Yr 12 OCR Media Studies

Camera

Learning Objectives:
1. To understand what camera shot, angle and
movement are.
2. To understand how they can change/define
representations in film.
 What is a shot?
• A shot is a way of describing a short section of
film. Think of it as being like a single picture, but
in film.
• Every film is made up of a number of shots
which have been put together in a particular
order.
• We can use the word shot to describe how
close the camera is to the thing which it’s filming,
and also the angle from which it is filming the
action.
 Types of shot
• Establishing shot (ES):
Sets the scene from a long way away. Usually just a
landscape.
• Long shot (LS):
Shows the whole of a person.
• Mid shot (MS):
Shows a person from the waist up.
• Close-up shot (CU):
Shows just a person’s head and shoulders.
• Extreme close-up shot (ECU):
Shows just a part of a person or object.
• Point-of-View shot (POV):
The camera sees exactly what the character sees.
Which of these two men looks more powerful?
 Shot Angles
• Shot angles are often used to show the
relationships of power between
characters, as well as adding interest to a
piece of film.
• For example, if a character was meant to
look important, they could be filmed from a
low angle shot, to make them look larger.
 Shot Angles continued…
• High Angle Shot:
The camera is above a person, looking
down on them.
• Low Angle Shot:
The camera is below a person, looking up
at them.
• Flat Angle Shot:
The camera is looking straight at the
person.
What is the shot distance? What is the shot angle?
What is the shot distance? What is the shot angle?
What is the shot distance? What is the shot angle?
What is the shot distance? What is the shot angle?
What is the shot distance? What is the shot angle?
What is the shot distance? What is the shot angle?
What is the shot distance? What is the shot angle?
 Shot movement
• Static:
The camera is not moving.

• Tilt:
The camera stays in one place and moves vertically from high to low angle or low to
high.

• Pan:
The camera stays in one place and moves horizontally from left to right or right to left.

• Zoom:
The camera zooms in or out to make things seem larger or smaller.

• Track:
The camera moves along following the action, like it is on a track.

• SteadyCam:
The camera is carried by the cameraman, allowing free movement. This usually gives
a slightly more ‘jerky’ look to the footage.
1
 Camera Work in Practice
• What kind of camera work would you use to shoot the following
sequence of events? Think carefully about how your choice of shot
and angle affect the meaning of the piece…

– A caretaker comes into an office, and starts cleaning. He sits in the

boss’ chair.
– Someone in a suit comes in, who the caretaker assumes is the boss.
– The caretaker gets up from the chair. They have a conversation.
– An elderly tea-lady comes in, and serves them tea.
– …then the real boss comes in. The guy in the suit was a Y11 on work
experience.

• How will the camera angles differ for each character?

• What kind of shots will be most effective at showing the
relationships between the characters, and why?