Multi-Camera Techniques

Multi Camera techniques

This report is aimed to the channel E4 as they have approached me by asking me to make a report for them that will outline the range of multi camera techniques that are used by many media productions and institutions. There are two main types of camera shooting techniques and these two are; single camera technique and the other is the multi camera technique and this report will be based on the use of the multi camera technique.

Above is an example of the average set up of shooting a studio show using the multi camera technique, as we see from the image there are three main cameras that are used to film the process of the guest and the host conversing. Camera number 2 is the main camera in this situation as it is filming the guest and the host together conversing, in this shot you would most likely expect to see a long shot of the two people as they are conversing. Camera number 1 is the camera that will show the host and this would most likely be a close up of their face. The last camera which is camera number 3 will have the same process of camera 1 however this camera will show the guest of the show.

In modern day television there are three types of genres that are very well known for using multi camera techniques and these three genres are:

·         Live Events

·         Studio Production Shows

·         Live Studio

These three television genres use multi camera for their shows because that technique is the most useful as there is a lot more going on in these shows than other shows that use the single camera technique. The shows that use multi camera tend to be more active and have more action and movement contained in contrast to the shows that use the single camera technique.

There are two specific reasons which make the genres stand out in their own way. These two ways are Practical and Aesthetic. Practical reasons are so the viewer can visualise the coverage of action and this specifically means how the multi camera work is put together to make sure that the view gets to see everything that is going on. It also looks at the constraints of the studio work and how it is set up to make the work.

The other reason for using multi camera is for aesthetic reasons. Aesthetic reasons go into more depth meaning the work of the multi camera is done to give a certain visual style for the viewer. It is used to see the visual style of what is being shown on the camera and it is also to see the mode of address of how the camera work makes the people in the shot look like they are conversing with the camera and the viewers and this makes up what will maintain the viewer’s interest.

Live Sports

Live sports mostly use the multi camera technique. This is because in sports there is usually a large amount of action going on in wherever the sport is taking place. So multi camera is used to let the viewer visualise everything that is going on so they do not feel as if they are missing out on anything.

The sport that I have picked out as an example is Basketball. This sport contains a lot of action as there are athlete putting in a lot of effort and work. There are also many people involved in the sport such as the coaches and the fans. So this means that the camera work needs to be in the right way so it will cover everything going on.

There are functions for each of the cameras that are used in a basketball match as there are jobs for each. One camera may be focused on the court, another one can be focused on the stadium, another one could be focused on the fans and another camera could be focused on the coaches. At the point 0:27:57 there is a piece of play that happens and one of the Michigan team players scores.

When the player scores there is a camera that shows the

 court so it shows all the players on the pitch and the ball going in to the net.

Then as soon the ball goes in to the net there is another camera that has a function and it shows the fans reacting to the basket in happiness.

After is shows the fans it straight away shows the player that scored the basket to also see his reaction and it shows him clapping and cheering his own players on.

The last camera then shows the basketball court again.



The reason for it to be coverage of action is because the camera work needs to rapid as there a lot of action going on so the camera work needs to show everything that is going on in a quick process.

The very main reason in which sports shows use multi camera set up is to ensure to the institution that the show maintains the viewers interest throughout the whole process. This goes down to the fact that if it was a single camera production not everything would be covered as it would most likely just be one shot throughout the game panning from side to side, it wouldn't add that extra touch that is needed to maintain the viewers interest. As it is a stadium the constraints aren't a big let down to the filming procedure as there is a big amount of space for a lot of camera work to be done.

Concerts:

Concerts are big events as many people come to see a performance from an artist or a band. As concerts are normally held in big venues it requires for there to be many cameras that can catch all of the content occurring such as the music and artist and also the audience to see their reactions.

This video I have chosen is a concert done by Jay-Z in the Hackney Weekend. This is because this concert used multi camera very well and this is because there were many different shots of many different aspects at most of the times of the performance. As you watch the video you will be able to notice that the cameras never stay still at any point, they are always changing cuts and making different shots to make the content look appealing. The main practical reason for using the multi cameras in this concert was because they wanted the show to appeal and maintain the viewers interest. As it one a whole hour long performance they had to ensure that the camera work would not get boring or worn out throughout the concert because it would have a very negative effect on the viewer as they would get bored if they were tending to watch just one shot throughout the performance for a whole hour. So this is where the camera work came into place and ensured that the multi camera was used correctly. This video is such a good example that even a time code isn't needed to show when or how it maintained the viewers interest. Throughout the whole performance there were excellent shots to show the whole environment and the artists and the audience. The visual style of the concert was very dynamic and fast paced and this is because the music was rap and rap music tends to be relatively quick, so the multi cameras ensured that it looked like a rap video as the shots kept changing from the artist to the stage to the audience to have a good effect on the viewer. The scenery was also set throughout as they liked to show where the scene was set such as in the 0:7:35 mark they showed the place where it is set which is Hackney.

