Unit 23: Multi-Camera Techniques

The use of multi-camera can be very important for such formats as concerts, sports and other live events as well as studio productions like chat shows. Fictional programmes can also utilise the multi-camera setup, sitcoms for example, that are filmed in front of a studio audience like "Friends" or "King of Queens." Films can also use multi-cam even though for the most part they use single-cam, but for action and stunt scenes using multi-cam can make it easier to pick up all of the fast action faster.

Below is an example of a fairly simple multi-cam set up 

As you can see with this image you can have cameras 1 and 3 situated OTS of the guest and host while camera 2 can get a shot of both of them, this means that you can get the scene shot a lot quicker that having to do each shot individually.

If you wanted to shoot something realistic like a documentary or a found footage style film, you wouldn't usually use multi-cam as it would break the sense of realism with the frequent shot changes.

In terms of editing you would want the cuts to be smooth so that the audience doesn't really notice what the cameras are doing. With shot choice you need to make sure that what your getting is relevant to whats going on and is as interesting as possible.

This video is an example of when a multi-camera system is very beneficial, you can imagine how much less professional the coverage would look if was done with just a single camera. The use of multi-cam in this instance is a great way to keep the audience interested with the changing of angles and shots, as you often see watching football matches when nothing much is happening on the pitch they sometimes show a shot of someone interesting in the crowd which can make it seem more watchable. this can backfire however as regulars ITV have proved that a loss of concentration on the game and an important moment is missed, which wouldn't have happened if there was one camera and or one focus.

The multi-camera system can be vital to make a good show for almost any live event, it is also essential to create any real fast paced looking production, and faster paced to make.