YEARS 7 TO 10 | ALL UNITS | RESOURCE 4: CINEMATICS

Years 7 to 10 English
Cinematography 2
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Cinematography camera angles

Low angle shot: Camera points

upwards, usually making the subject
or setting seem grand or threatening.

High angle shot: Camera looks down,

making the subject look vulnerable
or insignificant.

Bird’s eye shot: Looks vertically down Camera angles – showing a high angle shot.
at the subject. Source: Pixabay

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Low angle shot
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Low angle shot
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Low-angle, point-of-view shot 5
Bird’s eye view 6
Bird’s eye view 7
High angle shot 8
High angle shot 9
Cinematography gaze

Gaze
Gaze is the direction of a character's
sight. Different angles of gaze show levels
of power, engagement and emotion:
• Characters may look above, on or below
the eye line of the viewer.
• Demand gaze has the character making
direct eye contact with the viewer. A demand and offer gaze showing characters
• Offer gaze has the character looking making direct eye contact with you as the audience.
Source: Pexels (left) and Pixabay (right)
away and making no eye contact.
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Demand 11
Demand12
Demand 13
Demand

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Demand 15
Demand
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Offer
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Demand 18
Offer
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Cinematography distance and proximity

How close characters are to each

other, or objects:
• Close proximity could show
a strong relationship.
• Distance can show a weak relationship.
How characters and objects are organised
in space can reveal much about who or
what has power.
Social distance and proximity
can show a close relationship.
Source: Pixabay

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Close Proximity

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Distance

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Distance

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Distance

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Close Proximity: in this shot the body language and the proximity
show that the man on the right has the power.

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What does this show about this relationship?

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Who has the power in this
relationship?

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What does the proximity and
placement of characters show? 28
What do you notice here? 29
Proximity, angles (vectors) and
placement can include objects too.
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Cinematography camera movements

Where the camera is, in relation to the

subject, can show relationships between
different people or things, or distance
between them.
A camera may be completely fixed. The
actions occur in front of a fixed frame; the
person or objects move into the frame and
then out of it. This can create a sense of
tension and stasis.
Source: Pixabay

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Cinematography camera movements

Pan: Pivoting the camera left, right,

up or down from a stationary
position, to scan a scene or to follow
a moving subject.

Whip pan: Is a sudden, fast pan.

Tilt: Pivoting the camera vertically up

or down, from a stationary position.
Source: Pixabay

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Cinematography camera movements

A camera may also be unfixed, with the

movement creating a distinct meaning
for the audience. The speed of a camera
movement (from very fast to very slow)
can dramatically alter its effect.
Arc: Moving the camera in an arc
around the subject.
Crane shot: A shot where the camera
itself is moved up or down.
Example of a crane shot.
Source: Unsplash

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Cinematography camera movements

Track: The camera is not stationary but moves to follow a moving object
or person. The camera may be mounted on wheels, on a track, in a vehicle,
or handheld, depending upon the smoothness of action required. It may:
• Dolly out – Follows the action by moving the camera with the subject.
The camera is looking back onto the subject; enabling the viewer
to see the character’s expression.
• Dolly in – Following the action by moving the camera with the subject.
The camera appears to pursue the subject from behind.
• Tracking – Follows the action by moving the camera
alongside the subject.

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Cinematography camera movements

Handheld camera: The tripod and dolly

are abandoned in favour of this method
when a director wants to create a sense
of anxiety or confusion, exploiting the
unsteady movement of the camera.
A handheld shot in which a character
is approached from behind usually
suggests that someone is being followed
and is about to be 'pounced upon'.
A camera operator getting ready
to follow someone on the track.
Source: Pixabay

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Cinematography camera movements

Zoom: Involves changing the frame

of the picture by adjusting the focus,
not by moving the camera itself.
The frame may ‘zoom in’ or ‘zoom out’.
The speed of the zoom — from very
fast to very slow — will alter its effect.

Learn about zoom at the Pexels website.

Source: Pexels

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Cinematography lens

The type of lens, and how it is used,

can make a big difference to the meaning
of a shot.
Wide-angle shot (taken with a wide-angle
lens): Seems to exaggerate perspective.
It's often used to make the viewer feel that
they are close to the action. If it's used
for close ups, it makes the nose look bigger
and the ears smaller - an effect usually
used for comedy. Source: Unsplash

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Notice how the wide angle lens
distorts the face. 39
A wide angle lens makes this
place look creepy. 40
Cinematography lens

Telephoto shot: Like using a telescope,

a telephoto lens appears to bring the
subject closer and flatten out
perspective. It also usually reduces
depth of field.
Zoom lenses: These can vary the angle
of view, from wide-angle to telephoto,
so that the subject appears to move
closer (or further away) without the
camera itself moving. Source: Unsplash

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Cinematography depth of field

How much of the shot seems to be in

focus, in front of and behind the subject.
Deep focus: Everything in the shot
appears to be in focus, which means
that we can be looking at action taking
place in the foreground, middle ground
and background.
Shallow focus: Isolates the subject
from the background by focusing upon
Source: Pixabay
one or the other.

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Deep focus allows you to see all four people in the shot fairly clearly.
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The three people here are in focus. 44
The shallow focus makes the butterfly clear but the boy blurs into the
background. 45
Cinematography depth of field

Racking or adjusting focus: Involves

changing the sharpness of the image.
Soft focus blurs edges and may make
the subject seem more attractive,
romantic, nostalgic or dreamlike.
Or a character may appear as if their
identity is disintegrating, their sense
of self is threatened or they are
being ignored. Learn more about the uses of racking focus
at studiobinder (studiobinder.com).
Source: Pixabay

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