Format:
In video there are two different types of production, a single camera production and a multi camera production. A single camera production is when the series or episode of a show is filmed with just one camera throughout. Single camera production is usually used for low budget productions, such as music videos, sitcoms, prime time dramas and advertisements. There are many advantages of using a single camera to film a production, such as it will cost less than using multiple cameras, the director has a lot more control over each shot, only using one camera gives you more freedom as to where you'll be filming because you won't have to take into account transport as much as you will only have one camera to carry around with you. You can do pretty much everything with a single camera production as a multi camera production, however it may just take you much longer to film it than if you had multiple cameras set up, however if you're on a low budget then a single camera production costs a lot less to make as there isn't as much equipment to be hired. There are many examples of single camera productions such as:
| http://groups.inf.ed.ac.uk/teaching/slipa/images/karol/SingleCamera.png (22/01/2016) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parks_and_Recreation (22/01/2016) |
Multi-camera productions are productions that are made by using more than one camera. There are many benefits to this such as:
Other examples of multi-camera productions include shows such as: The Jeremy Kyle show, Eastenders, Coronation Street, Mrs Browns Boys etc. These kind of shows would take too long to film if they were single-camera productions as there would have to be too much adjusting of the camera to get different angles of the people in the frame. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple-camera_setup#/media/File:Multicamera-diagram.png (22/01/2016) http://cdn.itv.com/uploads/show/show_branding_logo/10/BQvLoc7ULXHt2bDaYMoDrpK4AWp8TPPjmneYnap7yaI.png (06/02/2016) |
A series is a group of television programs that are broadcasted regularly on a certain channel. Often this includes them being broadcasted either once a week on a certain day at a certain time or several times a week at a certain time. A few examples of TV series are:
| https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattoo_Fixers (22/01/2016) |
A single is a production broadcasted on a TV channel and there is only one of them. They are often either a documentary about a particular topic. They will be broadcasted once on one channel and not again, as well as only being shown once, they don't have a sequel or another episode after the first one.
Genre:
In film and TV there are many different genres. A genre is a particular style of television show or film, some television programs and films fit into more than one genre. Some examples of genres are: action, comedy, horror, thriller, classic etc.
http://cdn.collider.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Karate-Kid-movie-poster-450x600.jpg (06/02/2016) | A contemporary film or TV program is a show or a film that deals with modern day issues, they are often based on issues happening in the world at a given time or issues that have happened recently. Shows or films that are within the contemporary genre often steer away from a cliché happy ending. Contemporary films/TV programs are set in modern day. Some of examples of contemporary films include the following:
| http://rebrn.com/re/a-collection-of-posters-of-great-movies-in-a-size-to-put-up-on-y-599826/ (06/02/2016) |
https://wolffianclassicmoviesdi gest.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/the-godfather-movie-poster-1020243893.jpg (06/02/2016) | A crime film or TV program is a show or film based around crime, often within these films the theme is based around one or several criminals and their life as being a criminal. Many crime films are based on real life stories of criminals that have either served their time in prison or are still serving it. As well as films or programs based on real life experiences, there are many crime stories that are made up for the purpose of the program/film. The crime genre is arguably one of the most popular not just with TV programs but also with films as there are many themes that can be argued such as gender, race, politics and age within the program/film. A few examples of crime shows/films include:
| https://originalvintagemovieposters.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/PULP-FICTION-2100.jpg (06/02/2016) |
http://netflixlife.com/2016/01/05/new-girl-season-4-is-now-on-netflix/ (06/02/2016) | A comedy genre is a film or TV program specifically made to amuse the audience. Comedy is also a popular genre, especially within TV as comedians have found that making their tours into a program or DVD they can gain more recognition. The majority of comedy films and TV programs are made up, purely to amuse its target audience. Most of the themes within a comedy are exaggerated as well as the cast being exaggerated as this way the audience find it more amusing to watch, comedy films/TV programs almost always end with a happy ending, to keep the happy, laughing theme consistent throughout. Some examples of comedy TV shows/films include:
| http://filmonic.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/paul-movie-poster.jpg (06/02/2016) |
