By the way, that lighting track system at TLS sound very clever and I hadn't realised it went between studios and maintenance areas. This makes much morse sense now when reading TV Studios History website, I get the impression Martin isn't much of a fan of how clunky it can be to get stuff in and out if studios via the crossover tracks...
I was always aware of the fact that LWT shows sounded and looked different to BBC LE shows. I have the An Audience With Victoria Wood and Billy Connolly VHS tapes and even now it's very apparent that they have a particular 'feel'! Even now the square sounding audience applause still reminds me of Telethons, Aspel and Company etc.
Whatever we might now think of the quality of such treatment, it still is blindingly obvious (to me at least) where those shows were made. Which is, let's face it, quite an achievement. I can't think of any other studio centres that have an obvious look.
Why did LWT go for such a look and sound I wonder?
Because it was found to be appealing to the audience? If it were generally otherwise I'm sure it would have been dropped. It's still a factor as to why some independents go there to make their shows, they too like the look/sound/feel.
I always though it interesting that TLS1's audience always looked enormous on screen compared to the audience in TC1, plus back in the day LWT always gave the audience 'that sound' (which I always thought was bordering on 'distorted')
Ah - LWT in the 80s - the home of square audio and French pictures.
I know its wandering o/t a little, but was the sound really distorting by a tiny amount (then amplifed by naff 1980's TV speakers) in TLS1, or was it very creative mixing of the reverb and bass levels in the sound gallery?
It was basically totally devoid of any dynamic range and compressed to hell and very "harsh". We were listening to the TV through hour HiFi from about 1983 (we had the Philips version of the Sony Profeel (separate monitor and tuner units - and we used our HiFi for the sound) and could clearly hear the difference between LWT and BBC (and other ITV) companies' sound.
The pictures from the Hitachi tubed cameras (and later CCD?) were also remarkable for their distinctive look, which was borderline French (i.e. all edge and no detail)
The Hitachi cameras were CCD and gave perfectly normal pictures. You're probably thinking of the Marconi cameras.
I must be. Could have sworn LWT had some tubed Hitachis - but it must have been the Marconis. Don't remember the CCDs being stellar either - the Ikegamis that replaced them were massively better. (Not that the BBC were a beacon of quality with their Thomsons by then. OBs were luckier as they got Sony models to replace the LDK5s that were in widespread use.)
EMI 2001/2005, Marconi Mk9 (some Sony BVP330's as they could be matched to the Mk9 studio heads, Hitachi CCD, Ikegami, Sony. The Hitachis gave an appealing look and their colourimetry was copied over to the Ikegamis and now Sony's when operated in SD mode.
I have a very vague recall that the cameras that originally came down from Liverpool for St8 (This morning) may have been Ikegamis, not sure whether tube or CCD, I would strongly suggest CCD).
I was always aware of the fact that LWT shows sounded and looked different to BBC LE shows. I have the An Audience With Victoria Wood and Billy Connolly VHS tapes and even now it's very apparent that they have a particular 'feel'! Even now the square sounding audience applause still reminds me of Telethons, Aspel and Company etc.
Whatever we might now think of the quality of such treatment, it still is blindingly obvious (to me at least) where those shows were made. Which is, let's face it, quite an achievement. I can't think of any other studio centres that have an obvious look.
Why did LWT go for such a look and sound I wonder?
Because it was found to be appealing to the audience? If it were generally otherwise I'm sure it would have been dropped. It's still a factor as to why some independents go there to make their shows, they too like the look/sound/feel.
In recent years output from TLS, Fountain, Elstree and TVC - apart from studio layout - was far more similar in sound and look. Understandable since the industry has effectively standardised on Sony HDC1500/2500 cameras (with some LDKx000s as well in OBs)
I think LWT in the 80s had a very specific 'commercial' look and sound - louder and shinier than the BBC!
I was always aware of the fact that LWT shows sounded and looked different to BBC LE shows. I have the An Audience With Victoria Wood and Billy Connolly VHS tapes and even now it's very apparent that they have a particular 'feel'! Even now the square sounding audience applause still reminds me of Telethons, Aspel and Company etc.
Whatever we might now think of the quality of such treatment, it still is blindingly obvious (to me at least) where those shows were made. Which is, let's face it, quite an achievement. I can't think of any other studio centres that have an obvious look.
Why did LWT go for such a look and sound I wonder?
Because it was found to be appealing to the audience? If it were generally otherwise I'm sure it would have been dropped. It's still a factor as to why some independents go there to make their shows, they too like the look/sound/feel.
In recent years output from TLS, Fountain, Elstree and TVC - apart from studio layout - was far more similar in sound and look. Understandable since the industry has effectively standardised on Sony HDC1500/2500 cameras (with some LDKx000s as well in OBs)
I think LWT in the 80s had a very specific 'commercial' look and sound - louder and shinier than the BBC!
Yes, The Sony HDCs were set up so that their SD look matched the Ikegami (SD) look. In that way programmes could be moved between studios part mid series to suit without having a different look to them. It also meant the look was standardised as series progressed (for future archive clips etc).
Yes, I think you're absolutely right about the standard HD look being promulgated between studio centres because no-one does anything (much) other than follow the default camera HD colourimetry settings.
LWT had other tricks too. If you go back to the big LE shows of the 80's etc, you'll often find the audience clapping etc carried well over the EOP slide to make the audience sense they were leaving something still going on in their absence. Similarly you'll often find the audience applause/laughter etc started well before 'zero' on the clock so that when the SOP caption faded up it made the home audience sense that they were joining something that was already going on - joining in the fun if you like.
LWT had other tricks too. If you go back to the big LE shows of the 80's etc, you'll often find the audience clapping etc carried well over the EOP slide to make the audience sense they were leaving something still going on in their absence. Similarly you'll often find the audience applause/laughter etc started well before 'zero' on the clock so that when the SOP caption faded up it made the home audience sense that they were joining something that was already going on - joining in the fun if you like.
Southern/TVS would often let the applause cross fade over the 'astral ident' at the start of the ad break. It would have been a no-no to let it carry on into the start of the first commercial, but over the ident was already sailing very close to the IBA wind !
LWT had other tricks too. If you go back to the big LE shows of the 80's etc, you'll often find the audience clapping etc carried well over the EOP slide to make the audience sense they were leaving something still going on in their absence. Similarly you'll often find the audience applause/laughter etc started well before 'zero' on the clock so that when the SOP caption faded up it made the home audience sense that they were joining something that was already going on - joining in the fun if you like.
Southern/TVS would often let the applause cross fade over the 'astral ident' at the start of the ad break. It would have been a no-no to let it carry on into the start of the first commercial, but over the ident was already sailing very close to the IBA wind !
A favourite trick of one particular Southern/TVS ATC was to let the applause from the end of part 1 of the The Muppet Show trail over the opening optical of the comms breaks. They never cocked it up.
Am i right in thinking that SOP means "Start of Part" and EOP means "End of Part"
I've seen those terms around before on off air clips on youtube on VT clocks but never understood what they actually meant. Am i spot on with those meanings?
