The 30 minute situation comedy is among the most enduring forms of prime time television entertainment. The format was invented in the United States during the earliest days of commercial television. During the early 1950s, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz hired a venerable cinematographer, Karl Freund, ASC, to film I Love Lucy. Prior to that, sit-coms were aired live and many were kinescoped for posterity.

Freund was a distinguished cinematographer, who won a 1937 Oscar for his camera work on The Good Earth. Ball and Arnaz wanted to film the show in front of a studio audience, because it allowed the actors to play to their responses. They also wanted a look that reminded viewers of the cinema, and the ability to edit film, because timing amplified the visual humor that characterized the stories.

Freund used three cameras to cover the action from different points of view. That might sound mundane today, but it was an innovative concept in those days. Freund used the middle camera for master shots. The two side cameras had longer lenses, and they covered close-ups from reverse angles. Freund placed the lights directly overhead, mainly so they didn't interfere with the view of the audience. The high-key look he designed became a visual metaphor for comedy which many network executives clung to for decades.

The first major break in that paradigm occurred during the mid-1970s when Norman Lear produced All in the Family with video cameras. The show had a much more stagy look than film, but Lear's company perfected techniques for pre-editing the tape in the control booth, and they claimed significant time and cost savings. The latter was mainly due to advances being made in non-linear video editing.

By the 1985-86 season it looked like the film sit-com was headed for extinction. Newhart and Cheers were the only network situation comedies originated on film. In contrast, the sit-coms produced on tape included The Cosby Show, Golden Girls, Kate and Allie, Family Ties, Night Court and Growing Pains. There were many stories in the Hollywood trade press that year eulogizing the death of film.

What actually happened: During the 1996-97 season, the sit-com format remains a major force in prime time programming. They account for approximately 30 to 35 percent of the prime time schedule. There are some 60 to 70 sit-coms on the four major networks and two netlets (Paramount and Warner), and more than 60 percent are originated on film.

Which brings us to George Spiro Dibie, ASC, who has earned 11 Emmy nominations for sit-com camerawork. Dibie has earned top honors six times during the past 20 years. His credits include both film and video programs, i.e., Night Court, Growing Pains, Just the 10 of Us, Mr. Belvedere and Room for Two, and pilots for My Sister Sam, Head of the Class, Miss Daisy and Murphy Brown.

Dibie was born and raised in Jerusalem. He studied at the Pasadena Playhouse College of Theatre Arts. Dibie originally intended to direct plays, but his interest quickly turned to film. After graduation, Dibie specialized in shooting commercials, documentaries and corporate training films. That was because there was an almost impenetrable wall blocking outsiders from gaining entry into the International Photographers Guild. You couldn't get a job on a Hollywood film crew unless you were in the Guild, and you couldn't into the Guild without a job.

Dibie's first big break in Hollywood came when Danny Arnold gave him the opportunity to supervise camerawork for a new sit-com called Barney Miller. In those days, video sit-coms were taped network style. The lighting director was generally in the control booth with the engineers. Lighting decisions were mainly dictated by oscilliscope readings with rigid engineering formulas defining the ratio of key to fill light.

Arnold wanted Dibie to light Barney Miller like a film show with a more natural look. Dibie's next TV series was Buffalo Bill, which was shot on film. Dibie was elected president of the Los Angeles-based camera local (659) in 1985. How's that for irony? He has served in that role for eleven years. Several months ago, the 5,500 members of the three former locals, headquartered in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, merged to form the International Photographers Guild, Local 600. It is the first national camera guild in the United States, and Dibie is their first national president.

Dibie is currently shooting two sit-coms. One, Sister, Sister, is produced on videotape. The other, Goode Behavior, is produced on film. Both programs are produced on the Paramount Pictures lot on stages 23 and 24, respectively.

Sister Sister is in its fourth season and a fifth is already planned. The sit-com aired on ABC Television during its first two seasons, and then it was picked up by the hipper Warner Network. Goode Behavior recently debuted on UPN (the Paramount network).

