Multi-Cam Narrative Coverage

Effects, Stunts, and limited take gags are best served by using multiple cameras, but it’s relatively rare to shoot dialogue scenes with more than two cameras. It's important to know when using two cameras will help further the story, and when it will just hurt the look.

Camera

Break down a scene into coverage with the director. At this time the basic blocking and camera placement for each shot will be roughed into place. This includes determining the what side of the line you'll be on, and how much of the space will be seen on camera. This is also the time to factor in whether the director has a preference to cross-shoot coverage. Ideally, this process will happen between the location scout and the shoot.

Once the shot list is built you can proceed to shuffle it into a shooting order. In the instance of working with two cameras you can now start pairing setups together.

Deciding on Placement

A camera should be the primary, wide perspective and B camera on a longer focal length

The solution is that to observe a hierarchy. The time honored setup is that the A camera is the master camera and should be placed first, and B camera must work around it. Don’t start making radical changes to the A shot to accommodate B, or it becomes a house of cards as above. Key to this working is that both operators must be aware of the objectives of both cameras, so that they can ensure that any tweaks will not negatively affect the other. Onboard monitors make this easy, you can glance at the other camera’s shot and learn their framing. Communication is very important. Talk to each other, be a team.

• Start with the Wide

• Place B-Cam in an alternate wide angle.

Shooting closeups with B against a wide shot on A can be tough for lighting and the sound mixer. Sound may have a challenge getting clean dialogue on the tight shot when they have to remain so far outside of the shot for A. You may also want to have B Camera sit out for the first setup.

• Begin Coverage of Scene

If the shot list includes an over-the-shoulder (OTS) shot as well as a clean single, as it often does. Start by lining up the A camera on the OTS, keeping the B camera out of the way until you've ensured that all are happy with the first camera's position. Now bring B camera in as close as possible to A on the inside, in order to get the tightest eyeline possible.

B Cam will most likely find themselves with a lot of the foreground actor’s head blocking the frame. The easy alternative is to move the B camera to the other side of A, but this can be a trade off resulting in a wide eye line.

The quickest solution is to suggest that you start rolling with A camera on the OTS, then once the director feels he has it you can simply punch in on the lens to get the CU. You don’t have to move the camera, in fact you don’t even have to cut if you have a zoom onboard. Meanwhile, the B camera could be getting a completely different setup, like an off-axis angle on the same actor, or detail shots of their hands or whatever else.

It is easier to achieve a wide and tight with A and B when actors are a significant distance from each other (at least 5’) and the two cameras are backed up on somewhat longer lenses.

• Try to Steal Inserts along the way.

If your shotlist contains inserts, say the actor’s hands or a sign etc., there is occasionally a fuss-free way to sneak those into other setups. Perhaps there is a part of the scene where the actor steps up into a closeup on A camera’s wide shot for a page of dialogue and then returns to his mark. For that whole section, the B shot may be too tight to be usable but instead of just rolling on nothing, it just might be long enough for the B op to "steal" the scheduled insert of a sign on the desk and reset in time for the actor to return. Boom, another setup to cross off the shotlist. Caveat: it’s very important to clear this with the director and DP first to make sure that the angle and lighting is acceptable, and the script supervisor should also be made aware so they can notate this for the editor. Along these lines, reframing the focal length mid-shot may take care of a particular moment that otherwise would require a separate take. Or there may be a reaction shot of another character, or a really funky and unexpected angle on the action that can also be stolen. The critical rule of thumb on this: if this takes up more time to coordinate than to just shoot the piece as a separate pickup, it isn’t worth it.

Notes

• Consider running B-Cam at a deeper stop.

If you are lit to a T4, you could use an ND .6 to put A-Cam at a T2. Then put B, who is on a longer lens, at a T4. The B shot will have shallow DOF still, but match better with A camera, and the AC has a better chance of nailing it in fewer takes.

• Be mindful that your shots will cut together

If shooting wide and tight, B should be double the focal length of A. For example, if A camera is on a 25mm, B camera should be on a 50mm or more. Less than this and you risk a jump cut if the two shots are butted together in the edit. If one is shooting a conversation between two people it is ideal to have matching sizes on both sides. Have the same operator get their matching shot, this will ensure that the style of composition remains consistent since no two operators have exactly the same instincts for framing and timing. Have your Camera Assistant take note of the focal length, distance and height of a setup that will later require a matching size on the reverse.

Cross Coverage

Finally, there is the scenario of cross-shooting, which is generally dueling OTS shots. This is often used for comedy where actors will be improvising, and also where there is a complicated set of “business” going on (lots of gesturing or handling of props) to help the editor with continuity. Here the cameras will usually be simultaneously shooting identically sized coverage, so it is easiest to get A camera set up first, note the angle to the actors, focal length and distance and then mirror it on B camera. Where this can get a little tricky is picking good backgrounds for both shots, so it’s helpful to first line up the actors with a finder and rotate them around, scoping out both backgrounds until you are satisfied. Mark the spots and the actors and move the cameras into place.

Compromises

• Can't shoot with Lenses you want.

• Will compromises to fit both cameras

• Can't watch critical focus for operators if you are operating A-Cam

• Can't reherase movement and light if you are operating A-Cam