Why don't they ask characters to phone in the movies like people do in real life?

pengbuzz

Sr Member
I can see a future thread where people are going to b*tch because they don't ask a character to phone...like in real life!
As joberg postulated this, I thought I'd help him out and make the thread for him: Why don't they ask characters to phone in the movies like people do in real life?

Joberg! The future is HERE!!!


Discuss!

:lol:
 

eethan

Master Member
RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
ahah, this is sily obviously but for some reason, it struck a nerve with me, we have been watching the old school series "Bones" lately, and you know, in that series, the characters are constantly on the phone and they are constantly hanging up on each other in a very rude manner, just like it was natural to just stop talking and hang up. and this is so weird!
 

joberg

Legendary Member
Yep...I don't understand that type of behavior:rolleyes::unsure: Very impolite in my World! Having been a receptionist for a number of years; it gets me every time:mad: I guess phone etiquette is different in every country...but puh...lease! It seems that, in spy movies, a lot of people are phoning (FBI/CIA) or going to phone "Upstairs" when the situation is getting iffy...
 

eethan

Master Member
RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
Yep...I don't understand that type of behavior:rolleyes::unsure: Very impolite in my World! Having been a receptionist for a number of years; it gets me every time:mad: I guess phone etiquette is different in every country...but puh...lease! It seems that, in spy movies, a lot of people are phoning (FBI/CIA) or going to phone "Upstairs" when the situation is getting iffy...
Ahah yeah, something else that gets me as well, "Can you give us the room?" Who does that? lol. If you want privacy, you leave, you don't ask all the others to leave...
 

Riceball

Master Member
I think that the answer to this question is that sometimes things are done the way they are because films, TV shows, and plays, aren't necessarily 100% accurate representations of how things work in real life. There are union rules, and ease of production that factor into how things are done. Union rules about people speaking are why you get scenes where some extra interacts with a lead actor silently when in real life they would say something, even if it's just a simple yes or no, or even just a grunt. And for the whole "give us the room" thing, it's probably because it's easier to film the extras leaving the set than the other way around, you don't have to change the lighting and the camera setups, and most likely there isn't a set built of the outside of the room they're in. So by having the extras leave, it saves both time and money.
 

joberg

Legendary Member
I think that the answer to this question is that sometimes things are done the way they are because films, TV shows, and plays, aren't necessarily 100% accurate representations of how things work in real life. There are union rules, and ease of production that factor into how things are done. Union rules about people speaking are why you get scenes where some extra interacts with a lead actor silently when in real life they would say something, even if it's just a simple yes or no, or even just a grunt. And for the whole "give us the room" thing, it's probably because it's easier to film the extras leaving the set than the other way around, you don't have to change the lighting and the camera setups, and most likely there isn't a set built of the outside of the room they're in. So by having the extras leave, it saves both time and money.
Or, sometimes, in scenes where a top secret level is about to be discussed and can only be heard by X can they ask some, who don't have the appropriate level, to leave the room. It's true that, returning to phone calls, it's been a while since I heard someone asking another person to phone a #:unsure:
 

cboath

Master Member
Well the just hanging up bit i've heard is because saying 'goodbye' or whatever takes time. TV shows are constantly squeezed for time - i think an hour long show is down to 44 minutes of show and 16 minutes of commercials, so they cut every second they can to cut down on run time and 'talk to you later' is a casualty.
 

NeoRutty

Master Member
RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
When we were kids, my brother and I just assumed it was an American thing - they just hang up on each other…

So we did that for years as a running joke… just mid convo… as soon as I got what I needed I’d just hang up.

“American TV Farewell”
 
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