Posted by Jack P on 01/04/08 00:28

peter wrote:
> A week ago there was a show at kennedy center honoring director Martin
> Scorsese, actor Steve Martin, diana ross, etc. It was shot in a theater with
> audience, implying there is only one take.
>
> I noticed many prediction cuts -- i.e. right before some lead musical
> instrument starts playing or someone starts singing, the scene is switch to
> that musician. I'm guessing the music director gave an event list to the
> video director, who then gives the order to the camera operators and do the
> switching?
>
> Even with this list, how does the video director know at which second to
> switch?
>
> Suppose on the list it says "after the first movement, the harpsicord would
> play solo ..." Unless the video director knows the music and knows when the
> end of the first movement is, he may switch to the harpsicord too soon and
> show the musician doing nothing for a few seconds.
>
> Any idea how it is actually done?
>
>


It's all figured out before hand by the Director / Technical Director

and Producers. Then Technical Rehearsed one or more times beforehand.

They have a rundown sheet /Script that maps everything out down to
seconds...

although the actual exact switch timing is dictated by the TD/D and his

years of experience and that of his crew. If the show is Live --

that adds a couple more layers of control room personnel including

another Director or TD back at the Bureau. Sometimes the camera guys

are slaves and have little discretion -- sometimes they have more

freedom to pick shots. --- Jack Perry

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