Single Camera Techniques

BTEC National Diploma in Creative Media Production

Single Camera Techniques

Single Camera Production Techniques With the introduction of more television channels, some specifically dedicated to drama, the single camera drama production has become very popular with broadcasters and audiences. This means that there should be more opportunities for people with skills in single camera techniques to gain employment in this sector. This might be in terms of technical skills in production or creative skills in developing ideas into production.

Learners will develop the organisational skills required for the planning and implementation of a single camera drama production. They will identify key production roles and take on one or more of these roles during their own production. Consideration of mise-en-scene, cinematography, lighting, use of sound and editing techniques will all be part of the skills learners develop through following this unit.

P1

describe the features of single camera production with some appropriate use of subject terminology

M1 explain the features of single camera production with reference to detailed illustrative examples and with generally correct use of subject terminology D1

comprehensively explain the features of single camera production with reference to elucidated examples and consistently using subject terminology correctly

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BTEC National Diploma in Creative Media Production

Single Camera Techniques

Camera As the name suggests, single camera productions are filmed using one camera. The camera is used as a tool to get the audience ‘into the action / scene’ and its function is to add to the realism and create a more

intimate feel. Single camera productions do, on occasion, shoot with more than one camera but only if there is a particularly difficult scene such as one with a stunt or one that is heavy on dialogue. Directors often favour single camera productions as they have more control over the camera and they are able to set up each and every shot individually. Single camera production also allows you to shoot anywhere; in multi-camera productions you may be more limited due to logistical requirements. Single camera productions require entire scenes, and sections of scenes, to be acted over and over so that the director can capture that scene from various angles and shot lengths. The repetition makes filming more expensive, if filming onto actual film (as opposed to digitally), as film stock is expensive, but it does allow for actors to get into

character.

Lighting The lighting in a single camera production is far easier to control as you can light each shot individually. When shooting with multiple cameras, the light must be adequate for each shot, this can result in scenes being flat and unvaried (it can also look fake/like it has been filmed in a studio). Lighting in single camera is far more intricate and adds to the tone and style of individual scenes.

An example of a basic low key

lighting set-up. In single camera productions, every shot is lit individually to add to the desired tone or intended style.

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BTEC National Diploma in Creative Media Production

Single Camera Techniques

Sound Now that you are in year 2, you should never be relying on the built in microphones to capture audio - they are not good enough. The quality of the audio can enhance and improve a video that would be otherwise OK, or it can make a very well-made video appear amateurish. When filming with a single camera, the shots that are filmed always require a certain amount of overlay; this means starting a little earlier than the shot you are filming and running over a little at the end to iavoid awkward and jumpy transitions. As mentioned earlier, some single camera productions will utilise a second camera in order to capture certain scenes or shots with lots of dialogue. As with all productions, sound effects (Foley sounds, ambient noise and dialogue) can be added or enhanced in post. In a multi-camera production, it can br easier to mic the characters, interviewers or interviewees individually as a lot of multi camera products allow for mics to be

visible within the scene (can you think of any?) whereas in a single camera production you may find that a central or directional microphone will suffice. It is important to remember that not all dialogue used in a scene (that you would see on screen) is from the same take. It is often the case that one take of audio is used over the top of various filmed/visual takes. Over the shoulder shots, cutaways and any restricted narration mean that you don’t always need to see the source of dialogue at all times.

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BTEC National Diploma in Creative Media Production

Single Camera Techniques

Coverage Coverage is the term for the amount of film captured and good coverage means that there are plenty of options when it comes to editing. Not getting enough coverage can lead to having to use a poor piece of footage as you have nothing else to use in its place, for example, if you notice a continuity error but you can’t reshoot. With digital video recording , directors may shoot everything, even rehearsals because the cost is not an issue and the quality of the footage when reusing a digital recording device, like an SD card, does not degrade unlike DV tapes. Film stock is expensive and you must be careful not to waste too much.

How much coverage (angles and types of shots) you shoot can depend on your budget. However, you need to shoot certain angles and get the necessary number of shots for each scene, to make your movie ‘watchable’, no matter how small your budget. When filming with one camera it is essential to reshoot the scene numerous times to obtain enough coverage for the post-production stage. How many times have you found you haven’t got the shot you needed when you get to editing?! When filming with a single camera, you should always begin by obtaining a master shot so that you can cut to it if necessary in post-production (plus run-throughs never hurt). A master shot is a recording of an entire scene which captures all of the characters and action generally in a long or wide shot. In multi-camera productions, long scenes are filmed one after the other so lots of lines have to be memorised whereas there is more scope to check lines in single camera productions as breaks in filming are far more frequent. Here’s a funny (not quite) example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76fGBIBDDgA.

