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Multi-Camera Shooting for Event Videography

By Howard Zochlinski

Produced by

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Why Multi-camera Shoots? ..............................................................3

Camera Placement in Multi-Cam Shooting .............................. 4

Using Rehearsals for Perfect Placement ......................................5

Going To Multiple Performances ................................................. 6

The Blair Witch Effect ..................................................................... 7

Using Three Cameras When You’re Alone ............................... 9

Multi-Camera Shooting for Event Videography

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I’ve functioned alone as a photographer and videographer throughout my career. But, sometimes, a multi-camera shoot is required or demanded and you don’t want to lose the business, so what do you do? This article presents some tactics I’ve used when I either have only one camera available, or I have multiple cameras, but I’m the only person qualified to use them.

Usually a multi-camera shoot is needed for a stage production a play or concert. The performers want a series of shots from different angles to edit together for a perfor-mance video for their website or to show to promoters, managers, agents etc. Landing the job might be possible only if you can offer your client a multi-camera production with editing. The standard for a multi-camera shoot is the three-camera setup. Typi-cally, a three-camera shoot uses one camera on stage-left (the audience’s right); one camera center stage, and one mobile hand held.

Why multi-camera shoots?

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Whether you have only one camera or three, it pays to go to rehearsals or to get to the event early to plan your shooting angles. The main considerations:

1. Check the lighting intensity from different angles.

2. Check the lighting angles as positions may move during a performance especially at a concert.

3. Check lighting color sometimes there are colored filters on different lights and these affect the video, especially if you are using a single chip camera. Reds are always difficult and require particular attention you should avoid reds as much as possible.

4. Set up sight lines for camera placement you don’t want to have an actor’s or musi-cian’s (often the drummer’s) face obscured by some prop, instrument or other issue of poor placement

5. If you are shooting hand-held and are moving about the stage or in front of it, know the performers’ routine to insure that you maximize your shooting experience without interfering with either the performers or the audience. Remember that, at all times you must be as unobtrusive as possible. Don’t get in the performers’ way or block the audience. If they have reason to complain, you will not be hired again and, worse, word of mouth may prevent you getting gigs elsewhere.

Camera Placement in Multi-Cam Shooting

Multi-Camera Shooting for Event Videography

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Whether you are doing a three-camera shoot or only one, go to rehearsals if at all possible. First, discuss this with your client to assure them that you won’t be in the way. Explain that video of rehearsals provides plenty of B-roll footage to plug in during editing audiences are accustomed to having intercut footage from different concert or production venues edited together in the final production piece, so changes in back-ground or performer’s outfits won’t seem out of place. Background audience sounds can be edited in to provide the illusion that everything in the final presentation was per-formance footage.

If you attend multiple rehearsals, or multiple performances in the same venue, whether you have one camera or three, mark the tripod positions very carefully, even if you leave the tripod in place overnight. The easiest way to do this is by placing gaffer’s tape on the floor under each leg, then use a non-permanent marker to mark off the position of each leg. This came in for me handy in the mid-1990s. I was hired to vid-eotape performances by an avant garde New York production company called Le Phew Productions, named for the cartoon skunk, Pepe Le Phew. I marked off the positions so carefully, and the actors kept to their marks with such precision, that a few editing cuts made while an actor walked across the stage went unnoticed, even though we incorpo-rated footage shot on different nights.

The advantages of videoing rehearsals are manifold:No audience problems.

No security problems you can leave the stage center and stage-left (or right) cameras on their tripods, shooting, while you do your magic with the hand-held.

Cameras can be plugged in. You won’t have to worry about switching batteries if there is no worries about someone tripping over the wires.

You can do a three-camera shoot all by yourself.

Using Rehearsals for Perfect Placement

Multi-Camera Shooting for Event Videography

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As with going to rehearsals, this tactic provides most of the same advantages. You can switch cameras and positions during a performance or at different performances. As a concert example shoot the first five numbers with the hand-held at one venue, the second set of five from the tripod mounted stage-center, and final five from the tripod mounted stage-left. At the next performance switch - shoot from the tripod at center-stage for the first five numbers, etc. You will end up with a good set of shots that will have the look of a professional three-camera shoot.

Going To Multiple Performances

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Ever since the release of the film The Blair Witch Project, audiences have come to expect some footage to be shaken to get then stirred (love a good pun). Not only does hand-held footage seem more “real” and “immediate”, to audiences it provides an illu-sion of intimacy with the performers.

Another aspect of The Blair Witch effect is the audience will accept grainy footage, which, as with shakiness, provides an illusion of immediacy and being there. The ad-vantage this provides is best illustrated by an example that was done even before The Blair Witch Project came out:

The Blair Witch Effect

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At the time I worked with Le Phew Productions I had only analog equipment two hi-end three-chip Sony Hi-8 video cameras that had excellent low-light capabilities, and a single-chip JVC S-VHS camera whose video was somewhat grainier, and the color and hue were less sharp. I placed the two Sony’s on tripods, and used the JVC for hand-held shooting.

The difference in quality between video footage was obvious, particularly as I used old-school analog editing facilities. However, with careful and judicious editing done with input from the production company’s manager and lead actor, the finished product - which was digitized and put up on Le Phew’s website - was a success. View-ers agreed with the company’s members: the change in camera and video quality, rather than detract from the footage, added to its intimacy and created a sense of “being there.” On the basis of that footage, I was able to secure other gigs.

Multi-Camera Shooting for Event Videography

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Sometimes you can’t attend rehearsals or multiple performances. What do you do if you only get one night, one shot, and you are the lone videographer? While you handle the moving hand held shooting, here are some things to remember:

Depend on friends:Ask the venue if they will provide extra tickets for a few friends. Let them take it off your final paycheck if it comes to that. Have your friends watch the stationary (tri-pod mounted) cameras to be sure they don’t get moved or disappear. Your assistants don’t have to know anything about video – they are there to guard the equipment and nothing else.

Careful placement for security:Have the stage-left camera on stage, where it would be relatively safe – security can watch it. Sometimes they would be willing to watch the cameras even if they are off stage, but in the right position. Remember to tip the security if they do it.

Good luck and good multi-shooting!

Multi-Camera Shooting for Event Videography

Using Three Cameras When You’re Alone

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Multi-Camera Shooting for Event Videography