Multi camera production evaluation

Section One - The briefI have recently completed all the sections of the brief presented to me also known as Unit 23. In order to meet the required standard to gain a grade for this unit I had to complete the criterias asked of me successfully. I was assigned to fulfil the criterias in my individual role assigned to me through out pre production, production and the live day. Before being assigned a role I had to;

Carry out research into what programme formats use multi camera?This included me ‘comprehensively explaining multi camera production programme formats with elucidated examples and consistently using subject terminology correctly’

Look into the practical and aesthetic reasons for using a multi-camera set up in different genres and why?

Some of the genres included:A concert - Watch the throne performed by Kanye West and Jay ZPublic events - Princess Diana’s funeralSport - FootballChat shows - The Jonathan Ross ShowGame shows - Count down

Researching into studio job roles available during a multi camera production including the duties and skills required

During this section I was aiming to meet the criterias. In order to do so the mark scheme specified ‘Research and explain multi-camera production job roles with elucidated examples and a confident explanation of skills needed for each job role. The hierarchy and links between jobs will show a sophisticated understanding.’

Some of the job roles I researched into included:Camera OperatorSound mixingVision mixingDirectingSet designerLighting deskFloor managerGraphics generation VT OperatorPresenter

I started creating my own idea for a multi camera show. The steps required for this are shown below followed by the criterias

To develop a programme idea for a multi camera production

‘Plan the treatment for a multi-camera production to a quality that reflects near professional standards showing creativity and flair and working independently to professional expections’During this I had to wrte a mood board/treatment for the E4 brief which covers:Programme formatTitle of showContent ideasRunning orderStudio designSketch of backgroundVisual stylePresentation styleEach member of the class presented thie idea to everyone else. Everybody had to vote one show idea which we would create. My idea was the one chosen by my class which ment my multi-camera production idea was going to be bought to life. The name of the show was ‘TrapStar’.

Followed by being able to plan a multi-camera production‘Paln a multi-camera production to a quality that reflects near professional standards showing creativity snd flair and working independant;y to professional expectations’This included produce planning documentation reevant to your job role which we were presented with at this stage. My job role was a presenter. This included me to create a script, look into mode of address, costume, hair and makeup with lights and to present on the actual live show which included being the face of the show.This final step was to:

Be able to perform an operational role in a multi-camera productionThis was the result we had been planning for.

Explain how effectively you believe the final production of trap star meets the brief

The brief I was presented with is shown below

I believe the final production of TrapStar was completed successfully according to the brief. I say this as I felt all the planning that was done by each individual and myself

came together well due to the communication between us forming a dynamic, creative outcome near to professional standard. This enhanced ideas from others shows and

my own. I found that independently I worked well in completing each task and made my own decisions and choices when required to. I also worked well as a part of a team being concise and specific when I needed to be. The reason I felt it was so

successful was because everyone worked well together and complimented eachother in the sense we all gave eachother feedback with our tasks and constructive critism.

This allowed us to change things and to improve out own performance including others resulting into a final outcome that was at a similar standard to others. I feel I

worked to the best of my ability during planning the production and fulfilling my role on the day. The show trapstar meet the brief as we did ‘Plan a multi-camera production to a quality that reflects near professional standards showing

creativity and flair and working independently to professional expectations’. I feel my group and I fulfilled this at the best possible standard we could.

Explain how effectively you believe the production team functioned overallOverall I feel the production team functioned well. At times things seemed slightly out of hand as a lot of people had different opinion and had thought something different to others. This was the main problem to begin with however everybody seemed to calm down as the planning procedure went on which made it easier to understand what was going on. The compunication between the team became better, the standard and speed of work improved therefore you would not be waiting on someone to complete something in order for you to complete your task. Once we overcame this the team ran smoothly and worked well more effectively than before.

We followed the idea of using our hierarchal peers when needed. In the end our hard work created a result we deserved to achieve.

Section Two – Self evaluation

Summarise the professional expectations for your roleThe role I had chosen and been assigned is as a presenter.

In order for me to perform this near professional expectation for the pre-production stage this included the task of:

Writing dialogue script Experimenting with different modes of address Looking into various costume, hair and makeup

For the live show this included the task of: Learning/ Reading my script out

Working on time with the timed running order Being the face of the show and simply presenting

Gaining audience interaction

Initially when I had researched into the role Ifound out about the duties and skills the role required. I did this though websites and other sources.It suggested the duties included;Being on time and ready for filming Learning your script and often having to write your own scriptLooking suitable for the showReading the script out to the cameraAnd the skills included;Good verbal and written skills Clear voice when presentingConfidence and a good stage presentsHaving a good knowledge of another presenters strengths and weaknesses so you can compensate if needed

How did you meet these expectations?

