The Features Of Single Camera

Production

Presentation By Ahmed S Ellahi

When considering making a television show or film documentary, one must take in to consideration a variety of issues such as budget, camera equipment (e g) cameras, microphones, lighting, costumes, cast and also the props. Secondly you have to take in to consideration the type of production you intend to create. There are several formats and genres the production can categorize into. The narrative or story also reflects or synchronize with the format or genre you intend on showing. Single camera’s are mainly used in sports, sitcoms, wildlife, documentaries and also music videos.lets take a look at some format/genres and narratives.

(Below) are some useful examples.

 

Single Camera Production

Single camera shows fit into certain formats and genres. Below is a list of these formats and genres which are most commonly used.

• A television series - that is intended to comprise a limited number of episodes is usually called a mini-series or serial. Series without a fixed length are usually divided into seasons or series, yearly or bi-annual instalments of new episodes.

• Serials - are series of television programs and radio programs that rely on a continuing plot that unfolds in a sequential episode-by-episode fashion. Serials typically follow main story arcs that span entire television seasons or even the full run of the series. The soap opera is the most prominent form of serial dramatic programming.

• A single drama - is used to be a staple of television but it is now quite rare. It is designed as one of show for television. Single dramas are based on a typical issue, subject that is more suitable for television than the cinema.

• Sort of themes you can get in these formats are:• Period drama - A costume drama or period drama is a period piece in which elaborate costumes, sets and properties are featured in order to capture the ambience of a particular era. The term is usually used in the context of film and television. It is an informal, crossover term that can apply to several genres but is most often heard in the context of historical dramas and romances, and adventure films. The implication is that the audience is attracted as much by the lavish costumes as by the content.

• Drama documentary - television programming and staged theatre, a docudrama is a documentary-style genre that features dramatized re- enactments of actual historical events. A docudrama may be filmed or written. In the core elements of its story a docudrama strives to adhere to known historical facts, while allowing a greater or lesser degree of dramatic license in peripheral details, and where there are gaps in the historical record. Docudrama producers sometimes choose to film their reconstructed events in the actual locations in which the historical events occurred. Dialogue may include the actual words of real-life persons, as recorded in historical documents.

• Crime drama - Crime films are films which focus on the lives of criminals. The stylistic approach to a crime film varies from realistic portrayals of real- life criminal figures, to the far-fetched evil doings of imaginary arch-villains. Criminal acts are almost always glorified in these movies. The popularity of TV brought about the emergence of TV series featuring detectives, investigators, special agents, lawyers, and the police.

• Soap drama - A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an on-going, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. These early radio series were broadcast in weekday daytime slots, usually five days a week, when most listeners would be housewives; thus the shows were aimed at and consumed by a predominantly female audience.

• Comedy - Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film, and television that combines elements of comedy and drama, having both humorous and sometimes serious content.

Narratives/Story titles for single camera production showsSingle strand narrative = one story told from start to finish, usually with a point or moral that producer is trying to make or get audience to engage with. Usually follow set format of equilibrium-disruption-equilibrium.

Multi-strand narrative = tells two or more stories alongside each other. They often cross over each other to offer an alternative ‘reality’, e.g. many TV adverts do this mixing a fictional narrative as a short drama mixed with a product information narrative as a voiceover. The different narrative threads of the story may also come together in key scenes.

Linear (sequential) equilibrium-disruption-equilibriumNon-linear (non-sequential) e.g. middle-middle-beginning-flashbacks-ending.

Narrative devices, e.g. flashbacks, cliff-hangers, dramatic irony.Realist – e.g. - The Inbetweeners.

Anti-realist – e.g. - CSI, Doctor Who.

Open endings - e.g. - Cliff-hangers, and/or to be continued - Ugly Betty.

Closed endings - story resolution – e.g. - The Office.

Dramas such as Ugly Betty and Phoenix Nights, music videos, commercials, some documentaries and most films are recorded using a single-camera method as the director has more control over each shot.

Within a single camera format different shots are used to maximise the advantages of a single camera recording. The Master Shot is a wide shot of a scene that establishes the major elements, the action and dialogue are taped from the master shot before the closer shots are done, this is to give the director a view of the whole shot and decide where and what shots he wants to use on the closer shots.

Image of a single camera production

The Office – This was a British show which also was a series format and was known as a mokumentary (a portmanteau of the words mock and documentary) a type of film or show in which fictional events are presented in documentary style to create a parody. This show consists of closed endings were each episode started with a beginning a middle and had a ending. The show consisted of a many (close up )shots as shown (below right) and mid shots. This allowed for the audiences to get a close correspondence with the characters acting impressions and gestures due to its genre story line hence the name. It was also shot in a single location on set so filming was quiet easy to shoot. There were no external interferences as you can get with shooting outdoors, such as weather and Overhead passing aircraft.Below (left) establishing shot (medium shot) or master/cover shot of interview scene. This shot initiates the camera position and shots of characters following actions.

The Office is can also be put in to a to a soap opera category , the reason being that it deals with the same characters on set and has day to day typical events in the series. The show has a linear narrative and each episode runs in chronological order and doesn’t implement any flashbacks or flash forwards.

