"L.A. Law: The Movie" on NBC
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As someone who lives and works in Los Angeles (and worked on L.A. Law, the series) I'd like to point out that the reunion movie was shot in Canada, directly insulting all of us who worked hard for a number of years to create the series. I really hate to use this forum for political reasons, but it really is a sad state of affairs when a show like "L.A. Law" (or Pasadena, for that matter) can "only" be shot in Canada because the production company "can't afford" to do it where it should be done.
| Originally posted by kenglish "L.A. Law: The Movie" will be broadcast on NBC in HD on Sunday night, May 12. Stereo (2.0) audio. Happy Mothers' Day from NBC! |
If the cost savings of working in Canada allowed them to produce it in HD, then by all means produce EVERYTHING up there! Instead of being upset because something was produced in Canada, perhaps it would be better to look at the reasons it costs so much more to produce in the U.S.
If you had a limited budget and could buy a 32" NTSC set here in the U.S., or a 56" HDTV set in Canada, which would you choose? Then why are you slamming the producers of this movie for making the same choice?
I appreciate NBC is showing this production in HD, but I'd much rather see the NBA Finals in HD! Thanks for the heads-up Ken....my wife already said she wanted to see this....now I may actually watch it as well.
Chris
If you had a limited budget and could buy a 32" NTSC set here in the U.S., or a 56" HDTV set in Canada, which would you choose? Then why are you slamming the producers of this movie for making the same choice?
I appreciate NBC is showing this production in HD, but I'd much rather see the NBA Finals in HD! Thanks for the heads-up Ken....my wife already said she wanted to see this....now I may actually watch it as well.
Chris
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Probably because he's a professional who like many in tinsel town has been very affected by the shift of movie production north of the border. I certainly feel for those folks affected in LA, and hope things even out eventually. I consider both groups (Canadians and Los Angeles based) to be high quality production units.
Thanks for the info about this being in HD Ken, I'll hope (probably in vain) that my local NBC affilliate will show this in glorious 1080i.
Greg
| Originally posted by R8der Then why are you slamming the producers of this movie for making the same choice? |
Thanks for the info about this being in HD Ken, I'll hope (probably in vain) that my local NBC affilliate will show this in glorious 1080i.
Greg
It really is a "sad state of affairs" that a production company goes out of the country to produce a tv movie. Canada, however, is hardly some desperate banana republic paying its people pennies an hour to get the job done. I hate to see Hollywood diminished in any way but the movement north of such production should cause the American industry to take a careful look at itself, rather than blame producers for choices that only involve economic reality. One cannot ask the world for rational free trade and then require emotional, counter productive decisions on the part of whomever one chooses. Art
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Look production companies can't afford the $10,000 a day craft food sevices, etc. that a typical Hollywood production would "require".
If you trash the overseas notion, might as well trash all other overseas productions including Lord of the Rings, etc. which couldn't be made in the US for the same amount of money.
People will produce movies where it is cheaper. Hollywood has more competition today than ever before. And when production becomes more digital things are going to get a lot worse. More movies will be shot on-location because the equipment will be so much smaller.
Back on topic, I am glad to hear about an HD movie on NBC.
-Mr. Wigggles
If you trash the overseas notion, might as well trash all other overseas productions including Lord of the Rings, etc. which couldn't be made in the US for the same amount of money.
People will produce movies where it is cheaper. Hollywood has more competition today than ever before. And when production becomes more digital things are going to get a lot worse. More movies will be shot on-location because the equipment will be so much smaller.
Back on topic, I am glad to hear about an HD movie on NBC.
-Mr. Wigggles
LG 55" C9 OLED, Yamaha RX-A660, Monoprice 5.1.2 Speakers, WMC HTPC, TiVo Bolt, X1
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I think the issue that mmost has is pride of ownership. If I was involved in helping to make something a success, and did not have the chance to further participate, it would not make me feel very good either. I suppose the only consolation is that the 'LA Law' movie is most likely a one shot deal.
