Camera
Single camera productions does exactly what is says on the tin as it is filmed using only one camera. The camera can be used in many creative ways such as trying to create a more intimate and realistic feel to it by trying to drag the audience into its world, a single camera production can do this better than a multiple camera production for many reason, one of them being the genre. Most multiple camera productions are reality shows like Big Brother or Britain's Got Talent and when you see a camera on set you are reminded that this isn't fictional and feel less drawn into this world however Single camera productions will sometimes shoot with more than one camera but only if there's a particularly difficult scene such as one with a stunt or one with heavy dialogue. Most directors actually prefer single camera productions as it gives them more control and they can set up each shot allowing them to shoot anywhere they like whereas in multi camera productions, such as East Enders, they are more limited due to logistical requirements. Single camera productions require you to shoot entire scenes and sections of scenes over and over again, making it very repetitive and expensive when shooting onto actual film as opposed to digitally however it does allow the actors to get in to character.
Lighting
Lighting is far easier and better in single camera productions as there is less to worry about because you can light each shot differently creating a varied and unique look to each shot depending on what you're trying to show in the shot. In multi camera productions the lighting has to be adequate for each shot and can end up looking flat and unvaried even resulting in it looking fake like it has been filmed in a studio.
Sound
Sound is a very important aspect in any video production, although the video itself is very important without decent dialogue it can make a well shot video appear very amateur especially if you're relying on in built microphones on cameras. When filming single camera productions it's very important to get a bit of overlay by starting slightly earlier than the scene and finishing filming a little later than the scene. This ensure that you capture the whole scene and don't leave anything out also it avoids jumpy and awkward starts. Sometimes in single camera productions they will utilize the use of 2 microphones to ensure they capture all the dialogue however sound effects like ambient noise can be added in post production if necessary. Sometimes in multi camera productions it can be easier to just mic the characters, interviewers or interviewees individually as a lot of multi camera productions allow for microphones to be seen such as when watching Match Of The Day you're able to see the microphones on everyone on camera whereas in a single camera production you may find that a central or directional microphone will be just as useful.
With multiple takes being used in Single Camera Productions it also allows you to manipulate that dialogue and sound as the dialogue you're hearing might not be from the shot that you can see. By using cut away's and other footage obtained from multiple takes you can mask the dialogue used combining the best shots with the best dialogue obtained.
Coverage
Coverage is the term used for the amount of footage obtained, it is important to get good coverage as when it comes to editing you will then have a wide selection of footage to choose form and if you have not obtained the right amount of coverage it could mean having to use a poor piece of footage because you have nothing else to use and are unable to re-shoot. If a director is using digital footage then it allows them to recorded everything even rehearsals to ensure they get the right amount of footage but due to the cost of film stock this is not an option if film stock is being used. The budgeting can depend on how much coverage you are able to get especially if filming with film stock, although no matter how small your budget you should always record as much as possible from different angles to keep your film interesting and watchable for your audience. when filming with a single cameras you should always start by obtaining a master shot which includes all the characters just so you can cut to that if necessary during post production, however when filming with multiple cameras lines and scenes will have to be memorized at a time for the long takes but with single camera productions you can check lines more frequently due to the breaks between changing the camera shot.
Editing
No matter if the production is using multi cameras or just the one the post production phase can take a long time and often prove to be extremely tedious because of the sheer amount of footage obtained that will all have to be looked for in order to find the best take to use in the finished product. There is often a lot of wasted footage in multi camera productions but in the long run this can prove to be cheaper as it is much quicker so to speed things up for single camera productions multiple scenes will often be filmed at once when similar cast is needed or certain locations such as how Peter Jackson's The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit trilogy's were both filmed all at once and then edited over a period of three years in order to release a film each year, this was done because they film in New Zealand so it would have been easier and cheaper to film them all at once.
If a multi camera production is shot live then it is possible to use a device called a vision mixer to edit it by switching between the cameras however this is not possible in single camera production and all edits must take place after the scene has been filmed. When I have filmed previous things it can take nearly up to a week to edit a simple 5 minute video so when editing a 90 minute video you can imagine how tedious it must be looking through all of that footage so a shot log can be very handy in that case as it has a detailed list of the shots captured and how well they turned out so be using this it can save you lots of time in the editing process.
Genres and Formats
There are many genres used in single camera production however some are more dominant than others. The main ones are as follows....
Period
Period dramas are often refereed to as costume dramas and are set in a specific era in the past and they are often romances however they can also be adventure texts. In order to recreate the atmosphere of that time period lots of props and costumes will be made for the production. A good example of this is the AMC series turn which takes place during the american revolutionary war so all the outfits, costumes and props would have been made accordingly.
