Idea for future walk-ons

[guitaraffa]

I've thought of a way to do walk-ons that is both fair and actually logistically feasible (for up-coming years, but not this year): I remember someone mentioned setting up some quad steps and if you can't complete them, then you're out. Well, instead of just that, I think they should set up a VERY simple obstacle course that tests agility, balance and strength and have everyone run it. Everyone can line up and they can give people forms and waivers to sign in line so things move along quickly.

As I mentioned, the obstacles should be simple and no need to re-setting up. The course would be done for time, and everyone would have their time recorded. If you fail an obstacle, you are not out, but penalized a good amount of time. I think this is fair, because someone might slip up on one thing, but be very good at everything else and make up time.

Here are few ideas for obstacles:

Balance:

- Use a long bar (or thin wood) and have people walk across it.

Agility:

- A gap that they have to jump over, or something high that they have to jump on with both feet. Or, to test both agility and grip strength, something like a rope or bar to jump to.

Strength / strength endurance :

- Something like the 'Devil Steps' or 'Bridge of Destiny' that people have to climb up and down and certain number of times.

There are any number of simple things that can be set-up without much risk of injury and that can be quickly run. I think something like this would be incredible all around for a few reasons.

1: Everyone who has put in a ton of hard work to train for this incredible competition would at least be able to try SOMETHING and say they got their shot to prove themselves is some way or another. The most talented people would get a shot at the course.

2: Instead of getting only the most passionate or lucky people (those who wait for days, or those who happened to be in the right place at the right time), the producers will actually get the most qualified people to try out the real course.

3: There would no longer be any issues with people camping out in places that they should not. No risk of ninjas camping in urban areas or getting kicked out by police. No chaos or insanity where ninjas are turning on each other because they want to get their shot. No complaining. No people who train for years, only to be disillusioned with the competition and get angry with the network. There would be worldwide peace where puppies are plentiful and catz can haz cheeseburgers whenever they want!

The only thing needed is a small group of people from the show to build a few things and spend a little extra time to give ninjas a chance to prove themselves.

I can see this happening. I think this would be a huge step forward for everyone.


If you agree, then help me pass along this message.

Sincerely,
Gregg Raffa

[FoppyOmega]

Love it! We need to make this happen.

Some other simple things that tell a lot about fitness:
Pull-up bar
Push-ups
Precision blocks (just pieces of wood for broad jump precision)
Burpees (aerobic endurance)

Just gotta be careful not to tire everyone out the day before the competition...

[dch]

I heard (can't recall where) that American gladiators back in the day had some kind of requirement to try out. Whoever told me this said it was 60 push-ups and that they would have tried to walk on but they knew they couldn't do 60 push ups.

As someone that leans (unsuccessfully casting-wise) more on competence than having a tv-ready persona, I like the idea a lot. I hope something like this happens, and it might have to be something as simple as 60 push-ups to make it manageable.

However, my cynical side will still focus me on "razor sharp abz" and tightening up my audition game. And push-ups haha.

[arsenette]

.. the problem I have (specifically with the idea of this thread) is that everyone is failing to understand the concept of this show. First off.. it's a Television show. Variety show. So CASTING is the big issue people are failing to grasp. Given the sheer amount of legit badasses we have in this country of 200++ million people in the USA you will never get EVERYONE that is "good enough" to be in the show. Period. It's just not possible. Another is the fact that it's not the Olympics. You will have those who are legitimately good at clearing the courses in full without breaking a sweat while others who are "more enjoyable" to a television producer to cast for ratings or potential poster child fodder. The fact that we cannot possibly control who gets casted (let alone left out which is the case of this thread meaning "walk on") this entire thread is pointless. I understand the insane frustration with the process (or lack thereof with the debacle in Baltimore from what I understand) but TV is not going to change because people feel they are getting shafted.

Part of the lure (for me) to watch "Sasuke" is that you can have a perfectly awesome competitor with a record of clearing out the wazzu have a brain fart and fail on the first obstacle. That's the point.. if it was scripted where you got far it wouldn't be fun to watch because you'd just skip the prelims and just watch the finals. Sasuke is different and by extension ANW since the format shares a lot of features. Having "best place" up to defeats the purpose of the show. This isn't Wipeout. Furthermore to add another layer to casting by having yet another arbitrary line for "good" walk ons while they've proven they have their own problems with organization as it is.. it's just another disaster waiting to happen. Who makes the determination if you are good enough? Then it becomes your word against theirs? The point of a walk on is simple. You didn't get casted. Something wasn't in your video or application that some guy behind a desk didn't find enough to put you on the show. As painful as it sounds.. that's the reality of television casting. Asking for another trials for a trials is quite frankly.. asinine. It's never going to solve of the problem of everyone wanting to be on this show.

[FoppyOmega]

I completely agree that these trials will almost definitely never happen. To assume the show would listen to us at all is quite frankly ridiculous. However, there is hope due to the events in Baltimore. Here's what basically happened:
1. Walk-ons got to Baltimore real early and made a list of the order they arrived
2. When it was time for casting to select walk-ons, they were given the list
3. Casting said they love the list and simply took the first 30 names on it

Basically casting adhered to a self-governed walk-on line without a problem. So for the walk-ons to create such a "list" based on factors other than simply arriving early may not be totally out of the question.

