Camerwork

Camerawork can be used to represent characters in a range of ways:
High/low angles and tilts to show dominance or inferiority
Point of view/over the audience to encourage the audience to identify with the character
Camera movements to suggest the character is fast paced and energetic or chaotic, anxious, lazy e.c.t.
Two shots to emphasise the relationship between characters (proxemics)
Zooms for emphasis
Close up to show emotion/reaction
Long/establishing/master shots to show setting or costume

KEY:
ESTABLISHING SHOT – often the first shot seen in a film and establishes the setting of a scene (often long shots).


MASTER SHOT – shows where characters/objects are positioned in a scene.

LONG SHOT – shows characters’ whole body and provides clear view of the setting.

MID/MEDIUM SHOT – shows character from the waist up/waist down.

CLOSE UP – shows one part of a character’s body (usually their face).

EXTREME CLOSE UP – shows a certain part of a character’s face or a prop to convey information.

WIDE SHOT – shows a wide view of the scene.

TWO SHOT – shows only 2 people.

OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT – used in dialogue or to conceal an identity.

POINT OF VIEW SHOT – shows the audience a view from a character’s perspective.

HIGH ANGLE SHOT – positions the camera above eye view, looking down at a character.

LOW ANGLE SHOT – positions camera below eye view, looking up at a character.

EYE-LEVEL ANGLE – positions camera at eye level, looking directly at a character.

BIRDS-EYE VIEW – camera raised above the action (using a crane/helicopter).

CANTED ANGLE SHOT (oblique or Dutch Angle) – tilted camera so nothing in the scene is horizontal or 
vertical (sense of instability, drama, crime, mental illness).

PAN – camera moving horizontally.

TILT – camera moves vertically.

STILL – camera doesn’t move.

TRACK – camera placed on a wheeled platform which is placed on rails to form a movement.

CRANE – camera on a crane is able to move both horizontally and vertically in the air.

STEDICAM – camera placed on a stabling mount isolates the camera operator’s movements, enabling a 
smooth shot even when the operator is moving.

HANDHELD – camera held by a person and not positioned on a tripod or crane. The camera shot often 
appears shaky.

ZOOM – camera zooms in or out.

SHALLOW FOCUS – a technique incorporating a small depth of field. In shallow focus, one plane of the image is in focus while the rest is out of focus.

DEEP FOCUS – a technique incorporating a great depth of field, using relatively wide-angle lenses and small lens to render near and distant planes in sharp focus simultaneously. A deep-focus shot includes foreground, middle-ground, and extreme-background objects, all in focus



This research has been beneficial as it has acted as a reminder of the different type of camera shots that we can use for our main task. When our group is going to discuss the camera shot list we would print of this research to remind us of the different shots, camera angles and movements that we can make sure that we use the right type of camera shot that specific scene.