Unit 21 Single-camera techniques

Understand single camera production

Task 1 (P1, M1, D1)

Single camera format generally means where one camera is used to shoot a whole prodution, however ocassoinally more than one camera is used simultaneously for practical reasons. One camera is used for each shot and camera angle but the camera is moved. Also each time the camera is moved, the lighting may be reset to create the right shot. Also if a single camera is being used, shots may not be filmed in order, but the will be assembled in order during the editing process. Multiple camera format is where more than one camera is used at the same time. The cameras are set up so each one is at a different angle of the scene, then the director can choose to switch between the angles while recording.




The single camera format gives the director more control over each shot. Also it can create long tracking shots which give the whole picture, which can't be done with a multiple camera set-up. There is an example of this in a scene of Kill Bill were the whole scene is shown in a single tracking shot. Another advantage of the single camera format is that showing the world through a single camera is more real and has a greater impact on an audience. Advantages of the mutliple camera format are that it is efficient, and also cheaper than using the single camera format. Also it saves time because each different shot and camera angle can be taken at the same time and edited later on.





Examples of televison shows which use the single camera format are; Ugly Betty, the office, scrubs and malcom in the middle. Many soap operas use the multiple camera format, and also sitcoms such as Everybody loves Raymond. The multiple camera format is used when filming live television because the cameras can be set up at different angles and positions, then the director can switch the feed from each camera to capture all the action. The multi-camera format is faster and less expensive than the single camera format, but this type of production gives the director less control over each shot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple-camera_setup

http://tviv.org/Single-camera

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-camera_setup

Task 2 (P1, M1, D1)


A series is a television program which has a number of episode which fall under the same name and have multiple narratives within them, but each episode can also have a story within itself which ends at the end of the episode. For example, in doctor who each episode begins with a different disruption and the end of the episode, or occasionally over two episodes it is resolved. However it also has the ongoing narrative of the Doctor and how he transforms every time a new character plays him. The sitcom Friends, which is also a series is similar. It has the same characters in each episode and generally has a different story line introduced in each episode, however sometimes a story line is carried over more than one episode.


A serial has a narrative which carries over more than one episode. It relys on a continuing plot that unfolds episode by episode. They are usually shown in short installments at regular intervals. It is a one off drama which which generally unfolds over 2 to 4 episodes and is not continued. An example of a serial is wuthering heights. This was a period drama which aired over 2 one and a half episodes. It was based on the novel wuthering heights and over the 2 episodes it showed the complete series therefore is a serial drama.



A single drama is a one off complete story. An example of this is the award-winning drama Five minutes of heaven which was aired on BBC2. It was about two men who had to come to terms with there past if they are to face the future. It explores the legacy of violence in Northern Ireland and was 80 minutes long. It began in this one episode and had a closed ending, this is a prime example of a single drama.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Series

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00jsz96





Task 3 (P1,M1,D1)

The narrative structure of a film or television program is important. A linear of sequential narrative is where the events that occur in the program are in chronological order, with a beginning, middle and end. Soaps generally have this structure giving us endless linear narratives. Another example of a linear narrative is Slumdog Millionaire. It is about a teen that grew up in the slums and becomes a contestant on the Indian version of who wants to be a millionaire. It has a linear narrative as the events are in chronological order. However it has some elements of a non-sequential narrative with the use of flashbacks, which show events from the teen’s life history. This is an example of where linear and non-linear narratives can function together.

Non-linear or non-sequential is where events are not shown in chronological order or when we see the same event from different points of view. An example of this is the TV series Lost. It begins with a linear narrative of the characters crashing on an island and working together to survive. As the series progressed, it started to have time travel in the narrative, which changes the narrative to non-sequential as it moves backwards and forwards through time. Flashbacks are a form of non-sequential narrative that involve details of the past being revealed before us on the screen. With Lost, the flash backs are a key to the shows success. It continuously shows flashbacks of previous events and tells the characters stories through these flashbacks. Also in one of the later series, it starts to show flash-forwards.

Realist and anti-realist basically means fictional and non-fictional. A realist narrative will portray realistic events, whereas an anti-realist narrative has the freedom to explore aliens, magic and monsters for example using CGI. The sci-fi series Doctor Who is extremely anti-realist. It involves a doctor who travels through time and comes across a number of different worlds and creatures. Also the film Donnie Darko is anti-realist. It is about a troubled teenager who is plagued by visions of a large bunny rabbit that manipulates him to commit a series of crimes, after narrowly escaping a bizarre accident. Shameless is an example of a realist series. It portrays realistic events of a family, which live on the Chatsworth estate and the ups and downs that life throws at them.

