single camera production

1. Single Camera
Production

2. INTRODUCTION
• There are two types of camera formats; single camera and multi-camera. A production using single camera
format is generally used with just one camera and is mostly used in dramas, documentaries and comedies.
• Each shot and camera angle is taken by the one camera unlike a multi-camera format, where there is a camera
for every angle and shot needed in a particular scene, which they are then switched to show these different
perspectives.
• The choice of camera format can depend on what is been filmed such as the genre. In the 1960's, single camera
format was popular amongst several comedy series such as 'The Addams Family' & 'Get Smart' and more
recently 'The Office' and 'My name is Earl'.
• Multi-camera setup is a method of shooting television programs and films. Several cameras are set up in different
angles and simultaneously record a scene. In a general set up, the two 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.

3. • Single camera production is a mode of production where one camera operates at a time and the shots are
done in the most economically efficient order. Single camera productions are not live and include a lot of
editing and takes.
• "The single-camera setup, or single-camera mode of production, is a method of filmmaking and video
production. A single camera—either motion picture camera or professional video camera—is employed on
the set and each shot to make up a scene is taken individually.
• As its name suggests, a production using the single-camera setup generally employs just one camera. Each
of the various shots and camera angles is taken using the same camera, which is moved and reset to get
each shot or new angle. The lighting setup is typically reconfigured for each camera setup."

4. FORMATS AND GENRES
Series: A Series is one that has a set number of episodes and gives
during certain times of the year. Even though a series may have a
definate end to it. The story might continue into series two.
A few examples of series dramas are, Skins, Desperate Housewives and
Waterloo Road.

5. Serial: A serial is more like a soap, where stories are continuous and it
doesn't run for a set amount of episodes, but continues all year round.
A few examples of serial dramas/soaps are, Neighbours, Eastenders,
Coronation Street and Doctors.

6. GENRES (EXAMPLES)
Sci Fi - Doctor who
• Single camera techniques: Doctor Who has shown examples of single camera techniques
used when The Doctor is having a conversation with his sidekick, Rose. This shows proof of
the use of single camera techniques as there are edits of over the shoulder shots showing
the conversation.
• Sound: The sound includes lots of sound effects to help the scene match the sound
(diegetic sounds), and there are use of sound tracks to emphasise emotions within the shot.
E.g slow music for sad scenes and energetic music for fast/hyper scenes.
• Lighting: The lighting included within Doctor Who were natural and background light for
normal/outside frames to help set the scene, but in action scenes there is use of special
lighting, such as coloured lights, filler, key and back lights.
• Camera angles: The camera angles that were mostly used in a Sci Fi drama using single
camera techniques are long shots and high angled shots. This is so the drama fills the
scene and all of the effects and action is shown in the frames.

7. Comedy - Miranda
• Single camera techniques: Miranda shows use of single camera techniques because when
the protagonist is making a joke, she talks directly at the audience to engage them in the
program. To signify that she is talking to the audience, the camera angles shift to show that
she is jumping out of the context she is in, to talk to the audience. This effect uses editing and
single camera techniques.
• Sound: The sound effects that are included within a comedy sitcom that uses single camera
techniques are canned laughter when the protagonist does/says something funny. The other
sound is regular voices that are included within the scene (diegetic).
• Lighting: The lighting used are normal background and key lighting to
let the audience know that they are with the characters in the program and
the program is not staged.
• Camera angles: Most of the camera angles included are mid
shots, to capture the motion and emotion of the characters, so they can
fully understand what is going to happen.

8. Teen dramas - Hollyoaks
• Single camera techniques: The use of single camera techniques are shown in a teen drama
when they switch from different storylines. This is proof of single camera production because the
camera uses editing to switch characters/settings/storylines.
• Sound: There is use of diegetic sounds included within the frames to make the scene sound
natural and they include use of music in the background which relates to the mood of the
environment. e.g. slow music for emotional scenes.
• Lighting: The lighting used are natural lighting to help the audience feel as if they are within the
drama and scenes. This helps the audience get into the story and get the full emotion trying to
be portrayed.
• Camera angles: There are various camera angles used within teen dramas as they try to capture
all the emotion and action happening in the scene. Some examples of angles used are over the
shoulder shots, mid shots, long shots, panning and tracking, etc.

