Adding the reality to reality television

Prediction: In the not-too-distant future, reality videos that document an unusual event as it unfolds will also involve the cameraman in the video. This will be achieved by using two cameras and dedicating one to following the other; editors then interleave footage from both cameras.

Why do this? To emphasise the realism, of course. It can’t really be reality if there’s no indication of how it was recorded. It’s just a matter of audiences starting to get uncomfortable about the invisible parts of what they see.
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    nakulshenoy — Oct 26, 2004 5:53:25 AM — #

    Another Nostradamus in the making... ?
    "It can’t really be reality if there’s no indication of how it was recorded. It’s just a matter of audiences starting to get uncomfortable about the invisible parts of what the see."

    An interesting assumption. Surely sounds plausible.

    Film-making has indeed used this style... in many a docu-features, where the camera is seen or atleast the presence of the camera is "felt" by the viewing audience.

    One of the Documentary fim-making styles is 'Cinema Verite,' which is "a movie that shows ordinary people in actual activities without being controlled by a director ". Also standing for "As the eye (Camera) Sees," many documentary film-makers when using this style have indeed shown the camera in the shot...
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    sarcar — Oct 26, 2004 6:01:19 AM — #

    Heisenberg
    Just to spark off a lexical fist-fight, you cannot really record reality. That is the conjecture of Hiesenbergs' hypothesis. The measurement system corrupts the measured. More true in case of "reality videos". Maybe the people will react differently to a Tsunami if they know there grandchildren will live to see how they actually cowered.

    BTW, Can fist-fights be lexical ?

    The photos are coming out good. Keep them coming.
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      Kiran Jonnalagadda — Oct 26, 2004 7:36:51 AM — #

      Re: Heisenberg
      I doubt the TV-viewing populace cares about Heisenberg. They just want to be convinced it's real.

      Ian McDonald captures this beautifully with the meta-soap in River of Gods. Not only is the story in the soap opera fictional, but the actors and their "real" lives are too. The soap runs at two levels: the soap itself, and in the gossip magazines and chat shows with the actors. (The whole thing is generated by a vast AI that to the end of the book turns out to be far more powerful than anyone imagined.)
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      Kiran Jonnalagadda — Oct 26, 2004 7:37:56 AM — #

      Re: Heisenberg
      About the photos: thanks!
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    beerbal — Oct 26, 2004 6:08:40 AM — #

    As Borges would tell you, you'd also need a camera shooting the camera shooting the camera, ad infinitum.

    Shots of the cameraman are seen even now when there are multiple cameras. Cricket matches, for instance.

    Speaking of cameramen, I enjoyed your gray picture of last morning. :-)
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      code_martial — Oct 26, 2004 6:31:49 AM — #

      As Borges would tell you, you'd also need a camera shooting the camera shooting the camera

      That's right but as jace said, it requires only two cameramen. The first one covers the second, who in turn covers the first. Cycles can often do where infinity seems to be in order.
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        beerbal — Oct 26, 2004 7:22:49 AM — #

        Yes. Or save on one camera and use a mirror!

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