How shot types and angles create meaning
Directors use many different camera angles for many different reasons. Each camera angle has a unique meaning, which is why certain camera are chosen to best fit the scene and the atmosphere of the surrounds perspective of the specific scene.
EXTREME LONG SHOT- This can be taken from as much as a quarter of a mile away, and is generally used as a scene-setting, establishing shot. It normally shows an EXTERIOR, eg the outside of a building, or a landscape, and is often used to show scenes of thrilling action eg in a war film or disaster movie. There will be very little detail visible in the shot, it's meant to give a general
impression rather than specific information.
LONG SHOT- This is the most difficult to categorise precisely, but is generally one which shows the image as approximately "life" size ie corresponding to the real distance between the audience and the screen in a cinema . This category includes the FULL SHOT showing the entire human body, with the head near the top of the frame and the feet near the bottom.
MEDIUM SHOT- Contains a figure from the knees/waist up and is normally used for dialogue scenes, or to show some detail of action.
CLOSE UP- This shows very little background, and concentrates on either a face, or a specific detail of mise en scène. Everything else is just a blur in the background. This shot magnifies the object (think of how big it looks on a cinema screen) and shows the importance of things, be it words written on paper, or the expression on someone's face. The close-up takes us into the mind of a character.
EXTREME CLOSE UP- As its name suggests, an extreme version of the close up, generally magnifying beyond what the human eye would experience in reality. An extreme close-up of a face, for instance, would show only the mouth or eyes, with no background detail whatsoever. This is a very artificial shot, and can be used for dramatic effect.
From these examples we get to see that each camera angle has a specific value and it depends on the mood and purpose of what is trying to be shown in the scene, to which directors choose what camera angle used.
Website: http://www.mediaknowall.com/camangles.html
EXTREME LONG SHOT- This can be taken from as much as a quarter of a mile away, and is generally used as a scene-setting, establishing shot. It normally shows an EXTERIOR, eg the outside of a building, or a landscape, and is often used to show scenes of thrilling action eg in a war film or disaster movie. There will be very little detail visible in the shot, it's meant to give a general
impression rather than specific information.
LONG SHOT- This is the most difficult to categorise precisely, but is generally one which shows the image as approximately "life" size ie corresponding to the real distance between the audience and the screen in a cinema . This category includes the FULL SHOT showing the entire human body, with the head near the top of the frame and the feet near the bottom.
MEDIUM SHOT- Contains a figure from the knees/waist up and is normally used for dialogue scenes, or to show some detail of action.
CLOSE UP- This shows very little background, and concentrates on either a face, or a specific detail of mise en scène. Everything else is just a blur in the background. This shot magnifies the object (think of how big it looks on a cinema screen) and shows the importance of things, be it words written on paper, or the expression on someone's face. The close-up takes us into the mind of a character.
EXTREME CLOSE UP- As its name suggests, an extreme version of the close up, generally magnifying beyond what the human eye would experience in reality. An extreme close-up of a face, for instance, would show only the mouth or eyes, with no background detail whatsoever. This is a very artificial shot, and can be used for dramatic effect.From these examples we get to see that each camera angle has a specific value and it depends on the mood and purpose of what is trying to be shown in the scene, to which directors choose what camera angle used.
Website: http://www.mediaknowall.com/camangles.html
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