CAMERA ANGLES, MOVEMENTS AND SHOTS ANALYSIS

In order for our media piece to be as successful as possible we need to obtain a full understanding of all the different camera movements, angles and shots and know how to use them as effectively as possible. To do this I will look into the ways in which directors use cameras in an opening sequence and discuss how some of them might be used in our opening sequence.

SHOTS
1. Extreme Long Shot – this shot can be used to establish setting and the location in which the piece will take place. It’s usually used to show an outside location, such as the outside of a building, or a landscape. This type of shot is most commonly used in a war film or disaster movie, for example, in Saving Private Ryan this sort of shot is used to show the beaches of Normandy and to show the many dead bodies which show that battle has taken place. Not much detail is shown in these shots, as it is supposed to a location in general instead of specific details in a location.

2. Long Shot – this is shot allows the audience to see the whole of the object within the shot, for example, if a human was the object within the shot then the screen would show the whole of the body and would be more life-like for the audience, as this shot would correspond to the real distance between the audience and the screen in the cinema or on the television. The head of the figure will usually be near the top of the frame and the feet near the bottom. As this shot mainly focuses on characters, the shot still allows space for background to be visible to the audience, this will allow the audience to get an idea of where the piece takes place as well as focusing on character’s actions and dialogue.

3. Mid-Shot – this shot allows the audience to see a figure from the knees/waist up and is usually used when characters are taking part in dialogue, or to show actions in detail. These shots can vary into a two-shot, which is where two characters are shown, or a three shot, which is where three characters are shown on screen, if any more characters are seen in a shot then it usually becomes a longshot. Another variation of the mid-shot could be an over-the-shoulder-shot, when positions the camera from behind one character, showing part of the characters back (usually the head and the shoulder), which reveals another character; this is used during dialogue most of the time. Background detail is not particularly important in this shot as the location has most likely already been established earlier on in the piece.

4. Close-Up – this shot shows very little background and mainly focuses on expressions and emotions on a character’s face, or specific detail on a prop, for example in the film The Woman in Black, close ups are used upon the Victorian toys within the house to reflect upon the scary, eerie atmosphere. The background is usually very blurred in a close up and magnifies the object on the screen. As this is a very intimate shot, the director will usually use this shot to make us feel very comfortable or uncomfortable about a character.

5. Extreme Close-Up – this shot focuses greatly upon different features on a face, for example, an eye or a mouth, this shot magnifies features in such a way that the human eye would probably not experience. No background detail is shown whatsoever. This shot is usually used for dramatic effect and the tight focus required means that lighting and the setting up of the shot must be dealt with very carefully.

ANGLES

1. Birds-Eye View – this shows a scene from directly overhead. Objects from this angle might appear totally unrecognisable at first. This angle does put the audience in a God-like position, looking down upon an action that is taking place. This shot can also make people look insignificant and can show a great amount of people.

2. High Angle – The camera angle is elevated above the action and uses a crane to get an general overview of a setting. This can be used to make characters appear to be smaller and more insignificant. It can also be used to make a character look weak and small and makes it look as though the audience is looking down on the character and gives the audience a sense of power. It can also be used to show a wide expanse of land and make a landscape look wider than what it truly is.

3. Eye Level – this is when the camera is positioned as though a person or an animal were observing a scene, this can also be called a point of view shot. The camera will usually be placed around 5 to 6 feet off of the ground.

4. Low Angle – this shot increases the height of a character or object and can make them appear more powerful and strong. Low angles shots give a sense of confusion to the audience, of powerlessness with the action of a scene. The background will usually be of the sky or ceiling, this lack of background adds a sense of disorientation to the scene. The added height of the object make the audience feel insecure as they are psychologically dominated by the figure on the screen.

MOVEMENT
1. Pans – this is when a camera scans a scene horizontally. The camera is usually placed on a tripod, and is turned on an axis to reveal a location. This can sometimes be used to follow a moving object which is kept in the middle of the frame.

2. Tilt – this movement is similar to a pan in except the camera moves in a vertical movement. This can also be used, similarly to a pan, to follow he movement of an object.

3. Tracking Shot – this can also be referred to as a dolly shot. This is where the camera is placed on a moving vehicle or a track and follows the action within a scene. It usually follows a character’s movements or object. On a cinematic scale a camera will be placed on a track and will follow movements. Cameras can be placed on a car, a plane, or even a shopping trolley. This is the most effective way to show movement and can sometimes reflect the pace of a piece. For example, if the tracking shot is fast then the atmosphere is usually quite tense. It can also be used from a long shot to a close-up, gradually focussing the audience on a particular object or character.

4. Handheld – this is where a piece is filmed as if a character is holding the camera or from a character’s point of view. It is sometimes used to reflect upon a frantic atmosphere. This technique is most commonly used in horror films or thrillers. The most famous example is probably Paranormal Activity, using this technique allows the audience to feel more immersed with the action and makes the feel more involved. The camera movement used in Paranormal Activity makes the piece full of suspense and tension. Another famous example could be Cloverfield, the way handheld camera is used in this film reflects upon the frantic and frightening atmosphere, for example, when the characters are running away from the monsters the camera is shaky and moves in frantic bursts. This makes the audience scared as they feel as though they are part of the action and become frightened.

After looking at these various camera angles, movements and shots we discussed which camera angles would be most suitable for our idea for our opening sequence. This discussion initially went towards the planning of our storyboard. Mid-shots was an obvious suggestion for our opening sequence as we would use this to show characters and to show the various pictures of the teenage girls. We also agreed on using a close up somewhere in our opening sequence, as this would show emotion and would also make the audience feel some sort of emotion towards the piece as well. An extreme close up could be a possibility as this also shows emotion but might be a bit too intimate for an opening sequence as the audience will not know the character fully. We may also use a long shot to establish the setting, but this might be done further on in the opening sequence when the pictures are shown. When discussing possible camera angles we could use in our opening sequence, we talked about the possibility of using low angle shots when the main character is looking through old pictures and letters from her best friend, we might use this to show this character as being weak and unstable after her friend’s death. We also considered using pans and tilts in this opening sequence as we would be able to show all the pictures of her and her friend without taking up too much time.