TVR-019 Flashcards
35 camera angles, shots and movements
Camera Angles (10)
the placement of the camera and the direction which the camera is looking.
Camera angles are useful to show dynamics between the characters and the environment they are in.
- The Drone Angle/Bird’s Eye View
The bird eye’s view or the drone angle will be a top down shot from the perspective of a drone or a
bird. It can be used to create a sense of topography/overview of the place the scene is set in.
- The High Angle
The camera is looking down on the subject. Used to create a sense of power or domination over the
subject. Has been used to show the subject as weak or a character reaching out to their creator.
- The Eye level Angle (also see The Normal shot)
The camera is placed at the eye level of the subject in the frame. This will be the most used shots for
dramas, sitcoms, comedies etc.
- The Low Angle
Pointing the camera up at the subject. Shows the subject to be dominant and powerful in the frame.
The inverse of the High angle shot, the Low Angle is achieved by pointing the camera up at the subject. To achieve this shot, you can place your subjects on a high ground or bring the camera down. This shot will show the subject to be dominant and powerful in the frame. Spike Lee is famous for using the low angle to show his protagonists in power.
- The Ground level Angle
The Camera is at ground level. Used a lot to show people that have fallen on the ground, like a
protagonist who has had a hard fall/down on their luck. Also as an introductory shot for a presumably
powerful person.
This angle can also be used to show someone down on their luck.
- Camera Flat on the ground
Camera Flat on the ground
The camera is flat on the ground looking straight up. This shot can be used extensively for showing a
depth of a cave or a hole that someone has to climb out of. It can also be used to show the POV of
the protagonist if they have fallen flat on the ground and are looking up at the stars.
- The Upside Down Angle
A camera angle where the subject seems to be placed upside down.
Often times the camera is placed upside down. A movie called Upside Down by Juan Diego Solanas used this camera angle extensively. An iconic example would be the floppy disk heist in Mission Impossible 2. Another stark example of the subject themselves being upside down for a shot is any time Spider-Man descends down to sneakily take out a goon or even the infamous Spider-Man kiss from the first Spider-Man directed by Sam Raimi.
- The Over the Shoulder Angle
A widely used camera angle while filming conversations between two characters; achieved by placing
the camera behind one actor and it shows the shoulder of one actor and the face of the other actor.
A widely used camera angle while filming conversations between two characters, the Over the Shoulder shot is achieved by placing the camera behind one of the actors and it shows the shoulder of one actor and the face of the other actor. Usually in this shot the actors are facing face to face but some exceptions can be made to show disagreement between the two characters.
- The Point of View or POV Angle
When the camera shows what the character sees.
When the camera shows what the character sees it is said to be in the POV or Point of View camera angle. Famously used in Black Christmas (1974) the POV angle shot was then used to show the Point of View of the killer to create nail biting suspense.
- The Dutch Angle
In this camera angle the horizon is not leveled but tilted to one side. This angle is a stylized choice and
can be very useful for foreshadowing. The Dutch camera angle is often used to paint a character in an
evil color. It is also used to create a sense of unrest in the audience’s minds.
Camera Shots (15):
A series of frames run for an uninterrupted amount of time.
- The Establishing Shot
Establish the location of the scene where it is set in. Often external locations, but not always.
- The Extreme Long Shot
Shot from very far away and where subjects look miniscule. Used to show the relationships of the
characters with their environment. Also used to show any oncoming massive threat to the subject.
- The Long Shot
A shot showing the full length of the actor’s body. Make for fantastic character introduction shots.
They can also be used to show the character’s body language concerning their environment.
- The Medium Long Shot
In the Medium long shot, one would cover the actor’s body till their knees. Useful if body language or
appearance of the actor is important to the story.
- The Medium Shot
Medium shots only cover the actor’s body till their waist. More concerned with the body language of
the actor rather than facial expressions. Most used shot to accommodate multiple people. without making it feel like the observer is too far away from the scene.
- The Medium Close up Shot
the frame is cut above the belly of the actor. This shot provides a wonderful balance between attention to the body language and the facial expressions of the actors. These shots are mostly used in combination with Over the shoulder shots to film a conversation.
- The Close Up Shot
Only the face is put in the frame. Amplifies emotion and reveals tiny details not normally seen.
The Close up shot favors the actor’s expression alone. In this shot, only the face is put in the frame. Leonardo Di Caprio’s raging scene in Django Unchained starts with him aggressively yelling in a close up shot, hence amplifying his rage and yelling. Alternatively, the close up shot is also used to draw the audience’s attention to something that they would have missed otherwise.
- The Extreme Close Up Shot
Framing on an isolated part of the actor’s face Very stylized and intimate.
