Single Camera Drama

Task one:

What are single and multi-camera techniques.

A single camera format is when all the shots on a TV or film set are filmed by one camera. One of the advantages of usi

ng a single camera format is that it gives the director more control over each shot as there are less cameras to oversee. However, using a single camera format is often a lot more time consuming than using the multiple camera format as the action must be repeated several timesif the director wants shots from more than one angle or vantage point. Although, a single camera format is more convenient when used in amateur productions as it is likely they won't have access to limitless amounts of professional equipment and resources. Another advantage of using this format is that your footage is less likely to be negatively influenced when filming with or by reflective surfaces, i.e you are less likely to include unwanted objects in the footage such as other cameras etc. Some examples of productions that use the single camera set up are My Name is Earl, Peep Show etc. Using a single camera format in programmes like these help the audience to feel more involved with the program as it is presented more personally by only using one camera.

A multiple camera format is when more than one camera -usually as many as five- is used to film the same action at the same time. An advantage of using the multiple camera format is that it saves time as it cuts down on the amount of filming that needs to be done to capture the action from different angles/perspectives, this could lead to another advantage which is that by saving time the multiple camera technique becomes more economically viable. Multiple camera formats can also be used to capture the audience's reaction in live TV shows. Some examples of TV programs/films that use the multiple camera format are Coronation Street, Britain's got Talent and X-Men 2. The multiple camera set-up is commonly used in action films to enable the director to gain footage of stunts from several angles at once without having to repeat the stunt therefore saving time which is important when making films as they are normally subject to a very tight deadline.

Task two:

Write a short paragraph explaining the differences between a series, a serial and a single drama.

A series is any long running TV or Radio program which is presented in a episodic nature. However, a series can also be a serial. We can find out if a program is serial by looking for signs of Todorov's theory. If the full cycle of Todorov's theory is not present (Equilibrium, disruption, resolution) we can usually be sure that the program is a serial as story lines develop throughout the course of the program rather than being fully created and then revealed in each episode. A single drama is a one off and the story reigns its full cycle throughout the time that the single drama is aired, much like a film.

Ugly Betty is both a series and a serial as it is presented in an episodic nature and the story line develops throughout the series. For example, in series one of Ugly Betty we see a masked figure talking to Wilhemina. The interactions become more frequent and more information is revealed in each episode until the mysterious character reveals themself to be Alexis Meade. The Simpson's is a series. It is not a serial as there is an equilibrium, a disruption and a resolution in each episode. Eg, The Simpson's are living their normal happy life. Homer causes a meltdown at the nuclear power plant. He then rectifies his mistake and saves Springfield. There will then be a completely different storyline in the next episode. Gunrush was a single drama aired on ITV. Todorov's theory was present which meant that the storyline was both created and revealed in one program. The family lived a very ordinary life in London until their daughter was murdered. Her father then takes the law into his own hands due to his lack of faith in the police force and he eventually finds the culprit, who is then sent to prison. Collision was a combination of a single drama and a serial. This is because although it was presented in a number of episiodes in which the story line was revealed in a fragmentary nature, its production was limited to five episodes and it will not be produced again. Collision begins with a multi-strand narrative in which it follows the normal every day lives of each character and then the crash is shown. In each episode we find out more about each individual character and how the crash occurred until all is revealed.

Task three:

Pick two productions of your choice and explain the narrative techniques used within them.

The film: Howl's Moving Castle is an example of a production which uses an anti-realist narrative which is typical of the anime genre. Propp's theory is also evident in the film which reflects the fantasy element although some common conventions of Propp's theory are perhaps deliberately defied, the most obvious of which is that the damsel in distress (for part of the film) is actually a powerful wizard instead the usual helpless young woman. The narrative is unrestricted in parts such as we know that the spell the main character has upon her is breaking whereas the character herself is unaware. The other characters can see what is happening but it is never actually mentioned until the end of the film which suggests that we are to draw our own conclusion. The film follows an objective narrative as we only see the external behaviours of the characters which enhances the unrestricted narrative and supports my point that the viewer is encouraged to draw their own conclusions of what is going on. Todorov's theory is presented in the usual manner perhaps to anchor the connotations of anime being traditional and "the usual" in its native country much like how an equilibrium, a disruption and a resolution are seen as the "usual" pattern in a storyline. The story is presented in a linear fashion and has a closed ending due to the resolution aspect of Todorov's theory. Anime films typically have closed endings as they are fantasy and they are often aimed at younger audiences who like to see a "happy ending" much like a fairytale.

