Newbie question: What causes the video to look different in tv shows?

[robscomputer]

I'm not sure I worded the title correctly but tried to describe it the best I know how. When watching television, especially a sitcom or day time drama, the video will appear different when switching from a studio set to outdoors.

I was always wondering just what causes this change, it's very noticeable, and guess it's from a lower quality camera used for outdoors?

Thanks,
Rob

 

[Matt Agnello]

The studio is a very controlled environment, so the studio lighting is naturally also very controlled. The difference in look probably stems from the fact that outdoor sets are never as controllable as the studio and will always look just a little different. For sitcoms that shoot mostly on indoor studio sets, they are probably using a different camera altogether, which adds another variable to the image mix.

 

[robscomputer]

I wouldn't have guessed that a studio lighting made such a difference. Would a production company use a lower quality camera for outdoor work?

 

[Cool Lights]

The variables are almost endless actually: camera types and brands, film or video tape, if film was used different types of stock, light fixtures of all kinds, soft lighting, hard lighting, choices in color temperature of lighting, natural sunlight, sunlight with diffusion, reflected sunlight, etc. I could probably think of others too.

Any combination or all of those things contribute to the look of one show over another one or even different parts of the same show. Probably the most dramatic transition of looks within one show might be studio shots shot with video cameras and tape and location shots shot in film that are then telecine'd into the production. Film and video tape are two of the most different looking mediums so the use of both in a production makes for huge differences in visual qualities.

The video cameras used on location and those used in a studio are many times quite different in quality for sure so that is definitely possible. The studio cameras will usually be mounted on pedestals or heavy duty tripod / dollies. Those on location will be of necessity quite a bit lighter most of the time to make the location work easier.