With gratitude and a collective sense of relief for the end of the semester’s accomplishments, the final work produced by Ready Camera One Class-A ‘Pretentious Pleasantries’ turned out better than we had hoped. ‘Pretentious Pleasantries’ was conceptualised as a period piece mixed with other genres like mystery, thriller and comedy – this format was crafted to engage a variety of audiences to enjoy and benefit from it. 

One of the key concerns from this studio’s curriculum was to incorporate ‘studio production workflows and technologies’ by gaining new skills in this space from the multi camera techniques we were being taught. I do honestly feel that this objective was met across the span of the semester, based on the fantastic work we got to see exhibited on the last day – showcasing 2 distinct shows incorporating a variety of editing techniques, scripts, lighting combinations, audio choices and so much more. 

With regards to ‘Pretentious Pleasantries’ the singular most successful aspect of the finished work was the placement of the advertisements. Timberg (2002) stated in the fourth principle that ‘shows can appear to be spontaneous but are actually highly structured.’ This was well evidenced by the utilisation of ads in the building of the story. The ads were brilliantly thought out, and each of the ads we created and incorporated brought so much dimension and substance to the mystery and comedic characteristics of the show that our group was intent on communicating. The editing of black and white mixed with modern features and clothing was a refreshing break from the old school tension that the production carried. Jenner (2018) noted that ‘episode length is often determined by advertisers’ requirements. This point is important in the sense that time (meaning episode length) and notions of ‘quality’ are linked.’

My personal favourite was the toothpaste ad, which gave away the plot of the show in a silly, yet entertaining way – credited to the incredible writing and editing team as well as the comedic timing of the actors.

In terms of the most challenging part of the production, I would have to say it would be the state of the audio and sound levels across both Episode One and Two. Upon watching and reviewing the final edit of the productions, the sound effects like rain and thunder superseded the spoken audio of the actors for the majority of the shows duration, which made the episodes difficult to interpret and hear – especially for new listeners. The rain and thunder sounds were definitely essential to the plot however in many instances they drowned out the conversations like place in character dialogue. No doubt this could be mitigated with more experience controlling audio, however it was disappointing to end the show with poor sound. 

If I were to keep on working on ‘Pretentious Pleasantries’, I would love to continue the concept of Sergeant Samson Sarson Samsung coming to life for every impending episode – to dastardly attempt to solve the mysteries at hand in future stories. The concept of this show is super hilarious and since it is a work of fiction, it has the opportunity to expand into a cult classic with the goofy detective as a ‘Mr Bean-esque’ figure for audiences to gravitate towards. The multi camera aspect of the show adds to the simplicity and hilarity of the concept – so that could successfully remain in place too.

From this studio experience, the amalgamation of the many things I have learned will always be with me – and in particular I would love to take my new director’s assistant experience into other productions and projects. This role stands out to me because it requires communication skill in high pressure environments and the ability to translate different tasks to a whole team without necessarily taking on those tasks personally. It allows for creative and time control and it is the glue of production collaboration and cohesiveness. Bignell et al (2017) explains from a presenters point of view; ‘While I’m conducting my on-screen dialogue with the participants, I expect a second dialogue through my earpiece, offering advice on questions and giving prompts about how the interview might go.’ The way I perceive this in the context of our learning is that the collaborative and controlled aspect of the production process intrinsically affects everyone involved from cast to crew – since anything can happen in live recordings especially.

Collaboration in the multi camera space is absolutely key to the success of a production. Every single person and their brain has a hand in pulling the story together from conception to delivery. The real effect of collaborative working fully shows through when expected and unexpected problems come up on set and every team member is forced to rise to the occasion for the betterment of the show. Forgotten lines, latecomers (like me), autocue mistakes, audio mishaps, typos, camera positioning and costume dramas just scratch the surface of the issues encountered with Group A’s production when it came time to film, however the spirit of collaboration allowed us to overcome each obstacle with grace, purpose and clarified communication. 

References

Jenner, M. (2018). ‘Quality’, ‘Popular’ and the Netflix Brand: Negotiating Taste. In Netflix and the Re-Invention of Television (pp. 139–160). Springer International Publishing AG. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94316-9_8

Timberg, B. M., & Erler, R. J. (2002). Television talk: A history of the TV talk show. University of Texas Press. Available from ProQuest Ebook Central. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/rmit/detail.action?docID=3443226

Bignell, J., Orlebar, J., & Holland, P. (2017). The New Television Handbook (5th ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315724836

Blog 1: 

Blog #1 – Assignment #4 – Ready Camera One – Somaya Moosajee

Blog 2:

Blog #2 – Ready Camera One – Assignment #4 – Somaya Moosajee

Blog 3: 

Blog #3 – Ready Camera One – Assignment #4 – Somaya Moosajee

Blog 4: 

Blog #4 – Ready Camera One – Assignment #4 – Somaya Moosajee

Production Dossier: Production Folders

Coming off the end of taping Episode 1 of ‘Pretentious Pleasantries’ I can accurately say it has been a truly fascinating and relieving time for every member of our team. Sitting in my chair as the DA, I had eyes on the control room and over the cameras’ – as well as a certain amount of influence over the events to take place during the production. 

