Releases For Single Camera Production - Pre-Production Paperwork

Evaluation With Single Camera Productions - 'Tracks'

Taking The Script Into Production

Once our group selected a script we all sat down and read it through, asking any questions whilst reading. Looking at the script and at the logistical side of things, we all sat down and altered anything in the script that would be impossible to film, weather it was where the location was set or what budget we had. Either way we were able to work around these issues and finally had a 2nd draft of the chosen script. I was very happy with the chosen script and felt really optimistic and excited to shoot it.

Shooting Manually With A DSLR

Shooting with a DSLR was a new experience as some members in my group were new to it. When using a DSLR in manual for each shot became really tedious but was understandable once looking back at the footage. I found that creating the correct exposure (altering ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture) for each shot would help in reducing the footage being either under or over exposed. Having the experience and training in using manual DSLR filming, meant that I didn't run into any issues.

Coverage

When shooting the whole group made sure that we had a master shot to come back too just in case we had any issues like continuity, sound, exposure, etc. Filming cutaways was also important in our production as we noticed that it helped with solving some of the issues like continuity and sound. Also in every scene we filmed numerous amounts of times with different shots, like close-ups, medium shots, long shots, etc to make sure we had enough coverage for editing. This would then make it easier to cut between each shot in the editing stage. It also helped in emphasizing emotion like anger or fear.

My Own Sequence

The scene that I directed and edited was the beginning scene at Reedham train station. When filming I made sure that I looked at all possible shots we could film so that we could effectively use all of the location. This would then create some interesting shots, making it a more enjoyable film in terms of visual pleasures. I made sure that I filmed every part of the character's body but the face at the beginning as it created a sense of hidden information. It said 'who are these characters and why are they running?'. In the end you see who these characters are why they are running, they are late for their train. I made sure I filmed from both sides of the platform to create a range of different shot types (long, medium, close-up etc.).

Finished Product

Mise-En-Scene: From getting my feedback from the class, I have found that most people liked the use of props and setting quoting that they worked "well" and that the "diamonds looked real". We were trying to aim for a realistic setting and look to the film as it would add to the realism of a busy and crowed setting. In terms of props, we wanted to make sure that the diamonds look as real as possible which required a lot of internet shopping. However one candidate did quote that the newspaper was "poor" and looked like a piece of A4, which to some degree I agree with. Some candidates got "confused" when the scene changed as they knew the areas and knew they were not close to one another.

Camera: When looking at each scene, we needed to understand what kind of feeling the scene was going to portray, weather it was fear, tension, action, excitement etc. This was decided in pre-production and on shoot. This could be portrayed through camera movement. Through feedback, some candidates commented that the camera work was "good" in the "running, tracking shots" as it helped in creating a "good action feeling". The shot types were commented on quoting that there was a "lovely close-up in the toilet". However some people did say that some shots "didn't match up", which I do agree with and will need improving. Also some candidates quoted that some shots were a "little long" and were "unnecessary".

Editing: When it came to editing we wanted the scene transitions to be quick but wanted to make sure they worked well with the genre of the film, which was Drama. For example once a scene was finished we use a simple cut-to-black transition to make sure it then went onto the next scene in the correct amount of time. When obtaining feedback some candidates said that the editing "could of been tighter and some took too long". The title at the beginning was also commented on, saying that it was "too hard to see" and that they "missed the credits" (which were removed due to spelling errors). However some did quote that the "editing was good" and that it created "good suspense".

Sound: Sound was largely criticized with most saying that the sound was "too quiet" or "non-existent". This refereed to music and dialogue. Sometimes the lack of sound made the scene seen "unnatural and flat". This will need to be touched on thoroughly when improving the work. However some thought that the soundtrack worked "very well" and that it was "chosen nicely".

Conclusion

Personally I don't believe this is one of my best pieces of work because there was a lot of problems that required re-shooting, which caused us to rush for the deadline. This was very stressful and frustrating.

However there were some good parts of the production. For example I thought the actually filming on location went very well and nearly everyone worked efficiently. It was exciting working on public locations and was a challenge to work around continuity errors. Also it was a learning curve in terms of filming in front of the public.

The one thing I've learnt and that I will do next time is try and film more coverage for a scene as it will help me in editing in the post-production stage. It will help in reducing the problems with continuity and sound, especially if I'm filming in front of the public. From collecting the feedback I will also try and focus more on sound by making it easier to hear, as well as correcting the audio levels for music / soundtracks. Another thing I might try to improve is the focus and exposure of some shots as having some over or under exposed shots can ruin the entire film.

Pre-Production Paperwork For Single Camera Unit

Location Recce - Single Camera Production

Production Diary For Single Camera Production

27th January 2014...

Today our group all sat down and discussed the different scripts that we liked and started to narrow them down to one. It was very tough to choose a script but decided to go with the 'Train Station Story'. We decided this because we knew that we had the opportunity to film it professional and gave us a chance to explore what we could do in this certain location (shots, dialogue etc.). Once we decided the script, we started to read through, picking out the good and bad parts of the narrative, seeing what would work and what wouldn't work. We had to consider, legal issues as well as budget and access to certain locations. Tomorrow we hope to finish reading through the script so we can start the pre-production paperwork.

Project Is Off To A Good Start!...