Bend it like Beckham follows a realist narrative as the film is true to real life in most aspects. There isn't really much evidence of Propp's theory in the film as the outlook on each character changes frequently throughout the film. Todorov's theory is used in the film to add more of a structure to the narrative. The story is presented using a linear narrative. One of the patterns of narrative that is shown is the theme of a journey as the protagonist has to face a choice between her family/culture and her dreams. There is also evidence of a goal that she is striving towards. We see the film from a restricted viewpoint as we learn things about the plot at the same time as the characters. The film's ending is open as we see the main characters leave to begin a new life in America which suggested that there could be a sequal, although now we know that, that was not the intention.

Task four:

The commentary I have written is about the second clip: The Ganzfield Procedure. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDKAUQ0aN3U&feature=player_embedded) The red title is juxta positioned against the black background. The titles make a "buzzing" sound and their brightness alters much like neon signs. The video then uses editing to smoothly cut to the next clip which resembles the "white noise" which we sometimes see when we try to change channels on the TV. The things we have seen so far suggest that the video is going to be futuristic/ modern which could connote that the video will fall under the sci-fi genre. We begin with an establishing shot as the non-diegetic sound of the narrator's voice tells us what is happening. We see over the shoulder shots of the "two randomly selected patients" as the researcher speaks to them, this sound is diegetic. The camera shows us a close up of Mary's face as the narrative shifts to make her the focus. The lighting used on this close up is red, which could symbolise that the "journey" that Mary is about to go on involves love, danger, anger, etc. This then fades out to an clip of red dashed lines moving across the screen, they resemble the lines on a road which again ties in with the theme of journey. The narrative shifts and shows us flashbacks of Mary's past which have been edited to look like a film strip and the colours have been over saturated which suggests that this video follows an anti-realist narrative. The flashbacks change very quickly, which could be symbolic of the memories running through her mind. A non-diegetic music bed begins. (Florence and the Machine) Random colours and patterns which are completely unrelated to any previous clips superimpose and fade in and out of the screen. The video then jump-cuts back to the image of Mary sat in the room with the red lighting and the music bed fades, however the narrator continues to speak which connotes that what the narrator is saying is of immense importance. tbc

Task five:

What are some of the differences in technology available to modern audiences and why has it become more difficult to reach a broad target audience?

There are many differences between technology today and the technology that was available in the past. We now have many more channels on our television due to companies like "Sky" and "Virgin media" which means we have more choice and that channel's like the BBC get a smaller viewing audience than they used to when there were only five channels. Advertisers have to do more research to decide which channels they want to advertise on due to the fact that the audience is no longer "under one roof". However, it is easier for them to reach the people they may be interested in the product eg. a company advertising lawnmowers would advertise on a gardening channel. The internet is also an important development in the world of technology as television and film can now be viewed all over the world due to illegal streaming sites, sites such as youtube and sites like 4OD/BBC iplayer. This also makes it more convenient for the viewer as they don't have to watch the program at the time that it is aired. Due to space time compression we can even watch programs that are never shown in this country.

Task six:

Give examples of the types of media that each social class may consume.

Examples of jobs each social class may have:

A: Consultant, Dentists, Lawyer etc

B: Doctor, Senior civil servants, Police officials

C1: Nurse, Shop manager, Administrator

C2: Plumber, Brick layer, Chef

D: Refuse collector, Dinner lady, Asda workers

E: Unemployed.

Examples of the media each social class may consume:

A: Question time, The Times, The South Bank Show

B: QI, University challenge, The Independent

C1: 8 out of Ten Cats, Mock the Week, Daily Mail

C2: Ugly Betty, Scrubs, Friends

D: The Sun, Coronation Street, Big Brother

E: Trisha, The Star, X-Factor.

