'Guiding Light' Remaking Itself - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 10-16-2007, 09:59 AM

October 16, 2007 -- 'Guiding Light" is going MTV.

The 70-year-old CBS soap opera is ditching its bulky cameras and primitive sets in favor of tiny hand-held cameras and a reality-show feel, à la "The Hills" and "Laguna Beach."

The plan is to lend the show the more hip, realistic look of MTV's twin hit reality-soaps, which have broken new ground in recent years with slick camera work and editing that make them appear more like primetime dramas.

The new format will make its debut early next year, says "Guiding Light" executive producer Ellen Wheeler.

"It's not going to look anything like what it looks like now," she says.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/10162007...his_is_now.htm

Since 1937, the show has chronicled the fictional town of Springfield, Ill. - first on radio and then on TV starting in 1952.

Now, a real New Jersey town - Wheeler declined to name which one - will double as Springfield for exterior scenes.

Wheeler says she got the idea first-hand from fans and a comprehensive year-and-a-half study commissioned by the show's producers, Proctor & Gamble.

"They [fans] said . . . the show didn't feel real," says Wheeler. "I wanted to make these very real stories and very real characters feel as much like it was really happening as I possibly could.

"When I watch 'The Hills,' 'ER,' 'Grey's Anatomy' or even 'Desperate Housewives,' those shows feel real to me."

In one sense, the show has little to lose by taking a gamble like this.

The audience for daytime dramas has been dwindling for years and "GL" has been among the shows most often mentioned as a candidate for cancellation.

Wheeler says the changes are not meant to be a short-term survival strategy. "I promise that I wouldn't be putting this much work and effort into it if that were the case," Wheeler says.

"I want to efficiently and economically deliver Springfield to my audience," Wheeler says. "A real Springfield, where people have houses that have yards and people get in their cars and they drive to jobs."

She promised the show will continue with its current cast of characters and storylines, though the format will allow for more in-depth character development.

"If I see someone planting flowers, I want to know what kind of flowers they are, if [someone] is driving a car, I want to know what kind," she says.

"It will allow for a deeper understanding of who these people are."

friendsfan77 · 10-22-2007, 01:53 AM

I'm mixed on the results of this. While I do like the idea of having more than the same few sets used on GL over and over (even though it'll be sad to see them say goodbye to the old-fashioned three-wall format), I don't necessarily like the idea of the digi-cams being used.

But, hey, if it helps keep GL on the air, then so be it.

puertaazul · 02-22-2008, 06:58 PM

Bump.... I am loving the new format! I think it makes it look more realistic and it has actually gotten me more into the story line. What do you all think?

friendsfan77 · 02-22-2008, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puertaazul

Bump.... I am loving the new format! I think it makes it look more realistic and it has actually gotten me more into the story line. What do you all think?

I think they're doing a really good job with the outdoor scenes. Much better than I thought it would be.

puertaazul · 02-24-2008, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by friendsfan77

I think they're doing a really good job with the outdoor scenes. Much better than I thought it would be.

I know so do I. I love how real the show is looking, it makes me feel like I am watching real life. Plus the story lines are getting really juicy these days. I love the whole Gus/Natalia thing....I heard they are getting a new opening theme which should be AMAZING!

friendsfan77 · 02-26-2008, 02:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puertaazul

I know so do I. I love how real the show is looking, it makes me feel like I am watching real life. Plus the story lines are getting really juicy these days. I love the whole Gus/Natalia thing....I heard they are getting a new opening theme which should be AMAZING!

I'm glad to hear that. I can't stand the 70th anniversary one.

Brian Damage · 02-28-2008, 11:13 PM

Guiding Light will premiere the first episode, which was produced as a result of a new production model that will revolutionize the way daytime dramas are created, on Friday, Feb. 29 on the CBS Television Network. With transformations throughout the entire show, these changes will bring a more current and realistic look to the series.

In the episode, viewers will see "Jonathan Randall" (Tom Pelphrey) hit yet another rocky point in his tormented life. A troubled young man, out seeking revenge for his unhappy childhood, he got involved with spoiled, rich "Lizzie Spaulding" (Marcy Rylan), with whom he had a baby girl, though he eventually married his true love, Tammy. A series of dangerous circumstances culminating in Tammy's death forced this now upstanding father to fake his and his daughter's deaths, but Jonathan has returned to Springfield to finish up where he had left off and marry Lizzie.

