12 September - 18 September

Technique

Example

Effect

Camera shots: 

1. Establishing     shot

The establishing shot lets the ………………………..have a look at the subject in relation to its……………………..  It lets the audience know the setting for the scene they’re about to watch.

It usually appears at the ……………………. of a film or scene to establish the setting or to introduce a film.

2. Long shot

Is a type of establishing shot. 

A long shot (sometimes referred to as a full shot or wide shot)  lets the audience know the setting for the scene they’re about to watch.

It typically shows the entire ……………… and is usually intended to place it in some relation to its surroundings.

3. Close up

In general the ……………………..the camera gets to the characters, the closer the ………………………….feels towards the characters. This is a choice the director makes to communicate specific types of meaning. If your subject is a person, it is often their face.

Close ups are often used for important/dramatic moments to show details such as:

1. To express/convey emotions. A close-up is an emotional moment that draws in the audience and portrays a character’s innermost feelings. This makes the viewer feel like they’re part of the action.

2. To highlight physical features and facial expressions. It allows small details like a smirk, eye roll, eyebrow raise, etc.  to effectively tell the story.

3. Identifies a moment of extreme importance in the story.

4. Medium close up

A medium close-up shot includes an actor’s upper body, usually from the waist up. Like in a close-up shot, some background will be visible, but the camera focuses on the actor and their emotions.

5. Extreme close up

6. Two-shot close up

Makes two characters featured in the frame. 

It allows you to understand how the characters  react and respond to each other.

7. Three-shot close up

Makes three characters the …………………………………..of the frame. 

It allows you to understand how the characters ……………………………… and …………………………………. to each other.

Camera angles:

1. High angle shot 

(God’s eye view/ Bird’s eye view/ Top shot/ Aerial view) 

High angle shots allow the audience to see the movement of a scene all at once in a way that the characters cannot necessarily see themselves, giving viewers a more omniscient perspective.

A high-angle shot is a cinematic technique where the camera looks down on the subject from a high angle and the point of focus often gets "swallowed up". High-angle shots can make the subject seem vulnerable or powerless when applied with the correct mood, setting, and effects.

2. Low angle shot

A frame shot from a low angle makes the subject seem larger and can suggest the character is in a position of power and/or strength. 

3. Eye level shots

The eye-level angle is the most……………… angle shot used. The camera is positioned at the character’s eye level so the character can look directly into the lens without moving the eyes up or down. It is considered to be emotionally neutral and is best used for straight, factual presentation. 

It’s main purpose is to bring the audience into the story by not over dramatising. Eye level is how we often see the world in real life, and by using this familiar angle, filmmakers can connect their characters with the audience in a very intimate way. There are many different scenarios where a filmmaker can use an eye-level shot. Again, this neutral shot angle allows us to focus directly on a character’s face and emotions. Some scenarios where this can be useful are:

• To make a character seem more relatable

• To allow a character to “break the fourth wall” and speak directly to the audience

• To -emphasize a character’s strong emotions, such as anger or pain

• To give the viewer the impression that they know what a character is thinking or feeling

Camera movement

1. Pan- when the camera’s head is stationary, but it moves from ………………………………………………………………………………………..

2. Tilt-when the camera’s head is stationary, but it moves ………………………………………………………………………………………….axis

3. Zoom- zoom in means to get closer, and zoom out means to get farther away from the subject

4. Dolly shot- refers to any time the ………………………………………………..moves, either on tracks, from a helicopter, on someone’s back, or in any other way.

Extra for Experts -

Cinematography editing 

Can you name these editing technique descriptions?

Editing terms #1

……………...- is when the image seen on the screen slowly fades to black or white or some other color. A fade sometimes shows that time has passed.

……………………...- is when an image on screen slowly fades away while the next image is fading in.  Dissolves are used to connect images or to move between images in a smooth, rhythmic fashion.

…………………………………………..also called cross-cutting, which is used to cut between scenes that are happening simultaneously but not in the same location. (damsel, train, hero, bad guy etc)

………………………….. a cut is the quickest way to move between images. It looks like and instantaneous change between shots

…………………………………………...this is when an editor tries to show what the character is thinking. (when a trapped man sees a way to escape)

Editing terms #2

Long takes- generally feel as if they unfold in……………………………………., allowing the director to set up the scene realistically. A long take would be longer than 5-8 seconds.

Short takes- are typical in quick-cutting ………………………………... in which a single shot can be less than 1 second. Action films will also use a lot of short takes to create suspense and drama in a fight sequence or car chases.