Extreme Close Up requires the frame to absolutely isolate a part of the actor’s face. It could be their eyes, their lips or their nose. Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver features many shots of Travis Bickle’s eyes, this shot was important to show what the character was observing in and around his city.
9a. The Hero Shot (see our module).
Low angle single long or medium long shot of protagonist looking out at the horizon line with a
formidable background (often sky or city skyline).
10b. The Money Shot
The shot which you think is going to blow the audience away. It could be in shock, surprise or
amazement. In many films, this shot is often where the story has been leading to this whole time.
- The Negative Space shot
When you want your actor to occupy an insignificant space off to one side of the frame. Often used in
horror films where we later discover something was lurking in the negative space all along.
When you want your actor to occupy an insignificant space in the frame, you can use this space. Often times the negative space shot is used in horror films, especially if you want the killer/monster creeping up on the unsuspecting protagonist. The most striking example would be in John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) showed Mike Meyers either emerging from the shadows or popping up from the bed in the frame whereas the protagonist was pushed to one side of the frame.
- Out of focus Shot
When the shot is purposefully defocused in its entirety. Very useful if you want to show blurred vision
or if your character is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- The Single or the Solo Shot
When there is only one character in the frame. This works well if the character is the only one
important at that time – such as their introduction.
When there is only one character in the frame it is said to be a Single shot or a Solo shot. This works well if the character is having a moment and they are the only ones important at that time. This shot is usually reserved for introductory shots or hero shots as they are quite a lot of work to execute and they only focus on one character at a time.
- The Two Shot/Double Shot
When there are two people in the frame. This is the most used shot for any sort of conversation. It is
easy to execute and gets the job done well. It also shows the dynamic between the two characters
When there are two people in the frame it is called a two shot or a double shot. This is the most used shot for any sort of conversation. It is easy to execute and gets the job done well. It also shows the dynamic between the two characters. If you combine a double shot with a medium close up you will get the facial expressions and the body language of both the characters at the same time.
- The Three Shot
Three characters in the frame.
Three characters in the frame will lead to the Three shot. These has been used in multiple scenes across films if there are three main characters. Like in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry, Ron and Hermione were shown in three shot whenever they were roaming around the campus. Shots with three people does require meticulous blocking and rehearsals. Anything more than three people in the frame goes to a group shot. Bong Joon-Ho’s Memories of Murder is a prime example of the Ensemble or the Group Shot.
- The Static Shot
The shots where the camera does not move at all is called a static shot. Confrontations,
conversations, courtroom arguments can and have used static shots to tell the story better.
- The Panning movement
The camera stays locked in position and pans left or right – like turning your head left or right. The
panning movement is a good way to reveal something new to the audience.
When the camera pans left or right in normal to slow speed. The panning movement is a good way to reveal something new to the audience. Wes Anderson is long time avid user of the panning movement throughout his filmography.
- The Tilting movement
The camera stays locked in position and tilts up or down. Up can signal surprise or hope. Down can
signal giving up or disengagement. Tilt up is common in home makeover reveals.
When the camera tilts up or down in a normal to slow speed. Used by many filmmakers throughout generations of filmmaking, these simple movements can be critical to storytelling.
- The Zoom in
When the lens zooms in in can add intensity to an actor’s performance (especially a longer bit of
dialogue) or draw the audience focus to one part of a frame.
When the lens zooms in by changing its focal length it is said to be a zoom in movement. There are many variables when it comes to executing the zoom in such as the lens having a fixed aperture or a variable aperture, the lens being parfocal or not and having a focus puller who can maintain the focus if the lens is not parfocal.
- The Zoom out
When the lens zooms out on the subject by changing the focal length of the lens. It is a good
technique to use when you want to reveal more about the environment that the character is in.
When the lens zooms out on the subject by changing the focal length of the lens. It is a good technique to use when you want to reveal more about the environment that the character is in. Use this with caution, as there are many other factors that weigh in when you want to change the focal length of a lens. Majorly the focus and the light that the lens will allow in will be your major concern.
- Time-lapse
A sped-up selection of still images. Used to show time passing or change/progress over time.
When a greater time period is shown to pass by taking shots from a photography camera and playing them in the order, which were clicked in a predetermined manner and at regular intervals. Breaking Bad has many of these shots to show the sunrise of the next day and sunsets to show the passage of time.
- The Freeze Frame Shot
Often used as the last frame of the film, the Freeze frame movement is achieved by keeping a single
frame running for several seconds after which it eventually fades out.
Often used as the last frame of the film, the Freeze frame movement is achieved by keeping a single frame running for several seconds after which it eventually fades out. The most iconic freeze frame will have to be in The 400 Blows, directorial debut of the legend Francois Truffaut. Probably the most famous freeze frame in pop culture would be the last frame of The Breakfast Club.
