The Master (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2012)
| Name of the Shot and Abbreviation | Description of the Shot in Relation to the Subject | The Use in Storytelling |
| Extreme Close-Up (XCU) | Part of the face e.g. eyes take up the frame | Gets inside the head of a character |
| Close-Up (CU) | Whole face takes up the frame | Reveals character’s emotional state |
| Medium Close-Up (MCU) | Head and shoulders in frame | These shots are usually used when a scene needs a “neutral” narrative approach |
| Low Angle Shot (LA) / High Angle Shot (HA) | In a Low Angle Shot, the camera points upwards to a subject / In a High Angle Shot, the camera points downwards on a subject | A Low Angle Shot usually makes the subject seem grand or threatening / A High Angle Shot can generate a vulnerable appearance for the subject |
| Extreme Long Shot (XLS) | Only scenery visible; can’t make out individual people | Used as an establishing shot |
| Medium Shot (MS) | One or two subjects in frame from waist height, sometimes taken from “over the shoulder” of one of the characters | Often used as a Master Shot / Two Shot / Shot-Reverse for conversations |
| Pan / Tilt | A pan is when you move your camera horizontally / A tilt is when you move your camera vertically | Mimics static character looking round a scene |
| Track (on a Dolly, Steadicam or a Handheld) | The camera follows a subject by moving along with them | It keeps the audience engaged with the actions occurring on screen |
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