TV Dramas Then and Now

[Pip in a Poke]

A little thing that's been bothering me.

You know how you watch those old TV dramas like The Onedin Line, Raffles, Upstairs Downstairs etc & they are all so obviously filmed in a studio - I mean, everything from the set, the acting and the delivery is kind of theatrical & the medium, as in the type of film used, feels different to the type of film used in cinema.
Present day TV dramas, on the other hand, feel pretty much the same as what one sees in the cinema.

What changed?

[OwlHoot]

.. What changed?

The budgets?

(Given that a lot of series these days are targeted for exports)

[SunnyInHades]

A little thing that's been bothering me.

You know how you watch those old TV dramas like The Onedin Line, Raffles, Upstairs Downstairs etc & they are all so obviously filmed in a studio - I mean, everything from the set, the acting and the delivery is kind of theatrical & the medium, as in the type of film used, feels different to the type of film used in cinema.
Present day TV dramas, on the other hand, feel pretty much the same as what one sees in the cinema.

What changed?

The Arri Alexa

TV in the old days was shot on 'poor quality' video cameras
Cinema in the old days was shot on 'excellent quality' 35mm film cameras

Nowadays 'almost everything' is shot on an 'excellent, film quality' video camera called the Arri Alexa.

Blade Runner 2049 - Arri Alexa (Mini + XT Plus + XT Studio)
Skyfall - Arri Alexa (M, Plus, Studio)

Dr Who, Season 6 (2005) - Arri Alexa (XT)
Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast - Arri Alexa (Mini)
Boots Beauty Commercial - Arri Alexa (Mini)
Charlie Brooker’s Yearly Wipe - Arri Alexa (Mini)

(Red/Panasonic/Blackmagic/Sony/Panavision/Arriflex/Aaton fanbois please note the '' quotes !)

[Pip in a Poke]

The budgets?

(Given that a lot of series these days are targeted for exports)

Well, I'd say a lot of the actors back were more accustomed to theatrical work than film which is why when one watches old episodes of Colditz, Anthony Valentine seems to be projecting his voice to the upper gallery.

[Pip in a Poke]

The Arri Alexa

TV in the old days was shot on 'poor quality' video cameras
Cinema in the old days was shot on 'excellent quality' 35mm film cameras

Nowadays 'almost everything' is shot on an 'excellent, film quality' video camera called the Arri Alexa.

Blade Runner 2049 - Arri Alexa (Mini + XT Plus + XT Studio)
Skyfall - Arri Alexa (M, Plus, Studio)

Dr Who, Season 6 (2005) - Arri Alexa (XT)
Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast - Arri Alexa (Mini)
Boots Beauty Commercial - Arri Alexa (Mini)
Charlie Brooker’s Yearly Wipe - Arri Alexa (Mini)

(Red/Panasonic/Blackmagic/Sony/Panavision/Arriflex/Aaton fanbois please note the '' quotes !)

Now that's a good answer. A rare thing on this site!

Arri Alexa Mini - £39k