Single Camera Technique (vs Multiple Camera technique)

Single camera technique means the use of just one camera to film the whole of a program (usually tv programs such as Doctor who) where the actors will have to re-act the scene over and over again multiple times to get the scene from different angles, which is then edited later on in an edit suite.

 Multi-Camera technique means that more than one camera is set up (usually four or five in a news room, soap scene e.t.c) and they are all connected to a video mixer. This allows the director to "live edit" by calling out which camera to cut to, therefore only filming the scene once or twice but still accomplishing many angles.

  The advantages of the single camera technique are that the director has more control over each shot, the lighting can be changed regularly to fit each scene, more angles can be used giving the director more freedom to use artistic shots and also can be cheaper because less camera men will be needed.The disadvantages are that it can be more time-consuming and might not be suitable for quick turnover, for tv programs such as soaps that have a new hour long program every week it would be too slow compared to Multi-camera.

  Some techniques used during single camera can give the impression of multi-camera, for example quick cuts between actors can make the shot seem like it is being filmed there and then with multiple cameras, but the actors have infact acted this scene out over ten times to create all the shots using one camera.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-camera_setup - "As its name suggests, a production using the single-camera setup generally employs just one camera. Each of the various shots and camera angles is taken using the same camera, which is moved and reset to get each shot or new angle. The lighting setup is typically reconfigured for each camera setup." -  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-camera_setup

"Single camera formates gives a director more control over a shot, however it is more expensive and more time consuming as a shot has to be planed throughly giving actors correct timing in which to step into a shot. Single camera formats are often used in films joining an array of tracking and panning shots. They are useful in films as they circulate the room and set the scene for the viewing audience." - http://connorrutherfordbtectvandfilm.blogspot.com/2009/09/single-camera-drama.html