Camera Shots & Angels

It’s important to use different shot sizes in your movie. It’s a way of spelling things out, to make sure that people see exactly the things you want them to see. If you shoot everything in long shot (head to foot) people will probably miss details and expressions which would help them understand the story.

1. Extreme Close-up (ECU) ShotSizes

This is a zoomed in shot, generally magnifying the mouth or eyes to create a dramatic effect that appears more artificial. The majority of the background is unclear or blurred to fully extenuate the close-up of the object or person.

2. Close-up (CU) ShotSizes

This shows little background and instead focuses on either a person or an aspect of mise-en-scene by magnifying and blurring out the rest of the background; this is done to create a more intimate shot to allow the viewer to see things from the characters perspective.

3. Medium Shot (MS)This is generally used in action or dialogue scenes showing about two thirds of the individuals in the scene, this would either include two or three characters, any more and the shot would become a long shot.

4. Long Shot (LS)This camera shot is generally a full shot of the entire human body, this shot can still maintain the mise-en-scene in clear quality despite the focus on the character's body. It is the most life-like to the audience as it appears in a realistic sizing, however this is often difficult to categorise precisely.

5. Extreme Long Shot/Establishing Shot (ELS)This is often used for scene setting and can be taken from as much as a quarter mile away. This captures the exterior, it could be of a building, a landscape and is often used in action and adventure movies to set the scene and setting for the audience without telling them.

6. ShotTypes Two-shot Over-the-Shoulder Shot (OTS)Starting with an OTS shot can help establish the eye line and the direction in which each character is looking — since we might not always get this information from the long shot, especially in group conversations.

7. ShotTypes Point-of View (POV)

Through the positioning of the camera it appears to the audience as if they are observing the scene from the perspective of the characters. This can help the audience feel as if they are in the shot and are more involved with the conversation and therefore allows them to become more empathic to the characters.

8. ShotAngles Low Angle

This camera angle helps the audience to perceive characters as less empowered during action of a scene. As well as this it can make the audience feel confused and disorientated as the background is often the sky or a ceiling. The use of making the object, or actors in some cases, appear taller can help install fear and empathy for others in the scene as the object can appear more dominating.

9. ShotAngles High Angle

This camera angle is elevated above the acting, which makes the scene seem less significant and the character becomes part of a bigger picture. Through the use of a crane this angle is perfected and can often make the character or object seem scary or more intimidating.

10. Canted Angle / Dutch Angle ShotAngles

This is often a tilted or camera lens, where the camera is not horizontal to the ground, this can portray imbalance and instability. This is often used in horror movies or action movies when the characters use hand held characters during a chase, so it's from their point of view. This speeds up the rhythm of the scene and portrays disorientation for the audience which creates tension at the uncertainty of what would happen.