Shot Types

Wide Shot:

Includes the whole body and is used to show the perspective of the character, to give the audience an idea of the setting and is usually used at the start of a film.

Medium Shot:

Used so that the audience can get a feeling of the personality of a character. Often used to show the clothing, etc of the character.

Close Up:

Used to show facial expression and to get the audience to feel or understand the character's emotion. For example, there is a close up of the frog in Alice in Wonderland which makes the audience feel empathy for the fearful frog.

Extreme Close Up:

Often used in horror films so the audience can see the persons face. It shows the eyes of the person, for greater audience response.

Low Angle:

The camera is placed on the ground. This shot type makes the film more interesting and generally makes the person in the shot seem larger or more powerful and can make them seem a bit distorted.

High Angle:

The camera is placed up high. This shot type generally makes the character seem more vulnerable and smaller.

Over the Shoulder:

Often used in scenes where there is a conversation between two people. It gives the audience an idea of how one character is viewing another.

2-Shot Interview Set Up:

Used in the same context as over the shoulder, but this shot type seems more casual than over the shoulder.