Single Camera Production

What is a single camera production
A single camera production is a media project that only utilises one camera on set. This is used to shoot and then when a different shot type is required, everyone on set must halt until the camera is moved. This differs from multiple camera productions that use various different cameras, usually capturing different angles and filming with a variation of framing types. A short history of the two different types of camera productions
Hollywood and foreign film studios have used multi camera setups as far back as the early 1900s during the first rise of film, but television shows were essentially exclusively given a single camera setup due to its affordability. One of the first major shows to be shot using a multi camera setup was the highly popular American sitcom “I Love Lucy” in the early 1950s. The show ran for six seasons and set a new standard for television shows, with production companies beginning to realise the efficiency and newfound affordability of using multiple cameras, and by the late 1970s, they began opting to use multi camera setups for the majority of their shows. This trend continued into the golden age of sitcoms in the 80s and 90s with shows like Cheers, Seinfeld, and Friends, before more creative and alternative shows burst onto the scene in the late 90s and early 2000s. Malcolm in the Middle, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Trailer Park Boys, along with dropping the marketable cliche of “the laugh track”, also used single camera setups in order to feel more natural and catch a new type of realism unheard of in the shows of the past.

Advantages of single camera productions 1 - Actors can be more natural - when shots aren’t being interrupted or interjected with reshoots of different line of dialogue, the actors can feel more connected to the scene and the actions are less robotic

“If a scene calls for a certain suspense or development, it’s much better for the actors to be able to do it in one stretch and not have to keep pumping themselves up emotionally for the next shot for the sake of continuity, so actors usually love sequence shots” - Michael Haneke

2 - Realism - with a single camera setup, more realism can be attained by pulling off long handheld shots at various different angles

3 - Creativity - only relying on one camera forces the director to more creatively frame and shoot a film and allows for the stylistic elements to stand out more

4 - Long takes - a staple of the most creative filmmakers, long takes allow the best out of actors, camera operators and directors and look and feel impressive to watch.

5 - Sometimes cheaper - with only one camera there is less equipment required to shoot a film, making it cheaper for certain types of productions, like smaller budget independent films and documentaries.

Disadvantages of single camera productions

1 - Less emphasis on the DP/director, more reliance on the editor - with various cameras, an editor has to work harder and has more control over the project, timing the cuts appropriately and choosing which angle to use when. This can make bad editing a lot more noticeable, for example, if one camera has a strong, creatively framed shot and another has a conventional look, a poor editor may want to stay safe and use the more conventional shot for longer. This is why it’s important for there to be clear communication and involvement between the editor, DP and director for a multi camera production to succeed and show off the creativity of each role.

2 - Having to reshoot large portions if any mistakes are made - without another camera to rely on or cut to, a single camera production must make zero mistakes to run efficiently, this means that it’s typically more efficient to use multiple cameras on a production.

3 - Sometimes more expensive - With only one camera, if reshoots are needed, it takes longer and therefore costs more to hire the cameraman as one scene as only one camera is running constantly, and edits cannot be spliced in for the sake of efficiency

4 - More time consuming - Using one camera means that the entire sequence will have to be shot in full again if reshoots are required, and cannot be inserted in as a separate cut like a multi camera production can.

