Camera Shots!



Long Shot

Shows all or most of a fairly large subject (for example, a person) and usually much of the surroundings.





Master shot

Is usually the first shot of a scene. It is a wide shot which covers all the action and speech in the scene and establishes context.



Point of view shot

is usually the first shot of a scene. It is a wide shot which covers all the action and speech in the scene and establishes context.



Close up

shows the actor's head and sometimes their shoulders. This shot directs the audience's attention to the significance of what that individual is doing, saying or feeling at that particular time. The close-up shot can also draw attention to an object which is of significance to the narrative.





Long shot & wide shot

shows the whole person or the whole feature object as part of the landscape. The establishing shot of a television and film production is usually a long shot showing the actor/s in their environment. This establishes the context for following shots. The establishing shot, for example, might be a house, a town or a landscape. This shot implies that it is important to the story for the audience to see the actor in this context. A long shot or wide shot can also be used as the first shot or master shot of a new scene. These shots are outlined in more detail below.







Over the shoulder shot

Is a shot Looking from behind a person at the subject, cutting off the frame just behind the ear. The person facing the subject should occupy about 1/3 of the frame. This shot helps to establish the positions of each person, and get the feel of looking at one person from the other's point of view. A variation of this shot can be a bit wider and include the shoulder of the person facing the subject.

 

Birds Eye Andgle Shot

This shows a scene from directly overhead, a very unnatural and strange angle. Familiar objects viewed from this angle might seem totally unrecognisable at first (umbrellas in a crowd, dancers' legs). This shot does, however, put the audience in a godlike position, looking down on the action. People can be made to look insignificant, ant-like, part of a wider scheme of things. Hitchcock (and his admirers, like Brian de Palma) is fond of this style of shot.

Two Shot

Is a shot showing two characters in the scene. It usually involves a dialogue sequence between the two characters.

 Low angle

Shot places camera below the character, exaggerating his or her importance

High Angle

The camera looks down at a character, making the viewer feel more powerful than

him or her, or suggesting an air of detachment.