Child Genius

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PaulTalbot
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Child Genius

Post by PaulTalbot » Mon Jul 14, 2014 7:45 pm

Channel 4's Child Genius programme starts on Sunday 20th July at 9pm and should feature a young girl, Sharon Daniel, from Wigan Knights Chess Club. Sharon is the current British under 11 girls chess champion. Last year's programme was really interesting and I'm sure this years will be just as good. Sharon is a lovely girl as well as being a really good chess player. Lets hope that she does well.

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Peter D Williams
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Re: Child Genius

Post by Peter D Williams » Mon Jul 14, 2014 8:10 pm

PaulTalbot wrote:Channel 4's Child Genius programme starts on Sunday 20th July at 9pm and should feature a young girl, Sharon Daniel, from Wigan Knights Chess Club. Sharon is the current British under 11 girls chess champion. Last year's programme was really interesting and I'm sure this years will be just as good. Sharon is a lovely girl as well as being a really good chess player. Lets hope that she does well.

Lets hope its not a cut and paste job :wink:
when you are successful many losers bark at you.

PaulTalbot
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Re: Child Genius

Post by PaulTalbot » Tue Jul 15, 2014 8:55 am

I know what you mean. The problem is it is so easy for the TV people to put a slant on what you say, and they're not interested in anyone's feelings, only what will make a good TV programme. A question like, is she determined and ruthless? may be good qualities in many ways, especially when relating to playing chess but move the chess aspect away slightly and those can easily be seen as bad personal characteristics i.e. self promoting/pushy. I just tried to reiterate that Sharon is a lovely girl, which she genuinely is, and her family are lovely too.

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Peter D Williams
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Re: Child Genius

Post by Peter D Williams » Tue Jul 15, 2014 10:05 am

PaulTalbot wrote:I know what you mean. The problem is it is so easy for the TV people to put a slant on what you say, and they're not interested in anyone's feelings, only what will make a good TV programme. A question like, is she determined and ruthless? may be good qualities in many ways, especially when relating to playing chess but move the chess aspect away slightly and those can easily be seen as bad personal characteristics i.e. self promoting/pushy. I just tried to reiterate that Sharon is a lovely girl, which she genuinely is, and her family are lovely too.
I agree with that.I remember in the first programme some weird music was played then it shows shots of security cameras on a house then it zoomed in on the children.

You also have to watch out for what other chess players say with one chess player who should have know better saying some very silly comments about us. i had to do an update on here about Peter to counter those comments.We where in a couple of the films for any one who does not know on here.

As i said before on here some postive stuff comes out of it such as meeting various people in channel 4 learning how a film is put together what the company wants etc and various trips to London to go into the channel 4 building. We also become friends with Lucy Leveugle who is head of Factual Entertainment at channel 4.
when you are successful many losers bark at you.

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Jon Mahony
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Re: Child Genius

Post by Jon Mahony » Tue Jul 15, 2014 11:43 am

I shall look out for this one, personally I thought they didn’t paint a bad picture of most of the kids last time round - the chess one was fine. It all seemed pretty fair :)

I seem to recall there was a rather annoying & big headed kid (no doubt head inflated by his pushy father) who arrogantly refused to do any revision, and subsequently crashed and burned in a spelling Bee - with ego shattering consequences.

However, as was pointed out, you don’t know how much editing took place and what was taken out of context, so these things have to be taken with a pinch of salt.
"When you see a good move, look for a better one!" - Lasker

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Peter D Williams
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Re: Child Genius

Post by Peter D Williams » Tue Jul 15, 2014 12:40 pm

Jon Mahony wrote:I shall look out for this one, personally I thought they didn’t paint a bad picture of most of the kids last time round - the chess one was fine. It all seemed pretty fair :)

I seem to recall there was a rather annoying & big headed kid (no doubt head inflated by his pushy father) who arrogantly refused to do any revision, and subsequently crashed and burned in a spelling Bee - with ego shattering consequences.

However, as was pointed out, you don’t know how much editing took place and what was taken out of context, so these things have to be taken with a pinch of salt.
I am not so sure the chess boy and his mother did come out of it well.This is what was said by the media "As his mother admits, he woke up on the morning of the competition ‘filled with nerves’ and promptly threw up all over the back of the car.

After his poor performance, it is heartbreaking to see his chocolate-button eyes fill with tears and his lip quiver as he desperately tries to get out of taking part in the next round, advanced maths. ‘I think I am not going to stay this afternoon. I think I might be a bit too ill,’ he tells a researcher, his eyes searching desperately around the room for an escape.

But Tiger Mother Hillary is having none of it. While he writhes uncomfortably on the seat next to her, she informs him it’s all in his mind. ‘I think something got in your head, not in your throat,’ she says, adding that he ‘won’t feel good about himself’ unless he gives it another try.

If there is concern about children being reduced to quivering wrecks by Simon Cowell’s judging panel on Britain’s Got Talent, then spare a thought for the mites taking part in this programme.
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Jon Mahony
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Re: Child Genius

Post by Jon Mahony » Tue Jul 15, 2014 12:56 pm

Peter D Williams wrote:
Jon Mahony wrote:I shall look out for this one, personally I thought they didn’t paint a bad picture of most of the kids last time round - the chess one was fine. It all seemed pretty fair :)

I seem to recall there was a rather annoying & big headed kid (no doubt head inflated by his pushy father) who arrogantly refused to do any revision, and subsequently crashed and burned in a spelling Bee - with ego shattering consequences.

