Camera Shots, Angles and Movement.

Camera Shots

Extreme Long Shot from Mission Impossible 2

Camera Shot Extreme Long Shot (ELS) Also known as an establishing shot. Often used at the beginning of a sequence to ‘establish’ the setting in which the scene takes place.

Long Shot from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Long Shot / Full shot from Burke and Hare

Camera Shot Long Shot (LS) A shot that portrays the scene in a realistic perspective. It can also be defined as a Full Shot, a shot that contains a person from head to toe. This can be used to draw the audience into a scene after an establishing shot.

Mid Shot from Kill Bill

2 Shot from X- Men: First Class

3 Shot from Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Camera Shot Mid Shot (MS) A shot depicting a person from the waist up. Can be used for dialogue 2 shot A MS containing 2 people. Used for travelling scenes and dialogue. 3 shot A MS containing 3 people. Used for travelling scenes and dialogue.

Close Up from United 93

Camera Shot Close Up (CU) A shot depicting a person from the shoulders/neck up or depicting a specific item or prop in the scene. Used to draw the audience’s attention to a specific person or item. Can be used for dialogue

Extreme Close Up from The Lord of The Rings

Extreme Close Up from The Lord of The Rings

Camera Shot Extreme Close Up (ECU) A detailed shot either displaying a person’s facial feature (i.e. the eye.) or an important object. Used for dramatic effect to display emotions or to draw the audience’s attention

Birds Eye View shot from Kill Bill

Camera Angles

Camera Angle Bird’s Eye View A high angled shot normally directly overhead the character. Combined with an ELS it can be used to establish a scene.

High Angle shot from North by Northwest

Camera Angle High Angle Shot by the camera pointing down at the character. Can be used to diminish a character and make them seem smaller.

Eye Level shot from Kill Bill

Camera Angle Eye Level Most commonly used angle. Used to depict dialogue and in most other scenes. This gives a naturalistic effect to the scene.

Low Angle shot from Inglorious Basterds

Camera Angle Low Angle Shot by the camera pointing up at the character. Can be used to add height to buildings, but can also make characters seem taller and more threatening.

Dutch Angle from The Third Man

Camera Angle Dutch Angles The camera is tipped and not level with the floor. This gives a sense of unease to the scene. This angle is more commonly used in the Horror or suspense genre.

Camera Movement Pan Horizontal camera movement across a scene Tilt Vertical camera movement across a scene.

Camera Movement Tracking (Dolly Shots) Camera moves alongside the action. These can be aerial (achieved by a crane), in a car, or more conventionally on a dolly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQv8OavpALQ

Camera Movement Aerial Shot Usually an ELS shot from an aeroplane or a helicopter. Used to give a sense of grandeur and exhilaration http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s5KFbyBmrQ (2.13)

Camera Movement Zoom Used to focus on an object within a scene without editing. Can be achieved by a zoom lens or by physically moving the camera closer to the object http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPfjd2bayVs