Development: 4. Shot Variation

Alyx Entwistle

In film/TV, the camera shots are used with movement to create a sequence of images.

Framing

Close up
A close up shot is when the person or object is firmly framed and can be used to capture the emotion of a character. It shows very little to no background because it maginifies whatever is being filmed.

Medium shot
The medium shot is regularly used in a scene with a lot of dialogue, this is because it only shows the person from the waist up - sometimes the knees.

Long shot
In a long shot the character will be the focus but the background is also very clear to see. This is because the long shot shows the whole body of the subject.

Extreme long shot
Extreme long shots are usually shown at the start of a film as an establishing shot. If a character lives in a block of flats, the film will probably feature an extreme long shot of the flats from outside before cutting to a scene set inside the flat.

Camera angles

Eye level
The camera is placed so it looks like a person is actually watching a scene - so the heads of he actos will be on an equal level with the focus. It will be positioned about five feet from the ground.

Oblique/Canted angle
The camera can be tilted to suggest an imbalance - which is very popular in horror films. The method is used to suggest POV shots.

Low angle
Low angles simply increase the height of the shot. They help to confuse the viewer within the scene's action. A ceiling or the sky is usually the background choice for a low angle shot. This lack of detail in the backgound increases the bewilderment of the viewer. The use of a low angle shot makes the subject onscreen appear to be dominant, leaving the other character (if there is indeed one) and the audience sitting in fear or insecurity.

Bird's eye view
The bird's eye view technique shows a scene from a quite stange angle, filming the action from directly above. People and their possessions look completely unrecognisable, almost ant-like - giving them a look of insignificance.

High angle
A high angle is quite similar to a bird's eye view shot but not as extreme. The camera is lifted using a small crane to give a general overview of the action. These angles make the subject or object seem less significant, but not completely insignificant like in a bird's eye view shot.

Camera movement

Zoom lenses
The zoom lens is just something that changes the subject's magnification. It can change the position of the audience, either really slowly or really quickly. You don't need to move the camera so it saves a lot of fuss and time.

Tilts
A tilt is very simple to explain. A tilt is moving the camera up or down while sticking to its horizontal axis. An incredibly simple way of describing it is by nodding your head up and down - this is tilting.

Pans
Another very easy thing to explain. A pan is just the movement of a camera from one side to another. If you move your head from the left to the right - that is panning.

Hand-held shot
At times the action of your footage may be moving too quickly or erratically, so the tripod won't be able to capture the footage to the quality you want or need. If this happens then it is probably best to just hold the camera yourself. You will then be able to film any fast footage.

Dolly shot
Mostly used for a moving object or figure, and otherwise known as a tracking or trucking shot, the camera is place on a moving vehicle and moves alongside the action. A dolly shot is a good way of representing movement, such as a character's journey. It is also a good technique for changing from a long shot to a close up.

Crane shot
A crane shot is basically a lifted dolly shot. A crane is a great way of moving the camera - moving up, down, left, right, swooping in on action or moving diagonally out of it. It is sometimes known as a jib or boom. Not to be confused with the boom that holds a microphone aloft.

Aerial shot
An aerial shot is a varied and more thilling version of a crane shot, usually filmed from a helicopter. Usually featured during a films opening establishing shot in order to establish the setting.