[higeboshi]

Whatever is done, it needs to be done in such a manner that we can still have an equivalent or three of Mr. Octopus running. His Sasuke 26 run was my main inspiration, and I'm quite enjoying being 57 lbs. lighter and being able to walk without pain.

[RiderLeangle]

This is a good idea in theory but it really isn't practical, besides the facts that have been already mentioned (How it's a TV show and people are casted for a reason, to look good on TV. Which is very true, hell this dates back for a while, remember Sasuke 20 when they sent an ANC1 guy to lead the way and Brett Simms go it? Both Brett and Colin Bell failed the same spot, but 1-L Colin had the personality of a coat-rack. Another thing to note is how much airtime Ryoga Vee gets because of how he's a living character at ANW), there's another factor, that's also another burden that isn't needed, a ton of s*** goes on in the setup of a huge event like that (even if it can be a clusterfuck inside), there's all kinds of preparation that already needs done just for that.

Besides that. a trial for a trial just seems weird...

In theory it's a good idea, but in practicality it just doesn't work. I'm not saying the clusterfuck that goes on already is a good idea, mad respect to the walk-on guys, but I can't see this working

May 1, 2013 23:27:29 GMT -5 arsenette said:

Having "best place" up to defeats the purpose of the show. This isn't Wipeout.

I see where you're coming from but in a way I disagree, I think you have your perspective wrong. The regionals (and in ANW1-3 the California course) are a trial setup to get to Midoriyama (be it the real one or the Vegas recreation), they just turn it into a TV show. Honestly with how into the 21 Trials on Sasuke Mania (also, how many people who cleared were kicked out of the top 8 for not being fast enough?) you were I'm kind of shocked you don't see ANW in the same light, when essentially it's pretty much the exact same thing on a larger scale (and giving those who don't make it a great experience in the process). I know you protested ANW4 but honestly I think you should watch an episode of Vegas, you'll see how it's run like Sasuke (aside from construction and the Brent incident but let's not speak of that...). 
Sure they end up broadcasting it like Sasuke BUT the Qualifier and Semifinals/Regional Finals are the trials, not the big show.

[arsenette]

May 2, 2013 12:05:00 GMT -5 RiderLeangle said:

May 1, 2013 23:27:29 GMT -5 arsenette said:

Having "best place" up to defeats the purpose of the show. This isn't Wipeout.

I see where you're coming from but in a way I disagree, I think you have your perspective wrong. The regionals (and in ANW1-3 the California course) are a trial setup to get to Midoriyama (be it the real one or the Vegas recreation), they just turn it into a TV show. Honestly with how into the 21 Trials on Sasuke Mania (also, how many people who cleared were kicked out of the top 8 for not being fast enough?) you were I'm kind of shocked you don't see ANW in the same light, when essentially it's pretty much the exact same thing on a larger scale (and giving those who don't make it a great experience in the process). I know you protested ANW4 but honestly I think you should watch an episode of Vegas, you'll see how it's run like Sasuke (aside from construction and the Brent incident but let's not speak of that...). 
Sure they end up broadcasting it like Sasuke BUT the Qualifier and Semifinals/Regional Finals are the trials, not the big show.

I agree with that, however because they televise "trials" or in this case "regionals" they also fall into the Sasuke category in terms of how they tape and cast people. They want a mix of personality and skill.  Otherwise they wouldn't allow people in costume to get ahead in the line (like the case from last year specifically). It's still a TV show in the end and that's why they won't have a trials on top of a trials for the wildcards that weren't invited in the first place.

[RiderLeangle]

That's also a valid point, I think they wanted to give people an experience like Sasuke for their trial back when it was tied to the real Sasuke in Japan, they did kind of take the televised trials and inflated it to become sort of a spinoff (back before it was a spinoff), but I don't really mind since the early rounds are a trial, but I also agree if they want their own joke competitors they could just give them wildcard spots at this point, but that does seem rather odd to make a drastic change that late into the show. Overall I do still appreciate the experience, ANW is still fun (even if there have been pretty big problems (although really none were that blasphemous aside from the Brent incident, I would prefer better construction in Vegas but I don't hate their trials courses (even if there were problems like ANW2's Bridge of Blades or the ANW3 Unstable Bridge)

[dch]

What is the purpose of walk ons anyways? Serious nonloaded question.

I feel like the "casting" gets more or less accomplished by the calls that go out, and the only use to the production company would be to sub in for no-shows. I mean, they seem to be reported going first, but they aren't testers, unless testers are somehow hard to come by. Neither of these seem to me to be an answer.

I know to potential competitors its kind of this romantic "last chance to show your dedication" but I'm not sure the people making the show are really trying to test your mettle for kicks, there should be some utility for them.

Maybe it's just a release valve for sasuke maniacs lol

[arsenette]

Actually from what I remember there is a law in California that requires equal access to a closed set. And since the early days when EVERYTHING tied to ANC/ANW was in California they had to, by law, allow a small amount of walk ons to have equal access to prize money. That then transferred to all regions to allow equality across all regions.

[RiderLeangle]

I think it was originally given as a last chance to people who found out too late, especially considering how ANW1 wasn't that major of an event, it was still a sizable tournament but since it had started it wasn't that well known yet so they needed some filler, after that it was to give a last chance to people who wanted to try out, I don't think it was ever planned for a camp-out thing

EDIT: And that thing Arsenette said that I completely forgot about lol 

[dch]

Interesting. Thx for the input.