This document discusses various camera techniques used in filmmaking including camera angles, shots, movement, and composition. It provides definitions and examples of techniques like high and low angles, establishing shots, panning, zooming, and the rule of thirds. Camera shots are categorized from wide to close-up. Camera movement includes techniques such as tracking, tilting, and zooming used to reveal information to the audience. Composition techniques like balance, depth of field, and symmetrical/asymmetrical arrangements are also outlined.
3. High Angle.
An angle which has been taken from a higher place that looks down on a
character or object , this type of shot is often used to make the character or object
look smaller, venerable or weak.
4. Low Angle.
An angle that is taken from a lower place that looks up on a character
or a subject, it is often used to make the character or subject look
bigger, more dominant or more powerful.
5. Camera Shots.
• Establishing shots.
• Wide Shot.
• Long Shot.
• Mid/ Medium Shot.
• Close Up Shot.
• Extreme Close Up Shot.
• Point Of View.
• Over The Shoulder Shot.
• Two Shot.
• Arial Shot.
• Over The Head Shot.
6. Establishing Shot.
Establishes a setting or scene, often giving the viewer information about
where a scene is set. It can be from a range of distances from wide/long
shots of whole cities or wide shots of a place in a city or a house or even
a close up of a sign. Establishing shots are normally at the beginning of
a scene to give clarity to the audience of the setting.
7. Wide Shot.
This shot is wide and shows a large variety of information, like a
panoramic photograph. Often establishing shots are wide shots. Wide
shots could be used to show everyone within a room or at a dinner table.
9. Mid Shot.
Framing of a character or subject of their torso (mostly torso and head
but can also be torso and legs).
10. Close Up Shot.
Framing of a character or object or some particular part of their body of object
such as face, hand or details of an object such as a fork.
11. Extreme Close Up Shot.
A shot that is of a part of the body or face to show extreme detail to the
audience to give them more information or detail about that particular
character or object.
12. Over The Shoulder Shot.
A shot which is filmed as if its from the back of the characters shoulder.
The character facing the subject usually occupies 1/3 of the frame but it
could vary depending on purpose. For example if the shot is to show the
character facing the audience is very inferior perhaps they would only
occupy ¼ of the overall shot.
13. Two Shot.
Is of two characters communicating, interacting or conversing. Usually
used to signify or show a relationship between the two characters.
14. Camera Movement.
• Pan.
• Tilt.
• Tracking.
• Zooming.
• Slow Zoom.
• Fast Zoom.
• Reverse Zoom.
• Dolly.
• Crone.
• Stedicam.
• Vertigo.
15. Pan.
When a camera pivots horizontally from left to right or right to left to
reveal more information of the scene, it can be used to give a viewer a
panoramic view. It is sometimes used to establish a scene that is unable
to fit in one shot or frame.
EXAMPLE OF PAN.
16. Tilt.
The opposite of pan, this is when the camera pivots vertically either from
the top to bottom or bottom to top to reveal more information about the
setting or scene. This is often used to show the audience a character’s
complete costume.
17. Tracking.
Movement of the camera from side to side without a pivot to follow an
object or character. This can include smooth movements from side to
side, frontwards, backwards or even a curve but cannot include
complex movement around a subject.
EXAMPLE OF TRACKING.
18. Zoom.
Zoom is when a camera feature goes in towards an object or character to
reveal a more significant sense of detail. The speed of zooming can vary
and be altered.
19. Reverse Zoom.
This is the opposite to zoom, often referred to as ‘zooming out’, this is
when the camera feature zooms out from an object or character to reveal
more details.
20. Composition.
• Balance.
• Symmetry.
• Unsymmetrical.
• Rule of Thirds.
• Depth Of Field.
• Shallow Focus.
• Deep Focus
21. Depth Of Field.
Depth of field is the distance of what is within focus, it is the distance
between the nearest object and the furthest object in a scene that appear
acceptably sharp within an image.
22. Shallow Focus.
Shallow focus is when one plane of an object is in focus while the rest is
out of focus. Shallow focus is typically used to emphasize one part of the
image compared to another.
23. Balance.
Balance is arranging elements in a scene so that no part of a work
overpowers, or seems heavier than any other part. The three different
kinds of balance are symmetrical, asymmetrical and radical.