darraghdoherty95.weebly.comdarraghdoherty95.weebly.com/.../2/26028396/multicamer…  · Web viewMulti-Camera Formats. Introduction. There are many reasons for using multiple cameras

ND Creative Media Production Y2 – 2014–2015 Semester 2Unit 23: Multi-Camera Darragh Doherty

Multi-Camera FormatsIntroduction

There are many reasons for using multiple cameras in a production. Using multi-camera allows a director to cover more of the action; this lets them have different camera angles of a scene in a single take. Multi-camera is very useful for filming live events like football matches since there is only one chance to capture any important moments. Moments like a goal or foul can be easily captured using multi-cameras. Using multi-cameras also allows the editor to make quick cuts between different pieces of footage. This ability to make quick cuts also allows more control of the pacing of the production.

Multi-camera productions based around live events usually have cameras stationed at positions that allow them to film at a good angle and to capture the reactions of the people involved. These different positions also make the audience feel like they’re closer to the action/ drama. When editing a multi-camera production, an editor has more footage to work with which makes it easier to cut from one camera angle to another. It also gives an editor and director more control over the pacing of the final product.

Outdoor ProductionsTotal Wipeout

Total Wipeout is a game show where contestants traverse various assault courses for a chance of a cash prize. As each assault course is relativity large, there needs to be multiple cameras stationed at different points along the course to follow the contestants and allows the editor make quick cuts to match the quick paced action of the show.

Total Wipeout falls into the entertainment genre and is targeted at a family audience. The show adds sound effects like stock comedy noises whenever a contestant slips or falls on the course. There is also background music based around a certain theme, often related to a comment made by the host, Richard Hammond. For example, one of the contestants compared herself to a “Bond Girl” during her introductory interview, thus the production team added the classic James Bond theme music to the footage of her

The show has a red, blue and grey colour scheme. These colours create a nice contrast with each other and reflect the light-hearted tone of the show.

The outdoor environment allows the production team to use large pieces of equipment like the camera crane, which is able to follow a contestant throughout the course. The outdoor set also means that all the lighting is natural, except on the final assault course that is filmed during the night and relies on artificial light, which is sometimes used to add extra colour to the set. This makes the final stage more interesting as up to that point the day time setting of show helped bring out the colours and the light-hearted tone but the sudden change to night time adds a serious tone to the final course. The lighting in the background is comprised of moving spotlights and fire to give a sense of movement and extravagance. All this used to keep the viewers’ attraction by creating an atmosphere of fast-paced fun and excitement.

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Glastonbury Festival The Glastonbury Festival is a five-day outdoor music festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England and is the largest Greenfield festival in the world. The festival mainly involves music performances it also hosts dances, comedy, theatre and other types of performances. In between each act, the programme cuts to two hosts who often talk to the people performing at Glastonbury, the host are usually Fearne Cotton, Mark Radcliffe, Lauren Laverne, Jo Whiley, Chris Evans, Cerys Matthews Steve Lamacq or Pete Tong.

Multiple cameras are used at Glastonbury to convey the excitement of the festival to the audience; this is done by having several cameras positioned on the stage aimed at the performing act. The director can cut between cameras if the performer or performers start moving around on stage. There will also be cameras pointed at the audience to capture their reactions to the performance and to show the size of the audience, which helps convey popularity of the performing act.The visual style varies depending on the performing act and the time of day. For example, a singer might be wearing a costume or have props on the stage which are usually related to the themes in the song. If the performance takes place at night, then lights that are sometimes different colours will light up the stage. Some acts may also use strobe lighting. The audience themselves add extra colour to the Glastonbury Festival by wearing different clothes and often waving flags of different countries or groups.

The locations to film at the Glastonbury Festival are extensive due to the many stages that have performances happening concurrently, mainly due to the large audience, several cameras are set up at the front, back and sides of the stage to capture the acts and the audience. A few cameras (usually handhelds) are placed within the audience to give the viewers at home a feeling of what it’s like. There is also a crane shot taken from a distance that shows both the performance on stage and the audience. Cutting between these camera angles is one methods used to keep the viewers’ attention, other factors that dictate what keeps viewers’ attention include the song being sung and who is performing it.

