CAMERA DISTANCE

Film Studies v2.0Unit 3

Shots, Takes, and Scenes• In order to talk about

film, we will need to build our film vocabulary.

• We often discuss film in terms of: A shot

A take

and

A scene

The Shot• What is a shot?

• When you “shoot” a film with a movie camera, film runs through the camera and past the lens.

• A shot refers to one uninterrupted piece of film that is run through the camera.

• Hundreds of shots are edited together to make a finished film.

A Take• What is a take?

• A take is a single recording of a shot.

• Typically, many takes will be filmed of each shot.

• Later, the editor will choose the best take of each shot and assemble these into the final film.

• Hundreds of hours of takes are filmed and then thrown away.

A Scene• What is a scene?

• A scene is the action that takes place in a single location and in continuous time.

• A film is made up of many scenes.

• Usually, several shots make up a scene. It is unusual for a scene to contain no edits.

Camera Distance• In composing shots, the

filmmaker can vary the apparent distance between the camera and the subject (person or object) he or she is filming.

• This can be done by physically moving the camera closer, or by using a lens that makes the subject appear closer.

• Typically, the closer the object appears, the more importance it has for the audience.

• This is known as “shot scale.”

Camera Distance• There are five basic types

of shots: extreme close up,

close up,

medium shot,

long shot, and

extreme long shot.

Extreme Close-Up• Isolates an image and

makes it appear relatively large on the screen.

• If it’s of a face, it might be just an actor’s eyes or mouth.

• What impact might an extreme close-up have on the audience?

• If it’s of an object, it can indicate symbolic importance.

• It can be disorienting for the audience

The Blair Witch Project, 1999

Do the Right Thing, 1989

Close-Up• If it’s of an actor, its is

typically just the character’s face.

• Why might a close-up be used? What impact might a close-up have on the audience?

• It can imply beauty of glamour, can encourage empathy with the character, can show that a character is thinking.

• Often highly emotional.

• Sometimes, you don’t want to be so close to a character, especially a scary one!

The Shining, 1980

Rear Window, 1954

Medium Shot• Medium distance. If

of an actor, it’s from the waist up.

• Why might a medium shot be used?

• It can be used to focus the audience’s attention onto a particular character.

The Postman Always Rings Twice, 1946

The Lovely Bones, 2009

Full Shot• A full shot shows the

entire human body, head to toe.

• Why might a full shot be used?

• A full shot shows you more of the setting.

• It allows you to follow a character’s movements.

• Useful in dance or action sequences.

American Gangster, 2007

2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968

Long Shot• A long shot appears

to be taken from a long distance away.

• Why might a long shot be used?

• Emphasizes the environment that a character is in.

Fort Apache, the Bronx, 1981

The Pursuit of Happyness, 2006

Extreme Long Shot• Shows the object or

person at a vast distance surrounded by a great amount of space.

• Why might an extreme long shot be used?

• Can convey the enormous size of a setting.

• Can isolate a character or make people seem tiny or unimportant.

Stagecoach, 1939

Gone With the Wind, 1939

Camera Distance – Points to Consider1. The camera distance

symbolizes our distance from the subject, both physical and emotional distance (What do you think emotional distance means?)

2. Each film establishes its own shot scale. This means that shots exist in relation to one another, so one film’s long shot might be another film’s medium shot.

Citizen Kane, 1941