Name of Shot (Abbreviation) | Description of Shot in Relation to Subject | Use in Storytelling |
Extreme Close-up ( ECU ) | Part of the face e.g. eyes takes 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 | Allows the audience to see the characters face and body, it shows their emotional state and their behavior. And also the background/setting |
Low Angle Shot (LA)/ High Angle Shot (HA) | LA – shows them above the audience HA – shows them below the audience | The status of a character e.g if a character is vulnerable (HA) or if the character is powerful (LA) |
Extreme Long Shot (ELS ) | 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 (OSS) | Often used as a Master Shot/ Two Shot/Shot-Reverse for conversations |
Pan/ Tilt | Pan – the camera only moves horizontally (left/right) Tilt – the camera on moves vertical (up/down) | Mimics a static character looking round a scene |
Track (on a dolly, steadicam or handheld) | Camera follows a subject by moving along with them | Used to make the audience feel as like they a following the characters |
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