Andy DehnartToday, the cutting-edge geniuses at Gawker finally figured out why MTV’s Laguna Beach looks and feels different from other reality shows. Although Jessica suspected that the series was scripted because of its style, she just discovered that MTV intentionally shot and edited the show like a drama.
This was news, oh, more than a year ago. That’s what happens when you huff too much Page Six: You start reporting year-old things as if they’re new.
Still, in their “investigation,” Gawker managed to dig up two pieces of interesting information: First, they found that cameras aren’t hovering in front of the kids’ faces constantly. “The shots are filmed from at least a block away — think Discovery channel-esque high-powered cameras — so that the kids can roam somewhat unencumbered by the multiple cameramen,” Gawker reports.
Second, the site says that producer/cast member interaction is on “a whole new level.” That’s because “producers at LB prep the kids for days that they’ll be filming. A hypothetical example: ‘Kristin, we’re going to be taping on Thursday. You should call Stephen then, okay? Make sure you talk about these things…'” Thus, producers are able to capture pivotal moments, like both sides of a dramatic phone call.