single camera theory

There are multiple different formats that are used when filming single Camera dramas. These are serial, single drama and soap opera. 

Serial

A serial drama is when a show has one continuous story. Each episode in a Serial drama follows one idea meaning you must watch every episode in the series to understand what is going on. This is a popular format to use as it makes the viewer tune in to watch each episode so they don't miss out on what is going on. If there was not one continuous story it would give the viewer the freedom to watch the show when they want and not miss out on anything. Breaking Bad is a serial drama. This is an extremely popular show. It is an effective serial drama because it is gripping and thrilling. This makes the viewer enticed in the program and leave them curious about how the story will continue. Serial dramas often leave episodes on cliff hangers so the viewer is left on edge, wanting to know what is to come.

Image from: http://www.wired.com/tag/breaking-bad/

Some Serial dramas last for as long as 20 episodes in a season. Serial dramas are often thrillers or actions because these are easier to get a long story line from.

Single Drama

A single drama is a different format for single camera. A single drama is not a continuous series like the serial format. In a single drama you generally only get a few episodes that make up the series. This is often done by directors who only have a short storyline they want to show. In a Serial drama a director may have multiple story lines which is why it can go on for seasons whereas in a single drama there is only one main event occurring. Like Serial, single dramas will often leave their episodes on a cliff hanger. This is useful when there are only a couple of episodes because it helps to ensure that viewers will watch the whole drama. The BBC created a single drama called 'Murder'. This was a very successful drama as it won a BAFTA. Each episode of murder focused on a different character. It would show how each character had a connection with the murder that occurred. This was effective because viewers would watch one and need to see the other characters sides of the story to find out the answers to the mystery behind the murder. Each character would reveal something that the others didn't.

Image from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/murder/

The writer will have created murder in this way because they will have wanted the viewers to see everyone's side of the story. Also by doing this, the audience can develop an educated opinion on the characters. Rather than just having a bad guy, the writer can show why he has turned bad or if they really are bad at all and not just being portrayed that way by other characters. The viewer will then watch it to not only find out what happens but also how the characters develop through different views.

Soap Opera
Soap Operas are the most viewed programmes on television. A Soap Opera is a lot like a Serial however there is no seasons. It just continues all the time. It is rare that a soap opera is done with a single camera however it is done. Some directors choose to make their soaps single cam so they can focus more on the characters. By doing multiple takes of a scene looking at each character, you can focus on their actions and expressions and make sure you get the best end result out of them. This is important because a lot of people watch soaps for the characters. Soaps are shows about everyday people that face realistic struggles. The viewers watch it if they feel they can relate or find the characters interesting. They are more likely to find a connection with the characters if they're performance is perfected which is easier to do with single camera.

Image from: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/coronation-street-spoilers-drama-cobbles-after-carla-incest-bombshell-tracy-hits-rock-bottom-1535387

Despite the benefits of using the single camera technique for a soap opera, it is not done often because it is extremely difficult to pull off. There is a tight time schedule for soaps, Coronation street for example airs 5 episodes a week. They need to film all the time to get these episodes ready. There isn't much time to do so many takes with a single camera.

When creating a single camera drama. You need to take in to account which kind of narrative will be most effective for your story.

Linear and non linear
A linear narrative is also known as a sequential narrative. A linear narrative is when all the events in the story happen in chronological order. The story flows from the beginning and has no flashbacks or jumps forward in the story. This is used quite often because it is simple to do and gets the story across well. It is unlikely to confuse the viewer because everything is shown as it happens. It is the safest option for a narrative for a director. It is a useful option to choose if the director wants follow one character or story. The Single drama, 'Toast' is an example of  a linear narrative. This show follows a young Nigel Slater who gradually grows up to become the chef he is today. This is an effective linear drama because it is showing him growing up. It needs to go in the correct order so we know what happened in each stage of his life.

Image from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00wylpf

A non linear is pretty much the opposite of a linear narrative. In a non linear show, the events do not take place in chronological order. There will often be flashbacks or flash forwards to help develop the story line or explain certain aspects that may be unclear. This is also popular among directors because they can pull off more complex story lines. It is also more of a risk as there is a good chance the viewer might get confused with what is going on if it keeps changing out of place. Directors tend to go for non linear when they want to make the audience think. They don't want their idea to be too simple or boring which is likely with linear dramas. The very popular show 'Lost' is a non linear drama. In lost, a group of people survive a plane crash and get stranded on a remote island. They often show flashbacks of the survivors lives before they got stranded which link in with their actions on the island and their relationships with the other characters. This is effective as it explains some of the events that takes place and helps to get across why the characters are doing what they do.

Image from: https://squareeyedwastaken.wordpress.com/2014/09/22/lost/

Realism and Non realism
Realism is a form of narrative that people can relate to. It involves realistic or true events. Realism dramas are often based on true events that really happened. A director might choose to do this because it is easy for them and it is something that people will be interested in. By choosing a real event to make a film of, you already have your story line which eliminates part of the production process. Also by picking an event that has either affected a lot of people or something that a lot of people know of, you are guaranteed viewers. The serial show 'The Office' uses the realism narrative. This is because it is based on the events that take place in an everyday office. It is a realistic show so that people can relate to it. Many people work in offices and find that they know people like the characters involved which makes the show funnier. If the show were to add something completely unrealistic such as monsters, viewers could not relate and wouldn't find it funny.