https://upload.wikimedia.org/ wikipedia/en/1/16/ 24_Hours_in_A%26E.png (06/02/2016) | Medical productions are based around hospitals and the care that doctors/nurses etc provide to patients. Many of these productions are television based and show the audience either in a drama style way or a real life situation what it is like to work within a hospital or how going to a hospital affects peoples lives in different ways. These styles of films/TV programs often include a lot of drama. 24 Hours in A&E is a good example of a medical production, the program first started airing in 2011 on Channel 4. The program is set in St George's hospital in London, within the program you see how accidents and illnesses affect patients lives and the people around them. Examples of such productions include:
| https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casualty_(TV_series)#/media/File:Casualty_2014_titlecard.png (06/02/2016) |
This is a clip from the TV program called 24 Hours in A&E, it shows what the program is about, providing an example of what happens within a hospital when a patient is admitted to A&E.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKn9AzKPFtY
(09/02/2016)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKn9AzKPFtY
(09/02/2016)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ The_Last_Kingdom_(TV_series)#/ media/File:The_Last_Kingdom_TV _series_titlecard.jpg (07/02/2016) | A costume drama is a production where the costumes play a huge part of the whole outcome of the show/film. The costumes are often over-exaggerated, this is mainly done to clearly show the audience when the production is set. Although costumes are important in any production, the correct use of costumes within productions set within an 'older' period of time as they can show the audience clearly what particular era the show is set in. Also costume is very important in these types of productions because it often separates the more fortunate from the less fortunate by the use of costumes and props. A good example of a costume drama is Downton Abbey. Downton Abbey was a 6 season series shown on ITV 1 between 2010 and ended on 25th December 2015, this series was written by Julian Fellowes and produced by Brian Percival. The series was set in the 1800's, in the 1800's the clothes people worn were completely different to modern day, as a result of this, the choice of costume for the drama was important. Other examples of costume dramas include:
| https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downton_Abbey#/media/File:Downton_Abbey_season_1.jpg (07/02/2016) |
This clip from Downton Abbey clearly shows how the use of costume within the costume drama is important to show what era is was set in.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlvShHH-uNY
(09/02/2016)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlvShHH-uNY
(09/02/2016)
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/z19-nCTunEY/maxresdefault.jpg (09/02/2016) | A soap opera production is a production based around many characters that often have relatable story lines, many include relationships, family life and issues that some people may experience in their life. Soap operas are dramatic productions which often grip the audience and make them want to watch the next episode etc. One example of a soap opera is Eastenders, this particular show is aired on BBC 1- 4 nights a week.The first episode aired on BBC 1 back in 1985. There are many main characters within the soap opera, most of the themes explored in Eastenders are relationship difficulties, mental health issues that some of the characters face and often crimes are explored within the programme often from the least likely characters. Eastenders is one of the highest rated soap operas that still appears on television. Other examples of soap operas include:
| https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EastEnders#/media/File:EastEnders_Title.png (09/02/2016) |
http://www.imdb.com/media/ rm3647637760/tt0878804 ?ref_=tt_ov_i (09/02/2016) | A drama-documentary production is a program/film that is based on real life events of things that have actually happened or are currently happening within the world. National geographic channel makes and shows many drama-documentary films and shows, often based around wildlife and the environment. An example of a drama-documentary is Catfish: The Movie. The film was produced by Andrew Jarecki and Henry Joost. The film follows a guy called 'Nev' Schulman on his journey to find out who he has really been talking to online, the film shows how dangerous it can be talking to someone online and starting a relationship with them. The film was distributed by Universal Pictures in 2010 and became a big success which led to a reality TV show called Catfish which also became a big hit. Other examples of drama-documentary's include:
| http://i.jeded.com/i/bbc-planet-earth-complete-series.20770.jpg (09/02/2016) (09/02/2016) |
Narrative Structure:
The narrative structure of any type of production, either a film or a TV program, refers to two things. These include the plot and the type of story that is being told in either production. There are several different types of structure such as: flashbacks, non-linear, linear etc.
