Movies for TV - Early Television Foundation

230
FUNDAMENTALS
for it has
popular program. This presents an apparent paradox,
been shown that the system cannot do justice to excessive detail.
However, this is where the definitions of detail diverge. The concern
of the director is attention to items of detail, such as estab-
lishing atmosphere and selection of suitable shots as well as the
other duties of a director which are dealt with later in this chapter.
The lack of resolving power, or detail in the television film
camera can sometimes be made use of when shooting by the use
of the simplest props. After all, when the system will not show the
details of perspective, a painted backdrop can be used with much
of the furniture painted on it; the books and the bookcase can all
be painted flat on the canvas. Large photo murals are excellent
for this purpose. The most important thing to bear in mind is the
necessity for a strong establishing shot. Because of the small screen
or stage area available the action must be clearly defined as to
location and the physical relations of the various actors. At the
risk of redundancy, it must be repeated that everything that is
produced in television is intended only for one purpose display
in the home on a small screen. For that reason, only small areas
can be covered at a time, and two- and three-shots are the most
common and effective. The establishing shot is the one which
orients the viewer and tells the locale of the action; for that rea-
son it must be clear, uncluttered, and outstanding.
Let us assume that the opening scene of The Singing Death,
a domestic drama, is the living room of the man and wife who are
with the man from next door. It is the usual
occupying the stage
eternal triangle, with the man from next door, an artist, in love
with the wife. Her husband is a big brute of a man, who has
traveled and explored in many parts
of the world. The walls of
the room bear witness to his travels, not necessarily by virtue of !
stuffed heads they are too uninspired but by virtue of a dis-
play of native weapons. The play ends on the note of the hunter
killing the artist with one of his weapons, a ceremonial type of J
knife mounted in a club handle that sings as the sacrifice is killed \
(the "singing" is quite logically caused by the arrangement of