Image from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/theoffice/characters/profile_david.shtml

A non realism narrative is a narrative that is wrote up and is not expected to be believable. They include things that could never happen in our day to day world and are just a fantasy. This narrative is sometimes chosen by directors who want to make something exciting and different. It gives the director no limits because the story isn't real anyway. Anything can happen in a non realism single camera. The TV show 'Misfits' uses the non realism drama. This show follows a group of youths on community service. This is a fairly realistic base to work on however each youth gets super natural powers. This is non realistic as no one really has super powers and therefore cannot relate. The director will have done this as not many people can relate to youths on community service yet the fact they have super powers interests viewers and means they can get involved in all sorts of non realistic mishaps, revolving around their abilities.

Image from: http://e4-misfits.wikia.com/wiki/The_Misfits_Gang

Technical requirements
A lot of directors use different technical utilities to improve the story and the narrative. One of the requirements is lighting. Lighting is very useful for adding a dramatic effect to the story. A different outlook on characters and situations can be given by adding or taking away light from the scene.

Image from: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/386535580494596148/

This is a shot where lighting has been used effectively. There is only light in the background of the picture to show what the setting is. The character in the center is completely blacked out which makes him look mysterious. Also because he is in a remote tunnel, it makes the audience think something big and dramatic is about to happen. There is not much detail so the audience doesn't learn too much from one shot. They are unaware what is to happen next and therefore continue watching. If the shot was completely lighted then the audience would know a lot more about the character and the location and they wouldn't be curious as to what is going on.

Sound is used similarly to lighting. It can also be used to add dramatic effect to shots and develop story. The use of sound can be more effective in certain genres. For example, in horror's and thrillers, sound can be used to add suspense and tension. Loud noises are often use to scare audiences so this can be achieved by over exaggerating sounds. This is also helped a long by having little background noise. An example would be a silent room with the odd creak of a chair or floorboard right before a scream that the audience was anticipating. This makes the scream even scarier as it is not drowned out by background music.

This video explains the effect and importance of sound in film. It explains how it creates an atmosphere. This is important because it lets the audience know what they are in for and what they can expect. It also indulges them in what they are watching and can keep then interested. Poor use of sound can make the production seem boring.

One thing that makes certain directors so successful is their own adapted style. Certain directors like things done in a certain way and for some of them this is effective. You can find that directors use a lot of the same shots and effects in their films all depending on what they think looks good or helps carry a story. One director who has a clear style is Martin Scorsese. He has created many successful films and most of which use his own unique style. Scorsese frequently uses slow motion and long tracking shots in his films. He also uses music that is popular. This is effective because he is picking songs that people know and songs that people understand. If the song carries a certain message then it can help carry the story of the scene. Also people will enjoy listening to music they like, they won't want to hear something that is unknown and sounds terrible.

This is a scene from 'Mean Streets'. This shows the typical effects Scorsese likes to use. In this clip we see Robert De Niro's character entering the bar. As he enters everything turns to slow motion and the song 'Jumping Jack Flash' plays by 'The Rolling Stones'. These are both done to help give the impression that this character is cool. The slow motion lets you take in how he enters and people's reaction to him. The music is of a rock and roll genre which lets you think he is as cool as The Rolling Stones. The song is also one of their most popular which lets you think he is popular. These effects done by Scorsese are very little however very effective as we soon build up this characters persona all from his entrance.

Photography

Advertising
Photography is an extremely popular method for advertising. It is popular because it allows the advertiser to show off exactly what they want. They do this simply by taking a picture of their product in a way that makes it look appealing to the viewer. The final image would most likely not be the one taken originally. They are often edited afterwards to add unnatural effects which are often used to exaggerate the product or make it look unique.

Image from: http://digitalphotofall2015.web.unc.edu/2015/10/04/advertising-photography/

 This is a photo used to advertise the drink 7 Up. In this picture they have surrounded the can in Ice and lemon and limes. The ice will have been put around it to make the drink look more refreshing. They are trying to get the point across that it is what you should drink when you need a cool down on a hot day. It even makes it look more appealing in general as no one likes a warm fizzy drink. The lemon and limes are in the image to exaggerate the flavour of the drink. They are trying to show that it has a natural fruity taste so anyone who likes the taste of these fruits will want to buy it even though there is a lot more than just lemons and limes used in the drink. This image was most likely edited afterwards. It looks as though it has been given a bit more of a shine to it. A brighter image in general would make it look more appealing however this could have been done with regular lighting.

Advertising photography is more commercially viable than artistic. This is because no matter what you have to take a picture of a certain product and you always have to make it look good. The example above of the 7 Up can would be hard to be creative with as you have to make a 7 Up can the center of attention and you need to make it look refreshing so your only options would really be to make it look cool. It is definitely commercially viable as the whole idea of advertising is to promote products and make money. Very few people would take attractive pictures of products to be creative.

Promotional
Promotional photography is a lot like advertising however there is a difference. Advertising is used to promote products and companies in general whereas promotional is used to promote one off offers and events. They both use the same methods to try and get their messages out their as they both focus on the product they are selling and try to make it as attractive as possible.

Image from: http://www.sjncheshirephotography.co.uk/the-eyres-promo-live-photography/

This is a promotional photograph. It is promoting a band. A band will need promotional photographs when they are releasing a new album or going on a tour. These photographs are often made by the venues that host the bands or the shops that sell their music. This is because they will want to sell as much as they can and these photographs can do that. This image shows the group sitting in an empty room with just a sofa. As simple as it is, this has been done on purpose to promote the bands image. From this image I can assume that the band sing indie or folk music. This is because they are all wearing simple clothes, just jeans t-shirts and jackets. They are not wearing all the latest brands or following fashions. This is because they don't want to look too mainstream. Also, the plain brick wall shows that they are not focusing on style and looking fashionable because the whole set in general looks a bit scruffy. This gets their image across well because the whole point of indie music is about being individual which the photographer has clearly thought about before taking the photo.

