Unit 22 - Multi-Camera Techniques

22.1 - Understand Program Formats That Use Multi-Camera Production

Task 1: Define Multi-Camera techniques through a written report or an audio-visual presentation.

What kind of programmes use multi-camera techniques?
The types of programmes that use a Multi-Camera setup are: Soap Operas, Talk Shows, Game Shows and some Sitcoms. Examples of some of these programmes include: The Dick Van Dyke Show, Friends, The Munsters, The Brady Bunch, Family Fortunes, Eastenders, The Jerry Springer Show e.t.c. Because these sort of shows often have a studio audience a multi-camera setup is a lot more suited to capturing audience reactions and filming the host go into the audience.

What is the advantage of using multi-camera techniques?
These sort of shows often have a studio audience, a multi-camera setup is a lot more suited to capturing the audience reactions and filming the host go into the audience to communicate with them. Multi-Camera setups come to a cheaper production cost than single-camera setups because they’re normally a lot shorter to produce. Multi-Camera setups are also better for music shows because they can do things like Panning shots, establishing shots, and a whole range of different shots within a short space of time by cutting (or using a transition) from one camera to another. This setup also reduces the amount of time spent editing

Explain how a studio may be set up for a multi-camera studio shoot.
Normally there’s two outer cameras that setup to take close shots of the two most central and/or active characters on the set. While this is going on the central camera(s) shoot a wider master shot to create a sort of establishing shot, this anchors the geography of the room/studio. While shooting the director creates a line cut by telling the technical director to switch to various cameras. Studio monitors are used to portray this information to the technical director, the line cut may later be refined in editing.


Task 2: Create a written report or an audio-visual commentary that explains the techniques used in the clips below.

In Multi-Camera lots of different camera angles can be executed in quick succession to create more of a pace. Shots such as, panning shot, establishing shot, two shot, close up e.t.c. In the Kraftwerk video they use camera angles to add to the psychedelic, trippy atmosphere. Coupled with the music the video is able to achieve its desired effect. He camera work in the fashion show is brilliant because they’ve got an establishing shot where you can see the whole catwalk along with quite a bit of the audience, then when the models are walking down the catwalk the camera starts at their feet and pans up their bodies all the way to their heads. There’s also shots of them from the side following them walk down the catwalk that just about squeeze them in from head to toe. In the Kraftwerk video there’s a large wide screen behind the 4 DJ’s at the front, the camera does a great job of capturing the full wide screen behind them when it’s displaying interesting patterns. For the Match Of The Day in the studio the camera work is pretty standard for a studio production, the camera is does a mid-shot for whoever’s speaking in this case its Gary Lineker. When it cuts to Match of the Day highlights you can see the intricate camera work that goes into filming the football. Whilst they’re showing goals and other highlights they show the camera that’s been taking long shots that mostly capture a few footballers full bodies centering on the ball. This type of camera work is fast-paced to match the pace and energy in the football.

One of the transitions used in Match of the Day is a fade to black after Gary Lineker has signed out, then the Premier League Cup fades in on a black background in extreme close up before cutting to the commercial dramatisation of football. Loads of video effects are used the The Scream Of Science video, for example they animate a race car then animate another 4 that come out of the first one, then they all proceed to race together. This sequence is aesthetically wonderful and I imagine it would appeal to the sort of person to be watching BBC racing. The Match of the Day uses some video effects such as animating Alex Ferguson’s face in black and white to the right of the Premier League Cup that is illuminated by a light above it as if its shining from the heavens or something. I can imagine these kind of effects in football programs being aimed more at the younger viewers rather than the ‘senior’ ones because I think the older football lovers are more interested in the actual football, I can’t imagine them being that interested in the drama sequences and special effects, although I’m sure there are a lot of people who appreciate them. In the sports videos I’ve noticed a common similarity, they contain parts that are in low key lighting, using slow steady transitions and using enigma before bursting into action and a faster paced sequence. Both the football and the racing videos do this. Camera positioning is crucial to make these videos work in the way they do, for example the cameras will have to be on cranes and moving fixtures for them to do the aerial panning they do in the Kraftwerk video. With the cameras being close to the ceiling you can also get a feel for the size, layout and geography of the studio. In football the camera staff will setup a tracking shot down the sidelines to follow action close to the edge of the pitch close up to help viewers get a closer look at what’s going on. They will also be sure to have a cameras around the goal posts seen as this is the place where the most gripping action takes place, if they setup cameras here they can capture goals and play them back in different angles, different speeds and have the luxury of seeing the goals happen up close.

