Here I observed different shot types in a professional mainstream movie (The Silver Linings Playbook) and identified popular shots that were constructed into the making and editing of this multi million oscar winning production.
Establishing Shot (Extreme Wide Shot)
This is placed generally at the beginning of a programme/movie to indulge the viewer in the location of where the plot is situated to in essence 'set the scene'.
Wide Shot (WS) /Long Shot
Assists in establishing to the audience who the characters are in the film and is a neccessity in connotating how they 'fit' into their immediate surroundings, as they 'belong' there (we can witness here that we are observing the titular character 'Pat' running in his home of Philidelphia city, moreover he 'fits' into this setting as it is not uncommon to run in a local area and this importantly is his home where he 'belongs')
Medium Shot (MS)
The shot helps to elaborate and interpret body langauage from a particular character so as to aid the audience in understanding their current mood (as seen above the character 'Tiffany' appears hostile and vacant as dispalyed within her stance and facial expression) A medium shot also assists in deciphering the expression etched on the characters face in more detail.
Medium Close Up (MCU)
These are essential when directly focusing upon the visual facial emotions of the character as well as the body langauge. This is not a close up as the body is still very much visible however more attention is paid in emphasisng the expressions of the character which is a noticable difference from a medium shot (in this clip the character 'Pat' is visibly frustrated which is reaffirmed to the viewer through the immediate focus towards his eyes and mouth) The medium close up allows us to still establish the actor into their surroundings as the setting is still identifable behind the character.
Close Up (CU) - Character
Used in co-operation to focus soley upon one character as it is critical to convey feelings to the audience about a certain situation or mood. The shot itself focuses overall on the characters face, most coherantly the expressions, as this illustrates their emotions, thoughts and general mannerisms towards the viewer. It helps us to connect more deeply with them, influencing how we feel even though we are not beside them on screen within that setting (here we are directly connected with 'Tiffany', we feel her happiness at being around 'Pat', moreover we can relate to her more as if she was a 'real person' and not just a character in a movie)
Close Up (CU) - Object
Close up's can be directed further into focusing upon objects besides humans as this aids in re-illiterating the major importance of them in the foundations of the plot (hence the Ernest Hemmingway book seen here is necessary in conveying 'Pat's' thoughts, he wants to impress his estranged wife 'Nikki' by creating the impression he has moved on from the event that destroyed their marriage, in particular he begins reading some of her favourite books to connect with her on a deeper level, however he is disgusted by the content and throws it out of the window. Not only does this shot show his disgust for the novel but hence forth how his marriage essentially has been 'thrown out the window')
Extreme Close Up (ECU) - Character
A common feature in most of the film making industry, this type of shot is composed when the director directs our attention onto one specific point of relevance to emphasise that particular importance to the viewer. In characters this can commonly be eye/mouth expression, an object they are holding etc (in this scene the ECU is of 'Pat's' running shoes - not only does this imply he is doing his daily exercise routine, but also of how alone he is and how he is attempting to 'run away' from his problems of the current day events)
Extreme Close up (ECU) - Object
Similarly in correspondance to a close up, extreme close ups also focus much attention on objects as much as people as many inamiate items can enforce the same wavelength of relevance to a storyline than the characters themselves (in this screenshot we see the words of the book 'Pat' is reading - this reverberates the idea of how hard he is trying to be like 'Nikki' by indulging in her favourite novels as he is in sheer desperation trying to connect with her like he failed to do previously)
Two Shot
This specfic shot preference is composed to allow us to observe two major characters sharing the same screen time together whilst adhering in displaying the current location they are placed in. It is easier to decipher the relationship they share with one another and the level of closeness as read in their body langauge (for this particular scene 'Tiffany' is teaching 'Pat' to dance, the two shot emphasises how this activity has improved their standing relationship and the new found affection they are beginning to develop for their comrade)
Over the Shoulder Shot
This technical element allows us as viewers to directly observe the scene as it unfolds, creating the illusion we are emersed in the world of the characters alongside them. It creates a sense of realism to the audience and makes the event appear more realistic (we can easily identify here with the flowing conversation between 'Tiffany' and 'Pat', the way the camera is directed over his shoulder makes us closer to her as her expressions are easily identiable, it creates the illusion we ourslves are in the cafe with them witnessing the conversation)
High Angle
To acheive the composition of this specific shot the camera is situated above the actors to suggest a lack of status, inferiority or the insignificance a character may have. It is most commonly used to make someone appear subdued and inferior to the dominance of another character or maybe a situation (it can be seen here that all the member of 'Pat's' family and his friends feel powerless as he vents his rage about how he has no control of his life - they feel incapable of having a say in the matter as he verbally abuses them all)
Low Angle
We can relate significantly to a characters power, status and strength by the use of a low angle shot, viweing the actor from below by placing the camera into a contorted, small position signifies someones dominance over a scene (as 'Tiffany' rises from the table, the equipment is placed below the actress to signify her anger which makes 'Pat' look inferior and weak despite being a male - her emotions override the apparent patriachy and it is visible she ultimately has the control)
Canted Angle
An unusal shot that helps to identify an inbalacne or disoretination in a certain frame, it can be typically witnessed within action movie 'fight' sequences to convey the feelings of a disruption of peace and regularity. However they can also be incoproated to highlight a major change in a characters mood (for this screenshot 'Pat' is confused about his feelings for 'Nikki' and 'Tiffany', his uncertainty and confusion is highlighted further by the canted angle as he struggles to make sense of the situation) A canted angle can also be acheived by tilting the camera so it is not horizontally level with the floor.
