Camera shots and angles

Zoe Lehane

Extreme close up (ECU)Extreme close up is a type of camera shot which very tightly frames a person or an object. Extreme close ups are used to show the most detail possible which would not be able to be seen by a shot taken far away eg. A long shot, therefor are usually used to show a persons facial expression in order to understand their emotions. Extreme close up shots usually create a connection with the viewer.

Example: an extreme close up from ‘The Blair Witch Project’

This extreme close up is used in the movie to show the fear and terror in her face, it also heightens the intensity and drama within the situation as her face and tears are highlighted by the light and the background is pure darkness.

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Close Up (CU)• Close up shots are used in the same way as extreme close up shots; to

express a persons emotion and facial expressions, however the difference is that as close up shots are slightly further away it manages to slightly capture the background as well as the face/object in the foreground. This allows the viewer to understand the situation the characters in and how they're feeling.

Example: Close Up from The Dark Knight

This close up is a good example because we are able to see the jokers somewhat annoyed expression and we can guess why because of what's in the background – a man holding him down.

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Medium Shot (MS)• A medium shot is a shot taken from the mid point between a long shot and a

close up. In a longshot you are usually able to see half of a humans body or half of whatever object is being filmed. Medium shots are good because they are not too far away to not be able to understand what could be going on with the character as you are still able to read their facial expressions, a medium shot also allows us to see more of the background so we are able to understand the situation the character is in better.

• Example: The Hunger Games

This example is good because we are

able to see the characters facial expression

yet a lot of the background showing the

situation she is in

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Long Shot (LS)• A long shot also known as a full or wide shot is a shot which shows a

whole human figure or object as well as a lot of the background. Long shots are good for things such as war scenes so the viewer is able to see everything that’s happening; the people, the setting etc.

• Example:

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High angle shot (HAS/Birds eye view)• High angle shots are shots taken from above the eye level. They are

used to represent power/being weak. They're used in situations where a director wants a particular characters to look inferior, intimidated, weak and scared. The director usually wants the content/person the camera is shooting to look merged into the background. They are used to make the scene more dramatic and intense.

• Example:

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Low angle shot (LAS)• Low angle shots are taken anywhere below the eye line looking

upwards, opposite to high angle shots. Low angle shots are used to make people seem powerful, they are usually used on characters in films who have a higher status than others. The characters that are filmed from a low angle dominate the screen, they make the watcher feel over powered.

• Example: Spider Man

This angle is used here to portray how powerful and strong Spiderman is

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Titled Frame (TF)• A tilted angle shot also known as a Dutch angle, is an angle where the

camera is on a tilted axis and not vertical or horizontal with the character or object in the shot, the shot is sideways and not parallel. This shot is used to cause psychological uneasiness or tension. This angle can differ from low and high angle shots to present characters in different ways.

• Example: Marilyn Monroe in the

• film noir work The Asphalt Jungle

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180 Degree rule180 degree rule is a guideline for a shot with two characters in it. The camera is always kept on one side of the scene so it doesn’t confuse the viewer. the first character is always frame right of the second character, who is always frame left of the first. The object/person being filmed must always remain in the centre while the camera moves around it.

Example: Redrum the shining 2

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Over The Shoulder shotover the shoulder shot (shoulder, OS, OTS, or third-person shot) is a shot of someone shot from the perspective of someone behind shoulder of another person.

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Two Shot

A two shot is a shot that includes to people in the frame, they are usually used when filming a scene which is shooting an interview or two people hosting a show. Two shots are good to use to establish a relationship between two characters. It’s a good shot to establish the interaction between two characters without getting distracted by their surroundings.

Example: Spiderman

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Point Of View (POV)

A point of view shot is a shot taken from the eyes of a certain character. It allows the viewer to see exactly what the chosen character is seeing and experiencing

Example:

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Extreme long shot

Extreme long shots can be taken from as much as a quarter of a mile away and are usually used as an establishing shot, Extreme long shots are used to show the viewer where the upcoming scene is going to be set, is usually shoots an exterior place; a landscape. In an extreme long shot the subjects are always small and the background is the main focus.

Example: Cleopatra

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