2. There Are 3 Main Shots That
Describe How Near Or How Far The
Camera Is From The Subject:
Long Shot
Medium Shot
Close Up Shot
3. Long Shot
• This shows the whole
subject → See
surroundings → Used
to show the full
human figure and
often provide a clear
view of the
environment or setting
where we find the
character.
4. Medium Shot
• This shows the human
body from mid shin or
mid- thigh up and often
used to show
interaction between two
or more characters →
Shows half of the
subject. It May feature
some background to
relate the
character/characters to
their surroundings.
5. Close Up Shot
• This shows one part
of the subject, usually
in great detail →It is
usually used to show
the emotion on a
persons face → This
shot may leave
viewers uncertain as
to what they are
seeing.
7. Extreme Close Up
• This shows only a detail of
the subject, such as
someone's eyes, or the paws
of a dog walking down a
path, of a hand on a
doorbell or a tree branch→
We can understand how a
character feels; even get into
the head of that character →
It is used a lot in thrillers →
It helps to clarify action.
8. Extreme Long Shot
• This is used to show
landscapes or provide a
view of a whole world
(city, town, galaxy),
where the film is set →
There is very little detail
visible in the shot, as it
is meant to give a
general impression
rather than specific
information.
9. Full Shot
• This is a variation on
the long shot showing
the full subject → It is
usually used to place a
character in some
relation to its
surroundings →e.g.
full human figure with
feet at bottom of the
frame and head at the
top of the frame.
11. Establishing Shot
• This is used at the
beginning of a scene
to let the viewers
know where the
characters are →It can
also be used to show
the relations between
the main figures in
the film and objects.
→ e.g. A long shot of
a car driving up to a
hotel, or a close up of
a restaurant sign.
12. Reaction Shot
• This is used to show the
effect of one persons
words or actions on the
other people in the scene
→A close up shot is
usually used in this to
show the emotion on the
characters face → It
usually cuts away from
the main scene in order to
show the reaction of a
character to it.
13. Camera Angles
The angle from
which a shot is
taken is another
way to give variety
to a film as well as
information.
14. High Angle
• This positions the
camera above eye
level looking down
on the subject, which
consequently
appears insignificant,
weak, helpless or
small according to
how extreme the
angle is.
15. Low Angle
• This has the camera
looking up at the
subject, the subject
appears important,
powerful, or
domineering, again
depending on how
exaggerated the angle is
→ It is shot anywhere
below the eye line,
looking up.
16. Eye Level
• This is a fairly
neutral shot; the
camera is positioned
as though it is a
human actually
observing a scene,
almost a point of
view shot but
reversed →e.g.
actors' heads are on a
level with the focus.
17. Reverse Angle
• In a normal shot or
angle the camera
usually looks at the
subject but with this
angle the camera
shows what the subject
is seeing also known as
a point of view shot →
e.g. a shot of the gates
of a prison from within
followed by a reverse
angle shot showing the
gates from outside.
18. Oblique Angle
• This is used when the camera
is tilted, to suggest imbalance,
transition and instability →It
is very popular in horror and
thriller films → This
technique is used to suggest
point of view shots → When
the camera becomes the 'eyes'
of one particular character,
seeing what they see → A
hand held camera is often
used for this.