Subject 1 - Short Film: Billy Star - dir. Kevin Abstract https://youtu.be/DlCFNmqaS3Y?t=10m08s (starts at 10 minutes 8 seconds) In this scene, a single camera is used to create a long take showing Jade entering Summer’s home, the purpose of a single camera long take here is to build suspense and tension as we watch her find that Summer is cheating on her with Billy. A whip pan back and forth is utilised to briefly show not only the two in the act, but Jade’s immediate reaction as well. By this point, the audience know that Billy and Summer are attracted to each other but are not yet intimate in this physical manner shown in this scene, so it also comes as a surprise to the audience as well as the character Jade. The wreaths shown at the beginning of the scene on Summer’s front door show us that it is around christmas, a time usually associated with being together with loved ones, and sets a warm and innocent tone that is disrupted by Jade’s discovery of cheating. The camera then tracks Jade as she storms out, throws Billy’s bike, and enters her car to drive off, a fast pan to the door then also quickly shows Summer trying to chase Jade and make amends with her, but it’s already too late. Even though we mostly see the backs of these characters throughout this take and their faces aren’t visible, the audience understand that both Jade and Summer are frustrated simultaneously, this is also without any dialogue, as the soundtrack completely fills the scene. The single camera setup appears to be very well stabilised indicating the use of a gimbal for smooth handheld footage. Another intention of the long take format of this scene is to make the viewer more immersed in the situation and feel almost as if they are in the scene following and watching the characters and is effective in accomplishing this.

Subject 2 - Feature Film: Boogie Nights - dir. Paul Thomas Anderson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpV4dDBkSDQ (starts at 55 seconds) During this nearly 3 minute running introductory long take, PTA perfectly sets the tone and theme of his 1997 masterpiece “Boogie Nights”, first by establishing the shot by showing the viewer a trippy rotating crane shot of quintessentially 70s Californian street, complete with bright neon signs for clubs, cinemas and stores, this throws the audience straight into the beautifully stylised world created in the film and immerses the viewer as the camera slowly tracks down a street towards a popular club, outside the club we meet the first three members of the film’s large ensemble cast; Amber, Jack and Maurice, and follow them into the club where an even better atmosphere is made. The camera smoothly glides and pans naturally between each actor, framing them nicely in the low key and warm lighting of the club. A shot like this would not be able to flow nearly as well with constant cuts to various multiple cameras, as the immersion would be broken and it would feel unnatural. With the single camera long take we quite literally feel as if we are in the film watching through the eyes of the camera. As each character greets the next, we are introduced to the entire cast one by one, casually exchanging lines of short dialogue while the camera continues to move slowly and the single camera format captures the astonishing ambience of the club in full detail. The shot comes to a close as it approaches Eddie, who is currently working a low level job at the establishment, and not completely taken in by the bright vibe felt by everybody else. Here the camera pauses on a medium close up of him for a few seconds, the longest amount of time during this take without any camera movement whatsoever, and slow motion is used to keep the viewers attention on him as everything passes slowly behind and infront of him. The first cut is a reverse shot towards the highly coveted Jack Horner, whose eyes fall upon Eddie. Another reverse shot sets the tone of Eddie’s character and the wall mounted star-shaped lights that he is framed in front of (and that he quickly glances at during the long take) foreshadow his ambition and eventual growth into Dirk Diggler, letting the audience know that he will be of importance. Another two reverse shots with the same framing further reiterate this point.

Subject 3 - Comedy TV show: Trailer Park Boys - dir. Mike Clattenberg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyTf7y3ityk&feature=youtu.be&t=6 (starts at 6 seconds) In this scene, a single handheld camera is used to follow the main characters of the Canadian low budget mockumentary comedy “Trailer Park Boys” as they steal furniture from a government owned building. First the audience is presented with a cutaway interview, most popular in the documentary format. This allows Ricky to explain the situation and premise and establish the scene, and set up the joke before we see him do it. This is effective at creating comedy through realism, as the scene comes to life when shot in a documentary style. A quick cut to represent the passage of time is used halfway through the scene, before another small cut to Julien and back to show his reaction to the absurdity and suspense of the situation. The quality of the video is also low, looking like something that was shot on consumer grade film equipment, this kept the cost of the show down and was intentionally worked into the fictional premise as the camera crew were meant to be amateur documentary filmmakers. This single camera fueled format proved to be effective as many shows following the success of Trailer Park Boys in the early 2000s attempted to replicate the inexpensive false-documentary like style, these series include People Just Do Nothing, The Office US, Modern Family and Parks and Recreation among others.

Bibliography The Piano Teacher Criterion Commentary: Michael Haneke on Long Takes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPtWbkzXGe4