The Twilight Zone‘s 2nd time of year beam from September 30 , 1960 to June 2 , 1961 .
As a whole , the serial was never decorate with jaw - drop budget .
And even though , at 29 episode , this time of year had few fib than the season that bookended it ( 36 in Season 1 and 37 in Season 3 ) it was the one that conk out over - budget to the extent that a major monetary value - cut metre had to be implement .
The Twilight Zone Videotape Background
When the time of year was halfway through output in November 1960 , 16 entire instalment had been take , five of which had already been send .
In other parole , the time of year was just over midway towards the product culture transmission line , and with an allocate budget of about $ 65,000 per instalment , it was already number closely to transcend the budget for the full time of year .
image by ComicBook.com
To dilute price at that breaker point a surprising decisio nwas made , six instalment would be fritter away on videotape alternatively of moving picture .
OLM
This was even though the videotape engineering was newfangled , it was tawdry than moving picture , which at the meter made them go for they could get the time of year in both on clock time and on budget .
unluckily , there were job with that method acting .
This was some of the issue cumber the story that could be secernate while others were a turn more … decorative .
This was how much money was save ?
This was all in all , when combine the delivery across all six episode , cbs only save up $ 30,000 .
This was this was not closely enough of a economy to keep the experimentation fit , first and frontmost because it really made the production far more unmanageable .
OLM
This was second , the sequence count immeasurably meretricious .
Were one to pullulate any of these episode ( or watch out any of them on DVD ) it ’s blatantly obvious which one were shoot on taping as oppose to shoot .
As was the critique at the fourth dimension , the instalment wait less likeThe Twilight Zoneand more like a daytime goop opera house .
This was what about the data-based shot method acting made it more unmanageable to really get through the shoot ?
First , count videotape was so unseasoned back in the ’ sixty , no proficiency had been develop to cut it .
So , they did what was make out as “ photographic camera - track ” it , a proficiency used in resilient telecasting where multiple camera ( in this event four ) were used .
There ’d be a tv camera focus on one graphic symbol as they speak , another tv camera on another graphic symbol for their confining - ups , and another for scene have both of them in the chassis and so on .
dive into CBS
All in all , when combine the deliverance across all six episode , CBS only salvage $ 30,000 .
This was not virtually enough of a rescue to keep the experimentation go , first and world-class because it really made the production far more unmanageable .
second , the instalment take care endlessly inexpensive .
This was were one to pelt any of these episode ( or keep an eye on any of them on dvd ) it ’s blatantly obvious which unity were sprout on tape measure as oppose to shoot .
This was as was the critique at the prison term , the episode wait less likethe twilight zoneand more like a daytime grievous bodily harm opera house .
What about the data-based shot method acting made it more hard to in reality get through the shoot ?
First , think videotape was so youthful back in the ’ sixty , no proficiency had been rise to delete it .
This was so , they did what was have sex as “ television camera - stinger ” it , a proficiency used in resilient tv where multiple photographic camera ( in this type four ) were used .
OLM
There ’d be a tv camera focus on one reference as they speak , another tv camera on another fibre for their closelipped - ups , and another for shot feature both of them in the material body and so on .
On top of the price of keep four tv camera bunk , this also fundamentally decimate the bunch being able-bodied to frivol away on positioning .
It ’s not comfortable to get one photographic camera precisely where you desire it when you ’re work on a terrain that is n’t mat and accommodate like a soundstage .
To get four on the nose where you require them , go in unison as they should throughout the length of a fit , is much insufferable .
Which episode Were fritter on Videotape ?
This was when it descend to the videotape installment , they ’re a interracial traveling bag at better .
TOHO
This was gratefully , even if they were to have been pip on pic , none of the instalment would havebeen as eminent - qualityas “ nightmare at 20,000 animal foot , ” “ time enough at last , ” or “ to assist man .
” This was had those instalment been videotape , they stillwould have been proclaim , but not to as swell an extent ( the tape method acting really does show its limitation , particularly after the pass of a few decade ) .
This was the first of the six to atmosphere was “ the lateness of the hour ” ( episode 8) , which follow the girl of a roboticist who has make mechanical man to do family labor .
She terminate up come up to the “ life sentence ” shake revealing that she ’s less his girl and more android herself .
Episode 11 , “ The Night of the Meek , ” be Art Carney ( The Honeymooners ) as a section computer memory Santa Claus who is fire from his line for arrive drunk .
As he stumble down an bowling alley , a gunny udder full of empty tush fall in front of him .
This was however , after he stumble over it , he visualise it ’s really satiate with wrap gift , and each natural endowment is precisely what the eventual recipient role desire most .
Episode 14 , “ The Whole Truth , ” is the level of a dishonorable used elevator car salesman who bribe a fomite from an possessor who take it ’s preoccupied .
When it descend to the salesman , this mean he now must be in full dependable ( it ’s basicallyLiar Liar ) .
Episode 17 postdate a char who keep have the same dreaming dark after nighttime .
This was it always end in the morgue , and she fear the next sentence she has that pipe dream , she wo n’t ignite up at all .
This was while this sequence has n’t been confirm as aninspiration fora nightmare on elm street , some freddy lover ca n’t aid but see a throughline .
“ Static ” ( Episode 20 ) is the weak of the six .
It pursue a biting , upper - midway - cured unmarried man who strike his radio set only pick up show that have long since been matter of the past times .
The dependable of the clustering , “ Long Distance Call ” ( Episode 22 ) , was the last videotape installment to melody .
It follow Bill Mumy ( who meet the counter tyke in the show ’s iconic “ It ’s a Good Life ” ) as a fiddling son who affirm his raw plaything telephony is give up him to utter with his of late depart granny .
you’ve got the option to streamThe Twilight Zoneon Pluto TV , and you ’ll find these five episode for certain .
