Film Techniques The Shots The Angles Light and Dark Color Lenses, Filters, and Stocks

SHOTS The amount of subject matter that is included in the frame of the screen

Extreme Long Shot (Establishing shot) Long shot A shot taken from a distance; shows full subject and surrounding scene The Polar Express, Robert Zemeckis, 2004

Medium Shot In between LS and CU—people seen from knees to waist up Almost Famous, Cameron Crowe 2000

Close-up (CU) Alfred Hitchcock, Psycho, 1960

Two Shot/Three Shot Similar in perspective to the MS; Notice the proxemics (distance of the two characters, symmetry, balance) for clues to the relationship shown

Over-the-shoulder Shot Usually contains two figures, one with part of his or her back to the camera, the other facing the camera Johnnie To’s Mad Detective 2007 Johnnie To’s Mad Detective 2007

Crane Shot A shot taken from a special device called a crane, which resembles a huge mechanical arm. The crane carries the camera and the cinematographer and can move in virtually any direction.

Angles Angle refers to the position of the stationery camera—where is the lens pointing? Can serve as the director’s comment on the character or the action Realist directors avoid extreme angles; formalists often use them

Low Camera shoots the subject from below Makes the subject look larger than normal Strong, powerful, threatening

Eye level The most natural of shots Neutral

High Camera is above the subject Makes the subject look smaller than usual Weak, powerless, trapped Hitchcock, Psycho 1960 Hitchcock, Psycho 1960

Dutch, canted, oblique Tilted sideways Used to add tension to a static frame Sinister or distorted view of character

Bird’s Eye Viewed from directly overhead Disorienting Often abstract Makes characters seem insignificant