Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers (1930-1949)

Record Details:

Something wrong or inaccurate about this page? Let us Know!

Thanks for helping us continually improve the quality of the Lantern search engine for all of our users! We have millions of scanned pages, so user reports are incredibly helpful for us to identify places where we can improve and update the metadata.

Please describe the issue below, and click "Submit" to send your comments to our team! If you'd prefer, you can also send us an email to mhdl@commarts.wisc.edu with your comments.




We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.

Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.

July, 1939] TELEVISION STUDIO TECHNIC 39 All action, including camera shots, cues, and timing, is noted on a master script which thereafter becomes the "bible" of the production. Timing is very important because of the necessity of having a particular act time in with the other acts or film subject. After several hours of rehearsing, the first equipment rehearsal is called. Cameras are checked electrically and mechanically. Focus controls and framing devices are lined up so that correct focus on the ground-glass is also correct focus on the mosaic plate. This completed, the cameras are ready for rehearsal. With the scene properly lighted, the camera operators begin working out movements to pick up the desired shots in the proper sequence. The production director instructs the staff and personnel from the control room, speaking over a public-address system. Each shot is worked out and its camera location marked on the floor. At times, the actors may unconsciously depart slightly from the rehearsed routine during an actual show; the camera operator must be prepared and alert to make the best of the situation regardless of all previous floor markings. Continuity is so planned that while one camera is taking the action, another camera is moving to a new location and composing a new shot to be switched on at the proper time. This frees the first camera, which can now move to a third location, and so on. Sometimes during a twenty-minute performance each camera may take twenty different shots. Of course, besides different floor locations, the height and angle of the cameras must be varied to comply with good composition. During rehearsals, timing must frequently be revised to allow for the actual camera movements. Finally, a dress rehearsal is scheduled. The complete program is televised, including any film subjects or slides that may be needed to complete the program. Frequently the program will begin with a short film leader, followed immediately by a newsreel or a short subject, the film portion of the program coming from the film-televising studio. While the film is running, the livetalent studio is continuously warned as to the time remaining before it must take over the program. Once the studio program goes on the air the production director is no longer able to use the public address system to communicate with the personnel in the studio. Instead, he uses a telephone circuit to his assistant in the studio, and, through the video engineer, communicates by phone with the camera operators. Another standby warning is usually given when there is one minute to go. Then, as the cue to begin comes, the green light on the title