Single Camera Production Techniques

With more and more television channels being created every year and some being dedicated specifically to drama the single camera production has become extremely popular over the years with not only audiences but broadcasters as well. This means the increasing amount of single camera productions being made the more opportunities people with skills in that sector are going to get the chance to gain employment. Learners will be able to gain skills required for the planning and implement of a single camera drama production. They will be able to identify key production roles and take on a few more roles during their own production if they ever do one, lighting, use of sound and editing techniques are just a few to list.

Camera:
Stating the obvious single camera productions are filmed with one camera and its used as a sort of tool to allow the audience to be there in the action with the characters within the scene, this gives the shots and the whole film/show more realism and a more intimate feel. This is the function of the single camera production, however sometimes on rare occasions the production team would use more than one camera, for example on something that you only had once chance to do, like in Citizen Kane where Charlie Kane destroys his wife's (Susan Alexander) room. They knew they only had one take to do this scene and so used multiple cameras. This is the only time in a single camera production that more than one camera is used. Surprisingly directors often favor single camera productions as they feel they have more control over the shots as they can set up each shot individually, also you can shoot anywhere with a single camera production as apposed to in multi-camera where you may be limited as to where you can film sue to logistical reasons. As you would expect with a single camera production the same scene would have to be acted over and over again
so the director could capture the scene from multiple angles and shot lengths. Although the repetition makes filming more expensive it allows the actors to get into character and perfect their characters line etc.

Lighting:
As you would expect again the lighting is far easier to control than in multi-camera productions as you can light each scene individually. When shooting with with multiple cameras, the lighting must be adequate for each shot. This can give the effect of the scene looking fake and you can sometimes tell that its a studio and not an actual location. Lighting in single camera is more intricate and adds more realism to the scenes as with every shot, the camera settings and lighting has been changed to make the shot in a sense, perfect. An example again would be Citizen Kane, although to be seen as one of the best films of all time it was a single camera production and was actually made on a very low budget. The lighting in many of the scenes of this film were so imaginative and allowed to director to show the characters mood or even if the character was changing. When Charlie Kane writes out his promises his entire face is in black (which you can see from the image linked to this paragraph) which suggests to the audience that none of these promises will be kept and he may change throughout the film.

Sound:
When filming you should never rely on built in microphones on the camera to capture audio they are just simply not good enough. Just from the audio it can make a well made video or shot look very amateurish. In single camera production you require a certain amount of overlay, this is where before you start filming you would start the scene a little earlier and the same with the end you would overrun a little. This avoids awkward and jumpy starts and also means editing will be easier. It also just gives a better look to the scene as it doesn't look staged and again gives more realism to the scene. As mentioned earlier single camera productions will sometimes use more than one camera to film something that is particularly hard or you only have one chance to film and they also use more than one camera with a scene that is heavy in dialogue. Its also important to remember that the dialogue used in a scene isn't always the dialogue from that shot, for example if an over the shoulder shot is used the dialogue of one of the characters may be hard to record and so when in the editing process the audio would be used from another shot. Over the shoulder shots and cutaways show us that the source of the dialogue doesn't have to be on screen at all times. Citizen Kane
 was very smart in capturing their audio, as it was a low budget film and the sets they shot the film in were not always very big and also as it was low budget their equipment wouldn't be as good as say a Hollywood film studios. So to capture their audio in most scenes the ceilings are actually tight cloths stretched across the set and above the cloth are the microphones that were used to record the audio. For its time this was an ingenious idea and has been used in many films since.


Coverage:

Coverage is a very simple term, in basic terms is means how much footage you have filmed/shot. If you have 'Good Coverage' this means you have plenty of options when editing your footage, as we all know with single camera productions footage is key. Without A good coverage you will find it hard to edit, as if a scene isn't right or a single shot isn't right you will then not have another shot to edit into that space. This then requires you to re shoot and the conditions or lighting may be different as this can have a huge effect on the continuity of the production.

With digital recording directors may even film rehearsals of the scene and store it on an SD card as the quality will not degrade unlike DV tapes, film stock is also very expensive and normally when on a budget (which most films and productions are) you cannot afford to waste any of it. Elaborating on budget, your budget for the production can have a huge effect on the amount of shots and types of shots you can capture when filming your production. You do however need a certain amount of shots and angles for each scene as if you use the same shots over and over people will not watch the production as it will become repetitive and boring. No matter how big or small your budget is you must always re shoot the same scene over and over again from different angles and using different shots if not you will struggle within the post production stage. Personally this has happened to me many times, thinking that once I had shot the scene that this scene was now finished. Only until you get to the post production stage you realise that you do not have enough footage, or a shot is shaky or you have a huge continuity error. Normally once in the post production stage there is little or no time to re shoot the scene as you will have to have the production done by a certain time.