http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net /greysanatomy/images/0/06/ GreysAnatomyLogo2.png/ revision/latest?cb=20140108185337 (11/02/2016) | A linear structure within a production refers to a story that starts at the very beginning of the story, right until the end without any flashbacks to the past. It is all set over a period of time without any jumping from time to time. With linear structured productions the stoyline is easy to follow even if you haven't watched the production from the very beginning. One example of a film that a linear sequence is Grey's Anatomy, this particular series has a linear structure. It began airing in 2005 on the channel ABC (American Broadcasting Company). Grey's Anatomy is a medical drama which stars actors such as: Ellen Pompeo and Justin Chambers. As well as this series, many soap dramas also have a linear sequence as they very rarely have flashbacks within the middle of the episode. Other examples of films/TV shows that have a linear sequence include:
| http://moviefiles.alphacoders.com/454/poster-454.jpg (11/02/2016) |
https://jessicamallinsona2.files. wordpress.com/ 2013/09/the-perks-of-being-a-wallflower-poster.jpg (11/02/2016) | A production with a non-linear production is a TV program/film where it contains flashbacks to an event that has happened in the past, either in a previous episode or at a certain point in one of the characters lives that is deemed a significant pat of the production. There are many examples of films and TV programs with a non-linear sequence. A good example of a film with a non-linear structure is The Perks of Being A Wallflower, this is a good example because throughout the movie there are flashbacks to when the main character, Charlie was younger. The flashbacks are significant to the story because at the end of the film you get to know why he is an anxious character. Other examples of films/TV programs with a non-linear narrative include:
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http://cdn1.ssninsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/man- of-steel-superman-poster.jpg (11/02/2016) | A production with a single strand narrative is a production which has one main character, often the hero and then minor characters that have a small part in the production but doesn't really have much of a story line to contribute to the story in any way. Within these productions much of the action always stays on the main character (often the protagonist) and their story-line. A good example of a production with a single strand narrative is Superman, within the film Superman the film, despite there being other relatively important characters mainly focuses on Superman and how he plans to save cities from destruction by certain factors. |
https://upload.wikimedia.org/ wikipedia/en/archive/f/f9/ 20160130115640! TheAvengers2012Poster.jpg (11/02/2016) | A production with a multi-strand narrative is when the story-line is set on more than one main character. Soap dramas are a prime examples of multi-strand narratives, this is because within a soap drama there are multiple main characters and in each episode they often have a different involvement within the making of the story-line. An example of a multi-strand narrative is The Avengers, within The Avengers movies each of the Avengers play their own part in the movie, without each characters involvement the rest of the characters wouldn't be able to defeat the antagonist within the movie. Other examples of multi-strand narrative include:
| https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/71/Casualty_2014_titlecard.png (11/02/2016) |
A production with a realist story-line is a film/TV show which is made to reflect either something that has happened in real life or sometimes to document a persons life, even after they've passed away or while they're still alive. There are many examples of TV shows that are documentaries of peoples lives or of crimes that have been committed that have impacted many peoples lives. As well as documentary's many dramas have realist themes within them, this is because if the audience can relate to the story-line of one or more characters then they are much more likely to spend time watching the show. An example of a production with a realist story-line is Now Is Good, the production is a film based around a teenage girl living her life with cancer and the effects which it has on her and the people around her. The story is gripping for the audience because many people can either relate to it directly or relate to the family members that are in the film. | http://gdj.gdj.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/movie+posters+33.jpg |
http://cdn.collider.com/wp-content/uploads/the-hunger-games-catching-fire-poster-final.jpg (19/02/16) | A production with an unrealist story line are often stories with fantasy and make belief ideas within the production. As well as the story-line being unrealistic, many things within a unrealistic production are over-exaggerated such as the acting methods used by the actors and the costumes which the actors wear. Unrealist productions aren't often easily relatable because they often explore mythical creatures and fantasy ideas. One example of this type of production is Twilight which is a collection films that were directed by Catherine Hardwicke. The films are based around the main character Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) falling in love with a vampire, Edward (Robert Pattinson). This particular film is unrealist because vampires don't exist and within the film there is also werewolves. Other examples of productions with unrealist ideas are:
| http://www.panicposters.com/media/catalog/ product/cache/1/image/ f63dc5ec28f3175f8a7f615bd217eb71/P /P/PP599.jpg (19/02/16) |
A production with an open ending is a production that is left with the chance for the story to be continued, either in a later episode if it is a TV program, or in a sequel if it is film. Open endings are always used in drama programs when they are regularly shown. When an open ending is used the story-line often gets exciting right before the ending of the program, this is to encourage the audience to then watch the next episode when it is next on which will keep their audience interested in the show. Drama TV shows such as Emmerdale are a prime example of productions that have open endings.
