Unit 21: Single camera techniques

Task 1:Use the links below to help you write a few paragraphs that answer the following questions: (P1,M1,D1)

Single camera format is where a TV show is filmed using one camera per shot. This does take longer to film and is usually used to TV shows rather than films. Having just one camera rather than multiple cameras’ restricts the director from constantly switching camera angles, something that can only be achieved with more than one camera. Using a single camera allows the audience to fully engage with the characters and the film due to the smooth movements between shots and tracking shots.

Multi- Camera format uses more than one camera per shot, and this is usually used for films. Multi- Camera format captures many different shots from each scene, allowing many different shots in the scene. All the different shots would be filmed at the same time and then edited down during post production. Whilst it is more time efficient to use than a single camera format, and does make it easier in terms of continuity, it is however allot more expensive due to the multiple camera required.

Task 2: Write a short paragraph explaining the differences between series, serials and single dramas. Write about four TV programmes from different gernres and explain which category they fall into and why. (P1. M1. D1)

A TV series is an ongoing TV show that can last anywhere from season one onwards. Like lost. It was originally meant for two seasons but due to its commercial success it lasted for five seasons. TV series vary in genre. They can be Drama’s like Desperate Housewives, sci-fi like heroes even Sitcoms like friends. TV series usually has 20-24 episodes although this varies depending on the show and it’s format. Ugly Betty is a current TV show that has had 3 seasons so far. It has a linear structure and is objective due it being unrestricted. This means we can see what’s going on and we don’t look through the characters eyes. (Subjective).

A TV serial is a mini series. They can last from 2 episodes onwards. ITV and BBC are known for having TV serials. They can vary from Genre’s. Hollyoaks Later is a recent TV serial that has been shown on E4. Hollyoaks Later didn’t follow typical conventions of a TV serial as the finale ending didn’t close the story. This was due to the Serial being a spin of from a TV soap. The Children was a 3 part TV serial that was aired on ITV last year. Each episode was aired over the space of three weeks, and they ended on a cliff hanger until the final episode. It had a restricted format and we mainly saw this mainly though the eyes of a young girl.

A single drama is a one of drama that only has one part to it. ITV and BBC are popular for this. They can be seen as mini films.

Task 3: Based on a discussion of three clips and you're own knowledge of film and television, use specific examples to explaine where different narrative structures occur and why they are used. (P1. M1. D1)
A linear structure is when the narrative is in order and tells a story. Soaps always follow a linear structure. This is due to soaps mirroring real life, therefore requiring the time line to be in "real time". Using a linear structure allows soap directors/producers to achieve this.

A non linear structure is when the narrative isn’t told in order. This means the end of a story could be at the beginning of a film or TV show with the audience discovering the beginning of the narrative at the end. Grudge is an example of a non linear narrative as the events of the film jump around during the film and only shown once the protagonist came into contact with certain locations and people.

Flashbacks are when an event is shown to the audience from a character past. Slumdog Millionaire used many flashbacks, the narrative revolved round them and it was how the film progressed. Despereate housewives uses many flashbacks. the show effectively manages to give characters very big backstorys that are all explained through flashbacks. This helps the show progress as the premise of desperate housewives that a "desperate Housewife" will have a deep dark secret that will only be reveled to the audience over time. The flashbacks allow the audience to find out the characters secret in great and elaborate detail.

Notice how the image focus became softer, and a noise whizzing like noise was heard before it started. This is a typical convention many shows use. It tells the audience its a flashback, stopping the past and present from bleeding together.

Realist and Anti- Realist is whether a narrative is similar to real life or not. Soaps are always realist as they like to create a personal relationship with the audience by allowing them to relate to the characters. Anti- Realist is when a narrative isn’t following real life. Ashes to Ashes was a BBC drama which was anti – realist. The narrative revolved around a woman who travelled back in time.

