Art and Technology of Motion-picture Photography Part 2

Camera Framing Figures Camera Shots Extreme Long / Wide (ELS/EWS) or Establishing Shot Used to show the subject from a distance, or the area in which the scene is taking place. This type of shot is particularly useful for establishing a scene in terms of time and place, as well as a character’s physical or emotional relationship to the environment and elements within it. The character doesn’t necessarily have to be viewable in this shot. Why do directors use extreme long/wide shot?  It draws attention to the surroundings to see where it was.  To show the size of a building or the vastness of a landscape.  If a single character appears as a small figure, it emphasize loneliness or lostness.  Two characters standing far away from each other magnifies the distance between them. Camera Shots 2. Long / Wide (LS/WS) Wide shot: Shows the subject from top to bottom; for a person, this would be head to toes, though not necessarily filling the frame. The entire subject appears in the shot, along with some of the surrounding environment. A wide shot is filmed close enough to emphasize the actor, but far enough away to show the actor’s location. You can see their whole body within the frame, with enough space surrounding them to indicate the setting. Why do directors use long/wide shot? The character is more focus than its surroundings. Can be captured by any type of camera or lens Often shot using wide angle lens Camera Angles - marks the specific location at which the movie camera or video camera is placed to take a shot. A scene may be shot from several camera angles simultaneously. This will give a different experience and sometimes emotion. Camera Angles 1. Over the Shoulder Shot Used for character dialogue and interactions, when the camera is positioned behind one character and facing another, so the one character's shoulder and back face the audience. Create intimacy in a conversation between two characters to track who is discussing whom particulary in a group conversation Camera Angles 2. Over the Hip Shot Used when one character is sitting while the other is standing, this shot connects the two characters and implies power imbalance. The character is more focus than its surroundings. Camera Angles 3. Knee-Level Shot This is when your camera height is about as low as your subject’s knees. They can emphasize a character’s superiority if paired with a low angle. focus on characters walking Camera Angles 3. Knee-Level Shot This is when your camera height is about as low as your subject’s knees. They can emphasize a character’s superiority if paired with a low angle. focus on characters walking Camera Angles 4. Ground Level Shot it captures what is in the frame at ground level, that is, the feet, or maybe the character lying on the ground. It allows you to walk a character through a scene without revealing his face or identity, which helps build suspense and intrigue in the film. Camera Angles 5. High Angle Shot A high angle shot is when the camera looks down on the character or subject from an elevated perspective. This is usually achieved by placing the camera higher than the subject and then angling it down on them.It allows you to walk a character through a scene without revealing his face or identity, which helps build suspense and intrigue in the film. Camera Angles 6. Over the head Shot also known as bird's eye view, is when the camera is placed directly above the subject. It's somewhere around a 90-degree angle above the scene taking place.