Task seven:

Write a report detailing the equipment you will be using to aid the creation of your production and how you are going to use it.

I shall be using Panasonic DVX-100-B camera, or a small handheld camera to film my single camera drama. I shall record my footage using a DV tape which will then be uploaded to iMovie HD so that I can edit my clips and add effects such as black and white or flash. I will have to use a tripod to film the scenes where a steady hand is required. However, I may not use a tripod in some scenes to add a specific effect (eg. Point of view shot, running after another character). I may also use some artificial lighting. I could choose from two lighting rigs. One which replicates daytime light and one which replicates the type of light we see at nighttime. I will be using sites such as Keepvid.com to obtain the soundtrack to my single camera drama. We may also need to use Audacity to amplify the sound of the voiceovers we will record on the Edirol R-09 voice recorder. We may also have to use Garageband to convert our voiceover to Mp3 after editing in Audacity.

Task eight:

Write a treatment for your single camera drama.

My single camera drama will be a short advertisement/ trailer for a horror film. Contrasting with the usual codes and conventions of a horror film trailer, we will not be showing the title of the film at the beginning of the trailer, this will create an enigma as the audience will not be given a clue as to what the film is about. I will be using a black and white effect on all the clips throughout the film. The black and white effect shall connote an eery atmosphere, typical of the horror genre. Additionally, I will raise the contrast on selected clips to really bring out the darkness in the shots, juxta-positioning the darkness against the few spots of light space. Our trailer will be based around the old school building, thus taking advantage of the building's unusual architecture to enhance the horror conventions in our narrative. We will be using a flashing effect to quicken the pace towards the end of the trailer, in order to mimic the heartbeat of a person as they become more frightened. However, the flashes will be of a blank black screen in order to signify darkness. The film will be begin with an establishing shot of the building, panning from left to right, enabling all surroundings to be included in the shot. We will be using a non-diagetic music bed throughout the trailer, we shall be choosing a track that fits with the atmosphere and pace of the clips in order to really influence the reactions of the audience. We will be using point of view shots and a handheld camera to symbolise a chase towards the end of the film which will then fade to a dark screen creating a sense of foreboading and an enigma. A diagetic scream will then be heard anchoring the film as "frightening", the title of the film and the date it will be released will then fade onto the screen in a classic font juxta-positioned against the black background.

Task nine:

Create a storyboard illustrating some of the camera shots you will be using in your production.

Task ten:

Create a production schedule.

Task eleven:

Fill in a risk assessment for your group's single camera drama.

My finished production:

Multi-Camera Techniques (Live TV)

Task one:

Define multi camera techniques.

Using a multi camera format is essential to programs such as soap operas (i.e Eastenders, Coronation street) and programs which use a live audience such as game shows (Crystal maze) and panel shows (Big brother's little brother). The advantage to using a multi camera set up is that it is less expensive and takes less time to make the final product as there is no need to reshoot scenes when you need to see them from a different angle. Another advantage is that there are less continuity issues such as differences in the weather or differences in the actor/actress/surroundings. One of the advantages in live television programs is that using a multi camera set up allows immediacy as the viewers can see the audience's immediate reaction to something without having to wait for the camera to move to the right place to obtain the shot. To create multi camera studio shot a minimum of four cameras are usually used. The two cameras that are furthest away will usually be used for close-ups of the protagonists/ most active characters, whereas the central cameras are used to provide the audience watching from their television sets with a view of the room and the overall surroundings as well as things that may be happening in the background or in other areas of the room. While shooting, the director and the assistant director switch between the cameras in use in order to create the most effective program.

Task two:

Create a written report that explains the techniques used in the clips.