Endings are an important part of narrative structures. There are two types of endings – open and closed. If a film or TV series has an open ending then we are left with an unfinished ending which may or may not continue, therefore leaving space for the imagination or in some cases, films leave an open ending to leave room for a sequel. An example of an open ending is Pirates of the Caribbean – at worlds end. This is the third in the trilogy, however it ends with the pirates leaving for a journey to find a special goblet. This shows that the writers have left it open so a forth film could be made if they chose to. When there is a closed ending, it shows a definite end to the story which has been told.

Films and TV series can have patterns within there narratives. Goal-orientated plots can dominate the main narrative of a story. For example in the film Taken it centres around the character, Bryan Mills goal to find his daughter who was kidnapped when on holiday in Paris. He has to find her before 72 hours has gone or he could lose her forever to trafficking. This is also a good example of a journey in a narrative. A journey in a narrative can be a physical journey or a metophorical journey. He goes through the physical journey of finding his daughter, but also goes through an emotional journey because he realises the mistakes he has made with his daughter so desperately wants to find her and put things right. . Search or investigation narratives are usually crime dramas for example CSI. Climaxes in films are usually the most important events in the film, showing the last acts of the main characters.

The range of information is important in the narrative. If it is an unrestricted narrative then the audience sees and hears everything and often they already know the ending. For example in the film Pearl Harbour, because it was a historical event the audience already knows what’s going to happen. Also as the film progresses, the audience can see that the Japanese are planning an attack on pearl harbour, but the main characters are unaware. If it is a restricted narrative then the audience are introduced to information and plot at the same time as the characters.

Propp’s theory is that every narrative has to have a Hero, a Helper, a Villain and a Damsel-in-distress. This is present in the majority of films and TV dramas, which are made. An example which supports Propp’s theory is the film Pirates of the Caribbean – the curse of the black pearl. In this film William Turner (the hero) wants to save the women he loves, Elizabeth swan (the damsel-in-distress) who has been kidnapped by the pirate Captain Barbossa (the villain). He does this with the help of Jack Sparrow (the helper).

Todorov's theory is that there are five stages the narrative can progress through. These are: A state of equilibrium, A disruption of that of that order, A recognition that the disorder has occurred, An attempt to repair the damage and A return or restoration of a new equilibrium. In simpler terms this theory is basically that every narrative needs an equilibrium, a disruption and a resolution. We seek a beginning, middle and end in everything, however it doesn't necessarily have to appear in that order.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUajQkcDWRKmci8PY8AYvewGrBbTQ30rkSbKjFvWYPdpKfFfBeecWVkM2-220a779YBFZQAzF7E2BNG13WxV1CDlLDDaxcQIKW27UT6-borbOIbm2E8c9B9S_5Cj8FNWLLzc7cRp-tIpaA/s1600-h/Todorovs+theory+of+narrative.jpg http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1010048/

Task 4 (P1,M1,D1)

Se7en

This clip is a remake of a scene from the film Se7en and has a variety of camera shots. The scene begins with a tracking shot of a young girl walking through a car park, and is also an extreme long shot which sets the scene for the audience. Then it quickly switches to a long shot of two men getting out of a car and walking towards what appears to be were the girl is. It then switches back to a tracking shot of the girl walking. After this there is an extreme close up of half of her face, and she has tears in her eyes which adds intensity to the shot. The lighting in these shots is natural lighting which makes the area in which the character is, dark which connotes that the character is dark and mysterious. Also the sound is diegetic, with sounds of the surrounding area e.g. footsteps, cars and trains.

The scene moves on to a close up of the characters feet, were it appears that she is about to step off the edge onto the train track. During this shot, there is the diegetic sound of footsteps coming towards the character. The audience can see the feet of the two mean in this shot, then it moves to a medium long shot of all three characters which shows the interaction of the characters as the dialect begins. The two men ask Joan, the main character who she is, which leads to her kneeling down, then there is a close up of her face. This immediately turns into a flashback.

