2. Challenge
You are to independently research the following camera
angles and movements and create a visual representation,
as well as a description of how the technique is used within
the film industry.
3. Camera Angle: Close Up
Image example:
How am I used in a film?
Close up shots are used in films in order to focus on an emotion that one
particular character may be showing. For example if a character was sad,
the close up shot would capture the expression on their face and possibly a
tear running down their face. This is much more effective than showing
their emotion in a wide shot because the close up focuses the audience to
their emotional state alone.
4. Camera Angle: Establishing Shot
Image example:
How am I used in a film?
Establishing shots are used to show the audience where the story will be told for the
following scenes. For example before showing two actors talking in a room, the
camera would have a shot of the building in which the room is located.
5. Camera Angle: Extreme wide shot
Image example:
How am I used in a film?
The reasoning for this shot is to demonstrate a characters surroundings. For
example if it is established that a character is in a building, this shot would show
what is around the building, such as a forest or a busy city.
6. Camera Angle: Wide shot
Image example:
How am I used in a film?
Wide shots are used to show a characters surroundings, whilst their in the shot. This
is to show the surrounding they're directly in and usually the character takes up most
of the wide shot. For example it may show a character sitting in a chair in the middle
of a wide room.
7. Camera Angle: Mid shot
Image example:
How am I used in a film?
Mid shots are when a character is placed in the middle of a shot so that they are the
main focus in the shot. In a film this would be used to demonstrate a characters
action as the main point for the shot, for example a man laughing in the centre of the
camera shot.
8. Camera Angle: Medium close up
Image example:
How am I used in a film?
The mid close up is half way between a mid shot and a close up. It is used in film to
show the detail in an actors face without the viewer being uncomfortably close to
them.
9. Camera Angle: Extreme close up
Image example:
How am I used in a film?
Extreme close up shots are often used to intensify an emotion that a character is
already showing, for example if the character was feeling tense, the camera
would mainly focus on frown lines.
10. Camera Angle: Cutaway
Image example:
How am I used in a film?
Cutaway shots are usually used for suspense or horror, mainly to make the
audience feel on edge or afraid to look at the screen. For example a sudden
cutaway of a horrific image such as a bloody corpse will create suspense for the
audience.
11. Camera Angle: Two-shot
Image example:
How am I used in a film?
Two-shot Camera angles’ main function is to show a conversation between two
people. For example the camera would look at a character from the first character’s
point of view, and then switch to the second characters point of view looking at the
first character.
12. Camera Angle: Over the shoulder
Image example:
How am I used in a film?
Over the shoulder shots similarly are used to show a conversation or conflict between
two characters, however as the title suggests the camera shoots over the actors
shoulder rather than acting as the characters eyes.
13. Camera Angle: Point of view (POV)
Image example:
How am I used in a film?
This is simply seeing what the character sees in their eyes. This would be used in film
to show the audience an event or object the same way the character would so that the
audience is in the actors shoes and feels the same emotion.
14. Camera Movement: Tracking
Image example:
How am I used in a film?
Tracking is when the camera follows a subject on set. For example if a character was
running through the woods the camera would follow the character whilst running.
15. Camera Movement: Tilt
Image example:
How am I used in a film?
A tilt or “Dutch” angle is used to create a feeling for the audience. This is usually to
imply something has gone wrong or twisted, much like the camera shot itself.
16. Camera Movement: Zoom
Image example:
How am I used in a film?
Zoom is used to slowly change how the audience feels towards a character, for
example from a distance the characters emotion may not be that clear, but as the
camera zooms in closer to the characters face they will be able to tell the emotion they
are showing on the surface, such as anger or sadness.
17. Rules of FramingDetailed explanation
How am I used in a film?
Framing is the composition of objects and characters in a shot. This is used to keep
the audiences attention on a specific subject as it will stand out compared to the rest
of the shot.
18. The rules of thirdDetailed explanation
How am I used in a film?
The rule of third is described as guidelines to create a correct composition for a
shot in a film. The guidelines are that a shot should be divided into 9 separate
squares and 3 separate columns, along side these columns should be an object or
character that matches the lines or into their intersections, this is naturally more
appealing to the human eye. Here is an example as shown below.
The rule of third in film is used to set up the composition and layout of a set’s objects.
As well as this, the rule of third’s columns also manipulates stage direction to match
the lines of the 9 squared grid or to its intersections.
