Now I know what a police officer feels like after watching a bad episode of COPS. Rather than turn in my badge however, I’ve doing a little community service by sitting through ALL SIX web previews of Stringers:LA. Centered around the freelance cameraman (stringers) who scour the slums and highways of late night Los Angeles, this new TruTV series is sure to numb the hearts and minds of viewers everywhere. It’s got everything: car chases, human misery, some guy in a mail-order t-shirt waxing philosophically about the swagger of his fancycam. Yeesh! Prowling about in their copped-out Crown Vics, these Hollywood photogs hunt not for starlets but for structure fires. Screw the silly glamour, these guys want the body-bag shot; all the better to sell to local affiliates whose crews didn’t get their first. It’s a living, I guess - but quite an inglorious one. At least the paparazzi chase pretty people; these guys haul ass to catch sight of human roadkill and fresh floaters. It’s nothing I haven’t done. Hell, three days ago I was one of those jackals, but there’s a difference between covering spot news and high-fiving yourself when they break out the Jaws of Life. Still, if you like footage of skeevy loners fondling their scanners in the dark, you’re in for some compelling cinema. Me - I kinda wanna take a shower. While I do check out the clips for yourself and standby for the show to go gangbusters! Deadliest Catch it ain’t, but as far as reality, er actuality TV goes this is truly a pitch perfect milieu. I just dread the hell out of Stringers:Newark…
Friday, August 22, 2008
Men Without Sticks
Now I know what a police officer feels like after watching a bad episode of COPS. Rather than turn in my badge however, I’ve doing a little community service by sitting through ALL SIX web previews of Stringers:LA. Centered around the freelance cameraman (stringers) who scour the slums and highways of late night Los Angeles, this new TruTV series is sure to numb the hearts and minds of viewers everywhere. It’s got everything: car chases, human misery, some guy in a mail-order t-shirt waxing philosophically about the swagger of his fancycam. Yeesh! Prowling about in their copped-out Crown Vics, these Hollywood photogs hunt not for starlets but for structure fires. Screw the silly glamour, these guys want the body-bag shot; all the better to sell to local affiliates whose crews didn’t get their first. It’s a living, I guess - but quite an inglorious one. At least the paparazzi chase pretty people; these guys haul ass to catch sight of human roadkill and fresh floaters. It’s nothing I haven’t done. Hell, three days ago I was one of those jackals, but there’s a difference between covering spot news and high-fiving yourself when they break out the Jaws of Life. Still, if you like footage of skeevy loners fondling their scanners in the dark, you’re in for some compelling cinema. Me - I kinda wanna take a shower. While I do check out the clips for yourself and standby for the show to go gangbusters! Deadliest Catch it ain’t, but as far as reality, er actuality TV goes this is truly a pitch perfect milieu. I just dread the hell out of Stringers:Newark…
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3 comments:
I watched the first 2 episodes on my DVR, and pretty much felt the same way. Not only was is disgusted at the attitude that "Mr. Press" t-shirt had, but I was generally unimpressed with any of the shooting that they actually did. You can shoot breaking news off the shoulder, but that doesn't mean that your shots all have to be off-level and earthquake-esque.
I was totally getting the cowboy vibe from all of them.
That dude was a self-righteous PRICK! But, Oh how I remember them days. Can't say I miss It though. What the heck, ONLY 6 scanners!
AK
They need to do a show on Terry Toller. There's a stringer to emulate.
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