"Guiding Light made the leap from radio to television in 1952 and now it makes another leap," says Barbara Bloom, Senior Vice President of Daytime Programming, CBS. "By making the show's production more relevant, and yet continuing the phenomenal storytelling that has kept it the longest-running drama in broadcast history, Guiding Light is taking down the barriers and pushing the show ahead. Executive Producer Ellen Wheeler along with GL's cast and crew, have been fearless, and our fans are going to be able to experience their favorite characters like never before."

Guiding Light's new production model includes permanent sets inside its New York City studio. Once having only eight sets to work with, the show now has forty, which also have four walls and a ceiling, where previously each set had two or three walls and the tops remained open exposing hundreds of lights and wires.

Direction has also been changed. Hand held cameras move around with the actors, shooting them from all angles, bringing the audience closer to each character. These changes give the sets a more realiztic feeling, as well as changing the way the actors react in a situation.

Editing has changed as well. It now takes place almost simultaneously as filming - all done within the confines of a small digital booth. A production suite with monitors, directors and producers is a thing of the past.

Guiding Light has also decided to break out of the current mold of filming location shoots only once or twice a year. The show has adopted the town of Peapack, New Jersey to shoot all of its exterior scenes, some of which have already aired, thus adding to the realiztic look of the show. These scenes will total approximately 20% off the production.

"These changes will allow us to tell our stories in a more intimate way, while giving our characters' struggles, relationships and issues more of a real-life feel," said Ellen Wheeler, executive producer of Guiding Light. "The show will have a more organic feel, along with more authenticity, and we're thrilled to be able to bring this to our fans."

puertaazul · 02-29-2008, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by friendsfan77

I'm glad to hear that. I can't stand the 70th anniversary one.

I'm so excited for the new opening! I'm seriously getting nervous I'm so eager to see the episode today! Anyone else dying to see the new format put into place???

Did anyone watch yesterday?

friendsfan77 · 02-29-2008, 04:52 PM

I'm not that big a fan of the new theme music... but it is better than what they had. I kinda wish they'd reuse the 2005 music.

puertaazul · 02-29-2008, 06:36 PM

Ok so I have to say I loved the new outdoor shots, and all of the new sets. It really gave the show a realistic vibe. I think the opening was a huge upgrade, and GL def made a good decision by implementing these changes.

Moondance · 03-06-2008, 02:18 PM

I don't like this. I want the soap opera feel. It's an escape from reality. This will just make it so not fantasy.

friendsfan77 · 03-13-2008, 04:58 AM

It's not completely bad to me but they should try to stabilize the steady cams a bit. I can't stand the shakiness.

10-16-2007, 09:59 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,108	'Guiding Light' Remaking Itself October 16, 2007 -- 'Guiding Light" is going MTV. The 70-year-old CBS soap opera is ditching its bulky cameras and primitive sets in favor of tiny hand-held cameras and a reality-show feel, à la "The Hills" and "Laguna Beach." The plan is to lend the show the more hip, realistic look of MTV's twin hit reality-soaps, which have broken new ground in recent years with slick camera work and editing that make them appear more like primetime dramas. The new format will make its debut early next year, says "Guiding Light" executive producer Ellen Wheeler. "It's not going to look anything like what it looks like now," she says. http://www.nypost.com/seven/10162007...his_is_now.htm Since 1937, the show has chronicled the fictional town of Springfield, Ill. - first on radio and then on TV starting in 1952. Now, a real New Jersey town - Wheeler declined to name which one - will double as Springfield for exterior scenes. Wheeler says she got the idea first-hand from fans and a comprehensive year-and-a-half study commissioned by the show's producers, Proctor & Gamble. "They [fans] said . . . the show didn't feel real," says Wheeler. "I wanted to make these very real stories and very real characters feel as much like it was really happening as I possibly could. "When I watch 'The Hills,' 'ER,' 'Grey's Anatomy' or even 'Desperate Housewives,' those shows feel real to me." In one sense, the show has little to lose by taking a gamble like this. The audience for daytime dramas has been dwindling for years and "GL" has been among the shows most often mentioned as a candidate for cancellation. Wheeler says the changes are not meant to be a short-term survival strategy. "I promise that I wouldn't be putting this much work and effort into it if that were the case," Wheeler says. "I want to efficiently and economically deliver Springfield to my audience," Wheeler says. "A real Springfield, where people have houses that have yards and people get in their cars and they drive to jobs." She promised the show will continue with its current cast of characters and storylines, though the format will allow for more in-depth character development. "If I see someone planting flowers, I want to know what kind of flowers they are, if [someone] is driving a car, I want to know what kind," she says. "It will allow for a deeper understanding of who these people are."
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

