SINGLE CAMERA PRODUCTION VS. MULTI CAMERA PRODUCTION.

I am going to be talking about multi camera production vs. single camera production. First what is a single and multi camera production?
Single camera production is the use of one camera to shot/film but gets shot from only angle but gives out detailed shots and very good for dramatic effects and its more suitable for filming series and movies.
Multi Camera production is the use of more than one camera to film or shoot it enables the scene to be gotten from different angles and can easily cut between shots. Its suitable for live and studio filming.

DIFFRENT GENRES
Multi camera and single cameras both have different genres in which they can be and used and also in others where they cannot be used.
For a Talk Show a multi camera will be used because its been produced in the studio and sometimes its aired live. They cannot use single camera for this because different shots are meant to be taken from different angles which makes it a lot easier with multi camera because you do not need to set up the camera again once its been set up the set up doesn't change but if a single camera was used you would have to set up the camera each time you need to take a different shot from a new angle which won't be suitable for a live TV show. An example of such TV shows that use multi camera techniques is the Jeremy Kyle show. Below is a video from the show baring in mind that the show must have aired live on a particular change I want you to notice the quick change and cut between shots.

In this video above we can notice the quick cut in shots between the talent Jeremy Kyle and the guest on his show as they battle out their problems, we can also see that the show is on a stage and there is also a quick cut between shots from the audience and what's happening on stage. All this cannot be caught with just one camera as it is airing live so therefore it is done with multi camera.

For a Sci-fi movie/ series and Teen Drama single camera will be used, there will need to be a lot of dramatic effects and facial expressions shown also drawing audiences attention to a particular thing in the movie/series. This ideally will be done with a  multi camera because its cheaper to film with a single camera and because only small amount of money are allocated for the budget of the movie/series and therefore would be wise to use a single camera as it will cost less than using a multi camera.
When filming a movie/ series using a single camera there is no need to worry when filming and using the 180 degree rule that another camera is going to get in shot and then waste more time redoing the shot but the disadvantage about the 180 degree rule is that it can easily be broken while in a multi camera shoot you absolutely do not need to worry about the 180 degree rule. Another benefit of single camera technique is that the scene can be done over and over again until its gotten right but the disadvantage here is that more time is wasted in filming and editing but gives us variety of shots to chose from.
 Another major reason why single camera will be in other to use a lot of coverage shots in other to get as much dramatic effects in as possible. In the video below we can see the use of different single camera techniques such as close ups, extreme close ups, long shots and extreme long shots to show different emotions and send different dramatic effects.

For teen drama we can look at Skins and how it uses different camera techniques  in the video below, I would like you to notice the use of single camera techniques such as close ups and establishing shots to keep the video interesting.

For Comedy shows and thrillers shows both use single cameras but for comedies it can vary when it is a comedy talk show because a talk show is live and need to get shots from different angles. When filming a comedy documentary for example Come Fly With me we can notice that a lot of over the shoulder shots and close ups are used as well as some high angle shots we can see this in the video below;

Thrillers such as Utopia uses single camera production as the shot are gotten from different angles using shot types that are single camera techniques such as close ups to drag importance to a character or object, two shots to show relationship and a lot more. It won't be a good idea to use multi camera to shot a thriller such as utopia because when you have to do a shot that means you will have to set up the three different cameras again and if one of the cameras gets in the way you will have to re-do all the shots again. I have also filmed a thriller and it was easy using a single camera as I had a lot smaller team to control, had varieties of coverage shots to use and also master shot all shot it one camera, below is a video of my webisode which contained mainly single camera techniques and was a single camera production and also a scene from Utopia.

USES.
Multi- camera production is used for filming live shows in other to get different shots from different camera and to also enable the editor to quickly and easily cut between shots to show the action as its happening due to movement of certain characters. Films are mainly single camera but in other to get all the action for example in a fighting film such as 007 multi camera will be used to just capture the action only.

Single Camera production is used for the filming of films, series, serial and single dramas. Single camera is used because its cheaper as these formats require just low budget, in other to get all the dramatic effects. Due to using one camera the shots can be redone until its right .

