Film Techniques

Question 1

Long shot

Answer 1

Helps establish the nature of the environment that surrounds the subject and can help suggest their relationship with it/position within it. Often used in establishing shots.

Question 2

Mid shot

Answer 2

Effect depends on what is being shot. A mid shot doesn’t really give us a close view of a character’s emotional responses - so it’s rarely used in an emotionally fraught scene. Instead, it can often lend a sense of stability and closure to a conversation between characters.

Question 3

Close up shot

Answer 3

Used to give emphasis to a particular object and to give the audience insight into the emotions of a character.

Question 4

Extreme close up shot

Answer 4

Focuses on a single feature of a character’s face, and is used for emphasis and dramatic effect.

Question 5

Over-the-shoulder shot

Answer 5

Used to convey a sense of the relationship between two subjects; can suggest proximity, distance or dominance.

Question 6

Point-of-view shot

Answer 6

When the camera takes the perspective of a character; that is, the audience sees exactly what the character sees. This shot often encourages to identify with that character as we see the world through their eyes.