History Main / VideoInsideFilmOutside

By the mid-1980s, this dual format began to be phased out as so-called "outside broadcast" cameras became more efficient and computerized video editing systems made videotape more practical on location. Productions therefore began to adopt either completely filmed or completely videotaped formats. It almost completely died out in the late [=2000s=], as productions switched to using HD video cameras, which gave a look in-between video and film and was ultimately cheaper than both of the former two options combined. Consequently, this has become a ForgottenTrope for the most part, with later use only occurring as a result of creators intentionally choosing to {{invoke|dTrope}} it.

From the very beginning of regular television broadcasting in Britain in 1936, up until the 1980s, British TV drama and comedy shows were made using multiple electronic (video) cameras in studios. That was fine for the interior scenes, but when it came to location shooting, the cameras and (after their introduction in 1958) videotape machines were so big and heavy they needed large outside broadcast trucks to transport them to the location, to say nothing of the complex power supplies providing their multiple operating voltages. Even though video allowed for quicker turnaround as it did not be developed the way film did, editing was imprecise compared to film. The cameras also required very high light levels to avoid picture noise, which compounded the impracticality of working with them on location. Consequently, many shows used 16mm film and audio tape recorders for exterior footage, since the equipment was much more portable (often battery-operated) and film was easier and more forgiving to light and could be edited easily. This meant that interior and exterior shots have a completely different look.

From the very beginning of regular television broadcasting in Britain in 1936, up until the 1980s, British TV drama and comedy shows were made using multiple electronic (video) cameras in studios. That was fine for the interior scenes, but when it came to location shooting, the cameras and (after their introduction in 1958) videotape machines were so big and heavy they needed large outside broadcast trucks to transport them to the location, to say nothing of the complex power supplies providing their multiple operating voltages. The cameras also required very high light levels to avoid picture noise, which compounded the impracticality of working with them on location. Consequently, many shows used 16mm film and audio tape recorders for exterior footage, since the equipment was much more portable (often battery-operated) and film was easier and more forgiving to light and could be edited easily. This meant that interior and exterior shots have a completely different look.

By the mid-1980s, this dual format began to be phased out as so-called "outside broadcast" cameras became more efficient and editing systems made videotape more practical on location. Productions therefore began to adopt either completely filmed or completely videotaped formats. It almost completely died out in the late [=2000s=], as productions switched to using HD video cameras, which gave a look in-between video and film and was ultimately cheaper than both of the former two options combined. Consequently, this has become a ForgottenTrope for the most part, with later use only occurring as a result of creators intentionally choosing to {{invoke|dTrope}} it.

By the mid-1980s, this dual format began to be phased out as so-called "outside broadcast" cameras became more efficient. Productions therefore began to adopt either completely filmed or completely videotaped formats. It almost completely died out in the late [=2000s=], as productions switched to using HD video cameras, which gave a look in-between video and film and was ultimately cheaper than both of the former two options combined. Consequently, this has become a ForgottenTrope for the most part, with later use only occurring as a result of creators intentionally choosing to {{invoke|dTrope}} it.

By the mid-1980s, this dual format began to be phased out as so-called "outside broadcast" cameras became more efficient. Productions therefore began to adopt either completely filmed or completely videotaped formats. It almost completely died out in the late [=2000s=], as productions switched to using HD video cameras, which gave a look in-between video and film and was ultimately cheaper than both of the former two options combined.

* The ConceptVideo for Music/DavidBowie's "D.J." (1979) uses this, with the side effect that it furthers the contrast between the title character's public and private lives. On the filmed city streets he's happy, confident, and surrounded by his fans, but in the videotaped studio -- where he's presumably alone -- he's having a dangerous mental breakdown.

* Season 2 of the original series of ''Series/TheTwilightZone'', though there are only six episodes ever recorded on videotape ("The Lateness of the Hour", "[[ChristmasEpisode The Night of the Meek]]", "The Whole Truth", "Twenty-Two", "Static", and "Long-Distance Call"), using four video cameras on a studio soundstage at CBS Television City, as a cost-cutting measure mandated by CBS programming head James T. Aubrey. However, videotape was a relatively primitive medium in the early 1960s, thus the editing of tape was next to impossible. Even worse, the requisite multicamera setup of the videotape experiment made location shooting difficult, severely limiting the potential scope of the storylines, so the crew had to abandon the videotaping project.

* The Chemical Brothers' music video for "Let Forever Be", directed by Creator/MichelGondry, uses videotape for the real world scenes, and film for the fantasy sequences where the girl in the video imagines herself as part of a troupe of dancers. Gondry has said this was an homage to said British television shows.
* Happened during the early seasons of ''Series/YouCantDoThatOnTelevision'', excepting for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6pH4glSGIk one episode]] where the entire cast involved themselves with a huge Ottawa-based charity walk.

* ''The Bund'', a Hong Kong TV drama that had StarMakingRole for Creator/ChowYunFat.

