The episode of WWE Raw last night started with high drama, with champion CM Punk recapping his new World Heavyweight Title and a surprise interruption by former star Logan Paul that concluded in a full beat down of him by his stablemates Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed under the leadership of Paul Heyman.
However, what was being experienced by the fans live is just the tip of the iceberg. As per industry insider Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer, it went on by about 10 minutes, so the production department was desperate to make all sorts of changes to the rest of the night.
What Went Wrong? A Dissection of the initial Clatter.
It was such an easy idea: Punk is going to promote himself, Logan Paul interferes, the tension is created, and there might be a fight. But as soon as the Brons rushed into the ring, all was soon out of control. Since cameras, lighting cues, entrances, and exits had to do with the unscheduled time, a number of downstream problems occurred:
Repetition was abridged; time had to be made up.
Due to the change in the time of commercial broadcasting, the viewing of the live broadcast was disrupted.
Backstage operators were scrambling to re-establish doors and adjust the run-sheet.
Overrun by one segment of the show caused, in essence, a ripple effect that propagated throughout the live production, not only a case of rejigging a few shots, but it was a case of re-engineering how the show would run.
Why This Is Important: Live TV Is A Circus Act.
Live television professional wrestling is beyond what happens in the ring. It is an orchestrated concert of lights, sound, timing, entries, exits, advertisements, matches, and commercials. Such choreography has very little room to make mistakes. The strain can be felt when one large piece is relocated, and the whole production might experience the pressure.
- In the case of WWE, it is regarding keeping its broadcast clean.
- Being considerate of the network and advertisers.
- Making sure that viewers back at home view what they want.
- Securing the brand image of spectacle and professionalism.
The overrun segment in this instance led to a chain reaction, which threatened to overturn all of the above. It is possible that live fans have just been asking themselves Why is this taking a little too long? But behind the scenes, personnel were scurrying to save the product.
Talent At The Center: Punk, Paul & The Vision.
It is especially noteworthy that the actors of this play belong to the number of the most popular actors on the list.
- The focus is on CM Punk, who is the World Heavyweight Champion.
- Logan Paul remains a magnet for contenders in title opportunities.
- Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed under the direction of Paul Heyman as part of The Vision.
In the case of big talent, segments are longer: more entrances, more camera systems, more drama. The urgency was probably underrated in this case. The story is creating a buzz to the credit of the creative team. The implementation faced turbulence due to the criticism of production.
My View: Ambition versus Execution.
In my personal view, this accident highlights two main realities of the contemporary live wrestling production:
Bold narrative is excellent- fans desire the unexpected, the dramatic, the stakes. This part provided all of them.
However, there will be no negotiating about the execution timing is everything in terms of it being either right or wrong.
WWE ought to be commended on taking risks as far as stories are concerned, particularly of a champion like Punk. But with all lines up, the edge of live production is sharpened. Bad run over: less time taken on the match, camera angles changed, backstage, someone took a nap. The ripple effect cannot be seen by the viewers until something appears to be wrong.
In brief, the plot was good; the time not so. Anticipate that the chiefs of production will study this intensively, as in case the show is not that good, the devotion of the fans and partners in the network can be challenged.
