Camera Shots and Angles Williams (Texas CTE)

Visual Focus Always ask yourself, “Where do I expect my view to look?” Arrange your visual elements and camera so your viewers easily understand where to look. In most situations, do not position the subject centrally in the picture. Use the rule of thirds by visually dividing the width and height of the frame into three parts. Try to put the most important object at one of the intersections (top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right). 2Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Camera Shots: Wide and Establishing Shots Wide shot – This is the name for a shot which is taken from a long way away showing the surroundings and the actor(s). Establishing Shot – A wide shot that lets the audience know where the action is taking place. Usually, your audience has to understand the setting at or near the beginning. Sometimes, you might choose to hide the setting from the audience on purpose. 3Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Wide Shot 4Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Image 9. Used with permission.

Camera Shots: Long Shot Long shot – This is closer than a wide shot. You can see the person from head to toe, but you can still see what's around them. Many times the action is best displayed using this full-body shot. 5Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Long Shot 6Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Image 10. Used with permission.

Camera Shots: Medium Shot Medium shot – This shows someone from just below their waist to just above their head. When you use a medium shot, the viewer is close enough to see actor's expressions but can see what the actors are doing with their hands as well. 7Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Medium Shot 8Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Image 11. Used with permission.

Camera Shots: Close-up Close-up – This shows just the head of the person being filmed. You can use this sort of shot when it's important to see someone's expression: for example, if they are scared or angry. Extreme Close-up – A dramatic shot that shows the actors eyes and mouth. 9Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Close-Up 10Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Image 12. Used with permission.

Shot Comparison 11Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Image 13. Used with permission.

Camera Shots: 1, 2, 3, OTS One Shot – Only one actor is in the frame. Two Shot – Two actors are in the frame. OTS – Over the Shoulder Shot. A two shot which puts focus on the character facing the camera. This shot sets up for the One Shot, as if the viewer has assumed the other character’s point of view (POV). Three Shot – Three actors. Angle the camera so that the focal point actor is closest. Look at the triangle created by the three actors. The “power spot” is the top of the triangle. 12Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

OTS – Over the Shoulder 13Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Image 14. Used with permission.

Camera Shots: Inserts An insert shot is a full screen close-up of actions, objects, text, or a character’s reaction placed as if inserted over a longer scene or over dialog. 14Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Insert Example 15Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Image 15. Used with permission.

Camera Shots: Dutch Angle A Dutch Angle tilts the camera on its bank axis which slants the horizon. It is used to create tension in a scene. Fast shots at a Dutch Angle might be used during a chase scene, a fight scene, or when a character becomes violent or confused. 16Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Dutch Angle Example 17Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Image 16. Used with permission.

Camera Movement: Dolly Dolly is moving the camera into the shot, getting closer to the action. This is similar to zooming in on the action. To show this on the storyboard, a floating frame is draw to show the final placement. Arrows from the corners of the original frame to the new frame indicate trucking. Use thick white arrows to show camera moves and thin black arrows to show objects or actors moving. 18Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Dolly Storyboard 19Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Image 17. Used with permission.

Camera Movement: Pan Panning is rotating the camera on a tripod to slowly reveal a wide section. To show this on the storyboard, create a wide drawing and use a floating frame. Connect the frames with arrows to indicate the direction and mark “start” and “stop” on the appropriate frames. Normal storyboard paper often makes this difficult to show. A wider panel frame is better. 20Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Storyboard Pan 21Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Image 18. Used with permission.

Camera Movement: Trucking Trucking is the lateral movement of the camera. Like panning, it reveals a wide section. Trucking usually follows an actor or an object, so the background is actually moving through the frame. Keep some space in front of a character in the direction they are moving. Don’t crowd into the edge of the frame. 22Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Camera Movement: Trucking To show this on the storyboard, use a circled “BG” with arrows to indicate which direction the background is moving. It may or may not be necessary to draw the entire background on a wide panel with a floating frame. 23Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Storyboard Trucking 24Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Image 19. Used with permission.

Transitions When possible, help your audience with scene transitions by hinting at the new location in the final frame prior to the cut. Example: First scene is in a school hall and second shot in a classroom. Show the door to the classroom prior to the transition. Special transitions may be needed for the passage of time, flash backs, dreams, etc. Simply write on the panel a description: clock wipe or fade to black. 25Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

26 Image Credits Image 01. Storyboard. Created by Aaron Gallimore. Used with permission. Image 02. Storyboard. Created by Aaron Gallimore. Used with permission. Image 03. Photo of microphone. Photograph by Doctor Bob. Used. with permission from MorgueFile.com ( Image 04. Photo of drawings. Photograph and drawings by Mark Harman. Used with permission. Image 05. Storyboard paper. Created by Gladys Cardenas. Used with permission. Image 06. Rules of thirds. Created by Summer Pirkle. Used with permission. Image 07. Horizon examples. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission. Image 08. Lens examples. Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission. Image 09. Boy at locker (wide). Created by Mandy Lansford. Used with permission. Image 10. Boy at locker (long). Created by Mandy Lansford. Used with permission. Image 11. Boy at locker (medium). Created by Mandy Lansford. Used with permission. Image 12. Boy at locker (close-up). Created by Mandy Lansford. Used with permission. Image 13. Boy at locker (shot comparison). Created by Mandy Lansford. Used with permission. Image 14. Drawing of man and witch (ots). Created by Summer Pirkle. Used with permission. Image 15. Drawing of man by subway (insert). Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission. Image 16. Drawing of girls in hall (Dutch). Created by Nghi Pham. Used with permission. Image 17. Drawing of man and volcano (dolly). Created by Mandy Lansford. Used with permission. Image 18. Drawing of palm trees (pan). Created by Joey Ellerd. Used with permission. Image 19. Drawing of van and road (trucking). Created by Mark Harman. Used with permission.