Soap endings are always open ended. This allows the soap to carry on. Whilst closing one story line (allowing a new to develope) certain films may also have an open ending such as Mr and Mrs Smith. This leaves the film open for a sequel, or lets the audience decide how they want the film to end. Cliff Hangers are used very often for soaps and TV series. They keep the audience captivated and makes sure they will tune in for the next episode. The simple life (A reality TV show) ended its fourth season with a cliff hanger, with the fifth season continuing where it left off. Closed endings are when the story line is ended and the film is over. Stand alone films, sequels and trilogies are usually closed ended due to the story line (and franchise) coming to an end. Desperate housewives effectively uses a cliff hanger in the video below. The characters story line kicks off an instantly gets the viewer hooked.Once she's had a crash, her hand flickers and the show ends. The scene becomes an enigma and the audience is instantly left wondering about her fate. It was a great way in making sure viewers will tune into next weeks episode, allowing the ratings to stay high. From the uses and gratifications theory it uses personal relationships. This is due to many people who are fans of the show being able to talk about it amongst each other.



There are many different structures to a narrative. Some narrative’s are goal orientated, which means that the narrative revolves around the protagonist trying to achieve a certain goal. E.G Confessions of a Shopaholic. The protagonist (Rebecca Bloomswood) spends the entire film trying to kick her shopping habit whilst getting her self out of debt.

Search or investigation is when the narrative has the protagonist looking for some one/ something or investigating something. Transformers: Revenge of the fallen revolves around Robots searching for a key that has been hidden from them. (Search) In Charlie’s Angels, the three protagonists are private investigators who are investigating a case. Journey is when the protagonist goes on a physical or spiritual journey (Veronika Decides to Die)

Unrestricted information is when the audience can hear and see everything. This is usually seen soaps and may different films and TV shows. The Narrative is open for all the audience to see.

Restricted is when all the information we see is limited. This was format was used in Veronica Mars as we only figured things out once she did. She also narrated the show, so her thoughts became out thoughts. allowing us to connect with the character.

Task 4: Using the information below write or record a commentary on one of the following clips. Explain how the following are used to good effect...(P1 M1 D1)
Camera Techniques
Sound
Lighting
Editing
In this short drama, there is a nice variety of different shots. The scene starts of with a tracking shot in which Joan walks into. This establishes the scene and the character. The camera then cuts to a long shot of two guys getting out of a car. We see them begin to walk off before the camera cuts again, back to Joan. So far there is an enigma due to the lack of dialogue. This keeps us watching and wondering about the drama and characters. We then have a mid angle low shot of the three of them together before Joan kneels to the ground. This then connotes that the two guys have power over her. The flashbacks are all in black and white. This anchors that they are flashbacks, and makes it obvious to the viewers by making them stand out and look different from the normal scenes. All the shots are very fast and vague, this signifies that it’s coming back bit by bit. The quick, fast cuts between a girl and her hand in the first flashback sequence helps create tension. The worm eye view of a girl walking towards a grave connotes that she is in power. Towards the end of the film when she is going to jump, you see a close up of her face with the two guys in the background. This may connote that she’s more important than the other two, and allows us to view all three characters. Once she jumps out onto the train in the final moments, there are quick cuts to both the guys’ faces. This allows us to see the reaction of the characters and prolong the moment keeping the audience gripped. In the very final moment of this drama when Joan is on the track, the camera shakily approaches her at a high speed rate signifying a train.
During this drama, there have been many sounds effects. During the train scenes there were sounds of a passing train adding realism to the scene due to its setting being at a train station. There were passing car noises ongoing in the train station scenes. This anchored that they are in a public place and isolated. These noises where diagetic as the characters could hear them as well as the audience. There was non diagetic music towards the final moments of the drama. The heartbeat that was heard may connote out heartbeat, it helps make us nervous or jumpy. It may also connote that it’s Joan’s heartbeat and her nervousness about dying. The sound of a train in distress at the end anchored that the shaky camera is train and that it is about to hit her. The music played simultaneously with the heartbeat towards the end helps set the scene. During the flashback scenes there was also a heartbeat noise. The may signify that we are inside Joan’s body. The flash sound that occurs at the start of each flash back anchors that it’s a flashback. The lighting was all very natural lighting. It was low key at times due to the angle, but it wasn’t intentional therefore adding realism to the scene. The whole drama was nicely edited. Each scene cut from one to the next very smoothly. The shaky titles at the beginning and end of the drama set the tone of the piece. The shakiness was similar to that of the train therefore making it relevant.

