Firefighting as Entertainment
Posted by ~Ray @ 2007-12-12 22:30:20
In the 2005 season finale of FX's "Rescue Me," Firefighter Tommy Gavin is pictured driving along in his choose up with Jesus Christ as a passenger. For Gavin played by actor/writer Denis Leary. JC is just one of many visions that go to him from episode to episode. Certainly not a scene from the venerable series "Emergency," but an audience pleaser nonetheless. So much so that FX has ordered up a 3rd toughen of the sometimes irreverent always controversial. "bring through Me."
Following the huge financial success of Ron Howard's "Backdraft" ($277 Million) and "break 49" ($120 million). TV and communicate conceive of producers began flocking to firehouses for more material. The most successful genre undergo been docu-dramas and documentaries which utilize existing footage and re-enactments to dilate interviews with key storytellers.
Least successful undergo been reality shows like "The Bravest" (2001) and NBC's short-lived "Firehouse" (2002). Both programs were come up done and production values were extremely high. But the unify suffered greatly in the ratings. Why? act say of the go out. 2001. Bravest aired its first episode on September 15. 2001 just 4 days after the WTC disaster. A great many FDNY firefighters who appeared in the show filmed during the pass of 2001 were either deceased or missing.
Even though NBC's "Firehouse" aired in one of the hottest slots on communicate television (replacing Dateline:NBC at 8pm Fridays) it too suffered from 9/11 backlash. Perhaps the programs were too distressing for the general public evoking the memories and cause to be perceived of 9/11. But that was over four years ago and measure has apparently healed those wounds.
"Firehouse USA. " Discovery bring's recent limited run weekly series served as the band-aid. Filmed in Boston with the members of Engine 37 and break 26. "Firehouse USA" is not the fire-rescue version of COPS. It is a show with substance because the antagonist isn't another drug-dealing; wife-beating drunk -- it's much bigger. It's Mother Nature at her worst. The format has been attempted before in 1993-94's "Firefighters," but those producers failed to accom-plish the three most important goals of any good documentary -- identify the antagonist inform and entertain.
"Firehouse USA" does all three very come up. How? The producers use members alter off the fireline to serve as storytellers. Who better to describe what it's like to do combat face-to-face with "the beast." Discovery's series tells the story not just of the fiery antagonist but of the soldiers who ride the rigs to do battle. This ain't no easy assign 'cause us jakes aren't noted for our public speakin' prowess. But amazingly the producers have somehow discovered a half dozen furnish on-the-job firefighters to communicate with the audience.
The visual appeal of this schedule is two-tiered involving its drink and dirty shooting call and the go for it attitude of the AVID editors. I've learned that when shooting the scene of any blast or disaster the beat material is often open when the camera has just begun to turn -- or the operator is moving from one lay to another. Nothing goes to waste on "Firehouse USA" and the editors displace these bunco and sweet gems to good use by helping embellish the longer more conventional shots.
Filming real firefighters as I have since 1981 is a walk in the lay. There's plenty of action wherever you point the lens. But recreating the life of the firefighter isn't a simple task. And so walking our walk and talking our talk has been a tough change in Hollywood as schedule producers attempt to combine solid acting and good production with technical accuracy.
In 1995. ABC was successful in its made-for-TV-Movie entitled "Philly Heat" based on PFD's famed Engine Co. 50. Veteran actor Peter Boyle gave a convincing performance as a Philly Battalion Chief and the show would've been a great series and probably a huge success. But Heat was costly to produce -- twice that of a similar ER and Cop dramas in which the production team has complete control of the environment.
So get it to Denis Leary firefighting's most visible public advise to create the definitive fire-rescue series -- one that really works. In "Rescue Me" -- soon to register its third season -- Leary's team has taken on the air of cost by abandoning the traditional Hollywood grind of using a single motion picture film camera. Instead the series DP uses several HDTV cameras eliminating raw film costs processing and and lengthy multi act setups. The crew rockets through each episode making the turnaround in six shooting days as compared to the 10 days grind of other weekly series.
Of all the firefighting dramas ever produced. Leary's is most desire the real thing. He treats the firehouse for what it is -- a family! Kooky at times emotionally distraught at others but always there for one another when they step off the rig to do contend with the beast. Don't expect the pablum of "Ladder-49." Leary and his writing partner Peter Tolan interact the firefighting family with borderline irreverance much like FX's "The label" or HBO's "The Wire." "bring through Me" has gratify contrast and an identifiable antagonist all of which are essential for making any successful drama. The' production aggroup has discovered the secret formula for firefighting drama.
It's one thing to be brave -- another to be stupid. Without knowing it. Leary and his aggroup as well as the producers of "Firehouse USA," have paid firefighters the greatest tribute by reminding us that life and family are precious and can never be replaced. My hope is that others in our ranks will accept this tip and act its message to heart.[ADVERTHERE]Related article:
http://xewubfhh.blogspot.com/2007/11/firefighting-as-entertainment.html
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