This is also more commercially viable than artistic because again you have to focus on promoting the product and can't do what you want. Promotion photography is focusing on letting people know of the latest offers and events that are out there. Certain promotional photography can be more artistically viable than advertising. For example if you were promoting the band shown above you could choose the setting and outfit as long as it suits there style. It would not have to be an empty room, another option would be a plain street. Besides this, there are still much more creative forms of photography available and promotional photography's main goal is to gain money and recognition in the long run.

Fashion
The purpose of fashion photography is to display and advertise the newest style in clothing and other items and accessories. Most fashion photography appears in magazines. Fashion is a popular interest along many people worldwide meaning fashion magazines sell in extreme numbers. For that reason, the photography that appears in magazines must be perfect. It influences so many people so if there is anything that is not up to standard it cannot be used. Fashion photography is all about selling and displaying lifestyles. It gives people images of what people like them can dress like.

Image from: http://digital-photography-school.com/7-tips-from-professional-fashion-photographer-adriana-curcio/

This is a photograph advertising fashion. All the photographs will be advertising different items however they all fashion photography has a theme to it. This photo is almost certainly advertising the dress and belt being worn by the model but like many others, it is very dramatic. This is done by making the model pose in an unusual position and using an abnormal background. There is also a lot more lights used on the model then there would be in any other form of photography. This is all done to make it seem more exciting to try and induce the viewer in to buying the items of clothing. Realistically, not many people will be able to pull off this outfit as well as the model does because they won't always walk around with lights following them, be covered in that much makeup and the majority of people who wear this will not look like a model. However, the image is dramatic and gets the viewer excited about wearing the dress as they believe it looks that good. If the image showed a regular person, in a regular background doing a regular pose then a lot less people would buy it.

The photographer would be able to choose what back drop and pose the model pulls off however they would not be able to choose much else meaning there is not much artistic viability. Fashion photography is used to sell clothing and accessories meaning it is more commercially viable. You can not simply take pictures of the dress without it standing out from the rest of the image. Even if you have been very creative with the backdrop, like the image above has, you still must focus entirely on the fashion item.

Photojournalism
Photojournalism is telling a story through images. It is often used in magazines and newspapers. They can be accompanied with text to help explain the story or they can simply be images alone. Magazines will quite often use only images to get a message across whereas newspapers almost always accompany the images with text as they are giving people the news which is often too detailed to give through just pictures. Photojournalism is often used to get messages across on serious subjects. By showing people the reality of the subject you can give them a stronger opinion in it, therefore raising awareness.

Image from: http://burtok.tk/099d75e/what-is-photojournalism.htm

This is a photojournalism image. It is quite a dramatic picture and would most likely have been used to tell a story of underage smoking or to show the scruffiness in a certain area. Underage smoking is a subject most people are against and this image will show the negativity behind it. People who see this in a magazine or newspaper will want to learn more about it so they do something to stop it and therefore helping the original cause. The image looks negative as it is grey scaled. If it was over saturated then it would look more pleasant and viewers would think the magazine was trying to promote underage smoking. Also the girl looks dull herself which gives the impression that she is not even happy to be smoking and she has just turned to it. This gives the viewers some sympathy towards her and might want to help. It is unlikely that the photographer told her to pose like she is, instead he just had to catch it at the right moment which gives it a more natural feel.

There is some commercial viability in this form of photography as you can use it to advertise certain causes or events or companies. A visual story line can often give the customer a better idea of what they are spending their money on. That being said, a photographer can be quite creative with photojournalism. They can tell their own stories by taking pictures of what they want to. Photographers often tell stories about themselves using photos which allows them to do what they want as no one can tell a story about them as good as they can.

Portraiture
This kind of photography focuses on a person or a group of people. It is done to try and capture moods and expressions through facial features and facial expressions. More often than not, portraiture focuses on just the face however it can also capture a whole body as body language is a big influence as well. Portraiture is not just taking a picture of anyone. The photographer will have someone model for them in a certain pose. This is different from fashion photography as this is focusing on the person and not the fashion items. Portraiture can be of anyone, not just the good looking people like in fashion photography.

Image from: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/ist/?next=/smithsonian-institution/around-the-web-new-yorker-photographers-on-national-portrait-gallery-subjects-34149457/

This is a portrait of actor, Jack Nicholson. This was taken for a magazine in New York. The image will have came alongside an article about Jack Nicholson or actors in general. I think what the photographer is trying to achieve here is a sense of normality behind Jack Nicholson. Most people will only know him as a big Hollywood actor and will have only seen him in films or photo shoots where he does not look natural. What this picture shows is that he is just normal like the rest of us. Here he is not doing a dramatic pose or covered in makeup to make him look better. He just looks like any normal person despite being famous. This particular magazine has done the same thing with many celebrities including George Clooney and Barrack Obama.

This form of photography can be quite artistically viable as it allows the photographer to show an emotion or expression how they want. They can direct the person modelling to do whatever. They do not have to worry about making them look good if they don't want to. However there is a commercial side as some magazine will only want specific portraits that will attract readers so if you are aiming to sell to a magazine company then you might have to narrow down what you use in your photos.

