Storyboarding

Camera Shot Types

The linked video is an older demo for camera shot types. The information is still relevant. The video contains more examples than the listed shots below, with animated scenes.

[Camera Shot Types]

Close up (CU)

• The camera is placed 'close' and zoomed in on the subject being shot
• Used to draw more attention to the main subject
• How tightly composed on the subject can determine the level of the viewer response

Medium Shot (MS)

• Labeled as a medium shot because of the distance from the subject
• Medium shots are the average distance between a Close Up shot and a Full shot
• Medium shots are usually used for dialogue between two subjects. Medium shots are considered to be how most people view others during conversation

Medium Long (MLS)

• Medium Long shots, sometimes called an American shot, refers to the distance of the camera from the subject
• Medium Long shots are the average distance between a medium and a Wide shot
• The subject encompasses the frame from the knees up

Wide Shot (WS)

• Wide shot refers to the amount of the field viewable through the camera
• The camera is positioned so that all of the subject is viewable
• Wide shots have a variety of meanings to varying people

Long Shot (LS)

• The camera is placed a 'long' distance from the subject
• Long shots are used to establish time, place and mood

Extreme Close Up (XCU)

• Closer than a Close Up shot
• The camera is positioned close to the subject and zoomed in
• Extreme Close Up shots are used so that the viewer is put uncomfortably close to the subject

Extreme Long Shot (XLS)

• Further away than a Long shot
• The camera is position far away from the subject
• Extreme Long shots are used to establish a large amount of the environment or establish the insignificance of the subject in scale

High Angle

• High Angle because of the height of the camera to the subject
• The camera is placed above the subject and angled down to face the subject
• High Angle shots implies the viewer is superior to the subject

Low Angle

• Low Angle because of the height from the subject
• Low Angle shots are positioned below the subject and rotated up to focus on the subject
• Low Angle shots are used to make the subject seem more imposing or heroic to the viewer

Aerial

• Sometimes referred to as a Birds Eye view
• The camera is placed extremely high over the subject being shot
• The Aerial shot is used to establish location, time, and can reinforce mood
• Aerial shots can make the subject seem insignificant

Profile

• The camera is position 90 degrees facing the subject
• Viewing the subject from the side, the viewer is put into a neutral emotional response to the subject

Frontal

• Called a Frontal shot because of the view of the subject
• The Frontal shot is composed so that the front of the subject is facing the camera
• A Frontal shot can cause the viewer to become uncomfortable with the subject being shot

Three Quarter

• Three Quarter refers to the amount of the subject viewable by the camera
• The camera is placed at a 45 degree angle to the subject
• Viewing so much of the subject helps the view identify with the subject

Two Shot

• Called a Two shot because of the amount of subjects in the shot
• The camera can be placed in a variety of positions as long as two subjects are in the shot
• Two subjects in the same shot lets the viewer observe the interactions objectively

Point of View (POV)

• The camera is positioned to view the environment from the subjects view
• The viewer is forced to experience the subject's environment in the point of view shot

Over the Shoulder (OTS)

• Over the Shoulder refers to the location of the camera
• The camera is positioned behind the subject just above the shoulder and to the side
• Over the Should shots lets the viewer into the perceptions of the hidden subject and how they see the visible subject

Over the Hip (OTH)

• Over the Hip refers tot he location of the camera
• The camera is positioned behind the subject just above the waist line and to the side
• Typically the fully visible subject is framed through the arms of the hidden subject
• Sometimes the visible subject is inferred to be inferior to the hidden subject

Cut Away (Insert)

• Sometimes called an Insert, it is usually used for editing purposes
• The Cut Away shot starts with the subject then moves away to another
• The Cut Away is used to give the viewer more information about the subject and scene

Cut In (Insert)

• Sometimes called an Insert, it is usually used for editing purposes
• The Cut In shot is usually a close up shot of the subject, typically not of the head, following a shot of the subject
• The Cut In is used to give the viewer more information about the subject or action of the scene

Canted (Dutch Angle)

• Sometimes referred to as a German shot or Dutch shot
• The camera is rotated extremely to one angle or another
• The Canted shot instills disorientation of panic in the viewer

Pan

• The camera is fixed in place, and rotated from the right to left or left to right
• Panning shots can be used to follow action in a large scene
• Panning shots force the viewer to participate in the film by following the subject

Tilt

• The camera is fixed in position, and rotated up and down or down and up
• Tilting shots are used to follow action upward of downward
• Tilting shots usually reveal information to the viewer at the end of the Tilt

Zoom

• The camera is fixed in position while the focus of the camera is opened or closed
• Zoom's like Dollys, enlarges or shrinks the subject to the viewer
• Zoom shots do change the receding lines of perspective