Understand the different types of shots in filmmaking and learn how these techniques bring scenes to life through visual effects, enhancing their connection with the audience.
Gaining a basic understanding of how professional filmmakers plan and execute different shot types and camera angles can go a long way toward helping you create cinematic videos, just like the ones you watch in Hollywood. Below are all the different types of shots in films we already see and the techniques used to make them.
A. Shots with Different Camera Angles
1. Over-the-Shoulder Shot
One of the most common shots in filmmaking is when two people are shown having a conversation. In this shot, the angle is set in a way that the “off-screen” person is shown from the side, which gives the scene a way that a character feels like looking at the off-screen character and is a more immersive scene, drawing more attention from the viewers.
2. Eye-Level Shot
Remember the famous series “The Office?” Yes, that series was mostly shot with eye-level scenes. Such shots are made to match the eye level and result in a more neutral and relatable perspective. The final scenes are more straightforward and are made by placing the camera adjacent to the subject’s eyes.
3. High- and Low-Angle Shots
For high angles, the camera looks down on the viewer, and for low angles, it is vice versa. The high-angle shots are usually made to make the subject feel weaker in the scene, and low shots make the subject look much stronger and create awe or fear.
4. Tilted angle shot
These shots (a.k.a. Dutch angle shots) are used when filmmakers decide to bring disorientation and unease into the scene. Remember the movie “Inception,” where reality blurred into itself? Those were all tilted shots.
B. Shots with Different Frame Sizes
1. Close-Up and Extreme Close-Up Shots
These types of shots in films are usually taken when the filmmaker has to show the subject’s emotions and close-up details to add more sense to the scene. For this shot, the camera is zoomed onto the subject’s face or a specific object, which highlights crucial plot points and increases the emotional intensity. Remember the scene in “Schindler’s List” where the scene shows tears falling down the cheeks while the assassin pulls the trigger; all were close-up and extreme close-up shots.
2. Medium Shots
As the name suggests, these shots are made to bring balance to the scenes and are characterized by frames where the subject is shown with its chest or shoulders up. Scenes of someone giving a speech or a news anchor reading news are all medium shots.
3. Full shots
Again, as the name suggests, these are made to show the complete character and are usually made when introducing a character or a grand entry. The entire body is shown with the background giving perspective to the entire scene. Usually, most of the Marvel and DC costume reveals of superheroes are all done with this kind of shot.
4. Wide and Extremely Wide Shots
As the name suggests, these shoes are wide and are aimed at capturing as much as possible in the environment without focusing only on the object. Remember the scene where the lone figure walks in the film Lawrence of Arabia?
Almost all of the above types of shots in films you will see are created for wide and extremely widescreen resolutions, which retain end-to-end detail of the entire frame. This is because of using high-end cinematic lenses, which are designed to capture shots with extreme detail even in such wide angles. One such lens is the SIRUI Venus Full-Frame Anamorphic Cinema Lens, next-generation optical hardware designed to give you cinema-grade performance at a budget price.
The lens, being anamorphic in design, comes with its native ability to capture wider frames without cropping and adds organic and extremely beautiful horizontal flares, which enhance the atmosphere in the frame. This becomes more prominent where certain scenes require full-frame coverage without losing any details, like action and crowded sequences.
The lens is built with a T2.9 ultra-bright aperture, which gives high-end and cinematic-grade low-light performance. You also get various focal lengths for this prime lens, which you can use to create different shots we just mentioned above, giving you framing flexibility as well.
C. Shots Made by Moving Camera
1. Crane Shots
Usually used when there is a reveal in the scene and moves from bottom to top using a crane. Nowadays, drones are used instead of cranes for such types of shots.
2. Dolly Shots
An extremely immersive shot in which the camera moves along the subject and tracks it while following a subject.
3. Pan shots
This is also another reveal-type shot, which uses vertical camera rotation and is done from a fixed point. The pan can either start from the dark or sunlight, etc., and then move to an object or a person. The skyline scene in The Dark Knight Rises, before he jumps into the building in Hong Kong, is one example of a pan shot.
4. Handheld Shots
These shots are made to create a realistic feel in the frame and are made by carrying the camera in the hands, which results in shake as it would in a real-life situation.
5. Tilt Shots
As the name suggests, these shots are made tilted and are made from one fixed point, just like the pan shot. They are used to create scale and are also commonly seen in reveal scenes.
Wrapping Up:
In the above-mentioned different types of shots in filmmaking, the most important job is that of the camera and its lens, which is running. Of course, you need tons of skills, investment, and other things to make those shots happen; the final result will definitely be dictated by optics. The SIRUI Venus Full-Frame Anamorphic Cinema Lens is one such lens that helps filmmakers make cinematic-quality shots with confidence.
