Home Film School: Standard Shots & Angles

Framing for Film from Caleb Pike on Vimeo.

The following are some standard camera shots and angles used in movies, though they are by no means all that exist. Within the realm of creativity there are an infinite number of different shots and angles that exist within and outside of these listed here.

A WIDE SHOT (WS) or LONG SHOT (LS) usually covers a 60 degree area or more, with generally everything in the frame in focus, thus requiring the use of a wide angle lens. It is most often used at the beginning of a scene as an ESTABLISHING SHOT that includes the entire body of the subject (or subjects), with the camera far enough away so as to establish their surroundings as well.

A FULL SHOT (FS) includes the entire body of the subject, but is closer to the subject than a WIDE SHOT, therefore allowing less of the surroundings to be seen within the frame. Often a director will start a scene with a WIDE SHOT and then CUT IN to a FULL SHOT.

The MASTER SHOT captures all of the important action of the entire scene in one uninterrupted shot, usually a WIDE SHOT or a FULL SHOT. All other coverage shot within the scene (MEDIUM SHOTS, CLOSE-UPS, etc.) are then shot afterward (if desired) and spliced into the MASTER SHOT during editing.

A MEDIUM SHOT (MS) is usually a head to waist shot that focuses on the actor more intimately while still allowing her some range of movement.

The CLOSE-UP (CU) captures the subject's face and the top of her shoulders. It is very effective for dialogue and REACTION SHOTS.

An EXTREME CLOSE-UP (ECU) will cover mostly just the face, or even just sections of the face (sweat dripping down the cheek), showing emotion without dialogue. It can also capture other body parts (two hands filling the frame in a handshake), or inanimate objects.

A TWO-SHOT is usually a tight medium shot showing two actors either walking, standing, or sitting next to each other. When walking, actors must stay on a straight path and avoid weaving side to side in order to stay within the tight framing.

A director will often start with a TWO-SHOT and then cut in to a series of REVERSAL SHOTS. Reversal Shots show one actor at a time, cutting back and forth between the two as they converse face to face. Each Reversal Shot is turned almost a full 180 degrees from the previous shot.