9. Crime - CSI: Miami
• Single camera techniques: CSI: Miami shows use of single camera techniques when it uses
editing and takes in showing a surrounding environment in a crime scene. There are different
camera angles and shots taken to show the surrounding of a scene and they are joined
together using editing techniques to show the audience what is happening.
• Sound: The sound used are natural diegetic sounds that are included within the scene and it
included backing music tracks to create emphasis on the situation created. It includes
dramatic music to build suspense and fast music to create excitement in action scenes.
• Lighting: The lighting used is darker and mainly back and filler lights. This is because it will
create tension and suspense, which is the type of emotion they wish to portray.
• Camera angles: The camera angles used are close-ups and mid shots to show the emotion
of the scene to the audience.

10. NARRATIVE/STORY
The different narratives used in single camera productions:-
• Linear – a story line that runs start to end in chronological order
• Non- linear – can be made in anyway possible including random orders, flashbacks or flash-
forwards. This type of narrative structure can be very effective when making a film, as you
may want to reveal the end of the story before you begin to tell the start.
• Flash forwards – opposites of flashbacks; they are used to show the audience a section of
the future that is important to the story line
• Realist narratives – are story lines that are believable by that audience because they
appear real, or are based on a true story that has happened in the past
• Anti-Realism – a narrative that is blatantly not realistically filmed, and used a lot of after
effects
• Some modern examples of single camera productions are ‘Scrubs’, ‘Malcolm in the Middle’,
‘Spaced’, and ‘My name is Earl’. This is all because they don’t require much drama or linear
story telling and it’s cheaper.

11. TECHNIQUES OF SHOOTING
Extreme Long Shot
• An extreme long shot is used to show a large amount of landscape around the
character(s).
• An extreme long shot would generally be used when the focus would be to show
landscape, show distance or being alone.
Medium Shot
• Medium shot (MS) - The 'waist up' medium shot is ideal when the subject is speaking or
delivering information and the fine detail isn't needed. It's also useful when people are
gesturing with their arms. The problem with medium shots is that they don't show as
much detail as a close up, but they introduce more of the background. This can be
distracting.

12. Close – up Shot
Close up shots typically contain just the face and shoulders of a subject, with a little head room
above. This prevents 'floating head syndrome' as the shoulders suggest to the brain that there
is a body below! These shots are the most common of all as they can convey a real sense of
emotion and help the audience to connect with the subject.
Bird’s Eye View Shot
A Birds – eye view is an elevated view of an object from above, with a perspective
as though the observer were a bird, often used in the making of blueprints, floor
plans and maps.

13. EDITING
• Continuity editing – where a scene is edited so that the scene transitions properly and
doesn’t leave the audience confused and lost.
• A single-camera job will involved editing, and it's hard to estimate how much editing will be
required. But, generally, editing time is several times as long as the material that's being
edited:
1. You watch the unedited material, take notes, and decide which bits to use (this takes at
least as long as how long all the material is).
2. You edit them together (this takes as long as each clip lasts, plus the time involved in
finding the right bits).
3. You check the edits as you go along (either taking as long as each clip lasts, or just
checking the beginning and ending moments).
4. Sound editing is done separately than video editing (so this takes as long as each sound
clip takes).

