One of the integral parts of every film is camera work, without which no film can be made. To make a film you need to shoot its scene and well, you cannot do it without a camera of any sort. However, shooting a scene/s is not so simple, you need to thoroughly think the camera angles, camera movements and shot types and maybe later on change them if the ones you thought of don’t give the desired impact.

Camera movement, angles and shot types can greatly influence every frame and even completely change the tone and sometimes even the meaning of the scene. Therefore, it is very important to know about the different shot types, camera movements and the impact that different angles create. Since I have got to make a film opening, it is necessary for me to be aware of them.

The different Shot Types:

The Distance Shots:  These shots are divided according to the distance between the camera and the character/s or object/s of focus in the frame. Usually the mid-shots and close-ups are utilized for the purpose of showing character driven scenes whereas, the long-shots and wide-shots are used to convey more about the action and themes.

The distance shots are;

• Close-ups: This shot shows the character or object up close, usually in the case of a character, only the head or head and shoulders fit in the frame. This is used to put more focus on the expression or reaction of the character and the details of the object, in case the close-up is of an object. They reveal the character’s feelings and thoughts and are used to reveal the truth about the character.
• Extreme Close-up: This is when a specific body part or a specific part of an object is shown up close. It is used to give more significance to the body part or the detail/part of the object which is shown in the frame. It also increases the emphasis the audience puts on the part.
• Mid-shot: This is one of the most common shot types, and it, while focusing on the character or object, also gives background information. In case of a character, it is usually from the waist to the top of the head.
• Long-shot: This type of shot is from a distance and is mostly used as an establishing shot to set the scene in the film. In case the long shot is of a character, it includes the full body of the character.
• Wide-shot: This shot is usually captured with a wide angle lens and packs a lot of visual information into the scene for the audience to properly comprehend it and get a good idea of what’s going on.

The Movement Shots: In these shots, the camera moves and the movements can be of multiple different types. The camera can also be static, which means that it doesn’t actually move. Such shots are usually of a short duration but highly effective.

The different types of movement shots are:

• Zoom Shots: The camera stays static but gives the impression that it is moving either towards or away from the object/character in focus, this is done through either zooming in or zooming out. These shots can have several purposes and also, they can be kept very subtle or made very obvious as well.
• Pan Shot: In a pan shot, the camera moves horizontally while staying in one place; it is just like standing in a place and then turning your head from left to right.
• Tilt Shot: This is like a pan shot, the difference being that instead of a moving horizontally, the camera moves vertically. They are sometimes used to move between low and high angle shots.
• Tracking Shots: In a tracking shot, the entire camera moves and to keep the movement smooth, the camera is usually mounted on a dolly, earning them the title of dolly shots as well. There are different types of Dolly Shots;
  • Character Dolly: this is most often used to focus on one or more characters in a scene. It also has a secondary name, push-in. the shot begins with a full or sometimes mid-shot and the camera pushes forward. It can be sometimes pushed all the way to an extreme close-up as well, if the scene requires it. They increase the seriousness of the scene and highlight a character’s emotions and feelings as well. By keeping the pace of the movement high, comical impact can be delivered as well.
  • Pull-Back Reveal: This is the reversal of a Push-In or character dolly, in a pullback reveal, the camera is set in a close-up and the shot pulls back to reveal the surrounding and it is mostly used to show the enormity of the situation
  • Expand Dolly: In an expand dolly, the camera is following a character whose pace is faster than the pace of the camera. This gives the impression that the character is moving away and creates a sense of distance as the audience feels distanced from the character. It can be used to end a scene and can be reversed to introduce a character.
  • Contract Dolly: In a contract dolly, the camera moves forward, with the character simultaneously moving towards the camera. This increases the drama in even a simple effect due to the usage of two opposite actions.
• Crane Shots: In these shots, the camera is either mounted on a crane or a mechanical arm that is able to lift it above the ground. It is not necessary that they must be very high shots but have great flexibility for shots. They can be used dramatically to simulate flying or swooping through a scene.
• Canted Angle Shots: The camera is placed at a specific angle to record the action. It can be used as a point of view shot or to create interesting speed images
• Aerial Shot: They are used to give a bird’s eye view of the scene, the sensation of flying or to create extreme long-distance establishing shots. They are usually shot through a helicopter or plane.
• Handheld Shots: In these shots, instead of being on a stable surface, the camera is held by a person. Such shots are used to create a bumpy look and were made popular by films like ‘the Blair Witch Project’. They are mostly used to give a sense of reality and for point of view shots.

Moving on to the different Angle Shots, they are;

• Eye Level Angle or Straight on Angle: Such shots create a real life effect. The camera is on the same level as the subject and this brings the audience on the same level as the subject as well, involving them in the action.
• High-Angle Shots: These shots are used to make someone look weak, inferior or intimidated. This is done by keeping the camera above the head and making them look upwards to look at the camera
• Low-Angle Shots: These are the opposite of the High-Angle shots, both literally and figuratively. They are used to make someone look powerful, superior and intimidating to the audience. This is done by placing the camera below their head level and making them look down on the camera.

Some shots serve a specific purpose and can be attained by different shot types; therefore, they are described by the purpose they serve instead of the type of shot. They are;

• Point of View Shot: This shot is a first person shot and is what the character would be seeing in the scene or frame. It can be any kind of shot and it puts the audience into the mind of the character and the camera usually moves according to the movement of the character’s head.
• Over The Shoulder Shot: This shot is used for the purpose of filming conversations. The camera films from over the should of one person and it films what the other person is saying to him. It is usually combined with a reverse angle shot to show what the person whose shoulder we saw replied.
• Two Shot: This is the shot of two people talking to each other and it shows the relation between them. It can be used to show the dialogues with Over the Shoulder Shots and/or close-ups.

These are the main camera angles, shot types and camera movements which one should know if he plans to make a film, or in my case, a film opening.

Some important facts to know about the shots in a film or TV Show is that each shot has a specific reason for being chosen and each shot has a certain effect on the audience. The effect of the shot can be about understanding the theme, characters or the story. The effect can be discovered and analyzed for its role to the audience’s understanding of the the scene and of the idea of the film as a whole.