Unit 21 - Single Camera Techniques

Task 1: P1, M1, D1

In a single camera drama, only one camera is used, whereas in a multiple camera drama, more than one camera can be used. Both formats of filming have their advantages and disadvantages. For example, a single camera can be used for something that is a bit slower paced, like a panning shot, so that it adds tension to the scene, as you don't know what will be there when the camera stops turning. It is useful for things such as tracking shots, in which the camera only has to follow something on screen, which gives a flowing feeling to the shot. Using the single camera technique alongside shots such as a panning shot or a tracking shot can give you a feel for time and space, because everything is happening sequentially, and not all at once. Also, programmes and films can be made on a lower budget due to not having to pay money for more cameras. There will also be a lot less editing involved, due to the information being saved to one location.

Films and programmes that use multi-camera techniques also have their advantages. It is mainly used for switching between shots swiftly and efficiently. For example, in the show 'Question Time', the camera switches between the two people conversing and the audience quite a lot, so that you can see the audience's reaction to what is being said. It has to use multiple cameras to keep up with the fast pace in which the director wants the cameras to be pointed at. In a different genre of show, such as action, this erratic changing of camera angles is very effecting at giving the show a very frantic pace, so that viewers are kept on the edge of their seat.

Whilst both formats have their advantages, they are not without their disadvantages. Single camera dramas usually lack pace, and some things can end up being dragged out too long because of the camera having to pan round to see different things all the time. Multiple camera dramas don't really give the viewer a chance to look at anything else other than what the camera is pointed at, and this can leave the viewer a bit disorientated at the time because of the very quick changing of camera angles, and it can be quite difficult to follow what is going on. Also, multi-camera dramas are more expensive due to having to spend more money.

An example of a single camera shot is this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCG6CMFbPiI from Pulp Fiction. It follows John Travolta walking round Jack Rabbit Slim's restaurant. The camera also follows what Travolta is looking at, such as the man on stage singing, and the little racing car maching. This gives a sense of what the place he's in is like, and also leaves us wondering where his destination is.

An example of a multiple camera shot is this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rjtkqs3WLM&feature=related from The Bourne Identity. When the fight scene kicks in a few seconds into the video, a lot of camera changing is happening. It switches angles to show Maria's reaction to the hitman bursting through the window, and then back to Jason and the hitman fighting. It also changes angles when the gun is fired, to show where the bullets hit the ceiling. Also, when someone throws a punch, it changes to the person receiving the hit, so that we can see what happens to them. All of the angle changing leaves the viewer feeling really disoriented and confused, but also very on the edge of their seat, as they don't know what is going to happen when the camera shot changes again.

Task 2 P1, M1, D1

Single camera dramas are split into three different categories. These three categories are: series, serials, and single dramas. A series is a collection of more than five or six episodes that have a narrative. They are on-going, and there is usually more than one series per programme. A serial is a collection of around three episodes, usually an hour long, that also include a narrative, and are usually just a one off thing. A single drama is just one episode, with a narrative, and is around one hour long, and is also just a one off thing to watch.

An example of a series is the early series’ of Friends, before it switched over to the multi camera format, and it is of the sitcom genre. It falls into the category of a series, as it has quite a lot of episodes, which are usually around half an hour long. Each series consists of around twenty plus episodes, and it has 10 series’.

An example of a serial is The Street. It is a drama. It falls into the category of serial, because it had only a few episodes, which were each an hour long. Another example of a series is The Office, which is in the sitcom genre. It is a series because it has more than five or six episodes in a season, and it has a narrative. An example of a single drama is 'See No Evil', as it was just a one-off one hour long episode with a narrative.

Task 3 - P1, M1, D1

There are a lot of different types of narrative structures, and they can all be used in many different ways. One of these narrative structures is the linear/sequential narrative. This is where everything happens in order. Many films/programmes with linear structures often have a closed ending, the exception being soap operas, which give the viewer an endless narrative. Despite having the endless narrative, soap operas are a good example of a programme which have a linear structure. There is always an equilibrium, a disruption, and a resolution, and there is always a hero, villain, a damsel in distress, and a helper.

Another form of narrative structure is the non-linear/non-sequential narrative. This is where things don't happen in a sequence, and is usually shown in the form of flashbacks/forwards. The flashbacks are used to show us past events that have lead up to something that is currently happening on screen. An example of a film/programme with a non-linear structure is The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button. The beginning of the film is set in present times, but cuts back to the past as it fleshes out the story. The past is shown as flashbacks, which gives it a non-linear structure.

