Unit 21: Single camera techniques

Task 1: Use the links below to help you write a few paragraphs that answer the following questions:(P1, M1, D1)

Define the single camera format and the multiple camera format.

Multiple Camera Set-Up – The multi-camera setup has the cameras arranged to take all of the different shots of the scene.

Single Camera Set-Up - Single-camera setup generally employs just one camera.

The single-camera setup gives the director more control over each shot, but is more time consuming and expensive than multiple-camera. The choice of single-camera or multiple-camera setups is made separately from the choice of film or video. That is, either setup can be shot in either film or video. However, multiple-camera setups shot on video can be switched "live to tape" during the performance, while setups shot on film still require that the various camera angles be edited together later. The single-camera setup originally developed during the birth of the classical Hollywood cinema in the 1910s and has remained the standard mode of production in the cinema. In television, however, a multiple-camera setup is just as common.

Single Camera Example - In single-camera, if a scene cuts back and forth between actor A and actor B, the director will first point the camera towards A and shoot shots number 1, 3, 5, 7, and so on. Then they will point the camera toward B and do shots number 2, 4, 6, 8, and so on. In the post-production editing process, the shots will be assembled into their final order.

Multi Camera Example - Multiple-camera shooting would record a variety of angles of actors A and B simultaneously; the director would then have the choice of switching among the angles while the program is being recorded (or broadcast) or recording all shots and cutting them together in post-production.

When it comes to producing an actual visual production there is a lot of financial aspects to still be considered. Friday World for example, has to consider the expenses for all the equipment they use, with technology such as the Green Screen and sound mixing tools, the school is set a budget therefore all these media products have to be carefully calculated to make sure the necessary items are bought to fulfill the show's needs. Stada Media is a company which provides all the video production tools needed for anyone wanting to produce a video piece, they provide a 'rate card' to clarify the costs of all their services which they are able to offer:

FILMING: varies.

A typical days filming package includes one HD broadcast quality camera, one camera operator, basic sound and lighting kit. The camera is usually mounted on a professional fluid head tripod or hand held.

• Half - Day (i.e. 9am - 1pm) £215.00
• Full - Day (i.e. 9am - 5pm) £400.00
• 2x Full - Days £775.00
• 3x Full - Days £1,125.00
• 4x Full - Days £1,500.00
• 5x Full - Days £1,875.00

EDITING: £35.00 per hour.

The work flow of the editing process is determined by the amount of footage filmed and the duration of the finished video. For example, A typical half-day shoot could result in 90 minutes worth of video being filmed. To edit this footage into a 5 minute feature (with titles, music and voice over) would normally take 12 hours.

GRADING / THE 'LOOK' OF YOUR VIDEO: £60.00 per hour.

Whether it's the filmic, cinematic look, or special vignetting or blurring effects. The grading process can achieve that specific look you desire. We use the very latest in Colour technology, software used by the film and TV industry.

MOTION GRAPHICS: £35.00 per hour.

Adding fancy, fun, dynamic and captivating graphics to your video can seriously improve its effectiveness in delivering your key message.

EXTRAS:

• Music Track - £65.00
• Voice Over - £65.00
• Presenter - £175.00
• Script Writing - £55.00
• Green Screen - £525.00 (full day in a studio)

Task 2: Write a short paragraph explaining the difference between series, serials and single dramas. Write about 4 TV programmes from different genres and explain which category they fall into and why: (P1, M1, D1)

A serial is a part drama which may add up to 4 or 5 parts which are screened weekly at the same time typically, it's basically a short-run series with one title and one plot, sometimes there may be a sequel serial made sometimes as where it may be the end of the actual serial but the end of the program on a whole may still not be tied up, therefore concluding in another serial being made further down the line. A series is more like a long running tv show, for example Scrubs, which is a continual television series, is organised in 'season's' as the USA like to define it, as it tends to have from 6 up to 24 or more episodes within each 'season' or series, another successful example would be '24' as it's been one of america's longest and most thriving shows since it began back in 2001. Finally a single drama is a one off production which tends to be lenghtier than most daily programmes as it's a 'single drama', distinctively they have a tendancy to be around 2-3 hours long and are shown all in one night and sometimes may have a 20-30 minute news break inbetween.

