but one thing I found really eye opening was seeing the dailies of a show ... By comparison to the final scene a lot of these takes seemed flat, whereas by moving back and forth from different distances and POVs it seemed focused and dynamic in its final form.
Oh, that is so interesting! Editing seems like such a creative (and almost overwhelming) process to me. Of course, the director's vision and storyboards act as sign posts, but actually assembling the takes and tweaking things when they don't work (or making things work when there's little to work with) seems incredibly challenging. If you don't mind me asking, what's your capacity in the entertainment industry (eyeballing dailies)?
I was surprised to discover in the AHBL2 documentary was that they apparently storyboard episodes.
When I was watching SPN's S2 DVD's I kept pausing it so I could see the storyboards because I was so surprised that they took the time to make them. I have no idea if that's normally done for TV shows either, but I think yours reasons are very likely. I watched a commentary for something from the Firefly series and I think Joss Whedon mentioned that they storyboarded the spaceship visual effects. Maybe, like you say, it's required for SPN's visual effects and perhaps even those tightly choreographed fight scenes.
But I also wonder if it could be because SPN is a "single camera" show shot using deep space (more typical of feature films) instead of a "multi-camera" flat space-shot show (always used for sitcoms, news and talk shows). With the different camera angle options like close-up and extreme close-ups needed (or allowed to be used) to make things look more dimensional, maybe storyboarding is just a necessity? Maybe all TV shows of this nature storyboard to some extent? *shrugs*
Honestly, given the weather it surprises me that Vancouver has done as well as it has with show production.
Ah, yes. But you get that beautiful and instantly recognizable flat blue-gray Vancouver winter light in those exterior shots. :) When I moved away from Vancouver to the midwest for a short time, I would watch the X-files partially just to see that west coast light. My (rather dorky) fascination with light is part of the reason why "Faith" is one of my favorite episodes. What a gorgeous episode.
I know that rain actually is coming down much harder than it seems on screen even with HD. I remember that being mentioned in some commentary or other ... Kripke mentioned how the shots of Dean mowing in WIaWSNB was the only time during the whole shoot that the sun came out.
I think the hard rain was mentioned by Kripke in the "WiAWSNB" commentary. I laughed when he mentioned the fortuitous weather. And I thought that they got the sun to shine just for wish!Sam's debut. ;) Just think how different that scene would've looked it if was overcast and gray. -_-
Another umbrella moment was when the townspeople are conferring in Scarecrow.
That overhead shot of the grouped umbrellas with the rain falling on them was very nice. I think I flailed a little when I first saw it. I'm all for economical and unobtrusive camera work used to "just tell the story" but a part of me just really likes pretty pictures for the sake of prettiness. Some fancy camera work and lighting isn't really showing off as long as it still services the plot, right? ;)
If you don't mind me asking, what's your capacity in the entertainment industry (eyeballing dailies)?
Oh none at all -- there's about a dozen episodes of Buffy that have dailies floating around and I've seen a number of them. I don't know if any other shows have them around but I wouldn't be surprised.
I watched a commentary for something from the Firefly series and I think Joss Whedon mentioned that they storyboarded the spaceship visual effects.
Yeah, I would think that would be somewhat necessary so that directors would know what they have to actually shoot. Also in the dailies I saw were a number of shots that were essentially place holders for where special effects would go in. In the case of AHBL it seemed to be related to their concerns about feasibility and costs so I'd guess it also relates to budgeting (and I am dying to know what happens to the storyboards after a show is finished!)
Faith" is one of my favorite episodes. What a gorgeous episode.
That had a pretty distinctive look and I think was pretty well suited for the supposed setting. In other cases, I hate to tell them but the midwest isn't nearly as forested or hilly as depicted!
a part of me just really likes pretty pictures for the sake of prettiness. Some fancy camera work and lighting isn't really showing off as long as it still services the plot, right?
I completely agree. I absolutely love those moments in the show with the wide landscape shots, and it seems to me a signature thing for this show.
there's about a dozen episodes of Buffy that have dailies floating around and I've seen a number of them. I don't know if any other shows have them around but I wouldn't be surprised.
Oh, really? *looks interested* I would love it if SPN released some of their dailies (old or new). I think half of the fandom would probably explode with squee.
I am dying to know what happens to the storyboards after a show is finished!
You know, heh, Kripke could take care of the extraneous set-pieces/storyboard garbage issue and the production cost problem if he just had someone on the production crew clandestinely stick them up on Ebay. ;) Items would be gobbled up in no time. I for one would love that funny little red and yellow monkey featured in interior Roadhouse shots. ;) But I suppose there's some fine writing in some studio contract somewhere about not selling props/script copies/storyboards for profit.
I hate to tell them but the midwest isn't nearly as forested or hilly as depicted!
lol ... I don't think Nebraska even has a hill. I feel justified in saying that because I grew up in the midwest, the home of mosquitoes, flatness, sunny winters, and beautiful lake country. :)
I'd love it too but these dailies didn't appear in any official capacity. I imagine there's all sorts of contractual restrictions on their use. I've no idea how the Buffy ones got out but I think it's relatively rare (if you do a search for "dailies" on YouTube, it's mostly Buffy's that will come up).
But I suppose there's some fine writing in some studio contract somewhere about not selling props/script copies/storyboards for profit.
When it comes to props and such I believe they belong to the studio. I know after Buffy and Angel ended, Fox auctioned a variety of items from all seasons and some other items went to resale stores in L.A. I'd think most wouldn't be sold until the series was over however in case they needed to reuse items.