The flashback is shown in grey to signify to the audience that it is something that previously happened. Also the camera is disorientated and the shot is slightly out of focus which adds to the effect that it is a flashback. The scene continuously switches back and forth from the flashback to the current situation while the narrative of who Joan is and what she has done unfolds.

Towards the end of the scene, there is a medium close of Joan and one of the men, and non-diegetic music begins which conveys that something is about to happen as it adds to the intensity of the scene. Then, along with the music there is the sound of a train in the distance. The shot moves to a close up of Joans face, with the two men in the background. She then steps onto the train track, and the music becomes louder and more intense. The camera advances and becomes shaky which implies that there is oncoming danger, and the shot becomes dark and out of focus. The scene ends with the sound of the train getting louder, then it ends which suggests that she is about to get hit by the train.

Task 5 (P1, M1, D1)

In the early days of media and television, it was extremely different in comparison to now. 20 years ago there was no Internet or Sky. For example in the USA there were only 3 main television networks throughout the television industry at this time. Also there would be on average, one television per household, which made watching television a social event between the family and the community, and everyone in the house would sit down together and watch a program.

Every type of media including radio and newspapers has a target audience. However, in the early years of television a single program would attract a wider, broader audience than today. For example in 1992, an episode of the sitcom Only Fools and Horses had viewing figures of 20.1 million, whereas now, an episode of X factor, which is one of the most popular shows on British TV today, only has viewing figures of around 10 million.

"Television can no longer rely on mass audiences" – Rupert Murdoch

Now there is a variety of ways in which audiences can view programs. Television networks such as Sky and Virgin media have a wide variety of TV channels which you can watch. This is very different in comparison to when there were only two channels to choose from. Because of the variety of channels, it means that television programs no longer generate mass audiences because there is something for every taste.

"You are growing up in a digital world where you send emails on you cellphone" - "this is what i mean by creative destruction, everyday new technologies is tearing down old ways of doing business" – Rupert Murdoch

Not only is there more choice, but you can now watch your favorite programs on the internet on websites such as Hulu.com. This is why a single program doesn’t generate mass audiences, because different programs appeal to different target audiences which means TV is no longer a social event.

Task 6 (P1, M1, D1)

From this table, we can see that there are some types of media consumption which are generalised into the different types of social classes. For Example, the upper middle classes are more likely to watch more interlectual programs such as news night and question time. Also upper class women are more likely to read magazines such as cosmopolitan and Elle, whereas working class women would prefer to read gossip magazines such as Now and OK. Those in group E, who are classed as the lowest level of subsistence, are more likely to watch daytime TV, for example Jeremy Kyle and Loose women. Also males at this level, are more into magazines such as nuts and zoo.

Along with the social classes, age and gender also makes a difference to the types of media consumption. For example the soap Hollyoaks, appeals to a younger, working class audience and mainly female veiwers. It is different compared to other soaps such as Coronation street and Eastenders which appeal to a higher class, and older audiences. In the lower C2DE grades i have put the reality programs the X factor and Big brother as they appeal more to the working classes. Also they usually generate a bigger female audience compared to male.

There are exceptions, however which fit into each grade of social class. The Harry Potter films (and books) have had huge box office success, because they appeal to all social classes and people of all ages. Also i have put the program Top gear into each grade, as it is a typical male program which appeals to men of all ages and classes.

http://www.thinkbox.tv/server/show/nav.914

Task 7 (P1,M1,D1)

The equipment we will be using for our production is a handheld ‘Canon Mini DV’ camera and a tripod. For the shots were we need the camera to be steady we will use the tripod, however for the unsteady/shaky shots we will hold the camera. The lighting will be mainly diegtic throughout the production however we may add some non-diegetic lighting during the editing process. To improve the quality of the sound in our prodution we will use an Edirol R-09 Voice recorder.

The software we will use will mainly be iMovie, which we will use to edit the footage we have shot and add the effects, titles and non-diegtic music we require. The sound which we recorded using the voice recorder, we will edit on garageband, which we can also use to add sound effects. For more advanced editing we may use final cut express, as it allows you to have more complicated effects.

For our production there will be three characters involved (“Little red riding hood”, hooligan 1 and hooligan 2). Also we will have at least 3 people monitoring the camera, props and sound equipment at all times. We may also have an extra person for additional help. The props we will use basic everyday items e.g. bag, mug, however for the introductory scene we went to the drama department as we needed old-fashioned props. From here we will use a red poncho for “red riding hood’ and also a basket to connote the fairytale image. The location we are going to use is the Blue Lagoon Woods in Thornbury and also a crew members house for some scenes.

