Media ISL: Glossary

Glossary of Camera Shots, Camera Movements, Editing Techniques and Filming Techniques and Terms.

Camera Shots:

Extreme Long Shot: 

• Can show scale and give a sense of place.
• Shows a subject's surroundings and can establish location.
• Can capture lots of action at once, in a war movie for example.

Longshot:

• Subject takes up most of the frame.
• For example, a man would have his head and feet in frame.

Midshot:

• Used in conversation, as it is what we would see if we looked at someone.
• Allows more details to be revealed as it shows part of the subject.
• Focuses on characters.

Medium close up:

• Can show face comfortably.
• Commonly used in conversations and details.

Close Up:

• Feature/part is the main focus.
• Shows detail and draws attention to it.
• Can help to portray emotions.

Extreme Close Up:

• Draws attention to details and emotions.
• Uncomfortable for audience so used sparingly.

Cut Away:

• Helps to show a relationship between two things, and adds interest/tension/information to the scene.
• Tension/relationship e.g. car chase, shots change between the drivers.

Two Shot:

• Establishes relationship between the 2 subjects.
• Can be used for action, without distraction by surroundings.
• Shows equality in a news show.

Over the Shoulder:

• Can be used in conversations and reversed.
• Can show speaking and reactions.
• Person occupies a third of the frame.

Noddy Shot:

• Used as a cheat in editing if footage is missing.
• Interviews. Nodding. Etc.

POV Shot:

• Shows perspective and establishes a relationship.
• Can create an exhilarating feel.

Camera Movement:

Low angle/high angle:

• Low angles can give a sense of scale to a building, and/or can create menace.
• High angles can show something is small and has a lack of power.

Pan:

• Can create action, speed and excitement etc.
• Used in chases to feel like you are a bystander/witness.

Tracking Shot:

• Camera is placed on a dolly.
• Creates excitement and is used to follow action and the subject.
• Helps to give a feel of motion and speed.

Tilt:

• Can be used to create a sense of scale and/or awe.

Canted/Dutch:

• The camera is slanted to give a sense of the abnormal/ insanity.
• Can be used to create chaos, in a horror movie for example.

Zoom in/Zoom out:

• Can create a sense of movement.
• Can highlight detail/important information.
• Can give a sense of scale.

Crane Shot:

• Can help to show size and scale.
• I have a crane. I win...

Aerial Shot:

• ELS/high angled.
• Unfortunately I do not own a helicopter.

Filming Techniques:

Rule of thirds:

• Basically, draw and Naughts and Crosses grid and where the lines meet, points of interest should appear.

Golden Mean:

• Basically, again, draw a diagonal line across the frame and the points of interest match on that line.

Transitions:

Dissolve:

• Where a shot fades into another.
• Can help show time passing.
• Helps continuity by moving from one location to the next.

Fade in/Fade out:

• Can help to show time has passed.
• Montage? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQvNu8LoTo0 (Perfect Example)
• Peaceful if at the end of a scene, for example.

Fade to black/white:

• Can be used for flashbacks if used quickly.
• Can also  show time passing.

Cross Cutting:

• Can show parallels and contrasts
• Used to merge two action scenes together in Quantum of Solace for example.

Wipe:

• Line moves across the scene from one shot to another. 
• Can show change of location.

Jumpcut:

• Dramatic and can begin/ end action

Match on Action:

• Cuts match action!
• Example! Goes to get a glass...
• Close up on getting the glass...
• IT FLOWS!

Sound:

Digetic Sound:

• Heard on location and recorded on set. Includes some speech and some background noise.

Non-Digetic:

• Added after filming, so includes soundtrack, sound effects and anything else added.