Technical Instruction | Shot Types

In filmmaking, a shot is categorised as the amount of space that is seen in one frame. Shots are used to demonstrate different aspects of the film's setting, characters and themes. Because of this, shots are extremely important in adding meaning into the film.

Shot Types

Extreme Long Shot:

-Contains a large amount of landscape.

-Often used to establish a location or beginning of a scene.

Long Shot:

-Contains landscape but more specific to give the audience more of an idea to the setting of a scene or where action is going to take place.

Full Shot:

-Contains a full view of a character, or multiple characters.

-The audience are able to take in costumes of characters and their mannerisms in order to demonstrate character relationships.

Mid Shot:

-Contains characters from the waist up.

-Audience are able to see the faces of characters more clearly alongside their interactions.

Close-Up:

-Contains a single character's face, usually from the shoulders up.

-Audience are able to see the characters emotions or reactions.

Extreme Close-Up:

-Contains a specific part of a single character's face, or an object.

-Helps create a tense mood and can provide interaction between the character and the audience.