Part 1: Camera Work

My first lesson in this about the fundamentals of film making.

Films are made up of sequences, sequences are made of scenes and scenes are made of shots.

So I would like to repeat and savour in this blog everything that I believe will be useful for me to retain here.

The class consisted of watching YouTube videos, so I may repeat the content by summarising the points that I find most important.

Ultimate Guide to Types of Camera Shots and Angles in Film [50+ Types] (studiobinder.com)

Movie’s use visual language to tell stories using only images. The creators behind these stories use so many differences in images to bring meaning to the narrative.

Length of shot

There are many different shot types, these are partly defined by ‘shot length’, how ‘wide’ or ‘tight’ the camera is to the subject.

The Establishing Shot

• Show the geography
• Time of day
• The scale of subjects of the subjects in the relation to the environment.
• Show crucial details about the environment or world.
• Often used to transition between scenes.

Master Shot

Image from: Ultimate Guide to Camera Shots: Every Shot Size Explained [The Shot List, Ep 1] – YouTube

• Establishes who is in the scene

• and their relationship to each other.

What Is a Master Shot? – Indie Tips

Master shots and establishing shots can sometimes be confused with each other. An establishing shot is more about the geographical location, for example it may the city or outside of a house. Whereas, a master shot would be a conversation, inside the dining room of the house, showing all of the characters during the scene. It lasts the entire length of the action. The master shots lasts the whole scene, and may be interwoven with shots from various angles (about three), none of which break the 180 rule.

Wide shot

Extreme Wide Shot

Each different types of shots has different meanings and uses in film.

Such as

• An extreme wide shot to establish a the scenery and location
• A medium shot to show off a character.
• A wide shot to let the action speaking for you.
• A close up or extreme close up for exposition, disorientation, to show a detail or an amount or lack of emotion.

Angle of Shot

All camera angles communicate a different emotion and meaning to the audience.

Neutral angle

Perhaps the most commonly used camera height where the camera looks straight at the subject, looking at their eye-level. The audience regards this as the most natural the acknowledge the character. There is no judgment on that character, the audience and the audience are equals.

With a neutral shot, the subject seems to be more direct towards the audience.

Low angle (LA).

Looking up at the subject. A low angle can make a person seem large and menacing. It is perfect for superhero’s or villains to make them seem more powerful. While low angles can increase the worth or presence of a character, a high angle does the opposite, diminishes the character.

High angle (HA).

Looking down at the subject. At a high angle, the subject may seem small, insignificant, silly, unthreatening, weak or vulnerable. The low high and low angle are often paired together, complimenting or comparing off of each other. The pairing heightens the imbalance of power.

Aerial shot

Another variation of the high angle is the aerial shot (e.g. a drone shot). This can be used to establish an environment, city, landscape or characters moving through a larger world. Aerial/ helicopter or the drone shots are usually moving.

This camera angle is achieved by placing the camera flat on the ground looking straight up.

Birds-eye-view shot/ overhead shot.

Where the camera is directly above the subject looking down. These can be fittingly used for complex movement or religious connotations etc.

The birds-eye shot can have many different uses or effects. For example: magnitude, solitude, movement, release and death.

Some examples of these are:

Dutch angle

The camera is canted to look at the subject from a oblique  angle. The Dutch angle can make the audience feel fear, uneasiness, drunkenness, heightened psychological distress, tension, disorientation, thrill or suspension.

Within the 12 Monkeys film, the Dutch angle may be portraying a unstable psychological state of mind. The result of the angle’s effect is that the audience are brought into his state of mind, and that of the environment: the psychiatric hospital.

Purpose of the Dutch shot in Mission Impossible is to point out a change in the scene. It is only then that Ethan realises he is in danger, that there are other agents in the restaurant that may threaten him as he is a suspect of his groups murders, and that Kittridge was actually interrogating a suspect (Ethan) not a fellow agent. The Dutch angle is shouting at the audience that something has changed, and something is wrong with the situation.

