Single Camera Production Report

What are the advantages and disadvantages of single camera production?

Advantages

The advantages of single camera production is that it allows you to film one shot with one camera, also with a single camera, close-ups, long shots and wide shots are generally used to show relationship between characters. Furthermore, single cameras are used for productions that are on a budget as only one camera needs to be purchased or hired, and is also an easier way to organise shooting. Documentaries are shot with single cameras as they have become more useful. Single camera production (or techniques) are used for small spaces and is better to scout for locations. Another advantage is that the final sequence of scenes are always arranged when editing that scenes, and do not have to be shot in a sequence. 

Disadvantages

The disadvantages of single camera production is that when shooting, you are only able to shoot at one angle at a time. This means that more time will be spent in the editing room which leads to more money being spent if the production is on a budget. Due to all of the footage being filmed on one camera, all of the mistakes and out takes will have to be sorted out which wastes time, only two actors/characters can be filmed with a single camera. Lastly, the quality of the camera wouldn't be that clear or pragmatic.

Advantages

The advantages of multi camera production is that it uses uses more than the one camera. It allows people to cover more area (and location) because there are multiple cameras and many other different shots can be used for each camera; so emotion and reaction can be seen with different angles. It is quicker to film as the scenes do not have to be repeated to get every piece of footage.  The alteration from one character to another will be effortless as it will be filmed together rather than one character being filmed at a time and having to repeat the process. Lastly, with multi camera production, it is possible to light unfamiliar shots with different cameras and angles.

Disadvantages

The disadvantages of multi camera production is that it takes a very long time to set up cameras due to there being a wide amount of equipment. Lastly, the cost for multiple cameras are more than single cameras because there will be more than 2 cameras being used for filming.

Genres

Documentary – (Civilisation)

Drama – (Game of Thrones)

Comedy – (Friends)

Soaps – (EastEnders)
Thriller - (Utopia)

Format

What is a Series?

Series (also known as television programme). A series is always aired on TV or online and consists of up to 13 episodes per season. For example, Pretty Little Liars has 6 seasons (and counting) with 20-25 episodes in each season and new episodes are aired once every week.

What is a Serial?

Serials is a television program such as a miniseries, a soap opera or a telenovela. Serials have very few episodes and a storyline that starts and ends within these episodes. They are usually advertised during program breaks. An example of a serial is Breaking Bad.

What is a Single Drama?

Single Dramas is a one off story for TV or a TV film, the stories are usually based on topical or real issues. Due to different types of camera productions being out, single dramas are rare as they are hardly shown on TV anymore. An example of a Single Drama is BBC Three's 'Murdered by My Boyfriend'.

Narrative Structure

What is a Linear Narrative?

A linear narrative, which is also known as a 3 act structure, is when event are portrayed in chronological order, the film Up uses 3 act structure as it builds up emotion and shows the main characters’ past all the way to his present. The purpose for a Linear Narrative is to create sympathy from the audience and to also show the character’s life.

What is an Episodic Narrative?

An episodic narrative is used by having a cliff hanger at the end of each episode. This gives the show a new story or problem to deal with in the next episode. The purpose is to create a wider audience with the use of cliff hangers as it gives the viewer something to look forward to in the next episode.

What are Open and Closed Narrative?

An open narrative usually have many characters and no foreseeable ending. Soap operas such as EastEnders and Holy City are multi-stranded and are in chronological order or real time. The purpose of this is to show the audience it in real time.

Closed narrative films usually have a ‘tight’ reading as they’re usually 2 hours and has an end to the story. The film, About Time compresses around 20 years into just over 2 hours and has an end. The purpose of this is to let the movie have an ending and a finish.

What are Realist and Anti-Realist Narrative?

A realist narrative is a believable story that might be based on a true story. Realist narratives are used by displaying believable scenarios for example, a middle season or a man living in the city. The purpose for this is that it can cause the audience to feel emotions towards the film as they feel as if it could happen in real life.

An anti-realist narrative is an advert that is not real so it can have anything in the advert such as cartoon characters and other thigs that are not real. For example, two M&M’s talking, in reality, which would never happen so it’s not real. The purpose of this is to make the audience laugh so more people will remember the advert and talk about it to others.

What is a Multi-Stranded Narrative?

A multi-stranded narrative is when there are several narratives running at the same time. For example, in many soap operas. It focuses on one family and so does everyone in the series on each scene and documentaries. A popular narrative device is the enigma. The plot constructs a puzzle that the audience is asked to solve while the characters act out the story.