** Due to a strike, the first Creator/JonPertwee story, "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS7E1SpearheadFromSpace Spearhead from Space]]", was shot entirely in film.

** "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS12E1Robot Robot]]", The first Creator/TomBaker story, actually shot a handful of exterior scenes in video, to aid with the special effects needed in that serial.

* ''Series/KeepingUpAppearances'', particularly noticeable because of the frequent scenes set outdoors (such as the RunningGag involving the postman and milkman).

** Sometimes used for effect:

*** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS14E3TheDeadlyAssassin The Deadly Assassin]]", reality is all video with smooth motion and bright (some would say rather lurid) colours. When the Doctor enters the {{Cyberspace}} nightmare-world, it's all film, including the few studio shots (such as the MiniatureEffects with the crocodile), with everything in a drab and muted, grainy colour palette (helped by the cheap and nasty-quality film) with the exception of the Doctor's [[EyeOpen ridiculously blue eyes]]. The whole effect is to indicate unrealness to everything there except for the Doctor's mind.
*** In the serial "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS20E2Snakedance Snakedance]]", a 'ritual' segment set in wilderness yet clearly produced in studio is shot on film to ''appear'' as if it had been shot outdoors. (And/or to subtly emphasise the trancelike nature of the ritual by introducing a visual disconnect.)

* ''Series/TheKidsInTheHall''.

* ''Series/TheTomorrowPeople'' with the exception of ''The Revenge of Jedikiah''.

* ''Series/KeepingUpAppearances]], particularly noticeable because of the frequent scenes set outdoors (such as the RunningGag involving the postman and milkman).

*** In the serial "[[Recao/DoctorWhoS20E2Snakedance Snakedance]]", a 'ritual' segment set in wilderness yet clearly produced in studio is shot on film to ''appear'' as if it had been shot outdoors. (And/or to subtly emphasise the trancelike nature of the ritual by introducing a visual disconnect.)

By the mid-1980s, this dual format began to be phased out as so-called "outside broadcast" cameras became more efficient. Productions therefore began to adopt either completely filmed or completely videotaped formats. It almost completely died out in the late [=2000s=], as productions switched to using HD video cameras, which gave a look in-between video and film.

An unfortunate side-effect of Video Inside, Film Outside is that it has rendered most, if not all, of these productions unsuitable for high-definition remastering.

The rough American equivalent is the [[http://news.cnet.com/8301-33620_3-57410231-278/the-soap-opera-effect-when-your-tv-tries-to-be-smarter-than-you/ "soap opera effect"]], so named for the fact that many soap operas are shot on video to save money. This is chiefly a problem that comes up with top-of-the-line high-definition televisions, which have features designed to smooth out motion blur that, effectively, double the frame rate and produce an image reminiscent of a daytime soap. Or a British videotaped costume drama.

** Due to a strike, the first Creator/JonPertwee story, "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS7E1SpearheadFromSpace Spearhead from Space]]", was shot entirely in film. The result of this was that "Spearhead from Space" could be remastered for, and released on, Blu-Ray, which was thought to be impossible for other Classic ''Who'' until the BBC released Tom Baker's first five serials on Blu-ray as a "proof of concept" of sorts in June 2018. Since then, other Tom Baker serials, as well as the first Peter Davison serials, have seen Blu-ray releases.

** "Twice Upon A Time" caused some backlash from a few highly esoteric corners of ''Who'' fandom due to the 1960s footage being used in that story not having been [=VidFIREd=].

** "Twice Upon A Time" caused some InternetBackdraft from a few highly esoteric corners of ''Who'' fandom due to the 1960s footage being used in that story not having been [=VidFIREd=].

** Due to a strike, the first Creator/JonPertwee story, "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS7E1SpearheadFromSpace Spearhead from Space]]", was shot entirely in film. The result of this was that "Spearhead from Space" could be remastered for, and released on, Blu-Ray, which no other Classic ''Who'' will ever be able to be unless the EnhanceButton becomes reality.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'' got into this in a big way in the 1970s after spending the 1960s preferring to shoot everything, even "outside" scenes, in a studio on video.[[note]]Though even then there were occasional exceptions, with the show's first film-outside moment occurring in the last story of the first series.[[/note]] In the 1980s, as technology improved, it transitioned into doing location shooting in video as well. It's been commented that ''Series/DoctorWho'' fans are rather good at spotting the difference because of the levels of use. It would be less noticeable on black and white episodes, which only exist as film copies of the original videotapes - except that for remastering purposes a technique called [=VidFIRE=] was developed, in order to restore the smoother 'video look' exclusively to scenes shot in the studio. Ultimately, due to a combination of difficulty with some film stock towards the end of his first season, as well as a severely reduced budget, starting with Creator/ColinBaker's second and final season, and lasting the whole of Creator/SylvesterMccoy's tenure, the series was shot exclusively on video.

* ''{{Porridge}}''

* ''Series/SapphireAndSteel'', though only one of the six serials had location footage.

* ''Series/{{Colditz}}'' (except for the final episode which was entirely on film)