Basic Camera Shots
Basic Camera Shots
A wide shot (WS), also referred to as a long shot, is a camera angle that shows the entire object or person
and their relation to what surrounds them.
Extreme wide Filmed from so far away that the audience can no longer see the actor
a medium close-up (MCU) frames the subject from just above the head to just below the chest.
A neutral shot, the medium close-up captures the subject's facial expression and body language while still
leaving some background in the frame.
The medium shot, sometimes also called a mid-shot or waist shot, is a film shot that stretches from around
the waist (or sometimes the knees) of a subject up to their head.
A close-up shot is a type of camera shot size in film and television that adds emotion to a scene. It tightly
frames an actor's face, making their reaction the main focus in the frame.
Extreme Close Up Emphasizes a small area or detail of the subject, such as the eye(s) or mouth
Advanced Shots
A two shot is a shot in which the frames a view of the subjects. It captures the subjects' interaction, their
distance from one another, and their body language, a two-shot can tell the viewer a lot about their
relationship.
A cutaway shot is a supplementary shot that “cuts away” from the main action to indicate something
else in the space, such as an object or location.
The over the shoulder shot (OTS) is a camera angle used in film and television, where the camera is
placed above the back of the shoulder and head of a subject. This shot is most commonly used to
present conversational back and forth between two subjects.
A POV shot is a camera technique that films from a particular angle. It shows the audience what the
character is looking at from a first-person perspective.
Selective focus is a photography technique in which the subject of an image is in focus while the rest of
the image is a blur
The arc shot in film, also called a 360 degrees shot or 360 tracking shot, orbits the camera around a
subject in an arc pattern.
Camera Angles
The eye level shot is exactly what it sounds like: the cinematographer positions the camera angle
directly at the eye level of the character
a high angle shot is a filming technique where the camera looks down at the subject from above.
A low angle shot is a film shot taken from a camera angle positioned below the average eye line and
pointing up.
An overhead shot is when the camera is placed directly above the subject. It's somewhere around a
90-degree angle above the scene taking place.
Worm's eye view is a type of photographic shot that is taken from a low angle, looking up at the
subject.
is a technique that consists of an angled camera shot where the horizon line isn't parallel with the
bottom of the frame, and vertical lines are at an angle to the side of the frame.