In Focus: Camera Angles

1. In Focus: Camera Angles

3. Extreme Long Shot • Sometimes called “Establishing Shot” • Usually covers a large area - distant • Often used when location (setting) is important • Westerns, Epics, War films, historical movies • D.W. Griffith, Akira Kurosawa, Steven Spielberg

5. Long Shot • Approximately the distance between the audience and stage in a live theater. • (Full Shot) just barely includes a full length body. Head near the top of the frame, feet at the bottom • Charlie Chaplin because the shot would capture pantomime and facial expression

7. Medium Shot • Figure from the knees or waist up • Useful for shooting exposition scenes, movement, and dialogue • Two- shot: Contains two figures • Three-Shot: Contains three figures (beyond that – becomes full shot)

9. Over-the-Shoulder Shot • Two figures • One with part of his or her back to the camera • The other facing the camera

11. Close-Up • Shows very little, concentrates on a relatively small object (human face) • Since the shot magnifies the object it often elevates its importance or signifies symbolic significance. • Extreme close-up: Might show just a person’s eyes. • Same reasons as close-up

13. Deep-Focus/Wide Angle Shot • Long shot that consists of a number of focal distances and photographed in depth. • Sometimes called a Wide Angle shot because it requires a wide-angle lens to photograph. • Objects are in sharp focus while background is carefully arranged to guide the viewer’s eyes from one distance to another.

15. Bird’s Eye View • Captures a scene from completely overhead • Subject may seem unrecognizable and abstract • Seems to be an all-knowing God-like perspective • Not often used, but directors like Alfred Hitchcock will use it to revolve around the theme of fate, for example. • Since people look like ants.

17. High-Angle Shot • Not as extreme as birds eye view. • Placed on a crane or another naturally high promontory (ridge, hill, etc) • Gives sense of general overview but not necessarily fate, or God-like • Location important: seems to “swallow” people, who then seem harmless or insignificant photographed from above

19. Oblique Angle • A lateral tilt of the camera • Man will look as though he’s about to fall to one side • Sometimes used for point of view shots to suggest the imbalance of a drunk, for example • Oblique angles suggest transition, tension, and impending movement • Not used often. Maybe in movies with violence to showcase disorientation

21. Avoiding Angles • Some directors avoid sharp angles because they can be too manipulative and judgmental. • YasujiroOzu treated his characters as equals, neither corrupt or virtuous • Kept his camera dispassionate and neutral • Eye level shots