I also understand the necessity to control cost as projects are executed.
I also understand the necessity to control cost as projects are executed.
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As someone not in the motion picture or tv business but who has involvement with those in the that business, I can tell you that in most cases you are all wrong.
One of the biggest reasons that production in Canada and other countries is cheaper is because they get tax and other monetary benefits from those countries. This creates an unfair situation and fair trade gets thrown out the window
Of course salaries are cheaper in many of those countries so total production costs do drop because of that. But if you take that example to the extreme, the only jobs we will have in this country will be the guys who clean toilets. As it is most heavy duty manufacturing has left this country and many other industries will be following.
Lastly, while I wouldnt feel sorry for the actors making millions, the majority in the movie and tv industry are not millionaires and have families to support. Most do not work year round so while they might make a good hourly wages, they do not work 52 weeks a year. Aside from those in the industry, there incomes help support other industries throughout California
If the actors strike had hit last year, Los Angeles economy would have fallen into the trash. Every business and industry here is one way connected to the movie and tv industry. I am a cpa and have several movie grips that were very affected by the tv commercial strike last year. Two of them went into bankruptcy. I wound up loosing them as clients and approximately $3000 in billings. Think of how many other people were affected by these two movie grips not working.
While I am no fan of unions and realize that they inflate projects, I also understand most of the monies in movies today go the main actors and producers and everyone else, which constitutes 95% of the employees on a shoot, get very little. So in affect, the money savings in going overseas or Canada is not meant for better technical uses like HD or getting the best technical people around, but is instead used for offsetting the huge star salaries and for giving more money to the studios.
The studio is entitled to make as much as they can, but the concept of saving money on overseas production is not that black and white.
Of course some moves like Lord of the Rings are the exceptions, where costs would be prohibitive in the US, but in alot of cases, its done for other reasons.
One of the biggest reasons that production in Canada and other countries is cheaper is because they get tax and other monetary benefits from those countries. This creates an unfair situation and fair trade gets thrown out the window
Of course salaries are cheaper in many of those countries so total production costs do drop because of that. But if you take that example to the extreme, the only jobs we will have in this country will be the guys who clean toilets. As it is most heavy duty manufacturing has left this country and many other industries will be following.
Lastly, while I wouldnt feel sorry for the actors making millions, the majority in the movie and tv industry are not millionaires and have families to support. Most do not work year round so while they might make a good hourly wages, they do not work 52 weeks a year. Aside from those in the industry, there incomes help support other industries throughout California
If the actors strike had hit last year, Los Angeles economy would have fallen into the trash. Every business and industry here is one way connected to the movie and tv industry. I am a cpa and have several movie grips that were very affected by the tv commercial strike last year. Two of them went into bankruptcy. I wound up loosing them as clients and approximately $3000 in billings. Think of how many other people were affected by these two movie grips not working.
While I am no fan of unions and realize that they inflate projects, I also understand most of the monies in movies today go the main actors and producers and everyone else, which constitutes 95% of the employees on a shoot, get very little. So in affect, the money savings in going overseas or Canada is not meant for better technical uses like HD or getting the best technical people around, but is instead used for offsetting the huge star salaries and for giving more money to the studios.
The studio is entitled to make as much as they can, but the concept of saving money on overseas production is not that black and white.
Of course some moves like Lord of the Rings are the exceptions, where costs would be prohibitive in the US, but in alot of cases, its done for other reasons.
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Now, could that be because he's the only one that's had a semblance of a career since they closed the office doors? (OK, Bernsen has been in several projects here and there.) 
| Originally posted by vruiz I believe all of them will be back, except Jimmy Smits. |
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Ken,
I'm assuming that KSL-TV is an NBC affiliate and that's how you got your information, but why isn't NBC mentioning this fact anywhere on their website? Why doesn't titantv.com show this program as HD?
| Originally posted by kenglish "L.A. Law: The Movie" will be broadcast on NBC in HD on Sunday night, May 12. Stereo (2.0) audio. Happy Mothers' Day from NBC! |
I'm assuming that KSL-TV is an NBC affiliate and that's how you got your information, but why isn't NBC mentioning this fact anywhere on their website? Why doesn't titantv.com show this program as HD?
