History Main / DrivingADesk

* The ''Film/AustinPowers'' movies also use the technique as a joke.

* Done deliberately in ''Film/KillBill''.

* This tended to happen in a lot of tokusatsu shows, including ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' and the ''Series/MetalHeroes'' series (carrying over into their American adaptations, ''Series/PowerRangers'', ''Series/VRTroopers'' and ''Series/BigBadBeetleborgs''), typically when depicting the in-suit actors together with the giant robot/giant monster/vehicle footage or the like. As time went on, this lessened in favor of better digital effects; the various American shows used green-screening but no rear projection which could look better or worse than the Japanese footage.

* Often averted on ''Series/QuantumLeap'', but very visible in the episode "It's a Wonderful Leap", which has Sam driving a taxi against a very obvious Chroma Key background. The episode is heavy on conversations in the cab, and it allows Sam to do things such as check out his brand-new reflection in the mirror - [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome which, in-universe, causes him to take his eyes off the road and hit a pedestrian]].

* Often averted on ''Series/QuantumLeap'', but very visible in the episode "It's a Wonderful Leap", which has Sam driving a taxi against a very obvious Chroma Key background. The episode is heavy on conversations in the cab, and it allows Sam to do things such as check out his brand-new reflection in the mirror - [[RealityEnsues which, in-universe, causes him to take his eyes off the road and hit a pedestrian]].

* Often averted on ''Series/QuantumLeap'', but very visible in the opening scene of the episode "It's a Wonderful Leap", which has Sam driving a taxi against a very obvious Chroma Key background. This is so he can check out his brand-new reflection in the mirror - [[RealityEnsues which, in-universe, causes him to take his eyes off the road and hit a pedestrian]].

** While the bobsled chase in ''Film/OnHerMajestysSecretService'' was mainly shot on the actual run, the actors were not able to actually operate a bobsled so they had to have stunt doubles do the actual sledding instead. They tried to avert this as much as possible with tricks such as having the stunt double duck to avoid a bullet as they pass the camera, but in close-up shots of the action where you can easily see their faces, a blue-screen was used. Unfortunately, the fabric that makes it up can be noticed.

* The steering of the driver clearly not matching the movement of background,
* The driver jerks the steering wheel left and right when it is implied they are driving on a straight road.

* As noted by [[Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000 Tom Servo]], ''Film/PumaMan'' can rear-project major cities as he flies, like a puma.

* Variant: ''WesternAnimation/DastardlyAndMuttleyInTheirFlyingMachines'' gave us a flying desk in "Camouflage Hoparoo." When the pen is pushed, the front of the desk opens so Dastardly can catch Yankee Doodle Pigeon in it. Does it work? [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption Do chickens have lips?]]

** While the bobsled chase in ''Film/OnHerMajestysSecretService'' was mainly shot on location, the actors were not able to actually operate a bobsled, so in close-up shots of the action where you can easily see their faces, a blue-screen was used. Unfortunately, the fabric that makes it up can be noticed.

Rear projection essentially fell out of use with the advent of the ChromaKey, which nonetheless kept some of its problems. It was finally sealed up with the prevalence of computer graphics and special-built flatbed-like vehicles to carry and film cars (such as the one [[http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q26/extremehead/crash91.jpg shown here]]). Used nowadays, rear projection or poorly done chroma key is mostly considered a SpecialEffectFailure, or a special shoutout to films of the past. The [[TropeNamer trope name is a reference]] to how they always end up looking like Creator/ConanOBrien who has a recurring [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XMeUWMDyOg comedy bit where he "drives" his desk]] out of the television studio using (deliberately cheap-looking) rear projection effects.

Rear projection essentially fell out of use with the advent of the ChromaKey, which nonetheless kept some of its problems. It was finally sealed up with the prevalence of computer graphics and special-built flatbed-like vehicles to carry and film cars (such as the one [[http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q26/extremehead/crash91.jpg shown here]]). Used nowadays, rear projection or poorly done chroma key is mostly considered a SpecialEffectFailure, or a special shoutout to films of the past. The [[TropeNamer trope name is a reference]] to how they always end up looking like Creator/ConanOBrien who has a recurring [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XMeUWMDyOg comedy bit where he "drives" his desk]] out of the television studio using rear projection effects.

* Many of Creator/AlfredHitchcock's movies. Especially notable for its rather seamless use in ''Film/NorthByNorthwest'', in the scene where Roger O. Thornhill gets attacked by the crop duster. Also notable for the very un-seamless (seamy?) scenes in ''Film/{{Vertigo}}'', where the rear-projection is so bad it sometimes looks like Scottie is driving on the wrong side of the road.

* Notably averted with the famous car chase through the streets of San Francisco in ''Film/{{Bullitt}}''.

* The surfing scenes on ''Series/{{Gidget}}''.

* Parodied in ''Film/{{Amelie}}'': One of the things Amelie does not like are drivers in American films who don't watch the road. Cut to a scene from the American film ''Father's Little Dividend'' where the actor drives a desk and looks at his passenger 99% of the time. In the DVD director's commentary, Jean-Pierre Jeunet comments on how difficult it is to find a clip exhibiting this trope when you're specifically looking for one.

* Oddly averted in Creator/JeanLucGodard's ''Pierrot le Fou''. Most of the driving scenes are real, and seen in medium long shots. An early scene of Ferdinand driving Marianne home, though, has no bluescreen and no attempt at realism. The two simply sit in front of a plain black background while colored lights flash across them and the prop steering wheel.

Has almost zero overlap with the typical activities of the DeskJockey. The second alternative title is a reference to the BlueScreen or ChromaKey (which may be involved in later occurrences of the trope) and not to the UsefulNotes/BlueScreenOfDeath.