Editing Eurovision Song Contest 1961 (section)

== Production and format ==
The contest was organised and broadcast by the French public broadcaster {{lang|fr|[[Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française]]|i=unset}} (RTF).<ref name="ESC1961" /> {{ill|Marcel Cravenne|fr}} served as producer and director, {{ill|Maurice Barry (cinematographer)|lt=Maurice Barry|fr|Maurice Barry}} served as cinematographer, Gérard Dubois served as designer, and [[Franck Pourcel]] served as [[Music director|musical director]], leading forty musicians of the {{lang|fr|[[Orchestre National de France|Orchestre national de la RTF]]|i=unset}}.<ref name="Radio Times" /><ref name="Espoir1">{{Cite news |last=Dany |first=Pierre |date=15 March 1961 |title=Le Palais des Festivals est fin prêt pour accueillir les concurrents du Grand Prix Eurovision de la Chanson |page=4 |work=L'Espoir de Nice et du Sud-Est |location=[[Nice]], France |issn=1166-9012}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |author=S.G. Biamonte |title=In ripresa diretta dal Palazzo dei Festival di Cannes: Il Gran Premio Eurovisione della canzone europea |trans-title=Live from the <span lang="fr">Palais des Festivals</span> in Cannes: The Eurovision Grand Prix of European song |url=http://www.radiocorriere.teche.rai.it/Download.aspx?data=1961{{!}}11{{!}}000{{!}}P |magazine=[[Radiocorriere TV]] |location=[[Turin]], Italy |date=12–18 March 1961 |volume=38 |issue=11 |pages=3–4 |access-date=7 January 2025 |language=it |via=[[Rai Teche]]}}</ref>{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|p=263}} Each country was allowed to nominate their own musical director to lead the orchestra during the performance of their country's entry, with the host musical director also [[conducting]] for those countries which did not nominate their own conductor.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=254–259}} The event was presented by [[Jacqueline Joubert]], who had also hosted the 1959 contest; Joubert remains {{as of|2024|lc=y}} one of only three individuals to have presented multiple Eurovision Song Contests, alongside the UK's [[Katie Boyle]] (1960, {{escyr|1963}}, {{escyr|1968}} and {{escyr|1974}}) and Sweden's [[Petra Mede]] ({{escyr|2013}}, {{escyr|2016}} and {{escyr|2024}}).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Christian |first1=John |title=Who has hosted Eurovision the most times? |url=https://www.aussievision.net/post/who-has-hosted-eurovision-the-most-times |publisher=Aussievision |access-date=6 January 2025 |date=27 March 2024}}</ref>

Each country, participating through a single EBU member broadcaster, was represented by one song performed by up to two people on stage. The results of the event were determined through jury voting, with each country's jury containing ten individuals who each gave one vote to their favourite song, with no abstentions allowed and with jurors unable to vote for their own country.<ref name="ESC1961" /><ref>{{cite web |title=40 years ago today – Séverine brings Monaco their sole victory |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/40-years-ago-today-severine-brings-monaco-their-sole-victory |publisher=[[European Broadcasting Union]] (EBU) |access-date=6 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107171811/https://eurovision.tv/story/40-years-ago-today-severine-brings-monaco-their-sole-victory |archive-date=7 November 2017 |date=3 April 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=259–262}} The jury comprised members of the public who represented the average television viewer.<ref name="Télérama" /> Many of the other aspects of the show were however almost identical to the previous contest in Cannes, including the opening film, direction, production and the scoreboard used during the voting process.{{sfn|O'Connor|2010|pp=18–19}}{{sfn|Thorsson|Verhage|2006|pp=34–35}}

The stage design was notably larger than in previous years, featuring a central large staircase covered in flowers, trees and shrubs, with an painted outdoor scene in the background, giving an impression of a Mediterranean garden.{{sfn|O'Connor|2010|pp=18–19}}<ref name="Espoir1" />{{sfn|Thorsson|Verhage|2006|pp=34–35}} Dubois chose the trees to be featured within the stage design with André Racot, the head of the Cannes municipal gardens, making sure that the trees were not too dark when shown on [[black-and-white]] television.<ref name="Espoir1" />{{sfn|Cannes|2007|pp=54–55}} The original design featured the [[green room]] within the stage, with the artists remaining on stage after they had performed, however this idea ultimately did not feature in the final design constructed for the event.<ref name="Espoir1" /><ref name="contestAV">{{cite AV media |title=Grand Prix Eurovision 1961 de la chanson européenne |trans-title=Eurovision Song Contest Grand Prix 1961 |date=18 March 1961 |type=Television production |language=fr |publisher={{lang|fr|[[Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française]]|i=unset}} (RTF) |location=[[Cannes]], France}}</ref>

The draw to determine the running order took place on 16 March 1961 at the [[Carlton Cannes Hotel|Carlton Hotel]] in Cannes, conducted by Jacqueline Joubert and assisted by two children aged six and four.<ref name="INA1">{{cite AV media |date=11 March 1959 |title=Grand Prix Eurovision de la Chanson en 1961 : tirage au sort |trans-title=Eurovision Song Grand Prix 1961 : draw |type=Television broadcast |language=fr |url=https://catalogue.ina.fr/doc/TV-RADIO/DA_CPF86622518/grand-prix-eurovision-de-la-chanson-en-1961-tirage-au-sort?rang=29 |access-date=6 January 2025 |publisher={{lang|fr|[[Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française]]|i=unset}} (RTF) |via={{lang|fr|[[Institut national de l'audiovisuel]]|i=unset}} (INA)}}</ref><ref name="Matin" /> The draw also featured interviews with some of the participating acts conducted by [[Robert Beauvais]].<ref name="INA1" /> Rehearsals commenced in the contest venue on the same day.<ref name="Matin">{{Cite news |last=Dany |first=Pierre |date=17 March 1961 |title=Grand Prix Eurovision de la chanson demain soir, à Cannes au Palais des Festivals |page=6 |work=[[Nice-Matin]] |location=[[Nice]], France |issn=0224-5477}}</ref>