This document defines and provides examples of different types of camera angles used in filmmaking. It discusses high angle shots, establishing shots, long shots, medium long shots, medium close ups, low angle shots, extreme long shots, close ups, extreme close ups, point of view shots, over the shoulder shots, two shots, and medium shots. Each shot type is used to convey different information to the viewer and set the scene or tone in different ways.

1. Camera Angles

2. • A high angle shot will show the
scene/ setting from above in a "birds eye
view". This is mainly used to set a scene as
show all of the action happening below. High
angle shots make the actor seem vulnerable
and powerless. This type of camera angle
often makes the scene seem more dramatic

3. • An establishing shot is usually the first shot of a
new scene, designed to show the audience where
the action is taking place. It is usually a very
wide shot or extreme wide shot. Establishing
shots may use famous landmarks to indicate the
place or city where the action is taking place will
be in the following scene.

4. • A long shot (sometimes referred to as a full
shot or a wide shot) typically shows the entire
object or human figure and is usually intended
to place it in some relation to its surroundings.
The long shot is used to set the scene in a film.

5. • A medium long shot usually contains a figure
from the knees/waist up and is normally used
for dialogue scenes, or to show some detail of
action. This scene is of spider man in the
Amazing Spider Man and shows a action
fighting scene of Spiderman and Dark Spider
Man

6. • A medium close up shot shows very little
background, and concentrates on either a face, or
a specific detail of mise en scène. Everything else
is just a blur in the background. This scene shows
a close up of Jokers face which captures the detail
of his make up (Mise En Scene).

7. • A low angle shot is a shot often used to show
the power of the subject. A low angle shot is
often used when showing the subject (person
looking up) is in control of the situation and in
power. This examples shows that Darth Vader
is control of the situation and in power.

8. • An extreme long shot is a shot taken from a long
distance away usually used to capture the setting of a
scene e.g. outside of a building, landscape etc. this
shot will contain very little detail and used to give a
general understanding of something. An example of
this is in lord of the rings where they set the scene
where the action is going to be.

9. • A close up shot usually captures the detail of
someone's face. Close up shots capture the detail of
someone's facial expression. An example of a close up
shot is in harry potter. This specific shot shows the
expression on Harry's face. It also captures the detail
on his face and nothing else making his face the main
subject of the photo.

10. • Extreme close up shot is not used very often.
This shot captures very little detail or
expression and is used in very dramatic scenes
usually. This example is of captain America
and shows what the previous scene has been
about e.g. action/fighting.

11. • A point of view shot is a shot that shows the
camera angle from a persons view. This shot is
usually used in order to help the viewer
understand what the scene would be like in
the characters position. This shot is from
Halloween and helps add suspense to the
scene.

12. • An over the shoulder shot helps the viewer
understand the response from one of the
characters. Over the shoulder is usually used in a
conversation piece (dialogue) and usually flips
between the two characters. An example of this is
in meet the fockers and helps the viewer see
what the other persons facial expressions in the
dialogue look like in reaction to the dialogue.

13. • Two shot is used in order to capture a picture of
two people at once. This is usually used in news
programmes and interviews. It helps the viewer
see the emotion of the two people which is
usually different or identical. This example is from
avatar where the characters in the shot are
showing two different emotions demonstrating
how different characters react to different
situations

14. • A medium shot is usually used to capture detail of part of
the shot but also allowing the audience to feel as if they
were looking at the everything in the shot. Medium shot
usually captures a characters head to waist. An example of
a medium shot is in the film hunger games where Katniss is
shooting an arrow. The main focus of this image is Katniss
but we can still see the arrow being shot.