Task 1: Understand the features of single camera production

Unit 22 Single Camera Techniques:

Single Camera Production:

This is a form of production, where one camera is used throughout the production and the camera is used in such a way that the camera shots will be as efficient as possible. The camera shot consists of only one shot and does not move until that certain shot has been completed. The camera can be moved after shots to get a variety of camera angles. 

• The advantages of using this format of production is that it is very easy to actually film as it consists of only one camera and one shot per recording. Having only one angle at a time will also make it a lot more easier for corrections to be made while filming as the camera will not have to be reset and the only changes that have to be made is the acting.

• However, these single camera productions are very effective as they allow the viewer to have a feel of watching the film from their own point of view, which will give a sense of reality to the viewer of the film.

• The disadvantages of using this format of production is; that the film that will be made will be very limited, as it will only be one shot. 

• Another limiting factor of using this format of production is; that the actual actors that are in the film will have restricted movement, as they will have to stay in the vicinity of the camera shot. This will deteriorate the quality of the production, because there will only be still sense with very limited movement. 

Sci-fi: The Big Bang Theory:

Straight away within the first 40 seconds of the program there has been a use of single camera production. This format has been used to show the different views of the two characters that have been used at the start of the program. This part of the program consists of the two characters ‘Leonard’ and ‘Penny’. 

• They start of by showing the female character doing her nails and use a single camera shot to show her concentration, it then uses a different, but still single camera shot, to show that there is another person in the shot and the change overs between the camera is used to focus on the characters speech. This is because the camera moves to the female when she talks, the camera moves to an angle that has the door in it when the male character is talking. 

• Because the location of the program is in an apartment it is a slightly confined space, which means that there is a lot of opportunities to use singles camera shots. Every now and then there is also a use of camera panning to show the character the moving around; but because there is very less movement there is very less camera pans. 

• The camera shots also consist of many different angles as more characters are introduced. This is used to show the different people as they speak to show emphasis. The lighting that is used in the program is natural lighting; like the lighting used in houses to show more reality in the program. 

• This program also uses mostly digetic sounds, as it is shown to a live audience and they are free to show their amusement. this gives non-live viewers a feel that the program is really funny, as they hear  people laughing and they also laugh.

Comedy: Kenan And Kel

This program starts off by having the two main characters in the show presenting the episode that is going to be shown to a live audience. During this moment in the program a single camera shot is used, where there is only one shot until the program curtains unveil the program. 

• In the first part of the show the one camera is used for one shot, but as part of the show the camera gets ruined, it is then switched to another single camera shot at a different angle which shows a variety of single camera shots. The camera shot unlike, the program referred to above, contains both characters in the one camera shot because they are both talking together and about the similar topic. This feature allows both the characters to be seen at once and clearly shows the person that the program will consist of these two characters being together for a majority of the program. 

• The lighting that is used in the program is first a theatre light. This is a light that is commonly used at the start of a play or live audience program where a curtain is in between the audience and the actual set. This lighting is usually concentrated on the people talking to allow for the audience to have a clear view of them. The camera shots that are used in this program mostly consist of two characters that are together in the program for a large period of time. 

• The actual setting of the program is a set, as it is a live audience, which is based in a home. This is a good set as the program is a family program and it mostly shows places where there is a likely chance of being around friends/family, like in the super market where they are with there friend, who is the shop keeper. Digetic sounds have been used in this because of similar reasons to the program above, as it has a live audience and if a audience listens to people laughing they will naturally laugh along.

Crime: Criminal Minds

This program is more different to the other programs that have been listed above. The reason for this is because in this type of program there is a large amount of action, which usually relates to a moving camera shot, as the characters will be chasing people and maybe even fighting. However, this program also uses many single camera shots. This camera shot is mostly used when a certain suspect, or victim, is being interrogated.

• The camera in these scenes are normally still and focused on the cop that is doing the interrogation, as this adds more effect and emotion to the way that the cop may be speaking. It also cuts to the suspects reaction to the emotion of the cop, which will allow the audience to have the ability to try and predict, for themselves, whether the person is guilty or innocent, which is a source of interaction for the viewers. 

