Single camera production involves using a single mobile camera to film various shots and angles of a scene. This technique was pioneered in early cinema and remains the standard for filmmaking today. In contrast, multi-camera productions use multiple fixed cameras simultaneously and are usually used for genres like sitcoms which require capturing many actors and locations. Single camera allows for more directorial control and flexibility in locations but takes more time due to needing multiple takes from different angles. It remains a popular technique for films, dramas, and music videos due to its ability to immerse viewers in a story from the perspective of characters.

1. Single Camera Productions
Single camera production is a method of video production where various shots and camera
angles are taken using the same camera, the camera can then be moved around to get
various shots and angles. The single camera technique was originally used in 1910
Hollywood cinema and to this day it is still the standard technique for cinema today. Multi
camera was what was normally used for sitcoms in the 1950’s an example would be ‘The
Addams Family’ and ‘Bewitched’. Single camera productions are different from multi
camera productions as multicamera productions used multiple cameras and are usually
used on productions such as soap operas as they have large cast and crews and have a lot of
dialog driven narratives. Whereas single camera productions only use one camera and can
be seen in tv programs like Modern family (2009-) and Brooklyn nine-nine (2013-)
Advantages of Single Camera Productions
 The director will have more control over every shot as there is only one camera to
control and there will not be several people operating several different cameras
 Single camera productions also will cost less as there is less equipment needed and
you will not need to hire lots of staff to operate the cameras, so it can be created for
tighter budget productions
 You can use a variety of locations as there is only one camera to take whereas if it
were a multiple camera production you cannot take all of them cameras to different
locations
 As the camera is not just stuck in one place it gives the audience a more personal
feel for the production as it is actually following the characters around various places
and it can also make there be better camera angles and techniques
 Also, as multiple takes have got to be done to get all of the camera angles that are
needed it gives the actor a chance to get into character and give their best
performance
Disadvantages of single Camera Productions
 Single camera productions do take a lot of time to make as you need to do multiple
retakes to get all of the angles that you need, so this means it will take longer in
production and post production meaning it could work out more expensive than
multiple camera productions

2.  It also could be harder to reproduce some scenes to keep the continuity throughout
the production
 Single camera productions may also be more time consuming as you need to keep
moving the camera and setting it up again
 Also, if your only camera is broken or damaged then it could delay the production
making it more expensive
 As in single camera there is only one camera involved most conversations have to be
recorded a few times meaning you are getting fewer natural reactions from the
actors as they are redoing scenes multiple times
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W7uKverqX8
Single camera techniques are used a lot in film for example in this clip from The Shining
(1980) single camera techniques are used. The Shining is a horror made in 1980 by Stephen
King, there are a lot of benefits of using single camera techniques in a production like this
for example it makes the characters seemmore realistic as we ae actually following them
around and they are not just stuck in one place. In this clip of the film the shining a lot of
camera techniques are being used for example it is being filmed using a Steadicam so the
little boy can ride throughout the hotel with the camera having to be on a track using a
dolly. The scene was filmed with the camera man with a Steadicam on in a wheelchair so it
could get so low down as if it was at Danny's height, so it is as if we are seeing everything
from his perspective. It had to be filmed using a Steadicam as the track a dolly would have
been on would have been seen by the camera and it could not have been done as he is
riding the car through serval corridors. When door 237 is shown it is shown in a low angle
shot which makes it look ominous and powerful showing that there is something not good
behind that door.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYM-RJwSGQ8
In the music video Habits by Tove Lo Single camera techniques are used throughout the
video. Snorricam is used throughout this whole video, the video starts out at a party and the
snorricam is used to disorientate the audience to show that she is drunk. The video also
then does a lot of quick cuts to show the chaos and energy in the club, this is affective as it
shows what she is feeling and what it is like when there. Also, the video shows a cycle of the
main character in a cycle of going out on a night and getting drunk which can be seen by the
blurred background and the snorricam making the audience disorientated and waking up in
the morning looking confused and repeating this cycle showing she cannot get out of it. The
video also uses a lot of close ups when she is getting ready such as putting make up on this
could maybe of been used to show that she is trying to cover and hide what she did the
night before as she can be seen covering up marks that are on her body at 0:30.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wapLaF5jmrU
Single camera techniques are also used in adverts, for example it is used in this 2016
Hyundai advert for the Super Bowl. The video starts out with an establishing shot to show
where it is taking place it also shows the car that they are advertising. It then cuts to an over
the shoulder shot when the girl opens the door so we can see the boys first reaction when
he sees her for the first time. After a while the scene shows a close up of a watch, this
shows the importance of the object as it is how the father is going to find his daughter as he

3. has a tracker on his car that they took. At 0:35 it shows a long shot that has the car and a
background of a city which makes the car that they are trying to sell look cool and powerful,
they are trying to say that if you get this car then maybe your life could be like this. At 0:45
it shows a long shot from a bird’s eye view of the car driving along an empty road this is so
the audience can see the whole car and see how powerful it looks driving fast down an
empty road.