Types of Camera Shots/Angles

Before I can analyse other examples or plan my short film at a technical level, I will need to have an awareness of the types of camera shots and camera angles employed by filmmakers. Although I have a vague recollection of this work from GCSE level, I think it shall definitely be beneficial to go over this since it will play such a significant role in the practicalities and construction of my film.   

• Close Up: A close up is a standard shot that aims to focus on the emotion of a character's facial expression. In terms of framing it usually consists of the head and shoulders.

• Mid Shot: The mid shot usually frames the figure from the waist upwards, allowing the camera to capture some level of movement as well as facial expression.

• Long Shot: With the long shot the entirety of a character is visible as well as some of the background. An extreme long shot would place more focus on setting than on character, often synonymous with an establishing shot.

• Aerial Shot: Not to be mistaken with a crane shot or bird's-eye-view shot, the aerial shot simply means the camera is mounted in the sky, such as on a helicopter or drone. These aerial positions can enable expansive landscapes to be filmed while also providing a sweeping scope of the settings. 

• Two Shot: The two shot does what it says. It includes two people in the frame, which saves cutting to and from a character. They help to establish relationships between characters by allowing the viewers to compare them at the same time. 

• POV: The point of view shot puts you in the position of a character or an object. Typically it is used when a person wakes up in an unknown territory. It shows you how the character is perceiving what's in front of them, using first person to immerse the audience. 

• Dutch Angle: This is sometimes known as a canted angle or oblique angle, and focuses on the camera itself being positioned at a tilted angle. The horizon of the shot is not parallel with the camera frame. It is usually employed to show uneasiness or instability. 

• Tilt Shot: The tilt refers to a type of movement. The camera rotates up or down while mounted in a fixed position. It can be distinguished as the opposite of panning, which refers to movements from left to right. This can be spotted in the opening shot of Revenge of the Sith, where the camera tilts down from a shot in space to where a large spaceship is cruising along. We start with a shot of tranquility but tilt down to a scene of war. 

• High Angle: Shot where the camera looks down on the subject from above, which can be used to expose a character by making them seem insignificant.

• Low Angle: The low angle shot is used to opposite effect, making the subject seem imposing. The camera is positioned at a low angle tilted upwards. 

• Arc Shot: An arc shot is somewhat similar to a tracking shot, but moves in a semi-circle around the subject. The circular motion around the character gives the impression of bewilderment, making the setting appear perplexing. During the final boxing match in Creed the camera does an arc shot around the boxers which makes the fight feel claustrophobic and intense. 

• Tracking Shot: Tracking shots are becoming more and more acclaimed due to their complexity and difficulty to produce. The camera follows a character as they move either through a setting or a piece of action, while mounted on a dolly to give it a steady level. The hallway fight in Daredevil (below) is quite a famous example of a tracking shot, and its a style that director Alejandro Inarritu is renowned for using in his films Birdman and The Revenant. 

• Zoom: One of the more basic camera shots, zooming in and out helps the viewer to determine what they should be looking at. The camera moving inwards usually directs us to something specific, whereas zooming outwards provides a wider perspective and ambiguity. 

• Focus Shifts: A focus shift involves lens manipulation, blurring either the foreground or the background of a frame. In a way this is similar to zooming, but rather than narrowing or widening the frame a focus shift merely changes what the audience focuses on. A pull focus draws the focus from the background to the foreground, while a push focus moves the focus from the foreground to the background. 

• Establishing Shot: An establishing shot is used in between scenes to determine where the action is about to take place, done for audience clarification. It would typically constitute as a wide angle shot due to it's need to frame a large setting. 

• Over the Shoulder Shot: When two characters are interacting an over the shoulder shot is used rather than constantly cutting away from one to the other. It means that both characters will be in the frame but the camera will be looking at one of them over the shoulder of the other, so that it gives a sense of intimacy to the scene. Otherwise cutting back and forth gives the effect of detachment and bad continuity. 

• Wide Angle Shot: A wide angle shot can serve the same purpose as an establishing shot (to offer a sense of scale and a perspective on the setting) or it can be used to represent the insignificance of a character by making them seem small. 

• Pan: Unlike a tilt shot, the pan moves the camera left to right while remaining mounted in a fixed position. It is used to sweep around a scene and give a sense of scope that cannot be captured in a stationary frame. Tarantino uses a pan shot in the opening of Hateful Eight to establish the bleak, harsh landscape that the story will unravel in. 

• Bird's Eye View Shot: A bird's eye view takes place directly above the action, enabling us to look down on what is taking place. 

• Crane Shot: A crane shot is where the camera is mounted on a mechanical extension or jib, and allows a swooping motion that can extend in any direction. Typically used to end a film by craning over the landscape in the closing shot. However it is also employed to capture fast moving action that a cameraman cannot physically keep up with. 

• Eye Level: An eye level shot takes place at the same level as the character, allowing us to engage with them at an equal height. It differs from a close up because a close up can focus on anything, but an eye level shot makes sure the audience can interact with the character without feeling smaller or taller.