Unit 20

1. Unit 20: Understanding Single Camera Productions
Single camera productions (SCP) show the audience scenes which are shot through one
camera, making each shot look as though they have been filmed individually. In order to do this,
scenes are filmed randomly and then edited together to seem that they have been filmed in a
chronological order. By filming this way, it allows producers to rebuild the events in different
orders and also be efficient with time as they are filming scenes at the same locations therefore
once they have shot the scene, they don’t need to go back to the location and shoot again. If the
production has a non-linear narrative it is much easier whereas it is more difficult for a film
because it is a much longer editing process which can be very time consuming. A variety of
shots are used in single camera productions such as:
- Close Ups which are often used to show the audience props and emotions of characters.
- Long shots can be used to establish the location.
- Medium shots are often used to show more than one character.
The lighting in scenes such as background lighting for each shot is changed so that it fits in
within the scene. An example of a single camera technique is if there is a conversation between
two characters, the camera will point towards one person with some or all of the scene shot
from one angle. After the camera will then point towards the other person and run through the
same scene from a new angle. The single camera set up originally developed during the birth of
the classical Hollywood cinema in television, both single cameras and multiple camera
productions are common.
The choice of camera format can depend on what is filmed such as the genre. In the 1960’s
single camera format was popular amongst several comedy series such as ‘The Addams
Family’ (1961) and ‘Get Smart’ (2008) and more recently, ‘The Office’ (2005) and ‘My Name Is
Earl’ (2005).
In contrast to this, a multiple camera set up consists of multiple cameras arranged to film all of
the different camera angles of the individual scene simultaneously and the set must use lighting
effectively to accommodate all camera set ups. Multi-camera production usually results in faster
but less versatile videography, whereas the single camera set up is more time consuming but
gives the director more control over each shot.

2. Single Camera Production: Multiple Camera Production:
Television (Comedy and Sitcoms)
Typical multi-camera. Though multi-cameras was the norm for U.S sitcoms during the 1950’s,
the 1960’s saw increased technical standards in situation comedies, which came to have larger
casts and used a greater number of different locations in episodes. Several comedy series of
the era also made use of feature film techniques. Nowadays, many comedies of this period use
the single camera technique. Apart from giving the shows a feature film style, this technique
was better suited to the visual effects. Some visual effects would have been difficult if the shows
had been shot using a multiple camera set up. By the mid 70’s with domestic situation comedies
in vogue, the multi camera shooting style for sitcoms came to dominate and would continue to
do so through the 1980s and 1990s, although the single camera format was still seen in
television series classified as comedy drama. In the 2000’s television saw a resurgence in the
use of single camera in sitcoms.
It may be easier to use the single camera technique especially if the specific camera angles and
camera movements for a feature film like a visual style are considered crucial to the success of
the production. Likewise these productions often feature varied locations with no live audience
or laughter track.
As time is limited, large casts, crews, designed sets and dialogue driven narratives, soap
operas commonly employ multi camera techniques over single camera techniques.
Corporate Videos are short films made to promote businesses. They are often made in
vocational surroundings meaning that there is no need for flexibility or the ability to work in non-
designed places. In addition to this, they also often use voice overs and imagery to create less
interaction with a large cast. Corporate videos also often use ‘talking heads’ interviews with a
static single camera with one lighting set up.
Conversely, conventional drama uses single camera techniques similar to film. They use
smaller central casts and there is less pressure in terms of volume and tie constraints of
production. Due to having smaller central casts, it means that there are larger location ranges.
Advantages For Shooting a Production Using SCP

3. -To interpret the script, there is creative control, therefore the script is easily editable and it
allows the producers to shoot quicker in one location.
-Cheaper production as travel costs etc are only short.
-There is flexibility for the actors as they don’t have to be on set at the same time.
-Scenes don’t have to be shot in sequences in dramatic productions.
-Set ups can be streamlined to support a leaner shoot.
Disadvantages For Shooting a Production Using SCP
-There are less natural reactions as actors are not interacting - only one is filmed at a time.
-Lots of repetition as you need to shoot a scene 3 times to get each angle as you can only get
one at a time.
-There is a longer editing period, editing all of the different scenes together to make it seem as
though they were filmed together.
-It takes a long time to set up because of all the cameras and camera men.
One film I am going to be analysing is Mamma Mia (2008). The genre of the film is a musical /
romance-comedy with a beginning, middle and end structure following Todorov’s four act
structure. In addition to this, the film was shot using a Panavision Panafic X Millennium XL
Camera and a Panavision C Series Anamorphic Lense. Due to the film being a musical, it
means that it is suitable for all age groups to watch. The film is set on a beach resort in Greece,
the film tells the story of Sophie, a bride to be but with one wish, which is to have her absent
father walk her down the aisle. After reading three extracts from her mother’s diary, Sophie
sends each person a wedding invitation in hopes to find out who exactly is her father.
Panavision Panafic X MillenniumXL Panavision C Series Anamorphic Lense