PURPOSE
The purpose or reason for using multi camera production is simply  to be able to film live shows such as a football match, instead of a camera man running around following the players on the side line as the match is been played he can sit at one end of the stadium filming just a particular section or angle while there are also other camera men filming other angles or section round the pitch thereby getting the whole pitch at ones and been able to follow the action and broadcast it live to viewers.
The purpose for using a single camera to film a serial is in other to save money, to get loads of dramatic effects and also to get a lot of coverage shots to enable continuity and to make the video or episode more interesting and more engaging to viewers for example when a pan is used on a character it engages the viewer and makes the viewer follow the character as well.

ADVANTAGES OF S.C.P.(single camera production)

• Single camera production is cheaper as you have only one camera to pay for rather than multi where you have pay for two or more cameras.
• It allows you to be more detailed on dramatic effects this is possible through the use of coverage shots such as close ups. long shot, extreme close up, it also allows us to think about the angles of shot in order to cause suspense and meaning alongside character.
• You do not have to film in storyboard order, you can start filming from any part of the story board as all your shots are on one camera which allows you to rearrange them in the editing suite.
• There will be a variety of different shot types used
• Allows us to re-do our shots more than once
• Allows us to see relationship between two different characters
• Due to its variety of shots single camera production can be used in different genre of TV/FILM as they show emotion and other dramatic effects.

DISADVANTAGES OF S.C.P

• More footage which will result to a lot of time wasted in other to sort out which is useable or not giving you varieties of shots to chose from.
• Its time consuming because you have to set up the camera more than once while in multi camera production you don't have too.
• The longer you film the more time you will run out of day light while a multi camera is done there and there.
• It is very easy to break the 180 degree rule and the rule of thirds without even noticing
• there is a possibility that the camera runs out of battery and won't be able to film.
• If the camera is destroyed all the work/filming is gone as that is the only copy of your filming.

ADVANTAGES OF M.C.P(multi camera production)

• The camera set up is done only once while for the single camera production its done frequently.
• If one camera is destroyed the other ones are available with footage from the same scene.
• There is no 180 degree rule to follow
• Multi camera production is for live shows and its easier to cut between shots.

DISADVANTAGES OF M.C.P

• Multi camera production  is expensive as you will have to buy more than one camera and hire more than one camera men.
• You don't get to  redo shots
• M.C.P cannot be used for different TV/Film genres as it hardly shows or picks up any dramatic effects
• other cameras can easily get on scene

FORMATS OF S.C.P
There are three main formats of single camera production which are;

• SEREIES
• SERIALS
• SINGLE DRAMA

SEREIES: This is when every episode tells a story based on a particular character and it ends, the next episode starts with a different story about a different character but both characters are related to each other or have a relationship with each other. For example; the flash.

SERIALS: This is when the story doesn't end in one episode but continues and carries on from the next episode and its usually based on one character or two main characters e.g. breaking bad and my web serial Followed.
SINGLE DRAMA: is a show that finishes within the time its shown  and never returns and its usually 90 mins for example a touch of cloth is a perfect example of a single drama.

Below embedded is my webisode production called followed which falls under the category of serial, my webisode is a serial because I have used a single camera to film it, the story is set in  a way that   allows continuity every episode picks up from where the last one stopped and its mainly based on two characters Alice and Matt.


NARRATIVE STRUCTURES

• Linear(3 act structure): This is when the story starts from the beginning and leads to the middle and then to the end therefore it goes in a straight line.
• Non-Linear: This is when the story either starts from the end or the middle and uses series of flashbacks to tell the story.
• Episodic narrative: this is when a story is been told through a series of episodes or segment.
• Open: this is when the story goes on and there is no sense of an end
• Closed narrative: this is when the story is brought to an audience and then ultimately brought to a conclusion.
• Realist: this is a story that aims to present the viewers with a real life feel.
• Non-realist:  this a story line that presents viewers with a situation or concept that is clearly made up.
• Single stranded: This is a one story or plot in the sense that it just tells a single story.
• Multi stranded: This is the use of more than one story line or plot but at the end all connect to one story or all affect each other.

My webisode which is embedded below has episodic narrative because the story is told over different episode and not just one and the story continues from where the last episode stops each new episode. Its also multi stranded as there are so many events that will be going on but in the end relate or still direct to the main characters. Its also going to have an open ending in other for it to allow continuity the last episode is going to be where the two main characters regain their memory but are in a lab from here the story can go on and no in the next season. My web serial is not linear its non linear in other to cause suspense and create mystery .