You know, television and movie props are strangely disappointing up close, for the most part; a face-to-face viewer isn't the intended audience, nor is two feet the intended viewing distance.

Yeah, like how when they say on teevee that they have to make various shows "HDTV ready" what they are talking about is the sets. They have to refit everything with something other than popsicle sticks and painted-on duct/electrical tape.

what they are talking about is the sets

And the star's faces. Apparently plastic surgery and flaws are much more obvious at high resolution.

we're gonna need more airbrushing.

god forbid we see their flaws.

I never knew how fricking true that thing about the ravages of HDTV on celebs was until I was in Best Buy and saw Best Buy's OWN COMMERCIAL! on one of its HDTVs starring the Black Eyed Peas and OMG, Fergie? Is fucking STANK. She scared me. I would have guessed she was ten years older if not for the fact that she was on Kids Incorporated.

HD is also not kind to compositing, which is bad news for anything set in space.

Fergie? Is fucking STANK. She scared me.

Could you see her pee more clearly?

I could see her thinking about peeing.

Think Depends will go for product placement in their next video?

You know, television and movie props are strangely disappointing up close, for the most part; a face-to-face viewer isn't the intended audience, nor is two feet the intended viewing distance.

I don't know... I loved seeing the contraption used to simulate a stadium crowd that was made of painted Q-tips in a rack and some fans. And Han Solo's belt with the pieces of XLR connectors and plastic bits. I find it all very creative.

When Cinemascope and Panavision and what-not came out, costume design had to be rethought, because suddenly machine stitching would be visible. In the pre-19th-century costumes, that's a problem.