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BTEC National Diploma in Creative Media Production

Single Camera Techniques

Editing The post-production stage for any production can take a long time as there will be a lot of footage to look through in order to create your product . Although there is also a lot of wasted film in multi-camera productions, it can be cheaper as it takes far less time to film. In single camera productions it is common to film all of the scenes together in either a specific location or when similar characters or cast are needed.

Multi camera production can often be edited (or ‘mixed’) live, think Britain’s Got Talent and live sport, as you can quickly switch from one camera to another with the use of a vision mixer. This is not possible in single camera productions and all editing must take place after the scene has been filmed.

Think about how long it can take you to find a piece of footage for the short products you have made so far, then think about how much footage you would have to look through if you were working on a 90 minute film… It would take a long time to find something specific in all of that. When you then consider that single camera productions have entire scenes filmed several times over, you can only imagine just how much footage you would have.

Shot logs come in pretty handy when editing lots of footage as you can identify which takes were successful and which ones might be more problematic. A shot log is a list of shots captured and a description of each according to how well it turned out.

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BTEC National Diploma in Creative Media Production

Single Camera Techniques

In this list of TV genres, some are particularly associated with single camera production but some are more likely to be multi-camera productions due to the factory-like turn over of episodes and time allowed to film.

Period A period drama, sometimes known as a costume drama, is set in a specific era in the past. Period films and TV programmes are often romances but can also be adventure texts. In order to create the atmosphere of a particular historical period, sets, props and costumes are designed to recreate the required style and tone. Downton Abbey (Julian Fellowes) has recently won critical acclaim for the genre.

Crime Drama Crime dramas and thrillers focus on criminals and authority figures. And often utilise low key lighting (which we now know is easier when filming with a single camera). TV programmes such as Sherlock, Silent Witness and CSI are presented from the side of the law whereas Bronson (Nicolas Winding Refn, 2008) is shown from the point of view of the villain/criminal and all of the above are single camera productions.

Horror Single camera productions are used for their ability to create the feeling of realism and to make them appear more ‘personal’. Horror films and TV programmes utilise the single camera technique to get the audience involved in the ‘scares’.

Comedy Some sitcoms that are filmed in studios / sets, like Friends, utilise multi-camera techniques (and are filmed in front of live studio audiences) but shows like Peep Show, My Name is Earl, Scrubs and Spaced are filmed using single camera techniques. In multi camera comedy shows, when a joke is told, it can feel more natural as the responses from the other actors are more genuine that one in a single camera production which would have been captured in a different take.

Compared to Soap opera Soap operas are commonly filmed using multi-camera techniques due to the rate in which the shows need to be produced. However, some soap operas are produced with a single camera, especially if filming in a real house which does not offer the manoeuvrability of more cameras. Brookside was a UK single camera soap which used real filming locations.

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BTEC National Diploma in Creative Media Production

Single Camera Techniques

Aside from specific genres, there are also various formats associated with single camera productions:

Series A series is a run of episodic programming with the same

characters every episode but a different storyline in each episode, although there may be a background sub-plot which lasts over several episodes. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000-present) is a single camera example of this. In CSI you are presented with a different crime/ case each week, although you may also follow a continuous storyline in the background which revolves around the central characters . Shows are commissioned for a set number of episodes, for example, Sherlock was initially commissioned for three feature length episodes (90 mins) despite being pitched as several more slightly shorter episodes.

Serial A serial may also run for a specific period of time, or it may, in the case of soap opera, be never-ending. An example of a serial is a period costume drama adaptation of a classic novel, such as Pride and Prejudice. Here the characters are the same from episode to episode and the storyline develops ACROSS the episodes. A specialised form of the serial is the soap opera; which is characterised by MULTISTRAND narrative of overlapping and equally weighted storylines, an ENSEMBLE CAST of characters with no main protagonist, and NO UNTIMATE CLOSURE—ie it goes on forever. EastEnders and Coronation Street do not end, instead they run endlessly and do not have season/series finales. Coronation Street is the longest running British serial and began broadcasting in 1960 (25 years before EastEnders). The longevity of serial could be attributed to multi-camera techniques as they can be produced so quickly. Brookside was, until 2003, a single camera serial and ran for 21 years.

