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Editing and Construction of
UNIT 5 UNDERSTANDING MULTIPLE Meaning
SHOTS AND CAMERA
MOVEMENTS*
Structure
5.0 Objectives
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Shot
5.3 Types of Shots and their Uses
5.3.1 Shots classified by the movement of camera 5.3.2 Shots classified by the subject’s size in the frame 5.3.3 Shots classified by camera angle 5.3.4 Other types of shots
5.4 Camera Movement
5.5 Types of Camera Movements and their Uses
5.6 Let Us Sum Up
5.7 Further Readings and References
5.8 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercise
5.0 OBJECTIVES
After reading this Unit, you’ll be able to:
Understand the different types of shots used in film and video production; Describe the various camera movements; Explain the purposes of different types of shots and camera movements; Select the suitable shot or camera movement for your film or video production.
5.1 INTRODUCTION
Film is an audiovisual product which generally consists of two elements: audio and visual. A film communicates its message mainly through visuals, supported by the audio component. If you want to make a film you must have understanding of visual language. Visual language has its own grammar, and shots and camera movements are its important elements. In this Unit, we’ll discuss the different types of shots and camera movements used in filmmaking. Once you’ll understand the basics of visual language, you can use it in different audiovisual productions including ethnographic films. For example, if you know the English language, you can use this language for writing different things like stories, news reports, books, articles, novels, etc. The style of language may be different in story writing, news writing or book writing, but basics and grammar of the language will remain same. The same logic is also applicable to visual language.
*Amit Kumar,, SOJNMS, IGNOU, New Delhi.
Techniques of Ethnographic
Film Making 5.2^ SHOT
Just like written language, visual language (language of film) has also different units. You can equate letters with frames, words with shots, sentences with scenes, paragraphs with sequences and the whole story with the complete film. Though letter is the smallest unit of written language, it lacks meaning. Collection of letters form a word which carries some meaning. So, we can say that word is the smallest meaningful unit of the written language. Similarly, shot is the smallest meaningful unit of the visual language. It is a collection of frames. Basically, frame is a still image recorded by the camera and a number of frames together form a shot. As you know that by playing a number of sequential still images at a certain speed, the experience of movement can be created, and the film works on the same concept.
In filmmaking or video production, you can define shot as the recording or footage without any break. Shot is a single unbroken footage or recording. You can also say that shot is a footage or recording from one cut to another cut. The duration of a shot may be a few seconds or up to several minutes. If you see any film cautiously you can easily identify different shots.
5.3 TYPES OF SHOTS AND THEIR USES
As we discussed, shot is a very important element of visual language through which you can narrate your story in a film. Every type of shot has its own purpose and usefulness. You can make your viewers more connected to your film by using suitable shots. Wrong selection of shots can create disturbance in smooth storytelling and cause distraction of the viewers.
Shots can be classified on the basis of different criteria. A few important classifications are given below:
i) Shots classified by the movement of camera ii) Shots classified by the subject’s size in the frame iii) Shots classified by camera angle iv) Other types of shots
5.3.1 Shots classified by the movement of camera
You can classify the shots into two following broad categories on the basis of the movement of camera:
i) Static shot ii) Dynamic shot
i) Static shot : If you don’t move camera during recording of a shot, it’ll be called a static shot. In static shots, camera doesn’t move, only the characters can move.
ii) Dynamic shot : Dynamic shots are taken by the moving camera. If you move your camera during the recording of a shot, it will be classified as dynamic shot. For example, two persons are talking to each other angrily in your shot, then camera moves to left for showing the presence of few other
Techniques of Ethnographic Film Making
meaningful activities of your character’s eyes, lips etc. It helps to show detailed facial expressions and emotions. For example an extreme close-up could be of a character’s tearful eyes. It helps the director reveal the character’s emotion beautifully. Extreme close-ups of shining teeth are commonly used in the advertisement films of different dental products. Figure 1.1 is an example of extreme close-up shot.
Figure 1.1 : Extreme close-up shot
2) Close-up (CU): It captures the whole face. The whole frame is mainly covered with the face only, so negligible background information is available. Close-up shots are used to show the facial expressions and emotions. These shots provide opportunities to actors and actresses to show their acting skills. Close-up shots are frequently used as reaction shots to show the character’s reactions and emotions. It is abbreviated as CU. Figure 1.2 shows an example of close-up shot.
Figure 1.2 : Close-up shot
3) Medium close-up (MCU) : Medium close-up shot is generally framed from just below the armpit or lower chest. This shot is also called as head and shoulders shot because it captures head and shoulders both. Bust shot is one of the more popular name of a medium close-up. You can use this shot to show your character’s reactions and emotions. It reveals some information about the background. Figure 1.3 shows the example of medium close-up.