High Street Studio Work
This kind of photography is a popular career with photographers. It is one of the more simple forms of photography and can pay a decent wage. It is basically taking photos of individuals, families and even pets and making them look like models. High street studios get pictures that the everyday person would not be able to with a smart phone. When booking a high street photo shoot, the individual will often have their hair done up as well as makeup that all works well with the lighting and camera settings. The end product will make the subject look more attractive and similar to what you would see in a magazine.

Image from: https://wrl4.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/high-street-contact-sheets/high-street-studio-contact-sheet-3/

This is an image showing high street studio work. This was most likely taken for this girls prom. This kind of photography is a lot like fashion photography as the subject is in dramatic poses. This is again done to make her seem more attractive. There will be a lot of lights used and some slight digital tweaks afterwards to take out any visible flaws. This is all done to make the buyer feel like they are getting their value for money. Taking pictures for prom is popular because this is a time when everyone wants to look as good as they can and high street photographers can give that.

This form of photography is completely commercially viable. The photographer will have no artistic input as they will be taking the same picture everyday just with different people. It is important to make the subject attractive so varying away from this by trying to be creative is a big risk that might not satisfy the customer.

Architectural
This kind of photography focuses on structures and buildings. Photographers do not generally just take a picture of a building, they shoot it in a way that makes the building look appealing. If it is not a particularly attractive building then they may shoot it in more of a dramatic style. Anything that will attract the viewer. Architectural photographers generally have to be very talented to get good photos of structures. There are buildings and structures all around so you can't just show people what they already see. They need to be interested by it and so there must be a lot of work put in to the lighting and position.

Image from: http://www.photographymad.com/pages/view/guide-to-architectural-photography

This is an architectural photo. This was specifically taken later on a night when it was dark so that the building would stand out. The building is surrounded by lights so it is completely shown in the image. Because it is all lit up, it has been shot from a long range so the viewer can see the whole structure. This is done on purpose so it looks like a nice place to be. The building looks relaxing and welcoming  which is probably what the photographer was aiming for as it is a house in the country.

This form of photography can be both artistic and commercially viable. This is because a photographer can take pictures of buildings they find interesting in ways that they want to. If they like the building they can portray it in a positive way and if they don't then they can portray it negatively. There is however money to be made in architectural photography as places like bars and clubs will want to advertise their club in a positive and welcoming way meaning the photographer would be slightly limited even if they thought the building looked horrible.

Illustration
This is a unique form of photography. In illustration photography the illustrator will take a picture and digitally edit it afterwards. This is often done to try and show a hidden message or just to be creative. Illustration photography allows the photographer to get an image that is not doable in real life. They can turn their original image in to anything they want as long as they can design it. Not everyone can create illustration photography, you need to have editing software at your disposal. drawing over your photos by hand would not have the same effect.

Image from: http://bonjourlife.com/french-artist-combines-photography-illustration/

This is an illustration photograph. This photographer has a certain style with his images. Most of them include the same man and have a similar illustration style. This image is trying to show the emotion of stress. He has taken a picture of the man in a normal stressful pose. He has then illustrated the man multiple times around him in different more extreme poses. It shows all the agony that someone can go through when they are stressed. It also gives the viewer a sense of the pain that someone can feel and might not show.

Illustration photography is more artistic than commercial. This is because the photographer can do whatever they want with their images all thanks to digital editing. It gives them the option to tweak photographs to make them more interesting. They can make a dull picture exciting. Illustration photographs will not be very good for making money as not many people will want to buy photos that have nothing to do with anything and are completely unique. They may sell in galleries but mainstream magazines and newspapers would probably not be interested.

Fine Art
Fine art photography has developed from fine art paintings. When a photographer takes a fine art image, they are generally trying to get a message or emotion across. They are images that make the viewers stop and question the photographers thoughts behind the image. Photographers also aim to make the viewer feel something through their image. It is more than just a good looking picture.

Image from: http://digital-photography-school.com/what-is-fine-art-photography-and-how-to-do-it/

This is a fine art image. It is of a school staircase which has been abandoned and vandalised. This is an emotional image as something as innocent as a school has been left alone to be broken and ruined. Despite all the wreckage, the light still shines through the windows. This image may have a hidden meaning behind it, something that is nothing to do with a school at all but either way it makes the viewer think.

Although this form of photography can be used to advertise certain causes, it is more artistic than commercial. It is made up of images that photographers feel mean something to them which makes it very unique. It is not easily sold to a wide audience. It will often be sold in galleries where fine art is appreciated and people can understand the hidden meaning however this is still not a large audience.

Documentary
Documentary is a lot similar to photojournalism. It is used to document real life events be it famous historical events or current affairs. In a way it does tell a story however it is more to educate than to interest. As simple as it may sound, documentary photography is basically photos taken of events happening. The most popular documentary photos are from events that happened many years ago. Things like the world war. These are popular because these photos are one of the best sources of information when trying to learn about such things.

Image from: https://lindiewesselshistory.wordpress.com/2012/03/24/documentary-photography/

This is a documentary photograph. A good documentary photographer will not only show the event occurring but will also add some emotion to it. That is what this photographer has done. This image shows a soldier from the world war standing over an injured or dead women. The area and people look Japanese which was a country that was hit hard in the war. This image shows the effect the war had on the people themselves. It represents them as individuals rather than a country as a whole. People may not give much thought to how people in Japan coped through the war all because they were on the other side however this picture shows they were hit hard just like everyone else.

