R&P - Shot Types

There is a convention in all of the video, film and television industries which assigns names and guidelines to common types of shots, framing and picture composition. The list below briefly describes the most common shot types (click the images for more details).

The exact terminology varies between production environments but the basic principles are the same.

Shots are usually described in relation to a particular subject. In most of the examples below, the subject is the boy.

EWS (Extreme Wide Shot)

The view is so far from the subject that he isn't even visible. Often used as an establishing shot.

In the extreme wide shot, the view is so far from the subject that s/he isn't even visible. The point of this shot is to show the subject's surroundings.

The EWS is often used as an "establishing shot" - the first shot of a new scene, designed to show the audience where the action is taking place.

It is also useful in scenes where the action is very spread out. For example, in a war movie an extreme wide shot can show the scale of the action.

VWS (Very Wide Shot)

The subject is visible (barely), but the emphasis is still on placing him in his environment.

The very wide shot is much closer to the subject than an extreme wide shot, but still much further away than a wide shot. The subject is visible here but only just (in this case it's a boy leaning against the fence). The emphasis is very much on placing him in his environment.

This often works as an establishing shot, in which the audience is shown the whole setting so they can orient themselves.

The VWS also allows plenty of room for action to take place, or for multiple subjects to appear on screen.

WS (Wide Shot)
The subject takes up the full frame, or at least as much as comfortably possible.
AKA: long shot, full shot.

In the wide shot, the subject takes up the full frame. In this case, the boy's feet are almost at the bottom of frame and his head is almost at the top. Obviously the subject doesn't take up the whole width and height of the frame, since this is as close as we can get without losing any part of him. The small amount of room above and below the subject can be thought of as safety room — you don't want to be cutting the top of the head off. It would also look uncomfortable if his feet and head were exactly at the top and bottom of frame.

As with many shot types, the wide shot means different things to different people. However the wide shot seems to suffer more from varying interpretations than other types. Many people take the WS to mean something much wider than our example, i.e. what we would call a very wide shot.

MS (Mid Shot)
Shows some part of the subject in more detail while still giving an impression of the whole subject.

The mid shot shows some part of the subject in more detail, whilst still showing enough for the audience to feel as if they were looking at the whole subject. In fact, this is an approximation of how you would see a person "in the flesh" if you were having a casual conversation. You wouldn't be paying any attention to their lower body, so that part of the picture is unnecessary.

The MS is appropriate when the subject is speaking without too much emotion or intense concentration. It also works well when the intent is to deliver information, which is why it is frequently used by television news presenters. You will often see a story begin with a MS of the reporter (providing information), followed by closer shots of interview subjects (providing reactions and emotion).

As well as being a comfortable, emotionally neutral shot, the mid shot allows room for hand gestures and a bit of movement.

MCU (Medium Close Up)
Half way between a MS and a CU.

The medium closeup is half way between a mid shot and a close up. This shot shows the face more clearly, without getting uncomfortably close.

CU (Close Up)
A certain feature or part of the subject takes up the whole frame.

In the closeup shot, a certain feature or part of the subject takes up most of the frame. A close up of a person usually means a close up of their face (unless specified otherwise).

Close-ups are obviously useful for showing detail and can also be used as a cut-in.

A close-up of a person emphasizes their emotional state. Whereas a mid-shot or wide-shot is more appropriate for delivering facts and general information, a close-up exaggerates facial expressions which convey emotion. The viewer is drawn into the subject's personal space and shares their feelings.

A variation is the chocker shot which is typically framed on the subject's face from above the eyebrows to below the mouth.

ECU (Extreme Close Up)
The ECU gets right in and shows extreme detail.

The ECU (also known as XCU) gets right in and shows extreme detail.

You would normally need a specific reason to get this close. It is too close to show general reactions or emotion except in very dramatic scenes.

A variation of this shot is the choker.

Cut-In
Shows some (other) part of the subject in detail.

Like a cutaway, but specifically refers to showing some part of the subject in detail.

Can be used purely as an edit point, or to emphasize emotion etc. For example, hand movements can show enthusiasm, agitation, nervousness, etc.

CA (Cutaway)
A shot of something other than the subject.

A cutaway is a shot that's usually of something other than the current action. It could be a different subject (eg. this cat when the main subject is its owner), a close up of a different part of the subject (eg. the subject's hands), or just about anything else.

The cutaway is used as a "buffer" between shots (to help the editing process), or to add interest/information.

Two-Shot
A shot of two people, framed similarly to a mid shot.

There are a few variations on this one, but the basic idea is to have a comfortable shot of two people. Often used in interviews, or when two presenters are hosting a show.

