We toured the NBC studios to breathe in the Conan air. This mock studio was the only place we were allowed to take pictures, so I indulged. As with our Jeopardy! taping, it was funny to see how tiny the (real) studios look in real life. We found out that TV shows follow rules when filming:
- This is a fact, not a rule, but the cameras-adding-ten-pounds thing is true, which makes the set look wider.
- They never film two reference points at once, such as the left and right side of the set or the front and back of an audience. That leaves the viewer to fill in the gap in the middle, much wider in imagination than it actually is.
- Audiences are panned from one side; then there's a cut back to the host; then the pan starts again from almost the same place it started at first, creating the illusion of a larger audience.
- The walk for special guests from backstage to the host is usually about five steps, but the drama is played out to make it seem longer.
- For Conan O'Brien in particular, his desk was built so undersized that his long legs don't fit underneath and he has to swing them out to the side. He also sits higher than his guests, all serving to ensure that he dwarfs his surroundings and that the focus is on him.
Saturday Night Live was another interesting set, because it turns out the audience can't see most of what's happening live. Rejoice in your superior view at home!
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