A production with a closed ending is a film or TV program that has a solid ending, the story/problem is resolved and there is no chance that there could be a possible different ending for the audience to interpret. In singles they have one solid ending and so the ending is closed because it can't be carried on differently or it can't have a sequel to the way the story has ended. Many comedy programs have a closed ending, because they only need the one episode for the story-line to end and the issue or themes within the program/film to be resolved.
Technical Elements:
Within a single-camera production there are many camera shots and movements that are used to make a production successful, for example within the Channel 4 documentary '24 Hours in A&E' from the beginning of the program there are many camera shots such as aerial shots, the aerial shot is used to show the area of London and the hospital in which the documentary is set. Establishing shots are important within the making and editing of productions because it is important to show your audience where the show/film is set as without this they have no sense of environment. There are many more camera shots including: an extra long shot, a long shot, a mid-long shot, a mid shot, a mid-close, a close-up and an extra close-up, all of which are important within the making of any production because without a range of these different shots the program/film wouldn't flow correctly or have a professional feel.
Camera movements are fairly similar to camera shots, one example of a camera movement is a pan, a pan is where the camera moves from left to right or vice versa around the frame. A very popular time for the directors to use a pan is to set the scene of the production for the establishing shot this is because it clearly gives the audience a sense of the atmosphere and isn't just a straight shot.
There are many other different types of camera movements as well such as a tilt, a dolly shot, a follow and a track, amongst others.
Camera movements are fairly similar to camera shots, one example of a camera movement is a pan, a pan is where the camera moves from left to right or vice versa around the frame. A very popular time for the directors to use a pan is to set the scene of the production for the establishing shot this is because it clearly gives the audience a sense of the atmosphere and isn't just a straight shot.
There are many other different types of camera movements as well such as a tilt, a dolly shot, a follow and a track, amongst others.
Another important element within video production is following the 180 degree rule, this refers to an imaginary line drawn mainly between two people if you are looking down on them from a birds eye view. If for example there is one person clearly shown on the left of the frame, he would need to be shown on the left throughout the rest of the scene, breaking the 180 degree rule can result in the audience feeling very confused. If you are establishing a conversation you should remember that for the rest of the scene the shots must be kept that side of the line.
The only time film makers would ever say it is okay to break such rule is if you can clearly see camera move around the scene to show the person on the opposite side of the frame. Failure to show this will result in the audience being left confused. However, if for example in the famous movie The Shining, during the scene in the bathroom the rule is clearly broken, as this is a horror film, this was probably intentionally done as it will unsettle the audience.
The only time film makers would ever say it is okay to break such rule is if you can clearly see camera move around the scene to show the person on the opposite side of the frame. Failure to show this will result in the audience being left confused. However, if for example in the famous movie The Shining, during the scene in the bathroom the rule is clearly broken, as this is a horror film, this was probably intentionally done as it will unsettle the audience.
