You will notice that these photos show certain angles and shots from different films. Directors and camera operators use different types of shots and angles to help the audience to understand the story.
l Extreme close-up shot: Focuses on one detail such as a person’s eyes or fingernails.
l Close-up shot: A shot that focuses on a person’s face or an object.
l Medium shot: Taking a shot from a medium distance, usually featuring a full length shot of a person or object.
l Long shot: A wide shot or full view, which is taken from a great distance.
l Aerial shot: An overhead or bird’s eye view. l Low shot: Taken from a low angle facing upwards. l High shot: Taken from a high angle facing downwards.
Top Tip
Watch this video on Vimeo to see lots of different shots used in film production https://vimeo.com/72859928
W10.2 Extreme close-up shot
Review images 1–7 again. Match each image up with the type of shot/camera angle being used in each one.
Close-up shot Medium shot Long shot Aerial shot Low shot High shot
The Karate Kid (John G. Avildsen, dir.)
Look up this scene from the classic film, The Karate Kid, on YouTube: ‘Karate Kid Halloween Fight’. This film was directed by John G. Avildsen and stars Ralph Macchio as the ‘karate kid’ who learns to stand up to bullies by mastering the art of karate. In this scene, Daniel (Ralph Macchio) is trying to escape his enemies after playing a practical joke on them at a fancy dress party. Watch out for the director’s editing of angles and shots.
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416 FIRE AND ICE 2
A shot is a frame
or series of frames (images) recorded on film. An angle is the position for capturing or viewing something.
Editing is the process
of cutting and assembling shots to make sense of the action for the audience. Films don’t shoot all their material in order. Sometimes the first scene of a film might be the last one to be shot. It is the film director/editor’s job to cut and put all the scenes together in a logical manner.
