This document discusses multi-camera productions. It provides examples of different types of multi-camera productions including live sports like football and the Olympics, as well as studio productions like sitcoms and talk shows. It discusses the number of cameras typically used for different types of productions. It also outlines the advantages and disadvantages of using a multi-camera setup. Finally, it analyzes specific examples of multi-camera productions like the talk show "Talk Oxford" and the game show "The Chase" to illustrate camera placements and techniques.

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Unit 23 Multi Camera
Multi camera productionare usedforthe majorityof filmandtelevisionprogramsthatwe watch.
For examplestalkshows,sportingevents,newscastsandsitcoms.Mostmulti cameraproductions
use 3 or more cameras whichare constantly rollingcatchingreactionsratherthanhavingtorun a
scene overagain.Here are a fewexamplesof programsthatuse multi cameradrama.
Live events
Football – BT sports/Skysportsuse aroundabout24 cameras at a football pitch.The camerasare
positionedaroundthe stadiumtoensure thateverythingisbeingcapturedfromthe crowdreaction
to whatis actuallygoingonthe pitch.
Olympics2016 – There was too manyamountof cameraswhichwere beingusedforthe 2016
Olympicssince there wassomanydifferenteventsgoingonatthe same time withinthe same places
whichwouldhave meantthatthere were certaincamerasfocusedonthe 200m sprintwhile other
cameraswere focusedonthe longjump.
Studio productions
Sitcoms – Sitcomsare studiobasedbutsome scenesare filmedinreal locationsforexamplethe
sitcom‘friends’isbasedin anapartmentbutthere are some sceneswhichare filmedincentral park.
Talk shows – A perfectexampleforaextremelywell knowntalkshow isJeremyKyle,it’sapre-
recordedstudioprogramme,whichhasamulti cameraset upthat focusesonJeremyKyle,the
audience andthe people inwhichhe isinterviewing.
Advantages of a multi camera production
 The setswhichare beingusedneedtobe adjustedwhendifferentanglesare beingused
 Everyangle whichisbeingcoveredgivesavarietyof shotstochoose from
 Soundand lightingisaloteasierto control as the cameraswill remainstationarythere for
soundand lightingwill notneedtobe adjusted
 Live programcameras will catcha realisticreactionfromthe audience andthe personwhois
beinginterviewedwhichmeansthe scene will notneedtobe repeatedforacertain
reaction.
 Multiple shotswhichare beingcapturedinasingle take withouthavingtostartand stopthe
action.
 It’smore efficientforproductionsalsowithlive productionsiseasierandquickertoinstantly
broadcast the programand for filmsthe scene will be done alotquicker.
Disadvantages of a multi camera production
 Directorshave to use studiosforsetsinsteadof the actual locationtheymightwantto
portray soit can take away the realismof the production.
 It costs more moneythana single cameraproduction.
 Whensettingupthe equipmentinmulti cameraproductionsit’salotmore time consuming

