BBC News Pre-Launch Promo

Yes, the desk was fake as it looked completly the wrong shade of colour. It was done by taking snap shots of the national studios usual camera postions and then just showing the correct snap shot with the correct camera in the virtual studio if you get what i mean.

Are you sure? How would they have done the reflection on the desk if it wasn't that desk then? I think the desk may have only looked the wrong colour because of the lighting in the CSO studio.

The reflections may have been there when the 'picture' of the real set was taken.

I remember that in one of the broadcasts you could see through the chairs (which are 'Breakfast' chairs).

Gareth

The desk definatly wasnt there because when they showed the virtual studio from the aerial camera the desk had a really odd look about it.

I think the desk, and Darren Jordan were real!

If the desk was real we would see blue or green walls reflecting in it and not the beige national news wall colour.

It is perfectly possible that the desk isn't actually what you are seeing. Virtual studios have moved on a lot more in recent years - and not always what you see is what you'd witness if you were actually in the studio.

A prime example of this is the Central News virtual studio - which is a proper virtual studio - well more of a box room (ie walls of blue with the capability of floor keying too) which also doubles up as the Central and HTV Weather studio.

http://ison.the-potatosalad.com/caps2/cap070.jpg

http://ison.the-potatosalad.com/caps2/cap071.jpg

http://ison.the-potatosalad.com/caps2/cap083.jpg

http://ison.the-potatosalad.com/caps2/cap084.jpg

The whole background you can see is virtual - and therefore the reflection in the desk is also virtual...and in fact the whole desk is virtual. There is a desk there - but just not as glamarous as what you see when it goes out.

Also, this is from the virtual studio (basically just a shot from the main set CSOed on - but the image in the screen can be changed and was on this occassion):

http://ison.the-potatosalad.com/caps2/cap339.jpg

And finally as said, it doubles up as the Central/HTV Weather studio - which has took advantage of floor keying in the past:

http://ison.the-potatosalad.com/caps2/capa482.jpg


Sorry for going off topic so much - but showing you that you shouldn't under-estimate the power of technology these days. You saw the 3D graphics that moved with the set (so precisely timed too!) back in the 90s - so I don't think keying a desk and a background would be too much trouble.

Then again...the desk might have just been real and my efforts will have been for nothing.

wouldn't that just be that horrible light they have in one of the virtual studios. Whenever they do teh weather from one of them the presenter glows purple.

Are yes i remember the weather did some floor keying, it looked pretty good and actually made it look like the weather was no longer just a map.

I most certainly do. Virtually everything featured on the site is on tape; I try never to capture anything without having a tape running too.

However, that particular tape is at my parents' place. I don't keep everything at my own house. I'll pick it up next time I visit and digitise it...if you're really that interested in seeing the video.

indeed - the desk in the above shot actually looks like:

http://www.tvmercia.co.uk/pages/content/images/mistakes/301-10.jpg

they obviously key the background onto the blue, and use the curvature of the brown real desk to key the fake desk onto, if you see what i mean.

there are some better captures of the real central virtual studio from the central jobfinder 2002 'star jobs' series somewhere

Your a star! Thanks! Although you shouldn't have said that because now I shall be wishing for the Sept 11 coverage, The 9 O Clock News, The Death of Princess Margaret etc.... lol! Sorry. If you could digitilise that I would be very happy. Cheers.