Camera shots

The framing of the shot creates what we see on the screen. Choices about the framing of a shot change the shots meaning. Sometimes it is important to frame a shot from the different heights to change the audience's perspective on the material. The camera could be positioned close to the floor, shooting straight-on to give the impression of a low height. Perhaps this would be used to signify the view of a child or small creature. Furthermore changing the camera distance supplies a sense of us being close to or far away from the material of the shot. the standard measure of camera distance is the scale of the human body.


Extreme Wide Shot
The extreme wide shot, the view is so far from the subject that she isn't even visible. The point of this shot is to show the subject's surroundings. The Extreme wide shot is often used as an "establishing shot" the first shot of a new scene, designed to show the audience where the action is taking place.


Long Shot
A shot that shows a character at a distance, spanning their whole height but leaning an area above and below them. this focuses the audience's attention on the character and their surroundings.


Medium Shot
Also known as a mid shot, this shows a character from the knees or waist up or full length seated figure. Most effective for showing the interplay between two characters and bridging the gap between a wide shot and a close-up. This shot can also be adapted to a medium long shot or a medium close-up.


Close-up
Used to show extreme detail or facial expressions. A character is framed from jus beneath the shoulders with space left above the head. This shot is effecitve for showing an audience a character's emotions and reactions because it focuses their concentraion on only one thing on the screen.


Extreme Close up
This shows only part of the head, the area from the lips to the eyes, and is often used for highly emotional shots to increase dramatic effect.


Over the shoulder shot
A shot made from over the shoulder of a character, focusing on what he or she is seeing.



Point of view shot
Seen from the character's point of view