Standby...Lights! Camera! Action! | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Genre |
Cinematography Documentary |
Directed by | Stan Swan |
Presented by | Leonard Nimoy |
Composer | Louis Caristo |
Country of origin | United States |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 20 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Producer | Terry Laughlin |
Running time | 1 hour |
Original release | |
Network | Nickelodeon |
Release | October 1982 December 31, 1987 | –
Standby...Lights! Camera! Action! was an American educational television series hosted by Leonard Nimoy. The program aired on Nickelodeon from October 1982 to December 31, 1987. [1] Episodes of the show included interviews with film crew members and examined the stages of production for various motion pictures in a behind-the-scenes format. [2]
Episodes of the series opened with host Leonard Nimoy at the Nickelodeon studio, introducing himself and announcing the episode's focus (such as performing stunts, special effects or animation). Nimoy would then leave the Nickelodeon studio to visit a filming location, where he described how different motion pictures incorporated the episode's topic. He typically examined three upcoming films in each one-hour segment before returning to the Nickelodeon studio and signing off.
Nickelodeon executive Cy Schneider green-lit the series in 1981 in an aim to add variety to Nickelodeon's schedule, which at the time only consisted of five looped programs. [3] Nickelodeon initially ordered a twelve-episode first season, [4] later increased to twenty. In a 1984 interview with The New York Times, Warner-Amex president John A. Schneider stated that having Nimoy host the series was part of a strategy to "seduce kids into watching" using popular actors. [5] When asked why he chose to host the program despite having more profitable opportunities, Nimoy explained that he supported the network. [5]
TV Guide's panel of educators and executives recommended the series, citing it as an "excellent offering" on cable, in February 1986. [6]
As with other such classic Nickelodeon programming as You Can't Do That on Television, it holds the unique distinction of being aired on the network during both its "Silver Ball" and "Orange" eras.
No. | Title | |
---|---|---|
1 | "Critics" | |
Nimoy interviews a 16-year-old film critic and
Kevin Dillon. He also goes behind-the-scenes of
Return to Oz and
A Soldier's Story.
[7] | ||
2 | "Stunts" | |
Nimoy interviews three stuntmen (Gary Paul,
Sonny Landham and Jim Lovelett) and learns about fire stunts used in Backlot and
Fleshburn. He also goes behind-the-scenes of
Ghostbusters and
The Karate Kid.
[8] | ||
3 | "Prosthetics" | |
Nimoy interviews makeup artist
Doug Drexler. He later goes behind-the-scenes of
The Black Cauldron,
The Man with One Red Shoe and
Legend.
[9] | ||
4 | "Clay Animation" | |
Nimoy interviews a
clay animator, travels to Australia to compare filmmaking practices, and presents clips of
Greystroke.
[10] | ||
5 | "Kid Actors" | |
Nimoy interviews casting manager Barbara Jarret and goes behind-the-scenes of
A View to a Kill,
The Goonies, and
Cocoon.
[11] | ||
6 | "Special Effects" | |
Nimoy interviews a special effects artist and goes behind-the-scenes of
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,
Conan the Barbarian and
Gandhi.
[12] | ||
7 | "Sci-Fi Costumes" | |
Nimoy is given a double-headed costume by a costume designer. He also goes behind-the-scenes of
Nineteen Eighty-Four,
Dune, and
No Small Affair.
[13] | ||
8 | "Stars" | |
Nimoy interviews
Vincent Spano and a hairstylist. He then presents clips of
Christine and
The Keep.
[14] | ||
9 | "Animal Actors" | |
Nimoy interviews an animal
talent agent and a
dialect coach, then goes behind-the-scenes of
Morons from Outer Space and
Ladyhawke.
[15] | ||
10 | "Animation" | |
11 | "Acting" | |
Nimoy interviews director
Marisa Silver and actresses
Rainbow Harvest and Sarah Boyd from the movie
Old Enough. He then goes behind-the-scenes of
Turk 182.
[17] | ||
12 | "Editing" | |
Nimoy interviews
Peter Riegert, then presents clips from
Blue Thunder,
Octopussy, and
Spacehunter.
[18] | ||
13 | "Advertising" | |
Nimoy interviews a studio's vice president of advertising, then presents clips from
Bullshot,
Twilight Zone: The Movie and
Krull.
[19] | ||
14 | "Marketing" | |
Nimoy interviews film marketer Herb Hauser, then presents clips from
Remo Williams and
Back to the Future.
[20] | ||
15 | "Star Trek III" | |
A special
Star Trek-themed installment promoting the Nimoy-directed
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Nimoy interviews
George Takei (
Sulu) and various fans (
Trekkies).
[21] | ||
16 | "Casting" | |
Nimoy interviews a casting director, then presents clips from
Superman III,
Champions and
Psycho II.
[22] | ||
17 | "Props" | |
Nimoy meets a prop designer from Hollywood, then goes behind-the-scenes of
The Toy and
The Dark Crystal.
[23] | ||
18 | "Student Films" | |
Nimoy interviews film students at
New York University and goes behind-the-scenes of
Dreamchild. He then presents clips of
Transylvania 6-5000 and
Bad Medicine.
[24] | ||
19 | "Young Filmmakers" | |
20 | "Memorabilia" | |
Nimoy speaks with a
film memorabilia collector, then goes behind-the-scenes of
Out of Africa,
Enemy Mine, and
The Jewel of the Nile.