Studio ProductionsQI

QI is a British comedy panel game television quiz show hosted by Stephen Fry and featuring Alan Davies as a permanent panellist. Guest panellists are usually comedians like Jo Brand, Phill Jupitus and Jimmy Carr.

Multiple cameras are used to get reaction shots of the panellists and the host. Close ups of the occasional experiment demonstrations demonstrated by the host. There are multiple combination shots used on the show, for example, a mid-shot of each panellist and the host. Cutting between shots is commonly used when the host, Stephen Fry, moves to a new topic by cutting to him as he asks the next question. Whenever Stephen starts a new topic, a picture related to the topic appear on two big screens on the set with the

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camera to them as they appear. As the show has a live studio audience who laugh during comedic moments, it is important to make sure that the audience’s laughter doesn’t cut out during the editing process.

As QI is a studio production, it is well lit with lighting that alters between different colours, often at the beginning and end. The set is mostly symmetrical with a circular “table”, two large screens on the left and right with a live audience and a backdrop in the middle. Sometimes the set will have extra decorations related to a theme, for example, on a Christmas special the set will be decorated with items like Christmas trees and tinsel.

Shows primary maintains the viewers’ interest through the comedy between the guest and the host; the show keeps engrossed by having the host asking odd questions and gives interesting answers. The host will sometimes also preform small-scale experiments near the end of the show.

BBC News at TenBBC News at Ten is a news programme that is responsible for reporting on recent news stories and current affairs. All of the news reports follow the same structure; the programme starts with the presenter giving the viewer a summary of what news stories are coming up, usually ordered in their significance. After the presenter’s given the summary, they go on to report on each of these in detail, often with cutaways to pre-recorded reports on the topic. On some occasions, the presenter will interview a guest in either the same studio or in a different location. It should also be noted that after the opening summary, the BBC News logo appears at the corner of the screen to inform of what programme their watching.

Multiple cameras on BBC News at Ten are used to convey a sense of professionalism, with steady camera movements and infrequent but seemly cuts. Also, after the news summary and opening titles at the start, the first consist of a busy work area in the same studio as the news desk. This gives the viewer the impression that the BBC news team is hard at work on the shows production.

The show mainly follows a black, white and red colour scheme with each colour contrasting each other but not appearing to be too extravagant to maintain a professional tone. The presenter themselves’ dress formally, males with suits and ties and females with formal dress that reflects a professional look.

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While the studio the show is filmed in is big, the area where the news report is filmed is relatively small and only allows for minimal camera movement, though as the presenter is commonly seated and does not move from that location often, this restriction is not a problem.

The programme primary maintains the viewers’ interest with news topics but there will occasionally cuts to pre-recorded

ConclusionMulti-camera productions have several advantages; firstly, using multiple cameras allows a director to get different angles of a scene in one take. This reduces the need for readjusting the set up like adjusting the lighting and repositioning the actors which would usually have to be done in a single camera production.Secondly, it make the editing process easier by having footage of the whole scene from multiple angles which helps the editor avoid continuity issues like an presenter’s or actors position changing between cuts.

However, then are also a few disadvantages with multi-camera productions; firstly, lighting must be set up in such a way that all the shots taken by each camera is well lit, unless certain shots have to be dark on purpose.

Secondly, managing multiple cameras can be quite difficult for a director as they must make sure that, not only that the cameras are positioned to get a good shot but to also make sure that the cameras don’t show up in each other’s shots.Finally, using multiple cameras is more expensive; it not only costs money to buy or hire the camera but to also pay for more camera operators.

In terms of indoor and outdoor productions, an indoor production requires more resources such as extra lighting equipment but wouldn’t be effected by elements outside the production teams control like bad weather. An outdoor would give a production team more space when filming out in the open however the production would rely more on natural lighting though not entirely, the production may also be effected by the weather.

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