Shot Types
The shot used to capture the surroundings of a subject. The subject often appears isolated.
What is an extreme long shot?
The camera remains rooted to one spot and moves horizontally, left to right, across a 180 degree axis.
What is panning?
A stylistic arrangement of short shots which may have thematic or symbolic meaning.
What is montage?
This is a French term meaning 'within the frame'.
What is mise-en-scene?
The shot that stays level to a subject's eye.
What is an eye level shot?
The entire camera moves forward, back, diagonally, vertically or from side-to-side to track action.
What is tracking?
The transition between one shot and another.
What is cut?
The dominant image, the first thing your eyes are drawn to. This may be affected by the spatial positioning of the subject.
What is salience?
What is a low angle shot?
The camera moves along a vertical axis to capture action or to reveal elements of the scene.
What is tilt?
The placement of two shots together for comparison or contrast to create an effect.
What is juxtaposition?
In The Hunger Games, the director used these visual elements to emphasise the extremes of society. (How the Capital citizens prioritize appearance and spectacle over substance).
What is make-up, costuming, props, decor?
What is close-up?
The lens of the camera adjusts to make subjects appear smaller or larger in the frame.
What is zooming?
Cutting between two or more scenes of action in a sequence, indicating that events are occurring simultaneously.
What is cross-cut?
Elements within the image that direct a viewer's attention towards the focal point. Lighting, shadow and leading lines may also direct the viewer's focus.
What are vectors?
This angle is achieved when the camera it titled towards one side. It often creates a disorientating effect.
What is canted angle?