Camera Shots

This post is to show various camera angles used in the film industry, their effects, and when they are commonly used. Camera shots are the angles, zoom level and the placement of the camera in relation to the subjects of the shot.

Establishing shot
An establishing shot is a very zoomed out shot, generally showing a large area or landscape, and sets the location of the scene. They are usually used at the beginning of the scene.








Long Shot
A long shot genereally shows all of a character or characters and also show the surrounding setting they're in. Long shots are often used to show a group of people and their surroundings, or to give a profile of a character.









Medium Shot
A medium shot is at a zoom level which shows a character or characters from about the chest or waist up. They draw the attention into certain points more than a long shot. They also allow the audience to see some of the setting.








Close Up
A close up draws attention onto very specific details, usually a hand gesture or a facial expression. They are often used in reaction shots, to show a characters emotion in detail between exchanges of dialogue.







Extreme Close Up
Extreme close ups are zoomed in to the extent that something small, such as someones eye, fills the screen. This allows the whole screen to be filled with the emotion of the character.











Over the Shoulder
An over the shoulder shot gives a perspective of the point of view of a character. Usually they are also a 2 shot, as they are often used during dialogue, as they show the talker and the reaction of the other character.









High Angle Shot
High angle shots are used to make the subject of the shot look inferior, or powerless. They do this by looking down on the character, giving the audience the feeling they are above them.


















Low Angle Shot
Low angle shots are used to make the subject look powerful. This effect is created by placing the camera beneath the subject and looking up at them, making the audience feel they are beneath the subjects.

Practicing Camera Shots - Stills

For our first task, we had to take a series of still photos using different camera angles and shots to get used to positioning the camera. We had to plan these photos ahead, and arrange them into a storyboard. For this exercise we chose a very simple storyline, where a drugs deal went badly and resulted in a fight.

We started with an establishing shot, to set the scene and introduce the characters. We found a location within school that we thought looked quite run down and suitable to the story.

This shot shows the 2 characters from the previous shot involved in a drugs deal. This is a mid shot and a 3 shot.

This shot shows the dtugs dealer talking to the 2 'druggie' characters. It shows one character in a particularly weak position in relation to the others, sitting on the floor, and the drugs dealer in a much more authoritative stance than the others.

This shot is to improve continuity. In the storyboard this would signal the end of this scene, as the characters having finished the drugs deal would walk away, after helping one another up.

This shot is reflected in a mirror for a number of reasons. Firstly it creates an interesting effect, which improves the whole feel. And secondly because it gives the effect of watching something around a corner. This fits in with what is happening in the story, as the 2 druggies are about to take their drugs, and wouldn't want to be seen, so this creates a sort of spying effect.

This shot shows the druggie taking drug off of a toilet seat. This shot was better for our excercise than showing it from the front, as we would've run into difficulties with making anything look real from the front.

These shots show the characters going up the stairs, they show are establishing shots, as they show the new place the scene is located in.

These shots show the drugs dealer walking towards the druggies. One of the druggies is passed out on the floor already, because of the drugs they've taken. The first shot is an establishing shot, the second and over the shoulder shot, and the third and fourth long shots.

In this scene, the druggies have been unable to pay the dealer, and so a fight breaks out. Being high the druggie clearly loses. The first shot shows a mid shot 2 shot, and the second shot show a mid shot with the camera placed at a very low position, to show the druggies place next to the dealers feet.

After dealing with the 2 druggies, the dealer walks away. In the first shot we have a mid shot, and in the second we have a long shot, to show that everything is finshed. Throughout all of the shots the druggies face is never shown, either hidden by his hood or the camera. This is because it adds an air of mystery to him, and also implies that in their drug fuelled state, the druggies are unable to descern any features from him, and gives us an in sight into the characters.