really? hd ruining tv? do tell.

[amezri]

I posted this on G+, but I'm going to repost it here. Julie Plec, one of the producers of Vampire Diaries, just tweeted the following:

I would like to be on a panel called: Why Hi-Def is Ruining Drama Television Storytelling: the Aesthetic Nightmare. (link)

Other panelists include: Tech expert on how to lower your scan and refresh rate on your tv to crap levels so things will look good. (link)

Also, a special film guest: Anyone who saw Superman Returns on Blu-Ray. (link)

Seriously, Plec? I love Vampire Diaries because the story is great, but your DP has to get his shit together and that has absolutely nothing at all to do with HD ruining television aesthetics. (See this post about the awful lighting.)

What are you bitching about, exactly? You guys shoot in a real town. Your sets are real. They are HD ready. Get a fraking lighting package. I watch the show and I'm just wishing for some bounce in daylight scenes. I shouldn't be.

I bet Secret Circle has a smaller budget than you guys do. Guess what? I can see everyone on that show. In night exteriors.

Farscape wasn't shot in HD and that show still looks amazing on my HD TV with an upscaling player. What the hell are you watching that you need to mess with your TV refresh rate? What does lowering refresh rates to "crap levels" even mean?!

Also, why bring Superman Returns into it? No amount of visual sorcery could fix that thing or Kate Bosworth's terrible acting.

Anyway, my reply to her was:

Uh. @julieplec, if you need to be doing those things, I think you're doing the HD wrong. (link)

No reply, of course.

Comments

[fyrdrakken]

So basically the problem with the lighting on VD is the people running it are so clueless they don't even realize what the problem is? And so the producer is blaming people for having "impossible standards" because she genuinely thinks this is the best they can afford to do, or something?

[amezri.livejournal.com]

It sure does sound like it. I mean, we shot Star Trek: Phase II with pretty much no money. You can see everyone and we shot for HD. Browncoats: Redemption had a little money - you can't see anything in that because they didn't bother researching lighting.

Maybe TVD should go get themselves a

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It sure does sound like it. I mean, we shot Star Trek: Phase II with pretty much no money. You can see everyone and we shot for HD. Browncoats: Redemption had a little money - you can't see anything in that because they didn't bother researching lighting.

Maybe TVD should go get themselves a <a href-"http://nofilmschool.com/2011/05/watch-reds-short-film-tattoo-screened/">RED Epic</a>. That thing is so light sensitive, you can light a scene with a candle. Which is not to say that you should - just that you can. (I think they just shot Contagion with the Epic, actually.)

To be honest, none of her comments make any sense.

[fyrdrakken]

One of the strengths of fandom, I suppose, that people can pick up some genuine skills by way of hobbies. And I'm wondering how she wound up a producer if she knows so little of the craft -- was it just a matter of having the connections to get put on the project despite not having any experience?

[amezri.livejournal.com]

The really sad thing is that there are plenty of producers who don't actually know how films are made and what people's jobs are on set.