Britain's Got Talent - The Live Shows

To be honest that would just be too confusing and basically an invitation for complaints. One show (possibly Eurovision?) used to recap the acts in reverse order which seemed a bit fairer IMO.

I do wish rather than giving out the spiel about not phoning (on all such shows) instead of giving out the full number they'd say something like "Add 01 to the voting number we'll give you after all acts have performed", changing the number each night if necessary (to cover themselves completely).

Yeah I saw it too, I thought it was some kind of weird effect at first as it was accompanied by a loud, bassy sound.

Its at 0:54 here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUAUehuKeuQ#t=0m52s

Maybe a cable slipped, or signal dropout if it was wireless. That camera always seems to be tracking extremely fast...

Yeah, that would be my guess too - that the signal dropped out. The camera is mounted on a mechanical pully system above the audience so is most likely using a wireless signal. It does track extremely fast so a drop in the signal is a likely explanation.

Is there any steadicam in the mix at all this year? Certainly noticed in the singers' bits that the only shots seem to come from jibs, peds, the railcams and nowhere else. TXF seems a little better shot - although direction never seems amazing on either programme. Also, why are lapel mics still preferred in audience situations? Why aren't Ant/Dec and the contestants wearing headmics? Those might eliminate the need for handheld mics for pres.

Certainly haven't had time to catch loads of BGT this year (not that I would) but the bits that I've seen seem almost farcical after Peter Kay's skit.

Nope, there's no stedicam this year. They've got 3 rostrum cameras mid audience, a technocrane on the left, jib on the right, two peds, left and right, in front of the stage, the two railcams and a roving hand-held used for audience reactions and A+D's links from the back of the audience. Then two camera behind the stage for studio wides and judges shots.

This is actually virtually the same camera set-up for X Factor, bar the lack of a stedicam. Both shows have the same director and are both shot at Fountain so this may be the reason.

I think a near 3 year consistent automatic entry for the final act on the semi final making it through to the final has come to an end (or at least, it ought to!)

And the judges vote becoming a tie decided on the last judge rule has ended as well!

Not necessarily.
If Piers had voted first, then Amanda, Simon would have had the deciding vote. The principle works if you go back through the rest of the week - whether you get a stand-off depends who you ask first.
Still, great to see that the last act of the night didn't end up in the top three. Makes a change.

Act wise: Sugarfree was nice to look at (me being a straight male and all that ), Jackie Prescott's act kind of fell on its arse as the dog clearly wasn't in the mood. Callum Francis - everybody under 12 wants to dance with Baloo and King Louie so kudos to him. Fred Bowers - I see "grey power" starting up again. Brit Chix - it looked nice but immediately went out of tune, deserved to be buzzed. Julian Smith - finally, not a singer or a dancer. Something different at last for the final. Kudos. 2 Grand - sickeningly sweet, me being cynical but I wonder how much his personal tragedy swung the vote in their favour. Fabia - missed a trick maybe but could have done better if she'd got her tits out rather than flashed lights - it was after 9:30 for goodness sake!

First night I've probably disagreed with the judges decision too.

A fairly mediocre show tonight IMO - nobody particularly amazing, but nobody spectacularly bad either. George was good tonight too - for a minute I though he might be doing his Singing in the Rain routine yet again considering they'd got the set up their for Flavia.

Point of consideration that occurred to me watching the More Talent:

We all know about the laws surrounding child performers and how they can't perform legally after what seems to be 10pm. George Sampson was on the More Talent show on ITV2 tonight until the show finished at just before 11. He's only 15, he's not 16 until the end of June. So while it makes no real difference to, well anything at all really, should Sampson have been on the spin-off show while still technically a minor?

maybe it's because his not a Contestant??

sorry - double post!