A multicamera production is a production which uses a number of cameras to film the footage, instead of just one camera. Multi Camera is a popular option for most TV shows and films but it is also the expensive option, because more personel is needed, and more equipment will also be needed, including multiple cameras, headsets, lighting ect. Live shows tend to use Multi Camera to capture as much action as possible and to make sure that nothing isn't captured by the cameras. Multi Camera productions are different in many ways, and I will be comparing different multi camera productions to show these differences but also their similarities.
Compared to single camera shows, they are a lot more interesting to watch due to the fact that there is a range of different angles and shots. It also helps make the show a lot more fast paces, whereas a single camera show would feel slow paced and boring. Overall multi camera shows look better, and attract and maintain a larger audience.
I have chosen to analyze a wide range of multi camera productions. The first is a Talent Show which has a range of acts, including sports, music and dancing. They use multi camera to capture the footage effectively. The next production I chose is The Ellen Show, which is a talk show and they use multi camera to capture all sides of the conversation, and the reactions of the audience, presenters and guest. The next production is Football, which also uses multi camera. They use multi camera to capture all of the action of the game as the pitch is big so one camera wouldn't be able to capture all of the action. The next one is 'Take Me Out' which is a game show, they use multi camera for coverage of action as using multiple cameras ensures that they capture everything. The next production is a comedian act, they use multicamera on this production to capture reactions from the act and the audience.
The first multi camera production that I will be analysing is Britain's Got Talent. For this production, they use multiple cameras to capture all of the action and reactions of the competitors, audience, judges and presenters. They show reaction shots from the audience, judges and presenters so need lots of cameras to capture all of their faces. An example of a shot that they use is wide shot at 0.42 that is positioned behind the audience so shows the stage, judges panel and audience. The shot shows the stage clearly and the act is visible meaning that the viewer sees the action from different angles including a main wide shot, which is shown at 0.18 which shows the stage and the back of the judges, this makes them feel like they are in the audience, and a low angle at 0.25 which makes them look big and impressive. They use the shot at 0:18 to make the audience feel like they're watching from within the studio because the camera is positioned within the crowd, so the viewer is seeing what the audience would be seeing.
Most talent shows use a multi camera layout as they need to get all of the action, as the show is purely to entertain. They also need to convince the viewers to call in and vote for their favourite act, so covering all of the action is very important. From watching the show, you can tell that they have positioned a few cameras throughout the studio. They have one behind the audience, shooting in a wide shot showing the audience and stage which is shown at 0:18, about 3 in front of the stage, shooting the action up close but from a few different positions. From the clip I think they have one to the left, one to the right and one in the middle. They also have cameras pointing at the audience, and some pointing and the judges, so I think they are positioned in front of the stage, but facing towards the audience, shooting their reactions. I think they have one to the right, in the middle and to the left to show the action from different angles whereas if they were all in the middle, they would just see it from one point of view. For example 0.33 they are showing footage from a camera to the left in close up, then they cut to a camera in the middle at about 0.36, which is in wide shot. This gives the viewer a different look on the action. They also use cameras near the front to record reactions of the audience and the judges. An example of this, showing a reaction is 1.05, where they show all 3 judges watching the act, looking completely mesmerized by the performance. This makes the viewers feel the same way too. They also have some up high, shooting the act from up above. From the clip, starting at 0.04, you can see that there is also a crane which is filming the presenters as they introduce the act. The crane is important because it allows the viewer to see the whole studio, and introduces the setting of the show, and you can clearly see the audience.
From watching the production, this is the floor plan that I think is roughly used for this production.
They use multi camera to communicate the meaning to the audience, by using lots of camera shots and angles to keep the pace going when the act is at its best. They also use cameras that are focused on each of the judges, and show their reactions to make the viewer feel the same emotion, an example is 1.07, which they also use a zoom to emphasize her emotions. Showing reactions of the people in the studio makes the viewer feel like they are part of the studio and are watching it from within the studio. Communicating the meaning to the viewer is important for this show, because they have to persuade the viewer to ring in and vote for their favourite act. They also show close ups of the performer's outfits and faces to get an idea of what emotions they are feeling while on the stage, which makes the viewer feel the same way. For example at 0.26 you can see the boy's face, and his costume, and the angle also makes him look big and strong.
They maintain the viewers interest by changing the camera's often, showing the reactions from other people but also showing the performance from different angles and not just one angle, which makes it interesting to watch. For example at 1.03 they used mid shots showing the performers then cut to another camera at 1.03 which was a shot of all 3 judges watching the performance, mesmerised. This makes it maintain their interest because they want to know what she thinks of their performance so they carry on watching. It also makes them feel the same way that she does.