Documentary photography is commercial because a lot of people would be willing to pay for images that show real life events. Some photographers are willing to put their lives at risk to get photos in wars and other dangerous atmospheres making documentary photography rare and expensive. When the photographer knows their subject, they can be creative with how they take a photo as long as it captures something informative. There is some artistic viability involved, for example, the photographer who took the picture above could have chosen to focus on the people in the back or the building on fire however they decided to get a close up on the soldier.


I am going to carry out my own photography task. I am going to take my own picture in one of these forms and edit it until I feel it is good enough.

This is a picture I have taken myself. The picture shows A warning sign explaining it is dangerous to look over the dock as there is deep water below. In the background of the image you can see someone peering over the edge. I have chosen this because I thought it would be interesting to recreate the sign and show someone breaking the rules. This picture could class as a photojournalism or documentary picture. This is because it is telling a small story of young people disobeying rules. You get the idea that this person is young as they are covered up in their hoodie which is a typical stereotype of a young person. It is also clear that they are breaking a rule from the sign.

I am going to edit this photo as there is still ways that I can improve it.

To edit this photo I have changed multiple features. I used Photoshop to adjust some of the settings including contrast, brightness and levels. The first problem with the original image was it was too dark. I increased the brightness and the contrast slightly so that more of the image was visible. The contrast helps to add more of a dramatic look. I felt that just increasing the brightness would make the image look too friendly so the contrast was necessary to keep it serious. I changed the levels very slightly on this image to adjust the shadows, midtones and highlights. I mainly just adjusted the midtones to make the main colours of the image brighter and stand out slightly more. I finally changed the curves on this image. I adjusted the red, green and blue levels on the image, adding slight adjustments to them all. I thought that there was more blue in the image than red and green so i adjusted it to make it even. I changed the overall RGB curve to adjust the brightness of the colours. I turned up the highlights the most to make the sign in the foreground stand out.

This is my final image. I am happier with this because it is clearer than the original. I think making it brighter has helped a lot with understanding what the picture is showing. The levels and curves add a bit more colour to the image which I think makes it a bit more interesting to look at.

To take this image I used the Canon 700d. This was an effective camera to use as I could alter the settings to take a good image. I was able to change depth of field so the sign in front was in focus and everything else was slightly blurred. I could also adjust the f-stops, ISO and shutter speed to adjust the camera to the lighting outside. I had to adjust it to natural lighting as it was set to take indoor pictures.

Image from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-Rebel-18-55-3-5-5-6-inch/dp/B00BYPW00I

Multi camera project

I have been given the task of creating a multi camera project for web distribution. My project can be of anything as long as I use multiple cameras. For my idea I am going to film a project I am already involved in. This project involves filming local bands perform live music. I am filming this for a youtube channel however I can take one of my recordings and use it for this assignment as I film myself and edit myself.

https://www.facebook.com/NorthGroupFilms/timeline

This is a Facebook page for my project. It has information on the different artists we have already filmed.

This is my schedule for my assignment. The graph shows that I am starting by generating ideas which I have already done. I have also already assigned the roles I need as we all already have roles in this project I participate in. I may still need to find a performer if we do not manage to get anyone in to perform where we usually do. I might have to go out of my way to get someone new. The location we use is always the same and we can easily book it out. The rest of my plans revolve around the shoot itself. I feel I have given myself plenty of time with getting this done and I even have some back up time so hopefully I won't have any trouble with getting this done on time if  follow my schedule.


My role in this assignment will be as a camera man and editor. In production, I will have to control one of the multiple cameras and film the band or singer while they perform. They often perform multiple songs which means I have a few options of what I want to use in my final assignment. After filming the live music I will have to then edit it. This is important because I will need to mix the multiple camera's footage together to make it more interesting and look better in general. One continuous shot will look boring.

I have visited the location multiple times as this is something I do quite often. From visiting the location I know which exact building I will be using. The building in use is a barn however it has been renovated so that people can host events in there. It has a lot of decorations inside which make it a bit more exciting and it even has it's own bar.



These are images of my location. They show the outside and the decorations on the inside. I think using this location gives our video something special which other live music recordings don't have. This is because most sessions are filmed in a studio which is bland and boring. I think because this is different, it will stand out more and get more views.

Before filming my project, I have discussed with the other team members how we will go about filming it to get the best outcome. In this meeting, we decided which equipment we will use. This was an easy decision as we have completed projects like this many times so we have not changed what we are using. We are however going to use the selection of lenses that are available to us. The lenses give us better images as the focus on them is an improvement to the standard black magic lens. There is also a fish eye lens which gives a more interesting shot. We are going to use this fish eye lens for the close up shots and the other two lenses will be used for the wide shots. The audio equipment will be supplied by the crew members from the music tech department. They are taking care of booking that out. The equipment that I must book out is as follows:

• 3x Black Magic Pocket Camera
• 2x Tripod
• 1x Steadycam
• 1x Lens Box

We decided that it is best to have two cameras on tripods getting long shots at different angles. The other camera will be on the steadycam and will move around the subject. We are having three different cameras so there is a range of shots to be used and also when the steadycam changes positions we can quickly switch to a different camera's view so there is no shakiness and we keep focus on the subject.

In this meeting we were also made aware of what we were filming. We are filming a singer named J.P Rigall. He is a solo artist and will be performing with no backup. This means we can use all three cameras on him. This gives us a lot of options when filming because we can get him at all angles and give the viewers a good image of him and his style. This is important as we are also trying to promote this singer.

Before I can film, I must complete a risk assessment. This is to ensure that everyone is safe when filming. If I find a big hazard then I will have to cancel the shoot. This is my final risk assessment:

After completing the necessary documents, I have filmed my multi camera project. The next step for me is to edit it. I will need to mix the 3 different camera shots in with each other and colour correct it all.

