Single Camera Techniques

This essay is about the techniques of a single camera production, I will be explaining the difference between single camera and multi-camera techniques and how the use lighting, sound and editing.

Camera

Single camera productions heavily rely on less dialogue and no stunts as is it hard to move the camera about and having to keep the mise-en-scene the same because with a single camera it is harder to keep track of every tiny detail. Single camera productions shouldn't take long to film , well compared to multi-camera productions as there is only one camera to position instead of three to four.

While single camera productions need to shoot longer scenes for big dialogue scenes or a stunt scene , it will be hard to connect a match on action as it involves so much running around with one camera. Not only do directors love using single camera productions because they have more control over the camera but because they can set up each shot by their standards and not anyone else's, they also love single camera productions because it is much easier to film anywhere with one camera such as far away with a wide shot or close up while moving because there is no other equipment to be seen. while you are limited to where you can go with three camera's , you might have to just use a studio for that. Sure the film is expensive but producers pay a lot for it so the actors can get into character by doing so many repeats of the same shot.

Lighting
In the single camera productions it is easier to use because you can change the lighting to however you want during each shot because when you shoot a multi-camera production you have to make sure that the lighting is good on all camera's and having to change the lighting to make sure no camera is too dark or too bright.


Sound

Whenever you are filming, it is a must that you start recording before you start the scene you are doing, you need to have the background noise before hand so that you can overlay. Since the microphones in the camera's are not good quality but the road microphones will pick up the sound brilliantly and clearly if not it awkwardly jumps near the start.

Now sound is a lot different depending on what you are filming for instance, A talk show like  Jeremy Kyle where they have the mic's on there shirts, they leave the mic's visible because its in a live studio audience and that we can hear everything that each person has to say.

Coverage
Coverage is hard to pull off with a single camera production as you have to make the talent repeat the lines over and over again but from different shots but an advantage is that you can film a shot, then cut it but re film from a different location and merge the two clips together. The upside to having multi camera's in coverage is you can film all possible angles but the downside is hiding the camera's out of the others sight so you keep a good mise en scene.

Editing
Editing in the Post production process can take a long time , it doesn't matter if it is single camera or multi camera. If you prefer less effort during your editing then you would go with single camera as it is easier to go through the footage taken and you would had planned out every angle you wanted so it would be easy while with multi camera you will have double the footage but from different angles meaning it will take longer to go through but in the long run it will come out better.

Single camera genre
Situation comides such as Friends are filmed with a live studio audience so they do not use a laughing track but comedies such like red dwarf use canned laughter rather then a live studio audience this give the crew a lot more movement in the shots to go outside and are not secluded in indoor settings.

Drama uses single camera's only and so does most of the BBC series such as Doctor who and Sherlock.



Multi camera techniques
The difference between the two is that it is easier to get the best take you can with multi camera as you can have multiple angles and with single camera you have to take it , re film it and that could make so many continuity errors such as a drink being different levels and nobody notices. For example The Office. The example of a multi camera TV show is How I Met Your Mother.