CAMERA
ANGLES AND
CAMERA SHOTS
The way you put the camera can have a
big effect on what the picture tells the
audience. The angle of a shot can
dramatically affect how we perceive the
character. The directors in a film choose
to use several different angles. The angle
of a camera shot is really important for
shaping the meaning of the film
CLOSE UP SHOT
▪ A close up shot of a
character usually takes in
their head and shoulders.
▪ It can be used to
emphasise how
important a character or
object is.
▪ It allows the audience to
build a relationship with
the character
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EXTREME CLOSE UP SHOT
• An extreme close up shot
usually focuses on a part of
the face (often the eyes or
mouth)
• Used to convey emotion
to the audience
• Often used at key points
in the story
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MEDIUM SHOT
▪ A mid shot shows the
body from the waist up.
▪ It shows some
background and whole
body language.
▪ Focus on character – it
lets the audience see
what they are doing
BUT also how they are
feeling
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LONG SHOT
▪ Full body is shown.
▪ Used to show location
or relationships of
characters.
▪ Often used as a first
shot at the start of a
particular sequence
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HIGH ANGLE SHOT
▪ The camera is
positioned above the
person or place.
▪ It can make a person
look vulnerable.
▪ Designed to make
the audience side
with the characters in
shot
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LOW ANGLE SHOT
▪ The camera is
positioned below the
person or place.
▪ It can make a person
look powerful or
important.
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POINT OF VIEW SHOT ( P.O.V)
▪ The camera becomes
the character and
shows us exactly
what they are seeing,
as they would see it.
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EYE LEVEL
▪ A neutral camera
angle
▪ Represents a real
person standing up,
watching the scene
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LIGHTING
Lighting determines mood. Good lighting
will set the mood for any scene in a film, it
conveys the plot and creates the
atmosphere. A poorly lit film can mislead
and leave viewers feeling unfulfilled or
confused, just because the lighting needs
to represent the genre.
KEY LIGHTING
× Also known as the main
light of a scene or subject
× The strongest light in
each scene or photo
× However, just because it’s
your “main” light doesn’t
mean it always has to be
facing your subject.
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FILL LIGHTING
× This technique is used to
“fill in” and remove the
dark, shadowy areas that
your key light creates
× Less intense and placed in
the opposite direction of
the key light, so you can
add more dimension to
your scene
× The aim of fill lighting is to
eliminate shadows
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BACK LIGHTING
× Backlighting is used to create a three-dimensional
scene
× A back light hits an actor or object from behind,
and is usually placed higher than the object it is
lighting
× A backlight is often used to separate an object or
an actor from a dark background, and to give the
subject more shape and depth
× Backlighting can help bring your subject out and
away from looking two dimensional.
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SIDE LIGHTING
× A light that comes from the side parallel to the actor
× A sidelight is ideal for creating a dramatic mood
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HIGH KEY
×
A style of lighting that is bright and shadowless with lots of
fill light
× Today high key lighting is primarily used for cosmetic
commercials, sitcoms, and music videos
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LOW KEY
× Predominantly dark and filled with more shadows than
light
× Low key focuses on the use of shadows as a character,
rather than the subjects in the light itself
× Commonly used throughout horror and thriller films
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SOUND
“Sound” refers to everything we hear in a
movie — words, sound effects, and music.
Sound is used to heighten a mood, provide
us with information about the location of a
scene, advance the plot, and tell us about
the characters in the story.
DIEGETIC SOUND
× Refers to all those audio elements that come from
sources inside the world we see on the screen,
including dialogue, doors slamming, footsteps, etc.
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NON-DIEGETIC SOUND
× refers to all those audio elements that come from
outside of the fictional world we see on screen
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