Red Thread & Fighting Spiders

[purplemonkey369]

Hihi!

Does anybody still watch television here? Hahaha!!

Anyway, I was looking forward to Fighting Spiders and not looking forward to Red Thread but in the end they are shown now back to back on Tuesdays.

Why was I looking forward to Fighting Spiders?

Cos I saw that the trailer showed a lot of fresh faces in the form of meinus. Hahahaha!!!

The serious reason though, was that I thought that Fighting Spiders has a more interesting storyline, better-looking actors and most importantly, the look and feel, and cinematography looks so much more appealing.

Red Thread looks more B-grade than anything else. (Sorry but this is my personal opinion, if any of you are involved in Red Thread).

Red Thread looks like those 'Days Of Our Lives' show.

So, my thread here is to ask the professionals here -

1) Is the treatment for shows like Red Thread intentional? Or is it more expensive (for a production in general) to have that nice, soft look in Fighting Spiders? I don't think the soft look is to represent the show as in it is set in the past cos I don't think viewers are that stupid. Or does it simply mean that Red Thread has a lower production budget that they can't afford to do simple colour grading in post production?

2) How do television companies like Mediacorp usually work? Is there generally a quality control that applies to all productions it oversees, or do things get done differently according to the production houses and freelance producers engaged?

It seems to me that there isn't much consistency. As in when I watched Red Thread last night, some actors are quite alright whereas some appear quite lethargic and 'lazy' although they are familiar faces and I've seen them faring much better previously.

Please feel free to discuss.

Thanks!

 

[Deunamist]

both shows are rather boring. red thread is like daredevil without the superpowers (blind lawyer), and fighting spiders doesn't really does much to capture the essence of the past.

 

[superbeng]

I would think of it as "Red Thread" being an updated version of "Masters of the Sea" while "Fighting Spiders" a remake and update of "Growing Up". If you don't know the older series then you're probably too young...

Without having seen the actual episodes, my guess from watching the trailers is that RT was shot on digibeta or SP beta cameras in-house (Mediacorp), while FS was shot by an 'outside' production house who probably used prime lenses on an HD camera.

1) More experienced actors and Mediacorp names in RT, might have incurred higher CAST item in the budget. Less big names in FS, more $ spent on camera, gear and post-production. My guess only.

2) Dunno how to answer that ... but yeah, there's inconsistency.

 

[JacePhoto]

Fighting Spiders had great cinematography. The angles, out of focus effects were great. I am not into film but i appreciate it...

Story line... hmm... didnt stay long enough to watch it.. haha

 

[Hobbes00]

I personally feel RT had an interesting and fresh script but the cinematography was a total let down... thus making the show a B-grade show.


Director: ok lets shoot this scene hurry!

DP: Yes sir! Actor A please sit on this side.. and get ready to say your lines

*DP sets the camera up to frame Actor A*

*Grip does his job and take 3 huge light to flood the set so that there is no shadows*

DP: Ok! I'm ready, go ahead

Director: Say your lines! in 3.. 2.. 1.. ACTION!.

Actor A: ya da ya da ya da...

Director: Cut!! Ok Lets shoot the opposite now!

They do the same exact setup, and the same simple framing for the other actor.

Director: Cut! ok lets shoot the ending scene where Actor B walks out and it's a wrap!

Da da!... here we have a typical sitcom production.




Honestly if they shot everything handheld it'll look so much better -_-

But thats me =)

I mean I think my films are kinda more appealing

www.fps.com.sg

 

[JacePhoto]

I mean I think my films are kinda more appealing

www.fps.com.sg

I am not into movies... but erh... this statement? If self promotion, i can understand...

 

[raymondluo]

The dialogue in Red Thread was/is so terrible and forced.

I agree with hobbes00 with the handheld statement, shots shouldn't be static to be perfect. Heck, the motion give much more life to the screen. E.g. I am Sam.

 

[shojibake]

wow that celeste looks pretty banged up now. The horrible accents ruined it for me. And adrian pang has too much screen time on other programs -- too exposed -- i half expected maggie to turn up.

 

[Hobbes00]

I am not into movies... but erh... this statement? If self promotion, i can understand...

Honestly, it wasn't really much a self-promotion thing.. but i think there is some fact in that statement


BUT... like I said, it has a story going for them... a pretty decent script and actors.. so I guess it is still all bad altogether...

 

[isaryan]

I watched Fighting Spiders (FS) and yes! cinematography was ok compared to Red Thread. An extension to Dreamforest actors but I do agree that the storyline needs to be more engaging. Maybe they are planning for it mid-season.

I also dont know whether FS was intentionally shot to evoke the nostalgic mood of the period. It felt a bit choreographed and not realistic enough. Poor people with good and clean looking hairs and shirts? Some actors are also stiff, but maybe they REALLY REALLY stick to the script rather than letting it flow naturally, while containing the essence of course.

But its a good try tho. I especially like the trailers...except for the pissing part. Thats gross.

I will be watching the next episode and looking forward for Mrs Lee funeral speech. I LOVE THE AD!!:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[purplemonkey369]

Hahaha!! Somebody said it looked like Masters of The Sea and I totally agree!

I think that Adrian Pang is kinda cool.

He speaks decent English and his acting and hosting skills are quite alright, so to see him in a production like this is like .... I don't know how to say it. Hahaha!!

Actually, I really think it's something to do with the producers and directors engaged, when it comes to this kind of flops, which looked unappealing in terms of film treatment, the performance of actors and the way the story flows.

I mean you can provide the highest-end equipment to somebody who thinks can direct or produce, the most technically capable camera and dolly operators and lighting team but when the script sucks and the director and producer do not have what it takes, the end product wouldn't even make you want to watch another 5 seconds of the production. Let alone endure a whole half an hour of it.