Crime
Crime dramas and thrillers focus on criminals and authority figures and will often make good use of low key lighting. There are many ways a crime show can be done, shows like Hawaii five-0 and The Good Guys are shot from the laws point of view where as something like Breaking Bad is shot from the criminals point of view. A very good show for Crime would be Mob City as the line between the law and the criminals is very blurred as more often than not you see the police get involved with criminal activities but the show is shot from both points of view respectively.
Horror
Single camera productions are used for their ability to create realism and make them seem more personal and the Horror genre uses this to it's advantage by dragging the audience into the fears, jumps and scares of it all. A good example of this would be the show Penny Dreadful as it is set in Victorian England and uses many Gothic horror stories within it such as Frankenstein, Dorian Grey, Van Helsing and many others.
Comedy
There are may different comedy shows and one of the big ones in the modern day is sitcoms, shows such as The Big Bang Theory and Friends would be classed as sitcoms as they use multi cameras and are filmed in front of a live studio audience, however other shows like Scrubs and Spaced are filmed using single camera. Comedies that are filmed with multiple cameras can feel more realistic as there reaction will be captured in the same take as opposed to single camera where the reaction would have had to be captured in another take.
Soap Opera
Soap Operas are usaully filmed with multiple cameras due to the rate that the show needs to be produced however some Soap Operas have been filmed using a single camera such as the show Brookside. The main reason for this is because the show was filmed in actual locations so when filming in a house it doesn't allow for the maneuverability of more cameras. A good example would be the long running TV show Coronation street which is once again filmed with multiple cameras.
Aside from feature films there are also multiple formats associated with single camera productions and they are as follows....
Series
A series will feature around the same main characters each week with different plot lines in each episode but they will be no overarching plot line like in a serial, the characters may evolve slightly like get married and a new character will be introduced but the narrative will never be developed further than that. Shows will be commissioned for a certain amount of episodes such as how Sherlock was commissioned for 3 feature length episodes despite being pitched as several shorter feedback. A good example of a series is the hit British Comedy Only Fools and Horses as you see Del Boy and Rodney engage in new schemes to get rich each week but nothing more will come of it other than when new characters are introduced such as when Granddad died and Uncle Albert was introduced.
Serial
Serial are slightly different to a series as they have the same main characters each week but an evolving plot line throughout. Soap Operas are a very specialist form of serial as instead of having main characters they use an ensemble cast with a mutli strand narrative and no ultimately closure to the narratives, good examples of Soap Operas would be East Enders, Coronation Street (Which has been running since 1960) and Emmerdale.
Single Drama
A single drama will consist of one self contained story often told in a single one off episode however sometimes single drama's can span over three parts. It is the equivalent to a television movie and the minimum length is 5 minutes so the length can vary drastically. The single Dram Richard II Hollow Crown was nominated for an Oscar in 2013.
So single camera productions can be very beneficial to make however there are disadvantages to it. The big problem with it is the money, it can be more lengthy and time consuming to film making it more expensive even more so if filmed using film stock but also filming with a single camera is a personal choice and sometimes not even involved in the project will agree with the decision. When filming action it can stop and start continuously which might be aggravating and looked stunted but also this leads to the problem of continuity errors happening more frequently. However the positives do far outweigh the negatives as It allows for more control over the production giving it more of a personal feeling to the film and potentially less film is wasted in the editing stages. You also have a variety of locations at your disposal because of the amount of equipment and when filming the amount of takes can result in interesting and exciting angles whilst allowing the actors to get into character but also shooting lots of it in clusters means the cast and crew are never just hanging around. Because less footage is wasted they can be produced on a much tighter budgeting and by lighting individual shots you are able to control it more to make shot look interesting, unique and appropriate but also it's still possible to create a master shot for each scene will getting individual shots.
Of course multi camera productions can have benefits as well but how do they differ form a single camera production? Most TV shows and films are able to be filmed with one camera however live shows like Britain's got talent, Football matches and talk shows will be shot with multiple cameras and even some scenes in films will be filmed with multiple cameras but these will mainly be action sequences were you've only got one opportunity to capture it. Normally a multi camera production will use 4 cameras but this can vary, the main differences between multi and single cameras are that it's far quicker allowing for far less re shoots because more shots and footage is being obtained at once giving you a higher chance to edit the footage, also action sequences don't have to be stopped as there captured all at once allowing for far less continuity errors to happen. One of the best things about multi camera productions is that you can broadcast footage live using a mixing desk to jump between shots so you don't have to go through the editing process. However it has it's downside like locations become limited because not many places can fit that amount of cameras meaning things may often have to be filmed in studios which then causes a problem with lighting as you will have to distribute the lighting between each shot and it can look very flat and boring. Perhaps the biggest problem with multi camera productions is the lack of control in the cameras as you can't have a shot too wide other's you'll be able to see the other cameras and you can't have it too close either otherwise the other cameras will see you and finally moving shots can be difficult with multiple cameras so are often not used. At the end of the day it's down to a matter of opinion but most directors will chose single camera productions for the control and choice it offers however if you need to produce a daily TV show at a fast pace then multi camera would be far better.
