Research: Camera Shots & Angles

Extreme Long Shot - This is also known as an establishing shot as it usually used for the start of a new scene to set the theme. This can be taken from as much as a quarter of a mile away. These shots normally show an exterior, e.g. The outside of a building, or a landscape and is often used to show scenes of thrilling action. There will be very little detail visible in long shot. It means to give a general impression.

Long Shots - These shots generally show the image as approximately "life" size, i.e... corresponding to real life distance between the audience and the screen in a cinema (the figure of a man would appear as six feet tall). This includes the full shot showing the entire human body. This shot is usually used to establish a character.

Medium Shots - Contains a figure from the knees/waist up and is normally used for dialogue scenes, or to show some detail of action. This is usually used when there is a scene of a character running from something to towards something.

Close-Up - This shows very little background and concentrates on earlier a face or a specific detail of muse en scene. Everything else in the background should be a blur, in the background. This shot is usually used to show emotion on ones face.

Extreme Close-Up - Generally magnifying beyond what the human eye would experience. These shots can range from the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, etc.

Birds-eye View - This shows a scene from directly overhead. This shot can put the audience in a godlike position, looking down on the action.

High Angle - This is when the camera is elevated above the action using a crane to give a general overview. High angles make the object photographed seem smaller and less significant.

Point-Of-View - A neutral shot; the camera is positioned as though it is a human actually observing a scenes, so that actors head are on a level with the focus. To execute this shot correctly you will need good free hand camera handling.