FILM STUDY –

CINEMATIC
TECHNIQUES

1|P age
CAMERA SHOTS
Extreme Long Shot
• People, for the most part are insignificant as this shot is used to show the setting of the film.
• If there are people in the frame, then it could indicate that they are feeling overwhelmed,
intimidated or hesitant.

• Generally used to show landscapes or cityscapes.

Shrek 1

Long shot
• The camera is quite a distance from the object being filmed. If the object is a person, then the full
figure is in the frame with space above and below.

• A long shot allows the audience to view the action in a larger surrounding.

Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Men Tell No Tales

2|P age
Medium shot:
• The camera has moved closer to the object being filmed and about half the object fills the screen.
• If the object is a person, then from the waist up will be on screen.
• This shot is normally used for dialogue scenes, or to show some detail of action.

BATMAN- The Dark Knight Rises

Medium close-up:
Used when we need to see facial expressions.
• Usually the head and shoulders will be seen.

3|P age
Close-up:
• The camera is close to object being filmed. If it is a person then the whole face will fill the screen.
• Close-ups are often used as cutaways from a more distant shot to show detail, such as characters'
emotions, reaction to an event or some intricate activity with their hands.

• Close-ups are used for distinguishing main characters. Major characters are often given a close-up
when they are introduced as a way of indicating their importance. Leading characters will have
multiple close ups. It is designed to draw attention to facial expressions and reactions.

Kindergarten Cop
Extreme close-up:
• The camera is extremely close to object being filmed. For example, a single eyeball.
• It is designed to draw attention to facial expressions and reactions.
• It can draw the audience’s attention to an object and reveal an element of foreshadowing.

Harry Potter
4|P age
Over the shoulder:
• The camera looks from behind one character to another.

• This angle helps the audience place the characters in their setting.
• This angle can show a character’s point of view / perspective or follow the dialogue between two
characters.

The audience is able to view the conversation between Harry Potter and Voldemort. This
shot is taken over Voldemort’s shoulder.

The over-shoulder shot alternates between the characters to follow the dialogue occurring between them –
Star Trek

5|P age
CAMERA ANGLES
Bird’s Eye-view
• The camera look directly down on the subject.
• It can emphasize setting, height, depth or form the perspective of an object/character looking down.

Moonrise Kingdom
High angle:
• The camera is above the object.

• This shot often makes the object appear insignificant, inferior, vulnerable, weak or unimportant.

The Avengers

6|P age
Eye-level angle:
• This is a neutral angle – no superiority or inferiority suggested.

The Great Gatsby

Low angle:

• The camera is placed low looking up at the object being film.

• This shot usually makes the object appear superior, powerful and important.

Batman – The Dark Kn

7|P age
Worm’s – Eye view

A worm's-eye view is a view of an object

from below,as though the observer were a
worm.
It can be used to look up to something to
make an object look tall, strong, and mighty
while the viewer feels child-like or powerless.

The Ant Bully

Tilted angle:
o The camera is tilted on its side so that the object
appears unbalanced.

o Often used in action sequences, e.g. car crash.

o Used to create an unsettling atmosphere and
suggest that things are haphazard or dangerous.

8|P age
Aerial angle:
• The camera is directly above an object – helicopter, drone or crane would be used.

• This is used to gain an aerial perspective.

This aerial shot shows a futuristic Los Angeles in Blade Runner.

This aerial shot shows the fictional city of Wakanda in Black Panther

9|P age
 FRAMING
Centre frame:
• A character or object placed in the centre of the frame usually implies object/person has dominance,
confidence or is central to the plot.

Left or right of screen:

• A character or object placed to the left or the right of the screen signifies a lack of dominance or
importance.

The Simpson family is placed in the centre of the frame as they are the main characters and are central to
the plot. The supporting characters surround them to the left and the right of the screen. - The
Simpsons

Closed frame:
• The character is positioned within borders, e.g. a window frame.
• A closed frame represents a lack of freedom or a form of confinement.

10 | P a g e
 The closed frame indicates that the character lacks freedom. This freedom could be literal or figurative.

In the frame above, the character Andy has just escaped from prison by crawling through a sewerage pipe.
Note how the pipe creates a closed frame and Andy’s emergence from it represents his emergence from
captivity. – The Shawshank Redemption

Open frame:

• The frame is open, e.g. wide open spaces, shots of the sky.

• This frame represents freedom.

Gravity

11 | P a g e
 LINES:
Horizontal lines:
• We are influenced into looking at the picture across the screen.
• Horizontal lines convey a tranquil mood.

Horizontal lines

Vertical lines:
• We are influenced into looking at the picture from top to bottom or vice versa.
• Vertical lines conveys excitement, energy, power or danger.

The vertical lines created by the skyscrapers, and by King Kong himself, demonstrate his power.
12 | P a g e
 SOUND TECHNIQUES:

Voice over: the narrator is not physically on screen but the voice can be heard on the soundtrack.

The below milk advert uses a voice over to convey a message about their product.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GSuH6LYMho

Synchronous sound: the sound effects you hear match what is seen on the screen.

Non-synchronous sound: additional sounds are used but they do not match what is being seen on
screen.

Identify the synchronous and non-synchronous sounds in the below clip taken from Blade Runner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYxX9OzGtNw

Music: very important – creates atmosphere and mood.

Watch the below clip to understand the impact that music can have on the mood and atmosphere of a
scene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn9V0cN4NWs

13 | P a g e
 CAMERA MOVEMENT:

Panning: camera movement from left to right or right to left – horizontal movement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrgIW8rOsV0

Tilting: camera movement from top to bottom or bottom to top – vertical movement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev07WpIhubA

Tracking: camera follows the subject being filmed – can be hand-held or mounted on a dolley.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLuEskAhRGE

Zooming: camera closes in on object for emphasis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjZ9EQ7LMD8

14 | P a g e
 LIGHTING:
Rembrandt:
• Certain areas in the frame are lit while others are partially or completely dark.
• This lighting technique can indicate a variety of things such as that the character has an evil side
amidst his goodness or vice versa. It can indicated that a character is emerging from his evil self and
has redeemed himself or vice versa.

Severus Snape – Harry Potter

Cameo:
• The foreground is well-lit while background is dark.
• This technique encourages the audience to focus on the object in the foreground highlighting its
importance

Bohemian Rhapsody

15 | P a g e
 Silhouette:
• The foreground is dark while background is well-lit.
• This can create a romantic, eerie, sad or magical atmosphere. It can also draw your eye to the
darkened object(s).

Kong – Skull Island

COLOUR:
• Certain colours traditionally represent certain things:

• red = passion, emotion, love.

• white = innocence, purity, spirituality; black = evil, dark, serious.

• The meaning of the colour may depend on certain aspects, e.g. culture, religion or context

MISE-EN-SCENE:
This is what has been put into the scene’ - includes all the elements that have been given a place in a scene –
each element has a specific purpose. This includes the shot, angle, lighting, costumes, props and music.

16 | P a g e