literary analysis of film: camera angles

quiz 9/23

close up

a framing in which the scale of the object shown in relatively large. most commonly, a person’s head is seen from the neck up, or an object fills most of the screen.

long shot

the object shown in distant and includes its surroundings. a standing human figure, for example, generally appears nearly the height of the screen

straight on angle/eye level angle

camera is at the same level as subject

shaky camera/handheld camera

camera moves as though held by someone by hand instead of being fixed and steady on a device

low angle

camera is below the subject (camera is low) looking up to it

arc shot/360 degree pan

the camera moves around the subject in a circle or a spiral

flashbacks

an alteration in the story order in which the plot moves back in time to show events that have taken place earlier

pan

camera movement with the camera turning to the right or left. on the screen, it produces a movement from one side to the other horizontally (like panoramic option in your camera)

medium shot

a shot that shows human figures from the waist up

cut away/insert

when camera cuts to an object or area away from human subjects

point of view/subjective camera

camera acts as though looking through the subject’s eyes

high angle

camera is above the subject (camera is high) looking down on it

establishing shot

often a long or wide shot used to show the audience the location and surroundings. often at the beginning of a new scene or location

cross-cutting

editing that alternates shots of (going back and forth between) two or more lines of actions occurring in different places, usually simultaneously.

montage

a series of short clips of scenes brought together to represent one idea