28th January 2014
Today we all finished reading through the script and started on the pre-production paper work. Ollie started and finished the risk assessment and got it signed by Sean our teacher. We then started to move onto the story boarding of the script. We had many problems in re-designing the storyboard which started to become frustrating for members of our group. We then concluded to all sit down and go through the shot list as a whole group and once completed, we would then assign 'ONE' person to draw out the entire storyboard so that we could avoid annoying issues. Besides the hick up in the story boarding we did get other pieces of pre-production paperwork done like the contact list, completed by Ben. Tomorrow Ollie and Connor are going to complete their location recce and the rest of the group will continue and will hopefully complete the shot list.

Stressful Lesson, but We Won't Give Up...

29th January 2014...
Today our production flow was a lot more coherent and healthy. After the hick up with the story board yesterday, we have now got back on track by all sitting down and discussing the shot list before creating the story boards. We have now split the group so two are doing the story board and the other two / one are doing the shot list. Ollie and Connor were very successful with their location recce, collecting all the necessary photos so that the group have a full understanding of what the location / final cut of the film will look like. Tomorrow we hope to finish the story board, the shot list and finish looking through the location recce photos.

Back On Track!...

30th January 2014...
Today we all got together and tried to get all of the pre-production work done so that we were ready to film for Monday. Some members of the group sat down and went through the shot list, while some other members continued with drawing different scenes up on a storyboard so that we could show that had completed a scene. The members that continued with the storyboard had a completed section of the shot list so that no issues occurred. We also had a little look at some recce photos so that we could have an understanding of where we are going to shoot and what it was going to look like. Some permission paper work was also completed today. Tomorrow we hope to have all of the paperwork complete ready for Monday as today we were unable to get it all done.

Getting There...

31st January 2014...
Today every member of the team understood what they were doing and knew that we had to have all the paperwork completed by today. Me, Ben and Connor went into a different room, where it was more quiet, so that we could finish the shot list. Kieran and Ryan continued with their storyboards, making the work flow more coherent. Unfortunately we were unable to finish the shot list as time was running out. Monday we hope we can start filming, collecting all of the cutaways and other necessary footage.

Not A Big Problem...

3rd February 2014...
Today were unable to film as two members were absent but for justified reasons. However this gave us time to finish the shot list and other specific and important pre-production paperwork. Tomorrow we will start with the cutaway filming as well as rehearsals. This will allow us to gain more time for the actual filming on Wednesday.

Shooting Here We Come!...

4th February 2014...
Today filming was a huge success. Once Ollie, Ryan and Connor got to their locations, Ryan noticed a set of offices looking over the Haven Bridge. He suggested filming from one of the office blocks so that we had a over look view of the river. We all agreed and Ryan took control and gain permission and access to the office block. Ryan and the rest of the group showed their professionalism when gaining access to they office blocks. During our filming we successfully shot a bunch of cutaways for the final cut. Unfortunately we were unable to film in the train station as we needed to gain permission. This can successfully be completed on another shooting day. Besides that, the filming went very well. Whilst the three were doing that, Kieran and Ben sat done at a MAC and started creating a title sequence for the final edit. They also ran rehearsals in a private room, ready for shooting. The work flow seems to be running smoothly. Tomorrow we begin shooting the rest of the film.

It's All Coming Together...

5th February 2014...
Today Ollie, Ben and Emma (actress) went out to shoot the first scene of our film. We successfully collected all of the shots with no problem. We particularity like the 'train pulling to the station' shot as it work very well in what we were trying to achieve. Once we got back we uploaded the footage to the MAC's just in time before the end of the day. Whilst they were filming, Ryan and Connor productively and successfully edited some of the stock footage from yesterday. All in all today turned out very well. Tomorrow some members will be absent due to a film trip.

Bring On Another Shooting Day...

10th February 2014...
Today we were unable to shoot the rest of the film but were able to edit the footage from Reedham. The editing has become a challenge as we have noticed some strong winds on our audio. We hope it can be fixed using an audio editing software like Audacity. We also were unable to gain permission to film at Great Yarmouth station but will try and rise from this small problem. Tomorrow we hope to get all of the problems sorted.

More Problems, No Worries...

11th February 2014...
Today Ollie, Connor and Ben were able to continue with the editing of the Reedham footage. Kieran and Ryan were unfortunately absent. When editing the team tried to reduce the amount of wind noise but were unsuccessful. However this was quite late into the lesson and will require more time to get it perfect. The team also film the murky water scene and the packing of the diamonds scene; which was a very fun and experimental experience. We hope sometime this week we can continue with the filming.

Making Positive Progress…

12th February 2014…
Today every single member of the group were able to attend the lesson which was a big advantage for us. Today we were able to fully edit the first scene to our film, including the intro (excluding the briefcase packing shots). The audio however was too difficult to edit, so we decided to leave it as it is. We were able to add lens flares to our intro as well as film the briefcase packing shots within the lesson. Tomorrow we hope to continue with editing.

Full Team Equals Efficient Work Flow...

24th February 2014...
Today we all were here to continue with our single camera production. For valid reasons the group wasn't sure if one of the actors in the film could be involved in the production anymore. We then had to contact her to see if she still wanted to do it. Fortunately she was still able to be involved in the production. Connor, Ollie, Ryan and Kieran filmed some bus cutaways. The group still need to discuss dates for the rest of the production.

We've Had A Holiday, Now Lets Get Back To Work...

25th February 2014...
Today the group all decided to re-shoot the scenes already completed as we had issues with a certain cast member and realised that we had a very short amount of time to complete the filming. The re-shoot went very well and we are now back on track. We were also able to upload the footage from today onto the MAC's. Tomorrow we will continue with filming.

Back On Track!...

26th February 2014...
Today the whole group wasted no time so went straight to a toilet location to film the toilet scene. The shooting went very smoothly and we were able to film everything we needed for that scene in the time we had. Everyone's efforts were at great standards. We just had enough time to upload the footage to the MAC's. Tomorrow we will look at the footage and edit that scene together and hopefully film Friday.

