Now You See It 1989-Buzz-In-How was it done?

[gsfan85]

Hey everyone,

I'm typically pretty good at figuring out the tech of how things on game shows were done, but one thing has me baffled.  On NYSI '89, the background behind the players was red until they buzzed in.  At that point, it turned into a flashing blue.  Does anyone know how this was created?  Both the solid red and the blue flashing lights seem like two totally different backdrops.  I was never able to figure out how this was done.

I believe this effect was also on one or two Goodson pilots in the 80s.

Thanks!

[TLEberle]

The red slats would move like vertical blinds, revealing the blue lights.

TKO also had this effect.

[PYLdude]

I wanna say we discussed this at a length a few years ago...don't remember what we were talking about but I think it might've been a general topic about how things worked.

[knagl]

The red slats would move like vertical blinds, revealing the blue lights.

You sure about that?  I have no proof, but watching part of an episode it seems like the transition is way too fast to be accomplished by a motorized "blind" of sorts.  It looks more to me like it's a Plexiglas panel that is flooded with red light, and then when the contestant buzzes in the red light turns off while the neon behind it turns on.

[clemon79]

You sure about that?

I remember frame-by-framing it at the time. I'm pretty sure about that.

[knagl]

Works for me.  Thanks.