There are some swirls in the backdrop, that look like what I see in my vision about 20 mins before having a migraine..
Here's another issue. In the renders of the stage design that wandered onto the ESC website back in January, the 'thing' above the stage looked really good. A nice abstract design that complemented the shape of the main stage - something I thought that would be good to look at on the 'back of arena' longshots, or the 'scuttling crab' tracking shots from low down looking up front of stage.
But, when placed behind the massive and high powered/contrast LED wall, it just gets lost - and worse, was constructed in gray, so they can fire HD projections off it - or catch the reflections from the main video wall.
If you are going to put something above the stage, make it stand out - not just something to hang from the lighting grid and merge into the background.
Following the official confirmation that Russian Eurovision entrant, Julia Samoylova, will not be permitted to travel to Kyiv to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017, the EBU formally offered two alternative proposals to Channel One in a bid to find a solution that would enable Russia to continue their participation in this year’s event.
"These proposals were to either take part via satellite or to change their chosen artist to one who could legally travel to Ukraine for the duration of the Contest. Sadly both proposals have been rejected by Channel One and they have now announced they do not intend to broadcast the Eurovision Song Contest 2017. Unfortunately this means Russia will no longer be able to take part in this year’s competition. We very much wanted all 43 countries to be able to participate and did all we could to achieve this," the EBU states.
Frank Dieter Freiling, Chairman of the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group, the event’s steering committee, said: "We strongly condemn the Ukrainian authorities' decision to impose a travel ban on Julia Samoylova as we believe it thoroughly undermines the integrity and non-political nature of the Eurovision Song Contest and its mission to bring all nations together in friendly competition. However, preparations continue apace for the Eurovision Song Contest in the host city Kyiv. Our top priority remains to produce a spectacular Eurovision Song Contest with our Member UA:PBC in May."
The broadcaster is mandated to broadcast the semi final in which they compete and vote, or in the case of the Big 5 and the host/defending champion the semi final in which they vote. There is no mandate however to broadcast the other semi final.
ALL participating broadcasters must broadcast the grand final whether they have qualified for it or not.
Another Russian broadcaster could, in theory, broadcast it, however it isn't that broadcaster who is competing.
Actually the non-broadcast rule may no longer exist, it may have been dropped in 2011 to allow Italy to return.
But thank god this mess is over. Russia should not have bothered. On the other hand, Ukraine should enjoy the contest then be scared of a possible ban for 2018......