Killer Recording
Submitted by Patrick on January 9, 2009 – 5:00 am | 3 Comments
Here’s a little gem that got a lot of play on HBO in the early 1980s in between movies. It was a student-produced film short called Recorded Live about a man who applies for a job at a television station and quickly learns that something is very wrong inside the building.
Many of you will remember this one. I’m glad I found it on YouTube, where you can find a little of almost anything!
When I first started in television, my first station still used one-inch videotape, which is one of the “stars” of this film. I haven’t worked with one-inch (a reference to the width of the tape surface — VHS was a half-inch wide, for instance) in years, but I still remember how to thread an old one-inch deck.
It’s like riding a bicycle!
Welcome to Patrick’s Place, home of the Saturday Six, the Sunday Seven and Monday’s Morals. Patrick is a television producer, writer, Mac lover, and Christian, though not necessarily in that order. He has a natural dislike of double standards and poor grammar.
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This film reminds me of the first time I tried to thread a one-inch machine.
Note that the audio engineer here is Ben Burtt, the guy who did sound effects for Star Wars shortly afterward. When you hear “Darth Vader” breathing ominously, that’s actually Burtt breathing through a ventilator underwater.
Interesting, Axl…I did not realize that. Thanks for the trivia.
Woody, I actually had to thread a one-inch reel not long ago to pull in some old archive footage. It was quite an experience, but it really is like learning to ride a bike…you don’t forget!