Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2017 August 3

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August 3

Julia Child

Resolved

OK you ED WP geeks: in all the Julia Child "French Chef" PBS series broadcast episodes, why was it that when she stirred or demonstrated to the camera with her right hand with a spoon or whisk, the "above shot" always displayed her stirring / whisking with her "left" hand (in the reverse); even though the front shot revealed that she clearly was demonstrating with her right hand. Maineartists (talk) 04:21, 3 August 2017 (UTC)

Could very well just be a mistake. That is, the overhead camera somehow got set into mirror image mode, and nobody noticed or cared enough to set it back. StuRat (talk) 04:53, 3 August 2017 (UTC)

Absolutely not. I didn't say "one episode" ... every episode displays the same "mirror" image. Nice try. Still searching for a definitive answer. Maineartists (talk) 05:25, 3 August 2017 (UTC)

Well, I've just watched 'French Onion Soup' on YouTube and both shots showed her stirring with her right hand. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.38.221.49 (talk) 08:35, 3 August 2017 (UTC)

Can you find an example of this oddity on youtube? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 10:26, 3 August 2017 (UTC)

Here is on example. The overhead shot must have been using a mirror (unless Julia switches her ring to the other hand every time the angle changes). One possible reason for using a mirror might have been to keep another camera out of the view, see for example this filmmaking forum: "the early cooking shows made extensive use of overhead mirrors at an angle. Just shoot the mirror for the over head shot and there is no 2nd camera in the way. This was when all cooking shows were live audience and I guess it was not cool to have crew running all over the place like you tend to see on all the shows now." ---Sluzzelin talk 11:33, 3 August 2017 (UTC)

I'm not tech savvy enough to post the French Onion Soup video, but it was in black and white, so perhaps it was done before they used mirrors. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.38.221.49 (talk) 12:19, 3 August 2017 (UTC)

• You are correct to say that this did not occur in the early Black-and-White series. Only in the later color versions. I am satisfied with the "mirror" explanation. It makes perfect sense! Thanks all! Maineartists (talk) 13:18, 3 August 2017 (UTC)

The French Chef debuted on February 2, 1963. Since studio television cameras at that time were large and heavy, there was no easy way to mount one overhead. The standard procedure was to hang a mirror over the range or table and have one of the cameras (located on the studio floor) shoot into the mirror. -Thomprod (talk) 14:58, 3 August 2017 (UTC)

It is correct that cooking shows used mirrors, but it wasn't just to keep the camera out of view. "large and heavy" doesn't really get at how large and how heavy. It was rather dangerous to dangle one of the old cameras above the star as she (or he) was cooking. Many models weighed over 300 pounds. Sitting it on the floor and pointing up at a mirror was a much safer way to get nearly the same shot. 209.149.113.5 (talk) 12:32, 7 August 2017 (UTC)

OK. I get it. Horse. Dead. Thank you. Question answered - topic resolved. Maineartists (talk) 13:07, 7 August 2017 (UTC)

Fact check request

Sony Pictures Networks India did indeed bought TEN Sports from Zee Entertainment Enterprises. But did Sony also acquired TEN Sports Pakistan and TEN Cricket International as well, for real? JSH-alive/^{talk/cont/mail} 15:01, 3 August 2017 (UTC)

@JSH-alive: Google "sony acquired TEN Sports Pakistan" and you'll find stuff like [1] and [2]. (((The Quixotic Potato))) (talk) 15:02, 5 August 2017 (UTC)

Okay. Thank you. JSH-alive/^{talk/cont/mail} 05:02, 6 August 2017 (UTC)