STORY-SINGING
Sing, Rap, Beatbox your own song on stage! First prize $1000 value
On this page:
What is Story-Singing?
What stories can you tell?
How Do I Make My Work Environmentally Sound?
Story-Singing- Country Entry Information
The Rules
Awards and Judging
Live Performance Information
Country Performance Information
Register for 2009
What is Story-Singing?
Wakakirri Story-Singing is the performance, by students, of an original song that tells a story. The song can be performed live on stage, or if you are 3 hours+ from a performance venue, it can be submitted on video.
Whether performing solo, or in a group, the task is the same: you must present a story through song using live acoustic or pre-recorded music (or unaccompanied).
All schools have the chance to be named the national winner and be profiled on TV during the annual National TV Special!
Examples of Story-Singing items (click on thumbnail to watch a video)
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| Curtin PS (ACT) Primary Story-Singing 'All The World' |
Colonel Light Gns (SA) Primary Story-Singing 'It's All Music' |
Chisholm College (QLD) Secondary Story-Singing 'Fallen From Heaven' |
St Francis Xavier (ACT) Secondary Story-Singing 'Search For Acceptance' |
The Wakakirri theme is our world - Who are we? What surrounds us?
Stories have always been a great medium for exploring and learning about the world. The ‘theme’ of our world is in no way meant to limit the stories told by schools. If you look for it, you’ll find all stories examine the worlds around us, both real and imagined.
Your story can be an original story or an interpretation of an existing story. BUT remember, the lyrics and music must be original.
Schools are also invited to include a signature item in their works. The 2008 signature item is "tap". Schools can represent the signature item as part of their work in any way they choose. It can be used thematically or literally, it be on stage for the entire item or for a second. Awards will be handed out during the festival and competition series.
For example the signature item ‘tap’ could be (although certainly not limited to):
- a water tap ... tapping into something ... tap dancing ...
How do I make my work environmentally sound?
Students should create stories based on the festival theme ‘Our World’, enabling them to explore and understand their own environment. Schools should also apply the concepts of reduce, reuse and recycle to the creation of any props, sets and costumes used.
The following rules apply to those schools preparing and submitting their Story-Singing item as part of the Country-Wakakirri competition
Eligible schools
For a school to be eligible for the Country Wakakirri competition they must be more than 3 hours drive from a live Wakakirri venue (or be a School of Distance Education/ School of the Air).
FILMING THE PERFORMANCE
Filming the performance
• ALL Video Wakakirri schools send in a tape of their item filmed live (you cannot record the song and then make a video clip of that song). No editing or specific camera skills are required (though they are permissible)- you will be marked on the song and performance, not on the editing.
• Video Wakakirri item DVDs/tapes can also include credits and a short interview with some of the students.
Sending us your Country Story-Singing entry
• Works must posted to Wakakirri (PO Box 607, Newtown 2042, NSW) on a DVD for judging. We will still accept Mini DV Tape for the 2008 Country Story-Singing Competition.
•Entries MUST be filmed in 16:9 widescreen ratio. See more information about 16:9 Widescreen below
• Only works received by the due date (Friday 13 June 2008) will be eligible for judging. Late entries will not be accepted.
Below is some more information about DVD and miniDV Tape specifications
Sending your Country entry in on DVD:
Please adhere to the below requirements when sending in your Story-Singing country entry on DVD.
Ensure that you check the quality of your DVD by playing it back in a DVD player before you send it to us.
You can record your film on any disc you wish EXCEPT DVD-RAM.
Quicktime file (MAC or PC)
File extension: .mov or .dv
Size: 720 x 576 16:9 PAL Anamorphic
Frame Rate: 25fps
Compression: DV PAL
Quality: Best
Scan Mode: Interlaced
Audio will be as follows:
Format: Big Indian(i.e.Linear PCM)
Sample Rate: 48.000 khz
Sample Size: 16 bit
Channels: Stereo (L R)
Estimated File Size: 240mb per 1 minute of footage.
Sending your Country entry in on miniDV Tape:
• Entries must be in PAL format (the Australian standard). Some computers have a NTSC (American standard) setting as default. Please check settings before recording or editing
• Must not have ‘picture bars’/ ‘cinema bars’ (the black bands at the top and bottom of screen). This is a setting on some video cameras. Please make sure this is turned OFF.
A miniDV Tape looks like this and is usually used in conjuction with older video recorders.
If you have any questions about tape formats etc please call the Wakakirri office (free call 1800 650 979).
16:9 Widescreen Explained
16 x 9 Widescreen
4 x 3 Fullscreen
To save any conversion problems from 4:3(fullscreen) to 16: 9(widescreen), we ask that you film your item in 16:9 widescreen to allow footage to be used in the annual Network TEN TV Special in the event you become a Country Wakakirri Finalist.
Some older digital cameras do not allow you to shoot at 16:9 so make sure you check the functionality of your camera.
As the diagrams above indicate, the picture varies quite significantly when shooting at 16:9, your image will be rectangular rather than the square 4:3 image.
Shooting in 16:9 will allow you to capture landscapes more readily as well as letting you add more dimension to each shot.
Editing time during post-production may also be reduced because you will be able to combine two shots into one, an example of this may be two people conversing. When shooting at 4:3 each person has to be shot one at a time; when shooting at 16:9 however, the entire conversation will be able to be filmed at once without having to film one person then the other.
How many entries per school?
• One entry per school
How much does it cost to enter?
Story-Singing is free to enter. All schools participating live will be asked to have their Principal sign and return a ‘Confirmation of Entry’ form (Sent to you in INFO PACK 2). This form confirms that if a school withdraws from the competition or fails to turn up to their performance the school has agreed to pay a $50.00 (incl GST) withdrawal admin fee to Wakakirri. You will only pay this if you do NOT perform once the form has been signed.
