Multimedia/Video Lecture1—Camera Angles and Motion

Source: http://www.mediaknowall.com/camangles.html

Describing Shots--Considerations

• Framing or length of shot

• Angle of the shot

• Movement involved in the shot

A change between two different shots is called a CUT.

Framing or Shot Length

• Extreme long shot (ELS/EWS)

▫ Scene setting

▫ Establishing shot

▫ Usually exterior

▫ Little detail

• Variation is LS/WS(not as far)

Framing or Shot Length

• Long Shot (LS)

▫ Shows the image as “life” size

▫ Full shot showing entire human body

▫ Focus is on characters, but still see background

Framing or Shot Length

• Medium Shot (MS)

▫ Full shot showing subject from waist up (max 3)

▫ Dialog or detailed action

▫ Minimal background

▫ 2 shot (2 people) or 3 shot (3 people)

OVER-THE-SHOULDER-SHOT, positions the camera behind one figure, revealing the other figure, and part of the first figure's back,

head and shoulder.

Framing or Shot Length

• Close Up (CU)

▫ Very little background

▫ Concentrates on either a face or a specific detail

▫ Takes us into the mind of a character

Framing or Shot Length

• Extreme Close Up (ECU)

▫ Magnify beyond what the human eye would experience

▫ Used for dramatic effect

▫ Caution: Camera shake

Point of View Shot (POV)

• View from subject’s perspective (eyes)

Cutaway Shot (CA)

• Shot that's usually of something other than the current action

• Used for:

▫ as a "buffer" between shots

▫ to add interest/information

Noddy Shot

• Used for interviews typically

• Shot of person listening to/reacting to subject when shooting with one camera

• Typically, you can shoot the whole thing and then film noddy shots later (and edit them in)

Camera Angles

• Birdseye View

• High Angle

• Eye Level

• Low Angle

• Oblique/Canted Angle

Birdseye View

• Directly overhead

• Very unnatural and strange angle

High Angle

• Camera is looking down

• Subject appears small

• Angle creates the impression of weakness in subject

Eye Level

• Most common

• Camera will be placed approximately five to six feet from the ground

• Neutral shot

Low Angle

• Camera is looking up

• Subject looks large

• Angle creates the impression of power in subject

Canted Angle

• Characters point of view

• Camera is tilted and off balance

• Show confusion, disorientation and instability

Camera Movement

• Pan

• Tilt

• Dolly Shot

• Handheld

• Crane

• Zoom

• Aerial

Camera Movement--Pan

• Scans a scene horizontally

• Follow a moving object, which is kept in the middle of the frame

• Tripod!!

Camera Movement--Tilt

• Scans a scene vertically

• Follow a moving object, which is kept in the middle of the frame

• Tripod!!

Camera Movement—Dolly Shot

• Also known as TRUCKING or TRACKING shots

• Camera is placed on a moving vehicle and moves alongside the action

• Camera could even be mounted on a car, a plane, rolling chair, etc.

Dolly in(opposite is Dolly

out)

In moving a camera from side to side you "truck right" or

"truck left."

Camera movement—Handheld

• First saw widespread use during World War II

• Taken with a handheld camera or deliberately made to appear unstable, shaky or wobbly

• Often used to create a "realism" or "raw" look as if it's documentary footage, news reporting, etc.

Used in Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield for effect

Camera movement—Handheld

• TIPS

▫ Flex knees to act as shock absorbers

▫ Lean against solid object or another person

▫ Keep camcorder off shoulder to minimize bounce when walking.

Camera Movement—Crane

• Basically, dolly-shots-in-the-air

• A crane—called a JIB—is used

Camera Movement—Zoom Shot

• Zoom lens can change the position of the audience, either very quickly (a smash zoom) or slowly, without moving the camera an inch, thus saving a lot of time and trouble

• Zoom lens tends to be jerky

• Use rarely and with caution

• May be good for deliberate dizzy/vertigo effect

• Dolly zoom (wheeled chair, skateboard)

• Always use a tripod!

Camera Movement—Aerial

• Even further from the action than the crane shot, in a helicopter or atop a mountain or skyscraper

• Moves with the subject

General Notes

• When shooting people, don’t frame a shot so the top of the neck, the top of the legs, the knees or the ankles are cut off at the bottom of the screen; allow these body parts to be a little above or below the edge of the screen for best composition.

Shot List—Be sure to have one!