Filmmakers use a variety of shots, angles and camera movements to visually tell their story.
Cinematography is the art of visual storytelling.
Each shot plays a role in the sequence of shots that comprise a scene
Some shots are defined by width, or the range of subjects or action captured in the frame.
Shot size refers to how close the camera is to the subject.
Various Shot sizes
A shot that establishes a location to show where the scene or action will take place.
Also called an Extreme Wide Shot (EWS).
When to use it: When cutting to a new scene and/or introducing a new location.
This shot often sets the scene and our character’s place in it.
It is usually possible to discern individuals but there is also a great deal of background.
When to use it: When you’re showing the scope of the world, the environment around a character, or when the location changes to reestablish the new location.
Frames the character from head to toe, with the subject roughly filling the frame.
The shot allows the viewer to see the relationship between the subject and the location of the scene.
When to use it: When you want to show a character’s full attire and range of movements, like entering or leaving a scene, or standing off against an enemy.
A shot that captures a subject from around the waist up.
One of the most frequently used shots in film and television as it focuses on a character(s) in a scene while still showing some environment.
When to use it: When in mid-conversation.
Falls between a Medium Shot and a Close-Up, generally framing the subject from chest or shoulder up.
A close-up usually shows a character’s face. Often used when shooting conversations.
In a close-up, the face of the character fills the frame, with the bottom of the frame cutting off right below the subject’s shoulders.
When to use it: When attempting to convey a specific and important emotion or feeling.
Extreme close-ups are used to show small details, such as a character’s eyes, an ant on someone’s skin or a blade of grass.
Draw the eyes to one very specific subject.
Can be used to convey emotion to the audience.
When the camera is placed at the subject’s height.
Eye level shots are incredibly common because they are neutral. They often have no dramatic power whatsoever.
Where the camera is placed above the subject, looking down on them.
High angles emphasize the smallness of the character and make the subject seem vulnerable, weak, or frightened.
When to use it: When conveying a subject as inferior or weak compared to another subject.
Where the camera is placed below the actor’s eyes, looking up at them.
Low angles make characters seem more powerful, dominant, aggressive, heroic, or dangerous.
When to use it: When conveying a subject as powerful to another subject.
Where the camera is diagonal or off balance in some way.
Its purpose is to give the audience a sense of disorientation or an uneasy psychological state.
When to use it: When conveying something very off is happening to a character.
Panning is when the camera is moved horizontally from one side to another on a central axis.
It can be used to follow a moving character or to fit more intoa frame, for example, panning across a landscape to create a sense of place. Also good for establishing shots.
Panning can help you reveal things that were previously off-screen.
Tilting is similar to panning, but the focus is on upward and downward movements.
These shots are popular when introducing a character, or to add an element of surprise to the scene your setting.
A slow upwards tilt can be very effective in making a subject appear bigger or more significant
A dolly shot is when you move the entire camera forward or backward, often placing it on a track or motorized vehicle.
When you “dolly in,” the camera moves toward the subject, whereas when you “dolly out,” the camera moves backward and away from the subject.
A dolly gives the illusion that the viewer is walking towards the subject and can be a great way of creating a sense of intimacy between them.
This type of camera movement is often used to focus on a character when they’re lost in thought or when they’ve come to a sudden realization
Trucking involves physically moving the camera left to right or right to left, often placing it on a track or motorized vehicle.
Performing a truck lets the camera stay with a moving subject in the shot.
Trucking is often used during action sequences when you want to keep the camera on a moving character.
With a pedestal movement, the entire camera moves up or down on a pedestal, as opposed to the camera’s angle tilting.
This movement is best used to shoot a tall character or subject while keeping the framing at eye level view for the viewer.
Probably the most well-known camera move.
Zooming gives the impression of moving closer or further away from the subject.
It can be used to magnify a certain focus point in the frame.
Quick zooms can add a sense of drama and energy.