Kraftwork: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMZdJePz62I&feature=player_embedded) The large amount of movement in the camera shots contrasts with the stationary band, adding interest to the video and keeping the audience entertained and also outlining how the band are different from other bands. The video begins with a surveying pan shot from the air moving towards the band in order to display the surroundings to the viewer and establish what is going on. Surveying pan's normally build to a climax, in this case it builds up to when the beat of the song begins. The camera then moves through the green hangings on the roof towards the band using a track in which ends with a long shot of the four band members. The video never uses close ups which creates a sense of mystery around the band and also gives them almost inhuman qualities which back up the technicality of the performance. The camera often shoots from a high angle or a birds eye view which normally takes away the power from the person in the shot, however in this case it doesn't do this as I believe the frequent use of arial shots is to show the viewer the size or the room and therefore the success of the band. A low shot is also used which makes the band seem powerful. The jump cuts from shot to shot match the rhythm of the music. This could also be described as a cutting rhythm which enhances the tension in the music and makes the video seem more futuristic and interesting.

Fashion: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7Yv6e-T6WA&feature=player_embedded) Camera shots which ped up or ped down are used to highlight the clothes, then there is a close up of the model's face as she pulls a pose. High angle shots are used which connote that the viewer is in power. There is a repetitive sequence of shots, presumably used so not to distract the viewer from the clothing as the clothing is what they are trying to sell. The close up highlights the serious face of the models, showing professionalism and connoting seriousness. I.e fashion is a serious matter. Wide angle shots are used to show the mirrors and reflective surfaces that surround the models which could connote vanity. The only things that show movement in the room are the models which demonstrates that they are holding the floor and that they are what your eyes should be drawn to. The close ups on the clothing show the detail and quality of the clothing which adds to the likelihood of the clothing being sold. The camera shots also allow both the front and the back of the model to be shown, therefore allowing the viewer to see the clothing from all angles/viewpoints. Jump cuts are used in time with the music to quicken the pace and add interest to the video. The video shows evidence of a cutting rhythm. The cameras used are reasonably static which suggests that they do not want to distract the viewer from their selling point.

Task three:

Produce a mind-map of ideas that develops your plan.

Task four:

Create a table that lists all the equipment that will be needed and a set design that clearly illustrates how you will be setting up the studio.

This is the plan that we put together for how our studio will be set up when we film the program, it will make sure that when we set up we put the equipment in the correct places.

We will also need the following equipment in order to produce our live show, this includes the following: three Panasonic AG-DUX 100B cameras, two Panasonic TH-650 DU Tripods, one Manfrotto 1005 BAC floodlight, two chairs, backdrop, Mackie ONYX 1640 Mixer, microphones and script stands.

Task five:

Create a final shooting script and floor plan for your multi-camera program.

Task six:

Complete a risk assessment form.

This is a risk assessment that I produced in the planning of my show for Friday World, this ensured that risks on set were prepared for meaning that the possibility of someone being injured was reduced. Risk assessments must be completed in a professional environment.

Research Techniques

Market Research:

Market research is a key aspect of a business strategy, it is used to gain information on customers or markets. It is essential in order to get an advantage over other competitors in the same field. Market research can help a business to identify the competition, the market need and the market size.

Audience profiling: I have used this in task six in the advertising for tv unit when giving examples of the types of media that different social classes will watch.

Audience data: I have included audience data in task one of understanding industries when giving percentages of the amount of people who have satellite tv in their homes.

Consumer behavior: This has been included in my advertising for tv unit in tasks one and two when analysing adverts and how the advertisers persuade consumers to buy their products.

Competitor analysis: This was used in the advertising for tv unit when looking at other adverts and analysing the competition. This information was used in tasks one to five.

Advertising effects: This has been used throughout the advertising for tv unit when describing the different effects that advertisements have on their viewers, examples of this can be found in tasks one and two.

Production research:

Production research describes the process in which a business investigates the key factors needed to create a successful, practical media product such as a film or a television program.

Viability: This was used in task eleven on the single camera drama unit when filling in a health and safety form/ risk assessment.

Costs: Costs are discussed in task one in the single camera drama unit when explaining the advantages and disadvantages of single and multi-camera set ups.

Locations: These were considered throughout the production of our single camera drama as we had to leave school premises in order to generate the right effect in our film.

