How many cameras do I need?

S

shaun_au

Active member
Hi guys,

I'm working on a project which has a typical dinner table two shot("I" pattern). So ideally, you will have one master shot with the couple sitting on each side of the table(side view). Plus, two OTS(over the shoulder) shots for the dialogue between the couple. Since I only have 1 camera, is there' any other cheaper ways I can shoot without having to rent additional cameras? With only 1 camera, I might have to do multiple takes with the camera in different places. If I do that, then the dialogue may not be fluent or coherent as doing in 1 take.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Shaun
 
Re: How many cameras do I need?

If I were you just stick to 1 camera. Having a bunch of cameras here and there will require additional operators which will take even more time to set up. It's the cheapest way. If you want your movie to look good, take your time and have fun..
 
Re: How many cameras do I need?

I think you'll find that, even though running two cameras will help with dialog consistancy, it'll make lighting a major nightmare. It'll be tough to get it to look good from both angles. Just use one camera and tell your actors to be as consistant as possible. If they're pros (or have some acting background) they are used to that.
 
Re: How many cameras do I need?

It also all depends on the type of show you're doing. We just did a sitcom pilot with two cameras, and it made things enormously faster. But sitcom lighting is typically high-key, big softlights everywhere type of lighting, so there's really no difference between angles.

If you're doing dramatic narrative stuff with moody lighting and shadows and such, yes, two cameras can really hamper your quality. Even though you might get through the shots quicker, they won't likely look as good as they could have if you'd just lit and shot for one camera.
 
Re: How many cameras do I need?

[quote author=Barry_Green link=board=news;num=1108680126;start=0#3 date=02/17/05 at 19:22:08]It also all depends on the type of show you're doing.  We just did a sitcom pilot with two cameras, and it made things enormously faster.  But sitcom lighting is typically high-key, big softlights everywhere type of lighting, so there's really no difference between angles.

If you're doing dramatic narrative stuff with moody lighting and shadows and such, yes, two cameras can really hamper your quality.  Even though you might get through the shots quicker, they won't likely look as good as they could have if you'd just lit and shot for one camera.[/quote]


Thanks guys. These suggestions are helpful. My project is a small dramatic narrative piece. Yes, the lighting needs to look a bit more natural(not as staged as sitcoms). But then there's another question. If I set up lighting differently each time, would my light source/s look too faked? I mean the lighting seems changing constantly according to the actor I'm shooting at.
 
Re: How many cameras do I need?

The lighting doesn't necessarily change a lot between shots, but it does get adjusted so that it looks best for each angle. Usually you'll have a "motivated" light source, something that's in the frame (or implied to be in the frame) where the main light is coming from... like a window, or a practical lamp, something like that... so you keep your key light coming from that same general direction when you change setups. If you go moving your key around, then it can look quite distracting, but as long as you're keying from the same general place, you can then tweak and adjust to make each shot look flabbergastingly brilliant, while not losing believability.
 
Re: How many cameras do I need?

For what it's worth, my understanding is that even big-budget films are generally shot with one camera at a time. It's one of the few things we are on an even footing with the big boys.

Of course that doesn't count special shots like stunts, pyro, etc.
 
Re: How many cameras do I need?


two cameras gets really expensive.

the advice given was wonderful, especially barry's comments on lighting.

two cameras does make sense if you do live stuff so you can have one master shot through the whole show and then one camera for close-ups or crowd shots.

that way you can experiment with the second camera knowing you have the safety shot. i always consider the master shot camera to be the safety because its on a tripod locked down and no matter what you should get a good solid recording of the performance.

i have done some work with two dvx-100's for a cable tv public access show and it was wonderful but we had extra people to log the footage and we were both competent dvx users.

i just got my second dvx and i'm looking for strategies for using it without it becoming bothersom or overly complicated.

one of my main uses will be to get a wide and a medium shot of the same things so i can cut back and forth later without worry that one take isn't as good as the other.

i think a lot of it depends on the size of the crew too.

matthew
 
Re: How many cameras do I need?

To make the best of it Film one actor at a time saying their lines with the camera on one of them the whole time and have the other actor/s say their lines do it a couple of different angles and then switch actors and do it over in post you'll have to match it up but it Looks SO PROFESSIONAL trust me.
 
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