What is a single camera and multi-camera production?
The single camera production is where it uses one camera to film a certain part of a scene. A single camera in motion pictures of film and television shows is employed on set but each shot is taken separately due to recording the shots in small places which that the multi-camera set-up can not do at all. Also, the reason that this camera technique is used due to the 180 degree rule where it shows relationship and records two characters within the line of action of the scene but can not record 360 degree because it will ruin the shot of a certain scene that you are shooting but the camera needs to be centered and facing towards the two characters.
Multi-camera is when it uses few more camera to record and broadcast scenes from a studio set which is employed to simultaneously record scenes at the same time which makes the time effective than single camera production. While showing a variety of shots in a talk show like the Jeremy Kyle Show for example, the footage is edited after it is been shown but the director has less control over each shot being shown on live television.
The advantages and disadvantages of both techniques
Single Camera
Pros:
- You do not have to shoot the scenes in a sequence
- It is cheaper and easier to set-up than multi-camera which costs a lot of money to pay for the equipment
- Can add detail or dramatic effect in your film or television show
- It makes it more appealing to the audience watching the film or TV show.
- It takes longer to edit the film as there is more footage that you have recorded
- All of the outtakes and mistakes will need to be sorted out while editing your film.
- The Multi-camera production set-up is the best one as it uses a few more cameras than the single camera
- Camera quality wouldn't be clear or realistic
Pros:
- By using more cameras, it covering the more area that you are recording your film at
- While using different shots in multi-camera production, you will be able to see the different reactions and emotions
- It will be quicker to film as you will not have re-do the scenes
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There will be less issues with continuity and the characters won’t need to look differentCons:
- It will longer to set-up the equipment
- The cost will be high as you have pay for more cameras, equipment and the crew for the filming of certain films and TV shows
Genres of Single Camera Production:
FormatsIn Single Camera production, the genres that uses single camera is in sitcoms, soap operas, comedy's and dramas like True Blood, Hollyoaks, Eastenders, The Office (UK), Doctor Who, Skins etc.
Link for The Office (UK) clip (An example of single camera techinque): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkYUDQCYGHA
Genres of Multi-Camera Production:In Multi-Camera production, the genres that uses this technique is in talk shows, live broadcasts and sitcoms like Friends, The Big Bang Theory, The Graham Norton Show, BBC Glastonbury etc.
Link for the BBC Glastonbury performance of Pharrell Williams: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTGl4iQJqH8Narrative Structure
- Linear narrative is when a story follows a process of from the beginning, middle and to end.
- Non-linear is often starts at the middle of the story and shows flashbacks of what has happened in the past in a film
- Episodic Narrative is when a story is told by a series of episodes.
- Open narrative is where it has usually many characters with no foreseeable ending. Like for Eastenders for example, since it started in 1985 the audience has seen the characters change though the years but still watch this programme because it is multi-standed as it takes a look at different people's point of view.
- Closed narrative is when a film comes to a end. For example in Jaws, the shark who has been devouring people, dies in the end which gives the audience watching this film a sense of relief and happyness as the shark was devouring people for no reason at all. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpxOLhuNXfM
- Realist narrative is based on real life situations and is not scripted. In the Persil small and mightly advert, you see kids getting their clothes dirty which their mother uses the washing detergent to clean it off because these things like this can happen at any point in everyday life. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEo-7B22xHw
- Anti-realist is when it is not based on real life situations. In the Hide and Seek- The National Confectionary CO advert, there is a voiceover of sweets talking to each other which people know that they can not happen in real life. This does make the audience (children) laugh as they will remember it and tell other about it but also, it will make them ask their parents to buy the product. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlIL_vIjXOQ
- Series is where it has continuing characters but tells a different story each time. Castle is a example of a series format because it has a different scenario but does looks in the character's personal life each episode is shown on television.
- Serial is when tells one story through a several episodes. Example of this is Breaking Bad which the genre of this is Thriller. The reason why Breaking Bad is a serial because it tells a story of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman of making and selling meth to secure Walter's family financial future.
- Single-Drama is when tells one story through 1 video. The example of single drama is SAW where it's genre is Horror.
