Lesson 9 Types Camera Framing

Lesson 9
Types Camera
framing
Framing camera shots
When you're framing a camera shot,
'framing' refers to how you decide what
will appear within the camera frame. This
can involve deciding how far, or how
close, the camera will be to what it is
filming. Below is a video showing
examples of three main types, wide shot,
mid-shot, and close-up.
Here's what we'll
cover.
Shot types
Camera angles
Camera movement
Framing camera shots
The word ‘frame’ is used a lot
when it comes to films and
filmmaking, and it's used to
describe the rectangular frame a
camera sees through.
When you're framing a camera
shot, 'framing' refers to how
you decide what will appear
within the camera frame.
• This can involve deciding how far, or how close, the camera
will be to what it is filming. Deciding how far the camera is
positioned from a subject (usually a character) or object
doesn’t just dictate what the audience should be looking at, it
hints at what is important, and can also convey a feeling.
• We call this distance a camera shot. Below is a video showing
examples of three main types, wide shot, mid-shot, and close-
up.
• Now you've seen some visual examples of those three shot
types, read through the page shot type extended before
moving onto the next activity.
Shot types extended.
Complete one or all of the following activities
using your understanding of shot types.
Shot types: activity 1
Open the document Film It - framing shot types

below. Add rectangular frames (digitally or
physically, it’s up to you) onto the image to
illustrate the following shot types: long shot, mid
shot, close up, and extreme close up.
Add a note for each shot type and explain why a
cinematographer might use each shot. Don't forget
you can read a lot more and look at more visual
examples of shot types here.
Download the template Film It -
illustrating shot types from below.
You’ll notice there are 7 frames
labeled with shot types. Draw an
example of each shot type to show
your understanding using one to two
characters in each panel help
illustrate the shot type. See if you can
give your characters expression and
or indicate movement that relates to
what each shot type can be good for
capturing.
If you have a bit more time, nothing is better than going
out and actually filming or photographing examples of
shot types.
Grab a camera and photograph examples of each shot to
show your understanding. When doing this, give whoever
is in your photos some basic acting instructions – to do
this you’ll need to think about what the shot types are
good for. So for your extreme close up would you like the
person’s eyes to express fear, wonder, sadness? In the
mid-shot do you want the person to be performing some
sort of action or striking a pose? For the two-shot, what
kind of interaction do you want your characters to be
having?
Present your images as a poster or a presentation, and
include a short written or verbal explanation of what you
were trying to capture in each image.
Camera angles
The way the camera is angled can
contribute to the meaning the audience
will get from the shot and can be used to
make characters look a certain way. You
might choose a low-angle to make
something or someone look powerful,
scary, heroic, or important. And you might
choose a high-angle to get the opposite of
that.
The angle can also help an audience get a
sense for what a character is experiencing
and what they are feeling, all these by simply
changing the angle of the camera.
Watch the video below. It goes through three
key types of camera angles, low-angle, high-
angle, and the dutch angle. Before tackling
any of the activities below, read through the
extended camera angles page, as it has
descriptions and visual examples of all the
camera angles.
Camera angles - extended.
Looking at examples of camera
angles is all good and well, but you
won't get the hang of them unless you
try them out yourself.
Try one or all of the following activities:
Camera angles: activity 1
Create a poster that shows examples of
all the different camera angles shown
above, but find images from movies you
know. You can take screen grabs from
the film itself, or search online.
Camera angles: activity 2
Using a camera, take a series of photos of a
subject, preferably a person. You can partner up
with someone in your classroom. Take a photo
from a low angle, an extremely low angle, high
angle, eye level, and dutch angle. Before taking
each photo, give some instruction to the person
posing for the photo that relates to the reason
you're using that angle. For example is your low
angle to make your subject look heroic, or evil
and intimidating?
Camera movement
When framing the camera, and establishing the camera
angle, you’ll most likely be in a stationery position with the
camera on a tripod in what we call a static (not moving)
position.
Your camera doesn’t have to be static though, it can move!
And how it moves is important to how the viewer will
experience the footage you film. Shaky hand-held style
might make the audience feel ill but it might make them
feel part of or close to the action. Smooth tracking shots
might feel more assured and again bring the audience into
the action, but in a very different way.
Camera movement - extended.
Camera movement activity
For this activity you'll need a video camera or a device

that captures video (like an iPad). You'll also need a
large, open space to film in.
It's excellent if you have access to a tripod, but if you
don't you can do without one for now.
Film a simple scene of a character walking across a
large, open space. You'll film the same scene three
times, each time a little differently:
Film the character from side on using a long shot, with
the camera static (still, not moving)
With the camera in the same position, film your
actor again but this time either pan with, or towards,
your character. So 'with' meaning following them,
'towards' meaning the camera pans from the
direction the character is walking towards.
Now, with your camera off your tripod, shoot the
action again but track behind (follow) your character
and film. You can try the opposite, and track from
the front as your character moves.
Reflection:
Watch back all your footage, and discuss
what you liked about each camera
movement. Things to think about include;
did some shots convey more information to
the viewer? Do you think some would
make the audience feel different from
others? Were some more visually engaging
than others?
Name: _______________________________ Section : __________ Date:
_________
Professor: _____________________________ Score :
_________________________
Time started : _______________ Time Finished : ____Working Time: _____
Lesson 9
Shoot a documentary film
Thank you so much for listening
by:
Prof. Maria Josefa C. Orcega

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Lesson 9

Open the document Film It - framing shot types

Camera movement activity

For this activity you'll need a video camera or a device

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