Lighting
Lighting is far easier and better in single camera productions as there is less to worry about because you can light each shot differently creating a varied and unique look to each shot depending on what you're trying to show in the shot. In multi camera productions the lighting has to be adequate for each shot and can end up looking flat and unvaried even resulting in it looking fake like it has been filmed in a studio.
Sound
Sound is a very important aspect in any video production, although the video itself is very important without decent dialogue it can make a well shot video appear very amateur especially if you're relying on in built microphones on cameras. When filming single camera productions it's very important to get a bit of overlay by starting slightly earlier than the scene and finishing filming a little later than the scene. This ensure that you capture the whole scene and don't leave anything out also it avoids jumpy and awkward starts. Sometimes in single camera productions they will utilize the use of 2 microphones to ensure they capture all the dialogue however sound effects like ambient noise can be added in post production if necessary. Sometimes in multi camera productions it can be easier to just mic the characters, interviewers or interviewees individually as a lot of multi camera productions allow for microphones to be seen such as when watching Match Of The Day you're able to see the microphones on everyone on camera whereas in a single camera production you may find that a central or directional microphone will be just as useful.
With multiple takes being used in Single Camera Productions it also allows you to manipulate that dialogue and sound as the dialogue you're hearing might not be from the shot that you can see. By using cut away's and other footage obtained from multiple takes you can mask the dialogue used combining the best shots with the best dialogue obtained.
Coverage
Coverage is the term used for the amount of footage obtained, it is important to get good coverage as when it comes to editing you will then have a wide selection of footage to choose form and if you have not obtained the right amount of coverage it could mean having to use a poor piece of footage because you have nothing else to use and are unable to re-shoot. If a director is using digital footage then it allows them to recorded everything even rehearsals to ensure they get the right amount of footage but due to the cost of film stock this is not an option if film stock is being used. The budgeting can depend on how much coverage you are able to get especially if filming with film stock, although no matter how small your budget you should always record as much as possible from different angles to keep your film interesting and watchable for your audience. when filming with a single cameras you should always start by obtaining a master shot which includes all the characters just so you can cut to that if necessary during post production, however when filming with multiple cameras lines and scenes will have to be memorized at a time for the long takes but with single camera productions you can check lines more frequently due to the breaks between changing the camera shot.
Editing
No matter if the production is using multi cameras or just the one the post production phase can take a long time and often prove to be extremely tedious because of the sheer amount of footage obtained that will all have to be looked for in order to find the best take to use in the finished product. There is often a lot of wasted footage in multi camera productions but in the long run this can prove to be cheaper as it is much quicker so to speed things up for single camera productions multiple scenes will often be filmed at once when similar cast is needed or certain locations such as how Peter Jackson's The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit trilogy's were both filmed all at once and then edited over a period of three years in order to release a film each year, this was done because they film in New Zealand so it would have been easier and cheaper to film them all at once.
If a multi camera production is shot live then it is possible to use a device called a vision mixer to edit it by switching between the cameras however this is not possible in single camera production and all edits must take place after the scene has been filmed. When I have filmed previous things it can take nearly up to a week to edit a simple 5 minute video so when editing a 90 minute video you can imagine how tedious it must be looking through all of that footage so a shot log can be very handy in that case as it has a detailed list of the shots captured and how well they turned out so be using this it can save you lots of time in the editing process.
Genres and Formats
There are many genres used in single camera production however some are more dominant than others. The main ones are as follows....
Period
Period dramas are often refereed to as costume dramas and are set in a specific era in the past and they are often romances however they can also be adventure texts. In order to recreate the atmosphere of that time period lots of props and costumes will be made for the production. A good example of this is the AMC series turn which takes place during the american revolutionary war so all the outfits, costumes and props would have been made accordingly.
Crime
Crime dramas and thrillers focus on criminals and authority figures and will often make good use of low key lighting. There are many ways a crime show can be done, shows like Hawaii five-0 and The Good Guys are shot from the laws point of view where as something like Breaking Bad is shot from the criminals point of view. A very good show for Crime would be Mob City as the line between the law and the criminals is very blurred as more often than not you see the police get involved with criminal activities but the show is shot from both points of view respectively.