For the Kraftwerk video the meaning is communicated very quickly through the electronic dance music, the visual effects and the camera shots. These things help to connote the whole dance club scene; drug induced, fun, trippy, relentless music. The ‘trippy’ feeling is communicated through the use of elaborate camera panning, the green psychedelic patterns on the massive monitors and the bright green colour scheme in the lighting and studio. Interest can hardly be lost in the Kraftwerk video because it seems like there’s things happening everywhere, and the people who set this up aim to create this feeling and pull it off very well.


Task 3: Produce a mind-map of ideas that develops your plan under the following headings...



Task 4: Create a production table that can be accessed by the whole group.



Task 5: Create a final shooting script and floor plan for your multi-camera programme.


Script

*Opening Sequence*

*To Eddie and Arran on camera 2*

Eddie: Welcome to Friday World! We’ve got an awesome line-up for you this week, and the first of these features is going to be introduced by Arran.

* Camera 1 on Arran *

Arran: Hello everybody! This film has been produced by year 13 students for their media course, we bring to you the Silent Treatment.

* Roll VT: Silent Treatment *

* Back to Arran & Eddie on camera 2 *

Arran: Here's a film trailer to take you back to your childhood it's Toy Story 3.

* Roll VT: Toy Story 3 Trailer *

* Camera 1 on Eddie *

Eddie: Arran, what are you doing?

* Camera 2 on both *

Arran: Well Eddie, I’m wearing this banana suit because YOU ATE MY ENCHILADAS!

* Roll VT: Enchiladas *

Eddie: Well that was unexpected, and quite br00tal to say the least.

Arran: Shut up Eddie, we have breaking news! We go to our man on the ground Christian Place, Christian?

* Roll VT: Zombie Sequence *

* Camera 2 on both *

Eddie: Well this could quite possibly be the last episode of Friday world ever! So I think we should all enjoy this next video!

Arran: So here’s MC Hammer voicing his opinions on the zombies!

* Roll VT: MC Hammer – Can’t Touch This *

* Camera 2 on both *

Arran: Yeah so bye from me Arran!

Eddie: And bye from me Eddie!

Arran: It’s been a pleasure, goodbye!

* Outro *




Task 6: Complete the relevant risk assessment form.

Task 9: Evaluate the programme and the role that you played in producing the programme.

Our purpose was to produce and broadcast a smoothly run episode of Friday world. I believe we achieved our purpose and I can quite safely say that the other group members thought the same. Since we played our Friday World to a massive hall full of students we were unable to interview them as to what they thought in detail about the show however we can judge the success of our show from their reactions as the show was progressing. Seen as me, Danny, Rob, Eddie and Arran were in the presenting studio we were unable to see the audience reaction but we could vaguely hear loud cheers. Cliffton, who was in the mixing studio with a view of the hall and projection screen, said that the audience laughed at the Toy Story 3 trailer and danced to MC Hammer. Our target audience was always the other kids of the school so we thought MC Hammer - Can't Touch This would get a very positive reaction, based on this choice you can gain a bit of insight into the intellectuality and taste of our target audience. We tried to incorporate humor into almost every part of our episode since humor is the primary thing our target audience will be interested in, bare in mind these are school children of different ages so their sense of humor differs it will also differ from ours too so we have to think what would make them laugh. Due to this high influence from comedy the show has a very positive vibe, the only negative part of our show could have been the Silent Treatment. I am not saying that this movie is bad at all in fact I think it's a brilliantly put together single camera drama but it does contain an element of sadness, this is the only negative message I can think of in our show, you can even argue that the message in that film is not negative at all.

The 0nly content we put together especially for our episode is the Zombie VT. The location for this short film was Pudsey Parish Church with a nice view of the graveyard, we thought this was a prime setting for a film of this genre. I made the majority of the script and made sure the language and level of vocabulary was suitable for the audience we were going to be presenting to. I believe that a key element to Friday World's success is it's variety and mix of different videos, there's certainly enough variety to keep almost all of the audience interested. I think that our transitions between the studio and videos went very smoothly apart from one small audio mistake that we can't explain which resulted in Eddie becoming a mute for a few seconds but it was no big deal we just carried on like nothing happened, real professional attitude. I think what would be the same if we did this again in the future would be our organization, preparation and ability to communicate well.

I think I was a good team member because I communicated well within the group, I put some valid ideas and points forward and was willing to listen to everyone elses ideas, opinions and points. If we were to make another episode of friday world I would like to make sure that the wireless XLR adapter is secured firmly to the bottom of the microphone to avoid audio failure. Apart from this minor set-back I am unable to think of anything else we could focus improvement on.