One of the tools available on premiere pro is being able to edit in a multi camera format. I can view all three of my shots play at the same time and queue them in when I want them to be viewed. This is a much quicker and more efficient method when editing as I can get a good basic video edit straight away. I can change it around afterwards if it is not good enough.

Now I have all my clips in the correct sequence I am going to colour correct it. The black magic cameras give a dull image so I need to brighten up the shots I have.

This screenshot shows some of the colour correcting tools I have used on my video. They are: Luma Curve, Three Way Colour Corrector and Fast Colour Corrector. By using these I can adjust the brightness, saturation and add some more colour to the video. This makes it look like a respectful video which I can now upload for people to see.

This is my final video after being uploaded to Vimeo. This shoot went well in my opinion as there were not many problems that we had to face. One small problem that we did face was background noise. The room we filmed in is attached to a kitchen and there were some sounds coming from in there. This was easily overcome however as we moved our equipment further down the room away from the kitchen and shut all doors and windows that were letting sound in. This kept background noise to a minimum which meant the singing was not interrupted.

Multi-camera technique

Live Music Event

How it works

It is very hard to film live music with just one single camera. By using multiple cameras you can capture the entire event at once. To film a live music event you would have to place multiple cameras focusing on different subjects. The usual subjects to focus on are the musicians themselves. If it is a band then it is common to have a camera on each member. Sometimes one camera can be used to cover multiple members. If they are not stationary then they move to different points where they can cover different members or subjects of interest. When the camera is moving, a different camera will be stationary and covering something else. This footage will be used whilst the other cameras adjust. If you are covering a solo artist then you can still use multiple cameras. There can be more than one camera focusing on the performer, just at different angles. When filming a music event, the focus does not have to be entirely on the singer or band member. It is good to get shots of the venue and the crowd. This makes it less boring to watch as you are not seeing the same thing over and over again. By filming the crowd you can see their reaction which would look good on the band as it shows people enjoy them, it is especially effective if it is a large crowd as there would be lots of different perspectives to film from. You can also use a camera to get shots of the venue. This is effective for getting across the performers image and style. If the venue is different to others and not like the typical popular venues then it can make the artist look unique.

Image from: http://odellbrewing.com/event/live-music-with-greyweather/

Image from: http://themmf.net/2012/01/10/mmf-event-how-to-book-a-tour-16th-january-2/#.VkTsCzZOfIU

These images show different uses of cameras when filming live music. The top image focuses on the artist and the lower image shows the venue and the crowd.

Sports coverage

Sports coverage is basically recording a live sporting event. This can be any sport. With sports coverage, multiple cameras are used to ensure the whole event is captured. As it is live, there is no telling what will happen and where it will happen so by using multiple cameras you can make sure that no matter where it is there will be a camera to pick it up. In most sporting events there is one camera that captures a long shot of the whole, or majority, of the event. This is to show everything that is happening at the moment in time. If there is nothing particularly interesting going on then this shot is usually used so the viewer can see everything. There are other cameras used that are closer to certain targets. These targets are where there is expected to be action. For example in a football match there will be a camera close to the goal because there is expected to be goals scored and in a  rugby game there is a camera next to the in goals to capture when someone scores a try. In sporting events like rugby and football where there is a large area that the event takes place, there will be other cameras in different areas of the grounds to capture reaction shots or give different angles to the action. It is very common to show the reaction of the players or the crowd when something happens. This is used to make the coverage a bit more interesting to watch as it would get boring watching one camera repeating the same shot over and over. In some sporting events there is a camera focusing on the outside of the stadium. This is effective if the stadium is particularly big as it emphasises the scale of it. This can also be used to show fans entering the stadium. When faced with a camera, fans often react excitedly which gives a positive outlook on the game ahead.

Image from: http://www.storyofbing.com/2012/04/my-first-rugby-game/

Image from: http://www.irrawaddy.org/sports/euro-2012-germany-portugal-win-holland-go-out.html

These pictures are different angles that can be used in sporting events. The top image is from a rugby game which is showing the whole game and the bottom image is from a football match that is focusing on the action.

What defines them as multi-camera?

Both live music and sports coverage are multi camera because they require multiple cameras to record the events. If they both used a single camera then they would get very few views.. It would be boring to watch and it would get frustrating for viewers to watch sports coverage when they are missing all the action.

The Similarities

One of the similarities between music and sports coverage is the crew needed. This is the same with most multi camera projects. There has to be multiple camera operators in both sets as there is multiple cameras being used. If there is no one to operate and alter a certain camera then it won't pick up what it needs to and might miss out on some action. Another important role in both sets is a vision mixer. Their job is to watch everything being recorded by each camera and alternate between which shot is being aired. This is important for both sets as they are both live so they cannot be edited afterwards. The vision mixer has to be aware of what each shot is picking up and pay close attention to what is going on. Viewers don't want to miss anything so they need to ensure they don't. Another similarity is that both music and sports focus their cameras on similar subjects. For example, both of them often turn one camera on to the crowd or audience for effect. The reaction shots look positive on the band or team as well as the amount of people in the audience. This makes it look as though what is being recorded is popular and more people will then watch the recording if they think it is popular or mainstream. The shots of the crowd are also useful in these productions as the viewer is not then seeing the same thing over and over again.