My key takeaways from this first taping are;

1. Communication between crew in the control room needs to be streamlined better. Whether there are more headsets that are used, for example between the graphics lead and DA, then less yelling across the room and confusion will occur in the middle of filming when hiccups may occur.
2. It is okay to do retakes. The multi camera format is there to align all aspects of production at the same time but it is okay to repeat certain scenes and re-film certain parts to fix up later in post production because there is no live audience to entertain or keep us accountable. Learning that this is okay was a major sigh of relief for the whole team.
3. The run sheet will not be followed to the T. With the style of show that ‘Pretentious Pleasantries’ is built on, there were no segments so the run sheet was loosely created around predictions of how long certain parts of the story would take. Letting go of the notion that things need to stick by the run sheet was humbling and at the same time, relieving.

Observing the artistic detail in the writing and theatrics of ‘Pretentious Pleasantries’ (kudos to our amazing writers and producers) reminded me of the parallels between a play and the recording of a play-like act in multi-camera or sitcom form. 

Palmer 2023 delves into this topic in detail, highlighting ‘the blurring of such boundaries’ regarding the mediums of ‘film’ and ‘theater’, and its impact into ‘tracking the thickness of history’ (p. 1175). This show was a blend of historic and modern references played out in a theater-esque manner, with modern filming conventions used in the way a period piece would be constructed. Watching this unpack from the frontlines was awesome, and I can’t wait to film episode 2 with all this new knowledge under my wing. 

Reference: 

Palmer, L. (2023). Engineering the ‘Sense of Being There’: Electronovision and the Invention of the Stage Performance Documentary. Historical journal of film, radio and television, 43(4): pp.1157-1182. https://doi.org/10.1080/01439685.2023.2218050

Links to an external site.

Gearing up for the first round of filming ‘Pretentious Pleasantries’ has been a bit of a nerve wracking and multidirectional experience to say the least. For the first episode, I have been assigned the role of DA (Directors Assistant). 

I am incredibly grateful for being served my first preference – DA is the crew role I thrive in the most. Maintaining a sense of consistency and equal contribution may be a challenge when there are several minds with different ideas, goals and in various head spaces. Time will tell how this plays out but regardless, Class A is a great team to work with. 

In the second episode I will be a camera operator. This role in particular is not a strength of mine as I struggle quite a bit with focus and keeping myself trained on one thing, whereas the DA role will have me looking in multiple places and is slightly more stimulating. However I am excited to step out of my comfort zone and be able to up skill.

Writing an effective run sheet has been the biggest challenge plaguing me so far. It feels like a big responsibility as most of the team will be reliant on it in order for the crew to operate the show. It cannot be made without the completed work and contributions from every other department, especially the script team who are still pulling the story together. 

In terms of my contributions otherwise, I am making an effort to communicate with each member of the crew whenever we get together to try and gauge where we are and what can be done in the planning process. This is helping with getting the run sheet together whilst also hopefully bolstering moral support within the group. The feedback I am getting from my peers is directing me to consider small visual details when creating plans and executing ideas regarding set, costume and planning EVS ads. 

Collaboration is a massive key to the success of this production, every single person needs to pull their weight if we are to make the good quality show we are hoping for. 

The question of what makes TV show and movie standards ‘quality’ has always intrigued me – is the correct opinion from professional film critics? The makers of the media themselves? The general public? Anyone who has written a thorough review online? Judgy comment sections?

Jenner’s (2018) chapter on Netflix and the reinvention of television expertly delves into this space, especially when it is acknowledged that ‘the judgement of quality is always situated. That is to say, somebody makes the judgement from some aesthetic or political or moral position” (2007, 145). I have interpreted this to mean that it is predominantly middle-upper class individuals who generally have the time and resources to watch leisurely television – that may be able to dictate what various networks put out – however; this is just a hypothesis. 

Jenner writes about the ways in which Netflix creates ‘cultural value’. As this platform launched into producing its own shows and films, the need for familiarity, nostalgia and comfort entertainment in hopes of generating more quality television has called on the platform to engage in remakes of multi camera sitcoms like full house -> fuller house, amongst many other original titles with similar family friendly formats. The higher budget (and therefore quality) that has gone into these remakes has boosted their cinematic and aesthetic standards for audience enjoyment and retention.

