Media ISL Task 1

Composition: Where objects are placed.

Rule of Thirds: When composing a shot imagine a grid over the top of it. For the audience the points of interests are where the lines cross.

The Golden Mean: When composing a shot imagine a diagonal line over it, the points of interest are along the line.

Framing: Framing is what you choose to keep in the shot and what you choose to leave out. For the audience what you leave out could be important, for example for a Thriller you might exclude objects to create tension.

Extreme Long Shot (ELS): The subject isn’t clearly visible. The point of the shot is to show surroundings. Good to show new scenes especially for the audience. Also shows where action is taking place.

Long Shot (LS): The subject takes up most of the shot. His feet and head tend to be in the shot. Shows the audience a character in their environment.

Mid Shot (MS): 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 subject. Means the audience feel they are talking to them or seeing them in the flesh.

Medium Close up (MCU): The medium close up is half way between a mid-shot and a close up. Good for the audience as shows the face clearly.

Close up (CU): A certain feature or part of the subject takes up most of the frame. A close up of a person usually show their face. Audience can see their emotional state e.g. happy, sad, and worried.

Extreme Close up (ECU): The ECU gets right in and shows extreme detail. Used in dramatic scenes to show emotion and general reactions. Makes the audience feel claustrophobic and up close.

Cut Away (CA): A cut away is a shot that is usually of something other than the current action. Used as a buffer between shots (makes the editing process easier).

Two Shot: Good for establishing a relationship between subjects. A two-shot is also good because in a shot with action it can follow the interaction between the two people without getting distracted by their surroundings.

Over the Shoulder Shot: This shot is framed from behind a person who is looking at the subject. They should occupy 1/3 of the frame. Helps get the feeling of looking at one person from the other point of view. Common cut between these shots during conversation.

Noddy Shot: Common in interviews, this is a shot of the person listening and reacting to the subject.

Point of View (P.O.V) Shot: This shot shows a view from the subject’s perspective. Edited so you know whose P.O.V it is. Makes the audience feel like they’re the character.

Low Angle Shot: Shot is taken from below the subject, looking up at it. Gives the subject a sense of power, size and authority.

High Angle Shot: Shot taken from above the subject, looking down at it. Gives the subject a sense of lack of power, helplessness and inferiority.

Pan: The camera moves from left to right (from L to R) on a tripod following a subject.

Tracking Shot: Camera moves on a dolly to follow the subject. It also gives a sense of speed and moving action.

Tilt: Camera pans vertically – up and down. Can give a sense of size and height.

Canted/ Dutch Angle Shot: Camera position is not straight toward the subject. It gives the sense of chaos or insanity.

Zoom in/out: Camera focuses zooming in or out on a key detail. It can highlight significant objects to the audience.

Steadicam/Handheld: The camera moves around with the action. Gives the viewer a sense of realism - of being a part of it. It can create excitement and tension in a chase/suspense scene.

Crane Shot: The camera takes a high angle shot looking down on the subject. Crane can track pan and tilt. It gives the sense of size and scale of the subject.

Ariel Shot: The camera is positioned in a plane or helicopter to get ELS high angled shot. It gives the audience the sense of size, location and scale.