Matthew Perry was more than just Chandler from Friends. After Friends ended, he guest starred on the West Wing, The Good Wife, and other hit series. He starred in a few good (but short-lived) TV series. In these series, he explored issues that were more personal to him. The one-season comedy series Go On starred Perry as a man who’s wife had died. He seeks comfort from a quirky support group. He also played the iconic Oscar Madison in a 2015 reboot of the Odd Couple.

My favorite of his projects was Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. This Aaron Sorkin-created series featured Perry as the head comedy writer of a Saturday Night Live style sketch comedy show. It was Matthew Perry and Aaron Sorkin at their best.

Matthew Perry was an awesome talent. His loss is a great sadness.

It’s true, I voted for Walter Mondale to be our President.

In 1984, at Eastbrook Middle School’s mock presidential election, I stood against the vast majority of my fellow 6th graders and voted for the seemingly miniscule man that was going up against the incumbent movie star, Ronald Reagan.

Why did I do that?

At the awkward age of 11, my political conscience was just barely starting to develop. I really didn’t know much about Walter Mondale, other than he served as vice-president. to Jimmy Carter. Looking back, my vote for Mondale was obviously influenced by his connection.

Jimmy Carter’s life is unique, even for a President. Born and raised in southern Georgia during the depression, Carter rose to become a naval officer, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy. In 1962, he was elected as a Georgia state senator, and then governor in 1971. In 1976, he was elected as the 39th President of the United States.

His stint as President was considered lackluster. He made positive strides on peace in the Middle East and negotiated a nuclear arms treaty with the Soviet Union. However, these successes were overshadowed by high inflation, a fuel crisis, and a poor relationship with Congress. The fate of his presidency was sealed when a series of blunders during the Iran Hostage Crisis destroyed his chances of getting a second term. He was soundly defeated by Ronald Reagan in 1980.

Historically, when a president isn’t elected for a second term, that person’s public life is over. They leave the White House and spend their remaining years in various (usually recreational) pursuits. Not so with Jimmy Carter. Carter used his prominence to bring attention to those who suffered from hunger, disease, and poverty. He made a commitment to address human rights issues, and sought to resolve conflicts in countries around the world. His writings pointed out hypocrisy and corruption in all areas of society, both foreign and domestic.

Carter and his wife Rosalynn founded the Carter Center. The Carter Center is a non-partisan humanitarian and human rights organization. They have played an integral part in the eradication of diseases in several parts of the world, most notably Guinea Worm disease. The Center has also worked to resolve violent conflicts in many developing countries. Each year, the Carter Center dispatches poll monitors to countries around the world to ensure fair and safe elections.

Through the Carter Center, President Carter has worked to help fledgling democracies hold free and fair elections. For this effort, his life has been endangered on a few occasions, and his activism has drawn stern criticism from his adversaries, and sometimes…his friends.

The Carter’s commitment to service goes beyond the Carter Center. Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit housing organization that has built thousands of homes for families in need. The Carters have taken time every year to bring attention to this cause.

His dedication to serve the world earned the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

When it came to being President, most would say that Jimmy Carter left much to be desired. Little did we know that the White House was just an early stop in the journey of a man who would use his fame to provide peace and health to millions across the globe. It would seem that the job of President was too restrictive for him. His true potential, his dedication to serving all of humanity, would flourish after he left the White House behind.

He is a man too good to be President; an example for all of us (especially former presidents) to follow.

Justice League’s Superman, Henry Cavill, was already shooting Mission: Impossible 6 - Fallout when the reshoots were ordered. In MI:6, Cavill’s character has a mustache. MI:6’s producers forbade him to shave it for the reshoots. In a pinch, Whedon decided to use CGI to remove the mustache. The results appeared in Joss Whedon’s Justice League in 2017

The rest is movie history…

Thankfully, Snyder returned to the project to finish his version. Zack Snyder’s Justice League was released to positive reviews in 2021.

We've all seen instances of shiny faces, busy patterns on suits, and wild hairstyles. I've had instances in my career when guests have shown up wearing a bright white blouse, a herringbone sport coat, or a skirt that’s too short, and much of what they talk about is lost by the distraction of how they look. In each of these instances, I wish I had taken the time to send them some tips on how to dress for television.
I'm not that snappy a dresser myself, so I feel a little weird sending people direction on how to dress. But that's when you must remember the "They'll Thank You Later," principle. Any embarrassment that comes from being told how to dress will melt away once they see how good they look on the screen.
I have compiled this list of do's and don'ts to help your talent look great in front of the camera. Feel free to use it to protect your talent's look (and your reputation) from an embarrassing television appearance.

