Television Motion Picture

a feature film created especially to be shown over a television broadcasting network, with consideration given to the technical capabilities of television and to the particular way in which viewers perceive images on a television screen. Television motion pictures are usually photographed on film with motion-picture cameras; however, since the mid-1970’s, they have also been produced on magnetic tape, with the picture and sound recorded by videotape recorders.

In the production of a television motion picture, consideration is given to the dimensions of the television screen, which are smaller than those of a movie screen. For this reason, television motion pictures usually differ from conventional motion pictures in their artistic organization: they have fewer long shots, do not show fine image details, and, when photographed on film, exhibit a narrower range of densities and reduced image contrast. In television broadcasting practice, television motion pictures are usually full-length or multisegment films designed for repeated showing; however, they may also be designed to be shown a limited number of times, for example, motion pictures of estrada (variety stage) performances.

When television motion pictures are photographed on film, both 35-mm and 16-mm negative and reversal film are used. Such films provide adequate image quality on a television screen and are less expensive than the 35-mm film used in cinematography. Images recorded on magnetic tape may be rerecorded on film and vice versa.