I'm a former director, camera op, etc., and even though it was mainly with a public access station about ten years ago, I will say this - Live TV is the shiznit.
No drug comes close to the adrenaline you feel when the countdown begins.. 10, 9, 8, 7.. the absolute best.
Waxing somewhat nostalgic for those days led me to seek out gems on YouTube... and I recently re-discovered one of my favorite live television sketches of all time.
In late '54 or early '55, on his show called "Caesar's Hour", Sid Caesar and Nanette Fabray performed a skit live (everything was live back then) which, in essence, was an argument set to Beethoven's 5th, in my opinion, one of the classic television comedy skits of all time.
A link: Argument to Beethoven's 5th
Of course there are many, many other funny memories from early television, but that skit appeals to my strong feelings about visual communication. Successful visuals can be dis-assembled and each piece will still hold up and communicate on it's own.
Images can, and should, tell a story without words or sound so that when sound is added, the end result is complimented by the addition of the sound. Many times, the opposite is true - a well thought out sound scape can be the main ingredient in telling a story so that when visuals are added, they compliment and/or enlighten the storytelling process. I used to use those theories when teaching or instructing others how to produce television programs. I might start by giving the students a baseball, bat and glove and ask them to build a drama with those elements alone - no actors, no words, etc., or I might just ask them to tell me a story without sound or dialogue using settings or materials of their choice. That exercise would always surprise me with the inventiveness of the students - if they got my meaning.
I am so grateful that my father helped me find my interest in film/movie making/editing when I was young. Thanks to him I could write, shoot and edit 8mm & 16mm film before I turned 10 years old. That passion has never left me.. it's been sidetracked by life getting in the way, but the passion still burns within.
To think of the "old days", the early days of television and film production in America is a wonderful way I enjoy spending some of my time. Yes, I do wish I could have been around the industry back then - blah, blah blah.. and I do feel very fortunate to have grown up when I did. If you are familiar with a TV show called "The Wonder Years" well, that was my life.. right down to the brother who was two years older than I and the hippie sister who was part of the revolution.. The girl's name wasn't Winnie.. but I was friends with a girl named Winnie back then...
Anyway, today I find myself missing those years, those thoughts and feelings and the excitement of live TV.
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