Basic Camera Shot Types

Desnotre Watson

Objectives
By the end of the lesson learners will be
able to
Explain the term Framing
Identify and name industry accepted
conventions for camera shot sizes

EXT Analyse the effect these visual codes
have on the meaning or purpose of a film
Starter
What does this shot type connotate and
denotate?
Framing
Shots are all about composition.
Rather than pointing the
camera at the subject, you
need to compose an image

FRAMING is the process of
creating composition
Framing and Shot Size
Framing technique is very subjective.
Industry guidelines which you should use
as rules of thumb.
Shot sizes are labelled according to how
a person is seen in a frame, the camera-
subject distance.
In film and TV shot sizes are known by
their abbreviations.
Basic shot types
CU Close up.
A certain feature or part of the
subject takes up the whole frame.
MS Mid shot
Shows the top half of a
persons body. Cuts off at the waist.
LS Long Shot
Shows a person in full length, including
their feet
VWS (Very Wide or Long Shot)
Closer to the subject. He is (just) visible
here, but the emphasis is still on placing
him in his environment.
EWS (Extreme Wide or Long Shot)
View is so far from the subject that he
isn't even visible.
The point of this shot is to show the
subject's surroundings.
Is often used as an establishing shot
Wide or Long Shots
Media Language: Camera Shots
Extreme Long Shot
(ELS)
Used in scene-
setting,
establishing shots.
They normally
show an exterior
meant to give a
general impression
rather than specific
information.
Establishing shot
(ES)
Media Language: Camera Shots
Long Shot (LS)
Shows the image as
approximately "life"
size (corresponding to
the real distance
between the audience
and the screen in a
cinema).
Includes the full shot
showing the entire
human body, with the
head near the top of
the frame and the feet
near the bottom.
Media Language: Camera Shots
Shows a figure
from the
knees/waist up
and is normally
used for
dialogue
scenes, or to
show some
detail of action.
Backgroud
detail is minimal.
Medium or Mid
Shot (MS)
Media Language: Camera Shots
Shows very little
background, and
concentrates on either
a face, or a specific
detail of mise en scne.
Everything else is just a
blur in the background.
This shot magnifies the
object and shows the
importance of things, be
it words written on
paper, or the
expression on
someone's face.
Close-Up
(CU)
Media Language: Camera Shots
An extreme version of
the close up, generally
magnifying beyond what
the human eye would
experience in reality.
An extreme close-up of a
face, for instance, would
show only the mouth or
eyes, with no background
detail whatsoever.
This is a very artificial
shot, and can be used for
dramatic effect.
Extreme Close-
up (ECU)
ECU (Extreme Close Up)
Shows extreme detail.
For people, the ECU is used to
convey emotion.

MCU (Medium Close Up)
Half way between a MS and a
CU.
Shows the face more clearly,
without getting uncomfortably
close.

Close up
Media Language: Camera Shots
Over-the-shoulder
shot
Camera Angle
The angle from which a shot is taken is
another way to give variety as well as
information.

High Angle
Low Angle
Tilted frame
Media Language: Camera
Angles
Birds eye view
High angle
The camera is
directly above
the action.
The camera is above the
action, looking down at it.
Media Language: Camera
Angles
Eye-level
Low angle
The camera is below
the action, looking up
at it.
Media Language: Camera
Angles
Oblique/Canted angle
Worms Eye
View
The camera is directly
below the action.
Missing Work sheet
Analysing Camera Shots
This is a MCU and it
used to show the
Jokers face and his
hands clapping. It is
important to illustrate
his face because it helps
to make his make-up
and the scars on his
face look more dramatic
and intense, this lets the
target audience know
that they are looking at a
villain.
Establishing Shot
Long Shot
Crop this so it is a Medium or Mid
Shot
Crop this so it is a Close-Up Crop this so it is a an Extreme Close-
Up
Using and the Insert tab at the top, draw and label
each shot type (ES, LS, CU, ECU) for the following
pictures in the same way as modelled earlier in the
lesson.
Using and the Insert tab at the top, draw and label
each shot type (ES, LS, CP, ECU) for the following
pictures in the same way as modelled earlier in the
lesson.
Using and the Insert tab at the top, draw and label
each shot type (ES, LS, CP, ECU) for the following
pictures in the same way as modelled earlier in the
lesson.
Using and the Insert tab at the top, draw and label
each shot type (ES, LS, CP, ECU) for the following
pictures in the same way as modelled earlier in the
lesson.
Using and the Insert tab at the top, draw and label
each shot type (ES, LS, CP, ECU) for the following
pictures in the same way as modelled earlier in the
lesson.
Plenary
QUIZ! Can you
explain each of the
following 5 shots?
1

2

3

4
5
Camera movement
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSzjU
Q-OsSU

Dolly/ Tracking shot
Crane Shot
Handheld
Steadicam
Pan/ Panning
Tilt/ Tilting
Zoom


Conclusion
Industry standard shot sizes and angles
help the viewer deconstruct the image.
It indicates
Emotion
Content
And Point of View
All of which help to tell the story
In small groups

Using the magazines.

Find and Identify.

Extreme Close up (ECU)

Close up (ECU)

Mid Shot (MS)

Long shot (LS)/ Wide Shot (WS)