Standard Terminology of Shots
ELS: EXTRA LONG SHOT
LS: LONG SHOT
MLS: MEDIUM LONG SHOT
MS: MID SHOT
MCU: MEDIUM CLOSE UP
BCU: BIG CLOSE UP
CU: CLOSE UP
Note:
1. With the exception of Close Up, all other terms
apply only to the shot size of a human figure. You
cannot have a MID SHOT of a car, for example.
2. There is no suggestion that these are necessarily
the desired framing for shots; they are just
standard points of reference.
3. Often shots will fall between shot sizes; the same
shot could equally be described as say MS or
MCU.
4. The ELS is a vague term referring to any shot
wider than an LS.