The Master Shot within single camera production is possibly one of the most important shots, the Master Shot is a recording of the whole scene which shows all of the characters in action. This allows you to cut to and from the master shot if one of the closer shots isn't right and is basically a great way to cover up that one of your shots went wrong, they also allow you to establish the characters within the scene. In Multi-Camera productions the longer and harder scenes are filmed one after the other so the actors had to memorise lots of lines and stage directions as these scenes can take hours, where as in single camera productions there is far more time to check your lines and breaks within the production are far more frequent.

Editing:
The post production stage can take a very long time, even as long as the filming stage as there will be vast amounts of footage to look through to create the product especially in single camera productions. Although a lot of film can be wasted in a multi-camera production it can actually cheaper as it takes considerably less time to film the scenes needed.
Where as in single camera normally the scenes are filmed together in certain locations or when similar characters are being used within that scene. Some multi-camera productions are actually edited live. If we look at X Factor or Britain's Got Talent you see that they quickly switch between cameras with the use of a vision mixer. This technique cant be used in single camera productions as all editing must be done after the scene has been filmed. When creating my 10 minute short it was sometimes very hard to find certain parts of footage as we just had so much that we had filmed. Imagine how much footage you would have when filming a 90 minute film, it would take a seriously long time to find a specific piece of footage. You then think about single camera productions where entire scenes are filmed several times over the amount of footage would be staggering. Shot logs come in handy when within the editing process as you can take the shots and takes that were successful and separate them from the ones that were problematic. A shot log is simply a lost of shots that you have captured and a description of each according to how well it turned out.

Genre:
There are many genres within TV and film and there are many genres within single camera production however some are more dominant than others due to how big the audiences are for that certain genre.

Period:
Period dramas have become popular within the single camera production world. These types of shows are normally to do with romance and sometimes adventure. In order to make period dramas look real particular historical sets, props, costumes and periods are used and designed recreate the style and tone. The obvious example here would be Downton Abbey. Period dramas are popular with single camera productions because you can show real emotion within the characters and single camera productions care more for attention to detail as they have to re shoot every scene multiple times and I feel this allows them to capture the emotion and really put you in the shoes of the characters and what they're going through.

Crime:
This genre focuses on criminals and authority figures. Often using low key lighting TV programmes such as NCIS and CSI are seen from the law's point of view and show us how they track down the killers etc, where as Bronson is shown from the criminals point of view, all of those shows mentioned are also single camera productions. So why're they so popular within the single camera world? Within Crime dramas we see lots of camera movement and the reason for this is so it makes it exciting and has an action feel to it, the most camera movement normally occurs when there is a shoot out or they chase after the criminals. The camera movement again allows you to 'be in the action' and gives a sense of realism to the production. Also being a single camera production you are able to move the camera around the scene without worrying about filming other equipment being filmed. This allows the audience in a sense, walk around the crime scene and make an evaluation of the crime scene for yourself which is a niche for the crime drama.

Horror:
As we know single camera productions are used for the ability to create a sense of realism and allows you to be in the eyes of the character, which allows you to feel what they're feeling at that particular time and it becomes more personal. This is key for horror shows as they need to get to you on a personal level which then allows them to get the audience involved in the 'scares'. A key technique used for horror is the lighting, lighting allows you to give the show a more creepy feel and shadows within a horror is key to building tension. Being a single camera production this will allow the director to light each individual scene perfectly and by doing this allows you to give a bigger effect on the audience as lighting by itself can get the audience scared and by using lighting to create shadows this can build tension.

Comedy:
Most sitcoms are filmed within studios and sets like Friends and The Big Bang Theory and these sitcoms utilise multi-camera techniques. These two sitcoms are also filmed in front of a live studio audience, if this was a single camera production doing the same scene over and over again if will become repetitive and the reaction to the jokes will not be real. You then get sitcoms that are single camera productions like Peep Show and My Name Is Earl. Obviously in multi-camera comedy shows when the joke is told the response to the joke is more natural as its the first time they have heard it, also they will not need to re shoot the scene as they have multiple cameras to capture the scene, where as in single camera productions it will feel less real as the response would have been captured in a different take. In multi-camera productions you will notice that only certain shots are used to now show other camera equipment, also as they're using sets in studios some of the locations do not exist so physically cannot be shown. You will see this in a sitcom like Friends. Where as in single camera productions everywhere will be shown as they're using actual locations when filming, which allows them to get far more interesting shots within the programme.