One of the stark differences that Jenner highlights about Netflix style TV and traditional TV viewing is the incorporation of ad breaks, and how advertisers have had the ability to dictate how long a TV show episode can run for. This is markedly understood by the standard durations of shows airing on television which range from 43 or 22 minutes long – and the argument for Netflix’s increase in the quality it puts out is that it is able to produce longer episodes that don’t relate to the limitations that advertisers may pose.

Given that this text was published in 2018, it has left out a significant detail pertaining to current circumstances – Netflix now in 2025 offers a lower subscription payment for users who opt to receive frequent ad breaks as they stream their movies and TV shows. This update does not negate the argument of what makes quality TV, however the over-commercialisation of Netflix and other popular streaming platforms is mimicking the traditional television set up, and ultimately bringing old and new audiences back to their viewing roots.

Reference
Jenner, M. (2018). Netflix and the re-invention of television. Palgrave Macmillan. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=shib&db=nlebk&AN=1856446&site=ehost-live

It is extremely exciting to be on the other side of the pitch presentations for Ready Camera One’s large scale production!
My group (consisting of Aurell, Celia, Edie and myself) developed the concept ‘Cinemess’ – a play on the idea of cinema and mess – to be a chat show or variety show aimed at Millennial and Gen Z audiences, dedicated to appreciating and celebrating iconic films, TV shows and movie culture. In this idea we pulled together 3 prospective segments featuring different games, guests and conversations centred on the theme of cinema, with a polished theatre aesthetic and atmosphere to carry the idea.

Since completing the pitch, the feedback we received from Ruth and fellow classmates was super helpful, and allowed my group to consider implications around creating certain set pieces and getting funding for movie memorabilia to use in the production. If our idea was hypothetically chosen (which, spoiler alert; it wasn’t), then we would need to put together a strategic plan for set decor specifically and other aesthetic measures which would require more input with financial assistance.

Another presentation I really loved was by the group who developed ‘Pretentious Pleasantries’ (done by Phil, Zoe, Larissa and Shani). There was so much to appreciate in the deep detail they put into each character described in their show, and I loved the backstories especially. One idea they used which really stuck with me was the concept of using EVS to make fake advertisements, which would actually be used to add depth and dimension to the mystery aspect of the show.

Furthermore, this idea is fantastic because it ensures that every part of the making of the show will have value and purpose – particularly when there is need for more engagement and understanding from the audience. This concept will keep viewers captivated during every segment including the seemingly mundane ‘ad breaks’.
I commend them for their well deserved win and I look forward to bringing this idea to life with the rest of the class.

Reference: 

Jenner, M. (2018). ‘Quality’, ‘Popular’ and the Netflix Brand: Negotiating Taste. In Netflix and the Re-Invention of Television (pp. 139–160). Springer International Publishing AG. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94316-9_8

1. Week #4 blog post
2. Week #5 blog post
3. Week 6 blog post

We are now on the other side of filming ‘I Ain’t Bullsh******’ – a 10 minute game show segment produced by Aurell, Phil, Charlotte, Miles, Maria, Zoe and myself. I am genuinely really pleased with how the experience panned out. I would say for the most part that expectations were met in terms of staying with the run sheet and script, and keeping to a decent time. 

Since the production technology and studio roles were much more familiar to our class, collaboration was truly the work of a well functioning community – which is one of the biggest differences I have experienced in team work across classes throughout my degree. Due to the essence of multi-camera production being in real time, there is a crucial need for every member of the crew to do their due diligence and communicate thoroughly throughout the pre-production and production process. In our stage of learning, the post production is minimal if not zero, so everything needs to be thought out, created and prepared before shooting – so in contrast to single camera production, which is deeply reliant on post production, editing and individualism in the creative sense, there is a completely different attitude to fostering community and ensuring adequate communication is maintained. 

In terms of what I would want to focus on doing differently in future productions, the communication between the team members on the floor and those in the control room could always be improved.
I would want the staffer in charge of the graphics to have access to a headset to hear instructions more clearly to ensure the accurate times of showing the visuals are met. The audio could have also been clearer – so in future I would want to do an extra check before rolling the cameras – to see that every microphone is at a decent volume and that the volume of the sound effects matched up in line with the microphone sounds.
The lighting could have been better too – with the talent not being spotlighted enough. This could be rectified with more lighting training for our class to go through. Ideally, if there was more time to plan the show and more meetings between team members for filming our show, it would have likely been finished with fewer hitches, so in future I would want to expand on the communication in the pre-production via group chat usage and in person meetings to clarify the shooting plans and ensure every member of the team feels heard and is on the same page.

Shooting this game show was a phenomenal experience, and I am very grateful for it.

