Technical (Production) Questions about Top Gear

PurgeTV

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Would anyone have any information on the technical production end of things for Top Gear? Such as... on what format the on-track sequences are shot and on what format the in-studio stuff is shot?
 
No Boss said:
PurgeTV said:
Yeah, okay... THAT helps... NOT.

oh boy... :roll:

Hahah... I ask a legitimate technical question and I get a completely pointless answer. Hence, my reply to that.

Anyways, to perhaps extend my initial inquiry...

The on-track / on-road stuff looks like it was shot on film (although I can't be sure until I get a qualified answer)... wondering if it indeed is film or another format... and what format they shoot the in-studio stuff... obviously there are lots of variations... DV, HDV, HDCam, DVCam, DVCPro, DVCPro HD, Betacam, Betacam Digital, etc. I wrote an email to the general Top Gear addy a month ago but never received a reply. I DO know that it's all shot in 16:9, 24p... but want to know more technical production end of things.
 
PurgeTV said:
The on-track / on-road stuff looks like it was shot on film (although I can't be sure until I get a qualified answer)... wondering if it indeed is film or another format... and what format they shoot the in-studio stuff... obviously there are lots of variations... DV, HDV, HDCam, DVCam, DVCPro, DVCPro HD, Betacam, Betacam Digital, etc. I wrote an email to the general Top Gear addy a month ago but never received a reply. I DO know that it's all shot in 16:9, 24p... but want to know more technical production end of things.

I don't know necessarily that it would be shot in 24p, seeing as the PAL television format is 25p. Interpolating that extra frame in post doesn't seem to make much sense. There was a discussion a while back about if the show would ever air in HD (which it ought to) but it seemed like the consensus was that BBC wouldn't have the infrastructure to broadcast in HD for several more years, nixxing that idea. BUt the other discussion was that the shpw had recently gone "all digital" so we should be content with the production qualities for some time. :roll:

Every now and again you see a camera in one of the studio segments, and judging fromthe camera, I'd figure its DVCam, HDCam, Betacam or DigiBeta. I'd doubt that the prefilmed segments are shot on actual film - even though they would have the time to, the cost just doesn't justify the means. I just figure there's lots of digital trickery and lens filters to make it look like film. I'm sure the production costs for TG are already astronomical, throwing a film production budget on top of that just doesn't make sense.
 
Wintermute said:
PurgeTV said:
The on-track / on-road stuff looks like it was shot on film (although I can't be sure until I get a qualified answer)... wondering if it indeed is film or another format... and what format they shoot the in-studio stuff... obviously there are lots of variations... DV, HDV, HDCam, DVCam, DVCPro, DVCPro HD, Betacam, Betacam Digital, etc. I wrote an email to the general Top Gear addy a month ago but never received a reply. I DO know that it's all shot in 16:9, 24p... but want to know more technical production end of things.

I don't know necessarily that it would be shot in 24p, seeing as the PAL television format is 25p. Interpolating that extra frame in post doesn't seem to make much sense. There was a discussion a while back about if the show would ever air in HD (which it ought to) but it seemed like the consensus was that BBC wouldn't have the infrastructure to broadcast in HD for several more years, nixxing that idea. BUt the other discussion was that the shpw had recently gone "all digital" so we should be content with the production qualities for some time. :roll:

Every now and again you see a camera in one of the studio segments, and judging fromthe camera, I'd figure its DVCam, HDCam, Betacam or DigiBeta. I'd doubt that the prefilmed segments are shot on actual film - even though they would have the time to, the cost just doesn't justify the means. I just figure there's lots of digital trickery and lens filters to make it look like film. I'm sure the production costs for TG are already astronomical, throwing a film production budget on top of that just doesn't make sense.

Ah, yes... you are right... the UK is PAL not NTSC. Been looking at TG to figure out what their production technology involves. If you look at their credit reel, they list two different camera crews, one listed as film camera and the other as camera. Hence, why I am suspecting that they are shooting on film for some segments. Well, I did get a direct email address to someone at the BBC that works on TG so I hope to get an answer sometime in the near future. Once I have the info, I will post. Thanks.
 
