Movie Camera Shot Techniques
A shot describes a particular camera angle or picture framing order by the director. A shot is a visual way to present the subject of a movie in a specific way, most often to achieve a specific effect. Think of a shot palette as a director's paint colors. Learning what types of shots there are and how to use them is one of the basic elements of a filmmaker's career. Here are some of the most widely used camera shot techniques.
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Wide
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There are three major types of wide shots. The extreme wide shot encompasses a lot of the setting and often doesn't even show the subject. These shots are often called establishing shots in the movie world. A medium wide shot might include the eventual subject of the film, but still takes in a lot of setting. The wide shot, often called a long shot, puts focus primarily on the subject of the film.
Close
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Close-up shots vary from mid-shot to extreme close-up. The extreme close-up pushes all the way in on the subject and is often used to put focus squarely on the subject and nothing else. This technique is often seen when a character is doing dialogue. If you look close during an extreme close-up shot, you can often see everything behind the subject is slightly blurred. This is used in conjunction with the extreme close-up to keep even more focus on the subject.
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POV
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A POV (point of view) shot is used to show the point of view of a character. This is often used when the identity of someone entering a scene is unknown, or when it's important that movie viewers see a scene from someone's perspective.
Panning
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Panning is a moving shot, usually used to establish setting or to move in and settle on a subject. Panning can move up or down (tilting), left or right, and can be done slowly or quickly to produce a desired effect.
Cutaway
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A cutaway shot is one that is focused on a main subject until it cuts away to something else. Typically the cutaway shot is brief, putting the focus on another element as a set up to something that is about to happen in the film. The cutaway can be used to build tension as well.
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