Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: ...any truth to the rumour that FOX's 24, the show, will be shot entirely live, w/ou

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Posted by Don E. Nelson (Member # 1049) on 09-20-2004, 03:12 PM:

Since most of you folks are in show business or have some good connections, is there any truth to the rumor that Fox's 24, will present a live episode shot in HD Video for this season? ...and the video editing will be done on the fly working from a possible 24 camera setup feeding into a live video editing studio and out into the air, LIVE.

You might say, this is what they did every night in the 50's,on the 3 major networks with their 3 to 4 camera live shots, but that was easy, usually one main location , or multiple sets on the same stage, and everything scripted out to the 1/2 inch, for the focus factor and charachter blocking, but I heard this one time show will employ both interior and exterior videography, flying remote controlled cameras, live stunts, live pyrotechnics, .......all this is not unlike a Universal/Disney live Studio show, but then with this performance, you would only have one shot to get it right, and with no commercials. Would you watch it? Any truth to the rumor? .......

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 09-20-2004, 07:31 PM:

The concept is not new. I recall an episode of "ER" being presented live. Technically, there is little problem in pulling this off, provided you have a good crew with decent experience working in live TV. The main liability in this situation is actors getting their lines right and hitting their marks correctly. Seasoned live TV crews can improvise quickly to cover some unexpected snags.

In fact, I would say this is an easier task to do than perhaps covering something live and unpredictable like football and baseball games or car races. A live drama does not require nearly as many cameras. It also does not require all those technicians in the tape room for all those different instant replay angles. A live TV drama doesn't have as much need for all the overlaid graphics and other live CG work.

The only problem I have with "24" trying to do this is maintaining continuity with other episodes and the noticeable difference between video and film originated imagery.

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 09-20-2004, 09:03 PM:

There is both truth and rumor to that rumor.

They have been working a way to work in a live episode, so that continuity would not be lost. If they can work out the inherent bugs in the process, it could happen, however there has been no definate word on if it will happen or not.

It all depends on how the script unfolds throughout the season and if it can stay within the storyline.

Throughout the three seasons they have stayed the course on making sure that the story comes first and the technology is there to tell the story, not have the story try to fit the technology.

Kind of like the first Matrix movie, they had to invent ways to make the movie work. Unlike the second two movies they invented story plots to fit what they wanted to toy with technoligically...

so maybe the show will happen, but I would think it would be hard to script it in unless a particular plot point could be wrangled in such a way to make it a worthwile endeavor.

Ciao

Dave

Posted by Dean Kollet (Member # 1789) on 09-20-2004, 09:05 PM:

also, that ER was done twice....they did one for the East Coast and West Coast.....or so Anthony Edwards said in an interview.