The storyboards though is an interesting question. I agree that they'd be snapped up!
I grew up in the midwest, the home of mosquitoes, flatness, sunny winters, and beautiful lake country
I'm living there now but I grew up in Florida. Given that, I've never understood what's so awful about flat land but I'd no sooner moved here than I heard people complaining about it. The miles of corn though was new :>
Oh, that is so interesting! Editing seems like such a creative (and almost overwhelming) process to me. Of course, the director's vision and storyboards act as sign posts, but actually assembling the takes and tweaking things when they don't work (or making things work when there's little to work with) seems incredibly challenging. If you don't mind me asking, what's your capacity in the entertainment industry (eyeballing dailies)?
I was surprised to discover in the AHBL2 documentary was that they apparently storyboard episodes.
When I was watching SPN's S2 DVD's I kept pausing it so I could see the storyboards because I was so surprised that they took the time to make them. I have no idea if that's normally done for TV shows either, but I think yours reasons are very likely. I watched a commentary for something from the Firefly series and I think Joss Whedon mentioned that they storyboarded the spaceship visual effects. Maybe, like you say, it's required for SPN's visual effects and perhaps even those tightly choreographed fight scenes.
But I also wonder if it could be because SPN is a "single camera" show shot using deep space (more typical of feature films) instead of a "multi-camera" flat space-shot show (always used for sitcoms, news and talk shows). With the different camera angle options like close-up and extreme close-ups needed (or allowed to be used) to make things look more dimensional, maybe storyboarding is just a necessity? Maybe all TV shows of this nature storyboard to some extent? *shrugs*
Honestly, given the weather it surprises me that Vancouver has done as well as it has with show production.
Ah, yes. But you get that beautiful and instantly recognizable flat blue-gray Vancouver winter light in those exterior shots. :) When I moved away from Vancouver to the midwest for a short time, I would watch the X-files partially just to see that west coast light. My (rather dorky) fascination with light is part of the reason why "Faith" is one of my favorite episodes. What a gorgeous episode.
I know that rain actually is coming down much harder than it seems on screen even with HD. I remember that being mentioned in some commentary or other ... Kripke mentioned how the shots of Dean mowing in WIaWSNB was the only time during the whole shoot that the sun came out.
I think the hard rain was mentioned by Kripke in the "WiAWSNB" commentary. I laughed when he mentioned the fortuitous weather. And I thought that they got the sun to shine just for wish!Sam's debut. ;) Just think how different that scene would've looked it if was overcast and gray. -_-
Another umbrella moment was when the townspeople are conferring in Scarecrow.
That overhead shot of the grouped umbrellas with the rain falling on them was very nice. I think I flailed a little when I first saw it. I'm all for economical and unobtrusive camera work used to "just tell the story" but a part of me just really likes pretty pictures for the sake of prettiness. Some fancy camera work and lighting isn't really showing off as long as it still services the plot, right? ;)
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Oh none at all -- there's about a dozen episodes of Buffy that have dailies floating around and I've seen a number of them. I don't know if any other shows have them around but I wouldn't be surprised.
I watched a commentary for something from the Firefly series and I think Joss Whedon mentioned that they storyboarded the spaceship visual effects.
Yeah, I would think that would be somewhat necessary so that directors would know what they have to actually shoot. Also in the dailies I saw were a number of shots that were essentially place holders for where special effects would go in. In the case of AHBL it seemed to be related to their concerns about feasibility and costs so I'd guess it also relates to budgeting (and I am dying to know what happens to the storyboards after a show is finished!)
Faith" is one of my favorite episodes. What a gorgeous episode.
That had a pretty distinctive look and I think was pretty well suited for the supposed setting. In other cases, I hate to tell them but the midwest isn't nearly as forested or hilly as depicted!
a part of me just really likes pretty pictures for the sake of prettiness. Some fancy camera work and lighting isn't really showing off as long as it still services the plot, right?
I completely agree. I absolutely love those moments in the show with the wide landscape shots, and it seems to me a signature thing for this show.
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Oh, really? *looks interested* I would love it if SPN released some of their dailies (old or new). I think half of the fandom would probably explode with squee.
I am dying to know what happens to the storyboards after a show is finished!
You know, heh, Kripke could take care of the extraneous set-pieces/storyboard garbage issue and the production cost problem if he just had someone on the production crew clandestinely stick them up on Ebay. ;) Items would be gobbled up in no time. I for one would love that funny little red and yellow monkey featured in interior Roadhouse shots. ;) But I suppose there's some fine writing in some studio contract somewhere about not selling props/script copies/storyboards for profit.
I hate to tell them but the midwest isn't nearly as forested or hilly as depicted!
lol ... I don't think Nebraska even has a hill. I feel justified in saying that because I grew up in the midwest, the home of mosquitoes, flatness, sunny winters, and beautiful lake country. :)
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But I suppose there's some fine writing in some studio contract somewhere about not selling props/script copies/storyboards for profit.
When it comes to props and such I believe they belong to the studio. I know after Buffy and Angel ended, Fox auctioned a variety of items from all seasons and some other items went to resale stores in L.A. I'd think most wouldn't be sold until the series was over however in case they needed to reuse items.
The storyboards though is an interesting question. I agree that they'd be snapped up!
I grew up in the midwest, the home of mosquitoes, flatness, sunny winters, and beautiful lake country
I'm living there now but I grew up in Florida. Given that, I've never understood what's so awful about flat land but I'd no sooner moved here than I heard people complaining about it. The miles of corn though was new :>
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