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 Whenusinga studiosometimesasa vieweryoumaybe able to see the cameraequipment
beingusedinthe shotwhichsometimescannotbe avoidedforthe audience due tothe set-
up whichisbeingused.
A multi-cameraproductionis usedforfilmingateitheralive locationeventorina studiosetting
usingmultiple camerastocapture the eventorshow.Multi-cameraproductionsare commonlyused
for capturingnewsprogrammes,sportevents,talkshows,game shows,soapoperas,some sitcoms
and live eventswhere the actioncannotbe repeated.Thiscanbe streamedlive orpre-recordedin
frontof a live audience tothenbe editedlaterbefore goingonair.
Duringthe pre-productionprocess,the multi-cameradirectorwill planoutthe camerapositionsand
shotsbefore production.Duringthe actual productionthe directorproceedstodirecthis/her
personnel toachieve the correctshootingorderinitiallyplanned.Thiswouldinclude floormanagers,
camera operators,soundmixersandthe visionmixer.Communicationskillsare vital whenusing
multi-camera.
Multi-cameraisusedasit makesthe editingprocesseasierandsimplerasitcapturesfootage asthe
showor eventishappening.Thisallowsthe directortoselectthe rightcamerashotsduringthe
productiontocreate a successful programme.Also,itcoversalotof areasand differentanglewhile
filming.Thisincludesthe immediate reactionsfromothercharacters,forinstance if ajoke had been
made,thenitmightcut to the othercharacterson setor at the locationlaughingoreventopeople
inthe crowd.Thiswouldpromptthe viewertolaughas theywouldmostlikelybe experiencingthe
same emotions,thisisaway of communicatingmeaningtothe viewer;byshowingthemsomeone
onscreenreactingtothe joke,findingitfunny,thiswill alsorelatetothe viewerwhowillmostlikely
be feelingandreactinginthe same way.Multi-cameraisalsousedtoshow characters having
conversationswithone anotherasitcan easilyachieve successful transitionshots.
Multi-camerausedin Studio:
That’s Oxford:Talk Oxford -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwvoRlUmQPo&list=PLA7BT6X6QX-xTc4pck7qIZjt2xyTYZ4nl
“Talk Oxford”isa local TV chat showbasedinOxfordshire.Itisbroadcastedona channel called
“That’s Oxford.”Itspurpose istobringin local gueststointerview abouttheirlivesanddiscuss
somewhatcontroversialtopics.
To beginwith,asthisis a local and lowbudgetproduction,the show uses threecamerastocapture
the maincamera frames.Thisincludesahard-camclose upof the presenter,inthiscase,Kevin
Howick.Thisisso that whenitcomesto the presentertalkingthere isalwaysacamerapreparedto

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cut back to him.Anothercameraisusedto capture both guestssaton the sofa andthis can usedto
showthe conversationbetweenthe charactersortheirreactionstowhathas beensaid.However,
thiscamera isalsousedto capture close ups of individualguests.The thirdcameraisusedtocapture
a wide angle shotof the whole studiosettoensure full coverage of the show andgivesthe viewersa
general sense of the surroundings.Thistherefore allowsthe editorstohave a varietyof shots
withoutexceedingthe budget.
The coverage of actionin“Talk Oxford”isable to conveythe entire shotwhichisbeingshownby
usinga hard camera.This allowsthe audience tosee all the featuresonset.It capturesreactionsof
the characters on setby usingseveral close ups,shotof bothguestsanda shotof the set,thishelps
keepthe audience engagedinwhatisbeingsaid.However,Idofeel thatinthisparticularshow,the
camera couldhave cut to the reactionsof othercharacters duringlengthytalkingsectionstokeep
the audience’sattentionandcommunicate meaningforexample,the presenternoddingand
showingagreementoralternativelyshakinghisheadindisagreement.Thisisauseful technique that
couldhave beenappliedtoimprove the overall show.
The visual style in“TalkOxford”engagesthe viewerasitswitchesfromcamerato camera whena
newpersononthe showbeginstotalk.Also,inthe beginningof thisshow the presenter,Kevin
Howick,makesa joke andit showsa shotof all the characters onset to show theirreactionstowhat
he had said.Thisvisual style ishowthe viewingaudienceseesthe programme thattheyare
watchingandhow the shotsblendwhentheyare editedtogether.

