Technique's: Single Camera v Multi Camera

With the amount of technology we have in this day and age, the camera angles and setups are a key factor to the appearance of a number of productions. I took a look in to the basics of Single Camera Technique and Multi Camera Technique, but now it's time to look at them both in more depth and compare the two.

The Basics of Single Camera Technique:
http://strictlysavage.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/the-basics-of-single-camera-technique.html

The Basics of Multi Camera Technique:
http://strictlysavage.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/the-basics-of-multi-camera-technique.html

There are many advantages and disadvantages of both single camera and multi camera techniques. Different productions will require one of the two different techniques, it's just about matching them up to suit their required role in the filming process.

The single camera setup is mostly used for prime-time dramas, films and music videos. With this, the production and editing team normally have a suitable amount of time to edit the clips all together. Most dramas, such as Downton Abbey, are filmed 6 weeks in advance to them going on air. Using single camera setup will also take a little bit longer to film, therefore causing the production as a whole to be more expensive, as hiring out equipment and studios is all based on how long the producers use them for.

Single Camera Set-up : Multi Camera Set-up    

A multi camera setup is mostly used for soap operas, talk shows, game shows and sitcoms. With there being stereotypically 4 or more cameras, it's unlikely that any movement will be missed. If there was to be a single camera recording a live show such as Strictly Come Dancing, it may miss some movement from say, one of the dances. Therefore, using a multi camera in this type of scenario, all of the important footage will be captured, and with live shows, the camera crew can easily cut to a different camera if there is something worth broadcasting in their line of capture.

In recent decades, larger Hollywood films have begun to use more than 1 camera on set, usually with 2 cameras simultaneously filming the same setup, however this is not a true multi-camera setup in the television sense. Sometimes, feature films will run multiple cameras, perhaps 4 or 5, for large, expensive and difficult-to-repeat scenes such as large explosions. Again, this is not a true multi camera setup in the television sense as the resultant footage will not always be arranged sequentially in editing and multiple shots of the same explosion may be repeated in the final film - because the different shots are taken from different angles they can appear as different explosions to audience members.


Cheerio. :o)

- Olivia.