Are two cameras necessary for features?

[Jason beaumont]

I'm working on a couple features, and I have an Alexa 35, and Alexa Mini. To use my mini, id have to invest in LPL lens mount, so I could use my signature primes on it as well. My question is, is having 2 cameras necessary or really that beneficial. In my mind, have two cameras would speed up the shoot immensely, but I haven't done a feature before so I don't really know. Figured i'd get some advice from the vets.

 

[Phil Holland]

Depends a great deal on the film, scenes, and shots. Setups and location also dictate a lot here. I prefer working single camera most of the time, but there are certainly times where rolling more than one camera is ideal.

I'll also say, probably take a look at your shooting schedule to see if multiple cameras can save time or in some cases waste time.

 

[Karim D. Ghantous]

Perhaps you should have a second camera as a back-up. Is that common practice?

 

[Brian Timmons]

I echo Phil’s points.
Had to film a very dialogue heavy feature last year with a relatively tight schedule.
Used 2 Komodos and a classic RED One Mx and the filming and subsequent editing worked out
well.
Multiple cameras can definitely be easier on the talent (more coverage in a take avoids burning them out)
and give you much more to work with in editing particularly if you intend to keep a faster visual pace.

There is special consideration for lighting as you have to be mindful
of lighting for multiple angles at once while hiding lights and stands from each angle.
Can be tricky in some locations,

You can definitely do pretty much anything with just one camera but once schedule,
shot lists, and budget come into the mix you should have a better idea regarding your needs
and what you can get away with.

As Karim mentioned, If you have a backup camera that always helps
particularly If you’re in a remote location.

Brian Timmons
BRITIM/MEDIA

 

[Björn Benckert]

I'm working on a couple features, and I have an Alexa 35, and Alexa Mini. To use my mini, id have to invest in LPL lens mount, so I could use my signature primes on it as well. My question is, is having 2 cameras necessary or really that beneficial. In my mind, have two cameras would speed up the shoot immensely, but I haven't done a feature before so I don't really know. Figured i'd get some advice from the vets.

It's all depending on what you do off course. And I'm not a DP but I pushed for mutlitple cameras on a few shows and so far it had way bigger benefits than the cost of that additional camera / cameras and the additional operators.

Crashing car scene went a bit not as planed... Well, the B cam at catched the action and got a shot that looked even better than planed.

Rushing to finish the scene before the sun set on a extremely hard to get to location, B cam took all the closeups while rolling wider on the Acam. That would have been a full extra pickup day as likely when getting to the location again the light and weather would not be the same, it would actually not even have been the correct season... Having two cameras in such situation was a huge save.

Huge setup lot of extras etc etc. A cam started to act up... Swap to B cam and send the A cam back to the rental house. The hours that would have been lost not having the second camera would easily cost more than the extra camera body.

Just having a decent operator, could be intern film school level type person. That can operate the B cam alone even without focus puller. That just do coverup angels and shoot while finding good shots. Ask your editor, such clips that are shot with perfect sync / exact same action etc as A cam are extremely useful even when you thought you covered every possible angle of the scen got it all... one more angle / take never hurts to have.


I find it odd that DP´s can choose to have something like a set o 16 prime lenses a few zooms etc on a production but only one camera body, it simply does not make sense to me.

 

[Jason beaumont]

Thanks for the feedback. When shooting with Alexa 35 (A) and Alexa mini (B), would it make more sense to have the A doing the wides, mids and B doing the close ups or other way around? Just curious of peoples opinions.

 

[Karim D. Ghantous]

Thanks for the feedback. When shooting with Alexa 35 (A) and Alexa mini (B), would it make more sense to have the A doing the wides, mids and B doing the close ups or other way around? Just curious of peoples opinions.

I'm pretty sure you could make strong arguments for either case. The higher resolution sensor makes more sense for the wide shots, because you can crop them. Then again, you might also need to crop the tighter shots, too. Maybe sell the B camera and have both of your cameras the same? YMMV.

 

[M Harvey]

Thanks for the feedback. When shooting with Alexa 35 (A) and Alexa mini (B), would it make more sense to have the A doing the wides, mids and B doing the close ups or other way around? Just curious of peoples opinions.

Typically people would treat the 35 as the A camera and the Mini as the B. That means you shoot as much as possible on the 35 and don't necessarily always use the B. And the typical thing would be to shoot wides on the 35 as Karim D. Ghantous says-- but there's also the argument that you shoot the shot you think you're most likely to use on your 35, and only use the B cam for "nice to have"/extras/stunts. And camera test first! Make sure you know the answer of whether the cameras will match if you're cross-shooting two matched angles on a conversation.

Shooting with 2 cameras on a feature is often about production management and style. Talk to you 1st AD and director about how they're thinking about this. Two cameras will waste a lot of time and money if there isn't a plan and production support.
One classic problem: you can find that you compromise on your main angle in order to use a 2nd camera. This can drive you nuts-- your ideal shot is a wide, but you need to move both cameras into medium and use longer lenses because in the wide A camera sees B camera or whatever.

 

[Phil Holland]

Just tapping in with some advice on backup cameras. Pretty much since working primarily with film, for nearly every unit (i.e. they aren't filming nearby another one), there is a backup camera on major productions.

When I bought my first Scarlet, the next step was to upgrade one body to Epic and purchase a second body. Nearly every shoot since outside of really light travel work I've had two cameras with me at all times. In my case it's not really a camera reliability thing, but more "a bear might steal the camera" or "we are filming pretty close to this car stunt" sort of concern.

 

[Marc Wielage]

Since COVID, I've seen more and more episodic TV series and features shooting three cameras, which seems insane, but I think that's their fight against schedules and coming up with enough coverage. It's absolutely a lighting compromise, but I would say that an A camera and a B camera, pointing in the same direction, wouldn't be that bad. Three is pushing it. Watch the credits for major films and shows and you'll see 3 cameras more than you might expect (and I don't mean a second unit or something like that).

A&B camera was standard during the film days even going back to the 1980s, but it depends on the nature of the project, the budget, the schedule, the expectations, and all that stuff. I wouldn't mind 3 cameras if it was a car-towing rig and one camera shot the driver, one shot the passenger, and then the center camera got a 2-shot of the whole dash. All in the same direction, same lighting.

 

[Michael Lindsay]

Pragmatically I can’t see why, if you own signatures, you wouldn’t be keen to get a LPL mount onto your mini… the only question would be if it is a ARRI one (preferable if it was a regular thing) or https://c7adapters.com/en/product/lpl_mount_-_arri/271

we don’t shoot features but even on short dramatic work (that is strictly single camera in approach) a second body is taken… also saves time for things like gimbal work etc

 

[Jason beaumont]

Pragmatically I can’t see why, if you own signatures, you wouldn’t be keen to get a LPL mount onto your mini… the only question would be if it is a ARRI one (preferable if it was a regular thing) or https://c7adapters.com/en/product/lpl_mount_-_arri/271

we don’t shoot features but even on short dramatic work (that is strictly single camera in approach) a second body is taken… also saves time for things like gimbal work etc

I probably will by the LPL on my mini, I've just spent so much on equipment in the last 90 days, its quite ridiculous lol. hundreds of thousands.