Exploring Single Camera Techniques Unit 20
Task 1 - Discuss the Benefits and Limitations of Single Camera Productions and use examples to evaluate the effectiveness of:
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Single Camera Production is when only 1 camera is being used when shooting the film or TV Sitcom.
Single camera production is usually used with one camera and most of the time used in dramas, documentaries and comedies.
Each shot and camera angle is taken by the one camera for example in some 1960's comedy series such as 'The Addama Family' , 'Get Smarf' and recently in 'The Office' and 'My name is Earl' it was used through-out the film.
Multi camera production setup is a method used in shooting tv programs and films. This is when several cameras set up in different angles and simultaneously record a scene. In a general set up, the 2 outer cameras shoot close ups of the characters whilst the middle cameras shoot the 'master shot' which captures the overall action in the scene and shows the surroundings
The difference is single keeps the shot continuously in frame without cuts to other angles, multi lets the cameras record the scene from different angles to get different perspectives.
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Single Camera and Multi Camera have many differences such as with a multi camera it is more easier to record a film than with a single camera.
Single Camera is when a show is shot more like a film without a live audience reacting to it. Single camera scripts are usually 22 to 32 pages long and sitcoms have a runtime of 30 minutes meaning each page has to be close to a page-per-minute.
Multi Camera usually has a 52 to 58 page script per episode.
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Five Different types of single camera production include:
Drama - Type of Literature usually written to be performed, to share human experience, to pass on tradition/culture, recreate and artistic expression (the purpose is to entertain an audience)
Soap Opera (tv show e.g. EastEnders / Interni) - To have a tv serial dealing typically with daily events in the lives of the same group of characters. Keeps the audience entertained and to get attached to different characters. Lower budget compared to films, might not be able to film particular scenes.
Comedy (tv show e.g The Office) - Characters in the show do something that amuses the audience which makes it a comedy. Tries to make the audience laugh. Sometimes the show could be cringe and unwatchable which might make the show loss people watching it and a chance of getting cancelled.
Documentary - Filmmakers attempt to change/improve society with documentaries by bringing in the positives to a certain cause/issue the world is facing or will face if something isn't changed. Can bring enlightenment on a situation and how we can help. It could abuse its power and put something or someone in a bad light towards the public.
Advertisements - To provide a service of informing people about it as a product/service/idea. Attracts a specific audience in the product or service. Could cause rivalry between companies.
Narrative-based music videos - To show a short story within a 3 to 5 minute frame in a song. Passing on Tradition and Culture to express ideas, feelings and information e.g. narratives, storytelling and religious rituals and the purpose is to entertain the audience. Could be creative and interesting.
Corporate and promotional videos - Showcase a brand's personality and helps build trust with customers, engages with the audience better with attractive visuals and audio content, helps your audience to retain information about a production. and the purpose is to inform and provide a service.
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Advantages -
Single camera meaning only 1 camera is being used, meaning less budget needed on equipment to film a scene, it keeps the different shot types tidy and in order since only 1 camera is being used, easier to set-up the camera than multiplier cameras, cheaper to rent from companies, very accessible for low budget films, director has more control
Disadvantages -
If the camera breaks, it might be time-consuming to buy a new camera, all the work captured might be lost and difficult to re-create if the scene was dependent on the time of day and expensive depending on the budget, need to keep moving and setting up the camera for every new scene, if camera breaks, all the work not yet captured might be difficult to re-create again and if the scene is dependent on the time of the day
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Platforms for screening single camera productions
They can watch on different platforms with a screens such as a tv, iPhone, Computer, Cinema
screen.
Television allows users to just watch single camera productions from the comfort at their home.
Cinemas give a better experience watching a film and different platforms are used to allow the audience to have the comfort to watch any film when and where ever they are.
Interactive digital platform, to be able to have a easy access to watch their favourite films/tv shows on the go, for example you can watch a film or a tv show on your iPhone or your computer whilst you are travelling on the train to work from home or vice-versa.
Film festivals allows audiences to have preview clips of upcoming films or early-access of the full film, also it might allows the audience to actually see the actors of the film in a special venue.
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Benefits and Limitations of Single Camera Productions
Master shot - A shot that keeps all the characters in frame of a dramatised scene from start to finish
Tracking shot - Any shot where the camera follows the subject moving backwards, forward or moves alongside. The camera is mounted on a camera dolly and placed on rails to move.
Cutaway - A shot that interrupts a continuously filmed action by inserting a view of something else. Usually follows by a cut back to the first shot, when the cutaway avoids a jump cut.
Shot Framing
Different shot sizes and uses -
Shot-reverse-shot and filming conversations - Creates a perspective shot from seeing the person to the other person.
