Cars on tv and in the movies

[Smartass]

Does anyone know why car windows are always open in American tv and movies? I've been wondering since I was a kid....

[maniac0796]

Because they think the film crew is a drivethrough?

[BHML]

presumably to stop cameras/crew reflection...

[StevieBee]

BHML said:

presumably to stop cameras/crew reflection...

This. It's stop any unwanted reflection which is the bane of any director / cameraman.

Quite often, actors in a car will have a white sheet or reflector on their laps, out of sight, to reflect light up to their faces. The glass from windows will pick this up. Most rearward facing shots into cars are normally shot with the car on a trailer or with a green screen and the windscreen removed totally for the same reason.

[Negative Creep]

I guess that's also the reason you never see the rear view mirror for the interior shots. Headrests are often missing as well for some reason

[StevieBee]

Negative Creep said:

Headrests are often missing as well for some reason

Slightly different reason for this.

The distance between passenger and driver is too great for screen. It creates "dead space" between the actors. To overcome this, the passenger will sit with one bum cheek on the centre console. Headrests would therefore look odd.