From the course: Multi-Camera Video Production and Post

Managing a shoot with minimal crew

From the course: Multi-Camera Video Production and Post

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Managing a shoot with minimal crew

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- So, on smaller budget productions where sometimes there's not as many crew or resources as you'd like to have, people need to multi-task. And one of those things might mean operating multiple cameras or at least monitoring multiple cameras. I've got a GoPro on the table there which I'm going to be watching and rolling from this iPad. And then I've got another camera over the table that I'm monitoring from here and recording from a mobile recorder so I have control over record and stop. Then I've got my master camera here for one of the three main shots. And then, as if I didn't have enough, I'm adding an insert camera. And a lot of these shots are fairly uncomplicated enough where I can sort of monitor all of them, they're all sort of lock-offs, they all can be left alone for brief periods of time. I've placed them all relatively close so I can sort of get to them quickly without having to take too many steps or be away from one of the monitors for too long. If you plan it right, you can sort of throw more cameras in the mix without necessarily having more people. These skills that you develop when you have minimal resources and/or minimal crew will serve you well when you get all the toys later on. So it's a good skill-building thing, you should embrace it. Now, the other part of this too is to play to those limitations, you use them to your advantage. Now that could be something like blocking the action in a simple way or a less complicated way to facilitate not having as many resources. It could also be a location choice, choose a location that serves you best. If you don't have a lot of resources say, for a lot of art direction or lighting, you want to pick backgrounds that are kind of already lit or have a lot of art direction to them, and layer and contrast and highlight so you don't have to do a lot, they sort of work already. Easy access, flexible schedules, low location piece, things that uncomplicate what you're having to do but you can get a lot of quality out of it and bang for the buck. Keep it manageable, play to your limitations. Keeping it simple doesn't mean it's less quality, it just means you're making the most with what you have to work with.

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