This is different to a normal single camera production because the production uses a wide range of different angles to make the audience/viewer feel emotions and even cause adrenaline by making a pace throughout the performance of the group.
The constrains of the studio is that it's inside, so there isn't any natural light made by the sun, so they have to use lighting which costs money, but they could have quite a tight budget. Although, filming in a studio is easier because they have enough room for a live audience, and all of the crew is in one place, so it's easy to find someone if they are needed. Another constraint is that the live audience might have a bad reaction to the acts or the quality of the show, and they might behave badly and as it is a live show, it could affect the whole production very negatively. Another constraint is finding time for suitable breaks for the acts, crew, presenters and audience. The audience might need a break to go to the rest room and the acts, crew, presenters, and judges might need a break for the same reason, but as the production is a live show, they can't find much time for a suitable break for all of the people in the studio during the recording. One final constraint is the temperature of the room, as the room will be full of people it would get warm, and the lighting and equipment would also contribute to the temperature of the room. If the auditorium gets too hot then it could become a health and safety hazard. Another constraint is that the studio is quite small, considering the amount of people inside, so it could be a squeeze and because of this, it could be a safety hazard. The type of acts are also a constraint because the studio and stage might not accommodate an act that needs a lot of space on stage, because it's very small. Also, there might not be enough cameras to capture the footage from different angles safely, which means that it would be a risk to try and do so. This means that the amount of cameras used could be limited because of this.
The advantages of shooting simultaneously, are that they get all of the action at once, as it is a live performance. It also means that they won't miss any of the action, and can shoot it from different angles to make it interesting and exciting to watch. It also helps create pace, which maintains the viewers interest and makes it exciting to watch. For example, at around 1.20 on wards, the pace increases and the cameras change more often to make a pace and make the viewer feel anxious as their act concludes, and the music also increases in pace so it makes the end of the act a lot more tense. Another advantage is that it could be less time consuming, and it could also save money as they won't have to rent out the studios, crew and equipment for as long as a single camera production would have to.
The format of Britain's Got Talent and The Ellen Show are quite similar because they have similar camera layouts. The Ellen Show has cameras shooting mid shots of both subjects, the guest and the presenter. At 2.36 you see Jim in a mid shot, as he talks to Ellen, so you can see his hands movements as he talks and at 3.42 you see Ellen, the host in a mid shot as she talks to Jim. They use mid shots to show their body language and hand gestures to help get the point across to the viewer. They both also have a wide shot, showing the whole stage. You can see the wide shot on The Ellen Show at 3.18. It shows both of them in one shot, showing both of their body language. In the shot you can see that they both look relaxed around each other, and at ease. You can also see that Jim is moved forward slightly, listening to what Ellen is asking him. The formats are also quite different because The Ellen Show doesn't have much action, so it doesn't need as many cameras as Britain's Got Talent does, as Britain's Got Talent uses a lot of cameras to shoot as much information as possible.
This is the floorplan I've created based of watching The Ellen Show, and the camera's are in the 'V' formation, which means that they're both recording the opposite side, for example, the camera at the left is recording the right. An example of this camera is at 1.40 when they're showing Ellen talking to the guest, and the camera in the middle is shooting a wide shot of both the presenter and the guest, an example is shown at 1.00, which shows the guest talking to Ellen. The camera on the far right, records the guest, who is sat on the left. An example of this camera shooting is at 1:18, showing the guest talking to Ellen. The camera's inbetween are shooting the audience, recording reactions of the members of the audience, an example is at 0.28.
The meaning is communicated to the audience by keeping the pace going and changing cameras, showing close ups of different people and two shots of Jim and Ellen. The meaning is also communicated through the reactions of the people, like Britain's got talent. An example of an audience reaction is at 0.27 when they show the reaction of the audience and Ellen's mother. In Britain's Got Talent they also used reactions to make it feel like the viewer is in the studio, and The Ellen Show does this as well, as they show reactions from Ellen, Jim and the audience, which makes the viewer react the same way.
They use multi camera to maintain the viewers interest by changing the shot often, showing the audience, close ups of Jim and Ellen, and wide shots. This makes it interesting so the viewers aren't bored. They use a similar technique on Britain's Got Talent, as on that show, they capture the act in different angles and shots, changing the camera often. Also, on Britain's Got Talent, they captured the reactions of the people in the studio, making the viewer feel like they are watching from the studio, and Ellen does the same thing, as they show reactions which make you feel the same way.
