CAMERA SHOT SIZES Camera shot framing is the art and science of placing subjects in
A camera shot is composed of the series of frames that are shot your shots. Camera shots are all about composition. Rather than
uninterrupted from the pointing the camera at the subject, you need to compose an
moment the camera starts rolling until it stops. Camera shots are image.
an essential aspect of filmmaking and video productions, because 1. Single Shot
by combining different types of shots, angles and camera When your shot captures one subject it’s known as a single shot.
movements, the filmmakers are able to emphasize specific Single shots can be set and framed in any shot size you like, just as
emotions, ideas and movement for each scene. long as there is only one character featured within the frame.
1. Extreme Long Shot (ELS) or Extreme Wide Shot (EWS) make 2. Two Shot or 2-Shot
your subject appear small against their location. You can use an A two-shot is a camera shot with two characters
extreme long shot to make your subject feel distant or unfamiliar. featured in the frame. Two shots are often really
It can also make your subject feel useful for allowing performances to play out in a
overwhelmed by its location. Of all the various camera shots out single take, which can be especially useful for comedy.
there, consider using the extreme long shot when you need to 3. Three Shot or 3-Shot
emphasize the location or isolation A three-shot features three characters in the frame. Three shots
2. Long Shot (LS) or Wide Shot (WS) is the same idea, but a bit are really important in adventure films, or really any film that has
closer. If your subject is a person then his or her whole body will a group of characters, because it is an enormous time drain to
be in view -- but not filling the shot. In other words, there should shoot 3 singles just to show every character, not to mention
be a good deal of space above and below your subject. Use a long jarring.
shot (or wide shot) to keep your subject in plain view amidst 4. Over-The-Shoulder Shot (OTS)
grander surroundings. The wide shot also lets us see the beautiful Another element of camera shots to consider is the perspective of
background imagery, as well as the onlookers which will make any the shot. An over-the-shoulder shot shows your subject from
big moment more cinematic. Of the many camera shots, a long behind the shoulder of another character. Because it emulates
shot gives us a better idea of the scene setting, and gives us a perspective, it’s common in conversation scenes. Over-the-
better idea of how the character fits into the area shoulder shots can help to provide orientation, and connect the
3. Full Shot (FS) is a camera shots that let your subject fill the characters on an emotional level.
frame while keeping emphasis on 5. Over-The-Hip Shot (OTH)
scenery. Of all the different types of camera shots, full shots can An over-the-hip shot is similar to over-the-shoulder in that the
be used to feature multiple camera is placed with a character's hip in the foreground, and the
characters in a single shot, like this full shot size example from focus subject in the plane of acceptable focus. You'll gain a similar
Marvel's Guardians of the effect from an over-the-hip shot as you would an OTS, but if you
Galaxy. have one character standing, and the other sitting, kneeling, or
4. Medium Wide Shot (MWS), also known as Medium Long Shot, any other configuration that places the subjects on "uneven
frames the subject from roughly the knees up. It splits the terrain" it will often suggest a power imbalance.
difference between a full shot and a medium shot.(MWS) 6. Point of View Shot (POV)
5. Cowboy Shot (CS) is a variation of the MWS, which frames the A POV shot is a camera shot that shows the viewer exactly what
subject from roughly mid-thighs that character sees. This transports the audience into that
up. It’s called a “cowboy shot” because it is used in Westerns to character. It shows us exactly what the character sees, and we get
frame a gunslinger’s gun or to understand what's generating the character's reaction.
holster on his hip. CAMERA SHOT ANGLE
6. Medium Shot (MS) is one of the most common camera shots. The camera shot angle is used to specify the location where the
It's similar to the cowboy camera is placed to take a
shot above, but frames from roughly the waist up and through the shot. The position of the camera in relation to the subjects can
torso. So it emphasizes more affect the way the viewer perceives the scene. A scene may be
of your subject while keeping their surroundings visible. shot simultaneously from multiple camera angles to amplify the
7. Medium Close Up Shot (MCU) frames your subject from cinematic effect and the emotions.
roughly the chest up. So it typically 1. Eye Level Shot
favors the face, but still keeps the subject somewhat distant. The First, consider the most common height: the eye level shot. When
medium close-up camera your subject is at eye-level they’re in a neutral perspective (not
shot size keeps the characters eerily distant even during their superior or inferior). This mimics how we see people in real life --
face-to-face conversation. our eye line connecting with theirs.
8. Close Up (CU) is used when you want to reveal 2. Low Angle Shot
a subject’s emotions and reactions. The closeup This shot frames the subject from a low camera height. These
camera sot fills the frame with a part of the camera shots most often emphasize power dynamics between
subject. If the subject is a person, it is often their characters. A superior character with the upper hand is often
face. The close-up shot size is near enough to framed from down low. This makes an inferior feel like they are
register tiny emotions, but not so close that we looking up to Them.
lose visibility. 3. High Angle Shot
9. Extreme Close Up (ECU) is the most you can fill a frame with In a high angle shot, the camera points down at your subject. It
your subject. It often shows eyes, mouth and gun triggers. In usually creates a feeling of inferiority, or “looking down” on your
extreme close-up shots, smaller objects get great detail and are subject.
the focal point. Use an ECU to emphasize a specific feature of your 4. Hip Level Shot
subject: A hip level shot is when your camera is roughly waisthigh.