We Are Catching Up...

28th February 2014...
Today we were unable to film as two of our group members were absent. Instead Ollie, Ryan and Ben continued with editing the toilet scene from yesterday and now have a rough cut. We also attempted to create a title sequence but After Effects wasn't working. Next week we need to edit what we have and try and film later through the day today.

Bit Frustrating...

3rd March 2014...
Today two members of our group did not turn up to lesson so were unable to shoot. This left Ollie, Ryan and Ben to edit the rest of the toilet scene as well as creating a title sequence. Being the last week to get this short done (rough cut). It is becoming a lot more frustrating to get the filming done.

No Progress...

4th March 2014...
Yes! today every single person in our group were here and we were able to re-shoot the Reedham scene. The shooting was quick and efficient and everyone worked professionally. Ryan, the only member that didn't go to the shoot, continued with the editing on the footage we already had. Once the filming was complete the group returned to college and uploaded and edited the Reedham scene. We are all very pleased with the results. Tomorrow we hope to continue with filming.

Finally!...

5th March 2014...
Today Ollie, Ben, Connor and Kieran went to film the scene where the characters find the briefcase for the first time. The filming went very smoothly and the group were back in time to upload and edit some of the footage. Ryan stayed behind the edited the footage we already had, adding titles to the timeline sequence. Tomorrow the group won't have time to continue filming so will try and get some audio recording done.

We Will Get This Done...

6th March 2014...
Today the group sat down and started to edit more of the briefcase scene that we started yesterday. Looking through the footage we had to make sure there was no continuity errors when putting different shots together. The editing turned out very well but that scene is still not fully edited. Tomorrow we will continue with the editing.

Cut, Split And Sequence...

7th March 2014...
Today we continued with the editing of the briefcase scene. The editing went very smoothly and we managed to get that scene fully edited. We also filmed an outside toilet scene which would link to the scene where the characters are in the toilet confronting each other. Monday we hope to film the rest of the scenes so that we can get this project done.

Nearly There!...

10th March 2014...
Today we decided not to film but instead we edited the rest of the footage and attempted to tidy up the timeline. Kieran and Ben went out to collect more stock footage but unfortunately the MAC had ran out of memory, so we were unable to upload it. We hope that we can sort the memory problem as soon as possible. The editing went very well and we are nearly there to finally having a rough cut.

Tidy, Tidy, Tidy....

11th March 2014...
Today Kieran, Ollie, Ben and Connor went out and filmed the newspaper scene. The filming was a bit tedious as we had to wait for public to pass our location so that we could avoid continuity errors. However everyone worked very well and efficiently. Once we got back we uploaded the footage and were able to edit some of it. The only problem that occurred was that the memory on the MAC was full. This was solved by deleting footage we didn't need anymore. Tomorrow we will continue filming.

Upload, Fail, Delete, Upload, Success...

12th March 2014...
Today Kieran and Ben were absent which concluded in Ollie, Connor and Ryan to continue with editing. We successfully edited the newspaper scene along with recording and importing the phone call that Ben gets in the toilet scene. We then showed what we had to Ellie (our teacher) who suggested some improvements. We followed Ellie's instructions and fixed the problems. Tomorrow we will continue filming the final scene.

Two More Days To Go...

13th March 2014...
Today Ollie, Ben, Kieran and Connor went out and filmed the last outside of college scenes, the scene with the mysterious character Stevens. The filming went very well and everyone work efficiently. The group then came back and uploaded the footage. Tomorrow is our very last day to get a final edit finished. The group will film the last scene as well as edit the rest of the footage.

One More Day...

14th March 2014...
Yes!...Today Ollie, Ben and Connor went out and filmed the last scene of 'Tracks', our first single camera production. The final shoot went very well and they spent the rest of the day editing and tweaking the final cut together. Working nearly all day, the group just made the 4PM deadline, exporting the sequence at 3.55PM (or around that). All of the single camera work will be screened Monday.

Finally!... We Made It...

Research Texts - Silent Witness

What Happened In The Opening Episode?

In this episode of 'Silent Witness' (Episode 2, Series 9 ' Choices') it focuses around a shooting that occurred outside a club in London. This lead to a crime scene and the death of three people. From the start of the episode no one understands who committed the shooting and why. After the shooting, three pathologists (Harry Nikki and Leo) are called to the scene to try and understand the cause of the shooting. With the three pathologists investigating the bodies in their lab, Nikki is called out to investigate a car that was described at the crime scene. Through this Nikki discovers a decayed body within a warehouse close to the abandoned car. From there Nikki is off on her own case in trying to find the cause of death of the decayed body, while Leo and Harry still try and uncover the truth about the shooting. Through the episode the pathologists find out that the guns supplied in the shooting were from the same buyer and understand that he or she must be stopped.

Through their investigation the three pathologists are challenged from beginning to end. Leo is struggling to deal with the death of his wife and daughter which affects the work ethic of Nikki and Harry. This is seen all through the episode and is challenged half way through.

Within the episode we are also introduced to another set of characters, Wayne and his mother. They are an unfortunate family with little money with Wayne getting into drug dealing and the mother taking ecstasy. Harry meets Wayne and both grow a strong relationship. This is due to the incident of Wayne's baby sister going into hospital due to a mild infection. From there both Wayne and his mother grow a liking to Harry.

Besides the story of the pathologists and the family the narrative also involves the a gang and their involvement with the shooting. From there the audience is told what is going to happen towards the end of the episode (which is another shoot out).

