Camera Shots

Establishing Shots

• Establishes where the action takes place, sets the scene.
• Often on exterior shot.
• Usually a wide shot.

Wide Shot

• Often used as an establishing shot.
• The point of this shot is to show the subjects surroundings.

Long Shot

• A shot which shows all or most of a fairly large subject and usually much of the surroundings.

Medium to Long Shot

• Knees to head with some background.
• Allows for action.

Medium Shot

•  Waist to head.
• Commonly used shot when beginning to focus more on a character and their body language.

Medium two shot.

• Exactly the same as medium shot but with two people. Helps to show unity but can also show divisions as well.

Medium close up.

• Head and shoulders. To focus on a character.

Close up

• Shows a characters face.
• Used to show emotions.

Big close up

• Forehead to chin.
• Used to show extreme emotion.

Extreme close up

• A very tight shot, to focus on a specific detail, for example someones eye.

Over the shoulder

• Used during a conversation
• Medium close up and the other person.

Overhead Shot

• Camera will be directly over character or object.
• Can be used to make objects look small and isolated.

High angle

• Can be used to make people look weak.

Low angle

• Could be used to make someone look powerfull.

Deep Shot

• When something is in the foreground and something else in the background allows you to show depth.