those noticeable differences
Hey Gerd,
I would have responded sooner, but the meaning of 'novela' here is unknown to me. For film/TV work, a novella (ie. dramatic work of fiction 30,000 words or less) is sometimes the original format from which a screenplay is written for high budget films.
I have done some film/TV work, and there are several elements making the difference, a couple of which are sensed by the viewer more than they are consciously perceived.
I think the biggest subconscious nuance is sound quality. If you listen carefully, you'll notice the 'hollow' sound of cheaper productions. Sound is one of the most expensive elements of high budget work, but its end effect is meant to be invisible, so it's not something we think about when watching a big screen release, or a better quality made-for-tv.
Other factors are camera movement and use of camera angles-- if you pay attention you'll find that in lower budget productions, particularly soap operas, the camera is pretty static, with the actors moving into place for the camera -- ie. coming and going from a static camera placed in a key position, rather than using multiple angles and takes that are later cut together to achieve the best effect. This saves a great deal of money and time, because every new angle requires a new setup for lighting, etc.
Of course, as others have said, video is used in low budget TV productions because it is much, much cheaper than film. It doesn't have the depth of field, so images are flatter and actually 'too sharp'. As well, lighting is not used for lovely dramatic effect--it takes longer to set up. Good lighting helps to produce the depth one sees in film.
I haven't been living and breathing film for a couple of years now, and am having trouble remembering the technical terms. Yikes.
D