With these characters introduced they are taken through this investigation linking most of the characters together at the end of the episode. Wayne is friends with the gun dealer and also with one member of the gang, the gang obtain their weapons from the gun dealer, the club owners also buy from the same gun dealer, the pathologists interview the club owners and one of the pathologists (Harry) has a strong relationship with Wayne. This circle of events helps in solving the investigation of the shooting.

When the pathologists find out that the guns were supplied by the same person, Wayne is caught up in a new investigation to the death of a club owner. Wayne is interview and denies everything, and refuses to dub out the owner of the gun. This then puts Harry in a bad position of trust. He doesn't know weather to believe Wayne or not. Eventually he believes him. Wayne then tells Harry who owned the gun and goes to visit the dealer. The dealer shows no aggression but kindly tells Harry that he is the gun dealer and tells him what the gang and the club owners are going to do with the guns. From there the second attempted shoot out is stopped before it starts.

While all of that is going on Nikki finds out the ID for the decayed body (which is a young girl, roughly 18) and attempts to go and investigate how she died by visiting the relatives and friends of the young girl. Through her investigation she comes in contact with one of the young girl's best friend. This best friend is a little unstable due to the addiction to drugs. She at first refuses to share any information and this becomes strange to Nikki. Nikki doesn't not give up and keeps kindly pushing her. She eventually cracks and confesses that she did drugs with her best friend and realises she was dead the next day. She then hid the body in a container in the warehouse where the young girl's decayed body was found. The best friend then has some sort of resolution and is sent to a rehabilitation clinic.

Opening Scene Of The Episode

At the beginning of the episode we are introduced straight away to the club and the club owner Ainsley Modest, along side his girlfriend Helen Roach. Through their conversation in the car outside the club, we see that Helen is soon to be come married to the Ainsley. As the Helen leaves the car to go a wait outside the club with her friend Simone Campbell, Ainsley also steps out and decides to walk towards his Helen. As he does this a black Range Rover starts to slowly drive pass the club. Ainsley sees the car and notices that the window starts to wind down, revealing an Uzi machine gun. The club is then shot at multiple times, killing three people and injuring others. The car then drives off leaving an unpleasant aftermath.

Characters Within The Opening Scene

- Helen Roach - Girlfriend

- Ainsley Modest - Boyfriend

- Simone Campbell -  Helen's friend

Single Camera Work Within The Episode

One example I could use for single camera production within the episode is the scene with Harry and the gun dealer. In this scene we see the two characters walk into a back room which is really compact. Due to the lack of space, only one single camera was used so that the shot was achieved, using up all of the space within the room. Another example of this would be the scene within Wayne's flat. The flat is small and compact and requires only one camera. 

References

Silent Witness Picture - http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article1223166.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Tom%20Ward%20on%20set%20with%20Emelia%20Fox%20and%20William%20Gaminara-1223166
Silent Witness Cast and Crew - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0700569/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm

Single Camera Techniques

Introduction

In this essay I will be talking about single camera techniques used in Film and TV production. I will be explaining the advantages and the disadvantages as well as what popular genres use single camera techniques. I will be comparing some of the techniques to multi-camera production explaining how they are different from each other. Lets get started!

The Camera

As you can tell from the title a single camera production involves only one single camera. Because a camera is used to draw an audience into the frame / the action within the scene there are many opportunities to become creative with different angles and shots. With this creativity, it can create a more realistic and intimate feel to it making the footage more enjoyable for the audience as it will draw them into the diegesis. If a film or TV show has a certain genre like Horror, then certain conventions need to be considered and may only require one, single camera. However, using a single camera in a production may appeal to one person but not another which can cause some issues on set.

Having a single camera in a production can be an advantage for a Director as it will allow them to focus on one camera in each scene, giving them more control on the shot they want. The lack of multiple cameras also allows for more room on set. This can be an advantage for a a production as it allows more room for different shots and angles without the issue of other cameras or equipment in frame.

A single camera in a production requires every scene and section of scenes to be repeated over and over again. This is because that one camera is needed to capture the 'Master Shot' (every character or important action in one shot), close-ups, extreme close-ups etc. The constant repetition can make a production very time consuming and in theory cost more (if filming on stock footage). With the change in camera shots with each take can result in more continuity errors, making the production confusing for the audience. However, the constant repetition can help an actor or actress get into their character, adding to the realism of the film or TV programme. Re-shooting or repeating shots can provide more opportunities for more stylized angles.

Single Camera Set Up:

Multi-Camera Set Up:

Lighting

In film and TV, the scene or frame of shots need to look realistic unless a certain convention is being used. One way to do this is through the lighting you use in the scene. Having a well light scene can add to the realism to a production. However too much can look fake and noticeable to the audience. In single camera productions, lighting is easier to control as a scene can be lit according to the shot type or angle. This then makes the entire scene more realistic according to its narrative. 

If lighting is short due to reasons like budget, then a reflector can be put in place. This allows some light, natural or artificial, to be reflected towards another object or subject, increasing the realism of the scene. Reflectors can be cheaper than another light source. In terms of lighting reflectors can also be used to make one shot look similar to another shot. They can soften light on an object or subject or brighten an area that isn't covered by light already.

Like TV shows and News programmes nearly every area that is shown on camera is saturated by light. This may be accomplished by three-point lighting. Three-point lighting is when three lights (Key, fill and back) are used to cover all of the dark areas of the subject or object. This minimizes the shadows shown on screen.