The constraints of the studio are that they have to create light, as there isn't any natural light, but is expensive. Britain's Got Talent had the same constraint, and they also had a live audience, just like The Ellen Show does. The studio for The Ellen Show is quite small, whereas the studio for Britain's Got Talent is larger so they can have a larger live audience, and Ellen's audience is a lot smaller. They also can't rely on the audience to have good behavior because they may react badly to something that a guests says. Another constraint is that the temperature might be high as there are so many people in one room, so if it gets too warm then it might become a health and safety hazard. The constraints are similar to Britain's Got Talent because they both have audiences, even though the format of Britain's Got Talent enables it to have a bigger audience because of a larger appeal to be there. Another constraint is copyright, as they play a lot of music on the ellen show and the show would also have to take out public liability insurance to make sure if anything happens, then they are then insured for that.
The advantages of recording simultaneously are that they don't miss any reactions from the people in the studio, and don't miss a bit of information or gossip that is spoken. For example at 0.25, they don't miss him asking Ellen something, and he sits up slightly in his seat, if it was a single camera production, they would probably miss that. Also, they won't miss anything if something funny happens that they could air, to make the viewer entertained. It also means that it is quicker to record than something that isn't recorded simultaneously. Another example is that it is less time consuming, even though it isn't live like Britain's Got Talent, they can still save a lot of time by recording simultaneously and can also save money by not needing the studio for long hours.
This multi camera production is a football match. Football is a sport which involves a lot of action so using multiple cameras enables all of the action to be shot, whereas if they used one camera, then it would be hard to shoot a lot of the action. From watching the production, there is multiple cameras around the pitch. There is one main camera, a master shot in the middle of the pitch, high up that shoots the whole pitch, shown at 4.00, and there are about 5 cameras scattered around the edges of the pitch to record footwork, or reactions. An example of one of those cameras is at 1.20 when they show the reactions of the team after a goal has been scored. Like Britain's Got Talent, it's important to capture as much action as possible to keep the pace going, and make it entertaining, as that is why people watch. If people support the teams playing, then they'll want to see as much action as possible. They try to cover as much as the action as possible, and use multiple cameras to follow the ball around the pitch, and show the player who has the ball. Like Britain's Got Talent, they change cameras often to get the best view of the action from different angles. Like The Ellen Show, and Britain's Got Talent, they show the emotions of the players and the audience, creating a connection with the viewer, making them feel like they're there, watching it live. For example at 3.00 they show a reaction of a players face in close up looking frustrated, it makes the viewer feel frustrated too.
Here is a floor plan that I created, showing the different cameras used for this production. It shows the cameras around the pitch, which shoot the reactions and footwork. From the clips, I can see that there are more reactions when near the goals, and from watching I can see about 3 camera's near the goals, filming in different angles to make the production more interesting. By having 3 cameras there, it means if theres a goal, it can be more interesting to watch by using different shots and angles. The cameras which are shooting a high wide angle, also move around to follow where the ball is heading, so the footage of the action is never missed.
The cameras around the pitch would also move around to focus on the crowd sometimes to capture reactions from the audience. An example of this is at 1.58, when they show the coaches reaction to a goal, the footage that these cameras capture help communicate the meaning to the viewer easily. It makes the viewer react in the same way and understand the meaning easily. They also make it fast paced, changing the cameras often when it's getting tense, like when they're about to score. The meaning is communicated in a similar way to Britain's Got Talent, because it revolves around the action of the production, but reactions are shown.
By using a range of cameras around the pitch, they can record from different shots and angles, some different shots including wide shots, which show the whole pitch. A wide shot is used at 3.45, they use wide shots for this production to emphasize on the movement of the ball down the pitch, making the viewer feel informed about the match. Another shot used is a close up, which is used at around 4.56. They use close ups also for this production to show how to players are feeling about the game, which also makes the viewer feel the same way.
The format of this is very different to The Ellen show because the camera operators need to be able to capture the action by reacting to changes, because the match isn't scripted. This is also similar to Britain's Got Talent, because that production also isn't scripted. Other production would use shot lists and scripts to assist them, like The Ellen Show, but Britain's Got Talent and football are both very unpredictable. They have a few cameras places in many places. A similarity in the format to Britain's Got Talent and The Ellen Show is that it has a wide shot showing it all, which you can see at 0.45, as one of the players scores a goal.
