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How do you end your show?


Sctiger

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As I was getting my Christmas show in order, I was wondering how others end their shows? Is there anything that you add to signal the end or do you just let it loop? I have a different sense of humor so as of right now, I'm going with the clip from the Blues Brothers where Jake says "you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here!" lol

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That's good. I end it with the looney tunes that's all folkes...then I have 2 mins of no music and just lights on. Seems to be enough time for those that have seen it to leave and the others to move closer.

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I just loop it throughout the night and  "gracefully" end it at nights end with whatever song is playing. Unless you have larger crowds, where some visitors may stay for an entire show, having a "start" and "end" is probably a mute point for many of us since visitors generally stay for a few songs and move on.

 

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My shows are all finite. They end with the penguins saying "Good night. Drive carefully" etc. Between shows and after hours, an animation loop runs with the penguins in darkness and the lights slowly cycling. Each show lasts about 30 minutes. The street completely empties after each show and begins to fill up a few minutes before the next show. 

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My songs play from before sunset to sunrise.  There is no set of songs called a show and no breaks.   There is never anyone here during the first or last song to hear an intro or outro.  People know to come anytime its dark to avoid the crowded hours of 7-10.    The neighbors have never said a word about this and there have been very few times when a visitor has made a lot of noise with windows down or getting out of cars past 11pm. 

Edited by ItsMeBobO
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I have come to agree that for me it's more time-consuming than effective to worry about show-starting and ending songs.  My 'show' begins at 5:30 and ends when the street clears after 9:30.  During those hours, the songs loop continuously, although the playlist might change during the evening depending on traffic and/or a number of other factors. 

We have a LOT of people who sit through the entire playlist.  No matter the included songs, I always use the same welcome announcement and opening song at the top of each playlist, and on the longer playlists, I use a different welcome announcement and following song halfway through the playlist.  That way, no matter where in the playlist someone arrives, they have a marker for when they've seen everything.

Here's a link to the "closing song" I designated back in 2009.  Arguably one of my better efforts, but also one of the least viewed sequences I've ever done.  Pity, really ... I've always thought the end of the song was the perfect way to close out the night.

 

Edited by George Simmons
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I do a couple of things...First, when starting up the lights at 6:00 (maybe earlier on weekends), I play a short song or two in the LOR "Startup" sequence that are for me.  I am outside setting up every night because my home made animatronics need to be moved from the garage outside and then plugged in.  So while the special songs are playing (all lights on, switching between colors, etc) I can make sure everything is powered on and working. Then LOR moves to the "musical" or regular sequences and cycles continuously.  There is a welcome announcement by the Demented Elf, and continuous songs and other announcements.  I also throw in some fundraising announcements from me every few songs.  I have about 50 minutes worth of material, and then it repeats.  

To be nice to my neighbors, I shut down every night at 10pm.  So, to prepare for that, at 9:50 I start the "shutdown" sequence.  I have another Demented Elf announcement that says we're near the end of the evening and we will be playing two very special songs.  Those two songs only play once per night and they are full length 5 minute songs whereas all of my other songs have been shortened to the 90-130 second range for better impact and easier sequencing.  After the final two songs play, another Elf announcement thanks people for coming, and says we'll see you tomorrow for more lights at 6:00.  Then the lights shut off at about 10pm, and I do a few things to shut down for the night, including moving my animatronics back into the garage...I really like having two special songs at the end because it's almost like a secret surprise.  As I walk around outside during display hours, I'll sometimes hear people say "Have you ever seen the two songs at the end? You really need to stay for those. Wow...", which I think is pretty cool....So that's how I do it...

Edited by Randy
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I end my show with Disney's "Wishes." It's the last song every hour so once it's over I have a 5 minute window of no music, and just lights. That way people will move along and others farther back in traffic get a chance to see the first songs. 

I know a lot of Disney fans come by the house, and they love it. I figure "If Disney can end their day with this song, I can end my shoe with this song!" Everyone loves it so far!! 

~Matt

Edited by DisneyMatt10
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I end my show with Leon Russel's version of Lead Belly's "Goodnight, Irene", from my Leon Russell Hank CD.

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My evening show runs continuously from 1700 until 2100.  Whatever song is playing at 2100 is the last song, with a short announcement in a shutdown sequence that the speakers in the yard will turn off and you will now have to listen on 101.5 MHz.  After that the late evening show starts.  It is identical to the evening show except the one channel in a background sequence that controls the yard speakers is turned off.  When the late evening show ends at 2200 during the week or 2300 on the weekend, it ends with whatever song that is playing at that time.  There is a shutdown sequence that announces that the show is concluded for the evening and will resume at 1700 tomorrow.  After the late evening show ends, the overnight show starts which has my normal overnight landscape lighting lit plug my pixel tree is lit in a dark green with what appears to be random pixels flashing (think twinkling Christmas tree).  That runs until it gets light in the morning, then shuts down.

Each cycle through the musical shows starts with a welcome voiceover.

 

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Good stuff! I also plan to loop the "show" or Playlist or whatever you'd like to call it. I've just inserted the Blues Brothers clip to signal the end of that particular show. Currently, I have it set for a 5 minute pause and then starting over. 

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Nah, I disagree Jim,,,,,exactly the way Aunt Bethany did it, That is one of my FAVORITE parts of that movie. LMAO when I first saw it.

3 hours ago, Roxxxtar said:

The National Anthem sung by Aunt Bethany and the Griswold's from Christmas Vacation.

Roxxxtar, if you have a sound bite I would love to get a copy. email in profile.

 

As for myself, no shut down for Christmas, yet (roxxxtar see above). But Halloween I have a virtual bloody hands in the window that also spell out massages in blood, "get out,,,go away,,,all will die,,,turn back now....."

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Are you asking end the show, or end the night. 

I have 2 shows I loop all night. An "A" show and a "B" show. At the end of each show loop, I have an annoucement that tell guests the show is winding down and we have a Kodak moment coming up. I have a one minute song that turns on most of the lights to create the picture moment. I then have a 2 minutes closing announcement saying the show has ended and gives info. 

At the end of the night. I have no lights on, but had Kevin Dunn, The Demented Elf record an announcement that the show is done for the evening, thanking them for coming and welcoming them back another night. 

Edited by zman
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I have a voice over announcing the end of the show and the the next one will start in a few minutes along with show days and hours and donations, etc...

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On 10/10/2016 at 1:54 AM, saxon said:

Nah, I disagree Jim,,,,,exactly the way Aunt Bethany did it, That is one of my FAVORITE parts of that movie. LMAO when I first saw it.

Roxxxtar, if you have a sound bite I would love to get a copy. email in profile.

 

As for myself, no shut down for Christmas, yet (roxxxtar see above). But Halloween I have a virtual bloody hands in the window that also spell out massages in blood, "get out,,,go away,,,all will die,,,turn back now....."

Saxon, check your mail. I sent you that audio file.

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Thanks.

I have to correct myself, I thought one of the funniest parts of the movie was when she busted out the pledge instead the blessing. I got confused. But the national anthem by Bethany is hilarious too. Thank roxxxtar. 

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I have shut my show down with Silent night, but this year, But this year, i have had thoughts of using Little Jimmy Dickens Night Before Christmas. I will have the Mega Tree snowing, and a few fades with the other lights.

 

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