Figure 1.3 : Medium close-up shot
Understanding Multiple Shots and Camera Movements
4) Medium shot (MS): It is also called as mid-shot. In medium shot, you frame your character from just above or below the waist. It reveals information about the background. You can capture the body language and the activities of the characters. Figure 1.4 shows an example of medium shot.
Figure1.4 : Medium shot
5) Medium long shot (MLS) : It is an intermediate shot between the medium shot and the long shot. In medium long shot, you should frame your character from just below or above the knees. It is also called as three quarters shot because it covers three quarters of your character. Medium long shot reveals enough information about the background. You can show the activities of your characters through medium long shot. Figure 1.5 shows the example of medium long shot.
Figure 1.5 : Medium long shot
6) Long shot (LS) : A Long shot (LS) is sometimes also known as wide shot or full shot. In a long shot, you frame the full body from head to toe. Long shot puts your character in the context. You can use this shot to establish your location. It provides detailed information about the background. You can show the activities of your characters with clear background details through this shot. Figure 1.6 shows the example of a long shot.
Figure1.6 : Long shot (LS)
Understanding Multiple Shots and Camera Movements
Figure1.8 : High-angle shot
- Low-angle shot: In this type of shot, you place the camera at lower level. It gives the effect as you are looking up at a taller or bigger thing. Low-angle shot makes the subject stronger, important and dominant. Figure 1.9 is an example of low-angle shot.
Figure 1.9 : Low-angle shot
- Bird’s eye view shot: This shot provides a view as a bird observing something on ground from the sky. It is also called overhead shot. In this type of shot, you place the camera just above the subject and location. This shot gives a complete view of the location where the action is going on. You can use this shot to reveal the information about the location and action which are not possible to be shown through a high-angle shot. Figure 1. shows the example of bird’s eye view shot.
Figure 1.10 : Bird’s eye view shot
Techniques of Ethnographic Film Making
- Worm’s eye view shot: It is an extreme low-angle shot. It gives effect like a worm looking at the bigger or taller things. You can frame a worm’s eye view shot by placing the camera far below the subject. It exaggerates the subject’s appearance and makes it very strong and dominant like a giant. Figure 1.12 shows the example of worm’s eye view shot.
Figure 1.12 : Worm’s eye view shot
5.3.4 Other types of shots
There are few other types of shots which are used frequently in filmmaking or video production. You should know about these shots. These are following:
- Over-the-shoulder shot (OTS): Figure 1.13 shows an example of over- the-shoulder shot. The name of this shot refers to the placement of camera just behind the shoulder of a character, presenting a view of what the character sees. Generally, it is used to show conversations between two characters.
Figure 1.13 : Over-the-shoulder shot (OTS)
- Point-of-view shot (POV) : Point-of-view shot shows the things from the viewpoint of a character. Figure 1.14 shows the example of a point-of-view shot.
Figure 1.14 : Point-of-view shot
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- What is the smallest unit of a film? a) Shot b) Frame c) Scene d) Sequence
- To show the character’s reaction (reaction shot), you will use __________. a) Long shot b) Extreme long shot c) Close-up shot d) Knee shot
5.4 CAMERA MOVEMENT
Camera movement refers to the movement of a camera while recording a shot. It is an important element of the visual language. It helps in storytelling and getting involvement of the audiences. Camera movements can also create or add emotions in a shot. The type of movement and the speed of movement both create some meanings. Camera movements are very important in filmmaking and you must know about the commonly used common camera movements.
5.5 TYPES OF CAMERA MOVEMENTS AND
THEIR USES
As we discussed earlier, there are various types of camera movements that create dynamic shots. Few important camera movements are following:
- Pan
- Tilt
- Pedestal
- Dolly/Track
- Zoom
- Truck
- Arc
- Crane movements
- Handheld camera movements
- Movements with the help of camera stabilizers
1) Pan: Pan is a horizontal movement in which you can move your camera from right to left or left to right. In panning, camera mount stays stationary. Panning gives effect like looking from side to side while standing at one place. You can use pan to follow the movement of a character or to reveal the information about any place. Figure 1.16 displays the pan movement.
Understanding Multiple Shots and Camera Movements
Figure1.16 : Pan Movement
2) Tilt : Tilt is a vertical movement in which you can move your camera up or down. Like pan, camera mount stays stationary in tilting also. Tilting gives effect like looking up or down while standing at one place. Tilt movement can be used to follow the upward or downward movements of your character. You can use this movement to reveal more information about your location. Figure 1.17 shows the tilt movement.