Camera shots are used effectively to maintain the viewers interest, by using multiple cameras, they can use different shots and angles, which makes it interesting to watch, and also keeps up a pace as they change camera angles often. They use different camera angles in Britain's Got Talent similarly to football because they capture the action from different angles such as close ups, making the viewer react, wide shots, showing the action and mid shots, which show the action but also show facial expression. They also have a camera behind the goal, which makes it exciting when a team scores a goal because you can see the ball shoot into the net, this makes the viewer react straight away, as they are witnessing the goal straight on, and makes them feel immersed into the game. This is similar to the camera that they have in Britain's Got Talent, which is very close to the stage and in the middle, as it makes you feel like you are close to the action.
The constraints of the studio are that they could be on a tight budget, and they need a lot of cameras to be able to get all of the action on camera successfully. Another constraint is weather, as they aren't filming in a studio like The Ellen Show and Britain's Got Talent, so if it rains then equipment could get damaged if covers aren't put on fast enough. Also if it's windy, the camera's could be at risk of getting knocked over and damaged. It could also be hard to record close ups of certain people because they are moving fast. Another constraint is the audience, because it's unscripted, and they don't know how the players or audience will react to what is happening, and as there are large crowds, it's a big risk because they could react any way. Another constraint is that they could miss a goal, and not capture it on camera by mistake, which means that cameras always need to be ready to shoot.
Advantages of recording this production simultaneously are that they don't miss any of the action, which would make the viewers lose interest quickly. By recording simultaneously, they can also record the action from different angle and shots to make it interesting. It also means that they can record other things, like reactions of the players and crowd, rather than just concentrating on the players. It also means that they can keep the pace going by using different shots and angles which maintains the viewers interest. As the production is purely entertainment best, they can't afford to miss anything - as it would make them lose viewers. If this production was shot with a single camera, then the camera would miss a lot of the important action, like the goals or tackles, which would make the production boring and pointless to watch, as it's recorded to entertain people.
'Take Me Out' is a game show. Game shows like Take Me Out use multiple camera set up to capture the action from many angles, and show reactions from the different contenders of the game. It's also filmed live so it's important that all of the action is filmed first time round because they only play once. They show the reactions of the main contestant, which is Damion, the girls, the presenter and the audience. It's important that they capture the reactions to create empathy so the viewer feels the same way. They also shoot in different angles to cover the action effectively. The camera set up is something similar of Britain's Got Talent, as they have a wide shot, used as a main camera but also zooms in sometimes to show emotions of the talent for example at 0.41, they show the reaction of the contestant to what just happened, some cameras are positioned around the stage, and they capture the emotions of the main guest, and the other girls playing on the show. At 0.15, you can see the main camera which is in a wide shot, as it shows the VT playing as the girls watch and turn out their lights. This is a good, effective shot because the viewer can see the action but also watch the VT.
This is the floor plan I've created for Take Me Out, it uses a 'V' formation, like The Ellen Show Does. The cameras that shoot the reactions also turn to shoot reactions of the audience in close up to, but also shoot the reactions of the guests, for example at 1.00.
The format is similar to The Ellen Show and Britain's Got Talent because they use a similar camera set up, and also has a similar sized audience and they use cameras to record reactions of the people on stage. The Ellen Show used a wide shot to show the stage, as well as Britain's Got Talent and Take Me Out. The format of Britain's Got Talent and Take Me Out are more similar because they both involve acts and they are both reality TV, whereas The Ellen Show is a talk show, and doesn't involve as many cameras as there isn't much action happening.
The meaning is communicated by showing the reactions of the people in the studio, mainly the girls and Damion as they're the main contenders of the production. At 0.41 you can see the guests reaction at the VT, and the shot gives you a feel of his emotions. This is similar to the other productions that I have analysed, as they also used reactions and emotions to communicate the meaning. They did this so the viewer feels the same way. Like the Ellen Show, there isn't much action, unlike Britain's Got Talent and football, so they rely on reaction shots to make the viewer understand the meaning of the production completely.
It maintains the viewers interest in a similar way to The Ellen Show, as there is no action. Britain's Got Talent and football can use different angles and shots to make the action seem more interesting, but Take Me Out and The Ellen Show don't have any physical action. Take Me Out uses different camera angles, to show the reactions of the contenders, and the studio. By showing the studio, it makes the viewer feel like they're watching it from the studio, which maintains their interest easily.
