Formats of Single Camera Production
These are the 3 main formats you use for single camera proudction
Serial
Single drama
Series
Serials
A serial is when the episode doesn't end and it carries on to the next episode. The story carries on and continues throughout the next episode. A serial is normally based on 1 or 2 characters throughout 1 or 2 episodes. An example of this is 'Game of thrones'. 'Homeland' where the episode is about one character.
Single Drama
I personally think of a single drama as a film because they can go up to 90 minutes long or maybe even longer. However the story line finishes and that's it, it not repeated again. An example of this is Interstellar, it is a film and the story doesn't carry on.
Series
A series is when every episode has something in common, the episode will be about a character and then the next series might be about someone else but the other character is still involved in some way. An example of this is 'Supernatural'
Narrative structures
Linear (3 act structure)- This is when it starts from the beginning, middle to end, this follows a straight line
Non Linear- Order of the events is rearranged or deconstructed effects. This consists of flashbacks, the movie is a thriller. The audience would feel confused about it because of the flashbacks.
Episodic narrative- Story told through a series of episodes such as soap operas on televisions.
Open- A open narrative has to do with the audience . An example of this is 'The children of men'. The woman and baby. The man dying wondering if he is died. It leaves the audience in a cliffhanger.
Realist- Believable story that maybe even is based on a true life story. Can make the audience feel emotional. Making them feel part of the film
Anti-realist-It is basically the opposite to realist anything can happen
Single stranded- Story focused on a single character
Multi Stranded- There is more than one story line going on. Example of this is 'Eastenders' or 'Skins'
My webisode- The last text
In my webisode i have used a episodic narrative because the story hasn't finished and it will carry on till the next episode. An open narrative has been used because it brings the audience in and makes them get into the webisode more.
Single camera production is the use of one camera being used to film or shot a scene. This gives only one angle but it can be very effective and dramatic. Single camera production is be used when you are filming a series or even a movie.
Multi camera production is the use of multiple cameras, this is normally used in live events such as festivals, and talk shows where you also have a live audience. This can enable you to get loads of different angles because you have multiple cameras.
Single and multi camera both have different ways to be used, such as a multi camera can be used in Talk shows, live events also in studios where it aired live.This is much easier for talks shows becasue the cameras are already set up for you,so you dont need to move them and change angles. Such as a single camera you can do as many takes as you like because it is not streamed to a live audience and you can edit it after so there are no mistakes in it. However that's why you have to be careful using mulit camera because it is aired live there cant be no mess up or delays. Therefore when you zoom in you have to stay zoomed in because you can cut in front of another camera man and mess up there shot.
Jeremy Kyle Show
The Jeremy Kyle Show above is a multi camera production this is because it is a live talk show with live audience. They use multi camera because you can't miss any shots and they cant mess up with there shooting. In the Jeremy Kyle show you can that the scenes change really quickly so it basically does a shot reverse shot where you see one person talking then the camera will go straight to the next person that is talking also there is a master shot all the time at the start of his show because he always introduces the members of the show who has come in. All of this what happens on his show can not be caught by using single camera becasue it will take to long to get everything especially facial expressions and the way audience react as well. If you did use a single camera there would be so much editing it would cost way to much to rent the editing suite anyway. It would probably cost more then the show to use. However through out the show you can see that when Jeremy is talking it then cuts to his audience to see there reactions and even there comments on what is going on.
Glastonbury
This clip above is of Glastonbury Festival that the BBC film every year it is on. This a music festival and it is entertainment.They have used multi camera production to film this because this is also a live event, where this would stream around the world. Multi camera is also used because they want the audience to see everything,they want it to be realistic. There is a crowd view and a birds eye view from using multi camera. In this clip as you can see from watching it there is alot of cuts and zooms from the crowd back to the performers but mostly zooms because they want also give it a good affect.
Docotr Who
The Girl Who Died is a episode from Doctor Who, it uses Single Camera Production because there are alot of dramatic shots in the open of this clip. There was a close up used straight away of all the vikings looking scared and worried and what that noise is. Using a camera shot such as a close up straight away automatically gives the audience that excitement on to what is going to happen next so they carry on watching it. This is a sci-fi so they mostly use single camera production because they want dramatic effects and facial expressions to draw the audience in more. However for a series like this using single camera is probably cheaper than using muliple cameras because even though there will be a lot of editing they will get a lot more effects and dramatic scenes.The 180 degree rule is always used when using a single camera because it it so much easier. In this Doctor Who clip its shows the 180 degree a lot this to show that it can't be broken when using single camera. But a disadvantage of this is that is can easily be broken when using multi camera production. However using single camera production the scene can be re done over and over again but on the other hand this can waste a lot of time re doing it. Coverage shots are also used alot when using single camera becasue it also shows a lot of dramatci effects when used and thats what the directors want when shooting.