THE DO's

• Dress Simply - Unless the talent’s clothing is part of their signature look, (such as a fashion designer or Lady Gaga) it's better to wear clothing that doesn't stand out. People need to remember what the talent says in an interview, not what they’re wearing. Most pros agree that the safest color for TV is blue, and pastel shirts work well on TV. Solid-color ties are also a good idea.

• Wear a Shirt or Jacket with a Collar or a Lapel - A lot of women's clothing is devoid of pockets and collars. Men sometimes wear turtlenecks or T-shirts. Make sure that your sound person has a place to locate a lapel microphone by having your talent wear garments such as button-up shirts with collars or jackets with a lapel. Having a convenient pocket for locating the battery pack is also helpful. 

• Make Sure That the Talent’s Clothes Fit – Wearing clothes that are too big can make the talent look dumpy. Clothes that are too small can pull, bind, or possibly show too much skin. Make sure that participants wear clothes that are comfortable, but not too loose. Also, make sure they are modestly covered when sitting.

• Avoid Wearing Jewelry that Moves or Makes Noise – Dangly jewelry could hit the microphone, and what sounds in the studio like a slight click of metal touching the mic can sound like a deafening crash in the editing bay. Also, avoid jewelry that is extra shiny, it can reflect the light and cause lens flares.

• Be Wrinkle Free - Make sure that the talent's clothes are well pressed. High definition video is very unforgiving and just a little bit of wrinkled clothing can be distracting. In our studio, we keep a clothes steamer and wrinkle release spray handy.

THE DON'TS

• Don’t Wear White - White glows and becomes the most noticeable thing on the TV screen. If you do wear white, consider wearing a dark jacket over it.

• Don’t Wear Red - This is not as big a problem as it once was back in the days of analog video. But, shades of red can bleed on camera and cause a trail effect whenever your talent moves. That's great for a '70's disco show, but not great for a serious television interview. 

• Avoid Wearing Black - Black is too harsh and requires a lot of light to create contrast. It can make it look like the talent is just a floating head on screen. If you'll notice, most newscasters wear a gray or dark blue jacket. These colors provide a good outline while also allowing the texture of the fabric to be seen. 

• Don’t Wear Stripes, Checks, Herringbone, or Clothes with Small Intricate Designs - Sometimes, clothes with stripes or tight patterns create a shimmering effect. This happens when the pattern of the garment competes with the frame rate of the camera. Tight patterned clothing can sometimes appear to move independently from the person wearing it. The talent moves one way, and the pattern moves the other way...it's just weird. When in doubt, go with a solid color. 

• No visible logos of companies or brands (unless they’re paying the bill for the project!)

Regarding Make-Up... 

Men often try to avoid having make-up put on them before an interview. If they are not professional on-air talent, they are probably already a little nervous, and the idea of putting on make-up just makes it worse. In situations like this, I find that explaining the technical reasons for putting on the make-up makes men more comfortable. If you must put some powder on a gentleman’s bald head, tell him that it is to eliminate excessive shine on their skin (don’t say bald head) and it’s important in order to get a good shot.

Most women already know the benefits of make-up, and they usually show up at the studio wearing what they think will look good on-camera. Just make sure that what they are wearing compliments them, and tactfully help them make adjustments if necessary.

The most important thing about looking good on television is just to relax. Making TV is fun! Keeping your talent at ease will help with all the aspects of the production. Don’t be a cliché director who yells and screams. Keep a low-key, friendly studio environment, and things will go well.

They’ll thank you for it later…

A practical effect is a special effect produced physically, without computer-generated imagery or other post production techniques. 

– Wikipedia

Welcome to the Practical Effects blog. My name is Greg Starks, and I am a writer, media producer, and audio/visual technologist living in Atlanta, GA.

I created the Practical Effects blog as a place for people to talk about the use of technology in ways that make our world a better place. When I say, "a better place," I don't just don't mean technological advancement. I want to share stories about how people use technology to actually make life on earth better. Can big data be used to predict the weather? How has LIDAR technology improved the study of archaeology? These are the kind of issues that Practical Effects would like to explore.

I chose the name “Practical Effects” because I also want my readers to share how they use technology to positively affect to real life. Whether it be refurbishing old computers to be used by low income families, or growing vegetables using hydroponics, Practical Effects is a place where innovation is shared for the benefit of the world.
If you have an idea for a post that you would like to share here, contact me.If you see a story online that would be good for our community to see, contact me.If you have undertaken a project that you would like to share, contact me.
I welcome input from anyone who has something worth discussing.
Thank you visiting Practical Effects. Please leave a comment below and let me know what else you would like to see on this blog.

Thanks!

Greg Starks

Publisher