However, as was pointed out, you don’t know how much editing took place and what was taken out of context, so these things have to be taken with a pinch of salt.
I am not so sure the chess boy and his mother did come out of it well.This is what was said by the media "As his mother admits, he woke up on the morning of the competition ‘filled with nerves’ and promptly threw up all over the back of the car.

After his poor performance, it is heartbreaking to see his chocolate-button eyes fill with tears and his lip quiver as he desperately tries to get out of taking part in the next round, advanced maths. ‘I think I am not going to stay this afternoon. I think I might be a bit too ill,’ he tells a researcher, his eyes searching desperately around the room for an escape.

But Tiger Mother Hillary is having none of it. While he writhes uncomfortably on the seat next to her, she informs him it’s all in his mind. ‘I think something got in your head, not in your throat,’ she says, adding that he ‘won’t feel good about himself’ unless he gives it another try.

If there is concern about children being reduced to quivering wrecks by Simon Cowell’s judging panel on Britain’s Got Talent, then spare a thought for the mites taking part in this programme.
That part I have no memory of :shock: But it doesn't sound great does it - hmmm time for a Youtube around later I think.
"When you see a good move, look for a better one!" - Lasker

David Blower
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Re: Child Genius

Post by David Blower » Tue Jul 15, 2014 5:51 pm

Why do I get the impression it will go something like this:

Narrator: Sharon has to play at another chess tournament getting up at 5:00am on a Sunday in order for her dad to drive the 400 miles across the country to get to the tournament on time. This will be her 43rd junior tournament she has competed in already this year.

John Moore
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Re: Child Genius

Post by John Moore » Tue Jul 15, 2014 6:15 pm

If the parents have concerns, the answer is simple isn't it. Just don't do it.

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Peter D Williams
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Re: Child Genius

Post by Peter D Williams » Tue Jul 15, 2014 8:06 pm

John Moore wrote:If the parents have concerns, the answer is simple isn't it. Just don't do it.
You may only have concerns about the film after it is show to you.Who would have thought that an IM would make comments that where not true about a child
when you are successful many losers bark at you.

Nick Grey
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Re: Child Genius

Post by Nick Grey » Tue Jul 15, 2014 11:45 pm

Many chats with strong juniors & their parents this year.

Also with those that were former junior prodigies.

I just hope the programme is better than Nigel Short's Blue Peter Badge. The parents of juniors may or may not remember that.

Unlikely to be anything better on TV at 9 on Sunday so thanks for the original post.

benedgell
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Re: Child Genius

Post by benedgell » Mon Jul 28, 2014 2:34 pm

PaulTalbot wrote:Channel 4's Child Genius programme starts on Sunday 20th July at 9pm and should feature a young girl, Sharon Daniel, from Wigan Knights Chess Club. Sharon is the current British under 11 girls chess champion. Last year's programme was really interesting and I'm sure this years will be just as good. Sharon is a lovely girl as well as being a really good chess player. Lets hope that she does well.
She did rather well this week :)

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Peter D Williams
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Re: Child Genius

Post by Peter D Williams » Mon Jul 28, 2014 4:41 pm

Afternoon All

Genius children, silly parents – it's freak-show telly at its worst: CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews last weekend's TV here the link to his review he wrote http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar ... -s-TV.html

The only good thing about these reviews is that the next day its fish and chip paper :wink:
when you are successful many losers bark at you.

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Jon Mahony
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Re: Child Genius

Post by Jon Mahony » Tue Jul 29, 2014 4:16 pm

I thought Sharon came across very well, and she was very good at remembering the order of the card deck. My only gripe is that she didn’t get as much air time as others (presumably that’s it now, in terms of specific focus on her).

It’s hardly surprising that she didn’t get a lot of attention from the makers of the program; she seems a nice unassuming kid, with equally well behaved parents - they are up against the American, vegetable smoothie making monstrosity, who proclaimed herself more of a genius, than her daughter and who stated that her child “Effed up” during the memory round.

Plus the velvet suite waring Curtis, and his self-publicist Mother who clearly has no interest in Curtis winning the competition (and he wont now) but rather milking it for all the telly time she can get.

Close on their heals is the brother and sister team, with their father constantly looking down his spectacles at them in disapproval - the lad squealing in anguish that he only remembered 63 of the playing cards was really quite upsetting - and its not hard to see where he is getting his constant fear of imperfection from.

I think a nice kid who plays Chess, on this occasion is rather low on the TV makers list of people to try and humiliate.

I’ve played on the board next to Sharon a couple of times at weekenders, though I’ve never played her - after that performance with the cards, I don’t want to! :shock:
"When you see a good move, look for a better one!" - Lasker

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Peter D Williams
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Re: Child Genius

Post by Peter D Williams » Tue Jul 29, 2014 5:39 pm

Jon Mahony wrote:I thought Sharon came across very well, and she was very good at remembering the order of the card deck. My only gripe is that she didn’t get as much air time as others (presumably that’s it now, in terms of specific focus on her).
If she though to the next stage then she may get more attention from the film makers.Who are masters of the cut and paste job.Some times the film maker encourage parents/child to act in a cetain way. I know a great deal about this type of series as we where in 3 of them.When Sharon name was put forward the film makers would have visted her family to see if she make good tv if it looks like you will you get picked :wink:
when you are successful many losers bark at you.