My son is going to be marching with his high school band in the Magic Kingdom Parade this Friday!
We are all so excited and want to make sure we get a good spot to videotape this historic (to us, anyway) event.
There will be a total of 9 of us, one in a wheelchair. Is it worth setting the wheelchair up in the handicapped area with the additional 5 people allowed - or should I set all 9 of us up somewhere else?
1- We usually watch the parade down by Splash Mountain, since that's where it starts and after it goes by, we can go back to the rides. But I'm thinking that my not be the best place to video from.
2- I've never been in the center hub in front of the castle
3 - do they do "stop" there and do their routine? Or do they just march by?
4- Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!
1- ALL MK regularly-scheduled parades start in Town Square these days.
2- That's a prime location.
3- Does your band have a routine that requires being "stopped" to perform it?
Has Disney asked for them to do that, or to just march along the route and play?
4- Spectro always starts (enters) from the Fire Station/Barbershop on Main Street, moves counter-clockwise around the "Flagpole Green" (in front of the train station) and down Main Street towards the castle.
It winds counter-clockwise around the "Hub", into Liberty Square, veers left into Frontierland, down the street in Frontierland (past Country Bears) and finally exits between the McDonald's Fries "covered wagon" and Splash Mountain.
Even if there are 2 Spectro's on the same night, the parade follows this same route and goes at the EXACT same SPEED (its computer "controlled").
My best tip for you is to have a GROUP of PRE-COORDINATED camcorder operators, WITHIN A FEW YARDS of each other, who's job it is to "shoot the band" ALL ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE STREET (don't want the "direction" of the band to "change" on-screen because one shot is "right-to-left" the other is "left-to-right").
Because a single camcorder will miss MOST of the band, several coordinated units can cover MORE of it and then the footage can be edited together for the best end-result. (Most schools have video production/editing capabilities.)
A great position for at least one (or two) camcorder(s) is on the upper train platform.
It is very hard to get a spot there as many folks like to sit here.
If its important, be there 2-3 hours before the show and hold your spot.
Alternately, if you're too late to get that spot, make a "deal" with a person who is sitting at the rail that you ONLY need to be there for the time it takes to record your band going by (these "pre-show bands" march by many minutes [say 10-15 minutes] BEFORE the actual parade) and if the person would let you into "their spot" -just for a few minutes of the band going by- (then you'll quickly move to let them return) they would be helping the school get lasting memories of the day.
Lastly, borrow or buy a TRIPOD for holding the camcorder.
(At least for the camcorder(s) on the train platform.)
Wiggling shots are impossible to watch and can be avoided for $20-$30 spent at Wal-Mart for a basic "video tripod".
Frame one, two, or three "good shots" (wider, not too close).
Frame the first shot and let the band march THROUGH the picture,
quckly frame another shot, let it march by, etc.
Practice using the tripod until you're comfortable.
A group of "moms and dads" with thier own camcorders and a PLAN (Ed will shoot wide from the train station, Joan will be below with shots of the drum majors and then the drum section, Bill will get "Mr. Johnson" as he walks next to the band, Jane will catch the trombones and then the woodwinds...) can make a great team to capture the event.
Don't forget to coordinate with the BAND so everyone will be clear about when they will be PLAYING (and not just marching to cadence).
A look at the Parade Route
SpectroMagic and the 3 O'Clock Parade both start near the Firehouse and exit near Splash Mtn.
MVMCP and MNSSHP Parades both start near Spalsh Mtn. and exit near the Firehouse.