Task 8 (P1,M1,D1)

Objective: The objective of this short film is to warn people, especially young people of the dangers of walking alone especially through secluded areas.

Setting:Woods/Kitchen - in Northern England in late October when the nights are longer.

Duration:Approximately 2 Minutes (120 seconds)

Description:This will be a short drama highlighting how dangerous it can be to walk around outside by yourself. It follows the traumatic experience of the main character that is based on the traditional fairytale, Little Red Riding Hood. Having referenced the story to a well-known children’s tale, it will help the younger audience relate to what happens. The drama begins with the ‘little red riding hood’ character skipping along in fairytale-type scenery (woods), a white flash will then occur and the scene will switch to a more modern world. The girl then gets attacked and mugged by two hooded characters. The majority of the production will be shown as the girl looks back at the events, the narrative will be non-linear to represent her trauma – flashbacks will also be used. We will use a medium shot during the ‘attack’ so that it is not too graphic, however, some close-ups may be used on the girl’s face to show her emotions. We may also show the attack in slow motion to emphasize that this is the event that the rest of the drama is focused on, it will also add to the dramatic effect - which will help to anchor the genre. Our goal is to create a realistic situation to warn people of the dangers of walking alone through the use of a classic character.

Remarks:

· AlAll footage will be shot in high resolution DV

The sound throughout the film will be non-diegetic in the form of music. The music will change in each scene to emphasize the mood in which we portray. However at points there will be diegetic sounds, overriding the music. Near the beginning the music will jump from classical to modern, which juxtaposes the modern world with the fairy tale world.

There will be integration of flashbacks of the character looking back at when she was attacked. They will be shown throughout the film in 3-4 second intervals.

The faces of the hooded characters (hooligans) which attack the main character will not be distinctly shown, to add to the sinister atmosphere and emphasize the vulnerability of the victim. There will also be close ups of the victims face, to show her emotions as she looks back on the event.

Proposed Sequence Sample of Events:

Th introductory scene will be an establishing the fairytale character "red riding hood" skipping through a forest, her clothing will also match the fairytale image. We are going to use the fairytale theme at the beginning to relate to the audience. Also there will be non-diegetic classical music, to add to the fairytale effect. These aspects are also to emphasize the cheerful mood of the character at this point and show that she is unaware of the situation she is about to be faced with.

The following scene will cut to the character appearing through the trees into a more open space, wearing modern clothes in contrast to what she was previously wearing. There will be modern upbeat music accompanying this to portray that the film has now moved away from the fairytale image into reality.

In the next scene, the character will be walking through the woods, when she gets attacked by two hooligans. This will be shown in slow motion and black and white to emphasize the seriousness of the situation and draw the audience into the drama of the situation. Also the music changes from a modern, upbeat sound, to a classical, dramatic instrumental.

During the scene of the attack, there will be jump cuts of the lead character sitting in her home, as she remembers the event. She will be seeing the event in the form of flashbacks. There will be close ups of her face to show her vulnerability and emotions as she looks back on the incident.

The next scene will begin with a point of view shot of someone moving toward the house were the main character is, the audience will know this, as the character will be seen through the window of the house. This will add drama to the seen as the audience will not know who is walking towards the house or why. There will be diegetic sounds throughout this scene.

The final scene will begin with a medium shot of the main character in her house, and she walks out of the room. The window in which the audience previously saw from the outside will be visible in this shot. After the character has walked out of the room, the faces of the hooligans will appear in the window. Then the camera will zoom into an extreme close up of one of the hooligans faces. Then it will fade to black. This is where the film will end.

Task 9 (P1,M1,D1,)

In my group, we sat down and had a discussion about the storyboard of our production, and how we want the sequence of events to unfold. We recorded this discussion, and also took pictures for evidence of our work.

Task 10 (P1, M1, D1)

Task 11 (P1,M1,D1)

Task 12 (P1,M1,D1)

Task 13 (P1,M1,D1)

Evaluation

Purpose:

The main purpose of our short film was to raise awareness of the dangers of young people walking alone in secluded areas whilst also producing a short drama for entertainment purposes. We achieved this by portraying the emotions and events of a young girl who goes through a traumatic ordeal of being attacked, and the repercussions of this event on her state of mind.

