Cinematography

There are many ways to compose a shot and, subsequently, to

convey meaning. Be it through film or video, the subjects
spatial relationship to the camera is very important in
establishing, maintaining, or altering the sense of character and
context for the viewer.

Distance

Shot

Point of view
Framing
Aspect ratio
Mask
Camera distance

Depth of field
Color
Movement

Key terms

Extreme Long Shot (ELS): used to establish sense of scale between

subject and context; its greater distance allows for heightened sense of
scale and subjects insignificance than the Long Shot communicates.

Wanda (Barbara Loden,1970)

March of the Penguins (Luc Jacquet, 2005)

The Long Shot (LS): emphasizes scenery, background, sense of scale

over characters; camera is at a significant distance; shows a wider
context beyond the subject of the shot, tells us extra information.

The Searchers (John Ford, 1956)

The Long Shot (LS): emphasizes scenery, background, sense of scale

over characters; camera is at a significant distance; shows a wider
context beyond the subject of the shot, tells us extra information.

The Hunger Games (Gary Ross, 2012)

The Long Shot (LS): emphasizes scenery, background, sense of scale

over characters; camera is at a significant distance; shows a wider
context beyond the subject of the shot, tells us extra information.

Medium Long Shot (MLS):

This shot shows the full figure of
character(s) with a lesser amount of
background, contextual info.

Bad Boys (Michael Bay, 1995)

Daybreakers (Michael and Peter Spierig, 2009)

The Medium Shot (MS): produces

different meaning from the LS or ELS;
here, the character and his/her
actions are more visible, thus, more
emphasized although background
context is still present; usually not a
full human figure (cut off at knees,
waist, etc.)

The Bourne Identity (Doug Liman, 2002)

Talledega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

(Adam McKay, 2006)

Pride and Prejudice (Joe Wright 2005)

Rio Bravo (Howard Hawks, 1959)

American Shot: MS or MLS featuring several characters with bodies

turned toward camera; allows for multiple characters to exchange
dialogue without the need for changes in camera position, perspective.

The Philadelphia Story (George Cukor, 1940)

Medium Close Up (MCU):

A shot from the chest/shoulders up;
usually a fairly neutral background,
not too much context, but
characters face and emotions are
clear.

Hard-Boiled (John Woo, 1991)

The Matrix (Andy and Lana Wachowski, 1999)

X-Men: The Last Stand (Brett Ratner, 2006)

Medium Close Up (MCU):

A shot from the chest/shoulders
up; usually a fairly neutral
background, not too much
context, but characters face and
emotions are clear.

The Royal Tenenbaums (Wes Anderson, 2001)

Close Up (CU): camera is close to subject; this emphasizes characters,

emotions, psychology, and reactions; almost no background context
here. Also called head shot.

Alien 3 (David Fincher, 1992)

Close Up (CU): camera is close to subject or object; this emphasizes

characters, emotions, psychology, and reactions; almost no background
context here. Also called head shot.

The Royal Tenenbaums (Wes Anderson, 2001)

Extreme Close Up (ECU): camera is VERY

close to subject or object; background
minimal or non-existent, the focus is tight
on a single detail.

Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960)

Height/Angle

The Hunger Games (Gary Ross, 2012)

Low Angle (LA): camera is low, aimed up; visual effect makes subject
look powerful/dominant in the frame; sometimes emphasizes size.

The Game (David Fincher, 1997)

Low Angle (LA): camera is low, aimed up; visual effect makes subject
look powerful/dominant in the frame; sometimes emphasizes size.

The Hunger Games (Gary Ross, 2012)

Low Angle (LA): camera is low, aimed up; visual effect makes subject
look powerful/dominant in the frame; sometimes emphasizes size.

Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, 1982)

Voyage to Italy (Roberto Rossellini, 1959)

High Angle (HA):

Camera is aimed
downward; when filming human
figures this way, it emphasizes
their smallness in their
environment, can give them an
appearance of insignificance or
vulnerability. Overhead or
crane shots are associated with
high angle perspectives
Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960)

High Angle (HA): Camera is aimed downward; when filming human

figures this way, it emphasizes their smallness in their environment, can
give them an appearance of insignificance or vulnerability. Overhead
or crane shots are associated with high angle perspectives.

The Hunger Games (Gary Ross, 2012)

High Angle (HA): Camera is aimed downward; when filming human

figures this way, it emphasizes their smallness in their environment, can
give them an appearance of insignificance or vulnerability. Overhead
or crane shots are associated with high angle perspectives.

The Game (David Fincher, 1997)

High Angle (HA): Camera is aimed downward; when filming human

figures this way, it emphasizes their smallness in their environment, can
give them an appearance of insignificance or vulnerability.

The Hunger Games (Gary Ross, 2012)

Dutch Angle (also called canted angle, German angle, and

oblique angle): the camera is placed at an unusual angle to convey
the subjective state of a character. This state is usually one of unease.

Hong Kong Rhapsody (Umetsugu Inoue, 1968)

Dutch Angle (also called canted angle, German angle, and

oblique angle): the camera is placed at an unusual angle to convey
the subjective state of a character. This state is usually one of unease.
12 Monkeys (Terry Gilliam, 1995)

Eye Level: camera is positioned roughly around the eye level of the
subject; sometimes used as frame of reference for other angles,
sometimes used if subject is moving toward camera. More neutral than
high, low, and canted angles.

American Psycho (Mary Harron, 2000)

Depth of field/Focus

FOCUS is often used to direct viewer attention to a specific object or plane (e.g.
foreground, middle ground, background). A subject or object that is sharply
rendered through the camera is considered to be in focus.
FOCAL LENGTH describes the distance between the camera and the principal
item you are shooting.
DEPTH OF FIELD describes the zone of sharp focus around your primary target.
The closer you are to an object, the smaller a depth of field you have. The
further you are from an object, the larger a depth of field you have.

DEEP FOCUS: multiple planes

(foreground, middle ground, background)
of a shot are in focus. In other words, a
much larger depth of field.
SHALLOW FOCUS: a much smaller
depth of field
RACK FOCUS: if one wishes to alter
their focus within a given camera setup
(and therefore avoid the need to change
camera setups altogether), one may
rack, or adjust, the cameras focus from
one plane to another. Examples of this
often jump within the same take between
foci in the foreground and background (or
vice versa).

What do you think likely dictates who

is in focus in a scene like this?

Knife of Ice (Umberto Lenzi, 1972)

Movement

ESTABLISHING SHOT: shot that sets a scene or establishes

location; they are often stationary shots, and are usually (but not
always) LS or ELS. They can, but do not have to, include characters.
They can be mobile.
TRACKING SHOT (DOLLY, FOLLOW, and TRUCKING
SHOTs): camera moves freely on a mobile base through the scene,
often following (but sometimes leading) the subject. The proximity
between camera and subject can change during the shot.
PAN SHOT (PAN): camera moves horizontally on a fixed base.
TILT SHOT (TILT): camera moves vertically on a fixed base.
BOOM SHOT (CRANE SHOT): camera moves through the scene
on a crane; camera is off the ground and can move in a non-linear
way that a person holding it could not do.
When the camera moves from one position to another within the
same shot, the frame has been changed and REFRAMING has
occurred. These can be very small or very dramatic changes.