Television vs real life
POSTED BY: SerenityValley
UPDATED: Saturday, October 25, 2003 04:07
VIEWED: 7528
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I'm writing a story for my Creative Writing Class. For it, I need to know what happens in TV shows that doesn't happen in reality. And Reality Shows don't count. Also, I don't mean fictional stuff like "you can't time travel in real life"
In case you don't know what I mean, here's my list so far. I still need more, so if you could help me out with anything you can think of, that would be great!
Beginning and ending credits
Commercials
Reruns
People stand really close together
They all eat on the same side of the table
They don't interupt or talk over each other
Sometimes you can hear their thoughts
Ideas are well-worded and thought-out
People understand each other faster
Everything happens faster
There are supporting characters and lead ones
Everyone has the same frame of referece
Decisions are made faster - accomplish more
Doesn't show walking and driving to places
Something is always happening, variety
No redundant characters
Everyone looks great unless they are a characture of someone who doesn't
Everything is well lit, even in dark
Background music
Scripts
Cliches
Laugh track, cheering when people walk in
Extra dramatic
Thanks!
http://www.simple-assault.com/Firefly.htm
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Characters rarely make a mistake while talking or say 'um'.
Characters rarely have to go to the bathroom.
Characters rarely trip or stumble.
If something happens at place A, characters do not talk about it until walking through the door at place B. Example, kid is arrested, parent picks kid up from jail, they arrive home, walk in the door, kid starts 'But dad, I didnt do anything'. So they said nothing at all in the car from the jail to the house.
Major life events happen around the same time every year (season finales).
Usually no 2 characters have the same first name.
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hey, those are all great ones. Thanks. Anyone else?
http://www.simple-assault.com/Firefly.htm
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No one goes to the bathroom unless it has a reason, ex: because a bathroom joke is coming, or they are needed out of the room so they can be talked about.
No one experiences dull moments.
People hardly ever blink.
Noses don’t get red and drippy when people cry.
Captions.
Camera views are from your perspective, but are lacking peripheral vision.
People have money, but don't really do work.
There is never any bad weather unless it fits into the plot, ex-- characters are sad and it rains, they need to make love, they get snowed in.
(mostly in soaps) If a person needs to say something, ex-- “I’m pregnant with your baby!” they wont just blurt it out, they’ll allow someone to interrupt them, or they’ll wait until after a phone call, then end up not saying it.
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It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
Aristotle
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In real life, everyone is a three dimensional character and everyone is a hero. On TV they're not.
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In real life, problems and solutions are vastly more complicated.
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Telemarketers never call during dinner
Structural changes when the plot calls for it (the ladder Early climbed down in OiS was not always there)
Characters rarely ever wear the same clothes again. (not true on Firefly but FF is more an exception than a rule)
Relatives that never existed before suddenly exist
Relatives and good friends that do exist don't appear at weddings and parties, instead there are lots of people we've never seen before.
Interior of a building does not match the exterior
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Characters don't speak when spoken to because if they did they'd have to get paid more.
Every car stops with a screech
Every car stops exactly in front of the target location and there's always a parking spot.
Every car ccorners with a screech (this is actually slower than quieter cornering . . . I can explain race tech on request)
Safety belts are done up/undone depending on camera angle.
Every car is rear wheel drive.
Every short person is tall. Entire cast is same height.
Everyone faces the person s/he is talking to.
That's all for now.
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This reminds me of something that David Gerrold said once about television writing. You have a minor climax jsut before the commerical.
Back in his day (he wrote "The Trouble with Tribbles" for STOS) there were 4 commerical breaks. Teaser, (comm) Act1 (comm) etc. and epilogue after the final climax in act four.
Life just kinda flows along. Without those commercial breaks, we don't get minor conflicts that are resolved right after the commercials and a major one every hour.
Also villians are not as nasty or as smart in real life. Thank God!
"Wash, where is my damn spaceship?"
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Thanks everybody! That was really helpful. I'm going to start working on the story this morning. I also remembered: Computers always make a beeping noise when you type on them in TV shows.
http://www.simple-assault.com/Firefly.htm
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