Framing/Shot Length, and Camera Angles

In film, there are many different camera angles that are used to portray maybe emotions, status, or just to simply connect one view to another. When deciding on your shot, there are diffent aspects you need to consider: Framing/Shot Length and Camera Angles.

Framing/Shot Length

Extreme Long Shot

This shot can be taken as much as half a mile away, and is generally used as a scene-setting, establishing shot. It normally shows the outside, like the exterior of a building, or landscape, and is often used to show thrilling action, like in war films. As this can be from so far away, there is very little detail visible in the shot, but this is because it is maing just to give a general impression.  

Long Shot

Generally shows the image as "life" size. For example, correspnding the distance between the audience and the screen in the cinema. This includes the full shot, so seeing someones full body length, with the head near the top of the frame, and the feet near the bottom. While the focus is on the characters, opposed to the previous shot type, background detail still emerges. Like in the photo, we can tell that the coffins are in a Western-style setting. 

 Medium Shot

This shot contains a person/figure, from the knees/waist up and is normally used for scenes where there is dialogue, or to show some detail of action. A variation of this shot is the OVER-THE-SHOULDER shot. This is where the camera is positioned behind one figure revealing the other figure over the shoulder of the first so you able able to see the figures shoulder and part of his back.

Close-Up

This shows very little background and concentrates on a face, or a specific aspect of the mise-en-scene. Everything else is blurred out. This shot can be used to show the importance of something, for instance, if a particular prop is going to be significant to the storyline, they may do a close up shot of it so that the audience can piece together aspects of the film. 

Extreme Close-Up

This is basically just an extreme version of the Close-Up, generally magnifying beyond what the human eye would experience in real life. An extreme close up of a face would only show the mouth or eyes with no background detail whatsoever.

This is a very artifical shot, and can be used for dramatic effect.

Camera Angles

The Bird's-Eye View

Shows the scene from directly overhead, a very unnatural/strange angle. Some objects may be unrecognisable from this angle at first (umbrellas, dancers legs). This shot does put the audience in a "God-Like" position, looking down on the action. People from this shot can be made to look insignifcant, and ant-like.

High Angle Shot

This shot is not as extreme as the Bird's-Eye View shot, but is still quite high angled. It gives a general overview, and makes the object photographed seem smaller, less significant or even scary.

 

Eye Level Shot
This shot is classed as fairly neutral, the camera is positioned as the a human is actually observing/taking part in the scene. so that actors heads are in level with the focus. The camera is placed approximated five to six feet from the ground.

Low Angle Shot
These angle increase height (useful for short actors like Tom Cruise or James McAvoy) and give a sense of speeded motion. The background of a shot will tend to just be sky or ceiling, the lack of detail about the setting adding to the disorientation of the viewer.

Oblique/Canted Angle Shot
Sometimes the camera is tilted to suggest imbalance, transition and instability (very popular in horror movies). This technique is used to suggest POINT-OF-VIEW shots.
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