Task 3 Based on a discussion of the three clips below this link and your own knowledge of film and television, use specific examples to explain where different narrative structures occur and why they are used: (P1 M1 D1)

The effect of a non-linear narrative throughout the Dallas series' is to enable the audience to get a deeper understanding of different story lines, this stretches the the interest in each episode as there tends to be an unfinished account from the previous episode, consequently enticing the viewer to return for the next installment. Non-linear narrative is a narrative technique which is sometimes used in literature, websites and other narratives, yet it is predominantly used within television and film. The method of a non-linear narrative is where events are portrayed out of chronological order and are usually dictated by set parameters within the media. It is often used to mimic the structure and recall of the human memory. Linear narrative is just the direct opposite to non-linear, with the events being in chronological order instead.

TASK 6: Recreate the classification table above and add an extra column and call it 'media consumption', in this section comment on the type of programming they would consume from TV and Radio in addition to commenting on newspaper's magazines and the internet.
Create a profile for someone of your own age but the opposite gender and write it as a separate paragraph underneath: (P1 M1 D1)

TASK 7: Write a report with screen-shots, detailing the equipment and software you will be using and how you intend to use it.

For our single-camera production we will be using a variety of media production tools to professionally create a media piece. The camera which will be used is a small handheld Panasonic camera, the model being a NV-GS230, as well as this we will be using a handheld voice recorder, the model is a Edirol R-09. Regarding the software, we will use Garageband to edit all the voiceovers to either add effect or simply edit the levels for a more natural sound, these edited audio clips can then be uploaded to the video software programme iMovie. After this all the clips filmed from our Panasonic camera will be uploaded to iMovie to be cut down and put together in a suitable order. This piece of software also allows us to add video effects to our various clips to enhance the quality of the overall video production.

The cast of the film included myself, Elliot Woods and Sally Cartmell. Sally played the character who was the best friend of Claire, the girl who died of a drug overdose. My character was Claire's boyfriend, who was the one who forced drugs onto her, finally Elliot played the drug dealer, the guy who supplied Louis the drugs which consequently contributed to Claire's death. Niamh Park wasn't actually involved in the film but she helped to record scenes where all 3 of our characters had to be involved in the same shot, apart from that the rest of the shooting was shared between the three of us.

The props we used were first of all a bag of sugar to represent the drugs that Elliot was providing Louis. We also used Sally's car as her character is on a revenge mission against the other two characters, Louis and Elliot, she accomplishes this by taking both their lives and also hers in the end in a car crash.

Task 8: Treatment.

The idea for our single camera film is based on a drug bust, the whole objective of the film is to show three different people who at first don’t appear to have a connection to one another, but when going into The idea for our single camera film is based on a drug bust, the whole objective of the film is to show three different people who at first don’t appear to have a connection to one another, but when going into more depth it is established that in fact they all have some sort of relation. The setting for our movie will be in a secluded area with very few cars and people around. The time of day will be late evening around 7oclock so that the lighting will be dusk. The time duration of our film is set to be around 2 minuets. The idea behind our film is a short single camera drama, which is based around drug abuse. All footage will be filmed on a hand held camera, there will be no characters speaking in the film but there will be voice over’s of each character sharing their views, There will be an acoustic style of music playing in the background to help establish the atmosphere as an eerie one.

1) Opening scene an establishing shot will be used to start the drama and help set the scene. Louis will then walk around a corner towards the camera, which will be at a long shot, walking out of shot and cutting to a medium shot of him walking towards the camera which will be tracking back signifying he’s on a journey. Louis’s voice over will start playing over the top as he is in shot.

2) It will then cut to a long shot of Elliot walking from the opposite side of the camera to show he is on a separate journey. Similar to Louis’s scene it will then cut to a medium shot of the camera tracking along side. Again as he comes into shot his voice over will start to help the audience establish his character.

3) We will then have a close up of car headlights turning on, and then it will cut to close up of Sally driving in the car, looking angry. Again sally’s voice over will start as she is in shot.

4) All three characters slowly make their way to the same point, a close up of transaction of the drugs.

5) Long shot of the car coming round the corner and then a blackout.

Task 10: Production Schedule.

Task 11: Health and safety.

Task 12: Production.