Its Digibeta, the bbc.co.uk/topgear dude posted it somewhere in the calender thread, and I linked to that 2 times already in the various TG in HD threads, so this time I won't bother.
Plus Jezza says in one of the after christmas eps (where they run out of money...) that the audience can buy one... Although I don't remember if he specifically said Digibeta there...

If anyone would like to know about this format: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digibeta

Buba
 
It's shot on Digibeta as far as i know. Sony DigiBeta cameras. Not the usual cameras that are normally used in BBC studio recordings i believe. I think Thomson cameras are used on normal BBC studio stuff, but since Top Gear is external and shot in a hangar, they use Sony.

As for the external reports having that filmic look, that's just post production. Digibeta but with filmic treatment and shiny filters. The same as the new Doctor Who really. It's got that filmic look, but it's just shot on Digibeta and given masses of post production treatment. You can usually tell this when you see occasional shots of outtakes in the show. An example being when they were on the beach with the Jag, Porsche and BMW in 2004. In the actual piece it looks all filmic, but when they show that clip of Hammond having sand poured all over him, you see the pre-monkied version of what is filmed, which looks pretty much exactly the same as the studio stuff does. Interlaced, monotonal Digibeta :)
 
Hmm... I'm guessing something like the Sony DVW-790WS. I do have to add, however, that when you actually keep your eye on the credit reel, they actually have a separate credit list for film cameras and cameras. If everything is indeed shot on digital betacam, then why would they list a separate credit list for film camera? Makes no sense... Well, I still haven't heard back from the person at BBC I wrote to. Stay tuned!
 
PurgeTV said:
Hmm... I'm guessing something like the Sony DVW-790WS. I do have to add, however, that when you actually keep your eye on the credit reel, they actually have a separate credit list for film cameras and cameras. If everything is indeed shot on digital betacam, then why would they list a separate credit list for film camera? Makes no sense... Well, I still haven't heard back from the person at BBC I wrote to. Stay tuned!

I thin they just differentiate between the crew that works in the studio on the live-to-tape sudience segments, and the crew that works on what they call the "films" - the prerecorded car segments.

Go back and watch 05x01 in the Porsche 911 segment, when Jeremy realizes he's been driving the old 911, you get to see one of the cameras for a moment - and its clearly not shooting something that needs to go off to the developing lab. Watch the VUK rip and you can probably get a positive ID on the camera - I just spotted it watching it on my PSP this morning on the train. :thumbsup:
 
PurgeTV said:
Hmm... I'm guessing something like the Sony DVW-790WS. I do have to add, however, that when you actually keep your eye on the credit reel, they actually have a separate credit list for film cameras and cameras. If everything is indeed shot on digital betacam, then why would they list a separate credit list for film camera? Makes no sense... Well, I still haven't heard back from the person at BBC I wrote to. Stay tuned!

I too was puzzled by that credit, but it seems the term Film Editor doesn't mean what it used to. As Wintermute said i think they just use the term to differentiate the people who work on the studio stuff and people who work on the location stuff. Remember the location stuff is shot a long time before, so they might just have a different team entirely working on such things. Not sure though.

As good as it looks, the location stuff is definitely not shot on film. Not even Doctor Who, the highest budget program BBC1 do has that honour. Cheapskates!
 
The studio is shot on DigiBeta, using standard digital cameras, with studio backs to them (as opposed to the DigiBeta backs you would get on a PSC or non-studio camera).

The films are all shot on Digibeta too, except materal from the mini-cameras on or inside the cars. The mini cams record to mini-DV.

Sometimes DV cameras may be used, and sometimes even HD DV cameras.

Top Gear isn't an HD production yet, but may very well become one at some point in the future. The fact that its sold around the world may accelerate this, as HD is desired by many broadcasters.
 
Mr-Stabby said:
As good as it looks, the location stuff is definitely not shot on film. Not even Doctor Who, the highest budget program BBC1 do has that honour. Cheapskates!

Enh, there really just isn't much reason to use film anymore. Unless you just hate money. And if you do that, do something useful with it and fund a racing team.
 
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