Public Events:

Public events use the multi camera technique because most public events tend to be extremely big and important occasions as they are normally broad casted live on television and are important for people to see.

The public event that I have chosen is Barack Obama's victory speech after becoming the president. This event was extremely big as it was a very important function for America and the whole world was watch as it  happened. This event managed to use multi camera in a good fashion because it was very important to ensure that it was used by multi camera. The video started off with a camera shot of a crane coming down and this was to set the location for the viewer to acknowledge the scenery. Then at the 23 second mark it changed shots to a straight shot from the middle of the crowd looking forward and this was to set the stage meaning that that would be the place where most of the action will take place. It then went to a long shot of Obama and his family and then straight away it showed the crowd that was there, this was because there was supposed to be a good order to show and to let the viewer see the audiences reaction to see whether they were happy or sad. The mode of address in this speech was quite direct and forward as we managed to see the president talking in a straight long and close up most of the time as the camera was in front of him. This was to create a direct mode of address to make it seem as if the President was talking to the viewers at home as well as the crowd that were there. It seems as if the camera set up may have costed a little bit of money for the institution as they were many cameras available and the set up must have also costed a relatively large amount of money as there were cranes also used.

Studio:

Game Shows: 

Game shows are shot in a studio where there is sometime only a limited amount of space, there is not always the greatest amount of space so the multi camera work needs to be functioning well and sufficiently and making the most of all the space they have.


The game show video that I have chosen is from a show called Deal or No Deal and the set up for this show tends to have the audience at the back of the studio and the camera crews in front of the audience and then the set including the presenters and people at the front. The show tends to be serious at times as this show contains a lot of tension and patience throughout the show at many points.

As we see in the images above it is a procedure that happened just before the box was opened, the mode of address turned straight to tension as everything slowed down and started to show the contestants face before having the box opened to see his reaction, then when the box was opened and it was bad news it managed to show the game contestants reactions as well to show their feelings on what just happened. The tension would be built in the viewer at home as the camera work would make them feel tensed to see what would happen next. This also communicated a lot of meaning to the viewer as it showed many people sad and worried.


Chat Shows:

The example that I have chosen is a chat show called Friday Night With Jonathan Ross. The chat show uses multi camera to ensure that most of the aspects are being captures in the scenes as everything should be captured for the viewer. The visual style is direct as the two people in the camera are talking to each other, as throughout the video there are mostly long shots of the two sitting down it shows their body language for the viewer at home to acknowledge. Here is an example of how this chat show studio would be set up:




The chat show using the multi camera technique, as we see from the image there are three main cameras that are used to film the process of the guest and the host conversing. Camera number 2 is the main camera in this situation as it is filming the guest and the host together conversing, in this shot you would most likely expect to see a long shot of the two people as they are conversing. Camera number 1 is the camera that will show the host and this would most likely be a close up of their face. The last camera which is camera number 3 will have the same process of camera 1 however this camera will show the guest of the show.
This would be an advantage for the institution as they would not have to pay a lot of money for the camera work as pretty much only 4 or 5 cameras are needed.


Magazine Shows: 

Magazine shows tend to be very direct in the mode of address and this is because the presenter is mostly talking to the camera in large portions of the show, in this show the presenters Jeremy and Richard tend to focus and talk to the camera a lot to make sure it maintaints the viewers interest by making it look as if they are talking to the viewers. At the 10th second till the 30th second we notice that there are two presenters changing and talking to the camera to make it a very direct mode of address. The visual style tends to change when it is out of the studio and onto the parts when they do their tasks and journeys. Then we see many camera shots and angles to make it seem interesting to the viewer. Cost wise it doesn't look as if it would effect the institution largely in the studio as not much is needed to make the set just a few cameras.


Talent Shows:

Talent shows are live studio based shows which are quite different to other shows. Talent shows require for the viewer to see everything that is going on so that they get a full feel of the performances and talking parts.


This example that I have used is from the show name X Factor and it is a talent show where people who think they can sing come out and audition in front of judges. When the contestants come out it normally shows a long shot of the stage then it would show the judges to see what they think of the first glimpse of the contestant then it would show the audience to also see their reactions. The visual styles are quite bright and normal coloured as it isn't really a sad or worrying show. The mode of address tends to be quite direct as people are talking to each other before and after the performances and the camera catch what is going on. At 2:50 we notice that the camera changes shots and changes from the singer to somewhere else and this is because they want to show the judges reaction so this is why they changed the shots. This would maintain the viewers interest because it would keep them intrigued and not bored because it wouldn't be staying on one shot the whole time.