A description of each camera shot and movement

1. Camera shots and movements
The firstshot
Is an establishingshot(extreme longshots,wide angles)whichshowsthe exterior.Thiscouldbe of
a room or of a city,justto showwhere the scene istakingplace.
Wide shot-
A broadershot,showingperhaps partsof the setor externals,Toemphasise size,scale,dramaticor
epic
Crane shots-
Are Dollyshotsinthe air. A crane can be a way of movinga camera withversatilityforsmoothaerial
shotswhichmightsweepinonaction
Aerial shot/birdseye view
A good variationof a crane shot,usuallytakenfroma helicopter.Thisisoftenusedatthe beginning
of a film,toestablishsettingandmovementandwhere everyoneis.
Close up-
Little backgroundviewandmagnifiesthe objectof where the cameraisfocusingon,Forcesthe
audience’sattentionontothatobject/character.Itcan also highlighttheiremotion.
Extreme close up-
Focusingheavilyontoaspecificpartof an object/character.Thiscouldbe a tear goingdown
someone’sface orsweatdrippingfromtheirhair
Pointof view-
First personviewof aspecificcharacter.If theyheara noise orsomeone,the audience then
becomesthe characterand we see whattheyare lookingat
Overthe shouldershot-
This isa shot where we see whatthe actor sees,butnotthroughtheirowneyes.Thispointsthe
viewerinthe scene,butasan accomplice tothe action
Two shot-
Thisshowsa conversation/linkor reactionbetweencharactersor
hero/villain/antagonist/protagonist-aconnection,relationshiporconflict.
Shot/reverse shot

2. Is where one characterisshownlooking(oftenoff screen) atanothercharacter,thenthe other
character isshownlookingbackat the firstcharacter. Since the charactersare shownfacinginthe
opposite directions,the viewerunconsciouslyassumesthey’re lookingatthe character.
Pan shot
A movementwhichscansascene horizontally.The cameraisplacedona tripod,whichoperatesasa
stationaryaxispointasthe camera is turned,oftentofollow amovingobjectwhichiskeptin the
middle of the frame.
Tilts
A movementwhichscansascene vertically,otherwise similartoa pan
Highangle-
Thisshot looksdownonthe action froma superiorposition-The observerdominatespower,higher
status
Low angle-
Thisshot looksupat the actionfrombelow,aninferiorposition-the observerisvulnerable,weak
and lowerinstatus
Dollyshot/tracking
The camera is placedona movingvehicle andmovesalongsidethe action,generallyfollowinga
movingfigure orobject.Advanceddollyshots willinvolve atrackbeinglaidonsetfor the camera to
follow,hence the name.The cameramightbe mountedonacar. A dollyshotmaybe agood wayof
portrayingmovement,the journeyof acharacter forexample
Handheldshot
The handheldcameracan give a jerky,raggedeffect,totallyatoddswiththe organisedsmoothness
of a dollyshot,alsousedinactionsequences
Zoom/reverse zoom
Thisis whenthe cameragetscloserto or movesawayfrom the actionin a veryquickmovement
The zoom lensmeansthatthe camera neednotbe moved,like withadolly/trackingshot.Thiscan
suggestsurveillance, orpart of the action that the audience missed