Sister, Sister is about twins who were adopted at birth by different single parents. One parent earns a living as a seamstress. The other is a moderately wealthy man with an extravagant taste for luxury. When the girls are in their early teens, they meet during a chance encounter and vow they'll never again be separated. The setting for the program is Detroit. Half of the episodes include one or more scenes taped on location or on the backlot. This gives the program's writers the freedom to develop varied story lines.

"We're using video cameras on dollies, jib arms and Titan cranes on location," Dibie says. "The camera follows people running down the street and riding in automobiles, and we shoot both day and night exteriors. We shot one episode on a California beach, and another during a simulated game at a baseball field. As far as I'm concerned, we're shooting a little movie every week, and that requires a natural look."

Dibie uses four cameras while taping on the sound stage. At locations, he cuts back to two or three, and he uses only one for tracking shots on dollies or with a Steadicam.

"We try to schedule shooting daylight exteriors in the shade rather than direct sunlight," he says. "That's my major concession to shooting tape. Other than that, I light video just like it's an episodic film show. We tape all location scenes on Thursdays, and we shoot on the stage on Fridays. We are shooting 50 pages a day."

Dibie says that he chooses video cameras for their distinctive imaging characteristics, the same way he chooses a particular film for a scene or setting. His general preference is the BTS CCD camera.

"It's the closest thing to Kodak film," he says, "because it doesn't give you that hard electronic edge that you get with most video cameras."

Goode Behavior is a different type of family story in that the stars are adults. The father, portrayed by Sherman Hemsley (All in the Family, The Jeffersons, etc.) is a "con man" who is on parole from prison in his son's custody. The son is on the faculty at a small North Carolina college. His wife is a TV reporter. The son is vying for a promotion, and his father tries to help him in various unscrupulous ways.

Dibie uses the same general lighting strategy and techniques for Sister Sister and Goode Behavior. The general ambiance, or keylight, is 30 footcandles, and it is often a lot lower depending upon the setting and mood. Dibie uses back crosslight with an intensity of 40 to 50 footcandles for modeling, and also to create a feeling of depth. If two characters are talking, the keylight for one is generally backlight for the other.

"Some people still think comedies need hard light," he says, "but I believe we have to imitate life. Look around your own house. There aren't harsh shadows. When I wake up in the morning, I can see sunlight light leaking around the edges of the drapes. It hits the ceiling and ambient light fills the room. If I'm shooting a scene staged during daylight hours, I usually make the windows hotter that the rest of the set even if they are draped. The closer an actor comes to a window or practical light, the hotter the light should be on his face and body. Just don't let it got too hot so that it distracts the audience."

How hot is too hot? Dibie replies that there isn't a quantifiable answer. It's something that cinematographers instinctively know based upon their visual memories.

Dibie has learned the tricks of the trade for fine tuning looks in postproduction. One goal, he says, is to foil the video man or shader at the network or station, who wants to bring the lighting up because he or she thinks comedies are supposed to be high-key.

"You can't fool today's audiences," he says. "Subconsciously, they know if something looks or feels fake. I keep my shows from looking lit, because I believe production values are an important part of telling the story."

But then, Dibie quickly adds, "Great lighting never helps a bad script. If you want to be successful in this business, try to pick shows with good writers and dedicated producers. It is a lot more rewarding when you are working with producers who understand and appreciate the role played by the cinematographer."

Dibie was among the first cinematographers to use directional soft-light on sit-coms. He also bent and then broke the rule requiring actors to hit marks. It's a special challenge on sit-coms, since you are lighting for four cameras covering different angles.

"I give the actors and directors more freedom to be spontaneous," he says. "I never box them in, so they can't turn their heads or take a step in the wrong direction. I believe in actors. Without them, none of us would have jobs. Some people say, they're paid to hit marks. That's not true. They have to follow their instincts."

Dibie also tries to alter lighting on standing sets every week. The changes are subtle, and don't call attention to the camera or lighting. Sometimes, it's just a matter of killing some of the light in one area, and adding to it in another to augment story points.

