Multiple Angles one Camera

[rcnineteen]

Hello,

I am putting together my first short and it has quite a bit of back and forth dialogue. I only have one camera and would like to film multiple angles of the characters going back and forth in conversation (the facial expressions are key to what I'm doing, so close-ups of both characters will be prevalent throughout). Any ideas on how to effectively go about this. My main concern is the audio.

1. How do I smooth the cuts over from character to character as far as the audio goes?
2. I guess I could keep rolling and change angles and cut the movement out in post but I am unsure how to keep the audio transition smooth?
3. if I do multiple takes, again, what's the best way to smooth out the audio so it looks professional between each take?

I am using FCE4 in case it matters.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[scriptcoder]

You will need to do three takes (at the very least!). Here they are:

The Master Shot: This is where you step back with the camera and try to capture both of the actors together in the shot. Run through the scene as many times as you need in order to get your perfect take.

The First Close-up: Set up the camera to focus on your first actor. Either an over the shoulder of your second actor or just a simple setup on the first. Run through the entire scene like this. Make sure you get the second actor, who is outside of the shot, to continue to run through the scene. This will allow your first actor (the one the camera is on) to emote well.

The Second Close-Up: Duplicate the setup you have in the First Close-up but this time turn the camera onto the second actor. Go through the scene again.

DO NOT just twist the camera from one actor to another. It will look horrible. Take the time to run through the scene several times with multiple angles.

 

[Will Vincent]

I would also add to that to physically pick up and move the camera for the reverse shots of the other actor, rather than just panning it to reframe.. it's a small thing, but can make a big difference.

Practice, practice, practice... the more you shoot, the better you'll be. The more you work with actors, the better you'll be, etc.

It's also very worthwhile to invest in some books that teach you camera work. I HIGHLY recommend Film Directing: Shot by Shot and Film Directing: Cinematic Motion... these should really be in every filmmaker's library.