Basic Camera Composition - Shots and Angles in Filmmaking

Basic Camera Composition - Shots and Angles in Filmmaking

1. Basic Camera Composition - Shots and Angles in Filmmaking

2. Shot Composition How the elements of the shot are positioned in the frame.

3. Top of head to shoulders Isolates the character in the frame Close Up (CU)

4. Anything closer than a Close Up Extreme Close Up (ECU)

5. Top of head to waist Medium Shot (MS)

6. 3/4 Shot Top of head to just below knees.

7. Head to Feet Long Shot (LS)

8. Character becomes almost lost in the scene. Extreme Long Shot (ELS)

9. Often used in conversations. Two-Shot

10. Signifies a distinct group of people. Three-Shot

11. Used in conversations, or to reveal what the character is seeing. Over the Shoulder (O.S.)

12. Shows the audience where the scene is taking place. Establishing (Master) Shot

13. Make a list of the different types of shot compositions in the clip. What Do You See? Click the image to play the video

14. Camera Angle Where the camera is positioned vertically while filming.

15. Camera is at the character’s eye level. The character is the audience’s equal. Eye Level

16. Camera is at the character’s eye level. The character is the audience’s equal. Point of View (POV)

17. Camera is above character. Implies superiority over the character. High Angle

18. Camera is almost overhead of character. Establishes the character’s smallness in the world. Bird’s Eye View

19. Camera is below character. Emphasizes the power of the character. Low Angle

20. Camera is placed near or on the ground. Worm’s Eye View

21. Camera is tilted. Can suggest character is mentally unbalanced. Dutch Angle/ Canted Angle

22. Make a list of the different types of camera angles in the clip. What Do You See? Click the image to play the video