Textual Analysis (Camera Terminology)

Question 1

What is an Aerial Shot?

Answer 1

A shot form far above, generally from a helicopter, although a cane can also be used. It tends to be ahigh angle or bird’s eye shot.

Question 2

Bird’s eye shot

Answer 2

A view from directly overhead to afford a clear view - sometimes used to emphasise the spectacle . A crane shot is usually necessary to achieve this.

Question 3

Canted or Dutch angle

Answer 3

A shot which is tilted to one side. This is often used to create a feeling of disorientation.

Question 4

Close up (and variations)

Answer 4

Close ups, including extreme, big and medium, are used to draw the viewer closer and to involve them in what is happening; they also used to observe reactions and emotions.

Question 5

Crab shot

Answer 5

A type of tracking shot in which the camera moves to the left or right, typically following a character

Question 6

Crane shot

Answer 6

A type of shot in which a camera is positioned on a specially designed crane which can be raised and lowered at will.

Question 7

Deep focus

Answer 7

A camera technique which allows objects both near and far from the camera to be in focus at the same time.

Question 8

Establishing shot

Answer 8

The shot use at the start of a scene to establish the set and location of the sequence

Question 9

Hand-Held shot

Answer 9

A shot filmed with the camera held by the cameraman.

Question 10

Head-on-shot

Answer 10

A type of shot in which the action comes directly toward the camera. Head on shots are often used in war or action movies to enhance the sense of involvement and excitement of the audience.

Question 11

High angle

Answer 11

A shot from above the subject, often making the subject vulnerable, isolate or powerless.

Question 12

Long shot

Answer 12

A distanced shot where the camera is placed far away from the subjects so that the whole body of the subject is shown

Question 13

Loose Frame

Answer 13

Describes a shot where there is a lot of room around an object or person. Usually use to show them as being alone or isolated or unimportant.

Question 14

Low angle shot

Answer 14

A shot where the camera approaches a subject from below eye level.

Question 15

Master shot

Answer 15

A camera shot used at the beginning of a sequence to establish the component elements and relationships in such a way as to allow the audience to make sense of the action follows.

Question 16

Pan

Answer 16

Camera action involving gently moving the camera across the subject on a 360 degree pivot.

Question 17

Point of View shot or Subjective filming

Answer 17

A camera shot taken from the view of the subjects.

Question 18

Pull Focus

Answer 18

A shot where one thing was on focus, and hen the lens is changed so that something else stops being blurry and becomes in focus.

Question 19

Rule of Thirds

Answer 19

A technique used to make a shot look interesting. The frame is separated into three sections, and the subject is placed into one of them.

Question 20

Shallow Focus

Answer 20

A shot where an object near the front is in focus and everything else behind is out of focus.

Question 21

Soft focus

Answer 21

In images, the use of a special lens or filter to create a hazy light around the subject.

Question 22

Tight frame

Answer 22

A shot that is composed with the person or object given very little space around them. Often used to make them seem important, or trapped.

Question 23

Tilt

Answer 23

A camera movement where the camera is tilted vertically up or down from a fixed position.

Question 24

Tracking Shot

Answer 24

A shot where the camera moves along a dolly to follow the subject

Question 25

Two shot

Answer 25

Generally a medium or medium long shot that shows two characters either side by side or facing each other.

Question 26

Whip Pan

Answer 26

A very fast pan between two or more characters or points of interest. This is often used instead of a shot/reverse shot.

Question 27

Wide shot

Answer 27

This can be used as an establishing shot of a set or location or to show a large crowd of people. They can also emphasise the isolation of a single figure.

Question 28

Zoom/Reverse Zoom

Answer 28

The adjustment of the camera lens to allow the operator progressively to move in close off or to pull away from the subject.

Question 29

180 degree rule

Answer 29

The idea that, during dialogue, the camera is placed in one place, rotating in that point to point at a different subject,

Question 30

Extreme long shot

Answer 30

Where the camera is very far away from the subject. It shows the whole of the subject’s body as well as their surroundings.