Production Folder: I Ain’t Bullshitting

The preparation period before our game show titled ‘I Ain’t BullSh*****g’ has been an immensely productive time filled with challenges and proactive collaboration. Having unfortunately missed the first planning session due to Eid celebrations falling in this same period, I was concerned about my place in the group, however, my team worked really well by collating a shared OneNote file and adding me to a Whatsapp channel immediately to communicate the plan out.

My allocated role in this production is Director’s Assistant (this my preferred task, for which I am very grateful). I have been working with the Director, Aurell, in writing up the run sheet for the filming day, managing communications and experimenting with camera angles that would suit the style of our show – which has been a smooth process thus far, but still taking a lot of time to complete.

In the lead up to the filming, there has been a lot of discussion and change about camera angles and studio space blocking. So far, our team is set on having 1 host and multiple guests. The time limit in the show feels like a tight constraint but it is helping to guide our process and ensure we have enough rounds in the game to provide sufficient entertainment.
In this week’s studio session, we had the opportunity to scour the prop store and organise where the furniture and smaller set pieces will be placed – I would say we are overall pleased with the layout and are not going to any lengths to purchase items beyond our means. I would like to extend a special thank you to Ruth for providing the buzzers – I am so excited to see how they add to the atmosphere of our game show.

Filming EVS and organising graphics has also been a priority for our team before film day. EVS is currently being edited, and Maria started doing some fantastic title and logo graphics for our show, and as a team we are working together to source appropriate sound effects that mesh well with the small script we have put together so far. Phil is sourcing out the guests and talent – and this is our next major priority for pulling this production together.

This week’s focus on nostalgia and how it is utilised in multi camera show formats had me drawing mental parallels between what I personally find nostalgic, and how it connects to the media I consume (which may have further emphasised my yearning for the past). In class we discovered that multi-camera productions of old game shows, chat shows and family sitcoms, are a particular way of telling real stories, anchored by exaggeration, humour and dominant perspectives of the culture at the time of making.

A crucial part about reminiscing history and taking lessons from it, is to push bias aside as much as possible and think about every person’s experience. I interpret this to mean that we need to consider the injustices that occurred during the seemingly ‘good old days’- such as perspectives that have not historically received the highlighting and recognition they deserve. As Winckler (2024, p. 230) notes, ‘Kevin Can F*** Himself’ challenges this by “highlighting everything that is structurally, aesthetically, and politically wrong – at least in the eyes of its creators – with ‘old TV’”, making it essentially an anti-sitcom that pushes back on nostalgic complicity.

In the case of the show ‘Kevin Can F*** Himself’, the main character and wife of Kevin, Allison, is placed in two worlds: the multi camera horror show of her marriage steeped in misogyny, and the single camera showing a thriller style, suggests Allison’s anguish from being trapped in a debilitating marriage. The multi-camera format offers a window into the nostalgic world of a 90’s family sitcom of laugh tracks and humorous family dynamics – with a focus on the mistreatment of Allison for comic relief – and switches to a single camera setup which pushes viewers into a sense of unease from seeing a familiar, comfortable format reveal the disrespectful characteristics that the show is about. As Turchiano (2021) explains, “the sitcom space is Kevin’s space to say and do horrible things and get laughs, but the story follows Allison out of that space into a single-camera structure where she, and the audience by extension, can think a little harder about the behavior sitcom husbands, neighbours and fathers have been allowed to get away with for decades.”

In contrast, the Marvel show ‘WandaVision’ utilises the multi-camera format to paint positive nostalgic scenes of a better and idealised past. Yet, even here, the use of nostalgia is layered—“WandaVision’s recreation of ‘the emblematic genre of the traditional small screen’… constitutes an (ultimately doomed) effort to actualise Wanda’s idealised memories of traditional sitcom” (Winckler, 2024, p. 230).

References

Clark, R. (Photographer). (2022). Eric Petersen as Kevin McRoberts and Annie Murphy as Allison [Photograph]. Stalwart Productions/AMC. https://loeschtwins.com/kevin-can-f-himself-season-2-review/

Marvel Studios. (Producer). (2021). Behind-the-scenes image from WandaVision’s 1950s episode [Photograph]. Courtesy of Marvel Studios. https://www.vulture.com/2021/03/assembled-wandavision-1950s-details.html

Turchiano, D. (2021) How ‘Kevin Can F**k Himself’ Will Expose Bad Sitcom Husband Behavior Through Two Distinct Storytelling Styles. Variety. https://variety.com/2021/tv/features/kevin-can-fk-himself-valerie-armstrong-worldbuilding-interview-1234975353/

Winckler, R. (2024). Sitcom as refuge, sitcom as prison:Nostalgia, anti-nostalgia, and the embedded multi-camera sitcom in WandaVision and Kevin Can F**k Himself. The Journal of Popular Culture, 57(4),  https://doi.org/10.1111/jpcu.13337

Pp.221-232