The Language of Video

 Video communication uses a visual language - a language with rules much like a written language such as English or Chinese.  For example:  A frame is like a letter of the alphabet - an essential building block for words, but does not deliver meaning on its own.  An image is like a word.  A shot is like a complete sentence.  A scene is like a paragraph.  A sequence (or an act) is like a chapter.

The Language of Video Shot  A shot is an un-interrupted recording by the video camera - what you get from the time you hit start to the time you hit stop.  It’s a continuously recorded stream of evolving images.

The Language of Video Scene  The basic unit of a production with action occurring in real time (not flashbacks) and in one location.  Every time the location or the time changes, so does the scene.  It is composed of several shots (visual sentences).

The Language of Video Set Ups  When you set up your production equipment (camera, lights, microphone) you decide on the shot you are going to use. A combination of things contribute to the setup, such as camera angle, camera movement, subject distance and shot purpose.

Camera Angles Bird’s Eye View High Angle Neutral (Eye level) Low Angle

Bird’s Eye View  This shows a scene from directly overhead, a very unnatural and strange angle that puts the audience in a godlike position, looking down on the action. People can be made to look insignificant, ant-like, part of a wider scheme of things.

High Angle  Not so extreme as a bird's eye view. High angles make the object photographed seem smaller, and less significant (or less scary). The object or character often gets swallowed up by its setting and they become part of a wider picture.

Neutral Eye Level  A fairly neutral shot; the camera is positioned as though it is at the subject’s eye level.

Low Angle  Low angles help give a sense of confusion to a viewer. They feel powerless within the action of the scene. The added height of the object may make it inspire fear and insecurity in the viewer, who is psychologically dominated by the figure on the screen.

Oblique / Canted  Sometimes the camera is tilted to suggest imbalance, transition and instability. This technique is also used to suggest POINT-OF-VIEW (POV) shots (i.e. when the camera becomes the 'eyes' of one particular character, seeing what they see).

Camera Distance  Extreme Long Shot  Long Shot  Medium Long Shot  Medium Shot  Medium Close Up  Close Up  Extreme Close Up

EXTREME LONG SHOT (ELS)  The camera is at its furthest distance from the subject.  The figure is tiny and indistinct in a very large area.  Emphasizes the background and “establishes” the setting. Eyes Wide Shut (Stanley Kubrick, 1999) A Summer Tale (Conte d'Été, Eric Rohmer, 1996)

LONG SHOT (LS)  Shot which shows all a subject (for example, a person) and usually much of the surroundings.  Can also be used to establish a setting. Eyes Wide Shut (Stanley Kubrick, 1999) A Summer Tale (Conte d'Été, Eric Rohmer, 1996)

MEDIUM LONG SHOT (MLS)  The subject and its setting occupy roughly equal areas in the frame.  In the case of the standing actor, the lower frame passes through roughly the knee area. Eyes Wide Shut (Stanley Kubrick, 1999) A Summer Tale (Conte d'Été, Eric Rohmer, 1996)

MEDIUM SHOT (MS)  Medium shots are frequently used for the presentation of two actors (the two shot).  In the case of the standing actor, the lower frame passes through the waist area and the upper frame clears the subject’s head. A

MEDIUM CLOSE UP (MCU)  The setting can still be seen. The lower frame line passes through the chest of the actor.  The audience is close enough to really focus on the characters.

CLOSE UP (CU)  A small part of the scene, such as a character's face, in great detail so that it fills the screen.  Close-ups focus attention on feelings or reactions, to show emotional excitement, grief or joy. Eyes Wide Shut (Stanley Kubrick, 1999)

EXTREME CLOSE UP (ECU)  Minutely detailed view of an object or person. An extreme close-up of an actor may include only his/her eyes or mouth.  Used to show detail… extreme detail. Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock 1960)

Camera Movement  Pan  Tilt  Dolly Shot  Hand-Held  Crane  Zoom

Pan  A movement which scans a scene horizontally. The camera is placed on a tripod, which operates as a stationary axis point as the camera is turned, often to follow a moving object which is kept in the middle of the frame.

Tilt  A movement which scans a scene vertically, otherwise similar to a pan. Often used to reveal something.

Dolly Shot  Sometimes called TRUCKING or TRACKING shots. The camera is placed on a moving vehicle and moves alongside the action, generally following a moving figure or object.  The camera can also dolly in on the action (called a push ), or dolly out ( pull ) away from the action.

Hand-held Shot  A hand-held shot gives a jerky, ragged effect and is used to give the look of gritty realism, which involves the viewer very closely with a scene. Often used to show a character’s point of view.

Crane Shot  A Crane is basically a mechanical “arm” on which the camera is mounted. A crane is a useful way of moving a camera - it can move up, down, left, right, swooping in on action or moving diagonally out of it.

Zoom  The focal length of a camera lens determines the distance that the camera can “see.” Zoom lenses allow the focal length to be gradually changed. With a Zoom, the frame may transition from a wide shot to a close-up without ever moving the camera.

Shot Purpose Master Shot Establishing Shot Reverse Shot Over-the-Shoulder Shot Cutaway Shot Insert Shot POV Shot Glance-object pair

Master Shot A Master captures all or most of the scene in a long shot (or wider) from beginning to end. Once the Master is complete, matching closer shots of the same action are recorded to replace parts of the master in editing.

Establishing Shot Establishes the setting of the scene. Orients the viewer. Often the exterior of a building before you go into to the scene.

Reverse Shot Shows the action from a nearly opposite point of view. The 180º Rule helps to maintain the space in a video. The camera must stay on the same side of an imaginary line that divides the scene.

180º RULE

If Camera 2 and Camera 3 are used, the audience stays on one side of the line of action. These shots are called "reverse angle shots".

180º RULE If Camera 2 and Camera 4 are used, the audience crosses the line of action. It's disorienting and confusing.

Over-the Shoulder Shot (OTS) Includes part of one performer in the foreground while focusing on another performer. An OTS enhances the feeling of depth in a shot.

Cutaway Shot Shows the audience something outside of the direct action. May reveal something from an on-screen point of view. May show an outsider’s reaction to what’s happening Can help cover your butt in editing!

Insert Shot Shows a small detail of the action, such as a CU on a newspaper that a character is reading. Can serve the same purpose as a Cutaway shot.

POINT OF VIEW (POV) Shows the audience what someone on screen is seeing. Puts the audience in the action.

Glance-Object Pair Often the cutaway, insert, and POV shots are used with other angles to make a pair of shots called glance-object. This term means what it implies. The first shot (glance) is of a performer looking at something (often off screen) and the second shot reveals what the subject is looking at (the object).

Creating Continuity When communicating in Video Language, you have to be clear and use proper “grammar.” Though you are using multiple shots, angles, etc. the goal is to make the action appear to be happening in a single, continuous flow. The process of doing this is called continuity.

Varying Shots When you cut from one shot to the next there needs to be a clear change in the framing. If two shots are too similar to one another, you will create a “jump cut” because the subject will quite literally appear to “jump” in the scene. Varying your shots from long to medium to close will help to avoid jump cuts and keep your audience engaged in the action.

Matching Action While the angle should change decisively from one shot to the next, the action should be closely matched. The second shot should pick up where the first one ends so that movement and action appears seamless through the cut.