Filming/blue screen
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While I read during the original series to took nearly an hour between rooms is this still the case? I would guess they can load things up pretty quickly now?
I know very little about blue/green screen, in not really into CGI stuff (I'm a puppeteer, I prefer real things)
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I imagine that most of the prep time involved getting the computer image to align correctly with the physical images in the blue room. For instance, the level 2 clue room in the first few seasons had a giant table that was made to look like a huge altar through CGI, so they'd need to make sure the real object was completely contained within the image, without anything overlapping the edge. I suspect it's easier to do that today than it was then, as computers can now reposition images very simply for you, rather than you having to move objects around physically, with the director having to give instructions through an earpiece; "No, move it a bit more to the left. No, a bit more... bit more... bit more... NO NOT THAT FAR!!!! Back... back! Good. Okay, bit more to the left... No, a bit more..." etc. (Setting the scene up would itself be a little like dungeoneering...)
One alignment they never got right in the first couple of seasons was the handrail on the staircase in the same clue room. If you looked closely, you could often see the 'ghost' of a handrail just below the one the dungeoneer would hold onto. They finally got that sorted out in season 3.
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I asked S1-4 floor manager Tom Hunt (via his son Charlie) about how they positioned dungeoneers in rooms. Some of this explains set up time as there seems to be lots to consider (I'm not sure how much of this would have changed as technology has advanced):
"1 Had to match the previous chamber's geography, and continuity of speed of exit of Dungeoneer from previous room.
2 Had to be precise so that camera/background, lighting and shadow were accurate, and believable.(This was adjusted by crew on EVERY set-up.)
3 Had to ensure that Dungeoneers didn't "miss" any character, or clue (except by their own carelessness !)
4 Had to offer the best challenge to dungeoneer and team, and thus derive the best and most exciting material for the programme.
5 Not to "trick" teams in to failure ."
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The process is indeed complicated. It takes about 20-30 minutes in the best case
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Of course as well as loading up the graphics and getting the objects in the right place they and work out the next 'scene' and inter rations with the characters.. we know it couldn't be fully scripted. So I guess an hour of prep between rooms isn't that long if you're working in it, feels like a life time if you're the team waiting in the in back room.
Plus, it's not like a film where they can finish the short or effects after filming, they are after all sending a live feed back to the other team members.
I remember getting involved with a Doctor who event at the bbc forum in Norwich a few years ago and we had a blue screen set up so kids could put themselves into a mini episode and do all sorts.. it looked rubbish but this was pretty basic compared to what's happening with Knightmre.
But it would be interesting to find out how things have changed shooting a Episode for Knightmare today compared to 20 odd years ago.. Sometimes the as technology gets better and easier to use it can in fact make the proses even longer.
Would be nice to spend a day in set watching it all happen.
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