Mr. Joy (Thank to Ms. Chornenki) Communications Technology Earl Haig Secondary School
Also known as the Establishing Shot or Wide Shot
Shows the whole scene Frequently productions begin with a
LS
It sets the stage/scene - the viewer knows where she or he is
LS works well if there's a lot of action
LS shows a person from head to toe.
MS shows less of the scene then LS The camera seems closer to the
subject (although it may not be if you use your zoom lens)
MS shows them from about the waist up in a medium shot
Use MS when you want a closer look at your subject
Use MS to transition between long shots and close up shots
It is difficult for the viewer to follow what you are doing if you go straight from a LS to a CU shot
This shot shows just the head CU is used to reveal details and
focus the viewer attention Extra consideration is needed for
the framing of a CU because any camera movement is exaggerated
ECS is sometimes referred to as XCU
Closer than to the subject than CU ECU is just of the person's eyes
ELS is sometimes referred to as XLS
ELS shows a large view that includes that subject from a distance
ELS is relative to what is considered a LS
OS is commonly used in ENG – Electric News Gathering
Videographer is literally shooting over the shoulder of the person being interviewed
Usually a shot of the interviewer listening, nodding, or responding to the interviewee
CA is usually a CU or XCU that reveals some detail – as the telephone rings during a MS scene the shot changes to a CA of the telephone
A very useful shot that provides a natural transition in the editing process
TS a two shot has two people or three people in the frame
Usually a MS or LS because you need some distance from the people to get them all in the frame
Your shot angle is the level from which you look at your subject.
Your shot angle can change the way the viewer responds to the scene – consider the response to someone speaking to you at eye level to that of speaking to you from above.
The most common used shots is the eye level shot
It's the most familiar perspective - we usually see things from our own eye level
Make sure you shoot at their eye-level, not yours
In this shot the camera looks up at the subject
Making it seem important, powerful, or perhaps larger than it is to the viewer
Camera looks down on the subject, decreasing its importance
The subject looks smaller It often gives the audience a sense
of power, or the subject a sense of helplessness
Camera is mounted on a crane or ladder
This is an extreme angle the point of view from above
This angle is often used in car chases and in the “happy ever after” fade out
A reverse angel is determined by the framing of the previous shot
A reverse is used to shoot two people facing each other cutting from one person to another
This camera angle shows a specific POV so the audience has the perspective of seeing through someone else’s eyes
This shot has become very popular in recent years and often shows unique POVs – security cameras, animals, aliens etc…
A pan shot taken by moving the camera on across a horizontal plane
Used in action and sports shots This shot emphasizes action and
physical movement
The camera moves up or down a vertical plane
A tilt can be used to shot something that is too big to fit within frame
This shot emphasizes size and proportion
The pan and tilt are most effective when combined with the tripod
These shots can be successfully achieve hand held with practice
Zoom shots work successfully when the movement is smooth and steady
Most cameras have external toggles for zoom controls
A Dolly shot shot moves towards or away from the subject
The camera is physically moved not changing of the focal length of the lens
Dolly in moves towards the subject Dolly out moves away from the
subject
A Dolly also refers to a camera mount with wheels
Some dollies move along tracks
Storyboarding is necessary to achieve this shot
Dolly in
Dolly Out
The camera physically follows the subject matter left to right or right to left
Used in walking shots to follow the subject
The camera is usually on a dolly and in large budget productions has tracks
This movement is called trucking
The subject stays stationary in the centre while the camera moves around in an arc left or right
A continuous arc makes a complete circle around the subject.
This shot is often used in music videos and romantic scenes
Rapid pans, tilts, repeated zooms can make your audience feel motion sick
The standard shot rule is stationary – motion – stationary
If you edit or cut away in the middle of movement, you may make your viewer disoriented
The length each shot depends on the scene and what you want to accomplish
An action shot may last 20 sec A still shot may only last 3 sec Your goal is to gain and hold the
audience's attention and understanding
Basic Video Techniques by Jennifer Shisler, Chris Zimmermann, Ryan Stitt. OISE/ University of Toronto, 2004
Digital Overdrive by Dale Andrews, Eastwood Production Facilities, Toronto, 2002
The Hawaii Board of Education: http://www2.hawaii.edu/~ricky/etec/basicshot.html#anchor142105
The Brain of Ms. Chornenki