Figure 1.17 : Tilt Movement
3) Pedestal : Pedestal is a type of camera mount generally used in studios. In pedestal up/down, camera moves up and down without any change in its vertical or horizontal axis. You should not be confused between tilt and pedestal. In tilt, camera mount stays stationary, there is no change in the height of camera mount, only camera pivots up or down. But in pedestal, the height of camera mount changes. In pedestal up, camera moves upward as the height of camera mount increases and vice versa in pedestal down. It is difficult to do this movement with general tripods. Figure 1.18 explains the pedestal movement.
Understanding Multiple Shots and Camera Movements
- Truck: Like dolly, truck is also a camera movement performed with the help of wheeled camera mounts and tracks, but in trucking you move the camera sideways. If you move the camera right, it is called ‘truck right’ or if you move the camera left, it is called ‘truck left’. You should not be confused between ‘pan’ and ‘truck’. In ‘pan’, camera mount (tripod or pedestal) stays stationary only camera moves right or left on its axis, but in trucking camera mount moves right or left along with the camera. For example, if you want to stay with your character who is moving straight, you can use the ‘truck movement’. Figure 1.20 demonstrates the truck movement.
Figure 1.20 : Truck Movement
- Arc: When you truck your camera on a curved path, it is called arc. Arc movement can be arc right or arc left. In this movement, camera moves around the subject in a semicircle. You can use arc movement to reveal more information about your subject, to shoot a moving subject and to bring visual Variety in your film. Figure 1.21 shows the arc movement.
Figure 1.21: Arc movement
Techniques of Ethnographic Film Making
- Crane movements : In filmmaking or professional video productions, cranes are used frequently. The crane is an equipment which has a long arm and the camera can be mounted on that. We can perform many movements with the help of crane. ‘Crane up’ and ‘crane down’ are used for the movement of crane arm upward and downward along with the camera whereas ‘tongue left’ and ‘tongue right’ are used for left and right movements of the crane arm. With the help of crane, we can do multiple camera movements. A camera mounted on a crane can be operated manually or with the help of remote control. Generally, the small cranes are called jibs.
You can use crane movements for various purposes. For example, you can shoot a subject from high angle and then come to eye-level in one shot with the help of crane movements. Cranes can help to take bird’s eye-view and other high angle shots. With the help of crane, you can combine multiple movements and get the desired views.
- Handheld camera movements : If camera operator holds the camera in his/her hands during shooting, it is called handheld camera shoot. In handheld camera shoot, camera is not mounted on tripod or any other camera mounts. Handheld camera shoot provides greater freedom for different movements but at the cost of jerks and shakes. You can see the use of handheld cameras in news gathering because many times camera persons of news channels don’t find enough time and space to fix their cameras on tripods. Documentaries also use the handheld camera shots.
Sometimes handheld camera is used purposefully to create certain effects. You can use shaky handheld camera shots to show nervousness, instability and anxiety. These shots can also be used for other creative purposes.
- Movements with the help of camera stabilizers: Movements with the help of camera stabilizers: Camera stabilizers are the equipment which enable the smooth and shake free handheld camera movements. Variety of camera stabilizers are available from simple to complex ones. Steadicam is the leading brand. The camera operator can wear the suitable stabilizer and mount the camera on it. Now he can move anywhere and on any type of surface. These camera stabilizers provide a great degree of freedom for different complex camera movements.
Suppose you are a camera operator and a camera mount is fitted on your body with a technology to minimize the shakes created by a human body. Now you are free to move during shoot. Just think about the degree of freedom you can enjoy during shooting.
Check Your Progress 2 Answer briefly.
- What is camera movement?
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Techniques of Ethnographic
Film Making 5.7^ FURTHER READINGS AND REFRENCES
Belavadi, V. (2013). Video Production.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Maulli, J.V. *2005). Five C's of Cinematography: Mopian Picture Filming Techniques.
Thompson, R.& C Bowen. (2009). Grammar of Shot: Media Manual
Waltham: Focal Press, Rautledge
5.8 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS
EXERCISE
Check Your Progress 1
- See section 1.
- See point no.-7 of Sub-section 1.3.
- See point no.- 2 and 3 of Sub-section 1.3.
- b)
- c) Check Your Progress 2
- See section 1.
- See section 1.4 and 1.
- See point no.- 4 and 5 of Section 1.
- See point no.- 1 and 6 of Section 1.
- d)
