Camera+Technique+Terms

Assignment: Camera Technique Terms

Full shot contains the entire subject including the feet.

Medium shot cuts just below the waist.

Medium close shot cuts just above the waist.

Cowboys shot includes an imaginary gun.

Close shot cuts just above breast line.

Four types of close ups wide full medium extreme

Avoid cropping at the leg joints.

Shot selection can be determined by how identified/intimate we want to be with the character.

Too close too soon feels severe because intimacy takes time.

Over the course of a story we start with full shots and medium shots as we get to know the characters.

Save extreme close ups for later in the story when our relationship with the characters has become more personal.

Pulling away from a character makes her seem lonely or insignificant.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">A three shot contains three characters.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">A close up on a related part of the scene is called an insert.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">A POV shot comes from the characters perspective.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">A basic dialogue set up is two matching over the shoulder shots and two matching closer-ups.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">These are called internal and external reverses.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Start with external shots then as we become more involved cut to internal shots and back if we want to become less personal.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">The further we are from the eye line the more objective and impersonal the shot is.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">To avoid a jump cut camera angles must be at least 20+% different.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Three reasons for a Master Shot are: <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">A wide shot of the entire scene. <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">A right angle shot of the scene (side view of two people in conversation) <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">A choreographed shot that moves through the scene with the action.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Shot size is determined by the distance between us and the characters or the focal length of the lens.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">A 50mm lens is closest to the human eye.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Using a long lens and zooming in creates less compression of space.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">A short lens widens the angle of view and creates more compression of space.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Compression of space is created when you zoom out and move in. This makes the characters look more three dimensional in size.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Focal length controls the closeness between characters.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Zoom out and move closer makes the characters look further apart.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Compressing space allows us to see the world in a different way than the human eye.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Short lens creates more space between objects and makes locations seem larger.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">A long lens creates creates a tighter atmosphere and singles out the character we are interested.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Using different focal lengths than reality is the easiest way to create production value because the image becomes an interpretation not a recording.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Long Focal length can narrow the scene and makes the layout focused.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Disorientation can be a goal because a scene loses its mystique if we know its entire layout.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Pull back in an OS shot to create intimacy.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Pull back in a CU to create a more forgiving shot.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">In an OS the character in focus has the major part of the frame.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">In a CU one third is empty space.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Empty space in matching shots between characters is called shared space.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Two reasons to center a character are: <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">When the focus is head-on and supposed to be the key star <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">When there is a neutral third party

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">The rule of thirds for CU’s means framing the eyes

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Too little head space creates a shot that seems too heavy

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Too much head space creates a shot that seems too light

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Use leading lines in a shot to create a sense of depth.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Low angle shot makes the character look big or superior

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">High angle shot makes the character look small or inferior.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">An extremely high angle shot can cause us to feel detached from the scene.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Shooting low angle shots into the sky can create exposure problems.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Add foreground or perspective lines to create height.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Placement of the horizon line can help the audience understand perspective and height.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Placement of the eyes of a character above the horizon line makes her seem more freer or more in command.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Placement below the horizon line makes her look subdued/depressed.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Shooting at eye level is closest to reality, however it makes the shot look like a documentary.