Eyeline Shot/Match
This is used in symmetry between two characters and allows us to keep pace with a fluent conversation as if we were amongst the action with them, it can sometimes be compared to a 'shot reverse shot' through the cosistent and rapid editing prcedure (the conversation between 'Pat' and 'Ronnie' is clearly noticable here as their peripheral focus is directly on each other)
Tilt
The operating technical equipment is situated in a fixed position (normally on a tripod) and is tilted up and down, this is regularly seen with characters but here it is used to look up upon the house (in this scene screaming can be heard from outside and the camera is angled to focus on the window to prepare us for the action that is about to commence in the next take)
Tracking Shot
Sometimes a director may desire the camera to 'follow' the actors in continuity with the actions/movements they are performing, in this case a tracking shot is employed to acheive the apporpriate framing. The equipment is mounted upon a wheeled platform or a dolly and is used to steadily follow the action, this grants a smooth shot which is not disorientated or shaky in an manner (in this clip from the movie a dolly would have been most likely used to track the two characters 'Pat' and 'Tiffany' as they run down the neighbourhood street in conjunction with the action that is unfolding)
Foreground/Background
To establish a realistic and authentic scene as what is possible a camera man needs to take into consideration what is occuring in the primary focus of the shot (e.g. the actors) and what is commencing in the background as well (e.g. the busy scape of a city) It is sometimes easy to obtain the body posture or expression that is expected from a character on film yet if the setting they are isn't complety right (for example in an office someone may be smoking which wouldn't be permitted) that would deter the professionalism from the construction of the shot (here we can easily identify the current feelings of the characters 'Tiffany' and 'Pat' and they directly reflect the surroundings they are in, both of them are in casual running clothes to go jogging around the neighbourhood in)
Panning Shot
This technique is used by moving the camera from side to side in a swaying motion to ensure all the action is captured on the footage. Commonly the equipment is elevated on a tripod to allow it to remain still throughout the procedure. Panning is normally used to emphasise the significance of a room or an important area so the viewer is presented with a full sweep of that environment, however it can also be seen when a character is emotionally overwhelmed (it is undeniable in this scene of the movie that 'Pat' is frustrated by the plot of the novel he has just read, here he paces across the room - tracked at all times by the camera - to evidently render his annoyance to his family)
POV Shot
This is essentially an extremely important shot to emphasise a particular character above everyone else by documenting an experience from their own eyes which we as the audience witness first hand from their own perspective personalising the whole event. POV's allows the viewer to feel what the character is feeling (this is nearly indefinitely exclusive to the protagonist/antagonist of the film) The experience helps enormously in directing a characters thoughts/emotions/mood effectivley across to the audience (in this capture we see the Hemmingsway book through 'Pat's' eyes - not only does this identify to us further he is trying to be more like his wife 'Nikki' but it aids in us understanding his annoyance later on when he discards the novel violently out of the window)
Handheld
An easily directed shot where the camera man in charge of the equipment manouvers with the technology without the assistance of a tripod, this makes the filming more 'jerky' and 'unconventional' which is effective in certain scenarios, for example a chase sequence in an action movie where there is much disorientation with the camera to emphasise the speed, pace and real time of the event.
Shot Variation
Simply a variety of shots are sequenced together fluently one after the other to allow consistency in the editing - this can utilise the idea the scene is flowing in 'real time' currency. For instance an establishing shot is proceeded by a medium shot which is quickly followed by a medium close up of that character.
180 degree Rule
For this the camera remains stationary on one side of a scene or room, marking out an 'invisible' line in the centre which it must not cross at ANY time (this is identified as the 'axis') In procession the first character in the script will then be framed on the right hand side of the screen, whilst the secondary will remain on the left. The camera will then consistently cross the 'axis', this is referred to as 'crossing the line' which will identify each character as occupying one side of the room only. If crossing over this line is not backed up by other camera shots running alongside it then it is possible for the audience to become confused by the action taking place on screen. 180 degree rule is often seen commencing after an extreme wide shot, but is also often identified within over the shoulder shots to help establish characters and location to the viewer.
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