Long Shot

The Long Shot

The Long Shot (LS) is where the entire character is captured, from head to toe.

The LS is used to focus on the full body actions of a character. This leads to a sense of how the character moves and behaves via their body language. They also deliver a more dynamic feel to them, and are frequently used in action sequences, dancing or other such movement based actions.

Because the character is smaller on screen, we also are able to see a lot more of their environment that the character is within, so is an effective way of using the setting to aid in storytelling. Seeing how a character interacts with the environment, whether they fit in, or are at odds with the environment tells us a lot about a character.

Long Shots are also useful in showing where all of the important characters are in relation to each other, this is also called a Master Shot. The LS also can be used on larger objects, which can provide a sense of scale for characters.

Bree's house - very familiar to us, connects us to its characters and establishes 'normality'. This shot of the house also serves as an Establishing Shot.

Bree being a couch potato, inside a very 'normal' environment.

Mum being distracted by work, creates motivation for Bree to sneak a cookie from the new cookie jar.

Bree has fallen to sleep. Combined with Low Key lighting, we see the cookie jar 'watching' over the scene... always present.

Whilst dreaming, we get a jump scare by a very rapid cut of Kookie looming over Bree just before she wakes up.

Bree goes looking for her mum. Combined with Low Key lighting works to establish an empty house, increasing tension.

Here we see the babysitter, leg tapping and anxious, waiting to leave in a hurry.

She leaves in a hurry, we see the mother trying to talk to her, and the babysitter hurriedly escaping.

Mum checking in on Bree, showing she is caring and concerned. Combined with the light she stands in, shows her 'normality' as being separate to Bree's dark room.

Page updated

Report abuse