In multi-camera productions it can be difficult to obtain the correct lighting for each character or subject due to the single take from multiple cameras. Using too much lighting at this point can make the footage look fake and amateur.

Depending on what you want to get out of your production, high or low key lighting can be used. If you are trying to portray the conventions of 'Film Noir', then low key lighting is needed to create different effects like chiaroscuro, which can create shadows that could portray certain meanings.

Example Of Chiaroscuro / Film Noir in the film 'Double Indemnity':

A simple lighting set up for single camera production:

Sound

Another main convention that film requires (or doesn't) is sound. This can range form diegetic to non-diegetic and can help simply a certain meaning or feeling towards the audience that are watching. Dialogue can also be important to an audience as it may contain content that is important in moving a narrative forward. Sound can be recorded in many different ways from muff microphones to shot-gun microphones.

In single camera productions, collecting sound can be easier and cheaper than using multi-camera techniques. This is because when filming with one camera, the constant repetition of shots can give the opportunity to capture the right audio and is easier to manage. However, there is the issue of jumpy sound when a shot changes to another. This can make a scene look amateur and tacky. The way to avoid this is through allowing some overlay sound at the beginning and end of a shot so that the jumpy effect is avoided. Another option would be to use multiple cameras, resulting in spending more money.

One way to record audio is through a shotgun microphone. These microphones are long and are designed to collect clear audio and can collect it at far distances as well as any audio around the mic. These microphones can either be attached to a camera or to a long pole to increase the distance of collecting audio. These microphones are usually used in Film production but can be used in TV production as well.

Example of the short film 'Zirus' using a shotgun microphone:

Another way to collect audio is through a Lavalier microphone. These mics are small but are recognizable if not hidden correctly. These microphones clip to a subject and are usually a cheaper option to other types of audio / microphone systems. These microphones are not normally seen in film but rather in TV production. For example these microphones are normally seen on news programmes and game shows and are usually attached to the subjects on screen.

Another microphone that can be used is a 'boom mic'. A boom mic can be helpful in gathering clear sound from a subject or object without exposing the mic in shot. First, the microphone will be placed onto a pole. Then a 'boom operator' will hold the pole over the subject or object as close as possible without placing it within the camera's frame. These mics can be used in single camera films, TV programmes, TV shows, interviews etc.

In some multi-camera productions dialogue may be heavy and will need to be recorded, especially if it is live. This then benefits the actors as they don't have to repeat longs pieces of dialogue in each shot. Also in a film or TV production, the chances of seeing the microphone in shot are very slim. However, some TV shows and Films do do this. For example in the News or Games / Talent Shows, you may see the overhead microphones in shot so that the audience watching can hear the audio. This doesn't affect the quality of the footage but adds realism to the show, programme or film. An example of this is 'Britain's Got Talent' and 'X-Factor', who in most shots, show the overhead microphone / boom mic.

In some TV and film productions, the dialogue used may not be from that footage / take. For example in an over-the-shoulder shot, the dialogue used may be from another take but is not shown on screen as you can't see their face. This can be the same for cutaways and any other narrative restrictions. This is done so that the correct and best-quality audio is collected, adding to the quality of the production.

Editing

Once the filming is complete the production then moves to the post-production stage, which is the organization of footage in order to create the correct narrative structure for that particular production. Looking through all of the footage from the production and collecting the best ones can be a time consuming process, especially if the production is over an hour long.

In single camera production filming every scene multiple times can give you a lot of footage. Filming with multiple cameras can also give you a lot of wasted footage but can be less time consuming and will be a lot cheaper in terms of how much time you spend filming.

Like 'Britain's Got Talent' and 'X-Factor', multiple cameras are used to help in capturing both the judges, contestant and audience. Cameras can easily be switched from one to another using a vision mixer. This is the same for live sport, like football. This can not be achieved in single camera production which can restrict some productions in creating live content.

One way to speed up the process of looking through an endless amounts of footage is by creating a 'shooting log'. This allows the editor to understand what shots were good during production and have details on the file name as well as the scene and what was good about the scene. This then allows the editor to immediately go to that file and use it in post. This saves a lot of time of looking through different pieces of footage to get the correct one.

Genres and Formats

With single camera production, there are many genres within the TV and Film industry that use only one camera. This could be because the Directors are trying to portray certain meanings or do not have the budget to obtain multiple cameras. Single camera production can be more common in some genres than others.

The five common genres within single camera production are:

Period Drama - 'Mad Men' (2007 - present) AMC - Set in the 1950's - 60's, costumes are needed in order to make the historical information correct. Using a single camera can allow the actors to develop and get into their characters as they have to repeat the scene over and over again. This is because one camera is needed to film different angles. Choice of locations is broader as one camera can fit into a location better than multiple cameras.



Behind the Scenes Of 'Man Men'

Crime - 'Breaking Bad' (2008 - 2013) AMC - Based around a man with cancer who goes into the drug business to provide money for his family. Using single camera techniques in a crime genre can give the opportunity to experiment with lighting. For example low key lighting can be used to create tension between characters. Like period dramas single camera techniques are also used to allow for actors to develop and get into their roles. Choice of locations are also broader.

Behind the scenes of Breaking Bad:

Horror - 'Halloween' - John Carpenter (1978) - This film uses a lot of point of view shots (P.O.V) to create the mystery in the killer, and uses only one camera. Single camera techniques can be used in horror to create suspense and tension. For example in 'Halloween' P.O.V (point of view) shots are used to create suspense and hide who the killer / monster is. Lighting may also be experimented with. Like the crime genre, low key lighting can be used to create horrifying shadows and create suspense between characters. With films like 'Paranormal Activity' (Oren Peli, 2007) single camera techniques are used to create footage that looks like it is recorded on a handheld camera. Again choice of locations are broader.