Soap Opera:
Soap Opera's normally use multi-camera techniques as normally they need to produce the shows quickly as they're shown on a daily basis. Some do film using single camera techniques however normally come out on a weekly basis as they cannot be produced as quickly as a multi-camera production. Brookside was a UK single camera soap which filmed in real locations instead of sets and studios. Being a multi-camera production directors do not have as much freedom with camera movement and shot types as they would if they were doing a single camera production. The reason multi-camera is so popular with soap operas is because they need to be produced very quickly. For example Hollyoaks is shown every week day at 7. This means that they would have to use multiple cameras to shoot the scenes as they would have to shoot a scene as quickly as possible and then get on to he next scene. Single camera wouldn't favour sitcoms as they needed to be produced quickly and put out on TV quickly.

Series:
A series is a series of episodes that will eventually end hence why its called a 'series'. As mentioned before NCIS and CSI are single camera productions that are series and have actually been running for many years. Series normally revolve around central characters and these characters will evolve their story whilst the series goes on, or you can still have the episode concentrate on the central characters however like in NCIS and CSI there will be a new crime each week for the team to work out who did it and sometimes the story line may span over two episodes. There are many series out there and each in their own genre, from The Big Bang Theory to South Park.

Serial:
We then come to Serials. Serials do not run for a specific amount of time and are continuous. Most Serials are soap operas as they are continuously made and are quickly produced to get them out for a daily basis. EastEnders, Coronation Street and Brookside are just some of the soaps that are classed as 'Serials'. These shows have been running for years, especially Coronation Street which started broadcasting in 1960 and has been running ever since making it the longest running British serial. Serials are normally made using multi-camera techniques as said before as using these techniques they can shoot scenes quickly and effectively and have enough footage for the entire scene with normally just one take.Brookside actually was until 2003 when it was dropped however it had run for around 20 years before that. They need to do this as again serials are continuous and some are broadcast on a daily basis and so need to be produced quickly. Its rare you find a serial which is a single camera production, however

Single Drama:
Finally we have single drama, this kind of format of show normally consists of one self-contained story told in a one off special episode. minimum length of these is normally around 5 minutes and are much like the '3 minute wonder' I made. In 2010 Simon Curtis won a BAFTA for his single drama called A Short Stay In Switzerland. Not all single dramas run over just one episode some do run over two or three episodes sometimes however normally you will just see it being the one off special. As single dramas are so short are are normally shot using single camera techniques they do actually take a very long time to create for such a short 'film' and can normally be shown between TV shows instead of adverts.

Advantages and Disadvantages:
Like with anything within the world, there are always going to be good parts and bad parts nothing is ever perfect. What i'm focusing on is whether single camera production has more pro's than con's and if it is actually worth it?

Advantages:
There are many advantages of using single camera techniques, one of them being that the director has far more control over every shot. Obviously each shot is set up to what the director deems as 'perfect' as you're only using one camera.
This allows the director to set up the best lighting the best set and location. This gives a better feel to the production as time has been taken over every aspect and reach out to people on a personal level. Adapting on the personal level point, as it is a single camera production it will feel more personal. With more close ups and different shot types that allow you to be 'there with the character' or 'see it through the characters eyes' this allows the show to connect with people on a far more personal level and this is one of the main reasons as to why single camera productions are so successful. Another advantage is that far less film is used (potentially) as you're only using one camera most of the footage you shoot will be used as you are going to need all the footage you shoot, unlike with multi-camera there is vast amounts of film that is wasted because another camera got a better shot and so the whole reel will just be wasted. Single camera cannot afford to waste film as it has taken so long to get the film in the first place. As you would think using one camera to shoot the entire show would mean there is many re shoots as the director needs the scene from various different angles. Having to re shoot the scene over and over allows the director get much more imaginative shots and which makes the show more exciting and stylised. Doing the scene over and over again also allows the actors to actually perfect their character role which again reaches out to the audience. The footage that is being shot can be shot in 'clusters' which means the cast and crew are not hanging around. When in a location that may be used more than once they will only get the people that are needed within the scene and the crew that is needed to shoot the scene and the other scenes at that location and they will not have time to do the scenes in order. Once at a location you shoot everything you need to shoot that is going to be at that certain location as normally in single camera productions there will not be enough time to revisit that location. Another point about locations is that. Lighting can create cast amounts of emotions within film and TV and so should always be set up correctly. For exmaple like in Citizen Kane Charlie Kane's face is completely emerged in shadow giving you the feeling that whatever he is currently doing isn't going to have a good effect or end well. Single camera is all about the different kind of shots and angles that can be used, and it is also possible to produce a master shot for each scene as well as individual angles.
being in a single camera production means that a larger amount of locations are able to be used compared to multi-camera productions. The reason or this is because you have less equipment and so are able to move around the location better and also don't need to worry about accidentally filming or getting other camera equipment in the way of the shot. Single camera productions believe it or not can be made on tighter budgets. The reason for this is because less camera equipment is used and less film is wasted which means they can be made on a smaller budget than most multi-camera productions. As said before every shot can be set up 'perfectly' and especially the lighting.