The constraints of the studio are similar to Britain's Got Talent, and The Ellen Show because they are all in a studio so have to use lighting, which costs a lot of money. Like the previous productions in a studio, there is also advantages to recording in a studio, such as that all of the crew and equipment is under one roof. Another constraint is that the audience could react badly to something on the show and their behavior can't be controlled so they could all become uncontrollable A final constraint is that the room could get stuffy and too warm because of all of the people in the same studio.
The advantages of recording simultaneously are that they don't miss anything, such as reactions. It also means that they can record from different angles to make it more interesting as there isn't any action to make it interesting. Like The Ellen Show, it also means that they don't miss anything that is said, so maintains the viewers interest. It also saves time, because they only have to record once, but still capture all of the action on the cameras. It also saved money because of this, as they won't have to hire equipment, studios and crew for as long because it takes less time.
This production is a live performance from comedian, Lee Evans. They use multi camera for this as it's a live performance, so can only be recorded once, so by using multiple cameras, it means they won't miss anything. They also use multi cameras to record the audience and also to capture reactions from certain members of the audience. They also do this on Britain's Got Talent, as it makes the viewer feel the same way so maintains the viewers attention, and communicates the meaning well. They cover the action of the production using multiple cameras, they use a few cameras shooting Lee, as he moves around alot so one camera couldn't capture all of his movements, and they shoot the audience. An example of a shot they use is a crabbing shot, used at 0.25 to show Lee Evans coming onto the stage. The camera positions are quite simple, as they don't have many cameras, but from the clip I think there is 3 cameras pointing at Lee, one towards the left, one towards the right and one master shot behind the audience, which concentrates on him. The master shot, seen at 0.56, is used as a main camera, showing Lee walking around the stage, emphasising his movements and energy sometimes zooms into his face, into a close up or mid shot. More camera positions are a couple of cameras pointing towards the audience, recording their reactions to make the viewer laugh too. At 2.34 you can see some people in the audience laughing at one of Lee's jokes, making the viewer want to laugh too.
The format is similar to Britain's Got Talent, Ellen and Take Me out because it uses a very similar but simple camera layout, and records audience and guest reactions. All three of these productions have audiences, but Britain's Got Talent and Lee Evans have the biggest ones, as they are both live shows. Lee Evans and Ellen are similar but different formats. They are similar because they both use a simple camera layout, and record a lot of audience reactions. Lee Evans and Ellen are similar because there isn't any action, although Lee Evans moves around on the stage alot, the production is just people talking, whereas Britain's Got Talent has a lot of action, so needs more cameras as there is more to capture.
They communicate the meaning by showing the reactions of the audience members when Lee says a joke, to make the viewer laugh along with them. They also show the audience often, which makes the viewer feel like they are watching from within the venue. They also do this on The Ellen Show and Britain's Got Talent. An example of this is at 0.57 when they show the reaction of a woman wiping her eyes, as she is laughing at one of his jokes.
They maintain the viewers interest by changing the camera often, showing Lee from a different angle so it isn't boring to watch as it would be from one angle. They do this in Britain's Got Talent too, as they record the act from different angles. Like in Britain's Got Talent, they also show the reactions of the audience, which makes the viewer react the same way and become interested and carry on watching. At 3.09 they are showing the main camera, in wide shot then they change to a close up of Lee's face. This keeps their interest because they're seeing his body langauge, movements and hand gestures then they see his facial expression.
The constraints of the studio are the same as Take Me Out, The Ellen Show and Britain's Got Talent and they are that they need to create lighting as there isn't any natural light, but they could have a tight budget as it's really expensive to get lighting in a large studio. The studio of this production is really big, like Britain's Got Talent, whereas The Ellen Show's studio was really small. Another constraint is that the audience could react in anyway, so their reactions aren't always reliable, and the temperature of the room could be warm because so many people are in the same room, and that could pose as a health and safety hazard. Britain's Got Talent and Lee Evans have a very large audience so they both have similar constraints.
The advantages of recording simultaneously are that they can record lots of reactions to maintain the viewers interest and communicate the meaning, and they can also record Lee effectively as he moves around a lot so he would be hard to shoot. It also means that
they don't miss anything that Lee says but they also don't miss any of the reactions of the audience. It helps keep the pace going, and helps to make it interesting to watch by using a lot of different angles and shots of the whole venue. Although it's expensive, it could work out cheaper because it will take less time to record, so they wouldn't have to hire the auditorium for as long, and will need crew and equipment for a shorter period of time too.
No comments:
Post a Comment