CINEMATIC TECHNIQUES

AND THEIR EFFECTS

TYPES OF SHOTSType of Shot Description Effect

Establishing Shot Often a long shot or a series of shots that sets the scene

Establish Setting and show Transitions

Long Shot A shot for a distance that shows a person’s whole body

Isolation and Vulnerability

Medium Shot Most common shot. Shows people from the waste up.

Grounds the story and makes the audience feel like they are “with” the character.

Close-up Image takes up 80% of the frame Shows importance or highlights details

Extreme Close-up Takes up the whole frame and is part of a whole (foot)

Show the importance of what is being shown.

Two Shot A scene between 2 people that shows both characters equally

Shows the relationship between the two characters and how they interact.

TYPES OF ANGLESAngle Description Effect

Eye Level A shot taken from a normal or natural height that is at the character’s eye level (Straight on)

Natural Angle, Helps the audience connect with the characters

High Angle Shot taken from above the subject, makes the object/character look small

Weak, powerless, and trapped

Low Angle The camera films from below the subject, makes the object/character look big

Strong, powerful, and threatening

TYPES OF LIGHTING

Type of Lighting Description Effect

High Key The scene is flooded with light

Bright, angelic, open, and honest

Low Key The scene is flooded with darkness or shadows

Suspense, suspicion

Bottom or Side Lighting Direct lighting comes from below or the side

Dangerous or Evil (Object being shown)

Front or Back Lighting Soft lighting on the actor’s face or from behind

Innocence, goodness, halo effect

TYPES OF SOUNDType of Sound Description Effect

Diegetic Sound that could logically be heard by the charactersI.E. Dialogue, musicians playing at a concert, etc

Shows the relationships, actions, and characteristics of the characters

Non-Diegetic Sound that cannot be heard by the characters but is designed for the audience’s reaction onlyI.E. The background music in Jaws, etc.

Helps create the mood, foreshadowing, etc. for the audience.

TYPES OF CAMERA MOVEMENTType of Movement Description Effect

Pan A stationary camera moves from side to side on a horizontal axis

To give the audience more information about the scene and its progression

Tilt A stationary camera moves up or down on a vertical axis

To give the audience the feeling of “checking out” a character or object

Zoom – In The camera focuses in on a specific object Reveals a personal or revealing moment about the character or shows importance

Zoom – Out The camera gives the feeling of moving away from a character or object

Distances or separates the audience from a character or object.

Boom/Crane The camera is hanging over the action taking overhead shots

Helps give the audience more detail in the setting or makes them more of an observer.

Dolly The camera moves along with the action (Truck, car, helicopter, etc.)

Makes the audience feel like they are right there with the characters.

EDITING TECHNIQUESType of Editing Techniques Description Effect

Flashback The scene jobs back to something that has happened in the past

Gives the audience more information about the characters or the scene, clarifies, or explains

Shot-Reverse-Shot A shot of one subject, then another, then back to the first. Often used in conversation shots.

Shows the relationship between characters, their reactions to events, etc.

Fade or Dissolve The image slowly leaves the film.

Shows the end of the scene or shows a connection between 2 images.

HOW DOES STYLE/LITERARY TERMS APPLY TO CINEMAStyle Device (Literary Term) Cinematic Technique

Tone: The speaker’s attitude conveyed through the author’s choice of words or detail.Mood: The atmosphere of most common emotion in a literary work

Lighting and Sound

Diction: Word Choice Diegetic Sound (Dialogue)

Imagery: Word or phrases that appeal t the senses that represent people, actions, objects, feelings, or ideas

Setting, costumes, or symbolism (Shot types)

Organization: The narrative structure of the piece – how a text begins and ends, is sequenced, paced or arranged.

Storyboarding or editing of the screen

Syntax: the arrangement of words and the order of grammatical elements in a sentence.

Editing Techniques

Point of View: The perspective from which a narrative is told.

Type of shots and Camera Movement