Why camera angles are important

There are three different types of basic camera shots which include: the close-up, medium shot, and the long shot. A close-up shot is a shot taken of a person or object at a close range, in order to capture the minute details of the subject. For example, close-up shots are often used to indicate to the audience that they should pay attention to a certain motif or symbol that is being carried throughout the film.

A medium shot, or waist shot, indicates that it was captured at a medium distance from the subject. It is often used for back and forth dialogue within a scene as it allows the viewer to have a solid view of each character within a film.

As a result, using a medium shot can help the viewer depict the body language of the characters in the film and how they are interacting with the environment around them. This type of camera shot, shows the full length of the subject while also including a large amount of the surrounding area of the film setting.

Some of the most recognizable and iconic scenes in movies, are those that were shot as a long shot. Furthermore, when filming a movie solely from a distance that includes only long shots, it can give a sense of separation between the film itself and the audience. For example the Oscar winning film, Roma, was solely filmed in a series of long shots.

This film technique causes the audience to feel isolated and like they are only allowed to be on-lookers into the story being presented to them, rather than being immersed in the narrative being told.

In other words, the subject is tightly framed, or shown in a relatively large scale, causing their face to be cropped within the frame. This type of shot is often referred to a choker as well, which is when a shot is framed just above the eyes and right below the mouth.

Extreme close-ups are a powerful way to convey the emotion that your subject is feeling, without the need of the character saying much. Also used as an establishing shot within a film, the extreme long shot, is designed to show the audience where the action is taking place. Furthermore, an extreme long shot can also be used to demonstrate the scale of what is going on in a scene. This type of shot is often used in war-type films, as they allow for a lot of the setting to be seen at once.

Although close-up, medium, and long shots are the three pillars of basic camera shots, there are multiple variations of each shot that you can use in order to blend the effects of the different shots.

For example, a medium close-up combines the effects and distance of framing of both a close-up and medium shot-- the same would go with a medium long shot, and so on. Advanced camera shots, are those that indicate camera angle and placement, and are often used to affect the mood or narrative of the film, rather than indicate size and spatial awareness. A high-angle shot is a cinematography technique where the camera points down on the subject from above.

This type of shot is used to make the subject or object below seem vulnerable, powerless, or weak. This camera angle is most commonly used in horror movies to indicate a sense of entitlement the camera has over the subject below. Other messages a high angle can convey include: danger, depression, and shock. A remote control is also useful to start and stop shooting when the camera is out of reach. You should also shoot from different positions around the subject, not just from directly in front or from the side.

If they are moving, try shooting from in front and then from behind then editing the shots together. Low angle shots, where the camera points upwards from below, make people and things look bigger, more courageous and more important. High angle shots from above usually make people or things look weaker and less powerful. You can put high and low angle shots together to show that one person filmed from a low angle is more powerful than another person filmed from a high angle.

You can be quite subtle about this, rather than using extreme low or high angles. You can also use a high angle shot to give an overview of a scene as an establishing shot. Birdseye shots, from directly above, can look cool. Camera shots are used to demonstrate different aspects of a film's setting, characters and themes.

As a result, camera shots are very important in shaping meaning in a film. Reviewing the examples on the right hand side of this page should make the different camera shots clearer. An extreme long shot animation on right contains a large amount of landscape.

It is often used at the beginning of a scene or a film to establish general location setting. This is also known as an establishing shot. A long shot animation on right contains landscape but gives the viewer a more specific idea of setting. A long shot may show the viewers the building where the action will take …show more content… The next time that you are at the cinema or watching television see what camera shots are being used.

Important: These camera shots are used in all forms of visual texts including postcards, posters and print advertisements. Camera angles It is important that you do not confuse camera angles and camera shots. Camera shots are used to demonstrate different aspects of setting, themes and characters. Camera angles are used to position the viewer so that they can understand the relationships between the characters.

These are very important for shaping meaning in film as well as in other visual texts. The following examples will help you to understand the differences between the different camera angles A bird's eye angle animation on right is an angle that looks directly down upon a scene. This angle is often used as an establishing angle, along with an extreme long shot, to establish setting. A high angle animation on right is a camera angle that looks down upon a subject.

A character shot with a high angle will look vulnerable or small. These angles are often used to demonstrate to the audience a perspective of a particular character. The example above demonstrates to us the perspective or point of view of a vampire. As a viewer we can understand that the vampire feels. Get Access. Good Essays. Read More. Best Essays. How To Analyze Films. Powerful Essays. Dying Breed and When a Stranger Calls.