Establishing shot

-An establishing shot is typically used

at the beginninvg of a scene to set the
stage for the
audience.

-These shots are a staple in

storytelling, helping viewers easily
follow
location changes.

-It establishes the atmosphere of the

scene—whether it’s calm, tense, urban.
Wide shot
-This shot shows the subject (often a
character) within their surroundings,
providing context and spatial
relationships.
Full shot
-A full shot captures the whole
body of the character, from head
to toe, usually with minimal space
around them.

-Useful for highlighting body

language, movement, and action
without focusing on facial
expressions alone.
Medium full shot
This shot is inbetweeen a full shot
and a cowboy shot.

-Provides a good portion of the

subject in the frame but with
some parts cut off (below the
knee,ankle, etc...).
Cowboy shot
-Typically shows the character
from roughly the hip up, offering
a close look at the character’s
upper body, face, and part of their
surroundings.

-Originally popularized in
Westerns to keep both the
character’s face and holstered
gun visible, providing action
readiness and
personality.

-Often used to capture two

characters talking.
Medium shot
-Shows the character from
approximately the waist to the
head, focusing more on the upper
body and face.

-Closer than a full or medium full

shot, it provides clear facial
expressions and gestures but
still includes part of the
background.
Medium close up
shot
-Typically shows the character
from the chest to the top of the
head, giving a closer view of the
face and upper body.

-Allows for more detailed obser-

vation of the character’s expres-
sions and subtle emotions, making
it ideal for emotional or intro-
spective moments.
Close up shot
-Primarily frames the character’s
face, often from just above the
shoulders or neck to the top of
the head. It may also focus on a
specific object or detail (like a
hand or eyes).

- Creates an intense, intimate per-

spective, making the audience feel
closer to the character or detail.
Extreme
close-up shot
-Zooms in on a very specific part of
the subject, such as the eyes, lips,
or an object (like a ring or a
ticking clock), capturing minute
details.

-When used on a character, it

emphasizes heightened emotions,
such as fear, surprise, or
determination, often conveyed
through the eyes or mouth.
Insert shot

-Highlights a particular object,

action, or small detail (e.g., a
letter, a phone screen, a clock)
that is essential to the story or
scene.

-Often used to convey critical

information that advances the
plot or adds to the audience’s
understanding (e.g., showing a
character’s text message or a
clue in a mystery).
Master shot
-It captures all the main action of
a scene from start to finish,
usually from a wide angle. This
shot includes all key characters
and their interactions within the
setting.

- Often used as a primary shot

during filming, it serves as a foun-
dation that editors can cut to and
from, creating a cohesive narra-
tive.

-Common in dialogue-heavy scenes,

as they capture the interactions
and emotional dynamics between
characters.
Single shot:
clean
-A single clean shot is a type of
camera shot where only one
character is shown in the frame
without any visual obstructions
or distractions. “Clean” refers to
the fact that no part of any other
character or object overlaps or
obstructs the main subject,
creating a clear, uninterrupted
view of the single character.
Single shot:
dirty
-A dirty shot (or dirty single) is a
shot of a primary character where
a part of another character or
object is partially visible in the
frame, often blurred or out of
focus. This “dirties” the shot by
subtly adding another presence,
even though the main focus
remains on the primary subject.
Two shot
-This is a camera shot that frames
two characters together within
the same composition. It’s used to
show the interaction, relation-
ship, or contrast between two
characters, often in dialogue
scenes or moments where both
characters are equally important
to the shot.
Group shot
-Frames multiple characters with-
in a single composition, often used
when three or more characters
are interacting or share
significance in a scene.

-Group shots give audiences a

sense of collective dynamics, such
as teamwork, tension, or
camaraderie, as they see multiple
characters together in one frame.
Crowd shot
-A type of wide shot that captures
a large number of people in a
single frame, often to convey
scale, create atmosphere, or
emphasize the magnitude of an
event.

-Crowd shots are

commonly used in scenes
featuring gatherings, protests,
celebrations, sports events, and
other situations involving many
people.
Point of view
(POV) shot
-This is a film technique that shows
the scene from the perspective of
a specific character, effectively
allowing the audience to “see
through their eyes.” This type
of shot immerses viewers in the
character’s experience, making
them feel directly involved in the
character’s actions, thoughts, or
emotions.
Over the
shoulder shot
-The character’s shoulder and
sometimes part of their head are
visible in the foreground,
occupying part of the frame.

-Essentially a dirty single shot.

High angle

-A high-angle shot is a camera

angle in film where the camera is
positioned above the subject,
looking down at it. This technique
can make the subject appear
smaller, weaker, or more
vulnerable, as the downward
perspective naturally reduces its
visual power or presence.

-High-angle shots are often used

to convey mood, emphasize a
character’s emotions, or create a
particular narrative effect.
Aerial angle
-An aerial angle (or aerial shot) is
a type of camera angle in film
taken from an elevated position,
often high above the ground, such
as from a helicopter, drone, or
crane.

-It provides a bird’s-eye view of the

scene, capturing
large-scale environments,
zlandscapes, or significant spatial
relationships between characters,
objects, and settings.
God’s view/
overhead
-A specific type of high-angle shot
in film where the camera is
positioned directly above the sub-
ject, looking straight down at a
90-degree angle. This top-down
perspective gives viewers an
omniscient, detached view, as if
looking from a “God-like”
perspective.