• The lighting that is used in this program is usually very dull, as it is usually associated with a bad occurrences like a murder, and the lighting relates to the scene as it creates an emotion of sadness and loss of hope, which then usually cuts to an affected character crying//sobbing which sets the final emotion. The lighting is usually a well lit light source, for when there is a good change in the program, or a dull source. 

• The setting that is used for this program is usually a police office, which contains many officers working and many overhead lights that would normally be seen in a work place. This gives a sense of reality and serious level of work that is being done. The set normally changes quite a lot in this program as it is changing to different crime scenes and different locations, like a street when there is a chase going on. This changing of scene has a good effect on the viewers as it  gives a sense of action and curiosity as the camera might show one place where there is something interesting going on, but would then change to a place where there was no use and this would make the audience think of what might be happening in the other place and keeps them tense. 

• This program mostly uses non-digetic sounds as there are many man made objects like guns and cars. This use of sound is effective as it adds more effective to the scenes as there are different sounds like shots, tyres squealing and other sounds.

Teen: That 70'S Show

This is a program that is based on the lives of a group of families, where all the teenage children get together and embark on any specific task of their liking. The program uses a lot of camera shots, and single camera shots. 

• The times at which the single camera shots are used is when there is a certain time, in the program, at which there is a portrayal of sadness and betrayal. An example of this happening in the program is when the two main characters of the program, who are dating, have a fight and end up in different places. This is a time where single camera shots are used as it shows there faces in detail and the different emotions that are shown through their facial expressions. 

• The camera also tends to switch between characters as each person talks at a different time. The lighting that is used in this program is a common source of light, as it is set in an average home. This lighting adds to the reality of the program as it is more realistic than a very powerful spotlight. In this program there are also many different locations as there are a large number of families, which means that there will be a large number of families and houses. 

• The lighting in this program also changes according to the mood. But it does not change the actual intensity of the light, but rather it changes to a different moment in time and a different place, like at a park during the night. This effect gives the audience an understanding of the different emotions that could be portrayed in the program at that scene. As this is a live audience program is consists of mostly digetic sounds as they can only work with what they have and the different sounds that they can make. This use of digetic sounds gives a more realistic view of the program as the sounds can be things that are heard by most people in most places.

Period drama: Down town abbey

This is another example of a TV program that uses single camera techniques to include different effects in the different particular scenes.

• The way that the single camera shots are used in this program are to show the different characters in the actual group conversations, similar to that used in The big bang theory. The shits of each individual character speaking shows a real sense of importance and understanding of what that person is saying. The shots would also make it possible to understand the personality of the people speaking as you hear their voice with their body and gestures.

Thriller: Revenge

This is a program is based on the title itself about how a girl's father was framed and now she wants to take 'revenge' on the person who gave her father the false accusation.

• The times at which the single camera shots are used, is to show real emotion in the characters. The different camera shots show concentrate on the facial expressions of the characters, and they can really show the detail by having close ups to show; anger, fear, anxiety etc.

• The lighting that is used in the trailer for the actual program is lighting that would normally be seen from explosions. This gives the setting more reality as it is according to the seen itself. There is also lighting like fog lights, the use of the fog lights show more emotion, fear, as it is dark and the light can be strong in one particular place and concentrate on one particular shot.  

Single Strand Narrative:

This is a type of production that consists of only one narrative story. This type of production is usually used in very small narrative programs as there is only enough time to concentrate on one topic. The single strand narrative is a good production type as it allows for the audience to get deep into the situation and be following the program easily without having to think about other things, as there is only one topic.

Multi-Strand Narrative:

This is a production method that takes the concept of a single strand narrative and puts many of these narratives together in one program. These different narratives usually correlate in a certain point of the program. The different characters in the different narratives may also be linked. This production type could be more complicated to understand and follow as there is usually information about a number of topics that all intersect, and trying to keep up to date with the different narratives could be tricky.

Linear Narrative:

This can be used in the two production types listed above. A linear narrative is a narrative that is normally being told/shown in the order of time and occurrence. This type of program is usually as easy to follow as a single strand narrative as it is going in one direction and always talks about the future and what will happen next.

Non-Linear Narrative:

This is the complete opposite of a linear narrative. This means that the story line in this program will usually be scattered in time or even shown in reverse. This would be most commonly used in programs that contain story lines of someone remembering their past events.