The director manipulates the viewer's perception through his choice of shot. The most important thing is to learn how to frame your subject.
a. Extreme Long Shots
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These are establishing shots as they set the scene.*
- The camera is placed at its furthest distance from the subject.
- The setting / background is emphasized while only revealing certain details of the subject.
- These shots are often used to introduce the setting and atmosphere at the beginning of a scene. This gives the context in which the matertial is set.
b. Long Shots
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These show all or most of the subject e.g. a person.
- They give an overall picture, placing the characters in their setting
c. Medium Shots
These film characters from the waist upwards against their background.
- These allow you to observe facial expressions and body language such as tension. They also show emotions
and reactions between characters.
Image credit - They reveal details of the characters' surroundings and environment.
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Sources: EBH Joubert; English Visual Literacy
http://thewildclassroom.com/wildfilmschool/gettingstarted/camerashots.html
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