History Main / SocialSemiCircle

Nowadays the practice is less often forgiven as the three camera setup becomes less common, and directors have more options for camera placement.

Often achieved in a non-intrusive way by use of TheCouch. The camera is presumed to be filming from the location of the television, since no modern family would arrange a room with seats facing away from the television. As a result, this is more intrusive when used in other settings: one wonders how Sam kept ''Series/{{Cheers}}'' afloat so long with one entire side of the bar unused.

One way to avoid this is via a RoundTableShot; but that tends to be used sparingly so it doesn't get annoying.

See Also StandardizedSitcomHousing.

* Used in ''Film/TheBreakfastClub'', during the scene where the teenagers are sitting on the floor and opening up to each other.

* ''Series/That70sShow'' does this any time a group sits down at the Foreman's kitchen table. This was {{Lampshaded}} on one occasion (specifically during a ''Last Supper'' parody) when Jackie questions why everyone is sitting on the same side of the table. Averted, though, in some scenes in the basement, where the characters are presumably sitting around a table. The camera is in the middle, rotating to face whoever's talking. This also serves to [[NoSmoking keep off-camera]] whichever character is supposed to currently be holding the joint being passed around.

* ''Series/That70sShow'' does this any time a group sits down at the Foreman's kitchen table. This was {{Lampshaded}} on one occasion (specifically during a ''Last Supper'' parody) when Jackie questions why everyone is sitting on the same side of the table. Averted, though, in some scenes in the basement, where the characters are presumably sitting around a table. The camera is in the middle, rotating to face whoever's talking. This also servers to [[NoSmoking keep off-camera]] whichever character is supposed to currently be holding the joint being passed around.

* The sofa is the indispensable prop in ''Series/LesFillesDaCote''. The three girls and others are often seen interacting or having in-depth conversation while sitting on the sofa in their apartment with the camera angle directly in front. Of course, this is also an aspect of MsFanservice, as TheNineties fashions tended towards short skirts and bare legs. The occasional panty shot was not edited out of the final show, though one wonders why this was not spotted in editing. Discussions in the boys' apartment tended to be around the dining table and shot from the waist up - but also stuck to this principle.

* The sofa is the indispensable prop in ''Series/LesFillesDaCote''. The three girls and others are often seen interacting or having in-depth conversation while sitting on the sofa in their apartment with the camera angle directly in front. Of course, this is also an aspect of MsFanservice, as TheNineties fashions tended towards short skirts and bare legs. the occasional PantyShot was not edited out of the final show. One wonders why this was not spotted in editing. Discussions in the boys' apartment tended to be around the dining table and shot from the waist up - but also stuck to this principle.

[[quoteright:350:[[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_tos_table_8662.jpg]]]]

* Possibly a related example, Soap Operas. Pay attention some time, and you'll notice that someone will turn their back to someone and keep conversing with them (so they're both facing the camera.) Often they use it during tense dialogue, to make it seem like "I'm too ashamed to look at you," but turn around and talk to someone, it looks and feels weird.

* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' justifies this by almost never having the whole group sit at a table together. Their typical eating/socializing arrangement is to sit around the living room, where it's normal for furniture to be oriented in a rough semi-circle, facing the television (which conveniently also orients them toward TheFourthWall).

* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' uses this, with a couch and two chairs in an approximate L-shape. Justified by the television in the apartment, since it (conveniently) happens to be placed where the audience would be and it would make sense for everyone to be able to see the TV from their seat.

-->-- '''Andre''', ''Series/{{Victorious}}''

* ''Web Video/{{Tabletop}}'' does this so that the gameplay is easily visible to the viewer. The tradeoff is that the players on the ends of the table are awkwardly far away from each other.

* Jesus and His apostles all sit on the same side of a long table in Leonardo da Vinci's ''The Last Supper'' (and in other less well-known paintings of the subject). Examples in other media are often aping this painting.

* Averted in ''Series/{{Friends}}'' at Monica's place but played straight as an arrow at Central Perk, and we never see what the rest of the palace looks like but the cast is always conveniently on one couch or some nearby chairs facing the camera.

[[folder:Art]]

[[folder:{{Film}}]]
* Used in ''Film/TheBreakfastClub'', during the scene where the teenagers are sitting on the floor and opening up to each other.

[[folder:LiveActionTV]]

** One example is found in the episode "Spare That Rod!". Miss Brooks, Mr. Boynton, Mr. Conklin, Walter Denton and Stretch Snodgrass are crowded along three sides of a cafeteria table.

* On ''Series/TheGoldenGirls'', when all four women are at the kitchen table, Sophia pulls up a stool next to Dorothy rather than sitting on the camera side. There isn't even a chair on the camera's side. (We're probably meant to assume that the table - and the oven, which is stage left but lined up with the table - are up against the FourthWall).

* The ladies of ''[[Series/TheView The View]]'' form a SocialSemiCircle around a lovely half of a table.

[[folder: Newspaper Comics]]
* In the ''ComicStrip/SallyForthHoward'' strip for 10th June 2019, Hil and her friends are studying for finals, and Duncan asks why they're all sitting at the same side of the table. Hil replies "My dad has a theory, but if he shares it people will just avoid us. More so." (Ted Forth is something of a FourthWallObserver.)

[[folder:Pinball]]
* [[http://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=48&picno=50452 The artwork]] for the pinball machine ''Alien Poker'' depicts one side of the rectangular table completely unoccupied, not even by onlookers--naturally, this is where the camera would be.

[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]
* Wrestling/TheNexus does this everytime they talk to each other. Sometimes they justify it by having them watch the action in the ring on a monitor, but not always. It creates the weird effect of someone speaking to the person directly behind them.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:{{Theatre}}]]

[[folder:{{VideoGames}}]]

[[folder:{{Webcomics}}]]
* The roleplaying gamers in ''ComicStrip/KnightsOfTheDinnerTable'' only use half of the titular furniture, since the head and foot of the table generally mark the borders of a panel.

[[folder:WebVideo]]
* {{Tabletop}} does this so that the gameplay is easily visible to the viewer. The tradeoff is that the players on the ends of the table are awkwardly far away from each other.

[[folder: WesternAnimation]]

[[folder: RealLife]]

* Justified on ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'', as they usually sit at a booth at a bar with a chair on the side opposite the audience just because that would be the most convenient place to put a chair. On the few occasions where they sit somewhere else, it's at a corner booth in the back which again naturally justifies the angle.