Proucers--take note of how the Opry does it

Leroy Riggs · Post by **Leroy Riggs** » 23 Mar 2002 5:26 pm

During the guitar breaks on the Opry each week, I sure appreciate that person who decided to show a degree of respect to the musicians by showing the musician on TV that is doing the playing. So many of the videos and other shows never show the musicians.

Maybe some of the other producers could take lessons.

Bill Crook · Post by **Bill Crook** » 24 Mar 2002 8:01 am

I may be totally wrong here but here go's......

Chalk this one up to Tommy Whites wonderful wife....... She is the one who does all those good camera shots. As she is well versed in the music venue, She knows how and when to showcase the players. She is also the main behind the scences person on the Lloyd Green & Tommy White "Evein' of E9th" that we all enjoy so much. It would be a great loss if she ever decided to change careers.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bill Crook on 24 March 2002 at 10:41 AM.]</p></FONT>

Tom Olson · Post by **Tom Olson** » 24 Mar 2002 4:43 pm

I've thought that the better camera work nowadays is at least partially due to the fact that there are more cameras now. In the old days, when you had one or two cameras, it was kinda difficult to flip around from shot to shot to shot. Also, taking into consideration that those old camerals were quite large, heavy and sluggish, and that a typical solo only lasts 15 seconds or less, by the time they got one of their two big-@$$ cameras swung around to do the shot, the solo would be over.

Now, they have those fancy hand-held steady cams and all kinds of other fancy-smanshy camera stuff.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 24 Mar 2002 6:37 pm

Well Tom O., it wasn't as easy as it is today, but there was still good camera work done 40 years ago. Back then the cameras were almost a 1000 pounds (read "slow to move"), but if everyone knew what they were doing, the results were quite acceptable. One only has to have see some of the old Ernest Tubb TV shows to realize it. Back in those days, two cameras were about it. But if the director, engineer, and cameramen knew what they were doing, they could (and did) carry it off quite well.

And LeRoy, as far as today's videos are concerned, they're made to sell CD's (via the singer's sex appeal, mostly), and the backup band (if seen at all) is just there for window dressing.

And when it comes to "classy music show" production, just watch Austin City Limits. As Carly would say...nobody does it better! In my own opinion, ACL is the benchmark by which all music shows should be judged.

Jimmie Misenheimer · Post by **Jimmie Misenheimer** » 24 Mar 2002 8:43 pm

I most always tape the "Opry - just incase that is any steel work to see. I viewed my taping this week, and saw a couple of "camerMEN" setting up for close-ups. There are a few people that do it.
I,ve done SOME T.V., and in every case that I'm aware of, there is a director of some kind that determines which camera you get the feed from - I've never known this to be something that the camera operator determined on their own.

Jimmie

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 25 Mar 2002 6:24 am

The Buck Owens Ranch Shows from the mid 60's recently reissued on video ( www.buckowns.com ) hve some very cool "shot blocking" and camera work... Buck and Don working a single mic, camera changes as Don steps up to harmonize...medium shot of Buck and Don with Tom Brumley on a riser behind them framed nicely between their heads as he plays fill behind their singing... cool stuff...

Leroy Riggs · Post by **Leroy Riggs** » 25 Mar 2002 11:08 am

In any case, thanks to "Tommy's wonderful wife" or to whomever is responsible for some great shots. I especially liked the shot of Josh playing behind Lori on Sat's Opey.

L...