Life in Hollywood, below-the-line

Life in Hollywood, below-the-line
Work gloves at the end of the 2006/2007 television season (photo by Richard Blair)

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Out With a Bang






















The Tub of Damocles before...



Broadcast network television shows traditionally wrap up their seasonal run in early Spring, just as pilot season kicks off, while the smaller and more nimble cable networks take advantage of the programming gaps left by those lumbering broadcast dinosaurs to shoot and air their much cheaper (and often better) shows. Given that the season finale of every show -- broadcast or cable -- will be the last memory fans hold on to until the following season's premier, the writer/producers strive hard to go out with a bang; something splashy that will stick in the minds of viewers through a long hot summer littered with trash TV.*

There are many ways of doing this: a dramatic cliff-hanger, the consummation of a long-simmering relationship, or some kind of physical or emotional pratfall that resonates with the ongoing theme of the show. The latter path was chosen by the writer/producers of a show I'm familiar with, who employed a leaking tub on the second floor that -- like Chekov's famous gun -- was established in the first act of that final episode. Two very experienced special effects men were brought in to rig the tub high over the living room set, complete with a big chunk of flooring, insulation, and leaking pipes. At the precise moment, explosive bolts would release the entire rig to drop through the supposedly water-logged second floor and land atop a brand new living room couch that had just been delivered.

Such special-effects shots are seldom done in front of a live audience -- too much can go wrong, and even if everything works out exactly as planned, rigging these shots is very time-consuming, which is why we did this one during the blocking/pre-shoot day, with all four cameras running and the entire crew (including the office staff) gathered around to watch.

It was absolutely perfect. With a crack like a rifle shot, the bolts blew, the tub dropped, and the couch was crushed. Once the applause died, the director conferred with the producers, then ordered the special effects crew to do it again. The second time was just as good, and that was that. Once the mess was cleaned up, we resumed the blocking and pre-shoots.

When the audience saw the playback at the end of the live show, they went wild. The producers were giddy with the response. It was a hell of a way to bring the curtain down on Season One.

That's what can happen when you find a good way to send a show -- and the season -- out with a bang.

















And after...


* To my mind, this includes all so-called Reality Shows and most especially anything featuring the odious Douchebagian Family.

8 comments:

egee said...

Hey! I know which show you're referring to and I watched that episode. It was indeed a great comic way to end the season. It was fascinating to hear about the behind the scenes work involved.

Michael Taylor said...

Egee --

It really was one of the more satisfying sendoffs I've experienced during my time in television. Glad you liked it -- and thanks for tuning in.

C.B. said...

Sounds really wild. And fun. It is a big payoff for a lot of work. Glad the audience loved it.

The Grip Works said...

Michael, until I started reading your blog (many moons ago) I had no idea that TV shows were recorded in front of a live audience. It has changed my appreciation of these shows.
I think its pretty great that they chose to pull that stunt live.

Michael Taylor said...

Sanjay --

Most television in the US is done single-camera style, just like a movie, but multi-camera situation comedies are unique in that they're usually shot in front of a live audience. A few multi-cam shows (called "hybrids") have been done without an audience in the past few years, but those are a real drag to work on. No fun at all.

I must apologize if my post gave the impression this spfx stunt was done live -- it wasn't. We shot it twice during the blocking and pre-shoot day (when such difficult shots are typically done), then showed it to the audience on big monitors in the context and flow of the live show. Still, it caught them totally by surprise, and they loved it.

When I first got into the biz, I'd have called anyone crazy who suggested I might wind up doing multi-cam shows, but twenty years of single-cam was enough. My shift to multi-cam certainly wasn't planned -- I fell into it by accident -- but once getting used to the very different pace, I liked it. Multi-cam shows offer much more humane working hours and conditions than the single-cam world. The money isn't nearly as good, of course, but at this late stage of my career, the tradeoff works for me.

As always, thanks for tuning in...

Ed (sloweddi) said...

Always a fan of the cliff hanger so I can jump up when the show end and go, "What?!" and then complain about leaving us there.

However, I have gotten a new respect for the subtle season ending that makes you go, "Holy Crap," and then a few moments later, "HOLY CRAP!!!". I am thinking specifically about the Justified season finale. (Spoiler upon request ;))
If you are not watching Justified, you should be watching Justified.

The Grip Works said...

"Douchebaggian Family " ha ha ha ha ha ha ha !!! That is pure genius Michael :-)

Michael Taylor said...

CB --

Yeah, it was wild -- and fun. Thanks for checking in...

Ed --

Oh yeah, I'm a big fan of "Justified" -- I just watched the finale last night, having recorded it while working late earlier this week. Holy crap indeed...