Camera Shots, Angles, Cuts and Editing

Deborah Fakehinde

Camera AnglesCamera angles and movements combine to create a sequence of images, just as words, word order and punctuation combine to make the meaning of a sentence. We will need a straightforward set of key terms to describe them.Describing ShotsWhen describing camera angles, or creating them ourselves, we have to think about three important factors— The FRAMING or the LENGTH of shot— The ANGLE of the shot— If there is any MOVEMENT involvedWhen describing different cinematic shots, different terms are used to indicate the amount of subject matter contained within a frame, how far away the camera is from the subject, and the perspective of the viewer. Each different shot has a different purpose and effect. A change between two different shots is called a CUT.

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Getting The Perfect Shot

Looking through the lens

Pointing our camera and looking through the lens is just the beginning of the process. We will need to consider carefully the angle that we choose, as well as selecting what will and what will not be in our image.

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Big Close-up - (abbr. BCU) a shot taken very close to the subject (closer than would be necessary for a close-up), revealing extreme detail. (i.e., part of the human face)Bridging shot - a shot (cut) used to cover a break in time, or other break in continuity.Close-up - (abbr. CU) a shot taken very close to the subject ( or with the subject of the shot very large in the frame), revealing a detail only. (i.e., the human face, or hands).Conforming - the cutting of the OCN to match the final cut of a film.Continuity of motion - the flow of action from one shot to the next as it is placed on the screen at the cut point. Placing the significant action at the end of a shot in the same area of the screen where the significant action will begin in the next shot.Cross-cut - the intercutting of shots from two or more scenes so the fragments of each scene will be presented to the viewers attention alternately. - see parallel actionCut - in editing, a single unbroken strip of filmDissolve - a gradual merging of the end of one shot and beginning of another produced by the superimposition of a fade-out onto a fade-in of equal length.Fade-in - 1.(n.) a shot which begins in total darkness and gradually lightens to full brightness. 2. (v.) To gradually bring sound from inaudibility to required volume.Fade-out - the opposite of a fade-in.Jump cut - A cut which breaks the continuity of time by jumping forward from one part of an action to another.Long shot (abbr. LS) - a shot taken from a considerable distance. Often the LS serves as an establishing shot. (i.e., a human figure taken so it is shorter than the height of the screen)