Snader Telescriptions were NOT shot a la a Kinescope. Snader used a three-camera, Mitchell BNC set-up that LOOKED like television because they were on castors, but they were not TV cameras. Since studio and band time was more expensive than the film and camera rentals, all of these were choreographed, shot (and the audio recorded) live-to-film, and then edited later. Snader could get a band in for an afternoon, record half a dozen numbers, and then take the rest to post. Desi Arnaz reportedly saw how this worked, and used this idea for the "I Love Lucy" TV series.
Incidentally, this is not to be confused with the DuMont Electronicam system (which preserved the classic 39 episodes of "The Honeymooners"), in which the television camera has a beam-splitter that sends the image to both a TV camera and a film camera, which is recording the action simultaneously. Using a kinescope also made, the editor later re-assembles the shows from the film rolls, and a high-quality 35mm or 16mm print is made that trumps the quality of any kinescope.
Having owned a number of 35mm prints of Snaders, I can attest to the fact that they have some of the highest-quality lab-work I've seen, and have quality that far surpasses even average release prints from that era.
J. Theakston
________________________________
From: David Lewis <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Saturday, August 25, 2012 11:59 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Snader Telescriptions
Thomas,
Klaus Landsberg is a TV pioneer whose contribution is overlooked precisely
because he was based in LA.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaus_Landsberg
http://www.tech-notes.tv/Biographies/Landsberg%20Bio/Landsberg%20biography.htm
He was the link between the television technology developed in Germany in
the interwar years and later in the United States. I would suspect -- but
have no proof at the moment -- that he
had a hand in Snader Telescriptions as well. German television was unique
among very early systems as film was part of the production chain. This was
a neccessity as live images, at
first, telecast very poorly, and by introducing film into the process the
TV images could be replayed in high quality.
Snader Telescriptions were shot with television cameras, but onto film.
Landsberg developed an early kind of Kinescope -- perhaps the same one that
went into use generally -- and I can't
imagine that the Telescription was much different technically, though I
note the quality of New York network kinescopes is inferior to both the
Snader Telescriptions and even ordinary kines I have
seen from KTLA from the 1940s and early 1950s.
The visual effects in the Adrian Rollini Telescription I posted earlier
would have been difficult to do on film without specialized lenses or
optical printing, but could be done relatively easily with even
very early television cameras.
Dave Lewis
Lebanon, OH
On Sat, Aug 25, 2012 at 2:30 PM, Thomas Stern <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Thanks for all the responses.
>
> I am looking for the films of ROBIN ROBERTS (a folksinger in the 1950-60's
> - she recorded LPs for Stinson, Tradition, Prestige).
>
> Further searching turns up the following FIVE 16mm sound B&W items:
>
> 15501 Johnnie has gone for a soldier 2:58
> 15502 Barbara Allen. 2:55
> 15503 Lolly to dum da 2:42
> 15504 The old maid 3:12
> 15505 The golden vanity 3:03
>
> Interesting the KORLA PANDIT films were shot in LA - I always think of NY
> as the hub of early Television production. A worldcat
> listing also lists CALIFORNIA?.
>
> The publisher is variously given as: SNADER Telescriptions, STUDIO
> Telescriptions, STUDIO FILMS!!!
>
> Does anyone have connections at PITTSBURGH STATE UNIVERSITY - they seem to
> have copies. Would like to
> know if copies can be obtained.
>
> Thanks!
> Best wishes, Thomas.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of David Lewis
> Sent: Saturday, August 25, 2012 11:35 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Snader Telescriptions
>
>
> On Sat, Aug 25, 2012 at 11:35 AM, David Lewis <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> > Snader Telescriptions was around earlier, at least from 1948. They shot
> > some subjects with Adrian Rollini that year:
> >
> > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdNzCNQmGG0
> >
> > I was good friends with Korla Pandit, who made at least 16 Telescriptions
> > for Snader in 1950. These were shot in Los Angeles at KTLA in the off
> hours.
> > There are two KP selections on the Camay "Nocturne" compilation that are
> > identical to releases on the Vita label, except that the Vitas have no
> fake
> > reverb and sound much, much better than the Camay LP. Possibly they have
> a
> > common source in Snader Telescriptions, though I would say that the
> > Vitas sound better than the Telescription audio and I always thought them
> > seperate entities.
> >
> > I always got the impression from Korla that Snader was a Los Angeles
> based
> > outfit.
> >
> > Uncle Dave Lewis
> > Lebanon, OH
> >
> > On Sat, Aug 25, 2012 at 11:19 AM, Jack Theakston <
> [log in to unmask]
> > > wrote:
> >
> >> Pathe now owns most of the rights, too (some are PD because they don't
> >> have any notice).
> >>
> >> They were 3-5 minute fillers for TV that were shot in the early '50s.
> >> Snader was the first one to utilize the three-camera 35mm film set-up
> for
> >> live-to-film television productions.
> >>
> >> What is the performer you're looking for?
> >>
> >> J. Theakston
> >>
> >>
> >> ________________________________
> >> From: Thomas Stern <[log in to unmask]>
> >> To: [log in to unmask]
> >> Sent: Friday, August 24, 2012 8:34 PM
> >> Subject: [ARSCLIST] Snader Telescriptions
> >>
> >> Does anyone know much about the SNADER TELESCRIPTIONS, their operation,
> >> acquisition of talent, and their studios/venues ???
> >>
> >> I interviewed a performer who recorded 4 songs for SNADER about 1952.
> >> Her recollection does NOT include the SNADER
> >> company, but remembers the recordings and believes that they were filmed
> >> in a studio somewhere in the mid-west, possibly IOWA, log
> >> cabin, some Amish connection. All very vague.
> >>
> >> Based on web sources, the films are offered by a number of companies -
> >> negatives owned by The PATHE collection,
> >> distributed through HISTORIC FILMS. Copies also from MacDonald &
> >> Associates. Prices are high for commercial use.
> >>
> >> Does anyone know an inexpensive source for these films???
> >>
> >> The sound portion of some were issued by CAMAY Records (one of the "99
> >> cent" labels) in the 1960/70s??
> >>
> >> Any information or further contacts much appreciated! Thanks!
> >>
> >> Best wishes, Thomas.
> >>
> >
> >
>
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