Friday, January 11, 2008
X Files
As a result of my recent unemployment, I find more time to watch television. Today, I watched several early episodes of the X Files. I had forgotten how good they were. The camera movement is gorgeous. I remember when the show first aired how impressed I was with the almost flawless camera moves. Many of us have done episodic work and know how grueling it can be. You rarely get more than two rehearsals before you roll. The X Files dolly and crane work was some of the most consistently dead-on camera movement I have ever seen in TV. I looked through Youtube to find some examples, but no luck yet. When I find some, I'll post them. If any of you did those shows, my hat's off.
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4 comments:
i got a hobby for you D. READ FOUNTAINHEAD already yet! even if you don't agree with her overall philosophy, it will inspire full on dollygrippery greatness to come shining out of you. that is one of the special things i love about working on set... that on any given shooting day, of any given scene, during any given shot, the goal of everyone involved, in every department, is perfection. not that it always, or even often happens, but every so often it does and that's pretty cool. is it too much of a stretch to compare filmmaking and football?
mmmm. Maybe baseball.
D,
Thanks for noticing the dolly work on The X-Files. Coming from a fellow dollyman, it means a lot.
I did main (1st) unit 'A' cam and crane on seasons 1 thru 4 but there were many other talented individuals on 'B' cam and other units throughout this time (93/94 - 97/97). The camera operating and lighting was also particularly good and we were all pushed to the limit to try and 'make small features' instead of TV.
I have rarely been as challenged since that time but it has been after my leaving the show that I realized how much I'd grown and improved.
Thanks for the history, Drld. Great job.
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