Frames/ Camera Shots

Big Close Up Shot - This is full head height and the head takes up the entire screen. It contains little or no background. This shows the detail of the character’s face.

Extreme Close Up Shot -This is a very close shot showing the detail of an object or the physical features of a person. It make the viewer aware of some specific detail in the film. It can be used to heighten tension.

Close Up Shot - This shot tightly frames a person or an object. Close-ups are one of the standard shots used regularly with medium shots and long shots (cinematic techniques). Close-ups display the most detail, but they do not include the broader scene. Moving in to a close-up or away from a close-up is a common type of zooming. This is used to introduce a character and allows the character to show emotions. It can be used to heighten tension.

Extreme Long Shot - This shows the landscape of the film or a barely visible character in the distance of a background. This also gives information to the viewer about where the action is to take place. It often sets the atmosphere of a film.

Mid Long Shot - This shows the whole person as well as some of the background. The purpose is to place the person in context.

Point Of View Shot - A sequence that is shot as if the viewer were looking through the eyes of a specific character. The shot is a common trick of the horror film: that is, we are placed in the position of the killer who is slowly sneaking up on a victim. 

Mid Shot - This shows half of the body. The shot is taken from above the head to just below the waist. This allows you to get to know the character more closely by viewing their facial expressions and body language.

Worm's Eye View Shot - This shot shows the camera is looking up from the floor creating a status effect meaning that because the camera is lower than the subject it is looking at, it seems inferior and less important. This is also a good shot to show someone with power or someone with fear.

Bird's Eye View Shot - This shot refers to a shot looking directly down on the subject. The perspective is very foreshortened, making the subject appear short and squat. This shot can be used to give an overall establishing shot of a scene, or to emphasise the smallness or insignificance of the subjects. These shots are normally used for battle scenes or establishing where the character is. It is shot by lifting the camera up by hands or by hanging it off something strong enough to support it.

Aerial Shot - Aerial Shots are usually done with a crane or with a camera attached to a special helicopter to view large landscapes. This sort of shot would be restricted to exterior locations. A good area to do this shot would be a scene that takes place on a building. If the aerial shot is of a character it can make them seem insignificant. Circular shots are also possible.

Crane Shot - This is a shot taken by a camera on a crane or jib. The most obvious uses are to view the actors from above or to move up and away from them, a common way of ending a movie. Camera cranes go back to the dawn of movie-making, and were frequently used in silent films to enhance the epic nature of large sets and massive crowds.

High Angle Shot - This is usually when the camera angle is located above the eyeline. With this type of angle, the camera looks down on the subject and the point of focus often get "swallowed up" by the setting. High angle shots also make the figure or object seem vulnerable or powerless. High angle shots are usually used in film to make the moment more dramatic or if there is someone at a high level that the character below is talking to.

Low Angle Shot - This is a shot from a camera angle positioned low on the vertical axis, anywhere below the eyeline, looking up. The trunk shot is a specialized type of low-angle shot.