Unit 22 Assignment 1

Multi Camera and Single Camera Productions

A Single camera production is essentially a production, with one camera used. There's quite a few reasons why you would want to make a single camera production. Reasons such as you can spend more amounts or less amounts of money on more relevant/irrelevant things, such as spending money on your audience, your cast and your locations etc. if your using one camera you dont need a whole big crew costing you a lot of money. This means you can spend more money on one amazing quality camera instead of buying numerous cameras with less quality. You'd also make a single camera production if your filming in more than one location, if you're travelling around its much more efficient for you. Also If the production is a long production making it single camera is more reasonable due to expenses. Some films will use a single camera through out it but for expensive stunts more cameras are used to capture the moment. if you use a single camera for a big stunt theres a good chance that your not going to capture the stunt. Some viewers would like a single camera production because it has more of a personal and 1st person kind of feel to it. 
A Multi Camera production means the cameras are in "fixed locations. Usually found in sitcom settings and TV presenting shows such as the news. It means that the audience can get a view of multiple prospectives. If the shows were shot as single camera productions the pace of the show would be massively effected and the camera would constantly be changing positions. Using a multi camera production gives a more interesting feel to what you're watching, for example if your watching football seeing all the different angles and views make the game interesting, imagine if it was a single camera production and all they'd be able to do is a simple pan left to right of the pitch. There are however some disadvantages to multi camera productions, such as the costing. It would be much more expensive. Other problems could be things such as audio syncing. 

Narrative

A Linear narrative is a consistent story that flows from beginning to end in chronological order, for example The character wakes up, goes out, comes back and goes to bed. A Linear narrative insists that there are no flashbacks or flash forwards and most likely no voice overs in the script. However, a non linear narrative is obviously the opposite, things that make a narrative non linear are things such as flashbacks that reveal exposition and a back story, for example, back to the future would be a good example of Non linear narrative. Open endings are endings that leave people with unanswered questions, usually seen in films that have a sequel to be released, such as harry potter, at the end of one of the later films its just a closing shot of the enemy shooting a beam into the sky then it cuts to a black screen then the credits roll up. This leaves the audience watching and wondering, then when the next film comes out they pick up from that point. Its a really good way of getting more money in a sense, If you give people a reason to watch the next film your obviously going to make more money. A Closed ending is the opposite, all questions are answered and the audience is left with full knowledge of whats happened in the film.

3 Act Structure

A 3 act structure is usually starts off with exposition and a backing story into the characters life, what they do in their day to day life and their relationships etc. Later in the first act it's common that some form of issue will occur for the protagonist. Then the character will usually attempt to sort the issue out which leads to the first turning point in the storyline which is usually the signal of the close of the first act. Then a dramatic question is raises a dramatic question that will be answered in the climax of the production. The question is framed in the terms of the character being called into taking action. for example, Will Larry Smith get the girl, Will Sam Jones beat the villains and so on. This is often reffered to as the inciting incident or other known as the catalyst. The second act is usually the protagonists attempts to resolve their issues but usually they wont be able to do it first time, there is always an issue, like a lack of something they need. Then they have the build up which is usually involving Co-protagonists and helpers, they then require the skills they need to complete their problems and then the second act rounds to an end. The Third act features the climax scene where the protagonist completes there problems, or if its an open ending narrative they may possibly not complete there problems.  

                                      Formats
There are many types of Formats.

- Series ( Numerous episodes and is continuous ) - (Shameless, Gavin and Stacey and Benidorm)
- One off (films) - (Face off, This is the End and Sleepy Hollow)
- Genre (Comedies, Horror etc) - (For Example, Step brothers, is a comedy)
- Linear (When the story flows from beginning to end)  - (Friends with benefits is a good example of a story line that just starts, has a plot, and ends)
- Non Linear (Opposite of Linear) - (.

- Flashback (Usually in a narrative, Reveals back story)
- Realistic (Set in a real world and story)
- Non realistic (surreal and non realistic storylines)
- Open ending (leaves a cliffhanger)
- Closed ending (All questions are answered)

Technical codes

Technical codes are used for giving the story a sense of definition and gives the audience a certain feel, things like the shot size and the actually camera angles give different feels. If you have two men arguing in a mid shot and then it cuts to a zoomed up then it gives the audience vibes of tension and maybe competition between the men, the lighting will also play apart on this, if you have a very greyscale dull lighting then the chances are its not going to be a positive scene. Different camera angles and lighting give the audience different connotations of what to expect. This is why technical codes are important. they give the production a deeper meaning.

Reservoir dogs is a single camera production. it has many technical codes used throughout, a great example of this is the infamous torture scene where Mr Blonde. At the start of this scene its a kind of over the shoulder shot of the tied up hostage and mr blonde is tracked walking infront of him and around him, it shows Mr Blonde higher up to the hostage by using a low camera angle, this shows dominance to Mr Blonde and tells the Audience hes the guy to fear. The colour wash and the look of the scene is quite dull, this is to show its a not so much scary, but more of a grusom and a negative scene, A contrapuntal Non diagetic sound track is used of a cheery song. During a torture scene? why? this is to create a sense of weirdness and let the audience know how twisted Mr Blond really is. As the music starts we get a close up of the hostages face covered in blood and his face showing fear. M Blonde cuts off the ear of his hostage, but we dont see anything? this leaves room for imagination. Then the camera pans off into the corner and returns to Mr Blonde with the hostages ear in his hand and he starts speaking into the ear. then we know what has happened to the man tied up.