-It’s often used to

provide context, enhance mood, or
imply fate or destiny.
Dutch angle
-A Dutch angle (or Dutch tilt) is a
camera technique in film where the
camera is tilted so that the
horizon line is angled, rather
than level with the bottom of the
frame. This creates a sense of
unease, tension, or disorientation,
making it a popular choice for
scenes that involve psychological
instability, suspense, or chaotic
action.
Ground level
-A camera angle that positions the
camera at or very near the ground,
capturing the scene from a low
perspective.

-The camera is placed close to the

ground, often just a few inches
off the surface, providing a view
that emphasizes the ground or
floor.
Low angle
-The camera is placed at or near
ground level, tilted upwards
toward the subject.

-This perspective can

significantly alter how viewers
perceive the subject, often making
them appear larger, more
powerful, or more imposing.
Knee level
-A knee level shot is a camera
angle that positions the camera
at the height of a person’s knees,
creating a unique perspective that
emphasizes the lower body and can
alter how the scene is perceived.

-Knee level shots can accentuate

characters’ movements, making
them feel more active and engaged
in the scene, which is especially
effective in action sequences or
sports.
Hip level
-This angle is effective in scenes
involving dialogue or interaction
between characters, as it
captures their physical presence
and the dynamics of their
relationship.

-Hip level shots are often used in

action scenes to convey
movement, such as walking,
running, or other physical
activities, giving a dynamic feel to
the shot while maintaining clarity.
Shoulder level
-The camera is aligned with the
character’s shoulders,
providing a balanced view that
captures their upper body and part
of the surrounding environment.
( Almost as if you’re about to bump
shoulders)
Eye level
-An eye level shot is a camera
angle where the camera is
positioned at the height of a
character’s eyes, resulting in a
neutral perspective that reflects
how a person would normally see
the scene. This angle creates a
direct and engaging connection
between the audience and the
characters, making it one of the
most commonly used shot types in
film.
Deep focus
-Technique where everything in a
shot, from the foreground to the
background, is in sharp focus.
Shallow focus
-Technique where only a
specific part of the shot is in
sharp focus, while the rest of the
frame is blurred or out of focus.
Soft focus
-Technique where the image is inten-
tionally made to appear slightly
blurred or diffused.

-This is often achieved using

special lenses, filters, or by
deliberately adjusting the focus
so that edges and details appear
softer. Rather than creating a
sharp, defined look, soft focus
gives a gentle, dreamlike quality to
the image, reducing harsh details
and often enhancing skin tones,
which makes it popular in portrait
photography.
Rack focus
Rack focus, also known as “focus
pull,” is a cinematography
technique where the focus shifts
from one subject to another
within the same shot. This shift
directs the viewer’s attention
from one part of the scene to
another, typically from the
foreground to the background (or
vice versa) without changing the
camera position or angle.
Split dioptic
-A split diopter is a
cinematography technique that
allows two subjects or areas
at different distances within the
same frame to appear in sharp
focus simultaneously.

-This is achieved using a split

diopter lens attachment, which is
essentially half of a close-up lens
added to a standard camera lens.
This attachment creates a split
field of focus: one part of the
frame remains focused on
something close to the camera,
while the other part focuses on
something farther away.
Tilt shift
-Tilt-shift is a photography and
cinematography technique that
involves tilting or shifting a
specialized lens to control the
plane of focus, creating unique
visual effects. The tilt effect
changes the orientation of the
focus plane, allowing only a
specific portion of the frame to be
in sharp focus, while the
surrounding areas are blurred.
This effect can create a
“miniature” or “toy town” look in
scenes, especially when applied to
high-angle shots of landscapes or
cityscapes, making real-life
objects look like tiny models.
principles of cinema-
tographyu
Shapes
-Shapes communicate mood,
character, and meaning. Circles
and curves often feel safe,
natural, or inviting, while squares
and rectangles suggest stability,
rigidity, or order. Triangles,
with their sharp points, can add
tension, dynamism, or danger.

- Directors and cinematographers

use shapes in framing, set design,
and blocking to reinforce themes
and subtly influence how viewers
interpret scenes.
points
tell us where to look
draws ttention there
Lines

-In film, lines guide attention, add

structure, and convey emotion.

-Horizontal lines suggest calm

or stability, while vertical lines
imply strength or confinement
-Diagonal lines create tension
and movement, and curved lines
evoke softness and intimacy.

-Directors use lines to shape

mood and highlight themes.
Contrast
-Contrast in film refers to the
difference between the lightest and
darkest parts of an image, impacting
its mood, depth, and visual impact.

-High contrast (with sharp blacks

and whites) can create a dramatic,
intense, or noir-like feel, emphasizing
shadows and highlights.
-Low contrast, where light and
dark values are closer together,
produces a softer, more muted look,
often conveying warmth, nostalgia,
or calm.

-Directors use contrast to influence

emotional tone and guide the viewer’s
focus within a scene.
Balance
Balance in film is the arrangement
of visual elements to create
harmony or tension. Symmetry
conveys stability and calm, while
asymmetry adds energy or unease.

-Directors use balance to

reflect mood, relationships, and
character emotions.
Texture
-In film, texture refers to the
visual feel of surfaces, adding
depth and realism.

-Rough textures (like gritty

streets or worn fabrics) create
a raw, intense atmosphere, while
smooth textures (like polished
floors or soft fabrics) convey
calmness, elegance, or sterility.

-Filmmakers use texture to enhance

mood, draw focus, and enrich the
sensory experience.
Patterns
give a sense of order or disorder
Movement
Light and shadow (chiaroscuro)