4. One scene
which I will be
analysing
from Mamma Mia is when Donna remeets her 3 men
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFu660xmE4o&t=54s 0:38 seconds - 0:49 seconds). In
this scene, the camera quickly pans between Bill, Harry and Sam as they each ‘explain’ why
they are on the island, when realistically they had been invited by Sophie and hidden in Donna's
old goat house without her knowing. The quick movements between panning shots could
indicate how Donna feels in the moment - overwhelmed, fast paced and not a clue of what is
actually happening. To support this idea, there is a quick movement sound almost like a
‘whoosh’ sound which could suggest how the thoughts inside her head are moving and how she
feels this type of sound is a pleonastic sound which is used to mimic actions. In addition to this,
the only sound used in this scene is pleonastic sound and diegetic sound as the sound exists in
the story and is heard by the characters i.e speech. When the different shots are changing, the
producer uses a POV shot that is handheld, which makes the audience feel as though they are
Donna which creates a sense of realism in the situation as they can see what she sees and
hopefully imagine what she feels as that was the producers aim to achieve. To make this scene
look as though it was filmed together, the editor has used continuity editing therefore the
different shots transition smoothly into each other therefore the audience will not get confused of
any shots jumping into each other or in the wrong order.
Furthermore, a mid-shot is mainly used in this scene which shows the top half of the actors
body and a limited background. The positioning of the camera which is held at chest height

5. helps to show the positioning of props used to create the background setting (mise-en-scene)
could foreshadow how Donna’s life actually is - unorganised, messy and falling apart with the
stress of organising the perfect wedding for her daughter Sophie, trying to keep the hotel in
control and seeing three of her ex’s in her old goat house on the island.
Another scene which I will be looking at is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_C3B7ZKwSU&t=5s from the start of the video to 1:20.
At the beginning of the scene, the producer uses a crowd shot which shows a long shot of
Donna and the guests and then a mid-shot of Sam and his guests between the start and 0:22
The midshot is known as a neutral shot as it captures the subject in a size similar to people,
typical composition of the midshot is above the waist but below the chest and just above the
head. This type of shot shows facial expressions and the background in a single frame. In this
shot, the producer shows both Sam’s and Donna's facial expressions as well as the small
gathering of people behind them. After this, the producer uses a dolly to zoom into Donna to
create a medium close up shot (0:24 - 0:27) to reduce any distractions and prioritise the story
and character details. By doing this, the intimacy has been created without losing Donna's
physicality and the over the shoulder shot includes the audience in the moment by also
including a point of view shot which shows the audience the facial expressions of the characters
and creates a sense of realism. As a result of including the audience, the producer creates a
relationship between themselves and the characters as well as allowing the audience to feel
what the characters are feeling in the scene by generating, jeopardy and relatability.
Shot
from 0:24 -
0:27.

6. At 51 seconds, the producer uses a three shot as well as a medium close up shot. By doing this,
the audience is feeling exactly what the characters are feeling when Sam gets down on one
knee, excitement, shock and deception as shown on the characters facial expressions.
By using the medium close up shot, the audience are able to easily register the actor’s emotions
and facial expressions while also retaining some of the dark background. In addition to this, the
medium close up shot is often used when a scene needs to be covered with standard coverage
that doesn’t shock the viewer. The dark background juxtaposes the key lighting on the three
shots indicates that the three characters are the key subjects in the shot and the positioning of
the camera shows that the light is more bright on Donna compared to the other two characters
showing to the audience that the scene is all about Donna. To support this idea, the characters
are positioned in thirds so that they have one third of the shot each. The producer may have
used this technique to position the camera correctly to get the light right as it brightens from the
left to the right, making Donna the key signifier. By using single camera productions in the
movie, it allows the cameraman to move around more comfortably with a camera in tight
locations rather than be crammed with a multiple camera production, allowing them to film more
effective camera angles and shots.
Next, I will be talking about single camera productions used in Benidorm (2007). Benidorm is a
British sitcom based in Spain. The comedy series follows a group of British holidaymakers as
they are enjoying themselves on their vacation staying at the Solana. The sitcom has 9 series
which ran from 2007 until 2018 when the final episode was released. The producer of the show
aims to make audiences laugh, cry and be indulged in the situations happening in the show.
The scene which I will be talking about is when Madge has a poolside catfight
(https://youtu.be/hD_NI7ZyMy4) as it uses a lot of different shot framing and angles.

7. Firstly, I will be talking about the shot where both actors ride around the poolside on their
motability scooters.
At 1:30, we can see the use of a wide shot and over the shoulder shot. The producer has used
these shots to tell a story with the actors body posture and get both actors in the scene and the
scene behind them to build the tension more for the audience and make them feel included
within the crowd. In addition to this, the director has made this scene almost like a cowboy
standoff and by using the wide shot, the camera is able to get both cowboy hats in the shot to
support this idea. The audience can feel the tension in the air between the two and around the
poolside and they feel on edge to what is going to happen next. With the cameraman filming
with a single camera, he doesn’t have limited space to move around therefore he can move
freely whilst filming, getting the most effective shots possible. As they move around the pool, the
director uses panning, steadicam and tracking shots to keep the audience's attention on both
actors at the same time, taking in every detail possible. The slow pan creates further tension
and anxiety for the viewers and people in the background of the scene also allowing the
audience to take in the landscape and possibly even plan what is going to happen next -
whether someone is going to be pushed into the pool or whether they’re gonna ride into each
other.

