BIMM Filming
101
The Basics of Camera Shots &
Rules to Follow When Filming
Jan. 25th/Jan. 28th
Definition of a “Shot”
What the camera records:
• After you press
the record button
and
• Before you hit the
stop button
Garden Hose
• Most common shot by amateurs
• May last 10 minutes
• Shot from one spot:
– from one side to the other
– up and down
– whole scene in one shot
Controlling Your Shots in a Scene
• Physically move the camera
– closer to your subject or
– father away from your subject
• Change the focal length
– zoom in (narrow angle of view)
– zoom out (wide angle of view)
The Four Basic Shots
•
•
•
•
Long Shot
Medium Shot
Close Up Shot
Extreme Close Up Shot
(these shots are relative to
each other)
Long Shot
• Frames a wide field of view
• Usually cameraperson at a greater
distance
• Also called establishing shot:
– if first shot in a series
– establishes location of scene (setting)
Medium Shot
• Frames your subject
• Still reveals some of the background
(If subject is person, from the waist up)
• Provides more detail than long shot
• Usually more interesting to your viewer
Close Up Shot
• Shows details
• Best shot to show emotions
(If subject is person, from the shoulders up)
Extreme Close Up Shot
• Shows only a portion of subject
• Dramatic
• Use sparingly
– zoom all the way in
– get extremely close to the subject
(If subject is person, usually from the chin
up, sacrificing the top of the head)
Shot Angles
•
•
•
•
Low
Eye Level
High
Overhead
Low Angle Shot
• Camera looks up at the
subject
• From a “worm’s” eye
view
• Subject appears:
– important
– powerful
– domineering
Eye-Level Shot
• As though human
actually observing
scene
• Neutral shot
• Actors’ heads level
with focus
High Angle Shot
• Camera looks down at the
subject
• Subject appears:
– insignificant
– weak
– helpless
Overhead Shot
• From a “bird’s eye view
• Unnatural and strange angle
• Familiar objects might seem
unrecognizable (at first)
• Puts audience in a godlike
position
Moving Shots
• Pan
• Tilt
• Dolly
• Tracking
Pan Shot
• Moves horizontally (from left to right,
right to left)
• Cameraperson remains stationery
Tilt Shot
• Moves vertically (from top to bottom,
bottom to top)
• Cameraperson remains stationery
Dolly Shot
• Moves forward or backward (away from
or closer to talent)
• Cameraperson moves with camera
Tracking
• Moves horizontally (from left to right,
right to left)
• Cameraperson moves with talent
Miscellaneous Shots
Two Shot, Three Shot
Reverse Angle Shot
• Actually has two shots
• 2nd shot is 180° angle from preceding
shot
Over the Shoulder Shot
• Looking from behind a person at subject
• Cuts off frame behind the ear
• Person facing the subject should
occupy about 1/3 of the frame
Cutaway Shot
• Used as a "buffer" between shots
• Interruption of a filmed action by inserting:
– a different subject
– a close up of a different part of the subject (the subject's
hands)
– just about anything else
• Usually followed by a cutback to original shot
Point of View (POV)
• shows what a character is looking at
• represented through the camera
Pedestal Shot
• Camera & cameraperson move up and
down
• Camera points straight ahead
• Sometimes used to follow action
(easy to shoot using tripod)
Whip Pan Shot
• Like a pan shot, but very
fast
• Scene blurs during pan
• Usually used as
transition
– within a scene
– from one scene to another
Arc Shot
• Shot from outside a circle
• Camera & cameraperson move
together
• Usually only half of circle (semicircle)
Carousel Shot
• Shot from inside a circle
• Camera & cameraperson turn together
• Usually covers complete circle
Rule of Thirds
• Do not center subject
• Mentally divide the frame into thirds
– vertically and horizontally
– like a tic-tac-toe board overlaying your
subject
• Place subject at intersection points
Natural Cut Off Lines
Avoid the body’s natural cutoff lines:
• Neck
• Elbow
• Wrists
• Knees
• Ankles
Headroom
“Space between the top of a person's head and the top of
the frame”
• Too much headroom—
sinking!
• Too little headroom—
head cut off!
Just right!
Lead Space
• Also called walking/talking room
• Space in front of your subject (when
turned sideways)
• Directional force requires more space
(in front)
Backgrounds
• Avoid distractions
• Avoid mergers
– move the
distraction/merger
– move the camera or
subject
Continuity
• Character
– costume (dress)
– hair
• Location
– camera angle
– lighting
– audio
• background sounds
• volume of dialogue
• Direction of travel
– talent moves in same direction
– same setting
What’s Wrong
with the Continuity?
Light Sources
• Keep behind (or to side) of camcorder
• Don’t shoot into sun or lighting
• Backlight (gain) setting reduces light
(but can reduce clarity)