Audience:

Representation issues:

The message we gave in our short film was negative in the sense that a young girl gets attacked, however we were aiming for it to have a positive effect on our audience, for them to be more careful and to always be accompanied when walking in enclosed areas. Our film contained a young girl and two male attackers, which can be seen as stereotypical. The young girl is portrayed as vunerable and weak, and the males are portrayed as strong, violent attackers. Therefore this can be preceived as stereotyping, however this was not intentional.

The music we used in the film connotes the mood we are trying to create. For example, in the first scene the main character is cheerfully skipping along in a forest so we used upbeat classical music to emphasize the positive mood of the scene. Throughout the rest of the film the music becomes intense to build up suspense and show that the mood of the film has dramatically changed from the cheery beginning.

For the locations of our film we chose a forest for the beginning as it was fitting with our initial fairy-tale theme and it also had good natural lighting, which also contributed to the cheery atmosphere we wanted to create. For the remaining scenes, we filmed in and outside a house. This was appropriate as we could create the right mood using the artificial lighting as well as the natural lighting outside.

Technical issues:

As we did not use dialogue in our short film, we had no issues of cutting off anyones voice during the editing process. We did however keep some of the original ambience, which we recorded on the camera. to add to the drama and create suspense in certain scenes. We did have a slight issue when fading one music track into another smoothly, however we solved this using garageband which allowed us to do this.

Our camera work was effective for the image we wanted to create. In some scenes we used a point of view shot so the audience could see through the characters eyes, for example when the hooligans were approaching the house, so we deliberately held the camera shakily. For most of the shots we used a tripod to create steady and professional camera work. My only regret is that we didn't use a wider variety of camera angles, however i think we had enough different angles to add variety to the shots.

During the editing process we used several effects to create our required image. For example we used a water color effect in the introductory scene to create a surreal, fairy tale image. In the 'attack' scene we used slow motion to capture the emotion and severity of the scene. The music we used complimented the mood of the particular scene. The font we used was fitting with the 'fairy tale' theme as it was old fashioned script.

Conventions/narrative:

Our film was typical of this genre because:

- Juxtaposition of light and dark

- Building suspense using accents and music

- Slow motion

- Unsteady shots

A professional product of the same genre would be similar to our film as the sound effects, such as 'suspense' are also used in professional films to build tension. However professional production teams have advantages over us as they have more experience and a higher standard of equipment. Also they will have a larger budget therefore they will have better quality footage and a wider range of effects and music to use during editing.

Our film has a single-strand narrative, as it is just the story of the main character and the events that present themselves to her. It has conventions of Propp's theory, as there are villian's (the hooligans) and a damsel-in-distress (the main character) although there wasn't a hero. The film is opened ended, as the audience doesn't no what happens to the main character, therefore it leaves room for speculation on whether a hero will arrive. It also has some conventions of todorov's theory as it starts with an equilibrium and and follows on to a disruption. There is no distinct resolution, however i feel this is typical of the genre not to have a distinct ending.

Self evaluation and future targets:

During the filming and editing process of our single camera drama i learnt new skills. Whilst filming, i learnt about different camera shots and how to be more creative with the positioning and angle of the camera. Also during the editing, i learnt how to use imovie efficiently and effectivley with the range of effects it offers. I feel that i was able to input my own ideas to the production, whilst working well with the members of my team and listening to their opinions as well.

Comments

D1 Critical evaluations of single camera productions are fluent and arguments are supported using elucidated examples and the correct subject terminology.

Targets:

I am being picky but can you mention the lighting in greater detail in task 4.

Otherwise a superb unit so far, well constructed, sophisticated analysis and attention to detail. You have really improved over the last few months and your command of the appropriate language is superb. Well done.

Unit 21:

Please see previous targets and if acted upon the following mark will apply…

Distinction….

D1 Critical evaluations of single camera productions are fluent and arguments are supported using elucidated examples and the correct subject terminology.

D2 Single camera production planned to a quality that reflects a near-professional standard, showing creativity and flair. Work has been carried out independently and reflects professional expectations.

D3 Within the production there is evidence that the technical quality reflects near professional standards, taking in to account the equipment available. The production shows creativity and flair and the student has shown great independence in striving to meet professional expectations.