On the Set with Video Assist
by Michael Frediani, SOC
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Video assist and playback devices on the set
are about as common as cops in donut shops. Yet what is one person's
tool might well be another person's millstone. Most directors
today wouldn't consider rolling a foot of film without first
watching the scene played out on a monitor. Cries of "Can
we get a hook-up?" are about as common as the words "Quiet
for rehearsal!" And "they" want to see a picture
even before the dolly track is laid out or the assistant has
gotten his/her focus marks. What was once a novelty is now a
necessity, though most people would be surprised at just how
long video has been a part of the film set.
One need only look back
to one of America's best known comedians, Jerry Lewis, to discover
the first major use of this device. As described in the book "The
Jerry Lewis Films" by James L Neibar and Ted Okuda, Lewis
explains the reason for and the path toward developing video
assist.
THE BEGINNING
What was originally called "Closed Circuit
Television Applied to Motion Pictures" was created and devised
by Jerry Lewis in September 1956. It was engineered and perfected
by the Paramount Technical Departments under the supervision
of Bruce Denny. Although others may have preceded Lewis, (Linwood
Dunn, ASC recalls a visit to the ASC clubhouse by Al Simon from
Great Britain demonstrating a video assist device prior to 1960)
Lewis holds the patent on it.
It was 1960 when Lewis first used his video
assist system while making his directorial debut on "The Bellboy" in
Miami Beach, Florida. His device was described like this: A closed-circuit
industrial type RCA Vidicon Camera mounted on the BNC film camera
used as the production "A" camera. The television camera
was equipped with a variable focal-length "zoom" lens
that permitted it to match the scene content of all the BNC lenses
except the 18mm wide-angle lens. The television camera shared
the horizontal parallax of the finder and was compensated to
the point of focus. The television camera also had a vertical
parallax that must be adjusted to the average point of focus
of each scene. However, as the camera was used in close-up position,
it was necessary to use some judgment to protect headroom, rather
than adjust only to the cross-hairs.
The television monitor, together with control
equipment, weighed in at 200 pounds and was mounted on a small
dolly. The equipment was of assistance not only to the director-actor
but also to various members of the staff. It was used in many
more ways than anticipated. Some unexpected problems were encountered
and either solved or endured.
Considerable maintenance was required on the
television equipment because it had been used beyond specifications
and had some inherent faults or limitations relative to motion
picture standards. Spare equipment, borrowed from RCA, was regularly
used.
PRODUCTION USE
The novelty of the television equipment prevented
an evaluation for the first days of shooting until a pattern
of use developed. The television equipment operator found it
necessary to determine if Jerry Lewis was to be an actor, director
or both in the scene and to place the monitor where it could
most easily be seen.
Jerry Lewis the director, used the monitor
to see the scene as photographed. The action content within the
film frame was reproduced fairly accurately. The director knew
what the film camera was seeing and explanations by the camera
operator were "unnecessary." During the rehearsal portion
of the scene the director used the monitor to smooth action cues,
entrances, crosses, etc., and also to see the effect of panning
and dolly movements. Timing and movement of the scene in black
and white were observed, and distracting background objects were
shaded or moved.
Several times during tightly framed or critical
scenes the director had the monitor turned in to the set so the
actors could see mistakes of movement or position. This helped
the actors understand the director and resulted in a correction
of the fault. The monitor was similarly used to show the actor
how to improve timing, avoid shadow and see the effects of anticipating
cues.
Jerry Lewis the actor, frequently used the
monitor to help compose and time a scene. Positions and movements
relative to sidelines, headroom, shadow, etc, could be observed
during rehearsal. Often in ad lib scenes he could see the monitor
either directly or with his peripheral vision and move within
set limits. Although small, the television monitor showed the
potential impressiveness of the Fountainebleau Hotel lobby, hotel
entrance, airport and similar scenes.
Jerry Lewis as director-actor, used the monitor
in several interesting ways. He would observe the action within
a set prior to making a well-timed entrance. For example, in
one scene in which the room was filled with ad-libbing girls,
he was able from outside the room to see on the monitor the exact
instant when the camera had a clear view of the door and hence
to make a perfect entrance. At other times, after making an exit
into awkward areas, he was able to see and direct the remaining
scene from the monitor's position. Combinations of entrances
and exits were made in this manner, and the scene was viewed
from usually blind spots.
Several times, particularly during lineups
of the bellboys that included Jerry, he would observe
the action from his position. If such a lineup were panned through
close-ups, Jerry could direct the action until the camera was
ready to move in on him.
It might be interesting to note that few actors
had enough self-discipline to avoid looking at the monitor and
that it was usually necessary to turn the monitor away from the
actors during takes. When Lewis was not in a scene he would watch
the action unfold on the monitor. When asked by "The Operating
Cameraman" why some actors resent not having the director
beside the camera during a take Lewis said pointedly, "If
they had real talent they wouldn't resent anything."
Yet there were times when the monitor was not
used exclusively by Lewis during filming of "The Bellboy." After
being used for lineups, rehearsals, etc, it was in a position
to be seen by others. At such times it was used or shared by
members of the staff and crew in various ways. Associate Producer
Ernest Glucksman used the monitor many times to view rehearsals
and takes and sometimes after discussions with Lewis, changes
were made. Cinematographer Haskell Boggs, ASC used the monitor
to evaluate set-ups. Arthur Schmidt the editorial supervisor
and Claire Behnke the script supervisor used the monitor when
access to the set was restricted by equipment. The set painter
Gene Acker sometimes used the monitor to locate highlights to
be dulled down. The assistant directors viewed the monitor occasionally
to observe empty areas to be filled or crossed with extras.
"Toward the end of the picture," Lewis
continues, "there were two instances in which the monitor
was used to hold back noisy audiences. During a long dolly shot
in the Fountainebleau gallery, an audience of about 35 people
were kept quiet while observing the 'Stanley being dragged by
man with suitcase' sequence. Again, while in the restricted Barcelona
lobby during the telephone booth and other sequences, the monitor
helped hold down an interested and quieter audience of about
50 people. It is belatedly obvious that the monitor, or an extension
monitor, could have assisted us on more occasions."
Part I | Part
II | Part III |
