OT - backgounds in Russell Howard's 'Good News'

[Jeremy Nicoll - news posts]

As there are some broadcast types here who might know:

In the TV programme "Russell Howard's Good News", Russell performs in front of a wall of what sometimes looks texture-wise somewhat like bricks, or possibly flat-screen TVs arranged in a framework/grid.

The whole wall shows words or pictures related to whatever he's talking about. I used to think the images might be on screens... but they seem to be on the grid/framework as well, which doesn't make sense.

Presumably it's not a green-screen effect, unless the studio audience can't see it.

So is this a back-projection surface? Or what?

[Owain]

From the picture at

looks like a textured surface with back-projection.

Owain

[Jethro_uk]

Indeed, you get a brief sense of it when they (literally) wheel out the mystery guest. Always cracks me up ... two burly guys pushing the float on stage - not risking mechanical failure. Plus it's cheaper.

I read an article a while back where a reporter visited a Russian space facility. When he saw the docking apparatus, he asked how the astronauts could watch the critical mating area, as the US had terrible problems with PTZ cameras failing. The engineer simply replied they used a mirror on a stick.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

Or the reaction thrusters - simple gas valves, where the Americans designed a lovely little remote control system and mini solenoids. Might not have applied to later Soyuz, though.

[Chris J Dixon]

My money is on front projection - thinking about the logistics, back projection would require there to be no backstage structures to hold it all up.

Much like the floor patterns on Strictly, which were rather OTT at Wembley. They must have a clever network of powerful and linked projectors.

Chris