To be honest, I am more disappointed by how the set looks on screen than what it looked like while I was in the audience! It felt more like a live show than a TV show...
I'm taking the opportunity share my feelings on the taping, as I didn’t have the time to organise my thoughts after taping. So, based on what I wrote on Discord that evening, and what I remember from the taping, here’s what I think: *cue ATH bed*
— They used the original music, but they also used songs to go to and from ad breaks, as well as for the guests’ entrance, like they do on Brainiest France since Arthur took over the format (a huge disappointment). At one point, the sequence of cues went from ‘Out of break’, to ‘Espresso’ by Sabrina Carpenter and then Final Answer drums. Playing them one after another sounded ridiculous and killed the tension of the game.
— They used pyrotechnics when the guest came in, and Q10 onwards.
— Olga-Annemie graphics were used like in the different international versions, but they used Copperplate for the winning strap, like back in the day (a great addition). They used pink and blue lighting for second tier questions. There were screens, like in a basketball stadium, showing real-time graphics (Question straps, winning straps, PAF clock), and lifeline icons on Olga-Annemie background when they were activated. It seemed like there were 4 screens, one on each side of the square, but I didn’t see the stage from every angle. The money tree is the same as the 2009–2016 era, and graphics-wise, it is aligned on the right in the French version.
— Arthur claimed there were 2,500 people in the audience (I doubt that), but this is completely false! Only some people had a remote to give their opinion for ATA. I guess it is the same number as a regular WWTBAM audience. Only from a random few who were placed at the right spot. As someone who was not in that area, I was disappointed not to be able to vote. They could have easily asked the whole audience with a web app like they do on other shows, but our phones were sealed in a magnetic pouch to prevent people from cheating, and the production crew only provided regular remotes instead of touch-screen devices like I’ve experienced on other tapings.
— I was really disappointed with Arthur’s hosting style. ATH (aka ‘le feeling de Camille’ with C. Combal) wasn’t part of the game, but Arthur gave the contestants (= his friends) way too many hints during gameplay. I know they were playing for charity, but it should have been a fourth lifeline! He should have added ATH if he really wanted to give his advice to his friends, rather than helping them informally. Also, people around me were annoyed with Arthur helping his friends too much. We all felt like he was ruining the format by helping them informally.
— Arthur didn’t seem to understand the strategy of playing Millionaire as he gave them useless advice on how to use lifelines (like using ATA as the last lifeline, instead of being the first, or use 50:50 after the other ones to see if ATA or PAF were right).
— During taping, the ad-breaks only lasted for a minute or two, Arthur was great at keeping the suspense. I don’t think the guests knew the correct answer appeared as soon as they said ‘C’est mon dernier mot’, which was great for suspense, even though he used the Simon Cowell technique way too much (‘I’m sorry to tell you that… you’re right!’). I was sat on Arthur’s side in the audience and had the perfect point of view to see the host screen, so it was fun to see contestants being stressed when there was an ad break, while we could see the green/red square on the screen. I can even brag that I explained to people next to me how the software worked, so everyone was focusing on the host screen!
— Some players had ATA, others had Ask one of the audience (AOA). Those who got ATA didn’t seem so happy before taping, as they preferred the format of AOA. They wanted to be able to ask people who knew the correct answer and be able to discuss it with them, rather than having the ATA graph. People for AOA who were chosen by the contestants (only one at a time) and won €200 if they were right. The funny anecdote is that they alternated between ATA and AOA during taping. During the last run (using ATA as the third lifeline), one guy stood up as he thought it was the AOA lifeline and not the ATA one.
— Confetti were thrown when 72k (= Q11) was reached. I thought it was a mistake at first but it didn’t seem like it. It felt like 72k was the highest contestants could reach (Qui Veut Gagner 72 000€, doesn’t seem as entertaining!).
— People in the audience were discussing the answers as soon as the question was revealed. I hope it won’t be noticeable onscreen, but it was fun to see how David Briggs’s shoutability concept is still so relevant 25 years later!
‘And that is my final answer!’ *cue ATH end sting*
Idolsfan
P.S.: If top management from Sony is reading this, I think I am well-trained enough to be a an International Production Consultant, like K.S. was a few years ago ! I am perfectly able to say what is right and wrong in the adaptation of the IPs you manage! ![;)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/wink.png)