Understanding Video

What is a single camera production?

Single camera production is when a camera is used to take multiple shots rather than having more cameras to take each angle. This technique is used a lot within tv dramas now a days and even in short films. This is used because of either the production have a short script or a low budget so the usage of one camera would be cheaper rather than multiple cameras.

For example Hollyoaks and My name is Earl all consist with the usage of single camera production. By using more cameras to take each angle would benefit the editor as it would be easier to edit having everything there for him to work from.  Examples of shows that use multiple camera production are East enders or Coronation street. This is done so that it is easier for the editors to piece together so that they can air them on tv as soon as possible. 

With a single camera their is more work involved for example the editor must piece each scene with camera angels to build up tension or to let the audience know what the character is feeling during that time. This needs to be structure and planned out before hand otherwise it would be a mess. When structuring its planning ahead so that the editor knows what he's doing and can follow a script with each camera angle as a guidance to make everything fit piece by piece.

There are different formats of genres for example a serial, drama and so on. It would be difficult to be able to tell the difference between each genre with how it may be a single camera or multi-camera as it is pieced together very well.

What is format?

Format is a form of program that has been made with a single camera or multi camera production. The format is a type of style that portrayed within a shot. The most important feature about format is how the scene and area of the shoot is set up and the format of what the recording will be in, this can even relate to High key lighting or Low key Lighting.

What is a Narrative structure?

Narrative is a type of frame work that helps structure a story easier for the viewer or reader to understand. It consists of a plot and a summary with different situations. These situations are, the exposition (starting of the story), Complication (the dramatic turn to change the outcome), Climax (After the situation and what will happen after) and the resolution (how everything becomes better or how the situation becomes better).