CAMERA SHOT FRAMING 5. Knee Level Shot
This is when your camera height is about as low as your subject’s
knees. They can emphasize a
A camera shot is composed of the series of frames that are shot your shots. Camera shots are all about composition. Rather than
uninterrupted from the pointing the camera at the subject, you need to compose an
moment the camera starts rolling until it stops. Camera shots are image.
an essential aspect of filmmaking and video productions, because 1. Single Shot
by combining different types of shots, angles and camera When your shot captures one subject it’s known as a single shot.
movements, the filmmakers are able to emphasize specific Single shots can be set and framed in any shot size you like, just as
emotions, ideas and movement for each scene. long as there is only one character featured within the frame.
1. Extreme Long Shot (ELS) or Extreme Wide Shot (EWS) make 2. Two Shot or 2-Shot
your subject appear small against their location. You can use an A two-shot is a camera shot with two characters
extreme long shot to make your subject feel distant or unfamiliar. featured in the frame. Two shots are often really
It can also make your subject feel useful for allowing performances to play out in a
overwhelmed by its location. Of all the various camera shots out single take, which can be especially useful for comedy.
there, consider using the extreme long shot when you need to 3. Three Shot or 3-Shot
emphasize the location or isolation A three-shot features three characters in the frame. Three shots
2. Long Shot (LS) or Wide Shot (WS) is the same idea, but a bit are really important in adventure films, or really any film that has
closer. If your subject is a person then his or her whole body will a group of characters, because it is an enormous time drain to
be in view -- but not filling the shot. In other words, there should shoot 3 singles just to show every character, not to mention
be a good deal of space above and below your subject. Use a long jarring.
shot (or wide shot) to keep your subject in plain view amidst 4. Over-The-Shoulder Shot (OTS)
grander surroundings. The wide shot also lets us see the beautiful Another element of camera shots to consider is the perspective of
background imagery, as well as the onlookers which will make any the shot. An over-the-shoulder shot shows your subject from
big moment more cinematic. Of the many camera shots, a long behind the shoulder of another character. Because it emulates
shot gives us a better idea of the scene setting, and gives us a perspective, it’s common in conversation scenes. Over-the-
better idea of how the character fits into the area shoulder shots can help to provide orientation, and connect the
3. Full Shot (FS) is a camera shots that let your subject fill the characters on an emotional level.
frame while keeping emphasis on 5. Over-The-Hip Shot (OTH)
scenery. Of all the different types of camera shots, full shots can An over-the-hip shot is similar to over-the-shoulder in that the
be used to feature multiple camera is placed with a character's hip in the foreground, and the
characters in a single shot, like this full shot size example from focus subject in the plane of acceptable focus. You'll gain a similar
Marvel's Guardians of the effect from an over-the-hip shot as you would an OTS, but if you
Galaxy. have one character standing, and the other sitting, kneeling, or
4. Medium Wide Shot (MWS), also known as Medium Long Shot, any other configuration that places the subjects on "uneven
frames the subject from roughly the knees up. It splits the terrain" it will often suggest a power imbalance.
difference between a full shot and a medium shot.(MWS) 6. Point of View Shot (POV)
5. Cowboy Shot (CS) is a variation of the MWS, which frames the A POV shot is a camera shot that shows the viewer exactly what
subject from roughly mid-thighs that character sees. This transports the audience into that
up. It’s called a “cowboy shot” because it is used in Westerns to character. It shows us exactly what the character sees, and we get
frame a gunslinger’s gun or to understand what's generating the character's reaction.
holster on his hip. CAMERA SHOT ANGLE
6. Medium Shot (MS) is one of the most common camera shots. The camera shot angle is used to specify the location where the
It's similar to the cowboy camera is placed to take a
shot above, but frames from roughly the waist up and through the shot. The position of the camera in relation to the subjects can
torso. So it emphasizes more affect the way the viewer perceives the scene. A scene may be
of your subject while keeping their surroundings visible. shot simultaneously from multiple camera angles to amplify the
7. Medium Close Up Shot (MCU) frames your subject from cinematic effect and the emotions.
roughly the chest up. So it typically 1. Eye Level Shot
favors the face, but still keeps the subject somewhat distant. The First, consider the most common height: the eye level shot. When
medium close-up camera your subject is at eye-level they’re in a neutral perspective (not
shot size keeps the characters eerily distant even during their superior or inferior). This mimics how we see people in real life --
face-to-face conversation. our eye line connecting with theirs.
8. Close Up (CU) is used when you want to reveal 2. Low Angle Shot
a subject’s emotions and reactions. The closeup This shot frames the subject from a low camera height. These
camera sot fills the frame with a part of the camera shots most often emphasize power dynamics between
subject. If the subject is a person, it is often their characters. A superior character with the upper hand is often
face. The close-up shot size is near enough to framed from down low. This makes an inferior feel like they are
register tiny emotions, but not so close that we looking up to Them.
lose visibility. 3. High Angle Shot
9. Extreme Close Up (ECU) is the most you can fill a frame with In a high angle shot, the camera points down at your subject. It
your subject. It often shows eyes, mouth and gun triggers. In usually creates a feeling of inferiority, or “looking down” on your
extreme close-up shots, smaller objects get great detail and are subject.
the focal point. Use an ECU to emphasize a specific feature of your 4. Hip Level Shot
subject: A hip level shot is when your camera is roughly waisthigh.
CAMERA SHOT FRAMING 5. Knee Level Shot
This is when your camera height is about as low as your subject’s
knees. They can emphasize a
