Location Question

[VaySir31]

I don't recall this being mentioned on the show (if at all), but I have a question that for most of you is probably Big Bang Trivia 101. Here goes:

 

In what city does The Big Bang Theory take place in?

[tallin]

Pasadena, California

[SRAM]

I wonder why they can't do a couple episodes in Hawaii like Modern Family did.

[phantagrae]

I wonder why they can't do a couple episodes in Hawaii like Modern Family did.

Because MF is a single camera show and doesn't film with a live audience. And the look is completely different.

[Stewie99]

Yes but episodes such as The Bakersfield Expedition show that they can have the characters in different places, and this livens up proceedings in my opinion, another reason why The Scavenger Vortex is such a good episode as well.

Perhaps a trip to Australia for Howard, Bernadette and Raj without a live audience could be filmed, and the other story in the episode could be filmed live. There were people moaning on here the other day that some of the tapings are too long, so this would shorten the experience for them.

[Tonstar17]

Because MF is a single camera show and doesn't film with a live audience. And the look is completely different.

Yeah but some of the scenes once in a while are pre-recorded without a live audience like when Howard & Sheldon went to Texas so I'm sure it can be done. Or would that be weird to the audience because the characters are there with the audience for the live scenes. I don't know how it works. Never been to a taping.

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Edited April 3, 2015 by Tonstar17

[Tensor]

A trip like that wouldn't make sense. They would have to take half the cast, but all of the crew. Leaving the rest of the cast waiting for the crew to get back. Also, as has been mentioned, the look of single came, shot on location looks different(look at "The Friendship Turbulence" and the difference between Leonard and Penny's scene in her Apartment, then outside as Leonard explains about the car he got her immediately after). Oh, and you mentioned "Bakersfield". That was shot on stage 25, with a green screen, not at Vazques Rocks. Vortex was shot on stage 25 also.

[phantagrae]

Yeah but some of the scenes once in a while are pre-recorded without a live audience like when Howard & Sheldon went to Texas so I'm sure it can be done. Or would that be weird to the audience because the characters are there with the audience for the live scenes. I don't know how it works. Never been to a taping.

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Pre-recorded scenes are still done primarily on the lot on a set.  The reason for pre-recording is usually because of special effects (like when they're in a car and need to insert a green screen) or if they have a big crowd of extras, like one of the scenes at the taping I went to, or other unwieldy scenes (big costume changes, like the beards the guys wore in Electric Can Opener.)

 

They rarely do location shots and even scenes like the paintball scene where they're outside can be done on the WB backlot.  When I went on the tour they showed us a little strip of a park where they filmed the guys doing their kite fighting scene, and so forth.

 

For the episode I went to, they showed a couple of scenes that were pre-taped, but they had been taped there on the set (a new set built over on one side).  So they go from a live-performed scene, then show us a pretaped scene, then go back to the next live scene.  They record the reactions of the audience to the pre-taped scene just like they do the live scenes.  There's no confusion.  Plus Mark Sweet, the warm-up guy, helps set up what's going to happen, like a reminder of "when last we saw Penny, she was..." and so forth.

[MTBigBangTheoryFan]

Friends did a Episode on Location in London, They recorded some scenes in Burbank and then shot others  in front of a Live British audience. although I recall one Producer saying it was fun but was a Pain in the a** sometimes. It could work if it done right and it make sense. There has to be a reason they are going where they are going. Modern Family going to Hawaii made sense because they are Family. They also only took half the crew 

 

Everybody Loves Raymond did a episode in Italy. 

 

The Jeffersons went to Hawaii. 

Edited April 20, 2015 by MTBigBangTheoryFan

[DrWackaDoodle]

Was the baseball episode (first pitch insufficiency? I'm not good with the titles) filmed on location or is that just great cgi?

[rachelshamyfan]

Simon and Melissa were there as that bit was filmed just before the game starts but the rest just good CGI

[phantagrae]

Simon and Melissa were there as that bit was filmed just before the game starts but the rest just good CGI

They had the whole gang outdoors for those scenes, but I don't know if it was an actual stadium or just a set.

And I believe there was a call for folks to come early to an Angels game to be part of the scene where Howard is down at the pitcher's mound.

I don't remember anyone talking about cgi, but I'm sure they used camera angels and such to make it look like there were more people there.

[vonmar]

Bill Prady once referred to the show as an "indoor cat".  When they do outdoor shots, it is always on the lot and he always makes an effort on Twitter to share how complicated it is for a show like TBBT.

 

While I love the pictures that the cast share from the set, I so appreciate when Bill shares the technical side of things with us.

[phantagrae]

Some time ago someone mentioned the idea of doing a live episode.  At the time I don't think I was sure about that idea, but now I think it could be fun just to kick it up a notch and do something different.

 

I just saw on GMA the other day, I think it was, that some other sitcom is doing a live episode.  I think TBBT could do it if they had the right episode (not requiring any scenes that would normally be pre-taped) and just did a little play for the audience.  They practically do it anyway, except that they reshoot stuff.  But they do the scenes in order.

 

I wonder what it would take to do the show live or if the actors would be willing.  I don't know about all the actors, but we know that Jim and Johnny have stage experience.  I think Simon does and maybe Kunal.  I'm not sure about the girls--maybe Melissa?

 

Anyway, it could be an interesting project for sometime in the next two years.

Have any of the actors or TPTB ever discussed the idea?

[MTBigBangTheoryFan]

Some time ago someone mentioned the idea of doing a live episode.  At the time I don't think I was sure about that idea, but now I think it could be fun just to kick it up a notch and do something different.

 

I just saw on GMA the other day, I think it was, that some other sitcom is doing a live episode.  I think TBBT could do it if they had the right episode (not requiring any scenes that would normally be pre-taped) and just did a little play for the audience.  They practically do it anyway, except that they reshoot stuff.  But they do the scenes in order.

 

I wonder what it would take to do the show live or if the actors would be willing.  I don't know about all the actors, but we know that Jim and Johnny have stage experience.  I think Simon does and maybe Kunal.  I'm not sure about the girls--maybe Melissa?

 

Anyway, it could be an interesting project for sometime in the next two years.

Have any of the actors or TPTB ever discussed the idea?

 

I mentioned that a while back,. I even started a petition. 

[phantagrae]

I mentioned that a while back,. I even started a petition. 

 

I'd like to see them do it.

[pegcarr]

Was the baseball episode (first pitch insufficiency? I'm not good with the titles) filmed on location or is that just great cgi?

The built a set and filmed outside on the WB lot for the bits with "the gang".  From Kaleys instagram