Normally one, unless you're shooting something that can't easily be repeated, like a big action sequence. Sometimes you might also want to use multiple cameras even for a dialog scene: for example, in 'Fight Club' David Fincher had Brad Pitt and Edward Norton talking in character in the pub with a camera on each, and cut together the best parts.

Sometimes you might have even more: AFAIR there was a dance scene in the movie by that 'dogma' guy who had dozens of DV cameras set up around the location so they'd catch the characters from multiple angles for the entire scene.

In general it often seems that multiple cameras will save time, but when you consider the extra effort required to light for two cameras, run two cameras, etc, it's usually as slow if not slower.

Many thanks for your response. So the rule of thumb is if it's not something that can't be repeated such as a fighting scene then one camera is enough, correct? So another words, if I want to have at least 3 to 5 angles of a scene that last about 3-5 minutes screen time, I will have to repeat the scene 3-5 times with each time at a different angle, right? And each time with different angle, I can adjust the lighting accordingly, correct?

Yes :).

Wow. I didn't realized that. I thought the professionals will have three to 5 cameras taping at the same time and only require the actors/actresses do act out the scene only once if no one makes any mistake. So I guess it's a slower process than I realized.

Sitcoms often use multiple cameras (3 is standard I think). It's cheaper and quicker and they are far less concerned with lighting than motion pictures.

RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA

Yeah, studio TV drama (at least in the UK) normally uses multiple cameras.

However, location TV drama normally uses a single camera: I met a TV director a few years ago who could shoot a 30-minute soap opera episode in two days, and he was just using one camera. He was big on organising the set in the most efficient manner to get the best out of what you had: for example, make sure the DoP knows where the next camera setup is before you go off and spend half an hour talking to the actors... that way the camera and lights can be ready to go by the time you're done.

it's traditionally one, but some filmmakers use multiple cameras... like Kurosawa, Antonioni, etc., have all used a few cameras in order to get multiple angles.

for a beginner though, i'd stick to one. easier to organize things that way. at most two.

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Another thing to consider -- even if your actors don't flub their lines or blocking, you probably do want to get at least a couple of takes for each particular shot. That way you have options when it comes time to edit.

Coming Out of Left Field
http://bostonian71.blogspot.com

Many thaks for all the responses. Does it matter if each take of the same scene has different lengths? For example, maybe the first take is about 00:5:10:00, second take is 00:5:25:10, third take is 00:5:05:30.

No, you'll just stick together the good parts of the takes. Well, unless you're Kubrick and keep shooting until you get the 'perfect' single take to put into your film with no cuts :).