Disadvantages:
And now to the disadvantages however there is actually very little. One of the biggest disadvantages for single camera production is that it is a very lengthy and time consuming process. Having to re shoot scene over and over again can take its toll on actors and crew members. This links to an advantage that was spoke about earlier, strangely. It can be potentially more expensive than multi-camera productions due to the length of filming. The amount of time you're at a location compared to multi-camera productions is huge and this can cost money as you're at the location longer and although you have less equipment it is running for longer and the actors and crew members are working much longer. It is a personal choice to film using single camera format however not everyone within the team may agree that it is the right choice. Another big one is continuity errors can be massive within single camera productions. Obviously as the scene is shot over and over again from different angles things can move and objects can also appear. Within multi-camera you rarely get this as the scene is shot in one take as there are multiple cameras capturing the scene. Action films or action parts of a TV show and stop and start continuously which may be annoying and appear stunted to the audience.

I feel that although there are some disadvantages there are many advantages as to why you would want to film using single camera techniques. I feel that using these techniques gives you a much more personal feel to the show and allows the directors and creators to go to places where multi-camera productions simply cannot go. It connects with the audience allowing them to build a connection with the cameras and then when something happens they're able to feel the emotion of the characters within the scene.

So whats the alternative to single camera production?
These two ways of filming a production are basically the two main ways of filming. Obviously single camera productions film using one camera and multi-camera productions film using normally around four however this can be less or even more.

Multi-camera Techniques:
For most TV and films it would be near impossible to film everything using just one camera. Normally the method in which the production is filmed is chosen by the genre of the media product. For example football games and Britians Got Talent would be impossible to film on one camera, and even if they tried there would be so much camera movement you wouldn't be able to see close up whats going on. Not only that but there would be one camera and one shot type which for the viewer would get very boring. Multi-camera techniques are particularity important when filming live television or something that cannot be re shot without the possibility of creating continuity error. For example actions films like Transformers although most is CGI stunts and explosions rely on multiple camera capturing them from every angle as they are costly if they have to be re done.

Advantages:
A big advantage is that there are far fewer re shoots as several camera capture the action editors will be able to have a vast amount of footage from different angles to work from and create the final product. Continuity errors are less frequent, obviously as the scenes are normally shot in one take as there are several camera shooting the scene everything stays the same, the lighting, objects within the scene everything. Action within scenes also doesn't feel like its stopping and starting all the time, its fluent and continuous. Filming can be completed far quicker than single camera productions as there are more single takes and the scene normally doesn't need to be re shot over and over again. This is a huge advantage that multi-camera has over single camera, you're are able to shoot live by using a mixing desk which allows you to see what every camera is currently shooting and then switch to that camera rather than editing the footage.

Disadvantages:
Lighting is a huge disadvantage, as said before lighting can create many different emotions within the scene and also the use of shadows, this however is differcult for multi-camera productions as the lighting must suit all of the different camera angles not just one like in single camera and in some shots the lighting can look fake and flat. The director has very little control over the shots that are being captured as there are multiple cameras shooting the scene compared to single camera where the director has a lot of power and is allowed to try different shots types and angles etc. And lastly locations can be very limited as numerous cameras and equipment would take up vast amounts of space normally not allowing multi-camera productions to use real locations, most are sets within studios.

This is a small break down of what multi-camera productions and single camera productions are:

Multi-Camera:

By having 2 stationary cameras (A and B) the director can use the third camera to focus on a key aspect within the scene. Normally there would be 4 cameras so one could also shoot the master shot and the director would then move the other camera around to focus on key aspects within the scene. You have many programmes that use this technique especially the one shown in he diagram. The News would use this technique when interviewing someone so they can focus on the interviewer and the interviewee. Other multi-camera productions include - The X Factor, Friends, Emmerdale and Seinfeld. 






Single Camera:
The only camera that is used for the shooting the production can move around the scene giving a more personal feel and also a much more realistic product. The scene is reset many times to re shoot the scene from various different angles and also allowing the director to try different shot types and capture the action from other perspectives. You see this within The Office as you feel that you're actually there in the action with the characters. Other single camera productions include Scrubs, Extras, The Royal Family and Ugly Betty. 

To conclude, both techniques gives their advantages and disadvantages like with anything. And if i was asked which one I would want to shoot a production with I would ask what kind of production it was. The technique you use depends on the production that is being made, if you're making a live production you cant use a single camera as it is near impossible to film everything. If you was making a documentary about someone living with terminal cancer you would want a very personal feel the production and you would want the audience to feel the emotion of this piece and so you would use single camera techniques. I personally feel that it depends on what kind of production you're making and what the purpose of that production is as both can give good and bad points to your work.