Single-camera setup - Citizendia

The single-camera setup (aka, single-camera mode of production) is a method of shooting films and television programs. A single camera—either film or video—is employed on the set and shots are often taken out of order. An alternate production method is the multiple-camera setup, which uses two or more cameras running simultaneously. The multiple-camera setup (aka multiple-camera mode of production is a method of shooting films and television programs

Analysis

As its name suggests, a production using the single-camera setup generally uses just one camera. (Additional cameras may be used simultaneously on occasion, usually in order to save time shooting a dialogue scene or to film a stunt that would be impractical to stage more than once. A stunt is an unusual and difficult physical feat or any act requiring a special skill performed for artistic purposes in TV, Theatre, or cinema ) Each of the various shots and camera angles are taken with the same camera which is moved and reset to get each shot or new angle. In addition the lighting set-up may be reset for each new camera set-up. By contrast the multicamera setup, with its multiple cameras, has the cameras arranged to take all of the different shots of the scene. Each camera of a multicamera setup covers its own angle of the scene and is switched-to in order to switch the perspective to a new camera angle.

For example, in single-camera, if a scene cuts back and forth between actor A and actor B, the director will first point the camera toward A and shoot shots number 1, 3, 5, 7, and so on. Then they will point the camera toward B and do shots number 2, 4, 6, 8, and so on. In the post-production editing process, the shots will be assembled into their final order. See also Filmmaking Post-production occurs in the making of motion pictures, television programs, Videos audio recordings In contrast, multiple-camera shooting would record a variety of angles of actors A and B simultaneously; the director would then have the choice of switching among the angles while the program is being recorded (or broadcast) or cutting them together in post-production. Film editing is an art of storytelling practiced by connecting two or more shots together to form a sequence, and the subsequent connecting of sequences to form an Further, single-camera productions tend to cluster the shooting of all the scenes that utilize a certain set and cast, while most multiple-camera productions are shot "in sequence"—the shooting progressing chronologically through the script.

The single-camera setup gives the director more control over each shot, but is more time-consuming and expensive than multiple-camera. The choice of single-camera or multiple-camera setups is made separately from the choice of film or video. That is, either setup can be shot in either film or video. However, multiple-camera setups shot on video can be switched "live to tape" during the performance, while multiple-camera setups shot on film still require that the various camera angles be edited together later.

The single-camera setup originally developed during the birth of the classical Hollywood cinema in the 1910s and has remained the standard mode of production in the cinema. Classical Hollywood cinema or the classical Hollywood narrative, are terms used in film history which designates both a visual and sound style for making motion pictures In television, however, a multiple-camera setup is just as common. The multiple-camera setup (aka multiple-camera mode of production is a method of shooting films and television programs

Single-camera television

Television producers make a distinct decision to shoot in single-camera or multiple-camera modes—unlike film producers who almost always opt for single-camera shooting. In television, single-camera is mostly reserved for prime-time dramas, made-for-tv movies, music videos and commercials. Prime Time is the major News analysis current affairs and Politics programme broadcast on Radio Telefís Éireann in Ireland A music video is a Short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music most commonly a Song with lyrics A television advertisement or television commercial (often just commercial or advert (US or ad (UK is a span of television programming produced Soap operas, talk shows, sitcoms, and the like, more frequently use the multiple-camera setup. A soap opera is an ongoing episodic work of Fiction, usually broadcast on Television or Radio. A talk show ( American) or chat show ( Global) is a Television or Radio program where one person or group of people come together to The multiple-camera setup (aka multiple-camera mode of production is a method of shooting films and television programs Multiple-camera shooting is the only way that an ensemble of actors presenting a single performance before a live audience may be recorded from multiple perspectives. In case of situation comedies, which may potentially be shot in either multiple or single camera modes, it may be deemed preferable to use the single-camera technique especially if specific camera angles and camera movements and a slick visual style are crucial to the success of the product, and if visual effects are to be frequently used. For more standard, dialogue-driven domestic situation comedies the multicamera technique, which is cheaper and takes less production time, may be deemed more feasible.

The 1960s saw increased technical standards in situation comedies which came to have larger casts and to utilize a greater number of different locations in episodes. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Several comedy series of the era also presented sophisticated visual techniques. To this end many comedies of this period, including The Addams Family, The Munsters, Get Smart, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, Gilligan's Island, Hogan's Heroes, The Andy Griffith Show and The Brady Bunch, used the single-camera technique. The Addams Family is an American Television series based on the characters in Charles Addams ' ''New Yorker'' cartoons. The Munsters is a 1960s American television Sitcom depicting the home life of a family of Monsters. Get Smart is an American comedy television series that satirized the secret agent genre Bewitched is an American Situation comedy originally broadcast for eight seasons on ABC from 1964 to 1972. I Dream of Jeannie is a 1960s American sitcom with a Fantasy premise Gilligan's Island is an American TV sitcom originally produced by United Artists Television. Hogan's Heroes is a American Television Situation comedy that ran for 168 episodes from September 17, 1965, to July 4 The Andy Griffith Show is an American sitcom first televised by CBS between October 3 1960 and April 1 The Brady Bunch is an American Television Situation comedy based around a large blended family. Apart from giving an overall slicker and more polished look, this was more suited to the visual effects frequently used in these shows; the magical appearances and disappearances, and the appearances by lookalike doubles where the regular actors played a dual role were created using editing and optical printing techniques, and would not have been possible had the shows been shot using a multicamera setup. In the case of Get Smart, the single-camera technique also allowed the series to present fast-paced and tightly edited fight and action sequences reminiscent of the spy dramas it parodied. Single camera comedies were also prevalent into the early 1970s. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. With its large cast and varied locations, the M*A*S*H TV series was shot using single camera style. M*A*S*H was a Medical drama / Black comedy produced by 20th Television Fox for CBS. Happy Days began in 1974 as a single-camera series, before switching to the multicamera setup in its second season. Happy Days is an American Television sitcom that originally aired from 1974 to 1984 on ABC.

In the 1980s, with domestic situation comedies in vogue, the multicamera shooting style came to dominate. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar)

More recently, television has seen a rise in the use of single-camera in innovative comedies such as Malcolm in the Middle (2000–2006), Scrubs (2001–), Arrested Development (2003–2006), The Office (2005–), My Name is Earl (2005–), Weeds (2005–) and 30 Rock (2006–). Malcolm in the Middle was a seven-time Emmy Award -winning one-time Grammy -winning He had run off and married a good-natured Canadian woman Scrubs is an Emmy and Peabody Award -winning American Comedy-drama that premiered on October 2 2001 on NBC. Arrested Development is a character-driven American television Sitcom about a formerly wealthy habitually Dysfunctional family. My Name Is Earl is an American sitcom created by Greg Garcia. 30 Rock is an American Television comedy Series created by Tina Fey. Unlike single-camera sitcoms of the past, nearly all contemporary comedies shot in this manner are produced without a laugh track.

The single-camera setup is generally utilized on comedy series that either require or strive for specific shots and camera angles and visual set-pieces. When the potential of the single-camera style is fully maximized, camera movement, the way shots are composed and edited, and other directorial flourishes will be as much a source of comedy as the behavior of the characters. On such shows, the creative teams are more likely to include fantasies, daydreams, and surreal, cartoonish gags, occasionally using computer-generated imagery. Computer animation Computer-generated imagery (also known as CGI) is the application of the field of Computer graphics or more specifically 3D computer graphics

See also: List of single-camera sitcoms