The Differences 

Although they both use similar techniques, live music and sporting events themselves are very different. One big difference is the equipment that has to be used. A big downside to filming sporting events is the majority of sports are filmed outside. This means you would have to purchase more equipment to assist the original equipment in case of bad weather like rain. You can't film with rain all over the lens and if the equipment gets wet there is a risk of it breaking. That being said there are some outdoor music events however most of these take part in the summer or in hot countries where the weather is fairly predictable whereas sport takes place all year in every country. For this reason, sport is probably more expensive to film than music. The money can soon be made back up though as there is always sport on TV. Even if you film for a single team or club, they would most likely still want you to film once a week at least. With music, there is a lot less opportunities. You could probably not earn a living from filming one artist as they will not always be performing live gigs. There will always be people performing but not many will pay much as the majority will just be smaller artists who play in small venues. There are so many sports that are popular so you could easily find a large venue to film at but in music you would struggle to find work unless you where on a big label.

Pros and Cons

An advantage of using multi camera for these events is that you can film everything. They are live so you only get one chance to film them and multi camera ensures everything is captured on camera. This also means you can film multiple subjects which you wouldn't be able to do with a single camera. You do not have to limit what you film. Another pro is that you don't have to spend time editing. Multiple cameras mean you cut whilst filming. With single camera, you have to stop filming and then change your subject or the alternative would be to move from subject to subject however this wouldn't look good as it would be blurry and there will be a lot of useless footage. With multi cameras you can point a different camera at the next subject and just switch to it. As both music and sports are both live you would have no time to edit so the result of using single camera would look horrible which is why it is better to use multi cameras.

Some of the disadvantages of using multi cameras include the cost. Using more cameras will obviously be more expensive as you have to pay for more cameras. This also means you will have to buy any individual equipment to go with certain cameras such as tripods. There is also the cost of things like audio and lighting. When filming live music and sports you have to cover a wide area so you will need to buy more audio and lighting equipment to make sure that no area is missed out. You cannot get away with using one large piece of lighting equipment as it may not look effective in every camera therefore you will need to buy extra lights to make sure each shot is suitable to view. Another disadvantage is there is less flexibility. You can only pull off certain kinds of shots, you wouldn't be able to film using more complex shots such as a POV shot as there is a risk of getting your own equipment in the shot. When it comes to the live events this is not as much of a problem however in a live event there is generally not much room to do these kind of shots anyway.

How media producers define audiences

Audience research is very important in any media production. It is needed so the producer can have an idea of who will be interested in their production and what they like. By knowing what they like they can change their production to grab the attention of the consumer. This is the best way to get an audience because if you create something that very few people will like then very few people will be interested in it. After collecting audience research, producers will create their product around what their results show. For example if their target audience is teenage boys then their research might show that a lot of teenage boys are interested in action so the producer might change their product to involve more action. If the producer instead decided to add more romance then there would most likely be less boys going to see their product, in turn making less money.

Audiences are profiled in different categories. This is to help narrow down who your audience is and what you are aiming for. The usual categories to break down into are:

Gender
This is probably the most basic of categories to break down into however it is the most important one to consider. There are definitely different interests between the average female and the average male and a production is probably going to aim more towards one or the other. When finding your target audience you must assume stereo types. In terms of a media production the average male would be more interested in action and the average female would be more interested in romance. Other genres can be aimed at both genders. Males and females are a very broad category to research into so there will be a lot of results. The advantage of this is that you can get an easy answer as to what they like however more complex projects will require more complex research into other categories. You could not create an entire project based on males probably liking it because then there will likely not be a good end result.

Age
Age is another category of audience. Different ages are interested in and permitted to consume different products. It is important to pick a age range that you wish to aim your product at. A younger audience (children) would tend to be more interested in lighthearted productions. A lot of them also carry important lessons across to teach children. This is genuinely to get the approval of the parents as they want their kids to get something out of it. For an older audience there is a lot more you can include in your production as you do not have to censor certain things, for example you could not include strong language in a production aimed at children. If making a production based on real life events, producers tend to aim towards an older audience so they can get the full story across rather than having to cut a lot of it out for children. As far as films go, the age classifications are U, PG, 12, 12a, 15 and 18. Different content decides which age classification your film would go in to. If you know that your film would include very strong language then you should aim for ages 15 and over as it would definitely be classed as a 15 film meaning anyone younger couldn't see it anyway.

Socio-Economic Status
The socio-economic status of a person is important to consider when creating a project. Socio economic status is made up of a person's income, education and occupation. Different socio-ecomonic classes will be interested in products that they can relate to and understand. A good understanding of the different classes would help to develop the project a long as you could get a more accurate representation in your project. Another thing to consider is different classes might be more likely to consume your product. For example, people with a high socioeconomic status might visit the cinema more often which would be handy in terms of making money for a film project. On the other hand people with a low socioeconomic status might tend to listen to the radio more than the other classes which would make more money for a radio based project.

Sexual Orientation
Sexual orientation defines which gender someone is attracted to. The different categories are heterosexuality, being attracted to someone of the opposite gender, homosexuality, attracted to someone of the same gender, and bisexuality, attracted to both genders. Sexual orientation can be difficult to work in to. Many people have strict views and beliefs on what sexual orientation is acceptable. There are a lot of people who believe that everyone should be heterosexual. This can be due to religious reasons or simply personal preference. When making a project heavily based around a certain sexual orientation it is likely that you will offend someone or other however each orientation has large numbers so there will still be plenty of people interested if carried out well. Making a project obviously aimed towards (for example) bisexual people will most likely gather a large audience of bisexuals however may not attract other sexually orientated people so it is important to consider whether a larger audience and more potential money is key or you would rather stick with aiming at one orientation and getting the final project that you want.