There are also realist and anti-realist narratives. A realist narrative is a film/programme that draws from real life events, and is as real as it can possibly be. An example of this would be a soap opera, as they're usually based around pretty realistic events, such as a man getting divorced etc. An anti-realist narrative is the opposite of a realist, and doesn't really draw on realist events. The sci-fi genre is anti-realist, which is why Star Wars is a good example for being anti-realist, as it is all made up, none of it is real.

A very important narrative structure is also the ending. There are two different types of endings, open and closed. Open endings are endings that haven't been fully finished, so there is often a need for a sequel. A closed ending is where everything has been resolved, and there will be no need to continue the story. There is sometimes an exception though, where not everything has been resolved, and there's still some problems, and the film will finish without us ever knowing what happened.

There are also several narrative patterns. These are: a goal orientated plot, a search or investigation, a journey, and a climax. An example of a goal orientated plot is Lord Of The Rings, where the characters are focusing on main goal, which is to destroy the ring. An example of a search is in The Bourne Identity, where he goes to find out who he really is. This could also be classed as a journey, as he is making his way physically from one place to another. A journey could also be metaphysical, which means to go on a personal, emotional journey, which The Bourne Identity is also an example of. All films have a climax. This is where the film reaches it's main point.

Another narrative point is restricted and unrestricted information. In an unrestricted narrative, the audience sees and hears everything, and they usually know the ending. An example of this is Titanic. No matter what happens in the film, they knew that the ship was always going to sink. A restricted narrative means that we can only see and hear what the characters in the film can hear, which means we are introduced to the things as the characters are.

There is also subjective and objective narration. Subjective is similar to an unrestricted narrative, in that we can see everything that the characters can, and we can make our own opinions on things. Objective narration is when we take things as we see them, such as the behaviour of characters.

Task 4 (P1, M1, D1)

The scene starts in quite a dark place, which makes it quite clear that they are using diegetic/natural lighting. Also, all of the sound we’ve heard so far has been diegetic, as we can hear the footsteps of what could be the main character, and also the sound of cars driving by in the distance.

The camera then pans around to track the character to the edge of the water. Before this, the camera shows us two characters, once from a long shot, and then again from the reflection in the water. As we are not shown who they are properly, it creates an enigma, as we don’t know who they are, or their motives for what they are doing.

We are then shown an extreme close-up of the main character’s eye. She is shown to be crying, so we know that she has been upset by something that has taken place before the clip. We can still only hear the sounds of the cars passing by. Because of the dark lighting, and the lack of sound, we get a sense of tension.

We are then shown another long shot of the main character from behind. It then cuts to a close-up of her feet, as she prepares to jump into the water from the canal bank. She is wavering slightly, and this connotes that she is nervous, and she can’t be sure whether she is making the right choice or not.

A man then shows up next to her, and since we can still only see their feet, we are still mystified by the identity of the man. The camera then cuts to a low angle long shot, to connote that the men besides her are in power, and because she is stood in between the two men, it tells us that she is trapped, and that there is no way to escape. At this point, we still do not know the identity of the men, or what they are doing, or how they are connected to the main character. Due to their behaviour towards her, it is quite obvious that she is in trouble with them.

The diegetic lighting is still quite dark and grim, connoting that things may not be going too well for the main character. A few seconds later, we are shown what seems to be a flashback of some swings, and a park gate closing, and then a dead body laying on a tree with what looks to be some pills in the corpse’s hand. It is shown in black and white, which again gives us the feeling of everything being dark and grim.

After the flashback, the character curls up into a ball in between the two men, which further connotes how she is caught up in something that’s not quite right. Also, curling up into a ball to defend oneself connotes vulnerability. This coupled with the relaxed stances of the men shows that they are pretty capable of doing whatever the want with her.

There is then another flashback of two girls sitting on a bench, one of the girls (who, coincidentally, looks like the main character) slyly hands something to the other girl, which is hidden in the pages of a book. Throughout the whole film, the lighting has continued to be dark and grim, due to only using diegetic lighting, and also the sound of the cars rushing by has never changed.

Task 5 (P1, M1, D1)

Over the years, technology has progressed in many ways. When the television was first launched, it had only two channels; BBC1 and BBC2. Because of the limited amount of channels, the BBC used to gain massive audiences. When ITV was launched not long after the BBC, the audiences spread out slightly. Because there was more to choose from, the audience spread depending on what appealed to them the most, and so the mass audiences were dwindling slightly. Not long after this, channel 4 was put on air, and so the audiences spread even more.

Nowadays, with things such as Sky and Virgin Media, we are able to browse hundreds of channels at our leisure, and watch what appeals to us most. Because of the sheer amount of channels to surf, and the hundreds of programmes available to watch at any one time, the mass audiences of around forty years ago are no longer there. There are exceptions, however. Programmes such as X-Factor can gain around 10-13 million viewers at a time, but this is a huge difference compared to when Only Fools And Horses had an audience of over 20 million on one of it's christmas episodes.