10-22-2007, 01:53 AM	#2
friendsfan77 - Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 02, 2004 Location: Duluth, GA Posts: 3,165	I'm mixed on the results of this. While I do like the idea of having more than the same few sets used on GL over and over (even though it'll be sad to see them say goodbye to the old-fashioned three-wall format), I don't necessarily like the idea of the digi-cams being used. But, hey, if it helps keep GL on the air, then so be it.

02-22-2008, 06:58 PM	#3
puertaazul Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 18, 2006 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 264	Bump.... I am loving the new format! I think it makes it look more realistic and it has actually gotten me more into the story line. What do you all think?

02-28-2008, 11:13 PM	#7
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,108	Guiding Light will premiere the first episode, which was produced as a result of a new production model that will revolutionize the way daytime dramas are created, on Friday, Feb. 29 on the CBS Television Network. With transformations throughout the entire show, these changes will bring a more current and realistic look to the series. In the episode, viewers will see "Jonathan Randall" (Tom Pelphrey) hit yet another rocky point in his tormented life. A troubled young man, out seeking revenge for his unhappy childhood, he got involved with spoiled, rich "Lizzie Spaulding" (Marcy Rylan), with whom he had a baby girl, though he eventually married his true love, Tammy. A series of dangerous circumstances culminating in Tammy's death forced this now upstanding father to fake his and his daughter's deaths, but Jonathan has returned to Springfield to finish up where he had left off and marry Lizzie. "Guiding Light made the leap from radio to television in 1952 and now it makes another leap," says Barbara Bloom, Senior Vice President of Daytime Programming, CBS. "By making the show's production more relevant, and yet continuing the phenomenal storytelling that has kept it the longest-running drama in broadcast history, Guiding Light is taking down the barriers and pushing the show ahead. Executive Producer Ellen Wheeler along with GL's cast and crew, have been fearless, and our fans are going to be able to experience their favorite characters like never before." Guiding Light's new production model includes permanent sets inside its New York City studio. Once having only eight sets to work with, the show now has forty, which also have four walls and a ceiling, where previously each set had two or three walls and the tops remained open exposing hundreds of lights and wires. Direction has also been changed. Hand held cameras move around with the actors, shooting them from all angles, bringing the audience closer to each character. These changes give the sets a more realiztic feeling, as well as changing the way the actors react in a situation. Editing has changed as well. It now takes place almost simultaneously as filming - all done within the confines of a small digital booth. A production suite with monitors, directors and producers is a thing of the past. Guiding Light has also decided to break out of the current mold of filming location shoots only once or twice a year. The show has adopted the town of Peapack, New Jersey to shoot all of its exterior scenes, some of which have already aired, thus adding to the realiztic look of the show. These scenes will total approximately 20% off the production. "These changes will allow us to tell our stories in a more intimate way, while giving our characters' struggles, relationships and issues more of a real-life feel," said Ellen Wheeler, executive producer of Guiding Light. "The show will have a more organic feel, along with more authenticity, and we're thrilled to be able to bring this to our fans."

02-29-2008, 04:52 PM	#9
friendsfan77 - Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 02, 2004 Location: Duluth, GA Posts: 3,165	I'm not that big a fan of the new theme music... but it is better than what they had. I kinda wish they'd reuse the 2005 music.

02-29-2008, 06:36 PM	#10
puertaazul Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 18, 2006 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 264	Ok so I have to say I loved the new outdoor shots, and all of the new sets. It really gave the show a realistic vibe. I think the opening was a huge upgrade, and GL def made a good decision by implementing these changes.

03-06-2008, 02:18 PM	#11
Moondance MCR Moderator Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Posts: 4,008	I don't like this. I want the soap opera feel. It's an escape from reality. This will just make it so not fantasy.

03-13-2008, 04:58 AM	#12
friendsfan77 - Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 02, 2004 Location: Duluth, GA Posts: 3,165	It's not completely bad to me but they should try to stabilize the steady cams a bit. I can't stand the shakiness.