8. At 2:18, the over the shoulder shot shows the two main characters of the scene come face to
face with each other with a longshot of them both. The over the shoulder shot is filmed behind
two other people watching the two go face to face. By using this shot, it involves the audience in
the moment so they will be able to feel the hatred and anger towards each other. In addition to
this, the audience has a subconscious sense of orientation while watching the scene. This shot
could also be a point of view shot for the audience to make them feel as though they are sitting
in between Janice and Mick watching the confrontation go down. From the longshot showing the
two women, the audience can see that Madge has a more confrontational, confident body
posture as she is slouched over towards the other woman suggesting that she is prepared for
anything that comes to her.
From the start of the video to the first minute, the producer uses mid-close ups, longshots and
extreme close ups. Whilst filming these scenes, he has used handheld shots which create
anxiety for the viewer as a result of the shakiness the camera gives off. The mid close up shot
of Madge shows that she is confident and confrontational which proves that the audience can
easily register the actors emotions and facial expressions while also retaining some of the
background by the choice of shot used. Some directors use mid close up shots for coverage in
their scenes, and they do this to conserve cinematic energy. When you frame the majority of
your scenes in medium close ups, you keep the effectiveness of a close up shot untrapped but
when you decide to move in for a close up, you will get a more potent reaction from the viewer.
By doing this, it will allow the director to emphasize certain portions of the scene with a simple
change in shot size. The longshot used, reveals who Madge is looking at as well as the
background behind. This builds further tension as her facial expressions tell the story whilst the
audience observe the other woman's body posture. The extreme close up shows the audience
what Madge is looking at as well as including a point of view shot to put the audience in her
shoes and imagine how she feels and what she is thinking. The director uses pans, steadicams,

9. zooms and tracking shots to direct the camera to create an engaging experience and focus on
moving the audience's attention on each shot.
Lastly, to analyse single camera productions, I will be analysing Wannabe (1996) by the Spice
Girls (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJLIiF15wjQ). The music video is filmed with a
steadicam throughout the whole video. A steadicam is a camera stabiliser that combines the
stability of a tripod, flexibility of a handheld camera and the movement capability of a dolly.
Steadicams absorb shake by mechanically isolating the operators movement as to always
produce smooth tracking shots. A steadicam operator wears a vest that is attached to the
camera rig. This makes the camera nearly weightless and easily controllable. It can get these
smooth shots in any direction -around corners, up and down stairways and even on bumpy
roads. The steadicam eliminates the need for expensive crane shots or the time and labour of
setting up dolly tracks. By using this type of camera movement, it is effective as the cameraman
is able to move around quickly and smoothly as well as filming every needed shot posible. In
addition to this, it also creates a point of view shot for the audience so it seems as though the
Spice Girls are singing to them personally and creates a surreal experience for themselves.
Steadicam
In addition to this, the wide shot also shows the audience the setting and mise-en-scene in the
background. From doing this, the audience can clearly see where the band are and the wide
shot could also be possibly treated as an establishing shot as it is exploring the location making
the audience feel as though they are there in the flesh. The camera is held at chest height so
that it is able to get all of the frame in shot and help establish the rhythm, tone and meaning of
the scene as the movement is continuous in link to the catchy, dance song.

10. The Spice Girls are known for their mantra of ‘Girl Power’ and at 2:11, the director has used a
medium full shot which implies that they are confident within themselves as they are enjoying
themselves dancing and singing around a hotel full of people. In addition to this, they are
positioned in the center of the shot to support the idea of not only them feeling confident but
also them being the center of attention which will grab peoples attention in the hotel which they
are in. This could link to their young teenage demographic (audience) as they aspire to be just
like the Spice Girls with their female power. With the camera being held at a high level, this can
further support the idea of them being confident as it could show that the world is watching them
around the hotel.
From 1:00 to 1:19, the director uses longshots of the girls but then they move closer to the
camera making the shot a mid-close up. Whilst they do this, they are singing lyrics about getting
with them therefore the choice of shot could suggest that they are trying to tell a story by
observing their entire body posture but then they reduce the audience's distraction and they
prioritise the story and characters details as they try to get intimate with the audience without

11. loosing their physicality.
Furthermore, the neutral shot which is a typical composition of the mid-shot, is above the waist,
below the chest and just above the head. This type of shot shows facial expressions and the
background in a single frame. From this shot, we can see that Geri Haliwell may be devious,
powerful and domineering for the way she is looking into the camera creating direct mode of
address with the audience, therefore they are able to feel exactly what she feels. By including
the background in this shot, the audience can infer that all of the attention is focused on her as
she is positioned in the middle of the frame and the background is dull and dark compared to
her which can signify the power she holds and make herself seem somewhat scary as she
demands what she wants. This could link to her being part of some hierarchy as she is
nicknamed “Posh Spice” therefore she holds richness, elegance, upper-class and high
expectations as represented by the choice of framing and shot type.