CAMERA SHOTS: Framing EXTREME LONG SHOT / EXTREME WIDE SHOT In an Extreme Long Shot (ELS) or Extreme Wide Shot (EWS) the camera is far away from the action to give an overview of the environment. It is generally used to show the audience where the story is taking place (establishing shot). LONG SHOT / WIDE SHOT A Long Shot (LS) or Wide Shot (WS) typically frames the entire object or human figure and is usually intended to place it in some relation to its surroundings. It captures not only the subject(s) but also the environment. It is more useful for filming action than emotion. Professor Mehran | 1 MEDIUM SHOT A Medium Shot (MS) is a happy medium between a close- up (CU) and long shot (LS). It is generally the most common type of shot used. MEDIUM CLOSE-UP A Medium Close-Up (also known as MCU) frames the head and upper torso, often cutting off at mid-chest. It is close enough to read facial expressions but gives a polite distance. It also reveals a bit of the surroundings. Professor Mehran | 2 CLOSE-UP A Close-Up shot (also known as CU or a tight shot) frames a person’s face, cuts off at mid-neck and generally shows the entire head. It is used to show emotions and highlight details on the subject. EXTREME CLOSE-UP An Extreme Close-Up shot (also known as ECU or XCU) is when the subject exceeds the boundaries of the frame. It is used to create tension when the subject is a person or show lots of detail on an object. Professor Mehran | 3 HIGH ANGLE In order to shoot a high angle, the camera must be placed above the actors, or objects, looking down. This is also called Bird’s Eye view. This angle is used to make the actor or objects appear insignificant or weak. LOW ANGLE To film this shot, the camera is placed lower than the person or object to be filmed. A low angle is being used when you want to depict the power or importance of an individual object. Professor Mehran | 4 RULE OF THIRDS The Rule of Thirds divides the picture plane into nine equal parts by placing two equally spaced horizontal lines (imaginary) and two equally spaced vertical lines (imaginary) over the image. Important elements of the composition are to be placed along these lines, especially the points where the lines cross is a compositional guideline that helps create aesthetically pleasing images. LEADING LINES When leading lines are present in a composition, it leads our eyes along its path, drawing our attention – and making for a dynamic shot. We can use this to our advantage by making the naturally occurring lines in our environment a part of our compositions. For example: your eyes are drawn to the door at the end of the hallway. Professor Mehran | 5 DUTCH ANGLE In order to film a Dutch Angle, the camera has to be titled to the right or the left. The shot is composed with the horizon not parallel with the bottom of the frame. Dutch angle is one of many cinematic techniques often used to portray psychological uneasiness, suspense, foreshadowing, or tension in the subject being filmed. RACK FOCUS A rack focus is the practice of changing the focus of the lens during a shot. An in focus background with an out of focus foreground cause more attention to be paid to the background. By adding this selective focus to an otherwise static shot, you can move the viewer's attention from one part of the screen to the other. Professor Mehran | 6 OVER THE SHOULDER An over the shoulder shot is a shot of someone or something taken from the perspective or camera angle from the shoulder of another person. The back of the shoulder and head of this person is used to frame the image of whatever the camera is pointing toward. LEAD ROOM Lead Room, or sometimes Nose Room, is the space in front, and in the direction of, moving or stationary subjects. Professor Mehran | 7 CLOSURE THEORY Framing a shot to give the appearance of more people/objects present than may actually be there. PAN Panning is swiveling a still or video camera horizontally from a fixed position. TILT Tilting is a cinematographic technique in which the camera stays in a fixed position but rotates up/down in a vertical plane. Professor Mehran | 8 Z-AXIS Z-axis refers to the axis that runs from the foreground-to-the-background or background- to-the-foreground in the frame. The Z-axis is what gives the audience its sense of 3-D space or depth-of-field. Professor Mehran | 9 .