1. During the process of writing the script and learning the script I was consistant and remained at a high standard with the amount of effort I was putting into each task. When creating the script I considered the brief and the age group the show was based at which allowed me to write something that they would both understand and find engaging. I used language and words that were used by the aimed age group which would make them feel a part of the show when hearing. I also considered as I was in the range that we were aiming for, what would I find interesting and what would I find worth watch? During the process of learning the script I found it was most effective to rehearse with my fellow presenter as this way we were able to gather a good knowledge of eachother strengths, weaknesses amnd timing. This was important as it allowed the other to potentially compensate for this or help the other overcome the problem. I felt this was important as it would make us feel as comfortable, confident and prepared as possible on the live day. This is why I felt I had met the expectations in this department as I had firstly written and learned the script which was appropriate for my target audience.

2. Another task I was required to do was to experiment with a range of mode of address. During this task I created a various number of modes which could be tested and used on the live day. This ranged from Sad to Crazy. I experimented each mode of address first.

Followed by coming up with 4 questions to analyis it which would help me decide whther I would use it in the live show. These are the questions I decided to answer about each mode of address:

1. Why was the mode of address effective?2. What did we not like about it?3. Why could it not work?4. Will we be using it?

I feel by experimenting with a wide range of mode of address styles and anylising them in a fair amount of detail I have met the expection set for me in this task.

3. I had to experiment which different costumes, hair and make up which I did by firsty creating a modd board which included pictures of celebrities and presenters whose style I liked and would be suitable for my show. My main influences came from people like beyonce, rihanna, rita ora as seen below.

A presenter I looked at was for E4 and her name was Jamelia. Her style also influenced me and made me aware of what kind of look I should go for. Later I began to pick out a range of my own outfits which took some influence from my mood board. I began to take images under studio lights to see what it would look like. I chose a range of about 7 outfits to see which looked the best followed by me annotating it in a blog post later and deciding which I would schose to wear. These are some of the outfits I looked at.

I feel I performed to an exceptional level during this task as I researched, experimented and evaluated. I feel I have met the expectation as I have gone into it in depth.I performed the same procedure again for hair including researching and trying out the hair style followed by annotating them in order to make a decision.

And the same again for make-up. During the makeup testing I photographed myself under the studio lights to make sure my face did not look dull and washed out. I looked into using different foundation colours, powders, blushers, lip colours and mascara or eye lashes. I started off with less makeup and built onto this till I felt it was just right.

I then annotated my images and decided which look looked best and which I would use for the live day. The look I chose to use was the fourth strip one shown above. Overall I feel I have met the expecations expected of me as during each task I have given it my upmost best effort and fulfilled the role to the criteria and at the best standard possible.

What improvements could you make to your contribution?I feel that during my work I have contributed to each task as much as possible.

Although I’m sure there has been room for improvement as once you do something and look back you find things you could of done better. If I had to assess myself and pick on things that I could have contributed to more I would look at the next 3 areas.1. During my task of writing the script I would have completed it at a faster pace as this would have allowed the director to use it in order to make changes if required. Although he did get a chance to do this, I feel it would have been more usful if the

script was done earlier. My reason for this not happening was that I had exams which made it difficult to complete this as soon as it was assigned.

2. During the process of choosing a costume I looked into a various number artists styles. I feel that I dids not broad out enough as I followed one particular type of style rather than looking at crazy, outrageous styles. My main reason for this was I did not feel like it was appropriate for the sho w. In terms of contributing I feel that on the

live show I did look the way a presenter should and I did dress appropriately. I don’t feel that in this department I could have contributed any more aside from

experimenting and looking into more styles although this may have been pointless.3. During the process of planning the show I felt I contributed a lot to the ideas for the show as it was initially created by me. At times I felt like I was overwelmbed by the amount of questions I was recieveing for my other crew members. I feel that if I

had initially created a clear plan of the show it would have been easier for everyone to understand therefore there would not have been as many questions. So in that

department I feel I could have contributed more by taking the time out to either brief the whole class about the plan again or to writ it up in more detail.

What difficulties did you have during production? /What solutions did you find for these problems?

During my production I faced minor problems which I found a solution to when repeating the sections again.

1. Trying to get one of the guests Tyra to come in when we were available to interview her. The problem we faced with this was the guests kept letting us down therefore we had to wait to do this interview. Once the interview was organised, we decided Morgan was going to be the interviewee as usually

during these one presenter is avalibale. Once recorded with Tyra and Morgan we found there was a fault in the video therefore we would have to rerecord it. This was resolved by actually rerecording it however, morgan was not in so I took the role of the interviewee and learned the lines within 10 minutes and

proceeded with the interview.2. Another problem we faced on the live day was fitting the whole show into

a 30 minute block. When first practicing the live show myself and morgan did not talk enough therefore we had more time available for the show. This

was not good as we needed to complete the whole 30 minutes. At this stage we decided we could resolve this by improvising more during the show. We did this however, this time we went over 30 minutes. In order to resolve this we

decided the stage manager needed to give us guidance whther to speed up or to slow down so we could get the show bang on 30 minutes. Once this happened

we had resolved the problem and filled the 30 minute time slot perfectly.