A "One-Shot" could be a mid-shot of either of these subjects. A "Three-Shot", unsurprisingly, contains three people.

Two-shots are good for establishing a relationship between subjects. If you see two sports presenters standing side by side facing the camera, you get the idea that these people are going to be the show's co-hosts. As they have equal prominence in the frame, the implication is that they will provide equal input. Of course this doesn't always apply, for example, there are many instances in which it's obvious one of the people is a presenter and the other is a guest. In any case, the two-shot is a natural way to introduce two people.

A two-shot could also involve movement or action. It is a good way to follow the interaction between two people without getting distracted by their surroundings.

(OSS) Over-the-Shoulder Shot
Looking from behind a person at the subject.

This shot is framed from behind a person who is looking at the subject. The person facing the subject should usually occupy about 1/3 of the frame.

This shot helps to establish the position of each person, and get the feel of looking at one person from the other's point of view.

It's common to cut between these shots during a conversation, alternating the view between the different speakers.

Point-of-View Shot (POV)
Shows a view from the subject's perspective.

This shot shows a view from the subject's perspective. It is usually edited in such a way that it is obvious whose POV it is.

R&P - Intro Analysis

The way a film opens up to the audience varies from genre to genre. The trailer below fits perfectly with the action theme of our genre, the intro to this movie immediately catches the audiences eyes, and the transition effects add more eye swirling movements which gives off the impression of the movie being a blockbuster.

Props to use

Props are essential ingredients for any movie, or such filming genres, they provide the vital sense of any film, which is 'realism'. A theatrical property, commonly referred to as a prop, is an object used on set/stage by actors to further the plot or story line of a movie. Smaller props are referred to as "hand props". Larger props may also be set decoration, such as a chair or table. The difference between a set decoration and a prop is use. If the item is not touched by a performer for any reason it is simply a set decoration. If it is touched by the actor in accordance to script requirements or as deemed by the director, it is a prop.

Working in coordination with the set designer, costume designer, lighting and sometimes, sound designer, this overlapping position has only in recent years become of greater importance. Props have become more and more specialized due in large part to realism as well as the rise of theatre in the round, where few sets are used and the simple prop becomes as important a design element as costumes and lighting.

Besides the obvious artistic creations made in the prop workshop, much of the work done by the property designer is research, phone searches, and general footwork in finding needed items. Prop designers are not always credited in theater, but film credits for full staff of designers, artisans and craftsmen are much more common.

 

As our genre is urban/action, we will have a dangerous weapon such as a gun and a hand knife, probabaly a shank, all fake of course. 

 

 

Other props that we use are small props such as, fake blood, make-up for bruised effects and jewellery for distinguising between the status of the characters.

 

  

 

 

R&P - Location

The location of the film assignment may vary, however my group and I have been sampling a few locations as our genre is urban/action, and this one, personally for me stands out as a major competitor. The elements in this location such as, good lighting in areas of action, dark areas for concealed mysteriousness, and urban style graffiti on the walls will ultimately influence our choice to choose this location for filming.

 

Film Production Companies - Paramount Pictures

Paramount Pictures Corporation is a film and television production/distribution company, consistently ranked as one of the largest (top-grossing) movie studios. It is a division of American media conglomerate Viacom.
The company dates its beginnings to the 1912 founding date of the Famous Players Film Company, one of the companies that merged into Paramount Pictures (then known as Famous Players-Lasky Corporation) in 1916. Paramount is the fourth oldest existing film studio in the world behind Universal Studios, Pathé and Gaumont Pictures. Also, it is the last major film studio still headquartered in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, remarkably it is the fourth oldest film studio in the world.

Paramount Pictures


Here are a few films produced with the involvement of paramount pictures:
Paul (2011)


Tower Heist (2011)


Transformers (2007)

Film Questionnaire

The film questionnaire design which I had posted a few days ago has been filled out by anonymous volunteers and the picture below is a finished questionnaire from which I will conduct an analysis and post the results as soon as possible.

Here is the evaluation of the questionnaires' results:

Film Production Companies - Universal Studios

Universal Studios (also known as Universal Pictures), is an American motion picture studio, owned by Comcast, and one of the six major movie studios. It is one of the longest-lived motion picture studios to be located outside of Hollywood. It is a division of American media conglomerate NBCUniversal.
Founded in 1912 by Carl Laemmle, Mark Dintenfass, Charles Baumann, Adam Kessel, Pat Powers, William Swanson, David Horsley, and Jules Brulatour, it is the oldest movie studio in the United States of America. It is also the third oldest in the world that is still in continuous production; the first being Gaumont Pictures, the second oldest is Pathé and the fourth oldest is Paramount Pictures. On May 11, 2004, the controlling stake in the company was sold by Vivendi Universal to General Electric, parent of NBC.