Opening Sequence to Halloween:

Comedy - 'The Inbetweeners' - (2008 - 2010) - Most shots in the show are shot on real locations and only require one single camera. By using single camera techniques, the choice of locations are broader. Also the actors are given the opportunity to develop and get into their roles as the scene is repeated over and over again. Also lighting can be adjusted to each shot / angle.




Quick behind the scenes footage:

Soap Opera - 'EastEnders' - BBC - (1985 - present) - One of the most well known soaps, and is shot using real locations, but with multiple camera techniques. In the video below it shows a great example of multi-camera techniques and how they are needed for certain shots like stunts. This way they can capture every angle they need. Multi-camera techniques is very popular in shows like EastEnders as the filming can be completed in time for a Monday to Friday release (one episode shown a day). Also lighting can be adjusted for one scene. Locations are limited.

Behind The Scenes:

There are also three common formats within single camera production which are commonly seen in TV rather than feature film. These are:

Series - Strike Back Series - Sky One (2010 - present) - This TV show has a main plot through each series but has sub narratives within each episode, some running over more than one episode.







Serial - Hollyoaks - Channel 4 / E4 (1995 - present) - This specific TV programme runs continuously and never for a period of time. Like EastEnders, Hollyoaks uses multi-camera techniques.









Single Drama - 'Murder' - BBC Two (2012) - Aired as a single drama and is now being commissioned as a full series. It won the '2013 TV Single Drama Award' at the BAFTA.









Video of the awards for 'Murder' - http://awards.bafta.org/award/2013/television/single-drama

Summary

Advantages of single camera productions

• Actors can improve their acting skills as the scene is repeated over and over again.
• More of the location can be used as there is only one camera, and other equipment using up the room.
• The director can have more control over each shot as there is only one camera.
• The audience can be submerged into the diegesis as the production will feel more personal.
• Less film is used / wasted, depending on how much is shot and how long the production is.
• Filmmakers with tight budgets can make single camera productions due to purchasing only one camera.
• Lighting can be controlled on each and every shot, allowing for the perfect shot.
• Master shots can be created as well as individual shots from the same scene, making it easier in post-production.

Disadvantages of single camera productions

• Filming takes longer.
• The lengthy filming can be costly compared to multi-camera productions.
• Continuity errors are more common.
• Action that is recorded can be stop and started. This can become aggravating and appear stunted.
• Other people may not agree with the choice to have a single camera production rather than a multi-camera production.

Example Of A Film That Uses A Single Camera

References

Different Types Of Microphones - http://www.desktop-documentaries.com/different-types-of-microphones.html
Top Ten Period Dramas - http://www.theguardian.com/culture/gallery/2011/jan/09/ten-best-costume-dramas#/?picture=370333435&index=8
Breaking Bad Behind The Scenes Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lai55d2BuQ
Breaking Bad Photo - http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2013/08/10/Web-Resampled/2013-08-10/97b3426b-d07b-1f18-a631-6d8b38144a42_AMC-Breaking_Bad-5_1789--606x404.jpg
Halloween Opening Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELF1DCf1ChA
Halloween Picture - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/87/Halloween_cover.jpg
Inbetweeners Behind The Scene Video -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heM0Dm-FDk0
Inbetweeners Picture - http://whatculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/inbetweeners.jpg
EastEnders Information - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EastEnders
EastEnders Behind The Scenes Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2Y0Of3YJf4
EastEnders Picture - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ac/EastEnders_Title.png
Strike Back Picture - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5d/Strike_Back_title_2011.png
Hollyoaks Picture - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollyoaks
Single Drama Awards Video - http://awards.bafta.org/award/2013/television/single-drama
Murder Being Commissioned Information - http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2013/murder.html
Man Men Picture - http://beyondthemarquee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/mad-men-1.jpg
Mad Men Behind The Scenes Picture - http://images.amcnetworks.com/blogs.amctv.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/MMS1ep105_BTS_3237.jpg
Mad Men Behind The Scenes Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnIYJF-drak
Mad Men Behind The Scenes Video Two - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqUsiphxnn4
Double Indemnity Picture - http://steren93.qwriting.qc.cuny.edu/files/2011/10/DI8.jpg
Shotgun Microphone Picture - http://www.creativeplanetnetwork.com/dv/uploadedimages/Rode_NTG-2ShotgunMic.gif
Audio Systems For Film Production - http://cdn.shure.com/publication/upload/403/us_pro_audiovideoproduction_ea.pdf
Lavalier Microphone Picture - http://images.gizmag.com/inline/smartlav-5.jpg
Editing Suite Picture - http://www.workinentertainment.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/video-editing-bay.jpg
Shooting Log Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LAxfBfj94c
Zirus Episode One Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u22tYwpNLc
Zirus Episode Two Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy7t4_-r_KU
Zirus Episode Three Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5tShXhRddg
Boom Operator Information - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boom_operator_(media)
Boom Mic and Boom Operator Picture - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boom_operator_(media)#mediaviewer/File:Tournage_de_film.JPG
Three-Point Light Picture - http://rouletterevolver.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/three-point.jpg
Paranormal Activity Information - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1179904/ 

DSLR Camera Skills Video

Research For My Script / Idea 'Amongst The Pyramids'

Details Of The Competition - Withoutabox

Withoutabox is a massive independent film community that have different sectors around the UK and one that I am planning to send my script to is the Norwich Film Festival. First prize is a money prize of £250 and is, at the moment, still being decided. All scripts must be sent on an A4 size paper and emailed in a format of a PDF or DOC file to submissions@norwichfilmfestival.co.uk. Paper sent scripts must be sent in a padded envelope or mailer box with postage prepaid. There is also a payment fee of £15 if a script is entered early (June) and £45 for extended deadlines (November).