It is becoming increasingly difficult for the media to reach a broad target audience, because of the fact that not everyone is interested in the same thing as everybody else. An eighteen year old male whose occupation is a fitness trainer, will want to watch something completely different to what a fifty year old female whose occupation is a chef would want to watch. Very few programmes these days can say that they have targeted a broad audience. One of these is the X-Factor. It is popular because everybody likes music, no matter who you are. It is also popular because of the age range of the people who are allowed to compete, so that the younger people in the audience will be cheering on the younger participants, and the older people in the audience will be cheering on the older participants. Also, in the audition stages of the programme, it is very comical, and this also appeals to everybody, as everybody likes to have a good laugh.

Another programme that could claim it has reached a mass audience, despite only doing this recently, is Top Gear. It gains around 8 million viewers every episode, and although this might not be as much as X-Factor, it is still the second most popular programme for the British population to watch. It is popular for several reasons. For one, like the X-Factor, it is extremely funny. Two, everybody likes cars, whether you're 8 years old or 80 years old.

Although the media is having difficulty reaching a broad target audience, it is finding new ways to reach out to everybody. For example, everybody uses the internet, so the media are taking full advantage of this, and are advertising their own television shows over the internet, in the hope that they will gain a larger audience.

Task 6 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 7 (P1, M1, D1)

In making our single camera drama, we didn't have to use a lot of equipment. We used a handle Panasonic video camera for all of the shots, and a tripod to mount the camera on to help us get as high quality shots as possible. The sound on the film is just what the camera picked up. There wasn't much speech, so we didn't have to worry about using a microphone or a voice recorder. Also, we used all natural lighting, as the lighting didn't really matter for what we were trying to achieve.

We used several different programs to edit the film. We used Garageband to create some music to play over the top of the piece, and we also used a sample of some real music on the credits of the film. Also, Audacity had to be used to edit the speech, as we changed the pitch of the voices and also added some warped sound effects, such as the dog barking near the end. To edit the film itself, we used iMovie HD. We used this program because it also gives us the option to add after-effects, which we used as much as possible. For example, the lightning striking down the dog right at the end of the film.

For the film, we had quite a small production team. We had three actors: Arran Cook, Christian Place, and Rob Cosgrove. Rob was also the main editor for the film. James Clifton worked the camera, and also contributed towards editing and sound effects.

We didn't need many props for this film. We used dinner trays near the beginning to help emphasise some of the acting, and we used some props in the park such as the swings. We also filmed in several locations for the film. The first area you can see is just inside school, in the dinner area, the first four outdoor shots are filmed just outside the school, and the rest of the film is shot in the park. We also used only one costume throughout the entire thing, and that was the banana costume for the credits, which was just to add to the humour of the piece.

Task 8 (P1, M1, D1)

Objective - Our target audience this film is children, mainly 6-10 year olds. Because of the target audience, we've had to make things very simple, and had to make the humour appropriate and easy to understand. The objective of the film is to create a film that 6-10 year olds would understand and enjoy.

Setting - School, and the park.

Description - The film will be shot in the style of a single-camera drama. We use a single camera to great effect in the film, as we use many different types of shots. The very first part of the film starts off quite slow, as this is a contrast to the fast paced shooting of the rest of the film. It's this contrast that makes the piece quite humorous. Everything in the film is aimed towards the target audience. We edited the speech of the film, so that don't actually speak English, but we speak more in the style of Bill and Ben the Flowerpot Men, which is also a children's show. We also edited it to be quite high-pitched. Because of the non-english speech, we have added colourful subtitles to appeal to the target audience, and we have kept the dialogue simple. The fast pace of the film will also appeal to the younger target audience, as they usually have a shorter attention span and like to be kept entertained. We had very limited lighting, so we couldn't really do much to make the film any lighter/colourful.

Remarks - Everything will be shot with a single camera. The recurring motif in our film is Rob, who is in almost every shot in the entire film, and is just sat in the background, but is sometimes in the fore of shot. We have tried to do as many different things as possible with what happens in the shots, rather than the type of camera angle, to keep it fast paced and flowing. For example, there is a shot where the camera is just still, and then the two actors run past the camera at high speeds.

Proposed sequence of events:

1) Introduce the characters with an establishing shot of the hall, focusing on one of the characters who is sat at the table. The camera then tracks the second character as he walks over to the table, to sit and chat with his friend.

2) A medium shot of the table and characters is used to convey a relaxed and informal setting. This equilibrium will then be disrupte by one of the characters who accuses the other of eating his snack.