Facilities: We used the school's facilities when creating all of our practical work such as our advertisements and single camera drama because we do not posses the correct equipment or software at home. Evidence of this is present throughout the single camera drama unit and the advertising for tv unit.

Placement: This is evidenced in task nine of the single camera drama unit when researching the types of shots and where to place items for our practical product.

Resource procedures:
Resource procedures are the processes in which a company gains information in order to build their idea and create the final product. The internet is an example of a useful resource as it allows users to access websites containing a wide range of information concerning almost any subject matter. Loaning equipment can also be classed as a resource procedure as it is another way to gain the resources needed.

Borrowing materials: During the production of our advertisements and single camera dramas, we had to use the school's equipment like as cameras and voice recorders, we also had to use their software such as iMovie and Garageband to edit our productions. This can be evidenced in task seven of the single camera drama unit and can also be evidenced in the TV advertising unit.

Search methods, search engines: I used the search engine "Google" (http://www.google.co.uk) throughout the process of completing this course, I used it to define terms I wasn't sure of, find relevant information for individual tasks such as task six in the unit titled understanding industries for which I needed to discover information on jobs in the media industry.
Search methods, subject indexes: When researching employment equality for task ten in the understanding industries unit, I accessed a website containing a subject index (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/1031/contents/made) which made it a lot easier to find the specific area of the regulations I needed to research.
Reference only sources: I used the internet to find websites containing information, some of which I used in my written work . I referenced these sources throughout the entire of unit seven, understanding industries. The sources that I have used in my work include Wikipedia (http://www.wikipedia.org/), BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/) and ITV (http://www.itv.com/).

Types of research:
Quantitative research is research which highly relies on mathematical data such as figures and percentages. It uses quantities and quantifiable data . It provides information on aspects such as where, when and what rather than going into depth about why the data specified has occurred. I provided quantitative data in task one of my understanding industries unit when specifying how many households had invested in satellite television. I also had to consider programme ratings and circulation figures when analysing advertisements in the TV advertising unit in order to predict the most effective time slot for certain adverts.
Qualitative research is much more descriptive than its twin, focusing on how and why the data evidenced by processes such as market research have occurred. This type of data can be anything from audience attitudes to behaviours of consumers. In terms of qualitative data, I have included attitudes towards media products when analysing advertisements in tasks one, two and three of the TV advertising unit. These tasks could also be classified as advert reviews as I have evaluated them on ow effective they are.

Primary sources:

Primary sources are sources of information that are obtained directly by the person using the information on a first hand basis rather than something that has been reproduced by someone else on a website on the internet. Examples of primary sources are interviews or anything that has been produced in your own means.

Audience panels: When preparing for the evaluation of our single camera drama, we allowed our class to watch the production in order to get feedback which we later included in our evaluation of the the product. This can be found in task twelve of the single camera drama unit. It can also be found in the evaluation of our advertisement in the TV advertising unit as we followed the same process.
Self generated, own audio: When creating our single camera drama we recorded some people singing a song and then edited the tone and pitch on Garageband, we then added this into the credits of our single camera drama. This can be found in the single camera drama unit.
Questionnaires: I formed some questionnaires in task nine of my TV advertising unit in order to gain information on what kinds of advert that my peers preferred.

Self generated, own video: My own video can be found in the final productions of the TV advertising unit and the single camera drama unit. This can be evidenced in the treatment of the single camera drama unit which is task eight.

Secondary sources:

A secondary source is something such as a document on the internet or an interview recorded by someone else that releases information that was originally presented elsewhere. This contrasts with a primary source which is the original source of information. Examples of secondary sources are books, music that belongs to other people and reference based journals.
Published statistics: I included these in task one of my understanding industries unit when looking at how many people had satellite television in their homes.
Worldwide web: I used the internet throughout my understanding industries unit when researching each different task such as the types of contracts that were available at the BBC. Evidence of this can be found throughout the unit due to referencing.
Audio material: We included audio material found in the software Garageband to add effect when creating our single camera drama. This can be found in the single camera drama unit.
Interviews: I looked at an interview with Rupert Murdoch when researching for task one of my understanding industries unit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQSKRWXyFw8&feature=player_embedded) and added a relevant quotation to back up my findings.

