Research into Different Camera Techniques

 

SHOT SIZE

Shot size refers to how far away the camera is from a subject. There are six basic shot sizes:

Extreme long shot. Establishing shots are often used at the beginning of scenes to establish the setting. At the beginning of a film, for example, you might see an extreme long shot of a city or rolling hills. Then, we cut to a closer shot of a street, building and finally the character inside.

Long shot. A long shot usually still shows a great deal of background, characters are visible but may not be close enough to be recognisable.

Full shot. A full shot shows characters from head to toe.

Mid shot. A midshot shows the characters from the waist up.

Close up. The close up is one of the most commonly used shot sizes in film and television, usually showing a character’s face.

Extreme close up. Extreme close ups are usually an attempt to draw the viewer’s attention to a particular detail. For example, the director may choose to cur from a mid shot of a character to an extreme close-up emphasizing something about that character’s appearance.

CAMERA ANGLE

Camera angle refers to the angle at which the subject is shot. Camera angle can have a particular effect on the audience.

• Overshot. The camera is positioned directly above the subject. This is often used in establishing shots, where the camera flies over city streets. Alfred Hitchcock used an overshot in Psycho when Norman Bates carries his mother out of her bedroom and down the stairs.
• High Angle. The camera is positioned above the subject, looking down at an angle. This angle makes the subject appear smaller, powerless and more vulnerable.
• Eye Level. This is the most commonly used camera angle in film and television. Whereas most other camera angles are highly stylised, an eye level shot creates a sense of normalcy and realism because this is how we see the world. In Jaws, Steven Spielberg used eye level shots to engage audiences, choosing to shoot characters in the water from eye level rather than from above. Cinematographer Bill Butler developed a box which allowed the water to lap up against the camera, effectively putting the audience in the water with the actors.
• Low Angle. The camera is positioned below eye level, looking up, to imply a sense of power and dominance.
• Undershot. The camera is positioned directly beneath the subject, looking up. Often coupled with point-of-view shots when the character is looking up at something.

CAMERA MOVEMENT

Camera movement, too, makes a significant contribution to storytelling. Here is a list of different types of camera movement that you might encounter in narratives:

• Dolly. A dolly is any sort of moving platform that a camera is mounted on. Professional camera crews often lay down tracks which the camera can be moved along. Sometimes, the camera is mounted in the back of a car. Skateboards, office chairs and supermarket trolleys are the dollies of choice for low budget camera crews. Dollies are often used in very subtle ways. Throughout the course of a conversation, for example, you may notice that the camera very subtly moves closer to the characters. In M Night Shyamalan’s Unbreakable, for example, there is a scene where two characters – portrayed by Bruce Willis and Robin Wright Penn – are sharing dinner at a restaurant. The camera gradually dollies in on the couple to suggest a rekindled sense of intimacy.
• Tracking Shot. The camera follows a moving subject.
• Pan. The camera turns horizontally when mounted on a tripod.
• Tilt. The camera tilts up/down when mounted on a tripod.
• Crane. The camera is mounted on a crane, helping filmmakers to achieve dynamic overhead shots.
• Handheld. Handheld camera movement is often used to achieve a sense of realism. Films like The Blair Witch Project, The Bourne Supremacy and Syriana. Handheld camera movement achieves a sense of realism partly because audiences associate this sort of camera movement with documentary film.
• Steadicam. A device that allows camera operators to achieve smooth, fluid camera movement.
• Zoom. The lens of a camera is used to magnify an image.

Filmmakers think about what would be in focus while composing a shot. The expression "depth of field" refers to how far the camera can see into the distance. When only a portion of the picture is in focus and much of the background or foreground is out of focus, this is known as narrow depth of field. When everything, including distant objects, is perfectly in focus, it is said to be in deep focus.