Over the shoulder angles - Taken from a perspective from the shoulder of another person
Three angle shooting - One camera, but have 3 different angles in a scene
180-degree rule - Two characters maintain the same left/right relationship to make sure the audience doesn't get confused of the characters filmed.
Shot composition and framing - Frame of the image and how mise-en-scene is shown
Camera Angles
Eye level - Camera positioned in a way so that the subject can look into the lens without moving their eyes up or down
Bird's eye - Camera filming the scene from above as if the observer is a bird
High angle - Camera looks down on the subject from a high angle, makes the characters seem powerless for a high angle.
Low angle - Camera filming from below upwards on the characters, makes the characters seems to have more control of the scene and powerful.
Dutch tilt - When the camera is tilted to one side, resulting the frame not being levelled
Camera Movements
Handheld camera - Camera is held in the operator's hangs instead of it being mounted on a tripod, usually resulting in a shaky image.
Shoulder Mount - A piece of equipment that moves with the camera operator, this leads to the camera not capturing unwanted shakiness
Steadicam - A brand of camera stabilizer mounts for a camera invented by Garrett Brown, allows a smooth shot even when the camera moves over an unusual surface
Track - Camera is literally running on a track and smoothly following the action being filmed
Dolly / Dollying - A cart which travels along a track and the camera is mounted on the dolly and records the shot as it moves.
Jib - A boom device with a camera on one end and a counterweight and camera controls on the other.
Trucking - Side-to-side camera movement with capturing the action in the scene. Less used then dolling or tracking.
Panning - Panning the camera along in time with the moving subject and capturing a sharp subject but a blurred background. Gives a feeling of movement and speed.
Zooming - Changing the focal length of a zoom lens during a shot.
Dolly zoom or 'Trombone Shot' - Zooming a zoom lens to adjust the angle of view while the camera dollies towards or away from the subject and keeps the subject same size in the frame.
Focus Pulling - Change focus during a shot, usually it is adjusting the focus from one subject to another.
Maintaining continuity
Consistent scene sets up (mise en scene) and lighting - Mise en scene is making sure the same props are shown in the scene to continue contuity, keep the light the same level to not make it seem as if you are filming on a different day or even a different room.
Use of tripods - Keeping the tripod the same height and the same distance from the subject filmed to maintain continuity
Shooting for eyeline matching
Shooting for eyeliner matching - A film editing technique where the editing has continuity and the audience will want to see what the character on-screen is seeing.
----------------
Single Camera Production is when only 1 camera is being used when shooting the film or TV Sitcom.
Each shot and camera angle is taken by the one camera for example in some 1960's comedy series such as 'The Addama Family' , 'Get Smarf' and recently in 'The Office' and 'My name is Earl' it was used through-out the film.
Multi camera production setup is a method used in shooting tv programs and films. This is when several cameras set up in different angles and simultaneously record a scene. In a general set up, the 2 outer cameras shoot close ups of the characters whilst the middle cameras shoot the 'master shot' which captures the overall action in the scene and shows the surroundings
The difference is single keeps the shot continuously in frame without cuts to other angles, multi lets the cameras record the scene from different angles to get different perspectives.
-
Single Camera and Multi Camera have many differences such as with a multi camera it is more easier to record a film than with a single camera.
Single Camera is when a show is shot more like a film without a live audience reacting to it. Single camera scripts are usually 22 to 32 pages long and sitcoms have a runtime of 30 minutes meaning each page has to be close to a page-per-minute.
Multi Camera usually has a 52 to 58 page script per episode.
-
Five Different types of single camera production include:
Drama - Type of Literature usually written to be performed, to share human experience, to pass on tradition/culture, recreate and artistic expression (the purpose is to entertain an audience)
Soap Opera (tv show e.g. EastEnders / Interni) - To have a tv serial dealing typically with daily events in the lives of the same group of characters. Keeps the audience entertained and to get attached to different characters. Lower budget compared to films, might not be able to film particular scenes.
Comedy (tv show e.g The Office) - Characters in the show do something that amuses the audience which makes it a comedy. Tries to make the audience laugh. Sometimes the show could be cringe and unwatchable which might make the show loss people watching it and a chance of getting cancelled.
Documentary - Filmmakers attempt to change/improve society with documentaries by bringing in the positives to a certain cause/issue the world is facing or will face if something isn't changed. Can bring enlightenment on a situation and how we can help. It could abuse its power and put something or someone in a bad light towards the public.
Advertisements - To provide a service of informing people about it as a product/service/idea. Attracts a specific audience in the product or service. Could cause rivalry between companies.