What skills do you think you’ve gained?I feel during this unit I have gained skills which have helped me form a result I’m

happy with and that I can carry with me in the future. I learnt to work along side a group of people in their own individual roles.

This was an experience as your own work contributed to theirs too as it all came together as one final outcome at the end.

I found myself feeling more confident with planning and more comfortable with my own ideas allowing me to make precise and quick decisions which

formed a lead to new or existing tasks. I gained the skill of improvisation during the live day. This once practised ran

smoothly and did not appear to be something that hadn’t been planned. The good thing about this was it looked natural of the footage and I felt that I was

able to confidently and relatively improvise. During this Unit I have gained the skill of using new equipment and understanding how it works. This included lights, cameras and sound. Other

skills I exceeded on were my computer skills. I was able to practise them which made me quicker and on the ball.

One of the main things I really found interesting doing was writing the script as I had previously not done this before. I feel I personally achieved something

and gained a skill out of this. At first it proved to be challenging however, when I visualised what I wanted the show to include I found it easier to go

with the flow. I learnt to create a script that a particular target audience would understand. Other things in this section included making changes to the script

and improvising, teaching the guests the script etc.

Section Three – Analysis of final productionMy aim for the show Trap Star was to make it creative, enhanced the representation of

a person/space, use conventions and/or create meaning for the audience.

Practical reason The main practical reasons for using a multi camera set out for Trap Star included:

Coverage of action Constraints of studio or location environment Multi camera simultaneous recording of action.

By using multi camera during our Live magazine show we were able to form a better coverage of action for our viewers. This was possible due to there being more than one camera focusing on different people at one time. This firstly allowed us to view the show/set from different angles and for us to capture reactions of each person on the set at the same time whether that be a close up showing their facial reason or a long shot showing their body language. By having more than one camera you are also given a better view of the studio from different points of views. This allows the audience to feel more involved in our show and more engaged. This is also show on shows like The Graham Norton Show

And our show Trap Star

Another positive aspect for us using multi camera during live day was it gained constraints of the studio environment. The scale of our show was pretty small however if it was a little larger it would be necessary for this to happen as in order for the whole environment to be filmed at once cameras would need to shattered everywhere. This would be a positive aspect for the views as they would have to ability to not be there however be given a visual of the whole location. This would allow them to see how creative it was and to get a feel of what the set was like. This would influence what kind of show they thought Trap Star was and whether it was in their interest. This would create meaning to the audience.

The final area I would like to look into for practical reasons is multi camera simultaneous recording/coverage of action. I feel that our show has done this as by using multi cameras, we were able to pick up a good coverage of action including close up, long shots, studio shots using different cameras at once. This was necessary as it firstly gave the audience a better view of the studio and the action and as the multi cameras were simultaneously recording this allowed a lot of footage to be shown at once from the same moment. This is also shown in a football game which also allows you to see a better view to the people in the long shots face/ reactions. This communicates meaning to the viewers.

Long shot

Close up

Aesthetic reasonsThe main aesthetic reasons for using a multi-camera set up for Trap Star included:

Visual style maintaining viewers interest Communicating meaning to the viewer

In order to maintain viewer’s interest in Trap Star, by having multi camera we are able to gather shots of each guest and presenter at the same time from different angles. This is visually satisfying and creates a sense of creativity for the viewer gaining more interest and excitement rather than boring them. The interest of the viewers is maintained though our show as the viewers may want to see one of the presenters of guests from close up in particular. The reasons for this include them wanting to understand the mode of address they are aiming to get across or to understand their mood. Other things that are done throughout the show to change the visual style is the pans and zooms which change the pace of the show whether it be fast and energetic or slow and calm. Other things that contribute to this includes what footage is being show and the visual style of the set e.g. colours, presenters costume ect.

In order to communicate meaning to the viewers during Trap Star we used audience interaction e.g. Twitter and Facebook which allowed the viewers to get involved with the show. This includes them sending in questions and opinions. By doing this they automatically feel a part of the show which is our aim. Other ways we communicated meaning to the audience was by having a script which was understandable for out target audience. This helped as when the audience were listening to our show they were able to feel intact with what was being said and this caused the show to run smoothly in their eyes. By this understanding, everything we said communicated meaning to them which was our aim. Our mode of address would also give them an opertunity to understand what the mood of the show was creating an understanding for them.The creative style of the set and presenters communicated meaning to the viewers as they were able to establish what visual element the show had gone for and what they represented. If the shows visual element was dull this would mean it would communicate a negeative and down feel for the viewers however, if the shows visual style was bright and vibrant it would set a fresh, upbeat message across to the viewers.The final way Trap Star communicated meaning to the audience was by the shots we were showing live. When we presented the audience with a close up they were able to communicate meaning as the how the persons hown was feeling through their faxcial expressions. On the other hand when we showed a long shot the audience would gain an understanding through the persons body lanuage which could be laid back or even aggressive. This created a meaning to the viewer rather than them viewing a single shot and not having the opportunity to analysis each guest or presenter.