Camera angles (close, wide, etc.)

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 In filmmaking and videography, camera "shots" are divided into two main categories: Shot Sizes (how close you are to the subject) and Camera Angles (where the camera is physically placed in relation to the subject).

Understanding how to combine these is how you tell a visual story. Each choice changes how the viewer emotionally connects with what is happening on screen.

1. Shot Sizes (The Distance)

Shot size tells the viewer what to look at and how close they should feel to the character's emotions.

  • Wide Shot (WS) / Establishing Shot: Shows the entire subject and their surrounding environment.

    • Why use it: To set the scene, show where we are, and make a character look small or isolated in a vast space.

  • Medium Shot (MS): Frames the subject from roughly the waist up.

    • Why use it: This is the most common conversational shot. It captures body language, gestures, and facial expressions while still keeping some of the background in view.

  • Close-Up (CU): Fills the screen with the subject’s face (usually from the chest or shoulders up).

    • Why use it: To highlight intense emotion—fear, anger, love, or deep thought. It forces the audience to connect directly with the character's eyes.

  • Extreme Close-Up (ECU): Focuses on a single, specific detail (like a character's eye, a ticking clock, or a hand holding a key).

    • Why use it: To create intense drama, build suspense, or draw absolute focus to a crucial plot detail.

2. Camera Angles (The Relationship)

Where you place the camera vertically or horizontally dictates who has the "power" in a scene.

  • Eye-Level Shot: The camera is at the exact same height as the subject’s eyes.

    • The vibe: Neutral, honest, and objective. It feels like you are standing right in the room with them.

  • Low Angle (Looking Up): The camera is placed below the subject, pointing upward.

    • The vibe: Makes the subject look powerful, intimidating, heroic, or larger-than-life. (Think of superhero movie posters).

  • High Angle (Looking Down): The camera is placed above the subject, pointing downward.

    • The vibe: Makes the subject look vulnerable, weak, small, or overwhelmed.

  • Dutch Angle (Tilted): The camera is noticeably tilted sideways, so the horizon line is not level.

    • The vibe: Creates a feeling of unease, disorientation, psychological tension, or madness. Something in the scene is "off."

  • Bird’s-Eye View (Overhead): Shot from directly above, looking straight down.

    • The vibe: Disconnects the viewer from the action and provides a map-like, god-like perspective of a scene.

Combining Them: The "Rule of Three" Workflow

When shooting a scene (like a conversation or a demonstration), the easiest way to ensure you have enough footage to edit is to shoot the action three times using three different sizes:

  1. Start Wide: Shoot the whole action to establish the room and where people are.

  2. Move to Medium: Shoot it again closer up to focus on the interaction.

  3. Go in for the Close-Up: Capture the reaction shots, facial expressions, or hands working.

When you bring this footage into your editing software, you can easily cut between these three setups to keep the pacing fast and engaging.

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