Dan sits down with Scott Chandler, legendary Program Coordinator & Choreographer for the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. They discuss how Scott has cultivated a design identity, how he has stayed on top in an ever-changing activity, and the secrets behind the Blue Devils' success.

That Dan Band Show, Ep. 27: The Mind Behind the Blue Devils

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Show Timestamps

0:10 - Open

1:27 - Guest Introduction begins

2:19 - Scott Chandler Joins

Questions

2:57 - Boston terriers?

3:15 - Guster the BT

5:36 What is your design/programming process?

5:55 - Strong directional storyboard to begin

6:15 - Full MP3 of the show going into the summer

6:40 - Stopped using charts a while ago

9:00 - How did you get to this point on unconventional design?

11:35 - How do you develop your eye for effect? 

14:40 - Judges change every year, judges have biases, but there’s no writing for judges

16:40 - Do you intentionally set out to keep cultivating your taste? Keeping up with what’s cool?

19:08 - Where do you personally go to feed your inspiration to keep up?

21:30 - Blue Devils consistently great, consistent staff. How did y’all work through it? How did the organization develop that culture?

22:35 - “You have to have permission to fail….creatively and improving process”

23:00 - Looking for the next generation as well

23:22 - Allowing performers to fail as well “This is the place where you get to try it and see if it works or now” - Scott

24:15 - Musical cheers in drum corps

27:10 - What about your personality has allowed you to remain successful, how have you dealt with getting to this point of your career? 

30:25 - If you’re ready it’ll happen. Put up or shut up

30:40 - Can you think of a time when you had that setback or moment of professional doubt and how did you work through that? 

33:20 - Shows are timely and related to current events

33:50 - Caught up on what judges are going to say, but there are way more members in the audience. What about the 20,000, not the 8 judges? 

35:00 - Aware of the audience, but there's also the team mentality. Like sports, people have the teams they will root for. Find a way to make those people happy even when they aren’t jumping up and down. 

36:30 - When you think about the Blue Devils, what are the things that you think can be taken away? Is there something you’re injecting into it year to year? 

41:30 - Why not have a more dynamic approach, a completely different mindset?

42:45 - Blue Devils best marching over the last 20 years, don't @ me. How has that happened?

44:45 - When you look back on your career and on your life, really making a name for yourself and changing the landscape of the medium, what do you tell someone who says they want to be the next Scott Chandler.”

47:00 - Receiving honest feedback