Wooden beam

Why was there a large wooden beam in what was Monica and Rachel's apartment during season three? And why did it only appear for a few episodes? Does anyone know? Thanx

"David Hearn" skrev i melding news:ae5gjl$4l9$[email]...

apartment

It was appearantly a trademark of James Burrows. Whenever he directed an episode they put it up because he liked to have a foreground piece cutting across the scene. That's why you only see it from time to time.

All this and more intersting tidbits can be found if you listen to the producers commentary on the season 1 DVDs.

"David Hearn" wrote:

During one of the earlier episodes (TOW the giant poking device), Monica was swinging Ben around when she hit his head on the beam. It was put in there for this purpose, then was worked out because it cluttered the scene.

"David Hearn" asked:

In article , "AirPurifier" replied:

In article , "Michael Wilcox" replied:

You guys are getting a bit confused over the three parts of the beam.

First of all, there's the horizontal part that goes along the ceiling, which is rarely in place since of course the set is normally without a ceiling for lighting purposes. I can't think of an episode where it's shown: it wasn't in 316 "TOT Morning After", during the mopping scene; and not in 311 "TOW Chandler Can't Remember Which Sister", when Rachel is showing off her Adam's apple.

Second of all, there is the vertical part with an angled strut that runs up the 'fourth wall' (the invisible dividing line between the set and the audience). This is the part that Hakon Jegstad is talking about. As he says, that has been visible in occasional episodes ever since the first season, especially when James Burrows directed; but also whenever the fourth wall is in place for reverse-angle shots.

Third of all, there is the vertical part with an angled strut that runs up the kitchen wall, and that is a permanent part of the set, visible in every episode which features Monica's apartment. It was this part of the beam which Ben struck in 308 "TOW the Giant Poking Device". Of course that happened just out of shot (CC didn't really hurt the child) but it wasn't the ceiling beam which is higher up.

Tennant Stuart

I ment the beam that Ross ran into when Monica chased him.

Tennant Stuart wrote in message news:[email]...

In article , "David Hearn" wrote:

Oh okay, that was the part of the beam in the second paragraph above.

You'll have to be a little flexible here. In Monica's apartment, the beam is very solid, it is always there, the fourth wall is always in place, and when Ross hit that beam he also banged into the wall.

In fact, it's just a set, and the beam is on the dividing line between fantasy & reality, so it's only visible if it needs to be, just like the wall; and when David Schwimmer carefully bumped into the beam, it shook slightly, and his shoulder swung a bit too far over to the left.

Tennant

"David Hearn" wrote in message news:...

That beam was still around in 809. Will (Brad Pitt) leans on it while he's talking to Ross.

Priya