Film Analysis

Camera Shots

• A camera shot is the distance between

the camera and its subject (character or
object). Have a look at the following 8
camera shots:
 Extreme Wide Shot
(EWS)
This shot shows a scenic or panoramic view.
The view is so far from the subject that the
subject usually isn't visible. This is often used
as an establishing shot (a shot that establishes
a scene or setting).
 Long Shot (LS)

This shot
shows the
entire body,
including the
setting.
 Medium Long
Shot (MLS)

This shot shows

the subject
presented from
the thigh up (with
head room).
 Medium Shot (MS)
THIS SHOT SHOWS THE SUBJECT ABOVE THE WAIST
Close Up (CU)

In this shot, a certain feature or part of the subject

takes up the whole frame (usually the head of the
subject). This shot typically demonstrates the
emotion of the character.
 Extreme Close
Up (ECU)

This shot shows the

inside of the face or
focuses closely on a part
of an object. This shot
can be used to
showcase a character’s
emotion by showing
extreme detail.
Over the Shoulder Shot
(OSS)
This shot allows the
audience to look from
behind a person at the
subject. This shot helps
to establish the positions
of each person, and get
the feel of looking at one
person from the other's
point of view.
Point of View Shot (POV)
This is shot as if
the viewer were
looking through
the eyes of a
specific
character.
Camera Angles
• The camera angle is the
angle in which the
camera is positioned.

• Camera angles can

have different effects
on us as viewers.
Depending on the angle
used, we might view
the subject differently.
Low Angle Shot (LA)

A low angle shot is below eye level looking up at

the subject. This shows the subject from below,
making them seem powerful or dominant.
High Angle
Shot (HA)
This shot shows
the subject from
above, (i.e. the
camera is angled
down towards the
subject.) This
makes the subject
appear weak,
powerless, or
insignificant.
Eye Level Shot
(EL)
This shot turns the
camera into the
viewer’s “eyes,”
showing subjects as
we would expect to
see them in real life.
It suggests that the
subject is equal to the
viewer
Bird’s Eye View (BEV)
The scene is shown from
directly above. This is a
completely different and
somewhat unnatural point
of view. It can be used to
show the positions and
motions of different
characters and objects,
enabling the viewer to see
things the characters can't.
The bird's-eye view is also
very useful in sports,
documentaries, and other
video forms.
Camera
Movement

Camera
movement is the
way that the
camera moves
Pan
• A shot taken
moving on a
horizontal plane
(from left to right,
right to left).
• If you want to
show a frisbee
flying across a
field, you might
use this shot to
follow the frisbee
from one person to
another.
Tilt
• Camera movement in a
vertical plane (up or
down).

• If you want to show a tall

building but you can't get
it all in your shot, you
might start at the bottom
of the building and go up
to the top
Zoom: The camera
zooms in/out on a
subject.

Tracking: The camera

follows or tracks a
subject. (This gives
the viewer a feeling
of walking or riding
along beside the
subject).
 Use of Sound
When an audience watches a movie, there are typically three sounds they
can hear: the human voice, sound effects and music

• The Human Voice:

• Dialogue (conversations) help to tell the story

• Sound Effects:
• Synchronous sounds: are sounds that create this sense that the film
is “real life”. These sounds create an atmosphere. For example: the
sound of a door clicking when someone opens it.
• Other sound effects: are sounds that are included to provide an
emotional connection to the film. For example: we might hear an
ambulance siren while two people are arguing but we don't
actually see the ambulance. The sound of the siren adds to the
realism of the city setting.

• Music:
• Background music: to add emotion and rhythm to the film
• Music might help to link scenes together
• Music may help with the pace of the film. For example: we might
expect the music to speed up during a car chase
Types of Lighting in Film
• Key light: A nice, soft key light draws viewers' attention to the most important part of the
frame, usually the actor's face
• Fill Lights: Fill in shadows so features are still visible
• Back light/Edge light: Illuminating the subject from the back

Key
Back/Edge
Light
Light

Fill Lights
•Low-key
lighting: Creating
high-contrast is a
great way to add a
more cinematic feel
to a scene. Hard
shadows and fast
fall-off show drama,
seriousness, and/or
tension.
• Color
contrast: Using
colors that contrast
each other will help
make certain
elements in a shot
more distinguishable
and interesting,
guiding the viewer’s
eye to the area of
the frame the
director wants them
to look.
 The Use of
Props
• The word "prop" is shorthand for "property" - referring to
things, items, or objects on the set that are part of the
design and production of a film.
• The variety of props may be endless -- maps, masks,
traps, machines, visual gag items, costuming parts, tools,
weapons, furniture or artwork, unique animals/creatures,
valuables, character references, MacGuffins, symbols,
mementos, the subject of the film, and even a character
in itself.
• The greatest movie props evoke a sense of nostalgia and
cultural relevance, and a well-selected, recognizable and
iconic prop can serve as a symbol for the entire plot of a
film.

• The four most common film props include:

• vehicles (of all kinds)
• weapons (mostly firearms)
• mechanical gadgets
• costume components (and accessories)
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC
Anatomy of a Scene
Click on the following link from the New
York Times and choose a few “Anatomy
of a Scene” clips to watch. These clips
are from recent films and have the
directors explaining their cinematic
choices. Pay attention to their reasons
for their choices. They are providing
analysis of the scene and cinematic
effects. If you search “Harry Potter
Anatomy of a Scene,” this director
explains several different element
choices:
https://www.nytimes.com/video/anato
my-of-a-scene
Practice Time!
• Choose a clip or still from one of your favorite movies.
• Choose one cinematic element to analyze (camera shot,
camera angle, colour, lighting, prop, sounds etc.).
• Answer the following questions in your analysis:

• 1. What film element are you analyzing?

• 2. How does the director use this element to create an effect?
• 3. How does this element help the director connect to or emphasize
the film’s overall message?