Skins, Come fly with me and Utopia
Skins is also a single camera production this is because it is a teen drama which contains a lot of dramatic scenes and it is not shot in front of a live audience. You can tell there is a lot of editing in it because there is a range of shots that go on through out the series. There are a range of camera techniques being used through out, especially close up, shot reverse shot.
Come fly with me is a comedy and this also use single camera production. However depending on what type of comedy it is because some comedians have a talk show which will use multi camera production because there will be a live audience . However a show like this even though its comical they will use single camera because it is not live. A lot of over the shoulder shots, close ups and mid shots are being used because its suppose to be a comedy documentary.
Utopia
This is Utopia it is a thriller and also uses single camera production. I think it is important to use single camera when creating a thriller because thrillers are suppose to create suspense for the audience, that's why there are also a lot of different camera techniques being used. I made a thriller webisode which we had to use a lot of camera techniques to make it have that thriller thrill to it.
The last text- my thriller wbisode
Advantages of Single camera production
Its the traditional way of film making
The director has more creative control
Dont need to shoot to your storyboard
Shoot different scenes at different times
Its cheaper because only one camera, so only need to hire one camera man
Disadvantages of Single Camera Production
more editing has to be done
more outtakes
Time consuming
Daylight is a big problem because you need to keep the same lighting at all time, also the continuity level will change as well.
Transition between different lighting and shoots
Advantages of Mulit Camera production
There is no 180 degree rule to follow
Easier to cut between shots
Camera set up is only done once
Disadvantages of Multi Camera Production
You do not get to redo the shots
Other cameras can be used on the shoot and may get in the way
Using MCP it can be very expensive as you are paying for the cameras
Cant be used for loads of TV genres because MC will not be needed
In my webisode I had filmed with my group 'The Last Text', I had begun my shooting using a master shot this is because it shows the character that are relevant in the webisode and it also the shows the background of where the webisode is set. This shows the audience straight away who the characters are and where it is based. In single camera production this is important because of the master shot has been shot, this is because using just one camera it is much easier to focus on one character and the background. Also you say this shot is a close up of the phone, making the audience want to look at the phone and ask questions about it. However it also makes them re think the whole scene.
However in our webisode we also used the 180 degree rule which is a imaginary line which is drawn between the subjects and they basically can't cross it. We used this in our webisode when the victim is walking to the path and when the killer comes behind her. You can say this is 180 degree rule because they are both next to eachother and no one else is there with them.
In this shot you can say it is a long shot because of the way the camera is positioned and the way you can see the characters, you can see the whole of their body. Also in this shot the lighting is quite dark the reason I didn't touch the lighting and left the way it is, is because I feel the way the lighting was gave it the affect of being a thriller, its gives the audience the feeling of something is going to happen next. The composition of this shot is she is off centre a bit because one the trees are in the way of the shot if she was placed in the centre and because it looks more effective as well because of she is looking like she is getting dragged into the trees.
In this image there is key lighting facing down on her even though the lighting looks really dull, there is still natural lighting on her which makes it key lighting. This is also a close up on the arm, this shows the blood and it makes the audience think about what has happen and why it has happened. However using this close up shows what the character is doing maybe what is actually going on in the scene.
This shot is a over the shoulder shot, we have used 2 of these in our webisode because it gives a lot of mystery in the webisde, also it doesnt the mystery person away such as the killer or even the victim. However we also used this to get the detail of the shot and so we don't give it away.
This is a tilt shot we used this in our webisode because it is really effective and it shows the relevance towards the clock. However this is also used in to break apart what has happened in the webisode to breaking it to a clock. This clock could show concern for the viewers but mystery at the same time.
The 180 degree is a rule that the camera must not move more than 180 degrees from where it has been placed. However the camera should always stay on the same side of the line, this line is called the line of action.This is always used because the purpose of the rule is to keep continuity in the single camera production. An advantage for this is that the 180 degree rule helps to understand everything that is being filmed and the scenes. On the other hand a disadvatge for the 180 degree rule is you can easily brake the rule by crossing over the line. Once the rule is broken it can effect the continuity and you may have to re shoot the scene again.
Tilt - Tilt is a camera movement its a tilt when it moves up or down, for example the camera takes a shot from over the shoulder of a character and the it changes to a related view Pan - Pan is a camera movement when the camera moves left and right . camera follows the subject of action
Dutch Tilt - Dutch tilt is a camera is deliberately tilted on one side, used for dramatic effect
Zoom - Zoom is zooming in and out of the character while simultaneously adjusting the zoom angle to keep the character in the same place
Building means building a sequence of shots, also putting many shots together to build a moving sequence.
Blocking intimate and distance, the particular placing of the characters to show relationship. This was shown in the shot where they clashed and walked straight into eachother.
Master shot is when shooting have to keep all the characters on screen and this is the foundation for the scene.
High angle is filmed about the subject aiming down. This shot can make the character look very dominant and bigger than the other character.
Low angle is captured below the actors eyes this shows that makes you look smaller and the other person looking up is more dominant.
