Medium shot: Shows the upper body, arms, and head.Ĭlose up: Face and shoulders are showing, and it shows the expression on the character’s face very well.Įxtreme close up: Only part of a character’s face is visible. Medium wide shot: Shows the character, usually cut off below the knees, but it is wide enough to show the settings around him or her and still be close enough to show the expressions on his or her face. Wide shot: Shows the character from head to toe.

It is often used as an opening shot to a new scene. The quickest way to view different camera shots and how they are used is by watching the following YouTube video.Ĭinematography Lesson One: Angles by Nathan GrebeĮxtremely wide shot: Shows a broad view of the surroundings of the character and informs the audience as to what is going on. The DP works very closely with the Director to realize his vision of how the film should look.” 35 Many times the DP will be present during color timing as well. They will also choose the film stock and processing for the film. They direct the camera/grip/lighting crews as to how the lights should be placed, how the camera should be exposed, and basically anything related to the film image. Wikibooks, in their “Movie Making Manual,” defines the director of photography (DP) as being “in charge of the actual image of a film project.

The director, being the chief creative person for a movie, is in charge of the cinematography with the director of photography or the cinematographer being in charge of the actual camera, lighting, and electrical crews. defines cinematography as “the art or technique of motion-picture photography.” 34 Being a technical area, we do not want to put a simple formula in place.

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