Sunday, September 02, 2012

The Newsroom

Do they film two versions of every ep (dramatic and farce), then splice them together in the editing room?


I enjoy THE NEWSROOM, but the only way this show makes sense to me is if I imagine that, on the set, Team Sorkin film two versions of every scene: the drama version (interesting situations and commentary; competent characters pushing for excellence) and the sit-com version (concerned primarily with romantic entanglements, filled with characters that start to flail socially and physically when confronted with matters of the heart, and with a soft spot towards farce). In the editing room, they seem to decide at random which version of a scene they'll put into the final cut.

I prefer the episodes when the ratio is 90% drama version, 10% sit-com. See Episode 3 for a really excellent example.

1 comment:

d f mamea said...

hey Steve

'd be a bit inefficient, wouldn't it? (though well within the bounds of 'Let's do a take for Billy Wilder!')

you're right: it does feel random rather than leavened but i still like it. it's very... Sorkin. i think i'm enjoying it mostly because a). it's not Studio 60, and b). i'm a longtime fan of Jeff Daniels.