Horror
Single camera productions are used for their ability to create realism and make them seem more personal and the Horror genre uses this to it's advantage by dragging the audience into the fears, jumps and scares of it all. A good example of this would be the show Penny Dreadful as it is set in Victorian England and uses many Gothic horror stories within it such as Frankenstein, Dorian Grey, Van Helsing and many others.
Comedy
There are may different comedy shows and one of the big ones in the modern day is sitcoms, shows such as The Big Bang Theory and Friends would be classed as sitcoms as they use multi cameras and are filmed in front of a live studio audience, however other shows like Scrubs and Spaced are filmed using single camera. Comedies that are filmed with multiple cameras can feel more realistic as there reaction will be captured in the same take as opposed to single camera where the reaction would have had to be captured in another take.
Soap Opera
Soap Operas are usaully filmed with multiple cameras due to the rate that the show needs to be produced however some Soap Operas have been filmed using a single camera such as the show Brookside. The main reason for this is because the show was filmed in actual locations so when filming in a house it doesn't allow for the maneuverability of more cameras. A good example would be the long running TV show Coronation street which is once again filmed with multiple cameras.
Aside from feature films there are also multiple formats associated with single camera productions and they are as follows....
Series
A series will feature around the same main characters each week with different plot lines in each episode but they will be no overarching plot line like in a serial, the characters may evolve slightly like get married and a new character will be introduced but the narrative will never be developed further than that. Shows will be commissioned for a certain amount of episodes such as how Sherlock was commissioned for 3 feature length episodes despite being pitched as several shorter feedback. A good example of a series is the hit British Comedy Only Fools and Horses as you see Del Boy and Rodney engage in new schemes to get rich each week but nothing more will come of it other than when new characters are introduced such as when Granddad died and Uncle Albert was introduced.
Serial
Serial are slightly different to a series as they have the same main characters each week but an evolving plot line throughout. Soap Operas are a very specialist form of serial as instead of having main characters they use an ensemble cast with a mutli strand narrative and no ultimately closure to the narratives, good examples of Soap Operas would be East Enders, Coronation Street (Which has been running since 1960) and Emmerdale.
Single Drama
A single drama will consist of one self contained story often told in a single one off episode however sometimes single drama's can span over three parts. It is the equivalent to a television movie and the minimum length is 5 minutes so the length can vary drastically. The single Dram Richard II Hollow Crown was nominated for an Oscar in 2013.
So single camera productions can be very beneficial to make however there are disadvantages to it. The big problem with it is the money, it can be more lengthy and time consuming to film making it more expensive even more so if filmed using film stock but also filming with a single camera is a personal choice and sometimes not even involved in the project will agree with the decision. When filming action it can stop and start continuously which might be aggravating and looked stunted but also this leads to the problem of continuity errors happening more frequently. However the positives do far outweigh the negatives as It allows for more control over the production giving it more of a personal feeling to the film and potentially less film is wasted in the editing stages. You also have a variety of locations at your disposal because of the amount of equipment and when filming the amount of takes can result in interesting and exciting angles whilst allowing the actors to get into character but also shooting lots of it in clusters means the cast and crew are never just hanging around. Because less footage is wasted they can be produced on a much tighter budgeting and by lighting individual shots you are able to control it more to make shot look interesting, unique and appropriate but also it's still possible to create a master shot for each scene will getting individual shots.
Of course multi camera productions can have benefits as well but how do they differ form a single camera production? Most TV shows and films are able to be filmed with one camera however live shows like Britain's got talent, Football matches and talk shows will be shot with multiple cameras and even some scenes in films will be filmed with multiple cameras but these will mainly be action sequences were you've only got one opportunity to capture it. Normally a multi camera production will use 4 cameras but this can vary, the main differences between multi and single cameras are that it's far quicker allowing for far less re shoots because more shots and footage is being obtained at once giving you a higher chance to edit the footage, also action sequences don't have to be stopped as there captured all at once allowing for far less continuity errors to happen. One of the best things about multi camera productions is that you can broadcast footage live using a mixing desk to jump between shots so you don't have to go through the editing process. However it has it's downside like locations become limited because not many places can fit that amount of cameras meaning things may often have to be filmed in studios which then causes a problem with lighting as you will have to distribute the lighting between each shot and it can look very flat and boring. Perhaps the biggest problem with multi camera productions is the lack of control in the cameras as you can't have a shot too wide other's you'll be able to see the other cameras and you can't have it too close either otherwise the other cameras will see you and finally moving shots can be difficult with multiple cameras so are often not used. At the end of the day it's down to a matter of opinion but most directors will chose single camera productions for the control and choice it offers however if you need to produce a daily TV show at a fast pace then multi camera would be far better.
Easily a merit and veering towards a distinction - just correct your definitions of series/serial as we have discussed.
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