14. SINGLE CAMERA VS. MULTI – CAMERA
PRODUCTION
Advantages
 it allows creative control to interpret the script, are
easily editable and allow the producers to shoot
quicker, in one location, e,g. in a house.
 saves travels costs for the production teams and
works out cheaper.
 reduces the cost of the whole production, is that
this type of format puts the product makers at a
benefit. This is because, as single camera shots
tend to cut individuals out in close up shot,
conversations, this means that only one person is
required and another actor can be used in place of
the original co-actor for the meanwhile. By doing
this, producers will save money and actors time, as
they will only pay them for the scenes they do and
when doing a large production, involving many big
actors, production expenses can be large figures.
Therefore, if the team can replace large actors in
the meanwhile, they can save themselves a lot of
money and also be able to shoot for the other actor,
whenever they are available to shoot.
Advantages
 process is much easier, quicker and efficient than
the previously mentioned format as it is in real time.
This is because the lighting does not have to be
changed, sets do not have to be set up again and
more so and continuous shooting can be done,
using the range of cameras.
 No actors are involved in multiple camera
productions.
 due to the set-up of the cameras, the shots can be
mixed live and edited from different cameras for a
better impact. As in a multiple-camera format set-
up, the two outer cameras are used for close-ups
and the two inner cameras are used for long and
medium shots, it can be quiet hard to use all of the
footage collected by it, therefore the director can
pick and choose the shots as appropriate.
Single camera Production Multi – camera Production

15. WHY WE USE MULTI CAMERA AND SINGLE
CAMERA:
 The reason why we use multi camera is
because we get a range of shots and view
points and while we edit them later we can use
any scene we like to get the way we want the
scene to be. Multiple shots get a whole range of
certain scenes because we edit the shots
together where as single shots you cant edit
and just get that one main bit, so the difference
is when we edit the scenes we’ll be able to put
them nicely and have a lot to edit rather than
just one while we use multiple cameras.

16. SINGLE CAMERA VS. MULTI – CAMERA
PRODUCTION
Disadvantages
 because there are less cameras there is less
footage captured and that it is more time
consuming and expensive, compared to using
multiple cameras.
 As there are less cameras capturing the footage, it
means that the important shots may not be
captured and that causes the producer to go back
and re-shoot the whole scene.
Disadvantages
 the tools such as microphone and lighting rigs
cannot be hidden, whereas they can easily be
hidden when using a single camera. This is
because the dimensions and area of space that a
single camera captures, if very little, compared to
the amount the multiple cameras cover, and it is
hard to not show an element which is on show,
despite its purpose of being present.
Single camera Production Multi – camera Production

17. COMPARISON TO OTHER TYPES OF
PRODUCTION
MULTI CAMERA
PRODUCTION
ENG – ELECTRONIC NEWS
GATHERING
Multi camera is for
shooting films using many
different cameras. The
cameras are set up in
different places in order to
gain a variety of shots, so
you get all the angles and
view points.
Electronic news-gathering (ENG) is a broadcast
news industry description of television producers,
reporters and editors making use of electronic
video and audio technologies for gathering and
presenting news. The term was commonly used
in the television news industry in the 1980s and
1990s, but it has since been less frequently used
as the technology has become ubiquitous.
Electronic news-gathering can involve anything
from a lone reporter taking a single professional
video camera out to shoot a story, to an entire
television crew taking a production or satellite
truck on-location to conduct a live news report for
an outside newscast.

18. COMPARISON TO OTHER TYPES OF
PRODUCTION
 These cameras are
very small heads which
are designed to be
operated by a remote
control, even though
they are small in size
they are very capable
of high performance
which is sometime
larger then ENG and
EFP types.
 electronic field production
cameras are very similar to
studio cameras in that they
are used primarily in
multiple camera switched
production configurations
but not used in studio
environments. they are
used in areas such as
concerts, sports live events,
new coverage and special
exterior events.
REMOTE CAMERAS
ELECTRIC FIELD
PRODUCTIONS

19. REFERENCES
http://www.slideshare.net/jontowlson/tv-drama-formats
http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/about-us/awards/best-single-
drama/5037377.article
http://samuelpinskemedia.jimdo.com/
http://stramsbottom.edublogs.org/narrative-structures/
http://www.cameratim.com/business/single-or-multi-camera
http://singlecameratechniqueshenna.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/single-
camera-and-multiple-camera.html