Hip Level shot

The hip level shot is as straight forward as the name. This angle is often used in Western films as it draws attention to the subjects waist, like the location of the gun holster. or a weapon in hand. Considering that the hip level shots are generally cowboy shot sized, this closeness with the subject may increases tension, no matter which genre the film is.

Ground level

In the Ground level angle the camera will be at the ground level. These shots can sometimes double as low angle shots. The low angle can introduce a powerful person or follow an action of the character falling on the ground. It could be used to track a characters walking while the audience can perceive what is at ground level, for example a surviving general looking down at the bodies of his fallen soldiers.

Shoulder-level

Similar the the eye level but slightly lower than the head, usually doubles as an over the shoulder shot.

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.

There is also the knee level shots, these usally double as low level shots.

Depth of Field

The depth of the camera describes the focus and lenses. Altering the amount of clear and blurring parts of the frame to draw the audiences eyes to specific subjects. A camera, like a human eye, doesn’t focus on everything at once, so the directors selectively picky about the outcome to manipulate the audiences eyes and their experience with the films. How much the camera focuses on is known as ‘Depth of Field’.

Deep Focus

Everything is in focus. Meaning that in the scene is important.

Shallow Focus

Selecting one or a few parts to focus on. Such as a subject speaking.

Rack Focus

In short depth or field, where the focus changes at least once is called rack focus. The filmmaker adjusts the focal plane to reveal something that was at first indistinguishable. It should reveal a crucial piece of information or signal a big change in the scene.

Tilt shift

This is an artificial depth of field, Selectively blurring part of the image.

Lenses:

Lenses are important tools for controlling the cameras focus.

Telephoto lens

The Telephoto lens is any lens with a focal length of 7mm and up. Often referred to as long lenses. Telephoto lenses are typically used for capturing distance subjects. Making us feel like we are observing the scene from afar.

Some examples of purposes of the Telephoto lens could be secrecy and voyeurism or to isolate a character in a crowd (such as in the example image).

Wide angle lens

24-35mm. Gives the space more depth, best for widely spaced subjects in a scene.

Extreme Wide Angle Lens

18-24mm. Can simultaneously capture close ups and scenery in one shot such as in The Revenant.

Fish Eye Lens

Fish eye lenses have an extremely wide focal range ranging from 8-10mm for Super 35mm or 15-16mm for full frame sensors. It is great for distorting the perspective, especially anything close to the camera.

Fish eye camera angle is achieved by using a fish eye lens. Fish eye lenses have an extremely wide focal range ranging from 8-10mm for Super 35mm or 15-16mm for full frame sensors. The Fish eye lenses have heavy distortion towards the ends of the images making it look like as if you are looking out of an orb. The Fish Eye lens camera angle was famous during the 1990s and was used in many hip hop music videos.

The Split Diopter Shot

When a Split Diopter lens is used to keep two things in focus at the same time. Usually used artistically for the story.

Camera Movement

The types of movements in film are straightforward.

Static Shots

Static shots are ones without movement. These are great for dialogue, lack of action, unimpactful meaning. Or perhaps to trap the audience in the scene. For example, from the film 12 Years a Slave there is a character being hanged, in this scene the audience must look without respite during this long take while he struggles to balance himself in his tip toes on the ground.

Other camera movements include:

• Pan (Horizontal movement). Used to follow characters actions or reveal information.
• Whip Pan. Heightens energy.
• Tilt (Vertical movement)
• Push In
• Pull Out
• Zoom. The shot length is changed by adjusting the lens from wide to tight to wide or the opposite.
• Crash Zoom
• Dolly Zoom
• Camera Roll
• Tracking
• Trucking
• Arc (Circular movement, e.g. circling the subject).
• Boom
• Random Movement

The TECHNOLOGICAL way to achieve these movements is more complex.

50+ Camera Angles, Shots, and Movements: A Complete Guide (nofilmschool.com)

Hand Held

The simplest way to add movement is to simply pick up the camera in a handheld shot. This creates a natural shaky movement, which can be intentional. The camera man has more freedom of movement but less control.