Address To Send Script To:

NORWICH FILM FESTIVAL,
4 TAYLOR ROAD,
NORWICH,
NORFOLK,
NR5 8LY,
ENGLAND.

'Luther' Script Page Analyse

Script Conventions.

Analysis of inner, outer and context features.

Two Short Films

Example 1

I like this short film because it takes something that has been a huge hit (Facebook), and makes it into some kind of bad addiction that can really affect a person. In a sense it recognizes some major world issues. In this short film we follow the life on one man who is really addicted to Facebook to the point he must update his status every 5 minutes, whilst indulging into other Facebook features. In this short he doesn't understand he has an addiction until, he meets his lady friend, who inevitably tells this man that he is addicted. Through this he understands his addiction and quits.

I like this short film because it has a lot of ideology within its context. Even though some may see it as a comedy, some may see it as a serious issue, which in some cases it is. Internet addiction has become more and more popular over the years, and this video really tries to capture the comedic side of it rather than the really serious part of it. Either way it defiantly tries to explore the issue of internet addiction.

The way that the little things like, updating statues and taking pictures of food, and boasting about 'likes' is what really shows the addiction side of things. Having someone in the picture who isn't addicted and doesn't even care about Facebook really helps in driving the narrative forward and helps in generating change for this male character. Another interesting feature that I like within this short is how the Facebook features (like updating statues and getting 'likes') intertwines with the male character's personal life. For example if he meets something he likes, a thumbs-up icon will appear above their head. This can connote that Facebook is his life and nothing else.

The story defiantly has conflict when the two characters start to debate on Facebook and its importance. This then leads to the female character walking away from him due to his addiction. The conflict then has a resolution when he decides to stop his addiction be destroying his iPhone. He does this so that he can be with this girl. With all of these conventions, the short is enjoyable to the spectator, me being one of them.

I have produced a page of a script from the short to show what the actual script would of looked like.

Example 2

This is another short film that I found very interesting due to its script conventions and film conventions. Straight away we get the sense that the film has a depressing atmosphere due to the non-diegetic music over the top and the upset character that we see. We see him getting up and thinking about something and thinking hard. From what we see within the scenes we understand that this male character is very troubled and is mingling with the wrong people. He doesn't have a strong relationship with his mother and is clear through a short bit of dialogue at the beginning of the film. In this short film we see that teenagers are stereotyped as being a nonsense to society. Through this character we see a change in personalities. Being a teenager myself, I am immediately drawn into this short as it shows what some people think of teens within the 21st Century.

Through the short the main male character meets a female character who are both, in some ways, attracted to each other. Once him and a group of people see this girl they try to 'pick' on her. This unacceptable behavior is not seen in the main male character but he tries to fit in with this 'bad' group of people. He feels bad after and attempts to fix the situation and understands that he doesn't want to be like the people in this group. Through this we see a conflict (wanting to be different for bad reasons) and a resolution (fixing the problems and not trying to change).

I wrote this script showing what happens in one of the scenes. This scene occurs near the end of the short.

BBC's Writers Room

The BBC Writers Room has a section where an individual can send a script to the BBC, where in some cases, can be accepted, produced and shown on the BBC Network. The scripts are assessed by experienced readers to make sure that the BBC find new and fresh talent. Writers that enter their script for the BBC's Writers Room must try and show something about the writer within their script. This acts a calling card for the writer's voice, ability and talent.

Audience Research

When carrying out my research, I decided to create a questionnaire asking people questions on Egypt and other questions relating to losing someone they care about. The main demographic I was aiming for was teens above the age of 16. This is because the idea I have has some graphic images. Also I wanted to see if teens from the age of 16 could relate to my story. To do this I needed to understand what teens enjoyed demographically. Also I needed to understand what certain teens and adults like psychographically.

These are the results I collected:

Through my questionnaire I asked 4 Males and 5 Females.

Through analyzing all of my candidates I have concluded that most people enjoy watching the Horror genre. This then gave me the idea that I could implement a Horror or Thriller aspect to my story giving it a better viewing experience.

Through my questionnaire I have learnt that most people know of Egypt however not a lot of people know of any corruption within or around Egypt. Pyramids were also a well known feature of Egypt and was evident within my questionnaire results.

Most of my candidates have experienced the feeling of losing someone they care about and quoted that it made them feel "sad", "upset" and "alone". This was interesting as I wanted to implement something similar within my story. This therefore would increase the relations between the story's characters and the audience watching, making it a better viewing experience. Also most people said they enjoy watching or reading stories about tragedies which helped in creating my narrative.

One question that I was interested to ask was if the people I asked knew about the BBC's Writers Room. In my concluded results I learned that most people knew of the website. 

Research Into Themes, Locations, Etc.

When researching my story, I looked through some news stories for inspiration for ideas. Through my research I came across this news story about an American man who was found dead in an Egyptian jail cell. The mystery to why he died gave me the inspiration to create some sort of narrative from it. So since the story is set in Egypt I needed to research more into the country. From my research I understand that the main language within the country is 'Modern Standard Arabic'. It is very diverse in sectors such as tourism, agriculture, services and industry. This then gave me the idea that an American living in Egypt would not be seen as much of an issue. Adding aspects of tourism to my story would fit well in Egypt as it is an important sector for their economy. This would then make my idea for authentic as tourism is involved within my story.

