AMC: "Grossly over-budget"

[kitty1]

Interesting thread..I think one of the differences is that on OLTL, you don't see anyone having their own place. You see Viki's house, you see Dorian's house and occasionally, Todd's house. Everything else takes place at the Cop shop, or some place like Rodi's. John and Brody both live at the AS hotel, yet you haven't seen that set in month. I think that is a big way OLTL saves money, they just find a way not to put many sets up.

[Eric83]

I also read that they film alot of scenes in one place that will air for several weeks (i.e., Rodi's and the Buenos Dias) at one time, so that they won't have to continually bring them out of stock.

[kitty1]

Makes sense, because the actors are always saying now how out or order they film, so they don't know what is coming up when. And when they do need a non public set, lately they seem to use the Cabana set. It is one set they can use for multiple people.

[J.W.S]

OLTL tapes all there scenes by set and then edits them into the correct episodes. This saves tons plus the scene u see on air is usually the first and only take the actors get

[Marley]

For someone who proclaims to love daytime soooo much he sure was downright excited and giddy at the possibility that AMC could be cancelled. I loathe Days, loathe it, but that doesn't mean I would be happy to see it cancelled.

OLTL might be the self proclaimed red headed step child on ABC but AMC is the redheaded step child amongst saop bloggers.

AMC tapes all their scenes by sets as well.

thanks leClerc for starting this thread and thanks Errol et al for shedding some real light on the situation.

[Llantano Incorporated]

I loathe the neon hot pink colored/lit AMC but do not wish it to be cancelled either.

I thought that soap bloggers and fans are loving AMC right now?

OLTL is a pile of garbage 1/2 the time but I am looking forward to the fall.

[OLTL_fan]

Me neither. I dont wish anymore soaps cancelled. Once ABC cancels 1 soap either AMC or OLTL, it shows ABC is out of options and have given up. Once one goes, the other wont be far behind. GH will probably last a few years longer after both are gone.

I think AMC needs to try a little better to stay within budget because their ratings arent good enough to stay above budget.

[Marley]

I think the soap bloggers that actually watch they show loves it (maybe love is too strong of word), lord knows Jamey Giddens doesn't watch it and Nelson sure as hell doesn't watch it.

AMC, as all soaps, has it faults. is it perfect? Hell no but it's in a good place IMO.

They sure are pumping money into GH though. everyday I swear there's a new set and I almost started crying when they had rain the other day. Ooh how I wish we could get some dramatic scene in the rain on AMC.

[Kubla Khan]

Didn't Frons say that AMC cut 20 percent of its production costs with the move to LA? I believe it.

But, just remember this: While the EPs help manage the budget, everything is heavily regulated and directed by Brian Frons. If an EP was spending too much money, going overbudget, or making too many "pricy" decisions, Frons would instantly nix them, or not approve them to begin with. We heard how overbudget AMC was while shooting in New York. I don't think it was a reflection of JHC going on a spending spree - or not managing the budget well, neccessarily - but I think it's more a reflection of the low ratings and the drastically reduced ad revenue coming in. The show had less and less money coming in and it simply couldn't maintain the same line of budget it had been able to enjoy before.

[marceline]

I don't think that any of these bloggers watch all the shows. They pick their favorites and stick with it. Unfortunately there is no real soap press anymore.

[skiman12082004]

I have been DVRing the remaining 6 soaps this summer and I think they all have redeeming qualities. I will admit AMC and B&B have been my favorites this summer. I can't understand how so many threads become about AMC vs. OLTL and which will be canceled first. Obviously ABC doesn't want to cancel any of their soaps. I am sure AMC has saved ABC some money with the move, but as we have learned in this thread there were some other issues at play like the storage space mix up. However, I think that problem will fix itself. The show and or ABC will find an appropriate space to remedy that problem. AMC has only been in LA a little under 10 months and a fete like this has not been typical for daytime. I have faith in JHC and AMC. Long live all the soaps.

[bellcurve]

Don't think me rude, but this is nothing new. Everyone's shooting like this these days.

[marceline]

I can honestly say that you are the only person I've seen who has faith in JHC. As for "long live all soaps", well....

I see people saying "I don't want to see another soap canceled." Personally I've accepted that as inevitable and in some cases, long overdue. I love serial drama but I think we've done a disservice to the genre as a whole by hanging on to these shows. This is the reason we get recycled writers, producers, and stories and why the most mediocre managers have been allowed to go from show to show wreaking havoc while the real visionaries of the genre want nothing more to do with soaps.

Frankly, I consider every canceled show another step towards rebirth so let's get on with it.

[Ann_SS]

Oh, don't you know that this means that you hate soaps and want them all cancelled? LOL! I'll never understand the sentimental attachment to the crap that these writers throw on the screen. As much as I feel for the actors and crew put out of work, the rebirth of genre will be great like the phoenix out of the ashes so to speak. I always think about how the game shows underwent a similar transformation.

[Saving ATWT]

Whenever people come out with statements like this it makes me think a shake up is coming. ATWT is supposedly the lowest cost soap yet it managed to keep more actors on contract than DOOL and AMC. I dislike Goutman, consider him a show killer, but could, rather soon, see him over at AMC. Frons has already raided the writing team and, once the soap press hypes the World finale as 'moving' or something along those lines, Goutman will show up to cut costs and finish the process of killing off the show.