Understanding of single camera productions, including relevant techniques benefits and weaknesses.  

Single Camera Production 

Single camera production is a any type of production ( film, music video, tv show etc) using a single camera, this is normally used in low budget films. This requires a lot of editing and is more easy to make continuity errors as you have to film some scenes again from different angles.  Single camera production has benefits and disadvantages. Some of the benefits are it's doesn't cost much as your only using one camera, easier to set up than multiple camera, and don't have to worry about another camera seeing another camera in a shot.  The disadvantages of using a single camera is your limited to filming as you can only film one shot at a time this means you have to keep moving the equipment as well and all the footage is on one camera, so if the camera/sd card storage is damaged is lost or corrupted then you lose all that footage. 

Continuity Errors 

Have to look for it more in single camera production as you have to keep re-filming the same scene at different angles. It's easy for objects and stuff to move, example glass in one hand the next shot it's in the other hand. With multi-camera it's easier to not do  this as you have 4 cameras from different angles, shooting the same take. 

Brief

For this unit we had to make a drama titled "Released". The specifications were that it was to be shot with a single camera and be between 4 and 5 minutes.

Storyline

The story of our drama follows the life of two best friends called Hugo and Stevie. Their friendship is tested when an old school bully known as Trevor comes between them and murders Hugo, leaving Stevie with the blame. Stevies sanity and trust are put to the test when he becomes locked in what he thinks is his bedroom with the ghost of his now dead best friend. He must come to terms with the death of his friend and prove to a detective investigating his case that he is sane and innocent. 

Characters

Hugo (Dylan Finnie) - One that gets killed

Stevie (Bailey Cooke) - One that gets accused 

Trevor Fowler (Rob Batson) - The murderer 

Detective Lance (Lewis Hall) - The person who is investigating the murder

Locations/Environment

Park (Bourne valley) - This is where the boys school bully is first encountered, it is also where Hugo is murdered. This location is used in the first scenes of the drama and then again in the last scenes during a flashback. 

Interrogation room (Studio) - Stevie is questioned by Detective Lance here.

Stevies bedroom (Lewis' house) - This is the room where Stevie must overcome his dilemma and primarily where most of the monologues will occur.

Equipment/Assets

Because the specifications of this unit are to use a single camera the equipment needed should be minimal. We will use a tripod to keep shots still when we need still shots for manual camera focusing.

Cinematography

Seeing as in this unit we are only going to be using a single camera the cinematographer working the camera in our production will only have to focus on using the one camera and any other single equipment that comes with it. Because our story in this unit will heavily be showing two sides of one character the different scenes and personalities will most likely be identified by two different camera or editing techniques. For example depressing scenes at the characters home may have a darker lighting choice whereas scenes where the character is at school may appear brighter. 

Prop list

Watch

Knife

Files and Folder

Pens and Paper

Food and Tray

Casual Bedroom objects

Computer

Phone

Evidence Tray

The target audience for are film is between 16-22 years old. We 

Hugo Dalton – Played by Dylan Finnie

Blue eyes, blonde hair, aged 19

Hugo is an outgoing fun loving guy who’s not afraid to speak his mind and say it how it is. He’s not a serious character and can be quite immature at times but he does love his best friend Steve.

Hugo has grown up never really knowing his mother as she died when he was young and he now lives alone after moving away from his father as soon as he was of age. Hugo doesn’t like to talk about his father as their relationship is somewhat distant, often when the topic of his father is arisen as a topic he turns it over to ‘your mum’ jokes.  Hugo mostly concerns himself with his friend Steve and always tries to look out for him like a brother as they have always been childhood best friends and able to rely on each other throughout their lives. Hugo is a confident person and is quite sociable, he is liked by most people but tends to only stay close to his friend Steve because of his daddy issues.

Stevie Green -  Played by Tom Hordle 

Blue eyes, blonde hair, aged 19

Stevie is an indoor person who spends most of his time at home, watching films and playing video games. Hugo is always trying to get him outside into the real world but Stevie remains reluctant having a lazy life style reinforced by his full time single caring mum. Stevie has always been quite dispassionate about things since his dad ran away when he was at a young age, even not bothering to find further education or work after completing his average level GCSE’s he now remains idle and on benefits. If not for his friends encouragement to go to the parties and other social gatherings he is invited to he would remain inside his room 24/7.

Trevor Fowler – Played by Rob Batson

Trevor Fowler – Aged 19

Brown eyes, brown Hair

Coming from a household full of domestic abuse Trevor has not had things easy. He would always be on the streets with his mates, picking on vulnerable people. In school Trevor was always at arms with Hugo and Stevie, mostly hostile towards Hugo means he has had more than a few fist fights against Stevie who was always the one to defend his friend.   

We will use intercuts in are film for establishing and location shots, this is to set the scene for the film. We will do a establishing shot everytime we change the scene.  

• Establishing shots 
• Location shots