Master shot -captures all the characters and the environment this is used to show that the story is continuing.
Shallow focus- which is depth of field- shallow focus revoles around a smaller depth of field. So something smaller is in focus and not a lot of the background is in show.
Mid shot- A mid shot is when you shoot the character/actor from waist upwards.
Extreme close up is used to show facial expressions.
Wide shot- this is used to establish the background, can associate the characters relationship surroundings.
Pan- Pan is used to follow a character maybe when they are walking. This used because it can show dramatic effect towards the character and to the audience.
Zoom- Zoom is basically in and out, this shouldn't be done when filming half way through this should be done before you start filming because it will look unprofessional.
Tilt- Tilt is used to detail in a character or for example if they are on a bike the camera can tilt to get it at the right angle.
The type of production I am going to talk about is a web-serial, we call it a webisode the genre for this is going to be teen thriller/drama, this is because the webisode is mostly aimed at teenagers. This production is a serial because the next episode continues from the last. So where the last one ended the next starts from the same point. However it is also a serial because it focuses on one character each episode. For this webisode I will be using single camera production all through out the webisode because it will show clear shots and you can plan out and think about the shots you are using. However using single camera techniques can be better to edit because you can look at the shots in much more detail.
Finance
Film producers get there finance either from them investing or having there own personal money to produce the film. When investing in the money it either needs to paided back from the production of the film or when it gets distributed. Also if using there own personal money it will benefit them in the long run because again of the film distributing and they will get there money back and more. However others would try and get there money through the lottery or the BFI (british film institute). Therefore for my production/webisode I wouldn't be able to afford any of this equipment because none of us have the money for it. But we have college to provide us with all the equipment this will be much easier and much more cheaper. The only thing I will be paying out for is the food for the crew, I will paying this with my own money. The transport for the actors is easier and we also don't need to pay because we have free bus passes which can get us on any bus for free. The props I might need may need to be bought because college won't provide them either plus we can get what we want to use, it want be the same as others either.
Budget requirements-This is what I will be using to shoot my webisode with, the equipment below will briefly explain what it is and how much it would if we didn't have the college equipment to use.
Cameras- £277/£1230.00 this is how much cameras would cost normally, but in this situation because im doing it in college i will not need to buy any cameras. The college luckily is going to provide it for us. It will also cost £500 per day to hire for a camera man .
Lights- The price range for the lights would be £54.99- £183.64. The lights I will not be paying for either because I will be shooting my webisode during the day so I will have natural lighting.
Microphone- Hiring as microphone should cost around the same price as hiring lighting or maybe a bit less. I will not need a microphone because the actors will be recorded for a voiceover for the video.
Editing suite-To hire a editing suite it cost around £150 for half a day and £250 for a full day. Your literally paying for every hour you use so use it wisely. In the editing suite you get a wide range of editing software to use on the macs e.g Adobe Creative Sutie 5, Final cut studio 3 etc... I will be booking the mac suite at college which has all the software on it.
Time and scheduling
Time and scheduling in the media industry is very important especially if you are producer or director. However any role you play in the media industry you always need to be on time with whatever you do. If a deadline is not met, if your in the film industry then your holding back the whole film. You would loose the company a lot of money because the film will get distributed on time which everything has to take a step back. The produces will also loose money because they will have to buy more time and more time to create the film. The days I will be filming is either Wednesdays when everyone finish at the same time or weekend when everyone should be free. The webisode I will be shooting shouldn't take that long to shoot but It might take abit longer to edit and everything because some of us no a lot more about programmes on the mac then others. It should take about 2-3 weeks to shoot hopefully no longer than that. We will all need to organise times and places to meets and shoot the webisode.
Location
Choosing a location maybe quite difficult because everyone may have different ideas on where to shoot, however we would all need to come up with something together or everyone puts there input in and we think of a location from that, Therefore wherever we choose it needs to be close to everyone because even know we have free oyster cards not a lot of people want to travel. If we choose quite a quiet location we might need to ask permission from someone who owns the land, or the local council will need to be informed about it, so we need to careful about that as well. We wouldn't be able to film near big main roads or motor ways because it is a health and safety hazard. Also if you are shooting near a police station maybe you would want to let them no that you are shooting near by.
Talent
To hire a talent it will cost £500-£700 pound, however I wont be paying for a talent because I will be using my own friends and colleagues at college. It might be easier to use someone out of a drama course instead of someone who is friends because you cant trust them to behave and they might just mess around, you wont get it done in time and as I said in time and scheduling it is all about time and you cant waste any of it.
Crew and Personal
In the webisode i will have 6 crew members some which will be the the actors, the rest will be camera man, someone who will be telling the actors what to do so the director. Some of the crew maybe better at filming than other because they may have more experience, such as having experience in using the camera, directing people how to play there roles, also the way some people set it up.
British Board of Film Classification needs to check our webisode and needs to be classified. It needs to be looked at to see if there is anything disturbing or inappropriate to my specific audience.