Schools with Primary and Secondary Students
Schools that have both primary and secondary aged students and wish to use students from both age groups in their item may do so, but the item will be judged in the Secondary schools division of the competition.
GENERAL STORY-SINGING RULES
GLITTER OR CONFETTI IS NOT TO BE THROWN IN THE AIR AT ANY STAGE OF YOUR PERFORMANCE. It is only permitted at part of makeup or prop decoration and glue must always be used to ensure there is minimal residue left on stage after your rehearsal and performance.
• Students must use original music
• Items must be rated G for primary schools and PG for secondary schools
• A maximum of 30 students can be involved in your Story-Singing item.
• Each school will only have the following microphones available for use: 8 handheld microphones (with stands). In staging your item, you should assume all microphones are on leads. These 8 microphones will need to be used for not only all of your performers, but also for any acoustic instruments you may be using. There will be a sound technician mixing the sound. NOTE: There is a limit of two singers using one microphone at any given time.
• Schools must supply their own backing CD and/or acoustic instruments.
• No amplification for instruments is supplied and all instruments used MUST have a microphone
• Maximum 5 minutes in length. Timings begins and concludes with the first/last sound or movement. For every 5 seconds over the time limit, 2 marks will be deducted. Items exceeding 5min 30sec will not be permitted to go on stage.
• You have 2 minutes to set the stage and 2 minutes to clear it at the end of your performance.
• Students must enter from the wings.
• A maximum of two set items are permitted per Story-Singing item. Each set item cannot exceed 2.5m high at any time. Each set piece cannot exceed 2m in length and 80cm in depth when offstage. A set piece can extend beyond the width and depth restrictions (but not height) once brought on stage.
Prohibited Items
Items NOT permitted to be used in Wakakirri Story-Singing item:
• Flying foxes
• Stilts
• Mechanised sets or sets requiring mains power. Battery operated lights such as torches are acceptable.
• Pyrotechnics
• Flammable liquids
• Naked flame including candles
• Rear or front projection
• Floor electrics (i.e. PowerPoint presentations, overhead projectors)
• Water-sprayers
• Dry ice
• Fire extinguishers are not permitted for use in creating stage effects.
Dates
• Registrations due – Friday 4 April 2008
• Story-Singing performances will be held in conjunction with Wakakirri Story-Dance and Story-Telling performances at live Wakakirri shows.
See dates and venues for locations.
Awards
• All entries receive a recognition and participation award
• A State winner will be selected and may be invited to perform at a final show in that state.
• A national primary and secondary schools winner will be announced during the annual Network Ten National TV Special
Judging Criteria - Wakakirri Story-Singing
Story.............................40
marks
Clarity
Lyrics
Creativity
Delivery........................30
marks
Vocals
Music
Performance.................30
marks
Entertainment
Creativity
Total.............................100
marks
REHEARSALS
Dress Rehearsals
• Schools are asked to advise us of dates they CANNOT perform on. They will then be allocated a performance date and rehearsal time during that day. NOTE: The performance takes place at night.
• Each school must arrive at least 1 hour before their allocated rehearsal time.
• Extra time will not be given for schools who arrive late.
• Your ‘on-the-day’ rehearsal for both the heats and finals is a combined technical and DRESS REHEARSAL (makeup is optional).
• ALL STUDENTS MUST BE IN COSTUME for the rehearsal and all sets and props must be used in the rehearsal.
Stage Crew
• Wakakirri will provide a professional Sound Technician, a Lighting Technician, a Marshal, a Stage Manager and an Assistant Stage Manager. These people will not act as stage crew for schools with sets/props.
• If you have set pieces and props, you must provide a backstage crew (students included in your total student numbers) who are rehearsed in moving the set on and off the stage, safely, in the allocated time.
• Your backstage crew may be directed by an adult and given minimal assistance in placing the set in its desired position on stage. Once the set is in place ONLY the students are allowed to move it around the stage.
• Adults or students not of the competition age group are not permitted on stage during the performance.
• At the conclusion of the first rehearsal, the students must move the set off-stage unassisted under the direction of the Assistant Stage Manager. They must then be capable of putting the set back on stage unassisted in the two minutes allowed.
• Sets must be appropriate to the capabilities of the students in your stage crew.
LIGHTING
Schools are not required to use stage lights or any lighting effects for their item, however, this is not against the rules.
All Wakakirri venues are equipped with a range of lighting effects. This includes a variety of different colour washes and fixed colour spots. The different colours include red, blue, green, amber, white and pink.
A limited range of special effects are also available - they include:
• 1 x follow spot
• 1 x strobe machine
• 1 x mirror ball
• 4 x ultra violet (or "black" lights) downstage
• 1 x smoke machine
also included for FINALS
• 4 x vari-lights (capable of patterns, your lighting technician will explain these on the day)
SAFETY
Duty of Care/ Supervision
• Teachers must follow the Duty of Care requirements as set out by their respective Departments of Education, including carrying a first aid kit.
• Students must be supervised AT ALL TIMES, including during rehearsals, performance and in the dressing rooms. At no time will any student be unaccompanied in or around the venue. It is up to teachers to ensure that this rule is observed.
• Wakakirri staff are not responsible for the supervision of students.
Photography and Videoing
• Schools may video and photograph their rehearsals, as long as they do so safely. Please be aware that there will be limited lighting and that adults may not be on the stage during the rehearsal
• NO cameras can be taken into any Wakakirri night performance under any circumstance. This is a policy of both Wakakirri and the participating venues. An official video/DVD and photos of the performances will be available for purchase.
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REGISTER YOUR SCHOOL FOR STORY-SINGING 2009
