Anyone glad that at films resurgance over videotape in the 1980's?

[A.C.]

All the sitcoms I watched in syndication as a young kid in the early 1970's like HILLBILLIES and BRADY BUNCH were all filmed. And then with ALL IN THE FAMILY videotape was introduced and by the end of the decade almost all were videotaped before a studio audience with little or no exterior filming..

Then CHEERS came along and emulating TAXI (one of the few filmed shows from the 1970's) it was filmed and I started noticing after that the some of the more sophisticated sitcoms began to be filmed-even NEWHART abaondoned video after the first season.

Now in 2007 they are all on film again and I feel that's a good thing. There were some outstanding shows shot on video in the 70's but video I always thought looked cheap so the return of film is welcome.

Thoughts?

[Ireneparalegal]

I feel stupid asking, but just was is the difference between a show being filmed vs. videotaped? I realize looking at the shows, there is an obvious difference. Being a child of the early 70's, I do see what it is you are referring to, but exactly what is the difference? Is it the quality of film being used?

[clj2]

I completely agree! I don't care for how many of the shows from the 70s used videotape with the audience and all, it's sort of tacky. All of the Norman Lear shows did that, which is one thing I never cared for about his shows. Film is much more vivid and the quality looks much better.

Mary Tyler Moore's shows were filmed weren't they?

[Dean Winchester]

honestly, I think videotaped shows from the 80's look much better on television. Now if the prints are remastered for DVD, that's a different scenario, but shows like Cheers, Taxi, M*A*S*H, Mary Tyler Moore and other classic shows that were filmed generally seem to be a lot darker in quality and the prints get grainy/dirty much faster compared to the sitcoms that were shot on videotape. 12 year old Friends and Seinfeld reruns that have been well-worn in syndication look older and are grainier and darker than 30 year old Three's Company and Jeffersons reruns that were videotaped. I don't see why film is better?

[friendsfan77]

Originally Posted by TV Land Fan

Mary Tyler Moore's shows were filmed weren't they?

Yes. Except for WKRP and early episodes of Newhart, all of the MTM shows were shot on film.

MTM on DVD looks great though, it just seems in a lot of cases the syndie copies look worse and less taken care of. Though I do agree that videotape was the best bet (and it was also cheaper).

[Dean Winchester]

I think film is a better bet these days because people are taking much better care of prints, but that wasn't the case years ago. Like I said to Friendsfan, the example that comes to immediate mind against "filmed" shows from the day was when TV Land aired Rhoda in 2005 on the N@N 20th anniversary special. Rhoda looked so rough and old because the print obviously hasn't been cleaned since the 70's. The second season of Happy Days looked incredibly rough as well.

I can think back to when I was a kid and my family would watch reruns of Laverne And Shirley and Taxi, along with Diff'rent Strokes and One Day At A Time. I remember always thinking "this show is really really old" about L&S and Taxi (this was 1986-1987, so both shows were barely a decade old, less than that for Taxi) while Diff'rent Strokes and One Day At A Time were from the same time period, but were videotaped, and while the early seasons were in the 70's, it never felt as "old" as Taxi and L&S did at the time. (Just to let you know, I was a kid then, I've grown up, I love Laverne and Taxi now, but I'm speaking from a 7 year old's perspective)

[A.C.]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

I feel stupid asking, but just was is the difference between a show being filmed vs. videotaped? I realize looking at the shows, there is an obvious difference. Being a child of the early 70's, I do see what it is you are referring to, but exactly what is the difference? Is it the quality of film being used?

Don't feel bad about asking...in the simplest terms.

Videotape gives a HARD look.

Film is always GLOSSIER...and it just seemed to give shows a better "pedigree" for lack of a better word.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by A.C.

Don't feel bad about asking...in the simplest terms.

Videotape gives a HARD look.

Film is always GLOSSIER...and it just seemed to give shows a better "pedigree" for lack of a better word.

Thank you. Are soap operas then filmed?

[Dean Winchester]

Originally Posted by A.C.

Don't feel bad about asking...in the simplest terms.

Videotape gives a HARD look.

Film is always GLOSSIER...and it just seemed to give shows a better "pedigree" for lack of a better word.

funny how much we disagree on this. I think film gives shows a hard, old look, while video is glossier.