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Thank you for giving a more lucid explanation of my admittedly emotionally based post. I would also add that what makes it even harder to accept is the fact that on a production like L.A. Law, the project is originated in L.A., written in L.A., cast in L.A., set in L.A., directed by an L.A. based director and shot by an L.A. based cameraman, posted and finished in L.A., based on a series that ran 8 seasons that was made in L.A., and yet was taken to Canada for production at least in part because a foreign government is giving money back to the production company, and our own US government is doing nothing to help us. As a result, many, many American jobs are being lost and many in the film industry (and the many other industries in Southern California that are inexhorably tied to it) are hurting very badly. There are numerous reports on the subject of runaway production, but the bottom line is that by most (conservative) estimates over 200,000 jobs have been lost and many billions of dollars in tax payments lost because of the unwillingness of the US government to help create a level playing field. The vast majority of people in the television and film industry (of which I am one) are hard working people who don't get to work 52 weeks a year and have to constantly be on the lookout for our next job, which is sometimes months away. We don't sit out by the pool and soak up the rays while we're counting our residuals (we don't get them, only actors, writers, and directors do). I'm sorry, this shouldn't be a political forum, but I had to get that out.
And one more thing. Unions are not the problem. The Canadian film industry is as heavily unionized (if not more so) as the American film industry, and most of the workers are even represented by the same union (the IATSE, an international labor organization). The rates are actually about the same. The issues are currency exchange rates (not really controllable) and government tax incentive policies (which are controllable, and what we're trying to fight for - along with our working lives).
| Originally posted by Humey As someone not in the motion picture or tv business but who has involvement with those in the that business, I can tell you that in most cases you are all wrong. One of the biggest reasons that production in Canada and other countries is cheaper is because they get tax and other monetary benefits from those countries. This creates an unfair situation and fair trade gets thrown out the window Of course salaries are cheaper in many of those countries so total production costs do drop because of that. But if you take that example to the extreme, the only jobs we will have in this country will be the guys who clean toilets. As it is most heavy duty manufacturing has left this country and many other industries will be following........... |
And one more thing. Unions are not the problem. The Canadian film industry is as heavily unionized (if not more so) as the American film industry, and most of the workers are even represented by the same union (the IATSE, an international labor organization). The rates are actually about the same. The issues are currency exchange rates (not really controllable) and government tax incentive policies (which are controllable, and what we're trying to fight for - along with our working lives).
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One of the problems with high def production is that the equipment is bulkier and more cumbersome than film equipment. You may not believe this if you're using your Sony Handycam, but in the professional world it's absolutely the case. And in either case, the choice to do location shooting has nothing at all to do with the equipment used. The only advantage to shooting on video in terms of distant location work is the elimination of the need for a lab to process the film.
| Originally posted by MrWigggles And when production becomes more digital things are going to get a lot worse. More movies will be shot on-location because the equipment will be so much smaller. |
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You seem to take some glee in this. As an American (which I assume you are) and as a Texan (which I know you are) I don't know why you would. Texas, which had a pretty vital film industry at one time, on a percentage basis has probably lost more film work to Canada for purely monetary reasons than any state other than California and possibly North Carolina. I have heard recently that Ron Howard is making a film about the history of Texas, scouted many Texas locations, and was finally told by the studio that the picture was going to be made in Canada (basically, whether he liked it or not). That's probably at least $30-40 million lost to the Texas economy, and at least 200-500 jobs that would have lasted the better part of a year. And that's only one project. Still think it's a "Hollywood" problem?
| Originally posted by MrWigggles People will produce movies where it is cheaper. Hollywood has more competition today than ever before. And when production becomes more digital things are going to get a lot worse. More movies will be shot on-location because the equipment will be so much smaller. |
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