Steadicam

Steadicams are technically hand held shots, just with an rig that aids to stabilise it.

Tripod

With a tripod you have more control such shot such as panning horizontally, left or right from a fixed centre pivot.

Dolly/ Tracking Shot

The camera and the rig can be moved as well with a dolly/ tracking shot. With this the camera is put on a moving dolly and it moves with or perhaps without the subject. From left to right, back to from or on a curve.

Jib/Crane Shot

With a jib/ crane shot the camera moves up or downwards. With this the camera is put on a platform an raised or lowered according to the purpose. 1917 running shot include here.

Dolly Zoom

Also known as The Vertigo Shot or The Trombone Shot. Combination of rig movement and camera movement and you get the dolly zoom or the trombone shot. The camera is dollied while zooming while changing the depth of the shot.

The Fallen Camera Angle

This camera angle is used to show a camera that has seemingly fallen on the ground. While it looks random it is actually a meticulously thought out process to film through this camera angle. This angle needs to capture everything important while seeming to fall randomly. Many filmmakers use crash cams for this specific purpose in their films.

The Car Rig Movement

The camera is mounted inside or outside the car to film scenes accordingly. Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof.

Types of Camera Shot Framing

Camera or shot framing works with the subjects in the frame.

Single Shot

When there is only one character in the frame.

Two Shot

When there are two people in the frame.

Three Shot

Three characters in the frame

Over-the-Shoulder Shot (OTS)

OTS is when there are two or more character in the scene, 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. The camera shows his shoulder on the screen, usually out of focus. Usually in this shot the actors are facing face to face but some exceptions can be made to show disagreement between the two characters.

Point-of-View Shot (POV)

When the camera shows what the character sees it is said to be in the POV or Point of View camera angle.

Other Effective Shots in Film

These are other less common shots that I wanted to mention and note down.

• Sniper vision shot.
• Binocular vision shot.
• Glamour shot (e.g. elevator door open to character standing proudly)
• Breaking the fourth wall (the character looks at the camera and/or speaks to the audience).
• The Matte Painting Shot.
• The Chroma Key or Green/Blue Screen Shot.
• Limbo shot (Character is filmed on a black background, suspended as though in limbo).
• The Vignette Shot (black circle around the edge of the frame).
• The Circular Iris Shot (Black circle in the centre of the frame, smaller that a vignette).
• The Tunnel Vision Shot (The edges of the frames are blurred out but the centre of the frame is in focus).
• The Insert Shot (Often called as the B-roll. Shot of location, props etc. as substitutes or insurance for editing).
• The Crab Shot (sideways dolly movement).
• The Gimbal movement (an amateurs Steadicam known as the gimbal instead). Can be more more unstable than a Steadicam.
• The Wire Shot (camera is moved on a zipline, can be used for speed and/or height).
• Slow-Motion shot.
• The Bullet time Shot (e.g. The Matrix, slow-motion bullet showing shots).
• The Motion Graphics Shot (text on the screen).
• The Doggy/Buggy Cam movement (low the ground movement, e.g. car chase).
• The Slow Shutter Shot (shutter speed of the camera is intentionally lowered to produce motion blur).

• The Process Trailer Shot (the camera is mounted on a tracking vehicle, the subject is behind said vehicle).

• The Poor man’s Process (a non moving car is made to look like it is moving with special effects such as lights moving in the background).
• Time-lapse
• Hyper lapse (time-lapse footage is combined with motion and it appears to move over great distances).
• The Action or the Helmet Camera Movement (wide lens mounted camera on moving object).
• The One Take Shot or Long Shot (one shot without cutting).
• The Macro Shot (when showing something at such an extreme angle that a macro or pro lens is required).
• The Table 360 Pan (camera is panned in a 360 movement, stopping between characters).

• The Hidden Wipe (hide a transition between shots by moving something out of focus across the screen).

• The Freeze Frame Shot (the freeze the frame lasting for a few seconds, often used as the last frame of the film).

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