Cinematography
LO: To recognise the different camera
angles and shots used by directors
To understand what is meant by
composition and all the key terms
associated with it
 Using
a helicopter or
crane this type of
shot is used to
suggest the vastness
of a landscape,
establish a scene or
to make a character
vulnerable
 Quite
simply this shot
is used by a director
to establish the
location/setting of
the drama.
 It could be a shot of
New York for
example.
 This
shot is used to
show the whole body
of an actress or a
number of actors.
 This could be used to
show their isolation
or vulnerability or to
place them in a
specific location.
 Similar
to an
establishing shot
or master shot, a
wide shot is used
to show crowds of
people in a fight
scene or busy
urban
environment.
 Similar
to an
establishing shot but
used to show two or
more characters
talking at the start of
the scene without the
need for editing.
 It establishes both
location and the
relationship between
characters.
 Shot
from the waist
up
 Usually suggests
conversation
between characters

(The key thing about this
shot is that the audience
should not attach any
importance to the shot
and instead pay attention
to the dialogue.)
A
shot where two
characters are
engaged in
conversation/
conflict in the
same frame.
 You
also need to
consider
prevalence in
terms of who gets
the most shots
(obviously will
cross over into
composition)
A
shot which focuses
on a character’s face
to suggest the
emotion of that
person (again a close
up could be on any
part of the mise en
scene which the
director deems to be
important for the
audience.)
A
shot which focuses
very closely on an
object or part of the
body to suggest its
importance or to
show emotions.
A
 It
is used to make the
viewer feel involved
in the action and
make the thing they
are looking at be
placed in a position
of danger, suspicion,
centre of attention
shot which
replicates the view
from an actor or
creature when they
are looking at
something else.
 See through the
characters eyes.
 This
shot is commonly used to illustrate
conversation and relationships between
two characters.
Usually shown in the
form of a
conversation , where
the camera cuts
between the faces of
the two or more
people who are
talking (not in an
over the shoulder
manner)
A
Dolly is a wheeled
machine which the
camera is mounted
on, so the camera can
follow or surround a
character.
 It has a smooth
action and is in
contrast to the jittery
motion of a hand held
camera.
 The
camera is mounted
on a crane so actors can
be viewed from above
or to indicate where the
actors have to go next.
Its purpose is varied,
one example being to
mark a moment in time
in the film and make the
audience think about
what they have just seen
A
high angle shot
is used by the
director to look
down on a
character, this
action implies that
this person is in a
position of
vulnerability
A
low angle shot is
used by the
director to look up
at a character, this
action implies that
this person is in a
position of
authority
 An
angle where the
camera is positioned
on an angle, usually
used to suggest that a
character is drugged,
drunk, being beaten
up or if the director
has a particular style
they want to portray.
 This
refers to the
horizontal (left to right or
vice versa) movement of a
camera when the camera
follows something of
significance in the film.
 A whip pan is a
particularly fast panning
action and is usually seen
in an action film when
following a car chase.
 This
refers to the
vertical (up and
down) movement
of a camera
(similar to a nod.)
This can indicate
the height of an
individual or
building for
example.
 The
camera is
placed on a track
(think train track)
and is then pushed
down the track to
follow the actions
of a character or
characters.
A
camera mounted to
the body of a
cameraman which is
stabilized and offers the
opportunity for the
cameraman to closely
follow the actions of an
actor smoothly, this
increases the feeling for
the audience of being in
the scene.
 Usually
a very small
camera which can be
used by the
cameraman to follow
the actors in a jittery
and realistic manner
to make an action
drama, for example,
that more realistic
 Quite
simply when a
cameraman zooms in/or
out of an item of interest.
 This
could be a character
crying or a bomb that is
about to explode for
example if the camera
zooms in or to make a
point about the world if
they zoom out
 When
a cameraman
uses different lenses in a
camera to replicate the
movement of zooming in
and zooming out at the
same time.
 The
impression given is
something very
significant is happening
to the plot.
Let’s watch the opening of Rome
What can you say about the use of different
camera angles/shots and their effect in this
scene?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4zQ4k
1RmJU&feature=bf_next&list=PLCE549D17
B170F6E1

Using the knowledge of cinematography
you now have from todays lesson, use
your phone/camera to replicate the shots
and camera angles covered in todays
lesson.