An establishing shot in film and television sets up, or establishes the context for a scene by showing the relationship between its important figures and objects. It is generally a long- or extreme-long shot at the beginning of a scene indicating where, and sometimes when, the remainder of the scene takes place.

This can be taken from as much as a quarter of a mile away, and is generally used as a scene-setting, establishing shot. It normally shows an EXTERIOR, e.g. the outside of a building, or a landscape, and is often used to show scenes of thrilling action e.g. in a war film or disaster movie. There will be very little detail visible in the shot, it's meant to give a general impression rather than specific information.

In film or video, an over the shoulder shot (also over shoulder, OS, OTS, or third-person shot) is a shot of someone or something taken over the shoulder of another person. The back of the shoulder and head of this person is used to frame the image of whatever (or whomever) the camera is pointing toward. This type of shot is very common when two characters are having a discussion and will usually follow an establishing shot which helps the audience place the characters in their setting. It is an example of a camera angle.

This is the most difficult to categorize precisely, but is generally one which shows the image as approximately "life" size i.e. corresponding to the real distance between the audience and the screen in a cinema (the figure of a man would appear as six feet tall). This category includes the FULL SHOT showing the entire human body, with the head near the top of the frame and the feet near the bottom. While the focus is on characters, plenty of background detail still emerges: we can tell the coffins on the right are in a Western-style setting, for instance.

Contains a figure from the knees/waist up and is normally used for dialogue scenes, or to show some detail of action. Variations on this include the TWO SHOT (containing two figures from the waist up) and the THREE SHOT (contains 3 figures...). NB. Any more than three figures and the shot tends to become a long shot. Background detail is minimal, probably because location has been established earlier in the scene - the audience already know where they are and now want to focus on dialogue and character interaction. Another variation in this category is the OVER-THE-SHOULDER-SHOT, which positions the camera behind one figure, revealing the other figure, and part of the first figure's back, head and shoulder.

This shows very little background, and concentrates on either a face, or a specific detail of mise en scène. Everything else is just a blur in the background. This shot magnifies the object (think of how big it looks on a cinema screen) and shows the importance of things, be it words written on paper, or the expression on someone's face. The close-up takes us into the mind of a character. In reality, we only let people that we really trust get THAT close to our face - mothers, children and lovers, usually - so a close up of a face is a very intimate shot. A film-maker may use this to make us feel extra comfortable or extremely uncomfortable about a character, and usually uses a zoom lens in order to get the required framing.

As its name suggests, an extreme version of the close up, generally magnifying beyond what the human eye would experience in reality. An extreme close-up of a face, for instance, would show only the mouth or eyes, with no background detail whatsoever. This is a very artificial shot, and can be used for dramatic effect. The tight focus required means that extra care must be taken when setting up and lighting the shot - the slightest camera shake or error in focal length is very noticeable.

These increase height (useful for short actors like Tom Cruise or James McAvoy) and give a sense of speeded motion. Low angles help give a sense of confusion to a viewer, of powerlessness within the action of a scene. The background of a low angle shot will tend to be just sky or ceiling, the lack of detail about the setting adding to the disorientation of the viewer. The added height of the object may make it inspire fear and insecurity in the viewer, who is psychologically dominated by the figure on the screen.

From a bug's- or worm's-eye point of view, everything looks ominous and their height is prevalent.

Dutch tilt, Dutch angle, oblique angle, German angle, canted angle, or Batman Angle are terms used for a cinematic tactic often used to portray the psychological uneasiness or tension in the subject being filmed. A Dutch angle is achieved by tilting the camera off to the side so that the shot is composed with the horizon at an angle to the bottom of the frame. Many Dutch angles are static shots at an obscure angle, but in a moving Dutch angle shot the camera can pivot, pan or track along the director/cinematographer's established diagonal axis for the shot.

The Pull Focus is a creative camera technique in which we can change focus during a shot. Usually this means adjusting the focus from one subject to another.

Angle-plus-angle shots are not usually talked about, but probablyare a type of shot that logo animators or architectural animators will use at some point. An angle-plus angle shot combines an upward (or downward) angle with subject angle.The result is significant depth and an enhanced 3D experience.

Silhouette Image shot can be used during beginning or end of the Some types of products might need to be clearly seen so the viewer knows what the client is selling.

With a different subject angle, the shot gets its depth.

To focus a zoom lens in order to obtain a larger image, or a closer view.

To focus a zoom lens in order to obtain a smaller image, or a more distant view.

Strong converging lines in a frame bring depth and interest to a shot.

photo having strong converging lines

A movement which scans a scene horizontally. The camera is placed on a tripod, which operates as a stationary axis point as the camera is turned, often to follow a moving object which is kept in the middle of the frame.

A movement which scans a scene vertically, otherwise similar to a pan.

Sometimes called TRUCKING or TRACKING shots. The camera is placed on a moving vehicle and moves alongside the action, generally following a moving figure or object. Complicated dolly shots will involve a track being laid on set for the camera to follow, hence the name. The camera might be mounted on a car, a plane, or even a shopping trolley (good method for independent film-makers looking to save a few dollars). A dolly shot may be a good way of portraying movement, the journey of a character for instance, or for moving from a long shot to a close-up, gradually focusing the audience on a particular object or character.

Character Dolly:

Directors often use a character dolly to focus on one or more characters in a scene. This shot is also commonly known as a push-in. The camera starts out with a full or even medium shot, and is pushed in forward. You can push the camera all the way up to an extreme close-up if needed. Push-ins adds tension to a scene and magnifies a character's emotion. Faster motions can be used for a more comic approach.

Pull-Back Reveal :

The pull-back reveal is used to reveal the full extent of a scene. For example, the camera is focused up close on a lost little boy looking for his mother. As he becomes scared and increasingly worried, the shot pulls back to reveal the boy standing alone in the middle of a large crowd. The viewers gain a sense of the enormity of the boy's situation.

Depth Dolly :

A depth dolly can be used when characters move toward and away from the camera. The camera moves past characters or objects that temporarily block the field of view, helping to emphasize the depth of a scene.

Expand Dolly Shot :

In an expand dolly shot, the camera follows a character who is moving away. As the camera moves forward, the actor walks away faster than the camera. The viewer feels distanced from the character with a shot like this. You might use an expand dolly to end a scene. Additionally, you can reverse this type of shot to introduce a character to a scene.

Contract Dolly :

A contract dolly moves the camera forward as a character walks or moves toward the camera at the same time. This type of shot makes a simple action more dramatic by combining two opposite actions. A variation of this could have the character move toward the camera while the camera pans up, revealing the subject.

Basically, dolly-shots-in-the-air. A crane (or jib), is a large, heavy piece of equipment, but is a useful way of moving a camera - it can move up, down, left, right, swooping in on action or moving diagonally out of it. The camera operator and camera are counter-balanced by a heavy weight, and trust their safety to a skilled crane/jib operator.