Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2010 January 1

= January 1 =

Flute leaking?
Hi. On my flute (typical western version), there are currently some notes that I suddenly cannot play properly. The lower F and F# notes on the North American scale are not working, although F# works with the middle key of the right hand but with a slight buzzing noise. The high C is also sometimes difficult to play without playing forte, but this is less recent. I haven't checked some of the highest notes on the scale. By the way, this occured after wiggling my fingers rapidly on the three right-hand keys while attempting to flutebox. Any idea what the issue is with the instrument? Thanks. ~ A H  1 (TCU) 02:23, 1 January 2010 (UTC)
 * I'm not a flautist, but I note their mechanics, and wonder if it's possible for the keys you press to have worked loose in some way? Can you see a small screw on the affected key? --TammyMoet (talk) 09:36, 1 January 2010 (UTC)


 * Unless you really bashed the right hand keys with brutal force, I doubt that your fluteboxing alone caused a leak (Otherwise, I recommend practising with a microphone so you can make audible percussive noises with less force). More likely, it was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. The pads of most woodwind instruments invariably start "leaking" after a certain time of normal wear and tear; the rapid wiggling might have simply accelerated it a bit. The simplest diagnostic method is to check the body and footjoint separately by blowing air through them, while closing off the end as well as all pads and finger openings. If the part isn't leaking it will resist the air, otherwise you will feel or hear the leak, and likely be able to locate it. A spring may have gone limp, something may be slightly bent, but if you have no experience in repairing the instrument I strongly recommend you take it to a shop. It is easy to make things worse (and finally more expensive) if you lack the right tools and experience. ---Sluzzelin talk  09:55, 1 January 2010 (UTC)


 * I second the recommendation to take it to a music shop and ask them. My first thought in most similar occasions is to check that nothing is stuck inside the instrument, then check the pads. But it is almost certainly going to be cheaper and safer to take it to a music shop and ask an experienced musician who can actually hold and examine the thing. Incidentally, I'm intrigued by your phrase "the North American scale". 86.177.121.171 (talk) 16:51, 1 January 2010 (UTC)


 * Pressing down on the keys moves certain parts of the instrument that contain a screw, but it's probably difficult to get a screwdriver in there. Also, I timed myself and estimated that I was playing at the rate of 15 notes per second, give or take. I wasn't trying to make a percussive effect by wiggling my fingers, rather producing sharp alternations in pitch. Also, I'm not sure how to blow through the instrument without the mouthpiece? I have taken it to a shop before and asked about the harder-to-play higher notes such as the C, but they said that it would take $50 and roughly a week, but also suggested I work on the embrochure which did actually help. But I'm not sure how much it would cost to fix this part, unless the only problem is some loose screws. However, I will need my instrument next week and there is a big snowstorm coming tomorrow and we don't want to drive. As for the "North American scale", I'm prone to making connections and it was because I heard that the letter scale was only used in North America. ~ A H  1 (TCU) 03:40, 3 January 2010 (UTC)


 * Well, whoever told you that about the letter notation was misinformed ;-) I would still suggest you take it to the shop (it sounds like they know what they're talking about) if only for them to tell you what's wrong/ has changed.
 * What don't you understand about blowing through the instrument without the mouthpiece? To check the body, take the body piece, seal off one end, close all the pads, seal your mouth over the other end and blow. 86.177.121.171 (talk) 16:00, 3 January 2010 (UTC)

Nine Inch Nails
Today at around 8pm, a rock song played before Nine Inch Nails's Closer. What was this song and who sings this? I don't know which radio station it was cause I thought I heard it on easy rock but the recently played list does not list it NIN so I'm pretty sure it was another radio station.174.3.102.6 (talk) 04:19, 1 January 2010 (UTC)


 * Well, since all radio stations across the world play the exact same songs someone should be along shortly to help you out. 161.222.160.8 (talk) 04:28, 1 January 2010 (UTC)
 * The OP is the same IP that asked the "Rock Song (Probably Canadian) (Hedley?)" question as well as other song questions and those bandana and hat questions. So, if someone wants to go through those and find out what city they're in...  And maybe what radio station they listen to will be mentioned...  Or the OP could throw us a bone and give the station to us.  Dismas |(talk) 05:41, 1 January 2010 (UTC)
 * The IP is from Calgary, although I assume this is the guy from Edmonton who always ask similar questions. Adam Bishop (talk) 19:12, 1 January 2010 (UTC)

future of soap opera
Please note I'm not using Wikipedia as a crystal ball or anything like that. But from what I understand about All My Children moving to Los Angeles to cut costs, I'm sure many people would want One Life to Live to the same thing. (The two did crossovers.) The reason I say that is because after it's been learned As the World Turns will be going off the air, OLTL would be the only soap opera left to be filmed in New York City. (General Hospital, Days of Our Lives, The Young & the Restless, and The Bold and the Beautiful are filmed in Los Angeles, soon to be joined by AMC.) By any chance, is AMC setting a good example for OLTL?24.90.204.234 (talk) 08:36, 1 January 2010 (UTC)
 * While I have no answer whatsoever, I'd like to post this follow-up question to the OP: Why would it be a good thing that you are "sure many people would want" if every single show of a certain genre was filmed in the same city, instead of having some diversity and different local flavour? I'd say that AMC are setting a bad example by falling in line with everyone else. /Coffeeshivers (talk) 19:19, 2 January 2010 (UTC)

