In writing my novel Star Time, I wanted to describe the shooting of a TV episode, so that my
readers would get the sense of the tension that arises during the shooting of a show: Here's an excerpt:
Biff
Stanfield was nearly insane with worry. He had watched the rehearsal
just before the initial take of the first scene between Sally and Chad
and had nearly thrown up. The woman character he had created so
carefully now seemed as contrived as a Saturday-morning cartoon, Chad's
as stiff as an ironing board.
"It'll be fine," the man in the safari jacket answered.
John
Rosenthal was a red-bearded producer-director who had cut his teeth at
MTM and directed a dozen hit shows over the years. The high fees he now
received and the residual checks that came in each month had made him a
rich man. He was heavily in demand during pilot season because of his
touch with comedy. This year, though, the project he and his wife,
Marti, an experienced producer, had personally developed had fallen
through at the last minute, and Marian Marcus had talked them into
joining the team for Adam and Eve's pilot.
"You keep telling me not to worry,' Biff was agonizing, "but somebody sure as hell better!"
John smiled. He walked over to Sally and Chad. "Take it a little faster this time. And move a little closer."
"That's
it?" Biff moaned when the smaller man returned to his chair. "If the
world was collapsing in front of James Cameron’s eyes, would he just
say, 'Move closer?'"
"Marti!" John called over to the pretty,
round-faced woman in discussion with Marian Marcus near the side of the
studio. "You've worked with Cameron. Would he have told them to move
closer?"
She noted the hint of a smile as he spoke, and she shook her head. "Farther apart."
"John turned back to Biff. "I guess you have your choice."
Unnerved, Biff rushed away.
"Let's shoot it this time," John directed the cast and crew. "And let’s have it faster.”
Read more: Star Time. http://ow.ly/sULaK
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