3) The camera then zooms out to focus on the angry character, stood accusing, while the other character slowly moves his chair back, throws the tray at the angry character, then runs for the door.

4) Outside, the camera tracks the characters in a chase scene for the stairs. Here, the comedy in the production is outlline by the characters being chased taking the stairs one at a time, whereas the angry character takes huge leaps.

5) Here we will change to the initial character's point of view, as he runs away from the angry character. This will then change to the angry characters point of view as he chases the initial character.

6) We then used a tracking shot to follow the two characters running for a children's playground, as both characters get near a spinning playground object, the shot changes back to the angry character's point of view as they both jump on the spinning object.

7) The camera then focuses on the characters jumping off the spinning object, and zooms out as they run towards the camera, jumping more obstacles in the process.

8) The camera shot changes to a low angle shot of a gate, as both characters jump over it.

9) The camera angle changes again to a medium shot of both characters running past the camera, heading towards a tree.

10) The camera shot then changes to a noddy shot of both the characters trying to avoid each other, while the initial character attempts to proclaim his innocence.

11) The camera angle changes to a medium shot of the tree, where the angry character finally catches the initial character and raises his fist. The soundtrack then changes from a happy and fun soundtrack to a grace tone at the end, hinting at what might happen. The product is then left on a cliff hanger, to maintain the enigma.

Script:

Arran: Hey man.

Chris: Hey,you okay?

Arran: Yeah, I'm good thanks, yourself?

Arran: Enchiladas?!

Chris: No, they were chicken dippers.

Arran: They ARE my enchiladas!

Arran: You will pay for this!

Arran: Get back here!

Arran: Enchiladas!

Chris: THEY WERE CHICKEN DIPPERS!

Arran: You owe my £1.50!

Chris: Wow, you overpaid!

Arran: Time to pay!

Task 9 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 10 (P1, M1, D1)

Production schedule

Task 11 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 12 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 13 (P1, M1, D1)

I feel that we achieved the purpose of making the video. The idea was to create a children's comedy, and I think we exceeded our own expectations with what we created.

When the video was showed to an audience, it received mixed reactions. It received mostly a preferred reading, as they enjoyed watching the video. However, some people took an oppositional reading, as they thought it was a bit too childish. This could be to do with the fact that it is a children's comedy, and not really intended for an older audience.

We didn't really give out any messages in our video, positive or negative, as the genre of the video didn't really allow us any room for that. our video included only boys. This could be seen as slightly sexist, but it's only because we needed few actors in the film, and all the people in the group were boys. The same applies for there not being any different ethnic groups in the video.

I think the soundtrack to the film is what really makes this video a real children's comedy, with the really upbeat music that is really only found in slapstick comedy. The change in music near the end gives the video a really large contrast in moods, as it changes from very upbeat to dark and sinister, giving it a tense atmosphere. The location's were perfect for the genre of the video. We had a school and a park, which are places that are normally associated with childhood, and to older people watching the video, it woiuld give the feeling of nostalgia. The language was also very appropriate for the target audience. We are aiming the video at primary school children, so the language was kept VERY basic, and we even have subtitles in the video. It also looked very realistic for it's genre, as the location and the music help to give it that child-like innocence.

The audio levels were an issue in the beginning, as the voice was either way too loud or way too quiet for the video, but we eventually solved this problem using Audacity and Garageband. The camerawork was done very well in our video. We used a variety of different shots so that the video didn't look the same all the time. The shots would also contrast, for example, there would be a close-up that would switch to a long shot, making the camera shots almost sporadic which adds to the intensity and pace of the film. This variety helped to keep the audience interested and on the edge of their seats. We did not need to use an external microphone as the camera audio was suffient enough for what we needed to do. I also think the editing process went rather well. Everything was done pretty smoothly, and we rarely came across any stumbling blocks. The transitions inbetween clips were very smooth, as we tried our best to keep the video flowing. However, after looking at the clip again, the font that we used to show the subtitles and credits could have been changed to something more suitable for the genre.

Some things that are typical of this genre are: fast-paced camera work, upbeat/slapstick music, lots of colour, childish comedy. I think we delivered strongly on all of these. One of our strengths was the variety of camera shots, and I think our only weakness was when the music changed, it wasn't smooth enough. I feel that I was a good team member though. I contributed a lot to the writing of the screenplay, and I did my job as an actor. Of course, some issues were raised about what would work and what wouldn't in the video, but we all got together as a group and worked through it collectively, and we all listened to each other.

I think one thing I would improve on next time would be the effects. The effects we used could have been better, but that was due to a limited amount of things we could do with the software.