The resulting media super-conglomerate was renamed NBC Universal, while Universal Studios Inc. remained the name of the production subsidiary. In addition to owning a sizable film library spanning the earliest decades of cinema to more contemporary works, it also owns a sizable collection of TV shows through its subsidiary NBC Universal Televsion Distribution. It also acquired rights to several prominent filmmakers' works originally released by other studios through its subsidiaries over the years. Selected clips and footage shot by Universal Studios are available for purchase from the NBC Universal Archives.
Its production studios are at 100 Universal City Plaza Drive in Universal City California. Distribution and other corporate offices are in New York City.



Here are a few films produced with the involvement of Universal Studios:

Jurassic Park (1993)



Battleship(2012)



The Bourne Identity (2002)

Film Production Companies - Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. (though the name was occasionally given in full form as Warner Brothers during the company's early years), is an American producer of film, television, and music entertainment, this film/entertainment production company has been passed down from generation to generation.


Below are a few films produced with the involvement of WarnerBros.:

Rush Hour (1998), Rush Hour 2 (2001), Rush Hour 3 (2007)

 

Blade (1998)



The Matrix (1999)

Camera Techniques to Implement

Camera techniques are a major element in film production, they dictate how smooth the film would be-visually for the audience,the techniques used are moderately easy to utilize but it will come to fruition until the finished product is presented. As there will be two camera men taking turns to shoot the scene, the techniques will be revised thoroughly and experimented with, some experimentation has already been carried out in previous shoots, but it was all practice so there is not much left to cover. As we have chosen the urban/action genre of our film assignment we will pick accordingly as to when and where we should implement shot angles with different techniques to maximize the full potential, which would give us in return- a quality piece of filming.

Zoom

Description: View of subject changes from tight to wide or wide to tight using the zoom control on the lens. The camera does not move.Purposes: Change focus of attention from broad view to detail of subject or vice versa, keep size of moving subject the same in frame, reveal surroundings of subject (zoom out). Provides sense of magnifying subject without getting physically closer (zoom in).

Follow Action

Description: Camera follows subject as they move. May involve panning, tilting, and zooming.Purposes: Keep subject in frame, add energy and movement to scene.

Let in/out

Description: Camera is stationary and subject enters or leaves frame.Purposes: Allow subject to enter or leave scene, a transition between scenes or subjects. Let in can establish a setting and then bring attention to subject walking into setting. Let out can be used to end a scene.

Let in & Follow

Description: Subject enters camera frame and then camera follows moving subject.Purposes: Establish a scene and then follow action, change attention from one subject to another, pickup pace of scene, transition between subjects.

Shift Attention

Description: Uses a pan, tilt or combination to change the main subject of a shot from one element to another.Purposes: Shift attention from one element in the frame to another, shows physical relationship between subject elements, to also follow action by changing frames when main action changes between subject elements or show secondary activities happening while main action occurs.

Film Questionnaire - Completed

This is the picture of a completed questionnaire, filled out by an anonymous volunteer.

Camera Movement to Implement

As the film assignment is in the urban/action genre, the camera movement will have to be precise as well as free flowing to bring the best out of the clip and have a real positive effect on the audience.

Pan

Description: Shows what's to the left or right of the screen.
Purposes: Reveal setting, sweep across subject wider than screen, show relationship between two subjects.

Tilt

Description: Shows what's above or below the screen.
Purposes: Reveal parts of vertical subject, useful for showing tall objects, show relationship between parts of a subject, can add suspense or surprise.

Track/Dolly

(Track) Description: Camera physically moves to left or right around subject.   Purposes: Reveals another side of subject, adds dimension, shows physical relationship between objects or subjects.

(Dolly) Description: Camera physically moves toward or away from subject.
Purposes: Change focus of attention from broad view to detail of subject or vice versa. Provides the sense of physically moving closer or further from subject.

Basic Camera Shots to Implement

Basic Camera Angles to Implement in the film assignment:

Wide Shot

Description: Shows whole body or space.

Purposes: Establish scene or setting, allow room for action.

Medium Wide Shot

Description: Shows most of body or space.

Purposes: Allows room for movement and other subjects to enter frame.

Medium Shot

Description: Shows subject from waist up.

Purposes: Allows connection with subject while providing room for gestures. Most frequently used shot.

Medium Close Up

Description: Shows part of subject.

Purposes: Focuses attention to details.

Close Up

Description: Shows enlarged view of part of subject.

Purposes: Draws attention to details and adds emotion.