There are things I like about the "new look" (though I kind of assume it will be temporary).

Like:

Improved overall lighting, less harsh

Cheap sets look less so

Primetime feel

Dislike:

Low angle lighting at ConTusion (at lighted bars and elsewhere) that's very very UNFLATTERING to some very very beautiful actors and that's just wrong. It gives us either a totally washed out into the etherpale and too blonde Di or Kendall in horror movie lighting. Bad idea, poor execution or both.

Digital filter used to created fauxfilm look creates some miniscule distance or invisible wall between viewer and actors. Reduces the intimacy of the medium which is a vital, signature component of soaps.

I have the same issue with the reverbed, speaking-into-a-soup can sound. Not sure if the sound changes are directly related to the visual gimmickry or if it's a totally separate effect. Again, distracting, reduces intimacy, dialogue harder to distingush in loud club setting...bad idea.

Handheld camera. It's fine and I appreciate the attempt at a fresh way of looking at PV, but the NYPD-style of handheld camerawork being done needs to go. It works in the club scenes when used judiciously and naturally would be appropriate for action sequences. But for other scenes including quiet ones like the one with Erica, Jack and Jeff recently, herky-yerky becomes wearying and distracts from the drama onscreen.

It's use ALL visual and other gimmickry to support the action onscreen not distract from it. My point is if there's this much discussion about the visual effects, they're not using them properly. And I don't object to all visual gimmickry if the visual style *works* with stories being told. I liked the split-screen stuff we got during the Michael and Lena corporate espionage story.

I do want to say that I sincerely appreciate that they're trying something to freshen the look of the show. AMC needs it badly. I may not like all their choices but I'm thankful someone's at least aware of the problem and is trying to address it.

However, NOTHING they can do production-wise means anything as long as McTavish is still cranking out her special brand of insanity. We need a writer, a writer, a writer, a writer. All else is secondary.

Darn! I think the "film look" will be gone tomorrow (judging from the previews). I was just getting used to it, too!

Hmmm. Sunset Beach and The City tried this film look once upon a time...and now they're dead (loved both:( ) Let' keep the soaps on tape. Plus, Zack said "he wanted her clone" when speaking to Dixie today. We don't need another one of those on the soaps either:) The last time I remember watching a soap and thinking "wow..this looks classy" was Guiding Light around 1997 when Paul Raunch took over as EP built all those new sets and turned the lights on REALLY bright.

Darn! I think the "film look" will be gone tomorrow (judging from the previews). I was just getting used to it, too!

I hope you are right because I don't like it. I don't feel like I'm watching All My Children.

At first I didn't like it, but now I love it! I hope it's here to stay. Reminds me of how they do some primetime shows

I would be upset that the film look will be gone... but considering I turned today's show off before the halfway mark, I guess even the film look couldn't keep me interested for long... so adios!

Get RID OF MCTAVISH!

Hmmm. Sunset Beach and The City tried this film look once upon a time...and now they're dead (loved both:( ) Let' keep the soaps on tape. Plus, Zack said "he wanted her clone" when speaking to Dixie today. We don't need another one of those on the soaps either:) The last time I remember watching a soap and thinking "wow..this looks classy" was Guiding Light around 1997 when Paul Raunch took over as EP built all those new sets and turned the lights on REALLY bright.

I don't think you can blame the film-look on the fact that SuBe and CITY were cancelled...

NAY for me...

To me, it feels like the image is on FF yet I can still listen to what they are saying.

I don't like it, but I'll catch the entire episode tomorrow.

Darn! I think the "film look" will be gone tomorrow (judging from the previews). I was just getting used to it, too!

Are they effing stupid?! This was SO much better than the 'cheap' look.

Actually in the previews it still looked like they were using it. Hard to tell for certain or not

Yay and Nay.

I'm watching right now on SoapNet and the show has a much more rich, smooth visual appeal. The lighting is much better, and everything's not so starchy and dark. I like that. I still wish they'd do more with their sets, though. Homes on this show looks so unrealistic. They LOOK like sets... does that make sense?

The film look was definitely a positive change, but they could've kept the camera a bit more still. There's no need in shaking it all around just for the hell of it. For an action scene or something, sure... do it. But don't have it just shaking everywhere crazily when two characters are just standing there talking. It's too distruptive and it gives me a dizzying headache!

Yay and Nay.

I'm watching right now on SoapNet and the show has a much more rich, smooth visual appeal. The lighting is much better, and everything's not so starchy and dark. I like that. I still wish they'd do more with their sets, though. Homes on this show looks so unrealistic. They LOOK like sets... does that make sense?

The film look was definitely a positive change, but they could've kept the camera a bit more still. There's no need in shaking it all around just for the hell of it. For an action scene or something, sure... do it. But don't have it just shaking everywhere crazily when two characters are just standing there talking. It's too distruptive and it gives me a dizzying headache!

I agree about the 'shakes,' lol. But that filmed look is just incredible! And it's not like it looks exactly like "The West Wing;" If this were done with a computer program and they had a choice of setting it from 1 to 10, I'd say they set it on 6. You could still see it was just a mix of 'cheap' and 'film,' if that makes any sense, lol.

But I freaking LOVED it. No joke. No lie. Does it cost more money to do this or what?

As for the camera angles, my FAVORITE angle was Krystal and the old guy (memory slip!) coming in Confusion. It was so lopsided but it worked, and it was something you could NOT do with a boring, stationary camera. All soaps need to go handheld. You really do get more "in the thick" of the drama, as someone said. There are no bounds and it's more intimate.

I like that the sets seem lighter. I think the odd camera angles worked very well at the Confusion party, but elsewhere they do not work for me at all. It feels like a first year artsy-fartsy film student high on caffiene and self-importance thinking he is all cool with his cutting-edge camera work when in reality what he is doing is making the audience sea-sick. If you notice the camera work to the extent we do, then it is not working. It is a distraction and takes away from the storytelling. Of course since the storytelling sucks lately, then that might be what TPTB are going for.

Whatever. I want the professor of Film 101 to come in and snatch the camera from Artsy-Student and tell him his "cutting edge technique" is not only amateurish and completely wrong for the subject matter, it is about as "cutting edge" as the phrase "cutting edge", which is to say not at all.

I like that the sets seem lighter. I think the odd camera angles worked very well at the Confusion party, but elsewhere they do not work for me at all. It feels like a first year artsy-fartsy film student high on caffiene and self-importance thinking he is all cool with his cutting-edge camera work when in reality what he is doing is making the audience sea-sick. If you notice the camera work to the extent we do, then it is not working. It is a distraction and takes away from the storytelling. Of course since the storytelling sucks lately, then that might be what TPTB are going for.

Whatever. I want the professor of Film 101 to come in and snatch the camera from Artsy-Student and tell him his "cutting edge technique" is not only amateurish and completely wrong for the subject matter, it is about as "cutting edge" as the phrase "cutting edge", which is to say not at all.

Damn, that's harsh! Well, as a former film student, I agree that cameras should help tell the story and never break the fourth wall by being so intrusive...but I disagree that daytime couldn't use a little "cutting edge," no matter how bizarre. I can't STAND when we watch soaps and all we see is that stationary camera, panning and tilting (but mostly just standing perfectly still--aka boring) on talking heads. I HATE talking heads. Let's see some action! And well, if budget cuts won't allowit, maybe we can fake it with the camera moves,lol. So I just loved AMC yesterday. And I can't say enough about the new look. Bye, bye, cheap piece o' crap soap look!

I love it too! I just wonder it's going to be around even after the opening of the bar and stuff.