The legal codes of Egypt are quite different to the ones within the UK and the US. Being quite a strict country, the male character within my story would have to commit a small and innocent crime to which he is not badly prosecuted.

I wanted to create an atmosphere of decay, giving the characters and the audience a sense that they are living in a place that is not all that pleasant. When researching into this I found that 12% of the population is unemployed and living in poverty. If I added pyramids within my script I would have to make sure that the geographical context is correct. By doing this I have decided to set my story in Giza, Egypt. This way the pyramids are close to the city, giving establishing scenes a clearer understanding to the audience. Giving the atmosphere a decayed look I wanted to set the beginning scenes in the streets of Giza. This then adds to the tragic and unpleasant feel to the story. Some of my scenes involve crowded market stalls. This required research to picture what it would look like. The picture below shows what the Giza markets could look like.

In my story a man is prosecuted and placed in jail. This meant that I had to research what some jail cells in Egypt looked like. From my research I have found out that the conditions were cramped, too many people to one cell. In a prison in Tora, the officers were brutal to a point they would beat their inmates constantly leaving huge scars. I wanted to implement this within my story. I wanted to give the sense that the jail cell is like hitting rock bottom, so would require a unpleasant atmosphere.

It took a lot of debating and discussion to what could happen to this man. In the end I decided that the man would not kill himself, but would still be very affected by a tragic event. Now I thought of a death of a relative. This then raised the issue of how this relative would die. In the end I decided that this relative would die in a car crash that wouldn't be the main protagonist's fault. This way the main protagonist would feel responsible, which would then affect him even greater. Not being his fault would also allow the spectator feel sympathy for the character. Because it is a car crash that kills off a innocent character, I needed to research into how the car could crash. Too conclude I need decided that the car would be tampered with in some way. Through my research I found out that cars can crash due to things like Power Steering Failure. This failure makes a car hard to steer, causing collisions or accidents. With this information I had the idea that the car could crash due to failure of the steering. A sabotage is a way that I can implement the failure without it being the main protagonist's fault. This is what I needed within my story in order for it to flow properly.

I really wanted to capture the emotional stress and pain of losing someone and how they would deal with it. Again dealing with it was another issue as I didn't want this character to kill himself. A suggestion of a drinking problem was raised and was a good idea that I, in the end, considered using.

In my story there is a relative that dies, and that relative is the brother of the main protagonist. In order to give the idea that the man in the cell next door is a figure of the protagonist's imagination of his brother, I needed a way to show this without revealing what he looked like. In conclusion I came up with giving him a name that had the meaning of a brother. When researching on the internet I came across the name JOAH which in some variations means 'brother' or the 'brother of God'. In the end I decided to use this name to represent the dead brother. Within my story the main protagonist will figure out what this name means, revealing it to the audience.

Intertextuality / Inspirations

My main inspiration of capturing the emotional stress of loosing someone came from AMC's The Walking Dead. Within one of the scenes, the leader of a group of survivors, loses his wife. The leader has put all of his effort in protecting the one he loves and to loose it in seconds, really hits him hard. You see this strong leader just crumble to dust in seconds. I thought this made the story very enjoyable, so wanted to interpret that within my own story. I also enjoy reading and watching tragic events happen, and the consequences of people's actions. Of course I enjoy the fiction side of it rather than the non-fiction side. Through this I wanted to create a story with similar conventions.

AMC's The Walking Dead - Character 'Rick Grimes' - Season 3

References / Bibliography 

Withoutabox Competition Information -  https://www.withoutabox.com/03film/03t_fin/03t_fin_fest_01dead.php?festview=&category_id=1416120
Withoutabox Picture - http://blackhillsfilmfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Withoutabox.png
'The Anti-Social Network' Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0H6AzEMHSc
Luther Script - http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scripts/luther-s1-ep1
                       http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scripts/luther-s1-ep2
Walking Dead Pictures - http://images.tvrage.com/news/review-the-walking-dead-3-06-hounded.jpg
                                      http://www.spoilersguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/andrew-lincoln-the-walking-dead-rick-grimes-season-3-amc.jpg
Egypt Information - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt#Law
Blasphemy Law In Egypt - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blasphemy_law_in_Egypt#2013
Poverty Within Egypt - http://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/about-us/where-we-work/egypt/?gclid=CJzE26P3hLsCFWgJwwod0lgAPw
Pyramids Of Giza - Google Earth, Programme
Streets Of Giza - https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUqNRw-W-gWDWGNhARhV5M9WoXQXvtLGq-mVyE5iDFzcHhxEMXRFSN0eAJbMuB9lcDCKTfxkSL3L_Qg1jaaC7YSy-EeKV_u1sVLco_gN4ukCxFk35LuEHaxjhQQB8HpNAHkpcjI-haeUu/s1600/IMG_1199+-+Copy.JPG
Man Found Dead In Jail Cell Story - http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/13/egypt-usa
Tora Prision Information - http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/11/canadian-greyson-loubani-ordeal-egyptian-prison
Picture Of Prison Cell - http://a.abcnews.com/images/International/GTY_prison_139557071_jt_131013_16x9_992.jpg
'Eyes On You' Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spzlrcu2NqY#t=409
Car Crash Causes Information - http://www.driving-test-success.com/causes-car-crash.htm
Power Steering Failure - http://www.wikihow.com/Handle-Power-Steering-Failure
Name Meanings - JOAH - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joah
Arabic Names - AHMAD - http://www.bounty.com/baby-names/name-origin/Arabic