TASK 5 Watch the clip. What are some of the differences in technology available to modern audiences? With the advent of new media, why has it become more difficult to reach a broad target audience? (P1 M1 D1)
Mass viewing figures are no longer expected due to the audience being fragmented. Many different people have many different viewing habits, listening habits and other different ways of accessing media. It is for this reason that different media outlets advertise things differently depending on their target audience.

TASK 6: Recreate the classification table above and add an extra column and call it 'media consumption', in this section comment on the type of programming they would consume from TV and Radio in addition to commenting on newspaper's magazines and the internet.Create a profile for someone of your own age but the opposite gender and write it as a separate paragraph underneath. (P1 M1 D1)

Task 7: Hardware and Sound

To film our drama, we will be using one hand held camera. The camera we used was a simple, yet effective, grey Panasonic camera. We opted for a small camera so we could take it back and forth to the set easily, and safely. Using a small camera also helped us capture the many P.O.V shots we needed, along with easily and effectively maneuvering the camera around the set. The microphone was included on the camera, making it easier for us as it was less equipment for us to carry.

In terms of software, we used IMovie. This allowed us to effectively cut and merge many different shots together. We were also able to add the correct transitions needed to the drama.

For the view inaudible/ unusable dialogue, we re-recorded the lines and added them in during the editing process. For this we used a simple voice recorder.

The people involved in making the drama consisted of four people. Three cast members and one person filming.

In terms of location, we used a friend’s house not too far from the school. The house was appropriate for the narrative of the piece.

For props I bought a bag of tea lights that would be used for one of our scenes. The candles would give a creepy atmosphere for the scene we used them in. We also had to find a Ouija board. Due to time and budget restrictions, we created a Ouija board instead.

Task 8: Treatment

Objective: The following below is a proposal for a single camera drama. Our idea or this is to create a short horror drama with follows three teenagers and their perils after coming into contact with a spirit. Out objective is to create an engaging short horror that uses conventions typical of a horror genre combined with a variety of different camera angles to create a fast paced tense drama.

Description: This short horror piece will be set during Christmas 2009. This story follows three teenagers spending their day in a typical house. As the day goes on they realise that the house has a terrible history which has come back to haunt them. One by one they get separated, spooked by the spirit before eventually being murdered. Until the final twist of the story is revealed. Music and sound effects play a vital role in this, as dialogue is scarce. Any dialogue in this is kept to a minimum and only included to help the film progress and explain some the plot to the audience. Therefore keeping an enigma through out. The camera angles will be very varied through out; we aim to include tracking shots, point of view shots and various high angle and low angle shots to help set the tone of each scene and create an illusion that they are being watched by an unseen force. The transitions will be effectively used, creating tension and drama at certain point when needed, along with allowing the drama to run through seamlessly.

Remarks: During the film, there will be flashes of a house with a family. This adds to the enigma and represents the house’s terrible history. It may also show that the house can never escape its past, indicating it will forever be haunted by this spirit and the previous events that took place in the house.

Proposed sequence of events:

1) Tracking shot of two of the characters walking up to the house. Establishes them as well as the house. (Opens the story, shows the house from the outside)

2) Cut to a high angle shot from the top window looking down on the two characters walking. (We hear breathing. Connotes someone is watching them)

3) Cut to inside the house with a high angle long shot from the top of the stairs. We are now introduced to the third and final character as she walks into view and open the door to let the other two inside. (We hear them greeting each other)

4) 4) Cut to a high angle long shot from the door up to the stairway. We see the three characters going upstairs.

