CAMERA WORK & SHOT TYPES

Medium shot;  ’A shot that gives a partial view of the background

and also show the subjects' facial expressions in the context of their body language’

A medium shot is used to show subjects from the waist up with the background partially showing. These shots are used extensively in horror film production as they portray the audience’s perception of people. This can support the viewers understanding of the film. For example, in all three print-screens we can see a characters body language, facial expression and setting all in one shot.

MEDIUM SHOT

Over-the-shoulder shot; ‘A shot where the camera is posit ioned behind one subject's shoulder, usual ly during a conversation. I t implies a connection between the speakers as opposed to the single shot that suggests distance.’

These shots are used to show the relationship between two characters. As we can see by the print-screens, the first shows two characters hugging, suggesting that they have strong relationship. The second shows two characters shaking hands, which suggests that they are just starting a new relationship and have not met before and the final print screen shows two characters with distance between them. This suggests that there is a tension as they are not close together.

OVER-THE-SHOULDER

Close up; ‘A certain feature or part of the subject takes up the whole frame.’

A close up shot is used to show the facial expressions of a character. This helps us to understand any required details and their emotions. For example, the third print screen shows blood pouring down the characters face. This shows that he has been attacked by something or someone. The second print-screen shows a girl screaming, which shows that she is scared and feels insecure. It can also be used to highlight an important feature of a scene, such as a weapon.

CLOSE UP

Establishing shot; ‘A shot, at the head of the scene, that clearly shows the locale the action is set in’

An establishing shot is used to show the location of which the scene is taking place within the movie. This shot is also used to create a representation of a certain area. For example, an establishing shot could be used to show poverty within a slum, or the wealth of a busy city. The establishing shots I ’ve found all use the same representation. It shows the viewer where the scene is taking place, and also shows that the buildings are all very secluded, potentially enclosed.

ESTABLISHING SHOT

Long shot; ‘A shot that depicts an entire character or object from head to foot.’

A long shot is used to show a character from head to toe whilst also showing a large amount of background. They establish the scene whilst showing a characters body language. These can be used to show costume of a character if it should be noticed. It also depicts the unknown, creating fear as you don’t know what is about to happen. Long shots tend to be fairly long in duration to create this tension.

LONG SHOT