Camera techniques Flashcards
what is a close up shot?
person or item takes up most of frame - good for showing facial expressions and emotions, making someone seem important
what is a long shot ?
the persons whole body is shown - good for showing off bodies, body language, costume
what is a medium shot?
roughly half of a person or object - good for showing facial expressions/emotions AND body language
what is an establishing shot?
good for making the setting clear, place, time, weather
what is a low angle?
camera looking up - makes people look large, tall, dominant, powerful etc
what is a high angle?
camera is up high looking DOWN on someone - making someone seem weak, vulnerable, small. positions audience to feel sympathy
what is a eye level shot?
level with a face, looking straight at them - good for positioning the audience to feel empathy
what is a canted angle?
tilted camera so it’s not level - making people or situations seem disorientated, drunk, drugged, dizzy
what is a tracking shot?
when the camera is on wheels moving across a room or location - show more than one thing in a scene or when a character is moving
what is a handheld shot?
when the camera is not on a tripod at all - good for action, urgency, puts the audience in the scene
shallow focus shots
only things in a part of a shot are in focus and the background is out of focus - brings the audiences attention to something 
what is deep focus?
everything in the shot in the background and foreground is in focus. It represents everyone as important and shows surroundings
What is a birds eye view shot?
extremely high angle as if you are a bird - seeing something in its larger surroundings or making something look small
what is a pan left/right shot?
camera stays in one shot but it turns to look left or right - to show where someone is looking or going 
what is tilt up/down shot?
camera stays in one place but looks up or down - showing the whole of an object or person a bit at a time. making it seem like the audience is ‘looking’ at something 