5) Cut to a medium shot of the bedroom. With a close up of georgie’s face, whilst she tells everyone to go downstairs into the playroom.

6) Cut to a high angle shot of the door and stairway. We see the three characters leaving the room and proceeding downstairs to the playroom.

7 7) Cut to a long shot of the living room. The teens walk into view then proceed into the playroom. The shot then turns into a close up of the characters as the three characters walk up to then past the camera.

8) Medium shot of Chris lighting the candle. (Establishes that candles will be used for telling ghost stories)

9) 9) Cut to a high angle shot of the room looking down on the three characters, whilst georgie tells the story.

1 10)Cut to a close up of kam’s face.

vv 11) Cut a tracking shot of kam as he goes upstairs into the bathroom. (Connotes someone is watching and following him)

12) Cut to a close up of kams face. Camera pans around and zooms in to show the tap running.

13) Cut to outside the bathroom. High angle medium shot of the bathroom whilst kam screams. (Helps create an enigma as to what’s happened to him)

14 14) Cut to a medium close up of Chris and georgie.

15) Cut to a bird’s eye view shot of the Ouija board, Chris and georgie. (Signifies something is looking down on them)

16) Cut to point of view shot from georgie, looking at Chris.

17) Various fast paced, Point of view, shaky, high and low angle shots of the room. (Connotes panic, and danger)

1 18) Cut to a Long shot of Chris running up the stairs. Camera will then follow him to the bathroom. (Over the shoulder shot)

Task 9: create a story board for your production.

Task 10: Production Schedule.

Task 11: Health and Safety








Task 12: Production





Task 13: Evaluation
Purpose
Our purpose of our single camera drama was to entertain and distract the audience from real life. I think we achieved our goal, as the audience feedback has been positive.

Audience

From playing this to the audience, many felt the transitions really helped the come together. Out of the uses and gratifications theory, they liked how we had used personal identity, using everyday characters that the audience could relate to. This made them feel bad for when there time came to an end. They also commented on the music, saying that it helped set the mood of the piece.

Claire:
I really like how you made the death scenes really sudden and unexpected. It shocked me when some of the characters did die. I actually really liked how you set up the mood of the piece and kept us guessing as to what’s going on.

Representation issues
Our video gave out a negative message with the storyline but with positive elements due to the humour.

Our video was a mixture of boy and girls. This appealed to both genders and kept it
We had a different mix of ethnic origins as this kept a variety throughout. And stopped it from

The music track had a big effect on the drama and really helped set the mood. The track helped the drama come across as edgy and dark and helped convey the emotions in the piece.



Technical Issues
Whilst we were editing we did cut of the end of someone’s sentence, and resolved it by deleting the transition that cut it off and reapplied the transition being careful not to make the same mistake.

In terms of voice levels and such, we did a fantastic job at having silences, large noises, big bangs etc…. at the right time. This helped keep the drama being tense and atmospheric through out.

The transitions we created were excellent. They helped set the mood of the piece, and really helped the narrative and quality of the drama.


Conventions/ Narrative
Our drama was a horror. I think the things typical of this genre that were found in our video were:
Shaky camera work; twist in the story line; typical death scenes; atmospheric/spooky transitions and tense music. We looked at what the conventions of the horror genre were and what other horror films have done. This gave us s sense of what to include on our video.

We also took time to make sure our narrative had all the typical conventions also. This included a villain, equilibrium, disruption and resolution, and enigma. Our story had a single strand narrative.


Own Performance…. Self Evaluation
From making this video I am now confident with using I movie. I am able to import and edit using I movie software.

I think that my strengths are editing and cutting down sequences. As that is what I mainly did. I became confident in adding transitions and fading out the sound. My weakness was definitely importing things into I Movie. That was the thing I did the least.