(R/P) Camera Shots

Establishing Shot

An establishing shot captures the location/setting and time of the narrative and thus adds depth to a frame. This shot is generally used at the start of a production to show the setting for the storyline.

Extreme Long Shot

An extreme long shot can be taken as much as a quarter of a mile away, and is usually used as a scene-setting, establishing shot. The shot normally shows an exterior (the outside of a building or a landscape) and is often used to show action scenes, e.g. in a war film. An extreme long shot tends not to have too much detail in it, it is just meant to give a general impression.

Long Shot/Wide Shot

A long shot is a shot that lets the audience see the whole of a person's body, i.e. it captures their head and body in the same frame. This shot can also show an entire object, not just a human body, e.g. a house. This shot allows the audience to see a character's costume and presentation and therefore allows the audience to make judgements. The relationship between the character and their surroundings can also be established.

Mid Shot

A mid shot shows some part of the subject in more detail than a long shot, whilst still giving an impression of the whole subject. This shot captures a character from the waist up and allows the audience to become familiar with a character because they get to see their facial expression and body language in more detail.

Close-up

A close-up generally shows the heads and shoulders of a character so that the audience can focus on the character, or an object or a detail that is significant to the narrative. This type of shot is useful to show a subject's emotions.

Extreme Close-up

An extreme close-up shows extreme detail, i.e. a subject's eye takes up the whole frame. This type of shot can be useful to show intricate detail. An extreme close-up is quite unfamiliar for an audience and therefore can heighten mood and increase tension due to the intensity of the shot.

Two Shot

A two shot does what it says in the name: features two people in a shot. It is usually framed similarly to a mid shot and shows the relationship and the situation the characters are in.

Point of View Shot

This shot shows the view from the subject's perspective and is used to engage audiences with characters and their motives.

Cut In

This shot shows another part of the subject in detail.

Cut Away

This shot cuts away from the current subject and shows something else.

Over the Shoulder

An over the shoulder shot shows the subject by looking from behind another person. This shot can be useful for putting the character's social position into context.

Weather Shot

Again, this shot does what it says in the name: the subject of this shot is the weather and can be useful for setting the scene.

Tracking Shot

This involves either a backward or forward movement with the camera. Tracking draws the audience into the action, with tracking out signifying the end of the action in that scene.

Tilt Shot

This is where the camera lens moves up or down whilst keeping its horizontal axis constant. An upward tilt usually connotes power or status, and mixed with a point of view shot it can show how a character perceives another character in terms of authority.

Zoom

Zooming involves changing the focal length of the camera lens to make the subject appear closer of further away in the frame. This camera movement should be used carefully as excessive zoom use can make a production look amateur.

Pan

Panning involves moving the camera lens to one side or another, i.e. left then right. Used with a point of view shot, it could simulate a character searching a room.

Pedestal

This involves moving the camera up or down without changing its vertical or horizontal axis. Pedestal up means to move the camera up, whereas pedestal down means to move the camera down. The lens isn't tilted, the entire camera is moved either up or down. 

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A lot of these different shot types and camera movements will be used in my music video. I will use lots of 'weather shots', as nature will be prominent in my video, as well as numerous long shots, for example a shot of the chapel which will help my audience establish the connection between the character and her surroundings. There will be no two shots used however, as there is only one physical character in my music video. I'm also keen to use a few point of view shots, although the point of view won't be from Becky, the physical character, the point of view will be from the 'person' who is behind the camera. 

For 'Dark Becky' mostly more static shots will be used, although I will probably include tracking and pan movements, whereas for 'Light Becky' the camera will move around a lot more, as it will be as though a loved one is filming her.

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