— The FRAMING or the LENGTH of shot
— The ANGLE of the shot
— If there is any MOVEMENT involved
Camera FramingTHE CAMERA’S CLOSENESS TO THE OBJECT.
MEDIUM
SHOT
Definition How its used
Contains a figure from the knees/waist up and is normally used for dialogue
scenes, or to show some detail of action. Background detail is minimal
because location has been established earlier in the scene - the audience
already know where they are.
This is a “Bread and Butter” shot. It is used to move the story forward, showing two characters conversing and
allowing the narrative to move onward.
EXTREME CLOSE
UP
Definition How its used
This is a very close shot
showing the detail of an
object or the physical
features of a person.
This shot is used to show the emotions of a character, usually through their eyes. It could be used to show
anger with a straight stare. It also makes the character more personal to the audience as people tend not to be that close to each other unless they are intimate.
CLOSE
UP
Definition How its used
This shot shows very little
background and just concentrates on one specific thing closely.
This shot is used to show the full range of emotions of a character. It also allows the audience to identify certain characters. For example a group of soldiers would only
be identified by their faces due to their similar gear.
LONG SHOT
Definition How its used
The camera is placed far
away to capture a
large area of view.
The long shot is used to show the action occurring from a distance. This could be to emphasise the scale of the event or
landscape that the characters in. it could also be used to show that a character is stranded, showing the empty
landscape around them.
POINTOF
VIEW SHOT
Definition How its used
A simple shot of what the character (or object) sees. We as the audience get a glimpse of what the character is looking at.
This shot is used to make the audience feel like a
certain character. It could be used to show that characters journey or
adrenaline if they are in trouble. In some cases it
can be used to hide a murderer but still show the
actions that he/she commits.
OVER THE SHOULDER
SHOT
Definition How its used
A shot with an actor’s shoulder in the foreground.
This shot is used to show one character talking to
another, it can be rotated by 180 degrees to show
the other character talking. Without one
characters shoulder being in shot, it would look odd
that one character is talking to nothing.
REACTION SHOT
Definition How its used
A shot showing one or more characters reacting to an action or statement.
This shot is used to show the emotional response
from a character after they have witnessed an event. An example of this is wide eyes and open mouth for someone being murdered.
Camera AngleTHE CAMERA’S HEIGHT FROM THE GROUND
To show insignificance.
To give a more detailed view.
Normal eye level view, what we see.
To give a more detailed view of less authority
To show powerful, masculinity, authority
BIRDS EYE
VIEW
Definition How its used
This shows a scene from
directly overhead, a
very unnatural
and strange angle.
Birds eye views are used to show a whole situation from above. It can be used to show how dense a
suburban area is or show how powerless someone is if they have been deserted somewhere.
HIGH ANGLE
Definition How its used
Not so extreme as a
bird's eye view. The camera is elevated
above the action using a crane to
give a general
overview.
High angle is used to show vulnerability or powerlessness. It can be used to show how
insignificant a character is. It can be used to show the rank of a character.
EYE LEVEL
Definition How its used
the camera is positioned as though it
is a human actually observing a scene, so that eg actors' heads are on a level with the focus. The camera will
be placed approximately five to
six feet from the ground.
This shot is used to show a character on their level. It is used to show how people
usually see the world. This moves the story onwards.
LOW ANGLE
Definition How its used
the camera is positioned below the
object or people being shot.
Low angles are used to show a characters dominance or high authority.
DUTCH TILT
Definition How its used
The camera is tilted so that on screen, the
horizon appears to be tilted.
This shot is used to show a character that is disorientated or show a rush, usually in
action sequences.
Camera Movement
TILT UP Definition How its used
the camera looks up at the objector people
being shot.
This shot is used to reveal a character or situation from a low angle that gets larger.
TILT DOWN
Definition How its used
the camera looks down on the objector people
being shot.
This shot is used to reveal a character or situation from a high angle that gets larger.
PAN Definition How its used
The camera moves across the scene FROM
SIDE TO SIDE (move your head from left to right – this is panning)
This is used to show a character walking along or to reveal a large scale scene that
cant be emphasized in one shot.
TRACKING
Definition How its used
A tracking shot and a dolly shot have the
same effect. A tracking shot moves on tracks and a dolly shot is mounted on a
trolley.
This shot is used to follow a camera.. The camera is mounted on a track to make the
movements smooth.
ZOOM Definition How its used
Zooming means altering the focal
length of the lens to give the illusion of moving closer to or
further away from the action.
The zoom is used to slowly reveal more detail to an audience. It can be used to
show the facial expressions of a character that is initially far away.
QUICKZOOM
Definition How its used
Zooming means altering the focal
length of the lens to give the illusion of moving closer to or
further away from the action.
A quick zoom is when you move closer
quickly.
A quick zoom is used to show a realization of a character. The camera quickly zooms into a character to show that they have
realized that something bad has happened.
ARC SHOT
Definition How its used
the camera moves in a rough semi-circle around the subject.
The arc shot can also show realization as it captures all the emotions of a character as
the camera rotates around them. It can alkso be used to show the full scene or
scenario around the character.