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Author Topic: Wheel news  (Read 16052 times)

Kevin Prather

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Wheel news
« Reply #60 on: November 29, 2005, 01:10:41 AM »
Well, you've yet to disprove my point. How long does it take to slap two or three new slots onto the wheel? A few seconds? How much extra money does that cost?

clemon79

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« Reply #61 on: November 29, 2005, 01:19:24 AM »
[quote name=\'whoserman\' date=\'Nov 28 2005, 10:10 PM\']Well, you've yet to disprove my point. How long does it take to slap two or three new slots onto the wheel? A few seconds? How much extra money does that cost?
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In all honesty, I'm not even sure I know what your point is, or if we even disagree.

You suggested that it was automatic that they stop down tape at commercial breaks. I'm saying that's not an automatic assumption at all, especially if they don't have to.

And two minutes here and there adds up over the course of a year in studio time.
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Kevin Prather

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Wheel news
« Reply #62 on: November 29, 2005, 01:23:42 AM »
[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Nov 28 2005, 11:19 PM\']You suggested that it was automatic that they stop down tape at commercial breaks. I'm saying that's not an automatic assumption at all, especially if they don't have to.[/quote]
Yes. You did disprove that.

My point was that there's nothing wrong with changing the wheel slots by hand because it takes a very insignificant time to do so; only a few seconds if the stagehand is on the ball.

(Actually, that was GPeefalt's point. I was just backing it up.)

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And two minutes here and there adds up over the course of a year in studio time.
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You could very well be right.
« Last Edit: November 29, 2005, 01:24:34 AM by whoserman »

wheelloon

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Wheel news
« Reply #63 on: November 29, 2005, 01:24:33 AM »
[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Nov 28 2005, 03:36 PM\']The key here is "HDTV."  As has been mentioned here before, a lot of game show sets--and sets for TV shows in general--may look great on TV, where they're supposed to look great, but much less so in person.  The challenge of HDTV is that sets (and to be truthful, people) that may look perfectly fine in standard definition look like they do in real life in HDTV.  And let's face it--that wheel's been through a lot of wear and tear in 30 years, if it's the same wheel.

And more importantly:  How does Vanna look in HDTV?  (Yes, and Pat too.)
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I attended a taping of Wheel when they were in Philly last year. I assure you of one thing, the set looked just fine, IMO, and there was no need to update anything if the people behind the scenes didn't feel like it. Pat and Vanna looked fine then too, both close-up and far away, but even if there was a problem, I'm sure there's nothing a little make-up here and there couldn't fix. Everything was shined up, glossed over, spotless, and looking brand new. I'm pretty sure HDTV won't be a problem for the show.

The other thing I am about 95% sure of is that the same base wheel that was used originally is not the same base now. I have heard many times before that when the producers did the wheel overhaul in 1997 (when the large gold spiky things started coming out from the wheel that better matched the new puzzle board that stayed until it all went neon), that a brand new wheel was built and installed. I also heard with this that this wasn't the first time this had been done. It makes sense though, I don't believe the same wheel base that was used in 1975 could still be used today. At some point, something should have rotted, worn out, or collapsed causing a new one to be needed...

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Nov 28 2005, 11:54 PM\']Why do you assume they stop tape for that? If they can get away with it, I'm sure they would roll right through it.
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At that Philly taping, while Charlie was talking about the 2nd round prize, and while they took about a 2 minute break to go along with the commercials, the wedges were changed, noting though that there aren't too many they need to change these days. There will always be commercial breaks, I believe, because, for one, it gives contestants a short break from the action to relax, but also, Pat went backstage and chatted with the producers during EVERY break, I guess to make sure everything was going smoothly and there were no disputes on anything he or the contestants did during the previous round of taping. Pat seemed to be VERY involved in the off-camera work that went on with the show.

The puzzle board is connected to a computer system, so there is no reason, AT ALL, to stop taping to load a new puzzle in because I believe the puzzles are just typed in a program that puts them on the board before the show begins, as opposed to the much more physically demanding deal with the old puzzle board.
"I'm dressed as one of the most frightening figures known to man...

A TV game show host."--Pat Sajak

clemon79

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Wheel news
« Reply #64 on: November 29, 2005, 01:32:43 AM »
[quote name=\'whoserman\' date=\'Nov 28 2005, 10:23 PM\']My point was that there's nothing wrong with changing the wheel slots by hand because it takes a very insignificant time to do so; only a few seconds if the stagehand is on the ball.
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Is that true? I have no idea how long it takes to change out the props safely and accurately. It might be true. I don't know.
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(Actually, that was GPeefalt's point. I was just backing it up.)
Oh, ok. The only point of GPee's I spoke to was the one about stopping down being "no big deal."
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cmjb13

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Wheel news
« Reply #65 on: November 29, 2005, 06:33:40 AM »
[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Nov 29 2005, 01:32 AM\']Is that true? I have no idea how long it takes to change out the props safely and accurately. It might be true. I don't know.[/quote]
While I won't say it takes a few seconds (based on the shows I saw), it doesn't take very long.

I figure they could have this person providing a different role for the show if the wedges didn't have to be changed anymore.

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The "loading in", I will guess, is likely as easy as pressing / clicking "Next Puzzle".
While I believe this is correct, I can confirm for custom puzzles (like having "TV Guide Channel" on the puzzle board when a story is being done), it's very quick. A key is pressed and the whole puzzle is typed in, which can be placed any where on the board. Takes about 15-30 seconds tops.

IIRC, a light pen is used to reveal the letters.
« Last Edit: November 29, 2005, 01:01:32 PM by cmjb13 »
Enjoy lots and lots of backstage TPIR photos and other fun stuff here. And yes, I did park in Syd Vinnedge's parking spot at CBS

uncamark

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Wheel news
« Reply #66 on: November 29, 2005, 12:24:52 PM »
[quote name=\'wheelloon\' date=\'Nov 29 2005, 12:24 AM\'][quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Nov 28 2005, 03:36 PM\']The key here is "HDTV."  As has been mentioned here before, a lot of game show sets--and sets for TV shows in general--may look great on TV, where they're supposed to look great, but much less so in person.  The challenge of HDTV is that sets (and to be truthful, people) that may look perfectly fine in standard definition look like they do in real life in HDTV.  And let's face it--that wheel's been through a lot of wear and tear in 30 years, if it's the same wheel.

And more importantly:  How does Vanna look in HDTV?  (Yes, and Pat too.)
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I attended a taping of Wheel when they were in Philly last year. I assure you of one thing, the set looked just fine, IMO, and there was no need to update anything if the people behind the scenes didn't feel like it. Pat and Vanna looked fine then too, both close-up and far away, but even if there was a problem, I'm sure there's nothing a little make-up here and there couldn't fix. Everything was shined up, glossed over, spotless, and looking brand new. I'm pretty sure HDTV won't be a problem for the show.
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The road show's a different story--since it's a much bigger deal than an ordinary studio taping, there's more of an incentive to make the sets look good to the people in the auditorium.  I'd like to take a look at the set back in Culver City with the naked eye, especially since I've heard that a lot of "TPIR" set pieces would have to be spruced up to look good for HDTV.

And having been to enough "J!" road tapings in recent years (but realizing that things may not be the same for "Wheel"), they generally keep the breaks about the same as on the air, since they try to keep in that half-hour time frame, but in one instance where there was a long tape stoppage (due to checking on a response), the break (the first one) was extremely short--Trebek left his podium, went to the contestant interview mark, Lauderdale counted down and we were off and running.