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ITV: The Chase -
"The Chase" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM0C43E_mYQ
Series 6 Episode 55
“The Chase”isa game showthat isbroadcastedonITV and filmedinITV Studios,London.Inthis
particularprogramme 15-20 cameras are neededtocapture all the featuresutilizedinthisshow,
includingpresenter,guests,audience,etc.There are fourguestsonthe show,a presenterandthe
chaser.Since the guestsmove aroundthe studiothroughout the programme andthere mustbe
enoughcamerasforeach person.Also,camerasare neededtobe positionedonthe contestantsto
achieve close upsof themtocapture possible reactionshots.Thenthere are alsoothercameras
neededforthe presenterandthe chaser.Camerasare alsoneededtoachieve wideshotsof the
studio,cashboard and audience.Comparingthistomypreviousexample of “TalkOxford,”this
programme hasa biggerbudgetanda needformore cameras.This isto ensure all aspectsof “The
Chase”are showntotheirviewingaudience tokeeptheminterestedandinvolvedinthe show,an
example beingthe reactionshotsof the othercontestantsforinstance,whensomeoneanswersa
questionwrong,itwouldcuttoa reactionfromanothercontestant lookingworriedornervousas
theirviewingaudiencemayexpressthe same feeling.
Thisprogramme providessuccessful coverage of actionasall charactersinvolvedinthe programme
are showntothe audience,includingthe cashboard.There are also wide shotsusedtoexpressto
the viewerasense of the surroundingsonset.Variouscamerasare positionsaroundthe studioto
capture the necessaryshots.Differentcamerasare positionedaroundthe studioindifferentplaces
and eitherinvolve movement orstaystill toachieve differentshotsandanglestoensure agood,all-
roundcoverage of action.In the beginningof the show,acamera isusedto move downintothe set
to give the viewerageneral ideaof the studiosetandthisis shown in the screenshotbelow.There
are othercameraspositionedonothercharactersonset suchas the contestants,chaseranda few
focusedonthe presenter.These camerasusuallydonotmove andmainlyfocusonthe subject(s) in
the frame.

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An advantage of usingmulti-cameraisthatthe editingismostlydone liveandinthe show youcan
clearlysee thiswhenthe guestsare beingintroducedandinturntheyare shownwitha close up
shotonce theirname isannounced.Thisistoidentifythe contestantsandshow aconversation
betweenthe guestandpresenter.Also,wide shotsare usedatthe start of each roundas if itwas an
introductiontothe nextroundforthe viewingaudience.
Live event:
Football - Portsmouthvs.Manchester
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87ZEHYjOzrQ
Typically, Sky sportsuse around 24 cameras to filmafootball matchbutusually professional football
matchesare commonly filmedwitharound 16-24 cameras.There are manycameras that are
positioned around the stadiumtoensure thateverythingisbeingcovered. Some are puthigherup
than otherstoget a widerview andothersare placeslowertogetshots nearthe side linesorof the
playersthatare on the pitch. Asthe goal isa mainfocusof the game, there are cameras positioned
behindthe goalsandadjacentto the goals. Each camera has a specificpurpose andthisiswhy itis
importantthey are positioned inthesedifferentplacesasitallows the live matchtobe viewedfrom
many anglesto ensure the full coverage of action.
The camera shotsare varied,there isa camera
that continuouslyfollowsthe playerwiththe ball.Thisparticularcameraiszoomedtoshow the
whole bodyof the player.Itcontinuouslypansleftandrightdependingonthe directionthe playeris
going.The maincamera usedisthe camera placedhighand centeredonthe half-wayline of the
pitch,thisisto achieve a wide shotof the pitchand ensure full coverage of the pitchatall times.

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There are alsotwocameras positionedbehindthe goalsandthese are usedtocut to if a goal is
scoredor almostscored.Camerasare alsoplacedonthe side linestofollowspecificplayers.
In eachfootball matchthere are a varietyof cameraanglesandmovementsthatneedtobe
captured.Inthisgame,it successfullycapturesawide shotof the pitch,close upsof players,shotsof
the referee,panningof differentplayersandshotsfrombehindthe goal,etc.Also,withinthe first2
minutesof the video,there isareplayof one playeralmostscoringa goal and the replaywasshown
ina different,clearerangle forthe audience toview.
Football matchesare editedlivejustasinthisone.Aspreviouslymentioned,thisisshownwhenthe
goal that was almost scoredisreplayedsothatit was ina betterview forthe audience.Thiswas
editedlive sothatthe audience cansee whathadhappenedagainfroma betterangle.Thisproves
that itis useful havingmultiple camerasfollowingthe actiontothenhave anotherangle tocut to,
thiscan thenbe to eitherreplaythe footage orcarryon withthe action,to keepthe viewer
interested.