http://www.supernovatube.com/play.ph...aed42e34be59e3

This is a link to a somewhat tedious but informative documentary/movie about American Idol.

If you can sit through the filler, there are some aspects of reality television/Idol/XFactor covered that give insight into why many of the better vocalists, especially those who are self-contained all arounders and/or have a definite understanding of who they are, choose to take a different route than Idol/XFactor.They even cover the contracts truthfulle.

It also shows how glamourous it truly isn't, and what a great oportunity for success it isn't for most of the contestants.

Still, a few talented singers find the process worthwhile, especially those who have a good voice and look and just wanna sing. I respect that, and don't mean any of this as putting the contestants down, but....this shows a lot that some of us have posted about, however, it's one thing to read posts by people on here who could be anyone....and another to see something like this,where previous finalists say the same things that some of us on DS have posted about.....if you ever thought of auditioning, you should watch this.
If you are a talented but inexperienced singer or aspiring singer who considers this route, do yourself a favour and, even if you skip the filler, watch the documentary from around 40 minutes into it.Knowledge is as important as talent, and 40 minutes into this doc/movie til about 50 minutes in is helpful info for any performer/vocalist.

Thanks for this. I haven't read it yet, but certainly will.

I have watched it. It is interesting but there is nothing really new for me. It just reinforces what I thought about how the show works.

Also there is this interview of last year semi-finalist Jason Yeager that mentions song choice and song lists at the end and how restricted it is.
I find it particularly cringeworthy that the judges insist so much on song choice when the acts are not free to chose.

I haven't watched it either but I already knew most of this. I dissed some of them about song choice already but most of the songs that these ppl want to sing can't get cleared by the show so they have to just to sing whatever is available. In fact I remember one contestant in the seminfinals who was one the first people voted off and said there was a list of songs the show gave them and he ended having to sing a crappy song and the judges laid into him well Simon did and that was the last I heard of him. Part of me already knows that these shows are kind of shady but I still watch them.

I realize that many knew/suspected already, but I still wanted to post this.

I watched this, saw a lot of truth in it, and saw a lot of things I wish I'd have known before wasting time nearly making the mistake of accepting offers to go down similar paths...It is one thing to read posts by an anonymous person on a message board, and another to see former Idol contestants who readers may recognize talk about it the way they do in this documentary.

I just wanted to put this link up because I know there are some aspiring singers who frequent this forum, and if watching this gives them time to think about what could be around the corner if they ever get offerred or go after and get a chance to be on such a show, and it helps them to think now rather than when they are being pushed and rushed and manipulated and even intimidated into making a decision , then it posting the link will have been time well spent.

I mostly posted this BECAUSE it confirms many people's suspicions, and moreso because it is a strong warning to talented aspiring singers about the potential disadvantageous decisions they will be very, very hurriedly and forcibly pushed toward making if they get to a point where they are offerred an X Factor/Idol kind of route.

What it comes down to is, if you have talent and are marketable enough to stand out from the many good singers out there, then they will want you because they can get you work and sell you and profit.....but....the thing is, if you are at that level, you can get work and succeed without making excessive compromises or disadvantageous decisions. Plenty of singers and musicians do. I'm not saying don't go that route, I'm just saying never let people who actually truly are NOT the be all and of your chance to succeed push you in a direction you aren't sure about before you have time to know what's the best option....Idol/XFactor type shows are an option, but far from the only or necessarily best option.

Unfortunately, it's another attempt to cash in on Idol with little more than the usual rumours and lack of evidence. The editor of "in touch" magazine does little to inspire confidence!

There is some humour though. The highlight being Scott Savol who couldn't possibly imagine that he wasn't good enough and actually thought he was a threat in whatever season it was that he was in. He wouldn't even be a threat on X Factor let alone Idol.

The voting issue isn't well tackled. On one hand, the vote for the worst guy seems to think he is able to alter the results and has the producers trying to stop him. On the other, it's all fixed anyway and why would they be worried? Paula Abdul has a terrible relationship with the producers, but knows all the shows inner secrets by series 2. Despite other claims that the judges are barely involved at all.

They claim the series 2 result was fixed on the basis that Clay Aiken might be gay... and yet 19 and RCA snapped him up straight away and promoted the hell out of him as a recording artist. And they happily continue with Ryan and Simon who have loads of gay rumours surrounding them and actively play it up on the show.

Corey Clark says they wanted Ruben to win because he was black and the show was under pressure for a black winner. Sure Tamyra Gray was a bit of a shock, but the pressure was hardly overwhelming and Kelly was a more than deserving winner in the first year. Then he suggests that Randy is bad for black people because he portrays a black stereotype too much. Before promptly complaining that they made him change his African American clothes and hairstyle, making him less of a black stereotype. But then we've also got the complaints that he didn't get enough attention from the stylists, but when they do he's not happy. And apparently the producers control everything but Paula is picking his outfits?

Another which suggests that he isn't actually clued up is the idea that they don't want anyone with music industry experience. When the allegations in recent years have been quite the opposite and tend to have more weight to them than what he claims. And while sitting on a documentary which seeks to attack American Idol and being one of its most outspoken critics, Clark then gets all upset at the idea that 19 are trying to slow down his career.

I never really understand what they expect when they say that they are made to work really hard or that the show exploits them. Am I meant to feel sorry for them? They are only there to get what they want out of it, why do they expect the makers of the show to be any different?

I'm sure there is plenty that could be uncovered about this show. But this is a poor attempt.

Chi, I agree that this wasn't a great attempt , which is why I said it has a lot of filler and is somewhat tedious, but there are about 10 to 15 minutes of it that pretty much sum up whay the XFactor/Idol route can be mistake to take , and how they rush naieve singers to make disadvantageous descisions.

I agree that the producers should make something for their efforts, but the treatment and 'deals' most contestants end up with really are apauling.

The former contestants observations are skewed a bit, but the underlying info useful to aspiring singers is accurrate. I agree as far as Scott Savoy's egotastic attitude being funny, too.