Cinematography - Camera Shots

A Brief Overview of 12 Commonly Used Camera Shots/Angles

Aerial Shot

Aerial shots are basically a hybrid between birds-eye-view shots and establishing. They are shot from
a steep angle looking down on the subject, yet generally, they don't connote the character to be inferior, they instead just show the location.
On the right ->  you can see that the image is on a black table. But they differ from establishing shots as you can't see the entire background. Much like in the photo you can't see the entire Sofa. They are also filmed from higher up than establishing shots. This shot was used very commonly during the 1970s opening scenes.

Opening Scene from Grease(1978):

Establishing Shot

Establishing Shot

Like I said, very similar to the aerial shot, except this one generally has a wider field of view and shot from a flatter angle.

Used at the beginning of movies and when a location change has occurred as it is a very easy/quick way to denote where the characters are. However another big difference from the aerial shot is that generally, you don't see the character, more an overview of their location i.e you know the water bottle/character is in that room/city.

Shawshank Redemption(1994) - Opening scene

High/Low Angle Shot

High Angle Shot

High angle shots are used commonly to signify that the subject is inferior/weak as they are looked down upon by the audience

Low Angle Shot

Notice how in this shot the water bottle looks a lot more menacing. That's because the audience is looking up to a subject. Not only does it connote a menacing character, but also a heroic protagonist.

A great exaggerated example of these two shots in Scrubs... notice how the woman seems superior.

Handheld Shot

Most commonly used in the action genre during chase scenes, as the shake effectively immerses viewers as it suggests they are running during the scene as well and are part of the action. Unlike the bottle example -> it is generally a POV shot so it's even more immersive and exciting for the audience as they gain pleasure from the adrenaline.

Example from James Bond;Casino Royale(2006)


Dolly Zoom

The least commonly used shot on this list. The dolly zoom connotes a moment of realization/panic as it zooms out while the camera tracks towards the subject which signifies how they've suddenly been thrown into a intense situation where they're lost/confused.



Famous example from Jaws (1975)

Arc Shot

Arc shots are perfect for use in scenes during action movies when the protagonist is alone/vulnerable as with no one nearby they have no support against the enemy. They can also be used in the horror genre to connote that character to also be alone and so they are an easy pickings for the antagonist. They can also be used to show someone being outgrowded/trapped as they are surrounded and can't escaping.


Example in Black Hawk Down (2001)


Locked-Down Shot

The locked down shot is when characters walk onto the scene then off without it cutting to follow them. It's used generally within a city environment and in romantic/drama films. It's failure to capture the entire movement represents the difficulty in capturing the entirety of life, as it is usually used during an emotional scene, It can also be used as a temporal ellipsis as it could cut to there destination rather than following the entirety of the travel.

Example from A Serious of Unfortunate Events (2004)

Close Up

Close Up/Medium Shot

An extremely common shot used in all genres due to it's may different connotations, its when the camera gets close to an object of importance or generally a characters facial emotions to show the object clearly and to cement it in the viewers mind. It can create poignant moments with a close up of a characters sad face, or in quick succession can create a tense, scary atmosphere.

Medium Shot

Instead of being as intense as close ups, medium shots are sued to show a characters attire, props, the background and just generally more mise-en-scene. It's generally the things inside the scene that connote meaning in this shot, less of the actual shot.

Examples of these shots from the SHE-Network

The Dutch Angle

When the camera is at a slight slant rather than horizontal, it connotes something is wrong or a character is a bit edgy and not to be trusted. It can also be used to show a character in jeopardy as they are in an irregular circumstance etc.



Example from Mission Impossible (1996)

Deep Focus

Deep Focus

When the foreground, middle and background are in sharp focus, this shot is used to primarily show important mise-en-scene, but also can crowd the audience with too many things to pay attention to and so purposefully confuse/disorientate them.



Example from Citizen Kane(1941)


using a variety of these camera angles will greatly improve the level of our final task, and so we should specifically frame shots to capture these techniques. It'll also help us storyboard as we can plan these specific shots and convey meaning more effectively