Notes on cinematography

1. MEDIA STUDIES
CINEMATOGRPAHY
Cinematography includes the camera shots, camera movement, and the camera angles
involved in filming.
Shot Type/Movement
When describing different cinematic shots, different terms are used to indicate the amount
of subject matter contained within a frame, how far away the camera is from the subject,
and the perspective of the viewer. Each different shot has a different purpose and effect.
Establishing Shot
This shot tells us when and where we are, for example a shot of a town. It normally shows
an exterior, and is generally used as a scene-setting establishing shot.
Wide Shot
This is a broader shot, literally showing the audience a wider angle. It perhaps shows parts
of the set or externals – to emphasise size, scale, the dramatic or epic.

2. MEDIA STUDIES
Crane Shot
(Dolly shots in the air). A crane is a useful way of moving a camera – it can move up, down,
left, right, swooping in one direction or moving diagonally out of it.
Aerial shot/Birds-Eye View
This shot type is often used at the beginning of a film in order to establish setting and
movement. The most common way of shooting this is using a helicopter or more recently a
drone.
Long Shot
The camera is placed a long way away to capture a large area of view. It is usually (but not
necessarily) the opening establishing shot of the movie. If it involves a person, we as the
audience see all of them – head-to-toe.

3. MEDIA STUDIES
Medium Shot
This is the most common shot. It generally contains all the action of the scene and It should
be well matched with the flow of the long shot. If it involves a person, we see the middle
upwards.
Close-Up Shot
This shot shows very little background and concentrates on either a face or a detail of mise-
en-scene. It magnifies the object and shows the importance of an object or person, be it
words on paper or someone’s face.
Extreme Close-Up Shot
Generally magnifying beyond what the human eye would experience in reality.

4. MEDIA STUDIES
Point-Of-View Shot
We see what the character is seeing, therefore putting us in their shoes. We may feel
sympathy, discomfort or tension if the point-of-view shot is hostile.
Over-The-Shoulder Shot
In this shot, we see what the actor sees but not through their eyes. This makes you feel like
you’re in the scene with them.
Two Shot
This shows a conversation, link or reaction between characters or hero/villain,
antagonist/protagonist – a connection, relationship or conflict. For example, if there is a
shot with two characters standing shoulder-to-shoulder, it is telling the audience they are
comfortable with each other.

5. MEDIA STUDIES
Shot/Reverse Shot
This is where one character is shown looking (often off-screen) at another character and
then the other character is shown looking “back” at the first character. Since the characters
are shown facing opposite directions, the viewer unconsciously assumes that they are
looking at each other (the 180 rule)
Hand-Held Shot
The hand-held camera gives a jerky, ragged effect, totally at odds with the organised
smoothness of a dolly shot. Shows gritty realismwhich involves the viewer very closely with
a scene.
Zoom/Reverse Zoom
When the camera gets closer to the action or moves away. It can suggest surveillance,
voyeurism and intense observation.