CAMERA SHOTS AND ANGLES

High Angle Shot• A shot whereby the camera is

positioned at an angle above the object or character. This shot is to belittle the character and to make them look insignificant.

• In the American slasher film ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ a high angle shot is used when the character ‘Erin’ enters an unknown location, the shot signifies her vulnerability in this scene.

Low Angle Shot• A shot whereby the camera is positioned at an angle below

the object. This shot is used to make the audience seem powerless and to make the character in the shot look heroic or intimidating.

• A low angle shot of the villain used in the film ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ to make the character look dominant and powerful.

Establishing Shot • A wide shot of a location that establishes a sense of

environment and surroundings. It is usually the first shot of a new scene and is designed to give the audience and impression of where the action will be taking place.

• In ‘Halloween’ an establishing shot of the interior of a house let’s the audience know that this is where the action will take place.

Extreme Long Shot (XLS)• A wide shot that places a person or object a long distance

away from the camera. This shot emphasizes the size of the character compared to the landscape such as skyscrapers.

• In ‘The Hills Have Eyes’ extreme long shots emphasize the scale of the desert the characters are stranded in, this generates a feeling of isolation and helplessness.

Long Shot (LS)• A shot in which a person can be seen from head to toe. The

character in the shot takes up almost the full frame height. The long shot is also used to determine the surrounding environment in the scene.

• In the film ‘Cabin In The Woods’ a long shot is used as the characters approach the cabin, this is to show the audience where the scenes environment is based.

Medium Long Shot (MLS)• A shot in which a person

can be seen from the knees upwards. A medium long shot shows the subject in relation to the surroundings.

• In the Horror/ Slasher genre the films villain is typically revealed in a medium longshot or longshot for towards the end of a to show off the character in full form in all its glory.

Medium Shot (MS)• A shot in which a person can be

seen from head to waist. Medium shots are to show the characters body language in the context of their facial expression.

• In ‘Halloween’ this medium shot is used to make the audience feel uncomfortable, his body language and facial is emotionless and his face is covered by a gritty mask which gives the character a sinister and menacing front.

Medium Close Up (MCU)• A shot in which a person can be seen from head to shoulders/

upper body. This shot is commonly used when characters are having conversations

• In ‘Black Christmas’ this medium close up is used to build tension as the audience are unaware to what the character is reacting to.

Close Up (CU)• Close ups are shots usually of the characters face used to

show emotion or activity they are doing with their hands. Close ups allow the audience to connect emotionally to the character.

• This close up from ‘My Bloody Valentine’ shows a scared and confused expression on the characters face which makes the audience anticipate seeing what she can see.

Extreme Close Up (XCU)• A shot which captures a specific feature or reaction on a

person’s face. The shot is usually so tight that only certain details such as someone's eyes or mouth can be seen.

• In ‘The Strangers’ extreme close up shots are used to show emotions such as fear on the characters faces.

Point-of-view-Shot (POV)• A point of view is a shot which shows what a character is

looking at. It is usually established by being positioned between a shot of a character looking at something, and a shot showing the character's reaction. The POV shot is commonly used in the horror genre as it builds tension.

• This POV shot has been used in ‘Scream’ to make the audience feel empathetic towards the victim. It is also hauntingly effective as the ghost faced villain is the last thing that the victim will see.

Two Shot• Two-shots are good for establishing a relationship between

subjects. The characters have equal prominence in the frame meaning that they provide equal input. The two-shot is a common way to introduce two people.

• In the film ‘Urban Legends’ a two shot is used to show the relationship between the two characters, the female is scared whereas the villain shows dominant body language. They are both divided by a pane of glass.

Over-the-shoulder Shot• A shot of someone or something

taken from the perspective or camera angle from the shoulder of another person. The back of the shoulder and head of this person is used to frame the image of whomever the camera is pointing toward.

• An over-the-shoulder shot is used in ‘A Nightmare On Elm Street’ to draw the audience into the scene and to make them feel involved.