Single drama A single drama consists of one self-contained story, told in a single one-off episode, equivalent to a television movie. The minimum length is five minutes. The winner of the 2010 BAFTA for single drama went to A Short Stay in Switzerland (Simon Curtis). Some single dramas can run over two or three parts.

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BTEC National Diploma in Creative Media Production

Single Camera Techniques

Advantages of single camera production 

The director has more control over each and every shot

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The production will feel more personal and allow the audience to be submerged into the diegesis

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(Potentially) far less film is used/wasted when filming with one camera

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Exciting and stylised camera angles

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The footage can be shot in clusters so that cast and crew are not hanging around

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A variety of locations are at your disposal due to the amount of equipment needed

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Single camera productions can be created on much tighter budgets

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The lighting for each shot is individual and therefore more controlled and appropriate for each shot

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It is possible to still produce a master shot for each scene as well as individual angles

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Multiple run-throughs can help actors get into character.

Disadvantages of single camera production 

It can be a lengthy and time consuming process

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It is (potentially) more expensive than multi-camera production due to the length of filming

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It is personal choice to film using the single camera format and not everyone on the project may agree

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Continuity errors are more frequent

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The action filmed can start and stop continuously which might be aggravating and appear stunted.

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BTEC National Diploma in Creative Media Production

Single Camera Techniques

What’s the alternative? There are two ways to shoot a moving image product, one is using a single camera and the other is by implementing multi-camera techniques which means filming with more than one camera simultaneously. The average number of cameras used is four but that number can be fewer or more.

Multi-Camera Techniques For some films and television programmes it would be impossible to cover all of the action with only one camera. The method for filming certain media products is dictated by the genre of that product. Football matches, talk shows, concerts or Britain's Got Talent are filmed with a number of cameras in order to capture all of the action.

Multi-camera techniques are particularly necessary for filming media products that are live or cannot be reshot without the possibility of creating a continuity error. Action films that contain a number of

stunts or explosions rely on multiple cameras in order to cover every angle. The advantages of multi-camera production 

There are far fewer reshoots as there is a higher chance of being able to edit the footage (as there can be more options/shots to choose from)

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Continuity errors are less frequent

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Action does not have to stop and start continuously

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Filming can be completed more quickly as there are more single takes

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You can broadcast live by using a mixing desk to cut between shots rather then editing footage.

The disadvantages of multi-camera production 

Lighting can be difficult to manage as it must suit all of the camera angles and it can seem fake and flat

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The director has very little control over the shots compared to single camera production

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Locations can be limited as numerous cameras would take up too much space.

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BTEC National Diploma in Creative Media Production

Single Camera Techniques

Multi-camera setup By having three stationary cameras a director is free to use the fourth camera to focus solely on a key aspect such as an actor or interviewee.

Other multi-camera productions include;

Televised sports

EastEnders

The X Factor

Coronation Street

Britain’s Got Talent

Emmerdale

The news

Friends

Seinfeld

Question Time

Single-camera setup The camera is moved within the scene to create a personal and more realistic product. The scene is reset numerous times to change angles and capture the action from different perspectives.

Other single-camera productions include;

Scrubs

My Name is Earl

CSI

The Mighty Boosh

Peep Show

Police Squad

Flight of

The Royal Family

the Conchords

Extras

Ugly Betty

The Office

Curb your Enthusiasm

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BTEC National Diploma in Creative Media Production

Single Camera Techniques

Title:

Single Camera Techniques In this essay you will need to address the points/key terms in black. If you do this and then explain them, with reference to the texts watched in class and at home, then you will meet the grading criteria. Intro.

What is the essay about?

1.

Camera – how is the camera used and the footage shot?

2.

Lighting – how is a single camera production lit?

3.

Sound – what are the advantages/disadvantages of sound in single cam?

4.

Editing – how is a single cam production edited?

5.

Single camera genres and formats – how and why do certain genres and formats lend themselves to single or multi-camera production?

6.

Multi-camera techniques – how do they differ?

Remember:

DEFINE, EXPLAIN & GIVE EXAMPLES and NEVER EVER COPY ANYTHING (either from this sheet, from the internet or from a book). You may use quotations providing you also explain them first in your own

words. You should always use images and clips to back up your points and please keep to the word limit for this task which is 1500 words.

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