Task 2 moving formats.

Task 2 moving formats.

Here I will discuss the different types of moving formats you will come across when looking at video production, I will also provide examples of what they are and where you might see them. There are 7 different types of moving format I will be looking at. Series, serial, single drama, documentary / docudrama, soap opera, feature film and music video.

 

Series

Television series is a set of episodes that are produced from the same TV show, a television series can contain any amount of episodes however they commonly range from 7/8 to 20/30 depending on the budget and popularity of the show. Each set of episodes in a series can be referred to as a season, e.g., the walking dead series may have 4 seasons, and each season containing 10 episodes. If a series is popular with a good sized audience then normally more than one season will be produced.

The production of a series can be made using both single and or multi camera techniques however sitcoms are more likely to use multi camera techniques as it is much quicker and cheaper to produce as well as being performed in front of a live audience so the entire episode is normally filmed all at once.

There are many genres of television series to appeal to all different interests such as, comedies, horror, Sci-fi, action drama to name a few. There are series / sitcoms made to be aimed at children and at adults.

Television publishing platform usually begins on television and later it can be released to websites available to stream such as Netflix, it can also become available on demand sites such as BBC iPlayer, 4od etc. then many popular series become available for purchase on DVD in the form of box sets.

Episodes of a series can run anything from 25 min – 45 min this time is normally broken up with advertisements when aired on TV, however when released on DVD the adverts are taken out.

Here are some examples of different series and sitcoms:


   

  

 

 

Serial

A serial is a one off drama which is split into different parts or episodes, these are usually show consecutively over a few days but can also be shown weekly (this is typical if there are more than 3 episodes). The plot of the series is normally shown quite soon within the first episode if a short serial or within the first 2-3 if a longer serial. Serials often end with a cliff hanger this makes the audience want more or leaves the audience with unanswered questions. Serials are often produced using single camera techniques; this gives the director more control but can be expensive.

Serials are often first aired on television but can also be streamed using media sites such as Netflix, series often are under the genre of drama, crime, and horror, and not so commonly black comedy.

Here are some examples of serials:

 

 

 

Single drama

 

A single drama is a one off single programme that is usually produced using single camera techniques, this gives the director a lot more control over the shots he/she wants to capture but this can also make production expensive. Single dramas are usually fictional and are normally very dramatic.

Single dramas are often first aired on television but can also be streamed using media sites such as Netflix.

Here are a couple of examples of a single drama:



 

 

Documentary / Docudrama

 

Documentary and docudrama are non-fiction programmes / films; they are based on real life events and produced to tell a story. These programmes / films cover different genres such as history, real live events, nature, etc.

Docudramas are similar to documentaries with the only difference being that the characters within the production are played by actors and not the real people.

This production can use both single and multi-camera techniques however the single camera technique is more commonly used. You can see these types of production on TV normally as a one off programme / film or series’ and also on websites.

Here are some examples of documentary’s and docudramas:



 

 

 

Soap operas

 

Soap operas are based on things that can occur in every day live but are dramatized and exaggerated to make the programme more interesting; they are fictional and produced for entertainment. The story lines in a soap opera normally last for weeks to moths at a time this attracts the viewer to keep watching to follow the story. Soap operas are ongoing programmes and can be aired for years

Soap operas are normally aired at least 2-3 times a week and can even be on every day. They often have specials around Christmas time with extra added episodes with a dramatic climax in the story line to attract more viewers.

A soap opera is produced using multi camera techniques because it’s much quicker and cheaper to produce.

Soap operas are aired on television on set days and times; they are also available to watch on catch up or on demand sites such as BBC iPlayer, ITV player and 4OD.

Here are some examples of soap operas:



  

 

 

 

Feature film

 

A feature film is a movie which is commonly between 70 – 210 minutes in length. A feature film commonly uses single camera techniques to give the director more controll over the shots he wants to capture however some action scenes are filmed using multi camera techniques to capture the footage from different angles adding to the effect. Feature films are high budget productions so can afford to use both techniques.

Feature films are often first premiered at the cinema and then they are aired on televesion, dvd, and also on websites such as netflix and love film.

Feature films can be a wide range of genres such as family, action, horror romance, comedy, sci-fi, fantasy etc.

Here are some examples of feature films:

 

 



 

 

 

Music video.

 

Music videos are produced to promote a new song from an already existing artist or a new artist or band. Music videos can use both single and multi-camera techniques.

Music videos are first aired on TV music channels before becoming available to purchase on cd, or as a downloadable track. They can also be viewed on websites such as YouTube.

Here are some examples of music videos: