™Create a free account to see where Behind the Scenes is streaming, with prices and your services first.
Where to watch
Not available to stream in US
🔔 Notify me about new seasonsSynopsis
Behind the Scenes was a 10-part television miniseries aimed towards 8- to 12-year-olds about various aspects of the arts, that was broadcast on PBS in 1992. The series was executive produced by Alice Stewart Trillin and Jane Garmey, produced and directed by Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer, and hosted by Penn & Teller. It was developed to illuminate the creative process underlying the working of artists. The series was funded by The National Endowment for the Arts, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, the Nathan Cummings Foundation, the Bingham Trust and McDonald's.
Episodes
Create a free account to track the episodes you’ve watched.
- E1 Drawing Illusion of Depth with David HockneyNext upAug 11, 1992
Synopsis
Artist David Hockney draws “a walk around a chair.” Also: singer Bobby McFerrin provides musical accompaniment for the animated adventures of “Flatman.”
- E2 Photography Framing with Carrie Mae WeemsAug 11, 1992
Synopsis
Carrie Mae Weems demonstrates how photographers create meaning through composition. Also: William Wegman's fanciful video "Surprise Symphony," spotlighting his dog.
- E3 Music Playing Together with Joann FallettaAug 11, 1992
Synopsis
Conductor JoAnn Falletta explains melody and accompaniment ("It's called that because it keeps the melody company," says Penn Jillette). Also: "singing" cows.
- E4 Drawing Line with Wayne ThiebaudAug 11, 1992
Synopsis
Artist Wayne Thiebaud and cartoonist Matt Groening demostrates how lines are used to create shadows and suggest motion. Also: rope tricks with a lariat.
- E5 Theater Setting Scene with Julie TaymorAug 11, 1992
Synopsis
Julie Taymor directs "The Tempest," to demonstrate how costume and set design are used in theater to "create the illusion of being somewhere where we obviously aren't."
- E6 Music Melody with Allen ToussaintAug 11, 1992
Synopsis
Penn and Teller teach kids about melody; composer Allen Toussaint writes a song to demonstrate how repetition and variation are used in creating music. Also: singer Bobby McFerrin and saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom team up for a jam session.
- E7 Painting Color with Robert Gil de MontesAug 11, 1992
Synopsis
Robert Gil de Montes shows how paint color can be used to trick the eye and express an artist's feelings. Also: computer artist Marilyn Ono on the mixing of hues.
- E8 Dance Pattern with David ParsonsAug 11, 1992
Synopsis
David Parsons choreographs a piece about sleep to show how everyday movements can be incorporated into dance; choreographer B.H. Barry stages a mock fight. Also: a montage of dance clips.
- E9 Music Rhythm with Max RoachAug 11, 1992
Synopsis
Max Roach demonstrates rhythm. "Different beat patterns make you move in different ways," says host Penn Jillette. Also: the Blue Man Group.
- E10 Sculpture Balance with Nancy GravesAug 11, 1992
Synopsis
Nancy Graves creates a sculpture in an episode about balance and symmetry. Also: tightrope walker Brian Dewhurst demonstrates how weight affects balance.
Teller
Julie Taymor
Max Roach
Penn Jillette
David Hockney