"There are different types of light,' he says. "Night light is more mysterious than daylight. You can mask things in the shadows. But, you always have to remember television is a medium of faces. That is what we are selling. You always want the ability to see into people's eyes, and that means you have to light everyone differently. People with deep-set eyes, white hair or long noses, all present different lighting problems."

Dibie uses Obie lights on the video cameras to get a sparkle of light into the actors' eyes. He says it isn't necessary on Goode Behavior because he is shooting that show on film which naturally "sees" a wider range of tonal details.

The featured stars in both programs are black. We asked Dibie if he does anything different while lighting to accommodate the darker skin tones in the two casts?

"It's nothing new," he says. "We had every skin tone you can imagine in Barney Miller, Buffalo Bill and Night Court. Personally, it's more challenging filming red-headed people. Generally, (while photographing black actors), I use warm kickers and liners on both sides (of the actor or actress). I also make certain their makeup isn't flat. I ask the makeup department put a little sheen into it by adding a little oil. That makes the skin more reflective. Everyone is different, but generally black skin tones absorb light. White skin tones reflect light. I also watch the backgrounds. I never put a black person in front of a white background unless I want them to blend. The white background draws the eyes of the audience away from the face, and it makes the actor look darker.

"You also don't get the same consistency in recording colors with the NTSC format video camera as you do with film," he adds, "so that's another thing you have to watch. I ask the wardrobe department to make certain that actors who are very dark don't wear whitish clothing. You want the audience to focus on the faces during dialogue scenes, rather than being drawn to the brightest part of the picture."

Dibie typically uses two types of diffusion. He uses a "Dibie net" on Sister Sister. The net is made from a fabric with a particular mesh that he likes. Dibie imports the material from France, and he uses it behind the lens.

"If you put diffusion behind the lens, you don't have to touch it again," he says. "It's always there. On the front of the camera lens, I use glass diffusion, a Tiffen Soft Effects half. I did a test and the combination of these two on zoom lenses -- which I use 90 percent of the time -- gives us a soft look that's kind to the cast."

Goode Behavior is produced in 16 mm film format. Dibie says that the decision to originate on 16 mm film was made by the producers. Both worked on Cheers, and have a taste for film. Dibie previously shot a film pilot called Locals for them, so he knew that they share his passion for film.

Dibie says that he believes the decision to originate Sister, Sister on tape is strictly financial, and the decision to produce Goode Behavior on 16mm rather than 35 mm film is also based on budgetary circumstances.

"If it was up to me, I'd shoot 35 mm film every time," he says. "The 16 mm image area is less than a quarter of the size of a 35 mm frame. Grain is more of a concern, because you are starting with a much smaller image area, and if you have problems with dirt or scratches, they're magnified with 16 mm film. But I prefer 16 mm film to tape, mainly because it is much gentler on faces. I have to work hard on tape shows to make sure the look doesn't go flat like live TV news or a game show. Film has a more of a fantasy quality and you can do a lot more to manipulate the quality of the images."

Dibie explains that "what you see is what you get with video cameras."

"You can't do much to alter image quality with tape," he says.

With film, he says, the latent image recorded on the original negative is just the starting point. The image quality can be manipulated during film processing and postproduction. He says there is more to work with since you begin with more details in resolution, and shades of contrast and colors.

Dibie says a big part of the difference in below the line costs for producing film and video sit-coms is the result of an outdated contract for taping shows. Some members of the video camera crew on Sister, Sister, for example, are paid at a slightly lower rate than the film crew on Goode Behavior, even though they're doing the same jobs. In fact, several people are working on both crews. The video contract doesn't only affect crews. For example, on a film show, there are stand-ins for actors during rehearsals.

"There is a cost premium for buying film, processing and transferring it to video for postproduction, but that represents a comparatively small part of the budget," he says. "On the other hand, I know that today's film shows will be compatible with the Advanced Television (ATV) system that the FCC is designing for the United States. Programs produced in NTSC or PAL video probably won't satisfy the image quality standard in the ATV specifications. Think about what that means. The Lucy Show is still playing in syndication. Other popular programs from that period were aired live and kinescoped. They saved a little money in production, but lost the ability to sell it in syndication."

