How to coordinate shooting subject and match framing between two cameras?

[dimailer]

I'm going to shoot a musical performance with 2 manned angle cameras, one on the left, on on the right.

How do the other cameraman and I coordinate what each of us is aiming at and how it's framed (CU/MS/MLS/LS)?

Let's say there is a dialogue between characters A and B. I would want to shoot A, who is facing me, and the other cameraman would want to shoot B, who is facing him, framed similarly (both characters in CU or both in MS or both in MLS or both in LS), but not one camera in MS and the other in LS, because the latter will look visually mismatched. How do we achieve shot matching?

Now, let's suppose, a character C enters the stage. How do we agree on which camera instantly switches to character C and which camera stays on A and B? I can imagine agreeing, prior to the shoot, on something like whichever cameraman this new character is facing, this cameraman switches to him. What about if the character enters in the center, facing the audience, and being at 45 degree angle to either cameramen?

I would appreciate your thoughts and experiences on this matter. Horror stories are particularly welcome.

[aedipuss]

doesn't really matter. you cut the footage up in post using a multi-cam editor and use whatever is the best shot. i normally use 3 cams for live stage performances all recording all the time. center cam is usually full stage, left and right closeups. for live performance being aired live you need a video mixer and someone manning it to cut between cams.

[dimailer]

doesn't really matter. you cut the footage up in post using a multi-cam editor and use whatever is the best shot. i normally use 3 cams for live stage performances all recording all the time. center cam is usually full stage, left and right closeups. for live performance being aired live you need a video mixer and someone manning it to cut between cams.

Thank you. It's not live. If you don't coordinate shot framing between left and right cameras, I can imagine you end up with a lot of mismatched shots. How do mismatched shots look when edited together?

[JVRaines]

You need a plan and a rehearsal. For example, when there is general action, one camera always takes a cover shot and the other does mediums and closeups. When two characters are interacting, the house right camera takes a closeup of the stage right character and vice versa. Go to the dress rehearsal with a script and block the difficult sections.

[raffriff42]

Or a director, who can see what all the cameras are shooting (preferably with a bank of monitors; failing that, by guesswork) and can communicate to all the camera persons ("camera 2, shoot the door stage left, a character is about to enter")

[aedipuss]

doesn't really matter. you cut the footage up in post using a multi-cam editor and use whatever is the best shot. i normally use 3 cams for live stage performances all recording all the time. center cam is usually full stage, left and right closeups. for live performance being aired live you need a video mixer and someone manning it to cut between cams.

Thank you. It's not live. If you don't coordinate shot framing between left and right cameras, I can imagine you end up with a lot of mismatched shots. How do mismatched shots look when edited together?

it helps if you have a full stage shot you can always cut back to before going from closeup to closeup but with good editing 2 cams can cover all shots but you should probably have one do more medium/full stage and the other handling up close and personal. you can always use transition effects to cover up bad cuts.

[johnmeyer]

I've done quite a few multi-cam shoots. In most cases I use two fixed cameras (no operator) and then I man the main camera. Since the other two cameras are fixed, I know exactly what they will capture, and therefore can plan the shots that I control to fit in with those other two.

When I have hired someone to man one of the other cameras, I have given that person instructions on what to do, so that I have a general idea of what to expect. For instance, I did a fashion show where the models came up a center runway that went into the audience, like most like fashion shows. However, there was a "T" in the stage, out in the middle of the audience at the end of the main runway, where the models could go to the right or the left. I was manning the camera at the back of the audience, dead center, so I could get the models walking towards me. I set up my secondary camera, which was operated by my helper, on the end of the right side of the "T". My instructions to him was to frame the model full height, to get everything from the shoes to the head, and to zoom as needed to fill the frame. There were often multiple models coming up the runway at the same time, and if one went left and the other went right, I always followed the one going left, knowing that my assistant would get the other model.

So, my advice is to think about the nature of what you are filming and, if possible, attend a dress rehearsal so you know what needs to be covered. Then, tell each camera person which side of the stage they need to cover, and whether they should be doing closeups, middle, or long shots; whether they should track the action, or keep static, etc.

As others have already stated, the ultimate is to have a director who can monitor feeds from each camera, but I've never had the budget to set up something like that. Lacking that, another way to go is to use wireless headsets, and have you direct the other cameras as you are shooting.