Narrative-based music videos - To show a short story within a 3 to 5 minute frame in a song. Passing on Tradition and Culture to express ideas, feelings and information e.g. narratives, storytelling and religious rituals and the purpose is to entertain the audience. Could be creative and interesting.-
Advantages -
Single camera meaning only 1 camera is being used, meaning less budget needed on equipment to film a scene, it keeps the different shot types tidy and in order since only 1 camera is being used, easier to set-up the camera than multiplier cameras, cheaper to rent from companies, very accessible for low budget films, director has more control
Disadvantages -
If the camera breaks, it might be time-consuming to buy a new camera, all the work captured might be lost and difficult to re-create if the scene was dependent on the time of day and expensive depending on the budget, need to keep moving and setting up the camera for every new scene, if camera breaks, all the work not yet captured might be difficult to re-create again and if the scene is dependent on the time of the day
-
Platforms for screening single camera productions
They can watch on different platforms with a screens such as a tv, iPhone, Computer, Cinema
screen.
Television allows users to just watch single camera productions from the comfort at their home.
Cinemas give a better experience watching a film and different platforms are used to allow the audience to have the comfort to watch any film when and where ever they are.
Interactive digital platform, to be able to have a easy access to watch their favourite films/tv shows on the go, for example you can watch a film or a tv show on your iPhone or your computer whilst you are travelling on the train to work from home or vice-versa.
Film festivals allows audiences to have preview clips of upcoming films or early-access of the full film, also it might allows the audience to actually see the actors of the film in a special venue.-
Benefits and Limitations of Single Camera Productions
+ / -
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- Low budget needed
- Keeps the different shot types tidy and in order since only 1 camera is being used
- Easier to set-up the camera than multiplier cameras
- Cheaper to rent from companies, very accessible for low budge films
- Director has more control
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- Need to keep moving and setting up the camera for new scene, time-consuming
- If camera breaks, all the work not yet captured might be difficult to re-create again and if your scene dependent on the time of day.
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What are single camera techniques ? (Stranger Things S1 E1)
Shot Types
Establishing shot - A shot which reveals the location of a scene (usually the first shot a new scene)
Master shot - A shot that keeps all the characters in frame of a dramatised scene from start to finish
Cutaway - A shot that interrupts a continuously filmed action by inserting a view of something else. Usually follows by a cut back to the first shot, when the cutaway avoids a jump cut.
Shot Framing
Different shot sizes and uses -
Over the shoulder angles - Taken from a perspective from the shoulder of another person
Three angle shooting - One camera, but have 3 different angles in a scene
180-degree rule - Two characters maintain the same left/right relationship to make sure the audience doesn't get confused of the characters filmed.
Shot composition and framing - Frame of the image and how mise-en-scene is shown
Camera Angles
Eye level - Camera positioned in a way so that the subject can look into the lens without moving their eyes up or down
Bird's eye - Camera filming the scene from above as if the observer is a bird
High angle - Camera looks down on the subject from a high angle, makes the characters seem powerless for a high angle.
Low angle - Camera filming from below upwards on the characters, makes the characters seems to have more control of the scene and powerful.
Dutch tilt - When the camera is tilted to one side, resulting the frame not being levelled
Camera Movements
Handheld camera - Camera is held in the operator's hangs instead of it being mounted on a tripod, usually resulting in a shaky image.
Shoulder Mount - A piece of equipment that moves with the camera operator, this leads to the camera not capturing unwanted shakiness
Steadicam - A brand of camera stabilizer mounts for a camera invented by Garrett Brown, allows a smooth shot even when the camera moves over an unusual surface
Track - Camera is literally running on a track and smoothly following the action being filmed
Dolly / Dollying - A cart which travels along a track and the camera is mounted on the dolly and records the shot as it moves.
Jib - A boom device with a camera on one end and a counterweight and camera controls on the other.
Trucking - Side-to-side camera movement with capturing the action in the scene. Less used then dolling or tracking.
Zooming - Changing the focal length of a zoom lens during a shot.
Dolly zoom or 'Trombone Shot' - Zooming a zoom lens to adjust the angle of view while the camera dollies towards or away from the subject and keeps the subject same size in the frame.
Focus Pulling - Change focus during a shot, usually it is adjusting the focus from one subject to another.
Maintaining continuity
Consistent scene sets up (mise en scene) and lighting - Mise en scene is making sure the same props are shown in the scene to continue contuity, keep the light the same level to not make it seem as if you are filming on a different day or even a different room.
Use of tripods - Keeping the tripod the same height and the same distance from the subject filmed to maintain continuity
Shooting for eyeline matching
Shooting for eyeliner matching - A film editing technique where the editing has continuity and the audience will want to see what the character on-screen is seeing.
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