2. LearningAims
■ To know the range of camera shots, angles, and movements
■ To understand why they are used
■ To analyse a sequence exploring how camera has been used to create meaning.
3. Starter
■ Label the shots, angles, and movements
■ Explain why these choices might be made by a filmmaker
4. Exam Question
■ Explore the connotations of camerawork in this 2 minute sequence from Luther
episode 1
■ [8]
5. ■ An over-the-shoulder tracking movement
follows Luther through the factory as he
chases Henry. His face is hidden from the
audience.
■ This suggests that Luther is the villain in
this scene as we cannot identify him,
contrasting with lots of shots of Henry’s
face suggesting he is the victim.This also
foreshadows what we later learn about
Luther as being a maverick and
sometimes taking on villainous qualities.
6. ■ In contrast we see
Henry in close-up shots
focusing on his facial
expression and
emotions as he is being
chased.
■ This tricks the audience
into thinking that he is
the victim as we are
positioned to engage
with his emotions and
feel sympathy for him.
7. ■ A long two-shot is used to depict
both Luther and Henry facing each
other as they finally meet
■ This connotes that they are
against one another and at this
moment we are positioned over
Henry’s shoulder, continuing to
suggest that he is the protagonist.
8. ■ We cut between low angle mid-
long shots to show both Luther
and Henry as they come face to
face
■ This suggests that they have equal
power in the scene at this
moment, however we can also
note that Luther’s body language
to more open and threatening
than Henry’s whose is more
fearful.
9. ■ When Luther confronts Henry we see his
face for the first time in an extreme close
up focusing on his eyes, showing his
determination.
■ This suggest that Luther is a focused
character who is dedicated to catching
villains, which is foreshadowing the
events of the series as he hunts Alice.
■ Extreme close ups are predominantly
used on Luther to connote that he is
experienced intense emotions and is
emotionally involved with this case.This
shows him to be the troubled police
officer stock character.
10. ■ A extreme long worm’s eye view is
used to show the moment Henry falls
through the bridge and is dangling
high above the ground.
■ This connotes that the power in the
scene has dramatically changed and
that he is now totally vulnerable and
as the mercy of Luther. We can clearly
see that if he falls he will likely die,
which also suggests that Luther
doesn’t always play by the rules as he
doesn’t try to help him.
11. ■ A hand-held tilt-up movement is used
to clearly show Henry is now below
Luther in the scene, completely
changing the power status of the
characters.
■ The tilt-up emphasises that Luther
has absolute power here, however it
also shows that he doesn’t leans over
Henry and doesn’t help him,
suggesting his maverick approach to
villains.This also links to Propp’s
archetypes as we can clearly see the
typically hero vs villain narrative
taking place.
12. ■ At the end of the scene we see Luther in
close-up low angle shots contrasted with
Henry in mid high angle shots.
■ The low angle on Luther highlights the
fact that he is in control, with the close up
helping us to engage with his saddened
facial expression as he talks about the
victims.This helps to position us on his
side and understand why he isn’t helping
Henry.
■ The high angle on Henry highlights the
fact that he is vulnerable to Luther. A
mid-shot is used to position us further
away from Henry to distance us from him
as the villain.
13. ■ A long two-shot is used at the start of the sequence to depict both Luther and Henry
facing each other as they finally meet.This connotes that they are against one
another and at this moment we are positioned over Henry’s shoulder, deceiving the
audience to think that he is the protagonist.
■ In contrast we see Henry in close-up shots focusing on his facial expression and
emotions as he is being chased.This tricks the audience into thinking that he is the
victim as we are positioned to engage with his emotions and feel sympathy for him.
■ An over-the-shoulder tracking movement follows Luther through the factory as he
chases Henry. His face is hidden from the audience.This suggests that Luther is the
villain in this scene as we cannot identify him, contrasting with lots of shots of Henry’s
face suggesting he is the victim.This also foreshadows what we later learn about
Luther as being a maverick and sometimes taking on villainous qualities.
■ We cut between low angle mid-long shots to show both Luther and Henry as they
come face to face.This suggests that they have equal power in the scene at this
moment, however we can also note that Luther’s body language to more open and
threatening than Henry’s whose is more fearful.
14. ■ When Luther confronts Henry we see his face for the first time in an extreme close up focusing on
his eyes, showing his determination.This suggests that Luther is a focused character who is
dedicated to catching villains, which is foreshadowing the events of the series as he hunts Alice.
Extreme close ups are predominantly used on Luther to connote that he is experienced intense
emotions and is emotionally involved with this case.This shows him to be the troubled police officer
stock character.
■ An extreme long worm’s eye view is used to show the moment Henry falls through the bridge and
is dangling high above the ground.This connotes that the power in the scene has dramatically
changed and that he is now totally vulnerable and as the mercy of Luther. We can clearly see that if
he falls he will likely die, which also suggests that Luther doesn’t always play by the rules as he
doesn’t try to help him.
■ A hand-held tilt-up movement is used when Luther is standing over Henry, to clearly show Henry is
now below Luther in the scene, completely changing the power status of the characters. The tilt-up
emphasises that Luther has absolute power here, however it also shows that he doesn’t leans over
Henry and doesn’t help him, suggesting his maverick approach to villains.This also links to Propp’s
archetypes as we can clearly see the typically hero vs villain narrative taking place.
■ At the end of the scene we see Luther in close-up low angle shots contrasted with Henry in mid
high angle shots.The low angle on Luther highlights the fact that he is in control, with the close up
helping us to engage with his saddened facial expression as he talks about the victims.This helps to
position us on his side and understand why he isn’t helping Henry.The high angle on Henry
highlights the fact that he is vulnerable to Luther. A mid-shot is used to position us further away
from Henry to distance us from him as the villain.