I'm sure you guys have watched countless of excellent, well-produced and directed films, whether they are done in Hollywood, Hong Kong or Bollywood. Good films make your viewing experience so wonderful that you are immersed in the story and finding yourself sometimes actually believing that what you see is indeed real.

The story and scenes flow oh so fluidly and seamlessly that you don't even think about the framing, the panning or whatever technical stuff you might pick up as somebody who knows about video production yourself.

That's because everything is thought through thoroughly by them production teams, whether it is logical, what is has to do with the story, how it leads the story etc.

I just remembered something. I vaguely remember watching a trailer for some show recently on television or something that shows a sniper rifle's silencer slowly peeking out through a cleanly cut hole in a window. Now, which stupid idiot sniper or assassin would reveal himself by sticking out ANY part of his gun through a freakin' city block window?! :bsmilie: (Now I remember a scene from Shooter too.)

So, these are the kind of things that make you either laugh (not comically) or make you believe in the story being told simply because all of the details have been thought through carefully for you.

 

[Faiz]

I personally feel RT had an interesting and fresh script but the cinematography was a total let down... thus making the show a B-grade show.


Director: ok lets shoot this scene hurry!

DP: Yes sir! Actor A please sit on this side.. and get ready to say your lines

*DP sets the camera up to frame Actor A*

*Grip does his job and take 3 huge light to flood the set so that there is no shadows*

DP: Ok! I'm ready, go ahead

Director: Say your lines! in 3.. 2.. 1.. ACTION!.

Actor A: ya da ya da ya da...

Director: Cut!! Ok Lets shoot the opposite now!

They do the same exact setup, and the same simple framing for the other actor.

Director: Cut! ok lets shoot the ending scene where Actor B walks out and it's a wrap!

Da da!... here we have a typical sitcom production.




Honestly if they shot everything handheld it'll look so much better -_-

But thats me =)

I mean I think my films are kinda more appealing

www.fps.com.sg

Wah... those cinematographers are my senior's if u say they are bad than i'm worse but we don't shoot flat period ... think 12 hrs a day 3 locations and 10 scenes minimum... btw target audience for RT is retiree's they are the 1's wif viewership power not 20's or 30's viewership... and think bout studio settings , audio post , costume , props and all other cost factor . handheld's not 4 red thread coz it is ala days of our lives Iagine Days Of Our Lives Handheld... retirees will go dizzy...

 

[raymondluo]

...
I also dont know whether FS was intentionally shot to evoke the nostalgic mood of the period. It felt a bit choreographed and not realistic enough. Poor people with good and clean looking hairs and shirts? Some actors are also stiff, but maybe they REALLY REALLY stick to the script rather than letting it flow naturally, while containing the essence of course.
...

You just rebutted yourself when you said the keyword, nostalgic.

 

[isaryan]

hehe..interesting . The keyword should be "i also dont know" and "intentionally", hence the presumption.

 

[purplemonkey369]

My personal guess is that the absence of realistic details like less-than-clean clothing on the background actors is because the director wants the least distraction possible from the main story that is being told.

The more you place details on characters that do not affect the storyline much, the more they will appear noticeable and if the casting director is not that experienced, these background characters may distract the viewer from the main characters. The role of these characters is to blend into the background, I believe.

And I also would think that the story is not meant to be set in those 'times of difficulty' setting, that's why realistic details that lend the story a certain flavor has been intentionally omitted out. As I said, I think the focus of Fighting Spiders is the story of these three little boys and their lives growing up in a kampong. So, if you add more details in the background, the film may lose its focus and the story will come across as weak.

 

[raymondluo]

Note that the word nostalgia describes a look back in an idealized form. That means, one thinking back or 'having a nostalgia' of his her kampong days prolly wouldn't be thinking of the times when he she had rashes from playing to much in the dirt. Just the playing part, with soft sun rays reflecting off golden skin. Blah blah~

Visual Style.

A good example to explain this would be the visual style of film noir and the plot, usually murder.

 

[jhansolo]

Hobbes00 ... that is just your style ... but your little skit is pretty funny ...

 

[purplemonkey369]

Caught yesterday's episode of Fighting Spiders (watched Red Thread's first episode only to see how bad it is ;p) and I must say some of the actors, though I've never seen them before (maybe stage actors) are quite good!

I like that little, chubby boy Charlie who looks like a little, fat ah pek. His acting is really not bad.

And that Annie, the sweet, young fresh-faced girl.. Wow!! To me, she is CUTE!

Though there was one actor who marred the viewing experience - the ting ting seller uncle. His performance was so bad I was cringing.

 

[sprintist]

Caught yesterday's episode of Fighting Spiders (watched Red Thread's first episode only to see how bad it is ;p) and I must say some of the actors, though I've never seen them before (maybe stage actors) are quite good!

I like that little, chubby boy Charlie who looks like a little, fat ah pek. His acting is really not bad.

And that Annie, the sweet, young fresh-faced girl.. Wow!! To me, she is CUTE!

Though there was one actor who marred the viewing experience - the ting ting seller uncle. His performance was so bad I was cringing.

they had very funny lighting at the bed scene...the elder brother and mum talking at the double decker bed, the light kept changing on their faces on the different angle close ups! damn obvious!

 

[Faiz]

they had very funny lighting at the bed scene...the elder brother and mum talking at the double decker bed, the light kept changing on their faces on the different angle close ups! damn obvious!

Result of Unjust directing+camera angle's keep shifting+tired crew = Light changes every now and then in another word DISASTER hehehe