[26] |
Standby...Lights! Camera! Action! | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Genre |
Cinematography Documentary |
Directed by | Stan Swan |
Presented by | Leonard Nimoy |
Composer | Louis Caristo |
Country of origin | United States |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 20 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Producer | Terry Laughlin |
Running time | 1 hour |
Original release | |
Network | Nickelodeon |
Release | October 1982 December 31, 1987 | –
Standby...Lights! Camera! Action! was an American educational television series hosted by Leonard Nimoy. The program aired on Nickelodeon from October 1982 to December 31, 1987. [1] Episodes of the show included interviews with film crew members and examined the stages of production for various motion pictures in a behind-the-scenes format. [2]
Episodes of the series opened with host Leonard Nimoy at the Nickelodeon studio, introducing himself and announcing the episode's focus (such as performing stunts, special effects or animation). Nimoy would then leave the Nickelodeon studio to visit a filming location, where he described how different motion pictures incorporated the episode's topic. He typically examined three upcoming films in each one-hour segment before returning to the Nickelodeon studio and signing off.
Nickelodeon executive Cy Schneider green-lit the series in 1981 in an aim to add variety to Nickelodeon's schedule, which at the time only consisted of five looped programs. [3] Nickelodeon initially ordered a twelve-episode first season, [4] later increased to twenty. In a 1984 interview with The New York Times, Warner-Amex president John A. Schneider stated that having Nimoy host the series was part of a strategy to "seduce kids into watching" using popular actors. [5] When asked why he chose to host the program despite having more profitable opportunities, Nimoy explained that he supported the network. [5]
TV Guide's panel of educators and executives recommended the series, citing it as an "excellent offering" on cable, in February 1986. [6]
As with other such classic Nickelodeon programming as You Can't Do That on Television, it holds the unique distinction of being aired on the network during both its "Silver Ball" and "Orange" eras.
No. | Title | |
---|---|---|
1 | "Critics" | |
Nimoy interviews a 16-year-old film critic and
Kevin Dillon. He also goes behind-the-scenes of
Return to Oz and
A Soldier's Story.
[7] | ||
2 | "Stunts" | |
Nimoy interviews three stuntmen (Gary Paul,
Sonny Landham and Jim Lovelett) and learns about fire stunts used in Backlot and
Fleshburn. He also goes behind-the-scenes of
Ghostbusters and
The Karate Kid.
[8] | ||
3 | "Prosthetics" | |
Nimoy interviews makeup artist
Doug Drexler. He later goes behind-the-scenes of
The Black Cauldron,
The Man with One Red Shoe and
Legend.
[9] | ||
4 | "Clay Animation" | |
Nimoy interviews a
clay animator, travels to Australia to compare filmmaking practices, and presents clips of
Greystroke.
[10] | ||
5 | "Kid Actors" | |
Nimoy interviews casting manager Barbara Jarret and goes behind-the-scenes of
A View to a Kill,
The Goonies, and
Cocoon.
[11] | ||
6 | "Special Effects" | |
Nimoy interviews a special effects artist and goes behind-the-scenes of
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,
Conan the Barbarian and
Gandhi.
[12] | ||
7 | "Sci-Fi Costumes" | |
Nimoy is given a double-headed costume by a costume designer. He also goes behind-the-scenes of
Nineteen Eighty-Four,
Dune, and
No Small Affair.
[13] | ||
8 | "Stars" | |
Nimoy interviews
Vincent Spano and a hairstylist. He then presents clips of
Christine and
The Keep.
[14] | ||
9 | "Animal Actors" | |
Nimoy interviews an animal
talent agent and a
dialect coach, then goes behind-the-scenes of
Morons from Outer Space and
Ladyhawke.
[15] | ||
10 | "Animation" | |
11 | "Acting" | |
Nimoy interviews director
Marisa Silver and actresses
Rainbow Harvest and Sarah Boyd from the movie
Old Enough. He then goes behind-the-scenes of
Turk 182.
[17] | ||
12 | "Editing" | |
Nimoy interviews
Peter Riegert, then presents clips from
Blue Thunder,
Octopussy, and
Spacehunter.
[18] | ||
13 | "Advertising" | |
Nimoy interviews a studio's vice president of advertising, then presents clips from
Bullshot,
Twilight Zone: The Movie and
Krull.
[19] | ||
14 | "Marketing" | |
Nimoy interviews film marketer Herb Hauser, then presents clips from
Remo Williams and
Back to the Future.
[20] | ||
15 | "Star Trek III" | |
A special
Star Trek-themed installment promoting the Nimoy-directed
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Nimoy interviews
George Takei (
Sulu) and various fans (
Trekkies).
[21] | ||
16 | "Casting" | |
Nimoy interviews a casting director, then presents clips from
Superman III,
Champions and
Psycho II.
[22] | ||
17 | "Props" | |
Nimoy meets a prop designer from Hollywood, then goes behind-the-scenes of
The Toy and
The Dark Crystal.
[23] | ||
18 | "Student Films" | |
Nimoy interviews film students at
New York University and goes behind-the-scenes of
Dreamchild. He then presents clips of
Transylvania 6-5000 and
Bad Medicine.
[24] | ||
19 | "Young Filmmakers" | |
20 | "Memorabilia" | |
Nimoy speaks with a
film memorabilia collector, then goes behind-the-scenes of
Out of Africa,
Enemy Mine, and
The Jewel of the Nile.
[26] |