree with Jackal960 to be honest, as far as the "not real so why pretend it is" thing goes. The segments are just part of the whole entertainment "acting" side, making it come across as real even though we know (and I am more than sure they know we know) it isn't. I don't see any difference between those segments and a wrestler winning a belt or just wrestling a match. It's just part of pro wrestling, kayfabe and the suspension of logic and reason for those couple of hours. Blair Witch Project was not real but for however long it was on it was seducing you to believe it was, which added a lot to the movie. I doubt anybody thought Cloverfield was real but it could have been the way it was presented. It's about escapism..not some guy/girl thinking his/her viewers are stupid enough to not know it's made up.

I think the TNA segments are ok. They drag on a bit sometimes and get a bit boring. I would rather WWE not use them personally. I would like the two companies to remain different and go about things differently so I can continue enjoying both for different reasons but ultimately because I am entertained.

I like TNA's cheap look. I have always been a fan of things that are not too polished..in music, TV and Pro Wrestling.

 

[The Shockmaster]

First off I just want to say that I love both TNA and WWE and I watch both religiously. But, with that said I must call it as I see it. Personally I believe that TNA has a better system for backstage segments and promos. Yes wrestling is fake but as your watching you want to believe its real. You want to believe that these feuds are real and these feelings these wrestlers have for each other. So its important that everything from in the ring to backstage seems real.

In the wwe why does anyone thats being interviewed stand there for 10 seconds before conversing with a person that is right next to him/her ex(orton/rock stands in silence even longer). Next why is any top superstars locker room decked out in every piece of merchandise they have ex(cena/nexus). Why do the hallway lights change to different hues when certain superstars are walking down them ex(kane/sin cara). It just seems silly.

In TNA the camera's are sometimes peeking through doors or around corners. Annoying at times but would these heels and faces be revealing these plans or thoughts if a camera if they knew that there opponents could see them. Some people are complaining that the cameras are sent to the back to often by Taz and the picture is sometimes shaky. Well maybe because these brawls are suppose to happen out of nowhere and there is no tripod set up for the cameraman to work with. Also some say that the backstage set looks fake. But why, because its not well lit or put together? Its a backstage area. Go to any theater and go backstage and see if it comes close to looking like the WWE's fantasy world.

Both systems work well for both companies but if your going to choose which one feels more real and more believable it is definitely TNA's system

 

[Dagger Dias]

The question in this thread is completely backwards. TNA is the federation that needs to learn how to do backstage segments, not WWE. In my opinion, WWE does it correctly. They make it to where you are able to get a good view of everyone involved in the segment. TNA on the other hand sometimes does segments with a camera man who is supposedly "hiding" which results in extremely bad camera angles. If two guys are talking about something you should be able to see them both, not the back of one guy's head while the other is behind a wall. WWE does not need to take a page out of TNA's notes, the opposite is true because WWE doesn't do stupid things like the hiding camera man but TNA does.

 

[Freebirdfan]

It is so incredibly OBVIOUS that TNA Impact does a much better job backstage at making it seem so "real".

However, many WWE fans will NEVER admit that Impact does anything better than WWE.

These are the type of fans that will go along with anything WWE shoves down our throats. The stupidity of having the Muppets guest host on Raw shows that WWE can get away with anything that they want to do!

 

[XXJJ]

I like TNA... but the backstage segments are kind of corny. I just dont like how they are pretending to spy on the wrestlers. And by pretending to do that, it just kind of makes the camera work look low budget.

If you notice on WWE.com they are going with more of a TMZ style of backstage interviews with the wrestlers. That would be a much better method, if you want to change the current WWE backstage segments. And make them a little more candid.

 

[itssoeasy123]

It is so incredibly OBVIOUS that TNA Impact does a much better job backstage at making it seem so "real".

However, many WWE fans will NEVER admit that Impact does anything better than WWE.

These are the type of fans that will go along with anything WWE shoves down our throats. The stupidity of having the Muppets guest host on Raw shows that WWE can get away with anything that they want to do!

What the reason to make it seem "real" if it's fake? It's like calling professional wrestling a " real sport," when clearly it's never been one and never will be.

WWE has been doing their backstage promo's for 30 years now, so there's no reason to change it now. And why would they model their backstage promo's off of TNA's way of doing it? I don't even think Vince McMahon has ever watched one episode to even get an opinion.

 

[Karilas]

TNA is guilty of "accidentally" catching backstage action here and there too.
I actually get a little dizzy watching TNA's cameramen rocking the camera on purpose like they're Michael J. Fox. Also, hearing Tazz yell "somethings going on backstage!" and you get put right at the beginning of an action sequence doesn't seem any more real, than having us put there without screaming about it (Not as bad as Don West Jizzing in his pants though)

I still remember that time when they really fucked up on a backstage brawl, the camera momentarily cut to Don West and Mike Tenay reading excitedly from pieces of paper. They've definitely come on a long way since then.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

What the reason to make it seem "real" if it's fake? It's like calling professional wrestling a " real sport," when clearly it's never been one and never will be.

WWE has been doing their backstage promo's for 30 years now, so there's no reason to change it now. And why would they model their backstage promo's off of TNA's way of doing it? I don't even think Vince McMahon has ever watched one episode to even get an opinion.

Hold on, I thought WWE was in the midst of a "Reality Era". Isn't that what ya'll are yapping about all damn day in the WWE section? The reality era this, the reality era that, oh Punk is shooting again, oh my God he called HHH "Paul", it's so awesome, best in the world, reality era reality era reality era!

Are you sure there's not a healthy portion of bias in your statement? I mean, it's you so that question answers itself, but still ...

If WWE is experiencing a Reality Era, and you want to push reality, you want to do worked shoots, you want to do things you haven't done for years, you want it to feel more "real" and spontatneous - then why won't you adopt a different model for the backstage segments? One that reflects the happenings in the ring and the general feel of the company? Is it because you don't want it, or it's because a TNA idea, and if you admit it'll be good you technically admit that you like something about TNA, which as we all know will make your empty head explode.