Camera Distances

Extreme Long Shot (XLS) – a shot that makes the subject look small against their backdrop.

Star Wars', 'Mad Max' and the real vs digital effects non-debate
Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller, 2015)

— — — — — — — — — —

Long Shot (LS) – a shot which is closer than the extreme long shot, but the subject does not fill the frame.

the Martian' Is the Perfect Picture of How to Survive on Mars
The Martian (Ridley Scott, 2015)

— — — — — — — — — —

Medium-Long Shot (MLS) – a shot that usually frames the subject from head to knees.

The Usual Suspects (Bryan Singer, 1995)

— — — — — — — — — —

Medium Shot (MS) – a shot which provides more detail on the subject, framing them from the waist up.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (Jon Watts, 2021)

— — — — — — — — — —

Medium Close-Up (MCU) – a shot that frames the subject from just above their head down to about midway on their torso.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Ethan and Joel Coen, 2000)

— — — — — — — — — —

Close-Up (CU) – a shot taken of a subject or an object at close range intended to show greater detail to the viewer.

How to Design a Close-Up Shot — And When You Should Use It
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (Sergio Leone, 1966)

— — — — — — — — — —

Extreme Close-Up (XCU) – a shot that frames a subject very closely, often so much so that the outer portions of the subject are cut off by the edges of the frame.

Allanah Whatling's Blog: Frames: extreme close up
Titanic (James Cameron, 1997)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *