Camera Techniques
What is the difference between a pan and a tilt?
Pan = moves left/right; Tilt = moves up/down.
What mood does red lighting create?
Tension, danger, passion, or urgency.
What is the Rule of Thirds?
Dividing the frame into 9 parts; placing key elements along lines or intersections.
What shot would you use to show loneliness?
Wide shot with the subject small and alone.
What might a broken mirror symbolize?
A fractured identity or emotional breakdown
What does a close-up focus on?
A subject’s face or small detail to show emotion.
What is high-key lighting?
Bright, even lighting with low shadows—used in comedies or happy scenes.
Why do filmmakers center a subject?
To show importance, power, or confrontation.
What lighting shows happiness?
Bright, high-key lighting with warm tones.
What does a closed door often represent?
Barriers, secrets, or endings.
What kind of shot shows the entire body and environment?
Long shot or wide shot.
What does blue lighting usually suggest?
Calm, sadness, or mystery.
What does framing within a frame suggest?
Traps, isolation, or focus (like a character seen through a window).
What kind of framing shows tension between characters?
Over-the-shoulder or shot/reverse shot with close-ups.
What does rain often symbolize?
Sadness, renewal, or a turning point.
What is a bird’s-eye view shot used for?
To show isolation, powerlessness, or scope.
What is the effect of backlighting?
Creates silhouettes or drama.
What does leading lines do in a shot?
Guide the viewer’s eye to the subject.
What does a character in shadow symbolize?
Secrets, fear, or moral conflict.
What can an empty chair represent?
Loss, absence, or waiting.
What’s the effect of a handheld camera?
Creates a sense of realism or chaos.
How can color temperature influence mood?
Warm tones = cozy, inviting; Cool tones = distant, eerie.
What is depth of field and how is it used?
Focus range: shallow for focus on subject, deep to show everything clearly.
How can camera movement reflect emotion?
Slow zoom = tension; fast handheld = anxiety or action.
What might a character staring out a window suggest?
Longing, hope, or feeling trapped.