Interpreting results:

Interpreting results refers to the process in which after gathering a range of opinions, they must be transformed into an easily accessible format in order for the producer to be able to use them to their full potential. These formats could be graphs, tables, summaries or evaluations. This is an important process because it helps to gain an incline of what the consumer wants.
Evaluating: I have evaluated the successfulness of my production in task twelve of my single camera drama unit, this has included the opinions that I gathered from my peers on what they would have liked to have seen improved.
Summarising: I summarised the results of my questionnaire in task nine of the TV advertising unit. This helped me to wade through the raw data on order to discovers which parts would benefit the outcome of my production.

Consumer Categorisation:

Consumer categorisation is completed in the post production stage of development, research must be conducted on target audiences, the data collected consisting of age, gender, social class, political views and more. This makes it easier for a producer to release a product that will be successful in a specific consumer market.

Occupational groups: In task six of my TV advertising unit I produced a consumer table focusing on the subject of social class which depends on their occupational groups, I used this to to try and predict the types of media that each social class would demonstrate a preference towards.
Gender: When analysing the Honda advertisement in task one of the TV advertising unit, I chose a specific gender category that I believed it was aimed towards, this being men.
Age: Similarly to the analysis of the Honda advertisement, in task three of the TV advertising unit I chose to analyse an additional advert, this being the Iron Bru laptop advert. I wrote that by using the Snowman animation, this anchored the audience towards younger viewers.

Research Techniques:

There are a variety of ways that research can be presented for viewing, it is essential that one presents information in a coherent manner that can be easily understood by those that you intend to display it to.

Visual aids: In task nine of my single camera drama unit I produced a storyboard and uploaded it onto my blog in order to illustrate the types of shots that we would include in our production as it was genre specific (horror) and certain conventions had to be included. In task nine of my TV advertising unit I included graphs which put the data from my questionnaire into an easily readable format.
Style: I have presented my information in a formal style throughout all of the units as I believe that this is the way that my information and views would have been conveyed if they had been completed in a professional environment.
Written: The majority of my work has been presented on this blog in a word processed format, this can be evidenced throughout the entire of the understanding industries units as well as in some areas of the other units that I have completed.

Research Content:
The content of my research must consist of factual information that is both relevant and insightful in order to remain valid in the eyes of those who read it.
Research data: During the TV advertising unit, I had to discover consumer views on which types of advertising they preferred, I created a questionnaire in order to do this and this can be seen in task nine of the unit specified.
Research findings: Findings from research that I conducted can be found throughout the Understanding industries unit of this blog in a word processed format. In the beginning I possessed little knowledge on the subjects I needed to write about so conducted research using various resources in order to present accurate findings.
Procedures: In my single camera unit I had to specify which equipment and software I would be using to complete the production and post-production of my single camera drama, this can be evidenced by viewing task seven. I also included a screen shot of a storyboard to signify our planning during pre-production in task nine.

Quotations and Referencing:

Referencing information from secondary sources is an important aspect of presenting research as it means that those reading your findings can check if your information is true, increasing the validity of what you have produced. It also reduces the likelihood of crimes such as plaegerism. Using quotations can make your research more direct and interesting.
Quotations: During task one of my understanding industries unit I included a quote from Rupert Murdoch in order to include another view aside from my own in my research.
Referencing: I used the Harvard referencing system which included writing the URL or author of the source used and the date accessed throughout the entire of my understanding industries unit which meant that my own opinions were combined with the views and information presented by others.

Copyright:

The definition of copyright, what it entails, the different types of copyright and much more can be found in task ten of my understanding industries unit.
Quotation and citation: When including the quote in task one of my understanding industries unit I included references to the source to avoid any implications that may have occurred from violating copyright. I also cited various articles throughout this unit using the referencing system for the same reason.

Audio: I included audio produced by another source in my production of my single camera drama, the producer of which I stated to avoid copyright.