Unit 1-Framing the

Scene

Shot Composition

Headroom
The Amount of space

between the top of the

subject s head and the
top of the frame.

Should be LIMITED

without cutting off the

subject.

Use the Rule of Thirds to

Determine Headroom

Wrong

Right

Depth of Field
The space between your
subject s back and the
wall behind them.

There is SHALLOW and

DEEP.

Always have SPACE

behind your subject to

establish Depth of Field.

Types of Shots
Long Shot
Medium Shot
Close Up

Long Shot
Frame the subject so

that they can be seen

from head to toe.

Shows ACTION.
Shows THE BIG
PICTURE

Shows where the subject

is RELATIVE to his or
her surroundings.

Medium Shot
Framing the subject from

the top of the head to

anywhere between the
Knees and the Shoulders.

Conversations.
Basic Emotional scenes.
Some limited action.

Close-Up
Framing the subject from
the neck up, or some
variation of that amount
of space.

Shows EMOTION.
Shows DETAIL.
Creates a

CLAUSTROPHOBIC
FEELING.

Superior vs. Inferior

Angles

Normally the camera should be at EYE

LEVEL.

Moving the camera BELOW eye level and

pointing it UP at your subject makes the
subject seem SUPERIOR.

Moving the camera ABOVE eye level and

pointing it DOWN at your subject makes

your subject seem INFERIOR.

Identify the Shot

Camera Movements
Pan-Moving the Camera from LEFT TO
RIGHT.

Tilt-Moving the Camera UP AND DOWN

Zoom- Manipulating the lens to move the
image from LONG TO CLOSE or viceversa.

Trucking- Using the DOLLY to move the

camera freely.

CAMERA
MOVEMENTS
SHOULD NEVER BE
RANDOM