When dramatic video is shot in the single-camera style, many film conventions apply. But here we're concentrating on the steps in single-camera production.First, we have the cover shot (normally called the master shot in film), which is a wide shot showing the full scene or acting area. Like the example above (right)This shot is useful to show viewers the overall geography of the scene and for bridging jumps in continuity during editing. More specifically, the master shot or cover shot is used to:• Show major changes in the scene's basic elements.

Techniques of Shooting and Editing

In single-camera film-style shooting the three camera positions indicated are actually one camera that is moved to each position.

First, we run through the entire dialogue for the scene from camera position #1. We can use this wide shot as a master or establishing shot, and thereafter whenever we need to re establish the scene, cover bad shots on camera positions #2 or #3, or just to introduce visual variety.

• cover major talent moves, including the entrance or exit of actors. • periodically remind viewers of a scene's geography (referred to as re-establishing shots). and whenever needed during editing to momentarily cover the action when a good medium shot or close-up is not available

In dramatic video and film production many directors start out by shooting a scene, beginning to end, from the master shot perspective.

Once this shot is filmed, the director repositions the camera for the medium shots and close-ups of the various actors. For these the actors once again repeat all their dialogue.

To accommodate the new camera distances and angles these setups often require changes in lights, microphone positions, and sometimes even make-up. Obviously, all this has to involve changes that will (that should) go unnoticed when all of the takes are cut together.

Some directors shoot the scenes in the opposite sequence: close-ups, medium shots, and then master shot.

However you do it, the series of setups associated with a scene is commonly referred to as coverage.

Shot-reverse-shot If filming a conversation between two characters, you do not need to have both shown in the frame. Instead you can apply shot-reverse-shot; filming one character talking in one direction followed by another character facing the opposite way.If the shot is not correctly taken , the viewersMay be left confused .

Be sure to follow the 180° rule when doing this. In the image below the director intentionally broke the 180° to disorientate the viewers and create more interest in the actual scene.

Other additional advantages of single-camera (film or television) dramatic production is that scenes don't have to be shot in sequence. In fact, seldom does a script's chronological sequence represent the most efficient shooting order. The final sequence of scenes is arranged during editing. In order of importance, the following should be considered when planning the shooting sequence of a single-camera production: All shots involving specific talent/actors (starting with the highest paid) should be shot as close together in time as possible, regardless of script sequence. All shots at a particular location should be shot at the same time. All shots requiring specific production personnel should be shot at the same time. All shots requiring specialized production equipment, such as special cameras, lenses, microphones, and generators should be shot at the same time.

Comparisons to other type of production

Advantage of single camera shows is that directors believe it appears more real to the audience. Therefore it has a greater impact on them making it easier to relate to what is on screen.Single camera format is more convenient as not all crew needs to be present, awkward shots are easier to film with single camera techniques as the cameraman can get right in-between the actors.A single camera production is a production that is filmed using one camera to get all the action. The shot can be changed by stopping the actors and moving the camera and starting the action again. This type of production is used to create a less cinema type effect within a program. This is suitable when the director wants the audience to feel more involved in the action, or watching it from a point of view of an actor. This can also help create a more relaxed atmosphere. A major benefit of using single camera techniques is that it is also much cheaper to do apposed to multiple camera technique.

A Multi-camera setup can have it’s advantages such as having extra cameras on set allows the producer to gather much more footage shooting angles and positions . Multi-camera formats are used in soap operas, talk shows, live sport events such as Football etc, this is because the director then has a choice of which angle to use and when editing. The Multi camera format also enables, for live events such as the sport events, the whole game to be recorded. It also allows all angles to be covered as with a single camera format this would be impossible.

The multi-camera technique is used for programmes such as the News, Talk shows such as Jeremy Kyle, Football games and concerts, this is because talk shows and the News that are not live are made to appear live. Whereas live football games would be impossible to film and get every shot with one camera so are therefore filmed with the multiple camera set up. This set up has advantages, where the lighting in a single camera setup can prove difficult due to the white balance needing to be continuous to the lighting; in a multi camera format the lighting would not be as difficult. It is also less time consuming as every angle is shot the director will rarely have to re-shoot any scenes, this also means the director has a choice of shots so can pick the one they believe is most successful, were in a single camera set up the director may have to record the same scene numerous times to get the best shots. The multi-camera technique can be less cost effective, as less hours are required from the crew. As the scenes can be done in sequence it can prove easier during editing to a single camera production.

Single camera formats are also more convenient as not all crew need to be there as it is shot. It also means that other scenes in different locations can be done simultaneously, providing the same actor is not needed. Awkward shots can be shot easier in a single camera set up as the cameraman can move with the camera and be in between actors. Single camera formats also enable special effects and lookalike doubles to be added with less complications than in a multi camera set up. Single camera set ups also allow fast paced editing or a more natural look.

• http://smallbusiness.chron.com/film-singlecamera-setup-36812.html• https://www.google.co.uk/search?

q=180+degree+rule+film&biw=1366&bih=673&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=MSZ2VbK0PKGy7QankoLwAg&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg#tbm=is

• ch&q=shot+reverse+shot• http://stramsbottom.edublogs.org/narrative-structures/• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HinUychY3sE• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsM6mRIwCdA• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjnlKRB9B0w

• Notes taken from Chapter 18 of 'Television Production' (Millerson) which is available in the school Learning Resources Centre.• Millerson – Ch 18 Production Practices

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