Analysis of Single Camera Production Movies

What is single camera production

Single camera production is a product of media that is shot with a single camera setup. It gives the ability to do various takes of the same/various shots, which gives each shots a more polished effect and better directed reaction shots, which in turn gives a enhanced experience for the audience. It also allows each shot to be carefully controlled and keeps a constant continuous narrative from a non-linear standpoint. Decisions could be made during post-production editing in each scene that is shot, and then it is usually cut back to forth between two (sometimes more) angles. This also allows parts of scenes to be deleted if felt, by the director, that it is too long. In play, sometimes two cameras are shooting from the exact same angle; one to capture a shot and the other a close up during a take.

The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead is a single camera drama which uses flash-forwards, as well as flashbacks to add context to the scene and to add more depth to characters. This shows that it has a non-linear structure and storyline. The show also shows a wide range of camera and editing techniques to express emotion in the characters that are in the show. This creates more of a engaging viewing for the viewers, as they watch the characters as they develop and evolve. An illustration of this can be shown from Season 4 Episode 8 when they use close-ups of two characters faces to create a sympathetic feel in the audience whilst at the same time showing complete hatred towards the other.

The Walking Dead is set in the bright daytime of the USA but a lot of lighting equipment is still needed, just so that every facial feature and structure of a person/zombie's face is not misused, or misrepresented. Lighting isn't really needed as much in the show, as the directors want to create a feel of realistic atmosphere and set-scene for the viewer, as it creates more personal relation the characters and the audience. It also creates more of a immersive world for the audience to indulge in. They can relate to characters going through person vs self. For example the character Bob Stookey is an alcoholic due to his time in the army. He saw his friends die and started to drink and when the whole world turned into a Zombieland. He yet again saw his friends get eaten or turned by a walker. Another example Morgan. His wife was turned during the start of season 1 but was able to cope due to his son still being alive, but this changed as his son was turned by his (used to be) wife. He then went kinda insane and just became a hermit, until he found a different purpose when joining a militia. This shows how the character develop in the walking dead and how they are emotionally carried.

Game Of Thrones

Game of thrones is a fantasy genre series filmed using single camera. It features a non-linear storyline with it happening from different character perspectives, usually these different character perspectives cross-over to include a lot characters stories at once this helps keep continuity and also keeps the story fresh and new, the setting appears to be a realistic one (based on medieval Europe) however as the story progresses it becomes clear that the series has a non-realist setting as dragons, giants, dire wolfs and other mystical entities/dayates and extinct animals appear. Game Of Thrones is majority of the time is located outside, therefore not that much of lighting is really needed needed. However, in 'The Rains of Castamere', very dim and dark lighting is necessary, but not too bright as a dark and dull lighting is needed for the scene, which creates a gritter, darker undertone to the story telling to that episode. Most of the light is created by the candles located around the halls, houses, castles and strongholds, however lighting equipment is still needed to capture important vital moments to the story, such as when a dim pale orange light is place above this character, so that the viewer can see every expression of emotional pain, anguish and condemnation that the character is going through. After Catelyn Stark loses her husband, has her son crippled and her home. She then witnesses her son killed right in front of her. This is a person vs self. She has an inner self conflict for 5 mins and then that inner conflict consuming her. This leads her to threaten Lord frey to leave her son alone or she’ll slit one his daughters neck (which she had a knife too), who is currently near death, but he instead kills him. So this then leads her to be a person vs person as she acts upon revenge by killing one of his daughters. This end with her getting her neck slit by the lannisters.

In Game of Thrones there's a lot of special effects, camera work, editing and lighting are needed to make the White Walkers as intimidating, potent, skin crawling scary as possible. This is revealed through creating mystery through the editing, lighting, and camera shots. Editing, lighting, and camera work is incredibly important for the white walkers as in the first couple of seasons, this is all used to create mystery, build up and intrigue, by making it incredibly difficult to make out the facial features of the white walker, but only revealing the shape and size of the white walker. This build up only lasts until about season 2, where a close-up shot is used to finally unveil the mystery and show all the features of the enemy.

Lost

Lost was a single-camera editing for a drama series. It has a non-linear storyline and uses a variety editing techniques to make it an grabbing show to audiences. In Lost, a lot of cross-cut shots are used to create mystery and suspense, which there to make the audience ask questions. The storyline is jammed packed with plot twists and and character development golor. For example Hurley from the get-go is a very likeable character. He always takes care of people and shows his innocent, but his looks are deceiving since as his character develops. He is shown to be a good survival and lasts the entire series, while other characters that look like they should survive, die.

A lot of different camera techniques are used to create full focus on something or someone, or to create fear/suspense. It needs to be located outside due to the amount of space needed to capture the shot (plus the entire story is set outside), but shouldn't have outside light tarnishing the darkish atmosphere. This is to avoid using bright blaring lights to create unnatural light, rather than natural. Also, when it is filmed at night; the scene in the series is set in daytime. The dim lighting exposes the darkness and emphasises on the gritty, dirty setting in which the characters are set in. This makes the audience feel as if this is an entire different world, as the editors make a post explosive and crash like setting, emphasising the point of the show. That they are lost.