Any theories about what audiences want to see?
Are there any theories about what audiences want to see in movies? In other words what explains why some movies are more popular than others, ignoring different advertising and promotion spends? 78.146.210.81 (talk) 11:46, 1 January 2010 (UTC)


 * There certainly are; it is the job of the entire executive staff of every movie studio to develop and use such theories to decide what scripts to develop and film. Also there is an industry in Los Angeles of writers' workshops, in which they teach hundreds of hungry writers the alleged secrets to writing a movie that will be sure to be a hit.  On the other hand, William Goldman wrote in his book Adventures in the Screen Trade (and in its sequel) that nobody actually understands what makes a hit movie, which is the reason every movie executive is perpetually paranoid; he doesn't really understand why his movies succeed or fail, though it is his job to understand; and he knows he is going to be fired someday, and it's not actually in his control when.  I highly recommend the movie The Player on this topic.  Comet Tuttle (talk) 18:35, 1 January 2010 (UTC)
 * ......And would you like to tell me what they are please? 92.24.69.222 (talk) 21:21, 1 January 2010 (UTC)


 * Personally, I thought Comet Tuttle's answer was a great answer to an unanswerable question. Four references provided even.  My only answer is The Glass Teat, which is more about TV than movies, but still deals with the general subject of the headaches of writers and producers in Hollywood.  The general subject of "what makes a 'hit'" seems to be a subject for which entire college degrees are granted.  &mdash;Aladdin Sane (talk) 22:05, 1 January 2010 (UTC)

Does this mean that no theories of movie popularity have been published? Can anyone give the names of any or details of the relevant academic publications please?92.24.69.222 (talk) 23:39, 1 January 2010 (UTC)


 * The Glass Teat is by Harlan Ellison, and as I recall (but can't track the quote), he did have a theory, somewhat like: People don't know what they want, so they accept what you give them. For a Jungian approach, see Cinematic Projections: The Analytical Psychology of C.G. Jung and Film Theory by Luke Hockley which examines how people identify with films and characters. Lastly, although the critic Pauline Kael often attacked popular films, her essays offer insights on this subject. Pepso2 (talk) 01:10, 2 January 2010 (UTC)


 * I'm sure that originality has a lot to do with it, which is why sequels rarely live up to expectations. All my favourite movies feature something unique and unexpected, which is what makes them work. You can't make a formula for that.--Shantavira|feed me 07:40, 2 January 2010 (UTC)


 * That wasn't actually the OP's question, which had to do with movie popularity rather than quality. I don't know of any "academic publications" discussing this.  I'd be interested to read some.  A lot of the "theory", if you can call it that, has to do with what themes and actors are popular at the moment.  "Vampire movies are hot" is true today, but is not going to be true ten years from now, as the zeitgeist shifts.  (Or maybe one year from now.)  Actors' popularity comes and goes.  If you're interested in the topic, HSX is a game in which there is a simulated stock market of movies that have not come out yet, and players "buy" and "sell" shares of the movies as they bet fake money on how much the movies will gross in the US.  Comet Tuttle (talk) 15:59, 2 January 2010 (UTC)


 * The questioner here needs to understand why this question cannot be answered. "People" do not have a preference.  "People" is an anonymous group of individuals with no distinct qualities.  An "individual" will have a preference.  The preferences of one individual will not be the same as another individual.  So, movie producers market to individuals, not "people".  They pick a specific type of individual - perhaps individuals who like big explosions and boobs.  Then, they try to guess how many of those individuals will actually pay money to see a movie containing big explosions and boobs.  Then, they judge how much money they will make off those individuals.  Then, they take a small part of that and set the budget to make the movie.  Then, the movie is made and, if all the guesses went well, the producer profits.  There has never been a movie that all "people" prefer.  It is not possible. --  k a i n a w &trade; 16:28, 5 January 2010 (UTC)


 * Interesting point, though actually movie producers don't think in terms of individuals, but the demographic groups they belong to. They're still trying to make a movie that the demo prefers.  Comet Tuttle (talk) 21:15, 5 January 2010 (UTC)

FOX BILLBOARD NEW YEARS EVE 2010 SPECIAL
Does anyone know where I can find a list of this years performers on the FOX Billboard New Year's Eve? More specifically, the female performers of the night. And if possible if there is streaming video online. I did not see any video on my quick look at fox.com. Thanks! 65.118.24.3 (talk) 15:15, 1 January 2010 (UTC)

Akron Wingfoots player information?
My great uncle was telling me over the holidays about enjoying the above team, which was sponsored by Goodyear, in the 1930s and early 1940s when he was a boy. I found a number of good sites ont he history of the Wingfoots, and even standings, but what I was curious about was some of the player names. Is there a site where it lists, say, team leaders in each category, or something like that? Thanks.Somebody or his brother (talk) 15:26, 1 January 2010 (UTC)

Nine
Does the movie Nine (film) use the song Nature Boy? I seem to remember the refrain “greatest thing you'll ever learn is to love and be loved in return” somewhere in the movie but it's not listed in the soundtrack. --Mathew5000 (talk) 19:13, 1 January 2010 (UTC)

I haven't seen Nine but as far as I know it's all original songs. You might be getting your musicals mixed up as Baz Luhrman's Moulin Rouge uses Nature Boy as a refrain several times. --94.170.102.121 (talk) 12:16, 4 January 2010 (UTC)