Movies for TV - Early Television Foundation

STUDIO OR LOCATION SHOOTING 557
that it may be usable in parts for other sets it would probably be
worth while constructing artificial sets. But most television stations,
although built with the intention of having adequate storage and
expansion space, seem to suffer from the effects of "not enough
room to store equipment."
If the shooting is to be for the purpose of making an insert for
the production department and they are selecting the location, it is
important for the film director or an experienced
cameraman to
accompany the producer who is selecting the location. Otherwise,
it may be found that something utterly impractical from a financial
or legal point of view has been chosen. The checks already mentioned
should be made thoroughly. The decision should be made
whether to use the studio or to go on location. If action scenes are
required then there is no question
but that location scenes will be
required for the movements of autos and other traffic. If the plot
is laid in a particular time of the year there may be trouble ahead
with the clothes of the passers-by. If it is summer and the story is
set in wintertime, watch the light summer dresses and summer
suits. They will clash with the mink coat of the heroine. The re-
verse also applies, and the snows of winter will be out of place in a
story of summer love.
It must be remembered that location work always well almost
always entails more work and expense. Equipment has to be taken
to the set ; that means at least one porter. A two-man camera team
and two sound technicians are required if sound is to be recorded.
Gobos must be set up, working areas marked. If many players are
involved they will have to be transported in station wagons or cars.
This all involves extra expense and if everything is not prepared
when they arrive overtime may be the result. Weather may change
over night, or even during the day so that carefully laid plans go
wrong and it becomes necessary to shoot another day. This may
mean having to obtain a fresh permit from the city to make motion
pictures in public places. However, as was mentioned earlier, 16
mm is often exempt from this bother. This is especially so if filming is
done from a car where there is no blocking of normal traffic and the
operation is unostentatious. Judging from the number of groups one