Market146 2 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 What were graphics on TV like during the golden era of TV and how were they made? I don't see to many local TV graphics from the 50s and 60s. Those images would be nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrtraveler01 737 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 The best way to see that is to go on Youtube. Someone has uploaded clips from ABC, CBS, and NBC from when JFK got assassinated in 1963. ABC: NBC: CBS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgEkZ8Cedds There wasn't much in terms of graphics (just the slides they used), but it does give you a peek at how television operated in the 1960's and how breaking news was treated. They also uploaded clips from WFAA as well: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeters 1811 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 In the early days, "Graphics" were no more than hand-made cards (There's a reason they call it the "art department") put in front of a camera. If they needed to superimpose something onto the screen live, they'd just use the switcher to partially fade to the camera looking at the card (see ). If they needed to change cards on-air, they'd stack them up and someone would just pull the card on top off of the stack really quickly. Requiring so much work, they weren't nearly as common as they are today. You could watch entire episodes of network programming without a single "graphic" appearing in it. Filmed things (such as commercials) were a bit different, using various film editing techniques and animation to make things look a little cleaner than the effects done live. Complex "graphics" made with film cameras and physical objects lasted into the Scanimate era, the most famous example being the . Graphics as we know them today really started with Scanimate and took off at the local level with the advent of systems like the Quantel Paintbox. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24994J 5278 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 I always get a kick out of the fact that Today had a ticker back when the show first started in 1952... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWUpdate 1290 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 And for a trans-Atlantic comparison, here's the first minute or so a French newscast from 1968, showing their graphics (as well as a live satellite report from New York): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxcQaCL-kVc Meanwhile, this Italian newscast from 1969 already features computer-generated lower-thirds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O24EWA20qB8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess 1110 Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Graphics with transparent backgrounds, often called "chyrons" today, were simply text or artwork on a black card. That card was then "keyed" onto the graphics, which meant that only the white color (or the color the director wanted) would show up on the air. If it was a still graphic, or slide, chances are it actually was a slide - or even a camera shot of a physical piece of artwork! Another graphical tool was the "credit roll". This would actually be a long strip of paper that would be rolled up in front of a camera and keyed over the video footage. The best place to see older style graphics, outside of old news coverage, is on old game shows. And by "old game shows" I mean "The Price is Right". TPiR used art cards well into the 1990s, long after every other program abandoned the practice. There are a myriad of old episodes on teh Interwebz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeters 1811 Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 I always get a kick out of the fact that Today had a ticker back when the show first started in 1952... I heard the behind the scenes story about that once. I forget what drove the clock, but I do recall that the "ticker" was actually a felt strip with felt letters stuck to it. Here's a good example of one of the many "devices" made back in the day to get a desired effect, even though it didn't debut until 1969. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NODD_(Nexus_Orthicon_Display_Device) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
10Viewer 319 Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 I think it is pretty fascinating to read about television production prior to the computer era. The story about the creation of the Vidifont, the first character generator, is fantastic. http://www.ieeeghn.org/wiki/index.php/First-Hand:Inventing_the_Vidifont:_the_first_electronics_graphics_machine_used_in_television_production Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbs2newengland 71 Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I think it is pretty fascinating to read about television production prior to the computer era. The story about the creation of the Vidifont, the first character generator, is fantastic. http://www.ieeeghn.org/wiki/index.php/First-Hand:Inventing_the_Vidifont:_the_first_electronics_graphics_machine_used_in_television_production I like to know more detailed history of the Vidifont, the models, its addons, its software evolution, etc. I believe most O&Os switched to Chyrons by the mid 80s and some of the CBS News programs still were using the Vidifont up until the devs won the Emmy. (that rockwell like font I believe was the default font on that system and the Eye looked a little crappy looking as opposed to a Chyron.) I always get a kick out of the fact that Today had a ticker back when the show first started in 1952... wow. so innovative for 1952! The digital clock was ahead of its time too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Newsroom 1151 Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 I always get a kick out of the fact that Today had a ticker back when the show first started in 1952... wow. so innovative for 1952! The digital clock was ahead of its time too! So very innovative. I wonder what drove the network to remove it in the decades ahead, since it would've been great for Today to be the only show to use the ticker throughout its' entire run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbs2newengland 71 Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 So very innovative. I wonder what drove the network to remove it in the decades ahead, since it would've been great for Today to be the only show to use the ticker throughout its' entire run. at least in 1952, you could actually see the time and headlines. The current arraignment is just a horrible design. Especially when its not done in 16:9 when I think the show airs only in 16:9. Could be wrong, I rarely watch it - and if I land on it its on the HD set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnya2k6 171 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 For some reason, BBC and ITV in Britain never even thought about using Vidifont, especially for the two elections in 1974. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbs2newengland 71 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 For some reason, BBC and ITV in Britain never even thought about using Vidifont, especially for the two elections in 1974. that's kinda an unfair statement. Unless CBS didn't market the Font outside the States. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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