GPC and Green Screen vs Practical Effects

I like the experience so far and enjoy the process. I just had a couple of humble suggestions. I think the GPC (gypsie) inputs felt like an afterthought and she blocked the left half of the screen when she did pop up. If she does have to provide some needed input during the movie I think she should be included with the trio and participate in the moment. Do it live.
Also I like practical effects; and some of the charm of the original series was the set designs and other attentions to detail prior to the heavy use of CGI and green screens we have been forced to consume. I think that MST3K should do more with practical effects and intricate set designs instead of relying on green screen.
thanks. and gobbless

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The green screens were because of strict limitations from Covid.

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I would pledge big money to a kickstarter that would build a practical bridge set with a Hexfield ViewScreen.

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GPC’s schedule is very tight, given that she has to spend most of her time monitoring the higher functions of the Satellite/Simulator of Love, so sometimes she’s just not available to riff live and they have to make do.

It’s kinda like how the shooting schedule is entirely at the whim of Cambot. That bot is such a diva.

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And yet incredibly shy.

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I like practical effects, too. But there are limitations here. Not just covid. Budget, time, studio space… They needed to make as much show as they could without a studio backing them, with only the money from the KS. Joel pointed out that doing so much via green screen also gave them the flexibility to shoot people where they were instead of having to pay to fly them out for an overnight.

The Netflix seasons switched the theater segments to entirely CGI. That’s why Servo is able to fly in the theater. They also mentioned in the Q&A at the end of Beyond Atlantis that GPC was added to the host segments in post production, sometimes before her lines were even scripted.

This season, unless I’m mistaken, they switched back to filming the theater segments in Shadowrama. And GPC is included in the host segments as a physical puppet. (The jet screen is still added in post, of course.) So it’s kind of a mix now.

Joel said he feels like, even though it’s green screen, in a way the show is returning to its DIY roots. It’s low budget and just working with what they’ve got. And unapologetic about it. Whether it’s Joel goofing around with cheap props he glued together the night before or Felicia standing in front of a green screen with a cartoon moon base on it, it’s still MST3K just having fun and being as clever as they can with the tools they have.

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I can vouch that all the Netflix seasons were shot in the traditional MST3K Style. Servo flying and other things like the censor drones were shot practically. They were added in in post after the fact but Servo flying and Crow climbing the vines, etc were done live with real props, not CGI

Russ Walko, Erik Kuska, Tim Blaney and Carla Rudy help Servo fly during Season 11.

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Oh wow. I guess I heard wrong. That’s so cool. Thank you!

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Had no idea. That is so, so cool.

Am I the only one who knew way earlier that Servo wasn’t CGI?

That’s really impressive. I remember how weird it was to see Servo just floating to his seat unassisted and thinking “Oh, they just CGIed him in,” and then having my mind blown when I saw one of the Season 12 trailers, and there was a brief shot demonstrating the green suit puppeteers bringing him in.

I still didn’t make the connection that all of the shadow gags were practical.

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I still need to catch up with the Netflix seasons because I never had an account with them. I did enjoy the comic book series that came out of that from Dark Horse and I hope they do that again. Lots of golden age comics in the public domain that are ripe for the riffing.