TCL (T3:1-3) Camera Shot Selections

Camera Shot Selections

The following are the most commonly used shot selections in setting up a camera. These options can be obtained by moving the camera, or by changing the focal length of the lens. They describe the framing of different shots to explain the connection between the subject and the story being told.

Establishing shot (EST, wide/long): shows the area in which the scene takes place. Its most common use is at the beginning of a scene with an exterior shot of the building in which the scene will take place. Interior shots that show the entire space and all people in a scene are called wide shots or long shots.

Medium shot (MS): usually shows all the scene’s primary characters framed together in the area where the action will take place.

Close up (CU): a close view of single individuals that helps the viewer see their reaction to events or dialogue.

Extreme close up (ECU): a very close shot which allows the viewer to see emotions on the face of characters as they respond to specific moments in the story.

Interview: usually used when the subject is talking directly to the camera or to an interviewer standing beside the camera, often responding to questions being asked by the interviewer.

Point of view shot (POV): shows what a character is seeing, providing drama in the story

Two shot (2S): showing two people framed together, either side by side or in profile as they talk face-to-face

Profile: a side view of a person, showing only one side of the face. While this can be less interesting to look at, this framing may be used when a character is looking out of the frame if they’re watching for someone to arrive from off-screen, for example.

Shot-reverse shot (SRS): a sequence of shots that is used to cover a conversation between two people. In the first shot we see character A’s face over the shoulder of character B. The reverse shot would show us character B’s face over the shoulder of character A. It is important to keep the 180 degree rule during this sequence or the character’s screen directions will be confusing for the viewer.

Cutaway: shots that move away from a scene’s main action to draw attention to a specific detail within the scene. For example, the shot of a broken window following a shot of a boy kicking a football cuts away from the main action of the game to an accident that has happened as a result. Sometimes a cutaway can help cover bad editing or serve as transitions or breaks in the action of a scene.

B-roll: footage added to a scene to help tell the story visually rather than through dialogue. For example, showing a construction worker sawing a board when the dialogue is about working to provide for his family. B-roll footage can also connect parts of the story, provide missing details, show mise en scene that is important to the story, or provide a transition of time or place. For example, a train approaching from far away, a speeding car, tire marks on the road, and a destroyed vehicle at an accident scene are types of visual images that help tell the story better.

Montage or dream shots: used to help show that a character is thinking or dreaming about something. These kinds of shots are usually used with an audio voice-over track or even a video effect to show what is inside the character’s head.

For more information, check out this article: https://boords.com/blog/16-types-of-camera-shots-and-angles-with-gifs