This is an example of the 180 degree rule being broke (as mentioned above) from the movie The Shining.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cpf-IMqxjVI
(19/02/2016)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cpf-IMqxjVI
(19/02/2016)
Lighting is another key aspect of making a production, the correct lighting within a scene will give the correct mood to the overall outcome. Within production there are two main lighting styles, one being high-key lighting and the other being low-key, both of these are as equally important. High-key lighting is essentially bright lighting, this is most often used in comedy productions and sit-coms, generally for scenes that are more 'upbeat'. High-key lighting creates a happy atmosphere as there are no harsh shadows on the cast and mise-en-scene as it is well lit. Often to create high-key lighting the film makers will use several lights to assure that it is all lit correctly. On the other hand, low-key lighting is just as important, low-key lighting refers to the scenes within a production that are less well lit, low-key lighting is mainly used for horror and thriller type films as the low lighting adds to the tension of the on-screen action. Scenes with low-key lighting are often consumed by harsh shadows, it adds a sense of drama to the people and mise-en-scene which is especially important when trying to build the tension with the audience. With low-key lighting, it allows the audience to know that something bad/dramatic is going to happen if the scene changes from one with high-key lighting to low-key. | This shot shows low-key lighting within the movie, Batman: The Dark Knight. https://stephaniejeanwong.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/joker-22.jpg (20/02/2016) This shot shows the use of high-key lighting within the movie The Wizards of Oz. https://stacyegerton4.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/wizardofoz_209pyxurz.jpg (21/02/2016) |
Sound is also another important element within the production of a TV program or movie, within a video production there are two types of sound, one being diegetic and the other being non-diegetic sound, both of which are important. Diegetic sound is the sound which can clearly be seen on screen by the audience, this can be anything from two people having a conversation to someone closing a door, if you can see the noise clearly happening on the screen then it is diegetic sound. Non-diegetic sound is sound coming from an external source, such as a narrator explaining what is going on within the scene or music that isn't coming from anything on-screen (such as a radio). Anything that is 'added in' where without it the scene would be unnecessarily quiet. Non-diegetic sound is often added to create tension and drama for the audience. Without both of these sounds the audience wouldn't have the same feelings about a scene as they do when both types of sound are included when necessary throughout. Non-diegetic sound and diegetic sound help make the story flow better because without it the correct atmosphere wouldn't be created and the story would be lacking in hearing elements. | This is an example of a film clip a YouTube user made showing how the scene from Zombie Land is effected if the use of non-diegetic sound is taken away. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXR4si1SflE (21/02/2016) |
Editing: In order for a video to flow correctly and at the right pace, editing is an important part of the post-production side of the production of the video. Editing is the process after all the footage and sound has been filmed that puts it all together so the story makes sense. During the editing process special effects can be added and music, credits and titles etc. Probably the most popular type of cut within a production is a straight cut, a straight cut can be used for many things such as to maintain the continuity of the action and to keep it flowing correctly, or to change scenes/the perspective in which the camera is within the frame. Continuity editing the style of editing that is used in the making of many production such as Hollywood movies and television programs when there are many different shots that need to be combined together to make the final piece. When continuity editing is used to edit the whole thing together to make it flow from shot to shot without jumping and confusing the audience. If the production wasn't edited with continuity it wouldn't make sense to the audience and the story wouldn't be structured correctly as when a film/TV show is being filmed it isn't always done in the order that the final outcome is shown as. Fast cutting is commonly used within short sequences such as with shots of a conversation between two people, all being edited together. As well as being used during a conversation they can be used to imply that there is a fast paced environment or to show the audience the scene from another characters perspective. | This is an example of a sequence from Shaun of the Dead showing fast cutting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YY6mymW4oA (21/02/2016) |
Overall the use of technical elements within production of a movie/TV program are vital in the overall successful of how the finished product will look, within any of the elements listed above, the final product wouldn't make much sense to the audience watching it and the production would be a mix match of shots without a real storyline to follow.