What Is A Single Camera Setup?

A single camera setup is a filmmaking technique originally developed in the 1910s in which every shot and every angle is filmed using the same camera. It is the standard mode of production for cinema, but in television, both single camera and multiple camera setups are used.

In single camera filmmaking, as each shot is taken, the camera is moved and reset in order to get the next shot or angle. For example, if there is a conversation between two characters, the camera will point towards one person with some or all of the scene shot from one angle. Then the camera will point towards the other person and run through the same scene from the new angle.

While the single camera setup may take more time than the multi-camera setup, it offers more versatility and allows the director to have more control over each shot. This method is often used not just in cinema but also in music videos, commercials, prime time dramas, and made-for-TV movies. By contrast, the multi-camera setup is more frequently seen in reality television, sitcoms, soap operas, talk shows, and game shows.

In the last several decades, however, the single camera technique has become more widely used in television sitcoms and comedy-dramas as it not only gives the production more of a feature film style, but it also allows for the integration of visual effects that are difficult to achieve in a multi-camera setup, such as the ability for an actor to play their own lookalike double in a scene.

If you are looking for a professional camera crew to help you with your single or multi-camera setup, check out our online Nevada Production Directory to find experienced Nevada production crew and support services or drop by our office and pick up a free printed directory!

If you offer production and film-related services in Nevada and are not yet listed in our Production Directory, you can learn more about how to sign up for the NPD here.

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