Use of the Camera

Textual analysis

Camera should be analysed in two ways:

FramingMovement

Framing

• Camera’s distance from the subject• Camera angle in relation to the

subject• Point of view

Distance

• Extreme long shot• Long shot• Medium Long Shot• Mid shot• Medium Close Up• Close up• Big Close up• Extreme close up

The following are examples of basic framing

techniques…

Shot Types (Framing)

Angle in relation to subject

• High angle• Low angle• Wide Angle

HIGH ANGLE SHOT• Taken from

above, sometimes used to create a sense of vulnerability.

LOW ANGLE SHOT

• Taken from below. Often creates a sense of power & authority

WIDE ANGLE SHOTA lens which allows the audience to see more peripheral detail.

POINT OF VIEW SHOT

• Camera shot as if through the eyes of a protagonist, this will give the audience more information about what the character knows and share their experience, (often we are being asked to empathise with the character).

Look at the following still

• What type of shot is it?• What elements of the image are

being emphasised?• What angles are being played

upon in this image?• Why do you think this image has

been framed in this way?

Look at the following, in each case say…

• What type of shot is it• Why it has been framed in this

way

• Remember you are describing composition and effect.

Key Terms (Framing)

• Extreme long shot (ELS)• Long shot (LS)• Medium Long Shot (MLS)• Mid shot (MS)• Medium Close Up (MCU)• Big Close Up (BCU)• Close-up (CU)• Extreme close-up (ECU)• High angle• Low angle• Wide Angle• Point of view

Key Terms (Movement)

• Pan (Whip Pan)• Tilt• Dolly/Tracking Shot• Zoom• Crane• Steadicam / Handheld• (Aerial Shot) Flying-Cam

PANNING SHOT

• The camera operator stays still and the camera moves to follow action, or often a moving object like a vehicle.

TRACKING SHOT

• Where the camera operator moves alongside the action.

CRANE SHOT• Using a crane or

similar to create high angle shots.

AERIAL SHOT

• Using helicopters or planes to provide an extreme high angle shot.

Types of Shot

• There are a number of different shots which have specific functions within a film or TV programme:

ESTABLISHING SHOT

• A shot, often outside, that indicates where action will take place.

Establishing shot from Friends

MASTER SHOT

• A shot that is used at the beginning or end of ‘sections’.

Master Shot from The Weakest Link

FRAMING SHOT

• Using a piece of set or scenery to frame a shot.

TWO-SHOT

• When two people are in the shot.

Two-shot, Easy Rider Two-shot, Lethal Weapon 3

Analyse this

In terms of camera