Camera Shot Size & AnglesTeaching Resource

Camera Movement

• To achieve smooth movement you will need to pan and tilt so that the frame moves evenly, without any jerky or sudden movements.

Different Variation of Shot Sizes• Wide Shot/Extreme Long Shot - audience sees the setting -

establishing shot. figures are very small.• Long Shot - figures seen from head to foot - identify more detail

about the person/character.• Mid Shot - frame from their waste to their head - easily recognise

details of the character.• Medium Shot - similar to mid shot - from their chest to their head.• Close Up - frame contains persons head and shoulders - thoughts

and feelings of character are shown.• Big Close Up - shows just the face - signifying emotions or focusing

on expressions.• Extreme Close Up - extremely close - just below the mouth, just

above the eyebrow - make a person feel powerful or threatened.

Different Variation of Camera Angles

• Low Angle - below the subject pointing upwards - effect of overpowering, important or threatening.

• High Angle - above the subject pointing down - effect of vulnerable, insignificant or threatened.

• POV - shows what character is looking at from their Point Of View.

• Bird's Eye View - camera looking vertically straight down at the subject.

• Worm Eye View - view of an object from below, as though the observer were a worm. A worm's eye view is used commonly for third perspective.

Headroom:• Too much Headroom

Headroom is the amount of space between the top of the subjects head in comparison to the frame

• Not enough Headroom

• Correct Headroom

Leadroom: Leadroom is the space in front, and in the direction, of stationary or moving bodies or objects.

• Poor Leadroom

• Good Leadroom

Noseroom: Noseroom is the space in front, and in the direction, of stationary of moving faces.

• Too little Noseroom

• Sufficient Noseroom

Anticipatory Framing

• We use panning to follow a person walking, to do this correctly you need to become proficient at anticipatory framing.

• To achieve this you need to be able to anticipate the direction of your subject’s movement and move the frame fluidly to constantly ensure a sufficient amount of headroom and Leadroom.