Talk:Frontline (Australian TV series)

Untitled
To create a heightened illusion of grainy documentary realism, footage was taped on hand-held digital video cameras (usually operated by Gleisner and Cilauro) then tranferred onto film and finally transferred back to videotape.  Is there a source for this? I was aware that the bulk of the show was taped on (IIRC) Hi-8 equipment, but I have doubts that they would have gone to the trouble of film transfer, especially on an ABC budget. La hapalo 08:36, 4 Dec 2004 (UTC)
 * I was reading the Frontline book, which says they used Hi-8 tape and put it through the "kine process", which I think is correctly described above. So I just added the reference (and corrected from digital to Hi-8). In answer to your Q, I found on a website somewhere a suggestion that low-budget productions like this can afford to do kine if they have their own kinescope machine, thus avoiding service fees. --Rkundalini 01:42, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

Sitcom?
The text describes Frontline as a situation comedy... I'm not sure I agree. The humour is much more about direct parody of current affairs journalism rather than pertaining to the specific "situations" created by the story-line. But it's been some years since I watched Frontline (alas) so I could be wrong. --Rkundalini 11:46, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

Just had a look at their website and noticed the makers themselves say "Frontline is not a 'sitcom'". In fact, they say that "Frontline is not a 'comedy' in the traditional sense". I'm inclined to agree with them. Unless anyone objects, I'll change the opening sentence to "Frontline is an Australian television program that satirised..." --Rkundalini 12:10, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

Real Life vs. Today Tonight
It was "Real Life" w/stan grant at the time.... not TT. pls stop changing that. it's wrong. Jackk 13:48, 3 January 2006 (UTC)

Yup, you were right, my memory was wrong. I've researched it: Real Life / Stan Grant ended at the end of 1994, repackaged at the start of 1995 as Today Tonight with some states having different presenters. Also I think most TT presenters were female, so less scope for Sitch to mimic them.

I'd still like to refine the paragraph discussing who was parodied, because (a) the article says only the 3rd series parodied ACA/TT, when I reckon all 3 series did; and (b) it is clear (IMHO) that the 1st series targeted both A Current Affair and Real Life. By the 2nd+3rd series Real Life had become Today Tonight but TT was still parodied, e.g. Marty being suspended but still around the office, a direct parody of the "Barcelona Tonight" incident.

Comments?Rocksong 03:30, 4 January 2006 (UTC)

I'm happy with that. From talking to Sitch and Gleisner, it never seemed as if they had specifically targeted any one show in particular.. rather they were attacking all sleazy tabloid-style "news" shows. however, they did insert references to specific shows, such as the Barcelona Tonight affair which you mentioned. Jackk 04:53, 4 January 2006 (UTC)

Insipred by Drop the Dead Donkey?
The linked interview with Rob Sitch (http://www.abc.net.au/wa/stories/s1104477.htm) directly contradicts the statement "Its rapid production schedule was inspired by Drop The Dead Donkey." —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Spiv (talk • contribs) 22:58, 13 May 2006.

New Episode Guide
Hello all, I have added a new episode guide accessable via the template at the bottom of each page, however, do not delete the episodes section on the main page as of yet as i still havn't finished my guide. Thankyou all very much for reading!!! --Aaron J Nicoli 07:08, 10 November 2006 (UTC)

- Please note, I have now removed the shortened episode listing from the main page and the detailed episode guides are accessable via the nav-box at the bottom of the article.

Thankyou, --Aaron J Nicoli 13:02, 10 November 2006 (UTC)

The Siege - As a Commentary
Although the episode The Siege did provide a very witty and incisive commentary on a controversial event that occurred around the time of its airing, the episode was actually written prior to the real-life siege. It was only a coincidence that the episode ended up very accurately parodying the media coverage of the event. 02:32, 1 January 2007 (UTC)


 * Given the mimicing of real events (notably tying up the phone line while interviewing the hostages on air, and the flurry of media criticism afterwards), I have trouble believing that. What is your evidence? Rocksong 02:40, 1 January 2007 (UTC)


 * I just saw "How the hell did we get here?" - one of those retrospective programs, counting down Australian baby boomers' favourite 20 all-time comedies. In the section on Frontline, they replayed tapes of the actual seige (with Mike Willisee), then played part of the Frontline episode. Frontline has Mike Moore copying Willisee's questions, almost word for word. There is absolutely no question: it is a direct parody, not a coincidence. Rocksong 22:47, 9 January 2007 (UTC)

Series 3
I thought the show had a distinct change in flavour for series 3: it was much more about the rich and powerful Mike Moore (a direct parody Mike Willisee), rather than a struggling current affairs show. Did others pick up on this or is it just my WP:Original Research? Rocksong 06:26, 26 March 2007 (UTC)

National variety of English
An IP editor, ignoring all warnings and refusing to use edit summaries, has been repeatedly reverting from Commonwealth English to American English. I am at my limit for 3RR and cannot revert at the moment. The IP has just received a 3RR warning. Comments? - Sum mer PhD  (talk) 05:43, 28 July 2012 (UTC)