When you're watching TV, film or video, you notice that some of the shots stand out more than others. The reason is it all depends on how the camera is positioned and the frame composition. In this article we will give you the basic knowledge about framing, camera angles and movements, which are the basis for creating a ‘sequence of images’. In order to describe them, you need a certain terminology.
In the categorization you can seriously delve into all sorts of variations, but in this article we will give you the most basic and commonly used terms in the industry.
Here are three most important factors when describing shots or creating them yourself:
- The framing or the length of the shot.
- The angle of the shot.
- If there is any movement involved.
Framing
We will start with the framing - the process of creating composition.
Extreme Long Shot
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Establishing, where and when the shot is set. When there is very little detail visible in the shot, it's meant to give a general impression rather than specific information.
This is usually a wide shot that shows the setting and provides a environmental and sociological context for the action which is to follow.
Long Shot
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This is the most difficult to precisely categorize, but it is generally one which shows the image as approximately "life" size, corresponding to the real distance between the audience and the screen in a cinema. From a distance it shows the whole body. The point of the focus is the subject but the environment is also visible. This shows action rather than emotion
Medium Shot
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Person/object from the mid-chest to the top of the head. Normally it is used for dialogue scenes, or to show some detail of action. Variations of this include the Two/Three Shot – including two or three persons. If the figures are more than three, the shot tends to be a longer one. Other variation of this shot is Over the Shoulder (OTS) - This shot is framed from behind a person who is looking at the subject. The person facing the subject should usually occupy about 1/3 of the frame.
Point of View Shot (POV)
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This shot shows a view from the subject's perspective. It gives you the illusion that you are the character in the scene and not just looking at it from an exterior view. Horror films make great use of this kind of shot to build anxiety and tension and to create mystery. It can be used to shock or disorient the audience
Close up (CU)
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Part of the body\ object with a little background, where most of it is more like a blur. Close-ups are obviously useful for showing detail and can also be used as a cut-in. A close-up of a person emphasizes their emotional state. The viewer is drawn into the subject's personal space and shares their feelings. 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.
Extreme Close-Up (ECU)
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Shows extreme detail. You would normally need a specific reason to get this close. It is too close to show general reactions or emotion except in very dramatic scenes. They are generally preceded and followed, by a wider shot. This cinematic technique is used very effectively to expose the viewer to something that is extremely familiar to them, but at the same time, representing it in a way that’s never been seen before, it is beyond what the human eye would experience in reality. 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.
After the categorization of the Framing, let me mention some basic rules for its use (proper framing):
The Rule of Thirds
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The first thing to learn is how to frame your subject. If you’re a still photographer you’ll already know about the rule of thirds. This works for filmmaking as well. This rule divides the frame into nine sections. Points (or lines) of interest should occur at 1/3 or 2/3 of the way up (or across) the frame, rather than in the center.
Common uses of this rule in video are:
- Framing an interview
The eyes of your subject should fall in one of the upper powerpoints and the subject should be looking towards the empty space on the frame - Shooting a horizon
Rather than position the horizon on the center of the frame, align it along the upper or lower third depending on what you want to emphasize. For example, if you’re shooting a cloud time-lapse you will want two-thirds of the shot centered on the sky.
Head Room, Looking room and Walking Room
These terms refer to the amount of room in the frame which is strategically left empty.
Head room is the space between the top of a subject's head and the top of the screen frame.
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Looking room is the amount of space between the subject and the edge of the screen they are facing. You should have more room in front of the subject than behind.
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Walking Room / Lead Space is similar to looking room, but it applies to moving objects. Moving objects need walking room or lead space to move into. You should give more space in front of the subject in the direction the subject is moving. As the subject moves, you should pan the camera to maintain a constant amount of walking room.
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Get a good clear view
Visualise your shot before setting up, then choose your position relative to the background and where the action will take place. Everything in your frame is important, not just the subject. What does the background look like? What's the lighting like? Is there anything in the frame which is going to be distracting, or disrupt the continuity of the video? And do not forget the edges of your frame.
Once you find out the do’s and don'ts, you should consider what is your message, what you want to accomplish with this particular shot (for example, if you want to sell it as a stock footage or it will be part of a sequence, video, ad, movie and so on). Do not be afraid to experiment with different angles and positions of the camera. They can dramatically change your message and make your shot stand out in front of others. As with camera framing, there are standard descriptions for the basic camera angles and movements are. So in our next article we'll talk about that.
We hope we have been helpful. The part 2 is coming next week.
All the stock footage videos used as examples are from CineFootageFX.com catalogue.
When downloading them, you receive non-exclusive rights for the shots and you can use them in your projects royalty free.