Three camera event video technique. Suggestions?

[Eric Lagerlof]

I agree with my neighbor, Mr. Alvarez. For drama/narrative Shaun's observations hold true, but for live events, i-mag, etc., the fact that the same face is 'flipped' usually presents no problems. (Especially if in either 'flip' the face is facing toward the center of the screen. Generally, if you 'cross-shoot';the audience left camera shooting the audience right action on stage and vice versa. I find framing much more crucial, going from a medium shot to another medium shot on a different camera is a bigger no-no. With 3 cameras the decision as to whether to put cameras all from center to one side or splitting them audience-left and audience-right is more a decision about coverage issues for me.

Personally, most important is having you and your other camera operators either be able to communicate during the event via clear-com/pl/fb/intercom system or talk ahead of time about the nature of the show. Something like "if the major interest is stage right then audience right camera cross-shoots in CU and audience left camera loosens to a 2-3 shot. If it then moves to center, camA follows..."

[Shaun Roemich]

In full agreement with Richard and Eric. And yes, the "too close framing" between intercut shots IS quite visually disturbing to me and oftimes overshadows any issues I may have surrounding continuity editing and Crossing The Line.

My favourite line comes from Richard and it is one I use a lot when teaching - One must know the rules before being allowed to "break" them. I think a lot of the visual language of film has been detrimentally lost by filmmakers that have broken the rules indiscriminantly for no reason other than they didn't put enough planning into shooting and decided in edit that "no one will notice" as opposed to "let's break that rule in order to create tension and unease". This is a natural effect of the democratization of filmmaking - at one point the only people making films were HIGHLY skilled technicians and artists who apprenticed and learned after schooling taught them "the rules". Now anyone can make a "film" seen by millions thanks to social networking and the YouTubes and Vimeos of the world. It's your call as to which is a greater boon to society and the movie watching population as a whole.