American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1959)

By JOSEPH V. MASCELLI nw liGHT COURT,” the comparatively recent and highly ' ^ successful TV film series produced in Hollywood by Banner Productions, dramatically demonstrates what can be accomplished with a television film series when veterans having both motion picture and television expe¬ rience merge their talents. While almost everything that is done in producing “Night Court” has been done before, in part, the success¬ ful combination of the various elements that go into filming a television show have never before been so perfectly coor¬ dinated. Actors attribute the show’s success to astute casting of many unknowns plus the superb performance of Jay Jostyn as the judge. Technicians credit the superlative camera-work. Live television technicians cite the show’s free-flowing movement— the genuine “live” quality of the show. And vast numbers from television’s nightly audience have extolled the shows’ “believability.” “It seems so real,” many have said, “it must be filmed in a real courtroom during actual litigations.” The average producer of a TV film series — whether employing the single-take “stop-and-go,” or the multiplecamera filming technique — usually completes two to three half-hour shows per five-day week. Banner Productions, in a recent ten-day stretch, completed fifty-six. For this, more than a half-million feet of negative was exposed at a ratio of only three-to-one compared to the four or five-to-one presently standard for TV film shows. “Night Court’s” production formula may be film’s an¬ swer to TV’s video tape. Conservatively, it cuts costs in half without sacrificing technical quality or dramatic impact. No corners are cut except waste motion; no speed-up is ever employed. The fast shooting pace is achieved through careful, detailed pre-planning instead of by putting the heat on everyone during shooting. As production supervisor VIEW FROM courtroom toward production staff showing No. 1 and 2 cameras lining up scene from different angles. Both cameras are mobile mounted and their moves are directed via intercom, according to requirements of script, by Producer-Director Sandy Spillman {in white shirt, left of center). Jesse Corallo so aptly put it: “Repetitious rehearsals stag¬ nate both actors and crew. The success of ‘Night Court’ is the result of planning that enables most action to be filmed in a single take, when everyone is at their peak of per¬ formance and not exhausted from long sequences of retakes on overtime.” The speed, efficiency and perfection with which “Night Court” is photographed has amazed not only veteran tech¬ nicians, directors and actors, but the very camera crew that films it. Says Cinematographer William F. Whitley, A.S.C., who directs the show’s photography: “The pace we DIAGRAM OF SET FOR "Night Court" showing positions of the three Mitchell BNC cameras used in filming the show. Judge sits at A, Defendant is at B. while Bailiff (C) and Public Defender (D) sit at desk opposite camera No. 2. are able to maintain using this method is re¬ markable.” The five half-hour shows, which his crew photographs daily, using three cam¬ eras shooting simultaneously from three dif¬ ferent positions, consume between 50,000 and 55,000 feet of negative. Three Mitchell BNC cameras are used to film each show. (See diagram). Camera No. 1, employing a 3-inch lens, moves in and out on a crab dolly to photograph the judge and bailiff as each case is called, and subsequently films closeups of the judge as he presides. Camera No. 2, mounted on a Chapman crane, uses a 35mm lens to cover the courtroom audi¬ ence and to follow defendants as they are brought in. This camera continues shooting a side angle of the proceedings — with a variety of camera movement — to record two-shots of judge and defendant, group shots of bailiff, public defender and others, or moves in for a closeup of the defendant. Camera No. 2 is actually the master scene camera — the ‘“work horse” of the show. Camera No. 3, utilizing a Pan-Cinor lens, is mounted high behind and to the left of the judge and covers the defend¬ ant as he is brought up to the bench to testify. Continued on Page 56 JANUARY • 1959 33