All My Children AMC: The Prospect Park Era (old production thread)

[EricMontreal22]

I'm confused as to what I said to set you off... To some extent of course, all commercial programming is a marketing tool, but I think (I think) I know what you mean.

I can't see GH hiring Clair/Wendy. At all. Network TV is dying--at least scripted. Look at primetime where they are scrambling to do high concept shows to compete with cable and largely failing at it. If the online soaps are a success, the only thing network tv will think is "Hey maybe we should get into web programming too," I guarantee the execs won't see "Oh, this storytelling--if it is--is more character based maybe we should do that" and they're all scared so will not be backing away from interfering.

Bill Bell trained and worked closely with Kay Alden for years. People were a bit mixed about her work after he left, but I think many Y&R fans would want her back (she's on the B&B writing team right now.)

Yep, because the photographer asked them to, I am certain, and that's all.

[AllMyDaysatGH]

I can't think of anyone really. What a huge mistake if they dont continue David/Cara's relationship, IMO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFBKuyCKAMg

[marceline]

I want to see where each of these characters are right now as individuals before I even begin to think about pairings. Frankly, I'm hoping that these shows veer away from the obsessive couple mentality that has infected the genre for the last few years.

[alexisfan07]

The only two actors swapping places was totally random? No. We know Zach and Jesse are in story together with Cassandra and JR being near his son and mom also makes sense (even if he and Cara do not share a single scene). To act like a strategically placed photo with actors grouped by family or storyline doesn't exist her is asinine.

[EricMontreal22]

Amen. I know it's just fun, but I find it insane to even spend the time thinking who should be matched by looking at a promo video (but I admit, I'm a weird soap fan in that I barely ever think of characters as couples--unless it's, like, Ruth/Joe.)

Have you ever been to a photo shoot? I have, including some for tv, and in my experience often the photographer will ask only one or two people to switch places. You could be right--maybe the writers or producers were there telling the photographer how to do his job, but...

[John]

Where is there a pic where AJ is next to JR?

[Cheap21]

I wonder if they are reconstructing the sets to look exactly like the old ones or if we are getting brand new buildings across the board. You know since there is a 5 year gap, they can say PV got hit with another hurricane, but this one was so devastating that they had to completely rebuild a lot of the homes. How ironic if they said Hurricane Brian nearly destroyed the town.

[alexisfan07]

No I haven't but answer me this: who came up with the initial actor placement? Cause there's no way these people are grouped by families and storylines by happenstance

It's somewhere in the two ET videos, you can see that Ryan and Darnell swapped places, you might have to pause to notice it, I was taking screencaps and noticed haha

[SFK]

I totally agree, I have never been a "couples" person. Unless you count Erica and Brooke or Adam as couples. And that's all based on the strength of the individual characters and how well they play off of one another. I don't watch soaps for romance.

[EricMontreal22]

Probably primarily the photographer did. That's his (her?) job. I'm sure he was told certain characters who should be emphasized, but otherwise...

[marceline]

I have too and you're right. Sometimes it's just a issue of height and wardrobe.

[EricMontreal22]

Agreed. I mean, ok, I have enjoyed some romance storylines for sure--but it's more about what the actual story is and how interesting I find the character writing.

[EricMontreal22]

Exactly--obviously someone paid some attention to who is who character wise, but I don't think it's more than that. Vee mentioned the Melrose Place prints ads which often had people just posed ina pretty looking ensemble regardless of story ideas. But if people have fun trying to make connections between actors and characters they've never even seen on screen yet and it makes them excited and passes the time until we see episodes, I should quit spoiling their fun.

[SFK]

I hope we get all new sets. With the exception of Erica's penthouse, none of the new California sets did much for me so I'd love it if they reinvisioned things. BTW, where was Bianca living at the end of the show? With Kendall and Zach? Was wondering if she'd be in Erica's penthouse.

I think the Hubbards should buy Phoebe's house. Debbi and Darnell have jokingly wondered why the PVH COS and PVPD Chief are couped up in a shoe condo.

[All My Shadows]

I don't particularly watch for romance, either, now that I think about it. When a couple gets together and I like them together, sure, it's fantastic, and I stan hard for them. But I've never really needed relationship stories. Honestly, more often than not, a couple falling out of love is more entertaining than a couple falling in love.