Camera Angles

Still Shots

Aerial shot (or crane): a view from directly overhead to afford a clear view – sometimes used to emphasize the spectacle.  A crane shot is usually necessary to achieve this (sometimes called a bird’s eye shot) 

Canted Angle – A shot which is tilted to one side.  This is often used to create a feeling of disorientation.

Close up (and variations): close ups, including extreme, big and medium close ups, are used to draw the viewer closer and to involve them in what is happening; they also used to observe reactions and emotions, such is happiness, elation or tension.  These shot often used to privilege the protagonist over other characters and position the audience with him or her

Crab Shot: a type of shot which involves the camera being placed in a confined space.  e.g.  A shot taken from inside a cupboard is the subject opens the cupboard door.

Crane Shot (or Aerial): a type of shot in which a camera is positioned on a specially designed crane, which can be raised and lowered and will.  A crane shot is a high-angle shot but the versatility of the equipment allows a director to start a shot from a high-angle and then swoop down toward the subject at ground level.  

Deep Focus: a camera technique that allows objects both near and far from the camera to be in focus at the same time.

Establishing shot: the shot (usually wide or long), often used at the start of a programme or film, a new section of a programme or at the start of a new scene to establish the relationship between the set/location and the characters and to show the whole view

Hand-Held shot:  A shot filmed with the camera not on a trpid but instead held by the camera man, often whilst walking.  This makes the shots seem quite shaky.  This can make the audience feel the scene is more realistic, or can make us feel like we are part of the action

Head-On Shot: for a type of shot in which the action comes directly toward the camera.  Head-On shots are often used in war or action movies to enhance the sense of involvement and excitement of the audience, for example, charging cavalry may be directed at the camera.

High angle: to provide a view from above the subject(s), often making the subject look vulnerable, isolated or powerless.  This is sometimes combined with a crane shot into a closer shot of the subject(s).

Long Shot: a distance shot where the camera is a long way from the subjects being filmed.  A long shot can be effective as an establishing shot that sets the scene for the action and roles in the viewer.

Loose Frame – Describes a shot where there is a lot of room around an object or person.  Usually used to show them as being alone or isolated or unimportant.

  

Low-Angle Shot: a shot where the camera approaches a subject from below eye level.  A Low-Angle shot can emphasize the size of the object being filmed and add to a point of view perspective.  It can make the character shown seem big and powerful and it can make us or the character we are seeing through, seem small and weak.

Master Shot: a camera shot used at the beginning of a sequence to establish the component elements and relationships in such a way as to allow the audience to make sense of the action follows.

Pan: camera action involving gently moving the camera 180°across the subject matter in a horizontal plane

Point-of-View Shot (POV or Subjective Filming): a camera shot taken from the position of the subjects, used to enhance a sense of realism and audience involvement in the action.

Pull Focus – Describes a shot where one thing was on focus, and then the lens is changed so that something else stops being blurry and becomes in focus.  Often used to show how something has become more important.

Rule Of Thirds – Describes a technique used to make a shot look interesting.  Rather than placing a person or object in the middle of the frame, they are placed at the sides, or where the lines cross on this imaginary grid.

Shallow Focus – Describes a shot where an object near the front is in focus, and everything else behind is out of focus (blurry).  Often used to make one thing seem more important.

Soft focus: in images, the use of a special lens or filter to create a hazy light around the subject.  Soft focus shots are associated with the romantic or sentimental treatment of subject matter.

Subjective Filming (or POV): a type of shot in which the camera is positioned as if looking at the world through the character’s eyes.

Tight Frame:  Describes a shot that is composed with the person or object given very little space around them.  Often used to make them seem important, or trapped.

Moving Camera Angles

Tilt: a camera movement that involves moving the camera vertically up and down from a fixed position.

Tracking Shot: a camera shot in which the camera moves along rails to follow the subject.  When the rails are replaced by a moving platform on wheels, the shot is called a dolly shot.  As you wont know how this shot was filmed you can call it either a Tracking OR a Dolly shot.

Whip Pan: a very fast pan between two or more characters all points of interest.  He gives the impression camera has been ‘surprised’ by activity and is used in the place of a more conventional cu or shot/reverse shot.

Wide shot: this can be used as an establishing shot of a set or location or to show a large crowd of people.  They can also emphasize the isolation of a single figure.

Zoom/Reverse Zoom: the adjustment of the camera lens to allow the operator progressively to move in close off or to pull away from the subject.

180 degree Rule – Where, during a scene featuring two people or more, we can imaging an imaginary line joining those two people together.  Adhering to the 180 degree rule would mean you would always ensure your camera was on one side of that line and the camera would never be crossed to the other side.  Sticking to the 180 degree rule allows the viewer to feel comfortable, helps us understand the positioning of the characters and makes it feel like real life. 

Breaking the 180 degree rule (Crossing the Line) – Where, during a conversation or a scene between two people, the camera does NOT stick to one side of the line (see above) and crosses over at some point.  This disorientates the viewer as we are unable to work out the position of the characters within the room.  It makes the scene seem odd or strange and may reflect the feeling of the characters.