The example that comes to mind is Golden Girls (videotaped) vs. Designing Women (filmed). Both shows aired roughly around the same time and have a lot of mutual fans, but Golden Girls looks a lot less "old" (no pun intended about the ages of the ladies) in 2007 whereas 20 year old Designing Women reruns on TV Land are incredibly grainy and dark. Golden Girls reruns from the same period lack grain and are still bright and look just like they did when I watched it on NBC. The show ended 15 years ago but yet when you watch the reruns, it doesn't feel like you're watching an "old" series, with Designing Women, it feels as old as it really is.

[friendsfan77]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Thank you. Are soap operas then filmed?

Soap operas have always use/used videotape. Though there are also kinescopes of some of the older episodes that were shot live before videotape became a regular thing.

[JT]

Yes, all soap operas are taped. The only thing clouding that now is that "All My Children" is using a HORRIBLE HORRIBLE film-look process to make it look like film. "The City" also used this process a decade ago.

As far as sitcoms go, I don't prefer one type over another. It all depends on what type of sitcom it is. All of the Norman Lear shows from the 1970s...I can't imagine them in film. Same for the MTM shows...can't imagine them in tape. Tape gives it more of a stage look, I think. Film gives it the look of a movie. I really don't favor one or the other.

Oh, but when it's a genre that's ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS been in tape, for the better part of its existence, at least, I want it to stay on tape. I would cry if all soaps, game shows, and talk shows were filmed one day. I would absolutely cry.

[A.C.]

Originally Posted by JT

Yes, all soap operas are taped. The only thing clouding that now is that "All My Children" is using a HORRIBLE HORRIBLE film-look process to make it look like film. "The City" also used this process a decade ago.

As far as sitcoms go, I don't prefer one type over another. It all depends on what type of sitcom it is. All of the Norman Lear shows from the 1970s...I can't imagine them in film. Same for the MTM shows...can't imagine them in tape. Tape gives it more of a stage look, I think. Film gives it the look of a movie. I really don't favor one or the other.

Oh, but when it's a genre that's ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS been in tape, for the better part of its existence, at least, I want it to stay on tape. I would cry if all soaps, game shows, and talk shows were filmed one day. I would absolutely cry.

Sounds like you're an ABC Soap Person which is good because you wouldn't like the news just out. CBS GUIDING LIGHT and AS THE WORLD TURNS are going to abandon the traditional manor of shooting in January 2008...and shoot in real locations with hand held cameras....no more sets and no more videotape I believe....I'm dreading it because I believe that soaps are the one area where Video tape if better.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by JT

Yes, all soap operas are taped. The only thing clouding that now is that "All My Children" is using a HORRIBLE HORRIBLE film-look process to make it look like film. "The City" also used this process a decade ago.

As far as sitcoms go, I don't prefer one type over another. It all depends on what type of sitcom it is. All of the Norman Lear shows from the 1970s...I can't imagine them in film. Same for the MTM shows...can't imagine them in tape. Tape gives it more of a stage look, I think. Film gives it the look of a movie. I really don't favor one or the other.

Oh, but when it's a genre that's ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS been in tape, for the better part of its existence, at least, I want it to stay on tape. I would cry if all soaps, game shows, and talk shows were filmed one day. I would absolutely cry.

Yes, let me say, when I was the AMC fanatic during the 80's, I so loved the look of how it was filmed. So real. Now, it has that horrific look to it that looks so fake and cheesy. I just happened to tune in one day to see how AMC had faired after all these years and I was just appalled at how it now looks. I am so glad I got to see AMC at its best before it took a nosedive.

[friendsfan77]

Originally Posted by A.C.

CBS GUIDING LIGHT and AS THE WORLD TURNS are going to abandon the traditional manor of shooting in January 2008...and shoot in real locations with hand held cameras....no more sets and no more videotape I believe....I'm dreading it because I believe that soaps are the one area where Video tape if better.

They've been using the hand held cameras on ATWT lately in certain scenes and I must say I'm not a fan of that. Especially when they can't hold them right.

But I guess if that's the way to keep both shows on the air, what can we do... it makes me wish the ratings were higher so they wouldn't have to keep slashing the budget.

[dawsongirl]

I guess I'd have to pay more attention to detail to tell the differences, but I think they both look ok in their own rights. Both can look good, both can look bad.