Camera Angles

Z-Axis Drawings are 2-dimensional X-axis Y-axis Real Life is 3-dimensional Z-axis

Z-axis Creates Depth Foreground Middle Ground Background

Z-Axis If you were going to film a horse running, what axis would you show it running on? What would be in… the foreground? the middle ground? the background? If you draw the horse running on the x-axis (horizontally) you'll have to draw the horse extremely small to be able to also draw the vast horizon. If you draw a close-up of the horse, you lose that sense of freedom in the wide-open field.  It's suddenly confined. So, instead of drawing on the x-axis, you can draw on the z-axis. The horse can be running toward us, the audience. You're able to get a really nice close-up of the horse, but behind him, you can also draw an infinite amount of field to show the great distance the horse has run. Voila! Your drawing now has a sweet perspective and doesn't look completely flat.

Establishing Shot Sets the scene Shows people/objects in relation to each other Sets the stage for close-ups Allows audience to know who and what are where

Principal Action Axis

Rule of Thirds Frame split into three sections Horizontally Vertically Putting objects on lines instead of center Gives Balance Guides eyes

Golden Mean Four points where lines intersect Golden mean gives importance to objects Focal points Eyes

Types of Shots 1. Extreme long shots Exterior shot, shows locale People are small Scene is the focus Ex. establishing shot in epic films, genre films.

Types of Shots 2. Long Shot Distance from audience to stage in live theatre Full shot of human body Ex. Used in early slapstick comedy

Types of Shots 3. Medium shot Human figure from knees or waist up Help place a subject in context Necessary for people who gesture a lot. Doesn’t show much detail of person Shows fair amount of background can distract from main focus Ex. Jay Leno Monologue

Types of Shots 4. Close up shot Focus on small object, human face. Little background Used to capture emotional state Leaves a little bit of room above the head Entire face and shoulders down to the armpit Why include the shoulders? Because if you eliminate the shoulders, all you have is a floating "disembodied" head. It's psychologically disturbing--that's what early filmmakers discovered. Showing the shoulders implies that the subject actually has a body--even if we don't see it

Types of Shots 5. Extreme close Up Includes just facial features (all or some) (eyes, nose, mouth and chin) The top of the head and shoulders are excluded Used to put someone under a microscope Not good for regular interviews or dialogue Ex. 60 minutes "60 Minutes" became famous for using extreme close-ups when asking executives about damning evidence. In that instance the shot was useful, because it helped us determine whether the guy was lying; you could literally see the sweat come out of his pores. But for most situations, you don't want to shoot in extreme close-up.

Camera Angles 1. Birds Eye View Overhead shot Gives sense of omniscience Subjects seem small, insignificant Good for sports

Camera Angles 2. High-angle shot Use of crane or high position Increases importance of setting or environment Can make subject look weak

Camera Angles 3. Low-angle Shot Increase height of subject In scenes of action suggests chaos Makes subject look intimidating

Camera Angles 4. Eye Level Shot Ex. Interviewers Neutral neither increases nor decreases subject Positioned level with subject Ex. Interviewers

Camera Angles 5. Over the shoulder shot Both subjects in the picture Partial of one