Goode Behavior is shot with four Panavision 16 mm cameras with Panavision 10 to 100 mm zoom lenses using the medium-speed Eastman EXR 7293 film. The cameras are on dollies rather than pedestals.

"The advantage of the pedestal camera is that it requires a smaller crew, "Dibie observes. "That is also a disadvantage. Pedestals were originally used with video cameras, however they are now available for film shoots. I've done film shows shooting off pedestals, and I can tell you it compromises your ability to make cinematic moves."

Dibie adds, "If you are shooting off a dolly, every frame is in sharp focus, because there is an assistant cameraman who has the skill needed to follow every move the actors make. If you are shooting off a pedestal, the camera operator is on his feet 12 to 14 hours a day. He's pushing the pedestal, trying to focus and operate the camera at the same time. It encourages mediocrity. I've heard studio executives say, they can live with pictures being out of focus 20 percent of the time."

Dibie adds, "What's the point of investing the money and time needed to produce a show, if some scenes are out of focus just to save a few dollars? That's all it is, a few dollars. There is little or no difference in costs between renting dollies and pedestals, and the difference in crew costs is about $5,000 to $10,000 per episode. That's around one percent of a typical budget. What you save isn't worth what you lose."

The effect is also subliminal. Dibie believes shooting off a pedestal deters cinematographers and directors from making more sophisticated use of camera movement. Dibie says that more than half of the floors on Hollywood sound stages aren't flat enough for smooth movement of pedestals. In those situations, the crew has to put plywood panels on the floor to facilitate smooth movement, and that takes time.

Why is he using the Panavision cameras?

"A camera is a camera," he answers, "but this one can handle 1,200 foot magazines. That's enough for about of 33 minutes of filming. Dibie says that is an advantage over cameras limited to the use of 400 foot magazines.

"Timing is everything in comedy," he says. "Every time you have to stop to load a new magazine, it interrupts the flow of production and it drains the actors' energy. You also get more short ends when you are working with 400 foot reels, because there are times when you figure that you'll run out of film before completing a long shot; and that's a hidden cost. We are using about three and a half magazines per camera per show. Last year, we were limited to the use of 400 foot magazines and we were stopping to load magazines three times as often as we do now."

Dibie generally works at stops T-2.9 to T-3.2 on both Sister, Sister and Goode Behavior. He says that provides depth of field for a natural look.

"People used to compare how much light you need to properly expose video and film images," he says, "but the reality is that we don't really light for exposure. We light for artistic effect. I chose a 200-speed film, because it has a finer grain structure than the faster (500-speed) films, and grain translates to noise on television. It is still fast enough to give me the stop I want. There is sufficient exposure latitude built-into the film to give me the flexibility I need in most situations. If we were shooting this program in 35 mm format, I'd probably choose a faster film."

On both shows, Dibie is painting with light, but he's not trying to create beautiful pictures. The idea is to use light to mimic reality. When an actor passes by a lamp, the light on him gets proportionately brighter. Dibie also makes the wall behind the lamp just a slight touch warmer by using an orange one quarter filter. The effect is too subtle for the audience to notice, but it makes the scene feel more realistic.

Telecine transfers for Goode Behavior are made at Laser Pacific, in Los Angeles. At the start of the show, Dibie met with the colorist and explained the look that he and the producers wanted. "I told him to think of it as a feature," he says. "I don't want beautiful images that are too perfect. I've encouraged the colorist to visit the set and watch the actor's faces, the walls and the colors. That helps him understand what we are trying to achieve."

The bottom line is that the choice of format, film or tape, 16 mm or 35 mm, is a complex issue that affects the look and the visual psychology of the show, as well as its future value in syndication. If you ask George Dibie for advice, he'll tell you to forget the old assumptions, because they probably don't apply today.

"Since this is television, not radio, the producers should start their planning for a new sit-com by talking to the cinematographer," he says.

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