Regional Identity
Regional identity is important to look at as it is really useful for developing your projects. Regional identity is the area in which someone lives or has lived and the effect it has had on their lifestyle. Things to take into account when looking at regional identity are: accents, outfits, dialogue socioeconomic class and others. In a media project, if you were creating a character that was from Newcastle, you would have to carry out your research on the people of Newcastle. People from that area have a particular accent and a certain slang about them which can be applied to your character. It is even worth taking into account that people from around that area are referred to as 'Geordies'. Without the research, the character would not at all be believable and the project could not be taken seriously.

 Psychographics
Researching psychographics is researching into people's attitudes and personality. To carry out this form of research it is usually best to ask consumers questions that they can agree or disagree with to find out their views on things. By asking consumers questions that they can give an open response to you will then be getting a detailed answer that you can use to apply to a project. In terms of making a media project this is helpful as, like regional identity, it can help you develop characters and stories. An example is if you have a project based on British politics and you have multiple British teenage characters, it is important to know what their views would be on it all so you can apply it to your project. an alternative would be to simply assume the characters opinions however this is not as accurate and possibly not as believable. If someone was to create this project then some useful questions to ask some teens would be: "Where do you stand on today's government?" or "What changes would you make to the government?"

Geodemographics
Geodemographics is the study of groups of people in a certain geographical area. This is important if you are aiming your project at a certain area. By carrying out Geodemographic research you are finding out what people who live in that area are interested in and in turn finding out what they would like from your media project. Smaller areas tend not to vary much from what they enjoy however when it comes to an area as large as a country it can matter a lot. This is because different countries will have different things going on in their lives as well as different experiences, tastes and humour. A production using entirely English humour that is shown only to America is not likely to succeed as not many consumers will understand it as much and won't find it funny. Another reason geodemographics is important is because certain areas might be passionate or sensitive on a certain subject so by making a production on the subject you could easily offend them. Even if you are broadcasting to multiple areas, it is important that you don't upset anyone so you can avoid complaints and bad reviews. 

Mainstream 
Mainstream is the opinions and attitudes that are shared by most people. It is what is seemed to be normal. Working on a production and aiming it for it to be mainstream has both advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage is that it is aimed at a lot of people there for it will please most people. It would include what most people like and so there is a good chance that there will be a large consumption. On the downside, the production will most likely have been done before if not something very similar. This means you run the risk of copyright which can lead to legal action. Even if you don't copy anything, your production will probably not stand out from the others as there is nothing that makes it individual so whereas you may get a lot of consumers it will most likely get average reviews. An example of this is everyone knows Jason Statham, he is even the first 'Jason' to appear on google however every film of his is the same...

Alternative
Alternative research is looking in to things are not mainstream. Good research into alternative media productions would result in finding information on something that will turn out to be mainstream in the future. This is good because you are creating something that there is not much of which will mean it is original and it could become mainstream meaning people will begin to like it and future productions will just be copying your original ideas. However it is a also a risk because there is no guarantee that it will become mainstream resulting in less consumers. Also, a radical idea is usually necessary to start an alternative production but it may be too radical for people to understand or enjoy which would not do you any favours.

Niche
A production that is niche is aimed at a small minority of people. This would be a certain group that are interested in a certain thing for example Bollywood films. Research into this would be to first research what the Bollywood films include and then what the people are like who watch them. The advantage of this is that you can create something that you are interested in which could allow you to be more free with your work however a minority of people being interested in the same thing you are would mean not many people will pay to consume your production. It is not wise to create a niche production if you are only doing it for the money.




Quantitative Research
Quantitative research is a form of research that is all based on numbers and statistics. This is a useful way of carrying out research as it is simple to understand. You can get basic info on what you are researching in to and using numbers is a strong way of finding out how many people are interested in your project. Statistics are useful in research as you can find out what is mainstream and therefore use it in your own production to help increase your viewers. In the same manor, you can use the numbers and statistics to find out what your targeted group of people are interested in so then you can ensure that you are pleasing your target audience. Quantitative research is also useful for measuring your target audience. You can see how many people you will be creating your product for. This is important as if your research shows that there is not many people interested in your idea then it is worth changing the idea to suit something more people will enjoy.

BARB (Broadcasters Audience Research Board) is a non profit organisation that is used to measure views each TV programme is getting on each channel. It is a useful asset to anyone who wants to create a film or television product. This is because anyone can look at BARB and find out what is currently most popular which shows you what people are interested in and what is mainstream. By using BARB it is easy to find patterns which show what popular programmes have in common. You can look at all the most viewed shows on different channels and see if they are of a similar genre or similar story line. You could then apply this to your own production which would give it a better chance of success.

Qualitative Research
Qualitative research is another form of research carried out to gain info on a target audience. This form of research is based more on finding smaller details. This is useful research to carry out after quantitative research. This is because quantitative research gives very broad results and by using qualitative research you can then define these results to get exactly what you are looking for. For example, if you carried out quantitative research and found that most people wanted to see an action film, you could then use qualitative research to find out what it is about action films that they like. This is useful when deciding what content to add to your project.

One form of qualitative research that can be carried out is questionnaires. This is a useful method because you can ask questions that you need answers to. If there is something that you are unsure of and need to know for making your project then you could ask about it in your questionnaire and hand it to the audience that you have found from your quantitative research. A questionnaire is a simple method meaning there will be few complications when getting your answers back. The main disadvantage of a questionnaire is that there is no guarantee that everyone who takes one will fill it in. You might not get as many results back as you want.