TASK 1 - Advantages/Disadvantages of Multi vs single camera producitions

UNIT 22- Assignment 1- Task 1

Single vs. Multi camera production



Dear Short Film festival, I'm sure you have heard of the production method which is single camera, this style of filming has many advantages and it would be really beneficial for you to consider this, here are some advantages of single camera productions:

Advantages of single camera

Generally from a production point of view if you have the power/time to shoot one camera you do. From a cinematography point of view your lighting will tend to be a lot better and from a directing point of view you can focus on each performance in turn, theoretically optimizing the level of performance.  The best possible scenario is to have 2 cameras, but to only use the second camera when you need to "hose down" a scene full of many actors. This system is used in features, where time and money isn't as important as producing quality.

An added complexity is that it takes longer to light and set for two cameras shooting simultaneously than it does for one, so one doesn't technically double the number of angles one records. When shooting with single camera there is less hassle than shooting with multiple cameras which may cause confusion and make the production way more difficult and longer than it already will be.

A huge difference between single camera set-ups and multiple camera set-ups is the order that they’re shot in, for example multiple camera set-ups are filmed chronologically whereas single camera set-ups mean that the shots will be shot in the order of flexibility and will be put in order during editing. An advantage of using a single-camera set-up as opposed to a multiple-camera set-up would be that it is cheaper and this is what makes it popular with producers who are working with a low budget; this is the case because you only need one camera as opposed to three or four like a multiple camera set-up. Another advantage of a single camera set-up is that with using one camera you don’t have to worry about other cameras being in shot. However if you use multiple cameras it is less flexible because you have to take into consideration where the other camera are positioned. The editing will also be less hassle, when editing a single camera you wont have the trouble of cutting and editing different scenes as the production comes to place, having a single camera enables the editor to complete it 100% and with no time wasted.

Here are some examples of single camera productions:

• EastEnders
• The Big Bang Theory
• 30 Rock

Another important factor of using single camera in terms of money is that its very cheap which means you will be saving heaps of money and I understand that you want the best quality so here are some figures which i think you should know. First of all there will be no need to spend money on more than one camera, this will come up to about (roughly) £250 per day and the camera man will be about £500, taking into consideration that there is only need for one camera man and one camera comparing this to that of multi camera the money that will be saved is a great advantage for you and an absolute bargain. The next piece of equipment needed is a dolly track, this will come up to about £31 a day which is very cheap but very effective. im sure by now you can see how much money you are saving. Another important piece of equipment that you will need is the lighting. The lighting will come up to about £50 per day, isn't this great?. You are saving so much money for the best quality of filming.

Another advantages of single camera in terms of the editing process is that its easier to focus on one thing instead of trying to focus on 5 different cameras, for instance the director has more control of the whole set if there is a single camera as this allows him to focus on the specific scene for it to be at the best of its quality. 

Disadvantages of Single Camera

With the exception of outdoor shots where studio lights are virtually eliminated, many scenes are


lit using a three-point lighting system or something similar.  The key light is to shed light on your actor's face, the fill light (a softer spread light) is meant to soften the key light and show more of the actor's face, and lastly, the back light is used to separate the actor from the background (as to keep him/her from blending into it). 

 Another disadvantage of using single camera is that the editing will be very time consuming, because of the camera moving from point A to point B every time there is a conversation in for example a soap drama he editing will take time as the scenes need to be cut and the general filming will take up some time as well. Because all of the film will be from one camera, all of your outtakes and mistakes will be have to be sorted out over time, as opposed to a multi-camera approach, where you can edit certain sequences, angles and scenes based on the camera that was shooting. The quality of the camera wouldn't be that clear or realistic. 

Since single-camera production only uses one camera, of course, the director gets absolute control over every shot. If, for instance, you opted to go with the multi-camera production, you could get different angles and different takes at the same time, using different people manning different cameras. If one shot from the centre looks bad, you can always replace those frames with a shot from the right or left to easily and quickly patch things up. With single-camera production, you're stuck with the footage you get.

Multi-camera advantages

Multi camera production is when a film or programme is filmed with multiple cameras. There are many shows which use this method of production and the outcome has a high quality factor. Here are some advantages with this form of production:

One advantage of using Multi camera is that the scenes that are shot are a lot quicker to cover and take as the camera doesn't have to keep switching from one angle to the other like in single camera productions. The scenes are shot with different cameras simultaneously and then later edited to make them come together as one piece. This saves a lot of time for the whole editing crew. Another advantage of multi camera is that sometimes it is beneficial for a television show to have a live studio audience, to provide feedback to the writers and director in regards to the reception of their production and also to provide a laugh track. A multi-camera set up enables the scene to flow and allows the audience to react. This can also benefit the people watching at home as they have all round access as to what's going on.

When filming would the production taking lighting into consideration is very important as the scenes need to be lit properly in order for it to have a dramatic effect with the audience. With Multi camera there will be no need to change the lighting when the cameras switch from one to the other, this technique saves editing time as it reduces the complexity of tracking continuity issues that crop up when the scene is reshot from the different angles.

Another benefit of Multi camera production is that the actors or actresses will not have to pause in a conversation the scene can be ran smoothly and there will be no need for the characters to stop and wait for each line they have. This enables better quality in  my opinion as everything is shot quick, fast, simple and their is no need to stop the acting/action going on.

There are many programmes which use this method of filming, here are some you may be familiar with:

• Match Of The Day
• The X-Factor
• Britain's Got Talent
• Big brother

All of these shows cover different angles of what is going on, this gives the viewers at home a wider variety of angles and all round coverage. Furthermore a show for example The X-Factor shows audience reactions and judges reactions as it increases the entertainment factor and is more or less vital as a show of such high quality entertainment needs to have reactions. By including different angles on set it allows audiences to see the whole settings as if they were actually there st the time being. As well as The X-Factor a programme like Match Of The Day changes angles but not for the same reason as The X-Factor but in order to get what the presenter is saying and then to what the pundits have to say as this is important s the pundits input makes a programme like Match Of The Day more interesting. By using different camera shots on each pundit it focuses more on what they're saying rather this being in one position it would get boring for viewers watching the show and they'd lose focus. So the use of multi camera enables viewers to engage more and focus more.


Disadvantage of Multi camera

As well as all the wonderful advantages that comes with Multi-camera productions there are also unfortunately some disadvantages, one of these disadvantages is that the cost of the whole setup will come to a high price as there will be more than one camera, a camera usually costs about £250 and a multi camera production at average will take up to at most 6 cameras so that in itself is already a big price. Furthermore,

lack of flexibility It can get complicated when trying to hide equipment from the other cameras, there is also less flexibility in putting the necessary equipment on scene such as microphone booms and lighting rigs so in the whole process of shooting a film these small details can cause very big problems.

It will take a lot longer to light a multi-camera shoot than it would a single camera production because more of the scene will be on show. A better lighting set up would be achieved if the cinematographer only had to focus on how the scene would look from one camera angle. Also it is important to remember there are more people on set and avoid placing lights in places that could cast shadows across a scene.

Those were the advantages and disadvantages of both single and multi-camera productions, they both have a high amount of use in the makings of great films and programmes, these methods both benefit the audience and makers of a film as both are very effective, even though both come with disadvantages I'd say that they are both very similar just with different outcome style.