The 'Family Affair' Linger Effect, as Seen on 'Smallville'
#1
DVD Talk Hero
Thread Starter
The 'Family Affair' Linger Effect, as Seen on 'Smallville'
You know what I'm talking about: all dialogue has been spoken, the scene is over, yet the camera just lingers on one of the characters for an extra 2 seconds while the actor tries (and fails) to maintain a grin that doesn't look uncomfortable. Then, if we're lucky, the camera will flip to another character watching the first character, and we get another 3-4 glorious seconds of staring. A Family Affair was certainly not the first to abuse this annoying technique, but it's certainly one of the more memorable, and the "Worst Show" thread made me think about it and how Smallville does the same thing, especially if Clark or Lana is anywhere near the scene.
Why? And can anyone thing of some other shows that do this?
das
Why? And can anyone thing of some other shows that do this?
das
#4
DVD Talk Reviewer
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Formerly known as "12thmonkey"/Frankfort, IL
Posts: 7,790
Received 35 Likes
on
31 Posts
Re: The 'Family Affair' Linger Effect, as Seen on 'Smallville'
Originally posted by das Monkey
You know what I'm talking about: all dialogue has been spoken, the scene is over, yet the camera just lingers on one of the characters for an extra 2 seconds while the actor tries (and fails) to maintain a grin that doesn't look uncomfortable. Then, if we're lucky, the camera will flip to another character watching the first character, and we get another 3-4 glorious seconds of staring.
You know what I'm talking about: all dialogue has been spoken, the scene is over, yet the camera just lingers on one of the characters for an extra 2 seconds while the actor tries (and fails) to maintain a grin that doesn't look uncomfortable. Then, if we're lucky, the camera will flip to another character watching the first character, and we get another 3-4 glorious seconds of staring.
Last edited by Pointyskull; 03-12-04 at 03:03 PM.
#5
DVD Talk Hero
Thread Starter
Re: Re: The 'Family Affair' Linger Effect, as Seen on 'Smallville'
• 12thmonkey •
Is this a variation on the good 'ol '5-6 second soap opera stare/reaction shot that leads into a commercial'?
Is this a variation on the good 'ol '5-6 second soap opera stare/reaction shot that leads into a commercial'?
With Smallville, it's usually at the end of a scene, but sometimes they'll linger on Clark's stupid grin for 2 seconds while waiting for Pete to come running in and tell him that Lana's trapped in a well. At first I thought it was just the style of one of the directors, but now that I don't bother paying attention to the plot, I notice that every episode is this way, and it seems a clear "creative" choice. What I don't understand is why. Leading into a commercial wouldn't be so bad, but after each scene, it just chops up the flow of the episode.
I'd ask Gough and Millar about it, but I fear they'd write an episode where a new outcast kid moves to Smallville and because he was taking a nap during the meteor shower, he now has the power to force the people in the town to pause for 2 seconds after speaking. Oh, and he wants to kill Lana.
das
#7
DVD Talk Hero
Thread Starter
Ah, the "he looks like the mole, because we zoomed in on him, but the audience knows full well we're trying to trick them with the zoom, but we're going to do it anyway" shot. Always effective.
das
das
#10
DVD Talk Gold Edition
das,
You forgot the variant -- a character starts to leave the room, then, as he is about to walk out the door, he turns because the other character in the room has something to say.
I call it "JMS' Babylon 5 Door Delay."
You forgot the variant -- a character starts to leave the room, then, as he is about to walk out the door, he turns because the other character in the room has something to say.
I call it "JMS' Babylon 5 Door Delay."
#11
DVD Talk Hero
Thread Starter
I actually thought of the Columbo-inspired B5 "Door Delay" when starting this thread, but I figure we've given poor JMS enough of a hard time about that one already.
das
das
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: North Carolina (in two weeks!)
Posts: 455
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by dstrauss
I call it "JMS' Babylon 5 Door Delay."
I call it "JMS' Babylon 5 Door Delay."
I especially remember this happening to Riker all the time. I just assumed he'd had all the doors reprogrammed to give him that dramatic moment.
#14
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Well, not a surprise. There was at least once an episode when Riker would step forward and strike a dramatic pose. It has to be in the drinking game.