1. Camera Shots, Angles and Distance
English 2PI: Film Terms
Camera Shots, Angles and Distance

2. Camera Distance
The distance of the camera from the subject (eg. Long, medium, close-up, extreme close-up)

3. Extreme Close-up Shot (ECU)
Is very close to the subject and focuses on one small feature that fills the entire screen or page (eg. An eye)

4. Close-up Shot (CU)
Shows people and objects in detail (usually just the face of a person or a close-up shot of an object)

5. Medium Shot (MS)
Purpose: more information about subject (eg. Clothing, posture, gestures)
Some background is shown

6. Medium shot (MS)
Typically shows a character or subject from the waist up

8. Long shot (LS)
Shows a character from some distance away (the entire body of a person is shown, or an entire building or other subject)

9. Long Shot (LS) Purpose: to show location and action
Much background is seen

10. Long Shot in Nature

11. Long Shot with People

12. Extreme Long Shot (ELS or XLS)
Used to show a whole crowd of people or to view the setting of a scene
Takes up a large area
Often establishes the setting of a scene

13. Extreme long shot (ELS)

14. Camera Angles and Movement
Camera Angle: the angle at which the camera is pointed at the subject (eg. Low, high, flat or eye-level)

15. Straight/Normal Angle (Eye Level or Flat Shot)
The camera is on the same plane as the subject

16. High Angle shot
The camera is above the subject

17. Low-Angle Shot
The camera is below the subject

18. Over the Shoulder view:
The camera is situated behind a person, viewing the scene or subject from over the shoulder of an actor.
The viewer seems to eavesdrop on the conversation.

19. Point of View shot
The shot is taken from a character’s perspective inside the story

21. Camera Movement How the camera moves
Pan shot: the camera moves horizontally (left or right) on a fixed base.
sample of pan shot

22. Tilt shot
The camera moves vertically (up or down) on a fixed base, giving the viewer a look up or down a person, building or tall object.
Sample of tilt shot

23. Dolly shot (in or out)
A dolly is a cart or wheels that the camera is mounted on so it can move smoothly.
Sample of dolly shot

24. Tracking shot:
The camera moves back or forth with a subject who is moving also. It follows beside the moving subject and is sometimes called a following shot or a travelling shot
Sample of tracking shot from Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958)

25. Zoom (in or out)
The zoom lens changes its distance from the subject while filming, so the movement toward or away from the subject is apparent to the viewer
Sample of zoom shot (zooming out)

26. Boom or Arc shot
The camera moves in a slow arc or curve partially around the subject, keeping approximately the same distance from the subject as it does so.
Sample of arc shot