The idea was to mix the American format with the ingredients that work in other Italian programmes, and the result is a sort of comedy show which has gained great attention with the public and press.
In line with modern trends for TV studios, the La Pupa e il Secchione studio is a stage in-the-round with the actors in the centre. This structure offers more than one advantage: it centralises the scene, gives more shooting points and improves audience participation. With respect to the traditional stage, however, this solution presents certain problems during the stage-setting phase. "We had to install all the lighting material on the ceiling since there were no other support structures available, while the sound diffusers were hidden inside the set, between one step of the stands and the next," says director of photography Riccardo Barbaglio.
The elements that can be seen are all white, so that they can be coloured at various times during the show. "It was a precise choice, taken during the design stage," continues Barbaglio. "We wanted to be able to 'paint' the whole set with light, using a different colour each time. I often used unusual colours - acid yellows, greens, mauve - that would normally be outlawed from any TV transmission. But this is a 'crazy' programme so the light also has to follow suit!"
The lighting system consists of 28 Alpha Spot HPE 575 units, 30 Alpha Wash 575 units and 28 CP Colour MH units as well as several halogen and conventional projectors. Barbaglio says: "I chose the Clay Paky Alphas for the first time in 2003, because of the quality of the light and the power. Since then I have asked for them specifically in many transmissions that I have directed. They are very versatile projectors that make it possible to interpret any situation in the best way and they are always very reliable."
A complicated situation to manage, both for director Stefano Miniucci and for lighting operator Marco Piva, is that of following the actors on stage. "They are always moving," said Barbaglio, "sometimes totally unpredictably, and we let them do it because it's part of the game. There's no constraint, there is complete freedom of position and the programme benefits from spontaneous action. This required a lot of work, however, because we have to frame all their movements with the right lighting." Piva added: "We trusted the aiming of the projectors in many situations: it's very important, for example, to move from a front view to a silhouette with the certainty of a precise repeat."
(Chris Henry)
