2 Camera's

[Laws@Productions]

What would you say is the best method for the use of 2 camera fliming. Including the best way for editing and placing of the cameras.

 

[MRoytman]

I think the conventional way to go about it is to have one film a master of the entire scene and the other to be shooting a close-up. It really depends on what you're trying to film. If you feel like you benefit from two cameras do it. If for the life of you, you can't figure out what to do with the second camera I'd say just use one.


*EDIT*

Oh and for editing I think the main difference in using two cameras is the lighting. The images may come out with different lighting levels eventhough they were filming the same thing at the same time (but obviously not from the same place)

Thats actually pretty much the biggest disadvantage I can think of with using two cameras; lighting. You can't get that specific effect as you would if you were lighting for one camera. You have to make your lights more ambient and just generally unspecific to make the image look good from more than one direction at once.

 

[David Mullen ASC]

Sound is also another problem with doing a wide shot and a close-up at the same time -- just like you compromise the lighting on the close-up, you compromise the mic placement.

Generally you'd keep the two shot sizes similar if using 2-cameras in a conservative fashion, like doing a medium and close-up at the same time. It just depends on the needs of the scene. I've run two cameras on scenes with adults mixed with babies or pets, just to capture whatever unrepeatable action happens with the kid or pet on the second camera.

With action scenes, it's a little more "anything goes" although some stunts only work from certain angles, like a faked hit.