Pre-Production (Why Fixed Camera)

Why Fixed Camera?

At first I wasn’t completely set on the idea of a fixed camera rig for my documentary, there were advantages and disadvantages to a fixed camera rig. The first thing to consider is that camera operators, directors, producers and crew in general that are familiar with the traditional hand held multi camera set up are much easier to find. You can hire people who may not have major experience and still achieve decent results. It costs a lot less to hire these people and you wouldn’t need quite as many people on the floor of a set. You also wouldn’t need to get special permissions to modify a building to install these cameras.

However at the same time you wouldn’t be able to achieve the same level and amount of quality content with a smaller handheld based crew. Researching 24 hours in A&E and looking at some of Channel 4’s other fixed camera shows vs some of BBC’s non fixed camera shows that both focus on education. It is clear which is higher budget, which utilizes its circumstances better, and which has the more interesting contributors and stories. With a fixed camera set up you get the chance to divert more of your focus to the people rather than the crew and equipment. Once a rig is set up little needs to be done to alter it. You can change angles, cameras and shots with the push of a button and don’t have to wait for a camera operator to pack up any wires, move, set up, reframe start recording etc.

With a fixed camera set up a lot of the work is done for you, since you already know what shots and angles you have available to you, you can spend less time adjusting the visuals, focus, etc and more time observing your contributors, watching their interactions and seeing what will make for an effective story as apposed to just going with whatever you can film quick enough.

After watching the E4 show Stage School it is also obvious to me that when people are conscious that they are being filmed/recorded they have a strong tendency to behave differently to what they normally would. They play up to the camera, exaggerating their personality and sparking tension with other contributors in an attempt to seem more interesting. Of course it is also entirely possible that the opposite could happen and that someone shys away and stops talking at the thought of being filmed.

This is where the fixed camera rig would come in to play. By having cameras mounted a fair distance away from contributors, with no one standing near them to intimidate, people behave more naturally. Contributors can almost forget that they are being filmed and will become relaxed and encouraged to behave more naturally which will allow for audiences to connect with them. Thanks to the amount of cameras we will have mounted, we will be able to cover just as many and likely more angles than any manned crew could cover. Most crew would be hidden away in a gallery room where they could observe contributors, plan stories, adapt scripts and edits without the conscious knowledge of their cast who may act differently if they knew this was going on.

This series is all about capturing the everyday lives, dreams, and passions of real people. Comparing them to contributors from the other side of the world to see how similar or different we really are. To see if deep down we are friends, rivals or something else. SO to avoid the criticism other shows have faced for feeling too constructed and heightening reality we will use a fixed rig to ensure our contributors behavior and energy is raw, and untampered with. We will be able to continually record footage for hours and hours, days and days, weeks and weeks etc ensuring we capture every possible moment and every development no matter how small to create an effective, entertaining and most of all educational show.