Shooting Basics
Standards
Resources
Home
A. Basic Basics
B. Types of Shots
Basic Shots
C. Framing a Shot
(Composition (rule of thirds))
D. Panning and Zooming
.pdf file or a Word doc of this page

A. The 7 Basics : Shooting and editing tips for ALL projects;

  1. Rarely do you use the zoom. See Panning and Zooming
  2. When filming make sure all your shots are at least 5 seconds long.
  3. When editing, no clip should be longer than 5 seconds unless someone is talking to the camera.
  4. What ever a person on screen looks at the viewer needs to see immediately or
    soon, depending upon the drama being built
  5. Watch headroom. Try to crop your shots just above the top of the person's head.
  6. Don't center a person in the frame unless you are doing a news report. See Framing a Shot.
  7. Try to use a tripod for all shots or stabilize yourself while shooting. If you don't have one, brace yourself against a wall or pole or rest the camera on a table of chair if possible.

B. Types of Shots : There are 8 basic types of basic camera shots.

  1. The Extreme Long Shot
  2. The Long Shot
  3. The Medium Shot
  4. The Medium Close-Up Shot
  5. The Close-Up Shot
  6. The Extreme Close-Up Shot
  7. The Over the Shoulder Shot
  8. The Cross Shot

Shot Types for a Person

Shot Name
One person as the subject
Scenery or more than one person
1. ELS
not applicable
An Extreme Long Shot is generally taken from a great distance away from human subjects.
Quite often these are landscape shots or shots that give a view of a whole world, a city, a town, or even a galaxy (as in Star Wars) where the story is set.
2. Long shot (LS) or full shot (FS). This is a shot from the top of their heads to at least their feet.
A Long Shot includes the full human figure and often provides a clear view of the environment or setting in which we find a character. Also known as a Wide shot, it is one that encompasses the entire scene. This is sometimes called an Establishing shot; used to orient the audience as to where we are, what the weather is like, what time of the day it is, etc.
3. A medium shot (MS) is normally a shot from the waist up.
MS of the building and of two people. With people it shows interaction between characters, including dialogue. Medium shots are also used to show movement, for instance when two characters are having a conversation while walking down a corridor.
4. A medium closeup (MCU) is a shot cropped between the shoulders and the belt line. Also called a bust shot.
MCU of an object (based on full size of the object)
5. A closeup (CU) is the most desirable to catch changing facial expressions, which are important to following a conversation. It is used
to create intimacy or to show emotional responses from characters
A CU can also be used
to focus on an object as a way of highlighting the importance of that object in the story. Someone might be in the window?
6. Extreme closeups (XCUs) are reserved for dramatic impact. The XCU shot may show just the eyes of an individual.
XCU shots of objects are to add impact to a scene. Use them to build suspense or to hightlight an important fact.

Back to Top

7. Over-the-shoulder shot (O/S)
This shows the camera looking at someone over the shoulder of another person nearer the camera.
8. Cross-shot (X/S)
 This is a shot sequence in which the camera looks alternately at one or the other person, with the camera-near person completely out of the shot.

End of Shot Types

Back to Top

C. Framing a Shot (Composition) : When you shoot a scene, where do you place people and/or important objects? They need to be placed so either attention is directed towards them or they share the scene with something or someone else.

  1. Rule of Thirds
  2. Headroom
  3. Framing
  4. Background
1. Rule of Thirds

Rule of Thirds - Place objects within an imaginary grid such as you see on the right. Notice in the picture on the far right how the faces are within the center grid sections
GRID FOR RULE OF THIRDS
CORRECT USE OF THE RULE OF THIRDS
Rule of Thirds : Still Object
First image of the tree is incorrectly framed. This tree image uses the Rule of Thirds, framing the tree to the left third of the frame.
Rule of Thirds : Person
This image of the person is incorrectly framed. The girl is centered in the picture.
This image of the girl uses the Rule of Thirds, moving the girl to the right. Don't center people unless you need to (such as in a news broadcast.)
2. Headroom:
No Headroom:
The person may seem to be glued to the top of the screen!
Too Much Headroom: The person may look like they are sinking in the frame!
Proper Headroom:
The person has adequate space above the head.
3. Framing (faces)
Give people "eye room" in the frame towards the direction they are looking. Do NOT center a person looking to one side of the frame.
    
4. Background
Look to see what is behind the person or object. Don't let the background take over or alter the look of the person or object. Allow the background to give the main subject some depth and dimension but don't allow people or objects in the background to distract from the scene.

Depth and "not boring" are two very important things to think about in a scene. You don't want flat looking pictures. Have some background but try to control what is going on at all times. Use people in your shots to add interest and to add more depth.

End of Framing a Shot 

Back to Top

D. Camera Angles, Panning and Zooming

Camera Angles, Panning and Zooming

A. Camera Angles The angle of the camera can have a very strong and direct impact on viewers. The following are 3 examples of camera angles:

1) Low Angle – Placing the camera at a low angle suggests a dominant subject, having power over the viewer. This angle may be used to portray kings or rulers, rock musicians, gun fighters, or majestic architects. DO NOT OVERUSE THIS ANGLE IN ANY ONE PRODUCTION.


2) High Angle – Placing the camera at a high angle suggests a recessive subject, giving the viewer a feeling of power over the subject. This angle may be used to portray a character in despair. DO NOT OVERUSE THIS ANGLE IN ANY ONE PRODUCTION.


3) Straight-On Angle – Placing the camera straight on suggests a neutral relationship between the subject and the viewer. The subject appears to be an equal;
a friend; unbiased. This angle may be used for newscasters, or in documentary and educational videos.

A. Panning: Try NOT to pan when shooting. But, if you must:
  1. Use it to show a wide panorama that you can't fit into the camera frame such as landscapes and moving objects.
  2. Make the pan last at least 6-7 seconds but no more.
  3. Try to start still for 5 seconds, then do the 6-7 second pan, them hold the shot for 5 more seconds.
  4. Practice panning to get a smooth move or to follow someone or something moving in a smooth manner.Most of the time "cut" to a close-up or long-shot, don't zoom.

B. Zooming: Zooming in and out is a sign of someone just begriming to use a video camera. Try to NEVER use the zoom for a shot. Can your eyes zoom? No. So zooming is not a natural type of shot. But IF you do zoom, make it meaningful.So why have a zoom? To get closer to something when you can't physically more closer to it.

  1. Zoom in on something or someone specific to make a point, like a dramatic zoom in to see an expression of surprise.
  2. Use zoom to frame up a shot. Use it to frame up the next shot. In other words, shoot a scene, stop filming, zoom in, and film again.:
  3. A very slow zoom might work if you need to move closer to a subject who is busy doing something.

Back to Top